–I want things to get better, not worse.–There's hundreds of thousands worse off than us.Ideals are worthless if you can't pay the bills.Anita and Sam live in East London. Burdened by debt and on the eve of giving birth to their second child, Anita begins to wonder whether it was a good idea for Sam to become a social worker. Can they survive in David Cameron's London on Sam's wage with two children? Anywhere else it would be fine, but where he's needed most...

Step 1: This Christmas, avoid my hot, annoying new neighbor. Step 2: Fail spectacularly.You know the guy. Super rich, a face that looks like it was chiselled by angels, and a smirk that deserves its own zip code. Charlie Cavendish, the guy I love to hate.And now he's moved into my building. Suddenly avoiding him is like trying to dodge London rain clouds. Especially when my late-night escapades—courtesy of my “Single American Girl in London” writing gig—b...

Her backup plan for marriage is the one man she can’t afford to fall for.I have a problem. Actually, I have several.I just got dumped. Again. This time by a guy who listens to pirate rock. Apparently, it's a thing. What's more, my thirtieth birthday is less than a week away, and my biological clock isn't just ticking, it's practically screaming.So I do what any rational woman on the verge of thirty would do: I drag my best friend out of a date and...

I’ve made a pact with my friends to marry the next guy I date.Yes, I know. It does sound like the kind of decision that should require adult supervision. But after years of bad dates, wasted time, and men who were very definitely not The One, my friends and I decide it’s time to get serious. No more messing around. No more Mr. Wrong. Just one last first date… with my future husband.Which is why I do what any sane, rational woman would do: I investigate my c...

Australians know Waltzing Matilda, written by our most popular poet Banjo Paterson, as our most loved song and unofficial national anthem. What Australians don't know is that their song is embroiled in a web of secrecy, violence and a triangular love affair. Written at a pivotal time in Australia's history, Waltzing Matilda is as important to Australian culture as events like the Eureka Stockade and the story of Ned Kelly.In the middle of remote Queensland, sheari...

"The Castle of Andalusia: A Comic Opera" is a delightful work by John O'Keeffe that combines humor and music in a captivating narrative. Set in a picturesque Spanish castle, the opera unfolds through a series of comedic misunderstandings and romantic entanglements. O'Keeffe's clever dialogue and engaging characters bring the story to life, making it a favorite among audiences. The opera features lively musical numbers that enhance the comedic elements, showcasing O'Keeffe's talent for blen...

* Haydon's first attempt at suicide ended when the low calibre bullet fired from his pistol fractured his skull but failed to penetrate his brain.* His second attempt also failed: a deep slash across his throat left a large pool of blood at the entrance to his studio, but he was still able to reach his easel on the opposite side of the room.*Only his third attempt, another cut to the throat which sprayed blood across his un...

Flames follow high schooler and aspiring movie star Harry Flanagan wherever he goes.Despite a disastrous attempt at driving a bike through a burning refrigerator box in second grade, high schooler Harry Flanagan never gives up his goal of becoming a movie star or at least a stuntman. However, since the bicycle episode, it seems as if fires pop up everywhere Harry goes, earning him the infamous nickname of "Harry Flammable."Now a shed at Harry’s school has been set on fire, ...

Many, whether completing their education or looking for a change of career, will have started to consider entering the business world, whether taking up a career in industry, starting up their own business or studying business. In either case, the first barrier to overcome may be complete or partial lack of knowledge of what business is actually all about; its basic concepts and terminology.A Business Guide for Beginners addresses the needs of readers seeking to develop their pract...

The Toss of a Coin – voices from a modern crisis is the life stories of refugees from across Africa and the Middle East, in their own words. It is the story of a Civil War, its causes and aftermath, told by Libyans who fought on either side – and those forced from their homes by a war they could not or did not want to fight.It is the story behind the term ‘intervention’: the people it affects, and how they respond. It is the story of how Libya has descended into chaos, and how it co...

Steve Jay is a fireman on the edge. Crippling debts and the recent return of his unfaithful partner Jenny have bent him out of shape, getting between him and the job he loves.But Jay's problems are only just beginning. A horrific fire in an East London fashion store and workshop tests him and his watch to the limit. And when an old friend offers him serious money to investigate the Sheldon family's history of fires, it sounds like the answer to a prayer.His decision to acce...

It first set the airwaves afire in 1928: 100,000 megawatts of raw, unregulated flamethrower power from south of the Rio Grande. Founded by a quack surgeon, it endured assaults by the Mexican army, launched the careers of evangelists and movie stars, and helped a cultural menace called rock’n’roll seduce the teenagers of North America. But in the summer of 1985, XAMO 1530 AM radio is a ramshackle, low-voltage shadow of its “border blaster” heyday. That is, until an enigmatic runaway various...