text:
I liked the sound of this one and was in the mood for a strong urban fantasy set in London, so requested this arc.
BLURB: Do you know what happens to ghosts in London?
A girl with a monster in her shadow. A warlock believed dead four years ago. A werewolf outcast from the London packs.
Rob wants a good job, friends to head to the pub with and a solid cage to lock himself in three nights a month. Julian dropped off the face of the Earth four years ago. He’s back and trying to figure out what living looks like. Together they will face the deadliest of threats hidden in one of the oldest cities in the world.
Fiona has a monster in her shadow but she doesn’t know how it got there. A creature in the shape of a man is on her trail and he knows things about Fiona she doesn’t know herself. Her ten year old sister Jessica can build machines that defy the known laws of physics. Accompanied by a brass tortoise and a glass-feathered raven, Jessica will help Fiona unravel the web of lies that surrounds them both.
And beneath their feet the plague dead of centuries stir in their graves, waiting for the spell that holds them to break…
REVIEW: The thing about urban fantasy that sets it apart, is that it is generally set in a contemporary landscape – usually a city – and then peopled with otherworldly creatures. So a lot of the pleasure is derived from seeing our everyday settings collide with something other. I was immediately held by Cunningham’s opening sequence with Julian in the London Underground, which was very well done. Anyone who has ever stood on a crowded platform waiting for the train to come could visualise only too well how events unspooled. And that repeated question of Julian’s – Do you know what happens to ghosts in London? – was also nicely handled. Too much and that shiver of horror would have disappeared…
Initially, I was a bit fed up when I realised we wouldn’t be in Julian’s head throughout. But I soon found that I had no trouble bonding with the other protagonists, even when I wasn’t fully aware of what was going on. There’s plenty of tension in this urban fantasy adventure, which makes the sudden outbreaks of rather gory violence seem even more shocking. Underneath the bustling normality of London is a brutal world where mages, vampyres and shapeshifters jostle for power and far too often treat the rest of us as recreation and/or fodder. And in a stunning coincidence, Hawthorn House is where a number of these remarkable people pitch up. I liked all the protagonists, but I particularly bonded with poor old Rob, who just wants a nice normal life, where he rubs along with his work mates and can enjoy a night out down at the pub. Somehow, this never quite happens as all sorts of other distractions get in the way.
The rising tension was well paced and I loved a particular vampyre attack – and what happens to the van, afterwards. As with many urban fantasy tales, there are enjoyable shafts of humour that prevent it becoming too grim, which didn’t prevent the stakes rising such that I found this one difficult to put down as it reached its climax. Overall, this was a thoroughly entertaining read – and the good news is that there are two other books and a number of shorter stories already published in the Hawthorn House series. And I’ll certainly be tucking into them in the near future. While I obtained an arc of Ghost Electricity from Netgalley, the opinions I have expressed are unbiased and my own. 8/10
It was the bright yellow cover that caught my eye – and the blurb that promised lots of high jinks and mayhem around a mother and daughter investigative team. The unusual family dynamic and promise of a funny murder mystery meant that I was keen to read this one.
BLURB: Vivian Borne – true-crime author, antiques dealer and ex-sheriff of Serenity, Iowa – is looking forward to meeting her new editor in London. Flying first class, rooms at the Savoy . . . Her long-suffering co-author, daughter Brandy, worries the trip will bankrupt them both, but the alternative – Mother travelling alone – is unthinkable. Brandy’s almost tempted to make her fiance, Tony – Serenity’s Chief of Police – call Scotland Yard and warn them Vivian’s coming. But even Brandy doesn’t predict their vacation will end in murder . . . or that she and Mother will be unceremoniously ejected from the country, with an order to leave things well alone.
Vivian and Brandy need a case to write about, and Mother doesn’t care which one. But as the intrepid sleuths – ably supported by doggy detective Sushi – investigate a promising local prospect, they’re plunged into a complex mystery that stretches right back to London . . . with no choice but to carry on.
REVIEW: I hadn’t appreciated that this was the fifteenth book in the series, when I started reading it – but as it happened, that really didn’t matter all that much. While I’m sure there are all sorts of issues within this one that I would have appreciated more, had I read the series from the start, the entertaining friction between the characters and the ongoing whodunit meant I didn’t flounder in any way.
Each chapter is written in alternate viewpoints between Vivian and Brandy, with comments aimed directly at the reader at regular intervals. It isn’t to everyone’s taste and is easy to overdo such that it becomes annoying. I think Allan has got the balance right – and I certainly enjoyed the difference between the two characters. It is a structure regularly seen in romances, but less common in other genres and worked well here, where Vivian’s larger-than-life attitude to the world contrasted nicely with Brandy’s weary attempts to keep her mother in check. Needless to say, she mostly failed…
All this could have become irritating if the bones of a good whodunit wasn’t also in place – which it was. In the end, I appreciated the denouement, how well the plot held together and why the murders were committed. While I’m not going to go right back to the start of this series and read the previous fourteen – if I encounter another one of these entertaining stories, I wouldn’t hesitate to immediately pick it up and tuck into it. Recommended for fans of quirky murder mysteries. While I obtained an arc of Antiques Carry On from Netgalley, the opinions I have expressed are unbiased and my own. 8/10
Yes… I know, I’m writing a review about a romance – that’s certainly different! Well, I’ve been reading lots and lots of SFF – and the latest military SF adventure was superb, but also a bit grim. And I needed something a little more soothing, so when I saw this one land in my Inbox, I decided to request it and see what happens. I’m glad I did…
BLURB: Willow Lawson is a fun loving social media expert, who helps companies stand out from their competitors. Yet, despite her bubbly personality, her social life is mostly work-related, and her love life is non-existent. That’s when she starts The Pepper Lane Club, a chance to get away once a month from her maddening life and reconnect with her friends. It’s at this very first meeting that she meets Thomas Greer, who owns the café. He’s everything she’s not. He’s serious, unsociable, unfashionable, and dead set against social media. She decides to take him on as a client despite his refusals. She wants the challenge, and she wants to prove to him that he needs her help. He frustrates her, but there’s something about his old fashioned ways that also intrigues her.
REVIEW: In order to thoroughly enjoy a romance, I need to really care about the main protagonist(s). And Parks did a solid job in creating a sympathetic, amusing protagonist with sufficient depth of character to hold me throughout the story – and yet not too much so that it unduly slowed the pace.
Willow is interesting in that she is one of twins – and I liked the fact that for a refreshing change, they came from a loving family, with nice parents. Indeed, Willow looks at her parents’ relationship with some envy. She also has a close relationship with her twin sister, as well as a wide circle of acquaintance and a busy social life. But… how close are those friendships she has fostered online? Other than her family, Willow realises that she is missing a relationship with a group of people she is really close to, outside her Facebook and Instagram accounts – and decides to do something about it.
I thought this aspect of the story was smart, as this is an ongoing dilemma for so many of us, now staggering out of the various lockdowns and grappling with the reality of face-to-face meetings, after having thrown our energy into keeping our social networks going digitally. While Parks doesn’t allude to any of that – this must be a hurdle for so many folks. And Willow’s idea of meeting up once a month for a lovely meal with women she likes and trusts is also a really good one.
I’m conscious that I haven’t said much about the romance. But I also liked that dynamic, too. It wasn’t groundbreakingly original – going along the lines of fake relationship deepening into something more substantial. But Willow’s confusion regarding Thomas worked well, and didn’t get too ridiculously muddled – a common moan I have about romance stories – before resolving into a believable, cute relationship that was founded on a genuine respect and liking for each other. Highly recommended for fans of romance stories. While I obtained an arc of Willow from the publishers via Netgalley, the opinions I have expressed are unbiased and my own. 8/10
Can’t-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted at Wishful Endings, to spotlight and discuss the books we’re excited about that we have yet to read. Generally they’re books that have yet to be released. It’s based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by the fabulous Jill at Breaking the Spine.
This week’s Can’t-Wait offering – Antiques Carry On – Book 15 of the Trash n’Treasures Mystery series by Barbara Allan – release date 6th July, 2021
BLURB: Look out London – eccentric antiques dealer Vivian Borne and her daughter Brandy are bringing their own brand of mayhem and mischief to the British capital, in the fifteenth installment of the award-winning Trash ‘n’ Treasures cozy mystery series.
Vivian Borne – true-crime author, antiques dealer and ex-sheriff of Serenity, Iowa – is looking forward to meeting her new editor in London. Flying first class, rooms at the Savoy . . . Her long-suffering co-author, daughter Brandy, worries the trip will bankrupt them both, but the alternative – Mother travelling alone – is unthinkable. Brandy’s almost tempted to make her fiance, Tony – Serenity’s Chief of Police – call Scotland Yard and warn them Vivian’s coming. But even Brandy doesn’t predict their vacation will end in murder . . . or that she and Mother will be unceremoniously ejected from the country, with an order to leave things well alone.
Vivian and Brandy need a case to write about, and Mother doesn’t care which one. But as the intrepid sleuths – ably supported by doggy detective Sushi – investigate a promising local prospect, they’re plunged into a complex mystery that stretches right back to London . . . with no choice but to carry on.
I liked the dynamic of mother and daughter solving these crimes together – especially as they clearly don’t always see eye to eye when doing so. And yes… it’s the 15th book in the series, but I’m not expecting to flounder too much as it’s a murder mystery. Has anyone else snagged a copy of this offering?
I’m in an odd mood reading-wise, right now. So I was looking for something a bit gentle and quirky that could pull me into the story – and was delighted when this offering ticked all those boxes.
BLURB: Mei Yamagawa is out of luck and out of money. After five years in Tokyo, she has little to show for it besides a laundry list of unrealized dreams. Left without a choice, she returns to her rural Japanese hometown, ready to be branded a failure by her relatives and rivals. At the least, she looks forward to seeing her best friend, until Akiko is accused of murdering her own father.
As Mei helps her farmer mother with the crops, she scouts for clues to clear her friend’s name. But during her investigation, she can’t help but notice the celebrity chef looking in her direction. The amateur detective can balance a new love interest and a murder case… can’t she?
REVIEW: This one is an interesting mash-up. Yes, there is a murder mystery running through the middle of the narrative, which draws together the narrative. But it isn’t actually the pivot of the ongoing story. At the heart of this one is the fact that Mei, after being a bright, hardworking student and a talented artist, somehow has lost her way.
Instead of finding herself in charge of a project team and going from strength to strength, as she’d confidently expected when moving to the city some five years earlier, Mei has lost three jobs in a row. She has to return to her home town, in debt and rely on her mother’s help to get back on her feet, again. She feels an utter failure – and Pajonas has to tread a tricky path in convincing her readers of her protagonist’s misery and crippling self-doubt, without producing an annoyingly whiny heroine. I think she pulls it off.
What helps to jolt Mei from her own troubles is the news that her best friend’s father has been strangled and Akiko, her best friend since forever, is one of the chief suspects. The town is in the process of being regenerated, thanks to the interest of a large food corporation who are interested in buying up abandoned farms, building greenhouses and a large headquarters, thus providing much welcome jobs. As a consequence, after years of slow stagnation as young people left to seek jobs elsewhere, shops and businesses are now springing up. But there are farmers who don’t want to sell – and Akiko’s father had been one of them.
To be honest, the murder mystery doesn’t produce all that many convincing suspects, so it wasn’t difficult to work out whodunit. But as the Japanese setting was so intriguingly different – and Mei’s assistance is actually welcomed by the police, this detail wasn’t a dealbreaker. I also enjoyed the ongoing romance, which was sweet and well handled. Overall, this was a delightful, engrossing read that was just what I needed at a difficult time. I’ll certainly be reading more of this series. 8/10
This is part of the weekly meme over at the Caffeinated Reviewer, where book bloggers can share the books and blogs they have written.
Here we are at the start of May… When did THAT happen?? Apologies for having been AWOL – last week I was ill again. Another spell of exhaustion, nausea and giddiness meant that I didn’t even open the computer most days – and I certainly wasn’t up to working. Or even getting out of bed… It was only yesterday that I started feeling like me, instead of the doddery old bat who’d insisted on invading my body. And my daughter and small granddaughter popping in to say hallo and pick up a postal label further helped to cheer me up.
Other than that, it’s been a quiet week, only enlivened by falling over when the nice chap came to administer our monthly swab and blood tests. So I also have a spectacular bruise on the side of my knee, where I missed smearing on the arnica cream.
I’m afraid I’ve no photos this week, as I haven’t made it outdoors.
Last week I read: Ravenwood – Book 1 of the Tanyth Fairport Adventures series by Nathan Lowell After twenty winters on the road, Tanyth makes one last pilgrimage in her quest to learn all she can about the herbs and medicinal plants of Korlay before settling down to write her magnum opus.
Her journey is interrupted when she stops to help a small village and learns that much of what she knows of the world may not be quite as it seems. I loved Lowell’s space opera series, which I inhaled during March once I was well enough to read. So was pleased to get my hands on this one. I loved the protagonist, who is a middle-aged woman, who walked out of an abusive marriage and became a healer. Review to follow.
AUDIOBOOK Necessity’s Child – Book 16 of the Liaden Universe series by Sharon Lee & Steve Miller The kompani see none as an enemy, and yet few as friend. The kompani exist in many places, living quietly in the shadows, thriving off the bounty that others have no wit to secure, nor skill to defend. Their private history is unwritten; their recall rooted in dance and dream.
The Clan Korval is in many ways the opposite of the kompani. The interstellar trading clan is wealthy in enemies, and fortunate in friends. Korval protects itself with vigor, and teaches even its youngest children the art of war. And when representatives of Clan Korval arrive on the planet Surebleak where the kompani has lived, secret and aloof, the lives of three people intersect—Kezzi, apprentice to the kompani’s grandmother; Syl Vor, Clan Korval’s youngest warrior; and Rys, a man without a world, or a past. I have read a couple of books from this entertaining, well written space opera series that reminds me at times of Lois McMaster Bujold’s Vorkosigan series. Unfortunately, one of the things they share is a very long backlist whose internal chronology doesn’t line up with the release dates… So I ended up listening to Book 16! That said, I thoroughly enjoyed the experience and it reminded me all over again why I liked this series so much. Review to follow.
Dead in the Water – Book 3 of the Kate Shugak series by Dana Stabenow Two crewmen of the crab vessel Avilda are missing—presumed dead—under very suspicious circumstances. The Bering Sea offers ample means and opportunity, but without bodies, a motive, or evidence of foul play, the DA doesn’t have a case. And so, freelancing again for her former employer, Kate Shugak finds herself working undercover in one of Alaska’s most dangerous professions: crab fisherman.
It’s an assignment that will take her from the debauchery of Dutch Harbor to the most isolated of the Aleutians, and if the job itself doesn’t kill her, her unsavory crewmates just might. I’ve read the first two books in this interesting and unusual crime series, set in the wilds of Alaska. And realised I’ve the rest sitting on my Kindle – so I tucked into this one and thoroughly enjoyed it. Mini-review to follow.
AUDIOBOOK A Fatal Flying Affair – Book 7 of the Lady Hardcastle Mysteries series by T.E. Kinsey August 1911. Emily Hardcastle and her inimitable lady’s maid Florence Armstrong are enjoying a fine summer until Harry, Lady H’s brother, turns up out of the blue with a mystery for them to solve.
A routine parachute test at a local aeroplane factory has gone horribly wrong—with pilot Dickie Dupree plummeting to his death. Harry is certain there is more to this ‘tragic accident’ than meets the eye, having discovered that someone at the airfield is leaking top secret intelligence to foreign rivals.
In between strolls to the Dog & Duck and planning for the annual village show, the daring duo dust off the Crime Board and go undercover at Bristol Aviation. With international powers investing heavily in aeronautics, the stakes are high—sky high—and the suspects soon mount up. Can Lady Hardcastle find the culprit before someone else falls down dead? I’ve grown very fond of this sparky pair of unconventional women who are now working for His Majesty’s Government as a pair of spies, once again. And the outstanding narration of this latest tale was a delight to listen to when I was too tired to read…
The Wedding Date by Zara Stoneley When Samantha Jenkins is asked to be the maid of honour at her best friend’s wedding, she couldn’t be happier. There are just three problems…
1) Sam’s ex-boyfriend, Liam, will be the best man. 2) His new girlfriend is pregnant. 3) Sam might have told people she has a new man when she doesn’t (see points 1 and 2 above)
So, Sam does the only sensible thing available to her… and hires a professional to do the job.
Actor Jake Porter is perfect for the role: single, gorgeous and cheap! Sam is certain it’s the perfect solution: no strings, no heartbreak and hopefully no chance of being found out.
But spending a week in the Scottish Highlands with Jake is harder than she imagined. He is the perfect boyfriend, charming, sexy and the hottest thing in a kilt since Outlander! And his dog Harry is quite possibly the cutest things Sam has ever seen!
As the wedding draws closer, Jake plays his part to perfection and everyone believes he is madly in love with Sam. The problem is, Sam’s not sure if Jake is acting anymore… This was all I could have wanted – an entertaining, funny story told in a chirpy first-person viewpoint, with a guaranteed happy ending. Himself has been reading a slew of these, recently. And I can see why…
Schooled in Magic – Book 1 of The Schooled in Magic series by Christopher G. Nuttall Emily is a teenage girl pulled from our world into a world of magic and mystery by a necromancer who intends to sacrifice her to the dark gods. Rescued in the nick of time by an enigmatic sorcerer, she discovers that she possesses magical powers and must go to Whitehall School to learn how to master them.
There, she learns the locals believe that she is a “Child of Destiny,” someone whose choices might save or damn their world … a title that earns her both friends and enemies. A stranger in a very strange land, she may never fit into her new world … I’ve always enjoyed Nuttall’s writing and when I was looking for something well written and not too gory – I found this. I’m a sucker for a really enjoyable magic school adventure and this one delivered all sorts of entertaining twists I didn’t expect. As well as some darkly funny moments. Review to follow.
I’m sorry, but as I haven’t been browsing online this last week, I’ve no recommendations. In the meantime, thank you for visiting, reading, liking and/or commenting on my blog. I hope you had a peaceful, healthy week – and do take care. x
AUDIOBOOK The Wee Free Men – Book 1 of the Tiffany Aching series by Terry Pratchett
BLURB: Armed only with a frying pan and her common sense, Tiffany Aching, a young witch-to-be, is all that stands between the monsters of Fairyland and the warm, green Chalk country that is her home. Forced into Fairyland to seek her kidnapped brother, Tiffany allies herself with the Chalk’s local Nac Mac Feegle – aka the Wee Free Men – a clan of sheep-stealing, sword-wielding, six-inch-high blue men who are as fierce as they are funny. Together they battle through an eerie and ever-shifting landscape, fighting brutal flying fairies, dream-spinning dromes, and grimhounds – black dogs with eyes of fire and teeth of razors – before ultimately confronting the Queen of the Elves, absolute ruler of a world in which reality intertwines with nightmare. And in the final showdown, Tiffany must face her cruel power alone…
MINI-REVIEW: Listening to this was a complete joy, particularly with Tony Robinson’s storming performance as narrator. I loved reading this one way back when it first came out, then sharing it with my grandchildren – but hearing this version was every bit as much fun. And I’d thought nothing could beat sitting side by side with the children, laughing together at Pratchett’s humour… Very highly recommended for children of all ages. 10/10
AUDIOBOOK Magnus Chase and The Sword of Summer – Book 1 of the Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard series by Rick Riordan
BLURB: Magnus Chase has seen his share of trouble. Ever since that terrible night two years ago when his mother told him to run, he has lived alone on the streets of Boston, surviving by his wits, staying one step ahead of the police and the truant officers.
One day, Magnus learns that someone else is trying to track him down—his uncle Randolph, a man his mother had always warned him about. When Magnus tries to outmaneuver his uncle, he falls right into his clutches. Randolph starts rambling about Norse history and Magnus’s birthright: a weapon that has been lost for thousands of years.
The more Randolph talks, the more puzzle pieces fall into place. Stories about the gods of Asgard, wolves, and Doomsday bubble up from Magnus’s memory. But he doesn’t have time to consider it all before a fire giant attacks the city, forcing him to choose between his own safety and the lives of hundreds of innocents. . .
Sometimes, the only way to start a new life is to die.
MINI-REVIEW:I thoroughly enjoyed this one. Christopher Guetig’s excellent narration very ably depicted the cast of colourful characters who Magnus encounters on his adventures with the pantheon of Norse gods and minor deities. This had all the ingredients I enjoy in a fantasy adventure – plenty of testing encounters with all sorts of intriguing characters, high-stakes action, along with regular splashes of humour that didn’t become too heavy-handed. Riordan manages to make this look far easier than it is. I am delighted that I’ve more audiobooks in this series, waiting to sweep me up and into another world… 8/10
I have been working through this entertaining cosy murder mystery series, featuring young single father, Kellen, who is trying to rebuild his life after his wife’s tragic death. This means moving back to be near his family to get help raising his young daughter and get a job teaching at the local college, though his tendency to trip over dead bodies rather gets in the way of things. See my reviews of Academic Curveball, Broken Heart Attack and Flower Power Trip.
BLURB: A clever thief with a sinister calling card has invaded Braxton campus. A string of jewelry thefts continues to puzzle the sheriff, given they’re remarkably similar to an unsolved eight-year-old case, back when Gabriel vanished one stormy night. When a missing ruby, and a body, are discovered at the campus, Kellan must investigate the killer’s motive to protect his brother. As if the latest murder isn’t enough to keep him busy, Kellan partners with April to end the Castigliano and Vargas crime family feud. What really happened to Francesca while all those postcards showed up in Braxton?
REVIEW: It’s been longer than I originally intended, before I became reacquainted with engaging Kellen and his eventful life. It was a delight to jump back into this busy world and get back in touch with not just our rather frayed hero, but many of the other characters that also feature in this charming series. Like many other readers, my personal favourite is Kellan’s feisty grandmother, Nana D, whose peppery comments hide a fierce love for her grandson and his daughter. Now she is local mayor, she is determined to root out any corruption and get things running more smoothly.
However, there are a string of jewellery thefts – and once again, Kellen does his trick of unexpectedly encountering a dead body. Fortunately, his relationship with the local sheriff has now markedly improved, and instead of having to run the gauntlet of her scornful remarks and prickly attitude, she is now prepared to accept his help. So long as it’s on her terms…
Once more, I’m struck at how strong the characterisation is and how very well plotted the mysteries are – both of the jewellery thefts and the murder. And bubbling away in the background is a massive issue that has thrown a shadow over Kellen’s whole life and also very much impacts his daughter’s wellbeing, too. It would have been all too easy for Cudney to have slightly faltered with a loss of momentum, or overlooked a plot hole, while keeping all these narrative arcs moving forward. But his assured, readable writing style rolls the story forward such that I stayed up far later than I’d intended to find out what happened.
The denouement of this one worked particularly well and I thoroughly enjoyed where the story went. Fortunately, I have the next book in this entertaining series already on my ereader – and I won’t be waiting so long before giving myself a treat and tucking into it. Highly recommended for fans of cosy murder mysteries with plenty of plot twists and a cast of likeable characters – though whatever you do, start this series at the beginning – you’ll miss far too much vital backstory and enjoyable shenanigans, otherwise. 9/10
From time to time, I like to leaven my diet of SFF reads with a murder mystery. However, I don’t like anything too grim or gory, so when I read the blurb for this one, it really caught my attention. Especially as I also have a really soft spot for the beautiful county of Cornwall.
BLURB: Thirteen guests. One killer. No escape.
On an island on the coast of Cornwall, cut off from the mainland by the tides for most of the day, thirteen old friends meet at Tregowan Castle for a weekend of revelry. By the next evening only twelve are still alive. Amongst them is a killer – but who? As a storm traps them on the island and past betrayals and grievances are revealed, nerves fray and friendships begin to fracture.
But with no escape and no way of calling for help it’s only a matter of time before the killer strikes again. And when everyone is keeping secrets, anybody could be the next victim…
REVIEW: This one is told from the viewpoint of most of the adults who end up at the fateful Halloween party. It is a classic locked-room mystery, where everyone is trapped in the castle on a small island (think of a fictionalised version of St Michael’s Mount) that is only easily accessible when the tide is low and the weather is fine. Which isn’t the case right now, as (wouldn’t you know it?) there is a massive storm raging, add to the general sense of panic and unease.
Castle does a really good job of giving us an insight into the disparate group of people, who were firm friends back when they were at university together. But a lot happened when they were younger and a lot more reckless – things that have had long-term consequences. And their glamorous and mega-rich hostess has managed to winkle most of the secrets out of each of them, over the years. And during this Halloween party – which is a classier version of the fateful bash she’d thrown at university and changed everything – she is determined to ‘clear the air’ by revealing the secrets that she believes are slowly poisoning their lives and ruining their relationships. Or maybe, she just enjoys the sense of power she gets when throwing everyone’s lives into turmoil… As ever, when you read a multiple viewpoint book, you take your pick of the versions offered up to you.
Writing multiple viewpoints, so that everyone pings off the page sounding and feeling quite different, is a tall order and it takes experience and skill to successfully pull it off. Evidently Castle possesses plenty of both, because I got to the stage where I only had to read the opening sentence to know whose head I was in. The constant ongoing stream of revelations that added yet another plot twist and dimension to the unfolding drama was well handled and I found myself reading far later into the night than I should have done to discover whodunit.
The denouement was also very skilfully handled – I’m not a fan of getting through a book where the tension is constantly being ratcheted up, only to have the whole thing suddenly descend into ridiculous unbelievability right at the end. And I’ve read more than my fair share of such nonsense, so I was delighted that the Castle absolutely nailed the ending, before I worked out whodunit, or why.
Highly recommended for fans of character-led, locked-room murder mysteries with plenty of tension and pace. While I obtained an arc of The Invitation from the publishers via Netgalley, the opinions I have expressed are unbiased and my own. 9/10
This meme was started by Books by Proxy, whose fabulous idea was to compare UK and US book covers and decide which is we prefer. This meme is being nurtured by Lynn’s Book Blog and this week we are featuring covers with images of TRAINS. I’ve selected Trains and Lovers by Alexander McCall Smith of The Ladies’ No 1 Detective Agency fame. And in case you haven’t encountered this little gem, I wrote a review of it back in 2014 – see my review of Trains and Lovers.
This edition was produced by Pantheon in June 2013, and is the original cover design, so has set the tone for the subsequent covers. I actually like it very much. It’s clever and to the point – we see the train speeding past with a series of ardent couples all engaged in various stages of courtship. I like the contrast of the beige background colour and the grey train, which ought to be boring but somehow is not. I also like the title font, particularly the colouring of it, though I would have preferred that it was just a little more bolded to give a bit of extra heft for when it is in thumbnail.
Published in November 2012 by Polygon, I think this cover is trying just a tad too hard. Heart-shaped clouds if you must, with the sun peeping out – but flowers bouncing around the train wheels and a fluttering in the air. Really?? Apart from anything else, this is giving the completely wrong idea of the overall tone of this book, which is far more nuanced and ambivalent about the business of falling in love and what happens next. So, while I’ll agree that it is an attractive cover, I don’t like it as I think it tips into sentimentality which I LOATHE.
This edition, published by Anchor in December 2013 is far more sombre in tone, despite the bright red colouring. The seat facing the track with two single people sitting alone gives a sense of loneliness – and the randomness of encountering someone that you bond sufficiently well that you fall in love. This cover is certainly a contender.
This Italian edition, produced by Tre60 in April 2014 is back to the theme of the love train. The punchy blue backdrop and high bridge makes the train with its trail of hearts look small and rather fragile. I also like the treatment of the font, which really grabs the eye and stands out well in thumbnail.
This edition, published by Polygon in August 2017, is my favourite. I love the station scene and the punchy contrast between that saturated blue, which works well as a backdrop to the title font, and the yellow arches. The station clock and flowers act as a pleasing set for the lovers meeting on the station platform. It’s very simple and pared back, as are all the cover designs for this book, but this is the most visually pleasing and works well for this particular book, I think. Which is your favourite?


text:
Capcom is going to release a remastered version of DuckTales for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Wii U and WayForward will be doing said port…I approve.
The quotes on this video were hilarious.
Meh. TBH, these flashy colorful graphics are disorienting to old timey folks like me.
I gotta say, Duck Tales always was one of my all time favorite NES games. I must have beaten it 20 times or so! This is pretty freaking awesome!
Wow. I’m not really one for the remakes of old games, but this looks like a direct port with enhanced graphics and sound. Not a bad idea, really. The old Capcom games were some of my favourites.

domain: game


text:
When the Oklahoma City Thunder lost Russell Westbrook to knee surgery, fans feared the worst, remembering the team's early exit from the NBA playoffs last season. However, the Thunder knocked off the Houston Rockets, 117-86, on Dec. 29 to win two straight games since Westbrook went down.
The first win was a close 89-85 win over the Charlotte Bobcats, but the huge blowout of playoff contending Houston was a surprise. The win was settled from the start as the Thunder jumped out to a 13-0 lead over the Rockets and Houston never scored their first basket of the game until Dwight Howard hit one after six minutes had passed in the contest.
Kevin Durant led the way with a double-double, scoring 33 points with 13 rebounds and five assists. Westbrook's replacement Reggie Jackson added 16 points and eight assists and young Jeremy Lamb scored a career high 22 points on eight-for-10 shooting, with five assists of his own.
After losing to the Toronto Raptors to break their nine-game winning streak, the Thunder have now won three straight, starting with a big Christmas Day victory and still hold the best record in the NBA (25-5) and sit comfortably atop the Western Conference.
Former Thunder star James Harden had a rough game, only hitting two of nine for eight points in the game while Dwight Howard finished with only nine points, hitting only four of his 13 shot attempts. It was Aaron Brooks (17) and Chandler Parsons (15) who led the way for Houston in the loss.
The Oklahoma City Thunder next welcome the Portland Trail Blazers to the Chesapeake Arena in Oklahoma City on Tuesday, Dec. 31. Portland (24-6) sits only one game back of the Thunder and this game could be for the Western Conference lead.


text:
The Possibility Of Ozzy Collaborating With Adele Is On The Horizon. Ozzy Want’s To Do This
Is the Prince of Friggin’ Darkness going to be working with reigning Queen of Pop? It could happen if Ozzy Osbourne gets his wish. In a new interview, he expressed his desire to record a duet with Adele.

domain: celebrity


Rohit Sharma Takes Center Stage as Records Galore at Eden Gardens
India’s sensational run in the ODI series against Sri Lanka continues as Rohit Sharma piles on the agony on the Lankans in the fourth ODI at Kolkata. He scored a World Record 264 and took India to 404-5 in 50 overs. HEre are the records whic he broke during his innings.
1- Rohit Sharma is the first batsman to cross 250 in an ODI.
2- Rohit Sharma is the only batsmen to score 200 twice in ODI’s.
5- Number of times India have posted over 400 in ODI’s.
264- Highest score by any batsman in One-Day International Cricket.
33- Number of boundaries scored by Rohit Sharma in his innings, the most by any batsman.
29- Number of ODI’s played at Eden Gardens, the highest at any Indian venue.
173- Most number of balls faced by a batsman in ODI’s.
186- Number of runs scored by Rohit Sharma in boundaries during his innings of 264, most by any batsmen..
264- Highest runs scored by a batsman against Sri Lanka in ODI’s.
264- Highest List A score by an Indian batsman.
404-5- The highest total in ODI’s at Eden Gardens.
ICC World Cup 2019: Sourav Ganguly Extends Support to Underfire MS Dhoni
Former India skipper Sourav Ganguly has extended his support to MS Dhoni who attracted a lot of criticism for his…
ICC World Cup 2019: David Warner, Aaron Finch Achieve Milestone at Lord’s
For Australia, their opening pair David Warner and skipper Aaron Finch have been quite successful by providing a terrific start….


Based on my observations (research), I have found a way to actually build your own laptop by using a half assembled laptop (They're called barebones) with a laptop shell, psu, motherboard, camera, keyboard, cooling system, etc. And users can decide which component (CPU, memory, storage devices, etc.) to buy and install, according to their own needs and budget . Is this ideal? is there a step by step or a thorough guide to all of this?


BrickBoard ArchivesThe files contained in this listing have been automatically archived from the active forums. Because the vast majority of posts are now in one place, this archive is considered legacy. You should use the SEARCH feature OR choose your topic and select date tabs within the forum you choose.
Power steering fluid[700/87] posted by Jerry Curtis on
Sunday, 14 March 1999, at 12:19 p.m.
My ps fluid looks pretty bad. What's the best way to replace it - without disassembling the entire system?
Re: Power steering fluid[700/87] posted by Steve Ringlee on
Sunday, 14 March 1999, at 12:52 p.m.
The return hose to the p/s reservoir is the top hose. Disconnect this at the reservoir. Using a small piece of solid pipe, clamps and some clear vinyl tubing, make an extension that will direct the fluid into a container or bucket. Get a quart of new fluid (I use Mobil 1 synthetic ATF, which works fine even though your manual calls for Type F.) Start the car and have a friend cycle the steering wheel back and forth. As the pump moves the old fluid out the hose, refill the reservoir with new fluid. When you've just about used up the quart, you will have completely flushed out the old fluid. Re-connect everything, bring the reservoir up to level and you are back in business. If you suspect metal contamination in the old fluid, place a strong magnet on a thin wire into the reservoir and leave it there for a week, removing it to check it and clean it off.


ATLAS is a heavy-duty motor drive counterbalanced crane that allows the lifting of loads up to 1000 kg.
Max Capacity (Kg)
Max Height (mm)
Jib max outreach (mm)
ATLAS is a heavy-duty motor drive counterbalanced crane that allows the lifting of loads up to 1000 kg. It is equipped with two fixed-wheel, a motor wheel on the driver’s side, and AGM batteries.
Easy to handle and move, this crane is ideal for placements of moulds and various loads over obstruction/barrier, on 3D machines, lathes, narrow openings, assembly lines, perimeter protections.
- Tortoise button: slow motion
- Hare button: fast motion
- Safe drive: emergency reverse button and audible warning device
- Two position key switch
- Circuit breaker red key
- Buzzer 24V with intermittent sound while operating the crane
Equipped with a 4-function distribution for:
- arm lifting
- arm lowering
- boom extension
- boom retraction
Controlled by a built-in lever. Lowering occurs in off-mode.
Motor wheel WR151ECO, asynchronous three-phase AC AM144D 24V 2 KW
MOSFET transistor, high frequency, bidirectional, regenerative braking.
Incorporated Battery Charger
- Mod. CB350-HFhigh frequency monophasic input voltage 220V output voltage 24V
- Lifting function blocked while recharging
- Programmable recharge according to battery type
- 3 led battery level indicator
Request information on this product


Discussion in 'Current Affairs, News and Analysis' started by RCSignals, Mar 11, 2005.
The heart of the site is the forum area, including:
Is this saying that any garbage collector carrying a full load is going to be blown up
UK Muslim Council to follow soon? I hope so.
What's the betting these blokes receive some nasty stuff in the post or get some explosive surprises?
Well done the Spanish Muslims. See they're not all terrorists. Allegedly
Highly interesting. I can only hope all of the other Muslim groups in the world will follow suit. It would be nice...But wait, that would also show the war in the Middle East was justified. Can't have that...
It is very interesting. For some time there has been information put put by various Muslim groups and individuals that OBL, and al Queda, go against all teachings of the Koran.
Hopefully more Muslim clerics will join in. One has to wonder why such a move has taken so long.
Maybe enough Mosques hadn't been attacked?
At long last, Muslims condemning OBL and his like
As said earlier, will we see the British Muslim Council do likewise
Don't hold your breath
Finally something has come out of spain i actually agree with.
Good on you Spanish Muslims, you have my respect, and are now off my hit list.
I would like to think that the tide has turned against the OBL and the extremists, but I rather doubt it. More, the western muslims will be seen by those in the middle east as having been tainted by their contact with us "heathen" and "ungodly" westerners.
I hope this does not turn out to be the case.
Separate names with a comma.


text:
The Silurian Choir is accompanied at one or two major concerts a year, usually in either Pershore Abbey or Tewkesbury Abbey, by its own orchestra made up of local professional and semi-professional musicians under the leadership of George Ewart.
George was born in Newcastle-upon-Tyne and studied the violin from the age of seven. In 1972 he began five years of study with Bela Katona in London after which he joined the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House Covent Garden. In 1983 he won first prize in the Sascha Lasserson International Violin Competition and has since pursued a career as soloist, performing a wide ranging repertoire of concerti and chamber music at home and abroad and also appearing as soloist in London at the South Bank and Wigmore Hall.
George is also a freelance orchestral player and is currently principal violin with the English Symphony Orchestra and leader of the Cheltenham Chamber Orchestra. He is also leader of the ESO String Quartet and the quartet will be performing Elgar's String Quartet in a concert at this summer's Three Choirs Festival
A respected teacher, George has a well established teaching practice based in Herefordshire.
Whilst the primary function of the orchestra is to provide the accompaniment in choral performances, works for orchestra are frequently included in our concert programmes. These have included:-
- Bach - Brandenburg Concerto no. 4
- Bach - Violin Concerto in E
- Beethoven - First Symphony
- Beethoven - Seventh Symphony
- Beethoven - Violin Concerto
- Britten - Simple Symphony
- Elgar - Cello Concerto
- Haydn - Trumpet Concerto
- Mendelssohn - Violin Concerto in E minor
- Mozart - 40th Symphony
- Schubert - "Unfinished" Symphony
- Vivaldi - Double Trumpet Concerto
We are always interested to hear of additional instrumentalists, who should be of professional or "near professional" standard, who would be interesting in playing in our orchestra. Please contact Diana Walkley, our orchestra coordinator. See our Contact page for further information.

domain: artistic


text:
You’re Old! Vs. The Magnificence of Age
I invited a few friends over to swim. I’ve been known to spend upwards of 3 hours in the pool at a time. I love swimming almost as much as dancing. Jumping, diving, splashing, floating. I was probably a dolphin in my previous life. On this particular day, only one of my friends, let’s call her Angela, actually put her bathing suit on and came into the pool with me. It was a hot dayㅡlike 97 degrees hot. The pool water was cool and perfect. The look on Angela’s face when she came up out of the water was one of pure relief. I swam over to my other two friends (not going to use their real names either, they’ll be Jackie and Jill) who were clustered, fully clothed, under the umbrella, trying to stay out of the sun.
“Hey, you guys? Are you coming in?” Jackie scrunched her nose up at me and said, “I don’t swim anymore.” Jill said, “Ha, nobody wants to see me in a swimsuit!” and then cackled with forced laughter. I said back to Jackie, “What do you mean you don’t swim anymore? You swim with me all the time!” She pulled her sunglasses down her nose, looked me clear in the eye and said, “Well, not anymore, Not going to show these crepey old legs. I wouldn’t put anyone through that.”
She and Jill high fived, sharing that forced laughter again, then carried on between themselves, having discovered their shared reasoning for never again donning another bathing suit in public.
“What the fork?!” I thought to myself. I dived down to the bottom of the pool, swirled up through the sun sparkling water and let out a blood curling underwater cackle. How could this possibly be? How could two fun loving, strong, don’t-give-a-fuck women like Jackie and Jill suddenly turn into the types who wouldn’t put bathing suits on in public? How in the hell did that happen? When? Was it on my watch? I looked at my own legs. Yep, there was some creping there. But so what? There’s also cellulite and dimples and pimples galore.
The Great Disappearing Act
I’ve heard it all my life from one woman after another when they’ve reached a certain age. Comments like, “You hit 40 and you just disappear.” “Men stopped looking at me.” “I’m 52 years old and my body has gotten like jelly.” and the most popular one yet, “It’s like I’ve become invisible. Like I’m not even in the room.” This last comment was from a woman referring to a party she went to where most of the party goers were under the age of 45.
Hmmmm…as much as I hate to admit it I’ve seen this kind of behavior. Women at screenings, bars and social get togethers scanned over like out-of-date loaves of bread. And with each scan over I could see that woman’s body collapse a little more. Her confidence shrunk. Her brow furrowed and pulled inside itself. I saw her begin to get old.
But she doesn’t have to.
I’m On a Mission
If we allow the patriarchal culture we live in to determine our value, we will be taken out with the trash. Yes, this is true. But I want to cut that narrative right out of our culture. Excise it. Burn it with the fire of our TRUE feminine nature. Stop allowing the mascline eye to define our beauty and our worth.
How? There’s only one way I know of, it’s called living out loud in full unapologetic body ownership. It’s what I’ve been doing for nearly 23 years now.
I love aging. I find the passing of time fascinating, adventurous, freeing and profound. I’ve found it to be sensual, rich, and bliss-filled. And you know what? I find it to be sexyㅡprofoundly sexy.
Contrary to popular culture and common belief, you do not have to become invisible after a certain age…unless you become invisible to yourself. Unless you allow yourself to disappear. Unless you start erasing yourself first. Like my friends did at the pool the other day.
I know, it’s the antithesis of what our masculine world wants us to believe, but we all know that I don’t think, feel, or live by their rules. I have discovered the feminine point of view and the feminine way of doing things differently. The truth is, the more centered I become in my feminine nature, the more I know to my core that one of our feminine super powers is being an eternal badass! I will not go silently into the abyss of invisibility, I will not let the masculine world take this power from me, or from us. It is not theirs to take, it is mine and ours to harness.
With every additional year, I am going to live out loud at supersonic speeds. I am going to rock my super woman 8” vinyl boots until I’m 95… I’m going to stoke the flame of my lust and passion all the way. And then I’m going to rock it in the afterlife! I am going to live the magnificence of my time here on this planet and not cut any part of that short for some arbitrary reason like crepey skin. I am going to wring out every ounce of delight and pleasure my body desires.
THIS is the magic of embracing the feminine way of being, the feminine essence of life. You wake up to new ways of seeing things that the masculine world obfuscated from our view – we can wake up to the reality that aging isn’t a burden. In fact, aging brings you into the depth of experience and the lightness of being that we’re all seeking.
Aging Magnificently vs. Getting Old
For me, aging is about growing more magnificent. In fact, I am going to replace the phrase “getting old” with “growing more magnificent”ㅡjoin me if you dare. Like a gorgeous oak tree getting taller, stronger, more visible from miles and miles away. With more leaves, and colors. The older we get, the more beautiful we can become and the more we have to offer to those around us. And you know what? When you are a giant oak with so many branches and leaves, you don’t just have more to give – but giving also feels like less of a drain to you. Aging doesn’t just make life better in our own bodies, but it offers us the opportunity to give more to others without draining our own energies quite so much.
The Gifts of Magnificence
As I become more magnificent, the things that I am learning are breathtaking. The things I can do with my body now, which I couldn’t even do when I was 25 astound me. When I surrender to time and allow time to teach me, I become water-like. I flow.
* I am at ease now in any social situation. If I thought I was a unstoppable a few years ago, watch out world.
* I am unflappable. Nothing gets under my skin the way it used to.
* I feel the connection to the eternal.
* I am lithe and light in body and soul.
* My sensuality is fluid and smooth and filled with bliss.
* I am efficiently functioning at ultimate ease.
* I waste no time. Not a moment–not ever.
* I surround myself with only those people who deserve my ever-expanding light. I am more discerning, and I have allowed toxic people who are trapped in their own darkness to swirl away, right down the drain of “not in my house.”
* I am turned on 24 / 7.
Life has given me my fair share of knocks. But it has also gifted me with extraordinary, soul searing relationships. Knowledge. The kind of knowledge you can only get from lived experiences. It has gifted me love like I couldn’t have even fathomed in my 20s. Love that I only dreamed about in my teens. Love that I couldn’t come near in my 30’s. And who knew it would be with the same person the whole time?! The magnificence of time has carved away the facades. Stripped down the falsehoods to reveal the truest essence of me, my soul, and my values. And time has given me unsurpassed and sublime beauty. Timeless beauty. Magnificent beauty. And the fascinating thing about where I am in my time line is that there is no way that I could have achieved any of this any earlier. These gifts of time have to be earned.
Getting more magnificent can be divine. I am going to learn to love it!
There’s no getting around it. Life will steal things from you. Things that you believed you couldn’t live without. Jobs. Houses. Pets. Cars. Money. But most excruciatingly, people. Friends. Family. Teachers, even your Heroes. You will lose your dad and your mom. Maybe a sister, a brother or two. Definitely grandparents and aunts and uncles. Dear friends and trusted mentors. And your bones will ache with the loss.
But loss informs who we are, it’s woven into our DNA, it’s written in our skin. Growing into your magnificent self can give you resilience and elasticity. Aging, if done well, will bring you great riches. Choose wisely, embrace the path of time, and you will be rewarded with the wealth of life. But when we resist age, pull back from it in fear and denial? That is when you GET OLD. This is the difference between the magnificence of aging and getting old – between evolving and giving up.
Getting old is getting dried and brittle in the body. Rigid and controlling in behavior. An old body caves in on itself. And slowly, throughout the rest of your lifetime, turns to stone.
Aging magnificently like a motherfucking warrior is supple and fluid. Open and surrendered to grace in behavior. A magnificent body expands and opens into possibility. She allows the aging process to happen and to move her. She doesn’t fight it into inevitable defeat. No! The magnificent body is fascinated by the changes time brings. The swerves and alterations she must continuously make to rise.
Is it all sweet and effortless? Hell no! It’s not always cute, but it’s always valuable. There’s nothing like a bum knee to make you appreciate every step. There’s nothing like reading glasses to make you appreciate the fine lines in each leaf.
Like life, aging isn’t perfect, but it’s worth itㅡif you lean into the progression of time and value every moment, every lesson – even the hard ones! – you will learn that getting old is not inevitable.
The feminine doesn’t have an expiration date. We are exquisite from the time we enter this world until the day we say goodbye.
Your beauty grows as you become more and more magnificent. Magnificence is waiting for you – you just have to take her by the hand.
I would love to hear your comments and thoughts. Please leave a message beauty xo Sheila

domain: literature


Adults Halloween Party Costumes Invisibility Cloaks Jumpsuits
Included: Headgear, gloves, jumpsuit(hat and tie is not included)
Material: Elastic fabric
Net Weight: 0.45kg
Shipping Weight: 0.55kg
Color: Yellow, green, purple, blue
Care Instructions: Hand wash in cold water, hang to dry, no bleach
Features: Funny Halloween costumes can make you a focus in the party!


The Voice Season 5 (2013) Spoilers: Few Things to Know about Semifinals Round of Week 6 of Live Playoffs and Elimination
By jaskiran kaur | December 9, 2013 5:46 PM EST
NBC's The Voice U.S. Season 5 (2013) has reached its final rounds. There are only 5 remaining contestants who will be competing this week in another set of challenges consisting of performances and elimination. It is Week 6 of Live Playoffs and Elimination in which top 5 will face the challenges of semifinals round. Now, NBC's show is only one week away from its finale or final rounds. Read on to find out more about the semifinal round of Week 6 of The Voice U.S. Season 5. (Spoilers Ahead!)
The Voice U.S. Season 5 (2013) Semifinals Round, Week 6 of Live Playoffs and Elimination: Things to Know about
The show will follow the similar format as followed in all the other weeks of live shows of The Voice U.S. Season 5. On Dec. 9, 2013, top 5 contestants will perform in performance episode on Dec.9.
These top 5 who will be performing in the performance episode of Week 6 of Live Playoffs and Elimination of The Voice Season 5 are:
Team Blake- Cole Vosbury
Team Christina- Jacquie Lee
Team Adam - Tessanne Chin, Will Champlin, James Wolpert
Team Cee Lo's last contestant Caroline Pennell was voted off in Week 4 of live shows.
Following the Dec. 9 episode of top 5 performances, the semifinal round will witness The Voice U.S. Season 5 (2013) Semifinals Elimination on Tuesday Dec. 10, 2013. In this round, the remaining 5 contestants will face elimination. The results will be totally decided by the votes received by the viewers. Last-minute save feature "Instant Save" is no longer a part of the elimination process of the show. It was last used in quarterfinals round of Week 5 of The Voice Season 5.
There will be one contestant who will be eliminated from the top 5 contestants in the semifinals round and 4 of the remaining contestants will move onto the finals/finale round to be held on Dec. 16 and Dec. 17, 2013.
Besides performances by the top 5 contestants of The Voice U.S. Season 5 (2013) in the semifinals round in Week 6 of Live Playoffs and Elimination there will be some more exciting non-competition performances. Though the songs lineup of the top 5 is yet to be revealed, non competitive performances are revealed already.
One of the four non competitive performances on The Voice U.S. Season 5 (2013) in semifinals round of Week 6 of live shows will be by Coach Christina Aguilera, singing her latest song "We Remain." The other performances include performances by The Voice U.S Season 4 winner Danielle Bradbery and runner-up Michelle Chamuel. Cassadee Pope will also perform in the upcoming segment.
For more spoilers and recap of The Voice U.S. Season 5 (2013) read below:
To contact the editor, e-mail:
Most Popular Slideshows
- Angelina Jolie & Brad Pitt Heads to Malta For New Movie After A Whirlwind French Wedding [PHOTOS]
- Prince Harry & Camilla Thurlow Getting Serious, St. Tropez Holiday Before The Prince’s 30th Birthday [PHOTOS]
- Chris Martin Getting Serious With Jennifer Lawrence, Actress Joining Coldplay Tour [PHOTOS]
- 2014 MTV Video Music Awards: Full List Of Winners, Miley Cyrus ‘Wrecking Ball’ Bags Video Of The Year [PHOTOS]
Join the Conversation
- ‘General Hospital’ Spoilers for Sept. 1-5, 2014: Sabrina Seeks Revenge
- 5 Seconds of Summer Calum Hood's D--K Vine Video Goes Viral
- ‘American Horror Story’ Season 4 ‘Freak Show’ Update: Jessica Lange Says New Season ‘Most Extraordinary’
- Anna Paquin Says She Took Home ‘Cute, English Dude’ Stephen Moyer From The Set Of “True Blood”
- 'Vampire Diaries' Season 6 Spoilers: Enzo To Have A Makeout Scene, Speculations Suggest Enzo and Caroline Get Cozy In New Season
- Sept 19 iPhone 6 Release Date Firms Up as iWatch Rollout Delayed to Jan 2015 – Reports
- Apple iPhone 6 Actual Release Date after September 9 Confirmed 128GB Variant with New Resolution
- Apple iOS 8 vs Android 5.0 L: OS Wars Puts Android to Lower while Apple to Higher
- Google Chrome 64-bit for Windows 8 and Window 7 with Mac Beta Available
- North Korea Banker Who Manages Money of Kim Jong-un Defects to Russia With $5 Million
- Nexus 6 on Release Date Confirmed with Phablet-Size Display as FCC Filing Hints of 5.9-Inch Screen
- Nexus 4, Nexus 5, Nexus 7, Nexus 10 New Paranoid Android 4.5 Beta 2 Update Guide


text:
We are excited to take you to JUST LET ME QUILT today, where Carol is sharing photos of her beautiful quilt featuring fabrics from the Guinevere and Lancelot fabric collections designed by Citrus & Mint Designs.
The dragon appliqué featured in the center of the quilt is so loaded with cuteness, we can hardly stand it! Hop on over to JUST LET ME QUILT for more photos and details about this quilt. And be sure to follow Carol on Instagram @justletmequilt.
The Guinevere and Lancelot fabric collections are available now at your favorite local and online quilt shops!
You can follow Guinevere and Lancelot designer, Citrus & Mint Designs on Instagram @citrusandmintdesigns.
Thanks for stopping by!


text:
Join top executives in San Francisco on July 11-12, to hear how leaders are integrating and optimizing AI investments for success. Learn More
Years ago you could just connect a coaxial cable to your television for access to a ton of cable channels. But that possibility was eventually disabled after cable providers decided to start encrypting the bulk of those channels.
As of today, cable TV provider Comcast has decided to encrypt all the channels — even those that are freely broadcast to locals via an HD antenna (ABC, NBC, CBS, CW, Fox, PBS, and a few others depending on the area). Previously, you didn’t need an adapter box to get basic cable channels as long as you paid Comcast every month, but that’s all changing.
Now, anyone who has a subscription will need a box from the cable provider. Comcast’s announcement indicates that it’ll rent out the adapter boxes to customers for free on up to three devices ($0.50 per device after that) for two years — meaning it isn’t a huge increase to monthly bills as long as you pick up the devices in the next four months. That’s somewhat of a pain that I can’t imagine the “limited-basic cable” crowd will enjoy. This could also mean all venues with basic cable will have to “upgrade,” which could lead to them yanking service entirely.
The perks of the change is that all customers will now have access to Comcast’s channel guide as well as a nominal amount of on-demand programming, which I’m guessing is mostly movie and TV rentals that get tacked onto your monthly bill.
Comcast was granted access to encrypt those basic channels last year after the company successfully convinced the FCC that it would cut down on theft of the service from people who weren’t actually paying anything. I can’t help but wonder if this is also in part due to the growing threat of Aereo, which threatens to replace the cable providers altogether for those who’ve already cut the cord in favor of Netflix, Hulu, and other streaming video services.
I can see how Comcast could easily entice limited-basic cable subscribers to stick with Comcast over Aereo by providing some of Aereo’s services, such as on-demand programming, DVR functionality, and the ability to watch broadcast content from anywhere via Internet-connected mobile devices.
Photo via cmorran123/Flickr
VentureBeat's mission is to be a digital town square for technical decision-makers to gain knowledge about transformative enterprise technology and transact. Discover our Briefings.

domain: economics


text:
| Jan 29, 2010
Iran executed two alleged government opponents Thursday, sentenced nine others to death as "enemies of God" and warned of more public trials of opposition supporters in an apparent attempt to intimidate a widespread protest movement challenging the...
| Feb 12, 2010
| 4:28 AM
NEW YORK -- Former President Bill Clinton has left the Manhattan hospital where he underwent a heart procedure, a close friend said Friday.
Former Democratic National Committee chairman Terry McAuliffe said on CBS' "The Early Show" that Clinton had...
| Jun 8, 2011
| 11:56 AM
The Young Elected Officials Network had its national conference in Washington last week, and Del. Keiffer Mitchell, in D.C. on other business, decided to stop by.
"I went to try to register at the table and they said the age limit is 35 years old,"...
| Apr 19, 2010
| 10:29 PM
The man who schemed to cover up one of Washington's most scandalous affairs spoke Monday night at the UW. Former John Edwards aide Andrew Young talked about ethics in leadership, a topic he says he actually knows a thing or two about.
Andrew first sat...
| Feb 27, 2010
| 9:11 PM
Should we free Tilikum?
Do we do right by our mammalian brother and send him packing out to sea?
That's the growing sentiment among animal-rights advocates following the killer whale's lethal attack on a SeaWorld Orlando trainer. Not only would they...
| Feb 26, 2010
| 3:30 PM
Regardless of what SeaWorld decides as Tilikum's long-term future, a conversation has started within the whale research and advocacy communities about what ought to be done with an orca linked to three human deaths.
Killer whale experts know the giant...
| May 31, 2011
| 12:55 PM
If you're wondering how the heck Sarah Palin's campaign bus wound up in Baltimore ...
Wait, it's not a campaign bus, Palin insists, but a "bus to be able to express to America how much we appreciate our foundation." So, if you're wondering how the heck...
| Feb 16, 2011
| 4:51 PM
Let the historians debate whether George Washington chopped down a cherry tree. We offer a better -- and sweeter -- way to celebrate Presidents Day.
Cherry Chocolate Kisses
Yield: Makes: 4 dozen cookies
Ingredients: 1 cup powdered sugar
| Feb 17, 2010
| 6:19 PM
Beth Shulman, a Washington, D.C., labor lawyer and author who championed the rights and welfare of low-wage earners, died Feb. 5 at Georgetown University Hospital. She was 60.
Diagnosed last fall with a malignant brain tumor, she died of complications of...
| Sep 5, 2010
The U.S. economy will eventually rebound from the Great Recession. Millions of American workers will not.
What some economists now project — and policymakers are loath to admit — is that the U.S. unemployment rate, which stood at 9.6% in...
| Feb 25, 2011
| 1:29 PM
During this Black History Month, consider the following thoughts on politics, life and race from 10 famous African-Americans.
See if you can match the quote with the person who said it.
The famous quote:
1. "Surely the day will come when color means...

domain: news


(3 min read) In March 2021, Greg Howard, Director of National Interoperability Sales at ZOLL Medical Corporation, and Mario Sanchez, Product Manager at ZOLL Data Systems, presented a webinar on the value of aggregating COVID-19 data between emergency medical services (EMS) providers and hospitals to achieve a holistic view of the pandemic in a particular geographic location. The webinar covered the use of multiple data sources including computer-aided dispatch (CAD), electronic patient care reports (ePCR), and hospital or health system outcome data to:
- Evaluate COVID-19 impact on EMS.
- Make better-informed decisions around COVID-19 related activities.
- Identify areas of opportunity to improve efficiency in serving suspected COVID-19 patients.
While aggregating data from multiple sources provides a more complete picture of COVID-19 patients in a particular community, it also highlights specific data that can be more meaningful for particular users involved in the patient care continuum. For example, at ZOLL Data Systems we get asked by hospital leaders about the rights regarding hospitals providing patient data access to EMS providers. This webinar outlines not only these rights under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), but how it is becoming a requirement in some states to effect EMS quality improvement (QI) programs.
COVID-19 has made significant impact across the spectrum in healthcare, from clinical to financial, and operational to workforce management. Aggregating data from multiple sources enables new levels of reporting. With this data EMS providers can, for example, see trends in:
- The number of COVID patients transported by month
- Where these patients are being transported from
- Hospital admission by time of day by ePCR and/or by International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD-10)
- Presenting symptomology
- Acuity by CMS classification
- How long it takes an ambulance to get back into service following the transport of a suspected COVID patient compared with non-COVID cases
- Length of hospital stay
- Admission by age, etc.
Aggregated data can also be useful in contact tracing, for example, by identifying which EMS provider transported the infectious patient. Pulling together data from multiple sources also allows the creation of robust dashboards that enable the visualization of geographic hot spots, which can impact resource allocation and community intervention.
Using ePCR solutions with HIPAA-compliant data security is just one of the ways to enable dynamic patient care records that tell the complete story of a patient. Leading ePCR solutions, such as ZOLL emsCharts,® also provide analytics and customized dashboards with real-time data feeds and unlimited user-defined reports. To learn more about how data aggregation improves COVID-19 understanding and decision-making and to hear about valuable action strategies, watch the webinar "Tracking EMS COVID-19 Exposures Using HL7 Data”.


text:
Our iPhone Slim Case combines premium protection with brilliant design. The slim profile keeps your tech looking sleek, while guarding against scuffs and scratches. Just snap it onto the case and you’re good to go.Extremely slim profile, One-piece build: flexible plastic hard case, Open button form for direct access to device features, Impact resistant, Easy snap on and off, iPhone 8, 8 Plus, and X cases support QI wireless charging (case doesn’t need to be removed).
Joffe sued, arguing that Acacia had violated the TCPA’s prohibition on using any automatic dialing system to make any call to any telephone number assigned to a..cellular telephone service. . Acacia sought dismissal of Joffe’s case, principally asserting that the TCPA was directed at telephone calls that involve two-way communications, and not to the sending of text messages. The trial court ruled in favor of Joffe, and Acacia appealed Midnight Lake iPhone Case. What is a call ?The Court of Appeals determined that it needed to resolve two major issues: first, whether Acacia actually called Joffe; and second, whether Acacia used an automatic dialing system in so doing. The Court of Appeals ultimately concluded that Acacia did call Joffe using such a system, and thus ruled that the trial court properly found liability under the TCPA..
Sprint got a lot of shout-outs during T-Mobile’s presentation, but nothing flattering. T-Mobile executives mocked the slow rollout of Sprint’s 4G LTE network, and noted the slower 3G speeds that most customers were stuck with Midnight Lake iPhone Case. But Legere noted that Sprint’s deal with SoftBank could put the company in a powerful position. However, he doesn’t see that happening until 2015. When we look at the medium to long term, we don’t know what the industry structure looks like, he said. CEO John Legere tells CNET that over the long term he’s intrigued by the different combinations..
CNET también está disponible en español. Don’t show this again. A RIM representative wasn’t immediately available to comment to CNET Midnight Lake iPhone Case. RIM needs to focus on getting its next-generation BlackBerry market in order to have a chance to compete against the next iPhone and the wave of Android smartphones constantly hitting the market. But executives warned that one wouldn’t come until the second half of the year, a critical setback to its recovery efforts. RIM has canceled the device codenamed Colt, which was intended to be the first BlackBerry 10 phone, BGR reported, while scrapping another phone codenamed Milan, which BGR said was actually a phone running on the current BlackBerry 7 software. N4BB previously reported on the cancellation of the Milan, which had a slide-out keyboard similar to the Torch..
It’s like a crude form of artificial intelligence, says Fan. You can experience Invasion on high-powered, pricey headsets like Oculus Rift, HTC Vive and PlayStation VR, which unlock the full treasure chest of VR trickery. The animated short was downloaded more than 1 million times in its first six months. A less interactive version of Invasion and a preview of Asteroids are available for phone-powered headsets like Samsung Gear VR and Google Daydream Midnight Lake iPhone Case. Baobab also offers simplified, 360-degree video versions on YouTube and Facebook..
Eligible Android smartphones include the Samsung Galaxy S II, Motorola Electrify, HTC Merge, Samsung Mesmerize, Huawei Ascend II, HTC Wildfire S, and the Samsung Repp. Feature phone owners of the Pantech Verse, Samsung Character, LG Saber, Samsung Freeform 4, PCD CDM 8635, and Samsung Chrono 2 can also pick up a new plan Midnight Lake iPhone Case. The regional carrier is offering a trio of prepaid data and voice plans. U.S. Cellular is launching three new voice, text, and data plans today for a prepaid lineup that includes both Android smartphones and feature phones..


Available from your local communications equipment
supplier, on-line resellers, and direct from Omnicron
Net-30-Day terms to well rated firms and
Government agencies. Payment can be made via credit card, check, or
Same day shipping for most orders received
prior to 3:00 PM EST.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: The RSA-M2 adapter was
developed for use with the original Motorola Radius series of two-way
radios (mid 1980's). It will not work with newer radios that have
programmable features. Confirm compatibility with your recorder and
radio prior to purchase. If an adapter is needed for recording
your radio, see: RSA-M3,
RSA-M4, and RSA-U5.
RSA-M2 is used to provide a simple and inexpensive method of
connecting voice logging recorders to certain Motorola two-way radios. It
only works with older Motorola radios that have an eight position modular
microphone jack with receive audio present at all times. It combines receive and transmit audio at levels
matched to the line input of voice logging recorders. It also
provides transformer isolation and RF bypass. For
newer Motorola radios that do not have constant receive audio on the
microphone jack, use either the RSA-M3 or
RSA-M2 is supplied with cables and connectors which have been wired
to meet most standard applications. It can be customized to meet
unusual requirements. Consult your place of purchase if cables are
required with non-standard lengths, connections, or circuitry.
1. Unplug the microphone cord from your radio set and plug it into
the jack on the RSA-M2 adapter.
2. Plug the short black cable from the RSA-M2 into the microphone
jack on your radio. Your radio should now function normally as you
have simply connected a short extension into its microphone cord.
3. The RSA-M2 can now be connected to your recorder. Its output is
an 18 foot long cable with RJ-11 telephone style plug on the end.
Simply plug this cable into the audio input jack on your logging
4. Locate a convenient spot on your radio to mount the RSA-M2.
Ensure that there is enough slack in the cables so that they can be
easily un-plugged, if required, and that it will not interfere with
the operation of the radio. Use the double stick foam pad and cable
ties which are included with each RSA-M2 to attach it to your radio.
IN CASE OF DIFFICULTY If
the unit fails to work properly, recheck all connections and test
your recorder to see that it is operating properly. Make sure that
the microphone is only active when transmitting, otherwise you could
record room sounds between transmissions (set radio jumpers, or
program for switched transmit audio). Assistance is available from
your place of purchase, or directly from Omnicron Electronics at the
phone numbers and listed below and via this web site.
law 90-351 title 18, section 2511, sub section 2D, requires that at
least one participant in a recorded conversation be informed of the
recording. Check your state and local regulations for further
assistance in the selection of the products that are best suited to your application.|


text:
Running The Red Line is an informative and engaging book about
running and competing, about the beauty of the fells, and above all
about human emotion.
0 Responses to Julie Carter – Running the Red Line
FILL THE FIELDS TO LEAVE A REPLY. Your email address will not be published.
Notify me of new posts by email.
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.


text:
This week in history we look back 10, 25 and 50 years to see what was happening in the eastern Wake County area.
This week we focus on ice appreciation. While winter weather is terribly annoying at times, it is rarely as devastating as summer storms and hurricanes. So enjoy the slippery sidewalks and impassable roads while they last... the alternative is usually worse.
In 2004, a set of storms hit eastern Wake County. However, because the weather wasn’t throwing a fit of irregularity, the results were rather different. In 1989, the storm woes were much the same. And in 1964, we take a break from the storm stories to look at Zebulon’s efforts to stop something much more dangerous than any storm.
There’s a saying in North Carolina. “If you don’t like the weather, wait a few minutes; it’ll change.” The weather here is known to be as temperamental as the Greek gods who were said to control it in ancient times. With the recent cold snaps, it’s easy to forget that ice and snow isn’t the normal weather for early March. However, while snow and ice are certainly troublesome, they are often not nearly so dangerous as their summertime counterpart.
Continuing on our storm streak, 2004 brought its own icy blast of winter weather.
Comparing the 2004 and the 1989 weather, it becomes clear that while icy weather may freeze towns in their tracks for a day or two, the damage they do is usually minimal compared to the havoc a strong thunderstorm can wreak.
No bones about it: storms are dangerous. They can often be deadly. But in the end, there’s little that can be done about them, and most of the damage done is to replaceable property. Preventable diseases like polio, however, threaten the most valuable thing we have: human life. And in 1964, the world was still fighting the paralyzing disease of polio with vaccines to prevent infection.
Since the development of the polio vaccine, worldwide cases of the crippling disease have been reduced from hundreds of thousands to under a thousand, with the disease expected to be eradicated in the future.

domain: geography


text:
Acute Mental Health
The Acute Mental Health Inpatient Unit has 32 beds, which consists of:
- 4 Psychiatric Intensive Care beds
- 28 Open Unit beds
Within the open area we have a specialist mother and baby unit (2 beds) with overnight facilities for relatives.
Our aim is to assist patients to achieve optimum health and quality of life through an approach which recognises their unique physical, emotional, social, cultural and spiritual dimensions.
The Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) provides a short term, low stimulus environment. Each patient is assessed by the multidisciplinary team. The unit has a high level of nursing input which ensures more intensive treatment for consumers who present with a higher level of risk and can not be managed safely in the open setting.
Patients are assessed for transfer to the Open Unit or discharge on a daily basis.
The Open Unit consists of 28 acute beds which provides inpatient psychiatric treatment and intervention for people who are in an acute phase of their illness with the aim to reduce symptoms and enhance recovery in a least restrictive environment.
The acute inpatient unit staff operate as a multidisciplinary team. Every patient will have a comprehensive assessment and, in consultation with the patient and/or their relatives/carers, an individual service plan will be developed to address their identified needs
Acute Mental Health Inpatient Unit
The Townsville Hospital, 100 Angus Smith Drive, Douglas QLD 4814
|Postal Address||IMB 49, PO Box 670, Townsville QLD 4810|
|Phone||+61 7 4433 3000|
|Facsimile||+61 7 4433 3001|
Intake and Assessment Team, referral to Consultant Psychiatrist.
Our Health Team
- Nurses (Mental Health Nurses)
- Medical Officers
- Social Workers
- Occupational Therapist
- Mental Health Service Assistants
- Patient Service Assistants
- Indigenous Mental Health Workers
- Service Coordinator
- Administration Officers

domain: medical


text:
“Some persons are forced to carry on
the prescribed callings which are not
their choice.” B.R. Ambedkar
Following the Aryan
invasion, India was broken up into
five strict classes, known as the caste
“May all that have life be delivered
from suffering.” -Buddha
Note: Depending on the
source, spelling of the
various castes may be
At the top of the caste system were the
Brahmans, or the priests and leaders. These
individuals we few in number. They were the
only ones who were allowed to teach in
schools and go to school, however the
Brahman women could do neither.
Underneath the Brahmans was the Kshatriya,
or the warriors. This group was not large in
number. The Kshatriya were in the army or
leaders in a way different from that of the
Brahmans. Women could not be warriors but
they could belong to this class.
Under the warriors were the vaishyas, these
individuals were traders or farmers who
owned their businesses or farming land. This
group was made up of a great deal of people in
Second to last were the shudras, who were servants
and farmhands who did not own their own land or
businesses and who were employed by other people in
a higher class. Many farmers who were in the vaishyas
caste would lose their property or business and fall
into this group after a while. This caste held the highest
number of members.
At the very bottom of the caste
system, technically not belonging to
a class at all, were the untouchables.
The untouchables held the worst
jobs in society, usually collecting
garbage and cleaning up human
The slaves in India were thought to be below
the untouchables and were not classified at all.
They were not even seen as human but rather
Living in ancient India, you were defined by
There was no way for an individual or their
children in India to escape their caste and move
up. Not even death could break the cycle.
There were extremely strict rules surrounding
the caste system in India. People from different
castes could certainly not marry each other or
even become friends and they were not even
allowed to eat in the presence of another class.
There are three main religions in India,
Hinduism, Buddhism, and Islam. The time of
the Aryan invasion and the adoption of the
caste system marked the beginning of modern
Questions to ponder:
1. What are the different castes and what is one
distinct feature of each?
2. Chose one caste and compare it with a modern
day example in our society.
3. Chose one caste and name one part of the day
that you might look forward to.
4. Chose one caste and name one part of the day
that you might dread.
5. After the invasion of which group of people did
the caste system come about in India?

domain: history


text:
Few cars achieve legendary status, while even fewer continue to live up to it by every accepted measure more than four decades after their introduction, but the Lamborghini Miura is just such a car. This mid-engined coupe took Lamborghini from being an upstart company that challenged Ferrari with very competent GTs to a world-class supercar manufacturer that forced Ferrari and everyone else to rethink how they built road cars. Lamborghini gave a hint of what was to come at Turin in 1965 when it showed a rolling chassis that everyone was sure was going to be a race car (including its designer), and the following year a finished car appeared at Geneva with coachwork that to this day is seen by many as Bertone's crowning achievement.
Delivery of production cars began in 1967, and this first version of the car was known as the P400. Just as promised in the rolling chassis two years prior, it featured a 350-hp, 3929-cc V-12 cast with its 5-speed gearbox as a unit mounted transversely behind the seats, with engine and transmission sharing a common oil supply. Only 474 were built, with some believing that the first 100 or so cars were made with a thinner gauge steel and a resultant lower weight.
An upgraded version, the Miura S appeared in the beginning of 1969, and 140 of these were built. The S models featured new Pirelli tires, an interior that is characterized by an overhead console with available air conditioning, and an uprated motor that now had 370 hp on hand. The third and final variant of this supercar was the Miura SV, of which 120 were built. The SV had widened rear bodywork in order to accommodate larger tires, and as expected, further engine modifications yielded 385 hp. The SV can be readily identified by its lack of fins, or "eyebrows" around the headlights, and the later SVs also finally had a separate oil supply for the transaxle and engine, eliminating the potential for gearbox metal circulating through the engine.
Today the Lamborghini Miura is a highly prized collector' item that doesn't disappoint when driven, with a top speed of over 170 mph and a 0-60 dash in the high 5-/low 6-second range. Some specials included a singular example of a high performance factory special called the Jota, as well as five factory replicas that followed. One targa-type Spyder was built that later became a show car for a zinc company with that metal being used throughout the car.


text:
Simple unicorns coloring page to print and color for free. I took a gigantic leap out of my comfort zone and drew a few myself.
You can probably pick out mine from the bunch they re the most laughable.
Cute free printable unicorn coloring cute free printable coloring pages for girls. Our cute unicorn pictures are truly unique my son drew most of them. They don t need to follow the generic coloring of white body and silvery horn they can color the unicorns with many different colors. Beside a fun and educative coloring pages it helps children increase their creativity.
Unicorn coloring pages allow kids to travel to a fantastic world of wonders while coloring drawing and learning about this magical character. Simple unicorns coloring page for children. 20 free printable.
50 cute cartoon unicorn coloring pages unicorn coloring pages cute unicorn coloring page free pr in 2020 kitty coloring hello kitty colouring pages cat coloring page. Cute free unicorns coloring page to download. Each unicorn coloring page has a personality of its own and a story to tell.
High quality free printable coloring drawing painting pages here for boys girls children. Free unicorns coloring page to print and color. Free unicorn coloring pages printable.
Unicorns coloring page to print and color for free. Unicorns coloring page with few details for kids. Free printable cute unicorns pdf coloring page.
100 magical unicorn coloring pages the ultimate free printable collection at print color fu unicorn coloring pages mermaid coloring pages unicorn pictures.


text:
Market Day and Amalfi Coast Drive
Saturday, May 11
Saturday turned out to be quite nice and sunny. Dammit! I knew it - I knew I should have done my Accellica climb today instead of yesterday.
This morning my sister and I took my mother out to the weekly Saturday market, held in the parking lot of the stadium, just a few hundred metres away from my Aunt's house. My mother was still very interested in getting a couple of nightrobes, and this particular market featured a lot of clothes vendors. And it was just nice to get out and walk around on one of this spring's relatively rare nice days.
After visiting the market, we sat outside in the front garden of my Aunt Rosetta's house, enjoying the bright morning sunshine. In the afternoon, my sister Elvira and I decided to take a scenic drive to the nearby Amalfi coast, something we almost always do whenever we visit. For variety, we chose some different approach and departure roads, which afforded us some different views of this always-spectacular stretch of coastline.


text:
Combined drug intoxication (CDI) occurs when a person ingests more than one drug, or substance, at a time. Typically, the effects of combining different drugs tends to be stronger than using just one. For many who struggle with addiction, the heightened effect of combining multiple drugs is exactly what they are seeking. However, combining multiple drugs has dangerous effects, especially depending on the types of drugs in use. Furthermore, it is important to understand that combined drug intoxication is different from an overdose. Overdose occurs when an individual takes too much of one substance, whereas CDI can cause issues due to the nature of how different substances interact. It is also paramount that individuals are aware combined drug intoxication is not limited to illicit substances. This can include legal substances, over-the-counter medicine, prescription medicine, and supplements/vitamins.
Dangers Of Combined Drug Intoxication
There are many different dangers that are present when someone is struggling with combined drug intoxication. The greatest danger, of course, is death. When combining multiple drugs, it is all too common to experience a heightening of effects of the substances by their interaction. For example, if alcohol is ingested with pain pills, there is a greater chance of respiratory failure, due to both substances depressing the respiratory system and lowering blood pressure. Because of this, it is paramount that individuals understand the risks they are taking when combining substances.
Alcohol and Xanax
Now that we’ve covered how alcohol affects the central nervous system, let’s jump right into what Xanax does. To begin, Xanax (Alprazolam) is in the Benzodiazepine class, and is typically a prescription for patients struggling with anxiety and panic attacks. It is an addictive, narcotic substance, and as such should only be prescribed for short-term use. Unfortunately, many individuals have abused the medication and become addicted to its relaxing, euphoric properties.
Heroin and Cocaine
Up until this point we have talked about legal drugs. The DEA classifies Heroin and cocaine, both illegal drugs, as Schedule I and Schedule II respectively. Heroin is highly addictive and often fatal, as overdose numbers have steadily risen over the past few decades. It works by binding to specific opioid receptors in the brain, which produces a large amount of dopamine (the “pleasure chemical”) to be released. Even though heroin attaches to different receptors in the brain than alcohol or other drugs, it is still considered a depressant, meaning it can slow breathing, heart rate, and contribute to similar complications as with alcohol or Xanax.
Cocaine, on the other hand, is classified as a stimulant. This means that it has the opposite effect as a depressant; stimulants tend to increase heart rate, breathing, neural activity, and place stress on the central nervous system. Many drug users combine heroin and cocaine into what most call a “speedball”; they do this believing that the two drugs will effectively “cancel out” each other’s negative effects. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Instead, users are typically not aware of their level of intoxication when combining the two drugs. Further, the opposite physiological effects compound in terms of stress on major bodily functions, such as the respiratory system and heart. Overdose and death are extremely common with this combination.
Alcohol and Cocaine The last combination we’ll talk about in this article is alcohol and cocaine, simply because the combination is so prevalent. The biggest issue when people combine these substances is that the individual typically feels less intoxicated than they actually are. Cocaine can place unnecessary strain on the cardiovascular system, and if use continues over the course of a few hours or an evening, then the same dangers apply. Overdose, alcohol poisoning, coma, and death are all too common with the combination of these two drugs.
A common term you might hear when discussing combined drug intoxication is polysubstance abuse. This essentially describes the same thing, where people habitually struggle with using multiple drugs at the same time. The combinations we have described above are common, but there are many more combinations that people experiment with. If you or a loved one are struggling with combined drug intoxication, or polysubstance abuse, please call us today. Our trained specialists are here to help guide you through the difficult journey of recovery, each and every day.
Mountain View Recovery Treatment Programs
Addiction is complex, which means treatment and long-term recovery are complex. Despite this, it shouldn’t scare anyone – patients or their loved ones. It just means that treatment and recovery both require thorough and thoughtful planning.
Our outpatient program (OP) is a transition preparatory phase. It provides a minimum of nine (9) hours of weekly outpatient treatment. This involves a minimum of one (1) hour/s individual substance abuse/behavioral health counseling per week.
For a long time, nature has been seen as a balm to the problems we face in society. Even during pre-industrial times, people would seek out the countryside as a means to feel better. Many people have also used nature as a way to understand the world.
Trauma and Recovery
Just like physical trauma occurs, so does psychological trauma. Any number of traumatizing events occur and cause psychological trauma. A lot of people will experience trauma before or because of addiction. It’s possible for addiction to deepen...
Nobody sets out with the intention of becoming addicted to anything. Even someone making a conscious decision to try substances is not intending to become dependent, experience withdrawal, and risk overdose or death. There are numerous factors.


text:
Digital Photography Tips, Tutorials and Resources
Do you want to design a template for a book? You may need a beautiful cover for your next eBook, or for your client’s work. In this article, we will show you how to create a book design template in Photoshop.
If you don’t have it yet, you can get Photoshop from Adobe’s site here.
Creating a Book Design Template
First thing you need to do is create a new document (File » New). Set the width to 2000px and the height to 3000px.
(For the next steps, we will explain how to create the book cover design shown at the end of this article.)
Choose the Rectangle Tool from the toolbar at the left-hand side of your Photoshop screen, and draw a rectangle on your screen.
Next, choose the Horizontal Type Tool from the Toolbar and press Ctrl + Shift + N to add a new layer. Now type a character in the center of the rectangle.
Next you can select the text layer and the shape layer in the Layers panel. Simply press Ctrl + G to group them together.
After creating the group, you can press Ctrl + T to transform this group and tilt the shape. Move this group to the left side of the document.
In the next step, type out your book title, subtitle, author name etc. into your template design. Choose various font sizes and weights for the text.
Once you are done with the design and text, you should save your document to a .Tiff extension. Make sure to save the document including layers, so you can open it as a smart object in the next steps.
Now go ahead and open an image of a book that you would like to use for your mockup.
Go to File » Place and open your Tiff file in Photoshop. You’ll need to transform it to adjust the book design template to fit your cover.
That’s all. This is how your designed template will look on your book cover:
Of course, this is just a sample design. You can create your own unique designs to use for your books!
We hope this article has helped you to learn how to create a book design template in Photoshop. You may also want to check out our guide on how much does it cost to start a photography business.
Using WordPress and want to get Envira Gallery free?
Envira Gallery helps photographers create beautiful photo and video galleries in just a few clicks so that they can showcase and sell their work.


text:
I am living 11 years in Brisbane and came originally from Germany. I have worked as a zookeeper in Europe and outgrown my property in the meantime.
I hope to find people here who are interested in buying my unique place of swap houses with me. My place is very special and has cat enclosures, ponds, gardens, and also a nice pool with freshwater.
I like to move to NT, Northern Queensland, Northern NSW and hope to find similar unusual "cat properties".


Our Neck and Yoga Bolsters are filled with 100% hypoallergenic non-recycled white polyester fiber. Made in our Toronto, Canada factory. Available with a 100% Polypropylene shell. Select sizes available with 50/50% Upgraded Poly/Cotton shell. 8"x24" and 8"x30" Yoga Bolsters available with 100% Microfiber shell.


text:
Krabi, Koh Tao, Bangkok
A specialized tour for those looking to do some diving, this itinerary combines sightseeing with a diving course by qualified and trained dive instructors following the highest standards. There’s no better place in the world to get certified due to incredible marine life and the wallet-friendly courses here. We recommend combining Krabi and Koh Tao to have the best experience, but there are many more islands and experiences to choose from. Let us help you customize your underwater holiday!
Welcome to Thailand! Unwind as you sip drinks by the beach in Ao Nang and walk around this little town
Explore Hong Island by a traditional longtail boat. Slip between towering limestone walls that shelter Hong Lagoon, then slide into the water to snorkel over shallow reefs and brilliant fish. Discover every nook and cranny of Hong Island’s stunning bays by kayak, or simply bask on the shores and watch for Monitor Lizards, White-Faced Gibbons and brilliant tropical birds
Take a short boat ride to the famous Railey Beach, pristine and surrounded by towering limestone cliffs that are every rock climber’s fantasy. Explore this fantastic little town’s beaches, cliffs and caves before heading back to Krabi on the last longtail boat
Travel to Koh Tao to begin your true Thailand Island adventure. While you prepare to explore the unbelievable marine life for the next days, there’s plenty to keep you occupied on land. Take a day trip to Koh Nang Yuan, go rock climbing or explore one of the many excellent trails around the island for stunning views
Take this opportunity to get PADI certified in scuba diving in one of the world’s best and cheapest dive destinations. With amazing coral, turtles, fish and even a friendly shark or two, there’s no better place in the world to learn how to dive from the very best in the business
Say goodbye to the island life and head to Bangkok for a change of pace. Spend the evening in Bangkok exploring the iconic Khao San Road, Sukhumvit and more before heading home!
Depart to your base location
Start the day early and arrive at the Emerald Pool and Hot Springs to soak in natural, warm, crystal clear water. Just as the crowds start coming in, hit one of the trails in the surrounding nature reserve or head up the coast to take in the stunning tropical jungle with a hike at Tab Kak Hang Nak Nature Trail for stunning vistas, waterfalls and more