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I don't know about you but there are numerous things I stumble across during my online surfing time that I think is a bad idea. Pop up windows, pop under windows, get rich quick offers, buying webpage hits etc. etc. So it's not often I come across a website that invites its audience to suggest improvement ideas and offers cash prizes in return.

The forum based community Pheebay is dedicated to the discussion and promotion of all things eBay and other auction and classified websites.
Registration to their forums is free of charge and in the top section of the forum index page you will see this months competition thread. Click there and you will see that your one good idea, explained in just a few words, could net you a few extra dollars to spend.

Pheebay is about six months old now and has grown at an impressive rate to achieve approximately 500 registered members already. Apart from the discussion forums there are numerous resources available to auction sellers and reviews and promotional items related to eBay and the up and coming competitors.

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Foreclosures in SW Florida are everywhere. This is the time to buy, especially along the Gulf Coast of Florida. Tips on buying a foreclosure as well as three websites to search for foreclosures.
Foreclosure Listings: Yahoo Real Estate

Yahoo Real Estate is a excellent way to check on foreclosure listings. For people who are moving to SW Florida, this is an excellent way to stay on top of foreclosures as they become available. For best results, check daily, as prices can drop on a foreclosure quickly. Often times, the same day a foreclosure price drops, offers will be made on the home. In order to not miss a good deal, search daily.

Foreclosure Listings: FindSouthwestFloridahomes.com

If you want to look at Southwest Florida's large database of houses for sale, and foreclosures, this is another great resource. No matter what Southwest Florida location you are looking for, this large database will most likely have homes in that location.

Foreclosure Listings: Foreclosed Data Bank

Foreclosedatabank.com proclaims to be the largest database of foreclosures on the web. For this reason alone, this site is worth adding to your list of websites to add to your foreclosure listing search.

Foreclosure Listing: Buying a Foreclosure

Buying a foreclosure can save the buyer hundreds of thousands of dollars. The key is to be through when looking at homes. Take a notebook and write down every flaw you see in the home. Go home, and then start adding the price tag of all the flaws. If the flaws are limited to wear and tear, you might get a great deal on the home.

Waiting till the price comes down more is a risk. But sometimes, that risk will pay off and you can get a home at a fraction of the cost. If you choose to wait it out, be ready to place a bid the day the price does come down. Other buyers may have done the same thing as you.

Foreclosure Listings: Fix it Up Yourself

Foreclosures in SW Florida are everywhere. This is the time to buy, especially along the Gulf Coast of Florida. With buying a foreclosure often will come problems with the house. If you know how to fix things yourself, you could save yourself thousands of dollars and do all the work yourself.

Some common problems are carpets that need to be ripped up, walls painted, landscape repair, and bathroom/kitchen repairs. If you can do this yourself, buying a foreclosure is the perfect choice.

Ja Rule is back on the music scene with his first album since 2005's Exodus. Earlier in the decade, Ja was one of the biggest stars in music. However, after a rap beef with fellow Queens native 50 Cent, Ja has fallen under the radar. Will his new album, The Mirror, be able to solidify his spot as one of the most talented artists in hip hop?

The first single off The Mirror is Uhh Ohh featuring rapper Lil Wayne. The song was produced by Disco D. The track is fairly repetitive and probably was not the best way to release Ja back to the marketplace. The song just does not have the quality you would expect from Ja Rule especially being gone from the public eye for so long. The track did not really take off with the general public. Not even a strong verse from Lil Wayne could save the song.

The second single off the album is Body featuring R&B newcomer Ashley Joi. The song is much more commercially friendly than the first single. The song finds Ja in his comfort zone making a song for the females. The track is alright but just does not have the appeal of previous Ja singles.

On the Rick Steel produced Sunset, Ja is joined by West Coast rapper The Game and R&B newcomer Stefani. The song is a fairly hard track which is catchier than other singles off the album. The song features solid production and solid verses from both Ja and The Game.

It's All Hood Now is one of the strongest tracks on the album. The song is able to recapture much of the essence which made Ja a star to begin with. The song features a very radio friendly chorus which adds to the track.

Sing A Prayer 4 Me is another one of the better tracks on the album. The song features Ja returning to his sing-song formula to create a hit. The song is very reminiscent of previous Ja hits like I Cry.

Father Forgive Me features an interpolation of The Beatles hit song Eleanor Rigby. The song features Ja's typical sing song formula over the darker beat. The song is much darker than most of the content on the album.

300 is a definite street anthem featuring Newz, Tre and Merc Montana. The song should be able to give Ja a much need presence in the urban market.

Damn is one of the better songs on the album. It is able to capture the magic of previous Ja singles. The song definitely could help to get Ja back to the top.

The Mirror just is not a great hip-hop album. The production and singles are just lacking. The album material fails to see Ja connect with the current urban market. The wait for this album has been incredibly long and you feel as though it was not worth it. The Mirror gets 7 out of 10. If you're a fan of Ja Rule make sure you pick up his new album The Mirror when it is available in stores early next year.

Four horses ride on amidst the frenzy of deception and confusion brought on by various interpretations of the famed Horsemen of the Apocalypse. First introduced to us in Revelation chapter six, each horse forefronts his unique malignant disaster, most of which entail wars of terror, bioterrorism, plagues, economic crises, and of course, death. All horses are instruments of Satan, but their power is given to them by God. They are ushered in by the Four Beasts and sent out with specific instructions to fulfill within a certain period of time. In this study we will examine just who these four horsemen are, what duties they perform, and how they fit into the end times scenario.

Each horse is introduced when Christ opens a seal from the Seven-Sealed Scroll. The Apostle John eloquently penned the entrance of the first seal with the infamous words, “Behold, a white horse!” in Revelation 6:2. And so it will be; a white horse will come forth bearing its rider, inevitably the Antichrist, who comes in the same fashion as Christ will come. As Dr. Chuck Missler describes him in his Revelation commentary, this rider is an imposter. Judging from his description, Antichrist is most definitely trying to impersonate Christ; he is given a crown and is given the power to conquer. These two characteristics of the White Horseman lead most people to believe he indeed is Christ. Satan has already gotten a good foothold on some of these individuals, it would seem, as they're not too keen on the idea that he is indeed a pretender.

Just what will this crowned imposter get away with? We already know from other prophecies he will be a smooth-talking, intelligent politician who will gain the trust of the entire world and make treaties with Israel which he has every intention of breaking. Britt Gillette of Rapture Ready suggests that Antichrist will come looking armed but not dangerous. He quotes, “The Antichrist wields the traditional weapons of war, but in this passage, he is not viewed as using deadly force to conquer (no arrow accompanies his bow).” In other words, he can come looking as though he is bringing peace – he doesn't even carry a sword, which would have been more common for a royal rider to carry than a bow. He also suggests the Antichrist will resort to molecular manufacturing and nanotechnology to enforce his will, rather than direct warfare. This way, his takeover will be more subtle and presumably “peaceful.”

Revelation 6:4 ushers in the second installment of the Apocalyptic horses:

And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword.

Notice the red horse's rider was given a great sword. The white horse's rider was carried only a bow. Does this mean the red horse's rider will be more aggressive than the white one? If the white rider is indeed the Antichrist, he will come across as peaceful. The red rider, however, is a man of war. Red is the color of blood, thus, a warrior's color is typically the same. In order to accomplish his vile tasks within the short period of the tribulation, the red rider might employ the same tactics as the Antichrist – weapons of mass destruction, advanced weapons technology, and molecular manufacturing.

In Mark 13, Jesus describes the times characterizing the tribulation period. He explains that there will be wars and rumors of wars, but the end is not yet. He says many will come in His name claiming to be Christ (the Antichrist, most notably), then that there will be wars (ushered in by the red horse), famines (brought on by the black horse) and that these are the beginning of sorrows. He makes it clear that it is not until the Abomination of Desolation sits in the holy place that the end is truly upon those still on the earth. Thus, the red horse's wars will not wipe out the entire earth, or even close to it. However, the wars won't be horrible enough to incriminate the Antichrist of any war crimes, as he will likely be the one instigating these orders on earth.

The next horse brings a great depression like none other known in the history of mankind. In Revelation 6:5, the black horseman enters with balances in his hand. He is given specific instructions regarding which parts of the economy he can squeeze and which he is told to leave alone. The Expositor's Bible Commentary makes a particularly chilling note of the implications of the black horse's actions:

This amount [of money] suggests food prices about twelve times higher than normal … and implies inflation and famine conditions (Mat. 24:7). A quart of wheat would supply an average person one day's sustenance. Barley was used by the poor to mix with the wheat.

The rider of the black horse is given instructions to “not hurt the oil and the wine.” (Rev. 6:5b). Darris McNeely (2004, The Black Horse of Famine) suggests there will already be dire shortages of oil and wine, so harming either of these would cause a complete absence of either altogether.

People all over the world are currently dying from famines every day, so when a worldwide famine and economic downfall occurs, it will not only cause further decrease in morale, it will bring with it more deaths. Since medical supplies will undoubtedly be in short supply due to the economic conditions, few people will receive proper treatment and will die on the table in hospitals. Not only will more people die in Africa than are already dying now, but this same trend will carry on through Europe, Asia, the United States, et al. The tense of the text implies that no one will be spared from the famines and economic collapses of the end times.

The fourth seal unleashes the horse that has been perhaps the most controversial of all the horses of the Apocalypse. Revelation 6:8 describes this fourth horse, as well as its rider, the only one of the four detrimental horses with a name: “And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him.” The pale horse will be given 25% of the earth to completely annihilate by killing with the sword, hunger, and death. The only thing more startling than this truth is the expected methodologies he will use to carry out his task. The likely possibility of this horseman's rider using biotechnology to employ bioterrorism seems to be the most disturbing and unsettling.

According to Mark Oldham of the University of South Florida, bioterrorism is “the use of biological weapons, such as infectious viruses or bacteria, in order to hector or cause disease.” (Bioterrorism, 2004). There are currently a variety of biotechnological weapons the pale horse could employ on his rampage, let alone those that have yet to be created before the end times arrive. Diseases which spread the fastest would be among the most attractive to him, no doubt, including small pox, cholera, and anthrax, just to name a few. Furthermore, it would not take much effort to cause worldwide panic over this issue. Take the anthrax scare which surfaced around the September 11, 2001 attacks. It is quite possible that copycat terrorists will pop up around the world to join in with their own scare tactics, thus adding to the pale horse's ride of terror and increasing global mayhem.

The threat of being subjected to the whims of these four horses should alone be enough to convince many to come to Christ, if not for any other reason than to escape the worst tribulation the world will ever experience. But the fact that Christ was willing to provide a loving escape from these torments should provide an even greater reason to accept His offer. Granted, there's no guarantee as to when these terrors will come about, but we are told to expect Jesus to return at any time, at which point the end times may begin shortly thereafter. Thus, no one can know if they will spend the rest of their lives on earth, or whether they will survive during the Great Tribulation. But the entire book of Revelation reveals enough knowledge that one should logically come to the conclusion that it's better to be soulfully prepared than be eternally remorseful.

WORKS CITED

Apocalypsis.org. (n.d.). The four horsemen of the Apocalypse. Retrieved June 6, 2008 from http://www.apocalipsis.org/fourhorsemen.htm

Gillette, B. (2007). The rider on the red horse. In Revelation (chap. 2). Retrieved June 9, 2008, from http://brittgillette.com/WordPress/?p=24

Gillette, B. (2007). The rider on the white horse. In Revelation (chap. 1). Retrieved June 9, 2008, from http://brittgillette.com/WordPress/?p=37

Longman, T. (2006). The Expositor's Bible Commentary: Hebrews – Revelation. (Rev. ed.). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

Kilkenny, N. (2008). The antichrist. Retrieved Jun 10, 2008, from http://www.reformation.org/antichrist.html

Missler, C.M. (Speaker). (2005). The book of Revelation (CD Recording, KHID # CD005). Coeur d'Alene, ID: Koinonia House.

Oldham, M. (n.d.). Bioterrorism. (Dissertation, University of South Florida, n.d.). Retrieved June 12, 2008, from http://www.the-elite.net/ClarkPage/Biotech/Bioterrorism.html

United Church of God. (2004). The horsemen of Revelation: the black horse of famine. Retrieved June 11, 2008, from http://www.ucgstp.org/lit/gn/gn052/blackhorse.htm

As most of you know the Jack Russell Terrier is a big dog in a little body they seem to think they are a 180 pound dog they tend not to be afraid of nothing…….. yeah right I have two Jack Russell Terrier's and they are both afraid of flies i think it's the buzzing noise that the fly makes not all Jacks are the same there are some that don't get along to well with cats or other pet's well i can't talk for those Jacks but i sure can talk about what mine are like and my two Jacks get along well with other pet's like cats or other dogs. If you get a Jack Russell you should really read up on what they are like most people think oh i know what i'm doing and before you know it the dog is running them with this breed you must show them at a young age that you are the boss in the home as you know dogs are pack animals and they follow whoever is the top dog in that pack,but it is true about what i had said how these dogs seem to think they are 180 pound dog. These dogs are great to have if you know what your getting yourself into like i have said before they are hyper dogs and need space to run and play i find owning two females is great i have read that if you have two of the same sex in this breed they will tend to fight well so far so good with my two as they are mom and child they may when the little one gets older,but as of now they get along good i guess it's on how you would raise your puppy to be a puppy is not born to be a fighter it's on how you raise any dog not just the Jacks. Jacks are lovable dogs the only thing i have a problem with is that i can not let mine of the leash they like to chase whatever moves on the ground or in the tree now these dogs are hunting dogs and this is why it's not a good idea to let them run free as they tend to run after whatever they seen.These dogs can live up to 15 years of age thats a long time for a dogs to live so if your thinking on getting one of these dogs it's always good to read up on this type of breed before you go out and buy this dog and always ask questions about the dog if you buy your dog from a breeder i think it's better then going to a petshop to buy one as you wont get all the answer that you might be looking for like what was the parents like were they clam or really hyper? now when you go to a breeder you can ask these types of questions that's the diffrenents i hope you have enjoy reading what i had to say about this breed and if you want to know more you can go take a look at my book call Everything you want to know about living with these busy bodies (Jack Russell Terrier's).

My Life as a Teenage Robot is a popular animated television series that airs on the Nickelodeon channel. The show is produced by Frederator Studios and was created by Rob Renzetti. The show stars the voices of Janice Kawaye, Chad Doreck, Audrey Wasilewski, Quinton Flynn, Moira Quirk, and several other actors and actresses. The show made its debut on Nickelodeon on August 1, 2003.

My Life as a Teenage Robot follows the life of girl robot named XJ-9, although she likes to go by the name of Jenny. She is six feet tall and taller than most of the other characters on the show. XJ-9 or Jenny was created by Dr. Wakeman who wanted her to be a battle robot and is very upset with her decision to try and fit in with the human race. Jenny enjoys doing things that humans do such as going to school, going shopping, and hanging out with friends. Her two best friends on the show are Brad and Tuck.

Brad seems to enjoy Jenny’s company much more than Tuck does. My Life as a Teenage Robot which takes place in the town of Tremorton in the year 2072 also follows Jenny’s encounters with her so-called enemies. She has an ongoing fight with the popular girls at her school. Queen Vexus wants Jenny to join a group of robots that she is the leader of called the Cluster.

The Cluster is a group of robots that wants to take over humans and make them their slaves. Although the Cluster has tried to get Jenny to join countless times during My Life as a Teenage Robot, she constantly refuses. Several times over the course of My Life as a Teenage Robot, Queen Vexus has physically forced Jenny to be a part of the Cluster, but Jenny has managed to escape each time she has been captured.

My Life as a Teenage Robot has had a total of 28 episodes air on Nickelodeon to this date. Thirteen other episodes of My Life as a Teenage Robot are currently in production. These thirteen episodes will air as the third season during the end of 2006 and the beginning of 2007. The show is believed to be canceled after the third season airs. My Life as a Teenage Robot has had several episodes appear on Nicktoons compilation DVDs, although the show has never had its own DVD produced.

With four children, it can sometimes be hard seeing the differences in each child and appreciating them for who they are. It would be much easier to just lump them all into one group and always treat them the same. The problem with that is all my children are extremely different. I have found things about each of my children that I love. Treating them as individuals is very important to their growth and personality.

My oldest daughter started out as my stepdaughter, but now she is totally my girl, and I am so thankful for it. My oldest daughter is the sweetest person ever. She cares about everyone and everything. She is always happy, well at least almost always happy; she is a teenager after all. I love that she finds the good in others, and that she is completely accepting of other peoples differences. She has always had a difficult time with school, but always tries her best and doesn't give up even if she doesn't understand everything that she is learning.

My middle daughter has been a handful since birth, but I wouldn't have it any other way. She is incredibly smart, and excels at everything she puts her mind to. She has a very quick wit and is so sarcastically funny; she's always making me laugh. She loves animals and wants to save them all, that's why she wants to be a vet. The part of her that amazes me most is her strength and being completely unafraid to be herself. She doesn't care what others think about her. For me, that is wonderful.

My youngest daughter is my stepdaughter. She is free spirited; she doesn't let anything get her down. If she runs into a problem she figures out how to fix it and move one. She is extremely strong and has weathered problems with her biological mother stoically. She is completely devoted to everyone she cares about. She is fun loving, even when you would think misery would be easier for her to feel.

My youngest child is the only boy. He and his dad are close; I guess that makes sense being the only guys in the house. My son is so sweet and caring. He has a heart of gold and shows it often. He is funny and strong. He gets through his health problems without ever complaining. He just seems to have a love of life that never quits.

All my children are wonderful in their own ways. Of course they each have faults, but the great things about them far out weigh the bad. Sometimes it would be easier if they were cookie cutter children and did everything the same way, liked the same things, and could be disciplined the same. But they aren't the same and I love that about them.

It's important to allow your children to be who they are and to find all the wonderful things about each of them. Imagine all the new things you can find to love about your kids when you take the time to look.

This simple dresser turned scrapbook work center is the perfect way to incorporate your scrap booking hobby into almost any room in your home. When you have finished working on your photos and scrap books for the day you can simply close your DIY project and no one will be the wiser.

I live in a small space. If you live in a small space and find that you need to have your scrap booking work station in your bedroom this dresser redo project is a great way to incorporate your scrap booking work station into your bedroom. All you have to do is simply shut the door and no one will know your scrap booking work station is in your bedroom!

To Make a scrap booking work station Out of a Tall Dresser You Will Need:

1 Tall Wood Dresser

Jig Saw

2X4's

Desk slider hardware

Tape measure

Primer

Paint

Dowels

Drill with bits

Cork board sheeting

Scissor

Spray adhesive

Paint rollers and Brushes

Sander or Sand Paper

Piano Hinge

Magnetic door clip

Sheet if Birch or Pine Plywood (cut to size)

A tall dresser will work best for this scrap booking work station project. Tall and narrow, instead of short and wide. Look for a dresser that is at least four feet tall.

Now, the first step is to remove the drawers.

Now, use your jig saw to cut the entire front piece of wood inside the main frame of the dresser. These are the wood slats that the drawers slide into. Use your sand paper to sand down any rough edges.

Now, You will need to buy desk sliding hardware that fits into this space. Ikea and office depot both sell the metal track system that also you to slide a piece of desk out. It looks like those sliding systems that allow you to slide out your keyboard on a computer desk, only larger.

I like to measure the inside of the dresser. Cut on piece of birch plywood out that fits exactly. Install this scrapbook work area piece into the dresser at desk height.

Now, cut out a second piece of birch plywood that fits in to your sliding desk hardware.

Install this under the first piece of birch wood. This wills double your desk space. Instead of just having a lap top in this home office, you might be able to fit a computer monitor and column.

Use your drill to drill one hole in each side of the inside of the scrap booking work station. I like these to be about 4 inches down from the top.

You want them to be the same size as your dowel. You can slide your dowel into place and it can hold rolls of tape, rolls of ribbon, or any other scrap booking materials you may use.

Now, you need to remove you drawer fronts form the main box of the drawers. You can again use your jig saw to do this. This will be unique to each dress, but some dresser may be assembling so that you can simple pull the front panel of the drawer.

Sand down the back of the front drawer panel until it is flat and smooth.

Now, measure the main opening on the body of the dresser.

Cut you birch or pine plywood to about one inch longer and wider than this opening.

Now, attach each of the drawer fronts from the vintage dresser to the front of this birch plywood. You can simply predrill a hole through the plywood and into the back of the drawer front. Screw them in place.

Now, you need to attach the new front of the scrap booking work station with the piano hanger. I like to lay the dresser on its back, flat on the ground.

Attach the hinges to the front left of the wood on the dresser. Now, have a friend help you hold the new “door” in place. Hold the hinge up to the new front where it will attach. Use a marker to mark through the hole where you need to pre drill holed. Predrill small holes partially thought aback of the front panel. Now, use small screws to attach the hinge to he back of the panel.

Go ahead and close the front panel of your scrap booking work station. Decide where you want to install your magnetic clip that will hold the front door of your scrap booking work station shut. Install this simply buy install one Side of the magnet to the dresser and the other piece to the matching space on the back of the door. You can find these magnetic door hardware clips at any hardware or home improvement store in the door cabinet door hardware aisle.

Now, predrill some one inch holes in the back of the dresser. This will allow the cords from your hot glue gun and lamps to go out the back and plug into ht wall.

Now, you can sand the entire scrap booking work station and prime it out. Now, paint it in milk paint, house paint, or any finish you choose. It is important to paint the entire piece to make it look cohesive.

Tip:

You can install a sheet for cork board that covers the entire inside back of your scrap booking work station on the inside. Do this after you paint so you do not ruin the cork board painting.

You could also install this cork board onto the door of the scrap booking work station. Simply cut the sheet of cork to size. Spray some adhesive one and pres it in place.

Since your dresser turned scrap booking work station is wood you can also screw wall mounting storage inside to hold pens, photos, markers, scissors and other scrap booking material.

Live music in Winston-Salem, North Carolina sometimes can be difficult to find. With big bands like U2 and Ozzfest going to nearby Charlotte, and even somewhat popular musical acts like Hilary Duff and the American Idol tour going to next door neighbor Greensboro, it seems like residents of Winston-Salem get cheated. However, there are a few places to go if you are in the know.

The most well-known acts always end up at the Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum. The LJVM Coliseum has hosted in the past Elton John, Rock the Vote, and Gretchen Wilson.

There is not a single bad seat of the 15,000 available in this arena, and, unlike most speaker-enhanced venues, this coliseum is small enough that the reverb doesn't hit you two minutes later. The prices of the musical acts are also usually cheaper than nearby Charlotte and Raleigh venues too, so if the act comes to both, the LJVM Coliseum will be the cheaper, better show.

Bad side of this concert venue is the same as with any coliseum: traffic. University Parkway is busy enough without the cars emptying onto it after a concert. Be prepared to wait a half and hour before you can exit the parking lot.
While this venue is usually in use by the Wake Forest Demon Deacons, or the Dixie Classic Fair, or even minor league hockey and circus events, there is usually a musical act once or twice a month.

Parking: Side lot on Deacon Street, or Main lot on University Parkway. Follow parking personnel to a space.

On the web: http://www.ljvm.com
LJVM Coliseum
2825 University Pkwy.
Winston-Salem, NC 27105
Phone : 336-725-5635

A favorite with concert goers is Ziggy's. They often feature the smaller or up-and-coming bands, such as Jump Little Children, Drive-By Truckers, and Sam Bush. Cover bands, Jam Bands, and Indie Rock groups are also prevalent.

The stage is small, with no room for light shows or fireworks, but lets the audience close enough that one could pass a note to the band (as has happened). There are higher platforms to stand on for those who can't get down front, so view is non-obscured in all parts of the concert hall. Most shows are 21 years and up.There are several colleges surrounding Ziggy's, so many of the concert goers there are regulars. Musical acts are scheduled an average of 4 days a week.

The downside? There are a few stools for early birds, but otherwise standing only.

Parking: A tiny lot by Ziggy's on Baity Street gets filled pretty quickly. Several restaurants along the street threaten towing if you park in their lots. Best solution? The grassy fields or random parking lots along Baity Street, and then walk.

On the web: www.ziggyrock.com
433 Baity St. 
Winston-Salem, NC 27105
Phone : 336-748-1064 

RubberSoul Bar is a fantastic hidden music venue that lets you hear soulful sounds. Jazz, Soul, and R&B bands play often, with open mic nights common.

The space is limited, mostly taken up by the bar and the few tables laying around. The stage is setup in the corner, and is visible from most of the bar. The musical acts are usually alive and entertaining, and many of the bands will have repeat performances at this same spot throughout the year. 4-5 nights a week one can catch a good show at this live music spot.
Unfortunately, RubberSoul Bar is members only, so walking in off the street is not an option. It costs $5 a year to join. This prevents any sort of cover charge.

Parking: There are a few lots around this part of downtown, but mostly it's on the side of Burke Street. The venue isn't well known enough to create parking problems, so usually a spot near the door is viable. There is also a small lot around back of the building, but pulling in and out is difficult, and it usually goes first.

On the web: www.rubbersoulbar.com
RubberSoul Bar
1148 Burke Street
Winston-Salem, NC 27101
Phone: 336-721-0570

The Garage in downtown is one of the most unique and fun live music venues. This spot is actually a working car garage, but at nights turns into a jive 50's joint. Greasers and poodle skirts resurrect in this spot, and great shows of all music can be seen here. Rock shows, folk and blues shows, or just plain eclectic is abundant and will be played.

This concert place doesn't get much promotion, so the downside is the missed shows that area residents hear about too late.

Parking: Downtown all the meters are turned off after business hours, so feel free to park up and down 7th.

On the web: No official website for The Garage, but the Folk Music Bands that play there are at www.fiddleandbow.org
The Garage
110 W. Seventh Street
Winston-Salem, NC 27127
336-777-1127

What else to check out in Winston-Salem?

The Steven's Center often hosts performances and occasionally live music, mostly from the Winston-Salem Symphony and from the North Carolina School of the Arts students. Various styles and acts occur frequently, so check their calendar often. 
No official website, check for performances through specific acts' sites.

405 West Fourth Street
Winston-Salem, NC 27127
336-721-1945

The North Carolina School of the Arts is one of the most performance-ridden places in all of North Carolina. Symphonies, Operas, and occasionally a special “Professional” performance will be highlighted.

On the web: www.ncarts.edu
1533 South Main Street
Winston-Salem, NC 27127
336-770-3399 

Other musical events such as the annual Culturefest and shows at Salem College occasionally arise, and a good place to keep an eye out for them is the Winston-Salem Journal or Smitty's Notes. On the web: www.journalnow.com, and www.smittysnotes.com, respectfully.

The tone of Robert Conquest’s Reflections on a Ravaged Century is in definite contrast to Eric Hobsbawm’s work The Age of Extremes. While the latter is an apologist for the failed Left in the 20th century, Conquest is a stalwart of moderation and an opponent of such devotion to a singular idea. Conquest’s thesis is that ideas that promise absolute and narrow solutions for widespread problems like poverty are merely a panacea for the young, a significant number of Western intellectuals, and those who have been misled by educators in and out of the Soviet Union. The author rails against “the Idea” and its specific historical example, the Soviet Union, as the perversion of political, cultural, and social norms throughout the world. In effect, Reflections on a Ravaged Country seeks to provide the counter argument to Hobsbawm’s gloomy outlook for the future.

Conquest goes into detail about why the Soviet Union and its motivations were accepted by the West, perhaps even encouraged, as well as destructive in many ways to the people directly involved in communism. Why was the rise of Lenin and Stalin, the vanguard of Marxist ideals, such a dangerous precedent for the world in the 20th century? The reason given by Conquest, in short, is that the ideological war was fought on two fronts, with one being the misinformation front to the West and the violent, cruel front of iron-fisted rule within the Soviet sphere. The only substantial information for Western nations to use during the Cold War, aside from what they could extract from spies, was the census and other propaganda campaigns given out by the Communist Party to the Western press.

With this in mind, it is not difficult to believe that those who already sympathized with more left leaning ideals, along with those who wanted to believe that the threat was not as bad, would accept these figures. These figures did not accurately depict the life of the average Russian subject. Stories of concentration camps, pogroms, and political suppression mixed soon with stories of a corrupt and imperfect Soviet system based loosely on Marxist ideas. These tales did not leave the inner sanctum, however, until it was too late to retrieve the romanticism of revolution from the younger generation of the 1960s and 1970s, along with what Conquest believed to be misled academics with a similar perverse longing for socialist revolt. The fall of the Soviet threat and the subsequent awakening from the misinformation of Soviet propaganda seem to promise something that Conquest would hope for, which is moderation in academic and political beliefs.

Certainly, the author’s arguments against academics like Hobsbawm and the manic belief in a singular Idea are thorough and have merit. Several points of concern arose while I was reading this book. In Conquest’s discussion of an “Association” and creation of a new world order he seems to be engaging in something dangerously close to the pie eyed dreaming of those he criticizes. This “Association” of the like-minded would be something similar to the large Idea that he has sought to discredit throughout the entirety of his previous arguments. The author also seems to be off the mark in criticizing the European Union for not being as successful as the United States in creating a federal government. The idea of the EU has not even left the airplane hanger and Conquest would have it crashing into the Andes. He is a victim of something nearly as bad as obsessive belief in an Idea, which is an obsessive belief in moderation. Conquest is also an unabashed prognosticator, unlike the self-effacing and modest Hobsbawm who recognizes his limitations. All in all, Reflections provides an adequate counter to the Left, but is hindered by the excessive moderation of the author.