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Home » World News » 8 surprisingly affordable cities with great weather for retirees
8 surprisingly affordable cities with great weather for retirees
Over half of retirees never move, according to the Center for Retirement Research. Instead, they remain in the same home they lived in during their early 50s, also known as aging in place. If you're of the mind to pull up your roots and head somewhere new in retirement, it makes sense to relocate somewhere where the cost of living won't strain your budget — and you can also enjoy spending time outdoors.
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For example, cities where the average home value or rent is lower than the national average and the average annual temperature ranges between 50 and 80 degrees would be ideal. With all of the places to move in the U.S., it could take a while to narrow down a list of retirement destination possibilities. To help, here are eight surprisingly affordable cities for retirees that also have great weather.
According to Zillow, the typical U.S. home value is $357,107, over three times what you'd pay, on average, in Tarboro, which has a median home value of $111,114.Not only is this city affordable, but you'll also be in good company in Tarboro: 27.6% of the population is 65 and older. Plus, the average temperature there is 60.8 degrees.Although Tarboro is considered a smaller city of about 10,800 people, Greenville, North Carolina — with a population of over 92,000 — is only about half an hour away and is widely known for its medical and cultural offerings.Take Our Poll: Have You Ever Lost Wealth Due To a Natural Disaster?
If you're not opposed to renting in retirement, the average rent for a one-bedroom apartment in Melbourne is $1,230.29. To give you perspective, the national average for rent on a one-bedroom apartment is $1,721, according to recent data from Rent.You can expect to spend about $2,049.79 for monthly expenditures, such as groceries, rent and healthcare. Healthcare in Melbourne is about $24 lower than the national average, which is $431.32.The average annual temperature is mild at 72.4 degrees, and 21% of the population is 65 and older.
The average annual temperature in Lakeland is 72.6 degrees — not that different from Melbourne's. And the cost of living is pretty similar too.Rent for a one-bedroom is $1,199.86 and total monthly expenditures are $2,038.70. Even the amount of retirees living in Lakeland who are 65 and older closely matches Melbourne's retired population — 20% versus 21%, respectively.
Mountain Home, Arkansas
If fishing, canoeing, camping and hiking are activities you plan to enjoy in retirement, Mountain Home is the perfect retirement destination.The town sits between the Ozark Mountains and is surrounded by lakes and rivers. The best part is that retirees can enjoy an average annual temperature of just 69 degrees.Additionally, the average home value is $178,079 — a little less than half the national average of just over $357,000. It's not a huge, booming city due to its modest population of 12,463, but the percentage of the population who are 65 and older is promising at 29%.
Located just 15 minutes from the Blue Ridge Parkway, Mount Airy is full of opportunities for retirees who enjoy scenic beauty. With an average annual temperature of just 55.2 degrees, outdoor activities can be easily enjoyed too.The median home value in the city is $153,561, over $200,000 lower than the typical U.S. home value. Although the total population is only 10,213, the city prides itself on its amenities, including healthcare and cultural arts.Retirees hold their own there, as well — the percentage of the population 65 and older is 26.7%.
If you're a retiree who is looking for a little larger city to reside in, Kingsport might be the perfect choice. The total population is 53,699 and 25% of the people there are 65 and older.The average annual temperature in Kingsport is 57 degrees, and it's known for its mild summer climate due to it being close to the mountains. If you're an avid golfer, there are 20 golf courses in the surrounding area.The median home value there is well below the typical U.S. home value at $195,583, as well.
You can expect to see sunshine the majority of the time in Roanoke. On average, the sun shines 211 days out of the year there, with the average for the U.S. being 208.This is another city where retirees will find renting affordable. Typical rent for a one-bedroom is $919.71, and total monthly expenditures equal $1,783.82. Plus, 20% of the population is 65 and older.
With an average high temperature of 79 and an average low of 59, this Texas town qualifies as having great weather. It's home to Texas A&M University, which means a sizable college population, but retirees still make up 6.7% of the population of 120,019.Total monthly expenses are affordable at $1,664.72, with the average rent for a one bedroom at $841.14 and a monthly grocery bill at right under $400.More From GOBankingRates9 Bills You Should Never Put on Autopay
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 8 Surprisingly Affordable Cities With Great Weather for Retirees
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"Another Bungalow" is a collection of poetry by Maura Way.
Susan Meehan inched down her front steps, two of her own publications tucked under her arm: "Talking to the Night" and "The Color of Truth," each a collection of poems centered around the changes D.C. has experienced since the Dupont Circle resident first arrived in the neighborhood in 1964.
"We were the first white couple to move onto Corcoran Street," she said. "Back then it was called 'stab alley.'"
Making her way toward her favorite coffee shop, she gestured to the street. "I remember when this entire block looked different," she said.
She has seen radio stores become restaurants, and coffee shops become apartment buildings. She has seen her community being built up as much as it has been torn down.
At age 79, Meehan has no intention of slowing down. She recently won first place in the local DC Poet Project, which was created through a grant from the D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities.
"One of the main goals was to encourage professional poetry experiences," said project director Robert Bettmann. "We also wanted to provide opportunities for underserved communities."
The first-place winner was also awarded a book contract, which resulted in Meehan's first book: "Talking to the Night."
Meehan has been writing poetry since she first heard her mother recite a poem at age 6. She wanted to study poetry in college, but her father wouldn't let her, so for four years she studied political science and cultivated her love of activism, continuing poetry writing as a hobby. It wasn't until graduate school at Boston University that her passion for all things word-related was reignited.
"My adviser asked me to edit a book he was writing on politics," Meehan said. "I enjoyed it so much that it both cost me — and gave me — a career."
Working as an advocate for citizens addicted to alcohol and drugs, Meehan served in former Mayor Marion Barry's administration. She devoted her few spare moments to channeling her thoughts into poetry.
"I write a lot about what I've seen and what I've felt," Meehan said. "My children used to play with a family of 10 on our street. One day, one of the children came running to me screaming 'My mommy's dead,' and I rushed over to see that it was true. I gained eight godchildren that day."
Meehan plans to publish another poetry book, but says she does not have a release date yet. After nearly eight decades, she is worried she may live longer than she wants to.
"It's starting to look like I may live to be the age my father was, which was 103," Meehan said.
Maura Way's poetry collection is dedicated to her childhood home in Chevy Chase. (photo courtesy of Maura Way)
Maura Way is another local poet who has used the capital's ever-changing landscape to her advantage. Attending D.C. public schools in the late 1970s, the Chevy Chase native memorized poetry as part of her elementary school curriculum.
"It meant a lot to me because I was so shy," Way said.
Way writes primarily about the D.C. of her childhood and the phases of life.
"I try and piece together meaning," Way said. "And how where we're from influences us."
Way now lives in Greensboro, N.C., but said every time she returns to her hometown she feels something is different. "It's funny because when I read my poems aloud many people don't realize or think of D.C. as someone's hometown," Way said.
Way's first book — a collection of poems titled "Another Bungalow" — is set to be released Sept. 27. The book is about making sense of a changing world and what it means to "have a hometown that changes more than you do."
Way said it took her a while to cope with the idea that everyone who knew her growing up might read her poetry, but she finally learned to let her thoughts remain in her book of poems.
"It's dedicated to 5401 39th St., my childhood home, and the only thing that has stayed static," she said — Way's parents still live in the house on 39th Street NW today.
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This proposal focuses on inspiring and supporting working journalists and managers to seek change that will connect news organizations deeply with their communities and audiences. This change must start by connecting journalists with the passion and goals that brought them into the profession.
We are proposing to create a series of mid-career training/experience sessions that build on one other and an organization that will allow participants to stay connected and support each other between and after training sessions.
We will create two training programs, each lasting approximately one week. The two courses will invigorate journalists and managers to understand the need for change and envision how to change their organizations. They will also offer practical advice for leading change from wherever they sit in the organization.
o The course will will use exercises, case studies and experience sharing to look at journalism within its purpose of engaging the audience. It will help participants tie the goals they embrace for journalism with the community connection needed to achieve those goals. In particular, it will shape a new perspective on the impact of various types of reporting. Its aim will be to provide "an appreciative lens for hard news" that empowers audiences rather than discourages them.
o The practical content in leading change will look at the issues and challenges more from the perspective of news leaders and managers than reporters, editors and producers.
The project will partner with one or two leading mid-career journalism programs (e.g., Nieman Fellowship, Knight Fellowship, Michigan Fellowship) and will test the courses with current fellows. The training creation team will debrief with the participants and refine the courses based on these discussions.
The project will partner with a journalism center, possibly the new Center for Innovation in Journalism at American Public Media in Minnesota, to provide the administrative home for the project, and to run ongoing training sessions throughout the year. These sessions will be available to individual journalists coming from many organizations or offered on-site to specific newsrooms that are interested in starting a change initiative.
In this phase, the project will create a set of ongoing means (i.e., newsletters, wikis, reunion/seminars) to connect all those who have participated in courses to share their experiences, both successes and failures, and to provide mutual support for working on change projects within their news organizations. This will establish, track and support a community of innovators in journalism.
The project will also create two more training sessions to expand understanding and creative approaches to change.
o    This course will focus on why values should determine use of new media technology and how that technology can enable media organizations to practice their values and meet their goals.
o    This course will focus on how organizations can use "greenhousing" techniques to foster internal experimentation.  It will encourage participants to experiment with fresh approaches to newsgathering and storytelling based on community involvement and will allow people to share and gain advice/tools for changing the culture within their organizations to allow experimentation.
We expect the project to both use and help identify case studies of change in journalism in conjunction with a handbook for change in journalism being created by Peggy Holman of The Open Circle Company and Jim Schaffer of the University of Southern Maine.


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Posted on January 9, 2018 May 31, 2019
To The Manor Born Storytelling Techniques
To The Manor Born is a British romantic comedy series written by Peter Spence which aired from 1979 to 1981. The actors reunited for a Christmas special in 2007. The writer is also known for Rosemary & Thyme and Not The Nine O'Clock News. Spence is educated in politics and American studies, which come across in his one-liners — these English characters have a contempt for all things American and there is a stark division between the blue bloods and the Labour government. He married into the family that runs this estate, so I can't imagine anyone better positioned to write from an outsider's perspective about a small English community set around a parish than Peter Spence.
STORYWORLD OF TO THE MANOR BORN
Characters Who Stand In For Subcultures
Oftentimes when two characters clash in fiction, those individuals stand in for the clash between groups of people irl. This elevates an otherwise simple comedy or domestic drama. In Hud we have a clash between old values and new (1960s) values of the American South. In 2017 we saw a similar clash in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, in which certain characters exemplified racist, insular attitudes. Others struggle to deal with the new, kinder culture. Still others display progressive values. In To The Manor Born we have a very British clash between aristocracy and the nouveau riche — two very different kinds of rich, but both rich all the same, and therefore foreign to the vast majority of the audience.
TO THE MANOR BORN STORY STRUCTURE
Continue reading "To The Manor Born Storytelling Techniques"
Story Structure: The Plan
Characters in stories need a plan. Even passive character types need to be actively passive. Initial plans will most likely change.
As you can see, the plan itself is made up of 7 main segments. It also follows the Storytelling Rule Of Threes, because the plan will need to be changed 3 times. If you find your stories really sag in the middle it's worth trying this guided breakdown on for size.
HEROES AS WELL AS THEIR OPPONENTS NEED PLANS
You always hear that "Drama is conflict," but when you think about it –what the hell does that mean, practically?
It's actually much more true, and specific, to say that drama is the constant clashing of a hero/ine's PLAN and an antagonist's, or several antagonists', PLANS.
In the first act of a story, the hero/ine is introduced, and that hero/ine either has or quickly develops a DESIRE. She might have a PROBLEM that needs to be solved, or someone or something she WANTS, or a bad situation that she needs to get out of, pronto.
Her reaction to that problem or situation is to formulate a PLAN, even if that plan is vague or even completely subconscious. But somewhere in there, there is a plan, and storytelling is usually easier if you have the hero/ine or someone else (maybe you, the author) state that plan clearly, so the audience or reader knows exactly what the expectation is.
— Alexandra Sokoloff
RULES OF THUMB
Do your worst to your character
Make the trials escalate.
Initial plans fail in the vast majority of cases. Initial plans might be a single scene or, in a film, a single montage of failed attempts. This is often the writer's way of lampshading, "Well wouldn't a good/regular person just do this rather than jump headfirst into that kind of danger?"
Walter White's plan to get ahead financially by washing cars to supplement his teacher income fail when his medical bills suddenly skyrocket. (Breaking Bad)
Rule for life: If the plan doesn't work, change the plan. Never the goal.
In stories? What happens is, the main character tends to double down on plans they were feeling lacklustre about at the beginning.
The pattern in a film length story will go something like this:
Main character makes a plan
Opponent ruins the plan with their own plan
Main character seems defeated
Oh hang on: a modified plan, new motive, new momentum
Second revelation. Makes some sort of decision
Ideally the audience realises something
Main character has a third revelation and makes another decision
THE 'PLAN MCGUFFIN' WORKAROUND FOR PASSIVE PERSONALITY TYPES
Otherwise known as The Reluctant Hero. Characters who have no plan overlap with characters who don't seem to want anything either. I talk about these passive types a little in my post on Desire.
Although a rule of story is that the hero must be proactive (especially in children's books perhaps), depressive types deserve stories too, right? So how is it done?
In the indie comedy film Safety Not Guaranteed (2012), we first meet our main character at a job interview.
This disaffected magazine intern doesn't get the job at the cafe, as she is terrible at interviews. This is a masterful way of introducing a character because it tells us a lot about Darius in a short time. We learn how much she does not like being an intern, that she has interpersonal issues and is in a mood slump. Although she initially planned to get a job, she and the audience quickly learn that this plan is not going to work. She ends up with another plan.
For the writers of Safety Not Guaranteed, figuring out a 'plan' for this 'character in a slump' is a tough one, because the very nature of being in a slump and generally pessimistic about everything is that you are not making plans. This plan Darius had — to get a part-time job in a cafe — was a bit of a 'plan McGuffin' — we soon forget she ever wanted to leave the internship at the magazine. She is the opposite of a go-getter. She is passing up an opportunity to possibly advance in her career to work in a minimum wage job. But this initial scene exposes several things:
We see that she doesn't say/do things just because they are expected of her. She is her own person and also self-destructively honest.
The interviewer says "I know your type", encouraging the audience to categorise this young woman. If we get it wrong our expectations for her will be subverted. It's also a pretty shitty thing for the guy to say, so anyone who hates job interview questions is likely to sympathise with Darius.
The failed interview explains how she ends up on a strange trip with her womanising, unlikeable boss: She doesn't just walk away from the adventure which is forced upon her because she has no other choice. Even her father is on her back about not living a worthy life.
Whenever a story stars a reluctant, passive, sarcastic, layabout, depressive (etc.) protagonist, during the course of the story the hero will almost always double down and realise that this thing, this one thing happening in this particular story — perhaps for the first time in their life — is the thing they are meant to do. In effect, there is a bit of a self-revelation near the beginning. This doubling-down forms part of their character arc.
PASSIVE PERSONALITIES NEED TO BE ACTIVELY PASSIVE
'Actively passive' sounds impossible, but refers to stories in which a passive character is actively resisting calls to adventure over and over. They actually have to do something to get out of adventure's way.
CHARACTERS RARELY CONFRONT THINGS HEAD-ON
Most scenes are rarely about what the subject matter is. You soon see the power of dealing obliquely or elliptically with situations, because most people rarely confront things head-on.
— Robert Towne
However, there are several things you really DON'T want your audience thinking:
This wouldn't be a problem if only they just communicated!
Why don't they just call the police? (See a one line review of Home Alone on Reddit. The writers make the 8-year-old hero steal a toothbrush as a reason for not calling the police.)
I feel Robert Towne refers instead to general reluctance of ordinary heroes (not superheroes, who jump at any chance to save the world) to undertake a dangerous mission. Everyday heroes are generally drawn into danger against their will, but at about the halfway point in the story, this character doubles down. Suddenly this mission is important to them. They won't stop for anything. This doubling down is necessary because they're going to go through a battle. An audience isn't interested in watching a half-hearted hero, unless we're talking about a comedy in which the hero (or often, the heroine in detective comedies) bumbles through a story solving a mystery or saving the day by sheer accident.
COMEDY GENRE PLANS
In the comedy genres, the plans characters come up with are often the most ridiculous thing you can think of.
A male actor who can't find work because he's a bastard dresses as a woman. (Tootsie)
A superficial high school student plays matchmaker to two hard-grading teachers so that she can renegotiate her own terrible grades. (Clueless)
Two men advise their virgin friend on superficial ways to become a 'real man' but end up getting him into troubling predicaments (The 40 Year Old Virgin)
A boy comes up with ridiculous ways of retrieving something stuck up a tree ( Stuck by Oliver Jeffers)
Story Structure: Character Desire
Kurt Vonnegut famously advised writers: Characters must want something, even if it's just a glass of water.
Desire is what the character thinks they want. According to Vonnegut, this could be something run-of-the-mill. But maybe that character who wants a glass of water really needs human interaction, which is why he has visited the corner shop to buy a bottle of water rather than drinking it out of his kitchen tap. This advice is so fundamental, every storytelling guru will tell you a version of the same thing.
Some authors don't bother with such low stakes as a glass of water. Before Caroline Leavitt starts any novel, she asks herself the following questions about each of her characters.
What does she want at the beginning of the novel and why? And what's at stake if she doesn't get it? "There has to be something at stake. It has to be something really major. I mean, if she just wants a glass of water, that's not really interesting."
— Writer Mag
Note that 'stakes' is a concept closely related to 'desire'. John Yorke prefers the term 'active goal' rather than 'desire':
All archetypal stories are defined by this one essential tenet: the central character has an active goal. They desire something. If characters don't then it's almost impossible to care for them, and care we must. They are our avatars and thus our entry point: they are the ones we most want to win or to find redemption — or indeed be punished if they've transgressed, for subconsciously we can be deeply masochistic in our desires. Effectively they're us. […] If a character doesn't want something, they're passive. And if they're passive, they're effectively dead. Without a desire to animate the protagonist, the writer has no hope of bringing the character alive, no hope of telling a story and the work will almost always be boring. — John Yorke, Into The Woods
And for the concept of desire itself, some people use different terminology: motive, goal, want. Each genre of story has its own typical desire lines. In romantic comedies the main character wants to find love. In a crime thriller the detective wants to find the criminal. The 'quest' plot has a strong desire line built into its plot, which partly explains its enduring popularity over the last 3000 years. John Truby has given us a basic hierarchy of desire, which shows us the complete continuum of wants. As you can see, superheroes are at the top, underdogs are at the bottom. From highest level of desire to lowest:
Save the republic
Bright justice and freedom
Gain Love
Catch a criminal
Explore a world
Achieve something
Win the battle
Take revenge
Survive or escape
We might quibble a little with the ordering of that list — some characters (and people) make it their absolute mission in life to exact revenge. But the takeaway point is this: Your main character doesn't have to want to save the world in order for you to have a decent story in your hands.
Desire is the main reason almost all TV shows are set in the cop, lawyer, and doctor arenas. These jobs give their shows a simple and repeatable desire line that tracks the episode every week. Catch the criminal. Win the case. Save the life. But of course this is extremely limiting. Most people don't spend their daily lives solving crimes, prosecuting bad guys, and saving lives.
— John Truby
Without desire, no story. This is so basic — at first glance what more could be to it? This comic strip by Poorly Drawn Lines takes a common desire line and spoofs it. Why does it work as a joke? Because of the juxtaposition between (noble) quest and the completely unremarkable character arc — the discovery that he can eat his roommate's leftovers with basically no consequences. This flaunts the basic rules of storytelling which we all know intuitively: When a character has a strong desire they go on an important quest and undergo significant character change as a result. Achieving their goal must be hard. It can't come easily or you don't have a fully-fleshed story. Continue reading "Story Structure: Character Desire"
Posted on August 19, 2017 April 8, 2019
Story Structure: Character Weakness, Need and Problem
Most writers are well-aware that a main character needs a weakness. Christopher Vogler and other high profile story gurus often talk about a lack:
It can be very effective to show that a hero is unable to perform some simple task at the beginning of the story. In Ordinary People the young hero Conrad is unable to eat French toast his mother has prepared for him. It signifies, in symbolic language, his inability to accept being loved and cared for, because of the terrible guilt he bears over the accidental death of his brother. It's only after he undertakes an emotional hero's journey, and relives and processes the death through therapy, that he is able to accept love.
– Christopher Vogler, The Writer's Journey
First, there's the issue of the Hero's Journey as an ideology:One issue w/the "Hero's Journey": its insistence on individualism v. collective strength and community. Yes, the "hero" has help but those who help are relegated to the side, their purpose mostly reduced to further the hero's goals, often at the expense of others.
— Tricia Ebarvia
Aside from that, Vogler's advice does not go far enough. Go one step further and break it in half.
Everyone who gives writers advice about characterisation has something to say about this topic. Author of the book Story Genius Lisa Cron says that it's the character's internal struggle that makes the external struggle important. This echoes exactly what John Truby says about external desires on the surface vs character weakness underneath.
What about children's books? Do they follow the same rules?
Mostly, but not always. Some picture books do not feature characters with weakness. These stories tend to be of the carnivalesque variety. A few standout examples feature the reader as protagonist. These, too, do not follow the rules of story.
Children's books for older readers do follow the same rules as those applied to narrative aimed at adults. Modern picture books which win big awards are also likely to follow these rules.
CHARACTER WEAKNESS
According to the rules of story structure aimed at screenwriters and writers with an audience of adults…
Every Main Character Needs…
A PSYCHOLOGICAL WEAKNESS: What are the fundamental flaws? (Lacking confidence, scarred by former lovers, afraid of intimacy, overly pessimistic etc.)
A MORAL WEAKNESS: How does this character treat others badly? (Lacking empathy, overbearing, two-faced, greedy, lying, selfish etc.) The Seven Deadly Sins feature prominently in this part of the weakness.
It's a very old idea. Aristotled called it 'hamartia'.
Harmatia is a term developed by Aristotle in his work Poetics. The term can simply be seen as a character's flaw or error. The word hamartia is rooted in the notion of missing the mark (hamartanein) and covers a broad spectrum that includes accident and mistake, as well as wrongdoing, error, or sin. In Nicomachean Ethics, hamartia is described by Aristotle as one of the three kinds of injuries that a person can commit against another person. Hamartia is an injury committed in ignorance (when the person affected or the results are not what the agent supposed they were).
— Wikipedia
Like anything, this rule of story has developed some tropes. As an example:
Common Weaknesses of Young Women
This trope comes from the Gothic tradition.
The story of the poor girl who overcomes obstacles and makes a good marriage in the end, what might be called the Horatia Alger story, is very common in nineteenth-century fiction, especially fiction written by women. This heroine does not have to begin in absolute poverty — even Cinderella's family must have been middle-class or her stepsisters wouldn't have been able to go to the ball in such style. But she does have to be in some way underprivileged at the start of the boo, and she must go through many difficulties before she can marry the prince.
Occasionally she is poor in other than the economic sense, as with some of Jane Austen's heroines: Catherine Morland of Northanger Abbey is poor in intellect; Marianne Dashwood of Sense and Sensibility is naive and muddleheaded; while Fanny Price of Mansfield Park is … poor in spirit. Charlotte Bronte, even more daring, made the heroine of Villette plain.
— Alison Lurie, Don't Tell The Grown-ups: The power of subversive children's stories
The weakness of being 'plain' continues to be explored in young adult fiction today, as beauty privilege continues to be a thing in modern society.
An Outdated Way Of Showing Character Weakness
In the simple thriller form the antagonist is marked out by their desire to control and dominate the lives of others. They don't follow the moral codes of the community; more often than not they're an embodiment of selfishness. They are also, historically, often marked by physical or mental deformity. Le Chiffre's maladjusted tear duct in the film of Casino Royale is the modern equivalent of Dr No's missing hands or Scaramanga's third nipple in the Man With The Golden Gun. In a more politically correct age, the physical flaw (clearly an outer manifestation of inner damage) has been scaled down to a level society finds acceptable. If the antagonist is internal, the same principles apply: the enemy within works in opposition to the host's better nature — it cripples them. It stands in opposition to everything they might be.
— John Yorke, Into The Woods
Do Children's Book Characters Need A Moral Weakness?
Or any weakness at all?
The short answer is that, yes, an interesting modern children's book character needs at least a psychological weakness, and the story might also support a moral weakness. This wasn't always the case, as you'll already know if you've read from the First Golden Age Of Children's Literature. It was the amazing Edith Nesbit who changed all of that.
All of Nesbit's characters have both virtues and flaws: not only are the children's actions always a push and pull between their better instincts and their baser impulses, but the various authority figures they encounter are equally complicated. The magical Psammead creature is peevish, the Queen of Babylon is kind-hearted but imperious, and the upstairs scholar is helpful but blind to the magic he experiences.
— The Toronto Review Of Books
Until Nesbit came along, adults who wrote for children believed children read as medicine. The viewpoint characters therefore had to demonstrate impeccable behaviour, or else be punished for wrongdoing, learning to be good along the way.
The older the reader, the more likely they are reading about characters with both types of weakness. But when it comes to picture books, no. That's because a picture book character is quite often 'The Every Child', and because children are all different, the writer doesn't always want to tell us much about the character at all. In this case, the child's main weakness is the fact that they are a child: naivety, weakness, lack of freedom, lack of knowledge. These are weaknesses common to all children and cannot really be called 'psychological' weaknesses. This is the main difference between a protagonist in a children's book and a protagonist in a story for adults.
Children's writers have to deal with something other writers do not: The expectation from a large proportion of the book-buying public that the empathetic character behaves in a model-like fashion. And if they don't? That's okay, so long as they're punished.
Must Children's Book Characters Treat Others Badly?
After looking at a lot of children's books with this exact question in mind, the answer is no. There are several reasons for this:
Some characters in children's books represent the Every Child. When a reader is meant to paste themselves onto the character we don't want that character to be too specific. For similar reasons a lot of picture book characters are cartoon-like and minimalist. (For more on that see Taxonomy Of Detail In Character Illustration.) Even in stories for older readers, these Every Child characters are given a 'cosmetic' weakness rather than a psychological and moral one, which makes them far more generic and less interesting. For instance, a common cosmetic weakness in young adult romance is 'clumsy'. Bella Swan is one example. Even in stories for adults you'll find the Every Man. Susan from Desperate Housewives is clumsy but this clumsiness functions to provide comedy. Susan has many other psychological weaknesses. She is unconfident and needy but also fake-nice and backstabbing. Susan's clumsiness has nothing to do with storytelling.
There are gatekeepers of children's literature — people responsible for buying the books and putting them into children's hands — who choose literature with the philosophy that characters in stories need to serve as role models for good behaviour. These people might approve of characters who treat others badly but only if that character is punished. For more on that see Picturebook Study: In Which Baddies Get Their Comeuppance.
The wish to avoid child characters as morally corrupt may come from JudeoChristian thought in which it is thought that people enjoy an 'age of innocence'. Strictly speaking, we're better off using the phrase 'age of accountability' because the Bible does not suggest at any point that children are sinless, but rather that children can't be held accountable for certain things due to their inexperience. Thirteen is the most common age suggested for the age of accountability, based on the Jewish custom that a child becomes an adult at the age of 13. This is no doubt related to The Magical Age of 12 in children's literature. (There's nothing in the Bible, however, to suggest 13 is a significant age.)
Complex, rounded characters simply aren't necessary in all types of stories. For action stories with exciting plots, or genre fiction — such as mysteries and thrillers — all the reader really wants is a great story. In fact, the characters can't change all that much if the book is part of a series. Series fiction is very popular with young readers and the best-selling books are all part of a series, year after year.
The view that badly behaving children's characters must be punished is increasingly challenged, mostly by writers and publishers who refuse to believe in the concept of the young reader as tabula rasa (blank slates), who trust children and young adults to read critically and not blindly follow their main characters into bad situations. The modern main character in children's stories will most definitely have both a psychological weakness and a moral weakness. In other words, they will be treating others badly in some way.
This wasn't always the case, and if you take a look at books from the First And Second Golden Ages Of Children's Literature you'll find many more Mary Sue/Pollyanna types, who have been written as model children for young readers to emulate. These characters are not well accepted by contemporary young readers, who have a vast selection of books to choose from and are not stuck with moralistic stories as earlier generations were.
The idea of child readers as tabula rasa was particularly strong in the Victorian era, and if young readers didn't want moral stories they really only had the Gothic to turn to. These stories offered all the bloodshed, villainy and titillation lacking in the 'stories for children'.
Not all writers of children's stories are interested in this concept. Hayao Miyazaki has never formally studied screenwriting or storytelling technique, and goes about creating his Studio Ghibli films in his own auteur fashion. Miyazaki's main characters don't tend to have an external desire. He doesn't bother with that. They do have psychological needs, however, and by the end of the story they haven't necessarily got anything they wanted — but by immersing themselves in a new world, they have grown emotionally.
For this reason I feel the very concept of desire is a Western one. In Japanese language, to say "I want" something is considered childish and you'll rarely hear those words (even though the grammar and words for desire exist). Instead, a Japanese interlocutor will avoid the assumption that you are a spoilt baby with desires and ask you what you 'need'. English: "Do you want a drink of water?" becomes "Do you need a drink of water?" I believe Hayao Miyazaki brings his specifically Japanese sensibilities towards 'desire' to the table when creating his main characters — Chihiro doesn't seem to want anything in Spirited Away — she is simply there, and if she works hard, things will come good. Desperately wanting to turn her parents back into humans would probably work against her cause.
Common Character Weaknesses In Children's Books
They may be common but that doesn't mean you can't keep using them:
Naivety. This is arguably the biggest weakness any children's book hero has. It's a good one, too, because the child can't help it. Failure to understand the world is an easy weakness to improve upon over the course of the story, providing ample opportunity for a character arc. Hence, every story is a coming-of-age story.
Cheekiness. These characters are fun to be around. They won't let horrible adults get away with treating kids badly without at least a little backchat. Judy Moody.
Talking too much. Anne Shirley grew up in an age when children should be seen and not heard. There are many modern Anne Shirleys, always getting into trouble but adorable nonetheless.
Shyness. Then you have your socially anxious characters who don't find themselves in trouble with authority but who must learn to stand up for themselves and others, and for what they truly believe in.
Below are some modern and not so modern case studies of weakness and desire in (Western) children's literature.
That said, the most popular, award-winning, beloved contemporary picture books for children often feature characters with a moral weakness.
The fish in This Is Not My Hat by Jon Klassen full on steals someone else's item of clothing. (Bear in mind that he is punished pretty heavily for it… behind the reeds.)
The boy in This Moose Belongs To Me by Oliver Jeffers wants to deprive a wild creature of its autonomy. Who Wants To Be A Poodle I Don't by lauren child is similar in that the adult character/child stand-in is not letting her pet dog behave like a dog.
Millie by John Marsden and Sally Rippin stars a girl who doesn't listen to her parents.
Wolf Comes To Town by Denis Manton is an example of a baddie wolf who is in essence a serial killer. Guess Who's Coming For Dinner? by John Kelly and Cathy Tincknell is similar but better known, for having won a big award.
Pig the Pug by Aaron Blabey stars a selfish dog who hogs all his toys, contrasted with the caring, sharing Trevor.
In some of the older types of stories, the main character sometimes gets into bother by failing to follow the rules set down by the parents. The Story About Ping by Marjorie Flack and Kurt Wiese is a good example of that. Today, failing to obey rules/parents/teachers is not considered a moral weakness. Rather, we're in a period where we glamorise and encourage independent thinking and questioning of authority, of which I generally approve, except a lot of these stories also seem to punish those characters who do do as they're told. (Usually Hillary Clinton types.)
Psychological weaknesses are also common:
The bear in I Want My Hat Back is ridiculously unobservant (i.e. stupid). Rosie's Walk is the grandmother of this kind of story.
Mog The Forgetful Cat by Judith Kerr — the psychological weakness is in the title.
Wolves In The Walls features a child character who is anxious/scared. This is the psychological weakness of pretty much any monster picture book. The Dark by Lemony Snicket and Jon Klassen is a monster story which doesn't mention monsters.
Z Is For Moose by Kelly Bingham and Paul O. Zelinsky features a moose who basically throws a temper tantrum because things don't go his way. Max of Where The Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak is another child who faces his own temper, though in a completely different kind of story.
Sometimes the psychological weakness is one of the 'high level' ones, from the seven deadly sins. The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle is greedy and gets a sore belly.
Even in children's books, the most interesting and beloved characters do have both kinds of weakness. This character isn't necessarily the viewpoint character.
Scarface Claw by Lynley Dodd — Scarface is mean to the dogs but this particular story shows us that he is also a scaredy-cat underneath.
Olivia by Ian Falconer is basically a narcissistic little girl in a pig's body. While I personally have no love for Olivia, she is very popular.
CHARACTER NEED
There is probably a finite number of human needs, though so many you'll never be short of material. Take a pyramid you're probably familiar with, Maslow's hierarchy of needs. There are a few problems with this hierarchy, so it pays to look at it critically:
The modern integration of ideas from neuroscience, developmental biology, and evolutionary psychology suggests that Maslow had a few things wrong. For one thing, he never gave much thought to reproduction. He conceived of "higher needs" as completely personal strivings, unconnected from other people, and totally divorced from biological needs. Parental motivations were completely missing from his hierarchy, and he placed "sexual needs" down at the bottom— along with hunger and thirst. Presumably, sexual urges were biological annoyances that could be as well dispatched by masturbation as by having intercourse, before one moved back to higher pursuits like playing the guitar or writing poetry.
— Psychology Today
The psychological need of your main character is closely associated with their weakness.
CHARACTER PROBLEM
In children's stories where there is no psychological or moral weakness and won't learn anything or change in any way by the end of the narrative, your character will (probably) have a Problem. This problem is external to their psychology. Stories like this don't tend to be as emotionally interesting, but are appropriate for, say, humour.
In Stuck by Oliver Jeffers, the boy's problem is that something is stuck in a tree and he can't reach it down.
Dogger by Shirley Hughes is about the problem of losing a favourite toy.
Nickety Nackety Noo Noo Noo by Joy Cowley and Trace Moroney features a resourceful, heroic girl who is perfect in every way, but her big problem is that she's been abducted by an ogre.
There's another kind of story where the 'main character' is the reader. Where Is The Green Sheep? by Mem Fox and Judy Horacek is one example of this: The reader's problem is that the book asks them to locate a green sheep, but that's impossible until turning the final page. Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown is another example of a perennial favourite which doesn't seem to follow any of the usual rules of story — again, this book addresses the young reader directly. The child is the character, saying goodnight to the items. This is more secular prayer than complete narrative.
Do all children's book characters need a Problem, if they don't have a moral or psychological weakness? Again the answer is not always, actually.
The Biggest Sandwich Ever by Rita Golden Gelman and Mort Gerberg is a carnivalesque story in which a man turns up and makes an enormous sandwich. In a carnivalesque story, there doesn't have to be a problem as such, because the unsupervised play itself is the story — equivalent to the battle scene in a more common type of story. A carnivalesque story is a 'toy story' — all about play and enjoyment with no 'broccoli'. However, even in The Biggest Sandwich Ever, the characters do face a problem by the end: After stuffing themselves full of sandwich, they are now faced with the task of eating a giant pie.
More! by Peter Schossow is a wordless picture book which celebrates the joy of walking (flying) along a beach on a windy day.
A golden rule about problems in story: The initial problem gets more complicated as soon as the main character tries to solve it.
comic by Poorly Drawn Lines
Sometimes the initial problem exists only to get the story rolling. This is what Hitchcock called a McGuffin.
Posted on May 9, 2017 July 22, 2017
The Blood Bay by Annie Proulx
At around the same time Annie Proulx published "The Blood Bay", an episode of Six Feet Under saw Claire in big trouble for stealing a severed foot from her family's funeral business and taking it with her to school. That episode, like this story, was darkly funny and made use of someone's severed foot.
Scene from Six Feet Under
It was inevitable that a TV series called something about feet would have to at one point make use of an actual foot. Dark comedy involving the loss of someone's severed foot was used more recently in episode seven of season two of Animal Kingdom. ("Dig")
While this is icky, North Americans haven't been so squeamish about carrying around rabbits' feet for good luck. Larry McMurtry writes of that practice in his cowboy novels. (Only the left hind foot is lucky.)
Severed human hands have a stronger history in folklore than severed feet. Characters with severed hands tend to be either victims, or monster-like villains. For more on that see Severed Hands as Symbols of Humanity in Legend and Popular Narrative by Scott White. The severed, walking hand also makes for a memorable horror scene.
STORY WORLD OF "THE BLOOD BAY"
Continue reading "The Blood Bay by Annie Proulx"
Shirley The Medium Courage The Cowardly Dog
"Shirley The Medium" is an original recomposition of elements from diverse sources:
Pandora's Box fairytale
A Christmas Carol, Dickens
Modern TV psychics
establishing shot
STORY STRUCTURE OF SHIRLEY THE MEDIUM
WEAKNESS/NEED
Courage is unable to tell Eustace not to open the box.
Also, in this episode, one weakness is that he needs to please his owners, even though one of them is outright horrible. When he digs up a locked box he hands it over to Eustace when he overhears Eustace complaining about his dead brother's box of money. This leads to no end of trouble.
Courage wants to prevent Eustace from opening a box.
There is a different desire, however, to set off the action. Courage wants to find his yo-yo. He runs out into the yard and searches through his hole, which is the child-dog equivalent of a child's toy box. Continue reading "Shirley The Medium Courage The Cowardly Dog"
The Shadow Of Courage, Courage The Cowardly Dog
At first I wondered if the title "The Shadow Of Courage" were a riff on The Red Badge Of Courage but no — apart from the grammatical structure and perhaps some of the themes (of bravery vs cowardice) this plot line borrows little from the classic American novel.
Shadows who disentangle themselves from their bodies are a staple of horror, and especially, perhaps, of camp horror comedy.
STORYWORLD OF "SHADOW OF COURAGE"
Continue reading "The Shadow Of Courage, Courage The Cowardly Dog"
More! by Peter Schossow Picture Book
Peter Schossow's picture book More! is wordless in the same way Robert Redford's All Is Lost is wordless: Both contain one spoken word, imbued with huge weight accordingly.
Gecko Press brought this book from German to English in 2010, and have also translated another of Schossow's works: My First Car Was Red.
Even a 'wordless' picture book follows the typical story arc.
STORY STRUCTURE OF MORE!
A man is small and helpless compared to the forces of nature.
The man would like to enjoy a walk along the shore.
The wind, who blows off his hat.
He will chase the hat.
The battle takes place over a number of double spreads, and we see the man thrown higher and higher into the air, until he is level with an aeroplane.
SELF-REVELATION
He likes it!
NEW EQUILIBRIUM
He will let himself get swept up in the wind again.
NOTES ON THE ILLUSTRATION OF MORE!
Ask a child the colour of sky and they'll tell you 'blue'. They get this from picturebooks, perhaps. In reality, the sky is many colours. But in this picturebook we have a distinctly green hue. Why? What was behind this choice?
Well, the thing about green is, it feels otherworldly. Green is associated with the subconscious; it's thought we see green just before passing out (though I haven't given this a go). The other thing is, a green sky means the sky is part of the land. There is no real distinction between land and sky. Did this story really happen, or is it entirely in the man's imagination?
Notice the sun, also — this is not a distinctly delineated circle but rather a roundish glow, suggestive of some sort of magical haze. Yet at the end of the book we have a crescent moon. Over the course of a day the sky changes from bright to dark, but in this story the sky remains the same otherworldly hue of green. It's only once you notice the moon that you realise the man has been flying in the wind all day. This is not the first time he's asked to go again!
Though this is not a Christmas book, the colour palette is made up of green, white and the red of the man's trousers and scarf. Red and green are complementary colours, so shouldn't be commandeered by Christmas, sure.
This limited palette means the man is the same colour as the bits of rubbish blowing in the breeze.
This character has a very big nose. In fact, the nose is the first thing we see of him. I thought it was a chin. Then I realised the nose matches the shape of the shoes; these are big clodhoppers of shoes which should plant the man firmly upon the ground.
I'm left with one question though: What happened to his dog? Normally if the story starts with a dog it reappears on the final page. Did the dog get sick of him and go home alone? I believe the dog is an example of a picturebook McGuffin. The dog is the reason the man sets off on a walk in the first place, but after the inciting incident, the audience (generally) doesn't think about the dog again. And it does work. For me, the dog's fate was a refrigerator moment.
Olivia And The Missing Toy by Ian Falconer (2003)
Olivia and the Missing Toy by Ian Falconer shows Olivia the Pig at her most bratty, and her parents at their most indulgent.
There are several versions of the book cover of Olivia and the Missing Toy, and the dark one is the scarier of the two.
The other is mostly white space, in keeping with most of the Olivia series. This book has a gothic episode in it — a definite spoof, with knowing use of the cliche "dark and stormy night". Below, Margaret Blount explains one reason Olivia is a pig and not a little girl:
Even more suburbanised is Russell Hoban's Frances where the child/animal substitution is so complete as to be unnoticeable. Frances the Badger is a small girl afraid of the dark, tucked up in bed but constantly annoying her parents by coming downstairs and interrupting the television. Why make her into an animal at all? The cosy delights of the Badger household — so like a human one — do remove the situation one or two degrees away from discomfort; some children are afraid of the dark, do dislike being alone.
— Margaret Blount, Animal Land
As for Olivia the pig, love her or hate her. Olivia is one popular children's book character who pisses a lot of parents off, judging by reviews I have read online. While I don't have a problem with some of the Olivia stories, this particular one annoys the hell out of me. That tends to happen when an adult reader sees a parenting style in a picture book with which we disagree. Here we have a demanding brat, an acquiescent mother and a father who is quick to say 'I'll buy you a new one' after Olivia's own carelessness with a toy.
I don't think this is one of Falconer's best. And it doesn't just apply to the indulgent parents and bratty child character; the story structure is also a little odd and I don't think it works. Why not? Let's take a closer look.
Continue reading "Olivia And The Missing Toy by Ian Falconer (2003)"
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text:
Tens of Thousands Protest in Belarus, Defying Warning Shots
People hold flowers as they gather outside a church during a memorial service for Roman Bondarenko, an anti-government protester who died in hospital following what witnesses said was a severe beating by security forces, in Minsk, Belarus, on Nov. 20, 2020. (BelaPAN via Reuters)
With Applause and Flowers, Thousands Attend Funeral of Belarusian Protester
November 20, 2020 Updated: November 20, 2020
KYIV—Thousands of people silently raised their arms in the air, held flowers aloft, and broke into chants outside a church in Minsk on Friday at the funeral of a Belarusian protester.
People gather outside a church during a memorial service for Roman Bondarenko, an anti-government protester who died in hospital following what witnesses said was a severe beating by security forces, in Minsk, on Nov. 20, 2020. (Stringer/Reuters)
The death of 31-year-old Roman Bondarenko has become the latest flashpoint in months-long mass protests against President Alexander Lukashenko. He died in hospital last week after what protesters say was a severe beating by security forces.
The interior ministry denied responsibility. The death was condemned by the European Union who on Thursday announced new sanctions on Minsk in response to state repression against protesters following a disputed August election.
Pallbearers carry the coffin of Roman Bondarenko out of a church during a memorial service, in Minsk, on Nov. 20, 2020. (BelaPAN via Reuters)
His opponents accuse Lukashenko of rigging the election to extend his 26-year grip on power. He denies electoral fraud and, backed by Russia, has refused to resign.
The crowd outside the church, the majority wearing masks, chanted "I'm going out", the last known written words of Bondarenko, and "long live Belarus".
People gather outside a church during a memorial service for Roman Bondarenko, in Minsk, on Nov. 20, 2020. (Stringer/Reuters)
Cars blared their horns in the street. Thousands broke into applause as the coffin was carried out of the church.
The authorities this week detained a medic who leaked a medical report of Bondarenko's death to the media. The medical report showed there was no alcohol in Bondarenko's bloodstream, casting doubt on the government's assertion that Bondarenko had been drunk and died in a scuffle with civilians.
The Prosecutor General's office opened a criminal investigation into the medic for revealing medical secrets, spreading false information, and fueling tensions in society. A journalist who published the report was also detained.
The EU has already imposed travel bans and asset freezes on almost 50 Belarusian officials. The new sanctions are expected to target more senior officials and also entities that finance Lukashenko and his government.
United Nations human rights experts said on Thursday they were gravely concerned by increased reports of mass detentions, intimidation, and torture. They called on the Belarusian authorities to investigate the excessive use of force and unlawful retaliation at peaceful protests.
Tens of thousands of people have staged regular protests for weeks since the election. Some workers at major state-run companies went on strike. This week, potash producer Belaruskali said 49 workers had been fired for taking part in the strike.
By Matthias Williams
Remarks by President Trump in Farewell Address to the Nation: Full Transcript


text:
Trump Team: No, We Won't Try to Lock Her Up
Kellyanne Conway says as much to MSNBC
By Newser Editors, Newser Staff
Posted Nov 22, 2016 9:21 AM CST
Kellyanne Conway talks about going after Hillary Clinton, or not, as it were.
(MSNBC)
(Newser) – In an early October debate, Donald Trump said to Hillary Clinton that "if I win, I am going to instruct my attorney general to get a special prosecutor to look into your situation." The former has come to pass, but the latter apparently won't, at least according to former campaign manager/senior adviser to Trump transition team Kellyanne Conway.
While appearing on MSNBC's Morning Joe, Conway had this to say: "I think when the President-elect, who's also the head of your party ... tells you before he's even inaugurated that he doesn't wish to pursue these charges, it sends a very strong message, tone, and content" to the GOP. Continued Conway, "Look, I think he's thinking of many different things as he prepares to become the president of the United States, and things that sound like the campaign are not among them." (Read more President Trump stories.)


Some lovely first pieces, as usual, viewed in your hand as opposed to a against a kiln shelf and they look really good!
Some lovely work from a lovely group! The photo's don't exactly do them justice; much nicer in the flesh, but they given an idea!
Some lovely pieces here, a real pleasure working with you all!
Some really lovely work and a great pleasure working with you all. I've chosen a few pics from everyone, hope you enjoy! It's worth noting that Debbie, your piece with the moon, the yellow at the bottom has done what it very occasionally does, in that its crazed. It's a very pretty effect and of course, you can never predict when it's going to do it!
We had a fabulous day yesterday, here's a picture of the kiln before it fired last night. I'll put up the before and afters of the first exercise once I've tracked down the photo's for it. And of course, the final pieces pics too once we're all fired.
This entry was posted in Uncategorized on April 30, 2017 by admin.
Lovely before and after shots from our course today – more pictures to follow; lots more pieces being made as I type!
This entry was posted in Uncategorized and tagged First firing, jewellery, jewellery course on February 11, 2017 by admin.


text:
SCE Crews Continue to Restore Service in Wake of Windstorm
Approximately 40,000 customers still without power early Tuesday
ROSEMEAD, Calif., Jan. 7, 2003, 8 a.m.-Southern California Edison crews continue to work around the clock repairing damaged power lines and poles and restoring service to customers affected by the gale-force winds that have plagued the southland since Sunday evening.
Since Sunday night, gale-force winds have pounded the southland, toppling trees into power lines and poles and causing power disruptions for approximately 730,000 customers who have suffered power interruptions ranging from flickering lights to outages lasting hours.
As of 8 a.m. today, SCE officials report nearly 40,000 customers still without power. Approximately 1,000 SCE customers have been without power for more than 24 hours. Customers suffering long-term outages will be given priority during the restoration efforts, SCE officials said. To expedite restoration efforts, SCE has supplemented its crews with contract crews.
Areas hardest hit by the winds include the San Gabriel Valley, the Inland Empire, and Orange County.
Due to the severity of damage in some areas, such as Arcadia where 29 poles were toppled, SCE officials cautioned that it could be Thursday before service is fully restored to all customers, and possibly longer.
"We will continue our efforts to get everyone energized again," said Ron Ferree, manager of SCE's distribution operations. "But because of the all the damage, the fires in the region, and these strong winds, some customers will likely remain without power until Thursday, if not longer. Most customers will get their power restored before then."
Customers whose service is affected should call SCE at 1-800-611-1911 or the telephone number on their bill. As outage information is received from SCE field personnel the company's automated telephone system is automatically updated in real time. The system provides all available information, including the cause of the outage, repair efforts, and estimated restoration times.
The most recent weather forecast calls for diminishing winds by late afternoon today. To help customers minimize the effect of power outages, SCE offers the following advice:
If you see downed lines, please call SCE and report it to the police and fire departments immediately.
Turn off and unplug any unnecessary electrical equipment, especially sensitive electronic equipment.
Make sure you have a battery-operated radio and flashlights. Check the batteries now to make sure they are fresh. Do not rely on candles for lighting during a power outage, since they pose a significant fire hazard.
If you or someone you care for is dependent on electrically operated medical equipment, you may want to make backup power arrangements now, in case a power outage affects that equipment.
Do not cook indoors with charcoal or other fossil fuels on facilities not meant for indoor use. They can create deadly fumes if used indoors.
If possible, stay out of areas severely impacted by the wind damage. Traffic signals could be inoperative, SCE equipment such as poles could be blocking the street, and utility crews could be in the area making repairs.
An Edison International company, Southern California Edison is one of the nation's largest electric utilities, serving a population of more than 12 million via 4.3 million customer accounts in a 50,000-square-mile service area within central, coastal and Southern California. For more information on the California electricity market, see www.sce.com.


We handle subscription services for SFR, as well as billing and customer service across multiple channels.
We run different services for Samsung: Webhelp Enterprise Sales Solutions provides inside sales services via outbound calls, webchat and email. Our customer support department handles inbound calls and facilitates self-service, with a strong focus on the use of data and insight to improve processes.
We provide customer assistance for different areas of LaPoste, which offers a range of services from insurance to parcel delivery.


Here at Day & Nite Plumbing and Heating, we know that most people don't think much about their toilet until it starts giving them problems. One of the most common causes of toilet trouble is a clog, and there are many reasons that you could encounter one. Sometimes there's something wrong with the toilet itself. Other times, it's just about what you flush. In any case, we're ready to assist you.
When you remove the top of your toilet tank you'll spot a round, rubber gasket at the bottom of it. This is known as the flapper. When it's working right, it opens up when you flush and allows the water to rush in and push down waste and paper. If the flapper isn't working right or opening fully, the flush will be weak and that could cause clogs. Sometimes a fix is as simple as adjusting the chain that attaches the flapper to the flush arm, but if that doesn't work you might need a professional plumber to come take a look.
While you have the tank open, see how much water is in there. If your tank doesn't fill up completely after a flush, that could be a cause of your clog-related problems. The more water you have in there, the more pressure is being applied to push the waste down.
Feminine products tend to be made of cotton and other materials that people think are flushable. Unfortunately, these end up being a huge source of toilet clogs. Don't ever flush tampons, pads, or any kind of feminine products. They're simply not meant to break down in your pipes like toilet paper is. In fact, they do the opposite because they're designed to absorb liquid, which is why they're such a common source of clogs.
Installing a low flow toilet is an eco-friendly move. Unfortunately, depending on the age of your toilet and the model you chose, it may be the cause of its own clogging problems. If it's not flushing hard enough to push down the contents of the bowl, it might be time for a replacement.
Sometimes the problem isn't your toilet. Occasionally a problem in your sewer line is causing frequent backups. This can be a major pain. Getting to the sewer lines can require some digging and large amounts of labor, so it's not often a cheap fix.
Some folks use a toilet air freshener that hangs in the bowl. We understand that you don't want your bathroom to smell bad, but some kinds of fresheners can actually cause an issue. The hooks that hold them in place can start to wear down over time, meaning that they end up falling into the toilet. This creates a "hard clog" that can be a pain to deal with.
No matter what caused your toilet problems, our licensed plumbers are here to help. Contact Day & Nite Plumbing and Heating whenever you run into a clog or another issue. Your plumbing needs are our top priority.


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Murfreesboro man wins camper with hole-in-one
Ebbutt aces No. 15 at Indian Hills during Riverdale cheerleader tournament
Murfreesboro man wins camper with hole-in-one Ebbutt aces No. 15 at Indian Hills during Riverdale cheerleader tournament Check out this story on dnj.com: http://on.dnj.com/29ZKxi0
Tom Kreager, tkreager@dnj.com Published 5:09 p.m. CT July 16, 2016 | Updated 6:56 p.m. CT July 16, 2016
Dan Ebbutt, second from left, hit a hole-in-one during Riverdale cheerleaders' golf tournament on Friday. From left, are cheerleading coach Brooke Wyant, Ebbutt and cheerleaders Regan Smith and Madison Josey.(Photo: Submitted)
MURFREESBORO — Dan Ebbutt's first hole-in-one was a memorable one.
Ebbutt aced No. 15 at Indian Hills Golf Course on Friday during the Riverdale cheerleaders' fifth annual golf tournament to win a camper.
"The first thing my wife said when I called and told her I hit a hole-in-one and won a camper was, 'Where are we going to put it,'" Ebbutt said.
"It wasn't, 'Congratulations.'"
Ebbutt, who is originally from England, said he's never gone camping and "never been in a camper."
Ebbutt said he isn't exactly sure what kind of camper he won. He will go to hole sponsor Candy's Campers this week to go over the details.
Riverdale cheerleading coach Brooke Wyant said not only is this the first time anyone has hit a hole-in-one in her team's tournament but it also the first time anyone has hit a hole-in-one in a tournament that offers hole-in-one contests at Indian Hills.
"I'm excited that it finally happened," Wyant said. "I didn't realize it was the first ever for all tournaments until I talked to the people at the golf course."
Wyant said there was also a hole sponsored by Ford of Murfreesboro.
"Both Ford and Candy's Campers were like, 'We really would love for someone to win it,' " Wyant said. "They had already paid for the insurance in case someone hit one. I was thrilled for the sponsors.
"(Candy's Campers) were thrilled about it because it's great advertisement for them."
Ebbutt used a 4-iron for the par-3, 171-yard hole.
Ebbutt and his playing partners saw the ball bounce on the green but lost track of it, thinking it bounced behind the hole and was behind the flag.
They realized it had landed in the hole to win the camper only when they got to the hole.
But now comes the most important question: What is he going to do with it?
"I really don't know," he said.
Reach Tom Kreager at 615-278-5168 and on Twitter @Kreager.
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How tough is MTSU football's road schedule?
Oakland transfer QB adjusting well to new offense


im a single male looking for mr right and fun along the way. i love hanging out with mate and quiet nights in.
get in touch if you want to know more!!!
...tons of hot guys and interesting people to meet up with in Nuneaton and Bedworth. If you prefer to see who's around, do some 'window shopping' first. If you know what you want, search by selecting the right category. Nobody stays alone here for long!


The work was done to a very high standard, the painter was on time, was nice, polite and was very tidy.
Fitting new bathroom, removing old tiles and retiling, painting some rooms.
Work completed on time and to a high standard. I was very pleased with result.
The information submitted will not be published in full.
Your name will be abbreviated to initials and your location will be changed to the Town name.
"They are so professional, so helpful, so friendly – you couldn't ask for a better service"
" the most professional company I have ever used"
This is the most professional company I have ever used. Right from the process of quoting and giving excellent advice about colours and whether to use wallpaper or not – they have been outstanding. Delighted with the result and no mess. Will definitely use them again.
"the decorator was great and we will ask for him again on our next job"
Thank you once again on completion of work at our home. John the decorator was great and we will ask for him again on our next job with The Painting Partnership.
"They did a great job and their staff, attention to detail, and professionalism were excellent"
The Painting Partnership worked on our house renovation project. They did a great job and their staff, attention to detail, and professionalism were excellent. Also after the main job was finished they followed up on the work and ensured that we were happy with the final results. The project took place over a couple of months, but the partnership team made it much easier. Highly recommended!
"I was impressed by their various skills and reliability to keep each other informed"
Just wanted to convey my grateful thanks to all of your craftsmen who came and repaired my "hole in the wall". I was impressed by their various skills and reliability to keep each other informed as to what need doing. It is worth mentioning too that they left the flat in good order so that all I had to do was put the finishing touches and ornaments back in place.
"We were delighted with the recent decorating work" "highly recommended"
We were delighted with the recent decorating work carried out which was to a very high quality – I don't normally complete these feedback forms, but on this occasion, highly recommended.
"They did an excellent job on all occasions - I cannot recommend them highly enough"
The Painting Partnership did some work for me 3 years ago so had them back to change lights in my en suite and family bathroom. I also had them replace the bath panels. They did an excellent job on all these occasions. They are very neat, tidy and very pleasant people. I cannot recommend them highly enough.
"They came to our rescue" "I would certainly be willing to use the Painting Partnership Ltd again and recommend the quality of their workmanship"
"I have recommended them on several occasions so far and am pleased to be able to pass this opinion on"
"The works were carried out to the highest quality" "Would highly recommend them!"
The Painting Partnership carried out two jobs for us, replacing kitchen cabinets and replacing the old small sink to a bigger sink and replacing a bathroom vanity unit and bath panel. The works were carried out to the highest quality and the team made sure they cleaned up after themselves. We were short of time and did not have time to shop around. They did the leg work for us and presented us with a number of options and we were able to select the one we wanted. Would highly recommend them!
Copyright © 2010 - 2015 The Painting Partnership Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
Company registered in England and Wales, The Painting Partnership Limited, trading as A Painting Partnership, No. 6586753.


Just in time for holiday shopping, Amazon has released its 2018 selections for its annual Best Books of the Year list.
Hand-selected by Amazon's team of editors, this year's list is helmed by Educated: A Memoir by Tara Westover, the incredible tale of Westover's accession from a sheltered survivalist upbringing to earning a PhD from Cambridge university.
Check out the top 10 here.
This extraordinary memoir chronicles how author Tara Westover, who didn't see the inside of a classroom until she was 17, not only survived her survivalist upbringing, but made her way to Cambridge University.
"Washington Black" follows the epic adventures of Wash following his childhood escape from slavery in Barbados. Esi Edugyan's entertaining page-turner is shortlisted for the 2018 Booker Prize.
Vincent and Vladic weave together riveting tales of heroism, tested willpower and survival from the four days the crew of the USS Indianapolis spent adrift in the shark-infested Pacific during WWII.
This surprisingly uplifting parable from horror genius Stephen King tells the story of Scott Carey, a man whose weight loss causes him to slowly disappear, bringing the fictional town of Castle Rock together.
As a Border Patrol agent, Cantú got a front-row seat to the complexities of illegal immigration. "The Line Becomes a River" is a timely examination of a national argument set against the backdrop of one man's internal battle between the obligations of his job and his sense of humanity. A heavy and important read.
"The Woman in the Window" is about an agoraphobic woman who bears witness to a murder. Or does she? Full of twists and turns, fans of "Gone Girl" will love this gasp-out-loud thriller.
The colorful patrons of the Swan find themselves in the middle of a thrilling drama when a mute and mysterious young girl is pulled from the waters of the nearby Thames.
Tomi Adeyemi's debut novel is the start of an addictive new young adult fantasy series with characters inspired by her West African heritage. Magic, injustice, discrimination, and a struggle for change make for non-stop action in this unputdownable book.
Leif Enger's "Virgil Wander," follows the quirky inhabitants of a fictional community near Lake Superior as they struggle with their assorted dramas. This endearing novel serves as a reminder that even the smallest acts of kindness can mean a lot.
"There There" examines 12 unique individuals as they grapple with what it means to be a Native American within a changing urban ecosystem.


text:
Q: How to compare each and every value in String array list in android `for (int j = 0; j < multiFilterArr.length; j++) {
        for (int i = 0; i < mBusServicesModels.size(); i++) {
            try {
                if (b == true) {
                        if (mBusServicesModels.get(i).getBus_type().toLowerCase().startsWith(multiFilterArr[j].toLowerCase())) {

                            //apply logic here
                        } else {
                            //apply logic here
                        }

                } else {
                    if (mBusServicesModels.get(i).getBus_type().toLowerCase().contains(multiFilterArr[j].toLowerCase())) {

                //apply logic here
                    } else {
              //apply logic here
                    }
                }
            } catch (Exception e) {
                e.printStackTrace();
            }
        }

    }`

In  the above code i am having multi Filter Arr where i will insert strings that contains or starts with the get Bus Type string value. What i want to do is whenever i insert or remove string value in multi Filter Array that string will be compared and the entire data need to be captured

A: BottomNavigation and TabLayout are meant to be used for Navigation (moving from one Page to other). They are supposed to be selected Only one at a time. So they are not suitable for your purpose.
You should use CheckBox for your purpose. You can have Check Boxes for AC, Non-AC, Seater, Sleeper, All in one row and price, duration, time in another row.
You can then check which checkboxes are checked and filter the data accordingly.
If you want to allow only single selection, you can use RadioButton (RadioGroup) instead of Checkbox.
Hope it helps

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


I have listed a few recent articles on other DUI Attorney websites of interest to readers of this website.
New York Attorney Anthony Colleluori, also known as "That Lawyer Dude", wrote an informative article entitled "Drinking and Driving Does Not Equal Driving While Intoxicated." He notes that in America the anti-alcohol lobby has done an excellent job of telling Americans, wrongly of course, that if you drink and drive, you're guilty of Driving While Intoxicated. This article helps to dispel this myth. Note, in Kentucky, Attorney Colleluori's article would not apply to drivers of commercial vehicles.
Attorney J. Matthew Guilfoil, the Managing Member of The Guilfoil Law Group, LLC, wrote an interesting article on retrograde extrapolation and the defense of rising BAC entitled "The Defense of "Rising BAC" or Rising Blood Alcohol Content in a Driver's License Suspension Hearing in a Missouri DWI Case and "Retrograde Extrapolation"".
Another article well worth reading is by Texas DUI attorney Jamie Spencer, entitled "Is Refusing The Breath Test Consciousness Of Guilt In A DWI" (DUI). Mr. Spencer discusses how in Texas a person arrested for suspecion of driving under the influence is asked to provide evidence against themselves AFTER arrest by blowing into an Intoxilyzer breath test device under the theory that you they will be released if they blow under 0.08 BAC. However, Mr. Spencer states that when folks blow "under the legal limit", the State proceeds on the alternate theory that they had lost the normal use of their mental and/or physical faculties - despite being under the "per se" limit of .08. Attorney Spencer goes on to ask the rhetorical questions of 1) isn't refusing to take the Intoxilyzer actually evidence that you have not lost the normal use of your mental faculties? and, 2) if so, then why would anyone submit to an Intoxilyzer test unless they've literally had nothing to drink in the last twelve to twenty four hours?
Post by Lexington Kentucky DUI Attorney Stephen J. Isaacs, Isaacs Law Office.
Kentucky's Implied Consent Statute (KRS 189A.103) states that an individual gives their consent to one or more blood, breath, or urine tests if an officer has reasonable grounds to believe the individual drove under the influence a motorized (KRS 189A.189) or non-motorized vehicle (KRS 189.520(1)).
Furthermore, an officer may conduct the test of a person incapable of giving their refusal (i.e.: dead, unconscious, or otherwise in a condition rendering him incapable of refusal) since Kentucky law deems such a person to not have withdrawn their consent for the tests.
Note though, that according to Kentucky law, only a physician, registered nurse, phlebotomist, medical technician, or medical technologist not otherwise prohibited by law can withdraw any blood of any person submitting to a blood test.
Should a person refuse to give their consent to a test of their blood, breath, or urine as requested by an officer, then Kentucky law (KRS 189A.105) states that the refusal shall result in the revocation of their driving privileges as set forth in Kentucky Revised Statutes Chapter 189A.
Kentucky prosecutors do not enter into plea bargaining deals for individuals charged with DUI.
Kentucky statutory law (KRS 189A.120) mandates that the prosecutor shall not agree to amend the DUI charge(s) to a lessor offense or the alcohol concentration for a person twenty-one (21) years of age or older with a Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) at or above 0.08, or for a person under the age of twenty-one (21) with a BAC at or above 0.02, or when the defendant, regardless of age, has refused to take an alcohol concentration or substance test.
oppose the amendment of the percentage, unless uncontroverted scientific evidence is presented that the test results were in error.
transporting a passenger under 12 years of age.
Kentucky statutes also do not allow the reduction of the penalties when an aggravating circumstance is present.
Note though that first offenders with no aggravating factors serve no mandatory jail time.


It is mindboggling, isn't it, this election year? It's like an untethered hot air balloon caught up in a windstorm.
The atmosphere is a toxic mixture of ignorance and arrogance, fueled by anger, disillusionment, distrust, some big egos and a lot of cash.
Intelligent, civil, informative, unifying, discourse? Forgetaboutit.
This entry was posted in Featured and tagged civility, Congress, congressional reform, House of Representatives, Johnson, presidential campaigns, Speaker Paul Ryan, speakership on May 3, 2016 by mjohnson.
I want to focus on the good news.
The good news is that Barry Black, the Senate Chaplain, has come out of this entire mess as the only clear winner. His sermons have been on point, passionate, realistic and deeply spiritual. And he is now a rock star (as much as a Senate Chaplain can become a rock star).
The good news is that the government is finally open again.
The good news is that we didn't default on our debts.
This entry was posted in Featured and tagged budget deal, Congress, government shutdown, Republicans on October 17, 2013 by mjohnson.
There is no word that better explains the intractable nature of our government's dysfunction, particularly now in the throes of frozen federal appropriations and a looming debt ceiling crisis.
Righteousness is a noun that describes an attitude that results in behavior "arising out of an outraged sense of justice or morality" (the appropo Webster definition). It is a behavior rooted in a sense of such uprightness that it is essentially free of guilt or sin. The righteous feel absolved from any need for self-judgment or self-reflection.
This entry was posted in Featured and tagged Congress, governing, judgment, politics on October 15, 2013 by mjohnson.
I got to thinking the other day about what was 'more important' to the United States of America: Having great referees in our professional sports leagues….or having great representatives and senators in Congress in Washington?
Apparently, based on the way we pay our elected representatives versus professional referees, we 'value' the services of NFL/MLB and NHL referees at or around the same level as we 'value' our elected officials in this nation.
This entry was posted in Featured and tagged Congress, elected officials, president, salary, Senate on July 11, 2013 by mjohnson.
The dog days of summer used to be dedicated to the appropriations process on Capitol Hill.
Both the House and the Senate would slog through 13 spending bills, usually under an open amendment process. Members of the various subcommittees would fend off hostile amendments, defending projects, programs and spending levels.
This entry was posted in Featured and tagged appropriations, approval rating, Congress, earmark, pork, spending on July 10, 2013 by mjohnson.