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This is best website for watch full movie online for free without downloading Enjoy intvmovies.com
Well, we have been proved right on both counts. The Salman, Kareena and Nawazuddin starrer touched nearly 104 crore during the opening weekend itself. Additionally BAJRANGI BHAIJAAN beat Aamir's best first week record (180) set by PK, netting above 182 crore.
Coming to the present, BAJRANGI BHAIJAAN has crossed the 250 crore mark on the second Monday itself and is sure to cross the 300 crore mark by the end of its third weekend or a couple of days later.
As far as the overseas is concerned, the blockbuster BAJRANGI BHAIJAAN has grossed $15m at the end of its second weekend, with US accounting for $5.7m.
Read More
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One such 'Calendar girl' is southern actress Avani Modi, whom we caught up with in an exclusive interview. When we asked her how nervous she was and if she felt any pressure, she replied, "There was pressure before I signed CALENDAR GIRLS. That's because there was one month gap between me signing the film and starting the shoot. I felt the pressure of whether I would be able to reach his expectations or not at that time, because he has already launched big stars by then. And he is already a National Award Winner, not once, but he has won it four times. So I was in that pressure, but when I started shooting with Madhur ji, he said that he is more comfortable working with newcomers. He often says that working with newcomers is the best thing to do, because when you have stars, they come with certain baggage. And newcomers are like a blank slate - you can portray whatever you want."
"His confidence made me more strong and confident. I met him two days before the shoot and told him, "Sir, bahut darr lag raha hai (I am very scared)," and he said, "Tension mat le. Main tujhpe tere se zyaada confident hoon (I am more confident about you than you are about yourself). Main tere se kaam nikalwa loonga (I will make you work). So after hearing his views on me, I was very confident and all my nervousness was gone," she added.
We too believe in your confidence, and wish CALENDAR GIRLS is truly a dream project not only for you and the other girls, but also Madhur Bhandarkar!
Riteish Deshmukh started off by saying, "I am such a foodie that I came here and had a burger."
Pulkit Samrat added cuteness quotient to it by saying, "He ate the one that I had left."
Well, if one remembers, the two had fondly enjoyed their Eid feast at Mohammed Ali Road only recently to show that they live to eat.
The EK VILLAIN actor said, "We (Pulkit and I) love food. We've been dining together a lot." Added Pulkit, "Riteish and I have bonded the most over food."
Well, we only hope your bond gets stronger by the day!
Her father is a lawyer, her grandfather a scholar and Shreya Narayan, who grew up in Jaipur and Delhi, has an MBA under her belt. In spite of education and public service being their mainstay, she found a way to fly out of Muzaffarpur to the city of dreams, much to the chagrin of her parents.
SAHEB BIWI AUR GANGSTER got her the recognition she was looking for, but post that Tigmanshu Dhulia gem, things have not been all that rosy. However, in the last few months, work has picked up pace and the actor is working with a new zeal.
She has gotten into production with the Nana Patekar-Mahie Gill starrer WEDDING ANNIVERSARY. "This is a step towards putting my MBA skills to use," she jokes. Apart from that she is currently shooting for Anurag Basu's Rabindranath Tagore Story TWO SISTERS, has a cameo in Tigmanshu Dhulia's upcoming film, YAARA, and a miniseries which is to start next month.
Presenting Shreya Narayan, MBA, actor, lyricist (she wrote Sharm Laaj for GULAAB GANG, and now a producer.
Excerpts from an interview with Martin D'Souza
So much of academics in your family, how did you manage to sneak out?
I wanted to spread my wings beyond academics...fly, feel free! I joined NK Sharma's Act One Group and dabbled in theatre for a while. I was hooked.
Acting seemed to have always been at the back of your mind.
I did not know ABC of the film world. Films were a no-no at home. I grew up around books. Films happened naturally after theatre.
How did SAHEB BIWI AUR GANGSTER come about?
Mukesh Chabbra sent me to meet Tigmanshu Dhulia, who already knew me since he had auditioned me before. He remembered my audition distinctly, and I was signed immediately.
Did you expect the accolades after the performance as Mahua, Saheb's mistress?
Yes I did. Absolutely!
Confidence seems to be your middle name?
[Laughs] I felt confident because I had worked very hard to be at ease in my character. There were difficult scenes but I was able to pull them off.
Has the industry been kind to you; is it difficult to get a role?
The industry is not one person; yet what one person does others follow. In the midst of this, there are few who do their own thing. We say that things work this way, or that way; but there is no particular way. I follow my instincts, and take life as it comes. However, I must admit that it is not difficult to get a role you do not want to play!
Basically, you are saying there are roles aplenty?
There are all kind of films, all kind of work. But to find roles in the kind of films that one really wants to do is a real challenge.
What you are implying is that talented actors don't get their due?
The industry is full of talented people. It's about timing: meeting the right people. That takes several years. Once you are consistently seen, your talent becomes important.
Which means talent 'in the beginning' is of no value?
Yes, talent is a dispensable factor when it comes to marketability of a film. But then business has always controlled creative pursuits.
Do you think something 'more' needs to be done here, besides being talented? Well, everybody gives work to their own friends. I guess one needs to make friends. But I like travelling inside my own being, rather than go begging. When we meet those in positions of power who respect sincerity rather than cronyism, people like me do very well.
And what happens when you meet people who are not looking for talent?
Cheap men are certainly the main impediment. But the Universe always finds a way to reward the committed!
Cheap meaning men who want to give work in return for 'favours'?
[Laughs] I always find that a number of people have had a break-up and are nursing their broken hearts at the time they are casting for a film. And a needy actress is good with nursing these broken hearts!
How would you rate your journey so far?
Sometimes the road is long, but in India most have potholes! Good work satisfies, bad work frustrates. It is all moment to moment. However, I find stereotyping very frustrating. I am an actor; with the right guidance, I can play anything!
SAMRAT and SUPER NANI were not successful commercially. Did that dampen your spirit?
Both these movies were taken up at the time when my mother was suffering from cancer. I'm just grateful I did them. It helped me keep my mind off the personal trauma I was going through and most importantly, people on the sets were extremely helpful. So in that sense both these films gave me a sense of calm which I would not have found had I just been running from hospital to home.
That in a way explains why there has been a lull in your career...
Yes, you could say that. My career went through a lull. My mom's cancer and her passing away took its toll on me. I faced the hurdles bravely and have landed on solid ground.
Did you, during the lull moment, ever think of doing South movies?
I wish I knew the right people down South, but I do not. But my Bharat Matrimony advertisement hoardings are all over South India right now. And that has got me noticed. Who knows what the South has in store.
What according to you defines a good performance?
Fearlessness while performing, but that's a tall order. I enjoy working on my character and do wonderfully when the director is an encouraging presence. Business-like work kills performance.
How do you choose your roles?
I am looking to feel excited. A role of a bore too could be exciting! It should be a well-etched role, an un-editable part of the story. And it should not be something I have felt pakaoed doing before. Of course the director matters the most. But I have added a tall order to my list: I want to work with good people. Ethics matter!
What has been your biggest disappointment here?
Feudalism. Shameful hierarchy. Money is God. Stardom is God's Father. Many creative, respected minds are the most corrupt ones. These contradictions are hard to digest.
Do you have any friends in this industry you can bank upon, someone who can take the sting away from these contradictions?
God. He is running this industry.
Agrees Avani, "You are right about Gujarati theatre and Paresh ji (there are many others!). Apart from that, I also have two Tamil films as also modelling experience."
Talking about CALANDER GIRLS Avani told us, "CALANDER GIRLS is not just about models and modelling. It is about how five different characters have different destiny. CALANDER GIRLS also talks about how no one can say where life will take them and how one has to come to terms with facts and destiny."
Just revealing that she plays a model who goes by the name of Nazneen Malik, the vivacious Avani parted ways, promising to tell us her exact role and her experience of working with National Award winning director, Madhur Bhandarkar.
Ask the director how he decided to cast Ajay and he says, "It was very simple actually. I wanted a hero who was in his mid-forties with two kids. So my list was already very short. And even in that I needed someone with intense eyes. So the obvious choice was Ajay. He has not played something like this in a very long time. He was doing mainly action films. Here was a character who doesn't even slap anyone in the entire film. So he also liked the idea of playing a different character and came on board."
It'll indeed be a refreshing change to see Ajay in a film which is not typically comedy or action - genres in which we have seen him so many times that we've lost count.
Did a tree or something inspire her to wear this outfit? We're really confused?!
This is one weird combination. Isn't it?
We were first confused if this is Huma or no. But then that was not what shocked us, our eyes were left wide open with that choice of outfit.
We'll need glares to directly look at her in this shining dress.
Why does this outfit made in the first place?
Why? Why this dress?
This makes you look so dull, why you choose this?
Ditto like a wall!
What exactly is this?
We're actually out of words now.
If you've loved/liked/hated the film, and have any questions for the cast and crew, here's your chance. You can catch director Neeraj Ghaywan, actors Richa Chadha and Vicky Kaushal and co-writer Varun Grover in a Google Hangout discussing the film tomorrow 29th July at 1.30 pm.
So don't forget to log on to www.youtube.com/glamsham tomorrow!
Recently, our PMO Narendra Modi took some time out of his busy schedule to specially meet the BAAHUBALI actor. Not only this, even India's Home Minister Rajnath Singh had a brief meeting with him. Prabhas shared about the same on a social networking site.
Now he bumped into Bollywood actor Ajay Devgn, who was in Delhi lately to visit BJP Leader (National President) Amit Shah. We hear Prabhas who came to know that Ajay Devgn is put up in the same hotel, he requested his team to meet 'Singham' as he is huge fan of Ajay Devgn! Ajay Devgn was too delighted to meet the 'man of the moment' Prabhas in the national capital, as he has seen the film BAAHUBALI and absolutely loved it.
Prabhas was quite thrilled and excited to meet the reel life Singham in real, and introduced his family also to the actor. They spoke briefly about movies, and Prabhas even wished Ajay good luck for his forthcoming film DRISHYAM and told him he would be watching it soon!
Well, even we were equally 'thrilled' and 'delighted' to catch 'Baahubali' and 'Singham' in one frame!
Akanksha feels Madhur, being the pioneer and flag-bearer of women centric films (like CHANDNI BAR, PAGE 3, FASHION, HEROINE and others), has a great understanding of women's 'psyche'.
Akanksha, who has worked with Madhur, says, "I am quite surprised to come across a man, who truly understands the whole psyche of women. And that's the reason he is able to make this kind of cinema so well. He exactly knows how the women folks would react to a particular point or how they will behave in a particular situation and that's what also shows in his films as well."
She further shares her experience working with the master filmmaker.
"More than a director, Madhur has always been a very good friend and family to all of us. We are very free to talk to him and comfortable. He is so clear of what he wants and that makes easy for us also. He has the habit of changing reactions and does not stick to the script by word. He has the ability to change the scenes or reactions (of the actors) as per his understanding," says the newbie.
Besides Akanksha Puri, Madhur also introduces four new faces Ruhi Singh, Avani Modi, Kyra Dutt, Satarupa Pyne with CALENDAR GIRLS


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Dat Phan is back for the first time this year. Whoa. This is weird; as I am writing this, I just saw his television commercial for DirecTV called "The Whale." I almost forgot how good of a character actor he is. Funny commercial, too.
Is it just me, or is Dat always happy? OK, we know he's funny, but even offstage he has this enthusiasm that is definitely infectious. I can't even remember a time when he was really downtrodden. Must be why he loves performing and making people laugh. That is a very good quality to have in this business, and it shows with the Dat.
Dat Phan is a driven guy. I mean, he never seems to miss an opportunity to perform - be it on stage, on a movie set, for a corporate event, a fundraiser, you name it. And he had this drive long before he won that very first season of "Last Comic Standing" on NBC. After that, things really kicked into gear, appearing on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," "The Tyra Banks Show" and doing constant voiceover work, such as his stint on "Family Guy." Dat actually has to book time when he wants to sleep, but even that gets canceled at times.
Dat Phan was born Dat Tien Phan in Saigon, Vietnam, but grew up in San Diego. He attended public schools and eventually moved to Los Angeles after graduating high school. He didn't have it easy and for a while was living out of his car, taking whatever work he could get while perfecting his standup routine. He caught a break answering phones for The Improv in Hollywood on Melrose Avenue. Not exactly a gig to retire on, but it offered him something more valuable: getting stage time at the famed comedy club at night after doing the phone gig during the daytime hours. It eventually paid off once that little reality comedy television show came long on NBC. As mentioned, he's done movies, TV specials and has some pretty good merchandise available after his shows (and online) that you can purchase, too. His latest DVD, "Dat Phan Live," which is available from Amazon.com, is a collection of some of the funniest bits I've ever heard and a testament that his act just keeps getting better. His album "You Touch, You Buy," is also pretty funny and available on iTunes.
He's been a mentor to young Asian comics just starting out and also to those not even in the entertainment business. I think that's why he's been rewarded by such prestigious organizations as The Smithsonian Institute when he was mentioned for their "Top 10 Most Influential Vietnamese-American Individuals."
David Gee can currently be seen on Showtime as part of Rita Rudner 's special "Rita Rudner And 3 Potential Ex-Husbands," which was filmed at the California Theatre in San Bernardino in front of a live, sold-out crowd of 1,700. Personally, with apologies to the other acts, Gee stole the show. In addition to just being funny, Gee does some of the most amazing impressions ever. What's even more funny is how he sets up the characters he's about to do. You have to see it for yourself, it's that good and, if you saw his Showtime stint, you know exactly what I mean. I think this special is by far one of his best ever. It's just another in a long line of credits that Gee has amassed over the years (decades). Gee (who dropped the "k" for professional reasons) is, without a doubt, one of the best hosts and emcees in the business.
It was Gee who mentored me when I first got the gig as the host/emcee for The Improv starting in Reno some 14 years ago, and even through the present up here in Tahoe. He's very gracious that way. Either that or he's still giving me pointers because I haven't yet gotten it right.
David has appeared on "The Tonight Show," was a semi-finalist on ABC's "The Next Best Thing," "Access Hollywood," "Entertainment Tonight" and, as I mentioned earlier, is a great host who is constantly tapped to host numerous fundraisers, celebrity golfing events, and isn't bad at writing poetry (OK, hilarious poetry) that, if we're lucky, finds its way into his stand-up routine.
He is by far the most well-respected host in the business.
There are some comics you really look forward to having up here, and Gee is one of those guys. ư

subset: commoncrawl


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- Apr 19:
- Recovery fund established for Martinez boy injured in Boston Marathon bombings
- Boston bombings: TV networks plan prime-time coverage
- Boston bombings: Television can only 'hurry up and wait'
- Boston bombing suspects: Who are the two brothers?
- Police: Suspect who killed MIT cop is dead; second suspect tied to Boston bombing
- Apr 18:
- Boston Marathon bombings: Martinez boy takes 'huge step forward' in his recovery
- Boston bombing suspect on video sought; Obama at memorial: 'You will run again'
- Apr 17:
- Fremont manufacturer's battery was used in Boston bombings
- Boston Marathon bombing: Martinez boy's surgery a success
- Source: Authorities recover pressure cooker lid
- Apr 16:
- Oakland: Vigil, run planned to to honor Boston Marathon victims
- Restaurant manager Krystle Campbell, 29, ID'd as victim in Boston bombing
- Boston bombers will be found and punished
- Boston Marathon bombs were packed into pressure cookers filled with shrapnel
- Apr 15:
- Boston Marathon bombings: Martinez boy, 12, injured by shrapnel, expected to recover
- Purdy: Remember Boston bombing next time in line
- Google helping friends, family locate Boston Marathon runners
- At least one from Bay Area wounded at Boston Marathon
- Boston Marathon explosion: Early photos from the scene
- Boston Marathon explosions: BART, San Francisco step up police presence
- Boston Marathon explosion: Other cities beef up security in response to explosions
- Security beefed up worldwide after bombs at Boston Marathon
- Boston Marathon bombing kills 3, injures over 140
- Boston Marathon: Ethiopia's Desisa, Kenya's Jeptoo win in Boston
BOSTON -- Brentwood resident Megan Faulkner was "teary," she said, as she gathered with her husband, her children, and her parents after completing the Boston Marathon, only her fourth such race.
She ran the race in tribute to her father, who turned 80 this year, and she was emotional as she stood with him in the family meeting area, about half a mile from the finish line, she said. As the group stood together, a pair of explosions went off, killing at least two people and injuring scores more.
Faulkner, a teacher at Marsh Creek Elementary School in Brentwood, and her family were unhurt.
"It's just very somber," Faulkner said via phone less than two hours after the explosions, as she and her family made their way out of the area and back to their hotel. "We saw a lot of people right away, and it was really calm. People are just trying to get out of the downtown area. We're still seeing emergency vehicles making their way to the scene."
Faulkner said the explosions shook the ground, but that people around her did not immediately understand what was unfolding.
"We were unsure at first exactly what happened, but then all of our friends started texting us to make sure we were OK," she said. "The transit is closed underground, and you just have people kind of wandering around and trying to figure out where to go or what they should do."
Faulkner said nothing gave warning of the chaos that ensued.
"It was a gorgeous day. Great weather, great atmosphere," she said. "It was just a great day. Then this happened. No warning whatsoever."
She gave credit to the people of Boston, who she said went out of their way to help guide her family and others as they tried to find their way in the aftermath of the explosions.
"I was very thankful that we weren't there (at the scene of the explosions)," she said. "I told my kids you think about the families (of those injured) ... and all the volunteers and all the medical help."
Pleasanton resident Nancy Morehead finished the race four minutes before the first explosion took place.
"I heard it and I felt it. It shook the ground," said Morehead. "I wasn't very far past the finish line and I turned around and saw the big cloud and all I could think was, 'Just keep moving.' Then the second one went off. I just kept walking."
Morehead, who works as an analyst for East Bay Regional Parks Police, said the first explosion was so loud, she expected to see a building collapse.
Instead, she said, she saw a huge puff of smoke encompass the street.
Her cousin, Lynn Olavarri, of Scotts Valley, finished ahead of her in the race and was concerned about Morehead, she said, because she knew her average time would be around four hours and 10 minutes.
Morehead finished at four hours and five minutes.
The first bomb exploded four minutes later.
Thankfully, she said, she finished faster than expected.
"Luckily, I continued to push toward the end even though my calf was cramping and I thought about slowing down," she said of her 43rd marathon race. "I am very thankful that I didn't."


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Sarah Silverman has one major problem with 'Game Of Thrones'
Sarah Silverman dropped by "Late Night" and got to talking about a mutual love she shares with Jimmy Fallon. They're both huge fans of HBO's "Game of Thrones," which kicked off its third season this past Sunday.
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HERTFORDSHIRE, England -- Running back LaMichael James is stuck in the bench-warmer role where he also spent most of his 2012 rookie season with the 49ers.
"Yeah, it feels like it all over again," James said Thursday. "I'm trying to get better on a really good team."
James has been a healthy scratch the past two games after seeing spot duty in wins over the St. Louis Rams and Houston Texans. He said his playing chances remain a mystery for when the 49ers play Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Wembley Stadium.
"It's just a numbers game," James said. "If you look at the situation we're in, Kendall (Hunter) doesn't get many carries, and we've got defensive linemen hurt, so we've got to carry an extra one. I've just got to be a team player.
"The writing's on the wall. You know the situation. I'm a professional now, and know I've got to take it."
James was one of the best players in Oregon's history -- the school's all-time rushing and touchdown leader -- and he finished third as a Heisman Trophy finalist in 2010.
He figured to emerge this season as a punt returner, a role that instead has exclusively belonged to Kyle Williams, who's averaged 5.7 yards on 10 returns and made 19 fair catches.
Asked if he could soon get a shot as a punt returner, James replied: "Kyle's a great returner. He gets a lot of stuff because of the fair catches, but a lot of time he's forced to fair catch. He does a great job for the team. He doesn't turn the ball over, so big 'ups' to him."
The 49ers will practice Friday at Saracens Rugby Club's Allianz Park in the London borough of Barnet. They'll also move to a London hotel.
Smith said his shoulder has felt "all right" the past couple games, adding: "Hopefully it'll get better during the bye week. Just skipping padded practices (on Wednesdays) has helped."
"Obviously he's not comfortable in the system yet, but when he kind of grasps it, he'll grow by leaps and bounds quickly," defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said of Wright, who last week took scout-team snaps.
For more on the 49ers, see Cam Inman's Hot Read blog at blogs.mercurynews.com/49ers. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/CamInman.


text: Welcome to the Wayne Thomas Batson Forum here at SFF World! I'm the Author of The Door Within Trilogy, a bestselling epic fantasy series for YA readers and anyone else who likes a good fantasy yarn. I guess that makes me your host. So, in the name of the One, True King, ruler of Alleble and The Realm, King Eliam the Everlasting, I bid thee a hearty welcome and well met. I'm going to make this thread a STICKY, so that as folks wander in, they can say hello and tell a little bit about themselves. If you are willing, tell us: • Name or User Name • Interests/Hobbies • Have you read The Door Within Trilogy or not? • Have you read Isle of Swords or not? • Your "Gateway" book--ie, the fantasy book that ushered you into a love for the fantasy genre. • Anything else you want to share.


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SACRAMENTO -- The state Supreme Court will decide Monday whether a shadowy Arizona group will have to hand over records related to an $11 million donation it made last month to a California business PAC.
The court on Friday night agreed to an 11th-hour appeal from Fair Political Practices Commission Chairwoman Ann Ravel and Attorney General Kamala Harris after the state Court of Appeal stunned state attorneys by staying a ruling from a Sacramento judge that required the group to submit to an investigation aimed at determining if the group broke campaign-finance laws. The FPPC wants the group to turn over all communications -- emails, notes of phone calls, letters and minutes of meetings -- related to the donation.
"This matter is urgent, as failure to act immediately will, for practical purposes, deny California voters a right under California law to know before the election whether state campaign finance and reporting laws have been complied with," the FPPC appeal said.
Ravel said the state's highest court will take up the case Monday. "We are extremely pleased the California Supreme Court recognized the significance of this case," she said.
The earlier Court of Appeal ruling was a stunning setback for the FPPC, California's political watchdog agency. The ruling, signed by 3rd District Justice Vance Raye without comment, denied the FPPC's petition to overturn an automatic stay requested by attorneys for the Phoenix-based group Americans for Responsible Leadership.
Reacting to the Supreme Court's decision to take up the case, Matt Ross, the spokesman for the group's legal team, said: "Once again, it is our contention that the Fair Political Practices Commission does not have the legal authority to issue an audit in advance of the election."
The Arizona group had appealed a ruling earlier this week by a Sacramento County Superior Court judge, which had sided with the FPPC and the Attorney General's Office and ordered that emails and other communications be turned over.
The donation was made last month to the Small Business Action Committee, which has been running campaigns against Proposition 30, Gov. Jerry Brown's tax-hike initiative, and for Proposition 32, the measure that would curb labor's ability to collect political cash.
In arguing the case against an investigation at the Sacramento Superior Court hearing, attorney Jason Torchinsky called the FPPC lawsuit politically motivated, "designed to attack our client and our donors as a result of the position ARL is taking on that policy."
Disclosure of donors' names, Torchinsky argued, would deter political participation and chill speech.
"The message here is if your speech is unpopular, expect reprisals and immediate government action," said Torchinsky, who is with the Virginia firm of Holtzman Vogel Josefiak.
FPPC attorney Gary Winuk dismissed those allegations.
"The entire purpose of the FPPC is to make sure that within the confines of the law that disclosure is properly reported," Winuk said. "It grows increasingly more important that disclosure is made before the election."
The managing partner of the law firm representing the Arizona group is Jill Holtzman Vogel, a Virginia state senator with deep ties to the George W. Bush administration. Her Virginia office shares the same building as American Crossroads, the super PAC run by Bush's former political strategist, Karl Rove.
Raye, the justice who signed the ruling, was appointed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger as the court's presiding officer in 2010. He had worked under Gov. George Deukmejian as his deputy legislative secretary and legal affairs secretary after serving in the Attorney General's Office.
Contact Steven Harmon at 916-441-2101. Follow him at Twitter.com/ssharmon. Read the Political Blotter at IBAbuzz.com/politics.


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Asiago Plateau, Italy
Photograph by Vittorio Poli, Your Shot
The small town where I live (Asiago plateau, Italy) is shrouded in fog in this image taken from the top of a mountain.
(This photo and caption were submitted to Your Shot.)
Submerged Plane, Bahamas
Photograph by Bjorn Moerman, Your Shot
While island hopping around the Bahamas in a Cessna C172 aircraft, I made this aerial of a Curtiss C-46 that ditched on November 15, 1980. It crashed while it was on a drug smuggling mission for the Colombian Medellín drug cartel and lies in shallow water east of the Norman's Cay airport in the Exumas, Bahamas. My preflight Internet research paid off!
(This photo and caption were submitted to Your Shot.)
Rainbow, Lake Champlain
Photograph by Alan Nyiri, My Shot
This image was made on the afternoon of October 20, 2011, just before sunset, near Lake Champlain in Vermont.
(This photo and caption were submitted to My Shot.)
Silica Pond, Iceland
Photograph by David Remacle, My Shot
One of the highlights of the interior of Iceland: a hot-water pond, charged with silica, glowing in the middle of nowhere.
(This photo and caption were submitted to My Shot.)
Floating Lanterns, Thailand
Photograph by Patrice Carlton, My Shot
I had planned a recent trip to Thailand in November to coincide with the Loy Krathong celebration because I had seen pictures of the floating lanterns being launched into the sky. However, nothing I had seen prepared me for the incredible magic of experiencing thousands of these lanterns floating into the night sky at once while monks chanted at the Lanna Meditation Center in Chiang Mai. It was one of the most amazing experiences I have ever had.
(This photo and caption were submitted to My Shot.)
Iguazu Falls
Photograph by Chris Schmid, Your Shot
Aerial view of Iguazu Falls, Brazil-Argentina border
(This photo was submitted to Your Shot.)
Riverbank, Belgrade
Photograph by David Konecny, My Shot
Overhead snapshot of the Belgrade riverbank—summer love, I guess!
(This photo and caption were submitted to Your Shot.)
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SAS® Model Manager
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SAS Model Manager provides an efficient, repeatable process for registering, validating, deploying, monitoring and retraining models. Accountability metrics and version control status reports track who changes what, when control is passed from one area to another, etc. Models can be monitored from their creation to deployment into real-time or batch scoring systems until they are retired.
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With its iterative framework, SAS Model Manager ensures analytical models are tested and compared, performance benchmarking reports are generated and as models are deployed, performance metrics are pushed to established reporting channels. Modelers can easily collaborate and reuse models, and automated alerts can be set to detect when the scoring results are changing over time, indicating model decay.
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Unique compliance and validation reporting capabilities in SAS Model Manager are highly sought-after by those facing heightened regulatory requirements. A centralized model repository, lifecycle templates and version control provide visibility into analytical processes and ensure that they can be audited to comply with internal governance and external regulations. In addition, Basel II risk model validation reports help organizations gain transparency by assessing the soundness of internal credit risk measurement systems, tracking down anomalies and answering regulator inquiries on demand.
Streamline analytical modeling processes.
SAS Model Manager provides an easy-to-access Web-based client (the SAS Workflow Console) that provides an automated and collaborative model management process. Users can track the progress through each step of the modeling project(s), and can create multiple, customized workflows for different types of models. Different users touching or interpreting a model will get a unified view of its current stage with access to meaningful information that will help them take relevant actions.
- Central, secure repository for managing analytical models
- Analytical workflow management
- Scoring-logic validation before models are exported to production
- Monitoring and reporting on model performance during test and production life cycles
- Overall lifecycle management of analytical models


text:
Following the bust of three alleged identity thieves who federal authorities say are responsible for the credit fraud of over 30,000 consumers and millions of dollars, some mid Michigan consumers are taking steps to protect themselves.
Some shoppers in mid Michigan say they plan to check their credit histories given recent events.
Below are steps suggested for your protection, by credit bureau Experian:
If you decide not to accept a pre-approved credit offer, shred it before you throw it away.
Do not print your Social Security number, phone number, date of birth or credit card account number on your checks, and don't give this information to a merchant who wants to write it on your check at the time of purchase.
Stealing mail is another way that identity thieves obtain your personal information. Consider buying a lockable mailbox if your current mailbox is unsecured.
Monitor your credit report on a regular basis.
wilx.com: Extended Web Coverage
ID Theft
Prevention Tips
TransUnion: 800-888-4213 (fraud div.- 800-680-7289)
Experian: 888-EXPERIAN (fraud div.- 888-397-3742)
Equifax: 800- 685-1111 (fraud div.- 800-525-6285)
Source: www.idtheftcenter.org (Identity Theft Resource Center Web site) contributed to this report.


text:
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (January 24, 2013)--Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal is calling on the Republican Party to "recalibrate the compass of conservatism."
The Republican governor delivers the keynote address Thursday night at the Republican National Committee's winter meeting in Charlotte, N.C.
In speech excerpts released earlier in the day, Jindal says the GOP doesn't need to change its principles, but "might need to change just about everything else we do."
As Republicans try to rebound from November's painful losses, Jindal says that the shift in the party must come from outside of Washington. The GOP is too focused on number crunching on Capitol Hill, he says, and not focused enough on economic growth across the nation.
He's the latest high-profile Republican outside of Washington to call for sweeping changes inside the GOP.


text:
Integrating Oracle E-Business Suite with Fusion Cloud Applications
Business Event Propagation Pattern
By Srikanth Somayajula on Aug 23, 2012
How do you propagate business events raised by an on-premise Oracle E-Business Suite application to a SaaS-based Oracle Fusion Application in a reliable and scalable manner?
- On-premise Oracle E-Business Suite application triggered a business event.
- SaaS applications such as Fusion Applications will want to execute business processes based on occurrence of the business events.
- You need to propagate the business events via the internet to a SaaS-based Oracle Fusion Application behind a firewall.
- The business event should not be lost at any point and you need to ensure the reliability.
Following are side effects, challenges, and other issues you should expect when implementing a solution to address this problem:
- You need to strike a fine balance with respect to choosing the event payload. You need to pass adequate information to limit chatty conversations, while at the same time, you must ensure that large amounts of data is not passed, thereby mitigating the abuse of resources.
- Expecting the SaaS application to always be available at the time of occurrence of business events in the Oracle E-Business Suite application is not realistic.
- Propagation of business events must be scalable.
- There could be situations where the SaaS applications might be unavailable for certain period of time due to various reasons - resulting in accumulation of these events in the source system. And the availability of the target application after extended period of outage could result in a flurry of events being sent to the target application
Use Cases
Some of the Fusion Application (FA) processes need to be triggered when a business event is raised in Oracle E-Business Suite
- Multiple business events would be raised in Oracle E-Business Suite following the creation of a Purchase/Sales Order document.
- All these business events should be propagated from Oracle E-Business Suite to FA processes.
- Fusion Application processes need to execute relevant tasks for a business event.
Design an integration process to handle business event propagation between the on-premise Oracle E-Business Suite application to a SaaS based Fusion Application behind a firewall.
The design must accommodate the following:
- Ensure reliable and scalable event propagation.
- Take into account the current technical capabilities of the on-premise application.
One option to address the above design requirements is having an event capture service that receives and persists the event data in the target application before invoking the actual event processing service:
The event capture service should:
- Provide a synchronous web service interface that can receive the business event payload from the on-premise Oracle E-Business Suite application.
- Allow the client application to send a unique identifier for each event. This could enable the event capture service to ensure that it is not processing any duplicate requests.
- Persist the business event data within the SaaS-based application-specific tables to provide reliability. This should be the primary responsibility of the event capture service.
- Reply to the on-premise Oracle EBS application with a success or error status.
- Invoke the FA event processing service that has an asynchronous interface.
Optionally, after reliably persisting events, actual processing of the persisted event by a downstream application/event processing service can be triggered either by invocation or polling methodology. As for the invocation approach, the event capture service can be coded to trigger the downstream application/event processing service that can act upon the persisted event. As for the polling approach, the downstream application/event processing service can be designed to look for the arrival of new events in the application tables.
In the case of any event-capture service invocation failure, an EBS workflow notification will be raised by the EBS infrastructure. EBS administration can then act upon the notification and resubmit the failed events after resolving any system errors, such as problems with the network, unavailable Fusion Application services, and so forth.
In case of event processing service invocation failure, Fusion Application services should capture this information and populate it to application specific dashboard that can allow resubmission of a faulted event.
The following diagram illustrates the high-level steps involved in the implementation of this pattern:
Here are the high-level implementation tasks:
- The Oracle E-Business Suite application raises a business event using PL/SQL API WF_EVENT.Raise. (Developer task)
The event data can be passed to the Event Capture Service within the call to the WF_EVENT.Raise API. Alternatively, if the event data or message payload is required for a subscription, the Event Capture Service can obtain the data or payload by calling the generate function of the event.
We recommend that the event contain minimal data (the unique transaction ID, for example) when the business event is raised.
- One way to enrich the event with the full payload data required for the call to the event capture web service is to use a generate function defined on the business event itself. However, the drawback of using a generate function is that it is defined at the business event level and would therefore make the business event specific to integration with a specific application module.
- A generic way to accomplish the event enrichment would be to create a custom Java Rule Function class that extends WebServiceInvokerSubscription. You would then indicate this custom class as the Java Rule Function while configuring the business event subscription. This would make the subscription specific to a specific application module, but not specific to the entire business event.
- Another event enrichment approach would be to have the FA event processing service call the Oracle E-Business Suite web service by passing the business transaction ID as a parameter to get the entire event payload.
There are pros and cons to each of the above approaches. The first two approaches can help to avoid round tripping between FA and EBS while the third approach can reduce the message payload size that needs to be transferred across the network.
For more information about the WF_EVENT.Raise API, see Oracle Workflow API Reference, "Event APIs."
- The Oracle Workflow Business Event System (BES) identifies that the event has a subscription with the Java Rule Function oracle.apps.fnd.wf.bes.WebServiceInvokerSubscription (Administration task: Configure the business event subscription.)
For more information about creating the event subscription, see Oracle E-Business Suite Integrated SOA Gateway Implementation Guide, "Implementing Service Invocation Framework". Because the phase on the local subscription is >100, the business event instance will be enqueued to the WF_JAVA_DEFERRED AQ so that it can be handled asynchronously. (Administration task: The phase can be configured while specifying the Execute condition of the business event subscription.)
- The Java Deferred Agent Listener running on a concurrent tier will dequeue the event message and then dispatch the event to the Java Business Event System. The seeded Java Rule Function and its associated event subscription information will then be retrieved and executed to synchronously invoke the web service exposed by the SaaS application. (Infrastructure task)
- The SaaS application interface for Oracle E-Business Suite should capture the event payload, persist it, and send an acknowledgment back to the E-Business Suite Service Invocation Framework. The event capture service can implement these tasks by creating a BPEL-based SCA Composite. (Developer task)
- It is important that the event capture service is designed to be as lightweight as possible. This is to ensure the latency is minimal. It should persist the event into the application-module-specific event capture tables in the SaaS application's data store and send an acknowledgment back to EBS in a synchronous manner. The event capture service should have a synchronous interface and issue a fault when there is an event payload persistence failure. (Developer task)
- E-Business Suite's Service Invocation Framework will call this event capture service synchronously. (Infrastructure task)
- A failure in the synchronous invocation of the Java function calling the SaaS-enabled FA event capture service results in a fault in the EBS Service Invocation Framework. (Infrastructure task)
- When the service invocation performed by the EBS Service Invocation Framework returns a fault or an exception due to service unavailability, the event is enqueued to the WF_JAVA_ERROR queue for error processing. This triggers the execution of the error event subscription that launches an error workflow to create a workflow notification for the SYSADMIN. (Infrastructure task)
- Because the event capture service is exposed to the external world, it will invariably be protected by either SSL or WS Security. Hence, the E-Business Suite Service Invocation Framework must use the appropriate client policy (SSL-based web service invocation over the HTTPS protocol or web service (WS) security through UsernameToken-based Web Service authentication) to invoke the event capture service. (Administration task: WS-Security can be configured while configuring the business event subscription.)
- SaaS-enabled FA event processing services should read the persisted events and split the information into module-specific tables. (Developer task)
- The services should identify duplicate business events raised by EBS using unique business document/event identifiers created using composite keys formed by different business transaction identifiers. (Developer task)
- With the help of error processing, notification, and event resubmission features, EBS can successfully ensure the reliability of sending the event payload to the SaaS application at least once. (Administration task)
Implementation of this design pattern is based on the following assumptions:
- The SaaS-based Fusion Application would return an immediate response after executing very limited amount of processing like persisting the captured event.
- This implementation assumes that source application does take responsibility to limit the number of events being passed to the SaaS application. Consolidation of multiple-fine grained events to generate a coarse grained event by source application is one approach.
- This pattern may be used in use cases involving trickle feed integrations. However, in situations in which events could be produced at a rate of 100 per second, for example, consider using the Bulk Event Propagation Design Pattern instead.
- If a large number of events are being raised concurrently, one option that could be considered is to have Oracle E-Business Suite application stage the events locally on the EBS server and then transport them to the cloud via FTP. The SaaS interface should be able to process these uploaded files to read the contents and populate them into event capture tables. This will be discussed in detail in the blog on bulk event propagation design pattern.
Related Patterns
Bulk Event Propagation Design Pattern (coming soon)


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text:
Save the internet before it's too late
In just a few days, the FCC will close its deliberations on Net Neutrality to outside comment.
If the giant telcos, like AT&T, Verizon, and Comcast, get their way, the FCC will abandon Net Neutrality and allow them to play favourites with big online companies who are willing to pay them the biggest bribes for favoured online treatment.
This will mean that everyone who can't pay will receive prejudiced online treatment compared to those who can.


text:
11130 Alpharetta Highway
Directions Roswell, GA 30076
Our inventory of new Toyota vehicles is among the largest in Roswell. With models like the Avalon, Camry, Corolla, 4Runner, Highlander, Sienna and Tundra to choose from, we are confident we have the vehicle for you. Visit Nalley Toyota of Roswell for a new Toyota in Roswell. Use the Power Search filters below to find exactly what you are looking for and then contact a salesperson by phone. When you are ready for a test drive, come visit us at 11130 Alpharetta Highway


text:
Teradata Q1 disappoints. Actian acquires ParAccel. And more.
For 451 Research clients: Acquisitive Actian adds ParAccel to its growing database portfolio bit.ly/YgeY7k
— Matt Aslett (@maslett) April 29, 2013
For 451 Research clients: Tokutek releases TokuDB database storage engine as open source bit.ly/102xsSW
— Matt Aslett (@maslett) May 1, 2013… [Read more...]


text:
The Ultra Box Camerais a series of light-weighted cameras designed for indoor usage. Equipped with IR-cut filter and built-in IR LEDs, the Ultra Box Camera provides excellent image quality. The camera supports PoE and can be installed intuitively. It is available in different focal lengths to best suit your needs.
- 1/2.5" progressive scan CMOS
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- Dual streams from H.264 and MJPEG
- Up to 30 fps at 1280 x 1024
- Intelligent IR
- Day and night function (with removable IR-cut filter)
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- Micro SD / SDHC / SDXC memory card slot
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- Supports iPhone, iPad, Android & 3GPP
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Found a lower price? Complete this simple form:
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text:
I wanted to retrieve the lines width (Stroke dimension cf. Adobe Illustrator) for DXF curves, but I didn't succeed. Is it possible with dxflib library?
More details: I created a DXF file containing 2 curves with different line width (1 pixel and 2 pixels). When I read this file with dxflib library, I received 2 SPLINE objects with the following data (for both splines):
degree = 3
nKnots = 14
nControl = 10
flags = 8
Is there a way to retrieve the correct line width (Stroke dimension cf. Adobe Illustrator) for each curve.
Thank you,


text:
Troop B of the Missouri State Highway Patrol has announced that effective Friday, July 26, driver examinations will be administered at the Missouri National Guard Armory, located at 561 Highway 61 South, in Hannibal.
Driver testing is conducted at that facility on each Monday, and the second, fourth, and fifth Fridays of the month. Hours of operation are 8:30 a.m. to noon, and 12:30 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Location, ST | website.com


text:
إرفنج ضد ليبستدات
Defense Documents
David Irving, Hitler and Holocaust Denial: Electronic Edition, by Richard J. EvansTable of Contents
|<< (D) The deliberate omiss...
|< (A) Irving's claim
|(F) Suppression of relev... >
|(H) Manipulation of stat... >>
(E) The Systematic Killing of Jews in the Baltic
1. As we have seen, Irving's account of Goebbels's article in Das Reich explicitly states that the article was taken by the SS as 'a sign from above' and directly inspired the killing of thousands of Jews in Riga on 30 November 1941 'on the orders of local SS commander Friedrich Jeckeln'. There is no evidence at all of any radicalising influence exerted by Goebbels's article on Jeckeln or the SS. As we have already seen, Jeckeln himself had already been involved in a number of large-scale massacres of Jews in the occupied Soviet territory in later summer and autumn of 1941: the over 80,000 Jews exterminated in Kamenets-Podolsk, Kiev, Dniepropetrovsk and Rovno were all killed before the publication of the Goebbels article in Das Reich. Clearly, Jeckeln did not need any 'sign from above' by Goebbels to organise the mass extermination of the Jews.52
2. Similarly, the SS officials in Berlin needed no cue from Goebbels to escalate the mass extermination of the Jews. Adolf Eichmann certainly did not make such claim during his trial in Jerusalem - indeed, he did not even mention Goebbels's article in Das Reich 53. And quite apart from the fact that Heinrich Himmler would not have regarded any statement by Goebbels as a 'sign from above', it has already been shown that the SS leadership was pursuing a policy of mass extermination of the Jews in the occupied Soviet territories long before Goebbels's article was published on 16 November 1941. This policy of mass murder was also put into effect in the Baltic states. From July to November 1941, around 80% of the entire Jewish population of Lithuania were killed. The commander of Einsatzkommando 3 (EK 3, one of the four sub-units constituting Einsatzgruppe A) reported on 1 December 1941 that 'the aim of solving the Jew-problem for Lithuania has been achieved by EK 3. There are no more Jews in Lithuania, apart from the work-Jews and their families'.54 The same murderous policy was being pursued in neighbouring Latvia. Einsatzgruppe A reported that by October 1941, 30,000 of the 70,000 Jews in Latvia had already been killed.55 Clearly, the extermination in late November and early December 1941 of the Jews in Riga, the capital of Latvia, was simply following the murderous logic of Nazi extermination policy and had nothing to do with the Goebbels article in Das Reich.
3. 57
4. On 5 November 1941, Jeckeln's men, about 50 in total, arrived in Riga. Jeckeln himself arrived some time after.58 Himmler evidently approved of the "liquidation" of the Riga ghetto. It is clear that on 4 December 1941, very shortly after the first day of mass killings of the Baltic Jews in Riga on 30 November 1941, Jeckeln met with Himmler to discuss these events.59 A mere four days after this meeting, on 8 December 1941, Jeckeln supervised the killing of most of the remaining Jews in Riga. Concluding, Himmler had most probably ordered these massacres before the publication of Goebbels article in Das Reich. 60
52. Indeed, there is no evidence that Jeckeln even read Goebbels's article; see the extracts from interrogation of Friedrich Jeckeln, 14-15.12.1945; reprinted in H.H. Wilhelm, 'Die Einsatzgruppe A der Sicherheitspolizei und des SD 1941/42 - eine exemplarische Studie', in H. Krausnick, H.H. Wilhelm, Die Truppe des Weltanschauungskrieges (Stuttgart, 1981), pp. 566-570, here p. 567.
53. State of Israel, Ministry of Justice (ed.), The Trial ofAdolf Eichmann, 8 Vols. (Jerusalem, 1992).
54. 'das Ziel, das Judenprobiem für Litauen zu lösen, vom EK. 3 erreicht worden ist. In Litauen gibt es keine Juden mehr, außer den Arbeitsjuden incl. ihrer Familien'; Der Befehlshaber der Sicherheitspoiizei und des SD, Einsatzkommando 3 (Jäger), Gesamtaufstellung der im Bereich des EK. 3 bis zum 1. Dez. 1941 durchgeführten Exekutionen; cited in E. Klee, W. Dreßen, V. Rieß (eds.), 'Schöne Zeiten'. Judenmord aus Sicht der Täter und Gaffer (Frankfurt a.M., 1988), pp. 52-62. Jager listed 133,346 murdered persons, the vast majority of whom were Jews. See also H. Safrian, Die Eichmann Männer (Vienna, Zurich, 1993), p.152.
55. Undatierter Geheimbericht der Einsatzgruppe A, in: Der Prozess gegen die Hauptkriegsverbrecher vor dem Internationalen Militärgerichtshof Vol. XXX, pp. 71-80, ND 2273-PS; also in BA Berlin, R70 SU/15; Einsatzgruppe A, Gesamtbericht bis zum 15. Oktober 1941, in: Der Prozess gegen die Hauptkriegsverbrecher vor dem Internationalen Militärgerichtshof Vol. XXXVII, ND 180-L.
56. R. Breitman, Official Secrets (London, 1999), P. 272, note 66.
57. 'Himmler sagte, ich solle dies mit Lohse durchsprechen, und auch wenn er dagegen sei, solle das Rigaer Ghetto dennoch liquidiert werden. "Sagen Sie dem Lohse, es ist mein Befehl, der auch einem Wunsch des Führers entspricht!"; Extracts from interrogation of Friedrich Jeckeln, 14-15.12.1945; reprinted in Wilhelm, 'Die Einsatzgruppe A', p. 567.
58. A. Ezergailis, The Holocaust in Latvia 1941-1944 (Riga, 1996), p. 240.
59. Public Record Office (PRO), HW 16/32, German Police Decodes, No. 2 traffic: 1.12.1941. A Himmler phone call to Heydrich on 30 November 1941, discussed in detail later in this report, aimed at preventing the semi-public execution of a train-load of Berlin Jews in Riga on 30 November 1941, also suggests that Himmler was aware of the fact that the killing of the native Jews in Riga was planned at this time.
60. Extracts from interrogation of Friedrich Jeckeln, 14-15.12.1945; reprinted in Wilhelm, 'Die Einsatzgruppe A' p. 567.
|<< (D) The deliberate omiss...
|< (A) Irving's claim
|(F) Suppression of relev... >
|(H) Manipulation of stat... >>


text:
Flatiron Union Stoneware Canister - Charcoal
$20 - $27 Regular
$15 - $20 Member
Once filled with tinctures and remedies, accessories like these lined the shelves of apothecaries in the 19th century. They've since found new purpose in the bath or other areas of the home to equally handsome effect.
Show Details +
- Canister: 4" diam., 4¾"H
- Wide Canister: 5¼" diam., 4"H


text:
1.1-10 Replacement of Regular Juror with Alternate
Revised to January 1, 2008
When the jury in this case was
selected, six regular jurors and two alternates were chosen. The reason
alternates were chosen was to enable us to proceed all the way through trial
even if one or more of the regular jurors became sick or otherwise incapable
of serving on the case. Under our law, when a regular juror becomes unable
to continue serving as a juror, the clerk selects one of the alternates by
lot to replace that juror, and the alternate is promptly sworn in as the
sixth regular juror.
In this case, unfortunately, one
of our regular jurors can no longer serve on this case, and thus has been
dismissed. Accordingly, in a lottery held earlier today, our clerk selected
one of our remaining alternates, (Mr./Ms.) <alternate's name>, to
become the sixth regular juror.
<If the jury has not yet been
sworn in:> Therefore, when the clerk calls the roll before
administering the oath to regular jurors, (Mr./Ms.) <alternate's name>
will be called, and (he/she) will be sworn in as a regular juror.
<If the jury has already been
sworn in:> (Mr./Ms.) <alternate's name>, now please rise to
take your oath as a regular juror.
General Statutes § 51-243 (d).
Jury Instructions |
Criminal Jury
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State of Connecticut Judicial Branch


text:
Gratitude for Food: Why I Fasted on Thanksgiving
I love good food and celebrations with family and friends. Which makes Thanksgiving one of my favorite holidays — it serves up both in spades!
But this Thanksgiving, I did something a little different. Rather than filling my belly with the usual feast, I decided to observe a day of fasting, which I followed up with a donation to our local food bank.
That's right: a no-food Thanksgiving!


text:
Monday, 08/16/1993
American Theater, St. Louis, MO
Set 1: Axilla, Possum > Horn > Reba > Sparkle, Foam, IDKI Didn't Know[1], SOAMeltSplit Open and Melt, CoilThe Squirming Coil
Set 2: Mike'sMike's Song -> Faht[2] > WeekapaugWeekapaug Groove, Mound > It's Ice, My FriendMy Friend, My Friend[3], Poor Heart, BBJBig Ball Jam, 'A' TrainTake the 'A' Train > GTBTGood Times Bad Times
Encore: Amazing Grace[4], Rocky Top
[1] Fish on Madonna washboard.
[2] Fish on acoustic guitar.
[3] Beginning featured Trey on acoustic guitar.
[4] Without microphones.
· Yield Not to Temptation jam in Mike's Song
· Gypsy Queen and I Wish teases in Weekapaug Groove
· Rocky Mountain Way tease in Reba
Noteworthy Jams: Possum (highly recommended), Reba (highly recommended), Foam (highly recommended), Split Open and Melt (highly recommended), Mike's Song, Weekapaug Groove (highly recommended)
Average Song Gap: 6.24
Performers: Trey Anastasio, Page McConnell, Jon Fishman, Mike Gordon
Notes: Mike teased Rocky Mountain Way in Reba. I Didn't Know featured Fish on Madonna washboard. Mike's Song included a Yield Not to Temptation jam. Weekapaug included Gypsy Queen and I Wish teases. Faht featured Fish on acoustic guitar and the beginning of My Friend featured Trey on acoustic guitar. Amazing Grace was performed without microphones.
Song Distribution:
5 Rift
3 Lawn Boy
2 A Picture of Nectar
1 Stash
1 Junta
1 The Man Who Stepped into Yesterday
Songs by Debut Year:
This show was part of the "1993 Summer Tour."
In the notes to his remaster, @kernalforbin opines that this show should be a future LivePhish SBD release, and I concur. The AUD source is not the best; the audience at this show is one of the chattiest I've heard on tape. Kevin Shapiro played a SBD of this incredible Reba during a special FTA show for the band's Walnut Creek DVD release, and I would really like to hear more of this show with less distraction. But I will gladly listen to this AUD for now!
Back on 4/14/93, Treys friend Roger Halloway got on stage and asked his girlfriend Jen to marry him (She said yes). And Trey made reference to Roger this night too. I think he was there again. So that was fun.
We managed to get right up to the front for this show and could sense something different about the mood right from the beginning. When Trey came out on stage he was uncharacteristically wearing a knit cap (and maybe sunglasses, I can't remember) and was acting energetic and a bit odd (looking back now, I am thinking high on something.) So, Axilla was a great, up-tempo opener. Right into a good Possum and then Horn. Horn was played quite well and I really love the composed section of this song.
As the above reviewer said, the Reba is the highlight for me. It's an amazing jam, with particularly great ideas and playing by Trey. It gets into a great mood right away in the jam and soars in a way that is not typical of the (possum-type) sawtooth soaring guitar notes followed by a period of dissonance and then back up to another soaring note. This was something different and special.
Sparkle was the overplayed song of that era and I usually could do without it. I feel like that song is their Bouncing Around The Room, mark II. In any case, the Foam was great and got to a completely silent section that was super fun to watch. I remember the Melt being great too, but it's totally out shined by the Reba. Just get a hold of this Reba and check it out. You won't be disappointed.
I come back to this tape (I say tape because I listened to that cassette over and over again before I got it on CD and then eventually iTunes) often and listen to this first set a lot. In fact, I didn't even have the second set so I don't really have that much to say about it because I can't remember the particulars just from having been there.
Show starts off with Axilla to get the crowd going, and then drops into, what is possibly, the best Possum I have heard. I'm not a Possum lover, but this version is just nuts, balls to the wall wackiness. The ending is also totally off-kilter, and will leave you shaking your head. Quick and sweet Horn, and then the King of all Rebas.
This Reba, wow. The composed section has hints of verbal lunacy by Trey, which I have been told was indicative during this era of a HIGHly tuned in Trey (read: 2/20/93). He is on tonight. When the chill hits it immediately veers into right-field, and we hear, just three days after the amazing Murat Gin, another stellar example of the primordial Type II jamming that is Aug 93. You must hear this Reba. Even after the whistling and Reba ends, they then play a nice little postscript. I call it the "Reba jamlet".
Sparkle next, and then a beautiful Foam, which gets almost completely silent, and then just a FANTASTIC jam which goes all over the place. They were on fire! The I Didn't know had Fish on the Madonna washboard.
Crazy, QUIET ending to I Didn't Know.
Absolutely amazing Split Open and Melt. I'm not a fluffer, but this show is really that good. This is an atypical SOAMelt. Seek it out. Listen to it.
Coil to end the set, with some great discordant jamming before Page's outro.
Mike's Song starts Set 2, and Trey is all over the place, improvising all over the verses, another sign that Trey is completely TUNED IN! Great stuff. The tramps section starts off dark, and in the usual minor key (I don't know shit about music, I don't know why I type stuff like that, I hope I'm right). Fish is feeding off of Trey, and they are simply killing it. I can imagine the strobes and fog pouring off the small stage. Must've been a blast to be there. Second jam hits. Man, I wish they would still do the second jam. Hints of Simple, before Trey finds a new riff, and Page shines for a bit. Stop and start type jamming, kind of. They then enter what I am dubbing "the elf jam." If Leprechauns were to play music, it would sound like this (not to be confused with Leprechaun). Back into Mike's. That was beautiful.
Mike's Song > ....Faht???? How about that. I've actually seen this song twice, both times were very confusing. This one got me as well. I wasn't expecting it. Was trying to figure out what the hell they were going to play, when I realized that they were "playing" Faht (or Windham Hell). Between the crowd whistles, it totally confused me. I couldn't hear Fish playing his out of tune guitar for crap though. Must've been acoustic, unplugged.
Foghorn > Weekapaug Groove. They're having so much fun. Strangely, as they're singing the tempo speeds up a bit. Mike sounds great, intertwining with Trey. Wonderful Weekapaug. Great middle, with stop and go jamming, with Fish filling in the holes. Love it! Trey's blasting great notes. Wow. This is why I love Phish. Great Gypsy Queen tease. The Weekapaug then gets real mellow, and Trey plays some great melodic licks before they all fall in line into a descending jam which goes up and down. Damn. It then vamps into a vampy jam. Vamp! Moundish. Fitting that they play it next. Jam speeds up into what sounds like the Big Ball Jam, but that is to come later in the set. Possum jam of sorts. Back into signature Weekapaug riff. But they still take it out for another spin. Weekapaug Grooving around St. Louis. Into main outro of Weekapaug, with singing. This should be in the jamming chart.
Mound > It's Ice. I'm assuming Fish does his "dance" on his seat, and Trey and Mike were on slide boards (you can hear the crowd cheering real loud for no apparent reason), that one would pretend to ice skate on, sliding side to side). My Friend with acoustic intro (love that!). Fantastic outro to Knife. Really playing around their vocals there. Poor Heart, and Big Ball Jam.
Something happened at the end of BBJ to elicit an "aw, man!" from Fish. Did someone knock the ball way outside of the "hoop" Trey and Mike made with their arms? I think that's probably it. No net.
Take the "A" Train (great bass solo!!!) followed by a badass Good Times Bad Times, with another atypical jam after Page belts out his lines. Short but sweet, with semi stop start jamming again. Damn, this show is sick.
Encore has an Amazing Grace without microphones, and Rocky Top to finish it off.
Glorious, Aug 93 show! 4 out of 5 stars. Will listen again. Many times.
THE BAD: This show is lopsided as all get out. The band runs into some problems in the meat of the second set (flubs in It's Ice and MFMF), and chooses some relative snoozers (Poor Heart, A Train), which make it a little lackluster.
ETC: With hey-jamming to be found everywhere, there are teases and themes galore. Listen for Can't You Hear Me Knocking teases in Possum (8:10) and GTBT (3:10). This Mike's features a theme that the band would revisit at the famous 12/30 CCCC show featuring the 'golden hose' - listen for it at 6:25. Also, there's a distinctly First Tube section of the Weekapaug (4:45), a possum tease by Mike, and a section that sounds just like Goodbye Head! Don't forget Fish on the 'voodoo washboard'.
The 'Paug features an astoundingly cool jam on Gypsey Queen. All these little details show just how far the band was stretching their Type 2 in August 93.
Amazing remastered source can be found on etree, but the spreadsheet version is pretty poor quality.


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Every once in awhile, I just get a hare-brained notion. Today's was, why do we use a central website for doing internet searches at all? Why Google?
Consider the success of the Planetary Society's distributed SETI project, and the distributed computing architecture that resulted from it. Consider the success of swarming download technology like BitTorrent. Consider how simple a basic web spider could be. Consider the efficiency of spidering networks locally. Consider the architecture of DNS.
See a pattern?
What if we replaced the concept of a search engine site with a search engine protocol? What if we ran small spidering operations on thousands of sites around the world instead of putting a massively parallel supercomputer in one room somewhere to do it? The individual spiders would be intelligent applications that learned their immediate environment, and then shared that data with others. Each person using the software could send queries into it, and it would propagate up through a series of spiders to find the best sources of information on the subject.
Probably, you'd still need central indexes somewhere. But what if the index servers where run by lots of people, and not just one company?
It would be a whole new architecture, of course, and there's probably some weaknesses to it, but the idea of a peer-to-peer based search network with peer applications sharing both the indexing and querying load with each other does seem feasible -- after all, distributed computing is able to capture more computing power more cost-effectively than just about any supercomputer architecture, so the power to do it is probably there.
Makes me wonder if someone is already building it.
Just a thought...
Reminds me in a strange way of geocaching
Yep, dont know why, but sort of searching for gold.
network slowdown
The idea may sound good, but I think that you will run into a network slowdown. If you have evry computer trying to search the network for the same things it will be inherently redundant. I think the central index idea is better. Just think, if at all times your computer network was being cralled with various spiders looking for content; just imagine the security concerns. Distributed things are good, but they do have their tradeoffs.
Reprint Notice
My blog entries at Free Software Magazine may be reprinted with this notice:
Copyright (C)2004-2006 Terry Hancock / License CC-By-SA 2.5+
Originally at http://www.FreeSoftwareMagazine.com
They have already done it:
I love it when that happens
Given that this thread is way off the front page, I may have to blog that site separately.
Distrib Search
You'd have to have a large existing user base to pull this off. IMO, adding this as a component to Skype, or even better, Firefox would be a great way to go. Yes there would be some security concerns...but how big will they be? I think that if you have 10 PCs in a cloud index the same item, and 9 give one answer and 1 gives another, you toss the odd data out.
Martin Tibbitts


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UPDATE: "The Flash" Hasn't Cast Savitar, Says Berlanti
TV, Comic Books
Showing results 59-98 of 190
"All-New Captain America" and "Spider-Verse" debut strong, leading Marvel to take 8 of the top 10 sales slots in the Direct Market.
More Spider-Men and a new Sentinel of Liberty helped Marvel Comics to the top of the Direct Market sales charts for November 2014.
With seven series performing particularly well in October, the direct market saw its biggest month of sales in over a decade.
Robert Kirkman's zombie epic lifts Image Comics' direct market share in October, while Marvel's new goddess of thunder launches big.
"The Walking Dead" #132 topped the bestsellers in October, but Marvel took back the top publisher spot with "Death of Wolverine" leading the way.
Marvel's farewell to Logan opened with over a quarter-million in sales, while DC's 3D covers once again ruled September overall.
DC Comics' month-long event propelled the publisher to the #1 spot overall, but Marvel's Death of Wolverine stood atop the Top Ten in September 2014.
The "Futures End" event and deluxe "Death of the Family" book & mask set helped push the publisher to the top.
After being displaced by "Rocket Raccoon" last month, DC's "Batman" climbed back into pole position with "Amazing Spider-Man" right behind.
August's sales charts saw "Batman" soar to the top, followed closely by "Amazing Spider-Man," "Original Sin" and "The Multiversity."
"Grayson" opens strong, "Original Sin" numbering tricks muddy the sales waters, and how might the Loot Crate sales data affect comic shop orders?
Marvel's furriest superstar muscled his way to the top of July's sales charts, with his teammate, "Legendary Star-Lord," also landing in the Top Ten.
Marvel climbed to the top of July's direct market sales, with "Rocket Raccoon" #1 leading the way, while Image dominates the trade paperback charts.
In June, DC Comics' "Harley Quinn" sales exploded, while Marvel's "Original Sin" event exhibited signs of weakness.
A number of DC Comics title saw strong increases in June, while "Walking Dead," "Amazing Spider-Man" showed their staying power.
"Harley Quinn" #7 was DC Comics' second-highest selling title in June 2014, while Marvel retains its overall position as the #1 publisher.
John Mayo returns with a look at DC Comics quietly holding the line at $2.99 - for the most pert - and the rise of "Walking Dead" into a Top Ten title.
Marvel topped May's direct market sales, thanks to "Original Sin" and Spider-Man, Batman remains strong at DC and "Walking Dead" saw a sales boost.
Marvel's latest event series opens strong, Spider-Man's relaunch maintains momentum and "Walking Dead" shambles back up the charts in May.
The latest edition of "Amazing Spider-Man" debuted to sales over 530K, and "Deadpool's" nuptials increased reader interest.
"Amazing Spider-Man" debuted to record numbers while Batman locked in half the top ten slots and Image dominates graphic novel sales in April 2014.
Marvel's Amazing and Superior Spider-Men dominated April 2014 sales, while "Batman Eternal" launched strong and Image controls the TPB charts.
In a special MAYO REPORT, John takes a look at Marvel's increasingly common tactic of relaunching series to boost sales numbers.
DC Comics' recent delays indicate that April may be particularly weak for the publisher even as Marvel looks ahead to an "Amazing Spider-Man" #1's sales boost.
Snyder and Capullo's "Batman" remained the #1 comic in March, the only title to top 100K, while "Superior Spider-Man" remained Marvel's best seller.
DC takes 4 of the top ten spots, but Marvel remains the overall sales leader even while Image accounts for over 11% of the Direct Market.
Marvel's January relaunches open soft while "Walking Dead" remains steady, helping the title move into the Top Ten.
"Batman" tops February's sales, "Wolverine" and "Fantastic Four" debut in top 10 while "Walking Dead" takes #8, 9 slots.
For the second month in a row, two DC titles topped Diamond's single-issue chart, with Marvel once again leading dollar and unit share.
DC Comics' Batman sales were a bright spot in an otherwise lackluster January, which finds a number of New 52 titles walking the cancellation line.
"Batman" was the only title to top 100K in sales for January, with no other title reaching 90K while "Saga" TPB sales remain strong.
"Batman," "Detective" lead the charts, "Harley Quinn" remains in the Top 10 and Image accounts for over 10% of all comics sold in January.
2013 was a year of gimmick covers, big events and, of course, "The Walking Dead." John Mayo parses the big points in his year-end analysis.
"Walking Dead" #115 and "Justice League of America" #1 led the way in 2013, each selling over 326K, while Marvel took 498 of the top 1000 slots.
John Mayo looks at December's sales numbers, including the effectiveness of Marvel's .1 numbering in appealing to casual readers.
Marvel grew its lead over DC in December, taking control of over 35% of the direct market while IDW and Image remained strong.
For the second year in a row, "The Walking Dead" had the industry's bestselling single issue, as "Saga" was the bestselling collection.
Marvel rides "Origin II" #1 to the top sales position overall in December, but "Harley Quinn" helps DC dominate the Top Ten.
Diamond has released its top ten selling comics and graphic novels for 2013, with "Walking Dead" and "Saga" taking both #1 positions.
John Mayo looks at November 2013 sales data, wondering if event sales are slowing down and comparing Marvel NOW! with the New 52.
Archives: All | Comic Books | TV/Film | Video Games | Web Comics


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Winter weather postpones prep sporting events
Published: Friday, February 1, 2013 at 1:03 p.m.
Last Modified: Friday, February 1, 2013 at 1:03 p.m.
Friday morning's winter weather forced the postponement of some of tonight's area prep sporting events.
For boys and girls basketball, these games have been postponed, and their makeup dates are in parentheses: Hendersonville at Mitchell (Monday, regular start times) and Avery County at Polk County (Wednesday, regular start times).
These basketball games are still on for tonight: Brevard at West Henderson (regular start times, with girls beginning at 6:30 p.m.) North Henderson at Franklin (regular start times) and East Henderson at Smoky Mountain (varsity girls starting at 5 p.m.).
For wrestling, the Mitchell at Hendersonville match for tonight has been moved to 6 p.m. Monday. West at Brevard and Franklin at North are still on for tonight, with matches starting at 6 p.m.
Reader comments posted to this article may be published in our print edition. All rights reserved. This copyrighted material may not be re-published without permission. Links are encouraged.


text:
gudgeon 1
1A small, edible, European freshwater fish, often used as bait by anglers.
- Gobio gobio, family Cyprinidae.
Example sentences
- There are also rudd, bream, eels, gudgeon, crucian carp, tench, minnows, perch, sticklebacks, the odd trout, pike and barbel present.
- There were very large numbers of gudgeon, roach, dace, chub and skimmer bream stranded in the field following the floodbank breaching and whilst this resulted in some deaths, a large number were returned to the river.
- By the time he was ten, exactly 50 years ago, he had proper tackle and had graduated to fishing the River Aire which teamed with fish: trout, roach, chub and gudgeon, all species which thrive in fast flowing, clean waters.
2 archaic A credulous or easily fooled person.
Example sentences
- Has the old gudgeon never heard of a celebratory glass of champagne?
Late Middle English: from Old French goujon, from Latin gobio(n-), from gobius 'goby'.
Words that rhyme with gudgeonbludgeon, curmudgeon, dudgeon, trudgen
For editors and proofreaders
Syllabification: gudg·eon
Definition of gudgeon in:
gudgeon 2
1A pivot or spindle on which a bell or other object swings or rotates.
Example sentences
- Between rings, the bell wheels squeaked in their gudgeons like an old barn door.
1.1The tubular part of a hinge into which the pin fits to unite the joint.
Example sentences
- As far as the engine is concerned, it has all the latest technology in its manufacture, with race-spec wrist pins on the gudgeons, oil sprayed special pistons, you name it.
1.3A pin holding two blocks of stone together.
Example sentences
- Five or six head staves are fitted together with wooden dowels or stainless steel gudgeons (headless nails).
Middle English: from Old French goujon, diminutive of gouge (see gouge).
For editors and proofreaders
Syllabification: gudg·eon
Definition of gudgeon in:
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= trending


text:
But at what cost? With the advent of peace, man ceases to strive for creative greatness, and a malaise settles over the human race. To those who resist, it becomes evident that the Overlords have an agenda of their own.
As civilization approaches the crossroads, will the Overlords spell the end for humankind...or the beginning?
BONUS AUDIO: Includes an exclusive introduction by Hugo Award-winning author Robert J. Sawyer, who explains why this novel, written in the 1950s, is still relevant today.
©2001 Arthur C. Clarke; (P)2008 Audible, Inc.
"In Eric Summerer's capable hands, the plot of Childhood's End is smoothly presented and fully credible. He highlights the patient nature of the Overlords, which has caused humans to become ever more complacent. Summerer excels at delivering the aliens' quiet and intensely engaging dialogue with people. His nuanced performance creates a growing feeling of uneasiness in the listener as the Overlords' insatiable curiosity and watchfulness begin to suggest something less than benign at work." (AudioFile)
Gen-Xer, software engineer, and lifelong avid reader. Soft spots for sci-fi, fantasy, and history, but I'll read anything good.
"Still a classic of visionary science fiction"
The last time I read this book was when it was assigned to my English class in eighth grade, and it was a pleasure to come back to as an adult and re-experience the same emotions I did back then. This is science fiction about the wonder and awe of discovery, the bittersweetness of letting go of the primitive past, and the ultimate destiny of the human race. It's not a dystopian or cautionary tale, as so much science fiction, but a book about what it means for our species to reach adulthood -- and a sacrifice that that may one day demand of us.
The story begins, in classic form, with the visitation of beings from the stars. The Overlords arrive on Cold War-era Earth in immense, silver starships, and immediately establish themselves as vastly superior, but benevolent masters. Yet, they refuse to reveal themselves in person (at least not right away) or explain their ultimate purposes. Here, one might guess, as some characters do, at sinister intentions.
But, nothing so crude comes to pass, and Clarke proceeds to a new generation of characters, as the Overlords usher in a new era of peace and worldwide prosperity for the human race. Not to mention a certain amount of ennui and loss of purpose, as mankind finds that most of its traditional problems are solved. Yet, a few people continue to puzzle over the mysteries about the Overlords and chafe against the restrictions they still impose. What are the reasons? Several intrepid explorers begin to find out.
The writing is simple and unadorned, and the characters not particularly complex in their construction (not to mention a bit 1950s), but there's a subtle eloquence to the way the story unfolds, each stage in the human race's progress revealing a little more about the fate that must eventually come. And Clarke's writing is still a pleasure to read for its vision, its thoughtful ideas about the forms that different alien races might take, the capabilities of advanced technology, and how human society might continue to function when the primary need is that of avoiding boredom. Though a few assumptions are showing their age (newspapers, radio), much of this 1953 story still speaks to the 21st century. Clarke continues to remind us of how little we know about what's out there in the universe, or how limited our evolution has been compared to what's possible.
Read it, if you haven't yet. Or read it again. Childhood's End is one of the works that sets the template for great science fiction, and will likely still contain meaning for new readers in fifty years.
4.5 stars.
"Food for Thought"
Great dialogue and deeply-drawn characters were never Arthur C. Clarke's strengths. Instead, what makes him an all-time great are his IDEAS. And CHILDHOOD'S END is as good a novel of ideas as sci-fi has seen. The story is somewhat simplistic: a powerful alien race descends upon Earth and dominates the peoples of the planet, ostensibly for their own good. Earth, essentially, accedes to the Overlords - and a Golden Age ensues. But Man's ultimate fate is not necessarily the one we'd choose for ourselves. This was an especially resonant theme for the 1950's, when the Nazi threat of WWII was a fresh experience - and the Cold War loomed. But it's no less urgent a message for today.
The book does take a while to get going, and the latter half is far more satisfying and better written. (Thankfully, Eric Michael Summerer's narration more than makes up for the sluggish pace early on.) If some of the characterizations and technology seem archaic, that's actually perfectly consistent with the story - after all, the immediate impact of the Overlords' rule is that Mankind stops advancing - technologically, artistically and spiritually. The world of the future remains the world of the 1950's.
In a contemporary author's hands, the same story would be told with more elegant prose. But the ideas are as fresh as ever - and CHILDHOOD'S END gave me much to think about.
I Love reading books, My Job makes that difficult, so Audio Books have re-opened the Universe to my Soaring Imagination!
It is amazing that in his time, Clarke could imagine such awesome events. While hard to follow the details at times, they are important to the story, and fill in the blanks as you go along. Eric and Robert keep you drenched in the story, and wanting more.
The end is unexpected, but nicely tied up!
"A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. The man who never reads lives only one." - Jojen Reed. #ADanceWithDragons
"Bittersweet... Mind boggling.... Eye opening...."
I just finished listening this book, did so under the request of a friend of mine. This is a sci-fi classic and with this being my first sci-fi novel really I must say I am impressed of course but... to say this is bittersweet is an understatement if you ask me.
The narration is not super great but it is adequate enough. I found it a bit laughable when he tries to voice the children but he was able to describe the feeling well enough. His tone and voice is poignant enough to keep your attention, It could have been better, but it could have been worse of course.
The word I would use most to speak about the story itself is... bittersweet. While listening to the book I was intrigued all the way, which speaks well of both the story and the narration but as the book closed I started getting a bit... saddened as to how I saw it ending. I won't ruin the story for anyone but you will understand when you get there. It does have some very interesting points, makes one truly wonder about the fate of humanity in a sense and I must confess I remember having my own theories regarding alien existence which is akin to this... but I does end on a bit of a sad note if you ask me.
For my first sci-fi novel, it really does a good job to me about representing the genre, I will say out-right though that this might not be my cup of tea, but it was well done. Decent narration, great concept story-wise but a bittersweet ending.
"My all time favorite book"
After seeing and loving the movie "2001" in the 70's, I began to read Clarke exclusively. This one turned out to be his best and I've reread it many times over the years. The sheer imagination of this story took me on a journey I'll never forget. I was thrilled when it came out as a new selection at Audible and the production is great. If there's ever a time like "Fahrenheit 451" this will absolutely be the book I'll memorize.
Fell in love w/Sci-fi at 6 yrs old (in a set of kid's books that came free w/the encyclopedia my parents bought)-wore out that vol's spine!
"Childhood's End-what a great listen! Thx Clarke"
This is my 1st audio book & loved it 40+ yrs ago & still love it now. It is even better the 2nd time around. Due to arthritis I had stopped reading as much as I use to & had trepidations about using Audible. At first I kept falling asleep during the reading (probably due to medications) but then I figured out how to just listen to a section at a time unless I was able to sit at the computer on my good days. This was also helpful allowing me to listen to larger sections w/out falling asleep. My falling asleep does not mean that this book was boring, it was anything but, Well, after a bit I was totally into the book as if I were reading it myself.
Can't say bcz it would give away one of the book's surprises/shocks.
No, I have not bcz this is my 1st Audible book.
Only extreme reaction I had was curiosity and shock. Curiosity drove me from one chapter to the next & shock came more than once but especially near/at the end. However, if you have never read the book before there will definitely be more than one shock. The shock came at the end for me bcz I did not remember the ending from 40+ yrs ago but I did remember another shocking moment very clearly & every time I heard Arthur C Clark's name, I remembered that shocking moment. There were other instances when I remembered that shocking moment. But if I tell you what those instances were, it would give away one of the surprises and or shocks in the book.
The story is as marvelous as it was before. I swear Arthur C Clarke has the best imagination ever. You start w/the usual alien invasion but there is nothing usual after that. Clarke keeps you hanging in there wondering what, why, how, etc. at every step. If you like violence (so called action), faeries, vampires, etc., this is not the book for you. If you like cerebral mysteries like Poirot, Agatha Christie, etc, you will be totally engrossed in this best of the best sci-fi novel. Listen to it now! Use as a read for your book club-it will give you a whole lot to talk about. This is science fiction at its best! Remember, listen to it as soon as you can! Your intellect needs it, trust me. This book is like manna from heaven and listening to it w/out having to deal w/a book in your hand makes it so easy to enjoy.
"One of the best SF novels ever."
Readers unfamiliar with the early great works of science-fiction may fail to grasp the significance of this novel. It towers alongside H.G. Wells' War of the Worlds as the best of the alien invasion genre. So many lesser writers and movie producers have borrowed heavily from Arthur C. Clarke's rich narrative and deep insight into human existence. But let none be deceived: here is the pure source - a marvel from one of the SF masters. This is a very good reading as well and overall a truly enjoyable listening experience.
"Fascinating look at the upheaval of alien contact"
Although it is amusing hearing references to some of the outdated technology (the advance ETs communicate through cutting edge teletype machines!), those are only minor quibbles in a very unique and interesting story. The arrival of a far more powerful and intelligent extraterrestrial race is handled in a way I have never heard before. It was refreshing for an advance species to arrive, bring peace on Earth, and... not secretly be waiting to eat us all, but honestly helping us!
Having the story play out over generations also conveys the massive impact and societal change this has in a believable and well explored manner. You know they are thinking long term when they say more or less, "We need to wait until only those born after our arrival are around to reveal that." I could definitely see a lot of other stories told in the generations that this novel covers.
The only thing holding it back in my mind is that the main thrust of the story that leads to a very dramatic conclusion kind of came out of nowhere for me. Even a hint earlier than half way through might have helped. It didn't ruin it for me, but given the world the first half sets up, there was a definite point that stretched my suspension of disbelief beyond what I expected. But the story was fascinating enough that I just went with it and was glad I did. That shift was pretty jarring at first, however. If you can't roll with it, then I imagine the ending has got to be a disappointing "What the-?!"
The narration is very good, but compared to some of the amazing narration some stories have on Audible, it's not to that level. So if I can only give 5 stars to those, this has to settle for 4. Some narrations are so great, that they really enhance the story. This narration is one of those that instead manages to nicely get out of the way and let the story speak for itself.
Rob Thomas
This book is a good example of the drive toward making sci-fi more abstract (not sure if that's the right word -maybe "next-dimension-y" is better) and out-there around the late sixties. This book doesn't have one set of main characters that one could follow from start to end. Instead the story is told through a few sets of characters spread over a period of a hundred years. And, the plot moves along to a fantastic, mind-bendingly abstract / next-dimension-y sort of finish.
This is just my second Arthur Clark novel. I read "2001: A Space Oddity" first. This novel was one of the author's first and, in the view of some, his best. Personally, I liked 2001 better. I did not find the characters in this novel all that engaging, even though the overarching story was really quite good.
I'd still recommend this novel to sci-fi fans as a neat story and worth their time.
I've read it's being made into a miniseries to be released in December 2015. The story is good, so hopefully the miniseries does it justice and makes the characters more likable to boot.
I guess the true beauty of this book is not so much the journey but the thoughtfulness it provokes when finished. It made me want to join a book appreciation society that i might find someone to discuss it with. In the end i annoyed my friends on facebook until they read it too. i'm pleased to see that everyone has a different stance on it and everyone had their own person/race to empathise with. The book can be heart-breaking but only if you are the sort of person who dwells on a book on completion.
"Good but depressing"
I enjoyed this book. It was well written and thought-provoking, but the ending seemed somewhat empty and hopeless, although I expect other listeners will interpret it differently. It is certainly worth listening to and is well narrated, and I can understand why it is regarded as a classic, although some of the plot-lines seem a bit higgledy-piggledy and unsuccessfully shaped to fit.
"A Classic well worth the listen"
Not the greatest narration, and written some time ago so some technological references were a little dated.
But none the less it is a classic with some great twists and real impact.
"An engrossing performance; vintage Sci-Fi"
A great audiobook performance means you don't notice the narrator. Eric Michael Summer puts in a clear well-voiced performance. Like all the best performers, Summer's range persuades you to forget only one man is doing the voices; you soon get immersed in the story.
Childhood's End is a mini-epic of a novel, written with Clarke's usual clarity and poignancy. For those of us who have been downloading his five volumes of Collected Short Stories from Audible, Childhood's End is a MUST. And certainly my book of choice for my desert island disc selection.
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BERKELEY -- No one waited longer for Cal's spring football practice to begin than Brennan Scarlett.
Regarded as perhaps the Bears' best defensive player, Scarlett is back on the field after a 17-month layoff for a broken hand and a string of complications.
"It has been a long time," the junior defensive end said Saturday after the Bears ended the first half of their four-week spring workout schedule.
By the time Cal kicks off its 2014 season at Northwestern on Aug. 30, it will have been more than 21 months since Scarlett played in a game.
"It's going to be a great day to run out on that field again," Scarlett said.
Scarlett was moved from outside linebacker to defensive end a year ago, but never played in 2013 while his left hand -- broken for the second time in a month's span in November 2012 -- slowly recovered.
He had a piece of bone grafted from his hip in January 2013, then suffered a bad infection that stalled his recovery. A month into last season, Scarlett knew his season would be lost.
Coach Sonny Dykes is more than eager to see him on game day. "I think he can be a dominant player," Dykes said. "He's not there by any stretch of the imagination yet. He's long, fast, smart ... and rusty."
Since spring ball began on March 31, Scarlett said he's quickly picked up the technique necessary to play on the defensive line, a position he hadn't played since early in high school.
"After the first practice I knew I was going to be fine," he said. "Got my confidence back, made a few plays."
Dykes said the Bears are counting on the 6-foot-4, 265-pounder to provide a pass rush for a defense that recorded just 18 sacks last season.
"That's one of my strengths, definitely," Scarlett said. "I've got the speed to get back there quick, and I've got the power. I'm just trying to put it all together and really put pressure on the QB."
A year ago, Dykes said the coaching staff would have "had to beg them to practice" the day after such a physical workout, and that 10 players would be shelved by injuries. Neither was the case Saturday.
"We had intensity. We had pop," Dykes said. "It's a different football team. Our mentality is much improved. We're much more physical, much more tough."
For more on Cal sports, see the Bear Talk blog at ibabuzz.com/beartalk. Follow Jeff Faraudo on Twitter at Twitter.com/JeffFaraudo.


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Sunday, November 25, 2012
NEW YORK (AP) -- Notre Dame is No. 1 in The Associated Press college football rankings with nothing left to do but wait to find out who its opponent in the national championship game will be.
Toward the bottom of the rankings, there was plenty of movement. Ten Top 25 teams lost this weekend, the most since Oct. 11, 2003.
No. 2 Alabama and No. 3 Georgia, both easy winners in rivalry games Saturday, held their spots in the rankings and will play for the SEC title in Atlanta next weekend.
Ohio State remained No. 4 after completing its perfect season with a victory against Michigan. The Buckeyes (12-0) are banned from the postseason because of NCAA sanctions.
Florida moved up a spot to No. 5 after beating Florida State.
With South Carolina's win over Clemson, the Gamecocks are up two spots to No. 11, and the Tigers fall three places to No. 15.