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#MMBBR #Interview with @johnpavlovitz and #Review of #hopeandothersuperpowers via #partner @SmithPublicity & @simonschuster who provided a #free #reviewcopy
Overwhelmed by the news cycle and the state of affairs in our world? Pastor, blogger, and powerful voice in the Resistance, John Pavlovitz has the answer: this rousing and inspirational guide, drawing from lessons of our favorite superheroes, for how we can band together, live more heroically (and meaningfully), and save the world.
It's exhausting to give a damn these days, isn't it? Perhaps you're feeling anguished about what you see on the news or in your social media timeline, or by your personal circumstances, and are paralyzed waiting for political or religious leaders, or celebrities, to rescue us from it all.
But what if you didn't have to wait for someone else?
What if you could be the hero?
This book—a spirited call to action—shows you how.
In these pages, John offers a path away from the vitriol and toward compassion, and a plan to transform our burdens into dreams and our outrage into activism. Drawing from lessons of beloved fictional superheroes, John shows us how to identify our origin story, build protective suits of armor, guard against our personal kryptonite, and vanquish our villains. He also identifies ten specific "superpowers" that we can enlist to make our lives and our world better. Along the way, he shares inspiring anecdotes and profiles about ordinary people who saw a gap in the world in empathy or kindness or gratitude and decided to fill it.
Hope and Other Superpowers is an invitation to anyone hoping to be the kind of person the world so desperately needs—the kind who can save it. In other words: it's an invitation to you.
In the past two years, Pavlovitz's blog, Stuff That Needs To Be Said, has reached millions of people across the world with his outspoken distaste for a number of President Trump's policies and confrontation of the larger national vitriol about immigrants, guns, and many other hot button issues.
His popularity is not surprising, given that his core message is one that so many of us are yearning to hear (myself included): that hope is still possible, and that kindness, inclusion, and compassion are the way forward.
A former megachurch pastor, Pavlovitz now preaches a much less-traditional Christian message dedicated to radical hospitality, mutual respect, and diversity of doctrine that has earned him the nicknames "The Pastor of the Resistance" and "The Atheists' Favorite Pastor." He wants to help those of us who feel hopeless recognize ways in which we can change things for the better.
"Hope isn't found in a celebrity, religious leader, or politician," says Pavlovitz. "It's found in the mirror."
OUR INTERVIEW WITH JOHN PAVLOVITZ
by Sara Bell and Emily Lewis who jointly interviewed John and wrote with article.
There are many things that I love about being a book blogger, but nothing beats being able to actually talk to a writer that you both admire and aspire to be more like. That kind of opportunity recently presented itself when I was lucky enough to conduct a phone interview with pastor, writer, and activist John Pavlovitz. Yes, you read that right - the one and only! John's blog Stuff That Needs To Be Said has an average monthly readership of over a million people and, if are not familiar with his work, it is definitely something worth checking out. His most recent book, Hope and Other Superpowers: A Life-Affirming, Love-Defending, Butt-Kicking, World-Saving Manifesto was just released in November of 2018.
I have ready many of John's blog posts because my sister Sara shares them frequently as he always seems to be able to capture what we are feeling, whether it is his reflections on what life is like after losing a parent or his insights on any number of other topics related to the state of affairs in the world. Through all of his writings, John's consistent message is focused on the importance of being a compassionate, ethical, and decent person; he is not afraid to call it like he sees it when people are demonstrating anything but kindness, empathy, and integrity. Knowing that my sister is a huge fan, I asked her if she wanted to interview John with me. She was obviously super excited (and a bit of a fangirl about it). The three of us ended up having an awesome chat about his new book and a few other topics that are near and dear to our hearts.
Hope and Other Superpowers is touted as a "spirited call to action" that will inspire people to transform their burdens into dreams and their outrage into activism. In short, the take-home message from the book is that we can all be a force for good if we choose to. John shares stories of several "real-life superheroes" and how they have come through times of adversity to be more than they ever thought possible. The experiences that these individuals have endured are both heartbreaking and inspiring; they have all learned important life lessons on how to take negative events and use them as the catalyst to find new purpose and impact the world in an incredibly positive way. John also adds in anecdotes and personal stories to highlight his own reflections in an emotional, engaging, and often humorous way that makes this book one of both laughter and tears.
Thinking about everything we read in Hope and Other Superpowers and on John's blog, the first question Sara and I asked him was about finding balance. As John expresses in his book, giving a damn is exhausting and it can certainly become very overwhelming at times. So, we wanted to hear his advice on how people can find the sweet spot between caring deeply and passionately about world events but not getting so pulled into all of the negativity around us that it eats us up. John shared some thoughts on how to best manage this, based on approaches that work for him.
John suggests that it may be beneficial to break things down into an almost hourly process of taking information in and then purposely stepping away. It is valuable to be engaged in the world around you so you are well informed and able to advocate when needed but it is also important to be intentional about withdrawing at regular intervals to renew yourself by simply enjoying some silence, spending time in nature, or connecting with friends and family. Although we may want to keep on top of all of the day's events and dedicate ourselves to defending the principles we hold dear, we still have to live our lives and we won't be good to anyone if we are totally drained.
If you are actively engaged in advocacy or community improvement work, another possibility is to shift energy between different aspects of the causes you care about. For a period of time, perhaps you can focus on legislation or policy reform and then switch to more directly supporting the people who are impacted. Varying your activities can assure you continue to feel like you're making a difference without getting burned out on one thing.
John's final thought was to keep coming back to the question "what is my why?". It can feel insurmountable when you think about all of the opportunities there are to get involved, share your voice, and make an impact. Try to start with one issue you are super passionate about and just focus on that. You don't need to have it all figured out and you don't need to tackle everything. Just start somewhere.
Another topic Sara and I wanted to talk with John about was the loss of his father. John has shared very openly through his blog and in his book how losing his dad has impacted his life. My siblings and I also lost our father suddenly 5 years ago so the immense vulnerability and raw emotion that John has expressed is something that really hit home with us. Sara has shared with me that she has read several of John's posts multiple times, as his writing brings her comfort by capturing the feelings of grief and the aftermath of the loss in a very heartfelt way. We wanted to know how this experience has changed John for the better and allowed him to grow, as we continue to navigate a similar path day by day.
John said, as he began to write only a few days after his Dad passed away, he realized that what he was going through was not a novel thing. People are enduring all kinds of losses and hardships every day. However, only he was experiencing that exact loss in his own way. No matter what is happening, we all have unique insights and as he started sharing and putting his words and feelings out into the world, others also began to share. His learning was that we can ultimately find commonality when we embrace being our authentic self. Sara and I can attest that this is true, as we feel a strong sense of gratitude and kinship with John for so often expressing (much more eloquently than we can) what we and many others are feeling.
When asked what prompted John to write Hope and Other Superpowers, he said that he really just wanted to write something simple and somewhat elemental about how easy it really is to be a good human. John stated, "Cruelty is trending - it is easy to see all the vitriol that is perpetuated because it grabs people's attention. However, there are also beautiful things happening in the world and I wanted to give a voice to that." Like so many of us, John believes that the world is full of good hearted people and it is easy to forget that when we are inundated by negativity all the time. At the most basic level, John wanted to encourage people who are exhausted by caring so much and give them hope.
In the time we were lucky enough to talk with John, he was warm, humble, down-to-earth, and insightful. Just as in his writing, John's spoken words were touching and profound. After we wrapped up, Sara said to me "Over the last few years, John's messages have consistently been just what I needed to hear at just the right time. He is able to clearly articulate so many of the exact thoughts and feelings I have in a way that I never could. He does it on his blog, he did it in this book, and now he did it again on our phone call."
Hope and Other Superpowers accomplished everything John set out to do and it's definitely a must read for anyone who is searching for beautiful, inspiring stories of perseverance, resilience, and triumph over negativity. This interview was a really incredible experience for both Sara and me. I'm confident John's writing will continue to be a source of hope for us and millions of others, especially now when it is needed the most.
#MMBBR #Highlight #FirstLine #IntoTheNight by @sarahbaileyauthor via #partner @HachetteUS #GrandCentralPublishing who provided a #free #reviewcopy
Into the Night(Gemma Woodstock #2)
#FirstLine ~ Freezing air slices my lungs every time I breathe.
After the shocking murder of a high-profile celebrity, Gemma Woodstock must pull back the layers of a gilded cage to discover who among the victim's friends and family can be trusted--and who may be the killer.
Troubled and brilliant, Detective Sergeant Gemma Woodstock finds herself lost and alone after a recent move to Melbourne, brokenhearted by the decisions she's had to make. Her new workplace is a minefield and Detective Sergeant Nick Fleet, the partner she has been assigned, is uncommunicative and often hostile. When a homeless man is murdered and Gemma is put on the case, she can't help feeling a connection with the victim and his lonely, isolated existence.
Then Sterling Wade, an up-and-coming actor filming his breakout performance in a closed-off city street, is murdered in the middle of an action-packed shot, and Gemma and Nick have to put aside their differences to unravel the mysteries surrounding the actor's life and death. Who could commit such a brazen crime? Who stands to profit from it? Far too many people, and none of them can be trusted. Gemma can't imagine a pair of victims with less in common--and yet as Gemma and Fleet soon learn, both men were keeping secrets that may have led to their deaths.
With riveting suspense, razor-sharp writing, and a fascinating cast of characters, INTO THE NIGHT proves Sarah Bailey is a major new talent to watch in the world of literary crime fiction.
Sarah lives in Melbourne, Australia. She has two young sons and one very old cat.
Before she wrote The Dark Lake, Sarah worked in advertising as a business manager. These days she splits her time between writing and working at Creative Projects Company, Mr Smith. Sarah is working on her third book which will be published in 2019.
This is how she looks when she writes.
#MMBBR #Highlight #FirstLine #TheAffliction by @BethGutcheon via #partner @HarperCollins who provided a #free #reviewcopy
#FirstLine ~ To say that things were tense on the Hudson River campus of the Rye Manor School for Girls would be to understate the case fairly recklessly.
The New York Times bestselling author of More Than You Know, Leeway Cottage, and Death at Breakfast delivers the second installment in her clever romp of a mystery series combining social comedy and dark-hearted murder a novel set at a girls' boarding school in a picturesque Hudson River town with more than its share of secrets
Since retiring as head of a famous New York City private school, Maggie Detweiler is busier than ever. Chairing a team to evaluate the faltering Rye Manor School for girls, she will determine whether, in spite of its fabled past, the school has a future at all. With so much on the line for so many, tensions on campus are at an excruciating pitch, and Maggie expects to be as welcome as a case of Ebola virus.
At a reception for the faculty and trustees to "welcome" Maggie's team, no one seems more keen for all to go well than Florence Meagher, a star teacher who is loved and respected in spite of her affliction—that she can never stop talking.
Florence is one of those dedicated teachers for whom the school is her life, and yet the next morning, when Maggie arrives to observe her teaching, Florence is missing. Florence's husband, Ray, an auxiliary policeman in the village, seems more annoyed than alarmed at her disappearance. But Florence's sister is distraught. There have been tensions in the marriage, and at their last visit, Florence had warned, "If anything happens to me, don't assume it's an accident."
Two days later, Florence's body is found in the campus swimming pool.
Maggie is asked to stay on to coach the very young and inexperienced head of Rye Manor through the crisis. Maggie obviously knows schools, but she also knows something about investigating murder, having solved a mysterious death in Maine the previous year when the police went after the wrong suspect. She is soon joined by her madcap socialite friend Hope, who is jonesing for an excuse to ditch her book club anyway, before she has to actually read Silas Marner.
What on earth is going on in this idyllic town? Is this a run-of-the-mill marital murder? Or does it have something to do with the school board treasurer's real estate schemes? And what is up with the vicious cyber-bullying that's unsettled everyone, or with the disturbed teenaged boy whom Florence had made a pet of? And is it possible that someone killed Florence just so she'd finally shut up?
Beth Gutcheon grew up in western Pennsylvania. She was educated at Harvard where she took an honors BA in English literature. She has spent most of her adult life in New York City, except for sojourns in San Francisco and on the coast of Maine. In 1978, she wrote the narration for a feature-length documentary on the Kirov ballet school, The Children of Theatre Street, which was nominated for an Academy Award, and she has made her living fulltime as a storyteller (novelist and sometime screenwriter) since then. Her novels have been translated into fourteen languages, if you count the pirate Chinese edition of Still Missing, plus large print and audio format. Still Missing was made into a feature film called Without a Trace, and also published in a Reader's Digest Condensed version which particularly pleased her mother. Several of her novels have been national bestsellers, including the most recent, Leeway Cottage. All of the novels are available in new uniform paperback editions from HarperPerennial.
#MMBBR #Highlight #FirstLine #TheSongbird by @MarciaWillett via #partner #ThomasDunneBooks & @StMartinsPress who provided a #free #reviewcopy
#FirstLine ~ All through the spring, early and late, the thrush sing in the ash tree below the cottage.
When Mattie invites her old friend Tim to stay in one of her family cottages on the edge of Dartmoor, she senses there is something he is not telling her. Having left behind his old life in London in a rush, Tim is unusually quiet, as if he is holding on to a painful secret.
But as he gets to know the rest of the warm jumble of family by the moor, Tim discovers that everyone there has their own secrets. There is Charlotte, a young navy wife struggling to bring up her son while her husband is at sea; William, who guards a dark past he cannot share with the others; and Mattie, who has loved Tim in silence for years.
As Tim begins to open up, Mattie falls deeper in love. And as summer warms the wild Dartmoor landscape, new beginnings take root . . . But can fresh hopes bloom where old secrets are buried?
http://www.marciawillett.co.uk
Before begining her career as a novelist Marcia had been an avid reader and had never considered writing. When her writer husband Rodney suggested that she should she laughed and dismissed the idea out of hand. However after months of nagging she agreed, for the sake of peace and quiet, to see what she could do and has never looked back!
Since her first novel Marcia has written numerous novels under her own name as well as a number of short stories. She has also written four books under the pseudonym Willa Marsh.
Success has not been limited to her home country, she is published internationally and has been on the best seller lists in both Germany and Greece.
Marcia is a born storyteller and her books are beautifully written which makes them easy to read. Even though they will challenge the thoughtful as they deal with the eternal problems that face everyone and often call for great strength of character to overcome.
Two of Marcia's books, 'A Week In Winter' and 'The Childrens Hour' were both selected by Readers Digest for inclusion in their 'Of Love And Life' series and Marcia won the Magnum award for their most popular writer in 2002. Perhaps the title of that series says it all.
Marcia was born in Somerset but spends most of her time in Devon where she currently lives.
#MMBBR #Review #FirstLine #LoveYouSmore #Series #BookThree by @bethmerlin80 via #partner @fireflyhillpr who provided a #free #reviewcopy
Having successfully designed the wedding gown of the century, Gigi Goldstein is on top of the world - that is until it all suddenly comes crashing down around her. When the paparazzi captures her and Perry Gillman in a compromising moment the night of the royal wedding, she finds herself entangled in a scandal of global proportion. Convinced her carelessness has ruined every relationship in her life, she's surprised and moved by her boyfriend, Gideon's, sudden proposal of marriage and accepts it without a second thought. Four months later, Gigi's living at Badgley Hall contemplating an entirely new kind of life, while guilt, regret, and obligation keep calling her back to her old one. Will Gigi stay in South Gloucestershire, marry Gideon, and become the Countess of Harronsby? Or, will unfinished opportunities and an old flame bring her back across the pond to confront her past and reclaim her future?
Love You S'More by Beth Merlin
#FirstLine ~ Damn the United Kingdom and their bloody roundabouts!
A sensational book, that was both well plotted and character driven. It was sweet and fun. I adored the setting and the dialogue was quite fantastic! I cannot wait to go back and read the other books in this series!
#MMBBR #Feature #FirstLine #illwill by #MichaelStewart via #partner @Harper360 who provided a #free #reviewcopy #PubDayLove #NewRelease
#FirstLine ~ You are walking through Buther's Bog, along the path at Birch Brink.
I am William Lee: brute; liar, and graveside thief.
But you will know me by another name.
Heathcliff has left Wuthering Heights, and is travelling across the moors to Liverpool in search of his past.
Along the way, he saves Emily, the foul-mouthed daughter of a Highwayman, from a whipping, and the pair journey on together.
Roaming from graveyard to graveyard, making a living from Emily's apparent ability to commune with the dead, the pair lie, cheat and scheme their way across the North of England.
And towards the terrible misdeeds – and untold riches – that will one day send Heathcliff home to Wuthering Heights
#MMBBR #Review #FirstLine #Dumplin by @andimjulie via #partner #Baltz+Bray who provided a #free #reviewcopy
DUMPLIN' (Baltz + Bray; November 27, 2018; Paperback; ISBN:978-0062934673; 400 pages; $9.99)
Jacket Art :: Trailer :: Music Video :: Movie Poster
Dumplin' by Julie Murphy
#FirstLine ~ All the best things in my life have started with a Dolly Parton song.
I loved this book so hard. It was so so so so so good. It was one of those books you want to become a movie and in this case it did. Then after you see the movie your heart breaks just a little bit because the movie did not capture the awesomeness that was the book. It did not show all the details that made you swoon in the first place and they changed the book a bit too much. It was a good adaptation, don't get me wrong, but I wanted to see every detail played out on the screen!
This book did make me swoon, like A LOT! It is true what they say, that books are ALWAYS better than the movies (the truth is just the truth). In this case, EVERYONE needs to read this book (and watch the movie), like RIGHT now!
I love that this book really captured the ways friendships crack under the pressures of growing up, but the best ones find a way to mend. It shows how first loves follow no set of rules and are completely irrational and beautifully complicated. It highlights all the ways friendships (in various forms) bring out the best, and at times; the worst in us. That we are always just trying to find the best versions of ourselves in the skin we are in.
I feel like I am not really capturing all the ways this book is awesome, so just go read it yourself and you can then experience it too! A awesome book club pick!
Julie Murphy lives in North Texas with her husband who loves her, her dog who adores her, and her cats who tolerate her. When she's not writing or trying to catch stray cats, she can be found reading, traveling, or watching movies so bad they're good. Her debut contemporary young adult novel, Side Effects May Vary, is out from Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins and has been well-received by Kirkus, School Library Journal, VOYA, Booklist, Seventeen Magazine, and Teen Vogue. Dumplin', Julie's sophomore novel has received glowing reviews including two stars from Publishers Weekly and Booklist. Film rights have been optioned by Disney.
#MMBBR #Review #FirstLine by @Sally__Thorne via #partner @WmMorrowBooks who provided a #free #reviewcopy
99 Percent Mine by Sally Thorne
#FirstLine ~ Nobody taught me this when I first started as a bartender, but luckily, I was a quick learner: When a group of men are walking in, you should work out which one is the alpha.
I might be one of the only people on this earth who has not read THE HATING GAME. With that being said, this was my first read by Thorne. I loved this book. It well paced, with characters that I really love (like really loved). The story was original and had great depth. I was engrossed right away and was so swept up in the story I read it nearly in one sitting. I know that this book will be a perfect book club pick and one to snuggle up with during the polar vortex!
#MMBBR #Review #13ThingsMentallyStrongWomenDon'tDo by @AmyMorinLCSWvia #partner @WmMorrowBooks who provided a #free #reviewcopy
13 Things Mentally Strong Women Don't Do: Own Your Power, Channel Your Confidence, and Find Your Authentic Voice for a Life of Meaning and Joy by Amy Morin
A great book to help you navigate through life using you own gifts and powers. It also helps you to become an authentic person who has authentic relationships. I love that it is well laid out, with some great tips, in an easy to reference way. You can read this book cover to cover or reference tips along the way. I think this book is fantastic for those woman wanting to instill more confidence into daily interactions and to face challenges with some fierce and helpful techniques.
#MMBBR #Reviews #FirstLine @Harper360 ( #partner ) #Thrillers #Darling by @RachelDEdwards #SchoolgirlMissing by @suefortin1 #TheLastLie by @Alexlakeauthor
Darling by Rachel Edwards
A teenage girl clashes with her new stepmother in this debut thriller with an unforgettable twist
I knew she was trouble from the moment I saw her. I felt it as she stood in the doorway that day: disaster. Not just because she was so different, that skin and that hair, as different from me as it's possible to be. There was something wrong about her. Wrong for us. It was never going to work.
Now she is dead and only I am left to love him. She is dead, and it's all my fault.
#FirstRead ~ PART 1: I ran.
This book was quite good There were so many themes that are both timely and meaningful; race, family bonds and relationships, and loyalty mixed into a tense and hard to put down thriller that will keep you buzzing through the pages. A great book club pick!
Schoolgirl Missing by Sue Fortin
Discover the dark side of family life
When fourteen-year-old Poppy vanishes on a family boating trip, suspicion soon turns close to home—to the two people who should do everything to keep her safe: her parents, Kit and Neve.
Neve has a secret. Kit is lying.
Everyone is watching. Who do you believe?
#FirstLine ~ Neve looked up from the toast she was buttering as her daughter came into the kitchen.
This book was such a thrilling and tense read. It was filled with lies, twists and turns. It was a captivating read that kept my interest throughout. I think book clubs would enjoy this title!
The Last Lie by Alex Lake
Everyone lies…but some lies are deadly.
For Claire Daniels, life is good. She has everything she's ever wanted – a career she loves, friends she can rely on, and a husband who dotes on her. All she needs is to start a family of her own and things will be even better than good. They will be perfect.
For Alfie, it couldn't be more different. His life with Claire is built on a lie. A lot of lies. And she can never find out.
Because Alfie has plans for her. Plans which must never come to light. But lies have a way of taking on a life of their own, and when his do, the consequences threaten to destroy everything.
#FirstLine ~ Part One: Claire Daniels stood on the tiled floor of the bathroom ans stared into the mirror.
This was an intense read. I love it cover to cover. Not only was it well paced, the characters were those worth reading about! I was completely entertained from cover to cover. I also enjoyed that it was a fast read. You could read this in one day because you won't want to put it down!
#MMBBR #Reviews #TheMindfulnessForKidsMandalaDrawingBook and #TheDrawingBookForKids via #partner @WooJrKids and @andemom who provided a #free #reviewcopy
Feel relaxed & mindful while drawing beautiful mandalas with this fun, creative and approachable mindfulness book for kids! Part activity book, part art journal, this book gives kids practical tools to put mindfulness into action.The Mindfulness for Kids Mandala Drawing Book includes:
Full step by step mandala drawing instructions A mandala design library Mandala templates to make coloring and drawing mandalas easy and fun Journal prompt pages to encourage readers to be mindful of their thoughts and feelings
Mandala art activities are used frequently in art therapy to promote relaxation, reduce anxiety and a encourage a meditative experience. Brought to you by best-selling adult coloring book illustrator and mom of 3, Wendy Piersall, and Woo! Jr. Kids Activities, who has been fostering creativity for kids since 2008. We promise that no artistic ability is needed to produce beautiful results!
The Mindfulness for Kids Mandala Drawing Book by Wendy Piersall
So funny story. I got this book and The Drawing Book for Kids 365 Daily Things to Draw: Step by Step for review quite a while ago and then gave them to my son for Christmas. I instantly watched him get lost in the book. I loved watching him embrace the prompts and instructions and focus in on his creative expressions and mindful moments. I got so caught up in watching him be creative that I TOTALLY forgot to review the books! I would say that is pretty perfect review right there! But as a parent, there is more to this book that makes it amazing. I loved the journal prompts and the instructions. It is such an amazing way to way to past the time; both for the children or for parents to do with their children. A must for home and school!!!
The most comprehensive how to draw book for kids! This children's drawing book gives you 365 things to draw every day for an entire year - animals, objects, food, plants, vehicles, sports, holidays and more. Every mini drawing lesson is broken down into easy to follow step by step instructions, so that all budding artists can create a masterpiece. This book is perfect for kids 9-12 +, but kids age 6-8 with a high interest in art will be able to follow our diagrams easily as well. The Drawing Book for Kids is the only book you'll need to turn your kids' creativity into artistic confidence!
The Drawing Book for Kids: 365 Daily Things to Draw, Step by Step by Woo! Jr. Kids Activities
So funny story. I got this book and The Mindfulness for Kids Mandala Drawing Book for review quite a while ago and then gave them to my son for Christmas. I instantly watched him get lost in the book. I loved watching him embrace instructions and focus in on his creative expressions while making amazing drawings. I got so caught up in watching him be creative that I TOTALLY forgot to review the books! I would say that is pretty perfect review right there! But as a parent, there is more to this book that makes it amazing. I loved the how easy the instructions were and how successful and talented he felt right away. It is such an amazing way to past the time; both for the children or for parents to do with their children. A must for home and school!!!
#MMBBR #Review #FirstLine #SnowfallOnLighthouseLane #HoneymoonHarborSeries by @JoAnnRoss via #partner @HQNBooks who provided a #free #reviewcopy
SNOWFALL ON LIGHTHOUSE LANE (HQN Books; on-sale October 30th, 2018) is the latest novel in New York Times and USA Today bestselling author JoAnn Ross's wildly popular Honeymoon Harbor series. Perfect for cozy reading this holiday season, SNOWFALL ON LIGHTHOUSE LANE is a sexy, swoon-worthy story about taking a second chance on love.
Former LAPD officer Aiden Mannion is back in his hometown of Honeymoon Harbor after losing his partner in the line of duty. His old flame, Jolene Wells, is also back in town and still remembers when he broke her heart years ago. But amidst the romance of the holiday season, old feelings are stirred up, sparks reignite, and Aiden and Jolene find it harder and harder to deny the chemistry between them. Together, can they find the courage to give love another shot?
JoAnn Ross is the New York Times bestseller author of over 100 books. A member of the Romance Writers of America's Honor Roll of best-selling authors, she's won several awards, including RT Reviews' Career Achievement Awards in both category romance and contemporary single title.
Snowfall on Lighthouse Lane by JoAnn Ross
#FirstLine ~ Life, as Aiden Mannion knew firsthand, could be dangerous.
I know this book is set around the holidays, but is really good for anytime. I just finished it and adored it! I loved the story line, it was beautiful, heartbreaking and one I will not forget anything soon. It was beautifully fleshed out, in a setting that will make you swoon with characters you want to read about...sounds amazing right?!?! It really is completely charming and delightful. I could really see it being turned into the Hallmark movie, which I would LOVE!!! A must read for a feel good, warming story that will remaining in your heart well after the last page!
#MMBBR #Reviews #HowNatureWorks #OneIguanaTwoIguanas via #partner @The_BookishType who provided #free #reviewcopies
How Nature Works: Don't Mess With Me: The Strange Lives of Venomous Sea Creatures by Paul Erickson and photographs by Andrew Martinez (ISBN 978-0884485513; Grades 3-7; 48 pages; Hardcover $17.95) teaches young readers the role of venoms in nature … and in human medicine.
Why are toxins so advantageous to their possessors as to evolve over and over again? What is it about watery environments that favors so many venomous creatures? Marine biologist Paul Erickson explores these and other questions with astounding images from Andrew Martinez and other top underwater photographers.
GREAT for teaching STEM Marine Biology.
Scorpions and brown recluse spiders are fine as far as they go, but if you want daily contact with venomous creatures, the ocean is the place to be. Blue-ringed octopi, stony corals, sea jellies, stonefish, lionfish, poison-fanged blennies, stingrays, cone snails, blind remipedes, fire urchins―you can choose your poison in the ocean. Venoms are often but not always defensive weapons. The banded sea krait, an aquatic snake, wriggles into undersea caves to prey on vicious moray eels, killing them with one of the world's most deadly neurotoxins, which it injects through fangs that resemble hypodermic needles. The Komodo dragon, an ocean-going reptile, tears into a water buffalo with its blade-like teeth, then secretes a deadly toxin into the open wounds.
Don't Mess With Me: The Strange Lives of Venomous Sea Creatures by Paul Erickson
Oh my goodness, this book was really cool. My son loves the creatures of the ocean, so this book was right up his alley. It was really something to learn about these venomous creatures. The facts in this are really very strange, which makes it all the more intriguing. With amazing photographs and facts this book is sure to be a hit for kids and adults alike! A must for home and school library.
One Iguana, Two Iguanas: A Story of Accident, Natural Selection, and Evolution by Sneed B. Collard III (ISBN: 978-0884486497; Grades 3-7; 48 pages; Hardcover $17.95) is a much-needed contribution to the children's literature about evolution.
Natural selection and speciation are all but ignored in children's nonfiction. To help address this glaring deficiency, award-winning children's science writer Sneed Collard traveled to the Galapagos Islands to see for himself, where Charles Darwin saw, how new species form. The result is this fascinating story of two species of iguana, one land-based and one marine, both of which developed from a single ancestor that reached the islands millions of years ago. The animals evolved in different directions while living within sight of one another. How is that possible?
One Iguana, Two Iguanas: A Story of Accident, Natural Selection, and Evolution by Sneed B. Collard
This book was fantastic! My kids and I were fascinated with all the facts within this amazing photographed and detailed book. I could not get over how much interesting information there is about iguanas. I actually was really blown away by it. I think that this book will be of interest to those that love nature, history and beautifully put together book that keep you fully engaged!
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Companies in the same industry as Knox County, ranked by salary.
This data is based on 25 survey responses. Learn more about the gender pay gap.
Pay ranges for employees at Knox County by degree.
How much does Knox County pay?
Knox County pays its employees an average of $43,785 a year. Salaries at Knox County range from an average of $26,871 to $77,540 a year. Knox County employees with the job title Attorney, Government make the most with an average annual salary of $134,277, while employees with the title Educational Assistant make the least with an average annual salary of $20,405.


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Decks and trucks get all the glory, but a skateboard's wheels are the only part that touches the pavement. The best skateboard wheels deliver speed when its needed and traction when its desired, but they should still break into a slide with a slight coaxing. They do not, however, all do these things equally. We list our favorite wheels on the market below, but first, we'll discuss what to look for in a skateboard wheel. Before we begin our tour of the wheel, let's take a tour of the Bones factory with this Video.
The variables that you need to understand to purchase the best skateboard wheels possible are few. Manufacturers usually group their wheels by formula first, then by size and finally by hardness and shape. Street skateboarding has not changed fundamentally since its inception, and these variables have all been worked out in the ensuing decades to within certain ranges that change very little across the industry.
Skateboard wheels are made of polyurethane. The mixture of urethane and its properties in a given wheel are known as its formula, and it has a profound effect on the performance of a wheel. Manufacturers tailor their formulas for different properties, such as longevity or feel.
The formula's characteristics work together with the hardness to give us an idea of how a wheel will feel when ridden so that two different formulas with the same hardness can feel markedly different.
Manufacturers normally group the wheels in their product lines by urethane formula. Often, there will be models that share a formula, but sometimes the named wheels in a product line will have their own formulas. There is no standard way of doing it.
In modern skateboarding, manufacturers make wheels for either street skating or transition skating, though sometimes their wheels are intended to work well for both. Street wheels work better for park and transition skating than skatepark wheels do for street, however, so if you must choose only one, go with street wheels.
The main characteristic that differentiates wheels is their size. The measurement that will make the most difference in the way a wheel ride is its diameter or height from the pavement. Most street wheels have diameters between 50mm and 58mm. Choosing one size or another is a matter of preference, but there are a few things to consider.
Diameters around 50mm offer the ability to skate with little fear of wheel bite from the wheel rubbing on the bottom of the deck when turning, but they have drawbacks as well. Smaller wheels cover less ground per revolution, so they are slower and require more pushing. Also, as they wear, they get smaller sooner because they are already starting life as a pretty small wheel.
Diameters above 55mm may require the use of riser pads to lift the truck and move the axles away from the board. Otherwise, should the wheels dig into the board, the resulting wheel bite will stop you cold. Taller wheels are faster than their little brothers, however, and they last longer because there is more material to wear away.
Street and park wheels normally have rounded edges that curve back to a thinner area that contacts the ground. The section that contacts the pavement is called the contact patch. When this area is small, the wheels break traction easier, which helps with technical skating. Wider contact patches distribute the rider's weight better, reducing rolling friction and riding a bit faster. Contact patches in street wheels vary from 14mm to 25mm or more.
Street wheels are almost always rounded from the core to the lip where they meet the ground. This curve – or profile – varies from wheel to wheel. The reason is that the bearings are always roughly the same distance apart, so different geometries are used to give wheels different contact patches. A certain wheel profile may suit your eye but not work for your skating. So, pay attention to the contact patch and ignore profile to get the most out of your wheels.
A wheel's hardness is given as number with a letter behind it, usually an A. This number is found using a meter called a Shore durometer, which is why the resulting number is called a durometer. This device presses a metal needle into the material, and measuring the indentation made at a given force gives the durometer number. This technical spec is used for all sorts of non-metallic industrial materials, not just skateboard wheels.
Urethane wheels can be as soft as 78A or as hard as 101A. Street skateboarders usually ride wheels with durometers between 98A and 100A. Harder wheels like these slide easier and resist developing flat spots, which are annoying at best and can ruin a wheel when particularly bad.
Some skaters build park setups for skateparks and transition, and they will use softer wheels for this purpose. Durometer is a matter of preference, but most skaters with only one setup use harder wheels.
Sometimes, a different durometer scale, such as the D or B scale, is used to give this hardness. These numbers will translate to an A-scale number, and manufacturers usually provide literature to explain the differences. Bones, for example, uses the B scale for its wheels.
To find the correlating A-scale number, simply add 20 points to the B-scale number. Transworld Skateboarding magazine explained the durometer scale in greater detail than there is space for here.
There are five shapes in the series, but the Spitfire Classic shape in 101d durometer has long been one of the most popular wheels in skateboarding, owing to its thinner contact patch. The 53mm diameter version, which is in the middle of the pack of offerings in this shape, has a 16mm contact patch, for instance.
The modern style of street skating is geared more toward flow and creativity and less on the high-tech flip tricks of the past, though tech is still prevalent. Riders who prefer to go fast and be stable should consider the Spitfire Formula Four Conical shape with 99A durometer. It is faster and softer for smoothness, though it is more prone to sticking in slides.
One of the oldest and most respected names in the business, Bones Wheels continues to produce quality urethane. Bones' Street Tech Formula wheels are part of a series that comes in two distinct formulas: one for street, one for park terrain.
The Bones STF V4 is designed for all-around use. At 34mm wide, it is the widest of the bunch, which makes it a bit faster than the rest as well. It is available in diameters from 51 to 55 millimeters and has an 83B durometer, which matches up to around a 103A hardness.
Hard wheels such as these last forever and slide smoothly without ever producing flat spots, but you are always aware they are under you. Skateboarders who mostly do technical skating on flat terrain should consider Bones STF V1s for their thinner profile.
Spitfire Classics have a higher-rebound urethane formula than their Formula Four cousins. Their options for size and shape are a bit limited compared to the more popular compound, but they make up for it in smoothness across all terrains. Park skaters love these wheels for their gummier feel. The Classics feel softer than their 99A durometer suggests they should.
Classics come in six diameters, from 50mm to 60mm; the latter of which is seldom used on any terrain except transition. The middle diameters make a great compromise between park and street skating though, and the Classics work well for riders who move from one terrain to the other regularly.
The only glaring drawback to the cushier urethane is that these wheels have a slight tendency to develop flat spots. It is not common, but it does happen. Longevity is also an issue with these wheels, and they require replacing sooner than wheels with less rebound.
The Mini Logo brand is a division of Powell, and it makes affordable gear for skaters on a tighter budget. Mini Logo's C-Cut wheels are manufactured specifically for street skateboarders, as they have the classic tapered profile that works down to a thinner contact patch. They are made with a super-high-rebound urethane formula that makes them feel relatively compared to other wheels of a similar hardness.
The Mini Logo C-Cuts with 53mm diameter are a thin 32mm wide. The 101A durometer feels more like a 99A in a premium wheel, but they are hard enough to kick into slides easily. They are available in a variety of colors, though the white ones feel a bit harder than the colored ones because the pigment alters the formula just slightly.
Skaters who skate transition and park terrain often might consider the Mini Logo A-Cuts, which are larger and have wider contact patches.
Mini Logos are not a premium wheel, and a skater will never confuse them as one. They are affordable for a reason, and their urethane lacks the density of some of Spitfires higher-priced wheels, which is a double-edged sword. They are light, and a skateboard will feel noticeably lighter with them affixed, but they do not last very long. If you're in the market for wheels and you don't have a lot of money, though, Mini Logo wheels deserve your attention.
Autobahn has outlived its reputation as the new kid on the block, having stayed strong in the competitive business of wheel manufacturing since 2001. (Check out this Video welcoming Carlos Ribeiro to the team in 2014) It owes its success to beginning the tech revolution in wheels that now dominates the market. However, its most successful wheels are some of its simplest.
The Autobahn Nexus is a basic street wheel. It has a durometer of 100A, which is a rarity, and uses the company's ab-S urethane formula. The ab-S is a simple pour of urethane, and it produces a classically hard roll that is easy to slide on obstacles or pavement. There are several diameters available, with the 51mm being the most popular.
The simplicity of the formula helps make the Nexus one of the most affordable wheels from a big-name manufacturer. They will not win a head-to-head race against some of the specialty pours on the market, but they are plenty fast enough for most riders, especially beginners.
They utilize Autobahn's standard shape, which is the classic street wheel shape. The Nexus is a good wheel for street riders, but may be a little hard for transition, especially Masonite-covered wood.
Ricta made its name in skateboarding with cored wheels in the 2000s. Cores proved to be a bit too fragile for the rigors of street skating, but the Ricta name perseveres thanks to the company's skate-proven urethane. This Ricta Video shows its team cutting up, and also the results of some empirical tests the company did of its NRG wheels.
The biggest name on Ricta is Nyjah Huston, who rips street courses up, so of course he has his own NRG wheel. Ricta's NRG Nyjah Huston model is 51mm tall and 27mm wide, with a 16mm contact patch. It has a durometer of 81B — or 101 in the A-scale.
However, the relative hardness is not quite as rock-like as the durometer would lead you to believe, as the NRG series uses a high-rebound formulation for the urethane. The NRG works well on street or park terrain.
As mentioned, Ricta pitted the NRG against some of the best skateboard wheels on the current market, and it outperformed its competitors in every measure. Of course, Ricta's big win does not mean the others are terrible wheels, as the differences were not as severe as Ricta would have us believe. They are up there with the longest-lived and fastest skateboard wheels available, though, whether they eclipse the others by far or not.
So what are the Best Skateboard Wheels for you?
Most skateboarders take wheels for granted until there is an issue. Whether it's a flat spot that starts to blurt on the pavement or that one coned edge that never comes back to round, wheels are rarely noticed otherwise.
They should melt into the background when you skate. It's a shame that we don't pay more attention to them, though, because they are our connection to the earth when we ride, and they can make or break our skating experience.
The current consensus for the Best Skateboarding Wheels is the Spitfire Formula Four.
It has been doing its thing for years now, and Spitfire keeps churning out new shapes, sizes and pro models. Spitfires are fast off the shelf, and Formula Fours stay that way for a long time. They save skateboarders money, which we can then use to replace broken bearings and bolts. If you can't find a Formula Four that suits your skating, you should probably get a longboard.


The Public Employee Retirement Administration Commission publishes a series of guides to help retirement system members navigate their retirement benefits. Some of the guides are based on your membership date. For most, the membership date is the date you started your public employment in your current position. Please refer to the guides for more detailed information on membership.
This guide is for public employees wishing to learn more about the regular retirement benefits.
Make sure you check your membership date!
Read this guide for information on disability retirement benefits for public retirement system members who have become ill or were injured and can no longer work. The guide is applicable to all members regardless of membership date.
Read this guide for information on survivor benefits. Public employees and retirees can designate individuals to receive certain benefits upon their death. Spouses and children have certain automatic rights. Read this guide for more detailed information. The guides are specific to the membership date of the employee or retiree.


(DICKENS, CHARLES and his contemporaries). HORNE, R. H., Editor.
(London: Smith, Elder and Co., 1844). 200 x 124 mm. (7 7/8 x 4 7/8"). Two volumes. FIRST EDITION.
VERY ATTRACTIVE CONTEMPORARY CADET BLUE THREE-QUARTER MOROCCO over pale blue watered silk, raised bands, spines handsomely gilt in compartments with floral sprig centerpiece and volute cornerpieces, marbled endpapers, top edges gilt. With 10 engraved portraits. Top inch of silk on one board faded by sun, one plate with closed one-inch fore-edge tear (not affecting image), other minor internal imperfections, but A VERY PRETTY SET, especially fresh and clean inside and out, and with bindings that are remarkably bright.


A midnight flight, a broken ATM at the cash only visa desk, and a taxi driver who insisted on a fee of twice the normal rate. This was our initial introduction to Bali. Luckily, our series of unfortunate events ended here.
Morning came and we basked in the comfort and cleanliness of our large and beautiful hotel room, about two kilometers from Kuta beach. After a month in the tattered hostels of Australia, the simple act of showering without shoes on is an uncommon luxury. This hotel- with white marble tiles, fast speed Internet, a flat screen TV, and our own spacious shower- is about half the price of two Aussie hostel beds.
Our first venture into town was a disaster, since we had yet to figure out how to succeed at the simple act of crossing a road. With no crosswalks or sidewalks, walking here is an act of bravery. We quickly understood why most tourists stay across the river, along the beach- an area much more pedestrian friendly. Nevertheless, we were happy with our hotel and had committed to being here for our first week. We would learn to cross a road, learn to communicate, and hopefully get comfortable with it all in the process.
Outside, the world is a montage of motorbikes, taxis, and work trucks rushing down the narrow roads, one directly out our window that seems to be quite a major thoroughfare. Behind us is a river lined with a rickety dirt road, small flats, and make-shift convenience stores. Locals congregate along the concrete ridge of the riverside while their children play, chickens wander excitedly around, and stray dogs search for food scraps. Across the waterway, a majestic and spacious Hindu temple is under construction.
The stark contrast between our hotel, and the living conditions immediately behind our place is striking. We understand that the average person makes about $100 a month and a significant percentage of ones salary goes to the church. But Bali is alive with color and laughter. The people are extremely friendly and welcoming- whether on a tourist street or walking down a dirt road. The sweet smell of fresh flowers and burning incense wafts into every corner and the daily offerings to the gods, called Canang Sari, brighten every doorway. In our differences, there is understanding. People come here to get away, and the locals seem to understand the magic of their country. There is beauty in this. The unique culture here is what sets Bali apart from the other places we've been to. There is no word to describe it, you must see it for yourself. It's the best paradise we've seen yet.


text:
E30: Grieving Father Changes the Conversation about Addiction & Recovery w/ Mike Ortoll
Mike Ortoll's world was turned upside down when his daughter Christine started abusing drugs and alcohol. Christine found recovery for several years, but sadly suffered a relapse and passed away from a fentanyl overdose in late 2020. In grieving his daughter, Mike started to think about how he could share his experience with other families facing addiction. Through a series of high-profile documentary films, including the Bowden Dynasty Film and another film documenting Christine's story, Mike and a few of his Sigma Chi Fraternity Brothers are now providing support to the Collegiate Recovery Program at Florida State University (FSU), called LIFT. Mike also started the Christine Ortoll Recovery Organization to raise awareness, share resources, and lead a national "call to action" across the country of changing the conversation about addiction and recovery.
The CDC has reported that more than 100,000 Americans died of a drug overdose in a 12 month period from 2020 to 2021, and many of those deaths have been attributed to Fentanyl. According to the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is 80-100 times stronger than morphine. Fentanyl is often times added to heroin to increase its potency, or to be disguised as highly potent heroin. Many users believe they are purchasing heroin and don't know that they are actually purchasing fentanyl – which often results in overdose deaths.
Anyone can become a victim of overdose, not just someone addicted to opioids. These days, most illicit drugs, also known as street drugs, are often laced with Fentanyl, so someone trying drugs for the first time can also fall victim to a fatal overdose. In the Tampa Bay area, one law enforcement agency has begun informing people about a dangerous synthetic drug that is turning up in local overdose investigations. Isotonitazene, also known as ISO, has also been identified in at least 40 fatal overdoses in a 2021 report by the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM).
Christine Ortoll Recovery Organization
Association of Recovery in Higher Education
LIFT at Florida State University (FSU)
Center for Health Advocacy Wellness at FSU

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
34 Years Ago "We Are The World" Was Recorded And Broke Records
top80s.blogspot.com
USA for Africa
The song was written as a charity single by 37 of the world's most talented and famous artists, who made up United Support of Artists (USA) for Africa. The songwriters were mega music world players, Michael Jackson, Quincy Jones, and Lionel Richie. Jackson and Richie wrote the song 7 weeks after the success of Band Aid's (UK) charity track "Do They Know It's Christmas." The writing was completed in a week at Michael Jackson's Hayvenhurst home in Encino, California.
The first official night of recording was January 22, 1985 at Kenny Rogers' Lion Share Recording Studio on Beverly Boulevard, also in California. This night was just Lionel Richie and Michael Jackson recording a vocal guide for "We Are The World," with guidance from Quincy Jones and Stevie Wonder. It took 6 takes!
My Fellow Artists
With so many mega hitters planned to join in during the studio recordings, Quincy Jones decided that there needed to be a lot of perspective involved in the lyrics.
"One thing we don't want to do, especially with this group, is look like we're patting ourselves on the back. So it's really, 'There's a choice we're making," Quincy contextualized.
On January 24, 1985, producer Jones shipped out cassettes to every artists who was invited to record "We Are The World." The casettes had specific instructions"
"My Fellow Artists, The cassettes are numbered, and I can't express how important it is not to let this material out of your hands. Please do not make copies, and return this cassette the night of the 28th. In the years to come, when your children ask, 'What did mommy and daddy do for the war against world famine?', you can say proudly, this was your contribution."
Viwe of the autographed first page of the sheet music for the song 'We Are the World,' written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie, 1985. The song was designed to raise awareness and funds for a worldwide hunger relief program, and its international success led the way for the Live Aid concerts later that year. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
The Final Recording
The final night of recording took place at A&M Studios in Hollywood, CA on January 28, 1985. Michael Jackson was the first to arrive- at 9pm. Many of the artists to arrive after were coming straight from the American Music Awards ceremony. A sign tacked to the door welcomed the artists into the studio:
"Please Leave Your Egos At The Door"
The actual singing started at 10:30 pm. Two Ethiopian women also joined in the studio, as part of the recording's profits would go to aid a recent famine in Ethiopia. As hours passed, the track was completed at 8am. The song is intended to be a song of "compassion" for the world. Upon it's release in March, the single sold all the original 800k albums and went to number 1 on the charts- globally.
Front cover of the 'USA for Africa We are the World' record album, the music on which was designed to raise awareness and funds for a worldwide hunger relief program, 1985. The sleeve features a group photograph of the number of the contributing performers. The records success led the way for the Live Aid concerts later that year. (Photo by Blank Archives/Getty Images)
"We Are The World" became the most successful selling single in US pop music history. and was the first-ever single to become certified multi- platinum. Then became 4x Platinum through the Recording Industry Association of America.
The song raised $63 million dollars for the famine in Africa ($141 million with inflation).
Check out the video below to watch all 37 artists record together!


So.. what muscle are we working?
Next semester, I will be teaching 20/20/20 which is 20 minutes muscle conditioning, 20 minutes core, and 20 minutes cardio. This poster I found in my friend, Emily Dunham's new gym in Salem is a great tool for me! I want to not just knock the socks off my participants with an amazing @$$ workout 😉 , but have them leaving knowing what the heck muscles they worked too! I'm a little nervous about teaching, I think what I'll do is 3 sets of about 16 reps? For various muscle conditioning exercises like squat with bicep curls, lunge with flys, chest presses, etc etc? A lot of my favorite muscle conditioning movements incorporate core a lot, so I was thinking more tabata style for the core section with only 3 sets, 20 seconds of say mountain climbers or walking plank, with 10 seconds rest, 3 times. And then for cardio (which will be half accomplished by the core section) will be fully accomplished by a little more tabata-esque (like say high knees) and 3-4 of my most endurance enveloping dance mania routines!
The way 20/20/20 was set up before is cardio first and core last, but I have read that when muscles are fatigued first, more calories will be burned doing cardio after a muscle conditioning session! Hope my spin on things works out!


text:
Vancouver police report 14 medical emergencies but no major incidents at 4/20
by Charlie Smith on April 20th, 2019 at 11:16 PM
The pot party at Sunset Beach was peaceful.
This evening, Vancouver police said they were busy managing a large crowd at 4/20, but also revealed that there were no major incidents.
According to a VPD news release, officers assisted B.C. Emergency Health Services with 14 medical emergencies.
The VPD also issued more than 30 tickets and three people were investigated for impaired driving.
"Today was a good example of remarkable teamwork between the Vancouver Police, fellow first responders, the Vancouver park board, and the City of Vancouver, allowing for a safe environment during a large-scale event," Sgt. Jason Robillard, a VPD spokesperson, said.
https://twitter.com/420Vancouver_/status/1119991885441855493
Over Twitter, Chief Adam Palmer also praised other city departments and B.C. Emergency Health Services.
https://twitter.com/ChiefPalmer/status/1119798363421986816
According to the VPD, the crowd peaked at around 60,000 just before 4:30 p.m., when the band Cypress Hill took the stage.
A 4/20 organizer, Dana Larsen, pegged the peak at 65,000 and claimed that the event drew 150,000 through the day.
He also declared over Twitter that the VPD has praised the private security at 4/20.
https://twitter.com/DanaLarsen/status/1119848296292343808
Meanwhile, NPA councillor Melissa De Genova has said she will introduce an urgent motion to fellow councillors calling upon 4/20 organizers to cover all the city's costs.
https://twitter.com/MelissaDeGenova/status/1119318835255840768
The organizers, on the other hand, are highlighting their donations to various charities.
https://twitter.com/JodieEmery/status/1119717957758644224
And tomorrow, the public can expect to hear the park board's reaction after it has examined the turf at Sunset Beach Park.
Do you support the Vancouver park board's policy of refusing to licence any cannabis-related events at local parks or beaches?
A first-timer's guide to cannabis events
Cypress Hill, alongside local musical acts, ready to hit Vancouver's 4/20 main stage
A protest by any other name would still smell like pot
Classism pervades debates around cannabis and 4/20 Vancouver—but we rarely talk about that in Canada
Vancouver police ask parents to talk with their kids about 4/20


text:
Muhammad Alauddin is a Bangladeshi chemist and university professor. He was the 10th vice-chancellor of the Islamic University, Bangladesh, from March 2009 to December 2012. He is a life Member (MRSC) of the Royal Society of Chemistry in UK.

Career
Alauddin obtained a Bachelor and Master's degree in Chemistry from the University of Rajshahi, and a PhD degree from the University of Saskatchewan in Canada. He was a professor of Applied Chemistry and Chemical Engineering (ACCE) department at Islamic University, Bangladesh. He was the founding chairman of this department in 1995, and was also founding chairman of the Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering department in 1998. He served in the latter department as a chairman for more than a year.

Vice-chancellorship
On March 9, 2009, Alauddin was appointed vice-chancellor of the Islamic University in Bangladesh, where he worked in the M. A. Wazed Miah Science Building, Sheikh Hasina Hall, and Central Shaheed Minar. At the time, the political situation of the university was tenuous; the Islamic University Teachers Association (IUTA) accused Alauddin and pro-vice-chancellor Kamal Uddin of corruption, and nepotism. As a result, he and Pro VC Kamal Uddin was removed from the administrative charge of the Islamic University, Bangladesh.

Research
 Volumetric Properties of Secondary Butanol and Tertiary Butanol in Water and Aqueous Micellar Systems of Sodium Dodecyl Sulphate - Section B: Chemical and Biological Sciences.

References

Bangladeshi chemists
Academic staff of the Islamic University, Bangladesh
Vice-Chancellors of the Islamic University, Bangladesh
Living people
Year of birth missing (living people)
University of Rajshahi alumni
University of Saskatchewan alumni
21st-century Bengalis

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text: Q: Why is Rudin's real and complex analysis considered esoteric? I glanced over the fist few chapters. This book seems quite standard. Proofs are written in a "user-friendly" manner expanding on details that should be obvious to graduate students. Why do most Professors avoid using this book as if it's some sort of monstrosity?

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Skytron's unique Vertically Segmented Reflector Design (VSRD) optimizes contouring and depth perception required for accurate visualization of the surgical field. Each high intensity LED faces upwards towards 61 individual facets – efficiently capturing 99% of the light and creating overlapping beams. These overlapping rays converge at the surgical field, resulting in a crisp, homogeneous spot with superb shadow control.
With this reflective technology, your Skytron LED surgical light will also deliver extreme durability. The design protects each LED from potentially damaging heat that can threaten performance and longevity.


text:
Man sentenced for his involvement in the supply of class A drugs
A man has been sentenced for his involvement in supplying class A drugs to those living in Gloucester and Cheltenham.
Owais Hassanjee, 29 and formerly of Park End Road in Gloucester was sentenced to four years in prison at Gloucester Crown Court yesterday (Tuesday) after previously pleading guilty to two counts of being concerned in the supply of Heroin and Crack Cocaine.
The judge also ordered for the forfeiture and destruction of drugs and paraphernalia previously seized from Hassanjee under the Proceeds of Crime Act.
Our Force Crime Operations Team came across Hassanjee whilst investigating into the supply of drugs in Cheltenham and Gloucester during 2018 and 2019.
In 2019, officers arrested Hassanjee at Gatwick Airport whilst he was leaving the country to go on holiday.
His bags were searched and he was found in possession of a large quantity of cash and a number of items of designer clothing with the price tags still attached.
The total price of the recovered clothing was just under £2,500 and they were found to have been purchased from Flannels in Leicester with what officers believe was money he had made from selling drugs.
Telephone enquiries after the earlier arrest of another man on unrelated maters showed messages which linked Hassanjee to the sale of Heroin and Crack Cocaine with an estimated value of £22,000.
PC Joe Bawdon said: "Owais Hassanjee is believed to have been supplying to drug users living in Cheltenham and Gloucester between 2018 and 2019.
"The team became aware of him after concerns were raised about activities taking place at his address and began to investigate his links to drug dealing.
"His arrest in 2019 was a key part of the investigation as that allowed us to stop him from further offending, the team are pleased to have another drug dealer off the streets of Gloucestershire."
Anyone who has concerns or intelligence about drug dealing can report this via the following link or https://www.gloucestershire.police.uk/contact/af/contact-us/contact-us-to-discuss-something-else/ or anonymously by calling Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.


text:
require 'spec_helper'

describe QuestionBetsController do

  describe '#edit' do
    context 'when not logged in' do
      it 'redirects to login' do
        get :edit, question_id: 42
        expect(response).to redirect_to(login_path)
        expect(flash[:notice]).to_not be_blank
      end
    end
    context 'when logged in' do
      let(:user) { build(:user) }
      before(:each) { login_user(user) }
      # TODO
    end
  end

  describe '#create' do
    context 'when not logged in' do
      it 'redirects to login' do
        post :create, question_id: 42
        expect(response).to redirect_to(login_path)
        expect(flash[:notice]).to_not be_blank
      end
    end
    context 'when logged in' do
      let(:bet) { create(:bet) }
      let(:user) { bet.user }
      let(:question) { create(:boolean_question) }
      before(:each) { login_user(user) }
      context 'when question is available to betting' do
        it 'should create a question_bet' do
          Timecop.freeze(question.bettable_until - 1.minute) do
            expect(question).to_not be_locked
            expect(question.question_bets.count).to eql(0)

            post :create, {question_id: question.id, question_bet: {answer: 'false'}}
            expect(response).to be_redirect
            expect(flash[:success]).to_not be_blank

            expect(question.question_bets.count).to eql(1)
          end
        end
      end
      context 'when question is locked' do
        it 'should not create a question_bet' do
          Timecop.freeze(question.bettable_until + 1.minute) do
            expect(question).to be_locked
            expect(question.question_bets.count).to eql(0)

            post :create, {question_id: question.id, question_bet: {answer: 'false'}}
            expect(response).to be_success
            expect(flash[:success]).to be_blank
            expect(response).to render_template('edit')

            expect(question.question_bets.count).to eql(0)
          end
        end
      end
    end
  end

  describe '#update' do
    context 'when not logged in' do
      it 'redirects to login' do
        put :update, question_id: 42
        expect(response).to redirect_to(login_path)
        expect(flash[:notice]).to_not be_blank
      end
    end
    context 'when logged in' do
      let(:bet) { create(:bet) }
      let(:user) { bet.user }
      let(:question) { create(:boolean_question) }
      let!(:question_bet) { create(:boolean_question_bet, bet: bet, question: question, answer: 'true') }
      before(:each) { login_user(user) }
      context 'when question is available to betting' do
        it 'should change the question_bet' do
          Timecop.freeze(question.bettable_until - 1.minute) do
            expect(question).to_not be_locked
            expect(question_bet.answer).to eql('true')

            put :update, {question_id: question.id, question_bet: {answer: 'false'}}
            expect(response).to be_redirect
            expect(flash[:success]).to_not be_blank

            question_bet.reload
            expect(question_bet.answer).to eql('false')
          end
        end
      end
      context 'when question is locked' do
        it 'should not change the question_bet' do
          Timecop.freeze(question.bettable_until + 1.minute) do
            expect(question).to be_locked
            expect(question_bet.answer).to eql('true')

            put :update, {question_id: question.id, question_bet: {answer: 'false'}}
            expect(response).to be_success
            expect(flash[:success]).to be_blank
            expect(response).to render_template('edit')

            question_bet.reload
            expect(question_bet.answer).to eql('true')
          end
        end
      end
    end
  end

end


text:
Wärtsilä to deploy Expert Insight in Optimised Maintenance Agreement
The technology group Wärtsilä has been awarded an Optimised Maintenance Agreement covering the main engines for two new, ultra-modern 174,000 cbm LNG Carriers (LNGCs) managed by Greece-based Thenamaris LNG Inc. The vessels, 'Cool Discoverer' and 'Cool Racer', are powered by low pressure, WinGD X-DF two-stroke, dual-fuel main engines, and were built at the Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) shipyard in South Korea. The five-year agreement was signed in September 2020.
Next gen vessels run predictive maintenance analytics on Engines
The object of the agreement is to ensure certainty of operations with budgeted maintenance costs. Under the contract terms, Wärtsilä will enable remote support with condition monitoring systems including Expert Insight, Wärtsilä's unique digital predictive maintenance product, which is now capable of supporting both two- and four-stroke engines.
To provide accurate and pro-active advice and recommendations, Expert Insight utilises artificial intelligence (AI) and advanced diagnostics backed by Wärtsilä's vast experience and in-house know-how. This enables prompt notification should performance deviations occur, thus allowing corrective and mitigating actions to be made early. The solution is expected to deliver an estimated 50 percent reduction in unplanned maintenance requirements, and an improvement of 2 to 5 percent in fuel efficiency, with a corresponding reduction in emissions. The service is delivered through Wärtsilä Expertise Centres around the world.
"To achieve optimal operational efficiency, it is necessary to take advantage of the latest and most advanced technology. The agreement with Wärtsilä allows us to benefit from the technological and physical support they can provide through Expert Insight and their global service network. The tailored agreement addresses our main concerns and needs, and provides ways to better manage our costs and risks," says Mr Andreas Rapanakis, Deputy Technical Manager, Thenamaris LNG Inc.
Predictive maintenance and advanced diagnostics features
"Our Optimised Maintenance Agreement is the smart way to ensure that the increasing complexity of modern engines is handled efficiently. It is an important element within Wärtsilä's Lifecycle Solutions offering, which strengthens the business performance and competitiveness of our customers. We will be providing a broad range of services to support the reliable and efficient running of these vessels, including 24/7 remote technical support, contract management, maintenance planning, and annual engine health audits, as well as the planning and delivery of spare parts prior to each engine overhaul," says Mr Rajeev Janardhan, Sales Manager, 2-stroke engine Lifecycle solutions, Wärtsilä Marine Power.
Thenamaris LNG Inc. is a global ship manager of high specification, modern ocean-going vessels, and currently manages eight vessels with an additional five newbuildings set for delivery by 2022. Wärtsilä has an existing ongoing Technical Management Agreement with the company covering the Wärtsilä engines in three LNG vessels fitted with diesel-electric technology. This however is the first Maintenance Agreement signed with Thenamaris LNG Inc. for two-stroke engines.
Wärtsilä currently has about 700 vessels under maintenance agreements, of which approximately 160 are LNG Carriers.
Through Wärtsilä's and WinGD's 10-year service partnership agreement signed in December 2017, Wärtsilä has access to WinGD's Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) and technical specifications and is appointed as an Authorized Global Service Provider for all WinGD engines. This in turn, provides WinGD and its customers continued access to Wärtsilä's worldwide service network and comprehensive services offering. It also enhances the opportunity for Wärtsilä to provide integrated smart solutions and smart services to the merchant shipping industry.
The products and services herein described in this press release are not endorsed by The Maritime Executive.
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We are proud of our ability to fully understand the requirements of our clients, to combine an interactive and flexible approach with creativity and imagination.
We offer the widest range of venues, ideas and settings to meet the needs of any event. Whether it's corporate seminars, incentive programmes, themed events, special interest tours, team building activities, outdoor explorations, companion programmes, pre and post incentive or conference travel programmes, we have the expertise to exceed all your expectations.
The Baltic States is the location for meetings, incentives, congresses and events. We will provide you with innovative local solutions to ensure the success of your event – and the satisfaction of your mind.
What makes us different is our creative thinking and the innovation we apply to everything we do.


Two students and the instructor from Shudo Kan Karate and Fitness, in Beardstown, recently attended the Fonseca Cup Tournament.
Ernie Bolen of Beardstown earned his Black Belt in TKD in October of 2015.
Ernie Bolen, owner of E&M Home Improvements, was a participant in the Kan-Karate-Do Pan Am cham-pionships held in Miami, Fla.


text:
'+daystr +'Read More
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Aida Alami
Morocco Said to Ban Sale of Burqas, Citing Security Concerns
9:53 PM Aida Alami 0 Comments
CASABLANCA, Morocco — Morocco has banned the burqa, the full-body veil worn by some conservative Muslim women, according to local media reports.
Although the government did not confirm the ban, the reports said vendors and merchants had been notified on Monday by representatives of the Interior Ministry that they would no longer be allowed to sell or manufacture the religious garment because of security concerns. They said they were given a 48-hour deadline, but it was unclear when the rule would take effect.
Morocco, a majority-Muslim country and former French protectorate where the influence of Western secularist ideals remains, has been trying to foster more moderate expressions of Islam and subtly warn Islamists not to go too far, though acts of extremism remain rare.
The government of King Mohammed VI may have conceived the ban as a gesture to get that point across. Relatively few Moroccan women wear the burqa, which is much more common in conservative Muslim societies like Afghanistan and Pakistan, but many do wear traditional dresses and head scarves. In any case, by targeting people who sell and produce the burqas, there is less risk of a public outcry, like the one in France last summer after the government banned the burkini, a full-body swimsuit favored by some Muslim women.
Le360, a news site close to the Moroccan Interior Ministry, quoted an unidentified ministry official who confirmed the ban on the sale of the garment, which is often blue and covers the head. The official did not confirm whether the ban would be extended to wearing the burqa.
The Interior Ministry did not respond to requests for comment. It also has not yet published an official statement on the specifics of the ban, and it is unclear what kind of religious full-body veils have been specifically targeted. Morocco's official religious authorities have not taken a position on the issue.
Hammad Kabbadj, a conservative preacher and member of the Justice and Development Party who was not allowed to run in last fall's legislative elections in which his party prevailed because he was deemed too "extremist," denounced the ban on Facebook.
He said he thought the ban was meant to create tensions that would ultimately hurt his party, which has been trying unsuccessfully to form a coalition government since October.
"It is unacceptable," he wrote. "It's a perverted behavior by the public authorities."
The ban has spurred a fierce debate between Moroccans who see the move as repressing the religious freedom of women and those who applaud it as a liberation for women.
"I am against the culture of banning in principle," Ali Anouzla, a Moroccan journalist, said on his Facebook page. "But just to be clear, the Interior Ministry didn't ban the hijab or niqab but banned the burqa, and the burqa isn't part of Morocco's culture."
Stephanie Willman Bordat, a founding partner at Mobilizing for Rights Associates, a Morocco-based nongovernmental organization, said many Moroccans saw the burqa as a neocolonial import from the Gulf states.
"Obviously the government's interest is first and foremost security rather than women's rights," she said. "It's unsurprising given the current security context and the concern the government has with maintaining security and stability and cracking down on the terrorists' networks."
Farah Chérif D'Ouezzan, the founder of the Center for Cross Cultural Learning in Rabat and an expert in comparative religion with a focus on women and Islam, said that there was a great deal of confusion and that a confirmed ban would be difficult to implement.
"If it is true that there is a ban, to me, the ban is justified for security reasons," she said. "But at the same time, there is not evidence for associating the burqa with security threats. I would like to know how many people they have arrested."
"I believe that men or women should have the right to choose how to dress," she added. "The number of women who wear the burqa in this country is still insignificant."
Article on the New York Times' site
Aida Alami is a Moroccan freelance journalist who's frequently on the road, reporting from North Africa, France, the Caribbean, and more recently, Senegal. She regularly contributes to the New York Times, and her work has also been published by the New York Review of Books, The Financial Times, and the BBC. She earned her bachelor's degree in media studies at Hunter College and her master's degree in journalism at Columbia University. She mainly covers migration, human rights, religion, politics and racism.
@AidaAlami
aidaalami [at] protonmail.com
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By Aida Alami PARIS — HE sat in the car, frozen with fear, as gunmen pointed rifles at his pregnant mother in the driver's seat besi...
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The feature film Let Them Come, by Algerian director Salem Brahimi, revisits Algeria's Black Decade , when the country was struck ...
aila Lalami is never in a hurry to finish writing a book. A disciplined author, she spends months, sometimes years, developing carefull...
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Pendant deux mois, trois célèbres journalistes marocains, Omar Radi, Soulaimane Raissouni et Imad Stitou, ont été jugés dans des conditio...
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text:
Q: Doesn't relativistic mass increase mean increased energy released when matter is turned to energy? If there were an interstellar spacecraft being propelled by gamma rays from electron/positron annihilation, they say it would get harder to keep accelerating it the closer it got to the speed of light because of what used to be called relativistic mass increase. But wouldn't the onboard electrons and positrons get proportionally more massive as acceleration continues, leading to more energy released during annihilation, which would make up for the increasing mass of the spacecraft? I asked this somewhere one time a long time ago and somebody answered 'there is no such thing as a free lunch.' But I'm not talking about a free lunch: as the mass increases, including that of the onboard fuel, and mass turns to energy, then doesn't the increased energy released stay in step with the overall increase in mass of the craft?

A: If you're defining relativistic mass as $\gamma m$ (an old and misleading consideration), then that is the "mass" determined from the observer frame outside the ship and moving relative to the mass, but the mass isn't $\gamma m$ in the rest frame of the ship. The annihilation takes place in the ship frame where the mass of each particle is still only 511 keV/c$^2$.
What the outside observer will observe, moving with speed $\beta$ compared to the ship and its propulsion unit, is that the photons are Doppler shifted to different wavelengths and different momenta (both travelling at $c$ in opposite directions) so that the momentum of each electron/positron pair is conserved (now with $p=2\gamma m\beta c$ compared to zero in the ship.)

A: If you define $\gamma m$ as the relativistic mass, the total energy of a lump of fuel with rest mass $m$ is $E=\gamma mc^2$. After turning the mass into energy we have $E=pc$ where $p$ is the magnitude of the 3-momentum that can be transferred to the ship. But no matter how much the ship's momentum is increased, it will never reach the speed of light, since most of the momentum increase will only contribute to the ship's $\gamma$ factor.
It doesn't matter what method is used to accelerate the ship, it won't reach the speed of light even if you send in extra fuel or momentum-carrying particles from outside.
Side note: The full formula for the energy of a moving particle is $E=\sqrt{m^2c^4+p^2c^2}$. From this you can derive $E=mc^2$ for the special case of a stationary particle, and $E=pc$ for the special case of a massless particle. It's easy to verify that $\gamma mc^2$ is the same as $\sqrt{m^2c^4+p^2c^2}$, but the latter is much more helpful. It's better to always think of "mass" as the rest mass, since it is an invariant of motion.