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Archive for October, 2012
by matt on Oct.31, 2012, under Uncategorized
In my quest to keep the impending release of THE FAILED CITIES—DEFINITIVE EDITION fresh in your minds, I give you a free sampling of its contents exclusively here on matt-wallace.com.
The following was written in 2007 as part of a contest in which I would write one lucky/unlucky fan into the Failed Cities. The winner, Jack Townsend, was one of the original Failed Cities super fans. He proved such a loyal and true soldier, in fact, that eventually I hired him on fulltime. He's been my intrepid webmaster and lieutenant of all things digital ever since.
"How a Street Preacher Is Born" is one of a dozen such glimpses of never before seen corners and characters that comprise the all-new anthology Steel Graffiti: Stories from the Failed Cities.
Steel Graffiti will be included in THE FAILED CITIES—DEFINITIVE EDITION coming to all e-reading formats on November 14th.
"How a Street Preacher Is Born"
They come out of the Steel Seminary with their collars starched deadman-stiff and their tab shirts steamed clean, swinging their bata sticks the same way cherries swing their pricks: awkward as hell without knowing it.
The new boy in our House is Reverend Helljack. Five dollar handle like that'll get you a razzing from the ranks all by itself. It doesn't help his cause that he's a walking, talking ad for Alpine Mist; a 6'1" Nordic blonde with princely features that are considered legal tender in the jailhouses where some of the more reformed members of our order once served time.
Reverend Mallet says the kid should've been a masseuse, that Nords are only good for rubbing down rich old biddies in some swank ski resort. You won't get much mileage out of telling Mallet about Scandinavia a thousand years past; he thinks the Norse God of Thunder is a digimetal band.
His bata stick hasn't got a mark on it and neither does the kid holding it in hands that can't keep from shaking just a little bit and I ask Reverend Helljack if he's ready to tend the flock.
"Hurdy Gur," comes his answer, and I ponder whether he's been scared dumb and gibbering 'til he cracks the thinnest ghost of a smile and I realize it's a piece of his personal catch-speak.
Initiation for the newbies is their first night walk, their first patrols taking the Steel Gospel to the streets. We don't swear them in ourselves; we just escort them to it. For Reverend Helljack it's a trio of laced 38th Street tribesmen busting the security grid of a corner store. He come up on them about an hour into Helljack's debut patrol and I tell him it's time to get his other stick wet.
He looks ready and like he knows good and damn well he's not ready at the same time.
They always do.
We let the newest Reverend feel us standing shoulder-to-shoulder with him, let him feel strong and protected and goddamn legion in his mightiness. And then we hang back. It's a little like a mama bird nudging her hatchling off the branch and a lot like throwing raw meat to a pack of rabid dogs. I took thirty stitches in the crown the night they pulled the same gag on me, and I was considered no less than a prodigy in my Seminary days.
Helljack's in it up to his eyeballs before he knows he's flying a solo mission. You can see the big cartoon storm clouds in his eyes right away, but I give him high marks for his recovery. The good reverend swallows his medicine and belts out two licks for every shot he takes. If they've got the sand for it, attrition is the sword and shield of the inexperienced, and Reverend Helljack wins that battle in spades.
In the end there's three bodies on the pavement and one of the Neo Ricans gets away. The third body is Helljack, braced on his hands and knees trying to keep his broken ribs from forcing his guts up into his throat. We stand tall over him, waiting for it. Comedy or tragedy. They only ever wear one of those masks after the first beatdown.
"Hurdy Gur," the kid coughs up through about a pint of his own juice. And then he smiles.
That's how street preachers are born: in their own blood, from a womb of stained concrete and starless night. We swaddle them in a few skinny words of praise, a slap on the back, and the first notch in their bata stick. Their wounds heal, then scab over hard. The rest of them does, too.
That's the steel you can only acquire outside the Seminary.
To preach the Gospel you can't be made from anything less. Not in the Failed Cities.
by matt on Oct.24, 2012, under Uncategorized
Last week I made the announcement that I will be releasing THE FAILED CITIES—DEFINITIVE EDITION as a pan-format ebook next month.
This week I'm going to show you all exactly what that means, beginning with the cover.
This is a very special book to me, and I wanted the cover to be equally special. I found the maddest graphic design and illustrative skills I could bend to my will and we spent a laborious period of time perfecting the following, which I am now proud to submit for your approval (click to enlarge).
What you're seeing was created by Scott Pond of Scott Pond Designs. This is the first time the Failed Cities have been fully illustrated in this manner, and I'm slightly awed by the results. If you know the world then you'll recognize the landscape. If you're new to the Failed Cities then I hope you're intrigued by the topography, at least enough to want to visit its streets.
It's a beautiful cover. I'm very proud of it.
But it's what's inside this bad boy that really counts. Let's dig into the official Table of Contents.
Foreword by Scott Sigler Comments Off more...New Introduction by the Author: "Genesis of the Steel Gospel" The Failed Cities Monologues The Failed Cities: Hath a Darkness Steel Graffiti: Stories from the Failed Cities Afterword: "Reflections" I'm not calling this thing the "Definitive Edition" as a marketing tool, kids. This is essentially two full-length books worth of content. It's every scrap of Failed Cities fiction I've ever penned, plus a slew of extra "behind the page" content for those who care about such things.
With the said, let's break down the TOC and what you'll actually be getting.
This definitive edition features the complete and unabridged text of The Failed Cities Monologues. A good chunk of that text was edited for purposes of performance, pacing, etc., so even if you've listened to the original series a hundred times you'll find a lot of new material here. There are twenty-four monologues comprising a novel-length story. All of the characters are there. It's the centerpiece of the book.
The Failed Cities: Hath a Darkness is a holiday novella I released in December of 2007. Set one year after the events described in the Monologues, it features most of the original characters as well as some new additions. It's written in the same style as the original story and is told by the characters themselves. The plot revolves around a very special Christmas gift that touches the lives of several Failed Cities residents and chronicles their efforts to keep it from The Nicodemus Consortium.
Steel Graffiti: Stories from the Failed Cities is a brand new, never-before-released anthology of short fiction. Most of the pieces were written over the past several years, at odd times, whenever I felt the need to return to the Failed Cities for a while. I released one or two of these pieces, but the bulk of them have never been available before. Steel Graffiti is all brief glimpses of dark corners in the Failed Cities we might have heard about before in passing, but have never seen. There are some new places, as well. You'll also hear from prominent side characters for the first time ever, and experience a few new voices.
I asked New York Times best-selling author and podcast fiction pioneer Scott Sigler to write the foreword to this ultimate edition of The Failed Cities. I've known Sigler for as long as I've been publishing fiction, and have been a fan of him and his work since day one. A prickly-skulled dynamo of an author, we both share a penchant for testosterone, ultra-violence, and the deep, often scarred pathos of the warrior mentality. He was also one of my earliest and most influential fans. He still is. I couldn't think of anyone better, or bigger, to write the foreword to this book. He kindly agreed, and I'm grateful to have the Future FDO (the only time I ever have or ever will refer to him as such) put the Failed Cities into context for readers both old and new.
"Genesis of the Steel Gospel" is an introduction/essay written by me exclusively for this edition. It covers the earliest origins of the characters and the story, the writing and production of The Failed Cities Monologues, the reaction, the fandom, and why after six years it's still something vibrant that's worth putting all of this time and effort and energy into, instead of some early-work piece of shit of mine on a zip drive in a closet somewhere.
Finally, the afterword I've assembled for this book is something very different and something I feel is pretty special. It's not written by me, or by some fancy-ass guest author. Instead I reached out to the cast, critics, and diehard fans of the original series and asked them to write their own reflections on the Failed Cities if they found themselves moved to do so. I received several dozen short reflections about how they came to the story, their experience of it, what it meant to them, and why it has stayed with them. I collected, culled, and collated the most impacting and representative of the bunch, and the result will be the final word on the Failed Cities.
These are all people who took the time and are continuing to take the time to be a part of something more than simply listening to a free audiobook. It pleases me greatly to include their voices in this definitive edition and give them the opportunity to tell you why.
THE FAILED CITIES—DEFINITIVE EDITION will be released Wednesday, November 14th and will be available in the Amazon Kindle Store as well as through Matt-Wallace.com for all you desktop, Nook, Kobo, and Sony e-reading needs. No digital format will be left out.
I can't make it any more awesome than this, folks. The rest is up to you.
by matt on Oct.23, 2012, under Uncategorized
Comments Off more...I repeat: I do not care for New York Times best-selling author Scott Sigler.
But I did write this ebook with him. It is part of Sigler's Galactic Football League Series of books. It is on sale. You're going to buy it here. You're going to read it. You're going to enjoy it.
What's it about? I'm glad you asked.
Frederico Esteban Guissepe Gonzaga is many things. He's a hardboiled private investigator. He's a master of disguise and assuming false identities. He's a veteran combat pilot and expert in edged weapons. Ex-commando. Ex-mercenary. He's also a gay man in a distant future that has seen humanity become a brutal, xenophobic theocracy ruled by hate and fear and terror.
Now Fred has been hired by Quentin Barnes, star quarterback in a futuristic interspecies bloodsport version of professional football, to find the athlete's long-lost family. The case will take Fred across the galaxy, from harsh mining planets run by vicious gangsters to spectacular alien cities populated by warrior clans, hitmen, assassins, and gladiators.
The novella takes place between the events of Sigler's popular GFL novels The Starter and The All-Pro. It's kind of like that Star Wars anthology Tales of the Bounty Hunters only all the stories are about Boba Fett and also all the pages have been doused in premium rum and set on fire by a Maori flame demon.
Buy it. Even if you're not a fan of Sigler's and not familiar with the GFL series. You'll still enjoy the ride immensely. That's my personal guarantee.
And if you do enjoy it, keep an eye out for Title Fight–my *other* collaboration with Scott Sigler–coming soon to your digital reading devices. It's another GFL novella, however this one is set in the world of blood-drenched cyber-gladiatorial MMA.
Now here's Sigler, or possibly an unshaven monkey someone has fed a bunch of Prozac, to talk to you about the novella.
by matt on Oct.23, 2012, under Uncategorized
Comments Off more...In early 2011 I began teaching a monthly on-line writing workshop covering a wide variety of topics and skills for the aspiring professional author. I dubbed it The Loose Cannon, based on the Good Cop, Bad Cop edition of Mur Lafferty's award-winning I Should Be Writing podcast, which I co-host with Mur.
I'm the bad cop. Obviously.
The Loose Cannon was founded on three overriding principles…
1) I would be brutally honest with my students about how bad they sucked and what they needed to do to improve.
2) There would be no abstract guidelines, maxims, or theories presented grandly and vaguely. Specificity and tangible, relatable examples would rule.
3) We would under no circumstances sit around and talk about writing and being writers and what that all means in an endless verbal circle-jerk. I would make my students write, then write some more, then keep writing until they got better.
Those tenets have guided me over the last two years of doing TLC (as it affectionately and ironically became known). In that time I've worked with students quite literally from all over the world; Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the UK, Israel, the Netherlands, and half the states in the Union. They came, and (shockingly, especially for me) kept coming back for more. I watched as they actually, genuinely improve by oceanic lengths.
They've gone on to sell short stories, sell novels, and even become publishers themselves. More importantly, they've gone on to be writers who don't embarrass and depress me.
It got to the point where I no longer needed to seek attendees because I had my hands full with the existing class. A core group of them are still with me, my little salon of TLC alums, showing up every month to work on their craft and leave the "culture of writing" bullshit to the poseur 99% out there who live to hashtag their tweets with whatever writing-related subject is trending.
Many, however, have moved on. As is and should be the goal of any student studying any subject when they're ready.
Thus, it's time for new blood.
I'm opening no less than six new slots in my next TLC workshop in November. If you've thought about giving TLC a shot in the past, now is the time to step up and get gut checked. If this is the first you're hearing about it, but you are awed by both my talent and obvious wisdom and want to absorb as much of both as is possible through the process of internet osmosis, now is also the time.
The particulars…
Saturday, Nov. 17th, 2012, 1:00 p.m. PST— " 'Show, Don't Tell' Explained" It's the most oft used, under-explained, over-repeated, misunderstood phrase in all the masturbatory writing instructional land. But there's an important lesson to take away from this classic principle. We'll break down what it actually means, why it's important, how to do it, go over prime examples of it in detail, and then practice doing it until you understand it and at least almost-kinda-sorta get it right.
Sunday, Nov. 18th, 2012 1:00 p.m. PST— "Simile & Metaphor Power Session" This is an advanced workshop designed specifically for my TLC alums, all of who have built up a tolerance and honed their skills sufficiently to handle the demands. We will delve into and stretch your command of descriptive language. You will be forced to think more abstractly and with greater detail than you yet have and express that in prose, repeatedly and spontaneously, on command. It will be intense, challenging, and utterly relentless.
If you sign up for the Nov. 17th workshop and you'd like to dive right in and subject yourself to the following day's power session, I'll grant you admittance at no additional cost. I also offer annual passes at a reduced rate. These spots tend to go fast, as the majority of aspiring authors are abject masochists who enjoy abuse and can't tell the difference between punishment and validation.
I didn't make you this way. I am simply profiting from it.
E-mail email@example.com with any questions and for rates and further details.
by matt on Oct.17, 2012, under Uncategorized
Comments Off more...Six years ago I had this idea. I thought it was fairly simple at the time. I was heavy into podcast fiction—serialized on-demand audio fiction, for the uninitiated—and I wanted to write a story that would bridge the books-on-tape-but-now-on-the-internet thing everyone else was doing with the medium in which we were doing it. It was a medium that lent itself much more toward episodic and audio drama.
That idea became The Failed Cities Monologues. I created two dystopian cities and told their story through the revolving voices and perspectives of eight different characters. I tried my best to climb as deeply as possible inside each one's skull and make their voice as distinct and singular and real as my limited abilities would allow.
When I was finished I had a novel-length work that wasn't quite one thing and wasn't quite five other things and was as good as I could write any story at the time. It was serialized on the now retired Variant Frequencies podcast and then remastered and retooled and made available on Podiobooks. Where it has remained, completely free, ever since.
It didn't explode the internet or the podosphere or the publishing industry. It didn't go viral. It didn't net me a six-figure novel contract. What it did, to my surprise and tentative pleasure, was slowly and steadily gather unto it a devoted group of shockingly ardent fans and supporters to whom it seemed to mean an awful lot. They all seemed to seize on the characters and the world in a way you hope people will but never actually expect them to.
It got pretty crazy. They made elaborate costumes and props and came to conventions dressed as the characters. They made their own tabletop RPG's. They wrote me insanely long, detailed e-mails about how they related to their favorite Failed Cities resident and why and what it meant to them.
Those fans have remained. They've relistened to the podcast episodes thousands of times. They've continued to follow me over the interwebs, gobbling up every sparse consumer offering I put out there. You may be one of them. If you are, I owe you thanks, and something more.
And people are still discovering the Failed Cities to this day. In the past year I've gotten tweets and e-mails from new listeners and fans in Hawaii, Singapore, Canada, just to say thanks. That's all. A couple of American film students wrote to tell me how obsessed with it they'd become and ask if they could adapt it into a webseries as their thesis project.
When the Failed Cities hook someone, it seems, the hook sinks deep and anchors unyielding.
You can't ask for more as an author.
Pretty much since the beginning its fans have asked me when they can buy the Failed Cities in print and read it like a novel. This is a dictum that has been repeated by fans of my other stuff who don't enjoy audio fiction and have been waiting this whole time to get into the monologues. I was no less interested than they in seeing that happen. It came close several times, but as I refused to publish it on anyone's terms save my own the deal always fell apart for one reason or another. So I've kept it close as I've kicked around the country working on other things, and the text has never been made available in any form at any time.
Until now.
Next month—November 14th, 2012, to be precise—I will be releasing THE FAILED CITIES – DEFINITIVE EDITION as an ebook and making it available in all digital formats. This book is more than just the monologues; it will collect all of my Failed Cities writings from the past six years. Everything. It will also include brand new, never-before-released fiction that will be the first (and possibly last) Failed Cities stories I've published in almost three years. In addition, there will be extra content written by some very special guests and me.
I have worked, and will continue to work, to make this book something special, something worthwhile, and something worthy.
After six years, if you're still taking the ride with me you deserve nothing less.
I hope you're still out there. I hope you still care as much as you did. I hope you'll buy it. I hope for the fervent among you who have never stopped pestering me about this that it meets your expectations.
I also hope, if you got onto my stuff later or have never heard or heard of the Failed Cities before, that you'll choose now to buy the ticket.
Beyond that I cannot stress how important it is that you spread the word about this. Word-of-mouth is God. I am doing this whole thing entirely on my own. I forewent any panhandling Kickstarter bullshit and laid out the cost and time to create the most polished and professional product I possibly could and get it to you as hassle-free as I could.
Promoting the book is no different. I don't even have a podcast backing me at this point. It's just me, tweeting in my polarizing way and e-mailing any even slightly influential person I know or with whom I have credit to help get the word out.
Just one asshole ringing a bell on the corner.
Please help me out with that part.
I need you to buy it, and I need you encourage as many people as possible to do the same. If you've been a silent fan/follower/admirer I appreciate you leaving me the hell alone all these years, but now is the time to get loud.
Really loud.
Obnoxiously loud.
Horrendously, obnoxiously, compulsively, continuously loud.
The success of this book will also determine whether or not I release more full-length ebooks. I have another one on deck, ready to go, that will see my other enduring podcast world in text form for the first time. I've got two more in the pipeline. I'm also working on a new novel that I tentatively plan to release next year if this all plays well.
So, if you've been waiting for years to read the Failed Cities and hear your own version of the voices contained therein, the time has come.
If you've been waiting for more long form fiction from me, the time is coming.
But only if we can make this one sing.
Next week I will be posting the brand new and utterly gorgeous cover of THE FAILED CITIES – DEFINITIVE EDITION as well as its official Table of Contents. I'm very excited about both, and if you're into this you will be, too.
Welcome back to the Failed Cities, my friends.
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CALGARY — Junior oil and gas producers facing shareholder votes next Tuesday on a controversial three-way merger say they've looked at alternative deals and found none that are better.
Pace Oil & Gas Ltd. and AvenEx Energy Corp. reported in separate news releases overnight that they still favour merging with Charger Energy Corp. to create an intermediate to be called Spyglass Resources Corp.
Special meetings were delayed twice in February because of fear there weren't enough shares being voted in favour to achieve the two-thirds needed for approval.
But Tom Buchanan, the Charger chairman and chief executive who is to lead Spyglass, said in an interview Wednesday he believes the votes will proceed next week.
"Certainly all indications are it will go forward," he said.
"We're feeling better right now ... that the market knows there are no other superior proposals out there and that this proposal we've put in front of them is the right proposal."
The merger of Calgary-based juniors was announced in December. Meetings set for Feb. 19 and 26 were called off in the face of opposition, however, and the three agreed to allow time for other parties to make alternative proposals.
Pace reported it contacted 140 companies globally since then and eight were given access to its data room to review confidential information. Four were given technical presentations — but no superior proposals were made.
AvenEx said it contacted 30 parties, including five who had previously accessed the AvenEx data room, and no alternative proposals emerged.
The three companies also announced Tuesday they have decided in view of lower commodity prices to reduce the dividend Spyglass will be committed to pay by 25 per cent to 2.25 cents.
The lower dividend will free up about $1 million per month to fund capital projects or pay down debt, they said.
The proposed three cents per month dividend was criticized as "unsustainable" by Vancouver-based Nova Bancorp Securities Ltd., a minority Pace shareholder that has led opposition to the merger.
It has also said Pace's sale process was too limited, that the merger undervalues its stock and that the arrangement won't improve management of Pace assets. It criticized payments being made to managers who would lose their jobs as a result of the transaction.
Shares of all three companies have fallen since December.
In its news release, Pace blamed Nova Bancorp for "inaccurate and misleading" comments that "have also had a negative impact on shareholder value," noting Pace shares have traded down 21 per cent since Nova Bancorp's first release in January.
"In their public comments, Nova Bancorp has yet to propose an alternative that would realize superior value for the shareholders of Pace," it charged.
If the merger is approved, shareholders would exchange their stock on the basis of 1.3 Spyglass shares for each Pace share, one Spyglass share for each AvenEx share and 0.18 Spyglass shares for each Charger Class A share.
Spyglass would have had about 18,000 boe/d of production, the companies said.
Pace is by far the largest producer of the three, averaging more than 12,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day, about half oil, in the third quarter.
In conjunction with the merger, AvenEx is to sell its Elbow River marketing division to an undisclosed party for $80 million.
Canadians and the world have made the choice to use oil as part of their daily lives and energy diet - in transportation, to heat homes and in myriad consumer products, including shoes, plastics and vitamin capsules.
Close to 800,000 people work in the sector and an equal number are employed nationwide through related jobs in construction, manufacturing, technology, transportation and services.
As the world's sixth-largest producer of energy and its third-largest per capita user, Canadians rely on natural resources to meet lifestyle and economic needs.
Previously, we had to rely on broader statistics about the entire oil and gas industry to understand the economic benefits of pipelines. This new study provides more comprehensive data by honing in on the direct impact of transmission pipelines.
The question of why aren't we refining more of our oil in Canada is often driven by the belief that exporting crude without processing it into finished products foregoes the opportunity to add significant value. The assumption is that the value from manufacturing is greater than that from resource extraction, and that later stages of processing create better terms of trade than resource production.
Energy from the oil sands happens because of the human energy that goes into it. New ideas. People striving to do better. That's Canada's energy at its best.
Where does Canada's energy come from? Canada's energy comes from our many natural resources. But is a product of our ingenuity. Our imagination. Our determination.
Over the next 25 years Canada's oil sands could create over 800,000 new jobs across Canada.
Abundant fresh water is one of our country's most precious resources. That's why over 80% of water used in the oil sands is recycled.
Years ago reclaiming land meant planting trees and grass. Today we create a more bio-diverse landscape including lakes and ponds, trees, shrubs and plants.

subset: commoncrawl


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We all do it at some point or another. We focus on all the things we haven't done today.
Even if you're super-organized and productive, this will happen when you're hit with a significant life event or crisis.
Stay-at-home parents tell me they get to the end of the day and can't remember what they did all day. Business owners say the same thing!
This week, I was with a client who has ADHD and I heard a common lament: "I get to the end of my day and want to do 'just one more thing,' because I feel like I haven't gotten anything done all day."
Here are my 10 best suggestions to remind yourself of what you HAVE done on those kinds of days.
1. Make a mini-goals list at the beginning of the day. Check off what you get done. Visually see what you DID get done. Mini = three at most.
2. Schedule time towards the end of your day to review what got done today and what's up for tomorrow. Find a way to come to a PAUSE for this.
3. Look at one item on your list. Does it "feel too big?" Have you procrastinated on it? Then break it into smaller pieces. "Done" doesn't have to be the whole project; just one step is "completed."
4. Journal at night or at the start of the following day. Write down accomplishments, gratitudes – whatever helps you feel it.
5. Write down gratitudes each day. Research shows that if you shift to thinking more positively, this affects your perspective throughout your day.
6. Self-talk: Stop a few times a day – even hourly – and ask yourself: "What have I gotten done so far?" And – "Is this how I want to spend my time?"
7. Ask for someone else's perspective on your day — meaning a positive thinker, a close friend, someone who thinks you are terrific.
8. Your standards: Is it possible they're too high? How much can you actually get done in a day? Drop one from your regular number. Do "one less" instead of "one more."
9. Sometimes, I sing to change my mood. Remember that song, "What have you done for me lately?" Singing can change my mood, and isn't THAT the right question to ask!
10. What kind of person have you been today? Sometimes, it's not what you have DONE but the people you have affected. Were there for a friend in need, and that's why your long task list didn't get done? Be willing to shift priorities and recognize that some part of being you just isn't part of a task list.
Which is your favorite? Which will you experiment with?
Tags: ADHD; forgetfulness; to do list;accomplishments, one more thing, time management


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- Stylist:
- Addlia (pronounced - Ade-lia) and Angela
Dec 04, 2009 - Sutera is a new salon concept from Robin Groover, the owner of Too Groovy Salon. They specialize in caring for kinky/curly natural hair. All of the stylist are great but I have personally been styled by Angela and Addlia who have both done a fantastic job. Each time I have gone to have my hair flat ironed so I have yet to see either of them do a natural style but I am sure they are more than capable, as they are natural themselves.


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Want to know something that pleases God? Read what Paul wrote in a letter to his young helper Timothy: "I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone—for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth" (1 Timothy 2:1-4, emphasis added).
Paul had spent lots of time in jail because the king and other leaders were being cruel and unfair to Christians at that time. Even though he had suffered because of those leaders, Paul asked Christians to pray for them.
In our time, we may feel that a leader is bad and we don't want to pray for him or her. But God is pleased when we pray for all leaders—both good and bad. God can surprise us and use a leader we think is bad to do good things for the kingdom of heaven. Remember, we can't always see the big picture that God sees.
Are you wondering what leaders to add to your prayer list? Try praying for all the leaders you hear mentioned in the news. Find out what country someone at school or in your neighborhood is from, and pray for that country's leaders. Or pray for the leader of a country you learned about at school. You may know missionaries to another country—pray for the leaders of that country. If you don't know the names of a country's leaders, check out this web site, which lists every country and its leaders.
1. For their leadership of their country, that God will bless them and give them wisdom to govern well and that God will shield them from evil and demonic influences.2. For their spiritual life, that they, their families, and their staff will come to know Jesus Christ as their Savior and that they will grow in their faith if they already know Jesus.3. That they will support religious freedom, that leaders who have allowed persecution would see a vision of Jesus that would change their hearts towards missionaries, pastors, and Christians. That they would attend or at least permit Bible studies and prayer meetings and the preaching of the gospel and that they would thank God for good changes that help Christians in the country do their work.4. That God will use each leader to spread the kingdom of God in their country and that the will of God will be done.


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left or right?
beautiful, BEAUTIFUL girls. and just below their backs, right above those sexy legs, sits God's gift to the world. perfection.
(Source: bootyfulassets)
wide hips. big tits. tattoos, and a camera. i REALLY like this girl.
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Take the luxury of an indoor bed with you when you sleep outside on the queen size Coleman Signature Double High Rugged Bed. It's easier to get in and out of a bed that's nearly as tall as the one at home. The durable air mattress has a 25% thicker heavy-duty bottom and offers extra support. Keep that perfect firmness all night long with the Double Lock™ valve, and when you're ready to pack up, that same valve deflates the mattress quickly. The built-in patented Wrap 'N' Roll™ storage system makes putting it away a matter of folding it, rolling it and storing it in the included carry bag.
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If the 'Jersey Shore' Cast Is Done, Then Let the Fist Pumps Fizzle Out Forever (VIDEO)
It feels like the first season of Jersey Shore was just yesterday. I remember being so dumbfounded that Snooki, The Situation, JWoww, and the crew were given their own show on MTV, and I was so flustered trying to figure out what made it different than The Real World aside from its upped guido factor.
Which is why it makes me a little sad to tell all of you that season 6, which they started filming May 31 down in Seaside Heights, may be the original crew's last hurrah. In fact, it may be the end of Jersey Shore as we know it! A recent report from In Touch claims that the Jersey Shore phenomenon is ending with its original cast members after this season. But eeeee, don't fret just yet Shore fanatics. MTV has denied this, saying that there has been no FINAL decision yet that this is the final season.
You know what I say? If the original crew is out after season 6, then Jersey Shore as we know it is over. No one can fist pump like this crew does, period.
Not just anyone can walk onto Jersey Shore and own Seaside Heights like the original cast has. The show wouldn't be the same without the bickering between Sammi and Ronnie, watching Deena get blackout, or seeing Pauly D do his hair using four bottles of gel. Am I right, or am I right?
If the In Touch report is true, then I say this is a good time to end it all. Now that Snooki's about to be a mom and The Situation has his own situation to take care of -- the cast is about ready to pick up and start the rest of their lives. Sure it's been real, but I think it's time to leave things off in Jersey while they're ahead. Of course, that depends on what your definition of "ahead" is.
Get more on the possible ending of Jersey Shore, here:
This video can not be viewed on The Stir Mobile.
Would you be down to watch other cast members join Jersey Shore? Do you think this should be the final season?
Image via MTV
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8- Why would it continue if snooki is having a baby? although i loved the show, YES, there should be another with completely different people andd better drama without any relationships.it sucked ass with a couple...
Snooki will be having her boy before too long
- I will miss it, but everyone is starting to do their own thing, so it's just time for it to be done after this season.
I'll be sad to see it go :(
- I thought they said that season 5 would be the final season. I loved Jersey Shore but I have lost interest a little. They really need a change. I am really excited for Snooki and Jenny's show though :)
- -- Nonmember comment from
me :P
June 30, 2012 at 9:24 PMIt would b as if the new people are wanna bees for tryin to step up as the new jersey shore crew . In my opinion no one can replace the originals. I think they should just leave jersey shore and possibly make a even better show with possibly some of the same cast or not continue at all -
i think that if it goes off than just leave alone don't recast it because the jersey shore is known for the people that are on there now,leave it be!


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§ MR. PICKERSGILL (Bethnal Green, S.W.)asked the Secretary of State for 926 the Home Department, How many constables of the Metropolitan Police Force either are over 35 years of age or have had more than 10 years' service?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE (Mr. MATTHEWS) (Birmingham, E.)Exclusive of the Thames and Dockyard Divisions there are in the Force 4,227 constables who are over 35 years of age, or had more than 10 years' service.


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Children and teenagers at risk for noise-induced hearing loss, warn America's ENT doctors
(Alexandria, VA) Children and teenagers are frequently exposed to potentially damaging noise levels in schools, at home, and in sports, but there has been little reported on their risk for noise-induced hearing loss. In fact, three million children under the age of 18 have some hearing loss, and ...Mount Sinai & ENT and Allergy Associates, LLP affiliate to fight cancer
The Mount Sinai Medical Centers Head and Neck Cancer Center is teaming up with ENT and Allergy Associates, LLP to help fight cancer. The clinical alliance between Mount Sinai and ENT and Allergy Associates, the largest ear, nose and throat, allergy and audiology practice in the tri-state area, tog...New DrainEx(TM) Catheter Simplifies Insertion and Replacement
r4 Vascular announces its entry into the interventional radiology marketplace with the nationwide launch of its new DrainEx™ Rapid-Exchange Drainage Catheter. Maple Grove, MN (Vocus) August 1, 2009 -- r4 Vascular announces its entry into the interventional radiolo...New DrainEx(TM) Catheter Simplifies Insertion and Replacement
r4 Vascular announces its entry into the interventional radiology marketplace with the nationwide launch of its new DrainEx™ Rapid-Exchange Drainage Catheter. Maple Grove, MN (Vocus) August 1, 2009 -- r4 Vascular announces its entry into the interventional radiolo...Shelbourne Releases New Information on Knee Replacement
Research from the Shelbourne Knee Center shows most patients can avoid total knee replacement; most improve with rehabilitation and are able to avoid surgery. Indianapolis, IN (PRWEB) July 20, 2009 -- Research findings show that patients can significantly reduce their k...Drinking Wine Is Good For The "Heart" & Environment
Guests can make a positive contribution to their health and "Heart," the Hope Heart Institute that is, at Kirkland Uncorked a festival of art, style and taste July 17-19 in Marina Park. Kirkland, WA (Vocus) June 26, 2009 -- Guests can make a positive contribut...Drug Shows Promise in Nervous-System Tumor Treatment
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Hyla ruschii Weygoldt and Peixoto, 1987, Stud. Neotrop. Fauna Environ., 22: 238. Holotype: EI 7741, by original designation. Type locality: "Brazil, State of Espirito Santo. Domingo Martins".
Dendropsophus ruschii — Faivovich, Haddad, Garcia, Frost, Campbell, and Wheeler, 2005, Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist., 294: 93.
Rusch's Treefrog (Frank and Ramus, 1995, Compl. Guide Scient. Common Names Amph. Rept. World: 57).
Atlantic coastal forest at elevation of about 800 m in Espírito Santo and adjacent Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Tentatively placed in the Hyla parviceps group according to the original publication. In the Dendropsophus parviceps group of Faivovich, Haddad, Garcia, Frost, Campbell, and Wheeler, 2005, Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist., 294: 93. Peloso and Gasparini, Check List, 2(2): 38-40, reported new records and discussed the range. Cassini, Neves, Dayrell, Cruz, and Feio, 2007, Check List, 3: 190-192, provided a new record and provided a range map. Santos, Silva, Fehlberg, Santos, Zaidan, and Garcia, 2012, Check List, 8: 313-316, reported this species from the eastern region of the Serra da Mantiqueira, Minas Gerais, Brazil, and commented on the range.
Please note: these links will take you to external websites not affiliated with the American Museum of Natural History. We are not responsible for their content.


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This may well be the ultimate weed smokers video. Have you ever seen a spliff this size before? At 28 grams it is an ounce of pure weed, and is rolled expertly and filmed entertainingly. Enjoy.
Weed Smokers Video
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
- July 8, 2010 at 4:12 pm
Yes that is a Cheech and Chong spliff if ive ever seen one
Leave a Comment
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250 Words: Washougal
Wednesday, July 28, 2010 | 4:00 PMConfidence is something some guys never even have to think about, while others can never find it at all. But it's also the number-one most necessary ingredient for a winner. No, this doesn't mean that you don't have to be fast or fit, but it does mean that neither of those will win you a race if you don't have confidence, too.
Case in point: Trey Canard. The likeable redhead couldn't get out of his own way at some points in this outdoor season. For example, at Hangtown, he got the holeshot at round one and then worked his way through the pack to seventh. He didn't fall. He just got passed. Two of the guys who beat him fell in that moto.
Trey Canard has put all of the pieces of his puzzle together, and he seems unstoppable. Why?
Photo: Steve Cox
So, is Trey Canard faster now? Maybe. But is it because he has figured out something else on the bike that he didn't know before? No. He was capable of going just as fast two months ago when the season started, but he wasn't doing it in the races.
In the end, the reason why Canard has won the last three AMA Nationals has little to do with fitness or riding ability, but confidence, and the confidence has led to better focus on the bike because he is probably not questioning himself or thinking of anything else while he's racing. He's just racing. So, that in and of itself has probably made him faster.
And you wonder why Ricky Carmichael won so much? Confidence. That's the key that puts these puzzle pieces together. And Trey Canard has it right now, which means someone else is going to have to try and take it from him.
And that's not going to be an easy task.
Canard even exudes confidence on the podium now.
Photo: Steve Cox
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in our Latest issue of Racer X available now.Americans know very little about seven-time FIM World Champion Tony Cairoli, but in Europe he's treated like royalty. Page 102.
The Conversation
Confidence... and a Red Dog. I gotta get me a Timmy Ferry...
hey Steve - Trey EXUDES confidence. You EXHUME a body (dig it up from a grave).
I knew cox was a sick bastard.
Why is every time I read a STEVE Cox column I wished I could get back the five min of my time he wasted. I mean really what is the point of this crap. We read to learn new info.... really Steve did you just have put a column in today?
Randallgd, you just wasted another precious minute of your oh so ever important life by posting on something you feel is a waste of time???? Really? hah!
Trey Cannard for President!
And I just wasted a minute of my life reading what you said Randallgd.
Randallgd, If I'm doing my math right,(home schooled MX'r) are you reading fifty words a minute? So what you're ten years old then? lol!
What did you do? Count the words in the column? dawg, you need to get out of that computer chair and get a life.
rainman... it takes about 5 seconds to copy and paste the article to a WORD document and then it tells you your word count. Total time less that 10 seconds. I thought dawgstyle was kind of clever to make that point, although I came up with 63 words per minute. Reported
LOL... the article is CALLED 250 words. **Facepalm**
Canard ne sera pas en mesure de correspondre à la vitesse de Pourcel
Is it just me or does Ping look like a chubby Lt. Dangle from Reno 911? Is Ping gay?


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An embattled social studies teacher at Hurricane High School has been suspended for 10 days without pay after he withdrew his resignation Monday.
Christian St. John said he was forced to resign or be fired after two incidents in his classroom this year in which he used inappropriate language in front of students. County officials would not comment on the matter, and St. John said they have not told him why he was to be fired.
In a statement emailed to the media Tuesday, St. John described several other disciplinary incidents going back to 2009.
"I have done a number of things (for) which I have been repeatedly reprimanded," he said.
"In 2011, I was reprimanded for using cartoon video instructions from the Gillette.com site, because of their lewd nature, it would even been later suggested that they were pornographic," St. John said in the statement.
That incident occurred in his senior-level sociology class during a discussion about cultural norms regarding masculinity, according to the statement.
In 2010, according to the statement, he was disciplined for mounting his data projector to the ceiling, along with the one in the classroom where his wife teaches at Hurricane High.
During that incident, he asked parents of his students to send letters to members of the Board of Education on his behalf, and he said he was told not to "solicit comments from parents regarding personal issues" and "maintain a professional distance from both students and parents," according to the statement.
In 2009 he was suspended for two days without pay, according to the statement, for "allowing students to finish their breakfast during my first block class."


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It was a big pleasure having stayed at "Eleven". The place ist very nice with flowers and plants everywear. The rooms are spacious, very clean and confortable, with beautifull decoration. We immediately felt at homme. Ajay is a wonderfull person and helped us a lot with informations about Delhi and India. before our travel and when we were at his... More
- Official Description (provided by the hotel):
- Set in a quiet neighbourhood of South Delhi we are a modern bed and breakfast where warmth, homeliness and safety are the primary features. Humayun's Tomb (A world Heritage monument) is a 5 minute walk, a pretty joggers park is 30 seconds away and we are less than 5 km from Connought Place. Besides a great location and warm hospitality we offer comfortable rooms with attached bathrooms (with shower cubicles), satellite television, free internet and free wifi. ... more less


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Art Along the Rogue, Grants Pass The streets of Grants Pass are coming alive with color and sound this weekend. The heart of downtown Grants Pass is the canvas for the two-day art along the Rogue Festival. Come see how chalk art street painters transform city sidewalks and walls into works of art. Many of … Continue reading »
Talent Students Learn About Japan
TALENT, Ore. — An already bilingual classroom at Talent Elementary becomes tri-lingual for the day. The Japan-America Society of Oregon designed a special "on the road" program to teach kids about life in Japan. The students in Mrs. Kuriyama's class can speak English and Spanish, and on Friday they were speaking some Japanese. Three Japanese … Continue reading »
Talent Tree Lighting Ceremony
TALENT, Ore. — A special tree lighting ceremony will be held in Talent this Tuesday evening to promote living and giving in our local community The 25th Annual Lights For Life Tree Ceremony is put on by the Ashland Community Hospital Foundation. It will be held at the Talent Community Center on Tuesday night at … Continue reading »
Talent Family Gets New Home
TALENT, Ore. — A Talent family who lost their home in a fire last month is now moving into a new house. The Knudson family has spent the past 3 days moving its belongings into their new house in Talent. Their old home was destroyed by a fire in September. Since then, the community has … Continue reading »
Fire Destroys House In Talent
TALENT, Ore. – Three members of a Talent family are out of their home following an early morning fire that brought in crews from three fire districts. The fire on Foss Road completely gutted the home of Malone and Sasha Knudson and their son, Dylan. Malone Knudson was in the shower about 5:45 a.m. on … Continue reading »
Local West Nile Concerns Addressed
EAGLE POINT, Ore. – The CDC says the West Nile Virus is spreading farther and faster this season than ever before. More than 1,100 cases have been reported in 47 states and at least 41 people have died. No state has been hit harder by West Nile than Texas, which is why many communities are … Continue reading »
West Nile Warning For Southern Oregon
TALENT, Ore. – For the first time in five years, mosquitoes are testing positive for West Nile Virus in Southern Oregon. The mosquitoes were found in Talent alongside the Bear Creek pathway. Vector Control says crews were out here Tuesday morning, fogging and looking for the source of these small creatures. West Nile Virus causes … Continue reading »
Talent Field Burns Out of Control
By Yessenia Anderson TALENT, Ore. — Half a dozen fire fighters helped contain flames on a field, after a controlled burn got out of hand. The fire began in an open field near the intersection of Talent Avenue and Rogue River Parkway. Fire crews were completely smoked out as they continued to douse the sparks. … Continue reading »
Talent Faces Trash Troubles
TALENT, Ore. — What Talent residents throw away, Recology picks up – but taking away that garbage is getting costly for the company. Recology says more people are choosing to recycle. It helps the environment, but hurts the company, saying producing fewer cans of trash means they have to charge less. Recology is also seeing … Continue reading »
Rush Hour Crash On I-5 At Talent Exit
By Ron Brown TALENT, Ore. — Traffic was snarled on southbound Interstate 5 between Talent and Phoenix on Wednesday morning following a four-car chain reaction pile-up. Witnesses told police it all started when a truck slowed for construction south of Talent, then traffic suddenly stalled; that led to this white Pontiac hitting the rear of … Continue reading »


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Alaska Permit Test - Tag
Alaska Permit Test 2013 - Any Different?
As we entered a new year, many of those who are planning to get a drivers license this year wonder: is the 2013 Alaska permit test different from the knowledge exam that was offered by the state last year? Are there many new Alaska DMV permit test questions that I did not study for? Will the Alaska practice permit test I took couple of weeks back be enough for me to pass the permit exam? We will try to answer all this questions and debunk some of the myths associated with the Alaska permit test 2013.
Tags: Alaska Practice Test, Alaska Permit Test, Alaska, Alaska DMV,
Alaska Permit Test
If you are applying for a drivers permit or driver's license in Alaska, you will be required to take a knowledge exam, which is also known as a learners permit test. The 2013 Alaska permit test covers the state driving rules, safe driving practices and highways signs and you must be proficient in all of these subjects if you want to pass the exam. According to statistics, almost a half of the first time license applicants fail their Alaska permit test, mostly due to the fact that they don't prepare for it. Test yourself with a free 2013 Alaska practice permit test before you go in for the real thing.
Tags: DMV Permit Test, Online Permit Test, Alaska DMV Test, Drivers Permit Test, Practice Permit Test, Learners Permit Test, Permit Test Questions, Alaska Learners Permit, Alaska Permit Test, Alaska Permit Practice Test, Alaska Drivers Permit Test, Alaska Learners Permit Test,
Alaska Online Permit Test
The main reason why anyone would seek to take the Alaska Online Permit Test is because it's a great way to not only learn the Alaska driving rules and Alaska traffic signs, it will also allow you to learn the wording that is used by Alaska DMV. Unfortunately, just knowing Alaska driving rules is not enough - the Alaska DMV may use tricky wording for some of the questions.
Tags: Drivers Permit Test, Free Permit Test, Free Permit Test Questions, Alaska Practice Test, Alaska Permit Test,


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DEP probes methane migration near Dimock
Times-Shamrock Writer
State environmental regulators are investigating a possible case of methane migrating into water supplies just north of the 9-square-mile box in Dimock Twp. where the state halted a gas driller's operations because of methane contamination in 2010.
Regulators with the state Department of Environmental Protection emphasized that they have not determined the source of elevated methane discovered in two Susquehanna County water wells and whether it is caused by Marcellus Shale drilling or a natural occurrence of gas in the aquifer.
One focus of the investigation is Cabot Oil & Gas Corp.'sGreenwood1 well, where the company recently squeezed additional cement between steel barriers that are meant to seal off gas and fluids from the aquifer.
The work in late March was an effort to stop the problem, DEP spokesman Kevin Sunday said, even though inspectors have not pinpointed the well as the cause.
"The next step is to determine the effectiveness of the remediation work and to continue water well sampling," he said.
Regulators began investigating the elevated methane levels in August 2010 after a resident reported a water quality complaint to the state.
The gas wells being evaluated are less than 400 feet from the northern boundary of a section of Dimock where Cabot's drilling and hydraulic fracturing operations have been on hold since April 2010 when state regulators blamed faulty Cabot wells for allowing shallow methane to channel into 18 private water wells. Cabot disputes the state's findings in that case.
The current investigation is separate from the ongoing review of Cabot's wells in the off-limits area.
Cabot spokesman George Stark said Friday that the company "always investigates landowners' concerns as they are brought to our attention. Cabot has been working closely with the Department of Environmental Protection on this matter and will continue to do so with the best interest of our landowners in mind."
Neither of the two water wells involved in the current investigation has been vented because one well is buried and has not been located and inspections of the other have not found gas trapped in the open space above the water in the well, Sunday said.
Methane in drinking water is not known to cause any health risks, but at high concentrations it can seep out of water into the air and create an explosion hazard in enclosed spaces.
The state has not reached a determination 20 months into the investigation because a number of factors need to be considered, including the construction of nearby gas wells and identifying features of the methane, DEP spokeswoman Colleen Connolly said.
"It's not different from any case," she said. "There are just many issues to deal with."
TheGreenwood1 well was the first Marcellus Shale well drilled by Cabot in Dimock, in September 2007, according to state records.
Three horizontal wells later drilled on the same pad in November 2009 and May 2010 were among the top-producing wells in the state early last year.
Those wells, theGreenwood6, 7 and 8, have also been evaluated as part of the investigation. Cabot was cited by DEP for a "failure to case and cement" the three wells "to prevent migrations into fresh groundwater" in January 2011 but Cabot has argued in a letter to the state that the wells were properly constructed and the violations should be rescinded.
Connolly said that DEP is addressing the violations with Cabot. The defects cited by the department "could have been a means of allowing methane to migrate into the fresh groundwater, but that doesn't necessarily mean the water supply has been impacted," she said.
Cabot has produced more than 250 billion cubic feet of gas and paid out about $125 million in royalties from itsSusquehannaCountywells, according to an investor briefing this week.
Treat as sidebar box
Dimock pride
An organization of residents supportive of natural gas drilling in Dimock Twp. released a video this week highlighting citizens' positive feelings about the industry and the community.
The video by Dimock Proud was created to counteract what the group called "lies" spread about theSusquehannaCountytown by critics of the industry.
It features residents talking about the "remarkably sound water" in Dimock. The video is online at www.dimockproud.com.


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The Best of Silk [2004]
Original Release Date: May 25, 2004
Track Listing
1. Interlude
2. Happy Days
3. Freak Me
4. I Can Go Deep
5. Hooked on You
6. Lose Control
7. Meeting in My Bedroom
8. If You (Lovin' Me)
9. Don't Rush
10. Girl U for Me
11. We're Callin' You
12. It Had to Be You
13. Let's Make Love
14. The Return
15. Freak Me [12" Remix]
16. Happy Days [12" Remix]
Antoinette: Vocals (Background), Vocal Producer
Keith Sweat: Composer, Vocals (Background), Producer, Remixing, Audio Production
Yutaka: Assistant
Silk: Vocals (Background), Producer
Alton "Wokie" Stewart: Synthesizer, Guitar, Composer, Drums, Keyboards, Vocals (Background), Producer, Drum Programming, Audio Production
Conley Abrams: Mixing
Darrell "Delite" Allamby: Composer, Vocals (Background), Producer, Engineer, Vocoder, Mixing, Audio Production, Vocal Producer, Instrumentation, Vocal Ad-Libs
Lincoln Browder: Composer
Milton Chan: Mixing
Jermaine Dupri: Remixing
Garry Glenn: Composer, Vocal Producer, Group Member
Gary Jenkins: Synthesizer, Arranger, Composer, Keyboards, Producer, Vocal Producer, Instrumentation, Group Member
Brian Bonehead Kinkead: Engineer
Jay Lean: Engineer
Andrea Martin: Composer
Tony Maserati: Mixing
Ron Murray: Composer, Keyboards, Drum Programming
The Riddler: Rap
Antoinette Roberson: Composer
Soulshock: Producer, Mixing, Audio Production
Phil Tan: Remixing
Teno West: Rap
Karlin: Producer
Charles "Prince Charles" Alexander: Mixing
Ben Arrindell: Engineer, Mixing
John Grimes: Assistant
James Minchin: Photography, Cover Photo
Jason Shablik: Engineer
Barry Benson: Compilation Producer
Maria Villar: Art Direction, Design
Steven Chean: Project Assistant
Karl Heilbron: Remixing
Steve Woolard: Discographical Annotation
Vernon Mungo: Assistant
Alex Nesmith: Engineer
Paul Osborn: Engineer
Carsten Schack: Composer
Kenny Dickerson: Composer, Producer, Mixing, Instrumentation
Jonathen "John John" Rasboro: Group Member
Kwaku Alston: Photography
Lee Mars: Engineer
Rob Chirelli: Mixing
Brian Smith: Engineer, Mixing
Timothy Cameron: Group Member
Jimmy Gates Jr.: Composer, Group Member
Anthony Donelson: Guitar
Randy Perry: Project Assistant
Mike Chapman: Keyboards, Producer, Engineer, Drum Programming, Sample Programming
Cory Frye: Editorial Supervision
April Milek: Project Assistant
Tim Scanlin: Project Assistant
Rob Cunningham: Guitar
Bill Wathen: Engineer
Lil G: Instrumentation
Tracey Helen New: Liner Notes
Tracy Helen New: Liner Notes
T.H.: Audio Production


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Ningin | GirlyBubble | ZiggyTek | Wirebot | FlauntMe | SwanDiary | Rekuru | CrazySingleLife | HTCYou | OMGHaute | Reelwire.com | Funsauce.com
It was recently announced that Big Bang would be releasing a special edition album titled 'Still Alive'. Along with the title track 'Monster', there are a total of 9 songs, 5 of which are new ones.
While the photo uploaded by YG-LIFE yesterday had the date of June 3rd, turns out that that date is the digital release. The physical album release will be on June 6th, as seen in the new teaser photo featuring G-Dragon! Well, his clothes anyway. The photo was uploaded on Big Bang's official Facebook page and shows off what most likely is G-Dragon's stage outfit for the album.
YG Entertainment has stated that Big Bang will be collaborating with 'Hyundai Card' to make an amazing blockbuster music video. "This album is a special one that Big Bang has prepared for the fans that have given them much love and cheers. Among the songs, 'Monster' will be a song that has a completely different atmosphere from their previous ones."
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05/22/12 5:24 am
wait for this album~~~
05/21/12 11:09 pm
I want this album! I remember 2pm photos of their clothes.
05/21/12 10:21 pm
Gosh!! Truly can't wait for this!!
05/21/12 9:24 pm
invisible gdragon? nice concept
05/21/12 8:31 pm
wow! so excited!
05/21/12 7:58 pm
wow so many groups are releasing repackaged albums!
can't wait for this~
05/21/12 7:29 pm
Yay! So excited about this album!
Can't wait to hear all the new songs!
05/21/12 7:28 pm
I'm so excited for this and also for 2ne1's comeback! ^_^
05/21/12 7:18 pm
Can't wait for their comeback!!
05/21/12 5:00 pm
Yay, I'm so excited for this and wonder girls' comeback.
05/21/12 4:29 pm
sweet ^_^ haha
05/21/12 4:13 pm
Omg That's cool
05/21/12 4:04 pm
My favorite part is missing xD
lmaoo I love your comment XD
Those clothes would look amazing on GD! I can't wait for the album release, I know it's going to be awesome :D
05/21/12 3:40 pm
My favorite part is missing xD
05/21/12 3:22 pm
My favorite part is missing xD
05/21/12 3:17 pm
already know gd is gonna look awesome in these clothes!!
Good clothes but where is GD ?
I really can't wait for this album.


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There's nothing like a summertime hike up the majestic Beehive Basin in Big Sky, MT. Especially if you can romp through the wildflowers with some of your greatest friends. Ben and Ivory back from Thailand, Sasha from Mass. and neighbors Dave, Natasha and of course Vodaz all came out under a perfect Big Sky day to soak in some late summer sun and get our breath taken away by the view.
Summer Hike Beehive Basin MT
- Posted on: November 15, 2011
- By: kuru
- With: 0 Comments


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Jim Gaffigan Boston Tickets
Important Jim Gaffigan Boston Ticket Information
When buying your tickets to see Jim Gaffigan in Boston keep in mind:
- Seats are together, side by side, unless the Jim Gaffigan ticket NOTES state otherwise.
- Time permitting, ALL tickets are shipped via UPS.
- Ticket prices are set by the sellers and may be above OR below the face value of the ticket.
Available Tickets
Seating Chart
Note: Map may reflect the standard seating arrangement, is not drawn to scale, and may not include all details. Stage setup and specific seat locations can vary by event. Report map errors


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4 bedroom, 2 bath in quiet neighborhood convenient to Concord, Salisbury & Asheboro. Open floor plan, fireplace & cozy front porch.
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This $84,900 Single Family Home at 401 Spring ST in RICHFIELD, NC is listed by Mary Burt Allen . This $84,900 Single Family Home, located in the 28137 zip code , has the following property features: Patio, Refrigerator, Porch/Deck, Heating System. This 401 Spring ST Single Family Home, located in Rowan County, is listed under MLS listing number 2110746, has 4 beds, 2 baths, and has a listing price of $84,900. You can find more of Mary Burt Allen's listings by browsing Mary Burt Allen homes for sale at HomesAndLand.com, or even more RICHFIELD homes for sale here.


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Here I am with part 3 of a little series of inexpensive (or free things!) you can make and do for Christmas presents.
A couple of nights ago when I was trying to get to sleep, I had the idea of making my mum a memory jar. I have oodles of pretty paper from card making which would look lovely folded up into little envelopes with dozens of memories on.
Source |
If I lived closer to my brother I'd supply him with some paper and get him to do the same thing so my mum had double the memories to look back on. Maybe I'll send him the paper supplies and an S.A.E. and ask him to comply! I don't know, men don't tend to be as sentimental as us ladies on the whole.
Have you made a memory jar before?
I've never done a memory jar, but I do have photo albums and memory boxes full of gig tickets, train tickets, cinema tickets, bracelets from festivals etc. etc.
If you're stuck for an idea of where to get a large glass jar from without paying lots for one, consider buying a large jar of pickled onions (or other reasonably inexpensive food) to wash out and use. Bicarbonate of soda would get rid of the vinegary whiff. I get most of my pretty paper stacks from Handy Hippo.
I think this is a gorgeous gift idea. I would be thrilled to bits to receive one - I'm sure anyone would!
Thanks for reading!


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Most of us don't realize, but there are several checks that we can undertake to minimize our premium outflow on home insurance.
First is to raise your deductible. Deductibles are the amount that one has to pay towards a loss before the insurance company pays the claim. If your deductible is higher, you will be able to save more on your premium. The usual recommended deductible is $500. If you manage to raise this to $1000 you can actually save as much as 25% on your premium. Also, if you live in a disaster prone area, you will be eligible for separate deductibles for the given hazard.
While buying your homeowner's insurance, don't add the value of the land as the land itself is not prone to damage. If you add the value of the land, you will be jacking up your premium for no reason. Try to buy your auto and home insurance form the same insurer and there is a very good chance that you can squeeze out an additional 10% to 15% discount. Always prefer a private insurer to a government insurer as the former are usually cheaper. Besides these checks, always review your homeowner insurance once a year. You may have discarded some expensive things or they may simply worn out, for which there will be no use paying a premium.
To read more on this topic, click here


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Our English Country dance this weekend is on Friday! It runs 7 – 10 pm and is at the usual place.
Thanksgiving Dance Festival attendees, let us know what you think on our brief Festival survey. Thanks!
View Previous AnnouncementsUPCOMING Contras
Thursday, December 5, 2013 - Contra Dance
Caller: Sharon Perry
Band: Over and Under
It's December and time to dance away the winter chill. Join us tonight with wonderful local talent: Over and Under is lead by long-time piano player Roger Cass and his assemblage of musical friends. Sharon Perry calls well-chosen dances for an especially good time.
Thursday, December 12, 2013 - Contra Dance
Caller: Nancy Spero
Band: Tempest
Nancy Spero is an experienced dance caller from Ithaca who has as much fun calling as we do dancing. The music will be outstanding tonight with Chuck Abell on guitar, Tim Ball on fiddle, Emiliano Lasansky on bass, Eric Metzger on drums.
Thursday, December 19, 2013 - Contra Dance
Caller: Sarah VanNorstrand
Band: Food for Thought
Food for Thought is a new band with young power-house musicians Casey Murray on cello and Daphne Kanack-Pickens on fiddle. It's almost solstice, come on out and dance away the dark winter.
Thursday, December 26, 2013 - Contra Dance
Caller: Open Mike Night, hosted by Bob Fabinski
Band: Rochester Irregulars
It's our Boxing Day dance–a perfect night to share with friends. The band will be anchored by guitarist Chuck Abell who'll lead the gang of musicians joining him on stage. And our own "Tie-Dye" Bob will be hosting local callers. Let's make it a real community dance! Bring your favorite treats to share.
Thursday, January 2, 2014 - Contra Dance
Caller: Bob Nicholson!
Band: Tim Ball and Sophie Orzechowski!
We dance every Thursday; you'll always have a good time at the Contra Dance!
Thursday, January 9, 2014 - Contra Dance
Caller: David Smuckler!
Band: Great music tonight!
We dance every Thursday; you'll always have a good time at the Contra Dance!
Thursday, January 16, 2014 - Contra Dance
Caller: Judy Greenhill!
Band: Great music tonight!
We dance every Thursday; you'll always have a good time at the Contra Dance!
Thursday, January 23, 2014 - Contra Dance
Caller: Clear teaching and fun dances!
Band: Esteemed Clams!
We dance every Thursday; you'll always have a good time at the Contra Dance!
View Previous Events From This Category
UPCOMING English DANCES
Friday, December 6, 2013 - English Dance
Caller: Bob Nicholson
Band: Happy Endings
A most experienced caller, with fine music from Eileen Nicholson on violin, Rachel Bell on accordion, and Jane Knoeck on piano. Note that this is a Friday — our usual hall is not available on Sunday. Also, the dance will run from 7 – 10 pm, to give people a little more time for a bite to eat.
Sunday, December 15, 2013 - English Dance
Caller: Pamela Goddard
Band: Arugula with Barb Seppeler
Barb sits in on piano, with Mike, Silvia and Fred from Arugula. Pamela adds her calling skill and sense of humor. Should be fun, and it's Cookie Night!
Sunday, December 29, 2013 - English Dance
Callers: Richard Sauvain & Dan Seppeler
Band: Lee & Julian Shepherd with Barb Seppeler
Our annual Holiday Ball, held in the beautiful Tango Cafe Ballroom at 389 Gregory St. An elegant, dress up affair, with refreshments and rich music on violin, cello, and piano. 8 – 11 pm, Admission $15.


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And the winner of this week's Who's The Gutsiest Person On Maui? contest is Mr. David Peterson, 55, of Pukalani. By now everyone on Maui knows about Peterson, a stand-up paddler, and his Oct. 18 encounter with a 6-8 foot shark about 300 yards offshore of Kanaha Beach Park.
Did you guys read today's Maui News story on this guy? Peterson's out there on his board, paddling away, when the shark knocks him off his board. What happened then is straight out of a movie. Here's Peterson, quoted in the story:
I didn't see anything. I landed on the back of the shark. It had a hold on my board… It wouldn't let go. I started beating it over the head and yelling at it.
Peterson eventually pushed the shark away and climbed back onto his board. He was, to put it mildly, extremely lucky. Not only was he uninjured, but his board wasn't too badly damaged, allowing him to paddle back for shore. And then, just because he's a great guy, Peterson apologized to other surfers for the beach closure that inevitably followed the attack.
It's easy to forget that sharks–which are revered by the Kanaka as 'aumakua or "family gods"–are all around us. Usually the first question asked by someone arriving on a Maui beach (usually about the time they're applying sunscreen) is, "Are there sharks out there?" The answer, of course, is yes.
Sharks rarely attack people (we apparently don't taste good to them), but rarely also doesn't mean never. The last fatal shark attack on Maui (indeed, in Hawaii), took place at S-Turns in Kahana back in 2004.
A fisherman friend of mine once told me about an evening spear-fishing trip he took on the Westside, and the adventure of sorts he had while trying to drag his prize back to shore while a shark tried to take it away.
Sharks are ancient, fascinating creatures that deserve respect, not fear. Though if you want to see something really cool, watch the 2011 National Geographic documentary The Whale That Ate Jaws.
Photo: Jon Rawlinson/Wikimedia Commons


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Rampant speculation is that Derek Dooley was fired following the UT loss to Missouri. Not so apparently. Or at least according to him.
Not a ringing endorsement.
Wonder what kind of impact this has on Vonn Bell.
Tenn still can go to a bowl game. David hart will wait till the season is over. Dooley is owed 5 million over 3 years. They could let Dooley coach the bowl game. Tenn hires a new head coach and he recruits. The only problem is most of the names I have heard will be in bowl games.
Another potential problem for Tennessee is that Arkansas and Auburn (more than likely) will also have open head coaching positions available and will be potentially going after the same candidates.
Does Dooley get canned tomorrow after the embarrassment at Vandy, or do they wait until after next week's game? Even a meaningless victory against bottom-dweller Kentucky can't mean anything.
Dooley will be go no bowl game. First 3 straight losing seasons since 1911. What fans are upset is Dooley sec career record. There 0-7 in sec this year first 2 year they started 0-5.
There an article in Friday the Tennessean news paper about John Gruden.
Forgot to mention they didn't give up 50 points. Tenn has 113 defense out of 124
The real question is: Does this swing Vonn Bell to our camp? He's gotta be watching this dumpster fire in Knoxville and wondering 'Do I want my college experience to be this, or undefeated seasons?'
Vandy went off last night. I love vandy actually, my second fav team. Being that I live on the hard streets of murfreesboro tn( right outside Nashville )
Bell might go to Tenneesse he has. Great chance to start for 113 in total defense.
Dooley is reportedly out as head coach at Tenn. Presser at 2PM
A little nonsense now and then is relished by the wisest men


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It seems that February 14th's impending arrival has gotten everyone thinking about the ultimate symbol of undying love; we've noticed roses popping up in some of the prettiest party ideas, and it's gotten our hearts all a-flutter. Take this cake adorned with roses, for example: it's almost to pretty to eat, but one peek at the luscious layers hidden under its mounds of petals, and there's no use resisting. A few other inspired images:
Blossoming topiaries are the epitome of modern femininity.
Rose petals are a charming way to garnish a cup of espresso with dessert, especially when paired with meringue blossoms atop a bed of buttercream.
*sources: rose cake, i am baker via project wedding; all others from martha stewart weddings.


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Version tested: Wii
"Life after Bush and Gorbachev, the wall is down but something is lost / A fine little girl is waiting for me, but I'm as bent as Dostoevsky." So sang Iggy Pop in 1993. Who could have imagined that 17 years later, actual little girls would be jumping up and down to those words in front of their tellies? But then who could have imagined that Iggy Pop would be selling car insurance by then? Or that the world's best-selling console would be the one with the least processing power? Or that a game for that console, one where all you have to do is wave your arms about like it's 1993 and you're a massive tit, would turn out to be quite good?
At first glance, Just Dance doesn't look like it's going to be any good at all. The menus are low-rent and limited, pulling off old tricks like offering "Quick Play" and "Classic" modes as if they're different. The presentation suggests the development team has played a lot of SingStar and watched too many Apple adverts. The copywriter has tried to fill out the manual with advice about checking your batteries and making sure you have enough space to move, but there are still three blank pages for "notes" at the end.
This is because the instructions for how to play Just Dance could be written on the back of a postage stamp. In crayon. You hold the remote in your right hand and copy the dancer on screen. The end. There are no other peripherals - no dance mats, no balance boards, no bits of neoprene to strap to your thigh, not even any nunchuks. This means all you need for a four-player game is four Wii remotes and not an ounce of dignity between you.
The manual claims, "The flow of your body movements will be sensed by the Wii remote." This seems a bit grandiose, especially considering Just Dance isn't playable with the MotionPlus accessory. It continues, "The amount of energy you put in is also detected and taken into account." In other words the harder you shake the remote, the higher your score. You receive one of three ratings for each move - Bad, OK or Great - and good moves fill up your score meter as the song progresses.
The game isn't brilliant at recognising your movements consistently. You can receive four Greats in a row followed by a Bad, even though you've just done the same move in the exact same way. It's hard to believe the game really knows whether you're leaping around and punching the air or waggling the remote while sitting on the sofa. Try out both techniques and you'll find it makes little difference to your final score.
So yes, Just Dance should be rubbish. It's stupid, shallow, crude and not nearly as technically proficient as it pretends. Which might explain why I like it so much. But despite all that, if you're in the right company and the right frame of mind, it's tremendous fun.
This is mainly down to the excellent work by the dancers you have to copy. There are proper videos of them, stylised to look like animations, so there's a real flow and human quality to their movements. They wear silly outfits - legwarmers and headbands, giant afros and Elvis wigs, hotpants and MC Hammer trousers - appropriate to each song. The dances are great, again tailored to suit each track. They vary in terms of how difficult they are and how much effort is required and some can cause you to work up a serious sweat. However, none are too hard for littluns to have a go at or too easy for grown-ups to do without looking stupid.
Which brings us to the most important thing about the dances - they're hilarious. Highlights for anyone who remembers the nineties include Reel 2 Real's I Like to Move It, Pump Up the Jam by Technotronic and MC Hammer's U Can't Touch This. Turns out the running man is still funny. Then there's Cotton Eye Joe (complete with lassoo move), Blur's Girls and Boys and Wannabe by the Spice Girls.
There are plenty of songs from other decades too, going right back to Dee Dee Sharp's Mashed Potato Time. Other oldies include I Get Around by The Beach Boys, Le Freak by Chic and Anita Ward's Ring My Bell. From the eighties there's Girls Just Wanna Have Fun and Eye of the Tiger, amongst others. And there are more recent chart-toppers - Katy Perry's Hot N Cold, Dare by Gorillaz and Kylie's superb Can't Get You Out of My Head, to name a few.
In fact there are more than 30 songs in total, all by the original artists apart from two - Fame, which is "in the style of" Irene Cara, and Womanizer, sung by "The Gym All-Stars" instead of Britney. Both covers are decent enough. There are no fillers here and no tracks you won't have heard of. You don't get the videos but that would miss the point of the game, and the dances you have to copy are often more entertaining anyway.
All the songs are unlocked right from the start. Hardcore types might complain this means it isn't a proper game but again that's missing the point - Just Dance is meant to be a fun, accessible multiplayer experience, one which encourages and amuses players rather than challenges them. In that regard it succeeds; games don't come much more pick-up-and-play than this. Watching other people have a go is at least as entertaining as taking part yourself, and I haven't had so much fun with a party title since SingStar.
That's not to say the technology in Just Dance is anywhere near as sophisticated as that behind SingStar, or that the two games are comparable in terms of depth and long-term value. This one doesn't have any online options and there's no library of downloadable songs. There are only two modes other than the main one and neither is very exciting. (Strike a Pose is basically musical statues, and disappointingly has nothing to do with Madonna; Last One Standing involves losing a life for every incorrect move, which shows up the inconsistent registering.)
It's a bit like We Sing, the four-player Wii karaoke game released at the end of the year which couldn't match up to SingStar: Just Dance is a similar cut-down, more simplistic version of the real thing, but fun all the same. There are two key differences, however. First, it's cheaper than We Sing; the game carries an RRP of �24.99, you can already find it for under 20 quid and there's no shell out for extra peripherals. Second, there's no PS3 or Xbox 360 equivalent to Just Dance.
For now, anyway. Perhaps Project Natal and Sony's magic wand will herald a new era of full-body dancing games. Perhaps those cameras will properly read and evaluate your moves in a way the Wii simply can't. In the meantime, Just Dance is the only option for those who want to wave their arms in the air like they just don't care.
Plenty of people would rather sit on the sofa, thanks, and play a proper videogame with guns, and good for them. But small girls, show-offs and people who are too drunk to care in the first place will have a great time with Just Dance. Perhaps even games-with-guns types might enjoy it too, if they give it a try. After all, going back to Iggy Pop and car insurance, who would have thought a game where all you have to do is wave your arms about could be more popular than Modern Warfare 2?
7 / 10


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CrownCoat Brushable Sealant can be used wherever a long-lasting exterior waterproof membrane is needed, such as chimney crowns, chimney corbels, tops of masonry or parapet walls. Another use is for masonry window sills where bricks are laid in a soldier pattern at thebase of the window. CrownCoat Brushable Sealant can be custom colored with small amounts of standard mortar dye.
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Drive an Audi R8 with a Lamborghini Gallardo with this exciting driving experience
Audi R8 and Lamborghini Gallardo Driving Thrill
Overall Rating: out of
Rating Snapshot (6 reviews) 5 stars 5 4 stars 1 3 stars 0 2 stars 0 1 star 0 6 out of 6(100%)customers would recommend this product to a friend.
This is your chance to drive both of these cars - the stunning Lamborghini Gallardo and its beautiful step sister, the Audi R8. The R8 may be half the price but with a waiting list that reads like a fantasy football team, this is the car that any self respecting Premiership player or city boy wants to be seen in. Judge for yourself whether you prefer the legendary Gallardo or the exciting new R8. |


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Small Veve Purses Large Veve Purses Veve Eye Glass Cases
Items made in the ReDo Voodoo line are all made from recycled materials and embellished with used or new items. Proceeds from the sale of these purses benefit the women who work for the Kash Kash Gallery in Haiti; which provides income to them and their families and helps finance various educational programs the Haiti Reads Library provides to the people of Haiti. Sizes vary.