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Cocktail Hour, Issue No. 6: Ranch Water🍸
Tequila, Ice Worms, FBoy Island & Remembering a Friend
As we laze through the final weeks of summer, I want to introduce you to the world's least assuming cocktail: Ranch Water. It's got three ingredients: Tequila, lime and Topo Chico.
The origins of this simple drink are disputed, and you could use something other than Topo Chico (there's a shortage, after all). But, the point is to keep it simple. It's something to sip as the sun goes down on a hard day.
If you're feeling a little extra, you could use an infused tequila, like the pineapple version they use at Lulu's Winegarden in Washington, D.C. If you want a little zing, squeeze your limes and muddle the juice with jalapeño seeds. (More seeds, more heat.) Or go for simplicity and just toss a few jalapeño rings in your drink.
Whatever you do, keep Ranch Water in your back pocket for Labor Day weekend. It is the perfect cocktail for long holiday weekends when the day drinking starts early but you don't want beer or those too-sweet hard seltzers. Nobody has to know your ratio of Topo Chico to tequila, so you can stay cool and sober into the evening.
(Photo by Laura Boyer/@growingupcali)
In another part of my life, I run the Shady Ladies Literary Society, which brings emerging women authors to Detroit and pairs them with local chefs and bartenders for evenings of unforgettable conversation. Because of the pandemic, we've been on hiatus. But friends still text and email me regularly for book recommendations.
This week, someone asked me for a short story collection, it gave me an excuse to reread this debut set in the United States and Nigeria. I'm reminded of exactly how good — and timely — it is. Here's how The Atlantic talks about the title story:
But it's not a downer of a book. I promise! Rather, it illuminates the human spirit and our faith and tenacity. It shows us what it means to belong to this world and to each other.
I've never seen an episode of The Bachelor — or any dating show, for that matter. But I was down to spend some time on FBoy Island. (For those of you just joining us (*cough cough* Mom), an FBoy is a F*ck Boy, someone who lies and manipulates just to get to … you get the picture.)
The premise of the show is three women are looking for love on a desert island and their suitors are 12 Nice Guys and 12 FBoys. But nobody knows who is who, and there's $100,000 at stake.
But how do you even spot an FBoy? Here's what contestant CJ Franco, self-proclaimed FBoy tamer, told Maxim:
And there's this:
If he's bought a girl fake boobs or veneers, that's also a sign. But no spoilers here; you'll just have to spend a day on FBoy Island to find out why. It's a delightful escape from reality.
P.S. The show's creators say they want to include LGBTQ+ contestants in upcoming seasons. ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
There are worms. Living in ice. On Mount Rainier. This is not alright.
How indeed, science? How, indeed?
Apparently ice worms have super high energy levels even when freezing their I-don't-know-whats off. This is the opposite of every other warm blooded creature in the world, so scientists are looking for answers before the ice melts.
I would just like to point science to the Arctic noir Fortitude and what it taught us about things that live in the ice and what happens when it melts. Bad things. Very bad things.
Fortitude is one of my favorite TV shows. I should hate it because I hate anything scary or gory. But the series is enough of a character drama that I can overlook the building sensation that some sh*t is about to go down. Plus it has Stanley Tucci. (2)
Back to the point: I fear the ice worms. And now you know about them, too. (3)
— Gen Z icon JoJo Siwa and her girlfriend Kylie are absolutely precious. We must protect these babies! At! All! Costs! (4)
— I miss Going-Out Tops, only because it would mean I am going out again :(
— Second resident of Nebraska's one-person town is just a figment of the Census Bureau's imagination.
— Bonus: His Name Was Emmett Till. The 14-year-old was beaten and murdered 66 years ago this week for whistling at a white woman in Money, Mississippi. The brutality and the jury's acquittal — after being told by the defense to do their "Anglo Saxon" duty — ignited the Civil Rights Movement.
In this month's Atlantic, Mississippian Wright Thompson looks at the story and how much of it has been lost to history. Court files missing. The gun in a private citizen's safety deposit box. The barn where it happened is just an everyday citizen's home.
Plus Thompson looks at the concerted effort by White people to not know this history, to look the other way, to redirect blame at a lower caste. Powerful White Mississippians blamed Till's killing on, essentially, poor white trash while simultaneously having created the systems, such as segregation academies, that allowed it to happen.
But we cannot look away. The threads of what happened then still show in today's cloth. Forgetting is not possible.
This time last year our great friend Jason Vogel passed away.
Lovey and I met Jason at a rib-off competition on our very first weekend living in Michigan. This bear of a man became our first friend here, and he immediately folded us into his life. Jason made us feel tethered when we felt alone and adrift in a new place. We spent nights drinking and listening to music on his deck, or at the Detroit dive bars that Jason once performed in. We went to Tigers games and built a quiet, stable friendship.
We didn't see him all the time, but I couldn't imagine a life here without Jason at the edge of the scene.
Early in our friendship Jason was diagnosed with an aggressive cancer. So even when he told us that it was really serious this time, I think I still thought it would be like every other scare. But it wasn't, and he knew that. In classic Jason style, he orchestrated everything about his own passing right down to the playlist.
One September morning, Lovey and I got a call from a friend who warned us to prepare ourselves. He told us to play Bruce Springsteen's debut album, Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J., because Jason wanted all of his loved ones listening, wherever we were, as a way to remember him and stay connected. A musician and a poet until the end.
And so one year later Lovey and I have Welcome to Asbury Park, N.J. on repeat, telling each other Jason stories and reminiscing.
We lost you too soon, brother.
That's all for this week, friends. See you next Friday for Cocktail Hour. Until then, hug your people.
And Now For the Side Notes:
Yes, I'm serious about this.
You think it will be all right because, Stanley Tucci. But really f*cking bad things will happen. And yet, like my friend Suma, you will keep watching. She called me about three episodes in and asked what in the hell I'd gotten her into while also confessing she couldn't stop.
Sure, sure: This might have just been an excuse to write about Fortitude. But also, science.
This is from editor Caitlin. I had to Google them, too. 🤷♀
Jennifer Lawinski
There's a very powerful exhibit about Emmett Till at the African American History Museum in DC. Everyone should see it.
I can't wait to go and finally see that museum. I've never really been to DC. And never to the museums. (Stayed briefly in Baltimore with Stacy once for a book expo in DC but that's it.)
Britta Waller Melton
Smilla's Sense of Snow had the ice worms first. And if you haven't seen that one, oh wow. But as usual, the book is even better.
Oh, thank you, Britta. I'll check that out!
hmmm…dad and I are looking for a new show to watch. Will we be sorry to try Fortitude? I'm not usually into anything too scary or gory either but maybe this one would be interesting?And had no idea on the dating show! But it sounds a lot like life, try…
try the first episode. I am like you and hate anything scary. But mostly it was a murder mystery with a bit of gore in the final episode. By that time I was willing to live with it through closed eyes. Use our Amazon account; we own it.


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Europe selected
Volkswagen top executives charged with market manipulation
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-49811501
Diesel emissions scandal
Image caption CEO Herbert Diess is one of those charged
Three current and former Volkswagen executives have been charged with market manipulation in connection with a diesel emissions scandal.
Chief executive Herbert Diess, chairman Hans Dieter Pötsch and ex-boss Martin Winterkorn did not inform investors early enough about the financial fallout, German prosecutors allege.
The firm admitted in 2015 using illegal software to cheat on emissions tests.
VW said it was confident the allegations would prove groundless.
Mr Diess will continue to be chief executive, the company's lawyers told Reuters on Tuesday.
"The company has meticulously investigated this matter with the help of internal and external legal experts for almost four years. The result is clear: the allegations are groundless," the German company said in a statement to Bloomberg.
Lawyers for both Mr Winterkorn and Mr Pötsch have said the two men are blameless, while Mr Diess's lawyer said the current chief executive did not join Volkswagen until July 2015 and would have had no idea about the breadth of the scandal.
Second indictment
The Volkswagen scandal erupted in September 2015, when the company admitted that nearly 600,000 cars sold in the US were fitted with "defeat devices" designed to circumvent emissions tests. Millions more across the world were also fitted with the device from 2009 through to 2015.
Mr Winterkorn, the chief executive at the time, stepped down from the firm after the scandal broke. Mr Diess joined the company in 2015 and later took over as head.
How VW tried to cover up the emissions scandal
Volkswagen puts Herbert Diess in the driving seat
This is the second indictment in Germany by prosecutors in relation to the diesel scandal.
Mr Winterkorn and three other VW managers were charged with fraud in April.
In a statement on that case, prosecutors accused Mr Winterkorn of a "particularly serious" fraud, as well as a breach of competition laws.
They said that the former chief executive should have alerted car owners and authorities in Europe and the US about the manipulation of diesel emissions tests sooner.
They also accused him of approving a "useless" software update designed to conceal the true reason for the cars' higher emission levels.
This came after the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) sued Volkswagen and Mr Winterkorn a month earlier.
The SEC claimed the firm misled investors by issuing billions of dollars worth of bonds and securities, without disclosing that it had cheated emissions tests.
The company responded by saying it would contest the SEC lawsuit vigorously.
Former VW boss charged over diesel emissions scandal

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Leonel Sousa Coutinho, né le  à Vila Real, est un coureur cycliste portugais.

Biographie
Leonel Coutinho est originaire de Vila Real. Il commence le cyclisme par le VTT. Il se considère avant tout comme un sprinteur.

En 2007, il se classe deuxième du championnat du Portugal dans la catégorie cadets (moins de 17 ans). En 2009, il est sacré champion du Portugal de poursuite chez les juniors (moins de 19 ans). Il termine également quatrième du Tour du Portugal juniors, tout en ayant remporté une étape.

En 2010, il devient champion du Portugal juniors de poursuite par équipes. Sur route, il se classe troisième d'une étape du Trofeo Karlsberg, manche de la Coupe des Nations Juniors. En 2011 et 2012, il devient champion du Portugal de vitesse chez les espoirs (moins de 23 ans). Il s'impose par ailleurs sur des étapes du Tour du Portugal de l'Avenir, et termine sixième d'une édition du Tour de l'Alentejo. Il continue ensuite à courir chez les amateurs en 2013 et 2014, avec de nouveaux succès au Portugal et en Espagne.

En 2015, il rejoint l'équipe continentale LA Alumínios-Antarte, qui évolue sous licence portugaise. Il court dans cette formation jusqu'en 2016, sans toutefois obtenir de résultats marquants. Leonel Coutinho redescend alors chez les amateurs en 2017, au club galicien Super Froiz. Toujours rapide au sprint, il domine le Mémorial Manuel Sanroma en remportant les deux étapes et le classement général.

Il retrouve finalement le monde professionnel en 2018 au sein de la formation Vito-Feirense-BlackJack.

Palmarès sur route

Par année

 2007
  du championnat du Portugal sur route cadets
 2009
  du Tour du Portugal juniors
 2011
  et  du Tour du Portugal de l'Avenir
 2012
 Clásica de Pascua
  du Tour du Portugal de l'Avenir
 2013
 Prova de Abertura
 Clásica de Pascua

 2014
 Circuit de Moita
 2017
 Mémorial Manuel Sanroma :
 Classement général
  et
 Gran Premio Peregrina
  du Tour de Galice (contre-la-montre par équipes)

Classements mondiaux

Palmarès sur piste

Championnats nationaux

 2009
  Champion du Portugal de poursuite juniors
  du championnat du Portugal de poursuite par équipes juniors
  du championnat du Portugal de vitesse juniors
 2010
  Champion du Portugal de poursuite par équipes juniors
  du championnat du Portugal de poursuite juniors

 2011
  Champion du Portugal de vitesse espoirs
  du championnat du Portugal de poursuite par équipes espoirs
 2012
  Champion du Portugal de vitesse espoirs
 2014
  Champion du Portugal de poursuite par équipes espoirs

Notes et références

Notes

Références

Liens externes

Coureur cycliste portugais
Coureur cycliste sur piste
Naissance en avril 1992
Naissance à Vila Real (Portugal)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu
Trek to Machu Picchu by going "off the beaten Inca Trail" on the exotic Salkantay Trek. Described by National Geographic as "the cool way" to get to the ancient Incan citadel, this challenging hike takes you through Andean peaks, cloud forests, Incan ruins and small villages where people still live as they have for hundreds of years. You'll camp in style, beat the crowds to Machu Picchu, and visit cosmopolitan Lima and charming Cuzco, the erstwhile capital of the Incas.
Start with a free day to acclimatize to the altitude and explore Cuzco at your leisure.
Take a fascinating tour of Cuzco, comparing the differences between Native American and European Architecture.
Camp in ultimate comfort and warmth, with quality sleeping bags and Therm-a-Rest sleeping mats in your spacious two-man tent. Porters will carry your kit, and you'll even have the use of a private tented bathroom in the campsite.
Visit Andean villages and ancient Incan sites including Killarumiyoc and Mollepata.
Make camp on Salkantaypampa, the highest peak in the Vilcabamba mountain range, 13,100 feet above sea level.
Witness the majestic Soyrococha glacier lake and take in views of the peaks of Salkantay and Humantay from a high mountain pass of 15,100 feet.
Hike through gorgeous scenery from tropical cloud forests to bamboo groves, tiny Andean villages, valleys of rich vegetation and waterfalls.
Trek along the challenging trail to the terraced Incan site of Llactapata.
Stay overnight in comfort in Aguas Calientes, to beat the crowds to Machu Pichhu the next morning.
Enjoy a guided tour of Machu Picchu, with free time to explore the citadel for yourself.
Time allowing, take in a fascinating tour of Lima, with stops at the Larco Archaeological Museum, the San Francisco Monastery and the waterfront district of Miraflores.
Upon arrival in Lima, one of our representatives will meet you and drive you to your selected hotel. Or, if you are staying at the Lima Airport Costa del Sol Ramada, you will only need to walk out the airport exit and across the street to your night's accommodation.
Lima to Cuzco
Travelling from Lima to Cuzco, you will have gone from sea level to 11,500 feet, so we keep your first day free to relax and acclimatize to the altitude. If you're feeling up to it, the city center is pedestrian-friendly and makes for a great stroll. We're happy to recommend the city's best options for dining and shopping, in line with your interests and preferences.
Cuzco City Tour
Experience first-hand the remnants of the great Incan capital. At Sacsayhuaman you will see the largest and most impressive stonework of Pre-Columbian America. Your visits to the Koricancha and the main cathedral will highlight the differences between Native American and European architecture.
Trek Cuzco to Soyrococha
Your trekking adventure begins with an early departure from Cuzco and a drive to the trailhead. Short stop to Mollepata, then continue to Soraypampa, for taking a relaxing lunch break. From here, marks your starting point of trek and you'll head to your campsite at Soyrococha, located at 14,432 feet above sea level.
Trek Soyrococha to Colpapampa
The day begins early we will first reach the Salcantay pass at 4750mts./15580 ft. and then we will trek down to Huayracmachay (3800mts. /12464ft.) settlement. During our hike we will have the permanent view of the amazing mount Salcantay. The day continues with a descent to Huayracpampa for lunch. In the afternoon, a four-hour descent takes you through tropical cloud forests, bamboo groves and tiny Andean villages to your campsite at Colpapampa at 10,496 feet.
Trek Colpapampa to Lucmabamba
As you descend further, you'll pass through a valley of rich vegetation, ranging from various species of orchids to fields of corn and fruit. Several waterfalls flow from the cliffs above. In the afternoon you'll arrive at La Playa where you will have lunch and then continue to 1 hour to Lucmabamba camp for the night.
Trek Lucmabamba to Aguas Calientes
Early in the morning you'll set off on a difficult climb to the Llactapata pass at 8,900 feet. From here you'll see the terraced Incan site at Llactapata before descending through the dense jungle to the hydro-electric station near the Urubamba River. From here, you will take the train to Aguas Calientes, where you will settle into your accommodation for the evening and enjoy a hearty dinner.
Machu Picchu to Cuzco
Awake early to avoid the crowds at Machu Picchu, the great Inca citadel. During the morning, your guide will walk you through the details of the site's construction and examine how a city survived perched atop this mountain. The afternoon is free for you to continue to explore the ruins on your own before taking a scenic train ride back to Cuzco.
You will be picked up from your hotel and driven to the Cuzco airport for your flight to Lima. Depending on the time of your international flight out a private tour of Lima's key sites can be arranged. You will visit the Larco Archaeological Museum, the San Francisco Monastery and its catacombs, Lima's historic colonial squares, and the picturesque waterfront district Miraflores.
Classic Inca Trail to Machu Picchu
We will start early in the morning going down the trail hiking for 3 hours until reaching Wiñaywayna at 8,856 feet, the main archaeological site after …
Inca Trail Choquechaca to Machu Picchu Trek
The 8-Day Inca Trail Choquechaca to Machu Picchu Trek is a unique and authentic experience developed by SA Expeditions in conjunction with the people of …
Lares Trek & Tour
Experience a little bit of everything the Cuzco region has to offer on this 8-Day Lares Trek & Tour. You'll discover the fascinating pre-Columbian and …
The many benefits of doing the five-day Inca Trail with SA Expeditions
The Great Inca Trail
Why you absolutely need to hike the Great Inca Trail


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Eddie Durham, a foundation in Jazz
Eddie Durham
*Eddie Durham was born on this date in 1906. He was an African American musician, composer and inventor.
From San Marcos, Texas, he was the son of Joe Durham who played the fiddle at square dances. Young Durham's oldest brother, Joe played cello briefly with Nat King Cole, took correspondence lessons and in turn taught Eddie and his other brothers to read and notate music. Together with cousins Allen and Clyde Durham, Durhams and his brother Roosevelt formed the Durham Brothers Band around 1920. They were later joined in Dallas by another cousin, Herschel Evans a tenor saxophonist.
Durham also played trombone and invented, amplified and played electric guitar. His magic as a musician, arranger and composer provided the pedestal of compositions and arrangements imperative to the survival of such many band leaders. He wrote and/or arranged for Bennie Moten, Count Basie, Jimmie Lunceford, Harry James, Artie Shaw, Andy Kirk, Jan Savitt, Willie Bryant, The Harlem Blues & Jazz Band, The International Sweethearts of Rhythm, Billie Holiday Glenn Miller and others. Durham's 'amplified guitar' recordings predate the debut of Charlie Christian by one year, whom Durham mentored. The sessions were for John Hammond where he recorded the Kansas City Five sessions featuring the electric guitar.
He won the American Poll for his guitar solo on "Honey Keep Your Mind on Me" (Lunceford); he is inducted into both the NARAS and American Jazz Hall of Fame. Durham appeared in films "Born to Swing" and "Last of the Blue Devils". His compositions include Topsy (co-written with Edgar Battle), Good Morning Blues, Swingin the Blues, Sent for You Yesterday (co-written with Basie), I Don't Want to Set the World on Fire, Lafayette, Wham! Re Bop Boom Bam, Sliphorn Jive, Luncefords Special, Glenn Island Special, Johns Idea, Magic Carpet (and unaccredited for Motens Swing and One O'clock Jump).
Durham's Arrangements include Glenn Miller's Bluebird recording of "In The Mood". In the 1940s Durham organized his own band, directed an all-girl orchestra. During the 1950s and 1960s he performed less and traveled abroad. In the 1980s Durham toured Europe with the Harlem Blues and Jazz Band. He died in New York City on March 6, 1987.
University of Texas Libraries,
The University of Texas at Austin,
Post Office Box P,
Austin, TX 78713-8916.
Image: Jimmy Jewell,
Kansas City Museum,
Kansas City, Mo.
To Become a Musician or Singer
To Become a Conductor or Composer
Person / name:
Durham, Eddie


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Ebook Marketing: Boxed Sets are Gaining Exposure and Sales
One of the things the digital world allows authors to do is to bundle their writings and easily deliver them to readers. Because of this, we are seeing a dramatic increase in the number of ebook boxed sets offered on-line. The types of sets vary but the author's objectives are consistent. They want more sales and increased exposure.
At the beginning, the main objective of boxed sets was to sell more books and make a profit. The digital delivery system made it easy. The sets were uploaded to retailers and the marketing and sales began.
Recently, we are seeing authors exploring other ways to use their digital products. This time the book collections are being produced to gain exposure with readers. Offered at giveaway prices, multiple authors are banding together to offer their books in a boxed set.
Book sets and short story digests are not a new phenomenon. Publishers have produced book collections for decades. Their size and the cost of production and delivery were always an issue. I remember reading the Winston Churchill books about World War II for a history project. A 6-book set that filled half of my bookshelf.
Reader's Digest tried to handle the problem by publishing a set of short stories and later condensed versions of books to try to capture a growing reader's market.
Now, we live in the ebook age where Churchill's book set, along with hundreds of other novels can fit in the palm of your hand. Size is no longer an issue (some retailers have an artificial size maximum based on price) and the production and delivery costs are a small fraction of the old traditional cost structure.
Transition in Thinking
Many authors are starting to bundle their books and short stories and discounting them from the cover prices of the individual books. Readers can get the set delivered to their ebook device immediately. Great deal. This is all well and good if you have enough books in your inventory that you can bundle.
The following is a summary of how authors are using boxed sets to increase their sales and exposure.
Multi-Author Boxed Sets
We are starting to see unique version of boxed sets appear. The sets are a bundle of full-size books by different authors with a common theme or genre. The objective is exposure not profit. They are selling boxed sets at giveaway prices. This allows authors that only have a few books to take advantage of the new digital concept and gain exposure. (Established authors are taking the lead on this. Many new authors and groups will follow.)
For example, I choose a boxed set that was released in September, 2013 by nine outstanding authors with lots of titles in their portfolio. (Priced at $ 0.99 for the bundle.) I contacted several of the authors to see how their boxed set project had gone. The name of the bundle is 9 Killer Thrillers.
9 Killer Thrillers
The questions I had were general in nature.
1. Whose idea was it and who coordinated the production?
2. What were the objectives?
3. What were your results?
4. Did you run into any obstacles?
Here are their answers.
Award-winning Author Melissa Foster @Melissa_Foster is the author of several International bestselling novels and the founder of the World Literary Café, Fostering Success and the social and support network for women, the Women's Nest.
Goal: "Our objectives were to expand our readership and reach out to readers in a new and different way."
Results: "We've experienced high sales volumes which we hope will translate to new readership for each of us. Collaboration is an important aspect of the indie book marketing process."
Problems: "Too many to count. KDP has a maximum size of 3MB for files sold for $.99 and that was a bit tricky. Different retailers accept different types of covers, so there were quite a few variations that came into play there, too."
Russell Blake @blakebooks is the bestselling author of twenty-two novels. Russell added this:
Goal: "Melissa Foster and I were tossing around ideas for increasing our visibility, and we came up with the idea of an irresistible value proposition for readers. It made sense - discoverability is the toughest thing in this business, so anything that can increase discoverability is a win."
Exposure: "A sale is just a transaction. Gaining a new reader who likes your work is a relationship. We were after new relationships. That's one of the reasons we were very careful about the authors we approached - it wasn't about quantity so much as it was about quality."
Results: "Very good. I want to say we're closing in on 10,000 bundles sold, which is 10K new readers."
Obstacles: "File size and formatting were the two major bears, but we tackled them handily. We also had to do some heavy lifting on scheduling promotions for maximum effect, but none of it was backbreaking. I've participated in some other bundles, and this one was my favorite of the bunch. I've heard from new readers who discovered my oeuvre due to the bundle, so I'd say it was worth it."
Best-Selling Author Claude Bouchard @ceebee308 writes Mystery & Thrillers novels in the Vigilante Series. Claude had this to say about the 9 Killer Thriller Project:
Idea: "Sometime in September, I was contacted by bestselling author, Russell Blake, who asked if I was interested in taking part in a book bundle to be released as soon as feasibly possible. Blake's vision was a box set of already successful works by various established authors with the objective of widening the readership base for all participants. The idea had definite promise and the collection of nine authors and novels was soon established, the result being 9 Killer Thrillers. Production was coordinated by Blake with certain requirements overseen by John Betcher, Melissa Foster and me. All participants were involved in spreading the word via their websites and social media platforms upon release."
Goal: "Since our primary goal was readership expansion versus financial gain, all agreed that a 99 cent price point should improve our chances to maximize distribution all while likely covering production and advertising costs. Less than two days following its October 21st release, the bundle sat at #69 in the Top 100 on Amazon.com. Though it has slid back in ranking since, it's been hovering steadily around the #300 mark for over two weeks. Though I'm not at liberty to share specific sales numbers, I can confirm that all costs have been covered and multiple thousands of copies have sold thus far. I'd say we've met our objective."
This boxed set was quite successful as the authors attested. Their main goal was to gain exposure at a low cost. It's like the ebook giveaways that are so popular in our industry. They get readers to sample their product and hope the readers will return for more and/or tell someone else about it.
Nick Russell
Another of the author in the 9 Killer Thriller set was New York Times Kindle bestselling author Nick Russell @GypsyJournal. Besides being a novelist, he publishers the popular Gypsy Journal RV travel newspaper.
Nick added this to the discussion.
Results: The goal was not so much to make money from the sales, but rather to
introduce our work to new readers who were unfamiliar with our books.
I think it has succeeded in that. After the first big sales burst,
things have leveled out to an average of 200 - 300 books a day.
Obstacles: There were no real obstacles except for a minor glitch or two in the
formatting stages. It took a few tries to get it to work, although I
wasn't directly involved so I can't remember the details.
The 9 Killer Thriller boxed set included:
MJ Rose - The Halo Effect
Michael Wallace - The Devil's Deep
Russell Blake - King of Swords
CJ Lyons - Snake Skin
Melissa Foster - Traces of Kara
John L. Betcher - The 19th Element
Claude Bouchard - Vigilante
Luke Romyn - Corpus Christi
Nick Russell - Big Lake
To get a closer look at the 9 Killer Thriller details, click here.
Twitter Weight (TW)
I usually weigh my marketing potential by reviewing what I call the Twitter Weight. The Twitter Weight is the number of potential reads I can get by using social media to reach an audience. I round to the nearest thousand. This group of authors (9) has a Twitter Weight of 848. That means that the 9 authors have a combined following of 848,000+ on Twitter.
So, if the 9 Killer Thriller group all started marketing this boxed set on Twitter, they would have a very large potential audience. Of course, they would use other methods of promotion like Facebook, websites, blogs, etc. to push the boxed set but their Twitter reach is mind-blowing.
Individual Author Boxed Sets at Discounted Prices.
This type of boxed set is used by a single author to bundle several of their novels at a discounted prices from the individual cover price. Usually this type will combine a series or have a common theme for readers.
Hetta Coffey Collection Boxed Set
I will start this type of set with Award-Winning author Jinx Schwartz @jinxschwartz. She is an Award-Winning author. Jinx offered this about her boxed set.
Jinx Schwartz
Idea: "I decided to do a boxed set when I reached five in the series. I find when I offer any one of the books goes free, for some reason the boxed set sales jump. I recently offered book 5 (Just the Pits) free, so with the boxed set at 7.99, readers can get the entire series for 1.60."
Startup: "I decided to do a boxed set when I published book five in the series. I've found when I offer any one of the books in the series for free, for some reason the boxed set sales jump. I recently offered book 5 (Just the Pits) free, so with the boxed set price at 7.99, readers can get all five books in the series for 1.60 each. Now, that is a deal."
Objectives: "Well, both sales and exposure, of course. Since I am writing a series, I want to have loyal readers waiting for the next book. It is a slow process, but I keep plugging, and absolutely love getting mail from readers who relate to Hetta Coffey and her cohorts. Hetta is best described as somewhat irascible and snarky, but also funny and never dull, so she is liked by both men and women readers."
Results: "So far I am pleased with my sales. Not gonna buy a new yacht anytime soon, but I am so much better off since I went Indie!"
Obstacles: "Luckily for me my lovely hubby figured out how to make up the boxed set and the cover."
Jinx boxed set includes her novels:
Just Add Salt
Just Add Trouble
Just Deserts
Jinx has a Twitter Weight of 11 or over 11,000 twitter followers.
Sloane Monroe Series
Another boxed set was created by Cheryl Bradshaw. It features her popular character Sloane Monroe. I included Cheryl to demonstrate the combination of a book series boxed set and a large social media presence. This set had great numbers on Amazon and is still selling well. Cheryl Bradshaw has a Twitter Weight of 46, all by herself.
Cheryl Bradshaw
Amazon Best-Selling Author Cheryl Bradshaw @cherylbradshaw is the creator of the Sloane Monroe series and the founder of the hugely successful Indie Writers Unite group on Facebook.
The three books included in her boxed set are:
BLACK DIAMOND DEATH
SINNERMAN
First Deadly Conspiracy - Boxed Set
The next set included in my study is the First Deadly Conspiracy which includes 3 books from Roger Stelljes' McRyan Mystery Series. After release, this boxed set quickly jumped into the top sales categories in its genre on Amazon.
Roger Stelljes
Author Roger Stelljes @rogerstelljes is the bestselling author of the McRyan Mystery Series. His boxed set includes 773 pages:
FIRST CASE - (12 chapter novella) the prequel to the McRyan Mystery Series.
THE ST. PAUL CONSPIRACY
DEADLY STILLWATER
I asked Roger about boxed sets. He had this to offer.
Idea: "I saw that fans were buying subsequent books in the McRyan Mystery Series so I decided to offer a three book box set. I find it easiest and cost effective to utilize a formatter to get the three full length novels into a single downloadable volume."
Objective: "My objectives in offering a box set included being able to offer convenience as a single download (instead of three ebooks) and also to help fans save a few bucks on all three books. Even if they download "Deadly Stillwater" as a free ebook it still makes sense to purchase the box set if they would like to read the other ebooks. I also think that books should be affordable and people should be able to read more not less."
Results: "I would recommend that all authors put their ebooks into box sets. My ebook box set First Deadly Conspiracy just hit the NYT Ebook Bestseller List so I think that is proof positive that readers like box sets. You'll see quite a few box sets out on Amazon and other sites that have 5-10 books in the set. Going forward, I don't think I will have any more than three books in a box set because each novel is quite long."
Obstacles: "The only obstacles I ran into were that the formatter struggled a bit with the size of the Smashwords document however that might have been solved for other authors when Smashwords moved to allowing epub formats. Also iTunes/iBooks doesn't allow direct upload of a 3D looking cover so I had to get an additional 2D cover made for the box set specifically for use on iTunes. You may see a few 3D covers out there but those were all uploaded through Draft2Digital to iTunes."
Author Boxed Set - Short Stories
Another approach to bundling your writings using boxed sets was taken by Mike Mathias. He bundles his short stories. He goes at it a little differently. Well let me have him tell you.
Crimzon and Clover
M.R Mathias
Author M.R. Mathias @DahgMahn is an award-winning self-published Fantasy Writer. He is noted for his epic fantasy novels and his prolific social network marketing activity. Mike said this:
Idea: "Usually I write a Crimzon and Clover story while I am waiting on a novel edit. I have parts of the novel that I didn't use left rattling around in my head, and lots of ideas. I apply some of them to Crimzon and Clover and let their personalities take it where they will. I make the stories free and/or .99 to garner publicity, but that isn't why I write them. I write them because they make me."
Results: "Crimzon and Clover have been well received and I have had at least five hundred requests to write a full length Crimzon and Clover novel. Our lucky girl and her growing dragon are main characters in the latter Dragoneer novels, and I think Clover might have a redeeming use for banished King Richard in the forthcoming fifth Dragoneer book."
Obstacles: "The hardest thing I run into is keeping the story simple. Anyone who has read my novels knows that I get a few threads going and then work on weaving them together for a climax. With a short tale it is a lot harder, at least for me. As for marketing... Getting good covers is a bonus." (Mike's Twitter Weight is 128.)
His short story set, Crimzon and Clover includes:
Orphaned Dragon - Lucky Girl
Tricky Wizard
The Grog
Wrath of Crimzon
Killer of Giants
The First Dragoneer - A Dragoneer Saga Novella
Author Boxed Set – Large Story
Another reason authors use boxed sets is to package a story that, because of its size, was original parsed into separate novels. I asked Mike Wells to explain his objectives.
Passion, Power & Sin
Mike Wells
Author Mike Wells @MikeWellsAuthor is a bestselling author including his titles Lust, Money & Murder and Passion, Power & Sin.
Idea: "The idea for Passion, Power & Sin came from a Wall Street scam I heard about back before the Internet, where tip letters were sent out by "stockbrokers" to two groups of potential investors--one predicted that a particular stock would go up significantly in the next week, and the other letter was exactly the same but predicted that the same stock would go DOWN in the next week. The scammers would only follow up with the investors who got the correct prediction, and after repeating this process one or more times, the scammers would have the investor eating out of their hands, ready to money into whatever company they were told to invest in."
Objective: "That's only part of the plot, though. I also wanted to tell a story about a young woman who is ruined by very shrewd con artist and who gets even by conning the con artist, and that's what the story is about. I wrote this book the way I write all my books, starting with a three-act rough outline and then writing for a while, then going back to the outline and adjusting, and so forth.
Heather, the hero, goes through hell and her journey to track down and punish the scammer takes her all over the world. Passion, Power & Sin is 200,000 words, so I broke it down into five smaller books."
Results: "Sales of the book have been slower than I expected, but that's always the case. The reviews have been spectacular--virtually everyone who reads it loves it, have only had a couple of readers who couldn't get into it for whatever reason."
Obstacle: "My only obstacle is the same one I have with all my books and as an author in general--visibility. The nonstop tsunami of badly-written first novels continues to grow due to the ease with which Amazon has made it possible to self-publish, and that's a real concern for serious authors." (Mike's Twitter Weight is 61.)
Mike Wells boxed set, Passion, Power & Sin includes 5 books.
Book 1 - Book 2 - Book 3 - Book 4 - Book 5
Multi-Author Sampler
KIW Sampler – Selected chapters for $ 0.99
This type of collection doesn't meet the basic criteria of a boxed set but it is a collection of books held in digital form to help give a reader a sample of the works of the authors. The sampler was published by the Kentucky Independent Writers.
I contacted one of the authors, who is one of the HBS Author's Spotlight crew.
Katherine Logan
Award winning, best-selling author Katherine Logan @KathyLLogan is the author of the Celtic Brooch Time-Travel Series.
Idea: "I saw an ad on Facebook from a group of authors who put a sampler together. I mentioned the ad at a Kentucky Independent Writers meeting and told the group that I thought it might be something we could do quarterly. Several people volunteered to submit a chapter. The objectives were to give exposure to individual authors and the group as a whole. We've had over 4000 downloads since we put the sampler up a year ago. Everyone has been so busy writing that no one has had time to spearhead another edition."
Obstacle: "The biggest problem was putting it together, taking chapters from nine books and giving them a similar look and feel. I stripped out all the unique features so that chapters had the same font and spacing, and then we sent it off to a formatter. Another member of the group did the cover and another member did the uploads. It was a joint venture and a fun experience."
"I never thought of this as a box set because it is only the first chapter of each of the 9 books. Not the complete book. You might want to make that distinction."
Authors involved in the sampler were:
Diane Strong - Amy Durham - Jesse Coffey - Hallee Bridgeman - Hayden Braeburn
Teresa Reasor - Kallypso Masters - J.M. Madden - Katherine Logan
Debi Warford (Illustrator)
Kathy has a point about this not being a true boxed set but it is created exactly the same as the other sets mentioned above. The thing that catches my eye is the Twitter Weight. This group's Twitter Weight is 222. That is a lot of social media presence.
A reader may check the sampler out because they follow one author and they discover another author who has a similar style. It is the exposure that authors are after.
I don't know if the sampler approach will be rewarding but the potential of the Twitter Weight of this group is sure there.
Author Boxed Set – A Free Novel plus a Sampler and Takeouts
Another concept, because this is a digital product, is the author is not only providing a novel but samples of other books and takeouts. Traditional publishing has used this combination but were always limited in the size of the book and the costs. The ebook loses that boundary.
Diane Capri has done that with her boxed set. She explains her bundle below.
Licensed to Thrill
Diane Capri
Spotlight on #1 Amazon Bestselling Author Diane Capri @DianeCapri is the author of The Hunt for Reacher series.
Idea: "Convenience is probably the number one reason readers choose sets instead of buying books individually. Readers who enjoy reading an entire series like having all the books together in one file on their eReaders, which makes the individual books easier to find and also easier to read in order of publication."
Objective: "Every decision I make about marketing my work is always about serving readers, so I arranged to publish the sets in groups that would appeal to them. I included bonus content and priced the sets below the cost of purchasing the books individually. More titles increase author visibility on the various retail sites; sets make it easier for readers to find my work in all formats."
Results: "Set buyers are a smaller audience segment so sets are not as popular as individual books and don't sell as many copies. But for readers looking for the full series at a great price, sets are an ideal solution for both of us."
Her boxed set Contains: Two #1 Bestselling Titles, plus samples, interviews, and more:
Full Novel: Fatal Distraction
Short Story: Fatal Enemy
AND a FREE Diane Capri Sampler containing EXCLUSIVE BONUS CONTENT
plus extended samples of 7 Diane Capri novels all at a discounted price.
The award-winning authors included here have several different objectives in creating their boxed sets. Some have sales and royalties as their main goal. Others are trying to gain exposure. Of course, all authors are looking for both of these.
Boxed sets give new authors the opportunity to get more exposure than they could on their own. That is why I included the Twitter Weight concept. In the case of the 9 Killer Thrillers, we had nine authors cross-tweeting and linking to over 800,000 followers at one time. That is exposure. The good thing is they don't have to stop marketing. The boxed set will be on-line forever.
Like Astronaut Eugene Cernan said on the moon, "It ain't easy, McGee." Actually he stole that quote from a Fibber McGee and Molly radio program.
There are formatters that can help with the creation of your boxed set. The cover issues, retailer's requirements, and font problems can all be dealt with. But the end result will be more exposure and increased sales.
There is a big marketing opportunity here. Readers are looking for bargains and authors need exposure and they want to move books. I could see support groups and other organizations banding together and producing boxed sets.
My advice is: Authors should bundle up this winter.
Another post that may be of interest is: Getting Book Reviews: The Methods Award-Winning Authors Use – A Study
Or EMAIL me at: mailto:jim@jamesmoushon.com
Check out the Jonathon Stone Mystery Novels:
Coming Soon: another Jonathon Stone Mystery: Game Of Fire
Labels: 9 Killer Thrillers, Cheryl Bradshaw, Claude Bouchard, Diane Capri, Jinx Schwartz, Katherine Logan, M.R Mathias, Melissa Foster, Mike Wells, Nick Russell, Roger Stelljes, Russell Blake
Greg Strandberg November 24, 2013 at 1:44 AM
Lots of good analysis here right from the source - thanks!
R.J. with BookMarketingTools.com November 29, 2013 at 4:35 PM
Wow... what a fantastic breakdown of the boxed set phenomenon.
I always wondered about the coordinated boxed sets which contain books from multiple authors. Such promos can create massive reach (as you described using twitter reach as an example), which can compensate for the lower earnings each participant gets.
Awesome work!
James Moushon December 14, 2013 at 4:56 PM
One author shared with me the sales are over 30,000 downloads. That is a lot of prospective followers plus some unexpected income for the authors.
this is where this is going guys.
readers like this a lot.
Experion Institute April 8, 2015 at 10:25 PM
What fabulous work! buy fiction books online
buy romance fiction online book club
Ebook Marketing: Boxed Sets are Gaining Exposure a...
Book Author: An Interview with Melody Anne


text:
President Obama pays a visit
Harold Pollack
I asked my Youth Guidance colleagues Tony DiVittorio and Marshaun Bacon what it was like to host President Obama at the Becoming a Man (BAM) program at Hyde Park Academy yesterday. I've written about that program here before. It's getting a lot of press these days.
Tony didn't hesitate: "The President would be a great BAM counselor. I'm going to offer him a job when he's done with this one." It's good to know that Obama will have some options here..
President Obama spent a few hours at the school. It's a short walk from my office, though it is a world away from the University of Chicago in terms of the opportunities and life realities facing its students.
Much of the President's time was spent pressing-the-flesh with the griteratti of Chicago's political class. Everyone seemed to be there: Aldermen and alderwomen, local foundation heads, university dignitaries, Senator Durbin, Governor Quinn, Mayor Emanuel, and Cook County Board President Preckwinckle were there.
Sprinkled through the crowd, one could also spot other notable, if less-famous people: Hadiya Pendleton's parents and others who lost loved-ones to gun violence, the south side's 93-year-old civil rights hero, Timuel Black, and many others.
I was not one of the honored griteratti.I didn't get to meet the President as some of my colleagues did. From the nosebleed seats at the back of a large gymnasium, I was happy I had brought my snazzy camera and 300mm lens to capture the action from a few hundred feet away.
The speech was scheduled to start at 2:40. It started fifty minutes late, with a fantastic, definitely-not-lip-sync-ed rendition of the national anthem by the a Hyde Park Academy student, whose performance blew Beyonce's away.
The delay was okay because President Obama spent about an hour speaking with a BAM group of high school students.
The man who wrote Dreams of my Father shares a few biographical threads with these young men: "I wish I had had a father who was around and involved," the President told the BAM group.
The President knows what it was like to be raised by a single mother, having barely known his father during his formative years. Many BAM kids (and mentors, too) know this subject all too well.
"I thought about my own father," [18-year-old Devon] Lowery said. "He left me when I was 5, and now he is trying to be back in my life. But it's too late. I'm grown now."
No less important, the President understood some of the key ways that his life was quite different from these kids' lives, as well.
These are all some exceptional young men, and I couldn't be prouder of them. And the reason I'm proud of them is because a lot of them have had some issues. That's part of the reason why you guys are in the program. (Laughter.)
But what I explained to them was I had issues too when I was their age. I just had an environment that was a little more forgiving. So when I screwed up, the consequences weren't as [dire] as when kids on the South Side screw up. So I had more of a safety net. But these guys are no different than me, and we had that conversation about what does it take to change….It's not easy.
But it does require us, first of all, having a vision about where we want to be. It requires us recognizing that it will be hard work getting there. It requires us being able to overcome and persevere in the face of roadblocks and disappointments and failures. It requires us reflecting internally about who we are and what we believe in, and facing up to our own fears and insecurities, and admitting when we're wrong. And that same thing that we have to do in our individual lives that these guys talked about, that's what we have to do for our communities. And it will not be easy, but it can be done.
It's not easy to be a 17-year-old kid in the unforgiving world of Chicago. It's no easier in Cleveland, or Detroit, or Baltimore, or countless other cities in the United States whose challenges get less attention than Chicago's right now but are in no way less severe.
I've been speaking with many reporters lately about Chicago homicides, Newtown, and the President's visit here. These interviews have been useful, though many run together in my head because they hit the same familiar talking points in gun and crime policy.
The Atlantic's Ta-Nehisi Coates and I got deeper into things in this extended dialogue. We touched on Becoming a Man and other subjects. I hope you have a look.
Health Policy, Life
Chicago, gun policy, youth violence
by Neeti on February 17th, 2013 at 17:56
@Harold Pollack – Please check out this week's This American Life episode which covers the issue of gun violence in one school in Chicago if you haven't already. You may be aware of this information but its a wonderful narrative. http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/487/harper-high-school-part-one


As part of Skin Graft Records UNFIT Apparel, pre-orders are now being taken for the new Dazzling Killmen T-Shirt, Crow Head, shipping January 15th. I designed and illustrated the shirt back in 2013, and am excited to finally see it go to print. The mighty Skin Graft Records logo is on the back. The shirt may be ordered through Skin Graft Records or through the Dark Slide. Thanks to Mark Fischer and Skin Graft Records.
Crow Head. Pen and ink, Scratchboard. 2013.
Crow Head T-shirt mock-up. 2017.
Working drawing for Crow Head. Graphite. 2013.


Can we clone mscrm 2011 Entity all it's attribute and metadata. Please let me know regarding this.
This is impossible with oob functionality.
To make such cloning possible you will have to develop application.
If we develop through custom code then also we might have face performance issue after creating all attributes, System Entities and metadata?
I don't think that you face a performance issue by cloning data - just load the required data in your application, delete the GUID's and the standard attributes (createdon, createdby,...) out of the data and call the create method of the webservice. The only problem I see here is to load really the complete metadata and not to forget something (attributes, forms, views, rights,...)!
Not sure, but you may find this video useful, its title says it all.
"Microsoft CRM 2011 - Learn how to create entities and fields whilst importing data"
This would just get you the entity & its metadata, you would still need to clone the any forms, views, etc by hand or via a custom application.
Once cloned the newly created record is popped up on the User Interface.
Works for even new fields as soon as they are introduced within the entity.


Thousands of users have sent letters of opposition to the decision made by the Federal Communication Commission that would allow telecom companies to block or charge certain group messages differently, in a move that has triggered grassroots response questioning the FCC's anti-consumer policies.
In essence, the decision of the FCC gives mobile carriers the ability to block or charge senders more for certain messages. The decision was first made on December 2018 and critics have claimed that the real issue in the policy that gives more power to telecom companies over text messaging is a free-speech issue that could negatively impact activists and non-profit organizations.
Previously, eight senators opposing the decision wrote a letter to the office of Ajit Pai, the chair of the agency that is tasked to regulate telecommunications. According to the letter, the controversial decision would have a negative impact on advocacy groups because "carriers could force businesses, advocacy organizations, first responders, doctors, and many others" to pay more to reach their audiences via text messages.
The FCC, in an attempt to sugarcoat the impact of the decision, neatly framed the announcement of its decision, reclassifying SMS and MMS as "information services" rather than "telecommunication services" like phone calls, as a benefit to consumers, claiming that the policy will better protect consumers from robo-texting and spamming.
While robo-texts and text spams are genuinely a problem that the FCC needs to resolve as it is the worst form of telecommunication harassment, giving wireless broadband service providers more powers over text messages (primarily that the new policy does not provide any guarantee for counterchecking) is a dangerous slope for the agency to slide into.
As a response, Public Knowledge's attorney John Bergmeyer filed a petition for reconsideration on behalf of his organization to pressure the FCC to overturn its decision over the new policy and push back on its plan to give carriers more powers over text messaging services. Public Knowledge is an internet rights group that has been fighting for internet neutrality and freedom of information.
Tuesday marks the last day for members of the public to sign the petition and write to the FCC in support of the Public Knowledge. In addition to Public Knowledge and the eight senators who publicly expressed their opposition to the decision by Ajit Pai's office, 20 more groups and non-profits including the Electronic Frontier Foundation, wrote a group letter to oppose the new policy.
The decision of the FCC to give more power to carriers is not the only controversy being faced by the agency in recent years. Previously, the commission was heavily slammed over their move that would hamper net neutrality. Many people opposing the net neutrality revocation expressed their opposition to the policy through the online commenting system. The comments came in huge waves paralyzing the system altogether for a while.
Speaking of the online commenting system and net neutrality: the agency has also been criticized for refusing to grant Freedom of Information Act requests by journalists and lawmakers over the alleged identity theft that has happened in the comment system of the organization during the net neutrality revocation. Recently, the agency was ordered by the court to pay a hefty amount of money to a journalist who filed a lawsuit against FCC over violations of the FOIA, but the trial has not forced the agency to produce the requested documents.
In an earlier report, the FCC has also been in hot water after it was revealed that the agency was only able to collect $6,000 out of the $200 million in fines it issued against companies and businesses who robocalls. In recent times, the FCC and its chief Ajit Pai have been repeatedly called out for their inability to end the robocall epidemic that has been terrorizing American households. In response, many telecom companies like AT&T, Comcast, and Verizon have vowed to release features that would potentially block robocallers and auto-dialed calls.


She is believed to have received a£1 million bonus related to the Olympic Stadium bid paid over five years so her gross pay was likely to have been £836,000 including 20% of the bonus payment.
Baroness Brady of Knightsbridge, as she is now known, is believed to have a net worth of around £82m. In addition to West Ham she is also chairman of Kerrang! and a non executive director for Syco, Mothercare, Arcadia and Sport England.
She was recently appointed to the House of Lords where she can claim a £300 per day attendance fee plus other expenses.
She receives a significant appearance fee for appearing on BBC Apprentice with Lord Sugar. However her West Ham salary is dwarfed byDaniel Levy's £2.2m as CEO of Spurs or Arsenal's Chief executive Ivan Gazidis who pocketed £2m.
Are you being honest here?Does the spud and the Arse only work very part time too? £836 a year and she does what exactly on her day in? The board run the club like a ATM sometimes.
Yeah Rugby, record high profits, record high turnover, all avenues of earnings up, the club worth 4 times what it was worth when the Davesbought the club, squad value at an all time high, 6th place and 31points and the OS on the horizon. The board run it like a bloody circus mate. Where did it all go wrong?


text:
Q: How to connect to database file to extract the data? I need some help with my PHP code. I want to connect to the database file called myChannel.db to extract the data from the rows, but I have got no idea how to do that by using this code:
Here is the config:
<?php
  define('DB_HOST', 'localhost');
  define('DB_USER', 'myusername');
  define('DB_PASSWORD', 'mypassword');
  define('DB_DATABASE', 'mydbname');
  $errmsg_arr = array();
  $errflag = false;
  $link = mysql_connect(DB_HOST, DB_USER, DB_PASSWORD);

  if(!$link)
  {
    die('Failed to connect to server: ' . mysql_error());
  }
  $db = mysql_select_db(DB_DATABASE);

  if(!$db)
  {
    die("Unable to select database");
  }
?>

Here is the get-listing.php script:
<?php
$errmsg_arr = array();
$errflag = true;
$link;

//Connect to the database
require_once('config.php');

$qrytable1="SELECT id, channels, programme_title, programme_description, programme_start_date, programme_end_date FROM tvguide WHERE channels='$channels' && id='$id'";
$result1 = mysql_query($qrytable1) or die('Error:
' . $qry . '
' . mysql_error());

while ($row = mysql_fetch_array($result1))
{
  //output the data for channels, programme_title, programme_description, programme_start_date, programme_end
}
?>

The code will only allow me to connect to mysql and nothing is else.
Can you please show me an example how I could connect to myChannel.db and extract the data from the columns called channels, programme_title, programme_description, programme_start_date, programme_end where the channels is matched?

A: You asked for an example... this was my solution for querying geocoordinates from mySQL database.  I call all of this in my php file...
     //set up a MySQL query, this is the data you are asking for.  This asks for all data from tabele 'shelters'.   Be sure to call your specific table.
$sql = "SELECT * FROM shelters;";

if(!$results = $link->query($sql)){
  die("Query Unsuccessful");
}

//Here I create a value map and pull out the results I care about from my request query.
$valueMap = array();
while ($data = $results->fetch_assoc()){
    $valueMap[] = array(
      'title' => $data['title'],
      'lat' => $data['lat'],
      'lng' => $data['lng'],

    );
}
//encoding it into JSON is more manageble for me, but you will have to parse it into a javascript object in your index file.
  $JSONData = json_encode($valueMap);

 //heere you want to echo your data in order to retrieve it in your index file. Has the functionality of connecting to an API
  echo $JSONData;

Hit me up in the comments with any more specific questions.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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Green Technology News releases dedicated to reportage of the green technology industry are featured in this section. A wide array of topics and industry interests are included, from technological advancements and future trends to eco-friendly options in a global marketplace, green consumer products and LEED-certified building projects.
Jump to News Releases:
15:30 BST Risen Energy Harvested 2 New Projects from Belt and Road Country Markets
Recently, Risen Energy Co., Ltd (hereinafter referred to as Risen Energy), announced two pieces of positive news from Belt and Road country markets,...
14:20 BST Blockchain Start-up RENBDO Ready to Launch Pre-ICO
Eco Smart Energies Ltd (www.renbdo.io) is pleased to reveal that the company is now ready to start the pre-ICO campaign for their upcoming project...
08:00 BST Evija: Lotus Unveils World's Most Powerful Production Car
Resurgent British sports car maker Lotus has unveiled the Evija, the world's first all-electric British hypercar, at an exclusive event in London. A...
16 Jul, 2019, 09:00 BST North Africa in the Environmental Context of Ecomondo and Key Energy 2019 (Italy)
The Mediterranean Sea, Blue Economy, Industry 4.0 are among the topics at the centre of the focus and insights on North Africa at the myriad of...
16 Jul, 2019, 08:00 BST Major Players Across Chemical and Electric Utility Sectors Share TCFD implementation Experience
Today, through collaboration with the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), eleven leading companies across chemical and...
16 Jul, 2019, 04:08 BST Floating Solar: Philippines Switches On It's First Hybrid Floating Photovoltaic Hydro Power Project
The Philippines first 200kw floating solar power project by Ocean Sun, a leading solar energy company based in Norway, was recently switched on. The...
15 Jul, 2019, 08:00 BST Kreisel Electric Conferred the Frost & Sullivan Award and is Thus Acknowledged as a World Leader
Never before has the need for change in the area of mobility been so hotly debated, and Austrian firm Kreisel Electric has demonstrated real...
12 Jul, 2019, 10:30 BST Green Mining Market Worth $12.9 Billion by 2024 - Exclusive Report by MarketsandMarkets™
According to the new market research report "Green Mining Market by Mining Type (Surface and Underground), Technology (Power Reduction, Fuel and...
12 Jul, 2019, 03:23 BST JA Solar Supplies Modules for the Largest PERC Bifacial Double-glass Solar Power Plant in South Korea
JA Solar Co., Ltd, a world-leading manufacturer of high-performance photovoltaic products, announced that it supplied all modules for the largest...
11 Jul, 2019, 17:14 BST PhosAgro CEO Andrey Guryev Takes Part in Meeting of World Chemistry Leaders in Paris
PhosAgro CEO and head of the Russian Fertilizer Producers Association Andrey Guryev took part in a meeting of world chemistry leaders organised on...
10 Jul, 2019, 22:30 BST Alliance to End Plastic Waste Welcomes 12 New Companies From Across the Plastics Value Chain
The Alliance to End Plastic Waste (AEPW) today welcomed 12 new companies from across the plastics value chain, including Chinese state-owned Sinopec. ...
09 Jul, 2019, 22:21 BST UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay and PhosAgro CEO Andrey Guryev Discuss Cooperation
UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay together with PhosAgro CEO and member of the Commission of the Russian Federation for UNESCO Andrey Guryev...
09 Jul, 2019, 15:55 BST SCS Members Trinseo and Ineos Styrolution Plan Commercial Scale Polystyrene Chemical Recycling Plant with Agilyx in Europe
Styrenics Circular Solutions (SCS) and Agilyx announced today a collaboration between INEOS Styrolution, Trinseo, and Agilyx to advance the...
09 Jul, 2019, 10:44 BST What Is the Smart I-V Curve Diagnosis 3.0?
In 2019, Huawei launched the AI Boost Smart I-V Curve Diagnosis 3.0, integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology in the field of solar...
08 Jul, 2019, 00:01 BST Centrica Builds on Electric Vehicle (EV) Offer with Home Charging Installations
Centrica has announced the expansion of its digital service, Local Heroes, to offer homeowners electric vehicle (EV) charging installations. Designed ...
04 Jul, 2019, 07:28 BST Invitation to Stora Enso's Q2 Press Conference and Webcast on 19 July 2019
Stora Enso will publish its Half-year Report January–June 2019 on Friday 19 July 2019 at approximately 09.30 Finnish time (08.30 CEST). The following ...
03 Jul, 2019, 12:00 BST Biopesticides Market is Forecasted to Reach US$ ~ 13.0 Billion by the end of 2029 - PMR
A report published by Persistence Market Research on the biopesticides market considers the global industry analysis for 2014–2018 and forecast...
03 Jul, 2019, 09:02 BST Solar Power Market to Reach 4766.82 GW by 2026; Increasing Government Investment in Solar Energy Generation to Boost the Market, says Fortune Business Insights
The global Solar Power Market will derive growth from the increasing awareness regarding conservation of conventional energy sources and reducing...
02 Jul, 2019, 15:46 BST Prysmian Launches New 525 kV HVDC Cable Technologies for More Efficient, Reliable and Eco-friendly Power Transmission
Prysmian Group, world leader in the energy and telecom cable systems industry, has made a significant step in advancing cable technology to enable...
02 Jul, 2019, 15:30 BST Risen Energy further strengthens Vietnamese PV market
Keeping costs under control and establishing an affordable connection to the grid are the two keys to success for PV makers operating in...
02 Jul, 2019, 09:00 BST UK Business Report by Centrica Finds: Our Workplaces Can Be the 'Power Plants of the Future'
Energy savvy businesses are more likely to be successful – six in ten (58%) best performing businesses demonstrate advanced energy leadership Only...
01 Jul, 2019, 15:29 BST Liquid Wind, a Swedish Alternative Fuel Company Raises over 2 MSEK via Crowdfunding
Liquid Wind and their expert consortium will produce a climate neutral alternative to fossil fuels. Over five weeks, 150 people invested 2.4 MSEK...
30 Jun, 2019, 17:01 BST Rocky Mountain Institute Releases Report On Shenzhen's Path To Global Leadership In Electric Logistics Vehicles
Today Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) launched its latest report which explores Shenzhen's experience in the deployment of electric freight delivery...
28 Jun, 2019, 23:45 BST 2019 Keeling Curve Prize winners announced
Winners of the 2019 Keeling Curve Prize range from a company recycling CO₂ into cost-competitive chemicals and fuels, to an initiative greening...
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Home Body Armor Manufacturers New Body Armour Book: Modern Body Armour and Helmets
New Body Armour Book: Modern Body Armour and Helmets
Modern Body Armour and Helmets
Book About Modern Body Armour and Helmets
The first coverings worn by humans were to protect against the elements and injury. While that requirement still exists in everyday clothing, very specialised garments have been developed to protect against the effects of bullets, bombs, knives and other weapons. This body armour book is about these forms of protective clothing – body armour and helmets.
The protection of personnel against the effects of weapons has become an important not only to those in the military or in law enforcement but also to others such as journalists and medical staff who might be at risk in the course of their duties.
The authors have written this introduction to the modern body armour and helmets of the early 21st century in non-technical language, mainly for the reader who has little or no previous knowledge of materials technology, design, or ballistics. They have attempted to provide answers to the questions that such a reader may have. The body armour book describes anti-personnel weapons and ammunition and the materials which are used to stop these threats. The reader will learn why and how such forms of protection work. The book also explains how body armour and helmets are designed, how both the basic materials and the finished clothing and headwear are tested and how to select appropriate armours and helmets.
After briefly discussing the development of body armour and helmets in Chapter 1, Chapter 2 looks at the classification of threats, including small-arms, rifle and handgun bullets; fragmenting munitions, and knives. Based on the protection required for each of these threats, Chapter 3 discusses the armour materials including steel and other metals, flexible armour materials, fibre composites, ceramic-faced armours, and transparent armours. Chapter 4 discusses basic armour design considerations and Chapter 5 looks at helmet design and face protection. Chapter 6 discusses ballistic tests for body armour, testing of stab-resistant materials and non-ballistic test methods for helmets. Chapter 7 addresses the issues of cost, protection levels, weight, comfort, and compatibility. Chapter 8 looks briefly at alternative materials and systems. Finally, Chapter 9 provides technical data and information including: useful conversion factors; data on bullets, ballistic-protection testing standards, ballistic limit velocities, armour materials, body armour weight, knife protection standards, drop heights for helmet and knife testing, and blast.
Body Armour Book Authors
Laurence Tobin had been both a soldier and a police officer before spending thirty years as a senior scientist in the UK Ministry of Defence, engaged exclusively on the research and development of body armour. He has served on several NATO and European research groups and was the originator of the only international symposia on personal armour systems which continues to be held every two years. He is now the director of a protective clothing consultancy.
Dr Michael Iremonger has taught at the Royal Military College of Science (now the Defence College of Management and Technology) at Shrivenham in the UK for over thirty years. As well as teaching many students about the fundamentals of body armour he has conducted research on many aspects of body armour systems from the computer and experimental modelling of armour mechanics to the factors that influence their wearability.
"Further details, a sample chapter, and secure online order at here.
Previous articleU.S. Funds Body Armor Research
Next articleFlorida-Based Second Chance Body Armor to Expand Facility in Michigan


Inventory management is always a great challenge for all supermarket operators. Checking and replenishing of stocks are time-consuming, which deeply affect operation's efficiency. Operators are looking for ways to solve these issues.
MegaPOS offers solution for supermarket operation and inventory management. Inventory report allows employees to monitor the stock movement and replenishment. It also decreases the risk of losing sales where customer turns to competitors for purchases. Additional products such as barcode scanner and stock-take device increase employees' efficiency in checking on-hand stock, which help to ease their workloads.


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A professor at the University of Utah, Mario Capecchi recently won the 2007 Nobel Prize for physiology. Yet important stories like his seem to be crowded out by those of celebrities driving drunk. City Weekly asked florist Julie Giles, of Huddleton Floral, why our society is more interested with hearing about famous people falling on their faces than with good people doing good work?
My first thought is that negative stories are what is being driven by the press and the media. If it sells papers, it will get sponsors. I think if they would focus on the positive, they would get better results. The media doesn't even seem to want to experiment on that. I just wish more people would focus on the positive and less on the negative.


Katsutoshi Jitsukawa, 42, who works for Japan Airlines, was arrested on 28 October after failing a breath test. He was found to have 189mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood in his system – the legal limit for a pilot is 20mg. The first officer pleaded guilty to exceeding the alcohol limit at Uxbridge Magistrates' Court on Thursday, reports BBC.
The Boeing 777 aircraft took off after a 69-minute delay. JAL issued an apology and pledged to "implement immediate actions to prevent any future occurrence", adding that "safety remains our utmost priority".
Jitsukawa was remanded in custody and will be sentenced at Isleworth Crown Court on 29 November. In June, British Airways pilot Julian Monaghan was jailed for eight months for being caught on duty with 86mg of alcohol in his system. He had turned up for work at Gatwick Airport after drinking three double vodkas.


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#ActOnClimate
Get out your Sharpie!
When the provincial premiers meet this week to discuss Canada's response to climate change, we need to shout, march, and let them know we'll vote, to make our demands known: stop greenhouse gas emissions, adopt a comprehensive renewable energy plan, and stop the dangerous, expensive, and unnecessary Energy East pipeline.
More than 25,000 people took to the streets of Quebec City on Saturday 11 April to demand meaningful action by government at all levels and an end to the exploitation of the Alberta tar sands. Led by First Nations marchers from BC, Alberta, Ontario, New Brunswick, and Quebec, the demonstration made its way through the streets of the capital. In front of the Quebec Assembly, thousands of people dressed in red formed a huge "thermometer" on the Fontain du Tourny, symbolizing that we and our planet have reached boiling point.
If you couldn't make it to Quebec, you can still get involved with the campaign by making a "Stop the Pipeline" selfie and tweeting it to your provincial premier. Visit act-on-climate.ca for a list of the premiers' twitter handles. Use the hashtags #11avril and #ActOnClimate and send your pics to photos@actonclimate.ca. The Energy East pipe is proposed to run across Canada from Alberta to the St Lawrence, carrying combustible substances through many communities and ending in an area where beluga whales rear their young. There is no way that we should allow this pipe to be built.
The only way we can make a difference is by cooperating: just as no province can act alone to address Canada's unique environmental problems, so Canada must return to her former, pre-Harper position as a leader in the global response to climate change. We must reform our current system, which makes energy policy a patchwork of federal and provincial responsibilities, in favour of an over-arching, national plan. The Conservatives, however, with their preference for government non-interference, are unlikely to adopt such an overtly socialist response.
The United Nations has called for strong action over the next five years, and in Canada we must address greenhouse gas emissions, in particular our fossil fuel industry, which includes fracking, the Alberta tar sands, and plans for oil drilling in the Arctic. As the global population is trying to reduce its reliance on fossil fuels, there is no reason why Canada should be pushing ahead with these environmentally dangerous projects.
Last week's oil spill in English Bay, off Vancouver, showed us a scary picture of life after Harper's resource cuts. Fuel from a wheat tanker, not even an oil tanker, leaked into the water, endangering wildlife and popular swimming beaches, and yet the clean up response was far too slow in coming. Cuts to the Coast Guard service meant the boat that would have towed out equipment to contain the spill was gone, along with the coast guard station where it was housed.
And, six Greenpeace activists have spent the last week hanging onto the Shell oil drilling platform that is currently making its way up the North Pacific towards the Arctic. The very idea of Shell drilling for oil in the pristine waters of the Arctic is horrifying. But, in its arrogance, Shell is taking Greenpeace to court in Alaska to force the removal of the six from the rig.
The Energy East pipeline is a central part of Harper's fuel plans. According to Maude Barlow of the Council of Canadians, it would allow a 40 per cent increase in this country's oil exports. We should be moving away from, and not further towards, reliance on carbon-based fuels, both for our own energy needs and for export to other countries. Recently, US President Barack Obama vetoed the Keystone XL pipeline, and there is no reason why Canadians should have another such pipeline running across our country.
"Twenty years ago, Canada was a leader on the climate change file," James Meadowcroft, the Canada Research Chair in Governance for Sustainable Development, told DeSmog.ca "But today, our reputation on this issue is in tatters."
Meadowcroft is one of sixty Canadian academics who wrote a report setting out a ten-point plan for Canada to adopt a sustainable energy economy. Individual provinces have enacted measures to combat climate change, including BC's carbon tax, but the whole country has to be involved, and the premiers' meeting is a good place to start.
In December 2015, energy ministers from around the world will meet in Paris to make firm plans for the global reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, building on the Copenhagen accord signed in 2009. Canada has already fallen behind: nations were supposed to submit their plans by 31 March, but Environment Canada never intended to meet that deadline. It is unclear what plans, if any, Canada will bring to the table in Paris in December.
This kind of behavior is unheard of in this country. From our leading position twenty years ago, we have become one of the bad guys. Our scientists are being silenced and our environment is being sold off in pieces, to benefit Stephen Harper's big business/ small regulations agenda.
Perhaps more worrisome is the recent cooperation between the US and Mexico (Canada's two main NAFTA partners) on the subject of reducing emission targets without us. Mexico is notoriously polluted, with the smog sitting in the bowl around Mexico City causing huge problems for residents. Mexico, whose economy is still developing, is willing to address this problem on a national level. Canada, however, isn't involved.
Environment Minister Leona Aglukkaq told Parliament that she was pleased that Mexico was following Canada's lead in environmental cooperation with the US. Her parliamentary colleagues responded with groans.
All this is in spite of Stephen Harper's claims that Canada can't regulate its oil and gas sector without cooperation with the US and Mexico.
The report by Meadowcroft and others says that Canada could move to renewable sources of electricity by 2035 and eliminate 80 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Canada has many sources of hydroelectric power, and inter-provincial cooperation could result in huge energy savings. Seventy-seven per cent of our electricity is already produced without burning fossil fuels, and we can do more, says Catherine Potvin, Canada Research Chair in Climate Change Mitigation at McGill, the lead author of the study. For example, Quebec, Labrador, BC, and northern Manitoba, where hydro is abundant, could supply the rest of the country with some improvements to the national grid.
The report is calling for a tax or a cap on emissions, a measure that Harper's government has resisted. The NDP and the Liberals support such action, guaranteeing that it will become an election issue in the autumn.
The report also calls for an end to subsidies to the fossil fuel industry, something which Stephen Harper, who represents a riding in Alberta, is extremely unlikely to support.
And, finally, a statement by Inuit elders recently says that the Earth has shifted, or as they said, "wobbled." They say the sky has "shifted" and it is no longer possible to predict the weather as they once could. This makes it difficult for them to read the sky because the Sun and the stars have changed their positions. The elders have said that this makes it more difficult for them to predict the weather and other natural conditions, and therefore it affects the hunt and their whole way of life.
Our friend Vanessa VanWyck reports that her smart phone star apps are no longer accurate: the Big Dipper is in the "wrong" place, and Orion is appearing long after he should have sunk below the horizon. And the Milky Way, which once plunged into Georgian Bay, is now floating over the hills to the south.
If people who live very close to the Earth are concerned, surely we city dwellers should start to take notice….


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Scientists Were Left In Awe After Making This Rare Discovery
Amazing February 26, 2020
From 1983 until 2009, Sri Lanka was embattled in a civil war. During this time, the country's ability to explore the oceans and learn about the animals living offshore was severely stunted. That made Asha de Vos' exploration beginning in 2008 all the more exciting. With her team, the young scientist was going to study the population of blue whales that frequented the Sri Lankan coast. What they ended up finding was beyond anything they could have imagined. What did they find and how did it change their understanding of the aquatic ecosystem? Read on to find out!
The End Of The War Allowed For Ocean Exploration
While Sri Lanka fought a civil war for nearly 30 years, scientists and scholars were unable to properly explore the waters surrounding their island nation. As a result, the oceans near the coast were relatively uninvestigated.
What mysteries could still be waiting in the deep, yet to be discovered? When Asha de Vos led her team offshore, they weren't looking for new discoveries. Sometimes life surprises you, though, and the surprise they received turned out to be a life-changing experience.
Keep going to learn more about Asha and her team!
Asha de Vos Returned To Sri Lanka With A Ph.D.
Asha de Vos/Facebook
Asha de Vos was a bit of a prodigal child in her home country of Sri Lanka. She studied abroad and set herself apart in her community by earning a Ph.D. in marine mammal research.
Upon her return, she was ready to lead the charge and study the Northern Indian Ocean surrounding Sri Lanka. What she didn't know was how quickly her research would make history. So, what exactly would she find that would change the entire course of her career?
Asha Studied Blue Whales
Mark Carwardine / Barcroft Media / Getty Images
With her doctorate in tow, Asha de Vos returned to Sri Lanka to study blue whale populations near the coast. Blue whales are the largest living animals on the planet and are considered an endangered species.
In 2008, de Vos founded the Sri Lanka Blue Whale Project. With her team of scientists, she began exploring the coastal waters of her country to catalog these majestic animals. The last thing she expected was to find a mysterious animal that the global scientific community knew very little about.
Sri Lanka Used The Ocean As A Resource
Ishara S.KODIKARA/AFP via Getty Images
Before the start of the Sri Lankan civil war, the surrounding waters of the nation were used for fishing. Studying the Northern Indian Ocean and learning about its ecosystem was not a top priority of its inhabitants.
Things only got worse after the civil war started. The ocean became nearly inaccessible. Scientists, no matter how much they may have wanted to start exploring, found opposition at every turn.
Just ahead, find out how dangerous getting into the water could be!
Sea Mines Surrounded Sri Lanka
CM Dixon/Heritage Images/Getty Images
Dangers for scientists didn't stop in Sri Lanka after the civil war ended. The government placed sea mines in the ocean along the coast to stop possible terror attacks. There was a serious question of whether scientists would ever be able to safely explore the Northern Indian Ocean.
Thankfully, Asha de Vos was determined to set sail and see what lived off the coast. This was her passion and nothing was going to get in her way.
Shipping Lanes Were Threatening Species
Joern Pollex/Getty Images
One of Sasha de Vos' major motivations to study blue whale populations off the coast of Sri Lanka was because of shipping lanes. Just off the coast lies one of the world's most-trafficked shipping lanes.
This lane was having an unknown impact on the water's wildlife at the time. De Vos wanted to record that impact to present to her government in hopes of saving the blue whale population that was becoming more endangered every day.
Asha Made Her BIg Discovery In 2017
It was February in 2017 when Asha and her team set out on a routine expedition that turned out to be anything but normal. They packed their boat, did their final checks, and were off.
Along with Asha and her team were cameras they took with them to help record their findings. What they would end up recording during this expedition would be the last thing they expected. A mysterious mammal was about to make a shocking appearance. What would it be?
Keep reading to find out what they found
They Were In A Population-Rich Area
Guillaume COLLET/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images
Asha's team was only about four miles offshore when their lives changed. The area of the Indian Ocean they were in was frequented by whale watchers and fishermen, making the undiscovered creature lurking below that much more surprising.
In this spot, Asha's team didn't expect to find any blue whales, let alone something half that size. They planned to go further out but stopped when something they couldn't identify in the distance began approaching the boat.
Whatever It Was, It Was Bigger Than A Bus
Since the end of the civil war, tourism had increased in Sri Lanka, creating more human traffic at the shoreline. This pushed marine animals further offshore, making spotting something like a blue whale four miles away very rare.
As far as another large creature sharing the same area, that was also unexpected. As the mammal approached the boat, the size of it came into focus. It was large, easily bigger than a school bus. But was it dangerous?
It Began To Circle The Boat
Asha deVos/Facebook
For as curious as Asha's team was about this large creature, it appeared to be just as curious about them. The animal began circling the research boat. De Vos and her team had no way of knowing how long it would stick around and decided to grab their cameras.
Documenting the animal was vitally important in figuring out what it could have been. Along with the pictures the team took, Asha wrote down her own observations of the animal as it surfaced and retreated over and over again.
It Was A Whale! But Not A Blue Whale…
One thing that was clear about the mysterious animal circling the boat was that it was a whale. The question instantly became this – what kind of whale was it? Upon first seeing it, the team wasn't able to identify it.
It was too small and too close to shore to be a blue whale. As soon as the team made it back to land, Asha took her photographs to her field house to figure out what she and her team had found.
Find out about the difficulties of the identification process just ahead!
The Identification Process Wasn't Fast
Aside from knowing this creature was a whale, the team had no other information to start their investigation on. Over the years they had taken pictures of and identified other species of whales, and this one didn't match any.
What they saw was a whale they had never seen before. What they didn't know what just exactly how rare this whale was. To help identify it, Asha and her team asked some of her best students to help sort through the evidence.
First, The Team Looked For Identifying Characteristics
The first step in determining what species of whale the team was looking at was to identify its defining characteristics. The skin was water-colored, the left side of its jaw was dark while the right side was light, and it had chevron markings.
After mapping out the most identifiable traits of the whale, de Vos was still at a loss for what species it was. Knowing that she needed more help, she decided to enlist an expert.
We reveal the whale's identity on the next slide!
It Was Finally Identified As An Omura's Whale
ashadevos/Instagram
Asha sent the photos and the information her team gathered to two expert colleagues, Dr. Salvatore Cerchio and Dr. Robert Brownell. When they looked at the pictures, they were able to identify the creature as an Omura's whale.
This wasn't the end of the story, though. Now that the whale had been identified, it needed to be determined what it might be doing off the shores of Sri Lanka.
Omura's Whales Are Very Rare
Silke Schimpf / Barcroft Animals / Barcroft Media via Getty Images
Before sending the photos to Dr. Brownell and Dr. Cerchio, Asha de Vos had suspected the mammal was an Omura's whale. But because one had never been observed off the coast of Sri Lanka, she wanted a second opinion to make sure.
Omura's whales are one of the rarest species of whales worldwide. Being able to observe one as up close as Asha and her team had was truly a special moment.
The Omura's Whale Was First Named A Species In 2003
Ishara S. KODIKARA/AFP/GettyImages
Although Omura's whales have been around for a long time, they weren't declared their own species until 2003. Before then, they had been misidentified with other similar whale species.
After scientists tested the DNA of specimens they were able to come to the conclusion that this was a unique species. Because of the delay in identification, we don't know how long Omura's Whales have existed. That wasn't the question Asha and her team wanted answered, though.
Why Was The Omura's Whale Misidentified For So Long?
The best theory for why the Omura's whale was misidentified for so long is because of how rare it is. The whale has fairly unique markings, can measure over 30 feet long, and has a narrow body.
According to scientists, Omura's whales tend to stay in certain types of waters. Before Asha's discovery, the whales had been spotted in the South Atlantic Ocean, Western Indian Ocean, Eastern Indian Ocean, and the Eastern Pacific Ocean.
Asha's Discovery Changed Everything
LILLIAN SUWANRUMPHA/AFP via Getty Images
Asha de Vos' discovery of Omura's whales in the Northern Indian Ocean changed the way scientists could study these beautiful animals. It revealed a larger roaming area than had previously been thought.
Thanks to this discovery, we now know a little bit more about one of the Ocean's rarest creatures, There are still countless questions surrounding Omura's, but the more areas scientists can look for them in, the more questions they can answer.
How Many Omura's Whales Exist In The Wild?
Asha de Vos' discovery is one that will help the scientific community in numerous ways. Unfortunately, because the animal is so rare, it will likely not help determine how many exist in the wild.
Before de Vos made her sighting, an Omura's whale hadn't been recorded live for four years. Because of this, it is impossible to determine if Omura's populations exist in healthy numbers or if it should be considered an endangered species.
The Lone Wolves Of The Whale Family
Francois Gohier/VW Pics/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
For years, Omura's whales were most commonly mistaken for Bryde's whales. There are a few separating differences. First, Omura's whales never show their heads and dorsal fins at the same time. Secondly, when they dive, their tails pop out of the water.
Lastly, and most importantly, Omura's whales tend to travel the oceans alone, not in pods. Experts say that these whales usually stay within hearing distance of each other but rarely are condensed in traditional pods.
What The Discovery Means For Asha
The discovery of the Omura's whale means a lot to Asha de Vos. It reaffirms her dedication and passion for ocean discovery. Never in her life did she think she would find one of the rarest animals off her own coast.
In her own words, "Seventy percent of our planet is ocean, but we have only explored less than 5 percent of this space… The discovery of this whale in Sri Lanka's waters just serves as a reminder that we live in an incredible world where exploration and discovery is still possible. The more we know, the more we can care and protect!"