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Art That Is New and that Really Matters

New Painting from Michael Killen Suggests Next President’s Energy Strategy Needed to Slow Climate and Ocean Change.’ Energy and climate and ocean experts help share the story.

Michael Killen lives and works in the Silicon Valley city of Menlo Park, CA. He makes paintings, TV programs and YouTube videos to help raise the level or discussion of important developments and issues. @KillenMichael

About Michael Killen--Head of 'Art of California's Climate Plan', Syndicated TV and Radio Talk Show

Michael Killen runs a media consulting company based in Silicon Valley, Killen & Assocoates. He and his team have published 400 market research studies and a dozen white papers; produced 600 TV and radio interview show, wrote six books, keynoted many business events around the world, and shared his rermarks at colleges and universities in the China, UAE, and US. He is the artist who made "Sustainability", for NASA; and "Resilience of America", "Don Quixote Fights Sea Level Rise" and "Water Water Every Where and Not a Drop to Drink." Three of his works are displayed in Gov. Jerry Brown's Office of Planning and Research. Contact if you have an important and challenging project. Michael hosts the syndicated TV talk show 'The Killen Report' and the KZSU Stanford Radio 90.1 FM show, 'Michael Killen Radio.'
This entry was posted in art education, artist-speaker, Beyond Art, Climate art, energy policy, Uncategorized and tagged , , . Bookmark the permalink.

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Book Review Wednesday – Fallen Kings

Fallen Kings by Sarah Witenhafer

Amazon Book Description:

Christian Speculative Fiction set in ancient Babylon.

As her father’s only heir, Naamah has been taught how to succeed in a world ruled by men. Despite her ability, she’s powerless to choose her own husband. When the wrong man is chosen for her, Naamah calls on the goddess of love and war to intervene.

Lord Prince Raheil, Keeper of the Sixth Gate of Heaven, arrives with his army in a glorious show of terrifying power. He vies for Naamah’s hand, promising to make her father the earth’s first king and to raise their city to legendary heights. To Naamah, he offers immortality itself.

Only one man stands against the prince and his army – Keenan – the man Naamah’s father first chose to be her husband. He alone can understand the prince’s strange language, and knows Raheil was not sent from the heavens. Pledging all to save the woman he loves, Keenan vows to expose the secret plans of darkness and defeat a warrior sent from the gods.

*The Review Contains Some Minor Spoilers*

I originally picked this book up in July because the summary promised a fight between good and evil and I don’t see many books set in Ancient Mesopotamia especially with fantasy or speculative elements to them. I had intended to review the book in July but I ultimately DNF the first time around. So, I resolved this week to make myself read this book.

Plot – B

The promised plot was that of spiritual warfare and a struggle between good and evil. However, I was ultimately disappointed in how the plot was executed. While there was spiritual warfare, for most of the book, it feels as though it’s a spiritual blitz by evil with no real relief from that which is good. The bad guys are winning due to sheer numbers and the narrators chosen do not do well in establishing a relatable character for the reader to really root for and connect with during the story. In fact, I found myself wanting to backpedal from the narrators and especially the situations they are in.

This plot had great potential but an oppressive darkness overwhelms and smothers the good in this book. I wanted to see Keenan (whose name doesn’t mesh with anyone else’s for some reason) be a strong warrior for God and fulfill his vow as related in the summary. The way the plot turned and twisted didn’t truly fulfill this promise and potential. Naamah…ugh, Naamah is one of the WORST narrators I’ve encountered. She is shallow, selfish, belligerent, and too infatuated/in lust with Raheil to see the truth. Every time she catches glimpses of his true nature, she immediately flits to the frame of mind that he’s gorgeously beautiful and glorious and did I mention beautiful in addition to her later thoughts coming around to how can she make sure he’s not angry with her. Naamah’s brother is mentally handicapped with the mind of a five year old and at first Naamah is very protective of him, almost making her tolerable, but later her protectiveness is wrapped in an arrogance that makes her cruel in her interactions with him, which was unfortunate because her caring for her brother was pretty much her only saving grace. In the middle of the book, we abruptly jump from Naamah narrating in first person to Luralamar (her father) narrating in third person then to Serug a minor character who I could understand as being a narrator then to Keenan who I would have expected to be the secondary narrator and then to another minor character who I sincerely wish had been cut as narrator because he didn’t actually contribute anything to the plot in his scene.

The plot presented in this book didn’t feel as though it fulfilled the promises made in the summary. The ending could stand on its own in addition to leading into the next book with the epilogue. But it wasn’t very satisfying.

Content – F

Content is always the most subjective category for me. However, the content and the execution of said content is a key factor in my assessment. I was extremely disappointed in both areas with this book.

Violence is definitely present. People are injured, beaten, and killed. A woman has a clay tablet thrown at her head and it hits her but she’s able to walk away from it. The most gruesome deaths involve sexual violence toward women who are raped and then torn apart. However, these are described in the dialogue instead of being shown outright. There is a death involving stoning as well but that one was relatively bloodless and short.

The language and general vulgarity present in this book took me by surprise because not one review mentioned it. The first appearance comes from Naamah where she snaps at a panicking couple to “Crawl under the table and p*** on yourselves if you wish.” (Paperback, pg. 56). Considering she is supposed to be the leader in her father’s absence and she has purportedly been trained to interact on the level of diplomacy, I really struggled with how her crassness and belligerence is supposed to give her panicking people someone to look up to in a time of crisis. “Damn” is used several times, only once in a sense of spiritual damnation. Then we get to pages 184-185, which offers up the following: “What monkey’s p***er has dared to haul me from my bed and leave me waiting for two damn hours?” and “How it is the Commander just called his lural a monkey’s – what did you say, Zakar? – ‘a weewee?” Then from the next page is “Does that mean you’d watch my back or you favor your own a**?” I don’t know if the last two were meant to be humorous or not. But, for me personally, they weren’t funny. They were crude and really unnecessary. P***er also shows up again where one brother insults another brother. A** is used frequently after that and not in the context of Balaam’s ass/donkey. Keenan, the resident “good guy,” shouts “God, what has me?” (pg. 189) and “God, this thing hurts.” (pg. 190). Pig’s dung and rat dung are also used in name calling but that’s mild compared to the rest as is the part where one man says “Hang the bastard.” (Paperback, pg. 267). Did people in Ancient Sumer and post-Flood curse? Oh I’m sure they did. However, I am not in favor of writing out curses, especially when it feels anachronistic and too modern for the setting.

Under the same umbrella of vulgarity and language is the sexual content. There are constant references to whores. Naamah calls one woman a slut because she was Keenan’s former mistress (although he did repent of this and set her aside). There is a particularly disturbing scene told through the eyes of Garta (the unnecessary minor character narrator I mentioned before) involving a brothel. The language used is extremely vulgar such as when the eunuch asks him where he “wants to screw your whore in” (pg. 227) and discussing the smell of sex. I had absolutely no desire to read this muck but I waded through it because the impression was given that it would lead to something important and I didn’t know exactly when the important piece would be reached so I couldn’t just skip the next several pages. The important information that the secret tunnel between brothel and tavern was invaded by evil? THAT had already been made clear when Keenan talked to his former mistress after she begged him for help. There was NO justifiable reason for the brothel scene to be included. It was vulgar and gratuitous because it didn’t really contribute to the story. I wish that the author had stayed in Keenan’s POV and just entered the inn bypassing the thirteen pages involving Garta, his wife (who had been pressganged into prostitution), and the brothel.

Naamah is consumed with lust for Raheil. She’s obsessed with him and too many times the descriptions of these two making out toe the line of lewdness. Naamah wrapping a leg around Raheil’s hip and then a description of Raheil’s tongue in her mouth are just some of the examples. I could have lived without that. Concubines sliding their clothes off to enter a bath are handled with less detail. 😐 There is continual reference to bedding women and Raheil refers to Keenan’s prayer interrupting his “coupling” with Naamah. Naamah’s father is seduced by an evil spirit disguised as his wife while in his bath. As mentioned before, Raheil’s soldiers rape many women. Two of these incidents are related through dialogue. And there is a lot of sexual violence throughout. We also see the aftermath of a drunken orgy where Naamah describes one of the concubines as being pinned beneath the man who had used her and Naamah also taunts her. Between the language, general vulgarity, and the sexual content, I almost quit this book multiple times.

On the spiritual side, this is supposed to be a tale of spiritual warfare. But it’s very one-sided and dark and full of despair. Eber and his son Peleg, the ancestors of Abraham, have a brief appearance and appear to only escape death because they’re in the genealogy. There is an angel who saves Keenan twice and Keenan is able to stand up to Raheil as well as understanding the “heavenly” language. HOWEVER, when the demons overwhelm the story and the good guys are picked off like flies, I struggle to see the goodness of God in this book. Naamah prays to Inanna the goddess of war and love to send her a suitor other than Keenan, which is what basically opened Eridu to the coming of Raheil and his soldiers. Probably the biggest thorn for me is the fact that El (God) is set up as a liar in this book. He promised a character that he would marry the girl and have twins and a long line of descendants. The character believes El keeps his promises and is told by someone else that El keeps his promises. We get to the end of the book and this character is sentenced to death through Raheil’s machinations and the character tells the girl that even this other guy is going to be the father of the twins, it doesn’t matter because “In the end, somehow in a way I cannot see, the legacy El has promised to me will be fulfilled.” (Paperback, pg. 390). That was a “Huh?” moment for me and then this character compounds it by stating that if “his promises do not come true…I want you to know it is my failures which prevented them.” (pg. 392). But then El uses the girl to tell him that he is not a failure for focusing on keeping his gold. So the weird and very unfortunate impression I came away with is that El lied, He changed His mind, and His will is thwarted by His chosen people’s shortcomings. That’s not what happened with Abram when he failed to fully trust God regarding the prophesied son and being a father of nations. I just don’t understand how that character’s promise is truly justified in its detour? Rearrangement? I came away asking just who was in control here because it didn’t feel like it was El (God).  I also struggle with the attempt to link the character’s death to Christ’s death because the character didn’t really volunteer. He was boxed in and then forced into surrendering to the planned substitution. His death doesn’t really impact the remaining characters either. There’s some twinges of guilt but they’re easily shrugged off by the characters as Raheil gets them excited about building the Tower of Babel. One character in particular is more concerned about another character’s humiliation than the fact that this character is going to an undeserved death. There was no real point to the character’s death and the parallel to Christ’s death is tenuous at best. The long author’s note at the end wherein Witenhafer basically sets out the entire gospel message does not make up for the offensiveness of her content or the spiritual confusion stirred up regarding El’s promises.

Technical – D+

This book is plagued with typos and formatting errors. Much like the last book by Witenhafer I reviewed, Tamed, You’re is used several times when it should have been Your. Other noticeable swaps include “were” when it should have been “where” and “lighting” for “lightning” as well as “fowl mood” instead of “foul mood” and a horse letting out a great “whiney” instead of “whinny.” There is also a section where a family wants to send for “aide” (an assistant) when what they really wanted was aid/help. The most noticeable homonym error is “loose/lose” Every single time it should be “lose” for a wager or hand being lost “loose” was used. The sole time Raheil speaking unleashing or loosing someone like a bull from the stall  “lose” was used. It was VERY strange how that worked out. Consistent but strange. Sumer is misspelled once as “Sumeria.” There is also the fact that commas are used when they shouldn’t and not when they should. Several times there were quotation marks left off at either the beginning or the ending of a character speaking. Every time an opening single quote was used, the companion ending single quote was missing. There are ellipses missing the last period and once a period traveled down to the next line.

Several times Naamah resorts to telling, such as how she astonished the diplomats with her knowledge and hammered out a trade agreement. Why wasn’t this shown in place of the unnecessary scenes revolving around the brothel and various characters’ lust for each other and power? Anywhere from fifty to seventy-five pages could have been cut, which would have tightened up the plot and avoided the gratuitous vulgarity that plagued this book.

There are also several anachronistic word choices which didn’t mesh with the setting of Ancient Mesopotamia at all. “Manicured” is used to describe Raheil’s eyebrow and that particular synonym of “groomed” didn’t come into use until the 1890s. “Semantics” is also used and is also from the 1890s. Keenan’s former mistress describes herself as being “blacklisted” and while this word came into use around the 1600s, it feels too modern still and it probably would have been better to describe her as being banned or shunned. The most anachronistic word is used is “Transvestite,” which appears twice in regards to prostitutes, because that term didn’t surface until 1922. It has no business being in ancient post-flood Sumer. A good rule of thumb when writing stories set in any time frame before the Industrial Age is to check the word’s date of origin. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary has an app that can be used for quick reference when a word doesn’t sound right for the setting. The author indicates in her acknowledgements that she used editors but this book has so many issues that it is difficult to consider this a finished and fully edited book. Due to the length of the book, 426 pages, I cannot help feeling that the book is being rushed to meet a specific deadline and the quality is suffering because of it.

Final Grade – D- or 1.5 Stars

I’ll be honest, I found this book to be abhorrent. There was potential here but the content and execution of the content dragged this book so far down that I will never read another book by this author. The author’s note in the back makes me think that the author intends for this book to be passed from Christians to their non-Christian friends. If this were a secular book, I would give it the same rating and I would not pass it on to my friends. Because it is a “Christian” book, I would never pass it on to my undecided friends because it is full of worldliness to the point that godly principles are either smothered or undetectable and the spiritual confusion around the diverted promise. The material covered in this book is of an adult nature and dwells more on the darkness and evil winning than anything else. I would strongly encourage this author to add an adult content warning to her book. I cannot recommend this book to anyone in good conscience.

Fallen Kings is available through both Kindle and Paperback.

Next  –  The Land of Flames (The Karini and Lamek Chronicles Book 1) by Cynthia P. Willow

One thought on “Book Review Wednesday – Fallen Kings

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Welcome to the KIN450 Wiki.

The set of pages on this Wiki are a compilation of student-developed tutorials on selected topics related to the neural basis of human movement. These tutorials are part of a student writing project for the Neurophysiological Basis for Movement course at Gordon College. We hope you enjoy reading them and that you find them informative and educational.

Sean Clark
Department of Kinesiology


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Hey! You've come to the right place.

Here's the thing: you deserve the finest jewelry, without the traditional markup. #KeepItReal

Tiny Ball Dot Earring (Single)

Your new every day piece that you won't have to take off. If you have multiple piercings, these will be fun to mix and match with. Comes as single studs but you can purchase a pair here.

• 14k solid gold

• 14k solid gold post backs

• 1.5mm round

• Sold as single studs

• Made in sunny Los Angeles

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KISAFI is a platform that connects skilled, vetted service providers with busy folks who need them via KISAFI.COM or android app.

The platform has helped thousands handle laundry, home cleaning and gas delivery needs while providing increased income to women and youth who make up 93% of connected service providers.

Our goal is become the trusted butler in your pocket; solving your chores with just a few taps.

KISAFI started in 2016 with a pan-african mission by a team of founders from Nairobi, Kampala, Lagos and New York. Open beta ongoing in Nairobi & Kampala.


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Rihanna did not look happy last night as she made her way into the club to celebrate boyfriend’s Matt Kemp’s birthday. The couple and a few friends partied it up at Drai’s in Hollywood.

Rihanna with red wig and sad face

Rihanna Covers Christmas Song “A Child Is Born” [NEW MUSIC]

Rihanna’s “Only Girl” Video Director Lashes Out At Her Fans

comments – Add Yours


text:
Let’s play a fun game:

It’s the renaissance, you’re rich and powerful and I’m a dirty, smelly artist. You can throw me a few coins for food and art supplies, and in exchange I will make beautiful works of art! Some of the art I make will be for the whole world, but some will be especially for you! Yes, you!

Does that sound like a fun game? If it does, pop over to my Patreon page and become my patron, just like in ye olde days. You can show off how kind you are and give me $100 per artwork, or you can cap your kindness at as little as $1 per month, so even if I post 60 pieces in a month, you still only give me $1 for the whole lot. Sometimes I will even surprise you with a present in your email inbox, or even in your real-life mailbox so we can play another game where we pretend it’s the ’90s. Yay!

Anyow, think about it, get back to me, give me $1.

Signed with great affection,

The Pretty Kitty.

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For a little inspiration, I took a look at a few other food blogs.  Very impressive! Most food blogs seem to incorporate a little of the author’s everyday life with their recipes. The Putney Farm blog is very impressive, well laid out and interactive.  They are available on several different social media websites such as Pinterest and Twitter.  I love their “Monday Mixology” section, plus it’s a creative name!

A Sweeter Thing is also impressive. So many choices to pick from yet easy to navigate. You can even contact the author if you have questions about any recipes. I especially like the “Favorites” page, gives me great inspiration if I can’t decide what to make!

I only hope my food blog is half as appealing as these two! However, I’ve never been much into social media or social networking so I think I’ll stick strictly to recipes and leave out personal info. I hope people with a fancy for pumpkin and a sweet tooth stop by and try some of my recipes.


text:
America’s chickens are coming home to roost

“America’s chickens are coming home to roost! We took this country by terror away from the Sioux, the Apache, the Arawak, the Comanche, the Arapaho, the Navajo. Terrorism! We took Africans from their country to build our way of ease and kept them enslaved and living in fear. Terrorism! We bombed Grenada and killed innocent civilians, babies, non-military personnel. We bombed the black civilian community of Panama with stealth bombers and killed unarmed teenagers and toddlers, pregnant mothers and hard-working fathers. We bombed Gadafi’s home and killed his child. ‘Blessed are they who bash your children’s head against a rock!’We bombed Iraq. We killed unarmed civilians trying to make a living. We bombed a plant in Sudan to pay bac for the attack on our embassy. Killed hundreds of hard-working people; mothers and fathers who left home to go that day, not knowing that they would never get back home. We bombed Hiroshima! We bombed Nagasaki, and we nuked far more than the thousands in New York and the Pentagon, and we never batted an eye! Kids playing in the playground, mothers picking up children after school, civilians – not soldiers – people just trying to make it day by day. We have supported state terrorism against the Palestinians and Black South Africans, and now we are indignant? Because the stuff we have done overseas has now been brought back into our own front yards! America’s chickens are coming home to roost! Violence begets violence. Hatred begets hatred and terrorism begets terrorism.”

This was about 9/11. But USA is going further and further downhill. Ya reap what you sow and it’s gonna be a party, because a hell of a lot of people are pissed off with the States.

I like reading. Leave me a comment.

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Getting Started…

Hey Readers! Thanks for looking. I’m assuming you know me since you are reading this, but someday when I’m a stay at home mom with a hefty income coming from my blog (ha ha!), people might come back to this, my first blog post, to see where it all got started.

Since this blog is about some of my favorite things (my faith, my family, my friends, food, and football), I’ll start with a little about them.

Faith: I’m a Christian, born and raised in a God-fearing home. I grew up in a little church of about 100 or so outside Nashville, TN. I started college at Lipscomb University but graduated from the University of North Alabama, where I was active in the Christian Student Center. I have a heart for missions, especially in Kenya. I’ve been privileged to travel to Kenya (thrice), Tanzania (once, on the same trip as my last one to Kenya), Honduras, Oneida, TN, and Mobile, AL on mission trips. I’m hoping that God will open doors for me to do even more locally after I pass my nurse practitioner boards, maybe at a free or low cost clinic. I also look forward to the day that I can return to visit my family in Kenya.

Family: I’m married to Whit. We are both from the middle Tennessee area, so we are blessed that both sets of parents live in the same county!  We hope that we will be able to move back closer to home once he finishes his Ph.D. this school year (hopefully!). I’m the third of four kids, and Whit is the oldest of three.

Friends: This will get more details as the blog progresses I’m sure! I hope to use the blog as a place to link or post pictures with friends to decrease my facebook footprint 🙂

Food: Most of this part of the blog will center around things that Whit and I have made, either through growing them in the garden or cooking/baking them in the kitchen. We have enjoyed participating in the community garden at our church during the past three years, and once I finish this post, I’m headed to the kitchen to can some tomatoes!

Football: While this doesn’t occupy quite as high a spot in my life as it used to, I still love football. True to my southern roots, I’m an SEC girl to the core. I grew up a Vanderbilt fan and sometime during the mid-1990s, also adopted the Florida Gators as a favorite football team.  I’m dreading the day that a conference other than the SEC wins a national championship, though it wouldn’t bother me for Bama’s reign on top to end, as long as another SEC team replaces them!!! True to my middle Tennessee roots, I’m a Tennessee Titans fan. Far secondary to being close to my family again, I really hope that we can move closer to Nashville so that I can watch my Titans every week. Being out of the Titans broadcast area has been pretty horrible for me! At least the past few seasons haven’t been that much to miss, right…

So that’s my introduction in a nutshell. Hopefully I’ll get into a habit where I post here regularly.

Be blessed!

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Book review: The Good Women of China

The Good Women of ChinaThe Good Women of China by Xinran

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I would never have read this book if I hadn’t needed an “X” for my A-Z author challenge. It was certainly an eye-opener!
These are true stories from Chinese women about their lives, collected by a journalist and radio presenter. She was also surprised by the stories she was told. Some of the stories of abuse are unbelievable and it is hard to imagine, living in Western society, that these things are going on in modern times. It is pure luck who you are and where you were born but I am so grateful to be living in an open and free thinking society.
I had no concept of China at all, and certainly learned a few things about the culture. I may look a bit further into it, but then again I’m not sure I want to either, as I would probably get quite angry about it all.

View all my reviews

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Glamour Struck Productions Pvt. Ltd. and Maxwell Entertainment Pvt. Ltd.’s Prague (UA) is a psychological thriller. It is the story of three friends, Chandan (Chandan Roy Sanyal), Gulshan (Mayank Kumar) and Arfi (Arfi Lamba). Arfi has been ditched and dumped by his girlfriend. Chandan is also quite unsuccessful in love and, somehow, friend Gulshan manages to sleep with girls whom Chandan succeeds in wooing.

Chandan’s work brings him to Prague where he meets a Czech girl, Elena (Elena Kazan). He falls in love with her and woos her till ultimately, she also starts loving him. Then, one day, Chandan sees Elena getting intimate in bed with Gulshan (who has also come to Prague with him). He is crestfallen and begins to avoid Elena.

All along, Gulshan keeps reminding Chandan that Arfi is dead and that his conversations with Arfi are nothing but a manifestation of his imagination. Chandan agrees that Arfi is no more but he is unable to stop hallucinating about him. Arfi keeps warning Chandan about getting hurt in love. The story takes a dramatic turn when, in a fit of rage, Chandan hacks Gulshan to death in Prague. Something about Chandan and Gulshan’s past emerges, which is shocking. What is that? Elena, pleading for Chandan’s attention after he starts to avoid her, meanwhile, realises that he is not interested in her. She, therefore, decides to commit suicide. Does she actually end her life? Is Chandan able to get over his hallucinations about Arfi? If yes, how? If not, why not? What about Chandan’s love life?

Rohit Khaitan’s concept about a boy troubled by hallucinations is quite interesting but the drama unfolds in a way that an ordinary viewer will not be able to completely follow the proceedings. The story, written by Ashish R. Shukla and …, is also interesting but very class-appealing. The screenplay, penned by Sumit Saxena, Ashish R. Shukla, Akshendra Mishra, Vijay Verma and Rohit Khaitan, is interesting but, again, it goes back and forth so many times that it confuses the ordinary viewer. Yes, the classes or the evolved audience would like the structure of the screenplay but that section of the audience is very small. In fact, the right audience for this kind of a film is the festival circuit audience.

The turns and twists in the film, especially about Arfi’s death and similar happenings in the life of Chandan, are intriguing and also quite chilling. Dialogues are appropriate but a lot of swear words have been muted, which will irritate the audience. There is liberal use of English in the dialogues, adding to the woes of non-English-speaking viewers.

Chandan Roy Sanyal does a swell job as the hallucinating Chandan who otherwise seems like a very normal man. He is excellent in conveying the different emotions he experiences at different points of time in his life. Mayank Kumar is suitably easy-going in his approach and makes his presence felt in the role of Gulshan. Arfi Lamba is natural as the agonising Arfi. Elena Kazan looks pretty and glamorous and she acts effortlessly. Sonia Bindra is natural in the role of Shubhangi. The others lend adequate support.

 Director Ashish R. Shukla handles the difficult subject with the sensitivity it requires but he caters to the festival circuit and high-gentry audience only. To the large base of mass audience, the film will be incomprehensible at several places. Atif Afzal’s music and Varun Grover’s lyrics go well with the mood of the film. But the absence of popular songs is, of course, a minus point for the commercial prospects of the film. Back ground music (Atif Afzal) is good. Uday Singh Mohite’s cinematography is of a nice standard. Parvez Shaikh’s action and stunt scenes are suitably thrilling and even scary, where necessary. Siddharth Mathawan and Mrinal Das’s sets are alright. Meghna Manchanda Sen’s editing is sharp.

On the whole, Prague is a well-made film for the evolved audience but its box-office prospects are very bleak because of complete lack of mass appeal and absence of face value.

The film opened to very poor houses today.

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Did a complete redesign of the website with a new theme and CMS.

The hotel is set on a stunning location at the centre of the Polis Bay, right on a very long stretch of sandy beach and surrounded by beautiful Mediterranean orchards and gardens, the family-run Natura Beach Hotel and Villas is a truly unique holiday retreat.

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102th Waltzingmouse Sketch and CAS-ual Fridays #57 Challenges

This card is for both the  102th Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge and CAS-ual Fridays 57 Challenge .  The CAS-ual Friday Challenge is to use vellum or acetate.  The Waltzingmouse sketch challenge is based on the sketch below.

This card was tough because the sketch had me stumped and then after I figured how I was going to layout the card I had a heck of a time with the acetate sentiment frame.  I think I hate acetate after the experience.  I much prefer vellum.  But there are some instances when only acetate will do, this card for example.  So I can say my skills using acetate (especially using it for a sentiment) have greatly improved.  I have a trash bin full of discarded acetate banners as I was developing my new skills.

This was the first time using this die and I really like the different things you can do with it.  Last thing before I will say before I finish this post is that it’s rare that I have a card all laid out when I start.  Even when I have a sketch it seems like I spend lots of time trying this paper or that, this image or that, and this embellishment or that.  This is one of those cards that I had no idea where I would end up when I started other than a sketch.   I wasn’t even planning on the acetate until I figured out that any other type of background for the sentiment really blocked the focal image….so I ended up using acetate and was able to submit this for another challenge.  It all worked out well in the end even if I couldn’t tell that at the start or 3/4’s of way through.  Card details are at the bottom of the post.

 Hope you are having a blissful day! Thanks for stopping by….

  • Cardstock: Enchanted Evening (Papertrey)
  • Patterned Paper: Blue sheet, Brights Glitzy Glitter Stack (Die Cuts With A View)
  • Ink: Versamark
  • Stamps:  Say It Loud Winter Holiday (Waltzingmouse)
  • Accessories: White Embossing Powder (Superior) ; LR0185 die (Marianne Designs)

12 responses to “102th Waltzingmouse Sketch and CAS-ual Fridays #57 Challenges

  1. Love your fancy snowflake!

  2. Pretty card. I do like your die. In total agreement about the time it takes to put a card together

  3. You are on a roll, Kristie! This is beautiful! Love the way that die looks in the shades of blue…and that acetate banner idea is brilliant (even if it did take a trash bin full of tries, the recipient will never know ;))!

  4. Beautiful design!! Love the acetate with the snowflake design! So glad that you join the fun with us at CAS-ual Fridays!

  5. LOVE LOVE LOVE the snowflake and how much do I ADORE Enchanted Evening 🙂 I love that you did not over do the card and let the snowflake be the star of the show~

  6. Well, the acetate sentiment looks lovely over the shimmery blue die cut showflake Kristie! so despite your issues you were quite successful! thanks for playing with the WMS sketch this week!

  7. Wow, this is a stunner, Kristie. Love that you used acetate for your sentiment. BTW…you and I have similar creative procedures…I rarely know where I’m going until I get there…LOL

  8. Love the die and you did fabulously with the acetate!

  9. You’re right, Kristie, this die is lovely…what a very pretty card!! Thanks so much for being a part of the challenge this week at CAS-ual Fridays and sharing your creation with us:)!!

  10. I love this simply nature of this, super sweet! Thanks for playing along with the Mischief Makers this week!

  11. Wow! This is so pretty! I love that you stamped the sentiment on the acetate – it’s PERFECT! Thanks so much for playing with us at CAS-ual Fridays! We’re so glad you did!

  12. Oh wow! I love this! It’s clean and crisp! That snowflake is so intricate and perfect! Fantastic take on the sketch! So glad you could play! 🙂

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Tag Archives: Czech Republic

Breaking the Travel Bag Paradigm – Recap

Down with the naysayers!

Not worrying about my bag let me focus on more enjoyable things.

Not worrying about my bag let me focus on more enjoyable things.

My trip to Prague using SealLine’s Boundary pack was a smashing success. The 35L model held all of my girlfriend’s and my things perfectly, with even a bit of room to spare. Our only additional bags were a small day pack for carrying around and a small handbag with gifts for our friends. That bag ended up going into the bottom of the SealLine after we delivered the presents.

As I noted in my original post, my first trial only presented the problem of organization. To alleviate this, I picked up a Sea-to-Summit Compression Sack for my clothes, a Stuff Sack for my girlfriend’s, two small bags for toiletries and then I reused plastic bags for our shoes. With everything compartmentalized I was simply able to stack the items in order of access–shoes on bottom, clothes above and toiletries/travel documents on top).

Over the whole journey there was very minimal carrying involved simply because we were always on buses, trains, planes or in hostels. The bag actually sat in the corner the entire time we were in Moravia and then later in Prague. Hauling it to the return flight was the only time it was slightly uncomfortable, probably having something to do with the raucous amount of Czech beer that I packed in it.

The bag is tough; it’s waterproof; it’s cheap and light. If you’re worried about a lack of space, pay the extra ten bucks for the 70L–just don’t shell out $200+ for a full-featured expedition pack that will never see the light of day once you return from hostel-hopping.

My gear list:
2 Icebreaker shirts (worn)
1 Tshirt (to oblige the lady)
1 pair jeans
1 pair hiking pants
1 pair shorts (worn)
3 pairs Smartwool socks (worn)
2 pairs EMS Techwick underwear
1 pair Icebreaker Beast underwear (worn)
1 EMS Thunderhead rain jacket
1 EMS Summit Fleece
1 pair Chaco Z/1 sandals
1 pair La Sportiva FC2.0 shoes (worn)
(+ books, papers, etc.)
*I washed a few items randomly towards the end of the trip to keep things fresh, otherwise it was all zero-maintenance


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Girls just wanna have fun

What constitutes a Portrait?

What constitutes a portrait?

Most of us would answer something to the effect that it is a rendition of a person that possibly makes a statement about them…

Wondering now, is or has there been a difference in how a painter has approached the subject?

How often in either case is there interaction between the subject and the artist.

If the subject does not look at the artist is it something else?

Does it always have to be a person? Just asking..

Home Decor

Framed prints can really set the mood in your home, loft or apartment. Making a strong or even a subtle statement tells any guest something about you they may not have known, very cool!

In my mind there should be fewer images and more wall space. Possibly framed maps that pertains to the area you live in or one that has some historical significance would also add to the overall ambience. The right touches will add warmth and make your home even more inviting.

Subject matter is whatever appeals to you and possibly not for a reason you can put your finger on. And creative and thoughtful frame choice is imperative. Along with this making sure your art is protected by using conservation glass and rag matting will insure the long lasting value of your treasure!

Quotes by Women Photographers I love..

Amy Toensing, National Geographic

“The essence of photography is getting what's in your heart out into the photograph”

Erika Larsen NG

“It's extremely relevant to my work that I am a woman. “

Linsey Addario NG

“I think it's really important to cover people who don't have a voice”

Carolyn Drake NG

“Making a good photograph is about editing. It' about seeing something that draws you in but doesn't give everything away”

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    Mia Williams Named Washington Middle School Principal of the Year 2016
    Posted on 03/18/2016
    Superintendent Nyland and Principal Mia Williams

    Mia Williams, Aki Kurose Middle School principal, named the Washington State 2016 Middle Level Principal of the Year by Association of Washington School Principals.

    Williams earned the prestigious state award because of her passion to provide exceptional learning experiences for her school's students and remarkable contributions to the profession.

    You can read the recent announcement from Superintendent Nyland about Williams' award below:

    I am excited and proud to announce that Aki Kurose Principal Mia Williams has been named the Washington State Middle School Principal of the Year.

    Mia's passion for the work she does, shows every day, through her dedication and powerful leadership. This can be seen as soon as you walk through the doors at Aki Kurose, where she and her staff continue to create a culture where students are empowered and given opportunities to learn and grow to reach their full potential.

    Mia constantly credits her staff and recognizes it is with their support that she is able to make Aki Kurose an outstanding learning environment.

    Under Mia's leadership, Aki Kurose has consistently been one of the highest growth schools in the entire district. Year after year, students at Aki have shown some of the strongest annual academic growth.

    Last year, in our analysis of our district's most successful opportunity gap closing schools, Aki Kurose was one of those schools identified. Now in her eighth year at Aki, Mia and her staff have strengthened the partnership and alignment of academic plans and social/emotional supports with each feeder elementary and high school.

    Mia recently spent time at the White House after being one of the few principals across the nation, invited by the Johns Hopkins University's Everyone Graduates Center. She participated in a panel where she shared her experience and expertise using early warning systems, student success mentors and enhanced student support systems to reduce chronic absenteeism.

    Please join me in congratulating Mia on this wonderful honor.

    Dr. Larry Nyland


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GK504 flight schedule & details

Jetstar Japan domestic flight GK504 serves route Fukuoka to Tokyo. The flight departs daily. Provided details are valid for the flight departing on 17th January, 2018.

Flight departure days

Select your flight departure date in the calendar. Note that some flights may have different arrival & departure times, terminals, durations and even airports depending on departure date. Selecting proper date ensures you get correct information.

Flight GK504: Fukuoka - Tokyo

Departure day 17th January (Wednesday)
Departure time 11:00 (11:00 am)
Departure terminal Terminal «D»
Airport name Fukuoka
Airport IATA code FUK
City Fukuoka
Country Japan
Arrival day 17th January (Wednesday)
Arrival time 12:45 (12:45 pm)
Arrival terminal Terminal «3»
Airport name Narita
Airport IATA code NRT
City Tokyo
Country Japan
Flight number GK504
Airline name Jetstar Japan
IATA carrier code GK
Flight type Domestic
Airplane type Airbus A320-100/200
Arrival day Same day
Flight duration 1h 45m
Distance 942 km / 585 mi.
Flight GK504 route from Fukuoka (Japan) to Tokyo (Japan)

See also

All non-stop flights from Fukuoka to Tokyo Return flights (Tokyo to Fukuoka)

Search more flights with KvikrFlights™

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School is back in session! Insert eye rolls, because all my teacher friends have done nothing but complain that summer went by too fast and they need another week. Yes, they do have to deal with kids all day, and God bless them for that, but I sure would love a long vacation or, shoot, even just a week off.

I mean, I do hate that it is back-to-school time because these upcoming weeks are slow going for the gossip world. Summer is over, football hasn’t started and, well, we’re just left with the heat. But no worries, I have all the cool things that went down to tell you about!

When the sun goes down
Kenny Chesney is no stranger to The Wharf in Orange Beach — how could he be when all his songs are about the beach?! Anyways, he was back for more this past Saturday night and Boozie’s spy was there to enjoy the flip-flop wearing fun!

At first she was worried about the rain, but then remembered how Jimmy Buffett played through the rain and lightning a couple of years ago and ended up with perfect weather!

Midland opened; he’s best known for his new song “Drinkin’ Problem.” That song really speaks to me. Plus I saw an article on the internet that said beer might help with pain, so I too will call it a solution!

My spy said girls were ready for Kenny when it came to their attire. She spotted lots of cowboy boots, cut-off jean booty shorts and plaid button-up shirts, some even tied up. Yee-haw! She also said one girl was sporting a huge Jim Beam menu; talk about walking advertisement. She also reported lots of fun dancing and singing along!

She said at the end Kenny signed autographs for the people up near the stage! Sounds like more fun than Boozie had: While I was out Saturday night the power went out at the bar. They still were making drinks and people were yelling “free shots!” but that didn’t happen.

I wanna be perfect …
Mobile has been making waves in the TV world! First we have all the Food Network shows and now some others! We’re still waiting to hear when LoDa Bier Garten and Von’s Bistro will be featured on “Ginormous Food.” Just thinking about those two places makes me hungry! But our city has already been featured on some other shows.

As I’m sure many of you saw, “The First 48” that was filmed in Mobile aired last week on Thursday night. A lot of people were negative about the show and talked bad about Mobile being on the show. While Boozie is like many of you and likes to think we live in a perfect place that is beautiful and sunny all the time, I know that every city has crime. But I learned while watching the show that Mobile’s Homicide Team solves three out of four cases, which is above the national average, so that says something! Go, Mobile! (Remind me not to kill anyone.)

I also thought the show made MPD and the homicide team look good! They both went straight into action and solved the crime. Oh, and we can’t forget the show did give us props for being, “home of the oldest Mardi Gras in the U.S.” Take that New Orleans!

On a different note, one night while enjoying “Botched,” a show about plastic surgery gone bad, where two doctors, Paul Nassif and Terry Dubrow, go back and fix the mistakes, a lady named Maria who grew up in Mobile was on the show! It was never said whether she still lives here but she said she grew up here. They showed a few pictures of her when she was younger and you could just tell it was Mobile. Maria was seeing the two docs because of preventive mastectomy gone wrong.

Boozie doesn’t think the surgery was done in Mobile, but if it was, it probably wasn’t done by any Nappie finalist for Best Boob Doc, because like Maria said, it was “just a mess” when referring to her breast.

The two doctors fixed her up and even gave her 3D tattooed nipples!

The strangest rumor I heard this week was that someone claims to have seen Mobile Public Safety Director Jim Barber talking to ousted, Russian-loving former Trump National Security Adviser Michael Flynn. Then again maybe Boozie’s source had too much vodka. That would be pretty strange.

Well, kids, that’s all I’ve got this week. Just remember, whether rain or shine, dramatic or scandalous, or just some plain ol’ Kenny lovin’, I will be there. Ciao!


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“I don’t take coffee, I take tea my dear”

25 Mar

When we heard about the Tweed Run we just had to get involved! It’s a brilliant idea. So not only are we linking up with them to create their very own Tweed Afternoon tea – a delicious blend of Darjeeling, oolong and a touch of assam – but Kate will be cycling the route too!

We’ll be setting off from Central London at midday, on a 12 mile route passing the Tate Britain, Big Ben, Buckingham Palace (no word yet on if ma’am will be joining us), Saville Row, stopping off in the park for a spot of tea courtesy of Lahloo Tea in Kensington Gardens, St Paul’s and ending with a bit of a knees-up with Hendricks Gin in the City of London (near Bishopsgate).

Proper attire is expected. Tweed suits, plus fours, bow ties, cycling capes, and jaunty flat caps are all encouraged! Sounds like fun!

We think this is perfect to celebrate our involvement!

Elemental – Cup Of Brown Joy from Moog on Vimeo.

One Response to ““I don’t take coffee, I take tea my dear””

  1. hannah Broadway March 30, 2010 at 17:38 #

    THIS IS FANTASTIC!!!!!! Go Kate!…I just made myself a tweed (ish) dress…which I was feeling weird about as I thought it wasn’t very ‘spring-esque’ but actually all I feel like doing is drinking tea and wearing tweed! Hurrah!

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Teleperformance Cebu Gives Back to the Community

Here’s an important life lesson: no matter how tough you think your life is there’s always someone who has to face challenges that are even tougher than yours. And it goes in many different directions. Not only basic things like making money, getting food, or having a place to rest at night, but also the likelihood of taking part in some innovative projects or getting proper education.

Giving employees an avenue to give back is important to morale and builds a collaborative and inspired team. This, as Teleperformance Cebu Banking Vertical, held an Outreach Program to underprivileged kids last December 17, 2016 at the Lugaw Project, located in Poblacion, Talisay City, Cebu .

About All 60 plus kids had their first Christmas party supported by Teleperformance. According to Glenn Valencia, Director of Operations of Teleperformance, the Outreach Program is a way to give back to the community and is a part of the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility. “When your employees love what they’re doing, they do a better job, which is why we are here”, he added.

Teleperformance Cebu is the leading provider of outsourced customer experience management services. It is one of the top ten business process outsourcing companies in Cebu honored by the Cebu City Government during the Tourism and IT-BPM Awards.

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Sunday, August 24, 2014

My great-great grandmother's maiden name was....WHAT?

Last week, I mentioned how getting the Declaration of Intention for my grandfather's aunt's husband (Morris Dorfman, husband to Jenny Diamond Dorfman) led to finding his ship manifest which contained the names of several other previously unknown relatives as well.  Well, it turns out his Petition for Naturalization opens up another avenue for research as well!

My grandfather had told me that his Diamond grandparents were Hillel and Hinda Diamond, but he did not know Hinda's maiden name.  When DNA helped to discover Jenny's large family in the Detroit area, I was hoping that Jenny's death certificate could help to solve that mystery.

Death Certificate, Jennie Diamond Dorfman; Detroit, Michigan, 1949
While the certificate did help to verify that Jenny was, indeed, my grandfather's aunt, it has her parents as Hillel and Hilda Diamond, with the maiden name for "Hilda" unknown.

But I noticed something very peculiar on Morris' Petition for Naturalization:

Thursday, August 21, 2014

Ancestor Deep Dive: Hillel Tolchinsky (Part 2/2)

In an earlier post, I traced the life of my great-great grandfather, Hillel Tolchinsky, from his birth around 1865 in what is now north-central Ukraine, through the 1910 census, when he was living in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Hillel Tolchinsky (left), my great-great grandfather and his son Isadore Tolchin, my great grandfather
In March 1911, Hillel's wife Pesha Riva and six of their children came to join Hillel and Isadore in Pittsburgh.  Unfortunately soon after their son Naftali Hirsh died.

Tuesday, August 19, 2014

Tracking the Newly-Discovered Diamond Cousins....

I recently wrote about discovering a manifest for the husband of my grandfather's aunt, which said he was going to his brother-in-law, Leibish Diamond.  But interestingly, there were four other individuals on the same page who also listed Leibish Diamond as their destination.  At least 3 listed him as a relative; one has a relationship that I cannot read.

Ship Manifest, Moses Dorfmann (Line 17); David & Chaim Rosenfeld (lines 18-19); Motel Landsman (line 20); Arye Koruczuk (line 27), Arrived May 26, 1909
Motel Landsman, a 28-year-old butcher, said that he was going to his brother-in-law L. Diamond, and that his wife Ester was his closest relative back in Europe.  My grandfather had said that one of his father's sisters (therefore one of Leibish's sisters) was Esther!  I know know her married name and that her husband came to America.  The question then became, what happened to Esther?  Did she join her husband in America?

Sunday, August 17, 2014

More Diamond Cousins? A New Mystery....

Earlier I posted about discovering via DNA testing that my grandfather's aunt, Jennie Diamond Dorfman, had actually come to America.  After that, one of my father's first cousins mentioned that there was an Uncle Leibish that she recalled meeting as well.  This was another of my grandfather's father's siblings that he had mentioned.  I looked, and sure enough, I found that Leibish had come to America!
Ship Manifest, Leib Diamond (line 18), Arrive New York Sep 3, 1905
Leib Diamond was a 19-year-old butcher from Biskupicje, Russia, going to Brooklyn (along with line 17, Leib Blaustein) to join a friend Schloime Galperin.

Sunday, August 3, 2014

Ancestor Deep Dive: Hillel Tolchinsky (Part 1/2)

My great-great grandfather, Hillel Tolchinsky, was born in 1865 or 1866 (although he later used the birthdate of January 10, 1869) in what is now Lubny, Poltava, Ukraine.  His father was Shimon Tolchinsky, and his mother was probably named Chaya.  His mother died soon after his birth, and by 1867 Shimon had moved with Hillel to Nezhin, Chernigov, Ukraine and married Risha Frayda Mechansky.

In 1882, Hillel was 16 (backing up the 1866 birthdate) and living with his father, stepmother, and siblings in Losinovka, a village just south of Nezhin.
Tolchinsky Family, 1882 Poll Tax Census, Nezhin, Ukraine; Hillel is the 16-year-old son


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Proud Sponsor of the Utah Summer Games

Proud Sponsor of the Utah Summer Games

Disc Golf

Event Date: June 15 & June 16

Event Coordinator: Scott Sharp
Cell Phone: 435.559.1476

Registration Fee: $20.00

Sport Fee: $25.00
* Includes - Player pack (1 USG custom stamped star destroyer, 1 USG custom stamped mini, and lunch Saturday between rounds 2 & 3)

Event Rules & Guidelines

How to Register: Register online

Registration Deadline: Final Registration is Wednesday June13th.  There will be no on-site registration!!!!

Three Peaks Disc Golf Course
Go West from Cedar City on UT-56 about 1.1 miles
Turn right onto N 3100 W (Lund hwy) 5.5 miles
Turn left onto W 4800 N/W (Midvalley Rd.) 3.2 miles
Disc golf course is on the left just past the main recreation area

Thursday, June 1st - 5pm - 7pm

Friday, June 2nd – 7am - 7pm

Saturday, June 3rd – 7am - 7pm

Wednesday, June 7th – 2pm – 7pm

Thursday,  June 8th – 7am – 7pm

Friday,  June 9th – 7am – 7pm

Saturday,  June 10th – 7am – 4pm

Monday,  June 12th – 7am – 7pm

Tuesday,  June 13th -  7am – 4pm

Wednesday,  June 14th – 4pm – 7pm

Thursday,  June 15th – 7am – 7pm

Friday,  June 16th – 7am – 7pm

Saturday,  June 17th – 7am – 4pm

Eligibility, Confirmation, Refund Policy Information


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Nobody Cares About Local TV People Anymore

Here’s a good article by Regina Medina of The Philadelphia Daily News that states that the hey day of local tv news personalities is over.

8 responses to “Nobody Cares About Local TV People Anymore

  1. Poorly writtten, poorly constructed, and unimpressive story. Typical lousy journalism from this paper, which has also gone downhill in recent years.

  2. They dont care only becuase nothing is happening. Next pile of dirt will bring everyone back onboard.

  3. WJ, You have to admit the substance of the story is true. May not be well constructed or unimpressive, though there is some truth to it.
    TV personalities are a dime a dozen these days. let’s face it if you are an attractive person, you get on tv. (in most cases) LOL!

  4. Megan — No disagreement with the story and its substance. But the article is poorly written, and in theory could pertain to plenty of other forms of media besides Local TV. Medina could have written (albeit in her poor style) about AM/FM radio, newspapers, etc.

  5. WJ agreed!

  6. Medina may not be the top reporter in town … but the story smacks of something a manager dreamt up as a sidebar to the Mendte/Lane trial …. and the reporter wasn’t given enough time to gather more content.

  7. Who said there was ever a hey day? Just because someone reads a telepromter on TV does NOT make them a celebrity. It’s simply a job to communicate. Are customer service representatives celebrities? No difference, just talking to you through a screen or a telephone or a computer. All the same, no big deal. Celebrities? I don’t think so. Yeesh.

  8. B—Amen to that! Agreed! spoon fed to the public and they are special….lol

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Current Blog Entries by Larry Fry, CCP, MBA

Another WordPress weblog for my Business, Energy, Investing, IT, and Travel blog entries!

Posts Tagged ‘Investments

Options Trading Advisory Services

with 4 comments

Looking for an options trading advisory service that provides consistently profitable option trades?  Schaeffer’s Investment Research is a very educational advisory service that also offers a gamut of different subscription services designed to enable the subscriber to mix and match different options trading styles.  I am currently a subscriber to Schaeffer’s “Super Trader” aggressive alert services package and its more moderate “Weekend Trader” bulletin service. Another good option advisory service to consider here is Option Monster, which also offers several subscription services tailored for one’s particular level of trading experience and desired level of risk.  Option Monster also has a very good education section within its website as well.  I am currently a subscriber to Option Monster’s aggressive “InsideOptions” alert service, which provides up to five Options trade ideas each week.  Schaeffer’s and Option Monster are two of the more popular options advisory subscription services out there, and they have both recommended some real winners for me in the past.  But my overall returns from both of these services have been tempered by the issuance of many additional recommendations that didn’t pan out too well (i.e., especially Schaeffer’s in the past); as a result, one needs to be aware of the overall picture here when striving to achieve a model of consistent profitability with these services.  In other words, additional technical analysis and fundamentals based research on the subscriber’s part is usually required in order to proactively eliminate most of the the additional recommendations that will not work out in order to increase one’s overall level of profitability.

In terms of specific options recommendation services that identify short-term opportunities that are about to “pop”, several alert services offered by Schaeffer’s and Option Monster immediately come to mind.  For instance, Schaeffer’s “Expiration Week Countdown”, “Overnight Trader”, and “Weekly Options Trader” alert services offer these aggressive short-term “pop” types of opportunities, as do Schaeffer’s “Event” and “Players” series.  Option Monster’s “InsideOptions” service also offers similar trade recommendations as those offered by Schaeffer’s, although Option Monster tends to curb the urge to flood the subscriber with recommendations that have not have been fully researched or scrutinized by its senior options analysts.  Furthermore, Option Monster recommendations issued by co-founder and “InsideOptions” lead analyst Pete Najarian have had the highest winning percentage (for me) of all of the advisory services mentioned here.  Pete Najarian does not issue direct recommendations too often for the “InsideOptions” service, but when he does they usually work out very well; as a result, I rate Pete Najarian as being the best of the options advisory analysts that I have been following for the past several years.  One additional options subscription service that one should consider here is the one being offered by, with which the folks over at Options Monster share a common history with.  In thinking in terms of comparing these different types of option recommendation services, I actually believe that quite a few of these advisory services “borrow” from each other to a certain degree and then repackage the information gleaned for their particular ongoing marketing models.  For example, Schaeffer’s and Zack’s seem to partner-up on some of the service recommendations offered by Schaeffer’s, as do Schaeffer’s and options research group What’sTrading.  In addition, Option Monster and seem to partner-up on some of their recommendations as well, which makes sense based on the above mentioned common history that they share.

In conclusion, I should reiterate that most of the popular options advisory services out there will recommend some big winners to you as a subscriber, but you’ll need to do some additional “homework” to weed out the non-winning ideas in order to make the service profitable on a consistent basis.  Again, my overall returns from the above mentioned subscription services are usually tempered with many additional ideas that do not work out, so I try to stay aware of the overall picture here in order to achieve a model of consistent profitability.  Additional technical analysis and fundamental based research on the subscriber’s part is necessary in order to proactively eliminate the additional ideas that won’t work out in order to increase one’s level of profitability.  Granted, these services will recommend a few nice winners for you per their advertisements, but you’ll definitely need to scrutinize their all of their recommendations with your own research (and closely monitor them) in order to make subscribing to the service worthwhile.  As an example of this, I have now gotten to the point with Schaeffer’s “Expiration Week Countdown” service recommendations where I weed out all but one or two of the ideas issued during options expiration week of each month.  For example, during options expiration week in August, 2010 I eliminated from consideration all of the recommendations made but one, which was one of the Netflix (NFLX) call options that was set to expire at the end of that week (Call -> NFLX -> AUG 21, 2010 -> Strike Price $110).  I selected this particular idea out of the overall group that Schaeffer’s recommended due to the recent high levels of volatility associated with NFLX’s stock price and volume at the time.  And this particular option call did very well for me that week (i.e., more than enough to cover the cost of my annual subscription).  So I have found that I am able to select one or two real winners to play with from the list of recommendations made by this particular service during options expiration week each month, and my experience has shown that the rest of the ideas are usually worth ignoring after doing the requisite research. Hope this all helps!

See link below for an enhancement of finance professor Peter Carr’s instructive paper on the implementation of the Black-Scholes call/put options pricing model on the HP-12C programmable finance calculator by Tony Hutchins.

The Great Sirius XM (SIRI) Stock Debate!

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More and more, Sirius XM stock (ticker symbol ‘SIRI’) appears to represent a good, low cost bet on making some attractive  gains in the not too distant future. Nothing is ever guaranteed in life (other than the two main stays), but now seems to be very opportune time to get on the train at the beginning of what could be a very profitable ride based on the increasingly cost-effective commercial uses of satellite-based technologies (led by SIRI, for one). In a nutshell, the currently low price of SIRI stock coupled with its promising future based on the vertical integration of its product lines makes it a very inviting bet in my book.  And the announcement today of the availability of Sirius XM’s new app for Android-powered smartphones (coupled with existing apps for BlackBerry and iPhone) is just the latest in a ever expanding portfolio of value adding products being offered.  Finally, SIRI is starting to  remind me of Apple’s stock in the late 1990′s, when it was priced around $2.00 per share and the introduction of Apple’s industry changing iPod products was just around the corner.  Stay tuned!

Click on URL for the latest on SIRI stock:

Written by Larry Fry, CCP, MBA

May 28, 2010 at 2:05 pm

The Proposed Financial-Transaction Tax Bill Issue!

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There is a financial-transaction tax bill being proposed by the U.S. Congress that intends to levy a 0.25% tax on all equity trading transactions.  The passing of this bill would severely marginalize the financial trading industry, making our financial markets even less efficient than they have already become.  The end result would be the loss of untold numbers of jobs, and financial markets would become even more susceptible to crashes due to the resulting lack of  liquidity. Obviously the passing of this absurd bill would negatively impact the financial trading (and related) industries; but it would also severely curtail a critical market capitalization vehicle used by small to medium sized companies, thus rendering them less able to compete and grow.  And with banks and other financial service entities either unable or unwilling to capitalize small to medium sized businesses these days (but able and willing to pay out absurd bonuses to undeserving executives), taxing financial trade transactions would only serve to make the current economic downturn more pronounced, possibly leading to even more disastrous consequences down the road. The resulting dissipation of market liquidity, trading volumes, and market price discovery, along with widened bid/ask price spreads, would destroy the positive aspects afforded by arbitrage and speculative trading.  Along with the addition of other possible government regulatory actions, this problem would then be further exacerbated by the resulting mass migration of American based trading volumes over to foreign (i.e., non-taxable) exchanges.

The one thing that really irks me about the proposed financial-transaction tax bill is that it is being framed as a so-called “sin” tax by its partisan proponents in order to appeal to the current populist mindset that the financial industry as a whole is guilty for the current state of the economy (i.e., high unemployment levels, etc.). Basically, the transgressions of a few that were enabled by the lack of understanding by government officials and regulators per the complex financial-engineering instruments being utilized are the primary culprits here. The imposing of a financial-transaction “sin” tax by the government is not a good substitute for developing an understanding of the new financial order and obtaining the level of competency necessary to effectively regulate the industry, thus establishing a stable (level) playing field for the economy as a whole.  So in my mind, this proposed financial-transaction “sin” tax is nothing more than an attempt to sweep a certain portion of the blame (or responsibility) for the current state of the economy under someone else’s rug.  In addition, the potentially negative impact of this “sin” tax would be exacerbated by the resulting changes in premium requirements by investors across the board due to the tax costs being passed on to them.  The potential drain on market liquidity and the resulting decrease in the capital available for struggling small-to-medium sized businesses would be hard to justify, especially for reasons of partisan politics.  So this proposed tax is not a viable solution or option in my mind, as it conceivably could lead to even more problems down the road as the state of our economy continues to evolve (or unwind).

Finally, perhaps the biggest question in my mind is why do some of our elected government officials seem “hell bent” at times to make things worse for us rather than better (i.e., at both the micro and macro levels) in order to pursue partison based agendas?  This potentially dangerous bill needs to be dismissed (or vetoed) ASAP before it has a chance to cause serious long-term damage to our still frail (and unwinding) economy.  Click on the URL below to sign the revised “Financial-Transaction Tax is Detrimental to Many Industries” petition and have it forwarded to your representatives:’


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Japan Coast Guard: Chinese Navy Ships Enter Disputed Waters

In China, Japan, News, Other Leaks on December 21, 2012 at 3:31 AM

The Japanese Coast Guard reported that three Chinese maritime surveillance vessels have sailed into the territorial waters of disputed islands in the South China Sea, the first such intrusion since Japan elected its new government, AFP reported.

The ships were spotted northwest of Kubajima Island, in the archipelago dubbed Senkaku by Japan and Diaoyu by China, at around 10:20am local time (0120 GMT).

Chinese government ships have repeatedly entered the waters since September. Analysts believe that China is challenging Japan’s de facto control of the islands for the past 40 years.

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Posts Tagged ‘Erupts’

Violence Erupts In Ivory Coast Over Disputed Presidency

In Ivory Coast, World Revolution on April 1, 2011 at 10:31 AM

Violence erupted in Ivory Coast as fighters supporting Alassane Ouattara captured several cities and moved on Abidjan, the last major stronghold of Laurent Gbagbo. Ouattara and incumbent President Gbagbo have battled since Oauttara decisively won the November election, but Gbagbo has refused to concede. Margaret Warner reports.

Forces loyal to democratically elected president Alassane Ouattara are pressing into Ivory Coast’s main city, Abidjan, in a bid to wrest control of the country from incumbent President Laurent Gbagbo, who refuses to relinquish his post.

Ouattara said in a televised speech Thursday that his forces are working to “reestablish democracy and to ensure that the people’s vote is respected.”

But one of Gbagbo’s advisers said he would not resign: “He will not resign in the wake of this attack. He is not going to abdicate. He is not going to lay down his arms. He will stay in power to lead the resistance to this attack against Ivory Coast,” said Toussaint Alain in Paris, according to the Associated Press.

Adding international pressure, the U.N. Security Council voted unanimously Wednesday to impose an asset freeze and travel ban on Gbagbo, his wife and three close associates.

According to the United Nations, at least 462 people have been killed since Gbagbo refused to cede power after the majority of voters in November chose Ouattara as their next leader.

Meanwhile, Gen. Edouard Kassarate, who is in charge of the country’s police, has defected, and army chief Phillippe Mangou has taken refuge in the South African ambassador’s residence in Abidjan, reported the Christian Science Monitor.

In addition to moving into Abidjan, forces supporting Ouattara, who call themselves the Republican Forces of Ivory Coast, have taken control of the key port city of San Pedro and the nation’s capital, Yamoussoukro.

An eyewitness, long-time Abidjan resident Nfor Susungi, reported hearing heavy gunfire in distant parts of the city and in other places seeing oddly quiet streets, according to the BBC.

Related Link: Ivory Coast Violence Leaves 800 Dead in 1 Day

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:: My Point Of View ::

January 30, 2010

Quiet Saturday

Filed under: Matter Of The Heart — lv @ 1:36 pm
Tags: , ,

there are days when i just wanna be alone
just me and the universe with no one bugging

there are days when i choose to just keep quiet
and dont wanna partake with anything at all

there are days when i have to hold my tounge
just so i wont spit any hurtfull words towards the ppl i love

there are days when i just wanna lie down on the green grass…..

the green and the crocs

and look up to the sky….

awesome creation of the creative Creator

and breath….

i waited patiently for the Lord; and He inclined to me, and heard my cry.... Psalm 40:1

those days are such as today.

may u have a good day!!

be blessed, ppl!

i live to learn and i learn to live with it

  1. Very stylish..

    Thanks for the note.
    I do need to gather feedback if this can be done. I can even work with your boss.

    1. It is supervisory. Does not need to be back every day but perhaps every forthnight to check on what has happen and to dispense payment when things are done right.
    2. The village head has not contacted me. They wanted to have a meeting to see if the kampung have the appetite and give me a simple sms text. Till now, none. If your boss is going back, can he/she check with the ketua kpg -pak Liban.

    Comment by amoker — February 1, 2010 @ 11:10 pm | Reply

  2. nicely done pix 🙂

    Comment by idobez — February 3, 2010 @ 12:31 pm | Reply

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There’s More to Wisconsin Dells than Just Waterparks III

This is the last of this series, and yes, I saved the best for last. As a kid I rode my bicycle every day, until I got my driving license, and since then I don’t remember when was the last time I was on a bike. Having kids and being busy all the time didn’t help at all, so one of my requests on this trip was to go biking. After searching and calling a few places, we found Reedsburg Chamber of Commerce, which happened to be the headquarters for the Wisconsin 400 State Trail.  Since we haven’t been on a bicycle in many years we were looking for something basic, with an easy trail that didn’t require any special gear. They were great bikes, friendly people, and for only $5 a bike. I think we biked for 13 miles that day, and it was everything that I wanted it to be. I know you’re thinking it’s just biking, but for someone who doesn’t have many opportunities for fun -without kids- it was very appreciated and enjoyed 🙂

The trail that was developed on an abandoned Chicago-Northwestern Railroad bed, went through many streams, corn fields, and we even got to see wildlife. I definitely can’t wait to do this again. Forgive my first picture, I took it with my phone, but it was too cute I had to share it.

These flowers remind me of my childhood. Growing up in Saudi Arabia it was always warm and they were always around. Such beautiful colors force you to smile.

This guy came to say hi, his friend flew away before I could take a picture.

18 thoughts on “There’s More to Wisconsin Dells than Just Waterparks III

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UN: African Nations Should Change 'Pursuit' Laws

Chadian soldiers stand at a checkpoint in front of a Boko Haram flag in the Nigerian city of Damasak, March 18, 2015. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)

A United Nations committee is calling on some African countries to change their laws so police can cross national borders when they are chasing terrorist suspects.

Jean-Paul Laborde is the executive director of the United Nations counter-terrorism committee. He says people being chased by police can often avoid capture by fleeing to another country. That is because police from one country are often not permitted to follow fleeing suspects into another country without written permission.

“Of course there is more to be done not only by the international community but also at the regional level in terms of police cooperation, which is already well done among the countries of central Africa. But it is also needed to establish links with the other parts of Africa -- especially with ECOWAS (the Economic Community of West Africa States) and with the countries of this region.”

Mr. Laborde, along with representatives from organizations that help the UN fight terrorists, is visiting Cameroon. Mr. Laborde says they are seeking the necessary support to fight terrorism within the limits of the law.

Mr. Laborde and the groups are urging countries in west and central Africa to cooperate. Some of those countries are battling with the terrorist group Boko Haram, which has been fighting for six years to put in place a strict form of Sharia law across northern Nigeria.

In recent years, the group has been attacking areas of Cameroon and Chad. This month, Boko Haram said it would join with the Middle East-based terrorist group called Islamic State.

Earlier this year, Nigeria, Niger, Chad, Benin and Cameroon agreed to create a regional force of more than 8,000 troops to fight Boko Haram. The troops have started cross-border military operations.

I’m Jim Tedder.

Moki Edwin Kindzeka reported this story from Yaounde. Christopher Jones-Cruise wrote it for VOA Learning English. Kelly Jean Kelly was the editor.

Words in This Story

suspects – n. people who are believed to be possibly guilty of committing a crime

regional – adj. describing a part of a country or the world that is different or separate from other parts in some way

Do you agree that pursuit laws should be changed? We want to hear from you. Write your thoughts in the comments section.

Your opinion

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DOT Audit Preparation in Lee's Summit

DOT Audits

There are many “to-do’s” involved in preparing for a DOT audit or inspection. Some of the DOT audit checklist items can include:

  • List of drivers
  • List of equipment — which will need to be presented upon inspection
  • Certain records relative to the requirements of the regulations, including drug and alcohol test results and testing dates. On occasion, supporting documentation will have to be provided.
  • Location of all records and individual responsible for the records

DOT Mock Audits

Even if you have not received notice that you’re being audited by the DOT, it never hurts to be prepared. ARCpoint Labs of Lee's Summit offers mock audit services. Companies use DOT Mock Audit services as a pre-emptive strike to avoid a disastrous, real Department of Transportation (DOT) audit.

This is a great way to know that your company is up-to-date with its processes and required documentation before it’s too late.

At ARCpoint Labs of Lee's Summit, we can provide mock audits in all aspects of a DOT program to better prepare you for the inevitable:

  • Driver Logs
  • Manuals
  • Maintenance
  • Safety

Learn More About Our Testing Services

Contact ARCpoint Labs of Lee's Summit today to request our help with a DOT audit or setting up a DOT mock audit.


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I’ve been sued by a collection agency, what do I do now?

I just received notice of a lawsuit that was filed against me by a collection agency. What do I do now? I get that type of phone call at my office about once a week. Fortunately, the caller has made the obvious correct choice in contacting an attorney right away. This is an important aspect when a collection agency is involved because a collection agency lawsuit is a different type of lawsuit. The collection agency has either been hired by the original creditor or has purchased the right to collect the debt off of you from the original creditor. That makes a little more work for the collection agency and may provide you with a defense. A review of the lawsuit is the first order of business. As an attorney, I ask three questions right away that form the basis of the defense of the lawsuit. 1. Is the Debt is legitimate? 2. Does the collection agency have the legal right to attempt to collect it from you? 3. Does the lawsuit meet all necessary legal requirements to proceed?

Looking at these questions individually, let’s start with “Is the Debt legitimate?” The client has to advise as to whether they ever had this type of loan or credit card. If a collection agency is involved, the Debt may have been incurred years ago, and may be difficult for the client to remember. Time is an important factor here, because all states have Statutes of Limitation that define when a lawsuit must be filed. In Pennsylvania, the Statute of Limitation to collect on a debt is typically four (4) years, with certain exceptions.

The second question is whether the collection agency has the legal right to attempt to collect from you. What I look for here is any evidence that the collection agency has authority to proceed. This might be indicated by a purchase agreement or an assignment from the original creditor. In my experience, I often find that the collection agencies fail to attach this document to their lawsuit. In that instance, I would place an objection to the suit to make the collection agency prove that the have the legal right to proceed. If they cannot, I move to have the lawsuit dismissed.

The third question is whether the lawsuit meets all of the necessary legal requirements to proceed. Again, in my experience, I have found that collection agencies often fail to properly articulate the claims against the debtor, either by means of failing to provide enough information or failing to provide the proper documentation.

If you are sued in Pennsylvania by a collection agency and can answer NO to any of the three questions posed above, you likely have a valid defense to the lawsuit. Contacting an experienced attorney is the right first step.

Greg Artim is a consumer lawyer based in Pittsburgh PA. For more information regarding this or other legal issues, please visit his website at www.gregartim.com

NEED A Lawyer? Check out our Lawyer Directory!

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UPDATE (2:17pm): The prosecution has rested its case, Judge Williams denied a defense request to dismiss the charges, and the court has recessed for the day. The defense will begin presenting its case to the jury tomorrow.  None of today’s testimony for the State was particularly notable.

The legal arguments remain clear, and the State’s case about weak as their refusal to release evidence to the public had suggested.

As reported by the Baltimore Sun the State’s position is:

Chief Deputy State’s Attorney Michael Schatzow said Porter showed a “callous indifference for life” when he deviated from department policies. Defense attorneys have said other police officers routinely break such policies, but Schatzow said those officers should not be considered “reasonable.”

I’ve noted frequently in covering the Freddie Gray maelstrom that I’d yet to see any evidence that any of the officers had committed an actual act that could be the basis for the most serious of the charges brought agains them–including, in the case of van driver Officer Goodson, second-degree murder.  And now it seems we know why:  the State hasn’t any.

Also as reported by the Baltimore Sun, the defense position is:

Gary Proctor, one of Porter’s defense attorneys, said prosecutors had not proved that Porter’s failure to seatbelt or seek immediate medical attention for Gray rose to a “gross, wanton, deliberate” act necessary to prove involuntary manslaughter.

I look forward to the defense’s presentation of its case beginning tomorrow.

Judge Williams denied a mistrial yesterday in the “Freddie Gray” trial of Officer William Porter, despite the defense exposing that the State had failed to disclose evidence in its possession that Gray had a pre-existing back injury.

In addition, two of the State’s experts apparently disagree on whether it was possible that Freddie Gray managed to win a Darwin Award by causing his own ultimately fatal neck injury.

On the issue of the withheld exculpatory evidence, the defense informed Judge Williams that they had become aware that Gray had previously made statements to a Baltimore police detective about having a pre-existing back injury, and this information had been passed on to the State’s Attorneys office, as reported by WBAL television news:

The Washington Post reports on how prosecutors explained away their failure to disclose this exculpatory evidence:

Prosecutors said in court that an assistant state’s attorney had received the information previously but that the attorney did not share the information with colleagues working on the Gray case.

Earlier in the day there appeared to be a substantive disagreement between two of the State’s experts on whether or not Gray could have caused his own injury.

Medical Examiner Carol Allan testified that she believed Gray suffered his injury when he attempted to stand up in the moving van, despite being manacled at the ankles and wrists, and almost inevitably fell when unable to keep his balance.  Again from the Washington Post:

Gray, according to Allan, likely stood up in the van after he had been shackled, handcuffed and placed on his stomach in a compartment in the back. He then hit his head because of a dramatic acceleration or deceleration of the vehicle, she said, and was paralyzed from the neck or shoulders down while his ability to breathe slipped away.

The state’s next expert witness, neurosurgeon Dr. Morris Marc Soriano, however, denied there was any possibility that Gray had injured himself.  As reported in print on WBAL’s web site:

“Did Freddie Gray injure himself?” Schatzow asked.

“He could not have. It is not possible,” Soriano said.

And in WBAL’s television reportage:

Dr. Soriano also testified that Gray may not have died if he’d received more prompt medical care.  Of course, that presumes that the 2-years-on-the-job Officer Porter knew or reasonably should have known that Gray, who has a reputation for faking injuries, had suffered a life-threatening spinal injury.

Keep your eyes here late afternoon for updated coverage of today’s trial events.

–-Andrew, @LawSelfDefense

Attorney Andrew Branca and his firm Law of Self Defense have been providing internationally-recognized expertise in American self-defense law for almost 20 years in the form of blogging, books, live seminars & online training (both accredited for CLE), public speaking engagements, and individualized legal consultation.
“Law of Self Defense, 2nd Ed.” /Seminars / Instructors Course / Seminar Slides / Twitter / Facebook / Youtube