Equation That Explains Everything Ebook

February 3, 2012
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You know how it is, you believe something for so long, everyone agrees with you, all the books tell you it’s true and then all of a sudden you have a blinding revelation – we’ve all been duped! You recognise like my gorilla mates were? (If you’re not sure regarding my gorilla mates then you in truth need to read the book – we’ve got a outstanding offer on at the moment!)

And you feel such a chump – how did I ever fall for that – the logic just isn’t there – I ought to have been a fool. Let me explain.

“Under Promise & Over Deliver”

You know the old saying “Under Promise & Over Deliver”? – well, here’s the idea behind it.

Buyers these days are ever more ready to complain when something isn’t to their liking (yes, even in the UK!) Customers are prepared to walk if you don’t deliver when you said you would. Clients are mobile and promiscuous and will alter provider if they may get better service.

So in order to meet these demands, for the last 20 years or so, we’ve all been applying the mantra “Under Promise & Over Deliver” – for example, tell them the occupation that’ll take 10 days will take 12 and then wow them when you deliver in front of schedule.

Now, in theory this sounds outstanding – your client can’t fail to be impressed at your over delivery! Or may they?

Big Mistake

Now, think with regards to it for a little longer. Mr client comes along and you promise to deliver the project by 2pm on Tuesday, even altho you know you may get it finished by Friday. Hey, that gives you the weekend to reflect, Monday morning to add the polish and you may deliver it on Monday afternoon. A great under-promised and over-delivered job! But what actually happens?

The client is delighted – you delivered a day early. But then Mr Client has a few fleeting thoughts; did this mean it wasn’t such a perplexed project as you’d said? Or could you have genuinely got it finished by Friday? Perhaps you’ve over charged him?

Because he’s happy you did what you said and within the time scale, he pushes his doubts to the back of his mind.

However, the client now learns to “expect” (that’s his job) the service you invented in your fantastic beneath promised way. So, he gives you another project. You give him a timescale and price, again under-promising so you may confidently over deliver with a huge smile on your face. The client remembers his thoughts from the last project and asks you to “try a bit harder” on the timescale. You do, because hey, you like the guy. He was actually thankful last time.

And so, the next time Mr Client asks you to do something he expects it to be done as fast and effective and for the same price as before – now he won’t be impressed by your over-delivery – this is just his expectation.

And sadly, when you deliver on time and in budget, Mr Client wonders why it took so long. He wonders if he pushed a little harder he could get your price down or your timescale shortened. And he pushes, and he pushes…

You’ve taught your client that you may do it more quickly than you’ve told him. The doubts are there. He wonders if you’ve lied to him! The shame of it!

And what happens if something goes faulty – if you can’t deliver in the real timescale – or the price escalates? Or somebody lets you down, or the goalposts change?

The Issues

Now, the issues are a little more wide ranging than the example above.

Some of our clients are even saying that these days in order to get a probability of winning work they have to make huge promises (and then work out how to deliver on them ;-)

Quite oftentimes the client needs to do her bit to make the project run well – and she’ll have her own clients and other things to do!

Increasingly, you’re not working on a project in isolation, there may be other suppliers in the equation

This may all lead to dissatisfaction for everyone involved.

So, What’s The Answer

Well, taking everything into account, you still need to make promises to your customers, but the answer is in the details. The answer lies in understanding what’s important to the client and working with the client to make sure that you may deliver on that. Then over deliver on something you have finish control over.

In our course “Coaches Can!” we talk regarding the divergence amongst control and influence.

So before I let you into our secret, I’d just like to clarify the divergence amidst Control & Influence. To me, misunderstanding the divergence amidst that which you may control and that which you may merely influence is the biggest reason for client disappointment and sensations of failure.

Control VS Influence (Outcomes and Intentions)

That which is beyond your prompt and finish manipulation is not, whether we like it or not, within our control. So what is within our control?

* Our Emotions and Motivation (although not all of us receive this)

* Our Response To Outside Influences (although not all of us receive this either)

* The Direction We Take In Life

* Every Action We Take

* The Way We Communicate

* What We Say and Do and Promise

* What We Choose To Believe or Ignore

* Inanimate Objects & Tools We Use

Everything else that is outside of us (especially other animals/humans) we may only influence. Here are a heap of examples of things you may only influence…

* Whether Someone Likes You

* Whether People Will Buy

* What Other People Find Important

* Whether People Believe You

* Convincing Someone of Something

* Getting Someone to Do Something (even if you’re a hypnotist)

Sure, you may exert sufficient influence that it seems like control. If somebody kept a gun to your head, they could in all probability influence you to do a lot of things. But in spite of that, they couldn’t get you to think dissimilar things or feel differently in regards to something because they still only have influence.

Finally, there are a lot of things we have no direct control or influence over… such as the weather, space, time, where we commence out in life, but there’s no gain dwelling on the things we cannot do – because it’s more endowing to focus on what we may do.

The Solution

You cannot control how your clients feel, but you may influence this. You need to concentrate on explaining the value, rather than the cost. Understanding their real requirements, rather than the frequent trotted out time and budget ones. You need to work out what you are in control of and what you may plainly influence. And then you need to Over Promise & Deliver on the Promise on those things that are in your control.

Simple ;-)

Speak Soon,


Equation That Explains Everything Ebook

Poets ordinarily either rhapsodize the world or explain it. In The Equation that Explains Everything, Andy Cox shows us that he is an explainer, but he explains through a terrifically broken logic where blind men drive beneath the influence of dogs, rubber snakes entice the world with plastic apples, and two plus two equals five but all the tiny sighs in the hours before quitting time add up to nothing. This book is both wise and wise-cracking, and even though Cox’s unflinching eye appraises the hard luck and broken hearts, he can’t help but also remark “how farfetched and keen it is to be alive.”

—Richard Newman, author of Domestic Fugues and editor of River Styx

Evangelical

On the Sunday I saw horns
sprouting from the reverend’s head,
the Baptist god left me alone
in the cold morning air.

I haven’t put coins
in that righteous tray for so long,
I’ve become a saint
to my own personal god.

I’ve given him the face
of a Peruvian medicine man.
Underneath the high forehead
are Stan Laurel’s tender eyes.

And my body is the evangelical tent
where his voice booms from a place so deep,
I’m filled with believers
shouting and stamping their feet.

____________________
Andrew Cox is the author of two chapbooks, Company X ( www.wordvirtual.org ) and Fortune Cookies published by 2River View ( www.2River.org ). He has published widely in magazines through the years including River Styx, Witness, Laurel Review, Sentence, Natural Bridge among others. He lives in University City, Missouri, the Brooklyn of St. Louis.

  • Amazon Sales Rank: #191957 in eBooks
  • Published on: 2011-06-28
  • Released on: 2011-06-28
  • Format: Kindle eBook
  • Number of items: 1
About the AuthorAndrew Cox is the author of two chapbooks, Company X ( www.wordvirtual.org ) and Fortune Cookies published by 2River View ( www.2River.org ). He has published widely in magazines through the years including River Styx, Witness, Laurel Review, Sentence, Natural Bridge among others. He lives in University City, Missouri, the Brooklyn of St. Louis.
Equation That Explains Everything Ebook

Equation That Explains Everything Ebook Picture

Equation That Explains Everything Ebook

Equation That Explains Everything Ebook Image

Equation That Explains Everything Ebook

Equation That Explains Everything Ebook Picture

Equation That Explains Everything Ebook

Equation That Explains Everything Ebook Photo

Equation That Explains Everything Ebook

Equation That Explains Everything Ebook Picture

Equation That Explains Everything Ebook

Equation That Explains Everything Ebook Image

Live From New York An Uncensored History

February 3, 2012
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Live From New York An Uncensored History @ Amazon.com

HDFC Coops – The Best Deal in New York City Real Estate

Have you been frustrated with the high prices for apartments in New York City?  Well here’s the good news:  If you have ever wanted to live in New York City at an lowpriced price, well, look no further.  If you qualify, you may have just found the biggest deal in New York City. 

HDFC Coops, a little know niche market in New York Real Estate, represent the “last outstanding deals” in New York City.  Frequently these cooperative apartments trade for 40%-60% under there comparable regular Coop or Condos for sale.  HDFC’s (which stands for Housing Development  & Finance Corporation) have been around for a great deal of years but it is not until the last few years that more and more people are discovering these awful deals.  They are only available in New York City altho there may be other programs in other cities that are similar.

The History of HDFC’s

HDFC coops are city sponsored coop apartments that offer a lot of of the gains of a regular coop apartment but they likewise have galore limitations on buy and they many times have a “flip tax” upon sale. 

An HDFC coop came to be for one of a couple possible reasons.  They may have been in the first place a rental building which had been abandoned by an owner or the proprietor may have owed back taxes or water and accordingly lost the building to the city. 

The City then rehabilitated the building, trained the tenants on ownership, set the Coop up financially to be self-sustaining, and then sold the apartments to the existent tenants for $250 each.  Yes, that’s right, $250!

The premise is that rather then the City being a landlord, you have now trained a group of owners who care regarding their building and their future.  It has been a very successful system. 

Typically over the years these HDFC coops changed hands amidst friends or relatives for very cheap prices.  In the past various years, a good deal of brokers with foresight have realized the value these Coops represent, and upon being marketed more professionally, much higher prices have been realized for the Owners. 

Benefits

This has benefited both the buyer and vender of an HDFC apartment.  A vendor now has realized much more cash than they ever thought possible and they have a probability to realize their dreams.  Many marketers of HDFC coops have gone on to move to the suburbs and buy a house or take a dream vacation, buy a nicer car, and live a nicer lifestyle.  Remember, the introductory owners of HDFC coops were there because they specifically lived in a run-down neglected building so to get $150,000-as much as $500,000 for one of these apartments which they remunerated only $250 for is a big windfall.

The buyer is getting a probability to own a piece of New York City, one of the most highpriced real estate markets in the world, for a fraction of the price of regular Coops or Condos.  Very often, HDFC coops trade for $400-$600 per square foot where as coops and condos in New York may trade for $900-$3000 per square foot.  This is distinctly a huge difference. 

Don’t think these HDFC’s are in bad neighborhood’s either because a good deal of of these are in prime New York City neighborhood’s such as the Upper East Side, Upper West Side, Lower East Side, and Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

Downside

Does it sound too good to be true?  Well it isn’t too good to be true, but you ought to qualify to buy.  In a heap of cases, to qualify to buy and HDFC coop, you need to make less than 120% of the areas Median Income.  In 2008, this number was $64,500 for 1 buyer and $73,725 for 2 buyers in a family and $82,950 for 3 buyers in a family.  Alternatively, galore buildings, depending on the by-laws of the coop, have income limitations to buy based on a multiple of the each year maintenance and utility charges that the apartment has.  In either case, ordinarily the management company and/or the Board of Directors of the coop will look at the adjusted gross income of your former 2 years tax returns. 

In addition to an income restriction to buy, a great deal of HDFC Coop’s have a “flip tax” when you sell.  Typically, this flip tax is calculated as a percentage of the net profit that you make.  The earnings is specified as the sale price minus the buy price.  The flip tax could be as low as 5% and may range up to as much as 85% of your profit. 

Clearly you need to take these constituents into account and depending on the flip tax the Coop has, the price and value of the apartment may vary greatly. 

Summary

We have seen that an HDFC coop represents a great chance to own a piece of the “greatest city in the world” at a fraction of the price of other coops and condos but with that comes galore limitations on purchasing and upon selling you often times have to give a share of your earnings back to the coop and/or the city.  

Tips when buying or syndication an HDFC Coop

Find a broker who comprehends the rules and limitations of HDFC Coops.  There are a lot of intricacies to the routine and if a buyer or marketer is not qualified properly, you may find yourself wasting a lot of time just to find out you can’t buy or trade the apartment. 


Live From New York An Uncensored History

The “New York Times” bestselling oral history of “Saturday Night Live” that ultimately reveals what genuinely went on backstage, on the set, in the writers’ offices and on the town is now in paperback.

  • Amazon Sales Rank: #24780 in Books
  • Published on: 2003-10-01
  • Original language: English
  • Number of items: 1
  • Dimensions: 8.25″ h x 1.38″ w x 5.50″ l, 1.31 pounds
  • Binding: Paperback
  • 656 pages
From Publishers WeeklyThis oral history of NBC’s Saturday Night Live is the juiciest treasure trove of backstage gossip, sex and drugs since The Andy Warhol Diaries. With closely three decades’ worth of memories from cast members, celebrity hosts, writers, crew and network execs, readers get first-hand reports (often contradictory) on the volatile, competitive, grueling and often drug-fueled procedure of creating a weekly, 90-minute, live comedy show. While the cast and writers changed over the decades there were two constants: the universal loathing of guest host Chevy Chase and the power of producer Lorne Michaels (“I think he picked the right profession,” assesses Jane Curtin, “because he gets to lord over persons who want to kneel at his feet and he doesn’t recognise them-which makes them work harder.”). Regulars like Dan Aykroyd, Adam Sandler, Chris Rock, Mike Myers, Billy Crystal, Bill Murray, Al Franken, Martin Short as well as guest hosts like Tom Hanks, Penny Marshall, Alec Baldwin, Carrie Fisher, Lily Tomlin and Steve Martin bestow sterling anecdotes that are alternately hilarious, touching, upbeat and scathing. With the exception of Eddie Murphy (who’s in a positive manner portrayed), almost the only missing voices are of those who have passed away (the editors use only consultations conducted for the book and not vintage consultations with John Belushi, Gilda Radner, Phil Hartman or Chris Farley). Scandals, infighting and a great deal of showbiz dirt make this a guilty-pleasure page-turner from begin to finish. Photos not seen by PW.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library JournalGiven access by Lorne Michaels himself, two journalists with TV connections Miller has formulated two TV series, Shales is TV critic for the Washington Post recount this show’s 25-year history.
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From BooklistCultural icon Saturday Night Live seems to get closely as much attention for it is anniversaries and retrospectives as it does for it is current shows. It has also been the subject of various books. But even those who think they have heard all the stories will be impressed by the work Shales and Miller have done to pull together this oral history that covers the last 27 years of laughs and groans. Actors, writers, producers, staff, guest hosts–all weigh in to give readers an in-depth, revealing portrait with a you-are-there quality. There’s likewise more dirt here than there are stars in the SNL firmament: the rivalries, the fights, and the romances, altho that may be too, well, romantic a word. Founding (and current) producer Lorne Michaels comes all over as a specially arousing and attention holding character, a father figure to some, a preening enigma to others; the final chapter, which is exclusively committed to what people think of him, doesn’t seem almost enough. Eddie Murphy refused to cooperate with the authors, and it would have been fun to listen from some of the show’s lesser lights, but like the proverbial box of chocolates, this is full of tasty tidbits and hard to put down. Ilene Cooper
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

71 of 74 people found the following review helpful.
5If you loved the show, you’ll love the book
By Karl Miller
This book feels like a reunion of old friends, telling their stories at a dinner party that you are fortunate ewnough to overhear.
There is so much history in the years of SNL that there is an anecdote for every fan, but this book recognizes Loren Michaels as being the true genius behind the creation and development of the show. He’s not universally loved by the cast (but also not nearly as despised as Chevy Chase, who seems to beeveryone’s favorite whipping boy), but his genius is acknowledged by one and all.
A lot of favorite skits and characters are discussed, as well as some legendary battles with censors, advertisers and network executives. The mix of radical comedy with revenue concious TV executives makes for fascinating reading.
The chapters dealing with the deaths of cast members and behind the scene staff members are incredibly poignant, especially Belushi’s and Chris Farley’s, bit of whom were known to be dancing with trouble.
This book also goes a long way to humanizing Chris Rock, who emerges as one of the most thoughtful and career minded members of all SNL casts. His intelligence shines through in his tales of making it by way of the show.
There is a great story on almost every page of this book, and having grown up with this show, it made the memories all the more pleasant.
This is a great Christmas present for any 30-50 year old who has spent their Saturday night in front of a TV.

26 of 28 people found the following review helpful.
4Face it: It’s as “inside” SNL as you or I will ever get
By John S. Harris
The curtain is pulled back on SNL in this book to reveal (not surprisingly) that Lorne Michaels was, is, and always will be the Wizard who always kept SNL ticking. Decades of drug use, debauchery, infighting, sleeping around, desperation, and show-biz chutzpah are related courtesy of first-hand accounts of the writers, stars, agents, TV executives, staff members, and guests of the show.

Not all comments are complimentary, and not all that went on behind the scenes was funny. But it all makes for a fascinating read, despite the fact that a few notable surviving cast members chose not to participate in these oral interviews. “Live From New York” is as much a evolutionary history of the business of television over the past three decades as it is an oral history of the show itself. Perhaps SNL isn’t as consistently cutting edge and counter-culture as it was in its earliest years. But nowadays the show IS the pop and showbiz culture it lampooned in the past. It cannot ever really return to its fabled glory days of 1975-1979 because the entire showbusiness landscape has changed so dramatically since then. One must credit Michaels for recognizing that and still plodding ahead with the show for most of the years since the days of The Not Ready For Prime Time Players.

Read this book to find the origins of many of the standard conventions and favorite moments of the show: why the band always dresses in tuxedos, the inspiration of Danny Aykroyd’s buttcrack-exposing refrigerator repairman, the inhuman writing schedule, etc.

This is better than an “E! True Hollywood Story” any day.

24 of 26 people found the following review helpful.
5Delicious Dish from the People Who Lived It.
By –corinne–
This book is chockful of juicy gossip and backstage dish with interviews from cover-to-cover of SNL cast, writers, producers, and hosts. Interviews with SNL insiders are offered in a linear fashion from surviving “Not Ready for Prime Time Players”, writers, producers, and hosts to current cast members and staff.
This isn’t the authors’ take on SNL, but the history of Saturday Night Live from people who lived through it.
Tom Shales and James Miller in a smart, smart move chose to have everyone speak for themselves. And how telling it is. : ) The editors keep introductions and explanations to a minimum.
I was surprised about how candid many of the SNL stars and hosts were about themselves and the show.
If you have ever watched Saturday Night Live, you’ll enjoy this book. With its insider stories,
you’ll find this book hard to tear yourself out of. It’s apparent that many stories of SNL players’ behavior outside of 30 Rockefeller Center are not in this book, but what’s there is more than enough.
So get your hands on this book– you’ll find it definitely lives up to the hype.

See all 163 customer reviews…

Live From New York An Uncensored History

Live From New York An Uncensored History Photo

Live From New York An Uncensored History

Live From New York An Uncensored History Photo

Live From New York An Uncensored History

Live From New York An Uncensored History Photo

Live From New York An Uncensored History

Live From New York An Uncensored History Pic

Live From New York An Uncensored History

Live From New York An Uncensored History Pic

Live From New York An Uncensored History

Live From New York An Uncensored History Pic

Pretty Little Liars #2 Flawless

February 3, 2012
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Pretty Little Liars 2 Flawless

Four finelooking little liars have been very bad girls.

Spencer stole her sister’s boyfriend. Aria is brokenhearted over her English teacher. Emily likes her new friend Maya . . . as much more than a friend. Hanna’s obsession with looking flawless is making her sick. But their most horrid mystery yet is so scandalous that the truth would demolish them forever.

And why shouldn’t I tell? They is worthy of to lose it all. With each crumpled note, wicked IM, and vindictive text message I send, I’ll be taking these pretty little liars down. Trust me, I’ve got sufficient dirt to inter them alive.

  • Amazon Sales Rank: #29193 in Books
  • Published on: 2010-12-28
  • Released on: 2010-12-28
  • Format: Bargain Price
  • Number of items: 1
  • Binding: Paperback
  • 368 pages
About the Author

Sara Shepard’s basi story ever, which she both wrote and illustrated, was when it comes to friendly yellow creatures that lived in a backyard garden. It won second prize at the State College, Pennsylvania, library, and was bound and placed on the shelf. (The binding was yellow. The book was called Quizzles. Maybe it’s still there!) Sara Shepard’s second story was in regards to a five-legged camel named Lloyd and his band of friends journeying through the humane circulative system.

When Shepard was young, the things she wanted to be when she grew up were a soap opera star, a architect for LEGO, a Claymation artist, a geneticist, a fashion magazine editor, and, most of all, a writer. She grew up in Pennyslvania, on Philadelphia’s Main Line, and went to college at New York University in 1995, the height of the club kid era. While in college, she purchased some pairs of purple vinyl pants, piercing leather jackets, brightly colored club kid sneakers, and even a Day-Glo pacifier. After recovering from that unfortunate but short-lived phase, she had a series of jobs— interning at Elle magazine, filing important documents at J.P. Morgan, and writing and editing at Time Inc. At each of these jobs, she kept a discerned folder on her computer of stories she wrote when she had free time. Eventually, she got an MFA at Brooklyn College, started receiving evil text messages from an individual only known as A, almost got run over by her best friend’s SUV, and held thinking she saw dead persons everywhere.

Actually, that last part didn’t happen. But Shepard did have all these ideas when preparing for her young adult series, Pretty Little Liars. It’s now five books strong—the sixth in the series, Killer, is out in June 2009. She’s also the author of an adult novel, The Visibles, which is out in May 2009, as well as the reluctant parent of three slobbery dogs. She and her sister, Alison, have likewise been creating a good deal of joint originative projects for years (Claymation movies, art installations, video game designs) based on a world they made up when they were 6 and 9 years old. They’re gorgeous sure they’re the only ones who find the world funny, though.

24 of 25 people found the following review helpful.
5Riddled with suspense, and a captivating cast of characters – a ‘flawless’ sequel
By Erika Sorocco
Alison “Ali” DiLaurentis had the four B’s of popularity: beauty, brains, body, and boys. She also had four amazing best friends – Spencer Hastings, Aria Montgomery, Hanna Marin, and Emily Fields. As if their friendship weren’t enough, she also knew secrets about all of them. Secrets that no one else even suspected, from bulimia to unfaithful parents, and everywhere in between. Then, one day, just as the summer was beginning, Ali disappeared, leaving four friends weeping in her wake. While their sorrow was strong, Ali’s sudden disappearance was also a bit of a relief. After all, now their secrets would never be revealed. But the fact that Ali’s body had never been uncovered always left a slight hesitation in their mind. That is, until she was found under a pile of cement, proving that their secrets would stay dead and buried. But maybe they spoke too soon. After four long years, Hanna, Aria, Spencer, and Emily are brought back together to mourn at the funeral of their long lost best friend. But things hit a sour note when the mysterious “A” contacts all of them once more, threatening to reveal their secrets and pin the blame on them for “The Jenna Thing.” As if the eerie note isn’t horrifying enough, each girl is shocked to see that the police have re-opened Alison’s case. Only this time it’s being treated as a murder, leaving the four former friends open for police questioning at any time. To make matters worse, Toby Cavanaugh – Jenna’s reform school brother – has returned to the quiet town of Rosewood, attending nearby Tate Academy. And, while the former geek turned hottie seems harmless enough this time around, there’s a mischievous glimmer in his eye that’s leaving everyone on edge. It doesn’t help that, since Toby’s sudden arrival, “A” has been sending more and more notes. Making threats, demanding them to perform certain acts, and even spying on their every move. While the girls know that they should confide in one another regarding “A’s” sudden attacks, they can’t bring themselves to reveal such intimate, and oft-times embarrassing, details to one another. It doesn’t help that a sense of mistrust has grown between all of them over the years, pushing them more into the acquaintance category, as opposed to the friend category; or that they’re all facing certain dramas in their lives right now. Dramas that could tear them apart, and ruin their lives in a heartbeat. From the arrival of a deadbeat dad, to the rekindling of a forbidden romance, and even moving into trusting a former enemy territory. Spencer, Hanna, Emily, and Aria think that they’ll be able to handle the newest drama on their own. But, as “A” moves closer in their direction, they begin to realize that if they’re not careful, they may just be buried alive by their many scandalous secrets.

While Sara Shepard’s debut, PRETTY LITTLE LIARS, gave readers a character sketch, a surface look, if you will, at Hanna, Spencer, Emily, Aria, and even the missing Ali; FLAWLESS brings us back to where the first installment left off, the day of Ali’s funeral, and instantly moves in to dissecting each of the aforementioned characters, giving readers the chance to get to know them better. Shepard has a talent for making the reader sympathize with, yet, at the same time, dislike certain people introduced. Her ability to make secondary characters memorable is amazing, and truly makes for a delightful read. While I find Aria and Hanna to be the most enchanting characters, simply because I can relate to both of them in various ways, I must admit that both Emily and Spencer are captivating in their own ways. The vulnerability that Hanna shows as she comes to terms with, and attempts to defeat bulimia, while giving into the pressures of anorexia nervosa, are addicting; while Spencer’s inability to resist her older sister, Melissa’s, boyfriends is jaw-dropping. Emily, like Hanna, is attempting to come to terms with the “real” her, which many readers will relate to quite well; while Aria is wacky and wonderful, and just working to keep her family together. Combined, each girls story presents a wonderful topping to the underlying truth: Ali’s mysterious disappearance. With “A” moving in closer on every page, it’s obvious that Shepard is working on revealing his or her identity sometime soon – or so we can hope. Riddled with suspense, and a captivating cast of characters – a ‘flawless’ sequel.

Erika Sorocco
Freelance Reviewer

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful.
5‘Flawless’ story
By Orthodork
To start off with, this series is much better than what I’ve read of the Gossip Girl series. It’s more indepth, the characters have each a conscience, their actions have direct consequences, and they inspired pathos. Four privileged young women hide a deep secret. They are just fine going about their lives until they started receiving strange text messages from a mysterious person who only refers to themself as “A”. “A” seems to know way too much about each girl- private, personal stuff, as it happens.

The last novel was an introduction to each of the characters. Aria continues to shoulders the burden of the secret of the last novel, Spencer continues to carry on a love affair with her sister’s ex-boyfriend, Emily meets a boy that she sort of likes despite her sexual identity issues, and Hanna tries to turn over a new leaf, but, as usual, “A” threatens all that.

I’m begining to suspect Spencer. She witnessed Toby’s response to The Jenna Thing, and she discussed what happened while all the other girls were asleep at the slumber party with Ali.

In the last book, I hardly sympathized at all with Hanna, but in this book, we’re getting deeper into her psyche and relationship with her parents and how it affects all the other relationships in her life. I began to totally identify with her- can’t please her parents, they’re angry with her, but don’t know the whole story and they won’t listen to her side of the story, she can’t do anything right. The portion of Spencer’s story left me shaking my head at the end. A portion of Aria’s story arc is done, but the original one, the one with her teacher, is promised to spice up. Emily’s problems with her ex-boyfriend are going to explode in the next book, I’m sure.

Each character is very unique and has their own voice and problems. I think Sara Sheperd is doing a great job with the writing on this. It’s like Harry Potter suspense- I can’t wait to see how it ends!!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful.
4Couldn’t put this book down
By SuzieQ
This book picks up right where the first book leaves off. You can understand Aria’s relationship wih the men in her life. Hannah’s relationship with her father and her absentminded mother are the source of all her problems with food and how she sees herself. Mommy buys her whatever she wants so she doesn’t have to bother with her. Spencer’s parents are always comparing her to her sister. They think her sister walks on water, even though there really isn’t anything special about her. Her parents’ reaction to Spencer’s incident with Wren was a bit over the top. No wonder she goes after all that’s Melissa’s. And as for Emily’s racist mother, who has every second of the rest of her life planned out for her. She needs to actually sit down and hear what her daughter has to say. The story continues to unfold, and you get more in depth with the secrets (very very disturbing secrets). The story is alot of fun. There are alot of twists and turns, and you really start to wonder who A is. Just when you think you may have figured it out, YOU’RE WRONG. As I said in my review of the first book, I wouldn’t recommend this book to the younger crowd, but certainly the older crowds. There is still all of the same age-inapropriate things that were in the first book. This book talks about rape and drug use as well as the sex, smoking and drinking.

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Pretty Little Liars 2 Flawless

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The Lord Of The Rings

February 3, 2012
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‘Tis the season to be Christmas song oriented and it’s a sure bet that one of the songs in the repertoire will be The Twelve Days Of Christmas.

Debates are rife as to the origin of the song and what the 12 gifts represent. The arguments range from secular and distinguishable gift giving to the religious interpretations of the gifts. We do recognise that the song – or carol – has been with us since 1770.

Secular What if I told you that the introductory seven gifts were in fact all birds, even the fifth gift. “Five gold rings.”

Well, it all goes back to translation and interpretation or misinterpretation.

Even the origin of the song is debatable, English, French, or elsewhere. Lovers of all things French maintain that it is in truth a French chant and quote the partridge – the red-legged variety, or French Partridge which incidentally does perch in trees as opposed to the Grey Partridge which is terra-firma bound. Another speculation is that the French word for partridge is Perdrix – Perdree and that in the translation, it was misinterpreted; the firstborn line supposedly “A partridge – une perdrix”.

Whilst on the subject of misinterpretations allround the years; the gift for the fourth day is “Four calling birds.” The initial translation said: “colly birds or the blackbird. When the song is sung in Sussex, canaries replace the calling or colly birds

Now, the fifth gift of gold rings were not jewellery but ring-necked birds such as the Ring-Necked Pheasant; perhaps even goldspink or it is old name, goldfinch.

Religious Recently, there have been claims that the 12 Days were written as a catechism to support young members of the Roman Catholic Church learn their faith.

Living in England among 1558 and 1829, being Catholic meant being on the defective side of the law, and the faith had to be practiced clandestinely. The carol, according to folklore, was written so young Catholics would do not forget their faith. There were two significances to the song, the literal and a concealed meaning, known only to practising church members.

• The partridge in a pear tree – Jesus.

• Two turtle doves represented the old and new testaments.

• Faith, Hope and Charity (Love) for the Three French Hens.

• The Calling (or Colly) birds were the gospels of Mattrhew, Mark, Luke and John.

• Five gold rings meant the Torah or Law as depicted in the original five books of the bible.

• Six geese-a-laying = the six days of the creation of the world.

• For the seven swans a-swimming; the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit: Prophesy, Serving, Teaching, Exhortation, Contribution, Leadership, and Mercy. • Eight maids a-milking or the eight beatitudes: “Blessed are the…”

• Nine ladies dancing was the cryptic clue for the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit: Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self Control.

• The ten commandments were the ten lords a-leaping.

• Eleven pipers piping stood for the eleven disciples who remained truehearted to Jesus.

• Twelve drummers – twelve points of faith in the Apostles’ Creed.

However, there is no tangible proof and to many, it is a latter day speculation.

Irrespective of the meanings, it is still a most usual seasonal song and if any of the gifts are applicable for the Christmas season, it has to be the religious interpretation of Three French Hens: Faith, Hope and Love.


The Lord Of The Rings

The Quest Is Over: All three extended versions in dazzling 1080p and DTS HD-MA 5.1 Audio. Deluxe set includes over 26 Hours of spellbinding behind-the- moviemaking material, including the Rare Costa Botes documentaries, on 15 discs.

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring Extended Edition: With the support of a courageous fellowship of friends and allies, Frodo embarks on a perilous mission to ruin the legendary One Ring.
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers Extended Edition: In the middle chapter of this historic movie trilogy, the Fellowship is broken but it is quest to destruct the One Ring continues.
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King Extended Edition: The final battle for Middle-earth begins. Frodo and Sam, led by Gollum, proceed their dangerous mission toward the fires of Mount Doom in order to ruin the One Ring.

  • Amazon Sales Rank: #80 in DVD
  • Brand: NEW LINE HOME VIDEO
  • Released on: 2011-06-28
  • Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
  • Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
  • Number of discs: 15
  • Formats: AC-3, Dolby, DTS Surround Sound, Subtitled, Widescreen
  • Original language: English
  • Subtitled in: Spanish, English, Portuguese
  • Running time: 682 minutes

1742 of 1807 people found the following review helpful.
5The Ultimate DVD set for all time!
By Distant Voyageur
I already reviewed the regular “Motion Picture Trilogy” containing the non-extended editions of the legendary Lord of The Rings masterpieces on one set. However, this newest edition is a grand improvement on the previous edition. This item is a much, MUCH better investment than the old theatrical counterparts and is perhaps the greatest DVD purchase one will likely ever make.

1810 of 1895 people found the following review helpful.
5LOTR – FAQ for the Blu-ray Extended Edition
By A. Dent
Q – Is it worth it, especially if I already have the DVD edition?
A – To me it is because I like to watch movies at home on the biggest possible screen at the highest possible resolution. I still have the DVD editions – which I’m keeping because I like the artwork – and the quality gain on the Blu is significant.

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The Lord Of The Rings

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More Than A Governess (The Wetherby

February 3, 2012
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There are assorted ways to find data with regards to people who live on your street. It helps if you have their names, but it is possible to gain selective information when it comes to occupants with just a house number.

If you have names of the residents of a household you may find more details with regards to them online. Social networking internet sites such as MySpace and Facebook incorporate relative details such as contact details and substitute addresses.

Gaining the names and details of households on your street may be tricky. Free address directories online are many times faulty or out of date. Many free personal data directories offer data in interchange for your own private information. Once filled out they return with no results, running off to trade your details to syndication companies.

There are assorted professional investigating websites that concede you to browse and receive massive amounts of data with the smallest piece of input. For example entering an address could produce; names living in the household, criminal history, house value, neighbors, neighborhood Info, sex offenders checks.. The list goes on. There is nevertheless a little fee to gain access to these searches, primarily because it costs a great deal to build a database of this scale.

Another option would be to check local business and government websites. These may many times give data on humans and local housing areas. Governess officials and officers of the law may not offer any details on personal selective information as share of the privacy act. A private detective may have access to private databases.


More Than A Governess The Wetherby

The Wetherby Brides, Book 2–

Becky Thorn has been keeping a mystery for more than seven years. A mystery that, if found out, could destruct her. So before she gets too ensconced in London society, she accepts a position as a governess for a reclusive Viscount and his wife, far away from the ton.

Stephen Hastings, the third Viscount Hastings, is not one thing short of perturbed when the tart Miss Thorn shows up on his doorstep. He is a man with little time and even less patience, who feels his pushover housekeeper is doing a fine occupation keeping his wards out of his hair. But Miss Thorn thinks differently and needles her way into getting his governess, and eventually, the object of his affection.

About the Author –
After obtaining a degree in Vocal Performance from the Manhattan School of Music, and years of carrying out or participate in a career on the stage, Jerrica left the “glamorous” life of an actress in favor of writing romance. She resides in the New York City area with her husband, cat and princess-in-training.

  • Amazon Sales Rank: #2315 in eBooks
  • Published on: 2012-01-09
  • Released on: 2012-01-09
  • Format: Kindle eBook
  • Number of items: 1
More Than A Governess The Wetherby

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More Than A Governess The Wetherby

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More Than A Governess The Wetherby

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More Than A Governess The Wetherby

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More Than A Governess The Wetherby

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More Than A Governess The Wetherby

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Star Wars Lost Tribe Of The Sith #1

February 3, 2012
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Star Wars Lost Tribe Of The Sith 1

Don’t miss STAR WARS: LOST TRIBE OF THE SITH: PRECIPICE a FREE firstborn e-book short story, the introductory in a series that tell the untold story of the FATE OF THE JEDI’s forgotten Sith castaways, their battle to survive, and their quest to re-conquer the galaxy! PRECIPICE includes an exclusive excerption from STAR WARS: FATE OF THE JEDI: OMEN (Del Rey Hardcover, available June 23rd) and offers a distinctive look into the backstory of events that will get started to unfold in OMEN. SURVIVAL—NOT SURRENDER For the remorseless Sith Order, failure is not an option. It is an offense punishable by death—and a fate to which Commander Yaru Korsin will not succumb. But on a necessary run to deliver troops and cherished crystals to a combat hotspot in the Sith’s war versus the Republic, Korsin and the crew of the mining ship Omen are ambushed by a Jedi starfighter. And when the Sith craft crash-lands, torn and crippled, on a desolate alien planet, the hard-bitten captain finds himself at odds with desperate survivors on the brink of mutiny—and his own vengeful half brother, who’s bent on seizing command. No matter the cost, Korsin vows that it will not be his blood and bones left behind on this unknown world. For the way of the Sith leaves little room for compromise—and none for mercy.

  • Published on: 2009-05-26
  • Released on: 2009-05-26
  • Format: Kindle eBook
  • Number of items: 1
From the AuthorThe Fate of the Jedi novels introduce readers to a concealed Sith society, living isolated from the rest of the galaxy for five thousand years. But how did they come to be? Lost Tribe of the Sith answers that question. Spanning millennia, this series of short stories introduces the initial improbable castaways — and shows how their society was shaped.

The firstborn castaways start out far got rid of from the Sith Lords we see in the movies: the starship Omen is, in fact, a mining vessel, carrying specialists. Force-using adherents to Sith beliefs — but still slaves to another: middle managers in the cause of evil. But on Kesh, their planetary prison, all their dark ambitions emerge. Everyone wants to rule the world — and tries!

How do the children of Omen survive — much less thrive for five thousand years? The Lost Tribe of the Sith short stories provide the answer. “Sith society” may be a contradiction in terms, but it’s a fun one to explore!

About the AuthorJohn Jackson Miller is the author of the national best-selling novel, Star Wars: Knight Errant, nine Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic graphic novels, and the Star Wars: Lost Tribe of the Sith eBook series. His comics work includes writing for Iron Man, MassEffect, Bart Simpson, and Indiana Jones. Author of various books regarding comic-book history, he likewise runs the exploration website, The Comics Chronicles.

64 of 67 people found the following review helpful.
5Exciting preview of the next Star Wars storyline
By Gregory Bernard Banks
It’s been a long time since I’ve read a Star Wars novel, although I am a big fan of the franchise in general. I haven’t read any of the books that tell the stories following the time period of the movies, although I’ve certainly read about those books and thought they sounded interesting. After reading “Star Wars: Lost Tribe of the Sith #1: Precipice”, which takes inside the people of the Sith and gives fascinating insight into things from their perspective, I’m now eager to read more.

30 of 37 people found the following review helpful.
2Books assumes knowledge and descriptions of actions leave something to be desired
By ryan
I was somewhat let down by this brief story. I enjoy all 6 Star Wars movies, though this would be my first entrance to the Star Wars universe outside of those movies. Perhaps because of that, I was a bit lost at times.

I understand that the book is a short story, but I felt that it assumed a greater than average knowledge of the SW universe. It needed more of a description of the characters than was present. Telling me that a character is a Houk, but not telling me more than that is not helpful. Had I known what a Houk was, perhaps it would make sense. Same thing with the Massassi (sp?).

I am in the process of reading several series of books which involve reuse of the the same characters, fictional races, and fictional planets. A core feature of these which I felt was lacking here is some backstory of the plot element being discussed. There is an art to bringing a new reader up-to-speed without boring those familiar with the subject matter. Perhaps the author here dispensed with the back-story in the interests of space, but to the detriment of the story.

In addition, the author is not as descriptive as necessary at times. At one point in the story, two characters appear to be talking alone (Yaru and Devore), until a third character is addressed (Seelah), however there was no mention of the character entering the room. In another area, Yaru utilizes the Force to affect a mechanism on the outside of the ship after Devore comments that going out there would be dangerous. I would guess that Devore would realize that using the Force was a possibility. Also, I felt that the author was not descriptive enough the the Force was actually being applied. Lastly, the scene between Yaru and Devore felt disjointed.

With a setting as rich as the Star Wars universe, I felt that more attention should have been paid to the back-story of the Sith, races, etc… with less of a play-by-play feel to the story.

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Cookouts Veggie Style!

February 3, 2012
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A 13th Birthday party is a monumental event in a young adult’s life. This is considered the age when you are officially a teenager, or young adult. Therefore, galore want to have a big bash in celebration of such an occasion. If you are the parent who is engaged in a struggle to come up with ideas on how to celebrate your child’s particular day, then you have already made more progression than others by reading this article! In today’s day and age, children no longer want cute little themes; it is all in regards to x-Boxes, Playstations, sports, gossiping, and the opposite sex. So the last thing you want to do is embarrass them by having a party with all their friends that is similar to family gatherings you have had in the past.

If you want to have a party, most children want to have a co-ed get-together. Just make sure you monitor the invites and make sure that the humans who are invited will only make the party better and not worse! And since they are young adults with hormones raging, make sure you have sufficient eyes to monitor the situation.

But do not worry, you may still have a huge cake and make him or her blow out the candles. Everyone wants to make a particular birthday wish! Depending on where you determine to have the party, will be the basis of your decorations. If you are having it at your house, double check with your child, to see if they want streamers, balloons and confetti. It is best just to stick to plates and cups that are plain in color rather of having something like Winnie the Pooh which is a potential embarrassment to them.

If you are having it at a park, little decoration and planning will be necessitated seeing as how they may play soccer, tennis, volleyball, etc. If you have it at a reception hall, you might want to higher a deejay so they may have dancing. Depending on your budget, you may unquestionably finetune the party by having an astounding deejay, decorations and entertainment. You could even splurge for a live band. If you have ever heard of the MTV show Sweet 16, you will know just precisely how elaborate you may go. People with the time and money, spends months planning with party planners, on how to make the best entrance into the party, who will be the entertainment, what will be the themes, the food, etc. Some have fashion shows, dance parties, grand entrances on camels; the skies the limit. And galore persons are choosing to let their child have similar parties for their 13th. So if you have the cash and forbearance to plan something genuinely spectacular, let your child get to work planning a day they will unquestionably remember!

As for those who want to have something on a more normal scale, a party is all with regards to food, decorations, entertainment, and of course presents. You could have a huge cake with a picture of your child on it. Many humans like to buy ice cream cakes so you do not have to buy the ice cream separately. Typical party snacks, like chips, pop, and even candy are great grabs for young adults. If you want something a little more filling, undertake the all-time bestloved pizza, or even sandwiches. You could also have fruit and veggie trays.

As for entertainment, besides the much necessitated music, most kids would probably not like a magician, but you never know. Just double check with your child before you plan any surprise acts. But who knows, magicians these days do a heap of pretty awful tricks besides sawing a person in half or pulling a rabbit out of a hat.

You could likewise have a bonfire or cookout which is always fun. Make sure you have basketball, soccer, football, and other games for them to play while they are hanging around outside.

Finally, do not forget in regards to the present! Get them something that they are dying to have. The most recent Ipod, cellphone, Gamecube, or whatsoever their hearts desire and your budget may afford. If you have more than one present, fetch out the littler ones primary and save the best for last.

Things to do not forget :

It is perfectly okay to have cake, blow out candles and unwrap presents. You may even take pictures.

It’s just all with regards to loosening up and being more accepting of their ever altering and growing needs and wants, and learning to let go because they no longer want to sit on your lap. The best thing you may do to have the best 13th birthday for your child is to listen to what they want and take it from there. It genuinely is not that hard to do, after all you’re just attempting to make them happy!


Cookouts Veggie Style

Hamburgers, hot dogs, and barbecue ribs.

Sounds like the perfective all-American cookout–unless you’re a vegetarian. With more persons adopting a mainly vegetarian diet, the selections might seem fixed for all those great outdoor parties. Whether it’s a barbecue or a picnic in the park, it’s time to get originative with meatless summer meals! Inside are mouthwatering recipes such as:

  • Grilled Seitan with Apple Salsa
  • Creole Slaw
  • Grilled Eggplant Panini
  • Halloumi Skewers with Parsley & Lemon Salsa
  • Barley Burgers on Rye Bread

Forget boring Boca burgers and bland pasta salad! This book shows you how to make delicious, unique, and fresh vegetarian meals so you’ll never miss the burgers and dogs again!

  • Amazon Sales Rank: #853301 in Books
  • Published on: 2011-05-18
  • Original language: English
  • Number of items: 1
  • Dimensions: .67″ h x 7.09″ w x 8.27″ l, .80 pounds
  • Binding: Paperback
  • 240 pages
About the AuthorJolinda Hackett has been vegetarian for closely twenty years and a vegan for almost ten. She is the About.com Guide to Vegetarian Food and the author of The Everything Vegan Cookbook.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful.
5Delicious, easy recipes
By Rooster123
I found the recipes to be simple and yummy. In response to another reviewer,I would like to add that (at least according to Wikipedia) non-animal based rennet is often used in N.American cheese-making:

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful.
5Kindle Vegan Review
By FullTime RVer
OK, I’m fed up with people who don’t know the difference between Vegan & Vegetarian complaining about the “Non-Vegetarian” recipes in this book because they contain cheese, or eggs, etc. So here goes my review:

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Cookouts Veggie Style

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Cookouts Veggie Style

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Cookouts Veggie Style

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Cookouts Veggie Style

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Cookouts Veggie Style

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Cookouts Veggie Style

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