text:
Drew wasn't injured when we made the D12 trade, so we probably could have landed anyone in the league + fillers.
Rondo, Chandler, Lopez, Josh Smith, Noah....take your pick.
Instead Dwights gonna bounce and we will have Clark.
Dwight will be responsible for forcing the LAL into a rebuilding process.
We traded away our biggest asset in Drew. An All Star center in Drew for for a chance to rehabilitate, kiss the ass of in hopes to resign Dwight a year later. Dwight whos just a over rated version of what we already had 7 years and about $75 million in developing Drew.
We all saw what Dwight did in Orlando. To a good coach and respectable franchise. We all saw the famous interview of SVG coming clean and Dwight being the biggest hypocrite liar the NBA world has ever witnessed on live TV. A picture tells a thousand words and we all should have seen what was coming down the D12 pipeline a bit better....
But we ignored the signs and hoped the enigma of LA and the history of our franchise would beat the odds and convince Dwight this was where he was meant to be. That the LAL fulfill his purpose. We were wrong.
And it doesn't matter what "he say she say" there is going on in the locker room or the media. I don't need SAS to tell me Dwights gonna jet to Broketown Crooklyn because hes not happy in LA and doesn't like Nash, KB, MDT and/or cant take the pressure. When I see his game on the court it says all that. Hes lethargic and sabbatical. His demeanor is of a player who doesn't give a damn and is just burning time. Every time we lose and he laughs, what hes planning on becomes self explicit. Or every time he shoots 3-13 from the FT line and bricks his next one and laughs it off like "oh well Ill get the next one" it becomes more and more apparent his heart to LA is like that of a future dead guys heart to a transplant victim. Its alive enough until it finds its real home.
In fact the entire season of Dwight Howard in purple & gold has been like a long blind date. Everyone going out of there way to kiss his ass and make him feel comfortable, needed and important so there will be a second date that leads to contractual intercourse and a long term relationship. Even KB, the greatest player of all time (imo) changed his game to get this guy going. To motivate him and nurse him the ball. But nothing changed in Dwights attitude. He continues to laugh. As if he is more important than the name on the front of the jersey, the banners that hang from the rafters or the retired numbers that hang on the walls.
The fact is Dwight is not important. Not at all. In the prism of LAL history and the D12 saga, Dwight needs the LAL much more than the LAL need Dwight. After all 18 points and 11 rebounds isnt hard to find. After he leaves to the Nets and probably never wins a title, the LAL get back to building CHIP teams the way they do better than any team in pro sports aside from maybe the NYY. The LAL organization will lick their wounds of a very bad gamble they made, knowing the odds were against them and move forward.
And before I hear all the tired "hes playing injured" excuses, please save your keyboards efforts. A bad shoulder doesnt make you NOT rotate on defense to fill a open lane. He was cleared to play, he did play and he sucked. And thats that. No more excuses. Nobody ever defended Bynum by saying "hes playing injured" while he was helping us win Chips against our rivals. So save it. Its a hollow excuse. The doctors said Dwight was good to go and he just never got going.
So this is my plea. Trade him before were left with nothing except Earl Clark for Bynum. And no offense to Clark. Hes a solid player imo. But hes not worth a straight trade for Bynum. So trade and get anything, anyone of value. Maybe someone else we can flip to make a real future acquisition. Dont bet against the odds again. Were gonna lose. Bet against the odds 1 time and fail, that's ok....we all take risks. But do it twice involving the same fickle, wishy washy, confused, not committed, lackadaisical, immature player that is now Dwight Howard and its inexcusable.
Trade him please. While we have the opportunity to.
Edited by LakersGAFan, February 17, 2013 - 07:52 AM.


text:
B+W 77mm 1.8 ND MRC 106M Filter - Schott Glass - Brass Ring - MPN: 66-1066168
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.Bold {font-weight: bold;}--> B+W 77mm 1.8 ND MRC 106M Filter - Schott Glass - Brass Ring - MPN: 66-1066168 TheB+W 77mm 1.8 ND MRC 106M Filteris a solid neutral density filter providing a 6 stop exposure. This 1.8 density creates a darkening of the entire image, allowing you to photograph with a wider aperture or slower shutter speed than normally required. By slowing your exposure time or increasing your aperture, you are able to control depth of field and convey movement more easily. Neutral density filters do not affect the overall coloration of the image. The Multi-Resistant Coating (MRC) is both an anti-reflection coating as well as a protective surface. It helps to increase light transmission by reducing reflections, scattered light, and ghosting. Additionally, it offers greater protection to the filter substrate and stays cleaner for longer than uncoated filters. B+W filters are constructed from high quality Schott glass for increased optical clarity and color fidelity. They feature a brass filter ring for durability as well as jamming prevention. 1.8 ND filter darkens the image, allowing you to photograph with a longer shutter speed or wider aperture than normally required. Providing a 6 stop exposure reduction, this filter allows you to control depth of field and convey movement more easily. Filter does not affect coloration of the image. Multi-Resistant Coating offers both protection to the glass and helps to improve light transmission and image quality. Type Solid neutral density (106) Size 77 mm Density 1.8 (6 stop) Multi-Coated Yes, MRC (Multi-Resistant Coating) Effect Permits a longer exposure Color Temperature Does not affect color Construction Schott glass Front Filter Thread Size 77 mm Front Lens Cap Size 77 mm
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
A different kind of Christmas celebration spread across the nation of India as hundreds of thousands of Christians invited friends and neighbors to watch broadcasts that were part of BGEA's My Hope television project.
[Names in this article have been changed to protect the safety of individuals.]
In a one-room house, Ramesh is preparing for guests. Papers and metal pots are stacked neatly on shelves, and the floor is clear except for some benches and chairs along the blue-painted, corrugated metal walls. A borrowed television is plugged in and placed against the wall. The house's wooden door stands open, a sheet hanging in the doorway.
As guests enter, they pass a small sign that says, "If God Be For Us Who Can Be Against Us." The room, no larger than 9 feet by 12 feet, begins to fill–and keeps filling. Finally, some 30 people are inside. Mothers hold babies and toddlers on their laps.
The guests have come to watch a television program about Christmas and about hope. About Christmas, which seems to be celebrated throughout India but with little knowledge of its true meaning; about hope, which eludes multitudes in every nation, whether they live in a dump or in a palace.
They were invited by Ramesh, a quiet man who simply explains, "I want to serve God. That's why I invited people here. I want people to come to the Lord."
The sounds of babies crying, children shouting and adults talking filter through the sheet in the doorway during the Billy Graham television program. The guests ignore the commotion, their attention riveted on the screen.
After the program, the host normally would give his own testimony. But this quiet man defers to his pastor, who explains more about Jesus and asks how many want to accept Christ. Virtually every hand is raised. They pray, with guests repeating the prayer after the pastor. Ramesh says, "I want many people to accept Christ and to grow in Christ–and everyone's faith to increase in the Lord and for them to know more about Jesus."
He passes out cards for the guests to fill out with their names, addresses and what decision they have made about Jesus. They also receive a booklet that explains more about the Gospel.
Outside, as guests return to their own homes, Indian music is blaring from a boombox, and children play and weave between smoky cooking fires and wandering animals. As usual in Indian cities, vehicles can be heard honking their horns in the distance. Some things never change. But the guests of one humble Christian have put their faith in Jesus. And that changes everything.
A few kilometers away, an investment banker and his family welcome guests to their large, well-appointed flat. The setting is dramatically different from the house at the dump. But these guests, too, are hearing about the hope they can find through Jesus Christ. And when the program is over and the host has told how Jesus changed his life, more decisions are made for Christ.
Throughout India Dec. 21-26, in houses large and small, people accepted the invitation of Christian friends to come and watch programs that would tell about Jesus. Over and over, God used the My Hope broadcasts, and the prayers and testimonies of caring friends, to draw people to Himself.
From Despair to Joy
Kumar, a Christian in south India, was grieved because none of the 13 people he had invited came to watch the Dec. 23 broadcast. He began to pray, and around 9 p.m. he felt God compelling him to invite his wife's sister's family to watch the next night's broadcast. Immediately he set about to contact them.
It wasn't easy. His sister-in-law's family had no phone, so Kumar had to call their neighbor and plead with him to go and bring them to the phone for an urgent message. When his brother-in-law, Satish, reached the phone, Kumar asked him and his family to catch a bus to his city as soon as possible. Satish said he had no money. Kumar encouraged him to borrow the money and said that he would reimburse Satish for the tickets.
Satish consented, and at 4 a.m. he and his family boarded a bus for the long trip to Kumar's house. They arrived at 5 p.m., and an hour later they watched the My Hope telecast. Afterward, Kumar gave his testimony and asked if the others wanted to put their faith in Christ. They were all looking at one another, and Kumar wondered what they were thinking. Then Satish, noticeably distressed, stood and explained that he had lost his job because the tea factory that he worked for had closed. Further, the company was demanding that the family vacate their company-owned house. Seeing no hope, the family had decided that on Dec. 25 they were all going to commit suicide.
Now they saw that through Jesus there is hope, and they prayed with Kumar to accept Christ. Satish said he felt like a new man, and after staying several more days with Kumar, the family returned home ready to face the future with Christ.
Many others also found hope through Christ. After watching the program, one woman in Orissa wept and said, "We have never heard these things before in our lives."
A Hunger for Christ
Christians say that Jesus' words in Matthew 9:37, "The harvest is plentiful" (NIV), are true for India today.
Ravi Thomas has seen a change in the spiritual climate of this religious, yet largely non-Christian, nation during his 25 years of ministry here.
"Before, people were not that open," said Thomas, who pastors a church in western India. "They were resistant. Now, people everywhere are in a search for truth."
A family in a southern Indian city saw that search firsthand when 60 neighbors showed up at their house to watch the broadcast. They had invited 20. Those who couldn't fit in the living room watched through windows and the open front door. After the program, the mother and father both gave their testimonies and 22 people committed their lives to Christ. Two days later, one young woman described her conversion: "Before, I was not very happy. Now I am filled with joy and happiness after seeing this hope program. I also want to bring my parents to know Jesus Christ. Please pray for my family, that they would come to know Christ."
A university student in a western state teamed up with his sister and a friend to invite neighbors to watch the telecast. Although many Christians reported that it was easy to invite people to their homes, these three said they found it difficult because of the non-Christian backgrounds of those they were inviting. Even so, they found people who were willing to come, and the reaction of one man took them by surprise.
"Yes, surely I will come," the man said. "I love Jesus. I will accept Jesus into my life." He got down on his knees right there, and the three Christians led him in a prayer of commitment to Christ. The man said that he would bring his family with him to watch the program.
Children also invited friends to watch the broadcasts; two of the programs were especially appropriate for young people. Joseph, 11, had been praying for five of his friends. He invited them, and all five accepted Christ. After seeing them turn to Christ he said, "I want them to win souls for Jesus, and I want them to grow in the Lord."
In a south central city, a schoolteacher, well known in her neighborhood for her Sunday school classes and tutoring, invited mostly young people to come and watch the program at her house Dec. 25. Well after the start of the program, teenagers were still arriving. At one point, 61 were crammed into the living room. A few minutes later the number had grown to 75. Then the host told her story of faith in Christ. Seventeen people made first-time commitments to Christ, and the teacher was ready to continue her long-standing ministry of Bible teaching, now with a new group of young believers.
The Real Meaning of Christmas
The occasion for the project was Christmas, a familiar yet misunderstood holiday. "All the Hindus here celebrate Christmas," said one Baptist leader. "Most people think of Father Christmas [Santa Claus], but this program will open the eyes of so many people to know what real Christmas is. It is not about Christmas parties, it is about the Lord Jesus Christ. I believe this program will reap a great harvest, and it will be a good tiding of great joy to the people in India."
Finding Real Hope
Many Indians who worship other gods admit that they lack hope and peace. Through the My Hope project many heard for the first time about the one true God who created them, loves them and has made a way for them to be in heaven with Him.
One woman, Lakshmi, said, "Before, I have been worshiping many gods, going to temples. But today I felt the peace that came when I received Christ in my heart. Today it was different; I worshiped the living God."
Christian leaders say that demon possession is fairly common, especially among people who have been entangled in black magic. One leader remarked, "We are not much involved in demon possession, but somehow God has been giving the gift of deliverance through prayer and through words." He told of one woman who was delivered from demons and who has since led many people to Christ. Each week she brings guests to church, and on Dec. 19 she brought 40 people to a Christmas gathering at her church.
At one My Hope event in western India, a family of five–all of whom were possessed–committed their lives to Jesus Christ. A spiritual struggle followed, with the mother and father passing in and out of trance-like states as Christians prayed for them. The situation was not resolved immediately, but their pastor reported that within a couple of days they were free of the spirits that had tormented them and that they are faithfully attending church.
What Leaders Are Saying
My Hope India could not have been accomplished without the cooperation of thousands of churches. And it is those churches that are now seeing growth, both in the spiritual lives of their members and in the many new believers coming to church.
A bishop in a southeastern city said that My Hope India was a valuable project for reaching people with the Gospel. "We use every situation, whether it is the earthquake, tsunami or floods, or now the My Hope project. We focus on the responsive people; we are out there harvesting the harvestable. We hear the cries of millions saying, 'We want to see Jesus.' We feel our prime duty is to respond to those cries and opportunities."
One Christian leader in a western state says that God is clearly moving in people's hearts. "We can see a great harvest in India," he said. "One district near us has become 75 percent Christian. There is a lot of revival taking place in this area. God is working in a marvelous way."
And a My Hope coordinator volunteer in a northern city said, "I really believe God has moved in more ways than we had anticipated. A lot of Christians now are more aware of the need, that the harvest is ripe around us. So this has rejuvenated or revived the people not to just live their life in a shell but to reach out to others."
Around the Country
- On Christmas Day, 46 people turned out for the My Hope program at a Christian school in a northeastern state, which is sandwiched between the countries of Bangladesh and Myanmar. Thirty people accepted Christ.
- In a southern state in a tribal area that has few Christians, 200 people came to watch an outdoor showing at a church. Sixty received Christ.
- In another southern state, one church invited about 750 people to celebrate Christmas by watching the broadcast. After the program, 350 committed their lives to Christ.
- A couple living in south India invited seven students to their home for the program. Afterward, a Christian gave his testimony and answered questions for two hours. By the end of the evening, all seven students had accepted Jesus.
- A pastor in one of India's island territories invited 10 people to his house on Christmas Eve, and all of them received Christ.
- Christians arranged for a My Hope showing to some 150 residents of a leper colony. The colony's secretary said, "Such programs have never been held before, and only the Christian community accepted us and came forward to us."


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Visiting Artist Lindsey White (and/on Will Brown Collective)
Date: 7:30pm PST December 10, 2013 Location: Miller Hall room 102
Miller Hall room 102
Lindsey White (and/on Will Brown Collective)- Will Brown is something of an anomaly in the art world. The brainchild of artists Lindsey White, Jordan Stein, and David Kazprzak, Will Brown is difficult to define, which is one of the things that makes the collaborative project so appealing. The enigmatic space opened in January with an inaugural exhibition on illegitimacy in art and has since continued to serve up nonpareil shows and events that are not easily classified under the usual rubric of exhibition, gallery show, performance, action, or installation. A combination of these might best capture what Will Brown is all about, though it would be impossible to really pigeonhole this collective. The ongoing project currently takes the form of an experimental exhibition space in San Francisco's Mission District, and its twitter feed has a life of its own. I talked shop with Will Brown on micro-institution curatorial practices, obsolete art collectives, illegitimate inventories, and comedy drawing schools.


text:
Dear Pet Parents,
For more than two decades, Innova has been improving the lives of pets with its superior, farm-grown nutrition. After careful consideration, we've decided to discontinue Innova brand products. We are very sorry for any inconvenience, and encourage you to take a look at the other premium-quality formulas we offer.


text:
Ewan McGregor, Brandish fave and actor extraordinaire, has made it as this week's 'Love The Look' style icon. While not actually a look he created himself, McGregor's get-ups in the film 'Down With Love' were unbelievable.
Because The Tan Isn't Bad Enough; Cristiano Ronaldo Does Silver Short-Shorts!
Way back when (honestly Cristiano,) at the peak of the short-shorts trend, Brandish was rife with talk of Wham!, a model short-shorts wearer and metallic fabric. In an awfully weird way, Cristiano Ronaldo looks like a mixture of about three weeks worth of posts.
The Brandish Sphere of Influence- Mr Mills Style Column?
Just two weeks ago, Brandish reviewed the first edition of the Sunday Times Style Magazine's 'Mr Mills' menswear and style column. I decided that Mills needed to brighten up a bit and make the column a little more cheery and summer-inclined if he was to hold the attention of readers. Well, call me egotistical, but is it pure coincidence that the latest edition of the column featured pieces on swim trunks, sunglasses, lime green hair oil and bright-coloured ties?
A Bit of Fun: 80sTees.com
As part of Google Mail, you are constantly bombarded with adverts for whatever your e-mails are about. For me, that is largely fashion and therefore, I receive links to sites such as 80sTees.com. This online store proved to be pretty good; I wasted about half and hour going through the memorabilia.
I'm Still Not Convinced- The Short Suit
A while ago, we remarked on how a Telegraph feature on the short suit had used rather unusual models to create an unflattering portrayal of the look.
However, this picture (taken at the launch of Gucci by Gucci Pour Homme in Milan,) shows that even the fashionistos of the industry can't get it right. While also not the most model-ly of men, Bruce Pask of the New York Times would be one of those I thought could pull of this challenging look.
Milan Fashion Week Menswear Trends: Preppy
Today is the last day of the Milan Menswear shows and by the looks of things they're not taking any sartorial chances, preferring the relative comfort and security of preppy.
WISHLIST: Chanel Resort Jumpers
Resort season is always a bit of a drag for me; overly-frivolous (yes I see the haute-couture irony) and just another season to get my head around, the jump from Calvin Klein to cruise is always too much for me. I was losing faith and Karl Lagerfeld's show was nauseatingly frilly that the sight of a male model in pink tie-dye with quilted interlocking-Cs was enough to finish me off.
Everyday Fashion Miracles: Vintage Variety
I happened through a series of make-believe fashion-related and totally cool occurrences to be watching Britain's Got Talent the other night and as a result I was witness to the horror of Hoop La La. No, this is not some Christian cult or Paganistic ritual it is the work of Jessie, Craig and Tina; a group of students hoping to make it big with their hula-hoop act.
After watching I was inspired to right a piece on vintage clothing and while unexpectedly drawn from the image of a Scot in hot-pants, there is greater reasoning after the jump.
More boat shoes! this time from Band of Outsiders
If we said phrases like 'so and so is the new so and so' we'd say that boat shoes are the new Puma for Brandish. The latest hoppers onto the boat shoe bandwagon are Band of Outsiders. Their new collaboration is with boat shoe specialists Sperry topsider.
Trends: Watch & Wear- Navy SEAL Zeal
List any of this season's It-items and chances are they are water-related or wave-inspired. Yes, that means you boat shoe, loafer, plimsoll, striped tee and navy (hello!) blue shirt.
The mood is light yet determined and spray-in-the-face cool. Imagine sea-side escapades (emphasis on the imagine) and sand between your toes as you loosely raise that striped knit from your oversized Jil Sander mesh-holdall.
WISHLIST: Pauric Sweeney Bag
So I am back from a rather long and horribly full-on camping trip and I've decided that maybe I need to be a bit less full-on when it comes to fashion. How much longer can we go on with these studs and chunks of waxed crocodile leather- to be honest I am worryingly attracted to Jason's idea of living in pyjamas for a while.
Trends: Watch & Wear-Public School Drool
Trousers trends multiply, so take your pick!
S/S trends from left: Martin Margiela, Alexander McQueen, Prada, Burberry Prorsum.
Trouser styles have been skinny for a long time, but mirroring womenswear trends the fashion-forward kecks seen on a trendy young man could just as easily be voluminous double-pleated, geek chic cropped, wide-leg, bootcut or dropped-crotch.
Trends: Watch and Wear- Fashion's Pick 'n' Mix
Since the beginning of time, life, and our own existence- man has been fascinated in choice. From peace protests to monumental civil rights movements, we have always had a taste for the mish-mash aspect of life. This obsession with accessibility has been translated onto this season's catwalks.
My Theory- The Future of Short Shorts
"You were on my mind at least nine tenths of yesterday, it seemed as if perhaps I'd gone insane. What is it about you that has commandeered my brain? Maybe it's your…" Kimya Dawson's brilliant lyrics ring through my head as I realise that it appears I have nothing better to do on a Saturday night than listen to the Juno soundtrack (heads up my friends,) and appear pensive and philosophical while typing away at my laptop. That is until you know what is causing me so much mental frustration- I am deciding upon my 'theory' (as labelled by Jason and furthered by Isabelle) regarding the devious short shorts trend.
You Would If You Could… Bright Suits
Trends: Watch & Wear- Le Freak c'est Chic!
The time has come for the return of the eccentric dresser. But before you all stop reading this, firm in the belief that I have finally cracked, I promise that I am not subliminally feeding you pages from 'An Idiot's Guide to … being an idiot' but instead providing you with an outfit that will allow you to get freaky without the raised eyebrows- more crinkled blazer than straight-jacket.
WISHLIST: Angelos Frentzos cardigan
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Editor's note: Rarely does an economist write a U.S. best-seller, particularly a 696-page, data-derived book originally written in French. But Thomas Piketty, a professor at the Paris School of Economics, has done just that. "Capital in the 21st Century" (Harvard University Press) uses statistics from 20 countries over more than a century to argue that return on capital, or investments, exceeds economic growth, enriching a small group of people at the expense of everyone else. That creates inequality that's dangerous for society, and a solution must come from political action, he says. Below are two reviews of Piketty's book taking opposite views, one by MarketWatch editor and columnist Rex Nutting and the other by Diana Furchtgott-Roth, a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research. —Parris Kellermann, commentary editor
Great fortunes are a product of good luck
By Rex Nutting
Have you ever played Monopoly? That's the board game in which everyone starts out with an equal bankroll and, with luck and some ruthless playing, one player ends up owning everything, from Mediterranean Avenue to Boardwalk.
Some people like to pretend the real world is like that: Everyone gets an equal chance to become Rich Uncle Pennybags. The winner deserves to win, based on the rules. What could be more fair?
But the real world isn't like that, as Thomas Piketty shows in his new best-seller, "Capital in the 21st Century." Everyone doesn't start out with an equal chance to be Pennybags. In the real world, a small group of people start out with a big wad of cash and ownership of almost all the property, especially Park Place and Boardwalk.
And the other 99% of the players own a thimble or an old shoe, and struggle to get around the board to collect their $200 as they pass Go. Except for a small number who defy the odds, the Pennybags of the world don't earn their victory; it's handed to them at the starting line.
Piketty's impressive mountain of data on incomes and wealth over the past two centuries indicates that wealth — what he calls capital — accumulates in just a few pockets, leaving the vast majority of people with essentially nothing to survive on but their own wits, their strong back and their two hands.
Piketty's big idea is that wealth becomes more equally distributed only in a very rapidly expanding economy, one that's growing faster than 4% or 5%, like the West did from 1950 to 1980, or as China and India are doing today. As growth slows to 1% or 2% (as it likely will over the next 50 years), the rich will get even richer, not only in absolute terms but also in relation to the rest of society.
And along with those riches comes great political and social power.
The biggest insight we gain from reading Piketty is an historical perspective that undermines a lot of assumptions we hold about the world we live in. For a variety of reasons, the economy of the past 100 years is unique in human history.
Economic growth rates of 10%, 5% or even 3% aren't normal. A prosperous middle class isn't normal. The relatively weakened position of the truly wealthy over the past 100 years isn't normal. Wealth earned by enterprise rather than inheritance isn't normal.
In all likelihood, the economy of the next 50 years will revert to normal, Piketty says, and that's troubling to anyone who believes in a just society. And that's why his book has resonated so strongly.
For most of human history, there was no economic growth to speak of. For most of human history, almost all wealth was owned by a very small group of people, most of whom had done nothing to earn it except to be born into the right family. For most of human history, most people had no economic mobility, no way of doing better than their parents had done. For most of human history, the only way to get rich was to be born rich, to marry rich or to steal. For most of human history, most people had no effective voice in government or society.
What made the past 100 years abnormal? Two world wars, hyperinflation and the Great Depression destroyed a lot of old wealth, and for the first time in recorded history, self-made fortunes were greater than inherited fortunes. Tax and social policies after the Second World War also leveled society, reducing the gap between the fabulously wealthy and everyone else.
We began to believe that those who accumulated vast fortunes had earned it with their own hard work and brilliant ideas, that wealth was a matter of merit and not the luck of birth.
And we were told that, even if the rich are getting richer, the poor are living better than ever before.
In other words, our cages are gilded; they have microwave ovens, cable TV and smartphones.
If the poor are doing better, then what's wrong with wealth inequality?
Great inequality is unjust. Who would favor an economic system that, regardless of our personal efforts, gives us a 50-50 chance of owning practically nothing and only a one-in-a-thousand chance of striking it rich?
Great inequality is inefficient. The yawning gap between the top 0.1% and the bottom 99.9% hurts economic growth, and discourages innovation. Without access to capital, great ideas can never advance past the idea stage. And when wealth is favored so absolutely, a lot of effort is spent on rent-seeking, rather than on producing anything of value. Our best minds are engaged in financial engineering, lobbying and tax evasion, instead of pushing the frontiers of technology.
Great inequality is undemocratic. As the rich have multiplied their wealth, they've also multiplied their influence over our supposedly democratic governments.
A couple of other academics — Martin Gilens of Princeton and Benjamin Page of Northwestern — are getting some attention (although nowhere near Piketty levels) for their paper that argues that a small economic elite runs the government, while average citizens "have little or no independent influence."
Life isn't fair, and no one can make it so. But shouldn't our economic and political systems be constructed to be as fair as possible, to give everyone an equal chance at winning based on their efforts and accomplishments?
There's a reason it's called a "fortune" — it's mostly about how lucky you are.
On the next page, Diana Furchtgott-Roth sees another side to "Capital in the 21st Century."


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They have better posters there ???? better than what ??Southern_Canuck wrote:Hahaha - it has gotten so that the better posters at CalgaryPuck don't even post in any Canuck related thread any more, so if you read one, all you get is a steady stream of their worst members.
Please don't mention that pinhead HOOT who posted over at the other cc until he left with his tail between his legs.
CP is THE lowest common denominator when it comes to hockey talk. They just reaffirmed that with there licking Sutter's and the Kings bags and completely ignoring the fact Phoenix got raped last night. I guess objectivity is a swear word in D'Arcy's world. You would think the guy ( or one of his meat puppet mods) MIGHT actually chime in once in a while and encourage the kids to at least try and have some decent hockey conversation but he seems to enjoy the fact his board is a shitty mess.


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|Print Page Close Window
|Charter to Participate in Deutsche Bank Leveraged Finance Conference
A live webcast of the event can be accessed on Charter's investor relations website, ir.charter.com. Following the live broadcast, the webcast will be archived at ir.charter.com.
About Charter
Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110526/AQ10195LOGO
To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/charter-to-participate-in-deutsche-bank-leveraged-finance-conference-300147823.html
Media: Justin Venech, 203-905-7818; Analysts: Stefan Anninger, 203-905-7955


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1) FRIENDLY RECORDS…It's the friendly time of the year again as the Chicago Fire welcome English Premier League side Aston Villa to Toyota Park Saturday night. The Fire are 6-10-3 all-time in international friendlies against clubs from England, Mexico, Scotland, Germany, Italy, France and Poland since first defeating UNAM Pumas 1-0 on July 15 at Soldier Field.
Aston Villa Press Conference
Though in the midst of its longest friendly losing streak (seven consecutive matches), tonight's exhibition comes just nine days shy of the four-year anniversary of the team's 2-0 victory over fellow EPL side Everton FC.
2) RECORD AGAINST ENGLISH CLUBS… Aston Villa marks the fourth English Premier League club the Chicago Fire have faced since 1998. Most will remember Cory Gibbs' 13th minute header that put the Fire up 1-0 for 53 minutes on Manchester United before succumbing to a 3-1 defeat at Soldier Field last season.
There's the aforementioned Everton friendly from 2008 in which Chris Rolfe tallied in the 42nd minute while Tomasz Frankowski iced the game in the 70th.
But the first match against an EPL side came 13 years ago yesterday when the Men in Red used Ante Razov's 24th minute goal to defeat Derby County 1-0 at Soldier Field on July 20, 1999.
3) RETURN OF TWO CHICAGOANS… What are the chances that an EPL side would have two alumni from the club's PDL team on it at the same time? That's what happened with Aston Villa who've made this trip a bit of a homecoming for Brad Guzan (Homer Glen; PDL 2004) and Eric Lichaj (Downers Grove; PDL 2006).
Guzan nearly didn't come over after leaving the club in June in search of more regular playing time. At Friday's news conference, new Villa manager Paul Lambert explained how Guzan came back to Villa Park just days before the side made its trip to the States
"The story behind that was that I never knew Brad was away, because I just came to the club. And then I get told that he was virtually leaving. I had a chat with him, he came back over, and I'm delighted he stayed, that's for sure. Every time I saw him play, he was excellent... he's probably been unfortunate that [Villa starting goalkeeper] Shay Given has been a fantastic goalkeeper. But I think preseason, everybody starts very even. And whoever performs well, come the start of the season, then that's who will play. But he's done great, Brad, really, really pleased with him. I'm looking forward to working with him, to be honest."
4) A TEAMMATE OF GUZAN'S on the 2004 Chicago Fire PDL side, forward Chris Rolfe is the club's all-time leading goal scorer in international friendlies, having tallied three goals in three separate matches vs. AC Milan in 2005 (3-1 L), Everton FC in 2008 (2-0 W) and Club America in 2009 (2-0 W).
5) CAN'T MAKE THE MATCH…? Be sure to catch the exclusive LIVE stream presented by TrueCar with Dan Kelly and Brendan Hannan on the call at Chicago-Fire.com and CSNChicago.com beginning at 7:30pm CT.


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Since arriving on these shores 21 years ago, Jeremy has enjoyed a roller coaster ride pursuing the American Dream. Since his early days as a graphic designer, his dream was to become a stock photographer. Riding the wave of the internet revolution in the mid 90s, he got involved with Getty Images and went on to build a successful business traveling the world and taking stock pictures.
By 2005, he started collaborating with nature photographer Nancy Rotenberg, and was instrumental in setting up frequent international trips to Italy and to Mexico. He went on to lead trips to Guatemala and Costa Rica. As the developer of the Dreamteam photo tour concept, recent collaborations have included tours to Mexico, Guatemala and Colombia with co-leaders Nevada Wier, Brenda Tharp, photojournalist Alison Wright and Guatemalan-born Holly Wilmeth
2013 was his busiest year so far with 12 international trips and 2014 is proving to be the same with sold out tours for most of the year.


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Orders being placed for delivery outside of the UK may be subject to customs charges or import duties which are levied by the importing country at the time the delivery arrives in your country.
These charges must be paid by the recipient of the parcel. Unfortunately, we have no control over these charges, and cannot advise what the cost may be (customs policies and import duties vary widely from country to country).


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Sky Digital
Jazz FM is a digital radio station from the UK that broadcasts on DAB Digital Radio, Sky Digital 0202, Freesat 729, online atwww.jazzfm.com and now on the Windows Phone through the Jazz FM app. Tune in to Jazz FM and hear The Jazz Breakfast with Nigel Williams, The Mid Morning Show with Anthony...
Platforms: Windows Phone
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Aurora Water is a unique After Effects plug-in which lets you create circular waves, add reflections, refraction, volumetric light rays and submerged objects. Aurora Water simulates all water types, from ponds to oceans. Aurora Water is designed to work in close conjunction with Aurora Sky,...
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Want to learn more about what Accenture does? Sky Journey challenges you to use Accenture strategy, digital, technology and operations offerings to help your business stay ahead of the competition. Work through 25 levels of increasingly difficult gameplay as you seek to create a high performing...
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Create an online photo album with Splats HTML, the perfect digital camera software program for putting photos on the Internet! It provides a complete and easy way to resize, rotate, add text directly on the images, define captions and create TWO optimized images (a thumbnail AND full view) with...
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Digital Overlay is one a small genre of simulation games. It displays a virtual computer network, know as digital overlay. You take the path of an evil hacker, who is out to crack servers and make all the profit he can.
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MiYa Digital Photo Explorer is designed for one thing only: to view digital photos, and to do that in the best possible way. So it provides many designs for this purpose: capture datetime display overlay image, Exif information and image display in same window, Exif information export/import,...
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Zero Assumption Digital Image Recovery is an easy to use specialized data recovery tool. It is designed specifically to work with pictures taken by digital camera. Its wizard-style interface is quite simple and it does not require any knowledge of deep internals.
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Java Advanced Digital Clock (JADC) is both a digital clock and a time counter (countdown or countup display, to or from a particular time).
JADC is browser-independent and highly-configurable Java applet, it could be easily customized with your own graphics and time format to achieve an...
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Digital PhotoRescue Professional recovers lost data from a whole host of multimedia devices ranging from digital cameras and MP3 players to PDAs and mobile phones. PhotoRescue Pro supports recovery from CompactFlash cards (type I/II), IBM Microdrives, SmartMedia cards, MultiMedia cards (MMCs),...
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Recover lost or deleted digital pictures from all types of media. With D-Photo Recovery, you can salvage digital pictures from formatted or corrupted memory cards, hard disks, SSD drives, USB flash drives and digital cameras. D-Photo Recovery supports many image formats including digital SLR RAW...
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My Digital Screensaver is a different screensaver, without any complex compile and setup, just a simple click to have your own photo screensaver at once! A lovely digital elf comes out to speak the explain your photo , it will give your friends and family a big surprise! You need not to repeat...
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Digital Avatair is a global application ideal for organizing, editing and viewing your
text notes, audio notes, video notes, managing your photos, time notifications,
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Digital Clock has few features that Microsoft Windows clock gadget doesn't have. There is include computer uptime, alarm and event countdown. It display your time, date, day, week, quarter of a year, current computer uptime, total computer uptime, countdown (set event name, time and sound) and...
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With the new PhotoWorks Digital Partner software, it's never been easier to bring your digital photos to life!
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Digital AudioRescue Professional recover lost data from whole host of multimedia devices - from digital audio recorders, MP3 & WMA players to PDAs and mobile phones. Program support recovery from Hard Drives, CompactFlash cards (type I/II), IBM Microdrives, SmartMedia cards, MultiMedia cards...
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With Intertraff MMS-DVR running on your Personal Computer, you may monitor your cameras, record high quality digital video either continuously, on schedule or on motion detection.
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Phoenix Digital Image recovery software is helpful in the following cases of data loss: Provides Image Recovery after corruption due to the card being pulled out while the camera is on. Provides Photo Recovery after corruption due to turning the camera off during a write process Provides Digital...
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XClock displays a very large glowing digital time display when your computer is idle. Advantages of this screen saver include optional flashing time separator (for each second) and slow movement around your screen to prevent burn in. It does not incorporate any advertising or spyware.
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I've been blogging about AWP for the last four years. You can check the previous guides here (2012, 2011, 2010). So I'm not going to ramble on too much with advice. You know how I feel about AWP. For me, it works best when I plan less. There's too much to do, and every year it seems like I have more obligations and more friends and writers to meet. I'm never able to do even a fourth of what I'd like to, and often, my favorite moments of the conference have nothing to do with writing. Some of my favorite moments from last year were catching up with old classmates over a tray of deep dish pizza, or the time Kevin Tassini and I dragged Katie Coyle all over Chicago to look for video games. Just go and have fun. Be productive, but don't overstress.
If you want to see me at AWP, there's a few options. I'm doing a book signing at the Braddock Avenue Books table from 10:30 to 11:45 on Thursday. Come on down. Buy my book. Hug me? I'll probably do a few more, and I'll keep you posted here or via Twitter. I'm also participating in a panel on Thursday from 9-10:15am in Room 108 of the Plaza Level:
R109. Landing the Tenure-Track Job without a Book: What to Expect in the Job Market. (Kevin McKelvey, Salvatore Pane, Keya Mitra, Robert Long Foreman) In a competitive academic job market, how do you make yourself stand out without a book? Writers will discuss their diverse paths to tenure-track jobs and how to develop pedagogy for newer fields such as graphic novels and established fields like professional writing, screenwriting, composition, editing, and publishing. Panelists will discuss publications and teaching loads, how a visiting or contract position can turn into a permanent job, and whether or not you need a PhD.
If you want to see me read, come to this:
So let's party. Let's hang out. Let's be cool. Below is my list of all the panels I'm interested in attending. Remember, these aren't the "best" panels–I don't even know what that would mean exactly. These are just the ones I'm going to try and make. Just relax and be cool. I'll have an off-site guide posted soon.
Room 200, Level 2
R167. Only Half as Crazy as We Seem: Exploring Unconventional Strategies for Indie Lit Startups. (Steve Westbrook, Matty Byloos, Carrie Seitzinger, J.A. Tyler, Skyler Schulze) At present, the notion of developing an independent literary startup tends to be perceived as a naïve dream or a bad business idea. Defying conventional wisdom, contributors to this panel discuss their recent experience of founding successful new journals, presses, and a reading series. As they examine how their efforts toward sustainability intersect or contradict industry lore, they offer strategies for developing alternative funding structures, distribution models, and marketing techniques.
Room 206, Level 2
R172. Literary Writers Writing Popular Fiction: What's Up With That? (Ed Falco, Julianna Baggott, Lise Haines, Benjamin Percy) What exactly are we saying when we refer to a novel as literary or serious fiction, as opposed to popular or commercial fiction? Can clear distinctions be made? What do these commonly used terms—literary, serious versus commercial, popular—mean to writers? Is it possible to write a commercial novel that is also literary? Writers who have published literary works as well as novels that might be considered popular fiction explore these and other relevant questions.
Room 313, Level 3
R185. Too Much or Not Enough? Expectations in the Introductory Multi-Genre Creative Writing Classroom. (Carrie Shipers, Laurel Gilbert, Heather Kirn Lanier, Casey Thayer) Five teachers from two-year colleges will discuss best practices for teaching introductory-level multi-genre creative writing classes. What are the unique challenges of teaching creative writing in this setting, and how do we respond to them? Panelists will address how much (and what kind) of writing students should do; the appropriate role of reading student and published texts; expectations for revision; and the efficacy of full-class workshop.
Room 102, Plaza Level
R187. Party Down: Effective Fundraising Events on the Cheap. (Steph Opitz, Maribeth Batcha, Paul Morris, Eric Lorberer) Fundraising events don't need to be fancy dinners and formal wear—learn from folks from One Story, PEN America, and Rain Taxi about producing effective and novel small fundraising events and strategies on a budget.
Room 104, Plaza Level
R189. Nothing but the Truth: Perspectives on Creative Nonfiction in the Classroom and Beyond. (Catherine Cortese, Michael Martone, Diane Roberts, Robin Hemley, Debra Monroe) Creative nonfiction continues to grow in popularity among readers and students of writing. The genre, however, lacks a standard definition. Some believe the slippery nature of perception affords writers infinite liberties, while others see the genre as one that artfully deploys stable facts. This disparity makes the genre tricky to write and trickier to teach. The writers on this panel will discuss the freedoms and constraints of the genre in their classrooms, as well as in their own work.
Room 200, Level 2
R196. From Parts to a Whole: Turning a Bunch of Essays into a Unified Book. (David Giffels, Chuck Klosterman, Sean Manning, Chuck Klosterman, Meghan Daum) Why do some books of essays feel like collections of B-sides, outtakes and orphans, while others carry the thematic and narrative satisfaction of a good concept album? Drawing from their own experiences, this panel of successful authors discusses vital techniques for conceiving, organizing, developing, and enhancing a collection of creative nonfiction essays into a unified whole. We will address how to balance recurring themes, maintain voice and tone, how to build bridges, and other topics.
Room 103, Plaza Level
R218. Does Place Still Matter? The Relevance of Regional Fiction in the 21st Century. (Brett Boham, Stewart O'Nan, Susan Straight, Alex Espinoza, Michael Jaime-Becerra) Attempts to categorize American literature often begin and end with region. Southern fiction. New England poetry. Midwestern novel. But to what extent is regionalism a useful lens through which to understand contemporary American literature? How do so-called regional writers conceptualize place? And has the expansion of the American counterculture and social media forever changed the landscape of regional fiction? Panelists will discuss the advantages and limitations of thinking regionally.
Room 105, Plaza Level
R220. All the Young Dudes: A Reading from Four Debut Collections. (Jared Yates Sexton, Eugene Cross, Andrew Scott, Jensen Beach) It's said that everyone has stories, but publishing those stories, particularly a book-length collection of them, is proving more confounding a process than ever. Join four emerging writers with debut collections for a short reading from their work, followed by a Q&A session detailing how they got their first book deals, their experiences in attracting presses and navigating contracts, and an array of advice for aspiring scribes.
Room 200, Level 2
R226. Second Sex, Second Shelf? Women, Writing, and the Literary Marketplace. (Christine Gelineau, Erin Belieu, Bobbie Ann Mason, Lydia Diamond, Meg Wolitzer) Statistics suggest a gap still exists. But is there a problem, and if there is, what is its nature? What changes/remedies/metamorphoses can/should be imagined? Do you think about this issue differently in terms of your writing and in terms of your career? Accomplished writers, who happen to be women, theorize and report out of their own experiences and analysis of the current literary scene.
Room 206, Level 2
R231. The New Kids in the Class—Teachers Under 35. (Michael Croley, Laura van den Berg, Erica Dawson, David James Poissant, Holly Goddard Jones) Five professors discuss their transition from graduate student to faculty member and the advantages and difficulties their age has posed in negotiating—and finding—their teaching styles with undergraduate and MFA students as well as what role(s) they take on in their courses and departments. The session offers insights and best practices regarding the first few years on the job in and out of the classroom, while also discussing how gender may affect the perception of a young teacher.
Room 305, Level 3
R238. Oh, Grow Up: Writing Kids' Voices in Literary Fiction. (Alexi Zentner, Alison Espach, Aryn Kyle, Haley Tanner) A lot of literary writers are writing young adult novels, but what about writing the voices of young adults and children in literary fiction? Five novelists talk about how to create believable young voices in adult fiction, how to avoid the imitative fallacy, the power of narrative distance, and how to balance grown-up needs while having kids in the story.
Alice Hoffman Bookfair Stage, Exhibit Hall D, Level 2
BF16. Major Jackson's Ploughshares Issue Reading. (Ladette Randolph, Major Jackson, Maggie Dietz, Emily Bernard, David Huddle) Ploughshares literary magazine editor-in-chief Ladette Randolph will host a reading to celebrate Major Jackson's guest-edited issue. Jackson will read from his work and speak briefly about his experience selecting work for the magazine. He will be joined by contributors from his issue, including Maggie Dietz, Emily Bernard, and David Huddle.
Hynes Ballroom, Level 3
R244. Alice Hoffman & Tom Perrotta: A Reading and Conversation, Sponsored by Grub Street. (Christopher Castellani, Alice Hoffman, Tom Perrotta) Internationally best-selling writers Alice Hoffman and Tom Perrotta, authors of over thirty books between them, read from their recent fiction. After the reading, Grub Street artistic director and novelist Christopher Castellani moderates a discussion that focuses on how these authors continually appeal to wide audiences with novels and stories of great depth, subtlety, and cultural relevance. The discussion will also touch on how these authors use humor and magic in their work, the creative roles they've played in their film adaptations, and other topics related to the craft of fiction.
Room 104, Plaza Level
R248. Eros in the Classroom. (Heather McNaugher, Michele Morano, BK Loren, Eileen Myles, Barrie Jean Borich) More than a few academic careers in literature and writing were ignited by a crush on a teacher. But desire in the classroom is constructed, often for good reason, as threatening and inappropriate; we therefore don't acknowledge or talk about it. This panel, inspired by Michele Morano's recent Ninth Letter essay, "Crush," speaks plainly and honestly about the overlap of desire and pedagogy, and how the writer-teacher has constructively channeled it into her/his creative work.
Room 200, Level 3
R255. Thoreau's Granddaughters: Women Writing the Wild. (Suzanne Roberts, Cheryl Strayed, Pam Houston, Gretchen Legler, Li Miao Lovett) Do women approach writing both the wildness of the land and the wilderness of their own bodies differently from men? Do women have a uniquely feminine vision of what it means to be wild? Are they judged by a different set of aesthetics? These five women panelists, including memoirists, novelists, and poets, will discuss their literary influences, the joys and challenges, and the internal doubts and external criticism they face in writing the wild.
Room 208, Level 2
R262. What to Do Before You Debut. (Randy Susan Meyers, Nichole Bernier, Jane Roper, Carleen Brice) Authors are often naïve about their role in finding readers, and they are rarely taught the iterative steps involved in the process of a book launch. Panelists will share specific methodologies, from best practices for websites, publicity, marketing decisions, and working with publishing houses, to assessing the line between awkward hawking and reasonable audience building. Timelines, methods, and tools offered will be balanced with discussion of the art of finding comfortable promotional voices.
Room 309, Level 3
R270A. Southern Writers in Exile. (Michael Croley, Richard Bausch, Michael Griffith, Steve Yarbrough, Brad Watson) Writers who identify as southern don't often stray far from home, but as some have moved into teaching positions, they find themselves now living all over the country, out of their comfort zones. This panel explores how that distance has affected each writer's approach to their craft and teaching, as well as what it means to be a southern writer no longer living in the South, and what role regionalism plays in the landscape of American literature.
Room 103, Plaza Level
F134. Courage, Craft, and Cunning: From MFA Thesis to Published Book. (Jayne Anne Phillips, Will Schutt, Christa Parravani, Ryan McIlvain, Akhil Sharma) This panel features poets and fiction writers whose manuscripts began in their MFA thesis and progressed through revision and invention to first books published by respected presses. Each will read for four minutes, discuss mentorship in their MFA programs, and compare notes on structuring first books, publishers, and the cunning (as in artful, resourceful) required of writers whose lives embrace far more than writing. Audience Q&A will follow.
Room 109, Plaza Level
F139. The Geek in Me: Writing from the Cultural Fringe. (Ethan Gilsdorf, Lizzie Stark, Peter Bebergal) Geek and fringe subcultures such as Dungeons & Dragons, Larping, psychedelia, punk rock, and comic books can be ideal portals through which to examine the self, construct narratives, and comment on the culture at large. In this session, three panelists whose books mix memoir, pop culture, and ethnography discuss best practices for breaking into subcultures conducting fringe culture reportage and using that research to tell powerful and poignant stories about the human condition.
Room 101, Plaza Level
F161. Experimental Fiction Today. (John Parras, Daniel Green, Alissa Nutting, Ted Pelton, M. Bartley Seigel) Editors, writers, critics, and teachers discuss recent trends in experimental fiction and how such work enriches the publishing landscape, the creative writing workshop, and the direction and function of literature itself. What are some of the more exciting trends in innovative fiction? What are the special challenges and rewards for writers testing fiction's limits? How does fabulist work work? If all literature is innovative, what distinguishes the experimental from other types of fiction?
Room 200, Level 2
F171. Does the World Need Another Literary Magazine? (Tom Bligh, Catherine Dent, Dave Essinger, Karolina Gajdeczka, E. Ethelbert Miller) Undergraduate literary journals encourage students to take responsibility for the shape and form of their work and to learn about publishing through firsthand exposure to the process. Panelists share unconventional wisdom on ways to help print and online journals survive and thrive while sustaining enthusiasm and maintaining high standards. Editors discuss the advantages to joining the Forum for Undergraduate Student Editors (FUSE) and explain how to start your own FUSE chapter.
Room 202, Level 2
F173. How to Build a Successful Kickstarter Campaign for Your Publishing Project. (Meaghan O'Connell, Benjamin Samuel, Mat Honan, Joshua Mandelbaum, Laurie Ochoa) Kickstarter moderates a panel of editors from Electric Literature, Words Without Borders, Slake, Longshot, and Tomorrow Magazine for an instructional and informational session on developing a successful Kickstarter campaign for your periodical or publishing project. We'll walk you through the process step by step and discuss how to best represent your brand, set a fundraising goal, shoot a video, create rewards, engage backers, and promote your campaign.
Room 210, Level 2
F180. The Urge Toward Memoir. (Elisabeth Schmitz, Jill Kneerim, Michael Thomas, Jeanette Winterson, Lily King) Novelists Jeanette Winterson, Emily Raboteau, Michael Thomas, agent Jill Kneerim, and editor Elisabeth Schmitz discuss the writer's urge toward memoir. What defines memoir and is it any more "true" or less creative a process than fiction? Panelists will talk about a favorite memoir and the forms they invented for their own.
Room 206, Level 2
F205. A Point of View on A Point of View. (Daniel Menaker, Amy Hempel, Bret Anthony Johnston) Point of view is the lens through which a writer conveys the vision of a story. But what is it about point of view that makes an editor pick an unknown writer out of a pile of unsolicited submissions? And what is it about point of view that makes a series of short stories cohere into an original and memorable collection? In A Point of View on A Point of View, distinguished editor Daniel Menaker and much-anthologized writers Amy Hempel and Bret Anthony Johnston turn a lens on the lens itself.
Veterans Memorial Auditorium, Level 2
F219. Don DeLillo & Dana Spiotta: A Reading and Conversation, Sponsored by The Center for Fiction. (Noreen Tomassi, Don DeLillo, Dana Spiotta) Celebrated novelists Don DeLillo, author of Underworld, Libra, and White Noise, and Dana Spiotta, author of Stone Arabia, present readings, to be followed by a discussion moderated by Noreen Tomassi, Executive Director of the Center for Fiction.
Room 108, Plaza Level
F227. Write Short, Think Long: Exploring the Craft of Writing Flash Nonfiction. (Kathleen Rooney, Sue William Silverman, Peggy Shumaker, Judith Kitchen, Ira Sukrungruang) In celebration of this popular emerging genre, as well as the publication of The Rose Metal Press Field Guide to Writing Flash Nonfiction: Advice and Essential Exercises from Respected Writers, Editors, and Teachers, edited by Dinty W. Moore, five of the book's twenty-six diverse contributors gather to discuss what makes good flash nonfiction memorable and unique, and to offer up ideas and techniques for writing, publishing, and reading the brief essay form well.
Room 202, Level 2
F233. Women on the Road: Exploration, Inspiration, and Imagination in Fiction. (Tara L. Masih, Mary Akers, Jessica Anthony, Midge Raymond, Laura van den Berg) An exploration of crafting stories and novels that place characters in distant regions and countries, and how travel abroad helped shape the countries of the panelists' imaginations. Panelists will share travel experiences and photos, inspirations, readings, and the process of creative observation. Tips will be offered on using research to fill in travel gaps, both in contemporary and historical contexts, and on negotiating the complexities of writing about cultures different from one's own.
Veterans Memorial Auditorium, Level 2
F250. Alison Bechdel & Jeanette Winterson: A Reading and Conversation, Sponsored by Emerson College MFA. (Alison Bechdel, Jeanette Winterson, Elisabeth Schmitz) Alison Bechdel, author of the graphic memoir Fun Home and the ground-breaking comic strip Dykes to Watch Out For, and Jeannette Winterson, author of Written on the Body and the memoir Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal?, present readings from their work followed by a discussion moderated by Elisabeth Schmitz, Executive Editor at Grove/Atlantic, Inc. The events will be introduced by Emerson College's Steve Yarborough, author of the novels Safe from the Neighbors and The End of California.
Room 202, Level 2
F263. Blue-collar College Students and the Creative Writing Degree. (Jerry Wemple, Lawrence Coates, Claire Lawrence) Faculty from creative writing programs in rust belt regions that traditionally serve students from blue-collar backgrounds ponder what, exactly, they are preparing their students for, since most undergraduates will not become "professional" writers. The panelists discuss what they are trying to accomplish in their programs, what their graduates feel they've learned and how they are using that knowledge, and potential revisions to a program after re-assessment at the ten-year mark.
Room 206, Level 2
F266. Bring Out Your Dead: Writing Ghosts (and Zombies) in Literary Fiction. (Rebecca Makkai, Tea Obreht, Lauren Groff, Dan Chaon, Alexi Zentner) The ghost story thrives in literary fiction as well as the oral tradition, defying genre. How do we keep these compelling tales fresh? How do we frighten without resorting to cheap tricks? How do we navigate the borders between spirituality, science, doubt, and a reliable narrative voice? And why are we drawn to these themes again and again? Five writers introduce you to their ghosts and tell you how they summoned them.
Room 207, Level 2
F267. What We Write About When We Write About Music. (Laurie Lindeen, Rick Moody, Will Hermes, Jen Trynin, Jacob Slichter) All art aspires to music because it touches our hearts, souls, senses, and imaginations This panel of writers, musicians, and writing instructors loves, appreciates, knows, and plays music. They have written passionately about music in memoirs, essays, novels, songs, poetry, and blogs. Each individual on this panel would like to share his or her unique path with prose and music, and share their collective beliefs in the emotional, rhythmic importance of musicality when writing and when teaching writing.
Room 102, Plaza Level
F269. The Literary Legacy of Andre Dubus. (Matthew Batt, Andre Dubus III, Melanie Rae Thon, Nancy Zafris, Bruce Machart) Andre Dubus (1936-1999), author of nine volumes of fiction and two collections of essays, including Meditations from a Moveable Chair and Dancing After Hours, was a long-time resident of Haverhill, Massachussets, and is widely recognized as one of the greatest practitioners and teachers of the contemporary short story. Panelists, including Dubus's son, a former student, a close friend, and a lifelong fan, will discuss their relationship with Dubus and what they learned from his work and life.
Room 110, Hynes Convention Center, Plaza Level
F283. Forum for Undergraduate Student Editors (FUSE) Caucus. (Catherine Dent, Michael Cocchiarale, Esme Franklin, Andrew Baker, Sarah Gzemski) Are you an undergraduate interested in editing and publishing or a faculty member working with undergraduate students on a literary journal or small press? Come join FUSE for its annual meeting, which includes national elections and FUSE chapter updates, followed by a roundtable discussion. This year's topic is the interdisciplinary nature of undergraduate publishing, i.e. how and why to forge good relationships among departments. Bring ideas and journals to exchange.
Veterans Memorial Auditorium, Level 2
F284. Amy Bloom & Richard Russo: A Reading and Conversation, Sponsored by Lesley University. (Leah Hager Cohen, Amy Bloom, Richard Russo) Amy Bloom is author of the New York Times best-selling Away: A Novel, and Where the God of Love Hangs Out, a collection of short fiction. Richard Russo is the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Empire Falls, Straight Man, and Nobody's Fool. The reading will begin with an introduction by poet Steven Cramer, director of the Lesley University Low-Residency MFA in Creative Writing, and will be followed by a discussion moderated by novelist and critic Leah Hager Cohen, author of The Grief of Others and House Lights.
Hynes Ballroom, Hynes Convention Center, Level 3
F285. Language at the Breaking Point, Sponsored by Blue Flower Arts. (Kwame Dawes, Jorie Graham, Terrance Hayes) Pulitzer Prize-winner Jorie Graham and National Book Award-winner Terrance Hayes stretch language past the barriers of mind and limitations of personal experience to reinstate a kind of dignity to the world. Their creative tensions puncture the commonplace allowing the familiar to dislocate, laying bare our tenuous connection to life. Yet grace and a vivid, wakeful presence abide. Their poems demonstrate how the excavation of language itself can shape new possibilities for imagination to evolve.
Room 303, Level 3
S123. Puritan Scar, Scarlet Letter: Contemporary Writers on Hawthorne's Masterwork. (John Domini, Amy Wright, Heidi Julavits, Jennifer Haigh) No novel so established Boston as a literary center as Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter (1850), and few have left such an indelible trace across the American project since. Hester Prynne's struggle raises core issues of outsider and community in all their moral contrariness. As art, too, the novel sets a rare challenge, working cross-gender and cross-genre, at once romance and realism, transcendental and ambiguous. Panelists assess the impact the book had both locally and worldwide.
Room 111, Plaza Level
S137. The Art and Craft of Short-Form Nonfiction. (Sarah Einstein, Joni Tevis, Brian Oliu, Chelsea Biondolillo) Can you write an essay in 140 characters? In 750 words or fewer? And can you get it published once you have? Join the managing editor of Brevity, two authors of short-form collections, and a graduate student working in this exciting new form as they share techniques and strategies for writing and marketing short-form nonfiction—from the lyric to the expository.
Room 200, Level 2
S138. The Lake Effect: A Celebration of Fifty Years of Creative Writing at Syracuse University. (Sarah Harwell, George Saunders, Arthur Flowers, Brooks Haxton, Christopher Kennedy) Syracuse University's creative writing program celebrates its fifty-year anniversary with a reading by current faculty. The faculty will read from their own work as well as highlight work from a diverse and celebrated group of alumni and past faculty. Readers will include poets Brooks Haxton, Christopher Kennedy, and Sarah Harwell and fiction writers Arthur Flowers and George Saunders.
Room 207, Level 2
S144. Agents, Editors, and the State of Publishing. (Mary Gannon, Jofie Ferrari-Adler, Jennifer Joel, Chuck Adams) Agents and editors share behind-the-scenes perspective about what authors need to know about the changing industry of publishing. How have e-books, e-readers, and self-publishing affected the industry? With the closing of Borders and the growing influence of Amazon, how have changes to distribution channels affected the way publishers market books, and what does this mean for authors? How have the best practices for submitting work to agents and editors changed?
Room 302/304, Level 3
S148. Breaking the Jaws of Silence. (Sholeh Wolpe, Kim Addonizio, Tom Sleigh, Quincy Troupe, Yusef Komunyakaa) Poets are a threat to despotic regimes as light is a threat to darkness. In a project to benefit PEN USA's Freedom to Write program, prominent American poets raise their voices and call on poets to bear witness, to collectively engage, to activate, to call, to give texture, to demand, to caress, to shatter, to build, and to never let the world forget.
Room 306, Level 3
S150. If These Walls Could Talk… Oh Wait, They Do! (Eleanor Henderson, Stewart O'Nan, Tea Obreht) The whole world is a stage, but as fiction writers we get to choose where and when to set a story. That decision can influence everything else in the novel, for better or worse. Four novelists talk about the pressures that settings, both urban and rural, can place on our fiction, and how and why to make choices about landscape.
Room 209, Level 2
S172. From the University of Nebraska Press: Readings from The Prairie Schooner Book Prize Anniversary Reader. (Hilda Raz, Shane Book, Brock Clarke, Jesse Lee Kercheval, Susan Blackwell Ramsey) A perfect time capsule of the diverse, experimental trends in American poetry and short fiction over the last ten years, The Prairie Schooner Book Prize Anniversary Reader pulls together excerpts from all twenty winning books of Prairie Schooner's Book Prize Series. The Press will launch this anthology at AWP 2013; come listen to four of the most successful winners read and hear Hilda Raz, legend and influential founder of the Book Prize Series, discuss finding work that speaks to our living moment.
Room 302/304, Level 3
S174. Write Where You Know: When Setting Serves as a Main Character in a Novel. (John Roche, Jennifer Haigh, Thomas Kelly, Richard Russo) Richard Russo's bestselling novels, including Pulitzer-winner Empire Falls, uniquely capture a sense of place, whether it's dying blue-collar towns in upstate New York or New England enclaves. Thomas Kelly, the author of three novels praised for their authentic depiction of New York City, and Jennifer Haigh, whose four novels include Faith, set in Boston, will join Russo in discussing the importance of setting in their fiction, at times to the point where place itself becomes a main character.
Room 306, Level 3
S177. Reading by Grand Central Authors. (Benjamin Percy, Julianna Baggott, Ed Falco) Discover three of the strongest voices in contemporary fiction at a reading by Grand Central's finest. Julianna Baggott is the author of Pure, the first book in a postapocalypic series which was a New York Times Editor's Choice. Ed Falco's most recent novel, a prequel to The Godfather titled The Family Corleone, is based on material excerpted from screenplays by Mario Puzo. Benjamin Percy's new novel, Red Moon, is an epic and terrifying story of lycans set in the American West. Prepare for a thrilling night—and take the cannoli.
Room 306, Level 3
S204. How to Lose Friends and Alienate Loved Ones: Exploitation vs. Documentation in Creative Nonfiction. (B.J. Hollars, Roxane Gay, Marcia Aldrich, Ryan Van Meter, Bonnie J. Rough) Not every story is flattering, nor is every character. Nevertheless, nonfiction writers continue to document their lives and the lives of others, often at the risk of violating personal relationships. How should writers navigate between revealing the true nature of their subjects without alienating the people themselves? Join four writers as they explore the fine line between documentation and exploitation, among other ethical dilemmas inherent in writing of friends, family, and loved ones.
Room 103, Plaza Level
S211. Video Games, Fan Fiction, and Comics: Alternative Genres as Legitimate Literature. (Leslie Salas, Jim Miller, Elaine Phillips, Kirsten Holt) Alternative forms of narrative are often perceived with disdain or suspicion even though they address the same plots, themes, and conditions of respectable literary forms. Comics have begun to break away from this stigma, but what about more mainstream genres, such as fan fiction and video games? How do all three of these alternative forms both threaten and reinforce ideas about originality and narrative? This panel will make the case for alternative genres as creative literature.
Room 200, Level 2
S219. A Reading by Matthew Batt, Jen Percy, and Rob Currie, Jr. (Matthew Batt, Ron Currie, Jr., and Jacob Paul) Matthew Batt, author of Sugarhouse, Ron Currie, Jr., author of God Is Dead, Everything Matters, and Flimsy Little Plastic Miracles, and Jacob Paul, author of Sarah/Sara, will read from their recent work, all of which deals with, in the face of catastrophic loss, the sometimes funny, sometimes harrowing ways we try to mend our lives.
Room 210, Level 2
S228. Art vs. Commerce: Writing for Love and Money. (Elizabeth Benedict, Stephen McCauley, Stephen Elliott, Maud Newton, Steve Almond) Grace Paley's advice to writers: Keep your overhead low. But when teaching doesn't lead to tenure, how do literary writers cobble together a living and a life while writing work that matters? Panelists who have had unconventional careers largely outside the academy examine their decisions and discuss the role of money, literature, and serendipity in their creative pursuits: editing an online literary magazine, writing soft-core porn, and creating advice columns, TV shows, and yoga books under a pseudonym.
Room 302/304, Level 3
S229. Z.Z. Packer & Meg Wolitzer: A Reading and Conversation, Sponsored by VIDA: Women in Literary Arts. (Cheryl Strayed, Z.Z. Packer, Meg Wolitzer) Fiction writers will give a reading followed by a conversation about race, literature that happens to be written about women (as Wolitzer puts it in a recent New York Times essay), and the realities of the contemporary publishing landscape, moderated by Cheryl Strayed, VIDA board member and author of Wild. AWP participants are encouraged to join a brief Q&A period to be held afterwards.
Room 302/304, Level 3
S256. Smart Girls. (Terry Ann Thaxton, Terese Svoboda, Bobbie Ann Mason, Kelly Cherry, Elissa Schappell) Girl does not denote age but power—no men in it. No ladies-first either. A girl's got gumption. A pre- and post-feminist name for great girl lit. Different from the chick kind, the just-hatched; we've been around, we're serious. This is for women and men who go for it, featuring readings from our books that qualified us for The Smart Girls club. We represent a diversity of age, region, and genres.
Veterans Memorial Auditorium, Level 2
S263. Augusten Burroughs & Cheryl Strayed: A Reading & Conversation, Sponsored by the Wilkes University Low-Residency MA/MFA Program in Creative Writing. (Bob Morris, Augusten Burroughs, Cheryl Strayed) Augusten Burroughs, author of memoirs Running with Scissors and Dry, and Cheryl Strayed, author of the best-selling memoir Wild and the voice behind the Rumpus's beloved "Dear Sugar" column, will present readings of their work, followed by a discussion moderated by columnist and commentator Bob Morris, author of the memoir Assisted Loving: True Tales of Double Dating with My Dad. The authors will be introduced by playwright and novelist Bonnie Culver, director of the Wilkes University Low-Residency MA/MFA Program in Creative Writing.


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SHERBROOKE, Quebec (AP) — A third person has died from injuries related to a powerful explosion and fire at a manufacturing plant outside Montreal earlier this week.
Sylvie Robitaille, a spokeswoman for a Montreal hospital, says Marc Couture, a worker at the plant, died at the hospital Saturday evening.
She said Sunday that Couture suffered burns on 90 percent of his body and was in an induced coma.
The bodies of two other people were found in the ruins of the plant in Sherbrooke, Quebec, after the explosion on Thursday.
The blast could be heard for miles (kilometers) and 18 others were hospitalized. Robitaille says three people remain hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries.
The plant belonging to Neptune Technologies & Bioressources produces and exports health products.


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The candidates, Howard Leib, Jim Seward, Barbara Lifton and Gary Finch, will give brief statements, followed by questions from the organizing committee and from the audience. There may be an opportunity to talk to the candidates one-on-one at the end. For more info, see www.lwvcortland.org
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BabySteps Feeding Dish F300 BPA/PHTHALATE FREE This original, sectioned dish offers convenience and flexibility for feeding meals both at home and away. Great for traveling; take it to daycare or on trips. Perfect for single meals on-the-go! And because the dish is designed in tandem with the Freezer Trays, they make a great team for easy transfer of frozen foods. Features . Section size matches BabySteps Freezer Trays . Specially designed lid seals each section, preventing the mixing of foods inside . Spoon with storage case locks the lid on tight and creates a complete serving unit . Microwave and dishwasher safe.
copyright ©2002 -


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WORCESTER � Rainbow colors were on display Saturday as the Worcester Pride annual celebration paraded through downtown before settling on the city's common for an afternoon of music.
Organizers said the event attracted more than twice as many parade participants and vendors as last year. Jayme Frazier, Worcester Pride coordinator of volunteers and vendors, said organizers have tried to appeal more to families by getting involved in the community.
"We want to show the entire Worcester community that we're like everyone else," she said. "We have families, too."
Worcester Pride supports and promotes Central Massachusetts lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and "questioning individuals." The organization kicked off its annual celebration Wednesday with a party, flag raising and pageant. Events end Sunday with a drag brunch.
More than 40 entities participated in the parade, which started at Institute Park and ended at Worcester Common. Seven floats, four marching bands, churches and a bevy of politicians stumping for votes paraded through the city.
As the parade passed City Hall Saturday, marchers moved past about a dozen people from Bible Way Baptist Church of Auburn holding signs, including one that read, "For whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved."
Jenny Wiech of Worcester, wearing a tiara in her hair, broke away from the parade to dance in front of the church placards while twirling a rainbow-colored scarf. It was, she said later, a deliberate move and that she hoped to convey, "Really, we're all God's people."
On the common, about 80 vendors ranging from the Peace Corps to Planned Parenthood set up tables. Daphne F. Warner of the Whitinsville section of Northbridge held up a sign reading, "Free Hugz."
"I just want to spread the love," she said.
The event also offered a platform for groups with more serious messages. Pastor Judy Hanlon of Hadwen Park Congregational Church in Worcester, co-founder of the Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual and Transgender Asylum Support Task Force, marched in the parade with several immigrants wearing brown paper bags over their heads and carrying signs, including one that read, "Still Hiding in 75+ Countries."
Some of the LGBT asylum-seekers aided by the church and task force have been mutilated, tortured and separated from loved ones, according to Pastor Hanlon. Russia has gotten public attention lately for new anti-gay policies, Pastor Hanlon said, but she has been trying to turn attention to ongoing human rights abuses elsewhere.
"I walk with these people every day," she said.
Contact Lisa Eckelbecker at email@example.com. Follow her on Twitter @LisaEckelbecker.


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Absolutely amazing product, I wish the Black version was out when I bought these. Other than that I would HIGHLY suggest a springer seat as the ride is about as close to a hardtail as you can get.
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5 out of 5 stars (based on 55 reviews)
5 stars (49)
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Absolutely amazing product, I wish the Black version was out when I bought these. Other than that I would HIGHLY suggest a springer seat as the ride is about as close to a hardtail as you can get.
This was a great purchase!
This was the great, easy to install the only draw back is the stiff ride but the bike looks sweet
Very easy install. Good instructions and made my bike handle much better. Shorter kickstand would be a good idea.
Looks great and easy to install. Little worried about the rear tire rubbing against the wiring under the rear fender but so far hasn't been a problem.
Everything you need is included!
Perfect, what you want.
Real easy to install but be ready for a ridged ride
Great product. Easy to install, easy to adjust. Shorter kickstand not needed but highly recommended, unless you're confident your bike won't get hit by winds over 5 mph. Need special socket for front forks, and will need to take off handlebars. Decent vid on youtube for reference.
slammer kit fit perfect lowered bike about 2 inches. great for my short legs
they look as good and gave my bike the stance I was looking for
Bolted on with no modifications, had all the hardware and looks/rides great! Make sure you check your fender wiring and the clearance in the back. The tire will rip it out quick if it's too close.
Great lowered look on my 02 Sportster
fits not in use yet looks sharp
fits not in use yet looks sharp
Burlys Slammer kit completed the look I was going for! was easy to install and love the slammed look it gave my 2004 1200R!
Loved the product and the price. GOLD CLUB RULES!!!
WORTH EVERY PENNY!! I went from loving to ride to living to ride in about an hour. Made all the difference in my confidance. Too many times I was caught not having good enough footing.
Awesome lowering kit for my 2007 Sportster. I used water pump pliers with folded up paper under the jaws to get the fork caps off as I didn't have a socket that big(1 3/8"). It worked great with no damage to the chrome. It is my wifes bike and she is 5'4". Helped her confidence tremendously. The ride is not harsh and the rear suspension has at least 2,5" of travel.left. There is plenty of room still to lean the bike in a sharp turn with no rubbing of the pipes or pegs.
Great Kit My daughter can now handle her sportster 1200 with ease.
E- install great product
I have ordered several things over the two months. Both the service, and parts have been perfect. This particular order was for a Burley slammer kit, and it couldn't have been easier to install and the bike looks great.
I love this kit. Install is easy and the bike looks great with this kit. A great product for a lowered look and feel.
This kit is awesome! Dropped my girls '06 sporty 2 1/2 inches. She is pretty short but now sits flat footed and is WAY more confident. Super easy to install, in fact the hardest part was trying to remove the stickers from the shocks!. HIGHLY recommend.
Just plain cool!
This worked great for my 1200 Sportster! I am 4'11" and could not touch the ground until this kit was installed. Now it works for me!!
Great product, but don't find out until open box and read instructions that there is a "disclaimer" and it won't fit my bike
extremely happy easy to install
Great product... Order a 1" under Jiffy stand along with this. You will need it!
Awesome unit. Very easy to install
Very easy kit to use, but the rear shocks rust quicker than anything I have ever purchased.
awsome kit have it on both my bikes 2000 sportster and a 2009 superglide not sure how the super will ride but i know it looks good
Very simple install. Go to the Burly web site for the Video as the included instructions are incomplete.
love it,but should add lower kickstand to kit for a complete kit.
great product at a great price!!! very fast delivery, couldn't be happier..
ended up only using the shocks and not lowering the forks due to liking the look of the bike with the front end slightly higher.
Excellent product which lowered the bike 2 inches making my 5-2" wife very pleased with her new flat footed stance. I did not notice much difference in the ride/suspension of the bike from the oem suspension. Just use caution for any bottoming out which could damage wiring under the rear fender. Very pleased with the product.
Love this kit easy to install and looks great!
Touch the ground with both feet and havent bottomed out once.
Not as easy to install the front Had to take it to a shop to have them do the front forks. The rear was easy and the bike is really low.
This is a great kit! It made me low and happy.
lowered a 1996 Road King - bike is nice and low...a little rough , but to be expected when you you shave off 2 1/2 inches.
Used it to drop rear of bike so my wife and daughters could ride my Road King.
Not to bad to install. definitely the look I wanted. Dropped 2" in the front and 1 1/2" in the rear.
Love it, my bike is low and looks good. Perfect fit.
as always parts !st rate and shipped rapidly.
Dropped my 84 tourglide classic 2.5 inches! Rides and handels much better
The look and stance of my FLTRX is awesome with the kit installed. However use caution if you do a lot of 2up riding. The rear suspension needs to be extremely stiff to hold a passenger without bottoming out. Makes it like riding a hard tail if you go back to Solo without readjusting. Handling was better than expected with lower center of gravity. Used a heavier weight fork oil in the front combined with the lowering springs eliminated the nose dive under hard breaking that gave me much more confidence during aggressive riding.
This slammer kit is not suited for 2up riding, I THINK that it should be mentioned that with a touring bike, it's weight and the weight of your passenger pushes it beyond it's limit. I will be attempting to return it as soon as I receive my new 444 series Shocks.
fast delivery and the bike looks great a little stiff on the front
Delivered quickly. Now just waiting for warmer weather.
Bought this kit a few months ago... thought it would have a harsh ride based on what other purchasers have said, my bagger is nice and low,rides very good, have not bottomed out at all, even with a passenger. Got the avon cobra tires too- very sticky and great ride! I've gotton this bagger into some mean leans where the boards are sparkin' , but the tires never compained a bit! Dealing with JP has been awesome and all my parts were delivered in less than a week(ordered on thurs-got 'em the next tues! WILL BE DEALING WITH JP FOR AA LOOONGN TIME TO COME!! Many thanks-GOD Bless!
This product will fit your Motorcycle
This product does not fit your Motorcycle.


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Welcome to my Fall into Fantasy giveaway, hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and The Write Path.This hop runs from October 16 to October 21, and you can win lots of new reads. Click here for a complete list of blogs participating in the hop.
I recently read The Assassin's Curse by Cassandra Rose Clarke and loved it. I am giving away an ARC of the book, because I know that you'll enjoy it, too!
About the book:
Ananna of the Tanarau abandons ship when her parents try to marry her off to an allying pirate clan: she wants to captain her own boat, not serve as second-in-command to her handsome yet clueless fiance. But her escape has dire consequences when she learns the scorned clan has sent an assassin after her.
And when the assassin, Naji, finally catches up with her, things get even worse. Ananna inadvertently triggers a nasty curse — with a life-altering result. Now Ananna and Naji are forced to become uneasy allies as they work together to break the curse and return their lives back to normal. Or at least as normal as the lives of a pirate and an assassin can be.
Entering is easy! Just fill out the widget below. Earn extra entries for following! US addresses only, please.


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Fiona Apple Cancels Tour to Be With Her Dying Dog
Musician Fiona Apple already has a bit of a reputation for being melodramatic, and her recent move to cancel her South American tour because her dog is dying probably won't do much to dispel that. Still, Apple wrote a touching four-page letter explaining her decision that's guaranteed to make you shed a tear.
According to the lengthy note, Apple's 13-year-old Pitbull mix named Janet is dying from a tumor in her chest. Apple says she's had the rescue dog since it was four-months-old and the animal marks "the most consistent relationship" of her adult life. "She was my child," Apple writes.
The dog apparently took a turn for the worse when Apple got back from the last leg of her US tour. "I know that she is coming close to [the] point where she will stop being a dog, and instead, be part of everything. She'll be in the wind, and in the soil, and the snow, and in me, wherever I go," Apple said.
So, Apple decided to cancel her South American tour and stay home with the ailing pooch. This way, she could sing the dog to sleep and "escort her out."
Can you relate to Apple's decision to put work on hold and nurse her dying dog? Or is she just being a tad overemotional?
You can read the full letter here. We recommend having some tissues on hand.