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Wednesday, February 20, 2008
How Objectively Can We Judge Good or Bad Writing?
Writing? Subjective.
But wait, is it really? I feel that I can fairly confidently judge whether a book has good or bad odds if I were to submit it to publishers, I can categorize a pile of manuscripts into "good" and "bad" writing, and I have to make judgment calls dozens and dozens of times a day. If I didn't make reasonably accurate decisions I'd be out of a job.
So you tell me: how objective or subjective is good writing? How do you know what's good? And who decides what is "good" anyway? Should it be the people who sell the most copies? Experts? Critics? The publishing industry?
63 comments:
- Laura (Kramarsky) Curtis said...
Well, there's "good," and then there's "marketable." I am not sure I always know when something is good...I do know when it's not good. Bad grammar, incorrect punctuation, stiff dialog, erratic pacing...those are tells. But if a book is competently crafted, taste starts to come into play. And then, even if something is to my taste, I recognize that it may not be an easy sell.
Is "good" writing something you can sell? Or is it something you like? Because those things surely don't always go together. (And the reverse is certainly true--there's plenty of stuff I read in critique groups, etc, that make me want to retch but that I recognize as both competently crafted and marketable.)
As to who gets to judge...well, that's a practical reality. Agents and editors get to judge before readers unless an author choses to self-publish. If an agent likes the writing, and an editor agrees, and the book gets published, then readers decide.
Critics? I don't read a lot of reviews (the exception being Jan Harayda's One Minute Book Reviews). I talk to people about books, read sample pages, etc, rather than reading critical reviews. (Though there's one reviewer I disagree with regularly enough that I pretty much know if she loves something I'm going to hate it, so I sometimes check with her if I am not sure....)
- February 20, 2008 at 1:23 PM
- pamela hammonds said...
I know writing is awesome if I ignore everything else in my life--kids, husband, laundry, my own writing--and find places to hide so I can read. That's the sign of a winner with me. Good writing is a book that is well-written but just doesn't beg for my attention. Big difference and I'm often surprised by what ends up capturing my fancy.
- February 20, 2008 at 1:23 PM
- serenity said...
I think someone who looks at writing for a living is definitely qualified to be objective about whether or not something is written well. Surely the subjective part happens like the way a joke is received. Everyone has a different sense of humor. If the joke is off-color at all (or the book extremely unique in style or specific in genre) you really gotta pick your timing and your audience, and it's almost totally subjective to the listener as to whether or not you did.
- February 20, 2008 at 1:30 PM
- Laurel Amberdine said...
I think there are some fairly obvious markers of good writing. I don't usually bother to tick them off in my mind, but it's not hard.
Clean, error-free writing. Precise word choices. Believable characters. The characters which are supposed to be sympathetic are also likable. No gaping logic holes. Interesting stuff happens. Setting is clearly presented without being intrusive.
I just finished reading 90+ 5,000 word novel openings for a contest. (I wasn't a judge; I just wanted to see if I could come to any useful conclusions, and I was curious if it would make me crazy.)
Now I can absolutely see how professionals can make quick, informed decisions. And I could also see that there were plenty of novels that were quite good, but I, personally, did not like them.
So, I guess you agents with your "not for me" rejections might not have been lying to us all this time. :)
- February 20, 2008 at 1:47 PM
- David said...
There is no such thing as good or bad writing. There is only successful or unsuccessful writing. The most obvious measure of success is market success, although writing can also be successful at appealing to and satisfying a small audience at which it was specifically aimed.
Having said that, I'll admit that it's obvious to me that writing I like is good, and writing I don't like is bad. But I'm not pretending that that's objective.
- February 20, 2008 at 1:52 PM
- Scott said...
Writing mechanics aren't so hard to judge. Style and story and voice are tougher, because they appeal (or not) to personal taste.
I was thinking about this the other day. If an agent or editor passes on something that goes on to be a mega-seller necessarily a bad thing? What if the book's success was partly a result of all of the elemnts coming together at the right time, including the right agent and editor.
How can you say for sure whether a particular book would have done as well if it had been put out by a different house?
- February 20, 2008 at 1:54 PM
I might not be able to define good writing, but I know it when I see it.
-- Potter "Lurker Monkey" Stewart
- February 20, 2008 at 1:55 PM
- Taylor K. said...
I think judging good or bad writing is much easier then judging good or bad poetry. Books (and movies) with bad writing can do great, however, so marketability (I think I'm spelling that wrong) is often important. That is why 'hacks', as they're called, can be so successful. Sometimes knowing what sells is more impotant then writing well. Don't believe me? Just ask why people went to see "Into the Blue" or "Fool's Gold." It wasn't to see Jessica Alba's oscar caliber performance in the first case. ;)
Despite my knowledge of this, it bothers me more in books then in movies. I can't stand it when I can tell a writer only got attention because they used the f word ten times is a sentence, or they wrote some extremely sexual scenes. That's not talent. That's shock value. While it may have a place in movies, I don't like it when someones use of such things to disguse their terible writing garners them unearned praise. I say all this to conclude that it is pretty easy to objectively say what is good or bad writing, but shock value and marketability enables bad writing to seep through the cracks occasionally.
- February 20, 2008 at 2:01 PM
- Taylor K. said...
Doh! Look at all those spelling mistakes. Darn laptop keyboard! :)
- February 20, 2008 at 2:03 PM
- Just_Me said...
There is bad writing. The kind done without a spellchecker or without punctuation. The technical errors make it hard to read. But even published books have technical errors sometimes.
Good writing, I think, is more subjective. What I think is wonderful and engaging may not hold the interest of someone else. A captivating main character may not be enough to hold my interest if the plot and action aren't to my taste.
I think that's why agents don't always take all genres. If they don't like reading high fantasy they won't represent it, it'll never be right for them.
- February 20, 2008 at 2:04 PM
- jjdebenedictis said...
I'll define the word "good" to mean "enjoyable".
But then all the yoinky weirdness of being human enters the equation. People enjoy--and dislike--very different things.
A story can be "good" for having one or several of the following traits:
1) Good technical writing (no errors or typos)
2) Good artistry ("beautiful" writing)
3) Good storytelling (reader is enjoying the yarn enough to stick with it)
4) Good hook (a great premise for the story)
5) Good pacing (reader can't easily find a place where they feel able to put the book down)
6) Good construction (the story plots an satisfying arc from a character's initial state to their final state)
7) Successful experimentation (think literary fiction: the writer crafts the story using techniques no one else has used before and it works)
Et cetera.
Good pacing and good storytelling are probably the two that make a book the most marketable. However, a book can be considered "good" for any of the above, and some people will find it "bad" despite any of the above.
To me, the writing is truly bad when it does none of the above. However, it can still be "good" on any number of levels without being publishable. Being publishable means the book will be "good" to a large-enough number of people that the publisher will make a profit.
- February 20, 2008 at 2:23 PM
- Kimber An said...
The mechanics of good writing is objective and anyone can learn how to do it.
Good storytelling is totally subjective, however. For example, I've never read a Harry Potter book or watched any of the movies simply because nothing about it appeals to me.
I think good storytellers are born AND made. As a book reviewer, I've read tons of books. I've read many examples of good books which could have been GREAT! if the author was more skilled.
- February 20, 2008 at 2:32 PM
Like any type of art, the elements of good writing can be judged both objectively and subjectively. All the conventions of grammar and construction can be there, "rules" such as avoidance of cliche and passive voice may be followed to the participle, but if the voice is not there to make the words sing we will not be persuaded to keep reading. A Sunday painter may produce a creditable rendering of a vase of sunflowers, but probably not anything as eye-popping as a Van Gogh. And who should get to judge? Sad but pragmatic as it is, we are set up so the marketplace fills that role. Agents and editors are the door to the marketplace...so they do get to judge all but the great unwashed self-published.
- February 20, 2008 at 2:34 PM
- Adaora A. said...
Do I gather correctly that you thought the video was like pouring acid on your eyes? Or a few pegs lower on the ricter scale?
I think a lot of it is opinion. But I think - I'd hope - that agents such as yourself would be able to objectively see if writing is good, but not necessarily for their list (as you've said is something agents have to do).
I love some books, movies and plays that people thought were not the greatest - especially movies - and I've seen some stuff that I wouldn't be dragged in hogtied to see again and yet some go in willingly. Such is life I think.
- February 20, 2008 at 2:37 PM
How objectively can you judge good or bad writing?
To paraphrase Mr. Clinton: "Depends on what your definition of 'writing' is."
If by "writing," you mean the actual mechanics of putting down words and punctuation according to the rules of spelling and grammar, then I think I can be pretty objective.
If, however, "writing" means putting down a good story, then I guess you've got to ask "good for what?" I don't think you can define what's good until you define what it's good for.
Is Dan Brown good writing? I don't know. It's popular. It's good for sales. Hard not to be objective about that.
Is the Tao Te Ching good writing? Well, it's good for the spirit, but that's pretty subjective.
Is my three-year-old's Father's Day card good writing? Not by conventional standards, but I still pick it up and read it a couple of times a week. It's good for me.
For S.M. Stirling's Whitechapel Gods, I've sacrificed $10 (Cdn) and about 6 hours of my life. In return, I received 1/4 lb. of paper, a glimpse into a bizarre but fascinating world, and a fair amount of vicarious thrills. Was it worth it? Yep.
That's not objective, but it is measurable, and it's a standard that can be applied to any piece of writing. Unfortunately, it can only be applied after the fact. . .
- February 20, 2008 at 2:38 PM
- Noble M Standing said...
I have thought about this for a while now.
There are two types of writing, IMO. There is "Technical Writing", I.E. the grammar, punctuation, and structure of any given body of work.
Then there is "Writing" the pacing, flow, characterization and other such things. I often call this storytelling.
Hopefully, we as writers have a good amount of both types of writing. A technically perfect story without the storytelling can be boring. However on the other hand, a brilliant story with many errors can be as unreadable.
I think it comes down to a good story with few errors that is appealing to most of the general public.
The most deciding factor is personal taste, what I like to read or write isn't necessarily what you like. That I'm sure, is why there are so many genres out there.
- February 20, 2008 at 2:40 PM
No. Not entirely. I think really bad writing would be recognized as such. And to some lesser degree really good writing would be recognized as such.
Consider this quote I condensed from the Wikipedia entry for Charles Dickens:
Later critics [...] championed his mastery of prose, his endless invention of memorable characters and his powerful social sensibilities, but fellow writers such as Henry James [...] fault his work for sentimentality, implausible occurrence and grotesque characters.
I'm sure a lot of people thought, "Hah! Henry James? He's one to talk." But plenty of other people probably agree.
- February 20, 2008 at 2:40 PM
- Furious D said...
It is subjective.
At least that's what I tell myself.
That and that certain editors are ninnies who can't see my genius. ;)
One reader's Harry Potter is another man's Heidi music video. I guess the key to good writing is the ability to connect emotionally, and intellectually with the person reading it.
The problem is that making that connection can be a bit of a crap-shoot.
- February 20, 2008 at 2:43 PM
- Brian said...
Zeitgeist remains an often overlooked component. Isn't it every couple years or so that some vindictive hack sends the first chapter of JANE EYRE around to publishers, it gets uniformly rejected, then the hack unveils himself and says, "Ha, puny mortals! You clearly do not know good writing as you've just rejected the bestest book ever!"
And the publishing industry says, "We're not saying it's not good writing. We're just saying it wouldn't sell in today's market."
What's considered good writing today might be embarrassingly bad in twenty years time. There are books I dug as a kid that I look at now and cringe.
Maybe another question to ask is: what makes writing universal/timeless? What makes writing endure?
- February 20, 2008 at 2:46 PM
Taste varies, as does what is popular at the moment. However, good mechanics and prose have not changed in many years. After reading many "How to" books I have found there seem to be two schools of thought. Either "write right" or "just write". I have a feeling many new authors "just wrote" their 30 day novel and never clean it up. With email, chats myspace etc people actually believe that the same drivel translates to "writing." Many classic authors wrote right. They chose every single word, crafted every single sentence to make sure the tone, rhythm, pacing was right. They certainly did not write their first novel in 30 days.
Anyone who has done enough reading has a feeling. Agents and publishers (if they are good at what they do) can see "potential." After all they don't make money if they pick the wrong horse. One thing I know for sure is reading Harry Potter certainly does not make you a writer.
- February 20, 2008 at 2:49 PM
I think most of us as writers can recognize good writing, whether it be a captivating story or a beautifully-written literary novel. I think the difficulty comes when we are trying to recognize goodness, or saleablility in our own writing. We are too close to our own story. It's not possible to find the same objectivity as agents have. We have already been sold on our own stories and so to unsell ourselves enough to re-write, edit, or even scrap the whole thing is very hard. It's easy to discard a book we've bought, borrowed or been given and say 'not for me' and 'I know why.' Harder to do the same with our own work.
- February 20, 2008 at 3:00 PM
- Jess said...
I'd think there's certainly bad writing. If you can't string a sentence together properly, I don't care 'good' the rest of it is, it's painful to decipher.
Good is way too subjective to quantify for me. "I know it when I see it" (and only then based on my own preferences).
- February 20, 2008 at 3:12 PM
"Good writing" to me is defined by voice and voice alone. If I look at my favorite books, it was the voice that captivated me, from page one.
I'll follow a voice through anything, whether it be literary or fast-paced or anything in between. Voice is the one thing you can't fake and has no shock value/zietgiest/or "hot trend (like Vampire books, chic lit) to hide behind.
- February 20, 2008 at 3:15 PM
- Erik said...
I firmly believe as if it were a manifesto:
Good writing is not in the eye of the beholder. It is in their ear, their breath, and buried deep in their subconscious.
All I ever care when reading something is if it somehow comes alive, either as a voice or my placement in the story or how it takes hold of my thinking. If I see the world in a different way after reading something, it's good.
Keep in mind that about half of any issue of the Economist qualifies, so I'm not talking about just fiction here.
All of the various things that people talked about - pacing, grammar, etcetera - are important, but only to the extent that they help get the reader into the work so that it can have the right effect on them.
I rarely worry about writing, per se, as much as I worry about reading. It doesn't mean a thing until it's read, IMHO.
- February 20, 2008 at 3:18 PM
- Jean said...
- This comment has been removed by the author.
- February 20, 2008 at 3:37 PM
- bookbabie said...
I've read Pulitzer Prize winners that I have hated, and books with little recognition that I have loved. Good books, like good paintings, are absolutely in the eye of the beholder. That said, a good agent or editor can recognize and identify good writing in less than a few paragraphs:)
- February 20, 2008 at 4:02 PM
- Luc said...
"Good" could mean a lot of different things: financially successful, emotionally powerful, artistically innovative, expertly crafted, highly entertaining, or what have you. My sense is that the most useful meaning of the word is this: that good writing is writing that gives a lot of people something they really want or need. That thing might be insight, entertainment, distraction, emotional resonance ... But if someone really wants what the book has to deliver, then it's a good book for that person, and if there are a lot of those someones, I think it's fair to say that in a meaningful sense, it's a good book.
But no book will be good for everyone, so while I think we can use the word objectively, I don't think it makes sense to try to use it universally. That is, the book is always good for some group of people, never good in the abstract.
And while I think there are a lot of successful paths a book can take, there are elements that other people have already mentioned--suspense, sympathetic characters, compelling stakes--that seem to me to be necessary to most "good" novels.
In terms of people being able to identify good writing, I think it takes someone who's attuned to a lot of people's reading needs and desires--but every such person will be in tune with only certain parts of the reading world, and so will have blind spots. Vive la difference!
brain said, "what makes writing universal/timeless? What makes writing endure?"
My sense is that writing stands the test of time if the kinds of needs it meets for people are the kind of needs that don't change a lot. Even books that may have been very popular and affecting when they came out may lose their punch if the things that make them special become irrelevant.
- February 20, 2008 at 4:06 PM
- Redzilla said...
I can't help but feel that "good" and "enjoyable" aren't the same. I can read Pynchon, for example and think, "Now that is skillful and brilliant, and please, do I have to keep reading it?" There are certainly objective elements. Often, I can describe what styles and techniques I enjoy reading, but there are likely to be people who hate what I love. And vice versa. It's like sex. Everybody's definition of good sex varies.
- February 20, 2008 at 4:08 PM
I think it takes a few years of experimentation to be able to write without making some of the amateurish pratfalls that mark writing that isn't ready for publication; once an author knows how to write a decent scene, has good feeling of what is and isn't cliched in terms of plot, then it comes down to taste.
In short: there's a threshold
- February 20, 2008 at 4:23 PM
- cyn said...
i think good or bad writing is pretty easy to spot. it can be subjective sure, but not as subjective as what one prefers to read--literary, romance, mystery, women's fiction, etc.
you can read something that is wonderfully written and just not be drawn to the topic / protag / period, etc. and i believe it holds true for agents and editors.
- February 20, 2008 at 5:29 PM
- sex scenes at starbucks said...
At my magazine, I've read 30-50 submissions a month for the past two years. In my experience, knowing good from bad has taken a ton of reading and forcing myself into articulating what works and why.
A lot of people will say the character was well drawn or they "felt" the story, but they may not be able to articulate the aspects of craft that makes it so. They're reading finely tuned internal narrative, strong action verbs, proper pacing, and setting descriptions that serve plot and characterization. The writing has been pared to the essential (even in long story or book).
A "professional" can likely pick out the essential building blocks of each scene down to blocking out words. If such a reader is confused, they likely know exactly why and how to fix it. This stuff is objective.
As for taste: you have to know not only your own leanings, but also how to turn that subjectivity into a tool rather than an obstacle. It helps to apply subjectivity to to a particular goal or mission. In my case, it's the collaboration with my fellow editors which develops the style for our magazine. In an agent's case, I'd guess it's knowing the market, what editors are looking for, and using past market information to determine the future.
- February 20, 2008 at 5:34 PM
- Steph Leite said...
I think more so than that is that agents have to feel they can sell your project. It's subjective because everyone has their personal style, strength and stability within each genre/style. The agent who'll want your writing should be able to sell it.
- February 20, 2008 at 5:51 PM
- Elyssa Papa said...
I guess I'm going to try a cop-out answer because I really don't know how to answer the question...
And me, an English teacher and writer. Go figure.
I know what makes a book "good" for me. It's quite simple: I like it. It could be the writing, the characters... but most of all, it just makes me forget where I am.
I forget that I'm a crappy English teacher who struggles with what is my place in the world and that I might not be the most effective person. I forget that I kill my plants and can't cook worth a damn. I forget that I'm just me.
It's the books that transport me to a different world whether it be a Dane looking to prove his uncle guilty of murder, a boy wizard with a lightning scar, or a couple discovering love...
The "good" books for me take me away to somewhere else that I want to be... and well, when I'm reading Harry Potter, I can pretend that I'd be that courageous or have cool magical powers (which I think I would use in making credit card bills disappear).
The "bad" books... well, I don't know if any book can really be "bad". It can be disappointing and not live up to your expectations. It can make you hate and have you throw your book against the wall wondering why the hell you spent $7.99 or $24.95 on it... but if a book makes you react in any manner (even negative), can it be "bad"?
- February 20, 2008 at 6:19 PM
- Colorado Writer said...
I think that voice is everything. The mechanics, the plot, the characters, all of it can be fixed, but voice can't.
- February 20, 2008 at 6:24 PM
Hi Nathan,
You noted that you're fairly confident about whether a book has good or bad odds if you were to submit it to a publisher. If your judgment on books is typical of most successful agents and editors, how do you account for the fact that publishers lose money on most of the books they acquire?
- February 20, 2008 at 6:24 PM
- pjd said...
Bad writing is all over the place, from interoffice emails to the daily newspaper to the slush pile. Bad writing fails to communicate. Good writing is... well, the definition of "good" is contextual more than it's subjective.
The real problem with the slush pile is that "good" has to be apparent immediately. I have read many friends' poems and short stories that on the first read seem just OK, but when I read them again and again (typically during critique rounds) I begin to see the underlying "wheels within wheels" feelings that didn't come out at first.
In some cases, the writing needs to be improved. In others, the slow revelation of what's underlying the prose is more satisfying, but it would never survive a 30-second perusal in the slush.
- February 20, 2008 at 6:49 PM
I for one trust the experienced advice of seasoned agents, with good track records, like you Nathan, to decide for us what is good writing and what is bad writing. After all, who else can we depend upon to tell us the difference? I love your blog, and take everything you say very seriously.
- February 20, 2008 at 7:16 PM
- Suzanne Nam said...
i can't imagine anyone in the publishing industry would agree with this, but i think good writing makes a reader work. it makes a reader think about the story when the book is closed and the lights are off, want to read passages out loud because they are so well-written, discuss it with their friends.
there are some obvious markers of bad writing (awkward tone or voice and unbelievable characters, etc.) and i don't mean the reader is supposed to "work" through those.
but ease of reading experience or being a "page turner" certainly aren't prerequisites for something to qualify as good writing. the best examples i can think of for contemporary authors are Gao Xingjian and Cormac McCarthy.
Soul Mountain is beautifully written but it certainly doesn't suck you in immediately. Blood Meridian wasn't easy or even pleasurable (that book still haunts me and it's been years) but the writing was... stunningly good.
on the flip-side, i could not put The Davinci Code down but i would hardly call Dan Brown a craftsman.
- February 20, 2008 at 7:26 PM
- Mary Paddock said...
I think there's obviously bad, clunky writing, writers who are trying too hard, and writers who are lazy. We can all weed those out pretty quickly. But after that, the waters grow murky and opinion and taste play heavily upon our judgement.
I look for a variety of things in books. I judge some as good because I immediately forget I'm reading and if the writer breaks any of the supposed rules of storytelling, I don't notice it. I'm so immersed in the story the writer can do anything he/she wants short of disappointing me.
And when a story really resonates, the first thing I want to do is read it outloud to someone or retell it after I've finished. Sometimes it's the storytelling itself--a solid story with interesting characters. Sometimes it's the language, the turn of phrase done well, the vividness of the colors the writer uses to paint the picture.
- February 20, 2008 at 7:35 PM
- Thomas said...
While I do care about good writing, it's the story that's more important to me. Good writing can make for a great story, but a great story does not always need good writing.
John Grisham, to use as an example, isn't the best writer. His characters and dialogue can be limited, but he's a first-rate storyteller.
I've seen beautifully written manuscripts that bored me because the story didn't grab me. There's lots of good writers trying to get published with perfectly edited manuscripts, but their stories are weak, so they can't make it beyond the slush pile, while those with not the best writing but with great stories, get published.
- February 20, 2008 at 8:14 PM
- jjdebenedictis said...
Erik makes an interesting point:
All of the various things that people talked about ... are important, but only to the extent that they help get the reader into the work so that it can have the right effect on them.
The only fiction that "works" is that which comes alive in the reader's imagination. Every trick the writer uses has to be aimed at turning on the reader's right-hemisphere brain.
- February 20, 2008 at 8:44 PM
- Lee said...
Good writing MUST be subjective. If not, every novel published would be a bestseller and there would be no need for someone like you to evaluate talent.
I also think that you must maintain two separate sets of subjectivity. Based on your personal tastes, you may love a work, but the tastes bred from you professional experience and knowledge understand that even a wonderful story may not fit what editors are looking for.
For me, good writing wipes away the real world and places me body and soul into another place where I can smell the sea on Chesil Beach or taste the ash on McCarthy's road. Poor writing moves me, too, mostly to the top of the page to see how many I have left or to the clock to wonder if I have anything better to do.
I work in management for a national retailer and part of my job is evaluating talent in the form of job applicants. I have passed on several people over the years that have gone on to work out great at other companies, but I know if I don't feel that chemistry right away, it will not benefit me or the applicant if I make an offer. In such a case, my subjectivity is not just a matter of whim, but a key to maintaining a successful business, just as I know yours is while you shovel through the slush.
Of course, all my fiction is good . . . except the stuff that isn't.
- February 20, 2008 at 8:48 PM
- Stephanie Zvan said...
Bad--for some values of bad--can be spotted a mile off. It confounds our expectations (of grammar or humanity or what have you) and gives us nothing in return for the extra work it requires. Separating the good from the merely competent is much harder and more subjective.
Spotting the salable is beyond me. I'm the person who stocks up at the supermarket when I find something new I like, because it's pretty well guaranteed to vanish without a trace in a month or two.
- February 20, 2008 at 8:50 PM
If writing, good or bad, was not a subjective craft, there would be only one agent and one publisher.
- February 20, 2008 at 9:06 PM
- crapshooter said...
For most of us, the cash register at the book store is the judge that counts.
- February 20, 2008 at 9:28 PM
- Neptoon said...
Ahhh writing...
If read good to me...than plenty good writing.
If no read good to me...than plenty no good writing.
If no read good to me...but brings millions to agent and publisher and editor...then my thoughts are insignificant...though writing remains no good...for me.
- February 20, 2008 at 9:56 PM
Maybe you should ask James Patterson - he apparently thinks he has it all covered & seems bent on making an impact on the YA market - so that "his" work will make kids say "wow" & read more. If we only knew ahead of time that all we needed was for him to write for kids to start reading more. In my objective / subjective opinion, his writing ain't all that" but he's a commercially powerhouse. It's all about taste - or lack of.
- February 20, 2008 at 10:03 PM
- mlh said...
Sadly, I have to agree with crapshooter.
Money talks, and you can never tell what opinion it will voice or what book it will choose.
By the way, that video was harsh. Nathan, please don't ever be that cruel to us again.
- February 20, 2008 at 10:11 PM
I think that Tolkien (Lord of the Rings) is a bad writer. His dialog is stilted, he wanders off on tangents and gives overlong descriptions. He also tells us stuff without showing us.
But the world he created is wonderful. So I struggled through the writing to get to the world.
So who's to say what's good or bad? I agree with those who say if it captivates a reader, then it's good.
- February 21, 2008 at 12:26 AM
- Emily said...
Ahem, sorry about the outburst. Nathan, I think we'd all given you up for dead when you didn't post promptly for two days. Don't scare us like that!
As for good writing... I just go by a simple rule. If I don't *notice* the writing (that is, if I don't pick out errors, frown at the metaphors and wonder if a character would really do that) than I consider it good writing. The writing itself should go unnoticed, leaving the reader with only the characters and a good plot.
- February 21, 2008 at 12:55 AM
"I think that Tolkien (Lord of the Rings) is a bad writer. His dialog is stilted, he wanders off on tangents and gives overlong descriptions. He also tells us stuff without showing us."
With all due respect, anon
"I think" and the rest of your statement are completely at odds.
So wonderful worlds would be the only reason his novels captivated and continue to captivate the entire world?
I think Tolkien is a mighty fine writer. Conventional? No. A good writer...? Ignoramus question.
A question or statement flung by a pour soul who grew up suckling from the MTV teat and regurgitating the jealous and critical words of Pullman, a writer who wallows around in Tolkien and Lewis-envy.
Have a little humble pie with thine ego dinner.
- February 21, 2008 at 12:56 AM
- Odo fitz Gilbert said...
Hmmm -- There are objective criteria available for judging the use of the English language, at least for standard NA usage or standard British usage. However, what those really do is reject imperfect usage -- they don't establish good writing.
It is perfectly possible to do technically perfect writing without any redeeming characteristics. It is also possible to do evocative, effective writing that breaks many of the rules. A lot of the New Wave authors in SF back in the '70's "broke the rules", but did so effectively.
I think that perhaps the question that might be better asked is "Can good writing be consistently recognized (discriminated from poor writing) by a number of readers." I believe that the answer is "yes", as long as we take into account the question of cultural biases and balance for taste. For instance, the question of Dickens' abilities, as criticized by his contemporaries was brought up, and I mentioned the New Wave SF authors above. "The Worm Ourobouris" is not to everyone's taste, nor is "Dhalgren", or "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy." (I picked those because by at least some criterion, they are all "well written.")
Whether such examples of good writing will be more or less successful than "Buffy the Teenage Vampire Detective" is an entirely different question.
-- rambling along...
- February 21, 2008 at 1:39 AM
- ORION said...
well...it's easier to see bad writing in other writers' work. LOL
If grammar, capitalization and punctuation were that important then ee cummings wouldn't have gotten too far.
Everything is situational.
*puts head down and keeps writing*
- February 21, 2008 at 4:39 AM
- Kathryn Harris said...
So you tell me: how objective or subjective is good writing? How do you know what's good? And who decides what is "good" anyway? Should it be the people who sell the most copies? Experts? Critics? The publishing industry?
Whether or not a piece is well-written can be objectively judged.
As a journalist, I see a lot of really bad writing cross my desk. I even create some of it sometimes. :-0
It's the style of writing, voice of the author and the content of a story that is subjective, and writers need to trust those in the publishing industry -- agents, editors, publishers -- when they say they believe something is or is not salable. They are the ones who best know the trends in the market.
Ultimately, it will be the reader deciding whether or not something published is "good."
As far as critics, I don't know anyone who has picked up a book at the bookstore and said, "I have to read this because (critic at national daily) said this is a great book."
I have more faith in what my friends tell me is a good book.
- February 21, 2008 at 9:26 AM
Anonymous 3:24 pm said "If your judgment on books is typical of most successful agents and editors, how do you account for the fact that publishers lose money on most of the books they acquire?"
Hi Anon--
I felt compelled to answer your comment. If only the world worked that way. You write a good book and it sells like gangbusters. Unfortunately, it's not that simple. A lot of great books with really quality writing just don't find the right audience. And it's not always about the way it's marketed, or the publisher support...sometimes it's just about luck.
Does that mean I think there aren't any bad books published? Certainly not. There's always the stinkers.
But I don't think it's fair to equate not-so-great sales to a bad book. It just doesn't always work that way. Especially in today's consumer market.
- February 21, 2008 at 9:53 AM
- angela said...
It's not difficult to identify them both, I think. One makes you wnat to submerge yourself in it, the other has you running for cover. In the final analysis though, I would imagine that someone like yourself who does this for a living should have no problems blending objectivity with a little subjectivity
- February 21, 2008 at 10:16 AM
"Good" writing is that which engages you even if you don't care about the subject. It's writing that people will still want to be reading in 50 years. Anyone who has lived on a steady diet of good reading over a lifetime--a diet which must include the classics--is qualified to judge whether writing is good or bad.
- February 21, 2008 at 11:48 AM
- Nanette said...
Good writing rivets you, makes you want to keep reading. Good writing is beautifully written without being "overwritten." It employs metaphor, and other poetic devices. It incorporates style. It imparts wisdom and knowledge even if it is fiction, without hitting you over the head. You know your own writing is good if someone says they felt like they were there, in the moment with the character.
"Marketable" is questionable. So many books are horridly written and agents and publishers think they are marketable. What is marketable? People write books and have so many people tell them they were enthralled and chapters have been nominated for a Pushcart Prize, the subject is unique, and yet agents say it is not marketable.
Marketable is seeming to be what will appeal to the lowest common denominator, to the masses and herein lies the rub. Books that people (the public) would be interested in, books that have authors who already have a fan base from other genres, poetry, for instance, will be ignored, because an agent can't see the book would sell.
Agents and publishers say they want something new, but when it comes their way, they say it's not marketable.
- February 21, 2008 at 12:23 PM
- jjdebenedictis said...
Anon 9:56PM, I agree with Anon 9:26PM who said Tolkien wasn't the greatest writer. I think Tolkien's prose was turgid but his world was amazing.
I also think people who sling insults around rather than presenting any kind of convincing case for their opinions aren't worth listening to. You really expect to change anyone's mind with an argument that can be summarized as: "U R STOOPID AN JELLUS BCUZ U DONT AGREE WITH ME"?
And then you had the gall to say, "Have a little humble pie with thine ego dinner." Funny--I only see one out-of-control ego here, and it belongs to the person who apparently believes his opinions are correct simply because they're his.
- February 21, 2008 at 6:52 PM
- Mark Wooding said...
The final arbiters of whether a book is good or not are the reading public, and any subset of them may decide that a book is good or not for that particular subset.
- February 22, 2008 at 12:53 PM
- Suzanne Nam said...
with all due respect to Thomas, who wrote:
I've seen beautifully written manuscripts that bored me because the story didn't grab me. There's lots of good writers trying to get published with perfectly edited manuscripts, but their stories are weak, so they can't make it beyond the slush pile, while those with not the best writing but with great stories, get published.
perhaps you're missing the point. any story -- one day in a man's life, someone's funeral, the lives of poor farmers, whatever -- will become a good or even great story if well written.
the reverse is not true.
- February 23, 2008 at 8:31 AM
- Mssr.Jay said...
I'd say pretty much ever aspect of writing is subjective. The only things that aren't are spelling and grammar. Word count? subjective. I know some agents who will feed a query to their dog simply because the novel in question is longer than they'd like, while others will give some that's over 150k a fair shot.
As a student of writing and a writer myself, I'm very tempted to immediately pounce on authors who have crappy character development and pacing problems, but those aren't things I can take into a lab and prove beyond a shadow of a doubt must be done a certain way.
There are several agents out there who have passed up on books that have gone on to become hugely successful. But even those big successes are still loathed by many.
Writing's a strange beast. It's nigh-impossible to find any one piece of writing that everybody can agree on as being good or bad.
- February 24, 2008 at 1:22 AM
- GameSmashDash _ said...
Well yes, rules are set for what is good and boundaries, it doesn't take an enstien to know this but that's different than if the book is liked. You can have a good politican who isn't corrupt, smart and looks good but if sold to the people wrong and or have the wrong look, the wrong style, the wrong age, the wrong gender then no one will want that politican verus the person who has all the opposite.
- April 27, 2017 at 12:46 AM


text:
Hospitals in London have doubled spending on locum doctors in A&E in three years, according to figures published today.
They show a £2.2 million rise to £4.2 million at North West London Hospitals NHS Trust.
Expenditure on A&E locums has trebled at Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust to more than £1 million and at Ashford and St Peter's Hospitals NHS Trust to £1.7 million.
For 12 trusts in the capital which replied to a freedom of information request from Labour, the bill went up from £7.8 million in 2009/10 to £15.5 million in 2012/13.
Shadow health secretary Andy Burnham blamed the Coalition's NHS reforms carried out "just when senior A&E doctors were warning of a looming recruitment crisis".
Locum doctors are generally more expensive than permanent staff and there are concerns that quality of care could be lower as they may not be used to working at a particular A&E.
North West London NHS Trust said the shortage of experienced emergency department doctors had in some cases "pushed up the rates of pay that locum agencies are able to charge".
A St Thomas' spokesman said: "We work hard to minimise spend on agency staff, whilst ensuring we have the right staff to deliver a safe service at all times."
Health minister Dr Dan Poulter said the Government was exploring financial incentives and better work-life balance for A&E doctors to make it easier to recruit and retain them.
- More about:
- Health
- London
- North West London

subset: commoncrawl


text:
News By Tag
* President Obama
* Social Justice
* Political Fiction
* Economic Fairness
* Worker's Rights
* More Tags...
Industry News
News By Place
Industry News
Geo-Shifting: Social Cause Games Wows in India, Italy, & Japan; Goes Global!
6 yr Eng. teacher/MBA's novel about social justice and economic fairness hits home with many outside the United States! Apparently, ending classism, profiling, wage slavery, & reforming education and American politics is pivotal to readers worldwide!
The twitter activist & social issues author chose the peculiar title GEO-SHIFTING because he expected the tale to be a catalyst for global change. Mr.Simms wanted us all to 'nudge the world into a more equitable approach of dealing with its citizenry'. "People should not be dominated by their government but they should be served by it!" This is his motto. So, he's ecstatic to see the work is picking up steam with two full pages of search results on google.com as well as yahoo.com.
He feels humbled at the public response in North Carolina, Miami, and everywhere else. Also, Mr. Simms admits to being a little nervous but giddy about his book signing at Park Road Books in Charlotte, NC on 1/23/2013 at 5:30 PM.
Naturally, this 38 year old writer is brimming with optimism that his successes will continue because of the joint effort of SBPRA and his own advertising efforts. After all, he pointed out that he was an 'honors MBA' who'd taken a particular interest in Marketing itself. That was why he reached out to 1,000 principals, superintendents, & educators by email; tweeted over 1300 messages about the book, and gave out business cards 'en masse'.
The latest news is 'no less than fantastic', especially for all of those avid readers who own Kindles. They want to see what all the fuss is about in his latest novel. On 12/16/2012, Mr. Simms took the next step towards blanketing the globe with his message: human rights for everyone. Also, the work demanded that all 'world citizens'-despite class, politics, race, or creed-come together to improve their own Society-United States and all countries. He touts the second half of Dr. Martin Luther King as one of his major inspirations.
It would be another triumph for his readers to purchase the electronic version on their Amazon Kindles. What would be even better is even more folks decide to borrow the inspirational teen/adult novel from the Amazon Kindle Library. 'They could lend it to friends, relatives, classmates; or whomever they suspect needs to hear the hopeful message.
So, go out and get it. The holiday season is the perfect time to spread this message of goodwill and justice for all mankind. Support this author who has worked with children, and seeks to make his own mark in the world.
His book GEO-SHIFTING:
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[Date Index]
[Thread Index]
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ParametricPlot (and its derivatives) and Manipulate
I am working on a symbolic network analysis package. After the netlist is entered, the user may selectively mask network elements to indicate that the visualization routines should treat these values as symbolic rather than use their numeric values. Thus the visualization routines do not know a priori the independent variables of the transfer functions. The visualization routines determines the variables and their indicated adjustment range and builds a Manipulate slider stack on the fly.
This all works greatnfor Bode plots.
works as expected where o is a TransferFunctionModel and rules, built earlier in the routine, is the slider parameters passed to manipulate. opt is a pass trough for Plot options.
The same code does not work for any plotting function that uses ParameterPlot under the covers. So far I've tried NyquistPlot (the most natural choice), PolatrPlot and ParameterPlot. These plotting routines to not associate the variables in rules with the variables of the same name in the transfer function. None of the usually Evaluation, Hold/Release monkey business works. I get a set of default axis, with the correct slider which has no effect and no plot, just like when a function is passed to Plot which can not be evaluated numerically.
Undetered I tried building the transfer frunction on the fly using
vars contains the independent variables which as passed as a pattern sequence to create P[var_,var2_..]. This gives Manipulate a function to pass its variables to.
Manipualte[P[Apply@Sequence[vars]],Evaluate[rules]] works as expected. I get a display of the transfer function whose coefficients change as I move the slider. As soon as I try the same trick with NyquistPlot I get the (unhelpful) message
Flatten::normal: Nonatomic expression expected at position 1 in Flatten[Automatic]. >>
Does anyone have any clue as to what's going on here? I'm out of tricks.


text:
Browse other items in the Brighton collection from Wayside Furniture in the Akron, Cleveland, Canton, Medina, Youngstown, Ohio area.
Give your dining room that finished look with the stylish and functional Server. With clean lines, tapered legs and modern hardware, the Server freshens up your dining room creating a focal point. Store bottles of wine, silverware, glassware and linens keeping everything organized and easy to access.
The Brighton Contemporary Server w/ Wine Storage by Samuel Lawrence from Wayside Furniture. We proudly serve the Akron, Cleveland, Canton, Medina, Youngstown, Ohio area. Product availability may vary. Contact us for the most current availability on this product.
Add a touch of contemporary to your home with the Brighton Collection. Sleek lines, straight edges and polished hardware create a modern and trendy style that freshens up your home. The collection can complete your bedroom and dining room with timeless pieces that are not only stylish but functional as well. With the contemporary appeal, there are soft touches making each room inviting and warm. Introduce the Brighton Collection to your home and make lasting memories with each piece.
The Brighton collection is a great option if you are looking for Contemporary furniture in the Akron, Cleveland, Canton, Medina, Youngstown, Ohio area.
These images are representative of this group as a whole and may differ from this item.
This item has been tagged as: China Cabinet, Corner Cabinet, China Hutch, China Storage, Kitchen Storage, China Display, Dining Room Cabinet, Buffet, Hutch, Buffet and hutch, Buffet Server, Meal Serving Furniture, Kitchen Buffet, Dining Room Buffet, China Buffet, Buffet with Storage, Storage Furniture, Dining Room Furniture, Curio, Corner Curio, Curio Cabinet, Display Cabinet, Wall Curio, Console Curio, Lighted Curio Cabinet, Cabinet, Bakers Rack, Kitchen Storage with Shelves, Bakers Wine Rack, Dining Room WIne Rack, Kitchen Baker Rack, Sideboard, Sideboard with Hutch, Buffet and Hutch Set, Server, Serving Table, Server Table, Dining Room Server, China Closet, China Cupboard, China Compartment
Nothing on this page may be copied or reproduced without explicit permission.


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Every designer needs inspiration to move ahead and make something incredible, and each one uses a Photoshop a premier photo editing software which can do the trick.
Image manipulation has been done from many years in form of web design, print advertisements, online ads etc. to create such extraordinary photos we have made this collection of Photoshop tutorials to master the art of photo effects.
Each tutorial has detailed step by step instructions, we have linked the tutorials with original source, where you will have many things to learn. Every website in the list below has something extra for Photoshop lovers. So, let's enjoy the photo editing carnival and make some beautiful manipulation in your next project.
2.- Designing the Windows 8 touch keyboard.
When we began planning how touch and new types of PCs might work on Windows 8, we recognized the need to provide an effective method for text entry on tablets and other touch screen PCs. Since Windows XP SP1, which had Tablet PC features built in, Windows has included a touchable on-screen keyboard. But those features were designed as extensions to the desktop experience.
For Windows 8, we set out to improve on that model and introduce text input support that meets people's needs, matches our design principles, and works well with the form factors we see today and expect to see in the future.
I'm writing this blog post on our Windows 8 touch keyboard using the standard QWERTY layout in English. As I look at it, the keyboard seems very simple and sort of obvious. This comes partly from having worked on it for a while, but also because keyboards are familiar to us. But there is more here than meets the eye (or, fingertips).
3.- Tips to prevent Windows 7 auto shutdown problem.
Windows 7 auto shutdown is one most relevant and frequent issue faced by the maximum number of users. This problem may arise due to several reasons related to the system.
The Windows 7 auto shutdown can be possibly caused by hardware as well software compatibility problems. But most of these issues come up due to hardware conflicts which fail to support their respective drives.
These Windows 7 errors can be sorted out with the help of utility software which are widely available in the market. Using their assistance, one can get rid of these issues along with several others as well.
The required tips to stop the Windows 7 auto shutdown problems are as follows:
Repair the registry of the system
Make use of a cleaner
Uninstall the corrupt program and restore the system
Make use of virus cleaner
4.- Download Vista Skin Pack 5.0 Ultimate For Free.
Microsoft's one of best operating system Vista didn't got its hold on Windows XP users who are addicted to Windows XP because of its simplicity and stability over Vista.
But one thing which might be better in vista then XP is Look and feel.Their are lots of Skin pack and Transformation packs are available for Windows XP to make its look and feel like windows Vista.
But not all Skin packs and Transformation packs are free and don't give exact look and feel of Vista. Here is one of best freeware Skin pack for Windows XP which is small in size and outcome is exactly like Windows Vista Ultimate.
Vista Skin Pack 5.0 (VPS) which is latest release of Vista Skin pack has many good features.
Features of Vista Skin Pack 5.0
- Small in Size, gives exact look of Vista Ultimate
- Changes Icons, Animation, Pictures, and Menus to match Vista Style
- Supports Windows XP SP1, SP2, SP3, Mediacenter Edition, Windows 2003
Screenshots of Vista Skin Pack 5.0 Ultimate in Action.
5.- Windows Media Center in Windows 7, Chapter 1
Windows Media Center (codenamed "Freestyle" during development) is an application with a 10-foot user interface design to serve as a home-entertainment hub for the living-room TV.
It is included in Windows XP Media Center Edition, premium editions of Windows Vista (Vista Home Premium and Vista Ultimate), and Windows 7 (Home Premium, Professional, Enterprise, and Ultimate).
It is designed to be controlled by special remote controls which prominently feature the Green Button (similar to the logo to the right), but can also be operated with a mouse and/or keyboard.
This button is used to either launch Media Center from Windows or to return to the Start Menu from within the application. Media Center plays the computer user's pictures, videos, and music from local hard drives, optical drives, and network locations. It then categorizes them by name, date, tags, and other file attributes. Media managed through Media Center can also be relayed via a home network to standard TV sets via the specially designed Windows Media Center Extender or the Xbox 360.
6.- Windows Media Player 12 Themes for Windows 7
Bored of your default Windows Media Player Skins?.
Grab some fresh and new Windows Media Player 12 themes for Windows 7!
Windows Media Player 12 CodecsWindows Media Player 12 comes with support for DivX and MP4, but it still lacks supports for many other video formats.
(amr | mpc | ofr | divx | mka | ape | flac | evo | flv | m4b | mkv | ogg | ogv | ogm | rmvb | xvid)
The following skin packages includes some really awesome themes for your Windows Media Player:
- Alienware Theme
- Batman Theme
- Catwoman Theme
- Darkstar Theme
- Half-Life Theme
- Halo 2 Theme
- The Last Samurai Theme
- Stalker Theme
- XBOX Theme
- XSN Sports Them
7.- Top 20 Best Peer to Peer (P2P) File Sharing Programs and Applications.
Traditional Downloading of programs and application from a website has become outdated as well as there are not many website providing free software for download. Another medium for downloading and sharing of files is peer to peer file sharing Networks & Programs and it has grown to tremendous level with many networks having more then millions of users to share software's, Music files, Videos and Programs etc.
With increase in popularity of Peer to Peer (P2P) network it has become one of medium for spreading of Viruses, Spyware, Adware, Malware thru this file sharing applications. Users are seeking for clean, Safe, Fastest and Best p2p file sharing applications.
After searching for hours on google I have got big list of safe and best peer to peer (P2P) program and application.
8.- Upgrading from Windows Vista to Windows 7.
We highly recommend that you print this tutorial. Your computer will restart during the Windows 7 installation process, so having a printed copy will help you follow the steps if you can't return to this webpage.
Depending on your hardware and your current edition of Windows Vista, you can use the Upgrade option during Windows 7 installation to upgrade from Windows Vista to a corresponding or higher edition of Windows 7.
Upgrading is the most convenient way to get Windows 7 on your computer, because it keeps your files, settings, and programs from Windows Vista in place.
If your current edition of Windows Vista can't be upgraded to the edition of Windows 7 that you want to use, you can still install Windows 7 by using the Custom installation option instead. However, the Custom option doesn't preserve your files, programs, or settings. For a step-by-step tutorial on how to perform a custom installation, see Upgrading from Windows Vista to Windows 7 (custom installation).
9.- Windows 7 Themes.
Windows themes always seem to be a big hit. With the launch of Windows 7, the themes for Windows 7 have been in high demand.
These themes are free, both on Microsoft's part and the other ones as well.
Windows 7 has been developed keeping in mind the different points of views of the users and the commentators, because it's very easy to use and light to carry.
I've created a compilation where you can find many Windows 7 (W7) themes.
Take a look at some of these themes, some are really attractive based on Windows 7 and others are based on games, cars, vehicles, animations, just to name a few.
10.- Don't Hate on Windows 8 [Infographics].
In the last two months, fierce debates surrounding Windows 8 have taken place all over the web.
While I haven't tried out the consumer preview, I did get the chance to see it in action and it left me intrigued.
To put it simply: the new operating system seems like a bold move for Microsoft. Modeled after today's wildly successful smartphones, Windows 8 could prove to be a real gambit in the PC world.
We've put together an infographic that breaks down the improvements and new features on Windows 8.
I'm hardly a computer wiz, but reading up on Windows 8's apps and cloud software sure makes me wonder how Microsoft's big release will fare against Apple.
Check out the graphics below and let us know if you think Windows 8 can gain some ground against Apple's OSX.
If you liked this article, subscribe to the feed by clicking the image below to keep informed about new contents of the blog:


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Workout of the Day: Thursday, 12.6.13
Below, Samantha Logan at the Rittenhouse Run last year mid-burpee! Sign up to attend this annual bout of CFCC AWESOME right here!
3 mins lax ball hips and pecs
Pec roll – 30s/side in T, 30s/side in Y (add scorpion twist)
5 x 5s ohs wall hold with PVC. Toes ahead, feet closer. If super easy, sa kb ohs
POWER: SNATCH: High Hang Snatch, Hang Snatch, Overhead Squat with a 5-second
hold in the bottom – go up or down as needed completing this complex EMOM for 8 minutes.
ASSISTANCE WORK: WEEK B: 4 sets of 6 reps: Single Leg Deadlift (double kb loaded), TGU Sit-up to Hand (kettlebell loaded).


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Hey guys, just wanted to share this upcoming event with you. It's the Revvolution.com/EAS Automotive Lifestyle Event held at Pikes Peak International Raceway June 8th. It's a charity car event highlighting Colorado's Car Culture and the proceeds go to the Warrior Lifeline. The event goes from 2pm-8pm. Its only $10 per vehicle, meaning you can fill you car up with friends and family and still only pay $10! The event will feature a 2WD Dyno Shootout, Small Circle-Track Shootout, an Open Road Course, a sound competition, a people's choice car show and a burnout box.
There will also be live music, automotive photoshoots, a beer garden, food, prizes and even VIP All Access! Hope to see you there!


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2013 Road Restriping Projects
State Street from Hessel Boulevard to Fox Drive
State Street from Hessel Boulevard, south to Fox Drive, will be restriped in the construction season of 2013. This restriping will include bicycle accommodations. From Hessel Boulevard to Kirby Avenue, the restriping will include bicycle lanes on both sides of the street, with parking on the west side of the street. Any on-street parking on the east side of State Street for Hessel Boulevard to Kirby Avenue will be removed. From Kirby Avenue to Fox Drive, bicycle lanes will be striped on both sides of the street. This section does not currently have on-street parking.
This project will continue the existing markings on State Street as part of the State Street and Randolph Street bicycle network. When the project is completed this will also link to Mattis Park and the Boulware Trail trailhead at Fox Drive.
To see project details, clich here:
Information Open House:
Date: Thursday, March 14, 2013
Time: 4:00 – 6:00 pm
Place: Champaign Public Library, 200 W. Green Street
(Robeson Room A on the Ground Floor)
Contact Lacey Rains Lowe, City Planner
(217) 403-8800
John Street from Prospect Avenue to Kenwood Drive
John Street from Prospect Avenue, west to Kenwood Drive, will be restriped in the construction season of 2013. This restriping will include bicycle accommodations. From Prospect Avenue to Russell Street the lanes will remain the same. Bicycle 'sharrows' or share -the-road arrows will be painted on the street, along with signage. From Russell Street west to Kenwood Drive, travel lanes will shift north and bicycle lanes will be added. In this area, parking will no longer be allowed on the north side of the street. The parking lane will remain on the south side of John Street. This will preserve the current pick-up and drop off circulation for Westview School at the intersection of John Street and Russell Street.
This will continue the existing markings on John Street. When the project is completed, John Street will create a bicycle connection linking four schools and parking amenities. These include: Southside Elementary School, Westview Elementary School, Centennial High School, Jefferson Middle School and Centennial Park.
Information Open House:
Date: Monday, February 4, 2013
Time: 4:00 – 6:00 pm
Place: Champaign Church of Christ, 1509 W. John Street
(Multi-purpose room on the south side of the building)
Contact: Lacey Rains Lowe, City Planner
(217) 403-8800


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Does your SiriusXm 3 month trial package include weather? Mine was fuctioning when we went to pick up my car and the salesperson was explaining the functions of CUE. The next day I touched the weather icon and it said my subscription has expired. Please cal 1-800----. I called and was told it
does not include weather. It does include traffic (Which does work fine).


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Hello! Have Been using this website for a few months now for researching and the galleries are awesome to go through. I Have been in the industry for 10 years now and love it! Hope to help some people with any questions and also learn a few things :)
post #1 of 2
10/29/12 at 10:19am
Thread Starter


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|Topic Review (Newest First)
I'd point out that a boat that is stored for part of the year, used only on weekends and such could easily have rigging that old that was in relatively decent shape.
The chronological age of the rig is not the only determinant of condition. Hotter climates, saltier waters, etc will generally accelerate the aging of the rig, and cooler climates, fresh water, etc, will delay it. Hard use, like bluewater sailing or racing will accelerate the aging as well.
I'd recommend shipping the rigging off to Riggingonly.com and having them make up replacements.
I also recommend using Hayn Hi-Mod mechanical fittings over StaLok or Norseman, as they're usually far less expensive and better quality IMHO. I also recommend that the top fittings be swaged and the lowers be mechanical fittings. This is because the lower fittings generally need the ability to be inspected and re-built more often, due to the greater exposure to the water.
Originally Posted by Faster View Post
If you're using Ocean Rigging, and he says things are OK then I think you can relax and enjoy the boat for now.
Everyone is reinforcing my own feeling that the money is a very small price to pay for piece of mind. Many thanks for the very good advice.
That said, I was astonished to learn that our rigging was original. It's mind boggling to learn that this is far from isolated.
|My 1981 Pearson 53 has original rigging and I do not plan on replacing it until I get close to my blue water adventure, in about 7 years. If you're not competitively racing and your survey has not uncovered any safety issues, save the money. If you're still concerned, have the rigging surveyed every year or two to determine if there are any safety issues. Another suggestion is to replace the rigging in stages. Replace opposite shrouds every quarter until all the rigging is replaced. This spreads the cost over a period of time.
Agree that original rigging on many boats that age is the norm rather than not.
If you're using Ocean Rigging, and he says things are OK then I think you can relax and enjoy the boat for now.. As the others have said, though, to be absolutely SURE you're good, a replacement is in the cards.. just in case.
My rigging passed survey in 2008, and when I unstepped the mast in 2009, one of the shroud studs snapped off inside the turnbuckle. When I brought it too a rigger to have it replaced, the rigger said it was built by a company that went out of business thirty years ago.
Still sailing on the other seven pieces of original standing rigging... but at least I've inspected them personally And I will never buy a barrel-type turnbuckle.
|I think it is quite common to find a 20 or 30 year old boat with original rigging. It is something that is often ignored by the original owner and subsequent owners. My 1977 CS27 has original rigging and will get a new rig including turnbuckles this year. If a boat is not raced or run hard there is a good chance that the rigging will look ok to a casual eye even after many years. But as Tommays says replacement is good for piece of mind. 12 to 15 years seems about right for a boat that is used seasonally.
My orginal 1981 J24 rigging was OK when i bought the boat in 2007 BUT it was all top shelf NAVTEC
After one season i did NOT wish to push my luck and mailed it way to HALL and had a compleat new set made WHICH was well worth the piece of mind
I am looking at the stuff on my CAL 29 right now and while it also looks OK i feel towards the end of the refit i will just replace it as the 1000 to 1500 is nothing compared to having a part fail
Standing Rigging: Some Questions
Late last year, we purchased a 1987 Mirage 29'. At the time of purchase, I checked both the rigging and turnbuckles and felt that they were in very good condition.
However, I am astonished by our just-completed professional rigging survey, done by a rigger who I respect and trust. While he agrees that the rigging is in very good condition, he also thinks that it is ORGINAL. WTF!
I never thought that the rigging had been changed recently. The PO never struck me as the type that would worry about that stuff. So, I'm thinking 2004 and probably earlier--quite likely be my rigger (Paul is checking his records).
So this leads to 2 questions for the more experienced community members:
I have to say that spending the money doesn't bother me. Our co-op has used the same rigger for the last 10 years, and he is simply the best. Now, we're talking about our own boat, and we want to sail her for at least another 10 years. I simply won't cut corners on safety.
I am just blown away by the fact that no one ever replaced the rigging before. Amazing!
Thanks in advance for your help.
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Shower tiling question
When you have an exterior wall in your shower and you plan on using kerdi membrane over the cement board do you eliminate any faced part of the insulation of poly sheeting over studs on the exterior wall?
Tiger fan,
I think if you're tiling and Kerding all the way to the ceiling, it's a good idea to just slash the vapor barrier of the insulation. Never use poly or tarpaper on the studs when you're applying a surface waterproofing product such as Kerdi, matters not if it's an inside or outside wall.
Good plan to go with Kerdi waterproofing, are you also tiling the shower floor and using a Kerdi Drain?
I would do the same. Slash the paper.
Is this a steam shower? Do you really think you need it on the ceiling?
As you know by my signature line, I like and use Kerdi all the time.:thumbsup: Schluter recommends applying Kerdi to about the height of the shower head, for standard showers. But, the more the better. Personally I'm not crazy about installing Kerdi overhead.:eek: You might consider a liquid membrane for the ceiling.
The Kerdi system is fantastic, but its best feature is the Kerdi Drain and how the bottom is built. That is why I asked about how the floor is being built.
The vapor barrier should run to bottom of drywall under the tub, as required by code. This protects the wall below the tub cavity space from moisture- especially needed if any holes to crawlspace/basement. With cement board between two vapor barriers, no worries, unlike wood framing between two vb's, dreaded "vapor barrier sandwich".
You are in Zone 5; http://energycode.pnl.gov/EnergyCode...state=Michigan
That requires a Class 1, or 2, depending on wall perms; http://www.buildingscience.com/docum...commendations/
Please describe the wall make-up....
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Bidding for Telstra vote won't end at $2b
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The Queensland Nationals senator Barnaby Joyce says the bidding to secure his support for the full sale of Telstra is likely to start, and not end, at the $2 billion suggested by his party leader, Mark Vaile.
While cabinet has yet to make a decision on Mr Vaile's $2 billion proposal to improve services to the bush, senior Government sources yesterday indicated likely approval of the telecommunications "future fund".
Senator Joyce said $2 billion might not be sufficient to ensure telecommunications services in regional areas were on par with the cities, and he was prepared to cross the floor to block the sale.
He would be guided by a vote on the issue at the Queensland Nationals conference in Brisbane on Sunday.
"In today's terms, it's a hell of a lot of money but we're talking about a hellishly expensive part of our economy," Senator Joyce said. "I think the agenda of the resolution on Sunday might be a little stronger than $2billion.
"If you are going to put a number to it, then it better be a big one."
Senator Joyce's vote is crucial, with the Coalition having a Senate majority of only two.
He said it was the policy of the Queensland Nationals that the Federal Government should put $5 billion from the sale of Telstra into infrastructure in the bush.
Mr Vaile, the Deputy Prime Minister, used his address at the Queensland Nationals annual conference to propose a special telecommunications "future fund" bankrolled by $2 billion from the privatisation.
Generating an annual return of 5 per cent, the fund would provide about $100 million a year for upgrading and maintaining services in the bush.
Mr Vaile also called for the Government to split Telstra's wholesale and retail arms and to strengthen regulatory controls.
The Queensland Nationals state president, Terry Bolger, said Mr Vaile's suggested $2billion fund was "not a pittance but there's a lot of work to be done".
"I don't know if the number is $2 billion or $5 billion. Let's get the debate started," he said.
Mr Vaile said the Government would work "extremely hard" to secure Senator Joyce's vote.
The only alternative to the future fund he could see was to fund regional infrastructure through the federal budget.
"I'm putting an idea out there for debate in terms of how we ensure a funding stream," Mr Vaile said.
"I'm happy to work with and deal with whatever the Queensland division passes over the course of the conference."
The Communications Minister, Helen Coonan, has indicated she might agree to a fund as proposed by Mr Vaile.
In a recent speech she said the Government already had "useful and quantifiable benchmarks" about how much money it would have to devote to improving services in the bush.
Over the past six years, she said, $600 million had been spent on better services: "We already know what a credible Government response to the needs of regional Australia looks like."
The Labor leader, Kim Beazley, yesterday called the fund plan evidence the Nationals had "sold out the bush".
"Mark Vaile has failed his first test as National Party leader. He is just a Liberal Party man in moleskins," Mr Beazley said.
"He is prepared to sell out the bush for a $2 billion slush fund for the National Party at the next election."
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But even if you're already booked into New Orleans, that's just half the battle. Approximately one million people will be pouring in and out of the city in the next two weeks, so here are some tips for getting around once you're there.
First of all, even though Mardi Gras itself isn't until Feb. 12, there are parades going on every day. While that's always a great attraction if you're coming into town, keep in mind they will disrupt traffic, so be sure to look up the parade route in advance so you can plan to either be in the area or avoid it altogether. Also, some roads in the French Quarter will be closed to vehicles from Jan. 30-Feb. 4, and roads around the Superdome will be closed as well. The City of New Orleans website has more details. The Superdome is walking distance from a number of hotels, however.
|Resources in this post
Also, Carmen Shirkey Collins, a friend of mine who is a savvy traveler herself, suggests that when looking for places to eat, try non-peak times, and make a reservation if you can: "Beignets are available 24/7, not just at 8 in the morning. Gumbo is just as good at 3 p.m. as noon."
If you're fortunate enough to be staying in town, you should be able to pass on renting a car because there are many airport transportation options, including a shuttle to the downtown hotels, cabs and an express bus.
It's been more than seven years since Hurricane Katrina devastated the city. There are still tours being offered of the parts of the city most affected by the storm, but you can go one step further and volunteer your time in the rebuilding process by being a voluntourist.
There are also New Orleans tourism apps you can download to your phone or tablet, and there is more information about the Super Bowl and surrounding events at NewOrleansSuperBowl.com.
If you don't have a hotel room in town as of yet, be prepared for a long commute. Hotels in the city have been long sold out, or if there are rooms available, you'd have to pay the premium cost associated with a large event, in the area of thousands of dollars per night.
Even my second-grade daughter understands this concept: "A lot of people go to the Super Bowl, so a lot of the hotels must be full already."
If you're still looking at this date, Baton Rouge might be your best bet. And at 80 miles from New Orleans, you will be spending a lot of time going back and forth.
I also spoke with Peggy Gennardo, a CWT Vacations manager in Hammond, La., about 60 miles from New Orleans, and she warned of travelers getting scammed by people offering apartments or houses for rent in New Orleans. If the deal sounds too good to be true at this date, it probably is.


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Patty Erickson
Adjunct Instructor of Mathematics
Office Location: Euler 122
Phone: (765) 998-5380
Email: email@example.com
Specialties: active learning strategies, factor analysis, introductory statistics, statistics education, the use of fun in class instruction
BS, Medical Technology, University of Michigan, 1973
MA, Mathematical Statistics, Ball State University, 1993
Why I love teaching at Taylor:
Working with the members of the Mathematics Department faculty has been a real joy. They support and encourage each other to excellence both professionally and personally. I also love teaching at Taylor because the students are awesome.
Advice to incoming students:
Avoid over-commitment of your time. You will not be able to do everything you might like to do your freshman year, and need to make choices among alternate activities.
- Hanfield UMC Worship Arts Team
- 20th Century History
- English Literature


text: RFS131 September 27, 2013 5:26 PM I'm sick and tired of this sh!t at Laguna. It's my home track and I just wish for once they could host a normal schedule. I've gone 8 years now without being able to watch a moto2 or moto3 race during GP weekend and now they've screwed me out of a Wsbk race plus wss. Miller managed to have wss, wsbk, and AMA sbk all on Sunday so I don't see the issue? Reply Report abuse 4 agree 0 disagree


text: The Brian Lehrer Show Published by The Brian Lehrer Show A Reporter of Many Download this audio Want to embed this player? Use the code below. More info. <iframe frameborder="0" scrolling="no" height="130" width="100%" src="https://www.wnyc.org/widgets/ondemand_player/wnyc/#file=/audio/json/27343/&share=1"></iframe> Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Email a Friend Blogger (and George Polk Award winner) Josh Marshall of Talking Points Memo, was honored for his readers' uncovering the U.S. Attorneys firings. He talks politics and crowd-sourcing.


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Well, here is the prototype Zam holster that I just finished! All it needs are the 2 black snaps ans the "correct" purplish-brown dye.
At first, I engraved all of the lines on the holster, later noticing that there is a whole new layer on top, right where all the detail begins. So I cut and mounted a second piece, engraved into that, and added the strips.
Any questions or comments, please let me know. I want to make my first Zam piece, the perfect piece for all of you Zammers out there! :)
Preliminary list:
1. Sandgirl
2. Qui-Gon_Ludo
3. MonCal
4. MaulMaus
5. Dark Trooper
6. Zam I Am
7. seventhz777z x2
Next up, the helmet, then maybe the shin/foot armor!


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A Brief History
Brotula's & Jackacuda's
Just as it is implied that the Jackacuda's fishing hole was a well kept secret of local Destin fisherman, even more so is the Brotula. Brotula, commonly known to local fisherman as the Cusk Eel, is a rare Gulf fish found in deeper waters of 300+ feet, usually considered more or less a bi-catch. Local captains are amongst some of the only people that are truely familiar of this fish and realize its' status as a delicacy of sorts. Not only in the tradition of the secret of Jackacudas fishing hole, but also in the tradition of Destin itself as one of the country's most beautiful and secret beaches and fishing locals until recent decades, so is the Brotula. Furthermore, just as Jackacudas and it's history has been made known to the common public via our sister restaurant, Jackacudas Seafood & Sushi, so will the Brotula by us here at Brotula's Seafood House & Steamer!
"With the largest fishing vessel fleet in the state of Florida, Destin is branded the World's Luckiest Fishing Village. Along with that title comes all the legendary fish tales, fishing lingo and secret fishing holes, some widely known and others secretly kept. Every great 'Honey Hole' has a story, and this is the story of Jackacudas. During the mid 80's the Tenaco 80 was dropped to create an artificial reef in the Gulf of Mexico and quickly became the spot to catch monster amberjacks. This quickly became the local's fishing spot to bring friends, family and tourists. During a trip to the Teneco 80 spot, in the mid 90's, Legendary Destin Charter Boat Captain Dale Beebe took a charter to catch the celebrated monster amberjacks, but all they caught that summer day were barracuda. Barracuda have a way of putting on a spectacle, as the day was not a complete loss, the fish jumped in and out of the water delivering a show for all that were on the boat. On his way back from the trip, surrounding local Captains jumped on the radio to see how Captain Beebe did during his trip to the Teneco 80 and his response was "All I caught today were Jackacudas!" From that day forward the Teneco 80 spot was reborn as the Jackacudas Spot! Endlessly intrigued by the response, local Captains continue to bring their charters to this destination to catch the infamous 'Jackacudas.' As the famed fishing honey hole, Jackacudas Seafood + Sushi was created to bring excitement through food, but a relaxing atmosphere through the staff and styled in the same manner for locals to bring friends, family and tourists. Get comfortable, kick back and relax while you enjoy your time at your favorite honey hole – Jackacudas Seafood + Sushi."


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Far in the northwest corner of Washington state, about as close to Canada as you can get without crossing the border, sits the perfect house for an airplane buff. It perches on the edge of Semiahmoo Bay, which is part of Puget Sound, like a plane that's just touched down. Its inverted roof spreads across the site like a pair of wings, opening gracefully to the bay and views of the Strait of Georgia.
Fittingly, owner Bob Davis spent 40 years designing and building planes as an engineer at Boeing. He and his wife, Clari, had finished raising their children, and he had just retired. They envisioned a house with most of the main rooms on one level and plenty of windows to counteract the gray Pacific Northwest weather.
They tapped Seattle architect Nils Finne, whose blend of Modern-leaning style and reverence for natural materials is strongly influenced by Scandinavian design. Finne's collaborator, builder Stan Starr, happens to have his own passion for planes—he's an amateur pilot. He and his partner at Emerald Builders, Bill Miers, pride themselves on their ability to execute jobs with a high degree of difficulty. "If you can design it, we can build it," Starr says.
Finne's design put that claim to the test. The house is located in a subdivision on a half-acre lot. In order to comply with mandatory setbacks, the Davises' needs, and the constrictions of the sloping site, he designed the second floor of the house, the main floor, to be slightly smaller than the first. The first floor starts at the front of the house as a foot-high granite plinth that gradually increases to 10 feet at the back. It serves as a table of sorts, with the second, cedar-clad story resting on top of it. Two rows of fan trusses march across the house, supporting the roof. An 8-foot-high band of clerestory windows wraps around the rear second floor, feeding light deep into the home's interior.
Because of the different floor plates, the trusses, and all the glass, Finne's plan had to be very carefully engineered. One false move by Starr, and the entire frame could be thrown off. But neither Starr nor the Davises doubt that Finne did the right thing. Light pours into the cherry-trimmed main level, thanks to the clerestories accommodated by the inverted roof. "One wing faces east for the morning sun and the other faces west for the midday and evening sun," says Bob Davis. "So we get a lot of light."
The fir posts and trusses define different areas within the large central living space, eliminating the need for light-blocking walls. They also combine with the red oak floors and cherry cabinetry to create a warm, cozy atmosphere—no easy feat where lots of glass and 18-foot ceilings are involved. Finne feels that natural materials like wood and stone help make Modern design more approachable. "When we'd talk about the house with the Davises, we kept coming back to the emotional value of the materials," he says. "The stone has a heavy, weighted quality; it grounds the house both physically and emotionally. The Davises were slightly nervous about going Modern, but I think the way we were talking about materials reassured them." His office built models of the project, which helped the couple visualize the end result and feel more comfortable with the design process.
Another assurance the clients wanted was the knowledge that they'd always be able to get around their house easily. "I was 65, so that was a factor," says Bob Davis. Finne complied by making every doorway 3 feet across, wide enough for a wheelchair. The master bedroom and laundry room are on the same floor as the main living area, which encompasses the kitchen, living, and dining rooms; the master wing connects to the public spaces through a glass-backed entry hall. The Davises and their visitors can access the three downstairs guest bedrooms via an elevator installed discreetly next to the front door. A wheelchair ramp leads from the garage into the entry hall. "We don't need any of it now, but it's nice to know it's there if we ever do," Clari Davis says. Radiant-floor heating helps keep her asthma in check, since it doesn't blow dust around the way forced-air heat does.
The Davis house is a showcase of custom details—the fine ribbing on all interior doors, cabinets, and molding; the copper light fixtures and fireplace screen; and the intricate, wood-and-metal open-riser staircase. Thick cherry mantelpieces provide suitably sturdy counterparts to the two granite chimneys. And the bathroom floors incorporate a methodically planned configuration of Brazilian slate, Chinese slate, and glass tile.
Exterior detailing also consists of copper, chosen for the rich patina it acquires with exposure to the elements. In fact, all of the exterior materials, such as cedar shingles finished with a semi-transparent stain, granite quarried from nearby Fox Island, and custom concrete pavers, stand up quite well to wind and water. "For me, time is an enriching agent," Finne says. "I think a house should work with it rather than against it. You can't get away from the natural environment, and if you try, it will find you." The house will age comfortably, just as its occupants will.
Project Credits
Builder: Emerald Builders, Bellingham,Wash.; Architect: FINNE Architects, Seattle; Structural engineer: Monte Clark Engineers, Issaquah,Wash.; Geotechnical engineer: GeoEngineers, Seattle; Energy consultant: Ecotope, Seattle; Landscape designer: Star Nursery & Landscaping, Seattle; Living space: 6,500 square feet; Site: .5 acre; Construction cost: Withheld; Photographer: Art Grice.


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It only takes a minute to get started. Fill out our simple sign up form and login to the site.
This step is discretionary but will dramatically enhance your chances of getting noticed by other people on the site. Introduce yourself, your hobbies and upload your best photograph.
Use our website's state-of-the-art search to uncover members who fulfill your criteria. Or just look through listings and uncover singles that seem interesting.
Found someone who meets your requirements? Drop them a line or just a wink and find out if they're interested in you. With a little luck you'll be on your way to an amazing adventure.
It only takes a few clicks


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In Tragedy in the Age of Oprah: Essays on Five Great Plays, Louis Fantasia provides a provocative examination of the relationship between popular culture and classical tragedy. Making a persuasive argument for the lessons tragedy has to offer today's audiences, Fantasia examines five enduring works of theatre: Euripides' Medea, William Shakespeare's King Lear, Jean Racine's Phèdre, Friedrich Schiller's Mary Stuart; and Eugene O'Neill's Long Day's Journey into Night. Fantasia discusses in detail each of these plays, framing them in a contemporary context that explores the suffering, responsibility, and identity that tragedy advocates.
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CableTV.com Recommends TV Service from DIRECTV
When choosing a TV service, it's important to understand the difference between the many cable companies and other television services available in your area. We use data from independent customer surveys to sort through satellite TV and cable companies in Seneca Castle, NY. With access to that kind of comprehensive information, we know that the best TV service provider near you is DIRECTV.
Do you like to keep up weekly with your favorite period dramas or family comedies? Or are you a die-hard or New York Giants fan? Without your favorite shows and sports teams, an inexpensive cable package is still a waste of money, so it is essential to consider channel availability when you're looking for TV packages in Seneca Castle. We have compiled all the information you need to analyze your options and find the best cable company in Seneca Castle, NY. While most packages include major networks, not all small channels are available with every package—in fact, availability can vary from one area to another, even with the same TV provider. Find the highest rated providers available in Seneca Castle, with the detailed research we've gathered to help you with your search. We've made it quick and simple to choose an economical TV package that includes everything you need.
The content of your TV package is important. But so is customer service. Savvy consumers like you want a reliable TV provider with positive consumer feedback. CableTV.com can help! We provide ratings on every provider, allowing you to easily determine which cable company in Seneca Castle, NY has the highest consumer ratings. Our recommendations can help minimize the risk of selecting a TV provider that offers poor customer service.


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Our friends at Destructoid are running a contest to create a Blast Works level, check it out!
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