text:
January 8, 2018 By Sophie Masson
In the first month of a new year I thought it was fitting to write a post about first lines. First lines are important because they create an immediate impression in the mind of the reader. If they're memorable, they can pass into common cultural reference. Think for example of the famous opening lines of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, or Charles Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities, which apparently are the most widely-known, according to this Guardian article. But 'the past is a foreign country; they do things differently there', from LP Hartley's The Go Between, and 'happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way', from Leo Tolstoy's Anna Karenina, are also common cultural currency, quoted again and again and sometimes in contexts far removed from their original source!
About Sophie Masson
Sophie Masson has published more than fifty novels internationally since 1990, mainly for children and young adults. A bilingual French and English speaker, raised mostly in Australia, she has a master's degree in French and English literature. Sophie's new e-book on authorship, By the Book: Tips of the Trade for Writers, is available at Australian Society of Authors.
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Next article: All the King's Editors — David Corbett
David Wilson says
My favorite comes from Seveneves by Neal Stephenson, "The moon exploded suddenly and for no apparent reason." It launches the book with a rocket as humanity scrambles to save itself.
Sophie Masson says
That is indeed one that goes off with a bang!
Such good advice, Sophie, and so timely for me. My WIP is narrative nonfiction based on scrupulous historical research, and I am always mindful of the need to keep it from sounding academic and dry. For the past several days I've been brooding over the first paragraph: how to make it stunning (no, that's not too ambitious), how to give my readers a wonderful reading experience while remaining faithful to the sources. Now you tell me that that much-to-be-desired experience has to start with the first sentence. I'll sign off now and go spend some quality time with Sentence One. Thanks!
Thanks, Anna, and good luck with it!
Bryan Fagan says
Simple and direct. So true. For all of us this is a great reminder to place the reader knee deep into our character and/or plot. Stephen King's IT was another good one too.
William L Hahn says
I love this idea so much I've given presentations on it! What a terrific way to introduce a free write, because the audience gets a sense of the range that opening lines can cover and then dive in to practice while the iron is hot.
I used several of the same ones you has as examples, and here's just one more:
There was once a boy named Eustace Clarence Scrubb and he nearly deserved it- C.S. Lewis
Ah yes, that's a wonderful one!
Ken Hughes says
Excellent advice, and of course just plain fun to read.
However, I have to put in a word for the opposite approach as well: if the first line doesn't seem to be gelling yet, you can use a throwaway or an outright blank until you've written the rest of the story.
A worthy first line is so important, it'd be a pity to think you *have* to write it before you've gotten to know the story. (Or worse, hold up a promising tale because you're waiting for that One Line.) Let the first line inspire the story, or writing the story inspire the first line– whichever comes first.
Very true of course Ken–that killer first line can come to one later: the 'placeholder' first line is a good strategy to avoid the terror of beginnings :-)
Sue Bursztynski says
I agree! Have you read Albert Camus's The Plague? In it, there is a character who has spent twenty years writing and rewriting the opening line of what is going to be the best novel ever written. Except he's never writt n anything beyond that line…
Maria D'Marco says
Great article! I wish it weren't so true, as it adds to the whole terror of writing a opening that sucks the reader in instantly. But — it also forces the author to look at their novel like being buried in the sand with only eyes showing. What would make anyone notice you, lying there, buried in the sand? The color of your eyes? Rapid blinking?
I'm guilty of reading the first line, when checking out a book to buy. If the first line snags me, I'll likely make the purchase on that interest alone. If the first line flops, I'll read 2 more sentences. If those flop, back on the shelf it goes.
Now you've got me thinking about checking the first lines of all my favorite books…
Deb Trotter says
Maria,"What would make anyone notice you, lying there, buried in sand, with only the eyes showing?" Sounds like a perfect opening line to me!
Absolutely–brilliant! Would love to read that book :-)
It's a fun game, checking those first lines…but as you say can be scary when it's you creating them!
Barry Knister says
Sophie–Thanks for your post. This would make for a good ongoing series: how do we see unifying principles at work in successful openings, and: how often do books that succeed start with something less than opening lines that create "instant immersion, simplicity, clarity and intrigue"? I absolutely agree with your observation about musicality figuring in successful openings.
But one other thing: "our work's first impression on the reader" isn't the first line of the prologue or opening chapter. It's the book's title, and cover art, and then probably the book description on the back. If these three elements "work," the reader will now get to that opening line.
Thanks again for your post.
Thanks, Barry.
Yes, would be interesting to look at how stories develop from first lines and whether they all live up to their promise. The examples I chose are all from books that have endured of course…would be interesting to look in the same way at those that have been more ephemeral or are currently popular.
And of course you're right, first impression is the cover and blurb etc but that is something that is more in the hands of the publisher than the writer(though of course these days that can be one and the same).
Maggie Smith says
Many of the examples are from older books where such a beginning with a somewhat omniscient narrator was common practice (It was the best of time– no one in the book is actually saying this, of course) When I put this in my WIP I got pushback from editors to just start with my character and stop setting the scene. Different strokes/different folks.
My favorite is Fowler's line from "We Are All Totally Besides Ourselves" "Those who know me now will be surprised to learn that I was a great talker as a child." And another that I noted but didn't mark down the attribution "When they first came into the country it was wet and raining and if they had known of the droughts that lasted seven years at a time, they might never have stayed."
Those are great first lines too! (though maybe in the second one they should have taken out 'wet'?? )
For efficiency, yes–but "wet" adds to the musicality!
How about that wonderful, lyrical line from Isek Dinesen's Out of Africa? "I had a farm in Africa, at the foot of the Ngong Hills." (Of course, I also hear Meryl Strep's voice as Karen Blixen .)
It's hard to beat "Call me Ishmael" (Moby Dick) for directness, or the seduction of the line, "First the colors." from Markus Zusak's The Book Thief.
Like Sophie, I love the opening from "Rebecca," and on reading this am reminded again of the importance of an opening sentence with impact, simplicity, and promise.
Sheryl Gwyther says
Enjoyed the article, Sophie, especially reading all those first lines … most of them are favourites of mine too. Not many books have memorable lines, in my opinion, but when they do I get a rush of pleasure at the thought of what awaits me if I read on.
When I write first lines, sometimes they require many changes over the course of the editing process, but sometimes they are there like shining beacons right from the start, spurring me on with a sureness of what I must fulfill. 😊
Such was the first line in my upcoming new children's novel, Sweet Adversity. … It was a good day to break a bad rule.
Natalie Green says
The first line that springs to me isn't of a book, it's an album (if you'll forgive me).
"This will be an uncertain time for us, my love." – Waiting for the Sun by Powderfinger on Odyssey Number Five
Setting the stage perfectly and intriguingly.
David A. says
Of course, as with many other things, "name" writers can completely ignore this and still have agents queuing up to publish them. Example:
'Jack Reacher and Michelle Chang spent three days in Milwaukee.'
Yes, it sucks, but Lee Child is worth $ millions.
Tiago Andrade says
Two particular favorites of mine:
"The story so far: in the beginning the Universe was created. This has made a lot of people very angry and been widely regarded as a bad move." (The Restaurant at the End of the Universe, Douglas Adams)
"You are about to begin reading Italo Calvino's new novel, If on a winter's night a traveler." (If On a Winter's Night a Traveler, Italo Calvino)
In April the clocks were striking 13, but in May they were striking for better wages. Not even clocks want to work 13-hour days.
What about this one: "When the storm came, it hit the hills like a hammer." (The Wintersmith, Terry Pratchett)
And yes, absolutely guilty of reading the first few lines of a book … and, shame on me, I also love to read the last line!
Hilary says
My favourites are, from a thriller:
""You're a spoiled, bad-tempered bastard," my sister said, and jolted me into a course I nearly died of." Flying Finish by Dick Francis.
That sets it up as a story involving danger, certainly. And maybe a little bad language.
And from a children's story :
"May Fortune preserve you, gentle reader, may your days be filled with constant joys, and may my story please you, for it has no other purpose." The Land of Green Ginger by Noel Langley
which tells you to just sit back and enjoy it, and also sets the scene in an Arabian Nights style fairy tale.
Luna Saint Claire says
Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again. (Daphne du Maurier, Rebecca) — this is my all time favorite first line! So glad to see it is one of yours as well. I was delighted when my debut novel won a First Line contest! "The breath of the passengers created a layer of condensation on the windows of the plane obscuring his view of the city." I will rethink the first line of my WIP a dozen more times before I settle on it.


SUB 8 - 7:59.84 FAT!
5/29 - Fast Times Relays - Warwick Valley H.S.
The Viking 4x800 breaks the elusive 8 minute barrier for the 5th year of the past 10 years and first time since 2016. It was a year that saw many ups and downs and beset by injuries. Senior Michael Kieran led off in a personal best of 2:00.5 to hand off in 5th/6th place. Junior Nick Masters, finally rebounding off of a bad ankle, ran a big PR of 1:57.9 battling in the lead chase pack. Junior Steve Anzalone ran a solid 1:59.4 while only slightly fading the last 100 meters. Soph Corey Pisapia, the #5 800 man heading into the meet, ran a huge leg for a 4 second PR of 2:01.9. The Vikings, returning 3 out of 4 legs, return a 8:02 relay for next year.


text:
Australia In India
Ponting Set To Return As Teams Warned Over Conduct
Thursday 4 October 2007
International Cricket Council (ICC) match referee Chris Broad has cautioned India and Australia to improve their boorish on-pitch behaviour ahead of Friday's third one-day international. Australian skipper Ricky Ponting is set to return after suffering a hamstring injury at last month's Twenty20 World Cup. Fast bowler Nathan Bracken has rejoined the side after the birth of his son Chase. The series has so far been marred by boorish behaviour, particularly involving Indian bowlers Shanthakumaran Sreesanth and Harbhajan Singh and Australia's Andrew Symonds and Michael Clarke in the second ODI. Ponting said Broad felt both teams "were on the limit". "The match referee brought both captains in individually, both me and Adam Gilchrist after (Mahendra) Dhoni," he told a news conference on Thursday. "He made us know there were a few things he wasn't that pleased (about) and that it was up to the captains to make sure it didn't continue through the series." ABUSIVE COMMENTS Harbhajan Singh was reported in the Australian media on Thursday as saying Australian players had abused him. "I really don't care, to tell the truth," Ponting said. "He has got plenty to say on the field and whenever someone says something back to him he is the first one to run away from it. "They are the ones who have come out and made all the statements since we've been here, this new India and the new aggressive outlook, the way they are going to play." He also denied Australia could no longer be called sledgers. "There has been a lot more made over all the sledging type stuff over the years than is necessary," he said. "Probably even now we are adding more fuel than needs be added. "Perception is an amazing thing. If we were ever as bad as everyone said we are, or had been, then we would've had a lot more Australian players reported, especially in the last couple of years." Ponting said although Brad Hodge made zero and three, batting at his number three spot, and reserve stumper Brad Haddin 69 and 87 not out, the latter could still sit out as he was originally an injury replacement. Bracken, who helped Australia win their maiden ICC Champions Trophy in India last year, hoped there would be some early swing due to the 0900 hours (0330 GMT) start. © Reuters 2007
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Home > JITIM > Vol. 15 (2016) > Iss. 2
Journal of International Technology and Information Management
An Artificial Intelligence Approach to International Market Screening DSS
Kelly E. Fish, Arkansas State University
This paper applies artificial intelligence (AI) computing, Kohonan Self-Organizing Maps (SOMs), to the problem of international market selection (IMS). Broadly speaking, IMS can be summarized to consist of three stages a) screening stage, b) identification stage and, c) selection stage. The screening stage often employs some type of grouping technique so that firms can begin to view the potential markets in terms of similarities and differences over variables of interest. The underlying purpose is to screen out or eliminate markets that do not meet certain criteria established by the firm. Statistical techniques such as cluster analysis, discriminant analysis or factor analysis have long been employed at this stage. This study uses empirical data to demonstrate how an AI approach can assist international firms in the screening process and provide them with information that is not readily available by standard statistical techniques.
Fish, Kelly E. (2006) "An Artificial Intelligence Approach to International Market Screening DSS," Journal of International Technology and Information Management: Vol. 15 : Iss. 2 , Article 4.
Available at: https://scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu/jitim/vol15/iss2/4
Management Information Systems Commons
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HONOLULU, Dec. 18—A plan to build a rapid transit corridor through the congested heart of Honolulu has picked up important support and important opposition in recent weeks.
Early this month, Thomas S. Page, head of the Urban Mass Transit Administration, came here to inspect the proposed route. "I'm persuaded that the geographical and environmental shape of this urban core lends itself to a rapid transit line," he said at a news conference.
But E. Alvey Wright, the State Transportation Director, said recently that the best plan would be to provide more free- way lanes for buses and to defer construction of the railway system.
Mr. Wright calls his plan Cost Effective Rapid Transit, which he refers to as CERT, in contrast to HART, or Honolulu Area Rapid Transit, the proposed rail system.
The total rail system would be 23 miles long, running from Pearl City, up the slope from Pearl Harbor, across the southeastern side of Oahu to Hawaii Kai, which is beyond Diamond Head.
But the initial proposal is for a 14‐mile leg from the three-year-old sports stadium to the shopping center in the Kohala district. About 1.7 miles would be beneath Hotef Street in the section that includes the business district and the public areas in which the Capitol and City Hall are situated.
The cost of the initial phase of the system, 80 percent of which would be paid by the Federal Government, is estimated at $750 million. It is estimated that it would be in use in about five years.
Mr. Wright maintains that the buses can be obtained for less money and that there is a prohibitive cost risk in planning to spend $750 million for the rail system with no assurance that many commuters would use it.
Mr. Wright cited problems with a similar rail service, San Francisco's Bay Area Rapid Transit System, but Mr. Page said that those problems, as well as those of the new Washington, D.C., system, had resulted from overbuilding.
Both Honolulu daily newspapers, The Star Bulletin and The Advertiser, carried editorials supporting the rail system and warning city and state officials to get together and not risk losing the Federal money. Neither paper, however, mentioned the main stumbling block in a state‐city agreement: Mr. Wright works for Gov. George R. Ariyoshi, political rival of Mr. Hayashida's boss, Mayor Frank F. Fasi.


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text:
Q: Unable to intent string value inside StartActivityForResult method I am passing location to start activity for result method. place is a string , declared as String place.
Intent intent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_PICK);
intent.setType("image/*");
intent.putExtra("location",place);
startActivityForResult(intent, RESULT_TRUE);

Inside start activity for result I tried to retrieve its value using these 2 ways, but none of them is working.
final String place = data.getStringExtra("location");
final String place = data.getExtras().getString("location");

This is how method looks like
 public  void onActivityResult(int requestCode, int resultCode, Intent data) {
        super.onActivityResult(requestCode, resultCode, data);
        if (requestCode == RESULT_TRUE && resultCode == RESULT_OK) {
            Uri url = data.getData();
            final String place = data.getStringExtra("location");
            StorageReference filepath = mstorage.child("photos").child(url.getLastPathSegment());
            filepath.putFile(url).addOnSuccessListener(new OnSuccessListener<UploadTask.TaskSnapshot>() {
                @O

A: you can declare one global variable in that activity and assign some specific value which you want to pass to the onActivityResult() you can easily access that value if you declared it globally something like this:
String PLACE;
...
....

        Intent intent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_PICK);
        intent.setType("image/*");
        PLACE = place;
        //intent.putExtra("location",place);
        startActivityForResult(intent, RESULT_TRUE);

in this case the value of PLACE will be different for each button click:
public class MyActivity extends AppCompatActivity {

String PLACE;

@Override
protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
    super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
    setContentView(R.layout.xx);

    Btn1.setOnClickListener(new View.OnClickListener() {
        @Override
        public void onClick(View view) {
            Intent intent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_PICK);
            intent.setType("image/*");
            PLACE = place;
            //intent.putExtra("location",place);
            startActivityForResult(intent, RESULT_TRUE);
        }
    });

    Btn2.setOnClickListener(new View.OnClickListener() {
        @Override
        public void onClick(View view) {
            Intent intent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_PICK);
            intent.setType("image/*");
            PLACE = place;
            //intent.putExtra("location",place);
            startActivityForResult(intent, RESULT_TRUE);
        }
    });

    Btn3.setOnClickListener(new View.OnClickListener() {
        @Override
        public void onClick(View view) {
           Intent intent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_PICK);
            intent.setType("image/*");
            PLACE = place;
            //intent.putExtra("location",place);
            startActivityForResult(intent, RESULT_TRUE);
        }
    });

}

}

A: You are trying to get final String place = data.getStringExtra("location"); but data does not contain key with name 'location' as no one has sets it.
It is only set when you open Gallery not the other way around!
Intent intent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_PICK);
intent.setType("image/*");
intent.putExtra("location",place);
startActivityForResult(intent, RESULT_TRUE);

Btw you already have the location value is activity itself why not to use it!

A: It seems you have not properly understand the concept! This might help you to understand startActivityForResult.Then see the answer below after this explanation!
By using startActivityForResult(Intent intent, int requestCode) you can start another Activity and then receive a result from that Activity in the onActivityResult() method.So onActivityResult() is from where you start the another Activity.
Example
 public class MainActivity extends Activity {

        // Use a unique request code for each use case
        private static final int REQUEST_CODE_EXAMPLE = 0x9988;

        @Override
        protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
            super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
            setContentView(R.layout.activity_main);

            // Create an Intent to start AnotherActivity
            final Intent intent = new Intent(this, AnotherActivity.class);

            // Start AnotherActivity with the request code
            startActivityForResult(intent, REQUEST_CODE_EXAMPLE);
        }

        //-------- When a result is returned from another Activity onActivityResult is called.--------- //
        @Override
        public void onActivityResult(int requestCode, int resultCode, Intent data) {
            super.onActivityResult(requestCode, resultCode, data);

            // First we need to check if the requestCode matches the one we used.
            if(requestCode == REQUEST_CODE_EXAMPLE) {

                // The resultCode is set by the AnotherActivity
                // By convention RESULT_OK means that what ever
                // AnotherActivity did was successful
                if(resultCode == Activity.RESULT_OK) {
                    // Get the result from the returned Intent
                    final String result = data.getStringExtra(AnotherActivity.EXTRA_DATA);

                    // Use the data - in this case, display it in a Toast.
                    Toast.makeText(this, "Result: " + result, Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
                } else {
                    // AnotherActivity was not successful. No data to retrieve.
                }
            }
        }
    }

AnotherActivity  <- This the the one we use to send data to MainActivity
public class AnotherActivity extends Activity {

        // Constant used to identify data sent between Activities.
        public static final String EXTRA_DATA = "EXTRA_DATA";

        @Override
        protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
            super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
            setContentView(R.layout.activity_another);

            final View button = findViewById(R.id.button);
            // When this button is clicked we want to return a result
            button.setOnClickListener(new View.OnClickListener() {
                @Override
                public void onClick(View view) {
                    // Create a new Intent as container for the result
                    final Intent data = new Intent();

                    // Add the required data to be returned to the MainActivity
                    data.putExtra(EXTRA_DATA, "Some interesting data!");

                    // Set the resultCode to Activity.RESULT_OK to
                    // indicate a success and attach the Intent
                    // which contains our result data
                    setResult(Activity.RESULT_OK, data);

                    // With finish() we close the AnotherActivity to
                    // return to MainActivity
                    finish();
                }
            });
        }

        @Override
        public void onBackPressed() {
            // When the user hits the back button set the resultCode
            // to Activity.RESULT_CANCELED to indicate a failure
            setResult(Activity.RESULT_CANCELED);
            super.onBackPressed();
        }
    }

And for your task you don't need above way it's for your knowledge, do like below
 <Button
     android:onClick="gatherResults"  <---  method name in your class
     android:id="@+id/button_id_one"
     android:layout_width="match_parent"
     android:layout_height="100dp" />

Have your buttons as you want!!  and they point to a method called gatherResultslike the above one, then filter which one got clicked using their ID
now write that method in your class,
 public  void gatherResults(View view){
        // Perform action on click
        switch(view.getId()) {
            case R.id.button_id_one:
                //DO what you want for specific id button_id_one

                break;
            case R.id.button_id_two:
                //DO what you want specific id button_id_two
                break;
        }
    }

A: You are putting the value in the intent of the activity that you are launching. So you can get this value in that new activity only. If you want this value in current activity then just maintain a global variable and on click of your buttons update it's value accordingly.

A: Try this:-
In Fragment:-
View v;
public static String Place;

@Override
public View onCreateView(LayoutInflater inflater, ViewGroup container, Bundle savedInstanceState) {
    v = inflater.inflate(R.layout.yourLayout, container, false);
    return v;
}

@Override
public void onViewCreated(View view, @Nullable Bundle savedInstanceState) {
    super.onViewCreated(view, savedInstanceState);

//Initialize your buttons

 btn1.setOnClickListener(new View.OnClickListener() {
        @Override
        public void onClick(View v) {
            Place=yourPlace;
            Intent intent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_PICK);
            intent.setType("image/*");
            startActivityForResult(intent, your_Request_code);
        }
    });

 btn2.setOnClickListener(new View.OnClickListener() {
        @Override
        public void onClick(View v) {
            Place=yourPlace;
            Intent intent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_PICK);
            intent.setType("image/*");
            startActivityForResult(intent, your_Request_code);
        }
    });

 btn3.setOnClickListener(new View.OnClickListener() {
        @Override
        public void onClick(View v) {
            Place=yourPlace;
            Intent intent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_PICK);
            intent.setType("image/*");
            startActivityForResult(intent, your_Request_code);
        }
    });

}

In Activity:-
String str_place;

@Override
    public void onActivityResult(int requestCode, int resultCode, Intent data) {
        super.onActivityResult(requestCode, resultCode, data);
        if(requestCode == REQUEST_CODE_EXAMPLE) {
            if(resultCode == Activity.RESULT_OK) {
               str_place=yourFragment.Place;
               //Do your stuff here and use this place object where you want
            } else {

            }
        }
    }

Hope this will help you :-) :-)

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What Bike Accessories Should You Carry?
Have you ever been riding and thought you forgot something important? A flashlight, a basket or anything else that makes you want to rush back home? Well, you're not alone in this.
There are 11 vital items every cyclist should have. You may think it's a lot but when you understand the reasons, you'll be glad you purchased these items.
This list can help you pack and carry every accessory you need to optimize your ride. Whether you're a professional or amateur this list will be handy. Always remember to check off the list before you cycle.
Ask yourself this: "Is my safety important?" The answer should be yes!
A helmet is the one accessory that is truly lifesaving. You must make a rule that whenever you get on a bike you have a helmet on. Even if you're cycling down the road, one bad move can affect how you land and crash.
Although helmets come in vibrant and funky colors, you need to be smart about the one you buy. It's always best and safer for you to buy bright yellow or orange. Motorists will easily spot you.
Nothing should stop you from wearing a helmet. Even tough biker gangs wear helmets as they understand the safety importance of them.
Imagine you're cycling fast down a road and all of a sudden, a strong wind lifts the dust. You could cycle right into this sand mini-cloud. If you don't have protective eyewear then the dust can go into your eyes.
This eyewear protects your eyes from dust and dirt. The sun's rays will also be kept at bay so your eyes don't hurt and your riding capabilities aren't impacted.
Good quality protective eyewear keeps everything away from your eyes. This also boosts your safety.
A car's headlights will reflect off these accessories making you easy to spot.
Purchase a luminous yellow or orange vest. The bright colors contrast well with dark surroundings.
How many times have you been cycling and all of a sudden, the sun disappears? In that moment, there is one item you wish you had: a headlight.
This is probably the most important accessory you should have mounted on your bike. Best of all, it's fixed onto your bike so you'll never forget it.
A phone mount is not there to keep you entertained while you cycle. There is actually a very important reason for owning this accessory.
Have you ever taken the wrong turn and realized minutes after? Roads start to look unfamiliar and you can't figure out the way back home.
Use your smartphone's map to guide you on your excursion. If ever you take the wrong turn, the map will reroute the journey, so you can safely make it to your destination.
This is another accessory you can mount on your bike. Instead of shouting at pedestrians to move out of the way, just honk the horn.
Alternatively, you can opt for a bell. It all depends on the roads you cycle on and if they're congested or not.
A bell may be too quiet for the city, whereas the horn may be too loud and disruptive for the suburbs.
The world is evolving and you must be in on the trends. Imagine you don't have to extend your arms out to signal where you're turning. No more near accidents because of a motorist almost knocking you down simply because he or she didn't pay attention to your signals.
These problems will be off your shoulders now. With a push of a button you can inform drivers in front and behind you where you're turning.
Don't forget to keep your water in the backpack too. You must stay hydrated when cycling, especially in the hot sun.
This accessory is perfect if you constantly move up and down stairs. The carry handle attaches to the steel frame which allows you to have a better grip while carrying the bike. No more slipping or awkward hand movements trying to carry your bike. The handle is not large at all and can fit inside your backpack.
As motorists are encouraged to use handsets to answer phone calls, you must too. Purchase a hands-free headset when you get your bike.
You'll see how easy it is to answer calls while still being attentive to the road. The risks of accidents are significantly reduced when you use a wireless headphone.
Mount a camera such as a Go Pro or anything similar to your helmet. You can record everything around you. The benefit of this is it's great for evidence.
If there were a hit and run accident, your camera can record what exactly happened and capture the guilty party's license plate number. You can be the hero when you submit the video to authorities.
The camera and the Bluetooth headsets come in handy. You can phone the relevant authorities while recording the incident.
Can you see why these items are quite important to carry when you cycle? Don't be caught without these 11 items. They all serve unique purposes that help make biking more fun, while also bringing you and others safety.
Hi Lawrence, sure, feel free to use our tips or even add more suggestions!


It is time for all class 10 and 12 CBSE students to move towards their goal by scoring more in their upcoming board exams. It is common that students get nervous as the exam is nearing. Both class 10 and 12 are crucial stages as students step into a new phase of their education. Scoring 100 in all subjects is not so tough unless you have well prepared for exams. One cannot score 100 by studying overnight before the exam. With proper preparation plan, strategy, dedication, smart work you can definitely ace in your board exams. Well, here are few tips from CBSE toppers on how to skyrocket their board exam scores.
Read the books like a novel. Yeah, this may sound weird but it will help you remember all concepts properly. As you concentrate on the story while reading a novel, similarly concentrate on the subject books.
Going through the diagrams, graphs carefully does help in remembering them during the examination.
Study each and every topic carefully with complete concentration. Buy different publications of CBSE class 10 NCERT Books and online with great offers.
Every subject has exercises at the end of each chapter. Solve each of them in a separate notebook.
Irrespective of what is happening in school, you go on as per your study plan.
After solving, check them and access your capability. Incase if you have doubts or queries, then seek help from your tutor or teachers in schools. Buy Class 12 NCERT Books from online with great offers and deals.
It is quite common that students generally skip the examples and move to exercises. But, you must be aware that around 40% of question paper will include questions from solved NCERT examples.
Make sure you solve examples on your own and later you can check yourself on how much capable you are solving the problems.
For students having high grasping power maybe one time solving problems would workout. But it may not be the same for all. Try solving exercises and examples again if you are not confident.
If you finish the entire syllabus before 4-5 months of exams, then start solving again.
This will improve your confidence in solving the problems better and faster.
During solving problems you might get lots of doubts. List them separately and ask your teachers for help.
If you need more problems to solve from any particular topic then seek help from your teachers so that they can give you more problems to solve.
As said by the CBSE toppers, this is definitely a major part that will lead to success. Solving sample papers will improve your confidence level and you can judge your knowledge on the subject.
You can download Class 10 sample question papers and Class 12 Sample question papers through online.
This is also a great help for your success. Apart from solving sample question papers, you can download previous year Class 10 CBSE Board questions papers and increase your score.
It is said that solving around 8-10 previous year question papers can boost your score in board exams. There would be so many repeated questions from previous year question paper. You can be prepared for any type of questions. There are sites offering PDF format Class 12 Previous year question papers.
After an year of solving all exercises, examples, previous year papers, keep last 20 days for practicing.
Apart from practicing, it will be your self assessment period. It is time to check how long you need to attend each section in the question paper.
Also plan yourself on how to answer tough questions in the exam. Do not panic. Just be relaxed and calm.
Try attempting high marks questions first i.e., start with 6 marks questions so that it will increase your confidence level.
If you have prepared completely using NCERT, then there is no need for any other books.
Also just glance formulas, theorems, key points, important notes during last minute preparation.
Hope this blog given you a complete idea on how to score more in CBSE Board exams by CBSE Toppers. Keep preparing well and do well in exams.


The Salzburg region is rich in lakes, mountains and natural beauty. Particularly imposing is the Untersberg Mountain which invites visitors to come and explore it, especially in the summertime. For those who want to take it easy, ascend the mountain via the cable car. If you are an experienced Trekking, then you can reach the summit along one of several paths. From Grödig-Fürstenberg you can take Trail 461 via the Schweigmühlenalm and the Großer Eiskeller to the Mittagsscharte, or directly to the summit of the Salzburger Hochthron. From Grödig-Glanegg, Trail 417 takes you to the summit via the Geiereck, and Trail 460 leads past the Zeppezauerhaus at 1,668 meters. On the Untersberg are various trekking and strolling trails for the individuals who rode up on the link auto. Down beneath in the valley are around 160 km of superb strolling trails through the Alpine view, a segment of which go specifically through the town of Grödig. Families will discover the areas along the foot of the Untersberg Mountain especially appropriate for kids. Along the way, numerous old-style nation hotels offer an intriguing spot to enjoy a short reprieve. The mountain trekking school, Salzburg Alpin, is a useful accomplice for explorers, and the Tourist Information Center in Grödig will happily help with maps and profitable recommendations. The summit cross of Geiereck Peak is well inside of scope after the exciting trek on the mountain! The mountain is a piece of the Berchtesgaden Alps between the fringe of Berchtesgaden, Germany and that of Salzburg, Austria in Europe. From this vantage point, you'll appreciate a flawless display of the Salzburg bowl, the Berchtesgaden district and, on crisp mornings, the pools of this snowcapped locale, incorporating the Königssee Lake in Bavaria. Refreshments are accessible at the "Hochalm" mountain eatery and the Zeppezauer-Ha. You can likewise achieve the highest point of the Untersberg by means of different checked climbing ways, for example, the Dopplersteig, the Reitsteig, and by method for the ice holes. Particularly excellent are the ways along the Untersberg level. On the off chance that you are not a prepared explorer, the trails along the base of the Untersberg likewise offer unwinding and delight.
The region of Salzburg tempts tourists from all over the world to visit and discover its countryside. Visit the city and plan a day trip to the Untersberg mountain taking a cable caar ride to view the spectacular above-ground views of the city. One of the top activities to do includes a fun and entertaining walk or hike along the paths of the massif. Professional, skilled hikers can take a path leading to the mountain by foot.
The locality of Salzburg, Austria is abundant in clear waters, majestic mountains, innate beauty, and historical landmarks. Travelling by the Untersbergbahn cable car to Untersberg mountain would be a marvellous decision if you have a few hours to spare on your trip in Austria. Do not forget your camera as the views from above ground are astounding and would enable you to preserve your wonderful memories of your tour in Salzburg.
Plan a trip to Untersberg by cable car and make your way up the mountain, admiring the magnificent scenery of the city of Salzburg below and its neighbouring areas. Be sure to remember your camera in order to capture those wonderful moments!
The Salzburg tourism site offers tourists a great advantage when visiting their historic city by providing them with the option of purchasing a Salzburg Card which basically acts like a key to the city's most famous landmarks, monuments, attractions and centers. This card would enable visitors to see all of the city's attractions for free, as well as to commute around the city for free using public transport, to receive discounts for cultural festivals and tours.
The Salzburg region is rich in lakes, mountains and natural beauty. Particularly imposing is the Untersberg Mountain which invites visitors to come and explore it, especially in the summertime. For those who want to take it easy, ascend the mountain via the cable car. If you are an experienced Trekking, then you can reach the summit along one of several paths. From Grödig-Fürstenberg you can take Trail 461 via the Schweigmühlenalm and the Großer Eiskeller to the Mittagsscharte, or directly to the summit of the Salzburger Hochthron. From Grödig-Glanegg, Trail 417 takes you to the summit via the Geiereck, and Trail 460 leads past the Zeppezauerhaus at 1,668 meters.
On the Untersberg are various trekking and strolling trails for the individuals who rode up on the link auto. Down beneath in the valley are around 160 km of superb strolling trails through the Alpine view, a segment of which go specifically through the town of Grödig. Families will discover the areas along the foot of the Untersberg Mountain especially appropriate for kids. Along the way, numerous old-style nation hotels offer an intriguing spot to enjoy a short reprieve. The mountain trekking school, Salzburg Alpin, is a useful accomplice for explorers, and the Tourist Information Center in Grödig will happily help with maps and profitable recommendations.
The summit cross of Geiereck Peak is well inside of scope after the exciting trek on the mountain! The mountain is a piece of the Berchtesgaden Alps between the fringe of Berchtesgaden, Germany and that of Salzburg, Austria in Europe. From this vantage point, you'll appreciate a flawless display of the Salzburg bowl, the Berchtesgaden district and, on crisp mornings, the pools of this snowcapped locale, incorporating the Königssee Lake in Bavaria. Refreshments are accessible at the "Hochalm" mountain eatery and the Zeppezauer-Ha. You can likewise achieve the highest point of the Untersberg by means of different checked climbing ways, for example, the Dopplersteig, the Reitsteig, and by method for the ice holes. Particularly excellent are the ways along the Untersberg level. On the off chance that you are not a prepared explorer, the trails along the base of the Untersberg likewise offer unwinding and delight.


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Ramokgwebana – miasto w Botswanie, w dystrykcie South Eastm. Miejscowość leży niedaleko granicy z Zimbabwe, posiada połączenie kolejowe z Francistown i Bulawayo.

Miasta w dystrykcie South East

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


You are on a page with a charging area for electric cars in the city of Strasbourg. This charging zone is payable. 0 fast-charging sockets, 2 accelerated charging sockets, 0 semi-accelerated charge sockets, 2 normal charging sockets.
If you own an electric car in France, trust Chargemap to find you the nearest Strasbourg - Parking Austerlitz charging stations for your electric vehicle.


American artist of Indian descent, Aakash Nihalani is opening his first exhibition in Rome, Italy at the beginning of April hosted by the Wunderkammern gallery. The Italian presentation of Nihalani's work is entitled Vantage and it will consist of a new body of work, in situ installations in the gallery space and diverse urban interventions, some permanent some ephemeral, set around the urban area of Rome. The title of the exhibition evokes its true focus, which is the viewpoint upon which the perspective depends. Therefore, Nihalani's work is an array of perspective experiments, creating 3D art illusions indoors and in the street, perceivable solely from the exactly precalculated vantage point. The exhibition will be an artistic twist on the optical games of the eyes and the brain.
Romans will be able to enjoy Nihalani's clever installations from April 5 through May 17, 2014 at the Wunderkammern space.
Inside the gallery space, Nihalani will perform interventions on the architectural setting of the given space, treating it as if it were the structure of the city. By placing blank canvases on walls, Aakash Nihalani creates a second architectural layout with which he is able to engage in interaction. Stripping the site from color, the installation process is sculptural and focused on texture, volume and spatial relations, providing a new quality to the seemingly empty canvases. The empty sections of the installation will be bridged with the use of adhesive tape, giving the piece an added interactive quality.
Aakash Nihalani's Vantage exhibition is a part of a bigger project titled Public & Confidential, involving five highly acclaimed street artists from the global art scene. Other participating figures in the project are Dan Witz, Rero, Agostino Iacurci, and Jed Aerosol, who will close the project after Nihalani's exhibit.
Aakash Nihalani was born in Queens, New York in 1986. He graduated in 2008 from Steinhardt School of NYU, and completed a residency at Willem de Kooning's studio in 2012. He has exhibited internationally, and his pieces were features in several respected publications, including The New York Times, The Times of India, Vogue India and others.
His 3D street art installations are produced with the use of colored, often fluorescent duct tape in creation of basic geometric forms, simulating the third dimension, while acting as a deepening agent for the surrounding urban elements creating a spatial illusion. When Nihalani completes the precise production of deceptive setting, the human body placed in it vitalizes the scene, introducing the surprising and surreal visual effect into reality. His installations are in essence interactive, as the participant needs to assume a certain position in order to achieve the full effect, but so does the spectator, in terms of the vantage point.


Conducting is one of the most interesting and multifaceted musical fields. Similarly, there are many different approaches to teaching conducting, encompassing aspects of many different fields, from gestural to psychological, as well as technical aspects of the interpretation.
Choral conducting and orchestral conducting … It is really unbelievable how two different ensembles – choir and orchestra – have led to what are at times two opposing schools of thought on conducting technique.
My opinion is that the basic technique is absolutely the same: the chorus needs a very clear gesture, a quality that is most frequently attributed to orchestral conductors; in the same way an orchestra needs a conductor who "breathes with the sound" and who supports the musical gesture with his physical posture, a feature that is usually attributed instead to the directors of choirs.
At the center of my conducting pedagogy lies the idea of a multifaceted approach to this discipline, in the fields of the orchestra, choir or ensemble: study and preparation of the score, technical preparation of the rehearsals, gesture technique with and without the baton, physical posture, psychology of conducting and so on.
At the same time it is possible to study those peculiar aspects referred to different techniques used in the contemporary repertoire.
Lessons are tailored to the student's needs.


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Official Signing of Carving Contract for the Raising Nisga'a Language, Sovereignty, and Land-based Education Through Traditional Carving Knowledge Project Awarded to Ts'awit, Mr. Calvin McNeil Sr. and Team
With thanks to Dr. Amy Parent and the Lax̱g̱alts'ap Village Government for sharing the news of this exciting initiative!
On December 9th, 2021, Ts'awit, Mr. Calvin McNeil Sr. (Carver) of the Wilp (House) Ni'isjoohl and his carving team (Gerald Robinson, Wilps Ni'isy'uusand Judith Moore, Wilp Nagwa'un) were awarded a contract for their successful proposal for the carving of Wilp Laay's new pole as part of a new carving program being administered by the Lax̱galts'ap Village Government. The carving will begin under Sim'oogit (Chief) Laay's guidance in the in the Village of Lax̱galts'ap's carving shed in the coming weeks. The pole carving is a part of a multi-year research project titled Raising Nisga'a Language, Sovereignty, and Land-based Education Through Traditional Carving Knowledge (RNL) that began in 2020 to support on-going efforts to strengthen Nisga'a language, culture and ways of life.
The project honours and follows Nisga'a Ayuuk (laws and protocols), with Noxs Ts'awit, Dr. Amy Parent (Principal Investigator) of Wilp Ni'isjoohl meeting regularly with respected Lax̱galts'ap hereditary leadership for guidance and direction. The project is the result of a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada New Frontiers in Research Exploration grant awarded to Dr. Parent and Wal'aks, Keane Tait (Co-investigator) from the House of Axdii Wil Luu-Gooda in collaboration with Sim'oogit Ni'isjoohl (Chief Earl Stephens). The carving program that is a part of this project will serve as a cultural learning opportunity for all Nisga'a citizens and visitors to Village of Lax̱galts'ap and will support the next steps towards the construction of the Nisga'a Language and Cultural Centre beside the Nisga'a Museum (https://www.nisgaanation.ca/nisgaa-museum) in the Village of Lax̱galts'ap, B.C.
The multi-year project is the first study of the Nisga'a language to take a wholistic approach to cultural knowledge production, focusing on the philosophy and pedagogy of traditional carving and land based education. The project will also develop new language learning tools using virtual reality technology and support repatriation efforts of the Wilp Ni'isjoohl original house pole from the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh in 2022.
Photographed above:
Sim'oogit (Chief) Ni'ismuut, Sim'oogit (Chief) Ni'isy'uus, Lax̱galts'ap Village Councilor Pamela Wright, Sim'oogit (Chief) Laay', Noxs Ts'awit-Dr. Amy Parent, Ts'awit-Calvin McNeil Sr, Gerald Robinson, Lax̱galts'ap Village Councilor Matthew Bright and Lax̱galts'ap Chief Administrative Officer Andrew Robinson were attendance for the official signing of the carving contract.
To learn more details about the project, please visit https://amyparent.ca/projects/


With warm summers and cold, clear winters, these regions can deliver a taste experience that's every bit as memorable as the fantastic scenery.
Canterbury's fertile soils, warm summers and cold winters produce a veritable feast of fresh food and wine experiences for the adventurous gastro-tourist. Over on the West Coast, the food is as wild as the landscape and often as pioneering as the people.
This area is easily explored on a driving route known as the Alpine Pacific Triangle. Each town has something special to offer, so make sure you have enough time to savour the experiences.
The Waipara Valley wine region lies in the shelter of the Teviotdale Range. Here hillsides, valley floors and river terraces provide the winemakers with a range of soils and microclimates from which to weave their magic.
Cellar door tastings at celebrated wineries, especially Waipara Hills, offer the chance to experience the distinct influences that soil and climate have on each variety of wine. Waipara's long, hot autumn period produces richer, spicier pinot noirs and racier rieslings.
Local gourmet food and wine tour operators, such as Taste Canterbury Tours, will guide you on a tantalising journey to boutique producers of wine, beer, olives, cheese, eel, salmon, ostrich, lamb, beef, berries, herbs, hazelnuts, honey and chocolate.
Kaikoura, famous for whale watching adventures on the northern Canterbury coast, is also the home of crayfish (lobster). You can buy it freshly cooked from a roadside stall and eat it on the rocks beside the sea. Local chefs, at restaurants with breath-taking views, have perfected the art of preparing this local delicacy.
As an alpine spa town, Hanmer Springs offers time out for relaxation and pampering in a breath-taking landscape. With your new knowledge of the region's wines and produce, the local café and fine dining menus will read like a gastronomic atlas of New Zealand.
The cafés and restaurants of Christchurch offer menus and wine lists that proudly celebrate the region's abundant ingredients. Canterbury lamb is a favourite, perfectly matched with a mouth-filling Waipara pinot noir.
Several farmers' markets, like the one at Riccarton House every Saturday morning, offer pickles, preserves, fresh vegetables and tasty artisan breads. They're a great place to talk with local food lovers and pick up tips for further food and wine explorations.
At Banks Peninsula, the harbour towns of Lyttelton and Akaroa are home to delightful seaside cafés and award-winning restaurants. Fresh local salmon and deepwater groper are specialties.
Barry's Bay cheese, boutique wineries, locally grown fruit, vegetables, walnuts and honey all contribute to the town's tempting menus. Historic homes offering luxury bed and breakfast accommodation ensure the first meal of the day is as delightful as the last.
The route from Christchurch to Queenstown passes through the Mackenzie Country and the Mount Cook region.
Where the coastal plains begin to rise inland, the picturesque rural town of Geraldine is known for berries, preserves, chutneys, fruit and cheeses that can all be sampled at the Berry Barn complex.
Further inland, Fairlie marks the eastern gateway to the tussock-covered MacKenzie country. High country sheep farms have dominated this area for more than 100 years. Today they also raise deer, ostrich and succulent lamb.
Luxury farm stays around Fairlie offer hearty rural cuisine and informative insights into local farming activities.
Nestled in the arms of the Southern Alps, the historic Hermitage Hotel is a fine place for dining. In the restaurant, stunning views of Aoraki Mount Cook are made even more enjoyable by award-winning fish and game dishes crafted from fresh local ingredients.
A salmon farm near Lake Tekapo takes full advantage of cold, fast-flowing water that sweeps down from the mountains to feed the hydro-electric power station. Brown and rainbow trout fishing is popular in the lakes and rivers of this area - if you get lucky, bake your catch in foil and enjoy a great night in.
Along the South Island's west coast, mountains rise steeply from the narrow coastal flats. Wild ocean beaches are strewn with driftwood washed down by the rivers and pebbles of all colours decorate the gold-flecked sand.
Like the landscape, the food here is wild. In March, the popular Hokitika Wild Foods Festival offers extreme challenges, such as huhu grubs and fish eyes, alongside more the traditional delicacies - venison, pork and whitebait.
Hunting deer or boar by helicopter, deep in the forest-covered mountains, will appeal to gastro-tourists who prefer to source their own wild food.
During the September to mid-November season, tiny native whitebait are caught in their thousands along the river mouths. Combined with egg and a little flour, they make amazing fritters - the perfect accompaniment for any of the local boutique beers.
Speaking of beer, Monteiths brewery in Greymouth provides tours and fascinating insights into their range of boutique beers. And New Zealand's oldest ice cream company, Westland Snowflake, makes a beer flavoured ice cream.
The tiny mining town of Blackball, which hosts a sausage festival in November, is known for its salami company and an apiary that specialises in a distinctive rata-kamahi bush honey.
Throughout the West Coast region, historic hotels, luxury lodges, restaurants and cafes offer light alfresco dining in summer and hearty fireside meals during winter.


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andrewnewtonhypnosis
The Mesmeric Arts
The Electric Wizard
The View From Up Here
My Favourite Theatre
Lectures/Conferences
newtonhypnosis.com
What You See Is Not Always What You Get
Since I finished writing All in the Mind (some of which is based on the academic research of others, though all have been justly credited) I keep stumbling on more examples of how suggestion influences our daily lives without us having the slightest idea that it's happening.
In the late 1970's the famous Master Hypnotist Robert Halpern used to begin his spectacular stage show at the Pavilion Theatre in Glasgow by telling his audience "we all respond to thousands of suggestions every single day of our lives without realising it." When I first saw him in 1978, I thought that this opening statement was more to do with showing the audience how clever he was rather than making a salient point! But I was wrong and as I embarked upon my own voyage of discovery into psychology and hypnosis, his words became more and more relevant.
Halpern, tottering about the stage, every bit the nutty professor, dressed in black dinner suit with black velvet lapels and pockets, replete with medallions (very much in vogue in the sixties and seventies, and not just with stage hypnotists!) he would spend the next four hours proving the point, over and over again!
What Halpern lacked in content, he more than made up for in length. Habitually late for performances, more often than not appearing on stage an hour and a half after the official start time, his shows seldom finished before midnight: four hours was not unusual and I formed the impression that he was in some kind of secret competition with Ken Dodd, whose shows started at 7.30 and finished around half past one in the morning. Halpern was a fan of the brilliant comedian Frankie Howerd and I saw some of Howerd's camp persona apparent in Halpern's own personality, both on and off stage.
Watching Robert was certainly part of my hypnosis education and in the days when I was playing for the Max Jaffa Orchestra in Scarborough, I would sometimes take afternoon tea with him. Decades later, his words still echo down the years and rattle around in my head as I become increasingly aware of how simple, subtle suggestions can drastically alter our perception of reality.
I am also ever more aware, not to say occasionally frustrated, when I can't help notice how much suggestion influences others around me. "No no no no no!" I cry "Can't you see what they're doing? Can't you see what's happening?" Alas, all to no avail. Life seems to plod on as the larger organism of humanity gets carried along on a tide of disinformation and manipulation.
I turned up this example in the New York Times dated Saturday 4th April 2009 on a long and otherwise uneventful flight from Dubai to my home in Cape Town. These things are handed out for free if you fly Emirates – the best airline in the world at the time of writing. Come to think of it, a lot of my background reading has been done at 36,000 feet.
Anyway, the article was written by someone I had never heard of and probably will never hear of again – one Nicholas D. Kristof, a self-styled expert on something or other, and his article was entitled Beware of Experts so it immediately caught my attention – that and the fact that it was accompanied by a nice picture of some sheep.
The gist of Mr. Kristof's argument is that experts talk as much humbug as the inexpert and he went on to prove this by citing some exciting research which I am going to briefly regurgitate here. It has become known as 'The Dr. Fox Effect.'
Dr. Myron L. Fox does not exist in any real sense, he yet is feted as an expert on nothing in particular. Dr. Myron L. Fox is in fact an actor, employed on the occasion in question to give a vacuous speech on fuck all to an audience of professional educators. Billed as an expert on the application of mathematics to human behaviour, Dr. Fox's speech was full of meaningless facts and figures interspersed with some good jokes, as is the tradition on these occasions, but otherwise utterly devoid of any substance whatsoever. After the speech, the attendees were asked to comment. Most were very impressed although one protested that it was "too intellectual a presentation." This just goes to show that when presented with an expert, even the sharpest minds can become numb with adulation.
A related study, carried out by Professor Philip Tetlock at the University of California, Berkeley, monitored 82,000 predictions by 284 experts over a period of 20 years. He found that the expert's predictions were only a tiny bit more accurate than random guesses and quotes, the accuracy of their prognostications being no more accurate than a chimpanzee throwing darts at a board.
The worrying thing about Professor Tetlock's findings is that he also found these same experts were (on average) able to move public opinion by three percentage points. Even more worrying is that this overall trend was not affected in the slightest by such factors as how many years experience the experts had in their chosen fields, how many letters they had after their names, or whether their expertise lay in politics or economics or erotic pottery – they were on the telly, and that was enough. Experts who shouted and waved their arms about a lot got booked more often than those who didn't shout or wave their arms about a lot, as did the experts with an 'image' such as those who wore unusual clothes (Larry King Live on CNN used to be full of them.) Professor Tetlock's book Expert political Judgement (2005) is now on the list of books I must read.
The book I have just finished, Predicatbly Irrational – the Hidden Forces that Shape Our Decisions by MIT Professor Dan Ariely, is also a revelation for the uninitiated. I'm not going to spoil it for you by quoting any of Dr. Ariely's research here, but it is well worth a read. It is, in my humble opinion, one of the best books on human behaviour as influenced by suggestion ever written (even though he rarely uses the word 'suggestion.') Both these books are much more succinct and to the point than any of those waffling and rambling tomes on NLP and the like. Grab yourself a copy and read it – you won't be sorry.
We now live in an age where we are bombarded with new ideas more than at any other time in human history. It seems there is no limit to humanity's appetite for fad diets (no pun intended) cures, therapies, and so forth. First they tell you eating potatoes is bad for you because of all the starch, then they tell you eating potatoes is good for you because you need the starch and before long they'll be telling us that smoking is good for your lungs! Who the fuck really knows anymore?
Doubtless all the advice doled out to us by government agencies has been properly and scientifically researched, which is how they got round to telling us that ideally, men should not consume more than 21 units of alcohol per week. Sounds sensible enough, and we all swallowed it (oops! another unintended pun.) Except that the so-called 'expert' who came up with the figure recently admitted it was just a number he pulled out of the air. In truth, he had no idea what constituted a safe limit – the government wanted a number and that was the one he gave them, quite possibly after a few drinks.
A lot of the information we are fed is scientifically untestable. Don't forget your five a day! The idea that you should consume at least five fruit and veg a day was originally put about by Sainsbury's, a major supermarket chain in the UK, as part of an advertising campaign designed to encourage people to buy more fruit and veg. And it worked, possibly because the campaign was assisted by images of healthy young children chomping their way through a selection of delicious carrots and mangos, and also because other supermarkets quickly spotted an opportunity and jumped on the 'five a day' band wagon.
The thing is, it could all be bollocks and there's no real way of finding out because there's no way of scientifically testing it… unless of course you were able to carry out a mass experiment on a significant number of twins (this would have to be in the hundreds at least.) The experiment would work like this – one twin would be force-fed their five a day while the other would be deprived of God's earthly bounty and would be fed only junk food, without the aforementioned fruit of veg, except maybe at Christmas and birthdays. This experiment would have to continue for their whole lives before an unarguable conclusion was reached. Try getting that past the ethics committee!
Being able to test and confirm a hypothesis is vital to finding out the truth. We already know that at least 70% of the population are susceptible to the placebo effect, even when they are told the pill they're taking is a placebo. The placebo is the secret of why therapies such as Reiki and Homeopathy (one of the more nonsensical snake oil products of the modern era) work so well. And this neatly brings me to my next target – Acupuncture.
Researchers from the Centre for Complimentary Medicine Research at the Technical University of Munich, led by Dr. Klaus Linde have affirmed what we all deep down suspected might be the case anyway – fake acupuncture treatment works just as well as the real thing! So the placebo effect seems to be the real cause, even though it's one of the most popular treatments for a range of issues from migraine to high or low blood pressure to, you name it, we got it.
An analysis of studies involving over 7,000 patients proved acupuncture to be more effective in treating migraines than drugs. What is not clear is whether the patients involved in the study were particularly suggestible, but then a study of such magnitude is bound to include a good cross-section of high and low suggestibles. Nor is there any evidence pointing to whether the acupuncturists were properly trained or a bunch of amateurs having a laugh – that would have been a lot more revealing and a lot more fun, in my view.
The bottom line though is that it did not matter one jot whether the needles were inserted in the correct places (along the so called 'meridians' or 'energy points,' or at random. The research also shows that acupuncture does nothing to improve fertility (one of it's big claims) something that should come as no big surprise.
And that brings us neatly to the new fad of 'Brain Training,' the new and exciting buzzword for the pseudo intelligentsia. Jostling for position in the already packed marketplace, these new machines, resembling hand-held Nintendo games and heavily publicised by Star Trek Captain Patrick Stewart (no doubt for a hefty fee) have allegedly sold over 100 million galaxy-wide.
But is brain training just a gimmick, or is there some real value in it? Answer: yes, it's just a gimmick, and no, it doesn't train your brain any more than any other stimulating mental activity such as Scrabble or Sudoku.
Again, we turn to the serious scientific studies for proof. Professor Alain Lieury at the University of Rennes, France put the testers to the test. by giving the consoles to a group of 10-year-old children. The researchers found that normal run-of-the-mill activities such as doing their homework, watching documentaries, reading and playing games were not only just as effective but were more fun into the bargain.
Professor Lieury's particular bugbear was the claim that brain trainers improved memory, a dubious contention not actually backed up by proper scientific research, was false. In Professor Lieury's tests, those who were not exposed to the delights of the brain trainer, relying instead on more traditional paper and pencil exercises, fared much better after a six week trial. Their memories improved by a remarkable 33% whereas the group whose brains had allegedly been trained by the infernal machines showed a significant decrease of 17% in performance.
If nothing else, it shows that if you want to remember something, write it down! That is why generations of schoolchildren and students are encouraged to make notes, or is that too obvious? When it came to more complex mathematical exercises, both groups fared reasonably well; both the scribblers and the brain trained improved by 19% while those with no extra training whatsoever also improved by 18%.
Makes you think doesn't it? Or was that the point of the exercise anyway? Either way, there's far too much charlatanism being peddled these days – this is just another example. Mr. Spock could have told you the whole thing was illogical.
UPDATE to this article: June 2016.
According to a statement released by the Stanford University Center on Longevity and the Berlin Max Planck Institute for Human Development, and supported by 70 of the world's leading cognitive psychologists and neuroscientists, there is no solid scientific evidence to support the claims of brain training programmes. Their conclusions are also backed-up by 23 other studies.
The American Federal Trade Commission has fined one brain training company, Luminosity, $2 million for making false claims about the benefits of their games. Luminosity claimed their game 'maximised your abilities and staved off the effects of dementia and memory loss.' In future the company is forbidden to make any claims that are not substantiated by reliable scientific evidence.
There is a difference between Fluid Intelligence, which is hard to change or improve, and Crystallised Intelligence, that is, a person's knowledge and skills, which is not. For example, simply learning new things how to play the piano or cook a new dish, can increased your crystallised intelligence.
If you really want to increase your intelligence, there is some good news – University of Illinois psychologist Arthur Kramer has convincingly demonstrated that aerobic exercise improves cognitive functioning.
Copyright Andrew Newton 2015. All rights reserved.
About Andrew Newton
Andrew Newton has an international reputation as a leading authority on hypnosis.
Trained Paul McKenna
Member of the Royal Society of Medicine
Senior Lecturer in Hypnosis at Hypnoseakademiet, Norway - Europe's leading Hypnotherapy Training School
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Bandana Blues #697 Together Again!!
B&S Together Again!!
1. Jon Cleary & the Absolute Monster Gentlemen - Smile in a While from Pin Your Spin 2004 Basin Street (3:40)
2. Delta Wires - Devil's in My Headset from Born in Oakland 2017 Mudslide Records (4:45)
3. Thorbjoern Risager & The Black Tornado - City Of Love from Change My Game 2017 Ruf (4:58)
4. Hank Mowery - If I Knew What I Know from Account To Me 2013 Old Pal Records (3:45)
5. Mighty Sam McClain - Can You Feel It? from Too Much Jesus (Not Enough Whiskey) 2008 Mighty Music (3:16)
6. David Migden and the Dirty Words - I Can't See Her Face from Killing It 2012 (3:22)
7. Selwyn Birchwood - Heavy Heart from Pick Your Poison 2017 Alligator (5:00)
8. Jim Allchin - Blew Me Away from Decisions 2017 Sandu Key Music (3:16)
9. Shun Ng - Creepy Crawlies from Funky Thumb Stuff 2012 self-release (3:10)
10. Eight O'Five Jive - My Mumblin Baby from Swing Set 2017 Red Rudy Too Tunes (2:36)
11. Jimmy Bowskill & Carlos Del Junco - Beale St. Toodle-oo from Blues Etc... 2016 Indie (4:49)
12. Samantha Fish - It's Your Voodoo Working from Chills & Fever 2017 Ruf Records (3:42)
13. Lee McBee - It's Your Voodoo Working from Soul Deep 2002 Crosscut (2:29)
14. Eric Bibb - Four Years, No Rain from Migration Blues 2017 Stony Plain (2:36)
15. Albert Castiglia - Public Enemy #9 from Living the Dream 2012 Blues Leaf Records (3:40)
16. Austin Young & No Difference - Not As Strong from Blue As Can Be 2013 Redeye Records (4:17)
17. Robin Sylar - Shot Time from Tricked Out 2004 Topcat (4:18)
18. Hound Dog Taylor - See Me in the Evening from Deluxe Edition 1999 Alligator (4:58)
19. Grand Marquis - Empire Of Dirt from Blues And Trouble 2013 self-release (5:23)
20. Hot Barbeque from Soul Jazz Grooves 2012 Highnote Records, Inc. (4:42)
22. Jon Zeeman - All Alone from Blue Room 2017 Membrane Records (4:40)
23. Booker T. & The M.G.'s - L.A. Jazz Song from Melting Pot 1971 (4:21)
24. Doc Pomus - The Last Blues from Blues in the Red 2006 Revola (2:29)
25. The Hoax - Fingers Of One Hand from Unpossible (3:19)
26. The Motives feat. Matt Taylor - Gangsters from The Motives feat. Matt Taylor 2012 (4:00)
Bandana Blues #696 Fathers Day
Daddy-O Day!!!
1. Shep and the Limelites - Daddy's Home from 45 RPM Single 1961 Hull Records (2:55)
2. T-Model Ford - Here Comes Papa from You Better Keep Still 1998 Epitaph (4:10)
3. Was (Not Was) - Papa Was a Rolling Stone from Are You Okay? 1990 Universal (6:41)
4. MonkeyJunk - Hot Hot Papa (David Wilcox guitar & vocals) from Moon Turn Red 2015 Stoney Plain (4:37)
5. Hard Garden - Papa's In The Juke Joint from Blue Yonder 2013 self-release (4:14)
6. Vince and the Sun Boppers - Real Gone Papa from Spinnin´ Around 2017 Rhythm Bomb Records (2:30)
7. Magic Dick & Shun Ng - Papa's Got a Brand New Bag from About Time 2016 self-release (3:04)
8. Willy DeVille - Come to Poppa from Backstreets of Desire 1992 Fnac/Rhino (4:33)
9. Sunday Wilde - Daddy Daddy from Blueberries & Grits 2016 Highway 11 (3:30)
10. Snatch It Back - Sugar Daddy Boogie from The Movie 1989 Tramp (2:25)
11. Shari Puorto - Sugar Daddy from My Obsession 2015 Blues Rock Music (3:51)
12. Mike & the Mellotones - Sugar Daddy from Thumbs Up 1999 Blue Blood (4:43)
13. KALO - Oh Father from Dear John 2016 self-release (3:39)
14. Freddie Clark - Beggin Papa Blues from 45 RPM Single 1956 Nestor Records (2:41)
15. Leroy Carr - Papa Wants A Cookie from Sloppy Drunk 1999 Catfish (2:40)
16. Lee Graves - Papa Said Yes from The Birth Of Rock'n'Roll (2:25)
17. The Dominoes - Pedal Pushin' Papa from The R&B Years 1953 Boulevard (2:37)
18. Helen Humes with Buck Clayton' - Jet Propelled Papa from Blues, Boogie, & Bop - The 1940's Mercury Sessions 1995 Mercury (2:46)
19. Mitch Kashmar - Song For My Father from Live At Labatt 2008 Delta Groove (9:28)
20. Joe Cocker - My Father's Son from No Ordinary World 1999 Parlophone (4:29)
21. Gary Primich - Big Daddy's Coming Home from Company Man 1997 Black Top (3:03)
22. Lightnin' Hopkins - Daddy Will Be Home One Day [1948] from Moon Rise 2000 Arpeggio Blues (2:27)
23. Jean Jacques Milteau (ft. N'Dambi) - Daddy's Gone from Blue 3rd 2003 Universal Music (4:22)
24. Omar & The Howlers - Daddy Daddy Ya from SwingLand 1998 Provogue (4:08)
25. Todd Sharpville - Lousy Husband (But a Real Good Dad) from Porchlight 2010 Mig (4:50)
26. Daddy's Act - Eight Days A Week from 45 RPM Single 1967 CNR (3:48)
27. Doug Sahm - Papa Ain't Salty from Doug Sahm and Band 1973 Rhino Records (4:30)
28. Maurizio Pugno featuring Sugar Ray Norcia - When My Father Met Charlie's Uncle from That's What I Found Out! 2007 Pacific Blues (5:25)
29. Raphael Wressnig & Alex Schultz - Mama & Papa from Don't Be Afraid To Groove 2009 BHM Productions (3:54)
30. Andy Santana - Baby, Come To Papa from Take Me With you 2007 self-release (2:35)
31. Adrianna Marie And Her Groovecutters - I Want a Tall Skinny Papa from Double Crossing Blues 2013 self-release (3:11)
32. Papa John Creach with The Bernie Pearl Blues Band - Papa Blues from Papa Blues 1992 Bee Bump (6:25)
Bandana Blues #695 NYC Jelly Roll
New York Jelly Roll!!
1. Jellyroll - Wait On Time from LIVE At The Can 1983 Bandana Blues Vault (2:52)
2. The Jelly Roll Men - Murder My Baby from Jelly Roll Shuffle 2017 Rhythm Bomb Records (3:04)
3. Taj Mahal - Jellyroll from The Real Blues 1998 Collectables (3:15)
4. Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings - Jellyroll Fool from Double Bill 2001 Koch Records (3:19)
5. Jef Lee Johnson & Blues Anatomy - He's a Jelly Roll Baker with Geoff Muldaur from Rediscovering Lonnie Johnson 2008 Range Records (3:29)
6. Frank Frost & Sam Carr - Jelly Roll King from The Jelly Roll Kings 1999 HMG (2:35)
7. Sean Costello and His Jivebombers - Jelly Roll from Call the Cops 1996 Blue Wave (4:12)
8. Joe Bonamassa - Jelly Roll from Sloe Gin 2007 (2:12)
9. Frank Zappa - Jelly Roll Gum Drop from Greasy Love Songs: An FZ Audio Documentary Project/Object 2010 Zappa Records (2:20)
10. Ben Sidran - New York State Of Mind from Free In America 1976 Arista (4:33)
11. Mason Casey - She's From N.Y.C. from Deep Blue Dream 2004 Dixiefrog (4:13)
12. Ray LaMontagne & the Pariah Dogs - New York City's Killing Me from God Willin' & The Creek Don't Rise 2010 RCA (4:13)
13. Blues Traveler - Dropping Some NYC from Blues Traveler 1990 A&M (3:20)
14. Bluesix - King of the New York Streets from Ready 2008 Tramp (5:37)
15. Omar & The Howlers - Going To New York from Too Much Is Not Enough 2012 Big Guitar Music (2:37)
16. Jason Ricci and the Bad Kind - My Mom's Gonna Yell At You! from Approved By Snakes 2917 Ellersoul (3:38)
17. Jarkka Rissanen & Sons of the Desert - Miss Gumbo from Hybrid Soul 2017 Humu Records (4:42)
18. Blackfoot Gypsies - 03 Under My Skin from Handle It 2015 Plowboy Records (3:34)
19. The Texas Horns - Blues Gotta Holda Me from Blues Gotta Holda Me 2015 Vizztone (2:31)
20. Vintage#18 - Million Miles from Grit 2017 self-release (8:25)
21. John Németh - Kool Aid Pickle from Feelin' Freaky 2017 Memphis Grease (3:43)
22. Pete Haycock - The New York Stakes from Guitar And Son 1987 IRS/ No Speak Records (5:18)
23. Sugar Blue - NYC from Voyage 2016 MC Records (3:13)
24. Danny Marks - Hey New York Town from Cities In Blue 2016 self-release (5:06)
25. Popa Chubby - It's a Sad Day in New York City When There Ain't No Room for the Blues from How'd a White Boy Get the Blues? 2000 Dixiefrog (6:52)
26. James Blood Ulmer - Goin' To New York from No Escape From The Blues 2003 Sindrome/Hyena (4:24)
27. Chase Walker Band - The Walk from Not Quite Legal 2016 Revved Up Records (3:05)
28. Kevin McKendree - Headhunter from Miss Laura's Kitchen 2000 East Folks (3:04)
29. Lee McBee & the Passions - Boogie Twist from 44 1995 Me & My Blues (3:47)
30. 4 Jacks - I Don't Want To Be President from Deal With It 2013 Ellersoul Records (4:08)
Tue, 6 June 2017
Jason Ricci & Beardo Meet in 2006
Our first meeting after an opening set of Jason Ricci And New Blood recorded while Little Charlie And The Nightcats played in the background. As Humphrey Bogart said... it was the beginning of a beautiful friendship!!
Congrats on the wedding my friend!!
Direct download: Jason_Ricci.mp3
Category:Interviews -- posted at: 4:54pm EST
Bandana Blues #694 Spinner Goes REAL Old School!!
Nearly Spinner Time In The USA !!!
1. Paul Dougherty - I'm a Long Gone Daddy from Spankin' Hankin' 2017 Bake It Back Records (3:36)
2. Johnny Dyer - Johnny's Boogie from Jukin' 1995 Blind Pig (2:18)
3. Barry Levenson Featuing Johnny Dyer - Hard Times Won from Hard Times Won 2003 Storyville (5:55)
4. Gina Sicilia - Damaging Me from Tug Of War 2017 Blue Elan (4:38)
5. Boogie Patrol - Let's Get Randy from Man On Fire 2017 CD Baby (2:53)
6. Randy McAllister - $127.00 Sandwich from Dope Slap Soup 2007 Reaction (5:55)
7. Peetie Wheatstraw - Crazy With The Blues [1937] from Out Came The Blues 1964 Ace Of Hearts (3:13)
8. Kyle Wooten - Red Pig [1930] from Old Time Harmonica Classics 1991 County (3:03)
9. Bob Clifford (= Cliff Carlisle) - Ash Can Blues [1932] from Blacks Whites And Blues 1970 CBS (2:55)
10. Bo Carter - Pussy Cat Blues [1931] from Bill Wyman's Blues Odyssey 2001 Document (2:53)
11. Big Joe & the Dynaflows - You Can't Keep a Big Man Down from You Can't Keep a Big Man Down 2011 Severn Records (3:11)
12. Big Joe Shelton & The Black Prairie Blues Ambassadors - Got So Hot from Ridin' A Chicken 2017 ALT 45 (5:47)
13. Charles Brown - A Virus Called The Blues from All My Life 1990 Bullseye Blues (6:52)
14. Cathy Lemons and Johnny Ace - Shoot to Kill from Lemonace 2017 Vizztone (8:02)
15. Andy T Band featuring Alabama Mike - Sad Times from Double Strike 2017 American Showplace Music (4:27)
16. Skyla Burrell Band - Jace from Blues Scars 2014 Vizztone (4:09)
17. Chris Bouchillon - Born In Hard Luck [1927] from The Original Talking Blues Man 1987 Old Homestead (3:16)
18. Lonnie Johnson - The Best Jockey In Town [1931] from Rude Dudes 2003 Document (2:55)
19. Tommy McClennan - Brown Skin Girl [1939] from Bill Wyman's Blues Odyssey 2001 Document (2:44)
20. Sloppy Henry & Peg Leg Howell - Canned Heat Blues [1928] from Booze & The Blues 1996 Columbia (3:17)
21. Omar Kent Dykes/Jimmie Vaughan - Dream Girl from Big Town Playboy 2009 Ruf Records (4:02)
22. The Strikes - Watch Yourself from Bathroom Acoustics 2004 Cool Buzz Records (5:04)
23. Lonnie Johnson - Big Leg Woman from Blues By Lonnie Johnson 1960 Bluesville (3:12)
24. Jef Lee Johnson Blues Anatomy - Careless Love from Rediscovering Lonnie Johnson 2008 Range Records (4:20)
25. Margaret Webster - You've Got To Give Me Some [1929] from Rude Dudes 2003 Document (2:46)
26. Frank Stokes - What's the Matter Blues [1928] from Bill Wyman's Blues Odyssey 2001 Document (2:59)
27. Johnnie Temple - Louise Louise Blues [1936] from Out Came The Blues 1964 Ace Of Hearts (3:00)
28. State Street Swingers - You Drink Too Much [1937] from Booze & The Blues 1996 Columbia (3:16)
29. Kid Andersen - I'm Broke from Rock Awhile 2004 Blue Soul (3:42)
30. Chevvy Chase - Ya 'Know Sumthin" Beardo from National Lampoon's Lemmings LIVE at The Bottom Line 1973 (0:15)


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Q: Using edge detector to enhance Preprocess in optical character recognition(ocr) OCR Optical character recognition
I'm done with the preprocessing: binarization local&global w/o api/libs
and i use tesseract tessbase api for page segmentation and recognition.
the results are almost fine it can recognize about 70% accuracy.
Can i use edge detection( so that it can help to highlight the edges) for preprocess or should i used it for segmentation?
how could I enhance the accuracy..


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Kreuzbergsattel är ett bergspass i Österrike.   Det ligger i distriktet Politischer Bezirk Spittal an der Drau och förbundslandet Kärnten, i den centrala delen av landet,  km sydväst om huvudstaden Wien. Kreuzbergsattel ligger  meter över havet. Det ligger vid sjön Weissensee.

Terrängen runt Kreuzbergsattel är bergig åt nordost, men åt sydväst är den kuperad. Den högsta punkten i närheten är Hühnernock,  meter över havet,  km söder om Kreuzbergsattel. Närmaste större samhälle är Hermagor,  km sydost om Kreuzbergsattel.

I omgivningarna runt Kreuzbergsattel växer i huvudsak blandskog. Runt Kreuzbergsattel är det ganska glesbefolkat, med  invånare per kvadratkilometer.  Årsmedeltemperaturen i trakten är  °C. Den varmaste månaden är juli, då medeltemperaturen är  °C, och den kallaste är januari, med  °C. Genomsnittlig årsnederbörd är  millimeter. Den regnigaste månaden är november, med i genomsnitt  mm nederbörd, och den torraste är mars, med  mm nederbörd.

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Bergspass i Kärnten


Starter plant of native passiflora Incarnata or Maypop is extremely easy to grow and will produce lots of small edible fruit each summer. The vine grew to about 30 feet and was pretty much pest free. The caterpillars did not seem to want to eat this one as much as some of my others. This vine is foliage hardy in zones 9 and higher and root hardy in zones 6 and above. Passiflora incarnata is a North American native host plant for the Gulf Fritillary, the Variegated Fritillary, the Banded Hairstreak, and the Red banded Hairstreak butterflies.


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Home/Blogs/BLOG@CACM/Is the Trolley Problem Useful for Studying Autonomous.../Full Text
Is the Trolley Problem Useful for Studying Autonomous Vehicles?
By Jason Hong
Does the trolley problem offer any useful insights for autonomous vehicles, in terms of design of or public policy around these systems?
The trolley problem, if you're not familiar with it, asks people to consider hypothetical situations where a trolley will crash into one of two groups. An individual has to make a decision about which group the trolley will crash into and kill. A typical scenario is to choose between the trolley crashing into and killing a single individual or a group of five people.
The trolley problem has seen a resurgence because of its natural connection with autonomous vehicles. For example, an autonomous vehicle is going too fast and can't stop in time, should it be programmed to crash into a person or an animal? The elderly man or the young child? The pregnant woman or two individuals? Let's call this the Autonomous Trolley problem.
The Autonomous Trolley problem is a lot like Asimov's Three Laws of Robotics. It's easy to understand and fun for philosophers and journalists to talk about. It also gives little practical insight for developers and policy makers, while also sucking the oxygen out of the room for more pressing discussions about societal values that should be embodied in autonomous vehicles and the inevitable tradeoffs those values will entail.
One issue with the Autonomous Trolley problem is that it makes a lot of unrealistic assumptions that would rarely ever happen in the real world. Most notably, the problems are framed such that the autonomous vehicle is the only entity with any agency. Or to put it more simply, pedestrians are completely passive and won't try to dodge oncoming vehicles.
Another issue with the Autonomous Trolley problem is that it assumes that the car is an oracle with perfect sensing and completely accurate predictive modeling. The vehicle can use its sensors to differentiate between animals, children, pregnant women, and jaywalkers without any errors. Furthermore, it can correctly predict exactly how many individuals will die if a decision is made. If autonomous vehicles really did have such capabilities, it would be much better to use that to slow down earlier and not hit anything.
Perhaps the most important issue with the Autonomous Trolley problem is that it's not clear what insights car manufacturers should take from results of these experiments. Driving is often a fluid situation with multiple independent actors, and in many cases, if an autonomous vehicle is about to crash into something, the primary failure likely happened several seconds previously. It seems far more useful for product teams to devote energy to preventing these problems, rather than implementing a "who should die" algorithm that would not only be impractical due to the fact that oracles don't exist, but also because of the liability that such an algorithm would entail.
As an alternative to studying Autonomous Trolley problems, I'd suggest researchers look more at how to elicit the values that different stakeholders have—for example, passengers of autonomous vehicles, other drivers, pedestrians, and society as a whole—and how best to balance these values.
For example, Rodney Brooks describes a scenario where, rather than parking their autonomous vehicle, people might just have their car go up and down the street until they are ready to leave. This kind of behavior might be advantageous for the people using the autonomous vehicle, but bad for everyone else. Should these kinds of behaviors be allowed? If so, to what degree? Would circling around the block just once or twice be acceptable? Also, if these kinds of behaviors are generally deemed bad, how to actually limit them? Should it be through some kind of technical mechanism (e.g. cars can only be passenger-less for at most five minutes), some kind of social mechanism (e.g. the car has a display on its outside saying "I am going to pick up my owner soon"), or perhaps some kind of oversight by police?
Here's another set of scenarios: how should autonomous vehicles operate with respect to social norms that may have arisen in a community? For example, I've met some people who were really, really possessive about the street parking in front of their houses, that it's "their spot" and they don't appreciate anyone else parking there (no, I've never had awkward experiences with people like this, why do you ask?). Should these citizens be able to post some kind of marker on the street denoting that it's "their spot"? What about people who have legitimate accessibility needs?
As another example, in Pittsburgh, we sometimes get really heavy snowfall in winter. People who dig their cars out of the snow sometimes leave chairs to mark the parking spot as theirs. However, this also means that the parking spot is underutilized. Would it be fair to allow other autonomous vehicles to use that parking spot, as long as the car is gone before the spot's "owner" is back?
What about street cleaning? In our city, specialized vehicles periodically sweep away leaves on the street, for example sweeping one side of the street on the first Tuesday of the month and the other side on the first Wednesday. However, sometimes people forget to move their cars and get a parking fine. Should there be some mechanism for other people to temporarily move other people's cars? Should parking fines exist at all if police can request a car to temporarily move?
Stepping back, parking is a limited resource, but autonomous vehicles offer us the opportunity to re-think how parking is done. Perhaps each neighborhood should have centralized parking for autonomous vehicles, and people can just summon their cars. Perhaps street parking should have the illusion of being reserved for "owners", with autonomous vehicles shuffling out of the way just in time. If you can summon your car to you, does it really matter to you where you parked? Perhaps a residential neighborhood might want to ban parked cars completely.
Let's move on to driving behaviors. Should autonomous vehicles aim to match prescriptive driving behaviors (i.e. always obey the speed limit) or descriptive norms of how people actually drive? For example, in 2007, some students in created a video of themselves driving exactly the speed limit on the Interstate 285 beltway in Atlanta (55 mph at the time). However, in practice, people typically drive 75 mph or faster on this highway. Their video showed a huge backup in traffic, with people even using the shoulder of the road to get around them. What happens when speed limits and actual driving behaviors don't match? What should autonomous vehicles do?
On a similar note, should passengers be able to override an autonomous vehicle's behaviors in some circumstances? For example, what if you are stuck at a red light that hasn't changed in 10 minutes, should there be an option to tell the car to just go? What happens if there is a police officer waving you forward, but the autonomous vehicle hasn't registered that correctly? What if you are stuck in highway traffic but your exit is just five cars ahead, should you be able to tell your vehicle to just go on the shoulder and get off? If so, how should these options be presented to passengers? Should the passenger's decision be logged in some way? Should the passenger's actions be reviewed in some way? If these mechanisms do exist, how to avoid inevitable abuse by people?
It's also likely that autonomous vehicles will have an array of cameras. People have already recorded a wide range of things on existing dashboard cameras, including car crashes, street fights, and even a meteor in Russia. If your GPS shows that you were in the vicinity of an incident (e.g. a car accident or a pedestrian getting hit), should the police or the victims be notified that that video exists? It's also possible to network video streams for all of these autonomous vehicles together and apply computer vision algorithms, essentially getting a city-wide live feed. Should such a thing be allowed? What if it were used to find empty parking spots? Or to measure number of pedestrians in a neighborhood? Recording the location of license plates? Help city planners understand how people use the city?
Today, drivers use a set of techniques to negotiate with other drivers, bicyclists, and pedestrians as to their intentions, for example using turn signals or using one's hand to wave people forward. What should the equivalent be for autonomous vehicles? Similarly, how can we make autonomous vehicle behaviors more predictable to others? Should there be external screens with a standard set of driving symbols to give everyone around the vehicle some kind of feedback?
Should autonomous vehicles honk at drivers of non-autonomous vehicles that have not noticed that the light has changed several seconds ago? Should autonomous vehicles always yield to pedestrians and bicyclists? Are there ways for pedestrians and bicyclists be able to give signals as to their intentions? For example, sometimes pedestrians will wave, signaling to the car to go first. What kind of feedback can the autonomous vehicle give to acknowledge the signal? What happens if the pedestrian is deliberately trolling the autonomous vehicle, just pretending to cross the street so as to stop the car [Brooks]? What happens if the pedestrian is blind?
What about making things safer for pedestrians and bicyclists? Many cities implicitly prioritize cars over other forms of transportation. If a city or a society decides it wants to prioritize pedestrians and bicyclists, how might an autonomous vehicle be designed for these values?
While I'm personally skeptical that we'll see Level 4 or Level 5 autonomous vehicles this coming decade, I think that they will be common within a generation. That's good, this gives us time to actually work through the difficult and thorny questions surrounding autonomous vehicles. These questions aren't as fun to consider as the Autonomous Trolley problem. There's also not necessarily a right answer for these questions, it's primarily a question of understanding the different values that different stakeholders have, what the tradeoffs are, and which ones should take precedence, while also being grounded in what is practical and feasible with technology. Just as automobiles fundamentally reshaped society in the 20th century (think highways, traffic jams, gas stations, smog, freedom for teenagers, car chases in movies, and more), these autonomous vehicles have the potential to do the same in the 21st. Let's make sure we design these autonomous vehicles to be part of a world that we would all want to live in.
Michael Yam
Thank you for addressing the trolley problem. While a good academic exercise, it drives me nuts when people bring it up in the context of autonomous vehicles. Variations include hit a pedestrian or drive onto the curb? It escalates to pedestrian or animal? Pedestrian or tree? Pedestrian or go over a cliff? I usually answer the autonomous car will programmed to stop in the straightest, shortest distance possible. If the car can't stop in time, the pedestrian's personal force field will protect him. After all, we are talking about the future, right?
Daniel Maxwell
It has always seemed to me that one of the (many) flaws in trying to apply the trolley problem to autonomous vehicles is that it treats occupants and bystanders equally.
Occupants have the choice of whether to board an autonomous vehicle, having weighed for themselves the benefits of doing so against the risks. Bystanders do not have that choice and receive none of the benefits of the journey in question. It surely makes sense, therefore, for the occupant, who is the one to receive the benefit, to also be the one to bear the bulk of the risk their journey brings about.
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Brain-Computer Interfaces Could Change The World—But At What Cost?
The Overlooked Upsides of Algorithms in the Workplace


A prosecutor said the students were "dancing and jubilating."
More than 30 Iranian male and female students were arrested, interrogated, and lashed 99 times on each on Thursday after authorities broke up a coed graduation party, according to the New York Times.
The group was apprehended at a villa in the city of Qazvin, located about 90 miles northwest of the capital, Tehran, Iranian news agency Mizan reported.
After authorities questioned them, each student was given 99 lashes as punishment.
"We hope this will be a lesson for those who break Islamic norms in private places," Niaraki said.
Although lashing has technically been employed as a form of punishment since the 1979 revolution, in more recent years it has been used more as a threat, the Times reported.
The coed graduation party incident was one in a spate of similar crackdowns by the Iranian judiciary.
Police arrested 23 people at a coed party held in the town of Kerman, Iranian Republic News Agency reported Wednesday.
Authorities also raided a "singles home" in Semnan and arrested 97 people reportedly living alone, 10 of whom were women.


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In part one of Paul Holdengraber's conversation with William Gibson topics include the future, the past, and how weird and cool the phone is.