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Auld School Librarian
Book reviews, crafts, blether
Be A Witch!
My mother wrote this awesome parody and while she does mention a camera phone at the end she really is not that tech-savvy and doesn't have her own blog. So, I have taken it upon myself to post it here for her because it is too wonderful not to share. I've added a picture of the two of us as witches from last Halloween as a bonus!
Be a Witch
With apologies to Cole Porter
I'll remember forever my girl, who was three,
Asking me in October, "Mother what shall I be?"
I said "Dear there's no need to get into a stew,
If you want what is best, there's just one thing to do:
Be a witch, be a witch,
On Halloween they love a witch
Ride a broom with a cat,
Strike a friendship with a black bat,
Turn a prince to a toad,
Serve some children up a la mode,
If you become a ghost then you'll remain out of sight,
If you be come a vampire then you'll have a bad bite,
But on Halloween a witch is always queen of the night.
Be a witch, be a witch, be a witch.
Give 'em tricks, give 'em frights
And your fame will soar to new heights.
How they'll cheer and they'll yell
When they see you cast a new spell.
A werewolf's just a hairy dog all covered in drool,
A zombie or a ghoul is just a mindless old fool,
But everybody knows a witch is coolest of cool.
Chant a curse, stir a pot,
Knock 'em dead with a wicked new plot.
Eye of newt, toe of frog
Is a recipe for great grog.
If you become a princess then you'll just be too cute,
If you become a pirateyou'll be stuck with your loot,
But give 'em poisoned apples and they'll think you're a hoot.
Dress a mummy in wraps
Hang some webby, spidery traps.
Then they'll go "raven" mad
With your "maleficent" beastie pad.
They all know that a skeleton's a bag of old bone3s
And the Phantom of the Opera's just moans and some groans
But they take "pic-chas" of the witches with their camera cell phones.
Labels: parodies
Thirteenth Child review
Book Talk: Everyone knows that a seventh son is lucky, and a seventh son of a seventh son is luckiest of all. Perhaps that's why Eff's seventh son father was determined enough to get a seventh son to risk having a thirteenth child. Thirteenth children bring bad luck to everything they touch and are doomed to turn evil one day. So while everyone dotes on her twin brother, her cousins blame her, the unlucky thirteenth child, for everything bad that happens. When her uncle goes so far as to show up with the sheriff one day, demanding he lock Eff away, her family decides to move out west to the frontier to escape her small-minded relatives. Eff's father takes a job as a professor of magic at a college worryingly close to the magical divide that keeps all the dangerous creatures, magic and natural at bay, and Eff grows up away from those who know how unlucky she is. But can she outrun her destiny, or is she doomed to turn evil? By learning magic like a normal kid, is she endangering everyone she loves?
Rocks My Socks: Who doesn't love exploring the nature of will versus destiny? And what more exciting place to explore that issue than an alternate, magical American frontier? I've seen a lot of alternate history books inserting magic into European time-lines, and a lot of modern urban American fantasy, but this is the first book I can recall seeing that re-tells the story of westward expansion with magic. Eff makes a strong female lead as well and even though the narrative covers until she reaches eighteen she never wastes time on romance, which is a pretty rare thing in novels. The whole world is fascinating and well-thought out with a good balance of familiarity and strangeness and nice touches like the Rationalists who refuse both magic and religion.
Rocks In My Socks: They make a point of convincing Eff in the book that birth order doesn't mean anything and her being thirteenth born doesn't make her unlucky, but then it's obvious that birth order does matter for her double seventh brother who has advanced magical abilities and luck and gets sent to a special school by the same parents who insist birth order doesn't matter to Eff. He's presented as a sympathetic character in the book, but I still wish he ended up having more of a difficult time of it.
Every Book its Reader: The narrative starts when eff is five, so I suppose it could be relatable for younger children, but as most of the story takes place in her teens I'd recommend it to teens and adults who enjoy magic and history, especially those who enjoy strong female leads.
Labels: book reviews
This Book is Not Good For You Review
****Warning: This review contains spoilers for the previous books in the series****
Book Talk: Cass and Max-Ernest are up against their deadliest enemy yet: chocolate! But not just any chocolate (regular chocolate is only dangerous to Max-Ernest with his allergies) this chocolate is so pure and strong that it can send you back in time--and it can only be made with a tuning fork, but not a regular, musical tuning fork, an ancient Aztec magic device that has been brought to Africa, or is it Central America, and well, maybe you shouldn't read this book anyways, after all it's certainly not good for you.
Rocks My Socks: What's not to love about chocolate!? On a more serious note Cass and Max-Ernest really get a chance to grow in this novel and explore who they are with Cass coming to terms with her adoption and Max-Ernest re-evaluating his identity. The continued sense of rivalry between Max-Ernest and Yo-Yoji is an amusing undertone as well, although not prominent enough to be distracting. Speaking of Yo-Yoji let's just say I got a chance to practice my Japanese a bit in this novel, and let's also strongly hint that he may or may not act like a samurai in a pleasing and hilarious fashion (I guess I'm no better at keeping a secret than our notorious narrator.)
Rocks In My Socks: I don't really like what bosch did with Max-Ernest's parents in this book. The portrayal of the principal also rubbed me the wrong way a bit. Presenting her as strict and annoying is one thing, but it goes a bit far for me in this book. As an elementary school employee though I am admittedly biased in this regard.
Every Book Its Reader: Fans of the last two books will love this third installment in the series. They'll also appreciate the chocolate recipes in the back.
Midnight Magic review
Book Talk: Ever since Fabrizio's master was tried for witchcraft he and his wife have been prisoners in their home. The other servants have left them, but they are like a mother and father to Fabrizio and he longs to restore his master's position. So, he turns to his master's old tarot deck and turns up: the magician, the servant, the castello, the king, the ghost, the princess, the tutor, the queen, and finally: death. His master may insist that all his magic is illusion and reason always triumphs, but sure enough a summons to the castle soon arrives. There the king orders Fabrizio's master to get rid of the ghost that is haunting his daughter, the princess. The only trouble is that the magician doesn't believe in ghosts at all. How can Fabrizio prevent the final card from coming true when the relationships between the people in the castle are just as confusing and misleading as the halls that they live in? If he succeeds it could mean wealth and power for his master once more, but if he fails it may mean both their heads.
Rocks My Socks: I enjoyed the contradictions in the novel, like the fact that the magician in the story is one of the few characters who doesn't believe in ghosts. Or that the servant is the one who seems to have the most power in the plot (a la Moliere). Any novel set in a castle with secret corridors and ghosts is also always a crowd-pleaser.
Rocks In My Socks: The servant and his master have a habit of arguing in cliches that's amusing at first but got on my nerves before long. The characters are also all pretty stock which leads to a plot that's pretty predictable.
Every Book its Reader: Ages 9-12 fans of historical fiction and magic. It's probably a bit too basic to be enjoyed by older teens and adults.
If You're Reading This It's Too Late
Book Talk: As the newest members of the Terces Society, Max-Ernest and Cass have real troubles to worry about: Ms. Mauvais and Dr. L are still out there, along with the rest of the Midnight Sun, and they must protect the secret from them. But having real troubles doesn't stop Cass from worrying about imaginary ones as well, like these nightmares that she's been having, nightmares about a strange creature and a haunting song. Soon she has plenty to worry about though, secret meetings, mysterious acoustic devices, cannibals, and a new kid at school following her and Max-Ernest around making it very hard for them to keep their secret. It's important they keep their secret safe, after all anyone who knows their secret is in danger, even you, but if you're reading this, then it's probably already too late!
Rocks My Socks: This book has more codes and mysteries to unravel, more impossible-to-believe twists, and more hijinks from a nervous and unreliable narrator (the chapters are numbered backwards this time around). I also like the new character, Yo-Yoji who just came back from spending a year in Japan where he had his own rock band and developed his sneaker collection. The book also includes a homunculus which is a thoroughly under-used fantasy creature, and a fool, which while fairly popular is still a favorite of mine.
Rocks in My Socks: Much the same as in the previous books, the far-fetched scenarios and gimicks can feel a bit much at times, but if you enjoyed them in the first book, you'll enjoy them in the sequel.
Every Book its Reader: I'd recommend this to those who enjoyed the first book, there is some recap of the first story but I'd advise reading them in order. Great for a wide range as it combines elements of comedy, mystery, adventure, and fantasy.
If You're Reading This, it's Too Late by pseudonymous bosch
Sorcery and Cecelia review
Book Talk: Kate's first season in London would have been difficult enough if things had gone smoothly, but the season soon turns from difficult to deadly when she gets caught up in a feud between sorcerers. Meanwhile her best friend Cecelia is stuck at home and what starts off as an extremely dull season turns sinister when a new girl arrives with trouble trailing right behind her. As the situation escalates, Cecelia and Kate are told to wait in the drawing rooms and let the sorcerers handle things, but thanks to their letters they know more about the situation than anyone suspects, enough to do something about it themselves!
Rocks My Socks: Two words: epistolary novel! This novel is as true to the letter-writing tradition as you can get, as it actually began as a game between the two authors, each taking on a different persona and writing letters back and forth to each other to amuse themselves. Thankfully they realized that what they had at the end was a book that others might enjoy as well, so they thought to clean it up and publish it. You can tell how much they enjoyed writing it and that sense of light-hearted amusement leaps from the pages to the reader. I also love the setting, an alternate early 19th century London where magic exists. Similar to Johnathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, which I also loved, but not as dense. There was a Jane Austen feel to it for me with two strong young women discussing their prospects and their dresses and their balls. Magic, adventure, romance, intrigue, fashion, strong female characters, letters, sass, this book has everything that I love.
Rocks In My Socks: The book was pretty frivolous, which normally annoys me but in this case it was just so much fun that I didn't care. Kate could have been a bit more assertive, and the storyline was pretty predictable, but I was enjoying myself too much while I was reading it to be very critical.
Every Book its Reader: There's nothing in this that's really inappropriate, but seeing as the girls are discussing marriage and the like it will probably be easier to relate to for teens and above. The story has a fair amount of adventure, but it also spends a fair amount of time discussing what color best suits each girl. There are some boys who would be interested in that, but I wouldn't recommend it to just any boy looking for an adventure fantasy. If you need a pick-me-up or just want to spend an delightful afternoon in a world of magic and wit this is a great book for you!
Sorcery and Cecelia by Patricia C. Wrede. and Caroline Stevermer
Masterpiece Review
Book Talk: Marvin lives with his family underneath the kitchen sink. He may be a beetle, but he doesn't let that hold him back: he longs to go exploring and has even taught himself how to swim. Life as a beetle can be dangerous, though, and he and his family have to make sure that the family who lives in the apartment doesn't discover them or they may be exterminated. Marvin is determined to present the boy of the family, James, with a proper birthday present, however. So, after James goes to sleep Marvin uses the ink set James' dad gave him to draw James an exquisite picture. This leads Marvin to do the unthinkable and show himself to a human, but instead of squashing Marvin, James befriends him. That doesn't mean that they're out of trouble, though. When Marvin's parents see the painting, they think he drew it, and eventually this small deception turns into a plot to catch a thief that endangers both of their lives.
Rocks My Socks: I love that the story is told from the perspective of a beetle. It's a fun and unique perspective that you don't see that often. I'm also always a sucker for stories that glorify the little guy because I can readily identify with them. James doesn't have a typical home life: his parents are divorced and his mother has re-married and had another child, and the relationship between them isn't always smooth. It's good to read stories about non-traditional families. The plot of the art theft is engrossing and fascinating. My favorite part of the story, though, was the relationship between James and Marvin. It's heart-warming without being saccharine and leads them both to grow and discover new things about themselves, as all great friendships do.
Rocks In My Socks: The book is billed as a mystery, but I don't think that the mystery is really the central plot element. The mystery does pick up a bit towards the end and lead to some more fast-paced action, but if anything this made the book feel a bit uneven to me. The human adults also seemed a bit unrealistic to me and suffer from the popular juvenile fiction sickness of Useless Adult Syndrome to some degree.
Every Book Its Reader: Ages 8 and up. Both the main characters are boys, but the book is pretty gender neutral. Great fun for any gender or age! I think it would make a great read-aloud for a class. I would especially recommend it to anyone with an interest in the art world, but really this kind of light-hearted adventure could be enjoyed by anyone.
Masterpiece by Elise Broach
The Silver Cup Review
Book Talk: Anna lives with her father and her cousin in a small hut on her uncle's property. Her uncle is a successful blacksmith and her father makes a living traveling to different towns trading his goods. He is apprenticing her cousin to the art, which often takes them on long trips and leaves Anna at home while her cousin and Father see the world. She longs for more excitement than her small world provides, but when the monotony of her life is finally broken it isn't glamorous excitement that she finds. First her youngest cousin disappears, then the one that's living with her runs off to join a questionable cause in his search for glory, a cause that ends up ruining the lives of many and leaves Anna with a difficult decision. How much is she willing to sacrifice to do what she knows to be right? How can you help someone who doesn't want to be helped? Anna isn't sure what to do, but whatever she decides she knows that her life will never be the same again.
Rocks My Socks: Leeds obviously did her research on the book, down to the smallest details (who knew they hadn't invented pockets yet?) and it makes for a very interesting read . I didn't know much about life in the Middle Ages, so it was fun to see daily life in a small town re-created. I also found the description of the crusade leading to the mass murdering of Jewish communities compelling and it was an aspect of history that I had never heard about before. I enjoyed the interaction between Anna and the Jewish girl, Leah. It brought up some interesting and valuable issues for teens to explore. I also like them both separately as characters. Anna's commitment to do what is right in the face of a society that is wrong is inspiring and Leah's commitment to her people and her traditions even at a time of such turmoil is admirable.
Rocks In My Socks: The summary on the jacket made it sound like the focus of the book was the relationship between Anna and Leah, which is why I picked it up, but most of it was actually just description of Anna's daily life. Leah doesn't even really appear until halfway through the book, and even then she's written out of the storyline before the end. The part of the book dealing with their relationship also seemed a bit overly sentimental to me at times, but I don't have much of a sweet tooth as far as my fiction goes so it's easy for a book to get overly saccharine for my tastes. It might have seemed more realistic and justified to me if Leeds taken more time on this part of the narrative to really develop their relationship over time. The ending was also wrapped up a bit too easily and neatly for me.
Every Book Its Reader: I'd recommend the book to middle to high school students with an interest in the Middle Ages. I think this book would also make an interesting companion piece to a unit on Anne Frank. The book does revolve around female characters, but I don't think that the book is overly girly.
The Silver Cup by Constance Leeds
Repost from my collection development class
I wrote this for a discussion post in my collection development class, and thought it worthy of cross-posting here. It's probably the result of me still being riled up from banned books week and I don't know how logical it will be considering I left work early with a fever yesterday and I'm still a bit under the weather, but I'm burning up all over again with fervor! Vive la liberte intellectuelle!
Slightly off-topic, but I was surprised to find both the textbook and Rose Anjejo's article using as an example of common selection statements a statement regarding not selecting items of a violent nature. I thought collection development policies were supposed to protect libraries from attempts at censorship--not justify it! I suppose this is where the problem of ambiguity comes in. The librarians writing these policies might have very well intended to exclude only extremely violent materials from its collection, but I could see patrons using that criteria as support for challenging a lot of books. I've received a complaint about a picture book of little red riding hood being too violent, for example. Indeed almost all fairy tales would be excluded from a library that avoids selecting 'violent' materials.
What about young adult novels that are extremely violent, but are themselves protests against war and violence, such as the Hunger Games and Chaos Walking trilogies? (For an interesting blog on the topic, see Educating Alice) Hunger Games was recently challenged for its violence, and while I do not deny the violent nature of the books I do question the wisdom of not educating our children about the violence and horrible consequences that can arise from war, especially in today's society where no matter how many books you ban children are going to be exposed to plenty of violence through other mediums. At least in these books violence has consequences and it's not cleaned up or glorified.
What about violent books of literary merit, such as A Clockwork Orange? There's been a bit of a scandal about the violence of this book because the actor who plays Ron chose it to pose with in the ALA's new trio of Harry Potter read posters. A Clockwork Orange is one of my favorite books and while it is 'ultra' violent it is not without purpose. It raises what I consider to be a very important and fascinating argument about free choice and the nature of goodness--an argument that would not be half as effective without its extreme use of violence. Personally I think parents are fretting a bit much over this choice because it's pretty self-regulating in that the future slang that it is written in with catches of Russian words can be pretty difficult to get through, which means that if you're at a reading level advanced enough to get through it you're probably mature enough for its content.
But how do you judge whether or not a book has enough literary merit to justify its violence? And should you even try to do so? Trying to prevent children from being exposed to violence is certainly a losing battle these days. Personally I'm in favor of getting children interested in reading, no matter the choice. For example, neither the librarian nor I at my school really like graphic novels (I'm just not a visual person and end up scanning all the text bubbles, which naturally doesn't lead to a satisfying experience) but we are making a point to develop our graphic novel collection at the moment, despite occasional parent complaints about it. We both feel that getting children to read is the first task, and if that's what does it, so be it. I'm also not so egotistical as to think that my own personal judgment of what's good is the final word on the matter, to each his own has always been my motto (Raganathan would back me up--every book its reader!)
To bring this back to collection development policies this proves how important it is to consider the wording of your policies to prevent it from being used as a weapon against you. The trick is to make it detailed enough to be useful, but not so detailed that it quickly becomes obsolete. I suppose you could go into the specific criteria that would make a book violent enough to be excluded (because most books have at least some degree of violence in them) but I'd question the wisdom of including a clause like this at all. I'd stick to criteria that can be more objectively applied such as accuracy, authority, and timeliness. Judgments on the moral character of a book such as violence or use of bad words (what's a 'bad' word--does anyone else remember the 'scrotum' scandal from Higher Power of Lucky?) do not have any place in a collection development policy as far as I'm concerned.
Anjejo, Rose. (2006). Collection Development Policies for Small Libraries. PNLA Quarterly, 70, 12-16.
Evans, G. E. & Saponaro, M. Z. (2005). Developing library and information center collections. Libraries Unlimited: Westport, CT.
Labels: indignant rants, Library School
Here's some pictures from our display for Banned Books Week last week. We had a lot of fun with it, and the kids were outraged to see that some of their favorite books were banned. It was a great conversation starter, not only for the kids, but for visiting parents as well.
The view from outside
Wall display with bookmarks available
Books in chains!
Caution, banned books! A lot of these were checked out during the week. The butcher paper to the right had a marker underneath that kids could use to write their thoughts about censorship.
Bbw history
View more presentations from ebretall.
This is a combination of two slideshows that I made and we had playing on a nice, large computer in the lobby.
It was a lot of fun, and I had some great conversations with the kids. I can't wait for banned books week next year!
Labels: displays
The Strictest School in the World
Book Talk: Emmaline is determined to build a flying machine, and she gets the perfect opportunity to do just that when her parents send her from India to stay with her aunt in England. Her aunt is a widower with the money to support Emmaline in her aviary endeavors and seems to have no qualms with allowing her niece to engage in such a dangerous and unlady-like pastime. When she finds a local town boy nicknamed Rubberbones to pilot her machine it seems like she has everything she needs. But soon her time inventing and running free is cut short by her parent's desire that she get a proper education. The teachers are ruthless and the students are either too terrified to speak or terrifying the others. If anyone steps out of line they are threatened with the sinister punishment of 'cleaning out the birds.' Emmaline is used to using her wit to create inventions, but if she wants to escape she will need to find the courage to put her own neck on the line. Will she be able to do it? Or will she be stuck forever in the strictest school in the world?
Rocks My Socks: I love the setting of the novel and the satirical jabs it takes at English society at the time like the ruthless soccer match between local towns or how the gypsies are fed up with English children running off to join them. Emmaline is a bright, determined character and Rubberbones is a lovable scamp. The details about Emmaline's attempts to make a flying machine are interesting as well.
Rocks In My Socks: Once Emmaline gets to the strictest school etc it becomes very predictable and a bit boring. I realize that it's supposed to be satirizing the whole strict school trope, but this area of the novel just wasn't as strong or engaging. It also takes the hyperbole to the extreme at this point and what was at first a fairly realistic story with embellishments for comedic effect turns it into something that is just completely absurd and seems to follow no rhyme or reason or internal rules. I wish Emmaline had been left to making up flying devices in her small town. There is a thin line between making fun of a genre of fiction and just writing bad genre fiction, and for me this book skirted that line a bit too much.
Every Book Its Reader: Boys and girls aged 9-12 who like silly, light-hearted quick reads. There are similarities to the Lemony Snickett series, but this work is definitely not as dark so for children who liked the series for its humour, I'd recommend this book, but for children who liked Snickett for his darker tendencies I wouldn't. I think the book is a bit too basic and juvenile to be really enjoyed by most adults.
The Strictest School in the World by Howard Whitehouse
Auld Friends
Art by Amber Rose
Craig Lam @ Gaming Daily
Laura Lam's author blog
Tweets by @ebretall
Erica has read 17 books toward her goal of 75 books.
Erica's quotes
Blog (Text Only) Copyright
Auld School Librarian by Erica Bretall is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.
Most of the images on this blog are book covers that I do not own the copyright to. I am using them in fair use to comment on and criticize the books.


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In the event that 1400 calories is great, 1000 must be better, correct? Off-base. Your body needs fuel to smolder fat legitimately. As bizarre as it might sound, on the off chance that you cut your calories back too far, your body will simply stick onto what fat it has, making further fat misfortune feel outlandish.
You need to utilize a moderate calorie deficiency, similar to the rules put forward in the 3 Week Diet arrangement as this will guarantee that your digestion system stays revved and you continue blazing fat.
Another huge misstep numerous ladies make is neglecting to prepare. They consider their next dinner around a hour prior to that feast happens. Regularly, this is on the grounds that they're occupied and simply don't have sufficient energy to do all that cooking.
On the off chance that you need to get comes about, notwithstanding, you have to prepare. The trap is utilizing a health improvement plan that doesn't call for excessively complex dinners that mean you put in hours every day in the kitchen.
No lady can deal with that — you have an existence to lead. In any case, with an eating routine arrangement that makes preparing straightforward, you will stand a vastly improved shot of staying with your menu. You ought to never ponder 'what to eat' when appetite hits or you'll be enticed to eat something you shouldn't.
In the event that one thing most ladies have in like manner, it's hours spent on cardio machines. While some brilliant cardio preparing, (for example, sprint preparing) can be advantageous for fat misfortune, you truly don't have to affix yourself to the treadmill, bicycle, or the circular. Indeed, doing as such can accomplish more mischief than great.
Rather, what you need is a fundamental weight preparing program that spotlights on key lifts that make you more grounded.
Look at The 3 Week Diet workout program on the off chance that you require help with this zone. This system will go over the top calorie smoldering activities that will firm and fix your body while helping you soften fat rapidly.
At last, the last enormous mix-up that numerous ladies make is overcomplicating their project. They discover an eating regimen arrange for that has a million standards and directions that they should take after and afterward ask why they aren't staying with it and it's not working.
Straightforwardness is ideal. With a couple savvy rules that you can without much of a stretch actualize into your life, you can be on track to seeing prevalent results.
Fat misfortune isn't advanced science. Everything comes down to filling your body with the right nourishment decisions and measure of vitality to energize the arrival of vitality from muscle to fat quotients cells.
Week after week diet arrangement will disclose how to do this without feeling like you need a Ph.D. in eating routine dialect.
So remember these mix-ups. In the event that you see yourself making any of them, roll out a couple of improvements and get yourself on track to seeing better results later on.


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Posts in Category: Film Clips
Ann Dvorak Dressed Like a Bird in "Sweet Music," Now Available on the Internet Archive
On November 7, 2014	by Christina Rice	With	3 Comments	- Film Clips
Apparently Sweet Music is in the public domain because it is current up on the Internet Archive for viewing (with a TCM logo appearing periodically). This 1935 Warner Bros. musical, directed by Alfred Green and starring Rudy Valle was a personal favorite of Ann's and one she lobbied hard to get cast in. Between 1932-1934 Ann had done heavy duty dramas or quickie programmers and was anxious to get back to her musical roots from her days as an MGM chorus girl. Having missed out on films like 42nd Street and Footlight Parade because she was playing hooky in Europe with Leslie Fenton, Ann no doubt felt like she had missed out.
The film is certainly higher budget than most of Ann's Warner Bros. titles and while it's not as high calibur as the previously mentioned musicals, it has its moments. Plus, a supporting cast featuring Alice White, Allen Jenkins, and Ned Sparks is always delightful, not to mention appearances by torch singer Helen Morgan and Al Shean, uncle of the Marx Brothers.
If for no other reason, Sweet Music is worth watching to see Ann Dvorak hoofing around in a ridiculous bird-like outfit. If you can't contain yourself, fast forward to 16:18 for a dose of Dvorak bliss.
TCM On Air Promo for "Ann Dvorak: Hollywood's Forgotten Rebel"
On November 6, 2013	by Christina Rice	With	3 Comments	- Film Clips, News
Year of Ann Dvorak: Day 310
First off, I apologize for the quality of this video which a friend recorded by pointing his phone at the television. Despite this, isn't it fantastic?? I imagine this is the first time so many Ann Dvorak clips have been edited together to promote her and the result is simply wonderful. I confess that I started crying the first time I watched it. After spending so many years with this project, it's overwhelming to know that other people care about Ann enough to deem this book worthwhile.
I haven't been able to locate a copy of this video on the TCM website, so if you uncover a better copy please let me know!
On a book ordering side note, it looks like Amazon is temporarily out of stock, but the University Press of Kentucky has copies at a 20% discount!
UPDATE 12/1: Special thanks to frequent commenter Dick who provided me with a perfect copy of the promo which is now posted above.
"Scarface" 1979 Reissue Trailer
On August 17, 2013	by Christina Rice	With	2 Comments	- Film Clips
I recently came across this trailer for the 1979 reissue of the 1932 Howard Hawks classic Scarface which also happens to be Ann Dvorak's first credited roles. There are a few things about this trailer that stick out for me. First is the quality of the print, which is pristine and looks simply gorgeous. Next is that whoever produced this managed to cram damn near every violent scene from this film into two minutes and thirty-seven seconds. Finally, I love how the narrator of the trailer doesn't quite know how to pronounce Dvorak and kind of stumbles over it.
My one gripe is the absence Boris Karloff whose scenes are sparse but delightful as a rival gangster. Otherwise, after watching this teaser, I am ready to fire up the DVD player and watch some Scarface ala Muni.
Anna Lehr in Action: "The Birth of a Race"
On March 19, 2013	by Christina Rice	With	0 Comments	- Film Clips
Year of Ann Dvorak: Day 78
Ann Dvorak's mother, Anna Lehr started appearing in motion pictures in 1912. By the time she officially retired in 1927, she had well over 49 credits to her name. As is the case with most titles of the silent era, Anna Lehr's body of work is largely "lost" with one lone film, The Cradle, existing at the Library of Congress. Every now and then, an alleged copy of a 1928 version of Jesus of Nazareth pops up on eBay or Amazon. I ordered a copy a number of years ago, and it turned out instead to be a much earlier telling of the life of Christ. I have a sneaking suspicion that if I order this copy of The Target, it would not be Lehr and Hobart Bosworth appearing on my screen.
The only footage I have seen of Anna Lehr in action is two seconds, literally, from The Birth of a Race. This film was originally supposed to have presented a sensitive portrayal of African American history as a sort of answer to D.W. Griffith's controversial 1915 epic, Birth of a Nation. By the time it came out in 1918 money-politics had turned The Birth of a Race into a more general telling of the history of mankind. Supposedly, the film ran around 10 reels, or close to two hours. As far as I can tell, all that now exists is the above 10 minute summary of the film which showed up as an extra on a Birth of a Nation DVD release.
I usually shy away from YouTube clips, which tend to get taken down. Since this one has been on the site since 2007, I am throwing caution to the wind. You can see Anna Lehr's two seconds of screen time at the 7:19 mark. She's the one dressed in white and looking appropriately dramatic.
A Candid Ann Dvorak Moment
On February 10, 2013	by Christina Rice	With	3 Comments	- Film Clips
I usually don't post videos from YouTube here, because the clips tend to get pulled from the site. However, I'm going to give it another shot with this compilation of the best of the Warner Bros. blooper reels.
If I am not mistaken, Warner would put together these reels at the end of the year and show them at an event, like a holiday party. This particular video has selected choice moments over multiple years and includes Bette Davis, James Cagney, Carole Lombard, Errol Flynn – and Ann Dvorak.
At 00:28 into the clip, you'll see Paul Muni flub a line in Dr. Socrates which cracks Ann up. It's just a couple of seconds long, but there's something sweet about her reaction, and there appears to be a genuine affection between Ann and her former Scarface co-star. As far as I know, this is the only Ann clip that popped up on any of these reels. Even though there's just a couple of seconds of Ann, it's worth watching the whole thing. Yes, people really did swear in real life during the reign of Joseph Breen!
Special thanks to Ann-D fan, Scott, who reminded me of this special clip!
Divine Dvorak Death Scenes
If there is one thing Ann Dvorak was especially great at, it was dying on screen. Fortunately for us film fans, she had the opportunity to do this on a few occasions. Just a warning that spoilers are ahead as we take a look at divine Dvorak death scenes.
Scarface (United Artists 1932)
I would imagine few people realize that Ann was only twenty when Scarface was filmed, and that this was her first real acting gig (she mainly just smiled big and hoofed around a bunch of MGM musicals prior to this). While her role as Paul Muni's kid sister, Cesca Camonte, did not give her a lot of screen-time, it was still an important character in a big movie, with a really dramatic death scene.
The end comes for Cesca as she heroically (or stupidly, or creepily) stands by her big brother as he stands-off against the Chicago police and quickly loses his mind. As the cops riddle Tony's apartment with a sea of bullets, he is unable to draw the bulletproof window treatments fast enough and Cesca is stricken while loading a gun. Tony's cowardice emerges, as he seems more concerned with being left alone than with comforting his dying sister. The realization that her big brother is not what she thought he was fills her last moments with fear and disgust.
Cesca's death could have easily come off as pure camp, but Dvorak's execution of the scene is impressive. A touch of the melodramatic does slip in when she looks up to the ceiling and calls out the name of her dead husband (Tony's best friend Guino, who he had killed hours before). I have viewed Scarface a number of times on the big screen, and every time she cries out "Guino! Guino!," I always brace myself for the audience to start snickering. They never do, which makes me think that at times Ann was a better actress then even I give her credit for.
Three on a Match (First National/Warner Bros 1932)
I am particularly partial to Ann's untimely death in Three on a Match. This film was the first time I ever encountered Ann Dvorak who quickly mesmerized me with her portrayal of Vivian Revere, a bored-society-wife-turned-cokehead. She meets her ultimate doom by unceremoniously throwing herself out a window to save the life of her son who had been kidnapped by her loser boyfriend in an attempt to collect a ransom from the boy's father. (Were you able to follow that?)
What's so striking about this scene are the moments leading up to the big plunge. No attempt is made to make her look like anything more than the worn out drug-addict she has become. She frenziedly attempts to open up windows that have been nailed shut, tries to calmly engage her son in a game of hide and seek so he'll be safe, and finally scribbles a message on her dirty nightgown in lipstick while frantically praying. The first time I saw this, I was not quick enough to catch onto what she was doing and was shocked when she screams and jumps out of the widow the moment the gangsters enter her room. Her final scene in Three on a Match is disturbing, yet memorable and I became a fan for life.
'G' Men (Warner Bros 1935)
Ann may not have the main female lead in 'G' Men (that honor goes to Margaret Lindsay), but she definitely has the more interesting role. As Jean Morgan, a showgirl whose unrequited love for 'G' Man James Cagney leads her to run with the wrong crowd, Dvorak gets to perform a lively musical number and die in Cagney's arms.
Ann dooms herself to death in this one when she turns coat on her hoodlum hubby (Barton MacClane) in order to assist Cagney on the right side of the law. MacClane has no problem coldly and callously gunning down his wife in a phone booth, which comes as a shock for first time viewers (it did for me at least). Ann gets to have the drawn out death scene which, like Scarface, could be cheesy as all get out, but in Dvorak's capable hands Jean Morgan's demise is heartbreaking. When she responds to Cagney's "I'll see you later" with a tearful "I won't be around," I get welled up every time.
The Return of Jesse James (Lippert Pictures, 1950)
This lackluster western about a Jesse James look-alike (John Ireland) who resurrects the old James gang is one of Ann's weakest films and she looks kind of awful in it (what's up with those bangs?). Ann was only three years older than Ireland when this was shot, but the age difference comes off as considerably more (and not in Ann's favor), and the two have zero chemistry.
Leave it to Ann to redeem this forgettable role with a magnificent death scene. Her character Susan (Sue) Ellen Younger, has few redeeming qualities and spends most of the movie working Ireland for her benefit. In the end, the fake Jesse James gets wise to her backstabbing ways and gives her belly full of led as she is trying to make a getaway on a horse. She slowly sinks to the ground while clinging to the animal, making for a haunting end.
A Life of Her Own (MGM, 1950)
Ok, Ann doesn't actually die on-screen in this one, but the movie is pretty much un-watchable once she bites it. I think it's fair to say that the impact her character's death makes on the entire film warrants inclusion on this list.
As Mary Ashlon, a washed up fashion model at the end of the line, Ann gives an Oscar worthy performance. She is bitter, pissed off, drunk, desperate, and depressed which means she is a fascinatingly fabulous character. Lana Turner actually pales next to Ann in this scene stealing performance that culminates with a soused-up Dvorak tirade about the cruelty of life. The next scene reveals that Ann had subsequently thrown herself out a high-rise window, leaving the viewer wishing for the rest of the film that she had survived the fall.
Blind Alley (Columbia 1939)
If Columbia had faithfully adapted this 1936 James Warwick play of the same name, it would have ended with gangster Chester Morris completely losing his mind at the hands of psychiatrist Ralph Bellamy and shooting his devoted partner- in-crime (Dvorak) before turning the gun on himself. Since the Production Code did not allow for so much nastiness, Chester is instead gunned down by the police, leaving moll Ann to cry over his fallen body and depriving the viewer of what could have been a great Dvorak death scene.
Out of the Blue (Eagle Lion, 1947)
This is one of the Ann's few straight comedy roles, and she does a respectable job as Olive Jenson, a hard drinking, kinda pathetic goofball who latches onto a weak willed George Brent while his wife (Carole Landis) is out of town. I am listing this as an honorable mention because Olive suffers from a heart condition that causes her to pass out, giving the appearance of being deceased. That's right, she fake dies in this one (and on more than one occasion), but always gets up to have another drink and charm us, the viewer, with this off beat performance.
Just a side note: I was going to try and find these scenes on YouTube, but decided against it because: 1) The clips may disappear at some point 2) I'm kind of lazy 3) You should be watching Ann Dvorak films in their entirety!
Christina Interviewed by TCM
On November 28, 2008	by Christina Rice	With	0 Comments	- Film Clips, News, Personal
A few months back, I was one of many Los Angeles Conservancy volunteers interviewed by Turner Classic Movies for a short piece about the many movie palaces in Downtown Los Angeles, and the annual Last Remaining Seats film series.
Mr. Mankiewicz was nice enough to humor me during the interview and asked questions about Ann Dvorak, which I figured would be cut out of the final product (they were). I still has a lot of fun waxing ecstatic about old movie theaters with the Turner crew.
For the sake of making this a Dvorak related post, I successfully pitched Scarface for the 2007 Last Remaining Seats, which played to a sold out crowed at the Alex Theater in Glendale, CA. My posse and I cheered very loudly when Ann first showed up on screen, which I am sure confused most people in the audience.
I hope you enjoy this mini tour of my city's movie palaces. By the way, I am the one talking about how cool it would have been to have a grandma get slapped by Joan Crawford on screen.
Ann Dvorak in "Midnight Alibi" – Trailer
On October 29, 2008	by Christina Rice	With	0 Comments	- Film Clips
I love this trailer for Midnight Alibi, mainly because it gives very little indication of what the movie is actually about. The film focuses on Richard Barthelmess, a gangster who is torn between his "job" and his love for an adversary's kid sister (Dvorak). While on the run, he winds up in the house of a reclusive elderly spinster who convinces him love is the way by telling her tale of youthful sorrow, via a lengthy flashback featuring Barthelmess in a dual role.
The trailer for Midnight Alibi gives the impression that viewers are in for a hi-lar-ious and "swellegent" romantic romp with a "hard-boiled egg" and a "sweet petunia." In actuality, Ann Dvorak's role is not a big one and a large chunk of the film is taken up by the flashback, which is not even hinted at in this promo. My best guess is that Warner Bros was attempting to capitalize on the success of Columbia's It Happened One Night by promoting this as a screwball comedy, which it is most definitely not.
Compared to some of Dvorak's mediocre Warner films from the period, I actually think Midnight Alibi is somewhat enjoyable, even though her screen time is limited.
Ann Dvorak Performs "You Bother Me an Awful Lot"
On July 15, 2008	by Christina Rice	With	1 Comments	- Film Clips
Even though Ann Dvorak got her start in the movies as a chorine/assistant choreographer at MGM, she seldom got the chance to showcase these talents once she became a leading actress. Warner Bros did not cast her in any of those early thirties musicals featuring elaborate Busby Berkeley numbers, and when she did work with Berkeley in 1935 on Bright Lights, her dance time was limited. She got to do a bit of hoofing in Sweet Music and Thanks a Million, but her most memorable musical number is probably "You Bother Me an Awful Lot" from 1935's G Men.
"You Bother Me an Awful Lot" is a fun number with all the girls tossing around some sort of lightweight ball. While Ann is certainly no Ginger Rogers, she is giving it her all and seems to be enjoying herself. Ann and James Cagney are great together, and I know have said it before but it's really too bad they only made two films together.
Interestingly, producer Hal Wallis did not approve of the production design in this scene. Although he thought the night club should have less class and more grit and did not view the musical number favorably, the club scenes stayed in the film as originally shot. The chorus girl outfits with the stratigically placed tassels would be recycled a couple of months later when Bright Lights was filmed.
Ann Dvorak Slaps Jack Benny
On April 5, 2008	by Christina Rice	With	1 Comments	- Film Clips
Ann Dvorak's first movie as an MGM chorine was The Hollywood Revue of 1929. The film is basically a vaudeville show featuring Metro players performing skits and musical numbers for almost two hours, with Jack Benny as MC. Hollywood Revue is a great example of the growing pains the industry was going through as it transitioned to sound, and a couple of segments feature early two strip Technicolor. While pretty painful to watch in one sitting, it's fun enough to view in snippets.
Most of the musical numbers feature the chorus, so Ann can be found hoofing her way across the screen in a big chunk of the movie. She's pretty easy to pick out and is usually the most enthusiastic member of the bunch.
This clip features a musical number with Conrad Nagel, Anita Page and Charles King, followed by Cliff Edwards singing "Nobody But You." In between the two numbers, around 3:50 into it, Ann shows up to take a chair off the stage and slaps Jack Benny when he throws her, what I guess is, a pick up line. She was only 16 at the time and it's impressive that the inexperienced dancer would get speak a couple of words in her first appearance. By the end of the year, she would be become assistant choreographer to Sammy Lee. In the Cliff Edwards number she is visible just to left of him, above his shoulder.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Q: Symfony 2 assetic paths i didnt understand how assethic paths works..
{% block stylesheets %}
            <link href="{{ asset('/bundles/dproc/css/base.css') }}" type="text/css" rel="stylesheet" />
        {% endblock %}

My css and images are in /bundles/dproc/ directory. The code i showed below works, but i cant understand why should i use asset function, i can do it like this and get the same result
{% block stylesheets %}
            <link href="/bundles/dproc/css/base.css" type="text/css" rel="stylesheet" />
        {% endblock %}

So what does asset function? Or how should my path look like with asset function?

A: Because you probably shouldn't even use it like that. You should probably use Assetic with css like this:
{% block stylesheets %}
    {% stylesheets
    '/bundles/dproc/css/base.css' {# this will just get base.css #}
    '/bundles/dproc/css/mycustomdir/* {# this will find all css files in that dir #}
    %}
    <link href="{{ asset_url }}" rel="stylesheet">
    {% endstylesheets %}
{% endblock %}

By setting it up like this (with default config), in dev environment you will get exactly the same thing as if you just used <link .... > without assetic. But in production environment, your whole stylesheets assetic block will be merged into one file to reduce number of requests.
Later, you can set up some css and javascript minifiers and make them run in production environment. So, when you switch to production, you will have nice,economic css and javascript, while in dev invironment you will have exactly what you'd expect if you didn't use assetic at all.
Furthermore, if you use less or sass or something that needs to be precompiled, you could just include those files and tell assetic to recompile them automatically when they are changed.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


On the request of the Govt. of Sikkim, NCH did a five day training programme for the Sikkim State Consumer Helpline at their office in Gangtok during 7th to 11th November 2011. This was a follow up training programme primarily to acquaint the state helpline counselors with the NCH knowledge database.
Ms. Deepika Sur, Project Manager and Mr. Sanjeev Talwar, Sr. Counsellor were deputed to provide in-depth technical training related to call centre operations, the use of online NCH knowledge database software (read only mode), Range of issues covered under Consumer Protection Act and applicable answers for frequently occurring problems for each sector and industry such as Telecom, Banking, Insurance, NBFC, Electricity, Public Distribution System, LPG, RTI, Medical Negligence etc. were taken up.
Ms. Deepika Sur and Mr. Sanjeev Talwar were welcomed by Mr. Mahesh Sharma, Assistant Controller and Mr. C K Sharma, Deputy Controller, Weights & measures and the State Helpline Staff. Mr. L. P. Pandey, Additional Secretary of the Department of Food Civil Supplies and Consumer Protection was also present on the first day of the training. Initial discussions were held with Mr. L. P. Pandey and Mr. C. K. Sharma regarding the State Helpline functions and operations.
In the first four days, the training imparted was to the helpline staff. On the last day – 11th Nov. 2011, participants also included the departmental staff. The training was done by adopting an interactive approach using pre & post advice, sector wise three tier grievance redressal mechanism, discussions, PowerPoint presentations, group work activities group discussions etc.
The counselors were trained on all sectors – special focused training was taken for the top five sectors for which complaints are received. An in-depth training and knowledge of different aspects of the Consumer Protection Act was also given.
During the training period, NCH officials called on by Additional Secretary of Department of Food and Consumer protection Mr. L. P. Pandey on 7th November 2011 and consequently on 11th November in his office in the Weights & Measures, Food & Civil Supplies office and Consumer Protection in Gangtok. Mr. C. K. Sharma, Deputy Controller of Weights & Measures was also present in the meeting.
A feed back on the current status of the helpline was discussed. The meeting ended on a warm note with a word of thanks by NCH, and it was decided that the proposal of mutually agreed points will be sent to the Sikkim Government by NCH.


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READ the NAFB's National Ag News for Thursday, May 2nd
CLICK HERE to listen to The BARN's Morning Ag News w/Brian Allmer every day
Outlook for May China Agreement Positive
Optimism is growing that the U.S. and China could wrap up a trade agreement this month. Trade officials from the U.S. and China concluded talks in Beijing Wednesday with another critical round scheduled for next week in the United States. The Trump administration has appeared to be ready to walk away if an agreement isn't reached soon. However, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said on Twitter that he and Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer concluded "productive meetings" this week. The South China Morning Post reports that the U.S. has dropped the demand that China halts alleged instances of commercial cyber theft, to bring an end to the long-running tariff dispute. A deal at this point between the U.S. and China is expected in Mid-May, with a possible signing of the agreement planned for June. However, an agreement doesn't mean an end to tariffs. The U.S. is planning on keeping some tariffs on China, and China will likely keep retaliatory tariffs on U.S. agricultural products, according to a Chinese trade expert.
New National Poll Shows Impacts of Rural Economy on Farmer Mental Health
A majority of farmers and farmworkers say financial issues, farm or business problems and fear of losing the farm impact farmers' mental health. Other factors included stress, weather, the economy, isolation and social stigma, according to a new national poll by Morning Consult commissioned by the American Farm Bureau Federation. Polling found that many rural adults have either personally sought care or have a family member who has sought care for a mental health condition. Three in four rural adults, 75 percent said it's important to reduce the stigma about mental health in the agriculture community, while two in three farmers and farmworkers, 66 percent, said the same. Large majorities of rural Americans polled agreed that cost, social stigma and embarrassment would make it harder for them to seek help or treatment for mental health conditions. In response to the results, AFBF President Zippy Duvall said, "we can and must do more to address farmer stress and mental health issues in rural America."
Peterson: South America Seeks Improved Infrastructure
Following a trip to South America, House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson said he believes South America as a competitor to the U.S. will "only become stronger with time." Peterson led a delegation to South America to see firsthand its impact and potential in global agricultural trade. The delegation saw the commitment South America has to improve its infrastructure, a key issue holding back the region when it comes to exports. During meetings, the delegation learned that the country is looking to attract billions in private investment to improve the country's infrastructure, and in particular the capacity of its agricultural supply chain. Peterson says "it's only a matter of time" before infrastructure investments improve the export of agricultural products, and "cut into" the competitive advantage the U.S. enjoys over South America. Further, Peterson says the Chinese are "happy to buy everything the South Americans can grow" right now, while the U.S. is embattled in trade negotiations and facing retaliatory tariffs.
Canada Increasing Trade Aid to Farmers Amid China Canola Ban
Canada Wednesday announced more assistance to farmers amid its own trade woes with China. The announcement provides additional credit to producers through the Advance Payments Program, expanding available credit to C$1 million and providing up to C$500,000 interest-free for canola production. China has blocked imports of Canadian canola seed from two companies because China "discovered pests" in shipments. While technical discussions have taken place between the Chinese and Canadian governments, the scientific basis for China's actions remains unclear, according to the Canola Council of Canada. China has been a major market for Canadian canola, accounting for approximately 40 percent of all canola seed, oil and meal exports. Canola seed exports to China were worth C$2.7 billion in 2018, and demand has been very strong until recent disruptions. Canada's Trade Minister Jim Carr also announced planned trade missions to boost exports in Japan and South Korea of Canadian Canola. The Canola Council says it's an "ideal time" to "seize the opportunity to develop markets."
Democratic Leaders, Trump, Agree on Infrastructure Plan, Mulvaney Cast Doubs
President Donald Trump and Democratic leaders from Congress this week agreed to work on an infrastructure deal worth $2 trillion. Senate Minority leader Chuck Schumer and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called the talks this week productive. However, acting chief of staff for the Trump administration, Mick Mulvaney, told Fox Business Network there's a much better chance the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement would pass, casting doubt on an infrastructure deal. Mulvaney says any agreement would break down over the administration's determination to change environmental laws and other regulations, as Mulvaney seeks to waive environmental rules to allow for quick construction. Democrats want to expand the agreement beyond infrastructure. Speaking to reporters, Pelosi said the agreement is about jobs, and "clean air, clean water," and called infrastructure a quality of life issue in "getting people out of their cars." Pelosi says the president agrees the deal should include broadband infrastructure improvements. More meetings are planned three weeks from now to seek ways to fund the plan.
Cattle Industry Welcomes Transporting Livestock Across America Safely Act
Cattle industry organizations Wednesday welcomed introduction of the Transporting Livestock Across America Safely Act. The bipartisan bill would provide livestock haulers with regulatory relief from the restrictive Hours-of-Service rules by the Department of Transportation. The bill was introduced By Nebraska Republican Senator Ban Sasse and Montana Democratic Senator Jon Tester. The U.S. Cattlemen's Association calls the bill a "prescriptive solution for livestock haulers that gives them the flexibility needed to get their live cargo to its destination as safely and efficiently as possible." The bill would increase the exempt miles under the Hours of Service regulation, increase the current driving time hours and give more flexibility to allow drivers to finish their delivery. National Cattlemen's Beef association's senior vice president for government affairs, Collin Woodall, says current Hours of Service rules "present major challenges" for livestock haulers. Woodall says the bill recognizes the unique needs of livestock haulers, as "hauling livestock is inherently different than hauling typical consumer goods."
05-01-19 Governor Polis joins First Gentleman Reis and Lt. Governor Primavera to announce the People for Animal Welfare Committee
USDA – FAS Weekly Export Sales Report for May 2nd


The Helium-100 transceiver will operate in full-duplex, allowing communications to be receiving and transmitting simultaneously. Land Line telephones are an example of full duplex communications. Benefits from using a full duplex system are stations (or nodes) do not have to wait until others complete their transmission, since there is only one transmitter for each twisted pair. Time is not wasted, since no frames need to be retransmitted, as there are no collisions and full data capacity is available in both directions because the send and receive functions are separated.
The spacecraft will transmit and receive on antennas designed by the communications systems team. The transmitting antenna on the 145 MHz amateur radio band and the 437 Mhz band will transmit telemetry and payload data. The antennas will be designed using a common measuring tape because the material naturally wants to keep a straight profile when deployed by the spacecraft.
The SKC ground station consists of two Yagi antennas mounted on a rotating mast. The antennas can be rotated in the horizontal axis and the in the vertical axis. One antenna receives in the 420-450 MHz frequency range, and the second antenna transmits in the 144-148 MHZ frequency range. A Kenwood TS-2000 transceiver is used in conjunction with a computer system running custom software to transmit encoded and encrypted commands to the spacecraft. A second computer runs software that tracks the satellite, display a real time map and directs the antennas to point at the spacecraft when it is within range of the ground station. A third computer runs GNURadio and is connected to a Ettus N200 Universal Software Radio Peripheral (USRP). This station receives and demodulates radio signals from the spacecraft. It then transmits those bits to a fourth computer. The fourth computer runs a custom LabVIEW program which decodes telemetry and pictures saving them to a secure location. The system is semi-automated and remotely accessible via a secure connection.


These two beauties are from Revlon relaunch ! So I am super excited to share these beauts with you.
First up is the ever so gorgeous Sultry. This one is gorgeous. It's a blue base with a lot of purple shimmers with a bit of pink. Very gorgeous & opaque in two coats. Absolutely love it.
Next is Cosmic Flakies. Now I kind of sort of have beef with this one. Mainly because of the name. It's very misleading to people who don't know the difference. This is not a flakie polish, this is shredded iridescent glitter.
Other then that I love it. They're not to thick of chunky, so it's really enjoyable to use. I also seriously love the iridescent colour shifts. Stunning.
I can't help but to recommend both. They're just beautiful.


Good Night Dog is a floppy, cuddly friend made from soft plush. He has stripey blue fabric on his paws, ears and tail.
Made by Steiff especially for newborn babies Good Night Dog is an ideal gift which will make Mum and Dad happy too as he is machine washable!


Train from Zaltbommel to Auringen-Medenb.
That's it! Enjoy your trip from Zaltbommel to Auringen-Medenb.
3 quick tips to save money for your ticket from Zaltbommel to Auringen-Medenb.?
The most wanted times and dates of departure to go to Auringen-Medenb. are often more expensive, so try to be flexible if possible.
Advance rail tickets from Zaltbommel to Auringen-Medenb. are the cheapest. You may book up to 3 months in advance.
Need help to purchase your ticket from Zaltbommel to Auringen-Medenb.?
Questions , remarks about your rail trip Zaltbommel to Auringen-Medenb.?
OnlyTrain › Trains › Cheap Train Tickets from Zaltbommel to Auringen-Medenb.


Interactive fiction, formerly known as text adventures, are almost purely text based games where you type the commands for your character, and get the responses as descriptions of items, your surroundings and the actions.
To play these games you'll need an interpreter, which is like a music player for mp3-files. You can find more information in the IFWiki, but I've found the following to be ok.
So, go and download an interpreter and use it to open the game file. You can find tons of more games in the Interactive Fiction Database.


Road Runner Girl: Taper Run!
This past weekend it was taper time! My next half marathon is on Sunday!!! So on the schedule was an 8 mile run. Andria and I decided to run on our own again. We also ran the same route as last week but turned around sooner. We just love that route and wanted to run it again!
But the weather wasn't as nice this time. It was hot! The temps were back in the high 70's and the humidity was 100%! It made this run tough!
The first few miles flew by! We had lots to talk about and minimal traffic. Before we knew it we had made it to our first water stop. We both almost drank that entire bottle since it was so hot!
Before long we made it to mile 4. We turned around and that's when I started to notice that my legs seemed really tired. I guess the humidity was starting to take a toll.
But lucky for us....someone had left some motivation on the sidewalk! That helped me forget about my tired legs and that I was struggling.
That helped us make it to our last water stop. We then had only 2 miles to go! I could tell I started to pick up speed around this point. My legs no longer felt tired. There was also a breeze along this stretch of road that helped!
Finally after what seemed like forever we reached 8 miles! This run seemed so much tougher than even the 12 miler we ran a few weeks ago! After looking at my Garmin some of that was explained. We had been running a pretty fast pace! And the heat and humidity didn't help.
I'm always thankful that I have a running partner that runs the same pace as me! Andria is awesome!!! I only wish she was running the race with me this next weekend. I'll be there with friends but none of them are my pace so I'll be running the race on my own. Hopefully I will run good!
QOTD: Have your legs ever felt really tired during a long run? Did it ease up later in the run?


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Turin is the cradle of new Italy. Under the rule of the first King of Italy the city developed following a rational logical model. The magnificent residences of the King were situated here between the Alps and the sea. Later under the influence of Cavour and the bourgeois society the city centre with its squares, cafes and parks became a centre of modern ideas and public life. Turin is the birthplace of Italy�s industry that for a century was linked to the name of the Agnelli. As well as for their outstanding art collections which can be visited the Agnelli family is famous for having built the ski station of Sestriere north of Turin, where the Olympic flame has been brought for the Winter Olympic Games 2006.
Life in the neighbouring Val d�Aosta is more quiet but the Alps scenery is not boring at all! From here you reach Europe�s highest mountain, Mount Bianco, which, as the name suggests, Italy lays claim to.
A short trip to Turin passing through Val d�Aosta is an ideal tour to suit all tastes. For tourists eager to explore Italy � the Liguria sea with its �Riviera die Fiori� is not so far.
Hotel facilities in Piedmont are not suitable for mass tourism. There are a few small medium-sized hotels offering good quality but pretty expensive. Ideal for connoisseur�s tours.
Turin is a very special city: very lively and traffic-ridden on working days and rich in tourist attractions in the weekends.
The ski resorts in Valle d�Aosta offer a wide range of hotel facilities. Visitors interested in the surrounding areas will find convenient accommodation at reasonable rates in Aosta.


- a guitar solo contained in Quaudiophiliac.
Some other solos from this tour are available from a 1978 FZ radio broadcast.
Only a few songs from the Passaic 1974 11 08 early show are officially released in YCDTOSA1 and YCDTOSA4, a more complete version of this soundboard is available on side 1 of The Rondo Hatton Band boot, part of the Mystery Box (10 Records set). A couple of live snippets from this tour are also available on One Shot Deal.


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August 18, 2016 September 13, 2016 The Real Book Spy
Mitch Rapp Movie: Taylor Kitsch Joins The Cast Of 'American Assassin'
"JOHN CARTER" star Taylor Kitsch.Ph: Greg Williams©Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Big news! The Hollywood Reporter just announced that actor Taylor Kitsch will be joining the cast of American Assassin, the film adaption of Vince Flynn's bestselling novel.
From The Hollywood Reporter (click here to read their full article):
"Taylor Kitsch will play the villain in American Assassin, CBS Films and Lionsgate's action thriller based on Vince Flynn's best-selling book series that stars Dylan O'Brien and Michael Keaton.
Michael Custa is directing the feature project, which sees O'Brien playing Flynn's hero Mitch Rapp, an Arab linguistics student who joins the CIA as an assassin after his girlfriend is killed in a terrorist attack. Keaton is playing his reluctant mentor, a Cold War veteran.
When the two are enlisted by the CIA to investigate a wave of apparently random attacks on both military and civilian targets, the tracks lead to a mysterious operative intent on starting a World War in the Middle East.
Kitsch will play the villainous operative.
The movie, which sometimes uses the working title The Long Walk, is targeting a September start with shooting to take place in London and Budapest. Stephen Schiff wrote the script.
Di Bonaventura Pictures and Nick Wechsler Productions are producing.
Senior vp of production Mark Ross and vp of production Alex Ginno are overseeing the project for CBS Films.
The film will be co-financed by CBS Films and Lionsgate with CBS Films handling production and marketing and Lionsgate handling distribution.
Kitsch broke through playing heartthrobby football player Tim Riggins in Friday Night Lights and also starred in the big-budget tentpoles John Carter and Battleship. He appeared in HBO's acclaimed AIDS drama The Normal Heart and starred in season 2 of HBO's True Detective."
I love the addition of Kitsch to the cast and have long been a supporter of Dylan O'Brien playing Mitch Rapp. Two things jump out to me right away. First, some fans weren't sure that Dylan was confirmed for the role. Well, it's official now! Second, and this is pretty obvious, Kitsch's character doesn't seem to be in the book.
So, what exactly does that mean?
I've spoken directly to someone who has read the script for the American Assassin movie, who is also a fan of the book series. They assured me that while there have been changes made for the film adaption, it's a really good story and, more importantly, it's true to the character (Mitch Rapp) that readers have come to know and love.
Honestly, it should come as no surprise to anyone that there would be changes from the book. That's always the case whenever a novel is made into a movie. That doesn't bother me, and I'm really looking forward to seeing this once it hits theaters.
Remember too that Flynn's American Assassin was a prequel to the series he first began in 1999 with Transfer of Power, and shows Rapp joining the CIA after his girlfriend was among those killed in the terrorist attack on Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland.
Therefore, American Assassin (the book) is set right around twenty-five years in the past. I think it makes all the sense in the world for CBS Films to make the movie more modern, likely swapping out Rapp's motivation for joining the CIA for something more recent like, for example, the 9/11 attacks. That's just my best guess for now, though I hope we hear more about the plot soon.
Bottom Line: I love what CBS Films is doing!
Previous CBS Films To Make Announcement Regarding The Highly-Anticipated Film Adaption Of Vince Flynn's 'American Assassin' Very Soon!
Next A Book Spy Review: 'End Game' By David Hagberg


text:
Q: Formatting java code using Java I wanted to format Java code so that i can extract conditions associated with if and while.
Conditions like:
if (condition1 && condition2) { /* Statements; */ }

should be like:
if (condition1 && condition2)
{
//Statements;
}

This way conditions associated with if can be fetched.
I wanted to do this using Java so i am not using any parsing tools.
I also do not want to format code using eclipse.
Thanks in advance.

A: Statements like if etc. always follows a defined syntax so you shouldn't need to reformat your code to parse them. Maybe simple regexes can do that for you. You should think about that point instead of writing a code formatter. The java compiler can parse code independent from its layout.

A: Without getting into why would you like to do what you want to do, and considering that fact you didnt show any code, ill provide you some links which may give you some ideas.
You will need to parse your code so you can detect and replace new lines, using regular expressions can help you a lot.


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Le qualificazioni del singolare del BRD Bucarest Open 2017 sono state un torneo di tennis preliminare per accedere alla fase finale della manifestazione. Le vincitrici dell'ultimo turno sono entrate di diritto nel tabellone principale. In caso di ritiro di una o più giocatrici aventi diritto a queste sono subentrati le lucky loser, ossia le giocatrici che hanno perso nell'ultimo turno ma che avevano una classifica più alta rispetto alle altre partecipanti che avevano comunque perso nel turno finale.

Teste di serie

  Jasmine Paolini (secondo turno)
  Jana Fett (primo turno)
  Arantxa Rus (qualificata)
  Alexandra Cadanțu (secondo turno)

<li>  Daniela Seguel (ultimo turno)
<li>  Lesley Kerkhove (ultimo turno, Lucky loser)
<li>  Fanny Stollár (secondo turno)
<li>  Katarzyna Piter (primo turno)

Qualificate

  Alexandra Dulgheru
  Magdalena Fręch

<li>  Sesil Karatantcheva
<li>  Arantxa Rus

Lucky Loser

  Lesley Kerkhove

Tabellone

Sezione 1

Sezione 2

Sezione 3

Sezione 4

BRD Bucarest Open 2017

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


"This spring I had my 2005 Buick Lesabre serviced by Todd and Co. at Computerized Autopro. My car is now the third vehicle in our family Todd has serviced in under a year. The first two were owned by my children and in both cases their vehicles were not worth repairing. My son is now driving a vehicle that Todd's company owned and serviced. My Daughter found a car on Kijiji and Todd was able to do the inspection on it and give her the confidence to buy a vehicle knowing she was getting value for her money.
Being their mother I have the piece of mind knowing they are driving around in a reliable vehicle in good condition and well maintained.
As for my car, I know it is a safe and sturdy vehicle however it was time for a check-up. A check-up I had been putting off because being without a vehicle for even one day is a huge inconvenience. Todd provided me with a complimentary courtesy vehicle while the repairs were being done. My car drives like a well oiled machine and he saved me in excess of $400.00 on the final bill.
I would definitely recommend Todd and Computerized Autopro and have done so to my family and friends.
"I don't let anyone else touch my cars. Todd and the boys take care of everything. I love the inspection they do with every oil change it means I don't worry about anything.
Their estimates are always high and if they find something else that needs to be done they call you first. They can tell me what work can and cannot wait.
And my favorite part; they take care of all warranty stuff. Registering, inspections and they will even fight with them to get stuff paid for.
Just had my car detailed and inspected at computerized and was very impressed with how they walked me through the inspection report afterwards. Their integrity and level of workmanship is second to none. The most amazing thing that happened to me throughout this whole process was that in their inspection they pointed out that I needed back brakes… but I just had my brakes done at my Ford dealer in May. Todd walked me through why I needed new brakes and asked to see my invoice from Ford. Upon inspection of the invoice Todd was able to tell me that there were massive differences between my invoice and the work that was completed. I was able to take my car back to Ford where they "verified" what Todd and his guys at computerized had found. The guys at Ford apologized for getting caught in their deception but alas it was too late, I think I will be taking my car to Computerized Autopro from now on.


Oh no, Florida Travel Commander, the beer budget is ready for the fun trip. I will be fine for the big Key West party festival. I will come down next weekend. I got all my clothes Shopping done in Islamorada and saved a lot of money by taking advantage of the sales.
Finding good cat toys in the Florida Keys is tough. I love the Six Toed Cat video. Did you look up the kitty toy brand. The info is on the packaging. What else do they offer online to buy for the kitty. What is the name of the company? Where is the packaging! You found a nice sound toy, that is what big pine kitty likes best. In the summer his nick name is big pine kitty, and when it cools off he goes back to kitty pooh juniors! It is hot like Big Pine Key summers. Kitty wants more toys, per attorney Florida Travel Commander. We do not want dogs in the Florida Keys, but we are very cat friendly!
Sometimes is the weird stuff that you need down here in the Florida Keys that I can't find anywhere when I go Shopping. Hot on my list is more eco friendly electrical outlets. Want to get those outlets that you can turn off automatically, so for instance the microwave doesn't show the time of day up top and right down below the oven says the same time. Search for eco friendly electrical outlets off on switch and belkin.com is the winner and perfect for Florida Keys residents to conserve power.
When tvs that are plugged in and you see the glowing red light on the bottom, it gets rid of all that stuff which is really good for people down here they care about our environment. I guess I'll have to go online and search in google and try something basic like this search: eco electrical wall outlet timer. They do have some basic ones over at Home Depot, but I'm talking about the in wall timers. I found the perfect product at intermatichttp://www.intermatic.com/en/products/timers/inwalltimers/electronic_timers.aspx online. Thank goodness I don't have to drive to Miami to find some electrical store!


In addition, we sponsor a variety of activities that provide opportunities to recognize student achievement and talent, including the National Spanish Exam, the Design-A-Card Contest, the Victor Baptiste Essay Contest, and the Long Island Chapter 39 Junior Scholarship.
We invite you to take advantage of all that your chapter offers, and we encourage you to become more directly involved by joining our council and attending our monthly meetings. For more information, please contact any of the council members listed on the Contact Information page of this website.
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT ABOUT THE ENTREGA CEREMONY HELD IN THE SPRING! THE 2019 CEREMONY IS CANCELLED! PLEASE CLICK HERE TO READ THE LETTER FROM OUR CHAPTER PRESIDENT!


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More heartache for Katie Price as Princess and Junior to miss possible last Christmas with their gran, Amy
Woman Contributor
This year Junior and Princess, Katie's two children with Peter Andre, will be missing what could be their last Christmas with their grandma Amy, who has a progressive lung condition.
Katie has slated her ex-hubby in an interview with Reveal magazine, saying that Peter won't change his mind about their agreed custody agreement, that sees her have the kids one year, and him have them the next.
She revealed that due to the arrangement, their kids Junior, 12, and Princess, 10, will be spending time with him and his wife Emily this year.
"I'm gutted," Katie said. "This could be my mum's last Christmas, and Princess and Junior won't be there."
She went on to explain, "We don't have Junior and Princess because they share it with their dad, so it won't be as exciting as usual. I wish we could share Christmas Day with them. But it's one year with him, the other with me."
READ MORE: Katie Price left DEVASTATED after horse killed in heartbreaking accident at her home
This year, Katie will spend Christmas with her mum, husband Kieran Hayler, eldest son Harvey and two youngest Jett and Bunny.
The Pricey also revealed, "Kieran's still at the house. I've got five kids and I've been with him for five years. You can't mess up the kids' feelings, especially at Christmas."
Earlier this week, Katie Price had to leave the set of ITV's Loose Women when she was overcome with emotion when talking about her mum's condition.
She revealed that Amy shares the same illness as the one that had killed Keith Chegwin just a day before.
Katie appeared on Loose Women with her mum three months ago to talk about the diagnosis. At the time, Katie said her mum had been given around three to five years to live, but on this week's appearance, the former model was left distraught when talking about how her mum's condition had got worse.
Speaking on the show to raise awareness of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF), Katie revealed that TV presenter Keith, who she became friends with on Celebrity Big Brother in 2015, had been giving her mum advice before his death.
"Keith got in touch and we've been speaking to him a lot and he was trying to help my mum," the star said.
"I knew all along about Keith. I never said it to anyone, and I can't believe that within six months he's gone.
"The thing is, my mum's going to die and I just don't want her to die. She's getting worse. She's having to sell her house now because she can't get upstairs."
We wish Katie and her family all the best at this difficult time.
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Chess Developments: The Sicilian Najd...
Chess Developments: The Sicilian Najdorf 6 Bg5 - Kevin Goh Wei Ming
Chess Developments: The Sicilian Najdorf 6.Bg5
by Kevin Goh Wei Ming
Chess Developments is a series which provides state-of-the-art openings coverage. Chess Developments focuses on the current trends - concentrating on critical lines, theoretical novelties and powerful new ideas. It offers players of all levels the opportunity to keep up-to-date with current opening theory whilst also expanding and improving their repertoires.
The Sicilian Najdorf is undoubtedly one of the most popular chess openings. It was played with great success by world champions Bobby Fischer and Garry Kasparov and today it remains a favourite defence at all levels from grandmaster to beginner. 6 Bg5 is widely acknowledged as a critical test of the Sicilian Najdorf. It leads to razor-sharp positions and hotly debated lines such as the fascinating Poisoned Pawn, where one small slip by either side can be fatal. In this book, International Master Kevin Goh Wei Ming examines the most theoretically important and instructive games in recent years, highlighting the main developments and novelties for both sides. Whether playing White or Black, this book provides you with essential knowledge of an important opening.
- Essential coverage of the Sicilian Najdorf 6 Bg5
- Packed with key new ideas and critical analysis
- User-friendly design to help readers absorb information
Kevin Goh Wei Ming is an International Master from Singapore. He is a four-time consecutive Singaporean National Champion and has represented his country at four Chess Olympiads.
ISBN: 9781781940211, Paperback 272, pages, Everyman Chess