SaveDarfur.org has a post called "http://www.savedarfur.org/newsroom/clips/sudanese_pair_accused_of_war_crimes/">Sudanese Pair Accused of War Crimes." that's worth checking out...

The International Criminal Court's prosecutor in The Hague outlined what he called operational, logistical and command links between Sudan's government in Khartoum and horse-mounted nomadic militias it recruited and bankrolled to carry out mass killings in the Darfur region, and he named a member…

It is optimistic that two individuals are being examined in these atrocious crimes, but this will not stop the killing, rape and displacement to thousands of innocent people in the Darfur Region. Action needs to be taken to stop crimes against humanity. Please visit www.savedarfur.org to learn more about what you can do to help and spread the word!

Check out this AWESOME blog:

http://tryonstreetjournal.wordpress.com/

Okay, so I am a little bias...this is Russell's blog. Despite the fact that he is my husband and I think anything he does is amazing, this blog is VERY good and is widely read by WordPress readers.

So if you want some education on business happenings, investing strategies and other notable news nuggets pertaining to the economy - check it out already!!

...This will start a new post series of reviewing books I have read...


Review I: The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory

Could not put this one down...I read the entire book in about 1 week which is something since it is over 600 pages! The way that Gregory writes deeply in to her characters minds and emotions is captivating and allows the reader to relate and care for the characters. The primary character is Mary Boleyn, younger sister (although in actuality she was probably the older sister) of the infamous Anne Boleyn, second wife of Henry VIII.









Mary Boleyn

The book is written in 3rd person and basically chronicles a sister rivalry between Mary and Anne and the overwhelming pressure they both have on their shoulders to excel their family to the throne by ANY means possible. Along with their brother George, Mary and Anne spend their days plotting, planning and placing themselves strategically in front of the king to get his attention.

Mary wins Henry VIII's attention first but through a series of brutal betrayals by her sister, she is pushed out of the way in order to let Anne Boleyn become the king's newest mistress. Once Anne is in place a whirlwind of trickery, betrayal, murder and lies ensues. Gregory makes it clear why the name Anne Boleyn is forever remembered.










Anne Boleyn

The element that makes this novel so wonderful is that Gregory is a scholar and professor of English court history and therefore peppers the pages with factual events of the time. In essence you are reading about Henry VIII history with small elements of personal drama written between the lines. The emotional journey of Mary Boleyn is partnered with historically recorded events like the plague, wars, political conflicts of the time, and most importantly, the reinvention of the Church of England and the marriage of church and state in England. The story is so compelling because it is not merely a story but also a look into the past.

One key element I also found interesting was how the women of the royal court dedicated their life to pursuing the king or one of his men of the court. Life was defined by how many suitors you could obtain and if you could ultimately become one of the king's mistresses and possibly his next wife. Obviously women in Henry VIII's court were successful since he went on to have a total of 6 wives...2 of which were beheaded!

Henry VIII


Recommendation by Caylene: Great read especially if you like historical fiction and are not offended by a few bedroom scenes. http://www.philippagregory.com/BookBoleynGirl.shtml

On Valentines Day my very sweet husband treated me to a seafood dinner that rivaled Pike Place Market freshness!

There is a new seafood restaurant in Charlotte called Oceanaire that boasts the freshest seafood you can get in Charlotte (a tough task since we are several hundred miles inland). They fly in their seafood from the coast every day and some fish don't even arrive until 7:00pm in the evening!

In all it's mouth watering detail, here is what we had:

• Steamed Mussells in butter and garlic sauce


• Boston Stuffed Flounder (stuffed with crab and brie cheese!)


• Grilled Orange Roughy


• Bleu Macaroni and Cheese


• Sweet Potato and Cranberry casserole


• and DESSERT - Warm Rhubarb Crisp with Vanilla Ice Cream :)

Thank you to Russell for giving me such a treat!