text:
"Ow!" Jay said as someone kicked his stomach. Ever since he moved to this school, he has been beat up by a group of kids. They were all strong and each hit they made hurt him.
"Hey!" He heard a girl shout as she ran towards them. Jay thought she was going to beat him up like everyone else in his school. But what she did surprised him. She held out her hand. Hesitantly, he accepted it and the mysterious girl pulled him up. Then, she turned to the bullies.
"Don't bully anyone ever again! Or else my daddy's gonna kick you out!" The 9 year old Aileen yelled. Terrified, the bullies ran away. She turned to Jay.
"Are you okay?" She asked gently. He nodded. She looked at him and realized how badly he was hurt. She gasped.
"No you're not! I'll go take you to the nurse. What's your name?"
"Jay." He said quietly.
"Oh! You're the new boy! I'm Aileen. My daddy owns this school!" She said.
And that is the beginning of their friendship. At that time, Jay was only 8, and she was 9. Years passed by and he is now 13 and she is 14. Jay became an athletic, good-looking guy and Aileen grew into a beautiful, kind girl. They both grew close. Their friendship was so strong, the two were inseparable.
Aileen and Jay were walking through the park quietly, observing the area, when Jay spoke up.
"Aileen. We've been friends for a while now and I just realized that I like you. You're an amazing, kind, and beautiful girl. I don't know what my life would be like if I never met you. Will you be my girlfriend?" He said, waiting for his answer but hearing nothing. Then, she spoke.
"Yes!" She yelled happily. "I actually really like you too."
Surprised he said, "Really? Since when?"
"Since we first met. I saw you enrolling in the school. I didn't know your name yet and I followed you and hid." She blushed embarrassed. He laughed.
"I liked you ever since you helped me from the bullies." He frowned, remembering the bullies.
And they became a couple, and thought they would live happily ever after, The End. But they were so wrong.
Aileen was walking to a café when she saw someone that she knew inside. The person noticed her and waved. She went in the café and sat next to the person.
"Long time no see, Aileen." He said. She rolled her eyes.
"What are you doing here, Mark?" she said coldly.
"I came to see you." The guy named Mark said, and before she could say anything, he leaned in and gave her a kiss. She was surprised, and pushed him away when she saw someone looking at them.
"J-Jay..." She stuttered. She stood up and grabbed his wrist, but he pulled away.
"I can't believe you. I thought you actually loved me!" He said angrily. He started walking away.
"No! Jay, come back! Let me explain, please!" She said, tears streaming down her face. But he already left. She turned to Mark.
He smirked. "Need a shoulder to cry on?"
SLAP! He put his hand on his face, where she had just hit him.
"What was that for?"
"You should know. I wish I never see you again. I hate you!" She angrily stomped out of the café where she was supposed to just get a latte.
After they broke up, Aileen started living her dream, as a model. She became famous and super popular, advertising major brands and clothes. She never changed, still kind to everyone. Jay went to high school, doing his best to move on. He never talked to anyone, afraid what will happen, and only made a few friends. Their names were Max, Brandon, Ryan, and Alex. They were huge fans of Aileen. Even though Aileen was super popular, and had a lot of fans, she only, and always will, love one person-Jay.
© Copyright 2013SilentFlower All rights reserved. SilentFlower has granted theNextBigWriter, LLC non-exclusive rights to display this work on Booksie.com.


text: Endorsed by Tim Howard, Salomon Kalou and Claudio Reyna, this pain relief cream offers instant relief from aches and pain. Clean, fresh scent. Contains gradual heat, MSM and Glucosamine. Use Flex-Power daily to help relieve pain from muscle, joints, arthritis, back, shoulder necks, ankles knees hips and elbows. Great for preactivity warm-up and performance and post-activity recovery.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Kelley Damore Headlines
Publishers focus on centralizing mobile strategy to meet brand needs
Posted on: 02/26/13
The mobile audience for ALM brands grew by more than 30% in 2012, said Jeff Litvack, senior VP-digital. That shift outpaced expectations and drove the media company to develop an aggressive strategy to serve its content on multiple devices. "ALM was already investing in mobile, but the...


text:
Skip to main content
More Search Options
A member of our team will call you back within one business day.
Sigmoidoscopy allows a doctor to examine the lower portion of your colon using a thin tube. It may be used to help diagnose certain intestinal problems that can cause symptoms such as constipation or diarrhea, and abdominal pain. Abnormal growths may also be detected. This video describes a sigmoidoscopy and how it may inform you about your colorectal health.


text:
After getting some advice from my brother about Creatine last night. I did some research online and found out that most body builders are getting great results with Creatine. So today I went to the local supplements store and picked up some Purple-K Creatine and a bottle of AllMax Glutamine to help in muscle recovery after my workout.
I'll try this stuff for a few weeks and then I'll post a review on my results.


text:
Hotelbeds places its bet on Asia-Pacific growth
- Published: 8 Feb 2013 at 00.00
- Newspaper section: Business
Hotelbeds, the global accommodation wholesaler, expects tourism to grow in the Middle East and Asia-Pacific (Meapac) and plans to raise its hotel portfolio and distribution coverage to meet 40% sales growth over the next two years.
Meapac is the largest and fastest-growing area for Hotelbeds' business.
Its report said the compound annual growth of Asia as a destination from 2008-12 was 31%, compared with 14% for Europe and the Americas.
This article is older than 60 days, which we reserve for our premium members only.You can subscribe to our premium member subscription, here.


text:
Modern Living Room: Create a space to live in.
A few things to consider when pulling together your modern living room:
Sofa. Don't skimp on the sofa -- it gets a lot of the action in your modern living room and is often the biggest furniture focal point. Make sure to pull the sofa away from the wall or consider positioning it at a non-perpendicular angle to add a little drama to your modern living room.
Coffee Tables. Aim for a coffee table that is approximately half the length of your paralleling sofa. The shape of the table should mimic the lines of the corresponding furniture. Consider clustering end and side tables to make your own design in your modern living room.
Accessorize. It isn't always the big things that make a space. Go bold and add wallpaper to an accent wall. If you're less gutsy, toss in a few bold or patterned throw pillows to bring some personality into your modern living room.
Lighting. Often overlooked as purely functional, lighting can set the mood and the tone of your modern living room. Consider attention-grabbing chandeliers that can serve as the room's focal point or using a more subtle (yet still beautiful) lamp to shine the attention on your modern living room's focal point.


text:
30 June 2012 - 7:07pm
Ain't technology grand?
Photography used to mean you shot a roll of 12 or 24 snapshots and took the film to the drugstore to have it developed.
It might be a week or more before your vacation photos came back.
Now, it's more or less instantaneous.
And of course video is just about unbelievable to anyone who's been around long enough to remember shooting Super 8 film.
A super-fun part of video is shooting POV. The acronym POV stands for Point of View, meaning "what the rider sees." When you watch a POV video of our rides, you just might feel that "tickle in my tummy" sensation of G forces!
Nathan put together this video showing you the ins and outs of our new Mammoth, including some up-close-and-personal POV footage. Hope you enjoy watching it!
Privacy Policy Jobs email@example.com 812-937-4401 or 877-463-2645 Entire Contents © 2013 Santa Claus, Indiana


text: One of the cornerstones of alcoholism recovery is a concept called emotional sobriety. The idea is that alcoholics and other addicts hoping to stay sober over the long haul must learn to regulate the negative feelings that can lead to discomfort,craving and—ultimately—relapse. Doing so is a lifelong project and requires cultivating a whole new . . . →Read More:Avoid becoming an emotional wreck


text:
Wonga rakes in over £1m a week
11:05, Sep 3 2013
Payday lender Wonga has reported a year of surging profits as its number of cash-strapped customers swelled to more than one million.
The controversial company, which offers short-term loans to households and businesses, said profits after tax rose 36% to £62.5 million during 2012 - the equivalent to more than £1 million a week.
Revenues surged 67% to £309.3 million and it lent £1.2 billion in the year, a rise of 68%.
The company, which was involved in a storm of controversy recently when the Archbishop of Canterbury said he wanted the Church of England to "compete" it out of existence, cast doubt over whether the Church can be a realistic competitor.
Founder and chief executive Errol Damelin said the online lender operates in an "upfront and transparent" way, adding it makes 5p of profit on every £1 it lends.
Story continues
He said: "This is not about people on breadlines being desperate and us being a lender of last resort. We reject two-thirds of applications."
Instead he said the industry has been tarred by behaviour of other high-interest lenders.
"There's a lot wrong in how other parts of the industry operates," he said.
And Mr Damelin insisted the company's profit margins are "not outrageous in any way to us".
He added: "Our customers are telling us that we provide very good value for money."
Top | Back |


text:
NYBP Monthly Career Newsletter, March
If you scan this QR code you can access the last NYBP Monthly Career Newsletter, March. Please don't hesitate to tell us what you want to hear from us in next months.
We send only once in a month and cover personal development topics such as, management, sales, time management, leadership..
This month, we are covering an interview with Jason Thompson, a slide about team work and spring interns application.
Comments are closed.
NYBP Delivers Customers
Increase your customer base through effective face to face marketing by the leading direct sales agency in New York.
Innovative Sales Acquisition Programs, Promotional Marketing, and Sampling Campaigns
Ask us about affordable programs that deliver new customers, additional revenues, and incremental profits.
Discover what NYBP can do for you!
NYBP – Your face-to-face Program Specialists
We conduct persuasive -but respectful- consumer intercepts:
- Bank branches
- Trade shows
- Outdoor events
- Indoor Malls
- Strip Plazas
- Street venues
- Special events
- Door to door
- College campuses
- Entertainment venues
- High pedestrian traffic areas
Become part of our Success
If you would like an exciting sales opportunity at a highly successful International company you have come to the right place. NYBP offers superior employee training and excellent advancement opportunities.


text:
In 2006, the Amgen Foundation launched Amgen Scholars, a science-intensive summer research program designed to be a pivotal experience in the academic life of an undergraduate, exposing students to world-class research and inspiring them
Read more: Amgen Scholar From Boulder
Denver Bronco Eddie Royal will sign autographs and pose for pictures at the Thornton Walmart grand opening. He will sign autographs from 5 - 6 p.m., on a first-come, first-served basis. The Walmart, located at 7101 E.128th St., will be open to customers at 8 a.m., Wednesday, July 21.
Miles the mascot and Broncos Cheerleaders will be in attendance


text:
Triathlon Racesuits
A tri-suit could help you cut down time in transition – you just wear this under your wetsuit (if the swim is open water) – then keep it on for the rest of the event. A good tri-suit will be quick drying, and fit like a second skin so you hardly notice it as you bike and run. You'll want to have plenty of movement, and higher end suits will also offer compression to help your muscles perform the best they can.
Ref | Option | Availability |
EV186605-L-BKBL | Black/Blue, Large | In Stock |
EV186605-M-BKBL | Black/Blue, Medium | Discontinued |
EV186605-XS-BKPK | Black/Pink, XSmall | Discontinued |
EV186605-S-BKPK | Black/Pink, Small | Discontinued |
EV186605-M-BKPK | Black/Pink, Medium | Discontinued |
EV186605-L-BKPK | Black/Pink, Large | Discontinued |


text:
Questions & Answers : Search Results
Similar questions from the community
I travel a lot. How rugged is it? Is there a protective case?
- Asked by Roberta B from Winnipeg
- Aug 21, 2012
- Flag as inappropriate
What is the out put wattage - how much distance does the sound travel?
- Asked by Trudi N from Thousand Palms
- Jun 26, 2012
- Flag as inappropriate


text:
The commercial centerpiece of downtown Carmel changed hands quietly late last month.
Carmel Plaza sold for $52 million to a privately held new York real estate investment company and an investment management company.
Joel Bayer, president of O'Connor Capital Partners, declined to name the price the investors paid for the shopping mall at Ocean Avenue and Mission Street, citing a non-disclosure agreement. But the sale generated $57,200 as a transfer tax, according to the county recorder's office, putting the sale price at $52 million.
Bayer said the investment group is working on a plan to bring in new tenants, including a luxury retailer to take over the former Coldwater Creek space.
The shopping center is "a nice combination of luxury and local unique boutiques, and we want to keep that same flavor," he said.
He said the group also has plans for upgrades.
"It's a nice center, but it's time for it to refresh some of the cosmetic aspects," he said.
A new Kate Spade store is set to open in the next couple of months, Bayer said.
The publicly traded Macerich Co. had owned the shopping center since 1998. The company bought it that year for about $45.5 million in cash.
O'Connor Capital Partners bought the property with Wafra Investment Advisory Group.
Carmel Chamber of Commerce CEO Monta Potter said she didn't think the transfer of ownership would make too much of a difference for the downtown business community, though she said she doesn't know much yet about the new owners.
"We're looking forward to having them, and hopefully they'll be good community members," she said.
Kate Moser can be reached at 646-4487 or email@example.com.


text:
'Inexplicably, Gervinho Got His Feet All Wrong'
By Chris Ryan onShockingly, but not that shockingly, Arsenal went out of the Capital One Cup (previously known as the Carling Cup, but really it's just the League Cup) to lowly Bradford yesterday. They lost on penalties, but this miss by Gervinho did not help. Somewhere, Harry Redknapp's wife, Sandra, is shaking her head.


text:
Long Sleeve Wrap Dress
Starting as a small t-shirt company in designer Akiko Yasuda's apartment in Hollywood, the line quickly grew into a major contemporary label. Akiko has become well known for her great fit, beautiful colors and prints, and feminine chic. Inspired by art, vintage prints, and embroideries, her designs always flatter the female form and are on the cutting edge of fashion.
- Poly blend
- Shoulder seam to hem measures approx 34" in length
- Unlined
- Belted waist
- Wrap effect
- Styled with Sam Edelman Marina in Black.
- Modeled in size S. See fit guide for model's dimensions.
- Revolve Style No. AKIK-WD154
- Manufacturer Style No. Q1D1454
- Can't find your size? Place a special order inquiry for this item.


text:
IPCC's revised principles do not instill confidence that their future assessment reports will be any less biased than those of the past. In short, the con will go on
By Dr. Klaus L.E. Kaiser (Bio and Archives) Tuesday, July 17, 2012 Comments at bottom of page | Print friendly | Subscribe | Email Us |
Nothing beats a good con. Judging from recent revelations, they are still worth the money.
Financial Cons
Financial cons have been around for eternity. One of the latest snake oil ventures appears to have been Russell Wasendorf's company, Peregrine Financial Group Inc. According to the careful oversight by industry and government regulators, the company had some $220 million of clients' money in the bank. Last week, Mr. Wasendorf, a well liked benefactor of charities in the community of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, tried to commit suicide. Upon closer inspection of the company's books, out of the $220 million of clients' funds, only $5 million could be found. The rest appears to have vanished without trace.
On an absolute scale, Wasendorf is kind of small fry. Compared to Bernie Madoff, who embezzled multi-billion dollars, he is more like a little kid brother. Still, one has to wonder how he could have escaped the regulatory oversight for so long. According to a "suicide note", Russell had been stealing clients' funds for 20 some years. Even cursory audits should have found irregularities in the accounts a long time ago.
Environmental Cons
Environmental cons are even more lucrative, it appears. From the solar panel maker Solyndra, which declared bankruptcy soon after receiving nearly half a billion dollars in government subsidies and guarantees, to a whole slew of other "green" enterprises promising "new technology" and "free energy" in one form or another are all cons. Of course, most of such enterprises come with "safe harbor" statements and the like. In other words, caveat emptor - buyer beware.
Once a scheme reaches a certain momentum or critical mass, there almost seems to be no way to stop it anymore. The current global warming bandwagon fits that description. A few weeks ago, the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) finished acting on the recommendations outlined in a report by the InterAcademy Council (IAC). The IAC had conducted an independent review of the processes and procedures of the IPCC, released nearly two years ago. In the IAC's words "If adopted in their entirety, the measures recommended in this report would fundamentally reform IPCC's management structure…"
The IAC's key recommendations relate to the IPCC's governance and management, its review process, its mode of characterizing and communicating uncertainty, its communications, and the transparency of its assessment process. Numerous secondary IAC recommendations relate to the IPCC's conflict-of-interest guidelines, its process and criteria for selecting lead authors, its reliance on documents of questionable veracity from the 'gray literature,' material from lobby groups, computer-generated predictions, and so forth.
The IAC report also noted specific examples of failures. For example, the 2007 IPCC report stated that "Glaciers in the Himalaya are receding faster than in any other part of the world and, if the present rate continues, the likelihood of them disappearing by the year 2035 and perhaps sooner is very high…" However, the reference cited by the IPCC actually reads "In the late 1990s widespread evidence of glacier expansion was found in the central Karakoram, in contrast to a worldwide decline of mountain glaciers. The expansions were almost exclusively in glacier basins from the highest parts of the range and developed quickly after decades of decline. Exceptional numbers of glacier surges were also reported. [2]
From a wider perspective, the IAC's report "Climate Change Assessments, review of the processes and procedures of the IPCC" indicates substantial shortcomings in the IPCC's process of developing assessments in the past. For example, one of the many IAC recommendations is that "Lead Authors should explicitly document that a range of scientific viewpoints has been considered, and Coordinating Lead Authors and Review Editors should satisfy themselves that due consideration was given to properly documented alternative views." Obviously, the inference here is that the IPCC's past assessment reports lacked such alternative views. In other words, their conclusions were pre-determined.
One should like to think that the IPCC's revised principles of conduct would emphasize scientific integrity above all, but that hope may be in vain. Their "Appendix A to the Principles Governing IPCC Work" provides a convenient escape clause for further obfuscation by mixing science with socio-economic considerations: In selecting Review Editors, the Bureaux should select from developed and developing countries and from countries with economies in transition, and should aim for a balanced representation of scientific, technical, and socio-economic views.
In conclusion, the IPCC's revised principles do not instill confidence that their future assessment reports will be any less biased than those of the past. In short, the con will go on.
comments powered by Disqus


text:
Thursday, December 05, 2013
Latest local news, weather, high school sports in the Rio Grande Valley
Food 4 Thought
Pay It 4Ward
The Nature Report
Money Talks
Action 4 Deals
Affordable Health Care
View Photos by Category
Valley Headlines
Texas Headlines
National/World Headlines
RGV News Videos
RGV Photo Slideshows
Pay It 4Ward
Call 4 Action
Action 4 Investigates
Pet Of the Week
Financial News
Action 4 News Sunrise
Weather Headlines
Consumer News
Strange News
Political News
Military News
Your Health
The Environment
Election News
Education News
The Economy
Crime Report
Business News
Mexico/Border Headlines
Nature Report: Hooded Oriole
Richard Moore
Posted: 06.30.2010 at 7:11 AM
1 of 5
Read story
Tucked beneath a swaying palm frond is the well concealed nest of the hooded oriole.
More Valley Headlines
Harlingen's police chief turns in resignation
Yesterday at 11:14 PM
Harlingen Police Chief Tom Whitten, Jr. came on board in the summer of 2011 and he says he's ready to go.
read story
view photos
watch video
Caught on camera: Burger King busted with shocking kitchen conditions
Yesterday at 10:46 PM
A filthy kitchen is not what Food Patrol fans think about when Burger King says "have it your way."
read story
view photos
watch video
Broken promise by former district attorney leaves family in the dark
Yesterday at 9:02 PM
A Sebastian family is living with no electricity because they need the original landowner to provide the paperwork.
read story
view photos
watch video
Tips to avoid falling prey to holiday thieves
Yesterday at 8:28 PM
The holiday season is prime time for thieves looking to make a quick buck.
read story
view photos
watch video
Man caught on camera using knife to cut off price tags
Yesterday at 7:15 PM
A robbery inside a valley mall was caught on tape, and police are asking for the public's help tonight police need your help in finding the suspect.
read story
view photos
watch video
Brownsville man jailed weeks after robbing store at gunpoint
Yesterday at 2:45 PM
A Brownsville man is behind bars after spending weeks on the run for robbing a convenience store at gunpoint.
read story
view photos
Former judge Abel Limas lands in one of "America's Cushiest Prisons"
Yesterday at 10:59 AM
A judge at the center of the Cameron County "cash for court favors" scandal is now jailed inside a federal prison once ranked as one of "America's cushiest."
read story
view photos
watch video
Put Some Holiday in Your Home with DIY Projects
Yesterday at 8:27 AM
It's time to pull out all the stops!
read story
view photos
watch video
Register now for the spring at TSC
Yesterday at 8:25 AM
Early Registration for the spring semester is happening right now at Texas Southmost College in Brownsville.
read story
view photos
watch video
Nature Report: Historic Wind Turbine Fine Levied
Yesterday at 7:28 AM
For the first time, the United States government has fined a wind energy facility for killing birds
read story
view photos
watch video
Money Talks News: Affordable Teacher Gifts
Yesterday at 7:24 AM
Teachers: they take care of your children, helping them learn and grow all year.
read story
view photos
more photos
Valley Central
Get news and weather notifications on your phone by downloading the iPhone or Android app below
Sign up to get alerts and updates for breaking news, severe weather, and deals:
Special Features
Submit A News Tip
Got a news tip? Submit it directly to Action 4 News!
KGBT on Twitter
Follow Action 4 News on Twitter
Hurricane Page
Get the latest news. maps and information about Hurricane Season.
Action 4 Deals
Get half-off gift certificates to restaurants & more through our Action 4 Deals program.
Find it, click it, use it... your neighborhood business guide.
Beauty & Wellness
Financial Services
Home & Garden
Recreation & Travel
Senior Living
Community Uploads
My Best Friend's Wedding!
1 of 9
Browse Recently Added
Video Headlines
Fast Food Workers Protest Federal Minimum Wage
Nike To Release New $225 Kobe Bryant Shoes
Volunteers Herd Stranded Whales Into Deeper Water
Alleged LAX Gunman Ordered To Be Held Without Bail During First Court Appearance
Millions of social media credentials hacked
More videos
Most Popular
Most Read
Most Commented
Pharr police officer fired amid criminal investigation
Man caught on camera using knife to cut off price tags
Texas DPS trooper arrested in drug investigation
Broken promise by former district attorney leaves family in the dark
Fire reported at juvenile justice boot camp in Weslaco
Popular on Facebook


text:
Wrapped in winter whimsy and holiday cheer, this tower boasts a fanciful mix of sweet and crunchy treats. Open it up to find Brown & Haley® chocolate covered grahams, Harry London® pretzels smothered in chocolate and crushed peppermint, Ghirardelli® drops and Lindt Lindor® truffles. Or, munch on Popcorn Factory® drizzled caramel corn, Old Dominion® butter nut crunch and World?s Finest® chocolate covered almonds.
, we have connected these accounts. You can now sign into 1-800Flowers.com anytime using Facebook Connect.


text:
(CNN) -- France has confirmed the death of Abdelhamid Abou Zeid, a deputy leader of al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb. He was killed February in an operation led by the French forces in Northern Mali. French officials would not confirm his death at the time, saying they were waiting for the results of DNA analysis.
URGENT - France Zeid Death
Published On: Mar 23 2013 09:57:06 AM CDT
Copyright 2013 by CNN NewSource. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
The views expressed are not those of this company or its affiliated companies. By posting your comments you agree to our Terms of Use.


text:
I have several similar projects where I can't work out what the next action should be and wondered if anyone had some input.
I run a software company and these projects are really housekeeping of the software we use in house, so there's no client chasing for them to be done (so no due by date).
All the planning's been done, so there's a list of; fix this bug, add that new feature etc.
I have to do this work on my computer, but as I'm sat in front of it 90% of my day, that's not an issue.
The problem is that
(a) to do this work efficiently it all needs to be done at once i.e work on this project until it's complete (don't get side tracked or interrupted).
(b) I have to be at the right energy level.
(c) I don't have anything pressing to do for a customer.
So is my next action "Block in time for this project", which I can do when my energy level is right, i.e I'm going to block today (maybe tomorrow) for this project ? But to block the time I need to speak to my partner to check he can deal with anything unplanned which may need my attention, so maybe my next action is "check partner can cover me whilst I work on project X", which I put on my @partner list and only ask him if my energy level is high enough ? Or maybe I should be doing something else ?
I have 5 or 10 projects like this, seems odd to have a load of next actions "ask partner to cover me whilst I work on project X"


text:
Browsing Social and political development by Author "Mutula, S.M."
Now showing items 1-1 of 1
Mutula, S.M. (Emerald, NaN, 2006)[more][less]
Abstract: Abstract Purpose – To argue that developing countries in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region should embrace the concept of freedom of information to enable better human rights and economic development. Design/methodology/approach – The paper reviews the current situation through discussion of current legislation and proposed policies. Findings – Whereas several theories abound as to why there has been little development in sub- Saharan Africa, this paper discusses the status of freedom of information legislations within the SADC region and the implications for accountability and transparency in the management of public resources. Research limitations/implications – The paper suggests the importance of further research into the importance of freedom of information legislation for economic and human rights development. Practical implications – The paper has practical implication for those considering the potential of freedom of information legislation in developing countries. Originality/value – Freedom of information has largely taken a back seat amidst several social, economic and political reforms that have been instituted collectively or by individual countries. It is the view of this paper that freedom of information provides an important link for the economic, social and political reform initiatives URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10311/438 Files in this item: 1
Mutula_LR_2006.pdf (917.1Kb)
Now showing items 1-1 of 1


text:
Daily Joust: The Weekend Ahead
Dustin Ackley, what the heck happened to you? Weren't you supposed to be a polished hitter, ready for immediate big league success after being taken 2nd overall in the 2009 Entry Draft? Not so much eh? Ackley does have a few things going for him in that he's scored 68 runs (pace of 88) and has 12 steals (pace of 15). Those numbers, when combined with 41 RBIs (pace 53), mark him as a potential middle infield option in deep mixed leagues. However, when you look over and see that .229 batting, that outlook becomes an outdated one. You can't give up on Ackley and what should be a successful career, but it's pretty obvious at this point that he just hasn't been able to put together consistent at-bats in the bigs, and that leaves his fantasy value teetering on the brink of irrelevance in many leagues (he's only owned in 56 percent of leagues at Fleaflicker).
Aaron Cook has made 11 starts this year for the Red Sox, and he's gone 3-7 with a 4.79 ERA and 1.31 WHIP. Clearly the Sox have had issues with their rotation or why would they have bothered to give Cook 11 starts. But that's not my point here. Do you know that in 11 starts Cook has – 11 strikeouts? Eleven. One an outing. One every 5.6 innings or 1.60 per nine. Among pitchers who have thrown at least 60-innings in a season since 1950 that's the 7th worst K/9 mark. George O'Donnell somehow had a 0.83 K/9 mark in 1954 with eight Ks in 87 innings. That was his only season in the big leagues.
The Astros' owner, Jim Crane, is "open" to adding Roger Clemens to the club if the 50 year old proves he still has something left. Why not since the Astros have the worst record in baseball at 39-86, and according to my latest look at their roster they do not have a single player on their current roster making more than $750,000 other than Ben Francisco at $1.537 million. That's embarrassing. How could you possibly be an Astros fan?
The Red Sox have placed Josh Beckett, Jacoby Ellsbury, Adrian Gonzalez and Jon Lester on waivers. It's unlikely any of the trio will be moved, but we have learned that the Dodgers have placed a claim on A-Gone meaning they have 48 hours to see if they can work something out with the Sox. Don't count on that happening.
Albert Pujols' calf issue is improving, and he could be back in action as soon as this weekend for the Angels. That's hugely important to Pujols owners considering that he had hit eight homers and driven in 19 runners in his first 19 games played in August. Who would have thought it, but it seems probable that Pujols will get to 30 homers and 99 RBIs for a 12th straight season. He may not get to .299, the mark he has posted each of his first 11 years, he's at .283 right now, but he has hit .317 since the All-Star break so it's possible that a strong finish could get him up to that mark.
Mike Trout leads baseball with 41 steals, and he's also been caught just four times for a 91 percent success rate, a big time success rate that is hard to maintain from year to year. The only player in baseball with more than 30 steals who has been caught fewer times is Emilio "I can't stay healthy" Bonifacio who has 30 steals in 33 chances. Given that he's played in only 64 games this season, Emilio is on a 160 game pace of 75 thefts, a huge number in this day and age. Speaking of steals, Tony Campana, in limited playing time, has racked up a rather impressive total of 26 steals. I say that because he has appeared in just 70 games with a mere 158 at-bats. Campana is also sporting a pathetic OBP of .299, has knocked in five runs all year, and somehow has scored five less times (21) than he has stolen a base. Amazingly, the mighty mite has just one steal since June 30th which means he has one one theft in roughly two months.
I've spent this article talking about baseball, which obviously isn't at all odd given that this is BaseballGuys.com, but I've got a way that you can, in addition to playing fantasy baseball, also play some fantasy football. How can you do that? You can head over to DailyJoust and sign up for any of the myriad of games they have to offer. For those of you who are hardcore baseball fans like me they are still running daily fantasy games for you, well, daily. For those of you who are read to take on the gridiron, there are three pretty exciting games they have to offer. You can find a report on each at the following links (scroll down to the bottom of the articles for the explanations).
(Sign up for free, win cash)
(New team each week all season)
(Eliminator Tournament)
To sign up for any game with DailyJoust simply click on the link just provided.
By Ray Flowers


text:
Tuesday, 11/08/2009
Kick off 18:30 BST at Euroborg Stadion, Groningen
Jamie Bradbury in Groningen
England Under-21s kicked off their new season with a 0-0 draw in Holland on a night of few real openings but a lot for Stuart Pearce to take away as he looks ahead to next month's first two UEFA Championship qualifiers. Pearce named Micah Richards as captain and started with all eight of his squad members who were in Sweden in June, with Fabien Delph, James Vaughan and debutant Junior Stanislas making up the starting eleven. And Pearce would also give debuts to five other players as he saw his full squad of 19 play some part in the game. In a match where chances were at a premium, both sides were restricted to shots from range. While England had Delph in midfield with Danny Rose and Stanislas on the wings looking most likely to create something, Holland had their own danger-men. Middlesbrough's Marvin Emnes was lively on the right while over the other side Diego Biseswar produced a couple of efforts at goal, but nothing that would trouble Scott Loach. Arsenal striker came the closest for Holland with five minutes to go until half-time. Spotting a chance to try his luck from outside the area, his snapshot looked good, but was a touch too high and fly into the stand.The defences at both ends were looking sturdy. The Three Lions had Jack Rodwell protecting their back four, as Leroy Fer was doing a similar job for the home side. And it was a defender who had the best chance of the first period on the stroke of half-time. Richards picked the ball up deep in his own half and marauded forward with pace into Dutch territory. A quick one-two with Stanislas saw the Manchester City man on the edge of the box with a clear sight at goal. His shot was low and hard but Newcastle United 'keeper Tim Krul was equal to it, smothering it at the second attempt. Holland made three changes at the break while Pearce opted for the one, replacing James Vaughan with Daniel Sturridge to give the Chelsea striker his Under-21 debut. Emnes continued to have a say on proceedings and he linked up well with Barazite to see a chance open for him six yards out, but Michael Mancienne blocked well. His directed header just a few minutes later had Frank Fielding, on for Scott Loach at half-time, diving across his goal, but the ball went wide of the post. England then came close from a Stanislas free-kick after Lee Cattermole was fouled, but the West Ham winger's curling shot was dealt with comfortably by Krul. Pearce continued with the changes and brought on the rest of his subs, with first Under-21s outings for Chris Smalling, Jack Wilshere, Andy Carroll and Freddie Sears. But it was Fielding who was called into action again, pulling off two good saves in the closing 20 minutes, which had the otherwise subdued Dutch crowd in the Euroborg Stadium excited. And Dutch substitute Vurnon Anita, who looked just like legendary midfielder Edgar Davids, almost snatched it in the closing minutes with a vicious dipping drive from 25 yards. The ball had Fielding beaten, but it rattled the bar and bounced away to safety. Holland1 Tim Krul, 2 Daryl Janmaat, 3 Rens van Eijden (12 Jeffrey Bruma, 46), 4 Erik Pieters (c) (13 Daley Blind, 46), 5 Nicky Kuiper, 6 Mitchell Donald (15 Vurnon Anita, 64), 7 Marvin Emnes (17 Joshua John, 64), 8 Leroy Fer 14 (Jan-Arie van der Heijden, 46), 9 Nacer Barazite, 10 Siem de Jong, 11 Diego Biseswar Subs 16 Leonard Nienhuis, 18 John Goossens, 19 Kelvin Leerdam Coach Cor Pot England1 Scott Loach (13 Frank Fielding, 46), 2 Micah Richards (c) (12 Kyle Naughton,58), 3 Kieran Gibbs (14 Ryan Bertrand, 58), 4 Jack Rodwell (15 Chris Smalling, 58), 5 Michael Mancienne, 6 James Tomkins, 7 Junior Stanislas (18 Freddie Sears, 83) , 8 Lee Cattermole (17 Andy Carroll, 71), 9 James Vaughan (19 Daniel Sturridge, 46), 10 Fabien Delph (16 Jack Wilshere, 58), 11 Danny Rose Coach Stuart Pearce Kit ColoursHolland Orange shirts, white shirts, orange socksEngland White shirts, blue shorts, white socksMatch OfficialsReferee Babak Rafati (Ger)Assistants Holger Henschel and Christian BornhorstFourth Official Michel Winter (Ned)


text:
You have landed on the webpage of the Anglican Church (Diocese) of Niagara and we think you've come to the right place. This site is for everyone, people who are members and non-members of the Anglican Church alike.
Our church is a gathering place for people from every walk of life. We fully believe in and honour the diversity of God's creation.
Niagara is a church with a vision into the future. We are happy to share that with you. You can read about it here on the website but more importantly you can experience it in one of our parishes. We have one word for you… and that is "welcome".
The people of the Diocese of Niagara have formulated our vision which in turn speaks to and drives the development of our Anglican Community.
A full-time position providing administrative support to the Executive Administrator and Secretary of Synod.
Inspiration Advent Podcasts from General Synod
Between November 9 and December 23, 2013, all donations received for typhoon relief from Canadians by registered charities—including PWRDF—will be matched, dollar for dollar, by the Canadian government.
These 16 days offers us an opportunity to learn, reflect, pray and act on the various manifestations of gender violence in our society. God is longing for a world free violence and oppression and at work in our communities to make this a reality.
Congratulations to our 2013 recipients!
Diocesan Youth Ministry - Crieff Hills, Puslinch
2014 February 1; March 1; April 5 at Renison University College. 10 am to 3 pm, refreshments begin at 9:30 am.
2014: Feb 8, Mar 8 & 22, Apr 12 & 26, May 10 at Renison University College.
Mount Carmel Spiritual Centre, Niagara Falls
Diocesan Youth Ministry held at Catherbury Hills


text: Im looking to cut major and get into the best shape of my life. I'm 6'3" 220 but it's not a lean 220 I want it to be a lean cut weight though. I want to get on a good fat burner and something else that will show me results fast. I have been doing research on epistane but I'm not sure if it's good or not. Any suggestions?


text:
Story Created: Jan 14, 2012 at 10:45 PM CST
Story Updated: Jan 16, 2012
Previous Article Lost Elderly Woman
Next Article Environmentalists Worry About the Negative Aspect of Fracking
Dmitri said on Tuesday, Jan 17 at 8:30 PM
....viejo mañoso....SAQUESE!!
.. said on Tuesday, Jan 17 at 5:37 PM
Maybe he and Chilito got a "thing" goin on.
Anonymous said on Tuesday, Jan 17 at 2:37 PM
Watch out the lion king, mufasa is gonna get you in jail.
Anonymous said on Monday, Jan 16 at 3:31 PM
In Chili alaniz's world, this thing will be arrested 44 more times and let out to do it again.
KGNS-TV and its affiliated companies are not responsible for the content of comments posted or for anything arising out of use of the above comments or other interaction among the users. Comments are posted on site immediately and without station moderation. If you feel a comment is inappropriate you may flag it for review. For guidelines on flagging comments see our Terms & Conditions. We reserve the right to screen, refuse to post, remove or edit user-generated content at any time and for any or no reason in our absolute and sole discretion without prior notice, although we have no duty to do so or to monitor any Public Forum.


text:
What's the best & easiest GUI software that can join a video that I have downloaded in several parts?
Quick how-to: Click "add", select the first video, then click "append", then select the other videos to append. You can select multiple videos as long as you select them in order or you can append one by one. Then click "Start muxing". You might want to change the output filename. The other options are not really necessary for basic merging. Nevertheless, you can also add multiples subtitles in various formats or languages and also multiple audio tracks. | |||||||||||||||||||||
AVI files - avimergeDescription Installation
Usage You can merge avi files with:
It's encoding-free, so joining the parts usually doesn't take much longer than a minute. Options Other available options are:
| ||||
GNOME Split : Very easy to use. Support most used cutting file formats.
| |||||||||
PiTiVi is included in current versions of Ubuntu. You can add both file parts to it and then arrange them on the timeline. You then export the video to whatever format you want. | |||||
openshot video editor The one and only. Import videos edit crop and what not.
| ||||


text:
Posted by Ilana Angel
Just when you think Ryan Seacrest cannot possibly get another job, he's gone and taken on another one. Seacrest is teaming up with reality television genius Andy Cohen, from Bravo, to bring us "Shahs of Sunset". They are saying it is modeled after "Keeping up with the Kardashians", but I'm thinking not so much.
I'm guessing it will be more like "Jersey Shore" meets "The Real Housewives". Cohen and Seacrest should hope I'm right because the Kardashian family, while hugely popular, is also insanely boring and predictable. The "Shahs" will be to the Persian community what Jersey Shore is for Italian Americans.
According to Ryan Seacrest Productions, "Shahs of Sunset will follow a group of young Persian-American friends who juggle living and working in Los Angeles while balancing the demands of their families and traditions. The series will showcase the group's luxurious lifestyles from over-the-top shopping sprees to traditional yet lavish family feasts in their sprawling homes. Unafraid to flaunt their designer clothing, tricked-out cars and boisterous personalities, spending money is no foreign concept to these young socialites but also treasure the value of family and Persian traditions."
This show will be fabulous. I just know it. We will get sucked into the lives of these people, they will forever be stereotyped as something they may not truly be, and it will be yet another series of train wrecks, which from the perspective of a reality television fan, is brilliant, and something I am looking forward to blogging about.
There will be missed opportunities to show how special this community is. I have many Persian friends here in LA and it's an amazing group of people and culture. There is a passion and sense of family that is special, but I'm thinking we are not going to see too much of that. It's going to be about excesses, riches, sex, and breaking all the rules.
They will be shown in some unflattering light, which I guess is the goal of reality television as a whole. I love Andy Cohen and Ryan, so together they will bring us some magic, of that we can be certain. Important to note that "magic" however, can mean a lot of different things. The test will be to see if "Shah's of Sunset" will keep it real.
12.12.13 at 9:43 pm | I might be too intimidated to blog this show. . .
12.10.13 at 8:55 am | Carlton can stay, Joyce should go.
12.8.13 at 9:55 pm | Momma Joyce is all kinds of crazy.
12.7.13 at 8:49 am | What the hell is Bravo giving us?
12.7.13 at 7:29 am | I'm not going to lie, these women and the men. . .
12.3.13 at 10:31 am | Liar, liar, pants on fire.
10.13.13 at 6:35 pm | One minute in and I am already overwhelmed by the. . . (1719)
10.25.13 at 4:32 pm | At what point does a person's well being trump. . . (1696)
10.10.13 at 12:58 pm | One is trashy, one is classy. (1694)
July 19, 2011 | 9:17 am
Posted by Ilana Angel
The end is near! We are almost done with Ashley the Bachelorette and I for one am really excited. I predict that whomever she is with, is not who she will marry, and that after the final rose, she will cry and scratch herself out of our minds, and we'll quickly be done with her. Hooray!
We are in Philadelphia with Ashley and she is going on and on about nothing. She walks into her fake apartment and goes to sit on a stool. She lifts one leg to get on and she almost falls off the other side because her bowlegs are so severe, one leg up allows her to straddle the chair and lose balance. Funny.
She is recapping how she met the final four and it's nauseating. If I were the guy she picked, and I'm sitting at home watching, I'm pissed off. I'm also wondering about her unfortunate legs, constant head scratching, why she picks her teeth with her tongue, and talks wit her mouth full.
When we met Ashley was she not from Maine? She is off to meet the guy's families, and I'm drinking tequila tonight. Wine is just not going to cut it and as my Twitter pal Kate let me know, there is not enough wine in Napa to get through this week.
We start in Georgia with Constantine. Ashley is making weird faces and for the love of God why is she trying to flatten out her bangs in the wind? They go to his restaurant and I already know she will gross me out before we get there. He is proud of his work, and family, and it's very sweet.
They are making a pizza and her hair is falling into the food, she is fake laughing, and as the waitresses gather in the window to watch them, I can't help but wonder how many he has bedded. They are cute girls, and he's the handsome boss, so come on. It's happened.
Constantine's family hangs a sign and balloons welcoming him home. His sister is beautiful, and his parents are sweet, but clearly not feeling her. They don't get it that love can be found like this. They want it all to slow down and they will squash it. Family trumps Ms. Itchyhead.
They surprise Constantine with the whole family coming over. It's a scene out of My Big Fat Greek Wedding and I don't see Ashley in this family. The grandmother sitting on the couch clapping was the best part. I love that woman, and I love that Constantine's dad calls her Ass-ley.
We're off to see Ames in Pennsylvania. I think he is odd, magnificent, smart and charming, but sadly he loves her. Her legs are out of control. It's appears that she is now walking on the sides of her feet because they can actually no long lay flat on the ground.
Ame's family wants so much for him to be happy, but they see that this is just not going to happen for him. His sister knows her brother is going to get crushed and she is trying hard to talk Ashley into him, but it's a waste of time. He is lovely and smart, and Ashley is too dumb to get it.
Ame's sister tells him everything Ashley told her, then tells him to get his romance on so she can see he has that in him. He loves her and it's too bad. They are on a picnic and he is so smart, but she believes they think the same. How can she manage to survive when she is so dumb?
Off to Sonoma to meet Ben. His family has the best shot of liking her because there is wine everywhere. They go to his winery for a picnic and Ashley says she wished her mom was there because she would love it. Ben says she can come visit "for the holidays". Which was funny.
I'm not sure why it cracked me up, but it did. He said she should come, then remembered it was a mother-in-law, and quickly limited it to the holidays. I loved it. I like Ben. Much more than I like his twin brother Constantine. Ben tells her if his family does not like her, she's out.
Ben's sister Julia looks just like Kat von D without the tattoos. Ben is really great. He is telling his mom he is sorry for not being a better son when his dad died. He tells us about his father, and is crying, and I am officially in love with Ben, and sincerely hope that he is not the one she picks.
We're in Long Island with JP. He's such a girl. I love him, and am happy there is a token Jew in the final four, but he's a bit of a whiner and immediately tells Ashley he did not sleep the night before. Yuck. He is taking her roller-skating and the fake laughing is getting on my nerves.
JP is talking about his broken heart again. I always pull for the Jew on a reality television show to rock, so people can see that we do rock, but then the Jew is always creepy, Big Brother, or lame, Amazing Race. I like JP but in the end the Jew is a bit of a pussy, which is a shame.
JP's mom has the best reaction of all the moms in seeing her baby. She makes lasagna for dinner, which is a drag. I wish it had been a brisket. JP is sitting alone with his mom and then it happens. JP picks his teeth with his tongue. It's over. Ashley has the man of her dreams in JP.
JP's mom breaks out his Bar Mitzvah picture, which is awesome. They were Jewish enough to have a Bar Mitzvah, but not enough to care he might marry a non-Jewish girl? I predict she picks him and they have a great 3 weeks together before they announce they are breaking up.
Sidebar: JP's family is talking a lot about his broken heart and I want to know what happened. They make it all sound so dramatic. We've all suffered a broken heart but this seems a little more than just a break up. If anyone has the scoop on what exactly happened, share the dirt.
They are back at the house so Harrison can work for two minutes and get paid. The car comes up, the door opens, Chris puts out his hand to help her out, and she shakes it. She is so dumb. Ashley is wearing an insane amount of hair extensions and the recapping is a bore.
Important to note that tequila makes this show a lot better. I love me some wine to be sure, but the edges are just a little smoother with the hard stuff. It is clearly a magic potion because after a couple of shots, her laugh did not make me want to carve "shut up" on my arm with a steak knife.
At the rose ceremony Ames is sent home and his facial expression is very sad and he truly was surprised to be let go. He truly appeared to be confused and I felt bad for him. He's a little weird, in the best possible way, and his parting words to her, and in the car, are classy.
Next week we are going to Fiji. There will be three dates with the overnight card, then her family will come and crap will hit the fan. Someone comes back to see her and if it's Bentley I am going to choke on my own vomit and not be able to blog the finale, which will be a drag.
It's hard to believe there are only two weeks to go. By hard to believe of course I mean it's hard to believe I have not broken my television or seriously harmed myself while watching this crap fest. Next week will be nauseating, but I will be back, watching, laughing, and keeping it real.
July 14, 2011 | 11:03 pm
Posted by Ilana Angel
It's Thursday night so I'm front and center watching the housewives of New York City. Let the madness begin. We start off with LuAnn in a meeting about her new music video. Her assistant is there and let me just say: yummy. Countless thinks AC sounds for air conditioning not Atlantic City.
The meeting is funny because LuAnn has a vision of what she wants and they clearly don't want to spend any money. It's a video fit for a Countess on a Kmart budget. We've all seen the video by now so we know how it turned out. I've got it at the end of the blog should you want to watch it.
Sonja and Ramona are at the gym. Ramona is whoring out her company on her shirt, and Sonja looks like she has not washed her hair in a month. Ramona is telling Sonja she is not going to be in the music video because it's inappropriate and not cool in front of her kids. Is Ramona high?
She says she is concerned the video will be on the Internet for everyone to see and she does not want to embarrass her child. Really? Does she not remember when she dry humped Mario's foot a couple of weeks ago? Or her drunken flirting with the Hooters guy? Ramona is a joke.
Sonja thinks she needs to bow out also so she does not embarrass her daughter. Is Bravo paying these ladies in crack? Sonja is a mess and has been humiliating her self, and thus her daughter, all season. Put down the pipe Sonja and step away from Ramona. She is dragging you down.
We are schlepping to Brooklyn, which always me gag. It's lovely that Alex is so open to hanging out with Simon's lovers. Francois wants to get some beer and they don't get up to tell him no, just sit at the fire and casually tell him he's not allowed, to which he responds, "I want more".
His alcoholic dad is living in the closet, which is a shame. Simon tells Alex that the drinking age in Australia is 18 so Francois can drink in their house at 18. Alex makes her constipated face and the NYPD is making a note when to come bust drunky pants for letting his kids drink.
Simon's brother is visiting and he tells Alex that if she wants to do LuAnn's video she will miss their leaving. Alex is boycotting the video shoot because of the message. She's not about "class" and would rather use the other "C" word than the word class in her everyday language.
When someone says the word "class" she sings over it so she can't hear. Seriously? She says her mother would die, then come back from the dead and disown her. We learn that Alex grew up with money in Kansas. Nobody asks where she is from, because nobody cares.
Simon makes me cringe, but Alex looked pretty sitting by the fire. She gets flustered, calls LuAnn a wannabe, and mocks her for using a title that does not belong to her. Simon says another idiotic thing, so I'm skipping over Brooklyn from now on. I just cannot watch them.
It's time for a little Jill Zarin. She is having some kind of brain scan by some doctor that Sonja found. Sonja joins in and tells Jill she is worried about the video. Hard to pay attention with the doctor futzing around with Jill's head. It's hilarious. Jill calls out Sonja and blames Ramona.
Jill is a straight shooter and tells Sonja that she needs to do what she wants, not what Ramona says. I feel bad for Sonja. She is so sweet and I love her, but she is getting in with the wrong crowd. She would do herself a favor by aligning with Jill instead of Ramona. It's just too bad.
Ramona and LuAnn meet so she can tell her she cannot do the video because she is a role model for Avery and it sets a bad tone. Wait here, I need to get a drink.——————————I'm back. LuAnn is pissed off, Ramona is bashing LuAnn, and it's crazy. Ramona has officially lost her mind.
She tells LuAnn that Avery turned out well because she spends so much time with her, something that LuAnn does not do with her own kids. Just last week Avery said she NEVER sees her mother and they are rarely together. I get that Bravo is paying in crack, but can't it be better crack?
These chicks are smoking street garbage and it's not cool. LuAnn is calm but clearly upset. She wonders how the video is not cool but "Turtletime" is. Ramona says her family of three consults on everything and they don't want her to do it. She has different parenting "skills" than LuAnn.
LuAnn is seething when Ramona says she is sorry she was not married 18 years like her, and it's a shame that her husband cheated "left and right". LuAnn gathers up her Countess self and leaves. She is nice and sweet, but I bet she cried as soon as she left. I would have.
Important to note I don't drink white wine so Ramona will not get rich off my weekly bout of alcoholism, and I don't enjoy drinking cow urine, so neither will Bethenny. We are at minute 28 and I am on my second glass. I wonder if Bravo will pay for my rehab should it come to that.
Sonja's house is full of "interns". Translation: young actors who want to be on television and are willing to dote on her in exchange for some TV time. I love Sonja and feel so sad for her situation. Not bad enough to think her behavior is okay, but sad to see her suffering so deeply.
Cindy is at Sonja's trying to be friends, and Cindy brings her assistant, then takes a call in the middle of the breakfast. Not cool. I love Cindy but the fact is she should not have gone if she was busy and if the call came up last minute, she's the boss, push it 30 minutes.
Cindy is on the call and Sonja is banging around the kitchen making noise on purpose. Cindy is into her work first, her kids 2nd and her friends 3rd. The thing is, she and Sonja are more cast mates than friends so she needs to not bother. I felt annoyed by the whole thing. I love wine.
At the end of the day this show is about picking sides. I'm on the Jill, Kelly, Cindy, LuAnn side. Ramona, Sonja and Alex are on their own. My hope is that Sonja realizes she has gone to the dark side. It's not too late. Reach out to the good girls and save yourself! We have room for you.
It's video shoot time and it's cute. Jill is adorable, and LuAnn is excited. It's friends having fun. Sadly, in the middle of our video fun, we go back to Brooklyn. Dear Lord. Mario, Ramona and Sonja are going to some event at Alex's house. Mario is hitting on Sonja in the car. Yuck.
It's an art event and I am fascinated that while hosting people in his home, with cameras, Simon wears a sweater with a hole in it. Classy. Sidebar: We see a sneak peek for next week and Ramona might be pregnant. Are they serious? She almost 60! It's menopause Grandma.
Are we supposed to believe that 55 year old Ramona Singer honestly thinks that a late period means she is pregnant? Does she just want us to think she is sleeping with her husband? Of course he has sex with you Ramona, he has sex with everyone. The pregnancy storyline is lame.
Back in AC, Jill is with Bobby, and his son Jonathon. Kelly joins them and just when I'm having fun again, we're back in Brooklyn. Who cares? We are at minute 49 and I am excited to skip over Brooklyn, only to end up at a dance class with Ramona and whiney Avery.
Alex, Sonja, Ramona and Avery are taking a dance class. I have it muted and am watching them dance to Chic C'est la Vie. It's awesome and I suggest trying it. Back at the video, we hear Cindy could not come because she needed to be with her kids. Really? I'm not buying it.
Her kids are little, still take naps, and she has nannies. She could have come, but was working. Own it Cindy. You are an impressive career woman and a new mom. Blame work, not your kids. We get it. When they get older your focus will change. It's all good.
This episode was billed as really great, but not so much. Cindy was harsh, Sonja was unraveling, Ramona was insane, Kelly was Kelly, Jill was hilarious, LuAnn was hurt, and Alex was constipated. Am I excited there is only one more week to sit through? Yes. Just keeping it real.
July 14, 2011 | 9:39 am
Posted by Ilana Angel
Jill Zarin is a reality television star from The Real Housewives of New York City. I have wanted to talk to her for a while because she has become a lightening rod for my blog. I was going to write about our conversation her on my reality blog, but in the end, felt the conversation belonged at Keeping the Faith as it's more about her, than her show. You can read the article here: Keeping The Faith with Jill Zarin
July 12, 2011 | 12:43 pm
Posted by Ilana Angel
I usually watch The Bachelorette and blog in real time. I post it as soon as it ends airing and off to bed I go. This week was different however. I am writing and posting in the morning because I could not focus on writing while watching this insanely entertaining and stupid train wreck.
I watched in amazement, going in and out of consciousness and having temporary moments of blindness, while still managing to laugh my ass off and drink two glasses of wine. Ashley is officially the most annoying person on television, while Chris Harrison has the dumbest job in America.
There is so much to talk about this week! We are in Taiwan and it's gorgeous. They are all so lucky to be there and I can't help but wish ABC would use the money they spent on sending Chris Harrison around the world on helping homeless vets because he is useless on this show.
We have six men left and we will go down to the four who will get hometown dates next week. JP is getting all clingy, Constantine and Ben are twins which is weird, Lucas is delusional, Ames should be the next Bachelor, and Ryan is going to make a pitch to be selected. Just wait.
Ben gets the first one on one date. I mean Constantine. I mean Ben. Who can tell the difference? It's weird how similar they look, and by weird of course I mean creepy. Constantine is sweet but this is just not his thing. He's too guarded and has not bought into the process enough.
They take a train to a remote town and it's incredibly romantic. Shame it's wasted on these two. They have no chemistry. Why does Ashley insist on wearing high heels when she cannot walk in them? Furthermore, why not wear flowing dresses so we cannot see her leg situation?
They are now having dinner and I want to pull my own teeth out with pliers. She is picking her teeth with her tongue and playing with her hair over her food. She grosses me out. She is touchy feely with him, but him not so much with her. He's operating in slow motion and she's quite loose.
They release paper lanterns into the sky and it is spectacular. They then have the most passionless kiss in television history. It looks just horrible. Remember the reality show where the chick married the millionaire after one day? Well they had better chemistry than these two.
The next date is with Constantine's separated at birth brother, Ben. They go on vespa ride through the Taiwan countryside and it's beautiful. He is sweet and has much more personality than his brother. Ashley is finally wearing flat shoes, and can walk which is a pleasant change.
Ben and Ashley go to dinner and he tells us he is falling in love with her, but is not ready to tell her. He is lovely but while he is talking I am fantasizing about cutting his hair. He looks like a 12 year old and needs a hair cut. Ashley is asking stupid questions, and smacking her lips.
How can they afford to send them all around the world, but not buy her a Chapstick? She is picking her teeth again, and playing with her bangs, over her food. He is opening his heart to her and it's charming but she appears to not even be listening. She's more interested in making out.
Ben spends the night out with Ashley and it puts JP over the edge. JP, Lucas and Ames are waiting to go on their group date, but with Ben not home, they just wait. It's lame. Ben says he didn't know he was spending the night, but he walked in with a suitcase. This show is ridiculous.
The group date is taking wedding photos. Really? Ashley says having a wedding photo will let her now what it's like to be married to these guys. Really? She is so dumb. Bless her heart. Lucas is in traditional Taiwanese garb, Ames is a disco king, and JP is James Bond. Lame. Lame. Lame.
Lucas is a bore, Ames is adorable, and JP is a whining baby. Ashley comes out and not one of them tells her she looks good. Probably because she doesn't. Ashley makes out with each of them, in front of the others, and it's hilarious. JP is not into it and their pictures are miserable.
JP, the cute Jewish boy, is now a complaining and annoying woos. Not cute. Lucas tells Ashley he was uncomfortable in the Taiwanese dress and his southern homophobia is unattractive. They have no chemistry, he's divorced, and it's not going to happen for him. He's out.
Ames shows Loser pictures of him as a kid, and of his family. I love Ames. He's smart and sexy. He was odd to me in the beginning and I was not into him, but I dig him now. He should be the Bachelor and he should be shirtless. A lot. She will go to his house, but then dump him.
JP is complaining and becoming less and less attractive. Why does the Jewish guy have to be a freak? That said, perhaps he is the smart one, milking his insecurity to get the one rose that is available on the group date? Bam! JP makes a fool out of himself, but scores the rose. Go Jew!
Ryan finally gets a one on one date. He got the first impression rose, but this is their first date alone. He's so going home. The only question is will he leave with dignity or tears? Poor Ryan. He's about to humiliate himself in an attempt to be the next Bachelor.
They are in a temple, hundreds of people are praying, and Ashley says "Isn't this crazy?" It's not crazy, it's beautiful moron. They make a wish to the matchmaking gods and it is determined that it will not come true. He is crushed and she is relieved. I just opened another bottle of wine.
Ryan is cute. Poor thing. He is so into her and she could care less. I am embarrassed for him. He is into the environment and saving the earth, while she is not. He is too smart for her. Barney the dinosaur is too smart for her. He is talking water heaters and she is lost. Dumbass.
Ashley is dumping him in a pile of lies and fake crying. Ryan's facial expressions are perfection. He is the best bad actor ever. I LOVE this guy right now. He has never looked cuter, or been sexier in the entire season as he does with his heart being fake broken. Love, love, love, it.
He is moaning, and breathing deeply, and sighing and it's classic. He is putting on the best "Pick me as the next Bachelor" audition ever. He is fighting back tears, in shock, talking about not wanting to be alone, and he walks off camera in true reality TV dramatic fashion. Dear Lord.
These five minutes with Ryan are worth sitting through this most horrible of seasons. I love you Ryan. Call me. I'll buy you a drink and help you find a girl. Love the crying, love the pink shirt, love the water heater story, love you walking by the bridal shop and hailing a cab. Love it all.
I am laughing so hard I spilled my wine. I love to hate this show. There are five men left and Ashley knows who she is dumping so she skips cocktails and goes straight to crushing. She is talking to Harrison and I have hit the mute button. Ashley is fascinating if you can't hear her.
In fact, if you mute the sound and make up the words for her and Harrison, it is perfection. He is telling her how great it is that he gets to travel around for free and do nothing, and she is asking him if he can he see the bugs in her bangs, then she offers him some food from her teeth.
If there are four men without a rose, and three roses, does Harrison really need to announce when two are gone and there is only one left? I want to scream. I miss Ryan. Ashley sees her husband in the room. She is hallucinating from the smell of her unwashed hair. Poor girl.
Lucas is out. JP, Constantine, Ben and Ames are getting the hometown dates. They are playing dramatic Asian dumping music, which is awesome. Lucas is classy in his leaving. Calls her Sweetheart, hugs her and bails. Nice. He will be married to a nice girl from church in minutes.
Ashley is crying again complaining that maybe she is not cut out for this. I am not sure how much more of this chick I can take. I want to impale myself. Before we get a sneak peek at next week, it's time to catch up with Emily and hear about how she and Brad are broken up. Surprise!
Emily looks great, but I don't understand why she keeps sniffing and dabbing her eyes with a tissue when she has no tears. She is fake crying. Why Emily? Why you? She is going to be the next Bachelorette and is playing the role, but I expected more from her. Damn it.
She is beautiful and should be happy that she dumped Brad. He is a loser and never should have been given a second shot at this train wreck. He is a pig and television needs to leave him alone. We're over it. If he starts appearing on crap like Jake I will be pissed off.
Chris Harrison is sitting there while she pours her heart out and his facial expressions are ridiculous. Everyone loves Emily so they need to work really hard to get her. They know we are pissed off that they stuck us with Ashley, so getting her is their only chance to get us back.
Hometowns are awesome and I can't wait because the families are entertaining. It's predictable, but too late to stop now. At this point we are in it to the end. My job is to do what the people who make The Bachelorette have been unable to do for years. I'm keeping it real!
July 8, 2011 | 9:41 am
Posted by Ilana Angel
It's another Thursday night in New York City and as I sit down to watch the train wreck, I am wishing I did drugs. Nothing too heavy, just enough to take the edge off of this show. I could argue that I am already doing crack just by watching, but still, you need a little something to get through it most weeks. I've poured a glass of wine and buckled up, so here we go.
We start with Sonja and Ramona shopping for clothes for a burlesque themed party that Sonja is throwing. She tells us she is a supporter of the arts and she likes to throw parties. Sidebar: For someone who is going through a very public bankruptcy, how is it that she is throwing another party? Sonja is letting loose more than being a patron of the arts.
If I were Sonja I would be more focused on how I am being portrayed on television because if I were her ex-husband, I would want my kid out of her care. From what we are seeing, she is clearly suffering some kind of mental breakdown and I would not want my 10 year old daughter in that environment. She appears to be more whorey than mommy.
Avery is with them and she is mortified to be looking for lingerie with her mom. She enjoys reminding her mother how old she is. She has never been in the show a lot but is popping up quite a bit this season. I'm thinking it's because Ramona felt she needed the back up since we all think she is a raging alcoholic who is being cheated on by her husband.
There is a great tranny helping Sonja with eyelashes and Ramona immediately gets uncomfortable. Ramona is homophobic, and watching Sonja charge her purchase is sad. Sonja is unstable and Ramona needs to spend a couple of hours trapped in an elevator with a bottle of pinot and a fabulous transsexual to get over her fear. I'd like to be there too.
We then head over to Jill who is with Ginger and heading to see Ali, by train, at school. She is bundled up, with perfect hair and makeup, and an array of bags, schlepping onto the train and I love her. No car service, just a train ticket and a scooped out bagel. I dig this chick and the more I like her, the more I think Bethenny is ungrateful and delusional.
Jill gets to Ali and they head out for lunch. Ali is explaining that she is a vegetarian. A vegetarian who happens to eat chicken and white meat turkey. Right. It's so ridiculous that it's cute. As they walk into the restaurant, Jill tells her to ask the server if you can be a vegetarian and eat chicken. I love it that she tells Ali to get a second opinion. Hilarious.
Ali looks pretty. She is telling her mom about her classes and Jill is getting the mother of a teenager eye twitch. Ali is explaining a sex class she takes and the twitch begins. Ali tells her she wants to be a sex columnist and Jill tells her she wants her to be happy, and then tells us she does not want her to be a sex columnist. Love it that her instinct is to not squash Ali's dream.
Sidebar: We all know I think Bethenny Frankel is a liar who is taking advantage of young dumb girls by selling them loads of crap, and she got famous because of Jill. It's a shame her ego is so big because the best thing she could of done for her little girl was to have a relationship with Jill and learn from her as a mother. Karma is circling back on that one.
Jill and Ali go shopping and it's fabulous. Ali tries stuff on while Jill sits and tells her if it's good or horrible. It's quite funny and reminds me of both me and my mother, and me and my son. They are fun. We then head over to LuAnn who is giving Victoria a driving lesson. I like her too. She is a fun mom and seems to be in tune with her kids.
Some think she is phony and pretentious, putting on an act for the cameras, but at the end of the day her kids love her, and she has a respect for them that I think is appealing and authentic. She laughs with her kids, and her desire to be both a friend and a mother is something we all strive for. She's doing great, particularly after such a rough year.
Important to note that we are at minute 16 and have not seen Alex or Simon and it is glorious. Proof that those two parasites do not need to come back as they add nothing to this show. Avery meets Ramona for lunch and it's awkward. Ramona is very competitive with her daughter and it's gross. She has to one up her on every single thing the poor girl says.
If Avery has a headache, Ramona has a brain tumor. If Avery has a stomachache, Ramona has an ulcer. Avery is busy, but Ramona is busier. It's disgusting. Avery airs a bunch of dirty laundry about her parents and rather than respond to it, Ramona tells us that her teenager is hormonal. Ramona is so selfish that's its entertaining. To everyone but Avery I'm sure.
Avery tells us Ramona and Mario are never home, never tell her where they are, and apparently do not make arrangements for her to have dinner as she is waiting for them at 9:30 having not eaten. Ramona tries to look like she gives a crap and brings out a folder marked Avery as if parenting her daughter is another project like wine or jewelry.
She says she knows Avery is taking exams, but Avery tells her the exams are already done and she got her marks already. Ramona is so busy with Ramona, she did not know the PSAT tests were done already? Ramona needs to stay home more and Mario needs to stop banging other chicks and spend time with his daughter. These two suck.
Avery writes a paper for school about her mom and reads it on camera. Really? Avery is securing her trust fund because all implications would be that se has no relationship with her mother. In fact, she just told us that point blank. Ramona is in recovery mode and perhaps trying to establish their relationship so she can dump Mario the dog.
Sonja is trying on costumes for her party and I want to scream. She is pathetic and seriously not thinking about her kid. She looks like a whore, who is high, and talks about all the money she is dropping on clothes when she is in the middle of a bankruptcy. She even tells us she is trying on the lingerie in front of her 10 year old. Why is nobody helping her?
Sonja needs an intervention and rather than focus on being a whore to get attention and feel good about herself, she needs to shut up and pray her kid never sees this show. Ramona shows up and reminds us she is homophobic, meanwhile seeing Sonja at home is a train wreck. She is going to lose her kid and she will have only herself to blame.
Kelly and LuAnn are out for a drink. LuAnn is happy in her relationship and Kelly is looking for one. Kelly is sweet but has a level of immaturity that I don't get. She is a little odd when it comes to men, dating, and love. I like her though, and hope she meets someone great. She's had a tough time and needs to meet someone fabulous. She is kooky, and kooky is good.
LuAnn tells her a story about when she met Prince William and he shook her hand. Great story but unless I see a pic, I'm not buying it. LuAnn is fabulous and does not need to take us down memory lane of her time as a Countess. We don't care and it rings not as pretentious, but simply as a lie. I'm not buying it, but I like her, and she needs to cut the stories.
Sonja's dog pees on the floor and her friend tells us she pees on herself all the time. Classy. LuAnn goes to hear her new song with creepy music guy who thinks she sounds like Mariah Carey. He's either high, learning impaired or deaf. Jill comes to hear Chic C'est la Vie for the first time. Jill takes credit for LuAnn's singing success, which I love.
Jill is giving input on the song and it's hilarious. Record guy is about to have his head explode from Jill's input. Poor Jill. She really does want to help people and there is nothing malicious. I would rather be friends with Jill than Bethenny. That said, thinking you know these people and could be their friends based on this show, is crazy talk.
It's time for Sonja's party and Mario arrives looking like a pimp. Brian the artist is there and it would appear he plays for both teams. Mario is drooling over all the boobs. It's now 44 minutes in and we finally see Alex and Simon. Just when I was starting to enjoy myself, I now want to hurl. LuAnn and Jacques are there, not in costume, which is better.
In the middle of the party Simon decides to talk to Jill and goes to Alex to wish him luck. Dear Lord. Simon is a pig, his wife is pathetic, and seeing them makes me sick. Why Bravo? Why? Poor Jill is again accosted at a party and it's lame. Kelly is talking to Jill and when Simon approaches her, Jill walks away which is awesome, then Bobby steps in.
I love Bobby Zarin. Love him. Simon goes to Jill again and Bobby mediates the conversation. He does not leave Jill's side while Simon is talking to her and I think it's so romantic. I want a Bobby Zarin. Simon tells her he is sorry and gets all weepy. He says he is going to stop and wants to move forward. He is a lying sack of crap.
Jill feels the need to defend herself to the camera and tell us again she has changed which is just sad to me. We like you Jill. Changed or not, does not matter. We see you, and it's all good. This show has crushed her spirit and that's a drag. Cindy turns up, late like she always does, but in time for Sonja's show which is about to begin.
Sonja tells us she has royalty at her party and it was serious, yet she is hammered and makes a fool out of herself. I like burlesque and think it's sexy. The real dancer was fabulous, then it was Sonja's turn and my eyes started bleeding. Sonja was ridiculous and it was more sad and pathetic than entertaining. Bravo is not helping her, which is unfortunate.
I want Jill to stop defending herself, Sonja to get help, Kelly to get swept off her feet, LuAnn to convert and marry Jacques, Ramona to dump Mario, Alex to get fired, and Cindy to show some interest in even being on this show. I also want Andy Cohen to get some balls and fix what he has broken. Andy should give me a call so I can remind him how to keep it real.
July 7, 2011 | 12:27 am
Posted by Ilana Angel
I have decided that sharing this video must happen, even though it means I have now publicly admitted that I watch America's Got Talent. I know you probably all suspected it since I have a reality television addition, but now it's official. I watch this crap, I am in love with Landau Eugene Murphy, Jr., and I will buy his CD. He is brilliant and a very good reason to tune in each week. Good luck Landau. You are an amazing talent and I hope America votes for you and keeps it real!
July 3, 2011 | 10:30 pm
Posted by Ilana Angel
There are no words to express how embarrassed I am that I watch this show. It is horrible, some of the cast are mortifying, and story lines are pathetic. Yet I watch, blog, and secretly love it. By love it of course I mean it's crack and I can't stop watching it. It took me 4 days to get through this week's episode. I started and stopped at least a dozen times which has never happened before. I love writing about this show, but this week was painful. It was the first time I wrote because it's my job, not because I love it.
This week's show started off with Ramona planning her own birthday party. She is checking out a venue with Kelly and Alex and I already don't care. These women are not friends so why would they go together? When they force situations together it's lame. Ramona and Alex are wearing ridiculous outfits. At what point are they going to realize they are too old for mini skirts and hooker boots? Ramona is making her birthday an event for Sonja too. It will be a joint party, with Sonja's part being a surprise.
Ramona does not strike me as one who would want to share the spotlight, so this is about showing Sonja how much more Ramona has than her. She talks about how they are like sisters, which is weird because I think her "sister" is sleeping with her husband. Ramona is telling Alex and Kelly about how great they both are for giving her such great energy, then lets us know her party will be better than Avery's. What? She is trying to outdo her own child's party? Ramona is selfish and it's not cool.
Cindy is having a party to launch her self-waxing kit and jeweled decals for your private parts. It's cute but I think it's a chick thing and seeing a bow over a man's penis is not attractive to me. That's just me though and I'm sure there are chicks who dig a little crystal with their junk. We are at the party and the show takes a turn that is odd. By odd of course I mean disgusting. I have said it before and I will say it again, I like Jill. She is the most authentic, and allows all her gifts and flaws to show. I totally dig her.
The odd part is when Simon goes to Jill and tells her he is not over their tension and wants to have lunch to discuss it. Simon is creepy. He makes my skin crawl and I find watching him uncomfortable. He is a gay man, married to a woman, who thinks he is one of the housewives. Sidebar: If Simon and Alex are still a part of this show next season, I will no longer watch. I can barely stand to watch it now, so making it through another season with these two losers is simply too much of Bravo to ask of me. They are pathetic and need to be fired.
Jill says she will meet with him but he then ends the talk by telling her he will tweet her, which we know is not good coming from Simon. He is horrible on Twitter, mean to everyone, and a pal of Lynn Hudson, who we all know is Satan. Kelly tells Jill she should not go because it's weird. Jill thinks better of it all and tells Simon she does not think they need to meet. He's not a housewife and they need to move on. There is nothing to talk about, all is well, and she is good. She is lovely and tells Simon she likes Alex very much, and hopes they can move on.
Simon, who is a bloated drunken mess, then tells her to "watch out". Does Simon realize he is not a star of this show? Does Simon get that we don't care about him and the only reason we care about his wife is so we can talk about how we don't care about her? They have got to go. LuAnn, Kelly and Cindy are telling Jill she did the right thing. Kelly goes to Simon and tells him he has upset Jill, and asks Alex to help the situation out, but instead of trying to fix the problem, Alex leaves with Simon, who by now is threatening Kelly with tweets.
Honestly, Bravo is scraping the bottom of the barrel in trying to find ways to put this couple in a show that does not need them. Why must the audience suffer through this crap? Fire them and we will forgive you. Keep them much longer and we will bail. Simon and Alex leave the party and stop on the street to talk. I assume it's because the crew is refusing to follow their asses up the street so it needs to happen right there. They are talking to each other because nobody else cares to talk to either of them. They leave, thank goodness.
Over at Sonja's, she has called a plumber because her toilet is clogged. She is a mess. How is it possible she has no money? Why not sell the house and get something smaller? Why tell all your problems to complete strangers and in front of the cameras? Sonja shoves her hand down the toilet and digs out a blackberry. Really? Who drops a blackberry down the toilet and just leaves it there? The plumber leaves, without getting paid, and she then has a feng shui specialist at the house to help her cleanse the negativity.
There is something we don't know about her situation. It will all come out in the end, which is a shame since she clearly does not want us to know. Sonja seems like a great lady and I think I would like her in real life. It's a shame her dirty laundry is out for all to see. The show now takes another turn I just don't get. If Bravo thinks I am going to believe Jill is painting her own apartment, and that the Countess is going to paint in her boots, they have lost their minds. This is scripted and I'm offended that they think we are so dumb. I'm not watching.
I cannot comment on anything said during the paint party because I simply do not believe it was anything other than a poorly scripted conversation. I pass. Just as the painting ends, and I think I can enjoy the show again, Bravo takes us to Brooklyn. Dear Lord make this stop. Simon asks Alex if she's mad at him for his fight with Jill. Simon could not be any less appealing as a man. He is behaving like a woman and it's gross. Alex has to reassure him her relationship with him is more important than Jill. I know want to be knocked unconscious.
They are an odd couple and they need to go. Alex is laughing and I am cringing. They are sucking the life out of this show. If there is a petition anywhere to get them canned then let me know because I will sign it, and if there isn't, there should be. Ramona's party has begun and she is excited about her surprise for Sonja. Alex is wearing hideous boots, and Simon looks like a moron. Ramona is trying to get a greeting line together for Sonja and is yelling at everyone involved. Our Ramona is not classy, or sober.
Sidebar: It's interesting that Ramona insisted Avery invite her and all of her friends to her Sweet 16 birthday party, yet it would appear Avery was not invite to her party. There was booze at both so that's not it. Ramona is jealous of her own daughter. The artist guy that was painting and banging Sonja is there and kisses her with his arms crossed. Interesting body language. Ramona confronts Jill to see why she was not invited to her underwear thing, and Jill defuses the situation and fixes it. These chicks are not real friends.
Mario leads Sonja and Ramona into the dancing area of the party and shows them a slide show of them all when they were young. What was fascinating is that Ramona included Sonja in the party to get her mind off her troubles and show love, yet she includes her wedding picture. Why show the picture of the one thing now causing her so much pain? It was selfish and mean, but Ramona is selfish and mean so it makes sense. That said, you've got to love Ramona because her meanness is Pinot inspired. I love sober Ramona, and adore drunken Ramona.
Cindy is having lunch with Ramona and tells her she does not miss having a man in her life. I like Cindy but she needs to snap out of the mommy bubble because if she is not careful, she will wake up one day, her kids will be grown, and she will be alone because they were her single focus. Cindy is then having lunch with parents and it's chaotic and sad. She puts the baby in a booster, the baby is sitting comfortably, Cindy says she will not sit there and picks her up. She was sitting nicely, but she felt the need to lift her up. She is an unsure mother, which is sweet.
She calls her office and gets someone to come and help her, which is sad. Rather than give the grandparents a chance to comfort the baby, she calls for back up. I love her parents, I love her, and to be clear, one week with me would whip her into shape. It's as if she does not trust herself, which I guess is how we all were with our kids, but she does not have the luxury of being young and learning with each child. She is older, has two, and will not have more, so she needs to fast track her comfort level or she will get really old, really fast.
Kelly invites Alex out for breakfast so she can talk to her about how creepy Simon is. Alex makes her "I'm confused " face which translates to an "I'm constipated" face. Kelly is saying how odd they are and Alex is insisting they are different people and she is not responsible for him. I love Kelly and think Alex is weird. We are dealing with a twat, who is married to a twit, who likes to tweet. Alex is insane if she thinks she is not responsible for what her husband does. It's the real housewives Alex, and he is not one. You are, for now, so you need to rope him in.
Alex is turning red and Kelly tells her to take a breather because her redness is bothering her. I freaking love Kelly this year. Kelly calls Simon a pageant dad and says Alex is like his 6 year old daughter. Awesome. Alex is confused. Probably because she is so dumb. Next week is the filming of LuAnn's video, and Sonja invites the girls over for some toaster oven crap. After three days of writing this blog I was certain I was done, but the last 5 minutes sucked me in for another week. Bravo should reward me by canning Simon and Alex, and keeping it real!
December 2013
November 2013
October 2013
September 2013
August 2013
July 2013
June 2013
May 2013
April 2013
March 2013
February 2013
January 2013
December 2012
November 2012
October 2012
September 2012
August 2012
July 2012
June 2012
May 2012
April 2012
March 2012
February 2012
January 2012
December 2011
November 2011
October 2011
September 2011
August 2011
July 2011
June 2011
May 2011


text:
Hull FC have today announced that current discounts on the club's 2013 season passes will be available for another week following a record-breaking week of sales at the Black and Whites.
The discount deadline had originally been set at 5pm tomorrow but with hundreds of supporters flocking to the KC Stadium over the past few days to reserve their seat, and even more signalling their intention to buy, the club can confirm the discount period has now been extended.
It will see Hull fans now given until Saturday, November 3 to pick up their brand new season pass at the cheapest possible price, with savings of up to £65 available for those buying before this period ends.
The extension also applies to current season pass holders in reserved areas wishing to renew their seat for the 2013 campaign before seats go on general sale.
However, supporters are warned the deadline will not be extended further after next weekend and supporters are therefore urged to purchase their 2013 Hull FC season pass as soon as possible.
Passes are available from the club's retail stores at the KC Stadium or in Savile Street, in Hull city centre, and can also be ordered over the phone by calling the club's season pass hotline on 01482 304 963.
Season passes can also be bought by sending a completed application form to: Hull Super League Ltd, The KC Stadium, West Park, Anlaby Road, Hull, HU3 6HU.
Application forms were sent to supporters with their 2013 BELI3VE season pass brochure and can also be downloaded at www.hullfc.com