In the spring of 2004, Rebecca Alberts went into the Applied Study office and inquired about possible internships for the upcoming summer. Rebecca was a junior majoring in Accountancy and was looking for an accounting internship in the medical field. About two weeks after her visit, she received an email from the AST office notifying her that just such an internship was available in the Springfield area.
The internship was being offered by Healthcare Network Associates, an affiliate of the Memorial Health System. They were looking for an intern to fill in for the senior financial analyst, who was out for the summer on maternity leave. The intern's main duty would be to prepare the monthly financial reports for the HCNA accounting department, with various other tasks assigned along the way. Rebecca applied right away, went through the interview process, and was hired.
Rebecca speaks very highly of her AST. Not only was she able to gain "real" accounting experience, but she also learned much more, especially with the help of her supervisor, Becky Berberet. Rebecca commented, "Whenever she could, Becky would bring me along to financial meetings, clinic visits, etc. I met many new people, including the doctors I was doing accounting work for." Rebecca added that she enjoyed the opportunity to experience the job from a director's view rather than starting at the bottom, doing menial tasks.
After her AST ended, Rebecca was asked to come back during winter break to work as extra help for the Memorial Medical Center accounting department, dealing mainly with accounts payable. The arrangement was that if a regular staff member was overloaded with work, Rebecca was there to help.
About two weeks into the 2005 spring semester, Rebecca got a call from Michael Mueller in general accounting at Memorial asking if she would like to temporarily fill a vacant position until the department could hire a permanent replacement. Rebecca agreed and ended up getting some great experience preparing accounts receivable reconciliations.
While Rebecca was working at this temporary position, she unexpectedly received a call from Memorial's director of decision support, Mike Hoyle. An opening for a cost accountant had come up; Hoyle had heard some great things about Rebecca and wanted to encourage her to apply for the job. Since cost accounting was a field she had always hoped to enter, Rebecca was thrilled. A couple weeks and a few interviews later, Rebecca found herself working full time for the Memorial Medical Center accounting department as a cost accountant.
Rebecca earned her bachelor's degree in Accountancy in the 2004 fall semester and is currently enrolled in UIS' graduate program. She currently volunteers on the weekends with the Springfield Tax Counseling Project, a local service aimed at assisting low income individuals with their tax returns. She plans to sit for the CPA exam after earning her master's degree.


text:
Q: HSQLDB database webserver access I need a database that runs its connection over http and not tcpip. The "HSQLDB (webserver)" jdbc driver should be able to do just that. The following code launces the webserver but the OpenSQLConnect is not a success. It delivers a java.net.socketexception unexpected end of file from server.
Needs["DatabaseLink`"]
dbLocation = "e:\\folder\\webtest\\";
dbName2 = "testDB";
dbServer =
 SQLServerLaunch[{dbName -> dbLocation} ]
dbConnectionObject =
  JDBC["HSQL(Webserver)", "localhost/" <> dbName];
dbwebConnection =
 OpenSQLConnection[dbConnectionObject, "Name" -> dbName,
  "Username" -> "sa"]

So for some reason i don't have the above code right. Can you help? Running a normal HSQLDB server works fine with the code below:
Needs["DatabaseLink`"]
dbLocation = "e:\\folder\\hsqlTest2\\";
dbName = "testDB";
dbServer = SQLServerLaunch[{dbName -> dbLocation}]
dbConnectionObject = JDBC["HSQL(Server)", "localhost/" <> dbName];
dbConnection =
 OpenSQLConnection[dbConnectionObject, "Name" -> dbName,
  "Username" -> "sa"]

MMA 10.0.2 on win7-64

A: This seems to work:
Needs["DatabaseLink`"] ;
dbLocation = "c:\\folder\\webtest\\";
dbName = "testDB"; dbServer = SQLServerLaunch[{dbName -> dbLocation}] ;
dbConnectionObject =
  JDBC["org.hsqldb.jdbcDriver",
   "jdbc:hsqldb:hsql://localhost/" <> dbName];
dbwebConnection =
 OpenSQLConnection[dbConnectionObject, "Name" -> dbName,
  "Username" -> "sa"]

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
National: Voting by phone, computer: Not coming to you soon | CNN
Voting from a phone, tablet or desktop computer is probably still years away, according to a report on online voting released Friday. While some voting technology is already in use — such as electronic voting machines, apps to register to vote and online information to find polling places — voting itself requires developing a system that can't be hacked. "Every day, we are dealing with thousands of security breaches in this country," said Susan Dzieduszycka-Suinat, president and chief executive of the U.S. Vote Foundation, which compiled the report. "To think that voting could be better or more secure is a little bit pie in the sky."
National: The Battle to Keep the Vote: State by State | Newsweek
Republicans—with a helping nudge from the United States Supreme Court's conservative majority (of which more below)—are passing restrictive voting laws in states where they control both branches of government. Meanwhile, Democrats are expanding voting rights in states where they dominate the governing process. Two Democrats, Senator Patrick Leahy of Vermont and Representative John Lewis of Georgia, also introduced a bill in Congress at the end of June that would require states (mostly in the South) to get federal approval for any changes in any statewide voting laws or procedures. This battle is especially important for a presidential election year, when voter turnout is significantly higher than in midterm elections. Much of the difference in the turnout is made up of prime Democratic constituencies—the young and minorities—which explains why Democrats are so set on increasing turnout and Republicans would prefer to restrict it.
National: Redistricting Reformers Are Having a Good Summer | Morning Consult
Opponents of partisan gerrymandering have scored a series of legal victories in recent weeks as courts rule in favor of reforms aimed at making congressional elections more competitive. On Thursday, the Florida Supreme Court ruled that the Republican-led legislature violated the state constitution when it drew congressional district lines that intentionally favored one party. That decision came after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled last month that an independent redistricting commission in Arizona did not violate the U.S. Constitution. Also in June, a three-member panel of federal judges ordered Virginia's General Assembly to redraw some congressional district lines after finding legislators packed too many African-American voters into Rep. Bobby Scott's (D) district.
Arizona: Secretary of State dumps election vendor after repeated slowness | Arizona Republic
ArizonaBy admin July 13, 2015
The secretary of state has dumped the vendor responsible for publishing Arizona's election results online after persistent problems on Election Day in 2012 and 2014. The state's election website was slow, difficult to load and produced error messages during the 2012 primary and general elections. In 2014, former Secretary of State Ken Bennett and the election vendor SOE Software promised improvements, but the problems persisted with outages and errors that frustrated voters and candidates. Matt Roberts, spokesman for the secretary of state, said the contract was not renewed in March, because of SOE Software's poor election-night performances, "communication issues," and the system's limited customization features.
Florida: Court: Florida must redraw congressional map | Politico
FloridaBy admin July 13, 2015
The Florida Supreme Court ruled Thursday that eight of the state's 27 congressional maps must be redrawn by the GOP-led state legislature, a decision that will impact a number of nationally watched House seats in the 2016 election cycle. The 5-2 decision says lawmakers only need to redraw the eight impacted seats, half of which are in South Florida — but because that will impact neighboring districts, the changes will send ripple effects across the state.
Florida: Will GOP-led Legislature appeal gerrymandering case? | SaintPetersBlog
Twenty-four hours after the Florida Supreme Court's major decision calling for eight of the state's 27 congressional districts to be redrawn, it's unknown what the leaders of the Florida Legislature will do in response. The court gave them 100 days to respond to their call to redraw those eight districts, which would ultimately affect the district lines of all 27 districts. Jacksonville area Democratic U.S. Rep. Corrine Brown may pursue legal action because her uniquely drawn District 5 is one of those districts that the court says must be redrawn.
Massachusetts: $125,000 for an election to decide nothing? | Itemlive
th a $125,000 price tag and zero impact on local election candidates' fortunes, the city's Sept. 1 preliminary election is poised to be cancelled. City Council President Daniel Cahill confirmed councilors will be asked Tuesday night to vote on scheduling a July 21 public hearing allowing residents to discuss scrapping the preliminary. If councilors and state legislators vote to cancel the preliminary, the names of every candidate who submitted nomination papers to run for city office will be listed on the Nov. 3 final election ballot. "No one is going to be knocked off the ballot. No one is going to be disenfranchised," said City Clerk Mary Audley.
North Carolina: Effects of changes on minorities at crux of North Carolina voting trial | Associated Press
Changes to North Carolina's voting access rules finally go to trial this week, with a judge ultimately determining whether Republican legislators illegally diminished the opportunity for minorities to participate in the political process. The U.S. Justice Department, voting and civil rights groups and individuals sued soon after the General Assembly approved an elections overhaul law in summer 2013. After interim arguments reached the U.S. Supreme Court last fall, the trial begins Monday and expected to last two to three weeks addresses the crux of the allegations. Provisions being argued in a Winston-Salem federal courtroom reduced the number of days of early voting from 17 to 10, eliminated same-day registration during the early-vote period and prohibited the counting of Election Day ballots cast in the wrong precinct.
North Carolina: Voting Rights Legacy of the '60s Heads to Court as North Carolina Law Is Tested | The New York Times
Days after South Carolina confronted its past and lowered the Confederate battle flag, North Carolina will grapple with its present-day rules that determine access to the voting booth. A federal trial opening in Winston-Salem on Monday is meant to determine whether recent, sweeping changes in the state's election laws discriminate against black voters. These changes were adopted by the Republican-dominated state legislature in 2013, immediately after the United States Supreme Court struck down the heart of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 when it ended a requirement that nine states with histories of discrimination, including North Carolina, get federal approval before altering their election laws. But the case, as well as one involving a Texas law requiring voters to show a photo ID, could have far wider repercussions, legal experts say — helping to define the scope of voting rights protections across the country in the coming presidential election and beyond.
North Carolina: What's At Stake In The Trial Over North Carolina Voting Restrictions | Huffington Post
When Army Spc. Timothy Patillo, 26, returned to Fort Bragg after an overseas deployment a month before the 2014 elections, he went to a North Carolina department of motor vehicles office to ask how to obtain a driver's license and register to vote. He was given a list of documents he would need to provide, but wasn't told of the approaching voter registration deadline. He returned to the DMV soon after that with his identification documents and signed up to vote. Days later, a notice came in the mail telling him he'd missed the voter registration deadline. Patillo would have been able to vote if, as in previous elections, North Carolina allowed same-day registration. But because the Republican-controlled legislature voted to eliminate same-day registration in 2013, Patillo was disenfranchised.
Ohio: GOP payouts in ballot fight nearly $600,000 | The Columbus Dispatch
OhioBy admin July 13, 2015
A recent court filing showed the Ohio Republican Party's legal bills in the challenge to 2014 Libertarian gubernatorial candidate Charlie Earl are almost $600,000 — nearly double the amount previously disclosed. The additional spending was documented as part of the Libertarian party's lawsuit against Secretary of State Jon Husted. It challenges Husted's decision to disqualify Earl.
Burundi: Presidential election postponed as violence escalates | The Guardian
BurundiBy admin July 13, 2015
Burundi's presidential election has been postponed until 21 July, a presidential spokesman said on Saturday. The announcement came after African leaders urged a delay to try to stem escalating violence in a nation that emerged from civil war only a decade ago. Soldiers and unidentified gunmen clashed on Friday in Kayanza province, near the border with Rwanda. The governor of Kayanza, Canesius Ndayimanisha, said the gunmen had crossed from Rwanda, a charge denied by Kigali but which will fan fears of a wider conflict. Burundi's army and the government in Bujumbura had no comment on the latest clashes, in which the governor said two soldiers and two gunmen had been hurt. "The situation is now under control," Ndayimanisha said.
Myanmar: Suu Kyi Says Her Party Will Run in Elections | Wall Street Journal
MyanmarBy admin July 13, 2015
Myanmar democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi said Saturday that her National League for Democracy party will participate in the country's general elections in November. The opposition party's participation reaffirms that the vote, scheduled to take place Nov. 8, would be the most inclusive in decades, and legitimizes the Myanmar government's effort to ensure a free and fair election. Speaking to reporters at a news conference in Myanmar's capital of Naypyitaw, Ms. Suu Kyi said her party would run candidates for seats in most of the available constituencies. The NLD, a party that rose to prominence in pro-democracy uprisings against the former military junta, won by a landslide in elections in 1990, but was forbidden from forming a government. Party members were thrown into prison, and Ms. Suu Kyi was put under house arrest.
United Kingdom: For those seeking to boost voter turnout, Scotland is a false friend | The Conversation
United KingdomBy admin July 13, 2015
A huge and well known problem for democracy across the developed world is that voter turnout has been falling in elections for a number of years. It is particularly noticeable in towns and cities, which reflects the fact the problem is worst with the less well-off sections of the electorate. The UK is no exception – but last September's Scottish referendum made the world sit up and take notice. The referendum strongly bucked the downward trend, producing an 84.6% turnout, well above the 66% of voters who voted in the previous two UK elections. It was heralded as a great example of democratic engagement, with strong impetus at grassroots level that saw activists on almost every street corner and lively debates in church halls and community centres the length of the country. According to former Scottish Nationalist deputy leader Jim Sillars, it was "a unique civic exercise in self-political education on a massive scale".

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
package org.semispace.comet.client;

import org.cometd.bayeux.Message;
import org.cometd.bayeux.client.ClientSessionChannel;
import org.cometd.client.BayeuxClient;
import org.semispace.SemiEventListener;
import org.semispace.SemiEventRegistration;
import org.semispace.comet.common.CometConstants;
import org.slf4j.Logger;
import org.slf4j.LoggerFactory;

import java.util.Map;
import java.util.concurrent.CountDownLatch;
import java.util.concurrent.TimeUnit;

/**
 * Notification methods
 */
public class NotificationClient {
    private static final Logger log = LoggerFactory.getLogger(NotificationClient.class);

    private NotificationRegistrationListener notificationListener;
    private final int callId;
    private SemiEventListener listener;

    public NotificationClient(int callId, SemiEventListener listener) {
        this.callId = callId;
        this.listener = listener;
    }

    private void attach(BayeuxClient client) {
        notificationListener = new NotificationRegistrationListener(callId, client, listener );
        client.getChannel(CometConstants.NOTIFICATION_REPLY_CHANNEL+"/"+callId+"/all").subscribe(notificationListener);
    }

    private void detach(BayeuxClient client) {
        client.getChannel(CometConstants.NOTIFICATION_REPLY_CHANNEL+"/"+callId+"/all").unsubscribe(notificationListener);

        notificationListener = null;
    }

    public SemiEventRegistration doNotify(BayeuxClient client, Map<String, Object> map) {
        attach(client);

        try {
            client.getChannel(CometConstants.NOTIFICATION_CALL_CHANNEL+"/"+callId+"/"+ CometConstants.EVENT_ALL).publish( map);
            log.debug("Awaiting..."+CometConstants.NOTIFICATION_REPLY_CHANNEL+"/"+callId+"/all map is: "+map);
            boolean finishedOk = notificationListener.getLatch().await(5, TimeUnit.SECONDS);
            log.trace("... unlatched");
            if ( !finishedOk) {
                log.warn("Did not receive callback on notify. That is not to savory. Problem with connection? Returning null for lease");
                return null;
            }
            return notificationListener.data;

        } catch (InterruptedException e) {
            log.warn("Got InterruptedException - returning null. Masked: "+e);
            return null;
        } catch (Throwable t ) {
            log.error("Got an unexpected exception treating message.", t);
            throw new RuntimeException("Unexpected exception", t);
        } finally {
            detach(client);
        }
    }

    private static class NotificationRegistrationListener implements ClientSessionChannel.MessageListener {
        private final CountDownLatch latch;
        private final int callId;
        private SemiEventRegistration data;
        private BayeuxClient client;
        private SemiEventListener listener;

        public CountDownLatch getLatch() {
            return latch;
        }

        private NotificationRegistrationListener(int callId, BayeuxClient client, SemiEventListener listener) {
            this.latch = new CountDownLatch(1);
            this.callId = callId;
            this.client = client;
            this.listener = listener;
        }

        private void deliverInternal( ClientSessionChannel to, Message message) {
            if ((CometConstants.NOTIFICATION_REPLY_CHANNEL+"/"+callId+"/"+CometConstants.EVENT_ALL).equals(message.getChannel())) {
                log.trace("Notify - Ch: "+message.getChannel()+" message.clientId: "+message.getClientId()+" id: "+message.getId()+" data: "+message.getData());
                Map map = (Map) message.getData();
                if ( map != null ) {
                    // Timeout value is a roundtrip parameter
                    String timeOutInMs = (String) map.get("duration");
                    NotificationMitigator mitigator = new NotificationMitigator(client, callId, listener, Long.valueOf(timeOutInMs));
                    SemiEventRegistration registration = new SemiEventRegistration(Long.valueOf((String) map.get("leaseId")).longValue(), mitigator );
                    mitigator.attach();
                    data = registration;
                }
                latch.countDown();
            } else {
                log.warn("Unexpected channel "+message.getChannel());
            }
        }
        public SemiEventRegistration getData() {
            return data;
        }

        @Override
        public void onMessage(ClientSessionChannel channel, Message message) {
            try {
                deliverInternal(channel, message);
            } catch (Throwable t ) {
                log.error("Got an unexpected exception treating message.", t);
                throw new RuntimeException("Unexpected exception", t);
            }
        }
    }

}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


On the Theory of Probabilities, and in particular on Mitchell's Problem of the Distribution of the Fixed Stars.
London: Taylor, 1851. First edition.
A fine copy, in original wrappers, of Boole's first paper probability. The ideas he put forth in this work were later developed and included in his famous Laws of Thought (1854).
"This seems to have been the first mention, by any author, of the close connection, both in essence and in form, between logic and probability and indeed of the dependence of the theory of probability on an underlying mathematical theory of logic" (MacHale, George Boole).
In this paper, Boole applies his theory of probabilities to the specific problem of the distribution of fixed stars. This problem had been "creating considerable discussion among mathematicians and astronomers. Professor Boole felt much interest in it, both because of its intrinsic importance, and because of its close connection with a class of speculations in the pursuit of which he had long been engaged" (Robert Vaughan and Henry Allon, The British Quarterly Review, vol 44).
Boole's paper is at once the beginning of the thought process that would develop into his seminal later work, as well as an answer to John Mitchell's fixed star problem and to James Forbes' own paper on the same subject.
In: The London, Edinburgh and Dublin Philosophical Magazine, Suppl. to vol. 1, no. 7, 4th series, pp. 521-530. 8vo (225 x 145 mm), the complete issue offered here in original blue printed wrappers, upper left corner of rear wrapper torn away, otherwise fine, uncut and unopened.


text:
Which is a digital multiplexing technique?
Multiplexing is the process of combining multiple signals into one signal, over a shared medium. These signals, if analog in nature, the process is called as analog multiplexing. If digital signals are multiplexed, it is called as digital multiplexing.
What are the different multiplexing techniques?
There are three types of Multiplexing : Frequency Division Multiplexing (FDM) Time-Division Multiplexing (TDM) Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM)
What are the three major multiplexing techniques?
A de-multiplexer (DeMux)is a component that sepearate a single data stream into multiple signals. In this lesson, we will introduce three basic types of multiplexing techniques: spatial multiplexing, frequency division multiplexing (FDM), and time division multiplexing (TDM).
What is multiplexing explain in detail?
Multiplexing is the technology that is able to combine multiple communication signals together in order for them to traverse an otherwise single signal communication medium simultaneously. Multiplexing can be applied to both analog and digital signals.
What is mux and demux and their use?
A multiplexer (Mux) is a combinational circuit that uses several data inputs to generate a single output. A demultiplexer (Demux) is also a combinational circuit that uses single input that can be directed throughout several outputs.
What are three major multiplexing techniques What are two types of TDM?
There are mainly two types of multiplexers, namely analog and digital. They are further divided into Frequency Division Multiplexing (FDM), Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM), and Time Division Multiplexing (TDM).
Why is digital communication used?
Digital communication provides a seamless experience to customers and stakeholders – By eliminating the need for time-consuming face to face interactions, digital communication in various forms such as AI, chatbots and automation, makes it easier for customers to reach out to organizations at a time that is convenient …
Which multiplexing technique is used in GSM?
for Mobile communications (GSM) uses the TDMA technique. time. In most cases the available bandwidth is divided into fewer channels compared to FDMA.
What are the two basic multiplexing techniques?
What is the function of multiplexing?
The multiplexing divides the capacity of the communication channel into several logical channels, one for each message signal or data stream to be transferred. A reverse process, known as demultiplexing, extracts the original channels on the receiver end.
What are the goals of multiplexing?
The purpose of multiplexing is to enable signals to be transmitted more efficiently over a given communication channel, thereby decreasing transmission costs. A device called a multiplexer (often shortened to "mux") combines the input signals into one signal.


text:
Posts Tagged 'Super Bowl'
Random Friday Thoughts — November 3, 2017
Posted by Anthony Peoples in Uncategorized.	Tagged: American Horror Story, American Horror Story: Cult, Anthony Rapp, Armie Hammer, Brett Ratner, Call Me By Your Name, Donald Trump, Dustin Hoffman, Freddie Highmore, George H.W. Bush, Halloween, Hershey's, Hershey's Gold, Hillary Clinton, Hollywood, House of Cards, Janet Jackson, Justin Timberlake, Kevin Spacey, Madam Secretary, Magazine 60, Nipplegate, Rent, sexual allegations, sexual misconduct, Star Trek Discovery, Super Bowl, Ten Days in the Valley, Thanksgiving, The Brave, The Good Doctor, The Walking Dead, Timothee Chalamet.	2 comments
I hope you all had a fun and safe Halloween.
I want to share this hilarious card my friend, Jennifer, sent me before we jump into this week's "Random Friday Thoughts".
KEVIN SPACEY IS GAY, BUT…
This part of the blog has been re-worked many times since Monday.
In a regular blog week, I'd be happy to report that two-time Oscar Award winner Kevin Spacey comes out and is choosing "to live as a gay man". But, it's the circumstances surrounding that Twitter "coming out" that's disturbing.
46-year-old gay actor Anthony Rapp, a star of Broadway's "Rent" and the CBS All Access' series, "Star Trek Discovery", alleges that back in 1986, then 26-year-old Spacey invited him to a party at his Manhattan apartment, when Rapp was only 14!
Rapp tells "Buzzfeed" Spacey tried to seduce him and that "I was aware that he was trying to get with me sexually."
It was then that Rapp says that Spacey "sort of stood in the doorway, kind of swaying. My impression when he came in the room was that he was drunk … He picked me up like a groom picks up the bride over the threshold. But I don't, like, squirm away initially, because I'm like, 'What's going on?' And then he lays down on top of me."
Rapp told the LGBT magazine, "The Advocate", this same story back in 2001, but he didn't mention Spacey's name.
Now, several others have come out with allegations against Spacey.
MY THOUGHTS ON SPACEY & THE REVELATIONS
When the story broke, Spacey tweeted, "I'm beyond horrified to hear his story. I honestly do not remember the encounter, it would have been over 30 years ago. But if I did behave as he describes, I owe him the sincerest apology for what would have been deeply inappropriate drunken behavior, and I am sorry for the feelings he describes having carried with him all these years."
I really like Spacey as an actor and I love "House of Cards". However, if what Rapp says is true and why wouldn't it be, it's not good. But, I have questions about this.
Was Spacey aware that Rapp was only 14?
And, I'm still baffled, whether 1986 or now, why a 14-year-old would be allowed to be out that late at an adult party — in New York City — without a parent or guardian???
After the sexual misconduct allegations against Spacey, Netflix announced that the 53-time Emmy Award-nominated series (seven wins) will end after the sixth season.
That season was set to air in 2018, but production has been suspended indefinitely!
Update: On Friday, a statement was released from Netflix: "Netflix will not be involved with any further production of House of Cards that includes Kevin Spacey. We will continue to work with MRC [Media Rights Capital, the company that produces the show] during this hiatus time to evaluate our path forward as it relates to the show."
Even before these developments, if you're caught up on the show, you know that it was likely nearing its end after the season five finale.
HOLLYWOOD!
Since the Harvey Weinstein rape and sexual misconduct scandal broke and the Spacey allegations, accusations of inappropriate behavior are coming out against director Brett Ratner and actors Dustin Hoffman and Jeremy Piven.
And, women are even coming forward with allegations against former President George H.W. Bush!
"NIPPLEGATE" — 14 YEARS LATER
I was one of the 90 million people watching the Super Bowl halftime performance in 2004 when a "wardrobe malfunction" flashed Janet Jackson's boob and pierced nipple to the world.
My first reaction was "did I just see what I think I saw?". However, then and now, I'm still baffled about what's so taboo about a woman's boobie?
So, now we're talking about it again because it was announced that Justin Timberlake, who's had an amazing career before and after that incident, will be playing Super Bowl LII (52) in February.
Yet, Jackson is still treated like a pariah. It's white privilege and that's what people are saying with #JusticeForJanet.
For Christ's sake, bring her back for a performance if only to rip off Timberlake's shirt to reveal his nipple and chest!
JANET'S "STATE OF THE WORLD TOUR"
I saw Janet on the "Unbreakable Tour" in Omaha, Nebraska, in October 2015.
After taking time off for health reasons, to become a mother, and separating from her overbearing Middle Eastern husband, Janet is back on the road again with the re-branded "State of The World Tour".
When I saw her, she was phenomenal and very covered up. Only her face and hands were visible. Her new tour costumes are sexier and more revealing!
Here's a video of the incredible song "It" from the show I saw.
HILLARY CLINTON "THAT MAN"
You may have noticed that Hillary Clinton was everywhere over the past month or so promoting her book, "What Happened?", about the 2016 presidential election.
In an interview with "The Sunday Times", she said, "I thought I'd be a damn good president, I did not think I was going to lose."
Clinton went on to say, "I feel a terrible sense of responsibility for not having figured out how to defeat this person. There must have been a way and I didn't find it."
So now, I don't have to refer to him as #45 all the time. I now have "this person"!
(*Disclaimer: This part of the blog was already written before the Kevin Spacey story broke earlier in the week. The upcoming movie, "Call Me By Your Name", takes place in Italy where the legal age of consent in 16. The characters in the movie are 24 and 17.*)
After "Beauty and the Beast", the movie I was impatiently waiting to see was "The Snowman". Sadly, the horrid reviews scared me away and I'm now waiting for it on DVD.
My anticipation is building for "Call Me By Your Name".
When the movie opens November 24th, I doubt that it'll play in Panama City, Florida, but I might be surprised. If that's the case, I'm not too worried because I'll catch it when I visit Las Vegas in December.
As the praise and Oscar buzz for the movie grows, I'm getting rather ticked about the silly blogs and articles slamming it for not showing full frontal nudity!
Trust me, I understand it. If Armie Hammer and Timothee Chalamet were showing "the full monty", I'd love it, too.
But, as sensual as the movie is expected to be, if that's what you really want to see, just Google "male nudity" or check out redtube for porn! It's free!
ON A LIGHTER, HUMOROUS MUSICAL NOTE
Proof that some people have way too much time on their hand or are way too creative, someone took the dance scene from "Call Me By Your Name" and set it too many different songs and IT WORKS. It's hilarious.
Here's the original from the movie with the Psychedelic Furs.
Here are a couple of favorites — "Til' The World Ends" by Britney Spears and "What Makes You Beautiful" by One Direction. Too cute!
NEW HERSHEY BAR
Hershey's is debuting a new candy bar December 1st and it sounds amazing!
It's a caramelized creme bar with bits of salty peanuts and pretzel bits.
This is only the fourth candy bar in the company's history. The original debuted in 1900, followed by a special dark variety in 1939, and the Hershey's Cookies 'n Creme bar in 1995.
MID-FALL TELEVISION THOUGHTS
"THE WALKING DEAD"— Negan is still alive and after a decent return in the eighth season opener, the second episode of mainly gunfight was so boring. If this continues, I'm seriously done!
Eric was shot, but I'm not too concerned. I'm shipping Jesaaron (Jesus and Aaron), so Eric needs to go. 🙂
"MADAM SECRETARY" — Loved Elizabeth calling out the Fox News-like network and "fake news" and how it's hurting America. And, I was totally shocked and saddened by the departure of a beloved character. (The actress asked CBS to be released from her contract.)
"THE GOOD DOCTOR" — Still loving this hit Freddie Highmore series on ABC.
"THE BRAVE" — Still enjoying this thriller, yet it seems like every time they go up against terrorists, they always win without causalities.
That's a good thing because this show has the most beautiful cast!
"TEN DAYS IN THE VALLEY" — After four episodes, it's been pulled from the schedule due to low ratings. It'll return on Saturday nights in December to burn off the remaining six episodes. I still want to see how it ends.
"AMERICAN HORROR STORY: CULT" — This crazy, enjoyable season wraps up November 14th. Sadly, I know how the real life events this installment is based on is going. I want to know how insane it'll get over the next two weeks!
FLASHBACK TO THE '80S
Does anyone remember "Don Quichotte" by the French trio Magazine 60?
While the song reached the Top Ten in France and it was played in American dance clubs, it only reached the Top 60 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1986.
FINAL HALLOWEEN THOUGHT
Random Friday Thoughts — February 10, 2017
Posted by Anthony Peoples in Uncategorized.	Tagged: Back to God, Barbara Walters, Bill Clinton, Born This Way, champagne, Christian music, Donald Trump, Edward Snowden, equality, fat shaming, George W. Bush, God, God Bless America, Going Rogue, gospel music, halftime show, Hillary Clinton, Iran, Jimmy Carter, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Karen Carpenter, Lady Gaga, LeAnn Rimes, LGBT, Liz Smith, NSA, Randy Houser, Reba, Ronald Reagan, Rosalynn Carter, Sarah Palin, Shailene Woodley, Snowden, Super Bowl, Woody Guthrie.	2 comments
Happy Friday and Happy Weekend! I hope you have a great one whatever you do.
The highlights for me will be watching the season four finale of "House of Cards", this week's "How To Get Away With Murder" and "Madam Secretary", and the return of "The Walking Dead"! And, I hope to work in seeing "La La Land"!
Thank you for checking out my thoughts. As always, if you disagree with me, do it diplomatically and be concise. 🙂
LADY GAGA SUPER BOWL HALFTIME SHOW
Lady Gaga is an amazing performer. I've seen her in concert three times and I'd go see her again another three times.
I guess I can count her "Super Bowl LI" halftime show as my fourth Gaga show. Like tens of millions across the world, I was blown away!
While Gaga is earning rave reviews for her energy, her vocals, her performance, and her costumes, you know there are going to be haters.
Some say she wasn't "political" enough. Yes, she could have been more blatant about it. However, if you stop and think about it, she did two things that were political and brave.
She opened with "God Bless America" and then segued into "This Land Is Your Land", which Woody Guthrie wrote in 1940 as a contradiction to Kate Smith's late-1930s patriotic "America" song, which he thought was unrealistic.
Some versions of "This Land" also include Guthrie's original lyrics:
Gaga, in front of the football crowd and the millions watching — even in red states — brazenly sang of equality for all during "Born This Way".
She didn't hold back with the lyrics "don't be a drag, just be a queen", she sang about being "gay, straight, or bi, lesbian, transgender", and that no matter what your race, you were born this way and born to be brave!
That's a first for the Super Bowl halftime spectacle! Take that!
It's estimated that 113.7 million people watched "Super Bowl LI", but the audience spiked during Lady Gaga's halftime show, which generated a 50.0 rating, which means that one out of every two televisions on at the time were tuned into the game!
MORE ON GAGA
After the performance, some (the insecure) took to social media and started fat-shaming her. Seriously?
This isn't the first time people took aim at Gaga over her weight, which is even sadder considering she's recovering from an eating disorder.
That was about four years ago. I wrote about it at the time and even talked about my own battle, Karen Carpenter's, and others.
Here's the link (it'll open in a new window):
https://anthonypeoples.wordpress.com/2012/09/26/you-need-to-shut-your-fat-mouth/
Edward Snowden is a hero to some and a traitor to others. After exposing the American government for spying on the lives of Americans (and people across the entire world), he's now exiled in Russia.
Director Oliver Stone's movie about Snowden, with the always charming Joseph Gordon-Levitt as the whistle blower, came and went in 2016.
Watching the trailer, it was Gordon-Levitt's voice that was hard for me to grasp. However, it was less distracting in the 2-hour-plus movie. But, once I heard the actor's voice and the real Snowden's voice, I'm more baffled than ever about the voice portrayal.
While Gordon-Levitt is compelling as Snowden, the real stars of the movie are Shailene Woodley as his girlfriend Lindsay Mills and the computer special effects and the music score.
It's frightening to know just how much information governments collect on citizens every time we're online or use our cell phone.
Even before Snowden, this movie, or Russian or Chinese computer hackers, it doesn't take a conspiracy theorist to know that the most private of our correspondences are not private at all.
Overall, the movie was too long and it seemed like a dramatization of a Wikipedia page on Edward Snowden and the National Security Agency.
But, if you really didn't get bogged down in the real-life Snowden that played out in the news, it's worth your time.
While we're political opposites, I'd still love to have dinner with former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin and her husband, Todd. (Now, this dinner would have to take place at a restaurant — not Chick-fil-A or Cracker Barrel — because I wouldn't want to feast on moose or reindeer, although Alaskan salmon would be great!)
Recently, I finally got around to reading her 2009 book, "Going Rogue" and watching the movie "Game Change" about the 2008 presidential election with Emmy and Golden Globe Award winner Julianne Moore as Palin.
I enjoyed learning more about Palin and the events that shaped her life and her views. I admire her love and commitment to her family.
With that being said, at that dinner with Palin, I'd ask her about a reoccurring theme in the book for clarification.
Early on (page 45), Palin writes that she has "respect for equality" and later on (page 395), she says she's "tired of divisions". She also says, "too many of us have felt ignored and become disillusioned."
I find these comments ironic because she is/comes across as very divisive. Also, when she talks about respecting equality, who is that for? Clearly, it's not for the LGBT community.
Trust me, when she talks about feeling ignored, I'd have to ask her again how can she say that without thinking about the LGBT community with discrimination laws and the fight for marriage equality. Her version of equality and my version are different. Mine includes ALL AMERICANS!
This brings me to another point that Palin makes. She says it doesn't matter where you grew up, who you are, your gender, race, or religion "if you love this country and will defend our Constitution, then you're an American".
It's clear from the book that she loved Ronald Reagan as much as I love Jimmy Carter, who she detests.
My final dinner discussion point would be that Palin stressed that our 52 American diplomats and citizens held hostage for 444 days in Iran (November 1979-January 1981) were released minutes after President Reagan was inaugurated.
She writes, "The enemies of freedom took notice".
Future enemies might have taken notice, but what Palin failed to clarify is that those 52 hostages were ALREADY on that plane to freedom while Jimmy Carter was still president. The plane was held on the tarmac until Reagan was officially sworn in as one last swipe at Carter's presidency.
Long before #45's administration coined the phrase "alternative facts", Palin is/was on board with them, too.
DINNER PARTY WITH….
If you could have dinner with anyone, who would it be?
Of course, I'd love to dine with Hillary Clinton and President Bill Clinton and President Jimmy Carter and Rosalynn Carter.
But, after reading legendary gossip columnist Liz Smith's 2005 book, "Dishing: Great Dish – And Dishes – From America's Most Beloved Gossip Columnist", I now desperately want to attend a dinner party hosted by Barbara Walters at her Fifth Avenue apartment!
Smith says, "Whether or not she has the position of society's grand dame, Barbara certainly knows how to host New York's most interesting dinner parties."
Smith adds that Walters doesn't hesitate to have her guest mingle outside of their "circles", sing songs, make speeches, give a toast, or write poems. It sounds incredible!
Walters starts her lavish parties with "excellent caviar, toast, the works." She calls that the easy part.
This is followed by "The Children's Menu" — "small delicious hamburgers, tiny baby hot dogs on delicate buns… a miniature ramekin of macaroni and cheese, french fried potatoes, incredible little dishes of coleslaw, and large servings after of ice cream and sauces. All of this served with incredible wines followed by coffee and big glasses of what most host and hostess forget — ice water."
The entertaining book also shares interesting recipes, including the fun Elvis-inspired "fluffernutter".
Smith also tells funny stories about the secret food lives of Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, "mountain oysters", and she shares this great quote from Larry Gelbart, the creator of "M*A*S*H", "Champagne is only ginger ale that knows somebody!"
"BACK TO GOD" CONTROVERSY
Country music icon and one of my idols, Reba McEntire, just released her first Christian/Gospel album, "Sing It Now: Songs of Faith & Hope".
It's expected to debut at #1 on the Country and Christian album charts and in the Top Ten on the "Billboard 200", which charts all genres of music.
Her new single, "Back To God", has already topped the Christian sales chart, but the song is getting more press with some outlets claiming that it's pro-Donald Trump.
If you know anything about Reba, regardless of her political affiliation, she does not preach about it. Yes, she's friends with former President George H.W. Bush and his wife Barbara Bush and she's donated money to both Democrats and Republicans.
But, "Back To God", is not singing the praises of #45. The song was originally on Randy Houser's debut album in 2008, so it was released during George W. Bush's presidency!
The bottom line is that the song talks about how society seems broken. Regardless of your party affiliation, you have to admit that we, as Americans and the human race, are in a bad place now and the lack of respect for our fellow man only adds to the sad state of affairs.
So, sing it Reba and preach on!
I'll have my review on the new Reba album soon. Also, I highly recommend, "Remnants" by LeAnn Rimes. It's spectacular and I'll have my full thoughts on that one, too.
Posted by Anthony Peoples in Uncategorized.	Tagged: Academy Awards, alternative facts, Beau Willimon, Beyonce, Bill Clinton, Blake Lively, Britian's Got Talent, Calum Scott, Captain Fantastic, climate change, country music, Donald Trump, Florence Foster Jenkins, gospel music, Hillary Clinton, Hollywood, hope, House of Cards, Jaws, Jimmy Carter, Kellyanne Conway, Kevin Spacey, Lady Gaga, LGBT, lies, Meryl Streep, Oscars, Reba, Reba McEntire, resist, Robin Wright, Robyn, Ryan Reynolds, Savages, sharks, Super Bowl, The Age of Adaline, The Shallows, Viggo Mortensen, White House.	2 comments
It's Friday again and the weekend is almost here.
I appreciate you checking out my Random Friday Thoughts. As always, if we disagree and you want to tell me so, do it diplomatically and concisely.
LGBT RIGHTS & CLIMATE CHANGE, GONE!
Moments after #44 became history and America moved on to #45, searching the White House website yielded no results for "LGBT" and "Climate Change".
In my heart I know what this means and anyone with a functioning brain knows, as well.
At the time of this tweet, I laughed to myself as a man, an American, and one of those people he thanked!
I think now just as I thought then, it's just another joke and a bad one played on me and my fellow Americans.
THE COUNTDOWN IS ON…
If you've never watched the U.S. version of the political drama, "House of Cards", you're missing one of the most intelligent television shows ever!
Robin Wright and Kevin Spacey are incredible in the lead roles. Their characters' determination, iciness, and conviction to get what they want in the political arena is mesmerizing.
The show gives us the backstory of what really goes on in Washington. Things are not cut and dry. While it's a television show, you know that Beau Willimon, the man behind the American version, is serving you a slice of reality.
He also tweeted that slice of reality last Friday morning!
We're now at 1,454 days now!
ONE LAST COMMENT
Facts: "a thing that is indisputably the case."
Synonyms of "facts": reality, actuality, certainty
So, Kellyanne Conway, "Alternative facts" are LIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
REBA HEADS INTO A NEW DIRECTION
Country music icon Reba McEntire is heading into a new musical direction with her latest release on February 3rd.
The deluxe version "Sing It Now: Songs of Faith & Hope" will feature 22 gospel hymns.
Ever since "Sky Full of Angels" from 2003's "Room To Breathe" album, I was hoping that Reba would record a gospel album. And, since country radio airplay for her last album, 2015's "Love Somebody" was pretty much non-existent, this is the perfect time for a change of genres.
The first single is "Back to God".
Reba, how about a dance-oriented album next since you hit #2 on the Billboard Dance Club Play chart in 1996 with "You Keep Me Hangin' On"?
In September, when visiting the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library And Museum in Atlanta, Georgia, I left this message.
I'd love to visit the William J. Clinton Presidential Library and Museum in Little Rock, Arkansas and leave a similar message!
I hope I have those feelings again for a future president!
HAVEN'T TALKED GAGA IN FOREVER
If you regularly read my blog, you know I love Lady Gaga. I've see her in concert several times and her shows are amazing!
However, I wasn't fond of the musical direction she took on "Joanne", her latest album, and it's the first Gaga album I didn't buy. 😦 (I wasn't alone. Sales and radio airplay have paled in comparison with her previous releases!)
She'll be playing the Super Bowl halftime show next weekend. While I'm not a football fan, I'll be watching her performance.
Sources close to Gaga told "Entertainment Tonight" last week that Gaga was informed that she couldn't mention the 2016 presidential election or the current president.
The NFL says otherwise, "This is unsourced nonsense from people trying to stir up controversy where there is none. The Super Bowl is a time when people really come together. Lady Gaga is focused on putting together an amazing show for fans and we love working with her on it; we aren't going to be distracted by this."
Ironically, that nameless "source" is quoting another "unsourced" person. Seriously, grow a pair, face up, and speak up or shut up.
Unless Gaga has gone soft, you know she'll say and do whatever she wants.
Did Beyonce make a statement last year with "Formation"? You're damn right, she did.
Did her career suffer? One word: "Lemonade"!
This comedy, based on a true story, was my #3 favorite movie of 2016.
It's about a wealthy woman, Florence Foster Jenkins, who was determined to become a successful singer although she was horrible.
Meryl Streep, who some idiot called "overrated", was amazing as Jenkins.
On Tuesday, she earned her 20th Oscar nomination in the "Best Actress" category.
Also, on Tuesday, I was ecstatic Viggo Mortensen was nominated in the "Best Actor" category for my #2 movie of 2016.
Here's what I had to say about the movie in December.
"I highly recommend "Captain Fantastic", which just hit DVD.
This little-seen movie in theaters is about a family living in the forests of the Pacific Northwest away from the trappings of modern life.
Viggo Mortensen plays Ben Cash, the father of six children, who has to decide how to keep his family together after the death of his wife.
It's a shame that this movie only made $9 million in theaters. It's incredible and now you have a chance to see it at home.
Spoiler Alert: Seeing Mortensen's penis should NOT be reason enough for a warning at the beginning of the movie with "Brief Graphic Nudity". As his character says, "it's just a penis!"
Wouldn't "Brief Nudity" suffice?
By the way, on Thursday, Mortensen was nominated for a "Critics' Choice Award" for "Best Actor in a Comedy". While I'm happy for the nomination, I have to ask, "comedy"??? There are funny scenes in the movie, but this leans more toward a drama to me.
Another great performance in the movie was from George McKay, who played Mortensen's son, Bodevan.
PICK HIT
Calum Scott is best known for appearing on "Britian's Got Talent" in 2015.
One of the songs he performed on the reality series was "Dancing On My Own", a remake of Robyn's 2010 hit.
Scott's version has already topped the chart in Scotland and reached #2 in Australia and the U.K.
It's recently just debuted on the American's Top 40 radio airplay charts.
Scott's debut album is expected this year.
ORIGINAL VERSION BY ROBYN
Swedish singer Robyn dominate the worldwide charts with this incredible song in 2010.
In America, it was a bigger hit on the Dance Club songs chart.
It reached #3 on both the U.S. and the U.K. dance charts. But, it hit #1 in Sweden and #2 in Denmark.
It's winter now, so you don't have to worry about going into the water and thinking about sharks.
The last two Blake Lively (the beautiful wife of the gorgeous Ryan Reynolds) movies I saw were also on my favorites' list in the respective years.
She was great in "Savages" (my #7 movie of 2013) and she was incredible in "The Age of Adaline" (my #7 movie of 2015).
I see a trend there. Will "The Shallows" be my #7 movie of 2017? Probably not.
However, it was a very enjoyable and realistic movie.
I got a little scared 72 minutes into the 87-minute movie because the plausibility took a little hit. You realized that while what happened could take place, the stars would really have to align perfectly. But, hey, it's Hollywood. Just go with it.
"Jaws" this isn't, but it's worth an hour-and-a-half of your time.
Random Friday Thoughts –February 19, 2016
Posted by Anthony Peoples in Uncategorized.	Tagged: Academy Awards, American Crime Story, Andrew Lincoln, Antonin Scalia, B.B. King, Beyonce, Black Lives Matter, Cate Blanchett, CBS, Chicago, compassion, com[, Dan Rather, David Bowie, Diplo, domestic partner, Earth Wind & Fire, Ellen Page, Entertainment Weekly, equality, Freeheld, Glenn Frey, Grammy Awards, hate, Hillary Clinton, Julianne Moore, Justin Bieber, L.A. Reid, Lady Gaga, Lemmy Kilmister, Lester Holt, LGBT, Lifetime, Luke Grimes, Matt Damon, Michael Shannon, Motorhead, Natalie Cole, NBC, New Jersey, New York City, O.J. Simpson, One Direction, Rudy Giuliani, Ryan Murphy, Sarah Paulson, Saturday Night Live, Skrillex, Stefan Holt, Super Bowl, Supreme Court, The Martian, The Overnight, The Walking Dead, Truth, Zayn Malik.	3 comments
I hope you enjoyed the week and are ready for the weekend.
It's been an interesting week since my last "Random Friday Thoughts" — Valentine's Day, a snowstorm for Iowa and Illinois, the return of "The Walking Dead", and warmer temperatures!
Have a fun weekend and thank you for checking out my thoughts today.
YOUR COMPASSION IS HEARTWARMING
Last Friday, I shared with you a vile response to a blog I posted on why I support Hillary Clinton for president. It was one of my most viewed blogs on the day it was posted since I started writing my blog four years ago.
The feedback and compassion you extended to me was incredible and greatly appreciated. I know there are so many more great people in this world than the jerks — they just spew their hate openly and loudly.
As I told many of you in my responses, rude comments like that tick me off. However, it doesn't hurt my feelings because being in the public eye, I've developed a tough skin.
Something it proves is that as much progress as we've made in this country, there's still so much more work to be done before we reach equality — not just for the LGBT community, but for women, race, pay, and the list goes on and on.
SUPREME COURT JUSTICE DEAD
Speaking of equality, Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, a man that made a career of voting against it, died at a Texas resort last weekend at the age of 79.
Since I was just talking about compassion, I'll just say that I feel for his wife and their nine children.
Since the word "hate" is such a vile word, I didn't "hate" Scalia, but I disliked him with strong convictions because of his long history of being anti-gay in his court decisions.
NATALIE COLE'S FAMILY UPSET ABOUT THE GRAMMYS
The family of singer Natalie Cole, who died on December 31, 2015, at the age of 65, is upset with the "shameless" tribute she received at Monday night's Grammys compared to other musicians that were memorialized.
Cole's son, Robert Adam Yancy told "Entertainment Weekly", "Here is a woman who has been in the business for four decades, had 21 Grammy nominations and won nine Grammys. She deserves more than a minute-and-a-half tribute."
Cole was remembered in a photo montage, while Lady Gaga performed a seven-minute musical tribute to David Bowie, who won two Grammys in his career. (I'm torn writing this because Gaga was incredible. It's the principle I'm addressing here!)
There were also tributes to Maurice White (of Earth, Wind, & Fire), winner of seven Grammys, Glenn Frey of the Eagles (six Grammys) and Lemmy Kilmister (of Motorhead) with only one Grammy win.
One one other music tribute was to a musician who won more Grammys than Cole, B. B. King (15 Grammys).
So, there's my tribute video to Cole and not the others!
OKAY, I COULDN'T RESIST
Here's Lady Gaga's amazing tribute to David Bowie from the Grammys.
STARS READING "MEAN TWEETS"
These always crack me up because the entertainers make the best of a bad situation. On the other hand, mean people really do suck!
What troopers — to read what idiots say about them!
"THE PEOPLE VS. O.J. SIMPSON"
We all know the story — a savage double murder in the posh Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles in 1994 involving the wife of a famed football star.
A botched (?) criminal case that allowed a murderer (?) to walk free!
Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk ("American Horror Story") are behind the new Fox series "American Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson" (notice the similar title).
This 10-episode series event is going behind the story to share details that we may not remember from the headlines or the circus that was the murder trail against Simpson.
After watching the first two episodes, I'm intrigued with the detailed story telling and the acting of Sarah Paulson (Marcia Clark), John Travolta (Robert Shapiro), and Courtney B. Vance (Johnnie Cochran).
However, Oscar-winner Cuba Gooding, Jr. as O.J. Simpson is a hard sell for me. One, Gooding doesn't remind me that much of Simpson and, two, the constant whining and ranting is annoying. I'm totally not buying him as O.J.!
Overall, a great show and it hasn't even gotten to the trail yet!
YES, BEYONCE IS BLACK!
I'm sure you already know that Beyonce is black. If not, she is! And, remember that expression from the 1960s that "Black is Beautiful" and Bey is definitely beautiful.
The most recent controversy with Beyonce started on February 6th when she released the "Formation" video, which features references to New Orleans, Hurricane Katrina black culture, racism, and police.
She performed the song the next day at "Super Bowl 50" and more controversy ensued from conservatives thinking she was promoting too much black — power, the Black Panthers, and Black Lives Matter.
Former New York City Major Rudy Giuliani vented, "This is football, not Hollywood, and I thought it was really outrageous that she used it as a platform to attack police officers who are the people who protect her and protect us, and keep us alive."
While "Formation" won't have the same radio success as "Crazy in Love", "Irreplaceable", and "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)", pop and R&B/Hip Hop stations are already playing it!
For the record, Beyonce has had huge success on the pop chart (Billboard Hot 100) with 26 hits, fifteen of which hit the Top Ten, and five of those went all the way to #1.
However, she's had more success on the R&B/Hip Hop charts — 38 hits, 23 of which made the Top Ten, and 8 topped the chart.
And, this is not even counting her hits with Destiny's Child!
"SNL" NAILS IT AGAIN!
"ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY" IS BECOMING GREEDY
I'm a huge fan of "Entertainment Weekly" and I look forward to my magazine each week even though I can find much of the same information online from their website and tweets.
It used to be that they'd have a feature series with several cover photos and present them all in the issue. You'd just flip the cover and there'd be the next one.
That would have been perfect for this week's "The Walking Dead" feature with six different collector edition covers. However, they randomly picked which cover you'd get. But, you could purchase the other five covers!
While I wanted Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln), I got Daryl Dixon. As much as I love the show, there's no way I'd buy the other five!
Greedy!
29 AND ANCHORING IN NEW YORK CITY? NO WAY!
If you're familiar with how the television news business works, you know you start out at small market stations and work there for a couple of years before moving on to a larger market.
You work there for a couple of years and then move on again. You continue this process until you get to the big markets (New York City is the largest TV market followed by Los Angeles and Chicago).
If you're very talented and you luck out, you might skip one of these ladder jumping moves. Or, maybe there's other factors.
I'm not saying that 29-year-old Stefan Holt, the son of "NBC Nightly News" anchor Lester Holt, isn't talented, but…
The younger Holt graduated college and interned at KABC in Los Angeles and with NBC News in London before joining the ABC affiliate in West Palm Beach, Florida, as a reporter and fill-in anchor. This is market #38 out of 210 (the smallest). It's unusual to get your first job in a market that size.
After just two years there, he moved on to NBC5 in Chicago (market #3) as a reporter and weekend morning anchor. Holt was promoted to weekday mornings just months later where he worked for five years.
Again, 29 and anchoring in the biggest television market in the country! What's next? Filling in for his dad on "NBC Nightly News"?
Okay, first things first about Justin Bieber.
I bought his "Purpose" album last fall and it's a great album and has already produced four huge hits, including three #1s, "What Do You Mean", "Sorry", and "Love Yourself", and my favorite 2015 Bieber hit, the Grammy Award-winning "Where Are U Now" with Skrillex and Diplo.
And, if you haven't noticed, Justin is gorgeous and I feel more comfortable saying that now that he's a man — over 18 years old!
However, I was a little freaked out by music executive and producer L.A.Reid's description of Bieber in his new book, "Sing To Me".
Reid says, "this kid was beautiful, like a woman can be beautiful and men rarely are, and he turned it on as soon as he stepped into the room.".
This one sounds more innocent and I totally agree, "Justin was simply beautiful. His superpower was his face."
Zayn Malik, another sexy and beautiful man, who left the boy band One Direction for a solo career, is off to a great start.
"Pillowtalk" debuted atop the Billboard Hot 100 and is burning up the radio airwaves. It's already on the short list of my favorite songs of 2016. I know, it's only February!
The video is pretty erotic and steamy, too!
Malik's debut album, "Mind of Mine", comes out March 25, 2016.
I finally got around to see this $614.2 million dollar blockbuster that's nominated for seven Academy Awards, including Best Film, Best Director, and Best Actor for star, Matt Damon.
Everyone (and their mother) has already seen this, so I won't write a long review. I loved this movie much better than "Gravity", which I didn't like, and I haven't seen "Interstellar".
Damon does a great job in the role, but Oscar winning-worthy? No.
My biggest complaint — the 2 hour, 21 minute running time was excessive and I think the movie could have been just as entertaining 30 minutes shorter.
GRADE: A-
"THE OVERNIGHT"
In stark contrast to "The Martian" in running time, "The Overnight" is one hour, 18 minutes long and it works in a lot in that short time.
A couple with a small son move from Seattle to Los Angeles where they meet another father and son playing in the park one day. Since they don't know anyone and the boys get along, they're invited to a pizza party.
At the party, after much alcohol and the boys go to bed, the foursome talk about everything, including sex. Inhibitions are lowered and tempers flare when insecurities surface.
The question becomes will they or won't they and how will that change the course of the relationships — between each couple and the two couples' friendship.
This movie is an expansion of the Oscar-winning "Best Short Documentary" in 2007 with the same name.
This 2015 film stars Oscar winner Julianne Moore as Laurel Hester, a 23-year veteran of the police force in Orange County, New Jersey.
She sues after finding out she has lung cancer and her request to have her domestic partner receive her benefits is denied. Oscar nominee Ellen Page ("Juno") plays her love interest, Stacie.
The acting is superb not only from the female leads, but also from Michael Shannon, Hester's partner on the police force, and Luke Grimes, a closeted police colleague.
However, watching the movie, it did feel like a Lifetime movie. And, that's not a bad thing.
This is based on a true story.
This movie focuses on the authenticity of documents reported by "60 Minutes" on CBS from iconic news anchor Dan Rather during George W. Bush's 2004 presidential re-election campaign.
The controversy called into question if Bush received preferential treatment while he served in the Texas Air National Guard in the early-1970s.
Robert Redford stars as Rather in the last days of his career at CBS, but the focus of the movie is on Mary Mapes, Rather's producer on the investigative piece.
Mapes is played by two-time Oscar winner Cate Blanchett. As expected, she is flawless. Yet, even she couldn't save this movie and make it a thriller.
I think that's enough thoughts for one week. As always, thank you for taking the time to check out my randomness! Feel free to share your thoughts with me — as long as you're diplomatic.
Random Friday Thoughts — May 16, 2014
Posted by Anthony Peoples in Uncategorized.	Tagged: & Rand Paul, 2016 Presidential Election, Arizona Cardinals, August: Osage County, Cascada, child abuse, Chris Christie, Cincinnati Bengals, Daryl Washington, Democrat, Derrick Ward, Don Jones, Godzilla 2014, Hannibal, Hillary Clinton, homophobic, Jeb Bush, Justin Timberlake, Karl Rove, LGBT, Lonestar, Miami Dolphins, Michael Bengals, Michael Jackson, Michael Sam, NBC, Newt Gingrich, NFL, President Barack Obama, Rascal Flatts, Republican, Ronald Reagan, Sara Evans, St. Louis Rams, Super Bowl, Vito Cammisano, White House, World War Z.	Leave a comment
Another weekend is upon us and I can't believe that next weekend is Memorial Day weekend, the unofficial kickoff to the summer season.
Have a fantastic weekend and I appreciate you checking out my random thoughts. As always, let me know what you agree with and what you don't. I love feedback as long as you're nice about it.
OKAY PEOPLE, OPEN YOUR MIND AND CLOSE YOUR MOUTH
There were basketball playoff games over the past week, but the big story is the National Football League (NFL) draft and Michael Sam.
Sam, the University of Missouri football first-team all-star player that publicly came out as gay three months ago, became a seventh round draft pick by the St. Louis Rams.
If he plays this fall in a professional game, he'll become the first active NFL player to have publicly come out.
When the announcement was made that he was drafted by the Rams, a very emotional Sam cried and then smashed cake into the face of his boyfriend, Vito Cammisano, a former University of Missouri swimmer.
And, then, for the love of God, he kissed his boyfriend to celebrate! OMG, clutch my pearls!
It was a monumental moment and the White House sent out this message from President Barack Obama, "The President congratulates Michael Sam, the Rams and the NFL for taking an important step forward today in our Nation's journey. From the playing field to the corporate boardroom, LGBT Americans prove everyday that you should be judged by what you do and not who you are."
While Sam got encouraging and welcoming tweets from future Rams' teammates, there was a big uproar over the kiss!
Former Super Bowl champion Derrick Ward tweeted, "I'm sorry but that Michael Sam is no bueno for doing that on national tv". He added:
And, Miami Dolphins safety Don Jones tweeted "horrible" and "OMG" about the kiss. Those tweets were deleted and he was reprimanded by the team, given a fine, and ordered to attend sensitivity training.
He has since apologized to Michael Sam about the tweets. However, I don't know about Michael, but I don't want Jones to apologize for speaking out about how he feels. His disapproval and ignorance is real. His apology is empty, condescending, and nothing more than damage control.
I have more to say about this whole reaction to Michael Sam kissing his boyfriend and people's negative response. But, I want to share a link about a previous blog I wrote back in June 2012 about public apologies after homophobic comments are made.
https://anthonypeoples.wordpress.com/2012/06/07/your-apology-really-doesnt-mean-that-much-to-me/
Now, back to Michael Sam and his boyfriend, Vito.
They appear to be a happy couple and I'm glad that Sam is out now and the two of them can be public about the love they share for each other.
I'm also very happy that they can openly celebrate Sam's accomplishment. How many little boys and teenagers wish that one day they'll be drafted into the NFL? And, when that time comes, they should be able to share it with the one that they love!
People that were appalled by the public display of affection really need to get over it. They find that kiss unacceptable, but they'll accept bad and criminal behavior from their NFL stars?
Ray Rice of the Baltimore Ravens is awaiting sentencing for dragging his fiancée out of an Atlantic City casino elevator. He was found guilty of third-degree aggravated assault and could face a 3-5 year sentence and a fine for the spousal abuse.
Then there's Daryl Washington of the Arizona Cardinals. He pleaded guilty last month of choking his ex-girlfriend, the mother of his child, and causing her to fall and break her collarbone.
And, Michael Boley of the Cincinnati Bengals was arrested for abusing his child.
And, the list of bad behavior and criminal acts from NFL players goes on and one and people are bent out of shape over a same-sex kiss! This is the 21st century people and love is love.
Michael, congratulations. Michael and Vito, I wish you the very best in life and love!
KARL ROVE IS SUCH AN IDIOT
Karl Rove, the Senior Advisor for President George W. Bush is in news again and this time, in desperation, he stoops to an all-time low.
Rove is on the defensive after suggesting that former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton suffered a brain injury in a fall she suffered back in 2012 that required hospitalization. Rove made this sick insinuation based on the glasses Clinton wore during testimony a month later!
Even people in his own party are speaking out against this tactic.
Former House Speaker and 2012 Republican Presidential candidate Newt Gingrich says he is "deeply offended" by Rove's comments.
With Clinton, Gingrich sees a correlation to what people were saying about former President Ronald Reagan's health when he was a candidate, "I was angry when people did this to Reagan in 1980 and I am angry when they do it to her today".
Gingrich also added, " I've have many policy disagreements with Hillary[,] but this kind of personal charge is exactly whats wrong with [A]merican politics."
Karl Rove, go away — now!
2016 RUN FOR PRESIDENT
Earlier this month, before Rove's comments, Zogby Analytics polled 893 likely voters and found that Hillary has a substantial lead over former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, Kentucky Senator Rand Paul, and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie in a possible showdown for the 2016 race for President.
With a +/-3% margin, Mrs. Clinton leads Bush 52%-36%. Her lead over Paul was 52% to 35% and she was 16% ahead of Christie.
None of these candidates have thrown their hat into the ring yet.
I've been a huge fan of the German dance band, Cascada, since I first heard "Everytime We Touch" back in late 2005. That song went on to reach #10 on the Billboard Hot 100.
In 2009, Cascada had another Top 40 American radio hit with "Evacuate The Dancefloor". It made it up to #25.
Those two songs and 2008's remake of Rascal Flatts' #1 country hit, "What Hurts The Most" all topped the Billboard Dance chart.
Cascada is back with a new single, "Blink".
MORE "HANNIBAL" ON NBC
NBC's "Hannibal" is without a doubt one of the best shows on television.
I'm so thrilled that the network has enough faith in the critically acclaimed, but severely ratings-challenged drama to renew it for a third season.
There are only two episodes left this season (the season two finale is next Friday night, May 23rd) and we already know that the serial killer Hannibal could be going down in the finale.
In case you're one of the millions that haven't watched "Hannibal", here's how season two started before the episode flashed back twelve weeks to show us how this showdown came about.
How will it end now that Jack Crawford knows Hannibal is a killer?
ARE JOURNALISTS PSYCHOPATHS?
Since I work in the news business and I'm talking about "Hannibal", I have to share a couple of funny lines from the May 2nd episode, "Naka-Choko".
Shady, sensationalist reporter Freddie Lounds (Lara Jean Chorostecki) confronts FBI profiler, Will Graham (Hugh Dancy).
And, then there's this correspondence between Will and Hannibal.
PICK HIT BONUS
This week, the latest Michael Jackson album, "Xscape", was released. I featured the first single, "Love Never Felt So Good", in my blog last week.
The official video is out now and it's incredible!
The song debuted at #20 last week on Billboard's Hot 100 and the album could debut at #1 on next week's chart.
I'M A LITTLE BIT COUNTRY"
The country band, Lonestar, from Texas, have hit the chart with six gold and platinum albums since their self-titled debut release in the fall of 1995.
Their first hit, "Tequila Talkin'" peaked at #8 in 1995 and the follow-up, "No News", topped the chart for three weeks in April 1996.
In all, Lonestar has charted 23 Top 40 songs on the Billboard Country chart. Of those, 18 made the Top Ten, and nine have reached the top!
Also, their hit "Amazed" was number one on the Country charts for eight weeks in 1999 and it even made it to the top of the Hot 100 for two weeks the following year!
Back in 1997, I interviewed lead singer Richie McDonald and keyboardist/vocalist Dean Sams in Lubbock, Texas, and they were both great guys.
For those near the Quad Cities, Lonestar and Sara Evans will be playing at this year's Rosefest Outdoor Concert Series at the Wild Rose Casino in Clinton, Iowa, on July 11th.
I think that's enough this week.
We have a wedding to attend in Dubuque, Iowa, this weekend. While the weather is going to be nice Sunday, I'm torn about whether to work outside to get the garden ready when we get home or go to the movie.
We've only been to the theater once this year. Back in January, we saw the Oscar-nominated and amazing "August: Osage County".
I really want to see "Godzilla (2014)" after seeing the trailer. With the suspense and creepiness of the previews, I think it could be this year's "World War Z"!
"Godzilla" opens Friday!
Random Friday Thoughts — February 7, 2014
Posted by Anthony Peoples in Uncategorized.	Tagged: 2014 Winter Olympics, Armistead Maupin, Batman, ben affleck, Canadian Institute of Diversity and Inclusion, Chuck Lorre, Coca Cola, diversity, Flamingo, Fox News, Further Tales of the City, horses, Kylie Minogue, Las Vegas, Olivia Newton-John, puppy, Quad Cities, Russia, Showtime, Snow, Sochi 2014 Olympics, Super Bowl, Superman, Todd Starnes, Xanadu.	5 comments
After a very busy weekend last weekend, I'm happy that I only have one function this weekend.
On Sunday, I'll be judging a chili cook-off and cookie contest. Otherwise, it's a movie watching two days of relaxation. I hope you have a great weekend.
Thanks for checking out my random thoughts today.
SUPER BOWL — HAPPY THOUGHT
I'm not a football fan, but I know that Seattle blew Denver away, that Bruno Mars got rave reviews for his halftime performance, and that Super Bowl 48 was the most watched television event ever with 111.5 viewers.
And, since Madonna or Beyonce wasn't performing, I didn't watch. However, leading up to the big game, I was touched by this commercial. Although I only saw three commercials, I'm partial to this one.
It's been viewed 44 million times on YouTube and, incredibly, about six thousand people gave it a "thumbs down" or "dislike". What kind of people are they?
SUPER BOWL — SAD THOUGHT
Probably the same kind of people who are appalled by Coca-Cola's commercial, "It's Beautiful".
The ad features "America The Beautiful" sung in seven different languages to show what the company calls our country's "incredible diversity".
Here's what Fox News' Todd Starnes had to say.
And, he wasn't alone!
How do these hateful Tweeters know that those featured in the commercials didn't speak English and were just singing in their native language? I admit that if I moved to a foreign country, I would learn that country's language, but I'd also speak English, my first language.
But, there were also some very positive Tweets.
I wish the haters could comprehend what Coast Life Guy had to say.
Diversity and tolerance, we're not there yet and we may never be. But, I hope that we continue to make strides in the right direction! Maybe we need to just think back to this 1971 Coca-Cola commercial.
MORE SNOW THIS WEEKEND?
A little clipper system dropping across the Midwest Saturday will bring 1-3″ of snow to the area with the heaviest falling across the north.
This has been a very cold and snowy winter, so far!
Temperatures are running about 10° below average this winter and we've had 25 mornings with below zero temperatures in the Quad Cities.
Even before this next snow, this ranks as the 27th snowiest winter on record in the Quad Cities. Only 5.2″ of snow would push us from#27 to #10, so we'll be jumping up this list this weekend! (The graphic below was updated Saturday with the new snowfall added, so we are higher than 27th now!)
After more bitter cold early next week, a warming trend FINALLY kicks in by the middle and end of next week!
Now that I have your attention, this is serious and not a joke. Ladies, listen up. Yes, I said ladies. Men can read it, too.
Did you know that erectile dysfunction is one of the first signs of cardiovascular disease? While I've heard that before, I was glancing through the March 2013 "Family Circle" magazine and Dr. Lawrence Hakin at The Cleveland Clinic Florida added that "It can predate a heart attack by up to five years".
And, I even took the high road in this public service announcement by not showing a picture! 🙂
MEANWHILE… THAT HIGH ROAD DIDN'T LAST LONG
I think Ben Affleck is hot. I absolutely loved the '70s look in "Argo".
I got a good laugh and had a few indecent thoughts over a joke CBS producer Chuck Lorre ("The Big Bang Theory", "Two and a Half Men", and many more) told at the Producer Guild Awards in late January when he was accepting a career achievement award.
Lorre joked with the crowd that he was standing next to Affleck in the bathroom, "Yes I peeked. And yes, Comic Con, he can play Batman."
As you might know, the fanboy/fangirl world was turned upside down when it was announced that Affleck would play Batman in the new untitled Superman/Batman" movie in May 2016.
Affleck laughed at Lorre's joke and followed it up onstage with this joke about his genitals, "Thank you very much. Whoever you are, God bless you. I'm often confused with Matt Damon but rarely with Michael Fassbender, so it was a nice change."
There was so much uproar about Lorre's joke that the producer issued this statement, "Not that it really matters, but the joke I made at the Producers Guild Awards regarding Ben Affleck's genitals being of sufficient size to fill the caped crusader's codpiece was just that, a joke. I've never met Mr. Affleck in or out of a men's room. Nor am I in the habit of peeking at another guy's junk while standing at a urinal."
People, chill out. It was funny.
PICK HIT OF THE WEEK
It's no secret that I absolutely adore Kylie Minogue and I hope that I get to see her in concert when she tours next.
Kylie has sold about 70 million records worldwide. In the U.S., she's had 5 Top 40 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 with two of them reaching the Top Ten. However, in the U.K, Kylie has scored 49 Top 40 hits with 35 of them reaching the Top Ten, and 8 topped the charts!
I know I featured the lyric video to her new song last week, but here is the official video and she looks incredible!
The new album, "Kiss Me Once" comes out March 18, 2014.
"FURTHER TALES OF THE CITY"
If you've been reading my blog over the past two years, you know that I often talk about music, movies, and television. Lately, I've been including books, too. My friend, Kelly Hager, would be so proud of me.
Over the past week, I just finished my fifth book of 2014! That obviously means I've been spending a lot of time on the treadmill and it's working. I'm down 8.2 pounds since the start of the year! Only 12 more pounds to go before this summer.
I just finished "Further Tales of the City", the third book in Armistead Maupin's nine-book "Tales of the City" series.
If you recall from my last two "Random Friday Thoughts" blogs, the series is about a "family" of friends at 28 Barbary Lane in San Fransisco in the 1970s.
In this book, it's now 1981, President Reagan is just beginning his years in office and the Jim Jones' Jonestown Masscare plays an integral role in the mystery and intrigue.
One character moves away from Barbary Lane, two residents begin a relationship with each other after years of avoiding it, and one couple re-unites only to break up again.
Someone strives to become a television reporter and another ends up dead and you'll never guess who killed the character and what happened to the body!
Sadly, this was the last of the books to be made into a miniseries. It aired on Showtime in 1998. Here's the trailer and it contains some adult situations and language!
Many moons ago, I read the first three books in the series that I just re-read. Now, it's on to book four and I have no idea what happens, so this is exciting!
Olivia Newton-John just announced this week that she'll be playing 45 shows from April through August in the Donny and Marie Showroom at the Flamingo Las Vegas Hotel and Casino!
Earlier this year, I blogged that I want to see her in concert this year. This might be my chance to see her and catch Shania Twain and Britney Spears, too.
The English-born, Australian-raised singer first charted in the United States in 1971 with the #25 pop hit, "If Not For You".
However, she became an international superstar when she scored five consecutive top ten hits on both the pop and country charts at the same time beginning in 1973.
On the country chart, Olivia had 13 top 40 hits.
"Let Me Be There" was her first Top Ten hit in America in 1973 reaching #6 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #7 on the Billboard Country chart.
That song won Olivia her first Grammy for "Best Female Country Vocal Performance". She also won numerous country music awards beginning in 1973 and in the years to come, too.
Olivia's 1981 hit, "Physical" is one of the biggest songs of all-time. It stayed at the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100 for ten weeks. This came after her huge success in the movie, "Grease", which made $394.5 million in 1978 and the soundtrack spawned three top 5 hits.
Olivia would go on to hit the top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100 27 times with 15 of those songs reaching the top ten. She reached the #1 spot on the Hot 100 with "I Honestly Love You" in 1974, "Have You Never Been Mellow" in 1975, "You're The One That I Want" with John Travolta from "Grease" in 1978, "Magic" in 1980, and "Physical".
While I could not pick my favorite Olivia song because I love the country songs, the pop songs, and the dance songs, the one that always make me smile and sing along was the #8 title track from her 1980 movie, "Xanadu". The song featured the Electric Light Orchestra.
DON'T BLAME CANADA, YOU GOTTA LOVE IT
The 2014 Winter Olympics are underway in Sochi, Russia. So far, there hasn't been a lot of love for the hosting city or country from terror threats, poor accommodations for many attending the games, Russia's anti-gay legislation, and the list goes on.
In full Olympics spirit, the Canadian Institute of Diversity and Inclusion has a message for Russian President Vladimir Putin and his cronies.
"Don't You Want Me" by the Human League is still one of my favorite songs of all time and now I'll smile even more when I hear it.
That's it for this week. Enjoy your weekend and thank you for checking out my thoughts. Feel free to share your thoughts about anything I had to say, whether you agree with me or not.


KARACHI: Pakistani medicines are very popular in Nigeria as the country holds a very big market for Pakistani pharma products with prospects of fetching substantial annual orders out of $1.1 billion imported annually by the Nigeria. Pakistani medicines are rated at par with European countries as evident from the fact even the Indian doctors preferred to prescribe Pakistani medicines in Nigeria to their patients, said Ahmed Ali Sirohey Deputy Ambassador of Pakistan at Nigeria addressing leading Nigerian pharma industrialists led by Ahmed Ibrahim Yakasai.
Sarohi emphasised this was the right time for the Pakistani exporter to enter in the Nigerian market as after two to three years later it would be very difficult as the local manufacturers� was coming to this business.
He informed the present Director General of NAFDAC (The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control was a Nigerian government agency under the Federal Ministry of Health that was responsible for regulating and controlling the manufacturer, importation, exportation, advertisement, distribution, sale and use of food, drugs, cosmetics, medical devices, chemicals and packaged water.
He explained the people of Nigeria rating Pakistan equal to European countries even the Indian doctors preferred to prescribe Pakistani medicines. He again accentuated to the audience to visit Nigeria and see how big opportunity was waiting for them.
He said lots of Indian and Chinese companies were doing business and now European also entered to capture this big market.
He assured his assistance and services were always available the Pakistani exporters.


text:
Peter J. Bentley
Title: Digitized
Author: Peter J. Bentley
Availability: Digitized - US
Digitized - UK
Digitized - Canada
Digitized - India
The Science of Computers and How It Shapes Our World
B : decent overview and introduction, but moves frustratingly in and out of focus
The Guardian . 16/3/2012 Steven Poole
New Scientist . 24/3/2012 Niall Firth
"With cheerful geekiness and biographical vim, Bentley sketches the history of computing" - Steven Poole, The Guardian
"Digitized is as much about the people behind the breakthroughs -- the bright, inquisitive minds who saw something that their peers did not and used the tools of their era to push forward human understanding" - Niall Firth, New Scientist
The subtitle of Digitized promises it is a look at The Science of Computers and How It Shapes Our World; as it turns out, it tries to be a bit more -- in presenting computer science and software engineering Peter Bentley also devotes considerable space to the men (it's pretty much all men) and minds behind all this, unevenly and distractingly. Inventors and innovators may seem to be tied inextricably to the subject-matter (though really: they're not, and leaving biography out of it entirely is just fine), but mixing biography and science is generally only effective -- if at all -- if done on a much more expansive scale: Claude Shannon was certainly a fascinating guy, but if you want to convey that you probably need to do so on the scale that, say, James Gleick did in The Information. On the other hand, if you only have 240 pages to explain The Science of Computers and How It Shapes Our World then there is no excuse for sentences such as:
Kirstein didn't really know Shannon, but found the thirty-nine-year-old scientist to be an impressive person, very thin, with piercing eyes.
(Yes, ours is an age of journalistic popular science writing, with an emphasis on (personal) profile rather than (science) substance, and maybe it's inspiring to the kids, to see where these people came from and how they managed to get where they got (and to ... learn about their physiques ?), but there's a lot to be said for just focusing on the wonder that is the science itself (and there are certainly too few books that do so).)
Typical of this book is that the chapter-numbers are given in binary code ('000' (the Introduction) through chapter seven -- '111') -- a wonderful, book-appropriate idea -- but the page numbers are not. A binary-code numbering approach is perfect given the subject matter, but Bentley (and his publisher) -- can't fully commit to it. (Admittedly binary page numbering would probably be very difficult for most readers to handle -- especially in using the index -- but on the other hand, this is a book that (admirably) has both endnotes (with alphabetical character superscripts (e.g. ª) for these) and bibliographic notes (with numerical character superscripts (e.g ¹) for these) but doesn't offer the convenient page-range listing on each page of these so that readers can easily find specific notes -- so making it easy for the reader obviously wasn't the top priority elsewhere ..... (Text page-range headers on each page of endnotes are a much-appreciated convenience; here they are all the more missed because there are two sets of notes -- so simply keeping track while one reads with a separate bookmark (my default approach when such numbering isn't provided) doesn't work quite as well, since two bookmarks are required, one for each set of notes .....))
Bentley does offer a decent tour through the evolution of the computer -- both hardware and software -- and he covers the important innovations and gives a good sense of the transformation over time of how computing has been approached (and the consequences of this). It's helpful to be reminded that much of how computing now works in the real world isn't the way it has to be: the Internet has grown and developed in a specific but not inevitable way, for example, and radical transformations and entirely new approaches are still possible. He's also quite good in conveying, for example, the layers of code that make up contemporary software and what it means to rely on these specific approaches. His explanations of various aspects of code and, for example, Internet protocols are generally clear and well-presented.
Bentley does offer some interesting examples of the use and potential of computing -- but it feels odd that there is, for example, no real mention of the smartphone/iPhone 'app' and its many applications, a real-life example surely currently of interest to many readers. Disappointingly, too, Bentley doesn't speculate about quantum computing and the possible implications and consequences of that technology (compare, for example, Vlatko Vedral's Decoding Reality), a subject surely worth at least some ... speculation.
Digitized does provide a good deal of information and is a fine popular survey-book, but it feels like Bentley -- who knows his stuff, and who can present it quite well -- could have done a lot more, especially if he had avoided such a journalistic approach. Too much of the book is magazine-article-type writing -- padded with 'color' (such as biographical details and anecdotal asides) -- rather than focused on the science. It's too bad, because for the most part the science is presented quite well (though Bentley is selective in what he focuses on, and some gaps remain). Still, it does say something about his abilities that he is able to convey and present as much as he does, despite the distracting padding.
- M.A.Orthofer, 1 June 2012
Digitized:
Oxford University Press publicity page
The Generalist
Library Journal (scroll down for review)
New Scientist (scroll down for review)
Peter J. Bentley:
The Information by James Gleick
See Index of books about the Internet and Computers
Peter J. Bentley teaches at University College London.
© 2012 the complete review


The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Houston North Area Office and the City of Houston Mayor's Office of Business Opportunity (OBO) recognize the value of establishing a collaborative relationship to foster safer and more healthful American workplaces. To that end, OSHA and the OBO hereby form an Alliance to provide OBO subcontractors and others with information, guidance, and access to training resources that will help them protect the health and safety of workers, particularly by reducing and preventing exposure to the Focused Four hazards, addressing construction safety issues related small businesses, and understanding the rights of workers and the responsibilities of employers under the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSH Act). In developing this Alliance, OSHA and OBO recognize that OSHA's State Plan and On-site Consultation Project partners are an integral part of the OSHA national effort.
To share information on OSHA's National/Regional/Local Emphasis Programs.
To convene or participate in forums, roundtable discussions, or stakeholder meetings as requested to help forge innovative solutions in the workplace or to provide input on safety and health issues.
To encourage worker participation in workplace safety and health by including methods of involving employees and dissemination of worker participation information during training presentations.
To develop effective training and education programs for small minority and women owned businesses regarding safety on construction projects, and to communicate such information to constituent employers and workers.
To develop effective training and education programs for small minority and women owned businesses to promote understanding of workers' rights, including the use of the OSHA complaint process, and the responsibilities of employers and to communicate such information to workers and employers.
To deliver or arrange for the delivery of a construction safety course.
To develop information on the recognition and prevention of workplace hazards, and to develop ways of communicating such information (e.g., print and electronic media, electronic assistance tools, and OSHA's and the OBO Web sites) to employers and workers in the industry.
To speak, exhibit, or appear at OSHA's or OBO conferences, local meetings, or events such as the Government Procurement Expo's Construction Zone.
An implementation team made up of representatives of each organization will meet to develop a plan of action, determine working procedures, and identify the roles and responsibilities of the participants. In addition, they will meet at least three times per year to track and share information on activities and results in achieving the goals of the Alliance. OSHA team members will include representatives of the Houston North Area Office and any other appropriate offices. OSHA will encourage State Plan States' and OSHA On-site Consultation Projects' participation on the team.
Signed this 9th day of March, 2011.