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Tuesday, November 27, 2007

Evolution Is a Theory and a Fact

Don't forget about my talk tonight at McMaster University in Hamilton (Ontario, Canada). It's sponsored by the McMaster Association of Secular Humanists (MASH) (Hamilton) [Evolution is a Theory and a Fact, with Prof Laurence Moran]

The subject is Evolution Is a Theory and a Fact. Come to room HSC/1A1 at 7pm. (HSC is the (Health Sciences Building, or the Hospital, map here.)

Cost: $2 (free for members of the MASH)

Tomorrow night I'm at the Centre for Inquiry, 216 Beverley Street in Toronto. (Beverly St. is the southward extension of St. George St. The Centre is on the west side of the street about one block south of College.)

The talk begins at 7pm.
Cost: $4 (*special announcement: students Free*) FREE for Friends of the Centre
The public event at CFI will also serve as the official launch of Cafe Inquiry, a project of the University of Toronto Secular Alliance, sponsored by CFI Ontario. Similar to Cafe Scientifique hosted by the Ontario Science Centre, we will serve food and beverages and encourage discussion with the audience. Bring your questions and comments on this controversial issue!

  1. A good article. However, I would like to posit an analogy and also make a minor correction.

    1. It is not correct to say that Newtonian mechanics was replaced by Relativity Theory. The former still provides a high degree of accuracy in describing most most problems in celestial mechanics, with relativistic effects treated as small (very small) perturbations. In this sense, the relativistic corrections to planetary motion look just like corrections due to the (Newtonian) gravitational effect of other planets and possible quadrapole effects if the the major body differs greatly from spherical symmetry.

    2. Consider the analogy of the Copernican heliocentric solar system with common descent. Both are observable facts. The mechanisms that explain those facts, namely Newtonian/Einsteinian mechanics and Darwinian natural selection are theories. These theories provide explanations which not only explain currently known phenomena but also make testable predictions. For instance, the existence of the planet Neptune was predicted, based on computations on the orbit of Uranus which did not agree entirely with observations (it is mind boggling to consider just how small those deviations were; they are a tribute to the great accuracy of astronomical observations, probably the most accurate observations of which humankind is capable). Similarly, the evolution of bacteria to become resistant to antibiotics is strong evidence for mechanism of natural selection.

  2. I like the paper and slc's correction re: the relationship between quantum and Newtonian physics. I hope the lecture goes well. It's hard to believe how many North Americans (including most members of my family) continue to deny evolution. I've yet to figure out why being created from a handful of dirt is deemed superior to sharing common ancestry with other primates.

  3. OK, there's something seriously weird with how hyperlinks are being processed in comments on this blog. I'm using exactly the same technique as I use everywhere else -- wrapping the link text in your basic "href" HTML tag -- but somehow, the end tag is simply not being picked up.

    Is this just me? What's the deal? Larry, have you set some funny setting with respect to hyperlinks in comments?

  4. Re the chaplain

    I have to make a small correction to Mr. chaplains' comment where he cited quantum mechanics. The theory of quantum mechanics is very different in philosophy and implementation from the Theory of Relativity which I cited. Unlike the relationship between Newtonian and Einsteinian mechanics there is no such relationship between Newtonian mechanics and quantum mechanics in that the concept of treating the latter as a perturbation on the former makes no sense. One must apply one or the other. A couple of quotes about quantum mechanics are, perhaps apropos here. Thus Richard Feynman,
    "If you think you understand quantum mechanics, you don't understand quantum mechanics." Steven Weinberg, "Quantum Mechanics is a totally preposterous theory which, unfortunately, appears to be correct."

  5. But it is correct to say that special relativity replaced galilean relativity in classical mechanics, which seems to be Gould's intent.

    That we keep theories that makes easier calculations or facilitates education is IMO incidental. We also keep or invent toy models that capture but a few characteristics of reality to try out new methods in.

    I imagine that a similar effect in biology is to use the subset of evolutionary mechanisms that predict a certain phenomena, as the full set is AFAIU neither definitive nor always needed.

  6. Don't forget about my talk tonight at McMaster University in Hamilton (Ontario, Canada). It's sponsored by the McMaster Association of Secular Humanists (MASH) (Hamilton) [Evolution is a Theory and a Fact, with Prof Laurence Moran]

    Your going to miss WNED's broadcast of 'Judgment Day: Intelligent Design on Trial', which airs tonight at 8pm.

  7. It's all just shadows on a cave wall.

  8. It’s all just shadows on a cave wall

    Is that the metaphor from the prologue of Penrose’s ‘Shadows of the Mind’? My ‘faith’ is that the shadows on the wall providentially provide us with a tractable decoding problem: the ‘data samples’ provided by the shadows on the wall can ultimately be made sense of.

    As for evolution there seems to be a lot of sense in what Dobzhansky, Eastern Orthodox Christian, says:
    “Nothing in Biology Makes Sense Except in the Light of Evolution” (Dobzhansky). (See Larry’s article)


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Sunday, December 8, 2013

Sunday Post - 74 & Stacking the Shelves - 47

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba @ The Caffeinated Book Reviewer ~this meme was inspired in part by ~ In My Mailbox~ It's a chance to share News. A post to recap the past week, showcase books and things we have received and share news about what is coming up for the week on our blog.

Monday, Mom, my sister and I took off work to do some Christmas shopping. I think we ended up buying more for ourselves than everyone else. It was kind of a stressful week for me work wise. And that made this weekend so much better. House cleaning, decorating, wrapping presents, and of course more Christmas shopping. Oh and that 12 hours of sleep I got Friday night sure did help.

Monday: Review of Pawn (The Blackcoat Rebellion, # 1) by Aimee Carter (3.5 Stars)
Tuesday: Top Ten 2014 New Releases I'm Stoked About
Thursday: Review of The Wager (The Bet, # 2) by Rachel Van Dyken (2 Stars)
Friday: Review of Fragments (Partials, # 2) by Dan Wells (4 Stars)

Today: Caroline @ The Attic Reviews Interviewed me on her blog

Monday: Review of Love & Respect in the Family by Dr. Emerson Eggerich
Tuesday: Top Ten Winter 2013 TBR List
Wednesday: Waiting on Wednesday
Thursday: Review of These Broken Stars (Starbound, # 1) by Aime Kaufman & Meagan Spooner & Best of 2013 Giveaway Begins
Friday: From the Ashes: Blood Promise (Vampire Academy, # 4) by Richelle Mead

Don't forget to sign up for the 2014 Series Enders Reading Challenge!

Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews.

If You Stay (Beautifully Broken, # 1)

By: Courtney Cole

Published: February 5th 2013 by Lakehouse Press

220 pages

Genre: New Adult, Contemporary

Source: Personal Kindle Library

( Goodreads | Book Depository | )

*Note: The above links to Book Depository & are affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--24-year old Pax Tate is an asshole.

He’s a tattooed, rock-hard bad-boy with a bad attitude to match.

But he’s got his reasons.

His mother died when Pax was seven, leaving a hole in his heart filled with guilt although he doesn’t understand why. What he does know is that he and his dad are left alone and with more issues than they can count.

As Pax grew up, he tried to be the kid his father always wanted; the perfect golden boy, but it didn’t work. His dad couldn’t overcome his grief long enough to notice and Pax couldn’t keep up the impossible perfect façade.
So he slipped far, far from it.

Now, he uses drugs and women to cope with the ugliness, the black void that he doesn’t want to deal with. If he pretends that the emptiness isn’t there, then it isn’t, right?

And it’s never more apparent than when he meets Mila.
Sweet, beautiful Mila Hill is the fresh air to his hardened frown, the beauty to his ugly heart. He doesn’t know how to not hurt her, but he quickly realizes that he’s got to figure it out because he needs her to breathe.

When memories of his mother’s death resurface from where he’s repressed them for so long, Mila is there to catch him when the guilt starts making sense. Mila is the one…the one who can save him from his broken troubled heart; from his issues, from the emptiness.

But only if he can stop being an asshole long enough to allow it.

He knows that. And he’s working on it.

But is that enough to make her stay?

If You Leave (Beautifully Broken, # 2)

By: Courtney Cole

Published: August 6th 2013 by Foreve

336 pages

Genre: New Adult, Contemporary

Source: Personal Kindle Library

( Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository | )

Goodreads description--26-year old Gabriel Vincent is a badass hero. Or he used to be, anyway. As an ex-Army Ranger, Gabe never thought he needed anyone. But after one horrible night in Afghanistan scars him in a way that he can't get past, he needs someone who can help him heal...even if he doesn't realize it.

25-year old Madison Hill doesn't need anybody...or so she thinks. She grew up watching her parents' messed-up abusive relationship and she knows there's no way in hell that she's ever letting that happen to her.

They don't know it in the beginning, but Gabriel and Madison will soon develop a weakness: Each other.

But Gabriel's got a secret, a hidden monster that he's afraid Maddy could never overcome... And Maddy's got issues that she's afraid Gabe will never understand. They quickly realize that they need each other to be whole, but at the same time they know that they've got demons to fight.

And the problem with demons is that they never die quietly.

Before We Fall (Beautifully Broken, # 3)

By: Courtney Cole

Published: December 3rd 2013 by Forever

336 pages

Genre: New Adult, Contemporary

Source: Publisher via NetGalley (Thank you!!) ( Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository | )

*Note: The above links to Amazon, Book Depository, & are affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--Sometimes, one dark moment is all it takes to turn your world black...

For 24-year old Dominic Kinkaide, that moment took place on the night of his high school graduation. One dark incident changed him forever. He's a hardened actor now, famous in the eyes of the world, but tortured in his own. He doesn't care about much of anything, except for losing himself in the roles that he plays.

23-year old Jacey Vincent doesn't realize how much her father's indifference has affected her. She is proof that sometimes it isn't one specific moment that wrecks a person, but rather it's an absence of moments. She's like a bird with a broken wing-strong yet fragile, as she tries to float through life, finding acceptance in the arms of random guys, one after the other... to fill the void that her father left in her.

Until she meets Dominic.

After jaded Dominic and strong-willed Jacey are thrown together, his secret and her issues create a dark and damaged energy that will soon turn their attraction to each other into an explosive storm.

Even though when the clouds have cleared and the dust has settled, both of them are almost obliterated... they've learned a priceless lesson.

Sometimes, before we fall... we fly.

Derailed (Clayton Falls, # 1)

By: Alyssa Rose Ivy

Published: September 23rd 2012 by CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform

260 pages

Genre: New Adult, Contemporary

Source: Kindle Freebie

( Goodreads | Amazon (currently $0.99) )

*Note: The above link to Amazon is an affiliate link. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads descritpion--When you're lost, sometimes the only place you can go is home.

Broken over the death of her fiancé, Molly leaves law school to return to her childhood home in North Carolina. Expecting to lay low until she can figure out what else to do with her life, she finds herself in the arms of her high school sweetheart, the boy who represents everything from the past she tried to leave behind.

Looking for an escape, she instead finds a way back to the girl she almost forgot existed and a future she never dreamed possible.

That's it for my shelves and recaps of my past and upcoming week. What did you add to your shelves this week? Any bookish news you want to talk about? Let me know!

  1. Oh my gosh yes...the sleep on the weekends is the best! Glad you've been able to recharge!

  2. I got some shopping and sleeping done this weekend too. Looks like you have some interesting new books. I don't read very many NAs. Come see what I got at Inside of a Dog and Ms. Martin Teaches Media. Happy reading!

  3. Your books look great! I hope you enjoy them! I still need to go Christmas shopping haha :/ I've only brought stuff for myself as well

  4. Michelle Albanese ParsonsDecember 8, 2013 at 8:18 AM

    No matter how hard I try every time I do christimas shopping I always get something for myself LOL.
    I dream of sleeping 12 hours :) not matter how hard I try I always wake up. Drives me crazy.
    Loving the covers of your book haul!

    Have a great week!

    Because reading is better than real life

  5. Holly @ Words Fueled by LoveDecember 8, 2013 at 9:01 AM

    I'm curious about that Alyssa Rose Ivy book. I have Flight (The Cresecent Chronicles #1) but have yet to read it. (Imagine that!) And the Beautifully Broken series, Imagonna have to borrow those at some point......perhaps AFTER I actually read all the others I am "borrowing" of yours. ;)

  6. Just add them to the list that you'd like to borrow. :) I almost feel like you should keep my regular kindle and I'll keep yours and that way we have constant access to each other's kindle books! :) I kind of want a paperwhite too. And then I really wouldn't care if you just "kept" my regular kindle.

  7. When we went shopping on Black Friday, we ended up buying more for us than anyone else! haha

    Awesome books this week! I have seen a lot of love for the Beautifully Broken series :)

    Have a good week! Weekly Wrap Up

  8. I've heard some great things about the Courtney Cole series! Looks like I need to check that out!

    Here's my Stacking the Shelves

  9. We tend to buy stuff "not on the list" when we shop too, LOL. Never fails. Nice review of Pawn, very in- depth. Sounds like an interesting read.

    Have a great week.

  10. Sarah @ Girl!ReporterDecember 8, 2013 at 12:06 PM

    I love getting a full night's sleep, but it's all too rare, isn't it?!

    Here's how my week went.

  11. Lovely books! Hope you enjoy them all...and your Christmas shopping excursion sounds like a lot of fun. Thanks for visiting my blog.

  12. Great haul! The Beautifully Broken series really looks like something I could get into. I might have to add that to my TBR list...

    Sydney @

  13. Great haul! The Beautifully Brokes series looks great, I hope you'll like them. Happy reading! Thanks for visiting my blog.

    El @ So Bookalicious

  14. Great haul! And there's nothing wrong with doing Christmas shopping for yourself hehe, it's the best part ;)

    Many thanks for stopping by my Showcase Sunday :)

  15. Oh hope work is better this week. And glad you had a great time with your mom & sister. :) try to relax and enjoy the week.

    I too have a Sunday Post up this week, abide a bit late. ;)

  16. I'm so jealous of your 12 hours of sleep. And your Christmas shopping. I need to get crackin' on that this week.

    Hope your week is wonderful! :)

  17. Looks like you had a great week! I'm looking forward to Pawn so I'll have to check out your review of that one!

  18. Wow, 12 hours of sleep in one night? I would love to get maybe 5. Yep, 5 would be great. lol Enjoy the new books. Hope next week is a little less stressful.

    Thanks for stopping by my Sunday Post.

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Honorable Mark Sanford

Representing the 1st District of South Carolina

Sanford Votes Against USA Freedom Act

May 23, 2014
Blog Post

There was a lot of action on the House floor yesterday, and I wanted to note one “first” on my end. Today was the first time since returning to Congress I voted against a bill I co-sponsored – the USA Freedom Act. In fact, so did 78 out of the 151 other co-sponsors, which is something you don’t see all that often. The problem here is that what started as a strong bill with any number of good ideas for reforming the National Security Agency was changed dramatically right before voting, so that it looks almost nothing like the bill we co-sponsored.

There were three changes made behind the scenes to this bill before we voted on it that I found especially concerning. One, language that would have required the NSA to make specific requests for information in the course of an investigation was removed. That continued the troubling practice where the NSA could collect large amounts of data in essence just to see what they could use. Two, it would maintain the situation where telephone and technology companies would have to provide large amounts of information without any specific target. This means that in theory the NSA could ask for all the data coming from the 843 area code and it would be perfectly legal. Three, it extends the part of the PATRIOT Act that authorizes this activity for two and a half more years, when it had initially been scheduled to expire next year.

On top of all of that, this weaker version came to the floor under a closed rule, meaning no one could submit any amendments to change the bill. For example, I introduced an NSA reform bill that would have improved internal oversight at the agency, and was planning on introducing that as an amendment. Under this closed rule, we weren’t even given an opportunity to have these amendments considered, much less voted on. The original reforms in the USA Freedom Act would have been meaningful improvements and protections for Americans’ Fourth Amendment rights, but instead we’re left with a watered down substitute that I do not think addresses the legitimate concerns I hear from people in the District about government intrusion into their private lives.


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What Will You Give Up For Lent? Mardi Gras Feasting Begins Ash Wednesday's Period Of Self-DenialIt's Mardi Gras, Fat Tuesday, Shrove Tuesday, and the night before Ash Wednesday, and while that means drinking, eating, frying up some pancakes, and maybe tossing some beads or baring your... well, let's just say come midnight, it's the polar opposite and time for self-reflection, spiritual focusing, and self-denial.
NCIS: New Orleans Cast To Ride In Orpheus ParadeThe cast of NCIS: New Orleans will ride as monarchs in the Krewe of Orpheus parade, which rolls on Lundi Gras, the day before Fat Tuesday.
Guide To New Orleans' 2014 Mardi GrasMardi Gras 2014 may be a few weeks away, but Carnival season has already begun in New Orleans, with brightly colored parades throughout the city and much more to come.
Mardi Gras Arrives At San Francisco's Fillmore StreetAs Fat Tuesday kicks off in New Orleans, a Mardi Gras celebration was held in San Francisco's Fillmore District to celebrate the city’s contributions to jazz & blues music...
Best Bars To Celebrate Mardi Gras On The PeninsulaAre you ready for Mardi Gras? If you live on the Peninsula and like to party close to home, you're in luck. With numerous cool spots celebrating Mardi Gras, your only dilemma will be choosing which one to go to.
Big Crowds Expected For SF Fillmore District Mardi Gras CelebrationThe annual Fat Tuesday celebration takes place in the San Francisco neighborhood known for its jazz music and roots to the south.
Bay Area Mardi Gras Hot SpotsLaissez Les Bon Temps Roulez! Let the good times roll! New Orleans might be the original American Mardi Gras, but California knows how to party. Check out these Bay Area hotspots, and don’t forget your beads, baby!

More From CBS San Francisco

Get The New CBS SF Bay Area Local App
Got Our Weather App?
Listen to Radio.com Anywhere, Anytime!

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Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago—February 3, 1940: New song enters Top Ten: “In the Mood,” made famous by Glenn Miller and His Orchestra.

65 Years Ago—February 3, 1945: 1003 B-17s of the US Eighth Air Force bomb Berlin, destroying brutal Nazi “People’s Court” and evidence against remaining conspirators in July 20 Hitler assassination plot, sparing their lives. In the Philippines, US airborne troops liberate POWs at Santo Tomas.


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Posted August 29, 2011 11:03 pm

Troubled Port Wentworth marriage ends in murder

Just wondering why this article has been blocked from comments.

Constance Cooper wrote a very informative article regarding the lives of both Nancy and Kennth.  Cooper's article provided an in-depth report of their lives,something that was missing from the original article regarding her death.


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Say It So It Sells

 Profit from the Power of Strong Advertising  Copy

Words Make Ideas Take Flight

“Welcome to Our Website” doesn’t cut it.  You need to Say It So It Sells.  Don’t commit the most common mistake on the Internet:  Copy that’s so generic that it applies to all your competitors.

With strong writing and editing, you can harness the power of your message to move your customer to your desired response.  And on the Internet, you have just seconds to accomplish that goal.

 Package It,  Brand It,  Own It:  Start with Strong Web Content

Using strong principles of Web writing, I make sure your message stands out from that of your fiercest competitors.   You can go to an advertising agency or writing service and pay thousands of dollars to get the job done.  Or you can come to me and get higher quality work at a fair, affordable price.
Cash...(1)According to the Professional Writers Association of Canada, the going rates earned by Web content writers is $1.00 to $3.00 a word or $60 to $100 an hour.   I charge a fraction of those rates and deliver the same quality.

First, I discover your unique selling proposition.  You already know it; I get you to reveal it.  Second, I define your target market.  “Everyone” is not the correct answer.  Third, I turn each of your products and services into compelling benefits.  To learn how to Say It So It Sells, view my video.

For more on my philosophy on Web content that sells, visit my About page.  To learn even more about how to Say It So It Sells, my blog at

Attend My Free Seminar on Writing Strong Web Content

Generic doesn’t sell; bland leads to the back button.  Call me at 613-722-0192.

Say It So It Sells:  Advertising Copy That Boosts Sales

I’m Fred DeRosa of Wordtech Communications in Ottawa, Canada.   As a freelance advertising copywriter and editor with over 30 years of experience, I can structure your message so that it adheres to strong advertising principles.

Thought you might like to know [that] of the e-mails we’ve implemented so far, we’ve sent 200 e-mails out of each type (we’re A/B testing them) and your copy has a conversion rate of 5%.  Our old e-mails sat at 3.5%.

–Will,, London, United Kingdom

Don’t pay for weak advertising; worse, don’t write weak advertising yourself.

Content Analysis and Copy Consultation:  See Where You Are

If you don’t know where to start or if you wonder whether your current advertising message is the best it can be, call me at +1-613-722-0129 in Ottawa or e-mail me for an analysis at  Start selling with strong content now.

For tips on writing good advertising copy, read my postings at and at  On this site under Learn More, you’ll see my current blog and the must-read article These Grammar Mistakes Make You Look like an Amateur.


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November 13, 2009

My Interview at Heart of the Matter

redmomWhere did the name Sprittibee come from?

Sprittibee is actually a nickname and a last initial put together (and here you thought it was all about honey bee obsession!). When me and my hubby were dating back in the early 90’s, he called me Spritti and I called him Spooker. Sickening, I know. The “SP” was a language addition based on that REM song, “Losing My Religion,” where he said “It’s bigger than you… and you are not me.” He slurred his words and said “Spigger”, which was somehow REAL funny to us barely 20 year old, lovesick kids who were stuck in the car part of every day together as we both ran errands for the companies we worked for. That song was on the radio a LOT back then.

Spritti is really “pretty” (glad he thought I was – cuz I was head over heels and still am). I bet you can’t guess what Spooker was. It came from a the shell necklace that Kev bought in Galveston when he went down there to buy a Yaga t-shirt. The necklace was made of puka shells. Add your S and you’ve got the original version of his pathetically dorky nickname. Lucky for him, it didn’t stick quite as well as mine. I’m sure I haven’t called him that in over ten years.

Kids are retarded. Sadly, dumb nicknames STICK. I figure it doesn’t matter if you all know this sordid secret, though. You would be amazed at how many people ask. If I had given my “brand name” a little more thought when I started blogging (on accident through commenting on someone else’s blog), I probably would NEVER have used “Sprittibee” as a blog title. Believe me, I have regretted it many times–but after four years of blogging, I’m stuck with it. I do like bees, so it’s not all bad. I have quite a collection of bee knick knacks.

Can you share a little about your family with us?48
We’re complete nerds. My husband is a computer geek and very handy with electrical and mechanical stuff. We’ve been married for over 16 years. It was love at first sight. We only dated 8 months and I was barely 20 when we landed in the JP. Amazingly, we still get butterflies for each other, so I’m pretty sure that God was behind the whole ordeal – even before we were on his bandwagon. We have 2 kids and one on the way. Our son is 12 and our daughter is 10. They are super kids and I suspect they will be more than helpful when the little Viking arrives in a few weeks. When we aren’t all working, we like to spend time together. I think homeschooling has created the most awesome bonds of love and friendship in our family. I’d rather be with my husband and kids than anyone on the planet.

Have I mentioned that my man is exquisitely handsome? That helps.

You blog at How has blogging been therapeutic for you?

Blogging is just part of who I am now. I wanted to be a writer when I was a kid, and yet I was too lazy or overwhelmed by large projects to ever spend the time necessary to get something done and turned in to a publisher. Being a party-chasing heathen didn’t help. I had binders full of poetry, short stories, beginnings of novels–and life tended to get in the way. After I met Kevin and we had our first child, I pretty much gave up passionate reading and writing. Being a wife and mother was much more pressing and rewarding.

I’ve always journaled and began scrapbooking after I had my kids, so blogging was a natural transition for me. Once I figured out what blogging really was and discovered its potential (and realized it would take too much of my precious time up), I became addicted.

  1. It serves as a platform for sharing thoughts and ideas with other like-minded folk.
  2. It provides a place to share and help to encourage other homeschool moms.
  3. It gives me a place to create a digital scrapbook or portfolio for my homeschooling and our lives.
  4. It offers a way to share updates with family who want to keep in touch.
  5. It is a platform for whining, swollen, pregnant moms on bedrest.

What’s not to love about blogging?!

What’s your favorite self indulgence?

Blogging and chocolate are my favorite self indulgences. I consider the time I blog an indulgence since it doesn’t offer equal compensation. The friends I’ve made through blogging make it worth my while, the fun reviews and free products are a nice perk, but I’d love for someone to pay me a salary for all the work I put in to it! What blogger wouldn’t?

As for the chocolate (which is almost as important), I like Choxie dark chocolate truffles, Raspberry Dark Chocolate bars from Godiva, York Peppermint Patties, and Andes Mints. In that order.

Have you ever experienced “homeschooling” negativity?

Sure. We have plenty of naysayers in our family. I’ve always been somewhat of a rebel, though, so I’m used to the “black sheep” syndrome. I was an awful and sneaky child that stayed in trouble most of my younger years. Even to the point of tricking my mom to give me $75 for church camp and taking a bus to another town and go out all weekend – all night. My kids won’t ever get anything past me. My theory on naysayers is just to let it roll off my back like beads of water on a duck. As long as you have the support of your husband and you believe God has called you to the task, YOU GO MAMA! God will give you what you need to succeed and your children will be the proof that YOU were right in the long run.

Many of the people who didn’t agree with us homeschooling as the kids were younger are coming around, or at least acknowledging that the kids are different than public schooled kids (in a GOOD or BETTER) way. Even my husband (who was my biggest critic when I first wanted to homeschool) said just the other night to the kids, “I’m so glad you guys aren’t in public school.” Now that they are older, the proof is really there in the pudding! And since I’m a firm believer that character is more important than academics (who likes an intelligent JERK?), I’d say that that proof is more than worth dealing with any “negativity” that I’ve ever dealt with.

If you could have any curriculum on the market, what would it be?

Well, I drooled over Rosetta Stone for years and haven’t ever been able to afford it. I guess I’d take a few boxes if they offered a give-away or review! We are about to start Italian with another program soon, so I’m not as whiney about it any more. I’d also love Photoshop Design Premium CS3 or 4, but not just for school (although I would love to teach the kids digital art and photography skills, as both of them are interested in it–like mom). Those two programs are way out of my price range. I pretty much have what I need and borrow what I don’t from friends in local co-ops or the library as we go along. If I had my druthers, I’d have much more mad money for buying books that we fall in love with, though. Books are my homeschool desire when it comes to spending sprees.

You have a large blog following. Does this effect what you share at all?

I don’t spend as much time worrying over numbers of readers like I did when I first started blogging. I often forget about the site meter for long periods and I removed my blog from the ‘ecosphere’ because I’d rather worry about the content than my “status.” I realized over the years that you shouldn’t try to figure out what people want to read, you should just be yourself. If the traffic comes, then so be it. That doesn’t mean I don’t try to be part of the community and reach out to other bloggers, it just means I don’t obsess over my readership–or lack of it–but rather focus on being real, just like you would in real life!

I post pretty much whatever is on my mind – but I do consider how family members or friends might react to it before I blurt it out. I think I worry more about my family and friends who read my blog (the ones I know in person) than I do the general public. I’m sure there are other weirdos like me out there. I love reading other people’s blogs when they are candid and real… so I figure it will only run off the people who probably shouldn’t be reading, if I’m that way in my posts. Even when talking about fry-snatching, getting catheters at the hospital, and swapping snot on accident.

Could you share with us your homeschooling motto/theme/verse?
I believe what Clay and Sally Clarkson said in “Educating the Whole Hearted Child,” that homeschooling is “the right thing to do!” In their book they share so many amazing quotes and inspiring scriptures. It is hard to narrow it down to just one verse, motto, or theme.

I call our homeschool “Magnum Opus Academy” based on the book Charlotte’s Web. Magnum Opus, loosely translated from Latin in to our modern tongue is “life’s masterpiece.” Charlotte’s was her egg sack, containing the children she would share with the world after she was gone. You could also call that a legacy. Your children are your legacy. There’s nothing more important than educating them and passing on the faith in Christ that sustains you. One of my favorite verses (listed on my About Page at my blog) has the line “when Christ – who IS YOUR LIFE appears” in it. I firmly agree that He IS my life. Based on that, nothing else but a God-centered education would do for my children. Homeschooling is really the only way to achieve the type of family bonds that God desires, the worldview that God desires, and the purity of heart that God desires.

I absolutely adore my kids. I see how homeschooling (even though I am flawed and broken) has blessed their character every day. Therefore, I rejoice that in my weaknesses, God has done miracles. I am honored to be His tool.

“I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.” – 3 John 4

One day I hope to be able to say that long after I have finished my portion of the educational life experiences that my kids are to receive, that they will continue in the Truth. After all, any parent that loves their children would not sacrifice herself to make sure that they stayed alive. And eternal life is much more important than this temporal one.

How has homeschooling changed your life for the better?
Homeschooling is freedom. Freedom to think for yourself, to follow your bliss, to take advantage of quality time together as a family, to dig as deep as you want in to what ever interests you. Every day we spend with daddy when he is off work, every vacation we take, every field trip we go on, we are so very thankful for the fact that we are not strapped in to the rigid schedule (or watered-down curriculum) of the public school system. As much as we have moved, I can’t see how any other lifestyle would have worked for us. While we lived in Arkansas for two years my husband worked nights and weekends and got odd days off (sometimes not even consecutive days). If it weren’t for us homeschooling, they would hardly ever have seen their dad for two solid years.

Another blessing has been the PEOPLE we have met. Oh, I can’t even go in to this right now or this might become a novel. Suffice it to say that there are a ton of wonderful kid-loving, God-fearing, selfless and amazingly interesting and fun homeschool parents and kids out there. Friendships that will last far beyond graduation–that’s another blessing homeschooling has to offer.

Congratulations on your “future new addition.” Has pregnancy changed any of your homeschool routines?

Pregnancy has forced me to reconsider my perfectionism. It has really relaxed our style and given me the freedom to feel like God is in control (instead of me). What a blessing! The kids are thrilled with our more flexible and relaxed schedule. School and family life has been more enjoyable. Will our school schedule always stay like this? No. I’ve learned that change is still the only constant – even with homeschool curricula and schedules. However, it is a joy to go through the different seasons of your life, and we are trying to make the most of this one despite any difficulties it presents. Hopefully the infancy and toddler years will be the same–more growing, learning, adapting and bonding together.

Interview by:

nikowaNikowa is a 2nd year homeschooling mom to two boys. With her “learning never ends” philosophy, they have an eclectic year-round approach to learning. When she’s not teaching, she enjoys photography, organizing, cooking, and reading. She is a #1 LOST fan and watches UGA football too! (Go Dawgs!) You can visit Nikowa at Knowledge House Academy.

Melissa Stover said...

i did not know that about the name. interesting and weird. it is hard to choose a blog name and few people realize how important it will be. i just thought it was a neat name you came up with. if you don't tell anyone the story they just think you're clever.

Stretch Mark Mama said...

I FINALLY know how to pronounce your name! Well, at least your blog name. :) It's spritti!

Anita said...

So, I'm not the only one who had problems with picking a "dumb" blog name and being stuck with it! (My HSB Suzanne will never let go!) :)

123 123 said...

Interesting article as for me. It would be great to read something more about that theme.
By the way check the design I've made myself Young escorts

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The links in my "Sweet Linkage" section are either sponsored links or personal links that I find interesting (including the links to the blogs that both of my teen children run).

I occasionally run ads on my blog in exchange for money or traded advertising, or receive products in exchange for a review or giveaway posts. I also participate in campaigns by brands that offer to pay me to write about their products after using them. Any post that is sponsored will be noted as such. All opinions expressed on are my own, and any review, give-away, sponsored post, graphic ad, or product that I mention or link to are ones that I believe are reputable and worthy companies.

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The Famous Windmill at Stony Brook Southampton

Additional reporting by Katie Watt

Facing yet another round of state budget cuts, Stony Brook University took the drastic step of announcing that by summer’s end, the Stony Brook Southampton campus would no longer operate as a semi-independent college, leaving the school’s 500 students to find a new university by the fall.

“Everything will continue until August 31,” said University President Samuel Stanley. “But after that time, this won’t be a residential campus any further.”

The news was met with anger, sadness and frustration from the campus community, a close-knit group of students and faculty. Students were given no notice of the university’s decision until an article was published on the hyper local online news site the night before the official announcement. President Stanley began his remarks by apologizing for the way the campus found out about the news, saying that it was the intention of the administration to make the announcement themselves on Thursday.

That did little to quiet students though. Many in the audience demanded to know why the decision-making process was kept a secret. The administration has been aware of the budget cuts for many months, and the discussions about possible cuts at Southampton had been ongoing for weeks.

“It just happened so quickly, I really don’t know how I was supposed to react,” said Elliott Kurtz, a freshman at Southampton.

“I found out about this at 9 o clock last night. I thought it was a joke,” said Amanda Sylvester, a sophomore. “We were never asked. We were never given the opportunity to try and change this.”

The effective closure of the 81-acre campus will save an estimated $6.7 million per year, or approximately 20% of the total amount of the most recent cuts to Stony Brook, according to Stanley. Administration officials also made it clear that Southampton cuts were a last resort, having already trimmed the budget elsewhere. The main campus has endured numerous cuts since the current state budget crisis began in 2008, and the Manhattan campus was cut in half as well, from two floors to one.

None of this was any comfort to students, who charged that the salaries of the administrators on the stage could make a serious dent in the $6.7 million needed annually to keep Southampton open. President Stanley alone makes $650,000 a year, and the combined salaries of those on stage totaled over $1.4 million based on 2008 figures.

There was also animosity over the number of visits paid to Southampton by President Stanley. He estimated that he had made the hour-long trip between three and five times since he began at Stony Brook in July, but students didn’t sound convinced with those estimates.

“Its hard to say how much he actually fought for us because we didn’t see any of that process,” said Kurtz.

The timing of the administration’s decision is particularly tricky for students who are not graduating this year. All Southampton students will be welcomed at the main campus, but transferring to another university will be difficult, especially since many deadlines have already passed. At NYU, Penn State and Cornell for example, deadlines for transfer students passed as long ago as February 1. Other universities, like Hofstra, accept transfer applications on a rolling basis but encourage early applications. Albany and Binghamton, both fellow SUNY campuses, are still accepting transfer applications.


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Saturday, August 8, 2009

Agents Panel: Daniel Lazar, Writers House - An Introduction

This is an older photo of Dan -
you need to imagine him with MUCH cooler hair now!*

Daniel's primarily interested in Middle Grade, and more and more YA now.

He joked that his list is sometimes summed up by the line: "weird kids in small towns"

He loves graphic novels (He agented the "Dork Diaries")

His client Ingrid Law wrote the Newbery Honor Award winning "Savvy."

more on Dan as the panel continues...
If your interest is piqued, and you want to know more - check out Daniel's Publishers Marketplace Listing here!

*It's hard to sneak past 1,000 people to snap a photo!

Posted by Lee Wind

1 comment:


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Hoopla - Bringing you hundreds of thousands of movies, full music albums, audiobooks, and now, DC Comics, hoopla is a revolutionary digital service made possible by Scenic Regional Library.

TumbleBooks provide a collection of 550 animated, talking picture books for children in preschool through grade 3. Access is available in the library or online from home. Audio can be turned on or off so that children can practice reading, and the books are accompanied by educational games, puzzles and songs.

The Ralph Gregory Library's entire genealogy and local history collection can be found and searched in Scenic Regional Library's online catalog. The 2,280-item collection, housed in the Washington Historical Society, contains resources from throughout Franklin County.

Genealogy enthusiasts can search over 300,000 pages of digitized historical newspapers from Franklin, Gasconade, and Warren Counties available through the library's partnership with the Missouri Historical Society. Additional historical newspapers throughout Missouri can be searched with the library's subscription to

Zinio for Libraries, the world's largest digital library newsstand, offers full-color, interactive digital magazines. Browse from your library's collection of popular titles with no holds, no checkout periods, and no limit to the number of magazines you can download.


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Klondike Derby Mushing

Working as a team to drive your Klondike sled

By Scouter Liam Morland, February 2002

Driving a Klondike sled is called mushing and requires the Scouts to work together as a coordinated team. This is one of the reasons why a derby is such a good Scouting activity.

At a Klondike Derby, one Scout out of the patrol is called the musher. This position should rotate among the Scouts during the day. The musher is the Scout at the back of the sled and usually helps to push. When travelling fast, it may work better for the musher to stand on a ski with one foot and push with the other. This is called kicking.

The rest of the Scouts are called the team. Each team has a harness (usually a loop of nylon webbing) which is attached to the sled by a rope. Each team should have their own rope, rather than branching a single rope to more than one harness. The musher is in charge of the team. The use the commands below to direct the team. To give a command to the entire team, they just say it. To give it to one person or a few people, they say the name of the person followed by the command.

Start moving.
Turn left ("Haw, like southpaw").
Turn right ("Gee, that's right").
Pronounced "jee".
Keep doing what you're doing.
Slow down, but keep moving. Don't let the rope go slack.
Pick it up
Go faster.
Gee over
Move to the right side of the trail.
Haw over
Move to the left side of the trail.
On By
Keep going straight, passing other teams.

It is important to remember that the musher is not the boss, but the leader of the team. The musher cannot just decide that they want to go fast and expect the team to do so. Rather, the patrol must decide together how fast they want to go, that is, what their objectives are. Once the decision is made, the musher is responsible for coordinating the team to carry out what they have all decided to do.

Since I haven't had time to write about these yet, think about:


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We’re throwing a Gratitude Party, and YOU are invited!

Happy New Year friends! It’s a brand new year and we can’t wait to see what the future has to offer! 2013 is going to be a great year at The Scrap Exchange, full of growth and creativity.

To start the new year off right, we want to give a huge THANK YOU to everyone who helped support our mission in 2012. If you shopped in our store, attended a gallery opening or event, dropped off a donation, volunteered your time, or contributed to our Love Challenge, then YOU made a difference!

Speaking of our Love Challenge, we are thrilled to announce that we raised over $7000 during the course of the year-end fundraising campaign. And to celebrate that, and all the other ways you helped in 2012, we want to say more than just “thanks”. We want to throw a party just for you!

We will host our Gratitude Party on Thursday, February 7, and YOU are invited! Please join us for a LOVE themed celebration, complete with champagne, sparkling juice, chocolate and fruit! We hope you will join us so that we can thank each of you personally. Here are the details!

scrap exchange love challenge thank youWhat: A Gratitude Party
Who: Friends members, shoppers, donors, volunteers, board members, staff and instructors
Where: The Scrap Exchange
When: Thursday, February 7th 5:30-8:30pm
Why: To thank you for your support in 2012! We can’t do it without you!

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My Shred Siggie

My Shred Siggie

ABR A New Me Collection

Took me awhile - Had to wait until I paid my last cc bill before buying this collection - now Brandy's is on my list! Gotta have them both, right? LOL

Oh, and I looked at all the embellies and couldn't for the life of me find the little blanks to put my name in - I am going back later and re-download the embellies again - couldn't find them in Brandy's either looking at the product page - ditzy me! LOL

    Love it!!!
    Cute siggie.
    Love the siggie Sara


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Kourtney Kardashian baby Kourtney Kardashian's baby fat removed by OK! Photoshop diet
That may look like Kourtney Kardashian on the cover of OK! with the headline  “Kourtney’s Body After Baby Exclusive”
But it’s not exclusive and that’s not her body.
The reality TV star gets real when she says she never spoke to OK! or posed for their cover, a picture that makes her look much skinnier than she really is.

]]>“One of those weeklies got it wrong again…they didn’t have an exclusive with me. And I gained 40 pounds while pregs, not 26…But thanks!,” she tweeted.

“They doctored and Photoshopped my body to make it look like I have already lost all the weight, which I have not,” the reality TV star adds.
The real photo, taken seven days after the birth of her son Mason, first appeared in the January 11 issue of Life & Style, WWD writes. OK! has declined to comment because, really, what could they say. Oops?
The mag even turned her white dress purple. About the only thing they didn’t retouch is little Mason. Although he looks suspiciously less red than he does in the original photo.
Color correcting a baby!  Have they no shame?
Photo credits: Life and Style, OK!


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Kristinkreuk2_smallville_s6_240_2It’s the Smallville event of the year: the much anticipated wedding of Chloe Sullivan and Jimmy Olsen. You are cordially invited to the Kent farm where love is in the air. With long lost friends and unexpected villains making cameo appearances, it’s more than worth the price of a dinette set from the registry.

These Spoilers never throw away good memories

What’s a wedding without home movies? It begins with Clark and Lois sending their greetings, Jimmy waiting for his beautiful bride, Clark escorting Chloe down the steps of the barn… pretty standard stuff so far. We cut to the kissing of the bride, where Jimmy kicks it up a notch by dipping her. It’s only when they begin to cut the cake that a rumbling comes from the roof. Leave it to a dark, shadowy, angry monster to crash the most anticipated wedding of the year.

Eight hours earlier, Lois runs around the Kent farm all manic in the last minute preparations of the wedding. Jimmy makes it known he’s only nervous of seeing Chloe before the ceremony. Superstitious often, Jimmy? He does offer one bit of useful help in offering best man Clark as her plus one. He feels it in his gut that this is the right thing to do. Lois puts up her “strong” front, yet can’t help but smile her goofy smile. It’s good to feel wanted.

Despite his best efforts, Jimmy does indeed run into a glowing Chloe putting on her garter belt. He simply cannot believe his luck here. Chloe takes a minute to list just some of the disasters they’ve weathered thus far in their courtship. Seeing her before the ceremony, she says, is the least of their problems. I can only imagine this conversation would have continued on if not for Davis calling. To keep the groom from stressing even more, she lies about who is really calling. That’s what good brides do.

In the Kent kitchen, Clark learns from Oliver that Lex is alive. There’s a wayward router out there that indicates emails have been sent, and if they can get their hands on that piece of equipment in time, they can track his location. Clark is up for the idea but wants to wait until after the wedding. Oliver seems incredulous to the idea of waiting one second more.

It seems the point is moot as Clark later whooshes to Oliver’s plane, router in hand. Clark says Oliver can’t be mad at Lex for the sins of Lionel. Of course, Oliver could care less as all he wants is the router. Again, Clark chooses to wait until after the wedding before he’ll help again. Lucky for Oliver, a guy appears from behind the curtain, saying he’s already downloaded information from the router during the lover’s quarrel.

I have to say, Allison Mack totally rocks the wedding dress. Lois makes her way to the loft, with Chloe thanking her for what she did to the barn. Davis plays the role of the jilted lover and calls for the 437th time. There are more pressing issues as Chloe needs to find her something borrowed. Clark arrives just in time for her to suggest his kryptonite. Wisely, he pulls the flower from the freshman dance long ago. Apparently, he never throws away good memories.

Meanwhile in Cuba, Green Arrow enters a textile mill when he shoots what he thinks is Lex. Turns out, it’s just a mannequin with a note saying “Sorry I missed you.” A concealed gal roars out of nowhere and knocks our hunk down. Holy crap, it’s Lana! It seems they’re both there to settle various scores. Even with all the information the router is providing, she’s not totally convinced Lex is alive. He offers to help her, but she’s less than thrilled at that concept. Oliver lets her know Chloe is getting married and even goes so far as to invite her to the wedding. Of course, Lana claims its “complicated,” but Oliver has a way of laying on quite the guilt trip!

Lois and Clark meet at the stairs with that look in their eyes. She helps Clark with his father’s cufflinks with that hopeful look in her eyes. He begins to read Jimmy’s backup vows, which only makes Lois even more emotional.

In stark contrast to the happenings on the Kent farm, we find Davis massively upset and bloody, calling Chloe yet again. He carries bags full of blood and God knows what else to a dumpster. A random rent-a-cop spots him and pulls his gun once he realizes what is going on. Davis begs the guy to walk away, but before he can, our favorite paramedic begins his transformation to the dark side… taking out the guard in the process.

Slow jazz plays as Clark and Chloe have their dance. She mentions that she’ll never forget all the things they’ve been through. Somehow, a weight has been lifted from her and that is what helped her to move on with the wedding. When Jimmy reclaims his bride, Clark makes his move on Lois. They dance, and awkward pauses allows for the two to move closer and closer… except who should arrive but Lana, the moment killer!

Lois wanders the porch, champagne bottle in hand when Oliver arrives. He offers to be the sympathetic ear. She’s having a lot of feelings and doesn’t know what they mean, having trouble sharing it with her ex of all people. Surprise surprise, the love bug has burrowed deeply into Lois, taking her by complete surprise.

Lana looks at an incoming text reading “Did the Archer believe you?” when Clark finds her. He hoped she would give him some heads-up of her arrival, but he also knows the wedding wasn’t in her original plans. Lana is proud of his mysterious blur actions. She says leaving Smallville was the hardest thing she’s ever done, but she’s glad she had the guts to do it. Clark reveals that he wiped Chloe’s mind.

Jimmy and Chloe are just beginning to cut the cake when it happens… lights flicker, mysterious thumping and everyone freaking the hell out. Out of nowhere, Doomsday busts in, immediately knocking Lana out. It barrels through the barn, destroying everyone and everything in its path. Clark tries to take is on and, of course, fails spectacularly, getting knocked all the way to the loft next to the open box of kryptonite. Jimmy tries to take it on and gets a massive chest wound as a consolation prize. Chloe rushes to his side but finds Doomsday taking aim at her. Lana saves Clark by returning the glowing rock to its box. Oliver shows up to reveal the “thing” took Chloe.

At the emergency room, Clark wanders the halls. He first finds Lana, who asks about Chloe. Oliver is using all his satellites in an effort to find the missing bride. Lois is just outside Jimmy’s room, saying he’s in bad shape, bad enough that the hospital is going to Medevac him to a Star City facility. She wonders why terrible things keep happening to them.

Let’s kick start the sappy montage of everyone in reflecting mode, all while Jimmy is being wheeled away. Doomsday is seen carrying an unconscious Chloe into the Fortress. Once she’s placed on the ice slab, she opens her Brainiac eyes and flashes that evil smile. We end with a body double that bears a striking resemblance to Lex, hooked up like Neo watching the wedding video!

Next time on Smallville: new heroes, new enemies, new legends… coming January 15th! In the meantime, Happy Holidays and we’ll see you in 2009.

So what in the world did that ominous text that Lana received really mean? Seems Clark didn’t quite remove all the Brainiac from Chloe… what becomes of her now? Has the show sufficiently piqued your interest to hold you over for two months?

Posted by:Brandon Millman


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Almost every film needs a villain and the Warm Bodies adaptation appears to have found its bad guy in the form of John Malkovich, who is in negotiations to join the supernatural young adult romance flick (a.k.a. “Romeo and Juliet plus zombies”).

Meanwhile, Marion Cotillard will take a break from starring in Christopher Nolan-directed blockbusters by following up The Dark Knight Rises with a role in Rust and Bones – a film being crafted by the same writing/directing team responsible for the recent Best Foreign Language Film Oscar-nominee, A Prophet.

Warm Bodies is based on Isaac Marion’s popular novel, which is generally described as a cross between Twilight and Shaun of the Dead (take that as you will). Rust and Bones, by comparison, is actually an adaptation of author Craig Davidson’s short story collection of the same name.

Warm Bodies

John Malkovich in ‘RED’

Nicholas Hoult (X-Men: First Class) and Teresa Palmer (I A Number Four) are playing the leads in Warm Brodies, which is set against the backdrop of the zombpocalypse. It tells the tale of R (Hoult), the lone zombie who is existentially tormented by his need to feed on live human brains. R eventually forms an almost romantic connection with Julie (Palmer), the girlfriend of one of his more recent victims, which further reawakens his own humanity.

Heat Vision says that Malkovich is in talks to play “the baddie” in Warm Bodies, which could mean he’s up to portray Julie’s father – a ruthless general who runs one of the last remnants of human society. That sounds promising enough, seeing how one of Malkovich’s specialities is playing villiains, especially of the cunning variety (see: In the Line of Fire, Con AirRipley’s Game, etc.). Just don’t count on him being quite as much fun as he was in the last film where he played a military man (see: RED).

Warm Bodies is being scripted and directed by Jonathan Levine (The Wackness), whose dramedy 50/50 hit theaters at the end of this month. The early buzz around that flick is pretty good, and pegs it as pulling off a nice mix of laughs and drama, without ever becoming too serious or corny. Hopefully Levine will bring that same touch to his zombie movie, which likewise reads as something that could turn out pretty bad – in the wrong hands.

Rust and Bones

Ken Watanabe and Marion Cotillard in ‘Inception’

Marion Cotillard has worked on several big Hollywood productions since her Best Actress Oscar win – including Public Enemies, Nine, Inception, Contagion, and Christopher Nolan’s aforementioned third Batman movie. With Rust and Bones, though, she’ll be back on familiar, but different, territory (re: a low-budget, foreign-language flick).

Here is an official description of Craig Davidson’s original Rust and Bones short story collection:

In steel-tipped prose, Craig Davidson conjures a savage world populated by fighting dogs, prizefighters, sex addicts, and gamblers. The twenty-seven bones of the title story are the bones in a boxer’s hands; once broken, they never heal properly, and the fighter’s career descends to bouts that have less to do with sport than with survival: no referee, no rules, not even gloves. In “A Mean Utility” we enter an even more desperate arena: dogfights where Rottweilers, pit bulls, and Dobermans fight each other to the death.

How exactly A Prophet director Jacques Audiard and his co-writer, Thomas Bidegain, are planning to turn Rust and Bones into a film is not clear. Variety says the project is being described as “a mix of suspense and love”, so take that for what it’s worth.

All the same, A Prophet was one of the more impressively gritty and overall inventive gangster/crime dramas released in recent memory – so it will be exciting to see what Audiard and Bidegain make of Rust and Bones, with Cotillard (who it’s near impossible to go wrong with) as the main starlet.

Warm Bodies is expected to reach theaters by the second half of 2012.

We will keep an eye out for more information about Rust and Bones in the future.

Source: THR, Variety


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With months of rumors and whispers around the Internet having left people wondering exactly which upcoming film hot-in-demand actor Michael Fassbender would be appearing in next – with titles like the RoboCop reboot and Darren Aronofsky’s Noah retelling being included in the mix – we finally have a definitive answer: The Counselor, directed by Ridley Scott and based on the original screenplay by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Cormac McCarthy (The Road, No Country for Old Men).

Reports that Scott wanted to reunite with Fassbender on The Counselor – as the two recently collaborated on this year’s anticipated sci-fi (prequel?) flick, Prometheus – leaked out just a couple weeks ago (at the time of writing this). Now, Deadline has confirmed that Fassbender is indeed “committed” to the McCarthy script.

The Counselor is a film that’s coming together at a surprisingly rapid rate, especially when you consider how long we’ve been hearing both Scott and Fassbender’s names linked to other projects. McCarthy’s agents were likewise taken aback when the acclaimed American novelist delivered the Counselor script back in December 2011 (they were expecting a new book) and have been scrambling to get this flick on the fast-track to production ever since.

Now that Scott has filled the role of The Counselor‘s namesake, he is reportedly looking ahead to fill the part of the villain. Early rumored candidates include the ever-busy Jeremy Renner, Bradley Cooper, and Brad Pitt – who, as it were, helped jump-start his career by appearing in Scott’s Thelma & Louise AND is already slated to appear alongside Fassbender again (after Inglourious Basterds) in Twelve Years a Slave. Still, for the time being, all three of those stars should be considered equally viable candidates.

Insiders are describing The Counselor as “‘No Country for Old Men’ on steroids [and] one of McCarthy’s most disturbing and powerful works.” Suffice it to say, with that thematic synopsis, Scott at the helm and Fassbender in the lead, the film should have no difficulty in securing an accomplished actor to play the antagonist. Nor should it take long for Scott to convince two worthy actresses to portray the female characters “who intrude to play leading roles” in McCarthy’s new dark tale about a respectable man getting involved in dirty crime business.

Principal photography on The Counselor is tentatively slated to begin by May 2012, with a late 2013 theatrical release date most likely in mind.

Source: Deadline


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Oct. 15 2014 12:33 PM

Karma, lie detectors and the unlikelihood of happy endings

Nov. 4 will be Carl DeMaio’s ultimate moment of truth.
Photo illustration By John R. Lamb

"You cannot lie ever, because a lie destroys the credibility of the product, and credibility is more important than anything."

—Frank Luntz

If congressional candidate Carl DeMaio keeps throwing people under the bus, it's conceivable that one day the former San Diego City Council member will be able to count all his friends on one hand.

Fortunately for San Diego, the Twitter hashtag #masturgate emerged well before this city's latest shove into the national media spotlight amid allegations of sexual harassment lodged against DeMaio by Todd Bosnich, his former campaign policy director. (That distinction goes to a now-deceased Canadian politician who, according to his account, had no idea he was visiting that kind of massage parlor.)

As we've learned from previous embarrassing episodes of local impropriety—particularly among the political class—separating fact from fiction can be not only a messy business but also an unfulfilling one devoid of a happy ending. In the end, everyone feels like lining up for decontamination.

In this instance, the alleged victim du jour—a fervent ex-DeMaio loyalist—appeared on CNN Friday to lay out in graphic detail what he described as an intensifying campaign of unwanted advances from DeMaio that culminated, Bosnich alleged, with the candidate masturbating in front of him "with a smile on his face" in the campaign office one morning last April.

Two days before the CNN story ran, reporters at a DeMaio press conference bombarded him with questions about the charges, which DeMaio dismissed as "an outrageous lie" from a former staffer who, he claimed, had committed plagiarism and was a suspect in the alleged May break-in at his campaign office.

Bosnich, in response, offered up results from an independent lie-detector test he said backed up his allegations and further claimed that DeMaio's campaign manager, Tommy Knepper, had offered him $50,000 for his silence and a job with the local Republican Party. The DeMaio campaign, in a return volley, denied those allegations and said Knepper had passed a lie-detector test of his own.

The back-and-forth set social media ablaze—not surprising, given the timing of the bombshell as ballots began dropping in voter mailboxes. The culmination may have come when former 52nd Congressional District candidate Lori Saldaña—neither a fan of incumbent Rep. Scott Peters nor the leadership of the local Democratic Party—equated to McCarthyism CityBeat's decision to publish an interview with Bosnich by KFMB radio personality Mike Slater that was recorded the day before the June primary but was never aired.

The Peters campaign, meanwhile, has been quiet as a church mouse on the subject, most likely following the axiom that when a political opponent is falling, let him fall on his or her own. When the opposition is debating who has the more credible lie-detector results, what can one really add to the conversation?

The real question is: How will these allegations play among voters? Clearly, those who've always found DeMaio to be a self-serving, egomaniacal charlatan—a "political sociopath," as former City Council colleague Donna Frye once labeled him—will feel further emboldened that San Diego will face another Bob Filner Moment with DeMaio in office.

DeMaio's backers, meanwhile, may feel equally emboldened, disgusted by the lateness of the charges. County Republican Party Chairman Tony Krvaric took another tack, telling local TV station NBC 7/39 that "this is gay-baiting at its worst." (Both DeMaio and Bosnich are openly gay.)

Bosnich claims that Knepper told him he could have avoided the problem by not telling DeMaio he was gay. Which raises the question: Huh? DeMaio's running an ad now in which he proclaims himself to be a "proud gay American." If what Bosnich says is true, how are other gay Republicans who work for DeMaio supposed to interpret that? Better to keep your orientation to yourself than risk unwanted advances from the candidate?

One DeMaio supporter even suggested that Bosnich was no victim. Susan Jester, president of the local chapter of the Log Cabin Republicans, told Fox5, "I just felt, at the time, he was almost obsessed with Carl, because he was there constantly," adding later in the same interview, "I would think Carl would've been filing some sort of charges about [Bosnich] stalking him because he was just always there."

How showing up for one's job can be equated with stalking baffles Spin, but perhaps the brains of the politically devoted are simply concussed from sexual-harassment fatigue. Comparisons to former mayor Filner's rapid fall from grace over his own poor personal habits are inevitable, even if some would discount the correlation because Filner initially apologized for his boorish behavior and DeMaio has flatly denied his.

Not to get all the Filner haters foaming again, but let's recall what he said when he resigned 14 months ago after a slew of apologies. "You know, I started my political career facing lynch mobs," he said, a reference to his Freedom Rider days. "And I think we have just faced one here in San Diego. You're going to have to deal with that. In a lynch-mob mentality, rumors become allegations, allegations become facts, facts become evidence of sexual harassment, which have led to demands for my resignation and recall.

"Those of you in the media and in politics who fed this hysteria, I think, need to look at what you helped create. Because you have unleashed a monster. I think we'll be paying for this affront to democracy for a long time."

In the end, both have said, in essence, "Where's the proof?"

As Filner suggested, proof and politics are rare bedfellows. DeMaio probably was thinking retribution, not proof, when he tweeted the word "Karma" after former City Council nemesis Ben Hueso, now a state senator, was busted for DUI in August.

Voters, as always, will have to go with their gut in November. The question remains, would a Rep. Carl DeMaio bring so much baggage to Washington, D.C., that San Diego's needs take a back seat? That's not a scenario for a happy ending.

Write to johnl@sdcitybeat.com and editor@sdcitybeat.com.

See all events on Wednesday, Oct 19


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Comics Time: Alan’s War

Alan’s War

Emmanuel Guibert, writer/artist

First Second, November 2008

336 pages

Buy it from

You immediately judge Alan’s War against two separate non-fiction genres: World War II books and graphic memoirs set against major historical backdrops. You’ll find it a low-key affair when stacked up against either. Culled from “The Memories of G.I. Alan Cope,” as Guibert’s subtitle puts it, Alan’s War is as different from, say, Ken Burns’s The War as the possessive proper noun is from the definite article. As a matter of fact, Alan is barely in the war; the vast majority of his recollections are of times before or after his entry into hostilities, such as it was. To hear Alan tell it, he appears to have been involved in combat only one time and never saw his attackers. The most horrific incidents he recounts both took place during Germany’s surrender. It’s not D-Day or Iwo Jima by a long shot. Nor is it Maus, where Vladek’s experiences spoke directly to the central horror of the war. Nor even is it Persepolis, where Marjane’s forceful personality made the conflict with Revolutionary Iran feel a lot more direct than events actually bore out. Instead it feels a lot more like Siberia, a sort of meandering, matter-of-fact presentation of a gentle soul who couldn’t help but butt up against a cataclysmic world-historical scenario. In Siberia’s case the inhumanity of the totalitarian USSR was really just another challenge for Nikolai Maslov’s depressive personality; in Alan’s War, life in the Army simply pushes Alan in a different direction but still is primarily viewed through the lens of the friendships it enables him to form. We come to see that interpersonal relationships are the way Alan learns about himself throughout his long life, culminating in a spiritual and philosophical “rebirth” late in his life owed to acquaintances he made in occupied Germany. This particular narrative throughline is obviously constructed by Guibert’s editing of Alan’s story, which begs perhaps the most interesting unanswered question in the book, that of Alan’s possible homosexuality. The frequency with which Cope’s reminiscences star friends and fellow soldiers coming to terms with their own identity led me to wonder whether that was the one act of self-examination the kindly intellectual was never quite able to perform on himself. In its way Alan’s War is an compelling little book, its idiosyncratic protagonist going a long way to humanize art that is occasionally static and obviously photoreffed in the way that those rotoscoped credit card/financial adviser/whatever they are commercials that subtract a bunch of lines from a person’s photo can look, but is just as frequently endearing in its simplicity.

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Email archiving systems for small businesses

To help you gain more knowledge on email archiving, we've collected our top tips and articles on email archiving systems for SMBs.

Email archiving systems can be very beneficial to companies of all sizes, including small- to medium-sized businesses...

(SMBs), as they can lower operating costs and provide reassurance in terms of e-discovery and records retention.

And according to the Spring 2010 Storage magazine/ Purchasing Intentions Survey, respondents are decreasing their dependency on tape technology for archiving and backup. According to the survey, "Using cloud backup services for email and database application data ranked at the top, with both used by 18% of respondents. In addition, backing up user files or desktop/notebook files are each used by 14% of those surveyed, while 13% use these services to back up remote sites or branch offices."

However, choosing the right email archiving system, deciding what emails to archive and implementing email archiving can be challenging, especially to smaller companies.

To help you gain more knowledge on email archiving, we've collected our top tips and articles on email archiving systems for SMBs. Read our email archiving services primer for SMBs; find out the pros and cons of cloud email archiving services; and get an in-depth look on email archiving strategies for small businesses. You will also learn about the differences between outsourcing and in-house email archiving; and last, listen to a podcast from our sister site, on email archive services. And for additional information on archiving and storage management, visit the storage management section of our site.

Small business email archiving services primer

Email archiving services are becoming more important to implement as the amount of emails companies produce continues to climb each year. Although SMBs are smaller in size, email archiving is just as important for them as it is for larger enterprises. In this interview, Brian Babineau, vice president of research and analyst services at Enterprise Strategy Group, talks about email archiving systems for SMBs. Babineau discusses the different challenges SMBs encounter with email archiving, the difference between in-house and outsourced email archiving systems, hybrid email archiving and what affordable options are available to SMBs. Listen to the full podcast on email archiving services for small businesses.

Cloud email archiving services: Users reveal the good, bad and the ugly

How are cloud email archiving systems performing in companies today? This article takes an in-depth look at a few users who have implemented cloud email archiving into their backup environments. Read about the ups and downs the Environmental Defense Fund had with their cloud archiving service, Mimecast. Also, see how the website,, used Backupify to simplify their backups and archives. Read the full story on the pros and cons of cloud email archiving services.

Email archiving strategies: A tutorial on email archiving for smaller businesses and SMBs

Many small businesses find themselves facing similar email archiving issues as large enterprises, but they often can’t solve them using the same resources. This tutorial on email archiving explores email archiving options and strategies for smaller businesses. Learn about data backup vs. archiving, on-site email archiving products, hosted email archiving products and hybrid email archiving products. Read the full tutorial on email archiving strategies for SMBs.

Email archiving for SMBs: Outsourcing vs. in-house archiving

Companies have two choices when it comes to email archiving: outsourcing their archives to a managed service or running a licensed archiving software in-house. Outsourcing email archiving is a good idea if your company has fewer than 1,000 mailboxes. In-house archiving is good if you have a lot of data, and if you want keep an eye on your data on-site. Read more about the pros and cons of outsourcing and in-house email archiving.

Email archive services explained

Managing your email archives can be a challenging task, so many organizations are looking at email archive services to help them manage their email infrastructures. Email archive services can move, index and manage messages from the organization to a service provider’s storage. However, there are cons to email archiving services, such as being locked in to one specific provider. In this podcast, Ian Lock, a service director for storage and backup at GlassHouse Technologies UK, discusses how email archive services work and the pros and cons of email archiving services. Listen to the full email archive services podcast.

This was last published in March 2011

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