2015年5月14日星期四

10 Real-life Haunted Houses and the Stories Behind Them

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Stereotypical haunting stories have the propensity to create a feeling of the far-fetched whenever the word 'paranormal' is uttered. But what you are about to read are not some typical legends; they are stories of some real-life haunted houses.
Real-life haunted houses
Typical Haunting!
Your house is haunted if you can see apparitions, can hear weird sounds, smell foul odor, and if the objects move around on their own.
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A little more than one-third of Americans believe in ghosts, perhaps the most surprising fact is that 23 percent of the adults claim to have personally seen or felt a ghost. Every Halloween, thousands of people visit commercial haunted houses, in which costumed people portray dead spirits. People enjoy the adrenaline rush when monsters pop out at them, but they know it's not for real.

We all enjoy paranormal movies such as A Haunting in Connecticut, The Exorcism of Emily Rose, The Conjuring, among others. The common plot of such movies is any paranormal activity that starts from the home. That means, a ghost of a negative or positive energy is already residing inside the house. Although scary movies are produced to provide a sense of thrill to the viewers, real haunted homes are a completely different story.

Throughout the world, there are plenty of houses of different styles and built in different time periods. They have been occupied by various people from all walks of life such as farmers, wealthy businessmen, and high-society families. Though these houses have a few differences, they have one common attribute: they are possessed.

Agreed there are plethora of paranormal experts who purposely stay in haunted hotels and homes to hunt for ghosts. But what if ghosts found their way into your home? The following ten places in the upcoming sections have definitely filled that bill, showing symptoms of otherworldly existence to becoming the world's most famous haunted houses.

The White House

Yes, you read it right! The world's most famous and important residence is haunted. No place in the country has ever had a history like the White house. It's construction was completed in the 1800, later to be burned by the British in 1812. It was immediately reconstructed, this construction went through numerous physical changes over the past two decades. For many years, people working and vising the White House have seen apparitions. In fact, the President and his family have also witnessed the same. John Adams was the first President who stayed in the White House, and according to many sources he never left the place. Abigail, his wife has been seen carrying linens in the East room. Apart from John Adams, numerous sightings of Abraham Lincoln sitting on his bed, tying his shoes, and lying in bed have been reported.

Brentwood Home

They say looks are deceptive. Well, when you talk about this particular home, indeed they are. When you look at a beautiful house from outside, you don't know it is haunted by a deadly demon. A demon that will suck the life out of you. The previous owner of the house claims that the moment he stepped inside he knew that the house was haunted. They could see black, foggy cold, sometimes rotting stench, and many times residents were scratched, bitten, and attacked by the entity. Rosary beads and crucifixes were fidgeted with.

Amityville Horror House

One of the most controversial and famous haunted houses in Amityville, New York. In the early hours of November 13, 1974 Ronald DeFeo Jr. killed his family members with a rifle as they slept. He shot his father, mother, and four siblings. A year after the mass killing, the Lutz family shifted in the house and experienced severe paranormal activities. They were so frightened that they barely stayed in that place for less than a month. The events which they experienced were cold spots, slamming doors, moving objects, and foul odor. The worst was when their children started sleeping in the same positions in which the DeFeo had been killed, on their stomachs face down. Their youngest daughter had an imaginary friend which was perceived to be a demonic entity. Even paranormal experts Ed and Lorraine Warren had never experienced such strong entities.

Molly Brown House

Titanic's saga never died and one such person who still haunts her house is Molly Brown survivor of the Titanic sinking. Located in Denver, Colorado Molly Brown house was once upon a time her and her husband's humble abode. Now the house has been turned into a museum. Though the museum's collections are remarkable, the presence of ghosts also draws a bit of an attention. People claim to have seen both Molly and her husband in the house, they can even smell J.J.'s pipe and cigar. They had a child who seemed to die very young, in his room the blinds of the window raise and lower on their own. One can even see Molly's mother and her former servant.

LaLaurie House

It was bought by Marie Delphine Lalaurie with her third husband Dr. Louis Lalaurie in 1831. This elegant New Orleans mansion was once a height of luxury and refinement back then. However, the place hid dark secrets in its slave quarter and attic space. Delphine Lalaurie had a sadistic way of torturing and murdering her slaves in private. In 1834, a slave who was chained near the stove purposely caused fire to commit suicide or to call for help. And for the first time the conditions in which these slaves were kept were revealed. Neighbors were enraged and caused a mob on the mansion, nearly destroying it. Delphine fled to France and died about 10 years later. But one can still experience paranormal activity going on in the mansion till this day. Screams and cries can be heard, sometimes apparitions of chained slaves are also visible. Some visitors have been attacked by the spirit of Madame Lalaurie.

Harrisville Haunting

You might recognize this one, because there was a very famous movie made about this particular house. You all must have seen The Conjuring that movie gave everybody a good scare, if the movie was so scary, imagine how living in that house would be! The Perrons shifted in this beautiful home with their five daughters, but the moment they stepped in the house, they made new spirit friends. Initially, it was not that bad, they got used to the fact that good spirits were around. The owner left them with a warning to always leave the lights on at night. One spirit who considered herself the mistress of the house was Bathsheba, in fact she hated the fact that Mrs. Perrons was living in the house and considered her a competition. She tried many tactics to scare her, so that she would leave the house. The family experienced a lot of bad things until their life returned to normal.

Villisca Ax Murder House

Late night in the year 1912, an anonymous assailant murdered eight people in this house. This house is located in Villisca, Iowa. Though the murder was really famous, till date nobody is sure who the murderer really was. Either because of the nature of their death or their unresolved nature, this house definitely has become a humble abode of many supernatural beings. Apparitions, disembodied footsteps, and voices are very common in this house. People have reported hearing and seeing children. EVP has also caught children laughing one moment and then crying, while other times some children ask others to hide.

Franklin Castle

Next time you visit any castle make sure to check their windows, maybe you will see some ghost standing there and looking at you. This castle was constructed in 1865 for Tiedemann family. This mansion is one of the spookiest places in Ohio and people who have visited this site have witnessed an eerie woman in black looking out the window. Additionally, one can hear children crying and other things such as doors flying off hinges and lights being switched on and off. It is believed that four of the Tiedemann children passed away in this home and the owner Mr. Hannes was rumored to murder his 13-year old niece in a secret passage. He even killed his mistress in the tower so maybe that eerie lady is here.

William Kehoe House

It is hard to throw a resident out, in this case it is impossible to get rid of a ghost owner. In 1892, this house served as a school, later a funeral home, and now it's a historic Inn. Before all of this transformation, Kehoe family used to reside here. But they are still living there and even after their deaths, they go about their normal routine. Sometimes they interact with the staff and guests too, how creepy! Mrs. Kehoe has often been reported sitting on a desk or sitting on the bed of sleeping guests. Their two children who were killed in an accident can often be seen running and one can hear their footsteps while they run across the upper floors.

Adam Thoroughgood House

This quaint brick home in Virginia Beach, Virginia once belonged to Adam Thoroughgood, who was a famous tobacco farmer and a businessman. This house has never been quiet, with paranormal activity going about everyday. One can always see two common spirits, one of a woman and the other of a man both dressed in the 18th century style. The man has been observed passing from room to room, while the woman is seen carrying candles throughout the house.
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Haunted homes does not necessarily mean that they are malevolent in nature. Many haunted houses are nothing but eternal homes for their previous owners. Some are friendly or oblivious to human presence. But negative imagery of a haunted home exists for a reason, especially if suicide or murder took place in such homes. Due to this, ghosts tend to hold hostility towards anything and anybody around them. They can manifest their hostility in disturbing ways like violence towards the present occupants of the house. The aforementioned haunted houses and their stories portray a diverse range of hauntings that will surely make you sit up and rethink on your views about the paranormal world.

2015年5月10日星期日

Is There Any Way to Recover Snapchat Photos?

Teens adore it. Parents kinda fear it. We're talking about the hilarious photo messaging application, Snapchat. This magical app erases pictures after they have been viewed by the intended recipient. But what if you want to save or view a photo again? This posts gives you tricks to recover Snapchat photos.
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Recovering Snapchat photos
Through Snapchat, 400 million photo messages are being sent per day, much more than Facebook's photo sharing app, Instagram.
Take a weird selfie, put a caption, add some doodles, set the viewing time for up to 10 seconds, and click send! Share some laughs, share some moments. This is what Snapchat intends to do. This fun messaging app is highly popular, especially among teens, for its ephemeral nature of messages. The snaps or videos that you send are displayed on the recipient's screen for up to 10 seconds, and then they disappear. Snapchat promises you that the messages you send will disappear forever. And if you think, you will take a screenshot of the picture, hold on; Snapchat informs the sender about it as well!

Another thing is that it doesn't allow you to send pictures from your photo gallery. It's USP turned glitchy―it's being tested and questioned a lot of times. Accusations like―these pictures actually don't vanish; the snaps are UNdeleted, and that the deleted stuff can be easily recovered with little digital know-how―are all over the Internet. Does it hold true? Is it possible to recover Snapchat photos? Yes, it is. This was first brought to notice by Decipher Forensics, a computer forensics company based in Orem, Utah.

Studies have been done regarding the security of this app. Researchers have found that users are well aware of the fact that these snaps are recoverable (approx. 80% of respondents), and out of these, approx. 53% respondents opine that they don't give a damn about it! Teens use it for fun; besides, they make use of arbitrary timeout feature, depending on the recipient and the content being sent. For those savvy-teens, willing to restore the snaps they received via Snapchat, and curious to know how to do it, we have come to your rescue. Read on.

So you took screenshots of the snaps with all the latest #NoScreenshotAlert apps being installed on your phone, and you thought you've cracked it? But Snapchat stages its comeback with a new update, and boom! The users still get notified for the screenshots you take. No worries, we've got easy hacks and tricks for you to retrieve Snapchat photos.

Use Third-party Apps

There are various applications developed that let you save/restore photos and videos. For most apps, a general format would work:

› Download any of the below-mentioned apps, depending on your OS. (For the time being, we'll call it the saving-app.)
› DON'T OPEN the pic you received through your Snapchat app, 'cause if you do, you won't be able to retrieve it later.
› Log into the saving-app. You'll no longer be logged-in from your Snapchat.
› You'll come across a list of snaps. Select the ones you want to reopen. Save them, and watch them when you wish to.

Well, some of the apps won't even let you feel that you currently aren't working on Snapchat. And don't forget to reply to the sender after you've saved the snap (winks).

For Android users:
● SnapSeeker
● Snapchat Saver
● SaveMySnaps
● Dumpster
● SaveMySnaps
● SnapSeeker
For iOS users:
● Snapkeep
● SnapBox
● SnapCrack

Save Them on Your Computer

Another trick to save pictures is by connecting your phone to the computer. All you have to do is:

› Connect your phone to the computer.
› Have a software like iFunBox installed on your PC.
› Look for 'temporary' files on your phone through your PC. Somewhere in the temp folder, look for a folder that contains the temporary snap files.
› Save these files to your PC, and view the pics as many times as you want to!

The only thing that you should be careful about is, not opening the new snap that you received on your phone, else you may not be able to view them on your computer.

Take the Decipher Path

As we mentioned earlier, the Decipher Forensics traced the route to disappearing snaps. They claimed that Snapchat photos are deleted just like any other piece of data we move to the trash bin. Consider your computer's recycle bin―stores the 'deleted' items before completely deleting them, and so does the default system of Snapchat. Use data recovery tools available online for retrieving the (lost) pictures. Well, Forensics also have a solution to this, but you may have to shell out a significant amount for their special software.

Use the Infamous Trick

Don't you try to hide it from us―we know, you have probably used this trick several times. Use another phone/camera to take a close-up picture of the snap you've just received. Move your finger down to the bottom of your screen, while viewing the picture, so that you get a good click. So, the next time you get a Snapchat notification, be prepared with a camera to capture your Snapchat screen.
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Author's Note:
Get things straight―there is no such thing called 'online eraser'. So everything that's been uploaded, stays, even if it's been deleted. Call me a killjoy, but think before you send those half-nude selfies. I know, this entire concept of fleeting messages tempts you to 'click and send'. Send weird stuff, share laughter, something that you find crazy, and worth sharing with your friends. Set appropriate time according to the picture and your relationship with the recipient. But just pause a moment, think before sending the revealing snaps ... unless and until you want them to get circulated over web.

2015年5月7日星期四

Job Responsibilities and Duties of a Grip

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A grip is a person responsible for the set up and maintenance of the camera support system in a film or video production. The key grip is known as the first in command, who supervises the best boy grip and the dolly grip. This article elaborates on the responsibilities and duties of these film crew members.
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Job responsibilities of grips
Origin
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The term 'Grip' comes from 'stagehand' or stage technician in American theater, who used to shift the scenery.

Cinema can turn fantasy into reality quite easily, is what we believe in. But it is easier said than done. Although understood to be a creative medium of art, filmmaking does entail a lot of technicalities. One such technicality is the handling of the support system for the chief instrument in film production - the camera. The person responsible for this job is known as a grip.

Who are Grips?

These individuals are lighting and rigging technicians in the film crew who look after the camera support system in filmmaking and video production industries.

The main task for them is that of establishing the required set up for shooting a scene, as per the instructions from the director of photography or the cinematographer. Scheduling the set up, dismantling, and shifting of the camera along with its equipment to some other location, and being ready for the next shot in time, can be a herculean task.

A film may be shot using more than one camera. A camera could be swinging from a helicopter, or hanging from a crane, or could be mounted on a high hill. Such adventurous locations of shoot require immense thought and anticipation of where and how meticulously the camera can possibly be moved, how fast or slow, and most importantly, with utmost safety. So, grips 'have to do a great job'. Also, this profession is unquestionably all about great team work.

What Does a Key Grip Do?

The key grip is the supervisor of all other grips. He works directly with the director of photography, and is also answerable to him. Executing his vision on the set requires, at times, coming up with custom-made tools to place the camera on, and be able to make the shoot in difficult terrain and weather as seamless as possible. Ingenuity is a part of the skill set of a key grip.

Responsibilities

✦ Preparation of the potential tasks prior to the start of the shoot.

✦ Accompanying the cinematographer at the locations during the scout, and understanding the requirements of all equipment during the shoot.

✦ Determining the details of the tools, including cranes, trolleys, tracks, mounts, etc. Also, confirming any additional technical arrangements pertaining specifically to a particular location; transportation of the equipment to the site, etc.

✦ At the location, collaborating with the electric (or gaffer - head electrician) and camera teams to finalize the camera movement and set up, and lighting as expected by the director of photography.

✦ Leading the entire team of grips (including dedicated technicians like the dolly grip) to coordinated efforts.

✦ When shooting with multiple cameras, the key grip is responsible for the main camera, and his crew for additional camera support.

✦ Safety of the crew is an important duty.

✦ Thinking ahead, having the equipment ready, or stand by for any unexpected scenes; trying to prevent the occurrence of any issues in the first place.

What Does a Best Boy Grip Do?

There is a history to this name. In early times, there was a less rigid separation between the electric and grip departments. In case of some help required by either of the departments, the supervisor of one department used to ask the other for 'lending their best boy' for some time. Thus, the term became a standard for this job.

Responsibilities

✦ He or she is considered as second-in-command in this trade.

✦ The best boy mainly assists the key grip.

✦ Day-to-day operations of the grip or lighting department. Planning and executing the lighting (along with the gaffer) and rigging.

✦ Hiring, scheduling, and managing other grips as required for a specific task.

✦ Arranging for the right equipment for the right location; its renting, ordering, inventory, and returning.

✦ Stocking of expendables.

✦ Loading and unloading of production equipment from the trucks.

✦ Dealing with other production departments.

✦ During breaks, the best boy works on behalf of the key grip or gaffer.

What Does a Dolly Grip Do?

A dolly is a wheeled platform that can carry and move the camera and also the person operating the camera. It basically aids free movement of the camera to make different shooting angles possible. Here, being 'slow and steady' matters a lot. The person works with the camera crew, and rehearses the movements to perfect them. The best of the golly grips are known and hired for their 'touch'.

Responsibilities

✦ Establishing the dollies or other equipment to be used to mount the camera, placing and leveling them.

✦ Operating these camera dollies. A primary task is of pushing or pulling the camera dollies or the equipment being used.

✦ Must be able to produce smooth movements, with no distractions from the on-screen actions.

✦ In situations where the camera is hand-held, he safely directs the person holding it by gentle touches, pulls and pushes, thus guiding him away from any hurdles like walls.

✦ Operating the 'boom' (the device holding the microphone, when the camera is mounted on a crane, for example).

✦ Executing dolly shots or trucking shots: dolly in, dolly out, and dolly with (parallel movement alongside a moving object).
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The roles and duties of a grip are not the same in all countries. A grip is not at all concerned with the lighting in the UK, as he is solely a part of the camera department. In Australia and New Zealand, the key grip is the one who owns the entire equipment, including the dolly, cranes, tracks, camera cars, insert trailers, etc.

2015年5月6日星期三

Difference Between Component and Composite Video Cables

Though the terms composite and component video sound similar, they actually represent two very different cable technologies that are used for inter-connecting audio-video devices. In this article, we shall find out what these technologies are, and examine the main differences between these two cable types.
Difference between component and composite video cables
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Did You Know
Both, component and composite video cables commonly use the same coaxial RCA connectors for connecting to various devices. This adds to the confusion that the consumers already face while distinguishing between these two cable types.
You would think that connecting a DVD player to a display to watch your favorite movie is a pretty straightforward affair, until you notice the array of multicolored input and output slots at the rear ends of both these devices, and the strange encoded alphabets and characters associated with each one of them! To further add to the confusion, you will find a number of fancily named cables available in the market, from among which you are expected to find out which one goes where, and does what. Sounds vexing? Well, it won't be if you take some time here to learn about the basic standards used for audio and video connectivity via cables.

For connecting your DVD player, gaming console, or other similar devices to your television display, you will most likely need to make use of either the component audio-video (AV) cable or the composite AV cable. Both these are standard technologies commonly used by several manufacturers of consumer electronics. In the following lines, we shall learn more about composite and component video technologies, and then run a one-on-one comparison highlighting the main differences between the cables used for each.

Component and Composite Video Technology

Component

Component video technology splits the video signal into three basic components, and transmits them individually via separate channels (cables). This technology supersedes both composite and S-video in terms of clarity and picture quality, and is considered to be a high-end video interface.

As mentioned above, component video uses three cables for transmitting video, and requires additional cables for audio transmission. It is also an analog video format.

This technology is widely used in DVD players, TV antennas, cable TV transmission and reception, etc.

Composite

Composite video technology was developed back in the 1950s, when the addition of color to black and white TVs had just begun. Back then, the color information for the video was multiplexed with the monochrome signals, and transmitted along the same TV channel. It was the first video signal to include color in it.

Composite video combines all three video components, namely luminance (Y), color (U), and (V), via encoding into one signal, which is then transmitted over a single cable. For transmitting audio, additional cables and connectors are required. It is an analog video format.

This technology was used as a standard in the NTSC, PAL and SECAM television sets, before the advent of HDTVs.

Component Vs. Composite Video Cables: Differences

Number of Cables and Color Codes

Component: Basic component AV cables include five individual color-coded male connectors on each end. Of these, three cables with the connectors―red, blue, and green―carry the video signal split into three components, while the remaining two cables with the connectors―red and white―carry the left and right channel audio components of the stereoscopic sound. The specialized versions of the component cable have the usual five connectors on one end and a specialized device-specific output plug on the other.

Composite: In the basic form, composite AV cables comprise three male connectors on each end. They are typically color coded into red, yellow, and white. The yellow cable carries the composite video signal, while the red and white cables carry the left and right channel audio components of the stereoscopic sound signal. In some specific versions, especially the ones designed for certain gaming consoles, there are three cables and connectors on one end and a single specialized output plug on the other, which is designed to connect to the console.

Division of Video Signals

Component: In the component video, the video signal is divided into three separate channels, namely, Y, PB, and PR. Y carries the information pertaining to the screen's brightness, also known as luminance, PB carries the difference between blue and the luminance, and PR carries the difference between red and the luminance.

Composite: This technology transmits video signals via a single line-level cable, wherein the video information is encoded into a single channel.

Resolution Support

Component: Component video, is a successor to the composite, and is capable of supporting a wide range of resolutions, right from the standard 480i of old, to the 1080p HD, and theoretically even those beyond it.

Composite: This is an older generation technology, which was used prior to the advent of high-definition (HD) video. As such, it is limited to resolutions of 480i and 576i, and doesn't support the modern HD technology and associated resolutions.

Picture Quality

Component: In this technology, the luminance and color components of the video are transmitted individually as three separate and independent signals. As they don't undergo the encoding and decoding process, there is comparatively much lower loss in this signal. As such, the picture quality obtained through the use of component cables is superior to that obtained from composite cables.

Composite: For the generation of a composite video signal, all the different components of the video signal, including the luminance, chrominance, along with the different color information, are encoded together into one signal. This causes considerable degradation in the picture quality at the output when this signal is decoded.
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To sum up, in composite video, the video signal is transmitted via a single (yellow) cable, while in component video, it is transmitted via three separate cables (red, green, and blue). Composite is an older generation technology, having lower video quality, and does not support HD. On the other hand, component video is a more useful technology, which boasts of a significantly better video quality, and also supports the latest HD resolutions.

2015年5月5日星期二

Meaning of the Idiom 'The Devil is in the Details'

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The idiom 'the devil is in the details' has a number of meanings, but they all boil down to one fact, that the smallest detail of anything is very important. Read on to learn more about the origin and meaning of 'the devil is in the details'.
Meaning of the idiom 'the devil is in the details'
"The Devil is in the details, but so is salvation."
―Hyman G. Rickover
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Often we plan out something grand and set out to execute the said plan, but many times our plans fail because we forget to consider one of the tiniest details. For example, if you are planning a wedding, there are ample number of things to take into account, but even one tiny mistake and the whole wedding goes wrong.

Looking out for small details in life is generally a good thing, unless one is a fan of unpleasant surprise. It reduces the risk of unexpected and bad surprises. Why is the saying connected to devil? Well, a devil is said to turn our world upside down, so by ignoring the smallest details we may get into big trouble. Also, the devil is known to make life difficult for man in many small ways.

Meaning

✦ There are small details of many things which if overlooked can make the task difficult or challenging. Often, such details can prolong the task duration or prevent a straightforward dealing. It connotes a word of caution to pay attention to minor details.

✦ One can even say that the devil is in the details refers to smaller details, yet they are important elements of a huge task. Take the example of a construction site, when a commercial enterprise is being built, a small error in the start will render the construction useless at the end. If the foundation itself is weak, then the building will collapse at the end, so architects are constantly reminded that the devil is in the details.

✦ Some people use this quote while going through a contract or an agreement. Usually, a contract looks fine at first glance, but after a thorough reading one can unveil the problems or any hidden agenda. Individuals who are used to signing such contracts, learn to read the deal very carefully, pointing out smaller issues which will ultimately make the deal untenable. Lawyers and accountants are an expert in revealing such details.

✦ In a few instances, this idiom is used to justify why a particular task took longer than required. A person may say they had ascertained a shorter completion time, but failed to realize that the devil is in the details. It is an excuse used by many people to remove their anger about a time delay.

Origin

✦ The devil is in the details is a variation of 'God is in the details' which interprets that whatever one does should be done thoroughly and it also means that details are important.

✦ The exact origin of this phrase is not known, the author of this phrase is considered anonymous. The phrase was first used in a digitized collection by Google books in the year 1969.

✦ Additional sources from 1972 state that European Commission President Walter Hallstein used this phrase.

Examples

Example 1:
Jessica:"This task may look very easy but the devil is in the details."

Example 2:
Scarlet:"I thought I would be able to finish this article in three hours, but it ended up taking me seven. The devil was in the details."

Example 3:
Ross:"Although I can sketch a basic outline of the plan and it may look very simple, remember, the devil is in the details."
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Pitfalls can always be prevented by keeping this phrase in mind. This particular behavior of scrutinizing small details is also rewarded by the world, as you will earn a reputation of being attentive and careful.

2015年5月4日星期一

Understanding the Principle of Factor Sparsity with Examples

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Used for optimizing the efforts put in by an entity and accomplishing more in shorter periods of time, the principle of factor sparsity is important in every facet of human life and occupation management. In this article, we will look at what this principle means, and some examples to see the various instances in which it can be used.
Principle of factor sparsity example
Quick Tip!
It is a common mistake for people to state the solution to a problem as the 80-20 rule, only because the solution fits 80% of the cases. To find the correct solution, it is also important that only 20% of the resources are needed to solve most or all the cases.
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Factor Sparsity
The principle of factor sparsity, also known as the Pareto principle, the 80-20 rule, or the law of the vital few, can be defined as the phenomenon wherein a small percentage of a population accounts for a large proportion of a particular characteristic of that population. The principle states that 80 percent of the results come from 20 percent of the actions.

The Pareto principle was named after Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto, who observed that in 1906, 80% of the income and 80% of the land in Italy was owned by approximately 20% of the population. This theory was advanced in 1940 by management consultant Joseph Juran, who named the 80-20 ratio as the Pareto Principle. This principle has now been used for decades by business professionals to optimize operations and maximize results. The phenomenon can be observed in our daily lives too, which can be used to focus our energy on the tasks which are most productive. The 80-20 rule is not meant to be taken in a literal sense. The ratio need not always be 80:20, and one can choose any combination, as long as there is a very clear and wide margin between the minority and majority. The numbers of the ratio do not need to add up to hundred either. For a better understanding, let's look at a few examples of the principle of factor sparsity.

Pareto Principle Examples
In Economy and Demographics:

Distribution of wealth and resources on planet Earth, where a small percentage of the population controls a large chunk is a definite case of the Pareto principle.
Only a small number of people are able to rise above the masses and reach the peak of their profession.
80% of the global market is controlled by 20% of businesses.
80% of crimes in the world are committed by 20% of all criminals.

In Healthcare:

80% of the resources involved in healthcare are consumed by 20% of the population.
20% of healthcare equipment is used in 80% of healthcare procedures.
80% of healthcare procedures are conducted by 20% of the doctors/hospitals.
20% of health procedures are the cause of 80% of the complications.
20% of health hazards will be responsible for 80% of injuries.
80% of all finances are put into 20% of all medical research.

The Pareto principle is also important in business and sales.

In Business Production and Sales:

Approximately 20% of the employees in a company are responsible for 80% of the company's production.
Only a small number of entrepreneurs are able to successfully start and run their business in a sustainable manner for a long time to come.
80% of a company's inventory is tied up in 20% of the items.
80% of production problems come from 20% of production factors.
20% of an employee's work time is responsible for 80% of his production.
The Pareto principle (80-20 rule) is seen to be quite important in marketing and sales. Approximately 80% of a company's revenue comes from 20% of the company's customers.
In case of software, a minority of the bugs in the program cause most of the problems.
20% of the investment that a company makes is what leads to 80% of its profits.
Of all the products created by a company, 20% is responsible for 80% of the sales.
80% of complaints come from 20% of consumers.

Apart from business uses, let us look at a few examples of the Pareto principle that we use in our daily lives.

In Daily Life:

On an average, most of the telephone calls a person makes is to a small group of people from the entire number list stored in his phone.
Majority of the expenses made by a person are concentrated on a few select things, such as house rent/mortgage, food, transport, etc.
When socializing, a person spends most of his time with a select group of people amongst all the persons he knows.
Investigating which of the 20% of appliances and devices consume 80% of the overall energy will help increase potential savings.
Choose 20% of the clothes which are used more frequently, and arrange the wardrobe to make these clothes more easily accessible.
Ideally, 80% of a person's time should be utilized in 20% of activities which are most productive towards achieving his life goals. For example, focus on those activities which produce most money, increase most savings, reduce most stress, and help you live a happier life overall, and cut out the clutter.

One should prioritize the various causal factors while using the 80-20 rule. Tackling cases which have a high difference in ratio is more productive and should be handled first, rather than those which have a low difference.

The 20-20-60 Rule
This alternative management principle claims that, in most organizations, 20% of the population are for a development process, and another 20% are against it. Both these groups will have fixed views, and will not change their stance, no matter what the persuasion. However, the remaining 60% are found to be interested in the process, but have to be convinced and persuaded to firmly make up their mind. Since both 20% groups cannot be affected, the 20-20-60 rule recommends that the organization should focus on the 60%, as these are the people who are likely to contribute in the future and increase productivity.
Prom Dresses
One of the best areas to begin the 80/20 rule in your life is on your personal possessions. Look at the 20% of your possessions which bring about 80% of your pleasure or happiness, and focus on those which you are passionate about. However, following the Pareto principle does not mean that you do only 80% of the work, and ignore the 20%, as building 80% of a bridge is of no use if the remaining 20% is left out. Of course, to be most effective, this rule is not to be followed rigidly, and should be flexible depending on the situation.

2015年5月3日星期日

Summary of 'Gathering Blue' by Lois Lowry

Prom Dresses
Author Lois Lowry paints a futuristic world where people with deformities are considered ugly, weak, and left to die. In such circumstances, Kira, an orphaned crippled girl, attempts to change the society with her beautiful talent. This article summarizes the courageous story of 'Gathering Blue' by Lois Lowry.
Summary of 'Gathering Blue' by Lois Lowry
On Parallel Lines...
M. Night Shyamalan's The Village eerily resembles the theme of Gathering Blue. The blind protagonist of the movie uncovers society's dark secrets while trying to break its ancient traditions.
Prom Dresses
Enchanting the lives of children and young adults with her futuristic books, author Lois Lowry is a two-time Newbery Medal winner. She was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, on March 20, 1937. Her vivid imagination and love for books helped shape her career as a writer. Her books deal in sensitive topics with a disguised sense of humor, and portray strong characters who defy odds to reach their goals.

Her sci-fi Gathering Blue was published in the year 2000, and is part of her quartet book series which project barbaric human civilizations ruled by mysterious governments and stuck in age-old patterns of superstition. The story is about a disabled girl who struggles to find her identity in the 'perfect' society, and wills to change the perception of the community with her inspiring talent.

Theme

The color Blue smooths, refreshes, protects, displays royalty, symbolizes heaven and spirituality, but all these are lost symbols in Kira's world, that is rigid, bland, and hostile. The theme of the story is set in a new age civilization, which believes in the survival of the fittest. People who are weak or disabled are either killed or left 'in the field' (a place were the dead are laid to rest) to be eaten by wild beasts. The strong ones are so full of hatred that they take up violence as their way of life, and look for every opportunity to trample upon the dejected ones. In order to get spared from the face of death, the imperfect ones must possess a special talent that can earn them favor in the eyes of the Council, who manage the age-old traditions of society.

The story revolves around isolation of the feeble ones, prejudice of society, and hunger for domination by the Council of Guardians, who can go to any length just to instill fear and repression in the minds of the community. Above all these, social ugliness rises the formidable spirit of the girl who thirsts to find out the truth, the loyalty displayed by her best friend Matt, and emphasizes on overcoming one's difficulties by never giving up.

Character Sketch

Kira: A young, crippled, orphaned girl, who possesses the talent of weaving, and is determined to fight the odds in order to survive.

Vandara: The woman with a scar on her face, also Kira's arch enemy. The one who presses the community and the Council to send Kira off to 'the field' to die.

Annabella: An elderly woman who lives in the woods, and teaches Kira about color dyes. It is suspected that she is killed by the Council after revealing the secret to Kira that there are no beastly animals in the woods.

Thomas: Kira's neighbor and friend, who is also a talented wood carver.

Jo: A toddler girl possessing the exceptional gift of a melodious voice.

Matt: Kira's best friend, who is loyal to her and helps her out by finding her father.

Jamison: An old man who is the member of the Council of Guardians. He acts as Kira's mentor and sponsor. He is also the one who tried to kill Kira's father.

Christopher: Kira's father who is believed to be dead, but resides in a village for the disabled, where the color blue originates.

Katrina: Kira's mother who protected her from being killed by the Council when she was young, but later died from a mysterious illness.

Summary

''That fragile ancient cloth...told the history of the worlds...And here and there, faded pale, almost reduced to white, there had once been blue.''

Kira's world turns upside down after the sudden death of her mother due to a mysterious illness. The house that they lived in has been burnt to the ground in order to contain the sickness from spreading over to others in the vicinity. She feels feeble, alone, and isolated in the community of the 'perfects'. Her mother had been her sole protector against them. She was born a cripple, and the community did not want her as she was of no value to them. Yet, she hoped to survive with the gift that she possessed - weaving.

The villagers had a strange practice for the dead. They believed that a person's spirit lingered near the body several days after the departure from life. Hence, it was necessary for a loved one to keep vigil over the body until the soul finally left in peace. Kira had to do the same; she kept vigil beside her mother's body in 'the field' until she felt her last presence had faded away into glory. Upon her return to civilization, she finds out that Vandara, her enemy, has been plotting behind her back, and has turned the Council against her. Due to Vandara's accusations, she is presented before the Council of Guardians to face her final judgment.

During the trial, she is given a defender, who is also a member of the Council. His name is Jamison. He strikes out Vandara's claims, and offers Kira the chance to live, by proposing to her the position of the Threader, and an opportunity to reside at the Council Edifice. Her job is to repair, restore, and eventually create a new depiction of her people's history on the Singer's robe.

The role of the Singer is highly respected in the community. It is his job to sing the lost pieces of history once a year during the annual gathering, reminding the people of their grand heritage. Kira is thrilled with the new job, as it allows her to live in clean surroundings, with food and electricity. She soon finds out that her neighbor is Thomas, who is a talented wood carver, and has the responsibility of beautifying the Singer's wooden staff.

Jamison instructs Kira to learn the art of dyeing from Annabella, who lives in the woods. Kira soon learns the tricks of the trade, and Thomas helps her record the various plants used for dyeing, on a piece of wood. From Annabella, she is surprised to learn that there are no wild beasts in the woods. This puts her in a state of confusion, as she remembers being told that her father had been killed by the beasts. Kira continues to weave a masterpiece on the robe of the Singer, but at the same time is pressed with great disappointment, as she cannot find a substitute for the color blue on the robe. During the next visit to Annabella's hut, she learns that the color blue can be obtained from the 'others' who grow it in a far-away village.

Kira later questions Jamison about the beasts. He grows wild when he learns that Annabella has spilled the secret. Kira finds out that Annabella has suddenly died, and has been taken to 'the field'. Kira and Thomas further find out that there is an orphaned toddler named Jo living in the Council Edifice, who possesses the talent of singing. It is rumored that she will be the next Singer. Their little discovery horrifies them, as they realize that they are mere prisoners of the Council, and that their parents were killed by the same men who use their talents.

Meanwhile, Matt wanders off to the far-away village in search of the color blue. Upon his return, he tells Kira and her friends that he found the source of the color, and also has a second gift waiting for Kira in her room.

In her room, she finds a blind man who is one of the 'others', and his shirt is made of pure blue fabric. The man reveals that he is her father, and gifts her the plant from which she can make blue dye. When they are alone, the man tells Kira that he wasn't killed by beasts, but was brutally assaulted by Jamison, that left him blind.

The 'others' who were cripples like him took him back to their village and healed his wounds. But they couldn't heal his sight. Her father insists that she must come and live with him. But Kira knows she must help Jo and Thomas first. She chooses to stay behind, as she is determined to revolutionize her village.
Prom Dresses
The story talks about a society being obsessed with prejudices, perfection, and the greed to remain in power at the cost of other people's lives. It is also inspiring, as it encourages to believe in oneself, and conquer the obstacles that block destiny.