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Watson’s nightmare will wake Holmes up. The only thing the famous detective needs from his apartment right now is a book of matches and a knife. As keeping up on current events is vital for anyone, Holmes needs to talk to the newspaper boy passing by Baker Street at the time. The tale he relates about the Scandinavian princess visiting London can be ignored for the most part, but the newspaper article should be read.
The greatest detective and one of the world’s foremost intellectuals will most likely find the news about a new bookstore opening near his domicile intriguing. The smart player will go to the Barnes bookstore and pick up two books. The subjects deal with Desperate Pirates and Undersea Fauna. Walk out of the bookstore.
The astute player will notice that they have not been confronted with a mystery to solve yet. Naturally, as the world’s greatest detective, Holmes will soon be confronted with something for him to solve. When heading back to Baker Street, he meets his friend and adventuring companion, the well-known Dr. Watson.
Watson will stop Holmes on the way back to the lodgings that they share. The street name does not matter much, but more important is the matter of Watson’s patient, one Captain Stenwick. One of his servents, an islander from Maori has disappeared recently and he needs Holmes’s help to find him.
Talk to Watson, the police inspector and Captain Stenwick to get valuable clues regarding the Maori servant's disappearance. Go around to the shed where the servant lived. Pick up a piece of cloth hanging from the nail, note strange pictures on the wall, take a ball from the hut and most importantly follow the footprints to see what happened to Stenwick’s wayward employee. Use the magnifying glass to find a fish scale and pick it up.
Follow the footprints on the ground. They lead to a gate that Holmes chooses not to enter at this time. Near the gate, however, is a ladder which will come in handy for finding the last and final clue. Ascend the ladder and pick up the piece of fiber.
Holmes and Watson have found all the clues needed at Captain Stenwick’s House. Using his analytical powers, the great detective determines that the servant has been kidnapped by a large man and one man of Indian descent. Holmes will return to Baker street and use his lab.
After Holmes completes his analysis, the player will take control of Dr. Watson, who has been sent on an errand by his longtime friend. Leave Baker Street and talk to the newspaper boy. Note the information that he provides and then go to Barne’s Book store again. Watson will be directed to a nearby table where a book on the Maori can be found. The user has completed his shopping trip and must return to 221B Baker Street, where he will be quizzed by Holmes. When prompted to anser the question, the user must type in “Thames", “docks" or “wharf."
Watson and Holmes are now on the trail of the kidnappers. When you reach the docks, the London night will be chilly and foggy. Go outside on the street and click on the cab with the horse. Use the map to go to the docks.
It is not a warm night in London when they arrive, and Watson does not think exposure to the cold air is what he or the great detective need. As luck would have it, there is a pub not far from their drop off point. Enter this pub. The Cursed Mermaid contains a drunken inhabitant and a bartender. The drunk will tell a story about a missing hook. Holmes engages the bartender in a dialog, but gains little useful information from it. He will learn of a sailor with an anchor on the front of his house, not far from the pub.
The player will find the house in the dock area farily easy if he just follows the road out of the pub. The door will be locked, however. Get the rope from the top of the sacks beside it. Note the young boy will be seen staring out the window. Enter this house and find out that a Nepalese family lives here. Sherlock is familiar with this dialect, and a conversation proceeds in Nepalese. The woman’s son has been kidnapped by a man with a silver eye. You will be allowed to take anything from the shrine that might help you locate her missing son. Walk over to the dresser where the shrine has been set up and take an odd looking medallion from it.
Go out of the shrine. A postman will stagger in from the street. As strange as it may seem, he did not go on his drinking binge voluntarily. A gang of young toughs mugged him down and forced him to try a new brew. The postman then gives you the bottle, which is placed into your inventory.
Not far from the ill postman is a warehouse with a green door. This door is locked, but on the way to it, there will be a smuggler hide out. Take the bottle out of your inventory and knock on the door. The smugglers will give you some information and attempt to sell you moonshine before closing the door. You will be given a package when the conversation ends.
Select the pelican pendant in your inventory and knock on the door again and the smugglers will give you information that will lead you to the missing child. Once this is done go back to the warehouse and find the locked door. Above the door is a broken window. Note this for now and go back to the cursed mermaid. Talk to the bartender and find out about Dusty Sammon, the man with the silver eye who fits the earlier description. The bartender will tell you to about a table he used and visited. Go examine the table and look at the carvings on the top.
Now, remember the man with the hook hand? That hook won’t be there for long, and it will be needed to get into the warehouse. Open the inventory screen and combine the package with the knife. The package will open and reveal a prosthetic hand. Talk to the drunk again. He will place his hook on the counter. Pick up the hook and open the inventory screen again. Combine the hook and the rope. You can open the map to travel to the warehouse or walk there if you desire. Use the hook on the broken window above the doors. Control will pass to Dr. Watson. Watson must go around the building to the right and find a dirty window in a dark alleyway.
A mini-game will start when the window has been cleared off. The object is to hook the lock on the floor and use it to unbar the door. The controls are difficult but you should be able to figure them out with a little experimentation. Once the door has been locked, enter the warehouse.
You will need to collect several items from the warehouse. The first one is an iron bar.The iron bar will be used to open two nearby chests. One contains sails, but the other contains a lantern. Take the lantern out of the chest. Examine the area near the chest and pick up an American passport with a peculiar drawing and a hat pin that has been bloodied.
The astute player will notice the footsteps leading to an iron trap door. The door can not be opened at this time, but in the room is a pully and a cauldron. On the far right side of the warehouse is a faucet. The cauldron must be moved underneath the spigot and the faucet turned on. When the cauldron has been filled, it must be moved to the area underneath the pulley.
How you will accomplish this task depends on whether or not the remastered version is loaded on your computer. In the remastered version, the cauldron must be physically pushed underneath the pulley. Ascend the planks, click on the rope and then move the cauldron to tie the rope to the cauldron. Go back to the trap door, click on the other end of the rope and then click on the trap door to secure the other end. Go back up the planks and use the knife to cut the rope. Holmes will hear screams from down below. Select the lantern in your inventory and desced the stairs.
side. Each panel has three buttons. Click on the pedestal to see the drawings on the wall. The drawings correspond to the strange markings Holmes saw at the table back at the Cursed Mermaid.
The door panels must be pressed in the order below. Left – Middle Right Glyph Right – Top Glyph Right – Bottom Glyph Left – Top Glph The door opens when the panels are pressed in the correct order. The player needs to pick up the following things from inside the temple: coal near the beds, an advertisement from the shirt on the floor and a box containing an Edelweiss on a workbench near the far end of the temple. At the far end of the temple entrance is another set of stairs where a body lies. Holmes must examine the body. The areas that will show up are the neck, the right hand, and the left hand. The right hand contains traces of coal dust, and the middle finger of the left hand bears a pin prick that was used to make the drawing of Cthulhu on the passport. Pick up the small statue of Cthulhu on the floor near the altar. Select the advertisement from the inventory. Left click on the platform on one side of the wall and the advertisement will be placed upon it. Select the coal from your inventory and trace the drawing. Holmes will use his amazing powers of deduction to figure out what happened to the man and then the game will use a cut screen that looks like something out of movie Aliens.
This analysis is fairly simple compared to the first. Holmes will go back to Baker Street and send a letter to his brother Mycroft. When that is done head to Holmes's desk. Open the inventory screen and use the knife on the metal box to obtain a white powder. Place the opiate under the microscope and select the tweezers to pick out the seeds. Place the seeds on the strange looking apparatus to find out that they contain the same type of opium found at Stenwick's house.
Holmes deduces that large quantities of opium have been used, but that it would be difficult to bring such a large amount into England. Watson's medical experience gives you the information that medical academies in England and Europe have an arrangement that allows large quantities to be transferred in for use by hospitals and other medical establishment. If the logo on the crates where the opium was shipped can be found, they can figure out where the opium came from.
Holmes’s adventure in London is almost done, but he must return to the docks one more time. After you complete the analysis, Holmes will urge his comrade, Dr. Watson to make haste. Although the duo has not yet had their tea, Watson acknowledges the importance. Open the map and head to the Wharf.
The drunken patron in the Cursed Mermaid has left, but the bartender has information that Holmes needs to help crack the case. He will tell you that a man named Beddoe is often found near the docks this time of day. Go to the nepalese house and enter the building marked customs. Beddoe is not there but a ledger and a note will be found there. The note will tell you that you need to go to Warehouse 16. Click on the map or travel to Warehouse 16.
The doors say that the factory is closed due to a general strike. Click on the door to find out that it cannot be opened. Pan the camera angle down to look at the foot prints on the door. You can measure them and examine them to find out that they are the same size as the ones found outside of Stenwick’s house, and in fact, come from the same shoe. Follow the footprints until they lead to the door. Open the door and pick up the scrap of paper. Holmes will quiz you again about where you should go next. Players who want a hint should realize that the Alps are nice this time of year, but everyone else probably just types in Switzerland and presses the enter key.


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Often an unknown telephone number flashes on your cellphone and the person on the other side identifies herself as an agent from a bank. She offers a pre-approved loan, which means that the bank has already sanctioned a loan which can be availed by doing minimal paperwork. These loans are of various types—home, car or personal. For home loans, a sanction letter stating that an in-principle approval has been granted for a particular home loan amount is offered.
There are, however, various conditions attached to these loans.
The advantage of a pre-approved loan is that you know the amount a bank is ready to lend. So, you can look for a property or a vehicle accordingly. However, this loan can only be availed within a certain time frame. These offers are usually valid for six months but may vary from bank to bank.
The rate of interest offered initially is usually valid for a month. However, the bank may change the rate depending on the prevailing market rate after completion of a month. This change, too, varies from bank to bank.
The amount of loan approved depends on factors such as average balance in your savings account and the time duration for which you have been a customer of the bank. Since the bank has your details, it would mean less paperwork for you. It will also check your credit report and credit score to decide on the amount of loan. Processing of application is usually fast.
Since these loans are pre-approved, most banks charge a processing fee but refund the same once the loan is availed. Some banks may charge a flat service fee of few thousand rupees for pre-approved sanction letter on home loans.
Apart from minimal paperwork and faster processing, you can get a slightly better deal in terms of interest rates. However, that may not always be true and so it’s best to check with other lenders before opting for such loans. If you have a pre-approved home loan sanction letter, you are in a better position to negotiate with builders as you are ready to book a property immediately. Also, remember that banks will disburse the loan only if the property meets the approval criteria.

industry_corpus2: Finance & Economics


text:
Helping influencers build coaching businesses.
I’ve recently had an influx of people asking how I was able to go from a pastor in small town Texas to a life coach making $750,000/ year with 5 clients and working less than six hours a week. (I know it sounds like a cheesy pseudo-entrepreneur sales pitch—but it’s true!) So, I’ve decided to launch a six month mastermind focused on helping you build a coaching or client-based business around YOUR genius.
In 2012, Ginny & I invested our entire savings account of $120,000 (which was set aside to build our dream home) into a package with a coach who could help us build a business around my perspective gifting. Three months later, we had made three times what we invested! To date, there’s been a 20x return on that investment—all because someone showed me how to build and scale a business around my genius.
In this mastermind, I’ll teach you everything I know about building a client=oriented business—including everything I paid $120,000 for that first year.
What exactly is my genius?
How to put a value on what I do?
How do I attract & close higher end clients?
How do I create a coaching curriculum and continue to add value to clients?
How do I leverage my personal network, big or small, for business in an authentic way?
How do I brand/package and market my small business without a massive budget?
Design your business around the unique person that YOU are.
*Keep in mind: Brandon has several individuals paying anywhere from $125,000- $250,000/year for his perspective and inspiration. Though it does not include personal one-on-one coaching, this package is an absolute STEAL!
You will have one two hour call per month with Tyler Ward, CEO of The Advocate Agency, to discuss branding, messaging & business structures.
Tyler has spent the last 7 years helping influencers build business and marketing structures around their personal brands. His efforts have put authors on the Times Bestseller list, speakers on the national circuit and influencers in their homes making money online.
Audit your current messaging and create real clarity around what you REALLY want to teach.
Consult on your curriculum creation process.
Create marketing assets and strategies to help establish you as an influencer in your space.
Along with Brandon’s perspective & Tyler’s consulting comes a community of people intent on growing along side of you. You’re granted access to the private Facebook group, where questions are asked, business creation is discussed, and the journey of building a business around YOU is walked out together.
Don’t miss this opportunity to invest into your genius and see exponential return!

industry_corpus2: Subject Education


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This mysterious device showed up on the FCC website today, it's the PRO-162 by Uniden.
A 2000 channel triple-trunking scanner, made for RadioShack.
At first look it's nothing new, 25-1300mhz range with the usual gaps. EDACS, Motorola and LTR trunking. Weather Alert, Signal Stalker.
There was also a mention in the manual it would interface with the PRO-433. I'm not sure how it compares to the PRO-528.

industry_corpus2: Computing & Telecommunications


text:
Broadcast fees apply for the Beethoven Network. However, you pay only for the hours you use. Beethoven Network Playlists are posted on the WFMT Radio Network website here .
The highly successful classical music radio format service of the WFMT Radio Network, the Beethoven Network, celebrates its 28th year and continues to grow.
Beethoven Network provides one-hour modules of classical music, culled from WFMT’s extensive library of more than 85,000 recordings. The service was originally designed to help public radio stations expand their local operation and improve the quality of late night programming.
Designed for you and your listeners, all BN hours can be fully customized as your local program product. The service features flexibility in each hourly module, permitting network or local break opportunities, top-of-the-hour news, underwriting credits or commercials and local program promotions.

industry_corpus2: Film & Entertainment


text:
1904. The year when the KSI Jamaat first established a school in the rooms adjoining their mosque premises in the Old Town. The school’s primary goal was to teach the Holy Qurán as well as impart religious teachings to children of both genders. In later years, vernacular education was started, but it was not until 1930 that the community decided to introduce proper elementary classes.
In 1932, an application for government aid was made, and a year later, the school was officially recognised by the Government Education Department as a Grant-in-Aid School, with a grant in the sum of £140 given to the school.
Due to the limited accommodation and space at Old Town, children were taught up to Standard V, thereafter students were sent to various other government and private schools. They included, but were not limited to, the White Sister’s Covenant and the Goan High School. Despite the minor setback, the community strived to ensure that they would eventually accommodate a full primary education to the children in the near future.
As years passed, it wasn’t until 1944 when community members decided to build a modern and well- ventilated school. A fund was immediately raised and £21,000 was collected from the members of the community. The initial application for the site made in that year was rejected in1949, but keeping their vision in mind, and through perseverance, it wasn’t until 17th December 1951 when the foundation stone of the current Alibhai Panju building located on a beautiful two-acre plot in Kizingo was finally laid by the Honourable Mr. E. A. Vasey, then Member for Finance. A government contribution of £17,250 was made to the total cost of £45,000 that was required for construction, assembly hall, and furniture.
The main donor, the Late Mr. Alibhai Panju contributed £7,500, and thus the building was named in his honor as the Alibhai Panju Khoja Shiá Ithnaásheri School.
In the initial years, the question of having all members of the staff properly qualified and trained was difficult, but under the able control of a trained graduate Principal, Mr. K A Siddiqui, the school remained in satisfactory position, which only improved as time went on. Progress was certainly made. The Ithnaásheri Education Board was established by the community and the school was regularly been inspected by the inspectors of the Education Department.
The main reason for establishing private schools was to focus and enhance on religious teachings and thanks to the revised Education Ordinance in1953, religious teachings in Kenyan schools was made compulsory. Qualified religious teachers began imparting teachings to children of both genders at the school, with a ‘baby class’ that was established for students under the age of 6. The school also established a sewing class for ex- students that had good attendance.
At the beginning of the establishment of the school in1954, the total attendance on the roll was 109 boys and 93 girls and the underage children of the baby classes were 52. Sewing classes had 40 pupils. The building however could accommodate 480 pupils, with boys on the ground floor and girls on the upper floor. It was estimated that by1960 it would be filled to capacity. The foundation of the building was made to carry 3 storeys, and with two floors already built, an additional floor could be constructed in the event more classrooms were required.
No doubt, to run an educational institute is a difficult task, and today, people have become education- minded, but the apathy shown by the majority of parents towards the education of their own children makes the problem more difficult. It is in this vein we would need to re-evaluate our goals and missions as laid by history to continue striving to build our future generation as the years progress.
We cannot forget our past leaders: the Late Mr. Abdullah Kanji and the Late Valimohammed Ladha, who along with other leading members took a very keen interest in the education of our children and at whose initiative and forethought and with the co-operation of other wealthy members of my community, it was possible to raise sufficient money for this school.


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about the most important aspect of playing guitar.
phrases and rhythm patterns you’ve copped and begin to put your own mark on them.
is in your fingers and brain.
If you’re going to learn to play lead, get an electric guitar. It doesn’t have to be an expensive one (I started on a cheapie Teisco Del Rey). Acoustic guitars aren’t good for learning lead, because you can’t play up very high on the neck and they take heavier-gauge strings, which makes it hard to bend notes. (I use light ones, Fender XLs.) Also,you don’t really need an amp at first, unless you’re in a band. When I’m noodling around the house, I rarely plug in.
can play solid backup and have the sound of the chords in your head.


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I am very excited to bring you the second interview this week with a debut YA author. Today's guest, Leah Cypess, is a fellow member of the class of 2k10, and her new release, Mistwood, comes out today!
The Shifter is an immortal creature bound by an ancient spell to protect the kings of Samorna. When the realm is peaceful, she retreats to the Mistwood. But when she is needed she always comes.
Mistwood has been getting amazing reviews, including a starred review from Kirkus that called it "astonishing and inspiring." And if you know anything about Kirkus, you know they're a pretty tough audience.
"Edge-of-the-chair reading, with enemies and betrayal at every turn!"
"Intriguing and illusive...with an incredibly executed twist that fits like that very last, perfect puzzle piece. A one-sitting novel!"
"An unusual, suspenseful fantasy that is propelled by well-placed clues."
Leah was kind enough to take time out of her busy pre-release schedule to answer my Mostly Debut Author interview questions. It's been a while since you've seen them, since I ask an abbreviated list for the Girlfriends' Cyber Circuit. I'd forgotten some of them!
Q. What's been your biggest surprise/thrill about your first release?
The fact that it’s happening! I have wanted to be a writer for so long, and have been seriously submitting manuscripts for so many years, that I was really starting to think it never would. I had imagined being told, “We want to publish your book!” so many times that when I finally did get an offer, it felt like it wasn’t real. And incredibly, it was with one of the imprints I have always most wanted to work with.
Hard to say I’d want to be any of them… I’m kind of tough on my characters. :) I’ll have to choose Isabel, though; in a way, I feel like I was inhabiting her life when I was writing her.
Q. Conversely, which of your characters would you most like to bring to life in our world (maybe as a best friend or much, much more ;-) ?
Q. Same two questions, but use examples from another author's work (including television/movies/theatre)?
I would love to be Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Walking around all little and fragile-looking, and then someone starts up with you and WHAM! As for a best friend, Kaylee from Firefly would be an awesome person to hang out with.
Hmm, maybe I should just ask Joss Whedon if he would write my life for me.
I’m intermittently working on a time-travel book that is giving me a lot of trouble, and I would love for Connie Willis to come fix all its problems for me. Because I’m sure she could, in about three seconds.
I have a terrible fear of flying. It’s unfortunate, because I really like being in faraway places, and usually you have to fly to get to them.
Q. Let's say there's a TV show, movie, or recording artist that has a cult of you. Which is it? (i.e., what do you like that no one else you know likes)?
Q. If you had a free day with no responsibilities and your only mission was to enjoy yourself, what would you do?
Q. If you could write in a totally different genre than your current one, which would you choose?
There’s nothing stopping me from writing in a totally different genre than my current one – in fact, I am currently working on a straight historical novel set in the 16th century. Of course, I have been working on it for the past 10 years and probably will be working on it for the next 10 years, because that kind of intensive research is hard to find time for. I will finish it someday, though!
Q. What are you working on now, and what new releases can we expect to see from you down the road?
Q. The forest plays an iconic role in MISTWOOD, as it does in many fantasies. Why do you think forests evoke such strong feelings of magic and mystery? What is it about them that humans simultaneously desire and fear?
I grew up going to summer camp in the Catskills, and I always noticed the difference between the forest during the day and during the night. During the day, the forest was a beautiful place in which to have adventures; I used to sneak off from scheduled activities and go hiking alone (NOT recommended; I’m lucky I never got seriously injured when no one had any idea where I was). But at night, walking back from campfires, the forest was seriously scary. The trees always seemed hostile and menacing, like they didn’t want us there.
Q. I noticed on your website that you spent some time drawing fantasy scenes during law school classes. :-) Do you still draw in your spare time, and if so, do you find that it helps your writing?
Giant congrats to Leah on her wonderful debut! I can't wait for my copy to arrive in the mail--it better be here when I get back from RT on Saturday.
Speaking of which, I generally don't blog when I'm at conventions (too exhausted), so if you want to see what I'm doing, check out my full RT schedule, or follow me on Twitter. Hope to see some of you there!
Today's guest on the Girlfriends' Cyber Circuit is Jessica Brody, author of The Karma Club, her debut YA novel!
Seriously, don't you want to read the book from the title alone? But wait, there's much, much more! Keep reading for all things Karma Club, including a very fun book trailer and your chance to win one of four Flip Phones!
Madison Kasparkova always thought she understood how Karma works. Do good things and you'll be rewarded, do something bad and Karma will make sure you get what you deserve. But when Maddy’s boyfriend cheats on her, nothing bad comes his way. That’s why Maddy starts the Karma Club, to clean up the messes that the universe has left behind and get back at the people who have wronged them. Sometimes, though, it isn’t wise to meddle with the universe. It turns out Karma often has plans of its own.
"Written with wit and panache. Readers will have fun with this one, and it might make them think a little, too."
"A well-paced comedy, with a nice balance of cinematic physical humor and genuine teen emotions."
Check out this trailer and play "spot the celebrity"!
To celebrate the release of The Karma Club on April 27, Jessica is giving away FOUR Flip Video Cameras (as well as TONS of other cool prizes!) on her site. Visit her website for all the details and to enter to win!
Jessica Brody is the author of two books for adults. The Karma Club is her first book for teens. She currently lives in Los Angeles, California where she is working on her next novel. Despite what some people from her high school might claim, she has never sought revenge on an ex-boyfriend. Visit her online at: www.jessicabrody.com.
And now...my interview with Jessica!
I suppose I’d have to choose Maddy from The Karma Club. Although I don’t envy her for having to deal with a cheating boyfriend and the stuck-up queen Bee who stole him. But she does have some very awesome friends to support her. And then there’s that new guy in the picture who’s pretty freaking cute. I wouldn’t mind hanging out with him for an afternoon!
Well, I haven’t done it yet, but next month I’m scheduled to go “under cover” at a fast food restaurant. In the book I’m writing now (52 Reasons to Hate My Father), a teen heiress is forced to work at a fast food restaurant and since I’ve never worked at one, I need to get to find out what it’s like. My friend owns a Taco John’s restaurant and he’s bringing me as a new employee so that I can be trained like it’s my first day. I told him not to tell any of the other employees what I was doing so I could get the “real experience.” I’ve never been more excited to make tacos! But what I’m really looking forward to is working the drive-thru. I’ve always wanted to wear one of those headsets. “Welcome to Taco Johns, can I take you order?” How did I do?
Oh that’s easy. Cheesy, bubble-gummy, teeny-bopper pop music. I love it to death! Especially the stuff from the UK. They do pop music better than anyone! I have stuff that would make your teeth hurt! My husband can’t stand any of the music I listen to. When asked in an interview once, what’s his least favorite type of music, he replied, “Whatever is in my wife’s CD player at the moment.” Haha! It’s the biggest joke between us!
I don’t know if I’d call it a phobia, per se, but I have this really weird thing about bones. I’m totally squeamish about them. No one can crack any bones around me. And I can’t have my bones touched. My hip bone is the worst. I don’t even like touching it! It’s very odd. I think something terrible must have happened to me (and my bones) in a past life!
Thanks to Jessica for taking the time to answer my questions, and big congrats on your teen debut!
Next week on the Girlfriends' Cyber Circuit tour is...*gulp*...me. I haven't decided if I'm going to "tour myself" and answer my own questions. I've never thought of any answers!
A convention, two bookstores, and a red-velvet-draped bar.
For directions and more details, click on the links for each event. For a complete list of events this year, check out my Facebook "fan" page event section.
Details: Booksigning with over 300 authors! Open to the public for a $5 admission at the door. Free for attendees of the RT Booklovers convention.
Details: Reading, discussion--and most important, delicious cookies and brownies from Westminster's Starry Night Bakery.
Details: Part of Lady Jane's Salon reading series. I'll be reading from SHADE and taking questions, then autographing, then enjoying a social hour to celebrate the next day's release. Drinks are only $5--that's right, five-dollar drinks in Manhattan. Admission is $5 or a gently used romance novel.
Where: Borders, 2420 S. Pleasant Valley Rd.
If you can't make any of these events but would like a signed copy, you can pre-order Shade through Constellation Books (410-833-5151 or online). Let them know if you want me to personalize it or just sign my name.
This blog is now located at http://blog.jerismithready.com/.
Today on the Girlfriends' Cyber Circuit is the debut author of a very highly anticipated book, The Cinderella Society. I present to you...Kay Cassidy!
But before my interview with Kay, let's learn a little about her novel, shall we?
What's a girl to do when the glass slipper fits, but she doesn't want to wear it anymore?
Sixteen year old Jess Parker has always been an outsider. So when she receives an invitation to join The Cinderella Society, a secret society of the most popular girls in school, it's like something out of a fairy tale. Swept up by the Cindys' magical world of makeovers, and catching the eye of her Prince Charming, Jess feels like she's finally found her chance to fit in.
Then the Wickeds--led by Jess's arch-enemy--begin targeting innocent girls in their war against the Cindys, and Jess discovers there's more to being a Cindy than reinventing yourself on the outside. She has unknowingly become part of a centuries-old battle of good vs. evil, and now the Cindys in charge need Jess for a mission that could change everything. Overwhelmed, Jess wonders if The Cinderella Society made a mistake in choosing her.
Is it a coincidence her new boyfriend doesn't want to be seen with her in public? And is this glamorous, secret life even what she wants, or will she risk her own happy ending to live up to the expectations of her new sisters?
I opened the card, my hands trembling in dread and the faint remnants of what I used to call hope, as a tiny silver high-heel pin bounced into my hand.
Your presence is requested at The Grind.
Kay Cassidy is the author of teen fiction she wishes was based on her real life. She is the founder of the national Great Scavenger Hunt Contest(tm) reading program for kids and teens and the host of the inspirational Living Your Five(tm) web project. In her free time, she enjoys yoga, movies, music, and reading. Lots and lots of reading. She hopes her debut YA novel, THE CINDERELLA SOCIETY (April 13, Egmont), will help girls embrace their inner Cindy.
Probably Cammie from Ally Carter's Gallagher Girls series. The spy school world is completely amazing to me – how cool would that be??
As much as I adore Jess and Ryan in The Cinderella Society, I would actually want to bring Heather to life. I just want to give her a big hug and tell her everything is going to be okay.
I can't think of a weird tidbit, but I did incorporate some mind-blowing stats about girls and body image. The statistics broke my heart.
Probably J. K. Rowling. And really, it wouldn't even be collaboration I was after. I would just love to chat with her about the world of Harry Potter and how it looks in her mind.
Thanks to Kay for stopping by, and congrats on the debut!
Now everyone, go out and find your inner Cindy!
What do you think? I'm not normally a huge fan of trailers (I don't even like music videos anymore because they often skew my perception of the songs, a perception that tends to be personal and sometimes, er, quirky), but I really like this one. Then again, it is possible that I am ever so slightly biased.
Shade comes out May 4, two weeks from tomorrow. *heart attack* To quote from the book, "Get the defibrillator!"
I'm excited to report two, highly related SHADE-y developments.
My first solo signing of Shade will be Sunday, May 2, 3-5pm, at Constellation Books, a lovely independent bookstore not far from chez Jeri (BTW, that's pronounced "shay jher-EEE") in Reisterstown, MD, pictured here.
I don't know who the guy in the vest is. Presumably a public safety official of some sort. But no worries--it's a lovely neighborhood in a lovely town. If you're familiar with Reisterstown but not with Constellation Books, it's across from Java Mamma's and on the same side of the street as the Cow, which, according to its Facebook fan page, rocks.
Anyway, there will be a reading, Q&A, and most important, baked goods (a redundant phrase if there ever was one) from Starry Night Bakery, the coffee house where I spend every Wednesday with my local writer friends. I promise to read a G-rated selection from Shade, and Constellation has a fabulous children's section, so bring the whole family!
So what's in it for the rest of you, who can't make it to Reisterstown? If you order your copy of Shade from Constellation Books, at any time before or after the launch party, I will sign it for you. If you order it before the launch party, obviously, I will sign it that day and it will be shipped out the following day--the day before the official release date.
You'll be supporting a wonderful independent bookstore. Y'all know the importance of that.
You'll get an autographed book, personalized if you like.
You might even get it sooner than if you ordered from an online bookseller, who probably won't be shipping until May 4.
It's not just win-win, it's full of win!
To get your signed copy of Shade, either call the bookstore at 410-833-5151, or place your order online, and when you get to the order page, note in the comments if you want it personalized. Otherwise it'll just be a plain old autographed first printing, suitable for future eBay transactions.
I'm off to spend a three-day weekend finishing the rough draft of Shift. Wish me luck! No, wait, I have plenty of that. Wish me caffeine and discipline!
Fantabulous news! I'm now free to announce that in the last two months, my amazing agency (Curtis Brown, Ltd.) has sold the French, Spanish, and German rights to Wicked Game, which was first published in May 2008. Its sequel, Bad to the Bone (originally published May 2009) will also be translated into French and German.
I'm tickled beyond belief at these first foreign sales for this series. I can't wait to see the new titles and covers, and how some of the (very colloquially American English) lines in these books will be translated.
The butterflies in my stomach vomit on each other's wings.
Maybe he was de-cockinated in a tragic vamp-f***ing accident.
Good luck with that, foreign publishers!
Bragelonne will be publishing Wicked Game and Bad to the Bone in French, within 18 and 24 months, respectively (hopefully sooner).
Versatil will be publishing Wicked Game in Spanish (not sure of dates yet), with an option on Bad to the Bone.
Lübbe will publish Wicked Game and Bad to the Bone in German, within 24 and 30 months, respectively.
I will be sure to share covers as soon as I see them. Yay, Ciara! Go show "Old Europe" a good time!
I'm back! Okay, I didn't actually go anywhere, but I'm trying like crazy to finish a rough draft of Shift ASAP so my critique partners have time to read it and give me feedback in the next month so that I can rewrite it and give my editor a second draft instead of a crappy first draft ("crappy first draft" is a redundant phrase).
To demonstrate the importance of that process, I'm writing a series of guest blog posts at TeenReads.com, where you can get a behind-the-scenes peek at the creation of Shade. The first installment went up last week, called "Putting the Shade in Shade."
1. Facebook fan page - I'll draw a name at 5pm Friday from the members of the page to win a signed final copy of the hardcover book. All you have to do is become a fan! Beyond giving you a chance to win a free book, the fan page is your best bet for hearing the latest on my contests, news, and events.
2. Class of 2k10 April giveaway - Comment to win a signed ARC of Shade, a signed hardcover of Rhonda Hayter's super cute middle-grade debut, The Witchy Worries of Abbie Adams, and much more!
3. Rosemary Clement-Moore's Nothing But Nets giveaway - To celebrate the paperback release of her YA novel Highway to Hell, the always awesome Rosemary is giving away a ton of prizes, including a $100 gift Barnes & Noble certificate, an ARC of her next book, and many other author-donated prizes, including a hardcover copy of Shade. All you have to do to enter is donate to the United Nations Nothing But Nets campaign, to provide low-cost mosquito netting to malaria-vulnerable areas.
I hate to say this is an “important” book because it brings to mind words like – boring – lecture – preachy, and this book is none of those things, but I do think it is an important story to read. Not much is written about boys who suffer from abuse and the effect that has on their relationships.
Off to sleep now. Tomorrow I'll have a very exciting announcement about the WVMP Radio vampire series!

industry_corpus2: Literature & Emotions


text:
The full range of maritime publications needed on a vessel, available digitally. Download what you need, when you need it – including important updates – to remain fully compliant.
Downloadable publications, available instantly. Eliminates freight costs and the time and costs of getting publications to a vessel.
Going digital can save tonnes of paper and several cubic metres of CO2 otherwise created by airfreight deliveries.
Our NaviPubs™ and Publications service makes all the publications you need available via instant download. They can be stored and viewed on a tablet on the bridge, and help you meet SOLAS requirements for compliance.
The days of dusty, out of date publications on the bridge are over. With NaviPubs and Publications, you can download only the publications you need, saving costs as well as space.
There is no need to replace a physical book when it is updated. You simply download the update. Since publications are available on subscription, you only pay for what you need.
For maximum functionality, use our NaviTab™ tablet.

industry_corpus2: Transportation


text:
Connect to the college wireless network.
Open your Internet browser (Internet Explorer, Firefox, etc).
Within a minute or so, you will be prompted to log in.
Authenticate to the network using your RCC username and password.
Click on the link to acknowledge acceptance of the policy and install the policy key.
A few seconds after the installation is complete, you will receive a Web page informing you of steps required to ensure your system's security.
After finishing steps to secure your system, reboot your computer.
After rebooting, start your Web browser.
You will now be free to access the network.
Why does the college use NAC?
Taking advantage of unpatched computers is one of the most commonly used methods for spreading viruses and malware. This presents a risk not only to the individual computer user but to others through the network. Using tools such as NAC to help identify these issues is another step in minimizing risks.
Do I have to use the policy key?
Generally, yes. All Microsoft Windows PCs and Macintosh OS X are required to use the policy key in order to maintain network access. Mobile devices do not need the policy key installed.
What happens if I uninstall the policy key?
You can uninstall the policy key at any time. However, within minutes you will no longer be able to access RCC's wireless internet. You will be required to reinstall the policy key as if you are a new user in order to regain access.
How do I know the policy key is running?
On Windows, you can right-click any blank space on the task bar at the bottom of your screen and select the option "Task Manager." When the Windows Task Manager appears, click the "Processes" tab, then "Show Processes from All Users" and look for the process "SCClient.exe" and "scManager.sys." On Macintosh machines, open the Activity Monitor, click "Show All Processes" and look for "SafeConnect" and "scManagerD."
What does the policy key actually do?
The policy key continuously validates that your system is running the minimum security software and is up to date. It will provide occasional warnings when certain conditions occur, such as antivirus definitions becoming outdated or Windows update or AV protection being disabled.
What antivirus software do I need?
The following AV clients are currently supported.
NOTE: As a rule, only install a single AV client as system problems may otherwise arise.
The policy key is part of an effort to help keep your computers free from viruses, spyware, and operating system security vulnerabilities. Machines protected in this way generally perform better and are less likely to experience downtime due to damage caused by malicious software.
Your privacy is very important to us. The policy key scans only for Windows update services compliance, anti-virus and anti-spyware status. No user data is collected or stored.


text:
Split squash lengthwise. Oil with olive oil, + salt and pepper. Lay flesh side down, and roast at 400 degrees for one hour or till tender.
Sweat onion in a large pot with extra virgin olive oil. Add garlic and ginger. Add roasted squash -skins and seeds removed, carrrot and spices. Cook for 10 minutes at medium heat.
Puree in small batches, adding water if it's too thick. Return to pot and simmer for 10 more minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.
Dice the onions you want to sweat.
Put a thin layer of olive oil in a pan on your stovetop.
Add the onions to your pan and cover with a tight fitting lid.
Cook the onions over low heat on your stovetop.
Stir the onions occasionally with your spatula. Place the lid back on the pan after you finish stirring.
Continue to cook the onions over low heat until they are translucent and have a soft texture, which will indicate that the onions are done.
Use your onions in the recipe.

industry_corpus2: Agriculture & Fisheries


text:
Nike Dry Park Derby II Football Jersey with short sleeves is constructed of Nike Dry fabric that pulls sweat from the skin to the surface of the garment to keep you dry.
A slick, clean design, that's lightweight and engineered with Nike Dri-FIT technology, so you can leave it all out on the pitch. The comfortable fit and taped collar make it ideal for match play or training.

industry_corpus2: Sports


text: Worrying about low cash on your travel? Stay in some of the budget hotels in Maryville for an affordable stay. These hotels offer you the best of experience and are yet low on cost. Replete with all the basic amenities, these budget hotels won’t let you complain for anything. A holiday can get never cheaper than this when you get a number of pocket friendly hostels and hotels with us. You have some of the best names in Maryville budget hotels like Americas Best Value Inn & Suites Maryville and Red Roof Inn Maryville. Book with us to dream a budget friendly holiday for you.

industry_corpus2: Travel & Geography


text:
Cash-back guarantees if we cannot get you the lowest interest rate and lowest cost loan that is available to you and close it on-time, we pay you in cash.
IRS tax credits you deserve—saving you thousands of dollars.
$350 toward your closing costs—our way of saying thank you for your service to our country.
Qualification with a FICO credit score of 550 or above.
Closing-cost assistance for which you are eligible.
At Command Home Mortgage we make sure your mortgage experience is simple, understandable, and personalized. You will greatly benefit from the expertise, experience, and trust we’ve built since 2002.
You can also purchase a multi-unit property (two to four units) and use the rental income to qualify for your loan. You must occupy one of the units.
Your VA loan is assumable. This can be a big advantage when you go to sell. If interest rates have risen, your buyer can assume your loan and its lower interest rate.
Allows you to refinance your present VA loan with no income verification and no appraisal necessary. This is a great way to lower your interest rate and your monthly payment, if it makes sense to do so.


text:
[US$39.90/£28.70 - Add to Cart] Welcome back to the Zone in S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Clear Sky, the prequel to S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Shadow of Chernobyl, one of the best-selling first-person shooters of 2007. Embark on a new foray into the nuclear zone: S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Clear Sky is set one year before the events of Part 1 - at a time when the Zone is changed forever by a huge anomalous eruption of energy.
[US$19.90/£14.30 - Add to Cart] In Resident Evil 3: Nemesis, Jill Valentine returns, heroine and amazing survivor of the nightmare that began in the original Resident Evil.
[US$14.90/£10.70 - Add to Cart] Offering a unique combination of First-Person Shooter (FPS) and Survival-Horror action, set in an open-world environment around a second apocalyptic explosion at the Chernobyl power plant, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Shadow of Chernobyl is set to blow you away!
The S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Shadow of Chernobyl Collector's Radiation Edition comes in a distinctive metal box, and contains a Bonus DVD, Survival Guide, Zone Map and exclusive unlockable multiplayer content.


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This an old, sarcastic news post from when I was in college. I apologise.
Apple has been having troubles getting IBM’s G5s into notebooks.
CUPERTINO, CA, USA - In an announcement met with shock and awe, Apple Computer announced this week that they will finally be moving to the same x86 processors that Microsoft’s Windows runs on. Fed up with IBM’s undelivered promises and poorly matching future plans, they will be releasing computers based on Intel’s chips next year.
Analysts, users, developers, and even random passerbyes have expressed surprise with the move. Mac sales are growing much faster than normal, and the company is wildly popular. Given these conditions, casual observers are speculating about whether or not Apple CEO Steve Jobs is on hallucinogenic drugs. “What? He’s making Intel-based Macs?!” exclaimed one random bystander. “When he released a Mac for only $499 I got pretty suspicious there may be something weird in that guy’s water bottle. But this? I thoroughly wet myself when I heard that news.” Our notes on said bystander end abruptly.
While some Mac Faithful are emotionally attached to the idea of using a different chip than Windows computers, those in the know seem to be positive on the move. Intel’s is shedding its power-hungry Pentium 4 chips and going straight for the laptop market, right where Apple wants to be. While there is now one less thing that Mac users can make fun of, the biggest, ugliest target of all - Windows - is going to be easier than ever to bash.


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Dr. Barry Handler is a board certified plastic surgeon and an active member of a number of prestigious societies including the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, California Medical Association and is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons.
Born in San Diego, Dr. Handler moved to the Midwest where he earned his bachelor’s degree in chemistry and biology at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri and later graduated from the St. Louis University Health Sciences Center as a Doctor of Medicine. He continued his Training at the St. Louis University Health Sciences Center, where Dr. Handler completed both his General Surgery Residency and his Plastic Surgery Residency.
Dr. Handler has found success in listening to his patients and educating them so that their goals and expectations are reasonable. He then strives to achieve the goals set and meet and exceed the patients’ expectations.
Dr. Handler is a family man; he has been married for eighteen years and has three children. He enjoys spending time with his family, hiking and attending sports events that his children participate in.

industry_corpus2: Health & Medicine


text: We present measured radial velocities and complete space motions for 116 white dwarf stars with M dwarf companions. Thirteen pairs have " halo-like " velocities. According to a recent study by Oppenheimer et al., all these high-velocity white dwarfs should be considered part of the dark matter heavy halo of the Galaxy, based on their kinematics. Based on the near-solar abundance levels of the M dwarf companions, we conclude that 12 of our 13 high-velocity white dwarfs are actually part of the high-velocity tail of the thick disk, rather than the dark matter halo of the Galaxy, in agreement with the results of a recent study of 514 M dwarfs performed by Reid, Sahu, & Hawley. We find only one potential stellar halo white dwarf (LP 164-52) in our sample. The M dwarf companion of LP 164-52 is a metal-poor, intermediate subdwarf with highvelocity UVW-space motions. In view of the similarity to our sample, we conclude that the majority of the dark matter halo white dwarfs identified by Oppenheimer et al. are most likely to be members of the thick disk, and hence their contribution to the dark matter content of the halo is very much overestimated. Our results suggest that the assignment of population membership solely on incomplete kinematical information is not definitive and that a more robust examination of suspected halo white dwarfs must be performed.

industry_corpus2: Technology & Research


text: No need to take a favour from people just to go for a short trip with friends. Drive Now is a club that allows you to take cars on rent for unique purposes. Drive Now is a flexible cars club that helps people to hire a car on rent and do anything they wish to. The club has more than 300 cars including BMWs and Mini cars for the daily usage. If you are going for a trip with friends or a wedding to attend, then you can always rent the car and enjoy the ride. The club has the provision of renting the car according to time basis, hourly, minute or daily basis. The best part of renting with Drive Now is the rental price is nominal, the discount code is available on every trip and you get a free parking area in Drive Now zone. The club has a very simple procedure of booking; all you need is an app and book the trip by paying the rental cost to the website. Visit the website for more details and special offers.

industry_corpus2: Automobiles


text:
You, the undersigned Defendant (“Defendant” or “you”), hereby represent and warrant that the following declarations made and answers given are true, complete and correct and are made for the purpose of inducing Bankers Insurance Company (“Surety”) to issue, or cause to be issued, bail bond(s) or undertaking(s) for you (singularly or collectively the “Bond”), using power of attorney number(s) (if known) , in the total amount of Dollars ($ ) in the Court of .
How long reside in current city ?
How long reside in current state ?
Are you now under any bond?
Have you ever failed to appear in court?
1. The premium is fully earned upon your release from custody. The premium is not refundable except as stated below.
if required by applicable law (if any) as stated in an attached addendum.
before or after Surety has paid or advanced such funds.
you waive any and all causes of action in connection therewith including, without limitation, torts of trespass and false imprisonment.
DURING THE BAIL PERIOD; and (g) all questions relating to location capability should be directed to Surety.
such force as may be necessary to return you to Surety and the court where the Bond was posted.
recommended or suggested any specific attorney or firm of attorneys to represent you in any capacity.
to enforce such rights in any such action or proceeding.
information in an application for insurance is guilty of a crime and may be subject to fines and confinement in prison.
containing any false, incomplete, or misleading information is guilty of a felony of the third degree.
defrauding the company. Penalties may include imprisonment, fines or a denial of insurance benefits.
A CRIME AND MAY BE SUBJECT TO CIVIL FINES AND CRIMINAL PENALTIES.
exceed five thousand dollars and the stated value of the claim for each such violation.
a claim containing a false or deceptive statement is guilty of insurance fraud.
proceeds of an insurance policy containing any false, incomplete or misleading information is guilty of a felony.


text:
Valentine’s Day is here and the love is being felt around the world.
Even though we celebrate love everyday, today is a day we truly get to demonstrate it in a grandeur matter.
Fun Fact: Approximately 150 million Valentine’s Day cards are exchanged annually, making Valentine’s Day the second most popular card-sending holiday after Christmas.
At Art of Care, Inc love is a huge contributor in our healthy living lifestyles. Many of our senior patients embrace the love they have for their spouse and family and do not take it for granted.
The history of Valentine’s day started as a pagan festival in February. While some believe that Valentine’s Day is celebrated in the middle of February to commemorate the anniversary of Valentine’s death or burial–which probably occurred around A.D. 270–others claim that the Christian church may have decided to place St. Valentine’s feast day in the middle of February in an effort to “Christianize” the pagan celebration of Lupercalia. Celebrated at the ides of February, or February 15, Lupercalia was a fertility festival dedicated to Faunus, the Roman god of agriculture, as well as to the Roman founders Romulus and Remus.
At Art of Care, Inc we like to spread the love to our clinicians and to our patients.
We wish you all a love-filled, magical, memorable, and healthy Valentine’s Day.


text:
Your Membership Is What We Need Most - And Its Free!
While the Association is staffed by volunteers, it does cost money to maintain the website and support other ongoing activities of the Association. More than 300 alumni have made financial commitments to help cover those expenses. To recognize the generosity of these friends of AHS, we have developed a tiered membership program that includes levels based on participation.
It is also important to show our appreciation to the alumni who make a more substantial and regular contributions to the Association.


text:
This paper illustrates how the Union Pacific Railroad (UP) and the General Motors Locomotive Group (GMLG) each benefitted from the partnership they established in response to increasing product complexity and a changing business environment. Locomotives are running at higher speeds than in the past and, at the same time, they are required to achieve higher reliability levels.
The measures employed to increase reliability included: (1) A mean-time-between-unscheduled-shoppings (MTBUS) term became part of the strategy to set contractual reliability guarantees for locomotives and establish component design reliability requirements; (2) Availability equations were structured to quantify manufacturer-caused lost availability and railroad-caused lost availability. These measures enabled the railroad to improve the reliability of the existing fleet and determine the reliability of the existing fleet. Also, a new computer modem arrangement allowed the UP and GMLG to share information electronically; this arrangement enhanced their understanding of product performance during and after the warranty period.
The Reliability Team assisted teams of engineers to make the identified components more robust. In addition to completing Weibull analyses, hazard plots, and predictions, the Reliability Team identified two major priorities for the future: (1) a training program for the UP and GMLG engineers responsible for enhancing the reliability of locomotives; and (2) a system to assure important quality and reliability projects are identified and worked.


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Several of you have asked about my sewing machine. Which machine I use and what would I recommend? These are important but also hard to answer questions. Even if I don’t have a vast experience on different sewing machines, I want now to tell a little bit about my Bernina Activa 210 machine to satisfy your curiosity.
So, as I said, I haven’t sewn with very many different models and my knowledge is here limited. My first machine and the machine I learnt to sew with was a lovely Singer from the 1970s that my mother had. At school, we sewed with Berninas, if I remember correctly.
My mother later gifted her old Singer it to me when I was a student at a university and I used it for a few years. I had a really temperamental overlocker, too, that my mother also gifted to me after having lost any hope getting any good results with it! I managed to get it working and was able to sew the seams of the jersey tops with no problems. The sewing machine was still needed for the finishing.
The Singer didn’t have the double-overlock stitch that I wanted to finish the bindings of my kids’ tops. After I had kids and started sewing for them, I wanted a machine which would be better suited for jerseys and other stretchy materials. So I bought my current machine, Bernina Activa 210 about 10 years ago.
Activa 210 is the cheapest of the Bernina’s Activa range and a very basic machine. I went for it for the reliable Swiss brand even though I knew that Berninas are pretty pricey. I’d rather have a good basic machine that I can trust, than a fancy computerized one that jams or needs constant maintenance.
My machine has only the most basic stitches and I have been quite happy with them. Many sewing machines have tons of different stitches but, to be honest, most people use only straight and zigzag. As I sew a lot, I also use the stretch stitch, three-step-zigzag, blind-hem stitch, double overlock stitch and the automatic buttonhole. So, of the 11 stitches that my machine has, I only use 7. And even then I only use the blind-hem stitch to make scalloped edges. I prefer slip-stitching the hems by hand to get a perfectly invisible finish.
Now that I have moved into more challenging makes, I’d like my machine to have a few more stitches. When making coats and jeans, I’d like to be able to make keyhole-shaped buttonholes. I have also seen some pretty things done with sheer underwear fabrics and decorative stitches. I’d really like to try doing that, but my machine doesn’t have any decorative stitches for me to experiment with.
The machine came with a few different presser feet: A regular (zigzag) foot, a blind-hemmer foot, a zipper foot and a buttonhole foot. You can manage most of the sewing tasks with these.
Anyway, I highly recommend buying a walking foot even though it is really expensive for Bernina. It’s the foot I use the most and it really helps to deal with difficult fabrics and pattern matching.
The manual that came with my machine is very small. It has the basic info, but I’d have liked to have a little bit more if I were a beginner. Luckily with a brand this popular, there are tons of sewing videos available online that can help you if you run into trouble.
My machine has been able to handle most of the fabrics I have thrown on it. It has difficulties with very thick seams on leather and sewing lycra requires a special needle and a walking foot, especially if combined with fold-over-elastic. This is a bit of a bummer, really, since there are machines that don’t need any extra adjustments to deal with lycra.
I have managed to sew leather fairly well with both my walking foot and Teflon feet. As long as the leather doesn’t get too thick, the machine can handle it. I only need to use a leather needle.
I use normal Coats and Gütermann sewing threads with no difficulty. The bobbin side straight stitch, with especially darker Coats threads and thinner fabrics, is sometimes a bit wavy. This bothers me a bit when hemming as I have to sew from the wrong side. I usually try my best to sew from the right-side only.
Topstitching threads don’t work well with my machine. Even if I threaded the bobbin with regular thread, there tend to be ugly loops on the wrong side at best and horrible tangles at worst scenario. I can make pretty nice topstitching when I use normal sewing machine thread doubled.
The machine came with a needle threader. It took me quite a while to learn to use it and then one day my needle wasn’t in the exact right position and the whole thing broke. They tried fixing it at the next maintenance, but the truth is that it hasn’t worked after that. I think that my mistake was something that many people will make at some point and thus the needle threader should have been designed better.
The automatic needle-up/needle-down setting is very handy and I use it a lot. I lower the feed dogs regularly to sew on buttons. However, I never use the half-speed option or the fine-adjustment of the stitch length.
You cannot adjust the presser foot pressure. That’s something that I’d have like to do when encountering some problems with stitches.
The machine has no top-loadable bobbin. That means that you cannot easily check the amount of bobbin thread you have left. You get used to loading the bobbing with the bobbin case quite fast but the case prevents you from seeing the bobbin from the outside.
How would I now approach buying a sewing machine?
I think that it would be crucial to spend time trying out as many machines as possible. Don’t just walk into a shop and come back with a machine. Browse around with a selection of fabrics/threads you are planning to use and try sewing with the machines.
I would want to see all the most important functions in action, such as an automatic buttonhole, needle threader etc.
I would also compare the prices of the accessories. How expensive are the presser feet? Are they easy to get? How often do you have to maintain the machine? Can you easily to go back to the shop where you bought it from to ask advice? For me it has been important to have been able to go back and ask advice on, for example, one would sew on a button with my sewing machine.
I would also read other people’s reviews online. If you are sewing something less common or specific, like bras, for example, I’d go to the suitable Facebook forums and ask people’s opinions and experiences. Some machines seem to be better suited to handle certain materials.
I hope that this post answered most of your questions! What kind of machine do you use? Do you have a machine that you would recommend others? Do you have any tips on how to approach buying a sewing machine? Write a comment and share your knowledge!
Thank you for reading and special thanks to all of you who have subscribed to the blog. Happy sewing!

industry_corpus2: Manufacturing


text:
Known to reality-TV viewers as an “American Pickers” co-star, Danielle Colby also devotes time to burlesque dancing and charitable causes.
Those interests will intersect Saturday at Fountain Square’s Radio Radio nightclub, where Colby will dance to raise funds for a hurricane-damaged orphanage in Puerto Rico.
Her onstage act, a band-and-burlesque hybrid known as "Gin Rummy," will share a bill with singer-songwriters Austin Stirling and Dylan Walshe.
Colby, the "American Pickers" office manager who connects potential sellers and buyers with antique specialists Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz, said she has a personal connection to damage caused by 2017 hurricanes Irma and Maria.
"I have a home in Puerto Rico, and I see what is happening on the islands there," Colby said during a phone interview.
The Davenport, Iowa, native said money raised at Radio Radio will assist La Casa de Todos — an orphanage as well as a domestic-violence shelter for women — in day-to-day operations following earlier repairs to the building's roof.
"We have to take time to recognize these women and children and their struggle," Colby said of the facility founded by Sister Carmen Carmona in 1980. "These are the most needy on the island. If you’re going to go in and help, the best place to help is where the need is the greatest."
With 12 years of burlesque experience, Colby's dancing predates the 2010 debut of "American Pickers." She describes her "Gin Rummy" show as a celebration of "movement and freedom." If a venue's stage can accommodate an aerial hoop known as a lyra, Colby executes acrobatics as part of her act. "It lends itself really well to classic striptease," Colby said. "It’s very slow and very sensual. But it’s also very powerful. You have to be strong and you have to have a modicum of internal fortitude to be able to do it." Tom "Soda" Gardocki and drummer Zachary Babbe are the musicians of "Gin Rummy." Vocalist Gardocki, who plays guitar and banjo, previously was a member of pop-punk band Wax — known for its 1995 Spike Jonze-directed video for the song "California" featuring a man running in slow motion while on fire.
"American Pickers" made headlines this summer when Colby secured a lead that end with the discovery of Aerosmith's original tour van in rural Massachusetts. "We’re going to do some really fun stuff with the Aerosmith van," Colby said of the show's upcoming season. "I can’t tell you exactly what it is, but I just got off the road with Mike and I’m really excited to revisit it." The 1964 International Harvester Metro van had been partly buried on land owned by someone identified only as Phil. "The back roads of America are so important," Colby said. "That’s where those stories fall through the cracks." Wolfe and Fritz are scheduled to look for Indiana treasures next month.
Asked about her own collectibles, Colby said she specializes in costumes associated with vintage burlesque and striptease. "There’s so many stories lost behind those little G-strings and pasties," she said. "The items are always beautiful. But once you get that nice, interwoven story it beats everything." Colby is working on a project in Nashville, Tenn., to bring attention to performers and designers of yesteryear. "My goal is to take these costumes around the world," she said.
>> WITH: Austin Stirling, Dylan Walshe.
>> WHEN: 8 p.m. Sept. 8.
>> WHERE: Radio Radio, 1119 E. Prospect St.
>> INFO: Visit futureshock.net or call 317-955-0995.


text:
ATHENS — Torrential rain of an intensity not seen in decades flooded roads in Athens on Friday, overturning parked cars and stranding dozens of motorists, including a 28-year-old woman who died of what appeared to be a heart attack.
More than six hours of solid rainfall starting at 5 a.m. flooded the streets of the capital, caused two rivers to break their banks and paralyzed public transport, causing traffic chaos as tens of thousands of Athenians sought to reach their offices during the morning rush hour.
Two electricity substations were deluged, prompting power cuts, and the fire service was besieged with more than 800 calls from residents with flooded homes and 100 from motorists stuck in floodwaters.
The amount of rain that fell was equal to the average rainfall for the whole month of February, meteorologists said.
A woman found slumped over the wheel of her car in the northern Athens suburb of Halandri died of natural causes, according to doctors at the hospital to which she was taken by rescue workers. Greek news media reported that the woman had died of a heart attack prompted by shock.
A few blocks away, residents rescued another woman from her stranded car as muddy floodwaters gushed by, overturning several parked vehicles on the same road.
The rainfall also led to a freak accident at the Parliament building, where a cleaner working on the roof after the rain had stopped stepped through a glass ceiling as she tried to mop up water dripping into the main assembly hall, where lawmakers were to gather for a debate.
The woman, who had been wearing a harness, according to parliamentary officials, was left dangling several yards above the deputies’ benches for a few minutes, until a police officer came to her aid.
In another unusual incident, a derelict building in the run-down central district of Aghios Panteleimonas collapsed, apparently because of the force of the sustained downpour. No one was injured after the collapse in the busy neighborhood, one of the poorest and most densely populated in the city center.
Although heavy rain is not unusual during Greece’s brief winter season, an antiquated drainage system in the capital means that streets often remain waterlogged for hours after storms.
The scale of Friday’s downpour was unusual, however, with meteorologists referring to the heaviest rainfall in 50 to 60 years in comments on state television.
The Greek government, which is struggling to keep the debt-racked country afloat with billions of euros in rescue loans from foreign creditors, was not able to provide an assessment of the cost of the damage caused to homes, businesses, cars and roads.

industry_corpus2: Media & Journalism


text:
ACER AS10F7E laptop battery is replacement for ACER laptop with 12 cell. TheAS10F7E batteries equivalent is guaranteed to meet or exceed ACER original specifications. All ACER AS10F7E are brand new,1 year Warranty, 100% Guarantee Quality and Fully Test!
3.New ACER AS10F7E battery needs to be fully charged and discharged (cycled) a few times before it can condition to full capacity.
4.Rechargeable batteries undergo self-discharging when left unused. Always store a AS10F7E battery pack in a fully charged stage for storage.
10.Set screen saver blank to 1 to 2 minutes of your ACER AS10F7E notebook.
12.Research the electric appliance and the ACER AS10F7E Batteries contact elements is whether clean, when necessity is clean with the wet cloth mop, after dry loads according to the correct polar direction.
13.AS10F7E laptop battery of ACER should stock in cool place, and dry.
a.Toss, drop, or otherwise abuse the AS10F7E battery as this may result in the exposure of the cell contents, which are corrosive.
d.Modify the ACER AS10F7E battery casing and/or housing.


text:
> I am supporting a big service provider and sometimes I face this problem.
> verification output "show commands" from a large number of devices.
> What kind of scripting solutions you guys are using this case.
handy set of tools and is worth investigating also.


text:
Bhutan is carbon negative and has committed to remaining carbon neutral, yet it is not spared the wrath of climate change. For Himalayan countries such as Bhutan, erratic weather patterns, fast receding glaciers, and the risk of Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOF) have now become stark reality. Climate change, if left unchecked, can become one of the biggest threats to humanity. However, climate science often remains abstract, especially when explained through complex computer models and simulations that are difficult for the ordinary person to understand.
It is important for communities to understand climate change in a manner that they can relate to, so that appropriate mitigation of the causes of climate change (namely reduction of greenhouse gases) and adaptations to changes in climatic conditions can be devised accordingly. The Himalayan Environmental Rhythms Observation and Evaluation System (HEROES) project, implemented by the Ugyen Wangchuck Institute of Conservation and Environment (UWICE) in partnerships with schools and nature clubs across Bhutan, employs a combination of weather data collection (through a network of weather stations) and citizen science to help understand climate change. While the high-tech weather stations provide an uninterrupted flow of weather and climatic data (temperature, humidity, and wind speed) across Bhutan’s varied ecological and elevation gradient, the citizen science component of the project encourages hundreds of students to actively engage in observing their immediate environment to detect changes in how plants and wildlife respond to climate change.
In its second year of implementation, the HEROES project has already succeeded in mainstreaming plant phenology observation and climate change as a topic in the high-school environmental science curriculum. Bhutanese students will soon be learning about this very important topic that affects us every day. The project supports a network of 23 weather stations (20 in schools, and 3 in remote mountain locations). Some 34 teachers and 340 students have been trained and are now participating in the project. The numbers continue to grow.
Bhutan will be one of the few places in the Himalayas to have a comprehensive set of climate data that will be vital for helping understand climate change. This will be supplemented by an understanding of how key plants and animals respond to a changing climatic pattern over time. In the process, hundreds of students will gain first-hand knowledge of how climate change affects us through our surrounding environment. Thousands more will understand climate change though local lessons in school.
Since 2014, a total of 17 schools across Bhutan have been implementing the HEROES. The UWICER has now selected four new schools from Paro, Punakha, Zhemgang, and Trongsa where students will soon start implementing the program.
The Bhutan Foundation signed a one-year grant agreement with the Bhutan Ecological Society (BES), a civil society organization in Bhutan, to expand the HEROES project to six highland schools. The project 'Schools at the Edge- Climate change adaptation and responses of high altitude schools' will ensure comfortable classrooms and quality learning as a response to harsh climate conditions, reduce the dependency on the use of sparse alpine forest resources through intervention of modern electrical appliances and engage students in the science of phenology observation and climate change.
Her Majesty Gyalyum Tshering Pem Wangchuck, co-chair of the Bhutan Foundation, granted an audience to the students and teachers of Jakar Higher Secondary School in Bumthang. Her Majesty visited the school to interact with the students and teachers who were members of the Himalayan Environmental Rhythms Observation and Evaluation System (HEROES) project at the school.
Jakar Higher Secondary School is one of 21 schools in Bhutan engaged in observing and recording the seasonal lifecycle of plants at their campus. Currently, about 30 students in Jakar are actively involved in the program monitoring plants regularly and submitting data to the Ugyen Wangchuck Institute for Conservation and Environment (UWICE).
During the visit, the students and the faculty presented a comprehensive overview of the HEROES project and their findings to Her Majesty. The students shared how the project has positively affected their lives and their understanding of climate change. As a result, the students and teachers also shared some of their initiatives to create public awareness about climate change through community services and road shows.
Interacting with the students, Her Majesty shared her appreciation and insights on the importance of learning from nature. Her Majesty also made field visits to different plant locations at the school and listened to students’ findings about the plants.
From February 3rd-5th, 23 participants including focal teachers from 17 schools and representatives from the Ministry of Education attended the annual Bhutan Phenology Observation Workshop. The workshop further reinforced the phenology observation skills of focal teachers and students participating in the HEROES project. In addition, this workshop provided an opportunity for the participants to provide feedback, refine existing observation methods, and resolve any issues related to project implementation.
Three additional weather stations were set up in Eastern Bhutan, increasing the total number of weather stations to 23.
Board members of the Karuna Foundation visited the HEROES project site in Nobding Middle Secondary School.
Climate change and the phenological observations were included as part of the high-school environmental science curriculum.
The highest weather station for Bhutan was established as part of the HEROES project, at 4900 m in Jigme Dorji National Park. This is managed by a local yak herder.
UWICE operated Bhutan’s first conservation drone over Bumthang, taking aerial photographs of Chamkhar town. The drone will be used to monitor forest cover, glacial extent, and other land cover changes.
This project is implemented by the Ugyen Wangchuck Institute for Conservation and Environment (UWICE) in partnership with nature clubs from selected schools. The weather data collection is implemented in partnership with the Hydromet Department, and the citizen science part of the project with public schools throughout Bhutan. Support for this project is provided by the Karuna Foundation.
DUE TO THE SHEER EXTENT OF ICE AND SNOW, THE HIMALAYA IS ALSO REFERRED TO AS THE "THIRD POLE"
For the first time, a wide ecological and elevation gradient will generate climate and phenological data to better inform climate change models. This will give a realistic and much better understanding of how climate change could affect our environment. Equipped with this knowledge, policy makers and citizens can make better decisions for climate change adaptation and mitigation responses.


text: Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet joined Senate education committee Ranking Member Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), and members Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.) and Richard Burr (R-N.C.) today to announce the formation of a task force to examine burdens on institutions of higher education.


text:
Water has always been one of the resources addressed through Resource Efficient and Cleaner Production, and through the work of the NCPC-SA, water savings have been achieved through the RECP expert level and internship programmes. However, the success of the IEE Project in energy, coupled with the growing water crisis nationally, led to the launch of the Industrial Water Efficiency (IWE) Project in March 2017.
Through this project the NCPC-SA will, through partnerships with other industry and sector organisations, address the need for skills and solutions to reduce and reuse avaiable water supplies.
Watch this space for more tools and developments from the IWE Project, or apply to undergo a water assessment today.

industry_corpus2: Water Resources & Marine


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The Syrian uprising precipitated an explosion in publications on what had hitherto been an understudied country. The conflict has, however, produced a more limited number of high quality works that present a wealth of empirical findings, take theoretically innovative approaches, or both.
Flynt Leverett, Inheriting Syria (Brookings Institution, 2005) and David Lesch, The New Lion of Damascus: Bashar al-Asad and Modern Syria (Yale University Press, 2005) provide sympathetic but insightful glimpses of the dilemmas facing Bashar al-Asad during his early years in power.
Radwan Ziadeh, Power and Policy in Syria: Intelligence Services, Foreign Relations and Democracy in the Modern Middle East (I.B Tauris, 2011) provides a broad background: it examines Hafiz Assad’s power consolidation around personal loyalty to the president and based on pillars of civil bureaucracy, the security organs and the Baath party; also it looks at the succession of Bashar al-Asad and repression of the Damascus spring; isolation brought on by Bashar’s foreign policy in Lebanon and Iraq; and the role of the Muslim Brotherhood as a moderate Islamic opposition.
Raymond Hinnebusch and Tina Zintl, Syria from Reform to Revolt, Vol. 1: Political Economy and International Relations (Syracuse University Press, 2015) brings together senior and younger scholars doing cutting edge research in Syria in the first decade of Bashar al-Asad’s rule. It explores the ways in which Asad’s domestic and foreign policy strategies during his first decade in power safeguarded his rule and adapted Syria to the age of globalization. The volume’s contributors examine multiple aspects of Asad’s rule in the 2000s, from power consolidation within the party and control of the opposition to economic reform, co-opting new private charities, and coping with Iraqi refugees. The Syrian regime temporarily succeeded in reproducing its power and legitimacy, in reconstructing its social base, and in managing regional and international challenges. At the same time, contributors detail the shortcomings, inconsistencies, and risks these policies entailed, illustrating why Syria’s tenuous stability came to an abrupt end during the Arab uprisings of 2011. In a companion volume, Christa Salamandra and Leif Stenberg, Syria from Reform to Revolt, Vol. 2: Culture, Society and Religion focuses on key arenas of Syrian social life, including television drama, political fiction, Islamic foundations, and Christian choirs and charities, demonstrating the ways in which Syrians worked with and through the state in attempts to reform, undermine, or sidestep the regime.
Bassam Haddad, Business Networks in Syria; the Political Economy of Authoritarian Resilience (Stanford University Press, 2012). This political economy analysis of the impact of Bashar al-Asad’s reforms in the late 2000’s shows how regime favoritism toward investors was paralleled by a decline in the living standards of the state-employed middle class and the regime’s former plebeian constituency—arguably an element in the 2011 Uprising. But the regime’s move toward a more formal state-business alliance deterred business from joining the opposition. Thus, state-business networks both contributed to and detracted from authoritarian resilience.
Linda Matar, Political Economy of Investment in Syria (Palgrave, 2016) takes the determinants of investment and the agency of class, as an analytical lens to understand Syria’s failure to promote employment-generating investment prior to the uprising. Matar argues that neoliberal reforms under Bashar al-Asad failed to build productive capacity and instead enriched a few through short-term speculative and mercantile ventures. The proponents of the free market justified policies which exacerbated unequal income distribution, thus contributing to the social explosion in 2011.
Jamil Baroutt, The Past Decade in Syria: the Dialectics of Stagnation and Reform (Arab Centre for Research and Policy Studies, 2011) is a political economy analysis by a Syrian scholar that examines the formation of a bureaucratic capitalist class and authoritarian liberalization to understand economic stagnation and the regime’s inadequate strategies for overcoming it. The gap between economic growth and population growth, resulting in growing youth unemployment, concentrated in neglected rural provinces, provided the tinder for the uprising.
Thomas Pierret, Religion and State in Syria: The Sunni Ulama from Coup to Revolution (Cambridge University Press, ) focuses on Syria’s ulama and their changing relationship to power. His main argument is that the ulama were more readily co-opted than were Islamist movements when the regime gave them concessions reinforcing their religious authority, notably in conflicts with secularists, or expanded their freedom for non-political dawa. This enabled the regime to divide and rule these two wings of the Islamist movement; he also shows how the erosion of this game helped prepare the way for some ulama to back the opposition after the uprising.
Pierret’s volume is usefully read together with Line Khatib, Islamist Revivalism in Syria: The Rise and Fall of Secularism in Ba’thist Syria (Routledge, 2011), which shows how the regime played off secularists and Islamists. Indeed, it viewed the secular opposition as a potentially greater threat than the Islamists, hence fostered and co-opted the latter against the former. In doing so, it inadvertently spread the ideology that would be used to mobilize the Islamist movements that came to dominate the opposition to the regime.
Raphael Lefevre, Ashes of Hama: the Muslim Brotherhood in Syria (Hurst, 2013). While much of the book recounts the 1978-92 uprising from the point of view of the Muslim Brothers, to whom Lefevre had exceptional access, it is quite relevant to the current Syrian Uprising. The earlier insurgency generated a jihadi tradition whose remnants went to Afghanistan, morphed into transnational jihadis, played a role in the founding of al–Qa’ida and returned to fight in Syria after 2011. As part of a 1990s deal with Islamists, the regime had allowed a substantial Islamization of society, at the expense of secularism that grew the potential base of Islamist opposition activated as the post 2011 Uprising became militarized. The current Uprising has been shaped by memories of Hama: the desire for revenge motivates some of the insurgents while the memories of the Ikhwan assassinations of Alawis and of its sectarian discourse forged the solidarity of the regime in the face of the current uprising. However, by contrast to Egypt and Tunisia, where the organized Ikhwan filled the gap after the quick fall of presidents, the protracted struggle in Syria has generated sectarian hostility to the advantage of radical jihadis.
Charles Lister The Syrian Jihad: Evolution of an Insurgency (Hurst, 2015) takes up the story, which looks at the jihadists who came to dominate the uprising, including al-Qaida avatars, Jabhat al-Nusra and Islamic State.
Carsten Wieland, Syria: A Decade of Lost Chances: Repression and Revolution from Damascus Spring to Arab Spring (Cune Press, 2012).
This book provides a valuable and detailed examination of Bashar al-Asad’s rule, particularly of what Wieland considered the opportunities missed by the president to carry out political reforms that might have headed off revolution. The traditional opposition was loyal and moderate and its political incorporation could have enabled a gradual and peaceful transition to a more democratic and legitimate regime. In Wieland’s view, Asad could have won a free election in 2011 had he embraced the demands of the opposition, portrayed himself as the solution rather than the problem, and led the transition to democracy. Most Syrians would have welcomed this. Instead Asad played the sectarian and security cards, destroying his status as a secular popular leader while the violent response to protestors only further propelled the uprising. Wieland believes the security solution was decided by a special committee that concluded that the Tunisian and Egyptian regimes had fallen because they had used insufficient repression. The author benefited from extended discussions with the secular “traditional opposition,” notably Michel Kilo.
David W. Lesch, Syria: the Fall of the House of Assad (Yale University Press, 2012).
How, David Lesch muses, did Bashar al-Asad, a man who had appeared to him as “a relatively ordinary person,” quite different from the princelings in other authoritarian regimes, become drenched in blood? The book ably summarizes the structural factors against and for an uprising in Syria: on the one side there was the Asad’s nationalist stature and relatively good image as a youthful reformer, the substantial stake in preventing Islamic fundamentalism by minorities the secular middle class and the bourgeoisie—who could account for half the population in Lesch’s calculation; and the fragmentation of opposition. On the other hand, the rapid growth of unemployed educated youth that the economy could not absorb; the shaving of social safety nets and growing inequality. Given this relative balance, Asad’s approach to the protests could have made a big difference. Lesch explains his resort to repression by their belief in foreign conspiracies and that any concession seen to be made from weakness only encourages enemies. Once the killing reached a certain point, there was no way back. The regime hunkered down, counting on creating a favourable stalemate to survive.
Samer Abboud, Syria (Polity Press, 2016).
This volume focuses on the uprising years, particularly examining the anti-regime side. Abboud charts the emergence of protest movements, the external opposition, the “civilianization” of violence, the militarization of the uprising and the war economy. A main thrust of his analysis is how the fragmentation of the opposition prevented it from coordinating around a common political and diplomatic strategy and obstructed the emergence of military formations able to defeat the regime. The emergence of Islamists, themselves ideologically divided, further fragmented the opposition despite periodic efforts to bring the multitude of jihadists groups together in “fronts.” Formations large enough to hold and expand territory could not be sustained and fighting groups, rather, were satisfied with profiting from local fiefdoms; as they became warlords they lost their popularity. Abboud’s analysis goes far toward explaining the failure of the Uprising.
Christopher Phillips, The Battle for Syria: International Rivalry in the New Middle East (Yale University Press, 2016).
While Phillips acknowledges the domestic roots of Syria’s conflict, his main argument is that without external interference the fragmented opposition had little chance of prevailing. Importantly, this interference was driven by miscalculations, most importantly the delusion of anti-Asad forces that his regime was fragile and would soon fall, and, if not, that US intervention would tip the balance against him. Miscalculations by the regional opposition to Asad led them to follow inflexible policies in Syria. Turkey, Qatar and Saudi Arabia were convinced that US intervention was coming and they conveyed their confidence to the exiled opposition, thereby discouraging any compromise with the regime. As for the West, its main mistake was to make uncompromised-able demands on the Asad regime, convinced it was on the way out, even while it had no intention of intervening militarily. On the other side, however, Iran and later Russia were determined to prevent regime collapse. The resulting “balanced intervention” by anti- and pro-Asad powers tipped Syria into protracted civil war.
Philips’ analysis could be usefully read in tandem with Nikolaos Van Dam, Destroying a Nation: The Civil War in Syria (I.B Taurus 2017), by a diplomat-scholar with decades of experience of studying Syria. He similarly examines the mistakes of the West in its expectation that the regime would easily be swept away.
John McHugo, From the Great War to the Civil War (Saqi Books, 2014) provides a wider historical sweep regarding the deleterious impact of foreign powers on Syria, seeing its very founding as a modern state under French tutelage as sewing the seeds of the uprising.
Raymond Hinnebusch and Omar Imady, The Syrian Uprising: Domestic Origins and Early Trajectory (Routledge, 2018).
This major edited collection provides a uniquely comprehensive examination of the uprising. The book consists of nineteen chapters, each addressing an aspect of the Uprising. The chapter cases are located within a framework that poses a series of key questions or issues raised in the scholarship and debates on the Syrian uprising. Chapters 2-8 focus on the structural vulnerabilities and strengths of the regime that help explain the origins of the uprising (causes, grievances, and opportunity structure); how such mass protests became possible but also why they did not initiate a democratic transition; why the protests were militarized and sectarianism instrumentalized, resulting in civil war; and how the regime survived and how it was able to keep support of key constituencies, including the military, business, and the minorities. It takes the view that the structure goes far to explain the roots and early trajectory of the uprising, with chapters looking at regime formation (A Saoul) and practices (S. Valter), e.g., how “Sultanism” precluded democratic transition (Soren Schmidt), the military-business complex that backed it (Salam Said); the political economy context (F Lawson); regime divide and rule strategies e.g. Islamism vs secularists (L Khatib); Sufis vs Islamists (O Imady) and the role of the Alawis (L. Goldsmith). Agency also mattered and subsequent chapters examines Asad’s decisions (D. Lesch), the emergence of civil society as a base of opposition (T al-Om), the role of notions of dignity (J. Harkin) and the social media (B Brownlee) in mobilization; the role of the Muslim Brotherhood (N. Ramirez Diaz); the sectarianization of the conflict (E Bartolomeni; O. Rifai); the emergence of salafist jihadists (I Eido), and the roles of the Druze (M. Kastrinou), the Left (F Arslanian) and the Kurds (D. Cifci). Subsequent volumes in this series will examine the external role in the uprising, and its later evolution.
In addition to these works, students of contemporary Syria may wish to consult the only scholarly journal devoted entirely to Syria, Syria Studies; the valuable reports of the International Crisis Group; and in-depth news and analysis websites such as Syria Deeply; and the Carnegie Middle East Centre.

industry_corpus2: Politics & Administration


text:
Yesterday we dropped down to the Sunday market in Saint-Georges-sur-Cher. This market that started a number of years ago with just a few stalls has now expanded. Moving the market out of the small square by the church to the relatively recently developed square with shops immediately north of the church has proved to be a success with an increase in the number of stalls.
Among our purchases today was an excellent small chicken that I roasted simply with olive oil and butter served with a reduced red wine sauce with wild mushrooms. Excellent value at just over 10€.
very popular stall. No wonder as the cheese is excellent.
bar to survive these days in a small town.

industry_corpus2: Hospitality & Catering


text: Your first visit to Healthy Smiles Dental Group establishes a vital foundation for our relationship with you. During the first visit, we make sure to obtain important background information, like your medical history, and give you time to get to know your doctor. To understand what to expect for your first visit to our practice, please read through this page. You’ll find all the practical information you need, such as a map and directions to our office, practice hours, payment policies and more. There’s also background information about our committed staff and our first visit procedures. You can even save some time at your first visit by printing out and completing the patient forms in advance of your appointment.


text: Paris: Chez Les Freres Levrault, 1802. First edition. Hardcover. Maroon library cloth, Very good. Pages 322 - 329 with a full page plate bearing ten figures (illustrations) for the construction D'une oreille de Charrue -- Jefferson's new design for a plough-ear which he tested in Monticello. This article appeared in "Annales du Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle" -- Tome Primiere with 32 engraved plates (2 folding, one colored). Jefferson wrote to A. Thouin, a major contributor to the Society: "I have made a small alteration in the form of the toe of the Mould-board, which, while it preserves the principle untouched enables us to shorten the ploughshare six to eight inches, which is preferred by the agriculturists here to the first form." He sent Thorin a small box containing the model, and calls himself "not to be adept, but only a zealous amateur in the objects of the society." Ex-library, Harvard College bookplate.