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SHADOWS FALL – "RETRIBUTION" album is a Thrash Metal lightning strike!
Posted in 1990's thrash metal albums, 1990's thrash metal music, Album Review, cool album covers, current extreme metal albums, current extreme metal music, current heavy metal albums, current metal albums, current thrash metal, current thrash metal albums, current thrash metal music, essential heavy metal albums, essential metal music albums, essential thrash metal albums, extreme metal music, heavy metal album covers, heavy metal album review, heavy metal albums, heavy metal albums 2009, heavy metal bands this decade, heavy metal music, heavy metal music 2009, heavy metal vocalists, Metal, metal music, metal music today, metal odyssey, Metal Reviews, Music, new heavy metal album, new thrash metal albums, rock music, Thrash Metal, thrash metal 2009, thrash metal album review, thrash metal albums 2009, thrash metal music, thrash metal music reviews, thrash metal today with tags Album Review, all hope is gone album, brian fair vocalist, current heavy metal albums, current thrash metal albums, embrace annihilation song, ferret music, ferret records, heavy metal music, independent label group, jason bittner drummer, jonathan donais guitarist, matthew bachand guitarist, Metal, metal music, metal odyssey, Music, paul romanko bass guitarist, retribution album, revolver magazine, shadows fall, shadows fall heavy metal band, shadows fall king of nothing song, shadows fall metalcore band, shadows fall retribution album 2009, shadows fall thrash metal band, slipknot heavy metal band, somber eyes to the sky album, Thrash Metal, thrash metal album review, thrash metal albums 2009, thrash metal music, thrash metal music 2009, threads of life album 2007, zeuss record producer on September 16, 2009 by Metal Odyssey
Highly recommended to all Metal fans all over the globe! That is just how unreal good Retribution from Shadows Fall is… that I start off by just bluntly recommending this new album. Seriously, Retribution is one solid chunk of Thrash Metal Music for me. On this new release, (released September 15, 2009), Shadows Fall sounds as if they are not holding back the hard and heavy for no one. I am not taking the easy way out by saying all ten songs are damn incredible. The all encompassing barrage of Metal fury, that highlights each turn and corner on Retribution, is like a Metal power rush to my brain that I do not want to end. In my Metal opinion, it very much seems as if Shadows Fall took a long and hard listen to the once in a millennium, Metal masterpiece from Slipknot called All Hope Is Gone… and decided they too wanted to raise their own Metal bar. The All Hope Is Gone influence I hear on Retribution, is deserving of a raucous Metal applause for Shadows Fall, for if this influence is to be true… Shadows Fall surely knows real Metal when they hear it. The unrelenting surge of Metal power both musically and vocally, (both lead and backing/gang vocals), found within Retribution, are the best ways I can describe my All Hope Is Gone comparison.
Brian Fair on lead vocals has never sounded this unreal great before, based on what my ears hear on Retribution. Brian Fair shows his harmonious side as a crooner and just as suddenly can deliver the bad ass vocals I have always expected… and he does so with the determination and tenacity of a seasoned Metal pro. If it was ever possible for Jason Bittner to elevate his already incredible Metal talents on drums, well, he did it here on Retribution… whoa. Jonathan Donais on lead guitar, takes full Metal command with creative leads that are above impressive. One recent professionally paid Metal Music critic wrote in the November 2009 issue of Revolver Magazine: "arguably the most mainstream-friendly album the group has made" – (?), uh, I beg to differ. First, I would never equate the word mainstream to Shadows Fall… never, ever, from 1998's Somber Eyes to the Sky to 2007's Threads of Life. Now, with Retribution, for this album to even be remotely considered mainstream friendly, well, that is like saying a Pit Viper hanging from a tree limb above your head is friendly too. Nickelback is mainstream friendly, with absolutely no disrespect of course, to them. This is just another perfect Metal example, that there are some Metal Music critics out there that never bother to listen to the album(s) they are being paid to review. Frustrating, to say the least.
My two choice picks on Retribution are: King Of Nothing and Embrace Annihilation. These are the two songs that just embody the core Thrash Metal essence of Retribution, in my Metal opinion. Shadows Fall has made me feel Metal secure, with their creating Retribution, this is an album that encapsulates all things powerful about Thrash Metal. Metal truth be told, I will be recommending this album to anyone who listens for the rest of my Metal life. Musical integrity and the respect for quality song writing are characteristics every band should uphold, Shadows Fall upheld them on Retribution ten fold. Shadows Fall will always have their Metalcore roots, with Retribution, they have imprinted themselves into the Thrash Metal genre like an unstoppable lightning strike.
Shadows Fall are:
Brian Fair on lead vocals
Jonathan Donais on lead guitar/vocals
Matthew Bachand on guitar/vocals
Paul Romanko on bass
Jason Bittner on drums
Retribution was produced by Zeuss and released on Ferret Music and Independent Label Group.
LAZARUS A.D. "The Onslaught" – a real intense Thrash Metal invasion
Posted in Album Review, current heavy metal albums, current heavy metal music, current thrash metal albums, current thrash metal music, Drums, Extreme Metal, Heavy Metal, heavy metal album covers, heavy metal album review, heavy metal albums, heavy metal guitarists, heavy metal music, heavy metal music 2009, Heavy Metal Reviews, heavy metal vocalists, james hetfield, Metal, metal blade, metal blade records, metal music, metal music today, Metal Reviews, Music, new heavy metal album, new thrash metal albums, recent heavy metal albums, Thrash Metal, thrash metal 2009, thrash metal album review, thrash metal music, thrash metal music reviews with tags alex lackner guitarist, current thrash metal music, dan gapen guitarist, Heavy Metal, heavy metal album review, heavy metal music, james hetfield guitarist, james hetfield vocalist, jeff paulick bass guitarist, jeff paulick vocalist, lazarus a.d., lazarus a.d. thrash metal band, Metal, metal albums, metal blade records, metal music, Music, Reviews, ryan shutle drummer, testament thrash metal band, the onslaught album, Thrash Metal, thrash metal 2009, thrash metal album review, thrash metal albums 2009, thrash metal music, thrash metal music review, unearth thrash metal band on June 4, 2009 by Metal Odyssey
I am blown away by this new Thrash Metal band that call themselves – Lazarus A.D. – really blown away. This is not cookie cutter Thrash, nor is this band a bunch of Thrash wannabes either. Lazarus A.D. is for real. These dudes can play Thrash… with no cutting corners, just plain great – in your face – Thrash Metal. I read all of the articles and reviews I could get my Metal hands on regarding this band. Now, I have my hands on their debut release "The Onslaught", (released March 3, 2009), the contents of this CD is ten tracks of unrelenting, intense and fired up Thrash. I am extremely Metal happy that a young Thrash band like Lazarus A.D. sounds and plays this good. I always say… we veteran Metalheads can never have enough younger bands to carry on the Metal tradition – the more new Heavy and/or Extreme bands, the better! I liken this band to being a throwback, to the days when Thrash Metal was felt, not just heard.
"Damnation For The Weak" stands out for me, with the gang vocals making quite the Metal impression. The lyrics are cool, this very well may become the trademark tune for Lazarus A.D., (just my Metal opinion). This album is riff infested, with enough solos to satisfy my Thrash appetite. The songs are not outrageously long, with only one tune over five minutes long, "Revolution", clocking in at 5:05. With the opening track of "Last Breath", it really defines the Thrash attack Lazaraus A.D. will take you on… you will need every last breath one time through this album. (I tend to do quite a bit of air drumming, therefore I did feel a tad exhausted after my first listen). No, I am not embarrassed to tell anyone that I air drum to Metal. It seems just about everyone does the air guitar gig, so I chose air drums a very long time ago. Ryan Shutle on drums does a punishing number on the skins, I can only imagine how much more insane he will play as this band grows. Jeff Paulick on lead vocals and bass is a sliver reminiscent vocally, of the legendary James Hetfield (of Metallica fame, for those who have been living on Saturn the last three decades), (man, I guess I am really dishing out the compliments to these guys).
Overall, I find all ten tracks to be solid, current, with a nod to Old School, Thrash Metal. I took a Metal gamble by buying this CD without hearing more than one tune first… the Metal gamble has paid off. Last year, (2008), I was giving off a big Metal grin for the young dudes of Black Tide… I like that band for sure… Lazarus A.D. however, is a noticeable notch heavier with the Thrash assault. Lazarus A.D. is currently touring with/opening for Unearth and the invincible Thrash Metal titans… Testament, through June 2009. Not too shabby to have this gig, huh? It also seems fitting that Lazarus A.D. is on Metal Blade Records, this legendary record label knows it's Thrash Metal. Metal Blade Records was instrumental in defining Thrash Metal decades ago… they still are. By now, you probably realize that I highly recommend Lazarus A.D. "The Onslaught" to the entire Metal community. This is an album that will be on my hot list for a very long time.
Here is a Metal roll call of the entire Lazarus A.D. band: Jeff Paulick on lead vocals and bass, Dan Gapen on lead guitar and backing vocals, Alex Lackner on guitar and Ryan Shutle on drums.
Anthrax "Among The Living" is a Thrash Metal jewel
Posted in 1980's hard rock, 1980's heavy metal music, 1980's thrash metal, Album Review, Heavy Metal, heavy metal album review, heavy metal albums, heavy metal guitarists, heavy metal music, Heavy Metal Reviews, heavy metal vocalists, Metal, metal music, Music, speed metal, Thrash Metal, thrash metal album review, thrash metal music, thrash metal music reviews with tags 1980's heavy metal, 1980's thrash metal, Album Review, anthrax, anthrax 1987, anthrax among the living album, anthrax heavy metal band, anthrax metal band, anthrax thrash metal band, Hard Rock, hard rock music, joey belladonna metal vocalist, Metal, metal music, Music, Rock, rock music, scott ian guitarist, Thrash Metal, thrash metal album review on May 12, 2009 by Metal Odyssey
I really enjoy the entire Anthrax catalog of albums, yet "Among The Living" is definitely my most favorite release from this veteran Thrash Metal band. Released in 1987, this album is loaded with all the power and explosiveness of pure Thrash, the Anthrax way. "Efilnikufesin (N.F.L.)" is one heavy tune that is rebellious and fun, to actually here the lyrics for yourself would explain what I mean. "Among The Living" earns it's ferocity courtesy of the talented musicians of Anthrax. Scott Ian on guitar is, in my opinion, one of the best in Thrash Metal history. Joey Belladonna on vocals can carry a note extremely well, he is as valid to "Among The Living" as the music itself. I find Belladonna to be a Thrash Metal vocalist who is quite punctual, without compromising the heaviness whatsoever. I have the upmost respect for the vocals of Belladonna on this album. "Indians" is a great song for me, a Thrash Metal jewel of a tune with inspired lyrics. Every song here adds to the credibility of "Among The Living". Fast music, fast vocals, fast background vocals, everything on this album is fast. That's what makes Thrash Metal so profoundly heavy, the speed and it is all here waiting for you courtesy of Anthrax! I do not hesitate for a second, to recommend "Among The Living" to all Metal fans worldwide!
Over Kill "The Years Of Decay" – A Thrash Metal album to behold
Posted in 1980's heavy metal music, 1980's thrash metal, Album Review, Extreme Metal, Heavy Metal, heavy metal album review, heavy metal albums, heavy metal music, Heavy Metal Reviews, heavy metal vocalists, Metal, metal music, Music, Over Kill, Thrash Metal, thrash metal album review, thrash metal music, thrash metal music reviews with tags "sid" falck, 1980's heavy metal, 1980's metal music, 1980's thrash metal, Album Review, bobby "blitz" ellsworth, bobby gustafson, d.d. verni, d.d. verni bass guitarist, Heavy Metal, heavy metal music, Metal, metal music, Music, Over Kill, over kill thrash metal band, the years of decay thrash metal album, Thrash Metal, thrash metal album review, thrash metal genre on May 3, 2009 by Metal Odyssey
"If it is old school Thrash Metal you are looking for, you have definitely found it! Over Kill does not disappoint, each song is as heavy as the next, TRUE Thrash Metal. This is as great a start as you can get if you are beginning an Over Kill music collection. Over Kill throughout the years have been steadfast and loyal to the Thrash Metal sound and genre, comparing "The Years Of Decay" to their other albums is non sensical, for I admire the entire catalog of albums from this band. "The Years Of Decay" in my opinion, stands out from the vast Thrash Metal album crowd, since it's release in 1989. For an album that is now twenty plus years old, this brand of Thrash Metal from Over Kill is still Earth shattering, in my Metal opinion. Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth on vocals and D.D. Verni on bass deserve all the accolades. Bobby Gustafson on guitar and "Sid" Falck on drums are both tremendous players on this album as well. I really recommend "The Years Of Decay" to all Metal and Thrash Metal fans alike. New Over Kill fans cannot pass over this heavy hitter.
Rumpelstiltskin Grinder – a fresh breath of new school Thrash Metal
Posted in Extreme Metal, Heavy Metal, heavy metal album review, heavy metal albums, heavy metal music, Heavy Metal Reviews, Metal, metal music, Metal Reviews, Thrash Metal, thrash metal album review, thrash metal music reviews with tags cannibal corpse, Death Metal, Heavy Metal, Metal, metal music, Music, relapse records, rumpelstiltskin grinder, rumpelstiltskin grinder thrash metal band, Thrash Metal, thrash metal album review, thrash metal review on May 2, 2009 by Metal Odyssey
Rumpelstiltskin Grinder. It was just a matter of time before I picked up the newest release from these Thrash Metal dudes. "Living For Death, Destroying The Rest" is their brand new album, (on Relapse Records), it is fast, furious, super heavy, a tad diabolical, well, I made my point. These attributes are exactly what I look for from any Thrash Metal album, so it is safe to say that Rumpelstiltskin Grinder delivered the super Metal goods here, in my Metal opinion. I cannot say enough about the frenzied pace of the Thrash Metal with this album, while driving and listening to these guys, I have to say it is quite exhilarating.
"Graveyard Vandalization" is a tune that Cannibal Corpse should be very proud of. Lyrically, it is completely and insanely gory, disgusting and downright nasty. What else could anyone expect from a song lyrically, when it has a title like that? For me, the tune is still quite entertaining and musically encompasses all things Thrash. It is humorous to me, for when I think of the title for this album – "Living For Death, Destroying The Rest", well, isn't that the usual theme of 24 hour network news cable channels? If anyone out there cannot handle the lyrics and tunes from Rumpelstiltskin Grinder, I guess they probably should not be able to handle the nightly news either. It is refreshing for me to know, that a band like Rumpelstiltskin Grinder is running off with the torch of Thrash Metal – I hope they carry on for quite awhile. I recommend this album to any Metal fan who wants to be entertained with some down home, new school, Thrash Metal fury.
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Looking for Your Next Contemporary Romance? Check Out Kicking Up My Heels…in Heels (Kev #3) by Liam Livings (excerpt and giveaway)
Title: Kicking Up My Heels…in Heels
Series: Kev, Book Three
Author: Liam Livings
Publisher: NineStar Press
Heat Level: 3 – Some Sex
Pairing: Male/Male
Length: 67300
Genre: Contemporary, LGBT, gay, Cross-dressing, drag queens, AIDS, new adult
It's the year 2000 and Kev's twenty. He's a proper grown up now. Maybe. He knows what he's doing. And what he's doing isn't what he wants to be doing. He's working in TK Maxx and instead he wants to be singing and dancing and bantering and laughing on stage. He. Loves. It. And they pay him too!
Kev's continued search for his Prince Charming leads him to look in all the wrong places for all the wrong men and, inevitably, gets him in something of a pickle: physically, emotionally, and medically too.
But his mum and friend Tony are there to help pick up the pieces when it all falls apart as it so often does with Kev.
Optimism, a plan, and being really good at performing on stage, drive Kev forward. After all, he's been performing off stage all his life.
Contains gay pride marches, multiple incidents of alcohol-induced idiocy, friends and family who stick with you no matter what you do, a lot of showtunes and camp humour, and a complete absence of smartphones and social media. He's Kev, fly him.
Liam Livings © 2019
Kieran and Jo were back from uni in London for half term, autumn term, or some term or another, and I met them in Salisbury for a drink and a good gossip. I met them in full Ginger Spice outfit. During the day. Yes. Part of the I am Kev hear me roar approach Tony and I had come up with, I was trying this new fearless, notice the fear and do it anyway thing, on for size. It seemed to suit me actually. It was also two big fingers up at my ex-boyfriend Aaron and his vile comments to me about dressing up, and the whole Arthur or Martha thing. Well, I wanted to dress as both Arthur and Martha, depending on how the mood took me, so Aaron and anyone else who didn't like that could stick it.
Ever since Daddy Do Nothing, as Mum and I referred to him, had come back into my life, then disappeared again, just as quickly, it has spurred me on to dress more. It was a sort of two fingers up to Daddy Do Nothing too. An "I don't need your approval, I know what I'm about, and I am fabulous, so you can disappear to your village and back to your new girlfriend and stepdaughter, and I'll be fabulous over here". All of that. His rejection to my cross-dressing had inadvertently brought out the flag waving slightly military—as in strong, organised, standing up for my rights not as in part of the actual army—drag queen in me.
Some people in my life had been more accepting of it than others. Jo, in particular, was always a bit sniffy about what I wore, and when I wore it, but he wasn't really one of my friends, he just came as a set of two with Kieran. Of course, I wouldn't ever tell Kieran that, I'd never want to upset him, so I simply bit my tongue and ignored Jo's comments, or how he sometimes excluded me from things with his subtle and slimy excuses. It wasn't worth making a fuss, not for Kieran's sake. But today, when I was meeting both Kieran and Jo, I knew what I had to do. I knew I had to dress to both impress and make an impression. If I could stand on stage and sing to a packed pub, I sure as hell could walk into a pub dressed like a real woman and order a few drinks.
I finished my realistic makeup, adjusted my red wig with a bleached stripe, just like Ginger Spice's hair. I checked there was enough padding for my bra to make an impression under the little Union Flag dress I'd run up for myself exactly like Geri Halliwell had, by sewing a tea towel onto the front of a little black strappy dress. I pursed my lips, reapplied red lipstick, added a touch more blue eye shadow in both a homage to the blonde one from Abba, and Geri, obviously, and I was ready to go. I clumped my way downstairs in the black platform boots I'd bought with my staff discount from TK Maxx.
I swept past Mum in the kitchen.
She was drying some crockery at the sink with a spotless tea towel. She put the mug down. "Don't take this the wrong way, love. You look fabulous. Honestly, it's the ginger one from that girl group, isn't it? Where do you think you're going like that, love?"
"I told you. I'm seeing Kieran and Jo, in town."
"Singing afterwards?"
"Nope. Just them, then I'll be home. It won't be a late one. Promise."
She looked me up and down, trying to take in what she saw before her. She pursed her mouth. "So, what's with the outfit, love? Seems like a lot of effort for a drink with some friends. I worry about you, what people say. Some others are like that Aaron you went out with." She paused, clasping her hands together in front of herself. "Sadly."
I'd already explained to her my I am Kev hear me roar, and she knew how upset Dad's disappearance had made me, so I simply said, "I am not letting people like Dad or Aaron, make me ashamed of who I am. I am who I am and I'm doing it more and more." I put my hands on my hips and thrust my fake bosoms towards her. "All right?"
She nodded slowly. "Just you take care, love. I don't want anyone hurting you. Watch where you park. Walk where it's lit. Don't cut along by the river. That's dark this time of year, and you never know the sort of people who hang around the industrial entrance out the back of Argos. Watch yourself."
"Promise."
She tapped her cheek.
I kissed her cheek then jumped into my car, checking my reflection one last time in my mirror, brushing aside a minor doubt about whether I was doing the right thing, and drove to the nearest car park to the sports pub where I'd asked them to meet me.
There was no need for me to worry, I was well used to doing female impersonations by now in public. Kieran and Jo were full of uni talk, as expected, but they seemed to be enjoying it, so I was pleased for them. Jo gave me a few looks and made some comments, as I knew he would, but I easily brushed them aside. And a man mistook me for a real woman, so that made my day. I'd passed, as they say in cross-dressing circles. My first passing.
I only felt slightly scared once as I tottered loudly on my heels back to the car, using the long route through town. I came across a big group of teenagers on the corner by the bank on the way to the market square. I debated crossing the road and then decided they'd know I was scared, so instead, flicked my hair over my shoulder, stuck my fake bosoms up, and clip-clopped through the middle of them with a few words about being sorry and could I squeeze through. A few of them looked up and looked back at me again—I saw them in the reflection of shop windows as I continued tottering to the car—but no more. I held my head high. If anyone had started anything, I was in a busy bit of town, which even that late was full of people, and after a few loud screams, I was sure they'd have run away, most bullies being cowards in disguise really.
So, battle fought and won, now for the next one.
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Liam Livings lives where east London ends and becomes Essex. He shares his house with his boyfriend and cat. He enjoys baking, cooking, classic cars and socialising with friends. He has a sweet tooth for food and entertainment: loving to escape from real life with a romantic book; enjoying a good cry at a sad, funny and camp film; and listening to musical cheesy pop from the eighties to now. He tirelessly watches an awful lot of Gilmore Girls in the name of writing 'research'.
Published since 2013 by a variety of British and American presses, his gay romance and gay fiction focuses on friendships, British humour, romance with plenty of sparkle. He's a member of the Romantic Novelists' Association, and the Chartered Institute of Marketing. With a masters in creative writing from Kingston University, he teaches writing workshops with his partner in sarcasm and humour, Virginia Heath as http://www.realpeoplewritebooks.com and has also ghost written a client's 5 Star reviewed autobiography.
This entry was posted in Book Giveaways, Book Reviews, Book Tours and Contests, Books, eBooks, M/M Book Reviews, M/M Contemporary Fiction, M/M Fiction, M/M Romance, Uncategorized and tagged #newbookrelease #KickingUpMyHeals 3giveaway, @GoIndiMarketing, @LiamLivings, AIDS, author LIam Livings, contemporary, cross-dressing, drag queens, gay, Kicking Up My Heels...in Heels (Kev #3) by Liam Livings, LGBT, New Adult, Publisher: NineStar Press.
Release Day Blitz for The Nate and Cameron Collection by Kevin Klehr (excerpt, trailer and giveaway)
Title: Nate and Cameron Collection
Series: Nate and Cameron
Author: Kevin Klehr
Release Date: August 28th
Genre: Contemporary, contemporary, gay, cisgender, cross-dressing, established couple, ghost, vacation
Nate and the New Yorker
Nate once had the love of his life, but he's met Cameron, a New York millionaire with an eccentric cross-dressing butler.
Cameron is keen to share his world of classy restaurants, Broadway shows, and fabulous parties, and while Nate's friends see the makings of a fantasy romance, it's Nate who has to learn how to open his heart again.
But is Cameron simply second best?
Nate's Last Tango
Nate's life couldn't be better. He's living with his rich boyfriend, Cameron, in New York while being wined and dined all over the city.
But when Nate decides to visit his friends back in Sydney, Cameron suggests they break it off for a while. Cam's cross-dressing butler is not impressed, and with the help of his lesbian aunt, they drag Cameron down-under to sort out his relationship and take in the sights of Mardi Gras!
With Nate at a loss to what went wrong, he faces the dim reality that love may have run its course.
Only available in Print from most major retailers.
Kevin Klehr © 2017
Trailer: https://youtu.be/p3zjFttpjXc
Both Cameron and I had Hawaiian shirts to wear, while Rowena sported a tie-dyed sarong and an afro wig. And around us, interesting guests wore chic little skirts, James Dean–style jackets, hippie gear, and mod wear.
"You haven't introduced me yet," said a middle-aged woman to Cameron. Her rust-colored coat had a masculine cut. Yet she elegantly held a long-stemmed cigarette holder with something that smelled very much like a joint burning on the end.
"Sorry," said my charming American. "This is my friend, Nathan. And this well-dressed lady is my aunt Beverley."
"Nice to meet you," I said.
She took my hand and kissed it. "I hope you don't think me too forward; it's just that you've got such fascinating features."
"My aunt likes to flirt."
"It runs in the family," she replied. She gave me a measured wink. "Now, nephew, where have you been hiding this handsome Englishman?"
"I'm Australian."
"It's your accent. I never can tell the difference."
"I need you!" yelled a girl in a flower necklace. She was the drummer of the band and was addressing our host.
"It's time," Cameron said.
"Time for what?" I asked.
He kissed me on the cheek and then headed for the microphone stand.
"You're in for a treat," whispered Aunt Beverley, her voice raspy from years of smoking.
"He sings?" I asked.
"He sings," she replied.
A laid-back strum of the bass guitar started the song, followed by a drum beat. Then the vocal. And before I knew it, I was being serenaded in front of a room full of acquaintances. But, wow! What a unique experience.
"I've never seen him go out on a limb for someone like this before," said his aunt.
I smiled politely, then closed my eyes. He was crooning. His honey voice made my soul rise out of my body and search for a dream. And in the hip nightclub that appeared in my mind, he wore a gray suit with a crimson tie, standing tall in front of the trumpet section who were waiting for their cue. And I was the only one in the club.
"Where are you?" asked Aunt Beverley in a low tone.
I wanted to say I was in love but stopped myself. I realized it was rude to have my eyes closed during Cam's song. I opened them. He had me in his sights. I wanted to jump into the waves on his Hawaiian shirt and end up on a deserted island with just him and me.
"Would you like a toke of my cigarette, Nathan?"
"No, thank you. I think the fumes have already hit me."
NineStar Press | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Kevin lives with his long-term partner, Warren, in their humble apartment (affectionately named Sabrina), in Australia's own 'Emerald City,' Sydney.
From an early age, Kevin had a passion for writing, jotting down stories and plays until it came time to confront puberty. After dealing with pimple creams and facial hair, Kevin didn't pick up a pen again until he was in his thirties. His handwritten manuscript was being committed to paper when his work commitments changed, giving him no time to write. Concerned, his partner, Warren, secretly passed the notebook to a friend who in turn came back and demanded Kevin finish his story. It wasn't long before Kevin's active imagination was let loose again.
His first novel spawned a secondary character named Guy, an insecure gay angel, but many readers argue that he is the star of the Actors and Angels book series. Guy's popularity surprised the author.
So with his fictional guardian angel guiding him, Kevin hopes to bring more whimsical tales of love, life and friendship to his readers.
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | YouTube | Vimeo
This entry was posted in Book Giveaways, Book Reviews, Book Tours and Contests, Books, Contemporary fiction, eBooks, LGBTQ Book Reviews, M/M Book Reviews, M/M Contemporary Fiction, M/M Fiction, M/M Romance, Uncategorized and tagged @GoIndiMarketing, @kevinklehr, @ninestarpress, author Kevin Klehr, cisgender, contemporary, cross-dressing, established couple, gay, Ghost, The Nate and Cameron Collection by Kevin Klehr, vacation.
Release Day Blitz for Nate's Last Tango by Kevin Klehr (excerpt and giveaway)
Title: Nate's Last Tango
Series: Nate and Cameron, Book 2
Heat Level: 1 – No Sex
"I'm nervous," I said. But my boyfriend, Cam, didn't hear me. Fortunately, his butler, Roger, did.
"Here you go, Nate." The loyal servant placed a garishly green cocktail in my hand, complete with a little umbrella. "This will make you so chilled, the next few hours will feel like a hippie folk festival."
If only that were the truth. I was about to meet Cameron's parents for the first time, and both he and Roger were busy preparing canapés. They insisted I was as much of a guest as the others were, so I wasn't to help with the catering.
Instead, I gazed out the window of my boyfriend's swish New York apartment, trying to imagine what a middle-aged couple who had made their fortune in the funeral trade would be like. My first thought was something as creepy as an older Gomez and Morticia from The Addams Family.
And with that vision came a list of odd relatives I hadn't met yet. Perhaps a short hunchback that rang church bells. An older brother who slept in the basement during the day and showed off his unusually sharp fangs to unsuspecting women at night. Or a haggard stepsister who kidnapped the neighborhood pets and offered them to pagan gods during midnight rituals.
I watched my boyfriend. He was trying to make art out of smoked salmon and flatbread, but somehow he kept adding too much mayo. The result was something that looked like a squeezed pimple rather than anything you'd put in your mouth. As always, Roger was at his side to fix his creations, and as a pair they worked well.
Through his chic designer glasses, Cam scrutinized what Rog was trying to show him, and he understood until his butler tucked, folded, or did whatever was necessary to make my boyfriend's attempts look presentable. Although my man wasn't perfect, that was the very reason I loved him. He'd try. And he had enough people around to support him. His parents had to be equally as supportive, surely.
Any moment they'd swan in the front door, having just flown in from Paris, where they had stayed the night because they'd decided to eat dinner in that romantic city on a whim. His mum, or mom as these Americans say, would offer me her hand adorned in a teal glove and wait for me to kiss it.
His dad would check me out, and while he shook my hand all businesslike, it wouldn't be until later that his real nature would come out. He'd pull out a joint and tell us about his wild days; of wearing a leather jacket, having wall-to-wall lovers, and the heavy rock band he fronted with regular top-ten hits.
"Would you like another cocktail, Nate?" Roger asked.
"No, I've hardly—" My glass was empty.
"Your mind is preoccupied. Let me get you another."
"No. I don't want to be drunk before they arrive."
"Have a cocktail," said Cam as he ran his finger under a tap after burning it on poached chicken. "If I was in your shoes, I'd be nervous as well."
Roger took the glass out of my hand and promptly made me another green drink. With the first sip, my mind wandered even more, back to last month.
This entry was posted in Book Giveaways, Book Reviews, Book Tours and Contests, Books, Contemporary fiction, LGBTQ Book Reviews, M/M Book Reviews, M/M Contemporary Fiction, M/M Fiction, M/M Romance, Uncategorized and tagged #newbookreleases, @GoIndiMarketing, @kevinklehr, @ninestarpress, cisgender, contemporary, cross-dressing, established couple, gay, Ghost, Nate's Last Tango (Nate and Cameron #2) by Kevin Klehr, NineStar Press, vacation.
Love a Fantasy? Check out 'The Castaway Prince' by Isabelle Adler (author interview/excerpt/giveaway)
Title: The Castaway Prince
Author: Isabelle Adler
Genre: fantasy, fantasy, royalty, androgyny, cross-dressing, friends to lovers, disguise, princes
Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to host Isabelle Adler here today. Welcome, Isabelle, tell us a little bit about yourself!
✒
~Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words Interview with Isabelle Adler~
If you could be a superhero, what would you want your superpowers to be?
There are so many superpowers I'd like to have! For instance, the power to slow or stop time entirely. I'd get so much done! Telekinesis would be rather useful as well; and don't get me started on teleportation!.. The one thing I definitely wouldn't want, though, is telepathy.
If you could trade places with one of your characters, who would it be and why?
If you could sequester yourself for a week somewhere and just focus on your writing, where would you go and what would the environment be like?
I guess my perfect writing getaway would be a ski lodge somewhere in the Swiss Alps, sitting in a comfortable armchair in front of a roaring fire, with snow falling outside and an endless supply of hot chocolate. Hey, we can dream, can't we?
What's the one thing, you can't live without?
Coffee. Definitely coffee.
What internet site do you surf to the most?
YouTube and Thesaurus.com
When you got your very first manuscript acceptance letter, what was your initial reaction and who was the first person you told?
Oh, wow. When I got the acceptance letter for Adrift from the editor at NineStar Press, I was ecstatic. I could hardly believe my eyes! I mean, somebody thought my manuscript was good enough to publish! I wish I could say I did a happy dance, but unfortunately, I was too busy organizing my kids in the morning. I told my husband right away, though; he was even more excited than I was!
Ostracized by his family for his sexual identity, Prince Stephan is forced to flee his homeland before his older brother ascends the throne.
Stephan has been drawn to feminine things for as long as he can remember, so when the dire need for secrecy arises, he seizes the chance to don the perfect disguise. With the help of his loyal servant, Stephan picks his way through hostile territory, hiding his identity by posing as a woman. His only hope for asylum lies with the man who had been his friend and lover three years ago. But when that man also happens to be the crown prince of a rival country, things are a bit more complicated.
With war looming on the horizon, the danger of discovery grows by the moment. With all odds stacked against him, will Stephan find a safe place where he can be his true self, or is he doomed to remain a castaway?
The Castaway Prince
Isabelle Adler © 2017
"My, aren't you a beauty."
"Shut up," Stephan said as he hoisted his skirts. The wind and the rain had made the pier boards slippery, and he nearly fell over as the wet fabric twisted around his legs. All his surreptitious practice wearing dresses and feminine undergarments hadn't prepared him for the trials of this kind of miserable weather. In the course of a few minutes after stepping out of the relative coziness of their private boat cabin, he'd managed to get soaked through down to his stockings and narrowly avoided falling into the river.
Warren, his manservant, seemed to be rather amused by Stephan's efforts. He was grinning as he watched him try to drag his bags onto the pier. Stephan really wasn't supposed to do that, but the port hand was currently busy unloading another boat, and the prospect of warming up in front of a cozy fire had lost Stephan all patience.
"Help me, you oaf!" Stephan glared at Warren from under the hood of his fur-lined cloak. The man was having a bit too much fun at his expense.
"Watch your language. You're a lady, remember?" Warren said, quickly coming to his aid, shouldering the heavy travel bags. "One who's too pretty to be so bad-tempered." He winked at Stephan and led the way across the busy dock, farther into the streets of the city.
Zenna, the capital of Esnia, sprawled on both banks of the river, its two halves connected by a multitude of stone bridges. This was a city Stephan had never thought he'd be visiting—certainly not in his current predicament. The royal castle, partially visible from the docks, was an ominous presence that loomed over the city and more resembled a prison. It spanned the narrowest point of the river with its massive arch of a weathered stone bridge. Built to withstand invasion and siege, it was supported by great rectangular pillars rooted deep in the riverbed, now almost entirely green with centuries-old buildup of slime and algae.
Stephan was glad when its daunting bulk was lost from view as they headed to the more genteel part of the city, where the smell of fish and refuse wasn't quite as overpowering. They had to walk a good distance from the docks, but as they left the bustle of the riverfront and fish markets behind, the streets became broader, and the mud was replaced with cobblestones. The rain was bitterly cold, making him miss the slightly gentler climate of his homeland.
Thankfully, with so much traffic this time of day, they didn't attract too much notice. They found a respectable-looking inn, situated on one of the main streets, where noble folk, even those traveling ostensibly without a retinue, weren't an uncommon sight.
"My sister and I require lodgings for tonight," Warren announced with a haughty air as they stepped inside the common room and the innkeeper rushed to meet them. Really, Stephan thought as he pushed back his hood to watch Warren dispense silver coins, the man was doing a startlingly good job imitating nobility, even considering he came from a well-off merchant family and not some backwater village. Stephan stood aside, waiting meekly for his "brother" to finish giving instructions regarding their meals and baths, and then followed him upstairs. He would be overjoyed to finally see a dry bed and a lit fireplace in a room that didn't sway with the river's tides.
They were given two adjacent rooms on the second floor. Warren deposited Stephan's bags in his room before retiring to his own, where Stephan could hear him unpacking on the other side of the wall. He took off his cloak and fumbled with the lacings of his bodice, cursing under his breath. The wretched things were so wet it made them more difficult to handle, but finally the knots came undone, and the heavy dress, crumpled and dirty from the journey, slipped from his shoulders to the floor. The corset that cinched his waist and added discreet padding to his chest was next to come off, and Stephan could finally draw an unrestricted breath, standing in nothing but a fine cotton chemise and bloomers.
As this was a room intended for a lady, there was a large standing mirror in one corner. Its ornate frame must have been the pride of the innkeeper.
Looking into the spotless polished surface, Stephan had to admit his bedraggled state didn't quite mesh with his idea of feminine charm. The paint he'd used to accentuate his lashes had smeared beneath his eyes, and his chestnut hair, usually done in a low bun, was now in complete disarray.
Despite the dress being uncomfortable at times—particularly when it was nearly soaking wet—he was growing more and more accustomed to it. At the beginning of their journey, he'd been nervous about appearing ridiculous, despite all the previous careful preparation and the endless hours spent on modulating his voice and perfecting his posture in front of the mirror. His shoulders were too wide, his hips too narrow, his gait too awkward. Perhaps he'd been lucky no one had peered too closely at a noblewoman traveling under the protection of her fierce-looking older brother.
It was one thing to put on a costume once in a while for the sheer fun of it, and quite another to wear it constantly, living in it and assuming it as a part of his identity, affecting a wholly feminine character at all times. Especially when this identity—as attuned as it was to his preferences—was the only thing keeping him alive.
Still, as he wiped away the streaks of paint and grime from his face and leaned in to look more closely—at the smooth cheeks so rarely in need of shaving, the long lashes, and the finely arched brows—the familiar similitude of womanly features reasserted itself. There was nothing overtly masculine about the face staring back at him. Turning slightly, he lifted a shoulder, affecting a coquettish pose, and smiled at his reflection. Maybe the possibility of him pulling this off wasn't so entirely unfeasible.
There was a knock on the door, and he turned around in alarm, clutching the chemise that had slipped off his shoulder, but it was only Warren, carrying a tray with two steaming cups of tea.
"Your Highness," he said, after shutting the door with his heel.
Stephan took the cup gratefully, warming his fingers. The scalding-hot fragrant tea made him feel marginally better about the world.
Warren set the tray on the table. He took a quilted silk robe out of one of the bags and helped Stephan put it on, after which he proceeded to pick up the discarded articles of wet clothing strewn across the floor.
"It would behoove you to be a bit more circumspect," he observed in a neutral tone as he shook the water out of the velvet. "For a pampered aristocrat, you behave like a loudmouthed milkmaid sometimes."
Stephan barked a laugh and turned away from the mirror. "Only when I'm too cold to wait on my servant's alacrity."
It was meant as gentle ribbing, not real censure. Warren seemed to take it as such, because he draped the dress neatly over a chair to dry, and sat down without waiting for permission, pouring another cup for himself.
While Stephan had been busy ogling himself in the mirror, Warren had taken the opportunity to change out of his travel clothes. The plain linen shirt clung to his broad shoulders, and his short auburn hair was half dry already. He was tall and solidly built, the very image of hale masculinity, whereas Stephan was slender and almost petite, with fine bones and delicate features. He'd been teased for these attributes since adolescence, but now he worried they were not nearly as effeminate as the situation required.
"You seem glummer than usual," Warren observed. "I'd have thought it would take more than a bit of rain to dampen your spirits."
"The prospect of being thrown in prison and possibly executed if anyone were to recognize me doesn't exactly make me cheerful," Stephan said dryly, setting his cup down and removing the needle-sharp pins that held his long hair back. "And it's so…dreary here."
He supposed his own anxiety made the surroundings seem more depressing than they truly were, but so far nothing about this city had appeased him, apart from the tea.
"At least we're off that cursed boat," Warren offered wryly, watching him over the rim of his cup. He'd had some difficulties adjusting to that mode of transportation, and spent the first few days on the upper deck, leaning over the rail. The experience hadn't served to lighten the moods of either of them. "And no one has followed us."
Stephan nodded in acquiescence as he languidly finger-combed his hair, working out the knots. There had been no signs of pursuit, or of anyone actively looking for them, as far as he could tell. Of course, he was counting on the likelihood of his seeking refuge in Esnia being rejected as outright preposterous. Just as his outfitting himself as a woman would have been thought to be. It was one reason—though admittedly not the chief one—why he'd resorted to this type of disguise.
"We're due to arrive at the royal castle tomorrow," Warren reminded him. Stephan could tell he'd been steeling himself to have this conversation. Again. "Are you absolutely sure you want to go through with this? You know what I think about this whole matter, Your Highness. It's not too late to turn elsewhere."
"We've come this far already," Stephan said. "To back down now would be—"
"Prudent," Warren interjected. "Up until now, we've been traveling by the waterways, which was safe enough. Not a lot of people, more privacy to be had, no fear of discovery. And if anyone thought you behaved strangely—well, gentle-born women are peculiar in their manner, you know? But it won't be like that in Zenna. Here, there are real noblewomen aplenty, around whom you will need to take special care of how you conduct yourself. Not to mention people who might recognize you from before."
"Who? The only ones who might would have been the members of the Esnian delegation to Seveihar, and that was three years ago. A lot has changed since then." Three years was a long time, especially in that awkward age between sixteen and nineteen. Stephan was reasonably sure it would be difficult enough to associate him with the shy, lanky youth he'd been back then, even without the disguise.
Warren shrugged and took a sip of tea. For a moment, his eyes lingered on Stephan's hands going through his hair, and then he looked away. "When you have reason to hate someone as the Esnians hate us, you remember your enemies' faces. You send spies that would know what they look like. We've talked about this already, but what makes you think Prince Arlen himself won't call the guards when he sees you? As you've said, a lot has changed in three years."
"He wouldn't," Stephan said with a conviction he wasn't feeling.
Warren rolled his eyes, his expression that of a long-suffering voice of reason. At twenty-five, he was only six years Stephan's senior, but at times he acted like Stephan's aged grandfather.
"It's not as if I have a lot of choice," Stephan said bitterly. He finished combing his hair and picked up his tea, which was rapidly growing cold. "I don't have anywhere else to go. Arlen is the only one who might grant me asylum."
"There are other people who could help you," Warren said carefully. "I mean—"
"You know very well there aren't," Stephan cut him off. "None that would support me against Robert and my uncle."
Warren opened his mouth and then paused as he seemed to reconsider what he was going to say.
"With all due respect, you have no idea what kind of man Arlen is now. Do you really want to risk your life on his ability to handle seeing you in a petticoat?"
Stephan turned away and walked to the fireplace, letting the warmth spread through his weary body. As much as he wanted to snap back at Warren, he couldn't. Warren was right, of course, and it wasn't only Stephan's life that hung in the balance. Stephan's title as the prince of Seveihar—even while he was fleeing his own country—offered at least some semblance of protection, while Warren had none. Furthermore, the circumstances in which Stephen's identity could be discovered—namely, pretending to be a woman—would mean nothing but shame and ridicule for his family, regardless of his ultimate fate. Shame and ridicule that they would not react well to.
Stephan often wondered why Warren had agreed to accompany him and share in his uncertain fate—loyalty notwithstanding. More than loyalty, really, as a bond had formed between them, tenuous but certain. But it had become clear from their first night on the road that Warren's plan had been to continue to dissuade him from this folly—a plan that had proved futile in the face of Stephan's blind determination.
It wasn't as if Stephan wasn't aware of the risks. He knew exactly how dangerous this scheme was. He'd known that when he'd first devised it, but then it had seemed like a daring idea, a shockingly outrageous adventure, even if it had been conceived of out of sheer desperation. Making his way through enemy territory, securing invitations to the High King of Esnia's annual ball under false names—all for a chance to reconnect with the man who had been his first love and best friend years ago, and seek refuge with him—it all seemed improbable.
But after surviving a third alarming "accident" at the royal palace at Sever, his home in the valley-situated capital of Seveihar, Stephan was more than ready to risk appealing to an old lover rather than tempting fate by remaining in the family nest.
Certainly, in coming to Esnia, he was placing himself in no lesser danger. Seveihar's relations with Esnia had been tenuous for decades, and then there was King Feden's personal dislike of him. If exposed, Stephan would most likely face captivity and incarceration.
At least the choice of disguise for his escape had come easily to Stephan. If he was going to be persecuted for his idiosyncrasies, he might as well embrace them fully. Stephan had always enjoyed exploring his feminine side, and despite the audacity of it, when the idea of this subterfuge entered his mind, he'd directed all his efforts to delving deeper into it. He was still not entirely certain of his ability to fool others, of not making some stupid mistake that would give him away, but it was attainable, given time. He just wasn't sure he had enough of it at his disposal.
"I have to at least try to get through to him," he told Warren. "I can do this. I promise I'll be careful. And it's not like anyone would miss me should anything happen."
Warren wisely didn't contradict him, but his expression grew pensive. He seemed to put his arguments aside, as he'd done so often before when Stephan refused to be swayed.
"I wish you'd listen to reason, Your Highness. But since you won't, and we're here, we might as well go through with it. I'll fetch you some food and hot water," Warren said. "I've requested for you not to be disturbed."
"Thanks, War," Stephan offered him a smile. The man insisted on addressing him by his title, but in truth he was more a friend than a servant; he'd become the only one whom Stephan could trust when so much was at stake.
Warren left to get their dinner, and Stephan shed his robe before stretching on the bed, luxuriating in the crispness of clean starched sheets against his skin. After a three-week boat journey at the wane of autumn, he was grateful for all the little comforts he'd always taken for granted. The linen smelled vaguely of lavender. Stephan liked lavender. His household staff had scented his pillows with the dried flowers, and he remembered the smell clinging to Arlen's hair as they rolled about in bed, laughing.
He closed his eyes, breathing in deeply. The memory of that long-ago summer had lingered on the edge of awareness. Now, he could see in his mind's eye the bright-colored light that had spilled from the stained-glass windows of the throne room, lending an almost festive appearance to the first and only Esnian delegation to Seveihar. How handsome Prince Arlen had been, wearing a silver circlet in his hair and Esnian royal blue. How happy they'd been later, finding joy in each other's company. He wished he could stay in that memory a little bit longer, but it dissolved in the warmth, transforming into deep, exhausted sleep.
A voracious reader from the age of five, Isabelle Adler has always dreamed of one day putting her own stories into writing. She loves traveling, art, and science, and finds inspiration in all of these. Her favorite genres include sci-fi, fantasy, and historical adventure. She also firmly believes in the unlimited powers of imagination and caffeine.
Website | Twitter | eMail
5/15 – Hoards Jumble
5/15 – Dean Frech
5/16 – Bonkers about books
5/16 – MM Good Book Reviews
5/17 – Molly Lolly; Reader, Reviewer, Lover of Words
5/17 – The Novel Approach
5/18 – Love Bytes Reviews
5/19 – Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words
5/19 – Bayou Book Junkie
This entry was posted in Book Giveaways, Book Reviews, Book Tours and Contests, Books, eBooks, Fantasy, LGBTQ Book Reviews, M/M Book Reviews, M/M Fiction, M/M Romance, Uncategorized and tagged @GoIndiMarketing, @Isabelle_Adler, @ninestarpress, androgyny, author Isabelle Adler, cross-dressing, disguise, fantasy, friends to lovers, NineStar Press, princes, royalty, The Castaway Prince by Isabelle Adler.
Release Day Blitz: Nate and the New Yorker by Kevin Klehr (excerpt and giveaway)
Title: Nate and the New Yorker
Genre: Contemporary, cisgender, contemporary, cross-dressing, depression, gay, grief, long distance relationship, non-explicit, paranormal, reunited, romance, vacation
Cameron has it all. He's rich, lives in Manhattan, and even has a cross-dressing butler. But then he meets Nate, an Australian who's bitter about love. Cameron is determined to turn this realist into a dreamer by sharing his world of classy restaurants, Broadway shows, and fabulous parties. And while Nate's friends see the makings of a fantasy romance, it's Nate who has to learn that in order to open his heart, he has to face a painful secret.
This entry was posted in Book Reviews, Books, Contemporary fiction, eBooks, LGBTQ Book Reviews, M/M Book Reviews, M/M Contemporary Fiction, M/M Fiction, M/M Romance, Uncategorized and tagged @GoIndiMarketing, @kevinklehr, @ninestarpress, author Kevin Klehr, cisgender, contemporary, cross-dressing, depression, gay, grief, long distance relationship, Nate and the New Yorker ( Nate and Cameron #1) by Kevin Klehr, NineStar Press, non-explicit, Paranormal, reunited, Romance, vacation.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Bayesian Model Averaging to create probabilistic forecasts from ensemble forecasts and weather observations.
Author: Chris Fraley, Adrian E. Raftery, J. McLean Sloughter, Tilmann Gneiting, University of Washington.
Please use the canonical form https://CRAN.R-project.org/package=ensembleBMA to link to this page.


text:
Posted inCommunity Opinion, Countywide
Community Editorial: Developing Trabuco Breaks Public Trust
by Voice of OC Nov 14, 2012 Updated Dec 8, 2020 Why you can trust Voice of OC
For an opposing view, click here.
The date of Oct. 2, 2012, will go down in Orange County history as a kind of "Black Tuesday" — the day Orange County supervisors turned their backs on their constituents (and the environment) and approved massive changes to longstanding canyon planning rules to accommodate a tract housing development proposed by a single developer, Rutter Santiago.
The 65-unit project, Saddle Crest, is situated on vast, undulating open space along scenic Santiago Canyon Road in the rural canyons.
Saddle Crest doesn't come anywhere near to complying with the rules that protect Trabuco Canyon's natural resources, scenic beauty and rural charm. Those rules, embodied in the Foothill-Trabuco Specific Plan (FTSP), were adopted by an astute board of supervisors in 1991 after careful negotiations in numerous community meetings and a cost of $1.23 million.
That board saw value in protecting the rural canyons as a resource for all of Orange County.
Until Black Tuesday, the rules worked as planned to keep the area special — a break from the developed monotony that has become the majority of Orange County.
Until Black Tuesday, the rules protected the area's natural beauty and heritage while allowing for appropriate development.
Until Black Tuesday, the rules lived up to their goal of preserving the buffer between development and the Cleveland National Forest.
But today's supervisors see the 21-year-old FTSP as "outdated" and "dysfunctional" despite its obvious successes. These are convenient terms to throw at the FTSP when it stands in the way of profit for a single developer determined to get its way.
Saddle Crest doesn't come close to meeting the FTSP's requirements — not on grading limits or oak tree protections or density limits or open space dedication. And it doesn't meet the Orange County General Plan's requirements for traffic safety on rural Santiago Canyon Road or in making sure that development stays rural.
To make all of those failings magically disappear, county planners and lawyers went to astonishing lengths to rewrite the FTSP and General Plan rules to fit the developer's project rather than require the developer to propose a project that fits the rules.
Repeatedly using bizarre euphemisms like "better biology" to defend the project's impacts (Rutter will destroy 151 mature oak trees and replace them with acorns), the developer succeeded in putting the supervisors under its spell.
"Better biology, better biology." If you repeat it enough times, you will start to believe it. It's no wonder the supervisors want to believe it; Rutter and its allies are major campaign contributors. That makes twisted logic and backwards planning a little easier to swallow.
In carrying out this travesty, the county has managed to degrade the planning process by turning it into a kind of source for private gain rather than an instrument of the public good that it is supposed to be.
Not only did the supervisor-appointed FTSP Review Board unanimously deny the project, more than 2,000 petitions were submitted to the supervisors urging a no vote, and testimony at the public's last-chance hearing was overwhelmingly opposed to the project. This in addition to the hundreds of comments in opposition submitted in response to the environmental impact report.
Did any of the supervisors even crack the report to read it?
The county seems to have trouble following its own rules. Just last year, the county adopted a regional Sustainable Communities Strategy to meet state-mandated reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.
But the Saddle Crest project is a poster child for what not to do. It is an island, miles from services and lacking in infrastructure, the epitome of sprawl. "At what point will you actually honor the policies you adopted in the SCS?" asked Claire Schlotterbeck of Friends of Harbor, Beaches & Parks.
Two supervisors, Bates and Nelson, seemed to struggle with the amendments and their consequences.
"What I worry about is what is not being brought forward. What other parcels may or may not be … affected by this? I don't have any idea. It hasn't been discussed at all," said Nelson.
"We don't know if it's growth-inducing, which is a big issue," added Bates. "I'm not sure we really have a list of projects that … are the 'floodgates' in this area that will follow your project."
But both nonetheless bowed to 3rd District Supervisor Bill Campbell's prerogative, the project being in his district.
That's the way it works, folks.
And Campbell's on his way out, so he must have figured the community's outcry was of little consequence, because he indicated more undoing of the FTSP was needed. "I'm gonna leave a challenge for my successor [Todd Spitzer] on the rest … of that plan," he said. Rutter and its Saddle Crest allies have already anticipated that challenge with large campaign contributions to Todd Spitzer.
Rutter chose the path of most resistance. Rutter refused to propose a compliant plan. The developer arrogantly came in with the Saddle Crest plan set in stone and demanded a complete rewrite of the rules, affecting not only the project area, but the entire 6,500-acre FTSP area and all unincorporated areas in Orange County. (The General Plan amendments allow the supervisors to "balance" goals and objectives when deciding whether a project meets the General Plan or any specific plan.)
The supervisors should have rejected all of this on October 2.
Instead, they turned their backs on their constituents, leaving them no recourse but long and expensive litigation.
The county has little to lose.
The county counsel says the permit requires that Rutter pay all litigation costs. But the citizens? Well, thank goodness in this democratic society we still have checks and balances for this failure of leadership and abuse of executive power, putting private interests above the public's.
Unfortunately, citizens and nonprofit groups have to raise and then spend their own hard-earned money and time on litigation.
It should never have come to this.
Gloria Sefton, co-founder of the Saddleback Canyons Conservancy, is also a member of the Voice of OC Community Editorial Board.
Tagged: Community Opinions on the Economy


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Pridvorci su naseljeno mjesto u općini Nevesinje, Republika Srpska, BiH.

Stanovništvo

Popisi 1961. – 1991.

Popis 2013.

Izvori

Naselja u Republici Srpskoj
Nevesinje

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


A 4 page ws that can be used as a READING or a TEST for upper-intermediate to advanced ss. The topic is "life on a dairy farm in winter". It´s followed by comprehension questions and a match the vocabulary with its definition exercise + KEY. Hope you´ll like it.
Here comes the fourth out of six. Let´s hope you will like this one too.
12. Pets and their babies.
Once more consists in mainly reading, matching and some basic writing based on a subject they like.
Goldilocks and the 3 bears. Listening + Past Simple + KEY and script.
CHRISTMAS is coming. School Vocabulary and Present Continuous revision.
This is a funny activity for your last hours before Christmas. A revision of the class and school vocabulary as well as an easy exercise of the present continuous. Hope you´ll find it useful !! Hugs !! Monique.


Did you know that the small island of Guernsey is the only starting point you can visit all places in the Channel Islands? Herm and Sark are just a short boat ride from St Peter Port and offer a truly unique experience while the larger island of Jersey is less than 15 minutes by plane. Our special offer means you can make the most of exploring the nearby islands, plus enjoy a host of extras to make the experience even more enjoyable.
With this offer, not only will you be able to spend two luxurious nights at The Old Government House Hotel, but we've also partnered with one of Sark's finest luxury hotels, Stocks Hotel, for an additional two nights.The hotel is situated on one of the most stunning sites in the Channel Islands.


the big list of Canada non profit marketing agencies. If there is any non profit marketing agency in Canada we have missed please add it. VOTE for your favorites, EMBED on your site and SHARE with your friends.
Check out DIGIMARCON CANADA for the most comprehensive Non-Profit Marketing Agencies Guide online!


Want a more efficient way to charge your phone and airpods?
It efficiently tucks away messy cables while charging your phone and airpods in one place.
Choose from 4 stylish colors!
The sleek design will look good on your nightstand or office table.
Simply use the slots on the stand to keep manage your cables.
Position your gadgets in the right slots and conveniently charge them at the same time.
Use the slots on the stand to keep your cables organized.


text:
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Learning Skills Off Site from Platt's Campus
One of the things that makes Platt College San Diego such a great place to study design is the wealth of resources that are available to students off campus. In this post we will cover the many ways you can learn skills off of the Platt campus, all around San Diego. We hope you'll be as excited about your options in and around San Diego and the Platt College campus as we are.
Design, art, and film seminars, conferences, and events in San Diego
There are numerous design, art, and film seminars happening in and around San Diego. Many are annual events, and others are unique, one-time events. Here is a small sampling of what's happening in this interest area:
Print: The New Media Mix
Thu, Aug 18, 2016, 12:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Grand Pacific Palisades Resort, Ocean View Terrace Room
5805 Armada Drive
The Print: The New Media Mix presentation and discussion focuses on questions of where print fits into the current mediascape given the rise of digital and sometimes disruptive technologies. It will also explore how print adds value to brands in unique ways, and how designers and marketers can help hang on to the print portion of communications.
Expose UX
Thu, Aug 25, 2016, 5:30 pm – 9:00 pm
2880 Torrey Pines Scenic Drive
Expose UX is a web show billed as the Shark Tank for UX design. On the show UX startups get feedback from UX experts while they compete for prizes, so it's a great source of information about cutting edge UX design. The show is coming to San Diego this month and will tape before a studio audience at the Sanford Consortium as five local startups compete.
Y Design Conference
The annual AIGA San Diego Y Design Conference is two days of sharing their design secrets and and latest work. At Y Design you'll see imminent big name designers and bestselling authors delivering speeches; you'll also have the opportunity to break into small groups to bone up on basics as well as cutting edge techniques in think shops and workshops.
San Diego, California, US
Oct 31–Nov 4
The annual four day long Adobe Max creativity conference is the perfect place to update your technical skills and meet lots of people in the industry. In fact, with around 7,000 participants getting in on the event, keynote stage presentations, surprise celebrity appearances, and tech labs, you're likely to have some really cool experiences at this one.
Getting into the community
Looking to get into local happenings in design and creativity? Check out these opportunities for local interactions and meetups:
CreativeMornings, San Diego
CreativeMornings is a series of free breakfast lectures that happens once a month. Each lecture is designed for creatives including designers, developers, entrepreneurs, artists, makers, and crafters. These are quick, concentrated bursts of inspiration and creativity—with coffee. The goal is to help creatives meet and come together to create more amazing work.
Meetup.com is a great resource for anyone hoping to collaborate with other who share similar interests. The San Diego arts and culture section of the site features lots of great options including "Art is Entrepreneurship," a group for "artrepreneurs," and "San Diego Film and Video Production Meetup." Searching for "design" related meetups you'll find a host of excellent communities, including "SDXD – San Diego Experience Design Professionals Network," "San Diego Web Designers," "UX Speakeasy," "The San Diego Graphic Designers Guild," and "FAB LAB San Diego."
Great film festivals are hotbeds for creative minds, not to mention a fantastic way to stay inspired and entertained. Get yourself thinking at a local film festival. Here are just a few options:
48 hour film festival
An annual event, the 48 hour film festival is a weekend of filmmaking havoc all over the city. For 48 hours, teams of independent filmmakers run the city, attempting to write, shoot, and edit short films. The end goal for each team is to finish a great film and screen it after the 48 hours is up at the festival's premiere screenings. Crazy? Definitely! But also really fun and a great way to build skills.
San Diego Design Film Festival
The San Diego DESIGN Film Festival exists purely to showcase contemporary films that feature urban planning, advertising, landscape, architecture, interiors, art, and fashion. The festival also screens related films all year long. There are currently two films set for screening in October 2016:
Design Distruperters
Thursday October 6, 2016
Thompson Building Materials Design Showroom
6618 Federal Blvd, San Diego, CA
6:00 pm – free reception
7:00 pm – screening starts
Desert Maverick
Hold It Contemporary Home
1570 Camino De La Reina, San Diego, CA 92108
San Diego Italian Film Festival
The mission of the San Diego Italian Film Festival is to use Italian cinema to enrich the community with Italian culture. It takes place in October of each year and features the best Italian films as well as expert commentary and critical theory.
For students at Platt College San Diego, learning new skills and making connections off campus is easy and exciting. There many annual and unique design, art, and film seminars happening in and around San Diego make sharpening your skills a no-brainer. Local meetups and community events ensure that it's easy to find other creatives to collaborate with. Finally, film festival offerings are ideal for students who are interested in film and video production, as well as anyone who loves design and the arts. To enhance your education and enrich your personal life, make it your mission to get more involved in the San Diego creative community while you're enrolled at Platt.
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The other day I spoke of two influential TED talks. Here is just one more to add to the list. I wanted to write about it separately because it has a slightly different message, because I wanted to add in Elizabeth Gilbert's comments, and because this is the story of a teenage girl who has already lived an extraordinary life.
Do you remember Malala Yousafzai? In 2009, Malala was writing under a pseudonym for the BBC as she described her life in the Swat Valley of Pakistan under Taliban rule. At the time she was 11 or 12 years old. She was later in a New York Times documentary and her advocacy for girls education continued to garner attention. In 2012, she was shot in the head by a Taliban member on her way home from school. The international outcry thrust her immediately into the spotlight. She was nominated and awarded several prizes for her bravery and advocacy. She wrote a book, spoke at the United Nations, met with presidents and heads of states and has been nominated twice for the Nobel Peace Prize. This year, she will be just 17 years old.
Last night at the TED conference, I wept while listening to Ziauddin Yousafzai speak about his daughter, Malala.
You have have heard of Malala Yousafzai. She is the brave young Pakistani girl who was shot in the head by a Taliban gunman for speaking up on behalf of education for girls.
He spoke about how, in rural Pakistan, when a girl is born, it is never cause for celebration, but rather shame. As she grows up, she is taught only one virtue: Obedience.
This girl is extraordinary; this father is extraordinary.
I was so honored and emotional to be there last night to hear this, and wanted to share it with you all.
Teach your girls to unlearn their obedience.
And let a star shine in the crown of this father, and all parents, who guide their daughters to grow strong.
Unlearn Obedience. My goodness! How many times do we blindly follow the herd without even thinking? Certainly, rules have their place and keep our society safe and sound. I have always been a rule follower in order to be the "good girl." However, after reading Anatomy of the Spirit by Carolyn Myss and after seeing this particular story, I can't help but think that many times, in order to experience soul growth, it is necessary to break away from our "tribe" and the strong hold it has on our being. Consciously being aware of our cultural background and upbringing is important, but being able to stand up for our own true Selves is more empowering spiritually. I am not saying that you should blatantly disobey all rules or disrespect your family. What I am saying is that when you consciously know, deep in your heart, who you are and what is important to you and what you stand for, then you are not afraid to stand up for your Self, despite what may be going on around you.
Are there any rules or cultural norms that you believe are holding you back? Can you acknowledge them and still be true to your Self? It's not easy. Many times, it may take all of your inner strength to stand up for yourself. Maybe not Malala-get-shot-in-the-head-international-spotlight courage, but courage none-the-less.


text:
Category: Software∨g=
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create a custom adapted wedge for sleeping for a young adult with quadriplegic cerebral palsy. Initially an abduction wedge was used to assist in keeping the young adult's hips in correct position after repeated surgeries. However, while the wedge is no longer needed for orthopedic reasons this individual does not feel comfortable sleeping without it but has since outgrown the original wedge. The new design had to account for variations in body measurements as well as be as moisture-resistant as possible. A new wedge set was constructed out of EN38 foam. The foam was in a 100 millimeter thick sheet; therefore the design was based on cutting the foam into various sections to shape the "wedge," and the pieces were glued together with contact adhesive. The design matched the user's exact requirements, but there were concerns that the edges and seams would be at the most risk of moisture penetration at the end caps; therefore, a layer of moisture-resistant glue was used to close the top surface of the wedge and then sealed with a silicone sealant. There had also been a problem with the previous wedge sliding down the bed, as this individual sleeps in a semi-reclining position and his weight pushes on it. To solve this, a wooden support which braces against the bottom of the bed and holds the wedge in position was made. After the new wedge was put into use, the individual's caregivers felt that it would be useful for it to have a handle so the wedge would be easier to move, particularly when only one caregiver was attending to the individual. Two holes were bored through the wedge and a cord was run through one side, underneath the wedge and back up the other side, and a soft webbing handle was attached to each piece of cord at the top. Although it was difficult to get a good anchor point in the foam, this approach gave the handle sufficient strength so it would remain in position with use. An additional tie strap across the top and a tie running horizontally through the wedge was added. Both of these support the end-caps against pressure when the wedge is moved. TITLE: Sleeping wedge. JOURNAL: TAD Journal. REF: Volume 31, Number 2, Autumn 2011: p. 13. PAGES: 2 with cover.
Technical Aid To The Disabled (TAD)
Bed Aids
Body Positioner
Therapeutic Aids
General Body Positioners
Positioning Wedge
Custom Adaptation
Disability Terms
Lower Extremity Disabilities
Technical Aid To The Disabled (TAD) Organization Type:
TAD is a charity organisation that has the authority to fundraise. TAD uses volunteers dedicated to the design, construction and provision of aids for people with disabilities. Members of TAD provide a resource pool comprising a range of design, engineering, rehabilitation, computer, therapy and other professional and technical skills. Aids custom-designed by TAD volunteers are described in the TAD Journal.
Email address: tad@tadnsw.org.au
http://www.tadnsw.org.au


Come the Winter of the North Country, the heart and soul turn to home heating. There are pellets and fire-wood to be delivered and stacked and some to cut and split. And un-known to many, there are proper methods and ways to stack them, safely and securely and conveniently too.
Then there are the places in which to burn what-ever it is you choose to give warmth… stoves, pits, fire-places, the likes and un-likes. The choices are many but here, in particular I've built the back-yard "fire-pit" using the steel wheel from a tractor and some old bricks found lying in the yard during a clean-up.
Wood-stoves, nice as the are, need routine cleaning. It's a bit of a messy chore, but the result is a much warmer house as well as cleaner burning.
On the "Portfolio" page, tonnes of pellets stacked neatly in the wood-shed, cords of wood properly stacked in the yard and in the garage. The little fire-pit in the yard and the wood-stove in the kitchen.


By the time I got back home I Uploaded 8 digital imageries plus each are in largest version. From multifarious photograph in Sauder harvest mill computer armoire photographs, you can have Large Antique Armoire with decoration. Nonetheless, if you don't appropriate with ideas, you would probably still take a look dream. Even so I suggest you might use as an design decor, although as well as has astounding design inspiring creativity. Don't disremember for share this Sauder harvest mill computer armoire sauder harvest mill computer armoire abbey oak finish desks bedroom sets with armoires to comrade or your close friend. So they are could get together with to make they Large Antique Armoire. I am elated might share plus along with to you all. Perhaps you can find which all this time are you search.
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Scientific inventions in 2022
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Shinshu University is one of the best universities in Japan. It is ranked 17th in...
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Adaptive Planning Adaptive planning is a plan that is designed to adapt to the environment...
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In full scan gcms, virtually all fragments ions are generated with each scan of the...
How to control saline water intrusion in coastal aquifer
The methods of controlling intrusion vary widely depending on the source of the saline water,...
Climate change adaptation Adaptation Adaptation is adapting to changing conditions. The strategy adopted to overcome...
Project proposal of 1.5 Million Euro on Water food and health now open
The large-scale call for the proposal for water education, food, and sanitation to do research...


Bride Builder is a funny game online in which you play for fun and gain more experiences! If you are confident in your building abilities, you must join this construction game now. Your mission is to create a strong and steady bridge so that the truck can pass by and bring the cargo to the next town. You must use your skills, calculate the distance and spend your money wisely on purchasing elements to buy the bridge. Are you ready? Join the game right now!


This compact reference describes the clinically relevant aspects of the biological processes underlying craniofacial growth and development. Relates basic science to treatment planning, selection, and results; tooth movement; the effects of nonbiological prosthetic implants during growth; and more. Also provides detailed illustrations that clarify key concepts and developmental processes.


Karl Lagerfeld has put Nicolas Baurain in charge of accessories design. The German designer's eponymous ready-to-wear label decided to hire an experienced creative to lead one of its key product categories, which was formerly managed by an external designer. "We are delighted to have Nicolas on board. Accessories are very important for our label. Our progression in this segment is such that we needed someone to join us internally. This appointment will enable us to keep on expanding," the label told FashionNetwork.com.
Baurain has worked in the leather goods sector for nearly 20 years. After stints at several fashion labels, in 2017 he launched his own leather goods brand, Baurain, which is manufactured in Italy and will be put on hold following the designer's appointment at Karl Lagerfeld, where he will oversee bags and small leather goods.
After studying at the Duperré Graduate School of Applied Arts in Paris, Baurain started his career in 2001 at Carven, as assistant creative director. He then moved to Guy Laroche, working on accessories, and later went to London to join Alexander McQueen for two years, and Jimmy Choo for another two.
In 2012, he relocated to New York, joining the design studio of J. Mendel, where he was in charge of accessories and launched the brand's first handbag line. Baurain then collaborated with other labels, from Diane Von Furstenberg to Tory Burch, Ralph Lauren and Liebeskind, before founding his own.
Karl Lagerfeld is growing at a steady pace and is hiring extensively at the moment. It has also opened a number of new monobrand stores - having topped the 100-store mark in five years - and signed several new licence deals. Accessories, of all kinds including leather goods, shoes, eyewear amongst others, make up 59 percent of the label's sales, while ready-to-wear is 41 percent.


Colours a bit oversaturated and background too complicated.
btw, shoots were done using K800i.
did you over expose on purpose?
I didn't really get the PVC figures though the prices were great, most are at 50% off the retail.
Anyway, you got a nice partition in your office which serves as a good background.
IMHO, try putting the figure before it and give it a shot, unless you'd like to have the stationery in the background.
also dun oversaturate it. i think its original subtle colors are very cute!