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Shelf Reflections
Reading Log 2018
Shelf to Screen
American Gods S1
Game of Thrones S7
Outlander Season 3
Tag: 4.5 stars
April 17, 2018 Kristin Leave a comment
"Mary Howard has always lived in the shadow of her powerful family. But when she's married off to Henry Fitzroy, King Henry VIII's illegitimate son, she rockets into the Tudor court's inner circle. Mary and "Fitz" join a tight clique of rebels who test the boundaries of court's strict rules with their games, dares, and flirtations. The more Mary gets to know Fitz, the harder she falls for him, but is forbidden from seeing him alone. The rules of court were made to be pushed—but pushing them too far means certain death. Is true love worth dying for?"
One of my random interests is British history, especially the Tudor era. There was so much going on during that time period that it's as good as any novel—the conflicts, the romances, the backstabbing, all contribute to a portion of history that's nearly unbelievable. A lot of fiction has been written about the Tudor court, and with good reason. I feel that it's an especially good subject to get teens interested in history, and Longshore's novels are among the best contributions to that genre.
The seed of this particular book comes from the Devonshire Manuscript, which is a book of poetry written in many different hands, including that of Mary Howard, the young wife of Henry Fitzroy. The rules at Henry VIII's court were strict, especially for women, and Longshore does an excellent job of using the Devonshire Manuscript as the backdrop for some of the young women pushing the boundaries of what's expected of them.
I found Mary an easy character to like. While she is definitely a product of her era, the struggles that she goes through in trying to find her identity and make a place for herself in the world are ones that anybody can relate to. There's not a lot of information about her life and activities, but we do know that she fought to retain the title that she got from Fitzroy, so she was obviously a strong-willed woman. The author invents a wonderful early history for Mary, setting her character up to become the individual that is known in history.
We may not know much about Mary, but there is a lot of available research on the Tudor court, and the author weaves details about daily life and cultural norms seamlessly into the story. You get a lot of fascinating information without even realizing it, and I'm willing to bet that it will spark some readers to investigate more on their own. Far from being dry and dusty, Longshore's version of history is vibrant with color and activity and energy. Henry VIII in his early years was something of a "rock star", handsome and magnetic, and readers will get the full sense of what that era was like.
It's too bad that Longshore won't be writing any more Tudor novels for the foreseeable future, because I've greatly enjoyed her forays into the lives of the women who helped shape England during one of its most tumultuous time periods. Brazen brings history to life in a way that few young adult novels manage, capturing the allure and dangers of life for the women in Henry VIII's court.
This review was originally posted on June 30, 2014.
This book was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
(Description nicked from B&N.com.)
Wake of the Bloody Angel by Alex Bledsoe
December 21, 2017 Kristin Leave a comment
"Twenty years ago, a barmaid in a harbor town fell for a young sailor who turned pirate to make his fortune. But what truly became of Black Edward Tew remains a mystery—one that has just fallen into the lap of freelance sword jockey Eddie LaCrosse.
For years, Eddie has kept his office above Angelina's tavern, so when Angelina herself asks him to find out what happened to the dashing pirate who stole her heart, he can hardly say no—even though the trail is two decades old. Some say Black Edward and his ship, The Bloody Angel, went to bottom of the sea, taking with it a king's fortune in treasure. Others say he rules a wealthy, secret pirate kingdom. And a few believe he still sails under a ghostly flag with a crew of the damned.
To find the truth, and earn his twenty-five gold pieces a day, Eddie must take to sea in the company of a former pirate queen in search of the infamous Black Edward Tew…and his even more legendary treasure."
When I first started reading this series, I remember thinking that the language is a little anachronistic. What I've realized in the interim is that readers shouldn't necessarily think of this as a fantasy novel with a mystery in it; rather, it's more of a mystery novel in a fantasy setting. When I made that change in my reading, the language didn't really bother me. No, it's not quite on par with a medieval-style world, but it fits in with the type of story Bledsoe is telling.
The characters are similarly down to earth. This isn't a novel where you're going to get the extremes of heroism or villainy. What you get are real people, albeit transposed into a fantasy world. Eddie and the other characters are fallible human beings, making mistakes and struggling with their own issues just like any of us. Even so, there are surprising moments of humanity, gentleness and kindness that make readers think of these characters as good people—not just characters, but as good people that we'd all like to know in person.
And speaking of characters… ah, Jane, how I adore thee. The pirate queen turned privateer who helps Eddie in his quest is a bundle of energy and sass. She gets some great lines, holds her own on a ship full of men, and commands respect from those in the book and readers alike. Out of all the personalities in this novel, she's the one that I'd love to meet the most.
The thing that I've enjoyed about this series, and this book in particular, is how Bledsoe can weave an intricate plot with tons of details and red herrings and have it all work out in a realistic way. It doesn't always wrap up neatly, but it does wrap up in a way that you could see happening in real life. Yes, fantasy is escapist, but make it too fantastic and you really can't relate. I found this novel's ending to be satisfying—not full of fireworks and heroics and derring-do, but satisfying. And frankly, I like that more than fireworks.
Wake of the Bloody Angel is another stellar example of Alex Bledsoe's writing. This book is fun, full of adventure and witty dialogue, and thoroughly enjoyable. If I could pull Eddie, Jane and the others out of the book, I'd buy them a drink and pump them for stories of their exploits. Alas, all we can do is wait for another Eddie novel and hope that it's not too long in the making.
This review was originally posted on August 22, 2012.
(Description nicked from Goodreads.com.)
The Mad Scientist's Daughter by Cassandra Rose Clarke
November 16, 2017 Kristin Leave a comment
"When Cat Novak was a young girl, her father brought Finn, an experimental android, to their isolated home. A billion-dollar construct, Finn looks and acts human, but he has no desire to be one. He was programmed to assist his owners, and performs his duties to perfection.
His primary task now is to tutor Cat. Finn stays with her, becoming her constant companion and friend as she grows into adulthood. But when the government grants rights to the ever-increasing robot population, Finn struggles to find his place in the world. As their relationship goes further than anyone intended, they have to face the threat of being separated forever."
When I picked up this book, I expected to find something with a higher science fiction quotient—after all, the synopsis makes it sound like robot rights are a central issue. What I got, though, was something far better: a love story that transcends the way we think about what is human and what isn't. Of course, it's impossible not to compare this novel to The Bicentennial Man, but this story comes out ahead in that particular contest. At the risk of sounding cheesy, the movie was about how many years you live, and The Mad Scientist's Daughter is about how much life you allow into your years.
The love story takes center stage over the other plotlines concerning robot sentience and the state of the world in which this novel takes place. It still feels like a fully fleshed out setting, though. In fact, I hope that Clarke writes more in this world, because I would like to have seen a broader picture of the landscape and the people.
Much of the novel is achingly poignant. As Cat grows up and grows older, her contact with Finn decreases and her life takes a turn for the worse. Clarke's writing at these moments is extremely evocative, and I felt genuine sorrow at what Cat goes through. I wouldn't necessarily call Cat a completely sympathetic character, as she doesn't always treat Finn as well as she should, but believe me, you will feel for her by the novel's end.
This book is a great Valentine's Day present for the science fiction aficionado in your life. It hits all the right notes and delivers a tale that is often heartbreaking but always has that element of hope that love will conquer all. The Mad Scientist's Daughter is a lovely and moving story, and I highly recommend it.
This review was originally posted on February 12, 2013.
Maplecroft by Cherie Priest
"The people of Fall River, Massachusetts, fear me. Perhaps rightfully so. I remain a suspect in the brutal deaths of my father and his second wife despite the verdict of innocence at my trial. With our inheritance, my sister, Emma, and I have taken up residence in Maplecroft, a mansion near the sea and far from gossip and scrutiny.
But it is not far enough from the affliction that possessed my parents. Their characters, their very souls, were consumed from within by something that left malevolent entities in their place. It originates from the ocean's depths, plaguing the populace with tides of nightmares and madness.
This evil cannot hide from me. No matter what guise it assumes, I will be waiting for it. With an axe."
Lizzie Borden mixed with Cthulu mythos. All righty then. I've been reading Cherie Priest's books since she first started publishing, and I thought that this might be a bit weird even for her. I'm happy to say that it works just fine—surprisingly well, actually. I know almost nothing about Lovecraft's Cthulu stories, so maybe that worked in my favor, but I honestly think that Priest is just that good of a writer.
The Borden murders are one of the great unsolved mysteries in America: two people found brutally killed with multiple axe blows; a suspect with a changing story; and no clear evidence as to what happened. Admittedly, I didn't know a heck of a lot about the case, my basic knowledge consisting of the children's rhyme quoted above. There are enough details about Lizzie's life contained in this novel to make me go hunting around to see if they were accurate. And for the most part, they are. (Obviously, Lizzie's dad and stepmom weren't possessed by evil beings, but that should be apparent.)
Priest's narrative takes the facts that are known and weaves them seamlessly with her horror story. She explains why Lizzie killed her parents, why she and her sister stayed in the same town after her trial, what caused she and her sister to fall out, and what Lizzie's relationship was with a prominent actress of the time. There's no point at which I felt the author's imaginings interfered with actual facts, and it made the read that much more fascinating.
In reading this book, I was put in mind of Orson Scott Card's distinctions between dread, terror and horror. Dread is the anticipation of fear, terror is what you feel in the moment, and horror is the aftermath. Much of this novel takes place in the realm of dread—monsters are rarely seen, but their influence is keenly felt as innocent people fall prey to them. There are moments of terror as creatures attack and mythical monsters sing their siren call. There's very little horror aside from snippets when Lizzie sees the consequences of the supernatural events plaguing her town.
Although the mash-up seems crazy, the end result is a dark historical fantasy that draws you into it as surely as if one of Priest's monsters had its hooks into your soul. Maplecroft is an incredibly unique and creative novel that brings the thrills from both fact and fiction.
This review was originally posted on September 8, 2014.
Blackbirds by Chuck Wendig
October 19, 2017 Kristin Leave a comment
Angry Robot Books, based in England, often bills itself as a purveryor of SF, F, and WTF fiction. It's that last category that often intrigues me the most. And nothing fits that better than Chuck Wendig's novel Blackbirds. It's edgy, in-your-face, and brutal… and it also tells a great story.
"Miriam Black knows when you will die.
Still in her early twenties, she's foreseen hundreds of car crashes, heart attacks, strokes, suicides, and slow deaths by cancer. But when Miriam hitches a ride with truck driver Louis Darling and shakes his hand, she sees that in thirty days Louis will be gruesomely murdered while he calls her name.
Miriam has given up trying to save people; that only makes their deaths happen. But Louis will die because he met her, and she will be the next victim. No matter what she does she can't save Louis. But if she wants to stay alive, she'll have to try."
This is not a novel that pulls any punches for the sake of readers' sensibilities. It contains sex, graphic violence, drinking, and enough cursing to make an entire convent of nuns faint dead away. Miriam is one of the most damaged heroines in the genre–she uses casual sex and hard drinking as a buffer against the violent death that she regularly witnesses. Most of the other characters have their own roster of anti-social tendencies as well.
And yet, it's impossible not to sympathize with–and eventually like–Miriam. There are chapters in the story marked as "interludes", in which Miriam tells her history to a reporter from a fringe magazine. Weaving together these vignettes with the plotline's action gives readers a better picture of Miriam than they'd get from just seeing her in action. In the interstichals, she talks dispassionately about her life, answers questions about her feelings, and generally gives readers the chance to peer "behind the curtain".
Miriam is a well-rounded character, but the others have equally unique voices too. As I already mentioned, most of the cast are not the most savory of characters. Among those, the one that struck me the most was Harriet, a short stocky woman who revels in violence. Her glee at causing pain caused me a few shudders. Contrasting these villainous types is Louie, the rough-around-the-edges trucker who nonetheless shows Miriam the first true kindness that she's had for a long time.
Knowing how Louie dies, and knowing how long he has, gives the plot an edge of urgency. Of course, readers will wonder if there's any chance of Miriam stopping his terrible fate, and that's the question that reverberates throughout the novel: do we actually have choice and free will, or is our future already written? Miriam faces this question repeatedly, both in the "present" of the story and in flashbacks.
All these weighty matters aside, this is a novel that is tough to put down. Wendig sets readers up to want to know more, to want to keep reading and find out what happens next. There's plenty of action to balance out the reflective moments, and readers won't be long into the book before they're cheering for Miriam and boo-ing the bad guys. Blackbirds is tough and gritty, and it isn't afraid to get in your face with a curse and a puff of cigarette smoke. It's not for sensitive readers, but this dark fantasy is a stand-out among the novels that equate "bloody" with "edgy".
Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman
"For more than two hundred years, the Owens women have been blamed for everything that has gone wrong in their Massachusetts town. Gillian and Sally have endured that fate as well: as children, the sisters were forever outsiders, taunted, talked about, pointed at. Their elderly aunts almost seemed to encourage the whispers of witchery, with their musty house and their exotic concoctions and their crowd of black cats. But all Gillian and Sally wanted was to escape.
One will do so by marrying, the other by running away. But the bonds they share will bring them back—almost as if by magic…"
I've had this book on my radar for a while, since I enjoyed the movie and was curious to see how the events played out in the book. The further I got into my reading, the more I realized that the movie took significant liberties with the novel's plot (something that may be it's own blog post in the near future); not only that, but the message of the story was quite different on film. And honestly, I found–as I often do–that I liked the book better.
Don't get me wrong, the movie does have its charms, but I found the novel to have so much depth and richness that the movie can't help but suffer by comparison. So, let's get on with the review.
One of the things that struck me early on was the author's use of dialogue… or, more specifically, the lack thereof. Conversations are sparing in this story, with Hoffman choosing to let the tale unfold in the setting, the characters' thoughts and actions, and in sensual details. I use the word "sensual" here to indicate descriptions of details that appeal to the senses, such as scent and the quality of light in various scenes. It lends the prose a lyrical quality, as the flow of the narrative isn't constantly broken up with conversations. I found that I was able to really sink into the story in a way that inclusion of dialogue wouldn't facilitate.
To me, one of the most intriguing things about this novel was the way it dealt with magic. I tagged this book as "magical realism" because the author is very careful to walk the line between having out-and-out magic happen and having it only be suggested. For example, Sally's daughter Kylie takes on the emotions of others that she encounters, so she could be an empath… or she could simply be an extremely sensitive person. Granted, there are odd happenings in the town and in the lives of the characters, but I think it's really left to the reader to decide if they think that what's going on is supernatural or not–or at least, how much is supernatural and how much might be explained away by other means. This is in direct contrast to the movie, where magic is used openly by all the characters at one point or another.
My greatest enjoyment in reading this book came from the depth of the characters and their relationships. I felt that this novel had less to do with magic or with family as it does with the legacies of our families, if that makes sense as a distinction. Hoffman shows the similarities and contrasts between the characters over and over again, drawing parallels with earlier women in the Owens family and their experiences with life and love. The author shows how you can be both ensnared by those that came before as well as strengthened by them. You may not always be aware of what you've taken from your family's shared past, but eventually, you'll realize what you've been given and how to incorporate it into your own life. It's a lovely message, not skimping on the fact that not everything you get may be positive, but it's all there for you to deal with–or not–as you choose.
My one complaint about this book is that there's a lot made at the start of the novel about the "curse" on the Owens women, that they'll be unlucky in love (meaning that the men in their lives will die young and violently). After the novel's first section, though, that whole storyline seems to vanish for the majority of the book. It doesn't quite go away completely, but the emphasis it gets at the beginning isn't held up through the rest of the story. I think that a little more to prop up that bit of plotline would have gone a long way towards making the novel a truly cohesive whole. As it is, it certainly doesn't ruin the book to have that bit of plot thread left loose in the weaving, but I would have liked to see how it would have been integrated into the rest of the novel.
And now, having read this, I can go on to the just-released prequel, The Rules of Magic! I would heartily recommend this book for a good Halloween read that isn't scary and isn't going to keep you awake at night, but instead will weave an atmospheric spell that's a perfect complement to our cooling weather and fading daylight hours.
This book was a personal purchase.
After the Golden Age by Carrie Vaughn
October 5, 2017 Kristin Leave a comment
Superheroes have been a part of our culture for decades. Figures such as Superman, Batman and Spider-Man are just as familiar to us as any legendary person out of actual history. And these mighty warriors have gained more fame in recent years as the film industry has updated them for the new millennium. Novels, too, have provided us with heroes to admire, and Carrie Vaughn's newest book joins these ranks. After the Golden Age is a deeply affecting tale of the hero in each of us.
Celia West is an accountant, specializing in the kind of forensic work that helps bring criminals to justice. She lives in a modest apartment and appears to be, for all intents and purposes, normal. But she's the daughter of Warren and Suzanne West, also known as Captain Olympus and Spark, Commerce City's greatest superheroes. This makes Celia a favorite target for someone looking for a prime hostage.
But Celia's efforts to stay out of the limelight are thwarted when her boss assigns her to the Simon Sito case. Sito, the Destructor, has a long and storied history with her family. Forced back into the world of the more-than-human, she is forced to confront—and answer for—secrets about herself that she's long kept buried. And when her investigations turn up even more shocking secrets, she has to question almost everything that she's known about the way her world works.
Before anything else, I have to admit that this novel puts me in mind of Pixar's wonderful animated film The Incredibles, and in a very good way. Just as viewers got to know both Mr. Incredible and Bob Parr, so Vaughn shows readers both sides of all of the superhuman characters. The four main heroes of the Olympiad—Captain Olympus, Spark, Bullet and Dr. Mentis—have known Celia since her childhood, and thus the author is able to use her relationships with them to open a window into their dual natures.
This also gives Vaughn the opportunity to break a few stereotypes along the way: Captain Olympus, far from being a model of patience, has a truly nasty temper; Spark tends to cry when emotional; Bullet seems to be a bit goofy and laid-back; and Dr. Mentis is the most non-judgmental telepath I've ever seen. Far from ruining their "super" image, these flaws humanize them in ways that, again, make me think of The Incredibles. I will admit, Dr. Mentis quickly became my favorite character. Although he rarely gives away what he's thinking, it's that lack of judgment that makes him so easy to like.
Dr. Mentis may be my favorite, but that in no way diminishes my admiration for the author's portrayal of Celia. Watching her struggles throughout the novel actually evoked sadness for me. Without giving too much away, Celia is forced to endure the pain of being judged for something that she did years before, with almost nobody taking into account the person that she had become between that event and the present-day of the story. It's an all too common phenomenon, and Vaughn played it off so well that it's impossible not to feel empathy for Celia. She's a unique and complex "Everyman" character, and her actions remind us that we all have the capacity to be heroes in our own ways.
I was a little surprised at the direction that the plot went, but that's because the dust jacket text made it sound like the uncovering of Celia's secret was the crux of the story. But that reveal happens fairly early on, and the novel begins to delve deeper into events around Celia's current situation. This is hardly a flaw, as the jacket text shouldn't reflect on the story, but it did give me a moment of "Wait a second…" as things were revealed far faster than I was expecting.
But the plot that fills the space is satisfyingly action-packed, if a bit easy to predict in spots. I had suspicions early on as to who the bad guys were, and I was right, although I didn't see the direction that said bad guys would go. And there are enough twists and turns as events play out that the novel doesn't lag.
If the characters put me in mind of The Incredibles, the novel as a whole brings to mind the direction that most superhero stories have taken: watching our traditional heroes faced with an ever skeptical world. This novel eschews the simplicity of former years, where Superman would save the day and be applauded for doing so, and instead embraces the aura of The Dark Knight and the television show Heroes. The admiration is there, but tinged with the sense of entitlement that people are shown to feel towards their idols—"Either you perform to our expectations or we won't support you anymore". It's lightly felt in After the Golden Age, but there are enough hints of it add an air of gentle melancholy to the Olympiad and their growing trials.
While I love Vaughn's Kitty Norville novels, she has written something truly memorable in After the Golden Age. Without sinking to the gritty depths that some other tales have, Vaughn guides us through a realistic story of superheroes and those who are closest to them. Thrilling and affecting by turns, After the Golden Age showcases Vaughn's considerable writing skills and provides readers with a memorable novel that you'll want to read over and over again.
This review was originally posted on May 24, 2011.
Something Strange and Deadly by Susan Dennard
September 28, 2017 Kristin Leave a comment
"Eleanor Fitt has a lot to worry about.
Her brother has gone missing, her family has fallen on hard times, and her mother is determined to marry her off to any rich young man who walks by. But this is nothing compared to what she's just read in the newspaper:
The Dead are rising in Philadelphia.
And then, in a frightening attack, a zombie delivers a letter to Eleanor . . . from her brother.
Whoever is controlling the Dead army has taken her brother as well. If Eleanor is going to find him, she'll have to venture into the lab of the notorious Spirit-Hunters, who protect the city from supernatural forces. But as Eleanor spends more time with the Spirit-Hunters, including the maddeningly stubborn yet handsome Daniel, the situation becomes dire. And now, not only is her reputation on the line, but her very life may hang in the balance."
I was impressed with the character of Eleanor—she's a high society girl thrust into a situation that would try the strength and will of anybody, and yet she doesn't turn into a quivering mass of terror as the world goes to hell around her. The author writes her with great believability, and her reactions are in tune with how I think a sheltered girl would act when confronted with zombies and ghosts. She's balanced between the understandable fear and disgust at what she sees and the courage that allows her to seek out her brother no matter what.
I also liked that, despite the location and time period, the author worked in some people of different ethnicities. I especially liked Jie, the Chinese girl who bucks tradition by dressing in a boy's clothes and who isn't afraid to wade into a fight. And I liked that she wasn't just a token character, but participates heavily in the story's action.
The mystery presented in the novel was well written and had some twists and turns that I didn't expect. Dennard scattered numerous clues throughout the book that all come together in the last part of the story in a climax that has some truly heart-stopping moments. There are confrontations in a cemetery and in a massive exhibition hall. There are explosions and chases and baseball bats wielded in self defense. If you can't find something to like in this book, you're probably reading it with your eyes closed.
This novel is funny and serious by turns, hilarious and hideous in equal measure. Something Strange and Deadly is a wonderful thrill ride through armies of the dead and the perils of choosing the right dress for an afternoon's carriage ride. I'll be looking for the sequel with anticipation.
This review was originally published on July 24, 2012.
This book was borrowed from the Yolo County Public Library, Davis branch.
Passage by Connie Willis
Connie Willis is one of science fiction's most inventive authors. Her novel Doomsday Book won both the Hugo and the Nebula awards, and she has continued to turn out critically acclaimed novels such as Lincoln's Dreams and To Say Nothing of the Dog.
Her latest effort, however, surpasses all expectations. Tackling the controversial topic of near-death experiences, Passage explores the human mind and soul.
Dr. Joanna Lander researches such NDEs, but finds her work hampered. The hospital's biggest sponsor funds her research on the condition that Dr. Maurice Mandrake works there as well. Mandrake writes popular books on the subject, with titles like Messages from the Other Side.
Predictably, associating with him does not enhance Joanna's credibility.
Fortunately, another doctor receives funding to work on the NDE's scientific aspect, and Joanna subsequently teams with this Dr. Wright, hoping to find the experience's physiological basis. They duplicate NDEs with drugs and record the images described by patients.
When a lack of volunteers threatens the study, Joanna goes under herself; she sees not the classic tunnel and light, but something strangely familiar.
Joanna repeats the experiment several times, hoping to recognize where she is during the NDE. Her attempts to make sense of the images lead to an old high school teacher, a little girl waiting for a life-saving heart transplant, and a comatose man. Meanwhile, Dr. Wright draws closer and closer to the source of the NDEs, a cause that he hopes can teach doctors about the dying brain, and how to keep it alive.
And, just when this novel seems to tidily pull all its threads together, Willis springs the book's biggest surprise on the reader, and turns the story into a breakneck race against time.
Novels like this are difficult to describe, because they're so wonderfully complex. One can only hope that someone options Passage for a movie, because this story could give The Sixth Sense a run for its money. Every action and movement fleshes out the story's climax. You can look back and think "Wow, I should have seen this coming!" Willis pulls the wool over our eyes by being so entertaining that all the clues slip right by.
Even so, the characters truly bring this story to life. There's Mr. Wojakowski, a war veteran participating in the NDE study; Vielle, an ER nurse and Joanna's best friend; and most of all Maisie, a brave little girl hiding her fear of dying behind an obsession with disasters. Willis makes us feel something for them–all of them–and for this reason the last 200 pages are an emotional roller coaster.
One last little treat: Willis opens chapters and book sections with quotes ranging from famous peoples' last words to the space shuttle Challenger's final transmission. One section starts with a quote from Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, which perfectly describes the story: "Do you think death could possibly be a boat?"
Passage is this month's best novel, and it provides a great introduction to Willis's considerable storytelling skill.
This review was originally published on May 17, 2001.
Waste of Space by Gina Damico
August 8, 2017 Kristin Leave a comment
"Cram ten hormonal teens into a spaceship and blast off: that's the premise for the ill-conceived reality show Waste of Space. The kids who are cast know everything about drama—and nothing about the fact that the production is fake. Hidden in a desert warehouse, their spaceship replica is equipped with state-of-the-art special effects dreamed up by the scientists partnering with the shady cable network airing the show. And it's a hit! Millions of viewers are transfixed. But then, suddenly, all communication is severed. Trapped and paranoid, the kids must figure out what to do when this reality show loses its grip on reality."
Judging by the chatter online about this book, it seems like you will either love it or hate it. Me, I loved it. I will say this, though: in order to appreciate this book, you need to like the kind of wacky, totally over the top humor that you'd see in a Monty Python sketch. This novel is satire taken, unapologetically, to the extreme, and even if you like the book, you'll probably find yourself shaking your head and saying "Wow" more than once at the sheer audacity of what you're reading.
And Damico pulls no punches in setting up her little reality show. Every aspect of it is spoofed to the max and beyond. I found myself reacting to the book the same way I react to Stephen Colbert laying down a burn on a politician–with an "Oooooh!" of amusement and appreciation. The one that really stuck in my mind was when the head of the cable channel sponsoring this show describes the "four golden tickets" of casting: disabled, gay, minority, and orphan. The callousness with which the show plans to exploit these kids is stunning (although I admit that it was funny that the "disabled" kid was picked because he'd lost the tip of one finger), but at the same time, you get a kind of savage amusement at how blatantly the practices of reality shows are called out. I also loved how the show had to start creating drama when throwing ten teenagers together into a small area didn't produce enough drama on its own. The fact that we get to see the thought processes that go on behind the scenes are (one hopes) greatly exaggerated, but they're still indicative of what we all suspect or know about reality TV–just how unreal it is.
I think one of the allures of this book–and of reality TV in general–is that there is an air of unpredictability. You may be able to script interactions, but you can't completely control how the people involved will react. That's what gets people to tune in to Survivor and Big Brother year after year: we want to see a train wreck in progress. And that's what this novel lampoons all through its first half. Then, suddenly, the novel takes a hard right and becomes something completely different while still retaining the framework that it started with. It's brilliant, because the author is using the exact same techniques that reality shows do in order to hold your interest. She also uses the aforementioned framework to ensnare you: the entire book is told by someone purporting to be leaking behind the scenes secrets from the show that were never seen on the air. So, you can add in the air of titillation at finding out something previously unknown to the the mix.
There were a couple of things that I wish the book had done better. Most notable for me was that the book didn't quite succeed in trying to show the real people behind the scripted stereotypes. A few of the characters are successfully shown for who they are outside of the show, but I don't think it went as far as it could have (and maybe should have). Also, I had some lingering questions about events during the story that weren't answered, and although I know that they weren't meant to be answered, it still left me with a minor feeling of being left hanging.
All things considered, though, I think that this novel has enough to offer to more than overcome those small complaints. An engaging format, a unique setting, and a plot that's dialed up to eleven make this one of the most entertaining books so far this year, and definitely one of the most interesting.
Authors Behaving badly: Baycon edition
Fuzzy Nation by John Scalzi
In a Sunburned Country by Bill Bryson
Just for fun: A Girl Who Reads
Literary Lines–October 18


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What Are the Requirements for a Section 8 Application?
Section 8 housing is run by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, but application requirements are set by local public housing authorities and vary from state to state, as reported by HUD. In general, app... More »
What Are the Requirements to Quality for Section 8 Housing?
Acceptance to the Section 8 program is based on the annual income of a family; in order for a family to qualify, its income cannot exceed 50 percent of the median income of the county in which it resides. The annual inco... More »
www.reference.com › Government & Politics › Social Services
What Are the Eligibility Requirements for Renting Section 8 Housing?
As of 2015, the elderly, disabled and families are eligible for section 8 housing if their income is not more than 50 percent of the median income of the city or county where they live, reports the U.S. Department of Hou... More »
www.reference.com › Business & Finance › Household Budgets
Section 8 Requirements
Section 8 Housing Requirements
Section 8 Requirements Pa
Apply Section 8
Section 8 Application Requirements
Landlord Section 8 Requirements
Tenant Requirements Section 8 Housing
Section 8 Application
Section 8 Homes
How Do You Rent a HUD Home?
The Department of Housing and Urban Development's rental assistance subsidies are operated by local public housing authorities, and the application process differs between locations, according to HUD. HUD.gov links users... More »
How Do You Find Out Where the Section 8 Rental Vouchers Are Accepted?
The local public housing agency can help someone with a Section 8 voucher find housing that accepts these vouchers, as the Department of Housing and Urban Development explains. Public housing agencies, which are funded b... More »
How Do You Find Section 8 Condos for Rent?
Participants in the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program can use any housing search method to find any condo, apartment or single family home whose landlord agrees to participate in the program, as the U.S. Departmen... More »
Can You Rent Townhomes With Section 8 Vouchers?
Participants in the Section 8 voucher program can choose any type of housing they wish as long as it meets program requirements, explains the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Voucher recipients are respo... More »

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Space Application Matrix
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UN-SPIDER Events Archive
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About UNOOSA
Submitted by Mateja Poposki on Tue, 04/02/2014 - 12:13
A name for seasonal winds, first applied to the winds over the Arabian Sea that blow for six months from the northeast and for six months from the southwest. The term has been extended to similar winds in other parts of the world (i.e., the prevailing west to northwest winds of summer in Europe have been called the European monsoon). The primary cause for these seasonal winds is the much greater annual variation of temperature over large land areas compared with neighboring ocean surfaces, causing an excess of pressure over the continents in winter and a deficit in summer, but other factors, such as topography of the land, also have an effect. The monsoons are strongest in the southern and eastern sides of Asia, but also occur along the coasts of tropical regions wherever the planetary circulation is not strong enough to inhibit them. The monsoon climate can be described as a long winter-spring dry season, which includes a cold season followed by a short hot season just preceding the rains; a summer and early autumn rainy season, which is generally very wet but may vary greatly from year to year; and a secondary warming immediately after the rainy season. Source: NASA (http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Glossary)
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Our radio dispatched front discharge trucks offer high quality concrete for your residential, commercial, or industrial project. Our drivers are always courteous and willing to provide you with great service.
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Home Saving MoneyChristmas	Chrisco Hampers: Are They Good Value?
To be honest, I have always wondered whether it is worth purchasing a Chrisco hamper. Every year around Christmas time when the glossy Chrisco TV adverts appear, I wonder whether it would work for me and my family. You see, there are many parts of the Chrisco concept that really appeal to me. The simplicity of choosing your hamper at the start of the year, then making automated payments weekly/fornightly or monthly and then 'ta da' a bunch of branded food products arrive at your door just in time for Christmas. It does sound like it takes some of the hassle out of Christmas. Yet, I have never done it. So this year, I decided to do the math and figure out whether the value really stacks up. This is how I went about it and what I found out.
I went on to the Chrisco site and I chose the "Traditional Christmas" hamper (click here to check it out). It includes a range of sweets, a ham, a couple of chickens, ice cream, frozen veges, loads of sauces and of course the all important Tim Tams! It might be a little bit big for my small family of 3 but my mother and sister join us for Christmas day and then the relos from New Zealand pop across on boxing day so I think it is the type of hamper that would get us through the Christmas/New Year period relatively well fed :-). Now Chrisco say that the total value of the hamper is $426.40 or $8.89 per week.
It was really easy to check the value of the hamper, I just went to the Woolworths internet shopping site (which could have just as easily been the Coles site), typed in each product and found the Woolworths price. If I could not find an exact match for the product I chose another brand with the same size or for some things I found the same brand but a different size (these are all annotated in my spreadsheet, us finance geeks love a good spreadsheet :-)).
To my surprise, the hamper valued at $426.40 according to Chrisco was only worth $306 according to Woolworths!!!! Which means I save $120.40 by buying the same goods direct from Woolworths!!! A whopping 28% difference!!!! I thought there might be some difference, but I had no idea that the difference would be that big. On their website Chrisco admit that they "do charge a little more than some supermarkets because of all the extra costs", including the costs of collecting payments, special packaging and distribution. But to me 29% is a whole lot more than "a little more". So, I am sorry Chrisco, in 2014 you will not be getting any of my hard earned cash, as the value of your hampers simply does not stack up.
Note: If you would like to check out my calculations please click here. Interestingly, my blogging buddy Elise from Mummy Hearts Money looked at her Chrisco order in 2012 and came to a similar conclusion. Click here to see her post.
I agree Katie, my calculations were without even shopping around. I suspect you could do even better on the pricing by shopping around.
They have to account for fuel for deliveries etc. They have to make money, its not a free service.
We looked at Chrisco hampers but it is better to set up a high interest savings account and have the money automatically debited from your regular account. (I use Ubank, but there are others). Your money is now working for you even if it is only making a few dollars a month. Also these accounts are fee free. Another advantage is that you can access the money overnight if you have an emergency. A sizeable chunk of mine just went on vets bills. Furthermore, if you are planning on buying an expensive item as a gift, saving the money you self allows you to shop around for the best deal. Ubank was my best financial discovery!
Hi Ellen, yes I agree it is a bit of a disgrace quite frankly!
Hi Lynda, glad you liked it.
agreed with Ellen. the people they are marketing to cannot afford that.
Hi Bel, yes I agree, to me the mark up seems completely unfair and excessive.
Thanks Bec! I absolutely agree, I think in some circumstances Chrisco is a great solution for people, but at least they should be informed as to how much extra they are paying.
I was so happy to read this post!! I have been getting Chrisco for the past three years VERY GENEROUSLY paid for by my Mum to help us out at Christmas time.
I am posting on my blog next week because my 2013 Chrisco hamper arrives on Monday! Will share on fb when it is up so you can check it out.
Great Sheridan, please let me know. I would love to read your post and hear of your experiences.
Hi Maxabella, yes I understand how you feel. I would rather buy exactly what I want, otherwise I find I end up with a stack of products that sit at the back of the cupboard and never get used. A waste of money and space!
Hi Leanne, so glad you like my site. I agree that doing it yourself using direct debit into a separate account throughout the year does seem like a better solution.
Hi Seana, yes I am appalled too! I thought it would be a bit more expensive but not that much!!! Especially given they are buying everything in bulk at wholesale prices, I thought their prices would be much closer to the supermarkets. They must be making a fortune!!
I have been a Chrisco recipient for many years however have cancelled for next year as my circumstances have change. I have always known the you pay for convenience, and that is what Chrisco provides.
I had cancelled before reading your article, and the reason is that it is not providing Christmas. In the hamper I received yesterday, there is no Xmas cake, Xmas pudding, mince tarts or shortbread. We received 2 apple pies (instead of sticky date pudding), no liquid gravy, stuffing mix, cranberry sauce or cocktail onions. Cancelled from me, and I hope others follow.
I can see the value in paying it off every week but I have always thought they seem expensive. I fill a whole trolley load to overflowing for $300 a few days before Christmas…and I get exactly what I want 🙂 Thanks for a great post!
Hi! Yes I would prefer to get what I want too, otherwise you end up with bits and pieces hiding down the back of the cupboard going out of date!
I looked at the Crisco hampers once and was really suprised how expensive they were. You could buy a $10 gift voucher everytime you shop through the year and have it on hand for Christmas. Also I start Christmas food shopping in Novemeber when things like soft drink and crackers are on special and squirrel them away for Christmas.
Great idea Eleise, I didn't realise so many sales were on in Novemember.
Holy cow! I have been the same as you thinking it looks good each year but thinking about actually taking the step this year. I don't mind paying a premium for convenience, but I don't think the convenience is worth quite that much when you are in the shops doing your groceries each week anyway.
Hi Becc, I absolutely agree!
Holy crap thats a huge difference! I have never bought hampers because I can tell just by looking at them that they are usually well overpriced. People would save so much money if they just made a list of what they wanted at the beginning of the year and then either bought one item a week or just bought them when they were on special. You just have to be restrained enough to put it away somewhere and not eat it.
Buying one item per week Toni is such as great idea! Though I agree it would be hard to put it aside and not use it or eat it!
I buy a gift card every couple of weeks and save them up for the big end of year shop. I once was reading a chrisco catalogue and saw the prices and was in shock.
Hi Ann, I love the gift card idea! So much better than buying a hamper!
They've always seemed like a rip-off to me. But 29%? And I presume that not every item was on sale either – if you timed your purchases for non-perishables right, you could go even cheaper at the supermarkets! RIDICULOUS, CHRISCO!
Thanks Emily – yes I think you could do way better than my numbers if you used the sales at the major retailers.
The only benefit I can think of with a hamper like this, is not having to set foot inside a grocery store during the craziness of just before Christmas. Interesting to see it after it's been costed out because I've always wondered too.
Yes Janet – that is the only bit about Chrisco that appeals to me. I guess now you can just internet shop instead and get the same convenience without the extra hamper cost.
I too have often wondered if the hampers were good value, so I'm glad you've done the hard work for me.
Think I'll keep doing my Christmas shopping at Aldi and Woolworths.
Yes I agree that is a much better idea Wendy.
Not a problem! I am glad you found it useful.
We did Chrisco years ago too and like Nikki, it was a bit of a novelty getting all the goodies delivered, but even then I knew I was getting taken for a ride. These days we do the gift card each week thing.
Hi Emma – I think the gift card idea is such a good one!
Oh wow! I had thought of it a few years ago but then figured if you keep any eye out for sales in the weeks leading up to Christmas, you can usually do ok anyway. Glad I've never gone that way for Christmas now!
Yes Jess – I think your strategy is the right one for sure!
I worked at chrisco many years ago in the call centre. They know they are ripping people off but it is pushed for those less fortunate. Like on pensions which is sad. Often thought his was the only way some could afford Xmas. I just wish they would have had the discipline to put money aside each fortnight instead and save a whole bunch of money.
Thanks Hulya for stopping by and sharing your story.
It's always good to get people thinking about this sort of thing. But to play devil's advocate, they are probably trying to make money like everyone else, and if people are happy to pay for the experience, then a company might as well take advantage of it! But it is important to be informed of all your options.
My family has been with Chrisco for quite some time and orders with them every now and then. Of course it's going to be more expensive at the end of the day but if you think about how much time and effort (including petrol), it can be worth it. If you set up a high interest savings account you still have access to it during the year.
Everything is shown quite clearly what you receive in each hamper and there are no hidden costs. I find it much easier having a direct debit of a few dollars per week than having to go out, spend time and petrol looking for parking, walking up and down aisles and waiting in long lines behind other Christmas shoppers with a whole trolley full of things for Christmas. I noticed a previous comment about someone cancelling because there was no Christmas cakes or puddings in last year's hampers and had a look in the catalogue, and at no time did it say there were those items in the hampers. I noticed they have them in this year's catalogues though so I'm guessing it must have been an issue (for those who don't double check what they are actually ordering) lol..
You have to realise you are paying for the convenience, you place order, give details, sit back and relax. All of a sudden in November/early December, all of your order arrives and guess what? No shopping for next 6 weeks/ 3 months depending on what you ordered. I gladly pay that little extra. in the long run I believe I save more from getting presents and household items through chrisco than in store, no retailer I know will allow me to layby a shed, or pool table or motorbike for my kids for a whole year. Yes you pay more but I believe depending on what you buy, it is worth it.
I knew it cost a bit more, but for me it was the convenience, I have 5 kids and hate shopping at the best of times!
but yesterday i went to do an online shop with woolworths and they now have a "delivery saver" pass where you can purchase a 3, 6 or 12 month delivery pass for $40 for 3 months, $60 for 6 and $80 for 12 months. unlimited "free" delivery as long as you spend minimum $100. so for me, this would be better than chrisco! it would also make a great gift idea (hint hint mum!).
think i will have to find myself a high interest savings account!
I did get chriso it seemed like a good idea at the time as we were both working full-time. I admit I didn't look into cost it was just a lot of things I didn.t have to worry about. The disapoining thing is we believe that they must get the items below cost as the use by date for all the perishables was Jan Feb and some March of the following year. Which meant we ended up thowing out a lot. who uses a box of custard powder in a month.
I do agree that the bank account sounds good but generally you need quite a sum of money to open one, which I don't have.
1. Unless you cancel your order you can't get at your money for an emergency. This is good for those of us who always seem to have an emergency.
2. One of the contributors above said she could save $120 by doing the shopping herself. That's ok for some people but not a lot I think. I hate grocery shopping especially around Christmas and because I live 45mins from a supermarket, I love what Chris on offers.
3. This contributor also found the cost at a supermarket of the pack would be $300 approx. Many of us don't have $300 at that time of year to outlay at one time. So thank you for your concern about those who can least afford it, we are doing fine paying off our Chrisco at an amount we can afford each week or fortnight and enjoying the total excitement of tearing open our boxes on Chrisco day.
Chrisco may not be for everyone but I know it is for me and many people I know. We know it's more expensive, we are not stupid, we just like to lay by our Christmas. So please stop giving these kind of companies a hard time.
True the food is a bit more expensive, but they deliver it to your door, they travel at great distances for most to get the food to the customer and trucks, cars or vans don't run on air. They have employees to pay as well and packaging to buy to be able to do all this, I have been a member since it started up, yes the price has gone up some but so has the cost of gas. I'm on O.D.S.P aka Disability so I know it can be hard for a lot of people out there. The hampers I get, and I generally just get the snack hampers is about a 70 to 80 dollar difference, but I'm willing to pay the extra cash for gas, I'd be spending gas money if I was shopping as I go store to store for the best deals.
I love Chrisco because you can't get the money out or use a gift card. Things have gone up so much since this article was written and and makes things so much easier and we can afford Christmas with Chrisco.


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The Library of Congress > Blogs > Teachers > Explore the Archive of Recorded Poetry and Literature for National Poetry Month
Explore the Archive of Recorded Poetry and Literature for National Poetry Month
April 12, 2016 by Cheryl Lederle
T.S. Eliot thought April was the cruelest month. William Carlos Williams thought it was the saddest. Longfellow and Ogden Nash said they loved it, and Emily Dickinson was ambivalent, so far as I can tell.
There's at least one thing about April that they might all appreciate, though: It's National Poetry Month, an opportunity for teachers, librarians, and readers everywhere to celebrate poetry and its vital role in U.S. culture."
— Stephen Wesson, Primary Sources and Poetry
Home page, Archive of Recorded Poetry and Literature
National Poetry month, a month to celebrate poetry, is a perfect time to explore the Archive of Recorded Poetry and Literature. Some of the readings focus closely on the poems; others include musings on the selections and what inspired them. Some of the recordings are of a single poet, and others are panels or conversations between two or more poets. Hearing a poem in the poet's voice brings it to life in unexpected ways, and the range of poets offers something for all lovers of poetry. Here are a few that I enjoyed.
Gwendolyn Brooks Reading from Her Poetry
The former poet laureate ruminates on poetry and how her poems reflect her life experiences; sometimes her reflections are hard to distinguish from the poems. For example:
At 13:00, Brooks talks about her marriage, introducing a poem (14.47-17.20);
At 20:15, she introduces "We Real Cool" (21:08-21:35) and comments briefly about it being banned;
At 35:48, she muses on Martin Luther King, Jr. and her inspiration for "Riot" (37:44-40:07).
Brooks' longer poem, "The Lovers of the Poor Arrive" (24:10-32:40) offers opportunities to discern her opinion of the ladies from the Ladies Betterment League from her word choices. Careful listening may also help students to understand the social commentary implicit in the poem.
An Evening of Chicano Poetry
Lorna Dee Cervantes, Sandra Cisneros, Alberto Ríos, and Luis Omar Salinas, four American poets of Mexican descent, read from their works. Some poems that caught my ear include:
Cervantes' "Beneath the Shadow of the Freeway" (4:41-9.30) and "Astronomia" (10:34- 12.30) from her Women in Science series;
Cisneros reading "Velorio" (22:10- 23:48), "A woman cutting celery…" (25:41-27:22), and "My Name" from The House on Mango Street (30:23-33:40).
Robert Hass reading his poems and his translations of poems
Beginning at 11:53, Hass reads his translations of Japanese haiku. These concentrated poems lend themselves to close listening, and Haas makes that easier by frequently repeating a reading before he reflects on it. Students might select a few, listen, and reflect on the poems. They might consider what surprises them or what the poems have in common, for example. They might even try writing their own poems.
Hass also reads his own work, including:
"Meditation at Lagunitas" from Praise (20:14-22.30)
"The Beginning of September" (23:30-29.25), which he introduces (22:50) as being prompted by a comment he overheard. Students might listen for a fragment overheard in the cafeteria or hallway, or on the bus, to spark their own poem.
If you find time to browse the archive, perhaps to immerse and lose yourself for a few minutes, please share your discoveries in the comments.
Posted in: Poetry and Literature
Asian American Heritage
Contemporary United States (1945-present)
Culture and Folklife
Development of the Industrial United States (1877-1914)
Exploration, Colonization and Settlement (1492-1763)
Government and Law
Hispanic American Heritage
Industrial United States, World Wars and the Great Depression (1914-1945)
Interviews with Experts
National Expansion and Reform (1816-1861)
Primary Source Highlights
Revolution and the New Nation (1764-1815)
Science Technology and Math
Veterans and Military History
Find Teacher Resources
Library of Congress Teachers page


text:
The Mission Of FC Prime is to harness the power of soccer to positively impact the lives of young athletes, and the community as a whole. FC Prime was created with the intent to drive young people toward success through sport. We see this come to fruition both on the field & in the classroom. Prime athletes can be described as refusing to accept mediocrity in their life. This culture is driven into every aspect of the club, and is carried on through our alumni who have gone on to be successful student athletes at the collegiate level.
© FC Prime. All rights reserved.


text:
using Google.Api.Ads.AdManager.Lib;
using Google.Api.Ads.AdManager.v202211;
using Google.Api.Ads.AdManager.Util.v202211;

using System;

namespace Google.Api.Ads.AdManager.Examples.CSharp.v202211
{
    /// <summary>
    /// This code example updates contact addresses. To determine which contacts
    /// exist, run GetAllContacts.cs.
    /// </summary>
    public class UpdateContacts : SampleBase
    {
        /// <summary>
        /// Returns a description about the code example.
        /// </summary>
        public override string Description
        {
            get
            {
                return "This code example updates contact comments. To determine which contacts " +
                    "exist, run GetAllContacts.cs.";
            }
        }

        /// <summary>
        /// Main method, to run this code example as a standalone application.
        /// </summary>
        public static void Main()
        {
            UpdateContacts codeExample = new UpdateContacts();
            Console.WriteLine(codeExample.Description);
            codeExample.Run(new AdManagerUser());
        }

        /// <summary>
        /// Run the code example.
        /// </summary>
        public void Run(AdManagerUser user)
        {
            using (ContactService contactService = user.GetService<ContactService>())
            {
                // Set the ID of the contact to update.
                long contactId = long.Parse(_T("INSERT_CONTACT_ID_HERE"));

                try
                {
                    StatementBuilder statementBuilder = new StatementBuilder()
                        .Where("id = :id")
                        .OrderBy("id ASC")
                        .Limit(1)
                        .AddValue("id", contactId);

                    // Get the contact.
                    ContactPage page =
                        contactService.getContactsByStatement(statementBuilder.ToStatement());
                    Contact contact = page.results[0];

                    // Update the address of the contact.
                    contact.address = "123 New Street, New York, NY, 10011";

                    // Update the contact on the server.
                    Contact[] contacts = contactService.updateContacts(new Contact[]
                    {
                        contact
                    });

                    // Display results.
                    foreach (Contact updatedContact in contacts)
                    {
                        Console.WriteLine(
                            "Contact with ID \"{0}\", name \"{1}\", and comment \"{2}\" was " +
                            "updated.", updatedContact.id, updatedContact.name,
                            updatedContact.comment);
                    }
                }
                catch (Exception e)
                {
                    Console.WriteLine("Failed to update contacts. Exception says \"{0}\"",
                        e.Message);
                }
            }
        }
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Ентоні Даніель Контрерас Енрікес (,  29 січня 2000, Сан-Хосе) — костариканський футболіст, нападник клубу «Гуанакастека» м національної збірної Коста-Рики.

Клубна кар'єра
Народився 29 січня 2000 року в місті Сан-Хосе. Вихованець футбольної школи клубу «Ередіано». Дорослу футбольну кар'єру розпочав 2017 року в основній команді того ж клубу, в якій провів два сезони, взявши участь у 2 матчах чемпіонату.

Згодом з 2019 по 2020 рік грав у складі команд «Універсидад де Коста-Рика» та «Мунісіпаль Гресія».

Своєю грою за останню команду привернув увагу представників тренерського штабу клубу «Гуадалупе», до складу якого приєднався 2020 року. Відіграв за Відіграв за наступні жодного сезонів своєї ігрової кар'єри. У складі У складі був одним з головних бомбардирів команди, маючи середню результативність на рівні 0,5 гола за гру першості.

Протягом 2021 року знову захищав кольори клубу «Ередіано».

До складу клубу «Гуанакастека» приєднався 2021 року за орендною умовою. Станом на 17 червня 2022 року відіграв за них 43 матчі в національному чемпіонаті.

Повернувшись з оренди в січні 2021 року, став постійним гравцем «Ередіано» та провів 26 матчів у чемпіонаті з січня по червень 2021 року. Однак 21 червня 2021 року знову був відданий в оренду «Гуанакастеці» до кінця 2021 року.

Виступи за збірні
2019 року дебютував у складі юнацької збірної Коста-Рики (U-15), загалом на юнацькому рівні взяв участь у 1 грі.

Дебютував у складі національної збірної Коста-Рики 12 листопада 2021 року у відбірковому матчі Чемпіонату світу проти збірної Канади (поразка 0-1), де замінив Рікардо Бланко та взяв участь участь в останні п'ятнадцять хвилин гри.

У складі збірної був учасником чемпіонату світу 2022 року у Катарі.

Статистика виступів

Клубна статистика
Оновлено на 19 травня 2022 року

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Уродженці Сан-Хосе (Коста-Рика)

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The POS 274 is an 8"W mobile tablet respectively designed to withstand a 1.2m drop and provide protection from any liquid splash. As the mobility trend gears into the retail, hospitality, government and field service & operation industries, the POS 274 features an aesthetic design with a variety of modularized peripherals such as MSR, 2D Scanner, mPOS jacket and holder. Full Connectivity with WiFi/BT and long-life battery design are ideal attributes for users to be always on the move.


Our pretty pink flower bouquet has been designed as a unique way to raise funds for the McGrath Foundation during Breast Cancer Awareness Month this October. Flowers for Everyone are donating 15% of the sale of this gorgeous, perfumed pink bouquet during October, with proceeds going towards placing McGrath Breast Care Nurses in communities across Australia. By sending these flowers, you are not only making someone`s day, but supporting a worthy cause at the same time!
Wrapped in pink, this flower bouquet features fragrant and frilly pink stock, pink roses, pink native Geraldton wax flower, pink gerbera daisies and pink alstroemeria lilies.
*PLEASE NOTE: This bouquet is available for delivery in most major Australian cities. Flowers may need to be substituted with like blooms in certain cities due to seasonal/market availability.
2016-10-13 Great service. Flowers arrived on time and looked beautiful!


O Château Cash & Carry (3C) é uma imensa loja de vinhos em Saint Denis (a 1000 metros do Stade de France – aquele onde o Brasil, infelizmente, perdeu a final da Copa do Mundo de 98), nos arredores de Paris.
This online activity allows students to go through the step-by-step process on how to write a speech and deliver it. As a culminating experience, students can speech writing services Most great Wedding Speeches have been written for the person speaking? Wedding Speech Must Have Resources If You Decide To Write Your Own Speech!


Formulate a security plan from the ground up. Begin with the structure of your organization, and consider which employees need access to which components of your data. Don't grant complete access to everyone unless you need to, as the more widespread your logins and passwords are, the easier they it is for potential intruders to gain access to them.
Have one device dedicated to one area of your company. For example, keep all financial data on one computer that is not to be used for any other purpose. This will minimize any security threats that arise from general web browsing, spam emails, and the like.
Assess the hardware your employees will be using.
Consider passwords your first line of defense.
When it comes to passwords, make sure they are difficult, even if it means additional problems for your employees from to time. Use varied cases, symbols, and avoid incorporating personal information (for example, don't make your pet's name your password). And the more characters, the better. Furthermore, change that password every 90 days and never reuse old ones. Keep track of passwords in one central, secure place, and don't let any websites remember them. When communicating password information within your startup, do not do so over email or text message.
Use programs available on your device that will encrypt your data for you. Such programs are not fail-proof however, and additional steps should be taken in conjunction. One important step is to have your device log you out after a certain length of idleness, which will allow the encryption to complete itself for the previous session.
Vet your third party vendors thoroughly.
Do your research and shop around when seeking a third party platform. Common third party vendors include Constituent Relationship Manager (CRM) systems and/or payment processors. Find out about their security and any breaches they may have suffered in the past.
Don't forget about the paper trail.
Private data that exists on printed documents will need to have a procedure, too. Documents that you do not need to keep should be shredded and disposed of in the trash on trash pick up day. Documents that need to be saved should be stored in a proper locked facility. If the documents are archives, move them to another location, such as a secure storage facility.
Read up on massive data breaches of the past, and find out where their vulnerabilities were. While it may seem that there was little to do to completely stop these breaches before it happened, there were certainly ways to minimize the damage. Be sure to learn from those cases and implement additional changes to your startup to further protect it from data breach.
In the event that your data is compromised, have a course of action already in the works. It is important to notify your clients immediately, especially if their payment information is part of the breach. This notification will also do wonders to maintain the trust and reputation you've spent so much time building. You may also want to contact a lawyer, depending on the nature of the breach. Cyber and/or hardware insurance is another great option to reduce the liability to your company.
Whether your startup is storing sensitive data or not, it is always best practice to have a security plan in place. If you plan to grow your startup, think a few steps ahead and determine additional layers of security that will need to be established. Vigilance can save you a substantial amount of grief should you experience the worst—but of course, let's hope you never need your Plan B!
Keira Walter is a blogger and internet security expert, currently supporting eFax. Keira believes in the importance of securing one's private and corporate data online and often shares her knowledge about it through blogging.


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You are here: Home / Latest News / Strangled by traffic in Yangon
Strangled by traffic in Yangon
April 22, 2014 by thiha
Yangon, Myanmar – Three years ago, tens of thousands of vehicles flooded into Myanmar's largest city after international economic sanctions on the country were eased.
Now, Yangon's asphalt arteries are gridlocked. What was once a 15-minute commute from the downtown area to Yangon International Airport – just 16 kilometres away – can now take as long as 90 minutes during peak traffic. In 2007, there were about 180,000 vehicles on the city's streets, but that number has now nearly doubled, according to the Yangon City Development Committee (YCDC).
On the five main roads running east to west in downtown Yangon, pedestrians often move faster than motor vehicles. A city-wide ban on bicycles and motorbikes is forcing many to walk through congested roads – weaving between cars in makeshift parking spaces that are replacing Yangon's once wide and plentiful sidewalks.
As a result, the region saw 506 traffic-related fatalities in nearly 3,000 vehicle collisions last year, police officials told local media organisation Mizzima. This was a 6.5 percent increase in fatalities since 2012, which saw 475 road deaths from around 2,100 collisions.
A grim prognosis
With the city's population of five million expected to continue growing and little being done to develop road infrastructure, experts warn that traffic accidents will likely become even more frequent.
"Vehicle growth and use is changing very rapidly and, with this congestion, pollution and road safety are becoming worse very rapidly," said James Leather, the Asian Development Bank's principal transport specialist. "Action must be taken to support sustainable urban transport at the earliest opportunity."
Without a sustainable plan, Leather said, Yangon may begin to take an unhealthy piecemeal approach to transportation infrastructure that prioritises vehicles over pedestrians – which would only worsen the situation.
"Some parts of Asia are now trying to reverse decades of investment into roads for private vehicles, and instead invest in public transport and public spaces," he said. "Yangon should leapfrog these lost decades and strive for a transport system that serves the people, not the car."
Since economic sanctions were lifted, Myanmar has become one of the fastest-growing countries in southeast Asia, with the Asian Development Bank predicting growth in the country's economy by 7.8 percent in each of the next two years.
With Yangon now home to more than half of the country's total workforce, the city has become home to countless new development and infrastructure projects.
"Given the [limited] availability of space and location for developments, it is possible that nobody has paid any attention to the traffic issues," said Richard Emerson, the Myanmar country manager for international realty firm Savills. "There seems to be an understanding that it is an issue, and those involved are willing to wait on it for the near future."
Emerson said that, while modernising the cityscape may not immediately affect development projects, authorities will at some point have to consider imposing stricter regulations, such as requiring that new projects have parking spaces allotted.
In April 2013, the YCDC and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) unveiled a plan to deal with the traffic problem. "A Strategic Urban Development Plan of Greater Yangon" advises the construction of more efficient public transportation options, upgrading traffic navigation systems and decentralising the heavily populated downtown business district.
The report also noted that Yangon suffered from an "extremely high" rate of traffic accidents, with pedestrians especially at risk.
According to a YCDC transportation official, who asked not to be named because they were not authorised to speak to the media, the city's ability to develop the necessary infrastructure has been limited by budgetary restraints as well as a lack of interconnectivity between municipal departments. "We have tried to implement change, but we do not yet have the technology to do so, while the budget is another problem," the official said.
More people, more cars
There has been no indication when or if the plan will be implemented. Meanwhile, Yangon's population continues to grow by 2.6 percent a year. The city's population is expected to nearly double to 10 million by 2030.
At the same time, more and more vehicles clog the roads. According to the Myanma Port Authority, more than 230,000 vehicles entered the country's ports between 2011 and the end of 2013, while other government data suggest that 66 percent of the country's vehicles are driven in Yangon.
"Now is the time to say something about offsetting any future growth [in vehicle numbers]," said Megan Quirk, an urban planning fellow at the Yangon Heritage Trust. "There are only limited ways to get in and out of the city and the city is put under a lot of pressure."
Quirk said one of the major problems that has arisen in recent years was the conversion of many of the city's pavements into parking spaces. "I personally find it heartbreaking," she said. "The overall space in Yangon has been given up to cars and not pedestrians – and I think that's regrettable."
In addition to the high number of cars on the road, Quirk said the problem had been worsened by Yangon's roughly 30,000 taxis. "That's more than double [the number of taxis] in New York."
Source: ALJAZEERA
Filed Under: Latest News Tagged With: Asian Development Bank, James Leather, Japan International Cooperation Agency, JICA, Megan Quirk, Myanmar Port Authority, Richard Emerson, Yangon City Development Committee, YCDC


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Perpaduan
New Malaysia Herald
Home Politics Social Contract : The Covenant That Gave Birth To Our Constitution
Social Contract : The Covenant That Gave Birth To Our Constitution
nmheditor1
Yukiepedia is the anti thesis of "Wikipedia". When Wiki lies, Yuki edits. (wiki here refers to general social media where fake news is shared.. Yuki refers to this column which rectifies wiki aka social media lies)
By Yuktes Vijay
In his speech at the Asia Media Summit in April 2005, then Prime Minister, Abdullah Badawi (Pak Lah) cited Malaysia as a successful example where diversity has prevailed and attributed our 50 odd years of peace and stability to our social contract. When the Pakatan Government refused to ratify the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD) unanimously in 2018, it also noted that they will defend the Federal Constitution which enshrines the aforementioned social contract.
Even former AG Tommy Thomas echoed Pak Lah when he stressed that the Federal Constitution is essentially a 'social contract' between the three main communities in Malaysia in his Malaysian Law Conference Organising Committee 2007 address.
What is a social contract? THERE is no way that one can ascertain if the aspirations articulated at a country's birth have come to fruition unless one knows what those aspirations were.
Emerging today is a view that the social contract is a process of sustaining an equilibrium between the expectations and obligations of the institutions in power and those of the rest of society. In simple English, it means citizens are required to be loyal to the state and obey its laws while the state in turn protects its citizens and undertakes to perform all its obligations and duties with a sense of trust.
In Malaysia, it must be pointed out that in political philosophy, the term "social contract" has a different meaning than assigned to it in popular jargon in Malaysia.
Citizens and politicians of all hues must, therefore, seek knowledge of the solemn pact and the manner of its formulation.
The British would not have relinquished empire and occupation on 31 August 1957 if the three major races had not reached an accommodation on power sharing. Thus, the only issue was how the Chinese and Indians were to be accommodated in the new nation. Domicile and citizenship were the solutions put forward.
Even the most chauvinistic Malay leader did not, between 1945 and 1957, publicly ask for the wholesale repatriation of Chinese and Indian immigrants from Malaya. Neither was there any call from any jingoistic Indian or Chinese leaders at the material time that they were descendants of Chozhas or Malaya's biggest tax payers.
From the Malay perspective, Malayan citizenship required undivided loyalty to the new state, and dual citizenship was vigorously opposed. Having regard to the MCP, the Kou Min Tang and Mao Tse Tung's take-over of Communist China in 1949, and Subra Chandra Bose, Gandhi and Nehru's struggle for Indian Independence, Malays' concern that the true loyalty of Chinese and Indians were to their "mother countries" and not to Malaya was understandable.
From the non-Malay perspective, citizenship had to be on the most liberal terms, and the doctrine of "jus soli" was the rallying cry.
This was the scenario 'today's Malaysia'-'yesterday's Malaya' was facing in the process of 'bargaining' for Malayan independence in 1957. This was the basis on which the Reid commission report done between June 1956 and February 1957 was based on. As we had probably written during SPM for the Sejarah paper, the aforementioned Reid commission report was the very essence that created our constitution back in the day.
Basically, in simple terms, the Indians and Chinese here today are citizens of Malaysia because we agreed to certains terms as stipulated in Reid's commission report in return for citizenships. You see, contrary to what the 'Bangsar cluster' has the rest of 'educated' Malaysians believing, the Chinese and Indians in Malaysia today have a blue IC and a 'warganegara' status because the Malay rulers and the Malays here agreed to it. Not because someone contributed towards the economy. Not because another was a descendent of the disposed Chozhas.
During the British rule, hundreds of thousands of Chinese people – most of whom were from the Fujian and Guangdong provinces in the south east coast of Mainland China – came to Malaya in the hopes of escaping a life of poverty from a famined China. The Chinese, along with Indian immigrants, filled labour shortages in tin mines, rubber plantations, and railway construction.
For those who don't know Malaya, there was a rapid development in the Malayan tin industry in the mid-19th century because of the discovery of rich tin fields in Perak and Selangor. At that juncture, the other was a high demand for tin because of the development of tin canning around the world. Those two factors were the reason why, by the end of the 19th Century, Malaya was already the world's largest tin producer with a labour shortage because the Malays here were refusing to work in the mines or any British project for the matter. Were the Malays refusing it because they were lazy? Absolutely not.
Rakyat-friendly And Liberal
Compared to the Chinese rulers and Indian kings, the Malay royalties were much more "rakyat-friendly" and "liberal" in every sense of the word. This is why the Malaysian royalty exists today and the supposed world-conquering dynasties from both China and India are mere historical references today.
Those who watch Netflix's The Crown would relate to what I had just mentioned. In one episode during Season 1, Prince Philip would be seen telling a very young Queen Elizabeth about how monarchies around the world are being toppled by the people's revolution around the world. Monarchies which included that of Sweden. The lineage Prince Philip was from.
This scene led me into a bit of Googling and I discovered that monarchies have always been toppled by people's power everywhere around the world. Everywhere except here in Malaysia. In fact, Malaysia's monarchy was the only one saved by the post World War 2 tidal wave of independence and nevertheless it got me wondering what, why and how again.
There must be a reason for it surely and upon another round of Googling, I discovered that most Malays were allotted lands by their respective Sultans for their 'economic purposes' and the Malays were only required to pay a token amount as 'tax' to the Sultan for his harvest and nothing more.
Therefore, did the Malays need to work? No. This is why the Chinese were allowed to even be here by the British. The Indians on the other hand were brought here to fill the labour shortage faced here by the British India Company which was also governing Indian back then.
(Those with any qualms about what you just read should read Lim Goh Tong's biography My Story in which the reason why he came to Malaya (certainly not to develop it's economy) and why it was Malaya that helped the Chinese and Malays at that time, never vice versa.)
Besides the prestige (the Great British Empire title), the British maintained colonies all over the world because those colonies provided valuable raw materials, manpower and strategic bases. After the Second World War, the disintegration of Britain's empire had to be done. This was because the United States' rising global influence and its opposition to imperialism made colonialism less politically viable, while Japan's wartime victories had destroyed Britain's imperial prestiges. Above all, those colonies known as the Commonwealth today, were an expensive liability to the British government rebuilding after World War 2, whereby Hitler had almost threatened to destroy them.
Hence, the British found it not 'economically viable' to send the Chinese and Indians back to 'balik China' and 'balik India'. Therefore, a deal was struck with the Malay rulers on this issue.
Enshrined Into The Constitution
It was agreed that in exchange for citizenships for the Chinese and Indians here, the status of the Malay Rulers as heads of state, Islam as the Religion of the Federation, Malay language as the National Language and the Malay Special Rights would be enshrined into the constitution. Historically, these four plus one (granting of citizenships to non-Malays) provisions were the fundamentals on which our Federal Constitution today was based on. It essentially was a result of the consensus of multiracial bargaining in the process of its enactment.
Again, in simple English, the Chinese and Indians are citizens here today because of this chain of events. Not because the Chinese developed the economy (never once mentioned in the Reid Commission Report as a point of consideration). Certainly, not because the Indians were part of the Chozha dynasty (British has records of any Chozha descendent receiving citizenship here. Ask Hindraf who filed the case in UK.).
The sequence of events that led to Malaysia as it is today has been forgotten and rewritten to fit a certain 'political narrative' in order to gain political power. It is easy to nurture and instigate such false views when individuals like Mohamed Tawfik Ismail the son of former Deputy Prime Minister, Dr Ismail Abdul Rahman, who was part of the delegation sent to London to negotiate terms of independence for Malaya, states that there was no such phrase as a "social contract" during the drafting of the Federal Constitution. (If that is the case, is Tommy Thomas a bad lawyer who does not know the constitution? Heck, wasn't that why he was appointed as AG in the first place?).
As per my first article in this very column, I assert my view again that the distrust and disunity negaraku faces today is because of the politicking AND ALSO due to the lack of knowledge about the birth of our country, nor its history.
Everything written here is in other words a prelude as to why constitutional and policy practices in our country regardless under UMNO led BN or DAP led Pakatan has often emphasised a Malay-non-Malay dichotomy on all economic, social and political dimensions. Is it because of racism and apartheid practices? Definitely not and you ought to know that by now having read everything above.
From this, it is certain that the average Malaysians therefore must empower themselves with the knowledge of the Constitution so that they will not be easily misled by skewed constitutional interpretations, so that there will not come a day where we cross the rubicon because of perceptions, arguments and opinions that were wrong from day one!
As I write this, the words "there is nothing worse than too late" from a poem written by Charles Bukowski comes to mind.
Don't let it get too late to rectify the obvious disintegration we are in today due to distortion of history and it's subsequent replacement by political narratives.
Understand the constitution. Know your country. – New Malaysia Herald
Abdullah Badawi
British Colonisation
Chinese Malaysians
Federal Constitution of Malaysia
ICERD
Indian Malaysians
Jus soli
Lim Goh Tong
Malaysia citizenship
Malaysia Independence
Reid Commisson Report
Tommy Thomas
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Privacy is a very important issue for everyone, and is a subject we handle as a priority. Looking after the personal data you share with us is extremely important. Trust, respect and fairness have always been values that are integral to the Riviera Travel business and how we operate. This document outlines how we collect and use your personal data, so you can be confident it's safe and secure with us, and to understand how we use it to give you a better customer experience.
The data controller is Riviera Tours Ltd trading as Riviera Travel (referred to in this notice as "we" or "us") of New Manor, 328 Wetmore Road, Buton-on-Trent, DE14 1SP.
We comply with the Data Protection Act 2018, the General Data Protection regulation 2016/679 and all relative European Union and Member State data protection legislation in force and as amended or replaced from time to time including, the Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) Regulations 2003 (PECR).
What types of personal data we collect, and why.
How we use personal data provided to us.
How we protect and ensure personal data is handled securely.
When and how we share personal data within our company and with other organisations.
The rights and choices you have in regard to your personal data.
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To do this, we use your personal data, preferences, previous transactions and browsing behaviour to better understand you, and to try to predict what other products, services and information you might find the most relevant and interesting. We measure your responses to marketing communications relating to products and services we offer, which enables us to offer products and services that better meet the needs of our customers.
Where we have a legitimate interest in better understanding your interests, so that we can predict which other products and services might be of most interest to you. This ensures we can tailor our communications to be more relevant for you.