text:
Free Fiction Friday #102: A Trivial Debate
Note: This is the one-hundred-and-second post in Free Fiction Fridays.
These are short stories put up each Friday that you can read for free. By the next Friday the post will be taken down and a new one will go up.
The establishment was worried.
They were worried a lot, so much so in fact that they disrupted their regularly scheduled Monday night programming for a special debate.
It was on February 29, Leap Day 2016.
The presidential race had run wildly out of control, with Donald Trump dominating and the other four men still in it looking like fools.
Oh yes, the establishment was worried.
Something had to be done and that's why Fox Network execs came up with the brilliant idea to hold an impromptu debate, one that the public would have a say in.
All four candidates trailing Trump – Cruz, Rubio, Kasich and Carson – quickly agreed.
Trump, in his usual fashion, said 'what the hell' and said he was in too. With polls showing him edging into Cruz's double-digit lead in Texas – the only state he was expected to lose in the next day's 12-state Super Tuesday primary spree – he had a lot to gain.
They all did…until the public had their say.
The Fox Network had originally suggested that citizens put forth the questions through a website they'd especially set up for the occasion.
That somehow morphed into citizens suggesting the debate format, and then an entirely different debate.
When submissions closed on Monday at 1 PM, the overwhelming consensus was that the American Public wanted to see their GOP presidential candidates play the classic board game, Trivial Pursuit.
By that time the debate was only 6 hours away. Kasich was the first to squirm and suggest it be cancelled, but Trump called him a coward and he quickly demurred.
Seeing the blood in the water, the other candidates held their tongue.
The debate was held in San Antonio and through a coin-toss, Carson received the first question.
What did the crocodile swallow in Peter Pan?
A hush fell over the crowded room as Carson smiled and frowned and shifted on his feet.
"Dick," he said, referring to moderator Dick Cummins, "I believe that was Captain Hook's right hand – no, left – no, right – no, Dick, no, it was his left foot."
"An alarm clock," Dick Cummins said. On stage, one of the candidates laughed while Carson muttered something under his breath.
Next up was Rubio.
What is the capital of Australia?
Rubio reached up and rubbed at the residue of the 5 o'clock shadow he'd shaved away an hour before. He took in a deep breath.
"I love Australia, I love the people of Australia, I'd love to go there some day." He paused, looked up. "The capital, huh? Well…that is a hard one to remember, I have to be completely honest."
"Ten seconds," Dick said, referring to the small hourglass on his desk.
"Yes, ten seconds, ten seconds," Rubio said, nervously. "Let me just think for a–"
"Sydney!" Rubio shouted a second after the buzzer went off. All eyes went to Dick Cummins.
"Canberra," he said, and Rubio's head dropped in defeat while he gave a "damn-like" fist swing through the air.
Next up was Kasich.
How many children has Queen Elizabeth the Second got?
Kasich rolled his eyes to that one, pushed himself away from the podium for a moment before pulling himself back.
"Aw boy, how do I know how many kids she's got? Let's see, Charles and…oh, heck – six, she's got six."
"Four," Dick said.
"Damn!" Kasich said. "Goddamn it, I'm a governor!"
At that point there were a few murmurs and laughs in the audience, and on stage, before Dick got things settled down again.
Cruz came next.
What river goes through London?
Cruz smiled. "That, Dick, would be the wonderful, beautiful, majestic, and awe-inspiring gift to the world that our good friends the English call the Thames River."
"That is correct," Dick said, looking over at the scantily-clad young woman by the scoreboard. "One point for Cruz."
Cruz smiled as his piece was moved across the giant board shown on the TV for the people at home.
After that it was Trump.
"Dick, Dick, if I may say," Trump said, holding up his hand and cutting off the moderator's question, "that last question that you gave to Ted, here – do you think I'm a doofus or something? I mean, the Thames, are you kidding me? Every school kid at home knows that one, or at least used to when this country was great, eh…eh? I will make America great again, I promise you that. Now, please, your question."
What year did the drummer of Def Lepperd lose his arm?
"How the hell do I know – next question please."
"1984," Dick said.
"Fine, fine," Trump said, hands clenching the podium as he looked around at the spectacle that he'd created.
The questions went on after that:
What year did Elvis Presley die?
How long is a round in boxing?
What's the capital of Ethiopia?
How many fingers did Ann Boleyn have?
On and one they went on that special night of debate, on and on and on.
In the end there was no clear winner and it was pretty much decided Trump would take everything but Texas.
The candidates went home, tired but more informed, and the American people went to bed happy, knowing these knowledgeable men would be keeping them safe.
Midweek Content Roundup #99
This is the ninety-eighth post in an ongoing series of useful and interesting content that goes up each Wednesday.
Here you can find links to different SEO, content marketing, social media marketing, and other various articles from the past week that I think you might like.
This week there are 12 articles…enjoy!
Post removed 03/04/16
Speaking of guides...
There are hundreds of pages of tips on how to get ahead in this book.
Give it a look on Amazon or iTunes.
Culling Your Social Media Groups
These are cows
I went ahead and cullled quite a few groups recently.
Culling is to "reduce the population by selective slaughter."
So I slaughtered my social media groups.
Mainly, I went to all the spam pit groups, weeks-between-posts groups, and the ones that I just don't really visit anymore.
I went ahead and left those groups.
For the most part, this took place on Facebook and Google+.
On Facebook I was a member of many useless writing groups.
You know a useless Facebook writing group because of these things:
Authors posting about their book over and over;
No likes or comments on posts;
Terrible images on the posts.
Those are just a few dead-giveaways, but it's that lack of engagement (no likes, no comments) that really tells you – hey, this group sucks.
So I left those.
I did the same on Google+, though here it was mainly marketing groups about SEO and social media and things like that.
For the most part, the problem was spam followed closely by lack of interest/engagement.
Overall, people just don't care!
For me, that's alright – I've seen that for years.
At this point, however, I have to ask myself a simple question: how much time do I want to waste?
These groups are just a waste of my time.
I really see no way I'm helping anyone with my posts (or posts of others that I share) and I see no way those groups are helping me.
How could they help me?
Probably by informing me of trends, writing advice, marketing tips, or just a place to talk with other people.
Alas, I get none of those things anymore…and I'm not sure I ever did.
That's the problem with social media – it often sucks away your time and leaves you with little in return.
So I've decided to do the following:
Focus more on writing my books and blog posts.
That's about it!
I figure, every time I feel like wasting time on social media in groups, scrolling through a never-ending feed, why not just work on my own stuff?
Hell, that's where most of my money is coming from – my books.
(I know that's hard for some of you to believe, by I'm making more money from my books then ever).
I need to write more of 'em and spend less time on social media time-sucks.
So I just wanted to say that.
I hope it'll give you some ideas on how to spend your time as well.
Like What You're Readin'?
Hey, thanks for visiting this site!
You're one of about 900 people that come each day.
The vast majority come in from Google, looking for things to do with Montana, writing, self-publishing, marketing…stuff like that.
These are first time visitors.
A smaller few, about 25%, come each day to read the new articles.
These are the regulars.
I hope you're a regular…but I don't know.
Not that many people comment on this site and it's been that way for three years.
Oh well, the traffic speaks for itself.
Something else that speaks for itself is the writing.
I do it all by myself and I'm not paid for doing it.
Oh, I make a bit from the ads you see, a bit more from the books I sell.
It adds up and that's why I can do this.
Something that makes doing this easier is money.
When I have that I can pay the rent.
An easy way for you to give me money is to order stuff on Amazon, and do so from this site.
Yeah, just find the Amazon ads on the sidebar of the Montana and the Writing blogs.
Simply click on those to get to Amazon, then do your ordering.
I'll get a small cut (about 6%) of the sale price.
Hey, it ain't much, but it adds up.
Free Fiction Friday #101: Planning a Betrayal
Note: This is the one-hundred-and-first post in Free Fiction Fridays.
"Two more, up to the left!" Zhou shouted at the group of men forming up just ten yards from where the Adjurians were making their stand. "You there, go to the right."
Several of the men that had come into the battle with Jisselle had filtered down to the south of the Adjurians' position, a good thing, for with the deaths his forces had suffered on the road he was well short of men. Already several of them lay dead in front of the Adjurians and he knew that quite a few more would join them before they were finally able to break the defenses.
Jisselle was more than ten yards to Zhou's left and inside the trees when she heard the rebel leader's shouts. She moved up behind a tree and looked at the men arrayed around him. Several of them were his, but an equal amount were men she'd brought into the battle. They'd remain loyal to her whatever she did, but the men that were Zhou's were certain to strike her down if she so much as raised a hand against their leader.
She considered pulling her bow and ending Zhou's life right then with an arrow in the back, but quickly dismissed such cowardly notions. While she could probably sneak up on Zhou in the heat of battle it would be far easier to walk up to him as an equal commander of the forces. He would never suspect that she intended to cut him down.
Deciding on discretion she walked out from behind the tree and toward Zhou. In less than a minute she was at his side.
"It shouldn't be much longer now," she said when she was close enough for him to hear.
Zhou had glanced over when he saw movement in the trees and was a bit surprised to see Jisselle coming toward him. "Shouldn't you be commanding the attack to the north of their position?" Zhou asked, a bit perturbed to see her beside him.
"It's under control. One of the Adjurians is already down with an arrow in his chest," she embellished.
"How many more men do you have?" Zhou asked.
"When I left a few minutes ago there were still ten or more."
"Well I'm down to about that or less, myself," Zhou replied. "The fighting here is heavy. Wen is holding this line."
Jisselle turned to look at the men charging at the Adjurians, who were only ten yards away. "You've got them outnumbered. He'll tire and your men'll find an opening."
"Perhaps," Zhou replied, then turned to face her. "What is it exactly that you wanted? You should be with your men."
"I came down to suggest that you press the attack harder at this position," Jisselle said, quickly formulating the lie. "If you throw all of your men at them they'll quickly be overwhelmed."
"Perhaps," Zhou said, already having had the same thought himself several minutes before. "Wouldn't such a move work better if your men also pushed forth from the north?"
"It would," Jisselle replied. "Are we agreed then?"
"Go back and tell your men to press the attack in a few minutes time. Have them yell out loudly when they charge. My men will be waiting to do the same."
"And will you be charging with them?" Jisselle asked, hoping that in the charge she'd find an opening to attack Zhou unawares.
"I always fight with my men," Zhou replied. "Do you?"
Jisselle smiled and said nothing as she turned back toward the trees. She went several yards around the Adjurians' position and was soon back with her own men.
"We'll send all of our men forth in one concerted attack," she said to her deputy. "Zhou will do the same once he hears our men yell out in their charge. This combined assault should end all resistance."
"When do we press the attack?" the man asked.
"In a few minutes time," Jisselle replied. "Pull the men back and get them organized. I'll head back down to fight beside Zhou. They don't have as many troops there and need all the help they can get. Just make sure that the men yell out loudly when they charge."
The man nodded his understanding and Jisselle turned back into the trees once again to make her way toward Zhou. She smiled as she imagined the look on his face when he realized he'd been betrayed by her.
This week there are 5 articles…enjoy!
These books will help you kick your competitors' ass halfway down the block
How and Why I Write Novels Differently Now
Boring kills
I don't write novels the way I used to.
I realized that the other day when I was looking at my third full-length novel, The Warring States.
I wrote that book in 2011 or 2012…I can't really remember.
It was before I knew anything about Amazon publishing, I can tell you that.
I was living in China, had been for about 3 years by that point.
I taught English and had that down pat. That left me a lot of free time to do…not much.
Living in a big city in China was pretty boring. I exercised a lot, drank a lot, and watched a lot of movies.
I also decided to start writing and cranked out quite a few books before I left for good in 2013.
Now it's 2016 and I look back on those early works of mine with wonder.
I'd like to discuss the reasons behind that in this post.
Mainly, I want to show you how my writing has evolved.
This might help you write better or even help you get started.
Overall, these are tips and tricks I've learned to follow.
I Write Shorter Chapters
One thing I noticed with my older books is how long the chapters are.
Things go on and on in one chapter.
We see several different characters.
Oftentimes we go to more than one place.
I don't like that.
I don't write like that anymore.
Now I think more of the scene. I like to have each chapter serve as a single scene, in one location, and typically with just a couple characters.
If I need to have more than once scene in a chapter I'll break it up with a set of these: "~~~"
I used to use "* * *" but gave that up.
Mainly, you want to let readers know that this is a new scene, with new characters, and a new outlook.
I find when you stick to a scene you cut out a lot of the boring stuff and keep things moving quickly.
That keeps the reader's interest, and that keeps 'em turning the pages.
I Think About POV
I never really thought about point of view with my earlier books.
I mainly just wrote, hoping my narrative voice would carry me though.
Lately, however, I've been thinking about the main character of each chapter (or scene)…and well before I write it.
This helps keep the chapter centered, and it helps keep the reader from wondering what's going on.
One of the most important things that I've started doing is having the alternating POV's.
This usually has a hero then a villain, not necessarily every chapter going back and fourth, but more like every third chapter or so.
I do like the idea of going to a new POV at the beginning of a chapter, leaving a cliffhanger-like feel to the last chapter.
That's why I typically have about 3 to 4 POV characters in my books now.
I Describe Less
I just don't describe things much. I don't describe the room we're in or the landscape we're on.
I'm bad with this, and I do it for people too.
One thing that helps me is editing. When I first see a character I make a note to describe them. Sometimes I do this with places too.
For the most part though, I don't describe.
Readers find this boring. They don't want a page of description, or even a paragraph of it. A sentence or two is usually enough.
I know this because of poor reviews that I've gotten.
So I do this less and it seems to work for me.
I Have Less History
Readers just don't like backstory as much as we writers do.
I skip this stuff now, keeping it in my outline or notes. When I describe a character I might add in a sentence or two of this, and perhaps more if that character is or will be important.
But I really try to cut down on the paragraphs and pages of old history, worldbuilding, and character life stories.
Readers just get bored with that, and when they get bored they stop reading.
I Focus on Plot
If you look at the reviews of my books, particularly the books with just 1 or 2, you see something:
Most say the story or plot was good.
I like hearing that. Mainly, this bit comes about in the planning and thinking stages.
I like to have a notes document that lists the characters, descriptions, places, and other stuff (who died, distances, characters from previous books).
What I do is try to build a workable world and story in that notes document.
This is really where I have that backstory and character history. It's easy to cut and paste from this document.
More than that, though, it helps me develop the book's plot.
For the most part, I think of the three-act structure:
Introductory Sequence
Rising Action
Falling Action and Resolution
For most of 2014 I wrote shorter novellas that focused on that three-act structure.
I'd break the books into parts, like so:
Part I: Meet the heroes and the villains and realize what the dilemma is
Part II: Heroes take action to stop the villains or somehow overcome the dilemma.
Part III: Heroes reach the final battle with the villains or enter the confrontation with the dilemma. Somehow, this challenge is overcome and the story ends.
That's pretty basic and we all know this from movies.
I started thinking a lot more about that procedure in 2014 after I looked more into the book Save the Cat as well as the beat sheets that can help with plotting.
For the most part, this really helped me. I feel my stories are stronger, and my sales attest to this.
You want to keep the reader reading. You don't want them to get bored.
Shorter chapters, less description, snappy dialogue, and fast-paced action all help with this.
I write this way now.
My books are selling better.
Oh, those old ones aren't. I wrote those in another style and readers just get bored by it.
My newer books, however, are doing well.
Readers like these for all the reasons I just listed.
Think about making your books like that too. It's not compromising your artistic ability.
It is augmenting it so that you can actually make a living doing what you love.
You'll get more ideas on writing books that sell in my self-publishing books for authors
Does Amazon Even Know How to Calculate Page Counts?
On February 1 Amazon announced they were changing things up.
More precisely, they were putting out "a new algorithm for calculating Kindle Edition Normalized Page Count, or KENPC."
So…what the hell is going on?
Amazon is calling this KENPC v2.0, which will change the pages read for most books by "less than 5%."
So it appears that other factors will be taken into consideration when determining how long a page read actually is.
Some of these factors are:
Standardized Fonts;
Line Height;
Spacing for Normalized Book Lengths.
Confused yet? I think that's kind of the idea.
My question, however, is whether Amazon even knows how long the books it's selling actually are.
I wonder this because of my own books, and my calculations based on word count and the subsequent page count on Amazon.
That's why I sent the following email to Amazon:
My book Colter's Hell is 53,800 words. It shows as 220 pages on Amazon.
My book Colter's Run is 60,500 words. It shows as 197 pages on Amazon.
The second book I just mentioned is more words, yet it comes up with a lower page count. Why is that?
Also, my book Colter's Friend is 74,300 words. It shows as 229 pages.
I'm sorry, but I just find it hard to believe that a book coming in at 20,000 more words than the first book I mentioned is only 9 pages longer.
How are you calculating your pages on the product page, and should I be concerned about this in regards to your pages read algorithm with KU 2.0?
B014XAP6X8
B0176P7NPQ
B019D530AO
I got the following response the next day:
Thank you for reaching out to Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing.
The Print Length for Kindle books is intended to provide readers with valuable information about the book length.
Kindle titles with a physical version will list the number of pages in that existing print edition on the Kindle detail page.
For Kindle titles without related print versions, we estimate the length based on the number of words as well as the number and size of the images in the book. We base this on a standard 6" x 9" paperback book with 11 point font size, which is typical for print books. If you view your book in a different font, font size, or screen size, you may see a different length than what we display.
1. Colter's Hell:
The print length of this book was updated to reflect the Paperback's page count of 220.
This is probably why the difference between the estimated page count of the other two books and paperback length of the first book appears to be dissimilar.
2. Colter's Run and Colter's Friend:
We've shown the page count for these books based on our estimation technique.
If you have available print versions of your books that don't appear to be associated with your Kindle titles, please send us the ISBN for the print book so we can match it to your Kindle edition.
I hope this information helps. As always, feel free to contact us if you have questions or comments in the future. We're just an email away!
Thanks for using Amazon KDP.
I then sent an email asking about the new KU 2.0 pages read algorithm and if that's actually functioning properly.
I also asked if, during the three months that my books were in the program, those books could have been short-changed on their pages-read payout.
It took a few days more, but I eventually got this email:
Regarding your other inquiry about KU payments for your Kindle title "Colter's Hell," I checked our records and found that you've made $93.77 for your Kindle book "Colter's Hell" through Kindle Unlimited and Kindle Owner's Lending Library sales during your KDP Select 90 days enrollment period.
Please know, the Kindle Unlimited and Kindle Owner's Lending Library sales are now tracked based on the Kindle Edition Normalized Page Count (KENPC). This feature was developed based on the feedback we received from authors who asked us to better align payout with the length of books and how much customers read.
This standardized approach allows us to identify pages in a way that works across genres and devices.
Because it's based on specific, standardized settings, Kindle Edition Normalized Page Count (KENPC) may vary from page counts listed on your Amazon detail page, which are derived from other sources (i.e., publisher metadata, paperback page count, etc.).
KENPC determines a book's page count in a way that's consistent and fair across genres and devices. We calculate KENPC based on standard settings (e.g. font, line height, line spacing, etc.) to measure the number of pages customers read in your book, starting with the Start Reading Location (SRL) to the end of your book.
For more information on KENPC, visit our Help page: https://kdp.amazon.com/help?topicId=AI3QMVN4FMTXJ
So I got some answers.
At this point I'm not too concerned about the KU 2.0 or 2.1 or whatever the hell it is.
I took most of my books out. The books that performed the best were taken out in December.
My Amazon income has actually gone up. Just a couple weeks ago I passed my all time high six-weeks-earnings number.
So I'm doing well…and all while having my books wide.
Still though, I'm not sure Amazon had it right when it came to page counts.
Their change-over to a new system (KENPC) proves this.
They tell me I wasn't short-changed. I dunno.
Either way, I'm out now...and have no intention of going back.
If you have questions about Amazon's pages read algorithm, I hope this post gave you some insight.
Thanks!
Free Fiction Friday #100: The Almond Conspiracy of 2023
CA Almond Trees
Note: This is the one-hundredth post in Free Fiction Fridays.
It began in Silas Festerson's California almond plant.
By that time water production in the Sunshine State had ceased, what with the Great Droughts of the early-2020s.
Festerson had been one of just four California almond growers allowed to transition to inside-only almond growing plants.
Production started off well in 2022, with various new agricultural techniques of soil, water, and compost. This cut down a single almond's need for 1 gallon of water from seed to harvest to half a pint, a 94% reduction.
Americans continued to have their almonds, and at a time when imports had virtually ceased.
World War III had begun in 2017 and though it would peter-out from 2021 to 2029 before starting up again,* the economy of America never really recovered.
What wasn't known at the time, though it would come out years later, was that a great conspiracy was underfoot at the Festerson Almond Plant.
The conspiracy got right down to basic nutrition, and to the idea put for by early-20th century seer Edgar Cayce, that humans only needed three almonds a day for perfect health.
This idea had gained ground before WWIII broke out, so much so that many were demanding their three almonds a day.
When water shortages hit California, however, it just wasn't possible to meet that market demand.
At that point in time Americans were eating, on average, 2 pounds of almonds a year. What Festerson realized, however, was that 88% of Americans were eating those almonds in chocolate bars.
So Silas Festerson came up with a plan.
The idea was to stop including the whole three almonds in the chocolate bars, as had been going on via an unspoken rule ever since the Cayce craze began years earlier.
Instead just 2.2 almonds would be put in, effectively depriving people of that 0.8 almond and their chance to overcome all their ailments.
The first batch of these Festerson bars, as we now call them, went out on June 7, 2022.
Nothing much happened…at first.
It wasn't until the following spring that medical professionals around the country began sounding alarms.
For some reason, cancer rates had shot up 288%.
The CDC was brought in and Congress was called up to investigate. After 14 months of talks, studies, and shouting matches it was revealed that cancer rates had gone up for one reason and one reason only: the sun.
Americans were simply getting too much sun! People laughed and shrugged and said, "who knew?" Life went back to normal, or as normal as it could be with half the people on your block getting sick.
One area of the country that wasn't getting sick, however, was the area of California where the Festerson Almond plant was operating. In fact, that area had the lowest rates of cancer in the country.
No one put two and two together, however, as no one knew that shipments to the chocolate factories had decreased.
That wasn't revealed until a disgruntled Festerson Almond plant employee, Damien Hicks, went to the local TV station with the news. It was the night of August 11, 2023.
Usually that wouldn't have been a problem, what with the Fair Communications Act of 2019 that'd made it illegal to broadcast anything not officially approved by the FCC in Washington, D.C, a process which took seven months on average.
Luckily for Hicks, he chose KTXL, a station that had an anti-government, heavily-alcoholic station manager. The story was run that night and without official approval.
While it's true that this resulted in that station's destruction by drone 7 minutes after the broadcast, by that time the news had already gone out to 700,000 people, something that meant the dark net would get word of it.
Ever since the internet had been shut down in 2017 the dark net had been operating. The government had tried to shut it down several times, though this only resulted in new incarnations of the dark net.
Shortly after midnight on the night Hicks had went to the TV station, the dark net flooded its search engines with the Festerson Almond Conspiracy, as it was first called.
By the time breakfast was over several hours later, nearly every American had heard the news.
One of those Americans was Dudley Dodd, at that point still living in rural Pennsylvania and taking care of his extended family as best he could. He'd lost both parents to cancer, his wife, and one child.
When Dodd heard the news over breakfast on the dark net, he called into his job at the local laundry plant and told them he was sick. Five minutes later, after kissing his family goodbye, he started his epic march to Washington.
Thirty-four days later he'd be president…but that's best saved for our next chapter.
* This particular historian is in the camp that World War III was a complete conflict, one beginning in 2017 and stretching on all the way to 2058. There are many that say the 2029 to 2058 conflict was really World War IV, though I argue we didn't see WWIV until 2086 and the Neo-Sumerian uprising in New Babylon. (A separate historical school of thought contends that WWIV was really WWV and that the Pushtar Rebellion of 2055-58 should really be classified as its own world war. For a variety of reasons that are too complex to get into here, that school of thinking has largely been discredited).
This is the ninety-seventh post in an ongoing series of useful and interesting content that goes up each Wednesday.
Post removed 02/17/16
Great tips for those getting started with blogging and websites and this crazy stuff called SEO
Advanced tips for those wanting to cream their opponents
by Greg Strandberg
This blog is for writers and people interested in marketing.
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Emperor Foundation was established in 1997 to promote sustainable development, improve harmony and unity in our social fabric, and encourage the holistic health of body and soul. The Foundation has worked with various organizations to organize and participate in activities for different charity causes that include education, medical, culture and environment, with a strong focus on education. Besides "Emperor Foundation Scholarship" for each of the twelve registered tertiary institutionsin Hong Kong, the Foundation has made donations to other education funds in the Mainland, including the "Ministry of Justice, PRC Education Fund", "China University of Political Science and Law – C.U.P.L. Dr. Albert Yeung Education Fund", "Peking University Education Foundation" and "Xiamen Education Fund" for students with either excellent academic results or underprivileged family background. Coupled with its financial support, the Foundation has also been leveraging volunteer manpower from the Group's staff to organise or facilitate various charity activities round the year both in Mainland China and Hong Kong. For more information please visit www.emperorfoundation.com.
In 2008, Group Chairman Dr. Albert Yeung founded Albert Yeung Sau Shing Charity Foundation, which focuses on promoting the development of elderly and hospice services. The Foundation has made a number of grants for the construction of elderly care centres in Hong Kong and the Mainland. These include "Albert Yeung Sau Shing Charity Foundation Baoding Elderly Home", "Albert Yeung Sau Shing Charity Foundation (Shunping) Elderly Care Centre", "Albert Yeung Sau Shing Charity Foundation (Xiongzhou) Elderly Care Centre", "Albert Yeung Sau Shing (Shunping, China) Elderly Service Centre" and "Albert Yeung Sau Shing (Changli, China) Elderly Service Centre", all of which are located in Hebei Province. In late 2018, "Albert Yeung Sau Shing (Funing, China) Elderly Care Centre" in Jiangsu Province was established. Two more in Guangxi Province are now under construction, namely "Albert Yeung Sau Shing (Yongfu, China) Elderly Service Centre" and "Albert Yeung Sau Shing (Fusui, China) Elderly Service Centre". Together with "Tung Wah Group of Hospitals Yeung Sing Memorial Long Stay Care Home" in Hong Kong and "Albert Yeung Sau Shing (Wuhan, China) Elderly Care Centre" in Hubei Province set up in earlier years, Dr. Yeung currently has ten nursing homes for elders under his name. Besides, he also has "Albert Yeung Sau Shing Charity Foundation Baoding Child Care Centre" in Hebei Province.


text:
Editor's Picks 13 October: Children and the Arab Spring
Collection with 7 media items created by Editor's Picks
Heartbreak and Hope: a collection of sample images of children living the Arab Spring. Full photo essays available. For an example, see: http://transterramedia.com/collections/635
Syria Egypt Refugee Camp Children Kids Hope Editor's Picks Palestine Arab Spring Spotlight Mena
Bunker Schools in Syria (Part 17 of 35)
Al Bab, Syria
By AnnaThereseDay
Following months of routine shelling, the "liberated" Syrian town of Al Bab bands together in an attempt to grasp a bit of normalcy for their children. Since August, six schools have been shelled in Assad's escalated aerial bombardment, and class has been moved to underground bunkers and basements, adapting to the times. Many parents fear sending their children to school, but now community members are volunteering their time in order to safely get the kids out of the house... and back to school.
Inconvenient to all 26
Kfar Addumim
By giulianocamarda
Khan al Ahmar bedouin community. Kids playing with a toy gun
The future is ours
Ar Raqqa, syria
By Hamza Abozeid
Kids standing over the pile of their neighbours house which was bombed earlier.
Azaz Camp, Syria (11 of 41)
Azaz, Syria
By Michele Pero
Refugee camp of Azaz, Syrian border.
Refugees from Halep and surrounding areas have lost their houses under the bombings. They left Halep with just the clothes they had at the time. They have no documents, no money, no belongings. The refugees believed the could cross the Turkish border to escape the massacres, but after a limited number of refugees were accepted by the Turkish government who settled in the nearby camp of Kilis, the border was closed. They had to settle in the camp right on the Syrian border, waiting for a move that does not arrive.
Turkey cannot take more refugees and cannot do more than what actually it does. The refugees must stay were they are, with no home in Syria anymore, no passport to leave the country, as if convicted to stay in the camp.
The excess number refugees not accepted into Turkey settled in September 2012 under big hangars once used by Syrian customs police for storing and checking goods before letting them pass the border. For months the refugees had to sleep right on the pavement, under hangars, under trucks or any other shelter available. No heating, no running water, no latrines, no roof above their heads.
Tents arrived just at around the middle of November 2012, donated by the Red Crescent of Qatar. Since that, three hangars were filled with tents, then other tents were placed on open ground. In December 2012, the number of refugees at the Azaz camp reached about 7000.
Life at the camp is hard. Volunteers from various ONG such as IHH provide meals every day. Supplies come from world wide relief organizations and volunteer donations, but they are not enough to meet the needs of so many. Tents are not waterproof. The pavement is constantly wet when the rain falls, especially hard for those ones settled on open ground. No electricity is supplied. Water is scarce and is brought in big containers for those who need it most. Heating becomes a real issue with the oncoming winter. Kids are sent to the surrounding fields to gather any burning material, but they cannot go too far since the mine fields protecting the no-man's land are right at border line next to the camp. Refugees burn dry grass. At dusk, they must make return to their tents, because all around there is no light to even walk. They rest by candlelight in their tents until they fall asleep.
Recently a protest calling for better conditions at the camp was held at the border (see other reportage "Syria - protest in the camp of Azaz", © Michele Pero) to get attention from the Turkish Governor of the area, with no results. These people must stay here. No place where to go, no place to return to. Convicted, forgotten. No one knows for how long.
Cabinet Office clashes Cairo 34
Al-Qasr Al-Aini Street, Cairo, Egypt.
By Jeffrey Bright
Young Egyptian boy injured during Cabinet Office clashes. Military police on rooftops threw stones, marble tiles and large shards of glass at protesters below. Al-Qasr Al-Aini Street, Cairo, Egypt. 17/12/2011
Bunker Schools in Syria (Part 6 of 35)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


CryoCapCell is a biotechnology company that develops and manufactures new products for sample preparation in the field of electron microscopy with a special focus on Correlative Light and Electron Microscopy (CLEM).
In 2011, we created the CryoCapsule, a new tool to perform the entire workflow of correlative microscopy with vitrification by High Pressure Freezing.
Correlative light and electron microscopy (CLEM) aims at combining functional information obtained from live cell light microscopy and structural information obtained from electron microscopy.
By creating a link between function and structure, new horizons can be reached in our understanding of life.
There is more than one route to perform CLEM. We have chosen the most straightforward one.


text:
Thoughts On BookTrakr
A few weeks ago I got an invitation to proceed with the beta version of BookTrakr, which I had signed up for several months ago. What the site basically does is compiles your sales figures from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iTunes, Kobo, and Smashwords. Yes, you must provide your log-in information, which many people are hesitant to do. But this isn't a fly-by-night service; they've been working on it for quite some time, and I know many reputable writers who got an even earlier sneak peek, and all of them trust the site well enough.
So anyway, once you provide your log-in information, it takes a while for the site to create a profile for you -- at least it did for me, but that's probably because I have a lot of books that have been published for a while. Then, once everything is compiled, you're able to view each of your books separately and see how many copies you've sold across all platforms or on each individual platform, as well as how much money you've made, how many reviews the books has, its best ranking, etc. It even provides numbers for all the ebooks combined. Because of this, I now see that I've sold, as of this moment, 107,627 ebooks across Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iTunes, and Kobo (I didn't bother adding Smashwords, mostly because I couldn't remember my log-in information at the time). While that number sounds somewhat impressive -- and I guess it is -- you also have to keep in mind that it stretches back to 2009 ... though most of what I sold has been since 2011, so really two years. Even so, 53,000 books a year isn't all that impressive when you consider that some authors sell that number in a single month.
BookTrakr also has a feature where every morning they send you an email of your previous day sales. It tells me how many ebooks I've sold, how much I've earned, a breakdown of the sales across all platforms, whether or not I have any new reviews, if I'm currently on any top 100 lists, and so on. If your sales are good, it's nice to wake up to those numbers. If your sales are so-so, it can be rather depressing. It's possible to turn off the daily emails, though, which might be a good idea, as a writer doesn't have much power in changing the sales. It's like checking the stock market; you can watch your stocks go up and down, but you're pretty much powerless to do anything about it, so sometimes it's best to worry about other things.
Ultimately, I've found the service to be great so far. Currently it's still in beta mode, which means that it's free, though at some point soon they'll start charging. How much the rate will be is still up for speculation, but if it's anywhere near reasonable, I think it's completely worth it. I also say this as someone who, for over a year, would take my monthly sales reports and enter them manually into a spreadsheet. That takes up a lot of time that could be better spent writing.
Is BookTrakr for everyone? Probably not. When Duotrope announced that they were going to start charging for their service, I didn't bother signing up. Why? Well, because I haven't been writing and submitting much short fiction. If I did, then I would probably find the service worthwhile and pay. The same applies here. If an author only has a handful of books that it's easy enough to track, it might not be worth signing up. The same goes for an author who has a few books that aren't selling much at all. The cost of the service might not even off-set how much that author is making. But that's just my two cents. As of right now, I'm impressed, and am curious to see where they take this service next.
Newer PostWanna Be In One Of My Books?
Older PostMan Of Wax Sale


Are you looking for the perfect gift? There is no better gift to receive than the gift of time. With a Papillon Home Services gift certificate, you can easily give the "gift of time" and a clean home at the same time. We are the best home cleaning service in Pearland, Texas, and our gift certificates are always an appreciated gift.
Be sure the person you are buying a gift certificate for lives in our service area, as gift certificates are nonrefundable.


text:
Disney to distribute Killer Elite under Buena Vista brand in Australia
08 September, 2011 by Brendan Swift
The Walt Disney Company has acquired the local rights to distribute Australian thriller Killer Elite.
The film, which stars Jason Statham and Robert De Niro, will be released in Australian cinemas (via Disney's Buena Vista International banner, used for non-studio acquisitions, in association with Omnilab Media) on December 1. The film will be released more than two months earlier across North America by Open Road Films on September 23.
Killer Elite was produced by Omnilab and, with a budget of $66 million, is one of the biggest local productions this year to qualify for the 40 per cent Producer Offset rebate.
It is the first local film Disney will distribute since last year's restructure which resulted in the appointment of Sonia Bijelic as head of studio marketing following the departure of former studio boss Alan Finney (who is now heading the Australian Film Institute).
The last Australian films Disney distributed were Two Fists, One Heart and Subdivision, which both posted disappointing box office returns in 2009.
However, while those two films were identifiably Australian, Killer Elite has a significantly larger budget and international flavour. (There was some minor controversy following the shoot when the Australian actors were asked to redub their natural voices using American accents for the international release.)
Prior to the Killer Elite acquisition, a Disney spokesperson said the company remained open to distributing Australian films that align with its strategy.
"At Disney, key to our strategy is creating great stories with memorable characters that will resonate with a broad audience and can be maximised right across Disney's range of businesses," the spokesperson said.
The film pits two of the world's most elite operatives – Danny, an ex-special ops agent (Jason Statham) and Hunter, his longtime mentor (Robert De Niro) – against the cunning leader of a secret military society, Spike (Clive Owen).
The film has been given an R rating in the US but has yet to be classified in Australia.
bswift@if.com.au
disney,
killer-elite,
omnilab,
two-fists-one-heart
Killer Elite, starring Robert De Niro, continues poor performance at box office
The Walt Disney Company appoints Amber Knight as sales director of Disney Media
Don't Be Afraid Of The Dark release delayed after Miramax sale
Samson leads online marketing charge
Tomorrow, When The War Began and Killer Elite going to Canada


The Cheyenne and Arapaho Native American Caregiver Program benefits tribal elders (55 and older) who are in need of home care. The family caregiver (primary caregiver) will select a respite outside of the home and he/she will care for the elder two hours a day, Monday through Friday. The program is provided for a period of eight (8) weeks for each elder in need of home care.
In addition to the respite provided, the program also provides information, assistance, counseling, training, nutrition tips, support, and other supplemental services for those caring for an elder.
An application must be submitted along with a physician's note stating outside respite care is to be provided. Home visits are set up during the eight-week period to ensure the elder is receiving the assistance needed.


text:
package com.restfb.types.oembed;

import com.restfb.Facebook;

import lombok.Getter;
import lombok.Setter;

/**
 * Represents the OEmbed Video type
 */
public class OEmbedVideo extends BaseOEmbed {

  /**
   * The name of the Facebook user that owns the video.
   */
  @Getter
  @Setter
  @Facebook("author_name")
  private String authorName;

  /**
   * A URL for the author/owner of the video.
   */
  @Getter
  @Setter
  @Facebook("author_url")
  private String authorUrl;

}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Today's Prayer: O God of all strength, help us to hold on to the courage of faith as we live our life. Keep us from forming opinions about ourselves and others that cause us to miss your grace, your presence and your love. Keep our hearts open to the many ways you enter our lives so that in faith you might bring healing and love to our life and to all those we encounter this day. Amen!


text:
ol {
  margin: 0;
  padding: 0;
  padding-left: 30px;
}

ol.sortable, ol.sortable ol {
  color: #6699CC;
  margin: 0 0 0 25px;
  padding: 0;
  list-style-type: none;
}

.sortable li {
  margin: 0;
  padding: 0;
}

.sortable li div  {
  cursor: move;
}

#public li .item,
#private li .item {
  display:block;
  min-height:32px;
  margin-bottom:5px;
  padding:0 5px 0 10px;
  vertical-align:middle;
}

.clip_in_private, .clip_in_public, .plus {
  overflow: hidden;
  float: left;
  background-repeat: no-repeat;
}

.clip_in_private, .clip_in_public {
  width: 7px;
  height: 14px;
  margin: 9px 13px 0 2px;
  background-image: url('/images/skinnycms/sortable_icons/skrepka.jpg');
  display: none;
}

.plus {
  width: 7px;
  height: 13px;
  margin: 0;
  margin-right: 15px;
  margin-left: 0px;
  margin-top: 1px;
  background-image: url('/images/skinnycms/admin/arrow2.gif');
}

.page_list li .item p {
  width: 100px;
  float: left;
}

.private_page_sortable_container {
  height: 41px;
  overflow: hidden;
  background-color: #F4F4F4;
  margin-bottom: 7px;
}

.left_private_rounded_part {
  float:left;
  height: 41px;
  width: 6px;
  background-color: white;
  background-repeat: no-repeat;
  background-image: url('/images/skinnycms/admin/bg_private_left.gif');
}

.right_private_rounded_part {
  float: right;
  height: 41px;
  width: 6px;
  background-color: white;
  background-repeat: no-repeat;
  background-image: url('/images/skinnycms/admin/bg_private_right.gif');
}

.public_page_sortable_container {
  height: 41px;
  overflow: hidden;
  background-color: #D7EEF8;
  margin-bottom: 7px;
}

.left_public_rounded_part {
  float:left;
  height: 41px;
  width: 6px;
  background-color: white;
  background-repeat: no-repeat;
  background-image: url('/images/skinnycms/admin/bg-blue-left.gif');
}

.right_public_rounded_part {
  float: right;
  height: 41px;
  width: 6px;
  background-color: white;
  background-repeat: no-repeat;
  background-image: url('/images/skinnycms/admin/bg-blue-r.gif');
}

.page_actions {
  width: 149px;
  height: 41px;
  overflow: hidden;
  float: right;
  font-size: 11px;
  padding-top: 12px;
}

span.sep {
  margin-left:2px;
  margin-right: 5px;
  color: #999999
}

span.item {
  height: 41px;
  float: left;
  margin-top:13px;
  margin-left: 13px;
  padding-left: 0;
}

.clip_in_public {
  margin-top: 3px;
  width: 14px;
  height: 11px;
  background-image: url('/images/skinnycms/admin/ico-line.gif');
  background-repeat: no-repeat;
}

.sortable_page_title {
  width: 250px;
  height: 20px;
}

.pages_divider {
  width: 100%;
  height: 20px;
  text-align: center;
}


text:
Q: Concatenate unique value separated by comma in two string in C++             CString s;
            int res = 0;
            char *existing;
            char *current;
            existing = strtok(urls, ",");
            current = strtok(storedurls, ",");
            while (existing != NULL)
            {
                while (current != NULL)
                {
                    res = strcmp(existing, current);
                    if (res == 0) continue;
                    s.Append(current);
                    current = strtok(NULL, ",");
                    if (current != NULL) s.Append(",");
                }
                existing = strtok(NULL, ",");
            }

            strcat(urls, s);

We have a string of storedurl L("url1,url2,url3") and urls L("url3,url5") and I want to store the unique urls from both string and get a single output as L("url1,url2,url3,url5")

A: Stop using C-style string functions in C++ and get acquainted with the C++ Standard Library.
#include <algorithm>
#include <vector>
#include <string>
#include <sstream>
#include <iostream>

std::vector<std::string> split(std::string const& src, char delim = ',')
{
    std::vector<std::string> dst;
    std::stringstream ss{ src };
    std::string tmp;
    while (std::getline(ss, tmp, delim))
        dst.push_back(tmp);
    return dst;

}

int main()
{
    std::string foo{ "url1,url2,url4" };
    std::string bar{ "url2,url3,url5" };

    auto foo_urls{ split(foo) };
    auto bar_urls{ split(bar) };

    std::vector<std::string> unique_urls{ foo_urls.begin(), foo_urls.end() };
    unique_urls.reserve(foo_urls.size() + bar_urls.size());

    unique_urls.insert(unique_urls.end(), bar_urls.begin(), bar_urls.end());
    std::sort(unique_urls.begin(), unique_urls.end());
    unique_urls.erase(std::unique(unique_urls.begin(), unique_urls.end()), unique_urls.end());

    for (auto const& url : unique_urls)
        std::cout << url << '\n';
}

A:             DWORD res = 0;
            CString existingUrls = urls;
            CString curUrls;
            CString curItemInExitingUrl;
            CString curItemInCurUrl;
            CString urlsToAdd;
            while (!existingUrls.IsEmpty()) {
                CWinLogFile::GetTok(existingUrls, _T(","), curItemInExitingUrl);

                curUrls = src.urls;
                while (!curUrls.IsEmpty()) {
                    CWinLogFile::GetTok(curUrls, _T(","), curItemInCurUrl);
                    if (curItemInExitingUrl.Compare(curItemInCurUrl)==0)
                    {
                        res = 1;
                    }
                }
                if (res == 0)
                {
                    urlsToAdd.Append(curItemInExitingUrl);
                    urlsToAdd.AppendChar(',');
                }
                else
                    res = 0;
            }
            urlsToAdd.Append(src.urls);

Found the solution for my posted question. Where urls & src.urls are two comma separated values of urls. Thanks.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
ABB WINS $80 MILLION ORDER TO POWER CANADA'S LARGEST SOLAR PHOTOVOLTAIC PLANT
100 megawatt utility-scale PV solar farm will be among the largest in the world
Zurich, Switzerland, November 5, 2013 – ABB, the leading power and automation technology group, and its consortium partner Bondfield Construction have won an order from Canadian Solar Solutions to supply a 100 megawatt (MW) turnkey photovoltaic (PV) solar project for the Grand Renewable Energy Park in Ontario, Canada's most populous province. ABB's order value is around $80 million and was booked in the third quarter.
The plant is part of a $5 billion investment by Samsung Renewable Energy and partners to create a green energy cluster of wind and solar power ,sources with the capacity to generate 1,369 MW of renewable energy. The first of these developments includes a 100 MW photovoltaic (PV) power plant and a 150 MW wind farm. Canadian Solar Solutions is the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor for the plant.
According to the International Energy Agency, 267 MW of PV capacity was installed in Ontario in 2012, a 70 percent increase on the previous year. ABB is playing a major role in this expansion and has been awarded orders to deliver more than 90 MW of utility-scale PV plants in Ontario since September 2012.
"We are delighted to work with Canadian Solar Solutions on the country's largest solar PV plant and to support Samsung's visionary renewable energy initiative," said ABB CEO Ulrich Spiesshofer. "Our range of solar product and system offerings combined with an extensive track record in efficiently executing optimized utility-scale PV plants around the world will enable us to deliver a best-in-class solution to our customer."
ABB will provide a balance of system (BOS) solution comprising a broad range of power and automation products, including ABB's flagship automation platform for conventional power generation and renewable applications, Symphony™ Plus. ABB is also responsible for engineering, electrical installation, commissioning, and performance testing of the plant. Civil and mechanical installation works will be performed by ABB's consortium partner, Ontario-based Bondfield Construction.
Once fully operational in 2015, the PV power plant will produce 165,000 megawatt-hours of emissions-free electricity a year, enough to power 13,750 Canadian homes. It will also contribute to a cleaner environment by displacing 162,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually.
ABB has a diverse portfolio of products and solutions for the entire solar power value chain including turnkey solutions, a comprehensive offering for residential, commercial and industrial photovoltaic applications, as well as service, operations and maintenance support. ABB has delivered more than 50 turnkey PV power plants worldwide.
Source: ABB (www.abb.com)
Tagged abbBreaking Green NewsCanadaClimate Changeclimate policygreen businessGreen Energyorder to powerrenewable energiessolar photovoltaic plantsolar powerSolar Power For Your Home


text:
In fact, it is a toy example to work with ECC.
You will find everything organized in classes and try to understand how to work
and how it works.

## Toy example for ECC ##

It is a toy example with some code from:

* https://gist.github.com/bellbind/1414867
* https://ed25519.cr.yp.to/software.html

## This work: ##
* It is not fast
* It is not secure
* You should never use in "real" applications

## What you should do: ##

If you are interested in a way to see the code working or if you want to learn with small examples.

### Things that you are going to need: ###

Python >= 2.7.x

###References:

Twisted Edwards Curves - Daniel J. Bernstein, Peter Birkner, Marc Joye, Tanja Lange and Christiane Peters [https://eprint.iacr.org/2008/013.pdf]

Handbook of Elliptic and Hyperelliptic Curve Cryptography [http://cs.ucsb.edu/~koc/ccs130h/2013/EllipticHyperelliptic-CohenFrey.pdf]

Guide to Elliptic Curve Cryptography - Darrel Hankerson, Alfred J. Menezes and Scott Vanstone


text:
Honeymoon Tips for a Trip to Vietnam, Cambodia & Indonesia
Read more about this couple's three-week-long honeymoon featuring adventures and beautiful beaches.
After their destination wedding in California, Texas-based couple Natalie and Zachary traveled to Vietnam, Cambodia, and Indonesia for a three-week-long honeymoon featuring exhilarating adventures and beautiful beaches. Read their tips!
By Kelcy Christy
Photo: Courtesy of Four Seasons Resort The Nam Hai, Hoi An
After their gorgeous destination wedding in California, Texas-based couple Natalie (née Clingensmith) and Zachary Wolf traveled to Vietnam, Cambodia, and Indonesia for a three-week-long honeymoon featuring exhilarating adventures and beautiful beaches that would turn out to be the trip of a lifetime.
Destination: Vietnam
After a long journey from Houston, the newlyweds started their honeymoon at Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi in Vietnam's capital. "Everyone we knew that had been to Hanoi had stayed there. It was beautiful!" shares Zachary. They explored the city on foot by day and experienced the Old Quarter at night on a cyclo, a pedal-powered rickshaw. They also spent one night on Paradise Peak, a wooden junk boat, to cruise Halong Bay. "It was incredible!" exclaims Natalie. The tour included an authentic cooking class, a visit to the Cua Van fishing village, and an elegant Bao Dai dinner.
"After spending time in Hanoi and then on the boat, the first time we really felt like we were on our honeymoon was in Hoi An," raves Zachary of their next destination. "We spent all day laying on the beach, swimming in the ocean, and lounging around the pool," he adds of their time at Four Seasons Resort The Nam Hai, Hoi An. In addition to sampling street food at the property's poolside party, they visited Shore Club An Bang Beach and took a cooking class at Red Bridge Cooking School, which began with selecting ingredients from the local market.
Photo courtesy of Four Seasons Resort The Nam Hai, Hoi An
The pair's last stop was Park Hyatt Saigon in Ho Chi Minh City. A vintage Vespa tour on their first night allowed them to observe the buzz of the modern locale. "It's a must!" notes Natalie. An authentic Vietnamese culinary affair at Cuc Gach Quan was also a favorite, as well as Japanese-Italian food at Pizza 4P Hai Ba Trung. "It's where all the locals go... We ate there our last two nights!" confirms Zachary. Another highlight was exploring the Mekong Delta through Mango Cruises, even visiting a local's home for tea to encounter an up-close look at life in the region.
Enjoying Halong Bay. "Cruising along the bay at sunset with a bottle of wine was a one-of-a-kind experience. You must see Sung Sot (Surprise) Cave!"
Visiting Hoi An. "It was our favorite city and had the most beautiful sand out of all the places we visited. We loved riding bikes to and from the beach."
Shopping in Ho Chi Minh City. "It almost had a feel of being in Europe –high-end shopping, along with beautiful architecture and restaurants."
Photo courtesy of Natalie & Zachary Wolf
Destination: Cambodia
Their next stop was Siem Reap, Cambodia, where the honeymooners stayed at Belmond La Résidence d'Angkor. "We savored our time at this hotel!" remembers Zachary of the property built in traditional Khmer style along the banks of the city's tree-lined rivers. "They had a nice pool area where they provided complimentary drinks daily, as well as fun entertainment. Natalie even learned to create f loating f lower decorations," he adds, describing the property as very walkable to the restaurants, galleries, and markets in town.
On their first full day, the couple traveled by tuk tuk to a local monastery where a resident monk performed a private good-luck blessing to wish the newlyweds good health and a safe journey. "This was definitely unique," affirms Natalie of the special memory. "The monk tied red-yarn bracelets around our wrists, which we wore throughout our trip and once we got home." While Natalie and Zachary enjoyed all of the sites they visited, the famous Angkor Wat temple complex was a favorite. "Angkor Wat was incredible. It will blow your mind!" confirms Zachary of the largest religious monument in the world.
Photo courtesy of Belmond
The pair also recommends the evening Siem Reap Food Tour, where they relished savory noodle dishes, fresh seafood, and sweets from small family-owned restaurants and street-food stands. "We were thrilled with the experience," declares Zachary. "Our favorite dish was the dessert that evening bong'heim, made of shaved ice, milk, rice, fruits, and small cakes from a street cart off the side of the road on the outskirts of town."
Before they departed, their travel agency, Alluring Asia, arranged for a personal excursion Natalie and Zachary will never forget. "We donated a well to a family in need," shares Natalie, noting that they not only had the opportunity to visit the village, but also present their gift to the villagers. "You learn how poor Cambodia is and how basic things such as water are hard to come by," Zachary explains. "We decided that every year for our anniversary, we will donate a water well to a family in Cambodia."
Being blessed by a monk. "It was such a unique opportunity that set the perfect tone for our first days in Siem Reap."
Playing with monkeys. "We were able to feed them and take some pictures at Angkor Wat temple."
Donating to a village. "It was great to walk away knowing that we were able to help out a family."
Destination: Indonesia
Natalie and Zachary completed their honeymoon with relaxing stays at three resorts. Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan was among their favorites. They visited Ubud's Monkey Forest Road, as well as the Pura Dalem Agung Temple, Puri Lukisan Museum, Puri Saren Agung Temple, and Ubud Palace. "There were monkeys everywhere!" affirms Natalie. The couple also enjoyed dinner at Bridges and Blanco Par Mandif Ubud, both of which they recommend.
Their penultimate stop was Amanwana, accessible by seaplane – one of the highlights of the trip. The luxurious accommodations included their very own eco-friendly, beachfront safari tent nearby the coral-rich seas and verdant jungle canopies. "Each day, we would lay out on the beach, snorkel, and watch the monkeys," says Zachary. "The world is your oyster here. There are no set times for meals or activities – when you are ready to eat, you can order anything you want. The food was incredible, and the staff was so nice!"
Photo courtesy of Aman
Before their journey home, the couple spent one last night in paradise at Four Seasons Resort Bali at Jimbaran Bay. They took in the picturesque vistas, lounged by the pool, and had sushi at nearby Sake No Hana to cap off the trip. "Traveling has always been a big part of our relationship," smiles Zachary. "Life comes at you fast and we hope to start a family soon, so we knew that we wanted to do something unique." Natalie agrees: "This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get away for three weeks and go somewhere we may never go again. We revel in exploring new places and seeing the world."
Photo courtesy of Four Seasons Resort Bali
Seeing the Bali Swing. "It's an Instagram girl's dream. We mostly went for entertainment –they even rent outfits for people to change into!"
Witnessing wildlife. "Watching the monkeys over the coral every evening while we drank wine was so entertaining."
Relaxing at Amanwana. "This was our chill time. We mostly laid out by the beach, but we also took a sunset cruise, hiked, and enjoyed a beach barbecue."
Travel Tips from Natalie & Zachary:
"Be mindful of what you eat, and understand that you're going to a place where the food and cleanliness standards are different. Bring over-the-counter medicine just in case!"
"We definitely overpacked! It's very hot, humid, and people do not dress up. We basically lived in our athleisure every day."
"Be prepared for traffic in Bali! Places we tried to go two-to-three miles away took 45 minutes to one hour to get to due to the busy one-lane roads."
"There are plenty of opportunities for great food, so don't overthink it! Although we booked most of our restaurants ahead of time, most places didn't require reservations."
"Look into the baggage weight policies of the regional airlines. Having an extra bag or paying for an upgraded ticket may be cheaper than fees for overweight luggage."
Honeymoon Advice for Italy, France, Spain & Ireland
Learn more about this couple's two-week-long honeymoon!
California Honeymoons for a Vacation Close to Home
Discover hotel ideas in California for every type of couple!
Tips for a Honeymoon in the Seychelles & Bora Bora
Learn more about this couple's three-week-long honeymoon!
Personalize Your Nuptials with Monogram Wedding Invitations
Your Guide to Planning + Hosting a Micro-Wedding


Caroline and her husband, Simon were riding together on his motorbike in November 2008 when they were hit by a dangerous driver on the way to work. Tragically, Simon lost his life and the crash resulted in Caroline losing her right arm and leg. She spent the next two months in hospital, with her right leg amputated immediately, followed a year later by the elective amputation of her right arm due to the extensive nerve damage that she had suffered.
After leaving hospital, Caroline spent the first 6 months in a wheelchair before being referred to her local limb fitting centre where she received her first prosthetic leg. She struggled throughout this time with feeling unstable on the leg and she had constant issues with her socket not fitting comfortably. This knocked her confidence and made it difficult for her to make the most of the mobility opportunities offered by her new prosthesis. "I wanted to walk so badly but I just kept falling over" she says.
"I decided there must be a better solution" explains Caroline as she looks back on her search for alternatives that would help her to regain the active lifestyle that she had enjoyed before the accident. Following her initial meetings with her prosthetist, Matthew Hughes from Dorset Orthopaedic, Caroline received a socket that was fitted more closely to the shape of her lower limb and was far more comfortable. She also began to walk using an Ottobock C-Leg which offered more stability and confidence for her to walk. She was later offered a trial for an Ottobock Genium prosthetic leg which, like the C-Leg offers the wearer stability and confidence when walking and standing: "once I had tried it I felt like I never wanted to come off it" she explains.
Osseointegration is a procedure which removes the need for traditional sockets for prosthetic limbs. The surgeon fits a titanium implant directly into the bone allowing for a prosthetic leg to be connected to it. People who have had the Osseointegration surgery are often able to begin walking again in as little as 2-3 weeks. After extensive research Caroline decided that Osseointegration would be right for her in July 2015. Just three months later, Caroline flew to Australia to begin the process with one of the world's leading Osseointegration surgeons.
Almost two years on from the successful procedure, Caroline continues to visit Dorset Orthopaedic for regular check-ups and is able to walk for miles at a time thanks to her Osseointegration and new Genium Bionic Prosthetic System. She enjoys a range of activities from hiking in the countryside to using her IT background to give back to her community as a volunteer in the computing section of her local library. She also enjoys spending time with her family, including her four grandchildren.
Another way that Caroline is planning to give back is by raising money for charity: over the summer she has been hiking the South West Coast Path Walk which stretches over 630 miles of the UK coastline from Minehead to Poole for Force Cancer Charity and Self Harm UK. Before the loss of her arm and leg she had been an active person, but for around 7 years after the accident she had been finding it difficult to get around. This meant that she had to slowly build up her fitness and just one year after her surgery, she was amazed to find she was able to walk 10k: "I can now walk for miles; the most I have ever walked in one day is 16 miles and I probably could have walked a little bit more!" Caroline even took her passion for hiking to new levels this summer when she walked 110km of the Camino de Santiago, the famous pilgrimage walk in Spain.
Caroline says that people often tell her that they find her inspirational. "I don't see myself in that way but if people can take something from what I am doing and it does inspire them to achieve more then I am ok with that" she says.


text:
PX3 "State of the World"
Silver / 2018 / Portraiture / Other_P
Silver in Portraiture/Other
Tony Monaco
This image was taken at Sailors Snug Harbor, Staten Island, New York.
A review of Tony Monaco's latest dye image transfers will reveal a great deal about the vaguely macabre artist.
From abandoned buildings to forgotten cemeteries and city landscapes in small towns across America, each scene conveys a sense of peace and solitude commingling with the industrialized world. While at the same time, Tony's bold use of color, dynamic range and strong compositional elements convey the intense beauty and destruction the artist sees in the world around him. His photography invites the viewer on a journey to explore a world that co-exists with the hustle of everyday life.
Tony began working for a New York City based fashion photographer assisting on photo shoots and printing images for some of the most prestigious photographic magazines worldwide. In the early 1990's, Tony decided to open his first photography studio in New York. The studio did so well that he decided to open a second studio.
During this period, Tony had several experiences that would move him toward a full-time career as a photographer. In an effort to broaden his artistic talents and business base, Tony began teaching advance photography at a local Art Lab where he taught for over eleven years. "This was one of my life's most rewarding experiences", Tony recalls. During the early nineties, even though Tony still owned and operated his photography studios, he devoted more time to his personal photographic artist views.
By the late 1990's, Tony retired both his businesses. He continued teaching and exploring photography for personal expression. He spent several years developing and fine tuning his style, drawing upon new techniques to better capture his visions.
Today, Tony's travels lead him to a wide range of subject matter. However, all of Tony's work invites the viewer to join him on life's great adventure.
PX3 - Prix de la Photographie, Paris
Privacy Policy & Personal Data
© 2020 P×3 - The Prix de la Photographie Paris


* None, except indirectly through recognition of new CPUs.
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+/* Nehalem gmp-mparam.h -- Compiler/machine parameter header file.
+2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
+dnl  AMD64 mpn_hamdist -- hamming distance.
+dnl  Copyright 2008, 2010 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
+dnl  AMD64 mpn_popcount -- population count.
+/* Sandy Bridge gmp-mparam.h -- Compiler/machine parameter header file.


text:
Deborah Rodriguez
Deborah Rodriguez has worked as a hairdresser since 1979, except for a brief time when she was a corrections officer in her hometown of Holland, Michigan. She used to direct the Kabul Beauty School, the first modern beauty academy and training salon in Afghanistan where she lived with her Afghan husband. According to the New York Times, six women also involved in the beauty school in Afghanistan dispute parts of her memoir, particularly concerning the Beauty School's founding, how she won control of the school and why, and her stories about several Afghani women. The author and publisher say that in the future, they will make it clear Rodriguez didn't found the school and that the Afghani women's identities needed to be protected. Rodriguez left Afghanistan in April 2007 after returning to Kabul from a book tour to find that her husband, Haji Sher Mohammed, had been sexually harassing salon girls and planning to steal her money. After being warned that she would be kidnapped if she stayed, she fled. The Kabul Beauty School has caused outrage in Afghanistan, where websites have revealed the salon girls' true identities. They have been denounced as prostitutes who have soiled the reputation of Afghan women.
www.bookbrowse.com
Kabul Beauty School


Ms. Bonnie Pearl Davis age 77 of the Pea Ridge Community of Clay County, TN, passed away on Thursday, August 2, 2018 at her residence in the company of her adoring family.
Funeral Services will be held at 2:00 p.m., Saturday, August 4, 2018 at the Upton-Hay Funeral Home with Jim Blankenship officiating and interment to follow in the James W. Davis Family Cemetery. Visitation with the family will be at the Upton-Hay Funeral Home on Friday, August 3, 2018 from 3:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. and on Saturday, August 4, 2018 from 8:00 a.m. until the time of the service at the Upton-Hay Funeral Home.
Bonnie is survived by son, Travis Davis and wife, Mickie of Gainesboro, TN; 2 daughters, Debra Craighead and husband Robert of Moss, TN and Tammie Robbins of Celina, TN; 1 sister Jeanette Spears and husband George of Hermitage Springs, TN; 2 brothers, John Tinsley and Buford Tinsley and wife, Tracy all of Celina, TN; brother-in-law, Andrew Davis and wife, Joyce of Celina, TN; 6 grandchildren, Kayla Jernigan and husband, Jason, James Davis, Jr., Joshua Davis, James Craighead and wife, Amanda, Bonnie Craighead, Lora Method and husband, Brad; 2 great-grandchildren, Ember Craighead and Brantley Cole Method as well as a host of other family and friends who mourn her passing.


text:
Brain Injury Lawyer Blog
Brain Injury Law Group Sites
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Attorney Gordon Johnson
Former Green Bay Packer Forrest Gregg Has Parkinson's Disease, Which Has Been Linked To Head Injuries
Posted on 24th November 2011 by Gordon Johnson in Uncategorized
brain injury, brain injury lawyer, Forrest Gregg and concussions, Forrest Gregg and Parkinson's Disease, Parkinson's Diesease and concussions, Wisconsin brain injury attorney, Wisconsin brain injury lawyer
Forrest Gregg, an ex-Green Bay Packer Hall of Famer, has been diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease. Is that malady linked to he concussions and brain injuries that he sustained during his career?
That's the intriguing question raised by sports columnist Brooke McGee of the Bleacher Report.
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/943663-forrest-gregg-former-packer-diagnosed-with-parkinsons-caused-by-nfl-career
Right now Gregg has developed hand tremors, a stooped posture and smaller stride, according to McGee. A Parkinson's expert, Dr. Rajeev Kumar, has diagnosed Gregg with the disease.
The columnist then goes on to cite research from the Mayo Clinic, which says, "those who have experienced a head injury are four times more likely to develop Parkinson's Disease than those who have never suffered a head injury. The risk of developing Parkinson's increases eightfold for patients who have had head trauma requiring hospitalization, and it increases 11-fold for patients who have experienced severe head injury."
The sounds like pretty convincing data to make one believe that Gregg's Parkinson's was prompted by the many concussions that the NFL veteran suffered while playing for Green Bay and Dallas, according to McGee.
And we'd have to agree.
It's unfortunate that the league stuck its head in the sand, and then was in utter denial for so long, about the long-term impact of head injuries and concussions on players.
Black Music Impressario Don Cornelius, His Brain Surgery And Suspected Suicide
Princeton Freshman Football Star Dibilio Recovering From Stroke
Illinois Man Thinks It's A Joke When He Learns He Shot A Nail Into His Brain
New York Mets Great Gary Carter Has New Brain Tumors
Therapists Try To Find Ways To Help Married Couples Cope With TBI
Jessica Joy Rees, Child Brain Tumor Blogger, Never Gave Up
Arizona Man Comes Out of Coma, Before Being Groomed To Be An Organ Donor
Texas Model Recovering, But Could Lose Eye, After Walking Into Plane Propeller
Wisconsin Study Finds Violent Video Games Cause Brain Changes
Ex-Sen. George McGovern Hospitalized After Hitting Head In Fall
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...........Despatch considers it "Countdown" not "Countup".
"Building a Better World Together, 1 Day at a Time..."
as an opportunity to work together to build a better future.
Count-UP to the Year 2000.
took place all around the world.
Make Each Day Count Think, Pray or Meditate for Peace On Earth at 12 Noon EVERY DAY Perform at least 1 act of kindness Each Day Keep a Peace On Earth Journal - 1 page for each thing you'd like to change in yourself and in the world. Each day find 1 positive victory to record for yourself and for our world Join people across the globe by asking your Mayor or Governor to declare a Proclamation of Peace for January 1, 2000 and the Year 2000 as The Year For Peace On Earth Start a CountUP 2000 Circle or World Peace Club in your school, job or community - help inspire & encourage each other Spread the word about our wish for a Positive future that we will create together, 1 day at a time.
There are 29 Robert Muller Schools, and Dr. Muller is called, "the father of Global Education" with his world core curriculum. Robert believes that his approach to education works as a model for global education in an interdependent world. In his acceptance speech for the UNESCO Peace Prize, Muller urged governments to take peace education seriously, for the adoption of the World Core Curriculum, and for increased support of international schools.
each and every day, one day at a time.
On September 13, 1996 the first Global Conference of the WORLD PEACE 2000 Network met at the United Nations to discuss the possibility of making peace on earth a reality in the 21st century.
Representatives from nearly 30 different countries attended this inspiring day of unity, inspiration and hope.
This worldwide network of individuals, groups and organizations is dedicated to helping promote a resolution before the United Nations to declare a 24-hour world cease-fire on January 1, 2000; a Declaration of Peace culminating on January 1, 2000 as WORLD PEACE DAY; and the year 2000 as The INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF PEACE.
The DinoPals Love The Earth ........................... Kidz Care!
"WORLD PEACE: The Children's Dream!"
inspired by the picture book, ONE DAY IN PEACE, January 1, 2000.
If there is righteousness in the heart, there will be beauty in the character; If there is beauty in the character, there will be harmony in the family home. If there is harmony in the home, there will be order in the nation. When there is order in the nation, there will be Peace in the World.
The lovely World Peace Angel, pictured above, was painted by Joanne Macko. Prints of the WORLD PEACE ANGEL, can be found all around the world - including at the United Nations and at The University For Peace in Costa Rica.


RAMALLAH, July 10 (JMCC) - Israel's foreign ministry has reached an agreement with the captain of a Libyan aid ship that will divert the ship and its cargo from the blockaded Gaza Strip to a port in Egypt, said an Israeli spokesperson Saturday.
We will not allow, under any circumstances, the directing of any vessel by sea to the Gaza Strip, said spokesperson Ophir Gendelman. Ships that want to transfer aid to Gaza should either go to Egypt or to the port of Ashdod, where the aid will be unloaded and transferred by land to the Gaza Strip.
Gendelman said that Israel had reached the compromise solution, where the ship will be unloaded in el-Arish, through Greek intermediaries.
The Moldavian-flagged ship, set to sail Saturday, was delayed in its voyage until the outcome of the talks.
The ship was organized by the Ghaddafi Development Foundation, and carried thousands of tons of food aid and a number of Libyan activists.
The aid voyage comes one month after Israeli commandos stormed a Turkish-organized fleet of vessels headed to Gaza, killing nine Turks.
After an international outcry, Israel eased the land blockade of Gaza, allowing in foodstuffs that were previously banned and building materials under international supervision.


text:
By Jacob Wagner
School board gives architect direction for sports facilities
What if Lake Roosevelt baseball and softball were played at the same place? What if there were two gyms? What if there was a track around the football field?
After abandoning the costly, $50 million idea of locating all sports courts, gyms and fields at the main LR campus in Coulee Dam, the district's board of directors spoke with architects about the idea of locating baseball and softball fields at the former middle school in Grand Coulee and building a track around the football field in Coulee Dam. The current tennis court would remain.
The Zoom meeting took place Nov. 10 with NAC Architecture staff presenting preliminary ideas on how to lay things out.
A slide of a Google satellite birds-eye-view image of the former middle school's field showed outlines of standard-size baseball and softball fields superimposed onto it.
The baseball field would be located where a softball field currently is, with excavation of a hill there required to accomplish this.
The softball field would be located in the middle of what has most recently been used as a soccer field.
The board asked NAC to rotate the fields to accomplish the goal of placing the baseball field's home plate area near to the softball field's home plate area.
NAC's Brent Harding was able to adjust the fields' outlines on the slide in real time during the meeting to meet the requests and get a clearer understanding of what the school board was hoping for.
Property lines were discussed, as well, so that the tight squeeze of fitting the fields onto district property can work.
The relation of home plate to the sun was also discussed, so that batters aren't blinded by the sunlight while at the plate.
Another slide showed how a track could be built around the football field in Coulee Dam, with the football field being moved north a ways, into what is currently the baseball diamond, to accommodate for the track.
Having a seating area for lawn chairs was discussed.
Other slides showed options for building a new, 1,200-seat capacity gym.
One option is to build a new gym next to the current gym, replacing the administrative area of the former high school. Other options would keep the administrative area and build the new gym nearby.
In all cases — of the baseball/softball area, the football/track area, and gym area, locations for bleachers, concessions, locker rooms, and wrestling — other considerations were brought up.
The board asked NAC to develop clearer ideas for the facilities from their directions, with better conceptual drawings and an estimated price tag coming in the next week or so.
The new concepts require less excavation of hillsides and would significantly reduce the price tag for it all towards the original goal in the $14 million range, or "ballpark," if you will.
Federal infrastructure money was mentioned as a possible funding source.


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Home NEWS & FEATURES Valentine 2.1
Valentine 2.1
by Harry Kollatz Jr.
Just a few years shy of its 100th anniversary, the Valentine Museum found itself on the brink of financial collapse in the fall of 1995. Sixteen months after opening a second location, known as the Valentine Riverside at Tredegar Iron Works, the museum faced the reality that its expensive "experiment" was a flop.
The Valentine was more than $10 million in debt, and its tour vans were in jeopardy of being repossessed. A city sheriff's deputy in charge of assessing the Valentine's collection for possible bankruptcy proceedings left in tears, upset that the city's history museum was probably going bust. The museum that concerned itself with Richmond's sometimes-tangled history had to unknot its own troubled chapter.
It was Bill Martin who inherited the responsibility of pulling the Valentine back from the rapids in concert with his staff. Piloting the Valentine through waves and troughs, Martin, his coworkers and the board have moved the institution ahead, improving the Clay Street campus' physical plant, opening the Valentine sculpture studio and research library to the public, modernizing the adjacent Decatur Davis House and completing the Gray Family Terrace. Martin himself has given countless talks and tours and managed to move between the city's traditional old family money and its younger, hip audience. To many, he is the museum.
Working from the outside in, the Valentine Richmond History Center is now poised to overhaul its permanent exhibits and let the light in from Clay Street, as architect Jim Glave wanted to do back in 1977.
A Museum Too Far
In November 1992, this magazine enthusiastically described Valentine executive director Frank Jewell as dreaming in "CinemaScope and Technicolor." Creating an industrial interpretative center in 1994 at the Tredegar Iron Works was his concept. Even though the Valentine Riverside featured laser light shows, an ice rink and carousel ride, at the cost of $22 million, it shut down in September 1995.
When it closed, Martin, who joined the Valentine staff in 1994, assumed the role of acting executive director. Previously, he was Petersburg's tourism director, a role that had expanded into an informal public relations spokesperson for the city, especially during 1993's tornado.
"I kept my house [in Petersburg until 1999], not knowing if I was going to have a job in Richmond," he recalls.
Martin says that, despite the fiscal challenges of that episode, the Riverside experiment allowed the Valentine's board of directors to ask questions about the fundamental purpose of the museum, which they wouldn't have otherwise thought to consider.
"For about a minute," Martin says, the directors had contemplated moving out of downtown altogether, perhaps to the Boulevard, but thought better of the notion.
"This is where the history is, after all," Martin says. "Considering what's happened in Court End, we'd have been crazy to move."
T. Justin Moore III, who served on the Valentine board from 1999 to this summer, credits Martin for pulling the Valentine from the brink. "He's come up with the most creative ways to engage the community," he says, "From the Stride Through Time to tours to Manchester and everywhere else you might not otherwise think to go. Seems like every six months he comes up with something new."
The museum's endowment, which once plummeted to $500,000 from $4 million, now flirts with $8 million. And its collection boasts more than a million Richmond-specific objects, including an immense stockpile of photography and the largest clothing and textiles collection in the Southeast.
And, in a down economy, the Valentine is seeking $7.5 million for a complete overhaul of the first-floor public spaces and increases to its endowment and operating funds. Not a cent is slated for spending, however, until at least $3 million is raised. About $1.2 million of that is in hand, and once the $3 million mark is reached, work will begin with an estimated completion of 18 months to two years.
"I would've loved for things to have hap pened faster," Martin says of rebuilding both the Valentine's fiscal standing and the community's faith. "We had to get our financial house in order and base our decisions on the principle of measure twice, cut once principle."
"The time it took for these important improvements," he adds, "allowed us to engage in some pretty significant planning ahead."
"Museum Stuff"
In the meantime, there's been plenty of making do, as some staffers can attest.
Ken Myers began working at the Valentine in the mid-1990s, at the time of the museum's near-death experience.
He was a history intern from Virginia Commonwealth University and was present when the Valentine's staff was slashed in one week's time from 85 to 12.
"I was asked, 'Don't you want to do these five people's jobs?" he recalls, laughing. "I was 22 years old, overwhelmed and grossly underprepared, so naturally, I said yes. Plus, I needed the job."
Myers today is the director of operations and capital projects. He put his back — in the physical sense — into the task of reviving the Valentine after its 1995 plunge.
He references a display cabinet that the Valentine inherited from the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts as an example of necessity meeting austerity. Since getting the cabinet, the Valentine has included the piece in eight or 10 exhibits. "We've repainted it so many times it's getting tough to put the lid on," Myers says. "It's this kind of post-Riverside budgetary restriction that we're trying to emerge from."
The Riverside experience prompted a severe restructuring of the museum while at the same time focusing on what the museum did best, and doing more of it. The institution has provided free access to schoolchildren since 1902, and in the post-Riverside experience increased its education activities. Each year, some 16,000 school children visit the Valentine.
The other component — concerning the many artifacts and curiosities the Valentine may display — went through a process of study.
For the first time in 50 years, the staff launched an initiative in 2002 to assess the objects, photographs, ephemera, and a 45,000-piece textiles collection that is among the largest and most diverse of its kind in the country. It includes a 17th-century baptismal robe and the paper dress philanthropist Pam Reynolds wore to the grand opening of the VMFA's new wing in May 2010.
Myers explains, "The staff was so busy researching and building shows and writing label copy that they didn't actually have time to go into the shelves in storage and assess the actual objects and work on, well, museum stuff."
In the years right before the opening of the Riverside project, the Valentine drove to create blockbuster exhibitions every six months that often were funded by large corporations and federal grants. The effort, while often noteworthy, strained the staff's ability to create thematic shows and got in the way of actual curatorial duties.
The forced march to make grand shows didn't cause an appreciable increase of visitation. Reaching out to the community by taking the museum to the public through programs rebuilt the museum's name
and reputation.
Martin is eager to see the creation of smaller community galleries. The community spaces will allow the museum to address Richmond's current events by displaying the elements that led to them. He makes an example of the present city plan to revitalize the train shed of Main Street Station. Martin explains that if the community galleries existed, the Valentine could use photographs, artifacts and text to show a brief history of the station, the importance of railroads in Richmond's growth and the various attempts at repurposing the station. A city representative could speak about the plans and engage in a public conversation. "This is the kind of thing we're looking to do more of," Martin says. "It's engaging, relevant — and even fun sometimes."
There's not an exact equivalent to the Valentine in the South and perhaps anywhere in the country.
Martin contends that when the Valentine closed from 1928 to 1930, its administration made a "brilliant move" by reframing its mission. The VMFA, then in the planning stages, negotiated with the Valentine about what each of them would collect. The Valentine let go of trying to procure European paintings. The plaster copies of classic sculpture that art students used to practice drawing got packed away.
"It became really focused on the city proper," Martin says, "and, the best reflection of this was a tagline they developed, 'A Museum of the Life and History of Richmond.' "
That line got revived in the 1990s as " The Museum of Life And History of Richmond."
"That's a fundamental distinction about what we are," Martin says. "The other institutions are defined in terms of motive — like the Museum of the History of New York — while we are defined by the terms of our collection: a museum of life in this city and that runs parallel to the broader scope of history. Chicago's is similar to what we do, but, it's bigger, too."
One of the reasons Martin has stayed at the Valentine when the average career of a museum executive director is three and a half years is, he contends, the variety of programming. And that has meant getting in buses and taking people on tours through parts of the city — like Union Hill or Manchester — that wouldn't have occurred as worthy subjects to some Richmonders.
At the Valentine, collecting continues because what's important today is eventually a headline on yellowing paper. Collection director Suzanne Savery needs to keep an eye out for what could be of interest for future exhibitions. One area is that of new immigrants who are becoming more part of our current population.
"Their items — among others — will be more interesting to collect now and not wait until it's been in the attic 90 years," she says.
Vistiors Redirected
Objects that tell stories need to be seen and discussed. Presently, when a visitor gets to the museum, finding the way through it can be somewhat off-putting.
When the next phase gets under way, the museum will get a new central corridor — an element that was sketched into a 1977 design. By uncovering formerly blinded windows at either end, it will bring new light to the way history is viewed at the Valentine. This gallery will provide a spine from which other spaces radiate. As it is now, Myers explains, "You enter the galleries at an angle. It was a '70s design thing. But people orient themselves on a grid, and they get turned around in there. You can't see a point in the distance to get your bearings." Walking through exhibition halls, Martin points out how architect and preservationist Jim Glave, who passed away in 2003, intended in his 1977 plans to open the central corridor along the back of the Granville Valentine row houses.
"What we're doing here is, if nothing else, making this Jim Glave's last project," Martin says. "We want to get it right for Jim."
When completed, passersby on Clay Street may glimpse the movement of visitors inside and at night gain a view of displays through reopened windows. That's part of the larger point: to build the greatest accessibility into the new version of the old Valentine.
The proposed permanent exhibit in the heart of the museum will be thematic rather than chronological. Those themes will include: "Why The Fall Line?," "Where Do We Live?" "What Do We Produce?," "Who Has A Voice?" and "What Do We Value?"
Breaking up the linear chronology also provides the opportunity to show off objects that haven't been seen in a while, if at all.
There's the flogger, presumably used to make tobacco warehouse workers move faster. A watch fob and cuff links belonging to Patrick Henry. A Ku Klux Klan paperweight. Here, too, will be the Woolworth's Department Store lunch counter and stools where black student sit-ins occurred to protest segregation.
What motivates Martin, and by extension the museum, is not what happened, but since it did, what comes next and why. The stories aren't always pleasant but necessary to know.
"We can come to realize through the elements of the Valentine's collections that Richmond's story is incredibly complicated. It's nuanced. It's not black-and-white."