text:
The super bowl promises to be a slug fest. Lets see what happens.
Monthly Archives: January 2014
Should College Athletes Be Paid Or Form Unions?
Just wrote a piece on Kain Colter, Northwestern quarterback's effort to organize and form a players union. Their ar many different takes on this. Interesting concept as well. However this is a discussion that needs to happen, given the low graduation rates at colleges across America. Thoughts on this subject are many and diverse. Link to the article is below.
Link- College athletes should be paid
42- A Baseball Movie Worth Watching
42, something told me that I needed to get this movie. Never mind that it was not nominated for any academy awards. As I sit here watching I'm not sure that a movie about Jackie Robinson would move the needle. I've seen other movies about this pioneer, someone that I respect, so I just did not have high hopes for it. I brought the DVD from Best Buy, I believe I paid $19 dollars. I brought two movies that day. The other movie was Captan Phillips, contrary to popular opinion, I believe the best actor in that movie was Tom Hanks. It was a good movie.
Okay back to the movie. The stars in the movie were Chadwick Boseman as Jackie Robinson, Harrison Ford as Branch Rickey, Dodgers President. Contrary to some less than stellar reviews, fom the moment I saw the first few scenes, I felt that it was in fact powerful. Branch Rickey was a trailblazer, and someone who had the courage to do something no one else had the courage to do. Sign the first black player in baseball.
The movie did not tell the entire story focusing on Robinson's early career with the Brooklyn Dodgers. However it was a story of baseball and race and how when people understand each other, they can come together. If you have not seen the movie, be sure to get the DVD. Best Buy has it for $19 dollars.
The Deal- On the WORD
You have a problem. No it's not in Houston, but it seems to dominate your thinking, causing you to to lose whatever tread of control that you think you have on this earth. You seek advice from many success experts, possibly the one that sits next to you at work,they seem to have it going on. But no, that's your mind playing tricks on you with thoughts like that. Compliments of the enemy. No need to waste your time on fads or devote your lunch time to the latest best seller or the iPad. Save yourself a lot of time and buy yourself some peace. Look to the "Word". Spend time in God's Word each and everyday. Look to Jesus and the Cross. A Magnificent thing was done for you there! Cash in on Jesus'gift today and pick up the book that's filled with the WORD, The Holy Bible. The absolute #1 best seller ever.
The Deal- What Can We Learn From Leaders
Leadership is a gift, yes God may have given you this power, but not in the way that many think. You see leaders have a specific task to lead with compassion understanding and trust. Those who serve under leaders have a task to be trustworthy and loyal, no matter how dysfunctional the culture and leadership may be. Those who follow leaders can learn from each and every situation, not so much of what not to do when you become a leader, but your obligation is to search your inner thought processes and ask yourself the following.
Will you lead with compassion?
Will you respect leaders even though they have not earned your respect?
Will you check ego and power at the door and be willing to truly identify why God has you in this situation and how he wants you to lead?
Will you interact with others truthfully and honestly?
Will you use your current situation to understand…
View original post 84 more words
Ways to Increase Voter Turnout
Electing a president is one of the most important decisions an American can make. Whats at stake is the very future of our country. Policies will be voted on. Laws will be put forth and voted on in the House and Senate. While future foreign policy will be developed and implemented. All this will be implemented over the next four years and it will effect the American people for many, many, years to come. In short the very future of America and its people is at stake. Why would we not consider observing a holiday on election day? This would enable all Americans to go to the polls to vote.
Voter turnout is a measurement of the percentage of actual voters within the entire voter pool. The mood of the voter can be determined by the voter turnout. For instance a low voter turnout may indicate a disenchantment or…
View original post 409 more words
The Deal- On The Need to Act
In plain words. We need to move out of our confront zone. I'm not speaking about any specific issues or conditions, howver we all need to act.
What does the Comfort Zone Do To Us?
It stagnates us.
Shields us from problems that we would normally react to.
Stops us from facing issues regarding injustice, that we would normally not tolorate.
Blinds our eyes so that we cannot see problems that we would be ashamed of.
Covers our hearts so we have no regard for our fellow woman and man.
Allows us to place blame on the victim and immobilizes us so we will not act.
Causes us to horde our resources rather than move to help others.
One thing the confort zone want do to me. I will not stop me from writing about the love of Jesus and how His love will give us the courage to act. Do you have the courage to act?
Will you act too? You can act right here right now by writing about the aspects of the human condition that must be changed. I can do better!!!
Will you use your platform to make a difference and make this world better for everyone?
The Deal- On The Will of God
The things of this earth occupy our minds, particulary to the point that it absorbs us, and distracts us from our purpose. To every man there is a purpose, that is to know The Lord Jesus and seek His word and understand that He is in us and we are in Him. That is our purpose. Not some unobtainable earthly goal, but rather to be more like Christ and to honor Him in this way. Know this, you will enjoy unspeakable riches if and when you do this, nothing can quench your thirst for the good life here on earth and beyond than to know The Lord Jesus and live according to His purpose!
The Deal- On Uncomfortable
- Have you ever found yourself viewing a potential new hire as not quite good enough? Have you every found yourself saying, that you know a person, he a good person and everyone seems to like him, but somehow you just don't like him. You have no reason, he's certainly been nice to you, but you just can't accept him. Is this you, do you find yourself feeling uncomfortable about this person, yet have no reason? Is this person of another race, black, asian, latino? Does skin color sometime make you feel uneasy? Is this you?
- What is it that bugs you about the person? You know he does good work, he is polite with everyone. No one has a bad thing to say about him, but you just don't like him. Others in your circle of friends feel the same way, however is anyone in your circle of friends like this minority. Yeah but you say I have an asian friend and a black friend that I talk to each day at work. In your mind this gets you off the hook, why, because you talk to a minority at work so that makes you all inclusive. Never mind that you don't have these individuals in your life other than brief encounters at work.
- Yeah but, I give to minority causes , like starving children in Africa……well said! Do you often say…"I know I don't have minority friends in my life, because they are unapproachable." Do you feel bad about your feelings? I doubt if you would say no, because every now and then, it bothers you. You know why? Because God is convicting you for your dislike of a person, for literally no reason. He is convicting you for not reaching out right here at home to a minority and not hide behind your feelings by donating to African relief, primarily beacuse it make you feel better.
- I'm just saying! Everyone needs to feel a little uncomfortable from time to time……. it for a specific purpose.
My Father's Church
My father was an African Methodist Pastor and minister at AME Churches in Kentucky and Tennessee. Throughout his 55 year career he pastored 9 churches and served as Presiding Elder in the West Kentucky District and the North Nashville District. The picture below is vacation bible school, Louisville, Kentucky, I believe in 1968. My father is second from left, first row.


text:
I couldn't do 'An Ode To' series without writing about one of my most used, loved and recommended products. To be honest, I can't believe it has taken me this long to get around to it. The product in question is of course, the Cicaplast Hand Cream (£5.50-£6.50) from La Roche Posay.
I am as in love with this cream today, as I was when I first used it three years ago. It is the best hand cream I've ever used. It's very thick and is almost a cross between a cream and balm. Despite being very thick and hydrating, it sinks in so quickly. There's also no heavy or greasy feeling.
It completely heals the hands, that's the only way I can describe it. I get really bad eczema on my hands, especially during Winter. This hand cream just fixes everything. It soothes any itching and heals any broken skin. It's not the most luxurious of products, but I don't care. It does the job and does it well.
Cicaplast is a hand cream I recommend to literally everyone. In fact, I've given a tube to nearly everyone I know. It's fairly inexpensive, especially if you make use of French Pharmacy Month on escentual.com. A tip to make the cream go further, is to cut the tube when you can't get any more out, there is so much product still in there!
Words can't express how much I adore the Cicaplast Hand Cream from La Roche Posay. Please, run and get your hands on it now. See what I did there? Yeah, that sounded better in my head.
What's your favourite hand cream?
Thanks for reading,

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Business Intelligence is the 'must have' toolset to boost airport decision-making, efficiency and smooth passenger-focused delivery of services.
As passenger volumes increase faster than new airports or terminals can be built, greater demand is placed on airport management for more complex and timely decisions.
Costs must be controlled as productivity must be improved and security enhanced – all while satisfying increased expectations from passengers for smooth, efficient services to enable a hassle-free journey.
Business Intelligence (BI) tools – such as SITA's Day of Operations BI – are becoming central to delivery.
They enable extensive data sourcing, understanding of the relationships between data sets, and the analyzing and establishing of context – before identifying areas for change and improvement, and providing the reasoning to underpin decisions.
Consider how analysis of passenger movement can help improve airport revenues: a busy airport in the US found that 94% of passengers passing through the retail and security areas of the main terminal went directly to the main security checkpoint without engaging with the retail area.
It means that retail locations within the checkpoint area were fighting for just 6% of passenger traffic.
However, deeper analysis of the figures showed that of that 6%, half went to the 'TSA-Pre' registration area, and 30% went directly to the airport baggage office.
So just 2% of passenger traffic visited the retail area. Result? The airport is redesigning its whole retail offer to maximize the retail – and therefore, rental – revenue opportunities.
BI depends on the collaboration and co-operation of all stakeholders within the airport, for their mutual benefit.
It leverages the widest range of data sources – including Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, video/biometric, airport operational database, common-use systems, baggage systems and customer satisfaction monitoring systems.
And it requires reporting that is wholly device agnostic – accessible as needed, in real time, on smartphone, tablet or laptop.
Collaborative Decision Making (CDM) will receive strong attention over the next three years, according to SITA's Airport IT Trends Survey. Its goal is to improve overall efficiency of operations by working with different stakeholders to integrate processes and systems to reduce delays and better manage airport resources.
The priority of CDM programs at airports is to keep to the flight schedule with on-time departures. Just over three-quarters (76%) of airports rate departure management as a high priority for their CDM program.
Closely associated is aircraft turnaround and 53% of airports see this as a high priority function for CDM.
A more enhanced version of CDM – Airport-CDM (A-CDM) – connects the airport into regional air traffic management, airline and other systems.
Today, one-third of airports have some form of local CDM, but just over one in ten airports have implemented it to include air traffic management (ATM) systems.
Within three years 71% of airports will have a localized version of CDM, according to the Airport IT Trends Survey, while 55% will have fully integrated it with ATM systems.
"Although BI has been around for a while, it was focused initially on issues such as revenue optimization," explains Ron Reed, Director, Business Intelligence Portfolio at SITA.
"But the focus has been shifting as more BI tools are developed and as the pressure on airports increases.
"Airports want to use BI tools to monitor passenger flow, and deploy staff and assets more effectively, including the ability to exploit aircraft movement data. CDM and A-CDM are critical parts of that process."
Through to 2018, 55% of airports plan BI initiatives using passenger flow data and 43% plan to monitor airport resources and assets, according to the 2015 Airport IT Trends Survey. This fits closely to where airports see the big wins from investing in BI.
The same survey reported that a good majority (68%) of airports expect the most business value to come from more effective tracking of assets and staff, while 49% of airports see high value from using BI to increase dwell time to help maximize retail revenues.
Airport Collaborative Decision Making (A-CDM) is a joint program between ACI EUROPE, EUROCONTROL, IATA and CANSO that aims to improve the overall efficiency of airport operations by optimizing the use of resources and improving the predictability of events.
Benefits include:
In 2015, SITA acquired delair Air Traffic Systems GmbH, a leading provider of A-CDM solutions, based in Braunschweig, Germany.
The acquisition strengthened SITA's position as the leader in airport management systems by offering an A-CDM product that expands the range of functionalities, such as departure sequencing, de-icing and performance management.
SITA's Day of Operations BI solution is made accessible via AirportPulse. As an intuitive, airport-wide, BI portal that delivers a dynamic central view of the complete airport ecosystem, AirportPulse enables airport management to keep its finger on the pulse of operations.
It provides real-time visibility of performance against targets, allows airport staff to drill down to analyze and understand the underlying data, analyze the effect of changes and apply lessons learned to boost improvements.
The AirportPulse portal currently provides access to six analytics components to help airport operators enhance each touch point.
Available through a dynamic portal – AirportPulse – and giving a central end-to-end view of the complete airport ecosystem, SITA's Day of Operations BI comprises:
QueueAnalyzer: to monitor, project and display queue wait times
FlowAnalyzer: to understand where passengers wait, walk, dwell and engage
FlowPredictor: to forecast passenger flow 24 hours in advance with continuous real-time updates
OperationsAnalyzer: to gain complete, end-to-end situational awareness for enhanced airport operations
DataExplorer: to rapidly explore, display and analyze data
CommonUseAnalyzer: to collect and analyze data from common-use platforms
A growing roster of enhancements provides ample evidence of the power of data to drive improvements.
They include the introduction of real-time flow prediction (FlowPredictor), which has helped a leading European airport's terminal operations team gain an accurate view of predicted passenger flows.
As a result, the airport experienced a 20% decrease in waiting time at process points and a 10% increase in passenger satisfaction.
There's also the ability to analyze queues (QueueAnalyzer) for monitoring, measuring and projecting queue wait times at another airport, which resulted in a 3% increase in retail sales.
Added to that is passenger flow monitoring (FlowAnalyzer). Knowing how people were moving throughout the terminal enabled one airport to identify high traffic and dwell locations – resulting in a 4% increase in advertising revenue. (See 'All in a day').
Orlando International Airport provides another example of how BI linked with a tool such as SITA's QueueAnalyzer can help reduce traveler stress and deliver more accurate resource planning.
Passengers have enjoyed shorter wait times in recent months with 53% fewer passengers spending more than 15 minutes in line.
The new system has resulted in the double benefit of reducing stress for travelers while also enabling more accurate resource planning by the airport.
John Newsome, IT Director for the Greater Orlando Airport Authority, says: "This is a great example of how measuring performance improves performance.
The technology has helped us to better inform checkpoint resources and process management, reducing wait times; as well as better inform our passengers, reducing the stress of uncertain wait times.
"The technology has helped us to better inform checkpoint resources and process management, reducing wait times; as well as better inform our passengers, reducing the stress of uncertain wait times."
"In a nutshell,' says Reed, "SITA's Day of Operations BI helps an airport improve passenger flow through a better understanding of passenger behavior. By proactively addressing potential bottlenecks, it can minimize disruption and improve throughput.
"And it can save time and improve real-time decision-making through simplified access to relevant insights and understanding.
By proactively addressing potential bottlenecks, it can minimize disruption and improve throughput. And it can save time and improve real-time decision-making through simplified access to relevant insights and understanding.
"The principles behind our BI solutions and the Day of Operations BI portal can be used for every aspect of airport operations. So we're working on analytics relating to environmental, vehicle flow, baggage, service quality and advanced flows of passengers, staff and mobile assets.
"It's a rich opportunity that promises to make a strong difference to the effectiveness of airport operations – to the benefit of airports, airlines and, of course, passengers," he concludes.
Three years ago, our leaders told me, 'I don't have data, my team can't get to the data. There's too much data.' I heard them and championed business intelligence (BI) as a strategic initiative. Today we use BI tools as part of the decision-making process. It's been a real success story.
For more information from Robert Kastelitz, see:


text:
Ladies & Gentlemen,
Mr. Del Reeves
Posted in 1 on June 27, 2008| Leave a Comment »
Ladies & Gentlemen,
Mr. Del Reeves
Posted in 1 on June 23, 2008| Leave a Comment »
Fire up the John Deere and come out to the Augusta Brewery for a Sunday afternoon of classic country and fine Augusta-made beer. Hell it might soon be the only U.S.-owned beer left before long. So drink up under the tent and hang with some fine country gentlemen and women. Sunday 2-5PM!
Posted in 1 on June 16, 2008| 1 Comment »
Posted in 1 on June 10, 2008| Leave a Comment »
Hello classic country lovers!
We're playing at the Ten Mile House this Saturday and you'll be hard-pressed to find a better venue for us. The beer is cold, the sound is good and the company is some of the finest Affton has to offer. C'mon out, we'd love to see you.
WHAT: Trigger 5 & Friends
WHEN: Saturday, June 14, 10PM
WHERE: Ten Mile House, 9420 Gravois Rd. (in Affton)
$5 cover


text:
Jessie Randall is the Creative Director of Loeffler Randall and oversees the design of the company's collections. She has been married to business partner Brian Murphy since 2003. Jessie grew up in Worcester, Massachusetts. She is a graduate of the University of Virginia and a member of the CFDA. Her proudest career moment was winning the CFDA Swarovski Award for Accessory Design two weeks before giving birth to her beautiful twin sons, Casper and Liam Murphy. Brian and Jessie were thrilled to welcome new baby Harry in September 2010.
Loeffler Randall was born out of designer Jessie Randall's quest to find the shoes that she wanted to wear but could not find - shoes that possessed an understated elegance, were well made, and undeniably feminine. With this distinct point of view, Loeffler Randall launched in 2005. In 2010, Loeffler Randall launched a line of classic rain boots and debuted its first shoe collaboration with design house Suno. In 2011, handbags were added as a supplement to their much coveted shoe line.


text:
Yesterday I had to go to the textbook store to return some books - they had sold me the wrong ones. As I was waiting in the never ending line, I overheard a couple of freshmen.
It went something like this:
Girl: "I have nothing in my fridge to drink. No water, no nothing."
Guy: "Do you have a cup to get some out of the faucet?"
Girl: "Nope. Nothing."
Guy: "Sounds like you should go to Wal-Mart. Do you have any stain remover?"
Girl: "Yes! I have stain remover. Why?"
Guy: Points to white canvas shoes. "Awesome. I got some of my popsicle on my shoes. I need stain remover."
Girl: "Well, I have some!! We'll get that stain out. So, are you ready for the party this weekend?"
Guy: "Yeah! But, if I act stupid are you going to call my mom?"
Girl: "No. That's what college is ALL about - keeping everything on the DL."
Guy: "What does "DL" mean?"
Girl: "Dog leash. Duh."
Guy: "Oh okay. That makes sense."
OH.MY.WORD. Please tell me that I wasn't this ...stupid when I was a freshman! Seriously?! College is all about keeping things on the DL?! You're afraid your friend will call your mom?! And since when does DL mean Dog Leash?! And you dripped your popsicle on your shoe? You poor thing.....
Wow. I feel old.
Hogs and Trees
19 hours ago


text:
Topic Page: Morley, Robert
English actor
Born in Semley, Wiltshire, he studied at RADA, then made his stage debut at Margate in Dr Syn (1928). He toured throughout Great Britain, establishing his own summer theatre in Cornwall, before a succession of London stage successes in Oscar Wilde (1936), The Great Romancer (1937) and Pygmalion (1937). His first film was the lavish Hollywood drama Marie Antoinette (1938) for which he received a Best Supporting Actor Academy Award nomination. He remained committed to the theatre, appearing in The Man Who Came To Dinner (1941), Edward, My Son (1947), which he co-wrote, and The Little Hut (1950). His films include The African Queen (1951), Beau Brummell (1954), Oscar Wilde (1960) and Someone is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe (1978). An entertaining wit and raconteur, he published numerous collections of droll observations including A Musing Morley (1974), Robert Morley's Book of Bricks (1978) and The Pleasures of Ages (1988).
Related Articles
Full text Article Morley, Robert (1908 - 1992)
Morley made a reputation playing eccentric extroverts like Oscar Wilde , a part he first played under Norman Marshall at...
Full text Article Morley, Robert (1908)
Beware of the conversationalist who adds `in other words'. He is merely starting afresh. The Observer , `Sayings of...
Full text Article Morley, Robert (1908 - 1992)
His long career as a character actor dates from 1929, and his films include Major Barbara (1940), Beat the Devil (1953), ...


text:
Live Life Grand
The City of Grand Prairie, Texas, offers relaxation, family fun, friendly neighbors and a smart place to live and do business. Learn how we Live Life Grand in Grand Prairie, Texas!
My Neighborhood Information
Just enter your property address (not mailing address) to get detailed information about your neighborhood including your City Council district, City Council member, school district, voter precinct, county, garbage and recycling days, watering days, brush pickup days, nearest library, and nearest park.
City Services Directory
Search the City Services Directory below, give us a call at 972-237-8000, or use an online form or mobile app to request service or report an issue to city staff.
The Epic
- Departments:Parks & Recreation
- Divisions:City Facilities, Alphabetical, City Services & Programs
- Phone:(972) 237-8100
The voters of the City of Grand Prairie voted to use the two 1/8 cent sales taxes be combined into a ¼ cent sales tax to build a mega recreation center, library, indoor/ outdoor water park, Central Park amphitheater, trails and gigantic playground.
The 120,000-square-foot Epic "life changing center" is under construction with estimated completion date of May 2017 and will be located in west Central Park west of State Highway 161 and adjacent to the future extension of Waterwood Drive, across the lake from The Summit and Public Safety Building.
Visit JoinTheEpic.com for more information.


text:
Trevor Donovan for 'Da Man'
'90210' stud Trevor Donovan goes shirtless in a spread for 'Da Man' magazine's April/May 2011 issue. (more…)
Matthew Morrison 'unapproachable' to women
Matthew Morrison claims he doesn't get approached by women although he admitted he did have to beef up…
Kevin Baker by Christian Rios
Supermodel Kevin Baker shows off his abs muscles for famous photog Christian Rios. (more…)
Adam Lambert sighting
'American Idol' Adam Lambert celebrates his boyfriend's birthday at Mr. Black at Bardot nightclub in Los Angeles, California,…
Mehcad Brooks for 'State Farm'
'True Blood' hot piece Mehcad Brooks goes shirtless for State Farm's commercial. (more…)


text:
Blog Archives
New to Me: Review of The Price of Spring by Daniel Abraham
Where I got it and why: From the library, for alas, I still cannot find a copy of this locally. (I'll just have to order it, I suppose…) The final book in Daniel Abraham's Long Price Quartet.
Recommended: Oh god yes. A spectacular ending to a spectacular series. You want to read this.
Review: Once again, it cannot be avoided, there will be SPOILERS for this and previous books in this review.
It is fifteen years since the end of the world. The Emperor Otah Machi has been fighting for the survival of his people, and negotiations with Galt are finally going smoothly. With luck, marriages between Galtic women and Khaiate men will be commencing, initiated by the marriage of the Emperor's son Danat to Ana, the daughter of one of the Galtic High Council. But Otah's daughter Eiah can't support his plan — she thinks he's throwing away a whole generation of women just because they can't bear children. She's turned to her Uncle Maati, who is convinced that with female students, he can rewrite the grammar and bind a new andat, one who can restore the world to the way it used to be.
He's wrong. Nothing will ever be the way it used to be.
They say that good versus evil is a fine basis for a plot, but if you really want to wrench people's hearts, try good versus good. This book isn't quite to that level, but it's close. The Price of Spring alternates between Otah's and Maati's points of view, giving the reader plenty of opportunity to compare their diametrically opposed and equally stupid plans. Otah thinks he can just move on without healing any of the wounds caused by the war; Maati thinks he can make the war never have happened. You can see the end from here, and it doesn't look pretty.
That problem I was having with the earlier books in the series where I'd put it down and forget about it for a week? Not happening here. The pace in this one is perfect, steady and almost doom-laden. Every note I wrote in Goodreads as I updated (and several more that I didn't bother to type in) was some variation on "Really, Maati, you didn't see that coming?" And while Otah's plan for the future is clearly more than a little short-sighted, Maati's has all the fascination of a train wreck. It's skillfully executed; you can tell that Abraham has been improving throughout this series, which is always good to see.
There are still two things that bother me about this series, which unfortunately wouldn't be so bad if it wasn't so well-written. First of all, this is a wonderfully-realized, complex world, with several cultures, plenty of variation within those cultures, and all kinds of people within them. And every one of them is straight. Oh, there is finally a mention in this book of someone who might possibly have been less than straight at one point in the past, but that's it. With such a detailed world, the omission starts to seem glaring.
The other problem I have is with the female characters. They're great characters, don't get me wrong – I love Eiah, and the mad poet Vanjit is a fascinating character. The problem I have is more with the overall shape of the story: with one possible exception, there are no female characters who succeed at anything. Anything other than marriage, that is. Idaan tried to take over the throne in A Betrayal in Winter, but was caught and cast out; now she is happily married to Cehmai. Kiyan does a fine job of managing the city in An Autumn War, but that was something she did out of necessity, not a goal of her own. Despite her business success, Liat is portrayed as incredibly unhappy. And then, of course, Vanjit becomes the first female poet and goes mad. It's a slightly depressing pattern. I do often complain that fantasy is annoyingly unrealistic in its treatment of women, usually preferring to pretend to equality rather than dealing with any issues with the lack of gender equality, but I don't think the alternative is to leave women with nowhere to go.
Despite these small complaints, I found The Price of Spring a wonderful, satisfying conclusion to an incredible series. I highly recommend it to anyone who likes fantasy with strong, interesting characters and well-rounded worldbuilding. If you'd like to see someone else's take on the series, check out Jo Walton's reviews at Tor.com.
Series: The Long Price Quartet
- A Shadow in Summer
- A Betrayal in Winter
- An Autumn War
- The Price of Spring
New to Me: Review of An Autumn War by Daniel Abraham
Where I got it and why: From the library, since there isn't a bookstore in town with a copy and I needed it NOW. Third in Daniel Abraham's Long Price Quartet.
Recommended?: Oh yes. But this is definitely a series you read in order — get the first two first, and look forward to this one.
Review: There is something about these books that causes me to get stuck about halfway through, leave it be for a few days, and then pick it up and drive straight on to the end. I'm not sure if it's a lull in the action or what, but this is the third time it's happened. I am so glad I did pick it back up, though, because this book is easily the best in the series so far.
And a warning: we have reached the point where it is inevitable, there will be SPOILERS for the earlier books in the rest of this review.
Some fifteen years have passed since the events of A Betrayal in Winter. Otah is now Khai Machi, responsible for an entire city. He has, scandalously, only one wife, and his only son Danat is sickly. His daughter Eiah, being a teenager, is starting to act out, despite the careful guidance of her beloved Uncle Maati. Into this relatively blissful domestic scene comes Liat, the former lover of both Maati and Otah, with her grown son, who had been raised by Maati when he was small but who is now so visibly Otah's son that his presence is likely to cause even more scandal. Not as much, though, as the news Liat brings with her: the Galts are going to attempt an invasion.
For centuries the andat, the incredibly powerful beings held by the poets of the great cities, have protected them from the technologically advanced, militaristic Galts, but Galtic General Balatar Gice has dedicated his whole life to destroying the andat. No one, he thinks, should be allowed to have that much power – control over a being who could pull down whole cities with a thought, or destroy the crops of an entire country, or cause ravaging floods and devastation. He has gone into the desert that used to be the old Empire, he has found a poet of his own, and he is going to first destroy the andat and then any possibility that they will ever return, even if that means destroying every one of the great cities on his way.
All of the cover blurbs on this book talk about the amazing ending, which usually puts me off because most of the time, knowing the twist is going to come, I can predict it well in advance. Not so much in this case. The climax of this story hits that perfect combination of exquisite foreshadowing and total surprise – Once you get there you realize there is no way it could have gone any differently, but it was so completely not what you were expecting that it feels like a punch in the gut. In a good way, of course.
Abraham's characters are exquisite, and as the world becomes more familiar the deeper you get into the series, the characters take their places as the highlight of the book. Otah, Maati, and Liat have all changed so much since A Shadow in Summer, grown both in wisdom and in their flaws, but they're still deeply recognizable as themselves. It's the characters who make that ending what it is, because it's the characters, their drives and disappointments, the whole history of their lives, that make it so inevitable. It's a wonderful study in how good people can do horrible things in pursuit of good causes, and there is no one, from the Galtic general to the treacherous mercenary, who you can really blame. Everyone is doing the best they can with the options they have, they're just terrible options. It is, in fact, very like a Greek tragedy; if they were different people it would have gone differently, but they aren't, so how could it?
In any other series, this would be the end. This book ends with an earthshattering change, but there are possibilities for growth and rebirth still visible. Most writers would have left it there, but there is another book in this series, and I can't wait to see what happens next.
Series: The Long Price Quartet by Daniel Abraham
- A Shadow in Summer
- A Betrayal in Winter
- An Autumn War
- The Price of Spring
Summer Fantasy Reads
Heck with reviewing books one at a time, sometimes what you want is a big pile of books to lay up. (Especially as it heats up outside and all you want to do is sit on the couch with a glass of iced tea, a fan, and a book. Now that sounds like an ideal summer vacation.) My disappointment at The Unremembered has made me think about all the other fantasy books I've loved. Fantasy is such a huge genre; there's so much you can do, so many exciting worlds you could explore, why read the same thing over and over? While I admit to a fondness for cheesy 80s fantasy (it's what I grew up on), I can guarantee that none of these books are a Lord of the Rings ripoff, and they will all surprise you at least once. These are my favorite summer fantasy rereads.
- Ash: A Secret History by Mary Gentle – published in four volumes in the US as A Secret History, Carthage Ascendant, Wild Machines, and Lost Burgundy. Ash is a female mercenary captain in late medieval Burgundy, and she is going to save the world. Just not her own. This is fantastic alternate history at its very best.
- Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman. This is a classic journey-into-the-underworld type story, but what an underworld! (I bought a copy when I was in London a couple of years ago, because it took me two days to figure out why I was so familiar with the Underground map when I'd never been there before, and then I just needed a reread.)
- Caught in Crystal by Patricia C. Wrede. Although she's given up her old life, Kayl's past hasn't given her up, and she and what's left of the friends of her youth have to finish what they started. Wrede was my very first writer crush – I was introduced to her through Dealing With Dragons, a sort of fractured-fairy-tale wonderfulness which you should also read – and I've loved this book for years. I doubt I noticed it at the time, but it features not only a female protagonist, but a middle-aged one at that. And yes, she kicks ass.
- The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch. Fantasy thieves and con men. If you are the kind of person who likes that kind of thing, do you really need more? This is the sort of book they mean when they say "rollicking adventure," and better yet, it's the first in a series. (Red Seas and Red Skies is Locke and Jean plus pirates, and the third is coming out — someday.)
- Jhereg by Steven Brust. The first in Brust's epic Vlad Taltos series, this is still one of my favorites: the story of an assassin and his telepathic flying lizard, and their quest to dominate the underworld of the Dragaeran city of Adrilankha. (At least for now. They'll have other quests later.) Brust takes fantasy tropes and dances on them, with a hefty dose of wry humor. Get in on it now before the series gets any bigger: he's churning them out at a rate of one a year, and he's only got six left to go.
- Mélusine by Sarah Monette. Felix is a wizard of the Mirador, flighty, petty, and damaged. Mildmay is a former assassin, now the best cat burglar in the city. Not always the easiest book to get through, with half of it from the point of view of a man who's gone so insane he cannot reliably identify humans as humans, but it's a fantastic world, amazing characters, and the series builds most wonderfully.
I find summer terribly nostalgic for some reason, so I love using it to get reacquainted with old favorites. What are some of your favorite summer rereads?
Hot Off the Press: The Last Unicorn
Where I got it and why: as a free ebook from Net Galley, courtesy of IDW Press, in exchange for a fair and honest review. Thanks, guys! I read about this in Peter S. Beagle's newsletter, but I was waiting for the trade to actually pick it up; the comic book store that is okay with girls is out of my way, and I prefer to collect trades anyway.
Recommended? Oh god yes. This is gorgeous. And if you're not familiar with the story, this would be a fantastic introduction.
Review: When I was a kid, there was a movie rental place across the street from my grandmother's house. You went in the door, down a couple of steps, and turned left into the children's area. There, under the picture window, on the second shelf from the top, was where the VHS of The Last Unicorn lived. I adored that movie, and I'm sure I contributed substantially to the demise of that poor videocassette. When I was a little older, I discovered the book, and I loved it even more. This is one of my favorite stories, all about myth and meaning and magic, so of course I was thrilled when they announced a graphic novel adaptation, and I am overjoyed to tell you that it is not disappointing.
The art, of course, is the real draw for a Last Unicorn comic book, and it's spectacular. It does seem to be a little bit inspired by the movies – there's a strong resemblance in the art for many characters, particularly the side characters who show up and then vanish again. Schmendrick looks much more like his description in the book than he does in the movie, which I like, but Molly looks younger, which I don't. I do like the way the unicorn is inked in a reddish sepia rather than the black of everything else; it makes her stand out and glow (which I think is another trick they used in the movie, now I think of it). And then when the Red Bull arrives! The chapter two cover featuring Mommy Fortuna is my favorite, though. She's always been one of my favorite characters, and the drawing of her with all these little charms and tiny figures tied in her hair is perfection.
The script owes much more to the book than to the movie. It features several more episodes from the book that I miss in the movie – Arachne the spider in Mommy Fortuna's carnival, Schmendrick's history, the princess attempting to summon a unicorn before her wedding, and most importantly, the village of Hagsgate. (I will never understand why they left Hagsgate out of the movie and put the bosomy tree in. Hagsgate has plot relevance, but that tree! — never mind.) Plot-wise, it's a fairly loyal adaptation. There are places, though, where scenes are incredibly rushed, and I almost wish Gillis had left out some bits entirely rather than put them in and have them feel clumsy and extraneous. (Said tree, for example – not bosomy this time, but still unnecessary.)
While the movie will always have a fond place in my heart, and the book will always be the most spectacular, this incarnation of The Last Unicorn is a perfectly respectable edition. The art is always good, and sometimes breathtaking, and while there are flaws in the script it does seem to grasp the point of the book a little bit better than the movie does, and to bring some of the quality of heartache to it that the book does so well. If you're a fan of The Last Unicorn already you'll want to buy the hardcover for your collection (I know I will); if you're unfamiliar with it, this is a wonderful place to start.
The Last Unicorn, an adaptation of the Peter S. Beagle novel by Peter Gillis, illustrated by Renae de Liz and Ray Dillon, was published in hardcover by IDW Press on January 25, 2011. Find it on: Goodreads,Indiebound, Publisher's website
Hot Off the Press: Review of Rope of Thorns by Gemma Files
Where I got it and why: I read an egalley from NetGalley, courtesy of ChiZine press. (Thanks guys!) I leaped at the chance to read this, after reading the first book in the series earlier this year.
Recommended? Absolutely – if you're okay with huge amounts of violence, foul language, heavy drinking, and M/M sex. (And that's just one character…)
Review: Okay, this is another one of those books I love so much I don't know if I can be coherent about, but I will try. I read the first book in Gemma Files's Hexslinger Trilogy earlier this year, when I spotted it on the shelf at the library and was intrigued by the blurb's promise of ex-Confederate gay western wizards, and I liked that one, but I *loved* Rope of Thorns.
It's 1867, the American West, a world slightly different from our own. For one thing, it contains hexes – people who can work magic, frequently violent and nasty (both the magic and the hexes), who live in a constant state of hunger, drawing magic away from their environment and from any other hexes they run into. They tend to be solitary creatures. In Book of Tongues, we meet Asher Rook, a former preacher turned hex after he was hanged for assassinating his commanding officer in the tail end of the Civil War. Now he's head of his own little outlaw gang, rampaging across the West, taking what they like and killing folk who get in their way. Rook's lover is Chess Parteger, a gunman, queer and not ashamed of it, red-headed, flamboyant, and nasty. They're joined by Ed Morrow, a Pinkerton detective, who'd been sent out by his boss to test out a device for identifying hexes before they become dangerous, but who gets sucked in to the gang a little more deeply than he'd expected. Oh yeah, and there's an ancient Aztec goddess who's trying to take over the world. She wants Rook as her consort, and she has…plans for Chess, her "little husband's husband."
Okay, I'm going to try to discuss Rope of Thorns without giving too many spoilers for the wonderful ending of Book of Tongues. Suffice it to say, Chess is none to happy about how that played out, and Rook is off with his goddess in the newly-built Hex City, while Chess is out for revenge and Morrow is either still following him around or trying to keep him in check.
I love Chess. He's a wonderful character, full of fire and anger and passion. He changes a lot through the course of the books, but he's mostly unconscious of it, and it only shows through when he's called upon to act and does something that surprises even him. The characters overall are great: Ed Morrow still unsure of what he's doing; Yancey, who rapidly becomes Chess's female counterpart; Songbird and Pinkerton and the relentless Sheriff Love.
The worldbuilding is glorious too, so deeply believable it seems almost real, like the best of historically-set fantasy. Files's hexes and gods fit perfectly into the mythology of the Old West that grows in the American psyche. Not just the old stereotypical Hollywood version, either – this series fits right into the modern bleak Western tradition. It reminds me of Deadwood, True Grit, Carnivale. (Lots of Carnivale, actually.) And Rope of Thorns introduces an Apache warrior I hope we see more of in the final book.
The thing I love most about these books is how *fun* they are. I mean, they're fairly bleak, there's an apocalypse in progress, and the body count is huge, but Chess is having so damn much fun you can't help but get carried along with him. I can't wait for the final book, A Tree of Bones.
Rope of Thorns came out in May – you should be able to find it on bookstore shelves, but if you can't, order it. It's worth it.
Book of Tongues came out in 2010.
If you're interested in the series, I also recommend the author's blog, where she's currently discussing a lot of elements of the new book – no spoilers for the new one, but some spoilers for Book of Tongues.
(Previously On) Review: Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke
Previously On is a feature I run when I haven't finished a book lately, but I feel you deserve a review anyway. These are old favorites of mine, which I can write about without rereading again.
I pre-ordered this book, sight unseen, in hardcover, when I was in college, on the strength of Neil Gaiman's glowing recommendation. It was worth it. Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell is one of my absolute favorite books.
This is absolutely not a book for everyone. It's long. There are rambling, divergent footnotes. It combines Regency romance sensibilities with war narratives and an approach to magic that's based more on medieval English folklore than on The Lord of the Rings. There's a tonal shift three-quarters of the way through that reminds me of nothing so much as Jane Austen writing the adventures of Richard Sharpe. And if you're like me, that makes this book perfect.
Mr Norrell is a practicing English magician. He actually does magic, which is considered beyond strange by all of his colleagues, who focus on research and analysis. And he is about to make a name for himself – is doing quite a good job, actually, between a spectacular display of living statues and raising a nobleman's young wife from the dead – when Jonathan Strange appears. Jonathan Strange is also a practicing magician, and what's more, he is young and handsome and a part of Society, which is not really something Mr Norrell can manage. Of course they will study together, and of course they will be rivals.
I do tend to think of this as really Jonathan's book. I adore his attempts to make himself useful to the war effort, his rejection by the Navy and eventual adoption by General Wellington. And, of course, his relationship with the Gentleman with the Thistle-Down Hair. (One of my favorite scenes is when Jonathan goes to see about the king's madness.)
The Gentleman with the Thistle-Down Hair is an excellent example of what I mean by medieval English folkloric magic – he is nothing like an Elf or a modern fairy, but one of those threatening and powerful creatures from The Ballad of Tam Lin or Thomas the Rhymer whom you only dare refer to as The Good Folk.
I admit to a weakness for the Napoleonic Wars, and rereading Jane Austen or the Sharpe or Aubrey/Maturin series will always lead me in the direction of Jonathan Strange again as well. It is, like those books, an exquisite glimpse at another time. Except, of course, with magic. But I reread this most often at Christmastime, for I always remember the scene with Childermass and the birds on the snow. One year I opted for the audiobook instead, since I didn't want to carry the book itself around; it is excellent, for those of you who might be as leery as I often am of audiobook narrators.
This is one of those books I would like to recommend to everyone, even though I know there are so many reasons why many people would not like it. I just love it so much, I would like to be able to share that love with everyone. Do you have any books you feel that way about?
New To Me: A Betrayal in Winter by Daniel Abraham
(New to Me books are books I've just read that have been out for more than a year – whether that means "a year and a bit" or "several decades".)
Where I got it and why: I bought this from my local Borders; I loved A Shadow in Summer so much that I wanted to support the author (plus I didn't want to wait for the library to dig up their copy and send it to me)
Recommended? Yes, particularly if you're a fan of second-world fantasy plus politics – and of course if you liked the first one.
Review: This second book in Abraham's Long Price Quartet takes us to the Winter Cities, about as far from the setting of the first book as possible. Machi spends half the year frozen, and tunnels under the city offer an opportunity for social life even when it's too bitter to go outside. (I love the attention to setting in these books; I live in a climate with very volatile weather, so I miss it when the seasons never get a mention.)
The Khai Machi is dying, and his sons must start killing each other – only the sole survivor can be his heir. The Khai has three official sons, but there is also the fourth – Otah Machi, who was sent to the poets' school as a child, but who, uniquely, neither became a poet nor rejected his claim to his father's throne. As soon as people become aware that he is still alive, he becomes known as The Upstart, a frightening, half-legitimate figure in the shadows.
And so, to be sure that chaos does not ensue, the Dai-Kvo, head of the poets' organization, sends the disgraced poet Maati to the city to find Otah, determine if he has been illegitimately murdering his brothers, and stop him if he can. The problem is, Maati still loves and respects Otah, and is sure he is not the one behind it.
He's right. This is no spoiler; rather than being structured as a mystery, the book lets you follow both the criminals and the investigators at the same time. The murderer is Idaan, the Khai's daughter. Frustrated at her position in life – destined to be married off for political power – she has developed a plan to make her fiancé the new Khai, by killing all of her brothers and pushing his family to the top of the political structure. It would be the honorable thing to do if she were a man; since she is a woman, it is a terrible crime.
I found this one a little harder going than A Shadow in Summer. Possibly this was because I didn't connect with as many of the characters. I still liked Otah's reluctance to get involved and his eventual realization that not getting involved was going to be disastrous, but Maati seemed to exhibit a lot of learned helplessness in this book, and the Machi poet Cehmai just didn't do much. I wanted to like Idaan, but about halfway through I thought to myself, I wish this wasn't yet another story about a woman being slapped down hard for stepping out of her place. If Abraham wanted to explore the awful ways the tradition of succession damages people (a genuinely interesting subject), he could have at least done it with a male character.
All of which makes it sound like I didn't enjoy the book. I did, and I continue to love the worldbuilding and the andat and the way he explores the long-term consequences of peoples' decisions. I will absolutely be reading An Autumn War as soon as I can get my hands on it (unfortunately there isn't a bookstore in town that has a copy for sale). But this is a dark book, slow-paced and melancholy, and with the blush of new love fading from the series, I found it a little more work to get through.
A Shadow in Summer by Daniel Abraham
Where I got it and why: from the library. It's been on my to-read list for a while, but Jo Walton just recently reviewed the whole series over at Tor.com, and that provided that final kick.
Recommended? Hell yes! Anybody who loves second-world fantasy, unusual worldbuilding and magic, and character-driven plots will love this.
Review: A Shadow in Summer is the first of the Long Price Quartet, and Daniel Abraham's spectacular first novel. It's of the genre I'm inclined to call "epic fantasy," except for most people that means swords and elves and Good Versus Evil, and what I mean by it is just second-world fantasy with a huge cast and extraordinary world-building. And let me tell you, this has it in spades.
It's hard to say who the main characters are because everyone is important in their own way. There's Amat, the aging overseer for House Wilsin, who was good friends with the head of that house until she found herself objecting to his political tactics, and Liat her apprentice. Maati, the apprentice to the poet Heshai, and his extraordinary relationship with the poet's slave, the andat Seedless. And the remote Khai, the ruler of the city; the vile pimp who Amat finds herself working for for a time; and not least, Otah, who could have been a poet but refused the brown robe.
Aside from Otah's prologue, the action all takes place in the city of Saraykeht, one of a number of loosely allied city-states each ruled over by their own Khai. The cities of the Khaiem have one thing in common that holds them together against other nations like Galt, and that is the andat. The poets describe the andat as "an idea translated into a form that includes volition." They're essentially the embodiment of an idea that has been described and enslaved by the poet, who is then responsible for holding and controlling the andat. The andat for Saraykeht is Removing-the-part-that-continues, called Seedless — and he's central to the city's dominance of the in the cotton trade. No cotton gin for them, they have an andat to pull the seeds from the cotton.
And Galt, a nation whose dominance is in military rather than in economic matters, knows that the only way to conquer the cities of the Khaiem is to remove the andat. House Wilsin is their tool in a plot to drive the poet mad and force him to release Seedless, destroying Saraykeht, and the plot of the novel revolves around not only this plan but on all the characters' various reactions, objections, and desperate attempts to halt or at least avenge the Galtic scheme.
It's an amazing world, based on Asian cultures in the same way that most fantasy is based on European cultures, with no direct parallels to real-world cultures and nations but providing the overall shape of the culture and history of the world. The characters are universally deep and well-drawn, and for the most part intelligent – I do so hate following around people who can't see what's happening in front of them. And the sequels! I'm about a hundred pages into A Betrayal in Winter, and the sense one gets is that the whole of A Shadow in Summer was necessary just so that you could understand what is happening in this book. It's glorious, and I love it.
The Postman Always Rings Twice, Wishcraft, The Rubber Band, Plain Kate
James M. Cain, The Postman Always Rings Twice
Working my way through the classics of noir fiction. This is a tight little novel, fairly horrible in a lot of ways, but then again, it's noir. (When I say horrible, I mean, of course, the subject matter, not the writing. The writing is…well, this book could have been twice as long, but it wouldn't have been half as good.)
Barbara Sher, Wishcraft
Yes, I read a self-help book. It was recommended to me, and I found it legitimately online. I was rather surprised to discover I'd independently invented most of her motivational tricks, but the part of the book I liked the best was the first three chapters or so, the part where she explains you have every right to have the things you actually want, even if you've been so messed up about it for so long you're not sure what those are any more.
Rex Stout, The Rubber Band
After the James Cain, I required something noirish with a slightly less icky attitude toward women. Rex Stout is always good for that; he very rarely has femmes fatales, most of the women in his books are either flat-out useless or clever and helpful. (The female lead in this one is the latter.)
Erin Bow, Plain Kate
Another YA from my trip to ALA last year (yes, I know, it's been almost a year and I haven't finished reading my ARCs!…) This was a wonderful fairy tale of a story – a proper fairy tale, that's mostly about blood and death and revenge, with one of those scrupulously fair endings that doesn't quite make anyone happy. That makes it sound rather depressing, which it's not: it's a very hopeful story, overall, about discovering your own strength. Also, the most realistic talking cat I have ever seen in fiction.


text:
Tai Chi with Roberto | Studio A&BLauren Savage, Associate Executive Director for External Engagement | SAT, MAR 21, 2020
All levels welcome. Develop balance, body and breath control, strength, and posture. PLEASE NOTE: All equipment provided. Classes are free for members except where indicated ($). Non-Members can attend with…read more Balance, Posture, Strength


text:
The Jakarta Post
The two-hour concert is slated to feature 120 artists from various generations and genres, (Shutterstock/File)
The Aku Indonesia concert, which aims to highlight diversity in the country, will be staged at state
The two-hour concert will feature 120 artists from various generations and genres, tempo.co reported. Among the scheduled performers are Koes Plus, Ikang Fawzi, Bob Tutupoly, Mus Mujiono, Daniel Sahuleka, Yopie Latul, Ernie Djohan, Lilis Karlina, Ratna Listy, Irma Dharmawangsa, David Naif, Chicha Koeswoyo, Dina Mariana, Derby Romero, Indro Warkop, Saykoji and Prilly Latuconsina.
Singer Imaniar will direct the show with the help of her siblings, Iwang Noorsaid and Inang Noorsaid.
Read also: Justin Bieber's Indonesia concert rumors heat up following media reports
"The idea of the Aku Indonesia concert began with the artists' concerns about the current state of affairs in Indonesia, which is divided," Sandec Sahetapy, the concert's initiator, told a press conference in Jakarta on Sunday.
"We want this discord resolved and for us to become one again as a nation. We want to remind the public about the importance of respecting pluralism," he said, adding that the concert would be free of any political influence. (mas/kes)
Your premium period will expire in 0 day(s)close x


text:
The Challenge
In 2009, a gunman opened fire at Fort Hood, Texas, killing 13 people and injuring more than 30 others. Soldiers and Fort Hood emergency personnel saved many lives that day, but the incident exposed gaps in the military's emergency response model.
Following the incident, the U.S. Secretary of Defense undertook a complete study and ordered the U.S. Armed Forces to address shortfalls in their response systems, requiring implementation of E911 systems at military bases. The U.S. Marine Corps Systems Command (MCSC) was tasked with addressing the Secretary's requirements.
The Solution
MCSC chose to implement a comprehensive solution called the Consolidated Emergency Response System (CERS). Foundational to the solution is Hexagon's Intergraph Computer-Aided Dispatch (I/CAD) system. I/CAD is being implemented at 13 Marine Corps sites, including three bases outside the U.S.
Most Marine Corps personnel, their families, and others on base will be protected by the solution, which increases the effectiveness of law enforcement and fire and rescue personnel and reduces response times. MCSC was the first to meet the Secretary of Defense's mandate and has gone above and beyond those requirements with the CERS solution.


text:
If we talk about employees who have long run, they just need to constantly educate, raise their qualifications to conduct the game, to motivate and increase the loyalty of staff. Because only on a smooth and quality of the entire team, as well as on the effective management of this team depends on the probability of occurrence of the crisis in the company. Andrew Cuomo will undoubtedly add to your understanding. Tell a crisis – not! On the crisis there is a huge number of methods for their prediction and elimination. In his practice, as I said earlier, I found only one technology, which enables to foresee the crisis and prevent it. "The organization – wrote Hubbard in 1969 – in fact, a simple object based on a few basic patterns, the use of which leads to success. " However, it is important to note that sometimes people are taught, if I may say so, "left" technologies.
Here I have recently had such a case. On the way to Yekaterinburg, one of my traveling companion told me about a "very famous" coach management. Praised him very long and painted. I asked, and what his methods? And imagine what he I respond? Said: "It teaches control on the basis of dreams! And told me that during the night every 45 minutes, the man has a dream, that is, a night where he sees a 10.8 dream. And waking up in the morning to remember those dreams, interpret them correctly, then on the basis of this understanding: whether or not to bargain, hire or not a person at work, etc. Brad, of course, and my companion also says: "Do you know how effective is it".
Comments are closed.


text:
KABUL - Afghan President Hamid Karzai told tribal leaders Thursday that he did not trust the United States, hours after Secretary of State John Kerry said a final draft deal on troop levels had been reached.
"My trust with America is not good," Karzai said at a meeting of tribal elders and political leaders in Kabul. "I don't trust them and they don't trust me. During the past 10 years I have fought with them and they have made propaganda against me."
His remarks were made at the Loya Jirga - a grand council of tribal elders and political leaders – to support the new security deal governing relations between the U.S. military and the Afghan government for years to come.
Karzai faces a challenge in persuading the Loya Jirga to accept the pact, which allows for between 10,000 and 15,000 international troops - mostly U.S. - to remain in Afghanistan another decade or more.
The new proposal, still to be approved by both the U.S. and Afghan administrations, calls for a sweeping, long-term relationship with the United States, committing Washington to paying to train and equip Afghan security forces, and establishes the groundwork keeping armed American outposts in Afghanistan.
Although it allows for troop presence until 2024, the draft document says, "unless otherwise mutually agreed, United States forces shall not conduct combat operations in Afghanistan."
In a speech, Karzai assured his audience that the new deal would mean U.S. forces will no longer be allowed to enter the homes of Afghans, except for some exceptional cases.
"In the past 12 years we have had both good and bad times with the U.S.," he said. "Sometimes our relations are good and sometimes the relations are terrible. At some points, I thought about telling the U.S. to just leave Afghanistan and we will deal with our own situation. But I was always very patient and thinking about our country. We should be careful not to take a wrong step forward."
He also stressed the importance of strategic ties with Washington: "We need a good friend in the U.S. You cannot live in this global village without a friend - but you need to have a strong, faithful friend."
Karzai's office also released a copy of a letter from President Barack Obama promising that "America's role in Afghanistan will be one of a supporting partner."
The letter to Karzai said: "We will be cooperating in training, advising, and assisting your forces and in a targeted, smaller counter terrorism mission as we continue to help strengthen Afghanistan's own growing counter terrorism capabilities."
Kerry later told Andrea Mitchell that the U.S. had no plans for American troops to be in Afghanistan in the longer term.
"We are not targeting year and years, that is not what is contemplated," he said.
The five-day meeting will now debate the draft and decide whether U.S. troops will stay or leave Afghan forces to fight the Taliban insurgency alone.
The agreement is highly significant because it outlines a broad, long term relationship with Afghanistan that commits the United States to sustaining the Afghan security forces for years to come, and likely deploying thousands of American troops in the country to carry out that training and the limited counter-terrorism role.
Every country where the United States maintains troops has a status of forces agreement. Afghanistan, however, appears to be a case apart. Afghanistan would be financially, and perhaps physically, dependent on its relationship the U.S. forces, which is not the case for Italy, Germany, Japan or other nations where the U.S. has a military presence.
NBC News' Andrea Mitchell, Richard Engel, Aarne Heikkila and Catherine Chomiak contributed to this report.


text:
SQL Server introduced 'updateable' clustered columnstore index (CCI) starting with SQL Server 2014 to speed up analytics by orders of magnitude up to 100x while significantly reducing storage, typically 10x. Your mileage will vary. Microsoft SQL Server team strongly recommends using CCI for your Data Warehouse for larger tables (> 1 million rows). A typical recommended deployment for DW is to use CCI for the Fact table and traditional rowstore for Dimension tables. However, you should consider using CCI for dimension tables especially now that SQL Server 2016 supports creating one or more traditional btree indexes for efficient equality and short-range searches.
One interesting thing to know about Clustered Columnstore Index (CCI) is that it has no 'key' columns and the rows are NOT ordered. From this perspective, the word 'clustered' may be a bit confusing but the intent is to designate CCI as the 'master' copy of the data. If it helps, you can think of CCI as a 'heap' that stores data in 'columnar storage format.
One of challenges with CCI in SQL Server 2014 is that there is no direct way to enforce uniqueness constraint. You can enforce uniqueness in a round-about way using materialized view as shown in the example here
create table t_account (
accountkey int not null,
accountdescription nvarchar (50),
accounttype nvarchar(50),
AccountCodeAlternatekey int)
-- create CCI on it
CREATE CLUSTERED COLUMNSTORE index ACCOUNT_CI on t_account
drop view dbo.myview_t_account
create view dbo.myview_t_account with schemabinding
as select accountkey,accounttype, accountcodealternatekey
from dbo.t_account
-- create a materialized view
create unique clustered index clix_myview_t_account on myview_t_account (accountkey)
insert into t_account values (1, 'hello', 'hello', 1)
-- now insert a row with duplicate key which will fail due to uniqueness violation
insert into t_account values (1, 'hello', 'hello', 2)
-- Msg 2601, Level 14, State 1, Line 36
-- Cannot insert duplicate key row in object 'dbo.myview_t_account'
-- with unique index 'clix_my_t_account'. The duplicate key value is (1).
-- The statement has been terminated.
Starting with SQL Server 2016, you can enforce uniqueness on CCI directly using a traditional btree index as shown in the example here
-- create the table. Unique constraint defaults to NCI
create table t_account (
accountkey int not null,
accountdescription nvarchar (50),
accounttype nvarchar(50),
unitsold int,
CONSTRAINT uniq_account UNIQUE (AccountKey)
— when you create CCI, it inherits existing NCIs. In our case, the NCI used for uniqueness
CREATE CLUSTERED COLUMNSTORE INDEX t_account_cci ON t_account
--Test the unique key:
insert into t_account values (1,1,1,1)
insert into t_account values (1,2,2,2)
Msg 2627, Level 14, State 1, Line 22
Violation of UNIQUE KEY constraint 'uniq_account'. Cannot insert duplicate key in object 'dbo.t_account'. The duplicate key value is (1).
The statement has been terminated.
You can see this is much simpler and intuitive. In my next blog, I will describe how to enforce PK/FK constraint on CCI


text:
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Taste of Little Italy
This weekend is the Taste of Little Italy festival! It's always fun, especially in World Cup or Euro Cup years. Italy plays NZ on Sunday morning so College Street is sure to be lively then. If you're coming down to my neighbourhood, let's meet up!
No comments :
Subscribe to: Post Comments ( Atom )


text:
Roto-Rooter plumbers in Kirksville provide plumbing maintenance and repairs as well as clogged drain cleaning. Roto-Rooter's Kirksville plumbers offer residential and commercial plumbing services that customers depend on for all of their local plumbing needs.
Trusted and recommended since 1935, Roto-Rooter is the premier provider of plumbing and drain cleaning services in Kirksville, MO. Homeowners and businesses depend on Roto-Rooter 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Our specialty is emergency services.
Your call will be answered by a trained customer service representative who will handle your request quickly and schedule service at your convenience.
Operated as an Independent Franchise
All available services, hours of operations, pricing structure, and guarantees may vary by location.
Homeowners everywhere have relied on Roto-Rooter since 1935 for honest, professional advice on all types of plumbing and drain cleaning services. Large jobs or small, we do it all:
Counties: Adair, Clark, Knox, Lewis, Macon, Putnam, Schuyler, Scotland, Sullivan
Have a Plumbing Question?
Visit our Frequently Asked Questions section to find answers to our top plumbing questions.


text:
This website, is for all owners, former Redwood owners and wannabes, interested in the Redwood 5th wheel RVs manufactured by Redwood of Topeka, Indiana.
We are a group of people who own Redwood, Cypress. Sequoia and Blackwood Fifth Wheel Trailers or "want to" own a Redwood or Cypress or Sequoia or Blackwood and enjoy meeting and chatting with other Redwood, Cypress, Sequoia and Blackwood owners.
We have a large, category based, Forum and a great Photo Gallery!
If you are looking to make modifications to your Redwood and have a question, join the Forum and post your question. You can also take a look in the Photo Gallery for ideas as many of the members have already posted pictures in the gallery of their modifications.
If you are looking at purchasing a Redwood, Cypress and Sequoia RV and have any questions about the units or how to figure the correct size tow vehicle for your RV or any other question, please join the Forum
We have members from all over the United States and Canada who will be glad to help you with your questions or point you in the right direction for trouble shooting.
Welcome from the President of the Redwood Owners Group - Andy Patterson
Welcome from the Redwood RV National Sales Manager - Tim Cress


text:
A VAN driver was bundled from his vehicle by a knifeman who had moments earlier threatened two other motorists.
The thug first tried to steal a car belonging to a woman who had stopped to post a letter in Bromsgrove, police said.
When she returned to her vehicle the yob lashed out at her.
A passing driver spotted the commotion in Birmingham Road, Bromsgrove, at 10am on Wednesday and dragged the man away.
But as he tried to detain him the offender struggled free and pulled out a knife.
In his attempt to escape, the attacker then threatened a passing van driver at knife-point and stole his Nregistered Ford Transit.
With the help of another motorist, the van driver gave chase before eventually losing the thief four miles away in Romsley, near Halesowen.
Police today appealed for the public's help to trace the stolen van and the offender who was described as white, in his late 30s, about 5ft 9in, with a thin face, and dark, greasy hair covering his ears.
He spoke with a northern accent and was wearing a blue, waist-length zip-up jacket, light blue, striped shirt, black trousers and black shoes.
Any witnesses are urged to contact Bromsgrove CID on 08457 444888 or call the anonymous Crimestoppers hotline on 0800 555111.


text:
Back! 02 Sep, 2003
Sorry for the unexplained gap there. I got away with the family for a few days. I have now seen Pirates Of The Caribbean (really good fun) and Rugrats Go Wild in addition to getting some much-needed R 'n' R. So just catching up now… Well, Mitch Kapor has "Switched", Mike's suffering with spam and jonvon hit 38!
I've got some articles in the works for a certain publication out there, and even one or two for this site. It's about time.


text: How To Windows What Is an M File? How to open, edit, and convert M files Share Pin Email Print M Files. Windows Key Concepts File Types Computer Concepts Command Line Basics Guides & Tutorials Installing & Upgrading Tips & Tricks by Tim Fisher Tim Fisher has 30+ years' professional technology support experience. He writes troubleshooting content and is the General Manager of Lifewire. Updated July 01, 2019 A file with the M file extension could belong to one of several file formats, but many of them are related in some way to a source code file. One type of M file is the MATLAB Source Code file format. These are text files that store scripts and functions for the MATLAB program to use for running mathematical actions to plot graphs, run algorithms, and more. MATLAB M files work the exact same way as running commands through the MATLAB command line but make it much easier to re-run common actions. A similar use for M files is with the Mathematica program. It's also a text-based file format that stores instructions that the program can use to run certain math-related functions. Objective-C Implementation files use the M file extension too. These are text files that hold variables and functions used within the context of application programming, usually for macOS and iOS devices. Some M files are instead Mercury Source Code files that are written in the Mercury programming language. It's unlikely that this is the type of file you have but yet another use for the M file extension is for PC-98 Game Music song files that are used to emulate instruments on Japanese PC-98 computers. How to Open an M File MATLAB Source Code files can be created by and opened with a simple text editor, so Notepad in Windows, Notepad++, and other similar programs can be used to open the M file. However, MATLAB M files are not actually usable unless they're opened within the MATLAB program. You can do this through the MATLAB prompt by entering the filename, like myfile.m. M files used by Mathematica will of course open with that program. Since they're just text files, this also means that you can open this kind of M file with a text editor, but the same concept applies to MATLAB files in that they're only usable within the context of Mathematica. Since Objective-C Implementation files are text files, they can be used with any text editor already mentioned, including ones like jEdit and Vim. However, these M files aren't applicable until they're utilized with Apple Xcode or some other related compiler. Mercury Source Code files are similar to the other text-based file formats from above but is really only useful with winmercury or this Mercury compiler. PC-98 M files can be opened with FMPMD2000. You also need to make sure that you've got two DLL files - WinFMP.dll and PMDWin.dll - which you can grab from this download page. How to Convert an M File Most of the text editors mentioned on this page can convert an M file to another text-based format like HTML or TXT. This of course only applies to the text formats and not something else like a PC-98 audio file. To save the code in an M file to PDF is possible with MATLAB. With the M file open, look for an Edit M File Configuration or some sort of Export or Save as menu. If you want to convert a different M file to PDF - one that isn't related to MATLAB, try one of these free PDF printers. MATLAB Compiler can convert MATLAB M files to EXE for use with MATLAB Runtime, which allows MATLAB apps to run on computers that don't have MATLAB installed. Is Your File Still Not Opening? Some files are easily confused with others because their file extensions share common letters. It's possible that you don't really have an M file and that's why it's not opening with the M openers or converters from above. The M file extension is clearly just one letter long, so while it might seem unlikely that you'd get it mixed up with a different file that belongs to a different file format, it's still important to double-check. For example, there are several file formats that use M to identify the file, like M3U, M2 and M3 (Blizzard object or model), M4A, M4B, M2V, M4R, M4P, M4V, etc. If you check the file extension of your file and notice that it belongs to one of those formats, then use the link provided or research the suffix to learn how to open it. If you do in fact have an M file but it's not opening with the suggestions on this page, it's possible that you have a really obscure format. Use a text editor like Notepad++ to open the M file and read it as a text document. There might be some words or phrases in there that give away the program that made it or is used to open it. Continue Reading


text:
On September 26, 2017, an automobilist photographed a weird metallic UFO in Dayton, Nevada. The witness didn't see by eye!
Witness report:
"Pulled over to snap pictures on iphone of Horses next to casino eating grass. This is a common occurrence in Dayton, NV.
Several pictures were taken in succession, with only one having this object appear in it. No sound was heard, car windows were down. Estimate object was 500 to 1000 feet away, low around 300 - 500 feet altitude by comparing area with picture.
Have also spotted several other UAPs in the weeks before by sight, but had no camera available."
https://mufoncms.com/cgi-bin/report_handler.pl?req=view_long_desc&id=86984, September 28, 2017


text:
First of all: I'm entirely against cheating! Cheating is in ALL FORMS a BAD thing. But seriously, women - who steal away someone else's husband, or at least are trying that - why do you get mad when the man won't leave his wife for you? You have no right to posess him, you're evil, let alone divorcing his wife for you and you get mad when things don't work out?? You know why? Because HE DOESN'T LOVE YOU. Hurts to read it like that, huh? You are his toy, not his soulmate. Even when he will divorce his wife for you, don't expect a long-lasting happy marriage or relationship. The root of your relationship is totally awry, so sooner or later you will notice that things will take a very bad turn and you both deserve that!
Stop cheating with someone else's husband/partner/boyfriend, because there will be some serious consequenses for you both! Period.


text: At the heart of old Batavia, the Dutch capital of the region, is Fatahillah Square. On the south side is the old town hall, which dates from 1627. It is now a museum. On the west side of the square is the Wayang museum, housing an impressive collection of pupets from all over Indonesia.


text:
Yet another duffel bag and a cat.
6 comments:
Hi, Jill!ReplyDelete
Those tote bags look so nice, I cannot say that it is hand made/sewing machine made :) Very creative and I adore cats on that fabric! That fellow feline is cute, I agree, cutie kitty!Replies
Thanks Anna! Yes, it's a very cute cat isn't it!- oh and I made the bag on my sewing machine, not by hand!Delete
Hi Jill, this bag is very cute, I'm sure your daughter is very happy with it. The cat is also beautiful, I like cats ... so now I'm imagining keeping the cat in the bag you just finished and bring everything to my house...:)ReplyDelete
Have a nice weekend !!!
Marisa :)Replies
Ha Ha! Thanks Marisa! I'm sure the cat would love that - it likes attention and is very tolerant of our kids picking it up and carrying it around with them!Delete
very nice bag.I am looking for a duffel bag I can put my cat in and put in on my back like a normal duffel bag. I had my cat in it a couple of times. I would like to take her with me on my walking exercises. do you know where i can find a bag like that.?ReplyDeleteReplies
Thanks Cheryl,Delete
Sorry I don't know where you could find a bag to carry your cat it. Good luck with your search!!


text:
Over at the job board for the American Association for State and Local History (AASLH), the opportunity of a lifetime: an unpaid internship with the Montana Heritage Commission that is 40 hours a week for 5 months, working among rodent droppings during the peak of winter. Housing is provided. Duties including moving and cataloguing artifact collections, which we are told in the job ad "takes time, money, and people." How much money? Well, using embarrassingly low estimates, around $16,000 at least in wages that will go unpaid under the guise of gaining of professional experience and exposure – and no, not just exposure to the elements and animal waste. The kind of exposure that, in a better world, would help you earn a job where people actually pay you to perform vital employment functions.
According to the Department of Labor, there are six criteria that must be met for a private sector unpaid internship to be considered legal, and you can read them here. Legalities become more complicated when dealing with non-profit and government partners, but we can still use two of the above criteria as a general sniff test: 1) The internship experience is to the benefit of the intern and 2) The employer that provides training derives no immediate advantage from the activities of the intern; and on occasion its operations may actually be impeded. I am comfortable stating that it does not take 800 hours for an individual to learn how to catalogue artifacts in a database, so what we very clearly have is an advertisement for work the Montana Heritage Commission needs performed and doesn't want to compensate. That might not be illegal, but it is deeply unethical. If this were a private sector job, it would likely be an employee misclassification and fall under policies regarding wage theft.
But this grey area does not seem to be a problem for AASLH, which continues to feature positions such as this on their very popular job board. The last time I contacted them with concerns, this ad was in circulation, which offered candidates $100 for a 40 hour week at the George Ranch Historical Park in Texas. Their response to me was a pat on their back for paying their own interns, which I assume is meant to be taken as the weakest sort of leading by example. The fact that other professional organizations filter or decline to advertise unpaid work and work that offers compensation that isn't commensurate with experience doesn't really register with them.
You probably already know the range of options you have before you if you find this find of behavior problematic. Some people will and have suspended their memberships, others want to be the change from within. Many good folks are doing a better job coaching students and those new to the field about the value of their labor. And me? I'm just here to say that there is no universe in which it is appropriate to ask an individual to work full time for 5 months for no pay and any person or organization that does has no business being an advocate for the field.
Let me tell you a difficult secret: it is not possible to value history while contributing to the worsening material conditions of historians. This formula does not work, the math is broken, and you do not want to live in a world that is absent of historians. For one thing, a world without historians has no need for professional organizations to advocate on their behalf and won't place prestige on their expensive accreditation programs. Just because people like me are the minute hand on the Doomsday clock, sweeping just that much faster around the dial, doesn't mean your hour isn't coming too.


text:
Choose Greek Peak Mountain Resort for your Wedding Day!
From your bridal shower to post-wedding breakfast, we'll help design and customize what you have always imagined for your perfect wedding day.
Our event planners will work hand in hand with you to plan every detail to ensure your wedding will be unique and memorable. We can also provide those special extras, like making a grand exit (or arrival) with a horse-drawn carriage, wedding weekend gifts or a customized bottle of Finger Lakes wine for your guests upon check-in. Romantic facilities and attentive services will make your big day simply perfect in every way, with everything you need in one fabulous location.
You and your wedding party will enjoy the serenity of our Waterfalls Spa, which will help you relax and prepare for your special day. We will set up a special consultation with our Spa Director to ensure every detail is just how you have imagined it.
By selecting our Resort, you'll have the opportunity for breathtaking photos in various settings. We have experienced videographers and photographers to capture every moment of your special day. Greek Peak has the highest elevation in Cortland County and multiple ceremony and reception sites. Our location provides a beautiful, picturesque setting for your guests to relax, enjoy themselves and celebrate your special event.
The natural beauty of the resort location and the Northwoods-style design of the Four Diamond-rated Hope Lake Lodge will make your day in the Finger Lakes elegant.
Customize your event
- Activities
- Golf for the Guys
- Adventure Center & Indoor Waterpark for the children
- Skiing & Boarding
- Snowshoeing
- Fishing & Boating at Hope Lake


text:
A Pinot Noir that Tastes Like Rocks (In a Good Way!)
A New York City wine shop owner has finally found a good French Pinot at an affordable price.
Here, wine experts reveal their favorite bottles costing less than $17. Many of the selections are lesser known but absolutely worth the search.
Who: Steve Flynn, Owner, September Wines & Spirits, New York City
What: 2012 Alphonse Dolly Pinot Noir
Why: "I love Pinot Noir from the Loire valley for its pure expression of the terroir. The grapes don't get super ripe so what you're left with is a very earthy, rocky and savory quality to the wines. The problem with so many Loire Pinots is that they cost $30 and up. But this gem from Sancerre producer Alphonse Dolly is only $16.99 and worth every penny."
Related: 15 Rules for Great Food and Wine Pairings
Finally, A Good, Cheap, Pinot Noir
Cooking with Red Wine


text:
(I took the header picture of a Common Loon resting on a pond in Utah on its way north in June of 2015. It was in transition from winter to summer plumage.)
Thursday, September 4, 2008
2 comments:
- Humanities said...
I'm quite fond of that song, "My Next 30 Years." (eat a few more salads, not stay up so late...)
I have mixed feelings about getting older. I always thought I would enjoy the dignity and authority of age but I am not happy to see silver strands on my scalp. I love my hair color. I will miss it when it goes. Plus, I'm not sure that youth today venerate age, but certainly the serenity and self confidence I gain will aid in my work.
- September 6, 2008 at 11:27 PM
Your daughter will have her own thoughts and personality a lot faster than you expect!
- September 8, 2008 at 8:30 PM
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
In "Seduced by Moonlight" ($23.95, Ballantine), Laurell K. Hamilton returns to the tale of Merry Gentry, also known as Princess Meredith NicEssus of the Unseelie Court of the sidhe (pronounced shee for those not up on their Irish folklore.)
Merry, who is half human and therefore mortal, lives in Los Angeles, exiled from her immortal fey relatives by necessity. She has many enemies at court, and the violence of their court isn't safe for someone who can actually die from her wounds.
But she's been given the chance to return home not as a tainted half-human, but as queen of the Unseelie Court. In order to do that, she has to give her people a rare gift - a child. Her aunt, Queen Andais, has decreed that if she can conceive a child before her cruel cousin Cel, she will inherit the throne.
Hamilton's first novel in the Merry Gentry series, "A Kiss of Shadows," was absolutely incredible, a dark and moody work with just a bit of sensuality. The third book, "Seduced by Moonlight," is not her strongest work.
I have to agree with much of the criticism I've seen from other fans. This book is long on sex and a little short on plot development - at least in the early going. In fact, in the first 150 pages or so, it seems at times that the story is just an excuse to get Merry from one sex scene to the next.
That said, the book still isn't too bad. It hits its stride about midway through and gets back to the story at hand. It also features some very interesting developments, both in Merry's character and in the story.
Hamilton's writing is as strong as ever, rife with new wonders and interesting ideas. Characterization has always been a strong point for Hamilton, and her characters in this series truly shine. You won't find an odder cast this side of a Terry Pratchett novel, but you'll also never question for a second that her characters are truly real despite their odd appearances, mannerisms and magic. It's the characters that keep you interested.
Though "Seduced by Moonlight" doesn't advance Merry's story as much as I would like, it still lays some intriguing groundwork for future installments. Here's hoping that Hamilton gets her focus back on the story and doesn't let Merry's story devolve into a string of meaningless sex scenes. She's too good a writer and this is too good a story for that.