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thecomicsnexus · 4 years

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TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES ADVENTURES #28-30 JANUARY - MARCH 1992 BY DEAN CLARRAIN (STEVEN MURPHY), CHRIS ALLAN, BRIAN THOMAS, JON D’AGOSTINO, ROD OLLERENSHAW AND BARRY GROSSMAN

SYNOPSIS (FROM COMIC VINE)

The issue opens with Splinter teaching the Turtles about Japanese mythology, where a male god named Izanagi is accompanied by a female god named Izanami, who watches as the male removes his eyes and creates the sun and the moon with them. Together, the two formed the Japanese islands.

The TMNT, Master Splinter and April have stowed away on a plane headed for the Land of the Rising Son. Leonardo asks April to reiterate her tale, and the reporter reluctantly agrees. O'Neil explains that she had been in Chinatown when she ran into Fu Sheng and Chu Hsi, and soon after ninjas had shown up and kidnapped Fu Sheng. Chu changed into the form of the Dragon and fought the ninjas, but they used a powder to knock him out and revert him to his human form - and then they took off with both Chu and Fu.

April and Splinter then began investigating Chinatown looking for clues, and eventually found some thugs involved in the kidnapping. When they began questioning one of the villains, strange ninjas dressed in white attacked them. April was shocked to discover that when the white ninjas were dealt a severe blow, they dissipated into a sorcerous vapor. After defeating the strange ninjas, the thug told April and the Sensei that Chu Hsi and Fu Sheng had been taken to Hiroshima, Japan. Just as her tale concludes, the plane begins its descent to the Japanese city.

Meanwhile, we see a youthful Japanese girl kidnapped by some ninjas garbed in black, who take her to a secret warehouse headquarters near the ocean. There, she meets a new villain, wearing a Samurai mask and calling himself Chien Khan. Khan states that the girl's soul will serve them well, when Fu Sheng interrupts and states that it is his soul that they seek. We then see that Chu is lying unconscious on a table, and Chien Khan states that he desires neither the old man's nor the young girl's soul - but that of the Warrior Dragon that resides in Chu Hsi - and he intends to get it, with the assistance of Fu!

Meanwhile, the TMNT and April scam their way out of a jam at the airport by convincing the securtity guards that they're American actors in costume. One of the guards recognizes April as a famous reporter and escorts our heroes to their "limousine." As soon as possible, everyone ducks into a sewer. Splinter announces that they'll need to look for clues topside once night falls, and the group heads to the east under the Sensei's orders. The TMNT are surprised to find that the sewers are newer than those of NYC, since they thought the Japanese city was older than their home, and Splinter explains that everything had to be rebuilt after the city was almost completely destroyed during World War II.

As they transverse the sewer, the group stumbles into a group of young men, who do not take kindly to the presence of our protagonists. Splinter attempts to negotiate a peaceful meeting...

Back at the docks, Chien Khan revels in his opportunity to appropriate the soul of the Warrior Dragon. The villain demands that Fu assist him and the old man refuses - until Khan threatens to kill the girl.

Unfortunately for the Turtles, as they try to negotiate safe passage through the sewer, a group of black-grabed ninjas attack the youths. Having started the fight, the ninja retreat to leave the battle to be fought between the TMNT and the young men, who think that the Turtles are "oni" (demons). The TMNT win the fight and move on, as there's no sight of the ninjas who had begun the struggle. Splinter states that they will go to the Peace Memorial at the heart of Hiroshima - the Sensei's comments are overheard by one of the ninjas, and he retreats to Chien Khan's headquarters and tells him the news. Khan tells Fu Sheng that his friends have arrived to try to help him - so the masked villain sends his most trusted warrior to defeat the Turtles - the fox named Ninjara.

The second issue begins with Master Splinter recounting his first hand experience witnessing the atomic bomb being dropped on Hiroshima back in 1945 (Note: TMNT Adventures utilizes the same origin for Splinter that was used in the cartoon, in that he was once a man named Hamato Yoshi as opposed to being the pet rat of Yoshi, as he was in the original comic book from Mirage). Our heroes have arrived at the Industrial Exhibition Hall, one of the few structures that withstood the force of the blast. It has been left in its decimated state to remind everyone of the horrors of war. Splinter reveals that this is the first time that he has seen the building since that fateful day in 1945.

The Sensei is interrupted as Ninjara arrives on the scene and a battle erupts between the TMNT and her sorcerous white ninja forces.

Back at the docks, Fu Sheng agrees to help Chien Khan if he promises not to harm the girl. The Khan agrees and then states that it has taken Ninjara many years to steal all of the artificats required to perform the ritual.

The Turtles continue to battle Ninjara as Fu Sheng prepares the transformation powder for Khan. The Warrior Dragon is released and is now under the control of Chien Khan, who sends him on a mission.

The TMNT are fairing well in the battle when the Warrior Dragon arrives on the scene. The Turtles notice that something is wrong with their friednd, so they hop on board to see what he's up to. Ninjara also manages to climb onto the Dragon, as she threatens to cut out Raph's heart.

At the warehouse, Fu Sheng admonishes and uncaring Chien Khan for ordering the Dragon to destroy a nearby nuclear power plant and use its power to open a gateway to a world of demons.

Chien Khan negotiates with a demon lord named Noi Tai Dar. Khan offers the souls of all mankind to the hellspawn, as he seeks vengeance against humanity and wishes to see them destroyed. Noi Tai Dar states that if Chien Khan will open a doorway for him, he will see it done. To open the passage, Khan must sacrifice a life and the Warrior Dragon must unleash the power of the nuclear power plant.

Meanwhile, the Dragon, under the control of Khan, begins to destroy the nuclear power plant. The TMNT attack their friend to try to stop him, to no avail. Ninjara is enraged when she discovers that the Warrior Dragon has been ordered to destroy the power plant - she is disgusted that Chien Khan would allow more radiation to foul Japan considering the bombing in 1945.

Chien Khan prepares the young girl for sacrifice while the damaged nuclear power plant opens the gateway for the massive demon. The hellspawn attacks the Dragon, who comes to his senses after being blasted by a bolt of energy. The mighty Warrior is dismayed at what his actions have caused.

Master Splinter tries to meditate to find a solution to their enormous problem as the Warrior Dragon attacks the demon. The Sensei notes that he feels another great presence nearby...

Leo asks Ninjara what Chien Khan has planned, and she reveals that the summoning requires both a power source and a sacrifice. Apparently Khan hasn't performed the sacrifice yet, as Noi Tai Dar is still tied to his power source - but once Khan completes his part of the ritual, the demon will be free to destroy all humanity. Leo determines that since the demon is too powerful for them to fight, they must stop Khan from making his sacrifice. Ninjara states that his headquarters are far from where they are, and Leonardo tells her that gives them all the more reason to hurry.

Master Splinter stays in his meditative state, noting that the spirits are coming closer... behind him, two gigantic forms begin to appear in the sky... it's none other than the gods, Izanagi and Izanami!

Fu Sheng breaks free of his bounds and smashes into Chien Khan, preventing him from sacrificing the girl.

Izanagi blasts Noi Tai Dar with a beam of light from his eyes and destroys the demon.

Chien Khan's helmet is knocked off by Fu Sheng's attack - revealing Khan to be a dog-faced man! Chien punches a shocked Fu Sheng in the face and then returns to his sacrifice, but the TMNT and Ninjara arrive in time to stop him. Khan is livid and calls Ninjara a traitor before ordering his henchmen to kill our heroes - but the villains are no much for the Turtles and their new foxy ally. Suddenly, the roof of the building is ripped apart by the Warrior Dragon, who has returned to save his friend Fu Sheng. The old man is fine, but Chien uses the distraction to strike Ninjara and make his escape.

Raph helps Ninjara to her feet, and everyone breathes a sigh of relief for another hard fought victory.

REVIEW

This story could have been a lot better had the characters been consistent all along. I am talking, of course, about Ninjara. Now, I know people hated the character back in the day, but here I am, reading these issues for the first time.

It is hard to understand her motivations, she is part of an ancient race of foxes, that allied herself with a dog-man that wanted to use demon to destroy humanity... but because the way to bring the demon required nuclear pollution, all of a sudden she is not ok with that. WTF?

And she joins the good guys right away.

The rest is a story that is not exactly that great, but it offers some background on Hamato Yoshi. He lived in Hiroshima when the bomb hit.

I give this story a score of 6.

#peter laird #steve lavigne #chris allan #rod ollerenshaw #ken mitchroney #archie comics #comics #review #1992 #modern age #tmnt #teenage mutant ninja turtles #teenage mutant ninja turtles adventures #splinter #ninjara

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legendarybelievermaker · 3 years

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Best Memoir

Amazon Best Memoirs

Best Memoirs

The 20 Best Sports Memoirs, According to Sports Journalists, including “Open” by Andre Agassi, “I Always Wanted To Be Somebody” by Althea Gibson, “Portrait in Motion” by Arthur Ashe.

At the end of the day, this memoir is a groundbreaking look into our current drinking culture while providing a road map to cut alcohol out of our lives so that we can truly live our best lives. The paperback will be coming out in January 2021 everywhere books are sold, (but preferably from your local, independent bookshop!).

The best memoirs let readers see themselves in your story so they can identify with your experiences and apply to their own lives the lessons you’ve learned. If you’re afraid to mine your pain deeply enough to tell the whole truth, you may not be ready to write your memoir.

A memoir is a personal account of your life, an experience, or anything that shapes you into the person you are today. There are a lot of examples of some of the best memoirs out there, but have you ever considered writing your own?

Jump ahead to these sections:

There are no rules when it comes to writing your own memoir. You can choose any topic you’d like, and there are no restrictions on how you write your life story. This is a great writing exercise for students, older adults, and everyone in between.

These Are 24 of the Best Memoirs to Read This Year. July 27, 2020 – 3:20 PM – 0 Comments. By Megan O'Neill Melle @MeganEONeill More by Megan. This darkly funny and raw memoir is about growing up as Hollywood royalty, landing the role of a lifetime at 19 years old and learning from failed relationships, all while struggling with alcoholism, drug addiction and mental health issues.

By taking the time to write about an experience that matters to you, you also do a lot of self-reflection. This could shine a light on how you want to be remembered, your legacy, and any changes you’d like to make in your life.

There are so many important things you’ll recognize only once you begin writing. Instead of waiting for inspiration to strike, here are 30+ memoir topic ideas and tips for choosing the right one for you.

If you're interested in unique ways to continue the legacy of a loved one, you can consider a custom urn from a store like Foreverence or even have a memorial diamond made from ashes with a company like Eterneva.

Personal Memoir Topic Ideas

A personal memoir is something that’s meaningful for you. This could be an interesting event, a life-changing moment, or even just a bit of internal reflection. Again, there are no rules. Let these ideas be your guide.

Ideas for middle school and high school students

A memoir is an excellent writing exercise for students in middle school and high school. Though these students might not have a lot of life experience, they still have unique perspectives on the world. Capturing these ideas in writing is worth its weight in gold.

1. A major life event

We all experience major life events, even as children. What major life event defines your life, and how can you grow from it? It could be a transition from middle school to high school, a parent’s divorce, or even a vacation. These are the memories that define who we are.

2. Your favorite place

Where do you find the most comfort? Is it at home in your bedroom or outside somewhere special? Why does this space have so much meaning for you, and how do you spend your time here? Share an experience you’ve had here.

3. Your best day

Best days might not come around all that often, but they sure are memorable when they do. Share one of the best days you’ve ever had, who you were with, and what you did. What made this moment so special?

4. Favorite food

Food is one of the things that bind people together. What food speaks the most to you, and why does it have such an important place in your heart? What does food mean within your family?

5. Favorite teacher

Teachers impact the way we think, and their role transcends the classroom. Who was your most memorable teacher? What stood out about them, and how do you work hard to make them proud?

6. Favorite book

Everyone has a book they’ve read that stuck with them. Humans share who they are through stories. Like the memoir itself, this book plays a role in who you’ve become. What book is your favorite, and what does it mean to you?

7. Most prized possession

This topic is like show-and-tell in written form. What item do you hold in the highest esteem? Is it a beloved shirt or a prize from a sporting event? Where do you keep this item, what does it look like, and what place does it hold in your heart?

8. Your favorite class or subject

No matter your feelings about school, there are bound to be some classes or subjects that stood out to you. What inspired you about these lessons? What have you learned, and how will you use these teachings moving forward?

9. Friends

Who are your closest friends? When did you become friends, and what keeps you close? Exploring these relationships in a memoir is a wonderful tribute to those who matter the most.

10. Favorite holiday

Holidays have a lot of meaning around the world. Which holidays matter the most to you? What do these say about your family, culture, and personality? What is your favorite way to celebrate?

Ideas for college students

College students are at a defining moment in their lives. They have a lot of responsibility, but they’re not quite on their own in the “real world” just yet. This is the perfect transition point for some reflection through a memoir.

11. Major or focus

In college, most students define a major or area of study. What major did you choose, and what significance does this have for you? Where do you see yourself in a few years using this major?

12. First love or friendship

We’ll never forget our earliest relationships. Share a time when you fell in love or had a close friendship. What did this relationship mean to you? How did you feel in the moment, and how do you feel now?

13. Obituary

While this might sound odd, a common writing exercise is to write your own obituary. An obituary or death announcement is a way to share your legacy on the world. Though you hope to have many happy years ahead, what do you want to include in your obituary?

14. Travel

What is your most memorable travel experience? From spring break with friends to family holidays in nearby cities, the places we experience often define us. What have you learned from your journeys both near and far?

15. Hometown

If you’re no longer in your hometown, reflect on what this means to you. Was your hometown somewhere to escape from or to? How has moving away for college affected your relationship with this place?

16. Loss

Describe an experience of loss. Whether you lost someone you love, a pet, or even just a favorite sweater, we all experience these feelings in our own ways. What does loss mean to you?

17. Grandparents

Talking to our grandparents is one of the best ways to bridge gaps between generations. Talk to your grandparents about their experience in college or at your age. How does this compare to your own experience?

18. First job

What was your first job like? When did you receive your first paycheck, and what did this experience mean to you? If you’ve never worked a “real” job, what do you imagine it will be like? Describe a volunteer, academic, or professional experience.

19. Future you

Write a memoir from the perspective of your future self. Where do you see yourself in 10 years? 20 years? How will this version of yourself look different? What will they have accomplished?

20. Failure

Though difficult to write about, it’s important to reflect on our weaknesses just as much as our strengths. Have you ever failed in your life? How did you move on from this, and what did you learn along the way?

Ideas for older adults

As someone with more life experience, there’s a lot of room to reflect as an older adult. Here are some ideas to get those creative juices flowing as you drift down memory lane.

21. Legacy

How exactly do you want to be remembered by friends and family? What have you accomplished that you’re most proud of, and how will this affect your legacy?

22. Hobby

What is your favorite hobby? Describe your experience learning this hobby and becoming a part of the culture. How does it affect your day-to-day life?

23. Life’s passion

While most people have a variety of passions, try to define a single, key passion that defines your life. Limiting it to one helps you focus on what matters most.

24. Historical event

Have you witnessed any historical events? Things like national disasters, wars, rights movements, and so on are all once-in-a-lifetime experiences. How did they affect you, and what is your perspective on these happenings?

25. Paradigm shift

Was there ever a moment where your point of view changed drastically? Did it stem from someone, something, or a single experience? Describe this moment.

26. Trip abroad

If you’ve traveled abroad, write about your experience in a new place and surrounded by an unfamiliar culture. What do you remember the most? What lessons did you take with you back home?

27. Change

What is your relationship with change? Is it something you welcome with open arms or run from? Evaluate how your relationship with change has adapted over time.

28. Built a home

What does “home” mean to you? Is it the place you grew up or somewhere you built for yourself? Define what home means to you and how you’ve built your own home life.

29. Career

While your career isn’t everything, it does say something about you and the life you lead. How has your career affected your life, and what doors has it opened or closed?

30. Life story

Finally, consider sharing your entire life story. If you’re not sure where to start, try the beginning. Each of us has a story to tell, no matter how big or small.

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Tips for Choosing the Best Memoir Topic

There are no one-size-fits-all questions for sparking your memoir topic. Follow these tips below to find the right fit for you.

Writing time and experience

Before you begin, consider how much time you have to dedicate to writing. While writing your life story might be a great goal, this should only be attempted if you have the time to follow through. Otherwise, choose something with shorter writing requirements like sharing an experience.

Brainstorm before you begin

If you’re not sure where to start, simply start brainstorming or journaling. Often you’ll find the answer in what you write here. What are you drawn to most naturally? Where do your thoughts focus the most? This is where your story lies.

Choose multiple

There are no rules that you only have to stick to one memoir topic. You could write a series of essays that discuss many of the topics above. There is no need to worry about them fitting together perfectly. Life isn’t a highlight’s reel. It’s raw and imperfect, and that’s okay.

Start Writing Your Memoir

There’s nothing holding you back from writing your memoir. As long as you’re willing to put the words to paper, you can get started today. You don’t need any formal training or writing experience to get started. Memoirs are written by people from all backgrounds and walks of life.

You don’t need to worry about your story being “good enough” or “exciting enough.” A true story is a worthy story, no matter how it’s told. Let these 30+ topics above be your guide. From there, the page is yours to explore.

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This week saw the release of Paul Auster’s second memoir, Winter Journal, wherein he turns his eye from the portrait of fatherhood he explored in The Invention of Solitude to his mother’s life, and her death, and the ever encroaching inevitability of his own death. Inspired by this new and deeply affecting work by one of our greatest contemporary authors, we started thinking about our favorite literary memoirs, from the contemporary to the classic, those that suck us in and leave us gasping for breath as well or better than any novel. Click through to see the books we chose, and if we’ve missed your own favorite, make a case for it in the comments — we can always use another book to read!

Speak, Memory, Vladimir Nabokov

Nabokov’s memoir is an account of his childhood and the years before his emigration to the United States in 1940 — but that’s not quite right. More importantly, the book is an account of Nabokov’s art as much as it is an example of it, a study of the themes and symbols that make up his mind as they make up the book. As ever, Nabokov’s prose is unimpeachable, brilliant, devastating, and his almost petulant, playful manner makes even lists of relatives seem fascinating.

The Liars’ Club, Mary Karr

Karr’s funny, terrifying, scalpel-sharp first book was one of the first to open the contemporary memoir floodgates: yes, the public screamed, wept, whispered. Yes, we want more of this. You will feel the same way as this incomparable firebrand leads you through her swampy childhood. Lucky for you, if you’re a first time reader, you’ll have two more of Karr’s memoirs to go when you’re through. They could have made this list too, but we’ve got to give other writers a fighting chance, you know?

The Year of Magical Thinking, Joan Didion

In this heartbreaking memoir, Official National Treasure Joan Didion writes about the death of her husband, John Gregory Dunne, and the “magical thinking” that followed: “We might expect that we will be prostrate, inconsolable, crazy with loss,” she writes. “We do not expect to be literally crazy, cool customers who believe that their husband is about to return and need his shoes.” Already a master of writing about loss, this memoir is an essential addition to Didion’s oeuvre.

Maus, Art Spiegelman

Though there are many deeply affecting and wonderful Holocaust memoirs that might have made this list, our favorite will forever be Maus, with its harrowing story wrapped in Spiegelman’s pitch-perfect illustrations. You’d think that imagining the characters as animals would make the horrors of the story seem less intense, more palatable, but in fact it’s the opposite — in true Understanding Comics style, the iconic, blank faces of the mice only allow us to put ourselves in their shoes that much more easily.

The Woman Warrior, Maxine Hong Kingston

In this beautiful, bitter memoir, Kingston blends traditional Chinese folk tales — her mother’s “talk-stories” — with her often difficult experiences growing up Chinese American in Stockton, California. What is a ghost? What is a woman’s worth? Who is she? Kingston’s prose burns on the page as she investigates.

A Moveable Feast, Ernest Hemingway

Amazon Best Memoirs

Published posthumously in 1964, this memoir is made up of Hemingway’s collected accounts of his time as an expat writer in the 1920s, largely in Paris, hanging out with Gertrude Stein, the Fitzgeralds, Ezra Pound, and a host of other characters, all engaged with padding their now-fat legacies. As spare and simply lovely as his novels, it’s enough to make any aspiring writer want to pack up and move to the city of light.

Darkness Visible, William Styron

One of the books that led the memoir charge, Styron’s candid, elegant 1990 memoir of his serious depression — and recovery — is both an extremely personal story of exploring the depths of despair and a meditation on depression in a wider cultural context. It’s still one of the best things we’ve ever read on the topic.

This Boy’s Life, Tobias Wolff

In Wolff’s elegantly rendered, captivating memoir, he describes a childhood spent wandering the country with his itinerant mother, on the run from an abusive ex-boyfriend — until she meets and marries an equally unsuitable man, with whom the teenaged Wolff engages in furious battle. But he’s also fighting his own battle of self-invention. Darkly comic, deeply piercing and as satisfying as any novel, This Boy’s Life is an irrefutable classic.

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Maya Angelou

This memoir, the first in six volumes of autobiography, is a time-honored classic for a reason. Poetic and incredibly inspiring, the reader watches Angelou develop from a victim to a confident, capable young woman as she learns to process and deal with the racism of the world around her. With her younger self often referred to as “a symbolic character for every black girl growing up in America,” Angelou has undoubtedly changed many lives with this book.

Homage to Catalonia, George Orwell

Best Memoirs

Orwell’s gripping account of his time in the Spanish Civil War, told with his trademark journalist’s wink, is one of his best. Unflinching and honest, Orwell approaches his experience without agenda, recording things as he sees them. As Philip Mairet once said, “It shows us the heart of innocence that lies in revolution; also the miasma of lying that, far more than the cruelty, takes the heart out of it.”

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remingtonidsf934-blog · 5 years

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Cracking The Legal Services Code

As I've researched this story in the tangled, deceitful, web-like lines of entrapment, which appear to have entangled the lives of many Bakersfield and Fresno area residents; I think I have found the spider in the center of this web. There has been much talk inside the news lately of "liberal judges," "Activist Judges," "Extremist Judges" and "Partisan Judges." Yet wedding party judge, which is not being discussed, may be the old-fashioned "Corrupt Judge." To me it could be the corrupt judge, the individual that works well with bribes, for favors, or who hands out bribes and favors to others, which is in the rotten core of what is wrong using this type of country's legal system. Judge Lawrence J. O'Neil, I think, qualifies of a single with the great corrupt judges of our lives!

Why do I think that? The IRS case against Dr. Steven V. Booth alone has demonstrated how corrupt this judge Lawrence J. O'Neil is. He started by signing a vague and suspect search warrant for your IRS. The warrant would have been to search the premises of Dr. Booth and another defendant; it was so vague that it was an excuse to simply ransack the citizen's homes. The homes were ransacked, money and the personal property went missing along with the co-defendants' lawyers called them into it. Judge Lawrence J. O'Neil was just a magistrate. You see magistrate judges just have statutory authority if someone challenges their business, which someone did, they've no authority to make a decision their case, instead, it needs to be heard by an Article Three Federal Judge. Lawrence J. O'Neil had not been legally designed to rule on whether his or her own signed warrant was valid after it absolutely was questioned. He must have rescued himself. Instead, he buried the truth until he was catapulted from as being a magistrate to like a fully-fledged Federal Judge after being nominated by President G.W. Bush in 2007. Oddly, the situation involving his signing of a disputed search warrant being a magistrate now was the target of his jurisdiction! O'Neil needs to have recused himself therefore at the same time. This is what he did wrong, he ruled on his search warrant whether it was valid or invalid just as the IRS was making their criminal case against Dr. Booth with his fantastic co-defendant. Evidence was then submit through the IRS that will do not have been allowed. Talk about letting the fox guard the henhouse!

Judge Lawrence J. O'Neil then took to get one from the most arrogant, heartless and cruel judges for the Federal Court dais. He continually inherited severe, almost medieval sentences. He quashed bills about cutting California carbon emissions in favor of the Big Oil companies. He was said by his colleagues being an extremist judge. Yet, what he was quoted saying and did to Dr. Booth's co-defendant was indeed an offence bred beyond corruption. Judge Lawrence was washing the backs of the IRS as they definitely washed his. The co-defendant was made aware by a few friends and attorneys that there would be a cabal of judges and lawyers in Fresno which had basically staked an incident on the Federal Courts. Anyone crossing this gang of corrupt personages was bound to feel their wrath. In his case, whenever the co-defendant attempted to make a motion to save himself, Lawrence O'Neil quashed it. He would not reverse his decision around the search warrant, allowing evidence to be taken to the truth which was just circumstantial. "Right to some speedy trial" to the co-defendant? Denied! Then, mixing the trial of Booth while using co-defendant like that they been some form of criminal cohorts, O'Neil allowed Booth's perjured testimony to get seen as "proof" that this co-defendant had bilked the us government beyond huge amount of money! Calling Booth's trust manager a "slick, cagey, wily con-man who only agreed to be upset over getting caught, rather than having committed a criminal offence" he sentenced him to 9 long years in Federal prison, while using the IRS "$4,000,000.00 estimate" products Booth owed them, as being a basis to the harsh sentencing! Even though he knew full-well that Booth only owed $207,000, understanding that his tax burden had nothing to do with his co-defendant's case.

However, it gets worse. For the co-defendant, himself reported if you ask me that an attorney for your court was ushered into his cell, (not into an anteroom or meeting room or some other area where most such conversations take place in prison, but in the actual defendant's cell, as though he were some kind of Death Row inmate). There he was offered an arrangement. It seems that Judge Lawrence J. O'Neil did not think he was guilty of conning government entities. Instead, he was angry as hell he wouldn't normally deed over the properties as part of his portfolio time for Booth. So now, O'Neil was cutting a deal on the part of Booth and also the IRS! If the co-defendant would simply revenues his 5% portion in the properties, and convince the corporation he worked for to offer over their 95%, he would be released. Case closed. Records expunged.

Now this man faced an actual dilemma. Either take action patently wrong since IRS had convinced a jury that most the different trusts involved were "shams," however be signing documents having said that this became correct and true, that they was a criminal and his life's work a sham. He could be relinquishing properties, which were legally bought and taken care of and mostly in the hands of the corporation he worked for, which may also be seen being disreputable if he did as Judge Lawrence J. O'Neil demanded. He would then must try to convince his partners to perform likewise. Then he'd be freed. Or, he could decline and spend nine years in prison. He was put relating to the veritable rock plus a hard place. His wife needed him out and. His associates needed him to become out, and not only that, his reputation re-established. His kids needed him. His community needed him. He had been in jail and in need of freedom. Yet if he did what Lawrence J. O'Neil asked, however be denying every principle he ever stood for or believed in.

After a good nights prayer, he gave his reply to his wife and the attorney and Lawrence J. O'Neil. "No deal." This man had chosen prison over lying and wrongdoing. He wouldn't normally give on the properties on the IRS. Instead, he'd fight all of them. Now you tell me, what con-man, with an offer prefer that, that may free him of going about his daily confidence games, would NOT have taken the deal? Only a good man would say "I'm keeping jail!" In the finish, Judge Lawrence O'Neil's evil plan did not work. This is only because he was facing down a significant man; somebody that would not flip and play his games.

The co-defendant within the Booth criminal case was finally released on appeal. He remains under house arrest, can not work, to produce a living, to visit and even to walk towards the local store. He wears a Federally mandated ankle alarm bracelet, that this Feds want him to fund even though they have disallowed him the right to work! They still work their evil machinations using this man who stood around them and on the vile Judge Lawrence J. O'Neil, who sentences men to 750 years in prison and doesn't care if his children choke for the noxious polluted air of California, so long as his Big Oil bedfellows are pleased.

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Having heard pretty much everything I realized, Judge Lawrence J. O'Neil will be the wily, cagey con-artist here. He's body fat spider spinning the web to entrap and entangle innocent people. He does it for power and favor and funds. He's the ringleader of the Fresno/IRS gang, pursuing chiropractors and business managers instead of drug lords and crime king-pins. This man needs to become exposed. He's not fit to become a judge. And he needs to become in the cell somewhere contemplating his failings, instead of lording it over others.

#law firm #legal services #law

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setoangel01-fanfiction · 7 years

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Crazy - Chapter 24 (Previous Chapters)

Rated: T

Chapter Summary: Raphael tries to rationalize April's behavior with horrifying…or maybe hope-filled results.

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A03

Raphael sat silent; the springs protesting his weight had not so much as squeaked since he plopped himself of the couch after hanging up on Donatello more than three hours ago.

His mind aflutter with things he dared not want to encounter.

Confusion…

Questions.

Wondering just where the hell had he'd gone wrong?!

Raphael swore to the highest power that there had to be something between him and April. A friendship that had been nurtured and growing rapidly over the past two years; a hopeless infatuation he had been cast under its spell for far too long. Ever since learning her name or getting a glimpse into those endlessly blue eyes or grasping her dainty hand for the first time. How April didn't even flinch the second her soft, warm flesh touched his cool hardened scales.

It was as if he wasn't a freak to her - that the horrid creature he saw in the mirror every fucking day was not what she seen whenever she openly looked at him.

That moment he saw her over Splinter, trying her hardest to move that chunk of rock off his master - Raphael had saw her differently. Where he'd once been so angry at this human seeing them and all their horrid appearances - it all faded to dust with April O'Neil. A breathtakingly beautiful woman who was more curious than afraid; more daring than prejudiced, more loving than hating. Someone who looked beyond what they were on the outside when he doubted anyone could ever do such a thing.

All his life, he distrusted humans. Believing if they were ever caught, they'd be tortured, experimented on before being killed, dissected, stuffed, and put on display for all of humanity to mock and gawk at - cold, lifeless glass eyes staring back at their horrified faces for the rest of eternity.

Yet that's not how it went…

Those rare times he had to reveal himself to people to save them; recalled mostly prostitutes, druggies, and the severely intoxicated as the only ones to had seen him (not including Casey and the few members of the NYPD of course). Some would scream or run, others would just marvel, and even the choice few tried to approach but Raphael rarely stayed in those situations. Swiftly scaling buildings with great ease to get out of their line of sight and hope they drummed up their experience as a strange dream, trick of the eye, or side-effect of their drug of choice. Wake up the next morning and just accost it to some strange dream or nightmare…at least he hoped.

Raphael wasn't sure what to expect when April took that picture of them atop that building that night. Hadn't the faintest idea what to expect when he grabbed her with a kurisagi chain and pulled her screaming form toward them. The second she gained her bearings, Mikey introduced himself and April promptly fainted - that, he expected. What he didn't expect was the outright calm she was upon awakening minutes later; looking each of them in the eyes…warm cornflower blue eyes meeting his as if it was nothing when no human ever dared meet his golden gaze before.

In an instant, he knew something was different about her.

April O'Neil was so unlike those few humans he encountered before. Calm, level-headed, and respectful while greeting his master; speaking softly and listening intently.

Raphael's once-impenetrable heart didn't stand a fucking chance...

During their mission to save Splinter, there were moments she latched onto his arm, slipped by his side and wasn't afraid to lean against him. More as if she was searching for shelter and damn, did he ever want to protect her. So fragile, dainty, and beautiful - like a damsel in distress hat needed rescuing but one thing was for sure, April proved she could hold her own. Recalling that moment on the rooftop - no fear in those eyes as she bellowed at Shredder, effectively distracting the tin can from further attack. How nearly two years later, without any hesitation, she'd broken into the New York police station and was willing to go to prison to set them free…

How afraid he had been in that moment. Meeting her eyes and how easily he read them; she wanted him to go - to be the one to protect him for a change… In that moment, one overcome by fear and anxiety of the future, one thing was painfully clear - he was helplessly in love with April O'Neil and had been for quite some time.

Over the course of their strange friendship the past two years, it was bound to happen. All they'd been through with Shredder, Karai, Kraang, Bebop, Rocksteady, Baxter Stockman, and even Casey Jones - all this time, Raphael really believed April was feeling something too.

Trying to rationalize the fact that the brunette sought him out; took time out of her busy schedule to grace him with her presence on numerous occasions. So easily she talked to him about serious matters or nothing in particular. The barest hints of her fingertips gliding over his thick reptilian skin without prompting; touching him without prompt - as if she wanted to. The multiple times she embraced him; fingers gently probing into his side as she rested her head and unbelievably soft breasts upon his plastron, her hair tickling the sensitive grooves. Multiple nights they watched movies at her place - how halfway during, almost like clockwork, April would rest her head on his bicep; curling her body closer to him and allowing him to revel in her incredible warmth…

…and that kiss…

A night not too long ago still so vivid in his mind. The brunette gently pulling his face toward her and how others would gasp and flinch at such a horrid sight - she smiled. Her eyes slipping closed before she closed the distance and pressed her petal soft lips upon his rugged cheek. For that fraction of a second, it was as if something that had at once seemed so unfathomable to him - so unreachable…was finally in grasp.

The possibility of this beautiful human who'd stolen his heart so long ago…might, just maybe…possibly love him back…

Raphael's normally pessimistic side came out in these moments.

How unrealistic all of it was - how kind April was to others and touchy with more than him. Sure, she may have found him good company and they had been friends for so long. Friends hug, lean on each other, and good friends even kiss each others cheeks occasionally if television shows were at all accurate about human interactions. It could have been just wishful thinking or his own desperate infatuations with her to create these scenarios and amplify them to make it more than it is…for really, how could someone like April love anyone like him?

It dawned on him now.

Donnie's words of April's location, her lying to him about returning, and the fact she had been alone with Casey all night doing God knows what hit him square in the gut. How all of the moments he had with her prior - the ones he treasured in his mind and heart; hoping to look back at them as beautiful foreshadowing of possibly him being with her…all of those moments…

…could have really meant absolutely nothing to her…

To consider the fact it took him until this very moment where he'd finally comprehended that April had indeed spent the night at Casey's to figure it all out.

Perhaps he was the idiot in this all along.

Reluctantly watching the ease in which Casey and April communicated only after half a year of knowing of each other's existence. The look on her face and sparkle in her eyes when she first saw the masked, hockey-stick wielding detective...

Raphael wasn't stupid - he saw the way Casey looked at her and vice versa - the attraction that was almost immediate between them - as intensely nauseating as it was. Yet, even he would even admit (under threat of death only) that Casey was semi-attractive for a human. Just another physically fit pretty boy with a fancy muscle car, annoyingly charming personality, and perfect white teeth - what girl wouldn't at least notice him?

…Raphael just figured April was different…

That she appreciated personality and loyalty to physical appearances…why else would she have spent time with him anyway if that wasn't true?

At first, the thought caused him some comfort. Especially since April and Casey's initial first weeks after meeting, she stopped seeing him regularly when they were spending almost every other day together. It was initially troubling to see April and Casey's relationship happen almost immediately as Raphael tried to swallow back his growing feelings for the beautiful brunette. He didn't worry long for April started calling him more; going to the lair and seeking him out. Their easy friendship kicking right back up where it left off and all of a sudden, those fears of her and Casey started drifting but never fully went away…for good reason.

Raphael let out a deep breath, the soda perched in his hand long since warm as he took a swig of it; the bubbles burning his esophagus all the way down. Crushing the now empty can in his hand until it remained nothing more than a small ball of aluminum didn't satisfy him like usual. Mind far too adrift with very real fears and anxieties that plagued him; how little he saw of Casey but how April mentioned him all the time. The hours she spent with him Raphael knew nothing about…

The one he dreaded most was realizing…

…he was right all along.

Perhaps there was more to it than met the eye. How April was probably well aware of his dislike for Casey and so she kept whatever relationship they had a secret from him in fear he'd explode and hurt him in some facet. April's kindness toward him and wanting to protect him emotionally could also be a factor. Maybe they'd already been dating; perhaps they were already together but the only reason she kept hanging out with him was out of some sort of pity. Seeing how cooped up he was in the lair if their shared texts were any indication of his mindset.

…maybe that's all he was to her…

A friend she spent time with out of some weird sense of obligation to keep him in line. To ease his anger issues for everyone knew what a calming effect she had over him. That maybe all this time, she never wanted any part of this. Only kept in contact because he was cleaner and better company than his overbearing brothers. That April saw him more as a part of her family; a brother or cousin she liked to hang with but nothing more…Yet, why the hell would she go so out of her way to spend so much time with him, buy his favorite snacks, and rent his favorite types of movies? He sure as hell didn't go that far for his brothers so why the hell would she?

Raphael took a deep sigh; shoulders deflating as it left his system.

…Maybe he was just over-analyzing this entire situation. Sure, he may be paranoid and pessimistic but it felt easier to be that way rather than optimistic about the circumstances.

Yet another side of him stopped in his tracks.

Thought about Donnie's words before he hung up on him what already felt like a lifetime ago. More reasonable explanations flitting about his troubled mind and perhaps…it was a simple misunderstanding like Don was trying to tell him.

Other scenarios he hadn't yet considered.

It could have been as simple as Casey taking a puck to the nuts and needed to be taken the hospital. April, being way to fucking nice for her own good, probably stayed to make sure he was okay; her phone dying during the time and she had no way of contacting him to say she wouldn't be home. The very thought had a partial smirk lifting his lips and the more he thought about it, the more it seemed to make more sense than anything had thus far. Maybe Donnie was right…ya know, like always and he was being spastic and unreasonable…again, like usual.

Reminding himself that this was April - the incredibly beautiful, loyal girl he'd known for two years. The one who never let him down before and went above and beyond the call of duty during her time in helping them take out the crime in the city. An irreplaceable ally and constant companion who had never judged them. The same one who he watched movies with, shared popcorn, and spent so any nights getting lost in her eyes and contagious laughter. Woman who touched him and curled up next to him; smiling and looking at him as if he wasn't a six foot tall freak of nature. Looking at him as if he was valuable, loved, and a wonderful friend in her eyes…it was all the same April whom he was still waiting for to come home.

So…maybe this was all just a big misunderstanding.

That any time now, she would waltz in the door, smile, apologize for her absence; explain that Casey got hurt or injured as an excuse for her absence. That he'd gotten hit with a puck and hopefully even lost a few of his perfect teeth and had to spend the night in emergency dental surgery. In Raphael's opinion, it would serve the pretty boy right…

A sudden burst of hope filled his chest; craning his stiff neck up to realize the sun had since fallen from the sky. What used to be a bright sunny morning last time he checked was now trickling into early winter evening…and April was still gone.

Swallowing back a lump of anxiety, Raphael stood to his feet to resume his frantic pacing when a sudden sound of a key pushing and turning in the lock filled his ears.

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heylabodega · 7 years

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Books Read, Age 26

Previously: 25, 24, 23, 22, 21, 20, 19, 18 (holy shit)

Enigma Variations–Aciman I talked to Robbie about this one a bunch bc he’s always looking for good novels about gay people by gay people and I thought this might be that but this is…not that. It had promise and the first section is really kind of lovely but it veers off and just…I don’t know, mileage will vary, but it didn’t feel True to me. idk idk either like he misunderstands love and sexuality or I do and it honestly could more than likely be me.

A Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy–Adams One of those books I had just always kinda pretended I read. I mean not that people like frequently check to make sure I’ve read AHGttG but just like in my mind whenever it was mentioned I checked it off. You know the dealio you don’t need my thoughts on it (as opposed to most things, on which you definitely do).

All Grown Up–Attenberg My favorite of the Attenberg novels I’ve read. Of particular use and relevance to me, an aging single woman and unlikeable protagonist. I enjoyed this very much, it was sharp and warm and mean and tender.

Queen of the Night–Chee Hmm. Ok. I felt for most of this book that it like…thought it was a different, more important book than it actually was? It is overwritten–both in prose style and in that it could have been at least 100 pages shorter–and you know how sometimes you read a book with a female protagonist and you’re like ‘I can’t believe a man wrote this!’? Yeah this isn’t that. But the ending line is really good? idk. Someone else read it and tell me your thoughts.

Too Much and Not the Mood–Chew-Bose First of all, excellent title. These essays reminded me, and I mean in this in the lease self-important way possible, of my own writing. Just in that way where writing doesn’t have to be traditionally literarily linear. These essays are good and filled with the kind of sentences that make you know the writer loves words, you can feel her placing them carefully with the satisfying click of scrabble tiles, sliding them into the right order.

Who Killed Roger Ackroyd–Christie Typical Agatha novel and very good. I can’t tell you any more without spoiling it.

Murder in Retrospect–Christie This is one of my fave Christie’s. It was dark and smart and pithy.

Rule Britannia–Du Maurier I found this in a used bookstore in Portland, Maine, just after the Brexit vote. She wrote it in like the 70s and it’s speculative fiction based on if the UK left the EU and formed a union with the United States. It’s kind of really good but it also ends kind of abruptly, like maybe it could have been the first of a trilogy or something.

Plum Bun–Fauset This was my favorite book from my Harlem Renaissance class. I wrote my term paper on it. I love this book. I want to write it as a screenplay and someone to make it into a movie and I want Troian Bellesario to play the lead.

A Coney Island of the Mind–Ferlinghetti A book of (I think?) beat poetry that I found in a used bookstore in Saugherties at Thanksgiving. I love these poems, especially one called “The World is a Beautiful Place” which I read out loud to Robbie one night while we were walking between bars in the snow at like midnight.

Wishful Drinking–Fisher Carrie Fisher is one of those people whose very existence makes me feel braver and weirder and funnier. She’s a truly good soul and I don’t have anything else to say except that you should read this and also that you should Postcards From the Edge first it’s better.

Difficult Women–Gay I prefer Roxane Gay’s fiction to her nonfiction and these are very good, very interesting stories full of sadness and love.

The Autobiography of Malcolm X (as told to Alex Haley) I have never had so many people approach me while reading a book in public as this one. It is, unsurprisingly, an extremely compelling and upsetting book. But I was very surprised by it. I’m not sure quite what I expected from it, but it wasn’t what it was. I think about this book at least twice a week. I think everyone should read it and I think they’ll all enjoy it.

How To Be A Person In the World–Havrilesky I think maybe Ask Polly columns are better in smaller doses than a whole book, but nevertheless, for better or for worse, she shaped a great deal of my early-twenties self esteem and the essays translate to the page much better than a lot of internet writing I’ve read.

Girl on the Train–Hawkins This felt…cheap somehow. Like I got really into it and then felt like I’d been cheated or fooled because it’s truly not very good.

Bright Lines–Islam This is a fascinating book. It’s the most Brooklyn summery, felt the most like my Brooklyn summers despite describing a Bengali Muslim family and smoking weed and other experiences that are not specifically mine. I’d recommend it. Highly.

Intimations–Kleeman Man, I’ve recommended this book of short stories to so many people. It’s weird and interesting and it does something I think is hard, which is write surreal stories where the stakes still feel real, if that makes sense. She came and spoke to our class and she told an interesting question to ask of short stories which was, “what are the satisfactions of this story?” and all of these are satisfying and visceral. There’s one long one in the middle that I skipped and you can too, I give you permission.

A Swiftly Tilting Planet–L'Engle Hey, um, you know what’s p upsetting to read? A plot where a crazy dictator is gonna drop a nuclear bomb and start the end of the world (this isn’t a spoiler it’s introduced like five pages in).

A Wind in the Door–L'Engle This was not as good as A Wrinkle in Time–what is–but it was a bright easy read, her books are so–loving, I guess. Good if you need a little palate cleanser.

Passing–Larsen We read a LOT of books in my Harlem Renaissance course. This a very good, short novel about, well, guess. It’s like a painting somehow, like a 20th century painting.

Sister Outsider–Lorde I have taken none women’s studies courses so this was a pretty important text I had never read. It is very Good and everyone should read it if they have not already.

Cruel Shoes–Martin I LOVE Steve Martin and still on a few of these I was like “I don’t know, Steve.” But many others (they’re very short stories) are funny or clever or great.

Bright Lights, Big City–McInerney ughhhhhhh a book that is entirely written in second person and is about how womens’ existences and deaths have like ~made a man feel~ but it’s a short quick read and–I am E X T R E M E L Y reluctant to admit–the end is a really good image that did lowkey make me cry but also fuck this book

The Hopeful–O'Neill This I didn’t like much, in a way that I thought it needed a stronger editor and I want Eleanor or Robbie or someone I trust to read it to tell me if I’m wrong.

The Bed Moved–Schiff Weird and good little stories. I don’t think about them often, but they were elegant and sharp as I read them.

Eligible–Sittenfield It’s nice that they’re publishing Modern AU Pride and Prejudice fanfic now in a bound book. This was enjoyable tho tbh not the best Modern AU Pride and Prejudice fanfic I, a cool and chill person, have read in my life.

Swing Time–Smith I think this is my fave of the Zadie Smith books I’ve read. I wasn’t sure by the end quite what the point of it was, but I guess also what’s the point of anything? idk this is a useless description of a book. It was immersive and interesting but I’ve also not told anyone “you *have* to read this you’ll love it.” We did go see her read from it and in person she is enchanting.

The New Woman–Sochen Nonfiction about what I think we’d call first-wave feminism? It was really fascinating about an era I knew nothing about but also had some, um, glaring omissions ahem any mention of race whatsoever.

Action. A Book About Sex–Spiegel Ok look yes fine I am an adult sexually active woman who still reads books about sex whatEVER. I missed sex-ed and I also like to hear, in a non-prurient (or sometimes prurient w/e) way what other people are up to, sex-wise. I mean there’s no real like advice about sex in the world, I think, except that everything consensual and fun is fine, but I think it’s important to occasionally remind yourself of that. This was a good book.

Missing, Presumed–Steiner A crime book that I neither loved nor hated and generally enjoyed reading. Big enh.

The Girls From Corona Del Mar–Thorpe Robbie gave this to me for my birthday last year. A beach read with an edge, page-turner-y but sharp. Seems like it’s going to be a light read, but there’s a bite to it, a reminder of the cruel randomness of fate and of our inability to really know other people or ourselves. I loved this.

Cane–Toomer So this is an important text from the Harlem Renaissance and it’s kinda…never classified? It’s a series of related but not continuous short stories, as well as poetry, and little like plays? idk it’s very evocative and beautiful and dense and bears up to intense overreading. One of my favorite books I read for my Harlem Ren class.

The Blacker the Berry–Thurman Ok so Wallace Thurman apparently worried his whole life that his writing style was too journalistic and he maybe wasn’t…wrong. This is NOT a bad book and it’s well written and novelistic exCEPT when sometimes it feels pedagogical or expository. It’s a short, well constructed novel about colorism and worth checking out.

Killer–Walters Lovely and weird poems. I went to go follow the author on Twitter and discovered I already was. I love these.

The Underground Railroad–Whitehead An extremely. upsetting. book. Here’s the thing and I understand the presumption of my criticism of a book that won the national book award, but: if you’re going to make your conceit that the Underground Railroad is a real railroad, I think that you should do more with it. THAT SAID the rest of this is truly wonderful, somehow at once a page turner and viscerally upsetting.

Kiss Me Like a Stranger–Wilder I love Gene Wilder. I’d read Gilda Radnor’s memoir a couple years ago so part of this was sort of an interesting other side of the story. Anyways he seems like a genuinely strange, slightly neurotic, flawed but mostly warm and kind person.

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benrleeusa · 6 years

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[Eugene Volokh] Good News and Bad News About Campus Speech Codes

A very brief history of the rise and fall (and potential rise again) of campus speech codes.

This week, we are exploring legal issues around Greg's new book with Jonathan Haidt, The Coddling of the American Mind.

For those of us who defend free speech on campus, the story of campus speech codes is one of good news and bad news. Most recently, the good news is that campus speech codes have been consistently and overwhelmingly (both quantitatively and qualitatively) defeated in court. The bad news, which we will discuss by example tomorrow, is that courts are increasingly dismissing speech code lawsuits for reasons that have nothing to do with the constitutionality of a particular speech code, and that could spell a reversal in the judicial trend against campus speech codes.

First, we should clarify some terms. FIRE defines a speech code as "any university regulation or policy that prohibits expression that would be protected by the First Amendment in society at large." When we talk about the campus "speech codes movement," we begin with the proliferation of speech codes in the 1980s, which followed the apparent victory of free speech on campus both in the culture and in the courts in the 1960s and 70s. (None of us assume there was ever a perfect golden age for free speech on campus, or that there weren't different kinds of codes on campus before the free speech movement.) For simplicity's sake, we are going to mainly be talking about public colleges, which are bound by the First Amendment; you can read more about our stance on private colleges here and on religious colleges here. Lastly, when we write "good news," we mean for free speech on public college campuses. If you think there is much too much free speech on campus, you probably see what we call good news as bad news, and vice versa.

Let's start with two pieces of good news/bad that set up the last 60 years of campus free speech debate and litigation. The first good news was that, starting in the late 1950s, Supreme Court (and lower court) rulings applying the First Amendment to campus were highly protective of the freedom of speech of both faculty and students. From Sweezy v. New Hampshire, 354 U.S. 234 (1957), to Keyishian v. Board of Regents, 385 U.S. 589 (1967), and up through Healy v. James, 408 U.S. 169 (1972), the Supreme Court recognized the existence of an important (if hazy) notion of academic freedom. The Court also vindicated the free speech rights of students, even when they engaged in highly offensive speech or formed groups affiliated with organizations that had committed acts of violence elsewhere. Meanwhile, the first bad news was that, by the mid-1980s, some students and professors were increasingly looking for rationales to limit free speech rather than expand it. Their goal was to curtail speech they deemed racist, sexist, homophobic, or otherwise bigoted or intolerant.

This was followed by the second bit of good news: these newfangled speech codes were roundly defeated in court, leading former president of the University of Virginia Robert O'Neil to declare that speech codes were essentially dead on campus after the mid '90s, having been "either given a decent burial by formal action or... allowed to expire quietly and unnoticed." Among the pallbearers: Doe v. Univ of Michigan, 721 F. Supp. 852 (E.D. Mich. 1989); UWM Post v. Board of Regents of U. of Wis., 774 F. Supp. 1163 (E.D. Wis. 1991); Dambrot v. Central Mich. Univ., 839 F. Supp. 477 (E.D. Mich. 1993); Corry v. Stanford, No. 740309 (Cal. Super. Ct. Feb. 27, 1995) (slip op.) (a case involving a private university in California, where state law prohibits private schools from making or enforcing rules that would violate the First Amendment rights of students).

The bad news is that O'Neil was wrong—from our early preliminary investigations of campus codes starting almost as soon as we were founded in 1999, it was clear that campus speech codes were alive and well. While challenged codes were struck down, more codes existed than challenges. By 2006, FIRE had grown enough that we had the staff capacity to refine and systematize our approach to evaluating speech codes on campus; we started publishing annual reports. In that first report,, in 2006, roughly 75% of the 334 universities we evaluated maintained "red light" speech codes. By "red light," we meant the institution maintained at least one policy that both clearly and substantially restricted freedom of speech.

Fortunately, there's more good news, again. In a new set of lawsuits starting in 2003, some of which were coordinated by FIRE and many others by the Alliance Defending Freedom (originally known at the Alliance Defense Fund, which made some of those litigation decisions based on our speech code ratings), there has been a nearly unbroken chain of defeats for campus speech codes. Of the 61 cases filed since 2003 (that we're aware of), 36 were settled after filing but before any court decision; three were settled after non-final court decisions (such as injunctions); 11 resulted in judgments that were at least partial victories (e.g., see Doe v. Rector and Visitors of George Mason, 149 F.Supp.3d 602 (2016), where the code was not struck down but was limited to restricting fighting words, true threats, and other unprotected speech); and 11 are still pending.

FIRE has only recently begun doing any litigation in-house. So our primary weapon has always been public awareness, and public awareness campaigns also played a crucial role in reducing the number of campuses that have speech codes. Perhaps the most successful of these public awareness programs is our Speech Code of the Month feature, in which we highlight particularly ridiculous speech codes on campuses across the country.

For example, a since-revised 2016 version of the University of Missouri's publications policy required prior written consent before handing out literature on campus. This August, the highlighted code was from Ohio's Shawnee State University, which prohibited disseminating "racial" (not racist, racial) or "offensive" material — at least, it did, until the school revised it shortly after our publication. Speech Code of the Month policies are revised after we highlight them slightly more than half of the time.

As of this writing, the percentage of red light schools (colleges and universities with, as we put it colloquially "laughably unconstitutional" speech codes) is down from 75% to about 33%, and the number of "green light" schools (colleges and universities that where their "policies do not seriously imperil speech") is up from eight to an all-time high of 42. While there should be precisely zero public colleges with unconstitutional speech codes, this is real progress.

So what is the bad news? As we will discuss in the next blog post, some subtle shifts in legal decisions over the years are creating a formula for those who would like to reverse this trend. One case in particular presents the greatest immediate risk.

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stellacarriersgifts · 7 years

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Song and Dream Apartment Listing In Addition to A Book Listing of Books That Went to Bookholders in College Park, Maryland on Saturday April 1, 2017

Song and Dream Apartment Listing In Addition to A Book Listing of Books That Went to Bookholders in College Park, Maryland on Saturday April 1, 2017 but I intend to keep as reference to be able to eventually repurchase, when the time is right, in Amazon kindlebook andor Amazon Audible form. Fortunately, I am blessed to have enough in my life with a sweet and handsome husband. However, it was actually a tricky decision for me to let go of the books listed, especially when it came to authors andor subjects of the book who I admire. Yet, I understand that I must do it for practical reasons as well as intuitively guided reasons that I prefer to avoid going into right now. However, one happy reason that I enjoy sharing is to facilitate my husband and I having to travel lighter when it comes to moving into our dream apartment in College Park Maryland andor Greenbelt Maryland (our ideal choice is College Park, Maryland due to the close proximity to our jobs/employment at the University of Maryland College Park). The listing of books that I put a 30 by are especially some of the books that are challenging for me to completely let go but I understand that I can instantly give to Bookholders for potential resale value. Additionally, they are some of the books that I definitely intend to eventually repurchase in Amazon kindle andor Amazon Audible form once I have a secret amount of money saved andor my husband and I are eventually settled into our own home (my husband had an uplifting dream less than 24 hours ago that pertained to he and I living in and having our own home and my supportive mother in law/his mom was coming by to visit to show her encouragement). I also choose to go ahead and list what dates some of the books were purchased on Amazon as a way to help me understand/analyze my thought processes and what was going on in my life at that time (and how this might have indirectly affected my purchasing decisions). I truly believe that keeping track of the dates that I purchased the books is going to help me understand various things within 4-5 years from now or less. Additionally, I actually started this list Saturday April 1, 2017 with the fact that the listed books did go to Bookholders. However, it is today Monday April 3, 2017 where I finally had the chance to post the book listing. Additionally, I had to finish completing the book listing as I left off on The Secret of the Highly Creative Thinker today and resumed typing/documenting the book list with the Astral Codex book. I am definitely not doing this book listing to show off and I’m well aware of some of the public judgment I may attract for doing so. However, I have faith and truly believe that I am going to be glad that I made this book list in the future, additionally what I am doing now in documenting and publicly releasing this book list online (on my googleplus, tumblr, and wordpress blogs)is going to more intuitively and logically make sense to me within 4-5 years or less from now.

Songs for me to keep in mind-Freestyle Amateur DJ List; I Can’t Stay Away by the Veronicas, Boys of Summer by Don Henley,Lady Marmalade, 19 by Paul Hardcastle, Jump by Van Halen, Lucky Star by Madonna, You Spin Me Round Like a Record by Dead or Alive, Morning Train by Sheena Easton, Danger Zone by Kenny Loggins,The Last Worthless Evening by Don Henley, Addicted to Love by Robert Palmer, The Look of Love by ABC, She Works Hard For the Money by Donna Summer, A Groovy Kind of Love by Phil Collins, I’m So Excited by the Pointer Sisters, I Knew You Were Waiting For Me by Aretha Franklin and George Michael,Starboy by the Weekend, You’re Still the One by Shania Twain, Hungry Like the Wolf by Duran Duran, I’m Real (album version) by Jennifer Lopez, Take My Breath Away by Berlin,The Impression That I Get by the Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Mercy by Shawn Mendes,Crazy Little Thing Called Love by Queen, Push It by Salt N Pepa, The Look by Roxette, Just What I Needed by The Cars, Rock Me Amadeus by Falco, Love At First Sight by Kylie Minogue, Dance Hall Days by Wang Chung, Fame by Irene Cara, The Power of Love by Huey Lewis and the News, Pour Some Sugar On Me by Def Leppard, Take Me Home Tonight by Eddie Money, Back 2 Life by Soul 2 Soul, Shadow of the Day by Linkin Park, One Week by Barenaked Ladies, Sail by Awolnation,Heathens by Twenty One Pilots, By Your Side by Jonas Blue, I Touch Myself by the Vinyls Carry On Wayward Son by Kansas &Will Ferrell, Give It To You by Jordan Knight,Irresistible by Fall Out Boy and Irresistible by Fall Out Boy feat. Demi Lovato, Shake it Out by Florence and The Machine, Tom’s Diner by Suzanne Vega, Motown Philly by Boyz to Men, Head Over Feet by Alannis Morrissette,Connected by Stereo MCs,Little Bird by Annie Lennox, Til I Hear It From You by Gin Blossoms, Losing My Religion by Rem, Smooth by Santana feat. Rob Thomas,Slide by Goo Goo Dolls, I Can See Clearly Now by Jimmy Cliff, Smile by Shanice, Crash by Dave Matthews Band, Fields of Gold by Sting, Fantastic Voyage by Coolio, Getting Jiggy With It by Will Smith,Whatta Man by Salt N Pepa, Rise by Katy Perry, Angel by Shaggy, Good To Be Alive by Andy Grammer

From Indie Radio yesterday-iheartradio lists it to be a diverse mix of Indie Rock, Pop & EDM, London Thunder by Foals, Boyfriend by Tegan and Sara, Keep On Keepin On by Bleached,

Dream apartment, but I obviously wish for something cheaper for my husband and I

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The Holy Bible

Creating Money Attracting Abundance by Sanaya Roman and Duane Packer

Life On The Causal Plane A Glimpse of Heaven by Marian Eileen Charlton

MONEY Master the Game: 7 Simple Steps to Financial Freedom by Tony Robbins

A Beginner's Guide to Investing: How to Grow Your Money the Smart and Easy Way

By Ivy Bytes and Alex Frey-fortunately I was able to purchase A Beginners Guide to Investing; How to Grow Your Money the Smart and Easy Way as an affordable 99 cent kindle purchase

How to Invest $50-$5,000 10e: The Small Investor's Step-by-Step Plan for Low-Risk Investing in Today's Economy (How to Invest $50 to $5000) Paperback – December 29, 2009

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Total Recall: My Unbelievably True Life Story (Thorndike Press Large Print Nonfiction) Hardcover by

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Start Your Own Public Relations Business: Your Step-By-Step Guide to Success (StartUp Series) Paperback – April 9, 2007

by Entrepreneur Press (Author)

Mobile Home Wealth: How to Make Money Buying, Selling and Renting Mobile Homes Paperback – November 15, 2007

by Zalman Velvel (Author)

It's Not How Good You Are, It's How Good You Want to Be: The world's best selling book Paperback – June 1, 2003

by Paul Arden (Author) You purchased this item on December 30, 2015.

Manifest Your Millions!: A Lottery Winner Shares his Law of Attraction Secrets Paperback – September 17, 2013

by Eddie Coronado (Author)

Writer's Market 2016: The Most Trusted Guide to Getting Published 95th Edition

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The Fun of Staying in Touch: How Our Loved Ones Contact Us and How We Can Contact Them Paperback – August 27, 2014

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Smart Women Finish Rich: 9 Steps to Achieving Financial Security and Funding Your Dreams Paperback – January 8, 2002

by David Bach (Author)

Catherine the Great: Portrait of a Woman Hardcover – Deckle Edge, November 8, 2011 30

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Terry O'Neill: Every Picture Tells a Story Hardcover – December 20, 2016 30

by Terry O'Neill (Author) You purchased this item on November 18, 2016.

Celebrate: A Year of Festivities for Families and FriendsHardcover – October 30, 2012 30

by Pippa Middleton (Author) You purchased this item on March 28, 2014.

Hard Choices: A Memoir Hardcover – June 10, 2014 30

by Hillary Rodham Clinton (Author) You purchased this item on November 5, 2015.

The Last Ship: A Novel Paperback – November 27, 2013 30

by William Brinkley (Author)

Date When I purchased the Last Ship, however I do intend to eventually repurchase in kindle andor audiobook as well as I’m on the lookout for the next season of Last Ship (expected to come out in summer 2017

ORDER PLACED

July 18, 2016

Confessions of an Heiress: A Tongue-in-Chic Peek Behind the Pose Hardcover – September 7, 2004-30

by Paris Hilton (Author), Jeff Vespa (Photographer), Merle Ginsberg (Contributor) You purchased this item on July 30, 2016. View this order

The Trump Card: Playing to Win in Work and Life Paperback – April 20, 2010 30

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Food Lovers' Guide to® Virginia: The Best Restaurants, Markets & Local Culinary Offerings (Food Lovers' Series)Paperback – January 14, 2014 30

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Glorious Angels Coloring Book (Dover Coloring Books)Paperback – January 24, 2013

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Angels Coloring Book (Dover Coloring Books) Staple Bound – December 18, 2008

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The Author Training Manual: A Comprehensive Guide to Writing Books That Sell Paperback – March 18, 2014 30

by Nina Amir (Author), James Scott Bell (Foreword) You purchased this item on September 10, 2015.

Out of Body Ecstasy: The Anywhere, Anytime Orgasmic Experience Paperback – September 24, 2013

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How to Make a Living as a Writer Paperback – October 31, 2014 30

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Adventures in the Afterlife Paperback – June 16, 2013 30

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Pick Me : Breaking Into Advertising and Staying TherePaperback – August 26, 2005

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Living with Joy: Keys to Personal Power and Spiritual Transformation (Earth Life Series) Paperback – June 7, 2011

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Put Your Intuition to Work: How to Supercharge Your Inner Wisdom to Think Fast and Make Great Decisions Paperback – July 25, 2016

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90 Days to Your Novel: A Day-by-Day Plan for Outlining & Writing Your Book Paperback – December 20, 2010

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The Occult Sciences: How to Get What You Want Through Your Occult Powers Hardcover – April, 1971

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The Freelance Writer's Bible: Your Guide to a Profitable Writing Career Within One Year Paperback – January 15, 2006

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You've Got a Book in You: A Stress-Free Guide to Writing the Book of Your Dreams Paperback – May 13, 2013

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Moon Spotlight Coastal Virginia Paperback – July 8, 2014

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How To Make Fast Cash: Fun and Legal Ways To Earn More Money In A Weekend (Welcome Abundance) (Volume 1)Paperback – July 31, 2013

by Judy Helm Wright (Author), Megan Kay Herring (Contributor)

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The Fast-5 Diet and the Fast-5 Lifestyle Paperback – October 28, 2005

by Bert Herring (Author)

You purchased this item on February 21, 2011.

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Good Self, Bad Self: Transforming Your Worst Qualities into Your Biggest Assets by Judy Smith (April 3 2012) Hardcover 30

How to Start a Home-based Public Relations Business (Home-Based Business Series) Paperback – June 5, 2012

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PR Related: Starting & Building A Successful PR AgencyPaperback – June 2, 2014 30

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Wizardry 101- Awakening The Wizard Within You Paperback – September 1, 2006

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The Complete Encyclopedia of Angels: A Guide to 200 Celestial Beings to Help, Heal, and Assist You in Everyday Life Paperback – March 1, 2011

by Susan Gregg (Author) I took a chance and decided to repurchase the complete encyclopedia of angels by Susan Gregg in kindle form for just $2.99 today, but I intend to hold off on repurchasing other books in kindle form until I have met a savings goal that I have set for myself ( at least 4 months of what is the average of my current monthly paycheck)

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Get the Job • Done!: 118 Career Tips, Tools, and Internet Resources Paperback – November 12, 2013

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Magickal Angels: Instant Contact With The Angels of PowerPaperback – January 10, 2015

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Fasting: 18 Hours for Your God-Given Body Paperback – September 9, 2010

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Spiritual Growth: Being Your Higher Self Paperback – December 28, 1992

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An Angel for Every Day Hardcover – September 15, 2005

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The alli Cookbook Paperback – December 11, 2007 30

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Skinny Meals: Everything You Need to Lose Weight-Fast! (Skinny Rules) 1st Edition 30

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High Paying Careers People Love Paperback – September 26, 200130

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Southern Charm: A Novel Paperback – April 30, 2013 30

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Multidimensional Man Paperback – August 12, 2008 30

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The Eventual Millionaire: How Anyone Can Be an Entrepreneur and Successfully Grow Their Startup Hardcover– February 24, 2014 30

by Jaime Tardy (Author), Dan Miller (Foreword)

The Smart Way to Your Ph.D.: 200 Secrets From 100 Graduates Paperback – December 25, 2008 30

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Make Money, Live Wealthy: 75 Successful Entrepreneurs Share the 10 Simple Steps to True Wealth: Money, Investing, Lifestyle, Entrepreneurship, Self-Help, Millionaire Paperback – November 6, 2014 30

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Can I Go Now?: The Life of Sue Mengers, Hollywood's First Superagent Hardcover – September 8, 2015 30

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The Secret of the Highly Creative Thinker: How To Make Connections Others Don't Hardcover – June 28, 2016

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The Astral Codex: Using Dreams and Out-of-Body Experiences on a Spiritual Journey 5th Edition

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Money Magnetism: How to Grow Rich Beyond Your Wildest Dreams 0th Edition

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The Wizard of Us: Transformational Lessons from OzHardcover – November 20, 2012

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Higher Self Now!: Accelerating Your Spiritual EvolutionPaperback – August 25, 2016

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A Writer's Guide to Fame and Fortune: Get the respect you deserve, the work you want, and the money you're worth.Paperback – August 29, 2012

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Magickal Cashbook: Attract Money Fast With Ancient Secrets And Modern Wealth Magick Paperback – May 7, 2014 You purchased this item on November 24, 2014.

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THE 3:00 PM SECRET: Live Slim and Strong, Live Your Dreams Paperback – July 27, 2007

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The Angels of Alchemy: Contact the 42 Angels of Magickal Transformation Paperback – September 28, 2016

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Liquid Luck: The Good Fortune Handbook Paperback – October 23, 2014

by Joe Gallenberger Ph.D (Author)

What Can I Manifest?: Secrets of Successful Rituals - Foundation I (Foundations) (Volume 1) Paperback – July 1, 2014

by Dr. Thor Templar (Author), GM Scott James (Editor) You purchased this item on February 28, 2015.

Magickal Riches: Occult Rituals For Manifesting MoneyPaperback – June 29, 2015

by Damon Brand (Author) You purchased this item on July 31, 2015.

Absolute Beginner's Guide to Half-Marathon Training: Get Ready to Run or Walk a 5K, 8K, 10K or Half-Marathon RacePaperback – December 27, 2004

by Heather Hedrick (Autho

The Creative Visualization Workbook: Second Edition (Gawain, Shakti) Paperback – June 28, 1995

by Shakti Gawain (Author) You purchased this item on June 7, 2013.

Creative Visualization: Use the Power of Your Imagination to Create What You Want in Your Life Hardcover – October 1, 2008

by Shakti Gawain (Author) You purchased this item on October 25, 2011.

Writer's Digest Handbook of Short Story Writing (Vol 1) New edition Edition

by Dickson (Author), Smythe (Author) You purchased this item on December 2, 2016.

The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles Paperback – January 11, 2012

by Steven Pressfield (Author), Shawn Coyne (Editor) You purchased this item on December 3, 2015.

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RUNNER'S WORLD - COMPLETE GUIDE TO RUNNING. 2014. Single Issue Magazine – 2014

RUNNER'S WORLD COMPLETE GUIDE TO RUNNING SPECIAL, 2016

Complete Guide to Running (Runner`s World,2013) Single Issue Magazine – 2013

by David Willey (Editor)

Wealth Magick: The Secrets of Extreme Prosperity Paperback– October 30, 2014

by Damon Brand (Author) You purchased this item on November 24, 2014.

Words of Power: Secret Magickal Sounds That Manifest Your Desires Paperback – January 25, 2015

by Damon Brand (Author) You purchased this item on February 12, 2015.

Learn Songwriting (Learn to Play) Paperback – January, 2000

by Caroline Hooper (Author), Nigel M. Hooper (Author) You purchased this item on April 15, 2016.

Writing Your Future: The Easy Way to Achieving Your Dreams Paperback – November 2, 2007

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The Money Savvy Spending Journal: The Fast and Easy Way to Track Your Spending and Gain Control Over Your Money Paperback – September 16, 2013

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The Magickal Job Seeker: Attract The Work You Love With Angelic Power Paperback – September 3, 2014

by Damon Brand (Author) You purchased this item on November 24, 2014.

Mysteries of the Parallel Universes Revealed Paperback – 2010

by Osgood Stradt (Author) You purchased this item on April 9, 2015.

Discover Your Soul’s Path Through the Akashic Records: Taking Your Life from Ordinary to ExtraOrdinary Paperback – February 3, 2015

by Linda Howe (Author) You purchased this item on February 12, 2015.

The Greater Magickal Angels: Instant Access To 133 Angelic Powers Paperback – April 23, 2015

by Damon Brand (Author You purchased this item on April 29, 2015.

Magickal Protection: Defend Against Curses, Gossip, Bullies, Thieves, Demonic Forces, Violence, Threats and Psychic Attack Paperback – March 13, 2015

by Damon Brand (Author) You purchased this item on April 9, 2015.

Isn't That Rich?: Life Among the 1 Percent Paperback – June 9, 2015

by Richard Kirshenbaum (Author), Michael Gross (Foreword) You purchased this item on November 4, 2016.

The Million Dollar Secret Hidden in Your Mind: Money Honors Fame (Tarcher Success Classics) Paperback – Deckle Edge, December 27, 2012

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PREVENTION, 2014 TOTAL - BODY SHAPE UP ISSUE, 2014 ( FLATTEN YOUR BELLY )

WOMEN'S HEALTH SPECIAL MAGAZINE KICK - ASS BODY GUIDE, 2017 LEAN & SEXY Single Issue Magazine – 2017

How to Read the Akashic Records: Accessing the Archive of the Soul and Its Journey Paperback – September 1, 2010

by Linda Howe (Author)-I bought from a new age bookstore in Alexandria Virginia around early August of last year –I think it was Saturday August 6, 2016

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lgbt-fantasy-fiction · 7 years

Text

Chapter One: He came in the night

It is common knowledge that the world is round, that the stars are burning gas and that the planets orbit the sun. However there are things that you wouldn't believe exist out there, I'm not talking about aliens (although those probably exist too). No, I'm talking about the world hidden here on earth, the one that only a few know about even existing in its entirely. You see, Things isn't always what they seem, as I found on the hot, humid night on July the 3rd, when I got the letter that would change my life. It was raining cats and dogs the night he came, the rain pelting at all the windows and the wind howling like a rabid beast in the trees outside the small trailer that my mother and I lived in. On that particular night I was busy to say the least, as busy as one could be on a humid, hot evening when the air conditioner was out, which means I was holed up in the small landry room that set off toward the front of the house, folding the clothing that I had taken from the dryer earlier that day when a sudden, booming knock began rapping at the door. "Nicole! Go see who is at the door!" My mother's voice ordered from somewhere on the south side of the house, probably sitting in front of one of our three box fans whioe I did all the work. "Fine!" I grumbled, heading toward the door, opening it only to find a tall pale man with eyes that were as black as coal standing there, rain dripping from the brim of his hat, which he tipped to me. "are you by chance Anna Nicole Rush?" he asked, his voice deep and smooth and to be honest almost intoxicating. "yes, who are you?" I responded, surprised that anyone knew my first name because I hated it with a passion though the man only chuckled. "I am Samuel T. Ward. I am a instructor at Crescent Falls Academy. Surely your father told you about going there?" he stated, surprising me. "wait! You knew my Dad? Why didn't my mom say anything about this.....School?" I demanded, causing him to sigh. "yes I knew your father quite well actually. We were friends and perhaps your mother fears what she does not understand. Anyway...Here....This letter contains a list of supplies needed, as well as the tickets you'll need for the plane and Train rides there." he stated, smiling and tilting his hat again before turning to leave. I stood in the doorway for some time, wondering just what the hell had just happened before I opened the letter, noticing instantly that it was written on parchment, not paper. Dear Sir or Madam, it read I am pleased to inform you that you have been accepted into Crescent falls Academy for the gifted. Enclosed in this letter is all that you will need for your first year. We hope that you will enjoy your stay at our prestigious school. sincerely, Headmaster Bryan O'Neil Looking over the list I just saw a standard list of school supplies, saved for three things: A mortar and Pastel and a cauldron. "so you are one of them too?" my mother's voice startled me from my thoughts. "one of what? you knew about this? what's going on Mom?" She sighed and shook her head at my questions. "I knew your father wasn't human when I married him and I knew there was a chance that you would be the same as some half bloods are. But after the crash I couldn't stand the thought of piling that info on you and I guess it slipped my mind after a while. We'll go school shopping tomorrow but as of right now....Go into Jake's study and take whatever you think you'll need....Just don't ask me what half of it is." I had never been in the room that had been my father's and his alone, not since I was three and kept waking up with nightmares anyway. All I could remember of the room was the blue crystal chandelier and the hand made brick fireplace that sat in one part of the room. slowly I followed her to the room, pausing before I opened the door. "he would want you to use his things you know, for school work and such. He was quite the scholar and very wise." My mother stated before leaving. I slowly let myself into the room, though my knees began to shake for some reason. Was I really that nervous to just be in the room that had once belonged to my Dad? Sighing I braced myself and went inside, blindly feeling for the light switch before finally hitting it, causing the large paneled room to become alive with white and blue light that reflected from the Chandelier. I took a minute to look around, on his desk sat a quill and ink as well as parchment similar to the letter that I had gotten, though what caught my attention was what was hanging on the wall behind that. A staff, made of some form of dark wood hung there by two hooks, one tip encasing a magnificent blue gemstone that seemed to pulsate and glow in a heartbeat like pulse. Just what was he? I wondered as I began to look around the room, finding book after books on all manner of bests. Unicorns, Pegasus, Alicorn, Dragons, Werewolves, Vampires. But those things couldn't be real, could they? I continued to look through the dusty selves until I found a book, which looked like an old leather bound diary with the name Nicole stamped across the spine. Slowly pulling it out I saw a strange, calligraphic scrawl written across it's lined pages. Anna, If you read this it must be because you have gotten your acceptance letter. I am sorry your mother and I didn't tell you sooner but with me working as the Governor of Magical affairs I haven't been around much and probably aren't there now but heaven help us all if your aunt Mallory gets the job! The woman would probably hex the Guard within the first hour! As you may or may not know Nicole, as you so willfully want to be called....We.....as in you and I.....Are Fae. I almost dropped the book. Fae?! I could barely believe it. There was just no way; I thought though then I remembered the dark eyed man that was at the door only a few minutes prior and wondered just what the hell was happening. "Nicole, just got off the phone with Ms. Wilder. Her daughter goes to School there as well, a year or so ahead of you I believe. how would you like to go to town with her tomorrow? Maybe you could learn more about that part of the world."

#lgbt #fantasy #story #fae #faerie #werewolf #thunderbird #fiction #writing #writer #first chapter #genderqueer character

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