text:
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Lauren's Love Story
Four Generations:
Lauren's Grandmother with Eli, Lauren, and Lauren's Aunt
Twenty Three years ago, God blessed my husband and his first wife, Roberta with their second daughter. Their journey to parenthood began with difficulty and ended with two beautiful blessings. Lauren, their second blessing was born to young teenage parents. Their love enabled them to trust Doug and Roberta (Lauren's adoptive parents) with her care. At age 14, Lauren's adoptive mother died and Dad continued his journey raising both girls. In 2005, Doug and I (Andrea) married, blending families. Our greatest blessing came instantly as our children grew close with hearts full of love for one another.
I, as step-mom gave birth to Lauren as a teenager. I carefully and sometimes painfully tried to be step-mom, yet not "mom." Her Dad and I share the desire for her adoptive mother, who raised her from birth to 14 to be present in spirit. Roberta's love brought Lauren home from the hospital and raised her under the divine guidance of her Heavenly Father. Daily, I seek to keep those values at the forefront with each of our children. On July 27th, I was privileged to stand in her mother's place as she gave birth to our beautiful grandson, Eli. Lauren will never be able to give me a greater gift.
On Monday, Doug and I met Lauren's Grandmother (adoptive mother/Roberta's mother) and her Aunt (adoptive mother's sister) and led them to Lauren's home to meet Eli. Once again, Doug and I were blessed to watch as GOD poured HIMSELF out through each of them. GOD's love is evident in each of their eyes and beautiful smiles in the photo above.
Lauren is loved by many! Biology does not make a family, God's love does! For those of you struggling with blended families or adopted children, where God's love abounds a beautiful end is in sight. Look to His light and He will lead you through the difficult and painful moments filling you with His peace that passes all understanding.
Blessed to be step-mom,
67 comments:
- Denise said...
Amen, such a heart touching post. Blessings to your precious family.
- August 10, 2010 at 10:28 PM
- Buttercup said...
Dear Andrea, what a beautiful post and I know it comes from a beautiful heart. Blessings to you and Doug, Lauren and all of your family. I feel very grateful to know your lovely family.
- August 10, 2010 at 10:39 PM
- Debra Kaye said...
Amen, Andrea! Touched my heart. Blessings to you!!
- August 10, 2010 at 11:58 PM
- Cathy said...
Aw, love the pretty picture ~ Thanks for sharing with us, Dear.
- August 11, 2010 at 12:01 AM
- Erin said...
Beautiful post, Andrea. As an adult child of multiple divorces, I can say my life would have been much easier if the various parties involved had been as gracious and caring as you. I know you think you're lucky to have been blessed with Lauren, but I can say from experience that she, too, was lucky t have been blessed with you.
- August 11, 2010 at 12:06 AM
- COUNTRY MOM said...
Amen Andrea, Beautiful post and beautiful family. You are a blessing.
- August 11, 2010 at 12:35 AM
- Warren Baldwin said...
Andrea, this is a great story. You have done as good a job as I have ever seen with a blended family. I know there are a number of factors involved, but one of them is your great heart. Have you ever thought of writing a book on blended families? It really is a necessary topic for today. You could address the subject very ably.
Also, does Lauren have a blog? She would have some great stories to share.
- August 11, 2010 at 1:12 AM
- Ozjane said...
Lovely story.
I was a step Mom for 3 years....they had been in my ex Dh"s custody for 14 years before we met and chose to go home to their Mum a year before we married...when my ex left due to a mental breakdown (impending at that time) the children clung to me...they were 19 yrs of age down...the older one was not so close but the youngest son still sometimes rings me from USA where he now lives. My ex left in '82, so am not quite sure what I am...maybe an ex step mum. Son has more to do with me than he does with his Dad which is dad and our contact is every few years.
- August 11, 2010 at 2:58 AM
- Aliene said...
Andrea, A loving story! But tragically not all stories end that way. Lovely picture and a precious baby. You have a heart full of love.
blessings on your lives together as a family.
- August 11, 2010 at 3:56 AM
- Lynda Young said...
"Biology does not make a family, God's love does!" Oh this is so very true!
Blessings to you,
- August 11, 2010 at 4:15 AM
- sarah said...
what a beautiful interweaving of lives. And I like what Lynda says God's love not biology makes a family.
- August 11, 2010 at 6:27 AM
- Diane said...
What a beautiful story and a happy continuation of God's love! :O)
- August 11, 2010 at 7:20 AM
- Karen said...
Such a beautiful, beautiful, story! Your wording brought tears to my eyes at the thought of how God orchestrated bringing you all together...He is so good!
The picture is wonderful...and yes...you can see the love in their eyes....
- August 11, 2010 at 8:21 AM
- Runner Mom said...
I love this beautiful story! And God's perfect love. The picture is precious!! Andrea, y'all have been quite busy!! Thank you for your prayers for Kristi! Enjoy your day!
- August 11, 2010 at 8:24 AM
- chili pepper said...
This is a beautiful story that only the Lord can right. As one who has been affected by divorce, remarriage, step families and all that goes along with it since I was young, I can tell you that many lives would be different if others would take the lead of all those involved in Lauren's love story. Thanks for taking the time to share with us.
I've missed seeing you around but having not been up to visiting lately. I am trying to get back into the swing of things day by day and step by step. Thank you for your prayers through this time.
- August 11, 2010 at 8:33 AM
- Rachel said...
So beautiful, Andrea. Really an amazing post. I was blessed reading it.
May God bless your family. And thank you for blessing me with your words.
- August 11, 2010 at 8:46 AM
- BLUEBUTTERFLY said...
Thanks for posting, Andrea. As someone who was raised by women who showed me amazing love, I can attest that biology has nothing to do with what makes anyone a good and loving parent.
- August 11, 2010 at 9:16 AM
- Divine Mrs D said...
Absolutely beautiful!! Thank you so much for posting. I hope that you're doing well :)
- August 11, 2010 at 9:56 AM
- Linda said...
Such beautiful women Andrea. Our daughter is adopted, and she is the joy of our hearts. This is a wonderful tribute to love.
- August 11, 2010 at 11:10 AM
- lisasmith said...
Crazy here too!! But, storming the heavens has solidified you as my prayer partner whether we are "talking" or not!
This blended family post makes me cry. Big, happy, tears!!
- August 11, 2010 at 11:11 AM
- vanilla said...
Family is a beautiful thing; and as you indicate, it is determined by love rather than biology.
- August 11, 2010 at 11:11 AM
- myletterstoemily said...
you sound like a wonderful stepmom!
it was difficult navigating the teenage
years, and i imagine very tricky as a
she is very blessed to have you!
- August 11, 2010 at 11:23 AM
- Cathy Bryant said...
Andrea, thanks for sharing such a beautiful story. How true that biology doesn't make a family. Only God's love can bring it about. Thanks for being a willing light of testimony to God's goodness in difficult circumstances.
- August 11, 2010 at 11:55 AM
- Jackie said...
- August 11, 2010 at 12:34 PM
- Nancy said...
What a beautiful story of the different generations and God's love. Eli is so sweet. Love that name.
- August 11, 2010 at 12:35 PM
- Tea with Tiffany said...
Such encouragement and hope for someone in a similar situation. Thank you for sharing your story and God's love for all families, no matter what the design.
- August 11, 2010 at 12:38 PM
- Holly said...
Biology does not make a family, God's love does!
So true!
Enjoyed this story and what a blessing!
- August 11, 2010 at 12:44 PM
- ~*~ saskia ~*~ said...
Have a wonderful Wednesday, Andrea. xx
- August 11, 2010 at 1:44 PM
- Together We Save said...
She is very blessed and you are such a blessing to her by accepting all of her family.
- August 11, 2010 at 3:08 PM
- Saleslady371 said...
This is such a tender story. It gave me big tears to see what God does with hearts that live for Him. I love Him, and you, so much.
- August 11, 2010 at 3:44 PM
- Kristy K said...
What a beautiful post Andrea!!! It's amazing how God knits all these people into our lives and creates and grows our families.
- August 11, 2010 at 3:59 PM
- Andrea said...
What a beautiful story, Andrea! I have tears in my eyes. Congratulations on your grandbaby! Many blessings to all of you!
- August 11, 2010 at 4:39 PM
- Jeanette Levellie said...
Wow. What a journey. You are Blessed indeed, Andrea. I'd say so are Doug and his girls, to have you.
- August 11, 2010 at 8:57 PM
- Diana said...
Our family has blended beautifully! I always thank God for that. The photo was just beautiful Andrea. I can see the love. Bless you all!
Love Di ♥
- August 11, 2010 at 9:34 PM
- Sonja said...
What a beautiful story to end this day with Andrea... this is truly God's story in all of your lives. How blessed each one of you are, to share the family that He has created!
- August 11, 2010 at 10:59 PM
Amen! Such blessings coming from so many directions. God's love truly is evident in the faces of these women and in your words, Andrea, relating this beautiful story to us.
Thanking you with love, ~ linda
- August 11, 2010 at 11:03 PM
- Jennifer @ Getting Down With Jesus said...
This, right here:
"Biology does not make a family, God's love does!"
We don't have to share DNA to be linked by the true Father.
May the Abba Father -- our everlasting Dad -- bless you all!
- August 11, 2010 at 11:48 PM
- Nicole said...
What a beautiful post! You are so right about blended families. Sometimes you really can't tell because everybody starts to physically look alike anyway! Congrats on baby Eli.
- August 12, 2010 at 8:18 AM
- Nezzy said...
Just goes to show ya that real family is grown and not always birthed. What a wonderful picture. God always knows what he's doin'. That little Eli is just precious, you are blessed my friend! :o)
Enjoy your day sweetie!!!
- August 12, 2010 at 10:06 AM
- renewd42 said...
Its neat how God "weaves" our lives! I too am a step mom and we are expecting a grandbaby from my hubbys daughter in November...so the generations are a neat thing! Gods blessing carries on!! Blessings to you and your family! thanks for sharing!! and for dropping by my blog as well!!
- August 12, 2010 at 10:24 AM
- Grandma Yellow Hair said...
Andrea what a blessing you are as a mom and a friend. I wish there were more step moms around the world like you.
This is a beautiful post and so enjoyed reading about your family.
My post are so crazy I am always think oh no Andrea going to be reading this but you still love me so see what a blessing you are to all of us
- August 12, 2010 at 12:46 PM
- Laura said...
Such a beautiful story, Andrea, and so so true. The love you express here is so moving. Thank you for showing me this piece of God in you.
- August 12, 2010 at 1:00 PM
- The French Bear said...
Andrea, you are a wonderful "Mom" and such a great disciple of God......I just love how this story of life has played on for you!!!
Hugs and thank you for keeping me in your prayers.
Margaret B
- August 12, 2010 at 1:25 PM
- Claudia said...
oh i love that picture with 4 generations sitting on a couch - generation 1 has generation 4 in her arms - that's moving!!
- August 12, 2010 at 1:29 PM
- He & Me + 3 said...
So true it is about the love of God. Beautiful story.
- August 12, 2010 at 2:54 PM
- Becky K. said...
A very precious post, Andrea.
Becky K.
- August 12, 2010 at 4:26 PM
- Lou said...
What a beautiful post Andrea. Blessed to have read this today.
Thank you for visiting Saved by Grace and the encouraging comment. I look forward to reading more of your blog. :)
- August 12, 2010 at 7:08 PM
- Cathy said...
Beautiful story!
- August 12, 2010 at 7:31 PM
- Debra Kaye said...
Thank you, Andrea, for your prayers for my son. I appreciate it more than I can say. God bless you.
- August 12, 2010 at 9:04 PM
- emmage said...
I'm 1000% with you on this that biology doesn't make family aside of God. Its a privileged position to be a child of God.Good reflections.
- August 12, 2010 at 11:42 PM
- Maubrey said...
hi visiting and dropping on your blog..
so to be frank do u like my blog..if so follow and drop a comment ..if u dont like means just dont drop a comment ..
- August 12, 2010 at 11:52 PM
- koralee said...
Such a lovely post...sending you blessings for a great weekend. xoxox
- August 13, 2010 at 10:49 AM
- LisaShaw said...
Amen! What a beautiful message of LOVE Andrea!!!
Precious photo!!!
So true that biology doesn't make a family but God's love does! I love that!
Praying for you and your beautiful family loved by GOD!!!
- August 13, 2010 at 11:20 AM
- Karen said...
This truly is a love story! Blessings to you and your family.
- August 13, 2010 at 12:10 PM
- Terry said...
Howdy Andrea
Amen to God's love story.
I think I need two boxes of kleenex as I try to see clear enough to thank you for sharing this amazing miracle .
Congratulations to you all !
May God continue to pour out His great love upon you and yours that the Love of God may touch many more who are in need of His healing touch .
God bless you dear lady .
I have missed being able to visit .
Just know I think of you and continue to pray for you often .
Big Hugs from Texas
Until next time
Happy Trails
- August 13, 2010 at 12:58 PM
- Mocha Momma said...
What a beautiful story of God's love spreading through a family far & wide.
How neat thet they all got to be together and that you were a part of that.
- August 13, 2010 at 9:21 PM
- Libbie said...
What a beautiful girl! I just love how much love there is in this post! I can hear it oooozing out Andrea! That is a really fun picture. That is so awesome you desired to keep her mom's spirit alive in her life. What a gift!
- August 13, 2010 at 10:46 PM
- Libbie said...
What a beautiful girl! I just love how much love there is in this post! I can hear it oooozing out Andrea! That is a really fun picture. That is so awesome you desired to keep her mom's spirit alive in her life. What a gift!
- August 13, 2010 at 10:47 PM
- Pet said...
How beautiful!
- August 14, 2010 at 7:49 AM
- Jenniflower said...
What a gracious and caring post Andrea! As someone who, along with hubby, will be adopting children.. this really touched me
Jen x
- August 14, 2010 at 5:02 PM
- Barbara said...
Beautiful post....I so understand being a stepmom myself...giving birth to a 9 and 11 year old who have now given me those precious gifts...my grandchildren. It is about the love God places in each heart...that is the blood line that makes us family. Thanks for sharing this wonderful story.
- August 15, 2010 at 7:58 AM
- Julie Gillies said...
What a beautiful family, Andrea! Lauren is just beautiful and Eli is adorable!
You're right--"Biology does not make a family, God's love does!"
May He continue to pour His love into your family...into all of our families.
Blessings to you...and Congrats!
- August 15, 2010 at 3:46 PM
- Rebecca said...
This post was such an encouragement to me as two of our children are/or will soon be parents to 3 adopted children!
The "body language" on the picture is beautiful...and your gracious words complete the story.
God bless Lauren & her precious young family. And you and Doug, too :)
- August 16, 2010 at 8:00 AM
- Goose Hill Farm said...
You always touch my heart with your words.
Beautiful post, my friend!
- August 18, 2010 at 1:15 AM
- Just Breathe said...
What a beautiful post. God Bless.
- August 19, 2010 at 6:43 PM
- quietspirit said...
What a beautiful tribute to Lauren's adoptive mother and her family. I am aware that not all families formed like yours are as blessed.
- August 26, 2010 at 9:54 PM
- Nel said...
What a wonderful post! Wonderful picture... making memories.
until next time... nel
- September 1, 2010 at 1:52 PM


text:
Nick and Amanda held two successful events – one or teachers, and one for students and the public. The events are available in the PolarConnect Archives.
While arctic species are all well adapted to living in extreme environments, it is unclear whether different species will respond similarly or differently to the environmental shifts that accompany climate change (e.g. longer growing seasons and warmer temperatures). Stronger responses by some species within a community, or strong responses by certain species groups, could lead to changes in the structure of the food web and its role in arctic ecosystems.
For example, In the Alaskan Arctic, wolf spiders are the largest and most abundant invertebrate predators. A shift in their ecological role could therefore have an important impact on the entire food web. Evidence from Arctic Greenland shows that wolf spider body sizes are becoming larger in response to longer growing seasons. These increases in body size will likely lead to larger spider populations, which could imply an increase in predation on the rest of the community.
This project explored the role of wolf spiders within arctic communities and specifically, whether climate change is stimulating changes in these predators that could influence the structure and functions of arctic food webs. The research team used a variety of methods to examine the impact of wolf spiders, including sampling spiders from various locations around Toolik Lake and carrying out a manipulative experiment that looked at the entire food web.
The research team lived and worked out of Toolik Field Station, located in the northern foothills of the Brooks Range in northern Alaska. Toolik Field Station is operated by the Institute of Arctic Biology at the University of Alaska Fairbanks and has hosted hundreds of researchers and students every year since 1975.
Nick LaFave is a National Board Certified Teacher who has been teaching science since 1997. He currently teaches Environmental Science in Clover, South Carolina. Mr. LaFave grew up close to the New York/Canada border between the St. Lawrence River valley and the Adirondack Park. Walking out the door of his childhood home to explore the nearby woods, or fish the river sparked a lifelong passion for learning about nature. Mr. LaFave uses a hands-on approach to teaching Environmental Science. He and his students manage a nearly 100 acre "outdoor classroom" where some of the unique learning opportunities include monitoring fish populations and water quality, studying turtle populations, and raising tilapia to control nuisance plant species. He also encourages his students to be active participants in community service. Outside the classroom, Mr. LaFave spends his time playing hockey, golfing, attempting to play guitar and mandolin, hiking, and camping with his wife (also a teacher) and daughter.
Amanda Koltz is a PhD candidate in ecology at Duke University under Dr. Justin Wright. Her research focuses on the relationship between community and ecosystem ecology (e.g. how species interactions can affect key ecosystem processes like decomposition and nutrient cycling). For her dissertation research, she is exploring how climate-induced changes in predatory spiders are influencing the structure and function of food webs in the Arctic. You can learn more about Amanda's research here.

subset: commoncrawl


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Honens Laureate Georgy Tchaidze at Glenn Gould Studio April 21
Following his critically acclaimed Wigmore Hall debut,
2009 Honens Prize Laureate Georgy Tchaidze performs at Toronto's Glenn Gould Studio on April 21
"…a beautifully calibrated performance…(Medtner's music) needs a pianist of fine sensibility and perfectly honed technique to bring out its flavour. Tchaidze certainly has both." The Telegraph
"This was thrilling playing, delivered with a beguiling, no-nonsense showmanship that was immensely attractive. Georgy Tchaidze has a great deal to offer."
CALGARY, AB, March 28, 2012 – Russian pianist Georgy Tchaidze, winner of the 2009 Honens International Piano Competition, makes his Toronto debut at Glenn Gould Studio on Saturday, April 21, 2012 at 8 p.m. The all-Russian recital features Medtner's rarely heard four Fairy Tales Op. 34, Prokofiev's Sonata No. 4 in C minor Op. 29, and Mussorgsky'sPictures at an Exhibition. Tchaidze is also joined by special guest soprano Dina Kuznetsova to perform Rachmaninov's Six Romances Op. 38.
Tickets to the April 21 recital, presented by Roy Thomson Hall, are $29.50 and available by calling (416) 872-4255 or online atroythomsonhall.com.
Tchaidze's upcoming engagements include debut recitals at Berlin's Konzerthaus on April 3, and at Zankel Hall at Carnegie Hall on April 27.
Georgy Tchaidze
Russian pianist Georgy Tchaidze is 2009 Prize Laureate of Calgary's Honens International Piano Competition. The Telegraphcommented on the "fine sensibility and perfectly honed technique" displayed at his Wigmore Hall debut in London in March 2012. His Honens win allowed him to bring his artistry beyond Russia for performances throughout Europe and North America for the first time. Tchaidze has performed at The International Holland Music Sessions, Switzerland's Verbier Festival Academy, and played for the Governor General of Canada at the special invitation of The Glenn Gould Foundation. In October 2011 he performed Rachmaninov's Second Piano Concerto with conductor Pinchas Zukerman and the National Arts Centre Orchestra about which the Ottawa Citizen wrote "commendable clarity ... unusually powerful for a performance of so little ostentation." An avid chamber musician, he has performed across Canada and the United States with Clara-Jumi Kang, Gold Medalist of the International Violin Competition of Indianapolis, and tours this season with the Cecilia String Quartet, 2010 Banff International String Quartet Competition First Prizewinner. Tchaidze's debut recording of works by Schubert was released in July 2011 on the Honens label.
Dina Kuznetsova
Russian-American soprano Dina Kuznetsova has attracted the attention of the world's major opera companies for her outstanding musicianship and compelling stage presence. She is known for her passionate portrayals of the heroines of Slavic, Italian and French opera. Kuznetsova created a sensation at the Glydebourne Festival in 2011 in the title role of Dvořák'sRusalka conducted by Sir Andrew Davis in a revival of the celebrated production by Melly Still. This followed her acclaimed debut at Glydebourne as Alice Ford in Falstaff, conducted by Vladimir Jurowski, a performance now available on DVD. Tchaikovsky's Tatiana in Yevgeny Onegin has quickly become a signature role for Kuznetsova. Recent performances also include Mimi in La Bohème with the Austin Opera and Pamina in Die Zauberflöte with San Francisco Opera. She made her Vienna State Opera debut as Gounod's Juliette and has sung that role in acclaimed performances at Lyric Opera of Chicago. Other highlights include debuts at Royal Opera, Covent Garden as Lauretta in a new Richard Jones production of Gianni Schicchi opposite Bryn Terfel and conducted by Antonio Pappano; at Deutsche Staatsoper as Donna Anna in Don Giovanniconducted by Daniel Barenboim opposite René Pape and as Adina (role debut) in a new production of L'Elisir d'Amore opposite Rolando Villazon. A passionate recitalist and chamber musician, she has performed often with the New York Festival of Song and with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. She made her Carnegie Hall debut at Weill Recital Hall under the auspices of the Marilyn Horne Foundation. A graduate of Oberlin Conservatory, Kuznetsova lives in Ohio with her husband and son.
Honens International Piano Competition is a leader in discovering and launching the careers of young concert pianists. It searches for Complete Artists – 21st century musicians for 21st century audiences – and, starting in 2012, awards its Laureate the competition world's largest cash prize ($100,000 CAD) and most comprehensive artistic and career development program. The Quarterfinals of the Seventh Honens International Piano Competition take place this Spring in Berlin, London, Los Angeles and New York. The Competition culminates with Semifinals and Finals from October 17 to 26, 2012 in Calgary. For more information, visit www.honens.com.
Labels: Georgy Tchaidze


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Noble Qur'an Arb/Eng (Pocket Size HB)
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Noble Qur'an Arb/Eng (Pocket Size HB)
Translator: Dr. Muhsin Khan & Taqi-ud-Din Hilali
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Binding: Hardback
Size: 5x3x1"
Publisher: Dar-us-Salam
The Noble Quran summarized in one volume by:
Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan and Dr. Muhammad Taqi-ud-Din Al-Hilali (click on names for biography)
Interpretation of the meanings of the Noble Qur'an with Arabic text in the modern English language. A summarized version of At-Tabari, Al-Qurtubi and Ibn Kathir with comments from Sahih Al-Bukhari.
This summarized 1 volume version offers brief commentary and Ahadith wherever necessary. This unique combination of commentary and relevant Ahadith makes this a very useful study reference tool. The Arabic text is taken from Mushaf al Madinah.
The Noble Quran Pocket Sizes Available:
Q48A) ISBN: 1-59144-008-4 = 5x3.25x1" = HB (Old #Q01f / Q01PS)
Q48B) ISBN: 1-59144-007-6 = 4.5x3x1" = Soft back (Old #Q01E)
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Copyright (c) 2016 by Randall R. Peterson ALL RIGHTS RESERVED This is a work of fiction. All persons, locations and actions are from the author's imagination or have been used in a fictitious manner.
Part 2
By R. Peterson
J.J. stumbled through the service gate onto the grounds of her ten-acre Brentwood estate. She still couldn't believe what she had seen; she still couldn't believe what she had done. The gardener who only worked at night had kept his head covered for good reason. His was the most hideous and repulsive face she had ever seen. What had ever possessed her to pull off the hood?
A lump formed in her throat when she saw what the man had been working on. A glistening path made of oyster shells embedded in black sand led to a dark shimmering pool surrounded by exotic burgundy lace Painted Lady ferns. The pond was skillfully constructed and positioned so that moonlight reflected her image on the glassy water like a mirror. According to People Magazine, the deep cerulean-blue eyes that stared back might be the Crown Jewels of Hollywood, but at this moment they were filled with shame.
J.J. thought it might be tears blurring her reflection, but as she continued to gaze into the pool, the image cleared. She was a child of eleven once more just coming from the bathroom of the Cloverdale Texaco Station. Her mom and dad sat on two folding chairs in a grimy office area drinking coffee while a mechanic changed the oil in their car. She watched in horror as Lemont Hicks twisted steel tubing with a rusty pair of pliers. Brake fluid ran down one wheel as he wiped his hands on a rag and slowly lowered the car on the hoist. "All done folks … you're good to go!" he called.
All these years J.J. had been led to believe her drunken father had driven off a cliff into Magician's Canyon killing himself and her mother … now she realized it was murder. "Why?" she gasped. A moment later the image changed to show Hicks taking a handful of hundred-dollar bills from a dark figure. She strained to see the face of the stranger. Just then a cloud passed over the moon, obscuring the light, and the mirror reflection vanished.
The garden was momentarily plunged into darkness. The only light came from a glistening fountain on the far side of the swimming-pool, the lighted dial of her Baume and Mercier watch which had just changed to 4:20 AM, and tiny glass lights in the shape of fairies lining a winding path that led to the house.
"Your face might not be much to look at," J.J. thought about the gardener as she staggered toward the house. The bottle of Camus Jubilee she'd drank earlier tugged on her like a lusty sailor. She tried to erase the gardener's horrible bulging image of grotesque hanging flesh from her mind. "But you certainly did beautiful magic with your hands!" She looked once more at the amazing garden and began to cry. Would the nocturnal workman ever return? "What have I done?"
Tears blinded her as she unlocked the back door with a signal from her iPhone and stumbled into the empty house.
J.J. woke-up feeling like road-kill; a Leatherback sea turtle struggling across California's Highway One suffering from severe traffic damage as she made her way downstairs. She shook two Excedrin from a bottle, cursed when they escaped by rolling onto the kitchen floor, and then reached for a prescription bottle of Vicodin instead. J.J. rarely used the heavyweight opioid except when on location or shortly after a romantic breakup. After Johnny disappeared she swore she wouldn't become an addict. Hollywood's Dr. Feelgood told her inflexibly this was her last bottle. She washed the pills down with orange juice. The flashing light on the telephone answering machine showed twenty-seven messages. She scanned down the list of names, deleting them as she went. Most were directors obviously wanting her to read scripts. Two were from producers looking for prom dates and the usual assortment of charities. Only one name caught her attention. It had been over a month since she had last spoken to Mike Benson, the private detective she'd hired to find out anything he could about Johnny Lang shortly before she left for Europe. The tireless man had produced dozens of John/Johnny Langs all across the U.S. ranging in age from six to seventy-five but none of them matched the photo she had given him. During their last conversation, during a shooting break in London, she'd asked him to go back a century and check out the no longer living. He'd confirmed her instructions without hesitation; perhaps he was used to dealing with eccentric Hollywood weirdoes with deep pockets.
"It's unbelievable, but I think I've found a match," Benson's voice was all business. "John Edward Lang was born April nineteenth, 1893. He died pulling survivors from a submerged car wreck at the Cottonmouth River Bridge in Cloverdale Montana in 1920." Mike cleared his throat as if he expected her to laugh at this point in the recording and then he went on. "I had a professional imaging service do a scan on a black and white copy of your photo and compared it with a newspaper clipping from the Vanishing River Tribune they are 92% certain it is the same person."
J.J. wasn't really that surprised; it was her hometown that amazed her. She quickly returned the detective's call. "Did … does Johnny Lang have any relatives?"
"John Walker, the County Sheriff, is a great, great step-nephew," Benson said. "There may be other relatives. Elisabeth Hughes Walker, Lang's mother was a reformed Missouri bank-robber and a prominent socialite in western Montana. Her original homestead is preserved in pristine condition by a family trust. It still looks like something from a Goosebumps movie to me; I will send you a picture. Johnny Lang, her firstborn, appears to have been the illegitimate son of legendary lawman Thomas Lang."
"That won't be necessary," J.J. told him. "I grew up in that tiny town and I remember the Walker Haunted house very well."
J.J. had two more phone calls to make after she hung up. Airline tickets to Billings. She'd get a rental car at the airport. She had double reasons for going home: the mysterious death of her parents and Johnny Lang. She only hoped that the strange gardener would return. Her agent Jack Thomas answered on the second ring. "I've done something awful …" she explained about last night and pulling the hood from the hideous gardener's head. "Tell him I'm so sorry!"
"I'll buy him a truckload of roses and beg him to forget about what happened," Jack assured her.
The flight to Montana didn't leave until 7PM.
J.J. used the time to stroll through her gardens and then to look up Joseph Merrick on her computer. The famous Leicester Elephant Man, the subject of a 1980 movie starring John Hurt died in 1890 after being exhibited in countless freak shows and eventually making friends with Alexandra, Princess of Wales and other members of London society. She gasped when she saw his deformed image, a nightmare encore of last night. Could there possibly be another hideous miscreation loose in the world?"
As soon as J.J. crossed into Comanche County she drove the rental SUV to the scenic pull-out on the side of Magician's Canyon. She stared at the swirling Cottonmouth River as it disappeared in one deep end of the treacherous chasm. This is where her parents died (although she had miraculously survived) in what everyone thought was a horrible accident. If the mysterious image from the past that flickered in her garden pool was correct then it was no accident, but murder. Why would anyone want to pay Lemont Hicks to tamper with the brakes on her parent's car? Her mother was a librarian and her father was a student working part time at a local doctor's office as he finished his doctoral thesis. J.J strained to remember details of that fateful night fifteen years ago. Oddly it was the sister of Dr. Descombey, her father's boss, who had pulled her from the submerged car. Her father had an important meeting with university officials in Missoula and the entire family was going with him. J.J. remembered Melania wrapping her in a blanket and promising that everything was going to be okay.
Before J.J. left LA she had made a few phone calls. Dr. Descombey died ten years ago but his sister was miraculously still alive. The old woman was ancient when J.J. knew her; she had to be well over a hundred-years old now. Apparently Melania was living at home under the care of a woman named Alison Weatherbee. If the old lady was still coherent, J.J. hoped to gleam as much information from her about the so called accident as possible. There was another person J.J. had to confront. Lemont Hicks had been released from Deer Lodge Penitentiary, six months previous after serving ten years for killing another man in a bar-room brawl. He was said to be living on the old family farm four miles south of where she now stood just across the river from the edge of Motha Forest.
J.J.'s mind was in such turmoil, there was something else she had to come to grips with, and it was information she was hesitant to find out about. If her Johnny Lang really died rescuing people under water in 1920 then he really was a spirit and not a living person. He would most likely be lost to her forever.
J.J. wiped her eyes on a moist towelette and then drove south on River Road. An icy chill crept down her spine as she approached the old Hick's farm. Deep ruts in the washboard gravel road forced her to proceed at a crawl. Rusted machinery littered the barn yard next to a partially collapsed spud cellar. Waist-high weeds covered the fields and every patch of ground that wasn't growing worn-out tires and soaked with ancient motor oil. A hunched man, badly in need of a shave, wearing filthy torn overalls and with a cigarette dangling from his mouth, banged open the broken screen door on a peeling white farmhouse as J.J. approached. He had almost limped to the edge of the road, using some kind of farm tool as a crutch, by the time J.J. rumbled into view. "By God and Jesus! You shouldn't have come back!" he yelled waving the rusty pitchfork in the air before a dust-cloud made him vanish. "Those who won't leave well enough alone … end up dead!"
As much as J.J. wanted to confront Hicks she knew this wasn't the time. She bounced and careened past the farm, the Chevy Tahoe almost sliding sideways. A quarter of a mile past, she began to breathe again.
Alison Weatherbee led J.J. through the twenty-six room mansion to an upstairs room where Melania lay withered and barely breathing on an upholstered Italian panel bed. Rembrandt quality paintings of cats some hundreds of years old, adorned linen walls covered with tiny hand painted flowers. The old woman opened her eyes when J.J. touched her hand. "I'm sorry," J.J. stammered. "I know you must be very ill."
"I have that fatal disease that all people who live long enough get," Melania whispered. "It's called turning to dust."
"I'm sorry," J.J. repeated then blurted. "I shouldn't have come."
"I would be disappointed if you didn't," Melania said. "I've been expecting you … besides," she smiled. "To return to dust is the first step to a new beginning. Who wants to live forever?"
J.J. told her about seeing the images in the garden pool. "My parent's deaths were no accident were they?"
"There are no accidents … everything happens or a purpose … be it good or bad." Melania's eyes glowed as if she was seeing a sunset in some far dim memory of her mind.
"Why would someone pay Lemont Hicks to tamper with my father's car?"
Melania closed her eyes for a long time. J.J. was afraid she might have died … then her wrinkled lips moved. "The influenza pandemic of 1918 killed almost forty-million people world-wide many of them children. Western Montana was hit especially hard. A whole generation wiped from the face of the Earth. By 1936, eighteen years later, there were no young people to till the fields and harvest the grain. There was no money, people survived by what they grew. The people came to me begging for help. I decided to create for them what they had lost."
"You mean you created children?" J.J. was amazed, but something told her the old woman was not lying.
"Not children, although most started out child-like," Melania told her. "I created an enchanted race of people from ordinary scarecrows, male and female members of a new species called the Mommet. A gentle people, they worked in the fields and harvested crops."
"What you are talking about is magic," J.J. argued. "I work in Hollywood. I know that magic is not real, it's all distraction, smoke and mirrors."
"Of course magic is real!" Melania's voice was as hushed as rain falling on sand. "I've been teaching Alison about the balance in all things."
"For each thing I learn … a dozen more mysteries appear," Allison interjected.
Melania went on. "The flu epidemic was a terrible tragedy, but where there is abundant bad … there is always great good … if you know where to look." Melania began to cough and Alison dabbed at her mouth with a handkerchief. J.J. noticed blood smeared on the embroidered silk.
"The cottonwood trees that lined the river produced a special oil on their leaves in the early thirties that when mixed with rain water sprouted life where there was none before." Melania took a deep breath and closed her eyes before she continued. "Log portions of cabins built along the river began to grow roots and to sprout limbs filled with clusters of leaves. Wet fabrics left outdoors became lumpy and thicker as new cotton balls emerged between the stitches."
Melania complained that her throat was dry and sent Alison to the cellar for a bottle of wine. After the apprentice left, Melania continued with her voice cracking. "I found a way to dry the oil and mix it with dust from ancient graves. I was always careful to choose only what remained of good and decent people … much of it from children … victims of the horrible sickness."
Alison returned and helped the old woman wet her lips with the red liquid. "The Mommet were a good and kind people who became more humanlike every day," Melania said. "But Lemont Hicks, grandfather to the Lemont living today, found out about my magic and decided to make his own creatures. The elder Hicks wasn't fussy about where he got his grave dust, he ended up breeding a species of monsters called the Hodmedod. The creatures were dark and evil under flower-sack hoods. They rampaged the countryside committing all sorts of devilish things for their masters … including murder. Soldiers returning from World War II hunted down the Hodmedod and destroyed them with fire. The Mommet were moved deep into Motha Forest where they live to this day."
"But what has all this got to do with my parent's murders?" J.J. was stunned.
"Your father decided to do his doctorate thesis on farm labor during the great depression," Melania told her. "He found out about the Mommet and the Hodmedod. On the night he and your mother were murdered he was on his way to Missoula with proof that someone was once again creating the Hodmedod."
"Lemont Hicks," J.J. gasped.
"Our Lemont Hicks is nothing like his grandfather," Melania said. "Whoever paid him is the mastermind behind the resurgence of evil in Comanche County. They wanted your parents out of the way so they could continue their experiments uninterrupted."
"But that's been fifteen years ago," J.J. said. "They must have failed.
Melania shook her head. "Only good is eternal. Evil must constantly re-spawn each new generation. There have been several attempts to create the monsters often with shocking results."
J.J. remembered her gardener's horribly disfigured face back in LA. He could do magic with plants because he came from magic."
"I think I've met one of these creations," J.J. said. "But he's not evil, just terribly hard to look at."
"You haven't met all the monsters," Melania's voice was very weak. "The wind whispers ill tides to me each evening as the night approaches."
Melania began to cough again and Alison ushered J.J. out of the room. "Melania is very sick," she said. "Perhaps you can finish this conversation tomorrow."
A red sun was setting by the time J.J. found the only rooms available to rent in the small town. The Jagger Hotel was as dusty as the weeded vacant lot behind it. The night clerk, a mousy man with a lisp, and wandering eyes, gave J.J. the keys to a room on the ground floor. "The elevators aren't working and the stairs." he pointed to the warped boards climbing to a fourth level. "They're just not safe anymore."
Fifteen minutes, later tucked into a small room with clean sheets but rat droppings on the floor, J.J. was just ready to walk down a long hallway to brush her teeth in a shared bathroom when the lights went out. "Damn," J.J. cursed looking at her watch. It was nine P.M. "They should have told me about this instead of the free coffee in the morning."
J.J. used an app to turn her iPhone into a flashlight. "Now how am I going to take a selfie to show my friends in LA how I always stay in the best hotels?" she mused sarcastically.
She had just placed her hand on the doorknob when she heard what sounded like heavy footsteps in the hall. More than one very large man she guessed. There wasn't time to think or even turn around. The door burst inward sending wood fragments flying like an explosion at a lumber-mill. Lemont Hicks stood glaring in the doorway … shadowed by something much larger standing behind him.
To be continued …


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Solo Cello 2 was played and recorded at VSL's own Silent Stage. The extensive range of articulations leaves nothing to be desired. Playing techniques include staccatos, Portamento and Legato Performances as well as Legato Repetitions in various speeds, sustains with and without vibrato as well as with progessive vibrato, tremolos, Trill Performances in four intervals (from half-tone to major third trills), pizzicatos, sforzatos and sforzatissimos, fp and pfp.
This solo instrument offers an alternative to the cello included in the Solo Strings I Collection and is the perfect choice if you're looking for two different timbres of the same instrument, e.g., for solo or chamber music instrumentations.
The Solo Cello was played by Florian Eggner who is one of the first-chair players of the Synchron Stage Orchestra. Florian gained international recognition both as a soloist as well as a chamber musician with his two brothers Georg and Christoph. The "Eggner Trio" – one of today's leading piano trios – performed numerous concerts in virtually all renowned venues (such as the Vienna Musikverein, Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Wigmore Hall London, Cité de la Musique Paris, Carnegie Hall New York). Several concert tours have taken the ensemble to the USA, Japan, Argentinia, Uruguay, Australia and New Zealand.
Standard Library: Samples 14.907 | Download Files Size 6.1 GB | Installed File Size 9.8 GB
The following reviews have been placed by customers who also bought this product from us. All reviews are provided through eKomi, Europe's largest independent customer review company.
Die Sounds klingen einfach sehr gut. Zusammen mit den Violinen ein Traum. Sehr gut!
Your purchase of any VSL library entitles you to download the free Vienna Instruments Player software that includes the Vienna Ensemble mixing host.
• PC Windows 7 (latest Service Pack, 32/64-bit), Intel Core 2 Duo or AMD Athlon 64 X2
• Mac OS X 10.8 (latest update), Intel Core 2 Duo
• 2 GB RAM (4 GB recommended)
• ViennaKey (Vienna Symphonic Library USB protection device) or other USB eLicenser (e.g., from Steinberg or Arturia)
• eLicenser Control Center software (get the latest version from www.eLicenser.net)
• free hard drive space according to This Library Size Chart
Other configurations might work but are not actively supported.
• PC Windows 7 (latest Service Pack, 64-bit), Intel i5/i7/Xeon
• Mac OS X 10.8 (latest update), i5/i7/Xeon
• Fast separate hard drive (7200 rpm or faster)
• AU/VST/AAX Native/RTAS compatible host (also works stand-alone)
• RTAS version requires Pro Tools 7.3 or higher
• 88 key master keyboard
Product activation:
Vienna Instruments require the ViennaKey!
This USB protection device by eLicenser (by Steinberg, formerly Syncrosoft) is not included in any collection, it is a separate item you have to get additionally. So you'll have to order at least one ViennaKey with your first purchase. It will be put inside the shopping basket automatically but can be deleted if not required. Customers who order the complete SYMPHONIC CUBE will get one ViennaKey for free (not shown in the basket). If you already own another eLicenser USB protection device (e.g., from Steinberg or Arturia), you can use it for the VIENNA INSTRUMENTS, too. Each dongle can store up to 100 product licenses.
Additionally an internet connection on any computer is required to authorize a VSL product.


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UCLA QB Josh Rosen declares for the 2018 NFL draft
UCLA quarterback Josh Rosen is going to the NFL.
The junior made it official on his Twitter account Wednesday evening. Rosen could be the No. 1 overall pick in the draft by the Cleveland Browns.
Thankful to be a Bruin pic.twitter.com/iph754UL2b
— Josh Rosen (@josh3rosen) January 3, 2018
"I especially want to thank my teammates," part of Rosen's statement said. "I wish we had won more games but friendships were forged and memories were made that will last a lifetime. They are my best friends — I love them and wouldn't have chosen any others to go into battle with each and every week. It pains me to leave these guys but I know they wouldn't let me come back and pass up this opportunity to chase my dream."
Rosen missed time in 2017 because of concussions. He first suffered a concussion against Washington and missed the second half of the game. He didn't travel to Utah the following week. He played in UCLA's season finale against Cal but the team said he wasn't medically cleared to play against Kansas State in the Cactus Bowl because of a concussion.
He made headlines off the field over the summer when he said that playing football and going to school was like trying to balance two full-time jobs. While he drew some unnecessary criticism for the remark, he was correct in outlining the academic sacrifices necessary to balance classes and football commitments.
Rosen was 282-451 passing for 3,717 yards, 26 touchdowns and 10 interceptions in 2017. He posted the highest completion percentage of his career in 2017, though UCLA finished the season 6-7. The Bruins were 18-20 over Rosen's three years at the school, though that's a bit misleading. Rosen missed a significant portion of 2016 because of a shoulder injury and the Bruins' run game has struggled over the past two seasons.
A rumor emerged in December that Rosen could stay in school for his senior season if the Browns had the No. 1 overall pick. That clearly didn't happen. Rosen leads a quarterback draft class that includes Wyoming's Josh Allen and Oklahoma's Baker Mayfield and now USC's Sam Darnold, who declared for the draft less than an hour after Rosen.
Rosen's departure means he won't play for new UCLA coach Chip Kelly. The former NFL and Oregon coach was hired in December after Jim Mora was fired with one game to go in the regular season. Mora was in his sixth year at UCLA and recruited Rosen to the school in 2015. Rosen was the No. 1 quarterback in the class of 2015 and the No. 2 high school player overall according to Rivals.
That freshman season Rosen took the college football world by storm with a hot tub in his dorm room.
– – – – – – –
Nick Bromberg is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at email@example.com or follow him on Twitter!


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Today is my birthday; I'm 50 today!
I've been having parties all week, and I'm very grateful for all the kindness and good wishes.
The retired priests here organized a surprise party, and they did completely fool me! That was fun!
Tonight, we had a gathering at the Knights of Columbus, after a gathering at the Sisters' house. The schoolchildren sang for me at Mass, and gave me cards and presents...it's all fun and I am very, very grateful!
But on my birthday, my thoughts go to my parents. My parents loved each other, and their love was God's means of bringing me into existence. I didn't do a single thing. My birthday is no accomplishment of mine. It is the day of my mother's trials and suffering--for my benefit. It's the day that must have been remarkably special to my father; and I wish I'd been sensible enough to have asked him what it was like, when I had the chance.
I am the youngest of seven. Can you figure out why I agree with the Church's teaching on the openness to life? Had my parents not cooperated with the Church's wisdom, and God's plan...I would not exist.
I am here because my parents valued the voice of God in the Catholic Church. Because they loved each other. Because God ordained that the love of a man and a woman would be the means of bringing new life into the world. Because God wanted me to exist--for his purpose.
And while some people think 50 is old, from the perspective of eternity? Not so much! I'm going to live for eternity, and I'm only 50; it's like being a few hours in my mother's womb.
It's certainly tempting to think about the things that lie behind. I was 20 once, and that was an interesting experience. How foolish it would be to pine away for days gone by--and yet, so many do exactly that.
I don't mind saying that there are other thoughts I have today: but they are private. My gratitude; my memories...they are not to be shared, except with my mother and my father, and with God, who has taken them to himself.
Thank you Mom. Thank you Dad. Thank you Almighty Father.


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A walk on the wild side of Los Angeles rock, as a junkie musician-turned–celebrity rehab counselor tells the story of his recovery, while suggesting that he still has some issues.
In 12-step programs, these stories of hitting bottom and bouncing back are informally known as a "drunkalogues." This is more of a "drugalogue," though there was plenty of alcoholic excess in the boyhood of Forrest, who fronted cult band Thelonious Monster while sinking deeper into the abyss of his heroin addiction. "I was on an endless rehab roller coaster, and the cure never took," writes the author, now 15 years clean and better known as the sidekick on Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew. "I just loved drugs too much." Yet the overdose death of actor River Phoenix (a night vividly described here), the ravages suffered by fellow musicians and the downward spiral of his own life finally brought the author to a point where his survival instinct and self-loathing overpowered his love of drugs. After more than 20 attempts at getting clean, he finally found himself on the path to sobriety. It was apparently a good career move, as he tells about his TV salary of "$5,000 a week with a 10 percent annual increase." Yet Forrest admits that "much of the recovery industry is riddled with corruption" and that he has a "difficulty with that Hollywood glitzy, exploitative aspect" of the reality TV recovery series. He also doesn't express a whole lot of remorse for impregnating one 16-year-old and introducing another to heroin: "What can I say? The truth is I like younger women. I always have." In what passes here for a happy ending, after warning of the risks of two addicts in recovery becoming involved and telling how one counselor lost his career by sleeping with a patient, he relates how he lost a job but gained a wife after romancing one of his own patients.
An adequate recovery memoir.


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How could anyone say "no" to this?
I need everyone to tweet/Stumble this page and make a dream come true!
TQ is always thankful of the support that it receives. It may be in the form of a comment on the page, following me on Twitter or liking my Fan Page.
Because of the love these people show to me, I absolutely feel obligated to show that same love back to them.
We have to support our own! So many of us will go on Facebook and Like Drake or Nike, yet when someone in your own neighborhood is up-and-coming, you won't even give them a "thumbs up" as well.
Drake doesn't know you. Nike won't lower prices for you. I'm not saying that they're not worthy of support, but don't ignore the people who will actually thank you personally for what you do.
Naté and I have spoken a couple of times and we track each other's success on Twitter. She has the personality, the drive and definitely the body to grace the cover of any magazine. I'm calling on everyone in the TQ family to make it happen! Retweet like you're a stuttering baby bird and make a dream a reality.
Listen to why she's so determined...
|Jason Ramon Photography


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When the new Sony Xperia range was launched in South Africa back in May, there were 4 smartphones launched. These included the Xperia P, S, U and Sola. Having already reviewed the Xperia S in early July, today we take a closer look at the Xperia P.
If you didn't have a Sony Xperia S on hand, you would be mistaken for alleging that the 2 smartphones are exactly the same, with the Xperia P having the same design theme and build. The first difference to note is the Touch-Sensitive Buttons. Unlike the Xperia S with its Touch-Sensitive Buttons above the transparent film, the Xperia P's button are on the transparent film, making its design slightly more appealing.
The internals see a slight decrease in specifications. The Xperia S packs a 12MP camera and 1.5GHz Dual-Core CPU and 4.3" screen. The Xperia P doesn't pack as much punch with its 8MP camera, 1GHz Dual-Core CPU and 4" screen. This places the Xperia P in the mid-range category smartphone. The Xperia S also has a more powerful battery, although the Xperia P has a longer battery life, mostly due to its decrease in power. There are a number of other comparisons in regards to specifications, but nothing unexpected.
Along with the smartphone, Sony also included their NFC Smart Tag for review. Smart Tags are, in short, automatic action triggers by means of NFC. Each tag can be programmed to run applications, set volumes and alarms, turn on Bluetooth/Wi-Fi/Wi-Fi Hotspot, play music, send SMSes, open URLs, and pretty much anything you would normally use your phone for. Those you generally label themselves as "technologically challenged" needn't worry, as setting up the process can take less than 1 minute. Using the setup menu, you simply have to select a Smart Tag profile, name it, select your actions and then you're as good as ready. Whenever you wish to trigger the profile, simply swipe your Xperia smartphone over the Smart Tag, and everything is changed as required.
All-in-all, the Sony Xperia P is a slightly less powerful, and slightly smaller smartphone than the Sony Xperia S. The Xperia P, however, is about R1500 cheaper than the Xperia S, with prices starting from R3999. As for the Smart Tags, costs average around the R170 mark. As with the other Xperia smartphones, the Xperia P also hasn't introduced the Android 4.0 upgrade as yet. The good news this time around, is that the roll-out has already started around the world; only time will tell when South Africans can share the same privilege.
The Xperia P doesn't lose too much in terms of functionality and overall device satisfaction over the Xperia S. In terms of being a mid-range smartphone, the Xperia P is on the edge of the price threshold. Be that as it may, there aren't many better mid-range smartphones on the market.
You can find the full specifications here.


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Ashley Madison: The TV show? It could happen
Suddenly, the name Ashley Madison is everywhere. While that's not great news for Josh Duggar or the 30 million other users who had their personal information compromised in a wide-ranging hack that revealed users (including government officials and politicians) who had active accounts on the infidelity website, it is good news for the team currently pitching a TV project to networks based on the controversial site.
OutEast Entertainment partners Steven Marrs and Courtney Hazlett are producing the project -; tentatively titled Thank You Ashley Madison and written by Jennifer Kennedy (Justified) and Ian MacDonald -; for Toronto-based Marblemedia. Hazlett tells THR that while Ashley Madison was founded by Noel Biderman in 2001, having the story centered on a man seemed "stereotypical." Instead, they opted to fictionalize it and focus it on a good mother who launches the business to help support her family.
Read More: Suicides and Extortion Linked to Ashley Madison Hack
"There are a lot of TV shows doing a great job of presenting marriage storylines in new ways, but what we're positing here is, what if there is a third lane to run in and what if you were honest about it?" Hazlett asks, adding that the hack will likely be explored in some form. "What if you didn't need a hack to have this conversation? Maybe this is where your life just is, and no shows on television are offering that."
Adds Marblemedia's co-CEO Matt Hornburg: "We are in the early stages of developing a scripted series inspired by the site which, given the events from the past week, make the themes explored more timely."
And while Duggar and fellow cheaters are likely hoping the name Ashley Madison disappears from the front page sooner rather than later, Hazlett says: "Anytime 30 million people are doing anything, it becomes worthy of a real discussion."More on The Hollywood Reporter:
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Many critics agree that Robert Louis Stevenson (1850 – 1894) was a pioneer in developing the modern short story in English literature and Markheim is among his most celebrated. The tale is generally interpreted as an allegory or fable, a narrative of virtue and vice containing a moral.
'Yes,' said the dealer, 'our windfalls are of various kinds. Some customers are ignorant, and then I touch a dividend on my superior knowledge. Some are dishonest,' and here he held up the candle, so that the light fell strongly on his visitor, 'and in that case,' he continued, 'I profit by my virtue.'
Markheim had but just entered from the daylight streets, and his eyes had not yet grown familiar with the mingled shine and darkness in the shop. At these pointed words, and before the near presence of the flame, he blinked painfully and looked aside.


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What's Going On?
Blogs I Follow
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- Emily Writes
- thevegancookiefairy.wordpress.com/
- Hammermarks
- Color Poems
- To Be Aware
- Ramblings by Robin Scanlon
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Getting an Electrician for Your Home
There are a lot of people that would have some problems on their electrical systems like damages on their wiring or would need to have more sockets in their room. We should know that it would require a proper amount of knowledge to have an electrical system installed and it can be dangerous if you do not have the proper amount of knowledge to get the job done. It is important that we should have the services of a professional electrician if we would need to have any kind of services that would require electrical jobs. Electricians would have the proper capacity to do installations and repairs on your electrical systems and they are also able to make sure that they are safe to use.
There are certain procedures that are needed in order to install electrical systems especially those that are more complex that is why we would be more confident about the results that we are going to have if we are able to have the services of professionals to have the job done. There are surely a lot of electricians and electrical service companies that are near your area and doing some research on all of them would be able to help us look for one that would be suited for our needs. Read
to learn more about electricians.
We could use the internet in order to look for the services of
electricien residentiel
as there would be some websites that would have listings on electrical service providers and electricians that are near our area. There are also some electricians and electrical companies that would have their own website and it is where we are able to get some information about the services that they are able to provide. We should know that there are different kinds of electricians that we are able to hire and it is important that we should be able to get the services of someone that would have the proper specialization to the job that we are going to need.
It is important that we should be able to do a proper research in looking for the best electricians at
near our area as they would surely be able to provide us with the best results in having our electrical systems installed. They would know what needs to be done in order for us to be able to get the proper supply of electricity that we need for our daily use.


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Citrix: Smartphone Users Want Sponsored Data; Blame MNOs for Video Stalling
Posted by Unknown in 1-800, citrix, Optimization, streaming video on Saturday, April 19, 2014
As we say here -"if it is free, give me two". So it is true also for "Sponsored Data", according to a recent survey by Citrix.
"The survey of adult smartphone and tablet owners, conducted by Wakefield Research found that a majority of subscribers say they exceed their mobile data quota (and watching Video is not the prime reason!) – even more fear exceeding it"
82 percent fear the data
This entry was posted on Saturday, April 19, 2014 at 12:30 AM and is filed under 1-800, citrix, Optimization, streaming video. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response.


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Praise be to Thee, Oh Lord, King of glory everlasting
Feb 13, 2015
From The Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Photos are added.
Click the picture to see a larger version.
Pax et Bonum
Sister Constance TOSF
Posted by Br. Joseph | Categories: T.O.S.F., Uncategorized, Young People for the Kingship of Christ |


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From the beginning of time the feeling of certainty or the state of being comfortable has been integral parts of our livelihood. We enjoy the feeling of little tension or stress, who wouldn't? As a matter of fact many of us actually feel happier and healthier when we are in our comfort zones. The comfort zone is that area in our life that is steady, consistent and without much change. Is there a problem with that?
As much as we love comfort, research shows that highly accomplished people achieved their success by constantly stepping out or being placed outside their comfort zones. What comes to mind is Einstein's saying: "You can't solve a problem with the same mind that created it." He was talking about a constant mental conditioning that is characteristic to the comfort zone; that conditioning causes you to create and operate mental boundaries which impede your mind to see beyond the problems or comfort zone to a realm of possibilities, solutions and dreams.
Whenever you encounter the feelings of fear, doubt or anxiety you know you are at the border of your comfort zone. When you are experiencing those feelings, ask yourself if what you are about to do or say serves a good purpose or if it serves a purpose for the attainment of your goals and dreams. Those feelings could also be a warning of something that will be harmful to you, in which case you can re-analyze your approach.
We must remember that feelings are not truth, they are simply indicators. We were given a mind to decipher those feelings so we could then act accordingly to what is best; balancing both our feelings and our mind. Yes, I know… easier said than done but impossible I think not!
Nonetheless, we must always have comfort in some area of our life for it will serve us as a place for rest and recovery but in other areas such as in business, career, money or even sometimes relationships we must move confidently into areas of un-comfort for growth to happen.
I will leave you with this thought: your dreams lie on the other side of many uncomfortable moments where you will have to stretch yourself to new heights; new heights of character, skill and knowledge. So, don't let the feelings of fear, doubt or anxiety stop you from taking that step. Do it today! What is the worst thing that can happen, you fail? See previous blog on failure.


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Renato Castillo knows how to get the story fast. He marches into a southwest Houston health clinic, flashes a press card and quickly interviews patients in the dingy waiting room. Little girls wail and a pregnant teenager with twig legs rubs her boyfriend's tattooed neck. By the time a health worker tries to corral Castillo, he's already poised to step out the door.
"The mission here is accomplished, even though they kicked me out," says the journalist. At 35, he has developed a knack for uncovering the violent and tenuous side of life in the barrio. A former crime reporter for the local Spanish-language daily El Día, he climbs into his compact pickup and heads back to the office.
Castillo is one of seven scrappy young writers who form the backbone of Rumbo, an upstart daily that began competing for Houston's Spanish-speaking readers in late August. Like Houston's other Spanish-language papers, Rumbo aims to inform and entertain a diverse population of Latino immigrants. But Rumbo's realm is also global: Backed by the clout of the powerful London-based publisher of the Financial Times, it is part of a $16.5 million bid to dominate Spanish-language media in Texas.
"We're taking Spanish-language journalism to a new level," says Rumbo founder Edward Schumacher Matos, a former editor for The Wall Street Journal. He also has opened Rumbo papers in San Antonio and the Rio Grande Valley and will soon launch a fourth in Austin. "Our quality of journalism is equal to the English papers, including the Chronicle."
Such tall talk is quickly thrusting Rumbo into an accent-flecked war of words unequaled in Texas since the early 20th century, when the editors of large Spanish dailies such as La Prensa in San Antonio entertained regional and international ambitions. El Día, Rumbo's main Houston rival, is bristling.
"There's a very big difference between them and us," El Día editor Pedro Arévalo says in Spanish. " Rumbo wants to be the USA Today in Spanish. So they have a ton of dough. But this isn't all it takes to create a business."
The 56-page, family-owned El Día has developed a loyal following. Founded in 1996, Houston's first Spanish-language daily offers longer stories, more celebrity coverage, more comic strips and several locally penned columns such as the "Love Doctor."
Rumbo, in contrast, is billed by its founders as the first major full-color daily newspaper in the nation. Its shorter articles appeal to impatient readers. Yet syndicated columns from luminaries such as poet Mario Vargas Llosa and content from The Wall Street Journal also draw an educated crowd.
El Día and Rumbo both cost a quarter. Arévalo says that, of the approximately one million Hispanics in the area, 11 percent read primarily in Spanish, and most look at El Día once a week.
The stiff competition for those readers is already taking a toll on El Día.
Two of the paper's reporters have defected to Rumbo, where salaries, according to a former reporter, start at $35,000 -- on par with those at the Houston Chronicle. An ex-El Día employee pegs that at about $15,000 more than typical salaries at El Día.
Rumbo's higher pay has attracted skilled journalists such as a recent graduate of the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism and the paper's editor, Carlos Puig, recently a fellow at Harvard University.
The ambitions of Rumbo's founders appealed to Castillo. "They were willing to do stories and journalism that I wanted to do at this point," he says. " You change and you grow up. And that's really important for us. We believe so much in this project."
Rumbo's importance should be clear to anyone who mourned the collapse of The Houston Post almost a decade ago. While most daily news junkies are stuck with the complacent Chronicle, patrons of bus stops, taquerias and carnicerias are suddenly being entertained with competing headlines and plenty of spicy, dueling coverage.
Puig points out a headline in that day's Chronicle about the distribution of hate music in schools. "We published [that story] as a full page two weeks ago," he says. "We interviewed the people from Minnesota, and the Chronicle interviewed the same guys."
Yet Arévalo claims El Día outcompetes Rumbo. He mentions an article he published two days earlier about a Houston man who was killed near Acapulco. "It was good, in depth, detailed," he says with relish, "and they put it in yesterday."
Despite the tiffs, neither editor is willing to admit he thinks much about the other.
"Rumbo doesn't preoccupy us," Arévalo says, "because we have a good group of professionals and we know what we're doing."
Puig reads El Día every three or four days, he says, and contends the paper isn't a threat. Unlike its Spanish competitor, Rumbo will lure assimilated Hispanics away from reading the Chronicle in English. "For us, those are very important readers."
Yet some media observers say Puig's target readership is unreliable. University of Texas journalism professor Mercedes Lynn de Uriarte, an expert on Latino issues, thinks projections for an emerging class of Spanish-speaking newspaper readers in Texas are overblown.
Compared to Latino immigrants in cities such as Miami or Los Angeles, most immigrants in Texas come from lower-income families, she says, and prefer to get news from Spanish-language radio and television. "I think it's more about a wishful-thinking market," she says, "than it is about the reality of who we are marketing to and what we think we're marketing."
If mainstream newspapers are any indication, however, Spanish-language media is a good bet. The Houston Chronicle started a weekly Spanish-language entertainment magazine this spring, and it distributes an independent weekly, La Voz. A Chronicle representative wouldn't comment on whether the paper plans to expand its Spanish-language coverage.
Other Spanish-language publications recently have been acquired or started by the major dailies in areas such as Chicago, Washington, D.C., Dallas, San Antonio and Austin.
Schumacher conceived the idea for Rumbo in 2001, when he was the editor of The Wall Street Journal Americas, the paper's Latin America edition. Texas seemed like the perfect place to launch the paper, because there were few Spanish-language competitors and he could establish a regional beachhead among several cities.
A lack of funding stalled the plan until Schumacher flew to Madrid and gained financing from Majorie Scardino, a woman from Texarkana who had become CEO of the London-based Pearson Plc, one of the largest media conglomerates in the world. "They wanted to do something," he says, "and I showed up knocking on their door."
Schumacher believes Rumbo has the superior editing and all-color format to enable it to compete with the other Spanish-language papers emerging in its circulation areas.
Even so, UT journalism professor Rosental Alves predicts new competitors will threaten Rumbo. "This industry has a tradition of ruthlessness," he says. "There is no survival in this kind of war."
El Día editor Arévalo is a veteran of a different type of media war. As a television reporter in Peru, he revealed plans laid by the Shining Path guerrilla group to carry out terrorist attacks. In retaliation, he says, the group killed his brother.
"What happened with me happened to a mountain of people in Peru," he says. "We had 70,000 deaths."
Arévalo fled to the United States in 1997 and joined El Día in 2002. At the paper's Sharpstown headquarters, only a short drive from the offices of Rumbo, reporters work in cramped cubicles packed into small rooms with cracked linoleum floors.
Their battle with Rumbo has thrown the paper's quality into harsh relief. Instead of bylined stories, many of El Día's articles are written by unnamed typists who summarize articles from other papers.
Gustavo Rangel, a Rumbo reporter who left El Día in 1999 over an editing dispute with the paper's owners, says, "The people who were in charge there they had a business, but they just didn't know journalism."
Yet even the young Rumbo has faced controversy. A former reporter, who spoke on condition of anonymity, says he quit soon after a Rumbo vice president -- an Anglo -- visited the paper from San Antonio and chastised reporters with English profanities such as "fuck" and "shit." "I really resented that," he says.
Defections of qualified reporters can be especially tough for an ambitious Spanish-language paper, because bilingual journalists are hard to find. Schumacher, who was born in Colombia and has worked as a New York Times correspondent in Madrid and Buenos Aires, explains that they need journalists who are fluent in both speaking and writing for publication. "That's a very limited number," he says.
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And the frustration extends beyond staffing challenges. Despite the hype, some Rumbo stories hardly rival those in the Chronicle. And for a paper that projects no profits until 2008, there's not much room for error.
Back in the Rumbo newsroom after his clinic interviews, Castillo puts the final touches on his article. It is supposed to cover the impact of the flu vaccine shortage on Hispanic immigrants. But soon after he files the piece, he's embroiled in a prickly conversation with his editor about the story's purpose. He reluctantly returns to his desk for a rewrite, and wraps up the piece two hours past deadline.
The headline on his computer will appear citywide on the full-color cover. It says: "Vaccines, only for people at high risk." The Chronicle reported the same news a week earlier.
Staring at the screen, waiting for the copy editor to sign off on the story, Castillo admits his irritation. He's tired and tense, but still ready to learn. "It will be a better day tomorrow," he says.


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Developments can be seen in every field of life. In early days, we couldn't imagine most of the things that we use and do today. For example, eating outside was luxurious for most people. However, the developments in the food industry made it so much easier and cheaper to eat outside. Now, cooking at home is almost luxurious because of its frequency. The majority of restaurants lead to competition and they want to step forward among the others. Menus have been changed besides of the decorations of the place. Some of the restaurants try to step forward with delicious and outstanding foods, and some others try to make it happen with unusual serving. Unique Cheese board is one of the unusual serving techniques among them. A lot of people love eating from a slate and they find it visually best way to eat. Slate may sound "too much" however when your meal comes on it, you will be fascinated by the visual quality of the meal. The uncommonness of serving makes you realize where you eat from and what you eat. If there were a normal white plate as usual you wouldn't even realize where you eat from the meal. The presence of the slate catches your attention and makes you more focused on the meal.
The food can be the one of the best ones but if the service is visually unpleasant, dirty or indecent, your joy is interrupted. So most people think serving is more important than the food. Of course they do not say that forget about the food and just serve me some plates or forks. Service and food both should be evaluated together. If the service is not decent, the food doesn't seem that delicious at all. So the people who consider the service important, find Unique Cheese board so much entertaining than the serving on plate. Customers will be happy when they realize that you care the serving and visual quality as much as you care the food.
Customers want to see innovation in every field. You can't keep same things too long in a place. Old menus, old decors, old chairs or old plates make customer feel that your restaurant is unsuitable for them. If you maintain the old trends, your customer will get bored and will be looking for something new. The brand new trend is food serving on slate. People love them and keep coming to your place when they see that you catch the trend.
After one point, you start to keep looking for restaurants that serve food on slates because serving food on plate will not be satisfying anymore. Looking for visual quality will be your first thing when you go to a restaurant. If both the customer and the owner catch the trend, the pleasure of eating outside will level up.


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Delivering Audiovisual Excellence
For years, Voome Networks has backed customers and partners with a cross competence in every respect of an audiovisual system. Thanks to these experiences, Voome Networks has developed a set of global services now arranged into three different main areas: IT infrastructure, creative and engineering services. We create a competitive advantage by always delivering excellence and innovation to our clients, also through top-class services.
The Voome 4 Platform is also available as cloud service. We take care of all the IT infrastructure, hardware and software. Our team keeps the system up and running and is ready to give assistance to customers. Just get your username and password, sit back, focus on your digital signage network and forget about the infrastructure.
- Flexible Cloud Hosting Services
- Voome 4 Platform always updated at the last stable release
- Reliable: our commitment is 99.95% availability
- Completely Controlled
- Scalable: we can increase or decrease capacity within minutes, not hours or days
"Content is king" and we have it clear in our mind. Any audiovisual system is likely to fail through lack of appealing content. Voome Networks is able to support its customers in setting up a clear vision of their communication project and in implementing the concept into real actions. Voome Networks and its echosystem are here to support your creative idea.
Voome Networks has a specific focus on engineering services, being involved over the years into significant and complex audiovisual projects. Voome Networks is able to deliver unified audiovisual, communication and technology solutions. Wherever your business operates, Voome Networks and its network of partners are on the ground ready to give you the highest quality design, engineering and integration expertise at national and worldwide level.
- Design and Engineering of Audivisual Systems
- Videoconferencing and Meeting Rooms
- Worldwide and/or Complex Digital Signage Networks
- Onsite Installation and Maintenance


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Whitefish Point is located at the extreme southeastern end of Lake Superior. It is a critical turning point for all vessel traffic entering and leaving this largest of all the Great Lakes. The Whitefish Point Light Station was established by Congress in 1849; since then, a life-saving beacon has illuminated these dangerous waters for mariners continuously. Today, the Whitefish Point Light is the oldest operating lighthouse on Lake Superior. Whitefish Point website
The Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum opens for the 2011 season on Saturday, April 30, 2011. The Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum has become one of Michigan's most popular destinations in the cultural tourism industry, attracting over 60,000 visitors each season. The museum is open every day May 1 to October 31, from 10 am to 6 pm. Museum patrons learn about the perils of maritime transport on the Great Lakes at the Whitefish Point Light Station, an Historic Site on the National Register of Historic Places. See the Whitefish Point Light Tower, in continuous operation for 149 years, the oldest operating lighthouse on Lake Superior.
Grand Marais sits very near a phenomenal concentration sport for migrating
birds. The Whitefish Point Bird Observatory is located approximately two
hours east of Grand Marais and offers a spectacular viewing point for spring
and fall migrations. Spring migrations begin about mid-March and continue
through mid-May, featuring Bald Eagles, Northern Goshawks, and 15,000 -
25,000 other raptors, including Golden Eagles, Osprey, Peregrine Falcons,
owls, hawks, and vultures. The waterbird migration begins in April and features
a large variety of loons, grebes, ducks, shorebirds, gulls, and terns, with
many rare species spotted each year. Fall brings a return migration, with
50,000 - 100,000 waterbirds and fall-plumaged songbirds, mid-August through
October. Whitefish Point
Bird Observatory website


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There are many ways you can help Human and Hope Association (HHA), the organisation I have built from the ground up with a team of locals in Siem Reap.
Monthly champions are a special part of the HHA team. Your ongoing support allows our team to keep doing their great work in the community, helping people to achieve their goals and defeat the poverty cycle.
For just $10 a month you can become a Language Champion and provide English education to a Cambodian child. Not only will this enable them to study English four days a week, it will also allow them to partake in weekly living values classes, addressing social issues in Cambodia!
To learn more about becoming a champion, head to the Human and Hope Association website.
We have an online store that offers international shipping. All the products are made in Cambodia by HHA's graduated sewing students. These students borrow a sewing machine through our microfinance program and are able to make our products at their home for a fair wage, whilst being able to fulfil their responsibilities to their families. They receive ongoing training and support, as well as a six-monthly salary increase.
All proceeds from these sales provide education to children at Human and Hope Association.
Do and Donate is a fun way you can raise funds and awareness for Human and Hope Association in Siem Reap, Cambodia. All you have to do is select an item from our wish list, set a goal, sign up and start fundraising!
"Our staff are really committed to empowering our community members and earning our own income as we can to show a good role model to our villagers but we also really need your financial support to continue!" – Sen Thai, Director


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Hotels in Batu Ferringhi are extremely popular with people seeking to stay near to Penang's beachside motion, Particularly within the weekends when working day-trippers take a look at. Stretching each of the way from Teluk Bahang, managing the span alongside the Coastline of Jalan Batu Ferringhi, plenty of four and 5 star hotels front the seaside, leaving handful of seafront coves open up and easily available to the general public.
"I like The situation, right to the Seaside as well as best thing in regards to the hotel would be the hammock. Like laying around the hammock and Hearing the waves though awaiting sunset. I wish I might have stayed One more working day just carrying out all of it all over again."
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The additional west you go from the principle city, the prettier and much more isolated the shorelines become, so that they really are worthy of Discovering even If you have an incredible stretch of sand in your doorstep. Kilat Beach front is a beautiful place to get a quiet stroll from the crowds When you are craving some peace and tranquillity! Remember that about the weekends people today from all over the island and past descend on the beaches of Batu site Ferringhi, so be ready to share the sand!
In addition to magnificent seashores, Batu Ferringhi is additionally renowned for something else. Its bustling evening market place draws in visitors and locals alike, with a huge array of community handicrafts, colourful clothes, and Malaysian souvenirs on Screen. There are various bargains for being snapped up right here, however you had better apply your haggling before you get there! Foodies will likely find it irresistible, as there are various community delicacies currently being cooked up on the road aspect stalls.
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New Thing #92: 1716 Eggs Benedict
For the past couple of years on Easter we've gone to brunch at an inn in Concord, Massachusetts that dates back to 1716. There's an all-you-can eat brunch buffet, and it hasn't exactly featured a ton of variety.
In other words, it's the usual brunch fare - omelet station, meat carving station, breakfast foods, some desserts.
This year, though, there was something different.
Among the offerings was something called '1716 Eggs Benedict.'
Instead of poached eggs on an english muffin, they were on top of a pancake...with some bacon mixed in there.
It was a new twist on a dish I love - I'll always order Eggs Benedict if it's being offered...and whether it's a different topping or something different with the sauce, different places have different minor variations.
But the constant is usually the bread - english muffin, or portuguese muffin (I think that's what it's called...and I suppose those should be proper nouns, but I'm not really sure) - but I'd never seen a pancake before.
It struck me as soon as I saw it on someone else's plate. My sister-in-law sat down with it and I asked her if they had the poached eggs at the buffet already poached - you don't usually see that. And she said, "It comes like this." She meant it came poached atop the pancake, but I thought she just meant poached.
I guess it makes sense: If they're re-creating a dish from 1716 - I suppose you'd have a pancake under the egg and not much fancier bread.
But it's 2013 now. The pancake is a novelty for my Eggs Benedict.
Given the choice, I'll take my english muffin.
English muffin. Yeah, it should be capitalized.


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There has been a lot of speculation about why the PlayStation 3 has not received the support to play PSP mini title Tetris. Now, SCEE has confirmed that the much loved puzzle game will be making its way to the PS3.
Adam Grant, Sony Europe's PSP Product Manager has replied regarding the possibility of Tetris coming to the PS3:
EA are currently working on a PS3 version of Tetris that will take full advantage of the capabilities of the PS3 and provide the best experience. Look for this version to be available later this year.
Stay tuned with PlayStation LifeStyle as we get more information regarding everybody's favourite puzzle game. Check out PSLS's review of the PSP Minis Tetris.


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Episode 40 of the Microsoft Cloud Show podcast is now available. In this episode CJ & I talk to Wictor Wilen about using Microsoft Azure VM's to host their SharePoint virtual machines & farms.
Be sure to download the recorded show here: Episode 40 - Talking to Wictor Wilen about Hosting SharePoint VMs in IaaS
Remember if you have a question send it in or leave a comment.