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A few weeks ago I was asking on Twitter if anyone had ideas for blog topics and someone - whose name I have since most stupidly forgotten, many apologies - said:
"I would love to hear you talk some time about how you make the magic in your books feel real."Which struck me, after my initial 'Oh, that would be cool' reaction, as a surprisingly difficult question to answer, really. And therefore, probably something I should think/talk about a bit more. So I shall, momentarily (after saying that I'm certain other people made excellent blog topic suggestions to me on Twitter AND in comments.... and I have managed to lose track of or misplace all of them. Maybe some form of undead creature has snacked on my brain after all? Anyone who wants to throw their question or suggestion at me again, I promise to be more careful this time!).
So: magic. All my books have it, in some form or another, to some extent. In two of my books - Daughter of the Flames and FrostFire - any unearthly stuff is confined to the divine power of certain Gods, who speak to, heal, and influence the human characters. In one - The Swan Kingdom - there's a kind of ambient nature magic which is naturally present in the land and all growing things, and some people have the ability to draw on in order to heal and harm. And in Shadows on the Moon there's strong illusion magic which can transform the physical appearance of things, and which for certain people might develop into the talent to transform and even create matter itself.
Each of these kinds of magic is distinct, so each of them called on different descriptive techniques, which I'll talk about in a bit. But at the base level, when you're talking about magic you are talking about something which doesn't exist (as far as I've experienced, though my fingers are still crossed) here in the real world. Which leaves you with both a blessing AND problem as a writer. A completely blank slate.
If I want to describe the sensations of being submerged up to the waist in icy water, I'm on firm ground because everyone knows, at the very least, what cold water feels like. Their memories will fill in the gaps in my descriptions with *empathy*, which is a writer's gold dust. The same goes for emotions. Show readers that a character is angry or in pain; they draw on their memories of anger and pain, imagine themselves in that position and fill in those gaps. Even if I describe something like falling in love - which some of my readers may never have done yet, themselves - there's enough handy shorthand about how this feels for the reader to draw on memories of other kinds of love and emotion and put themselves there in the character's heart.
Okay, yes, this does mean that in describing real life things, sometimes you're automatically going to be putting cliches in your first draft. But when you come back to these moments later on you can pare down the descriptions, cut away the cliches to reveal the essential parts of the experience of the character, find unique new ways to depict these familiar (or oft described) sensations.
When attempting to invoke a sense of magic of whatever kind, you're unable to draw on real world experiences. You can't create a brilliant description of magic by finding by some unique new way to talk about the essential experience of it, or by paring back the cliches or by triggering a reader's memory. You're starting from zero. This means that, on the one hand, you can't exactly be *wrong* in your descriptions. On the other hand, if you don't get it *right* then the magic becomes unconvincing in a way that no description of a real life experience possibly can be. Botched descriptions of magic are usually cringeworthy and laughable.
There's a writer whom I read religiously and love - except that whenever her characters cast spells, they cast them in rhyme. These rhyming spells are so ridiculously bad, and more, so utterly *pointless*, that whenever I turn a page and see one I actually have to shut the book for a minute and make 'YUCK' noises just to be able to go on reading. There is no reason why the spells should have to rhyme - at least, none that any of the characters ever explain. Speaking the spells out loud is just supposed to 'clarify their will'; poetry seems superfluous to that. And in order to make them rhyme, the author has committed some of the worst crimes against meter and scansion I think I've ever seen (and I once judged a poetry competition for five year olds).
Having the characters spout lines like:
In the middle of tense, high stakes situations robs the magic of any sense of reality or importance. Witch or not, I can't think of a single person who wouldn't feel a complete berk having to face off against a demon with lines like that.
Do not be like this author.
You have to anchor the reality of your magic in the story absolutely. You have to make it seem concrete and solid and real - as real as the character's sword or their dinner or their own right hand.
But at the same time it's essential that you still leave the same kinds of gaps you would with a real life description - give the reader room to develop that instinctive sense of empathy with the experience you're trying to create. Let them fill in those gaps with other, real, experiences they've had, so they feel they know and understand the magic you've described personally.
To me, those gaps are especially vital because magic is impossible. Which might sound a bit backward. If something isn't real then don't you need to describe it in much more detail to make it seem concrete? But think again. Magic - if it existed - would be something springing purely from the human mind, the human soul, the human heart. It might be considered an art. It might be considered a science. But in either case it would be intangible and unquantifiable, something that human beings would each interpret (often wildly differently) through the unique filter of their own personalities, talents and instincts. I suppose the closest thing to it that we Mundies have would be spirituality, and see the tangle that people get into trying to quantify that!
Just as over describing a real life experience on the page robs it of magic, so over describing magic robs it of reality. Allowing the space for a reader to feel instinctively how the magic in your story works prevents you from creating what I call 'Light Switch Magic'. That is, enchantment which feels dull, mundane and as routine as flicking on the light switch.
Much as I love the Harry Potter books, the wand-flicking and spell-reciting there kind of gave me the pip. Some people in the books were praised for being particularly 'strong' witches or wizards - but if reciting a certain spell a certain way and flicking your wand properly always results in the same outcome, then surely it doesn't matter how 'strong' you are? It's like baking a cake. Follow the instructions, step by step, and enjoy the results. Recite, flick, someone levitates or turns into a frog. Does being a stronger wizard mean they levitate better or turn into a better frog? Why? Surely under this system, Hermione, with her brain like an encyclopedia, ought to have been the greatest witch of all time, ever, because she had All The Spells memorised.
Of course, J.K. saved her books from the deadly dullness of Light Switch Magic by showing all the silly, whimsical, deadly and forbidden consequences of the ways individual witches and wizards *used* their spells. Flying cars, Remembralls, the cruciatus curse, polyjuice potion. Brilliant. Anyone who's ever ridden in a car has probably imagined being able to punch a button and fly over the traffic. Anyone who's ever played dress up can imagine how it might feel to try steal someone else's appearance.
The Harry Potter books were so well rooted in an ordinary person's every day life and experiences, and the way her magic manifested so beautifully rooted in each individual character's strengths, quirks and worldview, that you didn't really need empathy to get the sense that it was all real. But most us can't pull that off.
When I was working on The Swan Kingdom, I struggled a bit with how to depict the heroine's magic. For Alexandra the magic of her land and the way she used it were utterly natural. Almost like breathing, she sometimes didn't realise she was using it at all. The magic sprang from both outside and within her. She herself was only capable of 'small magics' but she was also overwhelmingly aware of the vast power of the land and growing things around her. As a result there ended up being a lot of mixed metaphors in there. One minute calling up her powers felt like burning her hands. The next time her magic knocked her over, like an untrained animal responding to her voice. I felt I was on the right track with all the nature imagery, but the 'enaid' (the land magic) just ended up feeling rather vague. Not rooted.
Then during revisions my editor remarked how much he liked one of the passages in the book where I had used a water metaphor to describe the heroine's sense of the enaid surging up and engulfing her. This was a Eureka! moment for me. The magic I was describing was wild and dangerous but at the same time beautiful and absolutely vital to the land and people. Sometimes it came in a trickle, sometimes in a vast flood. It was part of nature - just like water is, in all its many forms. And everyone knows what water feels and looks like. Water was the perfect metaphor to use because it would trigger instinctive and strong sensory memories in the reader.
I went back through the manuscript with a completely new understanding of the way the enaid worked. Every instance of enchantment in the story needed to display the unique sensory qualities of this magic; how it would feel to work with, how it would move, how it would respond to being called up and manipulated. It was a time-consuming process - not just because magic was everywhere in the book, but because this new understanding of the way the enaid worked meant lots of other things in the story needed to be tweaked and changed.
By the end of the revision these consistent, strongly sensory metaphors and descriptions of the enaid really did make it feel like something completely real, like a wilful and powerful force with a mind of its own, like a kind of rushing river flowing through the story. Hopefully like something that a reader could reach out and feel for themselves if they just concentrated hard enough...
But I tried really hard not to over-describe. Not to create a 'magic system' (I hate that term - systems are for sewage, not magic) within which everything could be classified and categorised, and neatly filed under M. If magic is wild and powerful and intangible then some things about it must be grasped instinctively rather than explained away - or it won't feel like magic at all. It's not science. It's not maths. It's not baking a cake. As the wonderful fantasy writer N.K. Jemisin says:
"Magic is the motile force of God, or gods. It's the breath of the earth, the non-meat by-product of existence, that thing that happens when a tree falls in the forest and there's no one around to hear it. Magic is the mysteries, into which not everyone is so lucky, or unlucky, as to be initiated. It can be affected by belief, the whims of the unseen, harsh language. And it is not. Supposed. To make. Sense."That's where the gaps come in.
Of course, many writers and readers disagree with me here. I've definitely seen reviews which stated that readers were disappointed with how little the magic in my books was 'explained' or 'gone into' or 'explored'. And many writers produce books where the magic does work like clockwork - like an electric switch. If that works for them, fine.
But for me, the keys to making magic seem magical in fiction are 1) linking the feeling of using magic to real sensory or emotional experiences, and 2) leaving enough to the imagination that readers get to fill in the gaps with something that feels instinctively right and real and magical to them.
I might do another post on this, guys - it feels like there's more to go into. Let me know what you think :)


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About 6 months ago I started working on a simple idea – a beautiful, modern recipe plugin for WordPress. A month or so after that I launched a very rough beta release, starting at 0.5. It took me a few months, but today I'm extremely happy to launch Recipe Hero 1.0.
It took me longer than it should have, but I got stuck in a mentality where everything had to be right before I pulled the trigger. That's not the right mentality – at least in my opinion. So, today I've released the almost-ready one point oh.
Freemium, yo
Last week I wrote about building a freemium plugin. Recipe Hero is a freemium plugin. I've worked my ass of to build a viable, useful plugin that's completely free, but I hope to profit of the eventual sale of 'extensions' that extend the plugin's capabilities.
It's definitely difficult to decide what belongs in the free part of the plugin. I want to give users everything I can for free but I also need to make money from the project in order to continue development and build new features.
I realised that it was actually essential to keep the 'extra' stuff out of the core plugin. The average user won't need the ability to embed videos for each of their instructions or include a front-end recipe submission form. So rather than bloat the core plugin with features that few will need, leading to a bad user experience for the majority, I opted to build these features into separate premium extensions.
For 1.0, I also decided the website needed a refresh. It was built with the incredible Storefront (by my brogre James) and the always awesome WooCommerce.
So please, check it out, view the website and get involved on GitHub! 🙂

subset: commoncrawl


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Friday, 23 September 2016
OK, so on today's post I ll be talking about a classic outfit I got from Fashpa in 2015. This high low dress is everything. I wore it just once in February 2015 to church and believe it or not didn't even remember I had it till last week Saturday 2016... 1 year later. So I had a wedding and I was like mehnnn couldn't think of what to wear. I had wanted to get a dress from one of my fav stores @Virgoslounge and then I remembered the pounds exchange rate ain't smiling. LOL.....and I ll probably won't get it on time except I did DHL overnight shipping from the UK and that would cost me a lot. Hmmmm I decided to ransack my wardrobe and wooolaaaaa I found this pretty blue number I got from Fashpa. I was super excited as i had totally forgotten that i even had it.
I brought it out immediately without wasting time lol. I paired it with my KurtGeiger Britton colorful court shoe and a lip shaped purse also from Fashpa and as we all know wigs are so in now so put on my go to wig from claireblonde and I was good to go..... At the party everyone wanted to know where I got my dress from and unfortunately since it's a over a year old i had to relay the sad news no girl wants to hear....SOLD OUT. ***sad face****
My Fashpa dress was definitely a life and money saver. Here are few pics of the outfit
Dress: Fashpa
Purse : Fashpa
Shoes : kurtgeiger
Wig: claireblonde
All vendors are on IG there handles are the names above
Thanks for visiting my blog. Xoxo
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What are the problems with Get Out and Moonlight? It takes away all excuse from indie filmmakers on getting the job done right. For next to no money. Just story, craft and get'er done is all it takes to make a splash with your film. [Spoilers]
Archive for the 'FIlm Life' Category
Problems with Get Out & Moonlight For Indie Filmmakers
Improve Your Filmmaking with Podcasts
I love podcasts. The digestible log form audio content really gets me through the day. Why's this good for the filmmaker? It's essentially the oldest form of storytelling. And you can listen to podcasts while you're doing something else.
Failure Lab: Where we learn to succeed.
This is a pretty awesome series on failure by some folks who've obviously succeeded. Great vitamins for if you ain't 'there' yet, 'there' being your destination of choice. I dug this episode by the Daily Show's Roy Wood Jr. A good title is, "Pride comes before the fall. Then you learn to get up again." […]
Hey… Where you been Moe?
Hey… Where you been Moe? So after about 9 months writing this blog I had an existential crisis: Who am I to talk about making movies? I'd never made a feature film and I had a film making blog. I was a fraud. Well… maybe.
Sometimes You Have to Punt a Production
The Conflict of Schedules and Indie Productions Long time no post. Got busy with a production I'll be posting about here soon. I also had a bit of existential grief that I wasn't just writing watered down platitudes, and what not. But I've got a good one, today: The conflict of a tight filmmaking schedule […]
Communication is the Indie Filmmaking Special Sauce
The most important thing you need on a film set is Communication. On a studio film shoot, the budget allows department heads to have plenty opportunities to meet and disseminate information where it needs to go. But on an Indie set, there's usually a mad visionary and her or his friends just trying to get […]
Don't Chase Trends
Cee Lo Green put is so succinctly in the latest evolution of his career, "I'd be a pretty good thug but that wouldn't compare to a great me" Don't chase the trends. Don't try and be like everyone else. Every time the hot new thing becomes a trend, the industry jumps on the bandwagon.
Start With Short Shoots
Keep it Simple, Stupid. K. I. S. S. You've heard it but it has nothing to do with your stories. You don't write simple stories. You don't envision short films. Your canvas is huge, and that's just what you do. But if this is your first rodeo, maybe you should just take a day and […]
"A Girl & A Gun" The Lazy Basics of Drama
"All you need for a movie is a girl and a gun." That's a quote from French Director Jean-Luc Godard. I guess you can say, these two images are 'instant tension' from a male orientation. Tension is pretty much the source of story.


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CFO Moves this week include:
|General Motors Co.
|Automatic Data Processing
|Titan International, Inc
|Deckers Brands
|Kennametal Inc.
|WaterBridge Resources LLC
|Digi International®
|r21 Holdings, Inc.
|CPI Card Group Inc.
|Avinger, Inc.
|Akonni Biosystems
|Lincoln 1st Bank
|Finch Therapeutics Group, Inc.
|Adams Resources & Energy, Inc.
|Watts Water Technologies, Inc.
|Internap Corporation
|Media Partners Corporation
Would you like to receive our weekly CFO Moves directly in your email? Click the SIGN ME UP! button on the right of the blog page.
Should you have any CFO Moves to report, please email us.
NOTE: CFO Search Report available monthly to CFOs only. Read more here.
CFO Moves is published by Samuel Dergel (Executive Search Consultant and CFO & Financial Executive Search Specialist with Dergel Executive Search). Samuel can be reached by email at firstname.lastname@example.com or by phone at +1 (415) 738-2070.
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General Motors Co. [DETROIT] announced Chuck Stevens, GM executive vice president and Chief Financial Officer, has indicated his plans to retire after more than 40 years with the company. GM also announced the appointment of Dhivya Suryadevara as Chief Financial Officer. Suryadevara has been vice president, Corporate Finance since July 2017. From 2015 to 2017, Suryadevara served as vice president, Finance and Treasurer. Suryadevara also served as CEO and Chief Investment Officer for GM Asset Management from 2013 to 2017. Suryadevara joined GM in 2005.
Automatic Data Processing [Roseland, New Jersey] announced that Jan Siegmund, Chief Financial Officer, notified the Company of his intention to leave. His departure date has not been determined.
Titan International, Inc. [QUINCY, Ill.] (NYSE: TWI) named David A. Martin as the Company's Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. Prior to joining Titan, Mr. Martin served from 1993 to 2018 in various roles at Aegion Corporation. Mr. Martin's roles included serving as the company's Chief Financial Officer from 2007 to November 2017.
Deckers Brands [GOLETA, Calif.] (NYSE: DECK) announced the appointment of Steve Fasching to Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Fasching previously served as the company's Senior Vice President, Corporate Strategy, Planning & Investor Relations. He succeeds Tom George, who will transition concurrent with Mr. Fasching's appointment. Mr. Fasching held senior finance-related roles at Princess Cruises prior to joining Deckers in August 2011 as Vice President, Strategic Financial Planning. Mr. Fasching was elevated to Vice President, Strategy & Investor Relations in 2016 and was promoted to Senior Vice President, Corporate Strategy, Planning & Investor Relations in February 2018.
RAMCO [FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich.] (NYSE: RPT) announced the appointment of Michael P. Fitzmaurice as Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Secretary. Mr. Fitzmaurice most recently served as Senior Vice President of Finance with Retail Properties of America, Inc. Prior to joining RPAI in 2012, Mr. Fitzmaurice held various management roles within capital markets, finance, accounting and investments for GGP and Equity Office Properties.
Kennametal Inc. [PITTSBURGH] (NYSE: KMT) announced that Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Jan Kees van Gaalen will retire from the company. Jan Kees has served the company as CFO since 2015.
WaterBridge Resources LLC [HOUSTON] announced Steve Jones as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Jones previously served as founder and CEO of Core Midstream, LLC as well as founder and CFO of PennTex Midstream Partners, LLC, and Managing Director with Tudor, Pickering, Holt & Co.
Digi International [MINNETONKA, Minn.] (NASDAQ: DGII) announced that Gokul Hemmady has been appointed as Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of the company. Most recently, Hemmady served as an independent technology and telecom consultant based in Los Angeles, California. Previously, he served as President of Nextel Brazil. He has also served as Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of NII Holdings, and prior to that as Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of ADC Telecommunications.
r21 Holdings, Inc. [WARRENDALE, Pa.] has appointed that Michele Pascoe has been named Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. Ms. Pascoe succeeds Stephen Coulombe who was named Interim Chief Financial Officer in. Ms. Pascoe joins rue21 from Alvarez & Marsal. Prior to Alvarez and Marsal, from 2013-2017, Ms. Pascoe was the Chief Administration Officer and Chief Financial Officer of Marsh Supermarkets LLC. From 2009 to 2013, Ms. Pascoe was Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Charming Shoppes/ Fashion Bug Division. She also served as the Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer from 2007-2009 at Rachel Ashwell Designs/Shabby Chic. She began her fashion business career at the Warnaco Group in 1989.
HubSpot [CAMBRIDGE, Mass.] (NYSE: HUBS) announced that Kate Bueker will become Chief Financial Officer of HubSpot. She replaces John Kinzer, who will step down as Chief Financial Officer. Bueker joins HubSpot from Akamai Technologies where she most recently served as the senior vice president of business finance and operations. Bueker held a number of finance and business development leadership positions during her 11 years at the company. Prior to Akamai, Bueker spent almost a decade in investment banking at The Blackstone Group, UBS, Credit Suisse and Donaldson Lufkin & Jenrette.
CPI Card Group Inc. [LITTLETON, Colo.] (NASDAQ: PMTS; TSX: PMTS) announced the appointment of John D. Lowe as Chief Financial Officer. She replaces Lillian Etzkorn, the Company's current CFO, who is stepping down. John D. Lowe was most recently Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of SquareTwo Financial Corporation, from August 2014 until June 2017. Prior to his role as CFO, Lowe held multiple leadership roles with SquareTwo including Treasurer, VP of Finance, VP of External Reporting and Director of Technical Accounting. Prior to SquareTwo, Mr. Lowe was Director of Technical Accounting at Archstone, from January 2008 until August 2009. Prior to Archstone, Mr. Lowe was with Deloitte & Touche, LLP in both the Assurance and Capital Markets Practices as an Auditor and Consultant.
Avinger, Inc. [REDWOOD CITY, Calif.] (NASDAQ: AVGR) announced that Mark Weinswig will assume the role of Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Weinswig will succeed Matt Ferguson, who is leaving the Company to pursue other opportunities. Mr. Weinswig previously served as the CFO of Emcore, One Workplace, and Aqua Metals. Earlier in his career, he was International Financial Controller for Coherent, and held senior financial positions at Oclaro. Mr. Weinswig began his career in public accounting at PricewaterhouseCoopers and worked at Morgan Stanley as an Equity Research Analyst.
Akonni Biosystems [FREDERICK, Md.] announced the appointment of Lawrence (Larry) Firestone as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (CFO).
Lincoln 1st Bank [LINCOLN PARK, N.J.] announced that Erik J. Terpstra has been appointed as Chief Financial Officer and Vice President. Prior to his appointment, Terpstra served in public accounting, most recently a member within the financial institution industry group for BDO USA, LLP.
Finch Therapeutics Group, Inc. [SOMERVILLE, Mass.] announced that it has appointed Gregory Perry as Chief Financial Officer. Prior to joining Finch, Mr. Perry held various senior financial leadership roles at several biotech companies including Novelion Therapeutics, Eleven Biotherapeutics, ImmunoGen, Domantis, and Transkaryotic Therapies. Mr. Perry transitioned to the biotech industry after beginning his career at General Electric, where he served in increasingly senior financial roles over fourteen years. Additionally, Mr. Perry currently serves on the Board of Directors of Merus Therapeutics and Kala Pharmaceuticals.
Hopebridge [Indianapolis, IN] announced that they have chosen Ben Seib as the organization's next Chief Financial Officer. Seib most recently served as System Chief Financial Officer for Cancer Treatment Centers of America.
Adams Resources & Energy, Inc. [HOUSTON] (NYSE AMERICAN: AE) announced the election of Tracy E. Ohmart as Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of the Company. Mr. Ohmart will replace Sharon C. Davis in her roles as interim Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of the Company. Ms. Davis will continue in her positions as Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Accounting Officer of the Company. Mr. Ohmart was most recently with Horn Solutions, Inc., and prior to that as Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of United Bulk Terminals USA, Inc., from 2012 to 2016. He was Assistant Controller for Southwestern Energy Company from 2010 to 2012, and from 1989 to 2009 he held various accounting, finance, management and special projects positions with increasing responsibilities with EPCO, Inc., TEPPCO Partners, L.P. and ARCO Pipe Line Company.
Watts Water Technologies, Inc. [NORTH ANDOVER, Mass.] (NYSE: WTS) announced the appointment of Shashank Patel as Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Patel joins Watts from Xylem Inc., where he most recently served as Vice President of Finance for its Applied Water Systems, Dewatering and America's Commercial Team. During his career at Xylem, Mr. Patel held several leadership positions, including serving as interim Chief Financial Officer for nine months in 2015 and 2016. Prior to that, Mr. Patel served as Chief Financial Officer and Vice President, Finance for Xylem's Applied Water Systems division from 2010 to July 2015. In total, Mr. Patel spent twenty one years working globally at ITT/Xylem and held several leadership positions of increased responsibilities in finance, operations, and engineering. Additionally, Mr. Patel spent eight years working at Ernst & Young and obtained his CPA license in 1987.
SourceMedia [NEW YORK] announced the appointment of Sean Kron as CFO. Kron joins SourceMedia from S&P Global Platt's PIRA Energy Group where he was Head of Finance. Prior to joining SourceMedia, Sean was CFO for PIRA Energy Group. Before PIRA Energy Group, Sean spent 12 years with Thomson Reuters in numerous financial leadership roles.
Internap Corporation [RESTON, Va.] (NASDAQ: INAP) announced the appointment of James C. Keeley as Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Keeley succeeds Robert M. Dennerlein. Mr. Keeley's recent positions include: Chief Financial Officer at Tahzoo, LLC; Financial Consultant and General Manager for satellite operations of Vonage Holdings Corporation, subsequent to Vonage's acquisition of Icore Networks Inc, where Mr. Keeley was CFO; positions of increasing responsibility at Primus Telecommunications Group, Incorporated (PTGi), including Chief Accounting Officer and CFO and was CFO during Peter Aquino's tenure as CEO.
Media Partners Corporation [BELLEVUE, Wash.] announced that Tom Munro has joined the company as Chief Operating and Financial Officer. Mr. Munro previously held the same COO/CFO title at Glowforge, Inc. He brings a wide range of experience to Media Partners in the digital media space from Photobucket, where he served as Chief Executive Officer for over six years. Prior to Photobucket, Mr. Munro was the Chief Financial Officer at a number of public and private companies.


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Italy: Police shooting blamed on 'atmosphere in Italian society'Comments
Following the shooting of two police officers while Italy's new government was being sworn in, euronews spoke to Deputy Editor-in-Chief of TM news agency Alessandro Amati about the possible motivations of the man arrested and the wider implications for Italy.
"It seemed clear from the earliest moments that it was the act of a single person and not linked to terrorism. Certainly it's a consequence of the current atmosphere in Italian society – tension, concern, uncertainty about the future," said Amati from his office in Rome, located close to the prime minister's office where the shooting took place.
"Now, it's necessary to send a peaceful and calm message. One of the first measure of Letta's government will be certainly focused on reviving the Italian economy in some way, in order to send a message of hope and confidence," he added.


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While Serena Williams remains the dominant force in women's tennis, she is not the only American woman who is capable of making a run into the second week of the US Open, reports the USTA.
Serena has been the world No. 1 for 183 consecutive weeks, and she comes into New York in search of her 23rd Grand Slam women's singles title, which would break Steffi Graf's record for the most in the Open era and which would be one behind Margaret Court's all-time mark.
But the Williams sisters are only the tip of the tennis iceberg in the U.S., and the next wave of talented players is quickly coming through the ranks. Let's take a look at those waiting in the wings to be America's next great hope.
There are 14 American women whose rankings were high enough to earn them direct entry into this year's main draw, the most at this tournament in more than a decade. Combined with the six U.S. players who received wild cards and the three who worked their way through the qualifying tournament, there will be a total of 22 U.S. women in the 128-player field. Sloane Stephens was set to compete, but a right-foot injury forced her to pull out of the tournament earlier this week.
Joining Serena among the seeds in the main draw are sixth-seeded Venus Williams, No. 8 Madison Keys and No. 28 CoCo Vandeweghe.
Madison Brengle, Shelby Rogers, Varvara Lepchenko, Christina McHale, Louisa Chirico, Irina Falconi, Nicole Gibbs, Alison Riske and Samantha Crawford all earned direct entry into the tournament, as they were ranked inside the top 104 at the cut-off date of July 18.
Vania King, Sofia Kenin, Kayla Day, Bethanie Mattek-Sands, Danielle Collins, Lauren Davis each received wild cards, while CiCi Bellis, Taylor Townsend and Jessica Pegula came through three rounds of qualifying to secure their spots.
After the Williams sisters, King, Lepchenko and Mattek-Sands, 25 of the other Top 30-ranked American women were born in the '90s. Bellis, ranked No. 158, and Kenin, ranked No. 246, are still teenagers, and Chirico and Townsend only turned 20 this spring.
Many consider Keys the next star of American women's tennis, a sentiment bolstered by her winning her second career title in Birmingham this summer and reaching the final of top-tier events in Rome and Montreal, proving her powerful game can translate to any surface.
With Serena turning 35 two weeks after the US Open and Venus already 36 years old, it may be 21-year-old Keys who carries the torch for women's tennis over the next decade. But she may not be alone.
The 14 American women earning direct entry into the main draw are the most at the US Open since 2004, when 15 U.S. women were ranked high enough to receive an automatic spot in the main draw. That year, the USTA gave eight American players wild cards, and one other player earned a spot through qualifying, making it 24 players in the 128-woman field.
Since 2004, double-digit American women have received direct entry into the main draw five times but only once in the past eight years…last year.
The US Open draw caps a strong year for American women, who had 15 players earning direct entry at Wimbledon and the French Open and 13 at the Australian Open. In addition to Serena being in all three finals, winning in London and losing to Angelique Kerber and Garbiñe Muguruza in Melbourne and Paris respectively, Venus reached the semifinals at Wimbledon, and Shelby Rogers made the quarters at the French.
Rogers is one of 15 Americans in the Top 100 and one of 23 inside the Top 150. Germany has eight women in the Top 100, Russia has seven, the Czech Republic has six, and Italy has four.
The best thing about this group of budding champions is that they are all rooting for each other to succeed. As Shelby Rogers says,"we can laugh and have a good time, and that sort of friendly competition is really a great thing for us. It's a very positive thing but helps all of us and pushes us all. We generally want each other to do well, and when we see each other doing well, we want to do well ourselves. So it's a really great thing to be a part of, and I'm so happy to be in that group with them. There are a lot of us Americans that are doing super well, and we're all kind of pushing each other, I think it's a really amazing thing to be a part of."
We are all hoping that Serena will be successful in capturing her 23rd Grand Slam women's single's title, but we are also pleased that we have a great "cushion" of potential successors we can rely on to keep the US as a strong contender.


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World Bulletin / News Desk
Ice on the Arctic Ocean could vanish in summertime as early as 2015 or linger for many decades after a thaw to a record low this month that is widely blamed on climate change, according to scientists.
Huge variations in climate experts' predictions complicate long-term plans by everyone from indigenous peoples who depend on ice for hunting to shipping firms hoping for new trans-Arctic shipping routes and oil firms seeking new areas for drilling.
Most computer models of climate change indicate the ice could disappear in summer in 30 to 40 years, said Lars-Otto Reiersen, head of the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme.
"But there are models that indicate 2015 as an extreme," he said.
A precipitous decline in the extent of the ice in recent years has outpaced projections by a U.N. panel of experts in 2007 that indicated a near-complete loss in summer by the end of the century.
Peter Wadhams, a professor of ocean physics at Cambridge University, said that a prediction he made in 2008 that the ice could be gone in 2015 because of global warming was looking cautious.
"It could even all go this summer," he said. "So I think the 2015 date is now looking a bit conservative. We may end up having an ice-free summer before then."
He said that the thickness of the ice - not just the extent floating on the sea that many researchers focus on - had declined unexpectedly quickly. That meant the volume of ice was down to about 30 perent of its amount three decades ago.
The ice shrank to its lowest extent since satellite monitoring began in the late 1970s at 4.10 million square km (1.58 million square miles) on Aug. 26, according to the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC).
The melt, below the minimum extent set in 2007, may continue well into September.
The shrinking ice itself can stoke climate change. As the white, reflective ice retreats, it opens up darker water that soaks up more and more heat, adding to global warming caused by a build-up of greenhouse gases.
"If it shrinks to zero you are decreasing the albedo (reflected sunlight) of the Earth. That's the same warming effect of 25 years of additional carbon dioxide," Wadhams said.
Most experts are more cautious about the pace.
A study this weekend in the journal Geophysical Research Letters, whose authors included NSIDC experts, said that some models projected virtually ice-free conditions by 2020, others by the end of the century.
"A seasonally ice-free Arctic Ocean within the next few decades is a distinct possibility," they concluded.
"We just don't know exactly why this is moving so fast," said Robert Corell, head of the Global Environment Technology Foundation based in Arlington, Virginia. He said that he believed that the ice would probably last into about the 2030s.
The shrinking ice, also affecting wildlife such as polar bears, does not just influence the sea. Ward Hunt Lake at the northern tip of Arctic Canada had a permanent ice cap that was measured as 4.2 metres thick in the summer of 1953.
"Last year we observed the disappearance of all of the ice and the lake had open water for the first time in recorded history," said Warwick Vincent, director of the Centre for Northern Studies at Laval University in Quebec.
The sea ice freezes out again in September, reaching a maximum towards the end of the northern winter in March.
A related problem to thickness is that there is little of the hardest ice that survives several seasons. And ocean currents and winds may be changing, bringing warmer water and air north.Last Mod: 30 Ağustos 2012, 15:33


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Star-Ledger Staff
WHY ARE PEOPLE willing to pay more than $2,000 for a ticket to the Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus tour, which comes to the Prudential Center in Newark on Saturday? Why is "Hannah Montana" the most popular show ever on the Disney Channel, drawing 5.4 million viewers?
How did a 15-year-old girl from Nashville with a one-hit wonder dad land on the Forbes list of the richest people under 25? Why is everyone -- from second-grade girls to Oprah Winfrey -- so crazy about Miley Cyrus? We list 15 reasons:
1. She 's not a spoiled brat. She loads the dishwasher, goes to church every Sunday and is grounded when she misbehaves.
2.Her character on "Hannah Montana" has popularized the expression "Sweet niblets!"
3. She looks prettier as Miley than she does as Hannah, her pop star alter ego.
4. Her monthly allowance is $300--despite the fact that she makes $3.5 million a year.
5. If it weren't for Miley, her real-life dad, Billy Ray Cyrus, who plays her father on the show, would still be known for the song "Achy Breaky Heart."
6. She has a cool name. Her birth certificate says Destiny Hope, but her parents called her Miley, derived from her infant nickname, "Smiley."
7. She doesn't have the strongest voice in the world, but she knows how to work it.
8. She has famous relatives. Her mom on the show was played by Brooke Shields. Her aunt is Dolly Parton, and her best friend's mom is Heather Locklear.
9. She has famous friends. She has dated Nick Jonas of the Jonas Brothers, and her best friends are Emily Osment, her sidekick on the show, and Ashley Tisdale of "High School Musical."
10. Her "Hannah Montana" tour outsold shows by Justin Timberlake, the Police and Bruce Springsteen.
11. She claims her Hannah wig weighs 20 pounds when soaked with sweat, but she wears it with a smile.
12. As far as we can tell, she has never had a nose job or breast implants.
13. She's never been to rehab.
14. She doesn't give public updates on the status of her virginity.
15. Those pregnancy rumors back in September turned out to be untrue.


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Special Guests, LaShaunda Hoffman and Angeline M Bishop.
Writing a book is challenging, but marketing a book is another story.
Where does a writer begin?
What's the most effective way to reach your multicultural audience?
We asked other multicultural writers to submit their questions. And today, two marketing divas/authors, LaShaunda Hoffman and Angeline M. Bishop, join us to share their expertise.
Read on to discover the secrets of selling your book!
What pointers do you have for reaching the widest market? What works, what doesn't? I feel like I have an excellent social media presence, have built a decent following, am actively blogging and interacting with folks, but that doesn't seem to be resulting in a bump in sales. Any advice?
LH: Thanks for your question Madhuri. My best advice is to be where your readers are. A lot of writers are on social media and blogging because that's what they are told to do. Are your readers engaging with you on social media and on your blog?
Remember promoting isn't about selling it's about gaining the readers trust. The more engagement you have with the readers, the more they trust you and then they are ready to spend their money on your books.
If they aren't talking to you, you probably aren't making many sells.
AMB: First, let me state many New York Times bestselling authors hire marketing firms to heighten public awareness of their new releases. The only thing you can do to compete is have a clear voice, strong writing, and a great story.
You should also remember writing one book will not make you rich. Successful authors have multiple books. Now, I know it's possible for one book to take off but that's the rare exception, not the rule. Multiple books will give your other books a better chance to sell. If someone buys one and likes it, they're likely to buy your others.
Here's a tip I was given from the former CEO of Thomas Nelson Books, Michael Hyatt: Form a launch team of 100 people to get the maximum exposure for your book. These people are tweeters, book bloggers, website owners, Facebook followers, etc. They will drive the book closer to bestseller status and help your Amazon algorithm rankings. So join Kickstarter.com and HeadTalker.com and learn more.
How do you market to the African-American Community successfully?
LH: Hello Alexandria, thanks for your question. As I answered Madhuri, you have to be where the readers you want to target are.
Are you attending AA events? Are you talking to AA bookclubs? Are you in AA social media groups? Are you commenting on AA blogs?
You have to be where the readers are.
As a writer myself, with upcoming book. I realized my target readers are writers, which meant I had to join more writer groups. I need to attend more writer conferences and I need to network with more writers.
AMB: It's not about following marketing trends as much as it's about being true to yourself while supporting diverse writers. So ask yourself, are you comfortable purchasing a novel from an author that ONLY talks about their books on social media? Most of us would say no. We need to remember what we give out to the world WILL always come back. So an author that enjoys writing multicultural stories should take the time to uplift and promote other authors regularly. This will help you gain the respect of their literary peers and the buying public. Authors also need to network with other writers and share what works and what doesn't work. That's why the Cultural, Interracial, and Multicultural Special Interest Chapter of RWA, the Shades of Romance Magazine Community, the Romance Slam Jam Conference, and other organizations exist.
I'm multiracial (Cuban/Puerto Rican/ Native American/ Irish/ African ancestry). I grew up very Latina. I have no problem marketing to the Latina community. My books feature multiracial characters, like me; and I often get comments like, "no, I don't read that stuff," I only read AA females/Caucasian men/ AA female leads/Asian men ect. Or "Why does the character need to be multiracial," or "I'm sick of seeing light skinned green eyes characters?" Have any of the authors experienced this, and how do they deal with it, and still do effective marketing?
LH: Most of the authors I work with are AA, so this is what they experience every day. You put out the best book you can and start writing the next one. You will never please everyone; however there is a market who are looking for what you write.
When I started writing there wasn't any AA romance book, but I refuse to let that stop me from writing. Look for the readers who are looking for what you write.
AMB: Promoting your genre of writing should never mean expressing your frustration at current trends. Let's not forget, at one time, everyone gave people their home number when they wanted to be contacted. Today, everyone and their little kid sister has a smartphone on their hip on in their purse. So don't worry, instead focus on the type of readers you want to attract.
Now here's a few tips on effective marketing. The best time to promote your book is three years before it comes out if you haven't published a book before and one year before if you are already published. The experts say three years because it takes that long to build a reputation, connections, a following, and credibility over the internet.
Tip#2 Social Media isn't for selling books, it's for building relationships. The key words are SOCIAL Media, not BUY MY BOOK Media. It's the place to follow and engage with readers, book bloggers, and reviewers because they will influence your readership.
Tip#3 Book a blog tour to increase your visibility. Go to BookBloggerList.com. Over 1700+ book bloggers are listed on this free resource (recently shouted out by Publisher's Weekly!) And check out book promo sites likeBookBub, BuckBooks, KindleNationDaily, Pixel Of Ink, Author Marketing Club, etc.
What is a marketing plan to get noticed more, besides FB? I was published in 2011, and have 25 books under my belt, 2 Paranormal series, 2 serial series, and a historical line; but every day I get a new reader saying, "I knew nothing about you," LOL what do you write?
LH: That's a good thing if you meet new readers everyday who are haven't heard of you. That's actually what you want. It's hard to meet new readers because they already know who they like; they are slow to try someone new.
There is no magic market plan to get you noticed, if there was I would be a NY Bestseller by now. I have learned over the years, you have to try something new and if it doesn't work move on to the next thing.
Find the fun activities because that's what you will do. Set up a schedule and DO THEM. That's the best advice I can give you. Meet a new reader every day.
AMB: Don't feel bad about a new reader saying they didn't know you existed. Instead, look at your author branding.
Now your brand is different from your writing genre. For example, there are countless numbers of historical writers, but what will make you stand out in a distinct way would be your approach to writing historical novels.
Think about the mega-branding of Nora Roberts, Stephen King, JK Rowling, and John Grisham. Forging brand recognition is a necessary part of being a writer. There's no escaping it.
You have to find your voice and be very consistent in your writing. Your book covers and author websites are great places to show your author branding. One or two of the Social media sites (like Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, Pinterest, etc.) should use consistently because readers have to know where to find you, So if you post something daily, weekly, or monthly just be consistent.
And since you write in different genres, I would recommend you take a long look at the 'big picture' of your literary works and ask yourself:
How can these books fit together? Is there one thread that ties them and can I articulate that into a branding statement?
Remember a brand will help potential readers know, like, and trust you. Once your brand is known, any marketing plan you create will have a firmer foundation.
Antiquated publishing rules state that when you write, "Write as though you are writing to the average 9th grade high school student. When you incorporate words and phrases of a higher learning establishment, people will assume that you are pompous, a know it all, and find you annoying; and often times won't buy your books. Have any of the authors found this to be true? And when they write, do they gauge what level they are writing at?
LH: I've actually had this discussion with a few authors. You have to write what's in your heart and then find your audience. There is a book for every reader. Some readers love the big word books and some don't. You have to write what's comfortable for you and not worry about if the reader will be at the level to read it. You'll drive yourself and never finish the book. Write the book then find your audience.
AMB: Ah, the art of readability. As a rule of thumb, I believe all authors should ask themselves if the words they are choosing are too difficult for others to read and/or understand. Then they should ask their Beta Readers (which is a small group of their target readership demographic) about what they like and disliked about their novel.
Once those things are done, and the author has made their edits, I'd stop worry about it. Why? Because readability is dependent upon so many characteristics: age, race, culture, education and even slang. Don't get hung up on some word that a reader may or may not want to add to their lexicon, instead focus on the story and your voice.
How do authors build a multicultural subscriber's list?
LH: Hi Alicia, thank you for your question. As I tell my Virtual Tea clients, you build your list one reader at a time. There is no special formula to building one. You invite everyone you know and hope they sign up. You offer a freebie to those who visit your site, and hope they will offer you their email address in exchange. It takes time, but if you ask, people will begin to sign up.
AMB: This is a bit of a struggle for all multicultural authors because the amount of time it takes to build a subscriber list can take a lot of energy from your writing and your other marketing efforts. But the most effective way in 2015 is to have a visible subscribe form on your website home page with an ethical bride attached.
The gift should be something your website visitor would be excited about. It could be a free novella, first notification of your giveaways, or some free swag. You should also make the sign up easy so they can do it in five seconds.
What are some steps to take to create an active group of readers who love your books?
LH: My best advice for an active group is to create a plan for your group.
What do you want to talk about?
How often will you talk?
The more you talk, the more active your group is. Don't be a drive by host and only show up once a month. Every day or three times a week, to keep the group active.
AMB: Get connected to the online line book clubs and offer to Skype in to connect to readers. You can also create a YouTube page and post vlogs to keep your readers up to date on your writing progress and to answer their questions.
Also, we shouldn't neglect our local libraries. Librarians are our friends. Many people don't go out and buy novels because they can get them for free at the library so look there for active readers.
Publishers have always known that cultivating readers means cultivating buyers. If you were given a piece of free chocolate, chances are that you would go out any buy more chocolate even if you knew you could occasionally find the exact flavor you wanted for free nearby. You'd eat both the free chocolate and the purchased candy, wouldn't you? It's the same with novels.
So make the local author pitch. Local authors do have an advantage. Libraries will often accept a donated copy – again assuming that it meets minimum production standards – as simple good community relations, and sometimes, as part of a local history collection. Note: libraries do buy additional copies of things based on demand (as determined by the number of people waiting for it on the hold list). So talk up your book locally to get it moving.
From Shonda Brock
Once you find readers in your multicultural genre, how do you get them to buy your book?
LH: Hello Shonda, thank you for your questions.
I'm laughing because I wish I had an answer for you. Think about what makes you buy a book. Now switch that to your reader.
AMB: Building an audience of readers typically takes months of research and trial-and-error. And most authors are too scared or too cocky to research their target audience but it's part of our job. Getting published can't be the end goal because that's only the beginning.
You have to cultivate and build a small audience of readers before it can grow into a larger audience. The most popular ways to connect with readers typically utilize a blog, a newsletter, or a book trailer. Some authors use all three. You need to get to the point where your small audience becomes your 'advisory council' or your 'street team' so they will become great advocates of your future works.
I know there is no exact equations as to a "jack-pot" for finding readers, but what do you suggest is the best method to find readers vs. authors through social media.
LH: Engagement, I meet a lot of authors online because they talk about their books. A lot of authors are online, but no one knows they write unless they have a book about to release. You need to be talking about your book before it release, get the reader interest before it hits the shelves. Everybody is writing a book now days. Keeping your book to yourself will never sale it.
If you are on social media, talk. Visit other pages and talk, visit groups and talk. Share content, share wisdom, share writing tips. Engage.
AMB: What seems to work is finding other interests your target readership likes and interact with them on social media about it. So if your type of reader loves ABC's Scandal or Tyler Perry movies, then go where those fans are and interact with your future readers. This will take large portion of your time so I only suggest doing this in your down time. So following the hashtags on Twitter and Facebook write a few blog posts to tie your novel to the latest trending topic.
What has been the best advice you have received over the years pertaining to the business of marketing literature.
LH: Tell everyone about your book. I was in a restaurant with my writing group this weekend and our member sold a book to the waiter. Yes the waiter. He was super excited to meet an author.
You never know where you will meet your next reader.
AMB: It would have to be to add a signature to your outgoing email – This is an oldie but a goodie. Many authors and bloggers do this. Simply add the name of your novels, buy links, and domain name to your outgoing email. Most email programs will allow you to do this automatically via a signature option.
If you could predict the future, what do you think publishing industry model will look like in comparison to its current fluctuating state?
LH: I actually see a lot more people publishing their own books. Twenty years ago I was advised to publish my own books and I looked at the man like he was crazy. I was waiting on the big publishing house.
Now we don't have to wait to make our writing goals come true. My hope is that people will take the business serious and put out some excellent work, and the self-publishing side will no longer be the stepchild of the industry.
AMB: We're still in the early days of the self-publishing revolution so the indie author movement will grow stronger in the next passing years. Traditionally published authors will continue to transition to indie, led by midlist authors. And we'll see more hybrid authors (authors who are self-publish and traditionally publish) reorient their publishing strategies.
Digital ebook readers will continue to increase and traditional publishers will lower their price points to $4.99 and lower to compete with indie authors. That's right, I see more publishers offering book for FREE days too.
So focus on making your books better. Please your readers and they will spread word of your book through positive reviews and recommendations. If you're preparing a book launch and you have a couple dollars burning a hole in your pocket that you want to spend on marketing, spend that money on professional editing instead.
A huge thanks to LaShaunda and Angeline for taking the time to share their marketing secrets with us! Please connect with them using the links below.
About LaShaunda Hoffman
Thank you for inviting me to answer a few questions for you. I have an online promotion group and invite you to join. We discuss ways of getting our books in front of readers. Contact me at firstname.lastname@example.com if you would like to join. See ya on the net.
LaShaunda C. Hoffman took her love for books and turned it into an award winning online magazine, Shades of Romance Magazine. Her mission in life is to introduce as many books as she can to readers. She's happily married mother of three who believes in dreams and working hard to achieve them. She started a coaching program – Virtual Tea With LaShaunda to train writers on promoting their books online.
This summer she will publish her first book, Building Online Relationships – One Reader At A Time.
Catch her online:
email@example.com SORMAG
See Ya On The Net (her personal site)
Facebook -facebook.com/lashaunda.hoffman
or Twitter – @lashaundaH.
About Angeline Bishop
Angeline Bishop writes contemporary romance fiction and has a growing fan base. Angeline's novels are thought-provoking, refreshingly entertaining, fast paced, and with a strong romantic elements. She was born in Washington, D. C., but lived most of her life in New Jersey and considers the 'Garden State' her home. Her childhood passion for writing led to a degree in English Literature and a membership in Romance Writers of America.
Aside from writing her own novels and blogging, Angeline is the Vice President of the Cultural, Interracial, and Multicultural Special Interest Chapter of Romance Writers of America. and enjoys helping authors strengthen their craft. She co-hosts the AMB Talk Radio podcasts each Fall with her pop-culture loving, college-aged daughter. And she's the founder of the AMB Ovation Awards (The Angie) which provides honor and recognition of authors' outstanding achievements in the multicultural romance literary profession.
South Beach, the second novel in the Sheridan Series, will be following by Wild West and Big East. Angeline has also launched the inspirational Jacmuir Series, a multicultural New Adult series inspired by her college-reader fan base.
Find Angeline M Bishop:


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When you search the web using the Google app, you can open web pages without switching to a browser. This means you can:
- Open search result links faster.
- Stay in the Google app.
- Copy or share a link, re-open a link in your browser, and more.
Open webpages in the app
- On your Android phone or tablet, open the Google app .
- Do a search.
- Tap a search result link.
- A webpage will open inside the Google app.
Share, copy, save, or open in browser
After you open a webpage in the Google app, you can use that page's link. For example:
- Share link: Tap More Share link. Then pick an app, like Gmail or Messages.
- Copy link: Tap More Copy link. Then paste the link wherever you'd like.
- Open in browser: Tap More Open in browser or Open in Chrome. Then you can use browser features, like bookmarks.
- Save a page: To save the page to your favorites, tap Save . Learn how to find your saved items.
Turn "Open webpages in app" on or off
To turn this feature on or off:
- On your Android phone or tablet, open the Google app .
- At the bottom right, tap More Settings Accounts & privacy.
- Turn Open web pages in the Google App on or off.


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How These Cool Retailers Are Giving a Second Life to Your Worn Out Skinny Jeans
Erin Bunch・November 14, 2017
I'd wager to guess there's at least one bag of old clothing sitting in the trunk of your car or under your bed—perhaps the result of a Marie Kondo-kick cut short. Well, if any of the items no longer sparking joy for you happen to be jeans, there's a really genius way you can recycle them and score some cash for a replacement pair at the same time.
Over the past few years, some seriously buzzy retailers (think: Gap, American Eagle Outfitters, Bloomingdale's, Citizens of Humanity, Guess, Saks Off Fifth, and more) have organized in-store collection drives with the eco-friendly initiative, Blue Jeans Go Green (BJGG). The organization turns denim into Ultra Touch insulation, a healthier, fiberglass alternative, then donates it to the affordable housing nonprofit Habitat for Humanity, as well as for use in civic-minded buildings, such as hospitals, museums, battered women's shelters, and the like. And this season, two cool girl-approved, denim-driven brands are joining their ranks: Madewell and Rag & Bone.
"To date, we've received about 1.7 million pieces of denim."
"To date, we've received about 1.7 million pieces of denim," says Andrea Samber, director of consumer marketing, strategic alliances for Cotton Incorporated, who helped to launch BJGG in 2006. "This has resulted in 750 tons of textile waste being diverted from landfills, which gives us the ability to generate over 2.7 million-square-feet of insulation."
Nearly 200K pairs of jeans have been collected at Madewell stores alone. And right now, you can take your unwanted denim to any of its 117 locations and receive a $20 gift toward the purchase of a new pair of jeans. (For a limited time, the retailer is also sending out pre-paid mailers to solicit donations with packages delivered to customers who make purchases online.) Meanwhile, Rag&Bone, which arguably made its fashion mark one ultra-tapered pair of skinny jeans at a time, is currently running a denim drive at its specialty stores nationwide through December 31, 2017.
Through the collab, customers can receive a 20-percent, day-of discount on a full-price pair of jeans. Both Madewell and Rag & Bone will only accept jeans (from any brand, BTW), but you can donate other denim items you no longer wear—like that teeny tiny jean skirt you bought circa 2004—directly through BJGG.
This isn't the only guilt-free way to add to your denim collection—AYR's Aloe jean is made using just one cup of water. Plus, here's why this piece of activewear might replace your denim altogether.
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It's been a long time since I've written on this blog. Mostly, it's because I have been on break and yes, I agree it has been quite long. In our daily grind to live as artists we've had to buckle down and confront the economic difficulties but we've managed to keep going, re-focus and find abundance in activity. I've been teaching acting classes and TeAda is preparing for the next season. Refugee Nation went on break for a while and we are gearing up again to make it better and tour more cities. San Diego was quite a treat...both in experiencing the struggles and also the impactful return from the Lao community. Now, we look at the present moment and plan forward.
I must remind myself how important our work is...AGAIN. I keep saying that because there are moments when Leilani and I ask ourselves "WHY?" Why do we do this? Pay is horrible. Touring is disorienting. Creating is painful. The answer comes down to our love for performance, our need to share our stories, our value to educate others through theater.
I was just at a birthday party in Upland, CA. A friend of mine by the name of David Prak. He just turned mid-forties, small in stature, passionately loyal and has an amazing spirit. He's also got a great laugh. I met him on Pirates of the Caribbean. Well, Prak is a Cambodian American actor who just recently returned to Cambodia and built a house for his parents. Now, I've never had a chance to sit and discuss with him about his experience from Cambodia to the United States...but I would guess it probably would be intriguing. Nonetheless, my Lao buddy Litdet and I are driving all the way from West Los Angeles to Upland to show up for Prak's birthday party. We roll up and the party is a good mix of folks but made up primarily of Khmer. Sitting at the dining table as we enter his suburban 4 bedroom home in Upland next to Rancho Cucamonga, are lovely ladies hanging. So Litdet and I join the table with food on our plates and we start to meet and greet. Come to find out this ladies are dancers with the Khmer Arts Academy in Long Beach. In our conversation I realized how we knew little of each other but because of our experiences as refugee-Americans we bonded in no time. One thing I discovered was how even Khmer folks didn't know much about Laos and I guess vice-versa. Yet, we experienced the same experience. I was blown away that one party-goer said that there wasn't a war in Laos!? Are you kidding me?! So I had to edu-ma-cate him with a little knowledge from our show Refugee Nation about how Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, France and US were connected in that War. It was just amazing to be able to educate. Deepen each other through important discussions about our histories, our experiences and our connections. What a small world it was to be in a room with the managing director, Serey Tep, of Khmer Arts Academy...who of course knew Prum Ok, an incredible Khmer young dancer an acquaintance of ours, currently attending UCLA World Arts and Culture. But the connections. The importance of our stories. The importance to speak about our experiences. We were all high on great conversation about Southeast Asia. Khmer, Lao, Lao, Khmer. Seeking pride in ourselves and wanting better for our communities and wondering what happened? What happened to our people? We even jokingly went through a little recap of the history of the Southeast Asia about French colonialism, Indo-Chine, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and we all agreed that it's time for payback. Let's kick Frenchies ass for making a hell-hole in Southeast Asia. At that moment, Quang, a Vietnamese friend of Prak walks in and lo and behold our triangle is complete. We had the Khmer, Lao, Vietnamese brotherhood gathered together in one place in Upland, USA. All victims of French colonial stupidity. And who of course should Quang bring with him...a Frenchie by the name of Stephano! History repeats itself?! NO. Not that night. We had a blast just enjoying our conversation and ignored the Frenchie! Humph...take that you disgusting bastards.
Upcoming Shows - In the Works:
January 29, 2012
Sunday 5-7pm
Latino Theater Company Play Reading
Los Angeles Theater Center
514 S. Spring St.
Los Angeles, CA 90013
March 13, 2012
UCLA Asian American Studies 187A"Exploring Ethnic Cultural Arts through Oral History"
Professor Valerie Matsumoto
Professor Valerie Matsumoto
March 29, 2012
Thursday 6:30-9:30pm
Break the Silence Open Mic held at
The Manazar Gamboa Community Theater
1323 Gundry Ave. Long Beach, CA, 90813
April 4, 2012
Wednesday 11-1pm
Cal Arts in Valencia
Theater History
Professor Chantal Rodriguez E108
Los Angeles, CA
Produced by TeAda Productions and The Latino Theater Company
May 31 - June 24, 2012
Thursday-Saturday 8pm, Sunday 3pm
General $30|Students/Seniors/Groups: $20
Los Angeles Theater Center
Thursday-Saturday 8pm, Sunday 3pm
General $30|Students/Seniors/Groups: $20
Los Angeles Theater Center
514 S. Spring St
Los Angeles, CA 90013
Los Angeles, CA 90013
Fall 2012-Portland, OR
Fall 2012-Vermont
Stay tuned for times and locations.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
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26 Jan
Women are choosier in selection of everything which is part of their life, thus, surely they are curious of their hair extension. If you visit the market, you will see surrounding environment packed with hair extensions These are quite fashionable and are manufactured in different designs and colors. The fame of these hairs has now increased and it has stretched it arm in international market.
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Apart from enhancing the beauty of female wearers, conditioning is preferred for all hair types. Olive oil can create a big difference in moisture after just a few uses. This will promote a healthy scalp and hair roots and also help with smooth hair. It will coat dry and damaged hair shafts and improves their hair-ends. Conditioning your hair stimulates hair growth by helping blood circulation get to the hair root, it gently heat activates conditioners, oils and treatments and the 3 heat control settings to moderate heat. After conditioning, a woman will look charming, stylish, modern, and the most unique person in the party.
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Categories: news Tags: hair extensions suppliers, hair extensions


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Free entrance | Limited Seating
RSVP: firstname.lastname@example.com
The research platform Heterotropics is proud to announce the première of a new performance by Colombian artists Milena Bonilla and Luisa Ungar at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. For Heterotropics #3, Milena Bonilla and Luisa Ungar have been invited to develop a new version of their lecture performance 'Pavilion'. Conceived as a site-specific intervention, the performance tackles the legacy of 'The International Colonial and Export Exhibition' ('Internationale Koloniale en Uitvoerhandel Tentoonstelling') that took place in Amsterdam in 1883.
The exhibition, the first international exposition with an official colonial theme, was organized in what is now Museumplein and on the ground floor of the Rijksmuseum – at the time under construction. Besides showing artifacts from the colonies, entire native dwellings from overseas were erected and inhabited by indigenous peoples, treating visitors to an encounter with the exotic. Allegedly, it was the great success of the fair –which attracted approximately 1 million visitors– that prompted the development of the area into the main cultural hub of the city, suggesting a continuity between colonial exhibitions and the establishment of modern museums.
'Pavilion' explores the traces left by a witness of the 'Internationale Koloniale en Uitvoerhandel Tentoonstelling' on the sites of its historical materialization. Looking into images from the exhibition, the artists elaborate on the relationship between specific documents, objects and scenarios that this observer was reflecting upon while visiting the show. Blending archival material and fiction, this lecture performance follows the specters of colonial spectacles in a short-circuit between past and present.
'Pavilion' is a Heterotropics commission and forms a part of the artists' ongoing joint investigation of the entangled genealogy of human zoos, colonial shows and museum displays.
Heterotropics is a curatorial and research platform initiated in Amsterdam by Sara Giannini and organized in collaboration with TAAK.
Realized with the kind of support of Stadsdeel Zuid, Amsterdams Fonds voor de Kunst, Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds.
Milena Bonilla (b. Bogota, Colombia) graduated in visual arts at the Universidad Jorge Tadeo Lozano in Bogota, Colombia, in 2000, and followed a post-academic course at the Rijksakademie van beeldende kunsten in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, in 2009-2010. Her current practice involves explorations on knowledge interpreted as a work force, and Nature as an entity colonized by language, consumed in a massive scale through images. The artist uses a variety of media in her production including installations, video, drawing, text, public interventions and photography. She currently lives and works in Amsterdam and has been making collaborative work with Luisa Ungar since 2013. Her work has been shown and performed in different international venues, including The Mistake Room, Los Angeles Ca.; Centro de Arte Dos de Mayo, Madrid; Rong Wrong, Amsterdam; The Photographer's Gallery and the International Institute of Visual Arts in London; Witte de With in Rotterdam; Sørlandets Kunstmuseum in Kristiansand (Norway) and Kunsternes Hus in Oslo; Konstall C in Stockholm; Marrakech and Shangai Biennial's parallel projects, and the 12th. Istanbul, 10th. Havana and 3rd. Bucharest Biennials.
Luisa Ungar (b. Bogota, Colombia) studied visual arts in Bogotá, and has an MFA from Sandberg Institute, Amsterdam. She is currently a guest resident at AirAntwerp, Belgium. Her recent work deals with narratives involving animality and the non- human in colonial circuits. Looking at mechanisms that question ways in which history is constructed, she often seeks to connect archived or academic material with everyday popular use, unveling the role of the expert by making room for improvisation, association, gossip and chaos. Her varied projects range from zoo visit guides to educational projects, using performance, drawing and text. Her work has been shown and performed at different venues such as Mercosul Biennial in Porto Alegre; Centro de Arte Dos de Mayo, Madrid; Marrakech Biennial Parallel project; Museo de arte Banco de República Bogotá; Rong Wrong, Amsterdam; Festival de Performance de Cali; Spring Workshop, Hong Kong; Bienal Sur, Rosario. She has been co-editor of publication projects such as DISDISDIS (On vampires and other forms of conviviality), and Proyecto Asterisco. She has been a resident at Gasworks, TRain Residency in London; RESò, Italy and Maebashi Arts Center, Japan. Since 2013 she has been making collaborative work with Milena Bonilla.


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Pronunciation: Air-mez
Since 1837, the Parisian luxury goods company Hermes has made the most exclusive, most coveted bags in the world. So high is a Hermes handbag, that they even dissed Oprah (and course found out that nobody is bigger than Oprah). The Birkin bags (named after British actress Jane Birkin) and the Kelly bag (named after screen goddess and princess of Monaco, Grace Kelly) are two of the most expensive (upwards of $5000) and hard-to-get bags in the entire world. The French company is also known for their exquisite silk scarves.
Hermes – Photo Credit: hermes.com


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Kikoriki Adventure
Tags: Platform Games / Adventure Games / Cartoon Games / 2 Player Games
Publisher: Mixygames.com
Video Walkthrough
Kikoriki Adventure is a great platform game. Kikoriki and his twin brother is a lost in the wood. You need to help them to get out of there. You need to collect all boxes on the stage and find his house. You need to past 40 levels. To control player one use arrows keys, for player 2 use W,A,D. Good luck!
arrows, wad
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Brand New
Adjustable Stand Music Play Toys Set
Item Specifics:
Type: Educational Toys
Color: Pink, Blue
Material: Plastic + Electronic Components
Adjustable Height: 45-97cm
Product Size: 47*47*95cm
Package Size: 30*8*49cm
Packing: Carton Box
- Mini star music show children's toy stand up microphone play set.
- Plug in your MP3 player, phone to play and sing along to your own tunes.
- Open the microphone has practical amplifying function, singing close to it may have better effect.
- Working microphone and speaker with volume control knob.
- Built in 3800mAh battery to run, can continuous play for about 1 hour.
Package Included:
1 x Stand Sets
1 x Control Panel
2 x Microphones
1 x Phone Connect Cable
1 x User Manual
1.Please allow 1-3cm error due to manual measurement. Please make sure you do not mind before you bid.
2.The colors may have different as the difference display, please understand.


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A little over 30 minutes is all it takes to throw together a weeknight meal that screams summer. Homemade buttermilk dressing makes a cool accompaniment.
How to Make It
Preheat grill to high heat.
Combine buttermilk, mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons oil, 2 tablespoons chives, dill, vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a bowl, stirring with a whisk.
Combine remaining 1 teaspoon oil, honey, and shrimp in a small bowl; toss to coat. Thread shrimp onto 4 (6-inch) skewers. Thread okra pods onto 4 (6-inch) skewers. Lightly coat shrimp, okra, and corn with cooking spray. Place shrimp, okra, and corn on grill rack coated with cooking spray. Grill corn 14 minutes, turning occasionally. Grill okra 4 minutes on each side. Grill shrimp 3 minutes on each side or until done. Cut corn crosswise into 8 pieces.
Place tomatoes on a large platter; sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Arrange shrimp, okra, and corn over tomatoes. Drizzle with dressing; sprinkle with remaining chives, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
Chef's Notes
MyRecipes is working with Let's Move!, the Partnership for a Healthier America, and USDA's MyPlate to give anyone looking for healthier options access to a trove of recipes that will help them create healthy, tasty plates. For more information about creating a healthy plate, visit www.choosemyplate.gov


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RPM Precision Camber Gauge 70992
One of the most critical adjustments on a R/C vehicle is the vehicle's camber. RPM has proven time after time that even the most experienced drivers cannot set their camber by eye. With this Camber Gauge, novice to professional drivers alike can set their camber on all wheels to less than one degree of accuracy! Once camber has been set and documented, this gauge will be able to tell you if a crash has affected your camber! When used in conjunction with 7049 toe-in gauge, you'll gain a distinct advantage over anyone that does not have one of these gauges! Other manufacturers have camber fixtures available but RPM's gauge is the only one that allows you to do trackside checks in a matter of seconds!


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In praise of wisdom
1With great understanding,8.1-3: Pr 1.20,21.
Wisdom8.1 Wisdom: See the note at 1.20. is calling out
2as she stands at the crossroads
and on every hill.
3She stands by the city gate
where everyone enters the city,
and she shouts:
4"I am calling out
to each one of you!
5Good sense and sound judgment
can be yours.
6Listen, because what I say
is worthwhile and right.
7I always speak the truth
and refuse to tell a lie.
8Every word I speak is honest,
not one is misleading
or deceptive.
9"If you have understanding,
you will see that my words
are just what you need.
10Let instruction and knowledge
mean more to you than silver
or the finest gold.
11Wisdom is worth much more
than precious jewels
or anything else you desire."
Wisdom speaks
12I am Wisdom8.12 Wisdom: See the note at 1.20.—Common Sense
is my closest friend;
I possess knowledge
and sound judgment.
13If you respect the LORD,
you will hate evil.
I hate pride and conceit
and deceitful lies.
14I am strong, and I offer
sensible advice
and sound judgment.
15By my power kings govern,
and rulers make laws
that are fair.
16Every honest leader rules
with help from me.
17I love everyone who loves me,
and I will be found by all
who honestly search.
18I can make you rich and famous,
important and successful.
19What you receive from me
is more valuable
than even the finest gold
or the purest silver.
20I always do what is right,
21and I give great riches
to everyone who loves me.
22From the beginning,8.22: Rev 3.14.
I was with the LORD.8.22 From the beginning…with the LORD: Or "In the very beginning, the LORD created me."
I was there before he began
23to create the earth.
At the very first,
the LORD gave life to8.23 gave life to: Or "formed". me.
24When I was born,
there were no oceans
or springs of water.
25My birth was before
mountains were formed
or hills were put in place.
26It happened long before God
had made the earth
or any of its fields
or even the dust.
27I was there when the LORD
put the heavens in place
and stretched the sky
over the surface of the sea.
28I was with him when he placed
the clouds in the sky
and created the springs
that fill the ocean.
29I was there when he set
boundaries for the sea
to make it obey him,
and when he laid foundations
to support the earth.
30I was right beside the LORD,
helping him plan and build.8.30 helping…build: Or "like his own child".
I made him happy each day,
and I was happy at his side.
31I was pleased with his world
and pleased with its people.
32Pay attention, my children!
Follow my advice,
and you will be happy.
33Listen carefully
to my instructions,
and you will be wise.
34Come to my home each day
and listen to me.
You will find happiness.
35By finding me, you find life,
and the LORD will be pleased
with you.
36But if you don't find me,
you hurt only yourself,
and if you hate me,
you are in love with death.
Contemporary English Version (CEV) is copyright © American Bible Society. Psalms and Proverbs © 1991, 1992; New Testament © 1991, 1992, 1995; Old Testament © 1995; translation notes, subject headings for text © 1995; Anglicisations © The British and Foreign Bible Society 1997, 2012.


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Is This What The Ending Of 'The Sopranos' Was Supposed To Mean?
Posted on Friday, May 25th, 2012 by Germain Lussier
The final scene of The Sopranos has become something of TV legend. After six seasons of drawn out brilliance, creator David Chase places his star family in a New Jersey diner. Journey's Don't Stop Believin' is playing on the jukebox. Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini) orders some onion rings for the table as the camera moves to several suspicious people. His daughter, Meadow, is awkwardly trying to park her car outside. The tension is unbelievable because we all know this is the final scene in Sopranos history and something epic is about to take place. Every moment could be the last one. The Journey cresendos, the door of the diner opens, Tony looks up, silence and cut to black. In that instant, about twelve million people checked their cable box to see if it had malfunctioned. Then the credits rolled.
Chase's ending was controversial, legendary and is debated to this day. One Vanity Fair reader, however, has a simple, almost brilliant interpretation of the ending and you can read it below.
Just so we're all on the same page, here's the final scene of The Sopranos. Obviously, spoilers if you haven't seen it.
The following came from Vanity Fair, via Gawker, and are the words of Larry Grossman from Las Vegas, Nevada.
The last episode of The Sopranos was inspired. Here's why: One of the main themes of the show was the ongoing problems that the main character, Tony Soprano, had with panic attacks. This started with the first episode, which led to his therapy with Dr. Melfi. Tony's son, A.J., later had those same feelings. This panic-attack thread was prevalent during the entire run of the show.
The final episode had Tony, Carmela, and A.J. in a booth at the diner. Many sinister people were lurking, and the viewer feared for their safety; as Meadow tried clumsily to park her car, the suspense built. Then, right when the payoff is about to happen, the TV goes black. Everyone thought they'd missed it because they lost their cable. All viewers had a panic attack. Thus, we felt what Tony felt.
David Chase has been off since that moment until this year when his new movie, Not Fade Away, is scheduled for release.
Do you buy Grossman's interpretation?


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Offering plenty of sparkle, our Personalized Round Cubic Zirconia Necklace in Gold Plating turns heads everywhere it goes. This stunning piece is like a blank slate until you add inscriptions; with space for up to three lines of text, it lets you express yourself beautifully. This necklace is made with 18K Gold Plated Sterling Silver. It features:
If you've been searching high and low for something that offers plenty of "Wow!" factor, this pendant might be exactly what you've been looking for. With lots of room for names, initials, or a meaningful message, it's the perfect way to share meaning while adding sophistication to a variety of wardrobe choices.
Still searching for that perfect circle necklace with names? Take a look at our collection, where you'll find additional options including this style in your choice of Sterling Silver or 18k Rose Gold Plating.


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StoryPortrait Media | a Motion + Still production studio based in Santa Fe, New Mexico offering visual storytelling packages to nonprofits, businesses, artists and families
I am really excited to share a new project! In Search of Home is the personal story of a dear friend and colleague, Christine Jawski.View full post »
I have to admit, the Santa Fe Waldorf School made me viscerally miss childhood. It's such a complex and potentially beautifulView full post »
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I am currently reading Kevin Kelly's new book, What Technology Wants and am finding it a fascinating read. One interesting thing he talks about is how technology was here before we knew it existed. Meaning, before we had a name for technology or even recognized that there was this category of what we do or what exists out there that we now call technology it was there and coexisting with us. It was an invisible force. People sharpened flint into knives, made spears, built shelters, harnessed fire, domesticated animals and farmland, sew clothing, made fish hooks, and developed language all without having a name for this embodiment of human ideas. In the early stages of the evolution of technology it was invisible to us even though it made itself present all around us. And, every time a new technology was developed it completely changed the human environment.
Trying to define technology is hard. Two years ago I sat on an interview committee hiring a technology teacher. The principal asked if there were any questions I would like to add to the list before we began the interviews. I told him I had only one, "What is technology?" He had a strange reaction to my request but this proved to be one of the more decisive questions in our search. We interviewed three candidates that day and got three very different definitions. The teacher we hired took the broad definition and said that technology was the term used to describe how people manipulate their environment to achieve something they couldn't otherwise achieve. The other two candidates gave the narrow definition which unfortunately is also currently the common definition that technology was anything that used electricity.
If you take the narrow definition of technology then it is very easy to disregard the ecological effect introducing a new technology will bring. If you take the broad definition these considerations are unavoidable and obvious. Problem is, I think most people only consider the narrow definition and in so doing render all non-electronic technologies invisible.
One definitive characteristic of technology is it is constantly in a state of evolution and change. Rendering a technology invisible blinds us to this key attribute and locks us into a mindset about it. This is how sacred cows are born. This is how we become rigid and this is how we become irrelevant.
When a new technology is introduced into an ecology everything changes or becomes irrelevant. According to the broad definition language is a technology. Our languages are in a constant state of evolution as evident by the annual list of new words added to the dictionary each year. Language changes to adjust to the introduction of new technologies. If it didn't change how would we even be able to discuss things like wikis, friending, m-commerce, or tweeting? This is one major problem with content standards for schools. Content standards take something fluid like language and treat it like its constant. What would happen if we used content standards from a time in our distant past to drive all curriculum and assessment in our schools? And, just like language, schooling is a technology rendered invisible by the narrow definition.
Failing to see schools and all their trappings (grade systems, standardized tests, bell schedules, etc.) as a form of technology sets any technology initiative up for failure. Introduce laptops or iPads into a classroom and still run everything else the same way and one or both of two things will happen: 1) The devices will prove to be nothing but a distraction and get in the way of schooling causing people to claim the program was a flop; or 2) The technology will take over many of the purposes the school was originally designed to serve, making students view the school as irrelevant. The school whose teachers and administrators embrace the broad view will see schooling as a technology and understand that the introduction of another technology will require changes to curriculum, teaching strategies, room design, schedules, assessment, and teacher evaluation metrics.
When you start to view schooling as a technology you start to question its purpose. You start to question how it has changed the ecology it was introduced into. You start to question how it might evolve into something else. You start to wonder if or when it will become obsolete.
Technologies always have pros and cons. Early industrial technologies laid waste to our environment in exchange for cheap goods. When you start to consider school as a technology you start to see what school lays waste to and you start to see its biases.


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Axis Football League
Tags: Sports Games / American football Games / Throwing Games / 1 Player Games / Flash Games / Free Games
Publisher: Y8.com
Video Walkthrough
Football is America's first major campaign in the United States many people love, but the football has not only requires that you have a strong physique but also you have a clever mind, is the quarterback position in particular the need, look at the whole Field of vision and awareness. Come and challenge to look, see if you can lead the team to win.
No Instructions Provided
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One of the frequent things you see most drivers do is texting while driving, which is not only annoying but also highly dangerous. There are so many laws, public service announcements, and police initiatives to prevent this potentially risky behavior. However, many of them still do it. Considering the problem of this behavior, researchers from the University of Waterloo, Canada have come up with a solution, a computer algorithm that detects if you're texting while driving.
AI to rescue
Powered by artificial intelligence, the system uses a camera to detect the hand movement of the chauffeur that deflects from the normal driving behavior towards a possibly distracted behavior. According to Fakhri Karray, a University Research Chair and director of the Centre for Pattern Analysis and Machine Intelligence (CPAMI) at Waterloo, the car could trigger protective measure depending on how serious the distraction is.
"The car could actually take over driving if there was imminent danger, even for a short while, in order to avoid crashes," said Karray.
Using machine learning technique, the researchers trained the algorithm to recognize any distracting activities such as texting, talking on the phone or reaching into the backseat to bring back something. Based on the duration of those actions and other factors, the seriousness of it will be evaluated. For instance, texting on a busy highway could be measured more dangerous than turning on air conditioning on a quiet country road.
Given that more than 75 percent of traffic accidents have happened worldwide, this technology could bring a major benefit. This technology could be used to trigger some protective measures, starting from warning the driver to temporarily taking over the control. And until this technology is coming to your car, just avoid texting while driving.