Most Common Surnames [Last Names] in the United States (top 1000)

Can we stop using rape as a plot device? Looming sexual violence ... Junior and Angie from Under the Dome. Last week, I found myself embroiled in an irritating online argument about the use of rape as a narrative tool. Specifically, I watched gobsmacked as someone tried to argue that the lingering threat of sexual violence in Stephen King’s Under The Dome was ‘sadly necessary’ in order to make the show ‘believable’. Under The Dome is a science fiction mystery set in a small town in Maine that suddenly finds itself cut off from the rest of the world by an impenetrable dome of unknown origins. But hey. We need to talk about the sexual subjugation of women in art, because this is getting ridiculous. More often than not, it’s just a sign of lazy writing and even lazier direction. Aren’t we bored yet? “But rape doesn’t only happen to women, and it’s not the only thing that happens to women. I don’t believe sexual violence should be verboten as a literary device. ‘That’s just unrealistic’.

Life Blog | Personal Finance News & Advice The appeal of Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs, for short) is simple: They trade like stocks, but contain a basket of assets, much like a mutual fund. This provides instant diversification, without the need to research every last stock or bond. For example, an S&P 500 ETF covers all (or most) of the stocks on the... Read more According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, the average American spends over $1400 on buying clothes and related items per year and it’s been estimated that most people only wear 20% of the clothing they own. Want to look great, keep the closet clutter to the minimum, and stop wasting money on unworn items? Whether you’re religious or not, Easter can be an incredibly fun time of year — delicious candy, beautiful eggs, fluffy bunnies, and pastel everything. Zillow real estate investment writer and long-term investor Leonard Baron, MBA, is answering questions from MintLife readers. Filling up your child’s Easter basket can be an expensive endeavor.

Inaugural poet: My story is America's As my official bio reads, I was made in Cuba, assembled in Spain, and imported to the United States -- meaning my mother, seven months pregnant, and the rest of my family arrived as exiles from Cuba to Madrid, where I was born. Less than two months later, we emigrated once more and settled in New York City, then eventually in Miami, where I was raised and educated. By the time I was 45 days old, I belonged to three countries. My first newborn photo appears on my U.S. alien registration card. As an adult, I see this as a foreshadowing of what would eventually obsess my writing and my psyche: the negotiation of identity. My first encounter with this was with cultural negotiation. The other imaginary world -- America-- was at the other end of the spectrum. Although technically we lived in the United States, the Cuban community was culturally insular in Miami during the 1970s, bonded together by the trauma of exile. Against that setting, America seemed like some "other" place.

Share Book Recommendations With Your Friends, Join Book Clubs, Answer Trivia the sandwich story "Hobbes," Calvin says thoughtfully, perched on the sharply slanted roof outside his bedroom window. "Have you always been around?" Hobbes looks very wise and takes a large bite of his tuna sandwich. His reply is muffled and incomprehensible around the food. Calvin takes this to mean that Hobbes doesn't know, either. The sky looks bigger the closer you get to it, he notices. In the middle of the night Calvin wakes up suddenly from a dream that Mrs. (At least she was neat about it.) Panicked, he grabs for Hobbes and makes a run for the door, taking care to jump a safe distance from the bed so as to avoid any monsters beneath. The door is closed, but Calvin doesn't realize this until his face has made violent contact with the doorknob. (Was he that tall before?) With all the lights on and his parents clutching his shoulders and pressing bloody Kleenexes to his face, Calvin almost doesn't notice something tiny drop to the floor. A tooth! Hobbes is not quite as jubilant as he should be. So he stops.

25 Beauty Tips Reusing Household Items - Homemade Beauty Tips on ELLE - StumbleUpon 1. Old Buttons Repurpose spare buttons by using them to keep pairs of earrings together: Most buttons have at least two holes in them, so simply place an earring in each opening to neatly store when not wearing. Photo: Jupiter Images 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 123 Ideas for Character Flaws Character Flaws From Dark World RPG via The Character Therapist Absent-minded – Preoccupied to the extent of being unaware of one’s immediate surroundings. Abstracted, daydreaming, inattentive, oblivious, forgetful.Abusive – Characterized by improper infliction of physical or psychological maltreatment towards another.Addict – One who is addicted to a compulsive activity. Examples: gambling, drugs, sex.Aimless – Devoid of direction or purpose.Alcoholic – A person who drinks alcoholic substances habitually and to excess.Anxious – Full of mental distress or uneasiness because of fear of danger or misfortune; greatly worried; solicitous.Arrogant – Having or displaying a sense of overbearing self-worth or self-importance. Inclined to social exclusiveness and who rebuff the advances of people considered inferior. If you enjoyed this post, you may enjoy Shades of Emotion – Characters and their emotions, and Writing About Characters With Phobias Source for Image

15 Chic and Creative Ways to Tie a Scarf | The Fashion Spot - StumbleUpon How to tie a half-bow scarf To tie the half-bow scarf, you should first loop the scarf around your neck and tie once– like the first step of tying your shoelaces. Then, take one side of the scarf and make a one loop, as if you were only tying one side of the bow on your shoes. Take the longer section of the scarf and wrap it in front and then behind the entire scarf, next to your neck. Fluff the loop afterwards to taste. How to tie a scarf bow Wrap the scarf around your neck and make sure both ends are even. How to braid a scarf Although it looks complicated, this scarf style is easy to tie. How to tie the scarf rosette belt Wrap a longer scarf around your waist and then twist it until the scarf starts to curl around itself. How to tie a layered knot Start by putting the scarf around your neck so that the ends hang in back. How to tie a simple slip knot Double up your scarf and wrap it around the back of your neck. How to tie the half-bow cinch How to tie the knotted loop How to tie a knot row

The Original Anti "Universal Mary Sue Litmus Test" The Original ANTIUniversal Mary Sue Litmus Test© Novadestin Greetings and Salutations Below you will find "The Universal Mary Sue Litmus Test." Now Lets Begin... How to use this test: First, if you're unsure of what a Mary Sue is, please read this page.. Answer all questions for which the answer is 'yes' or 'technically yes' unless the item mentioned is commonplace in the universe you are writing for. If your character is a role-playing character and the only reason you can answer 'yes' is because of other players acting of their own free wills (IE, everyone has their characters throwing themselves at your character's feet and you've done nothing to force this) do not answer yes to the corresponding question. Make sure that you answer the questions properly depending on what type of universe your character is in:Fanfiction - a story set in a world you didn't make up.Original Fiction - a story set in a world you created yourself.MMO/RPG - Role-Playing Game/MMORPGs.

Smart tips to make life easier - StumbleUpon Posted on February 24, 2012 in Humor If you’re new here, you may want to subscribe to our RSS feed or follow us on Facebook or Twitter . Thanks for visiting! Rate this Post (16 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5) Loading... So...