Many companies have email newsletters down pat. They know that communicating through email on a regular basis is a cost-effective way to connect with their target audience. However, few companies take email newsletters to the next level by analyzing the open and click-through rates. Recently, I was impressed by this email I received from Red Envelope. Every Thursday the company does a special, one-day sale. An item that was on sale interested me and I clicked through, but opt-ed not to purchase the item.
The next day I received this email. Clearly, they had taken the email addresses of the people who had opened the email, cross-referenced it against the accounts that had purchased from the site and sent out an appropriate follow-up.
Brilliant. Next time your company sends an email blast, look at the analytics with a fresh perspective. Who clicked on the links? What does this say about them? What are they interested in? How can you better target these people? The answers may lead to new leads and bigger sales. What can you company do to better maximize your email newsletter data?


text:
3 Best Selling Car Brands
dana	 July 20, 2015 no Comments
Cars are not only automobiles for transportation but they are the pride and passion of the owner. So, when it comes to buying a new car it is quite usual for the buyers to be a bit apprehensive about making a choice. Starting from doing extensive research on all the latest car brands and models to opting for test drive for more than one car, the car buyers are always ready to put the extra effort to pick the best model.
This article will tell the readers about the top 3 Car Brands on which the buyers seem to have placed their maximum trust and have made them the best sellers. The article offers brief information on the top 3 bestselling car brands
This Japanese automotive brand stand as the 12th largest company in the world according to the revenue earned. It was also the largest automobile manufacturer as of 2012 and the bestselling car brand in 2014. Toyota has an extensive production line that includes electrical vehicles as well as the fossil fuel driven ones.
Officially, in 2009, the brand had over 70 different models registered under its name. The range of Toyota crossovers includes Matrix, RAV4, Venza and Highlander. Whereas the SUV range is populated with models like 4Runner, Land Cruiser, Prado, Fortuner and more. The luxury sedans sold by the brand include Century, Toyota Crown Majesta and others. A loyal customer base, extensive range of product along with best service work is the key for this brand.
This German automobile brand has been in the industry right from 1937 and has its name as one of the manufacturer of the best cars of the world. When it comes to the top 10 bestselling cars of all times, there are 3 entries from Volkswagen alone; the Golf, the Beetle and the Passat; and all the three still makes a big chunk of the production line of the brand.
Apart from hatchbacks, sedans and coupes that are driven by fossil fuel the brand also manufactures flexible fuel vehicles, electrical vehicles as well as hybrid vehicles. Some of the current car models from the brand include, Up!, Fox, Jetta, Beetle, Golf, Passat, CC, Golf+, Polo GTI, Golf R, Touareg and many more.
Ford is the second largest automobile manufacturer in the US and according to the reports of 2014 it is the third highest car seller in the world. Ford was established in 1903 and is considered as one of the best Car Brands of the world. The company has an extended product line including all types of cars.
Some of the famous car models from the brand include, Ford, Lincoln, Jaguar, Aston Martin, Volvo, Mazda and Troller. The company is keenly into manufacturing of high tech sports cars and it also produces a bunch of cars that use unconventional source of energy to save the environment.
By the month of November 2014, Toyota had sold 6.19 million of cars in the year, grabbing 9.6% of the total global sales. Volkswagen ended at the second position in the year selling 4.98 million units making it 7.7% of the market share. In the same year, Ford sold 4.36 million cars and made it to 6.8% of the total global sells.
5 Myths About Fuel Economy
Everything You Need to Start Trucking

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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text:
Q: Executing functions stored in a string Lets say that there is a function in my Delphi app:
MsgBox
and there is a string which has MsgBox in it.
I know what most of you are going to say is that its possible, but I think it is possible because I opened the compiled exe(compiled using delphi XE2) using a Resource Editor, and that resource editor was built for Delphi. In that, I could see most of the code I wrote, as I wrote it. So since the variables names, function names etc aren't changed during compile, there should a way to execute the functions from a string, but how? Any help will be appreciated.

EDIT:
What I want to do is to create a simple interpreter/scripting engine. And this is how its supposed to work:
There are two files, scr.txt and arg.txt

*

*scr.txt contains:

msg_show
0

*arg.txt contains:
"Message"
And now let me explain what that 0 is:

*

*First, scr.txt's first line is function name

*second line tells that at which line its arguments are in the arg.txt, i.e 0 tells that "Message" is the argument for msg_show.

I hope my question is now clear.

A:
I want to make a simple scripting engine.

In order to execute arbitrary code stored as text, you need a compiler or an interpreter. Either you need to write one yourself, or embed one that already exists. Realistically, the latter option is your best option. There are a number available but in my view it's hard to look past dwscript.

A: I think I've already solved my problem! The answer is in this question's first answer.

EDIT:
But with that, as for a workaround of the problem mentioned in first comment, I have a very easy solution.
You don't need to pass all the arguments/parameters to it. Just take my example:
You have two files, as mentioned in the question. Now you need to execute the files. It is as simple as that:
read the first line of scr.txt
check if it's a function. If not, skip the line
If yes, read the next line which tells the index where it's arguments are in arg.txt
pass on the index(an integer) to the "Call" function.
Now to the function which has to be executed, it should know how many arguments it needs. i.e 2
Lets say that the function is "Sum(a,b : integer)".It needs 2 arguments
Now let the function read the two arguments from arg.txt.
And its done!
I hope it will help you all.
And I can get some rep :)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Hotel City Centaur - Board Room 1 is located in Majestic.
Hotel City Centaur - Board Room 1, Majestic has dining hall capacity 10. Hotel City Centaur - Board Room 1, Majestic has reception hall capacity 10 ( sitting ) to 15 ( floating ). Hotel City Centaur - Board Room 1, Majestic is a veg and non veg function hall.
Hotel City Centaur - Board Room 1, Majestic is a good function hall for events like Afternoon Tea/Hi Tea, Anniversary, Annual Function, Baby Shower, Bachelor Party, Baptism, Birthday Party, Dealers Meet, Exhibition, Engagement, Get together, Kitty Party, Marriage/Wedding, Naming Ceremony/Namakarna, Project Party, Reception, Sangeet, Seminar, Team Building Activities, Team Outing, Upanayanam. Hotel City Centaur - Board Room 1, Majestic is situated on 74 - 79, Off Railway Station, GT Road, Majestic, Bengaluru - 560023.


1250-WHITE water emulsion, white-pigmented concrete curing compound is a resin-based dispersion with selected white pigments. When properly applied, 1250-WHITE provides a premium-grade film that optimizes water retention. The white pigment reflects sunlight to help keep the concrete surface cooler and prevent excessive heat buildup, which can cause thermal cracking. 1250-WHITE is a true water-emulsion product.
Resists abrasion and the corrosive actions of salts and chemicals … minimizes shrinkage.


text:
Clarissa Reviews: Bloodroots
by Clarissa Witt | Feb 27, 2020 | Games, Playstation, Reviews | 0 comments
Bloodroots is a new hyper bloody beat-em-up from indie studio Paper Cult. Paper Cult is an indie videogame company based in Montreal that focuses on innovation and fast-paced action games. You play as Mr. Wolf, betrayed and left for dead. Mr. Wolf is hell-bent on finding his killer and enacting revenge – alone, and vastly outnumbered in a a relentless action game that unfolds across the sprawling Weird West.
Bloodroots is releasing on PC, PS4 and Nintendo Switch. I was lucky enough to review the PlayStation 4 version of the game. I have really enjoyed playing through the extremely bloody extremely violent levels.
You take control of Mr Wolf. The first cut scene sees him brutally cut down and left for dead, bleeding out on the ground and it appears that this isn't the first or the last time this has happened to Mr Wolf. Thus begins Act 1 of the game.
As Mr Wolf starts on his quest after his would be murder, you're pretty much launched into the game and left to work out things as you go along. As the controls are pretty simple, I like the no tutorial style as it becomes part of the fun and part of the challenge to work out how everything works. Gameplay is pretty simple, grab pretty much anything from around you and smash it into enemies. Some weapons have three uses in them, some two and others only one. Enemies are pretty much hit them once and poof dead… Except bosses and a few who have a little extra protection.
Unfortunately you are also one hit and you're a goner. Which can be both rewarding and frustrating at times. Each time you die you have to start the area that you're in all over again, even if you only had one pesky axe swinging enemy left to take down. Luckily there aren't a ridiculous number of enemies in each area, and 9 times out of 10 after a couple tries you find the right pattern to succeed. A lot of my early deaths were down to not really paying attention to when my weapon was going to break or from just barrelling into an area with 6 enemies, only a 3 hit weapon in hand and no real plan of what to pick up next. If you're smart with your hits you can take out several enemies with one hit. Some of my favourite in game weapons have been meat skewers, fish heads, ladders and the blue legs or torso of a slain enemy. I really like how each weapon has its own characteristics, bigger weapons for example may take some time to swing, swords can help you move quickly and paddles can help you jump. Of course there are other styles but I'll leave you to find that out for yourself
Enemies can be tricky to take down as if too many swarm you, you aren't able to swing your weapons fast enough. You must be clever in some places, enemies will rush towards you and you can use this to your advantage to separate them. For the extra bloodthirsty among you, don't worry you get your chance to plough through absolute hordes of enemies. It's quite satisfying.
After each level, you retreat to a fireplace to reflect, here you often have some options: go to sleep or perhaps you'd like to have a chat with the floating boar attached to brightly coloured party balloons before you do. Whatever you decide, have fun with it.
Style wise the game is brightly coloured and cartooney. The top down angle which you play at will change throughout the game depending on the area you're currently rampaging through. All of the different elements have been designed really nicely which is something I'd expect of a game where most things can be used as a weapon. The attention to detail is really nice, as mentioned before, enemy's you have slain will drain of colour and turn a ghostly blue. There are a few environmental puzzles to work out but for the most part they are pretty simple. The game is fast paced so you won't be bored and each section is similar enough that you can use your previous tactics but different enough that you must work out new things. The difficultly level never jumps too dramatically which I think is a bonus. It allows you to naturally adapt and play.
The storyline and characters are suitabley intriguing and weird, but perhaps not the main selling point of this game. They certainly add an extra layer of fun to Bloodroots, however it is definitely an enjoyable game even without it. Good stress relief after a long day at work. Some of you may remember a game called Fairytale Fights which I really enjoyed on the Xbox 360 or PS3, Bloodroots reminds me a lot of that in its style and humour. Although I haven't been able to slide around for hours on end in the blood of my enemies. What I have been treated to is mortal kombat style death scenes. This often happens when you use and interesting item to kill and enemy or on the last enemy of an area. Its something to look forward too.
In summary, Bloodroots is a highly bloody, fast paced, silly enjoyable game. It has nice attention to detail, a good difficulty and good pacing. It's very nicely done and I'd give it…


text:
Barbara Engel (ed.)
Mass Housing in the Socialist City. Heritage, Values, and Perspectives
Case Studies in Germany, Russia, and Ukraine
210 × 230 mm, 240 pages
200 pictures, soft cover
Mass Housing in the Socialist City
Heritage, Values, and Perspectives. Case Studies in Germany, Russia, and Ukraine
Prefabricated mass housing in cities from formerly socialist countries represents an enormous volume of residential housing today and is therefore an important tool for the future urban development within these cities. But transformation of these districts is needed due to the functional, societal, and technical challenges that they face. How can these - sometimes gigantic - structures from the 1960s and 70s be adapted to today's needs? How can a sustainable, socially compatible, ecologically responsible, and economically efficient development be ensured?
The new title Mass Housing in the Socialist City – Heritage, Values, and Perspectives summarises the results of a three-year research project focussing on Germany, Russia and Ukraine. Based on selected case studies from these countries, it looks at the large post-war residential buildings in regard to social, political and cultural aspects. In doing so, it highlights the qualities and values as well as the problems and possibilities involved in spatially transforming prefabricated housing-estates. Already realised transformation concepts are evaluated and critically reflected upon in a tri-national comparison, as well as within a more comprehensive context. The specific features and characteristics of the socialist city are evaluated with respect to their potentials and difficulties, and in regard to the requirements placed on future district planning and development.
This title objectively analyses and raises awareness of the challenges that urban development faces when dealing with post-war modernist structures. It serves as a valuable basis for establishing planning strategies when it comes to the development of these estates.
© Barbara Engel
© Oleg Makarov, RIA Novosti


text:
Q: jQuery first child of "this" I'm trying to pass "this" from a clicked span to a jQuery function that can then execute jQuery on that clicked element's first child. Can't seem to get it right...

Javascript:
function toggleSection(element) {
  element.toggleClass("redClass");
}

How do I reference the :first-child of element?

A: Use the children function with the :first selector to get the single first child of element:
element.children(":first").toggleClass("redClass");

A: I've added jsperf test to see the speed difference for different approaches to get the first child (total 1000+ children)
given, notif = $('#foo')
jQuery ways:

*

*$(":first-child", notif) - 4,304 ops/sec - fastest

*notif.children(":first") - 653 ops/sec - 85% slower

*notif.children()[0] - 1,416 ops/sec - 67% slower

Native ways:

*JavaScript native' ele.firstChild - 4,934,323 ops/sec (all the above approaches are 100% slower compared to firstChild)

*Native DOM ele from jQery: notif[0].firstChild - 4,913,658 ops/sec

So, first 3 jQuery approaches are not recommended, at least for first-child (I doubt that would be the case with many other too). If you have a jQuery object and need to get the first-child, then get the native DOM element from the jQuery object, using array reference [0] (recommended) or .get(0) and use the ele.firstChild. This gives the same identical results as regular JavaScript usage.
all tests are done in Chrome Canary build v15.0.854.0

A: If you want to apply a selector to the context provided by an existing jQuery set, try the find() function:
element.find(">:first-child").toggleClass("redClass");

Jørn Schou-Rode noted that you probably only want to find the first direct descendant of the context element, hence the child selector (>). He also points out that you could just as well use the children() function, which is very similar to find() but only searches one level deep in the hierarchy (which is all you need...):
element.children(":first").toggleClass("redClass");

A: I've just written a plugin which uses .firstElementChild if possible, and falls back to iterating over each individual node if necessary:
(function ($) {
    var useElementChild = ('firstElementChild' in document.createElement('div'));

    $.fn.firstChild = function () {
        return this.map(function() {
            if (useElementChild) {
                return this.firstElementChild;
            } else {
                var node = this.firstChild;
                while (node) {
                    if (node.type === 1) {
                        break;
                    }
                    node = node.nextSibling;
                }
                return node;
            }
        });
    };
})(jQuery);

It's not as fast as a pure DOM solution, but in jsperf tests under Chrome 24 it was a couple of orders of magnitude faster than any other jQuery selector-based method.

A: please use it like this
first thing give a class name to tag p like "myp"
then on use the following code
$(document).ready(function() {
    $(".myp").click(function() {
        $(this).children(":first").toggleClass("classname"); // this will access the span.
    })
})

A: element.children().first();

Find all children and get first of them.

A: This can be done with a simple magic like this:
$(":first-child", element).toggleClass("redClass");

Reference: http://www.snoopcode.com/jquery/jquery-first-child-selector

A: you can use DOM
$(this).children().first()
// is equivalent to
$(this.firstChild)

A: Have you tried
$(":first-child", element).toggleClass("redClass");

I think you want to set your element as a context for your search. There might be a better way to do this which some other jQuery guru will hop in here and throw out at you :)

A: If you want immediate first child you need
    $(element).first();

If you want particular first element in the dom from your element then use below
    var spanElement = $(elementId).find(".redClass :first");
    $(spanElement).addClass("yourClassHere");

try out : http://jsfiddle.net/vgGbc/2/

A: i am using
 $('.txt').first().css('display', 'none');


Monster Bash: #17. This issue is jammed full of great articles, interviews: Peggy Moran of THE MUMMY'S HAND, super rare photos, Hammer. Authors like Tom Weaver with a feature on CURUCU, BEAST OF THE AMAZON, Bruce Tinkel's ALLIGATOR PEOPLE, The "Things That Really Scare You" and more gruesome goodies.
CONDITION: VF/NM, right out of the box.


As a major sponsor of the Rogers Cup, National Bank supports both the men's ATP and the women's WTA tennis tours, which took place at separate locations in Montreal and Toronto.
Loki's logistical answer to the situation consisted of two totally unique VIP loge solutions, a BNC220 unit in Toronto and a BNC240 unit for Montreal, each of which will become the bank's epicentre for brand activation for the tennis-loving public over the next three years in their respective cities.
The standout feature of both units is the open, welcoming face they present to the public along with ample space to accommodate the throngs of visitors that frequent professional tennis tournaments. And while the units excel at delivering record numbers of brand impressions, the quality of those impressions is kept high with a rich activation offering: interactive games for the general public, star autograph sessions, live broadcasts, a photo booth and automatic teller service at the ready.
On the rooftop deck, the bank set up a VIP lounge with DJ and refreshment bar, all under the cool, protective covering of sunshades designed specifically for the occasion.


text:
//
//  CoreTFManagerVC.h
//  CoreTFManagerVC
//
//  Created by 沐汐 on 15-3-5.
//  Copyright (c) 2015年 沐汐. All rights reserved.
//
//  键盘管理者
//  生命周期模仿百度地图,这样做很有好处。
//

#import <UIKit/UIKit.h>
#import "TFModel.h"

@interface CoreTFManagerVC : UIViewController

@property (nonatomic, strong) void(^pickerBlock)();

/**
 *  安装
 *
 *  @param vc         需要安装的控制器
 *  @param scrollView textField所在的scrollView
 *  @param tfModels   textField包装模型数组
 */
+(void)installManagerForVC:(UIViewController *)vc scrollView:(UIScrollView *)scrollView tfModels:(NSArray *(^)())tfModels;

/**
 *  卸载
 */
+(void)uninstallManagerForVC:(UIViewController *)vc;

/**
 *  空值校验
 *
 *  @param tfModels  textField包装模型数组
 *  @return 如果没有textField存在空值,返回nil;如果有textField为空,则返回对应的TFModel模型
 */
+(TFModel *)checkNullValueInTFModels:(NSArray *)tfModels;

@end

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Q: I can't install anything in my Ubuntu 18.04 - "package ideservice needs to be reinstalled" When I want to install or upgrade something this message appears:
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
E: The package ideservice needs to be reinstalled, but I can't find an archive for it.

I try to solve it but I am desperate, I've checked other forums but it´s the same, please I need help.

A: Try to: sudo dpkg --remove --force-all ideservice


text:
FreshGrass | Bentonville
FreshGrass | Bentonville FAQ
When is FreshGrass | Bentonville?
FreshGrass | Bentonville is a two-day, family-friendly music festival celebrating today's best bluegrass and progressive roots music returning to the Momentary (507 SE E St)! 2023 dates coming soon.
Who is headlining/performing?
2023 lineup is coming soon. Once announced, you can view our full lineup here!
What is the Momentary?
The Momentary is a contemporary art space for visual and performing arts, culinary experiences, festivals, artists-in-residence, and more. Located in downtown Bentonville, Arkansas, satellite to Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, the Momentary is the perfect hang-out. From exploring the galleries and outdoor artworks, to catching a performance, to enjoying a savory bite or refreshing drink, there's something for everyone to discover. General admission is free.
Where do I buy tickets and/or get more ticketing information?
2023 tickets on-sale soon! You can buy tickets and get more ticketing information at the Momentary's website here.
What time will the festival start each day?
Info for 2023 is coming soon!
Where is the entrance to the festival?
Entry is located just west of the parking garage, accessible from 8th Street (701 SE 8th Street). Note: this will be the only point of re-entry for those who plan to come and go throughout the festival. Please be ready to show your mobile/printed tickets to receive your FreshGrass wristband along with a valid ID.
What other events will take place?
In addition to live music, festival events include family-friendly artmaking activities, local food and makers market, square dancing, access to new exhibitions at the Momentary, and more!
What is FreshKids?
FreshKids offers family-friendly activities during the festival for all kids of all ages. Activities include marker printing, shaker making, reading nooks, and coloring sheets. Adult supervision required.
How can I stay connected on what's happening during the festival?
There are two ways to stay in the know throughout the festival:
Follow the Momentary Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter feeds
Follow FreshGrass Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter
What if it rains?
This is a rain or shine event. In the case of severe storms, delays or postponements are possible. In the event of lightning, heavy flooding, or dangerous winds, we will move indoors to wait out the storm. Announcements will be made on location and via the Momentary's social media platforms. Only in a rare event will a performance be canceled.
Are pets allowed? I'd like to bring my dog on a leash.
No pets at FreshGrass, please. Only certified service animals will be allowed into the festival.
Will vendors accept credit or debit cards?
FreshGrass | Bentonville is 100% cash-less. Please bring your credit and debit cards.
Will there be assigned seating? Should I bring my own chairs or blankets?
We encourage guests who would like to sit to bring their own camp-style folding chairs or blankets (and arrive early!). There will be no assigned seating at the festival, except for a small area reserved for FreshPass and Reverb ticket holders. Spots will be available on a first-come, first-served basis, and will be located behind a standing room only area near the main stage under the Canopy.
How do I get to the festival? Where should I park?
Free parking:
Complimentary parking will be available in a designated lot near the Bentonville Fire Department at 8th & A Street (see Google Maps here). There will be shuttles transporting guests to and from the festival to this parking lot. ADA parking will be available.
Via bike: Biking is the best way to go! Bicycle racks and valet service will be available right outside the gates along 8th Street.
Rideshare and pick-up/drop-off locations can be found along 8th Street.
Can I bike or walk to the festival?
We highly encourage biking or walking to the festival. There will be a bike valet outside the gates along 8th Street to park your bikes.
What can I bring into the festival?
Valid ID and tickets to present upon entry.
Folding chairs and blankets to use in designated areas at mid-field and beyond.
Free water stations will be available. Empty plastic water bottles are encouraged to help stay hydrated. (No glass or metal containers.)
Bring your credit or debit cards. The festival is 100% cash-less.
Rain or shine, the show will go on! Come prepared with your sunscreen, hat, raincoat or a poncho.
DON'T BRING:
No outside food and drink, large bags, coolers, or ice chests.
No pop-up shade tents or umbrellas of any kind.
No firearms, knives, weapons, chains, spikes, and sharp or pointy objects are allowed. Laser pointers, glow sticks, and illuminating objects are strictly prohibited.
No fireworks, fuel, or explosive materials of any kind.
No kites, frisbees, or air horns.
No prohibited substance of any kind.
No smoking or vaping will be allowed outside of designated smoking areas.
Prohibited items will not be admitted or checked. Please leave these items at home or in your locked vehicle.
Are cameras allowed at FreshGrass?
Professional cameras, drones, selfie sticks, tripods, detachable lenses, and flash photography are not allowed. No audio or video recording devices. Point-and-shoot cameras are permitted.
We ask that you refrain from using your phones and other devices during the live performances at FreshGrass, as they are disruptive to both patrons and performers. Professional photographers MUST obtain a media pass in advance—email us at [email protected].
Tell us about any and all COVID-19 prevention measures, requirements, etc., that will be in place for the festival.
We continue to monitor local COVID-19 trends and government health guidance. As of now, proof of COVID-19 vaccination, testing, and masking are not required to attend FreshGrass | Bentonville.
We will have increased hand sanitizer stations on-site, and our cleaning crews will do frequent cleanings in high-touch areas.
I'm a journalist. Who should I contact about a media pass?
We'd love to have you! Email your request to [email protected] by March 21, 2023.
I'm a vendor and want to participate. What can I do?
Tell us who you are, what you do, and why we'll love it. Email your request to [email protected].


text:
Home > Boxing > Crawford vs. Khan Preview – Tale of the Tape and Prediction
Crawford vs. Khan Preview – Tale of the Tape and Prediction
by Justin Graham - 20th April 2019 20th April 2019 0
Undefeated WBO welterweight champion Terence Crawford will face veteran challenger Amir Khan on Saturday, April 20th at Madison Square Garden in New York. The fight will be aired on ESPN PPV in the USA and on BT Sport Box Office (PPV) in the UK. Crawford, World in Sport's #1 P4P fighter, will be making the second defense of his title.
Tale of the Tape – Crawford vs. Khan
Terence Crawford Amir Khan
Record 34-0-0 (25 KOs) 33-4-0 (20 KOs)
Nickname "Bud" "King Khan"
Age 31 32
Country United States United Kingdom
Stance Southpaw Orthodox
Height 5'8″ 5'8 1/2″
Reach 74″ 71″
Debut 2008 2005
Fight Breakdown – Crawford vs. Khan
In 2013, Terence Crawford fought his first ten-round fight, winning virtually every round against Breidis Prescott on HBO. A year later, he traveled across the Atlantic and beat Scotland's Ricky Burns to win his first world title, the WBO lightweight strap. Since then, Crawford has become an undisputed champion (winning all four titles at 140 pounds) and both won and defended his WBO welterweight title. In recent years, the Nebraska native has dominated undefeated world champions in Yuriorkis Gamboa, Viktor Postol, Julius Indongo, and Jeff Horn.
READ: Top 20 P4P Boxers - June 2019
Crawford, who is a three-division world champion, is one of the most well-rounded fighters in boxing. With a very long reach, great hand speed, high-level footwork, power in both hands, and the ability to switch stances, he is considered by many (including myself) to be the best boxer in the world. The champion has displayed excellent defensive skills from both orthodox and southpaw and has never been knocked down.
2004 Olympic silver medalist Amir "King" Khan also campaigned as a lightweight early in his career. After starting off 18-0 as a pro, Khan was knocked out in the first round in 2008 by Breidis Prescott, who was also undefeated at the time. Khan would rebound from the loss, eventually defeating Mexican legend Marco Antonio Barrera in 2009 and moving up to 140. Since then, the the Bolton-born Khan has had some big wins over names like Marcos Maidana and Devon Alexander, as well as some disastrous defeats, most notably the losses to Danny Garcia and Canelo Alvarez.
Khan is (mainly) known for two attributes: his lightning fast hands… and his glass chin. Now, to be fair, do I believe Khan has the worst chin in boxing? No, obviously not. He would not be where he is if he did. But, with that being said, Khan does have a terrible chin when you compare him to other big name and top-tier fighters; he has been knocked out three times and knocked down around ten. He also has a tendency to lose focus and make critical defensive mistakes at times. On the positive end, Khan throws blazingly fast combinations, has solid footwork, and decent power. He can hit you with three, four, five punches at a time if you let your guard down. He also has plenty of experience against high-caliber opposition.
READ: Fury vs. Schwarz Preview - Tale of the Tape and Prediction
In this fight, it is critical that Amir Khan keeps his hands up at all times. "Bud" Crawford not only has power, he is deadly accurate with both hands. Khan should also do his best to keep his lead foot on the outside of Crawford's when the latter fights southpaw; this will keep Crawford from having the positioning advantage in exchanges. Finally, Khan has to keep moving laterally when he is not throwing. A slow-paced, long-range jabbing contest in the center of the ring favors Crawford.
Terence Crawford should focus on setting traps for Khan, as all it takes is one well-placed power shot to hurt him. When Khan goes on the offensive, he often lunges in and throws punches in bunches, so Crawford should try to keep things at a distance so he has more time to see Khan's attacks coming.
Prediction – Crawford vs. Khan
I predict a late-round knockout victory for Terence Crawford. Amir Khan has never faced a fighter with the skillset Crawford possesses. And while the same can probably be said for Terence Crawford, Khan has shown in the past that he has numerous flaws which a fighter on Crawford's level should be able to expose. Khan may have a few moments early on, but when Crawford settles in he will eventually find Khan's chin.
READ: Canelo vs. Jacobs Recap - Canelo Unifies With UD Win
This is boxing, if Khan fights a perfect fight and Crawford does not show up on the night, we could see a huge upset. But realistically, we are most likely going to see another knockout win for the champion.
Does Khan have more than a puncher's chance? Is there any chance he outboxes Crawford? Will the fight go the distance? Comment below with your opinion.
Tagged Amir Khan Boxing CrawfordKhan ESPN Terence Crawford
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Justin Graham
Sports fan from the USA. Check out my boxing articles on World in Sport.
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Graeme Swann On Why He Left The England Set Up


text:
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text:
What is a "black beauty"?
I was offered a "black beauty" LF camera w/o lens. What is this camera and how much should it be worth.
-- Eric Philbin (ericphilbin@yahoo.com), September 03, 2001
Wasn't this offered to ypu for something like $50.00 without lens when you asked for a "cheap" camera?
Ask the offerer what it really is.
You can't get a 45 for much less then that.
-- Bob Salomon (bob@hpmarketingcorp.com), September 03, 2001.
The "Black Beauty" was the name of the Green Hornet's sleek, super-powered car. In it the Green Hornet and his faithful valet Cato chased criminals even the G-Men could not touch. (The green Hornet was actually Brit Reed, wealthy young publisher of the Daily Sentinel.)
-- Erec Grim (guivret@yahoo.com), September 03, 2001.
If Brit Reed was a newspaper publisher, maybe he named his car after the camera called the "Black Beauty."
-- Ken Burns (kenburns@twave.net), September 03, 2001.
I have seen the term "Black Beauty" used umpteen times on eBay, often for the Seneca large format cameras which were finished in a satiny black.
-- Wayne Campbell (wtcamjr@aol.com), September 03, 2001.
Black Beauty is a horse. Maybe the guy was offering it to you to carry the big camera around. Better watch it though as this horse is pretty old & you will be paying for a funeral soon.
-- Dan Smith (shooter@brigham.net), September 04, 2001.
Isn't it a song by Little Richard? Ohh! Black beauty, bam ba lam.
-- Pete Andrews (p.l.andrews@bham.ac.uk), September 04, 2001.
I thought it was a book by Walter Mosely?
-- Sean Yates (coalandice@yahoo.com), September 04, 2001.
I thought it was Max Mosely...
-- Andrew McPhee (macca27@rm.quik.com.au), September 04, 2001.
a soporific. about $10 each street price.
-- adam (asfberg@hotmail.com), September 04, 2001.
Black Beauty was the name given to a very popular (black) pill that was widely abused by hedonistic drug addicts in years past. I can't remember if it was an upper or a downer.
-- Arthur Gottschalk (Arthurwg@aol.com), September 04, 2001.
Biphetamine
-- Wilhelm (bmitch@home.com), September 04, 2001.
The song was not "Black Beauty," and it wasn't Little Richard. Song was "Black Betty." Recorded, among others, by Kerner, Ray and Glover, three white guys who sang "the blues" way back when. They received much criticism as racists/exploiters for singing that song.
The song "Black Betty" was truly immortalized in the 1970's by the band Ram Jam. I think the band's name says enough. As for the camera I think it is a generic label attached to any number of ebonized finished cameras.
-- Kevin (kkemner@tatesnyderkimsey.com), September 05, 2001.
I know it was Black Betty. It was a pun (almost), but I couldn't remember for sure the name of any of the hundreds of singers who must have covered it.
Maybe it was Naomi Campbell:?}
-- Victor Randin (ved@enran.com.ua), September 07, 2001.


text:
Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks to students during a tour of the Budker Institute of Nuclear Physics February 8, 2018 in Akademgorodok, Russia.
- Image ID: M4YHY2
https://www.alamy.com/licenses-and-pricing/?v=1https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-russian-president-vladimir-putin-speaks-to-students-during-a-tour-175169094.html
Kremlin Pool / Alamy Stock Photo
Image ID: M4YHY2
Location: Akademgorodok, Russia
academyakademgorodokbudker instituteeducationhorizontalinsidekremlin poolmeetingnovosibirsknuclear physicspoliticianpoliticsresearchrussiarussiansciencesciencesscientistssiberiasiberianstandingstudentsvladimir putin
Russian President Vladimir Putin meeting with students of the Kaliningrad State University during his official visit to
Russian President Vladimir Putin during a meeting with students participating in the International Collegiate Programming Contest June 20, 2016 in St. Petersburg, Russia.
Russian President Vladimir Putin meeting winners of the 2004 World Students Programming Championships
Russia. 6th March, 2018. Russian President Vladimir Putin address the 6th National Forum of Young Workers at the Urals Machine-Building Design Bureau of Uralvagonzavod March 6, 2018 in Nizhny Tagil, Russia. Credit: Planetpix/Alamy Live News
Russian President Vladimir Putin German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder centre from left to right and students of Kaliningrad
Russia's President Vladimir Putin at the Russia show as part of the 2017 World Festival of Youth and Students in the Olympic Park's Medals Plaza squar
Russian President Vladimir Putin meeting winners of the 2004 World Students Programming Festival
Putin, Schroeder visit Russian State University named after Immanuel Kant in Kaliningrad
Russian President Vladimir Putin during a meeting with students of the children s and youth school of Olympic reserve of the
Russian President Vladimir Putin gestures as he addresses students during his visit to the German Embassy school in Moscow, Russia, June 29, 2016. REUTERS/Alexander Zemlianichenko/Pool/File Photo
Russia s President Vladimir Putin with Russian Arts Academy child students Signing a sketch for a little fan
Pilsen, Czech Republic. 15th Mar, 2018. Students and people protest in defence of constitutional and social traditions and values in Pilsen, Czech Republic, on March 15, 2018. Demonstrations are also held in other Czech towns. On the photo are seen strike-through portraits of Czech President Milos Zeman (left) and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Credit: Miroslav Chaloupka/CTK Photo/Alamy Live News


text:
import { ModuleWithProviders } from '@angular/core';
import { Routes, RouterModule } from '@angular/router';

import { ChatRoomComponent } from './chat-room/chat-room.component';

const chatRoutes: Routes = [
  // { path: '', redirectTo: 'room', pathMatch: 'full' },
  { path: 'room/:roomId', component: ChatRoomComponent },
  { path: 'room', component: ChatRoomComponent }
];

export const chatRouting: ModuleWithProviders = RouterModule.forChild(chatRoutes);


text:
World Travel Guide > Guides > Europe > Spain > Madrid
Madrid Weather
Local time Madrid
Introducing Madrid
About Madrid
Images of Madrid
Cheer on the galacticos with a football match
As 12-time European Cup winners, Real Madrid (tel: +34 91 398 4370; www.realmadrid.com) are a footballing giant. Their success has brought glamour to the Bernabéu Stadium and galacticos (highly skilled footballers) such as David Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo to the pitch. See one of the world's most decorated clubs with a stadium tour or better still, catch a game.
See Madrid from a different perspective
You don't even need a head for heights to see the city differently. Madrid's cable car, Teleférico (tel: +34 91 526 9793; www.teleferico.com) glides just above the trees of the Casa de Campo and offers unobstructed views of the Royal Palace and Almudena Cathedral. After disembarking, visitors should take in the views with a drink from the bar.
See the best of the city on a bike
Pedal power is one of the best ways to explore Madrid. Fitter cyclists can circumnavigate the city using Anillo Verde (Green Ring), while hourly rentals from Bike and Roll (tel: +34 91 427 793; www.tallerbicicletasmadrid.com), are ideal for exploring the delightful Retiro Park or Casa de Campo Park on the bank of the Manzanares River.
Tread the path of the royals
Flanked by mountains, Madrid has a wealth of walking opportunities. Among the best is the Royal Path, a reconstruction of the route historically used by Spanish monarchs when travelling around the Madrid Sierra. To tackle some of the lesser-known rambles like La Gran Cañada, walk with Hiking Madrid (www.hikingmadrid.com).
Watch a performance at the majestic Teatro Real
Designed, destroyed, restored and renovated, the life of Teatro Real (tel: +34 91 516 06 60; www.teatro-real.com) in the heart of Madrid has been one of constant change - it has even acted as a gunpowder store. Today it stages world-class operas; catch a performance to see why it is one of Spain's most important cultural venues.
Hotel Unico
Despite the name, this five-star property in the heart of Madrid's most affluent neighbourhood, Salamanca, is not exactly unique – at least in terms of interior design. But based in a 19th-century palace, it is smart and elegant, with numerous luxurious touches such as the coffee machine in the rooms, the ground-floor garden that manages to block out the noise of the city and the staff who deliver complimentary chocolates and water to your room in the afternoon. Breakfast in the aforementioned garden is an extravagant affair, with fresh-baked pastries, Iberico ham, fine cheese and eggs to order.
Concealed behind a palatial facade, The Principal is situated on the corner of one of Madrid's most important streets, Gran Vía. The entrance, reception and dining area are handsomely decorated, with portraits of aristocrats and fine wooden furnishings conjuring 19th century grandeur. Rooms are stylish without being ostentatious; expect carpeted floors and elegant but simple furniture. Ask for a room overlooking Gran Vía for terrific views over the city, or you can always pop up to the roof terrace for a drink.
Hesperia Madrid
Looming over the grandest boulevard in Madrid, Hesperia is a haven from the rush and frenzy of the capital city sprawling beyond its doors. The lobby and dining area are enormous, which means finding a quiet corner of your own is easy. The rooms are large too, many of them with separate lounge and sleeping areas, and all furnished with warm tones and classic woodwork. Book a room with a view of Paseo de la Castellana, the noise of which is inaudible thanks to triple-glazed windows.
Hotel AC Santo Mauro
This small luxury Madrid hotel, part of the Marriott Autograph Collection, is situated in a leafy corner of the historic Chamberí neighbourhood and is housed in a 19th-century palace that once served as an embassy. It has been reconstructed in a tasteful combination of neoclassical and avant-garde styles. The lounges, ornamented with stucco mouldings, mirrors and fluted pilasters, evoke the refinement of a bygone age and are the perfect setting for entertaining clients. Other facilities include business services, six conference rooms (occupying the former ballrooms), interpreting services, multilingual staff, an indoor swimming pool and a fitness centre.
Casual Madrid de Teatro
It's not just the location that makes this a great value hotel, although being a stone's throw from Plaza Santa Ana and Plaza del Angel doesn't hurt. The building is a lovely 1920s throwback, and the rooms are bright and airy, with high ceilings. Many hotels are charging much more for way less. One of the best cheap hotels in Madrid.
Petit Palace Ducal Chueca
Located close to the Gran Via, this Madrid hotel can truly boast 'all mod cons'. Part of the state-of-the-art High Tech hotel chain, its 58 boutique rooms are full of electronic knobs and whistles, including a flat screen TV and a hydro-massage shower. That doesn't impinge on comfort levels, though, and the red and black décor gives it a classy feel.


Stay Tuned String Band performs in Chicago's southwest suburbs and rural northern Illinois. Concerts often include early English madrigals, traditional American folk songs, early and contemporary bluegrass, southern Gospel, and occasional country and western songs. The common theme is harmony – that special hum in the solar plexus when a gorgeous chord is struck! Vocalists at heart, we also collectively play guitar, Autoharp, hammered and lap dulcimers, harmonica, bowed psaltery, mandolin, banjo, lever harp and one-string bass for accompaniment.
Jenny Skul ("school"): In her career teaching elementary school, Jenny used music extensively in her classrooms. She sings with a rich alto voice. With a natural ear for harmony, Jenny has sung in numerous choirs and musical groups. She currently plays guitar and autoharp with the South Suburban Dulcimer and Folk Music Society based in Park Forest and the Joliet Dulcimer Club.
Dan Knutson's mellow baritone voice has earned him a large following of folks who want to hear more. He performs, hosts and provides sound amplification for four bluegrass jams each winter month in northern Illinois. Dan sings lead for the Stay Tuned String Band. He founded the Bottom Line bluegrass band and was a member of the Just Us bluegrass band.
Linda and Bob Nachtrieb ("knock-treeb") Linda has sung in church and secular choirs and currently provides comfort music for patients in hospice and other medical settings. She has performed for the Smithsonian Institution in Washington D.C. and abroad for the U.S. Information Agency. Bob's bass vocals provide a firm foundation for the band's music. Acting as the band's emcee, his offbeat sense of humor keeps concerts lively. He and Linda shared American folk music with many foreign audiences during 12 years of overseas service for the U.S. government in Bangladesh, India and Pakistan.
Stay Tuned String Band is honored to be performing at the 25th annual Gebhard Woods Dulcimer and Traditional Music Festival! We will present a stage performance, give a workshop on vocal harmony and sing for the Sunday morning worship service. We hope you will stop by and introduce yourself.


text:
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Review: Spellslinger by Sebastien de Castell
March 29, 2018 March 29, 2018 | proxyfish
Spellslinger
Book One of Spellslinger
by Sebastien de Castell
Fantasy | 416 Pages | Published by Hot Key Books in 2017
With powerful mages, card-throwing wanderers and an unseen enemy, Sebastien de Castell's first foray into young adult fantasy is an undeniable success. In a world defined by magic and a person's ability to wield it, Spellslinger takes the reader on an exciting journey which blurs the lines between those who would be friends, those who are family and those who may become enemies.
Witty and absorbing, this novel tells the tale of a boy whose steady loss of power culminates in a dangerous confrontation with his own people and, through a series of unpredictable twists and turns, exhibits an extraordinary flare for adventure from beginning to end.
There are three things that earn you a man's name among the Jan'Tep. The first is to demonstrate the strength to defend your family. The second is to prove you can perform the high magic that defines our people. The third is simply to reach the age of sixteen. I was a few weeks shy of my birthday when I learned that I wouldn't be doing any of those things.
MAGIC IS A CON GAME…
Kellen is moments away from facing his first mage's duel and the start of four trials that will make him a spellcaster. There's just one problem: his magic is gone.
As his sixteenth birthday approaches, Kellen falls back on his cunning in a bid to avoid total disgrace. But when a daring stranger arrives in town, she challenges Kellen to take a different path.
Ferius Parfax is one of the mysterious Argosi – a traveller who lives by her wits and the three decks of cards she carries. She's difficult and unpredictable, but she may be Kellen's only hope…
At the age of sixteen, all young Jan'Tep must face their greatest trial: the mage's trial. The outcome of which will determine those that will assume ultimate power, wielding great magic and respected from afar, and those that will become Sha'Tep, the serving underclass of Jan'Tep society.
Kellen's magic has dwindled over the years to next to nothing. He hasn't broken any of his mage's bands, he can barely perform a simple spell, and to make matters worse his little sister is likely to become one of the most powerful mages of all time.
Bullied by those who think him beneath them, abandoned by those he would have considered friends, Kellen is left with only his meagre powers, a dash of cunning, and sheer dumb luck to get him through his trials.
But when a strange frontierswoman turns up to help Kellen out of his trouble, he finds his path taking an altogether unexpected turn… for better or worse, only time will tell.
De Castell has created a vivid and ruthless society whose own sense of superiority has rendered them an isolated state. The world of the Jan'Tep is a world where a person's magical ability defines their very place in the social order. A people who consider their own culture and society as the pinnacle of refinement and power, the Jan'Tep see those beyond their borders as outsiders, whose weakness is made apparent by their lack of power.
Those within Jan'Tep society who fail to display any magical prowess are doomed to become Sha'Tep. Sons and daughters, brothers and sisters; all are parted when the magic in one fails to appear in the other. Those who are lucky may take a serving position in what was once their home. Those who are not are forced to work in the mines.
As skilfully as Jan'Tep society is wrought; where the arrogance that permeates their culture, even amongst Kellen's own family and friends, threatens to make them all appear as an unreasonable and tyrannical culture, the characterisation of the principle cast is where the novel and the overarching plot truly excels. De Castell has created a cast of true and varied characters whose humour and apparent deficiencies carry the story to its dramatic conclusion.
As both protagonist and narrator, Kellen is a witty and self-deprecating companion throughout the novel. What he lacks in magical proficiency he more than makes up for in cunning, wit and in his ability for getting the backs up of almost every person he comes across. And though he drives the other Jan'Tep mages to distraction, and perhaps even his friends half the time, he is an instantly likeable character which makes the injustice of his situation all the more potent.
His companions, Ferius Parfax, an Argosi wanderer whose proficiency in both playing cards and using them as a deadly weapon is more than a little disconcerting, and Reichis, a squirrel cat who has a penchant for thievery, violence and eating his enemies eyeballs, are arguably my two favourite characters, creating a strange and humorous sense of comradery which only becomes more interesting as the novel develops.
Spellslinger succeeds in combining this interesting cast of characters with an exciting and unpredictable plotline, whose twists and turns never fail to turn up a surprise or two. Skillfully plotted and wonderfully executed, de Castell writes in a personable, almost conversational tone which creates a distinct connection with Kellen and emphasises the injustices which permeate Jan'Tep society.
The first in the Spellslinger series is a thoroughly enjoyable read which leaves me eager to join Kellen in future adventures. Brimming with magic, humour and more than a little danger, de Castell has created another novel which never fails to leave a lasting impression.
Amazon | The Book Depository | Goodreads
Teaser Tuesdays: March 27
March 27, 2018 March 4, 2018 | proxyfish
Welcome to Teaser Tuesdays – a weekly feature hosted by The Purple Booker. Expect a new teaser every week!
| Teaser Tuesdays: March 27 |
Nevernight
Book One of The Nevernight Chronicle
by Jay Kristoff
Fantasy | 448 Pages | Published by Harper Voyager in 2016
"She stepped into the pool without a word, the blood thick and warm between her toes. The tile was smooth, and she had to walk slowly lest she slip, out waist-deep into the centre of the red."
~ Chapter 16: Walk | 38% | Nevernight by Jay Kristoff
| Synopsis |
From New York Times bestselling author, Jay Kristoff, comes a dangerous new fantasy world and a heroine edged in darkness.
Mia Corvere is only ten years old when she is given her first lesson in death.
Destined to destroy empires, the child raised in shadows made a promise on the day she lost everything: to avenge herself on those that shattered her world.
But the chance to strike against such powerful enemies will be fleeting, and Mia must become a weapon without equal. Before she seeks vengeance, she must seek training among the infamous assassins of the Red Church of Itreya.
Inside the Church's halls, Mia must prove herself against the deadliest of opponents and survive the tutelage of murderers, liars and daemons at the heart of a murder cult.
The Church is no ordinary school. But Mia is no ordinary student.
by J.R.R. Tolkien
Fantasy | 306 Pages | Published by HarperCollins in 1995
"He had picked his way stealthily for some distance, when he noticed a place of dense black shadow ahead of him, black even for that forest, like a patch of midnight that had never been cleared away. As he drew nearer, he saw that it was made by spider-webs one behind and over and tangled with another."
~ Chapter VIII: Flies and Spiders | Page 156 | The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
The Hobbit is a tale of high adventure, undertaken by a company of dwarves in search of dragon-guarded gold. A reluctant partner in this perilous quest is Bilbo Baggins, a comfort-loving unambitious hobbit, who surprises even himself by his resourcefulness and skill as a burglar.
Encounters with trolls, goblins, dwarves, elves and giant spiders, conversations with the dragon, Smaug, and a rather unwilling presence at the Battle of Five Armies are just some of the adventures that befall Bilbo.
Bilbo Baggins has taken his place among the ranks of the immortals of children's fiction. Written by Professor Tolkien for his own children, The Hobbit met with instant critical acclaim when published.
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Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page
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Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
Please leave a comment with either the link to your own Teaser Tuesdays post, or share your 'teasers' in a comment here!
March 20, 2018 February 26, 2018 | proxyfish
by Adrian Tchaikovsky
Science Fiction | 262 Pages | Published by Head of Zeus in 2017
"Revelation clicked into place in de Sejos' head: not a pleasant moment. A second before she had been surrounded by monsters, but at least they had notional leashes; at least there was a human face somewhere behind them that she might have negotiated with."
~ Chapter 15: De Sejos| 33% | Dogs of War by Adrian Tchaikovsky
My name is Rex. I am a good dog.
Rex is also seven foot tall at the shoulder, bulletproof, bristling with heavy calibre weaponry and his voice resonates with subsonics especially designed to instil fear. With Dragon, Honey and Bees, he's part of a Multiform Assault Pack operating in the lawless anarchy of Campeche, south-eastern Mexico.
Rex is a genetically engineered Bioform, a deadly weapon in a dirty war. He has the intelligence to carry out his orders and feedback implants to reward him when he does. All he wants to be is a Good Dog. And to do that he must do exactly what Master says and Master says he's got to kill a lot of enemies.
But who, exactly, are the enemies? What happens when Master is tried as a war criminal? What rights does the Geneva Convention grant weapons? Do Rex and his fellow Bioforms even have a right to exist? And what happens when Rex slips his leash?
""That is Mr. Baggins, a hobbit of good family and impeachable reputation," said Gandalf. Bilbo bowed. He had no hat to take off, and was painfully conscious of his many missing buttons."
~ Chapter VII: Queer Lodgings | Page 117 | The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
Friday Firsts: Binti by Nnedi Okorafor
Welcome to Friday Firsts – a new weekly meme created by Tenacious Reader. New Book: First paragraphs. First impressions. New favourite?
| Friday Firsts: March 16 |
Binti
Book One of the Binti Series
by Nnedi Okorafor
Science Fiction| 96 Pages | Published by Tor in 2015
| First Paragraphs |
I powered up the transporter and said a silent prayer. I had no idea what I was going to do if it didn't work. My transporter was cheap, so even a droplet of moisture, or more likely, a grain of sand, would cause it to short. It was faulty and most of the time I had to restart it over and over before it worked. Please not now, please not now, I thought.
The transporter shivered in the sand and I held my breath. Tiny, flat, and black as a prayer stone, it buzzed softly and then slowly rose from the sand. Finally, it produced the baggage-lifting force. I grinned. Now I could make it to the shuttle. I swiped otjize from my forehead with my index finger and knelt down. Then I touched the finger to the sand, grounding the sweet smelling red clay into it. "Thank you," I whispered. It was a half-mile walk along the dark desert road. With the transporter working, I would make it there on time.
Straightening up, I paused and shut my eyes. Now the weight of my entire life was pressing on my shoulders. I was defying the most traditional part of myself for the first time in my entire life. I was leaving in the dead of night and they had no clue. My nine siblings, all older than me except for my younger sister and brother, would never see this coming. My parents would never imagine I'd do such a thing in a million years. By the time they all realized what I'd done and where I was going, I'd have left the planet. In my absence, my parents would growl to each other that I was to never set foot in their home again. My four aunties and two uncles who lived down the road would shout and gossip among themselves about how I'd scandalized our entire bloodline. I was going to be a pariah.
"Go," I softly whispered to the transporter, stamping my foot. The thin metal rings I wore around each ankle jingled noisily, but I stamped my foot again. Once on, the transporter worked best when I didn't touch it. "Go," I said again, sweat forming on my brow. When nothing moved, I chanced giving the two large suitcases sitting atop the force field a shove. They moved smoothly and I breathed another sigh of relief. At least some luck was on my side.
| First Impressions |
This novella had been on my bookshelf for far too long and, after hearing so many good things about it, it was about time I dusted it off and set to reading.
And even from the opening paragraphs, Binti does not disappoint. Questions are raised – Who is this girl? Where is she going? Why will she be considered an outcast if she leaves? – and the small points of detail in the description marking out the landscape and the girl's belongings make this a novella I don't expect to put down!
What are you currently reading? What were your first impressions?
by Nnedi Okarafor
"I motioned to the shrivelled dead one two feet away; its mushy flesh had dried and begun to turn brown and opaque. It had tried to take me and then something made it die. Bits of it crumbled to dust as I spoke, the mere vibration of my voice enough to destabilise the remains."
~ 22 % | Binti by Nnedi Okarafor
Her name is Binti, and she is the first of the Himba people ever to be offered a place at Oomza University, the finest institution of higher learning in the galaxy. But to accept the offer will mean giving up her place in her family to travel between the stars among strangers who do not share her ways or respect her customs.
Knowledge comes at a cost, one that Binti is willing to pay, but her journey will not be easy. The world she seeks to enter has long warred with the Meduse, an alien race that has become the stuff of nightmares. Oomza University has wronged the Meduse, and Binti's stellar travel will bring her within their deadly reach.
If Binti hopes to survive the legacy of a war not of her making, she will need both the gifts of her people and the wisdom enshrined within the University, itself – but first she has to make it there, alive.
"They limped along now as fast as they were able down the gentle slopes of a pine forest in a slanting path leading steadily southwards. At times they were pushing through a sea of bracken with tall fronds rising right above the hobbit's head; at times they were marching along quiet as quiet over a floor of pine-needles; and all the while the forest-gloom got heavier and the forest-silence deeper."
~ Chapter VI: Out Of The Frying-Pan Into The Fire | Page 98 | The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
Teaser Tuesdays: February 20
February 20, 2018 January 31, 2018 | proxyfish
| Teaser Tuesdays: February 20 |
"She said nothing in reply, merely leaned back in her chair, looking placidly at the wall in front of her as if it were a peaceful vista. The spells lighting up he skin beneath the silken fabrics she wore shifted and shimmered, her features changing back and forth, sometimes young and beautiful, almost innocent. Other times she looked as old as every one of her three hundred years."
~ Chapter 31: The Cell | 64% | Spellslinger by Sebastien de Castell
Magic is a con game.
Kellen is moments away from facing his first mage's duel and the start of four trials that will make him a spellcaster. There's just one problem: his magic is gone. As his sixteenth birthday approaches, Kellen falls back on his cunning in a bid to avoid total disgrace. But when a daring stranger arrives in town, she challenges Kellen to take a different path. Ferius Parfax is one of the mysterious Argosi – a traveller who lives by her wits and the three decks of cards she carries. She's difficult and unpredictable, but she may be Kellen's only hope…
"Bilbo never forgot the way they slithered and slipped in the dusk down the steep zig-zag path into the secret valley of Rivendell. The air grew warmer as they got lower, and the smell of the pine-trees made him drowsy, so that every now and again he nodded and nearly fell off, or bumped his nose on the pony's neck."
~ Chapter III: A Short Rest | Page 47 | The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
Waiting on Wednesday: King of Ashes
Welcome to Waiting on Wednesday, a weekly meme linking Waiting on Wednesday by Breaking The Spine and Can't Wait Wednesday by Wishful Endings
| Waiting on Wednesday: February 14 |
King of Ashes
Book One of the Firemane Saga
by Raymond E. Feist
A new novel from internationally bestselling author Raymond E. Feist.
The world of Garn once boasted five great kingdoms, until the King of Ithrace was defeated and every member of his family executed by Lodavico, the ruthless King of Sandura, a man with ambitions to rule the world.
Ithrace's ruling family were the legendary Firemanes, and represented a great danger to the other kings. Now four great kingdoms remain, on the brink of war. But rumour has it that the newborn son of the last king of Ithrace survived, carried off during battle and sequestered by the Quelli Nacosti, a secret society whose members are trained to infiltrate and spy upon the rich and powerful throughout Garn. Terrified that this may be true, and that the child will grow to maturity with bloody revenge in his heart, the four kings have placed a huge bounty on the child's head.
In the small village of Oncon, Declan is apprenticed to a master blacksmith, learning the secrets of producing the mythical king's steel. Oncon is situated in the Covenant, a neutral region lying between two warring kingdoms. Since the Covenant was declared, the region has existed in peace, until violence explodes as slavers descend upon the village to capture young men to press as soldiers for Sandura.
Declan must escape, to take his priceless knowledge to Baron Daylon Dumarch, ruler of Marquensas, perhaps the only man who can defeat Lodavico of Sandura, who has now allied himself with the fanatical Church of the One, which is marching across the continent, imposing its extreme form of religion upon the population and burning unbelievers as they go.
Meanwhile, on the island of Coaltachin, the secret domain of the Quelli Nacosti, three friends are being schooled in the deadly arts of espionage and assassination: Donte, son of one of the most powerful masters of the order; Hava, a serious girl with fighting abilities that can set any opponent on their back; and Hatu, a strange, conflicted lad in whom fury and calm war constantly, whose hair is a bright and fiery shade of red…
To be published by Harper Voyager on 05th April 2018 (UK) | 08th May 2018 (US)
Review: The Emperor's Blades by Brian Staveley
February 8, 2018 February 6, 2018 | proxyfish
The Emperor's Blades
Book One of the Chronicle of the Unhewn Throne
by Brian Staveley
Fantasy | 569 Pages | Published by Tor in 2014
Conspiracy. Murder. Treachery. In this debut fantasy from Brian Staveley the intricacies of empire, the loyalty between family, friends and comrades, and the human spirit are pushed to breaking point in pursuit of truth, vengeance and the unknown. Staveley has crafted a compelling narrative which twists and turns through dangerous lands and treasonous plots. With incredible, fluid detail, The Emperor's Blades is a stunningly addictive debut which captures both the heart and the imagination.
The circle is closing. The stakes are high. And old truths will live again…
The Emperor has been murdered, leaving the Annurian Empire in turmoil. Now his progeny must prepare to unmask a conspiracy. His son Valyn, training for the empire's deadliest fighting force, hears the news an ocean away. And after several 'accidents' and a dying soldier's warning, he realizes his life is also in danger. Yet before Valyn can act, he must survive the mercenaries' brutal final initiation.
The Emperor's daughter, Minister Adare, hunts her father's murderer in the capital. Court politics can be fatal, but she needs justice. Lastly Kaden, heir to the empire, studies in a remote monastery. Here, the Blank God's disciples teach their harsh ways, which Kaden must master to unlock ancient powers. But when an imperial delegation arrives, has he learnt enough to keep him alive, as long-hidden powers make their move?
With cover art worthy of the Old Gods themselves, the first in the Chronicle of the Unhewn Throne opens up a rich world of sumptuous palaces, bleak mountains and treacherous islands. As Emperor Sanlitun hui'Malkeenian falls to an assassin's blade, the fate of an empire rests on the heirs to the Malkeenian line – Kaden, heir apparent and acolyte to the Shin Monks; Valyn, cadet of the elite Kettral wing; and Adare, Royal Princess and Chief Minister of Finance of the Annurian Empire.
As suspicious accidents, cruel deaths and nightmarish creatures haunt the Malkeenian heirs; mind, body and spirit are pushed to breaking point through a series of gruelling punishments, impossible tasks and questionable loyalties. As treason spreads in the heart of Annur, Adare's home has little distinction between palace and prison; and with only a matter of time before Kaden becomes the assassin's next victim, Valyn must find the strength to survive Hull's Trial and find a way off the Qirin Islands… before family and empire are all but lost.
Worlds apart, the lives of the three heirs to the Malkeenian line divides the novel into three perilous locations. The harsh and unforgiving Bone Mountains, home to the Shin monks of Ashk'lan, where acolytes seek to unlock long hidden powers through strength and stillness of body and mind; The dangerous Qirin Islands, a haven for the criminal underbelly and training grounds of the Kettral, an elite military wing famed for their stealth, deception, brute strength and speed; and the capital of the Empire, Annur, as sumptuous as it is treacherous, where the military, ministers and priests vie for power.
The Emperor's Blades succeeds in detailing these locations through a wealth of history, back story and the intricacies of culture and religion, which all play a pivotal role in underpinning both the narrative and its character. But while the intrigues of court in the heart of Annur and the strange powers which reveal themselves amongst the Shin monks are an integral and exciting element of the story, the grit and spirit of the novel, for me, really comes across amongst the Kettral of the Qirin Islands. The hardship of training, the (sometimes grudging) camaraderie, and the ever present danger build edge-of-the-seat tension and make for an exhilarating read.
Yet while the worldbuilding in The Emperor's Blades truly makes for a rich and expansive novel, and the writing rapts all attention, the real strength throughout the narrative is the characterisation, in particular that of the protagonists. The children of Sanliitun hui'Malkeenian are as different as the locations they've grown up in, but each has a wilfulness and strength of character that endears the reader to them and had me championing all three throughout.
Adare, surrounded by those she cannot tell from friend or foe, is clever and calculating but as a princess and a woman must constantly prove her worth to ensure her position is not lost. Valyn, trained by the most elite warriors of the empire, must undergo gruelling physical tests while seeking out those who would betray him from amongst his own sword-brothers. Kaden, who lives a secluded life under the tutelage – and frequent punishment – of the Shin monks, is innocent to much of the scheming and treachery which plagues his siblings but, as rightful Emperor, faces the most danger of all.
These three characters are the focal point from which loyalty and betrayal, and strength and weakness radiate; characters which, as a reader, I found utterly captivating. This richly detailed novel, which maintains a pace reminiscent of action novels and which consistently draws you back in, has become one of my favourite reads of the past few years. This is a blade wielding, heart pounding and tear jerking triumph, and my investment in Staveley's creation remains wholeheartedly assured.
The Emperor's Blades is a fast-paced, exhilarating read whose characters exhibit great depth and realism, whose world is dangerous, beautiful and delightfully complex, and whose writing is simply stunning. I, for one, cannot wait to get my hands on its sequel, The Providence of Fire.
February 6, 2018 January 28, 2018 | proxyfish
The Grace of Kings
Book One of The Dandelion Dynasty
by Ken Liu
Fantasy | 641 Pages | Published by Head of Zeus in 2015
"Kuni looked at Mata, standing atop the walls like some arrogant hero of the Diaspora Wars, careless of the volleys of arrows that flew around him, and his heart was filled with admiration. Indeed, everyone was mortal in a terrifying world, but one could choose to live like Mata Zyndu and fight with no doubt, or cower in fear and indecision and let error compound on error."
~ Chapter 22: Battle of Zudi | Page 238 | The Grace of Kings by Ken Liu
Fans of intrigue, intimate plots, and action will find a new series to embrace in the Dandelion Dynasty.
"As they sang the hobbit felt the love of beautiful things made by hands and by cunning and by magic moving through him, a fierce and a jealous love, the desire of the hearts of dwarves. Then something Tookish woke up inside him, and he wished to go and see the great mountains, and hear the pine-trees and the waterfalls, and explore the caves, and wear a sword instead of a walking-stick."
~ Chapter I: An Unexpected Party | Page 15 | The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
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Mandy 2 Sounds Absolutely Insane, Too Bad We'll Probably Never See It
Mandy was supposed to be a cult one-off that debuted on VOD as it slowly made its way to a few select theaters. But a funny thing happened on the way to the cinemaplex. Those who saw the movie became obsessed, and they quickly spread word that the genre world was getting something unique and unmissable. RLJ Entertainment noticed the interest from a lot of potential audience members hungry for this type of old school drive-in gut punch. They put it on more screens, and it quickly became a small phenomenon. Now, those fans who've seen it multiple times already are wondering if there will ever be more Red Miller and the Cheddar Goblin. The good news is that director Panos Cosmatos already has an idea for a follow-up, which would be more of a spin-off featuring Nicolas Cage as Red. The bad news, though it sounds incredibly fun and absolutely insane, we'll probably never see it.
Panos Cosmatos first made waves with his cult thriller Beyond the Black Rainbow. He knew there would be an audience for Mandy, but he never imagined it would be so big. He loves all the enthusiasm, but it's unexpected. He says this about the surprise reception this latest Nicolas Cage movie has garnered.
"This is very surprising to me. I suspected the movie would find an audience, but that it would be a lot smaller. I hoped when I made the movie that it was speaking to an audience that wasn't being spoken to, and I wonder if that's what's happened here."
Cosmatos only has two feature films under his belt at this point, and he's not really looking to repeat what he's already done. But apparently that might be a problem, because fans want more Red Miller. The director has considered a spin-off that takes place in the same universe. He goes onto reveal that he actually has a pretty cool idea for a sequel, should that come to pass. Though, it probably won't.
"People have asked me about [a sequel]. I don't know if I'm a sequels kind of person. I prefer each film to have its own unique identity. When I was writing the film, to amuse myself, I imagined a sequel that took place with Red Miller fighting Nazi punks in a bombed-out city. I don't know if that would ever happen, but it's a fun thought."
The main thing keeping Panos away from doing a sequel is that he hasn't been too thrilled with the follow-ups coming out of Hollywood. They all look and feel the same, and he's worried about falling into that trap. He goes onto explain.
"The thing I do miss about the way some sequels were in the past was that each film felt like its own unique, complete tone,. Now, sequels are tonal facsimiles of the ones before them, like a television series, whereas back in the past sequels would often be radically different from the ones before."
Nicolas Cage, who is experiencing a bit of resurgence and gaining new found fans because of Mandy, wants Cosmatos to direct a new Superman reboot for DC, with eyes on playing Lex Luthor. The filmmaker isn't sure he wants that, and is trying to manage expectations following Mandy. After watching other indie directors take on big tent pole projects early in their career, he's not sure he wants that for himself. He says this.
"I wanted to avoid the situation that a lot of directors are herded into these days, where you have to give up a lot of control. The only way I'd want to be involved with something like that is if it's a chance to dramatically reinvent something, not something that's already established. But at the same time, where my heart lies is with serving these things are self-generated. My gut feeling is that's where I'll continue to work, on a lot smaller scale."
So, will we ever see a follow-up to Mandy. It sure would be great to see Nicolas Cage back in that 44 jersey slaying Nazi punks with his homemade sword while guzzling buckets of Cheddar Goblin Mac & Cheese. But we don't really need it. Mandy is a near perfect example of pure entertainment and artistry. Maybe Panos Cosmatos doesn't need to taint it with a sequel that couldn't possibly be as good as the original. These quotes from the director come from IndieWire.
Topics: Mandy
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Synthesis of novel siloxane containing block copolymers for impact modification of polybutyleneterephthalate.
WALKER, Ian. (1991). Synthesis of novel siloxane containing block copolymers for impact modification of polybutyleneterephthalate. Doctoral, Sheffield Hallam University (United Kingdom)..
The aim of this work was to synthesise poly(butyleneterephthalate) (PBT) poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) block copolymers, containing the hydrolytically stable Si-C linkage. A number of routes involving mutually reactive oligomers were studied. Once synthesised the effect of the copolymer as a toughening agent for the PBT matrix was investigated. Siloxane copolymer precursors were synthesised by an equilibration reaction. The relative molar mass (RMM) of the precursor was governed by the initial ratio of end blocker to cyclic species. The functionality of the precursor determined by the end blocker. alpha, to hydroxy PBT oligomeric precursors were chemically modified, if necessary, to form mutually reactive species.Initial block copolymer synthetic routes concentrated on chloroplatinic acid catalysed hydrosilations in solution. This involved alpha, to di (hydrosilane) PDMS and alpha, to divinyl functionalised PBT. The lack of a suitable common solvent together with competing side reactions limited the progress of this route. Melt hydrosilation reactions proved ineffective also, because of the thermal instability of the catalyst. Further block copolymer experiments involving mutually reactive oligomers were performed in the melt. The most promising of these was one of transesterification. This used alpha,o-hydroxypropyl PDMS (RMM 1000) and alpha,o-hydroxy PBT (RMM 2000) precursors. Analysis indicated successful reaction to form a copolymer of low RMM. A higher RMM copolymer was desirable, for improved mechanical properties, and a number of approaches to achieve this were followed. Problems of competing reactions and ineffective catalysis were encountered. However, a material with promising mechanical properties was formed when using a diisocyanate as a chain extender.A PBT-PDMS copolymer was blended by itself, and also together with high RMM PDMS, in the PBT matrix. The mechanical properties of the blends were studied and compared. An improvement in impact properties, as compared to PBT, was achieved when the copolymer was used as an emulsifying agent in a PBT-PDMS blend.
Thesis (Ph.D.)--Sheffield Hallam University (United Kingdom), 1991.


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AI Generated Avatars Becoming Digital Influencers
Posted by Kurt A Cagle on November 2, 2020 at 9:00pm
As the recent rise in Covid-19 threatens once again to shutter advertising agencies, film studios, and similar media "factories" globally, a quiet, desperate shift is taking place in the creation of new media, brought about by increasingly sophisticated AI capabilities. A new spate of actors and models are making their way to people's screens, such as pink-haired Imma, right, who has developed an extensive following in Japan on Instagram and TikTok, and is appearing increasingly on the covers of Japanese magazines.
She also doesn't exist.
Imma joins a growing host of digital avatars who are replacing human actors, models, and photographers with computer-generated equivalents. Cloud-based GPUs and sophisticated game and modeling software have increasingly attracted the attention of a new generation of artist/programmers who are taking advantage of this to generate images, video, and audio that are becoming increasingly indistinguishable from reality, especially when that reality is otherwise captured via jump cuts, and matte overlays that have made tools such as TikTok and Reels the primary tools for video production for the typical Instagram celebrity.
The business potential for such virtual models and spokespeople is huge, according to a recent piece by Bloomberg on digital avatars. Such avatars have obvious benefits over their flesh and blood counterparts. They can appear in print or video anywhere - on a far-off beach, on a busy street in a bustling city, or staring out at dirigibles and flying saucers while taking a taxi above the clouds - without ever having to send a crew out for several days to some otherwise uninhabited Caribbean beach, reserving expensive permits for filming or dealing with observers, or spending a great deal of time with specialized green screen effects.
The models don't age out of roles, don't have bad hair days, or become prima donnas. The initial cost to develop such models may be fairly high (though seldom more than the cost of sending models and crew to a tropical island) but once created, that model becomes highly malleable, and can be used in a large number of different situations.
Ordinarily, these changes have been on the horizon for a while, and until the pandemic, the use of such models was increasing slowly anyway. Yet as for so many other things, the pandemic shifted the need for virtual models and actors into overdrive, as social distancing requirements and lockdowns put a very real limit on the ability of creative agencies to put together content with live actors.
It is significant, for instance, that The Walt Disney Company, which had already invested heavily in the use of CGI-based actors and props for its wildly popular series The Mandalorian, was able to finish production on the awaited second season of that show so quickly after California's Governor Newcom started loosening the limits on production. It did so by taking advantage of the hyperrealistic rendering capabilities of graphical processing units (GPUs) which are now capable of extensive texture mapping, shading, ray tracing, subdermal lighting and so forth by dint of the GPU architectures that were optimized for better gameplay.
Moreover, such processing can readily be done in parallel across multiple dedicated cloud processors, which not only increases the render time dramatically but also makes modeling, rigging (the process of positioning objects relative to one another) and lighting take far less time than they would on a single laptop. This also makes procedural shaders, which handle the animation of everything from hair to skin to dirt to water and smoke, feasible to the home-bound graphic artist or designer. Companies such as nVidia have partnered with cloud providers to make racks of GPUs acting in parallel available to anyone with a decent Internet connection even without necessarily needing to have such GPUs available on the artist's computers directly.
This process is also driven by the rise of generative adversarial networks (a form of neural network that is able to take related types of images and build subtle composites that can then be evaluated to determine the "verisimilitude" of a given image. Those that survive are then used as the basis for other such images. When used as is, such GANs are remarkably effective at creating realistic portraits of people quickly, while at the same time also providing templates for the generation of models underlying such templates that can then be used for simulating action. The StyleGan2 algorithms drive the site This Person Does Not Exist, which generates unique, very realistic facial images. The site also contains detailed information about the StyleGan2 algorithms involved in the process.
The ability to create such realistic avatars has also led to the rise of fake identities in social media sites, as people take advantage of such tools to either disguise themselves on places as diverse as Facebook and Tinder, or simulate fake profiles for spamming and trolling, or, in at least a couple of cases, creating faked dossiers for political mischief, complete with people who existed only within a GPU.
StyleGan2, in conjunction with similar research for capturing facial orientation and lip-synch movements, are also changing the nature of gaming as the ability to wear avatars that are able to speak and make facial gestures. From pre-generated audio recorded live, or text-to-speech interfaces such as are used to power a host of verbal virtual assistants (Siri being the Ur example), such viseme-matching algorithms are increasingly putting a face to what once had been primarily audio only "digital-companions". Additionally, the use of GANs can be extended into the third dimension, making it possible for a single 2D photograph to be approximated as a surprisingly complete and sophisticated 3D version.
It is very likely that, for good or ill, this particular area of development will become one of the hottest faces of the AI movement. If the Japanese experience is any indication, such "Virtual Ambassadors" may very well become celebrities in their own rights. In many cases, the environments for creating such virtual models are likely to be the same -platforms that currently are used for developing immersive reality games, such as Microsoft's Unreal Engine or Reallusion's Character Creator platform. As the pandemic continues to change how we work, it is likely that the next generation of advertising, media creation and immersive gaming will rely upon these virtual avatars, the next general of digital influencers.
Kurt Cagle is the Community Editor for Data Science Central.
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Durante la prima guerra mondiale fu insignito della Victoria Cross, del Distinguished Service Order, della Croix de Guerre avec Palmes (da parte della Francia) e della Navy Cross (da parte degli Stati Uniti d'America) per la lunga serie di audaci operazioni che condusse servendo la Royal Navy durante la cosiddetta "War at Sea" (Guerra in Mare).

Stuart ricevette la Victoria Cross a seguito di una votazione da parte degli uomini sotto il suo comando. Questo metodo di conferimento insolito fu utilizzato poiché l'ammiragliato non fu in grado di decidere a quale membro dell'equipaggio conferire la medaglia dopo il disperato combattimento tra una Q-ship ed un sottomarino tedesco al largo delle coste irlandesi. La carriera di Stuart include anche il comando del transatlantico RMS Empress of Britain e la direzione dell'ufficio londinese di una delle maggiori compagnie di transatlantici inglesi. Dopo il suo ritiro avvenuto nel 1951, Stuart si trasferì nel cottage di sua sorella, in Kent, dove morì tre anni dopo. Stuart fu descritto come un uomo alle volte irascibile, imbarazzato da qualsiasi tipo di clamore riguardo alla sua celebrità e solito esclamare "Mush!" in occasione di forti emozioni.

Infanzia
Ronald Niel Stuart nacque nel 1886 a Liverpool da Niel Stuart e Mary Harrison, entrambi provenienti da famiglie di tradizione marinara. Il padre era nato nell'Isola del Principe Edoardo, in Canada ed aveva incontrato e sposato Mary a Montreal. Lei era la figlia di un mastro marinaio proveniente dall'Australia. Negli anni 1880 la famiglia si trasferì a Liverpool, dove è nato Stuart, il minore di sei fratelli. Niel (padre) lavorò in città come sovrintendente portuale e grossista del tè, prima di morire improvvisamente mentre si stava preparando per tornare nella Merchant Navy.

Bibliografia

Collegamenti esterni

  Charing War Memorial, Kent, trascritto da David Hughes e Neil Clark

Decorati col Distinguished Service Order
Decorati con la Distinguished Service Cross
Ufficiali della Royal Navy

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