AdamSmith

Fascinating archive of national security info on atomic matters hosted by George Washington University. http://nsarchive.gwu.edu/nukevault/

'I got a scheme!' the moment Saul Bellow found his voice Ten years after his death, Bellow is still considered the greatest US prose stylist of the 20th century. His biographer Zachary Leader explores how he transformed fiction, and looks at the day in Paris that changed the course of his career http://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/apr/17/i-got-a-scheme-the-moment-saul-bellow-found-his-voice

Sex workers, drug users, the outcast: how a radically inclusive church welcomes all In a basement on the Upper West Side Pastor Brown offers a space where LGBT and other socially marginalised people can be at home with their Christian faith ...I first heard about this church through David, who I met in law class. She was working on her masters thesis, which focused on the spiritual lives of sex workers. She told me the women she interviewed spoke about their work as a calling, a healing and spiritual endeavor... http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/apr/16/radically-inclusive-church-sex-workers-drug-users-outcast

Good Luck Reversing Obama's Cuba Policies Big business won't allow it. http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2015/04/cuba-opening-big-business-117009.html#ixzz3XSq6sTge

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/apr/14/marco-rubio-ted-cruz-republican-great-brown-hope-latinos

http://m.newnownext.com/gay-san-francisco-man-launches-id-bottom-for-hillary-viral-campaign/04/2015/?xrs=synd_facebook_logo

"...Much controversy at the time came from the portrayal of Mr Humphries, the screamingly camp menswear assistant. Certainly at a time when there were so few representations of gay men it was a stereotypical one. However, now it seems much less offensive, partly because Mr Humphries emerges as the only character with any dignity and self-respect. Compared to the self-loathing of his downtrodden colleagues, his cry of 'I'm free' seems apt." http://www.screenonline.org.uk/tv/id/579093/

WANT WANT

Ah! That stuff. One more thing above all, from the bios and history I read, was his dread that disunion of the U.S. would make the resulting pieces all easier pickings for the various European powers.

U.S. Encouraging Cuba To Shift Toward Democratic System Of Corruption News in Brief • Politics • World • government • politicians • world leaders • ISSUE 51•15 • Apr 13, 2015 WASHINGTON—As part of the White House’s effort to mend 50 years of acrimonious U.S.-Cuba relations, members of the Obama administration called on the island nation this week to adopt a more democratic form of corruption. “If Cuba is to thrive on the global stage, it must end its autocratic abuses of power, and hold free and fair elections to determine which officials will ultimately siphon off public resources for their own personal gain,” said Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Wendy Sherman, who called on Cuba’s communist regime to cede some political control and let opposition parties play a greater role in its shady backroom dealings and systems of graft. “We recognize that change will not happen overnight, but by allowing influence-peddling, kickbacks, and the misappropriation of funds to be controlled by elected representatives of the people, Cuba will earn the world’s trust and respect. It’s time for Cuba to embrace the same dishonest, nominally democratic form of government that all of its neighbors have.” Sherman went on to express the administration’s hopes for a future in which Cuba will regularly conduct transparent elections bought and paid for by powerful corporate interests. http://www.theonion.com/articles/us-encouraging-cuba-to-shift-toward-democratic-sys,38422/

Hillary Clinton To Nation: ‘Do Not Fuck This Up For Me’ News in Brief • Politics • politicians • hillary clinton • ISSUE 51•14 • Apr 12, 2015 WASHINGTON—After several seconds spent sitting motionless and glaring directly into the camera, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton reportedly began Sunday’s video announcing her 2016 presidential bid by warning the nation not to fuck this up for her. “Listen up, assholes, ’cause I’m only saying this once: I’ve worked way too goddamn hard to let you morons blow this thing for me,” said Clinton, repeatedly jabbing her index finger toward the viewers at home while adding that if they thought she was going to simply sit back and watch them dick her over like they did in 2008, they were out of their fucking minds. “Seriously, don’t you dare even think about it. If you shitheads can just get in line, we can breeze through this whole campaign in 19 months and be done with it. Or, if you really want, we can do this the hard way. Because make no mistake, I’m not fucking around. Got it?” Clinton then ended her announcement by vowing to fight for a better future for all working-class families like the one she grew up in. http://www.theonion.com/articles/hillary-clinton-to-nation-do-not-fuck-this-up-for,38416/

I'll bite -- tell me of the Lincoln you "know."

The Man Who Created the Lincoln We Know 150 years ago, William Herndon set out to write an honest biography of Honest Abe. Here’s what happened. Read more: http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2015/04/abraham-lincoln-william-herndon-116985.html#ixzz3XP9aNyLh

Her own Wikipedia entry! Angelique Bouchard Collins Angelique Bouchard is a fictional character from the gothic horror-soap opera and film Dark Shadows, in which she is the main antagonist. She is primarily portrayed as a powerful witch driven by her vacillating love and hatred for Barnabas Collins. In the original TV series, the character was portrayed by Lara Parker, and appeared within several storylines of the series which aired from June 1966 through April 1971. Angelique was originally introduced to explain how Barnabas Collins became a vampire, but she proved popular enough in her own right to make many return appearances. She is portrayed by English actress Lysette Anthony in the 1991 revival TV series, and French actress Eva Green in the 2012 feature film directed by Tim Burton. Contents 1 Original History 2 Powers and abilities 3 Books 4 2012 film 5 External links Original History Angélique was born as Miranda DuVal during the 17th century in the West Indies of Martinique. During her early teen years, Angélique travelled to America, were she became a faithful and loyal follower of a warlock named Judah Zachary. Judah took Angélique under his wing, and taught her the sacred arts of magic and witchcraft. One year later, both Angélique and Judah were captured and exposed as witches by the Catholic Church. Fearing her fate of death, Angélique betrayed Judah by testifying against him in exchange for her freedom. Miranda was later reincarnated as Angélique Bouchard. She was raised by Theodore Bouchard, who she believed to be her father, before coming to work for the duPres family. Later Angelique realizes her father is Andre duPres, but never tells him. As the Countess Natalie duPres' servant, she follows her to Collinsport, Maine. However, after having a brief affair with Barnabas Collins, Angélique was heartbroken after Barnabas declared his love to another woman - Josette du Prés. After countless failed attempts to rekindling her romance with Barnabas, Angélique hexed a powerful spell to manipulate Josette’s love for Jeremiah Collins, Barnabas’ uncle. After Josette eloped with Jeremiah, Angelique coerced Barnabas into marrying her. However, after the discovery of her practices in witchcraft, Barnabas supposedly murdered Angélique. Before her "death", Angélique cursed Barnabas as a species of the undead and fell into a coma where she was presumed to die. Later, after her surprising survival, Angélique was devastated about what she did to Barnabas, and tried to reverse her spell. She is the first victim of her own curse, being in love with Barnabas. He strangles her in the secret room of the mausoleum. Her soul is claimed by The Dark Lord in exchange for letting Barnabas continue existing as a vampire through her curse rather than perish. During the early spring of 1968, Angélique changed her named to Cassandra Blair, and became the second wife of Roger Collins. Roger introduced his new bride to his family. She received a lukewarm welcome and Barnabas (who immediately recognized his former estranged wife) never doubted her true identity. Later, throughout the first year of their marriage, the happily married couple grow further and further apart. As Roger begins to realize his mistake in marrying "Cassandra", Angélique has affairs with multiple men - most notably Tony Peterson - of whom Elizabeth Collins Stoddard finds in the middle of one such affair and threaten to tell Roger. However, before having the chance to expose "Cassandra", Angélique hexes Elizabeth with a spell that surrenders her into a deathlike state. Believing her to be dead, the Collins family unknowingly buries Elizabeth alive. She is destroyed by the Ghost of Reverend Trask, but is brought back from the dead and cursed as a vampire by Nicolas Blair. She attacks Joe Haskell on orders from Nicolas, and turns him into her slave. Then when Nicolas tells her she can have Barnabas, she no longer wants Joe and quits summoning him. She then turns on Barnabas and she bites him several times and turns him into her slave. Angelique traveled back to 1897 in order to further torment a time-traveling Barnabas. Initially a villain once more, she falls in love with Quentin Collins, and eventually becomes a firm ally in the enduring war against Andreas Petofi. Angelique's next storyline comes when she is discovered retired from witchcraft in 1970. After her marriage to Skyler Rumson, Angelique desired to live a normal life by renouncing her powers. After her encounter with Julia Hoffman, she claimed not be interested in the Collins family any longer. However, after the rise of the Leviathans, Barnabas sought her assistance and begged her for help. Though hesitant to practice magic again, Angelique reluctantly agreed. After the discovery of her husband’s allegiance to the Leviathans, Angelique abandoned Sky and took refuge in Collinsport at The Old House. A post-1795 Angelique is encountered in 1840 by Barnabas during his final TV storyline, where she has no knowledge of future events. Initially once more an antagonist, she eventually aids Barnabas against the threat of Judah Zachary and Lamar Trask, losing her powers in the process. Mortally wounded, she dies in Barnabas' arms, moments before he declares his love for her. Powers and abilities Conjuration: The act of calling, commanding, or summoning an object, person, or spirit already in existence. Elemental Control: The act of controlling and manipulating the elements of air, earth, fire, water, and weather. Mediumship: The act of calling, communicating, and invoking the spirits of the dead. Necromancy: The act of controlling and manipulating the spirits of the dead. Spell Casting: The act of changing and controlling events by magical influence. Telekinesis: The act of controlling and manipulating the movements of objects and persons. Voodoo: The act of controlling and manipulating the body, mind, and soul of another person through the use of dolls and wax figures. Books In 1998, Lara Parker made her writing debut with the novel Angelique's Descent, which focused on Angelique’s early years in Martinique and her love affair with Barnabas Collins. This year, Lara released Wolf Moon Rising and noted there will be a fourth book in the series that focuses on Victoria Winters coming back to Collinwood after her return to 1795. In 2006, she released a sequel, The Salem Branch. She also wrote the introduction to the novel Dark Shadows: Dreams of the Dark (1999), written by Stephen Mark Rainey and Elizabeth Massie. 2012 film In the 2012 Dark Shadows film, Angelique is portrayed by French actress Eva Green, and in a single brief childhood scene establishing Angelique's early interest in Barnabas, by Raffey Cassidy. The young Angelique is shown with her mother, a servant, departing from Liverpool for "the New World" along with the Collins family. The childhood scene also helps establish Angelique's class-based resentment of the Collins clan's privileges, for she is cautioned by her mother that she must accept her place, servitude, in the social structure of the time and not even gaze freely upon her "betters," including Barnabas. External links Lara Parker Official Website http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angelique_Bouchard_Collins

Not really, thank heaven, the house being surrounded by pine trees. Right now every outside surface is yellow with pollen. But I live in dread of the day when Father Time says, This is the year you get allergies.

...My point is that you can tell a lot about a man by what he thinks about Hillary, maybe even everything. She's not just another presidential candidate, she's a sophisticated diagnostic instrument for calibrating male anxiety, which is running high. Understandably, given that the whole male-female, who-runs-the-world question is pretty much up for grabs... http://talkingpointsmemo.com/theslice/men-who-hate-hillary-clinton

The Republican primary clown car continues to spill out its bounty.

She ate at Chipotle -- preemptive strike?!

Not entirely or always. Last time around I went to one of her campaign appearances in Hampton, NH just after she had taken a shellacking in the Iowa caucuses. As a result, she had dropped the long speechifying, and spent the whole appearance -- nearly three hours -- taking questions from the audience. It was astounding how different she was in person from the uptight ice queen she comes across as on TV. In the event she was human, warm, spontaneous, frank, sarcastic & funny where merited, etc. We'll see if she can get any of that across this time.

Hillary Clinton heads for small-town Iowa to put human touch on 2016 bid Democratic frontrunner to arrive in the small Iowa town of Monticello on Tuesday to challenge her reputation as distant and inaccessible http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/apr/13/hillary-clinton-iowa-2016-presidential-bid

Heart-warming. My ancient arthritic terrier would have had a much better last couple years of his life with this. The marijuana industrys newest customers are sick and elderly dogs http://qz.com/377887/the-marijuana-industrys-newest-customers-are-sick-and-elderly-dogs/?utm_source=huffingtonpost.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=pubexchange_facebook