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British author Samantha Harvey wins Booker Prize

British author Samantha Harvey has won this year's Booker Prize with her book Orbital.




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Travis Kelce and Patrick Mahomes's houses 'broken into' a day apart

The homes of Kansas City Chiefs stars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce were both broken into last month, according to police and media reports.




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Mroczny rycerz powraca: Analiza złośliwego oprogramowania Joker

Zespół CERT Polska zaobserwował w ostatnich tygodniach nowe próbki złośliwego oprogramowania na urządzenia mobilne "Joker" w Google Play Store wycelowane między innymi w polskich użytkowników.




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10 Overlooked Elements of Running a Successful Business

Running a business is complicated, which means there are some factors or tasks that tend to get overlooked. From basic concepts to more involved processes, members of our small business community have plenty of tips for dealing with those sometimes overlooked business tasks. See the full list of tips below.

complete article




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How Clever Retargeting Persuades Customers Who Looked But Did not Buy

Did you know that nearly 96 percent of your first-time visitors are not ready to purchase from your website right away? That means in most cases, in order to make a sale, you need to encourage your visitors to return more often to your site.

Retargeting is the best way to target your first-time visitors on different marketing channels and encourage them to return to your site. Since retargeting helps you to target your existing prospects, it will likely boost more engagement than untargeted ads, making your entire campaign cheaper and cost-effective.

complete article




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Smoke Kills

Rauchen tötet - doch auch nichtrauchen kann ganz schön gefährlich sein, wie dieser Film zeigt. Leider nicht mehr ganz aktuell ... ;)




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North side of Crystal Pier is my latest habit. I’ve gotten applause for a ride once. Been hooked on my flippers by a fisherman twice. Been told I was thought to be a seal once. That’s so far this year. Different years, different adventures.

from Instagram https://instagr.am/p/DB48I-gSloZ/ via IFTTT




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And Prospero broke his soap box

I may have bored everyone to death about this topic, but I have my last exam tomorrow, so here is my final thought about what distinguishes science. Most of the descriptions of science that I know of don’t really explain how science progresses without falling into a quaint mythology about approaching some metaphysical truth. Kuhn doesn’t, Popper doesn’t, Pierre Duhem doesn’t, and I myself have neglected to account for it to some extent.

I think the key is that science, at least experimental science, is essentially concerned with predicting the future. Every hypothesis, in essence, is a prediction about the future. What distinguishes science from other forms of prediction is the emphasis on verification, the insistence on framing predictions in such a way that when they are tested they can be decisively answered positively or negatively. In other, the goal is not to not be wrong but to achieve a definitive positive answer. Even a definite negative answer is preferable to none at all.

Some philosophers, like Duhem, claim that individual hypotheses can neither be verified nor falsified, because a whole body of theories and assumptions lies behind, and is implicated in, every hypothesis, and thus one can never be sure just what has been validated or failed. While that’s true, it is also nonetheless true that when the result of an experiment does not match a hypothetical prediction the hypothesis has been proven invalid as it stands. In other words, no matter what went wrong, the body of theories and assumptions that led to the hypothesis do not work as they now stand. Thus, things will have to be changed until they produce accurate predictions. Conversely, if a hypotheis is corroborated with a positive answer, the theories behind it stand validated until a hypothesis receives a negative answer.

In other words, experimentation does not serve to lead by induction to new theories, but rather theories serve to make possible specific predictions about the future which can be verified decisively. This at least is the goal. The goal is not a description which is true or corresponds to the truth, or at least that is not the immediate goal. When the facts or events are given, anyone can interpret them, and the fact that these events are known can mask the relative merits of the theory which interprets them. The idea that theories are validated by their correspondence to experimental results is tautological: the first condition of any theory is that it accounts for the experimental results that gave rise to it. But the only way to determine whether it is simply a theory to fit the facts or whether it is truly generalizable is to test it against unknown facts via prediction. Of course, predictions are almost always only approximately true, so the specific point of acceptability is not provided for by the general concept, but, at least in theory, decisive verification of predictions provides a simple, clear, and immensely useful criterion by which to evaluate theories. In my opinion, this explains much of the evolutionary capacity of science (I mean evolution in the more contemporary sense of diversification and selection rather than the old idea of teleological perfectibility).

If experimental prediction is the mark of science, this leaves the question of whether purely descriptive disciplines like zoology and areas like quantum theory where predictions are inherently statistical and ambiguous are scientific. Zoology and the like I think are, because hypothetical prediction inherently implies classification. In other words, by saying “under these conditions, such an event will happen,” one classifies, in other words sets parameters. The goal of zoology seems to be not simply to describe members of a group but to describe all the characteristics which define the group, set the parameters of the group, which is the first step towards making predictions about the group. So it is an element of science, but incomplete. As for quantum, I avow my profound ignorance of it, so let my opinion be taken in that light. As far as I understand, the stastical laws in that realm allow predictions in aggregate, so I am inclined to view it as still within the domain of science, at least in spirit, but of course the lack of decisiveness of statistical predictions gravely weakens the predictive power of science in this area, and I have already suggested that the rise of relativity and quantum in my view are intimately tied to the waning of the scientific age. Finally, it should be noted that while making correct predictions is the goal of science, that should be qualified by saying that the predictions are intended to answer general questions concerning the nature of things and establish specific knowledge. Optics or engineering, for example, are not science, although they once were, because all the major questions have been answered, and they no longer concern gaining further knowledge of the future and the universe, but rather in applying that knowledge to constructing specific objects.

So the goal and value of science is in predicting, and thus establishing knowledge of, the future, and the scientific method is the means of arriving at correct predictions. This is not to discard my earlier contention about the ideological basis of science, because the efficacy of prediction is based on the relative value of induction, and successful induction relies on the essential regularity and stability of the universe. In other words, in order to draw a general theory from a specific experimental result and vice versa, the universe must be considered as basically the same everywhere and at every time, which in turn implies that it be material, matter being defined as that which cannot change itself and is therefore static. It seems to me that if in quantum theory, for example, phenomena become genuinely dependent on the observeer in ways that are neither generalizable nor predicatable, it cannot continue to remain truly a science. It would seem to me that the branches of physics which are entirely theoretical are for practical purposes basically metaphysics.

This model depends on a linear notion of time. It might seem the opposite, that if the physical laws are eternal and universal time is actually opposed to this insofar as it represents dynamism, change. But in reality the sameness of the universe upon which science is predicated is not a a sameness at any particular moment, but rather a sameness of behavior. In other words, a view of the universe from a materialist perspective at any given moment shows that everything in the univese is different in the sense of being distinct. However, the idea is that under the same conditions all matter (or whatever you call the fundamental substances) will act in the same way. Without the steady march of time, this unity of behavior disappears, and there are simply a million disparate entities. Thus, space (and time) as properties of the universe are essential to science.

As for what the value of science is, I’m afraid I can’t generalize about that. From reading my recent posts one can most likely guess at my views, but I will simply say that one’s view of the efficacy of science in making the universe understandable will probably depend on entirely on whether one a) believes that linear time is a real property of the universe and b) if so, whether true induction is possible.

p.s. I should note that Henri Poincaré anticipates me in seeing the epistemological value of science as consisting mainly of its ability to make predictions rather than its descriptive correspondence to reality. However, he also thinks that theories are conventions and definitions of concepts, not true descriptions of physical phenomena based necessarily on experimental results. He thinks the conjunction of these two make theories relatively independent of their experimental bases, which he regards as a good thing because it creates a body of stable principles in which we can trust. I think that that is neither true nor a good value. The emphasis is on predicting correctly, not creating stable beliefs (if you want unchanging beliefs, what not join the Church?), and if generating true predictions is the goal, theories should be more rather than less sensitive to their experimental roots.

p.p.s. Since my exam was about scientific laws and causality, I should add that while scientific activity depends on a belief in time, not all scientific theories do: the law of conservation of energy, for example, I believe is essentially atemporal.




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Gunsmoke: The Fifteenth Season, Volume Two

Highly Recommended

It's been fits and starts but it now appears that CBS/Paramount is fully committed to releasing the final seasons of the 20-season Gunsmoke. Through the grapevine this critic is hearing that the label is planning on combining later seasons into single, rather than two-volume sets, which might be a little easier on everyone's pocketbook.

I've been reviewing Gunsmoke sets since the First Season was released in July 2007. The program was so prolific, upwards of 40 episodes per season in its early days, it's been impossible to watch everything in broadcast order. As new sets have been released, I typically watch 7-8 representative episodes then return to where I left off which, at present, is still Gunsmoke during its prime, black-and-white years. Reviewing the later, color (and hour-long episodes) I initially expressed mild disappointment that they weren't as taut as the 30-...Read the entire review




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Gunsmoke: The Fifteenth Season, Volume One

Highly Recommended

It's been fits and starts but it now appears that CBS/Paramount is fully committed to releasing the final seasons of the 20-season Gunsmoke. Through the grapevine this critic is hearing that the label is planning on combining later seasons into single, rather than two-volume sets, which might be a little easier on everyone's pocketbook.

I've been reviewing Gunsmoke sets since the First Season was released in July 2007. The program was so prolific, upwards of 40 episodes per season in its early days, it's been impossible to watch everything in broadcast order. As new sets have been released, I typically watch 7-8 representative episodes then return to where I left off which, at present, is still Gunsmoke during its prime, black-and-white years. Reviewing the later, color (and hour-long episodes) I initially expressed mild disappointment that they weren't as taut as the 30-...Read the entire review




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Gunsmoke: The Complete Seventeenth Season

Highly Recommended

(Note: Reviews of Gunsmoke: The Sixteenth Season and Gunsmoke: The Seventeenth Season are identical. In preparing them I watched at episodes and the extras from both sets. Give me a break.)


Despite the steady decline of the DVD format, CBS/Paramount deserves a lot of credit for seeing the 20-season run of Gunsmoke (1955-1975) through all the way to the finish line. For the show's last five seasons, it appears that the label has decided to release full- rather than half-season sets, a wise decision, and they've even added a most welcome supplement.

I've been reviewing Gunsmoke sets since the First Season was released in July 2007. The program was so prolific, upwards of 40 episodes per season in its early days, it's been impossible to watch everything in broadcast order. As new sets have been released, I typically watch 7-8 representative episodes then ...Read the entire review




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Gunsmoke: The Complete Sixteenth Season

Highly Recommended

(Note: Reviews of Gunsmoke: The Sixteenth Season and Gunsmoke: The Seventeenth Season are identical. In preparing them I watched at episodes and the extras from both sets. Give me a break.)


Despite the steady decline of the DVD format, CBS/Paramount deserves a lot of credit for seeing the 20-season run of Gunsmoke (1955-1975) through all the way to the finish line. For the show's last five seasons, it appears that the label has decided to release full- rather than half-season sets, a wise decision, and they've even added a most welcome supplement.

I've been reviewing Gunsmoke sets since the First Season was released in July 2007. The program was so prolific, upwards of 40 episodes per season in its early days, it's been impossible to watch everything in broadcast order. As new sets have been released, I typically watch 7-8 representative episodes then ...Read the entire review




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Gunsmoke: The Complete Nineteenth Season

Highly Recommended

(Note: Reviews of Gunsmoke: The Eighteenth Season and Gunsmoke: The Nineteenth Season are identical. In preparing them I watched at episodes and the extras from both sets.)


Nearing home plate, CBS/Paramount's Eighteenth and Nineteenth of 20 season sets of Gunsmoke (1955-1975) nearly finishes off the classic series. Many wondered if the label would complete the series before the DVD format went kaput, so their determination to see it through deserves our gratitude.

I've been reviewing Gunsmoke sets since the First Season was released in July 2007. The program was so prolific, upwards of 40 episodes per season in its early days, it's been impossible to watch everything in broadcast order. As new sets have been released, I typically watch 7-8 representative episodes then return to where I left off which, at present, is still Gunsmoke during its b...Read the entire review




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Gunsmoke: The Complete Eighteenth Season

Highly Recommended

(Note: Reviews of Gunsmoke: The Eighteenth Season and Gunsmoke: The Nineteenth Season are identical. In preparing them I watched at episodes and the extras from both sets.)


Nearing home plate, CBS/Paramount's Eighteenth and Nineteenth of 20 season sets of Gunsmoke (1955-1975) nearly finishes off the classic series. Many wondered if the label would complete the series before the DVD format went kaput, so their determination to see it through deserves our gratitude.

I've been reviewing Gunsmoke sets since the First Season was released in July 2007. The program was so prolific, upwards of 40 episodes per season in its early days, it's been impossible to watch everything in broadcast order. As new sets have been released, I typically watch 7-8 representative episodes then return to where I left off which, at present, is still Gunsmoke during its b...Read the entire review




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Gunsmoke: The Final Season

Highly Recommended

And so with this CBS/Paramount DVD release, Gunsmoke ends its unprecedented 20-year run, wrapping up an incredible 635 episodes. While a couple of series have since beaten Gunsmoke, namely Law & Order, The Simpsons, and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, with more seasons and/or episodes, that doesn't take into account Gunsmoke's far greater per-season output in its early years, or the much longer running times of both the half-hour and later hour-long episodes. Nor does it factor in star James Arness's appearance in every episode (and later TV movies), or the long runs of so many regulars, including supporting and bit players.

Regardless, the label's commitment to finish out Gunsmoke on DVD deserves our gratitude, especially their wise decision to remaster the entire series, and to even add some fine extra features in its last seasons.

I'...Read the entire review




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It's Official - Blog Bloke has moved

Hi Blokesters. It's official now and InstaBloke has moved over to Blog Bloke dot com, so please make a note of it and update your bookmarks as well as the newsfeed. You should also check out my latest post explaining all of the gory details. It's a doozy.

See you there!




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Blog News from Blog Bloke

Blogging News as it happens, updated 24/7



TechBLOKE: More Blog and Technology News...




More links: blog bloke, instabloke, blog, weblog, blogging, blog tools, blogtech, webtech, web 2.0, blog search, blog resources, diary, writing, write, computing, internet, computers and internet, technology, tech, software, hardware, search engine, google, music, audio, ipod, podcasting, podcast, video, media, business, marketing, daily fisk, political football, news, world news, us-news, in the news, news headlines, headline news, news and politics, politics, political, current events, current events, opinion, rant, ramblings, random thoughts, terror, terrorism, terrorist, london bombing, society, law, legal, dispute resolution, music, entertainment, fun, funny humor, humour, canada, canadian, canadian news, canadian-news, canada news, canada-news, canadian politics, canadian-politics





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New Release - Land for Sale in Stokenchurch

An opportunity to buy land for sale in affluent Buckinghamshire with superb access next to land that has recently been reclassified and granted planning permission.The land is available freehold as a whole or in lots.




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Child Heatstroke: Where's baby? Look before you lock

NHSTA today announced its first-ever national campaign to prevent child heatstroke deaths in cars, urging parents and caregivers to think "Where's baby? Look before you lock. " Heatstroke is the leading cause of non-crash, vehicle related deaths for children under the age of 14, with at least 33 fatalities reported in 2011 alone... Child Heatstroke: Where's baby? Look before you lock




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Review of Most Popular Online Poker Sites

This web page is definitely the most popular page on this site, as it describes themost popular online Poker sites in detail.




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Keystroke Converter 201509042445

Customize keyboard layout Change key shortcu




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LXer: Busd Taking Shape As A D-Bus Broker Written In Rust

Published at LXer: Open-source developer Zeeshan Ali Khan presented at last week's systemd "All Systems Go" developer conference on busd as a new D-Bus broker written in the Rust programming...



  • Syndicated Linux News

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May 19 2009 Radio Station History Australia - 2BH Broken Hill - "The Voice of the Western Darling"

2BH, "The Barrier Miner" Broadcasting Service is the only station giving coverage to Broken Hill and West Darling districts under all transmitting conditions. Associated with 2BH is the Smilers' Club with close to 3,000 members...




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Bespoke Liability for Contaminated Land

WSP Environmental are heralding a new scheme - bespoke liability for contaminated land...




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Complimentary Business Valuations Offered by Premier Construction Business Brokers Through 2024

The Premier Construction Business Brokers team will provide you with a complimentary preliminary business valuation. [PR.com]




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How Game Freak breach happened: Pokemon dev confirms data breach after private files leak online

Pokemon developer posts an announcement online In August 2024, Game Freak, the developer behind the Pokémon series, was targeted by a cyberattack. The breach went unnoticed until October when sensitive data was leaked online. Hackers gained unauthorized access to the company’s servers, exploiting weaknesses in Game Freak's security measures. This attack, now dubbed “Teraleak,” follows […]




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@cspratt15139 RT @JackAda07710351 I found that three arrow capitol is using bot to dump all invested tokens to the market that include $ddx. They are selling at big loss. The company is near bankruptcy, but $ddx will have a bright future after main

RT @JackAda07710351: I found that three arrow capitol is using bot to dump all invested tokens to the market that include $ddx. They are se…




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6 Ways to Reduce Your Risk of Stroke

Lifestyle changes that will reduce your Chances of suffering a stroke.




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Videogame Based Training: Effective or Just a Joke?

For several years, employers have tried to develop "relevant" and creative ways to successfully train new employees. After all, employees are more likely to pay attention to training videos and seminars if they can actually relate to the content. While there have been some pretty outrageous attempts over the years—just take a look at the 1989 Wendy's training (music) video designed to instruct new hires how to properly pour coffee—some of the methods do work.

More recently, the use of videogames has been growing in popularity in the hopes of captivating "millennial" employees—those who fall between 18 and 29 years of age.

For example, Hilton's Garden Inn, which is one of the first companies to implement videogame-based training, uses a PlayStation game called the "Ultimate Team Play" in order to teach new hires about customer service and loyalty. Players are immersed in a virtual 3-D Garden Inn where they must pass a series of customer-related scenarios in order to "win" the game.

Johnson & Johnson and Volvo use videogame-based training as well.

While videogame-based training is certainly innovative, it does come with some challenges. For starters, it's hard to determine whether employees will actually internalize the lessons, or if they will just have "fun" while playing. Thus, the game has to be carefully tailored to help employees actually learn valuable lessons at the end. It's also undetermined whether videogame-based training downplays the seriousness of the company culture, which may worry some larger (and more serious) corporations.

Beyond that, however, videogame-based training can be a cost effective way to train people and encourage their continuing education. Companies can save money by not sending employees to expensive conferences or off-site courses. Information can be learned at the office or at home with the help of a PlayStation, Xbox, or Wii. Videogame-based training is also extremely eco-friendly as it omits the need for hardcopy materials (paper and ink) and reduces the release of gas emissions as a result of car and plane travel. 

So what do you think? Are videogame-based training programs ingenious or ridiculous? Would you use them?

Guest Blog Contributor By-line:
Pepper Givens is a freelance writer whose foremost passion is writing for her blog about education.  While her primary writing focus is trends in higher ed, Pepper also enjoys writing about personal finance, parenting, sustainable living, small business strategies, and more. She can be reached for questions or comments at pepper.givens@gmail.com.




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QuickTime Movie Script Broken

Many web sites have not been able to play QuickTime movies during the past few days.
The symptom is that you click to play the movie and the movie window turns black and never plays the movie.
Here is a temporary fix for web site developers.




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Save Relationship, Broken Heart, Breakup, Breaking up Advice, Save Marriage, Stops Divorce, Bring Back Lost Love

Save Relationship, Broken Heart, Breakup, Breaking up Advice, Save Marriage, Stops Divorce, Bring Back Lost Love



  • Home & Family -- Marriage

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100% Independent Home Mortgage Loan Advice, Tips on Rates, Brokers, Refinancing

Offers current, step-by-step, independent home loan mortgage rate advice and tips on purschasing, refinancing, choosing a mortgage broker or lender - countrywide!



  • Home & Family -- Real Estate

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Podscope: New Search Engine Will Allow You to Keyword Search Every Word Spoken in a Podcast

Interesting News from Search Engine Watch... : "Now, according to a news release, TVEyes technology will begin keyword indexing audio and video podcasts via a site called Podscope. The release doesn't mention precisely when the service will be available and the Podscope.com site currently says the service is 'coming soon.' Podcasters are also able to submit url(s) for crawling." Read the whole




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Wood Storks and Egrets at the Harley Davidson Rookery




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eBookers

eBookers.com Cheap Online Hotel and Flight Offers




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Gamebookers

Gamebookers - Cashback on first bet!




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VegasRedCasinoPoker

VegasRed Video Poker and Keno




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Clickbank - Fun & Entertainment - Jokes, Music And Everything

Clickbank brings together various sources for entertaining you at any time of the day. Download them now and have fun.




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Navigating the Markets: The IFX Brokers Advantage in Trading

South African over the counter (OTC) foreign exchange broker IFX Brokers is regulated by the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA). The company’s expertise in the foreign exchange market is extensive. When it comes to the world’s largest and most volatile financial market, IFX Brokers knows how important it is to give its clients instant access [...]

The post Navigating the Markets: The IFX Brokers Advantage in Trading appeared first on Braves News World.




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Booker Prize Is Awarded to Samantha Harvey’s ‘Orbital’ - The New York Times

  1. Booker Prize Is Awarded to Samantha Harvey’s ‘Orbital’  The New York Times
  2. Samantha Harvey wins the Booker prize for “Orbital”  The Economist
  3. ‘This is a book we need now’: Sara Collins on choosing this year’s Booker winner  The Guardian
  4. Orbital by Samantha Harvey: the Booker prize-winner set to go 'stratospheric'  The Week
  5. The inconvenient truth about this year’s Booker Prize winner  The Independent





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Irish Local Governments Get Nooked

Two Irish County Councils and several other Irish, Northern Ireland, and UK government agencies are publishing press releases using the new Nooked hosted online RSS publishing service.




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Interview on Becoming a Writer and Spokesman for the Pro-Life Cause

Frederica was interviewed in a busy fellowship hall by a teen from her parish about how she became a writer and spokesman for the Pro-Life cause.




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The Prokeimenon

Just before the Apostle reading in the Divine Liturgy, verses are chanted known as the Prokeimenon. Fr. Tom explains what that is, why it is there, and how he feels it should be done.




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The Easy Yoke of Christ

Fr. John shares about the easy yoke of Christ, from Matthew 11:28-30.




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The Blessing of Brokenness

It feels awful when we break an object we love and it is beyond repair. Yet Christ loves us and tells us we as persons must be broken for Him to “repair” us. He tells us we have no choice and that the alternative to not being broken is to be crushed. What does He mean? Join Michael as he explains Christ’s teaching and what brokenness looks and feels like.




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Our Shared Brokenness

Together, we are connected by the forgiveness we all need.




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Episode 107: Check Out This Joker

The guys discuss the newest film from DC Movies, The Joker. They discuss the impact of mental illness, having compassion for enemies, and how any of us can take the road to darkness. They close with their Top 5 Movies About Mental Health.




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True Faith Comes from a Broken Heart

People think of religion in many different ways today, but usually not in a way that requires our hearts to be broken.