text:
The Splendid and the Vile: A Saga of Churchill, Family, and Defiance During the Blitz (Large Print / Paperback)
March 2020 Indie Next List
"Erik Larson has done it again! With years of impeccable research into diaries, archives, dossiers, biographies, and official British documents, he has presented an intimate and detailed account of Winston Churchill in his first years as prime minister as he dealt with the London Blitz and his own personal and family issues. This is Churchill as few of us can imagine, in his silky pajamas entertaining major dignitaries at his weekend retreat, all the while continuing to reassure the British people during their darkest days that they have what it takes to withstand the German onslaught. The Splendid and the Vile reads like an engrossing novel, with all the fascinating details and facts that Erik Larson can provide."
— Gail Meyer, The Bookstore Plus Music & Art, Lake Placid, NY
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The author of The Devil in the White City and Dead Wake delivers an intimate chronicle of Winston Churchill and London during the Blitz—an inspiring portrait of courage and leadership in a time of unprecedented crisis
One of Chicago Tribune's Best Books of the Year So Far • "A bravura performance by one of America's greatest storytellers."—NPR
"Churchill's lessons of resilience and his style of steady-handed leadership are essential to the state of mind of American readers."—Vanity Fair
On Winston Churchill's first day as prime minister, Adolf Hitler invaded Holland and Belgium. Poland and Czechoslovakia had already fallen, and the Dunkirk evacuation was just two weeks away. For the next twelve months, Hitler would wage a relentless bombing campaign, killing 45,000 Britons. It was up to Churchill to hold his country together and persuade President Franklin Roosevelt that Britain was a worthy ally—and willing to fight to the end.
In The Splendid and the Vile, Erik Larson shows, in cinematic detail, how Churchill taught the British people "the art of being fearless." It is a story of political brinkmanship, but it's also an intimate domestic drama, set against the backdrop of Churchill's prime-ministerial country home, Chequers; his wartime retreat, Ditchley, where he and his entourage go when the moon is brightest and the bombing threat is highest; and of course 10 Downing Street in London. Drawing on diaries, original archival documents, and once-secret intelligence reports—some released only recently—Larson provides a new lens on London's darkest year through the day-to-day experience of Churchill and his family: his wife, Clementine; their youngest daughter, Mary, who chafes against her parents' wartime protectiveness; their son, Randolph, and his beautiful, unhappy wife, Pamela; Pamela's illicit lover, a dashing American emissary; and the advisers in Churchill's "Secret Circle," to whom he turns in the hardest moments.
The Splendid and the Vile takes readers out of today's political dysfunction and back to a time of true leadership, when, in the face of unrelenting horror, Churchill's eloquence, courage, and perseverance bound a country, and a family, together.
About the Author
Erik Larson is the author of five national bestsellers: Dead Wake, In the Garden of Beasts, Thunderstruck, The Devil in the White City, and Isaac's Storm, which have collectively sold more than nine million copies. His books have been published in nearly twenty countries.
Praise For…
"An enthralling page-turner."—O: The Oprah Magazine
"Through the remarkably skillful use of intimate diaries as well as public documents, some newly released, Larson has transformed the well-known record of 12 turbulent months, stretching from May of 1940 through May of 1941, into a book that is fresh, fast and deeply moving."—Candice Millard, The New York Times Book Review
"Fascinating . . . The entire book comes at the reader with breakneck speed. So much happened so quickly in those 12 months, yet Larson deftly weaves all the strands of his tale into a coherent and compelling whole."—Minneapolis Star Tribune
"I have an early copy of this book on my desk and idly began reading the first pages—and suddenly time disappeared."—The Seattle Times
"The popular historian Erik Larson has done it again. As I read this book, I kept wondering what the swelling of powerful emotion was that I felt, sometimes in an almost physical sense."—Andrew Roberts, author of Churchill: Walking with Destiny, in Air Mail
"Still, it is a time of sadness, fear, grief and uncertainty for so many, and I find myself comforted by reading about other supremely challenging times in human history, and about resilience, and hope. For this, there is no better book right now than The Splendid and the Vile: A Saga of Churchill, Family, and Defiance During the Blitz by Erik Larson."—Mackenzie Dawson, New York Post
"Nonfiction king Erik Larson is back."—PopSugar
"Spectacular . . . Larson, as America's most compelling popular historian, is at his best in this fast-moving, immensely readable, and even warmhearted account of the battle to save Britain."—The Christian Science Monitor
"William Shakespeare once wrote, 'There is a history in all men's lives.' Certainly, this has been lived out in the remarkable writing career of Erik Larson. His dynamic ability to tell tales from deep within the dusty pages of history in a gripping and cinematic way has earned him wide acclaim. What sets his work apart is his signature way of using painstaking research through personal journals and historical records to spin a gripping nonfiction tale through the ordinary lives of the men and women who succeeded, failed, and perished as a result."—Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
"The Splendid and the Vile delivers the great saga with a novelist's touch. It's like you're watching and hearing the days and nights of 1940 as a passenger on a double-decker London bus."—Chris Matthews, Churchill Bulletin
"A propulsive, character-driven account of Winston Churchill's first year as British prime minister . . . Readers will rejoice."—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"Larson's skill at integrating vast research and talent for capturing compelling human dramas culminate in an inspirational portrait of one of history's finest, most fearless leaders."—Booklist (starred review)


text:
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subset: commoncrawl


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Evander Holyfield says homosexuality is curable
Noted scientist Evander Holyfield told a housemate on "UK Celebrity Big Brother" that being gay is like being handicapped and can be fixed by a doctor.
Apparently, someone doesn't watch "Duck Dynasty."
According to TMZ, the show's producers immediately scolded Holyfield - apparently they don't watch "Duck Dynasty" either - in a private room. The website said those same producers called Holyfield's comments "inappropriate" because they "aren't the views that are held by a large section of society."
I imagine somebody's email inbox has exploded by now.
Holyfield reportedly made the comments Sunday - during his first week on the show - when reality star Luisa Zissman asked him if there were any gay boxers.
Holyfield - said to be a deeply religious Christian - cited the bible, saying homosexuality isn't a choice, but rather something like a "handicap" that can be fixed.
Here's where I don't point out that we're seriously listening to a guy who used to get hit in the head for a living.
TMZ said Zissman respectfully disagreed with Holyfield and the pair were moving on when Holyfield was taken to a private room and scolded for expressing his beliefs. Right - someone decided to scold a guy who beat up Mike Tyson. The former heavyweight champ reportedly said he understood his comments could be considered offensive, but he didn't apologize.
"Big Brother" has a long history of cast members igniting controversy with remarks regarding minorities, gays, even the mentally handicapped.


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Traffic sucks, so why not start your morning off with some music? You provide the toast and we'll provide the jams.
Your weekend is over and your back at work. That's fucked up, but not as fucked up as this video, which is hilarious.
By the way, if you haven't seen Lincoln, it's a great movie. Even though Tony Horwitz thinks it should talk more about Lincoln's evolution on the slavery question, it's worth a watch. Oh, and that army captain guy he seems to like a lot? There's speculation that he may have had an intimate relationship with that dude. So maybe this video isn't so off-base after all.


text:
RAAB, RAABE, RAAFF (includes Raaf), RAASCH, RAASIO, RAATZ, RABB (includes Rab, Raab), RABBITT, RABE, RABENSTEIN (includes Rabenstine, Raubenstine), RABEY, RABOK (includes Rabock), RABORN, RABOURN, RABREN, RABURN (includes Rayburn, Raborn, Rayborn, Raiburn, Raiborn, Raybourne), RABY, RABY, RABY (includes Rabey, Rabe), RACE, RACHAS, RACHELS, RACHMANN, RACINE, RACKHAM, RACKLEY, RADABAUGH, RADABOUGH, RADCLIFF, RADCLIFFE, RADDATZ, RADDE (includes Radd, Rade, Rad, Rabe), RADECK, RADER (includes Reader, Raeder, Roder, Roeder, Rotter), RADER (includes Raider), RADFORD, RADFORD (United Kingdom), RADKE, RADLE, RADLETT (includes Radlet, Radnege), RADLEY (includes Radly), RADLOFF, RADMORE, RADNEDGE, RADOSEVICH (includes Radosevic, Radocevich, Radosovich), RADTKE.
RAE, RAESIDE (includes Raside, Reside), RAFAJKO, RAFERT, RAFFENSPERGER, RAFFERTY, RAFFORD, RAGAN (includes Reagan, Regan), RAGAN (includes Reagan, Regan), RAGER, RAGG, RAGLAND (includes Raglin), RAGSDALE (includes Bragsdale, Ridgedale, Ragsdall, Regisdale, Racksdale), RAGSDALE (DNA studies; includes Ragsdell, Ragsdill, Ragdale, Ragsdal), RAHIER, RAHMANN, RAHN, RAIFORD, RAIL, RAILLARD, RAILSTOCK (includes Ralestock, Raylstock, Ralstock, Rayelstock), RAIMONDO, RAINBIRD (includes Raineberd, Rainberd, Rayneberd, Rainburd), RAINBOLT, RAINBOW (includes Rainbo), RAINE, RAINES, RAINEY (includes Rainy), RAINFORD, RAINIER, RAINS (includes Raines, Ranes, Reynes, Raynes), RAINS, RAINWATER (includes Rainwaters), RAJSKI, RAKER (includes Reker, Roeker, Roecker), RAKES, RAKESTRAW (includes Rickstrew, Rexstraw, Bakestraw, Rakestran), Rakestraw (includes Rexstre, Rickstrew), RALEIGH, RALEY, RALF, RALLS, RALPH, RALSTON, RALSTON, RAMAGE, RAMBO, RAMBONNET, RAMBOW, RAMER, RAMEY (includes Remy, Rhamy, Ramie), RAMIREZ, RAMONAT, RAMOS, RAMPANEN, RAMSAY, RAMSAY (includes Ramsey, Dalhousie, Maule, Brechin, Brecheen), RAMSBOTTOM, RAMSBURG, RAMSDELL, RAMSDEN, RAMSEUR (includes Rumseur, Ramseer, Ramsier, Rahmseur, Ramsier), RAMSEY (includes Ramsay, Ramseur), RAMSEY (Ramsey DNA projects; includes Ramsay, Ramzey), RANA (includes Ranah, Ranuh), RAND, RANDAL, RANDALL (includes Randal, Randel), RANDALL, RANDAZZO, RANDEL, RANDLE, RANDLEMAN, RANDLES (includes Randalls, Randals, Randle), RANDOLPH, RANDOLPH (Fitz Randolph family), RANEY (includes Riney), RANGE, RANGER, RANKIN (includes Ranken), RANNALS, RANNEY (includes Ranny, Raney), RANOUS, RANSE, RANSIER (includes Rancier, Rantzir, Rantsier), RANSOM, RANSON.
RAPALJE, RAPE (Gustavus Reeb family; includes Reap, Reph), RAPER, RAPIER, RAPP, RAPPOLD, RAPSKE, RAPSON, RARICK, RASBERRY (includes Raspberry), RASBURY (includes Raspbury, Rasberry, Rasbery, Rasbury), RASCHKE, RASDON, RASEY (includes Racey, Raisee, Raisey, Raisy, Rasy, Razee, Razey, Razy, Reasey), RASH, RASHBROOK (includes Rashbrooke, Rasbrook, Rasbrooke), RASHLEIGH, RASMUSSEN, RASNAKE (includes Rawsnake, Rahsnak, Rahsnake, Raasnak, Raasnik), RASNER (includes Racener), RASNICK (includes Rasnyck, Rasneck), RASON, RASP, RASTETTER, RASURE (includes Razor, Rasor), RATCHFORD (County Mayo, Ireland), RATCLIFF, RATCLIFFE, RATENBURG (includes Rattenborg, Rathenburg), RATERMAN, RATH, RATHBONE, RATHBUN, RATHKE, RATHMANN (includes Rathman), RATLEDGE (includes Ratlidge), RATLIFF (includes Ratcliff, Ratliffe, Radcliff, Rattle), RATLIFF (Esquire Ratliff family), RATTEN (includes Rattan, Ratton, Rattin, Wratten, Wratton, Wrattin, Wrattan), RATTENHUBER (includes Rattenhueber, Radenhuber, Radenhueber), RATTRAY, RATTRAY (Scotland), RATZ, RATZENBERGER, RATZLAFF.
RAU, RAUB, RAUCH, RAUCK (includes Rauckh), RAUCK (includes Rauckh), RAUM, RAUSCH, RAUSCHER, RAVEN, RAVENCRAFT, RAVENSCRAFT (includes Ravencraft, Ravenscroft, Ravencroft), RAVENSCROFT, RAVER, RAWDON (includes Roddin, Rodden, Rodin, Roden), RAWLANDSON (includes Rolinson, Rawlinson, Rowlinson), RAWLEY, RAWLINGS, RAWLINS, RAWLINSON, RAWLS, RAWORTH (includes Rayworth), RAWSON, RAWSTHORNE, RAXTER, RAY (includes Wray), RAYBORN, RAYBORN, RAYBURN, RAYER, RAYFIELD, RAYL, RAYMEN, RAYMOND, RAYNER, RAYNES (includes Raines), RAYNOR, RAYNSFORD, RAYSOR, RAYWORTH (includes Roworth, Raworth).
REA, READ (includes Reade, Reed, Reid), READE, READER, READING, READOUX (includes Reedoux, Reado, Reedo), READY, REAGAN, REAGIN, REAL, REAM, REAMS, REANDEAU (includes Reandeaw, Reandeaux, Rindu), REARDON, REASE, REASON, REASONER, REASOR, REATHER, REAVELEY (includes Reveley, Rieveley, Reiveley), REAVES, REAVIS (includes Reaves, Revis, Rivis, Reeves, Rives), REAY, REBBECK (includes Ribbeck, Rebbick, Ribbick), REBER, REBSON, RECK, RECKERT, RECKINGER, RECKLESS, RECKMANN (includes Reckman), RECKWEG, RECORDS (includes Record, Reckord, Reckords), RECTOR (includes Richter, Recter, Rektor), REDCAY, REDCROSS, REDD, REDD, REDDEN, REDDICK (includes Riddick, Redick, Reddoch, Reddish, Redrick, Ruddick, Ruddock, Redditt, Riddock), REDDIN, REDDING, REDDISH, REDDITT (includes Reddett, Reddick), REDDOCH (includes Riddoch, Roddich, Ruddich, Ruddoch, Reddich, Reditt, Riddich, Reidhueche), REDERICK, REDFEARN, REDFERN, REDFIELD (includes Redfin, Redfen, Redfyn, Redfyne), REDFORD, REDGRAVE, REDGROVE, REDINGER, REDKEY, REDMAN, REDMON, REDMOND, REDNER, REDPATH, REDUS (includes Readus, Reedis, Redish), REDWINE (includes Reitweil, Riedweyl, Redwile, Riethweil, Reedwile), REE, REEB, REECE, REED, REED, REEDER, REEDER (includes Reader), REEDY, REEDY (includes Riedy, Riedi), REEL (includes Reele, Real, Reale, Reals, Reels), REEMON, REEP, REES, REESE (includes Rees), REETZ, REEVE (includes Reaves, Reeves), REEVES (includes Reaves, Rieves, Reeve), REEVES (United Kingdom; includes Rive, Ryve, Reeve), REEVEY, REGAN, REGENHARDT (includes Regenhard), REGER, REGG, REGISTER (includes Regester), REGNER, REGULAR (includes Reglar, Reggler, Riglar), REHBERG, REHG (includes Regh, Reh), REHM, REHMET, REHN (includes Roehn), REHRER.
REICH, REICH (includes Reiche, Reish, Reisch, Rich), REICHARD, REICHEL, REICHER (includes Richer, Ricker, Reicker), REICHERT (includes Reichart), REICHMUTH, REICHTER, REID, REID (Prince Edward Island, Canada; includes Reed, Read), REIDY, REIFF (includes Reif, Rieff, Reif, Rife, Riffe, Riffey), REIFSNYDER (includes Raifsnider, Reiffschneider), REIJNGOUD (includes Reijngoudt, Reyngoudt, Ringold), REILLEY, REILLY (includes O'Reilly), REIMANN, REIMER, REIMERS, REIML, REINACHER (includes Reinaker, Reinacker), REINBOLD, REINDERS (includes Rinders, Reynders, Rynders, Reinners, Reiners, Reinerts, Reijnders, Rhijnders), REINECKE, REINECKER, REINEKER (Germany), REINER, REINERT, REINHARD, REINHARDT, REINHART, REINHOLD, REINKE, REIS, REISDORF (includes Reischdorff), REISER (includes Reisser, Rieser), REISINGER (includes Risinger), REISS, REIST, REISWIG (includes Risewick, Ricewick, Reiswick, Reiswich, Reisswick, Reisswich, Reisswig, Reiszwig, Reuswig, Reusswig), REITEN (includes Reitan), REITER, REITH (includes Rieth), REITH (Scotland), REITZ, REITZAMMER (includes Reitsamer), REITZEL (includes Reitzle), REMALEY (includes Ramaley, Remeley, Remly), REMBERT (includes Rambert), REMENTER (includes Rementeria), REMICK, REMINGTON (includes Remmington), REMMEL, REMPEL (includes Remple), REMY, REN, RENAUD, RENCH (includes Rentsch, Wrench), RENCHER, RENDALL, RENDER, RENDON, RENEAU, RENFORTH, RENFRO, RENFROE, RENHAM, RENICK (includes Rennick, Rennix), RENKERT, RENKES, RENNEKER (includes Renaker, Renicker, Rennicker), RENNELS, RENNER (includes Runner), RENNER (United Kingdom), RENNIE (includes Raynie), RENNINGER, RENNISON (includes Renison, Reninson), RENNO, RENO (includes Reynaud, Reneau), RENSHAW, RENTON, RENTZ, RENVILLE (includes De Rainville, Rinville), RENWICK, RENZ, RENZA.
REPASS, REPINE, REPKING (includes Rebbekinck, Rebbeking, Rebbekings, Rebbekink), REPLOGLE, REPPERT, REPROGLE, RESCH, RESCHKE (includes Raschke), RESCHLEIN, RESEIGH, RESSEL, RESSLER, RESTER, RESTIEAUX, RESTO, RETALLICK (includes Retallack), RETTELLE, RETTIG (includes Rettich), RETTSCHLAG, RETZER, REUBER (includes Rieber, Ruber, Rauber), REULING, REUS, REUSS, REUTER, REUTHER, REVEL, REVELEY (includes Reavely, Reavley, Reevely, Rievley, Rievely, Rively, Revillee, Revilee, Rebelly), REVELL, REVELLE, REVENE, REVERCOMB, REVETTE (includes Revett), REVILL, REW, REWERTS, REWIS (includes Ruis), REX, REXROAD, REXRODE, REY, REYES, REYNARD (includes Rinard, Renert, Reinard. Raynart, Raynard,Reinart, Reynord), REYNARD (includes Rinard, Renart), REYNIERSEN (includes Reynerson, Rynearson, Rinearson, Rhynearson, Rynerson), REYNIERSON, REYNOLDS, REYNOLDS (South Africa), REYNOLDSON, REZAK, REZEAU, REZNY (includes Resny, Reszny), RHAMES, RHEA (includes Rea, Wray, Rae, Ray), RHEINBERGER, RHINEHART, RHOADES, RHOADS, RHODEN, RHODES (includes Rodes, Rhoades), RHONE (includes Rohn, Rahn), RHORER, RHOTON (includes Rhotan, Rhoten), RHYMER, RHYMES (includes Rimes, Rhimes, Rymes), RHYNER, RHYNO (includes Rhino, Rino, Reneau, Ryno), RHYS.
RIACH (includes Riabhach, Reoch, Raich, Rioch, Reiach), RIBBECK (includes Ribbecke), RIBBLE, RICARD, RICCARDI (includes Ricardi), RICCI, RICE, RICE (southern United States; includes Rhys, Ries), RICE (DNA project; includes Reace, Rease, Reece, Rees, Reese, Reis, Reiss, Rhys, Rise, Royce, Roys, Royse, Ryce, Ryse), RICH (includes Ritch, Ryche, Riche), RICHARD, RICHARDS, RICHARDS (John Richards family), RICHARDSON (includes Richards), RICHARDSON, RICHARDSON (United Kingdom; includes Richerson, Richason, Richison), RICHBOURG (includes Richebourg, Richburg, Richbourgh), RICHEL, RICHENDOLLAR, RICHERSON, RICHES, RICHEY, RICHIE, RICHINGS (includes Richins, Richens), RICHINS, RICHMAN, RICHMAN (Daniel Richman family), RICHMOND, RICHMOND (United Kingdom; includes Richmont, Richmonde), RICHTER (includes Reighter, Richster), RICIGLIANO, RICK, RICKABAUGH (includes Rickaback, Rickenbaugh. Rickabough), RICKARD, RICKEL, RICKENBACH, RICKER (includes Ricard, Riccar, Recore), RICKERSON (includes Richerson, Richison, Rickison, Rickson), RICKERT, RICKETT, RICKETTS, RICKEY, RICKMAN, RICKS, RICKUS (includes Rickas, Rickhus, Rickuss), RICTOR, RICUPATI, RIDDELL, RIDDICK, RIDDLE (includes Riddles, Riddell, Ridle, Reidle, Ritle, Ruddle, Rydale, Rydel), RIDENOUR, RIDEOUT, RIDER (includes Ryder), RIDGE, RIDGELL, RIDGELY, RIDGEWAY, RIDGEWAY (United Kingdom), RIDGWAY (includes Ridgwaie, Ridgeway, Rugewaye, Rudgwy, Rydeware, Rydgeway, Wrydgway), RIDINGER, RIDINGS, RIDLEY, RIDOUT, RIDSDALE (includes Rudsdale, Ridsdall).
RIEBE, RIEBELING, RIEBOLDT (includes Riebolt, Riebold, Reiboldt, Reibolt, Reibold, Rybolt, Ryboldt, Rybold), RIEDEL, RIEDER (includes Riederlin, Reid, Reider, Reiderer), RIEDINGER, RIEDL, RIEF, RIEFENBERG (emigrees from Braunschwieg Duchy, Prussia to midwestern United States), RIEGEL (includes Reagle, Riggle), RIEGER, RIEHLE (includes Rheile), RIEHM (includes Riem, Reim, Rheem, Rime, Rimes, Rheems), RIEL, RIEMAN (includes Riemann, Riehmann, Rhiemann), RIENSTRA, RIES, RIESE (includes Reese, Ries, Rees, Reece), RIETH, RIFE, RIFFE, RIFFLE, RIGAS, RIGBY, RIGDON, RIGEL, RIGG, RIGGAN, RIGGANS, RIGGEN, RIGGENS, RIGGIN, RIGGINS, RIGGS, RIGHTOR, RIGNEY, RIGSBY, RIJSWIJK (includes Van Rijswijk, Rijsewijk, Risewick, Van Rijswijck), RIKARD, RIKER (includes Ryker, Rycke, Rycken), RILEY, RILEY, RIMA, RIMBEY, RIMELL (includes Rymel, Rimmell), RIMMER, RINARD, RINCK (includes Rink), RINE, RINEARSON, RINEBOLD, RINEBOLT (includes Rinebold, Reinbolt, Reinbold, Rhinebolt, Rhinebold, Rhinebault), RINEHART, RINELLA, RINER, RINEY, RING, RINGE, RINGEISANN, RINGEISEN (includes Ringeisan), RINGER, RINGLER (includes Rengler, Ryngler), RINGLEY (includes Ringly), RINKER, RINKS (includes Rinck, Rink, Rinke, Ring, Rincke, Rincks).
RIORDAN, RIOU, RIOUX, RIPLEY, RIPPEE (includes Rippy, Rippie), RIPPEL, RIPPETOE (includes Rippeto, Rippeteau), RIPPLE, RIPPY, RISDEN (includes Rusden, Risdon), RISELING (includes Risling, Riesling, Reisling, Reuschling), RISENER (includes Reisner, Rissner, Risiner), RISENHOOVER, RISER, RISING, RISINGER, RISK, RISLEY, RISNER, RISSETTO, RISTAU, RITCHEY (includes Richey, Richy, Ritchie), RITCHIE, RITCHIE, RITCHOT (includes Richot, Richott, Richotte, Ritchott, Ritchotte), RITCZI, RITTENHOUSE (includes Rettinghousen, Rittinghuysen), RITTER (includes Writter), RITTERBUSCH (includes Ritterbush, Ridderbusch, Ridderbush), RITTINGER (includes Rettenger, Rettinger), RITTMANN (includes Rittman, Ritmann, Ritman), RITZ, RITZMAN, RITZROW (includes Ritzrowe, Ritzerow, Ritzerowe), RIVARD, RIVARD (includes Revord, Rivord), RIVENBURG (includes Rivenberg, Rivenbark, Rifenburgh, Reiffenberg), RIVERA, RIVERS, RIVES (includes Reeves, Rieves, Ryves), RIVIERE, RIVINGTON (includes Remington, Revington), RIVITUSO, RIX, RIZZA, RIZZO (Malta).
ROACH, ROACHE (includes Roche, Roach, Roch), ROADS, ROADY, ROAKE (includes Roak), ROAN, ROAR (includes Rorer, Rorrer, Rohrer, Rohr), ROARK (includes Ruark, Rork, O'Rork, Rourick, Rowark), ROBAR, ROBARDS, ROBB, ROBBEN, ROBBERTS (includes Robbert), ROBBINS, ROBENHORST, ROBENHURST, ROBENHYMER (includes Robenheimer, Rubenhymer), ROBERDES (includes Roberds, Robertes), ROBERDS, ROBERGE, ROBERSON, ROBERT, ROBERT (Reverend Pierre Robert family), ROBERTS, ROBERTS (Canada; includes Robert, Robarts, Robberts), ROBERTS (United Kingdom; includes Robberts, Robarts, Robert), ROBERTS (Georgia), ROBERTS (Indiana), ROBERTS (Reuben Roberts family), ROBERTSON, ROBERTSON, ROBERTSON (Scotland), ROBERTSON (South Shields, Tyne and Wear, England), ROBERTSON (Texas), ROBERTSON (Dr. Robert John Stuart Robertson family), ROBESON, ROBEY (includes Roby), ROBIE, ROBILLER (includes Robillier), ROBIN, ROBINAULT (includes (Robinalt, Robbenolt, Rabenolt), ROBINETT (includes Robinet, Robinette, Robnet), ROBINETTE, ROBINETTE, ROBINS, ROBINSON (includes Robertson, Robison, Robeson, Roberson, Robbins, Robins), ROBINSON (United Kingdom and Ireland), ROBINSON (Richard Eppe Robinson family), ROBISON, ROBITAILLE (includes Rabitaille, Robitalle), ROBLEDO (includes Robles), ROBLEE (includes Robblee, Rublee, Robleyer, Rublier, Robley), ROBLES, ROBLES (Puerto Rico), ROBLIN, ROBSON, ROBY, ROCHA, ROCHE, ROCHEFORT (includes Rochfort, Rochford, dit Liret, dit Lurette, dit Hurette, dit Huret), ROCHESTER, ROCHFORD, ROCK, ROCKALL, ROCKETT, ROCKHILL, ROCKHOLD, ROCKLEY, ROCKSTEIN, ROCKWELL, RODDA, RODDEN (includes Roden, Rowden, Routen, Routon, Rowdon, Rauten), RODDICK, RODDIN (includes Rodin, Roden, Rodden, Rawdon), RODDIN, RODDY (includes Rhody, Roddey, Roddye), RODDY, RODE, RODEBAUGH (includes Rodenbaugh), RODEN, RODEN, RODENBAUGH, RODENHIZER, RODER, RODERICK, RODEWALD (includes Rohdewald), RODGER, RODGERS, RODGERS, RODGERS (Australia), RODGERS (Ireland), RODIE, RODMAN (includes Redmond, Rodham, Redman, Broadman, Rothmann, Hrothmann, Roadman, Hrodman, Rathman, Rutman, Redmon, Rothman, Rideman, Brodman), RODNEY, RODRIGUES, RODRIGUEZ.
ROE, ROEBUCK, ROECKER (includes Roeker, Raker), ROEDEL, ROEDER, ROEHRICH, ROEHRIG, ROEKLE (includes Roeckle, Reckley, R
ROI, ROJAS, ROKOS (Slavic; includes Rokosh), ROKSANDIC (includes Roksandich, Roksanich), ROLAND (includes Rowland, Rawlings, Rawlin, Rollens, Rollings, Rollins, Rolin), ROLEN, ROLES (includes Rolls), ROLF, ROLFE, ROLFSON, ROLIN (includes Roland, Rollin), ROLL (includes Raal, Rall, Ral, Rol, Rool, Rools, Mengalrol, Mangles), ROLLASON (includes Rolason, Rollinson), ROLLER, ROLLETT (includes Rollitt, Rollet, Rollit), ROLLEY, ROLLINGS, ROLLINS (includes Rawlings, Rawlin, Rollens, Rollings, Rolin, Rollans), ROLLMANN, ROLLO, ROLLO (Scotland), ROLOFF (includes Rolloff, Rohloff), ROLSTON, ROMACK, ROMAN, ROMANO, ROMANOFF, ROMANS, ROMANSKI (includes Romansky), ROME, ROMEO, ROMERO, ROMIG, ROMINE (includes Romeyn, Romain, Romaine, Romines, Romeyns, Romains, Romaines, Remine), ROMMEL, ROMOLO, ROMSPERT, ROMU (includes Romuin, Romunen), RONAN (includes Ronayne, Ronane), RONDEAU, RONDOT (includes Rondot dit, Rondeau, Rondeau-dit), RONEY, RONSPIES.
ROO, ROOD, ROOF, ROOK (includes Rooke, Rooks), ROOKARD (includes Rookwood, Rookaird), ROOKER, ROOKS, ROOME, ROONEY (includes Roony, Roonay, Roney, O'Rooney, Rowney), ROONEY (includes Roony, Roonay, Roney), ROOP, ROOS, ROOSA, ROOSA (includes Roos, Rosa), ROOSE, ROOSE (Roose DNA projects), ROOT (includes Roote), ROPER, ROQUEMORE, RORER (includes Roar, Rorrer, Rohrer, Rohr), RORK (includes Rorke), RORRER (includes Rohrer, Roar, Rohr, Rorer), ROSA, ROSALES, ROSAMOND, ROSBROOK (includes Rosbrooke, Roshbrook, Roshebrooke), ROSCOE (includes Racicot, Rocicot), ROSE (includes Roosa, Rosa, Rutsen, Ruzen), ROSE (Scotland), ROSE (obituaries; includes Roosa, Rosa, Rutsen, Ruzen), ROSE (Noel Rose family), ROSEBERRY, ROSEBOOM (includes Rooseboom), ROSEBOROUGH (includes Rosebrough, Rosbrough, Roseboro), ROSEBUSH (includes Desrosier, Desrosiers), ROSECRANS, ROSEN, ROSENBAUM, ROSENBERG, ROSENBERGER, ROSENBERRY, ROSENBLATT, ROSENBLUM, ROSENBOROUGH (includes Roseborough, Rosebough, Rosebrough, Rosenboro, Rosenborrow, Roseboro, Roseberry, Rossborough, Rosenberry, Rosenbury), ROSENBURG (includes Rosenberg), ROSENER (includes Rosner, Roesener), ROSENFELD, ROSENFELDER (includes Rosenfelter, Rosenfeldter), ROSENKRANZ (includes Rosenkrantz, Rosencranz, Rosencrantz), ROSENTHAL, ROSENZWEIG (includes Rosenswaig), ROSER, ROSER (Kent, England), ROSER (Sussex, England), ROSEVEAR, ROSEWARNE, ROSIE, ROSIER, ROSINE, ROSINSKI, ROSLER (includes Roslier), ROSMARIN (includes Ro
ROUGEMONT (includes de Rougemont), ROUGH, ROUGHLEY (includes Ruffley, Ruffly), ROUGHSEDGE (includes Roughsage, Roughsich, Roughsuch, Rousedge, Roughseich), ROULLIER, ROULSTON, ROUM, ROUND, ROUNDS, ROUNDTREE, ROUNDY, ROUNSEVELL, ROUNTREE, ROURKE, ROUSE (includes Roush, Rausch), ROUSE (United Kingdom; includes Roos, deRoos, Rowse, Rous), ROUSEY (includes Rowzee, Rowzie), ROUSH, ROUSSEAU (includes Russeau), ROUSSEL (includes Russell, Russel, Roussell, Roszell, Roszelle), ROUTEN, ROUTH (includes Ruth), ROUTLEDGE, ROUTT, ROUX, ROVER (includes Ruffer, Rouffer, Rovier, Rouvier, Rouviere, De Rover), ROW, ROWAN, ROWBERRY (includes Rubery, Rowbury, Ruberry, Rewbury, Robery, Roebury, Rovery, Rowbery, Rowbory, Rowbree, Rowbrey, Rowburrey, Rubbery, Rubbra, Rubrey, Rubra, Rubury), ROWCLIFFE (includes Rowcliff), ROWDEN, ROWE (includes Row), ROWELL (includes Rowel, Rowley), ROWELL (includes Rowel), ROWLAND, ROWLAND (United Kingdom; includes Rowlands, Roland), ROWLANDS, ROWLEE (includes Rowley), ROWLES, ROWLETT (includes Rawlett, Rowlette, Roulet), ROWLETT (includes Rawlett, Rowlette, Rowlet, Roulet), ROWLEY, ROWLEY, ROWLINSON (includes Rolinson, Rawlinson, Rawlandson), ROWND (includes Round, Rownds, Rounds), ROWNEY (includes Roney, Rooney Roony, Roonay, O'Rooney), ROWNTREE (includes Roantree, Rontre, Rountree, Roundtree), ROWORTH (includes Rayworth, Raworth), ROWRAY (includes Rowrey, Rowery, Rowrie, Rowry), ROWSELL, ROWZEE (includes Rousey, Rowzie), ROWZIE (includes Rousey, Rowzee), ROXBURY (includes Roxberry, Roxborough, Roxbrough), ROY (includes Roye), ROYAL (includes Royall), ROYALL, ROYALTY, ROYCE (includes Royse, Roys, Rice), ROYER, ROYLE, ROYSDON, ROYSTON (includes Roystone), ROZELL, ROZON, ROZSA.
RUARK, RUBERG, RUBERT (includes Ruberts, Rheubart, Rubart, Rubarts, Reuber, Ruber, Reubart, Reubert, Ruebart), RUBIN, RUBLE, RUBOTTOM, RUBY, RUCH, RUCINSKI, RUCK, RUCKEL (includes Rockel, Ruckle, Ruttle), RUCKER (includes R
RUIS, RUIZ (includes Ruize, Ruis, Ruise, Ruez, Rueze), RULAND, RULE, RULES (includes Ruyles), RULWICK, RUMBAUGH, RUMBERG (includes Rumburg), RUMBURG (includes Rummburg, Ruhmburg), RUMKE, RUMLER (Australia), RUMMANS, RUMMEL (includes Rumel, Rummell, Romel, Rommel), RUMMEL, RUMMELT, RUMMLER, RUMPEL, RUMRILL, RUMSBY, RUMSEY, RUNAKER, RUNCIMAN, RUNDELL, RUNDLE, RUNGE, RUNION, RUNKEL, RUNKLE, RUNNALLS, RUNNELS, RUNNELS, RUNNER (includes Ranner, Ronner), RUNYAN, RUNYON (includes Runyan, Runion), RUOP, RUPE, RUPERT, RUPP (includes Rupo, R
RUSCH, RUSCOE (includes Rusco, Ruscow, Rosco, Roscoe, Roscow), RUSECKAS (includes Rusecki, Rusecky, Ruskey, Rusas, Ross), RUSH (includes Rushe), RUSHBROOKE (includes Rushbrook, Rusbrook, Rusbrooke), RUSHER, RUSHING, RUSHMER, RUSHTON, RUSHWORTH (includes Rushforth, Rishworth), RUSK, RUSKIN (United Kingdom), RUSMISEL, RUSS, RUSSEAU, RUSSEL (includes Russell, Roussel, Roussell, Roszell, Roszelle), RUSSELL, RUSSELL (United Kingdom), RUSSELL (North Carolina), RUSSELL (Virginia), RUSSO, RUST (includes Russ), RUTAN, RUTH, RUTHERFORD, RUTHERFORD (Scotland), RUTKIEWITZ (includes Rotkowitz, Rotchevitch, Roth, Ross), RUTKOWSKI (includes Rutkowska, Rudkowski, Rudkowska), RUTKOWSKI (includes Rudkowski, Ruthkowski, Rutkoski), RUTLAND, RUTLEDGE (includes Rutlidge, Rutlege, Rutlige, Rutlage), RUTLEY (includes Ruttley, Ruttly), RUTTER, RUTYNA (includes Rutina, Rutena), RUTZ, RUYLE, RUZICKA, RYALS (includes Rails, Riales, Riels), RYAN (includes Rian, Mulryans, Mhaolrians), RYAN, RYAN, RYAN, RYCKMAN (includes Rykman), RYDBERG (includes Rydburg, Rideburg, Rideberg, Rodbjerg, Redburg, Redberg), RYDEHEARD (includes Rydeard, Readheard), RYDER, RYE, RYERSON (includes Reijer, Reijerson, Reijerszen, Ryers, Ryerse, Ryersse, Ryason, Ryer, Ryers, Rayerson, Reyrse, Rierson, Rerjersz, Ryierson, Rayson, Rawson, Adriance, Martense), RYGMYR, RYKER (includes Riker), RYKERT (includes Rikert, Reichert, Riker), RYLAND (includes Riland, Rylands), RYLE, RYMER (includes Rimer, Rimmer), RYMES, RYNDERS, RYNIEWICZ (includes Renyavich, Renyehvich), RYNKIEWICZ, RYSE.
Surnames, Family Associations & Family Newsletters » Surnames - R » Surname Mailing Lists
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TOEFL Scholarship 2016
TOEFL Scholarship 2016
Educational Testing Services- ETS has opened applications to the TOEFL scholarships. The USD 105,500 scholarships will be awarded to academically excellent students from India to pursuit of undergraduate or graduate study in India or abroad. ETS will award 15 USD 7000 scholarships to students to help them study further at any of the 9000+ institution that accepts the TOEFL test globally.
The competition is in two stages. To be eligible for this award, you must:
* reside in India
* start an undergraduate or graduate degree program between June 2016 and May 2017 at a college or university listed in the TOEFL Destination Search
* hold a grade point average of 80 or higher on a 100-point scale, or a 3.0 grade point average or higher on a 4-point scale
* demonstrate English proficiency with a valid TOEFL score
* complete the initial application by June 21, 2016
Based on the initial applications, 100 semifinalists will be selected. Semifinalists must exhibit:
* an outstanding ability to communicate
* demonstrated leadership skills
* well-rounded extracurricular activities, especially including community service
* innovative ideas as reflected in essays
Complete the initial application online. The deadline for the initial application is June 21, 2016. If selected as a semifinalist, you will be notified and will be required to submit additional information, which is due on July 14, 2016. Please use program key "TIndia" to access the TOEFL Scholarship application for India
For more information visit : https://www.ets.org/toefl


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Avast, maties! Enter yer information below and I will tell ye yer pirate name. Ahoy!
Check out these other fine sites, ye scurvy wenches. And remember, talk like a pirate day
is on September 19th, so step to and make sure that ye have the proper name lest me and
my mates come to plunder your cities and take your booty. Arrr.
[About Me] -
[Projects] -
[Fun Stuff] -


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An extraordinary transformation has occurred, or more precisely appeared above the waterline. It is a change so epochal, so profound, you'd think Canadians would be in the streets, cheering. But then, this is Canada: Celebratory back patting is not our cup of tea.
The big news, which will never make a bold headline, is just this: Across this country, from coast to coast to coast, there is now a nearly unanimous view that the old, divisive, angry debates about matters of individual faith and morals are over. And we're not going back there. Not any time soon, probably not ever.
Discrimination based on race and gender and sexual orientation are history, too, for the most part. There are still racists, homophobes and gender-haters in Canada, of course. And there are aberrations (Afro-centric schools in Toronto, for example). But the shared expectation of equality under the law for all, is now so firmly embedded as to be foundational. This is something interesting, unique — and new.
We actually, finally may be living in a just society, as various past prime ministers dreamt we one day would. Not only that, but we live in a society in which the shared idea of equal rights spans the political spectrum, and also our country's vast geography.
Too Pollyannaish by half? It sounds it. But consider the facts on the ground.
Last fall, Ontario Progressive Conservative leader Tim Hudak was poised to depose the weary, idea-bereft Liberal government of Dalton McGuinty in a rout — or so the polls suggested. Then Hudak made his campaign about ethnicity — pitting native-born Canadians (mainly of European origin), against immigrants, (mainly of Asian, South Asian or African origin), referring to the latter as "foreigners" and griping about subsidies given to companies who hire them.
The strategy backfired spectacularly, derailing Hudak's campaign. It was eerily reminiscent of the gaffe made by Hudak's predecessor, John Tory, in 2007, when he went to the mat for more public funding of separate religious schools. Ontarians turned thumbs down on that for the same reason: It smacked of discrimination.
A week ago in Alberta, voters delivered a similar message. Wildrose leader Danielle Smith, leading in the polls, was side-swiped by "bozo outbreaks" among her candidates. In responding to the remarks, one directed at gays and the other racially tinged, Smith failed to forcefully denounce them.
She expected, no doubt, that her repeated, categorical statements that she is pro-choice, pro-gay-marriage and adamantly opposed to any kind of discrimination, would be enough to smooth the waters. It wasn't. Albertans heard a whiff of something they didn't like and returned Alison Redford's Progressive Conservatives with a huge majority.
In Parliament last week, Conservative backbench MP Stephen Woodworth caused a furor with a motion to strike a committee to consider when a human life, for purposes of the Criminal Code, begins. If life is determined to begin before birth, of course, then abortion de facto becomes illegal.
Woodworth's motion has no chance of success: All four major federal parties are united against him. And this is the truly astonishing thing: Both Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Gordon O'Connor, the Conservative whip, denounced his motion.
"Society has moved on and I don't believe this proposal should proceed," O'Connor said. "As well, it is in opposition to our government's position."
It is impossible to know whether senior Conservatives would have spoken out as clearly before last Monday's Alberta surprise, which revealed the temper of their base. It's also irrelevant. We now have a consensus, a national one, that Canada is a uniformly socially progressive nation and will remain so. (Quebec and British Columbia have always been more progressive than either Ontario or Alberta, as regards social issues.)
Liberals will wish to take credit for this, attributing it to Pierre Trudeau's baby, the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
"The dialogue between the courts and Parliament has become a dialogue between courts that enforce the charter, and Parliament that has smaller and smaller numbers of people who are prepared to talk back to the charter," is how veteran Liberal strategist John Duffy puts it.
Conservatives will point out that it was John Diefenbaker, himself a victim of anti-German racism in his youth, who introduced the Canadian Bill of Rights, precursor to the charter. Progressive values are thus a legacy of both Liberals and Conservatives.
"It's partly the charter, and it's partly the maturity of the population," says veteran Conservative strategist Geoff Norquay. "A broadly based social consensus has emerged on the so-called hot-button issues, which says, we decided that . . . . I recognize you may hold personal views at odds with the majority, but we're not going back there."
For anyone who remembers the highly charged debates of the 80s, and 90s, and even those in the first decade of this century, this is truly remarkable.


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Welcome to the Smith & Wesson Collectors Association open web page.
We are pleased that you have stopped by to learn about our association. The Smith & Wesson Collectors Association is the oldest specialized collectors association in the United States. It was founded in 1964 by six Smith & Wesson collectors while attending a gun show in Tulsa, Oklahoma. This group of collectors met each year at different gun shows around the country. To keep in contact with fellow collectors, I began publishing a newsletter called "Notes From The Desk of Roy Jinks" that contained new information from other collectors or my continued research at the Smith & Wesson factory. As more people become interested, it became necessary to organize this collector group. At the 1970 Las Vegas Gun Show a group of Smith & Wesson Collectors announced that they would organize as the Smith & Wesson Collectors Association, and they elected it first slate of officers.
The Collectors Association is dedicated to the collecting of all Smith & Wesson products from the antique firearms to the most modern arms currently produced by the company. The association's main purpose is the preservation of Smith & Wesson's history. The S&WCA is currently working with the Connecticut Valley History Museum, which houses the Smith & Wesson Company Collection and the Smith & Wesson archives. The association has donated more than $100,000 for the care and preservation of this collection. We will continue to make this one of the association's primary objectives.
Members of the association receive the association-published journal that contains stories on both antique and modern Smith & Wesson firearms. The Association hosts an annual meeting, which is held in various parts of the United States to allow all members an equal chance to attend. As a member, you can join the Private Area of the public Smith & Wesson Forum. Members of the Private Area discuss many topics relevant to the history of Smith & Wesson and its products.
We invite all individuals who have a serious interest in Smith & Wesson to join our association. Please click on 'how to become a member'.
Roy G. Jinks
Chairman, Smith & Wesson Collectors Association


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The Truth Behind My Own Salary Negotiation Experiences
No one teaches you salary negotiation in college or business school. It is one of those things you just have to figure out on your own. But, what you negotiate at your first job will affect the salary of all of your future jobs. I wish I knew that.
That is why I am sharing my own salary negotiation experiences.
My first real professional job was when I was still in my junior year of college. I felt very lucky to even have a job not to mention the fact that they were paying part of my tuition in exchange for my 105-20 hours per work each week. Score! So when the salary of $26,000 annually was offered to me, I thought great! That was more than I ever made before and I was really not working full time there anyways so it didn't really matter. Any money was better than no money, right.
So there was absolutely no negotiating at all. I just said sounds good, took the job and I was happy. Looking back I just shake my head, I mean what was I thinking. I was truly unprepared for my first professional job.
Why hadn't ANYONE told me anything about negotiating and how important that first salary was. Not my professors, not my parents, and surely not my friends because salary was ALWAYS a taboo subject. (None of my friends had jobs anyways. so it didn't really matter). I just had no idea what the right salary was that I was supposed to ask for and so naive to trust that the employer was treating me fairly.
So that was my first experience in salary negotiating. It involved no salary negotiation.
A few years later, I decided to stay with the government after graduation and worked my way up to a better salary. (Still at no point in time did I ever ask for a raise, I just took what they gave me every year. What was I thinking!!) After working with the government for three years, I started looking at other options and was particularly interested in consulting. Little did I know, that the experience I gained working with the government was exactly the experience that this consulting firm needed and wanted.
Now, I know a little more about salary negotiations.
Having worked for this company for many years and hiring others, I know I was an obvious hire. I was a needle in a haystack because of the experience I had. The problem was, I didn't do my research so I didn't know even how insanely awesome I was to this company. Because I was so infatuated with the company and the type of consulting work I would be doing, I didn't care what they paid me. I was just so excited because it was the perfect job for me.
So I did a lot of research on the company but not the real behind the scenes research. In hindsight, I knew someone who worked at the company from my church, so I should have talked to him about it. Why didn't I get the details of what exactly they did so I could know how well I fit this opportunity? I am not sure why I didn't but hopefully, you can learn from my mistakes.
When the dreaded question came up from the senior manager "What are your salary requirements?" Keep in mind that this is the same senior manager who had just intimidated me by asking me how many dentists there are in the US. I was flustered and had been great in the interview until that question. So I was already a bit perplexed with her questions and then she asked me what salary I wanted. Well, at that point I thought I might be losing the interview because I didn't know how many dentists were in the US, I mean who does? (I later learned that this interview question is just to see how someone handles the question. No one actually expected me to get the right answer. They just wanted to see my thought process, duh!)
So the background of my salary history, I had done a great job at my government job and had steadily received promotions from $24,000 to $40,000 in the couple years I worked there. I was proud of my promotions and I thought I was paid fairly. I mean none of my friends or co-workers talked about what they earn so I really had nothing to compare it to. (Which is exactly why I am sharing numbers with you! I am breaking the taboo!) So ready for my answer to this question? I told them, "Well….right now I make $40,000 so I would like to make at least $42,000." Yes, that is only a 5% raise in my salary I asked for and I didn't even give them a range!
Looking back, I know that when you move from company to company, that is your negotiating time. I had lots of things they wanted and honestly, I think they would have hired me at a much higher salary because of what I brought to the table. Fortunately, I think they felt bad for little old inexperienced salary negotiator me, because they actually ended up starting me at $46,000. They knew I was valuable to them so they gave me more than I even wanted. Smart company, because they made me a really happy employee who has now worked for them for 7 years!
But when you think of my seven years at that company, all annual salary negotiations have been based on that initial starting salary. I always wonder what salary I would be at now if I had asked for $50,000-$60,000 instead in the beginning. Who knows! I didn't ask so I will never know.
What I have learned is that it is very uncommon to get those huge jumps in salary. Most annual raises are in the 2-5% unless you are a superstar or change companies and bring a lot of experience and knowledge with you that the new company needs.
Fast Forward To Promotion Time
Fast forward a few years down the road and I was up for a raise and promotion, or at least I thought I was. I was shocked to find out that my manager (who hadn't really seen all the awesome stuff I was doing) wasn't in agreement with me when I told him I deserved a promotion. So I decided to prove him wrong.
During that assessment cycle, I spent hours and hours completing my self-assessment form and highlighting all of the amazing stuff I had been doing over the last year. I asked all my coworkers to provide feedback on how well I was doing. I provided so much detail that my boss told me that he had no other choice but to give me that promotion because of how much information he received that proved my point.
It was then that I realized that you have to be in charge of your own success because no one is going to do it for you. You have to show everyone how awesome you are and the amazing things you have been doing. I often see young professional women at my company who are scared to brag about themselves and tell their managers how awesome they are really doing. You have to get used to that confidence and start believing it for yourself first. Then others will see it too.
I have also worked really hard for my company. I think when you show your managers and co-workers that you work really hard, you will be rewarded in the long run. I remember one time where I had really gone out of my way to make my clients happy, but I didn't think my manager so I was just expecting a small raise. Boy, was I surprised to get a 17% raise.
Sometimes when you aren't expecting it and you are just working really hard for yourself and your own success, those awesome rewards come when you aren't even looking.
What do you wish you would have known about salary negotiation before your first job?
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This morning, Jeffri Chadiha wrote a piece for ESPN about the attention that must be paid to the "dirtiest of the NFL's little secrets"—drunken driving, domestic violence and guns:
There comes a point where grieving, lamenting and wondering why these tragedies have happened just isn't enough. At some point, accountability and responsibility come into question.
That's where the NFL sits today, as it has lost its second player in a week for what amounts to disturbingly poor judgment. For a league that has talked about player safety, player conduct and the value of "protecting the shield," it's time to rethink how it's addressing some of the less discussed issues affecting its brand.
He's right, there does come a point: it was six years ago, in 2006, when the league saw 68 of its players arrested. Since then, there's been a fairly precipitous decline in NFL player arrests. Stephen Bronars puts it in graph form over here, and the numbers are fairly stark: Arrests are down 40% since the 2006 peak, and over the last decade—including the bad years—NFL players are about a quarter as likely to commit a crime as the average male aged 22-34 (2.9% of players compared to 10.8% of men). 2006, in case you had forgotten, is the year that Roger Goodell took over for Paul Tagliabue.
The problem is that drunken driving, domestic violence and gun possession don't seem to rate nearly as high [as illegal tackles, dogfighting and bounties] on the league's list of issues that must be addressed.
Clearly, that can't be true, unless we're looking at a massive coincidence: Bronars, with the help of this running tally kept by the San Diego Union-Tribune and updates from Fox Sports, looked at every arrest more severe than a traffic violation over the past decade—drunken driving, domestic violence and gun possession all rate. Say what you will about Roger Goodell, but interventionist methods of protecting the NFL's image are a strong suit.
Arrests don't necessarily align precisely with incidence—undoubtedly, players get away with crimes, just like everyone—but it seems unlikely that the percentage of players escaping police notice has increased, and it should be noted that some arrests lead to acquittals or dropped charges. Simply put, NFL players, despite recent incidents, have a fairly strong record of acting in accordance with the law, a record that's improved recently by an impressive margin.
The point here, as it so often is: the trend being identified in relation to recent current events is not in fact a trend, but a couple of paired anomalies, and the procedures that are being recommended to curb that trend are already probably in place. Chadiha's absolutely right that drunken driving and domestic violence ought to be foci of attention for the NFL, but the NFL's own obsession with its image, along with supporting statistics, suggest they already are. The league may redouble its efforts now, but suggesting that the league has been insensible to drunken driving, domestic abuse and gun ownership among players ignores the NFL's overriding interest in good press.
Tragic Saturday: NFL Must Act [ESPN]
Does The NFL Have a Crime Problem? [Stephen Bronars]


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Learning how to drive is practically a rite of passage for teenagers. But becoming a good driver takes more than just learning the rules of the road. It means adopting safe driving habits, learning driver etiquette, understanding one's vehicle, and how to anticipate situations that may turn dangerous.
And that's where Driver Ed can help. Whether you're a teen or a parent of one, we've put together some great reasons to enroll in an ODOT-approved driver education course. Just click on one of the signs above. See you down the road!


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Find information about Botox and fillers for facial rejuvenation.
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Liposuction, Tummy tuck, Body lift, Arm lift, Thigh lift.
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As I previous reported, last week, I attended VH1/Monami Entertainment's 'Love & Hip Hop Premiere Screening Party' for season 3 at Kiss & Fly in NYC. During the premiere party, there was a Q&A and also, TheYBF.Com caught up with Yandy for an exclusive interview. Since the last season, Yandy has been doing pretty well. She launched her Everything Girls Love accessorize line as well as a lifestyle blog of the same name. She is also a new mother! Back in July, Yandy and her boyfriend Mandeecees welcomed a baby boy to the world. During her interview, Yandy talked about how she is showing her personal life more on this season, why she decided to bring her boyfriend on the show and why she decided to come back. Below are some highlights:
This season it appears that we'll see more of your personal life than just you as a businesswoman, was that something you wanted last season?
No. Last season I was completely closed and I didn't want any of my personal life (no mom, no dad, no man, nothing) on the show. Honestly, the reason why I did the show is because I wanted to give a message to people out there, women, men, whoever…there are some of us who are independent of a man who have built a career in this industry or done well for themselves independently of someone else's career. And I felt that first season that wasn't really shown. Because if you see Somaya struggling, she left struggling. Olivia starting struggling in her music career, she left struggling. I wanted to show that I'm fighting and I'm not really struggling. I wanted season two to be focused on my business.
The world didn't see your boyfriend during the last season, what made you want to include him now?
When we started taping I was 8 months pregnant, so there was no way not to include him. I didn't want people…well, People assumed last season, and I realized, that because I didn't have a boyfriend on the show and it is Love & Hip Hop, people assumed that I was in love with Jim or wanted to be with him. It was so confusing and mind-boggling because we were so professional in real life and on the show and I couldn't understand why people thought that. I guess if they don't see you with anybody, they assume you're with nobody. Because I was coming home every night to Mandeecees so it's like, what are they talking about. Do they know what I got at home? I felt it was important to let people know, "Let me check all yall that thought something differently, here it is".
Considering all the drama that happened last season and with reality shows in general, why did you choose to return for another season?
Let me think…there was a lot of drama, but overall it was excellent for my brand. I'm just going to keep it real with you. When I thought about the drama and how much I'm not drama filled, I was asking myself if this is something I really wanted to do. But when I thought about what it's done for my EGL brand, I was like "why wouldn't I". When I thought about how it's a commercial to promote whatever you have (your nails, hair, clothing or jewelry line), this show airs 3 to 4 times a day every day a week, you would be a fool not to take advantage of all those marketing tools and dollars that could be spent. And I felt there was nothing more to think about when I thought of it from that spectrum.
What's the BIGGEST change you've seen in your boyfriend after you had your baby boy?
He's already been a dad and what I love about him is that he's a great dad. But now to see him love up on something that's a part of me, makes me love him. Baby Omere has just gotten us so much closer because I see how much he loves him and how much he wants to protect him. And that just makes me love him more.
Read the full interview over at TheYBF
Pic via Yakini/RealityTVFashion.Com
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Mortgage Rates Surge to a Two-Year High, and More
What's News: The 30-Year mortgage rates jumps above 4% for the first time since March 2012. President Obama says he won't engage in 'horse trading' for Edward Snowden. Mourners pay tribute to 'Sopranos' star James Gandolfini. Joanne Po reports. Photo AP.
This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.
... the cost you a lot more to buy a home this is what's news at this hour I'm WS J live I'm Joann Co ... mortgage rates surging to a two-year high over the past week the average rate for the thirty year fixed rate mortgage crisis to four point four six percent ... that's up from three point nine three percent in the prior week ... Freddie Mac reports that this is the first time the rate has reached above four percent ... since March of twenty twelve ... mortgage rates have been rising since May but jumped after the Federal Reserve suggested he could start tapering bond purchases this year ... rates are still historically low but analysts expect that the case of ultra low mortgage rates are number ... present Brock Obama says he will not engage in horse trading ... for Edward Snowden ... the president also dismissing the idea of using military jets to pursue Mr Snowdon ... was charged by US authorities that ceiling and passing on government secrets ... Mr. Snowden remains in a transaction of the Moscow airport ... with no clear destination meantime the nation of Ecuador which is considering ... an asylum requests by Mr. Snowden ... is last to back a bit tense but U S lawmakers to use the setup expiring Trygg preference is ... as a bargaining chip to push Ecuador away from supporting the former NSA contractor ... hundreds of mourners including some of Hollywood's biggest names turn out to pay tribute to award winning actor James gander Feeney ... the funeral ceremony for the former Soprano star ... took place at the Cathedral Church of St John the divine in New York City Thursday Mr. again Delphine died of a heart attack on June nineteen ... while vacationing in Italy fans lined the streets for quince of the mourners and to pay for specks ... in New Jersey where the soprano Swiss second where Mr. Gammel Fini was born ... flags are flying at half staff today ... to honor the late actor ... bookie keep us anomaly business


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LONDON - The late Amy Winehouse has been nominated for a Brit Award, joining acts such as Emeli Sande and Paloma Faith in the running for best British female act.
Winehouse — who died in July 2011 from accidental alcohol poisoning — was eligible as a result of the release of her "Lioness: Hidden Treasures" album.
Sande, Mumford & Sons and Alt-J led the nominations for Britain's premiere music awards, with three each.
Other nominees include the Rolling Stones, up for best live act against Coldplay, Mumford & Sons, Muse, and The Vaccines.
Stones guitarist Keith Richards welcomed the nomination, saying "on stage is where we belong."
The 2012 Brit awards will take place Feb. 20 and feature performances by Muse and Robbie Williams.


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Mars Express Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
We are getting lots of questions regarding Mars and Mars Express. Before posting your question, please go through the following FAQs to see if your question has already been answered.
About Mars Express
Where does the name 'Mars Express' come from?
Mars Express is so called because, at the time, it was built more quickly than any other comparable planetary mission. Mars Express's design and development phase has taken about five years, compared with about ten years for previous similar missions.
Where did the lander name 'Beagle 2' come from?
The Mars Express lander – Beagle 2 – was named after the ship on which Charles Darwin sailed around the world when formulating his ideas about evolution.
What are the mission objectives? What scientific return do you expect from the orbiter?
From orbit, Mars Express is scanning the surface and atmosphere of the planet with seven instruments. In particular it is:
- searching for signs of water down to a few kilometres underground;
- mapping the Martian surface more accurately than any other previous mission (in colour and stereo);
- determining the detailed composition of the surface;
- determining the composition and circulation of the atmosphere;
- studying the interaction of the solar wind with the planet.
Click here for more detailed information on Mars Express instruments.
What makes the Mars Express special?
Mars Express is special because, by the time of its arrival, it was the mission to perform the most detailed and complete exploration of Mars ever done. For instance, Mars Express is the first mission to conduct the a thorough search for water on the Red Planet: from several kilometres below the ground, and up into the atmosphere. Mars Express is searching for traces of present or past life in Mars. No other mission has attempted to do that since the historic Viking missions, more than 25 years ago.
Mars Express is also special because of the new managerial approach being used. This new approach included the re-use of existing hardware and instruments, and allowed a quicker and more cost-effective development of the mission. At the time of its development, Mars Express was built at a much lower cost than other comparable planetary missions, without compromising reliability and quality. This has been very important for ESA, since the same streamlined development method was also adopted for Venus Express, and will probably be used for other future missions.
Mars Express is European and that makes it special, too. Mars Express is not only the first European mission to Mars, but also the first planetary mission operated entirely by Europe.
Why is it relevant for Europe to go to Mars?
With Mars Express, Europe is building its own expertise in many fields. This ranges from the development of science experiments and new technologies – new for European industries – to the control of a planetary mission. (See also the end of previous question).
Why did we decide to go to Mars again to look for water and life?
The questions about water and life are open issues, and therefore very relevant scientific questions. However, obtaining a global view of the planet is equally important. Even more important for us all on Earth, studying Mars has one obvious advantage. It can help us find an alternative home in a possible future where Earth may not longer be able to offer conditions for human life to prosper.
What kind of journey did Mars Express make?
Mars Express went 'straight' to Mars – without any 'fly-bys' – and started orbiting the planet.
How long did it take to get to Mars? How many kilometres did Mars Express travel?
The cruise took just over six months. Mars Express travelled at an average speed of about 10 kilometres per second and covered a distance of about 400 million kilometres.
When did Mars Express arrive at Mars, and what happened to Beagle 2?
Mars Express reached Mars at the end of December 2003. Six days before entering into orbit around Mars, Mars Express ejected the Beagle 2 lander. The orbiter was inserted into orbit around Mars on 25 December 2003. The Beagle 2 lander failed to make radio contact shortly after it was due to land on Mars on Christmas Day. Various attempts were made to contact the lander. However, the Beagle 2 Management Board met in London on 6 February 2004 and, following an assessment of the situation, declared Beagle 2 lost.
How long will the spacecraft be operating?
Mars Express's orbiter was initially planned to operate for a whole Martian year (687 Earth days). The mission was then extended until end-October 2007. Thanks to a further extension, the mission will now operate for almost two more Earth-years, until May 2009.
What does Mars Express add to the flotilla of other international missions to Mars? Is ESA in competition with NASA?
Mars Express is complementary to all other mission to Mars. We have established a deep collaboration with the Japanese Naomi mission. We also help NASA with the transmission of data and NASA helps us. ESA is not competing with NASA.
Aren't there already enough missions that have gone, or will go, to Mars?
Although Mars has attracted more missions than any other planet, there are still a lot of questions that need answering.
What happens to the orbiter after the mission is over?
The Mars Express orbiter will simply keep orbiting the planet for at least 50 years. Then it will probably burn up in Mars's atmosphere. This will also ensure that debris will not pollute the planet's surface.
Is Mars Express returning images of Mars? Are they available in real-time? Who are they forwarded to and who is exploiting them?
Mars Express is certainly producing high-quality images. The images, like all data, first go to the instruments' scientific teams for the necessary processing and scientific analysis. After a period of six months from the moment the image have been collected, the images can be made available to the public. In some cases, the images can be made available to the public before the end of the six-month period.
Is there new technology which has been developed for Mars Express?
No. However, European industries have gained expertise in new areas such as building a complex planetary mission, including a lander. They have developed their own technology, as well as building on work done by others.
Is this technology likely to be re-used?
Many of Mars Express elements were already used for Venus Express, and probably other missions in the future. ESA's Aurora programme, which also includes a landing on Mars, will certainly benefit from the expertise gained with Mars Express.
Is NASA involved in Mars Express?
NASA scientists are deeply involved in one of Mars Express's instruments, the radar MARSIS.
Will the space agencies share the data? Mars Express and Nozomi will, but what about NASA's rovers?
There is no an agreed exchange of data, but several European experiments are on board the rovers. The science teams will probably exchange data.
Do you think it will be feasible to send people to Mars in the short-term?
Perhaps in 20-25 years time. There is still a lot for us to learn before we send people there.
If people go to Mars how will they get there, and would it be possible for me to go?
There is still a lot for us to learn before we send people, and no one yet knows the best way to get to Mars. ESA's new Aurora Programme aims to plan Europe's solar system exploration over the next 30 years - which could include manned expeditions to the Moon, Mars, the asteroids and even beyond. As the International Space Station demonstrates, it takes years and much effort from many people to turn designs into working spacecraft in orbit.
Look at this, http://www.esa.int/export/SPECIALS/Aurora/index.html
It will be some kind of multinational effort, but other experts say that it might be within the ability of one prosperous nation like the United States, if getting to Mars has a very high priority. The cost of such a venture has been estimated at 6000 million US dollars or more. An increasingly popular idea is to send unpiloted vehicles in stages to provide equipment and a way for the people who would land later to get home. This approach would avoid the difficulty of developing one giant ship with equipment and supplies for a round trip.
The first landing would be a spaceship that would be a return vehicle. It would land intact, so it could take off again, but it would have used up its fuel. Supply and mining and processing vessels would follow. The humans would arrive last. They would dig for subsurface water and other materials they could convert into fuel for the trip home.
If you want to be a European astronaut, it would be a good idea to study subjects like maths, physics, chemistry or biology at school. Some astronauts are also test pilots in the air force of their country so, if you have an interest in flying and engineering, that might help. Try to keep fit, take part in sports and team games, as astronauts have to get on very well with all kinds of people, possibly in very difficult conditions. Maybe you should learn another language as this will be very important on international missions.
Click here for more information on how to be an ESA astronaut.
I am interested in making or obtaining a scale model of Mars Express. Do you have information on who might be constructing them?
ESA commissions scale models of its science spacecraft from professional modelmaking companies. They are produced in limited batches and are not generally available to the public as they are used in exhibitions, presentations and museums. They range in size and price (from 500 Euros to several thousand Euros for the larger ones).
An alternative might be the model of Mars Express available to download from the ESA Mars Express web site (www.esa.int/science/marsexpress).
About images and the High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC)
What can the images from the Mars Express HRSC tell us?
The HRSC is the first fully functional stereo camera in the history of planetary research. Computer animations enable its images to be turned and tilted, so that the observer has a real feeling of dashing about over the surface of the planet.
The 3D pictures enable exact reproductions of the relief. This, in turn, enables scientists, for the first time, to make a detailed examination of the altimetry of the Martian surface, to calculate the slope of the valleys, study the layer formation and calculate the masses of mountains.
In short, the images provide important data for the geomorphological and geological interpretation of the surface of Mars.
How do the Mars Express HRSC pictures get back to Earth?
Before the HRSC team can lay their hands on the pictures, the data have to make the long journey back home. After the pictures are taken and stored on board Mars Express, the data is transmitted to ESA's New Norcia Station in Australia, or to NASA's Deep Space Network Station in Madrid. From there, the data are collected at the European Space Operations Centre (ESOC) at Darmstadt in Germany. They are then transmitted to the German Aerospace Research Establishment (DLR) in Berlin, where most of them will be processed into the pictures we see.
How long does it take to process pictures, and why?
It usually takes between four and seven days for a picture to be 'ready'. Depending on the picture size, analysis objective and the amount of computer capacity available, this period can easily stretch to ten to fourteen days. These techniques are still very new and recently gained knowledge and experience has often meant that more-expensive picture processing is required.
From the start of January to the middle of February, Mars Express produced a total of 18 strips of pictures in 100 orbits of Mars. In general, one orbit produces an image with a length of over 250 000 lines, sometimes more, sometimes less. The calculations required and combination of the channels takes a lot of computing time. All new images have to be released by the Principle Investigator to the Co-Investigators, and then are prepared for release to the media and the public - this can take up to a week per image.
What are the green/blue patches we see in some of the images?
The colour of the greenish patches in Gusev crater in the first image released of this site is not correct. Unfortunately, an early version of Gusev image was released before the colour had been adjusted finally to be closer to true colour as the human eye would see it in a non-dusty atmosphere of Mars.
The early version of this image was replaced by a newly computed version with proper colours where the patches are grey to black with a blue tint. This is close to what a human eye would see under normal atmospheric conditions. Currently it is not easy to get true colours of the Martian landscape because Mars is very dusty and the scenes were taken with high sun angles. The scattering of light caused in these atmospheric and lighting conditions, by the dust in the atmosphere acting as tiny red filters, means that you see the surface with a diffuse reddish glow with somewhat fuzzy appearance.
Are the colour photographs processed?
Yes, the images have been processed but that is quite normal. We are not taking colour photographs, we have to combine the different colour channels which requires processing time. Each of the four colour channels operate with a filter of different wavelength (red, green, blue and infrared) and produce data sets which have to be combined and calculated on to a digital elevation model.
The colour channels are absolutely real, but they do not reflect the true colour as we would see it with our eyes. These views can be obtained by processing the data, which does not mean 'faking' the colours, but fitting them to standard spectral curves which we know. We adjust the obtained colour image data to a standard spectral curve derived from Earth-based observations in terms of wavelength and intensity.
If we have dust, haze or other atmospheric conditions, various wavelengths get partially filtered. Obviously, images get more blurry and some colours become more dominant. Sun-exposed slopes reflect or absorb light in a different way to dark slopes or dark material (such as dark spots of possible sediments seen in some images).
The main limitation, of course, is that from orbit we do not have any colour adjustment possibilities as for example, the NASA rovers. They have colour references mounted on their rovers and even they have problems matching their colours.
Are the HRSC images 'doctored' in any way?
No, the images are not 'doctored'. We use standard techniques for radiometric and geometric calibration but this is not 'doctoring'. Nobody wants to see the raw image data as they are received, but even these will become accessible to the public, normally after six months. If, by chance, we received images suffering from, for example, 'salt and pepper' effects, or oversaturated pixels, they are 'recovered' using filter techniques from standard systematic processing procedures. These techniques have been used since the early days of image processing.
Did Mars Express HRSC take pictures of the so-called 'face' in the Cydonia region?
The Mars Express orbiter was not in a suitable position to collect images of Cydonia area until late in 2004. Until then, Mars Express was able to observe closely only southern latitude features. Planetary scientists are interested in Cydonia because it is part of the boundary between highland and lowland areas.
Mars Express did cover this area on 1 April 2004 (orbit 262), 29 December 2004 (orbit 1216), 1 January 2006 (orbit 2533) and 6 April 2006 (orbit 2872), but it was not possible to obtain images of high enough quality due to factors such as the swath width at that location, resulting in poor ground resolution and atmospheric distortion during data acquisition, heavily reducing data quality.
The next encounter was on 22 July 2006 (orbit 3253). HRSC parameters were set to get the best possible data quality for nadir and both stereo channels. Luckily, unpredictable atmospheric phenomena such as clouds or dust over the target area did not limit or prevent acquisition of high quality data for Cydonia, now public.
To view the Cydonia images obtained by Mars Express click here.
When the orbiter arrived over a suitable position in the northern hemisphere, it used its High Resolution Stereo Camera in the course of its planned and routine mapping of the surface, but not specifically to study any 'face-like' features. The mesas of Cydonia are of interest to planetary scientists, but they were not a priority for observations. These images are being used to look at the geological formations in this region to see where water once flowed, as some scientists think the northern plains are all that is left of an ancient Martian ocean.
Twenty five years ago, NASA's Viking 1 spacecraft was circling Mars, taking photographs of possible landing sites for its twin, Viking 2, when it spotted the shadowy likeness of a human face in the region of the Red Planet called Cydonia. The 'Face on Mars' became a popular icon. It has starred in films and appeared in books and magazines for 25 years! Some people thought the 'face' is real evidence of life on Mars.
Although most scientists did not believe the face was an alien artifact, photographing Cydonia became a priority for NASA's Mars Global Surveyor when it arrived at the Red Planet in 1997. In April 1998, Mars Global Surveyor flew over Cydonia for the first time and took a high-resolution photograph, ten times sharper than the original Viking pictures. It revealed a natural landform, there was no alien monument after all.
But not everyone was satisfied, because the camera on board Mars Global Surveyor had to peer through wispy clouds to see the surface. Perhaps, the sceptics said, alien markings were hidden by haze. In 2001, Mars Global Surveyor drew close enough for a second look and captured an extraordinary photograph using maximum resolution. Each pixel in the 2001 image represented 1.5 metres, compared to 43 metres per pixel in the best Viking image from 1976.
The picture showed a feature called a 'mesa', like the landforms common in western USA. The Cydonia region is littered with many mesas like this, but which do not look like human heads and they attract little popular attention. Subsequent laser altimetry scans, with height measurements made to within 20 to 30 centimetres, confirm that its shape and all of its dimensions are similar to the other mesas and not exotic in any way.


text: Hello. I've previously owned all wheel drive vehicles (Subaru & Volkswagen), & now find myself researching the Camry hybrid (which if I understand correctly is equiped with both stability control & traction control). I currently live in the DC Metro area & while the last few winters have been rather mild, we continue to experience a fair amount of ice. Given that I am completely dependent on my own transportation, I am curious to know from current owners how the Camry hybrid performs in the winter. Thanks in advance, Rick


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Few physical objects are as emotionally charged as children's toys. They absorb our memories and moods, holding them until an errant look or touch brings them flooding back. Lost Toys from Barking Mouse Studios is a taste of that.
Mobiles filled with forgotten childhood icons hang in a forgotten room, wooden idols charred and misshapen. There is such sadness in these discarded playthings, but with some patience and puzzle-savvy they can be restored.
This is a simple, beautiful game. The toys are twisted apart like primitive Rubik's creations, and players must realign them within a set number of moves. Do so correctly, and those lost bits of childhood wonder burst to life with the vibrant colors that kept some unknown child rapt in some unremembered time.
This is a relaxing journey. There are no timers, no points — there is no real pressure. Just an extensive series of dolls, cars, robots and ray guns, waiting for someone to touch them back together. You feel the texture of the wood on your fingers while the haunting music of Peter Rudenko plays in the background.
Lost Toys is a rainy afternoon in your grandmother's attic, rummaging through boxes for moments long gone but never completely forgotten.
Lost Toys
Genre: Puzzle
Developer: Barking Mouse Studios
Platform: iOS (Android planned)
Price: $3.99


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Classic Hoverboard upgraded for 2019! The Swegway Classic is the cutting edge self balancing board that is absolute fun and excitement to use. With pressure pad recognition, the Swegway Classic is incredibly easy to use! Lean in the direction you wish to go, just by pushing your toes down. The Board can spin on the spot and is therefore incredibly easy to turn and navigate. LED display and fantastic workmanship complete this incredible design and futuristic piece of kit!
Li- ION Battery with LED indicator will let you know how much juice you have left so you know when it is time for another charge. (Note, some models may have a Sanyo-Panasonic battery pack.)
High Power LED pathfinder lights under each foot panel, to help you see where you are going.
Intuitive Control three-axis gyro-sensors and accelerometers precisely monitor angular changes to make controlling the board feel natural.
Regenerative Braking board will take advantage of every opportunity to save energy by maintaining weight limit and recharging the battery during braking and downhill riding.
Rapid Charge Battery your board will only take three hours for a fully charge, and you will be able to ride for six hours (approx) until your board needs another charge.
Quiet Motor Technology duel electric motors operate almost silently while still allowing you to cruise up to 5 times faster than walking. It's the best example for green transportation.
Powerful Motor high-quality magnet and stator material provide efficient, reliable power. AutoTron allows you to cruise your board at speeds of up to 10mph.
- Tyre size: 6.5 Inches
- Motor – 2x 350W Sinusoidal brushless
- Charger: BSI 1363 UK 3 pin
- Charge time: 2 Hours
- Range charge: 16 km
- Battery: Samsung Lithium-ion 36v, 4.4AH
- Max Speed: 10mph | Max weight: 100kg
- Dimensions: 584x186x178mm | Board weight: 9kg


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This is a big surprise, just as the news of their hookup! Czech media announced that Petra Kvitova and Radek Stepanek broke up and it's been confirmed by Kvitova herself. The stated reason is that it was hard to balance the love and careers of two tennis players. Has Radek also realized that or will he proceed to another WTA star? Remember, very shortly before starting dating Kvitova he was married to Nicole Vaidisova, and before Vaidisova he was engaged to Martine Hingis.
As a reminder of days when their love was still thriving, check out the photoshoot Kvitova and Stepanek did together for Czech magazine DNES last winter.
And talking about tennis couples, Maria Sharapova and Grigor Dimitrov are still going strong. They both won a tournament over the weekend and Dimitrov posted this photo on Twitter:


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10-mile high: Running 'round the town
If you happened to be driving around Saturday morning, April 3, you may have noticed a peculiar sight: 10 miles of orange traffic cones lining city streets and byways. The occasion for such oddity, of course, was the 29th running of the Charlottesville 10-Miler.
The cloudy, cool morning provided good running conditions for the 1,600 or so racers. The 10-miler is basically a fun run in which the runners' high comes from completing the race. Hilly Charlottesville make it one of the more challenging races in the South. First-year med student Adam Carlson capped the win in an amazing 55:49. The winning woman was JMU hockey standout Lindsey Keller, with a race time of 1:03:50.
As with any race, it's the eclectic people who make it a fun social event. Along the course, gaggles of friends and families clapped and hollered to keep up the runners' motivation. Kudos to the Charlottesville Track Club for keeping this local tradition going for so many years.
Dave Munn cruises on the pace scooter.
Douglas "Tiger" Moski gets pumped to race with buds Lynn Merhib and Lauren Brooks.
Lindsay Keller wins it for the women.
And they're off!!!
Sweating it out in the pack.