Page 1,593«..1020..1,5921,5931,5941,595..1,6001,610..»

Arnie Burton, Ben Davis, Alison Fraser Part of October 28 Arms and the Man Reading – Playbill.com

Posted: October 31, 2019 at 8:50 am


The 14th Season of Project Shaw continues October 28 at 7 PM with a reading of George Bernard Shaws Arms and the Man at the Leonard Nimoy Thalia Theater at Symphony Space.

Evan Yionoulis, who also serves as the stage narrator, directs a cast that features Arnie Burton, Ben Davis, Alison Fraser, Talene Monahon, Max Gordon Moore, Amelia Pedlow, and Bradford Cover.

The plot follows a hunted soldier who, seeking refuge in a young ladys boudoir, starts in motion a series of unlikely comedic events. His unusual philosophies about love, war, and life in general open up a world of thought shed never previously entertained.

Its a superbly crafted romantic comedy from top to bottom with every strongly delineated character given a very specific point of view. Its Shaw, so big thoughts and issues are explored, but always in a human and accessible way, with it all coming together in a streamlined and inevitable balance of adventure and romance. For this event were honored to partner with Evan Yionoulis, said Gingold Theatrical Group Artistic Director David Staller in an earlier statement.

Tickets are $40. Special reserved VIP seating is available for $55 by emailing info@gingoldgroup.org.

See What Your Favorite Stars Are Up to Away From Broadway With Playbill Universe

The Project Shaw series continued Jan. 24 with a reading of George Bernard Shaw's Androcles and the Lion at the Players Club featuring an all-critic cast including Roma Torre, Michael Riedel, Michael Musto and more. Read the Playbill.com story.

(Updated October 28, 2019)

The rest is here:
Arnie Burton, Ben Davis, Alison Fraser Part of October 28 Arms and the Man Reading - Playbill.com

Written by admin |

October 31st, 2019 at 8:50 am

Posted in Bernard Shaw

What 26,000 books reveal when it comes to learning language – Newswise

Posted: at 8:50 am


MEDIA CONTACT

Available for logged-in reporters only

Research Results

LIFE

Social and Behavioral Sciences

Newswise BUFFALO, N.Y. What can reading 26,000 books tell researchers about how language environment affects language behavior? Brendan T. Johns, an assistant professor of communicative disorders and sciences in the University at Buffalos College of Arts and Sciences, has some answers that are helping to inform questions ranging from how we use and process language to better understanding the development of Alzheimers disease.

But lets be clear: Johns didnt read all of those books. Hes an expert in computational cognitive science who has published a computational modeling study that suggests our experience and interaction with specific learning environments, like the characteristics of what we read, leads to differences in language behavior that were once attributed to differences in cognition.

Previously in linguistics it was assumed a lot of our ability to use language was instinctual and that our environmental experience lacked the depth necessary to fully acquire the necessary skills, says Johns. The models that were developing today have us questioning those earlier conclusions. Environment does appear to be shaping behavior.

Johns findings, with his co-author, Randall K. Jamieson, a professor in the University of Manitobas Department of Psychology, appear in the journal Behavior Research Methods.

Advances in natural language processing and computational resources allow researchers like Johns and Jamieson to examine once intractable questions.

The models, called distributional models, serve as analogies to the human language learning process. The 26,000 books that support the analysis of this research come from 3,000 different authors (about 2,000 from the U.S. and roughly 500 from the U.K.) who used over 1.3 billion total words.

George Bernard Shaw is often credited with saying Britain and America are two countries separated by a common language. But the languages are not identical, and in order to establish and represent potential cultural differences, the researchers considered where each of the 26,000 books was located in both time (when the author was born) and place (where the book was published).

With that information established, the researchers analyzed data from 10 different studies involving more than 1,000 participants, using multiple psycholinguistic tasks.

The question this paper tries to answer is, If we train a model with similar materials that someone in the U.K. might have read versus what someone in the U.S. might have read, will they become more like these people? says Johns. We found that the environment people are embedded in seems to shape their behavior.

The culture-specific books in this study explain much of the variance in the data, according to Johns.

Its a huge benefit to have a culture-specific corpus, and an even greater benefit to have a time-specific corpus, says Johns. The differences we find in language environment and behavior as a function of time and place is what we call the selective reading hypothesis.

Using these machine-learning approaches demonstrates the richly informative nature of these environments, and Johns has been working toward building machine-learning frameworks to optimize education. This latest paper shows how you can take a persons language behavior and estimate the types of materials theyve read.

We want to take someones past experience with language and develop a model of what that person knows, says Johns. That lets us identify which information can maximize that persons learning potential.

But Johns also studies clinical populations, and his work with Alzheimers patients has him thinking about how to apply his models to potentially help people at risk of developing the disease.

He says some people show slight memory loss without other indications of cognitive decline. These patients with mild cognitive impairment have a 10-15% chance of being diagnosed with Alzheimers in any given year, compared to 2% of the general population over age 65.

Were finding that people who go on to develop Alzheimers across time are showing specific types of language loss and production where they seem to be losing long-distance semantic associations between words, as well as low-frequency words, he says. Can we develop tasks and stimuli that will allow that group to retain their language ability for longer, or develop a more personalized assessment to understand what type of information theyre losing in their cognitive system?

This research program has the potential to inform these important questions.

SEE ORIGINAL STUDY

See the rest here:
What 26,000 books reveal when it comes to learning language - Newswise

Written by admin |

October 31st, 2019 at 8:50 am

Posted in Bernard Shaw

Word of the day – Roodepoort Record

Posted: at 8:48 am


Photo: fordhaminstitute.org.

The word of the day for 30 October is: Humility.

Humility is defined as the quality of having a modest or low opinion of ones importance.

CS Lewis described humility as not thinking less of yourself but thinking of yourself less.

Sometimes we need to step back and let go of our pride. If something good is done, why is it necessary to take full credit? Why not just let the light shine on the good deed, not who did it?

Saint Augustine said, It was pride that changed angels into devils; it is humility that makes men as angels.

When we are prideful, we lose sight of what is really important who we are, and what our values are, and we can land up losing people who are important to us.

We do not need to be arrogant in our achievements or in our daily lives. We cannot forget where we come from and who we are as people just because we have achieved something. Helping others and making them as happy as you are is an uplifting and rewarding experience.

Zig Ziglar said, What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals.

Originally posted here:
Word of the day - Roodepoort Record

Written by admin |

October 31st, 2019 at 8:48 am

Posted in Zig Ziglar

POSITIVELY SPEAKING: Teaching Caleb and Noah – MyWebTimes.com

Posted: at 8:48 am


I dont think its possible for my grandsons to understand how deeply I love them. It wasnt until they were born that I began realizing how much my grandparents loved me.

I ran across a quote over the weekend that isnt new. Ive heard it said for as long as I can remember and have seen the same quote attributed to many others, but my research on the net gives me confidence that Im attributing these powerful words to the correct source.

"Your beliefs become your thoughts.

Your thoughts become your words.

Your words become your actions.

Your actions become your habits.

Your habits become your values.

Your values become your destiny."

Mahatma Gandhi

Ive written about every line of this quote, in one way or another. It is one of those quotes that sticks with me and I find it to be on both my heart and mind this morning as I sit to write my column.

Caleb and Noah were in town this weekend. I find myself being more deliberate with them than I was with my children. I think because I only see them five to six times a year, I watch and listen to them, then try to teach them something useful. Ill see them again for five days over Thanksgiving. Im already thinking about some way to give them something they can learn and take home after the holiday. I think the teachings in this quote is it.

Your beliefs become your thoughts.

With every cell in my body, I know this to be true. Ive written in this column dozens of times about the power of your beliefs. Ill always have someone tell me that they cant help what they believe, so they have no control ... but its not true. We are in complete control of what we believe. Its a choice we make, so always choose to believe that you have the ability and power to determine your destiny ... because its true.

Your thoughts become your words.

What we believe in our hearts and mind, always comes out of our mouths. We all know the negative and positive people in our lives by what they say. Its no coincidence that the positive people are almost always happier and more successful.

Your words become your actions.

And its so because what they believe comes out of their mouths and their words become actions. If someone else says it, your mind understands that it may or may not be true, but if you say it, your mind absorbs and believes it.

Your actions become your habits.

There are many takes on this but Zig Ziglar said that if you purposely do something every day for 40 days, it becomes a habit.

Aristotle said, We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.

Our habits drive our actions and our actions drive our success.

Your habits become your values.

This is a column of its own that Ill address soon, but the more you do something, the more it becomes part of you.

Your values become your destiny.

Our destiny is not up to chance ... and certainly not up to others. The saying If it is to be it is up to me comes to mind here and its true. Destiny isnt something that you sit and wait for ... it is something you create, beginning with your belief system.

It is difficult to do Gandhis words justice in a mere 800-word column. I am writing this with several purposes. First, to formulate how to help a couple of boys, 7 and 9, begin to understand these truths and make them part of their lives. Second, to cause you, the reader to think about this and hopefully put these truths to work in your life.

I also need to hear these words as we all need to fortify our beliefs and strengthen our weaknesses. I am far from perfect, and like you, a work in progress. When I write to also strengthen my weaknesses I never run out of material.

I do understand the best way to teach behavior is to model it. I had a college professor, Dr. H. E. Nutt, who is legendary in the field of music education. He would always say, The best way to learn to play the clarinet (or any instrument) is to teach someone to play the clarinet. By doing so, it forces you to think about the correct methods and the more you do, the more it becomes part of you. By teaching these words, like teaching anything else, it forces me to put them into action.

So, as I try to share this with my grandsons and readers it is also my hope that by writing this column it makes all of us happier, stronger, kinder, wiser and more optimistic people.

Life is too short to be otherwise.

GARY W. MOORE is a freelance columnist, speaker and author of three books including the award-winning, critically acclaimed, Playing with the Enemy. Follow Gary on Twitter @GaryWMoore721 and at http://www.garywmoore.com

Excerpt from:
POSITIVELY SPEAKING: Teaching Caleb and Noah - MyWebTimes.com

Written by admin |

October 31st, 2019 at 8:48 am

Posted in Zig Ziglar

Officials look to reinvent downtown North Little Rock library; it ‘would offer things beyond books’ – Arkansas Online

Posted: October 30, 2019 at 9:49 am


Officials are looking to turn the Argenta library into an "urban library" in hopes of saving it from its stark financial reality.

North Little Rock Mayor Joe Smith said earlier this month that one of the city's biggest challenges is figuring out what to do with the Argenta Branch Library downtown.

"The library board can't afford both the Argenta library and the main library," he said.

The Argenta library, which opened in April 2014 at 420 Main St. in a former post office, carries a debt of more than $2.2 million from two bonds that were used to buy the 15,000-square-foot building and convert it into a modern-day library. The library system's annual payment is about $417,000 on that debt, which will last into 2025.

The library averages only five to 15 visitors on Saturdays, and not all of those are there for library purposes, said Crystal Gates, executive director for the William F. Laman Public Library System.

Smith said the debt payment for the branch isn't feasible at the current pace but that finding alternative uses for the building could save the downtown library.

"We are looking into turning it into an urban library, like the one they have in San Antonio," Smith said. "It would offer things beyond books."

Gates said some urban libraries include technology centers, economic development and business development classes, art galleries, studio equipment, tool libraries, cafes and bookstores, among other things.

The mayor said that concept would be a good fit for the city's rapidly redeveloping downtown area.

"It would allow, let's say, an apartment resident to check out a ladder or a drill that they might not normally have," Smith said.

It would also be similar to the Central Arkansas Library System across the Arkansas River in Little Rock. That system has a tool library, art galleries, meeting rooms, laptop checkouts, a telescope-lending program and more.

"We are trying to do things to make the library relevant beyond books," said Nate Coulter, executive director of the Central Arkansas Library System. "We have added a social worker at the library to provide wrap-around support for people who walk in. Under the strategic plan our board adopted last May, we are going to provide more of these community-oriented services at CALS."

The ideas are part of an ever-evolving library practice, said Curtis Rogers, a spokesman for the Urban Libraries Council.

"Libraries are not in the business of books -- they are in the business of people," he said in an email.

The Urban Libraries Council, an organization of North America's leading public library systems, promotes the value of libraries as essential public assets. The council has been guiding conversations about how libraries can take a leadership role in educating people about the social and economic effects of artificial intelligence, Rogers said.

"We have also been working to help libraries understand and strengthen their role as hubs for local entrepreneurs," he said.

Rogers said that in the context of his organization, an "urban library" is any system that serves an urban, developed jurisdiction. He said it could include cities, towns, urban counties and more.

"Every library has a unique culture and provides unique services to meet the needs of its particular community," he said. "In fact, libraries are renowned for their ability to quickly adapt to change."

Coulter said a library's duty to the public goes beyond books.

"We are trying to give people all manners of access to realize their potential," he said. "In the future, I see libraries as the anchor institutions of communities."

The Argenta library's financial situation isn't a new issue. The branch first experienced financial difficulty in late 2014, only months after opening, leading to staff layoffs, a reduction in library hours, and elimination of traveling exhibits and some programs. The city stepped in to help by restructuring the library's debt and extending the payoff dates by two years.

Rogers said building strategic partnerships is key for libraries that are working with small budgets.

"Smaller libraries in urban areas should be reaching out to their local elected officials, school leaders, business leaders, tech leaders, nonprofit leaders, etc., to determine how they can work together more effectively to advance community outcomes," he said.

Gates said the library board will conduct a focus group study soon to determine what the community is looking for in a library, what needs the community has, how the library can meet those needs, and priorities in considering services and resources at the library.

"We will be looking at, speaking with, and possibly visiting urban libraries around the country to learn from their struggles, failures and successes," she said.

Rogers said important steps would include getting out into the community and engaging with residents to learn about how the library can provide the most value to them, taking inventory of local leaders and stakeholders, and learning from the work of other libraries.

Rogers added that even though the evolution of libraries has expanded beyond books, the print format remains important.

"Print books are still the most popular format for reading," Rogers said, "and for many individuals, the library can represent their only access point for books in any format."

Metro on 10/28/2019

Print Headline: Officials look to reinvent downtown North Little Rock library; it 'would offer things beyond books'

Original post:
Officials look to reinvent downtown North Little Rock library; it 'would offer things beyond books' - Arkansas Online

Written by admin |

October 30th, 2019 at 9:49 am

Posted in Online Library

Congress Looking into Anticompetitive Behavior in the Digital Library Market – Publishers Weekly

Posted: at 9:49 am


The American Library Association (ALA) has delivered a written report to the House Judiciary Committee telling lawmakers that unfair behavior by digital market actors," including Amazon and some major publishers, is "doing concrete harm to libraries.

The report, delivered last week to a House antitrust subcommittee investigating competition in the digital market, comes as lawmakers are taking note of the growing backlash to Big Five publisher Macmillans decision to impose a two-month embargo on new release e-books in public libraries. In a September 13 letter to ALA executive director Mary Ghikas, the House Judiciary Committee asked ALA to respond to a set of questions in connection with its ongoing investigation, an invitation that came just days after an ALA press event at the Nashville Public Library kicked off a public awareness campaign calling attention to issues in the library e-book market. As of this writing, an ALA online petition opposing Macmillan's planned embargo, launched at that press event, is approaching 150,000 signatures.

Under Macmillan's new policy, which is scheduled to go into effect on November 1, public libraries are allowed to license a singe discounted, perpetual access e-book for the first eight weeks after a book's publication. After eight weeks, libraries can purchase multiple two-year licenses at the regular price (roughly $60 for new works). Librarians, however, say that not being allowed to license multiple copies upon publication unfairly punishes digital readers, and will only serve to frustrate users and will hurt the ability of the library to serve their community, especially if other publishers follow suit.

Libraries are prepared to pay a fair price for fair services; in fact, over the past ten years, libraries have spent over $40 billion acquiring content, the ALA report reads. But abuse of their market position by dominant actors in digital markets is impeding essential library activities that are necessary to ensure that all Americans have access to information, both today and for posterity. If these abuses go unchecked, Americas competitiveness and our cultural heritage as a nation are at risk.

The ALA comments break down what it sees as potentially anticompetitive behavior in the digital realm into two sectorspublic and school libraries, and academic and research libraries. And no surprise, the two issues topping the list of ALAs concerns: Amazons exclusive digital content, which is not available to libraries; and restrictions by the major publishers in the library e-book market.

The worst obstacle for libraries are marketplace bans: refusal to sell services at any price, ALA officials notes, pointing to Amazon Publishing. The e-book titles from Amazon Publishing are not available to libraries for lending at any price or any terms. By contrast, consumers may purchase all of these titles directly from Amazon. This is a particularly pernicious new form of the digital divide; Amazon Publishing books are available only to people who can afford to buy them, without the library alternative previously available to generations of Americans.

If these abuses go unchecked, Americas competitiveness and our cultural heritage as a nation are at risk.

Amazons growing power has been a simmering cause of concern and a topic of conversation at ALA conferences for years now. But Amazons push for exclusive digital content has been ramping up in recent years, increasing concerns, particularly in the audio market, where Amazon-owned Audible has been signing exclusive deals with bestselling authors and publishers. In addition, some in the library market are concerned that Amazon is selectively using its data to pressure publishers into further restricting library access to digital content.

A related problem, ALA assertsthough it is surely the primary problem libraries face on a day-to-day basisis the increasingly restrictive, and costly market for e-books from the major publishers. This includes the delayed release of e-books to the library market, the ALA report states, pointing to Macmillans two-month embargo on new release e-book titles, scheduled to take effect on November 1, and abusive pricing for library e-books, where titles can often run more than four times the consumer price for two year licenses.

Denying or delaying new content to libraries certainly is a market failure, ALA states. It also prevents libraries from accomplishing their democratizing mission of providing equal access to information to American citizens.

The report also addresses library access to streaming content from providers like NetFlix and Hulu, the high cost of textbooks and learning materials, and the academic journal market.

ALA does not take this issue lightly, said Alan Inouye, ALA senior director of public policy and government relations, in a release. When Amazon, the worlds fifth largest publisher of e-books, refuses to sell to libraries, or when a Big five publisher like Macmillan places an eight-week embargo on e-book sales to Americas libraries, we believe it is time to take legislative action.

The inquiry comes after the House Judiciary Committee launched its investigation into competition in the digital market on June 3, 2019, with Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) citing "growing evidence that a handful of gatekeepers have come to capture control over key arteries of online commerce, content, and communications."

While it is unclear what the next steps will be, ALA officials say they are prepared to turn up the pressure, and stay engaged with lawmakers. Meanwhile, PW has learned that similar investigations are underway in some state legislatures as well.

Beginning next week, ALA and our members in targeted congressional districts will engage legislators on the substance of our report," Inouye stated. "When librarians and community leaders tell Antitrust Subcommittee members how unfair digital market practices impact their constituents, Congress will listen.

Read more here:
Congress Looking into Anticompetitive Behavior in the Digital Library Market - Publishers Weekly

Written by admin |

October 30th, 2019 at 9:49 am

Posted in Online Library

VIDEO: Multiple raccoons take over the library at Arkansas State – Arkansas Online

Posted: at 9:49 am


JONESBORO An Arkansas State University alumnus says he was surprised to spot a few curious critters running around the campus library.

Codie Clark, a math tutor, says he spotted at least two raccoons Sunday on the third floor of the university's Dean B. Ellis Library while waiting for a student to arrive for a tutoring session. Clark says other students then cornered one raccoon.

[Video not showing up above? Click here to watch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJFtkNpSc3k%5D

Associate Vice Chancellor for Marketing and Communications Bill Smith told KAIT-TV that the school's facility management personnel humanely trapped the animals after being notified by library staff. Clark says an animal rescuer released the racoons back into the wild that night.

Smith also noted the racoons likely came to campus because of the recent rain. Smith encouraged anyone who encounters wild animals to contact the Facilities Management Department.

See more here:
VIDEO: Multiple raccoons take over the library at Arkansas State - Arkansas Online

Written by admin |

October 30th, 2019 at 9:49 am

Posted in Online Library

Library Buzz: Tech backpacks coming soon to BPL – Eagle News Online

Posted: at 9:49 am


Oct 23, 2019 admin Baldwinsville Messenger, Library News, Point of View

Assistant Director

Soon Baldwinsville Public Library will begin circulating Chromebooks and hotspots for internet connectivity. The addition of this equipment to our circulating materials is part of Onondaga County Public Libraries mission to empower our communities and help our users access tools for success. This project is part of County Executive Ryan McMahons continued support in helping our libraries bridge the digital divide across Onondaga County.

BPL will have six tech backpacks available for a three-week loan. Each backpack will contain a Chromebook with charger, a Verizon hotspot/charger, and a guide for getting started. After signing a tech backpack user agreement, patrons will be able to take the equipment home.

We are currently preparing the equipment for circulation and will announce their availability as soon as possible.

And in other news

4 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 24

Design your own mask just in time for Halloween! This is a drop-in program; registration is not required.

10 a.m. Friday, Oct. 25

Come make spiders, ghosts, and monsters! This is a drop-in program; registration is not required.

Link:
Library Buzz: Tech backpacks coming soon to BPL - Eagle News Online

Written by admin |

October 30th, 2019 at 9:49 am

Posted in Online Library

Library Spreading Wiki-Knowledge to Fill Online Gaps in Province’s History – VOCM

Posted: at 9:49 am


Public libraries across the world have been partnering with Wikipedia to offer resources enabling accuracy on their site for many years.

A new position called a Wikipedian in Residence is being offered through the Centre for Newfoundland Studies at Memorial University.

Jenny Higgins has been in the position for just two weeks. She was one of the organizers of an event called Wiki-Edit, at the A.C Hunter Library, where people learned to edit Wikipedia articles to fill gaps in articles relating to the provinces history.

She says in this province a lot of the articles are short and flagged as needing more citations.

Higgins says people need to edit those to add information from magazines, books, articles, newspapers.

You can literally edit almost all of the wiki articles by just pressing the pencil in the top right corner.

They will be reviewed before being revised. Susan Kent was one of the topics (people) on the list given out at the event this evening. pic.twitter.com/pIXkLoKl73

Victoria Battcock (@VicBattcockVOCM) October 24, 2019

Read the original:
Library Spreading Wiki-Knowledge to Fill Online Gaps in Province's History - VOCM

Written by admin |

October 30th, 2019 at 9:49 am

Posted in Online Library

79-Year-Old Man Suffers Broken Ribs In Brutal Assault, Believes He Was Attacked In Gang Initiation – CBS New York

Posted: at 9:49 am


NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) Police are investigating after a man was chased down the street and attacked on the way to the library.

The victim in this incident believes he was the target of a gang initiation, and hes still recovering from several broken bones after the brutal assault on Oct. 10.

Video shows the terrified man backing away as two young men go after him in front of a library on Linden Boulevard in Cambria Heights, Queens.

First, a man in a yellow t-shirt appears to shove him, knocking him to the ground. Then, a man in a white t-shirt unleashes a fury of punches.

The victim is 79-year-old Joseph Bonaventure, who spoke exclusively to CBS2s Valerie Castro from his hospital bed.

Him, who said get him, is in front of me, like, you know, and the two other on the side and punching, but Im trying to block the punches, he said.

Bonaventure says he was trying to go to the Queens Library when he noticed several young men in front of the building. Then without warning, they began to attack.

I fall on the sidewalk and they keep on kicking me on the left side, ribs side there, on the right side and get to my hip, then kicking in my head, he said.

The Haitian immigrant says he believes the assault was a gang initiation given that nothing was stolen.

My car keys fell down, my cell phone, my wallet, they dont take anything, Bonaventure said.

The attack happened nearly 20 days ago, but Bonaventure is still healing from six broken ribs and an injured hip. He says hes grateful he survived the incident, and he has a message to those who attacked him.

This type of action could destroy their tomorrow, he said. I just wish them good luck because I may be living for another two or one decade, one more decade or two decades, but themselves, they have a lifetime in front of them.

Bonaventure says it could be at least two months before hes fully recovered. In the meantime, hes going to physical therapy every day.

Anyone who recognizes the suspects or has information regarding this incident is asked to call the NYPDs Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-8477or for Spanish,1-888-577-4782. Tips can also be sent to the NYPDTips Twitter account or submitted online at NYPDCrimeStoppers.com.

Original post:
79-Year-Old Man Suffers Broken Ribs In Brutal Assault, Believes He Was Attacked In Gang Initiation - CBS New York

Written by admin |

October 30th, 2019 at 9:49 am

Posted in Online Library


Page 1,593«..1020..1,5921,5931,5941,595..1,6001,610..»



matomo tracker