How can we encourage genius?
Almost 20 years ago, I read an article in NewsWeek that made a significant impression on me. Because of today's guest, I thought it would make a perfect resource.
It was a feature entitled The Puzzle Of Genius, written by Sharon Begley in the June 28, 1993 issue of Newsweek. I mention this because I will be quoting it frequently.
The essence of the article is this question: What is genius?
Is it intelligence? Knowledge? Education?
There are a lot of intelligent, knowledgeable, well-educated people in the world. Some of them may even be brilliant. But brilliance is not the same as genius.
Genius is diverse. There are philosophical geniuses, math geniuses, and physics geniuses. There are artistic geniuses, musical geniuses and literary geniuses.
And let's not even get into so-called 'idiot savants'; people with severe mental handicaps who nonetheless have seemingly impossible mental or artistic talents. Must we also call that a form of genius?
If we can't define precisely what genius is, how then can we recognize it?
Genius is paradigm-shifting. Genius is seeing how the parts of a puzzle fit together, when other people didn't even see the puzzle!
Genius is the perfect confluence of knowledge, intellect, curiosity, and experience, leavened by creativity, open-mindedness, and a willingness to explore the allegedly impossible. It's also influenced by intangible things like talent or insight, and a little serendipity doesn't hurt.
Simonton calls this "the permutation of mental elements"–images, phrases, snippets of memory, abstract concepts, sounds, rhymes.
Intelligence fills the brain with more of these elements, giving the highly intelligent person a greater chance of forming novel combinations of ideas, images or symbols.
So … Can we create genius? Is it genetic? Environmental?
Biologically, the difference between being potentially average, brilliant or genius may be related to how the brain is physically wired. Also, environment can have some effect on brain development and future wiring. But there's obviously more to it than that, or every over-stimulated baby would grow up to be a genius.
Personally, I think it's education that helps tip native talent or or intelligence into genius. But not just education in the usual sense.
I'm talking about education in every sense. Everything we see, hear, and read. Every random idea, comment and happenstance.
Scientific genius is often marked by interests in unrelated fields, making novel combinations more likely. Gutenberg combined the mechanisms for producing playing cards, pressing wine and punching coins to create movable type. The computer punch card has roots in automated looms, which may trace THEIR roots back to music boxes and organs.
The common thread here and in many other cases is diversity of experience. Not only the willingness and ability to take ideas from one area of expertise and make improbable connections to other disciplines or industries. Also the diversity of experience to enable those connections.
Thus the importance of effective schools, free museums and zoos, a Liberal Arts general education, and the lifelong seeking of new knowledge and experience outside your comfort zone.
I was sent this article by a friend. As a Democrat, it naturally agreed with all my pre-existing assumptions and biases :), but as a fair-minded, fairly empirical, anally accurate person, I wanted to go look for some other confirmation that this wasn't a gag or some other sort of allegedly humorous flimflammery. In that vein, I did some digging of my own.
I would point out that I didn't find this article cited or reported by any other major new org, and that it's almost 6 years old.
[Assistant Professor Jack Glaser of the University of California, Berkeley's Goldman School of Public Policy] acknowledged that the team's exclusive assessment of the psychological motivations of political conservatism might be viewed as a partisan exercise. However, he said, there is a host of information available about conservatism, but not about liberalism.
At least one of the authors, John Jost, has his own web page at NYU, where he cites this paper as one of many pieces of scholarly research and authorship (http://www.psych.nyu.edu/jost/). His research summary does not give me the impression that he particularly has an axe to grind with Conservatism.
I strongly recommend reading the Guardian article and the original Berkeley press release, and then forming your own opinion.
Miscegenation: It's Not Just for Ignorant, Racist Southern Whites Anymore.
Below is a recent is e-mail exchange that I thought interesting. I include it here for your contemplation and consideration.
Apparently, Michael, the Israelis would disapprove of your marriage and "assimilation".
I've long held the believe (feel free to offer criticism) that it is and has long been the Jews' collective refusal to assimilate into the cultures of other nations with the consequence that they become viewed at best as ethnic enclavists and at worst as dangerous outsiders that has prepared the ground for their persecutions. Now, I see that anti-assimilation is openly advocated.
I'm reasonably confident that this is at least in part due to the demographic time bomb that will in the decades to come engulf Israel as the Arab reproduction rates far exceed that of the Israelis. Likewise, the trend of emigration from Israel to, well, elsewhere has proven unstoppable. But to tell Jews outside of Israel to marry only Jews and this so as to make them more inclined to move to Israel seems at best unworkable and at worst an uncovering of deeply-rooted Israeli fears.
Ah yes, Miscegenation: It's not just for ignorant, racist Southern whites anymore.
But to be fair, it never has been. Most ethnic and religious groups (whites, blacks, Chinese, native Americans, Europeans, Muslims, etc., etc.) prefer that their children marry within their group. In some cultures, a child can be killed — legally — for marrying or even dating an 'outsider'.
Among Jews, since we're singling out this group, there have always been 'purists' and 'assimilationists'. One of the ironies of Hitler's "Final Solution" is that the great majority of Jews that were rounded up and exterminated were 'assimilated' Jews who considered their German-ness (or Polish-ness, or whatever-ness) as a bigger factor in their lives than their Judaism. Many were no more religious than me, which is really really non-religious.
Israel has real demographic birthrate concerns, and their concerns are legitimate in the context of their country's theo-democratic identity. Israel is not, after all, a secular democracy. In some ways, it's as theocratic as many Muslim countries. The difference is that the government is a Parliamentary democracy, and the people making and changing laws are at least democratically elected. Israel also has an odd system of representation (I've read) which allows tiny ultra-religious parties to have disproportionate power.
Here, of course, we call them Republicans.
A voiceover asks anyone who "knows a young Jew living abroad" to call the hotline. "Together, we will strengthen their connection to Israel, so that we don't lose them.
It seems like E-Books have been on the verge of being "the next big thing" for at least 10-13 years.
Experts have speculated in endless discussions and articles over the years about why e-books haven't caught on.
All these arguments and speculations are valid, especially that last one. But I think I know the clincher, and it's one that consumers probably know intuitively, but which seems to elude the experts: The e-books cost too much!
You see an $8.99 paperback you want to buy. You go to Amazon and check to see how much you can save if it's available as an e-book.
Searchiiinnng… YES! There it is! How much?!$8.09?!?! What's the bloody point of that?! They expect me to buy a Kindle or iRex for $200-300 so I can save 90 whole cents on a book? And it's intangible? And I can't archive it or copy it off the reader? Or lend it? Or re-sell it or donate it?
Screw that. I'll buy the paperback!
So there you have it. The publishers don't actually have to print it (so they don't need presses, ink, paper, buildings, or people to do any of that), store it (no warehouses), ship it (no boxes, handling or freight costs), or take it back (eating the cost of unsold books). The booksellers don't have to receive it, warehouse it, handle it, or invest in it. Everyone at the publishing and resale end is saving a bundle.
And all I get is a lousy 10% discount? Who's kidding whom, here??
And there you have the oddly elusive and yet most obvious answer. E-books haven't caught on because THEY COST TOO MUCH FOR WHAT THEY ARE!
What we seem to have here are publishers and book resellers — mostly the publishers, I suspect — being really, really greedy (and foolish too, I think) — and believing that they can save all this money in the production and sales process, and pass along virtually none of the savings to their customers.
When I can buy an e-book "paperback" for about 3 bucks instead of $8.99, I'll seriously think about buying an e-reader. Until then… I'll just look forward to getting up and smelling the ink and paper.
This is something I've given a lot of thought to in the last few weeks, and I think I have some new ideas about what's going on with the Democrats.
My estimations … I think that Alan Grayson and Anthony Weiner may be the core around which will coalesce a new kind of Democrat and a new kind of Democratic Party.
Tune into ThinkWing Radio with Mike Honig every Monday noon-1pm Friday from 1-2PM (Central Time) beginning September 10th on Talk650-AM radio. Call in at (713)-9-650-650 or shoot an email to ThinkWingRadio@msn.com.


text:
Hartenstein Selected as Most Outstanding Applicant for NEA Scholarship
Morgan Hartenstein is an English education major in the School of Education.
VERMILLION, S.D. – University of South Dakota School of Education major Morgan Hartenstein was awarded the most outstanding submission for a scholarship to attend the National Education Association's Leadership Summit in Orlando, Florida Feb. 24-26.
"We are honored to have such strong student leaders who are willing to represent our state and bring value to the field of education," said Donald Easton-Brooks, dean of the School of Education.
The purpose of the national leadership summit is to develop and train activist leaders with the knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to lead a relevant and thriving organization.
Hartenstein is secretary of the USD South Dakota Education Association Student Chapter and an English education major in her third year in the School of Education.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
package littleredqueue

import (
	"errors"
	"reflect"
	"testing"

	"github.com/rafaeljusto/redigomock"
)

func TestGet(t *testing.T) {
	conn := redigomock.NewConn()
	// cmd := conn.Command("BLPOP", "prefix:high:testk1", "prefix:normal:testk1", "prefix:low:testk1", 10)

	//With result
	conn.GenericCommand("BLPOP").Expect([]interface{}{"key", "val"})
	q := NewQueue(conn)
	res, err := q.Get("testk1", 10)
	if err != nil {
		t.Error("Should return without error")
	}
	if res != "val" {
		t.Error("Wrong result: ", res)
	}

	//With error
	conn.GenericCommand("BLPOP").ExpectError(errors.New("Connection error"))
	_, err = q.Get("testk2", 0)
	if err == nil {
		t.Error("Should return with error")
	}
}

func TestGetBytes(t *testing.T) {
	conn := redigomock.NewConn()

	conn.GenericCommand("BLPOP").Expect([]interface{}{"key", []byte("val")})
	q := NewQueue(conn)
	res, err := q.GetBytes("testk1", 10)
	if err != nil {
		t.Error("Should return without error")
	}
	if !reflect.DeepEqual(res, []byte("val")) {
		t.Error("Wrong result", res)
	}

	//Test error
	conn.GenericCommand("BLPOP").ExpectError(errors.New("Connection error"))
	res, err = q.GetBytes("testk1", 10)
	if err == nil {
		t.Error("Should return with error")
	}

	//Test conversion error
	conn.GenericCommand("BLPOP").Expect([]interface{}{"key", 5})
	res, err = q.GetBytes("testk1", 10)
	if err == nil {
		t.Error("Should return with error")
	}

	//Test string conversion
	conn.GenericCommand("BLPOP").Expect([]interface{}{"key", []byte("val")})
	res2, err := q.GetString("testk1", 10)
	if err != nil {
		t.Error("Should return without error")
	}
	if res2 != "val" {
		t.Error("Wrong result", res2)
	}
}

func TestNewQueueWithPrefix(t *testing.T) {

	conn := redigomock.NewConn()
	q := NewQueueWithPrefix(conn, "test")

	if q.Prefix != "test" {
		t.Error("Wrong prefix")
	}
}

func TestNewQueue(t *testing.T) {
	conn := redigomock.NewConn()
	q := NewQueue(conn)

	if q.Prefix != "queue" {
		t.Error("Wrong prefix")
	}
}

func TestPuts(t *testing.T) {
	conn := redigomock.NewConn()
	q := NewQueue(conn)

	//Low
	conn.GenericCommand("RPUSH").Expect(int64(1))
	l, err := q.PutLow("test1", "val1")
	if err != nil {
		t.Error("Should not return error")
	}
	if l != 1 {
		t.Error("Should return 1")
	}

	//Normal
	conn.GenericCommand("RPUSH").Expect(int64(1))
	l, err = q.PutNormal("test1", "val1")
	if err != nil {
		t.Error("Should not return error")
	}
	if l != 1 {
		t.Error("Should return 1")
	}

	//High
	conn.GenericCommand("RPUSH").Expect(int64(1))
	l, err = q.PutHigh("test1", "val1")
	if err != nil {
		t.Error("Should not return error")
	}
	if l != 1 {
		t.Error("Should return 1")
	}

}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Go on long walks and drink coffee out of flasks.
Cook lovely warming soups and casseroles.
Wrap up in our favourite cashmere jumper. THIS IS WHERE WE CAN HELP!!
Yes ladies, we have got some delights hiding within these four walls. Some super cozy, super soft, super warm and super stylish cashmere from Cocoa Cashmere. Honestly, there are few greater joys than being snuggly and also looking great at the same time. So, pop your old timer jumper to one side and come and indulge in the delights of Cocoa.


Thank you to Blue Slip Media and Two Lions for the review copy of this book. All opinions are my own!
Josh Funk is one of my favorite children's authors, and he's hit it out of the park again with It's Not Hansel and Gretel, the second in his It's Not a Fairy Tale series. My kids and I loved the first (It's Not Jack and the Beanstalk) and this one is just as funny, well-written, and well-illustrated!
Hansel and Gretel are in their own fairy tale story. The only problem is that they refuse to listen to their narrator, and keep trying to go on a different path than the traditional story dictates! Gretel wants her name first in the title, they don't want to waste bread crumbs, and they don't think there's any way a person who has a home made of sugar could be evil! The narrator keeps trying to get them back on the correct plot, but not without a struggle!
These books are genius, in my opinion, and so much fun to read out loud to kids! The characters outright argue with the narrator, and the narrator is hilariously frustrated that they just won't listen. My kids (ages 7 and 10) both thought this book was funny, and my 7-year-old reads it to himself several times a week. And can we talk about the illustrations for a minute? Edwardian Taylor's illustrations are amazing, filled with cartoonish candy, jokes, and other fairy tale characters hidden throughout. There's no way a child won't be entertained by this book!
There are extra materials for kids on Josh's website!


text:
<?php has_permission('admin.', true);

$types = Db::QueryAll('select distinct type from {reports}', true);
$selected_types = _GP('types', array_keys($types));

if (_POST('dismiss')) {
	if ($r = Db::Get('select * from {reports} where id = ?', _POST('dismiss'))) {
		Db::Exec('update {reports} set deleted = UNIX_TIMESTAMP() where id = ?', _POST('dismiss'));
		log_event($user_session['id'], 'admin', "Suppression d'une alerte de type {$r['type']}#{$r['rel_id']}: {$r['reason']}");
	}
}

if ($selected_types) {
	$reports = Db::QueryAll('select r.*, u.username , if(p.message is null, if(c.message is null, up.username, c.message), p.message) as message, c.page_id
									 from {reports} as r
									 left join {users} as u on u.id = r.user_id
									 left join {users} as up on up.id = rel_id and type="profile"
									 left join {forums_posts} as p on p.id = rel_id and type = "forum"
									 left join {comments} as c on c.id = rel_id and type = "comment"
									 where deleted = 0 and `type` in (' . implode(', ', array_fill(0, count($selected_types), '?')) . ')
									 order by reported desc', $selected_types);
} else {
	$reports = array();
}
$ptotal = 0;
?>
<?php if (!$reports) { ?>

Il n'y a aucun signalement.

<?php } else { ?>
	<legend>Signalements</legend>
	<form method="post" id="content">

		<?php
			foreach($types as $t) {
				if (empty ($selected_types) || in_array($t['type'], $selected_types))
					echo '<input name="types[]" type="checkbox" value="'.$t['type'].'" checked> '.html_encode($t['type']).'   ';
				else
					echo '<input name="types[]" type="checkbox" value="'.$t['type'].'"> '.html_encode($t['type']).'   ';
			}
		?>

				Membre
				Résumé
				Raison

			<?php
				foreach($reports as $r) {
					switch($r['type']){
						case 'forum': $link = create_url('forums', ['pid'=>$r['rel_id']], 'alert'.$r['rel_id']); break;
						case 'comment': $link = create_url('pageview', $r['page_id'], 'alert'.$r['rel_id']); break;
						case 'profile': $link = create_url('user', $r['rel_id']); break;
					}
					echo '
' . html_encode($r['username'] ?: $r['user_ip']) . '	';
					echo '' . html_encode(short(strip_tags($r['message']),60)) . '	';
					echo '' . html_encode($r['reason']) . '	';
					echo '' . $r['type'] . '  <button name="dismiss" value="' . $r['id'] . '" class="btn btn-xs btn-warning" >Ignorer</button>
';
				}
				?>

		<?php echo paginator($ptotal , _GET('pn', 1), 10); ?>
	</form>
<?php } ?>


text:
SportsFootballGiants
Giants dump Chad Jones ... at least for 24 hours or so
Giants defensive back Chad Jones looks on during rookie minicamp in April. Jones was moved from a hospital in New Orleans to one in New York on Tuesday. Photo Credit: AP
By Tom Rock July 29, 2010 5:01 PM
If anybody wants to take a chance on a safety who has never played in the NFL and might never play in the NFL, now is their chance. The Giants have waived safety Chad Jones, the rookie who was involved in the accident in New Orleans last month and suffered a leg injury that almost certainly has ended his career.
Heartless by the Giants? Nah. Just book-keeping. In order to use his roster spot, the Giants had to waive him. Then, after he clears waivers (assuming he does because what team would claim him now?), he will be placed on the team's reserve/non-football injury list where he'll stay for the rest of the year.
Incidentally, the Giants made a similar move a few weeks ago with Domenik Hixon who also suffered a pre-season season-ending injury (although his happened on the field at the New Meadowlands and not in a car wreck). He had to be waived and once he cleared he was put on the team's injured reserve list.
Taking Jones' place on the 80-man roster is DE Alex Hall, who was awarded to the Giants off waivers from the Eagles. He hasn't really played all that much in his NFL career since being drafted in the 7th round by the Browns in 2008. But he'll be a veteran body in training camp … one that can actually be on the field unlike Chad Jones or Domenik Hixon.


text:
Q: Unable to install Tensorflow cpu version in Ubuntu16.04 using anaconda I am facing a problem while installing Tensorflow in Ubuntu 16.04. I was trying to install Tensorfilow CPU supportable version using Anaconda. This is the error I got

'tensorflow-1.3.0-cp34-cp34m-linux_x86_64.whl is not a supported wheel
  on this platform.'

Can any one help me to solve this problem.

A: Try following steps:
First (if you haven't already) install Pip
For Python 2.X
sudo apt-get install python-pip python-dev python-virtualenv

For Python 3.X
sudo apt-get install python3-pip python3-dev python-virtualenv

Switch to your Conda environment:
source activate your_environment_name

And install TensorFlow using Pip:
For Python 2.X
pip install tensorflow

For Python 3.X
pip3 install tensorflow

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Winerlinks – Add Dave Winer style paragraph # marks to your WordPress.
Evernote 4.x is up for download on their site.
I've oft thought about Dave Winers hash marks, which contain a permalink to each paragraph in his blog posts. Now, Daniel Bachhuber has made a WordPress plugin that does it automagically for you.
And of course, Evernote, now in version 4, my third favorite application, after the command prompt and ACT!.


text:
Jobs in America Act
Published: Tue, Feb 16th 2016 @ 5:49 pm EST
Sponsored by: Rep. Kyrsten Sinema [D-AZ9] in the 114th congress
To establish an employment-based immigrant visa for alien entrepreneurs who have received significant capital from investors to establish a business in the United States.
Read more about Jobs in America Act
Strengthen Employment And Seasonal Opportunities Now (SEASON) Act
Published: Fri, Nov 6th 2015 @ 3:24 pm EST
Sponsored by: Rep. Steve Chabot [R-OH1] in the 114th congress
H.R. 3918, the Strengthen Employment And Seasonal Opportunities Now (SEASON) Act, would exempt foreign workers who have received an H-2B guest-worker visa in any of the past three years from the current year's annual limits. This would potentially quadruple the number of H-2B visas issued each year from 65,000 to 260,000.
Read more about Strengthen Employment And Seasonal Opportunities Now (SEASON) Act
Save Our Small and Seasonal Businesses Act of 2015
Sponsored by: Sen. Thom Tillis [R-NC] in the 114th congress
S. 2225, the Save Our Small and Seasonal Businesses Act of 2015, would exempt foreign workers who have received an H-2B guest-worker visa in any of the past three years from the current year's annual limits. This would potentially quadruple the number of H-2B visas issued each year from 65,000 to 260,000.
Read more about Save Our Small and Seasonal Businesses Act of 2015
Asylum Seeker Work Authorization Act of 2015
Sponsored by: Rep. Chellie Pingree [D-ME1] in the 114th congress
H.R. 3814, the Asylum Seeker Work Authorization Act of 2015, would allow asylum applicants not in detention whose application is still being reviewed but deemed to not be frivolous to receive a one-year renewable work permit.
Read more about Asylum Seeker Work Authorization Act of 2015
Venezuelan Refugee Assistance Act
Sponsored by: Rep. Carlos Curbelo [R-FL26] in the 114th congress
H.R. 3744, the Venezuelan Refugee Assistance Act, would allow Venezuelan illegal aliens who entered the country before Jan. 1, 2013, have been physically present in the U.S. throughout, and have not been convicted of specific crimes to adjust their status to legal permanent resident.
Read more about Venezuelan Refugee Assistance Act
H.R. 3730 would increase the number of visas made available for Irish nationals. The bill would allow unused E-3 visas to be issued to Irish nationals.
Read more about H.R. 3730
Military Enlistment Opportunity Act of 2015
Published: Thu, Feb 18th 2016 @ 8:41 am EST
Sponsored by: Sen. Mark Kirk [R-IL] in the 114th congress
S. 2160, the Military Enlistment Opportunity Act of 2015, would grant amnesty to illegal aliens who enlist in the military. It's estimated that approximately 40,000 would receive amnesty under this legislation.
Read more about Military Enlistment Opportunity Act of 2015
Liberian Refugee Immigration Fairness Act of 2015
Sponsored by: Sen. John "Jack" Reed [D-RI] in the 114th congress
S. 2161, the Liberian Refugee Immigration Fairness Act of 2015, would allow Liberian nationals to adjust to permanent resident status if they: (1) have been continuously present in the United States between January 1, 2013, through the date of status adjustment application; or (2) is the spouse, child, or unmarried son or daughter of such an alien.
Read more about Liberian Refugee Immigration Fairness Act of 2015
Sponsored by: Rep. Mike Coffman [R-CO6] in the 114th congress
H.R. 3698, the Military Enlistment Opportunity Act of 2015, would grant amnesty to illegal aliens who enlist in the military. It's estimated that approximately 40,000 would receive amnesty under this legislation.
Middle East Refugee Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2016
Sponsored by: Sen. Lindsey Graham [R-SC] in the 114th congress
S. 2145, the Middle East Refugee Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2016, would provide funding to increase the number of refugees resettled in the United States each year from an average of 70,000 to 100,000 per year.
Read more about Middle East Refugee Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2016


In the Maryland Department there are several books that index death and marriage notices published in various Maryland newspapers. These indexes vary in their accuracy and details, but are a good place to start your research.
Also see our available Baltimore Sun and Evening Sun subject indexes.


text:
Q: Android IntentService call I am trying to have a bidirectional connection between 2 devices, one will be the server and the other one the client. Since it is bidirectional, both can send a receive data.
I am creating them in an Activity that i have, that lists the installed apps that i have on my phone (filtered the system apps). Then i have an adapter for that list, where i define a listener for the items of that list.
Basically if i press one of the items from the list, i want to send a message to the other device.
So, if inside the method onHandleIntent() i am waiting for messages, where do I put the code to SEND messages ?
EDIT: I could create another service for the send part but that would make me create 4 services, 2 for the client (send and receive) and another 2 for the server (send and receive again).

A: An IntentService has the following behavior:

All requests are handled on a single worker thread -- they may take as long as necessary (and will not block the application's main loop), but only one request will be processed at a time.

from the docs. The same IntentService isn't supposed to do 2 things at the same time- if it is listening (I guess a while loop in onHandleIntent?), then any messages you send to that IntentService while it is listening will not be handled.
They will be queued until listening is done, and sent then.
You can either create two IntentServices (one for sending, one for receiving), or create a new Service that will spin up its own Threads which can send and listen concurrently.
I'd imagine that having send and receive be done by different Services would be easier.


text:
Q: SQL2005 + return distinct result based on datetime on table in inner join Im having a moment, what i want to do is really simple and i think im just looking at the wrong solution.  I want to simply return a table that is sorted based on a datestamp of a related table.
ie:
Table 1:
200   MyStuff   OK
201   Other     Why
202   Flat      So

Table 2:
1  200  5/12/2009  MyValue1
2  200  5/11/2009  MyValue2
3  201  7/10/2009  MyValue3
4  201  7/08/2009  MyValue4

I want the to return the first table sorted based on the dates in the second table, so my result should be
201  Other   Why
200  MyStuff OK
202  Flat    So

I have tried doing an inner join, but what i select distinct i have to include the date from the second table that im sorting on, thus i end up with duplicate pk's on the return table.
Please help me understand my rookie mistake here.

A: Since you can have multiple rows in Table2 for every row in Table1, you'll have to decide on how to handle the dates as far as sorting.
Let's say you want to sort on the maximum date stamp, you'd do something like:
select table1.*, t2.max_ds
from table1
inner join (select id, max(datestamp) as max_ds from table2 group by id) t2
on t2.id = table1.id
order by t2.max_ds

You'll obviously have to add some null handling and whatnot, but that should get you started.


text:
KIRIK: Pennsylvania Game Commission looks to expand hunting chances during two Sundays
JEFF KIRIK
Erie Times-News (TNS)
If you only have a couple days to do something, you should be able to take full advantage of those opportunities.
That appears to be the focus of what's happening with the Pennsylvania Game Commission regarding Sunday hunting. The commission opened three Sundays for big game hunting in 2020.
The commission is now planning to discuss what additional animals can be hunted on two of the three Sundays that have been approved for sportsmen.
Some of the proposed changes on the state's agenda include adding small game hunting to the Sundays that were used last year for archery deer and black bear hunting. The plans will be discussed at a virtual meeting of the game commission's board Jan. 23 at 8:30 a.m.
Under the proposal, archery deer hunting Sunday, Nov. 14, and black bear hunting Sunday, Nov. 21, would include small game such as squirrel, pheasants, ruffed grouse, rabbits and groundhogs. Turkey are not included in these days.
The third Sunday that allows hunting is proposed to be Nov. 28 for rifle deer season. No additional animals are being considered for this Sunday.
Streamlining regulations: Another change being discussed is to streamline regulations for rifle deer season.
The proposal would make the two-week season after Thanksgiving be buck and doe throughout the commonwealth. Right now, some wildlife management units offer buck only hunting the first week and then buck and doe the second week. The change would make the entire state have the same two-week buck and doe season. The meeting's agenda said the change is "recommended to simplify regulations and provide increased opportunity, especially for younger hunters."
eLicense: Another proposal will allow hunters to carry a digital eLicense on their smartphone or a printed form of their hunting license. That's a change from the requirement of having to carry the yellow state-issued license. You will still need to have the state-issued tags for animals that come with your license, as they can't be duplicated by hunters.
For areas of the state where there seems to be more doe licenses than hunters, the commission is considering ways to increase the total number of doe licenses being held by a hunter from three to four. The proposal reads: "For most hunters, this means that they would be authorized to purchase their fourth antlerless license over-the-counter starting on the second Monday in September as long as a quota remains available."
More opportunities: It's clear the commission is looking to make the most of the days hunters have to hunt. The proposed changes do make sense and should be approved.
If you want new and tenured hunters to stay afield, they need to be able to make the most of those few days that they can be in the woods. The ideas being discussed are aimed at provided those opportunities.


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Cardiovascular Innovation Institute celebrates fifth anniversary with $1 million gift
New endowment will add regenerative medicine researcher
Birthday parties for 5-year-olds usually involve gifts – and as the Cardiovascular Innovation Institute turned five today, it was no exception.
The Mansbach Foundation of Ashland, Ky., provided $1 million to establish the Mansbach Research Endowment to support the hiring of a new researcher in regenerative medicine at the CII, a joint collaboration between the University of Louisville and Jewish Hospital HealthCare Services.
The gift was formally presented at the CII's reception celebrating its five years of "advancements, inventions and innovations" by John Woods, III, vice president of the foundation's Board of Directors. The gift was accepted by Stuart Williams, Ph.D., CII executive and scientific director, and Laman Gray, M.D., CII medical director.
"After touring the CII, seeing the physical plant, meeting the people and understanding the goal of the Institute, I could think of no other more worthy cause of our funds," said Gerald Mansbach, chairman of the foundation. "Had I not visited, I would not have given that size of a gift. The CII is something everyone needs to see and rally behind."
"This gift will add significantly to achieving the Cardiovascular Innovation Institute's long-term goal of propelling the science of regenerative medicine forward," Williams said. "We anticipate that within the next decade we will be well on our way to developing the world's first 'bioficial' heart, or a heart that can be grown in the laboratory entirely from a patient's own cells."
"We are grateful to the Mansbach Foundation for this gift that will enable us to recruit an exceptional regenerative medicine scientist to continue our work," said Gray, who performed the first heart transplant in Kentucky in 1984 and whose surgical team implanted the first fully implantable replacement heart, the AbioCor™, in 2001. "This support is critical to helping us find new medical breakthroughs that combat our nation's No. 1 killer, cardiovascular disease."
The university also intends to leverage the gift though matching gifts from other sources such as corporations, other foundations and individuals. The new endowment also will be eligible for a "Bucks for Brains" matching gift if the Kentucky legislature is able to resume funding of the Bucks for Brains program in the future.
Tags cardiovascular innovation institute, gerald mansbach, john woods, laman gray, stuart williams, university of louisville
New program allows U of L to decontaminate N95 masks
Ruth Carrico, PhD
UofL Physicians to hold designer eyewear trunk show


The most interesting match of the day. Two teams from the very top of the board will meet (ranked 5 and 4).
Recent matches Sanjoanense is playing changeable (in the last 5 games wins – 2).
Sanjoanense could have advantage in physics – more days for rest in last days.
Last 1 head-to-head matches Sanjoanense won 1 matches, drawn 0 matches, lost 0 matches and goals 1-0.


Implementing a mobile marketing plan into your current marketing strategy really isn't all that difficult and it's actually less expensive than you think. It can't be stressed enough that mobile marketing is about consistency and commitment. You have to think about what you want to offer your customers, how you want them to react to the offer and what you will do to see it through.
Business is about building relationships and mobile marketing is no different. In order to be successful in offering your customers what they want, you have to first know what they want.


This new game by Alea was the buzz at last year's Essen fair. There was only one prototype to play with, but even then, it already appeared on many "Top Games" lists. Unfortunately, I was not able to try it out, so it seemed a must to give the now published game a go.
Alea has certainly come up with a hefty tome as a rulebook this time, but understanding the game is not as difficult as it seems at first glance, as the rules are extremely logical and leave little doubts once you have understood the signs on the cards.
Players are nobles who work out intrigues at the court of the king, but this is not as strong an apparent theme as one would hope for, as this is a rather abstract, albeit extremely clever game of action management. It plays a little like an advanced version of "El Grande" with many original and new ideas on offer.
Twelve nobles are on display as tiles, each using nice original portraits of the period. Players go through four rounds, which consist of several phases. Each player manages a handful of influence pawns that are placed on the various portraits for various benefits if you have the majority (and also if you don't). One can acquire "symbols" that come in handy when fulfilling "missions" (more on that later). Or "intrigue" cards, that enable a player to add to his own number of influence pawns AFTER all pawns are placed. Or additional "influence cards", that give you an extra go at the end of the 4 turn influence round (as you can imagine in a game about majorities placing last is a BIG advantage). Or one can "beam" influence pawns to somewhere else, either before or after they are "counted" (it is possible to leave pawns for the next round, thereby already having a majority which might discourage other players). Or "insignias", which count as 1 VP and might reap additional VP's at the end of the game. Last but not least you can go for money only (also important). All Tiles fall in three "counting" categories.
"1st place tiles". These tiles are the trickiest, as only the player who truly has the most pawns will win the prize; the others go home empty handed.
"Exchange tiles". These are safe but costly; placing the necessary number of pawns brings you the benefit without worrying about majorities.
"Money Tiles". If you have the most pawns you get the prize for free, the others can also get the prize, but have to pay for it.
Players work with two piles of influence pawns, like in "El Grande". One is "your own" and active, the other is the reserve. Moving the pawns from the reserve to your court counts as an action. Winning a prize means that the pawns you use wander into the reserve, but if you buy or trade prizes, your pawns will be immediately active again, so sometimes it is actually desirable to be second place. There is also a moving "Louis" figure, which means that being first in the designated tile enables you to reap additional prizes.
All this sounds complicated at first and needs some getting used to, but it plays very logically. Placing pawns brings in a tactical element: You play influence cards that correspond to tiles. Only there can you place your pawns and "move" them on the "board" via diagonal connections. Usually you place 3 pawns, and each move means you have to leave one pawn there, so the maximum of tiles you can "influence" is usually 3 per card played (playing jokers means you only get 2 pawns).
After the influence round is over the tiles are "counted" in numerical order, giving prizes to each player in turn. After you reap the prizes, the most important phase begins: fulfilling missions. Each player has two mission cards (in three categories: easy, 1 defined and 1 "any" symbol, medium two defined symbols, and hard, 2 equal symbols). Fulfilling the missions means expending the prizes (symbols) you managed to get. To fulfil one mission per turn is a must, fulfilling two or more is ideal. Each mission gives five VP at the end of the game, so these make up the majority of VPs at the end, but more importantly, they give you special abilities that give additional benefits like extra pawn placement or insignia income. The harder missions give better benefits of course, but the game only has 4 turns, so going for the one-time benefit of a hard mission in the last turn might not be a good idea.
After the final turn, the insignias (who come in various designs) come into play when counting VPs. Now a majority in each design gives an extra VP, so a player collecting lots of insignias can make many points more through such majorities. This was perceived as the weakest part of the rules, as there is no way to influence the majority in insignias during the game, it is just pure luck of the draw. In a game which mainly consists of careful planning this jars a little, but one can easily leave away this rule.
"Louis XIV" is a very challenging game that lends itself to many strategies. Going for insignia is sometimes easier than going for missions, but gives less VPs and no special abilities. But neglecting any aspect means failure, you carefully have to balance what you expect to gain and act accordingly. The turn order is important (the starting player changes, of course). If you come late, you can go for the risky prizes, if you go early or first you should plan a failsafe move, preferring "money" or "exchange" spaces. It is especially gratifying to place last when some tiles are still completely empty, actually this can happen quite easily if the other players are not careful. Nevertheless, "Louis XIV" is far from being a multiplayer solitaire game. Although it is impossible to hurt other players in unfair ways like stealing pawns or moving them around, it is very much possible to place them in a very annoying way. But the complexity of the calculations and interactions makes kingmaking very difficult, and also undesirable in a way.
Our judgment? We were very impressed with this new Alea game and applaud Rüdiger Dorn for another great design. While certainly not a game creating a funny beer-and-pretzel atmosphere it will keep you engrossed throughout, a true gamer's game. Recommended!


Star Wars Insider 131 is the 109th issue of the magazine Star Wars Insider and the 39th published by Titan Magazines. It was released on January 31, 2012.
Star Wars Insider celebrates the release of Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace in 3-D! Insider looks at the appeal of the villains whose brief screen time translates into popularity; all-new fiction and Jar Jar Binks.
"Things To Look Out For In Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace 3D!" – Check out our guide to the 3D moments to look out for in Star Wars: The Phantom Menace 3D.
"The Battle for Theed!" – The Jedi take on the battle droids in these previously unseen storyboards.
"Immersive Menace!" – Industrial Light & Magic visual effects guru John Knoll tells Insider about the process of converting Episode I into 3D.
"Drawing on the Force" – Two giants from the world of comic book art, Paul Pope and Frank Quitely, discuss their work in Star Wars Art: Comics.
"Luminous Beings Are We" – Jason Fry shows his appreciation for a galaxy of characters in the Star Wars saga.
"Maze Run" – Han and Chewie are back in action in an explosive all-new tale by David J. Williams and Mark S. Williams, with art by Brian Rood.
"We Need to Talk About Jar Jar" – Noted Star Wars author Daniel Wallace offers ten reasons to love the hapless Gungan who divided fans upon the original release of The Phantom Menace thirteen years ago.
"It Only Takes a Minute" – What does it take to be an iconic Star Wars villain, despite brief time on the screen? Insider investigates in this special feature.
"Notes From the Drawing Board" – Production designer Alan Roderick-Jones on piecing together the Star Wars galaxy!
Launch Pad – Star Wars: The Clone Wars Season Four previews; Award nominations at Lucasfilm; A message from Squid Head! Plus a special report on some cool art made from plastic!
My Star Wars – Stephen Stanton, a.k.a. Captain Tarkin in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, on his Star Wars favorites!
Rogues Gallery – Insider puts names to some of the faces watching the Boonta Eve Classic.
Classic Moment – Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon have the fight of their lives against Darth Maul!
Books – The Book of Sith: Secrets from the Dark Side is unveiled and the Millennium Falcon gets a manual!
Comics – John Jackson Miller talks about Zayne Carrick and the continuation of the epic Knights of the Old Republic story arc.
Incoming – A clone trooper invasion leads our look at some of the must-have collectibles to hit the shelves!
Bounty Hunters – The fans who have met the stars of Star Wars share their amazing experiences!
Red Five – Stunt coordinator Nick Gillard picks his favorite duels from movie history.
Wookieepedia has 11 images related to Star Wars Insider 131.


Beginning on the eve of the 25th anniversary of the Convention of the Rights of the Child, which affirms access to education as a fundamental right, the conference brings together 150 stakeholders from all over South Sudan, including youth and learners, to share ideas and experiences on how education can be effectively used to foster peace and tolerance. The conference will culminate with the development of agreed minimum standards for learning spaces, and the signing of a communique presented by learners advancing the need for South Sudan to protect its Learning Spaces as Zones of Peace.
The Ministry of Education Science and Technology recognizes the devastating impact the years of conflict have had on children, reflected in orphan numbers, rates of trauma, and depressingly high school dropout figures. In promoting Learning Spaces as Zones of Peace, the ministry is committed to ensuring that all learners are protected, that tolerance and diversity is respected, and that learners and teachers are equipped with conflict resolution skills.
The ministry's new slogan is that "education cannot wait." "Education is life-saving instrument, a tool for self-development, and a vehicle for peace and sustainable development in South Sudan," said Honorable Minister of Education, Science and Technology, Dr John Gai Yoh.
The two-day conference is part of the Peacebuilding, Education and Advocacy (PBEA) programme supported by the Dutch government and implemented in South Sudan by UNICEF.
"Conflict-sensitive education provides a forum for open discussion on conflict and violence-related issues, which is essential to addressing the root causes of violence and to ensure that education contributes to peace and more equitable access," said UNICEF Country Representative, Jonathan Veitch.
The Ministry of Education Science and Technology is a member of the regional Inter-Country Quality Node (ICQN), implementing conflict-sensitive education and peacebuilding. Peace-promoting education programmes are to be rolled-out in all 10 states, and integrated in the national curricula. The conference will underline the collective responsibility all stakeholders have to promote safe and accessible education in South Sudan.


Dave Frohnmayer Joins Harrang Long Gary Rudnick P.C.
We are very pleased to announce that Dave Frohnmayer, former University of Oregon President, has become "of counsel" to Harrang Long. Frohnmayer retired as president June 30, 2009 after serving 15 years and raising in excess of $1 billion for the institution. He has rejoined the faculty and presently is on sabbatical leave.
Frohnmayer, designated UO President Emeritus by the Oregon State Board of Higher Education in July 2009, will continue to teach undergraduates in the Clark Honors College at the University of Oregon during the winter and spring terms.
Nothing in this communication creates or is intended to create an attorney-client relationship with you, constitutes the provision of legal advice, or creates any legal duty to you. If you are seeking legal advice, you should first contact a member of the Closely Held Business Team with the understanding that any attorney-client relationship would be subsequently established by a specific written agreement with Harrang Long Gary Rudnick P.C. To maintain confidentiality, you should not forward any unsolicited information you deem to be confidential until after an attorney-client relationship has been established.


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Cover Reveal Evanescent by Carlyle Labuschagne
Title: Evanescent
Author: Carlyle Labuschagne
Series: Broken Series
Genre: YA/Sci Fi/Paranormal
Only his touch can save her from The shift that threatens them all.
Within my blood runs a thing our kind calls The Shadowing Disease. It shadows over, and bends everything to its will. When the first blood- shift came, it tore through flesh and blood, threatening to bend me, break bone, shatter my mind and entrap my heart with its honeyed, seductive poison. It came with vicious intent, moving my thoughts and altering me forever. The shift has caused a rift within me.I feel myself slipping away. No one was safe when it entrapped me in its claws of foul lust. But I have the only antidote against the evil that becomes me – his touch alone has the power to release the spurs of sweet darkness that clung on for dear life. I knew what I had to do; the desperation pulled my mind with the deep determination of a hungry predator. But by the time the revelation raised me from the dark dungeon of my bounds – it might have been too late.
Carlyle Labuschagne is a South African Debut Author working her way into the hearts of international readers with her First Young Adult Dystopian Novel "The Broken Destiny. She is not only an author but works as a Sales Rep and Marketing Manager by day. She holds a diploma in creative writing through the writing school at Collage SA. Loves to swim, fights for the trees, food lover who is driven by her passion for life. Carlyle writes for IU e-magazine India, an inspirational non-profit magazine that aims at inspiring the world through words. The drive behind her author career is healing through words. Carlyle is also the founder of the first annual book drive - Help build a library in Africa project.
"My goal as an Author is to touch people's lives and help others love their differences and one another."
A firm believer in - YA saves!
Place to find Carlyle
Places to find Evanescent
Title: The Broken Destiny
Genre: YA/Science Fiction/Fantasy/Dystopian
Publisher: SBPRA
Release Date: August 13 2012
Ava knows much more, and feels much more than she is allowed to. When she starts questioning her origins and the destruction of Earth, things go horribly wrong for her. She is saved by a Minoan boy from an attempted kidnapping on her life – the perpetrators are evil Zulus and their dark ancient magic. Humans and Minoans are forbidden to interact with each other, and as she is taken back to their village she finds out why – they know of her, her kind and her destiny to save a dying race. Ava must rid them from the Council's ruling and free the galaxy of The Shadow. Her destiny is to rise above the fall, because within her soul is the key to an archaic weapon that has been missing in the mix of a genetic code since the time of the ancients. As the prophecy unfolds she learns of her bloodline – a bloodline that makes her less human than she could ever have imagined. She alone has the power to destroy or save, but the mind-shift is a horrible thing. Ava will become what she hates to save the ones she loves. Beaten, poisoned, possessed and betrayed by her own emotions, she has no choice but to rise above it all… for that is her Destiny.
Places to find The Broken Destiny
Books A Million (BAM)
Cover Reveal Yours, For Now by Siren Allen
Title: Yours, For Now
Author: Siren Allen
Genre: Erotic/BDSM
Publisher: Entranced Publishing
The question: "Would you like to try BDSM with me?"
Elizabeth Kemp never thought she'd ask friend and colleague, Preston Lancaster to be her submissive. Even more surprising, he agrees – on one condition: she has to return the favor. Her two weeks as his Domme end with a dramatic climax she wasn't prepared for – she's hopelessly in love and terrified he'll break her heart.
Dr. Preston Lancaster has been in love with Elizabeth since the day they met. His two weeks with her are more than he ever imagined, but when the tables are turned, she refuses to make good on her promise to reciprocate. Preston isn't giving up without a fight, but he's not fighting for two weeks of dominance anymore. He's fighting for forever.
Can Preston convince Elizabeth that her heart is safe with him – or will two weeks be all he has?
Hi, my name is Siren Allen. I'm a writer and lover of all things erotic and romantic. I reside in southern Mississippi where I write steamy romances that are guaranteed to make you blush. When I'm not listening to the characters in my head and jotting down their adventures, I am busy working as a Clinical Laboratory Technician.
I love to travel, preferably with my husband, so he can do all of the driving. I enjoy time with my family, who are just as silly as I am. I have no children…yet, wish me luck! My hobbies are reading, writing and shopping, though I hate trying on clothing. If I wasn't a writer or a Laboratory Professional, I would probably be a Secret Agent. But that's the beauty of being a writer; you can create your own world and be whoever you want to be. In my imaginary world, I am Queen and my siblings are my minions.
Places to find Siren
Places to find Yours. For Now
Interview & Spotlight Dear Rockstar & Buried Secrets Emme Rollins
Title: Dear Rockstar
Author: Emme Rollins
Genre: Contemporary Romance/New Adult
Publisher: Fido Publishing
Release Date: July 1 2013
The best things in life are crazy…
Sara is obsessed with rock star Tyler Vincent, and as she works to complete her senior year, she's determined to find a way to meet him—although her best friend, Aimee, keeps telling her to find a different escape from her desperately violent home life.
Complications arise when Dale, the mysterious new transfer student, sets his sights on Sara, and she falls for this rock-star-in-the-making in spite of her better judgment. When Sara wins a contest, she is faced with a choice—travel to Tyler Vincent's home town to meet him, or stay and support Dale in a Battle-of-the-Bands hosted by MTV.
Their triangulated relationship is pushed to its breaking point, but there is another, deeper secret that Dale's been keeping that just may break things wide open...
Turn up your collar, feather your hair, and splash on some Polo, because we're going back to the '80's when MTV played music videos, there was no such thing as American Idol, and becoming a star meant doing nothing short of crazy for that one, big break.
Labels: Contemporary, Dear Rockstar, Emme Rollins, Interview, New Adult, Romance, Spotlight, Standalone
Spotlight The End Of The World Playlist by Dan O'Brien
Welcome to the fifth day of the The End of the World Playlist blog tour. It will run until August 1st and will feature excerpts and new author interviews each day. But first, here is the obligatory blurb about the novel to settle you into this dystopian world:
The world as we knew it had ended. Deep in the mountains of the west coast, six men survived. In the town of River's Bend, these six friends continued on with their lives as zombies inherited the Earth. As they navigated the world that had been left behind, the soundtrack of life played on.
A few questions for the author:
When it's all said and done, will you have said more than you've done?
I would like to think I will have done everything I said I would do. But who can know such things? I aspire to deliver on every promise that I have made to myself.
What is the one thing you'd most like to change about the world?
The way people talk to each and the level with which we think about things critically. I think that we too often denigrate another because we have not thought much about the content of their lives. I believe books offer an opportunity to create dialogues where they might not have otherwise been.
If happiness was the national currency, what kind of work would make you rich?
Writing, editing, and publishing. It sounds cliché to say that I do what I love, but that is the truth. I am a very rich man indeed.
Here be an excerpt for your enjoyment:
I Am the Walrus
The sound of the engine was overwhelming, and the discussion was far from tame. Instead, it had reached a fevered pitch that bordered on accusatory.
"Are you fucking kidding me? You think that Avenged Sevenfold has no business being on a playlist for killing zombies. Are you mental, man? Have you completely lost your marbles?" argued Will.
"Your question is: What belongs on an end-of-the-world playlist, correct? In the event of a zombie apocalypse, what would I want to be listening to?"
"So you agree that the choices would be purely subjective?"
"Then what exactly is the point of getting all hot and bothered because I think your little band sucks balls. I'm sorry I'm not fawning over it."
Will threw up his hands in irritation. "What does the brilliant music critic, Kenny of Bumfuck Nowhere, believe belongs on such an auspicious playlist as one that may be the last one you listen to?"
Kenny watched the road out of the corner of his eye.
"Anything by She Wants Revenge."
"But you don't want any Depeche Mode?"
"Fuck Depeche Mode, they don't sound anything like She Wants Revenge, man."
"You have got to be the dumbest motherfucker ever if you think that there are no similarities between their music. A fucking deaf-mute could tell the similarity."
"So your argument is: someone who couldn't hear the music––and couldn't convey their opinion about said music that they couldn't listen to––could do a better job of figuring out what good music is than I could?"
Kenny shook his head.
"And you call me dumb."
"Not just dumb, bordering on retarded, I swear to fucking God. Your rationale is equivalent to the guy who really believes there is a difference between hamburgers from different fucking fast food places. A Big Mac is the same anywhere, same fucking shit, different fucking day, and different fucking half-a-tard wrapping it up in crunchy paper for you."
"I am not saying that there aren't similarities, but I would certainly not compare them in terms of musicality."
"Musicality? Are you a musical prodigy now? You are about as much an artist as I am a lawn gnome."
Kenny laughed heartily. "Did I hurt the little artist's feelings? Should we talk about those wonderfully dumb graffiti murals you plaster all over our corner of hell?"
"Fuck you. Don't switch the subject. What makes you such a discriminatory judge of music that you can decide for everybody what constitutes good music and bad music. I don't mock your shitty taste in music."
"That is because I don't have shitty taste in music."
"What the fuck ever, man."
"You don't like what I got to say, then feel free to shut your fucking trap."
"Fuck that. What about Radiohead? You wouldn't want to have some Radiohead or Marley? You gonna sit there and look me in the eyes and tell me you don't want some Marley?"
"I am going to do exactly that. Fucking snore-fest, man. Give me ridiculous beats or give me death."
Will turned and looked out the window. "Ridiculous. This ain't over yet, man. We are coming back to this. You wait and see."
Kenny laughed and shook the wheel, jarring the Bronco one way and then the other. "I'll be waiting, poopy pants."
The interior of the van was not a verbal ruckus. Brandon drove. Allen sat in the passenger seat, his automatic rifle across his lap.
Dan and Jesse remained in the back. The older brother sat on the medical bed that would serve as a medic station if necessary; Jesse had been a medical resident before all of the madness went down.
It was a useful skill now.
"Usual run, gentlemen," called Dan.
"Doesn't feel usual, boss," replied Allen.
Jesse looked at his brother.
"All feelings aside, grab what we have to and get out of there. No fucking around, no messing with the deadheads. In and out."
Allen nodded grimly and Brandon stared coldly from the driver's seat. "You want me to do what we talked about? Re-situate our dead guests?" asked Allen.
"You head to the Sports Authority. Brandon, you take an eagle locale with the .50 cal and keep an eye on things," replied Dan.
"Right, boss," called Brandon from the driver's seat.
"Me and Jess will hit the library while tweedle dee and tweedle dumb hit Wal-Mart to pick up the Big Box shit."
"And deadheads?" queried Allen.
"Try to keep the noise to a minimum and add bolts to those that are previously bolted. Kill any that have gotten loose."
"Right, boss."
The stereo was low and the music somber.
"Are we expecting trouble?"
Turning and looking at Jesse, Dan's face was grim.
Bio: A psychologist, author, editor, philosopher, martial artist, and skeptic, he has published several novels and currently has many in print, including: The End of the World Playlist, Bitten, The Journey, The Ocean and the Hourglass, The Path of the Fallen, The Portent, and Cerulean Dreams. Follow him on Twitter (@AuthorDanOBrien) or visit his blog http://thedanobrienproject.blogspot.com. He recently started a consultation business. You can find more information about it here: http://www.amalgamconsulting.com/.
Bitten (US)
End of the World Playlist (US)
Cerulean Dreams (US)
The Journey (US)
The Path of the Fallen (US)
The Twins of Devonshire (US)
The End of the World Playlist (UK)
Bitten (UK)
Cerulean Dreams (UK)
The Journey (UK)
The Path of the Fallen (UK)
Would you like to win a copy of The End of the World Playlist?
All you have to do is comment on a post during the tour. Two randomly drawn commenters will be awarded either a physical or digital copy of The End of the World Playlist.
Visit http://thedanobrienproject.blogspot.com/ and follow the blog for a chance to win a Kindle Fire!
Labels: Dan O'Brien, Excerpt, Interview, The End of the World Playlist
Blog Tour Start Giveaway & Review Interchangeable by Kim Carmichael
Title: Interchangeable
Author: Kim Carmichael
Series: 1Night Stand
Genre: Erotic/Menage
Publisher: Decadent Publishing
Five years ago Dahlia Adair left her business partners, the two men she loved. Unable to choose between them, she vanished with their venture capital and their hearts. Betrayed by the woman they both love, Todd Shelton and Cooper Montgomery dissolved their company and their friendship.
When Todd and Cooper reunite, they can't move forward with their new business until they confront the woman who called them "interchangeable" before she disappeared.
Five years later, Dahlia wants to live without looking over her shoulder, Todd wants his love and his friend back, and Cooper wants answers. With the help of Madame Eve and 1Night Stand, they give Dahlia the chance to live free of repercussions for her crimes if she'll agree to spend one night with them, vowing to make her aware of their differences, and offer her a life they're sure she can't refuse.
Giveaway & Guest Post Bidding Wars by Lacey Wolfe
Title: Bidding Wars
Author: Lacey Wolfe
Series: Love Strikes (#1)
Publisher: etopiapress
Release Date: May 15 2013
A sheriff plus a nurse plus a house equals trouble…
Nurse Molly Harper has had a tough year. But when she decides to regain control of her life, buying her dream house becomes her first priority. Finding the perfect house and falling in love with it—that's the easy part. The hard part is getting rid of the obnoxious man who thinks he's going to be the new owner. Even if he is gorgeous. And the sheriff…
Sheriff Luke Logan needs to buy a house. Getting out of the renting game will help in the custody battle for his son, so when the perfect place pops up right on his street, he can't believe his luck. But there's already an offer on the table, and the woman won't back down. Too bad she doesn't know that he always goes after what he wants, and he has no intention of letting her have "his" house. Even if she does make him feel that he might need more than just a house to make a home…
Giveaway & Guest Post A World Away by Lila Lacroix
Title: A World Away
Author: Lila Lacroix
Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance
Release Date: June 20 2013
College sophomore Sophie Burnette has just been dumped by her boyfriend, is losing touch with her high school friends and is generally tired of her life in her small Midwestern city. When she sees an ad for doing a semester abroad, she jumps on the opportunity.
Philippe Vaillancourt is a graduate student with a turbulent past who can't help but immediately fall for Sophie when she walks past him in the park one day.
Sophie's heart, however, has already been captured by local photographer Jacques Lafleur who shows her a Paris Sophie couldn't have dreamed existed. But when circumstances throw Sophie and Philippe together, and she begins to realize she's heading down a dark and dangerous path, will Philippe be able to bring her back, or is Sophie already in too deep?
Book Trailer Blitz Copper Girl by Jennifer Allis Provost
Title: Copper Girl
Author: Jennifer Allis Provost
Series: Copper Legacy
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Publisher: Spence City
Sara had always been careful.
She never spoke of magic, never associated with those suspected of handling magic, never thought of magic, and never, ever, let anyone see her mark. After all, the last thing she wanted was to end up missing, like her father and brother.
Then, a silver elf pushed his way into Sara's dream, and her life became anything but ordinary.
I LOVE Indie Books Blog Hop
We all love Blog Hops ( I mean who wouldn't they are full of amazing prizes up for grabs) and we all Love Indie Authors. So Readers Realm & Indie Inked have decided to join forces and host an I ♥ Indie Books Blog Hop. So One My Stop on this hop I have the Lovely Susan Griscom talking to us about writing in the YA Genre and I will be giving away 5 eBooks of her YA Title Allusive Aftershock along with 5 eBooks of MaryLynn Bast YA Title Realm of Secrets part of her Heart of a Wolf Series. So Make Sure To Enter The Rafflecopter and when finished make sure you hop along to all the other stops and enter for more amazing prizes.
Now The Lovely Susan will be taking over for a little while.
It's not much different writing in the Young Adult genre compared to the adult. For Allusive Aftershock, the main challenge was taking myself back to my high school days and taping into my memories of the way things were and the way my friends and I dealt with things. Of course, so much has changed since then, like technology for the instance, but the emotions are the same with girls crushing on boys and boys crushing on girls. Technology really wasn't an issue in this story, mostly because the earthquake destroys so much. But it's comforting to know that young love never changes.
I was in love as a teenager and it was a strong, strong feeling for me. Being in love as a teenager, doesn't mean it feels any less important. Love is love, no matter how old you are. We all change over the years, but there are so many people I know who fell in love in high school and years and years later are still together—although I wasn't one of the lucky ones to have found my soul mate in high school, the fact there are many, says so much about the power of young love.
When I wrote Allusive Aftershock, I channeled my brain back into the time when I did have a steady boyfriend and I used the relationship we had. It was serious up until I went away to college and he didn't. Things happen. But he was my boyfriend during that awful earthquake we went through in our senior year of high school. The one I used in the beginning of Allusive Aftershock actually happened almost the exact way I described it in the book, except I didn't have a little sister and brother. But, the earthquake in the beginning is the only part of the book that was taken from experience. The rest, I hope never happens, except maybe the love part.
Although, Adela doesn't have a boyfriend like I did, she does tend to stick like glue to Max, the wrong guy. I suppose, since I didn't marry my high school boyfriend but spent most of my time with him it was similar in that way. Then later, when she starts to like Courtland, that was an easy relationship for me to imagine as well as write. Both boys in the book are hot so I had fun imagining I was Adela and having the difficult decision of figuring out whom she should actually trust, or like or even love.
Natural disasters happen all over the world, whether it's an earthquake, hurricane, tornado or fire they can all be devastating. I chose an earthquake for this story, only because I've experienced them and could relate a little better. However, the ones that happen in Allusive Aftershock are fiction except for some similarities of the first one, which wasn't all that bad and I would never want to be in one as horrible as the ones in Allusive Aftershock and the chances of any happening like those are very slim. My heart always goes out to everyone who has ever experienced anything life-threatening cause by mother nature. When I wrote Allusive Aftershock, for me, it was more about the relationships between Adela, Courtland and Max that drew the story, not the disaster.
If you read Allusive Aftershock, I'd love to hear your thoughts and you can email me at susangriscom@hotmail.com or simply leave a review on Amazon.com.
Please be sure to visit Susan's blog for a chance to win a signed print copy of Allusive Aftershock.
Places to find Susan
Places to find Allusive Aftershock
Goodreads Please Add Me To Your TBR Pile
Places to find MaryLynn
Heart Of A Wolf
Places to find Realm of Secrets
Guest Post Hearts in Exile by Mysti Parker
Title: Hearts In Exile
Author: Mysti Parker
Series: Tallenmere (stand-alone)
Genre: Paranormal, Fantasy, Romance
Publisher: Melange Books
Release Date: June 3, 2013
Somewhere, hidden in the waters of the Southern Sea, lies an island unlike any other. Within the amber glow of its pyrogem-laden cliffs, legend says the very heart of the dragon god Drae keeps the island, and its occupants, alive.
Loralee Munroviel, daughter of Leogard's High Priestess Arianne, had no idea what she would face when she arrived by boat ten years ago and was left alone in exile. All she knew about Draekoria's inhabitants was written in one tattered notebook. Now, her life revolves around keeping Drae's descendants happy. Never in her life did she imagine being a Dragon Keeper.
Captain Igrorio Everlyn, known as Sir Robert to his unit of Holy Paladins, has faced his share of hell, battling the evils of Emperor Sarvonn's tyranny and the dark god Tyr's abominations. But none of that compares to the ten years of hell he's been without Loralee, presumed dead.
One freak storm changes everything. Now the two of them must fight to re-establish the delicate balance of the island before the dragons take things into their own hands. Through it all, they discover the secrets that kept them, and their hearts, exiled for a decade.
Cover Reveal Heavenly Hunted by Aria Williams
Giveaway & Guest Post Shady Cove: New Girl in Town by Ava Catori
Title: Shady Cove: New Girl in Town
Author: Ava Catori
Genre: New Adult Romance
Publisher:Self Published
Can a big city girl go country? Jenna's life grinds to a halt after her brother's suicide. With her college funds non-existent and her future plans put on hold, she's forced to relocate to a sleepy town. Just when her entire world is crumbling, she meets Benji Preston, a local guy she doesn't expect to fall for. He's not even her type! A harmless flirtation quickly escalates into something more. The only catch? He's the same guy her cousin has been harboring a crush on for ages. With tongues wagging and jealousy dogging her every step, Jenna has to decide what's more important; her heart or her family ties?
Spotlight Wolf Fever by Milly Taiden
Title: Wolf Fever
Author: Milly Taiden
Series: Alpha Project (#1)
Genre: Erotica/Paranormal/Urban Fantasy
Publisher: Latin Goddess Press
When Raine Bowe volunteers for a sleep study for the extra cash, she didn't expect to wake in a lab or to be victimized by a mad scientist. She escapes with one objective--to find someone strong enough to wage war with the evil growing inside her.
Ryder Storm is a man with a reputation--the bad boy of his own universe. He doesn't take prisoners, won't give into a sweet smile, and doesn't cut his pack an inch of slack. He knows the desperate woman in his bar is his the moment he lays eyes on her. He'll give her anything she wants, except the one thing she's begging for. Death.
Raine enlists Ryder's help to unravel the mystery surrounding the hours she lost in the lab and to help tame the beast inside her. In their search for answers, the road will lead them to a twisted experiment involving shifters, humans, and the creation of the ultimate Alpha. He's ready for the adventure and she's ready for her answers. Neither are ready for the lust that calls down from the mating moon. But a wolf knows its mate, and an alpha will not stop until he or she gets what they want.
▼ Jul (50)
Interview & Spotlight Dear Rockstar & Buried Secre...
Spotlight The End Of The World Playlist by Dan O'B...
Blog Tour Start Giveaway & Review Interchangeable ...
Book Trailer Blitz Copper Girl by Jennifer Allis P...
Giveaway & Guest Post Shady Cove: New Girl in Town...
Review Bone Dressing Michelle L. Brooks
Review Bounty for Love by AJ Wiliams
Guest Post Stranded by Andrew Grey
Interview Thrown by Tabi Wollstonecraft
Spotlight Cerulean Dreams by Dan O'Brien
Release Day Blitz Say When by Tara West
Cover Reveal Creatura by Nely Cab
Insatiable Reads Blog Hop
Giveaway & Exclusive Scene Dance for Me by Helena ...
Cover Reveal Star Kissed by Lizzy Ford
Book Spotlight Death Dealer by Ashley Robertson
Blog Tour Kick Off Giveaway & Review Awakening 2 b...
Giveaway & Guest Post Bitter Farewell by Karolyn J...
Blog Tour Kick Off Giveaway & Review Uprising by D...
Excerpt & Guest Post The Twelfth Paladin by Nora West
Spotlight Bitten by Dan O'Brien
Giveaway Land of the Unaltered by Leti Del Mar
Guest Post His Passion, Her Temptation by Malia Ma...
Review City of Bones by Cassandra Clare
Giveaway and Guest Post Saltwater Kisses by Krista...
Cover Reveal Color Blind by Tina Hammond
Guest Post & Excerpt Guardian Possession by Michae...
Spotlight & Book Trailer Emerge by S.E. Hall
Giveaway and Interview Blood Struck by Michelle Fox
Excerpt & Giveaway Dance for Me by Helena Newbury
Promo Blitz Never Too Far by Thomas Christopher
Interview & Giveaway Dance for Me by Helena Newbury
Cover Reveal Secret Fate by Susan Griscom
Giveaway & Review Dance for Me by Helena Newbury
Release Day Blitz Encore by Bernadette Marie
Suspiciously Obedient by Julia Kent Insatiable Rea...
Spotlight & Excerpt Alone No More by Kelly Ryan
Spotlight The Path of the Fallen by Dan O'Brien
Blog Tour Kick Off Giveaway & Review Heavenly Hell...
Cover Reveal Origin by Jennifer L Armentrout
Creatura by Nely Cab Chapter One Reveal


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