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David McCullough discusses THE GREATER JOURNEY David McCullough on Americans in Paris in THE GREATER JOURNEY Author and narrator discuss THE GREATER JOURNEY Audiobook Listen to David McCullough discuss The Greater Journey Experience Paris with David McCullough David McCullough Wishes He Had This Talent Historian David McCullough's Favorite Movie Historian David McCullough's Best Quality
The Greater Journey
Americans in Paris
By David McCullough
Read by Edward Herrmann
Unabridged Audio Download
Trade Paperback eBook Abridged Audio Download Abridged Compact Disk Unabridged Compact Disk
The #1 bestseller that tells the remarkable story of the generations of American artists, writers, and doctors who traveled to Paris, the intellectual, scientific, and artistic capital of the western world, fell in love with the city and its people, and changed America through what they learned, told by America's master historian, David McCullough.
Not all pioneers went west.
In The Greater Journey, David McCullough tells the enthralling, inspiring—and until now, untold—story of the adventurous American artists, writers, doctors, politicians, and others who set off for Paris in the years between 1830 and 1900, hungry to learn and to excel in their work. What they achieved would profoundly alter American history.
Elizabeth Blackwell, the first female doctor in America, was one of this intrepid band. Another was Charles Sumner, whose encounters with black students at the Sorbonne inspired him to become the most powerful voice for abolition in the US Senate. Friends James Fenimore Cooper and Samuel F. B. Morse worked unrelentingly every day in Paris, Morse not only painting what would be his masterpiece, but also bringing home his momentous idea for the telegraph. Harriet Beecher Stowe traveled to Paris to escape the controversy generated by her book, Uncle Tom's Cabin. Three of the greatest American artists ever—sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens, painters Mary Cassatt and John Singer Sargent—flourished in Paris, inspired by French masters.
Almost forgotten today, the heroic American ambassador Elihu Washburne bravely remained at his post through the Franco-Prussian War, the long Siege of Paris, and the nightmare of the Commune. His vivid diary account of the starvation and suffering endured by the people of Paris is published here for the first time.
Telling their stories with power and intimacy, McCullough brings us into the lives of remarkable men and women who, in Saint-Gaudens' phrase, longed "to soar into the blue."
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This reading group guide for The Greater Journey includes an introduction, discussion questions, and ideas for enhancing your book club. The suggested questions are intended to help your reading group find new and interesting angles and topics for your discussion. We hope that these ideas will enrich your conversation and increase your enjoyment of the book.
"Not all pioneers went west," writes David McCullough in the beginning pages of The Greater Journey. From the 1820s to 1900, generations of Americans made the pioneering journey across the Atlantic on a mission of learning and accomplishment in the intellectual, scientific, and artistic capital of the western world: Paris. David McCullough tells the story of the generations of Americans whose struggles and discoveries in the City of Light set them on the path to high achievement. James Fenimore Cooper, author of the beloved Deerslayer novels, formed an important lifelong friendship in the halls of the Louvre with Samuel F. B. Morse, the renowned painter and inventor of the telegraph. Charles Sumner, the leading abolitionist U.S. senator, first examined his views on race when he studied at Paris's diverse Sorbonne. Elihu Washburne, the U.S. Minister to France, performed heroically during the Siege of Paris and the horrors of the Commune, serving Americans and other foreign nationals as the official representative of his country. Augustus Saint-Gaudens arrived in Paris as an impoverished young engraver and despite personal and professional hardship became the most celebrated American sculptor of the time. Mary Cassatt, determined to excel as a painter, recognized the genius of the Impressionists and became the lone American among them. And John Singer Sargent, worked unceasingly to perfect his exceptional talent and won international renown while still in his twenties.
Ambitious Americans of all kinds, from musicians to medical students, sought inspiration and opportunity in Paris and changed America through the work they did there and the ideas and accomplishments they brought home. Through it all there was Paris with its incomparable splendors and charm, its deadly epidemics and bloody revolutions, and everlasting joie de vivre. The Americans were never to forget their Paris years. How they were changed by that experience has had profound effects on American history...
TOPICS & QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION
The Greater Journey opens with a quotation by the sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens: "For we constantly deal with practical problems, with moulders, contractors, derricks, stonemen, trucks, rubbish, plasterers, and what-not-else, all while trying to soar into the blue." How does this quotation set the stage for The Greater Journey? What kinds of "practical problems" did Americans in Paris face, and how did they manage to "soar into the blue?"
What were some of the challenges travelers faced on the journey from America to Paris? "Great as their journey had been by sea, a greater journey had begun, as they already sensed, and from it they were to learn more, and bring back more, of infinite value to themselves and their country than they yet knew." What is the "greater journey" that these Americans began after their voyage across the ocean? Why do you think McCullough chose the title The Greater Journey for this book?
Describing Augustus Saint-Gaudens, McCullough writes, "he had something he was determined to accomplish, and thus became accomplished himself." What were some of the reasons that Americans made the trip to Paris? What did they need to accomplish in Paris, and how did they become accomplished there?
Describe the role of women within the community of Americans in Paris. What unique problems did women face in the city during the 19th century? How did female students, artists, and wives write about their experiences in Paris, as compared to their male counterparts?
Describe the friendship between James Fenimore Cooper and Samuel F. B. Morse. What seems to have drawn these men of different backgrounds and professions to each other? What kind of support did Cooper offer Morse during the creation of Gallery of the Louvre, and how did Morse include the Cooper family within the painting?
The painter George Healy sailed to Paris in the 1830s, and according to his granddaughter, "His love of France and the French never changed him from an out-and-out American." Which of the other travelers within The Greater Journey would you also describe as out-and-out Americans? How did they express their patriotism while they lived overseas?
Consider the significance of letters and journals within the book. What kind of information does McCullough draw from historical letters and diaries? How would you compare the importance of letters and journals in the 19th century to the present day? How have issues of privacy, diplomacy, and record-keeping changed?
In The Greater Journey, we see France in political turmoil—Restoration, Franco-Prussian War, and Commune-led Paris—through the eyes of the young sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens, medical student Mary Putnam, and the diplomat Elihu Washburne. What perspective on politics and violence does each of them offer? How do their motivations and opinions on war and revolution differ?
Oliver Wendell Holmes called medicine "the noblest of arts." How is medical study portrayed in The Greater Journey? What advances in the profession does the book chronicle? What are some major differences between medical practice in 19th-century Paris and medicine as we know it today?
Compare the two painters who dominate the final chapters of The Greater Journey: Mary Cassatt and John Singer Sargent. How were their lives and work similar, and how were they different?
How would you classify The Greater Journey—is it the history of a community, the history of a place, or both? What is McCullough's particular style of narrating history? Which of McCullough's "narrators"—the men and women who witnessed the history of Paris—provides the clearest view of his or her environment?
If you could tour Paris with any of the historical figures in The Greater Journey, who would it be? Would you want to explore the Louvre with Samuel Morse, discuss politics with Elihu Washburne, attend a concert with Louis Moreau Gottschalk, witness surgery with Elizabeth Blackwell, or appraise canvases with John Singer Sargent? Explain your answer.
ENHANCE YOUR BOOK CLUB
Get inspired by the descriptive letters that Americans in Paris wrote to their families and friends back home. Exchange letters with another member of your book club. Share observations about your daily life—from your routine to your reaction to the headlines of the day. Send these letters through the mail, and don't forget to save them as little pieces of history!
Have a day of art appreciation with your book club. Visit your local museum, or meet at a public monument or statue.
Celebrate the invention of the daguerreotype—the first form of photography, which Louis Daguerre premiered in Paris in 1839—by taking a group photograph of your book club. (Feel free to use the latest technology, like a digital camera!)
Samuel F. B. Morse co-invented Morse code for his innovative telegraph system. Try this translating tool to hear what your name sounds like in Morse code: http://morsecode.scphillips.com/translator.html.
Set the mood for your book club meeting by playing compositions by Louis Moreau Gottschalk, an American piano prodigy who launched his career in Paris. Download his music or purchase an album.
Photograph by William B. McCullough
David McCullough has twice received the Pulitzer Prize, for Truman and John Adams, and twice received the National Book Award, for The Path Between the Seas and Mornings on Horseback. His other acclaimed books include The Johnstown Flood, The Great Bridge, Brave Companions, 1776, The Greater Journey, The American Spirit, and The Wright Brothers. He is the recipient of numerous honors and awards, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian award. Visit DavidMcCullough.com.
About The Reader
Edward Herrmann's films include Nixon, The Purple Rose of Cairo, Annie, and The Aviator. On television's Gilmore Girls he starred as the patriarch, Richard Gilmore. He has also appeared on The Good Wife, Law & Order, 30 Rock, Grey's Anatomy, and Oz. He earned an Emmy Award for The Practice, and remains well-known for his Emmy-nominated portrayals of FDR in Eleanor and Franklin and Eleanor and Franklin: The White House Years. On Broadway, he won a Tony Award for his performance in Mrs. Warren's Profession.
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio (May 24, 2011)
Runtime: 16 hours and 50 minutes
History > France
History > United States > 19th Century
History > Modern > 19th Century
S&S Metadata (MOM)
S&S eDWO
The Ultimate Guide to Reading Your Way Through Paris in 15 Books
- Off the Shelf
America's Historian: Celebrating David McCullough's Fifty-Year Career
Book Cover Image (jpg): The Greater Journey
Unabridged Audio Download 9781442344198
Author Photo (jpg): David McCullough
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by Spirit Golf on February 10, 2018
Spirit Golf has supervised many of the course and range enhancements as well as incorporated a number of outreach programs since taking over the management of Makefield Highlands in 2010. Participation in lessons, camps, and clinics through the Spirit Golf Academy has increased by 10 to 20 percent each year, with the number of students growing from 147 in 2010 to over 300 in 2017. Spirit Golf recently unveiled The Manor at Makefield Highlands, a beautiful tented outdoor hospitality venue for rustic weddings, corporate outings, and events.
Spirit Golf Launches Red Shirt Fridays at Clubs on July 1 to Benefit Folds of Honor
by Spirit Golf on June 29, 2016
HOPEWELL, NJ (June 29, 2016) – Spirit Golf Management will launch its Red Shirt Fridays initiative this Friday, July 1, to benefit wounded military veterans and fallen service member families through the Folds of Honor Foundation. The program will run from Friday of the Fourth of July weekend through Friday, September 2 of the Labor Day weekend.
"We are proud to announce all Spirit Golf managed clubs are participating in this initiative to contribute to the Folds of Honor Foundation and its Patriot Golf Day campaign," said Mike Attara, President of Spirit Golf Management and PGA General Manager and CEO for Hopewell Valley Golf & County Club. Our clubs, Five Ponds Golf Club, Warminster, PA; Greencastle Golf Club, PA; HVGCC, Hopewell, NJ; Makefield Highlands Golf Club, Yardley, PA; Mill Race Golf & Camping, Benton, PA; and Stonybrook Golf Club, Hopewell, NJ are all participating in the program.
"While each club will offer its own unique promotion, all clubs on Fridays will offer a discount and contribution on rounds played by golfers who wear a red shirt, and a healthy discount off any red merchandise purchased in the Pro Shop. The Folds of Honor Foundation, that Spirit Golf and the PGA support, helps the families of fallen and wounded service members, so that no one is forgotten on the battlefield. What could be a better time to honor our service members than the celebration of the founding of our country on the Fourth of July? Our clubs and Spirit are privileged to be able to support our nation's heroes and their families, and to give back," stated Attara.
"It is with great honor and privilege that I recognize Spirit Golf in their promotion of Red Shirt Fridays. In doing this, Spirit Golf not only memorializes the sacrifice made by soldiers of our great nation, but also contributes to the legacy of their families. Proceeds from discounts on rounds of golf and red apparel will benefit the Spirit Golf Patriot Golf Day campaign," said Major Dan Rooney, CEO/Founder, The Folds of Honor Foundation.
"It is this spirit of patriotism and humility that keeps our freedoms alive, and brings meaning to the Folds of Honor Foundation's mission. Our relationship with Spirit Golf is a great example of force multiplication. This type of support makes permanent changes in the lives and families of our service members. For this, we are incredibly grateful," added Rooney.
For more information on Spirit Golf, visit SpiritGolf.net, and on Folds of Honor, visit FoldsOfHonor.org.
About Spirit Golf Management, LLC
Established in 2009, Spirit Golf Management LLC provides an array of golf course management services with the simple mission to "grow our clients' business". The nationally recognized company helps clients grow their business by establishing the right services, programs and activities with an approach that generates community awareness and focuses on the facilities' unique market position. Spirit Golf manages Five Ponds Golf Club, Hopewell Valley Golf & Country Club, Makefield Highlands Golf Club, and Stonybrook Golf Club in the Delaware Valley area, in addition to Mill Race Golf and Camping in Benton, PA and Greencastle (PA) Golf Club. Spirit Golf — Growing the game one club at a time.
About Folds of Honor
Headquartered in Owasso, Oklahoma, Folds of Honor provides support to children and spouses of fallen and wounded service members across this great country. Folds of Honor is primarily known for our founder and CEO, Major Dan Rooney, as well as our grassroots marketing initiative, Patriot Golf Day. Folds of Honor is a generational foundation dedicated to giving back to the families of our nation's heroes. Through the support of great American companies and patriotic individuals, we're ensuring that no family is left behind on the field of battle.
Contact: Donna Weaver, Spirit Golf Marketing Director, or 917-301-3509.
Spirit Golf Management's Top Ten Achievements for 2015
by Mike Attara on February 4, 2016
2015 was a banner year for Spirit Golf Management. Since being established in 2009 we have maintained a consistent commitment to exist by our motto, "growing the game one club at a time". To truly be successful in this endeavor the key has been to embrace the individual personality, character and assets of our different properties. This was never more evident than in 2015.
To best illustrate these unique achievements, here is Spirit Golf's Top 10 List from 2015:
· 1 ·
For the third year in a row, Makefield Highlands PGA Director of Instruction Ed Gibson received a player development/growth of the game award from the Philadelphia PGA, this year for his industry leading accomplishments in Junior Golf. This serves as a tribute to his passion, Spirit Golf's commitment to growth of the game and illustrating how these types of efforts can make a positive impact to any type of facility. This makes a total of 11 Growth of the Game Awards won by a Spirit Golf Professional! There is no better honor than being recognized by your peers.
New for 2015 we had great success with a company-wide "July is Spirit Golf Family Fun Month". Each of our properties used this umbrella to promote a wide variety of activity to make golf more easy, fun and affordable for families to enjoy golf together. A key success was our newest client Mill Race Golf and Camping Resort and how they used a variety of Family Fun Nights, clinics, PGA Family Course and $1 a hole promotions to generate nearly $8,000 in ancillary business.
Under Spirit Golf's leadership, an 18-month campaign to secure a Liquor License at Greencastle Golf Club was successful. Club Manager and Regional Operations Manager for the Mid-Atlantic, Mike Porter led the charge working closely with the community to obtain the needed votes for the approval. The addition of the new liquor license is an important revenue generator and asset for the ownership. The township has been dry since the prohibition, thus this was a huge undertaking. However, this has already expanded the services and amenities at Greencastle making it a more attractive property for golfers, outings and the community at large.
Continuing to prove that anyone can play golf, Spirit Golf leveraged Stonybrook Golf Club's unique setting and executive golf course in becoming a model facility for hosting accessible golf programs. These efforts included being an official Els for Autism golf facility, plus hosting numerous programs for the Middle Atlantic Blind Golfers Association, First Tee of Trenton and New Jersey Special Olympics. Joe Porter, our PGA Professional, continues to expand our companies and the club's reach with his passion and excellence as one of the best instructors in the area.
Proving Spirit Golf is committed to adapting to the individualistic 'personality' of each of our clients, we successfully took on the challenge of managing an Golf Club/RV / Camping Resort as part of our newest relationship with Mill Race in Benton, PA. In fact, thanks to our customer service and growth models, we turned Mill Race into an Award Winning Camp Ground, earning 3 different accolades from the Pennsylvania Camp Owners Association.
Under the leadership of Spirit Golf's Director of food & Beverage, John Goeke, we completed a variety of renovations at Makefield Highlands, including updating the kitchen and bathrooms, plus building out the "Courtyard at Makefield Highlands", a new 200 seat banquet and event facility with an open-air-bar and tented reception space. While just launching in late 2015, this has already made Makefield Highlands a premiere facility to host weddings and functions. The addition of the new facilities provided a new revenue stream for our client Lower Makefield Township and through our project management experience was completed under budget.
At Stonybrook we have continued to grow our ladies league which jumped from 24 to 50 weekly golfers this year. However, thanks to these ladies showing the way, we were able to establish a similar program for men for the first time in 2015.
Makefield Highlands hosted a US Open Regional in May. Considering Philadelphia is home to numerous incredible private golf clubs, it was a distinguished honor to be selected by the GAP to host this prestigious event. More importantly, the 120 competitors all raved about the golf course and their experience, which was a true testament to Spirit Golf's Director of Agronomy Mark Peterson and his team.
We were able to kick off a newly established Mill Race Golf Association towards the end of the year, which generated hundreds of new-found rounds in the fall. The highlight was promoting November as Veteran's Golf Month which climaxed on a very emotional and well attended Veterans Day Golf Tournament which is sure to be an annual success.
· 10 ·
In our second year at Five Ponds Golf Club, our client, The Township of Warminster saw, for the first time in over 10 years, a positive cash flow for the golf course. The course achieved this success with the addition of new marketing programs, the increase in customer services, new outing sales, a new men's league 90 strong and improvements to operational controls and expense management.
Els for Autism Tees Off at Stonybrook Golf Course, Hopewell, NJ
by Spirit Golf on June 1, 2015
Els for Autism launches pilot series for its Ernie Els #GameON Autism™ Golf Program aimed at using golf as a life skills developmental tool for individuals on the autism spectrum.
To have golf used as an effective supplementary therapy for people with autism … The pilot series is a crucial step in helping us reach that goal.
Ernie Els, Els for Autism Founder
Els for Autism has launched a nationwide pilot for the Ernie Els #GameON Autism™ Golf Program. The #GameON Autism Golf Program is aimed at developing life skills, encouraging social interaction, and promoting healthy living through golf for individuals on the autism spectrum. Each session is designed to help build self-esteem and confidence in a fun, welcoming and supportive environment; encouraging participants to learn golf skills while practicing specific autism learning concepts.
The comprehensive program, which has been developed by Els for Autism with support from PGA REACH and thru a grant from New York Collaborates for Autism from the proceeds of Comedy Central's 2012 Night of Too Many Stars, utilizes multiple evidence-based practices, identified by the National Professional Development Center on Autism. It consists of nine group lessons and takes four and a half weeks to complete with golf lessons taking place twice a week. Each session has a specially designed lesson plan that delivers golf instruction paired with specific autism focused learning concepts, including: communication, regulatory, motor and social skills.
Over 100 children in seven cities across the U.S. will take part in the pilot program that runs from the end of April through 2015. In each pilot city Els for Autism has selected a host golf facility, golf partner, and autism partner who the Foundation will be working with during the pilot program. Stonybrook Golf Club in Hopewell, NJ is the program's local host facility.
Mike Attara, President of Spirit Golf, the management company for Stonybrook Golf Club and a member of the NJ Golf Foundation, says "We are pleased to be part of this groundbreaking pilot program. It's a natural fit with our company's values and mission of helping grow the game and reaching into the community. I'm proud that Stonybrook was asked to participate. Our Professional Staff, led by PGA Professional, Joe Porter has done a great job preparing for the program."
"To have golf used as an effective supplementary therapy for people with autism is a pretty exciting concept for me and I have been lucky enough to have seen first-hand the incredibly positive effect that the one-day golf clinics can have on participants. Our end goal is to develop #GameON Autism Golf into a comprehensive program that can be rolled out so that more individuals with autism can have access to this specialized program world-wide. The pilot series is a crucial step in helping us reach that goal," said Els for Autism Founder, Ernie Els.
He added: "We are so grateful for all the support we have received from the organizations and individuals that have helped us develop #GameON Autism Golf as an initiative over the past couple of years, in particular PGA REACH and New York Collaborates for Autism who have enabled us to develop and implement this pilot series for the program."
"Sports and other recreational activities can be the bridge to creating meaningful connections for people with autism to others in their life. NYCA is grateful that Ernie Els and his foundation have used their expertise to teach people with autism how to play golf and thereby engage with others through the game," said Ilene Lainer, President, New York Collaborates for Autism.
Els for Autism is thankful to all of the organizations and individuals that have supported the development of the #GameON Autism Golf initiative over the last couple of years to get it to this stage, in particular: the PGA of America, PGA REACH, The First Tee, U.S. Kids, The Honda Classic, New York Collaborates for Autism, Adams Golf and Southwest Airlines.
Donations to the Els for Autism Foundation can be made online at: Els for Autism.
Spirit Golf Management News…new courses, new hires and more awards
by Mike Attara on September 27, 2014
Time to catch up as we move into the fall season. 2014 has been a busy year for Spirit Golf and we have lots of good news to share.
Earlier this year, we began an agreement with Warminster's Five Pond Golf Club to provide a Professional Golf Management contract.
In July, we successfully opened the new J.R. Smith Learning Center for the Monmouth Ocean First Tee Chapter. The construction began in September of 2013 and we were all very pleased to see the three hole course located in Ocean County Park open on time for the summer sessions.
Mill Race Golf and Camping Resort
In August, we also signed an agreement with Mill Race Golf and Camping Resort. We are very pleased to be working with the Williams' family to continue the wonderful traditions they have created the past 30+ years.
We are also pleased to announce two new additions to our executive team in 2014. Frank Draper took the position of Director of Business Development in March of this year. Frank has been an advisor and involved in the golf industry for over 15 years. Most recently Ron Stepanek was hired to head up our Southern Regional Office out of Palm Beach County Florida. Ron will be Spirit Golf's new Director of Player Development. Ron most recently was Director of Player Development for 10 years for the PGA of America. We are excited to have both gentlemens' vast expertise in the game and business of golf as part of our team.
Spirit Golf's facilities also had some wonderful accolades in 2014.
Both Five Ponds and Makefield Highlands Golf Clubs were named the Best of Bucks by Bucks County Courier Times Newspapers.
Our team won four PGA Awards in 2014. Bob Doria , Public Merchandiser of the Year ( Bob's second) and Ed Gibson, Player Development Award for the Philadelphia PGA Section. Mike Attara won both the Player Development ( Mike's Sixth) and the Patriot Award for the New Jersey PGA Section.
Makefield Highlands Golf Club won the Top 50 Best Driving Range (Public Golf Course) in the Country.
Makefield Highlands Golf Club is also being honored as the 2014-2015 Club of the Year by the Pennsylvania Golf Course Owners' Association.
It has been a terrific year and we are most excited by the number of rounds played at our facilities and the great conditions our golfers have come to expect. Our programming and instructional activities continue to grow at each of our facilities and we look forward to keeping the activities and fun going through the fall season.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Quick-Release Bicycle Handlebar Basket is rated 4.5 out of 5 by 2.
Quick Release Handlebar Basket, Positive Locking, Quick Release Handlebar Mount Allows For Easy On/Off From Bike, Durable Welded Metal Construction, Folding Carry Handle, Weather Resistant.
Rated 4 out of 5 by Pgard7 from Nice Basket I like the basket. It is good size and usually carries what I need on the many small trips I make. the one problem I have with it is that when I carry a heavier load (like a melon or a six pack of pop), the Velcro fastener does not hold the basket to the stem, and it bounces down onto the fender. It only rubs a little, so I am not concerned with it, but I wish it had a better fastener to keep the basket up.
Rated 5 out of 5 by prairieknitter from This is just brilliant! I love this basket. They had it in stock at my local TrueValue store. What a great design! It is bracketed against the frame as well as on the handlebars and the whole basket lifts out by the handle, so at the store or farmers' market, I only buy what will actually FIT in the basket! And the basket lifts out again at home to carry inside. Just a great, great idea. So pleased. Thank you also to my local TrueValue for having an on-site Bike Doctor.


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text:
Q: Can you use a switch statement with a list of enums in java 6? I know you can have something like
public enum letters{
                    A, B, C, D
                   }

then have something like with each letter having its own class with a method
switch(letters)
case A:
      A.methodA();
      break;
case B:
        B.methodB();
      break;
case C:
        C.methodC();
      break;
case D:
       D.methodD();
      break;
default:
      System.out.println("Learn the alphabet");

but can you have something like
switch(listOfLetterEnums)
 ...

In my program I turn command line enum arguments into a list and I need to know how to run each of the enums' method from that list whether it be a switch statement or something else.
I should add when I try it I get an error saying "cannot convert List. Only convertible int values or enum variables" would converting to a list of enums work if the above is possib

A: You will need to put a for loop around the switch statement to parse each element of the list separately. If the list is an Iterable then it should look something like this:
for (letterEnum : listOfLetterEnums) {
    switch(letterEnum) {
        ...
    }
}

For this to work, your list will need to implement the Iterator interface or extend a class which implements it. In this case you probably want to extend ArrayList.
If the list is an array you can just parse each element of the array:
for (int i = 0; i < listOfLetterEnums.length; i++) {
    switch(listOfLetterEnums[i]) {
        ...
    }
}

A: public class Test {
    private enum Foo {
        ABC, DEF;
    }

    public static void main(String... args) {
        List<Foo> myfoos = new ArrayList<Foo>();
        myfoos.add(Foo.ABC);
        for(Foo i:myfoos)
        switch (i) {
        case ABC:
            System.out.println("do abc");
            break;
        case DEF:
            System.out.println("do def");
            break;
        }
    }
}

A: You need to loop over the list, and switch based on the value.
letters[] listOfLetterEnums = { letters.A, letters.B, letters.C, letters.D };
for(letter let : listOfLetterEnums)
{
    switch(let)
    {
    case A:
        A.methodA();
        break;
    case B:
        B.methodB();
        break;
    case C:
        C.methodC();
        break;
    case D:
        D.methodD();
        break;
    default:
        System.out.println("Learn the alphabet");
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Dogs stolen from car in Hinckley Sainsbury's car park are reunited with owner
'These have been the worst 16 weeks of my life'
Adrian Troughton
A dog owner has been reunited with her stolen pet Chihuahuas.
Kate Mercer said it was the reunion she thought she would never enjoy after the dogs Dinky and Doris were taken from the back of her Mercedes SUV in the car park of Sainsbury's in Hinckley's Crescent complex on March 13.
The 41-year-old, who lives in Sutton Cheney, near Market Bosworth, said: "I had not given up hope because you never can but my hopes were fading with every day that passed.
"When I saw Dinky and Doris and then held them in my arms again I could not believe it.
"They are my family and I am overcome with joy.
"These have been the worst 16 weeks of my life. I have my babies back now so all is well that ends well."
(Image: Katy Mercer)
Mrs Mercer initially offered a reward of £1,000, then upped that to £2,000 and then £5,000.
She had 20,000 leaflets and 65 six-foot long plastic banners made to try to find her pets.
Mrs Mercer, husband Fraser and friends handed out hundreds of leaflets and asked shopkeepers and publicans to put the posters in their windows.
They also tied banners to roundabouts on major routes in and out of Hinckley and fastened one outside the town's train station.
Mrs Mercer told how she was on holiday in Greece last week when she heard that Dinky and Doris had been found.
She said: "We had set up a Facebook site to help find the dogs and a friend was running it while Fraser and I went on holiday for a break.
"On the Wednesday it was my birthday and we went out for meal. I had a birthday cake with a candle in it.
"I blew out the candle and made a wish that Dinky and Doris could come back to me.
"Within 24 hours I got the call that they had been found. It just shows that wishes do sometimes come true."
The pair had offered a reward so decided to honour that.
Mrs Mercer said: "My friend running the Facebook site had to go to a property in the West Midlands to see Dinky and Doris."
She said the people there said they had bought the dogs from someone else and did not realise they had been stolen.
"They contacted my friend when they saw a poster about Dinky and Doris being missing.
"We got an early flight home on the Friday and I was reunited with my babies in the arrivals lounge at East Midlands Airport.
"I have never been so happy. I wept buckets."
Mrs Mercer, who has eight dogs, has set up another Facebook site called Friends of Dinky and Doris which is there to help anyone who has lost a pet.
(Image: Supplied by owners)
She said: "I had lots of hoax calls and even horrible people, saying they had killed my dogs but I also had a majority of contacts from really nice people who were very supportive.
"They told me to never give up and really gave me strength and I am so grateful for that. My getting Dinky and Doris back home safe is proof of that.
"They have both put a lot of weight on but they will soon be back into the old routine of proper meals and regular walkies and should be back to their proper weights.
"It's so good to have them home. I am never letting them out of my sight ever again."
In the NewsWork on new £23 million Coalville leisure centre looks set to start in December
Meanwhile the Ashby leisure centre is also being updated


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MEC Design Teases Project Cerberus for Mercedes E-Class Convertible
Giancarlo Perlas December 13, 2014
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MEC Design, the renowned aftermarket tuner for Mercedes-Benz vehicles, recently released a teaser video for its new wide-body package, which is set to be released on January 12, 2015. The new product of the tuner was revealed in the video as Project Cerberus. Based from the teaser video of the tuner, the car that will benefit from its upcoming package is the Mercedes E-Class convertible. Although the car in the video was a bit blurred, so as not to spoil the fun before the package is unveiled, the lines and the curves of the vehicle were apparently those found in the E-Class. The video clip also gave a clue on… Continue Reading »
MEC Design Retouches a Mercedes SLS Roadster
Giancarlo Perlas December 5, 2014
The coming of the new Mercedes-AMG GT signaled the end of production of the units under the SLS range of Mercedes-AMG. Sure, the new car looks great and it is one of the hottest commodity among the units carrying the three-pointed star logo right now. The predecessor of the AMG GT may already have taken its last run the production facilities of Mercedes, but MEC Design is not giving up on the SLS AMG GT just yet. Recently, the tuner revealed its package for the Mercedes SLS Roadster to give the owners of the unit more ways to enhance the appeal of their cars. The latest body kit of MEC for the Mercedes SLS Roadster comes… Continue Reading »
Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG Coupe Upgraded Again By MEC Design
Peter Parcon October 16, 2014
The Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG Coupe was the subject of an upgrade by MEC Design earlier this year. Apparently, the German tuning specialist may not have been contented with its earlier upgrade as it modified another model of the luxury vehicle, according to a report from gtspirit.com. The upgrade provided for the S63 AMG Coupe was given the name "White Sugar." The luxury vehicle went through a number of cosmetic and performance upgrades that enhanced the S63 and set it apart from the standard S63 AMG Coupe model. MEC Design started its upgrade with the wheels and tires before working on the suspension and exhaust system. The S63 AMG Coupe was… Continue Reading »
MEC Design Enhances Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG
Peter Parcon October 3, 2014
MEC Design released an upgrade program for the Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG, according to a recent report from motorward.com. Although the enhancements made by the tuning specialist from Germany are considered light, it enhanced the appeal of the E63 in the market. The enhancements gave the redesigned executive-class sedan a sporty appearance due to its restyled exterior and new wheels. The tuning program provided by MEC Design concentrated on three major areas, wheels, suspension, and exhaust system. However, it should be noted that the E63 AMG is already perfect in these major areas. The luxury vehicle features a 5.5-liter twin-turbo V8 engine, stylish body and deluxe interiors. To enhance the executive… Continue Reading »
Introducing the New MEC Design Package for the Mercedes S500
Giancarlo Perlas June 25, 2014
MEC Design, one of the world's popular aftermarket tuning specialists for Mercedes-Benz vehicles, has recently revealed its new package for the S-Class, particularly the Mercedes S500. The package from the German tuner focuses on putting styling, aerodynamic and comfort modifications on the exterior and interior of the three-pointed star brand's flagship product. The highlight of the customization package is MEC's all new CC3 wheels. The wheels belong to the meCCon Series of the tuner. These offer inner and outer lip gloss black finishes with luxury grey center with measurements of 10 x 21 and 11.5 x 21. The wheels are fitted with 255 + 295 tires. The body kit features new front skirts equipped… Continue Reading »
MEC Releases Customized Mercedes S63 AMG
Giancarlo Perlas May 28, 2014
MEC Design, one of Europe's renowned tuning companies for Mercedes-Benz vehicles, recently released its new package for the W222 or the S-Class platform. Wheels are All in Black The Mercedes S63 AMG was fitted with MEC's signature CCd5 wheels from the meCCon Series complete with 9,5Jx22 + 11Jx22 with 265 and 315 tyres. All the chrome parts were in matt black, including the inner and outer lip of the wheels, the wheel center, bolts and their five twin-spoke design. The only exemptions were the braking plates, which came in their standard titanium-colored designs. The package also offers an optional lowering and other combination of finishes for customers with varying preferences. Overall, the wheel and… Continue Reading »
MEC Design Tunes Old Mercedes-Benz SLK 55 AMG
Peter Parcon July 31, 2013
The recent makeover given by MEC Design on an old Mercedes-Benz model is likely to appeal to people who seeing V8 engines used on small cars. MEC Design gave the makeover to an old Mercedes-Benz SLK 55 AMG. The design of the vehicle was maintained even as a ConDeni Nobilis set of wheels added to the appeal of the car that was introduced during the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show. The wheels have crimson red accents that are also found on the body. The spokes were given a black finish. The standard AMG suspension was optimized and adjusted by the tuning company. The vehicle was also given a MEC Design LED… Continue Reading »
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Mark Ryalls competed in the above event to inject a bit of fun into his racing season!
The race is 5km long but with no less that 15 obstacles to content with. Results not yet up but fastest times can be 30 mins or up to 3 hours!
Always good to try an event like this and will improve strength & mobility. As you can see Mark enjoyed it!


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Annal: 2007 T.S. Eliot Prize for Poetry
Results of the T.S. Eliot Prize in the year 2007.
The Drowned Book
Sean O'Brien
Many of the poems in Sean O'Brien's new collection take their emotional tenor and imaginative cue from his acclaimed translation of Dante's Inferno, and occupy a dark, flooded, subterranean world, as dramatically compelling as it is disquieting. Circumstances have compelled O'Brien to return repeatedly to the elegiac form, and The Drowned Book contains a number of powerfully moving poems written in memory of fellow poets and artists.
The Drowned Book again shows O'Brien a master of the authoritative line, and underscores his pre-eminence among contemporary English poets.
Matthew Sweeney
2007 T.S. Eliot shortlist
Negotiating the borders and hinterlands of Central and Eastern Europe—with occasional coracle trips or forays to Antarctica for a round of golf—the homesick flaneur surveys the surrounding devastation with the same mixture of fascination and alarm he feels when he discovers the sweat-mark on his T-shirt makes a perfect map of Ireland. All around, he sees natural and man-made catastrophe: the ruins and remnants of war peopled by kidnappers and assassins, feral dogs, death squads, the dispossessed and deracinated. These poems are parables of threat, parties for the end of the world; they speak eloquently of damage, displacement and the resulting swell of terror: 'I looked back at the door heard the lock click, then beyondanother lock, then another.'
A Book of Lives
Edwin Morgan
Containing poems written by Edwin Morgan during the past six years, this collection looks at human life from a variety of perspectives, encompassing a range of themes, the foremost of which is history. This new work displays the author's characteristic willingness to experiment with a variety of subjects, from the history of cancer to the new Scottish parliament.
Inspired by the violent landscape of 20th-century central Europe, this collection of formal sonnets, homages, narrative fiction, and lyrical reflections focuses predominantly on the relationship of human illness and bereavement to depleted ecology. Employing linguistic risk, transgressive range, and intellectual demand as well as visceral emotional content, these poems elicit both liturgical and sensual truths.
Hawks and Doves
Alan Gillis
Many of the poems in Hawks and Doves are in transit, by car or by foot, coming or going, their personae wondering 'what to do, who to be, the way things are'. They shift swiftly, but uneasily, between what's outside the door and what's on-screen: between Belfast with its processes of 'normalization', and a wider world riven by conflict, poverty and environmental havoc. Many deal with families, parenthood and responsibility—with the hawks and doves that circle the home, the heart, and the head. Exuberant love poems mingle with scabrous parodies of self-satisfied apathy and masculine aggression. In their formal virtuosity, linguistic incandescence and imaginative intelligence, these poems are deeply affecting and often searing examinations of the world in which we're living. Ending with major pieces that traverse the waste and beauty of our time, Hawks and Doves is an unforgettable trip.
The Meanest Flower
Mimi Khalvati
Inspired by Shakespeare's songs, the short poems of Emily Dickinson, and Wordsworth's Lucy poems, this collection of songlike poetry is based on the ubiquitous spread of weeds—like the shallow rooting plants, small poems can grow anywhere. Featuring a number of traditional forms but also showcasing the ancient Persian Ghazal, these poems reinstate the joyful audible aspect of the lyric.
Pessimism for Beginners
Sophie Hannah's sharp pen dissects modern life and relationships with insouciant honesty and ruthless wit, and her love poems evoke timeless feelings with a shrewd simplicity that deepens her range. An edge of desolation, tenderness—an occasional flash of cruelty—and an ebullient delight in language make this a book of bittersweet pleasures.
The Pomegranates of Kandahar
Sarah Maguire
Sarah Maguire's rich and lyrical poems have been highly praised for the ease with which they ground precise, sensual detail within the wider context of world events. In this remarkable new collection, her poems travel greater distances than ever before. The title poem laments the devastation visited upon Afghanistan following decades of war. Other poems consider the casualties of political unrest: would-be migrants in Tangiers gazing northwards at the longed-for phantasmagoria of 'Europe'; and packs of wolves on the loose in post-Soviet Kazakhstan. But there are intimate poems too, often using scientific vocabularies to offset a personal moment, as in 'Landscape, with Dead Sea' where the erosion of the poet's skin is connected to geological transformations at the earth's core.
Public Dream
Frances Leviston
Public Dream, Frances Leviston's first collection of poetry, is one of the most eagerly-awaited debuts in years. Although still in her early twenties, Leviston has already received considerable acclaim for her superbly-crafted and pitch-perfect verse. However, in the apparently effortless balancing of its lyric and metaphysical concerns, in the penetration, range and originality of its thought, Public Dream shows her to possess the maturity to match that skill. This book does more than merely display promise: it announces the arrival of a singular and essential new voice.
The Speed of Dark
Ian Duhig
2007 Costa-Poetry shortlist
Ian Duhig's The Speed of Dark is structured around his astonishing reworking of the text of Le Roman de Fauvel, a medieval text that railed against the corruption of the 12th-century French court and church. In Duhig's hands, however, the tale of the power-mad horse-king Fauvel gains a terrifying and almost prophetic contemporary relevance, and is identified with more recent crusades, crazed ambitions and insatiable greeds. Elsewhere Duhig's many admirers will be delighted by his new ballads and elegies, his erudite high jinks and his low gags—with which he builds on the new imaginative territory he staked out in The Lammas Hireling to such universal acclaim. The Speed of Dark again shows Duhig as one the most capacious and brilliant minds in contemporary poetry.
22 October 2011, 15:29:04 GMT
About the T.S. Eliot Prize
Honor roll:T.S. Eliot Prize for Poetry
Honor roll:T.S. Eliot Prize for Poetry authors


The big news just breaking in New York City is that the 4, 5 and 6 subways, collectively known as theLexington Avenue Line, are running end to end from the Bronx through Mahattan, all the way to Brooklyn, and the 7 line serving Manhattan and Queens is running, too. This is a substantial step forward for a city that relies so heavily on its mass transit system. On an average weekday, 5.2 million people rode the subway in 2011, and the entire system clocked more than 1.6 billion rides last year. Yet, as that now-iconic construction crane atop that high-rise construction site on 57th Street shows, things are still very much bent out of shape.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo just made the subway announcement in a press conference and via Twitter. Still ahead: Full service on the West Side lines, including the 1, 2 and 3, which, when I rode them on Thursday, only had service from the Bronx to only as far south as 34th St. in Manhattan. As you can see from the latest version of the Metro Transit Authority's service map, updated this morning, there's still lot of the system that's not functioning.
As you can see from Cuomo's tweet, the other big news here is that power is starting to return. The friend I visited on the creepy darkened block on 39th St. the other night just emailed to say her power is back. The cable company has yet to restore TV and Internet service, but at least now she can stock up on groceries and take a hot shower. Power in other areas will unfortunately take longer to restore, and this will become a problem as the weather turns colder. The temperature in Central Park is not expected to get above 48 degrees this week; lows are expected to drop below freezing on Sunday and Monday.
A few other updates: Squarespace, the Web site service that chronicled its efforts to remain online when its hosting infrastructure was flooded, continues to run, thanks to a pump that replaced an ongoing bucket brigade that went on for days. Its latest status update is an iPhone-shot video showing the fuel pump operating.
Other cloud services and data-hosting providers in lower Manhattan and Brooklyn werevariously running on backup power or not at all, or simply not saying anything, as ConEd promised that most of lower Manhattan would see power restored by tonight. Worst hit appeared to be Datagram, which said it was in the process of installing a new generator this morning.
Wireless carriers said they continued to be partially operational, and still struggling to get their full networks back on their feet. As of this morning, Verizon Wireless said that 98.1 percent of its cell sites in the Sandy-affected zone were operational, including some in Lower Manhattan. That's up from 97.2 percent Friday morning. The company also updated its list of emergency device-charging stations, where people can top off the batteries of their numerous devices.
11/3 Update: 98.1% of VZW cell sites in #Sandy impact area operational; significant improvement in NY/NJ Metro, incl. lower Manhattan.
AT&T was also setting up charging stations and setting up mobile cell sites to supplement its own damaged network.
"As of Saturday morning, 96.5 percent of our cell sites are up and running across the region impacted by Hurricane Sandy.
T-Mobile, which operates a big switching center in the Tribeca section of Manhattan said it had deployed a temporary cell site on that building's roof. T-Mobile said that, as of Friday, about 85 percent of its network in New York City was running. Sprint said its network was 90 percent operational throughout the affected region. It also said it will credit customers in Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island for any late fees, overage charges or call-forwarding fees racked up between Oct. 20 and Nov. 28.
The Federal Communications Commission said that, as of Friday morning, about 15 percent of all cell sites in the affected areas it was tracking were still down. It hasn't updated that estimate as of Saturday morning.
I wish I could report similarly good news for the wider region. While the media coverage has tended to focus a lot of attention on the power failures in Manhattan and the destruction all over New Jersey, especially on the famous Jersey Shore — and on the late and controversial cancellation of Sunday's New York City Marathon — the scale of destruction and loss in Queens and especially Staten Island has only started to become clear. The official death toll in New York City is now 41, while the national total has risen to 109, on top of another 69 confirmed deaths in Haiti and Cuba.
As is always the case in these things, relief efforts can't arrive soon enough if you're the one in need. NBC held a one-hour telethon in primetime last night, which started with a moving performance by Staten Island native Christina Aguilera (see video below). The Red Cross said that by Friday it had raised $35 million for Sandy-related relief efforts, a lot of it via its $10-per-text campaign.
Of course, it goes without saying that if you haven't done so yet, you should send a text message. Here's what you do: Send a text saying REDCROSS to 90999 from your phone, and a $10 donation will appear on your next bill. You can also give online here.
You can also give to the Salvation Army by sending the word STORM to 80888 and then replying with the word YES to the follow-up text you receive.


Feynan Reception LodgeFeynan Ecolodge was one of my favorite places to stay in Jordan. I wanted to give a quick overview here before my piece goes up on NatGeo. It's in the middle of the Dana Biosphere Reserve in Jordan...in other words, the typical middle of nowhere.
Madaba Church, Home to the Oldest Map of the Holy LandWhen we left Evason Ma'In, we drove to the bustling town of Madaba. Madaba is home to the oldest map of the holy land, dating to the 6th century A.D. Really, really old. The mosaic map covers much of the church and it's especially cool to see how they depicted Jerusalem.
We had a great traditional lunch at Haret Jdoudna in the lovely courtyard, just around the corner from the church, before heading to Mount Nebo. Whatever you believe in, standing at the summit of Mount Nebo is a spiritual experience. This is where Moses stood and saw the Promised Land and where he died. I always pictured the "Promised Land" as lush and gorgeous, but it is very...brown. Still, Mount Nebo is a must-see in Jordan.
I'm on Mount Nebo!As we were driving out to Feynan and the landscape significantly changed, a friend on the trip remarked that it looked more like a moonscape. It's the best way to describe it. We were on the moon.
We got to the reception center, which is a 30-minute drive from the lodge. Locals own the trucks and keep the money from driving guests to and from Feynan. Feynan is passionately dedicated to being a sustainable ecolodge in every sense of the word, from using purely solar energy to being the sole support for an entire Bedouin community.


F90_SIMPLE is a simple example of how a makefile can be used to manage a set of FORTRAN90 files.
f90_simple.f90 contains the main program, which tries the midpoint rule three times, each time using more intervals.
midpoint.f90 carries out the midpoint rule to approximate the integral of a function.
f.f90 evaluates the function whose approximate integral is desired.


Sketches Black And White has become the image we ascertained on the internet from reliable creativeness. We constitute one brain to discourse this Sketches Black And White picture on this webpage because predicated on conception via Google Image, Its one of the top reted inquiries keyword on Google INTERNET SEARCH ENGINE. And that we also consider you arrived here were looking because of this information, aren t You? From many options on the web were sure this pictures is actually a good image for you, and we sincerely we hope you are proud of using what we present.


CRATE Franchise Systems, a franchised home improvement business offering industry-leading solutions for today's contractor, is pleased to announce CEO and Co-founder Scott Monday's most recent honor. On December 3, 2015, Monday was recognized as a winner of the International Franchise Association's (IFA) NextGen In Franchising Global Competition 2016.
Designed to connect young entrepreneurs worldwide to the business of franchising, the NextGen Competition invites Millennial franchisors to share their concepts with the greater franchise community.
The IFA will provide NextGen winners the opportunity to attend the NextGen Summit during this year's IFA Convention in San Antonio, Texas, from February 20-23, 2016. During this power-packed weekend, the entrepreneurs will receive access to top franchise brand owners, industry-wide media opportunities, and a one-year business accelerator program led by industry stalwarts and CEOs.
Made up of the proprietary kitchenCRATE and bathCRATE concepts, CRATE Franchise Systems offers clients quality remodels, on-budget, in as little as seven days. Franchise territory owners receive expert guidance in areas such as lead generation and maximizing profit-per-workday in order to build a more efficient remodeling business.
Since unveiling its franchise program last year, CRATE has grown to offer opportunities to interested owners in California, Nevada, Arizona and Oregon. For more information about franchise availabilities, visit cratefranchisesystems.com.


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Liberals Tried to BAN American Flag at This High School, Until Veterans Did THIS!
Rusty Weiss — August 31, 2016
A principal at a South Carolina high school banned the American flag at football games, but was later forced to backtrack when outraged patriotic Americans put the heat on.
Lou Lavely, the principal of Travelers Rest High School, began barring students from entering the games with an American flag because he considered it "improper 'taunting,' unsportsmanlike manner."
He particularly cited a game against one local team with a large Hispanic student body.
Outrage from patriotic Americans in the community and across the nation was swift.
Pete Hegseth, CEO of Concerned Veterans for America, blasted the principal, saying there's no reason the punks who were causing trouble by taunting opposing fans couldn't just be removed from the game.
He urged school administrators to "grow a spine" and stick up for the flag.
It looks like the pressure finally got to Lavely, and he has now reversed course – Amazing!
Via TheBlaze:
The spokesperson for the school district said that "after meeting with Travelers Rest student and faculty leadership, and with the benefit of time to reflect, Mr. Lavely has reached a different decision."
"He based this decision on current students' request that he judge them on their own merits and not based on the actions of past students," the spokesperson said. "As a result, effective immediately, students are allowed to bring the American Flag to any and all Travelers Rest High School events. Instead of restricting possession of the flag, the TRHS administration will, if needed, address the misuse of the Flag, or any other inappropriate behavior, on an individual basis."
Superintendent Burke Royster said in a statement, "I fully support Mr. Lavely's thoughtful reconsideration, and his willingness to respond to advice and input from his community."
"I am appreciative of the Travelers Rest High School community for sharing its concerns and opinions on this matter in a respectful, civil manner," Royster said. "I also appreciate and applaud their desire to promote patriotism and service as a part of the culture of their school and am in agreement that students' desire to carry and display the American flag should be encouraged and supported throughout the District."
Well done Travelers Rest High School students and families! And shame on the administrators for thinking patriotic Americans would roll over so easily on the symbol of our nation.
When will they learn not to tread on the American flag?
Categories: AmericaEducationLiberal LunacyNews/OpinionPatriotism
Tags: American Flag
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Photo by David Sutton. Concept/editing Alina Sotskova.
"Persistence of Identity" is an original solo dance work I presented at Flux Contemporary Dance Festival in 2015. At the time, I was really interested in exploring surrealism and evoking surrealist images and themes through dance. In this work, which you can read more about here, I focused on interpreting Dali's famous paintings, The Persistence of Memory and The Disintegration of Persistence of Memory, through contemporary dance.
Photo by Cliff Davidson. Editing by Alina Sotskova.
Flux Contemporary Dance Festival was in its 2nd year in 2015. It brought together dancers and audiences for a fantastic array of contemporary performances, workshops, discussions, and community events. Visit the Flux page to find out more and get involved with the festival next year!
Photos by Cliff Davidson. Editing by Alina Sotskova.
Ghosts of Rorschach is a visual art/photography series that you can find out more about here. For the opening night, I wanted to create a different type of art event, one where the audience can interact with the work in multiple ways, interact with the artists, and with each other. The concepts behind Ghosts of Rorschach are profoundly humanistic and psychological, which also informed my vision of an art event where there is much less separation between audience, artist, and art. Besides displaying the visual artwork itself, my collaborators and I created dance performances that really embodied the Ghosts of Rorschach themes and invited the audience to consider the series in a completely different way. In one of the performances, the dancers used the positions you can see them holding in the actual photographs as the clay for their choreography and during the dance created an actual inkblot.
"What do you see?" was a question we posed throughout the evening to our viewers and event participants. We heard some fascinating answers: "Darkness." "A woman crawling out of a grave." "A space kitten with antennae and wings."
Audience members also had an opportunity to interact with the work in a physical way, by creating their own inkblots from printed copies of the Ghosts of Rorschach pieces, cut in half.
I really must say that the two most rewarding aspects of this event were, first of all, to work with the incredibly talented artists, Ian Sparks and Dyana Sonik-Henderson, the director of Broken Rhythms dance company (and her amazing dancers!) and, second of all, to actually have the opportunity to talk with the audience members throughout the evening and hear their impressions about the different aspects of the performances and the visual art. You can watch some of the dance performances from the opening night that were inspired by the Ghosts of Rorschach concepts here.
Dancers: Alina Sotskova, Dyana Sonik-Henderson, Paige Brar, Naomi Graham, Megan Saulnier, Chelsea Hilbert.
Event photographs above by Ian Sparks.


text:
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- (void)logViewHierarchy;
@end

#endif

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


I must admit I went into this novel with very high expectations based on the reviews on Goodreads. Unfortunately, myself and the novel did not end up forming a solid friendship. I am a HUGE fan of the science-fiction genre, and I always get really excited when YA/NA authors decide to write a novel in this genre. But having read some pretty epic sci-fi recently, These Broken Stars, just didn't work. Essentially, this is a pretty good book about the love between two people … but sci-fi is a genre that promises adventure and epic technology, things that this book is lacking in. A spaceship that crashes just doesn't do it for me, and it's this lack of adventure in the overall novel that really put a wedge between myself and the book. There was a lack of spark, especially when it was more about the romance aspects of the two characters rather than the overarching story.
These Broken Stars begins fruitfully, we are introduced to Tarver Merendson and Lilac LaRoux, the two main characters of the book, on board a large spaceship bound for … oh I can't even remember anymore. There's a little bit of flirting, and a lot bit of 'oh woe, I'm the daughter of a powerful man so I can't be seen with any guy' throughout the first few chapters. I kept waiting in anticipation for the fun to happen and it was sad to say I enjoyed the interrogation bits between Tarver and some officer after each chapter more that I actually enjoyed the chapters. Lilac's chapters really annoyed me for some reason, and I just couldn't see her being both so preppy and an ace mechanic when the time came. She did grow on me though, but only slightly.
Tarver's chapters were much more enjoyable and I could understand his struggles with Lilac after they crashed on that planet. During the first few days of their crash, I grew increasingly more annoyed at Lilac and her 'my father will rescue us' mentality, almost wanting to punch her at one point. She refused to listen to Tarver or accept his help – help from someone who has field experience, mind you – because she's Lilac LaRoux. Screw survival, she was more worried about how it'd look to her father. I'm sorry but I would put life/survival ahead of reputation, just sayin'. The rest of the book moved along slowly and so did the relationship, which I was thankful for. Lilac managed to become less annoying, especially when Tarver was injured. Unfortunately, I just didn't feel like their relationship had all that much chemistry at all, which was sad because there was so much potential there.
But moving on to the actual plot, which was rather slow and unadventurous to be quite honest, I found the voices/spirits/other beings that aided Tarver and Lilac on their journey towards that station made little sense. I know why they did it, but they seemed inconsistent in their mission.
When Lilac died, I found it odd that they didn't warn her about it, but rather expended their energy in bringing a version of her back to life. And while that death was quite unexpected, but I was willing to accept it and move on. What I'm annoyed about is the fact that she's brought back to life but doesn't disappear again. I think the story would have been much stronger if the authors had been brave enough to kill off one of their characters.
I would have liked to be given a more thorough background into LaRoux Industries and why Lilac's dad is such a feared person. I suppose it would be slowly revealed to us in the next book, but this lack of understanding as to why Lilac and the rest of the planet is basically sitting in the palm of his hands was a major reason that deterred me from connecting with this novel. I mean, it's not badly written, but I just had higher expectations for a more genre-orientated novel and less focused on romance. Plenty of readers have loved this book, but it just wasn't right for me.
Thank you to Allen & Unwin Australia for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.


See the way in which coffee tables with magazine rack is going to be used. That will allow you to choose exactly what to purchase and then what color scheme to decide. Identify the total number of individuals is going to be utilizing the room in general to ensure that you can purchase the correct sized.
Pick your coffee table color scheme and theme. Having a theme is essential when choosing new coffee tables with magazine rack so that you can accomplish your desired design style. You might also wish to consider modifying the colour of current walls to fit your tastes.
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Building habit-forming products: an interview with Nir Eyal
Spencer Lanoue | September 29, 2015
This is a Q&A interview with Nir Eyal about his book Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products. Nir writes, consults, and teaches about the intersection of psychology, technology, and business. He's also taught at the Stanford Graduate School of Business and the Hasso Plattner Institute of Design at Stanford. You can find out more about Nir on his blog. Enjoy!
Q: Can you tell us about the latest product that has you hooked? Or do you find you're immune to hooks just because you are so aware of them?
A: No, that's definitely not the case. I'm just as susceptible to these things as anybody else. There's a great quote that says, "You teach what you most need to learn." And that's definitely been the case in my life. I think that's what drives me to these things. I've had trouble with impulse control, I guess you could say, all my life. I was actually an obese kid. I was clinically obese at one point in my life—up until high school—and had to deal with some food issues. And since then I've always been fascinated by how things outside of our body can somehow control us. As Ian Bogost said:
The cigarette of this century is technology.
And I struggle with them as much as anybody. I think the difference is, and what has given me hope over the past several years, that by understanding how these products hook us and what makes them so habit-forming, we can do something about it.
Distraction is nothing new
People have been struggling with distraction forever. The medium has changed. Now it's Facebook and Twitter, but before that it was television and radio and books! At one point books were considered nothing more than a distraction from what we should really be doing in life. So I think the medium changes, but the human capacity for distraction does not. Unless we can understand how these products change our behavior. Then we can actually do something about it.
Q: Can you talk about a product where you found it difficult to define a trigger or reward?
A: Let me step back a little bit. The Hook Model that I describe in the book is a four step process that is built into a product, and includes:
A trigger
A reward
And an investment
And it's going through successive cycles of these hooks that our preferences are changed, that our tastes are formed, and that these habits take hold. (Editor's Note: If you want to learn more about the Hook Model, we recommend watching this video where Nir breaks down all four steps in detail.)
These triggers come in two types:
External triggers
Internal triggers
External triggers are things in our environment that tell us what to do next. So "click here," "buy now," "play this." These are all things that tell us what to do next with some piece of information. Internal triggers are what a company eventually wants to build an association with: a particular place or situation, a routine, certain emotions: these are all internal triggers. So if we're feeling a particular emotion, like loneliness, we turn to Facebook. Uncertainty? We hop on Google. Or boredom? Maybe we check YouTube, or Twitter, or stock prices, or the news.
Internal triggers are the goal of these habit-forming products
They want to create an association in our brain so they no longer need to message us at all—we just use these products on our own. And so when I work with companies, one of the first things we do is dive into their hook. We try to identify what their trigger is, their action, reward and investment. It's a diagnostic tool, so we can find out what's missing in the design of their product when it comes to these four basic steps of the Hook Model.
One of the most frequent things that's missing is not understanding what the internal trigger is.
It's maddening to me
I meet with so many teams that can tell me all the technical specifications of their product, all the bells and whistles and things their product can do. But when it comes to the psychological requirements—what itch is this product scratching in your user's day-to-day life on a psychological basis—they haven't a clue. That's a critical flaw. It's a big mistake. If you're building a habit-forming product, you've got to be able to tell me what the user's itch is. And does it occur frequently enough in the day to form a habit?
The Toothbrush Test
At Google, Larry Page has what he calls The Toothbrush Test: that the products they want to build are the kind that get used like a toothbrush—twice a day. This is a man that understands the power of habits. He understands that for a product to build a habit, it has to occur frequently enough in a user's day. That requirement of an internal trigger—an itch, emotion, situation, routine, something that prompts you into action that occurs frequently enough in your day—is the basis of forming these habits.
Q: Can habits be formed if they're not daily? Can they be weekly, or less frequent? What if there's a longer period of time between triggers?
A: So there are a few things we know. There are a lot of myths and rumors circulating on the internet, one of which is that there's a magic number. That you need to do something for 30 days to make it a habit. It turns out it's all of the above. There's no scientific evidence that there's a magic number. There is a range, but what we do know is two things:
Thing #1:
The first thing we know is that the more frequently a behavior occurs, the more likely it is to become a habit. So when you think about how frequently you use Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Slack, Snapchat, these are products that can be used many times per day. Stats are telling us that people are checking their phones on average 150 times a day. So these products have a very high habit-forming potential.
Now the second thing we know is that there's a precipitous drop-off in the likelihood of forming a habit if the behavior does not occur within a week's time or less. So that week is very special. If your user isn't doing the key behavior, not doing the action, or not passing through your hook on a weekly basis, or more frequently, you're going to have very, very tough time forming a habit.
So the question is: what do you do?
I was in Las Vegas a couple of months ago, at a convention of real estate agents. There I am in front of 700 real estate agents, and the woman introducing me says, "Now we're going to hear from Nir Eyal. He's an expert on habit-forming products, and Nir is going to tell us how to make buying a home a habit." And of course, the first thing I said when I got on stage was:
Let's be very clear: buying or selling a home will never be a habit.
That's never going to happen. It doesn't occur with sufficient frequency. It's the antithesis of the definition of a habit, which is a behavior that occurs with little or no conscious thought. Buying a home is something that we do with a ton of conscious thought. We deliberate, we over-think; it's the opposite of a habit. So I said, "Look, I'm going to teach you my content, I'm going to teach you how to make a habit-forming product, and let's see what you come up with." In my workshop I described the four steps of the hook. Then after my talk, a few real estate agents came up to me with their ideas. One of them came up to me and said, "I'm going to attach to this internal trigger of fear around finances. So whenever anyone in my neighborhood stresses about their retirement account, their kids' college education fund, the gyrations of the stock market, I want them to come to me. I want them to call me, open my newsletter, check on my website. I want them to get in touch with me." And of course the result is that when it comes time to buy or sell a home, guess who those people in that community are going to reach out to? Well, of course it's going to be that real estate agent.
And that's why we see the rise of two phenomena
Content marketing and community building. These are two ways that businesses that aren't habit-forming on their own (i.e. products that are not used frequently enough), are bolting on habit-forming solutions which do occur with sufficient frequency. People are building content and community around their products because they realize, and this is the phrase that I want everyone to put up somewhere in their office:
Monetization is a result of ENGAGEMENT
You can't lead people to form these habits around buy-buy-buy-buy-buy, that's very self-centered. What you want to do is give them something of value that engages them enough to form a habit using the four steps of the Hook Model. So eventually when they do form this habit, guess who they're going to turn to when it is time to check out, when it is time to buy the product or service. Of course it's going to be your service.
Q: Are you saying that blogs, newsletters, and well-curated content are their own hooks?
A: They can be. You still need the four basic steps, the trigger, action, reward, and investment. When it comes to content in particular, the step I see missing most frequently is that people forget to ask for an investment. "Open the email" is an example of an action to get the reward in the content. Investment is where you ask the user to put something into the product, in anticipation of a future benefit. It's something they'll receive as a reward "someday." It isn't about immediate gratification.
But a lot of people don't ask for any investment
Or a user will click on a piece of content and the owner doesn't register that information. You'd better be collecting that data so you can deliver better content in the future. Users implicitly show interest by liking things, registering for things, or commenting on things—these are implicit investments.
The fact that I clicked on something should be changing how you reach out to me after the next trigger. So when you send me something in the future, it's more tailored to me.
The purpose of the investment stage is to increase the likelihood of the next pass through the hook. If you're not doing that, you're missing a huge opportunity.
Q: Is there an example you can give where someone personalized their hooks? And is it crucial to use personalization?
A: Collecting user data and personalizing the experience is only one form of investment—it falls under the bucket of data. There are these four major ways that I see building investment. They are:
Accruing followers — The more followers someone has on a platform, the more likely they are to use that service in the future. The follower count becomes a way to invest in the platform. And the product gets better and better the more followers they have.
Data — The more data I give to a product or service, the better it becomes. It increases in value with use.
Content — The more content that I add to a service, the better it gets with use. The more content I put into Google Drive, for example, the more it becomes my one and only cloud library.
Reputation — This is another form of investment. The better my reputation is on eBay, Airbnb, or any number of other services where my reputation score matters to me, the better the product becomes.
The investment phase is really crucial. The key question you want to ask yourself is this:
Does the product get better with use?
Habit-forming technology should appreciate in value; it should get better and better the more it's used. And there are a number of different ways to do that. The point is: DO IT in some way. Don't just shoot out content without asking people to invest in making it better and better with you.
Q: A lot of people focus on the onboarding of the product because they feel that's their first, and maybe only, opportunity to hook someone. How do you think about that?
A: When I'm looking at an angel investment that I'm considering, I look for three things—what I call G.E.M.'s:
Each of these G.E.M.'s are necessary, but not sufficient by themselves
If your product is growing like crazy, but you can't keep anybody around, then that's called a leaky bucket. And that's no good. You've seen a lot of these products come and go. There's a new viral channel and they get big, and then because they can't keep people around, they're toast. And the same goes for engagement. If you've only got 10 engaged users, but man they are really engaged, they're coming back every single day, that still isn't good enough.
You've got to figure out how to grow. You've got to figure out how to monetize.
So I'd put onboarding into the growth bucket; it's a growth challenge. Why? Because it only occurs once. That's got nothing to do with habits. There are all kinds of consumer psychology tactics that you can use to make that key behavior of onboarding more likely, such as the Fogg Behavior Model. But again, it's a one-time behavior, so it doesn't require a full hook.
A critical error that happens all too often
Now, a critical error that I see happening all too often is that companies focus so much on their onboarding, that they forget about the core experience. And even if someone actually registers and goes through the onboarding process, the core product is so crappy that it was all for naught (because the product designers forgot to build it around the Hook Model in the first place).
It doesn't make any sense to focus on this onboarding challenge until you're absolutely sure that you're retaining users.
Why would you put a lot of effort into making the onboarding process super easy, if the product they're onboarding to loses them eventually anyway?
Focus on engagement first
You really want to focus on that engagement piece first (and habits fit under the engagement bucket), before you start scaling growth. I think you want to nail your hook with just your friends, your family members, and a small community of users. Once you see that out of the 100 people we put into the product—we held their hand and we made sure they used the product and tested the hook—90 are still using it 30, or 90, days later. Then go focus on your onboarding challenge.
Q: When you only have 100 people on the platform and you're trying to build the community, are there any strategies around retaining users while you're trying to get the next 100 people to join?
A: I think when it comes to communities there's always this "chicken or the egg" problem where people won't show up to a community unless other people are there. There are only a few ways to fix that "cold start" problem.
Seed the community
The first way is to seed the community. Twitter did this. They went directly to the Technorati of Silicon Valley—the Michael Arrington's, the Robert Scoble's, and people who already had an audience—and said, "Hey, would you start using Twitter? This is a great new way to reach your audience." Even though nobody was really using it, they at least seeded the community.
Make the product useful in single player mode
The only other solution I've seen to the cold start problem is to make the product something that's useful in single player mode—even when nobody is there. To do that, I would look at the variable rewards in your hook. Instead of using social rewards—rewards of the tribe—use a different type of reward that makes the product interesting and useful even when no one is there. Maybe use rewards of the hunt or rewards of the self, so that I can use this product even without other people. And then when people join the product it gets better and better.
Q: Some B2B products are like a "helpline" that's only used when something goes wrong, or it's a mandatory step in an employee's workflow. How do these types of products fit into the Hook Model?
A: First of all, I would reiterate, that not every product has to form a habit. There are lots of products that bring people back without habits. There's search engine optimization, advertising, and heck, you can even have a storefront to bring people back.
Not every business needs a habit. But every business that needs a habit, needs a hook.
Whether the product is something that's used by the consumer or used by the enterprise, it really doesn't matter. The distinction is: does it need a habit? If it's a product that's just not used frequently—let's say it's some kind of protection software that only works when something breaks—that doesn't need a habit. But if it's a product that's used regularly, then that's something you'd want to form a habit around. So that frequency test we talked about earlier is very important.
Building habit-forming enterprise products
Here's a presentation on Slideshare I've given where I talk about the four steps of the hook in enterprise applications. What we're seeing today is that many enterprise applications that used to be bought by top-down committees are now being sold from the bottom up. They're bought by front-line employees who are figuring out, "Wow! This is really great software, I need this." Then they're justifying it to their managers—up the chain of command. And those products absolutely require habits to be formed. You'll see in the Slideshare presentation above that I give the same four steps of the Hook Model—the same trigger-action-reward-investment—but for enterprise applications, as opposed to consumer web.
Q: One last question: Building hooks into your product isn't easy. How can you convince your team that it's worth the time and effort up-front to get this right?
A: This is a tricky question. I don't really know. I say that because I'm not an expert in organizational behavior. Psychology plays a huge role in culture—in organizational behavior—and that's outside my area of expertise. But what I will say is that I hope this tool will give people ways to test these ideas very cheaply and quickly.
The best time to use the Hook Model is very early
When you have the first glimmer of the idea that you'd like to make a habit-forming product, here's what you should do. Instead of coding, wireframing, or doing any of that stuff—take out a piece of paper and answer the five fundamental questions that I raise in the book about whether your product meets the five requirements of having a habit built into it.
You can begin to answer on paper, as opposed to spending a lot of time, money, and energy on coding and wire-framing.
That's the best place to use this tool—very early in the product development cycle.
The next best time to use the Hook Model is very late
What I'd like to recommend in terms of how to convince people to look at the hook, is to bring it up very late in the process. What do I mean by that? I'm often called "the plumber." I'm often called in when a company is leaking users and they can't figure out why. And my job is try to fix the leaks. And so the way that I do that is by diagnosing what's going on, by showing them the Hook Model, and looking for where the product is deficient:
What's missing in the experience that would cause people to not come back, time and time again?
In terms of getting people to adopt the model, I would tell them, "I know why we're missing something. I know what's happening here, we're not asking for investment, or we're not giving rewards." Diagnosing is a great way to start changing minds. And then of course the next step is to tell everybody where they can go get the book for themselves, so they can read and digest it themselves. And then they become allies.
Learn more about Nir & the Hook Model
We'd like to thank Nir for providing such thoughtful answers to these questions! If you'd like to learn more about how to build habit-forming products, we highly recommend picking up his book, as well as checking out his blog. If you have your own questions for Nir, send him an email. And if you've read his book and want to talk about your own Hook Model, you can schedule office hours to talk to him one-on-one. Thanks again Nir!
Spencer Lanoue is a marketer who helps UX designers, PMs, and marketers make things people want.
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PC Orchestra is an event device that can experience things like a conductor of an orchestra by operating 30 PCs with a dedicated baton. As a promotion of HP's premium PC, we held an exhibition and experience event for two weeks in Marunouchi, Tokyo. Under the production of Dentsu Co., Ltd. and STRIPES Co., Ltd., Ginger was in charge of developing a system to operate 30 PCs.
There are two communication methods, Infrared and BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) on the baton that manipulates the orchestra. By infrared rays flying from the tip of the baton, you can give orders to the part where you direct the baton. In addition, we will transmit the strength of swinging the baton and the on / off of the button by BLE. Infrared ray was used this time as a method that can detect the direction of baton strike without delay and is highly stable so that it can withstand operation for 2 weeks and is strong against environmental change. Since the sensor being used responds to the flashing of infrared rays of 38 kHz, there is no crosstalk of radio waves and the response is high. This is the same as the mechanism used for remote control of home electronics.


Kim K's Father, Bruce Jenner Is No More A Man, He Is Now A Woman!!!
Bruce Jenner, the Olympic gold medalist and member of the Kardashian family, ended months of speculation Friday night when he announced during an ABC television special that he can now be identified as a woman and was making the transition from male to female.
The announcement made him among the highest-profile people to publicly come out as transgender. For the purpose of the interview, Mr. Jenner said he preferred the pronoun "he," and Ms. Sawyer called him Bruce. He said that he had been undergoing hormone therapy for a year and a half but had not made up his mind about reassignment surgery. He declined to provide the name he might use during or after his transition, citing privacy concerns.
Rumors about a possible transition have been trumpeted for months by tabloids and celebrity magazines.
He and his third wife, the former Kris Kardashian, who divorced in 2014, and members of the extended Kardashian family — among television's biggest reality stars — had remained coy about his plans. Kris Jenner did not comment for the special but later sent out a Twitter messagesupporting him. Mr. Jenner's first two wives, Chrystie Crownover and Linda Thompson, also expressed their support, as did all six of Mr. Jenner's children and his Kardashian stepchildren.
Mr. Jenner parlayed fame as the decathlon champion at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal into a sporadic acting career that included movies like the Village People vehicle "Can't Stop the Music" in 1980. He returned to the public eye for a new generation when he became a central figure on "Keeping Up With the Kardashians," which made its debut on the E! network in 2007.
E! will also chronicle his transition in a documentary series that will begin broadcasting this summer.
With Friday night's announcement, Mr. Jenner joins transgender celebrities like the actress Laverne Cox; Lana Wachowski, who directed the "Matrix" films with her brother, Andy; and Chaz Bono, Sonny and Cher's son.
Mr. Jenner's announcement is the latest example of the growing presence of transgender people and characters on television.
Several reality series, some still in the planning stages, are centered on transgender people, like TLC's "All That Jazz," about the teenage transgender activist Jazz Jennings, and VH1's "TransAmerica," about the model and activist Carmen Carrera.
"Every transgender person's journey is unique, and by choosing to share this story, Bruce Jenner adds another layer to America's understanding of what it means to be transgender," Mr. Adams said in a statement on Friday night.
Mr. Adams, who is transgender, said that media portrayals of transgender people had improved since he transitioned 18 years ago. But, he said, such reports need to more fully explore what it means to be transgender.
"When the media is talking to transgender people now, they're still focused on that coming-out narrative and not very focused on giving that portrayal of transgender people as well-rounded family individuals," he said.
Mr. Jenner reflected that he had appeared in more than 400 episodes of "Keeping Up With the Kardashians" over almost eight years. He said his secret had eaten away at him all that time.
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