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STEPHEN VOLK is best known for inventing "Pipes" the poltergeist in the infamous BBC TV "Hallowe'en hoax" Ghostwatch, and as writer/creator of the award-winning paranormal ITV drama series Afterlife. Other screenplays include the recent big screen ghost story The Awakening starring Rebecca Hall and Dominic West, Ken Russell's hallucinogenic biopicGothic, predatory nanny flick The Guardian (co-written and directed by William (The Exorcist)Friedkin), and Octane starring Madeleine Stowe and Norman Reedus. He also won a BAFTA for The Deadness of Dad starring Rhys Ifans and his play The Chapel of Unrest was presented exclusively for one night only at London's Bush Theatre starring Jim Broadbent and Reece Shearsmith. His short stories have earned selection in Year's Best Fantasy and Horror, Mammoth Book of Best New Horror, Best British Mysteries, and Best British Horror 2014, and he has been a Bram Stoker, British Fantasy and Shirley Jackson Award finalist. 2013 saw the publication of his highly acclaimed novellaWhitstable, featuring the horror star Peter Cushing (Spectral Press), and his new collection Monsters in the Heart (Gray Friar Press) which have both been nominated for British Fantasy Awards in 2014, for 'Best Novella' and 'Best Collection' respectively.
Leytonstone by Steven Volk
One evening in 1906 a chubby little boy of seven, son of a London greengrocer, is taken by his father to visit the local police station.
There he suddenly finds himself, inexplicably, locked up for a crime he hasn't committed – or has he? Blinking into sunlight, traumatisedby his overnight stay, he is told by his father the next morning: "Now you know what happens to naughty little boys!" But the incident is the catalyst for a series of events that will scar, and create, the world's leading Master of Terror in the century to come…
The boy is Alfred Hitchcock.
The story is the gripping and evocative new novella by Stephen Volk, writer of the highly-acclaimed novella Whitstable – which featured Peter Cushing as its central character and was published in 2013 (also by Spectral Press) to coincide with the centenary of the great actor's death.
Leytonstone – like Whitstable – elevates fact (in this case an anecdote the famous director told repeatedly throughout his life) into resonant and poignant fiction, lifting the veil on not only the innocent and troubled young "Fred" but his emotionally needy mother and a father constantly struggling to do the right thing. But what none of them knows is that, after that fateful night and its consequences, their lives will be changed forever…
For many readers, Stephen Volk's Whitstable was one of the books of 2013, a gripping, affectionate and moving portrayal of Peter Cushing's twilight years. Now Volk has written a spiritual sequel in Leytonstone, a novella about the early life of Alfred Hitchcock.
If you're reading this review simply to find out if Leytonstone is as good as Whitstable, then be assured: the answer is very much yes. Leytonstone is another triumph.
– James Everington, This Is Horror
The child's perspective of a night spent in a cell is both heart-breaking and terrifying, not least because young Fred [Hitchcock], whilst clearly badly frightened, is nonetheless removed from much of the histrionics or more obvious sentiment which one might normally expect a child to feel. Because of this, the tension and horror of the situation is exacerbated rather than mollified or lessened, and this entire section of Leytonstone is a tour-de-force of tension and fear, even edging onto gothic horror, all while rooted far too uncomfortably in reality.
– Kit Power, Ginger Nuts of Horror
Leytonstone is intensely vivid, handled with sensitivity and poise, and every bit as impeccably crafted as Whitstable was. Just like its forebear, it's a thoroughly compelling and elegant tale give that special something extra by the considered addition of its choice of protagonist. Volk likely has another award winner under his belt, here. And rightly so.
– Dread Central
"Desirée. . . Maxine. . ."
Pigeons nod at crumbs on a pavement.
"Burly Rose. . . Royal Kidney. . ."
Water empties over the flagstones. The winged pests scatter with a grey fluttering.
"Kennebec. . . Avalanche. . ."
Dark legs stride in mirror-black shoes. A man scrubs the pavement with the stiffest of brooms.
"Belle de Fontenay. . . Pentland Javelin. . ."
Indoors, a small framed picture sits like a window on the Byzantine Lincrusta wallpaper. Francis of Assisi, eyes turned piously upwards, arms outstretched like Christ on the cross, birds perched along them, treating them like branches, and aloft, circling his head and halo.
"Sharp's Express. . . British Queen. . ."
In the greengrocer's at five hundred and seventeen The High Road it is evening, but this room behind the shop is dark even at noon. The fruit and veg are out front to catch the sun, but the spuds, like the family, are kept at the back, in the gloom for safe keeping.
"Northern Star. . ."
The boy sits with elbows up on a plain wooden table, frowning with deepest concentration, hands cupped round his eyes.
"Eightyfold. . ."
Fred is a chubby little dumpling with a cockscomb of hair on top. (Born 1899—last knockings of the old century, when Victoria was still on the throne—making him just under seven now.)
"Evergood. . ."
A woman's hand removes the potato from the table-cloth in front of him, replacing it in a flourish with another.
"Up To Date. . ."
Another.
"King Edward. . ."
Another—the last, and it's done.
"Red Duke of York. . ."
She shows him her empty palms. The silent, regal mime of applause that accompanies a miniscule tilt of the head is praise enough to make his cheeks burn. Sometimes it takes a lot to make his mother smile, he knows, but when she does it's like getting a gold medal from the Queen. A V.C. for gallantry. And she is the Queen. In this house, anyway. Prim and proper and elegant—so much more elegant than any of his schoolmates' mothers. A different class entirely. And dresses—oh, immaculately. Never seen outside without her white cotton gloves. Spotless. What are the others? Loud-mouthed fishwives, most of them, with brown baggy stockings and bruises where they've been on their knees all day.
"Onions!" he cries. "Test me on the onions now! Please, Mother! I know them all!"
"Back home they say onions are a great cure for The Baldness," she singsongs in her Irish brogue. "Rub the scalp with a spoonful of onion sap, it'd put hair on a duck's egg!"
Fred chuckles, but at the sound of the latch the moment between them is lost, and so is the chortle in his throat.
His father comes in, taking off the flat cap which confers him a degree of status to those he employs, and hangs it on a peg. Unties the knot of his tan apron at the small of his back and dips his fingers in the font, quickly genuflecting to Our Lady before hanging up the apron on the hook behind the door.
"The sailor home from the sea," Fred's mother says, as if some joke is being shared between her and her son. Fred twitches a smile, but just as swiftly it is gone and he lowers his eyes.
His father washes the earth off his hands under the tap at the Belfast sink. Water runs black down the plug hole. The soap is an unforgiving brick. A disinfectant smell bites at the air. There is no mirror, but while his face is still wet he flattens his moustache and eyebrows with several strokes of a forefinger and thumb.
"Father, I've been learning how to—"
"Is he ready?"
The stiff tap turns off with a harsh twist leaving a stain of grime where the man's thumbs went. He dries his hands briskly in a tea towel. "Now, Bill," his wife says. "Just a little longer. . ."
"No." For once he gives her no quarter. He is adamant. "If it's to be done, let's have it done."
"Name o' God, let him have his tea first."
"Name o' God nothing." He returns the tea towel to its nail and rolls down his sleeves, folding over his cuffs and prodding in the links which he keeps next to his shaving paraphernalia on the shelf. "Fred, put your coat on, son."
Fred's mother rises and lifts the small tweed jacket from the back of Fred's chair and the child puts it on. It matches his shorts exactly. It's a suit like that of a grown man. She crouches in front of him, buttons it up, tucks his shirt tail in at the back, adjusts the knot of his little tie. Fred notices her smile is still there, yes—but it is not the same smile as was there before.
"Where are we going?"
"You're going with your father."
She wraps a woolly scarf around his neck. Knots it. There."Don't mollycoddle him, Em. Leave him."
His father takes a black jacket from its hanger, flicks off dust with his fingers and slips his arms into the sleeves. He takes a different hat—a black bowler this time—from the peg next to the flat cap.
"Come here," says Fred's mother to her child. She gives him a hug—a swift hug, but a tight one, then a kiss on the cheek so hard it almost hurts. She rubs the red stain from her lips off with a licked thumb. Then kisses him a second time, even harder. He tries not to wince. "I'm going to make a great big steak and kidney pie. That's your favourite—a nice big steak and kidney pie, isn't it?"
Fred nods enthusiastically then turns at the sound of a cough.
His father cocks his head for Fred to follow him. Which the boy does, smiling and obedient as ever and smiling because his mother is smiling, after all.
They walk through the shop, the boy behind the man, smelling the sweetness of carrots and parsnips and the cloying heaviness of soil and sacks and straw and the boy does not see his mother sit back at the table, her knees suddenly weak.
When she hears the front door open and close, the shop bell tinkle, she clutches her rosary beads, closes her eyes tightly and for several minutes thereafter silently prays into her white-knuckled hand to Mary, the mother of her God.
As they emerge from the dark interior, his father flexes his hand without looking down. Fred takes it. His own hand is warm and soft but his father's hard and ice-cold from the water. They walk away from the shop side by side. Sheaves of brown paper bags are strung up on butcher's hooks and so are pineapples. Nets full of golden-skinned baby onions sit beside wooden crates full of bananas. The trays of Granny Smiths are being carried inside at the tail-end of the working day. One of the assistants, one he likes, flashes Fred a grin and a wink while a different one with a waistcoat over his apron climbs up a ladder carrying the bucket with which he washed the pavement earlier. At the top of the ladder, whistling "After the Ball is Over" with jaunty vigour, he wipes a wet cloth over the mirrored sign above the windows.
"Where are we going, Father? Are we going to the sweet shop? Are we?"
Pigeons flee in the path of the two pairs of feet. Fred's grey school socks. His father's hobnail boots. Walking near enough in step past a horse and cart. The animal, barely a pony, is shorn half-way up. It has an unattended beard, but it has a horizon. And the name on the cart is the same as the one above the shop.
"Can I have some toffee? A big bit? The sort you break with a hammer? The sort grown-ups get?"
"We'll see."
Fred looks up at his father eagerly.
"Can I?"
Fred is level with his father's watch chain when he pauses before crossing the road, a dangling 'U' between his waistcoat pocket and his button-hole. His father takes his timepiece out, flips it open and looks at the face then tucks it away again.
The sun is sinking and the pigeons go where pigeons go when darkness falls. Fred mentally ticks off the manufacturers' names of cars as they pass. Panhard-Levassor, Humberette. Napier. An omnibus creeps by and he memorizes the number. Next stop, the ice rink. The bus behind it, Walthamstow. He knows the routes by heart. His father has said nothing for fifteen minutes, but then he's a man of few words. That's what his mother calls him sometimes: "Here he is—Man of Few Words." But the remark never made him more conversationally-inclined, possibly the reverse.
They cross the road to a red-brick building. Fred trails the fingers of his free hand along iron railings. Fixed to the bars is a shallow glass box and in the box he sees posters with faces on them. One shows a "heathen"—his mother's word, used ubiquitously—with staring eyes and a beard so stringy it looks as if it was combed with a knife. The one beside it displays a thick-necked lout with a V-shaped scar across his cheek. Next to it a woman with broken teeth, both pathetic and frighteningly aggressive, stares out at him. All three gone in a flash, but he has time to register the word "WANTED" above each of them.
He accompanies his father up a flight of stone steps in through a swing door under a blue lamp.
Inside, his father sits him on a plain wooden bench and Fred watches as he walks to a large desk behind which stands a policeman with a sergeant's triple chevrons on the sleeves of his black uniform. As if in competition, the policeman has an even bigger and darker moustache than his father's—"black as sin" his mother would say—and a razor-sharp centre parting that matches his ramrod-straight back and military bearing. It takes Fred a moment to pin it down, but he reminds him of illustrations in the Pictorial of Viscount Kitchener of Khartoum at the Rawalpindi Parade when the Prince and Princess of Wales visited India.
Fred watches as the two men's heads bend closer and they whisper to each other. He cannot hear what they say. He sees only the back of his father's head, the stubble the barber shaves with a razor up to the level of his ears. As he listens, the policeman looks over at Fred with glassy, unblinking eyes.Fred looks sharply down at his own dangling feet, and is reluctant to look up again. He sees a game of OXO written in ink on his knee during Arithmetic. He sucks his index finger and uses it to rub it off.
He is aware somebody is sitting on the bench directly opposite him because he can see shoes a bit like his mother wears sometimes, but scuffed and worn as if somebody has walked a lot in them. He can smell perfume too, or perhaps slightly stale talcum powder covering up another smell which might be beer. The woman's coat is long and he can see splits in the seams and a worn hem trailing on the floor. Her legs are crossed but they're lumpy and he can see the veins without even trying. She has a large nose for a woman and a cleft in her chin. Her head sways and her eyes struggle to stay open. Her face is white with pink blobs on her cheeks. As Fred stares—he can't help it—he can see the dots of whiskers sticking up through the white pan-stick. And the thick-knuckled hand that lifts a cheap cigarette to her lips has long black hairs on the back of it.
Fred looks down, then over at the desk.
Both his father and the policeman are looking at him, then his father beckons him with a single crooked finger.
Fred walks obediently over.The policeman finishes what he is writing with a sharp dot.
"This is him, is it?"
He comes round the desk. The handcuffs on his belt with the snake-shaped buckle are level with Fred's face. He extends a big flat of the hand, thumb curled up like a hook. Thrusts it towards Fred.
Fred retreats a step and sways unsteadily, looking up at his father.
His father nods.
Thus reassured, Fred takes the policeman's hand and shakes it, as he's been taught to do. He's been taught manners. He thinks the policeman is being friendly, and he thinks he is being friendly back. But the policeman doesn't let go. He just keeps shaking Fred's hand until Fred thinks it's time he let go of it, please. But the policeman doesn't.
Fred looks at his father but his father doesn't say anything. Perhaps he doesn't know anything is wrong. Is anything wrong?
The policeman walks away but to Fred's surprise he still hasn't let go of his hand yet. He is taking his hand with him. He is taking Fred with him.
Fred is confused. The policeman leads him towards a corridor of the police station.
Looking back over one shoulder then the other, Fred expects to see that his father is following them. But he isn't.
His father is just standing there. Arms hung straight at his sides. Bowler hat in one hand. Then he places it on his head.
Fred tries to use the soles of his shoes for brakes, to no avail, as he enters a corridor lined with heavy doors.
He tries to prise his fingers out of the policeman's big hand, but it's impossible. The man's grip is like iron—it has to be like iron, for handling criminals. That's obvious. But he isn't handling a criminal. He's handling a boy. A boy who is making little squeaky noises now. Who doesn't want to, but can't help it. Who starts to struggle and squirm but the policeman doesn't even look down at him.
Craning over his left shoulder then his right, Fred looks back down the corridor—which smells of wee—but there's no-one there any more, back standing by the big desk, and this draws out his voice, echoing from the tiles.


Can You Really Use Insects to Tell if A Body's Been Moved?
Gah! Crime fiction may have been stretching the truth a little (well, that's fiction for you).
It mightn't be quite as simple to use insect movements for forensic data as our be-jumpered nordic lady detectives would have us believe.
Mind you, drawing a chalk line around the body might work.
The use of insects as indicators of post-mortem displacement is a familiar technique depicted on many crime investigation TV shows. In reality, this practice is far from clear-cut.
To cut through the hype, researchers have looked across existing studies to review how exactly insects have been used in legal investigations and to what extent these methods have been useful.
Based on more than 170 publications over the last century, this review, published in the open-access journal PeerJ, reveals weaknesses and mistaken beliefs regarding the use of forensic entomology as evidence of cadaver displacement as well as many promising aspects and development opportunities.
Though insect analysis has been used in legal investigation for decades, only a few forensic cases have successfully applied such a method to tell a body was moved.
Based on a case-by-case approach, species distribution, temporality, behavior and genetic analysis can be useful to infer postmortem relocation. However, such inferences should not be based on general trends or previous results at a broader scale but always rely on local experiments performed a posteriori to comply with the circumstances of a given forensic case.
Researchers also found that time is a key factor: a cadaver that remains only briefly in the first location is unlikely to be colonized by local insects, whereas a cadaver that remains for a very long period will have been abandoned by insects before cadaver relocation occurs.
Is Trump Getting Too Big For His (Concrete) Boots?


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Home > Who we are > Sisters > Jubilee meet a sister
Patricia Baker, CDP
Sister Patricia Baker confirms with joy, "Imagine, I have consciously been lured by Providence since my youth! What a precious and unexpected journey! How wonderful to be able to really know that deep within!"
The Sisters of Divine Providence who taught her at St. Mary in Sharpsburg, Pennsylvania, and at Marycrest Prep School in Allison Park, Pennsylvania, were a strong and positive influence in her decision at age 18 to enter the Community she was already so at home with for 12 years. She reflects, "These women who taught me shared so much more than education; they shared a genuine faith rooted in goodness, kindness, personal interest and outreach. They, along with my family, nurtured in me a relationship with God that has only grown deeper over a lifetime."
Sister Pat feels blest to have been given the opportunity by the Community to study music at Duquesne University in her early days of professional preparation. She spent 18 years in ministry as a teacher at St. Basil in Carrick, PA (1971-72 and 1982-83), Divine Providence Academy in Cheswick, PA (1973-77), Queen of Peace in Harper Woods, MI (1977-82) and finally at St. John the Baptist in Monaca, PA (1983-89).
She moved into parish ministry in 1989. It was at this juncture that Sister Pat was nudged out of her comfort zone of teaching into a new arena of ministering primarily with adults. It was also at this juncture that she was nudged into not only serving in Music Ministry, but also Bereavement Ministry. Sister Pat initially served in parish ministry at Nativity of Our Lord/Incarnation Parish in Pittsburgh (1989-1994) and subsequently at St. Scholastica Parish (Aspinwall, PA) since 1994. She says, "This twinning of parish ministries has been a gift beyond measure in my life! These years of ministry have truly been graced ones that I cherish!"
As Director of Music/Bereavement Ministries she coordinates many volunteers who serve as cantors, choir members in three choirs and those who serve in bereavement outreach. One highlight of this ministry has been the joy of being able to sing and play piano, organ and flute on a regular basis as an expression of prayer and praise. Another is the joy of being able to encourage parishioners to become involved in active ministry as they are able, both through Music and Bereavement Outreach. She muses, "It is such a privilege to minister with volunteers, sharing their faith, their good-heartedness and their willingness to serve others. This sharing has brought about a sense of genuine sense of care, community and connection that never ceases to astound me!"
Another important highlight of her parish ministry has been the call to be personally present to those who grieve. Sister Pat reflects, "In my younger years, I would never have thought that I would be called to Bereavement Ministry. Though difficult, it is an awesome trust to be God's compassionate presence to those weighed down in sorrow. These times of interaction are sacred, and I carry these families always in my heart."
Having served in parish ministry for such a long stretch of time has truly given birth to Sister Pat's understanding of what it is to be a pastoral minister, as well as a Sister. She thoughtfully relates, "There is far more mutual ministry than I could have ever acknowledged in my younger years. In the call to be sister to anyone and everyone, my heart has truly been stretched. In the call to encourage and nurture others, I have been humbled to stand aside and let others lead. In the call to minister to the sorrowing, I have become more compassionate and gracious in responding immediately in God's way and time. I hope that my years of service have left something of God's visible presence and providence in the lives of those to whom I was sent. I have been so blest at every turn of my life. Is it any wonder that I am so deeply grateful for all the grace, people and experiences that have made the journey worth the gift of my lifetime!"
CLICK HERE to make a gift in honor of Sister Patricia's 50th Jubilee.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Horsham Bishopric: What's going on at town centre site?
Bishops Weald House SUS-180820-175913001
James Oxenham
With a number of units still standing empty and no replacement yet built for the town's most controversial sculpture speculation has been growing about what the future will hold for Horsham's Bishopric.
It wasn't long ago families and shoppers were visiting the area, picking up a meal at the ever popular McDonald's restaurant, buying gifts from the Argos store or sitting around the iconic Shelley Fountain debating what its purpose in the town really was.
Works taking place on Bishops Weald House, Horsham. Pic Steve Robards SR1603039 SUS-160126-134804001
However, over the past four years this has all changed with new developments approved, millions of pounds spent and further plans put forward to 'enhance' the area.
Despite all the works and proposals the area has stood relatively unchanged for a year-and-a-half with units still empty and no major enhancements made.
Works put on hold for Horsham's 'West End'
The council said it was still working closely with developers on the projects for the Bishops Weald building while it was also continuing to work on draft plans to enhance the Bishopric.
Hoardings up around the former McDonald's unit showing aerial artists' impressions of the completed West End Horsham development. Pic Steve Robards SUS-150605-130554001
Below is an in-depth look at the past, present and possible future of the site.
What's gone on over the past four years?
Things all changed for the Bishopric in 2014 as councillors approved plans to build two new retail units along Albion Way.
The buildings took a year to create and would become home to the John Lewis and Waitrose stores which have since become a huge asset to the town.
The old Bishops Weald building and former McDonald's unit
Around the same time a second application was put forward by the same developers which looked to demolish part of the Bishops Weald building - at the time home to McDoanld's and Ragdolls Fine Framing. In its place new retail and restaurant units would be built with 53 apartments created on top.
Third phase of Horsham's 'West End' redevelopment approved
As part of the plans the Lifestyle Ford garage in Guildford Road and the neighbouring building used by Horsham Bowling Club were set to be knocked down and replaced with short-stay temporary accommodation for homeless households, later purchased by council for £2.7m.
These schemes were put forward by the developer Westrock and were labelled the 'West End' project.
Shelley fountain area in Horsham at Bishopric, Pic Steve Robards SR1621112 SUS-160715-171043001
McDonald's closed in 2014 after 25 years in the town with Ragdolls closely following suit and demolition began on the buildings a few months later.
Horsham McDonald's to close after 25 years in town
After a year-and-a-half of works, in March 2017 - six months later than billed - the new premises were completed with the apartments still to be built.
At the time Arcus - which was carrying out the works - said the building of the apartments was going to be delayed until the summer but as of writing works still had not begun on the new accommodation.
Two units in the building have been filled with Dreams bed store opening in the ground floor space opposite John Lewis in August 2016 while the Gym Group opened its gym and fitness studio two months ago in the space above.
In the meantime the John Lewis and Waitrose buildings shot up with the retailers opening their doors to the public in June 2015.
Artists impression of the completed Bishops Weald scheme. SUS-140810-093529001
John Lewis and Waitrose store opens in Horsham
Plans were also approved in April 2016 to remove the controversial Shelley fountain. The iconic sculpture had divided opinion in the town for many years and was uprooted in June of that year before being moved to a new home at Westenhanger Castle in Kent.
Horsham's Shelley Fountain removed
In the summer of 2017 Horsham District Council announced its plans to rejuvenate several public realms in the town.
It drafted the Horsham Town Centre Vision Statement which outlined several proposals for key areas including Piries Place, Queens Street and The Forum. The Bishopric was also included with may ideas put forward to improve the entrance to the town as well as create a new sculpture or landmark to replace the Shelley Fountain.
Horsham town centre vision exhibition extended
However, more than a year after the last public consultation was held no changes have been made or applications submitted.
The former McDonald's unit also still stands empty and Argos - based in the ground floor unit of the Bishops Weald building - has also shut up shop.
What's happening now?
After almost a year-and-a-half of little change in the Bishopric many question have been asked by residents about what is going on with the area.
When approached by the County Times on the situation Horsham District Council said it was still working closely with developers and plans were still being created to enhance the area.
The council said it was working closely with developers Arcus on 'various planning application matters' for the empty shop units and it was 'looking forward to seeing the new development at the site taking shape'.
When questioned about the situation with the housing and apartments at the Bishops Weald development - approved in the initial plans - the council said the scheme was 'progressing through the approval process'.
A spokesman said: "The Berkeley Homes scheme is progressing through the approvals stage and a confirmed start date for the construction of the housing units will follow."
The council also said it had adopted its Horsham Town Centre Vision Statement and was drawing up proposals to improve the Bishopric which will be put forward for public consultation over the next two years.
The spokesman added: "Following extensive consultation which generated much interest and many ideas, we are now working on detailed strategies for local walking and cycling, and for the public realm which will deliver the first two priorities of the Horsham Town Vision Statement adopted by the Council in November 2017.
"The designs for the improvements to the Bishopric area are scheduled for preparation between 2019 and 2020 and the draft plans will be subject to public consultation. The implementation of any of these schemes will of course be subject to identifying suitable funding."
What to you think of the Bishopric? Send your views to ct.news@jpress.co.uk


The white corner shelf is positioned to look like a triangle from a distance. This layout almost makes the corner look like a plane surface. The illusion is near-perfect once the shelves have been filled with books.


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Q: Find minimal eigenvalue of the permutation matrix A permutation matrix of order $n$ is a matrix of size $n \times n$ composed of 0 and 1 such that the sum (in the field of real numbers) of elements for each column and each row is 1. Let λ1, λ2, ..., λ5 be the eigenvalues of the matrix of the permutation with order 5:
$$P = \begin{pmatrix}
    0  & 1 & 0 & 0&0 \\
    0  & 0 & 0 &0&1 \\
    1&0&0&0&0 \\
    0&0&1&0&0 \\
    0&0&0&1&0
\end{pmatrix} $$
Find λ  = min | λi |
My solution:
So i calculated eigenvalues in this way:
$P \cdot x = \lambda \cdot x$

$x_{2} - \lambda    \cdot x_{1} = 0$
$x_{5} - \lambda    \cdot x_{2} = 0$
$x_{1} - \lambda    \cdot x_{3} = 0$
$x_{3} - \lambda    \cdot x_{4} = 0$
$x_{4} - \lambda    \cdot x_{5} = 0$

We get matrix:
$$P = \begin{pmatrix}
    -\lambda  & 1 & 0 & 0&0 \\
    0  & -\lambda & 0 &0&1 \\
    1&0&-\lambda&0&0 \\
    0&0&1&-\lambda&0 \\
    0&0&0&1&-\lambda
\end{pmatrix} = 0 $$
Using Kramers method I calculated that $\lambda^{5} = 1$, so it means that $\lambda = 1$. Is my solution correct. I have doubts because it problem they write about λ2, ..., λ5, but i get only one answer

A: What you are missing, and what the comments have alluded to, is that you need to consider the 5th roots of unity. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Root_of_unity for example (look at the picture on the right!). Basically, the equation $z^n = 1$ has $n$ solutions, some of which may be complex. For example, the equation $z^4 = 1$ has solutions $z = 1,-1,i,-i$ (check this!). So here you have $\lambda^5 = 1$, which we solve as follows:
$$\lambda = 1^{1/5} = (e^{2\pi ki})^{1/5} = e^{2\pi k i/5}=\cos(2 \pi k/5) + i\sin(2 \pi k/5),$$
where $k \in \mathbb Z$. So you can get the solution in the form $a+bi$ by plugging in $k=0,\ldots, 4$. If this is new to you, you should be able to check out the first chapter of any complex analysis book, where this method of solving equations is explained.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


The pressure to succeed at a university can be overwhelming—and not just for the students. That is why Assistant Professor April Bice from the School of Nursing (SON) co-developed FACES with SON's Kellie Griggs and Tammy Arms, a peer support program for tenure-track faculty at UNCW.
The program focuses on the five components of fellowship, accountability, collaboration, empowerment and support to deal with difficult faculty issues such as intense criticism and lack of support. The participants met in a group over a 16-week period to collaborate, encourage and support each other as equals. The result was a more positive outlook on the tenure track by participants and a new community devoted to supporting their colleagues. The program was also the recipient of the North Carolina Nurses Association's Caring For Ourselves award in the 2018 Best Practice Awards.
Congratulations to Dr. Bice on this award!


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Roberto Cavalli Launches Web Site
The new robertocavalli.com integrates e-commerce and offers a pay-and-collect service.
By Lucie Janik on March 14, 2016
Roberto Cavalli's new website.
MILAN — Roberto Cavalli has opened the digital doors to its revamped Web site, available at robertocavalli.com. This features an online store, offering the brand's men's and women's ready-to-wear and accessories collections.
Developed and operated by Milan-based agency Triboo Digitale in cooperation with Bootique for the graphic design, the omnichannel and mobile-friendly site allows customers in Italy, U.K. and the U.S. to use the pay-and-collect system. With the added technology, customers can pick from the brand's products online and afterward choose the nearest boutique to pick up the goods.
"We aim at being omnichannel, using our most important boutiques worldwide as hubs to send our products to more than 60 countries," said Renato Semerari, chief executive officer of the Cavalli Group. "It is a full responsive platform adapting to the habits of modern users, who ever-more frequently prefer connected mobile devices to get the news and purchase."
The store also provides fans with behind-the-scenes content about the brand's roots and heritage, as well as about creative director Peter Dundas, the labels's lifestyle and the celebrities wearing Roberto Cavalli.
"The new Web site will be fully interactive, taking up a pivotal role in the presentation of the collections, thanks to the live-streaming of the catwalk shows, a social media wall and photo gallery," said Semerari. "This will give clients across the world the chance to follow the shows live, discover the behind the scenes, and browse online the entire collections, as well as to experience the Cavalli world and meet its protagonists."
online shopping	Roberto Cavalli


Shige (茂(しげ), Shige) is an anime-only street artist, mentioned in the episode Finals! by Tomi Ichimonji. According to her, Shige is a skilled magician who performed many times at the local talent show, usually presenting a pretty impressive performance.


text:
Die Horgefjord ist eine Doppelendfähre der norwegischen Reederei Fjord1.

Geschichte
Das Schiff wurde unter der Baunummer 1076 auf der türkischen Werft Tersan Tersanecilik für die Reederei Fjord1 in Florø gebaut. Der Stapellauf fand am 26. Januar 2018 statt. Fertigstellung und Ablieferung des Schiffes erfolgten am 28. Juni 2018. Benannt ist das Schiff nach dem gleichnamigen Fjord.

Die Fähre ist die einzige des vom norwegischen Schiffsarchitekturbüro Multi Maritime in Førde entworfenen Typs MM112FE EL.

Die Fähre verkehrt zusammen mit der etwas größeren Møkstrafjord über den Lysefjord zwischen Krokeide und Hufthammar. Den Betrieb der Strecke hatte Fjord1 Anfang Januar 2018 übernommen.

Technische Daten und Ausstattung
Das Schiff ist mit einem Hybridantrieb aus Akkumulatoren und dieselelektrischem Antrieb ausgerüstet. Im Normalbetrieb wird das Schiff elektrisch angetrieben. An beiden Enden der Fähre ist jeweils eine Propellergondel installiert, die je von einem Elektromotor angetrieben wird. Die Elektromotoren werden von Akkumulatorsätzen mit einer Kapazität von 1200 kWh gespeist. Die Akkumulatoren können in den beiden Fährhäfen während der Liegezeit geladen werden. Für den Notbetrieb stehen vier von Scania-Dieselmotoren des Typs DI16M mit jeweils 500 kW Leistung angetriebene Generatoren zur Verfügung.

Das Schiff ist mit einem System zum autonomen Betrieb ausgestattet, das Kurs und Geschwindigkeit selbständig berechnen und kontrollieren kann. Es verfügt über ein Vakuum-Festmachersystem.

Die Fähre verfügt über ein durchlaufendes Fahrzeugdeck mit vier Fahrspuren sowie auf einer Seite über ein zusätzliches, erhöhtes Fahrzeugdeck. Das Fahrzeugdeck ist über Rampen zugänglich. An beiden Enden der Fähre befindet sich ein nach oben aufklappbares Bugvisier. Das Fahrzeugdeck ist im mittleren Bereich mit den Decksaufbauten überbaut. Die nutzbare Durchfahrtshöhe beträgt 5 Meter bzw. 2,5 Meter. Die maximale Achslast auf dem durchlaufenden Fahrzeugdeck beträgt 15 t und auf dem erhöhten Fahrzeugdeck 1,5 t.

Oberhalb des Fahrzeugdecks befindet sich ein Deck mit Einrichtungen für die Passagiere sowie offene Deckbereiche. Auf dem darüberliegenden Deck befinden sich unter anderem Bereiche für die Schiffsbesatzung. Oberhalb dieser beiden Decks befindet sich ein weiteres Deck, auf das mittig das Steuerhaus aufgesetzt ist.

Die Kapazität der Fähre ist mit 399 Personen (inklusive der Schiffsbesatzung) angegeben. Fjord1 vermarktet das Schiff mit einer Kapazität von 295 Passagieren. Den Passagieren steht an Bord ein Kiosk zur Verfügung. Die Fähre kann 120 Pkw befördern.

Weblinks

Einzelnachweise

Fähre
RoRo-Schiff (Norwegen)
Schiff mit Hybridantrieb
Fjord1
Tersan Shipyard

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Recruiters, These Programming Languages are Popular
by Nate Swanner March 1, 2018 5 min read
Programmingprogramming languagesRecruiting
Which programming languages are most popular among tech pros? The answer is an important one to recruiters, who can pitch prospective employers as an ideal place to utilize an in-demand language.
As part of its 2018 Developer Skills survey, HackerRank asked tech pros about their favorite programming languages; it also queried which language (or languages) they were planning to learn next. Using a 'love-dislike' algorithm, HackerRank identified which languages were popular, and broke its findings out by age group: 40.6 percent of respondents enjoy Go, for example; 26 percent love Kotlin; and 24.6 percent feel affection for Swift. The chart below illustrates this age/popularity dichotomy:
Why is Go so popular as tech pros age? It's very possible these older tech pros are well-versed in Java and C++, but are looking to something less fussy; in that case, Go is a good option.
The popularity of Kotlin and Swift is interesting for a few reasons. Both languages are meant as replacements for Java and Objective-C, respectively; both are poised to become the de facto languages for Android (Kotlin) and iOS (Swift). Because they have the same generational synergy (i.e., they're both pretty new), we can safely assume both mobile platforms will be in good shape for years to come.
One other thing to note: these polling trends begin to unravel when tech pros pass the age of 55. It's unclear what HackerRank's sampling pool is, so we're cautioning against putting too much into that data point; that Swift jumps up, as Go and Kotlin plummet, suggests some unnatural skewing.
We may also be seeing the younger crowd favor the languages they're learning in school. Python, C, C++, Java and JavaScript (all languages in heavy rotation at universities) rank higher with tech professionals who are just beginning their careers. HackerRank's survey shows that, as tech pros age, their interest in Java wanes, and they become more interested in Java replacements such as Kotlin, which offer certain advantages.
Unfortunately, Objective-C didn't make HackerRank's language list, so we can't compare it to Swift. TIOBE data shows Swift often outranks Objective-C (even when it slides down the rankings), and the newer language is set for ABI stability later this year. Within 12 months, comparisons between old and new may not matter quite as much; Swift will be a robust, platform-ready language usable for any iOS-centric purpose.
There were other languages in HackerRank's survey that show promise. R seems out of favor for most age groups; only older tech pros were eager to pick it up, probably because they were more interested in working with data than building applications (R is used heavily in data analytics). Haskell was also popular as tech pros aged, likely for the same data-centric reasons.
Based off this data, it seems as if younger tech pros are eager to use older, established languages; this can help recruiters pitch companies that have a more "traditional" tech stack to recent graduates and tech pros still at the beginning of their careers. And when dealing with older tech pros, recruiters shouldn't shy away from the opportunity to position a prospective employer as a place filled with new languages and technologies; it's clear that even mature professionals appreciate the chance to work with the latest and greatest stuff.
Understanding Today's Tech Pros
Recruiters: Focus on Tech Pros' Biggest 2018 Challenges
Ranking Employers' Preferred Programming Languages
Tech Skills That are Seeing the Biggest Pay Increases
The Startup Trend That Might Attract More Experienced Candidates


text:
namespace Damasio34.Seedwork.Specifications
{
    public interface ISpecification<in T> where T : class
    {
        bool SatisfiedBy(T cadidate);
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Q: c: how to call process callback function from another process How can I call a process callback function from another process?
My exe is loaded at 0x400xxx, I'm loading another exe which sets up callbacks but is at 0x400xxx too.
How to call this far magic?

A: In most operating systems (I think you're talking about Microsoft Windows here?) you can not make function calls between two processes.  Each process has it's own memory space and they are isolated from each other.
You can communicate between two processes using inter-process communication mechanisms such as pipes.  In Windows you can also use synchronization objects such as events or semaphores between processes.  If you elaborate on what you are trying to do I can provide some suggestions.


text:
Budget Ax Keeps Falling
By: Jacqueline Emigh | January 15, 2001
CTP searches for savings and a silver lining.
More layoffs are in the works at financially troubled Cambridge Technology Partners (CTP), as the integrator cuts costs and looks to develop new practice areas in supply chain and vertical markets, all in an effort to climb out of the red.
Struggling with depressed stock values, employee turnover and mounting losses, CTP and MarchFirst both have targeted the West Coast regions for the latest round of layoffs. These recent layoffs are a direct response to offset revenue slowdowns. In addition, both companies say they are taking steps to stem losses and seek new revenue streams by developing new practices.
In its latest round of troubles, CTP expects to cut 7 percent of its staff, or about 280 positions, in response to weak business demand and lower-than-expected Q4 earnings. Company president and CEO Jack Messman says most of the next round of job cuts will be localized to its California region.
The company expects to report an operating loss of $19 to $21 million, on a pretax basis, as a result of lower-than-expected revenue. After-tax figures were not available.
eWEEK Q&A: BMC CEO Ayman Sayed
Remembering the Lessons of 2020
The new cutbacks represent the second time since last fall that CTP cut staff. For its Q3 financial results, the company took a one-time restructuring charge to eliminate 400 positions and reduce office space at its headquarters and North American field locations. For these latest cuts, CTP expects to take up to a $5 million charge.
Meanwhile, a hobbled MarchFirst is continuing its job cuts. Sources say the latest layoffs are localized and mainly on the West Coast. Company executives would not say where the latest cuts are located but did say that the cuts are a continuation of a broad layoff plan announced Nov. 13. The company will cut 1,000 positions, or 10 percent of its 10,000 employee base, in an effort to save $100 million annually.
Back at CTP, the road to profitability has been a long one, but Messman expects CTP to go back into the black early this year. To achieve that, CTP will focus on e-commerce, supply chain, mobile commerce and eCRM solutions in four verticals: financial services, communications, manufacturing, and energy and deregulated utilities.
CTP is banking on its traditional integration skills as one of the linchpins of its strategy. "The traditional value chain needs to be integrated out to e-business, and e-business needs to be integrated back to the traditional value chain," Messman says.
The integrator has started hiring specialists in the four verticals, and more will be recruited.
CTP also is working to develop three new practices or strategic offerings. For instance, its European wireless practice will be migrated to the United States. Moreover, efforts are under way in the ASP space. CTP , which has invested in ASPs, is studying the possibility of launching an ASP practice, and possibly even performing ASP services.
Still, CTP cant afford any missteps. The company says it is climbing out of the hole and must carefully choose its practice areas.
Previous Heres What Your Allies Want
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IMPRES Receives $19M Award to Provide Dell Laptops...
DAILY VIDEO: IMPRES will provide Dell rugged laptops to federal agencies, and Azure cloud customers...
StackPath Rolls Out Secure Edge Platform for Containers,...
DAILY VIDEO: Edge computing pioneer StackPath launches a platform for containers and VMs, and...


Job Summary: Our client in real estate industry seeks to recruit a Property Manager.
The position holder will report directly to the Head of Management.
He/she will oversee and direct property management activities related to organisation's diverse commercial portfolio and will be responsible for the overall successful operations of the sites.
Work closely with board members and attend monthly board meetings.
Over 5 years' experience as a property manager.
Ability to create strong professional relationships with the key stake holders.
Ability to take decisions and ensure no bottleneck on the work flow.


This widget lets you display images in a rich interactive visualization similar to that of Apple iTunes known as Cover Flow. It is a Flash-based implementation.
The images used for this demo are from Freebase.


Our Grand Service beer glass can also double as a water or wine glass- it's very versatile, at 14 ounces and 12 per case. At Deja Brew USA, we can also work with you to create custom branding, and then imprint each piece of bulk glassware with it! Now your guests will see your branding front and center, whenever they take a sip. Stand out with Deja Brew!


text:
Home | Dividend Stocks | Utilities | Electric Utilities | LNT Alliant Energy Corp. Dividend Yield
LNT Alliant Energy Corp. Dividend Yield
LNT Daily Activity
LNT Dividend Yield Chart
LNT Dividend Data
LNT Dividend Payout History Graph
News headlines for LNT
LNT Company Information
LNT Description: Alliant Energy Corporation operates as a utility holding company that provides regulated electricity and natural gas services to residential, commercial, industrial, and wholesale customers in the Midwest region of the United States. It operates through three segments: Electric, Gas, and Other. The company, through its subsidiary, Interstate Power and Light Company (IPL), primarily generates and distributes electricity, and distributes and transports natural gas in Iowa and southern Minnesota; and generates and distributes steam in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Alliant Energy, through its subsidiary, Wisconsin Power and Light Company (WPL), generates and distributes electricity, and distributes and transports natural gas in Wisconsin. As of December 31, 2015, IPL supplied electricity to 489,000 retail customers and natural gas to 225,000 retail customers; and WPL supplied electricity to 461,000 retail customers and natural gas to 184,000 retail customers. It offers electric utility services to retail customers in food manufacturing, chemical, and paper industries. In addition, the company holds investments in various businesses, which provide freight services through a short-line railway between Cedar Rapids and Iowa City, Iowa; a barge terminal and hauling services on the Mississippi River; and other transfer and storage services. Further, it owns a non-regulated natural gas-fired electric generating unit near Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin; and owns the non-regulated 99 MW Franklin County wind project located in Franklin County, Iowa. Alliant Energy Corporation was founded in 1917 and is headquartered in Madison, Wisconsin.
LNT HQ Address: 4902 NORTH BILTMORE LANE, SUITE 1000, MADISON, WI 53718-2148
LNT Website URL: http://www.alliantenergy.com
NextEra Energy NEE 3.0300%
Xcel Energy XEL 3.6000%
Dominion Resources D 3.6100%
Black Hills Corp. BKH 3.3200%
DTE Energy Company DTE 1.8300%
PPL Corp. PPL 4.5600%
SCANA Corp. SCG 3.8400%
El Paso Electric Co. EE 2.8200%


A French court has fined a U.S. cruise ship captain €100,000 for breaking European Union pollution laws after the ship was found to be burning bunker fuel with a sulfur content of 1.68 percent, above the EU limit of 1.5 percent.
In the first ruling of its kind, Capt. Evans Hoyt of Azura was fined €100,000. The judge ordered that Carnival Cruises, which owns the manager and operator of Azura, P&O Cruises, pay €80,000 of the fine.
According to news reports, Carnival Cruises has appealed the fine, stating that it had been previously informed by the French environment ministry that the law did not apply to cruise ships.


KS Motor warrants that user data is collected and stored with the utmost protection of your privacy. We only manage data that are necessary to run an e-shop and related services. It is very important for us to protect your personal data, such as name, address, telephone, bank details or passwords. We use such data to the extent that we make your orders and requirements in an optimal manner.
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If you are interested, KS Motor can send you information about products and services that may be of interest to you. If you do not continue to be receiving this information in the future, we will offer you a way to unsubscribe from our mailing list / newsletter.


text:
Vol 14 No 2 (2019): July-December 2019
Original Study
Macular edema after cataract surgery in diabetic patients evaluated by spectral domain OCT at Thammasat eye center
Published Nov 1, 2019
DOI https://doi.org/10.36281/2019020205
kittichai akrapipatkul Hathai Havanon
Objective: To study central macular thickness before and after uncomplicated phacoemulsification cataract surgery in diabetic patients, comparing between those with and without diabetic retinopathy, in order to estimate the incidence of developing macular edema post procedure.
Methods: Patients who underwent uncomplicated phacoemulsification cataract surgery were enrolled from March 2017 to May 2018, excluding those with preoperative retinal diseases. Central macular thickness (CMT) and best corrected visual acuity were obtained preoperatively and at 4 weeks. Forty-two diabetic patients with no diabetic retinopathy (no DR) and 23 diabetic patients with diabetic retinopathy (DR) who underwent phacoemulsification with intraocular lens insertion were enrolled. Central macular thickness were measured with Spectral domain OCT. These parameters were recorded before phacoemulsification cataract surgery and four-week after cataract operation, and were analyzed using descriptive statistics.
Results: Of the 65 patients, there were 40 males (62%) and 25 females (38%), mean age was 67±8.12 years. Forty-two diabetic patients had no DR and 23 diabetic patients had DR. There was no difference in preoperative CMT between the two groups. All eyes in this study had no macular edema prior to surgery. Phacoemulsification with posterior chamber intraocular lens implantation were performed in all eyes. No intraoperative complications were found. Mean duration from surgery date to postoperative OCT were 33 and 36 days in the no DR and DR group, respectively. Mean postoperative CMT were 235.67 ± 27.59 and 239.04 ± 29.68 µm in the no DR and DR group, respectively (p-value = 0.68). Mean CMT increase over the preoperative study 5.57 ± 12.28 µm (2.40%) in the no DR group and 5.26 ± 7.67 µm (3.28 %) in the DR group. The incidence of ME on OCT (CRT>300 µm) was 1.54%.
Conclusion: CMT in diabetic patients measured by OCT increased after uncomplicated phacoemulsification at 4 weeks in both groups but no statistically significant difference between the no DR and DR groups.
Keywords: macular edema, after cataract surgery, OCT macula, central macular thickness, CMT, phacoemulsification, diabetic retinopathy, DM
Ethics: This study was approved for ethical research in human with the human research ethics committee of Thammasat university, Thailand (Research ID : MTU-EC-OP-6-016/60)
macular edema, after cataract surgery, OCT macula, central macular thickness, CMT, phacoemulsification, diabetic retinopathy, DM
Copyright (c) 2019 Eye South East Asia
1.	Pascolini D, Mariotti SP. Global estimates of visual impairment: 2010. British Journal of Ophthalmology. 2012;96(5):614-8.
2.	Chu CJ, Johnston RL, Buscombe C, Sallam AB, Mohamed Q, Yang YC, et al. Risk factors and incidence of macular edema after cataract surgery: a database study of 81984 eyes. Ophthalmology. 2016;123(2):316-23.
3.	Flach AJ. The incidence, pathogenesis and treatment of cystoid macular edema following cataract surgery. Transactions of the American Ophthalmological Society. 1998;96:557.
4.	Krepler K, Biowski R, Schrey S, Jandrasits K, Wedrich A. Cataract surgery in patients with diabetic retinopathy: visual outcome, progression of diabetic retinopathy, and incidence of diabetic macular oedema. Graefe's Archive for Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology. 2002;240(9):735-8.
5.	Jeng C-J, Hsieh Y-T, Yang C-M, Yang C-H, Lin C-L, Wang I-J. Development of diabetic retinopathy after cataract surgery. PloS one. 2018;13(8):e0202347.
6.	Kim SJ, Equi R, Bressler NM. Analysis of macular edema after cataract surgery in patients with diabetes using optical coherence tomography. Ophthalmology. 2007;114(5):881-9.
7.	Baker CW, Almukhtar T, Bressler NM, Glassman AR, Grover S, Kim SJ, et al. Macular edema after cataract surgery in eyes without preoperative central-involved diabetic macular edema. JAMA ophthalmology. 2013;131(7):870-9.
8.	Wang K-Y, Cheng C-K. Central retinal thickness changes and visual outcomes following uncomplicated small-incision phacoemulsification cataract surgery in diabetic without retinopathy patients and nondiabetic patients. Taiwan Journal of Ophthalmology. 2014;4(1):33-9.
9.	Hee MR, Puliafito CA, Wong C, Duker JS, Reichel E, Rutledge B, et al. Quantitative assessment of macular edema with optical coherence tomography. Archives of ophthalmology. 1995;113(8):1019-29.
10.	Pollack A, Leiba H, Bukelman A, Oliver M. Cystoid macular oedema following cataract extraction in patients with diabetes. British journal of ophthalmology. 1992;76(4):221-4.
11.	Chen X-Y, Song W-J, Cai H-Y, Zhao L. Macular edema after cataract surgery in diabetic eyes evaluated by optical coherence tomography. International journal of ophthalmology. 2016;9(1):81.
12.	Klein RM, Yannuzzi L. Cystoid macular edema in the first week after cataract extraction. American journal of ophthalmology. 1976;81(5):614-5.
13.	Flesner P, Sander B, Henning V, Parving HH, De La Cour MD, Lund‐Andersen H. Cataract surgery on diabetic patients. A prospective evaluation of risk factors and complications. Acta Ophthalmologica Scandinavica. 2002;80(1):19-24.
in TCI


text:
'We Rarely Consider How Many Voices Are In A Player's Head'
There is a lot of competition for a young athlete's head space. We know this, but I saw a tweet recently from Jeff Leach, a private baseball instructor in San Antonio, Texas, and a newly minted manager of hitting for a bat company, that summed up the competition in terms that should make everyone fighting for that space be a little more understanding -- of the athlete, and of each other:
We rarely consider how many voices are in a player's head
-Dad was his sons 1st coach & is liberal w/his opinions
-Private instructor teaches his method
-School coach demands team 1st approach
-Travel team coach disagrees w/the private instructor's method & his school's approach
— Coach Jeff Leach (@CoachJeffLeach) December 24, 2018
Despite the male-only pronouns, this dynamic applies to girls as well as boys. To break it down further:
Any parent (Mom, too) who is heading down the path of hiring private instructors is likely passionate about the game and about his or her child's development in it. Plus, to go further down the line, a parent is likely the only person to watch that player's every game. The parent likely isn't an expert, but he or she probably knows some things that no coach knows, at least not right away. Also, the parent has one child, one career, to worry about -- not other people's kids.
Any private instructor sells his or her services based on an individual technique for helping a child achieve improvement and excellence. Perhaps after some time, the instructor and the player develop a relationship where there's more give-and-take based on the athlete's individual needs and personality. But a private instructor who doesn't promote a specific technique is likely an instructor who gets no business.
For the school coach, while individual development is desired, the goal is winning, however that happens. The school coach's career advances or stalls based on wins and losses, and having an identifiable system that brings results whatever the talent level.
The travel team coach's career advances or stalls on the ability to attract and develop star players, and thus shoe contracts or other sponsorships. Wins and losses aren't necessarily the biggest deal. A travel team coach doesn't necessarily eschew team play, but talent collection is the No. 1 job.
The tension in youth sports is that while all of these roles are involved in player development, their motivations can be at cross purposes. Particularly the parents -- after all, they're paying for it.
Somebody asked Leach: in this dynamic, who is right? I thought Leach's answer was interesting:
Dad is right- in the car after the game.
Private instructor is right- during the lesson
School coach is right- in the Spring season
Travel coach is right- in the summer time
To me, the point is that no one is wrong -- everybody is doing what they think is best. However, there is an overall message that isn't clear to young athletes.
Maybe it's this: you are going to have a lot of opinions, a lot of techniques, a lot of people telling you there is a certain way to achieve success. One of the best skills you can develop is to learn from everyone you can, learn what works for you, and most importantly learn there is no single way to achieve success. If there were, you wouldn't have four different people telling you four different ways to do it.
Also, for parents and coaches, the message is this: you can help, but you don't have all the answers. If an athlete is resisting your way of doing things, it might be worth talking to him or her about what they've been taught, and finding a way to meet them where they are, instead of telling them some other adult is just plain wrong.


The 3 Valleys is one of the largest ski areas in the world. With this being the case there is a whole host of challenging and steep skiing for the advanced skier.
Whether it be mogul fields you are after, couloirs, steep gradients or just a challenging terrain you can find everything in the Three Valleys. Meribel has the Olympic downhill Face to tackle, Courchevel offers some great Couloir skiing, and Val Thorens has a number of steep bumpy runs to really get the legs working.
Meribel may not be the most challenging resort of the Three Valleys but there is still plenty to challenge the advanced skier and with connections to the Courchevel and Val Thorens you won't be stuck for finding some deep & steep runs.
If you take the Loze chairlift up the mountain you can tackle the Tetras run back down. This tends to be a challenge as it is often extremely mogul-filled so be ready to work those legs. You can also take the Pas du Lac up from Meribel Mottaret and then take the slightly less challenging (but still advanced) Sanglier or Grande Rosiere pistes back to resort.
Both the red runs at the top of the Mont Vallon lift are long, steep and often full of moguls. These lengthy uninterrupted pistes tend to be a good place for practising your technique as they are generally quieter as it is not linked to other parts for the Three Valleys.
Courchevel has some awesome steep, challenging pistes and mountains in the higher altitude areas of the valley. A mix of Couloirs, steep pistes, challenging terrain and great snow it is a great place for advanced skiers to challenge themselves.
The Couloirs and steep black runs are the ones that everybody talks about. Courchevel is known for having some of the worlds hardest and most challenging black runs, so it is definitely one to head for if you fancy a challenging skiing holiday. The Couloirs at the top of the Saulire cable car are the ones that people challenge themselves with the most, there are two official pistes that are a Couloirs, the Grand Couloir, which notably is the easiest of the bunch but still a challenge, the rest are no longer pistes but can still be tackled and enjoyed. The other is Couloir Tournier which takes you into Meribel.
There are also plenty of black pistes with steep and tough moguls. A selection of these can be found at the top of the Susses lift, the top of the Vizelle bubble and the top of the Saulire. This area around the Saulire and the Creux Noirs will definitely provide plenty of advanced skiing, with the high altitude and steep gradient you can whizz down a number of tough reds and blacks.
If you are staying down in Courchevel Le Praz and you want a challenging run to finish your day or you just fancy an advanced piste through the trees then head down the Jean Blanc from the top of the Plantray or Bouc Blanc. This black piste runs through the trees in the valley making it the perfect challenge for a bad weather day or wonderful views when the sun shines. You can also challenge yourself on the black pistes that sit above La Tania, the Dou des Lanches is definitely one to try.
Val Thorens has a wide variety of steep ski runs to offer those that like a bit of a challenge. With access to three different glaciers and four different summits, skiers and boarders are spoilt for choice.
Runs from the top of the Cime Caron lift, particularly combe de Caron, have always been a favourite and since the lift was replaced in 07/08, the queues at peak periods are a thing of the past. From the top of this lift, you can also access the famous combe de rosael which is often filled with huge moguls that will test your skills.
Being the furthest point, the slopes around the Bouchet lift in the fourth valley of Orelle, are the best place to get fresh powder. The runs up here are wide and often quiet, allowing you to pick up as much speed as you can handle.
The Point de La Masse has four tricky blacks, masse, lac noir, dame blanche and rocher noir. It is the perfect spot first thing in the morning as it avoids the Three Valleys traffic and gets the best of the pre-lunch sunshine.
Another good place, although slightly busier as the gondola leaves from the centre of resort, is the runs at the top of the Funitel Peclet. Christine is the steepest and longest of these runs and gives you the chance to follow up with the col red run at the top of the Glacier de Thorens accessed via the Moraine lift.