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To Question and Be Questioned: The Millions Interviews Azar Nafisi
I first encountered Azar Nafisi as I was preparing to move from California to Connecticut. In Reading Lolita in Tehran, which I read just two months before departing, Nafisi describes her own "strange" feelings before she left Tehran for the United States. Although I cannot claim a move that momentous, that difficult, her thoughts resonated deeply with me.
Her latest book, The Republic of Imagination, explores the idea that books are important because when we get a glimpse of another person's life, we can be made to feel connected to their emotions and experiences, and gain a new perspective on our own lives. Her new work emphasizes the importance of fiction in a country where many have begun to deem it a frivolous luxury or useless exercise, through the perspectives of three novels: Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, Babbitt by Sinclair Lewis, and The Heart is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers.
We spoke over the phone, I from my home in rural Connecticut, she at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Charleston, S.C., on her book tour.
The Millions: I wanted to ask you a few questions about what you've learned as a writer and a reader, looking at the three different countries you've inhabited: Iran and then America and then also the Republic of Imagination as a third country. Of course many things have changed since you first published Reading Lolita in Tehran about 12 years ago. Looking back on that length of time, how have your perceptions of your home country, Iran, changed during that time?
Azar Nafisi: Well, you know, they have not changed substantially in terms of what I thought about Iran's history and culture and the people, also about the Islamic regime, because the changes that have happened in Iran are rooted in what was happening then. For example, you see Tehran's streets are much, quote unquote, "nicer" and a lot of restaurants and you see women — of course, the situation of women is like the situation of weather here: you have a little bit of sunshine and then there's a downpour or a tornado, so you never know. But Iranian women have managed to defy the system at least in terms of appearances. That has changed; if one goes to Tehran today women don't look the way they did when I left Iran.
But the truth of the matter is that the laws have remained the same, and there is no real security until there is real reform and real change. As you can tell from reading Amnesty International or Human Rights Watch, the human rights situation in Iran — the situation of journalists, writers, political prisoners — that also remains the same.
One of the traits I noticed in Iran was this constant defection from within the system. The former revolutionaries and people who were founders of the republic themselves becoming dissidents has accelerated. So for example, the former prime minister [Mir-Hossein] Mousavi, just to give you an example which everyone knows about, and Mehdi Karroubi, our former speaker of the house, are now, they are the ones who are suffering and under house arrest. That tells a lot about this progress towards at least certain segments of civil societies.
TM: In another interview you said the U.S. foreign policy should pursue dialogue not only with the regime in Iran but also with the Iranian people. So how do you think they could do this, especially in light of the recent nuclear agreement?
AN: First of all, the Iranian people — and I am not saying that I'm a spokesperson for them — they don't really have a spokesperson abroad. That is one problem. So everyone is sort of becoming a self-appointed spokesperson for the people. So I'm not claiming to be that, but the way I see U.S. foreign policy, depending on who is in power, and usually a Democrat or Republican is in power, it sort of vacillates between just sheer belligerence and refusal for any form of dialogue, and then the pendulum goes the other way to sheer compromise with the system. What I really would have loved to see was first of all an understanding of the complexities and paradoxes of that society; and an understanding that in the long run, pragmatically, it is to the American people and American government's well being to have a more open, flexible, and democratic system in Iran and to really encourage the democratic mind of people in Iran who are now either in jail or their voices are being silenced. You can have a fruitful dialogue with the Islamic regime without forgetting about the rights of the Iranian people.
That is not imposition on another culture. Iran, like other countries that violate human rights like China, like Saudi Arabia, are also benefitting from all the advantages of being members of the United Nations. Under the United Nations, nations swear allegiance to certain universal rights, and these are the rights that Iranian people have been fighting for long before Mr. Khomeini had his revolution; it wasn't something that the shah granted so that the ayatollah can take away. It was something that people fought for and died for in the Constitutional Revolution at the beginning of the century.
What I'm trying to say is that the negotiations with Iran, which I support — there's this sort of propaganda all around it, people either being for or against it. I don't see it like that. I see that there should be negotiations, but the U.S. is negotiating from a position of strength, because Iran never comes to a table unless they feel weak, unless they feel that they are really in a bad position domestically. So while the U.S. is in a position of strength, while they are talking to the Iranian government and obviously compromising on certain issues, they should not compromise on the rights of the Iranian people. And they do. Our administration right now is not even talking about the Iranian Americans who are in jail. That is an insight into the weaknesses of the United States foreign policy, be it Republican or Democrat, and being manipulated. So that is what worries.
As a writer and a woman who believes in rights of women and personal liberty, I don't take political sides, but I do have a position on the issue of human rights. I have seen that what makes tyrants afraid is not military might. The first people who are sacrificed in these regimes are journalists and writers and poets, and actually those who teach humanities. Those are at the forefront of the struggle and are targets.
TM: I also wanted to ask about how your own experiences under the regime in Iran have then shaped the way you approach American politics and your own level of civic involvement here.
AN: Iran taught me many things. One of the first things I realized was that individual rights and human rights are not God-given gifts to the West. This is an illusion some people in this country and in other democracies have; that they have certain traits that makes them deserve freedom of choice and other freedoms. I think that everyone — and I've seen that in Iran in terms of its history and in terms of my own life experiences in that country — that people want a decent life. Nobody hates, no matter what kind of culture you come from, the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. When I talk about Iran, I don't differentiate between rights in Iran and rights in America.
The second thing that the Islamic Republic taught me was that these countries we call totalitarian or tyrannical are only distorted and extreme cases of what we could become in a democracy. What a democracy can learn from countries that are more repressive is to understand that freedom is an ordeal. Coming to the United States I find myself again talking about the ordeals that we all face and the challenges we face here. And the challenge that I am trying to face in the U.S. right now is this complacency and conformity.
The last thing is that I realize how important it is to pay attention to culture and history, and that, even if you are thinking about the military conquest, the first thing you have to do is to understand, not to judge. That is why for me fiction becomes so crucial because that is what it teaches us, to first understand and then try to judge.
TM: Thinking about America now, you talked a little in your book about how a lot of Americans have become complacent and they've given up some of their freedoms, especially since 9/11. Why do you think Americans have become complacent and allowed that to happen? Another phrase you used in your book was that safety is an illusion, and I think in giving up our freedoms we've really prioritized this illusion of safety. Why do you think Americans have done that and have let that happen?
AN: I think that when we go through periods of too much prosperity and too little thinking, it can very easily be translated into a form of smartness and conformity. Now I was away from America for 18 years, so I am only speaking about what happened in this country in those 18 years from other people's experiences or what I have read, but it seems to me that especially in the '80s and right into the '90s there was this transformation into the other side of the American Dream, which is a gross materialism. On one hand we have this mindset, on the other hand within the academia actually and among the intellectuals and policy makers we have this ideological mindset, and I think both of these mindsets, although they are very different in terms of positions they take, are very similar. Both of them are lazy. They don't want to think — I mean intellectually lazy. To think and to imagine and to genuinely follow the truth or try to understand and reveal the truth is dangerous, it has its consequences. Once you know the truth, then you have to take action. You can't remain silent. So most people would rather not know. Ideologies always do that.
I was so amazed when I returned to the United States and discovered how polarized this society has become, even in terms of the news — that you don't listen to the news from people you don't agree with. Fox News, for example, for me was a very new and strange and gradually scary phenomenon where you negate reality. There is no more news in most of our channels, from left to right. It is an imposition of your own desires and illusions and ideologies upon reality, so reality doesn't matter. And that makes it easier, because when you and I think that the world is divided into good guys and bad guys, and we're always on the side of the good guys, it is like Miss Watson in Huckleberry Finn, who believes that the world is divided into those who go to hell and those who go to heaven. And she obviously belongs to those who go to heaven, and in order to go to heaven, all you have to do is not to question, not to understand complexities, not to have curiosity, not to take risks; only see if somebody believes in your set of formulas. That is one thing that really worries me about America.
Alongside of that is this utilitarian pleasure-seeking, comfort-seeking mindset. You know, I think it is amazing, elections for us have turned into a sort of entertainment. People were a little happy watching the Democrats' recent debate because it at least talked about issues. It frightens me when we watch Donald Trump, because we either want to laugh at him or we genuinely believe in him. Americans now, it seems to be a reign of ignorance. How you could think someone could be your president who is so ignorant of your own history and culture, as well as the history and culture of the world? This is no laughing matter at some point. We see that in our universities where our students want trigger warnings; they don't want to read novels that make them uncomfortable. You keep hearing the word "uncomfortable." And then the celebrity culture, we talk about Michelle Obama and Jonathan Franzen and Beyoncé and this phenomenon called Kim Kardashian. You are dissolving people's individualities, what they really do in real life, into this generalized term. Michelle Obama is the First Lady, Franzen is a writer, Beyoncé is a singer, and Kardashian, God knows what she is. It's this greed for everything that wants to be new.
In my book, the second chapter "Babbitt," Babbitt like Henry Ford believes that history is bunk. Memory is bunk. And all they crave is new gadgets. We have all become like Babbitt, dying to know the latest Apple iPhone or iPad, staying up and queuing in front of the stores to get the new gadgets. The world is going up in flames, in churches people are killing people, our schools are no more secure and we are yet wanting to feel comfortable. I can go on forever, but that is why I said that we need to be able to reflect, to think, to take risks, and to imagine a world not just as it is, but as it should or could be. Otherwise how could you and I vote if we do not learn in schools our own history and the history of the world, our own culture and the culture of the world? How do we have the ability to think and make choices? These are questions that bother me. They are different from the questions that bothered me in Iran where my life was sometimes in danger, but I still feel that something very precious is in danger in this country.
TM: Building on that a little bit, one thing that I noticed in your book was you talked about political correctness. Some would argue that political correctness was born out of a need to redress grievances and show respect to those that have been marginalized, but in your book you point out that political correctness leads to "comfortable questions and easy, ready-made answers." What alternative would you present to political correctness? How can we still show that respect without putting everyone's ways of thought into a box?
AN: All of these matters like political correctness, like multiculturalism, came out of a desire to respect others and be curious about others. But the point is that you cannot create these things into a set of formulas, and you cannot assign people to a situation. I think that is dangerous. That is the difference between what I saw under conditions that were far more difficult; for example when we talk about or see documentaries on civil rights movements, when people were fighting for their rights very seriously, you had a conviction and despite the fact that the others or the society or the law tried to victimize you, you refused that victimized status. Nowadays someone who is wearing that status will condescendingly talk about others: "Don't hurt their sensitivities." It is not about hurting sensitivities, it is about changing mindsets. Mindsets are not changed by some thug calling women all sorts of names, or calling minorities all sorts of names, and then tomorrow coming on TV to apologize. Or by forbidding people to talk in a way or punishing them the way we are. All we are doing is not changing people's mindsets, we are making them just become silent and build resentment and then they'll come out on the attack when the time comes.
As a woman who comes from a particular place like Iran…let me just give you the examples of women in Iran. What women in Iran realized, in comparison with their own past and in comparison with what they desire, was that they were genuine victims of the regime. When you are forced to marry at the age of nine or stoned to death or are flogged, these things make you real victims; it's not somebody calling you names. But we could have done two things: either just accept that victim status or to actively resist it by not becoming like our oppressors. I think that is the greatest lesson I have learned from James Baldwin. Baldwin talks about the most dangerous thing was not those white racists but the hatred that they stimulated in him, which made him become them.
So if we are victims of race or class or gender rather than constantly complaining or forbidding people to talk about these things, we should stand up and we should act so that people know we are not victims. We refuse that status. If I refuse that status, then whatever somebody says is not going to hurt me. That is what I mean by everybody wanting to be comfortable and find solutions by forbidding, but this forbidding has no end, because you'll notice that the right is constantly bothered and sensitized about whether we will have another Christmas celebration or not or wants to ban Harry Potter or evolution from the schools; and the left might call The Great Gatsby misogynist or Huckleberry Finn racist, and want to make our job easy and kick them out. What I want to say to people is that the domain of imagination and thought is the only domain where blasphemy and profanity can exist. That is where we should be free to roam and to question and be questioned.
So my students should not only read those writers who for example were fighting against fascism, but they should also understand what Hitler was all about. That domain is the domain of free thought and freedom of the imagination, and we are limiting it by ideology.
That is what I was trying to practice in my classes. I would never begin with theory, because I didn't want my students to be intimidated or influenced by somebody who they think knows better. So first of all I would have them read the text and talk about the text and come up with their own ideas about the text. Then I would ask them to read theories that I myself hated, but I would not tell them, I would have them read theories from all sides and come to their own conclusion. I don't want my students to all take the same political positions that I do, but I want them to think and be able to defend their ideas and be able to have that intellectual courage to stand up for their principles.
TM: So if you could give a reading list of a few more works important to the Republic of Imagination, what would those books be?
AN: There are so many. First of all, I don't believe I have explained it fully in my book; the point about my book was that I ended at a specific period in time because I felt that the 1960s were a time of transition both in terms of American culture as well as politics and society, and whatever we are dealing with now, both good and bad, is partly because of what happened in the '60s and '70s.
The second thing is that I had about 24 people on the list for this book, which I reduced to what you see now. For example, I wanted to talk about Herman Melville's Bartleby; I love that guy who keeps saying, "I prefer not to." If we talk about before the '60's, Flannery O'Connor, Kurt Vonnegut, and some of the lesser known, I believe, minor masterpieces, like Nathanael West's Miss Lonely Hearts and The Day of the Locust; I think he beautifully predicts our society today. Of course I mentioned Stoner in my book, but I also love David Foster Wallace, I love Geraldine Brooks, and some of the works by Nicole Krauss. These are writers who are too close to my time and I need to digest them more in order to be able to write about them more. Of course mystery, I would love to write about Raymond Chandler and science fiction like Ray Bradbury or Philip K. Dick.
TM: Do you think you'd ever publish a list of those 24 people that you wanted to write about? Because I think you should!
AN: I'd love to! You know, one of my problems, and I mentioned it in one of my books, is that in terms of books, I'm very promiscuous. There are so many books that I want to write about. I was in Italy for my book last month and I kept thinking, "Oh my god, I want to write about so many of these books now!" I hope I will at least get a chance to write about some of them. It is so joyous to be able to share the books you love.
TM: How would you say that fiction influences and changes the future, from people's hearts to the changes we make in our societies to even the inventions we create?
AN: Well you know, I believe that fiction, telling stories, is essential to our nature as human beings. If you go back to the first stories that are Greek and Roman mythology, to the Bible to the Qur'an, until you come to epic fiction and all of that, you notice that fiction comes out of curiosity, and curiosity is the first step towards change. Both science and literature are very much dependent on this curiosity. Because to be curious means to leave yourself behind and search for something that you don't know, and enter a world like Alice and her Wonderland, enter a world that you have not visited before. And that experience, like traveling to other lands, learning other people's languages, it changes you.
You might not notice the change in a very concrete way, but it changes your perspective on the world. It expands your perspective; it washes your eyes and you look at yourself through the eyes of other people. So I feel that that is one of the greatest contributions of fiction in terms of preserving our humanity. It also gives us continuity because it is the guardian of memory, and that is why I'm so amazed when I read something that was written some years ago and it seems as if they predicted what we are now.
The last thing of course is that fiction touches the heart. It makes you connect to other people through your heart and that experience of connection through the heart is also life changing — to be able to, for a minute even, become another person and then come back to your own being.
TM: You love fiction so much; would you ever consider writing a novel? Or have you decided nonfiction is more of what you want to write?
AN: Well, you know, maybe this is my weakness or obsession that I think for me fiction is the highest form of writing. To tell you the truth, sometimes I'm very scared. I mean, I write for myself; I have loads of pages and now computer files of all these things that I have written, but that is one part of it. The other part of it is that I was fascinated — since I wrote my first book in Iran — by these intersections between fiction and reality and how reality turns into fiction and vice versa, how they change one another. And I think for as long as I have that obsession, it will be difficult to make the leap. I don't want to write fiction which is really just disguised biography. So I hope one day I will reach that stage before I die. Maybe I'll write my last book as a novel and then die. I want nothing, nothing else in the world.
Literature Isn't a Religion, It's a Country: On Azar Nafisi's 'The Republic of Imagination: America in Three Books'
Literature –– no, the world –– needs more people like Azar Nafisi. A strident proponent of fiction, Nafisi has done much more than simply write about literature and its vital role in our lives, she's taught it –– in America, England, Iran, and in lecture halls all over the world, in which she advocates for literature as an antidote to ideology. In her bestselling Reading Lolita in Tehran, she tells how she quit the university where she was teaching because of the potential intrusion of the totalitarian government. Then, she invited her students into her home, which one could be tempted to describe as Nafisi putting her money where her mouth is, if the mention of money in such a context weren't so gratuitously irrelevant.
In that book, Nafisi brought the power of American fiction into the world of Iran. In her latest book, The Republic of Imagination: America in Three Books, she brings lessons from Iran to America. In Tehran, her students valued the freedom to read in a profound and immediate way, since such activities were often forbidden, especially for women. In America, reading isn't cherished in the same way; it's old hat to us. Or, at least, so said an Iranian man named Ramin who came to one of Nafisi's readings in Seattle. "It's useless," he tells her, "your talk about books. These people are different from us –– they're from another world. They don't care about books and such things. It's not like Iran, where we were crazy enough to Xerox hundreds of pages of Madame Bovary and A Farewell to Arms."
Is he right? Nafisi doesn't think so, but her resulting project doesn't end up explaining why Ramin isn't right so much as passionately explain why he shouldn't be right. Having become an American citizen in 2008, Nafisi has a real stake in the answer to Ramin's question, and so much to contribute to a possible answer. Her book, then, tries valiantly, if not always successfully, to cover a lot of ground. In these pages we find discussions of the three books of the subtitle –– Huck Finn, Babbitt, and The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter, but also many others, including a long epilogue focused on James Baldwin and J.D. Salinger –– as well as the founding fathers, conservatives, Common Core, the Iranian Revolution in 1979, her long-time friend Farrah, college friends Mike and Joanna, and numerous other personal anecdotes of life in America and Iran. It's a testament to Nafisi's considerable skill that she's able to wrangle all this into a mostly cohesive unit. But wholeness actually seems a little beside the point, here, since what makes The Republic of Imagination so wonderful is Nafisi's irrepressible conviction in the power of fiction to show us who we are.
But it's more than that, too. Underneath her literary analysis and her personal reflections, Nafisi's book carries an implicit argument about American values. For her, an American not by birth but by choice, the country she loves was both formed and created by its literature, the myths that both reflect us and instruct us. That's where we belong, she says. And that's what we should look to for guidance and difficult truths. Instead, she sees an America steeped in religiosity and jingoism. She quotes Mark Twain, "Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it." In other words, a true republic must be malleable, open to constant scrutiny and endless revision, and we as citizens must reciprocate by criticizing in the hopes of change and making the necessary changes in ourselves as well. Religion and fervent, uncritical patriotism simplify things. Or, as Nafisi puts it:
Ideology eliminates paradox and seeks to destroy contradiction and ambiguity. While it is generally ruthless to outsiders, it can be consoling when you are in the group that always wears the white hat no matter what.
In her long chapter on Huck Finn, Nafisi celebrates Huck's "subversive character" and how Jim "questions the system of beliefs sanctioned by religious and social authorities." (She even valiantly defends the book's notoriously unsatisfying ending, or, as George Saunders put it, "The ending, oh my god, the ending.") In Sinclair Lewis's Babbitt, Nafisi sees the "iconically American" character of "lonely, dissatisfied career men, family men yearning to escape the seemingly desirable entrapments of their mundane lives." The "standardized" Babbitt, in his desire to please, to be liked, to be successful, is contrasted with the figures in Carson McCullers's The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter, who are "solitary misfits who cannot create a bond." They represent "a new kind of urban loneliness that will cast a long shadow over American fiction." Huck and the characters of McCullers's first novel stand on one side of American values, Babbitt on the other. Nafisi asks, "What if we let Babbitt win?"
Letting Babbitt win amounts to succumbing to ideology, to allowing the comforting sway of conformism, of strict allegiance, to win out over critical individualism. Literature, with all its complexity and nuance, its ambiguities and contradictions, is not a replacement for these ideas but rather an antidote to them. Literature is not an ideology; it is not a religion. It is something grander, more human and humane. For literature asks nothing of you. It doesn't tell you how to live or who to love. It doesn't tell you that you aren't good enough or that you were born wrong. It doesn't promise punishment for lack of adherence, and it doesn't condemn those who don't follow it. And the best part? Literature acknowledges its fiction, its artifice, its ultimate inability to express the capital-T Truth. Literature only promises an attempt, over and over from endless artists, to see the world as their author sees it, to add if only one speck of useful insight, of meaningful observation, to the great tradition of the written word. Literature doesn't just invite criticism and contribution, it demands it –– the basis of literature is a kind of call and response. Each new author is in some way responding to all who came before them, before they even write one word. Ideally, literature is complete freedom, and as such it's a messy world –– cheaters and philanderers run rampant as evil characters get away with evil deeds and good people's values are compromised and deep-seated values are not only questioned but irreverently tossed out the window. If you're looking for an easy road map to human ethics, literature ain't the place for you. But this is Nafisi's point. We shouldn't look for the easy instructions, for unambiguous demands; we need to challenge every belief we have, to test them, strengthen them, or replace them if need be.
Growing up in Ohio, religion was a normal part of everyday life. As an atheist from a young age, I clung to literature for its confrontational attitude toward accepted values, but I always disagreed when people would say to me, "Well, books are your religion." Because literature is not a synonym for religion; it's not a replacement. It's another territory altogether. In fact, it is as Nafisi describes it, a country. "So much of who we are," she writes, "no matter where we live, depends on how we imagine ourselves to be." She goes on to say:
Stories endure –– they have been with us since the dawn of history –– but they need to be refreshed and retold in every generation through the eyes and experiences of new readers sharing a common space that knows no boundaries of politics or religion, ethnicity or gender –– a Republic of Imagination, that most democratic republic of all.
And like a true republic, citizenship here requires work and thought and an open mind, because literature isn't easy –– it can still offend, provoke, or cause controversy. Even then, we must engage and not simplistically condemn. As Philip Pullman once put it when I saw him speak at the Sheldonian Theatre at Oxford University, in response to a question about the "offensive" title of his book The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ:
Yes, it was shocking thing to say, and I knew it was a shocking thing to say. Uh, but no one has the right to live without being shocked. No one has the right to spend their life without being offended. Nobody has to read this book. Nobody has to pick it up. Nobody has to open it. And if they open it and read it they don't have to like it. And if you read it and dislike it you don't have to remain silent about it. You can write to me. You can complain about it. You can write to the publisher. You can write to the papers. You can write your own book. You can do all those things, but there your rights stop. No one has the right to stop me writing this book. No one has the right to stop it being published or sold or bought or read. And that's all I have to say on that subject.
Literature always gives you choices –– to act, to respond, to criticize, to protest –– and, more than that, it actually thrives on this process. Whereas ideology, religion, and jingoism flourish in rigidity, in adherence. As Salman Rushdie put it in The Satanic Verses, "unbendingess can also be monomania, he wanted to say, it can be tyranny, and also it can be brittle, whereas what is flexible can also be humane, and strong enough to last."
I'm deeply appreciative of Azar Nafisi and her project of promoting fiction throughout the world. But more I'm grateful for her Republic of Imagination. My whole life I've been a citizen of a complex moral landscape, a rich world created by some of the greatest minds humanity has had to offer, peopled by every type of person from every type of culture –– I've always lived here, but now, thanks to Nafisi, I have a name for my adopted home.
Laugh, and The Book Club Laughs With You
At Book Club, I'm a spy. I'm the only writer in this group of a dozen women. The others are scientists, doctors, social workers, winemakers. I've enjoyed the company of these smart, opinionated women immensely for nearly ten years, but I'd be lying if I said the camaraderie (and the pinot and the cheese) were the only reasons I participate. You see, my membership in the group gives me a real window into the reading habits of the very audience I'm trying to capture with my own fiction, a way to conduct a living room focus group, if you will, without anyone being the wiser. I can report that, over a decade, the tastes of the group have changed dramatically, in a way that doesn't necessarily bode well for my own emerging career.
At Book Club, I'm also the secretary. One of my annual jobs is to compile a list of recommendations for the coming year. Every member offers a couple suggestions — title, author, and a one paragraph description typically cut and pasted from Amazon. Before sending out the list, I read through it closely, excited about all the interesting possibilities. And yet, my mind gets stuck on particular phrases in the descriptions that I know, from years of experience, will likely push the book out of contention.
I'm in the heads of these ladies, imagining the silent demerits they will offer to words like "heartbreaking," (too sad), "epic" (too long), "thought-provoking" (meh, could go either way). Any book that features the loss of a child is out, no debate. Spousal abuse, cruelty to animals, anything hinting at a conservative world-view (unless it's written by someone who abandoned that world-view), nope, nope, and nope.
It wasn't always this way. Ten years ago, most of us were just reaching our thirties. We'd yet to have children. We were career-focused, new transplants to our little town (brought here through our or our spouses' jobs at the local college), and we were eager for friendship and mind-stimulation. We used to read at least a dozen books a year for the club. We read literary best-sellers by Jhumpa Lahiri and Zadie Smith. We read classics, such as the collected stories of Charlotte Perkins Gilman. We read topical nonfiction, such as Azar Nafisi's Reading Lolita in Tehran. We had a night solely devoted to poems we loved. We read cookbooks. Once, just after Obama won his first election, we kicked off a meeting with a reading of Goodnight Bush, a parody of the classic Goodnight Moon we'd all soon enough be reading to our own children.
I vividly remember a meeting, about six years ago, when half of our small group was pregnant, myself included. We were propped uncomfortably on couches and chairs, using pillows strategically. Those who weren't pregnant had left their infants or toddlers home with spouses. One nursed her newborn while we discussed my top pick for that year, Lorrie Moore's bestselling story collection, Birds of America. I was the discussion leader, another relic that's been lost.
Recommending this book was perhaps a mistake, not because I didn't love it, but because I loved it too much, to the point of challenging anyone in the room to a knife fight lest they claim Moore was anything less than the greatest living writer. The trouble started when, one by one, members admitted they could not read the book's show-stopper, "People Like That Are The Only People Here," a gut-wrenching story, yet full of Moore's characteristic wit and humor, despite, or perhaps because of, the fact that the setting is a pediatric cancer ward.
"Does this kid die?" someone asked. A roomful of frightened eyes asked me the same question. My arms were crossed over my expanding belly. I knew that Moore's story, though billed as fiction, was largely autobiographical. I knew, from some interview or another, that Moore's son was alive and well. I urged people to go back to the story, said they'd be glad they did, but I'm not sure that anyone did so.
A similar thing happened when we picked Emma Donaghue's Room. Thankfully, during the meeting to pick that year's books, someone was there who had already read Room and could assure everyone that the boy and his mother do escape from their captor and survive. Without that member's impassioned plea, it would not have been chosen, despite its stellar reviews. I worry about what our picks say about us, myself included. Although I might read more widely due to my profession as a writer, I, too, have found myself on many nights, once the children are finally asleep, the dishes washed, reaching for a decorating magazine by the side of my bed rather than the stack of National Book Award nominees. As I'm currently battling insomnia, my doctor warned me against reading anything too "heavy" right before sleep. And so, the books must wait until I have a swath of time during the day when I can absorb myself in something more challenging. But with two young children, that just isn't going to happen.
Is that a lame excuse? Have I, and our other club members, become lazy? Complacent? Has motherhood made us incapable of putting literary tragedy in its proper perspective? Or are we just…tired? Are we victims of the mentality that says we must do it all or die trying? (Books on this topic will almost always get the nod.) Is it so wrong to simply want to zone out with a magazine, or a Will Ferrell movie, instead of the latest Oscar nominee for Best Picture?
This year, we will pick only five books. It was a decision made last year when the club was on life support. Attendance had dwindled to nothing, and something had to be done. We threw all the former rules aside. Can't make most of the meetings? That's okay! Come whenever! Come to the meeting, even if you haven't read the book! Bring a friend, who also hasn't read the book! We now have two purely social meetings each year, one a potluck that includes our families. The other five meetings feature discussion of a brief magazine article of interest to the group, usually something from The New Yorker or The Atlantic, which can be read over lunch the day of the meeting.
Though membership has changed, the Book Club has been with me since I started writing my debut novel five years ago. I'm finally done and showing it to agents, but will I show it to club members? I'm not so sure I can just yet. I worry about their reaction. Though there is humor and lightheartedness scattered throughout, my book is about serious themes, a controversial mix of religion and politics and science, all the things one is not supposed to talk about in polite company. If I anonymously offered a description of it in the list of recommendations, would it get chosen? I'm afraid I know the answer to that question, and it makes my eye start to twitch.
In any case, we've gravitated from novels to mostly non-fiction, titles that impact our lives directly, such as books examining child-rearing, work/life balance, or books that show us the science of our decision making. If they're going to take the time to read them, members want books they can use. I read the list of recommendations again before sending it to the group. "Hilarious," (check) "Unputdownable," (this is a word now? check) "Eye-opening" (could go either way). I look over the books I'd personally like to read, even when they inevitably don't get chosen. These are books that might make me sad, but that I think ultimately will give me an understanding of what it means to be human. These books will be my non-required reading, should I be ambitious enough at the end of a long day to put down the decorating magazines.
And so the voting begins. I feel bad for the excellent authors who won't make our list. Laugh, I want to tell them, and the Book Club laughs with you. Cry, and you cry alone.
Image: Sean M. Freese/Flickr


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A sense of fear has crept in among the people of Gakidling Gewog in the wake of the recent abduction cases in Sarpang. Every evening, as dusk creeps in, they start to move to other villages nearby to spend the night. They return to Gakidling the next day to begin their daily work.
Chador, 65, who was the real target of the abduction, said he does not feel safe anymore, not even at his home. "I cannot continue to live like this," he said.
To assure people their safety, the Deputy Chief of Bodoland Territory Council, Khampa Borgoyari visited the gewog yesterday.
Chador appealed to the Deputy Chief to arrest the criminals and ensure them security. "Otherwise we cannot stay in this place, we are scared," he said.
The Deputy Chief asked the villagers not to leave their village. "Whatever has been done by the people of our territory, we will take legal actions against them."
Asked if the ransom paid by the victims will be refunded, Kampa Borgoyari said, they have not discussed the matter. "But we will look into it."
Meanwhile, five people have been arrested in connection with the abduction of Dorjila. Of the arrested, three are of Indian origin. They will be charged in Bhutan's court of law.

subset: commoncrawl


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RECALL NOTICE: Some vehicles may be subject to manufacturer safety recalls that for various reasons may not be repaired prior to sale. You may also check for open recalls at www.safercar.gov
We make every effort to provide accurate information, but please verify options and price before purchasing. All vehicles are subject to prior sale. All financing is subject to approved credit. All prices exclude tax, tags, title, registration, electronic filing fee and processing fee of $500.
Prices include all applicable rebates and incentives. Additional rebates and incentives may apply to those who qualify. Pricing may not be compatible with special factory financing. Prices are valid based on manufacturer incentive program time periods, which vary. MSRP is the Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) only and actual dealer pricing may vary.
Due to availability, some images and options shown may be stock images or examples and may not reflect exact vehicle color, trim, options, or other specifications.
Consult dealer for more information and details.
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Pre-Owned Volvo Models
Are you interested in purchasing a used Volvo model? If yes, you're in the right place! Pre-owned Volvo vehicles provide drivers with a careful mix of legendary reliability and modern versatility. If you're looking for a vehicle that's equal parts luxury and functionality, a used Volvo car is an excellent vehicle to consider! From a used Volvo XC40 to a used XC60, XC90, V90, S60, and S90; our selection of used Volvo models is hard to beat! Our inventory of used vehicles is constantly changing, offering Catonsville drivers a unique selection of used models to consider. Whether you know the exact model year and model you'd like to purchase or you're still deciding, drivers can look to our pre-owned inventory of used models with confidence!
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First off, used vehicles have already taken their largest depreciation hit, helping to ensure that if purchased, your vehicle will retain its value better than a brand-new vehicle! Plus, pre-owned vehicles can allow drivers to get more premium features at a low price (compared to a brand-new version of the same vehicle)! Pre-owned vehicles offer Baltimore drivers an excellent alternative to a brand-new vehicle!
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Check out our latest inventory of used vehicles from the comfort of your White Marsh home and then schedule a test drive! Whether you're in the market for used SUV, sedan, wagon, van, or truck; drivers can look to Volvo Cars White Marsh with confidence!


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Gru, his adorable girls, and the mischievous Minions are back with a cast of unforgettable new characters in the blockbuster sequel to the worldwide phenomenon. Just as Gru has given up being super-bad to be a super-dad, the Anti-Villain League recruits him to track down a new criminal mastermind and save the world. Partnered with secret agent Lucy Wilde, Gru, along with the wildly unpredictable Minions, must figure out how to keep his cover while also keeping up with his duties as a father. Assemble the Minions for laugh-out-loud comedy in "one of the funniest, most enjoyable movies ever!" (MovieGuide)Universal Despicable Me 2
Der Immoblienmakler für Heidelberg Mannheim und Karlsruhe
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I woke up in the hospital emergency ward. The intern came over and asked me if I knew what happen to bring me to the hospital. I explained, "Well, I was playing golf with my wife. I had been having a great game but unfortunately she was not.
On the 15th tee I hit a beautiful shot, 270 yards straight down the fairway. My wife steps up and hits a tremendous slice that leaves the course and lands in the pasture out of bounds.
We both went looking for the ball. Just as we were about to give up I spotted a glint of white coming from a cow's behind, just under its tail. I lifted the tail to make sure. Then I called to my wife saying, "Here, honey, this looks like yours."
"That was the last thing I remember."
Eufaulasrguy : foot in mouth, voted
barber7796 : good one. Voted


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Marlington Gas/Oil Tech students make presentation to Gov. Kasich
STARK CO. — Juniors and seniors at Marlington High School, in Stark County, recently gave a presentation in Columbus to state legislators about the Gas & Oil Technology course they are participating in at their school. The students said the lawmakers were very interested in the course and Ohio Governor John Kasich "made a beeline" over to them afterward so he could discuss the program with them in more detail. Kasich was interested in finding out what each of the students plan to do in the gas and oil industry, what they are learning in the course and how many girls are taking the class.
The students who traveled with the class instructor, Bob Givens, to give a presentation were Anthony Kirby, Darrian Nelson, Curtis McDaniel, T.J. Mathes, and Lindsay Sinkovich. They represented the school and the course as part of the Ohio Association of Career Technology Education Showcase for legislators. Givens reported while there, they rattled some cages with the fact that $2.2 billion has been paid to Ohio residents by gas and oil companies who are leasing land for drilling and none of that money is being transferred into education for students on the industry.
"That's a lot of extra money in income tax the state has received, and none of that money has gone back into education yet," said Givens. "The state needs to put some money into creating more programs like ours and to support the schools who are providing the education."
Thus far, the students at Marlington have learned how to operate and maintain some of the heavy equipment used in the industry, they have received an overview of the hydraulic fracturing process, and have been instructed by Givens as to what jobs are available in the field. Givens has also brought in a large number of speakers that are professionals in the industry to explain different parts of the process, including pipe welding skills needed in the industry, job opportunities in pad construction and in environmental areas of business, drilling operations, tool pushing, and the students have visited actual drilling sites.
Guest speakers Givens has brought into the class have represented EnerVest, regarding leasing of the land; SML Contracting Inc., equipment operation and pipe welding needed in the industry; Chesapeake Energy, jobs in pad construction and environmental areas; Whipstock Natural Gas Services LLC, drilling operations, tool pushing, well core samples, and equipment operations; Black Bear Energy, well services jobs and safety practices; Precision Laser & Instrument Inc., surveying; Stark State College, job interviewing and job applications; and Ohio National Guard, truck driving positions and heavy equipment training, among others. Scheduled yet to talk to students this school year are Wilbros Construction LLC, pipeline construction; Holmes Consulting LLC, the fracturing process; and Sweet Meadows Farm Drainage Services, seismic mapping to find oil and gas pockets under the ground.


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Qt3 Games Podcast: Sea Salt, Slay the Spire, Disco Elysium
Tom Chick talks about a movie called The Boat, Bruce Geryk talks about the short stories of Flannery O'Connor, and Jason McMaster talks about how to find illegal drugs. We also talk about some videogames we've been playing.
Sea Salt at 2:54, Slay the Spire at 22:43, and Disco Elysium at 42:42.
Podcast (games): Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: RSS


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Short or long, fade or textured, part or no part, here men will find all those best hairstyles in 2020 to light their images up.read more >>
Long hair is not only for ladies. Handsome long hairstyles for men are numerous. If men with long hair choose the right hairstyle, they will win more admiring glances! Check out to opt for the best hairstyle for yourself.read more >>
There are many hairstyles and haircuts that are proving to be very popular and stylish for men in 2020. Check them out and get inspired now.read more >>
Take a look at the most popular boys' haircuts to get in 2020. No matter what style your boy might prefer, get inspired by the coolest hair ideas for boys around today.read more >>
Fade haircuts can always give a fresh and clean look, especially for black men. Still looking for the right fade haircut for yourself? View the gallery below to pick the right fade haircut for yourself. Get inspired!read more >>
Hair loss is a big challenge some men are facing with now. While scientific treatment needs time to take effect, the best hairstyles for balding men can rebuild your confidence immediately.read more >>
Short haircuts for men come in subtly different varieties and it's certainly tough for a guy to decide which one to try. So, to help, we've compiled 20 of the best men's short hairstyles for you. Be inspired!read more >>
Black men have an incredible choice when it comes to styling their hair, including fades, afros, short waves, and line ups and so on. Explore the coolest black men's haircuts and hairstyles to freshen up your look.read more >>
The crew cut is one of the most popular short haircuts for men. The cut comes in so many different styles though, that finding the one that best suits you can really be a challenge. Luckily, here are 21 of the most awesome men's crew cuts to inspire you.read more >>
To help you rock a stylish look, we recommend 20 of the most popular low fade haircuts. These versatile and easy-to-style looks will surely win your heart.read more >>
If you're curious about trying a taper haircut but still not sure whether this cut is right for you, then you need to take a look at some of the hottest tapered styles. Get inspired now!read more >>
Choose Your Hairstyle


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If the progressives and socialists retake the House and Senate in this November's midterm elections, it will be a major setback for:
- Religious liberty
- Economic growth
- Entrepreneurship and job expansion
- Tax reform
- Education reform … and more
But they don't have to win … they can be defeated…
A major requirement in successfully combatting any adversary is to know the characteristics of the adversary and the tactics it uses. Here are 7 tactics the progressives are using to give their candidates the best chance of winning in November:
- Implement a very powerful formula to increase voter turnout … one that's been proven to succeed.
First, they are organized and purposeful in registering new voters.
Across America, progressive groups are creating voter registration drives targeting people who have signed petitions … and people who have expressed anger about any Trump administration policy.
Second, they devise a campaign to
- Register the non-registered voters
- Ensure that all voters get to their polling place and vote
For example … billionaire Tom Steyer and his organization NextGen America/Need to Impeach has generated 5.5 million signatures of people who want to see President Trump impeached.
The information on these petition signers has been compared with voter registration files…
They've identified those not registered to vote … plus 697,780 "infrequent voters" in the 63 most competitive House districts.
They're using the formula I teach in my Marketing Bootcamp…
Money + Data Collection + Digital Targeted Marketing/Direct Mail + Get-Out-the-Vote (GOTV) = Victory
The progressive organizations have been purposefully collecting data:
- They've gone door-to-door in some neighborhoods
- They've contacted people on the phone
- They've collected data from petition signers
- They've collected data from people at rallies
Then they find out who isn't registered to vote … or is an infrequent voter…
And they make sure everyone is registered to vote … and does vote on election day.
This spells Victory … and creates what they hope will be a "blue wave."
The progressives are doing these things NOW … not the conservatives.
- Campaign early.
The progressives understand that about 70% of all voting is done by mail.
This means campaigning has already begun…
The progressives are out in full force with organized, purposeful marketing for the vote by mail.
If a candidate hasn't already begun implementing this tactic, that candidate isn't going to win in November.
- Use Data profiling.
The progressives are dividing each targeted race in two ways:
- A) Voter Propensity
- Friendly: those who will vote for their candidate
- Persuadable: those who could vote either way
- Opposition: those who oppose their agenda
The goal is to first target the friendly to make sure they have a high voter turnout.
Second, target the persuadable or swing voters to join their side.
Third, target the opposition to destroy them by suppressing their votes.
- B) Issue Data
Here, the progressives break down the three voter propensity categories and use whatever the #1 issue is for the voter – abortion, jobs, education, healthcare, etc. – and micro-target the audience by issue.
- Gather an army of door-to-door and phone volunteers right before the November 6 election day in a strategic, unified effort to influence the vote.
The progressive organization Swing Left is combining with 22 other ideological organizations in a massive effort to get out the vote.
The effort is being called a campaign "unprecedented in its scope and scale."
Some of the organizations coming together for this campaign are:
- Organizing for Action – one of Obama's and the Deep State's most powerful tools for resisting President Trump and his agenda)
- MoveOn
- Indivisible
- The Latino Victory Fund
- …and more
The goal isn't just massive voter registration…
It's a massive and historic effort to get voters to actually vote.
This effort – if successful – could bring millions more to the polls than normal for a midterm election … and could help the progressives regain control of the House and Senate … and our nation.
- Make a final push in the most critical period before the election – "The Last Weekend."
"The Last Weekend" is the name of the 4-day period from the Saturday before the election to the election itself.
Voters are deciding during these 4 days who they will vote for … and if they will actually vote.
It's the key target period for progressive organizations…
This 4-day period could change the course of the election…
Progressive organizations are recruiting both veteran activists and newcomers to influence key federal, state and local races in which the vote could swing either way.
This army of volunteers has already committed more than a million hours for "The Last Weekend."
They will be making millions of phone calls … canvassing door-to-door … and hosting events to influence people to vote for Democratic candidates.
- Make it easy to sign up to volunteer through website signup and texting.
One powerful way that "The Last Weekend" is growing its army of volunteers is by making it easy to sign up:
- By going to thelastweekend.org
- By texting WEEKEND to 50409
- Use celebrities to promote a progressive, anti-Trump message.
"The Last Weekend" is being promoted in a video with Jane Fonda, Rashida Jones and Lily Tomlin calling on voters to take action to promote progressive values.
Fonda asks, "Do you care about gun control? Women's health? Income inequality?"… strategically highlighting progressive issues.
Watch the video here (2 ½ minutes):
Organizations like Swing Left and Organizing for Action use brilliant marketing techniques and tactics to promote their values and political agenda.
If they are successful in the midterm elections, their efforts could result in a dangerous shift to the left in federal policies and legislation.
What do you think? Write me at email@example.com


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Posts Tagged 'TechCrunch'
Nominations open for The Crunchies 2008
November 25, 2008 4 comments
SmugMug wins Best Design at The Crunchies 2007 by Luca Filigheddu Photography
I loved the idea behind The Crunchies even before we won for Best Design last year so I'm glad to see their triumphant return. And I see that nominations are open for 2008!
It looks like we're probably eligible for a number of categories, but even if you don't think we're worthy, please go nominate your favorite startups. It really means a lot to the teams that work on these companies. Nothing like a little validation for all of our hard work… 🙂
Categories: business, web 2.0 awards, entrepreneurs, nominations, startups, TechCrunch, The Crunchies, voting


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<Lesson 14> [Contents] <Lesson 16>
In this lesson, we shall learn about the concept of events in JavaScript. What is an event? Any action that triggers the execution of JavaScript program code is called an event. Events are usually triggered by the web users. For example, clicking the mouse is an event, dragging the mouse over a hyperlink is also an event. There are three categories of events in JavaScript, namely events associated with forms, events associated with links and events associated with windows. In this lesson, we shall only discuss the onClick event.
15.1 Events For forms
|Occurs when the user clicks a mouse button, checkbox, radio button, submit button or reset button
|Occurs when the user clicks the mouse button or uses the tab to bring attention to certain form elements such as a text box.
|Occurs when the user selects text by dragging the mouse across a certain part of the text.
|Occurs when the user removes the focus from a currently in-focus form element.
|Occurs when the users alter the input into form elements, such as a text box.
|Occurs when the users click the Submit button of a form.
View more events
15.2 Writing Scripts for the Events
We need to write JavaScript code for an event so that the triggered event can do something. Here, we are showing you how to write code for the onClick event. In Example 15.1, we present two form elements to the users, one of them is the textbox and the other one is the Click button. We also wrote a function checktext(form) to process the text entered by the users. If the user does not enter anything, he or she will be presented with a pop-up alert dialog to remind he or she the textbox is empty. Otherwise, the web page will show the text entered by the user.
Example 15.1: Writing script for an onClick event
  <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=windows-1252"> <title>New Page 1</title>    <Form> <input size="50"> <Input VALUE="Click Here" onClick="checktext(this.form)"> </form>
Please click on Example 15.1 to test the output
15.2: Another example of an onclick event
Here is another example of onClick event. In this example, we created a combo box using the SELECT and the OPTION elements of the form. We have also created a loadHtml function to let the user select the item and load the web page indicated in the combo box by clicking the button. The code is follow:
Example 15.2
  <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=windows-1252"> <title>Example 15.2: Another OnCick event for JavaScript</title>
  <Form ACTION="" METHOD="GET"> <SELECT size="4"> <OPTION>Art and Drawing <OPTION>Astronomy <OPTION>Best Sellers <OPTION>Business & Investment <OPTION>Children Books <OPTION selected>Computer & Internet <OPTION>Health & Fitness <OPTION>Mystery <OPTION>Horror & Thriller <OPTION>Non Fiction <OPTION>Romance <OPTION>Science & Nature <OPTION>Science Fiction <OPTION>Self Improvement <OPTION>Sports & Games <OPTION>Travel <OPTION>Young Readers' Corner <OPTION>Music </SELECT>

<INPUT value="Select a category and Click here" onClick="loadHtml(this.form)"> </FORM>
Click on Example 15.2 to view the output.


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While Waar's commercial success in 2013 breathed a new life into Pakistan's forever reviving-yet-straggling film industry, the reality is that the business of films is still nowhere near the point where we can call it a full-fledged industry. With only a few Pakistani films being released every year, cinemas are still heavily dependent on showing movies from Hollywood and Bollywood.
I had first heard of Operation O21 (abbreviated to 021 and previously titled The Extortionist) last year, when I saw its trailer first came out. Then, like most projects in Pakistan, there was no fresh news about the film and I forgot about it until recently.
The film has been produced by Zeba Bakhtiar, Azaan Sami Khan and Jami Mahmood. It's has been directed by Jami and written by the trio of Jami, Joe Towne and Summer Nicks. It has a star-studded cast which includes the likes of Shaan Shahid, Aaminah Sheikh, Ayub Khoso, Hameed Sheikh, Tatmain-ul-Qulb, Ayaz Samoo, Gohar Rasheed, Bilal Ashraf, Wendy Haines, Joe Towne, James Hallet, Abdullah Ghaznavi, Shamoon Abbasi and Daniyal Raheal.
The film focuses on a man from war-torn Afghanistan who wants to save his country from another few decades of corporate warfare. To his aid comes Kashif Siddiqui, his Pakistani ally, and they work on executing a plan that endangers their lives and those close to them. And they're running out of time!
"The film O21 started off as a cold and serious spy thriller," informs Jami. After Waar's release, however, "We started thinking on a parallel thought process, and decided to rewrite the film. In the end, 60pc of the film has been reshot. It is now a smart action film on corporate espionage with Afghanistan and Pakistan in the backdrop." He likens it to movies like Syriana that are "true to their origins."
According to Azaan, the idea started with Summer Nicks "and just grew." Summer, however, had to leave Pakistan due to visa issues and that's when Jami had to take on the role of the director as well. "Summer is still extremely involved and will be in Pakistan for the premiere," reassures Azaan.
Shooting for O21 started in the first quarter of 2013 and was completed in the first quarter of 2014, over a course of 61 days, divided into three phases. The film has been shot in parts of Balochistan, Karachi, Lahore and the Afghan border.
"I remember the extreme cold while we were shooting in Balochistan and Lahore," reminisces Shaan. "Shooting in the small and remote areas of Karachi was fun, because I got to meet some of the most amazing people during that time."
"We were shooting at this dingy internet café in Saddar. Shaan found a corner and went off to sleep while the scene was being prepared," Azaan added.
According to Jami, while Shaan is the star of the film, it is the performances by Ayub Khoso, Joe Towne and Wendy Haines that the audiences will be bowled over by. The latter two are credited with having performed numerous small but prominent roles in both Hollywood and American television.
How is O21 different from Waar?
"The echoes of Waar's success haven't died," exclaims Shaan. However, coming to O21, he adds, "It's a new genre for Pakistani filmmaking. While Waar was a visual action film, O21 is a brainy, thinking movie. It falls under the genre of experimental cinema and will appeal to a multi-ethnic audience."
Although Shaan is extremely confident that audiences will love O21, he added that it is the responsibility of every Pakistani to support the film industry by watching the movie since "our films are telling our story!"
The film uses multilingual dialogues, incorporating Urdu, English, Pashto and Darri. The soundtrack is by Mexican artiste Alfonso González Aguilar. It is slated for a release on Independence Day with the producers hoping to release it in various international markets.
The film focuses on a man from war-torn Afghanistan who wants to save his country from another few decades of corporate warfare. To his aid comes Kashif Siddiqui, his Pakistani ally, and they work on executing a plan that endangers their lives and those close to them


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Garbage pick up is every Thursday. You may place your garbage out after 6 pm on Wednesday evening.
Recycle pick up is every other Thursday. Recycling cans must be clearly marked as recycle. The Borough Office has recycle stickers, free of charge.
Residents are allowed a maximum of 6 bags and 1 large (bulk) item per pick up. Cans (garbage and recycle) are responsibility of the homeowner or landlord to purchase.
Garbage Holiday Schedule
During a holiday week (Monday through Saturday) your trash and recycle services will be delayed by one day. Wilson Borough regular pick up day is Thursday, these holiday's will push trash pick up to Friday:
- New Years Day
- Memorial Day
- Independence Day
- Labor Day
- Thanksgiving Day
- Christmas Day
Sewer/Garbage Payments
Wilson Borough Sewer and Garbage Bills are sent to residents quarterly; March, June, September and December each year. The bills are due at the end of the month they were mailed.
- March bill is for the months of August, September and October of the preceding year
- June bill if for the months of November, December of the preceding year and January of the current year.
- September bill is for the months of February, March and April of the current year.
- December bill is for the months of May, June and July of the current year
A resident has several ways to pay their Sewer/Garbage bills.
- Visit the Borough Business Office at 2040 Hay Terrace Monday through Friday 8:00 am to 4:30 pm
- Drop box, after business office hours there is a drop box located to the right of the front door that you may drop your payment in.
- Online Bill Pay, should you choose to use your financial institutions online bill pay please be aware we DO NOT receive the payments electronically (EFT). A paper check is printed and mailed to the Borough Office. This process can take anywhere from 7 to 10 business days. Please be aware when mailing a check the Borough has 90 to 180 days to cash the check.
- Now you may pay your Sewer/Garbage Bill and Wilson Borough Real Estate Property Tax on line with a Credit Card or Electronic Check. You may only pay this way if you are CURRENT on your Sewer/Garbage bills. If we receive payments for an account that is in Shut-Off status, the payment will be returned.
Click the button below to enter the Official Payment web site and follow instructions below:
- Click the "Local Payment" box
- Choose State
- Choose Wilson Borough in the "Entity "box.
- Click on the Payment Type (Chose Sewer/Garbage)
- Click Make a Payment and follow the instructions for each page.
It should be noted that there is a fee for this type of payment. To determine the credit card payment fee click on the Fee Calculator link and follow the instructions.


text: Politics / liberals High Price of Unions Might Rip Apart Liberalism Democrats must face a tough financial truth By John Johnson, Newser Staff Posted Jul 22, 2010 1:26 PM CDT Copied In this June 25 file photo, members of the California Nurses Association announce a rally. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma, file) (Newser) – Daniel Henninger thinks 2010 will go down in history as the year that marked "the splitting apart of American liberalism's assumptions about the purpose of government." With so many states and cities in financial trouble, liberals have to "come to grips with a tough truth: The demands of public-sector unions and the legal obligations to pay their pensions are collapsing the ability to perform what's left of the traditional liberal agenda," he writes in the Wall Street Journal. This is playing out in Congress with David Obey's threat to transfer $10 billion to school districts so teachers won't be laid off. Problem is, the money would come from reform programs such as Race to the Top. "President Obama has threatened a veto," he writes. "Keep an eye on it. If this Democratic president stops that Democratic congressman from knee-capping school reform to protect unionized teachers from the world the rest of us live in, you can mark down August 2010 as a first step back from the crack-up." (Read more liberals stories.)


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The American environmental movement was founded on racism, Barry Yeoman points out in Audubon Magazine (September/October 2011). Wealthy conservationists credited themselves with discovering pristine wilderness areas, then promptly evacuated Native Americans and "preserved" the land for sportsmen. John Muir himself said Yosemite Valley's Mono Indians were "hideous" and lacked any "right place in the landscape." Things have come a long way since the 1800s, but environmental groups still struggle to diversify their mostly white organizations.
A 2009 survey conducted by the Democratic Fairbank, Maslin, Maullin & Associates and the Republican Public Opinion Strategies shows that 61 percent of African Americans consider climate change a serious problem, while only 39 percent of whites feel the same. And yet, at the National Wildlife Federation, the country's largest nonprofit conservation organization, the management is 93 percent white. The hierarchy at the National Audubon Society, with its powerful network of state chapters preserving birds and wildlife, is 91 percent white.
"For the environmental movement to survive," writes Yeoman, "it must cultivate new leaders who mirror the demographics of a nation that's now 36 percent minority." The annual Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Related Sciences conference draws 400 of the country's brightest Hispanic and black students but few environmental groups, even as agriculture businesses like Monsanto and Cargill snap up talented prospects. Among the dozens of people Yeoman interviewed, white managers seemed uniformly puzzled over how to diversify their ranks, while people of color described being consistently rejected.
Although not addressing management-level segregation, some groups have made positive steps toward inclusiveness. Rather than battling Native Americans, the Sierra Club now partners with tribes to oppose uranium mining in the Southwest. And the Trustees of Reservations, a New England-based land preservation group known for its privileged heritage, has shifted from protecting only remote wilderness–inaccessible to urban populations–to also preserving farmland and urban gardens, with nearly 25 percent of its recently acquired land located in or near cities. Many inner-city immigrants have rural roots, which led the Trustees to partner with a Boston nonprofit that maintains community gardens cultivated by Haitian, Vietnamese, and Puerto Rican immigrants.


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Wow, it's been a long time since I've posted! Sorry y'all! I'm going to do my best to keep the sweets coming with a bit more frequency :) I have some cakes to share from the past year; I'll be posting those soon!
Catherine, one of my dearest friends from college, married the love of her life, Karl, yesterday! The ceremony was held at the gorgeous Pemaquid Point Lighthouse in Pemaquid, ME, followed by an amazing reception at their house. Great fun was had by all!
I was thrilled to be able to make Cat and Karl's wedding cake! All three tiers were chocolate cake, filled with chocolate ganache and fresh raspberries. The cake was enrobed with ivory fondant, and decorated with cascading gum paste hydrangeas. I had a lot of fun creating this beauty, and particularly enjoyed making the hydrangeas.
Best wishes to Cat and Karl - I know that you'll have a life filled with happiness!


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Strange Baby Products (That Are Strangely Useful!)
A changing pad that keeps your kid's hand out of the mess. A tube that pipes your car's AC to a rear-facing car seat. And of course a gadget that helps your baby pass gas. Today we're highlighting some strange baby products that are also strangely useful and have moms raving! These baby products might sound crazy, but just try them and you may be hooked too.
Car Seat Cooldown: The Noggle
Sweaty baby backs begone! Hot-climate moms sing the praises of The Noggle that works as an extension tube to your car's air conditioning or heating vents, allowing you to get that cool or hot air directly to your child. Genius, right? Available for both forward-facing and rear-facing car seats (the hoses are different lengths), the Nozzle comes with adapters for both circular and rectangular vents, attaches in seconds, and is available in a variety of colors and designs. BUY: Amazon
The Snot Sucker: NoseFrida
Parents everywhere swear by the NoseFrida, an innovative gadget that lets you suck the snot right out of your baby's nose. Don't worry - there are replaceable hygienic filters to actually keep the snot from going into your mouth, but the concept can be a bit unnerving at first. Once you get over the gross factor though, you'll appreciate the relief it gives to your congested babe when she's too young to blow. BUY: Amazon
The No-Touch Changer: Diaper Changing Glove Sack
If you or your spouse gets a little squeamish during diaper change time, you'll love the Diaper Changing Glove Sack. From the same company that created the Diaper Cream Brush for hands-free diaper cream application, the Diaper Changing Glove Sack lets you both keep your hands clean while you swap out a soiled nappy as well as have a convenient way to dispose of the diaper at the same time. Perfect for diaper changes on-the-go or those inevitable diaper blowouts. BUY: Amazon
The Swim Helper: Otteroo
I'll admit that I couldn't stop looking at this one - it just looks wrong to me! The babies seem to be hanging by their necks! But between the moms I've talked to and the Instagram love this product has, I have to believe that the Otteroo has a lot of fans. Designed for babies just 8 weeks old (!) and up, the Otteroo helps keep your babe's head above water in the bathtub or pool. Otteroo also claims their product helps enhance motor skills, maintain a baby's innate swimming reflex and promotes earlier walking. Would you give it a go? BUY: Otteroo
Gas Getter-Outter: Windi
How to Celebrate Adoptive Parents
I recently learned that a friend who had been patiently awaiting a child became a parent practically overnight. When I heard about this loving couple bringing home their first baby, it really got me thinking about how to celebrate adoptive parents. We have experience with ...read more
Spiked Apple Cider Pops
September in the South is, in my opinion, still summer. The eighties and nineties always prevail and make the traditional fall flavors that I crave so much slightly out of reach. As much as I want to relax and sip on some hot cider, at the moment, I still need something iced. ...read more
Japan Adventure Park Hyatt Hotel Niseko
Are you ready for an international ski adventure with your family? This new opened in January 2020, right before the big shutdown. The Park Hyatt hotel is located 2 hours northeast of the New Chitose airport in the northern island of Hokkaido. We arrived via flight from Tokyo to ...read more
With a tummy full of air, a gassy baby is often a fussy baby. Sure you could try medicine drops or gripe water. Or you could just get the gas out. The doctor-developed Windi tube promises to "free the farts" and bring instant relief to your constipated or colicky little one. Yes, you insert it in there, but there is a stopper to ensure you don't go too far and the single-use tubes are tossed afterwards to keep everything sanitary. If you're feeling a bit squeamish about giving the Windi a try (or just want a giggle), take a read of the comments on Amazon. The reviews aren't just full of hot air (ha!). The Windi has lots of hilarious compliments from satisfied customers. BUY: Amazon
Little Hands Clean Changing Pad: Snoofybee
It only has to happen once. In the middle of trying to change your baby's diaper, his adorable flailing baby hand lands RIGHT THERE. In the dirty diaper deposit. Ugh. Luckily there is the Snoofybee, a unique baby wrap/changing pad type thing that keeps their little hands up by their face and out of the diaper. Ignore the fact that the Snoofybee looks a bit like the "Cone of Shame" your pet may get at the vet. This is changing pad with benefits. BUY: Amazon
Potty Time Helper: iPotty
I've potty-trained three kids which means I've spent waaaaay too much time crouched on our bathroom floor reading books, discussing the pros of pooping in the potty with a toddler, and doing celebratory pee-pee dances. I'm all for limited screen time, but if your kid takes 20 minutes to poop or is afraid to even sit on the toilet, the iPotty may be your saving grace. Plus, with the built-in screen holder, you don't have to worry about the iPad accidentally falling in the toilet. BUY: Amazon
A Hand With Feeding Time: Lil Helpers Bottle Holder
In an ideal world, we'd all have endless hours to sit and feed our babies. But sometimes, you need a hand with bottle holding. Designed for babies 2-9 months, the Lil Helpers Bottle Holder rests on your child's chest and helps them hold the bottle at the right angle. A useful invention for car feedings, feeding multiples, or for those cooking-dinner-helping-with-homework-and-baby's-hungry moments. BUY: Amazon
Do you have any of these strange but useful baby gadgets? Have others we should know about?
Momtrends was not paid for this post.


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According to CNN, the deputy that pulled over and arrested Mel Gibson said, "That stuff is booze talking," the deputy [who is Jewish] said. "There's two things that booze does. It amplifies your basic personality. If you are a laid-back kind of person, just an easygoing kind of person, booze is going to amplify that and you'll be just sitting around going how it's a wonderful day.
"But, if you are a high-strung person, it's going to amplify that, and all the bad things are going to come out."
It has always been my understanding that whatever you said while drunk is EXACTLY how you feel. So, if you shout racial epithets, gay slurs or anti-Semite crap, you're a racist, homophobe or anti-Semite.
PERIOD. End of story.
You don't get drunk and suddenly bring despicable words to your lips.
God Bless


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Katherine Marie Heigl (born November 24, 1978) is a Golden Globe-nominated American actress. Heigl is known for her roles on the TV series Grey's Anatomy and in the film Knocked Up.
Heigl was born in Washington, D.C. to Paul Heigl, a financial executive/accountant, and Nancy, a personal manager.She has German and Irish ancestry and was raised a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon), having a strict upbringing.She is the youngest of five children (in addition to siblings Meg, Jason, Holt and John Heigl). Heigl lived in Virginia and then Denver before her family settled in Connecticut, where they moved into a large, old Victorian-style farmhouse in the wealthy town of New Canaan. It was there that Katherine was to spend the majority of her childhood.
In 1986, her 15-year-old older brother Jason died of injuries suffered in a car accident, after being thrown from the back of a pickup truck. When doctors determined Jason was brain-dead following an 8-hour operation, the family made the difficult decision to donate his organs to help save others. The Heigl family was never in any doubt that Jason would have wanted his organs and tissues donated for transplant. Heigl is now a strong proponent of organ donation.
Videos @ videos.humourbox.info


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Captain Bridget Clinch is a pretty awesome woman. It's because of her that the Australian Defence Force changed its policy, which banned people undergoing or contemplating gender reassignment from serving. She risked the job she loves — the job she's wanted since she was a teenager — in order to be able to serve openly and honestly as a woman.
Of course, that doesn't mean that everything is hunky-dory. Captain Clinch is going to have to divorce her wife — although they remain very much in love — in order to be legally recognised as a woman. Australia's regressive policy that does not allow for same-sex marriage means that she will not be allowed to transition legally while married to a woman. (And yet, somehow, the opponents of marriage equality claim that they are protecting marriage — cognitive dissonance, much?) Furthermore, Captain Clinch's story is presented to the world in articles like this one from the SMH, which consistently misgender her.
As our own Queen Emily reminded us on the recent transgender day of remembrance, it's not just explicit acts of violence that threaten the lives of transpeople. Things like this–misgendering, not honouring the relationships that transpeople have formed, threats to dreams and livlihood–all make the world less safe for women like Bridget Clinch.
This is unacceptable.
Captain Bridget Clinch, I support you.
Categories: gender & feminism, Politics, social justice, Sociology


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5 Reasons You Should Choose a Cheap Escort
If you enjoy scintillating company and want to be with sensual and sexy ladies, you should not have qualms about hiring cheap escorts. Just because they have the tag of being cheap, it does not necessarily translate to substandard services. On the contrary, these escorts are highly in demand not because of the rate but due to their demeanour, personality, and efficiency.
In case you are wondering why you should choose cheap escorts in London or other places, here are some compelling reasons.
- Experiment New Things
One of the best parts about cheap escorts is that they are adventurous and will always be willing to try out new things without hesitation. Elite and premium escorts are very particular about what they will or will not do; you do not have to worry about this with cheap Hillingdon escorts.
You can try out new sex positions and kinky stuff that you are interested in without worrying about being judged. Most of the escorts have experience in whatever you want to test out, so they will be able to assist you. The only thing is that you should let the escort know about it before you book her. That way, you can be certain that the escort will be a willing participant. Also, some escorts may charge you a little extra if you are looking for something extreme or not quite up their alley.
- Discreet and Professional
These escorts realise the importance of being discreet; their livelihood depends on it. So, you need not worry about being caught in a compromising position. Instead, when you book a cheap escort, you can rest assured knowing that the escort will act like a thorough professional. It is best to pay the escort upfront so that you and she can relax and enjoy your time together.
Many cheap escorts have repeat clients because they are discreet and never discuss their clients without their permission. So, if you enjoy indulging in pillow talk, you can do it without any reservations.
- Enjoy Dates for Events
Cheap Westminster escorts would be more than willing to be your date for an event, like a wedding, formal work function, or even a get-together with friends. You can even ask a gorgeous escort to accompany you to impress an ex and your friends.
Many men find it difficult to get dates as they work a lot and hence, hardly have a social life. If you are the same, you need not worry as the cheap escorts London has to offer would be more than willing to step in and help you out. This is something elite escorts may not agree to as they are particular about the events they attend and will want to go just to high-profile events.
- Give Your Confidence a Boost
Cheap escorts are proficient and experienced in sex as well as dating. If you lack in these two departments, these escorts are the perfect choice to help you out. They are charming and charismatic, and they will put you at ease within no time so that you can relax and get into the groove. The escorts can help you understand your body and this, in turn, allows you pleasure others.
You can request the escort to give you honest feedback about your performance. She will let you know the areas you need to improve so that the next time you are with your girlfriend or even the escort, your performance is stellar. That will help you raise your confidence levels.
- No Strings Attached
When you are out of the dating scene because you want it like that, you still require companionship. Cheap escorts are perfect for this. They will be your intimate companion without emotional baggage. You can enjoy and spend time with them as you would with a date or girlfriend and still not get emotionally attached.https://en.devozki.com/escorts/united-kingdom/
You can enjoy great sex and alleviate loneliness when you are not socially active. It allows you to let down your hair and have physical contact with a sexy siren without any worries.
So, if you have doubts about hiring cheap escorts London has to offer, you can cast them away and book the escorts. You will not regret it or be disappointed.


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Nuisance Animal Control
Most skunks are feared, not because they are mean, but because their main defense mechanism is extremely offensive, not only to humans but animals as well.
Biology: Skunks eat both plants and animals, which means they are considered omnivorous. Their diets actually change with the seasons, during the spring skunks will eat mice, grubs, snakes, and eggs. during the summer months their diet changes to Beatles, crickets, and other insects, and during the winter they will consume mice and other small mammals. The skunk also loves fruits when they are available. The two most common types of skunk species are the striped and spotted. both are black and white and have distinctive markings, with the striped skunk being larger and weighing up to 10 lb. The spotted skunk is smaller and can weigh up to 6 lb.
Life Cycle and Reproduction: most skunks do not live past 10 years, and when in the wild can drop to about three years. This mammal does not have many predators because of the foul-smelling spray that they emit, however there are foxes and coyotes and also there are a few predatory birds, such as owls that will swoop down and take them. The skunk likes to live by I'm selves except when they are breeding or in the dead of winter when it's cold. They mate in the early spring with the male skunk often tending to several females in the neighborhood. The female will have a litter of 4 to 6 babies and are generally called kits. And may approximately 62 to 66 days after mating, the female will have her litter. The kids are small and covered in a fine fur and cannot see or hear. after about two months the babies will be weaned from the mother, but will stay with her throughout the summer before heading out on their own. all kits are striped even at birth and they have a natural instinct to spray as soon as they are weaned. The mothers are very protective of their young and will spray if approached.
Habitat: Skunks do not hibernate however in the winter they will sleep for long periods of time during the cold weeks of winter. These mammals do not see well and will stay within a certain area of about 1 1/2 miles or females and up to five miles for the males. Skunks usually come out at late evening or early morning to forage for food. Skunks will sleep during the day in burrows that they borrowed from other animals and often will make their own burrows as they are very good at digging. Skunks typically live under porches, decks, and foundations.
Common Diseases: The skunk can be a carrier of some very harmful diseases to humans as well as to pets. Since these mammals are adaptable to the urban areas they will live near humans especially if there is housing and water available making disease from these animals possible. Skunks do carry rabies, as well as distemper and tularemia. The skunk's also will carry many parasites such as ticks, lice, and worms.
Common Nuisance Complaints: One of the main complaints about skunks is the odor they produce when they feel threatened. This spray can be aimed at a predator from any direction, the skunk's essence is very hard to get rid of once it has made contact with people or things. Skunks can spray up to 20 feet.
Other concerns include:
- Digging holes in lawns while searching for grubs and worms.
- Threatening or spraying at Pet, usually dogs.
- Skunks often fall down window wells!
What can Great Lakes Nuisance Animal Control do for you?
Great Lakes Nuisance Animal Control has over 40 years dealing with skunks. We have the specialized equipment and the knowledge of skunks to usually, in most cases, remove them without them even spraying. It is very common to smell skunks before you even see them. Great Lakes Nuisance Animal Control has the specialized products on hand for odor neutralizing in the event that a skunk sprays!
After skunks have been removed it is extremely important to exclude the area where they had once lived. Great Lakes Nuisance Animal Control specializes in exclusion work. We have an unbeatable exclusion guarantee with the lifetime guarantee, the best in the business!
Contact Us Today For Skunk Removal
Call us today for an estimate!
Great Lakes Nuisance Animal Control is fully licensed and insured and can work directly with your insurance company. We have experience working with many different insurance companies over the years and have a solid reputation with them.
Call us today for an estimate and let us help you with your animal control issues.
Carl Johnson,
Licensed & Insured Wildlife Control Professional
(231) 830-6538


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Bizarre Bazaar
He's impossibly agile, with a flair for sensuous phrasing, and an inventiveness that keeps even the most astute of listeners forever guessing
– musicalcriticism.com
..Play it in a smoke-filled room
– The Observer
Eastern European and Arabic atmospheres predominate on this unusual programme, with klezmer influences, tango, fado, Hungarian dance and traditional Romanian tunes. Kari Kriikku is particularly well-known for his extraordinary performances and recordings of contemporary repertoire for clarinet and also as Artistic Director of the groundbreaking Avanti! Chamber Orchestra in Finland. Here, he revisits the other side of the instrument's character, on the opposite side of Europe. This is a homage to the more exotic, less well-known concert repertoire for clarinet, all exemplifying Kriikku's endlessly adaptable enthusiasm for all aspects of his instrument's history and its possibilities…


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Idle Heroes – 4 Basic Steps To Master the Game
Build Your Wealth
One of the most important things that you should give importance and priority to when playing Idle Heroes is to build your wealth. At the beginning of the game, surely, the marketplace will offer you wide variety of items and it will be daunting for you ton choose what you need to buy. But as a beginner, it is important to be strategic when buying items. You should be aware of the things that you are buying and how much you are spending. Always focus on building up some wealth and refrain from purchasing items you don't need.'
Acquire Your 5 Star Heroes
Next thing you have to focus on after building up your wealth is to get a team of 5 star heroes. This is one of the strategies that you need to prioritize in the game. This will help you to easily progress in the game. You can get heroes by simply registering. It can also be purchased in the market place or you may also consider buying them using your shards or coins.
Join Guild and Start Raiding
It is also very crucial to join a guild and start raiding. Once you join a guild, the team will no go an raids together and it will help you to earn coins so you can buy heoes, armor and other items. In addition, the more you contribute to boss fights and raids, the more loot you will be able to acquire.
Use Idle Heroes Guide
Lastly, for you to know more about the game, it is necessary that you check the basic guides on how to become a successful player. You will get all the advice that you need to master the game using the guide provided.


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Connected via BlueTooth, WiFi or other radios, these sensors link medical and environmental data signals to cloud-based services for e-health, home automation and other applications.
The UAV and robotics platform is a combination of motor control units, position sensors, obstacle detection interfaces and communication resources. Based on the Xilinx Zynq Ultrascale+ this platform delivers a high level of heterogeneity in terms of processing capabilities.
The Object tracking technology monitors changes in mass and light/shadow on surfaces. It enables you to detect what happens on, for example, a table top or warehouse shelf from a distance. This technology is customizable for a range of applications.
The smart current sensor is designed to continuously track electrically powered devices and the changes in their power usage. This technology is customizable for a range of applications.


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Hardcore visionary WALTER SCHREIFELS is to curate another TogetherFest in London in February.
Taking place once more at the Electric Ballroom, Camden on 25 February, the event will be headlined by seminal Connecticut band YOUTH OF TODAY with performances from AMERICAN NIGHTMARE, TRASH TALK and WOLF DOWN. Schreifels, a sometime member of Y.O.T. as well as QUICKSAND, GORILLA BISCUITS (who headlined last year's event) and RIVAL SCHOOLS, will also be performing with his current band VANISHING LIFE, who will be making their U.K. debut.
Tickets are available here.
Says Schreifels, "A few years ago I had the thought that I'd like to see a hardcore/punk festival with more variety and a connecting thread to the early inspiration of the movement," explains Schreifels. "It seems to me that the scene has become sectioned off lately and sadly, more about posture and violence, so TogetherFest was conceived to push the ball in the opposite direction. My inspiration for this series of shows across Europe are Minor Threat, Negative Approach, CRASS, Siouxsie & the Banshees, Maximum Rock 'n Roll, and the D.I.Y. power that pushed it all forward. Last year Gorilla Biscuits headlined, this year it's Y.O.T. but with my friends at Creative Talent in Germany we've created a very diverse festival. I'm very excited and proud to have Vanishing Life on board as well; these shows are gonna be a blast!"
Vanishing Life's debut album Surveillance is out through Dine Alone Records next week.


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The Washington Nationals selected Harvard-Westlake pitcher Lucas Giolito in the first round of the Major League Baseball draft with the 16th pick overall.
Giolito slipped in the draft, but not out of the first round. He was projected as possibly the first pick in the draft before he sprained his ulnar collateral ligament and made only three starts in his senior season.
The right-hander was 2-1 with a 0.84 ERA in his senior season at Harvard-Westlake. Giolito was 9-1 with 78 strikeouts and a 1.00 ERA in 70 1/3 innings pitched in his junior season. He had three shutouts and tossed four complete games.
Giolito is committed to play at UCLA.