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February-B 2018 /
Voices in your head
A conversation with writer Brandon Hobson
By Nathan Knapp
Brandon Hobson
I first met Brandon Hobson in 2012, when we shared an office as graduate creative writing students at OSU. I was a wet-behind-my-ears first-year Master of Fine Arts student and Brandon was finishing his doctorate. Since then, he's published two critically acclaimed novels: "Deep Ellum" (Calamari Press, 2013) and "Desolation of Avenues Untold" (Civil Coping Mechanisms, 2015), with a third, "Where the Dead Sit Talking," released by Soho Press on February 20.
Hobson's new novel, narrated by fifteen-year-old Sequoyah, is a strange and powerful Native American bildungsroman. The novel tells the story of what happens after Sequoyah's mother is jailed, and he is taken to a foster home in which the foster parents' motivation for fostering is, well, slightly less than altruistic. Set in the fictional Oklahoma town of Little Crow, a place described by one character as a town where "everyone would rather be dead," this novel breathes with a dark, pulsing life of its own.
Hobson, who currently lives in Ponca City, will be reading from his new novel at Magic City Books on February 21 at 7 p.m.
Nathan Knapp: You have a family, a full-time teaching job, and you write. How do you get anything done? Any pointers?
Brandon Hobson: Well, I mean, it's cliché, but it all comes down to time management. Everybody has 24 hours in a day, and we choose what we can do with those twenty-four hours. What that means is that I don't watch a lot of TV; I don't have any kind of priorities for movie-watching, although I do watch the Thunder every chance I can. And occasional Oklahoma State basketball. But other than sports, I rarely watch television. I teach in the morning, leave in the afternoon, and then I go home, spend time with my family, and reserve the later hours. Usually I do a lot of my writing as a project in the evening—usually stay up late. Managing time is really not that bad. I have a great wife who allows me to do this stuff, gives me what I need: private time to go to the library or to work. She's great about giving me that time.
Knapp: How is "Where the Dead Sit Talking" different from your previous books—or what's particularly exciting about this one for you?
Hobson: This one for me is exciting because it's an Oklahoma book, first of all, and I'm an Oklahoman. It also comes from the voice of a strong youthful narrator—technically a man looking back at his youth. But we're getting this period of time while he was living in foster care, and so I'm able to write a little bit about—I'm Cherokee—I was able to write a little bit about Cherokee traditions and culture, which I hadn't written about before.
Knapp: What's the hardest thing for you, in terms of writing a novel, or the thing that you least enjoy? And what's the thing that you enjoy the most?
Hobson: I really like drafting. Banging it out.
Knapp: The first draft?
Hobson: Yeah, I like that a lot. I don't like any kind of ideas or expectations that creep their way into my head that become very self-reflective—as in, "Is this something that people would fine too offensive?" The whole process of what David Foster Wallace called the "fun" nature of writing, just having fun with it. That happens in that early drafting stage. But you can drive yourself completely crazy if you start worrying about what other people [will] think when they read it.
Knapp: I've been thinking about that a lot lately. Getting all those voices out of your head is important, I think.
Hobson: It's pretty much you and your head for long periods of time. It's a really strange lifestyle. In a way, it's like—I went and had drinks with [author] Ottessa Moshfegh when she came to Wichita. Afterwards she and I and the owner of the bookstore ate dinner and had drinks. One of the things she was saying was that it's like acting. Which I'd have to agree with, because you're getting inside the character's head and then having to stay there. What would this person say? What would this person do? Walking around, you might still be inside the person's head, even if you're not at the machine writing. You're still in their head. So, walking around the house or something, you might be still working through things. Let's be honest: That's very weird. It must be a lot like acting. But I don't know, I haven't acted since elementary school plays.
Knapp: Do you have a sense of what you want to have accomplished by the time you're done—by the time you're, say, seventy-five—as a writer?
Hobson: I don't know. We know people who are dying—you get to know more people who are dying or who get sick with cancer or some kind of kidney disease. Not to sound super depressing, but a lot of times I just think, "Fuck, I'm glad to be alive." I also try not to focus too much on ego. And that's weird, because we want to publish, as writers, which is a kind of look-at-me [impulse]. But I don't necessarily think that's a healthy way of living, always worrying about how other people perceive your work or perceive you.
Knapp: And that goes back to what you were saying about other voices getting in your head while you're trying to work.
Hobson: Right. Our president, his egomania—you know what I mean—to me, that's exactly what I don't want to do. I don't want to be full of ego. I don't think it's healthy. But, at the same time, when we're writing, we're always looking—we want our name out there. Again, it's really strange, what we're doing. Maybe musicians have the same sort of things. There are a lot of indie bands out there who are maybe doing the same thing: worrying, "Well, we want to get our band out there." I don't know; that doesn't make any sense.
Knapp: It makes sense to me. It's the same, whether you're a writer writing for an independent press or even a major press, as what happens to an indie band—the really quality ones have an essence of not giving a fuck about how they're perceived.
Hobson: Musicians, writers, actors, painters, anybody really involved in wanting to create art—what we're really interested in is creating art. To get back to your original question: I just want to create. To do the best work I can, whether that continues to be stories, novels. Right now I see myself continuing to write; I just don't see that as something I'll ever quit because I love it so much. It's not something I'll ever stop doing. I'll always be working on something, while I'm mentally and physically able to.
Knapp: One of the great things about it is you don't have to retire.
Hobson: Exactly. The key is to stop putting the pressure on yourself and start letting yourself do it.
Brandon Hobson at Booksmart Tulsa
Friday, Feb. 23 | 7:00 p.m.
Magic City Books, 221 E. Archer St.
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How to Win Custody of Your Child
Weeks & Trimesters
School-Aged Kids
Everyday Wellness
How to Talk About Postpartum Depression
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Parenting Differences
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Debrina Washington
Debrina Washington is a New York-based family law attorney and writer, who runs her own virtual practice to assist single parents with legal issues.
Fact checked by Adah Chung on May 03, 2020
Adah Chung is a fact checker, writer, researcher, and occupational therapist.
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Winning Child Custody
The 'Better Parent' Standard
Prove You're the Better Parent
Agree on a Parenting Plan
Frustrated by trying to prove you're the better parent in the eyes of the court? Understanding the 'better parent' standard and what the courts are really looking for will help you win child custody in court and put the stress of your current custody situation behind you.
Parents who hope to win child custody should first become familiar with the child custody laws in their jurisdiction and prepare to show themselves in court to be the better parent. However, it's also important to realize that the court's singular goal is the best interests of the child, which may or may not include a ruling of sole custody.
Understand the 'Better Parent' Standard
A lot of parents go into a child custody hearing with the intention of seeking sole custody. For some parents, this is because they believe that the other parent is "unfit" to raise their child. Others would prefer to have sole custody for other reasons.
However, any parent hoping to win child custody should realize that there is a higher burden of proof for the parent seeking sole custody. Factors that play a role in this decision:
Courts don't want to interfere in parent/child relationships: Most judges are reluctant to prevent either parent from having a relationship with their child because the implication is that both parents, together, are best able to care for a child.
One parent must be established as a better parent: To award sole custody, the courts have to establish one parent as the 'better parent,' which can be difficult to do, particularly if both parents have been involved up until this point.
The burden of proof is on you: As a result, any parent seeking sole custody has to prove that he or she is best able to care for a child, with or without the assistance of the other parent.
From a judge's standpoint, parents should not be "trashing" one another during a child custody hearing. Instead, the parent seeking sole custody should focus on proving that he or she is the better parent without attacking his or her counterpart.
Parents seeking sole custody should focus on the following factors to support a sole custody petition:
The physical well-being of the child: For example, focus on your child's routine, sleeping habits, eating schedule, and after-school activities. Judges tend to notice parents who encourage a healthy lifestyle.
The psychological well-being of the child: For example, making sure that the child has access to liberal visitation with the other parent. Judges tend to favor parents who openly support the child's ongoing relationship with the other parent.
Consider Joint Custody
Sometimes neither parent is the one to win child custody. Instead, the courts fail to determine that either adult is the better parent and decide to rule in favor of joint custody, which can be joint legal custody or joint physical custody.
Parents should recognize that a ruling of joint custody is not necessarily a loss. In many cases, it is actually the situation that best suits the best interests of the child.
In addition, joint custody allows both parents to share equal responsibilities in the care of the child and helps facilitate a proper bond between the child and both parents.
In cases where no "better parent" is established the courts may rule in favor of joint custody. In these cases, parents should work together to determine a parenting schedule.
Many states actually require a written parenting plan, but even if your state does not, it can be helpful to put your intentions down on paper and work together to establish a schedule that works for everyone involved.
Get expert tips to help your kids stay healthy and happy.
Verywell Family uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Child Welfare Information Gateway. Children's Bureau/ACYF/ACF/HHS. Determining the best interests of the child. Updated March 2016.
Bastaits K, Pasteels I. Is joint physical custody in the best interests of the child? Parent-child relationships and custodial arrangements. J Soc Pers Relat. 2019;36(11-12):3752-3772. doi:10.1177/0265407519838071
Overcoming the Obstacles of Gaining Sole Custody of Your Kids
By Debrina Washington
Responsibilities of Custodial Parents
How to Win a Child Custody Battle in Court
6 Tips to Help Prepare for Your Child-Custody Hearing
Fact checked by Emily Swaim
How to Win You Child Custody Court Case
Fact checked by Cara Lustik
Strategies for How to Appear in Court for Winning Full Child Custody
The Factors Courts Consider Before Determining Primary Custody
Your Most Commons Child Custody Questions, Answered
Fact checked by Elaine Hinzey, RD
Can a Father Get Full Custody of a Child?
How to Win Joint Custody of Your Child
How Grandparents Can Get Custody of Grandchildren
Tips to Help Single Fathers Get Child Custody
Prepare to Answer Different Questions at Your Child Custody Hearing
The Appropriate Way to Dress for a Child Custody Case
Child Custody Relocation Rules and Considerations to Know Before Moving
Fact checked by Andrea Rice
Decide Whether Sole Physical Custody Is the Best Option for You
By Jennifer Wolf
Daily Parenting Advice to Your Inbox
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Cement tile, also known as encaustic or hydraulic tile, is made of cement, marble powder and natural pigments. The process requires no firing but rather uses a hydraulic press and mould that is then air dried. The crafting of these traditional tiles hasn't changed since the 1800's and is considered quite environmentally friendly as so much less energy is used compared to fired ceramics. Cement tiles are extremely durable, easy to clean, non-flammable, non-polluting, recyclable, naturally insulating and beautiful! I am pretty obsessed with them and would love to use them in a kitchen or bathroom or maybe both!


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Jesse Cumming
JESSE CUMMING is a researcher, writer, and film programmer based in Toronto. He is an M.A. candidate in York and Ryerson University's joint Communication and Culture program.
TURF WARS
The 2015 Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival
By Jesse Cumming
The back of the Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival program guide offers an index of films organized not by director or country, but by subject. While this provides a useful point of entry, especially for a festival boasting more than 200 titles, such a guide remains indicative of the continued privileging of content over form in non-fiction film.
HIGH AND LOW
Sakura Ando's Restraint
In late June, the three editors of Midnight Eye published a text detailing their decision to close up shop after fifteen years as one of the leading English-language resources for Japanese film. While they gave several reasons, one rang louder than others: the Japanese film scene just wasn't cutting it.
PEDRO PINHO with Jesse Cumming
A Portuguese elevator factory might not seem like the most obvious setting for a maximalist experimental feature about the state of contemporary labor, but anyone who follows the more audacious streams of Portugal's national cinema knows to always expect the unexpected.
The Drift Back: Margaret Tait at 100
The films of Margaret Tait often portray a contradictory sense of time, one that seems suspended while also rushing or galloping forward. The effect, while hinting at philosophically grand ideas, also reflects the founding principles of cinema: moving images borne out of sequential still frames. It's a phenomenon that Tait herself expressed wonder in. "It's mysterious, isn't it?"
Site and Sound: The Films of Ha Gil-jong
Ha's work always embodies a prickly relationship to the state and assumed social conventions. (It's worth noting Ha's lifelong commitment to such agitation, including his participation in the anti-government protests of the 1960 April Revolution, before his turn to filmmaking.) If the filmmaker's oeuvre remains thrilling and unique 40 years later it arguably hinges upon such dissidence, complimented by a style which uses western points of reference—particularly European arthouse ones—in service of a distinctly domestic cinema responding to questions concerning South Korean society, politics, and cultural policy.
IMAGES OF THE WORLD:
At the Harun Farocki Institut
Film exhibition and spectatorship are reimagined inside the gallery space; found-footage works are produced without an artist ever picking up a camera; distinctions based on medium-specificity are constantly troubled and blurred; fine art, advertising, and technical videos are subsumed under the heterogeneous designation of "moving images"—critical examination of the above developments, recurring topics in any discussion of contemporary media, rarely exist independent of Harun Farocki, whose legacy as an artist and a lucid critic of visual culture—before such a term entered common parlance—seems to deepen with each year.
TURF WARS The 2015 Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival
HIGH AND LOW Sakura Ando's Restraint
IMAGES OF THE WORLD: At the Harun Farocki Institut


One of the attributes of the cruising life is the people you meet. When those people are other cruisers, there is an immediate commonality of experience. Regardless of its length or depth, that common ground (or is it water?) creates opportunities that years in a city and its various 'urbs may not.
In January (almost to the day), I "Kudoed" a Blog called Attainable Adventure Cruising. I did so for it richness as a resource and the civility of its discourse. Across the ensuing months, I joined the dialog there. Recently the author, John Harries, suggested we might meet in Charleston where they are wintering and through which we were planning to go on our way to wherever it is we are going.
After a quiet and calm night anchored in the more slowly flowing and more salty waters of Whiteside Creek, we made our way to Charleston in bright sun and light and warming breezes. We cannot cross that harbor without remembering the first time in 1980 — when a nuclear submarine crossed our path inbound near Fort Sumter. The Navy is gone. The Fort remains.
When all was settled, I noticed we had been placed up within a boat length of Morgan's Cloud, John's and Phyllis Nickel's home afloat and adventuring cutter. A bit later, John came over as I was switching anchors.
Later still, we joined them for sunset, conversation and a boat tour. Contrasting the evening with the cocktail parties, conferences and black-ties of our land life, no one had to shout to be heard. No one you were talking to was constantly looking for someone more important to talk to, no one was trying to get money or preference or favorable consideration out of anyone. No one was trying to impress…and that made an impression.
It was a meeting of old friends not yet met.
It's not always that way. The cruising community has its stinkers, many of whom join groups of the like-minded and a many of whom can be found lurking in internet forums waiting to pounce on some perceived incorrectness.
When I pointed to Attainable Adventure Cruising for it civility, it was implicit that civility was based on the people behind the blog. Last night that became explicit.


A request does not guarantee a ticket. The number of ticket returns determines how many tickets are available for fans waiting in line. You will not be charged if we are not able to fulfill your ticket request. And you will be notified when the exchange closes.
What happens if my card is declined? Do I lose my place in line?!


Andy Davidhazy took a photo of his own face every 1600 metres...for five months.
We all love a good time-lapse, it makes us feel like we are bigger than time itself; that we can transcend the space-time continuum like an omnipotent deity (let's call it 'The Gawd Complex'). This time-lapse from a man named Andy Davidhazy is one truly breathtaking example of the form, taking us on a 2660-mile journey in the space of just four minutes.
Davidhazy, which sounds like something Beckham would say after a night of craft ale drinking, shot the photographs that make up the time-lapse while travelling along the Pacific Crest Trail. Starting at the Mexico border, near the small town of Campo, he finished the epic hike just across the Canadian border in a place called Manning Park.
The journey took roughly five months to complete, and Davidhazy lost about fifty pounds of body weight in the process. Andy, which seems a bit overfamiliar when it's written down, revealed that he decided to snap a photo of himself every mile as a way to simultaneously document the physical transformation of the environment and himself.
It's a dazzling watch, one that makes us want to put on a pair of dusty hiking boots and head for the nearest trail. There's a whole world out there, just waiting to be explored. So thanks Andy, thanks for reminding us about the spirit of adventure and the joy of making journeys. Consider us well and truly inspired.
We're betting you've not even heard of some of these languages before... Prove us wrong!


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ZND U.S. Inc., Opens Manufacturing Operation in Statesville
Statesville, NC – ZND U.S. Inc., selects Statesville, NC for new US manufacturing operation. The company acquired the former Iron World Manufacturing building, located at 214 James Farm Road, Statesville, NC. The company plans to invest an estimated $5.7 million dollars through renovations of the property and installing equipment to support their manufacturing operations. The company plans to hire 43 full-time employees.
"We are very excited to be launching in the US market. After years of careful planning, we can provide the US market with our world class line of fencing products and we are thankful to all partners involved to ensure our success," said Wil van Beek, CEO, ZND Group.
ZND U.S. Inc. is a global temporary fence supplier and manufacturer that offers barricades, pedestrian barriers and wire production. ZND Group was established in 1965 in Holland and currently has operations in Holland, UK, Germany, France, and Poland. Statesville, NC will be the company's sixth location across the globe.
"The City of Statesville, Iredell County, and state of North Carolina have all been extremely helpful and accommodating throughout the process. We were pleasantly surprised with the assistance provided by local government agencies to facilitate the launch of ZNDUS. We are looking forward to being a responsible corporate citizen and creating jobs in a great community," said James Murphy, President, ZND U.S.
ZND U.S. worked with Beth Miller at 13th Floor Commercial Advisors for brokerage services and MAXIS Advisors for site selection expertise. MAXIS Advisors offers comprehensive analysis for businesses looking to relocate or expand their operations. "We did an in-depth cost, labor, and location analysis on several locations identified by Beth Miller, and Statesville became the right choice for ZND U.S.", said Dianne Jones, Director of Client Services at MAXIS Advisors.
Iredell County and the City of Statesville approved grants totaling up to $198,000 economic development incentives in accordance with their respective policies based on an investment of $5.7 million dollars and the creation of new jobs.
The North Carolina Department of Commerce has awarded a $200,000 grant from the N.C. Rural Infrastructure Authority (RIA) in support of the reuse of the existing 72,210 -square-foot building that ZND U.S. has purchased.
"The City of Statesville welcomes ZND U.S. Inc., to the community. Their significant investment in an existing facility is an additional boost for us. Statesville looks forwarding to welcoming our newest corporate citizen and establishing a meaningful, long-term relationship," said Mayor Costi Kutteh.
ZND U.S. Inc., has been awarded a customized training grant through North Carolina Community College System and Mitchell Community College to support training of new hires by the company.
Partners involved in the project include: City of Statesville, Costello Real Estate and Investment, Economic Partnership of North Carolina, Iredell County, Iredell County Economic Development Corporation, Mitchell Community College, Maxis Advisors, North Carolina Community College System, and North Carolina Department of Commerce.
About ZND U.S. Inc.
ZND U.S. Inc. is a global temporary fence supplier and manufacturer that offers barricades, pedestrian barriers and wire production. ZND Group was established in 1965 in Holland and now has operations in Holland, UK, Germany, France, and Poland.
For more information visit, https://www.znd.com/us/about-znd/
About Iredell County Economic Development Corporation
Iredell County Economic Development Corporation is a private, non-profit corporation dedicated to economic prosperity in the County. ICEDC strives to increase the non-residential tax base by encouraging the creation of jobs and investment through industrial and commercial recruitment, expansion, and redevelopment.
For more information visit, www.Iredelledc.com
Written by Iredell Economic Development Corporation, May 5, 2020
Media Contact: Jenn Bosser, President & CEO, Jenn@iredelledc.com
Iredell EDC COVID-19 Resource
Iredell EDC Partners To Host Virtual Job Fair


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Waller pleased with Sydney Cup-bound Patrick Erin
Sydney trainer Chris Waller is expecting a solid showing from his New Zealand-bred stayer Patrick Erin (NZ) (Gallant Guru) in the Gr.1 Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on Saturday.
The seven-year-old gelding finished fourth when first-up against stablemate Winx in the Gr.2 The Star Apollo Stakes (1400m) at Randwick earlier this month and Waller was pleased with his run.
"His first-up run was excellent and he has improved in terms of his fitness since then," Waller said.
"He showed first-up when over 1400m that he can hold a position through having some good barrier speed, so whilst I wouldn't expect him to lead, he won't be too far away."
The Group One-winning son of Gallant Guru is on a path towards the Gr.1 Sydney Cup (3200m) in April, which will include a number of black-type assignments.
"He is tracking nicely towards a Sydney Cup and he will be going via the Gr.3 Sky High Stakes (2000m) third-up and fourth-up into the BMW (Gr.1, 2400m) and then the Grand Final for the preparation will be the Sydney Cup," Waller said.
He will also line-up New Zealand Bloodstock Sales graduate Unforgotten (Fastnet Rock) in the Chipping Norton and believes she will improve off her fifth-placed run in The Apollo.
"She just got left a little flat footed through there being no pressure in the race first-up, so if that is the case on Saturday we would get rolling a little earlier on her to ensure that she is put into the race and she will certainly improve in terms of fitness," Waller said.
"I think Unforgotten should be starting to improve second-up and up to the mile and not just be a walkover, obviously we have got a lot of respect for Happy Clapper as well."
Meanwhile, earlier in the card Waller will line-up New Zealand-bred gallopers Melt (NZ) (Iffraaj) and Zalatte (NZ) (Medaglia D'oro) in the Gr.1 Surround Stakes (1400m).
Melt finished sixth last start in the Gr.2 Light Fingers Stakes (1200m) and Waller believes she has taken a lot of improvement from that race.
"She has taken improvement from her first-up run but she is another one that has drawn wide (barrier 14)," Waller said.
"She wanted to do things upside down first-up, so hopefully we can just get her to switch off and get her to come back and relax. Providing that is the case she will finish off well."
Waller is excited about undefeated filly Zalatte's potential heading into Saturday.
"I am very excited by this horse, she follows a similar profile to Unforgotten through winning off season three-year-old races and now she is racing against the better horses and is obviously first up," Waller said.
"I wouldn't expect her to win against these sharper three-year-old fillies, but I would expect her to show that she is going to be competitive in races going forward over a bit further.
"From her good draw (barrier four) she is going to at least get a nice run and hopefully runs close to the first three. She will then progress through to the Vinery Stakes (Gr.1, 2000m) third-up." – NZ Racing Desk


Oooo, these are all fabulous...fantastic backgrounds, Ladies!
Ladies, you did a superb job!!
Hi Miss Emma well girl yep a bit later today but here I am to say HI and hope you are having much success with your stamps redesigning. I'm rootin' for ya!! 'cause YOU so ROCK my Craftin world!! Yep YOU ROCK!!
What beautiful cards and fun techniques used on the cards today. So pretty! Great job everyone!


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25 Finest Black History Month Books To Learn Based On Black Booksellers
She is remembered most for her second novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God . Hurston travelled far and extensive to conduct anthropological research and articulately penned down her findings. The novel follows the life of an unnamed narrator, a Black man who grows up in a small Southern town, attends a Black school, and moves to New York where his life takes a flip. The celebrated work of fiction considers problems with race and social buildings still related right now. In her first novel, Ghanaian-American writer Yaa Gyasi traces the small print the slave trade's impact on two continents over eight generations. Focusing on two half sisters and their descendants, Homegoing highlights the ways during which the legacy of slavery has shaped race dynamics and adjusted lives over hundreds of years, and nonetheless does to this present day.
This book challenges us to think more rigorously in regards to the mass incarceration of America's black men and focuses our consideration on the complexities of race, class and crime within the inner cities. In a collection of essays which are half memoir and part sharp and humorous take on the world, he tackles every little thing from race relations to comedians and superheroes. I discovered myself both snorting with laughter and reflecting soberly on the challenges of our time. I dare say both are essential for processing the sophisticated and generally absurd events of now. Alexander, Obama's inaugural poet, wrote a completely heart-wrenching memoir after the dying of her husband.
Simon prefers to put low in school and at house, although he's continually spitting rhymes in his head. But when his new trainer assigns the category an oral presentation on something that impacts their neighborhood, Simon must face his fears. Eleven-year-old Simon Barnes dreams of becoming a world-famous rapper that everybody calls Notorious D.O.G. But for now, he's just a Chicago fifth grader who's small for this age and afraid to make use of his voice. His path isn't clear—and the stress to affix a "crew," as his brother did, is all the time there. When Lolly and his friend are crushed up and robbed, joining a crew almost seems like the protected selection. But constructing a fantastical Lego metropolis at the neighborhood center provides Lolly with an escape—and an sudden bridge again to the world.
In this post, I have listed some books for Black History Month that I discovered really inspiring and hope you discover them interesting as well. This is a compilation of a variety of the best books revealed by black authors in 2020. Most of the titles talked about here are published in the first half of the yr and a few in the latter half. Published in 1965, this autobiography was voted considered one of Time's 10 most necessary nonfiction books of the 20th century.
Her writing is so poetic and totally encompasses each single human emotion. The Book of Night Women resonates with both profound https://writemyessaytoday.us/ honesty and a uniquely modern spirit. Lilith was born into slavery on a sugar plantation in Jamaica across the end of the eighteenth century. Even before she is born, the slave girls who encompass her sense a horrible pressure that they—and she—will be taught to revere and worry. It's a guide that tackles a lot of issues with slavery, race relations and gender.
Let your creativeness run wild with this immersive novel written by Octavia Butler. Dawn tells the story of Lilith, a human who's been asleep for centuries, while Earth has supposedly died. She wakes to find herself living amongst an alien race generally recognized as the Oankali who're working to convince Lilith they've saved her. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is asking readers to reclaim and redefine the term feminist to create a extra inclusive and intersectional neighborhood willing to fight for the equality of all girls.
A fictitious African group suffers environmental degradation thanks to a corrupt government in cahoots with a multinational company. This beautiful blend of poetry and storytelling facilities a girl named Nima and her struggle with multiple cultures and identities. How Tiffany Quilkin of Paper Girls Exposes the Trap of Black ExcellenceBlack excellence can be a source of empowerment. But when thought to be a social assemble, it's an aspirational coping mechanism that usually fails its strictest devotees. Cassie is a plus-size Black photographer who is obtainable the opportunity to shoot and direct a nationwide marketing campaign aimed at empowering plus-size physique varieties. After some minor incidents occur, she ends up a mannequin as an alternative of a photographer.
NBC News analyst Lisa Bloom examines the six biggest mistakes made by Florida prosecutors in addition to the racial biases underlying the case. Derrick A. Bell, the primary tenured black professor at Harvard, analyzes the persevering with repercussions and negative impression of this landmark Supreme Court ruling on the academic wants of African American children. This biography details the life and career of Thurgood Marshall via the lens of his contentious five-day Senate affirmation. This collection of letters written between 1935 and 1957 illustrate Marshall's legal work leading up to his appointment to the us Misty Copeland overcame the odds of a dysfunctional residence, racism, and a late begin with ballet classes to become a star and soloist with American Ballet Theatre.


The kids' food and beverage market is a tricky business and requires a special approach to both innovation and marketing because industry players must sate the needs of both parents (as the purchaser) and kids (as the user), according to the Packaged Facts report Kids Food & Beverage Market in the U.S., 9th Edition. The uniqueness of this market is that there's no distinct way to differentiate kids' food from regular food products. Of course, marketers may use fun shapes, crazy colors, or character merchandising to appeal to kids; however, this doesn't make a product exclusive to kids. Indeed, marketers may choose to target kids yet the product may still be enjoyed by adults—or vice versa. This grey area provides incentive for marketers to innovate new product lines that can be adapted to kids' needs and desires or more broadly as a family-friendly food or beverage. Indeed, the kids' food and beverage market offers significant promise to any player looking to expand their audience.
To begin with, it's pertinent to understand key factors that help define the size of the market and potential for growth. In 2018, the child population is 73.8 million strong, accounting for 22.4% of the total U.S. population. With little change in the number of children expected through 2020, industry players must engage kids earlier and retain relationships through the teen years to realize full market potential. The most effective marketers will leverage honed strategies to increase the connection with the core family market without alienating the childless household.
Understanding how the changing family dynamic impacts the market for kids' food and beverage is also imperative. Specifically, Millennials now represent a large constituent of the parent demographic, and these consumers have a different approach to parenting than previous generations. These consumers have a definitive perspective on what is important in products and brands they buy. Growth of the multicultural population also bears weight on the family demographic and requires marketers leverage strategies in order to appeal to varied traditional and cultural values.
Economic conditions emerge as a factor to growth and demand for kids' food and beverage. In fact, the core shopper of kids' food and beverage have one of the highest median household incomes, and when coupled with increasing consumer confidence, there is significant opportunity for category growth.
As with any food and beverage market, health and wellness trends emerge as an important market factor. Industry players are doing their part through new product development of healthier kid-friendly food and beverage, but there's clearly room for more players to find a seat at this table. The stealth health movement is a good example of how industry purveyors are developing products to help parents increase kids' fruit and veggie intake while still retaining kid appeal.
Collectively, these factors create context as to the size and potential of the kids' food and beverage market; however, it's important for makers and marketers to better understand what influences parents' decisions on what they feed their children. In terms of product attributes, fresh food/beverage and products on special sale/promotion are among the most valued product qualities by parents. Parents also seek out food and beverages that are all-natural, non-GMO, no/low sugar and have no artificial ingredients. Marketers must clearly tout such attributes as parents are very likely to consider information on product labels. Still, kids emerge as a key influencer over parents' choices, with 54.7% of parents say their kids' preferences and requests are especially important to them. Further, nearly all (91%) of parents say they buy a new food or beverage that their kids ask for at least some of the time, with 20% indicating they almost always do so. This provides incentive for marketers to continue to target the end user in promotional efforts.
By exploring usage trends, marketing strategies and product innovation across a range of retail food and beverage categories, the degree to which these market factors and parental attitudes/behaviors are at play becomes evident. The takeaway is that the kids' food and beverage market offers a lucrative opportunity to all players who wish to navigate the tricky business of appealing to particular parents…and fickle kids!
To read more about Packaged Facts' latest report on the kids' food and beverage market, Kids Food & Beverage Market in the U.S., 9th Edition, please visit https://www.packagedfacts.com/Kids-Food-Menu-Product-Trends-Culinary-Trend-Tracking-Series-11270775/.


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Biological race to adulthood, too fast to keep up?
An awkward topic for many can be a serious issue that must be discussed so that health concerns are put at rest.
Berenice Lazaro, Staff writer
From running around in a playground to being sat down and told your body is changing can completely change the mind set of someone. A person could feel like their in a constant battle between their mind and their body to act a certain way. A jumble of emotions arise as another kid has to face early puberty.
Puberty is a word that may cause discomfort and can make just about anyone cringe. Depending on the kid, puberty can either be a period filled with embarrassing situations, discomfort, and crippling self-confidence issues, or puberty can be a time when a kid finally feels comfort, confidence, and a sense of belonging. In the beginning of the 20th century, the average American girl had her period at 16 to 17 but today the data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey shows the age has dropped to 13.
Early puberty is also known as precocious puberty and today's incoming generations are at greater risk than past eras. Mercola, a Natural Health website conducted a study on 252 different canned food brands 78 of which still use bisphenol-A (BPA) in their canned goods, even though it's a known endocrine disruptor and can cause more than just early puberty. According to Fox News Health, the Food and Drug Association allows hormones in food supplies, which include estradiol, testosterone, estriol, and progesterone, sex hormones that can accelerate the puberty age. Even everyday products such as soap contain these hormones. These daily products contain many ingredients whose effects are not fully known to consumers, making it hard for individuals to know how the ingredients can affect their health.
However, according to a LiveScience health article the author Christopher Wanjek who holds a medical degree stated , doctors don't think it's necessarily what's in food that's affecting kids as much as it is how much food kids are consuming. In fact, many scientists link obesity with early puberty ages. Being active can delay the puberty age while being inactive and being overweight can accelerate puberty.Since puberty ages can be determined from genetics as well here are some tips to try to slow down the process. Eat balanced and healthy meals, and avoid fast or processed foods that may contain growth hormones. Get plenty of exercise. Remember puberty is normal and a natural part of growing up.
Yet with their bodies maturing so young people will face many different mental states. Jeffrey Baird a psychology teacher at Round Lake High School said " Remember that everything psychological is rooted in biology so hormones cause us to react and our reactions lead to new thoughts and perceptions which can become overwhelming in themselves and leave us with anxiety, depression or even on the flip side leave us with an elevated sense of self-esteem". The American Psychological Association says children who hit puberty a lot sooner are at risk for mental health problems. Girls especially are at risk for depression, substance abuse, and early sexual behavior.
Whether it be a rise of discomfort or a sense of confidence the emotional ride of early puberty is different for every individual who faces it. Puberty is a touchy subject to many, but the generations to come remain at risk to be a subject of precocious puberty. Those who face it may feel vulnerable, concerned about their health, or feel a strong pressure to mentally mature at a faster rate leaving them more likely to face mental disorders . In the end puberty can be overwhelming for most, even though living a healthy lifestyle can decrease the possibility there is no sure way to prevent precocious puberty.
Because this world is quickly learning to move faster and faster, people aren't focusing on patience, which is often the key to success. Senior Berenice...
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President Trump's Impeachment Trial
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A Devastating Revenge
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Virginia Politicians Under Fire


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založeno 1960 ISSN 0046-1628 established 1960
published issues
CALL FOR PAPERS: EIRENE. STUDIA GRAECA ET LATINA 2022
We are accepting submissions for the 58th volume of Eirene. Studia Graeca et Latina which is to be published at the end of the year 2022! While we regularly accept submissions throughout the year, the deadline for submitting your paper, should it be considered for publication in Eirene 58, 2022, is the end of June 2022. More details here.
Eirene. Studia Graeca et Latina, established in 1960, is scholarly journal of Classics, international and peer-reviewed complying with the criteria of the database ERIH PLUS. It is published once a year (one double issue) by the Centre for Classical Studies at the Institute of Philosophy of the Czech Academy of Sciences in Prague. It is abstracted / indexed in following scientific databases:
L'année philologique
The Central European Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities (CEJSH)
European Reference Index for Humanities (ERIH Plus)
Modern Language Association International Bibliography
Web of Science (Thomson Reuters)
The journal accepts submissions in English, German, French and Italian. All contributions (except for reviews) are sent anonymously for double-blind peer-review. Part of the journal's contents is published in Open Access mode (liable to article processing charge).
Eirene. Studia Graeca et Latina welcomes and publishes original research on classics (including Late Antiquity), reception of Antiquity and classical traditions. Usually, following sections within a journal's issue are assembled: literature and philology; philosophy; history, historiography, and archaeology; patristics. It also brings up-to-date reviews (or review essays) of scholarly literature on these subjects. It is published once a year, usually at the end of December.
Submissions of articles and reviews are to be sent by e-mail to: eirene@ics.cas.cz
Books for review and other correspondence should be mailed to:
Eirene. Studia Graeca et Latina
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Centre for Classical Studies, Czech Academy of Sciences, Praha
Kabinet pro klasická studia Filosofického ústavu AV ČR, v. v. i.
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All over Europe, public institutions and companies are starting to consider Coworking as a source of inspiration in order to implement new working, innovation and collaboration approaches. As of today, coworking spaces host thousands of entrepreneurs, independents and nomad workers already. They will soon host tens or hundreds of thousands them.
As in the two previous Coworking Europe conferences, the 2012′s edition aims to address openly all the topics related to the coworking model. The conference will also be a exceptional opportunity to share best practices, connect and, why not, build up and collaborate on new exciting projects.
18 innovative companies selected for leading-edge applications in fast-growth cleantech, healthcare and consumer goods markets.
INSIDE Secure (NYSE Euronext INSD.PA) today announced it has completed the acquisition of Embedded Security Solutions (ESS).
RETIS, the French network for innovation, was set up in 2006 merging together France Technopoles Entreprises Innovation (FTEI) and France Incubation. Its creation aimed at strengthening the existing ties between higher education and research institutes, science and technology parks (known in France as "technopoles"), incubators and European Business and Innovation Centres.
At the crossroads between technical innovation, economic mutations and social transformations, what "Digital Disruptions" will become central in the next few years? What are the issues and challenges that we can no longer ignore? Marseille, France, 27-28 September.
El artista Antonin Fourneau ha desarrollado un material interactivo que reacciona al contacto con el líquido iluminando más de 20.000 bombillas LED utilizando el agua como conductor eléctrico.
Siège du pôle de compétitivité consacré aux transactions électroniques, la ville de Caen est l'un des territoires en pointe dans la recherche sur les technologies sans contact. Les applications développées visent d'abord les collectivités territoriales.
More than 150 exceptional robots can be discovered at INNOROBO, some of them for the first time in Europe. A new interactive experiential area will be open to the general public with an ephemeral living lab to get a sense of the future as Robotics companies build it, but also, to attend demonstrations, workshops, competitions and public debates.
Innorobo, 14-15-16 march 2012, Cité Internationale – Centre de Congrès, 50, Quai Charles de Gaulle, LYON, FRANCE.
Sono più di 150 i robot eccezionali che puoi scoprire a Innorobo,alcuni di essi per la prima volta in Europa, i passi avanti che si stanno compiendo in tutto il mondo nel campo della Robotica sono veramente stupefacenti e in questo settore anche l'Italia è in prima fila.


Packet aggregation algorithms are used to improve the throughput performance by combining a number of packets into a single transmission unit in order to reduce the overhead associated with each transmission within a packet-based communications network. However, the throughput improvement is also accompanied by a delay increase. The biggest drawback of a significant number of the proposed packet aggregation algorithms is that they tend to only optimize a single metric, i.e. either to maximize throughput or to minimize delay. They do not permit an optimal trade-off between maximizing throughput and minimizing delay. Therefore, these algorithms cannot achieve the optimal network performance for mixed traffic loads containing a number of different types of applications which may have very different network performance requirements. In this thesis an adaptive packet aggregation algorithm called the Adaptive Aggregation Mechanism (AAM) is proposed which achieves an aggregation trade-off in terms of realizing the largest average throughput with the smallest average delay compared to a number of other popular aggregation algorithms under saturation conditions in wireless networks. The AAM algorithm is the first packet aggregation algorithm that employs an adaptive selection window mechanism where the selection window size is adaptively adjusted in order to respond to the varying nature of both the packet size and packet rate. This algorithm is essentially a feedback control system incorporating a hybrid selection strategy for selecting the packets. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed algorithm can (a) achieve a large number of sub-packets per aggregate packet for a given delay and (b) significantly improve the performance in terms of the aggregation trade-off for different traffic loads. Furthermore, the AAM algorithm is a robust algorithm as it can significantly improve the performance in terms of the average throughput in error-prone wireless networks.


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NOWCAST NewsCenter 5
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Building Boston
Chris Sale earns first win of season as Red Sox defeat White Sox
Updated: 11:10 AM EDT May 4, 2019
By Matt Carlson, Associated Press
Jeff Haynes
Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Chris Sale delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White in Chicago on Friday, May 3, 2019. (AP Photo/Jeff Haynes)
SOURCE: Jeff Haynes
Chris Sale returned to where he began his major league career - and to some fundamentals that have made the left-hander one of baseball's premier pitchers.Sale snapped out of his early season funk to earn his first win with an impressive performance against his former team, tossing six scoreless innings of three-hit ball in the Boston Red Sox's 6-1 victory over the Chicago White Sox 6-1 on Friday night.Sale (1-5) entered with a 6.30 ERA through six starts, but was dominant against Chicago in striking out a season-high 10. The lefty retired seven of the first eight White Sox batters and didn't allow a hit until Yoan Moncada lined a sharp single with two outs in the fourth."Just kind of got back to some old things I used to do and made me successful, and changed a couple of things," Sale said. "Just pitching stuff. More just kind of being in the zone (with) quality pitches. Just kind of executing in certain counts."It was nice to feel like I'm back on track and actually help this team win a ballgame."Manager Alex Cora said Sale's body language had been improving."His command looked very good," Cora said. "He was able to use the inside part of the plate against righties. Kept them off-balance with his slider. For him to come here and pitch this way was good."Rafael Devers launched a three-run homer deep to center off Reynaldo Lopez in the first inning. Michael Chavis added two-run shot to the top of the left-field stands in the sixth as Boston won for the fourth time in its last five games.Sale walked one and hit two batters as he improved to 2-1 against Chicago, who dealt the seven-time All-Star to Boston in December 2016 for four prospects, including Moncada. Jose Rondon and James McCann each had a double off Sale, but didn't advance.Rondon, an infielder, pitched a scoreless ninth for Chicago despite giving up two singles as Chicago lost for the second time in its last seven. McCann drove in Chicago's run in the eighth with a single off Colten Brewer, the second of three Boston relievers.Rondon said through a translator that manager Rick Renteria told him to be ready for a mop-up outing."It was fun and definitely something I'll have to do again," Rondon said.Lopez (2-4) allowed six runs and eight hits through five-plus innings. In his previous start, the right-hander yielded only an unearned run and struck out a career-high 14 in six innings.Lopez said mistakes on the homers doomed him."At this level, when you make a mistake, you're going to pay for it," he said through an interpreter. "I paid for it tonight."Lopez retired the first two Red Sox hitters before J.D. Martinez bounced a ground-rule double over the right-center wall and Xander Bogaerts reached on a sharp infield single. Devers then ripped Lopez's first pitch, a belt-high fastball, 430 feet to center for his first homer and a 3-0 Boston lead.Chavis' homer, his fourth, with no outs in the sixth, traveled 459 feet off a slider from Lopez to make it 5-0. Jose Ruiz walked Mookie Betts with the bases loaded to force in another run. Sale left Friday after throwing 104 pitches and 70 strikes. In his six previous starts, he allowed four or more runs four times. Boston center fielder Jackie Bradley Jr. got the day off and Tzu-Wei Lin started in his place. Lin hooked his left foot awkwardly on the second-base bag in the second when he was caught stealing and left the game with left knee sprain. Cora said Lin will go on the injured list and be sent to Boston.Andrew Benintendi moved from left field to center and Steve Pearce took over in left.Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia, who has been rehabbing from left knee irritation, wasn't scheduled to start at Double-A Portland after beginning a rehab assignment there Thursday and going 0 for 3. Boston left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez (2-2, 6.16) faces White Sox left-hander Manny Bañuelos (2-0, 2.70) on Saturday night. The Red Sox have supported Rodriguez with 32 runs in his past four starts and won them all, but the lefty has victories in just two. Bañuelos will make his third start for Chicago. He pitched 5 2/3 innings against Baltimore on Monday to earn his first win as a starter since July 2015 while with Atlanta.
Chris Sale returned to where he began his major league career - and to some fundamentals that have made the left-hander one of baseball's premier pitchers.
Sale snapped out of his early season funk to earn his first win with an impressive performance against his former team, tossing six scoreless innings of three-hit ball in the Boston Red Sox's 6-1 victory over the Chicago White Sox 6-1 on Friday night.
Sale (1-5) entered with a 6.30 ERA through six starts, but was dominant against Chicago in striking out a season-high 10. The lefty retired seven of the first eight White Sox batters and didn't allow a hit until Yoan Moncada lined a sharp single with two outs in the fourth.
"Just kind of got back to some old things I used to do and made me successful, and changed a couple of things," Sale said. "Just pitching stuff. More just kind of being in the zone (with) quality pitches. Just kind of executing in certain counts.
"It was nice to feel like I'm back on track and actually help this team win a ballgame."
Manager Alex Cora said Sale's body language had been improving.
"His command looked very good," Cora said. "He was able to use the inside part of the plate against righties. Kept them off-balance with his slider. For him to come here and pitch this way was good."
Rafael Devers launched a three-run homer deep to center off Reynaldo Lopez in the first inning. Michael Chavis added two-run shot to the top of the left-field stands in the sixth as Boston won for the fourth time in its last five games.
Sale walked one and hit two batters as he improved to 2-1 against Chicago, who dealt the seven-time All-Star to Boston in December 2016 for four prospects, including Moncada. Jose Rondon and James McCann each had a double off Sale, but didn't advance.
Rondon, an infielder, pitched a scoreless ninth for Chicago despite giving up two singles as Chicago lost for the second time in its last seven. McCann drove in Chicago's run in the eighth with a single off Colten Brewer, the second of three Boston relievers.
Rondon said through a translator that manager Rick Renteria told him to be ready for a mop-up outing.
"It was fun and definitely something I'll have to do again," Rondon said.
Lopez (2-4) allowed six runs and eight hits through five-plus innings. In his previous start, the right-hander yielded only an unearned run and struck out a career-high 14 in six innings.
Lopez said mistakes on the homers doomed him.
"At this level, when you make a mistake, you're going to pay for it," he said through an interpreter. "I paid for it tonight."
Lopez retired the first two Red Sox hitters before J.D. Martinez bounced a ground-rule double over the right-center wall and Xander Bogaerts reached on a sharp infield single. Devers then ripped Lopez's first pitch, a belt-high fastball, 430 feet to center for his first homer and a 3-0 Boston lead.
Chavis' homer, his fourth, with no outs in the sixth, traveled 459 feet off a slider from Lopez to make it 5-0. Jose Ruiz walked Mookie Betts with the bases loaded to force in another run.
Sale left Friday after throwing 104 pitches and 70 strikes. In his six previous starts, he allowed four or more runs four times.
Boston center fielder Jackie Bradley Jr. got the day off and Tzu-Wei Lin started in his place. Lin hooked his left foot awkwardly on the second-base bag in the second when he was caught stealing and left the game with left knee sprain. Cora said Lin will go on the injured list and be sent to Boston.
Andrew Benintendi moved from left field to center and Steve Pearce took over in left.
Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia, who has been rehabbing from left knee irritation, wasn't scheduled to start at Double-A Portland after beginning a rehab assignment there Thursday and going 0 for 3.
Boston left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez (2-2, 6.16) faces White Sox left-hander Manny Bañuelos (2-0, 2.70) on Saturday night. The Red Sox have supported Rodriguez with 32 runs in his past four starts and won them all, but the lefty has victories in just two.
Bañuelos will make his third start for Chicago. He pitched 5 2/3 innings against Baltimore on Monday to earn his first win as a starter since July 2015 while with Atlanta.
WCVB Boston
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text:
Chapter 27 "I Can't Stand It"
Chapter Twenty Seven I Can't Stand It
[Dreams of Jianghu 2]?
This familiar yet unfamiliar phrase pulled Wei Wei's attention away from the computer to Xiao Nai. She exclaimed, "Dreams of Jianghu is coming out with a 2?"
Why had there been no news about this? Now, she was seeing the player avatars on Da Shen's computer. What did this mean?
"This game is yours?" She unthinkingly said this. Wei Wei quickly corrected herself, "No, I remember Dream of Jianghu is Feng Teng's product."
"Dreams of Jianghu is Feng Teng's product, but Dreams 2 is going to be a partnership between Feng Teng and us."
His tone and expression were calm, as though he didn't realize what a shock he was delivering with his words. Wei Wei took a long time to digest the surprise; "I hadn't heard that a Dreams 2 was coming out."
"At this point, we haven't publicized anything."
Wei Wei remembered, "Then, that video is your … …"
Xiao Nai shook his head, "No, buying the video is Feng Teng's decision, I only knew a day before you did."
Even though he was working with Feng Teng on Dreams 2, he had no connection at all to Dreams 1. Dreams 1 was a project by Feng Teng Technologies, one of the companies under the umbrella of Feng Teng Corporation. He would not know any decision that was made on that end. If it wasn't that this decision would affect Dreams 2, Feng Teng wouldn't have to ask his opinion at all.
In the beginning, if it wasn't for the high risk and the large amount of capital needed for the venture, Xiao Nai wouldn't have considered partnering up with Feng Teng to make Dreams 2. According to the contract they made, Feng Teng Technologies was only responsible for the starting capital and maintenance. His team was responsible for developing the entire game. So when Feng Teng Technologies called over, wanting to add a new system for spouse-kidnapping in Dreams 2, Xiao Nai had been very surprised. When they said they were taking inspiration from what they had seen from the video, Xiao Nai didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
After thinking it over quickly, he agreed to add that function to Dream 2. However, he didn't tell Feng Teng that the Yi Xiao Nai He in the video was actually him.
On the Feng Teng side, nobody knew that Yi Xiao Nai He was him. This ID had been registered under the persuasion of his friends when [Dreams of Jianghu] had just opened. After playing for a while, he had stopped. It was only when he started working with Feng Teng that he needed to familiarize himself again with the game and started playing.
Xiao Nai started to explain the relationship between Feng Teng and him as he opened more avatar pictures for Wei Wei to look at. Wei Wei asked, "Then, how does the new kidnapping system work?"
"Basically, it is just adding in a new kidnapping function. Once used, the unmarried players can kidnap the partners."
Wei Wei quickly understood. "Like the PK function in the game?"
It did seem to be a fun idea, but wouldn't this be very messy? Wei Wei imagined everybody in the game kidnapping and rescuing. Whoa.
After he finished showing off the avatars, Xiao Nai went to make tea. Wei Wei looked at the computer screen, her hands instinctively taking over Xiao Nai's mouse and started to scroll through the avatars again. She entered a trance and unknowingly slid into Xiao Nai's seat.
Xiao Nai returned with two cups of tea and saw this scene. He stared and then smiled, placing the cup in his left hand on the nearby bookshelf. He leaned on the shelf and raised his cup to take a sip.
You stand on the bridge to see the scenery. The person looking at the scenery from the top of a building sees you.
Wei Wei didn't realize that she had become an attraction. After closely examining the avatars once again, she raised her sparkling eyes to Xiao Nai and said, "I like this game."
Xiao Nai laughed as he leaned more against the shelf. "Just from the avatar designs?"
"No, you can see a lot from the avatars." Wei Wei thought for a while. Even though this topic was a bit embarrassing, but she still wanted to tell him her point of view.
"The games on the market right now, to court male players, all the female avatars are scantily dressed. It's unbearable to look at. I chose the red-robed warrior for my character for two reasons. The first was that I really like her skills. The second was that she had the most clothing. Dreams 2 is not like those games. All the clothing for female avatars are very normal. This says that the person making the game respects their own game, has confidence in their work. They don't need to use any vulgar and kitsch manipulations."
Wei Wei was strangely happy. In Dreams 1, the female avatars were still very exposed, but it was still somewhat better than the other games. Dreams 2 had such a drastic change, it definitely came out of Da Shen's decision-making. Didn't this show that Da Shen respected the female gender?
Xiao Nai didn't think she would say such things. His heart jumped involuntarily. Looking at her spirited and clear face, he smelled the scent of tea. At the deepest part of his heart, a tingle of happiness passed.
"To create female characters who were not exposed." It was easy to say, but at the beginning, he had put in a lot of effort to make it a reality. He came from a educated family, these values were inscribed in his bones. But using his morals to persuade the venture capitalists? That was too innocent, too naïve. Only the market could persuade the market. So he did many different surveys to let the businessmen realize the consumer power of females in MMPORG's, to realize that the attraction in a game for male players wasn't how naked the female avatars were.
But he naturally wouldn't speak of those things to Wei Wei. Paragraphs that came to Xiao Nai's mind would be deconstructed and simplified and come out as mere words. His dark gaze held affection, reflecting on the figure in front of him. He smiled faintly. "Thank you for the praise, I'm extremely honoured."
His appearance was very calm yet Wei Wei detected that there was a strange mood. Da Shen seemed to be in a very good mood. Did she manage to flatter him? Wei Wei asked expectantly, "When are you starting the beta testing for Dreams 2?"
"At the earliest, the end of the year."
By that time, getting a beta account probably wouldn't be a problem. Wei Wei remembered the important issue after simmering in happiness for a while, "Since you guys are partnering up, then shouldn't you deal with the video? It would be best if you did. Even though it was uploaded using my name, but in reality, you were the one who made it."
Xiao Nai refused without thinking, "Of course not. My name can't appear on the contract."
Wei Wei asked, "Why?"
Xiao Nai pointed out, "Copyright fee."
Wei Wei had to take a turn in order to understand ––If Da Shen were to sign this agreement, then, being the developer of Dream 2, making a contribution was expected. Thus Feng Teng didn't have to pay the copyright fee.
"Ok, then I'll go sign. I'll split the fee five ways once I get it." Wei Wei said. But, even if it was clearly legal, she still felt like she was performing fraud >o<
"You don't need to split with Yu Gong and the others." Looking at the tea leaves floating in the water, Xiao Nai faintly said.
"Ah?" That wouldn't be very good, they had parts in it too.
"You can take it, it will be their meeting gift to you."
Meeting gift… …
Wei Wei's mouth dropped open. She had wanted to ask what to do with his part, but she couldn't ask now. If he said … … it was a bridal price, what should she do? >o<
They had been talking about the game, so Wei Wei hadn't realized it. Now that she wasn't talking, the room quieted and Wei Wei found that she was touching Da Shen's mouse, using Da Shen's computer, sitting on Da Shen's chair?!
Th-th-this, when did this happen?!
Slowly taking her hand from the sacred relic that was Da Shen's mouse, Wei Wei awkwardly shifted her eyes around, but avoided Da Shen. She had just been curious, why had he been standing there … … it was because he had a home that he couldn't return to >o<
The office room was silent. Xiao Nai seemed to want her to be in an even more awkward state. He didn't speak, just drank his tea, his fingers occasionally brushing the body of the cup.
Wei Wei's wandering gaze was attracted by his movements, staring unblinkingly at his finger. She had been focused on speaking and didn't notice that what he seemed to be holding was … …
Now she didn't care about the awkwardness. Wei Wei stood up and walked to his side, bending down curiously to look at the teacup in his hands. Xiao Nai laughed, and handed her the cup.
Wei Wei held it, rotating it in her palm to admire it. It was a white porcelain teacup in the traditional shape. The body was exquisite and semi-transparent, nicely setting off the green tea leaves. It seemed both cute and finely-made. But what attracted Wei Wei's attention wasn't its form, but the picture on the side of the cup –– a patch of bamboo, and in front of the greenery, sat a white-clad musician holding his zither.
"Dreams of Jianghu Limited Edition cups?" Wei Wei let out a sound of surprise.
"En, and there's also this one, yours."
Another teacup emitting the smell of tea was placed in her hand. It was still a white cup, but on this cup, it was a red-clothed blade-waving female warrior.
"Are there any others?" Dreams of Jianghu had thirty six different avatars. One set should have thirty six cups.
"Feng Teng gave us a set. I only took these two, the remaining are with Yu Gong and the others."
Only took these two?
Wei Wei, who had been examining the cups, had a period of shock. She raised her head to look at his handsome face that was within reach. A second later, long eyelashes swept down and hid the light swirling in her eyes.
So this cup had been for her? He already had expected there would be a day she would come to his office?
Wei Wei continued to look at the cups, but the movements slowed down. It showed how she wasn't focused on them anymore. Finally, with no preparation on her part whatsoever, she lightly asked, "Xiao Nai, how did you recognize me yesterday?"
This was the first time the two words "Xiao Nai" came out of her mouth. They seemed to contain magic, so that even as composed a person as Xiao Nai felt his thoughts scatter for a minute.
But then he quickly gathered them and answered, the one whose thoughts scattered was Wei Wei.
"Not yesterday." Gently taking away the musician's cup from her hands, Xiao Nai said, "It was March, at Ji Zhi."
March? Ji Zhi? A location called Ji Zhi … …
"An internet café?!" Wei Wei was surprised.
"En. I had something there that day so I went over. When I was leaving, I saw you helping your sect fight."
Wei Wei completely froze. She had thought of many ways that Da Shen would recognize her. Her voice, checking her IP address, checking the information online inside the game. All those weren't hard for him to do. But an internet café? And that early, in March?
She had gone to an internet café in March once. Because the broadband at her dorm had been broken, she had gone to give notice to the sect that she couldn't go online for the time being. She had, in passing, entered the sect battle that day.
Da Shen already knew her that early?
"Your manual control is very beautiful, and very fast."
Xiao Nai's gaze stopped on Wei Wei's hands. On that day, it had been this pair of hands, in the midst of the busy internet café, that attracted his attention at first glance.
Speed … … Wei Wei's mind was in a tangle. She could only follow his words and say, "During the last summer in high school, I played a bit of StarCraft. I had a lot of practice. My APM isn't very high, it can't even reach 150."
"APM is just a testing number."
Wei Wei nodded. Compared to APM, effective manual control was even more important. Even though she agreed, Wei Wei couldn't resist asking, "Then how high is your APM?'
Would it be an extreme number? As crazy as 400 … …
"Never tested.When I started playing, there wasn't a notion of APM."
When there was no notion of APM. How long ago was that? Wei Wei imagined it, and felt her blood start to heat up. Da Shen's form when playing would be very cool.
The more she thought, the more excited she got. Wei Wei succumbed to her instincts, looking at him with gleaming eyes. "We should have a battle sometime!"
What type of leap was that? Xiao Nai raised an eyebrow and smiled at her, "Okay, but," he paused, and then continued, "… … please be gentle with me."
He clearly didn't say anything, but Wei Wei started blushing. She kept on feeling that at the pause, he had wanted to say "Furen"?
Embarrassment.
She was definitely bewitched today. She kept on coming up with these weird thoughts. It was a bridal price one moment, and then Furen the next. If she kept on going, she might think of even stranger things, uh … …
"That … … I'll go study."
Not waiting for Xiao Nai's reply, Wei Wei took her cup back to the sofa and pretended to concentrate on her book.
Afternoon tea was over.
Wei Wei managed to focus for a little while, but she wandered off again. She remembered that she still had another question she didn't ask yet—
Since he had already known her identity so early, why had he never said so in the game?
Wei Wei sank into the riddle and didn't realize that, once again, her gaze had moved from the textbook to the person behind the desk.
The office was still quiet, there was only the light click-clack of the keyboar. But gradually, the sound of the keyboard disappeared. Xiao Nai suddenly stopped, his head not moving up. "Wei Wei, if you keep on looking, I can't stand it."
Due to her lack of focus, Wei Wei heard his voice but didn't realize what he meant. It took a long while for her to understand and then … …
Okay, Wei Wei almost self-combusted. She didn't want to ask anything anymore. t t
Wei Wei spent the entire afternoon in this kind of very low efficiency mode. Dinner was at one of the places near Da Shen's office building. Wei Wei had worried that they were going for fish head soup again. Thankfully, Da Shen wasn't that inhuman.
Due to the fact that she really didn't study that much in the afternoon, Wei Wei wanted to return to her dorms after dinner. But, before this desire could be acted upon, it was destroyed by one line from Da Shen.
Da Shen said, "Do you want to PK with me?"
Therefore, Wei Wei obediently returned with him back to the company. A computer apiece, they began to PK~~ unluckily, from Dreams PK to SC, Wei Wei lost pathetically in all of them. At the end, she was starting to get irritated. Other people's boyfriends would yield to their girlfriends, why was hers so evil? Killing her without even the slightest frown.
Of course, hoping that Da Shen would let her win or treat her gently was very disgraceful. Wei Wei, with the ease of long practice, shoved the thought into another deep corner of her mind.
And so, Wei Wei kept adding to her losing streak, all the way until nine when Xiao Nai drove her back.
This entire day, Wei Wei was kept busy. Together with Da Shen, it was first getting picked up, and then it was PKing. But Wei Wei seemed to have found that feeling from inside the game, and felt that, Da Shen was so close … …