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Weekly Standard's Bill Kristol: "I'm Looking For An Independent Candidate" -- Trump "Likes Rapists"
Video ››› ››› MEDIA MATTERS STAFF
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The editor of one of the conservative establishment's most influential magazines is now lashing out at the nation's most prominent right-wing newspaper editorial board over whether conservatives should run a third-party candidate if Donald Trump is the Republican presidential nominee.
With Trump on the verge of clinching his party's nomination, the conservative movement is in shambles. Dozens of right-wing commentators have come forward to say that they will never vote for Trump, either due to his bigotry and authoritarian tendencies or because of his alleged progressive positions. Those conservatives have said they will stay home, vote for the Democratic candidate, or support a third-party candidate.
Bill Kristol, the editor of the Weekly Standard and a prominent conservative activist who bears significant responsibility for Sarah Palin ending up on a national ticket, is part of that faction. In February, he said that he "would try to recruit a real conservative" to run an independent campaign if Trump became the Republican nominee.
But a large group of conservatives are either openly rooting for the New York businessman or have come to terms with the likelihood that he will be their party's standard-bearer.
The Wall Street Journal's editorial board joined that final group this morning, with a piece criticizing any effort to enlist a third-party candidate (Rupert Murdoch, the paper's owner, has said that the party would be "mad not to unify" around Trump). The editors write:
Readers know our doubts about Mr. Trump, on policy and as an autumn candidate. His nomination still isn't guaranteed, and the polls show him badly trailing Mrs. Clinton, despite her many flaws. Third-party advocates say the right candidate would give conservatives an honorable alternative to Trump-Hillary. They say a third-party candidate could win enough states to throw the election into the House of Representatives, which would then presumably choose the non-Trump Republican.
This isn't impossible, but then again it almost never happens. The usual presidential result is that the party that splinters hands the election to the other, more united party.
The editors conclude that a third-party conservative candidate would be devastating to the party's House and Senate candidates: "[D]ueling presidential candidates would put House and Senate Republican candidates in a perilous spot. Do they support Mr. Trump or the third-party conservative? If they are forced to choose, they could alienate enough GOP voters to ensure defeat."
Hours later, Kristol threw down the gauntlet at the Journal. Pointing to Trump's "crazed" comments this morning linking Sen. Ted Cruz's father to the assassination of John F. Kennedy, Kristol declared that "serious people, including serious conservatives, cannot acquiesce in Donald Trump as their candidate."
Kristol savaged the Journal for prioritizing "political prudence," concluding that regardless of the political implications, "Donald Trump should not be president of the United States. The Wall Street Journal cannot bring itself to say that. We can say it, we do say it, and we are proud to act accordingly."
The Journal and Kristol may both be right: Giving conservatives no choice but to support Trump in the general election may be better for the party's congressional candidates (though it also makes it impossible for them to distance themselves from their incredibly unpopular nominee). But supporting Trump in spite of what the Journal gingerly describes as their "doubts" about his candidacy is quite obviously an act of raw political cowardice.
It's only May, and the looming Trump candidacy is already dividing even the establishment's stalwarts. Who knows what the next six months will bring. But it will surely be fun to watch from the outside.
As Political Journalists Say Contested Convention Needed To Stop Trump, Conservatives Call For Unity Ticket
Political journalists are declaring that the only way now to prevent Trump from winning the Republican presidential nomination after his Super Tuesday victories is to have a contested Republican National Convention, in which delegates would vote by secret ballot to determine the nominee, rather than choosing the candidate they were originally pledged to support. Meanwhile, right-wing media figures are reacting to Trump's success by suggesting a joint ticket featuring Sens. Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Marco Rubio (R-FL) to stop Trump.
Donald Trump's momentum toward capturing his party's nomination for president has sparked a civil war within the conservative movement. Numerous right-wing commentators are vowing not to vote for Trump even if he's the Republican nominee, and some have pledged to back potential Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.
Right-Wing Media: If Trump Gets Nomination, "The GOP In Its Current Form Ends"
Right-wing media figures lamented Donald Trump's primary success, after he won the majority of Republican primary contests on Super Tuesday. Their attacks against the front-runner follows a New York Times report on the formation of the "Our Principles" political action committee, a right wing PAC devoted to a "full-fledged campaign against Donald J. Trump."
With Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton facing a barrage of criticisms over the tone of her voice during a recent speech, Media Matters looks back at the rampant sexism she faced from the media during her 2008 presidential bid.
Conservative pundits are bickering over Donald Trump's campaign, especially after National Review's "Against Trump" issue and the backlash it engendered. On one side are pundits who want to stop Trump's candidacy in its tracks. On the other are conservatives who are lauding Trump's candidacy, even if they have not officially endorsed him. Media Matters breaks down exactly who is on which side (click for the full-sized image):
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The influential conservatives who penned essays for National Review urging voters not to cast their ballots for Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump have their own histories of extremism. They have called President Obama a "racist" with a "deep-seeded hatred for white people" and compared him to a "skinny, ghetto crackhead"; termed Supreme Court Justice David Souter a "goat fucking child molester"; reportedly "helped push" Sarah Palin onto the 2008 GOP presidential ticket; and offered inflammatory Islamophobic comments.
National Review And 22 Conservative Media Personalities Call Trump A "Philosophically Unmoored Political Opportunist"
The conservative National Review Online (NRO) released a comprehensive feature of conservatives attacking current GOP front runner Donald Trump, highlighting the divisive 2016 Republican primary season. National Review editors and right-wing personalities such as Glenn Beck, Bill Kristol, and Erick Erickson criticized Trump as a "philosophically unmoored political opportunist" and "the very epitome of vulgarity."
The New York Times highlighted an effort by National Review's editor to persuade other "conservative thinkers" to speak out against Republican presidential front runner Donald Trump.
A January 21 New York Times article revealed that National Review editor Rich Lowry was persuading "conservative thinkers" such as "Erick Erickson, William Kristol and Yuval Levin" to "lend their names to the manifesto against Mr. Trump." The Times article continued, explaining how Lowry has urged conservatives to "write essays buttressing the argument that Mr. Trump has no commitment to restraining the role of government and possesses authoritarian impulses antithetical to conservative principles." Further, the article highlighted that Republicans "can live with Mr. Cruz" despite "believing that his nomination would leave the party divided, but manageably so" unlike Trump who "poses the most serious peril to the conservative movement since the 1950s-era John Birch Society":
The Republicans who dominate the right-leaning magazines, journals and political groups can live with Mr. Cruz, believing that his nomination would leave the party divided, but manageably so, extending a longstanding intramural debate over pragmatism versus purity that has been waged since the days of Barry Goldwater and Nelson Rockefeller. They say Mr. Trump, on the other hand, poses the most serious peril to the conservative movement since the 1950s-era John Birch Society.
Rich Lowry, editor of National Review -- embracing the role of his predecessor, William F. Buckley, who in the 1950s confronted the Birch Society members -- has reached out to conservative thinkers to lend their names to the manifesto against Mr. Trump. He has drawn some of the country's leading conservatives, including Erick Erickson, William Kristol and Yuval Levin, to write essays buttressing the argument that Mr. Trump has no commitment to restraining the role of government and possesses authoritarian impulses antithetical to conservative principles.
Lowry's effort to stop Trump comes as Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) has been gaining heavy support from right-wing talk radio, which acts as his best line of defense during Trump-hailed attacks. In turn, Cruz parrots smears and talking points originating from far-right media figures, while showering them with praise.
During the December 15 Republican presidential debate, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) again backed away from his support of comprehensive immigration reform in 2013, saying his opinion changed with that of the American people. However, polling data suggests that Americans consistently favored comprehensive immigration reform, the Republican Party sabotaged immigration reform, and Rubio faced extreme backlash from right-wing media causing him to change his position.
Media figures across the ideological spectrum are condemning Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump's proposal to ban Muslims from entering the United States, calling it "dangerous," a violation of the First Amendment, and "fascistic." Trump's proposal builds on previous calls from Republican presidential candidates Ted Cruz and Jeb Bush to exclude Muslim Syrian refugees from entering the United States.
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Ever since oil was found in Iraq nearly a century ago, there has been a battle to control the most important commodity the country has known. In the beginning, the struggle over oil played out between foreign or colonial powers. Then when the Iraqi oil industry was finally nationalised in the early 1970s, the struggle for control of the oil industry became internal. Today it dominates domestic politics.
Ever since the government of the semi-autonomous region of Iraqi Kurdistan, in the north of the country, decided to come up with its own version of oil and gas laws in 2006 and 2007, the Kurdish and the Iraqi federal government in Baghdad have been on a collision course.
The Kurdish formulated their own laws because they were largely frustrated by the federal government's inability to come up with such a law and to start to develop the oil industry. Iraqi Kurdistan then began to negotiate contracts with international oil companies and to move on without Baghdad's explicit approval.
Since then the powers-that-be have been deadlocked, with neither side willing to compromise. Baghdad is refusing to recognise contracts made by the Kurdish region and threatens to blacklist international companies operating there. In return the Kurdish halted oil exports from out of their region.
In fact, it is only relatively recently that the Kurds have been able to control the oil under their own feet – and it is hard to imagine they would ever give up those rights, especially now that huge companies like Exxon Mobil and other major oil companies are lining up to do business in the region.
Meanwhile the policy that Iraq's central government in Baghdad is pursuing, with regard to the Kurdish region, is not particularly realistic. It's outdated and it is hard to understand why Baghdad hasn't yet worked out that the Kurds will not let them dictate Kurdish oil policy or control Kurdish oil revenue.
Comments made by Abdul Mahdi al-Ameedi, head of the federal Ministry of Oil's contracts and licensing department, in the online industry portal, the Iraqi Oil Forum, indicate Baghdad's current opinions on the matter.
*Production sharing contract* An agreement between a government and an oil company that says they both share in production costs. The contractor typically pays for exploration, development and production costs of an oil field. They will eventually get their money back because of an agreement made about how much of the oil revenue they will be paid. While an oil company takes on more risk and financial burden here (say, if the oil is not found), they may also benefit from higher revenues once the oil starts flowing.
Asked if production sharing contracts, or PSCs as they are also known, were problematic, he replied that: "the state considers that production-sharing contracts are illegal and unconstitutional since the Iraqi constitution stipulates that oil and gas in Iraq is the property of the Iraqi people. Since a PSC gives foreign companies the right to a portion of the production under the form of profit oil, they are considered in contravention [of] the current constitution."
Judging by al-Ameedi's comments, Baghdad seems to be doing what it can to make PSCs that Iraqi Kurdistan signed, look illegitimate. Not because they think PSCs are a bad idea or because they are less value for money for Iraq. Rather, they are bringing the Iraqi Constitution into it as a way of putting political pressure on Iraqi Kurdistan, to try and prevent the Kurds from moving any closer to making disputed territories like Kirkuk part of their own semi-autonomous region and to try and reduce the percentage of the Iraqi federal budget that the Kurdish region currently receives.
Baghdad has realised that trying to take charge of the oil in some of the disputed territories - those areas that the Kurdish say belong to Iraqi Kurdistan but which Baghdad consider part of Iraq proper - is also beyond its reach.
So instead, they're going for damage control and trying to prevent the Kurds from entering into international deals in those disputed territories. And they have good reason. Because while Baghdad tries to wring concessions out of the Kurdish with arguments about PSCs being illegal, the Kurdish themselves are teasing Baghdad by granting licenses for oil work on the very borders of the disputed territories, including in some blocks where borders are not as clear or overlapping.
Although the Kurdish regional government has explicitly said that it won't grant any licenses in disputed territories, there are still question marks over several exploration blocks – including two that major international Exxon Mobil is contracted for.
Last November Exxon Mobil dropped a bombshell on Baghdad, announcing they had signed contracts with the Kurdish for six exploration blocks. Exxon Mobil already operates in southern Iraq and despite numerous warnings from Baghdad, the multinational went ahead and signed anyway. After complaints from the Iraqi government Exxon Mobil then apparently sent two letters to Baghdad promising to freeze its Kurdish activities. However evidence on the ground suggests otherwise.
Basically Baghdad has been mostly powerless – the most they have been able to do has been to exclude Exxon Mobil from bidding for oil contracts this May, a fourth bidding round that it appears Exxon Mobil was not much interested in anyway.
And while the Kurdish won't budge on the topic, they will happily continue to take their 17 percent share of the federal budget. Most of Iraq's national income is generated by oil revenues and currently, most of Iraq's oil is produced in southern Iraq, in places like Basra. Many Iraqi politicians have already argued that the Kurdish are getting an unfairly large share of the country's income even while they're not contributing, having stopped their own oil exports in early April
Still, the Kurdish themselves might argue that they're still exporting oil because of what is coming out of Kirkuk, a disputed territory that they believe is part of Iraqi Kurdistan. In April, Kirkuk's oil exports came to almost 400,000 barrels per day; Basra is exporting over 2 million barrels per day.
The northern Iraqi city of Kirkuk has actually been one of the flash points of this struggle, over the last four decades.
During former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein's regime, the Kurdish population was driven out of Kirkuk so that Arab Iraqis could control the oil rich area. After Hussein was removed in 2003, Article 140 of the Iraqi Constitution was formulated to remedy this so-called "Arabisation". This includes a census to determine the demographic makeup of the area's population and then finally, a referendum to determine the status of disputed territories. Obviously if a census and referendum are used, then whether a disputed territory is home to mainly Kurds or mainly Arabs will have an effect on who can lay claim to it.
And in Kirkuk a census should have been taken already, with the city's fate decided by its inhabitants. But an unwilling Iraqi central government and lacklustre Kurdish authorities have failed to make this happen.
Today Kirkuk remains largely Kurdish and the government of Iraqi Kurdistan claims it belongs to them. Although legally it belongs to Baghdad, currently the city is, in fact, under the de-facto control of the Kurdish government.
Which makes any oil deals here difficult. For example, oil giant BP was reported to have been in talks with Iraq's federal government regarding a short term contract to boost oil production in Kirkuk. But the plan was a non-starter from the outset because nobody had asked the Kurdish authorities, who are really in charge in the city. A politically sensitive deal like this would require broad consensus.
Even though Kirkuk, with one of the largest and most prolific oil fields in the world, has been producing oil from early on, the city's residents are yet to reap the benefit of these riches. With rundown buildings and littered streets, Kirkuk epitomises the sorry state of the power struggle over the nation's oil.
Iraqi oil exports are on the rise and could promise a new prosperity for a nation badly in need of it. If Kurdish oil were added to the flow, then that increase could be even higher. But the policies being pursued by Baghdad, which fail to acknowledge the entrenched reality in Kurdistan, only serve to deepen distrust in this divided land. And the longer the deadlock continues, the more expensive it is for oil companies to operate in Iraqi Kurdistan and the more difficult it is, to secure funding for new oil industry projects there.
It is hard to take the politics out of oil or vice versa. But decisions relating to the oil industry and attempts to maximise its potential must be based on the commercial interests of the country. Currently oil issues are highly politicised in Iraq – so there can only be further confrontation.
If the current impasse continues, Iraqi Kurdistan will continue to try and look elsewhere to sell its oil and the rest of Iraq will remain resentful that the Kurdish still benefit from funds, from oil produced outside of the Kurdish region.
And while PM al-Maliki keeps centralising power, leaving most of Iraq's other political groups feeling marginalised, the Kurdish are only becoming more stubborn: they see oil as the only tool they have left with which to exert any influence.
Yes, it is easy to understand the points that both sides in this tussle have to make. But Baghdad's failure to accept reality and the Kurdish inability to compromise is only set to make both sides drift further apart.

subset: commoncrawl


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The "dirty thirty's"
Dark at Noon
Both my maternal and paternal grandparents were farmers. Both farmed small to moderate acreages; both also raised cattle, hogs, chicken and anything else that could be sold for a profit. And both lived through the "dirty thirty's" and were forever affected by that experience.
Long past the "dirty thirty's", I remember them scanning the sky for a glimpse of a rain cloud and being excited when the rain gauge measured any amount of moisture. One Grandpa made the same comment every time he took a drink of the cool beverages brought out to the field during harvest, "People just don't know how important water is." Another Grandma fought a lifelong battle against the dust that blew into the house from gravel roads, open areas, harvested fields and wished the shelterbelt of newly planted trees would grow faster and become a block to the wind and the dust it moved.
This past week I was returning from a First Aid training (a whole separate blog story about that experience!) and encountered a mini-version of what so greatly impacted my grandparents. In the midst of the Red River Valley, the flattest, least horizon obstructed area of ND, the wind was moving our ND topsoil up and out and over to MN. Vehicle operators turned their highlights on; some semi drivers pulled over and others towing campers should have. As I counted the posts along the edge of the Interstate, I realized that visibility was down to about half a mile and even the tight seals on the modern vehicle I was steering could not keep the dust out. I could see it on the dashboard and taste it on my lips. After a super dusty thirty miles, the gusts diminished, the view cleared and the ground stayed in place.
I wondered if owners of the land that was losing layers to the wind had been out watching their property during the wind storm or if they had waited til all was over to survey the damage. I wondered my grandparents would have said it was a bad storm or not as bad as others or if they would again scan the skies for rain.


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The primary mission of the Department of Business Administration is to provide degree and certificate candidates the opportunity to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary for transfer and career success. Our degree programs are accredited by the Accreditation Council For Business Schools and Programs which attests to our high standards and excellence in teaching. Along with our degree and certificate programs the Department of Business Administration offers co-curricular activities that assist students in achieving their academic, personal and career goals.
This page developed and maintained by the Business and Professional Studies Department. Send comments and suggestions to firstname.lastname@example.com .


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Would you pay US$50 for a cup of elephant dung coffee?
Civet dung coffee? Old news. The big story these days is coffee made with beans that have been pooped out by elephants.
At least that's the claim of Thailand's Anantara hotels, which refines its own beans at its massive elephant camp behind its Golden Triangle resort in Chiang Rai. (More on that below.)
"Research indicates that during digestion, the enzymes of the elephant break down coffee protein," says the resort in a release. "Since protein is one of the main factors responsible for bitterness in coffee, less protein means almost no bitterness."
More on CNN: The Korean godfather of charcoal-roasted coffee
But bitter-free coffee comes with a price. Black Ivory, as elephant dung coffee is called, retails at US$1,100 per kilo -- or $50 a cup -- making it one of the most expensive cups of Joe in the world.
In comparison, civet poop coffee -- which is made with the same concept: animal eats coffee, digestion breaks down the protein -- retails for about US$500-600 per kilo, or US$30 a cup.
For now, Black Ivory is only available at Anantara's four resorts in the Maldives, in addition to the group's Golden Triangle resort in northern Thailand.
Beans handpicked from elephant dung
Anantara says the process begins by selecting top Thai Arabica cherries -- the beans are inside -- that have been picked at an altitude of 1,500 meters. The elephants willingly eat them, before they're digested and then excreted, as nature dictates.
The individual beans are handpicked by the camp's mahouts (elephant trainers) and their wives, then dried in the sun.
Refinement of the coffee takes place at Anantara's Golden Triangle Asian Elephant Foundation (GTAEF), a camp set on the grounds of the resort.
The foundation has, to date, rescued 30 street elephants along with their mahouts and families. Eight percent of all coffee sales will be donated to GTAEF.
More on CNN: The Ferrari of coffee machines
The obvious question to come out of all this: isn't it dangerous to get a bunch of elephants hooked on caffeine?
Anantara's director of elephants, John Roberts, addressed the issue in a recent blog post, saying he was initially concerned with the idea, wondering "what on earth are we going to do with 26 wired elephants -- or, on the flip side, like me before the old ristretto each morning, what are we going to do with 26 extremely bad-tempered elephants who haven't had their coffee on the days when there is none?
"Well, I learned ... that for caffeine to be bought out of a coffee bean you need to heat it to above 70 C."
Would you pay US$1,100 for a kilo of coffee just to get rid of the bitterness? Ever tried civet poop coffee? Share your caffeine-related comments in the box below.


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ISLAMABAD: President Mamnoon Hussain on Thursday has promoted Vice Admiral Zakaullah to the rank of Admiral and appointed him the Chief of Pakistan Navy on the advice of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
Admiral Zakaullah is expected to assume command of the Pakistan Navy on October 7 at the Navy Headquarters in Islamabad.
The outgoing Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Asif will hand over the command to him.
The practice of appointing naval chiefs from amongst the Vice Admirals has been scrupulously followed by all governments.
Earlier in 2011, Sandila was promoted to the rank of Admiral and appointed Chief of the Naval Staff.


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The basics of geocaching are inspiring in their simplicity. A geocacher hides a geocache and challenges others to find it. That's it. And it's easy to unlock the joy of geocaching when you discover clever hides and share the adventure with good friends. Becoming a great geocacher is all about remembering the little things. If you follow these five quick steps every time you geocache, you'll be ready for Geocaching stardom.
1) Bring a Pen – There are few rules in geocaching. But one rule is that you need to sign the logbook. Always pack a pen to make sure you're ready to sign your Geocaching username, the date, and leave a note.
2) Leave No Trace – Be kind to the geocaching game board (which is the entire world). Make sure to Cache In Trash Out (CITO) when you geocache. Pick up litter along the way and leave geocaching locations free of trash.
3) Write a Great "Found it" or "Didn't find it" Log – When you find a geocache, or even when you don't find a geocache, make sure to share the spirit of adventure. Write a log detailing the geocaching journey for the geocache owner and for other geocachers.
4) Put the Geocache Back Where and How You Found it – It's tempting. You ask yourself, "Wouldn't the geocache be better hidden if it were just over there?" Resist the temptation. The geocache owner placed the geocache at a specific location for a reason and will need to find the geocache when it needs maintenance or when other geocachers need help finding the geocache.
5) Move Trackables Along – If you remove a Trackable, like a Travel Bug ®, from a geocache make sure to post a "retrieved" log and move the Trackable along to another geocache as soon as possible.
These five steps will have you rocking the geocaching world in no time. What geocaching tips would you add? Post your thoughts in comments below. Oh, and don't forget a 6th step: repeat steps 1 – 5 often!


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Ducks with Green Heads
What first occurs to your mind when one says "to waddle"? Usually: waddling ducklings following their mothers.
Ducks have two techniques they use to feed themselves. While swimming, without plunging underwater, some of them feed on insects and plants. You often see them searching for food, with their head and half of their bodies underwater. Some kinds of ducks, on the other hand, search for food by diving underwater. Their wide webbed feet help them to dive underwater but are not good for walking on land. That is why they only leave the water occasionally, except in the breeding season.
Water fowl such as ducks have air in their bodies. This is one of the reasons they float on the surface of the water. In the duck's body, there exist air sacs that look like tiny balloons. When these sacs are filled with air, they help the duck to float. When the duck wants to dive, it pumps the air out of the sacs and readily dives under the water since less air remains in its body.
These aside, most water fowl are good swimmers. The web between their toes is one of the reasons for this. When they push one foot back, these webs broaden to provide a better pushing force. Of course, it is not a coincidence that all these features required for good swimming exist in water fowl. All these features have been granted water birds by Allah, the Creator of all living beings.
Drakes, the male ducks, always have brighter feathers than female ducks. This is an important protection for the female ducks because they incubate the eggs in their nests, since, thanks to their pale colours, predators cannot see them. Their pale colours being quite suitable for camouflage, female ducks cannot be seen even at close range. The bright feathers of drakes, on the other hand, attract the predator's attention to them.
When a predator comes close to the nest, the drake takes wing and makes a great deal of noise, making a serious effort to keep the predator away from the nest.
Adult ducks, who stroll in groups, occasionally take care of their babies. Drakes do not incubate. Just a few hours after the ducklings emerge from the eggs, they begin to swim and feed on their own. The newly hatched ducklings know how to feed themselves and to survive, by Allah's inspiration to them.
Think about yourself. What would happen if you were allowed in the water as soon as you were born? Without doubt, as soon as you gulped enough water you would die of suffocation. But, since our Lord has granted ducklings the ability to swim at birth, they don't drown.
Do you know that ducks fly at a speed of 50 kilometres (31 miles) per hour? Do you also know that they avert wild animals by continuously changing their direction? Well, can anyone tell how ducks know to change their direction? Surely, as in the cases of the features Allah granted all other living beings, this is also a feature given to ducks by Allah.


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OXENFORD, Australia — Angelina Jolie was ready to step behind the cameras again. Her directing debut, "In the Land of Blood and Honey," hadn't been a box-office or critical hit, but making the 2011 Bosnian war drama had fueled her desire to become a filmmaker. So Jolie started looking for a follow-up movie, knowing she had to choose carefully.
"I was very nervous," Jolie said about transitioning from acting into directing. "It was like starting over. All of the things that were in your favor before are no longer there."
Finally, in late 2012, she stumbled on a talent agency's log line for "Unbroken," a feature adaptation of the Laura Hillenbrand blockbuster bestseller about the Olympic runner turned World War II bombardier Louis Zamperini, who survived 47 days in a life raft only to be tortured for more than two years as a Japanese prisoner of war.
Jolie hurriedly took the idea to Brad Pitt.
"Oh, honey," her longtime partner told her, "that's been around forever."
And then some.
Hollywood history is filled with tales of movies that have taken decades to coalesce. Screenwriter Craig Borten started working on last year's "Dallas Buyers Club" in 1992, and a sequel to 1988's "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" is still little more than a thwarted idea.
Yet those delays are just a blink of an eye compared to Zamperini's story — an epic tale of survival, despair, heroism and redemption — that has been kicking around Universal Pictures for more than half a century. The studio bought the rights to his memoir, "Devil at My Heels," in 1956, and penciled in Tony Curtis to star. But the actor signed on to "Spartacus" instead, and like Zamperini himself the movie was cast adrift.
It was not until one especially determined producer decided in 1998 that bringing Zamperini's true-life drama to the screen would be his crusade that the movie was revived. And yet for all of the producer's resolve, the movie still died countless deaths, its fate likely doomed until a writer battling chronic fatigue syndrome made the transformative choice to select Zamperini as the subject of her next book.
Re-create B-24 crash
Inside a cavernous soundstage at Village Roadshow Studios near Australia's Gold Coast in January, scores of people looked on — costume designers, prop assistants, extras — as Jolie's production team prepared to re-create the crash of Zamperini's ungainly B-24, known to all the people who dreaded flying in it as the Green Hornet.
With Zamperini (newcomer Jack O'Connell) and crewmates Russell Allen "Phil" Phillips (Domhnall Gleeson) and Francis "Mac" McNamara (Finn Wittrock) braced for impact inside the mocked-up bomber, the "Unbroken" effects team rocked the plane violently, filling its fuselage with an explosion of seawater. After checking to make sure all of the cast members were uninjured, the cast and crew applauded loudly, Jolie accepted congratulations and an assistant director called for a lunch break. As everyone filed out, one straggler hung back, beaming. It was producer Matthew Baer, finally witnessing his dream materializing.
Baer knew for years that he had been the butt of Hollywood jokes.
Matthew Baer's on the line again. I wonder if it's about "Unbroken"?
When are you finally going to give up and do something else?
Is he still talking about Zamperini?
"It was embarrassing," Baer said. For 11 years, he didn't make a film, his last producer credit coming with Gwyneth Paltrow's quickly forgotten 2003 comedy "View From the Top." His wife, studio executive and producer Amy Baer, was the one cranking out movies. "Every producer has his or her passion project," said Baer, a quiet and thoughtful 49-year-old father of two. "And they may be laughed at for having it so long."
The ribbing might have stung, but Baer knew that abandoning the movie altogether would have been far more painful. "I never considered stopping," he said. "Never."
Baer first encountered Zamperini through a CBS documentary assembled for the 1998 Olympics in Nagano, Japan. The circumstances carried particular relevance, because Zamperini had competed in the 1936 Games in Berlin, where he ran but did not medal in the 5,000 meters. His promising track career was cut short by the war when Zamperini enlisted in the Army Air Corps.
His malfunctioning plane crashed into the Pacific Ocean in 1943 miles from land, killing eight of its 11-man crew. Zamperini, Phillips and McNamara — with no meaningful rations or supplies in their raft — had to subsist on rainwater and raw birds, fish and shark liver. McNamara died at sea, and after 47 days in their boat Phillips and Zamperini became prisoners of war, with the former track star singled out for torture by the particularly sadistic guard Mutsuhiro Watanabe, nicknamed by his captors "The Bird." Zamperini's story seemingly had everything Hollywood wanted: an extraordinary hero, a contemptible villain, epic scope, war action and rich parts for an array of young actors.
Zamperini's son-in-law, television writer and director Mick Garris, sent the documentary to his talent agent, who forwarded it to Baer, then the head of Brillstein-Grey Films. Given that relatively few people at the time knew Zamperini's story and that studios in that era were not afraid to make serious war dramas like "The Thin Red Line" and "Saving Private Ryan," the source material generated immediate enthusiasm. Baer met with Zamperini and Garris, told them how impressed he was by Zamperini's life journey, and the movie rights were soon in Baer's hands. "We knew immediately he was the right guy — you could sense his passion," Garris said.
Having bought Zamperini's memoir more than 30 years earlier, Universal still controlled Zamperini's life rights for a movie, and Brillstein-Grey had a deal there. Nicolas Cage, then a recent Oscar winner for "Leaving Las Vegas" and hot off the hits "Con Air" and "Face/Off," was attached as a star. The search for a director and screenwriter commenced.
In short order, though, Baer and everybody else involved in what was called "Untitled Louis Zamperini Project" came to recognize that the story was as vast as the ocean waters in which Zamperini had floated for nearly two months: They simply had too much material, and no one could figure out precisely which parts of his story to tell and which to leave behind.
Zamperini's chapters
Inside the Hollywood Hills home where he has lived since 1957 — he bought the house with Universal's original $8,000 book purchase a year earlier — Zamperini, 97, is as sharp as some people decades younger. While he is less active than in recent years, he still makes the occasional motivational speech and answers a steady stream of fan mail.
There are distinct chapters to Zamperini's life — running as a young man at Torrance High and USC, competing in Hitler's Olympics, surviving the war and his tormentor, and his religious conversion after becoming an alcoholic when he returned home.
Even today, Zamperini can surprise family and friends with stories he hadn't shared before, such as how Watanabe loosened a molar by cuffing Zamperini in the jaw. "He hit me just like that," Zamperini demonstrated. "And after I was finally rescued the doctors said they needed to replace the tooth."
Given the rich details and broad sweep of his experiences, it's not surprising that screenwriters who tried to squeeze his life into a two-hour movie struggled mightily. In 1999, playwright Robert Schenkkan ("The Kentucky Cycle") wrote a draft, calling it "Iron Man," which covered most of Zamperini's life, including after the war. Universal wanted to hire an A-list director, but Steven Spielberg, Ridley Scott, Ron Howard, Robert Zemeckis and Mel Gibson all passed. "It was probably too broad of an approach," Kevin Misher, Universal's production chief at the time, said of Schenkkan's draft.
Antoine Fuqua ("Training Day") briefly joined the project in 2002 but left to direct "King Arthur," and Tom Shadyac ("Bruce Almighty") subsequently flirted with the project but ultimately left. Neil Tolkin ("The Emperor's Club") rewrote the script in 2004, and even though it landed on Hollywood's coveted "Black List" of the best unproduced scripts, Universal couldn't land the director it wanted. By then Cage was too old, and Ashton Kutcher was mentioned as a possible star.
"The story is undeniable, but these kind of films need the right author, the right stewardship," said Scott Stuber, Misher's successor at Universal.
Thousands of miles from Hollywood, in a 1,500-square-foot row house in Washington, D.C., that very person was about to change the course of the movie's history.
Subject of book
When Laura Hillenbrand was researching her previous book, "Seabiscuit: An American Legend," she would stumble on Zamperini's name as she pored over sports pages chronicling the thoroughbred's races. She decided to make him the subject of her next book, and news of her decision reached Baer.
Around the same time, in 2003, Universal was putting out its movie adaptation of Hillenbrand's bestseller; "Seabiscuit" pleased critics and moviegoers alike, grossing more than $120 million in domestic release. Whether the author's decision gave Baer's Zamperini movie any noticeable impetus was unclear.
"There was no evidence when the book would come out," Baer said. Having left Brillstein-Grey, he tried to raise financing for the project. Every possible suitor passed, worrying that it would be a costly, hard-to-cast period drama.
Owing both to Hillenbrand's debilitating chronic fatigue syndrome and meticulous research, it would take her until 2010 to complete the manuscript for "Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption."
When the book was finally released it became a publishing phenomenon (it's still on the best-seller charts nearly four years later and has yet to be released in paperback), Baer's "Untitled Louis Zamperini Project" immediately became "Unbroken." Its journey to the screen would still take several more detours.
In 2010, Francis Lawrence ("Water for Elephants") was briefly attached to direct but left to helm the "Hunger Games" sequels. Working with even more source material than Zamperini's memoir (Hillenbrand's encyclopedic book is 496 pages), several more screenwriters, including Richard LaGravanese ("The Fisher King") and William Nicholson ("Gladiator"), tried to adapt the book but again struggled with what to include, with one draft even incorporating the 1998 CBS documentary and a non-existent meeting between Zamperini and Watanabe, which Zamperini's family objected to strenuously.
The challenges were understandable. Unlike "Captain America" or "Inglourious Basterds," the story was going to be a serious World War II drama that dealt with unimaginable suffering and Japan's inhumane treatment of its prisoners — nearly one in three Americans died in Japanese captivity. For all of Hillenbrand's exhaustive and exhausting reporting, Zamperini does not come across as particularly reflective. Finally, with hundreds of thousands of "Unbroken" books in print, every material departure from Hillenbrand's book potentially would spark complaints.
After her 2012 conversation with Pitt, Jolie read the latest screenplay draft and realized, like many before her, that it didn't quite work. But she picked up Hillenbrand's book and, in a home not more than a few hundred yards from Zamperini's — "If he looked out his window, he would have seen me devouring it," Jolie said — she lost herself in the tale.
"I wasn't really looking for something of this size," noted the 38-year-old star. "But the way Laura writes about him is the way I like to read about people. It was like I was witnessing the birth of a man — it was something I wanted to tell my sons about."
A few weeks later, at 2 a.m. while in Cambodia, Jolie awoke with the movie suddenly and clearly in her mind. She asked to meet with Donna Langley, chairman of Universal Pictures, to pitch her take on the movie, which would end with Zamperini's liberation but not include his bout with alcoholism and Billy Graham-inspired religious conversion. Jolie arrived at the studio lot with a garbage bag full of "ridiculous" charts outlining her plan — "They still laugh at me about it" — and "pitched it as hard as I could," Jolie said.
"She was really impressive — thoughtful and thorough," Langley said. The studio had been considering hiring a veteran filmmaker, and giving him (no women were on the list) a $120-million budget. Atfer meeting wih Jolie, Universal changed its mind, scaled down its investment to $65 million and took a leap with an unproven director. "It wasn't an immediate and obvious choice for everybody," Langley said. "But she won the day. She earned it."
Joel and Ethan Coen, who share Jolie's talent agent, UTA's Rich Klubeck, and had a rare opening in their work schedule, loved Hillenbrand's book and were soon hired to collaborate with Jolie to revise the screenplay. By summer 2013, even after co-financier Walden Media dropped out at the last minute and was replaced by Legendary Pictures, all of the pieces finally fell into place.
Fifteen years after Baer saw the CBS documentary, and 56 years after Universal bought Zamperini's memoir, "Unbroken" had a green light.
Deep respect
From even a quick visit to her Australia set, it's obvious that Jolie has a deep respect, if not reverence, for Zamperini — Pitt even commissioned an oil painting of him for a Christmas present to Jolie — and Hillenbrand. The author is a consultant on the movie, has read many screenplay drafts, and frequently talks to Jolie.
"It's a huge responsibility," Jolie said. "And I'm constantly asking questions. 'How do you really catch a shark? What does the liver look like? How do you eat an albatross? How do you sink a plane?'"
To bring her ideas to life, Jolie hired some of Hollywood's top department heads, including "No Country for Old Men" cinematographer Roger Deakins and "Life of Pi" editor Tim Squyres as collaborators. Last month, at a convention for theater owners in Las Vegas, Jolie showed several minutes from the film, which suggested "Unbroken" will have both a glowing, Americana feel — particularly in its depictions of Zamperini's youth — and a much darker rendering of the prison camps, which call to mind Sebastião Salgado's grimy photographs of Brazilian gold miners.
"In the end, its message is one we all need now more than ever — the journey of a man finding his way through the darkness and into the light," the filmmaker told the exhibitors, adding that the film had particular modern resonance as Zamperini is "someone who helps to remind us all what each of us is capable of."
In hindsight, it's clear even to Baer that Hillenbrand's book was needed to make the movie. "One could argue before the book came out that I was one of the leading experts on Louis' life," Baer said. "But what Laura did made me seem like I knew nothing. Absolutely, positively 100% Laura is the reason for 'Unbroken' finally happening."
As the movie approaches its Dec. 25 release, Baer looks back at all of the false starts and believes that all of the frustration and heartache was ultimately worth it. Had he somehow been able to make the movie earlier, it wouldn't have been to his mind as good as it is today.
"Everybody used to tell me, 'Why are you still talking about Zamperini?'" Baer said of all the doubters over the years. "And I said, 'Because I believe in it. And it's an amazing story.'"


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The FL Studio 10.0.8 update is available. Download the FL Studio 10.0.8 installer here and either update your current FL Studio installation, don't forget to download and install a new FLRegkey.Reg file if you are coming from FL Studio 9 or lower, or try it in demo mode.
Did you know, more than 30,000 people install FL Studio 10 every day!
The updates includes:
- Added Harmor (demo)
- Downloader / content manager 2.3
- DirectWave to v1.4.22
- Envelope editor updated (FPC, Envelope Controller, Edison, Convolver, Love Philter, Stereo Shaper, WaveShaper, Gross Beat, Maximus, Vocodex, Slicex)
- Updated Wave Candy, Fruity Dance, Harmless, Ogun, Sytrus
- Updated Wrapper
- FL Studio Mobile support, added .instr export from Direct Wave and FPC. Direct wave .instr import.
- FL Studio Mobile .flm files show up in browser
- Learn more about the FL Studio 10.0.8 update by visiting the 10.0.8 Looptalk thread.
- ...learn more about FL Studio 10 by visiting the 'FL Studio 10 What's New?' page.
For help on upgrading your current FL Studio installation to FL Studio 10 by making use of your Lifetime Free Updates please see this video. There are more help-links in the video information.
FL Studio 10 Reviews
Check out the great FL Studio 10 reviews from Wusik Magazine and Music Tech magazine.
Lifetime FREE Updates
Don't forget FL Studio comes with Lifetime Free Updates, so you can take advantage of the updates as we provide them into the future.


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The presidential election season seems to start earlier every year.
In 2012, the Iowa caucuses will be held on the third day of the new year. Super Tuesday is barely one month after the Super Bowl. Although November 2012 is a long way off, we have already been inundated with political debates, commentary and scandal.
As Christians, however, we are citizens of two worlds. The Apostle Paul, a Roman citizen, warned the church in Philippi about exclusively earthly expectations: "But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body" (Philippians 3:20-21).
Every American adult has a responsibility to vote, and to vote wisely. Christians have the additional responsibility to pray for our elected leaders and candidates. Paul wrote to Timothy, "I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people—for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth" (1 Timothy 2:1-4).
Notice the purpose of Paul's instructions. We are not just to pray for political stability so that we enjoy peace, quiet and prosperity. We should ask God for a political landscape that fosters an environment favorable for an evangelical harvest.
Ultimately, our citizenship in Heaven is all that counts for eternity. You can be born a citizen of the United States, but you must be born again to become a citizen of Heaven.
I've preached around the world, including many places that don't enjoy the freedom of religion that Americans take for granted. In India, for example, it's very difficult to get a visa for evangelism. Protestors tried to halt the Festival we held in November in Hyderabad. Yet prayers prevailed, God intervened, and nearly 300,000 people heard the Gospel. Thousands of them became citizens of Heaven, repenting of their sins and giving their hearts to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
At the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, we work strategically to take the Gospel to places like Japan, Ghana and Hungary—three dramatically different nations where I will be preaching in the months ahead. Please pray that God will open doors, prepare hearts and bring in a great harvest of souls.
As we enter this election year, let's not forget the most important decision anyone can make—choosing Christ.
It's our responsibility—as citizens of Heaven and ambassadors for Christ—to make Him known to those who will spend eternity in hell without Him.
All Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version.


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Image by kgtoh on BigStockPhoto.com
Listen, implement & measure to keep up with your users' needs
Target audience: Nonprofits, cause organizations, foundations, NGOs, social enterprises, metrics specialists, educators.
Guest post by Ritu Sharma
Social Media for Nonprofits
Like many of the nonprofits Social Media for Nonprofits works with, we were excited by the recent release of Beth's new book, Measuring the Networked Nonprofit: Using Data to Change the World.
In line with the book's focus on turning data into knowledge through powerful, insightful measurement and analytics of social media efforts, we wanted to share three simple tips and resources that nonprofits can put to work.
All of these platforms have been profiled at our recent Social Media for Nonprofits conferences, which is about to produce its final U..S program of the year in Seattle on Monday, before we head to New Delhi in December, and then back to New York City, Silicon Valley, Vancouver, plus most other major U.S. markets in 2013.
And now, for those tips and tools: Continue reading


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It's safe to say we're now at the business end (middle?) of the festival season – Glastonbury still fresh in the memory, Reading and Leeds around the corner, a number of pleasant boutique events forthcoming such as the DiS-sponsored quartet of Supersonic, Truck, Field Day and Green Man. Weekends through this month and next are full of festivals across the land, with established events defending their reputations against a host of newcomers with designs on seasonal domination. Some will succeed, some will fail, but one constant remains: you have to get there to find out.
And it's the getting there that forms the crux of this week's DiScussion: just what en-route nightmares have you endured in order to reach the festival you've been looking forward to for months? We've all crowded onto Glasto-bound buses at Castle Cary, backpacks crushing laps, narrow country roads slinking like bootlaces across green hills, drizzle-spilling clouds collecting above the pit that is Pilton Farm, guaranteeing a wash-out for the next three nights. But have you ever made the journey in a car, only to spend more time stationary than you have on the move? To spend six hours stuck in a car park, back wheels entrenched in what was, until about four or five days ago, a dusty and dry field? To sit tight, muddy boots and hangovers stinking up your Corsa, while the dull repetition of horns beep their disaffection for the delay. There's no getting around it, so what do you do?
You tell us about it, that's what: we want to hear about your travel nightmares on the way to, and from, festivals in the UK. Have you had to call a breakdown service out to fix something that's only broken because you foolishly – drunkenly – decided it'd be a good idea to fill your radiator header with Bacardi two nights previous? Ever got stuck behind a no-hurry farmer moving his cow herd from field A – perfectly good from what you can see of it over that hedge – to field B, two miles down this stupid single-track lane your Sat-Nav told you to take? Have you called home in tears, using up the last bar of battery on your limited-signal mobile, because you just can't work out how all this stuff ever fitted into your tiny boot on the way down, because it sure as shit won't pack back in? Don't cry, we've all been there.
DiScuss: Tell us of your travel woes, and fill us in on what you've done to brighten the hold-ups and slow-downs. Have you the perfect festival-heading mix CD in your car? Want to share the tracklisting? Do you have any games – beyond I Spy – that you bust out to kill time while the B road you shouldn't have taken in the first place clears? Have you ever, and be truthful, given up and turned for home? That'd be stupid, but just sometimes understandable. Tell us about the times when getting to a festival has been an absolute mission.
_DiS will be bringing you coverage of all the best festivals in the UK over the coming weeks, with content brand new and from our considerable archive accessible via our special RAC-sponsored Festivals Site – click here for the latest from our team of in-the-mud reporters.
Forthcoming: all the best bands at Supersonic reviewed and photographed, plus coverage of Truck, Latitude, Reading and Leeds, Green Man, Field Day, Summer Sundae, Concrete & Glass and much, much more. Find information on DiS-sponsored festivals this summer by clicking the links below, and visit our sponsors RAC here. On DiS next week: a competition to ensure you're never left stuck in the mud, so to speak, when on the way to or from your favourite festival this summer and next. _
Supersonic, Birmingham (July 11-13)
Truck Festival, Oxfordshire (July 19-20; DiS DJs to appear)
Summer Sundae, Leicester (August 8-10; DiS stage on the Friday)
Field Day, London (August 9)
Green Man Festival, Wales (August 15-17; DiS DJs to appear)
Concrete & Glass, London (October; DiS stage for both nights)


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I'm exploring the web to find sites I like
Old Rd, Antigua
"My Antiguan Adventure"
Posted by: jonathan on Dec 23, 2010
see all reviews
Situated on one of the island's most ravishing beaches, with a dramatic backdrop of rolling hills and tropical rainforest, the hotel's contemporary design makes quite an impact.
Share your experiences with others. Don't forget to send your review to Debbie by using an easy form.
"My Antiguan Adventure"
Posted by:
jonathan on Dec 23, 2010 >
2 contribution(s) United Kingdom
Visited on: Oct, 2010 | Leisure | Solo
716 people found this review helpful
Two months ago I visited the beautiful country of Antigua by myself in order to get over my ex boyfriend, I haven't been able to get my Holiday off my mind ever since.
I didn't really know what to expect of Antigua being from England, as us Brits usually visit Caribbean country's which are in the commonwealth such as Jamaica, but I thought I'd sample somewhere different and I wasn't let down.
I've done the Caribbean before and noticed that apart from the resorts and beaches land is rather derelict with many unfinished buildings and shacks dotted all over the place, this wasn't a common sight in Antigua which displayed to me that Antigua is one of the "more Developed" Caribbean Countries.
My Flight from Heathrow, London took about 10 hours!! I cannot bare long haul flights as i cannot sleep and I just get really bored.
Eventually.... I arrived at St John's international airport, as soon as I stepped off the plane the heat hit me like a sack of bricks it was lovely I haven't felt heat like that in years!
My Language came through rather quickly and before I knew it I was in a taxi heading to my resort the Carlisle Bay Hotel.
IT WAS PERFECT!... The secluded resorts was stunning, a collection of wooden huts on the beach front surrounded by palms and other lush vegetations, A communal pool for the guests but it was hardly ever used , in fact I didn't really see many more than 20 people throughout the entire holiday.
I booked a Beach Balcony suite which I was very pleased with, it was furnished with everything I could ever need, a large comfy bed and a view over paradise to kill for.
I spent the week Sunbathing, Swimming and relaxing it really helped me Distress from my miserable life in England, I thought when I'd return back home I'd be ready to take on the world but all I want to do is go back!
Room Number:
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Lake Clark National Park, Alaska
Photo ID# RW6811
Year Photographed: 2010
Print Edition: Open
For fine art photography prints on premium paper, I value the ability to extract as much detail as possible from my print files. The desire for detail led me to Canson Rag Photographique paper which is a high Dmax paper featuring a matte surface with minimalist smooth texture. Rag Photographique is truly one of the finest art papers in the world and the best way to see my work the way I had envisioned it. Estimated turnaround time for our museum-grade cotton rag prints is 2 weeks.
Canvas Gallery Photo Wraps are an eye-catching way to display photography in homes and businesses. Stretched over wooden frames, canvas wraps "pop" from the walls on which they are mounted. There is no need to deal with cumbersome frames as my canvas wraps come ready to hang on the wall. These ready-to-hang prints are often more cost-effective than framing a traditional photo print. With a heavily-textured surface, canvas prints are not ideal for photos that feature a lot of small details as they can get "buried" within the texture of the canvas. Sweeping landscapes and travel imagery are suitable for canvas. Estimated turnaround time for our canvas gallery wraps is 2 to 3 weeks.
The Lumachrome process is engineered to overcome and surpass the limitations of traditional continuous tone Lightjet processes and inkjet processes. Details appear to emerge in 3D from the depths of the image with the Lumachrome process thanks to the transparency layer that is infused with iridium particles and is preserved in a layer suspended between the white poly surface and non-glare TruView acrylic. Your ready-to-hang print includes a 1/8" acrylic facemount with a 6mm or 12mm Comatex backing and an HD 1.375" ROMA back mounted floating frame. Estimated turnaround time for our canvas gallery wraps is 4 to 6 weeks.


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A cosmopolitan city par excellence, Berlin remains as one of the most dynamic, exciting and fashion-forward capitals in Europe.
Street art and sub-cultures became part of its unique identity. Over the years, the grungy and underground vibe has substantially expanded, and nowadays the city has a massive relevance for the international sneaker culture.
Handcrafted in Portugal with the finest Italian materials, these Berlin-inspired sneakers are meant to be a faithful tribute to its minimalist aesthetic and easygoing lifestyle.
This model features blue petroleum pony hair uppers, soft padded collars, padded blue petroleum calf leather Achilles notch, grey calf leather linings, padded tongues with ALA Design's gold embossed logo, blue cotton flat laces, calf leather comfort insoles and white rubber cupsoles by Margom. The shoes fit true to size.
Additionally, the pack includes a dustbag, extra white cotton flat laces, extra soft Sanitized insoles, a care instruction card and our compliments.
|Blue Petroleum Pony Hair
|Soft Padded Collar
|Velcro Fastening Strap
|Padded Achilles Notch
|Blue Petroleum Calf Leather
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|Rubber Cupsole
|Cotton Flat Laces
|Extra Cotton Flat Laces


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First-time voters concerned about student debt, getting jobs after graduation
Watch video of the first-time voters: Nathaniel Peoples: Undecided | Paige Jennings: President Obama | Joseph Ramirez: Mitt Romney | David Rader: Mitt Romney
Gone is the cool factor that came with Barack Obama's "hope and change" campaign in 2008, which sent young voters to the polls in huge numbers.
Four years later, with the not-so-sexy topics of the economy and healthcare looming as key issues, political experts are predicting a significant drop in the youth vote.
But many young voters, namely college students, in North Texas still see their vote as important and will take a break from studying to watch tonight's debate between President Obama and GOP candidate Mitt Romney.
"I want to figure out who is going to do more for the people," said Norrton Rentie, a 22-year-old student at Tarrant County College's Trinity River Campus.
Oct. 9 is the deadline to register to vote for the Nov. 6 election, and volunteers have been staking out tables at area college campuses with voter registration cards, greeting students with a blunt question: "Do you want to vote?"
Carmel Perez Snyder, associate state director for Outreach AARP Texas, which helps register voters, said youths need to take part in the process because it affects their future. While issues such as Medicare and Social Security may not appear to hit close to home at age 18, these issues will eventually be inherited by this new generation of voters.
"The economy impacts everyone from the young voter to the AARP members," Snyder said. "It's critical to every American."
Here's what some of the young voters are saying:
Paige Jennings
Jennings, a 20-year-old junior at Texas Wesleyan University, says she'll vote for Obama.
She is a self-described die-hard Democrat from a family of conservatives. Student debt sits among her top concerns.
Jennings, who is majoring in mass communications/advertising/public relations, said she followed last summer's fight between Democrats and Republicans about student loan interest rates.
She worries about her future.
"I have student loans," she said. "I don't know if I'm going to be able to pay off my loans six months after I graduate."
Jennings supports same-sex marriage explaining that this is "a separate-but-equal issue" and is also on board with Obamacare.
"Everyone should have the opportunity to have healthcare," Jennings said.
She can't wait to vote.
"I feel so important voting, even though I am just one voter," Jennings said.
Joseph Ramirez
Ramirez, 18, is a freshman at Texas Wesleyan who is studying finance. He said he comes from a "pro-business" family and plans to vote for Romney.
"We believe in the free enterprise system," he said.
Ramirez said he believes in standing close to government, but is wary of too much government interference because it can become overbearing.
He likes Romney's views on a smaller government and stimulating the economy.
Ramirez said "the finances of college and finding a stable job" are among top issues for today's young voters.
Young people want to be able to earn a strong income when they graduate from college, he said.
Ramirez, who may vote early, said he believes his voice matters.
"I think every vote counts - even mine," Ramirez said.
Nathaniel Peoples
Peoples, a 19-year-old Tarrant County College student majoring in computer science/engineering, recently registered to vote.
But he is undecided on for whom he is going to vote and plans to study the candidates' platforms.
"Who would be the strongest candidate to reach the unreachable?" he said. "To pick up those who have fallen and carry those who have been left behind?"
Peoples, whose family has strong Republican ties, said many of his college friends question whether their vote really matters. He said the biggest issue he sees among people his age is a general fear of being ignored.
"People are afraid to step up, step out and be heard," he said.
Another big problem is borrowing money to pay for college.
"A lot of students are in serious debt," Peoples said. "A lot of students are drowning in their own debt."
David Rader
Rader, a 20-year-old junior at the University of Texas at Arlington, is in Romney's political camp.
"I'm a Republican, so naturally I vote for the Republican," said Rader, who is studying architecture.
Rader said he wants to give Romney a chance to try his economic ideas and a chance to grow more jobs -- in the United States.
Rader said the economy ties into the top concerns of young voters.
The biggest issue for young voters?
"The prospect of having a job once you graduate," Rader said.
Many college students are worried about being tied to high debt the rest of their lives, Rader said.
Rader said Romney could usher an end to backroom deals and overtaxing.
"I do think my vote matters -- especially in a close race like this one," Rader said.
Shannon Moriak
Moriak, a 21-year-old University of North Texas senior, said she is a conservative because of her views on government spending, economics and foreign affairs. Moriak, who is majoring in music education, said she is against Obama's healthcare reform.
Moriak will cast her first vote ever for Romney.
"I like that he has such strong family values," she said.
While Moriak, disagrees with Democrats on fiscal issues, she has strong views on protecting the rights of gay people.
"I believe in gay rights," she said, adding: "This day and age, it's different from when my parents were conservative."
Moriak said her vote counts.
"I do think my vote matters because we, as students, are affected by the economy the most because we will be paying off the national debt for generations to come," she said. "We have the right to choose a president who can help us get out of debt or possibly make it worse."
Mia Witt
Witt is a 19-year-old Democrat studying special education at the University of North Texas.
She favors permanent immigration reform for children of undocumented immigrants who have been raised in the United States (commonly known as the Dream Act). She also believes in marriage equality for same-sex couples.
Witt said she will vote for Obama.
"There are some issues I can't compromise on," Witt said. "Some of my best friends should be able to marry who they love."
Like many college students, Witt worries about mounting student debt and Pell Grant funding. She questions Romney's vice presidential choice, saying that U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan is an advocate of slashing higher education programs such as the Pell Grant. She also monitored recent controversy surrounding interest rates on student loans.
In recent days, Witt worked to register fellow UNT students to vote: "I think every vote matters. I don't care who they vote for."
Diane Smith, 817-390-7675
Twitter: @dianeasmith1


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Four summers ago, nature writer David Gessner and Dan Driscoll, a director at the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation, paddled the length of the Charles River together. This excerpt from Gessner's new book touches on the highlights.
By David Gessner, the Boston Globe
We are guiding our rock-battered canoe down a particularly stunning section of the river, twisting between steep granite walls and overhanging trees, as we travel toward the hidden city at river's end. Over the past hours, we have heard coyotes howl, observed a sharp-shinned hawk swoop into the canopy, swallows cut above the water in front of us, and kingfishers ratchet past, and toasted with beers to congratulate ourselves after an exhilarating ride through rapids.
If I squint I can imagine myself on a great and wild river, the Amazon or Congo or at least the Colorado, and can imagine the man steering the canoe behind me as an epic adventurer – Teddy Roosevelt, say, hurtling down the River of Doubt.
The truth is slightly less glamorous. This isn't the Amazon, but the Charles – a name that conjures images more fancy and effete, not to mention domesticated and decidedly British, than adventurous and wild – and that the hidden city ahead is known in the native tongue as Bawhston.
What's more, the dwellings we will soon pass will not be primitive huts but Super Stop & Shops, and the Homo sapiens we'll encounter downriver will not be headhunters but Harvard students, and, if I am perfectly honest, the fearless leader in the stern isn't Teddy R., but a state worker named Dan Driscoll, whom I once played some Ultimate Frisbee with and who was known in those days as "Danimal."
We like to strip down myths, we modern folk, and it's easy enough to quickly strip this journey of all its mythic qualities – to see it as a pretty modest trip on a pretty modest river with a modest enough guy. But if our adventure has not been a life-or-death journey into a vast, untamed wilderness, the truth is I have been consistently astonished over the last couple of days, not just by the hidden wildness of the river but by Driscoll himself. The man's own considerable energy, which I had only previously witnessed when he was chasing down Frisbees like a border collie, is equally apparent when he talks about his efforts to revitalize the river we travel down."It started back around 1990, when I was working as a planner for the state," he tells me as we paddle. "Someone in the office said, 'Why don't you take a look at the Charles?' I think they were just trying to give the new kid something to do. Little did they know."
Dan Driscoll is a man of average height and proportions, fit and compact, thanks in part to his daily bike commute in and out of Boston. There is something of the true believer to Dan, as there has to be in anyone who will take on the sort of fight he has, but that intensity is leavened by a certain regular guy-ness and sense of humor.
As he paddles, he describes what he calls his "radical idea" that being environmental isn't about education or politics. It's about what Thoreau called "contact." Falling in love with something – a place, an animal – and then fighting for it.
"When I grew up in Newton, we always had our butts dragged out to Lincoln to learn about 'nature.' The way I look at it, if one kid walks out into his own backyard and has contact with nature, then maybe that will do something. Maybe he'll be inspired to fight for the place. Maybe he'll be the next John Muir."
He pauses to correct his exaggeration. "Or at least maybe he'll just be less of a jerk."
We paddle quietly for a while on the green, shadowy river, and then, as if on cue, a young deer, tawny and hesitant, emerges from the woods, freezing when it sees us. It is a stunning sight there by the bank, and we lift our paddles and let the current carry us, trying to stay as still as the animal. Once we round the next bend we laugh and hoot at our good luck.
"You see, that wouldn't have happened if we weren't attuned with the river," Dan says.
I nod, though I'm not so sure. The deer was pretty easy to see. But I listen as Dan launches into the first of the morning's monologues.
"We nature lovers are hypocrites, of course," he says. "We are all hypocrites. The problem is that we let that fact stop us. We worry that if we fight for nature, people will say, 'But you drive a car' or 'You fly a lot' or 'You're a consumer, too.' And that stops us in our tracks. It's almost as if admitting that they are hypocrites lets people off the hook."
I pull my paddle out of the water to listen.
"What we need are more hypocrites," he says. "We need hypocrites who aren't afraid of admitting it but will still fight for the environment. We don't need some sort of pure movement run by pure people. We need hypocrites!"
I think of my own environmental Achilles' heel, a dainty preference for hot baths over showers. And then I think of everyone I know and know of and can't come up with anyone who has an entirely clean eco-slate. Which seems to mean that, logically, Dan is right: If only non-hypocrites are going to fight for the environment, then it will be an army of none.
For most of the morning the banks have been wooded, but now, across from the sandbar we've stopped to eat lunch on, a wide lawn rolls up to a gigantic new house. I worry that we are resting on private property, but Dan assures me that while the riverbank may belong to the homeowner, the little island belongs to the state. Moreover, it is the property of the citizens of the state, which means us.
The main problem with the river, he explains, used to be water quality, but much has changed since the Clean Water Act [enacted in 1948 and significantly expanded in 1972 and 1977]. Now huge stripers chase herring 8 miles upriver in the once famously dirty water.
Dan knows he isn't about to create a great trackless wilderness in the Boston suburbs. As it was, the Legislature scoffed at his early attempts to create a nature preserve along the Charles. Here common sense kicked in. To get his limited urban wildness, his practical political choice was to push for the creation of bike paths.
"Bike paths you can get funding for," he explains as we lounge on the sandbar. "They don't [care] about 'wilderness.' But bike paths they kind of understand. So you try to use federal money creatively by calling things 'bikeways,' but you're really trying to establish a connection with nature. They don't review the grants that closely. I'll sneak in $100,000 for native plantings and they will say 'OK.' " For Dan, the paths were just a means to an end, his Trojan horse. They allowed him to replant the banks and return some wildness to the river.
It would be nice to simply sleep here on our sandbar. But we have places to be, and so, finally, reluctantly, we stand up and push off. The mansions of Wellesley and Dover are behind us, and, as we enter Needham and Dedham, the river takes a decidedly urban turn. If the Charles has a St. Louis arch of sorts, letting you know you have entered new territory, it is Route 128. We cross under it quietly, unseen, beneath the unending roar of the highway, moving through the gateway to the city river.
'The strange thing is that folks in the suburbs place great value on this land along the river," Dan says. "But once you get here, in the city itself, it is devalued."
The places we pass prove his point: industrial parks, car lots, chain-link fences right on the river. The Charles turns gritty. Dan plans to change that. He has vowed to revitalize this area as well. He points out that some here are trying to connect to the river: A hole in
the fence yawns, and an old, stuffed chair has been plopped above the riverbank where people can creep down during their lunch breaks to watch the river flow – workers sneaking out the factory's back door for lunch or a cigarette or maybe, on Fridays, a beer; looking down at the river and seeing where it had come from and where it was flowing; a place to briefly escape their jobs, sure, but also a point of contact.
True, it isn't the nature you find in Sierra magazine. Instead, it's the nature of the creek that runs through your neighborhood, the nature of the abandoned lot, the nature of the small secret patch of beach protected by rocks. I understand that there are those who would scoff at my trying to make claims of wilderness for Needham. But I think we are making a deadly mistake if we ignore the smaller, more compromised patches, since that is what so many of us are left with.
The section Dan first set out to reclaim is the same one that we will be paddling through this afternoon. Chain-link fences were up, the banks reduced to scrub, the river an afterthought. It was, hands down, the ugliest stretch on the river.
"That's where I was when I first fought for the reservation," he says, pointing toward Ware's Cove in Newton. "At first, in those days, I just ran on raw enthusiasm. I had no idea what kind of fight I was in for.
"We had written up a master plan for what we called the Middle Charles River Reservation, but almost everyone was against it. I went to a meeting in Newton and 130 residents showed up – all angry, saying that the paths were going to bring crackheads into their neighborhoods. They said they would erect an 8-foot chain-link fence.''
Dan set about trying to convert both his neighbors and his neighborhood. By all accounts it was his affable straightforwardness, as well as his stubborn streak, that allowed him to win over the angry residents. Often he would seek out the residents by knocking on their doors and showing them his plans, inviting them down to the river so he could give them a tour and describe his vision. He did this for three years.
"We kept pushing the idea that the river belonged to the people," Dan says, "that the people could be its stewards."
As it turns out, many of those who opposed the idea are now its greatest backers. So far, the paths haven't brought crackheads to Newton. Instead, the banks flower with viburnum, berrying shrubs, native blueberries, and white pines while supporting an ecosystem of increasingly varied animal life: roosting herons, fox, muskrats, and white- tailed deer.
Finally we paddle into Waltham, the site of Dan's earliest success story. "On the left here is Nova Biomedical, the first commercial property where we replanted native species," he says. "That was the biggest eyesore on the whole river. There was a parking lot right to the edge of the water. Now it's a restored wetlands and everything's thriving, a true habitat – from a parking lot to a complex ecosystem."
Below a dam, on this once-grim 8-mile stretch through Waltham, Newton, and Watertown, was where Dan first came with survey crews and old maps and learned almost immediately that the land had been claimed by encroachment. He had to knock on doors and make phone calls and try to convince homeowners that property that they thought was theirs was in fact not.
He points at a building that we glimpse through the trees. "These guys had a hundred-car parking lot – an illegal encroachment. They fought me tooth and nail at first, but now they love it. They have a full maintenance agreement – they offer to take care of their part of the river for us. They have their meetings out here. Encroachers have now become stewards."
A little farther along he points again. "Stop & Shop gifted us 21⁄2 acres of critical land. We, of course, were coming in and cleaning up pretty neglected land. And they had conservation easements, so they still owned the beach. So I think it was put together in a way that was pretty positive for them."
"Note the houses to the right. We had to switch sides because of this private property." We cross under a delicate suspension footbridge. The 140-foot bridge was one of Dan's crowning achievements, connecting the paths of Newton to Watertown and then, nearby, Waltham. Today the Blue Heron Bridge is in full use: people chatting and kids with balloons and bike riders zipping across. On the same bridge, Dan once came upon a woman spreading her father's ashes. She told him that her father had lived his whole life in Watertown and that this had become his favorite spot on the river.
I like traveling with Dan. He is a good guide and a lot of fun, but there's something else that puts him above other copilots. He provides a relief, maybe even an antidote, to the tone of environmentalism that makes me want to thumb my nose and turn away.
What continues to bug me, when it comes right down to it, is the sheer earnestness of environmentalism, the conviction that the world is doomed and the compulsive need to share this cheery news.
Of course the world is doomed. Human beings cover the earth like maggots, species are wiped out daily, land is gobbled up by developers, the great migrations are dying out, the world is warming, sea level rising. All true. And then throw in the fact that, while all this is going on, most people seem less concerned with the fate of the world than with the fate of the latest starlet to enter rehab. Nature writers are accused of being apocalyptic, but the facts themselves are pretty dire.
Which tends to have this result: Human beings, most of whom are not really very good at dwelling in hopelessness, turn away. Maybe it's just too much for the mind to live in a constant state of world anxiety. It not only doesn't help the mind much, it only rarely helps the world. Yes, we live in desperate times, and it's true that desperation can sometimes energize. But hopelessness, as a rule, does not inspire. We are not very good
at fighting apocalypses. We are better at fighting for our neighborhoods or for sections of river we've grown up on.
Most of us need at least a dollop of hope to nudge ourselves into action. It does seem hopeful to me that, paddling into a metropolitan area of more than 4 million, we can still see a deer on the banks, a sharp-shinned hawk in the canopy, stripers swimming below. And it does seem hopeful that imperfect human beings have fought to redeem something that seemed unredeemable, like this river. It's not the ultimate answer, but it's something. The beginning of something.
Excerpted from My Green Manifesto, by David Gessner (Minneapolis: Milkweed Editions, 2011). Copyright©2011 by David Gessner. Reprinted with permission from Milkweed Editions. Send comments to email@example.com.


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Terms & Conditions
Updated 25.02.2016
The Gift Card
The Radisson Hotel Group Gift Card ("Gift Card") is issued by the Danish limited liability company Rezidor Loyalty Management A/S, having its registered offices at Amager Strandvej 60-64, 3rd floor, 2300 Copenhagen S, Denmark. The Gift Card is a closed-loop prepaid card, constituting a payment tool for use at Radisson Collection, Radisson Blu, Radisson RED, Park Inn by Radisson and Park Plaza hotels in the following countries ("Selected Country"):
Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Jordan, Kuwait, Latvia, Libya, Lebanon, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Oman, Qatar, Romania, Poland, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates.
The Gift Card is designed and available for individual customers and corporate customers, either as physical or e-Gift Card. Purchase of the Gift Card can be made at the participating hotels or online and in case of purchase by a corporate customer via the Global Sales Offices. As a corporate customer qualifies any person or legal entity who buys a minimum of twenty-five (25) Gift Cards at a time. In case a Gift Card is purchased online, the purchaser can personalise the Gift Card by uploading an image that will be printed on the front of the Gift Card. Click to read the conditions. Further, individual customers who are members of a partnering loyalty program (e.g. Miles & More and SAS Credits) may obtain a Gift Card through miles or points redemption pursuant to rules of the respective loyalty program.
All purchases of the Gift Card are made directly from the issuer, Rezidor Loyalty Management A/S. Individual customers may pay only via credit card; corporate customers may either pay per credit card or upon invoice.
Online Purchases of individual customers may be cancelled by written notice to the Radisson Hotel Group Gift Card Support Center, European Reservation Centre 4th Floor - Block 7, Belfield Office Park, Clonskeagh, 4 Dublin, Republic of Ireland within fourteen (14) calendar days from the purchase date, subject to the Gift Card not being used for any payment. Gift Cards purchased at the participating hotels or obtained through redemption of points or miles of a partnering loyalty program are not covered by this cancellation right.
When the Gift Card is bought online or bought by corporate customers, only fixed denomination values are available in EUR and GBP (20-50-75-100-150 EUR/20-50-75-100 GBP). In case the Gift Card is purchased at the hotel, the customer has the choice of determining the amount of the denomination value, starting from 20.00 EUR/20.00 GBP, but not to exceed EUR 150.00/GBP 100.00.
The purchase price of a Gift Card corresponds to the denomination value of the Gift Card plus any handling fee and delivery charges, if applicable. Upon purchase of the Gift Card at a hotel, no handling or delivery charges apply. Online purchase and via the Global Sales Offices (corporate purchase only) trigger handling and delivery charges which vary depending on the chosen shipping preference and destination of delivery. Handling and delivery charges are paid by the customer and add up to the purchase price. The applicable charges will be calculated and disclosed prior to completion of the purchase process.
Subject to ordering before 2pm GMT, the physical Gift Card will be dispatched the same day (Monday to Friday, excluding public holidays). The e-Gift Card is available within one (1) day and will be sent to the beneficiary by e-mail. The purchaser of a Gift Card is solely responsible for submitting the correct delivery address. Radisson Hotel Group is not liable for any late delivery or non-delivery caused by wrong delivery information, or any other reason which is not within Radisson Hotel Group's control.
Subject to receipt of payment, the Gift Card is automatically activated within one day from the shipping date, or in case of corporate customer's purchase within one day from confirmation of receipt of the Gift Cards. In case of a purchase at any participating hotel or purchase of an e-Gift Card, the Gift Card is activated immediately. Upon activation the Gift Card is identified as e-money in circulation by an online data system. The Gift Card is not reloadable. The PIN code allocated to the Gift Card does not link to the Gift Card's activation, but serves solely for security upon redemption, for balance checking and loss prevention per registration (see below).
The Gift Card can be used for payment of hotel services and consumption at a Radisson Hotel Group in a Selected Country, i.e. guest room accommodation, restaurant & bar consumption, use of spa facilities. Its value cannot be exchanged against cash money nor can the Gift Card be used to prepay online reservations of hotel rooms or services. The value of the Gift Card may be used totally or partially at any transaction, but shall be used up prior to the expiry date.
From the date of its activation the Gift Card shall be valid for a term of twenty four (24) months. Should the holder of the Gift Card not have used up the total denomination value at the time of expiry, Radisson Hotel Group will reimburse upon written request the amount equivalent to the remaining denomination value, subject to a handling fee of 25 EUR per Gift Card, respectively per gift card number in an e-Gift Card. Any request for reimbursement shall be addressed online on our dedicated gift card website giftcard.rezidor.com in the Refund section by submitting the online form at the earliest during the week after the expiry of the Gift Card and at the latest twelve (12) months after the expiry date. The form contains the identification of the Gift Card number and PIN code, banking details as well as the cardholder's name and address, evidenced by a scanned copy of the individual's government Picture ID, such as a passport or ID Card. Cash cannot be returned by hotels.
Each Gift Card transaction will be debited against the Gift Card balance; if the transaction exceeds the remaining balance, the user must pay the difference directly to the hotel using different means of payment. The holder of the Gift Card may check the remaining balance at any time through online access to the Gift Card tracking function (giftcard.rezidor.com), which access will be provided by way of the card number and the PIN code, which is printed on the back of the physical Gift Card underneath a scratch-off layer or mentioned in the email in case an e-Gift Card was purchased.
The Gift Card shall at all times be kept safe and stored with equal care and attention as cash money.
To minimise the risk of damage in case of loss or theft, registration of the Gift Card can be made at giftcard.rezidor.com. The PIN number which is delivered with the Gift Card is required for registration. Once the Gift Card is registered, in case of any loss or theft the rightful holder of the Gift Card can block the Gift Card online and must contact the Gift Card Support Centre. The remaining value on the Gift Card will be transferred to a new card, which will be sent to the card holder.
In case the Gift Card is not registered, the card cannot be blocked. In case of loss or theft the card won't be replaced.
The purchase of a Gift Card is made under the laws of Denmark. The purchaser and the holder of the Gift Card shall in case of dispute about the Gift Card submit their claim to the competent courts in Copenhagen.
The Gift Card does entail registration of personal data, i.e. name and address of the beneficiary and credit card details of the purchaser. Radisson Hotel Group undertakes to ensure that all processing and storage of such personal data is done in compliance with the Danish Act on Processing of Personal Data (DAPPD). This includes in particular that Radisson Hotel Group closely surveys that any of its sub-contractors apply sufficient security measures to avoid loss, damage and fraudulent use of such personal data. The Radisson Hotel Group Data Privacy Policy as set out under www.rezidor.com applies.
These terms and conditions shall be valid from the date of publication; they are subject to change, which change will be effective upon publication of amended terms and conditions on this page setting out the date of the up-date.


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…not actual porn, ok, get with the lingo!
I don't know whats wrong with me. I have started to use terms like Stash, Make Up Porn, Hauls etc. etc. My brain is shrinking, if in fact, it could have shrank anymore.
Anyway. What's better that a load of pictures of new stuff right!
Anna Sui Goods – all on offer at Strawberry Net (yes, it finally came).
Such pretty packaging, like granny used to buy:
2 Eye pencils, 3 liquid liners, 1 Lipgloss:
The liners are in weird colours –
But they are wonderful on. Pigmented, metallic and very long lasting –
Lipgloss is not everyones cup of tea, but since I like the corpse-a-la-angelina look, its great for me –
It reminds me of Nars Striptease, a whitish gloss, which is good for make other colours look paler (or you could just put less on in the first place.)
The pencils –
Gorgeous, so soft and creamy. The purple is a real surprise, its completly matte and perfect for smoky eyes:
Meanwhile, although I moan about multiples all the time, I decided to finish off my collection, because has a 20% off discount. That and becase I am I dream of a palette consisting of Nars Multiples…anyway.
The HQHair code is – GLAMOUR08, valid til June 5th. Its about time. Don't expect me to be grateul, by the way, because HQHair have this stupid shipping policy where they add on 50p for every extra item you want to buy. Whist other companies are often FREE shipping for big purcahses, HQHair are punishing their customers!
So as far as I am concenrned, the 20% will cancel out the ridiculous shipping. Hmph.
Also be warned that they constantly have things out of stock, but they dont necessarily advertise it on their store. Don't be surprised if you get your package with three or four things missing – but they will email you when the replacement is on its way, but HQ are one of those companies you need to chase up.
But I digress.
Mustique (peach) and South Beach (Bronzy):
I lurrrveeee Mustique:
Hmm. Looking at all my Multiples they are all bronzy-apricotty-warm colours, maybe apart from Copa-copa-cabana. Maybe it's time they expanded their horizons colourwise…
This is the very conservative Japan Haul!
The Lavshuca Palettes, Aube EX01 Palette, Lipglosses in 05 and 06 and two Albion Liquid blushes:
Mmmmm not this is what I call a gloss:
Blue Lavshuca:
Gold Lavshuca:
Albion Water blushes. These are SMALL. They are like about £22, which is steep and I thought there would be more…
The rest of my Laura Gellar Stuff arrived too.
This is the special value item, which came in a very cute doughnut type box:
Brushes, mascara, lipgloss:
Powers, eyeshadows included in the kit:
Ooh I also got a curler (although I never do anything to my hair, especially not when its hot!).
Now according the British tele, this curler (which has no clampy thing, you just twist the hair round it like a pole dancer), is all the rage in the US. Are they lying to me? Probably.
I don't like the clampy bits on curlers anyway, they give me a kink:
Babyliss Pro Rebel. It also comes in 2 barrel sizes, I got the larger one since my hair longgg
Some more random hair things from HQHair –
I love the tropical-coconut-monoi oil scent. I am a bit concerned about applying oil to my hair incase it becomes an oil slick, but what the hey –
Here's a confession.
I wash my hair, every single day. I cannot stand the mearest sight of oil on my hair. Yuk. I hate the feeling – I mean, the scalp does sweat ya know!
Nevertheless, people keep telling me that it dries your hair out blah blah blah, so will join the greasy crew and attempt to wash my hair every other day. To show my dedication I bought the bumble and bumble hair powder which was an absolutely disgraceful £27 –
If this doesn't work, I will be forever cursing you dry shampoo users.
Finally, some lipsticks from Shu. No ordinary lippies you understand.
See –
Blue – helps to neutralise the lip area.
Orange – well I just love orange –
Green – this adds a warm sheen to lipcolours. I tried this out in the store and it kind of make the lips look more juicy?! –
Meanwhile, I have a question. I had a dream last night that I had a brace on my teeth. I pulled this out and my whole row of front teeth came out with it – it didn't hurt but underneath were my old teeth. They were still in good condition, not as straight as my false ones (and I didn't they were false until they came out) but when the doc asked is I wanted the fake ones back in I said no, I wanted to keep my old ones.
Teeth has a lot of meaning in dreams right? Anyone knows what this dream means?
If it means that my boyfriend is cheating on me, I am going to get fired from my job, I am going to becomes poorer than ever and all my friends are losers, then its OK, I already know that.


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