Blog Archive ? Improbable (Impossible?) Relationships in Historical ...

I?ve heard a lot of critical murmurings about historical romances (The Duchess Hunt included) that dismiss the theme of dukes (and other lords and ladies) marrying far below their station. While many readers seem to adore the Cinderella trope, to some readers, it is unrealistic to the point of being annoying. Even ridiculous.

I?ve been thinking about this a lot (mostly at about 3 am in the morning!). To me Cinderella romances hold a strong appeal (both as a reader and a writer). But, truly, is it unrealistic for a duke to marry the gardener?s daughter? Is it impossible?

I?m the first to admit that in my writing I add a very healthy dose of fantasy to my history. I have a deep-rooted mad love for the fairy-tale fantasy?I have ever since I was a little girl (Have I told you how many times I was a princess for Halloween? My mom was so tired of my endless crowns and pink dresses!).

I also love the themes and conflicts of people marrying people who are different than they are?whether it?s a difference in race, religion, or class. I love exploring what can happen when two such people meet and fall in love and the struggles they face in their search for a happily ever after. I think one of the reasons I love these themes is because I myself, married someone of a different race, class, and religion than myself. It is a fascinating conflict to me, because it is so very personal to me.

Obviously, this is also a huge theme and conflict in The Duchess Hunt. The Duke of Trent is looking for the woman who will be his duchess. It doesn?t even cross his mind that Sarah, the gardener?s daughter, might be a candidate for such a position. Why? Because even though the duke is a man of high moral standards who always strives to do what?s right, he?s also a man of his time. In the Duke of Trent?s world, men don?t marry servants. It?s not even within the realm of possibility. It?s not something he?d even consider. Ever.

Through the course of the book, however, the duke changes. He learns that not only is Sarah a potential candidate for his duchess, but a candidate who far exceeds the qualities of any of the candidates society deems worthy of him. This is the duke?s character arc?how he changes in the course of the book. He starts off the book, very subtly, as a classist, someone who?very subtly?considers himself superior to people in Sarah?s position. He is never cruel to Sarah. He never openly demeans her and always respects her. But since birth, it has been ingrained in him that people of her ilk are not worthy of lifelong relationships with people of his. They are not worthy of marriage to someone like him. That ingrained classist in him is slowly desiccated as he learns how perfect for him Sarah is. And when the light bulb goes off, completely burning away the rest of his prejudice, then we get to see a duke who has finally risen above the inherent classism of the society he was born into. A duke who actually deserves Sarah.

Improbable? Yes, definitely. Unfortunately, most people?most dukes?of the time were far too prejudiced and entrenched in their classist society to even consider a person like Sarah as a lifelong partner. But I?m okay with that. I write fiction, after all, and writing the improbable is my job. I love realistic historicals?I love history books?but I write the fairy tales.

So a duke/servant marriage is surely improbable. But impossible? Nah. As I?ve pointed out often on this blog over the years, the truth is sometimes stranger than fiction. Last night, in the middle of the night, I started thinking of all the true historical relationships I?ve read about that break the mold. Stay tuned, because over the next few days, I?m going to try to share some of them here.

So what do you think? Do improbable duke/servant relationships (and the like) in romances rub you the wrong way, or do you love the fairy tale aspect of these relationships? And this not only applies to historical romance but romance in general. (Think of all the popular stories out right now about 20-something self-made billionaires out there with all kinds of time to woo the simple, middle-class girl next door. I admit I love these stories too!)

And can you think of any real-life historical relationships that broke the mold?

Source: http://www.jenniferhaymore.com/2013/08/04/improbable-impossible-relationships-in-historical-romance/

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San Leon Energy announces commencement of Rogity-1 well vertical fracture

San Leon is pleased to announce that United Oilfield Services ("UOS") yesterday completed its first vertical fracture stage in the Rogity-1 well on the Braniewo S Concession (the "Concession") in Poland's northern Baltic Basin. This first stage was performed in the oil-bearing, tight Cambrian quartzite sandstones at the bottom of the well as part of a three stage vertical hydraulic Fracture Stimulation Programme (the "Programme"). Temporary production tubing is being run to facilitate a short-term flow test and build-up test over the next four weeks to test the Cambrian.

The objective of this first fracture is to understand the frackability and production potential of the tight Cambrian sandstones. It is anticipated that any future development would be with multi-staged fracked long offset horizontals. San Leon has mapped a large Cambrian structure at the Rogity-1 well, which the Company is analysing as a sweet spot for oil production via natural fractures.

This is the first frack of a three stage Programme in the Rogity-1 well as part of the recently signed farm-out agreement ("FOA") with Wisent Oil & Gas plc ("Wisent"), under which Wisent will fully fund the costs of the Programme and any subsequent testing in the well. The Programme is designed to test the prospective interval from the bottom of the well up.

The primary target of the Programme is focused on the shale oil potential of the lower Silurian. The second and third stages, which will be performed concurrently, are designed to test the shale oil potential of the lower Silurian. Based upon the detailed core and petrophysical analyses, the prospective interval in the lower Silurian is estimated to be up to 100 meters thick. It is expected that the two fracks within the lower Silurian will be executed over a three day timeframe followed by approximately four weeks of flow testing and data gathering. Timing of these fracks will be based upon completion of testing and data acquisition of the Cambrian.

Following completion of the Programme, Wisent will have the option to fully fund the drilling, completion and testing of a multi-staged, horizontal fractured well on the Concession. The well will include a horizontal section of not less than 800 metres and a minimum of six fracture stages. Under the terms of the FOA, Wisent has the option to elect to earn a 45% working interest by drilling the horizontal well by 31 January 2014, or such later date as San Leon and Wisent may mutually agree (the horizontal well has to be spudded by 01 May 2014). Wisent has the option, subject to the conditions of the FOA, to become operator of the Concession.

San Leon currently holds a 100% interest in the Concession.

The Rogity-1 well, which was drilled to a depth of 2,788 meters, encountered continuous gas shows with liquid hydrocarbons over more than 500 meters of the Lower Silurian, Ordovician, and Middle Cambrian sections. The richness of the gas shows is consistent with a wet gas/oil bearing system, confirming the Company's regional model of the eastern side of the basin being in the oil window. Wisent is focussed on the shale oil potential in Poland's Baltic Basin holding four exploration concessions adjacent to the Concession, where it has drilled one vertical well and one horizontal well to test the potential of the lower Silurian and Cambrian.

Executive Chairman, Oisin Fanning commented:

"We are excited to have executed the FOA with Wisent and look forward to working with them on the proving the liquids potential of the lower Silurian in Braniewo S concession. The primary target for this vertical fracture stimulation programme is the lower Silurian shale oil potential which has huge upside reserve potential across the eastern Baltic Basin. The secondary target in the deeper Cambrian for tight oil brings further upside to the Basin. This fracture programme is our second test of the Lower Paleozoic in the Baltic Basin this year following the fracture of Lewino 1G2 in our Gdansk W Concession at the beginning of July.

We look forward to updating the market with results from both wells as results become available"

Source: http://www.oilvoice.com/n/San_Leon_Energy_announces_commencement_of_Rogity1_well_vertical_fracture/0888369752eb.aspx

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WTI Crude Oil: "Past those speed bumps now we're looking at 109.32 110.18" says Carl Larry

WTI Crude Oil: "Past those speed bumps, now we're looking at 109.32, 110.18" says Carl Larry

By Carl Larry
Oh boysie. That escalated pretty quickly and we have the RSI up above 64 to prove it. This still gives us a lot of room to take it up a notch but it?s a matter of wait and see. Nonetheless, we think that we?re at a point of make or break. The near term resistance flirts with resistance at 10806 with 10882 right above. Past those speed bumps and we?re looking more seriously at 10932, 11018. The support numbers have room to hold down to 10732, 10648 and 10531. The front spread caught our bid yesterday and sees resistance at 104, 112 and 121. The support returns to 91, 82 and 76. Flat price gets sold early, but rally to close.

Gasoline: We?re moving on to RBU3. RB is trying to get serious about moving back up. We see resistance holding at 30335, 30430 and 30624. The support numbers look to hold 30100, 29933 and 29756. The front spread trying hard to hold support at 1440, 1392, 1360. Resistance returns to 1480, 1531 and 1570. The RBCL has support to 1861, 1822. The resistance here looks up to 1918, 1961.

Distillate: We?re following HOU3 now. HO wants higher, but getting stalled here. We see resistance at 31047, 31193 and 31358. The support numbers fall back on 30877, 30746 and 30515. The front spread seems to be stuck in a range here with ?10, +00 on the upside and ?25, -40 below. Going to take some doing to break that out. The HOCL looks for support at 2204, 2177. Resistance above at 2240, 2283.

Trends are only for the affected: Overnight is taking a break from the move on the 10min chart yesterday. We are playing in a range of 10730 to 10830. It?s not as strong as one would think considering the rally the past few days, but we?re definitely getting ready for something bigger. The 60min chart broke the downtrend and is at best looking to consolidation here. We believe that we?ll need solid trade above 10875 now to initiate any uptrend and down will have to break back under 10680.

Fundy you should mention: Want to grab a coffee at 8:25am this morning? Come on...Econo-heads rejoice! Not only is today the first Friday of the month, we get to dress to impress. We had ADP payrolls at 200K, Jobless Claims under 330K and Big Ben and the Fedettes keep mum on QE tapering, let?s make it a party. We?ll be glued to the tape at 8:30am (176K, 7.5%) to see how this plays out. Not to be left out, we also have Consumer Income and Spending (0.4; 0.4) at 8:30am EST too. Later in the morning we?ll watch for Factory Orders (2.3) at 10:00am?if anyone is still around.

Sorry, I am just physically attracted: To me, it?s not that Marathon Galveston Bay (565K), or Texas City...whatever you want to call it, had is-sues yesterday, it?s the fact that they have displaced their foreign sweet barrels. After Marathon?s earnings report yesterday, we learned that they are bringing in domestic barrels and left out the imports. We knew that imports of crude into the USG have dropped, but now we?re seeing the who and the why. We?re seeing a fundamental change in what is exactly a ?foreign barrel?. We have enough light, sweet and now it?s more about the medium and heavy. A good sign for Mexico and even better if Canada can get more down here via Keystone. Not so good for the Saudis still trying to find their sweets a home.

(The author is associated with Oiloutlooks)

Source: http://www.commodityonline.com/futures-trading/technical/WTI-Crude-Oil%3A-Past-those-speed-bumps-now-were-looking-at-109.32-110.18-says-Carl-Larry-31180.html

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Great getaways: The life aquatic in the Maldives, grape escape in Burguny, a really wild show in Africa, and fly and flop to the Greek islands

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Source: www.independent.co.uk --- Saturday, August 03, 2013
The life aquatic ? ? ? ? ...

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China bans New Zealand milk powder imports on botulism scare: NZ trade min

By Naomi Tajitsu

WELLINGTON (Reuters) - China has halted imports of all milk powder from New Zealand and Australia, New Zealand's trade minister said on Sunday, after bacteria that can cause botulism found in some dairy products raised food safety concerns that threatened its $9.4 billion annual dairy trade.

Global dairy giant Fonterra identified eight companies to which it had sold contaminated New Zealand-made whey protein concentrate, exported to China, Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand and Saudi Arabia and used in products including infant milk powder.

Nearly 90 percent of China's $1.9 billion in milk powder imports last year originated in New Zealand and economists said a prolonged ban could produce a shortage of dairy products in China, including foreign-branded infant formula.

Australia was caught up in the ban after some of the contaminated whey protein concentrate was exported there before being sent on to China and elsewhere.

"The authorities in China, in my opinion absolutely appropriately, have stopped all imports of New Zealand milk powders from Australia and New Zealand," New Zealand Trade Minister Tim Groser told Television New Zealand.

While there was no official word of a ban from Chinese authorities, China's consumer watchdog named four companies that had imported potentially contaminated products from Fonterra.

In a statement on its website, the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine identified the companies as Dumex Baby Food Co., Ltd, a subsidiary of France's Danone, two subsidiaries of Wahaha Group, one of the largest beverage manufacturers in China, and the state-owned Shanghai Sugar, Tobacco and Alcohol company.

Fonterra, a big supplier of wholesale dairy ingredients to multinational food and beverage companies, also said that Coca Cola's Chinese subsidiary and animal feed companies in New Zealand and Australia had also been affected.

The State Food and Drug Administration (SFDA), in an announcement on its website, said it had told representatives from Hangzhou Wahaha, Dumex and Coca Cola China to stop sales of potentially contaminated products and recall any outstanding product lines with possible contamination as soon as possible.

Some of China's biggest food and beverage firms are said to be customers of Fonterra.

Fonterra is a major supplier of bulk milk powder products used in infant formula in China but it had stayed out of the branded space after Chinese dairy company Sanlu, in which it had held a large stake, was found to have added melamine - often used in plastics - to bulk up formulas in 2008.

More than six children died in the industry-wide scandal and hundreds became ill. Foreign-branded infant formula has since become a prized commodity in China.

The latest scare coincided with global dairy prices hovering near record highs as supply struggles to keep up with growing demand from emerging countries. A ban on New Zealand products was seen pushing overall prices higher in the near term.

Economists said domestically produced Chinese dairy supplies were at low levels and Beijing's ban on imports from New Zealand and Australia would tighten supplies on the consumer market.

"Domestic production in China has been fairly weak, so potentially there could be a shortage of product for a while," ANZ economist Con Williams told Reuters. He said China would in the meantime likely turn to the United States and Europe.

BANS, RECALLS

Other countries also were reportedly halting imports and ordering recalls of New Zealand-made dairy products.

Russia suspended imports and circulation of Fonterra products, ITAR-TASS news agency said on Saturday, quoting consumer watchdog Rospotrebnadzor. Media reports said Thailand had ordered a recall of Fonterra products imported since May.

In New Zealand, Nutricia, a division of Danone, recalled some types of infant formulas sold under the Karicare brand.

The bacteria behind the latest scare, Clostridium Botulinum, is often found in soil. The Fonterra case was caused by a dirty pipe at a processing plant.

It can cause botulism, a potentially fatal disease that affects the muscles and can cause respiratory problems. Infant botulism can attack the intestinal system.

This is the second contamination issue involving Fonterra this year. In January, it found traces of dicyandiamde, a potentially toxic chemical, in some of its products.

China has started to tighten dairy import regulations to improve overall food safety. Beijing has introduced regulations restricting the operations of smaller infant formula brands.

Williams at ANZ said it would be a major concern if more countries banned New Zealand dairy imports as dairy accounts for roughly 25 percent of exports - NZ$12 billion in the past year.

Federated Farmers Dairy Chairman Willy Leferink told Reuters he was "extremely concerned" about the impact on the industry.

"Food safety is paramount to New Zealand so this is the last thing anybody wants," he said.

($1 = 1.2767 New Zealand dollars)

(Additional reporting by Lincoln Feast in Sydney and Pete Sweeney in Shanghai; Editing by Paul Tait and Ron Popeski)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/china-bans-zealand-milk-powder-imports-botulism-scare-041143310.html

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Washington, D.C. Weather Forecast: Quick hit of damp and dreary

Have the umbrella handy today with showers and a few thunderstorms at times.

This Afternoon:

Cloudy with Showers and T-Storms at times

Highs: Low 80s

Rain: 80%

Tonight:

Evening Showers, then Clearing overnight

Lows: Mid-Upper 60s

Rain: 30%

Friday:

Mostly Sunny

Highs: Mid 80s

Wind: NW 10

We woke up to some wet weather this morning with showers bringing about 1/4-1/3 of an inch of rainfall.?

Rainfall Totals as of 9a.m.

?
It will be a cloudy day with a break in the wet weather midday.??

A Cloudy Look at Arlington, VA

An approaching cold front will trigger more showers this afternoon along with some embedded thunderstorms.? Heavy downpours will be possible.? The cold front slides east tonight and skies will gradually clear by Friday morning.? High pressure takes over to end the week with sunshine and highs in the mid 80s.? Another weaker front arrives on Saturday.? A few late day showers or thunderstorms will be possible, but the majority of the weekend will remain dry.? Overall, we are starting August on a cool note.

?

Source: http://www.wjla.com/blogs/weather/2013/08/washington-d-c-weather-forecast-quick-hit-of-damp-and-dreary-19492.html

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Atlantic City online gambling law getting minor tuneup - NorthJersey ...

State Senator James Whelan, D-Atlantic ? a former mayor of Atlantic City ? has introduced a bill this week that would modestly amend the new internet gaming bill signed into law by Governor Christie this year.

The concluding statement of the new bill notes:

?Existing law provides that equipment used in connection with the conduct of Internet gaming at Atlantic City casinos must be located at those casinos. This bill would permit such equipment to also be located at a facility in Atlantic City, other than a casino, that is secure, inaccessible to the public, and specifically designed to house that equipment, and where the equipment must be under the complete control of the casino licensee or its Internet gaming affiliate.?

This looks like a ?housekeeping? bill that has cropped up as casinos are in the midst of figuring out how much space they need for various infrastructure. The point of the ?in Atlantic City? sections were to avoid running afoul of the state Constitution, which does not permit most gambling outside of Atlantic City.

After some back-and-forth, Christie went along with the concept that while people would be able to play online games from all over the state, that would be kosher as long as the wager had to be finalized by equipment in Atlantic City.

Since this bill doesn?t really change that, expect it to be approved by the legislature and signed by Christie. The state officials are basically off until Labor Day, but the online gambling isn?t expected to begin before late November, so there?s no big time crunch here.

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Source: http://blog.northjersey.com/meadowlandsmatters/6377/atlantic-city-online-gambling-law-getting-minor-tuneup/

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