text:
Parasol Protectorate #4
34,138 ratings2,604 reviews
Nominee for Best Paranormal Fantasy (2011)
Lady Alexia Maccon, soulless, is at it again, only this time the trouble is not her fault. When a mad ghost threatens the queen, Alexia is on the case, following a trail that leads her deep into her husband's past. Top that off with a sister who has joined the suffragette movement (shocking!), Madame Lefoux's latest mechanical invention, and a plague of zombie porcupines and Alexia barely has time to remember she happens to be eight months pregnant.
Will Alexia manage to determine who is trying to kill Queen Victoria before it is too late? Is it the vampires again or is there a traitor lurking about in wolf's clothing? And what, exactly, has taken up residence in Lord Akeldama's second best closet?
GenresSteampunkFantasyParanormalRomanceVampiresUrban FantasyFiction
400 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published July 1, 2011
53 books14.8k followers
Gail Carriger writes comedies of manners mixed with paranormal romance (and the sexy San Andreas Shifter series as G L Carriger). Her books include the Parasol Protectorate and the Finishing School series. She is published in many languages and has over a dozen NYT bestsellers. She was once an archaeologist and is fond of shoes, octopuses, and tea. Join the Chirrup for sneak peaks of upcoming giggles: http://gailcarriger.com/chirrup
263 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,601 reviews
I enjoyed this book almost as much as the first. 😍 The adventure and detective work and flirty banter and drama. It was highly entertaining. 👍 One more to go.
I just love these books and the audio narration by Emily Gray is spot on!
And the baby!!!! 😃💕🌸
audio own paperback-own
*** 4.75 ***
An absolute delight! I love everything about this series, but the melody of the language and turn of phrase, as over the top as they are, are definitely my favorite part of this wonderous world! Victorian England with ghosts, vampires and werewolves is a place I would love to visit, but as a guest to Lord Akeldama only, because he is a man after my own heart and he would be a lot of fun to hang out with. 🤩🤩🤩
"..."Good evening, Lady Maccon." The vampire tipped his top hat with one hand, holding the door with the other. He occupied the entrance in an ominous, looming manner. "Ah, how do you do, Lord Ambrose?" "Tolerably well, tolerably well. It is a lovely night, don't you find? And how is your"—he glanced at her engorged belly—"health?" "Exceedingly abundant," Alexia replied with a self-effacing shrug, "although, I suspect, unlikely to remain so." "Have you been eating figs?" Alexia was startled by this odd question. "Figs?" "Terribly beneficial in preventing biliousness in newborns, I understand." Alexia had been in receipt of a good deal of unwanted pregnancy advice over the last several months, so she ignored this and got on to the business at hand. "If you don't feel that it is forward of me to ask, are you here to kill me, Lord Ambrose?" She inched away from the carriage door, reaching for Ethel. The gun lay behind her on the coach seat. She had not had time to put it back into its reticule with the pineapple cut siding. The reticule was a perfect match to her gray plaid carriage dress with green lace trim. Lady Alexia Maccon was a woman who liked to see a thing done properly or not at all. The vampire tilted his head to one side in acknowledgment. "Sadly, yes. I do apologize for the inconvenience." "Oh, really, must you? I'd much rather you didn't." "That's what they all say."
― Gail Carriger, Heartless...
Alexia is the most eccentric Soules person in the world and the most lovable at that. Her husband, the werewolf Alpha, is her perfect match and their love is a joy to read about. Honestly, this series is a ray of sunshine and a smile for a blue day. I recommend it for all those who love a witty repartee and characters you can grow to love. Enjoy!!! 👻🐺😈
steam-punk urban-fantasy vampires
Phrynne
Okay we are back in business. I did not really like #3 but this one is much better!
It seems the author has changed her mind about Connall and he has reverted to being sympathetic and kind. In the last book I think I described him as an oaf. Currently my favourite characters are Floote, Lyall and Lord Akeldama who provides most of the humour. I enjoyed seeing Alexia dealing with her silly sister too.
For most of the book Alexia is clomping around like someone carrying triplets instead of the one cute baby which arrives right at the end of the book. A bit of overkill there but the actual baby is the best! Where things are going to go from here I just cannot imagine. I have #5 ready and waiting.
ᴥ Irena ᴥ
I don't know what to think about this book. It's all over the place: the plot, the characters, the relationships.
There were a couple of times I hated what is happening. At one point of the story (near the end) Alexia does something so stupid that later when other characters praised her for her ability to 'sort' things out, I couldn't buy it. The sorting part of the praise was undeserved.
Her pregnancy is depicted in the most annoying way possible. Alexia hobbles through the whole book. And I could have gone without numerous 'infant-inconvenience' references. Yes, we got it the first couple of times that Alexia is not, as a preternatural, a motherly material. And it was funny that first two or three times because it is Alexia.
Heartless reveals all kinds of secrets from the past. Alexia finds out more about her father and some other characters too. It is more than she expected. I won't get into any spoilers about that, but some of those secrets were simply out of the blue. It was as if the author wanted to insert that too into the narrative.
Madame Lefoux plays a role in this book too. I never liked this character. Nothing in Heartless changes that. While I'm at it, I hate Alexia's sister too.
As for the book overall, you know when you read a story and you need something to happen to justify the time you spent being annoyed or angry or both? Well, for me this book has maybe one or two such moments (a reminder: when the wolves howled). Not everyone gets their deserved punishment in Heartless, though.
Also, Alexia gives birth to her daughter Prudence and she is fascinating. That's another good point for the book.
I still can't decide. Heartless a combination of frustrating and sometimes even stupid characters and their actions (and not in an entertaining way), occasional hilariousness, heartbreak (Lord Maccon's attitude towards Biffy) and plain craziness. All I can say is that I did like it.
Sort of.
alternate-history paranormal paranormal-romance
Look, if you've made it to book four of this series, you know what you're in for. Vast quantities of absurd silliness. Lots of naked werewolves (played comedically, of course). Foppish vampires. Alexia being no nonsense and getting herself into all sorts of trouble. A supernatural threat that's not really a threat, but mostly just an excuse for us to hang out with these characters for four hundred pages. The Parasol Protectorate is not plot heavy. These are hang-out books, and if you happen to love the characters (as I do) that state of affairs works out just fine.
It's been about five months since the events of Blameless and Alexia is wandering around London eight months pregnant with some sort of supernatural baby. The vampires are still trying to assassinate her and said child, until that is the Maccons and Lord Akeldama strike up a scheme to have Lord Akeldama legally adopt their child. They figure the vampires will be placated if they allow their child to be raised under the influence of one of their own, but of course they also rent the house next door, and prepare to secretly live in Akeldama's house. So the bebe will have three strange parents.
Vampires taken care of, of course a new threat is looming along with the birth of her child. A ghost appears to warn Alexia that there is a plot to kill the queen afoot, and as muhjah it's her duty to investigate and prevent said event from occurring. It's a whole escalating thing with dirigibles and fires and rampaging giant metal octopus machines (cleverly called octomatons).
This book is perhaps the fluffiest of all the books so far. I do wish it had a little bit more emotional heft. I think she missed an opportunity with Madame Lefoux and Alexia's fractured relationship here, but I hope it's rectified by the end of the next one (not much time left, I only have 100 pages left in it).
I feel like I just started this series, and it's already almost over!
alt-history anglophilia fantasy
Tzippy
Here's what I liked about this book:
1) Finding out about Professor Lyall's past. It makes him a much more interesting character, not that he wasn't one of my favorites before.
2) The refreshing aspect of having an eight-months-pregnant heroine.
Here's what I didn't like:
Every single decision made by these characters that I used to like. For example:
· Giving up your kid for adoption in order to appease a group of people who are trying to murder you? Eff that ess.
· The manufactured drama of Lord Akeldama and Biffy. (Ironic in a series that usually has a tendency to make light of actual serious issues, like Alexia's husband and sister being responsible for her many near-deaths.) Okay, they're two different species--so what? So are Conall and Alexia, and no one has a problem with them.
· Alexia becomes complicit in lying to her husband about the truth of his former pack's betrayal.
· Countess Nadasdy kidnaps Madame Lefoux's child and is rewarded with both the kid and Woolsey's home.
· Akeldama doesn't warn Alexia of the dire (and obvious, but she's in labor so I'll cut her some slack on this one) consequences of inviting the hive into her house? What a crappy friend.
· Madame Lefoux tries to get her kid back and Alexia punishes her by forcing to become vampire food for the people who A) kidnapped her kid and B) turned her girlfriend evil (and were ultimately partially responsible for her death). What an even worse friend.
For most of the book, I was wondering why they didn't just kill off the entire vampire hive and be done with it. They don't seem to have any redeeming qualities...and they're all a bunch of attempted murderers.
adults-who-act-like-children era-victorian-england how-is-that-okay
Kitty G Books
Initial Impressions:
I 100% adored this and I will write a full review of it tomorrow (it's late here). I am going onto book 5 asap and just have to say this was by far the best in the series to date and I loved it!!!!
Full Review:
Okay so I finished up this book and instantly went on to book 5. That to me is the sign of a very very good book because I like to plan out which books I shall read when, and if a book or series is good enough to make me deviate from that plan then it must be pretty amazing... and this one was!
This is once again the continuation of Alexia's story but in this book we have a lot more focus on our core group of characters and everyone is together again rather than spread out. We have some new additions into the group, and the introduction of them is fabulous, but also the general premise of the book and storyline was great.
The story of this book largely centres around Biffy and Alexia who both face their own trails and problems. Biffy is unadjusted to his new walk of life and doesn't know exactly how to fit in which causes stress and worry for him and many others around him. Seeing his plight and sadness was heart-wrenching because he's one of my favourite characters and he really is a star. I think he's one of the sweetest and most noble characters ever, and seeing him out of his depth and feeling so low definitely resonated with me.
As for Alexia, our Preturnatural (whenever she touches Vamps/Werewolves they tune back to humans), she's as commanding and fabulous as ever. She's feisty, she's strong willed and she know what she wants. She's very unafraid of showing her adoration of food, and she's equally happy with being who she is an feeling good in her own skin. By this point she has a solid group of loyal friends from both supernatural factions, vampires and werewolves, and she's a genuine and caring character.
Alexi is the main protagonist of the series and therefore she's always the one investigating the goings on and when we meet a disjointed ghost who doesn't really know what she's saying, but is trying to rely a message about a threat to the Queen, Alexia knows she has to spring into action and investigate.
I found this book to be by far the best one in the series up until now. It's so easy to slip back into the world of these characters now and enjoy being immersed with them and the dynamics and loyalties have been pushed, tested and extended up to this point to where we have a great group of characters.
The action and pacing of this one was brilliant and I flew through it, loving every page. There were some wonderful moments between Ivy and Alexia, some great development with Akeldama and Biffy, and some revelations about Channing, Lyall and Floote. All in all everyone and everything in this book was pretty much prefect!
I adore this series and it gets SO good as it goes on. I am currently reading book 5 and loving that one too, and I have no doubt that Miss Carriger will be a firm favourite of mine for a long time :) Highly recommended 5*s!!!
Series Review:
Gail Carriger is the most unique author I've ever come across. Her style is truly unparalleled in all of Fictiondom. She has immense talent for turning even the most mundane of things into the epitome of sophistication. If it wasn't for her writing, I doubt I would ever enjoy these books.
The Parasol Protectorate has the most original cast of characters ever. None of the characters in this series even remotely resemble any other characters out there, except for maybe Lord Maccon. And I simply love the way all her characters talk, all proper and formal. Even the boring act of wearing a hat is transformed into a vital crisis when it comes to the Parasol Protectorate.
Speaking of characters, my number 1 favorite side character belongs to this very fascinating world created by Carriger - Lord Akeldama. His excessive use of endearments, his outrageous style of clothing, his fascination with gossip, his very, very eccentric personality in general, all make up the extremely complex and hilarious character that is Lord Akeldama. He is the reason I couldn't stop laughing throughout Heartless.
2011 authors-i-stalk lollercoaster
ᑭIᑭEᖇ⒤ᗩᗰ
I loved, loved, loved this one! (Can you tell I really liked loved this one!haha!)My favorite in this series so far. Everybody and their mother needs a Floote by their side. And Lyall, my poor Lyall(I seemed to be repeating myself), his backstory brought me to tears. Mrs. Carriger, if you have any sympathy for the condition of my state of mind and the welfare of my kindle, please, please, please give Felicity a very slow and painful death!!!
ghosts-go-boo machalo-br pnr
Lauren Stoolfire
I think Heartless might be the best of the series so far. I especially liked that the romance has taken a little bit more of a back seat here since we get a little more adventure than before. Genevieve continues to be one of my favorites, and now I'm really feeling for Biffy's predicament. Plus, I think I'm really going to like Prudence.
fantasy historical-fiction lgbtq
This was the first of the Parasol Protectorate books I read in paper; the others were all audio, where I loved the narration by Emily Gray. Reading it myself meant doing all Emily's voices in my head which proved a bit exhausting, but well worth it. The ongoing soap opera of Alexia Maccon and company in Carriger's Urban Fantasy/Steampunk 1870's London is always a delight.
Katie(babs)
LOVED IT!!
A pregnant Alexia waddling with her parasol through London like Sherlock Holmes is freakin hilarious.
Major wow twist of a cliffhanger that has me dying to read the fifth and final book.
Conall was the cuddliest and very caring about Alexia.
Total win of a book.
Reread in February 2021:
This is the first book in this series I actually enjoyed *less* upon rereading. I still think this is a solid book, with a lot happening. The world continues to be expanded upon and I'm interested to see where our characters go next.
But one thing that became glaringly obvious upon my reread is that this series is sorely lacking in genuine, heartfelt moments between characters. Even when the plot and the character's sentiments would seem to call for one. The ones that do exist are quickly turned towards more sarcasm and witty remarks. Don't get me wrong, this style of writing and the humourous storytelling are what make this series so enjoyable to me in the first place. But including some more "real" moments in the mix, where the characters show and share genuine emotion and vulnerability, would not only make them seem more like actual people but also show a bit more range on the author's part. I know she can write funny, witty, slightly ridiculous scenes. But there were a lot of opportunities in this series, specifically in this book, with people trusting someone and then being betrayed etc., that would have been perfect for showcasing a bit more depth. Instead they were quickly brushed aside in favour of more of the same. It's disappointing to say the least and does heavily detract from my overall enjoyment of the book.
Read for the first time in January 2015:
Heartless is so far my second favourite book in this series, right after Soulless.There's a lot going on again but some of the cohesiveness that book 3 was lacking has fortunately returned. I don't know how Miss Carriger is doing it but somehow she manages to just keep plot and wit and entertainment coming, like a never-ending stream of awesomeness.
At first I was slightly worried about having a book centered around a pregnant heroine because it doesn't exactly scream adventure and excitement, but as it turns out I was mistaken. Fortunately for all of us Alexia was as impulsive and head-strong as ever and simply kept on ignoring that slight detail.
So. Much. Fun. I literally don't want to ever do anything else besides read these books.
OK, so much as I love the characters, I have to admit I was a teensy bit bored throughout most of this book.
Alexia is very heavily pregnant in this latest instalment but she does not let the infant inconvenience get in the way of her usual antics, investigating a warning by a nearly demented ghost that an attemt on the Queen's life is being planned. Alexia and Connall are completely reconciled with barely a mention of his inexcusable (in my view) behaviour in the previous book, the vampires are continuing with their attempts to assassinate the unborn child (the nature of which still remains largely mysterious) and, by proxy, Alexia until an ingenious (although, personally, I thought it was rather crappy) solution to appease them is proposed which leads Lord and Lady Maccon to move into Lord Akeldama's closet and Madame Lefoux appears unusually distressed and preoccupied.
I thought the pacing of this book, overall, was very slow. The plot line took forever to get anywhere and the things that were revealed about Alexia's father seemed somewhat irrelevant and inconsequential. By this point in the series, I was kind of hoping we would learn more about Alexia's soulless state, the reason why Floot keeps so conspicuously schtum about Mr. Tarabotti and the nature of the child. However, no such luck.
I was also somewhat taken aback by some of Alexia's decisions and actions. Her rushing to the aid of Countess Nadasdy who has tried to get Alexia killed on countless occasions felt especially unrealistic.
The cover deserves a particular mention as well, in that I cannot believe how excruciatingly awful it is. The lady on the cover looks half bold and dressed for a Christmas panto performance. It really was not helpful to have that ridiculous image imprinted on one's mind when reading the book.
alternative-history london love-and-romance
Heartless is still pretty fun, but the humour of these books is getting a little tired. For one thing, it relies on apocryphal stuff about the period (no, table legs were not considered indecent) and silly humour. And a lot of the humour in this book is basically "haha, Alexia is pregnant and huge, hahahaha". I get that it's a bit difficult to have Alexia up to her usual tricks without some glossing over of the fact that she's eight months pregnant here, but yeesh, stop hanging lampshades on it, we get it.
I didn't think much of the mystery plot, either. Mostly because I didn't believe that particular character would be so rash and stupid, when we know they're fearsomely intelligent. It's like spectacle took second place to believability — which isn't surprising for the Parasol Protectorate books, since they're knowingly absurd, but there's a point where it becomes too much.
What did I like about this book? Well, Genevieve's love for her son; Akeldama's relationship with Alexia continuing to be special; Biffy and Lord Akeldama's doomed love; Alexia's grit; Professor Lyall. I remain fond of the characters here, primarily, while aspects of the world/writing are really beginning to drive me round the bend — and I wasn't 100% on board to begin with. Probably not even 60% on board. I'm not fond of absurdity, really.
I am going to read Timeless, because there are some character developments I look forward to, and at least Alexia won't be pregnant anymore.
Review originally posted here.
fantasy vampires
Author 27 books5,588 followers
Well, my little plum pastries, what larks we have had!
This book was possibly my favorite of the series so far, having featured copious amounts of Lord Akeldama, Biffy, Alexia having her sensibilities offended, and a riproaring good mystery to boot!
And not just the one mystery, my fluffy ducklings, but several mysteries are unraveled concerning Alexia's late father, Professor Lyall's past (and frankly, I could not get enough of Lord Akeldama calling him Dolly), and what to do with poor Biffy.
Hats are worn, mocked, and more shockingly: NOT worn when they should be. As are other items of clothing. Alexia is very (hilariously) pregnant. Hairmuffs come back into fashion. People turn into wolves. Ghosts turn into aether. Frivolous society ladies turn into spies. And the least likely person imaginable turns into a vampire drone.
The only downside: I have to wait until March for TIMELESS.
steampunk werewolvesnvampires
Lightreads
Steampunk octopus. Steampunk octopus! . . . Steampunk octopus?
I dunno, if you're gonna give me a steampunk octopus rampaging across Victorian London and battling werewolves, it's gotta be with more conviction than that.
This series is like waxed fruit: it's decorative, it's pretty, it suits only very particular esthetics. And you really, really don't want to do anything other than look at it once in a while and go, "yeah. Wax fruit."
. . . Pretty fun, though.
fantasy fiction historical
The entire series is consistently good. In my humble opinion underrated.
Melyssa
270 reviews4 followers
I am thoroughly enjoying my reread of this series! I'm positively zipping through these books like it's nobody's business! ONWARD!
*HUUUUGE SIGH OF RELIEF* AHHHHHHHH!!
Finally finished this book! Thank you school for making it difficult for me to finish anything fun... ;)
Oh, my... Ohmyohmyohmy. I loved this book. Dare I say that it was more fun to read than a couple of the previous books in the series? Yes I dare.
Further reflection to come once I figure out what I'm going to say... :D
favorites i-own-it mystery
Ashley Marie
This one gets a solid four stars, perhaps even leaning toward 4.5
Splendidly woven, and everything seemed to come together so well in the end. Felicity drove me up the wall, Mme Lefoux remains delightfully ambiguous, and Alexia kicks so much ass. Floote was also a huge stand-out in this one, I was hoping he would get his moment eventually; he and Lyall are my favorites.
absurdist-whimsy-escapism audiobook-would-recommend fantasy-paranormal
CJ - It's only a Paper Moon
I don't know exactly what to write here. I know that overall I enjoyed the book well enough to rate it a Goodreads three. I know that I'm excited to find out what happens next in the world of the Tarrabotti/Maccon's. I'm curious what will happen to Biffy and Akeldama and hell, even Felicity is interesting enough to follow.
There was something missing from this book. Some spark, some thing that I can't put my finger on. I was confused during this book, which never happens in Carriger's other works. There was a moment when Alexia was referring to herself in the third person, which I know was deliberate upon re-read, and I understood what the author was trying to do - on my third re-read, but I'm sure there was a better way to illustrate the notion.
Some things that bugged me:
Akeldama while he is a good character and has that touch of annoying and delightful, in this book, he reached his peak of Nonsensical character only around for plot point. I didn't care about him at the beginning and if he used one more italic I was sure that I was going to scream. If Alexia can't handle Ivy's prattling, how in the hell can she deal with Akeldama's? Also, he is going to be the adopted father of Prudence? I don't know if I trust him enough for that. I can only imagine what kind of silly little girl he's going to help raise Plus he is tormenting poor Biffy! He should just cut him loose!
The first half of the book It had nothing to do with the second half, or at least, had so very little to do with the second half. If the latter part of the book was the meal, then the first half was that bit of parsley that you enjoy looking at but don't really need. I enjoyed finding out more about Conall's past and delving deeper into Lyall's character and it was amusing to watch Alexia toddle to and fro but it would have made an excellent short story. There was very little connecting the first part to the second part. Two different mysteries and neither one had anything to do with each other = short story collection.
Biffy Just eat him already
Felicity see the above
Things that were very good
Akeldama though I have my qualms with this character I still enjoy him. He is sly and the master of deception (and karate*) and I love how he and Alexia interact. In fact, I love how he interacts with everyone because behind every "dandelion" or "cream drop" he is calculating and filing away information. He allows Alexia in enough that the readers get to see a different side of him then say, Conall. when he had to wrestle Biffy you really get to see a softer, merciful, side of him. Also, when Alexia asks if it Akeldama that should be pitied instead of Lyall I gasped . He can be a bastard but a subtle and loveable one.
Lyall we saw a different side of him in this book and I appreciate how it was done when he showed Alexia her father's journal, there was another gasping moment. I had no idea about those two! .
Conall Again, another character that we saw the softer side of. It was well done and welcome, considering how much I wanted to shoot him in the last book when he comes back from tending to Biffy and cries in Alexia's back, I wanted to reach through the pages and hug him
Alexia's pregnancy was handled in the typical Alexia way which made you laugh but also made you groan. At some points, you just want someone to slip her some laudanum so that she can rest. The relationship between Conall and his pack was a bit of good fun to watch unfold.
As I'm writing this, I realize that this book is more about secondary characters and their growth as well as what their issues are doing to Alexia but it's not really about Alexia, per se.
This is the weakest book in the series in terms of plot development but the strongest in terms of fleshing and growing the secondary characters.
fantasy ghosts london-or-england
Penny Watson
Author 12 books502 followers
Observations about Heartless by Gail Carriger.....
1.) The cover is wack. The models on Soulless, Changeless, and Blameless looked like they could kick your butt, admonish your improper behavior and have a spot of tea all without missing a beat. The woman on the cover of Heartless looks like she'll burst into tears if you look at her funny. Wack.
2.) The humor is spot-on--Alexia waddling around London, thwarting would-be paranormal crimes with a massive pregnant belly barely slowing her down. The characters are brilliant--the effeminate vampires, lesbian steampunk inventor, over-protective alpha werewolf hubby, catty suffragette sister, and best of all the no-nonsense soulless heroine. The storyline has ups and downs....interesting investigations, fabulous climatic scene at the end with the octomaton rampaging through town, but also occasionally bogged down by too much paranormal political stuff. Pacing slowed a bit in the middle, was just perfection at the end. With a killer cliff-hanger.
3.) This series is straight up the most original, clever and humorous bit of storytelling in the romance genre. Although it is truly a mish-mash of romance, steampunk, paranormal, historical and comedy. It's quirky. It's well-written. It's got Penny's Seal Of Approval.
4.) I was heartily disappointed with the lack of romance in Blameless. Due to a totally exasperating misunderstanding, the hero and heroine were apart for the bulk of the book. Heartless was an improvement, although still not enough for my romantic inclinations. It is definitely a sexy story, but I just can't get enough of Conall the gruff and grumbly werewolf. More, more, more!!!!!
5.) Favorite lines....
"No wife. I mean to say, you are not exactly up to your usual galavanting about London with parasol at the ready, now, are you?"
Alexia glanced down at her overstuffed belly and then got that look on her face. "I am entirely capable."
"Of what, waddling up to someone and ruthlessly bumping into them?"
hee hee heeee.....
And I love this line, too. Leave it to Alexia to tell it like it is.
"Goodness," said an exhausted Lady Maccon, "are babies customarily that repulsive looking?"
Why yes, yes they are. ☺
Looking for an entertaining steampunky historical romance with a kick-ass sense of humor? Look no further.
Pleasantly Pleased as a Peacock,
This is my favourite book out of the series to date. Absolutely awesome in every way. Off to read Timeless. A better RTC.
Galleane
Quel bonheur ça a été de retrouver Alexia, Maccon et compagnie. J'ai passé un excellent moment et j'ai hâte de lire le dernier tome, en espérant ne pas attendre encore 3 ans pour me lancer.
Mon avis complet : http://bloggalleane.blogspot.fr/2018/...
Tocotin
Good title. Alexia is heartless and so is the plot. Imagine having a friend who goes mad with grief, because her child was kidnapped. What do you do? You make her a slave of your own enemy for 10 years or so. Meanwhile, your own child's life is being threatened, but you protect the people who are threatening her, and provide them with shiny new headquarters. And a new slave to boot. Because they are aristocrats. At the same time, working people – servants etc. – are referred to as "unsavory characters". Huh?
So Alexia is not only heartless, she is also headless. Am I to believe that an expert on supernaturals and preternaturals and other strange creatures doesn't know what happens when you let a vampire in? And why is she suddenly such a fan of vampires? Are they any good? Fashion sense? Maybe Lord Akeldama, if you don't count his highly irritating way of speaking. Countess Nadasdy has no fashion sense, she's useless.
OK, I'll read the last book, because I want to see Madame Lefoux spit in Alexia's face. Not that I have much hope. On the whole, "boys", that is, male gay characters, get much better treatment than female ones. Ugh.
borrowed-books contemporary-literature fantasy
Sibil
1,263 reviews61 followers
I've missed them all so much!
I love all the characters! They are so unique and well characterized that they are amazing! And Carriger's writing is humorous and original and quite quirky. I loved it!
It's a book full of revelations and full of events, too. And it make me smile on more than one occasion.
Alexia is quite peculiar but awsome! And Floote is simply the best!
Mi erano mancati veramente tantissimo tutti quanti! E lo stile dell'autrice! Come ho fatto ad aspettare tanto prima di decidermi a continuarla?!?!
Ogni personaggio è unico, decisamente originale e molto ben caratterizzato. Ho amato ognuno di loro (o quasi). E' un libro ricco di rivelazioni e di avvenimenti. Succedono tantissime cose! Ed è riuscito a strapparmi ben più di qualche sorriso.
Alexia è veramente particolare, ma è fantastica. E Floote... lui è semplicemente il migliore!
I've been listening to all the Parasol Protectorate books by Gail Carriger and they're just plain fun. The reader is perfect and she makes me laugh out loud while I'm driving. I love the characters and the setting and Heartless was another great installment in the series. I'm really hoping for more books!
Delitealex
I enjoyed this book but not as much as books 1-3. Not enough action and the mystery seemed unnecessary. I still love the characters and can't wait to see how the series ends.
shape-shifter-werewolf steampunk vampire
Ivy Deluca
My review of the first book https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... applies to the series as a whole. The thoughts below are specific to Heartless.
Conall and Alexia's romance is back on track and continues to be one of my favorite things about this series. They bicker throughout, but the affection is deep and comes through in every scene. Ms. Carriger still has a few plot twists left in her reticule and yes I continue to enjoy those twists and how they will impact the overall series. The writing really is so strong.
The Bad and Everything in Between
I couldn't get Heartless by Kanye West out of my head whenever I saw the title of this book. Was it just me? Probably. *shrugs*
Seriously though, the secondary plotlines, in particular the one with Madame Lefoux wasn't my favorite. The story dragged at parts and when the ending finally came 'round, I was just ready for Alexia to have that baby. And yes, while I loved the writing, the only thing I wanted a little less of Alexia waddling, tottering, bobbing, weaving and basically being unwieldy while she's pregnant. It was cute at first, and then I got tired of reading about it.
I still love Conall and Alexia alot and the suspense part of the plotlines continue to keep me on my toes. The whole cast of characters, especially Biffy and Lyall, give me feels though I'll admit series fatigue is kicking in a bit. However, not so tired that I don't want to continue. I need to know how this all wraps up.
For more reviews, visit
bbw steampunk vampires


text:
Q: Count number of MSTs in a graph I thought about this problem many hours, but I didn't find any solutions
The problem is :

How many MSTs does the given graph have
  (MST := Minimum Spanning Tree)

the graph G is an undirected, connected graph
it's Guaranteed that no vertex's degree exceeds 3 :)
prefer C/C++ solutions (can understand like-code-formed Algorithm too)
and please with a low order :) (running time)
UPDATE
first of all finding all MSTs :)
O( |E| log |E| )
others where worse :(

A: You can try with a backtracking. In each step for one of 'leaf' vertices decide how many 'out' edges to use.
function add_some_vertex_edges(leaves, edge):
  if |leaves| == |V|:
    num_of_MSTs += 1
    return
  v = leaves.pop()  # takes one vertex and removes it from leaves
  let v_edge be set of incident edges to v that are not already in edges and that don't make cycle if added to edges
  for each combination of edges from v_edge:
    add_edges(leaves + incident_vertices, edges + edge_combination)

add_some_vertex_edges({v}, {})

Since vertices degree is <= 3, for each leaf one edge is used to 'enter' it, and because of that |v_edge| <= 2, and because of that search tree is narrow.
Worst case running time is O(2^n), but probably in practical cases it is fast. There are examples with worst case number of MSTs. Example that I can think of is with two parallel lines of vertices and connections between them.
O---O---O---O---O---O---O---O---O---
 \ /     \ /     \ /     \ /     \ /
  X       X       X       X       X ...
 / \     / \     / \     / \     / \
O---O---O---O---O---O---O---O---O---

In this example there are exactly 2^(n/2) MSTs. To calculate this, take 2 leftmost vertices. They can be connected to the rest of a graph in 4 ways.
O---O   O   O   O   O   O---O
         \ /     \ /     \ /
          X       X       X
         / \     / \     / \
O---O , O   O , O---O , O   O

For each group of interconnected 4 vertices there are 4=2^2 possibilities to choose from.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


While not a true Sharecropping article, it has that sharecropping feel to me. So, here goes!
Ever send an image, meticulously composed and cropped, of course, to a social media site like Facebook? Did you ever have that crop destroyed by the constraints of their web galleries' thumbnail proportions? Ever have the opposite happen? Have you ever sent a great image to an online gallery and had the thumbnail crop give you a different and sometimes more compelling image? It happens.
I was thumbing through some images on a FB Friend's profile pictures gallery and noticed this compelling image (4th down on the left) and thought that is a cool composition. Of all the images shown, its thumbnail representation grabbed me the most. I thought, good ol' Tom must have cropped this one 4:3 for it to come out that good in thumbnail view. I was wrong.
This is the actual cropping Tom chose when he edited his photo. There is nothing wrong with it. In fact, it is a very nice image. Those killer eyes are placed at the upper right Rule of Thirds in the thumbnail crop and in the portrait original. But, I think you would agree, the thumbnail and the full image are two different pictures. Of course the cropist couldn't resists cropping the larger version for demonstration purposes on this blog.
I've tried to approximate the crop of the 4:3 thumbnail in a larger version. It is quite a different picture than the original. It has fewer distractions in the bright white bar and less zebra print. It isn't better but it is different. It is also something that might not have been attempted had not Facebook's Profile Pictures gallery thumbnail cropping shown us the way. Drop us a note and let us know which version you like better.
Special thanks to Tom Frisch for allowing us use of his image. You can find Tom on Facebook here. He also has a gallery on SmugMug here.
Of course this all got me thinking about something else but that is a topic for another article.
Welcome to the May edition of ShareCropping. After a couple of busy months, the cropist is returning to sharecrop another image. Today, we are going after Jim Strand's excellent homage to the departure of winter. Winter is still hanging on in spots in Minnesota and it is hoped that this last sacrifice will lead to Spring!
This is Jim's uncropped original. It is a very cool image taken on a 4×3 aspect ratio camera. When I saw this image, I knew it had Sharecropping written all over it so I asked Jim if he would donate it to the cause. He agreed.
The image is a little down-hill to the right.
There is some lens distortion at the edges that also distracts the eye.
The larger trees frame the image nicely and need to be preserved.
The darkness at the bottom occupies a little too much space.
Let's go into the crops!
Crop Rotation: Let's level it up a bit.
There. That's better. Well, this is a landscape image so the landscape crop comes immediately to mind. Keeping in mind our analysis, I worked several traditional landscape crops. I found this one to my liking.
I took a little off the bottom top and left sides. I tried to keep the branch on the left side from lifting out of the top of the frame to hold the sky and just enough of the shadows to frame the bottom of the water. It helps but I think we can do better. Let's look at a square crop.
With a square crop, I had to decide which side was more interesting. I chose the right hand side because I liked the foreground shoreline better. This one really highlights the ripples. I like this crop because it minimizes the sky and takes the image off-center a little. Now, let's look at a portrait crop.
For portrait, I decided I liked the other side better. The lone branch jutting into the empty sky gives me a focal point and deals with the loss of the ripples. The image has become more about negative space in the sky and the water. Of the three, so far, I like the square best.
Here is a 2×1 with no sky. Dark waters abound! I am still trimming some lens distortion from the image but little else.
I wanted to add the sky back in but I found it was too distracting. In the panoramic crop, notice how the snow-covered branch on the right is much more prominent without the sky.
If panoramic is good, cinematic must be better? Right? Here is a 2.5×1 crop where we've sacrificed the foreground water. The picture has changed from darkness to gray. Two different and equally valid treatments result. What happens if we take it farther?
The 3×1 takes it too far. The water dominates. The distant forest is lost. The framing is nice but we've split the image into two competing factions.
I went back to the panorama and worked it backwards a little bit.
It is still almost a panorama crop but just under the 2:1 ratio. I decided the sliver of sky was too compelling a juxtaposition of exposure to pass up. Leaving that bright sliver allows me to keep the curved branch on the left side of the tree on the right. I also kept enough of the dark water to close up the bottom. Those things decided, I just had to leave enough of the left to minimize optical distortion and just enough off the right to isolate the large tree.
Thanks to Jim for volunteering his image this month. If you want to be the Cropist's victim in June, drop me an image for consideration.
All images are Copyright © Jim Strand.
Jim is an amateur hobbyist that has been taking pictures since he was in the Army. Since 1970 he has always had a single lens reflex camera with a complement of different lenses, first 35mm film and most recently digital. In the last year he has had a fixed lens Canon G11 that he uses 80% of the time. It has one major advantage… he has it with him when the picture happens.
February's ShareCropping victim/volunteer is Mark Sirota. Mark kindly answered my call for crop victims and submitted his very cool capture of a couple on a hillside at sunset. The image poses some unique challenges as well as opportunities to expose a new cropping guide: The Rule of Fifths. Let's see what the Cropist comes up with.
Mark's original image is shown above. It is a very nice silhouette of a couple, a grassland and a bird in flight. All of this is set against an exquisite setting sun in an overcast sky. The image, as all do, has room for improvement so let's put it in the Cropist Analyzer.
At first glance these were the issues I felt it necessary to mitigate.
Areas toward the bottom and right are not contributing to the value of the image.
There are some bright clouds center-left and top-center that draw our eyes.
We have three subjects fairly out of balance due to size between and size of the two darker subjects.
With these considerations, our goal is to make a more compelling image. And, as always, we will do this with a crop – well, a series of crops.
My first thought was to try and improve the story by eliminating the flying bird on the right-hand side of the sun. This made the picture more about the couple. I took some of the dead area off the bottom and cropped out the bright clouds left and top. This isn't bad. The horizon is better placed and the separation of the figures from the sun gives you a visual path to follow.
The bird was such a nice detail that I hated to leave it out. I thought a Square Crop might get me back in. This time I decided to invoke my little-used tool the "Rule of Fifths". We are all familiar with the Rule of Thirds. I placed the two figures on the lowest-leftest rule of fifth power point and pulled the square until the sun and bird looked in balance with he image. Since I had restricted myself to square, I had to leave the lighter clouds at the top intact. Were the sky slightly more powerful, I would have called it finished.
I returned to the original 3:2 aspect ration but brought things in a little tighter, relying on the rule of thirds to guide the crop. We got rid of bottom and right and the bright clouds at the top and repositioned our horizon in the process. The balance, while better, is still a little off. The crop is an improvement nonetheless.
I had hithertofore resisted the panoramic crop feeling it might be too cliché to go wide right away. This 3:1 crop does pretty well. Using the lower rule of third as a horizon guide and placing the sun and figures on the lower power points, we end up with the image above. The figures pop in this image and, with the exception of the bright cloud on the left, really holds us in the bounds of the image.
We introduced the concept of Rule of Fifths so why not crop that way. Here I went 4:1 and placed the figures on the left-most rule of fifth. I also used the lower rule to place the horizon on the right hand side of image. The crop is more dramatic and the figures become more prominent.
I decided to step back from the 4:1 and return to the 3:1 but use the rule of fifths instead of the rule of thirds as I had done earlier. This image really makes the couple pop more. Balance is returning to the image. Distractions are all but eliminated. I think this might be my favorite.
I decided to take one more stab in spite of my affection for the 3:1 Rule of Fifths image. I decided to step back once more to the 2:1 panorama crop but still keep the Rule of Fifths spacing. I am really torn between the last two crops. The prominence of the figures in the former is very compelling but the addition of the dark sky adds a quasi-vignetting effect. Both are nice and, like Natalie Imbruglia, I am torn.
Thanks to Mark Sirota for contributing the image for the February edition of ShareCropping.
The Sunset image is © Mark Sirota.
We have no image submitted for our ShareCropping segment for the second day of the month of February 2011. I need an image! If you are interested in being the February victim, please contact me with your candidate image.
Mark Clements, eager December Cropist victim, sent me this image of the High Falls on the Grassy River. Mark chose a near anamorphic aspect ratio of 2.36 giving it a wide-screen cinema feel. I like the crop but it feels a little left-heavy and that may be due to the darkening of the river applied in post-processing.
When I looked at the image, I became a little suspicious of it and wrote Mark for more information. It turns out this wasn't a single shot but rather a stitched Panorama. I asked Mark for the original stitched version from which to begin our exercise.
Mark was kind enough to oblige and sent me the raw images of his Nikon P5100 capture. You can see the river is much lighter here and not so out-of-balance. It was -36° C when he shot this picture. It is a very good capture and a nice stitch job. It is a pity Mark didn't have his DSLR along though.
Looking at the original stitch, I see many things I like.
The leading lines are fabulous and take you to a reasonable place.
The twigs in the foreground left are a little distracting-especially those which don't touch the ground.
The right hand side is a good anchor. That tree really holds the right edge of the frame.
The pano-stitching program left a lot of dead areas that either need to be filled or cropped out. Cropping them severely reduces the image area and eliminates some nice details.
This crop goes after maximum area. It takes the pano-stitch and simply chops off the unfilled areas. Not bad but a little "in-half" on the implied horizon. We can do better.
Part of cropping is straightening and correcting perspective. I ran a little perspective correction in Lightroom 3.0 and received this image. It is a subtle change but one I felt needed applying.
There were some distractions in the lower left (a partial ice patch and a dark object on the far bank. I decided to crop these out as best I could and keep the eye from wandering there. Some of the nearer snow-covered shapes bottom center suffered when I did this.
I decide to go 8×10 on this bad boy and see what I could find. I kicked it over to the right to see what it would look like if I altered the vanishing point from right center to dead center. No. It didn't work.
Next I went to a 1×3 Panoramic Crop and took out the foreground completely. This moved the horizon and vanishing point up a little. While it is a reasonable interpretation, and I am not unhappy with this crop. I still think there's work to do.
I also tried a square just to see what would result. The square with the river/ice boundary placed at the lower left corner worked pretty good. Again, I am not unhappy with this crop.
While I was being there and being square, I decided to zoom in tight. After all, Mark has lots of megapixels here. Some of the close crops made for nice winter abstracts. I particularly liked this one. If you haven't read my article on ultra-cropping, you might want to check it out.
I thought a vertical pano crop might work as well. After trying several, this was the portrait crop I liked best.
I wrote an article a while back on anti-cropping. Anti-cropping is where you take an image into the new features in Photoshop to add back areas missing from the picture. I took Mark's original stitch back into Photoshop and anti-cropped it using content-aware fill.
This was the result. I gained back a lot of territory and now have a complete ice-covered rock at lower left again. More of the twigs lower left are grounded too. I gained some space on the top as well. But as some of you might say this is 'cheating' I discarded it as a final crop candidate.
I felt it important that the stream/ice interface occupy the lower left corner. I also felt it important to show the curve of the branch unbroken from the trunk into the scene so I left just enough space to hold the curve in frame (upper right)' Since I dared not take anything off the right-hand tree, my crop was set by the dictating values of the two opposing corners (lower left and upper right).
With cropping this is as far as I would go. My personal preference is for the anti-cropped version but, as I said, I didn't want to be accused of deviating from the Holy Crop! mission. I found it interesting that the final crop aspect ratio ended up being 1.63. The Golden Ratio is, after all, 1.618. Coincidence?
Thanks to Mark for playing this month and submitting his wonder winter image to the Cropist's whims. Stay tuned on the second of the January where we tackle Holly Kuchera's "The Discovery" image.
Images in this article are © Mark Clement.
Mark Clement currently resides in Shania Twain's hometown of Timmins, Ontario. He spends most of his weekends out in the great outdoors either photographing waterfalls or some of the numerous wildlife available in the area.
He can be reached at his website.


text:
GTA to move alone in GE15, says Dr M
3:07 PM MYT
SERDANG: Gerakan Tanah Air (GTA) will move separately in the 15th General Election (GE15), says its sponsor chairman Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
He said GTA would also not cooperate with any party involved in corruption or involved in establishing a government through the back door.
"We already have a coalition called Gerakan Tanah Air which comprises Malay political parties, several non-governmental organisations and individuals from academics and professionals who love the country.
"...and they want to be involved in politics to help the country return what it once was known, as a clean, efficient and trustworthy Asian Tiger," he said at a press conference while attending the Parti Pejuang Tanah Air (Pejuang) women's wing Pejuanita Convention in Seri Kembangan, near here on Friday (Sept 16).
Dr Mahathir, who is also the chairman of Pejuang, said this when asked whether GTA would cooperate with Perikatan Nasional or Pakatan Harapan in GE15.
On Aug 30, Dr Mahathir said the GTA was open to discussing with Perikatan regarding cooperation for GE15.
Regarding GTA's registration status with the Registrar of Societies (ROS), he said the matter is expected to be known next month.
"We are waiting for the ROS to decide whether GTA will be registered. So I hope it is not registered the day before the dissolution of the government so that we have time to prepare the GTA for GE15," he said.
GTA submitted the application for the coalition's logo and registration to the ROS on Sept 6. GTA comprises four parties, namely Pejuang, Parti Bumiputera Perkasa Malaysia (Putra), Barisan Jemaah Islamiah Se-Malaysia (Berjasa) and the Parti Perikatan India Muslim Nasional (Iman).
Asked if he is ready to become prime minister if GTA won GE15, Dr Mahathir said so far he has not made any decision but said many parties were urging him to do so.
Commenting on the Budget 2023, the Langkawi MP said it needed to be approved before GE15 was held to avoid problems arising in the future because there was a possibility of changes in the Budget policy if the current government loses GE15.
"We are facing the possibility of GE15 being held, so it is up to the government to decide whether they will approve the budget first before holding GE15 or hold GE15 before (approving) the budget. If GE15 is held before the budget, there will be many problems in the future," he said.- Bernama
Tags / Keywords: dr mahathir , GTA , Pejuang , PN , PH , PRU15
START YOUNG FOR CRITICAL ILLNESS INSURANCE
WhatsApp rolls out open beta for native macOS client
I won't interfere in police probe over Pakatan MPs' aides, says Home Minister
RM1,500 recalibration fee for rehiring of foreign workers to stay, says Saifuddin
No shame in getting tips on housing from Singapore, says Tebrau MP
AG: Withdrawal of application for revision of ICJ's decision on Batu Puteh improper, not in order

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Agromin News: Waste360.com--Experts Weigh In on New WTE, Recycling Laws in Calif.
In September, California's Governor Jerry Brown signed three bills into law that aimed at increasing waste into energy conversion and recycling.
SB 498, clarifying that the definition of biomass conversion including non-thermal conversion of organic waste to energy.
Although each one of these new laws is in its early stages of adoption, we asked experts to weigh in on their benefits and next steps for local jurisdictions in implementing the legislation.
Lance Klug, public information officer for the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle), under California's Environmental Protection Agency, says that AB 1826 was created to require businesses to recycle their organic waste on and after April 1, 2016, depending on the amount of waste they generate per week.
"This law also requires that on and after January 1, 2016, local jurisdictions across the state implement an organic waste recycling program to divert organic waste generated by businesses, including multifamily residential dwellings that consist of five or more units," he says.
Although local jurisdictions have the final say on things like infrastructure and facility siting, they must conduct outreach and education to businesses, monitor whether businesses are recycling, and implement a program to ensure the availability of organics management options for businesses.
"This law lowers the generation threshold for mandatory recycling of commercial organics over time, while also offering an exemption process for rural counties," Klug says.
Local jurisdictions also are required to report their progress in creating organic recycling programs to CalRecycle, beginning with their annual reports due August 1, 2017.
"These annual reports are what jurisdictions must file on an annual basis showing their compliance with the Integrated Waste Management Act," says Klug. "The department will review each jurisdiction's implementation of the mandatory organics recycling program on a periodic basis, as required by statute, to determine compliance."
Mandatory recycling of organic waste is the next step toward achieving California's recycling and greenhouse gas (GHG) emission goals, says Klug.
"Requiring organic waste programs at the jurisdictional level will also help in terms of infrastructure development, further aiding California in meeting its statewide goal of 75 percent recycling, composting and source reduction of waste by 2020," he says.
AB 1594 is a recycling bill that removes landfill diversion credit for the use of green waste as alternative daily cover (ADC) at landfills in 2020, but is still permissive by allowing green waste to be placed in a landfill after 2020. In a statement released by Assemblymember Das Williams (D-Carpinteria), creator of the bill, AB 1594 is estimated to create 14,000 new jobs in the state by 2020 by recovering organic material through composting and anaerobic digestion.
"Taking away recycling credits should be enough to divert green waste, regardless of the state fee issue," says Bill Camarillo, chief executive officer for Oxnard, Calif.-based Agromin and executive committee member for the California Compost Coalition (CCC), a registered lobbying coalition created in 2002 by a group of compost operators in response to demands for increased recycling of organic materials and production of clean compost.
"Thirty percent of the waste stream is green and wood waste, if diversion credits are no longer allowed for green waste ADC then most jurisdictions will not meet their mandated AB 939 50 percent diversion from landfills requirement," says Camarillo. "Therefore, require them to seek alternative methods of diverting green and wood waste such as composting. The biggest benefit will be greenhouse gas emission reductions by not putting more organic materials in the landfills and generating methane gas."
Klug says that by no longer considering the use of green waste as ADC as recycling or diversion, the expectation is that much of the green waste currently used for daily cover at landfills will instead be used for more beneficial reuse, such as composting and generation of clean alternative energy.
In signing the bill, Gov. Brown stated in a letter that he was concerned about "creating a fee-exempt form of disposal will undermine the fee reform efforts that the Department of Resources and Recycling is undertaking." Camarillo says he thinks fee exemption would undermine efforts to move organics to composting and other technologies for reuse.
"Money changes behavior, we must de incentivize the use of landfills for organics," he says.
Of the 50 percent diversion required in the Integrated Waste Management Act, 10 percent can come from what is known as transformation or biomass conversion. While, the IWM Act previously defined biomass conversion as "controlled combustion used for the production of heat or electricity," AB 498 broadened the definition to include "non-combustion thermal technologies," according to Klug.
"Biomass facilities will also need to report the types and amounts of biomass materials received, as well as the final disposition of ash and by-products to CalRecycle starting in 2016," he says. "Much of the material currently going to biomass had not been going to landfills so there will not be much of an effect."
These new laws overall will be beneficial in lessening California's "reliance on landfilling, reducing harmful methane emissions that contribute to climate change, more job creation through locally-sited recovery, processing and remanufacturing, resource conservation and more," says Klug.
In a previous statement, the Bioenergy Association of California's Executive Director Julia Levin said that these three new laws will provide a boost to bioenergy in the state.
"They will increase organic feedstock for bioenergy and promote a range of technologies to convert that feedstock into energy. Doing so will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, provide jobs and cut pollution from fossil fuels," she said.


When you believe your car qualifies as a lemon, the first thing to do is find a trusted lemon lawyer. You don't want to spend useless money on litigations without a successful outcome. So, your concern should be to find the right lemon lawyer so that you don't pay a penny out of your pocket on the lawsuit. In this article, I am going to tell you some of the things you need to consider when looking for a lemon lawyer to trust your case.
When it comes to lemon law, you don't need just any attorney. You need someone who is specialized in this area of law. You can ask about the number of cases the attorney has taken and what his or her success rate is. The focus of the attorney or the law office on this area of law is promising that these professionals know the ins and outs of this area of law and can take your case to the successful outcome.
Not only the lawyer must be focused on this specific area of law, but he or she must know the laws of a specific state. So, if your case refers to California, the best thing is to find an attorney specialized in California lemon law. Each state has its peculiarities, and it is best to contact an attorney with a narrow focus.
Sometimes the attorney will advise you on your further steps right during the free consultation. It may be a case that you believe your car is a lemon, but the attorney thinks you have little or no chance to win. In this case, there is no sense to go any further and spend money on a case that is not likely to win. So, look for attorneys that do provide free consultations to understand the chances of your case and whether or not you should pursue action. In case you win the case, the manufacturer, not you will pay all the costs (See "No out of pocket costs for you for your lemon law case").
It is very important that you know in advance what you are going to pursue. You can recover 1) a repurchase of the vehicle plus reimbursement for all payments 2) reimbursements for damages 3) a civil penalty, which can be twice as the actual damage. If you have a strong case, there is sense to go for civil penalty recovery, but that should be agreed with your attorney in advance.
At the Margarian Law Firm, we have a high record of successful cases in this specific area. We represent clients anywhere in the state of California. We focus on lemon law as one of the three areas of law that we cover. If you have specific questions on your rights, please call our attorney of Los Angeles at (818) 553-1000 for a free consultation. We are always 100% honest with our clients on the strengths and weaknesses of their cases. If we believe you have a lemon case, we will tell you that. If you don't, you will know about it.


text:
Dario Floreano
In the twenty-first century century we will see a fundamental shift in the relationship between human and machines. Robots can now learn, perceive the world around them, and interact with people.
Professor Dario Floreano is one of the world's leading experts in robotics and artificial intelligence.
He is Director of the Laboratory of Intelligent Systems at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne and is Director of the Swiss National Centre of Competence in Robotics.
Professor Floreano is also a founding member of the World Economic Forum's Global Agenda Council on Robotics and Smart Devices and is an executive board member of the International Society for Neural Networks. He is co-founder of the International Society for Artificial Life.
From autonomous vehicles to insect-inspired drones and wearable tech, robotics and A.I. are revolutionising the way we live and work – and that rate of change is only going to increase. Dario's talks help audiences get to grips with these evolving trends, and the huge opportunities and risks they present for business.
Professor Dario Floreano is presented in association with VBQ.
For enquiries or bookings for Dario Floreano please call us on +44 (0)203 002 4125 or use our contact form
AI - artificial intelligence
Business - Trends and Futures
Cybersecurity, Cyberwarfare & Cybercrime
Robots, automation and robotics
Work, the Future of Employment
Professor Peter Sommer
Tom Bieling
Anthony Monckton
Geo-political Risk
Robert Reiner


text:
Adelbert Bruce DEMPSTER
Personal Information | Media | Sources | Event Map | All | PDF
Name Adelbert Bruce DEMPSTER
Born 14 Jul 1849 Hounsfield, Jefferson County, New York, USA [1, 2]
Census 14 Aug 1850 Hounsfield, Jefferson County, New York, USA [1]
Census 26 Jun 1860 Hounsfield, Jefferson County, New York, USA [3]
Census 12 Jul 1870 Hounsfield, Jefferson County, New York, USA [4]
Census 1 Jun 1880 Ellisburg, Jefferson County, New York, USA [5]
Census 25 Jun 1900 Rodman, Jefferson County, New York, USA [6]
Census 25 Apr 1910 Ellisburg, Jefferson County, New York, USA [7]
Died 18 Mar 1917 Belleville, Jefferson County, New York, USA [8]
Buried Woodside Cemetery, Belleville, Jefferson County, New York, USA [8]
Obituary:
Belleville -- A. B. Dempster died at his home in this village, Sunday evening at 11 o'clock, after an illness of two weeks. Mr. Dempster was 67 years old. He lived on a farm near Mannsville a good many years, coming to Belleville six years ago. He hada genial disposition. He leaves a wife and one daughter, Mrs. Anna Hagan of Mannsville. The funeral will be held Wednesday at 2 p.m. At the Baptist church, Rev. O.L. Nichols officiating. Burial at Woodside.
[Jefferson County Journal (NY), March 21, 1917]
[Obituary courtesy of Christine Emerson-Moulton]
Person ID I18411 Our Ancestors
Last Modified 3 Sep 2016
Father Bruce DEMPSTER, b. Abt 1794, , , , Scotland , d. 11 Oct 1876, Hounsfield, Jefferson County, New York, USA (Age ~ 82 years)
Mother Betsey CLEVELAND, b. 3 Jul 1816, Rutland, Jefferson County, New York, USA , d. Yes, date unknown
Married Jun 1844 Hounsfield, Jefferson County, New York, USA [9, 10]
Family 1 Vernelia MOULTON, b. Abt 1849, Sandy Creek, Oswego County, New York, USA , d. 3 Jun 1890, Adams, Jefferson County, New York, USA (Age ~ 41 years)
1. Clarence B DEMPSTER, b. Oct 1876, , , New York, USA , d. 6 Feb 1908, Wilmington, New Castle County, Delaware, USA (Age ~ 31 years)
2. Annie L DEMPSTER, b. Mar 1884, , , New York, USA , d. 29 Dec 1960, Lakeland, Polk County, Florida, USA (Age ~ 76 years)
Family 2 Mary A UNKNOWN, b. Aug 1867, , , New York, USA , d. Yes, date unknown
Born - 14 Jul 1849 - Hounsfield, Jefferson County, New York, USA
Census - 14 Aug 1850 - Hounsfield, Jefferson County, New York, USA
Census - 26 Jun 1860 - Hounsfield, Jefferson County, New York, USA
Census - 12 Jul 1870 - Hounsfield, Jefferson County, New York, USA
Census - 1 Jun 1880 - Ellisburg, Jefferson County, New York, USA
Census - 25 Jun 1900 - Rodman, Jefferson County, New York, USA
Census - 25 Apr 1910 - Ellisburg, Jefferson County, New York, USA
Died - 18 Mar 1917 - Belleville, Jefferson County, New York, USA
Buried - - Woodside Cemetery, Belleville, Jefferson County, New York, USA
DEMPSTER, Adelbert Bruce
[S529] 1850 U.S. census, population schedule, (Digital images. 1850 U.S. census, population schedule, Ancestry.com Operations Inc, Provo, UT, 2005, (www.ancestry.com)), Hounsfield, Jefferson, New York, p. -- (penned), 149 (stamped), dwelling 378, family 378, Bruce Dempster. Image 54,55/103.
[S1837] International Genealogical Index (IGI), (On-line Database, IGI Individual Record, Family History Library, Salt Lake City, UT, (http://www.familysearch.org/)), Batch Number: 8408301, Sheet: 23 ,Source Call No.: 1395749.
[S269] 1860 U.S. census, population schedule, (Digital images. 1860 U.S. census, population schedule, Ancestry.com Operations Inc, Provo, UT, 2004, (www.ancestry.com)), Hounsfield, Jefferson, New York, p. 33 (penned), 431 (stamped), dwelling 263, family 274, Bruce Dempster. Image 33/84.
[S1165] 1870 U.S. census, population schedule, (Digital images. 1870 U.S. census, population schedule, Ancestry.com Operations Inc, Provo, UT, 2003, (www.ancestry.com)), Hounsfield, Jefferson, New York, p. 21 (penned), 389 (stamped), dwelling 178, 175, John T Bummer. Image 21/64.
[S707] 1880 U.S. census, population schedule, (Digital images. 1880 U.S. census, population schedule, Ancestry.com Operations Inc Provo, UT, 2005, (www.ancestry.com)), Ellisburgh, Jefferson, New York, ED 122, p. 1 (penned), 316A (stamped), dwelling 8, family 9, Adelbert Dempter. Image 1//21.
[S671] 1900 U.S. census, population schedule, (Digital images. 1900 U.S. census, population schedule, Ancestry.com Operations Inc, Provo, UT, 2004, (www.ancestry.com)), Rodman, Jefferson, New York, ED 30, p. 10 (penned), B (stamped), dwelling 269, family 272, Adelbert Dempster. Image 22/27.
[S1699] 1910 U.S. census, population schedule, (Digital images. 1910 U.S. census, population schedule, Ancestry.com Operations Inc., Provo, UT, 2006, (www.ancestry.com)), Ellisburg, Jefferson, New York, ED 24, p. 7 (penned), 30A (stamped), dwelling 149, family 159, A B Dempster. Image 12/17.
[S437] E-mail Message, (Christine Emerson-Moulton, (emersunrose@yahoo.com)), E-Mail to Stephen Griffiths (Westerville OH), March 5, 2010, Subject: Ancestry and progeny of Nellie Moulton.
[S326] Edward Elmer, (Barb Little, compiler, (barlittle), Edward Elmer, Ancestry.com Operations Inc, (www.ancestry.com)), Updated: Before March 4, 2009.
[S880] Genealogy of the Cleveland and Cleaveland Families, (Genealogy of the Cleveland and Cleaveland Families, Edmund Janes Cleveland and Horace Gillette Cleveland, 1899, Hartford, Conn), Volume 2, Page 1511.


text:
Kate Spade's husband shares touching tribute in 1st Instagram post since her death
The husband of the famed designer took to Instagram for the first time since her death to share a sweet tribute he and their daughter put together in her honor.
Andrew Toth / FilmMagic
Get Stuff We Love
It's been nearly two months since designer and entrepreneur Kate Spade died, but in a recent tribute to her, her husband and daughter chose to celebrate her life by focusing on her birth.
In the early hours of Tuesday morning, Andy Spade took to Instagram for the first time since his wife's death by suicide and shared a photo of an out-of-season Christmas tree that he and their 13-year-old daughter, Frances Beatrix, decorated.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bl4kqt-F76v
"She was born Christmas Eve, 1962," he wrote of Kate. "She loved the Midwest, the desert, and the city."
He then went on to explain how their simple but poignant Christmas-inspired tribute came about.
"I was lucky enough to have dear friends let my daughter and (I) stay at their home through a difficult time," he continued. "This tree was standing alone beside the house so we ordered those multicolored, old-fashioned lights from Amazon or Target and another dear personal friend gave me a really long extension cord and Bea and I cut a star out of the cardboard box the lights came on and wrapped it in Reynolds wrap (TM) like we do every Christmas."
Kate Spade's husband reveals details of her private struggles
At the time of Kate's death, she and Andy were living separately, but in a statement he issued in June, he explained that they were still partners to the end.
"We were not legally separated, and never even discussed divorce," he explained at the time. "We were best friends trying to work through our problems in the best way we knew how. We were together for 35 years. We loved each other very much and simply needed a break."
Andy is the brother of comedian David Spade. On the day Kate died, David shared a Christmas-themed memory of his sister-in-law, too.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bjqb9HCBHTb
"Fuzzy picture but I love it. Kate and I during Christmas family photos," the "Hotel Transylvania 3" star wrote. "We had so much fun that day. She was so sharp and quick on her feet. She could make me laugh so hard. I still can't believe it. It's a rough world out there people, try to hang on."
If you or someone you know is in crisis, call the U.S. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255, text TALK to 741741 or visit SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for additional resources.


theory of operation of a jaw crusher As a leading global manufacturer of crushing, grinding and mining equipments, we offer advanced, reasonable solutions for any size-reduction requirements including quarry, aggregate, and different kinds of minerals.
Theory Of Operation Of Jaw Crusher -, a review on study of jaw crusher - ijmer to break or compress materials mining operations and improving the design quality .
ball milling theory and practice Concrete Crushers,Jaw Crusher SCMMining Machinery material and which localizes the stress of operation, the crusher jaw crusher producer in europe China Producer Jaw Crusher Plate, Japan China Producer Jaw . jaw crusher liner plate, theory of operation of a jaw crusher russia manufacture - - .
theory of operation of a jaw crusher; theory of operation of a jaw crusher. sketching the working theory of jaw crusher essays crusher.
Jaw Crusher Working Theory or Principle Introduction What is the working principle of the hydraulic impact crusher? Cone Crusher Principles of Operation. Chat Now! principles and theory of jaw crusher - Mill Raymond Mill . Jaw crusher machine, operation, working principle, parameter, manufacturer Video YouTube.
video pictures of jaw crusher operations . portable jaw crusher theory of operation of a jaw crusher Baker Mining and Metals, LLC's photo. Videos. MBMMLLC.com: Jaw crusher maintenance and operation. Jaw Crusher Manufacturer,Jaw Crusher . Jaw crusher from ZME is a fruit of 20 years development, Simple structure, low operation costs; 6.
theory of operation of a jaw crusher. As a leading global manufacturer of crushing, grinding and mining equipments, we offer advanced, reasonable solutions for anyel .
theory of jaw crusher operation Coal processing system Machine Find the Right and the Top theory of jaw crusher operation for your coal handling plant! zenith .
Jaw Crusher Range, Working Principle, Application . Jaw crushers are used as primary crushers, or the first step in the process of reducing rock.


From the moment Brad spots her, his conviction crumbles. In its wake is possibility. But it'll take more than sexual attraction to pave their way to trust and love. Can there be a happily ever after… This time?


West Coast Labels offers Fullerton the best value in custom-printed labels, stickers and decals by delivering work of superior quality at competitive prices with exceptional personalized service. We have more than 40 years of experience serving the needs of thousands of commercial clients throughout California, representing a broad variety of industries, from food and beverage to health and beauty to pharmaceutical and nutraceutical. Our success has been built on our level of expertise, comprehensive capabilities, quick turnaround times, and consistently superior results. It is no wonder that we are the label company of choice by Trader Joe's, Sara Lee, Direct TV, Bally's, Dole, Red Robin, and other prominent businesses.
Call locally- and family-owned West Coast Labels today to learn more about our custom label services available to businesses in Fullerton. We offer free quotes and cost-effective solutions for any labelling need.
We prioritize responsiveness and open communication.
We utilize the latest printing technology and higher quality presses.
We keep very strict quality control standards.
We offer inventory control solutions for large runs.
We offer honest, expert advice.
We welcome jobs of all sizes.
Call today for a fast, free consultation and quote.
Each of these labels has slightly different requirements on the whole and we are able to meet all of them. Our labels range from those that comply with FDA standards to those that are suitable for some of the most expensive brands of wine. Even if you aren't sure of your needs, our experienced staff can help you make informed decisions regarding your label materials and printing method that will allow you to reach your marketing goals.
With access to this software and equipment, we are able to cost-effectively print any quantity of labels, whether you have a small run of 500 or a large run of millions. Additionally, we can print labels, stickers and decals on a variety of substrates (paper, film, plastic, foil, and specialty stock) in up to 12 colors of any size and shape. Additionally we offer a large array of laminations/adhesives and coatings to serve a wide range of applications. Call today to learn more.
These custom products are always developed to accurately represent each Fullerton client's overall branding and advertising strategy. We can even help with logo and brand identity development. Because we have more than four decades of experience, a state-of-the-art print production house, and a team of highly trained professionals, you can count on West Coast Labels to create attractive and functional labels of superior quality at a cost-efficient price. Call now for a free quote.
Since 1972, West Coast Labels has been one of the premier providers of custom, pressure-sensitive labels to beverage companies in the Fullerton area. We pride ourselves on the ability to produce beverage labels of exceptional quality at a great price. Our loyal customers tell us that finding a label company that offers our level of personalized service, professionalism, quality control, and reliability is rare; yet, to us, it is just part of who we are. By working with our in-house designers and production team, you're sure to get labels for your wine, soda, juice or water bottles that are as striking as they are functional. We feature flexo printing, digital printing, rotary screen printing, and hot stamping capabilities and offer a wide array of label substrates, inks, coatings and varnishes, including those that make your beverage label resistant to water, ice and scuffing. Call now for a free quote.
West Coast Labels has been designing and printing high-quality, cost-effective custom food labels for Fullerton companies since 1972. Our pressure-sensitive labels are suitable for a wide variety of food packaging applications, such as meats, sandwiches, frozen foods, dairy products, and everything in between. We design our food labels to help your food product stand out on the shelf and can manufacture them to endure a variety of applicable conditions, such as hot or cold temperatures and water/moisture. Plus, we carefully consider all relevant FDA regulations and ensure that your labels comply with them. Call today to start working with one of our marketing and branding specialists on your food label needs in Fullerton. We welcome orders of any size and also offer inventory management options.
West Coast Labels also manufactures produce labels for companies in Fullerton. Produce labels generally refers to any type of pressure-sensitive label or sticker that can be placed directly or indirectly on fresh fruit or vegetables. These labels can be produced in any size or shape and with a variety of materials, and feature barcodes, PLUs (price look up numbers), SKUs, logos, and more. Like our food labels, our produce labels comply with all applicable FDA standards and are non-harmful if consumed. Call us today to learn more. With West Coast Labels, you can always count on our expertise, fast turnaround, reasonable rates, and superior results.
With more than four decades of experience, thousands of satisfied customers, and a reputation for impeccable work at fair prices, West Coast Labels is your best choice for pharmaceutical and nutraceutical labels in Fullerton. We will work closely with you to design and produce a custom pressure-sensitive label that effectively represents your company and product, appeals to your customers, looks great under a variety of conditions, and meets all of the relevant FDA standards. Additionally we always look for opportunities to save you money without compromising quality. Call us today for a free pharmaceutical/nutraceutical label consultation and quote.
West Coast Labels is Fullerton's best choice for industrial labels, decals and stickers, including product labels, warning labels, hard hat stickers, safety stickers, and more. All of our pressure-sensitive labels, stickers and decals are high in quality, long lasting and competitively priced. We have over 40 years of experience and understand the special requirements and expectations of our Fullerton industrial clients. Our industrial labels can be customized to not only look professional and crisp, but also function effectively under a variety of conditions. Whether your product is frequently exposed to chemicals, the sun, moisture, dirt, grime, heat or cold, our labels will more than meet your needs. Call us today for a quote on our custom industrial labels, decals and stickers manufactured for a broad range of companies in Fullerton.
Custom Labels for Health & Beauty Products, Fullerton, CA: Hair Care, Make-Up, Soaps, Lotions, etc.
West Coast Labels excels at producing product and packaging labels for the health and beauty industries located in and around Fullerton. We have over 40 years' experience working with thousands of clients and have made it our priority to stay up to date on all the latest technology, from software and printing equipment to the variety of label materials we use. This means that we can create pressure-sensitive labels, decals and stickers to meet a wide range of Fullerton client requirements and have them appeal to your target audience. Additionally, our custom health and beauty labels can be applied to rigid and flexible packaging of any size or shape; printed in any quantity; and feature special substrates, adhesives and coatings to resist chemical exposure, water exposure, extreme hot and cold temperatures. Call one of our marketing and branding experts today to obtain a free health and beauty label quote.


On BrainFit: 50 Ways to Grow Your Brain, join award-winning psychiatrist, brain-imaging expert and 10-time New York Times bestselling author Dr. Daniel Amen and his wife Tana Amen, also a New York Times bestselling author and nurse, as they identify 50 ways to grow your brain and their best secrets to ignite your energy and focus at any age.
Cut through the hype and get the facts you need to lose weight and lower blood pressure and cholesterol without drugs. Dr. Fuhrman provides the latest research that sets you on the path to recovery even if you have diabetes or pre-diabetes.


text:
A Venglos View
Media Muppets
Five Reasons
Good Bad Ugly
Retro Villa
Villa Fan Tales
Fan Info
Aston Villa Shirts
T-shirt & Mug
My Old Man Said
Home Columns Five Reasons Five Reasons to be Cheerful as Villa Fans After Another Injury-time Show
Five Reasons to be Cheerful as Villa Fans After Another Injury-time Show
"Every manager who managers Aston Villa is always going to come under pressure. We've lost one out of seven in the league, but we're under pressure. That's the way it is."
There was a certain amount of deja vu about Steve Bruce's post-match comments after the 1-1 draw away to Blackburn. It was pretty much the same situation last season. Later on in the season, Bruce would blame Villa's poor start on compromising their end to the season.
While Bruce tries to spin this season's start as just one loss in seven league games, the reality is Villa haven't won any of their last six games of a fixture list that's been pretty soft.
So, what's the reasons to be cheerful as Villa fans, after the team managed to escape Ewood Park with a draw?
Injury-time Kings
If there's one thing Bruce has got right this season, it's that he's channeled the 'Fergie Time' power of his former Manchester United boss. Villa have gained four points from injury-time strikes from three out of their seven games.
Wigan – 94th minute winner
Brentford – 95th minute equaliser
Blackburn – 93rd minute equaliser
Without these three goals, Villa would have been just one point above the relegation zone and Bruce would be in very hot water indeed.
Now, if Bruce can just sort out the other 90 minutes, this growing injury-time resilience will serve Villa well in the rest of the season.
2. Hourihane Impact
A big contributor to Villa's late rallying has been the introduction of Conor Hourihane onto the field of play. He set up the Wigan winner, scored the Yeovil cup winner and now rescued a point at Blackburn with the above wonder strike.
This reason could have equally been about Blackburn's inability to build a wall. Surely there should have been another man in the wall (like their keeper was trying to organise before the kick was taken) where Bolasie was standing? You'll notice Bolasie ducking, which also contributed to the goal.
All-in, a great strike by Hourihane, who hasn't let his head drop despite not being in the first XI much this season.
Check out his player rating and the rest of the team's performances
3. Villa Charity
Steve Bruce has a big heart. Even though Villa were lacking in centre backs in their squad, he loaned out Tommy Elphick to struggling Hull City. Rather than take advantage himself of the fact Elphick had captained a Championship title-winning team before, he decided to help a team that were so poor this season, they shipped three goals at home to Villa.
Elphick in his first start for Hull was a contender for man of the match, when he helped secure a clean sheet (what's one of those?) and a 2-0 win over Ipswich.
Villa even agreed to part payment of Elphick's wages too.
What a nice club we are.
4. No Runaways
While Bruce's Villa team stumble about at the start of the season, one glimpse of hope in terms of the automatic promotion places is that no Championship team is storming it, like Wolves and Newcastle did in the last two seasons.
Out of the first seven games, the highest amount of wins by any team in the division is just four.
It suggests that this season maybe a real dogfight for promotion, a situation that Villa can take advantage of if they are more positive, and to be quite frank, get their sh** together.
5. AT at centreback
MOMS telepathic powers seem to have finally worked and Bruce finally listened and decided to play Axel Tuanzebe at centre back. Granted he had a couple of shaky moments early on against Blackburn, but it'll take the player a few games to get into the swing of things.
Tuanzebe seems to have all the attributes to do well in the position, so it was good to see Bruce finally make the switch.
Interestingly, in the quest for defensive balance, Bruce also selected Neil Taylor at left-back. It's the right move, but whether it ends up successful is all on the player's shoulders.
If Taylor steps ups and is consistent, then after a few games, Villa should be much improved due to players playing in their natural positions in defence.
Catch up with the latest podcast listener question episode:
How David Moyes Thinks Aston Villa Will Finish This Season & Hourihane vs Traoré Verdict
Dean Smith Confirms Length of Ross Barkley's Injury Absence
How the International Break Went for Villa after the 7-2 – The Good, Bad & Ugly
Jinksy Sep 17, 2018 At 11:59 pm
Play the 11 that finished the game. Get some stability. Tuanzebe is a talent but he has already cost us 2 goals and nearly did again with 2 own goals. What do you expect from a player with 14 games under his belt. He will make more mistakes he is learning. Not his fault we pay a rival to take a championship winning captain. What a manager. Any points dropped this week he should go as most the fans Saturday sang.
mintvilla Sep 17, 2018 At 2:38 pm
Any money that AT will be back at RB on Tuesday, with Jedi CB so Whelan can come into it and "freshen it up a lilttle"
Joel Sep 16, 2018 At 7:35 pm
I always worry when a manager can't pick his best starting 11 week in week out. I think he needs to pick the same 11 in the same position for at least 3 games sure there will still be changes injuries and suspensions and the like. It reminds me a lot of Man U at the moment and Mourinho at the moment.
C.Gale Sep 16, 2018 At 4:48 pm
Can't disagree with that as despite Hourihane getting the goals , for much of his game time he's been a weak link in the teams overall performance but's not the only one , but perhaps were yet to see a fully fit composed of our best player ?
Aston Villa News 24/7
Follow us on Instagram @myoldmansaid
My Old Man Said (MOMS) is an award-winning football blog & podcast. MOMS is a member of the Football Supporters Association (FSA) Premier League Network Group and has been to Parliament, the Premier League offices and beyond in addressing supporter issues. UTV
© My Old Man Said 2021 - Do You Want to Bet Against Us?
Two Aston Villa Player Loan Moves Spells Out Current Academy Reality
Further Aston Villa Fixture Changes After Everton Postponement


Skyline (2/5) Sci-fi - Group tries to escape mass abducting aliens. Boring story, but I like the concept/design.
skyline 2/10 independence day meets the matrix but devoid of a plot or acting talent. Though the CGI is v.impressive.
Just watched 'Skyline' .. very Independence Day.. poor ending tho .. 7/10 ..


Yexplore is a guide service in Yosemite and every year they take lots of people to the top of Half Dome and back safely. Here's a great video they've release that shows the climb to the top of Half Dome and gives you the information you need to have a happy and safe trip.
If you can't see the embedded video, click here to watch it on Youtube.


Write about The Bright Field!
Want to write a review about Paul Machlis's The Bright Field album? Post your comments in this box to be displayed in our community forums and in our album database! Please make sure you are logged in before proceeding.
Please login to write your comments about The Bright Field.


I made a quick and easy beef and broccoli with quinoa the other day and decided to share the recipe with you guys. I pretty much followed the Honey Beef and Broccoli recipe from the Food Net work but added my own spin on it aka Sriracha and red peppers.
Cut onion, red peppers, and beef into thin strips (beef should be bite size).
Add two tbl oil to hot pan or wok.
When oil is hot and swirly, add garlic and onions. Cook two minutes or until onion is lightly browned.
Add florets and cook two minutes.
Add sirloin and stir fry until cooked through. Don't overcook or florets will be mushy!
Meanwhile, Combine sherry, cornstarch and soy.
I also pre-seasoned the steak with onion powder, fresh black pepper, and sea salt. Which I think it really needs or the meat would've have been kind of on the bland side.
For the quinoa I washed the quinoa and cooked it according to the directions. However, instead of water I boil my quinoa in chicken stock for added flavor.
Looks yummy! I'm gonna try this!


Toronto ON, May 22-25 – It was a sad day when Kinetik Festival was cancelled. The beloved industrial and electronic music festival was one of the largest of its type in North America. Normally taking place in Montreal, plans had been made to move the festival to Toronto this year, bands had been booked, tickets had been sold, many attendees had made travel plans, and with just months remaining it unfortunately had to be cancelled.
Rising from the wreckage came Aftermath, an impromptu four-day music festival born out of the combined efforts of promoters, musicians, writers, and fans who pooled their efforts in order to keep many of the bands booked to play Kinetik playing in Toronto the dates Kinetik was to take place. Aftermath's lineup features bands both classic and emerging ranging from industrial rock to IDM to electro-industrial to synthpop. It will take place over Memorial Day weekend, between May 22nd and 25th at the Phoenix Concert Theatre and Velvet Underground. Tickets are only $15 per evening in advance and $20 day of.
In addition to some great music do a bit of shopping! The designers behind Plastik Wrap had a Bazaar of the Bizarre vendor market planed for Kinetik and are keeping it alive with an Aftermath Bazaar on Saturday May 24th. Located in a new space in the heart of Kensington market, the Round venue, it's a great chance to take in the unique neighborhood and also explore the shops it has to offer.
Auxiliary will be at Aftermath, so if you spot us say hi! Don't miss this festival and look out for our coverage of it in the next issue and here on our website.


text:
Thinking critically on critical thinking: why scientists' skills need to spread
Published: June 19, 2013 4.38pm EDT
Rachel Grieve, University of Tasmania
Rachel Grieve
Lecturer in Psychology, University of Tasmania
Rachel Grieve does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
University of Tasmania provides funding as a member of The Conversation AU.
The skills that underpin science should be better incorporated into the rest of the curriculum. Thinking image from www.shutterstock.com
MATHS AND SCIENCE EDUCATION: We've asked our authors about the state of maths and science education in Australia and its future direction. Today, Rachel Grieve discusses why we need to spread science-specific skills into the wider curriculum.
When we think of science and maths, stereotypical visions of lab coats, test-tubes, and formulae often spring to mind.
But more important than these stereotypes are the methods that underpin the work scientists do – namely generating and systematically testing hypotheses. A key part of this is critical thinking.
It's a skill that often feels in short supply these days, but you don't necessarily need to study science or maths in order gain it. It's time to take critical thinking out of the realm of maths and science and broaden it into students' general education.
Critical thinking is a reflective and analytical style of thinking, with its basis in logic, rationality, and synthesis. It means delving deeper and asking questions like: why is that so? Where is the evidence? How good is that evidence? Is this a good argument? Is it biased? Is it verifiable? What are the alternative explanations?
Critical thinking moves us beyond mere description and into the realms of scientific inference and reasoning. This is what enables discoveries to be made and innovations to be fostered.
For many scientists, critical thinking becomes (seemingly) intuitive, but like any skill set, critical thinking needs to be taught and cultivated. Unfortunately, educators are unable to deposit this information directly into their students' heads. While the theory of critical thinking can be taught, critical thinking itself needs to be experienced first-hand.
So what does this mean for educators trying to incorporate critical thinking within their curricula? We can teach students the theoretical elements of critical thinking. Take for example working through [statistical problems](http://wdeneys.org/data/COGNIT_1695.pdf](http://wdeneys.org/data/COGNIT_1695.pdf) like this one:
In a 1,000-person study, four people said their favourite series was Star Trek and 996 said Days of Our Lives. Jeremy is a randomly chosen participant in this study, is 26, and is doing graduate studies in physics. He stays at home most of the time and likes to play videogames. What is most likely?
a. Jeremy's favourite series is Star Trek
b. Jeremy's favourite series is Days of Our Lives
Some critical thought applied to this problem allows us to know that Jeremy is most likely to prefer Days of Our Lives.
Can you teach it?
It's well established that statistical training is associated with improved decision-making. But the idea of "teaching" critical thinking is itself an oxymoron: critical thinking can really only be learned through practice. Thus, it is not surprising that student engagement with the critical thinking process itself is what pays the dividends for students.
As such, educators try to connect students with the subject matter outside the lecture theatre or classroom. For example, problem based learning is now widely used in the health sciences, whereby students must figure out the key issues related to a case and direct their own learning to solve that problem. Problem based learning has clear parallels with real life practice for health professionals.
Critical thinking goes beyond what might be on the final exam and life-long learning becomes the key. This is a good thing, as practice helps to improve our ability to think critically over time.
Just for scientists?
For those engaging with science, learning the skills needed to be a critical consumer of information is invaluable. But should these skills remain in the domain of scientists? Clearly not: for those engaging with life, being a critical consumer of information is also invaluable, allowing informed judgement.
Being able to actively consider and evaluate information, identify biases, examine the logic of arguments, and tolerate ambiguity until the evidence is in would allow many people from all backgrounds to make better decisions. While these decisions can be trivial (does that miracle anti-wrinkle cream really do what it claims?), in many cases, reasoning and decision-making can have a substantial impact, with some decisions have life-altering effects. A timely case-in-point is immunisation.
Pushing critical thinking from the realms of science and maths into the broader curriculum may lead to far-reaching outcomes. With increasing access to information on the internet, giving individuals the skills to critically think about that information may have widespread benefit, both personally and socially.
The value of science education might not always be in the facts, but in the thinking.
This is the sixth part of our series Maths and Science Education.
Maths and science education


text:
Roerichiora stigmatica is a moth in the family Cossidae. It is found in India (Darjeeling, Sikkim), Bhutan, Vietnam and Thailand.

References

Natural History Museum Lepidoptera generic names catalog

Zeuzerinae

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia