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Awareness | Science & Tech
| Nov 22, 2019 at 4:04 pm.
Algorithms Have Already Taken Over Human Decision Making and Nobody's Talking About It
If our reality is becoming increasingly constructed by algorithms, where does this leave us humans?
(CONVERSATION) — I can still recall my surprise when a book by evolutionary biologist Peter Lawrence entitled "The making of a fly" came to be priced on Amazon at $23,698,655.93 (plus $3.99 shipping). While my colleagues around the world must have become rather depressed that an academic book could achieve such a feat, the steep price was actually the result of algorithms feeding off each other and spiralling out of control. It turns out, it wasn't just sales staff being creative: algorithms were calling the shots.
This eye-catching example was spotted and corrected. But what if such algorithmic interference happens all the time, including in ways we don't even notice? If our reality is becoming increasingly constructed by algorithms, where does this leave us humans?
Inspired by such examples, my colleague Prof Allen Lee and I recently set out to explore the deeper effects of algorithmic technology in a paper in the Journal of the Association for Information Systems. Our exploration led us to the conclusion that, over time, the roles of information technology and humans have been reversed. In the past, we humans used technology as a tool. Now, technology has advanced to the point where it is using and even controlling us.
We humans are not merely cut off from the decisions that machines are making for us but deeply affected by them in unpredictable ways. Instead of being central to the system of decisions that affects us, we are cast out in to its environment. We have progressively restricted our own decision-making capacity and allowed algorithms to take over. We have become artificial humans, or human artefacts, that are created, shaped and used by the technology.
Examples abound. In law, legal analysts are gradually being replaced by artificial intelligence, meaning the successful defence or prosecution of a case can rely partly on algorithms. Software has even been allowed to predict future criminals, ultimately controlling human freedom by shaping how parole is denied or granted to prisoners. In this way, the minds of judges are being shaped by decision-making mechanisms they cannot understand because of how complex the process is and how much data it involves.
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In the job market, excessive reliance on technology has led some of the world's biggest companies to filter CVs through software, meaning human recruiters will never even glance at some potential candidates' details. Not only does this put people's livelihoods at the mercy of machines, it can also build in hiring biases that the company had no desire to implement, as happened with Amazon.
In news, what's known as automated sentiment analysis analyses positive and negative opinions about companies based on different web sources. In turn, these are being used by trading algorithms that make automated financial decisions, without humans having to actually read the news.
In fact, algorithms operating without human intervention now play a significant role in financial markets. For example, 85% of all trading in the foreign exchange markets is conducted by algorithms alone. The growing algorithmic arms race to develop ever more complex systems to compete in these markets means huge sums of money are being allocated according to the decisions of machines.
On a small scale, the people and companies that create these algorithms are able to affect what they do and how they do it. But because much of artificial intelligence involves programming software to figure out how to complete a task by itself, we often don't know exactly what is behind the decision-making. As with all technology, this can lead to unintended consequences that may go far beyond anything the designers ever envisaged.
Take the 2010 "Flash Crash" of the Dow Jones Industrial Average Index. The action of algorithms helped create the index's single biggest decline in its history, wiping nearly 9% off its value in minutes (although it regained most of this by the end of the day). A five-month investigation could only suggest what sparked the downturn (and various other theories have been proposed).
But the algorithms that amplified the initial problems didn't make a mistake. There wasn't a bug in the programming. The behaviour emerged from the interaction of millions of algorithmic decisions playing off each other in unpredictable ways, following their own logic in a way that created a downward spiral for the market.
The conditions that made this possible occurred because, over the years, the people running the trading system had come to see human decisions as an obstacle to market efficiency. Back in 1987 when the US stock market fell by 22.61%, some Wall Street brokers simply stopped picking up their phones to avoid receiving their customers' orders to sell stocks. This started a process that, as author Michael Lewis put it in his book Flash Boys, "has ended with computers entirely replacing the people".
The financial world has invested millions in superfast cables and microwave communications to shave just milliseconds off the rate at which algorithms can transmit their instructions. When speed is so important, a human being that requires a massive 215 milliseconds to click a button is almost completely redundant. Our only remaining purpose is to reconfigure the algorithms each time the system of technological decisions fails.
As new boundaries are carved between humans and technology, we need to think carefully about where our extreme reliance on software is taking us. As human decisions are substituted by algorithmic ones, and we become tools whose lives are shaped by machines and their unintended consequences, we are setting ourselves up for technological domination. We need to decide, while we still can, what this means for us both as individuals and as a society.
By Dionysios Demetis | TheConversation.com | Creative Commons
The views in this article may not reflect editorial policy of The Mind Unleashed.
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Health | News | Science & Tech
| Jan 22, 2020 at 6:54 pm.
There are many questions that still need to be answered.
Awareness | News
Nearly 5 Times as Many Police Officers Killed Themselves Than Were Shot in 2019
Free Thought Project
Plot twist: The biggest threat to police are themselves.


This is a beautiful five bedroom home with a georgeous deck in the backyard .
Built in 1926, this home is strategically located between the Silver Spring and the downtown Washington DC corridors.
Tree lined streets, excellent for .
designed for government officials travelling looking for agreat location to stay in.
This house comes fully furnished boasting of five flat Screen televisions,sofa beds and eight real beds.
There is a sunroom located in the yard for evening relaxations.


Our Company is searching for a Professional General Manager to lead a polished hospitality team to success. Apply Today for our location in Plano, TX to be considered for the General Manager position. We need an extremely motivated, enthusiastic and polished Restaurant General Manager to join our Management Team. This person must be self-motivated, driven, have a passion for learning and instructing, and excel in a relaxed but sophisticated environment - all while providing top notch food and service. When opportunities arise, individuals have the ability to grow their management careers, especially if they have the ability to relocate. Apply Today for our location in Plano, TX.
Job Description: The Restaurant General Manager will be responsible for overseeing the overall operations of the entire restaurant. Success will depend on the General Manager's ability to recruit, develop, train, mentor and maintain a solid team of professionals through the entire staff. Additionally the General Manager must be able to handle all administrative and financial responsibilities and have a strong knowledge of P&L management. Exceptional communication skills are required to effectively and efficiently coach staff and members of management towards completing and exceeding common goals.


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Nógrád est un comitat (équivalent d'un département français) du nord de la Hongrie.

Nom et attributs

Organisation administrative

Districts
Jusqu'en 2013, le comitat était divisé en micro-régions statistiques. À la suite de la réforme territoriale du , elles ont été remplacées par les districts (járás) qui avaient été supprimés en 1984. Désormais, le comitat est subdivisé en 6 districts :

Voir aussi

Articles connexes
 Nógrád (ancien comitat)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


So…What Do You Eat When You Travel?
I have been asked that question numerous times over the past few years, and at least 3 times this past week. And while it's not always easy, it is always possible to eat vegan on the road. Plus, we've discovered some awesome restaurants along the way.
What a great idea for a post! Or at least I think it's a great idea. You may think differently, but I'm going with it. Because #1, I'm traveling. And #2, turns out it's a great way to kill some time in the car. AND, #3 it allows me to procrastinate (I'll just take a little "break" from working on my teacher effectiveness plan…it's not due until May 1st, anyway).
So, as we travel out east to visit our two girls, and do a little spring skiing, I thought I would document my eats. What a great excuse for me to take pictures of my food. (Which is kind of an obsession for me.) So…if this isn't your gig, I understand. Come back next week.
We got off to a rather late start Friday (hubby said he would be home by 5, hubby actually got home close to 7:30). I had been super excited for dinner at Whole Foods in Milwaukee, but given the lateness of the hour, we nixed that plan. Pretty sure the hot bar would be closed. Plus, it's a bit of the beaten path, and we were looking for quick and easy.
A Starbucks was conveniently located next door, so we stopped in and loaded up on caffeine. A soy latte for me, a soy chai for the hubby. And the barista promise is true, as she remade mine after failing to use soy milk the first time around.
I have to tell you, the caffeine worked. We drove until midnight (or 1 am, depending on what time zone you're in), and I didn't experience the typical "eyelids sticking to eyeballs" sensation I usually experience. We spent the evening in South Bend.
My husband was wearing one of his Binghamton University sweatshirts, which served as a great conversation starter for a lady waiting for her java. Turns out she was familiar with the Bing. Plus, she graduated from UW-Milwaukee and still had relatives living in the area. We talked briefly about her love of the Pack, the Badgers, and the Brewers. When she discovered I was a teacher (a Wisconsin teacher), she offered her condolences. She was also a teacher.
And now, if you'll excuse me, I need to…rant.
Know what drives me insane?
No? Tough, I'm going to tell you anyway.
Let's say you are at Chipotle when it's really busy. I'm talking at least 2 dozen people waiting in line to order. Plus, the dining area is full. The only spots available are the little buffer zones between groups sitting at the long tables. Anyway, let's just say that you snag a spot to sit in the middle of two groups (still maintaining a buffer, but sitting next to a purse)…only one of the groups is just one person with 2 purses sitting on chairs across from and next to this said person. As I sit, single person looks frantically at group of women standing AT THE BACK OF THE LINE. I put that in caps, 'cuz I wanted to emphasize this a bit. Rest assured I am not yelling at you.
Once one of the women in line makes eye contact with frantic looking woman sitting at table, she quickly hurries herself over and places her purse next to me. Meanwhile, there are two parties who have received their food and have no place to sit.
Anyway, we actually finished our meal before the said group even made it to the cashier.
Rant done. Thanks for listening. Or I guess thanks for reading would be more accurate.
Had a little mid-afternoon snack at a gas station. Slim pickin's my friends, slim pickin's. Kind bars are a good choice for me…I just watch the amount of sugar in them…5 grams or less is pretty good. I also had a bottle of water which I drank s-l-o-w-l-y…I have this fear of desperately having to go to the bathroom when driving.
After driving through snow (yes, snow…even had to change out of my sandals in an effort to avoid looking like a complete idiot), we finally rolled into the Bing at 5:00 ish. We quickly checked into our hotel, and headed over to campus. We had made plans with the girls to eat at Alli's restaurant of choice…Crepe Heaven. This was her birthday dinner, as she celebrated the big 2-0 on St. Patrick's Day. She invite her suitemates/teammates along, and Kristin brought one of her good friends along. I ordered a veggie plate, but that's not quite what I was served. The owner has a rather thick Greek accent, and I had misunderstood what she said, but I made do. Sorry…forgot the picture. You can see my cup of chamomile tea though!
Alli was served a Happy Birthday crepe…strawberries and nutella…her fave!
After supper we dropped the girls off, before heading to the grocery store to stock up on fruit, wine, and dark chocolate. My supper did not tide me over, so I had grapes and chocolate when we got back to the hotel. I was so hungry, I forgot to stop to capture the moment.
The next morning, we worked out in the rather impressive looking exercise room at the hotel, and then picked the girls up for breakfast. We dined at a place called Nezüntoz (knees and toes) Cafe. Love the name. Loved my sammy too-A Jack and Straw panini…mushrooms and onions sautéed in garlic olive oil on multigrain bread. Plus a soy latte…'cuz I'm on vacation.
Then we headed up to Syracuse to go to the mall. We had a great day…I absolutely love hanging out with my kids! They turned out awesome despite our parenting.
We had a late lunch at a Mexican restaurant at the mall. I can't remember the name, but the salsas were to die for, as was the guacamole they make table side. I had spinach and artichoke enchiladas in a spicy green tomatillo sauce! Delicious!
On our way back to Binghamton we stopped at Strong Hearts Cafe. I made this discovery a few years ago, and we stop every time we are in Syracuse. I dream about this place…and I am sad that we don't have anything remotely like Strong Hearts near us. All vegan! I get pretty excited about vegan desserts that I don't have to make. Perhaps that's why I ordered a cookie AND a shake.
This little "snack" served as supper. And no judging…I'm on vacation.
This cookie was the size of my head. And I ate it ALL.
Nothing wrong with this Farm Sanctuary shake either!
We ran a few errands with the girls, and then dropped them off at their respective dorm and apartment. That's the hard part for me…I hate saying goodbye!!! You'd think it would get easier, but it doesn't.
But, on the bright side, we are off to Killington for some spring skiing tomorrow!


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UH Technology Bridge
News & Events /
Artificial Light From Digital Devices Lessens Sleep Quality
UH News
Mailing Lists & Subscriptions
UH Optometry Study: Melatonin Skyrockets When Blue Light is Blocked
By Chris Stipes 713-743-8186
There's no doubt we love our digital devices at all hours, including after the sun goes down. Who hasn't snuggled up with a smart phone, tablet or watched their flat screen TV from the comfort of bed? A new study by researchers at the University of Houston College of Optometry, published in Ophthalmic & Physiological Optics, found that blue light emitted from those devices could contribute to the high prevalence of reported sleep dysfunction.
Study participants, ages 17-42, wore short wavelength-blocking glasses three hours before bedtime for two weeks, while still performing their nightly digital routine. Results showed about a 58 percent increase in their nighttime melatonin levels, the chemical that signals your body that it's time to sleep. Those levels are even higher than increases from over-the-counter melatonin supplements, according to Dr. Lisa Ostrin, the UH College of Optometry assistant professor who lead the study.
"The most important takeaway is that blue light at night time really does decrease sleep quality. Sleep is very important for the regeneration of many functions in our body," Ostrin said.
Wearing activity and sleep monitors 24 hours a day, the 22 study participants also reported sleeping better, falling asleep faster, and even increased their sleep duration by 24 minutes a night, according to Ostrin.
The largest source of blue light is sunlight, but it's also found in most LED-based devices. Blue light boosts alertness and regulates our internal body clock, or circadian rhythm, that tells our bodies when to sleep. This artificial light activates photoreceptors called intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs), which suppresses melatonin.
Ostrin recommends limiting screen time, applying screen filters, wearing computer glasses that block blue light, or use anti-reflective lenses to offset the effects of artificial light at nighttime. Some devices even include night mode settings that limit blue light exposure.
"By using blue blocking glasses we are decreasing input to the photoreceptors, so we can improve sleep and still continue to use our devices. That's nice, because we can still be productive at night," Ostrin said.
According to the most recent findings from the National Sleep Foundation's Sleep Health Index®, while three quarters of Americans are satisfied with their sleep over the past week, more than four in ten Americans reported that their daily activities were significantly impacted by poor or insufficient sleep at least once during the past seven days.
Categories: Health, Research

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Q: Let $X \sim N(\mu,\sigma^2)$, define $Y=e^X$. Find CDF for $Y$ and then PDF (using the CDF) (a) Find CDF for $Y$.
(b) Then use the CDF to show that $Y$ has the following PDF
$$f(y)=\frac{1}{y \sqrt{2 \pi \sigma^{2}}} \exp \left(-\frac{(\log y-\mu)^{2}}{2 \sigma^{2}}\right), \quad y>0$$
My problem is that I'm not allowing to use change of variables! I have to do this without.
I'm not sure how to start. A gentle push forward will be much appreciated.

A: Hint
$$P(Y\leq a)=P(e^X\leq a)=P(X\leq \log(a))=\Psi(\log(a))$$
$$=\int_{-\infty}^{\log(a)} \frac{1}{\sqrt{2\pi \sigma^2}} e^{\frac{-(t-\mu)^2}{2\sigma^2}} dt$$
Now derive by $a$. Leibniz_integral_rule
$$f_x(a)=\frac{d}{da} F_X(a)=\frac{d}{da} \int_{-\infty}^{\log(a)} \frac{1}{\sqrt{2\pi \sigma^2}} e^{\frac{-(t-\mu)^2}{2\sigma^2}} dt$$
$$= (\frac{d}{da}\log(a)) \frac{1}{\sqrt{2\pi \sigma^2}} e^{\frac{-(\log(a)-\mu)^2}{2\sigma^2}} $$
$$= \frac{1}{a} \frac{1}{\sqrt{2\pi \sigma^2}} e^{\frac{-(\log(a)-\mu)^2}{2\sigma^2}} $$

A: To get CDF for $y\ge 0$: $P(Y\le y)=P(e^X\le y)=P(X\le lny)=\frac{1}{\sqrt{2\pi \sigma^2}}\int_{-\infty}^{lny}e^{-\frac{(w-\mu)^2}{2\sigma^2}}dw$.
To get the PDF simply take the derivative to get:  PDF $=\frac{1}{y\sqrt{2\pi \sigma^2}}e^{-\frac{(lny-\mu)^2}{2\sigma^2}}$

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Some home builders have a television antenna installed on their brand-new homes while others leave this as much as the brand-new home owner. In any case, these installations are usually relatively direct, needing a roofing system install, antenna, cable, splitter and access into the ceiling space to complete the link to the internal cables run by the electrician. In instances where a home hub is set up the antenna cable will be linked straight to the distribution hub.
A digital meter is used to site the antenna for best signal reception and to check the outlet points in the house in Maryland. If the signal strength is poor an amplifier might be utilized to enhance the inbound signal to supply excellent images.
Our installers will anywhere possible, find an antenna on a roof mount and to the back of the home where it is less most likely to be featured in the view from the street.
An antenna might provide poor results or stop working for a variety of reasons. Plastics end up being fragile gradually and might break in high winds or storms. Large birds can take their toll as well as nearby tree branches whipping about in the wind. Ingress of water and deterioration in the balun can be a problem, and the cable must be in great condition.
Older homes might have flat ribbon cable which is prone to breakage and this needs to be replaced with great quality coaxial cable.
Where flat ribbon has been used in system structures it is typically unable to be changed except by running new cable. Depending on the building, cable televisions can be often changed internally, but where this is impossible they need to be run externally on the building surfaces. The appearance of the structure has to be taken into consideration if this alternative is being thought about.
Digital only signal and modifications in TV antenna style has resulted in antennas which are more efficient, lighter and smaller sized than the majority of older TV antennas. This should indicate not just much better results in picture quality, but also a less visible addition to the building.
Although Newcastle is blessed with an abundance of warm days, severe weather can trigger hold-ups to occur to antenna work. It becomes quite unsafe to move pitched roofs and OH&S problems enter into play.
This might trigger jobs to be rescheduled from time to time which might be an inconvenience, however security of our professionals is an essential issue.
All materials changed throughout the course of our work is collected and gotten rid of in the appropriate way. Old antennas are broken down for recycling.
Wall plates and splitters can be the reason for some reception problems. Nowadays most connections are made using F type connectors which are more reputable than the older saddle and screw style. They are more safe and less susceptible to rust.
Wall plates in leased buildings in Maryland often end up being loose from over usage through a succession of renters. This is less of a problem in private houses as furniture is less likely to moved.
Locations which receive bad signal levels can gain from the antenna installation of signal amplifiers (or booster) to increase their reception. There are mast head amplifiers which are used in fixed positions and portable indoor amplifiers which are more matched to momentary circumstances such as rented premises, outdoor camping and caravaning.
Mast head amplifiers are installed outdoors on the antenna mast with a power pack set up at one of the TELEVISION points in the home. This power pack need to stay plugged into this TELEVISION point and turned on to offer power to the amplifier. In this case the amplifier will enhance the signal to all points linked to the antenna.
Note– depending upon the Signal Strength and the number of Antenna Outlets in your home, some Antenna Installations might need a Antenna Amplifier or "Booster". Cost is additional to phone quote, and is established upon site assessment.
We specialise in TV Wall Mounting of ALL kinds of TELEVISION's including Plasma, LCD and LED equipment all over Sydney. Integrating leading edge product proficiency with the current innovation and creative, customised support, Sydney Antenna Provider provides you with the solution to satisfy the particular needs of your home or business.


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The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square
For more than a century, the The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square has given voice to the hopes, joys, trials and triumphs of people around the world.
This 360-member chorus of men and women — all volunteers — has performed at World's Fairs and expositions, at inaugurations of U.S. presidents, in acclaimed concert halls from Australia and Europe to Asia and the Middle East, on television broadcasts and now on YouTube and Facebook. The choir has even been referred to as "America's Choir" as a result of its high standard of popular choral music.
With its incomparable voices and shared faith in God, the choir is a significant presence in the world of music, giving service through song.
Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square
This new logo for The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square was unveiled Thursday, April 23, 2020.2020 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.
The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square Unveils New Logo
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When Firsts Fade
Have you ever revisited something from your past and find that it either holds up very well or not at all?
I am never far away from the music of David Bowie. Of all the eras available for listening, my favorite is the latter decade, the years from 1993 to 2003. I've written about it extensively here. I consider it a reboot of his career, going back to the beginning with his jazz roots and migrating on through the 1990s and early 2000s, merging and reworking the then-current musical trends. When I'm in a Bowie mood, it is to this music I go. I've heard the 1970s stuff enough that I usually skip it (except for the instrumentals on Low and Heroes) and I've skipped the 1980s material since, well, 1989.
Ten years ago, during his Reality Tour, Bowie suffered a heart attack that led the cancellation of the last shows in Europe and he all but dropped from the public's eye. As the years progressed, more and more I realized that his 2003 album, Reality, was going to be his last. I was content with that. I saw his Reality Tour show in Houston and, despite my town being a "greatest hits town" (the town where every act feels compelled to play the hits vs. bringing out some random album cut), the show was fantastic.
So imagine the world's surprise when, on his 66th birthday on 8 January, Bowie releases Where Are We Now?, the new single from his forthcoming album The Next Day. This elegiac, melancholy look back through his own history hearkens back to his somber mood from 1999's hours. This excitement for all things Bowie has lead me to listen to all eras and, for the first time in years (I hesitate to say decades but it's nearly that), I've started listening to the 1980s albums and have pulled out my two videos from the 1980s tours: Serious Moonlight (1983) and Glass Spider (1987).
Now, the Serious Moonlight tour was THE tour that introduced me to the performer that is David Bowie. Way back in 1984, I recorded this concert on a cassette…and I still have it (and it still works). Absolutely loved that show that had Bowie just being a rock-star singer even though I was unable to see it live. My first Bowie concert experience was the 1987 Glass Spider show. At the time, in the midst of all the excesses that characterized the 80s, I was over-the-top with the theatricality of this show. Since my first favorite rock act was KISS, having Bowie and his dancers (yes, dancers) romp around the stage was perfect. All rock concerts should be like this.
Or not. I rewatched the Serious Moonlight video this week and it holds up remarkably well. I still know every nuance of the music and tapped my fingers according to all the beats my younger self learned. The Glass Spider tour, on the other hand, was hard to watch. It's so, so cheesy that it's difficult to believe Bowie actually came up with it and no one around him told him no. Musically, the songs are pretty good, with the Glass-Spider takes of Loving the Alien and Absolute Beginners being my favorite versions of those songs. But it is so hard to watch now.
There are books, movies, and songs that meant something important to my younger self that now hold little or no interest to my older self now. Surely, I'm not alone in this realization. Is it simply that we move on, experience new things, and those important things are replaced by newer, more important things or is it something else? Can we never go home again?
And have you heard the new song? What do you think of it?
Everyone always makes Top 10 Lists (I go to eleven). Bowie's hits fill up whole albums. Since I love the 1993-2003 Bowie so much, here at my favorite tracks from that era:
Strangers When We Meet (Outside version)
Don't Let Me Down and Down
The Hearts Filthy Lesson
Buddha of Suburbia
The Motel (Mike Garson on piano, nuff said. Live version from 2004 splendid)
Hallo Spaceboy
Always Crashing in the Same Car (live version, 2000)
Everyone Says Hi
Fall Dog Bombs the Moon
Two days ago, I had an odd urge. It had been just under a year since I had updated Crime Scene Scotland, the ongoing review blog that had replaced the crime scene scotland website that ran monthly (ish) for around five years.
But I felt it had been left alone too long. I still get review requests and emails from publicists, but the urge to update was never there. The site was stale, the formula still the same.
But I wanted to do it.
Having just created my own new website (following the mysterious disappearance of my old webmaster, which just goes to show you should always get paperwork from your webmasters in case they vanish - - the old website is still up there, unloved and untouchable by me) I figured that a whole facelift was needed. From getting rid of the old handmade logo to adding new sections (splitting reviews from movies and TV into their own area, adding an "extra" area for book trailers, extracts etc, and of course an actual news section, too) I created a simpler, better looking site (admittedly from a template, but hey, the free site creators these days do everything a guy like me needs without the old ads and clutter you used to get when you created a free site).
Writing reviews has always been the fun part for me. I like to look at books that I love on the site, which means that sometimes they aren't quite what everyone else is reviewing - - its done very much on a "what grabs my fancy" kind of basis rather than "everything that comes through". This helps me maintain the enthusiasm of the site and to look at books from my own point of view rather than simply dredging through books without much substance or thought.
Right now I feel energised about Crime Scene Scotland MkIII. I'm hoping I can maintain the momentum, at least with the news and extras updates (The reviews may be a bit more haphazard) and the return of the classic covers on the front page (there will be a gallery of them, too). I hope you'll go over to take a look. I hope you'll support the site, and more that you enjoy it.
And now, having created the site, I'm off to have a good, stiff drink....
Posted by Russel at 4:58 AM 1 comment:
Labels: crime scene scotland, relauncbh, Russel D McLean
Stealing Story
I've said this many times -here and during interviews- that most of my influences come from film, comics and music. I came to love prose, but by that point I'd already picked up a lot of lessons from the other forms of storytelling.
I've noticed that whenever I'm writing a book, there are certain lessons -and in some cases certain scenes- that I always think back to. There are beats and tricks I learned from script writers and singers that I take with me into every project. I can see the traces of them in everything I do, even if the most obvious forms of them usually get cut out after the first draft, once I've found the story and don't need the 'tricks' anymore.
I thought I'd mention a few of them.
1. The Trick Beginning.
"What time is it?"
Everyone seems to remember The Usual Suspects as a film with a trick ending. They remember the reveal, and the walk, and talk about it having a great twist. From a storytelling point of view, however, it's actually a film with a trick beginning. Everything about the film is in service of that ending. The trick is pulled a couple of hours before, and everything that follows is designed to distract you from something that's blindingly obvious. If the question of the story is Who is Keyser Soze? the viewer figures it out in minutes. What the script does is show you a character dying, and then very quickly convince you that what you saw was wrong. You spend much of the film asking how did Keaton pull this off? It leaves the real answer to the real question out in pain sight, and turns the story into a mystery by making you ask the wrong questions.
And what's more, it only really has to pull this trick once.
Many mystery stories try and throw you off with a new question every five chapters, or to throw a kitchen sink full of red herrings at you. In my opinion, a strong mystery story really only has to throw you off once, and then spend the rest of it's time essentially playing fair, waiting for you to spot the obvious. I find an honesty and a simplicity in a well told mystery that I don't find in some of the poorer ones. And if you've read some of my crime stories, perhaps you might see echoes of this trick. And am I worried about telling you that I do this? No. That's all part of the fun. Chris Nolan put all of the answers to The Prestige in the first three or four shots.
2. The Bar Scene
"Now you're gettin' nasty."
There is one scene that I'll write some variation on during the first draft of every book. Or, I have done in every book so far. The scene has also been cut by the time each of them makes it to the final draft, but having them in during the early stages helps me to find things that I need.
It's one of my favourite scenes in all of cinema. Indiana Jones and Renee Belloq in the bar during Raiders Of The Lost Ark. Jones is blind drunk, and angry, and grieving. Belloq is...well....Belloq. If you've seen the film you know the scene I'm talking about, and if you've not seen it then chances are you'll have seen a variation on it.
Jones and Belloq start the film in pretty much the same place. Both are mercenaries. both travel the world desecrating graves and holy sites, both get paid for what they do. As much as the film lures into following Jones, for the first half of the story he's not really a better person than Belloq. He's moody, he uses people, he fails at almost everything and he's clearly acted very badly to Marian in the past (and let's not try and think too much about the age difference between the two, and how old Marian would have been during their previous romance.) Neither of them serve a higher purpose, and neither are working for a government that will tell them the truth.
During the bar scene things shift. For the first time we start to see daylight between the two of them. Belloq plants his loyalties firmly down on one side, Jones on the other, and we now know what their missions are for the rest of the film. The other fun element is that through the whole scene Belloq is both telling the truth and lying. He's right in everything that he says about Jones and himself. They are shadowy reflections of each other, and they have both fallen from the pure faith. The 'villain' of the piece is the one telling the plainest truth. But he's also lying. He's there to kick Jones while he's down, to let him wallow in the belief that Marian is dead and that it's all Jones's fault, while he knows she is alive and well. The whole scene is in service of the plot of the film, it's moving the pieces about and getting the story ready for the home stretch, but it's done through character and dialogue.
3.The Punch-To-The-Gut Ending.
"Forget it Jake, it's Chinatown."
So much of the third or final act of a story is spent resolving the plot. But really, by the final pages, or the final moments of the film, the plot work is essentially done. You've lined everything up and watched it play out. But what about those characters that are dancing around for our approval? I like to make them the final trick of the story, to have their emotions punch us in the gut, then instantly exit the moment.
It's not that the detective has just uncovered a massive conspiracy and witnessed a tragedy, it's that he is powerless to do anything about it, and it's just another day in the system. The last words of the story are as important as the first, but whereas you may want to fool people with your opening, you want to drop-kick them with the truth at the ending. You want those words to have an impact as they close the book. You want the guy singing about the truth to admit that maybe he told a lie (the Johnny Cash version of Mercy Seat) then boom, exit the song. Or the guy who went on a killing spree, when asked why, will simply say, "I guess there's just a meanness in this world," and the sing ends with you thinking through that blunt and worrying truth (Nebraska).
4. Subtext, Subtext, Subtext.
If the only thing that's going on in the scene is the thing that the characters claim, then there's a good chances the scene doesn't work. There has to be more at work. There needs to either be something left unsaid on the surface that is running wild between the lines. There has to be the great anger and the lies being exposed in This Land Is Your Land or Born In The USA. The heartbreak lurking beneath the surface in Reno. The real questions being asked by What's He Building? WATCHMEN has to be a completely different book each time you re-read it. A well told Batman story needs to question the morals of it's protagonist and your own support of him. A perfect Daredevil story needs to be slipping in the message that the hero of the hour is a liar and a hypocrite. You have to be halfway through a bouncing Paul Westerberg ditty about missing a dead friend and then release it's sung from the point of view of someone probably having a drug overdose.
And while I'm giving some love to St Paul on the week that THE REPLACEMENTS RETURNED(!!!!!!) Here's a vintage dose of Thunder.
Posted by Jay Stringer at 3:00 AM No comments:
Amazon Reviews: Judging a Book By Its Price, Cover, Etc
As we all know by now, I've had some difficulty reviewing a book at Amazon.
I wasn't allowed to review Chad Rohrbacher's KARMA BACKLASH because we're pals.
But look what you can do with your Amazon Reviewing.
I was allowed to review Emily Bronte's WUTHERING HEIGHTS because I don't know her.
I was also allowed to review these K-Cups for making coffee, even though I dropped the rating by ONE FULL STAR, complaining that coffee pods are not available for Kindle.
You can offer silly reviews of milk, of t-shirts, of banana slicers.
You can offer reviews of books you haven't read.
You can/could praise your own books.
You can/could take a crap on the books of your fellow authors.
You can review books based solely on their covers.
You can purchase reviews as if they were colostomy bags.
You can review a book, judging it merely on its typeface.
And, you can review a book based on price alone. Jared Diamond's THE WORLD UNTIL YESTERDAY is $20 for the Kindle edition. Too high? Too low? I don't give a shit. But some folks do. So what do they do? They give the book one star and say something such as: "I didn't read this book because I'm not paying $20 for an ebook. This is outrageous."
Here's my problem with reviewing a book based on price.
The price is listed. On the page. With the book. It says what the price is. We don't need your stupid review, you narcissistic little maniac. You're not making a statement anymore than I make a statement when I refuse to flush the toilet at Eddie's Burgers & Co because the only have those blowdry things and not real paper towels.
The price is, wait, here you go:
Amazon, and other online retailers, are in a spot right now. The reviews of the wolf shirts and jugs of milk are oh-so-hilarious. But they're not useful.
My thinking is that authors should be allowed to review the work of other authors on Amazon, but should disclose that.
And if you want to review a book you haven't read, you should disclose that.
And if you want to review the price or cover of the book, you should be able to.
If Amazon would revamp its system, I think we'd all be in better shape.
Not long ago, they added the VERIFIED PURCHASE button. What if they added a button that said "Fellow Author"?
What if they added an option for "Price Review" or "Cover Comment"?
Couldn't they break out reviews a bit? Create some verticals? Drill down a bit and let people place various TYPES of reviews?
Maybe people could review the series of books. Reacher. Thrones. Magic Tree House.
As much as I like standing in a bookstore and talking to a clerk about a book and reading the first chapter while I sit in one of those frumpy chairs and drink a lukewarm tea, I very much like reading the 283 reviews of a book or a drill or an mp3 player.
By lumping every type of review onto one page and then going nuclear to attempt to correct a problem (sock puppets), Amazon is devaluing one of its most precious and least expensive items -- the user-generated review.
Posted by Steve Weddle at 4:16 PM 5 comments:
Labels: amazon, amazon review, backlash, karma backlash, Steve Weddle
Inferno: The Marketing Hyperbole
Dan Brown's new book is coming.
The TITLE OF THE THING has already become a thing.
Fans across the world used their social media accounts to unlock a secret image on TODAY.com containing the name of Brown's next book. Through Facebook and tweeting the hashtag #DanBrownTODAY, viewers helped fill in a live mosaic that slowly revealed the book's cover.
Crack the code: Inferno
Read about the code: Flood UK
So that's what is happening. A big publicity push to UNLOCK THE PUZZLE. Turns out the puzzle is the title of the book. And you "unlock" it by giving the publisher and author some free publicity.
Interesting times, folks.
Posted by Steve Weddle at 10:13 AM 1 comment:
Do You Collect Signed Books?
Short post this week. Let's talk signed books.
I went through the shelves and pulled some of the signed books that Sandra and I have picked up over the years to share.
[All of the images linked to are collected at this Pinterest board.]
I've picked up a couple at store signings. Here's signed copies of The Shotgun Rule by Charlie Huston and Generation Loss by Elizabeth Hand.
I've been fortunate enough to win some contests over the years. Here's signed copies of The Six by Stuart Neville and The Lighthouse Keepers by Adrian McKinty.
Bouchercon and other book festivals and conventions are a great place to get signed books from your favorite authors. Here's signed copies of Violent Spring by Gary Phillips and Blood of Paradise by David Corbett.
Some of my favorite signed books are the ones found in unlikely places or in used or remaindered bins. I found this signed copy of Homicide by David Simon at Goodwill; This copy of The Sweet Forever by George Pelecanos at Big Lots; This copy of The Winter of Frankie Machine by Don Winslow remaindered at Borders.
I've picked up a few signed, numbered, limited editions over the years too. Here's signed copies of Frayed by Tom Piccirilli, The Stormwatcher by Graham Joyce, Mad Dogs by Brian Hodge, and Laughin' Boy by Bradley Denton.
Here's some others from our collection. Interrogations by Jon Jordan, The Right Madness by James Crumley, Fleshmarket Close by Ian Rankin, Priest by Ken Bruen.
It's always nice when an author does something a little extra like this signed copy of Cold Granite by Stuart MacBride.
I like to get signed copies of the Snubnose Press books whenever possible. Here's a signed copy of Choice Cuts by Joe Clifford.
OK, let's talk prized posessions and favorites. I have a few to share: Renderings by James Sallis; Windward Passage by Jim Nisbet; The Plots With Guns anthology (look at all of those signatures).
Final two. The two I prize the most. The first is a signed copy of Giveadamn Brown by Robert Deane Pharr. Pharr is a forgotten writer and this, his final novel, is one of my favorite books by him. Because he's so unknown I don't think there are that many signed books by him out there. Plus I love the personal info on the page too. This was deal at $9.
The second is a signed, first edition hardback of Blaze Starr's memoir. Usually if you see a copy of this book in the store it is the movie tie-in version with Paul Newman on the cover. These days you don't see the original cover that much so if you see one grab it. For many reasons, including this being in part a Baltimore book, this is my favorite signed book. I actually met Blaze Starr a few years ago. She was selling jewelry at a kiosk in a mall and was just as charming as can be.
Do you shelf them differently?
Which of your signed books do you treasure the most?
Dare I ask, What is the most you've paid for a signed book?
Have you turned down buying one but regretted it later?
Currently Reading: Submissions and the new Dennis Lehane.
Currently Listening: O Be Joyful by Shovels and Rope.
Posted by Brian Lindenmuth at 3:00 AM 3 comments:
Time to say THANKS!
This week I was asked by my editor if I wanted to included acknowledgements in SKATING UNDER THE WIRE – the fourth of the Rebecca Robbins mysteries. Including acknowledgements is always optional, but an option I have always taken because while writing a manuscript is often done in solitude, getting a book published is never done alone. The acknowledgements section is the place where I get to say thank you.
However, the true problem with acknowledgements is that an author never wants to be that person who stands at the academy awards podium and lists everyone from his first English teacher to the woman at Starbucks who serves him coffee. At least, I don't. I never want to be the one who gets dragged off the stage with the music still playing and the audience shaking their heads at how boring the speech was.
Because of that, I tend to keep my acknowledgements to a page—more or less. SKATING UNDER THE WIRE was the sixth book for which I have written acknowledgements (which makes me realize now that I need to talk to my YA publisher to see if they would allow me to include one for The Testing). Some of the same people are mentioned in each one not because I feel like I have to mention them, but because I truly couldn't do what I do without them. My family tops that list as does my incredible literary agent. Both provide very different and yet incredibly necessary support. (For those who don't believe I am silly for having a literary agent in this day and age – I can honestly say that my work is always better for my agent's input and I wouldn't give that up for the world!) My editors are always named as are members of my publishing house who have collaborated with me on the project.
After that, I run into the problem of trying to decide who to thank. The list is endless. Friends. Extended family. People whose named I've borrowed for characters. People who helped me with research or read early versions of the book in order to help me make it better. Others who reached out during times of emotional upheaval and let me know that they were there. Every single one is important…as are the people who make my Cinnamon Dolce Lattes at Starbucks!
So with every book I have to make a choice as to who to thank and who to put on the list for inclusion the next time. Unlike the first set of acknowledgments I wrote – which was for a one book deal –I know for certain there will be a next time.
However, since next time is still a while down the road, I want to say thank you to all of you who are reading this. Thank you for reading this blog, for encouraging me with your comments and for being a wonderful support of me and my work. Writing is often lonely. There are days where every word you write feels as if it is the worst thing ever written and you are convinced you shouldn't be writing at all. There are days where books get published and you feel on top of the world. And there are all the days in between. None of it matters without all of you.
Posted by Joelle Charbonneau at 1:00 AM 1 comment:
Labels: acknowledgments, Skating Under The Wire, thank you, The Testing
Amazon Reviews: Judging a Book By Its Price, Cover...


Will apply in 2 years when I turn 13!
Well, if you dont get bored of minecraft!
Let's try this again. 5th time applying, wish me luck!
If you turn 13 that year, is that allowed. Or do you have to already be 13?
You need to be 13 before apps close (April 30th). If you aren't yet, then you'll have to wait until you are 13 and apps are open again.
RIP people who's 13th birthday is on May 2nd.
12:01 AM on May 2nd.
Thats legit hell right there.
Best of luck to all who are applying!


The incredible story of Edward Bloom's life told سے طرف کی the man himself. His son is at first frustrated سے طرف کی Edward's constant tall tales and wants him just to be honest. سے طرف کی the end of the film he realises that his father was telling him what had really happened but had put his own unique twist on the events.
Timothy Walter (Tim) برٹن was born on August 25, 1958 in Burbank, California. Tim برٹن was the first son of Bill and Jean Burton. He has one brother, Daniel, who is three years younger and works as an artist. Tim برٹن and Helena Bonham Carter had Billy برٹن on October 4, 2003 and Nell برٹن on December 15, 2007. Tim برٹن didn't ever think he was going to grow up to be the director he is today.
Tim برٹن started as an animator at Disney in 1979. برٹن went to Cal Arts College. He did some اندازی حرکت on The Black Cauldron that never got into the movie. Burton's first film he produced directed and wrote was a five-minute short film called Vincent. Tim برٹن left Disney in about 1985.
Tim Burton's closest دوستوں are Johnny Depp, Danny Elfman, and Helena Bonham Carter. برٹن and Depp worked on eight فلمیں together. Elfman worked on all of Burton's films except for two. برٹن and Bonham Carter worked on six فلمیں together. Tim برٹن uses his closest دوستوں in a lot of his films.
Tim برٹن Gearing up For Frankenweenie in 3D?
A few months پہلے we reported that casting was underway for Tim Burton's Frankenweenie, at least until Walt Disney Company sent us a cease and desist letter (super lame). It looks as if we were right as Waking Sleeping Beauty director Don Hahn (executive producer on Frankenweenie) told AICN that "the puppets are ready, the script is done and now that Tim برٹن is clear of Alice in Wonderland... he's set to helm Frankenweenie in 3D." The 1984 short is one of Tim Burton's earlier films, a parody of the 1931 film Frankenstein based on Mary Shelley's book of the same name. The story tells of a man who brings his dog back to life after it is killed سے طرف کی a car. I'd rather see this than another obvious choice like Addams Family any day. You?
This is Plymouth reports that Walt Disney Pictures' Alice in Wonderland, to be directed سے طرف کی Tim برٹن and starring Mia Wasikowska, will film in Plymouth, England for two weeks in September.


looking to update a teaching certification?
working on a degree at another school and in need of a theology course?
simply seeking greater knowledge of the Catholic faith?
CDU offers the option of taking undergraduate and graduate courses without applying to an academic program. To take an undergraduate course, submit proof of high school graduation or GED or your college transcripts. To take a graduate course, submit your undergraduate college transcripts. How to submit transcripts. Assignments, testing requirements, and tuition are the same for all students.
Courses successfully completed can be applied toward a CDU degree program. Click here to Register (select undecided as your program). Contact Admissions for more information.
CDU offers three-credit courses in six academic terms throughout the year. Classes meet asynchronously, so students can log into their course rooms when they choose. Each course consists of weekly lessons and a final exam. Most three-credit courses also require a term paper. Exams are proctored through an online proctoring service, so students must take exams on a computer equipped with a camera and microphone.
Research shows that interactive group classes offer the optimal learning environment. Unique to CDU is our course room design, which encourages interaction with the professor and other students and provides the atmosphere of a classroom. Students read, hear or watch a weekly lecture and post questions and responses related to the lecture in a discussion area. The course room is open 24/7.
For course descriptions, consult our online course catalogs: Undergraduate and Graduate.


Catharina "Nina" Hagen (born 11 March 1955) is a German singer and actress. She has performed throughout the world for over 40 years.
Back in Germany by mid-1977, Hagen formed the Nina Hagen Band in West Berlin's Kreuzberg district. In 1978 they released their self-titled debut album, which included the single "TV-Glotzer" (a cover of "White Punks on Dope" by The Tubes, though with entirely different German lyrics), and Auf'm Bahnhof Zoo, about West Berlin's then-notorious Berlin Zoologischer Garten station. The album also included a version of "Rangehn" ("Go For It"), a song she had previously recorded in East Germany, but with different music.
The album gained significant attention throughout Germany and abroad, both for its hard rock sound and for Hagen's theatrical vocals, far different from the straightforward singing of her East German recordings. However, relations between Hagen and the other band members deteriorated over the course of the subsequent European tour, and Hagen decided to leave the band in 1979, though she was still under contract to produce a second album. This LP, Unbehagen (which in German also means discomfort or unease), was eventually produced with the band recording their tracks in Berlin and Hagen recording the vocals in Los Angeles, California. It included the single "African Reggae" and a cover of Lene Lovich's "Lucky Number". The other band members sans Hagen, soon developed a successful independent musical career as Spliff.


text:
Q: Protecting application url How do I protect the url generated by my application?
example
http://www.mydomain.com/jsp/get_article.jsp?id=1
how do I make these url unreadable to human beings?

A: What you can do is use a hash such as http://www.mydomain.com/jsp/get_article.jsp?hash=[base32 MD-5 hash value] or similar. Then you have a table hash -> article on the server (as hashes are unique enough, you don't have to care about "clashes" between the hashes of different articles). Of course, you would still have to have the hash on the client side, so you either have to calculate it there, or you have to simply give it within the page.
The hash would be the hash over the article itself, so it will be unique for the article at all times, and cannot be guessed without knowing the actual article. Titles are too easy to guess.
Howevery you look at it, you will not get perfect security from this, but you can get security from people trying to guess the URL without requesting the page before it. In other words, it's a lot of work without too much gain. But as you are trying to achieve a DRM scheme, it's probably the best you can get...

A: Not sure what you mean by "unreadable". I think the short answer is: It can't be done. The URL has to be visible to the browser or how will it request the resource? Your question sounds a little like saying, "How can I let people call me without telling them my telephone number?"
You could, I suppose, encrypt your URLs. But why?
If there is information in the URL that you don't want the user to see, then ... don't put it in the URL. Like, if you had a customer help system that directs users who give impossible answers to the "moron" section of your system, I wouldn't make the url be "http://example.com/help/moron.jsp?screen=17". Call it something non-descript. More seriously, you certainly should not make the customer's password or other confidential information part of the URL. Keep this sort of thing in data on the server side that is accessed via "safe" data, like a user id.


text:
ShopClues opens up its Bulk Factory for consumers
ShopClues is has over 100 million monthly visitors on its website and was founded in July 2011 in Silicon Valley by Sandeep Aggarwal.
The company is run by cofounders Sanjay Sethi and Radhika Aggarwal. It has a team of 1000 people and is funded by institutional investors.
BENGALURU: ShopClues, a managed marketplace has announced the launch of its Bulk Factory campaign for businesses and consumers alike. Shoppers can now buy products from a wide range of categories in larger quantities to avail wholesale rates starting from Rs 51 only. Last year, ShopClues had launched the 'Bulk Factory' in July specifically for SME businesses that witnessed 10X growth.
Nitin Kochhar, vice president category, ShopClues said, "We witnessed an overwhelming response from the B2B segment for the Bulk Factory that we launched last year, making us the preferred sourcing destination of merchants, SMEs and resellers across the country. Buoyed by such phenomenal traction, we decided to launch this new campaign so that individual customers who also wish to buy in larger quantities can enjoy wholesale prices. This is an unmatched proposition for them and ensures supreme shopper delight"
The campaign enables customers to save more by buying more i.e., slab wise pricing depending on quantity.
ShopClues is has over 100 million monthly visitors on its website and was founded in July 2011 in Silicon Valley by Sandeep Aggarwal. With 3.5 crore listed products and over 3,50,000 merchants, it ships in over 25,000 cities across India and has thousands of online stores. The company is run by cofounders Sanjay Sethi and Radhika Aggarwal. It has a team of 1000 people and is funded by institutional investors.
ShopClues is valued at more than $1.1 billion (Rs 7,300 crore) following an undisclosed funding round led by Singapore's sovereign wealth fund GIC last month, which it said was its last before a public share listing next year.
Existing investors including New York-based hedge fund Tiger Global Management and Nexus Venture Partners participated in this round of funding.
Sandeep Aggarwal
Nitin Kochhar
Bulk Factory


text:
A Reflection on HCC v. Sale: A Conversation Between the Honorable Sterling Johnson, Jr. and Professor Brandt Goldstein
THE HONORABLE STERLING JOHNSON JR., Senior U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of New York
THE HONORABLE STERLING JOHNSON JR., A Reflection on HCC v. Sale: A Conversation Between the Honorable Sterling Johnson, Jr. and Professor Brandt Goldstein, 61 N.Y.L. Sch. L. Rev. (2016-2017).
Immigration Law Commons
All Issues Vol. 63, Iss. 3 Vol. 63, Iss. 2 Vol. 63, Iss. 1 Vol. 62, Iss. 3 Vol. 62, Iss. 2 Vol. 61, Iss. 3 Vol. 61, Iss. 2 Vol. 61, Iss. 1 Vol. 60, Iss. 3 Vol. 60, Iss. 2 Vol. 60, Iss. 1 Vol. 59, Iss. 4 Vol. 59, Iss. 3 Vol. 59, Iss. 2 Vol. 59, Iss. 1 Vol. 58, Iss. 4 Vol. 58, Iss. 3 Vol. 58, Iss. 2 Vol. 58, Iss. 1 Vol. 57, Iss. 4 Vol. 57, Iss. 3 Vol. 57, Iss. 2 Vol. 57, Iss. 1 Vol. 51, Iss. 4 Vol. 51, Iss. 3 Vol. 51, Iss. 2 Vol. 51, Iss. 1 Vol. 50, Iss. 4 Vol. 50, Iss. 3 Vol. 50, Iss. 2 Vol. 50, Iss. 1 Vol. 49, Iss. 4 Vol. 49, Iss. 2 Vol. 49, Iss. 1 Vol. 48, Iss. 4 Vol. 48, Iss. 3 Vol. 48, Iss. 1 Vol. 46, Iss. 3 Vol. 46, Iss. 1


Like many movies and plays about small-town life, two strangers with a lot of emotional baggage arrive on the same train and start to change things, as their lives becomes interconnected. Haunt Johnny, played by Ali El-Gasseir, is a prodigal returning after having received an education somehow, with a brand-new basketball, an expensive luxury in the 1930's. Teenaged Jean, played by Leah Salcido Pfenning, is a New Yorker whose motivations for coming to stay with her mother's widowed brother-in-law's farming family is initially unclear and mysterious.
During the Depression Women's Basketball Teams were quite popular at the professional and college level. So, Johnny, a basketball enthusiast, who has become a teacher, coaches a girl's H.S. basketball team, which becomes the vehicle, upon which all the girls pin their hopes for escape from the limited options available to them. It seems the only chance they have to forge their own destinies.
Various forces conspire against them, but only one of them manages to pursue her dream; for the others, family obligations, social conventions, cruel twists of fate and the forces of the Depression intervene. The vainest, who in reality is less of a knock-out than her self-image, settles for being a cheerleader as a way to stay active and stay around basketball. The coach fares just as badly.
Without being preachy or didactic the play does demonstrate the constraints placed on women by geographic and economic circumstances, as well as socially imposed gender limitations ; these girls almost make it, they valiantly struggle to reach a goal but most of them settle for Plan D, in order to keep a roof over their heads and food on the table. However, the play itself and the production were disappointing.
Although the playwright has won many awards, the play was not well-plotted, the exposition went on and on, too much time was spent on the basketball court rather than with the emotional life of the young women. It was difficult to judge how effective the dialogue was because much of it was incomprehensible.
The black box studio space at 12th Ave Arts does not have the best acoustics, and the five actresses who played the basketball team all lacked vocal ability, the diction was mushy and about 30% of the lines were mumbled; instead of supporting their voices through breathing, they relied on screeching and shouting, for about 80% of the play. The play suffered a lot from poor direction. Sitting for two hours and listening to that much shouting did not engage the audience. Often lines were completely lost because they were speaking upstage. Sitting in the back-row, my vision was blocked and some major plot points were missed because some of the action took place right in front of the first row.
There was only one good scene to work with, when the new arrivals confess their pasts, without shouting or screeching and speaking in conversational tones, the audience could understand them and were drawn into the emotional conflict, both Ali as Haunt Johnny and Leah as Jean, evoked a lot of sympathy from the audience and we were routing for them.
The best part of the evening was the ambience created by the set, designed by Cameron Irwin and sound by James Schreck. Using somber tones to depict the hopelessness of the Great Depression, the set evoked a farming community and the moveable basketball hoop was a metaphor for opportunities dangling before them but ultimately being out of their reach.
The Blues and Country music was brilliant and was almost worth the price of the ticket; however even though this play has been around for a few years, it needs a re-write and this production did not bring out the best in a very flawed script.


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# The optimal objective value is returned by `prob.solve()`.
# The optimal value for x is stored in `x.value`.
This short script is a basic example of what CVXPY can do; in addition to convex programming, CVXPY also supports a generalization of geometric programming.
For a guided tour of CVXPY, check out the tutorial. Browse the library of examples for applications to machine learning, control, finance, and more.
CVXPY v1.1.0 is under development. It will introduce many new features, including more efficient use of parameters, code generation, and differentiation through problems.
CVXPY v1.0.11 supports disciplined geometric programming, which lets you formulate geometric programs and log-log convex programs. See the tutorial for more information.
CVXPY 1.0 brings the API closer to NumPy and the architecture closer to software compilers, making it easy for developers to write custom problem transformations and target custom solvers. CVXPY 1.0 is not backwards compatible with previous versions of CVXPY. For more details, see What's New in 1.0.
CVXPY relies on the open source solvers ECOS, OSQP, and SCS. Additional solvers are supported, but must be installed separately. For background on convex optimization, see the book Convex Optimization by Boyd and Vandenberghe.
CVXPY began as a Stanford University research project. Today, CVXPY is a community project, built from the contributions of many researchers and engineers.
CVXPY is developed and maintained by Steven Diamond and Akshay Agrawal, with many others contributing significantly. A non-exhaustive list of people who have shaped CVXPY over the years includes Stephen Boyd, Eric Chu, Robin Verschueren, Bartolomeo Stellato, Riley Murray, Jaehyun Park, Enzo Busseti, AJ Friend, Judson Wilson, and Chris Dembia.
We appreciate all contributions. To get involved, see our contributing guide.


K&N Electric's corporate headquarters is in the same building in Fort Worth it has occupied since 1975, covering 17,000-square-feet of warehouse and office space.
K&N currently has 18 franchisees in 9 states. The franchisees are located in Dallas, TX; Augusta, GA; Abilene, TX; Gary, IN; Chattanooga, TN; Greensboro, NC; Abbeville, SC; Buffalo, NY; Durham, NC; Tampa/ St. Petersburg, FL; Portland, OR; Houston, TX; Oklahoma City, OK; Tulsa, OK. The company also owns and operates 12 "mobile parts stores" in the southern United States and serves more than 4,000 customers. Some of our customers have been with us since we began selling from our mobile parts stores 41 years ago.
K&N Electric purchases the products sold on our mobile parts stores from more than 75 different manufacturers. The parts are purchased in bulk and then repackaged in smaller quantities suitable to be sold from the mobile parts stores. More than 5,000 different part numbers are stored in K&N Electric's warehouse and are ready for immediate delivery.
K&N Electric has 24 employees and most of them have worked for us for many years. In fact, several of our employees have been with us for more than 15 years, and some for as long as 30 years! Thanks to our employees' longevity and experience they are able to guide and assist our franchisees with every aspect of running a K&N mobile parts store.
So, whether you are a K&N Electric, Inc. employee or a franchisee operating one of our mobile parts stores, you have the support of the entire K&N team.


text:
ELA.RL.5.2: Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text, including how characters in a story or drama respond to challenges or how the speaker in a poem reflects upon a topic; summarize the text.
The Babysitter's Revenge 14 to 18
The Farmer, His Son, and a Donkey 19 to 23
Sarah and the Secret Castle 24 to 28
The Great Race 29 to 33
The Dolphin Mystery 34 to 38
Bowey Island 39 to 43
The Troll/Different 49 to 53
The Giant with Teeth of Fire 54 to 58
Stop Clowning Around! 59 to 63
Superstitious 69 to 73
The First Spider 94 to 98
Change Your Life! 104 to 108
ELA.RL.5.1: Quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.
ELA.RL.5.3: Compare and contrast two or more characters, settings, or events in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text (e.g., how characters interact).
ELA.RL.5.5: Explain how a series of chapters, scenes, or stanzas fits together to provide the overall structure of a particular story, drama, or poem.
ELA.RL.5.6: Describe how a narrator's or speaker's point of view influences how events are described.
ELA.RL.5.4: Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative language such as metaphors and similes.
ELA.RL.5.7: Analyze how visual and multimedia elements contribute to the meaning, tone, or beauty of a text (e.g., graphic novel, multimedia presentation of fiction, folktale, myth, poem).
ELA.RL.5.10: By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poetry, at the high end of the grades 4-5 text complexity band independently and proficiently.
ELA.RI.5.1: Quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.
A Long Way from Home 9 to 13
Bakerstown Council 44 to 48
The Saltshaker Trick 64 to 68
Cinema Situation 74 to 78
Leonardo da Vinci 79 to 83
The Painting in the Shed 84 to 88
Blaze Destroys School 89 to 93
Firstborn Fury! 99 to 103
ELA.RI.5.2: Determine two or more main ideas of a text and explain how they are supported by key details; summarize the text.
ELA.RI.5.3: Explain the relationships or interactions between two or more individuals, events, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text based on specific information in the text.
ELA.RI.5.5: Compare and contrast the overall structure (e.g., chronology, comparison, cause/effect, problem/solution) of events, ideas, concepts, or information in two or more texts.
ELA.RI.5.4: Determine the meaning of general academic and domain-specific words and phrases in a text relevant to a grade 5 topic or subject area.
ELA.RI.5.8: Explain how an author uses reasons and evidence to support particular points in a text, identifying which reasons and evidence support which point(s).
ELA.RI.5.10: By the end of the year, read and comprehend informational texts, including history/social studies, science, and technical texts, at the high end of the grades 4–5 text complexity band independently and proficiently.


"We established a good road game. We took the lead, played with a lot of authority in the first period," Calgary coach Mike Keenan said. "We expected them to come back and push us hard, which they did. ... We didn't respond like we needed to. They were able to take the game back in the second period."
"Down 2-0 in your own building is not anything you are looking for," Chicago coach Joel Quenneville said. "I liked the way we battled back. ... After the first period we weren't happy. We knew we had a power play in our back pocket. That was pivotal for us. We got some huge momentum off that."


Make your way through the many levels, avoid the guards at all costs!
Can you get through four levels without touching the walls? New DX version includes time attack leaderboards!
Ready for more ninja adventures? Select the ninja ball that suits you best: big and fast? Small and bouncy? Then draw paths and bounce to glory!
Kid's coloring: The Gifts is free coloring game.
Two cute birds puzzle Game.


text:
A Long, Long Sleep by Anna Sheehan
Publisher: Candlewick Press
(August 9, 2011)
Rosalinda Fitzroy has been asleep for sixty-two years when she is woken by a kiss.
Locked away in the chemically-induced slumber of a stasis tube in a forgotten sub-basement, sixteen-year-old Rose slept straight through the Dark Times that killed millions and utterly changed the world she knew. Now, her parents and her first love are long dead, and Rose – hailed upon her awakening as the long-lost heir to an interplanetary empire – is thrust alone into a future in which she is viewed as either a freak or a threat.
Desperate to put the past behind her and adapt to her new world, Rose finds herself drawn to the boy who kissed her awake, hoping that he can help her to start fresh. But when a deadly danger jeopardizes her fragile new existence, Rose must face the ghosts of her past with open eyes – or be left without any future at all.
Rose was been asleep for a very long time, much longer than her mother promised, much longer than anyone thought possible. Sixty-two years is a long time to be asleep. She missed so much, and from what she understands, no all of it was good. When she went to sleep, her father's company was working on genetic altered foods, and when she woke up, everything has changed. The Dark Times brought death, infertility, instability. Her parents and first love, Xavier, are all gone. Her parents died after putting her in stasis, never telling others of her existence. She was left to languish in the stasis tube found in the sub-basement of their apartment building all those long years. And if it hadn't been for the accidental discovery of her tube by her mysterious savior, Bren, she would have remain, asleep within her dreams, eternally.
When she wakes, it's to a new world, new vernacular, nothing is the same. And someone, something, has been programmed to seek her out, and retrieve her... and ultimately killer her.
A Long, Long Sleep by Anna Sheehan tells the story of a young girl, who has been sheltered and shielded all of her life, to the point of obsession and abuse. Her parents seldom let her explore her world, even before stasis. They were world famous scientist and corporate engineers, holding the rights to an interplanetary empire. Every time they opened a new station, launched new product, wanted to take a vacation, they put Rose into stasis.... every time. Rose doesn't know any better, she's never been treated any differently. Her controlling father demanded obedience, her dependent mother easily and willingly bent to his will. If she questions their decisions or requests, she's put into stasis, until she "calms down....becomes reasonable". It happens many times throughout her life. Rose first meets Xavier when he is only a toddler, and while he continues to grow, to mature and grow older, Rose exists in that place without reality. She's always been older than Xavier, until one day, when she's released from her stasis tube, she's not. Xavier, though chronologically younger, has gained more birthdays than Rose. He's always been fascinated by the girl who goes away, but always comes back the same. Eventually, love grows and when Rose's parents place her in stasis, Xavier finds a way to help her escape. He becomes Rose's hero and savior... until her parents found out, and she's placed in stasis and forgotten. Sixty-two years later, Bren discovers an old tube, dusty and worn by time, used for home stasis, until it was outlawed. As he brushes away the dirt and grime, he discovers the sleeping beauty tucked away inside. Then, Rose's world changes, and nothing will ever be the same. Everything has been lost or changed. And not only that, something is hunting for her, something wants to find her, and wants her dead.
A Long, Long Sleep is one of the best YA distant reality novels I've read. It's not set in the far future, just one that hasn't happened yet, but could. It's the story of a young girl's abuse. She's not beaten or physically damaged in any way that anyone else can see. She's not mentally broken... that anyone would notice. She has accepted her fate, to be the girl in the stasis tube, never questioning, never resisting, compliant. She doesn't know any different, won't accept that her parents are doing is something wrong. When she does question why, when she wants to be her own person, to learn to live and have a life, she forced in stasis one last time and forgotten. It isn't until she's discovered in the sub-basement of her parent's old apartment building that she comes to life, real life. Her old life comes to her in the memories of her mother and father, and of Xavier... and they're all gone, long dead. She's never been allowed to attend school long or socialize with others her age. Now, she has to start over, if she can figure out how and learn to handle all the new strangeness. She latches onto Bren, her savior, but Bren is overwhelmed. But, Otto, the hybrid-alien engineered boy is fascinated by her, and he seems to be the only one who wants to be her friend. But, then again, they are both owned by the corporation, one and the same.
A Long, Long Sleep is a sleeping beauty retelling with a macabre twist. Rose's parents leave her in a stasis tube, repeatedly. Any time they need a break from being parents, a break from the reality of their lives, she's hidden away. No one questions, no one knows. Rose is almost the secret child, and there might be others. But, even from the grave her parents reach out and touch her one last time. If you like retellings of classic fairy tales, you'll enjoy A Long, Long Story with it's dark twists and turns. If you like young love, twice over, give this one a try. You won't believe the ending. Five out of five fairy kisses.
I absolutely LOVE the UK cover! Isn't it amazing!!
I received my ebook copy for review from NetGalley and Candlewick Press. All opinions are my own.
Labels: A Long Long Sleep, Anna Sheehan, book review, Candlewick Press, Sleeping Beauty Story, YA
Jennifer Wells said...
The UK cover is absolutely beautiful! Very eye-catching!
Hi Jenn!
I agree, the US cover is kind of boring, doesn't really bring you into the story. I think it supposed to relate to her name and the original sleeping beauty story where the entrance was blocked by thorny roses (at least in some renditions). But the UK cover is eye watching, pretty, relates directly to the story. Drew me in to read the book.
Alyssa Kirk said...
Interesting parenting style! Sounds like a fun - dark - fairy tale twist!
~Alyssa
Teens Read and Write
And yes to the UK over the US cover!
Hi Alyssa!
It is a very dark twist, and the ending is even darker and more twisted. It was shocking!! LOL
I'm looking the UK cover, US, not so much... If I was going to pick up the book, it would be from Book Depository... so I could at least try to get the UK cover.
Thanks Alyssa!
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Happy Fourth of July!!


text:
Q: AC/DC power supply: help to choose fuse, varistor and/or TVS diode I'm going to use this 12VDC AC/DC power supply . It is the first time that I am going to use one and I have some questions about over voltage protection and peak current protection. These are the questions:

*

*The AC / DC internally has a 1A slow blow fuse. Is it necessary to add an external fuse? Maybe something less than 1A to protect the internal fuse?

*Regarding the input overvoltage protection, I have thought to use a varactor. The problem is that I do not know to find the information in the datasheet about the maximum input AC voltage. What characteristics should the varactor have: max. continuous voltage, max. clamping voltage and energy rating? I have found this good explanation (How to choose the right Metal Oxide Varistor (MOV)) but I still do not know how to choose the varactor because I can not find all the information in the AC / DC converter datasheet.

*About the output overvoltage protection, I have read this parameter in the datasheet: 'Over Voltage Protection (OVP)' -> '125% - 195%, auto recovery'. I do not understand this parameter well. Should I add a TVS diode to guarantee never to exceed 195% of 12VDC?
Below is a circuit diagram to clarify:

simulate this circuit – Schematic created using CircuitLab
Thanks.

A:
Is it necessary to add an external fuse? Maybe something less than 1A
  to protect the internal fuse?

If the internal fuse blows then it's very likely that it's because the unit has developed a permanent fault. The fuse is present (as it is on most SMPSs) for regulatory reasons.
The input voltage range is rated at 85-264 volts and it will be fine even if this is overloaded by 10 % usually. They also say on their data sheet that there is a CB Report and maybe you could get hold of this just to double check on things. I wouldn't be considering using anything external on the AC side.

'Over Voltage Protection (OVP)' -> '125% - 195%, auto recovery'. I do
  not understand this parameter well.

This again is likely to be another regulatory feature to prevent unsafe (to humans) output voltages. Normally this type of protection is implemented internally using a crow-bar circuit.
If you can't live with the output rising to potentially 195% of nominal then I'd consider a TVS diode.


Assistant Clinical Professor, Dr. Erin Brooks leads the UMSL "Grease" cast in the filming of the Spirit Award video.
The awarding of the very coveted "Spirit Award" to the UMSL College of Optometry at Optometry's Meeting in Washington, D.C., last year brought much positive recognition to the College. It also provided the opportunity to film the rules video, which serves as the official introduction to the Essilor Optometry Student Bowl, held Thursday, June 21stat Optometry's Meeting in Denver. The Spirit award was given to UMSL as a result of the positive team spirit exhibited by our students, who were very supportive of not only their fellow UMSL students but also encouraged students from the other institutions.


Our customers are important to us and we apply high standards to our customer service, which we constantly strive to improve.
Our Customer Care Center is the first point of contact for all customer questions. We also have Customer Relations Managers acting as a single point of contact for customers in each region.
Because electricity disruptions can have an enormous impact on homes and businesses, we make every effort to prevent power failures or, if they do occur, to restore the electricity supply as soon as possible. All faults are registered on our website.
Customers can contact us via their relationship manager or the TenneT Customer Care Center. There is also a Service Center for customers who are connected to the grid through a regional network. Consumers and businesses can contact our Service Center for questions about:Working near high-voltage power lines, procurement or compensation for masts.
Customer Care Center: For customers of TenneT Netherlands only.
Our customers include everyone connected to the high voltage electricity grid as well as the parties responsible for metering and programme responsible parties.
Our Customer Relations Managers represent TenneT and act as a single point of contact for customers.
At the end of every day, the programme responsible parties measure their actual electricity production or consumption and report this to TenneT.


text:
Home News Google Shipped 3.9 Million Pixel Devices Last Year; Essential Managed Only 88,000:...
Google Shipped 3.9 Million Pixel Devices Last Year; Essential Managed Only 88,000: IDC
Kishalaya Kundu -
Kishalaya Kundu
Andy Rubin's Android may have become a smash hit with over 80% share of the global smartphone market, but his new smartphone brand 'Essential' is still suffering from birth pangs, if the latest installment of IDC's Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker is anything to go by. The company apparently managed to sell only around 88,000 units of its PH-1 smartphone in the first six months after its launch. This was revealed yesterday by a tweet from IDC CEO Francisco Jeronimo.
. @Arubin's @essential smartphone is still a long way from becoming a successful venture. In 2017, it shipped less than 90K units (first six months after launch) pic.twitter.com/NHVlA2Gjzr
— Francisco Jeronimo (@fjeronimo) February 12, 2018
Other niche, online-only Android vendors, such as Google and OnePlus, have made giant strides over the past few years, with the IDC study suggesting that the search giant sold around 3.9 million Pixel devices during 2017. It isn't immediately evident whether the report is referring to all four Pixel smartphones across generations, or just the two latest devices, but given how the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL were only launched towards the end of last year, the numbers very likely take into account their predecessors as well.
#GooglePixel shipments continue to grow, but they still represent a tiny portion of the smartphone market pic.twitter.com/W6FVZlYOlC
While nobody expected Essential to compete with mainstream brands such as Samsung or Apple, the numbers for the Essential Phone are still sub-par, considering how increasingly mainstream other online-only brands are becoming with each passing year. Xiaomi, which started off as an online-only brand, was already selling tens of millions of devices in India and China without any advertising, but venturing into the offline channel in recent years has made it one of the largest smartphone vendors in the world, even edging out Samsung to become the largest smartphone vendor in India last year.
It will be interesting to see how Essential scales up its business going forward, but selling 100,000 phones a year isn't likely to be a sustainable business in the long run.


text:
Naya Rivera missing
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Belle Gunness: The Story of 'Killing for Insurance'
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Harvey Weinstein Case: Victims welcome verdict
Many women, who triggered rape allegations against former entertainment industry strongman Harvey Weinstein, have welcomed the recent court verdicts, which have declared valid some of the rape charges triggered against him. Renowned actress Rose...
Harvey Weinstein faces rape charge
The serious charge of rape has been framed against Harvey Weinstein in a Los Angles court. If he is found guilty, he will get a serious punishment. Mr. Weinstein is under serious pressure since...
Khashoggi case: Around five Saudi officials awarded death sentence
As many as five Saudi Arabia officials have been awarded death sentence by a Saudi court in connection with the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, who was brutally murdered inside the Saudi's Istanbul embassy. Mr....
Bankrupted cryptocurrency's users express suspension in mysterious death of company's founder
The users of bankrupted Canada-based cryptocurrency company QuadrigaCX have demanded the exhumation of the body of the deceased founder of the company, Gerald Cotten. They have expressed serious suspension in the death of the...
Former Mexican minister booked on drug charges in US
The United States has arrested a former Mexican minister, Genaro Garcia Luna, as his connection with a notorious Mexican-based drug cartel has been identified. He has been charged with the crime of allowing the...
US to designate Mexican drug cartels as terrorists
The United State of America is preparing to designate Mexican drug cartels as terrorists. The move is aimed to contain the activities of these cartels in the country. The move will naturally make it...
US makes tangible improvement in investigation into Epstein's death
The United States has made a tangible improvable in the investigation into the mysterious death of infamous financer Jeffrey Epstein, who was languishing in a US prison facing a trial for sexual abuse. He...
NSSO chief Edward Gallagher likely to be ousted
Edward Gallagher, the infamous Navy Seal who is the chief of Navy Seal Special Operations, is likely to be ousted in the near future. He was accused of war crimes. But, last week, US...


text:
We Need to Talk About Kevin (no Brasil, Precisamos Falar Sobre o Kevin; em Portugal, Temos de Falar Sobre o Kevin) é um romance de ficção publicado em 2003, escrito por Lionel Shriver, que trata sobre um massacre escolar fictício, segundo a perspectiva da mãe do assassino, Eva Khatchadourian, que relembra o passado de seu filho, Kevin, ao mesmo tempo em que naufraga na culpa, por aquilo que ele se tornou.

Embora o romance seja narrado em primeira pessoa, em tom confessional, através de uma série de cartas de Eva para seu marido, a estrutura do romance assemelha-se fortemente à de um thriller. O romance, o sétimo de Shriver, ganhou em 2005 o Orange Prize, um prêmio britânico para autoras de qualquer nacionalidade que escrevam em inglês.

Em 2011 o romance foi adaptado para o cinema pela realizadora escocesa Lynne Ramsay. Filmado em Nova Iorque e em Stamford, no estado de Connecticut, nos Estados Unidos. O filme, que foi exibido no Festival de Cannes 2011, causou desconforto na plateia com o tema pesado sobre violência nas escolas.

Enredo

Eva Katchadourian na verdade nunca quis ser mãe - muito menos a mãe de um garoto que matou sete de seus colegas, uma professora e um servente em sua escola nos subúrbios classe A de Nova Iorque. Para falar de Kevin, 16 anos, autor desta chacina, preso em uma casa de correção de menores, a escritora Lionel Shriver arquitetou um thriller psicanalítico onde não se indaga quem matou. A trama desenvolve-se por meio de cartas nas quais a mãe do assassino escreve ao pai de Kevin, que permanece um mistério até o fim do enredo. Nelas, procura analisar os motivos da tragédia que destruiu sua vida e a de sua família. Dois anos depois do crime, ela visita o filho regularmente. Aterrorizada por suas lembranças, Eva faz um balanço de sua trajetória onde analisa casamento, carreira, família, maternidade e o papel do pai. Assim, constrói uma meditação sobre a maldade e discute um tabu: a ambivalência de certas mulheres diante da maternidade e sua influência e responsabilidade na criação de um pequeno monstro.

O filme mostra o ponto de vista de Eva Katchadourian, contando com cenas de seu presente e passado, onde podemos ver as lembranças que a culpam, lembranças de seu filho Kevin, futuro assassino. Durante as cenas do presente, podemos perceber que todos a culpam pelo que seu filho fez, e até ela mesma se culpa. Inicialmente, desde a infância de Kevin, sabemos que há algo errado. Por nenhum motivo aparente, ele-apesar de ser pequeno demais-nunca deixa de olhar para sua mão de forma cínica, não liga para ela... Podemos perceber também que no filme, a relação de Kevin com seu pai é totalmente diferente do que com sua mãe. No começo, Eva não acha estranho o comportamento de Kevin, achando que ele poderia mudar, mas ao longo do tempo, percebemos que ela vai criando temor e um pouco de repulsa contra o garoto, o que se destaca na cena em que Eva atira Kevin contra o chão, quebrando seu braço.

Percebemos o quão doentio Kevin é desde pequeno, quando seu pai, Franklin, compra um arco e flecha de brinquedo para ele, e o mesmo mira na própria mãe, seguido de um sorriso sinistro. Mais tarde, vemos que Franklin compra flechas profissionais para Kevin, que tem uma boa mira. Com o passar do filme, a irmã de Kevin fica cega de um olho e, apesar de não ter aparecido a cena no filme, existe uma conversa entre Eva e Franklin na qual Eva diz ter certeza que a culpa é de Kevin. Franklin, porém, acha bobagem, e não leva a sério.

O filme se passa nesse nível, onde de vez em quando aparecem flashbacks do dia da chacina de Kevin, mas nunca por inteiro, até que no final podemos ver o que acontece. Eva é avisada que estava ocorrendo uma chacina no colégio de seu filho, então ela, preocupada, vai para lá, e descobre que na verdade seu filho é o assassino. Existem também cenas nas quais vemos Kevin matando suas vítimas com o arco e flecha. Depois, Eva vai para casa e se depara com se marido e sua filha mortos, com flechas espetadas em seus corpos, o que deixa óbvio que foi Kevin que os matou.

Durante o filme, apareceram cenas em que Eva ia para a prisão visitar seu filho, mas eles quase não se comunicavam, até que ela, dois anos depois da chacina, no dia do aniversário dele de 18 anos, vai visita-lo e pergunta o porquê dele ter feito aquilo. Ele responde que na época achava que sabia mas naquele momento não sabia mais, ou seja: toda a matança foi sem razão, mas a pergunta é: qual eram seus motivos no princípio?

Personagens

Eis os personagens do livro, mas com os intérpretes da adaptação cinematográfica:

 Eva Katchadourian - Tilda Swinton
 Kevin - Ezra Miller
 Franklin - John C. Reilly

Prêmios

- Em 2012, Tilda Swinton foi indicada (Globo de Ouro) para melhor atriz de drama pelo filme.

- Também em 2012, o filme recebeu a indicação para melhor filme britânico, melhor diretor (Lynne Hamsey) e melhor atriz (Tilda Swinton), todos pela BAFTA.

- Em 2011 foi indicado e ganhou no FESTIVAL DE CANNES a Menção Especial ao Mérito Técnico.

- Em 2011, foi indicado para melhor filme pelo FESTIVAL DE LONDRES e ganhou.

- Em 2011, Tilda Swinton venceu o prêmio de melhor atriz nos Prêmios do Cinema Europeu.

Ligações externas

Livros de 2003
Romances dos Estados Unidos
Romances epistolares
Livros adaptados para o cinema


These elegant cream and gold sunglasses are the House of Christian Lacroix's version of the famous aviator. Their oversized openwork black and gold metal frames subtly play with military elements in the braided design on the frame edges and arms. They are completely on-trend yet wonderfully timeless, sure to become one of the classic House items you can't do without.


text:
HAVING FUN WITH MLB RULES AND STATS
With the Major League Baseball playoffs beginning this week I have to give the league a grade of "A" for playing what amounted to an entertaining regular season under difficult circumstances. We had some playoff races go down to the wire, and I expect the playoffs to be equally exciting.
It wasn't perfect, as you'd expect in these difficult times. The league came out with a bunch of rules before the season and not all of them were closely followed. For example, in the coronavirus rules "spitting" is strictly prohibited but I constantly saw spitting. And, if someone is standing in the outfield or in the on deck circle I didn't see a problem with it.
Other rules required fielders to retreat several steps from runners, and that coaches should not approach runners. If you didn't know they were rules you would never know by watching the games, and no one seemed to be worse for not obeying them.
Players were supposed to use their own personal equipment, but I remember several instances where the TV announcers commented about someone using someone else's bat, a common occurrence in normal times.
Leaning on the railings was discouraged, but good luck on that. Balls that were touched by multiple players were supposed to be tossed out, but I didn't see a lot of that, either. And only the players in the game were supposed to be in the dugout and the others were expected to social distance in the stands. The only guy I ever saw in the stands was the next days' pitcher charting pitches. And how about those home run celebrations where everyone was dancing, or the home run hitter was pushed down the dugout in a laundry cart while players hugged and high-fived. No one said a word, and it didn't seem to matter in the big scope of things so I guess it really didn't matter.
On a lighter vein, I found it interesting to project the statistical leaders for 60 games over a 162 game season. Of course, that's not a true gauge of what would have been because you have injuries and slumps, but then again you had injuries and slumps in the 60 game regular season as well. Check out these numbers.
Luke Voit of the Yankees led the majors with 22 home runs, and that projects to 59.4 home runs over 162 games. Jose Abreu of the White Sox had 60 RBIs in 60 games and I don't even need a calculator to figure that would be 162 in 162 games. How about that Roanoke College education?
Freddie Freeman of the Braves led the majors with 51 runs scored, projecting to 140.4, and he also was tops with 23 doubles, or 62.1 in a normal year. Washington's Trea Turner had 78 hits, a pace for 210.6 for 162 games. Adalberto Mondesi of Kansas City was high with 24 stolen bases, projecting to 64.8. And here's an interesting one, Migual Sano of the Twins struck out 90 times, and if he maintained that pace over a full season he would fan 243 times over 162 games! He did have 13 home runs and 25 RBIs while batting just .204.
Of course, your batting averages, on base percentages, slugging percentages and OPS should be the same if the players maintain the same pace. DJ LeMahieu of the Yankees led the majors with a .364 batting average, a tough pace to maintain over 162 games. Juan Soto of the Nats had a .490 on base percentage and also led the majors with a .695 slugging percentage and a 1.185 OPS. If I was starting a team and could pick anyone in the majors he's the one I'd take. He was also second in the majors with a .351 batting average and he turns just 22 on October 25.
As far as pitching, Shane Bieber of the Indians had eight wins, projecting to 21.6 for a full season, and he also led the majors with a 1.63 earned run average and 122 strikeouts, a 329.4 strikeout pace. He's only 25, and he'll be fun to watch in the playoffs.
Baseball is such a statistical game, it's a shame we didn't have a full season to compare past performances. However, under the circumstances I'm just glad we had any games at all.
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text:
SS Pennsylvania may refer to any one of a number of ships.

 , a 3,104-ton ship of the American Line
 , a 12,891-ton ship of the Hamburg-America Line built by Harland and Wolff
 SS Pennsylvania (1929), a 20,526-ton ship built for the Panama Pacific Line; later renamed Argentina.

See also

Ship names


There are so many benefits in becoming a Rules Club Wagga member, and the chance to go in the Membership Draw is another! You could win thousands!
Three times a week we try to build up our member's bank account with a members draw. It kicks off at $2,000 and jackpots $150 every time the prize is not claimed. When the prize pool jackpots to $5,000, one lucky member will take home the prize! You need to be at the Rules Club Wagga to be in with a chance to win!
Terms & Conditions - If the Members draw is won, all other draws will take place and revert back to the promotion starting value of $2000.00. Permit number LTPS/17/12802.