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August 2004
There is geochemical evidence of water on Mars. Photographer: Andy Zeigert, Creative Commons
Many people who watched the TV images coming back from the two Mars rovers this year were probably disappointed. The bleak-looking, arid desert they saw could not possibly support life. Or could it? Before explaining why scientists are more optimistic than ever about finding life on Mars, it's worth reviewing what we know about life on Earth.
Was there life on early Earth?
If space travelers had visited Earth during the first 3.5 billion years of its 4-billion-year existence, they would have seen large expanses of water, with smaller expanses of land, but no plants, insects, or animals. Moreover, if the spaceship had arrived during the first 2 billion years of Earth's existence, its measuring devices would have reported that there was virtually no oxygen in the atmosphere and no ozone layer to protect the surface from UV radiation.
Based on these observations, the space travelers might well have concluded that there was no life on Earth. If so, our hypothetical visitors would have been spectacularly wrong. In fact, the Earth was teeming with microscopic life—tiny creatures called bacteria and archaea. Scientists believe that these microbes were the first forms of life on Earth. After about 2 billion years, bacteria and archaea were joined by eukaryotic microbes. Only within the last few hundred million years—an eye blink in Earth's history—would forms of life large enough to be seen with the unaided eye start to appear.
The activities of these early microbes and their descendants have direct relevance for us today.
Scientists now know that those microbes, especially the bacteria and archaea, formed the Earth's life-support system. Their activities made it possible for the more complex forms of life we see today to evolve. Microbes also do most of the recycling of dead things, so that life can continue.
A type of photosynthetic bacteria called cyanobacteria(originally misnamed blue-green algae) put the first molecular oxygen in the atmosphere about 2 billion years ago, raising the oxygen level to about 10% of what it is today, allowing the ozone layer to form and oxygen-using creatures to evolve.
Much later, plants took over the bulk of the job of producing oxygen, but they can do this only because of organelles called chloroplasts, which evolved from cyanobacteria. Given Earth's history, it makes sense to look for microbial life on Mars.
What is a "microbe"?
To most scientists, and for purposes of this article, the term "microbe" means any creature capable of reproducing itself that is too small to be seen with the unaided eye. This includes bacteria, archaea, fungi, protozoans, algae, and (possibly) viruses.
Archaea are microbes that look like bacteria but have now been found to form a separate domain of life, the other two domains being bacteria(single-celled microorganisms lacking a nucleus) and eukaryotes(all nucleated organisms, e.g., fungi, protozoa, plants, animals). There are two caveats to this definition:
- Some scientists place viruses in a separate category because they are parasitic on cells capable of reproducing themselves, such as bacteria, fungi, and mammalian cells. Other microbes, with a few exceptions, are capable of reproducing themselves without this type of aid. Many of these, but not all, reproduce by dividing (called "binary fission").
- Some microbes, including bacteria and fungi, are large enough to be seen without a microscope. These exceptions are included under the term "microbe" because they are closely related to other microbes that are not visible to the unaided eye.
It is difficult to come up with an airtight definition of microbe because, as scientists now know, microbes are an incredibly diverse collection of creatures. There is far more genetic diversity in the microbial world than in the plants, insects, or animals—a fact that is not surprising when you consider that microbes had a 3 billion year evolutionary head start. To get an idea of what this genetic diversity means, consider this: If insects (which are sometimes called, incorrectly, the most diverse group of living things) were sorted into species using the criteria employed by scientists who study bacteria, archaea, or other microbes, there would be one, or at most two or three, species of insects. The diversity of microbes is also evident in the variety of environments in which they live: volcanoes, clouds, sulfuric acid mine drainage, hydrothermal vents, deep subsurface rocks, hot springs.
How likely is there to be life on Mars?
Because water is essential for life as we know it, the discovery of recent geochemical evidence of water on Mars, some of which may still be present, was an exciting finding for biologists. To learn whether life could exist in a barren landscape such as that seen on the surface of Mars, where any water present is mostly present in the frozen state, some microbiologists have journeyed to a part of Earth that resembles Mars in some respects: the polar deserts of Antarctica.
- This region of Antarctica has very little water, and most of the year what little water there is exists in the form of ice.
- The hole in the ozone layer that has developed over Antarctica allows high levels of ultraviolet radiation to reach Earth's surface, a condition that would be experienced by any creatures located on the Martian surface.
- The level of radiation encountered in Antarctica is not nearly as high as that encountered on the surface of Mars, but it is higher than that encountered on most other parts of Earth's surface.
Is there life in the polar desert of Antarctica? The answer is an unequivocal Yes. Bacteria and fungi have been found in the Antarctic deserts, not only in the soil of the region but also inside rocks. Scientists speculate that bacteria enter the porous matrix of rocks as a means of protecting themselves from radiation.
A major difference between the environment found in the high deserts of Antarctica and that encountered on the surface of Mars is the atmosphere. The Martian atmosphere is much thinner than that of Earth. It consists mostly of carbon dioxide, or CO2 (about 95%), and contains virtually no oxygen (O2). Because many bacteria, archaea, and algae can use inorganic carbon dioxide as their source of carbon (used to build proteins and other cell components), the predominance of carbon dioxide would be a plus. Also, as noted earlier, many of Earth's microbes do not require O2, so the lack of O2 does not preclude life.
A more troubling feature of the Martian atmosphere is the very low level of nitrogen (N2). On Earth, N2 makes up 78% of atmospheric gases. On Mars it only composes 3%. Many bacteria can use N2 as a sole source of the nitrogen they need for proteins, nucleic acids, and other cell components, but the low level of N2 would certainly limit the amount of microbial growth. Thus, if there is microbial life on Mars, it is unlikely to be as abundant and as widespread as on Earth and may thus be harder to find.
Different compositions and concentrations of gases may exist in some areas under the Martian surface. Such a possibility would be difficult to prove—unless it is proved indirectly the presence of life in the subsurface regions and in greater abundance than expected.
Is there a historical record of life on Mars?
What if life once existed on Mars but has become extinct? Is it possible to find a geological record of microbial life? At one time the question of whether there was a geological record of microbial life on Earth would have been answered with ridicule. Today, scientists are rethinking this question, especially in view of the fact that microbial activities can leave a macroscopic mark on their surroundings. Two examples of cases in which microbes on Earth have left a fossil record are formations called "streamlets" and banded iron formations.
Microbes are generally too small to be seen with the unaided eye, but aggregates of microbes can be visible. Rocklike formations called stromatolites are large collections of filamentous cyanobacteria that are clearly visible to the unaided eye, even though the component cyanobacteria are not. Stromatolites, some which can be as big as a small boulder, formed when large aggregates of cyanobacteria became fossilized. There may be other cases in which aggregates of microbes were fossilized and can be seen with the unaided eye.
Another marker of past life is evidence of chemical activity. One byproduct of cyanobacterial production of O2 was the formation and precipitation of iron oxides. The result was colorful bands ranging from red to black. Geologists call these banded iron formations, or BIFs. The existence of BIFs illustrates the principle that microbial activities can cause changes that are evident long after the microbes are gone. Microbiologists and geologists are now looking for other visible signs of microbial activities that might tell the story of microbes long gone.
Another approach to finding a geological record of microbial life is to look for long-lived molecules. Current methods for detecting microorganisms and identifying them have focused on DNA. However, DNA is not nearly as long-lived as microbial lipids, which may be a better diagnostic indicator of ancient microbial life than DNA. Other structures found in bacteria survive long after the bacteria have died: Magnetotactic bacteria leave magnetite crystals in a beads-on-a string formation. Some scientists have reported finding these in Martian meteorites. Although the hypothesis that magnetite crystals in meteors from Mars are evidence of microbial life on Mars has been quite controversial, the example nonetheless illustrates ways in which scientists are looking for new ways to identify fossil traces of long dead microbes
Beyond Mars
Microbiologists are famous for thinking small, but some of them are thinking very large these days—beyond Mars to Europa, a moon of Jupiter, on which evidence of water has also been found. Europa appears to be covered by an ice layer that is miles thick, but there may be liquid water underneath it. Why? The core of Europa is emitting heat and energy, which may allow liquid water to exist despite the low temperature at the surface of the moon.
Judging from what we know about life on Earth, could life as we know it exist in the liquid water of Europa? One answer may come from a site in Antarctica, a lake named Vostok. This lake has a miles-thick ice covering, with liquid water at its base.
- Scientists are finding that ice cores taken from Lake Vostok contain bacteria that are still viable.
- The possibility exists that these microbes were simply blown into the area from other parts of the globe and trapped in the ice.
- Bacteria can remain viable for long periods if frozen, but they may not be living, that is, actively dividing, in the Vostok ice.
A problem for life existing below the ice sheet that covers Europa is finding a source of energy. On Earth, photosynthesis is the source of energy for much of its microbial life. Photosynthetic bacteria and algae are at the basis of most of Earth's food chains. On Europa, however, it is unlikely that enough light could penetrate through an ice layer as thick as that thought to exist on Europa.
Scientists working at the bottom of Earth's deepest oceans, where virtually no light penetrates, are finding that animal and microbial life nonetheless flourish there, near hydrothermal vents where magma from the Earth's core pumps chemical energy sources such as sulfides into the water. The bacteria that grow there, and in turn feed the hydrothermal vent animals, use the oxidation of sulfides to produce energy.
At first, this discovery was viewed as evidence of a photosynthesis- independent type of growth and gave some people hope that the core of planetary bodies like Europa could also serve as an energy source. The problem with this argument is that sulfide oxidation depends on O2, which is derived from photosynthesis. Yet microbes have surprised us before with their metabolic diversity. Perhaps there are microbial strategies of non-photosynthetic growth that have yet to be discovered.
Should scientists be looking beyond an Earthcentric view of life?
The approach to looking for life described above is based on the idea that life elsewhere in the universe would be like life on Earth and would evolve in the same way. Science fiction enthusiasts, for example, have long fantasized about creatures composed of molecules based on silicon rather than carbon. Although scientists have tended to be highly skeptical of this view, for good reason, some scientists believe that it is important at least to consider the possibility that notions of life based on what we know might cause us to miss evidence of life. This concern about limiting the search for life to an Earthcentric approach has caused some scientists to ask the bigger question: What features of life are independent of assumptions about being Earthlike? Some traits of life have been suggested by scientist Ken Nealson and others:
Life forms move independently of external forces. This cannot be a central requirement for all forms of life because, even on Earth, there are many organisms that are not motile.
Living organisms have edges. There should be some kind of covering that separates a living organism's interior from its exterior.
The composition of living things is complex. Living beings should contain a complex mixture of chemical compounds.
Life depends on chemical reactions that cannot occur spontaneously under the conditions where they are found to occur. On Earth, many microbes make a living by catalyzing reactions, such as the oxidation of minerals or the production of methane, that either do not occur abiotically or occur at a much lower rate.
What if scientists fail to find life on other planetary bodies?
If scientists fail to find evidence for current or past life on Mars, Europa, or other planets and moons in our solar system, all is not lost. The time, energy, and money spent on studies to develop life-searching strategies have already given us, and are still giving us, new information about Earth.
- Scientists are learning that only a fraction of the diversity of life on Earth is known, especially the staggering diversity that exists in the microbial world.
- New metabolic activities, which are being discovered as a result of astrobiology studies, may well yield new industrial processes.
- Astrobiology studies have reignited interest in the age-old question: What is life?
So, in a sense, we are going to Mars in order to study Earth.
Is it safe to bring Mars samples back to Earth?
In 1970, a novel entitled The Andromeda Strain became a bestseller and was subsequently made into a blockbuster movie. In the movie, a mysterious microbe was brought to Earth by a space probe. The microbe killed people by turning blood to powder. Initially, it appeared to be unstoppable. Fortunately for human life on Earth, the microbe mutated into a form that no longer feasted on blood but instead was satisfied with rubber. Although the premise of the movie was wildly improbable, it created a fear in the public mind that extraterrestrial specimens might introduce a new and unstoppable plague to the Earth.
Could a microbe that evolved in a place where there are no humans possibly cause infection in humans? From our experience here on Earth, we know that the answer to this question is Yes. There have been many examples of human infections caused by bacteria or viruses that have come out of soil or water, locations where they had not had much or any prior contact with humans, or that were previously known to infect only nonhuman animals. Examples are Legionnaire's disease, a lung infection caused by a bacterium that normally resides in water, and AIDS, a viral infection that probably originated in monkeys and later jumped to humans who were hunting and eating monkeys.
The low temperatures found on Mars and Europa make it unlikely that an organism that evolved in either of those locations would do very well at the much higher temperature found in the human body. It is impossible to be sure of this, however, since microbes have so often surprised scientists with their metabolic diversity. At least we can say that an Andromeda-strain-type organism is highly unlikely to be a virus because viruses that infect humans require mammalian cells to carry out their life cycles.
The desire to make sure that infectious organisms are not brought to Earth from other planets has led to an international treaty that requires all of the countries that have a space program to have a planetary protection officer who leads efforts to make sure that no such importations occur. Currently, the planetary protection officer for the United States is NASA scientist John Rummel.
Dr. Rummel does more than protect the Earth from extraterrestrial invaders. He is just as concerned about damage going in the other direction: contamination of other planets by Earth organisms. In the early days of space travel, scientists did not realize that microbes from Earth could survive the conditions of vacuum, cold, and radiation that anything on the surface of a spaceship would experience. Nor did they consider seriously that astronauts might leave Earth organisms behind after a visit. Now that the danger is appreciated, NASA is taking many special precautions to make sure that there is no further contamination of the planets its space probes visit.
Author's notes:
» The dates given here for the origin of life on Earth are a consensus of estimates from diverse sources. Different estimates can differ by as much as 200 million years.
» Information on the composition of the atmospheres of Mars and other planets can be obtained on the Internet or from general books on astronomy. Estimates from NASA or web sites of university scientists tend to be the most accurate. Some of the figures are given as percentages of the total and some as actual concentrations of the gas, so different tables may at first appear to be quite different even though they agree with each other.
© 2004, American Institute of Biological Sciences. Educators have permission to reprint articles for classroom use; other users, please contact firstname.lastname@example.com for reprint permission. See reprint policy.


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2018-07-09 14:15:13
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The forest, normally filled with the chorus of calling frogs, falls silent. Something drops from the trees. And then another. Dead frogs are falling from the canopy.
Humans have carelessly moved thousands of species outside their native ranges through activities such as transfer of ballast water, release of pets and bait, movement of untreated wood, escapes from agriculture and aquaculture, and deliberate release of species that we thought to be beneficial.
There was nothing "normal" about the weather in the 2011 growing season. We started out with a tremendously wet spring, making planting vegetables and field crops challenging.
The Hudson Valley was hit hard by repeated flooding over the past few weeks. Homes, businesses, farms, roads and bridges all were badly damaged by near-record floodwaters.
We've had a wet stretch of weather. First we were drenched by Irene, then again with Lee. Saturated soils had additional rainy days. And as a result, mosquitoes have been out in droves.
On October 10th-14th, more than a hundred scientists from twenty-four countries will meet at Lake Sunapee to discuss freshwater lakes and reservoirs, including what can be done to keep them healthy in the face of population growth and competing demands.
We ecologists take a lot of flack for always having depressing news to report. It's not often we get to say there is good news on the environmental front, but those of us concerned with air pollution have certainly had reasons to smile this summer.
Testimony from freshwater ecologist David Strayer on the negative effects of invasive plants and animals and the critical need for legislation to control the spread of destructive species.
At the heart of the Grand Canyon is the river that helped to carve it.
Strange things are happening at the top of the Earth. Each summer, the Arctic Ocean, which is normally blanketed in floating sea ice, is losing more and more of its ice cover.
The Lower Hudson Valley has long been considered the epicenter for Lyme disease in New York state. As a result, most Dutchess County residents are well acquainted with the disease.
Cary Institute educators immersed 5th grade students from Poughkeepsie's G.W. Krieger Elementary School in hands-on ecology inquiry.
Summer is an excellent time to explore the Cary Institute's trail system.
The spring, the Cary Institute organized an intimate exploration of Peru's Upper Amazon.
EcoDiscovery Day was held on Sunday, May 22, 2011.
Frances Beinecke, President of the Natural Resources Defense Council, gave the second annual Ned Ames Honorary Lecture.
On July 8, 2011 the Cary Institute hosted a forum for undergraduate and graduate students.
Early warning signs help you prepare for, and hopefully prevent, the worst case scenario.
The Cary Institute seeks to alert the Hudson Valley community to the environmental problems facing society.
Our economic system exists in an unhealthy marriage with fossil fuels — coal, oil, and natural gas.
The Science and Management Forum series has been well received by its target audience.
The Cary Institute hosted the 13th Cary Conference, "Linking Ecology and Ethics for a Changing World: Values, Philosophy, and Action."
In May 2011, writer Akiko Busch was the Institute's inaugural writer-in-residence.
There is irrefutable evidence that global climate is changing at an unprecedented rate, and most of the worthwhile debate is now focused on what we should do to mitigate the effects.
Several members of Congress and presidential hopefuls have proposed rolling back the Environmental Protection Agency's authority to regulate with the Clean Air and Clean Water acts as a solution to our woes.
Online version of our popular newsletter.
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Lego Boss Has Business Card to Die For
One of the most memorable scenes in the movie American Psycho (2000) based on the 1991 novel by Bret Easton Ellis is when protagonist Patrick Bateman and his colleagues at Wall Street investment bank Pierce & Pierce sit around a table comparing business cards.
Spasms of jealousy course through businessman and serial killer Bateman when his colleagues show off their business cards. Bateman grows increasingly downhearted as the investment bankers outshine each other with cards in bone and eggshell white with Romalian and Silian Rail type fonts. Each presented card is more impressive that the previous one.
Then the noise around Bateman grows distant. He stares at the final business card. This one has raised lettering on a pale nimbus white card.
"OMG," Bateman thinks dizzily as he realizes that the card actually has a watermark.
Yet, what would Bateman and the other vice presidents at Pierce & Pierce have said if Jorgen Vig Knudstorp had joined the table? The 42-year old Chief Executive of Danish toymaker Lego has a business card in the shape of a 1.5 inch tall Lego man manufactured to look like Mr. Knudstorp himself. Complete with a little beard and glasses. His contact information is printed on the back.
That's a business card to kill for.


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You'll love living in Sanderstown, Franklin NC!
Sanderstown is located in the northeastern part of Franklin NC, convenient to town and also to the Cowee and Millshoal townships. A great place to live if you commute to Sylva, as well! There are many historic homesteads in this area, as well as beautiful rolling hills and creeks.
Click on the photo below to be taken to an interactive map:
Below you will find the newest listings in the Sanderstown Area of Franklin:
Macon County NC Real Estate with Specialty in Franklin & Otto
"Offering Solutions to My Clients"
Your gateway to Paradise in the Smokey Mountains of Franklin, NC. John Becker / Bald Head, provides a superior level of informed, professional real estate service to Buyers and Sellers. You can obtain any information you require in order to make an informed purchase regarding Franklin NC Homes for Sale and Franklin NC Properties for Sale with John Becker at Bald Head Realty. Call 828-506-3719.
"My Dream is to Help You Move into Yours!"


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Life Insurance After Cancer
Can I still get life insurance if I am a cancer survivor?
Gloria DiLullo, MSN, CRNP, OncoLink Medical Oncology Educational Content Specialist, responds:
There are two great and very detailed articles available on OncoLink.org. One is entitled: "What Cancer Survivors Should Know About Obtaining Life Insurance" and the other, which is co-authored by a cancer survivor, "Cancer Survivors and Life Insurance." These articles will help you figure out how to get the appropriate life insurance.
Rodney Warner, JD, OncoLink Blogger, Cancer Survivor and Attorney at The Legal Clinic for the Disabled, responds:
If you got if before your diagnosis, and kept up the payments, yes. Good luck if you�re looking for it post-diagnosis. It depends on what you were diagnosed with, the stage, your treatment, and how long you�ve been in remission. If any company is offering you coverage, it may cost an arm and a leg. Check out this info from LAF.
This question and answer was part of the OncoLink Brown Bag Chat Series, Cancer Survivorship Webchat. View the entire transcript here.


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POPtastic FFL
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Ok, you may well say that summer in Ireland is a distant memory because my goodness has it ever been fresh lately but when we're talking about Dairy Free, Gluten Free and Egg Free Sorbet I think that most of the Food Allergy community will be willing to pretend that those warm-ish hours in the afternoons require some Free From ices :)
If you are among this group then let me direct you to the home of the very finest Food Allergy Free sorbet in Ireland: Murphy's Ice Cream shops. When faced with the choice of usually two flavours (citrusy Calamansi and thoroughly rich raspberry) I HIGHLY recommend the Raspberry. It is soooo flavourful and tastes exactly like real raspberries, no glimmer of artificial anything, just pure raspberry bliss!
A common misconception is that all sorbets are naturally Dairy Free. Not So. This is actually a fact that makes my heart bleed, but such is life. Never Assume, especially when in Italy where almost ALL sorbets are Milk ridden.
The silver lining of course, is that all of Murphy's Ice Cream shops plainly label that their sorbets are Dairy Free and when I was in Killarney I was extra pleased when the server offered to clean the serving scoop before serving due to my allergy before I could even ask!
This is a company who knows that the Dairy Free world likes ice cream on a warm/sunny day just like everybody else and better yet, understands our needs. But the gold lining is that Murphy's Sorbets, in addition to being Dairy Free, are also Gluten Free and Egg Free! This is especially good news since Gino's on Grafton St stopped stocking their Soya based gelato.. sniff sniff.
- Dairy Free
- Gluten Free
- Egg Free
Murphy's Ice Cream is also Gluten Free to boot!
...with the exception of flavours such as 'Guinness', or those containing biscuits, etc (understandably).
P.S, Did I mention that Murphy's Ice Cream hales from Dingle, co. Kerry, so you'd be buying irish too! :)
Besides, the Dairy consuming people (namely F. and our friend A.) were all lining up for soft ice cream cones only today, October 21st, down by Dalkey's breathtaking coast line proving that everyday is good for an icy dessert!
If you are tempted (as you should be) but fear the winter chill of eating iced fruit as the winds begin to howl, then I suggest having a coffee with your sorbet (Murphy's do Soya Milk too). Just the thing to warm you back up until the summer returns. Yum Yum Yum.
Murphy's Ice Cream
27 Wicklow St
Dublin 2
Tel: 086 031 0726
Opening Times: mon - sun 12:00 - 22:00


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Monarchs To Host Rider Tuesday Night In CBI First Round
By ODU Athletics
March 17, 2008
NORFOLK, VA-- Old Dominion will host Rider University (23-10) Tuesday night at 7 p.m. in the Constant Center in the first round of the CBI Tournament.
"What a blessing," said Head coach Blaine Taylor. "We not only got an invitation, but a home game as well. The team is really excited and ready to go. Rider has a fine team and one of the nation's top big men in Jason Thompson."
Rider is led by 6-11 senior standout Jason Thompson who averages 20.6 points, 12.0 rebounds and is shooting 56 percent from the floor. Ryan Thompson is averaging 14.7 points per game and Harris Mansell is at 13.7 points per game and is shooting .442 from three point range. members of the Metro Atlantic Conference.
ODU and Rider have met twice before. ODU defeated the Broncs, 87-66 in 1976-77 and 93-46 in 1985-86.
In ODU's East bracket is Virginia and Richmond who play Tuesday as well. In the west is Washington vs. Valparaiso and Nevada against Houston. In the South is UTEP against Utah and Tulsa against Miami-Ohio. The Midwest will have Bradley against Cincinnati and Ohio against Brown.
TICKET INFO - Tickets for the event go on sale today at 5 p.m. at www.COXTIX.com, at the Constant Center box office and by calling 1-888-3Coxtix. All tickets will be general admission, with ODU season ticket holders having preferred rights to their same seats. Tickets are $13 for adults, $9 for youth 17 and under, ODU faculty and staff, senior citizens and military, and $7 for groups of 20 or more. ODU students will be admitted free with a valid University I.D.
The arena gates will open at 6 p.m., and 5:30 p.m. for VIP level seating. ODU Big Blue Club and VIP hospitality areas will be open and members are asked to present the post-season ticket in their booklets for admission to these areas.
The winner of tomorrow's contest advances to play the winner of the University of Virginia vs. Richmond game on Monday, March 24.


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For information about how to create and configure data source pools, see the following procedures:
You can use DSCC to perform this task. For information, see Directory Service Control Center Interface and the DSCC online help.
Create one or more data source pools.
$ dpconf create-ldap-data-source-pool -h host -p port pool-name
Additional data source pools can be specified after the first pool-name. For information about how to modify the properties of a data source pool, see To Configure an LDAP Data Source Pool.
(Optional) View the list of data source pools.
$ dpconf list-ldap-data-source-pools -h host -p port
You can use DSCC to perform this task. For information, see Directory Service Control Center Interface and the DSCC online help.
View the properties of the data source pool by using this command syntax:
dpconf get-ldap-data-source-pool-prop -h host -p port [-M unit] [-Z unit] \ pool-name [property...]
In this command, -M and -Z refer to the units in which you want data to be displayed. The M option specifies the unit of time. The value for -M can be M, w, d, h, m, s, or ms, to represent months, weeks, days, hours, minutes, seconds, or miliseconds. The -Z option specifies the data size unit. The value for -Z can be T, G, M, k, or b, to represent Terabytes, Gigabytes, Megabytes, kilobytes, or bytes.
If you do not specify a property, all properties are displayed. The default properties of an LDAP data source pool are as follows:
client-affinity-policy : write-affinity-after-write client-affinity-timeout : 20s description : - enable-client-affinity : false load-balancing-algorithm : proportional
Configure the properties that are listed in Step 1.
$ dpconf set-ldap-data-source-pool-prop -h host -p port pool-name \ property:value
For information about how to configure the properties of a data source pool for load balancing and client affinity, see Chapter 21, Directory Proxy Server Load Balancing and Client Affinity.


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Nothing epitomizes summer cooking more than grilling; however, grilling can be very confusing. The more recipes, cookbooks and perspectives you encounter, the greater the diversity of opinion that arises.
When do you apply the barbecue sauce? Gas or charcoal? Flip the food only once or frequently? High heat or low heat? Dry rubs or marinades? Cover closed or open? It can drive you nuts. Let's check out the variables.
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Financial Resources
Perkins School of Theology offers an outstanding combination of spiritual, educational, and physical resources, enabling you to answer your call in a fully supportive environment. When choosing Perkins, the investment you are making in your future involves serious financial implications. We recognize the importance of this investment, and are prepared to work with you to make your seminary experience affordable.
Perkins provides some form of financial assistance to almost 75% of its students each year. Fellowships, scholarships, and grants are made possible because Perkins is committed to helping you answer God's call to ministry. Merit-based awards are also available in the form of fellowships and scholarships. A 3.2 cumulative grade point average or the equivalent is required of applicants for these awards. Perkins Tuition Grants and Annual Conference Grants are need-based awards.
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Explode patents. Freeze patents. Set patents on fire. Dissolve them in acid. But they'll fight back. A sidescrolling shooter inspired by the awfulness of patent illustrations.
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Air chief: UK should have RAF astronaut
Ballistic brylcreem boys for Blighty
The head of the Royal Air Force (RAF) has said the UK should have a manned space programme, and that his organisation should provide astronauts.
Flight International reports that Air Chief Marshal Sir Glenn Torpy expressed his views at a big dinner in London this week. The good marshal apparently felt that the lure of spaceflight might attract young people to a career in moustachioed aerial explosives delivery.
"I would like to see an RAF astronaut in the not-too-distant future," he said. "Space is an area where the UK needs more focus."
In countries which have manned space programmes, the traditional routes to astronaut status are a career as a military aviator - often a test pilot - or as an academic in a suitable discipline. NASA also recruits teachers, or "educator astronauts".
A British forces pilot has in fact trained as an astronaut: but he was from the Army Air Corps, not the crabs, and he never actually flew in space. Major Timothy Mace was chosen as understudy for Helen Sharman, the first British astronaut, who took a trip to Russia's Mir space station in 1991.
Thus far, the RAF's only - and rather tenuous - claim to space fame involves a British-born US astronaut, Dr Nick Patrick, who was taught to fly light aircraft by the air force reserves while at university in the UK*. He was persuaded to take an RAF flag into orbit with him on a shuttle mission last year.
In the USA, the air force doesn't have an especially high profile in the astronaut corps. Alan Shepard, the first American in space, and Neil Armstrong, the first man on the moon, were both navy men rather than being from the pastel-blue mob. Two of the most famous American astronauts of recent times, trenchcoated nappy-clad carpark scuffler Lisa Nowak and her erstwhile squeeze Bill Oefelein, are both naval officers. John Glenn, the only other astronaut whose name we can remember offhand, was a US Marine.
Britain has navy, army and even a few marine pilots too; so in fact, based on the US model, there seems no real reason why Blighty's future armed forces space-aces - if any - would be from the slug-balancers. No matter what air-marshal Torpy thinks.®
*The University Air Squadrons are a kind of free flying club run by the RAF at most UK universities. A fair number of their members go on to become RAF officers, but this isn't obligatory.


text: 31 Mar 2014 06:00 Talented hospitality professionals based in Morocco now have the opportunity to take their career high into the sky, by joining Etihad Airways' World's Leading Airline Cabin Crew. Moroccan nationals, interested in attending the recruitment day and joining the airline's award-winning team of cabin crew, food and beverage managers, and qualified inflight chefs, should register in advance by visiting etihad.com/careers. The recruitment day will take place in Casablanca on Tuesday, 8 April. It will offer applicants the opportunity to meet Etihad Airways' recruitment specialists who will provide comprehensive information about living in Abu Dhabi and the dynamics of working with guests at 30,000 feet. New cabin crew members undergo a seven-week training program, conducted at Etihad Airways' state-of-the-art Training Academy in Abu Dhabi. Aubrey Tiedt, Etihad Airways' Vice President Guest Services, said: "To support the rapid, dynamic expansion of Etihad Airways, we are delighted to host our recruitment drive in Morocco, a strategically important market for the airline. "We hope to attract and recruit individuals who are incredibly passionate and dedicated to deliver remarkable hospitality. "Our team hails from more than 110 nationalities and enjoy great career development opportunities commencing as a cabin crew, inflight chef or food and beverage manager and progressing to onboard leadership and management roles," Ms. Tiedt said. Nearly 400 Moroccan nationals currently work for Etihad Airways, including 243 cabin crew and five pilots. Cabin crew are all based in the vibrant and cosmopolitan city of Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates. Staff enjoy many benefits including medical insurance and housing support, in addition to access to a wealth of world-class leisure, sports and entertainment activities. Etihad Airways launched its services between Abu Dhabi and Casablanca in June 2006 and now flies daily to the Moroccan capital. Etihad Airways won the prestigious titles of World's Leading Airline, World's Leading First Class, and World's Leading Airline Cabin Crew at the World Travel Awards held in November 2013 in Doha, Qatar. Bize Ulaşın Tam anlamıyla uluslararası bir havayolu olarak, gerçekten küresel bir faaliyet ağına sahibiz. En yakın Etihad ofisi ile nasıl iletişim kuracağınızı öğrenin. İletişim bilgilerini görüntüleyin Geri bildirim Bize yorum, tebrik veya şikayetlerinizi göndermek ya da soru sormak isterseniz, lütfen buraya tıklayın Bizi Beğenin Facebook sayfamızı ziyaret edin! Bizi İzleyin YouTube kanalımızı ziyaret edin Bizi Takip Edin Etihad Havayolları | Etihad Kampanyaları | Etihad Yardım | Etihad Ödülleri


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Can this be the new look for the SF player. PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Just hit play.
Also, you can D/L two singles free ("Let the day begin" and "Returning") from BRMC's new album. They're really good, if you're into drums and guitar rock.
Cool Song Fight! related stuff people should make
Use this forum for title suggestions, bitching at moderators, whining about phpBB, and grand ideas that will solve all of Song Fight's problems.
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- Billy's Little Trip
- Odie
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Re: Cool Song Fight! related stuff people should make
I'll be posting something more significant to this thread soon, but for now I just realized that I already have a small dataset of songs, users, and song ratings sitting around, in the somesongs.org database. If any of you data nerds like fluffy or jast or Jim of Seattle want to hack on some recommendation engines, I'd be happy to export that stuff for you. It looks like I've got ~72k ratings of 3749 different songs by 907 different users. It's not much but it's something. Of course, many of the users aren't around to try out the recommendations and provide feedback, sadly, but there are probably other ways to estimate effectiveness.
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Rising from the ashes: U-M Medical School Student-Run Free Clinic reopens with funds from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Foundation and community
After devastating fire, and months in a temporary location, students and Faith Clinic partners open new location in downtown Pinckney to serve uninsured
Dec 04, 2013, 02:09 ET
DETROIT, Dec. 4, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- A free health care clinic run by University of Michigan medical students and faculty has reopened in a brand-new location in downtown Pinckney, months after a devastating fire ripped through the location it had shared with Faith Medical Clinic, a long-established safety net clinic.
Fueled by a $30,000 grant from the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Foundation, and an outpouring of more than $30,000 from the community, the U-M Medical School's Student Run Free Clinic (SRFC) has begun serving uninsured adult patients every Saturday afternoon from a newly renovated location at 103 E. Main St. in the Livingston County community. It shares the location with Faith Medical Clinic.
"The perseverance of our students, and their partners in the Faith Clinic, despite the tragedy that occurred in February, shows how dedicated they are to serving the community's health needs," says Hari Conjeevaram, M.D., the medical director of the SRFC and a professor of internal medicine at the U-M Medical School. "The support from the foundation, and from our many individual donors, including our own students and faculty, will make it possible to continue that mission."
The new BCBSMF grant matches funds raised by medical students since the fire. The funds are helping the SRFC pay for part of the cost of renovations at the new location, and operating expenses and supplies. The Faith Clinic is also a recipient of BCBSM's strengthening the safety net program funds, and broad community support.
In the months since the fire, both the SRFC and Faith Clinic have continued to serve patients from a temporary location – the former home of the Pinckney Community Library – but the new location is customized for their use.
"Of the more than 500,000 uninsured residents in Michigan, nearly half live below the poverty line," said Ira Strumwasser, Ph.D., executive director of the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Foundation. "Safety net clinics, such as the SRFC and Faith clinic, are crucial to residents without the coverage or money to pay for care desperately needed to stay healthy and manage chronic conditions. We applaud the work of these clinics and are committed to supporting their efforts to provide free and low-cost health care to those who need it most."
The SRFC gives students in their first years of medical school experience in running all aspects of a primary care clinic, under the supervision of volunteer physician advisors from the U-M Medical School faculty. This gives them exposure to patient care even before they reach the clinical training years of their medical education. They also confront first-hand the realities of health disparities.
Additionally, medical students in their third and fourth years of training experience first-hand taking care of patients and mentoring first- and second-year students.
Each Saturday afternoon, the medical students see adult patients for free, under the supervision of volunteer physician advisors from the U-M Medical School faculty. The Faith Clinic team sees patients at the same location on Thursday evenings and Saturday mornings.
The SRFC has also partnered with U-M School of Public Health students, who are conducting a needs assessment, and SRFC leaders are working with administrators at the U-M School of Dentistry and School of Nursing to find ways to collaborate in the future. Other U-M students will also participate in the clinic, helping patients understand the new insurance options available to them under the Affordable Care Act and Michigan's Medicaid expansion.
U-M medical students opened the SRFC as a pilot in April 2012 and fully in October 2012, to provide care for community members without insurance. Already, the clinic has handled over 400 patient visits for conditions including diabetes and high blood pressure, and has provided preventive care services including routine checkups and women's health services. More than 150 students and 25 faculty physicians have accumulated thousands of volunteer hours.
"We're inspired by the leadership and by the enthusiasm our students have brought to this important work," says Joseph Kolars, M.D., senior associate dean for education and global initiatives at the U-M Medical School.
After the fire, the students appealed to the U-M and Ann Arbor communities to donate – and their appeal was rewarded by more than $30,000 in donations, as small as a dollar and as large as $9,000.
The BCBSMF provided a matching grant of $30,000 as part of its commitment to broadening access of care throughout Michigan, especially for the vulnerable and poor. While these contributions have been instrumental to Faith Clinic and SRFC, the partners continue to seek donations to fund equipment, furniture, medical supplies, and ongoing operations to serve the community. Donations to support the clinic's efforts can be made online.
About Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Foundation
The Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Foundation is dedicated to improving the health of Michigan residents by supporting health care research and innovative health programs. The BCBSM Foundation's grant programs are conducted in Michigan by Michigan-based researchers and nonprofit community health care organizations.
Over the past 25 years, the BCBSM Foundation has contributed approximately $50 million in grants for research and $10 million for community health programs. This funding has resulted in enhancements to quality, patient safety and access to care for the people of Michigan. The foundation also supports efforts to control the rising costs of health care through research, demonstration and evaluation projects.
The BCBSM Foundation is the philanthropic affiliate of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. The foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. For more information, visit bcbsm.com/foundation.
For more company information, visit www.bcbsm.com and mibluesperspectives.com.
About the U-M Medical School
The U-M Medical School, established in 1850, is a key part of the University of Michigan Health System -- a national leader in advanced patient care, innovative research to improve human health and comprehensive education of physicians, health professionals and medical scientists. The 1,700 faculty physicians in the Medical School's Faculty Group Practice serve patients from every county in Michigan and other states and nations at the U-M Hospitals & Health Centers and the VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System. The Medical School has one of the largest biomedical research communities and budgets in the county, and leads innovation in medical and scientific education and training.
For more about the U-M Student Run Free Clinic, visit http://umhealth.me/um-srfc
For more about the Faith Medical Clinic, visit http://www.faithmedicalclinic.net/
SOURCE Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan


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text:
It's never too early to start planning for retirement. Knowing what strategies to employ at each phase of your retirement planning will help you develop an overall strategy that will work no matter what your age. With that in mind, BusinessNewsDaily asked three financial experts what workers should do before turning 40 to ensure they retire with enough savings.
Fix your plan and know your financial situation
Before thinking about retirement, all workers need to first understand their financial situation and, in particular, their financial obligations. Part of that understanding comes from knowing that financial plans may shift and change as you get older. For that reason, workers would be well served by amending any existing plans and continuing to monitor their financial situations as they get older.
"Too many people look at retirement as a subjective thing that is too far away and something they don't need to worry about now," said James Roberts, partner at Roberts and Taylor Wealth Management Group. "You need to plan for retirement the same way you prepare for a house, knowing you need a 20 percent down payment. Then you look at your budget and see what you need to save to reach it. If you do that, you will be more likely to [be able to] afford the house you want, and the same is true for retirement."
Roberts says people who either start or continue to save in their thirties must focus on establishing a pattern of good spending habits in order to reach their retirement goals.
"If you wait until later in life to form a plan, your financial spending habits have been determined for several decades at that point," said Roberts. "It is hard to teach an old dog new tricks. If you can change that behavior at 30 and spend the next 20 to 30 years focused on your retirement goals, you will be more likely to reach them."
Don't over-save
Saving may be crucial to retirement planning, but it is also possible to over-save. Even though over-saving may seem harmless, Kevin Bunkin, senior associate at Creative Financial Group, says the practice carries some pretty serious negative consequences.
"It is important to enjoy life, and it is harmful to set a goal that is not achievable," said Bunkin. "When you add on the expenses of life, such as raising a family and paying down a mortgage, you can really get into trouble if you over-save. People who over-save, quite frankly, may not be able to enjoy themselves because of their savings goals."
To combat over-saving, Bunkin suggests that all workers have a clear and, most importantly, reasonable view of retirement.
"It comes back to your vision of retirement," Bunkin said. "Everybody has to have a firm handle on where money is going. Everyone knows where the money is coming in from, but you also have to know where the money is going. Having a budget is crucial in that. Don't be afraid to extend retirement out a few years. The reality is that people are happy when they are productive."
Keep accurate records
Another crucial element of successful retirement planning is being able to track your progress. One way to do that is to keep accurate records of your finances and your financial situation.
"A habit to develop in mid-career is good record keeping," said Todd Tresidder, retirement coach and founder of FinancialMentor.com. "You want to run your finances like a business, because that's exactly what it is, a financial-management business. Maintain expense records showing how much you spend and where it all goes so that you know how much income you need to retire securely."
Not only will accurate records keep you organized in your retirement savings, but they will also help you keep a close eye on your investments, Tresidder says.
"Keep your investment records efficiently organized, and monitor the progress of your assets," said Tresidder. "Treat your money with the respect it deserves, and it will respect you back by sticking around and growing in your accounts."
Follow David Mielach on Twitter @D_M89 or BusinessNewsDaily @bndarticles. We're also on Facebook & Google+.


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Despite a cold front and snow flurries of snow Corinth City Commissioners met Feb. 7.
Most of the discussion centered on how to spend the approximately $52,000 remaining in the Marathon Drive project.
Mayor Billy Hill said he instructed Perfect-A-Waste to purchase seven air relief valves and also ordered three more Liberty brand sewage pumps and may order six or seven more of these. Hill said there is discussion of combining some of the pump stations.
"Having this left over money is a good problem to have, but (we) don't want to just throw money out there just to throw money away," Hill said.
He solicited members for any ideas they may have for potential problems in the sewer system the monies might be used toward repair/replacement.
Commission members also:
• Will review information from Kentucky's Department of Fish and Wildlife's proposal for Corinth Lake and then vote on it during the March meeting.
• Consider a request from the Corinth Fire Department for assistance in purchasing one or more items.
• Voted three-to-one to allow Fitness For Life Around Grant County (FFLAG) to use the city park building from noon to 1 p.m. Wednesdays during the Biggest Winner in April.
• Discussed Williamstown's extension of Broadband and fiber optic cable to the Corinth area. Completion is predicted for March/April; depending on the weather, etc. Hill said an informational concerning the project would be announced in the Grant County News and Express as soon as a date was selected.
• Approved Pete Whaley as the city's attorney. Whaley replaces April Gatlin who has moved.
• Appointed Paige Allen as Vice-Mayor for the commission.
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Dexter said he was approached about the position in California shortly after Thanksgiving, and felt the need to assist in the plant's turn-around.
"The plant is struggling, and there's a need for the organization to get that plant turned around. As an officer of this company, it's in my best interest to make sure the company is in a good spot everywhere," he remarked. "It's one of those hard decisions you have to make … I very much appreciate the company's confidence in me to be able to go out there and turn it around. I thought it would be a good challenge and a good career move for me to help stabilize the organization."
Dexter's last official day at the RBS plant is Thursday, February 7, which will allow him to spend some time with incoming plant manager Eric Solomon, who arrived on Monday, February 4.
Solomon comes to the Red Boiling Springs plant from Florida, where he has been serving Nestlé's two Florida plants for around 15 years.
"Eric's been with the company for a long time," Dexter said about his replacement. "He's held several positions within the two factories that he worked - from line resources to operations manager to technical manager. He's well versed, has a good technical base and knows a lot about the company and how we operate. I think this is a healthy move for this plant. This plant is on an upward trend, and I expect that he's going to be able to keep that going."
Dexter went on to say that he and Solomon share the same values when it comes to Nestlé's role in the community.
"In our numerous conversations, Eric has shared his belief in continuing Nestlé's tradition of being a good neighbor, and a steward of the community," he said.
Though Dexter is anxious to begin this new chapter in his career, the decision to leave Macon County, he says, has been bittersweet.
"One thing I've very thankful for is everybody in Macon County has really welcomed myself and my family," he said. "Not just on the business side of it, but also on the personal side of it. It was our first major move as a family, and it's been a great experience."
The Red Boiling Springs plant recently held a dinner for Dexter and his family, presenting him with a canvas portrait of the plant along with written messages from plant employees.
"It's tough for me to put into words the gratitude I feel for everybody," he stated. "We're going to miss it here, that's for sure."
The Macon County Chronicle would like to wish Tony, his wife Heather, and their children Daniel, Blaine, Annmarie, Krissa and Brittany, all the best in their new home in California.
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When literature student Anastasia Steele goes to interview young entrepreneur Christian Grey, she encounters a man who is beautiful, brilliant, and intimidating. The unworldly, innocent Ana is startled to realize she wants this man and, despite his enigmatic reserve, finds she is desperate to get close to him. Unable to resist Ana's quiet beauty, wit, and independent spirit, Grey admits he wants her, too-but on his own terms.
Shocked yet thrilled by Grey's singular erotic tastes, Ana hesitates. For all the trappings of success-his multinational businesses, his vast wealth, his loving family-Grey is a man tormented by demons and consumed by the need to control. When the couple embarks on a daring, passionately physical affair, Ana discovers Christian Grey's secrets and explores her own dark desires.
Erotic, amusing, and deeply moving, the Fifty Shades Trilogy is a tale that will obsess you, possess you, and stay with you forever.
Catalog ID: ENT13567
I didn't like this book for the characters or BDSM or the romance, or even the sex; only for the story. I can't recommend this, especially if you're new to erotica; this is not the kind of book you want your first experience to be. I don't recommend this to you even if you read a lot of erotica, either, because you probably won't be able to finish it. So I guess I don't recommend it to anyone.
I wouldn't recommend reading Fifty Shades of Grey unless you're fatally bored and have exhausted all other options. The mania over this book is mainly due to sexual repression, and it's only redeeming quality is that it may help people to realize it's okay to have and explore different sexual proclivities.
What a joke. I'm sure someone with more experience could have done an amazing job with this concept. Frankly, the character profiles are terrible and contradict themselves frequently. It is very difficult to read because it is absolutely atrociously written! People say she gets better as you continue, but I don't care. I'm not reading this to see her improvements. I can't help but get mad at how the author degrades Anastasia's personality faults like she does. Harsh? Maybe. True? Absolutely.
This book consumed a week of my life I'll never have back. It is an offensive collage of terrible writing, one-dimensional characters, and disturbing portrayals of dominant/submissive behavior. With a different jacket on the book, you may actually mistake Christian Grey for Patrick Bateman.
Not a bad read. I wouldn't say it's a complete abomination to the BDSM world. It's fun, it's fiction, it's fantasized. Grey becomes a romantic character that you want to love and hate. However, as someone who practices BDSM with my Dom, I simply can't give a higher rating to something that paints Doms and subs to be damaged or "abnormal." Grey truly isn't as 'extreme' as Anastasia's mind makes him out to be. This is a love story with whips and control involved and you can't expect much more.
Fifty Shades of Grey is the book everyone is talking about, mostly women, raving about how it has improved their sex lives with their partners. It was originally Twilight fanfiction. It has a mysterious male character, the guy that every woman wants and the lucky one that gets to be with him. There is mystery, suspense, kink, passion, a hint of love and a lot of sex. One should be aware though that this isn't an accurate description of why and how a BDSM relationship starts.
A mild bondage book with a good love story by an author who gets better every page. It just leaves some to be desired and doesn't live up to the hype.
Christian wants a BDSM relationship with Ana. Ana doesn't want the pain from the BDSM, but gets excited with some of the arrangments made between them. The couple eventually falls in love and work out an equal relationship between BDSM and vanilla sex.
After hearing about this novel for ages, I had to give it a try. It's not completely terrible, but I can see why many people will hate this took. The writing isn't that good, and it doesn't display BDSM relationships well. For those in vanilla relationships, though, they might like it. Me? It's okay, but I won't be re-reading it.
For someone who isn't a fan of romance novels but likes some good old fashioned erotica this book was a dud. For someone who does like romances this book may entertain but will not stand out. Unfortunately I was hoping this book would help make the BDSM lifestyle more understood but instead it seems to just feed into the stigma that those involved are somehow damaged.
If you can get past the concerns I mentioned, the story is engaging because of the innocence of Ana as Mr. Grey introduces her to a world she had known nothing about. Her character is headstrong, knows what she doesn't want, and likes to bargain with Mr. Grey, even though at first glance he is not one to bargain. Just because I have issues with the writing style, that doesn't mean the plot isn't enjoyable. Ultimately, fiction should be entertainment, and on this point it hits a home run.
This book has some info of the dom and sub life style I really didn't know so while Ana is looking it up so was I. I was somewhat as shocked as she was, and just like her I wanted to do it as well. Funny what we find out about ourselves from a book. This book can turn you on, over, and upside down all in one. And at the end it is leaving you wanting more.
I liked the fact that it got the word out about the BDSM Lifestyle, that this book is making "vanilla" people think about kink. However, I do not like the fact that this book is basically saying that if you live a BDSM Lifestyle, that you must have been damaged at some point. This is simply not true.
If you value your sanity, if you have even a shred of respect for actual books, if you've read anything more than a picture book explaining the differences between colors at the ripe age of five, give this offensive, problematic book wide berth. You can find far, far better erotica online, and for free.
Overall it was just okay. It was an easy read and could spark great conversations at the workplace, friends, or even a partner. It could cause the reader to examine their own sexual limits and maybe push them a bit further. Sadly, the female character is portrayed as weak, inexperienced, and at times, an unwilling participant in BDSM. The male character is portrayed as having some baggage, anger, stalker, and control issues that I just found more scary than erotic for most of the book.
Overall Fifty Shades of Grey was an okay book. It took me longer than a typical book to read, and I often found myself not even wanting to read it. I stuck it out and am now satisfied that I completed it. I was initially taken aback by some of the things that I was reading but only because I have no experience in any alternative lifestyles. I'm sure eventually I will finish the trilogy, but I have no burning desire to right now.
This book to me was great, in all honesty this book has major flaws but if you're just looking for a book to entertain you and consume you, not expecting a well written book then I say go for it, you'll love it, but if you're a novel reader or are expecting this to be some well written English literature style BDSM book, then don't waste your time or money. I enjoyed all three books and am looking forward to the movies, definitely worth the money.
I read this because of all the hype over it, but was a little disappointed. Its really wasn't all that great. If you're looking for a quick and easy read, try it out. If you're looking for insight on the BDSM world, keep looking.
Fifty Shades of Grey is a romance novel, and a pretty good one. Its primary appeal is to women who read romance novels. I did find some of it quite tedious and repetitive, on the whole I found it an easy read and mostly enjoyable. You will either love or hate this book. It's all about individual taste and opinion.
Although the hype surrounding it may excite you enough to run out to your local bookstore RIGHT NOW, I hope that you will reconsider. If you do read the book, I hope you will consider the fact that it does not accurately portray the BDSM lifestyle or relationships and take it at face value - a romance novel.
This is a great read! My roommate told me that she wasn't into it because she heard it was just all about sex, but it's not. Although 85% are sex scenes (which are great), the other part of the book is an amazing love story that will hook you!
"He grabs me suddenly and yanks me up against him, one hand at my back holding me to him and the other fisting in my hair. "You're one challenging woman," He kisses me, forcing my lips apart with his tongue, taking no prisoners. "It's taking all my self-control not to fuck you on the hood of this car, just to show you that you're mine, and if I want to buy you a fucking car, I'll buy you a fucking car," he growls."
Fifty Shades of Grey is a novel about a college student named Anastasia who gets introduced to some of the world of BDSM by an older and richer man. Although the book does have a lot of sex scenes, it was not intense enough for me and seemed to fit the genre of "romance" more so than "erotica".
This is a disappointing book, the story line is very thrown together without thought and erotica implies sex, but this book has very little sex in it,
If you enjoy a quick, first-date-to-engaged-in-under-a-month style of romance novel, this book is for you. Any Twilight fan will enjoy this plot. Experienced members of the BDSM community won't be able to prevent themselves from dissecting every scene and activity described in this poorly researched novel.
If you want a non-biased review of this book, from someone NOT in the BDSM community, here it is. This review is taking the book as it was meant to be: an erotic fiction, and nothing more.
As something that started out as a Twilight fanfiction, I hadn't expected this book to be great, but after hearing all the hype, I just had to read it myself. I'm definitely not the biggest fan. This book is about Anastasia Steele an innocent, plain girl who finds herself in a relationship with Christian Grey, a billionaire who just happens to be into BDSM. It poorly portrays a BDSM relationship, though and since Ana is so innocent and vanilla, she tends to say a lot of rude things about BDSM.
This is part one of a three-part series of poorly written BDSM novels. They follow an overpowering, control-freak millionaire and a weak, submissive, recent college graduate that engage in a Dom/sub relationship. The sexual inaccuracies and terrible characters will drive you crazy, but the glaring typos, misspelled words, and poor grammar may drive you crazy first.
Again I am going back to the hype that this caused... Clearly everyone, weather they admit it or not is infatuated by SEX. And Sex sells big time. So this woman wrote a story about crazy wild lovely sex and got published, I honestly think its awesome. Just wish it was written better. I give it a 4 of 5 because the first is my favorite so far.
This book made my Inner Goddess shake her head in disbelief. Though this is a book that someone could read that may be interested in a good fantasy. It is mostly a misrepresentation of BDSM. The erotic scenerios where very quick and not really all that arousing. A good book for someone who wants a good read and doesn't care about the facts.
This novel, Fifty Shades of Grey, had potential to be a great erotica series, but it fell flat due to a lack of editing and rushed writing.
If you're a practiced kinkster: don't bother with this book. You'll roll your eyes at it.
If you're a newbie to kink but curious: pick a book that is less likely give you bad information and scare the shit out of you.
If you're a raging feminist or queer: read the book just so you can throw stones at it
If you're none of the above: read it if you must, but withhold judgement
Overall, I'm pretty ambivalent about this book. The sex scenes were hot, and the main story line was actually pretty promising, so it was really just the execution that I found lacking. Would I recommend this book to others? Uhhh... Meh. I was curious about 50 Shades, so I picked it up and read it. Now I know what it's about. If you want to do the same, you're more than welcome to it.
If you want to know what all the fuss is about, pick yourself up a copy! I had to find out what all my friends were talking about; all of them were saying how hot and great this read was. I had to know, and I am happy I did. This is my twilight! I hear this book may be made into a movie, and I will be first in line. Team Grey all the way!
This book is interesting and stimulating and you just might learn something from reading it. While it could have been better written, it has gone the rounds of every female in the family from the 21 year old to the 75 year old and I have not heard one single male family member complain.
This is a great story, not the next great work of literature. Funny, dark, sexy...everything you need in a romance novel.
The characters are juvenile and shallow. The writing is weak and without revision. You have to be able to enjoy things on a very basic level without much deep probing and thinking to want to keep reading. It's not for me, but if your curiosity is there and you want to read it, then go for it. If you want to understand what it's about then Google it or read about it on Wiki and get the run down. Don't waste your money, borrow it from a friend that read it or go to the library.
Fifty shades of grey is (514 page) book about a complicated relationship, romance and sex. However it does put BD/SM in a negative light implying something is wrong with you if you live this way of life. This book is definitely geared toward women because it paints our dreams and sometimes unrealistic expectations in men.
If you are new to reading erotica, and particularly BDSM erotica, you will probably find 50 Shades of Grey enticing, although it is not that well written. But, if this is a genre you've read before, or if you have any real life experience in BDSM, it's sure to leave you frustrated and wanting more.
This book is like the saying your Mother or Father taught you as a child. "If everyone else jumped off a bridge, would you do it too?" Yes, I just compared reading 50 Shades of Grey to jumping off a bridge. Just because your friends are doing it, doesn't mean you should too. If you do, you will be equally as hooked on the story as your friends.
A book that has BDSM themes abounding that is accepted by mainstream society. This book has broken a barrier in society and has an engaging plot and characters that you are interested in. If you do enjoy the first, make sure the second volume is close by, the book does end on a cliffhanger. Overall, a good book that brings sex & BDSM into the mainstream.
Do not start reading this book expecting much, the sex is pretty generic romance and there's a lot of areas that could have been much better.
Do not read this book. It is a waste of time. I did hear the other books were better, but I am not wasting the time reading them to find out!
If you can overlook the juvenile writing style, Fifty Shades of Grey is truly a beautifully written love story. Despite the repetition, the sex scenes are sexy, romantic and even a little kinky. Being unfamiliar in the world of BDSM, I thought the BDSM aspect was pretty tame and there was never a point where I wanted to stop reading. I honestly wish the more conservative would look past the 'dangerous' aspect of this story and really look to seeing that this is a great story of redemption.
This book opened me up to the nature of a Dominate/submissive relationship. I found it erotic and making me wish I had this kind of relationship. I want my own Mr. Grey. If you know him, send him my way!
If you're looking for something different than your regular romantic novels, give this a try. It might open up your mind to something new that you might just enjoy.
Whereas Fifty Shades of Grey is by far not the best written book ever released, it is by far not the worst. Yes the characters are unbelievable and it is based on a fan fiction but it makes for a great lazy summer read. One of the best things about the book is just how amazingly bad it is; the main character uses the phrase "inner goddess" at least 36 times in the first book alone. The book is not going to be winning the Pulitzer Prize anytime soon but it is a good way to waste an afternoon.
This book is pretty hit or miss. The sex is hot, but the writing is not. It could be a fun vacation read, but don't expect major literary value.
Besides all the other things that are horrible in terms of plot and character development, this text is just poorly written. It isn't worth a breath or an eye banter, and it should not be recommended to anyone else when there is so much more available. I wish I could give half stars.
Never have I read the word 'Crap' so many times in an erotic novel. In all seriousness, though, please do yourself a favor and skip this book. It's badly written. Just because a novel is 'erotic' in theme, doesn't mean format and effort have to go out the window. This novel lacks plot. It lacks real, deep characters. It lacks a thesaurus. Skip it. It's 'Crap'.
I would recommend this book for anyone that loves erotic novels. It has a few downfalls, but all in all, if you really like to read, then you should have no problems finishing it quickly.
Overall this wasn't a waste of time for me. I thought the story was developed well and the characters (apart from originally being the Twilight fan-fiction it was) were well developed and thought through. The ending was a shocker, which I was pleased with. At time it could lose my interest but could also very quickly grab it again.
This book is the best one I have read in a long time. Ana and Mr. Gray have an up-down relationship, but u can tell they have love for each other even if Ana is like a deer in head lights.
A love story with a little kink, though I think it is poorly written, is still intoxicating to read. You get so wrapped up in the world of Christian Grey and Anastasia Steele you forget about the repeating lines. You are held on by the steamy sex scenes and the growing relationship.
If you like Twilight, stop reading my review and just go read the book. Nothing I say should stop you from reading this book; you'll like it. If you're still reading, I think there is a large demographic of people who are not that comfortable with their own bodies and sexuality, who have trouble expressing their thoughts and feelings about sex. This book might help them expand their horizons, but if you can use the word vagina I would say look for something better.
I was a little disapointed with how the author portrays the BDSM lifestyle. In real life the Dom/me would talk to the sub a lot more about what he wanted of her. He would show her how things needed to be, and then start laying the ground rules for what they were going to do. To me it read like a romance with a little kink thrown in to the mix.
Oh, my, my! Christian Grey, you can have your way with me. I loved this book, it was over too soon for me. Can't wait to finish the other two books.
I am only on Chapter 18 right now, but at the rate it is going, and from what I've read so far, I will more than likely give the other two books a try. I just wish that the girl had a little more confidence. Honestly, I feel like any woman should try and get what they feel they deserve, not just wait for it to happen. I know that has nothing to do with the sexuality of the story, but then again, there is always something sexy about a confident woman.
The style of writing is different, you either love it or hate it, but it is worth reading at least once!
If you enjoy long romance novels, dont care to much about the story being believable, and can over look bad writting, it is a great book.
Fifty Shades of Grey is a good introduction to erotica and/or BSDM-type novels. It is an entertaining read, if you can look past the poor writing.
There isn't a downside to buying this book. I have introduced it to my sisters and even my mother and they have all loved it. Some find it romantic, while others, including myself, just find it sexy. The characters are likeable, if not frustrating at times, but if they weren't, then they wouldn't be relatable, which is what makes a book worth reading.
Exciting and fun read! Heavy erotica mixed with an awesome love story! The book helped add spice and give ideas in the bedroom. Very easy and quick read once you get started. It is not a discreet cover, and a larger book, so keep it hidden from children or those you may not want to see it. Worth the time and money!
If you're looking for a sexy, fun read either alone or with your partner, this is a great choice. It may not be spot-on details-wise, but I don't think you'll be complaining.
After all the hype, I finally purchased the book and it's very good. If you like dirty, naughty, sexy books, I suggest you read this.
If you enjoy reading erotica, Fifty Shades of Grey is worth your time. If you want to over-analyze everything, don't bother - you will be very disappointed with this book.
Overall I found the book to be worth my time. Not worth a second read though so if you can get a deal on it, I recommend it.
Also: I wouldn't get this product used or from the library. Books go through a lot and you hold them for hours...
I really did enjoy reading the first book in this installment, it was sexy, had good potential, gave me new ideas to freak things up in the sack... and most importantly... got my engine running. I could not put this book down!
For me this was a quick read book, nothing too spectacular but not bad. I think there has been too much hype over this book and therefore, was a letdown to me.
If you're wanting to start BDSM or are an active dominator, you'll love this book! Have fun with this book as it's intriguing and is fun to read as you get further and further in this book. It's a great erotica book and you'll be glad to have bought it, and the good thing about this series is that they're talking about making it into a movie.
Book one opens your mind and sets you up for books two and three. It had me pretty excited and daydreaming about the things I could do with my husband.
The erotic bits did their job, so I can let them help me somewhat overlook the rest of the poorly-written book, but I cannot get over Grey's stalking and Anastasia's self issues. However, since I didn't fully hate it, I'm willing to give Book Two in the series a try.
For E. L. James' first book, this isn't very bad. I can admit I was stuck for a little while, but this book is very interesting. I would recommend it to my friends.
This is not the book for you if you are interested in BDSM. The book definitely does not portray that well at all. If you have nothing better to do, it won't kill you (don't quote me on that) to read it.
Once you get to the action of the book, you just won't be able to put it down. Well, unless you aren't that excited.
I personally did not find the book to be as much of a hype as friends had made it out to be. However, I am more into the kinky side of sex already. I can see it being a big deal for those who have vanilla sex (a term that I had learned in the book meaning casual sex). This book will definitely make your panties wet or give you a stiff one. The text of the book is quite large. Unfortunately, you will get through the book pretty fast, due to this so you're best off to buy all three at once.
This book is definitely worth buying just for the experience of the author's creativity. It has a great story and experiences that you can only imagine!