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Researchers are reporting key milestones in developing new semiconductors to potentially replace silicon in future computer chips and for applications in flexible electronics.
Findings are detailed in three technical papers, including one focusing on a collaboration of researchers from Purdue Univ., Intel Corp. and SEMATECH, a consortium dedicated to advancing chip manufacturing. The team has demonstrated the potential promise of an extremely thin—or "2-D"—semiconductor called molybdenum disulfide.
Although molybdenum disulfide has been studied by research groups around the world, a key obstacle to its practical use has been a large electrical resistance between metal contacts and single-atomic layers of the material. This "contact resistance" limits the flow of current between the contacts and the molybdenum disulfide, hindering performance.
"This is a fundamental bottleneck," said Peide "Peter" Ye, a Purdue professor of electrical and computer engineering.
Now, researchers have shown how to overcome this obstacle by "doping" the material with the chemical compound 1,2 dichloroethane (DCE), meaning single layers of molybdenum disulfide are impregnated with the DCE. This doping results in a 10-fold reduction of contact resistance and a 100-fold reduction of contact resistivity, another measure of resistance.
The findings are fundamental to learning how to develop alternatives to silicon that will likely be needed after 2020, when, it is thought, silicon transistors will reach their technological limits, stalling further progress.
The structure of molybdenum disulfide is a single-atomic layer of molybdenum sandwiched between single-atomic layers of sulfide. The researchers were able to dope these tiny structures with the DCE.
"It is inherently difficult to dope a single atomic layer," Ye said. "It is much more difficult than doping bulk silicon for conventional semiconductor devices. I think an important factor is the collaboration between academia, Intel and SEMATECH, which has made this kind of research possible."
Researchers call the technique molecular layer doping.
In one respect, the molybdenum disulfide is similar to graphene, an extremely thin layer of carbon, which is promising for applications in electronics and computers. Like graphene, the material forms in one-atom-thick layers that can be peeled away. Unlike graphene, however, the material is a semiconductor, potentially making it practical for electronic devices. It is particularly promising for thin, flexible and transparent electronic devices for displays, touch pads and other applications.
The molybdenum disulfide paper is one of three papers to be presented by Ye's research group during the VLSI conference.
One of the other papers details findings showing the first high-performance devices made using a material called gallium-arsenide, promising for the post-silicon era for future computers and consumer electronics. Such semiconductors are called III-V materials because they combine elements from the third and fifth groups of the periodic table.
The findings show gallium-arsenide is compatible with the complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor (CMOS) manufacturing process used to construct integrated circuits.
"Research on gallium-arsenide MOS has been going on for about 50 years, and here we demonstrated for the first time that it is doable at the CMOS-circuit level," Ye said.
In the third paper, researchers show how to use a semiconductor called germanium to produce two types of transistors needed for electronic devices. The material had previously been limited to "P-type" transistors. The new findings show how to use the material also to make "N-type" transistors "with significantly improved contacts," Ye said. Because both types of transistors are needed for CMOS circuits, the findings point to possible applications for germanium in computers and electronics.
Source: Purdue Univ.


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How To Write a Good Novel: The Crisis Is the Key
If you really want to learn how to write a good novel, there's one essential element that you must consider as you begin developing your story idea. If you do this right, it will drive your novel forward with power and make your novel come alive in your imagination. The key element that can make or break your novel is this: it must include a compelling crisis that sparks the action of your novel and forces your main character to take decisive action to solve the problem the crisis creates. It needs to be a novel-sized problem; that is, it needs to be difficult enough that your readers feel it will take the whole novel to overcome.
The Three Keys to a Great Crisis
Novelist and literary agent Evan Marshall has defined three key criteria that you should follow to set up a truly compelling crisis that will move your novel forward and give it the juice to be a powerful page-turner. Here they are:
1. First, the crisis should be genre-appropriate. For this, you need to know what genre you want to write in and make the crisis appropriate to that genre. For example, in a romance novel, you probably don't want the initial crisis to be a bomb discovered on a bus. Instead, perhaps your lead would receive a letter that indicates that she has to find a husband in two weeks or she will have to leave the country.
2. Next, the crisis has to really turn the main character's life upside-down. It can't be just a mild annoyance, it has to be something that your lead can't ignore and has to do something about right away. This is what hooks your readers in and makes them want to keep reading. Can you see why it's so important to get your readers interested by giving your lead a big crisis to deal with?
3. Third, the crisis must capture your imagination as the novelist. It has to be a situation that you want to explore, something that you care about and are interested in. You want it to be riveting to you personally. It has to be compelling to you or you'll have a hard time engaging your readers. This is the situation that will propel your novel forward and give you the inspiration and energy to finish your novel and see it through to the end, helping your character to come through on the other side.
What's Your Lead Going To Do About It?
In response to this crisis, your Lead character will decide to solve this problem no matter what it takes. This decision creates your Lead's story goal that will guide him through your novel. Evan Marshall also defines four key elements that must be part of this story goal:
1. The goal either involves wanting to gain possession of something or seeking relief from something.
2. There will be terrible consequences for failure.
3. The main character has a positive, worthy motivation that makes him or her appealing to readers. The goal reveals your lead as heroic in his own way, worthy of admiration, and essentially honorable at his core.
4. He must face tremendous odds… it must feel almost impossible for him to succeed. Raise the stakes until you get there. When you do, you'll feel the increased energy and power it gives your novel concept.
Evan Marshall's system for novel writing guides you to create a powerful page-turner and I highly recommend it if you're looking for some clear direction to help you write your novel. If you would like to learn more about his step-by-step system that shows you how to write a good novel with best-seller potential, check out my blog post here: http://writerssolutions.com/what-is-the-marshall-plan-for-novel-writing-anyway. Marshall lays it all out for you and makes the process of writing a novel feel much more understandable and doable.
Laura M. McKenna loves to write about fiction and novel writing and has contributed frequently to various websites including WritersSolutions.com. She is currently blogging about her experiences using the Marshall Plan for Novel Writing software to develop her novel idea at http://writerssolutions.com/trying-out-the-marshall-plan-for-novel-writing-software-myself
Fiction Novel Writing: How to Get Started Right Now
Fiction, and novel writing in particular, can seem like a daunting task unless you have a clear plan to follow. There are so many pieces to keep track of: characterization, dialog, plots and subplots, multiple points of view, and more. It's important to start things off in the right way because everything else you do will flow from that.
How to Get Started Right
In this post, I'm going to give you what you need to get started on writing your novel today. From my experience, it's the first step that's the hardest. Once you've got the first step down, you get excited about writing your novel and you have a better feeling for where you are headed so each step after that will be easier.
Step 1: What Do You Want To Write?
The first step in the process is to decide what you want to write. There are so many possibilities, so how do you decide? The answer is simple: write what you love to read. What kind of books do you love? That's what you should write. Here's why:
1. Since you've read a lot of novels in this genre, you are already very familiar with the way these books are written. As you've been reading, you've been automatically absorbing the structure of the stories, the kinds of conflicts and crises that come up in this type of fiction, and you know for sure what works and what doesn't in this genre.
2. Since you love reading this kind of novel, you will love writing this kind of novel as well. And the enthusiasm and enjoyment you feel as you write will translate into your writing, making it fresh, vibrant, and real.
Step 2: Who's the Lead of Your Novel?
Next, you decide on the main character for your novel. Just the basics to begin with: decide on the gender, age, and name of your Lead to help make them real to you. Follow the expectations of the genre you chose in step one as you decide. For example, if you're writing a romance novel, you'll generally have a women as the Lead.
Step 3: What's the Crisis?
Every novel has a major crisis that the Lead has to face early on in the story. Evan Marshall, the literary agent and author, points out some key characteristics that your crisis should have to ensure that you come up with a great basic premise for your novel:
1. It should be appropriate to your genre
2. It should turn your Lead's life upside down
3. It should capture your imagination and make you want to know more
Step 4: What's Your Lead Going To Do About It?
In response to this crisis, your Lead has to decide how they will solve this problem. They set an overarching story goal that they will pursue throughout your novel, but not achieve until the very end.
I like the following four criteria for this goal that Marshall suggests. Working within the expectations of your genre, he recommends that your goal should be about:
1. Trying to get something that your Lead really wants or getting relief from something they really don't want.
2. High stakes: there should be terrible consequences if they fail.
3. Your Lead's motivation must be worthy and admirable so your readers like them and are rooting for them to succeed.
4. Impossible odds: the problems should be so difficult that it should seem almost impossible for your Lead to succeed.
If you develop your novel idea using these guidelines, you are sure to come up with an idea that inspires and engages you. That's the most important step. This basic story idea will carry you through plotting and writing the rest of your novel. If you take the time to come up with an idea that you love, it will be the seed from which your wonderful novel will grow.
More Tips For Novel Writing
Evan Marshall has developed a great system for fiction novel writing that guides you step-by-step through the whole process of writing your novel from start to finish. If you're interested in writing a compelling, powerful page-turner with the potential to become a best-seller, I highly recommend that you check it out. You can learn more about his system through this link: Marshall Plan novel writing. His system will really help you enjoy the process of writing your novel.
I think you might also be interested in my blog about how I've been using the Marshall Plan Novel Writing software to develop my novel idea.
Getting Started With the Marshall Plan for Novel Writing Software
So, I've started using the Marshall Plan for Novel Writing software and I'm really having fun with it so far.
Getting It All Set Up
After downloading the software, I went through the quick process of installing it. It was really easy, quick, and self-explanatory so I won't go into how to do it here. Then, I clicked on the desktop icon for the program, entered my name as the author, and found myself on the main template page of the program.
Getting Oriented
I clicked on the How To Use This Program button at the top and read through the instructions. It's nice because the program gives you a quick overview of the Marshall Plan system and how things work, but it only takes a few minutes to read through. This is one of those learn-by-doing programs (with lots of help along the way, of course) and I like that. It would also be a good quick refresher for people who are familiar with the Marshall Plan from the books. So, I'm ready to jump in and get started. Fun!
Do What You Want To Do
The instructions let you know that you can jump in where ever you want to in the creative process according to your own inspiration for that writing session. However, they also give you suggestions for walking through the process step-by-step if you prefer that. Since I'm new to the program and this system of writing, I'm going to go through each step as Marshall recommends. To do this, I just click on each of the tabs positioned across the top of the page.
Defining the Initial Crisis
Tab 1: First, you click on the Story Idea tab. Here, you read a bit about the importance of the initial crisis and how it lays the foundation for your whole novel. You then define the gender and age of your lead character. Then, you click the next subtab…
Deciding On the Story Goal
As a result of the crisis, your Lead character decides on their story goal. This is what she will be working to achieve throughout the novel although she won't succeed until the end.
The Suppose
Next, based on the initial crisis and the goal the Lead sets in response, you devise what Marshall calls "the Suppose." It's phrased in this way: "Suppose this big crisis happened to my Lead and in response, she decides that she must achieve this goal." The Suppose defines this crisis that will drive your story forward and the software goes over the key criteria it must meet to make your story truly compelling. There are lots of good tips here. For example, Marshall emphasizes how important it is that this Suppose actually intrigues you as the writer so you want to write about it and so your writing will reflect that enthusiasm.
So, I defined the sex and age of my lead and I've got an intriguing crisis, goal, and Suppose drafted. I'm ready to move on to the next Tab: Working with Sections and Genre/Length.
But First… Give My Novel a Title
To save my novel file, the program requires me to enter a working title in the Title tab section, so that's what I did. I tested it out and I can change the title later if I like by just entering another title in this tab.
Next up is learning about the building block of my novel: what Marshall calls sections and deciding on my genre and target word length. I'll do that in my next post. See you then!
(Click to learn more about the Marshall Plan for Novel Writing software)
What is the Marshall Plan for Novel Writing Anyway?
Before I really begin my blog series on using the Marshall Plan for Novel Writing software, I thought I would give you an overview of what the Marshall Plan is about so you'll know what I'm talking about as I use this system to develop my novel idea.
There are a lot of writers who have read the Marshall Plan for Novel Writing books by Evan Marshall and have found this system really helpful in developing a compelling roadmap for their novels.
However, if you're unfamiliar with the system, read on.
Gives You Everything You Need to Craft a Compelling Novel With Best-Seller Potential
The Marshall Plan for writing novels guides you to develop a powerful novel idea based on a specific system for developing characters and plot. The plot is driven by an initial crisis that motivates the Lead character to focus on achieving an important specific goal throughout your novel. Marshall emphasizes that this must be a compelling and formidable problem that will keep the reader engaged throughout the story.
The Basic Building Block to Writing a Page-Turner
The basic unit of plotting for the Marshall Plan is what he calls the section. Each section generally consists of the point-of-view character working to achieve a short-term goal, often being challenged by another character, and then failing to achieve the short-term goal. Alternately, the character may succeed at the end of the section but discover an even bigger problem in the process. This system of plotting builds tension and suspense, compelling the reader to want to read just one more chapter to see what happens.
This is true for all characters but the one Marshall calls the Opposition Character, also known as the antagonist of the story.
The Bad Guy Always Succeeds… Until the End
This is one of the insights of the Marshall Plan system that I found very helpful. At the end of the sections which feature the Opposition as the POV character, the Opposition always achieves his short-term goal. This serves to increase the stakes and the challenge to the Lead character, thus increasing the tension and suspense of the story.
Finally, Success!
During the end section of the novel, the Lead character faces the Opposition and endures his Worst Failure. He then experiences a Point of Hopelessness where he feels he will never succeed. At this point, he has an all-important insight, and as a result implements his final Saving Act which leads to his ultimate success. Of course, at this point the Opposition fails. This suspense-building structure provides readers with a satisfying payoff for the Lead's repeated failure throughout the novel and leaves them feeling good about your novel.
That's What Makes It So Good
This is what makes Marshall's structure so good at helping novelists create such compelling page-turners. Throughout the novel, the Lead goes through a series of attempts to achieve his goal and is continually thwarted and challenged further as the novel proceeds.
Add to that the multiple point of view characters and subplots that the system requires and the reader is left on the edge of their seat, anxious to know what happens next and how the Lead is ever going to succeed at this seemingly impossible task.
The System Tells You Just What To Do To Keep Them On the Edge of Their Seat
In order to achieve this tight, compelling structure, Marshall gives you step-by-step instructions on how to write your novel. His system lays out specific guidelines to follow when it comes to the following:
- key details and goals for the Lead and the other characters
- the number of sections to have
- how many POV characters to use
- how to weave subplots together
- where and how to introduce powerful suspense-building surprises into your plot
- the specific order of sections to begin and end your novel
All of these guidelines are carefully designed to help you hook the reader and keep them engaged until the very last word.
Here's Where the Software Comes In Handy
It's a great system, but that's a lot of stuff to keep track of. That's why users of the Marshall Plan asked Evan Marshall to develop a software program to help them implement the Marshall Plan system. And that's just what he did.
I'm going to be giving the software a test-drive over the next few weeks with my own novel idea and I'll let you know how it goes right here. Fun!
Lots of Great Guidance For the Whole Process
Beyond character-development and plotting, Marshall gives you lots of specific guidelines to help you with writing, editing, and sending your manuscript out to publishers and agents as well. He covers the whole process with specific, practical guidance at each step.
The Big Advantage: Never Get Lost In the Woods Again
Have you ever found yourself deep in the middle of a novel wondering what in the world are you supposed to do now? Have you ever written yourself into a dead end and had to toss big chunks of writing… a lot of it that you loved? Well, if you follow the Marshall Plan, that just won't happen. Before you even begin the actual writing, you've got it all worked out.
This really helps when it comes to overcoming writer's block as well… you know just what you'll write as you sit down to work on your novel each day.
But What About Going With the Flow?
Some writers may hesitate to follow guidelines that seem so structured. They have the idea that they prefer to sit down in front of a blank page each day and see what happens. Well, here's what I think: if they've found their own way to finish a novel that they feel good about, that's truly a great accomplishment and I'm happy for them.
But Then Again…
However, if you haven't found a way to really finish your novel and feel good about it once it's done, I encourage you to give the Marshall Plan a try. See how it works for you. Don't judge it until you try it yourself and see what happens. I think you'll find it to be an empowering system that results in a well-crafted, compelling novel… one that is fun to write and just what publishers are looking for.
It's Worth a Try, Don't You Think?
If you do give it a try, a few months from now, you could have a finished manuscript ready to send out. Wouldn't that be amazing?
On To the Software… Fun!
Well, that gives you an overview of the Marshall Plan and how I feel about it. I'm excited to be starting this process of developing my novel idea with the Marshall Plan software and I'm looking forward to sharing my experiences with you.
Don't Forget To Subscribe
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Trying Out the Marshall Plan for Novel Writing Software Myself
I had a really fun and exciting idea recently. I decided that I would write a series of blog posts about using the Marshall Plan for Novel Writing software to develop an intriguing new novel idea that's been simmering at the back of my consciousness for a while now.
I've always loved writing. I wrote a novel through the second draft a number of years ago, but over time I could tell that the basic premise didn't feel right to me so I put it away in my file drawer until I could figure out what it needed. I loved the characters and much of the story, but there was definitely something else that needed to happen to make it really work.
Meanwhile, my life went on in the usual way.
Then A New Idea Hit Me
One afternoon a few weeks ago, as I was washing dishes and daydreaming, I suddenly had an idea for a very interesting spiritual adventure novel come to mind. I get these fun ideas periodically, and usually I just jot them down on a piece of paper, set them aside in a pile, and go on with my life. However, this one sort of lingered at the back of my mind and began to work its way into my imagination.
I had been wanting to try out the Marshall Plan software for this blog and this seemed like the perfect idea to use for my test-drive of the software. So, that's what I'm planning to do over the next few weeks.
If you're interested in finding out how it goes, please subscribe to my blog (click the little orange box at the bottom of the blog) so you'll know when I post each update. This should be a lot of fun… I hope you'll join me!
P.S. If you're not familiar with the Marshall Plan for Novel Writing, please check out my next post where I'll give an overview of how it works. I'd love to hear your ideas and comments as I go along, too. See you soon!
Writing Is Our Own Hero's Journey
As writers, we are called on to actively take steps along our own Hero's Journey with each word we write. We begin each day's writing session with the courage to take one more step along the unknown journey of writing our novel. We set our egos aside and let the creative ideas unfold on the page. And no matter which direction we take, no matter whether it takes us down an unknown garden path or through the dark forest, it will ultimately take us one step closer to fulfillment of our own Hero's Journey. We step past our fears and into the stream of inspiration and creative flow and we feed our souls as we do.
As we help our characters find their way through the labyrinth of the Hero's Journey, we find the courage to move forward in our own lives. Out of the confusion and limitation we may feel at times, we find the path that resonates for us and us alone. We walk that path and face the challenges along the way. We allow the support of wise mentors and friends in the form of our own inner wisdom as well as the people we meet who can help us. In the process, we find the courage within us to go forward toward what we truly want, living from a new level of authenticity and meaning in our own lives as we do.
We remember that each difficulty our character faces is a necessary rite of passage for him to grow and develop as a human, to become the person he has the potential to be. As we do this for our characters, we do it for an aspect of ourselves as well. And our writing helps our readers to believe that perhaps they too can succeed if they take the leap of faith and reach for what they have always wanted.
As we go through the process of helping our characters succeed on the Hero's Journey, we see the value of courage and a willingness to face the challenges in our own lives with authenticity in the best way we know how. We see that staying stuck and stagnating where we are despite our inner urging toward change is just postponing the inevitable Hero's Journey that we all are on. And so, we take the leap of faith and choose the path of growth. Our character's unique version of the Hero's Journey gives us the inspiration that taking a step toward our dreams might just be the best thing to do.
We can see what's possible for ourselves as we join our novel's characters on the journey of discovering a new level of truth and satisfaction in their lives. These are our Heroes and they hold out the promise that we can each do the same for ourselves.
Follow the Hero's Journey to Write a Great Novel
Every great story that has ever been told follows the basic mythological structure of what Joseph Campbell has called the Hero's Journey. If you look closely at some of the most popular and satisfying novels and movies, you can see for yourself that this is true. This structure deeply resonates for all of us as humans because it reflects the inner process we all go through in our lives as we strive to be true to ourselves and create a life that is satisfying and fulfilling.
In this article, I'll go over the basics steps of the Hero's Journey that you can use to structure your novel so that the final result will be a story that feels satisfying and meaningful to you as well as to your readers.
The Steps of the Hero's Journey
1. Reveal The Ordinary World of Your Character. Introduce your main character, the hero of your novel, and show us what his life is like at the beginning of your story.
2. Your Character Faces a Challenge. Something happens that forces the hero to make a decision that will change his life.
3. Your Character Initially Refuses. Initially your main character resists this change and the difficulties it will entail and wants things to stay the same.
4. You Character Decides To Change. Often triggered by an outside event, he makes a commitment to changing his life.
5. Your Character Gains Mentors and Allies. As your story progresses, your character meets people along the way who offer help and support.
6. Your Character Learns What He Needs To Succeed. He takes action toward achieving his goals and acquiring the skills he will need along the way. The stakes get higher as he proceeds.
7. Your Character First Confronts His Deepest Fear and Fails. He faces his greatest challenge but has not yet acquired the inner strength that is needed to succeed at his goal.
8. The Dark Night of the Soul. Your character experiences self-doubt and fears that he will never succeed. He is on the verge of giving up.
9. The Leap of Faith. Your character experiences a renewed inner commitment to his goal based on an inner faith that he can be, do, or have whatever he really wants.
10. Final Climactic Confrontation and Ultimate Success. Your character faces his biggest challenge and puts everything into achieving what he wants. With this final powerful effort, he finally succeeds and gets what he has wanted for so long.
When you apply the structure of the Hero's Journey to your novel, the process of writing becomes much easier and more inspiring. It helps you to see where your main character needs to go and what he needs to face in order to make the story truly powerful and meaningful for you as the writer and for your readers as well. When you feel stuck and don't know where to go next with your writing, the structure of the Hero's Journey will always show you the next step.
How to Start a Novel That Both Readers and Publishers Will Love
If you are really serious about wanting to write a compelling, well-written novel that will have the best chance of being published, there is one very important thing you must do to start your novel… before you even write one word.
Create a Compelling Vision
To start, you must first create a clear, step-by-step map for your journey through your novel. It's essential to go through the process of exploring and developing your initial ideas for character, setting, and plot. By clarifying these key elements of your novel before you begin writing, you will actually be able to finish it without getting lost somewhere in the vast middle section wondering where to go next. Everything will fit together in a unified vision that will inspire you to move forward and get your novel on paper.
Get To Know Your Characters
To start your novel, the first step in the process is to get to know your characters deeply. You want to develop them from your vague initial ideas into rich, multi-dimensional people that live in your imagination. You want to explore the essence of your characters so thoroughly that you and your readers feel genuinely interested in who they are and compelled to join them on the journey through your novel. You can begin this process by asking yourself some basic questions about each character:
- Who are the key players in your story?
- What do they look like, how old are they, etc.
- What are their idiosyncrasies, habits, personality traits?
- Explore their background, family history, and defining past experiences.
- What do they love/hate/fear?
- What do they want most out of life and what is keeping them from achieving this?
Let yourself go deeper and deeper into your characters' lives and passions until you have a real sense that you know who they are and are intrigued by them. Then you're ready for the next step.
Create Your Novel's World
Next, you'll want to take some time to decide on the key details of location and setting for your novel so that these, too, will come alive in your imagination. Here are some questions to consider:
- Where does it take place: country, state, region?
- When does it take place: present, past, future?
- What are the key settings for the novel? the house, the business, the ship, etc.
- What season(s) will be portrayed?
- Are there important objects for the story? Heirlooms, treasured gifts, magical talismans, etc.
Map Out the Journey for Your Novel
The next step in getting a good start on your novel will be to work out a tight, compelling plot and overall structure that flows logically from point to point and culminates in a page-turning climax. The character work you did in step one will help you understand the basic conflicts and issues that your novel will address. There are a number of helpful story structures that writers can use as a foundation for writing, but essentially these plot outlines help you clarify a few key questions:
- Where are your main character(s) starting from?
- What is their overall goal?
- What are the obstacles in the way of achieving this goal?
- How do your characters overcome these obstacles?
Often your character will have some initial success about a third of the way through the story. Then, complications are introduced and things begin to fall apart about halfway through the novel. Next, your character(s) will have an experience of failure or loss about 2/3 of the way through your novel. This then leads to a deeper re-commitment to their goal and final push which eventually climaxes in the greatest effort and ultimate success.
It's Really Worth It
Every great novelist knows that this process is really the place to start a novel that's worth writing. I really encourage you to take the time to create a detailed blueprint for your characters, setting, and plot before you dive into the vast sea of your novel. Completing this essential first step will give you a reliable compass to guide you on the wonderful creative journey of writing your own novel. You'll know your characters deeply, you'll be able to clearly imagine the details of your setting, and you'll have a reliable map to follow that will give you peace of mind and inspiration as you begin to write each day.
For Step-By-Step Guidance
If you would like more guidance about how to go about each of these steps as you start your novel, there are many good books and novel writing software programs that will walk you through the process. For a review of three very helpful novel writing software programs, please see my novel writing software review here at WritersSolutions.com. The top three novel writing software options that I review for you there are all designed to help you develop a clear, easy-to-follow blueprint for your writing that will result in a compelling novel that is rich in character and detail.
Finally, let me say that the most important thing is to enjoy the process of writing your novel. Taking the time to create a blueprint such as this will help you do that and you'll end up with a novel that you, your readers, and your publisher will love. Enjoy!
Compare Top Novel Writing Software: NewNovelist, The Marshall Plan Software, and Dramatica Pro Reviews
Novel writing software programs are a great resource for helping you turn your initial story ideas into a well-written, compelling novel. The biggest advantage of the three I review below is that they will help you discover where you want to go with your novel and who your characters are so that when you sit down to write the whole process is much easier and more effective. Each of these programs offer you a variety of different tools and advantages. The main difference between these three software programs is how they approach the process of structuring your novel before you write it; I'll go into that below. The key is to find what works best for you. Each of these programs has a money-back guarantee so you can safely try them out and return them if they don't suit you. Although ultimately it's you that will discover what works for you, I'll help by showing you the strengths of each software option below and you can take it from there.
BEST FOR: The writer who is looking for a program to help them quickly and specifically develop their novel ideas into a compelling and marketable page-turner using the structure common to most of today's bestsellers. Numerous writers have used this program to write a variety of popular published novels. One of the strengths of this software is that it provides specific step-by-step guidance about how best to write a novel in a specific genre, i.e. romance, mystery, western, etc. It guides you through structuring your novel using the suspense-building tactic of strategically revealing your story from multiple points of view. Mr. Marshall developed this program at the request of readers so they would have an easy way to apply the suggested techniques from his best-selling Marshall Plan for Novel Writing book series. You'll learn all about his effective approach to novel writing as you go through each step of the program.
Price: $149
Guarantee: 30 day unconditional money-back guarantee
Click Here to Check Out The Marshall Plan Novel Writing Software Yourself
BEST FOR: The writer who wants to develop a multi-faceted, well-structured literary novel in which all the elements contribute to an overarching theme. Many published novelists as well as Hollywood screenwriters rely on Dramatica Pro to help them craft their stories with rich and varied layers of detail and meaning. The program guides you through hundreds of questions about character, plot, and theme which help you shape your writing into a richly detailed novel. It takes some time to fully understand the unique perspective and techniques that are the foundation of the Dramatica Pro method of writing. However, as you go through the process of using this software to develop your novel ideas, it has the added benefit of giving you an in-depth education about how to apply literary theory to your writing. When you're done with the process, you may feel as if you've received an MFA-level creative writing degree. Plus, you'll have a firm grasp of your story which will make the writing of your novel flow easily from your outline. It is the most expensive option and has a fairly steep learning curve, but many users feel the improvement in the quality of their writing makes this program absolutely worth it.
Price: $229.95
Guarantee: 30 day unconditional money-back guarantee
Click Here to Check Out Dramatica Pro 4 Creative Writing Software Yourself
BEST FOR: Writers who want help structuring their novel using the archetype of the Hero's Journey, a structure which resonates for readers because it reflects the essential human journey toward growth as we move through life. It is also helpful for writing in various genres (romance, fantasy, mystery, etc.) and gives you guidelines for structuring each within the overall context of the Hero's Journey. It is the only one of the three programs I review here which offers a word-processor that will keep all your writing ideas, character sketches, and notes in one place for easy access. You can easily jump around and work on whatever section of your novel inspires you each day and the program keeps track of it all for you. It has the ability to propose first lines for you and will even read back your writing to you if you like, a nice feature. It's a great choice for writers who
UPDATE: There have been a number of changes to this program and the management of it recently which make me question the current quality of this program. I'm in the process of updating my review here so please come back and see that soon. Thanks!
Price: $54.99
Guarantee: 30 day unconditional money-back guarantee
Whichever program you choose, it will help you to write your novel with the enthusiasm and peace of mind that come from having an inspiring, overarching vision of where you are headed. Best of luck to you and have fun writing!
Review of Novel In a Month Course
Have you always dreamed of writing a novel? Just imagine the wonderful feeling of creative ideas easily flowing onto the page. And then see yourself holding your own published novel in your hands. Then one day, you walk into a bookstore and see your book on the best-seller table. Can you even imagine yourself sitting at a table signing your book for a grateful reader? Well, you can do it. With the right guidance and focus, you can write your own wonderful novel. The Novel In a Month Course will give you the support and guidance you'll need to write your own compelling novel now.
My #1 Choice For Novel-Writing Books:
What if I told you that you could write a really good novel in just one month? I know it sounds a little crazy, but many famous novelists do this all the time. Barbara Cartland wrote 623 best-sellers in her life, and sold over a billion books. And think about Stephen King, another super-successful and very prolific novelist. With good advice and specific guidance, you can do it, too. Dan Strauss' Novel In a Month Course shows you the secret to writing a compelling, well-written novel in just 28 days.
The Novel In a Month Course shows you a whole range of special techniques to help you stay on track and finish your novel faster than you could have imagined. It shows you how to develop strong, interesting characters. It guides you step-by-step to create a best-selling plot. You learn awesome techniques to keep the story intriguing and keep the tension building as you move forward. And you'll discover how to write an explosive ending that your readers won't be able to put down until the last page. Most amazing of all though, he shows you how to do all of this in just 28 days, writing just 40 minutes a day!
Cost: $49.95
Guarantee: He's got a great guarantee: Try the Course for three months. If you haven't finished your novel and published it by then, he'll give you a full refund. You really can't beat that … it's a no-lose situation for you. It's worth a look, don't you think? I mean, a month from now, you could have a finished novel!
To check out this amazing course for yourself, visit the
Novel In a Month Course website here.

subset: commoncrawl


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Mega-coaster to be launched at Ferrari World Abu Dhabi in 2023
The world's most immersive mega-coaster, Mission Ferrari, will debut at Ferrari World Abu Dhabi on 12th January, 2023. As a result of this new addition, the World's Leading Theme Park will offer even more Ferrari-inspired rides and attractions for adults and children alike. The highly anticipated launch of Mission Ferrari will be available to lucky Annual Pass holders beginning January 5th, 2023.
In addition to the world's first sideways coaster drop, Mission Ferrari will provide an exhilarating, high intensity, multi-sensory 5D rollercoaster experience. A variety of family-friendly rides and attractions can be found at Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, which is located on Yas Island. A few minutes away is Yas Waterworld, the first Emirati-themed waterpark in the world, Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi, the world's largest indoor theme park and CLYMB Abu Dhabi the UAE's ultimate adventure hub.


text: Tuskegee Airman Bill Ellis, right, at podium, is joined by fellow airman U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. (Ret.) Edward P. Drummond Jr. and four more of their compatriots at Jefferson High School on Nov. 8, where they gathered to share their stories with students. The Tuskegee Airmen were the first-ever Black pilots enlisted by the U.S. Armed Forces; they saw their first duty protecting bombers overt Europe in World War II.


text:
Research Explains how Cellular Guardians of the Gut Develop
Even the most careful chosen meal can contain surprises. To defend against infectious microbes, viruses or other potential hazards that find their way to the intestines, a dedicated contingent of immune cells keeps watch within the thin layer of tissue that divides the contents of the gut from the body itself.
Rockefeller UniversityNew research at Rockefeller University sheds light on the development of a unique class of immune cells known as intraepithelial lymphocytes (IELs) that reside in this critical interface. The findings, published August 21 in Immunity, may help lead to new insights into in inflammatory diseases of the gut, including Inflammatory Bowel Disorder and celiac disease, as well as cancer.
"IELs can originate directly from an organ known as the thymus, or they are induced from other, fully mature lymphocytes. Our research has uncovered the pathway necessary for the generation of both so-called natural and induced IELs," says study author Daniel Mucida, assistant professor and head of the Laboratory of Mucosal Immunology. "The discovery of this pathway makes it possible to explore exactly how the IELs protect the gut, which no one has so far been able to address in a conclusive way."
IELs police the single-cell layer of intestinal epithelium, a fine boundary that spans as much as 400 square meters and allows nutrients in and wastes out. Nearly all IELs belong to a group of lymphocytes (themselves a type of white blood cell) known as T cells, produced by the thymus, an organ below the breastbone.
IELs are made one of two ways. "Natural" IELs require no additional activation after they are produced by the thymus. "Induced" IELs, meanwhile, are produced when two types of mature T cells, CD4 and CD8 cells, acquire new traits and move into the gut epithelium, becoming IELs.
During an immune response, CD4 cells send out signals to other immune cells, earning them the name helper T cells. In research published last year, Mucida and his colleagues uncovered how CD4 cells lose much of their helper function, and take on characteristics more commonly associated with CD8 cells and IELs, which are less likely to promote inflammation.
The new research took a closer look at this pathway, which the team had since determined leads to all IELs, natural and induced. They focused on two proteins, T-bet and Runx3, transcription factors that regulate the expression of genes. Both T-bet and Runx3 occur in high levels in IELs, and were already known to play a role in the development and function of T cells.
"Using genetically modified mice, along with other techniques, we determined the hierarchy between these two transcription factors: T-bet induces the expression of Runx3," says Bernardo Reis, a postdoc and first author of the study. "By exposing mature T cells from the blood to conditions like those in the gut, we found the gut environment itself may trigger this interplay and lead to the induction of IELs."
While these IELs, and the pathway leading to them, are crucial to intestinal health, they can sometimes malfunction and contribute to disease. For example, an unbalanced IEL response to gluten may lead to celiac disease, and reduced IEL function can also leave the intestine more vulnerable to infection.
"Now that we understand the IEL pathway and the genes involved, we can design studies that explore in more detail both IELs physiological, protective function and their detrimental side," Mucida says.


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How to Make Money As An Expert Package up the knowledge inside your head to create a business based on your expertise.
By Robert Skrob
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Are you an expert? If so, you might be able to profit from your expertise in a side business apart from your everyday work. How? By selling products teaching other people about your area of expertise.
You may have a hobby and find yourself answering other people's questions about what you do in online chat rooms. Or you may have developed great ways to perform services in a particular business. You may be able to package what you know into an information product.
It might take the form of traditional books, audio programs, videos or DVDs, magazines, newsletters, ebooks, membership websites, teleseminars and webinars, telecoaching programs, seminars and conferences, and combinations of these. Businesspeople and consumers alike need to learn about solutions to problems they have in a convenient and useful format.
As a money-making business, the advantages can be numerous. Consider the following:
You can leverage your knowledge.
Whether you're working for someone else or you're a professional selling your services by the hour or by the job, you are being paid for what you produce. The moment you stop producing, you stop getting paid. By creating your product one time, you provide that business solution over and over again instead of performing the service yourself each time.
Everything you need to create a new product is already inside you -- the information, the secrets, the techniques, the things you already know. You don't need dozens of experts or newfangled distribution methods.
Related: How to Startup and Keep Your Day Job
Your products can double as marketing materials.
People say to me, "I'm already a consultant. If I create an information product that explains my entire process, won't people just do it themselves and stop hiring me to do work for them?" Absolutely not.
People who buy your information products are much more likely to hire you to perform services than other customers. Being published shows the customer the complexity of the services and the special ability you have to perform them, and makes you the obvious choice should the buyer need additional help with his business or hobby.
You can work at home.
You won't necessarily need a brick-and-mortar location for people to buy your products. This means you can work at home with your computer in a closet or build your information product on your kitchen table. As long as you've got a way to create a product and distribute it, you don't have to be in any particular location for people to buy it.
You aren't likely to need employees.
The kind of work you may need help with isn't likely to require full-time employees. You could pay independent contractors to help maintain a customer database, ship products, and handle customers' questions. You can operate a business that makes well above $1 million a year with little or no staff and have little operating overhead.
You can start with little money.
You also don't need a lot of equipment, furniture or computers. It doesn't require special licenses in most cases, and it doesn't require a special education or degrees. You will need to:
- Identify a market of people who are excited about the information you have
- Create a product those people want, and
- Offer it in a persuasive way.
Investing money in marketing when you are launching increases revenue more quickly. You can take a stair-step approach by investing a small amount in your first campaign and reinvesting your revenues into the next.
Some people are earning million-dollar incomes by selling teaching and training products. Each one started out like you, with no products and no customers, and they gave it a shot. This business is scalable -- you can make it as small or as large as you want.
But don't think this kind of business require little or no work. Just as you see entrepreneurs working hard in the mall, in a retail store or restaurant, you should plan on working hard on your business. It takes a small investment, but the payoff can be huge -- if you stick with it and continue to develop your business.


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Hey guys. It's been a while since my last challenge! At least since my last ecard challenge...cause my recent one was fanart! Thanks to all those that entered it~ <3 I loved all my Belimai entries. ^^
Ok! So onto this challenge...to the rules! As the title may suggest, this challenge has to do with time. No, not just cause this challenge will only last a month...dur hur. But still, don't let the time pass by that quickly!
ANYHOO. For this challenge, I want you to make an inspirational card that deals with time. So basically, the quote has to deal with time in some way. The passage of it. How quickly it goes. Don't waste it. Stuff like that. :) I've realized that I waste a lot of my time on the computer...and I've felt like a lot of my time has been wasted because of my summer classes. Where has my summer gone? Time flew by, and I wish that I savored it better. Before you know it, a day's gone by, a week, a month, a year...and you find yourself wondering, "How did I get this old?" I know I feel like that sometimes.
There you have it. Sounds simple enough, right? Any anime/manga/game/book/show etc. is accepted. Yaoi/yuri totally ok with me, too. <3 I'll judge on adherence to the rules, quality, and creativity.
LIMIT 2 ENTRIES PER PERSON. Alright, you have one month! Times goes by quickly, so make sure to use it wisely. ^_~ Sorry that it's only a month, but I honestly didn't want to do another 2 monther...the end will get too deep into school time.
**Edit: I'll also accept romantic or friendship cards, as long as they deal with time! So they don't JUST have to be inspirational. :) Just make sure they aren't downers lol.
*****NOTE: By "time" don't mean that it just has to have the WORD TIME in it...it's any measure of time, like days, months, years, etc.


text:
Select from 90+ open-source applications
Get any stack you want running in minutes, and never think about upgrades again.
temporal deployed on plural
Available providers
Plural helps you deploy and manage the lifecycle of open-source applications on Kubernetes. Our platform combines the scalability and observability benefits of managed SaaS with the data security, governance, and compliance benefits of self-hosting Temporal.
If you need more than just Temporal, look for other cloud-native and open-source tools in our marketplace of curated applications to leapfrog complex deployments and get started quickly.
plural bundle install temporal temporal-aws
plural build
plural deploy --commit "deploying temporal"
We make it easy to securely deploy and manage open-source applications in your cloud.
Get any stack you want running in minutes, and never think about upgrades again.
You control everything. No need to share your cloud account, keys, or data.
Built on Kubernetes and using standard infrastructure as code with Terraform and Helm.
Interactive runbooks, dashboards, and Kubernetes api visualizers give an easy-to-use toolset to manage application operations.
Build your custom stack with over 90+ apps in the Plural Marketplace.
Fnatic is a leading global esports performance brand headquartered in London, focused on leveling up gamers. At the core of Fnatic's success is its best-in-class data team. The Fnatic data team relies on third-party applications to serve different business functions with every member of the organization utilizing data daily. While having access to an abundance of data is great, it opens up a degree of complexity when it comes to answering critical business questions and in-game analytics for gaming members.
To answer these questions, the data team began constructing a data stack to solve these use cases. Since the team at Fnatic are big fans of open-source they elected to build their stack with popular open-source technologies.


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People with boobs that are more full on the bottom are likely to have more luck with bras that have a tighter upper section, like Bravissimo's Alana and Dotty Spot or Freya's Arabella. On the other hand, these women might find they need to size up with bras that give a lot of uplift by pushing the bottom of the breast tissue, like Curvy Kate's Thrill Me and Tease Me styles. Women with this shape will also have an easier time fitting into full-coverage bras, though they may find that style doesn't give as much support and uplift as they'd like. I have no scientific data on breast shape, but from people I have talked to, and my observations of bra designs that sell well, I believe the full on the bottom shape may be the most common shape.
Other women have boobs that are more full on the sides, which I imagine would mean they are better suited to wide underwires; or full in the middle, in which case you might find you 'fall out' of plunge bras in the center. Or, some people's shape might combine several of the shapes I've described. If you've tried lots of bras and have never noticed any of these effects, you might have a balanced shape that doesn't skew to any one direction, which could be good, and mean you fit in a lot of different styles.
If you haven't been able to try on a lot of bras, you can also start to guess your breast shape based on the shape of your boobs without a bra. See if you can tell where most of the volume of your boobs is, and where they are most firm. For instance, my full-on-top boobs have the most volume on top, and that area is also very firm compared to everywhere else. Your monthly breast self-exam is a good time to investigate your shape while you're at it.


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With the Eagles job taken and the Jaguars showing no apparent interest in hiring him and the Cardinals highly unlikely to re-hire him, former Arizona coach Ken Whisenhunt appears to be out of head-coaching options.
And so, according to Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Daily News, Whisenhunt could be the next offensive coordinator in Denver.
It's unclear whether Bowen is reporting the move as a done deal. He says he's "hearing" it, which may or may not be some sort of journalistic safe harbor on Twitter.
Making the move a little surprising is that Whisenhunt will be working for free, unless the Broncos pay him more to be the offensive coordinator than the Cardinals were going to pay him to coach. (Not even the Cardinals are that cheap.)
But it's a smart investment of his time. Whisenhunt already was likely to be on the list of coaching candidates in 2014; if the Broncos have another playoff season, Whisenhunt will be even more desirable. The only potential drawback is that the Broncos could play so deep into the 2013 postseason that no team will wait to hire him.
For that reason, Whisenhunt should consider asking for his official title to be "consultant," which would allow him to take a head-coaching job elsewhere before Denver's postseason run ends.
With quarterback Peyton Manning essentially running the show, the Broncos would likely be fine.


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Love made Edith Windsor a married woman. Widowhood made her a gay rights pioneer.
Facing a big tax bill after the death of her first spouse, Windsor took on the federal law that prevented her from enjoying the same inheritance tax break she would have gotten if she was married to a man.
She took the fight to the Supreme Court, which struck down critical parts of a U.S. marriage law in a ruling that helped pave a path toward legalizing same-sex nuptials nationwide.
Windsor, who marveled at the arc of gay rights in her lifetime, died Tuesday in New York at age 88, said her lawyer, Roberta Kaplan. The cause of her death wasn't given, but she had struggled with heart issues.
"I grew up knowing that society thought I was inferior," she said in 2012. "Did I ever think we would be discussing equality in marriage? Never. It was just so far away."
Windsor was 81 when she brought a lawsuit that proved to be a turning point for gay rights. The impetus was the 2009 death of her spouse, Thea Spyer, a psychologist.
The women had married legally in Canada in 2007 after spending more than 40 years together, but under the U.S. Defense of Marriage Act she was barred from getting the usual exemption from federal taxes on Spyer's estate. That meant Windsor faced a $360,000 tax bill that heterosexual couples would not have.
Outraged, she went to court, knowing that the case was about more than taxes or even marriage.
"It's a very important case. It's bigger than marriage, and I think marriage is major. I think if we win, the effect will be the beginning of the end of stigma," she said in 2012 after the Supreme Court agreed to hear the case.
Win she did: The justices ruled 5-4 in June 2013 that a provision in the law barring the U.S. government from recognizing same-sex unions was unconstitutional.
The opinion didn't legalize same-sex marriage, but it marked a key moment of encouragement for gay marriage supporters then confronting a nationwide patchwork of laws that outlawed such unions in roughly three dozen states.
It also affronted conservatives who hewed to defining marriage as between a man and a woman. Then-Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia predicted the ruling would be used to upend state restrictions on marriage and warned: "The only thing that will 'confine' the court's holding is its sense of what it can get away with."
Ultimately, the opinion in Windsor's case became the basis for a wave of federal court rulings that struck down state marriage bans and led to a 2015 Supreme Court ruling giving same-sex couples the right to marry from coast to coast.
Former President Barack Obama called Windsor one of the "quiet heroes" whose persistence had furthered the cause of equality.
"Few were as small in stature as Edie Windsor—and few made as big a difference to America," Obama said in a statement Tuesday, adding that he had spoken to her a few days earlier.
Anthony Romero, the executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union, called Windsor "one of this country's great civil rights pioneers."
Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, said he was heartbroken by the death of a woman who "embodied the New York spirit, taking it upon herself to tear down barriers for others."
Windsor was born in Philadelphia and moved to Manhattan in the early 1950s after a brief marriage to a man. The marriage ended after she told him she was gay.
Spyer came into her life in 1963, and they became a couple two years later. In court documents, Windsor said she told Spyer, "'If it still feels this goofy joyous, I'd like us to spend the rest of our lives together.' And we did."
Concerned that an engagement ring would bring unwanted attention to Windsor's sexual orientation, Spyer gave her a diamond brooch instead. It was, Windsor later said in court documents, "just one of many ways in which Thea and I had to mold our lives to make our relationship invisible."
Spyer was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1977. The women married in Canada when they realized they might not live long enough to see New York legalize same-sex marriage. It did in 2011.
Last year, Windsor married her current spouse, Judith Kasen-Windsor, a banker.


text: "Asylum of Fear" follows a team of paranormal investigators as they go on one last job to a haunted mental institution where children have reportedly gone missing. While searching for evidence of what is haunting the abandoned building, they stumble upon clues that reveal what made the former head doctor snap and go on a killing spree through the halls decades earlier. Unfortunately, the more they uncover, the more they struggle to make it out of the asylum alive because something inside wants that mystery to stay dead and buried.


text:
151 Certain people came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the believers: "Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved." 2 This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute and debate with them. So Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question. 3 The church sent them on their way, and as they traveled through Phoenicia and Samaria, they told how the Gentiles had been converted. This news made all the believers very glad. 4 When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and elders, to whom they reported everything God had done through them. 5 Then some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, "The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to keep the law of Moses."
6 The apostles and elders met to consider this question. 7 After much discussion, Peter got up and addressed them: "Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe. 8 God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. 9 He did not discriminate between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith. 10 Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of Gentiles a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors have been able to bear? 11 No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are." 12 The whole assembly became silent as they listened to Barnabas and Paul telling about the signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them. 13 When they finished, James spoke up. "Brothers," he said, "listen to me. 14 Simon[1] has described to us how God first intervened to choose a people for his name from the Gentiles. 15 The words of the prophets are in agreement with this, as it is written: 16 " 'After this I will return and rebuild David's fallen tent. Its ruins I will rebuild, and I will restore it, 17 that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord, even all the Gentiles who bear my name, says the Lord, who does these things'[2] - 18 things known from long ago.[3] 19 "It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God. 20 Instead we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood. 21 For the law of Moses has been preached in every city from the earliest times and is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath."
22 Then the apostles and elders, with the whole church, decided to choose some of their own men and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They chose Judas (called Barsabbas) and Silas, men who were leaders among the believers. 23 With them they sent the following letter: The apostles and elders, your brothers, To the Gentile believers in Antioch, Syria and Cilicia: Greetings. 24 We have heard that some went out from us without our authorization and disturbed you, troubling your minds by what they said. 25 So we all agreed to choose some men and send them to you with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul- 26 men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27 Therefore we are sending Judas and Silas to confirm by word of mouth what we are writing. 28 It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements: 29 You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things. FAREWELL. 30 So the men were sent off and went down to Antioch, where they gathered the church together and delivered the letter. 31 The people read it and were glad for its encouraging message. 32 Judas and Silas, who themselves were prophets, said much to encourage and strengthen the believers. 33 After spending some time there, they were sent off by the believers with the blessing of peace to return to those who had sent them.[4] 35 But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, where they and many others taught and preached the word of the Lord.
36 Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, "Let us go back and visit the believers in all the towns where we preached the word of the Lord and see how they are doing." 37 Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark, with them, 38 but Paul did not think it wise to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the work. 39 They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus, 40 but Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the believers to the grace of the Lord. 41 He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.


text:
Jeffrey C. Carrier
Emeritus Professor of Biology
B.S., University of Miami 1971
M.S., University of Miami 1973
Ph.D., University of Miami 1974
Appointed: 1979
Retired: 2010
Expertise Areas: Reproductive behaviors, and growth and movements of nurse sharks of the Florida Keys
Research Interests:
Dr. Carrier is a physiologist whose primary research interests concern aging, growth, migration, and reproductive biology of nurse sharks (Ginglymostoma cirratum) in the Florida Keys. Carrier and his colleagues have systematically studied a breeding population of sharks for more than eighteen years and have documented the relationship between the breeding population and the research site, now a protected area. The studies have further revealed the gestation period for this species, demonstrated multiple paternity in litters, and have begun to unravel an intricate social order in this little studied group of marine fish. His most recent investigations have employed remote sensing technologies to track short and long-term movements of sharks and, in collaboration with the Remote Imaging Laboratory of the National Geographic Society, have used animal-borne video and data recording systems (CritterCam) to explore more intimate aspects of shark mating behaviors. Carrier and his students have appeared in 17 shows produced for network and cable television ranging from National Geographic Explorer, CritterCam Chronicles, and Discovery Channel specials to Florida Public Television documentaries and segments for Jack Hanna's Animal Adventures and Fox's Wild Animal Moments.


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Neurodegenerative diseases
Although neurodegenerative diseases are traditionally described as protein disorders leading to amyloidosis, very recent evidence indicates that protein-RNA associations are involved in their onset. We are interested in ribonucleoprotein interactions linked to inherited intellectual disability, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Creutzfeuld-Jakob, Alzheimer's, and Parkinson's diseases. We recently focused on RNA interactions with fragile X mental retardation protein FMRP; protein sequestration caused by CGG repeats; noncoding transcripts regulated by TAR DNA-binding protein 43 TDP-43; autogenous regulation of TDP-43 and FMRP; iron-mediated expression of amyloid precursor protein APP and α-synuclein; interactions between prions and RNA aptamers. Our results are in striking agreement with experimental evidence and provide new insights in processes associated with neuronal function and disfunction.
Functional and dysfunctional ribonucleoprotein networks
RNA-binding proteins regulate a number of cellular processes, including synthesis, folding, translocation, assembly and clearance of RNAs. Recent studies have reported that an unexpectedly large number of proteins are able to interact with RNA, but the partners of many RNA-binding proteins are still uncharacterized. Our integration of in silico and ex vivo data unraveled two major types of protein–RNA interactions, with positively correlated patterns related to cell cycle control and negatively correlated patterns related to survival, growth and differentiation. Our analysis sheds light on the role of RNA-binding proteins in regulating proliferation and differentiation processes, and we provide a data exploration tool to aid future studies
Analysis of protein networks
The recent shift towards high-throughput screening is posing new challenges for the interpretation of experimental results. We designed the cleverSuite approach for large-scale characterization of protein groups. The central part of the cleverSuite is the cleverMachine (CM), an algorithm that performs statistics on protein sequences by comparing their physico-chemical propensities. The second element is called cleverClassifier and builds on top of the models generated by the CM to allow classification of new datasets. We already applied the cleverSuite to predict secondary structure properties, solubility, chaperone requirements and RNA-binding abilties. Using cross-validation and independent datasets, the cleverSuite reproduces experimental findings with great accuracy and provides models that can be used for future investigations.


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14 Spiffy Babies Sporting Mustaches
Movember might be long over, but that doesn't mean we're still not mustache fans. We're actually dedicated, year-round fans of the crumb catchers, so it's always exciting to discover another 'stache trend on the Web.
Actually, we recently came across an unexpected group of little people sporting some classy upper lip hair more often than we realize. We'll give you a hint: they're usually bald. They're master photobombers. That's right, folks-- babies love the ole' mustachios. Strangely enough, munchkins look extra cute with them, too! But are you really surprised? Although we're semi-jealous, babies make anything ten times more adorable.
For no other reason than we love us some cute kiddos and spiffy 'staches, check out some mustache-clad babies.


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108110 - Stockholms slott med krona
108110 - Stockholms slott med krona
Stockholms slott och kunglig krona på Skeppsholmsbron
Image usage
Read moreYou can use images to sketch with on your computer or mobile device. Click on the image and drag it to the desktop of your computer, or select "Save image" on mobile or padda. After purchasing and downloading the original high-quality image, you can use it as many times as you like, for as long as you want.
Image quality
Small - 1080px is optimized for web and social media.
Medium - 3500px is optimized for printing up to size A4.
Large - 5000px is optimized for prints up to A3 size.
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Friday, November 30, 2012
Tapestries and An Exciting Auction
It's been a busy week, but I didn't want to leave for the weekend without mentioning an exciting upcoming auction. Arader Galleries will be hosting an auction on December 5 that will include such lots as rare maps, atlases, globes, and Audubons. But what I think many of you will be interested in are the pair of exquisite Gobelin tapestries once owned by the great tastemaker, Carlos de Beisteigui, and installed at his Palazzo Labia. If you visit the auction's online catalogue, you can see photos of the tapestries and read more about their provenances. (You can also see one of the tapestries in situ in one of my previous blog posts; click here to read it.)
Tapestries have long been coveted by tastemakers, including the Duchess of Montesquieu-Fezensac (at top), Robert David Lion Gardiner (below), and Harold K. Vanderbilt (at bottom). In each of these Slim Aarons' photos, the tapestries almost upstage the stylish subjects...and that's not an easy thing to do.
For more information on the Arader Galleries/Guernsey's auction, please click here.
All photos from A Wonderful Time: An Intimate Portrait of the Good Life and Slim Aarons: Once Upon A Time.
5 comments:
Jennifer, I used a smallish one, in a red Dining Room I decorated here in Naples, many years ago. It still looks great, and relevant to the space, kind of an Anglo-Indian theme to it...I do love the very grand ones seen in european castles, palaces, and chateaux as well, however dear they may be! But not the black velvet ones you see sold on the street in certain cities...LOL
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A weekly meme where readers share the first sentence of the book they are reading and say what they think. Hosted by the wonderful Gillion Dumas of Rose City Reader.
It was a dark and stormy night.
In her attic bedroom Margaret Murry, wrapped in an old patchwork quilt, sat on the foot of her bed and watched trees tossing in the frenzied lashing of the wind. Behind the trees clouds scudded frantically across the sky. Every few moments the moon ripped through them, creating wraith-like shadows that raced along the ground.
A weekly meme in which readers share a random sentence or two from page 56 or 56% of the book they are reading. Hosted by the wonderful Freda of Freda's Voice.
The trees were lashed into a violent frenzy. Meg screamed and clutched at Calvin, and Mrs. Which's authoritative voice called out, "Qquiett, chilldd!"
Did a shadow fall across the moon or did the moon simply go out, extinguished as abruptly and completely as a candle? There was still the sound of leaves, a terrified, terrifying rushing. All light was gone. Darkness was complete.Suddenly the wind was gone, and all sound. [page 56]
My thoughts: You would almost think that page 56 is close to the beginning of the book, the way the theme of the storm has continued to this point, wouldn't you? I assure you though, much has happened, and something even bigger is about to occur. Can't you just feel it coming reading this passage?
What do you think? Have you read this childhood Classic? Does this sound like something you would be interested in reading?
While I still found it entertaining, Ashlyn Chase's Hooked on a Phoenix didn't quite work for me when all was said and done.
On the other hand, my favorite read of the month was The Book of Unknown Americans by Cristina Henríquez. It was an emotional and poignant novel about two immigrant families in the United States.
© 2018, Musings of a Bookish Kitty. All Rights Reserved. If you're reading this on a site other than Musings of a Bookish Kitty or Wendy's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.


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You've got aches and pains, perhaps a hodgepodge of symptoms. You just want to know what you might have and whether to self-treat, see your doctor, or (oh no) go to the ER. Symcat is a diagnostic tool to help you out.
The smart webapp walks you through what a medical professional might ask in a quick background check, from what your symptoms are and how long you've been experiencing them to how old you are and your gender, and family history of diseases. Symcat then uses clinical data (aggregate patient health records) to predict what could be wrong and give you advice.
This isn't a great tool for hypochondriacs, of course, and you shouldn't rely completely on online symptom checkers like these for all your health needs, but Symcat's intelligent diagnosis—the way it covers both symptoms and your background (anonymously, too)-makes it worth bookmarking. There's an Android app too.
Symcat | via The Atlantic


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That depends on a number of factors - what you're towing or hauling, what features you want, and what cab configuration works best for you. Read more in my story over at the Toronto Star.
« John Krsteski: Making Hyundai look good | Main | Driving history: A century of Dodge »
I'm a freelance writer and a member of the Automobile Journalists of Canada. My regular outlets include new-car reviews and special-interest articles for National Post and its Driving.ca website; new-car reviews and features for AutoTrader.ca; features for Automotive News Canada; articles on antique cars for Old Autos Newspaper; and articles in the industry trade magazines Collision Management, Fleet Digest and Tire News. You can still find my work at Autos.ca, where I wrote reviews and features, and was the Assistant Editor. For almost three decades, I wrote for the Toronto Star's Wheels section, and also contributed to the newspaper Metro.
But I'm more than just cars: I also write about food and drink, travel, pen collecting, celebrity interviews and pets, among others. My work has appeared in such publications as Sharp For Men, Maclean's, Harrowsmith Country Life, Pen World, Dogs In Canada, Gambit, Where New Orleans, Rural Delivery and Writer's Journal.


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A chameleon (Johnny Depp) who has lived as a sheltered family pet finds himself in the grip of an identity crisis. Rango wonders how to stand out when it is his nature to blend in. When he accidentally winds up in a frontier town called Dirt, he takes the first step on a transformational journey as the town's new sheriff. Though at first Rango only role-plays, a series of thrilling situations and outrageous encounters forces him to become a real hero.
Johnny Depp, Isla Fisher, Abigail Breslin
Gore Verbinski


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So you're engaged! And about to embark on planning the biggest day of your life! Now picturing the perfect day I'm sure all sorts of details spring to mind… Who will be there? What colour will the bridesmaid's dresses be? What type of flowers will you use? Will that one relative drink everyone else under the table and take up 90% of your bar tab again? (You all know the one I'm talking about).
But as with everything in life, getting married is expensive, and requires months of careful planning and organising for your day to turn out exactly as you imagine it. The best possible point you and your partner can start this process with is deciding on a budget, and sticking to it! Whether it's a $5,000 budget or a $50,000 budget, careful consideration needs to be implemented for every expense.
- Create a breakdown of expenses, things that the wedding cannot move forward without… Rings, a celebrant, a photographer and a venue are a great starting point. Other accessories can be added at a later date when you know how much wiggle room you have within your budget after all the essential expenses are out of the way.
- Start small! It is easier to add more people to the invitation list at a later date than have to explain to guests that unfortunately your budget no longer covers their attendance at your big day.
- Organisation is key to avoid your wedding spending spiralling out of control, make a list of the items you need, and pay things like deposits well in advance to avoid excessive expenditures all piling up at once!
- Do your own research! Don't rely on second hand information or "average" prices you find online or in magazines, find your preferred suppliers and negotiate a proper price to avoid paying excess hidden fees at a later date.
- Create a contingency budget. Unexpected expenses happen when planning an event this large, and the last thing you want is to be left without an essential item at the last minute. A contingency budget gives you that backup should the worst occur.
- Remember the small expenses! They all add up eventually! Things like postage and party favours may not immediately spring to mind when you think of your wedding, but beneath the surface is a long list of expenses which needs to be catered for within any budget!
Your big day is important, and creating a budget will ensure that your married life can get off to the best possible start.


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There are two main types of Rottweilers; the German Rottweiler and the American Rottweiler. The German Rottweiler tends to be slightly larger and blockier than the American Rottweiler, although there is little else to distinguish the two breeds. Although the Rottweiler has received some bad press in recent years for its volatility, this is actually a very loyal breed of dog. Although the tail of the Rottweiler is usually docked for show purposes, this practice has been outlawed in most of Europe.
The Rottweiler was originally bred in the town of Wurttemberg in Germany and is believed to be descended from the Italian Mastiff. The Rottweiler was widely used as a working dog in the Middle Ages and was used as a guard dog, a police dog, a herder and a messenger dog. The German Rottweiler Club was established in Germany in 1907, while the International Rottweiler Club was established later in the same year and both of these clubs helped to set the standard for the Rottweiler breed.
Body Type
Rottweilers have muscular, powerful bodies with broad heads and rounded foreheads. They have well-developed muzzles, while their teeth come together in a scissors bite. They are characterised by a black nose and lips, while the inside of the mouth tends to be dark. While their medium-sized eyes are typically dark brown, Rottweilers occasionally have blue eyes, while they may also have one dark brown eye and one blue eye. The rear dewclaws of the Rottweiler are often removed, while the breed features a broad and deep chest. The Rottweiler is covered with short, thick fur, which is black with mahogany and rust markings on the muzzle, cheeks, legs and paws. Some Rottweilers also feature red fur with brown markings, which is a result of a deficiency in the hair gene.
The Rottweiler is prized for its competitive obedience and is widely used for tasks such as search and rescue, tracking, guiding the blind and disabled and carting. However, the Rottweiler's gentle nature and loyalty also make it a good family dog. The Rottweiler is calm and easily trainable, especially if training is started from an early age. The breed needs a firm hand to control its massive bulk and responds well to commands. It is important to establish dominance over this breed so that it does not try to be act as the pack leader. The Rottweiler can live alongside other household pets if introduced to them as a puppy.
Associated Health Problems
The Rottweiler is prone to a number of health problems such as dysplasia and ACL damage, while entropion, which is the narrowing of the gap between the eyelids, can also occur. Rottweilers tend to snore when they sleep and their diet and food intake need to be monitored carefully to make sure that they do not overeat.
Living Conditions
Rottweilers can live either indoors or outdoors and require only minimal space for exercise in a yard or home.
Exercise and Care
The Rottweiler requires lots of exercise and/or work in order to thrive. In addition to long walks, Rottweilers also enjoy activities such as swimming, running alongside bicycles and playing ball games. Their fur is easy to groom and can be brushed with a firm bristled brush.
Breed Stats
Height of males: 61-69cms
Height of females: 56-63cms
Weight of males: 43-59kg
Weight of females: 38-52kg
Life expectancy: 10-12 years
Litter size: litters tend to be large, consisting of 10-12 puppies
Group: Mastiff, AKC Working
Recognition: AKC, CKC, FCI, UKC, KCGB, ANKC, NKC, CKC, NZKC, APRI, DRA, CRC, ACR, DRK, IRK, ACA, NAPR


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Father Paul Ordained into the Priesthood
Father Paul Davis was ordained into the Holy Priesthood on September 8, 2013 at St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Cathedral in New York, NY, by His Eminence Archbishop Justinian of Naro-Fominsk, Administrator of the Patrial Parishes in the United States. Before being ordained, father Paul served as Deacon at St. Nicholas Parish in Brookside, Alabama for 20 years.
Many Years!
Father Benedict on St Nicholas Parish History
When the Slavic immigrants came to Brookside and founded this Orthodox Parish in 1894, they were preparing not only a place in which they could worship in the True Faith, but a legacy for their descendants.
For over 120 years this Parish has existed as an island of Orthodoxy in a land predominately Protestant. A great number of marriages have been solemnized, baptisms and chrismations performed, and burial provided for those fallen asleep in the Faith. Innumerable Divine Liturgies have been celebrated, and uncountable numbers of prayers offered in the Temples of this Parish by faithful and pious Orthodox Christians down through the years. The peace and solace of the knowledge of the Truth Faith of Christ has comforted them through their lives.
And not only the descendants of the immigrants, but increasing numbers of converts, children of converts, grandchildren and great-grandchildren of converts have become members and call this Parish their home Parish. God has provided for them even as he provided for the descendants of the pious immigrants in 1894.
God has indeed provided for us. Once feeling somewhat isolated in this area from the Orthodox mainstream, we have come to know that we are, indeed, an integral part of world-wide Orthodoxy, brothers and sisters to countless millions around the globe, and especially that we are a part of the glorious Church of Russia; the Church of Saints, of martyrs and peerless servants of Christ. We feel a strong bond, not only those of Slavic descent, but those of us of other European descent, with the Church of Russia, and we give thanks to Almighty God that He has made us part of Her.
As we begin the second hundred years of the existence of this Parish, may each of us rededicate ourselves to the continuation to St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church, and to the furtherance of the True Faith in harmony and love as Parish Family.
Most Holy Mother of God, pray for us!
Very Reverend Archpriest
Benedict Tallant


text: Good morning. I'm Leila Fadel. Turns out that New Mexico has too many animals without owners. It also has student pilots who need flight time to graduate. So KRQE in Albuquerque reports that the state is having teenage pilots airlift animals from shelters. They're being flown out of state where they have a better chance of adoption. Seventeen-year-old Cody Anderson helped transport 22 puppies. How's that for a school assignment? It's MORNING EDITION. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.


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