Dark Days in San Cristóbal, Where It All Started
#SOSVenezuela #PrayforVenezuela
San Cristóbal’s new normal
No city in Venezuela has been hit harder by the recent violence than San Cristóbal, the city of 650,000 up in the Andes where the current bout of protests started 18 days ago.
Last night, the authorities shut down internet service to the whole city, which explains why so few YouTube videos have emerged from San Cristóbal. The internet blackout caused serious fears about what the town’s people could be facing, so today we reached out to contacts in San Cristóbal to try to get the story.
How It Started: Protesting Sexual Assault
San Cristóbal is a college town, home to half a million andeans and a three large universities (UNET, ULA, UCAT). It’s pretty much where this whole protest movement started. On February 2nd, after over a year of asking the state government for improved security measures to curb rampant crime on campus, a freshman…
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The Game Changed in Venezuela Last Night – and the International Media Is Asleep At the Switch
#SOSVenezuela
San Cristobal on Tuesday night
Dear International Editor:
Listen and understand. The game changed in Venezuela last night. What had been a slow-motion unravelling that had stretched out over many years went kinetic all of a sudden.
What we have this morning is no longer the Venezuela story you thought you understood.
Throughout last night, panicked people told their stories of state-sponsored paramilitaries on motorcycles roaming middle class neighborhoods, shooting at people and storming into apartment buildings, shooting at anyone who seemed like he might be protesting. People continue to be arrested merely for protesting, and a long established local Human Rights NGO makes an urgent plea for an investigation into widespread reports of torture of detainees. There are now dozens of serious human right abuses: National Guardsmen shooting tear gas canisters directly into residential buildings. We have videos of soldiers shooting civilians on the street. And that’s just…
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#Misses4Peace #SOSVenezuela #PrayforVenezuela
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Former Venezuelan beauty queens lend their support to the Venezuelan people, demonstrating that true beauty begins from within.
Radio Show Starts Tomorrow, February 20
Tonight’s the night, people!! Tune in to Archer Paranormal Investigations’ weekly radio show to hear about their experiences.
Archer Paranormal Investigations starts weekly radio show tomorrow. Tune in to www.liveparanormal.com every Thursday at 7 pm. Join the Haunted Librarian and the API team as we discuss past cases and current paranormal events, and even have a special guest or two!
Last night on ‘Tonight’: Enter Rapping Brian Williams and #MartinScorsese — VIDEO
#Sippinonginandjuice #1994
Venezuela por Rubén Blades
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Palabras de mí compatriota, cantante, actor y activísta, Rubén Blades. No siempre hemos coincidido en la materia política, pero presenta un buen resúmen de las fallas garrafales, por todos los mandatarios y partidos políticos, en Venezuela.
Desafortunadamente, Argentina, Brasil, Uruguay y Paraguay han respaldado a un gobierno que continúa la repreción y violaciones de los derechos humanos de sus ciudadanos. Las redes de comunicación mundiales todavía no dan la cara por los el pueblo Venezolano.
¡Sigan la lucha, amigos, chamos y chamas! ¡Sus hermanos Latinoamericanos están con ustedes!
Pray for Venezula, and Demand World Action
As someone who saw her childhood irrevocably changed by a military, totalitarian government, what has been occurring in Venezuela worries and angers me. For years, the country has suffered an economic crisis and violence against civilians has escalated. Now that the people, especially young people, have taken to the streets to bring awareness to these issues, the military has retaliated in a bloody, and unnecessarily violent ways.
Many non-profit organizations like Un Mundo Sin Mordaza (A World without a (Mouth) Gag) and Amnesty International have called for scrutiny and worldwide attention on the latest violence against peaceful demonstrators, in Venezuela.
The following video is one of the most unbiased, citizen accounts of the actions against the Venezuelan people, by their own government. It is not suitable for young children. unless they watch it under the guidance of a trusted adult who can explain its historical context. The images are disturbing, but keep in mind that these actions have been escalating over the years. They did not begin in a bubble. They were allowed to happen under our watch, by good people who turned a blind eye.
Pray for peace, but be prepared to wage it.
Happy Valentine’s Day
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Hope you have a wonderful day, everyone. Whether you “celebrate” Valentine’s Day or not, it is a great reminder to practice self-care and be kind to ourselves and each other.
“If your compassion does not include yourself, it is incomplete” ~ Buddha
Here is my favorite Valentine’s Day memory:
A Valentines eBook Sale From Some of Your Favorite Romance Authors!
Spice up Valentine’s Day with some hot stories, ON SALE, for a cold, wintry night!
Sale runs from February 13 – 17(more info)
DID YOU KNOW?? That my eBook OLYMPUS, features a Valentines Day themed short titled EROS’S VALENTINE? The God of Love learns a lesson when he plays among the mortals on the day dedicated to him.
Sinners at the Altar Available for Pre-Order on Amazon!
Olivia is the Queen Mother of rocker erotic romances. She is second-to-none and her “Sinners” series knocks all other “rock star” stories out of the park. She uses her behind-the-scenes knowledge of the music industry to create a realistic, sometimes depraved, but always entertaining world for her characters. Highly recommended!
We finally have a definitive release date for Sinners at the Altar!
March 11, 2014
And it’s already up for preorder on Amazon.com.
I encourage you to take advantage of the special introductory price. This massive, 450-page collection of Sinners goodness is only $3.99 until March 18th and then the eBook price will go up.
So I’m anticipating some questions. Check the FAQ below before you barrage me with questions. Thanks!
FAQ
Q1. When will Sinners at the Altar be available for preorder on B&N, Nook, iTunes, Kobo, etc, etc, etc?
A1. I don’t know. But I will let you know as soon as it is. And yes, it will be at the special price on those sites too. The process for setting up pre-orders is a bit different on those sites, so Amazon got first dibs. If the pre-orders don’t happen on those sites, the book will be available…
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Consequences of Poor Choices in College
Followers of this blog, know I am a PASSIONATE supporter of sorority life for college women. In fact, one of my favorite topics to discuss with parents of college-aged women is membership in Greek Letter Organizations and all its benefits. I am excited whenever a young woman finds her sorority home away from home and creates lifelong friendship. I enjoy submitting recruitment information forms (RIFs) for potential new members as they start their sorority journey. And, I love writing letters of recommendation for graduate school and new jobs for women I watched grow though into themselves through sorority life.
My personal college experience was enriched the day I accepted my Bid in 1989. I joined a group of women who accepted me as I was, but also pushed me to be the best version of myself. Since I attended a large commuter University, Greek Life was my touchstone with extracurricular activities that enhanced my years at college. There were socials, study parties, basketball games and all-night float-building marathons, and yes, keggers, where I learned more about myself and my fellow Sisters.
Together we supported each other through the good and bad times. We were our Sisters’ keepers and responsible not only for following the rules and regulations of the organization and the University, but ensuring that our Sisters did as well. The rules were in place to make sure we had a complete academic, leadership, philanthropic, fun, balanced and safe sorority program. We knew that one bad apple could certainly spoil the bunch, and were cognizant of the greater level of scrutiny placed on sorority women by society – both by folks who wanted us to succeed and those who expected us to fail and take on the worst characteristics of the stereotypical “sorority girl gone wrong.”
Today, the actions of a few bad apples culminated in harsh consequences for the larger group, as the Chi Omega Chapter at the University of Pennsylvania was closed. The investigation of this Chapter was prompted by a series of poor decisions, that were exposed by a deeply offensive event. I was disappointed in these women, not only as their Sister, but as a Latina and a woman. As a former volunteer Sorority Adviser, I can attest to the fact that the collegiate leaders of this group were provided with close, one-on-one mentoring by older Alumnae members who were selected for their professional expertise and trained in how to supervise the activities of a college sorority. These Alumnae very likely advised (and scolded) them repeatedly about appropriate party topics among other teachable moments in the management of risk for a group of collegiate women. This advice was accompanied by sanctions, repercussions and intense education by the National organization, along with a timeline for successful completion of the sanctions and re-education. It was the college women’s decision to follow sage advice, but, as a self-governing groups of adults, they did not have to.
Unfortunately, they chose the worst possible outcome and started the chain reaction that led the National organization to close the Chapter. While I was sadden by the news, I fully supported the difficult decision made by the Governing Council (national executive officers). National Panhellenic Conference (NPC) groups have no tolerance for behavior that demeans, ridicules, or hurts other people and these have been articulated in the Unanimous Agreements, as well as the Fraternity’s Bylaws and Constitution. The governance documents are how we hold ourselves, and each other, accountable. Our goal is to uphold our ideals as we continually prepare women for life after college. In short , we strive to build women up and it is not by accident that so many female leaders are members of NPC groups. We have been doing it for over a hundred years, successfully, because we maintain the highest standards.
My sincerest wish for the women who lost their Chapter, by their own actions, is that they learned the lessons. My heart breaks for those women who tried, in vain, to steer the group, back to a place of honor and class, because I know they did not deserve to lose their Chapter. However, I am a proud sorority woman because we police ourselves. It is these events that remind me why I pledged to honor my Fraternity’s creed and support fellow Sisters. Sisterhood is for a lifetime, not just for the four years of college.
5-Stars for Hayson Manning’s “Winning the Boss’s Heart” – Book Review
Mason Christian has twelve weeks to flip something old into something new, and then he’s getting the hell out of Footsteps Bay – a tiny New Zealand coastal town. Not even his temporary secretary and personal assistant–the feisty, luscious Billie McLeod–will deter him, but there’s no denying she makes him feel alive. More alive than he’s felt in three years…My Review
With her second book, Winning the Boss’s Heart, Hayson Manning took us to her beautiful home country of New Zealand. Set in the bucolic coastal town of Footsteps Bay, Mason Christian hired Billie McLeod to work as his personal assistant on a project he hoped would be completed quickly.
Billie was a heroine who knew her own worth. After suffering some personal setbacks, she was saving money to finish her degree, and working for Mason seemed like the fastest way to earn the most money. She fearlessly challenged Mason and the sarcastic nicknames she created for him, were inspired. Nothing like treating the boss with the same impersonal disdain, as he treated his employees.
Mason was a deeply broken man, sublimating his emotions in his work and keeping people at arm’s length. As his feelings for Billie grew, he was forced to confront some painful events from his past. Little did Mason know that fate would intervene, to give him a compelling second chance at love story. Ms. Manning beautifully constructed and sensitively handled, Mason’s heartbreaking past.
Billie and Mason’s interactions ran the gamut of emotions from trepidation, to antagonism, to friendship, and finally, acceptance, and love. Lovingly meddlesome townsfolk and growing spicy, sexy action rounded out this terrific story.
With Wife in Name Only, Hayson Manning became a must-read author for me. After, Winning the Boss’s Heart, she became a must-preorder or must-1-click author for me. I highly recommend her books for well-developed characters, richly illustrated locations and secondary characters and multilayered storytelling,
Hayson Manning grew up in a small New Zealand town in a family of scientists and engineers Hayson was told firmly that her ‘day dreaming’ phase would end. Soon, she’d be entranced by the inner workings of the periodic table and be spellbound by quantum physics. But Hayson loved living in the lands she created. Oh, the creatures that stopped by. The princes and princesses, unicorns and Frank a friendly chain-smoking shark.
It soon became apparent Hayson wasn’t going to be awarded the Nobel Prize for services to the atom.
She conformed and has worked as a demon word processor, sliced ham in a delicatessen, sorted freight, pulled midnight shifts in a bank and counted baked bean cans in a stock-take. She never stopped dreaming of writing alpha dudes and sassy woman.
She’s lived in Auckland, Brisbane, Melbourne, London, California and is now in Sydney. All she ever wanted to do was write fun and flirty people who aren’t perfect but will fight for that one person who will love them for who they are.
Represented by Nalini Akolekar of Spencerhill Associates, that dream has come true, writing for Entangled Publishing. She loves a good glass of wine, dreams of winning the lottery, cries while watching Antiques Roadshow and cannot speak she’s sobbing so much by the end of Undercover Boss. She is also an expert at finding new and inventive ways to avoid exercise.
Find out more about Hayson on her website, follow her on Twitter and like her Facebook page. She loves to hear from her fans.
Reading, Drinking and Dancing with a Chaser of Snark 
My favorite Valentine’s Day memory didn’t actually happen on Valentine’s Day. Hubby and I had been living together for about six months and talked about getting married. He met my parents, and unbeknownst to me, asked my Dad for my hand in marriage, at Christmas. For a while I thought he was going to propose at Thanksgiving…then at Christmas…then on New Year’s Eve. But, nothing happened.
I thought “ah, he’s waiting for Valentine’s Day,” and all the when-is-he-going-to-ask-me-to-marry-him stress left my body. It was briefly replaced with maybe-he’s-not-going-to-propose panic, but I figured it would happen eventually, otherwise we would not have talked about it. He also said, “leave Valentine’s Day open.”
Around the middle of January, my washing machine broke. Hubby said, “you need to be home because I’m calling a guy to come fix it.” Ok, cool. It never occurred to me that a repairman coming out to our apartment on a Friday afternoon was odd. So, when the “washing machine repairman” knocked on my door, I opened it.
It was Hubby, fortified by a few beers at Hooters (the waitress ended up comping all of them, when he told them was he was getting ready to do), and dressed in his suit dropped to one knee and proposed.
We still celebrate our un-Valentine’s Day date, almost 17 years later.
Tell me about your favorite Valentine’s Day.