It's been four months since my post Interior Life Part One. I didn't forget to write this promised follow-up on empathy in fiction – the topic is never far from my mind. Like many of you I have the dual vantage point of being both reader and writer, and for all my love of plot and structure and language, there's no literary preoccupation that fascinates me more. And none is more subjective or resistant to generalisation – every book is different, as is every reader – so these are just my views (even if I talk about 'we') and I hope to hear yours in return.
Empathy is defined as 'the ability to identify with and understand somebody else's feelings or difficulties.' In everyday life we often talk about 'putting ourselves in [other person's] position' or 'seeing things from their point of view'. I think of it as a kind of displacement, where we take a step toward another person (often when it would be easier to retreat) with a willingness to give something: time, attention, compassion. In that moment, it's mostly about them. It's an emotional investment and when it comes to fiction, it's most likely to happen when you forget you're even reading a story. You are immersed. Connected. You can relate.
It's a big task to create people out of thin air, creating dimension from layer upon layer of traits, motivations and contradictions, let alone making total strangers believe in them and care what becomes of them. How does any author actually make this work? The novelist alone has sustained access to a character's interior life (emotions, thought processes, etc) which is a powerful tool, albeit dependent on a well-orchestrated conflict for its full effect. We respond not to the person in neutral (that has no place in a novel) but in the particular dramatic situation they face, whether it is of their own making, down to fate, forces of antagonism – including other characters – or a combination of these.
The obvious challenge is that (thankfully) we don't all respond in the same way to the same set of variables. Not long after I started writing fiction, I heard someone say that 60% of the response to a work of fiction comes from within the reader. I have failed to locate the source (if it exists) but I do remember thinking two things: firstly, how can that possibly be measured? and secondly, that 60% is enormous. Since then I have started this blog, read hundreds of novels, written two of my own and spent countless hours talking to readers, and I am not only convinced that we bring far more of ourselves – our backgrounds, experiences and beliefs – to the act of reading than I previously thought, but that there's a limit to how far the writer can or should seek to influence the reader's emotional response.
People are just too unpredictable. I've been part of a book group with six other women for twelve years. They are amongst my closest friends yet I love not having a clue how any of us (myself included) will react to any given book. If there was a roadmap to readers' hearts we writers would be trampling each other in the stampede to the bank – in reality it is hard to foresee what will work or fall flat. Some hugely successful novels described as heart-wrenching have left me cold or even furious, whereas others like M L Stedman's The Light between Oceans had me sobbing uncontrollably.
I empathised so strongly with the cast of Maylis de Kerangal's heart transplant novel Mend the Living (11 February, trans. Jessica Moore), one of my Hot Picks 2016, that it has left a lasting impression. No book will ever move me that way if I feel manipulated; I dislike being steered by the writer or pressured by popular opinion – I'll be the judge of what tears me up inside. Sometimes our responses can be explained, sometimes not – it's really quite mysterious – but justifying them is optional and respecting others' right to a different opinion is a form of empathy in itself.
Good fiction is never entirely 'made up'. It has the capacity to deepen our understanding and tolerance of ourselves, other people and the world we live in. It may be a cliché but through fiction we get to 'live more than one life' (or words to that effect). Through reading I have experienced previous centuries, places I will never go, people I will never be. I have walked alongside characters who are enslaved, addicted, destitute, terminally ill, trapped in the wrong body, in dysfunctional relationships or beautiful crazy love affairs (it was all starting to sound a bit dark there). I have laughed out loud, nodded and shaken my head at family dynamics I recognise. I have, inevitably, encountered subjects that are painful to me and felt the comfort of 'I'm not alone' – one of the reasons I am not in favour of trigger warnings. Another is the insight and inspiration I have gained from other writers' courage and generosity. Reading may be a solitary pursuit at one level but I'm as excited by the way it unites people.
Recently, following a lively book discussion with a friend by email, I sent him a short story of mine. His reply wasn't the first time someone's told me 'that has completely changed my view of you' (and something tells me it won't be the last…) I seem to have come full circle to the conclusion of my first post, that we're all a lot of things, many of them hidden from view. And through reading and writing, there's no limit to what we can live and feel and be.
Beautifully put. I loved your statement:in reality it is hard to foresee what will work or falll flat. Yet some authors or publishers try to second-guess that and so we get formulaic books (but, thank goodness, also surprise hits).
60% of the response comes from within the reader? Even if the percentage is not completely accurate, there is still so much that comes from within us. And we may not always respond in the same way, be consistent in ourselves. We need to be 'ready' for a certain book – and perhaps return to ones we discarded earlier, to see if we are more suited to them now (or they are more suited to us).
That's a very good point, Marina, about the right book at the right time. It's one of the reasons (although lack of time is the main one) why I rarely re-read books I have loved. A friend re-read The Secret History having loved it in her 20s, as did I, only to find it didn't hold the same magic at all. Not something I'm willing to risk! But other novels, and Madame Bovary is the best example for me, have dimensions I can appreciate now that I certainly couldn't have hoped to understand when I first read it at the age of 17!
Really enjoyed this, Isabel. For me, the challenge of writing – and reading – is to empathise with characters I don't immediately understand or care about. I don't want to write/read about people I feel I already know because that would be boring (eg I would run a mile from any blurb which mentions the words 'school run'). Your word 'displacement' is perfect.
I so agree with you there, Juliet! I recently read a contemporary novel about 'modern family' and have come to the conclusion I can't be doing with all that stuff about small kids any more. It reminds me why I felt the need to make another life for myself outside Muswell Hill. For me, some degree of familiarity can be a good thing and create a connection, too much and it becomes tedious.
It's great when a writer can make you empathise with a villain, as Hannah Kent does with a woman tried with murder in Burial Rites.
Very true, and what a great example! That takes real skill (and villains – or morally ambiguous characters – need different dimensions just like any other.) The protagonist recently released from jail in the film 'I've loved you so long' (brilliantly played by Kristin Scott Thomas) is another example of creating empathy in what first appears a black-and-white situation.
I found your article on "empathy in fiction" absolutely fascinating. As a prolific reader and a writer, it is a matter of constant interest to me how readers re-act to stories on an emotional level.
I, too, found "The Light Between Oceans" heart-breaking. I fell in love with Tom myself and, like you, sobbed my heart out at the end of the story. Yet another book, just loaned to me by a friend with the warning "You will cry your eyes out", which had subject matter which should have moved me emotionally, has left me without a tear in my eyes.
As you remark, I believe the characters have to capture the imagination of the reader (even if they are unpleasant characters), so that the reader can identify in some way with their actions and empathize with their feelings. A good writer can endow even the most unlikely character with traits which elicit sympathy in the reader. I recently read "Crippen" by John Boyne, and he managed to give this notorious killer a pitiable side to his personality, which not only made him a well-rounded character, but also elicited the empathy of his reader.
As I complete my novel, I am trying to keep in mind the fact that creating characters who come alive in the reader's mind and with whom they can empathize is one of the main pointers to success.
Thanks for your lovely comment – I'm glad you enjoyed my piece. Interestingly, it wasn't the ending of TLBO that got to me though it made me cry several times getting there (which is extremely rare for me). Being told a book will break my heart always makes me slightly wary – although it's not as bad as being told a book has an amazing twist, which almost invariably ruins it for me. I think the key to creating the conditions for empathy is DEPTH of characterization rather than superficial 'warmth' or contrivances – unfortunately those are easy to spot and the moment I zone out. All the best with your novel!
Writers' workshopping groups are fascinating in this respect. Often readers will note down very individual reactions if they write comments on a manuscript while reading alone in advance. Then in a group discussion those comments will often be radically changed in (unconscious?) pursuit of a collective consensus – often again designed to conceal our inner reactions and present a civilised book-club member world view to others.
I agree that 60% statistic sounds like complete pseudo-psychological rubbish, as with most similar statistics. However, you're right to say that fiction is most effective, as well as most economical, when it triggers recollections in the reader and encourages them to make their own connections. A perceptive comment about the way a character walks or pronounces a word or a description of a distinctive aroma can achieve more than dozens of words of more prosaic description.
Great contribution as always, thanks! I'm especially interested in your second point about how the individual response can so easily be sacrificed to the collective – I experienced that a lot in writing workshops and if you're not careful you end up 'writing by committee'. And when it comes to discussing books publicly, it takes courage to be the person saying 'that didn't move me' and risk people thinking you're a heartless monster. (I have to admit, my policy is to keep quiet – I know how hard it is to get a book published!) And your last point also resonates – too much trowelling on of detail or articulated emotion throws up a barrier between the reader and the story. Those tiny brushstrokes can be much more expressive.
I love how you've written about empathy here, Isabel, and totally agree how the reading experience varies from person to person. I'm always baffled by how someone who seems similar to me in many ways it's a book I've loved and vice versa. I suppose it's because of the capacity of fiction to connect with a part of ourselves that's hidden even from us.
Unfortunately, I find a lot of commercial fiction approaches this in a shallow way, as if tragedy will automatically evoke a strong reaction in the reader – if overdone, however, that reaction can be fury as you say in your post.
Thanks, Anne, I always enjoy hearing your thoughts and I especially like the idea of 'a part of ourselves that's hidden even from us' – we all have that! I look forward to checking out that link.
I am not a great Fiction lover. More often a reader of Biographies/Autobiographies. Truth really is stranger and far more thought provoking than Fiction. I can certainly empathise with an author attempting to create their very own unique characters.
Often I begin a book initially not liking the subject matter, purely from what I had previously heard of them in Media or read in the Press. I go into the book from a non-neutral stance. Often this initial presumption proves to be true.
However it is surprising how many times the subject surprises me by previously unknown actions or indeed a really gentle, intelligent persona hiding inside a boxer for instance.
Every human being is unique. Every one a character on Earth's stage.
Thanks for your comment, especially as you're not a fiction lover. I almost said in my piece that memoir can have a similar effect, so I can relate to your thoughts on autobiography and biography. It interests me that you would pick up one by someone about whom you already held a negative perception, but clearly it's not good to be constrained by first impressions! It all comes back to people having all kinds of facets, some of which go undetected and have the power to surprise.
The bit that jumps out at me from your blog is the phrase, "I'll be the judge of what tears me up inside". I agree that our reactions are all so individual, and I'm tired of being told just how this book will affect me, eg, 'this book will change your life' (really?!). How can anyone know? As a reader all I know is that I like lots of different kinds of stories (fiction & non-fiction) and I often prefer to discover them for myself. Of course there is a place for marketing (as a writer I'm all too aware of that), and it helps to know what others believe is good, but too often the really hyped up books disappoint.
Thanks for your comment. It's a really tricky one, this (I'm also thinking about the book I've just written!) Blurbs have to make some kind of claim and it's almost impossible to do that without leaving some readers feeling misled or disappointed. Like you I enjoy coming to a book 'cold', without preconceptions. There's such a fine line between praise and hype and it's interesting to realize that a lot of readers find hype off-putting. It certainly raises expectations, to a perhaps unrealistic level, yet sometimes of course it proves to be justified by our opinion!
That 60% does seem hard to believe – until you think about wildly divergent opinions on certain books. And also shifts in response through time for individual readers, as you say – I have gone the whole circle with Hemingway and Fitzgerald, for example (loving the romance of them in my teens, feeling I'd outgrown them in my late 20s/early 30s, then returning to them, especially with admiration for the brilliance of their craft).
It also strikes me that this sort of thing doesn't really get addressed so often in the world of creative writing, or at least so obviously. A lot of attention is placed on structure and character motivation and the nuts and bolts of prose style, and tone and feeling are less obvious aspects of craft that a good writer needs to tackle.


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text:
Murray Bookchin - Las Formas de la Libertad Parte 1
Language: Auto Selection English Spanish (Spain)
Embed transcript in: Auto Selection English Spanish (Spain)
I've been given the oportunity to talk for possibly the graetest part of an hour an I got a lot to say. And I'll try to be as brief an as [ ] if it's possible. But the subject of where are we going to go from here which it's been turn into the title "The Forms of Freedom" Is something that it's been on my mind now for literatly decades. Just itsn't 1985. And it's been particulary the case in the past few years. Where I have been obliged to think about the problem for my own experience and for my very long background in the left Where it began? The big problem I think most of us really confront release.... The problem that I ussually encounter is the fact that the people appear feel disempowered. History is taking a very nasty turn an lets be frank about it. We have claim for the world, how far back depends upon how far back you wanna look, I can even go back to the 1930's where people found have control over their lives. You live in neighbourhoods, you live in fairly extended families. Even if you live in a city like New York [and certainly also] San Francisco you have wishfully all take away all neighbourhoods, you have literally swoon mutualistic support systems, we hang out on te corner of our candy stores which are a public foro were we can have discussions of all kinds whether it would personal or political. There was when I was younger a very intense political life. It isn't solve much that television has brought people into their house and kept, take them out of the street. Because even the people at that time, well lets say particulary now, wanted to get out of the street they wouldn't know what to find, that's the problem. We have an enormously amount of corporal centralization, an enormously amount of state centralization, an enormously amount of gigantism, a tremendously amount of homogenization and not only because television. It's because something is happen specially since the 1950's wich is very [strategic.] And that is that the buyer-seller relationship, the commodity relationship has began to invade our lives. You can go home from work and when you came home from work you came into a pre-industrial society in many respects. You have your parents around you, you have your grandparents around you then you have several generations all [intervening] with each other People are not that concerne on making money of each other, they didn't invest in their family, they didn't buy an ideas. they lived a real comunity life however much it was undergoing decay And even thought you have a radio set that can hold you in the house none of those television set could today. People wanted to go outside and comunicate with each other, they have developed to have this discourse they have developed to have this intercourse which came from another age. So when you went home from your factory, wich is around of capitalize producction, or when if you went home from your office, wich is around of business and commerce, you can feel it coming to an intimate realm of personal life, of social life, of neighbourhood life. And that realm is where you can recreate yourself throught support systems. I don't mean a place of recreation I mean a place of recreation reproducing yourself and your personality and through this intimate contact it was possible to become an stronger individual even thought you lived in one collective envionment That world... has been eroded and subverted steadily by the encrunchment of the factory, of the office of the supermarket into our own personal lifes and finally into our own heads. We think... in terms of buyin and selling more and more, and I come across this repeatedly when somebody says to me "I don't buy that idea" and I wish I respond "I'm not selling it", (Laughter) and abuse this line over and over again Because it's for me the typification in the way in wich people deal with the idea deal with culture, deal with the most intimate relationship they have They invest in a marriage. Who da hell ever invested in a marriage? In a business perhaps, yes but not in a marriage. So people in a sense are been hollowed out it is not only television that is doing it. Television,as a word, is filling an increasigly empty vessel that's what happening And they're taking over the world of imagination taking over that world... that dream world... that [magnificent] dream world that the child still has in which the rest of the civilization repeatedly represses in the cause of what we call "naturation" of becoming mature Television is began to fill that in with this synthetic plugs whit this advertising with this one dimensional pictural image of what reality is all about. this terrifyng problem has made us ask the old important question that most peolpe do in an encounter with analist today. No "Why do I have a twitch?" No "Why do I have a [shiver]?" "Why is that I have this dreams that wakes me up" "Why that I wake up screaming at night" Those are the questions that you went to in the 1930's if you have a psychological problem and if you went to a therapist Now they go around and ask the question "Who am I?" "Who am I?" "What am I?" "Why am I?" And key thing that is envolved here is why they're asking "What is my place in the world" Because there is no place in the world... for people to be human again There is no place in the world for people to be personal, to have a personality And for that reason we go madly and insanely after all kinds of fashions today to declare it what is a very deep sense of hollowness inside us we cover ourselves up we cover ourselves up with different [handouts] we cover ourselves up with different kinds of clothing we cover ourselves up with all kinds of accoutrements We have to wear thunderbirds to play indian or we have to wear leather jackets to be tough even though you're maybe a counter somewhere (Laughter) or you have to wear like prostitutes so you look intersting even though you're maybe a secretary somewhere All of this... We wear boots on the summertime Who da hell wear boots on the summertime? (Laughter) But all of this is meant to be interesting to ourselves because we are so hollowed out by the brake down of community by the mutual networks of supports systems By the rich articulation of the spontaneous culture [lights] that comes out of the streets and the constantly intercourse of past as well as present and hopefully future through the different generational interactions that exist and we are feced with the real problem not only whether or not we have power anymore over our lifes but who are we and why we´re alive and that becomes the great therapeutic problem in psychiatry today This points to a very deep sense of disempowerment as I said, that emerges from the large corporations that emerges from the invasion the enourmously concentration of the state and that emerges very sifnicantly from the market place into every recess into wich we can retreat 30, 40, 50 years ago or even 20 years ago The counter-culture was in attack in the 1960's to recreat again a community in which we can retreat a network in which we could again develope a sense of identity a sense of solidarity, a sense of community that it's been eroded steadily, not only by television but by the marketplace by the buyer-seller relationship by the reduction of everything to an object to a thing, to an investment that you either buy, that you sell feedback, input, output And that's the problem we face. The title "Forms of Freedom" does not fully convey what could possibly be the point of aproaching for a solution You could have a lot of freedom forms... that could become ultimately very totalitarian lets not kid ourselves. well, they can become very parochial. and we swap around town meetings for argument sake and what can be more intimate, what can be more communal than a town community of the kind that is usually idealized in New England After all, that was a town meeting that gave us the nuclear [free zone] shore 180 Vermont towns along with several Massachussets town mettings We will still have the cuestion again not only of the forms but what would be the content? This very same town mettings can go very reactionary as well as progressive. So I'm talking about "The Forms of Freedom" I want to make one thing very [plane] I'm also talking about what this forms would be filled in with Without the freedom that has forms you're not gonna have freedom If you don't have the container of a glass of water... then the water will lie all over the table and finally [stuck] to the ground and ultimate evaporate you must have the container, the "Forms" But what you put on those forms could be very toxic or they can be very libertarian So when I talk about "Forms of Freedom" I always make that reservation What are we going to put in the way of this "Forms"? What are we going to fill this forms with? And what kind of people... are going to be, as a word, "catalize" by this forms into rich personalities, what kind of communities will create this networks of support underpin personality, and giving us the feeling of straight that we are standing on a basis from wich we proyect ourselves as individuals; culturaly, sexualy, in terms of gender, ethnically, in all our different phases of life and the different roles that we play We have had a very rich history of free forms We have, in fact, had a very rich history that I will call "Libertarian" not in the sense of the libertanian party or the right wing libertanians that is a word that has been stolen The peolpe on the right call themselves libertarians or "propertarians" (Laughter) Their main concern is to own property as the basis for freedom they're not interested in freedom, they're interested in what they call "liberty" Liberty means their right to turn land into real estate Liberty means their right to own [an earth] with forest and cut them out if you want to Liberty means, and there's nothing wrong with liberty in a moral expanded sense but it is so tight to property, that it means literatly only in the community That is not what I mean with the word libertanian In fact the word libertanian was invented literally by Elisee Reclue in the 1890 when the word anarchist become illegal in France because of terrorist activities Elisee Reclue who was a very close friend of the russian anarchist Michael Bakounine [and it's just worth mentioning this in passing] How to invent a word for "anarchist" because if you call yourselve an anarchist the police will immediately pick you up and throw you into jail You couldn't call you a periodical anarchist, you couldn't call you self-anarchist, you couldn't use the word in any
Duration: 12 minutes and 14 seconds
License: CC - Attribution Non-commercial No Derivatives
Posted by: jefebromden on May 31, 2011
Conferencia dada en mazo de 1985 en San Francisco en la introducción de una mesa redonda sobre el tema "Las Formas de la Libertad"
Other videos from jefebromden
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Water operators, development actors, civil society representatives, local governments and other stakeholders from the water and development sectors were present during the 3rd Global WOPs Congress in Barcelona and reitterated the essential role of water and sanitation utilities in achieving our sustainable development.
Bringing together actors from 85 countries at the Sant Pau Art Nouveau Site in Barcelona, the Global WOPs Congress addressed specific topics related to the work of utilities including sanitation, resilience, finance and equity, among many others. Throughout the Congress, the role of WOPs and operator capacity development was highlighted and demonstrated through presentation of ongoing or past WOPs.
Deputy Mayor of Barcelona, Ms Janet Sanz Cid, welcomed Congress participants and stressed that effective water management is an integral part of a well-functioning city and access for all citizens must be guaranteed. Ms. Laura López de Cerain Salsamendi of the Spanish Development Agency highlighted the need to adopt an integrated approach, taking into account all stakeholders and areas, considering planning, equity as well as inclusion, and UN-Habitat Executive Director, Joan Clos, stressed the important foundation of sound urban planning, legislation and financial mechanisms to enable effective water management and service delivery in cities (watch the video).
The parallel thematic sessions discussed broad-ranging issues on themes related to operators work and the practice of Water Operators' Partnerships. Regional sessions for Africa, Asia and the Pacific, and Latin America and the Caribbean, showcased the diversity of WOPs practice on the ground, and provided the occasion for regional WOP stakeholders to plan next steps in their respective regional WOPs efforts. In the subsequent plenary sessions, high level experts discussed the consequences for water and sanitation operators of the recently adopted Sustainable Development Goals, rapid global urbanization and current financial challenges, and debated the best approaches for making the most of the opportunities they present.
The Congress closed with a keynote address by UN Special Rapporteur for the Human Rights to Water and Sanitation, Leo Heller, who provided the state of progress toward the Human Right to Water and Sanitation at this crucial time as we globally move to the SDG framework. Mr Heller highlighted the renewed focus on quality of service, and the need for meaningful indicators. He commended the work of water operators on the ground, acknowledging the challenges they face and their essential role.
Initial outcomes of the Congress were presented in the summary presentation here. Full reports of the sessions are forthcoming.
Outgoing steering Steering Committee members, SIAAP, Nairobi City Water & Sewerage Company (NCWSC), Sénégalaise des Eaux, CONTAGWAS, USAID, PAPC, EYDAP, OSE, SABESP were also thanked for their 4 years of contribution to the Alliance.


I made the switch from Nikon DSLR to Olympus mirrorless and bought a used Olympus E-M5 and a number of used Olympus micro four thirds lenses including a 40mm to 150mm f4.0 to f5.6 zoom (80mm to 300mm equivalent). Took it for a trial run at a rugby match yesterday, the picture below was taken from the opposite touchline at f16, 150mm, 1/400 second and ISO 1000. Not a bad result IMO given it is not the fast "Pro" lens which is out of my price range.
I had a play around with that as well although even on high speed burst the E-M5 isn't the fastest when set on Fine quality, takes about 2 to 3 a second, it will go up to 9 a second if you set the quality lower. I got a few of individual players where depth of field wasn't so important.
I've noticed that Olympus and Pentax users in particular have a genuine love for their stuff (I don't mean silly fanboy-ism you see so often these days). Olympus always pursued their own course and in the days of film (happy days!) made the most compact models with excellent glass. Sadly, in 2018 a 6-month-old model (body) is considered out of date . But pay no attention to people with GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome) and keep taking the shots! That's all that matters in the end .
I'm an Olympus user. I have an EM10 mk1 and have a lot of love for the 'kit' 40-150. I believe I got it in 2014 and its been great, plenty of fantastic pictures with it. I don't have the Pro lens - having just come back from a couple of weeks holiday lugging gear around in the heat; body, 14-40 pro and 40-150 kit, I'm glad for the weight saving, and still appreciate the quality of the lens.
The 14-42EZ is also a cracking little lens which disappears down to nothing and you can get an automatic lens cap for.
Most, if not al of these were taken with the 40-150. Don't believe anyone who tells you it isn't a good lens.
Long time Olympus user. Went through E-M5, E-M1 and now E-M1 II.
Definitely not a bad result, make sure you post more!
I'm a big fan of all the kit lenses on the u4/3 format for Olympus - no doubt the Panasonic lenses are good too.


Below are the most commonly asked questions about our popular fiction writing course. Please click on each heading to read the relevant answer.
If your question is not answered here then please contact us and one of our support team will be delighted to help you.
Do I need to attend any classes?
There are no physical classes to attend. The course is delivered entirely online from our secure Advanced eLearn Platform. Once registered, you will receive a username and password to access the course. One of the great benefits of e-learning is that you can study the course online from your computer, smart phone or tablet device, during times convenient to you. Importantly, we give you full life-time access, so there is no unnecessary pressure or time constraints.
Do I need any computer or technical skills?
No. If you can point and click a mouse, then you're okay! The course interface is intuitive and easy-to-use. All training materials are delivered via our Advanced eLearn Platform, which you get access to the moment you register.
Are there any age restrictions for registering?
The age range of our students varies significantly from college students right up to senior citizens. However, due to some of the Horror content contained within, we recommend the course for ages 18 years+.
Do I need any writing experience or qualifications to take this course?
The course assumes no prior knowledge, experience or qualifications in fiction writing. Each module has been carefully constructed by a team of award-winning training professionals, with a proven track-record of developing beginners into confident and capable fiction writers, with advanced industry knowledge.
The language used is simple to understand and the modules easy-to-follow, with no unnecessary jargon.
Whether you're a beginner writer who just wants to know how to get thoughts onto paper, or an accomplished author who dreams of becoming the next bestselling novelist, the Write Fiction Books course can help you.
What are the specific modules I will study?
Do I have to take any tests during the course?
Yes. We have developed an advanced self-assessment testing system designed to ensure an efficient and effective learning experience. At the end of each module, there is a multiple-choice self-assessment test consisting of 10 questions (14 tests in total).
Each test has a minimum passing score which you must achieve before you can move onto the next module in the course. You can take each module test as many times as you like until you pass, at which point your passing results are recorded in our international database and contribute towards your final score. Our Instant Feedback System means your results are calculated right away.
Are any books or manuals sent to me?
No, all learning is carried out via our Advanced eLearn Platform, all the course content is online for you to access at anytime 24hrs a day. The great benefit of e-learning is that you can study at home in your own time and at your own pace.
You can combine achieving professional standard training along with a qualification, in and around your job and family commitments. It is this level of flexibility that makes our e-learning course the ideal choice for most people. All you need is a computer or hand-held device with internet access to take this course.
How long do I get access to the course for?
You get full, unrestricted, life-time access to the course which you can access at any time, 24/7. There are no time limits, no restrictions of any kind, and no pressure whatsoever!
Your overall passing grade is calculated by our Instant Feedback System as you move through the course and complete each module test. Your final score is an overall average grade of all 14 module tests. Your final grade is then printed on to your course pass certificate.
There are no time-limits for completing individual modules and no time limits for taking the tests. You can view your course history and your current overall grade at anytime during the course.
We're positive you'll find it a delightful, relaxing and effective way of learning.
Can you tell me more about the certificate I will receive?
Everyone who completes the course receives an attractive course pass certificate which details all of the modules you have completed. Your certificate will indicate a percentage grade to show how well you have completed the test questions.
You will receive a self-printable PDF version of your certificate which you can download immediately on completing the final module in the course. Professionally printed hardcopy certificates are also available. Please click here to find out more about the certificate you will receive and view a sample copy.
Can you tell me more about your company as a training provider?
As a Registered Training Provider, CPD accredited training company, and winner of several education based awards, you have the assurance that our company and staff have undergone rigorous quality assurance inspections and have met stringent guidelines and background checks to ensure that the training we deliver meets the highest standards.
Is the course information kept up-to-date?
Sadly, many online courses are rarely updated because providers get busy creating new courses, while neglecting their existing ones. On the other hand, we're a CPD accredited, award-winning training company with a passion for writing, photography, design, and all things creative!
We serve over 350,000 students worldwide (of all ages and abilities). We also work with schools, colleges and professional training institutes. Therefore, we have a very real commitment to our clients and students to ensure that our courses are always kept up-to-date. Our entire business and reputation depends on it.
This course is no different. It has been created by professional writers who are at the cutting-edge of new techniques, technologies, and publishing information as it emerges. Updates to the course are carried out frequently so as to always be in line with changes to best practice and industry guidelines and requirements.
With lifetime course access, you'll always be one-click away from the very latest fiction writing information.
Write Fiction Books is perfect for aspiring novelists or those who wish to write short stories. Even established fiction writers will find this inspirational course a handy companion because it's packed full of indispensable tips, concrete advice, along with lots of practical guidance to improve your writing and stretch your imagination.
The intuitive study format built on our Advance eLearn Engine makes it easy to zoom in on specific advice, with examples for picking up the pace, ramping up the tension and intrigue, revising for power, and creating a page-turner.
Will this course be relevant to my country?
The Write Fiction Books course has been created by a team of international best-selling authors, professional editors and established publishers worldwide. The information, principles, techniques and strategies taught within this course are universal and therefore completely relevant to aspiring and published authors worldwide. Currently, we have students taking the course in more than 50 countries.
Can I view the course on my Smart Phone or tablet device?
Yes! The course is fully compatible with all tablet devices such as iPads. This course has also been beautifully designed to work within any browser on a tablet, smart phone, computer or laptop.
LearnLock™ Technology has been scientifically developed by award-winning e-learn experts to 'lock' the course training in your cerebrum, which is the large, outer part of the brain that controls your reading, thinking, and learning.
Using a proprietary blend of expertly crafted content, stimulating imagery, subtle animation, color psychology, smart interactions, lively simulations, fun gamification, and practical quizzes, LearnLock™ Technology enables a typical learner to effortlessly absorb the course material incomparably quicker and easier than 98% of conventional online courses, which use basic text or video alone. The result is not only a significantly more immersive, engaging and enjoyable learning experience but vastly enhanced retention and recall of key knowledge and skills.


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Q: Mule ESB 3.8/JDK 8 - Verbose Debugging/Tracing of timings for Flow execution On Mule 3.8 Standalone Runtime with Java 8, we are testing a Scatter Gather flow mainly with outbound HTTP calls.
When running concurrent calls by a load test script, some flows have an unexplainable 1 minute wait; we can't see any traces in logs (brought down to Debug) or any other cause in the ESB runtime. HTTP services themselves are fine - no latency from services end whatsoever (monitored separately).
Is there some sort of a checklist for looking into Mule configuration parameters when we run such a test? Any other verbose diagnostic flags we can turn on to see extended trace info?

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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Brooge Energy Ltd forms wholly owned subsidiary, "BRE Ltd".
By admin Last updated Jun 30, 2022
Brooge Energy Ltd forms wholly owned subsidiary, "Brooge Renewable Energy Ltd", to expand its infrastructure and services into Green Energy.
New Subsidiary has signed a preliminary land lease agreement for its planned Green Hydrogen and Ammonia plant in UAE to produce up to 300,000 MT of Green Ammonia per annum once fully completed
NEW YORK(Press Release):: Brooge Energy Ltd, ("Brooge Energy" or the "Company"), is a Cayman Islands based infrastructure provider which is currently engaged in clean petroleum products and biofuels and crude oil storage and related services. The Company is now intending to focus on renewable energy
infrastructure. The Company conducts its business and operations through its subsidiary Brooge
Petroleum and Gas Investment Company FZE ("BPGIC"). BPGIC is strategically located outside the Strait
of Hormuz at the Port of Fujairah in the Emirate of Fujairah in the UAE.
The Company announced today that it has established Brooge Renewable Energy Ltd ("BRE"), a wholly
owned subsidiary of Brooge Energy to focus on green energy related infrastructures activities that are
intended to accommodate the necessary energy transfer from fossil fuels into energy produced from
renewable resources as the private sector and regulators are increasingly focusing on combatting the
harmful effects of climate change.
Commenting on this new business, Mr. Nicolaas Paardenkooper, Chief Executive Officer of Brooge Energy,
stated, "Global demand for clean energy sources has been strong and is expected to accelerate in the
coming years. A decade ago, the Company undertook the initiative to become more environmentally
friendly. As a result, Brooge Energy is at the forefront of the clean energy movement having already built
one of the most environmentally friendly storage facility in the world, including being among the lowest
waste producers in its industry from its terminal as well as being fully compliant with local and
international guidelines in respect to emissions. Its facilities are also equipped with solar panels and are
reliant on clean power for its energy sources. This latest initiative has us well-positioned to continue to
build value for shareholders."As a first step in BRE's planned Green Hydrogen and Green Ammonia plant in Kizad, Abu Dhabi that is targeted to produce up to 300,000 MT green Ammonia per annum once fully completed, BRE has signed a preliminary land lease agreement for a 150,000 square meter plot with "KIZAD" that will host this plant
Amanat Appoints Khalaf Sultan Al Dhaheri as a Board Member
Nominations are open for "Date Palm International Photography & Poetry Competition.
CARTER & WHITE OPENS ITS NEW BOUTIQUE IN DUBAI DUTY FREE & EXPANDS IN THE…
H.E Faisal Niaz Tirmizi Presented Copies of Credentials as an Ambassador of Pakistan…
Call on the Prime Minister by the Ambassador of the UAE
Zameen.com, to host the 4th edition of its Pakistan Property Show in Dubai.
Nominations are open for "Date Palm International Photography & Poetry…
Dates processing factory Punjgur in Pakistan begins production with assistance from…
Abu Dhabi is strengthening its position as a global energy hub by embracing ADIPEC…
A delegation from Telangana, India discusses investment cooperation with the UAE…
ICAI Abu Dhabi announces new managing committee
Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak honors winner of KIAAI,13th Edition
KIAAI announces winners of 13th session
Turkish Airlines offering 40% Discount on International Flights


The Vortex W25 is equipped with a full desktop CPU, making it the true ultimate no-compromise compact workstation. A new computer with a new 8th Generation Intel® CoreTM processor helps you stay ahead of the digital world. Get a big jump in performance compared to the previous generation. Handle all your content creation and immerse yourself in leading-edge 4K UHD entertainment. The 8th Generation Intel® processors are raising the bar of desktop computing with innovations to drive exciting experiences, capabilities, and form factors. Experience all the amazing things you and a new 8th Generation Intel processor-powered PC can do. Enjoy a 40% faster experience over the 7th gen Intel Core Processors and 14.7x faster render times.
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Standing at only 13.03 inches tall, the Vortex W25 is the ultimate compact desktop workstation that has enough ports and performance to power through your workload. Connect to your three monitors and all of your peripherals – the Vortex stays out of your workspace with its small form factor.


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El sistema  ASFA  ( Anunci de Senyals i Frenada Automàtica ) és un sistema d'alarma automàtic àmpliament difós a la xarxa ferroviària espanyola. Consisteix en un mecanisme que atura el tren si l'agent de conducció no respecta el que indiquen els senyals.

Implantació

El sistema va ser encarregat per Renfe en els anys 70. En aquells temps les xarxes ferroviàries d'altres països ja disposaven de sistemes anteriors semblants, prenent-los com punt de partida li va permetre a l'ASFA un major avanç tecnològic que els seus competidors.

Va ser progressivament implantat en totes les línies de RENFE, des de les línies principals fins a arribar a ser instal·lat pràcticament a tota la xarxa ferroviària espanyola, de manera que amb prou feines queden unes poques línies sense el sistema ASFA instal·lat. També està àmpliament implantat a la xarxa de via estreta, que pertany a FEVE, i a la xarxa de FGV. El 2005 es va iniciar per part d'Adif un procés de renovació en el sistema, que es va donar a conèixer com a «ASFA Digital». Els canvis en el nou sistema no afecten les balises, que segueixen transmetent la seva informació de forma analògica, sinó a l'equip de processament del senyal que equipa al tren, que en ser digital permet la utilització de corbes de frenada o una millor representació en cabina dels senyals reconeguts.

La interoperativitat entre les xarxes de diferents països a què s'adreça la Unió Europea es veu restringida per l'ús de sistemes com l'ASFA, que no poden ser reconeguts pels trens d'altres països que entrin a la xarxa espanyola. Per això s'està implantant progressivament el sistema de control únic europeu ETCS, que en el seu nivell 1 disposa d'un mode de transmissió de la informació molt similar a l'ASFA (transmissió puntual d'informació), encara que les funcions realitzades pel sistema ETCS són tecnològicament més avançades i segures. Ambdós sistemes són compatibles entre si i poden utilitzar-se en una mateixa línia simultàniament.

Els ASFA que existeixen són els següents:

 ASFA "clàssic" (apte fins a 160 km/h).
 ASFA FAP (versió de FGC).
 ASFA 200 (apte fins a 200 km/h).
 ASFA 200 AVE.
 ASFA digital (Tanmateix cal dir, fins i tot l'ASFA  digital  no dona tanta informació de velocitat com els altres sistemes)

Funcionament
El sistema es compon de dos equipaments, un situat al costat de cada senyal i compost principalment per una balisa que transmet l'estat d'aquest senyal, i un equip a bord del tren que el deté si no s'actua d'acord amb els senyals.

Balises
Les balises se situen en l'eix de la via, entre els dos carrils, uns 5 metres abans del senyal i protegides per una falca generalment de fusta a cada costat que fan a les balises ASFA molt fàcilment identificables. Transmeten passivament una radiofreqüència determinada entre 55 kHz i 135 kHz segons l'estat del senyal a la qual acompanyen. Les balises tenen la capacitat de transmetre en 9 freqüències diferents, cadascuna de les quals indica un estat del senyal adjacent, però tan sols s'utilitzen 5 indicacions:

Per tal d'evitar que un tren sobrepassi un senyal de parada no és suficient que el tren faci una parada d'emergència si sobrepassa la balisa, perquè la distància de frenada portaria al tren a aturar-se un cop passada el senyal tancat. Per això, en senyals que poden indicar parada se situa una segona balisa, anomenada «balisa prèvia», uns 300 metres abans de la balisa de frenada. És obligatori que en passar per la balisa prèvia el tren hagi reduït la seva velocitat per sota d'un valor que depèn del tren, generalment 60 km/h, com a indicació que el tren s'està preparant per aturar-se davant el senyal tancat.

Equip al tren
El tren disposa sota el bastidor d'un captador, situat a la part davantera i a la dreta en el sentit de la marxa. El captador disposa d'un oscil·lador amb una determinada freqüència de treball, i que en passar sobre la balisa passa a oscil·lar a la freqüència de ressonància del circuit de la balisa. Aquest sistema permet una millora, comparat amb una balisa d'antena receptora que detecta una freqüència emesa, ja que evita la necessitat que la balisa rebi alimentació elèctrica de forma continuada.

La freqüència obtinguda s'envia un armari de control. En cabina, s'activa un senyal lluminós i a vegades acústic que indica l'estat del senyal. L'agent de conducció ha de confirmar en menys de 3 segons que ha entès el senyal (prement un botó). Si el senyal indicava alguna limitació, el tren ha de començar a adaptar-se a la limitació en un temps determinat o es produeix una frenada d'emergència. La frenada d'emergència es produeix directament si la balisa passada indicava parada, o si una balisa prèvia indicava que venia un senyal d'aturada i la velocitat a la qual se circula no és inferior a la necessària per aturar el tren. Si es produeix la frenada automàtica del tren, l'agent de conducció no pot recuperar el control fins que el tren estigui completament aturat i es completi un procés de rearmat manual.

Altres sistemes de seguretat
 Automatic Train Protection
 ERTMS
 ETCS

Referències

Vegeu també
 Accident ferroviari de Santiago de Compostel·la del 2013

Enllaços externs
 Vídeo de funcionament del sistema ASFA
 Sons del ASFA (Renfe)

Senyalització ferroviària

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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It's spooky season, also known as our booksellers' favorite time of year!
Here are some of our favorite spine-tingling, terrifying reads to get you in the Halloween mood.
Summer Sons (Paperback)
By Lee Mandelo
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days. Please note that sometimes a book is available on our website but not currently on the store shelves
Published: Tordotcom - August 16th, 2022
Andrew's world is cleaved in two when his best friend Eddie dies from an apparent suicide. He then inherits the life Eddie left behind: a million dollar fortune, a plantation manor, a drag racing group of friends, an unfinished thesis on rural Tennessee folklore, and a very familiar revenant that haunts his every step.
This book is a nonstop thrill ride of subplots: a best friend to lovers romance, a backwoods drag racing, a murder mystery, a survival story, a Southern gothic horror tale, a ghost story.
Above all else, Summer Sons is a look at coming to terms with your identity after an unimaginable loss, and accepting grief as a weight you can't outrun.
Gripping, thrilling, and intoxicating, Summer Sons is the perfect Halloween read. - Jessi
House of Leaves: The Remastered Full-Color Edition (Paperback)
By Mark Z. Danielewski
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Pantheon - March 7th, 2000
This is a novel written as a documentary which is written by a blind man about videos of a shape-changing House that he obviously couldn't see, which could also have been completely fabricated to make a great premise for the blind man's opus, which we'll never know because he's deceased and so we can't ask him, which is then edited by a complete stranger to the blind man and the project who becomes fanatically obsessed with learning the truth of the matter, but also professes in his increasingly schizophrenic tirades that he tends to lie a lot.
Come along, then. We'll pick up the stragglers later.
The house of title fame belongs to a Pulitzer-winning photojournalist named Will Navidson who resides in this quaint countryside abode with his wife and two children. Everything seems just fine and dandy until the hallway appears.
This hallway doesn't connect two rooms. Rather, it branches off a living room wall and extends into total darkness. It is dark, featureless, and eerily cold. The general consensus is that it's giving everyone the heebie-jeebies. So of course, Navidson busts out the camera and goes exploring. The walk from the living room entryway to the wall inside takes him five and a half minutes to complete. Sufficiently creeped-out, the family did the only sensible thing they could do: they boarded up the hole and stuck a door on it. Not surprisingly, this doesn't help. Unable to contain his curiosity, Navidson opens the door for a peek only to find that the hallway has stretched out even farther.
Soon, they discover an entire catacomb of corridors and chambers has manifested behind the living room wall. Navidson hires a team of explorers to investigate the area. When they don't return, he and his own team move in to rescue them. What they step into is a dark and foreboding place whose architectural make-up alters and moves while they're inside. Where the darkness had once been utterly silent, now an otherworldly growl begins to draw nearer.
But what Navidson and his team find in the darkness isn't a growling monster, it's more terrifying than that. What they find in the darkness is what slowly drives poor Johnny Truant insane, it's what we can assume made the blind man so obsessed with Navidson's story, and what probably drove him a bit crazy, too. The madness they uncover starts being mimicked by the book itself, with strange cross-outs, entire missing sections, incessant and disrupting footnotes, backwards print, and formatting that makes the writing near impossible to read.
Even though you're positive you're reading a novel and it's fiction and you know in your noggin that the Navidson Record doesn't exist, even though the characters in the book are themselves doubtful anything occurring is real at all, even though it makes no sense that a blind man would review a video documentary, even though there's that ever-present Johnny Truant who has a penchant for fabricating wild, elaborate stories, what they find there in the darkness will make you keep the night light on. Even more frighteningly, you probably won't be sure why.
And if that hasn't convinced you, pick up the book and flip to the middle. Trust me on this one. - Nikki
Sundial (Hardcover)
By Catriona Ward
Published: Tor Nightfire - March 1st, 2022
Sundial had me cringing, gasping, whispering obscenities to myself in disbelief. Twice, I was on the verge of dry heaving.
Young Callie reminded me far too much of myself years ago. I too was once a morbid, creepy child obsessed with death and murder and bones. It was like looking into a VERY uncomfortable mirror.
It is a supremely messed up story... and the perfect read for yours truly. I don't know what that says about me and whether I should be concerned, but Sundial is likely making it onto my Top Reads of 2022 at the end of the year. -Jessie
Published: PUSH - August 16th, 2022
A delightfully creepy horror novel set at a secretive summer camp and a profound exploration of grief, privilege, and genderfluidity. - Alyssa
Ghost Eaters: A Novel (Hardcover)
By Clay Chapman
Published: Quirk Books - September 20th, 2022
Totally original, dark and chilling story about a group of friends who discover an addictive drug that allows them to see dead people. Well, not allows, more like forces, and it gets intense. This was impossible to put down, but please, read it with the lights on! - Laura
Wrath (Hardcover)
By Sharon Moalem, Daniel Kraus
Published: Union Square & Co. - October 11th, 2022
Jurassic Park meets fluffy designer pets in the heart of New York City. - Nikki
Just Like Home (Hardcover)
By Sarah Gailey
Published: Tor Books - July 19th, 2022
Gailey never fails to write with a creeping sense of dread that slowly wraps its way around you and pins you to the page.
After ten years of being sent away by her cold mother from the house her father built, Vera Crowder is called back to help her dying mother clean out the house.
But dark secrets lurk in the shadows and floorboards of Crowder House, and Vera might not be able to leave until she confronts them all on their own.
This gothic horror had me checking under the bed before I drifted to sleep. It's sure to haunt you in the best possible way. - Jessi
Published: Greenwillow Books - March 1st, 2022
Olivia Prior has spent her entire life within the gray walls of Merilance School for Girls seeing ghouls and feeling like an outsider, the only connection to her family being her mother's mysterious rambling diary. But when Olivia is summoned to the family estate by her estranged uncle, she soon realizes that her family is hiding a dark secret about the deaths of many of its members, and is thrust into a world where the lines between dreams and reality blur, where a seemingly innocent crumbling garden wall has a malevolent air around it, and where a family bloodline is the only thing keeping an ancient hungry entity from devouring the rest of Olivia's family - and even the rest of the world.
Fans of Coraline, Stranger Things and gothic horror will enjoy this book about a family bound to a house - and the terrifying monster held on the other side of a crumbling garden wall that has more to it than meets the eye.
Read this one with a night light and make sure you check under your bed for ghouls before going to sleep! With creeping horror and dread, this book had me utterly transfixed and I read it in one sitting into the darkest parts of the night. - Jessi
The Pallbearers Club: A Novel (Hardcover)
By Paul Tremblay
Published: William Morrow - July 5th, 2022
Pallbearers Club is a top read of the year for me, for sure.
The decades-spanning plot involves a toxic friendship, funerals, folklore, lots of punk rock references, and maaaaaaaybe psychic vampirism? Who's to say?
The story is told as a manuscript of a m̶e̶m̶o̶i̶r̶ novel written by one character (Art Barbara) and edited by another (Mercy), and this narrative device is REALLY COOL. These narrators are unreliable as hell, and to have the two of them competing for the truth is a real treat. What is fact? What is fiction? Can either of these weirdos be trusted? - Jessie
Published: Tor Books - August 2nd, 2022
THE BOOK EATERS by Sunyi Dean is a completely original monster story about a mother's love and the lengths she will go to to protect her son. Devon is born into an insular patriarchal community of book eaters, who get sustenance by consuming written matter. But sometimes another kind of child is born. A monstrous child whose insatiable hunger can only be sated by feeding on the minds of others.
THE BOOK EATERS is the story of a mother's love for her child, and fight to bring him a better life. Dean has told an incredible story of breaking away and sacrificing everything you have for a child that needs you more than anything. An amazing weird dark fantasy book that will stay with you long after you have put it down. - Vickie
Into the Drowning Deep (Paperback)
By Mira Grant
Published: Orbit - May 29th, 2018
With terrifying visuals and haunting prose, Into the Drowning Deep dragged me under and left me gasping for air.
Tory is determined to figure out what happened to her sister on a voyage to Mariana's Trench in search of mermaids - even if it kills her.
This monster horror novel sank its teeth into me and held me captive in its maw and I loved every bloody second of it. - Jessi
The Silent Companions: A Novel (Paperback)
By Laura Purcell
Published: Penguin Books - March 6th, 2018
Newly widowed and pregnant Elsie comes to live at her late husband's rundown estate, where deeply unsettling occurrences begin happening after she finds a painted wooden "companion" behind a locked door .Dripping with Victorian gothic aesthetic and told from multiple points of view and time periods, the relentless dread in this novel builds and builds and never lets up, culminating in ghastly scenes that, years later, still give me nightmares. (You'll never look at cardboard cutouts or splinters the same way again.) - Jessie
The Stars Did Wander Darkling (Hardcover)
By Colin Meloy
Published: Balzer + Bray - September 13th, 2022
That the title was a quote from a Lord Byron poem did not surprise me, but it fits in the context of the book. It was creepy and suspenseful and does not condescend to its intended 8-12 y/o audience. Think Stranger Things meets Stand by Me meets Coraline. - Laura


Having the right bathroom decorations is quite an important part of house decor. It is crucial to not just get the bathroom designed with the right tiles, corresponding or , and the right wallpaper or paint, but also to go ahead and take that extra step by making sure that the walls are well decorated as well.
Having the right bathroom decorations makes the difference between a bland bathroom, and one that actually shows how much you care about the way that your house looks. Remember, your bathroom decorations show off your tastes as much or more as the layout of the rest of your house, so you should really do all that you can to make sure that everything is looking just splendid.
Of course, bathroom decorations are not just a matter of finding any picture and putting it up. Sure, having pictures as part of bathroom decoration is a good idea, but you really need to have just the right taste to get the look that you need for your bathroom. Whatever you put up has to be soothing, yet also show your good taste. It should not be, for example, little kids chasing a balloon against a rural backdrop, or any other such rubbish.
What makes good bathroom decorations in my opinion, is abstract art. Something that shows a range of colors meant to evoke a specific range of emotions is really as good a choice as you can get. Pencil drawings can also make good bathroom decorations, as can prints, but it is important to not overdo it. Of course, your bathroom decorations are far from the most important parts of household decor. What they should really do is to mirror the rest of your household decorations in a more mellow and understated way.
It is always good to have themes that echo and repeat throughout your house, and the bathroom decorations should be part of this. It is great if they reflect the colors and styles that you use elsewhere, many interior decorators believe. If you do not, people will feel subtly thrown off when they first enter your bathroom, and will not be able to figure out exactly why. This type of unconscious unease is kind of disquieting, and it is a bad way to make a good impression on your guests. You should do your best to avoid it at all costs. If you need tubs, then you can consider ModernSpa, the many here are great in appearance and price. Then your bathroom decorations will look great.


With its lively music scene, thriving business environment and cool artsy-university vibe, Nashville is full of things to do. There are museums and historic sites to suit everyone's taste, parks and lakes for outdoor enthusiasts, and family fun for all ages. Moreover, the city's dining, nightlife and shopping options have never been more diverse and exciting.
If you're traveling on a budget, there's no better time to visit Nashville than during the low season. From November to March, hotel prices drop dramatically and so do the crowds, which means a more relaxing time for you and your family. Unfortunately, this is not available for the winter holidays, when hotel rates are substantially higher and tourists flock to see the city decked out in twinkling lights and colorful displays.
Situated in central Tennessee, Nashville enjoys a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. Winter months can be surprisingly cold, ranging from 20s at night to 40s during the daytime. Summer comes with plenty of sunshine, high humidity and temperatures reaching up to 90 degrees F in July and August. Spring and fall are both ideal times to visit the city, offering mild weather, fewer crowds, reasonable mid-season rates and the most comfortable temperatures for outdoor activities.
If you're visiting Nashville during the fall football season, always book your downtown hotel well in advance, as this is one of the busiest times of the year. The same applies to early June, when CMA Festival attracts thousands of country music fans to experience four days and four nights of live concerts and exciting events.
From cozy inns and cheap B&Bs to luxury hotels and chic boutique-style establishments, there are countless options when it comes to Nashville accommodation. A useful tip for those on a budget, however, is to choose their location wisely. Depending on your travel interests, there's a great concentration of mid-range and low-priced hotels in areas such as West End, Midtown, or Music Valley/Opryland.
Nashville - Airport - Music City is especially designed for longer stays, offering fully-equipped kitchens in all rooms, and easy access to attractions such as Wave Country Water Park and Opry Mills shopping center.
For a more central location, Scarritt-Bennett Center* offers cheap accommodation in Gothicstyle surroundings, and is minutes away from Music Row and Vanderbilt University. Other convenient option in the heart of Nashville is Knights Inn Nashville Downtown, which puts you just steps from LP Field, Bridgestone Arena and Tennessee State Capitol.
The area around Grand Ole Opry is another great destination to find affordable rooms in Nashville, and so is Vanderbilt University - Music Row, where many hotels offer loads of local charm, great value for money and close proximity to bars, restaurants and attractions like the Car Collector's Hall of Fame, Hank Williams Jr. Museum and Centennial Park.
Nature enthusiasts can save on accommodation by sleeping at a campsite or guest house in the surrounding countryside. Some reasonably priced options include Namaste Acres Bed & Breakfast* in Franklin, Two Rivers Campground* (2 miles north of Opryland), Nashville KOA* on Music Valley Drive and Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park*, which is only minutes from Grand Old Opry House.
Booking during the off season or placing your reservation months before your arrival are some of the best ways to get a luxury room for cheap in Nashville. Another trick is to be flexible with your dates, as many upscale hotels in the city offer different rates during weekdays and weekends. In a nutshell, a hotel that caters for business travelers will often provide great weekend deals, while leisure properties will always offer special discounts midweek.
Some of Nashville's upmarket hotels also offer loyalty programs and club membership facilities.
Among these are the prestigious Hermitage Hotel* on Sixth Avenue, Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center and Omni Nashville Hotel*, a posh, centrally located establishment with stylish suites and deluxe amenities right next to the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.
Situated only 8 miles east from Nashville downtown, Nashville International Airport is well connected to the city center from where you can avail transport to other parts of Nashville. Travelers are given the choice of taxi, limousine, car rental, bus transfer or airport shuttle.
The Nashville Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) is a public transportation agency and offers convenient and economical scheduled bus service between the airport and Music City Center. Nevertheless, most travelers find the airport car rental facilities to be the most comfortable and practical way to get around.
Nashville Airport, the city provides airport lodging opportunities for all budgets and interests.
Most of the hotels near the airport provide business facilities and free shuttle service to and from their property.
Home to the NFL's Tennessee Titans, LP Filed lies on the east bank of the Cumberland River and is one of Nashville's premiere sporting and concert venues. Accordingly, football fans and visitors attending an event here should be aware that hotel prices will be significantly higher during the football season. Nevertheless, accommodation options abound in the area. Some affordable choices include Ramada Nashville Downtown Hotel*, Clarion Hotel Nashville Downtown* and the Hampton Inn & Suites Nashville Downtown.
Another fantastic reason for staying in the area is the close proximity to Nashville downtown attractions such as the Country Music Hall of Fame, Ryman Auditorium, Nashville Convention Center and Bridgestone Arena.
If you want to be close to Vanderbilt University and the sprawling Centennial Park with its famous replica of the Greek Parthenon, look no further than Holiday Inn Nashville-Vanderbilt on the West End. In addition to its newly refurbished rooms, this hotel offers business amenities and complimentary shuttle service within a 3-mile radius.
Known as the epicenter of the country music recording industry, the fabled Music Row is worth visiting for its history alone. Inexpensive accommodation options in the area include Best Western Music Row and Comfort Inn Downtown – Music Row.
No visit to Nashville would be complete without a stop at the Grand Ole Opry, the heart and soul of country music. Situated northeast of downtown Nashville, in the Opryland area, this American icon is close to budget-friendly hotels such as Fiddler's Inn, Days Inn and Best Western Suites* Near Opryland. If money is not an issue, it is worth paying for a luxurious stay at the nearby Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center.
About 20 minutes east of Downtown Nashville, on the shores of Percy Priest Lake, Nashville Shores Water Park* offers fun for the whole family and comfortable waterfront accommodation during the summer months.
Nashville is a happening city with characterful neighborhoods, a vibrant music scene, and a plethora of activities and events available at any given time. Consequently, it is highly recommended to use resources when planning your trip here.
Developed by The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee, NowPlayingNashville.com offers visitors all the information on what's on in the city, from festivals and music concerts to art exhibitions and sporting events. This online publication also provides discount tickets and special deals.
Equally useful are the weekly Nashville Scene and the city's daily newspaper The Tennessean. Both publications feature up-to-date local news as well as arts and entertainment coverage, being also available online.
An excellent tool for tech-savvy travelers is Nashville Visitors Guide, the official travel app for Nashville. This smart companion will help you plan your trip, navigate the city's best attractions, and discover the great restaurants, shops, nightclubs and events around. The app is designed for both iOS and Android devices.
If music is your main interest when visiting Nashville, then Nashville Music Guide App will definitely satisfy your craving by providing the latest and greatest in the city's live music scene, including what's going on in the local clubs and who's playing where. The app is free to download on both Google Play and App Store.
Free maps, brochures, coupons and guides of the city can be picked up from Nashville Visitor's Center after your arrival. The facility is situated inside the Nashville Arena, at the corner of Broadway and 5th Avenue.


"Heather, why are you surprised when the lost, act lost?" My wise pastor retorts, to my lament of a co-workers outrageous behavior.
Perhaps, today you are in the same place I am, shaking your head at the outlandish, childish behavior, on every channel. All over the news, we see people operating from utter despair and desperation.
I ask you, why are you surprised when the lost, act lost?
Let us put away our unbelief and realize what is before us- Revival. See the opportunity! Meet despair with mercy. Provide the hope they desperately need, eternal hope in Jesus Christ.
Reach out your hand and lift the "lost" brother off the ground into eternal relationship with Christ.
The harvest is ripe- we prayed for revival and it is upon us. Do not walk away from this gift. Take your place in the ranks of the harvesters for Christ.
Lord Jesus, there is none higher or more glorious. You are our sovereign God. As a nation we humble ourselves before the Lord. Pour out Your, healing. We ask for the forgiveness of the sins of this nation: murder of the innocent, worship of money and power, self-will and indulgence. Please forgive us, we are undeserving of Your grace and mercy but beg for it anyway. Save this nation for the sake of the remnant and we will worship You, with new hearts a lit with a passion to bring You Joy our Lord and Master. We pull down and cast out entitlement, indulgence, power, money-lust and coveting in Jesus name. We pour over our nation a new desire for right standing with God a burning commitment for prayer for revival. Drench us in Your mercy as we seek Your face. Heal us; bind up our wounds by the power of the blood of Jesus, Amen.
Please be in agreement with and pass this on to other prayer warriors. The Lord's word says that if we humble ourselves, He will heal our nation. Please join me in humbling ourselves. Thank you.
Therefore, confess your sins to one another [your false steps, your offenses], and pray for one another, that you may be healed and restored. The heartfelt and persistent prayer of a righteous man (believer) can accomplish much [when put into action and made effective by God—it is dynamic and can have tremendous power].


Falkirk Citizens Advice Bureau is here to offer free, impartial and confidential advice to Falkirk. We deliver support and guidance on a range of topics, giving people the information they need to deal with any situation and improve their lives. You can visit our drop-in on Mon. Tue Thu & Fri between 10am-4pm and be seen in person (subject to availability of advisers).
We've been open since 1985 and we're part of the Scottish Citizens Advice network, which has been offering advice and support since 1939. Together we advise over 300,000 people on the best way to sort out their problems every year - that's 1 in every 14 adults.
We have 6 staff and 29 volunteer working as advisers and helping behind the scenes. Everyone you meet at Falkirk Citizens Advice Bureau has had a minimum of six months of training, so they are well-equipped to give you advice on a wide range of problems and issues.
There are a number of ways you can get advice from Falkirk Citizens Advice Bureau. You can call, Email Us or you can make an appointment to come in for a face-to-face appointment.
We aim to respond to messages as soon as possible, but please note that we cannot give individual advice over email.
If you want to make a complaint about Falkirk Citizens Advice Bureau contact us directly. You can also read more about our complaints procedure.


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What is a Spangle? - Definition from CorrosionpediaA spangle is the visible aesthetic feature of crystallites on the surface of a galvanized steel sheet. The spangle appears as either a snowflake or a six-pointed star pattern. This is produced on the steel sheet when certain alloying elements are either added to the liquid zinc or available as impurities.
Hot DIP Galvanized Steel Sheet / Coil, Price Hot Dipped Galvanized Steel Coil/, SGCC Galvanized Sheets manufacturer / supplier in China, offering Jisg 3302 SGCC/ASTM A653/En 10142 Dx51d +Z Galvanized Steel Coil, Dx51 Dx52D PPGI Color Coated Steel for Roof Sheet, Dx51d PPGL Prepainted Galvanized Steel Coils and so on.
Corrugated Metal Panels are building materials made from sheets of hot dip galvanized steel which are cold rolled to produce the rippled pattern we see in them. The corrugations in the panels increase the bending strength of the sheets in the direction perpendicular to the corrugations.
Commercial Steel – CS (Hot Rolled, Cold Rolled, and Galvanized) ASTM Specifications:* Specific: General: HR: ASTM A1011 ... *These specifications replace the former Commercial Quality Grades. HR only (A659) Deep Drawing Steel – DDS ... These tables do not apply to the uncropped ends of Hot Rolled Unprocessed Sheet.
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Even with a typical homeowners insurance policy, there's a great risk you may not be able to replace your beautiful home if disaster strikes. Why? Your home's market value is probably higher than what your current policy will cover.
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A no-risk quote can give you immediate peace of mind that your home replacement costs will be covered. Just fill out this short form and we'll show you how inexpensive this coverage is.


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Black Mirror Predicted The Metaverse in Season 4th Episode
September 14, 2022 March 17, 2022 by Shah Wajahat Ali
Technology is advancing in the space of Artificial intelligence(A.I.), Augmented Reality (A.R.), Virtual Reality (V.R.), digitalized social rating, and even blockchain supporting a decentralized structure.
I'm sure you can think of a movie that predicted using one of the above technologies way ahead of its time. The Terminator, Matrix, and Simpsons Show are a few famous examples.
One of the most recent correct predictions was Black mirror vs. Metaverse.
Can one believe that the Netflix series "Black Mirror" launched in 2015 could have predicted the launch of Metaverse and the future of our digital world?
In Oct 2021, Mark Zuckerberg announced the rebranding of Facebook as Meta and highlighted his vision for next-generation social networking. According to Mark Zuckerberg's vision, meta will nite the physical and digital worlds to become one.
WE CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON BEING THE BEST AT BUILDING SOCIAL MEDIA APPS
Black Mirror Metaverse episode was the season fourth's first episode named "USS Callister". In this episode Robert Daly, a gifted programmer and co-founder of multiplayer online games take out his revenge on a lack of recognition from his colleagues.
According to Black Mirror, Metaverse is a fully immersive online realm identical to the real world but based virtually.
The whole concept is based on augmented reality-based technology, enabling general users to become their avatar characters in the Metaverse. Metaverse will allow you to have a new identity in the digital world.
You can interact with your fellow avatar characters and socialize just like in the real world, with the only difference being the physical presence.
Metaverse is a virtual reality that lets us escape from reality and enter a new one. It is not an alternative to the real world. Society in this new world is much more diverse than ours.
There are other popular technology applications that Black Mirror predicted along with Metaverse.
Here is a list of 5 predictions Black Mirror made about the Metaverse and the future.
5 Predictions Black Mirror Made About Metaverse & Future Tech in 2015
1. Avatars As New Trend
In season 2, episode 3, "The Waldo Moment," the main character becomes famous as he uses his avatar as his proxy. Surprisingly, he captured his comedic performance and made the most out of it. His cartoon was able to lambast people on live tv.
We account this concept with today's world; we will be able to see that avatars are increasingly popular, especially after Apple's recent Animoji program that creates animal emoji avatars based on people's emotions.
In addition, motion capture technology has progressed to the point that live projection of players' performances onto a digital avatar is possible.
2. Can't See Without Screen
In the second episode of the second series called "White Bear," a young woman wakes up and can't remember anything. People here cannot take their eyes off their devices and consistently ignore communicating with her. They are continuously recording and watching the protagonist through their devices.
Now hold on one second and think about it. Don't you see a similar kind of behaviour getting commission among people?
Even in the real world today, people are so addicted to their smartphones and gadgets that they ignore what exists in their surroundings.
Today, people are more concerned about recording a crime than trying to stop it. It feels like this addiction is also being ignored by the natural sense of humanity.
See also 15 Top NFT Creators To Watch Out For
3. Growing Social Media Rating Addiction
"Nosedive" from Black Mirror depicts a world where appearance and popularity are everything.
Black Mirror's Nosedive episode highlights the charms of looks and the popularity of online likes/ rating. It depicts a world where people are judged based on their several preferences.
The plot revolves around the heroine Lacie, who aspires to be in the high-fours so that she may live in a better home in a charming neighborhood. Her need for a high rating crushes her life and devastates her personality.
If we compare this with Metaverse, social media today, and even professional networks like LinkedIn, Everyone today wants to get famous and more liked online.
The influencer marketing industry is based on the same concept: popularity, reach, likes, and influence on specific audience segments online.
4. Record Your History To Relive Memories
The episode 'The Entire History of You" featured on Black Mirror is one example of how technology can invade privacy and affect how we live our lives. In the episode, people live in a world where they have access to their memories through a device called a grain, which is implanted in their foreheads. They can replay memories, share them with others, or delete them altogether.
The main concern about our future is that we will be living in a world where we are constantly monitored, and our privacy will be taken away. These concerns have been amplified by the show Black Mirror.
The episode starts with a couple, Liam and Ffion, considering having their memories recorded for posterity. They are shown to argue about this, and Ffion leaves Liam's office in anger.
The next scene shows Liam at home, watching his memories on his T.V. screen. He sees himself arguing with Ffion and her leaving her office in anger from his perspective as if he was watching it on T.V.
This episode is very similar to the concept of Metaverse from Neal Stephenson's Snow Crash, in which people can share their experiences with others through a virtual reality world.
Some people are already using devices that capture every moment of their day, like Google glasses and a Kapture, a constantly recording wristband. These technologies are coming closer to being ubiquitous.
5. Cancel Culture – Death With Social Votes #Death
The episode 'Hated in the Nation' is a perfect example of how the internet can create a mob mentality.
Cancel culture is the idea that people should be able to cancel anything they want and that it's wrong to be mad at someone for withdrawing something.
Cancel culture is an idea that was created on social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook. It was made famous by comedians like Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert, and it's been around since the early 2000s.
4 Black Mirror Predictions That Are Closer Than Ever With The Metaverse
Apart from the predictions mentioned above initiated by Black Mirror that we have seen become a reality, in many episodes, Black Mirror has also warned its audience of predictions that are closer to us than ever.
And at least in how the reality progresses in the black mirror stories, it's better to stay as away from them as we can.
See also 13 Best Ways of Making Money in the Metaverse
Let's now see what Black Mirror predicted the reality to be in some of the alternative universe episodes, how we're extremely close to that in our reality, especially with the initiation of the Metaverse project, and how it can affect our daily lives.
#1 15 Million Merits (S01E02)
One of the underrated episodes of the show, 15 million merits shows little to nothing about the real environment of the people in the episode. We don't know where they are or how they reached this point, however, what we are shown in the episode is that everyone lives under a routine that helps them earn merits.
The routine is to wake up in a technologically advanced room, with ceiling-to-floor digital screens that show a fake sunrise on the screen, brush your teeth, and get to work.
What's work? Using a stationary cycle. The more you cycle, the more merits you earn.
These merits can then later be used to buy virtual things, such as games or movies, and also physical items such as food, toothpaste, and water.
The scary part of the episode is how close it seems to the real world now. The merits are extremely synonymous with digital or virtual currencies.
Even if these currencies only buy us virtual items, we seem to be more invested in them than real currencies.
Some of the metaverse currencies known as LAND or SAND have a much higher value than real currencies such as the USD.
But the scariest part is the climax of the episode. Since the characters in the episode are trapped in the reality, they have only one option to experience something new: Earn 15 million merits and take a part in a reality show to showcase their talent which could be their way to get out of this realm.
And mind you- the technologically advanced world that they live in isn't boring or tedious at all. For a couple of hours of cycling, you can do almost everything we do virtually in this world. From the most advanced games to a plethora of entertainment options, however, all the characters in the episode are seen to be struggling to somehow earn 15 million merits and try their luck to free themselves out.
While in the world we live in, we're living in freedom, yet we're trying to trap ourselves in an augmented reality called the metaverse to deal with virtual currencies, virtual entertainment, and a virtual society.
#2 White Christmas (S02E04)
The highest-rated episode of Black Mirror, White Christmas, shows a couple of protagonists sharing past stories of the world they used to live in.
While the whole premise of the episode is extremely terrifying and daunting, there is one scene that caught my eye, which I could compare to the reality we live in right now.
That was when the protagonist was being controlled by an authority of what they can do, who they can see or touch, and who they can interact with.
Much like the blocking feature on Facebook or Instagram, in the episode, we see a world where you can block people off as such that they can't even see or interact with you in the real world. All that they can see when they look at you is nothing but a blur.
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And that does sound good if done right. Surely, people who misuse their privileges or are considered to be stalkers or hackers should be blocked and limited control in a metaverse that will exist right?
However, since we're talking about creating a whole reality- a universe, who will be the judge? Would there be any measures to penalize the right person?
What if you spend 10 years in the metaverse and create a life of your own but are wrongfully accused and framed to be a convict? Blocked off of everything that you put the effort in for 10 years. The relationships, the assets, and your currencies.
#3 Striking Vipers (S05E01)
In the latest season of Black Mirror, we get an up-close hint of what augmented reality can help us explore when it comes to love and sexuality.
In this episode, we see two best friends in real life connect with each other in an AR game that they play together that helps them find new sexual interests for themselves within the game- but only in the game.
Which raises the question- if the metaverse were to be as real as the real world that we know of right now, how would relationships be in the near future?
Inevitably, the more technologically advanced we get, the easier it will be for people to erase their histories and hide themselves using proxies, but is that too much freedom?
Would we see a decline in real relationships and an increase in virtual relationships in the metaverse then? Or would people choose a different partner for both worlds?
#4 Be Right Back (S02E01)
This episode is not really as focused on the technological part of the world, however, it does raise a question for me when it comes to the metaverse.
How would another reality affect the life cycle of people? Would a person dying in the real world face the same consequences in the metaverse? This episode shows proof that may not be the case.
In the episode, the protagonist woman finds it extremely hard to deal with the death of her boyfriend and finds a way to get a 'robot-ish' version of him back that could learn its way to be her boyfriend again.
With the rise of Artificial Intelligence and Deep Learning, we can already see that happening in the real world.
If computers can find patterns of songwriting from dead artists and create new songs following that, I think we could see an option of being alive in the metaverse even after our death.
Surely, our character would have enough information from our inputs to live and act the same way we did.
And maybe our loved ones and social connections prefer to keep us around in an augmented reality when we can't be available in the real world? To go to a virtual lake fishing or to a virtual cinema for a movie?
At least, in the episode, the artificial intelligence algorithm couldn't work as well and the protagonist woman is shown to discard her artificial boyfriend after some time, leaving him in the attic away from her life and accepting the death of her boyfriend.
What about the metaverse? Only time can tell…
Categories NFTs, Metaverse Tags Metaverse
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Q: How can I invoke lodash/fp get and use a default value? I'm using lodash/fp with react and am new to react.  The documentation for _.get() says you can pass a default value:

If the resolved value is undefined, the defaultValue is used in its place.

But, in the signature does not show a defaultValue and passing it as third argument does not work, it is ignored:
import _ from "lodash/fp"

console.log("first:", _.get("email", profile.profile, "test"))
console.log("second:", _.get("email", profile.profile) ? _.get("email", profile.profile) : "test")
console.log("third:", profile.profile.email)

I get in the console:
app.js:251 first: undefined
app.js:252 second: test
app.js:253 Uncaught TypeError: Cannot read property 'email' of undefined

Since it is undefined as seen with error in "third" log, why doesn't the first give me empty string instead of undefined?
See related discussion.
How do I invoke lodash fp and have a default value used?  Is this what getOr is for?  I tried getOr and am not getting default value.

A: In the docs you linked to, as you can see, the first argument to _.get is the object itself, not a string. If your primary object is profile, then that should be the first argument, and the second argument should be a string of the path you want.
_.get(profile, 'profile.email') refers to profile.profile.email
In /fp, _.get from lodash/fp doesn't use defaultValue, and the solution is to use getOr, which works fine for me:
https://codesandbox.io/s/vp2opyjkl

A: Use _.getOr(defaultValue, path, object) from lodash/fp.
Sources:

*

*https://lodash.com/docs/4.17.11#get

*https://github.com/lodash/lodash/wiki/FP-Guide