Neale Sourna's Blog, page 14
November 19, 2014
September 20, 2014
How does your character do...The Merits of Solitude._8 Ways to Embrace JOMO: The Joy of Missing Out
by Greatist Sep 19, 2014
https://www.yahoo.com/health/8-ways-to-embrace-jomo-the-joy-of-missing-out-97585805333.html
Photo by Getty Images
I was a junior in college when I went to see Dear John by myself. It was the first time I’d been to a theater alone, if only because the movie trailer suggested I would ugly-cry like all get-out. The fewer people who see me in that state, the better.
As willing as I was to fly solo, I “just knew” it would be a terrible time. I “knew” that not having a friend to talk to during the previews or feel awkwardly comforted by when I lost control of my tear ducts was going to make for an experience I’d deny ever happening later. So imagine my surprise when I not only enjoyed myself, but I did it all over again the next month. And I didn’t stop there.
My newfound appreciation (dare I say preference) for alone time made its way to restaurants and concert venues. Sure, I would bring a book or a barely-checked Twitter feed to focus my attention away from sad-eyed strangers wondering if I had friends or was being stood up—but those fell away when I realized I didn’t care (much) about what people might be thinking.
Now, instead of feeling embarrassed by the idea of showing up someplace alone, I feel empowered. It’s just me, my thoughts, no small talk, and some pasta. It’s perfect.
And I’ll let you in on a little secret: Alone time—even when it involves missing out on social events or activities—is also, apparently, good for us all.
The Need to Know
Time alone is technically known as solitude, or the time you spend getting to know yourself. It can be tough to embrace a desire for solitude as a normal, healthy thing, given that society tends to favor extroverts (or people who thrive on socializing and activities), and some science shows being outgoing is a greater indicator for happiness.
Then there’s social media, which is all about the power of social interaction. Take all these factors together, and it’s no wonder solitude gets the short end of the stick.
Yet there can be so much joy in these solo hours—or what blogger Anil Dash first dubbed JOMO (joy of missing out) in a popular blog post nearly two years ago. Put another way, JOMO is the opposite of FOMO (fear of missing out). It’s relishing alone time, letting go of needing to be “in the know,” and unplugging from emails, text, social networks, and events in an effort to embrace solitude and cultivate one’s relationship to one’s own self.
If solitude hasn’t ranked towards the top of your to-do list lately, intentionally spending time alone might sound, well, boring. But not all boredom is created equal. Daydreaming, for example, promotes creativity, while a lull in external stimulation can encourage us to go after our goals.
Meanwhile, research shows that alone time can also boost cognitive power and overall well being, with some of the best ideas and work coming from a quiet, inner place.
Perhaps most importantly, solitude allows us to engage in what psychologist Anders Ericsson calls Deliberate Practice. It’s easier to turn our focus inwards, and resolve (or refine) personal problems and behaviors, when there are no distractions. And the insight gained from this practice is what Ericsson says is the key to exceptional achievement and success.
The takeaway? Taking breaks from constant connectivity to enjoy some alone time is just as important for our overall health as hitting the gym or cooking up a healthy dinner.
Your Action Plan
Solo movies and meals are certainly one way to ease into spending more time alone, but there are a thousand ways to solitude. For beginners to well-seasoned enjoyers of solitude, here’s how to uncover the joy of missing out.
1. Allow yourself to be uncomfortable at first.
Even if solitude appeals to you, it’s something certain personality types (read: introverts) may feel more comfortable doing by default. If you’re less sure about spending time alone, start small. Try sitting quietly for 10 minutes or not bringing your phone along for a 15-minute walk—hey, it’s a start!
It’s also helpful to choose activities you enjoy, whether it’s sitting outside in the grass or doing yoga, says Susan Cain, author of Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking .
2. Bring along “safety blankets.”
Books, phones, and even a notebook and pen are all things you can bring to the literal table when practicing solitude. By focusing on what’s in front of you, you’re less likely to worry about onlooking strangers and what they might be thinking about you.
As you get more comfortable, you may feel the need to leave these blankets at home. But there’s no rush or rule that says it’s not really solitude if you have them with you (especially non-tech “blankets”).
Again, start small. While it’s ideal to spend time alone without access to social media, take some baby steps if you need ‘em by bringing along the tech gadgets the first few times you venture out solo.
3. Take a seat at the bar.
Having someone wait on you in a dining room full of other people’s friends and families can be intimidating—so take a seat at the bar instead. Not only can it be a more comfortable choice for first time solo diners, but you’ll notice how many other people are also there to enjoy a drink or a meal alone.
4. Schedule solitude every day.
Once solitude starts to feel more comfortable, pencil it in every day the way you would exercise or a lunch date, says Cain. This keeps you accountable to your self.
5. Unplug throughout the day.
You can’t reap the benefits of solitude if your phone is notifying you of every new email, or text, or snap. Similarly, sitting quietly doesn’t mean silently scrolling through your Twitter feed. Once you’ve graduated from the “baby steps” phase, try to remove that stimulation for a few minutes, hours, or even a whole day at a time—whether it’s leaving your phone in another room or turning it off completely—so that you can really focus and reflect on your own.
6. Meditate.
Meditation is a particularly great way to practice solitude, and it can be accomplished in as little as 60 seconds a day. Research finds the practice also relieves stress, benefits the brain, and may reduce risk for heart attack and stroke. Not used to meditating? We’ve got 10 unexpected ways to get started.
7. Experiment with what works for you.
Reading a book in the park? Great. Venturing out of town with a perfectly-crafted playlist to attend a local book fair? Equally great, if not even better. Once a solitary comfort zone is established, upping the ante can enrich your experience.
It also gives you the opportunity to explore and discover what you truly love to do, and to find value in what you’ve already been doing.
8. Believe Like Bukowski.
Author Charles Bukowski once wrote that “isolation is a gift.” And he’s right. The creative and reflective power that comes from solitude is worth the break from social media and group outings.
That’s not to say you shouldn’t ever spend time with your friends and family, just that it’s important to remember that spending time with yourself can be just as joyous.
So let yourself enjoy, and be grateful for all that alone time gives you.
https://www.yahoo.com/health/8-ways-to-embrace-jomo-the-joy-of-missing-out-97585805333.html
Photo by Getty ImagesI was a junior in college when I went to see Dear John by myself. It was the first time I’d been to a theater alone, if only because the movie trailer suggested I would ugly-cry like all get-out. The fewer people who see me in that state, the better.
As willing as I was to fly solo, I “just knew” it would be a terrible time. I “knew” that not having a friend to talk to during the previews or feel awkwardly comforted by when I lost control of my tear ducts was going to make for an experience I’d deny ever happening later. So imagine my surprise when I not only enjoyed myself, but I did it all over again the next month. And I didn’t stop there.
My newfound appreciation (dare I say preference) for alone time made its way to restaurants and concert venues. Sure, I would bring a book or a barely-checked Twitter feed to focus my attention away from sad-eyed strangers wondering if I had friends or was being stood up—but those fell away when I realized I didn’t care (much) about what people might be thinking.
Now, instead of feeling embarrassed by the idea of showing up someplace alone, I feel empowered. It’s just me, my thoughts, no small talk, and some pasta. It’s perfect.
And I’ll let you in on a little secret: Alone time—even when it involves missing out on social events or activities—is also, apparently, good for us all.
The Need to Know
Time alone is technically known as solitude, or the time you spend getting to know yourself. It can be tough to embrace a desire for solitude as a normal, healthy thing, given that society tends to favor extroverts (or people who thrive on socializing and activities), and some science shows being outgoing is a greater indicator for happiness.
Then there’s social media, which is all about the power of social interaction. Take all these factors together, and it’s no wonder solitude gets the short end of the stick.
Yet there can be so much joy in these solo hours—or what blogger Anil Dash first dubbed JOMO (joy of missing out) in a popular blog post nearly two years ago. Put another way, JOMO is the opposite of FOMO (fear of missing out). It’s relishing alone time, letting go of needing to be “in the know,” and unplugging from emails, text, social networks, and events in an effort to embrace solitude and cultivate one’s relationship to one’s own self.
If solitude hasn’t ranked towards the top of your to-do list lately, intentionally spending time alone might sound, well, boring. But not all boredom is created equal. Daydreaming, for example, promotes creativity, while a lull in external stimulation can encourage us to go after our goals.
Meanwhile, research shows that alone time can also boost cognitive power and overall well being, with some of the best ideas and work coming from a quiet, inner place.
Perhaps most importantly, solitude allows us to engage in what psychologist Anders Ericsson calls Deliberate Practice. It’s easier to turn our focus inwards, and resolve (or refine) personal problems and behaviors, when there are no distractions. And the insight gained from this practice is what Ericsson says is the key to exceptional achievement and success.
The takeaway? Taking breaks from constant connectivity to enjoy some alone time is just as important for our overall health as hitting the gym or cooking up a healthy dinner.
Your Action Plan
Solo movies and meals are certainly one way to ease into spending more time alone, but there are a thousand ways to solitude. For beginners to well-seasoned enjoyers of solitude, here’s how to uncover the joy of missing out.
1. Allow yourself to be uncomfortable at first.
Even if solitude appeals to you, it’s something certain personality types (read: introverts) may feel more comfortable doing by default. If you’re less sure about spending time alone, start small. Try sitting quietly for 10 minutes or not bringing your phone along for a 15-minute walk—hey, it’s a start!
It’s also helpful to choose activities you enjoy, whether it’s sitting outside in the grass or doing yoga, says Susan Cain, author of Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking .
2. Bring along “safety blankets.”
Books, phones, and even a notebook and pen are all things you can bring to the literal table when practicing solitude. By focusing on what’s in front of you, you’re less likely to worry about onlooking strangers and what they might be thinking about you.
As you get more comfortable, you may feel the need to leave these blankets at home. But there’s no rush or rule that says it’s not really solitude if you have them with you (especially non-tech “blankets”).
Again, start small. While it’s ideal to spend time alone without access to social media, take some baby steps if you need ‘em by bringing along the tech gadgets the first few times you venture out solo.
3. Take a seat at the bar.
Having someone wait on you in a dining room full of other people’s friends and families can be intimidating—so take a seat at the bar instead. Not only can it be a more comfortable choice for first time solo diners, but you’ll notice how many other people are also there to enjoy a drink or a meal alone.
4. Schedule solitude every day.
Once solitude starts to feel more comfortable, pencil it in every day the way you would exercise or a lunch date, says Cain. This keeps you accountable to your self.
5. Unplug throughout the day.
You can’t reap the benefits of solitude if your phone is notifying you of every new email, or text, or snap. Similarly, sitting quietly doesn’t mean silently scrolling through your Twitter feed. Once you’ve graduated from the “baby steps” phase, try to remove that stimulation for a few minutes, hours, or even a whole day at a time—whether it’s leaving your phone in another room or turning it off completely—so that you can really focus and reflect on your own.
6. Meditate.
Meditation is a particularly great way to practice solitude, and it can be accomplished in as little as 60 seconds a day. Research finds the practice also relieves stress, benefits the brain, and may reduce risk for heart attack and stroke. Not used to meditating? We’ve got 10 unexpected ways to get started.
7. Experiment with what works for you.
Reading a book in the park? Great. Venturing out of town with a perfectly-crafted playlist to attend a local book fair? Equally great, if not even better. Once a solitary comfort zone is established, upping the ante can enrich your experience.
It also gives you the opportunity to explore and discover what you truly love to do, and to find value in what you’ve already been doing.
8. Believe Like Bukowski.
Author Charles Bukowski once wrote that “isolation is a gift.” And he’s right. The creative and reflective power that comes from solitude is worth the break from social media and group outings.
That’s not to say you shouldn’t ever spend time with your friends and family, just that it’s important to remember that spending time with yourself can be just as joyous.
So let yourself enjoy, and be grateful for all that alone time gives you.
September 14, 2014
Ron More "Outlander" Podcasts
Ron Moore "Outlander" Podcasts_Audio Spoilers (those who haven't seen the episodes) or Extras (for post viewing) http://www.starz.com/originals/outlander/extras/extras
August 28, 2014
The Original Mr. Grey (2002), Before Fifty Shades of Grey
A young woman, recently released from a mental hospital, gets a job as a secretary to a demanding lawyer, where their employer-employee relationship turns into a sexual, sadomasochistic one.
Director: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0274812/
Director: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0274812/
Adult women are now the largest demographic in gaming By Aja Romano on August 25, 2014
http://www.dailydot.com/geek/adult-women-largest-gaming-demographic/
By Aja Romano on August 25, 2014
Congratulations, gamer girls—you're officially at the top of the food chain when it comes to games. A new study released by the Entertainment Software Association has revealed that adult women now occupy the largest demographic in the gaming industry. Women over 18 made up a whopping 36 percent of the gaming population, followed by adult men at 35 percent.
Teenage boys, who are often stereotyped as the biggest gamers, now lag far behind their older female counterparts, making up just 17 percent of the gaming demographic.
The picture that emerges from the study is one of expansion across the board. More people are playing more games of various genres across more platforms, with social games on mobile and casual games on PCs emerging as huge leaders.
According to the study, last year saw a significant boom in women over 50—their numbers jumped by a whopping 32 percent between 2012 and 2013. The study also revealed that 59 percent of Americans play games, with gaming consoles present in 51 percent of all U.S. households.
All of that means that stereotypes are breaking fast in the gaming industry, particularly the longheld stereotype of the adult woman as an outlier who sticks to mobile games and "social" games on Facebook while the more hardcore gamer, the "serious" (male) gamer, goes for console games.
Though this stereotype has long persisted, and even been used as a hiring tactic, the new data suggests there's little if any truth to it—especially not when you consider that the average adult woman has been gaming for 13 years.
Sorry, male gamers of Reddit and 4Chan, but Angry Birds only came out five years ago.
Unless you want to try to argue that women have just been playing Bejeweled for the last 13 years, the math just doesn't add up.
And while the total audience for mobile social games is now bigger than ever, the audience for computer and video games is now an even 50-50 split between male and female genders.
Screengrab via The ESA
So what games have women been playing all these years, now that we know they haven't just been wasting time trying to get their Facebook friends to give them free lives on Candy Crush?
Casual computer games, mostly. The report ranks online and mobile puzzle games, board games, trivia games, and card games as coming in second to the boom in social games, which more than doubled in popularity between 2012 and 2013.
Meanwhile, action and first-person shooter games continue to be the top sellers in video games, with Grand Theft Auto and Call of Duty ranking as the bestselling video games of 2013. For computer games, Starcraft II and The Sims franchise gobbled up the top 10 computer game titles, with Sims titles consuming eight of the top 12 computer game titles sold last year.
The study also took a close look at parental behavior regarding monitoring the gaming activity of their teens and children. The study indicated that parents seemed deeply engaged when it came to monitoring the kinds of games kids played. Additionally, 47 percent of adults who play games with their kids said they do it because they love gaming as much as their child does.
And it's easy to see why. While the study didn't assess the age or gender demographics of specific games, the titles of the bestsellers attest to the diversity of the games themselves: Pokemon X. Final Fantasy XIV. NBA 2K14. Bioshock Infinite. World of Warcraft. Just Dance 2014.
Whether you play Diablo or Pet Rescue, you can rest assured that you're in good company.
View the whole study online here.
H/T PBS; Photo via Wikimedia Commons; CC BY SA 3.0
By Aja Romano on August 25, 2014
Congratulations, gamer girls—you're officially at the top of the food chain when it comes to games. A new study released by the Entertainment Software Association has revealed that adult women now occupy the largest demographic in the gaming industry. Women over 18 made up a whopping 36 percent of the gaming population, followed by adult men at 35 percent.
Teenage boys, who are often stereotyped as the biggest gamers, now lag far behind their older female counterparts, making up just 17 percent of the gaming demographic.
The picture that emerges from the study is one of expansion across the board. More people are playing more games of various genres across more platforms, with social games on mobile and casual games on PCs emerging as huge leaders.
According to the study, last year saw a significant boom in women over 50—their numbers jumped by a whopping 32 percent between 2012 and 2013. The study also revealed that 59 percent of Americans play games, with gaming consoles present in 51 percent of all U.S. households.
All of that means that stereotypes are breaking fast in the gaming industry, particularly the longheld stereotype of the adult woman as an outlier who sticks to mobile games and "social" games on Facebook while the more hardcore gamer, the "serious" (male) gamer, goes for console games.
Though this stereotype has long persisted, and even been used as a hiring tactic, the new data suggests there's little if any truth to it—especially not when you consider that the average adult woman has been gaming for 13 years.
Sorry, male gamers of Reddit and 4Chan, but Angry Birds only came out five years ago.
Unless you want to try to argue that women have just been playing Bejeweled for the last 13 years, the math just doesn't add up.
And while the total audience for mobile social games is now bigger than ever, the audience for computer and video games is now an even 50-50 split between male and female genders.
Screengrab via The ESA
So what games have women been playing all these years, now that we know they haven't just been wasting time trying to get their Facebook friends to give them free lives on Candy Crush?
Casual computer games, mostly. The report ranks online and mobile puzzle games, board games, trivia games, and card games as coming in second to the boom in social games, which more than doubled in popularity between 2012 and 2013.
Meanwhile, action and first-person shooter games continue to be the top sellers in video games, with Grand Theft Auto and Call of Duty ranking as the bestselling video games of 2013. For computer games, Starcraft II and The Sims franchise gobbled up the top 10 computer game titles, with Sims titles consuming eight of the top 12 computer game titles sold last year.
The study also took a close look at parental behavior regarding monitoring the gaming activity of their teens and children. The study indicated that parents seemed deeply engaged when it came to monitoring the kinds of games kids played. Additionally, 47 percent of adults who play games with their kids said they do it because they love gaming as much as their child does.
And it's easy to see why. While the study didn't assess the age or gender demographics of specific games, the titles of the bestsellers attest to the diversity of the games themselves: Pokemon X. Final Fantasy XIV. NBA 2K14. Bioshock Infinite. World of Warcraft. Just Dance 2014.
Whether you play Diablo or Pet Rescue, you can rest assured that you're in good company.
View the whole study online here.
H/T PBS; Photo via Wikimedia Commons; CC BY SA 3.0
August 26, 2014
5 Things Outlander Teaches Authors About Persevering Posted by Arthur Gutch on Tue, Aug 26, 2014
http://blog.infinitypublishing.com/bloginfinitypublishingcom/bid/207609/5-things-outlander-teaches-authors-about-persevering?source=Blog_Email_[5%20Things%20Outlander%20T]
When it was first published in 1991, Outlander became a worldwide best seller. This romantic tale of a woman who fell through time and the Scotsman she falls in love with is filled with authentic details of 18th century Highland life. Fans have followed the pair and their lives for well over 20 years, devouring each new book in the series as it's published.
The story of Claire and Jamie is one of perseverance. As a modern woman and a distinctly traditional man, they aren't exactly a perfect match. But their love is stronger than any forces that may stand in the way of their happiness.
Whatever life throws at them, Jamie and Claire never give up, stubbornly standing until they reach their goals. Writers have a lot to learn from Claire and Jamie, and some of the most important lessons have to do with sticking to their goals, or perseverance.
Hit the Ground Running
You've got a goal, so gather yourself up and start strong. Claire lands on the ground in the middle of a battle, and literally is running for her life within two minutes. You may not be in danger of being shot by a Redcoat, but a strong start will give your day energy that can help push you closer to your goal.
Accept the Inevitable
The only way Claire can escape the clutches of the evil Black Jack Randall is by marrying Jamie, so she accepts her fate and deals with it. When your job changes and you have fewer hours to write, when your children get out of school for summer, when something happens to your writing situation that you simply can't change, accept the inevitable. And then do what you can to adjust your work around it.
Use Your Knowledge
Claire finds herself living in a castle and has to do something to prove herself useful. She uses her hobby of learning about plants to transform herself into an herb women: someone who can doctor people with medicinal herbs. Use your own knowledge when you need to get through tough parts of your book.
Is your character being chased? Does she have a difficult decision to make? Add a scene or two that only you could write with your own particular knowledge. You'll add a touch of authenticity to the book, as well as getting through a tough scene that was stuck in place.
Learn to Adapt
Claire learns to live 200 years in the past by adjusting and adapting her actions to fit in. She uses her knowledge and skills in ways that would seem natural in the 18th century, and she learns to enjoy the life she's created. You can adapt your lifestyle to accommodate working toward your goal by changing your schedule, changing your favorite hobby from television watching to writing, and even taking advantage of small breaks to get in 100 words at a time.
Never Give Up Your Goal
Claire falls back through time at the end of the first book and comes back to modern life. The second book opens 20 years later with her putting her plans into place to go back to find Jamie again.
In the years between the two books, she's given birth and raised Jamie's daughter. She waited until the daughter was grown before acting, but she never gave up her goal of moving back through time and reuniting with her one true love.
Keep your determination just as strong. If you have to write your book 100 words at a time, that's what you have to do. Life is never perfect, and every project gets hit with at least one or two bumps. Keep your goal in mind every day and you'll eventually reach the finish line, those lovely words: The End.
Keep the Faith and may the Force be with You!
When it was first published in 1991, Outlander became a worldwide best seller. This romantic tale of a woman who fell through time and the Scotsman she falls in love with is filled with authentic details of 18th century Highland life. Fans have followed the pair and their lives for well over 20 years, devouring each new book in the series as it's published.
The story of Claire and Jamie is one of perseverance. As a modern woman and a distinctly traditional man, they aren't exactly a perfect match. But their love is stronger than any forces that may stand in the way of their happiness.
Whatever life throws at them, Jamie and Claire never give up, stubbornly standing until they reach their goals. Writers have a lot to learn from Claire and Jamie, and some of the most important lessons have to do with sticking to their goals, or perseverance.
Hit the Ground Running
You've got a goal, so gather yourself up and start strong. Claire lands on the ground in the middle of a battle, and literally is running for her life within two minutes. You may not be in danger of being shot by a Redcoat, but a strong start will give your day energy that can help push you closer to your goal.
Accept the Inevitable
The only way Claire can escape the clutches of the evil Black Jack Randall is by marrying Jamie, so she accepts her fate and deals with it. When your job changes and you have fewer hours to write, when your children get out of school for summer, when something happens to your writing situation that you simply can't change, accept the inevitable. And then do what you can to adjust your work around it.
Use Your Knowledge
Claire finds herself living in a castle and has to do something to prove herself useful. She uses her hobby of learning about plants to transform herself into an herb women: someone who can doctor people with medicinal herbs. Use your own knowledge when you need to get through tough parts of your book.
Is your character being chased? Does she have a difficult decision to make? Add a scene or two that only you could write with your own particular knowledge. You'll add a touch of authenticity to the book, as well as getting through a tough scene that was stuck in place.
Learn to Adapt
Claire learns to live 200 years in the past by adjusting and adapting her actions to fit in. She uses her knowledge and skills in ways that would seem natural in the 18th century, and she learns to enjoy the life she's created. You can adapt your lifestyle to accommodate working toward your goal by changing your schedule, changing your favorite hobby from television watching to writing, and even taking advantage of small breaks to get in 100 words at a time.
Never Give Up Your Goal
Claire falls back through time at the end of the first book and comes back to modern life. The second book opens 20 years later with her putting her plans into place to go back to find Jamie again.
In the years between the two books, she's given birth and raised Jamie's daughter. She waited until the daughter was grown before acting, but she never gave up her goal of moving back through time and reuniting with her one true love.
Keep your determination just as strong. If you have to write your book 100 words at a time, that's what you have to do. Life is never perfect, and every project gets hit with at least one or two bumps. Keep your goal in mind every day and you'll eventually reach the finish line, those lovely words: The End.
Keep the Faith and may the Force be with You!
August 23, 2014
Yay Keanu and OMG for the author rights. Really?! / Keanu Reeves TV Show ‘Rain’ Greenlighted
Yay Keanu and OMG for the author rights. Really?!
http://www.inquisitr.com/1422752/keanu-reeves-tv-show-rain-greenlighted-actor-to-portray-half-japanese-half-american-assassin/
Keanu Reeves TV Show ‘Rain’ Greenlighted: Actor To Portray Half-Japanese, Half-American Assassin
The Keanu Reeves TV show Rain was recently greenlighted. The show will allow the Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure star to showcase his many talents. The actor will star in the hour-long series, which he will also executive produce.
The handsome 49-year-old actor has appeared in minor roles on the small screen in the past, but the Keanu Reeves TV show Rain will mark the first time that the Beirut-born actor and producer has taken on a leading role in a television series.
Rain is also the first project from Los Angeles-based Slingshot Global Media, reported Deadline.
Keanu Reeves’s TV show will be based on the best-selling John Rain book series by Barry Eisler. The author of forty books, Eisler recently changed the titles of his John Rain novels, according to his author profile on Amazon. Eisler eloquently explained his decision to rename the books.
As previously reported by The Inquisitr, Keanu Reeves will not be involved in the Point Break remake. Reeves starred as FBI Special Agent John “Johnny” Utah, alongside Patrick Swayze as Bodhi, in the original 1991 flick.
The upcoming Keanu Reeves TV show project is so new that the Internet Movie Database doesn’t even have any information about it yet. However, fans looking for some insight on possible plot twists and characters would be well advised to check out Barry Eisler’s novels.
The Huffington Post reported that the beloved Matrix actor will portray a half-Japanese, half-American assassin in the Keanu Reeves TV show Rain.
[Image by Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc via IMDb]
Read more at http://www.inquisitr.com/1422752/keanu-reeves-tv-show-rain-greenlighted-actor-to-portray-half-japanese-half-american-assassin/#CTWTLoUwwy7rTwRG.99
http://www.inquisitr.com/1422752/keanu-reeves-tv-show-rain-greenlighted-actor-to-portray-half-japanese-half-american-assassin/
Keanu Reeves TV Show ‘Rain’ Greenlighted: Actor To Portray Half-Japanese, Half-American Assassin
The Keanu Reeves TV show Rain was recently greenlighted. The show will allow the Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure star to showcase his many talents. The actor will star in the hour-long series, which he will also executive produce.The handsome 49-year-old actor has appeared in minor roles on the small screen in the past, but the Keanu Reeves TV show Rain will mark the first time that the Beirut-born actor and producer has taken on a leading role in a television series.
Rain is also the first project from Los Angeles-based Slingshot Global Media, reported Deadline.
Keanu Reeves’s TV show will be based on the best-selling John Rain book series by Barry Eisler. The author of forty books, Eisler recently changed the titles of his John Rain novels, according to his author profile on Amazon. Eisler eloquently explained his decision to rename the books.
“Why have I changed the titles of the Rain books? Simply because I’ve never thought the titles were right for the stories….
The sad story of the original Rain titles began with the moniker Rain Fall for the first in the series. It was a silly play on the protagonist’s name, and led to an unfortunate and unimaginative sequence of similar such meaningless, interchangeable titles: Hard Rain, Rain Storm, Killing Rain…
Now that I have my rights back and no longer have to make ridiculous compromises about these matters, I’ve given the books the titles I always wanted them to have–titles that actually have something to do with the stories, that capture some essential aspect of the stories, and that act as both vessel and amplifier for what’s most meaningful in the stories.”ADVERTISEMENTBarry Eisler himself has a fascinating background. The author upon whose novels the Keanu Reeves TV show is based was once a CIA agent, a technology lawyer and an executive. He has a black belt in judo and has earned numerous awards for his writing.
As previously reported by The Inquisitr, Keanu Reeves will not be involved in the Point Break remake. Reeves starred as FBI Special Agent John “Johnny” Utah, alongside Patrick Swayze as Bodhi, in the original 1991 flick.
The upcoming Keanu Reeves TV show project is so new that the Internet Movie Database doesn’t even have any information about it yet. However, fans looking for some insight on possible plot twists and characters would be well advised to check out Barry Eisler’s novels.
The Huffington Post reported that the beloved Matrix actor will portray a half-Japanese, half-American assassin in the Keanu Reeves TV show Rain.
[Image by Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc via IMDb]
Read more at http://www.inquisitr.com/1422752/keanu-reeves-tv-show-rain-greenlighted-actor-to-portray-half-japanese-half-american-assassin/#CTWTLoUwwy7rTwRG.99
July 21, 2014
Universal's "P.J." 1968, starring George Peppard
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLOIlik2me3sC1px5ECAlC9aOfAX4uH1WY
Universal's "P.J." 1968, starring George Peppard
Great guiltless pleasure. Love this still. Great characters + solid actors = Great Film That Holds Up
Must admit, I'd only seen this on broadcast TV, so crazy surprise on the "cat fight" and the subway incident. Ah, NYC.
Bet PJ moved to Cleveland. Or to Boston and changed his name to BANACEK.
Universal's "P.J." 1968, starring George Peppard
Great guiltless pleasure. Love this still. Great characters + solid actors = Great Film That Holds Up
Must admit, I'd only seen this on broadcast TV, so crazy surprise on the "cat fight" and the subway incident. Ah, NYC.
Bet PJ moved to Cleveland. Or to Boston and changed his name to BANACEK.
July 20, 2014
July 14, 2014
Lower job churn hurts young workers Job-hopping can boost résumés, lifetime pay By Josh Zumbrun at The Wall Street Journal
Here's a premise for comedy, drama, or dramedy.
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/lower-job-churn-hurts-young-000000652.html
View gallery
Work Thinkstock
Quitting a job often can be a good thing. But not enough workers have been doing it.
During and after the recession, the U.S. economy has been too weak for many workers to undertake the sort of job-hopping that economists say is critical to building careers and advancing the nation's long-run growth prospects. The consequence: Even many Americans who have remained employed have stunted their earnings growth by staying pinned down to their current jobs.
The weak job churn is among Federal Reserve Chairwoman Janet Yellen's leading concerns about an economy that is improving steadily, but with substantial scars just beneath the surface.
Ms. Yellen, who is set to deliver the Fed's semiannual report to Congress on Tuesday and Wednesday, regularly highlights her concerns about the lack of dynamism in the labor market. "People are reluctant to risk leaving their jobs because they worry that it will be hard to find another," she said earlier this year.
One such person is David Clark, a 31-year-old in Atlanta who said he never planned to spend most of his 20s in the same ad-agency job.
"For a while I closed my eyes and stuck my fingers in my ears and hoped I could ride it out at this one place," Mr. Clark said.
The recession hit two years after Mr. Clark graduated from college, leaving him stuck in a position that offered no opportunities for advancement in an economy that offered little hope of jumping elsewhere. "I became a little emotionally frozen because every time I'd look for jobs there would be nothing," he said.
By hopping from employer to employer, especially early on, workers find jobs better-suited to their skills, build their résumés, bid up their salaries and boost lifetime earnings prospects. They eventually settle down and change jobs less frequently.
"One of the characteristics that is uniquely American is that changing jobs is the way you get promoted," said Anthony Carnevale, an economist who directs Georgetown University's Center on Education and the Workforce.
While the nation's jobless rate dropped to 6.1% in June, the lowest in nearly six years, the improvement masks the fact that many workers who held jobs throughout the downturn and recovery struggled to advance. View gallery
WSJ
Their plight is best captured by the collapse in the monthly hiring rate, from 5.5 million in 2006 to as low as 3.6 million in 2009, according to the Labor Department. It was 4.7 million in May, the latest figure available.
People leave jobs by two main ways: voluntarily quitting for a better job, which is beneficial, or getting laid off, which is detrimental. In the recession, the rate of career-damaging layoffs spiked. It has since returned to its prerecession levels.
The number of people voluntarily leaving positions fell by nearly half to 1.6 million in 2009 from 3.1 million in 2006. It stood at 2.5 million in May.
As churn slowed, workers began clinging to their jobs. From 2008 to 2012, the most recent year available, the median tenure of workers ages 25-34 in their current job rose by 19% to more than three years. Workers ages 35-44 saw their tenure climb 8% in the same period, to about five years, and those ages 45-54 saw their tenures climb by 3% to eight years.
Job tenures are longer in other industrialized economies, economists say. Direct comparisons aren't available, but in most developed countries average job tenure is more than a decade, according to data from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, a group of 34 mostly advanced nations.
Without more frequent switching, fewer U.S. workers are finding the jobs and wages that suit their skills. As much as 66% of lifetime wage growth occurs in the first decade of a person's career, according to one widely cited estimate first by economists Robert Topel and Michael Ward in the late 1980s. Other researchers since then have found similar effects.
Many graduates beginning careers in a recessionary economy end up "two steps back from where they might have been in a full-employment economy," Mr. Carnevale said. "The evidence says it can damage you for a career."
To be sure, some workers are starting to break free as the economy heals—offering hope that more careers will get back on track.
Charles Albert was grateful to land a job at Northern Illinois University's admissions office after he graduated from the school in 2009. He expected it to be a brief stop. Still there two years later, he was "starting to feel the pains of the economy."
A radical approach to hiring Play Video
"I was making $25,000 a year in Chicago," said Mr. Albert, now 26. "That does not go very far."
After six months of applying for jobs, he made the jump from recruiting students for a school to recruiting for health-care and insurance companies. Over the past two years he made two more jumps, becoming a recruiter for higher-level jobs and bumping up his salary until he became the director of research at Jobplex Inc., a Chicago recruiting firm.The churning process eventually worked for him, but many of his peers weren't so lucky.
"I have friends who graduated the same year I did who still are working the same job they did right out of undergrad," Mr. Albert said.
Young workers always have earned less than those with more experience, but the gap has widened. In 2004, the median wage for workers 25-34 years old was 5% lower than the overall median wage. Today, it is 8% lower.
Graduating into a recession can have enduring hit on earnings. Men who graduated in the early 1980s downturn suffered an initial wage loss of 6% to 7% for each percentage-point increase in the national jobless rate, according to research by Yale economist Lisa Kahn.
Even 15 years after graduation, their wages were 2.5% lower than those who didn't enter the labor market during that downturn, showing how recession scars linger.
So far, the damage to young workers from the most recent recession appears much more severe than in the 1980s, Ms. Kahn's recent research found.
"I would say everyone is optimistic now, but that doesn't mean they are not thinking about the recession anymore," said Tunc Kip, 31, the president of Atlanta's junior chamber of commerce. "There is still a lot of thought about how things were a couple years ago. It makes people a little more conservative with decisions toward shifting careers."
Mr. Clark, the young ad man in Atlanta, watched his agency struggle throughout the recession as one of its largest clients, Eastman Kodak Co., entered bankruptcy. He occasionally found himself envious of older relatives and friends who started their working lives well in advance of the recession and "didn't have the brakes slammed on their careers the same way we did."
In March 2013, nearly four years after the recession ended, he finally landed a job with a different ad firm in Atlanta, Ogilvy & Mather, and began the long process of catching up."I'm happier," Mr. Clark said. He is earning more money and has some savings, but not enough for a house. For him and his wife, "having a family is not really on the horizon, because we're not building up the base."
And "in the back of my mind," he frequently reminds himself, "it could all fall apart again."
Write to Josh Zumbrun at josh.zumbrun@wsj.com
Corrections & Amplifications
An earlier version of the chart accompanying this article incorrectly referred to a measure of job tenure as an average. It is a median. (July 14, 2014)
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/lower-job-churn-hurts-young-000000652.html
View gallery
Work Thinkstock Quitting a job often can be a good thing. But not enough workers have been doing it.
During and after the recession, the U.S. economy has been too weak for many workers to undertake the sort of job-hopping that economists say is critical to building careers and advancing the nation's long-run growth prospects. The consequence: Even many Americans who have remained employed have stunted their earnings growth by staying pinned down to their current jobs.
The weak job churn is among Federal Reserve Chairwoman Janet Yellen's leading concerns about an economy that is improving steadily, but with substantial scars just beneath the surface.
Ms. Yellen, who is set to deliver the Fed's semiannual report to Congress on Tuesday and Wednesday, regularly highlights her concerns about the lack of dynamism in the labor market. "People are reluctant to risk leaving their jobs because they worry that it will be hard to find another," she said earlier this year.
One such person is David Clark, a 31-year-old in Atlanta who said he never planned to spend most of his 20s in the same ad-agency job.
"For a while I closed my eyes and stuck my fingers in my ears and hoped I could ride it out at this one place," Mr. Clark said.
The recession hit two years after Mr. Clark graduated from college, leaving him stuck in a position that offered no opportunities for advancement in an economy that offered little hope of jumping elsewhere. "I became a little emotionally frozen because every time I'd look for jobs there would be nothing," he said.
By hopping from employer to employer, especially early on, workers find jobs better-suited to their skills, build their résumés, bid up their salaries and boost lifetime earnings prospects. They eventually settle down and change jobs less frequently.
"One of the characteristics that is uniquely American is that changing jobs is the way you get promoted," said Anthony Carnevale, an economist who directs Georgetown University's Center on Education and the Workforce.
While the nation's jobless rate dropped to 6.1% in June, the lowest in nearly six years, the improvement masks the fact that many workers who held jobs throughout the downturn and recovery struggled to advance. View gallery
WSJTheir plight is best captured by the collapse in the monthly hiring rate, from 5.5 million in 2006 to as low as 3.6 million in 2009, according to the Labor Department. It was 4.7 million in May, the latest figure available.
People leave jobs by two main ways: voluntarily quitting for a better job, which is beneficial, or getting laid off, which is detrimental. In the recession, the rate of career-damaging layoffs spiked. It has since returned to its prerecession levels.
The number of people voluntarily leaving positions fell by nearly half to 1.6 million in 2009 from 3.1 million in 2006. It stood at 2.5 million in May.
As churn slowed, workers began clinging to their jobs. From 2008 to 2012, the most recent year available, the median tenure of workers ages 25-34 in their current job rose by 19% to more than three years. Workers ages 35-44 saw their tenure climb 8% in the same period, to about five years, and those ages 45-54 saw their tenures climb by 3% to eight years.
Job tenures are longer in other industrialized economies, economists say. Direct comparisons aren't available, but in most developed countries average job tenure is more than a decade, according to data from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, a group of 34 mostly advanced nations.
Without more frequent switching, fewer U.S. workers are finding the jobs and wages that suit their skills. As much as 66% of lifetime wage growth occurs in the first decade of a person's career, according to one widely cited estimate first by economists Robert Topel and Michael Ward in the late 1980s. Other researchers since then have found similar effects.
Many graduates beginning careers in a recessionary economy end up "two steps back from where they might have been in a full-employment economy," Mr. Carnevale said. "The evidence says it can damage you for a career."
To be sure, some workers are starting to break free as the economy heals—offering hope that more careers will get back on track.
Charles Albert was grateful to land a job at Northern Illinois University's admissions office after he graduated from the school in 2009. He expected it to be a brief stop. Still there two years later, he was "starting to feel the pains of the economy."
A radical approach to hiring Play Video
"I was making $25,000 a year in Chicago," said Mr. Albert, now 26. "That does not go very far."
After six months of applying for jobs, he made the jump from recruiting students for a school to recruiting for health-care and insurance companies. Over the past two years he made two more jumps, becoming a recruiter for higher-level jobs and bumping up his salary until he became the director of research at Jobplex Inc., a Chicago recruiting firm.The churning process eventually worked for him, but many of his peers weren't so lucky.
"I have friends who graduated the same year I did who still are working the same job they did right out of undergrad," Mr. Albert said.
Young workers always have earned less than those with more experience, but the gap has widened. In 2004, the median wage for workers 25-34 years old was 5% lower than the overall median wage. Today, it is 8% lower.
Graduating into a recession can have enduring hit on earnings. Men who graduated in the early 1980s downturn suffered an initial wage loss of 6% to 7% for each percentage-point increase in the national jobless rate, according to research by Yale economist Lisa Kahn.
Even 15 years after graduation, their wages were 2.5% lower than those who didn't enter the labor market during that downturn, showing how recession scars linger.
So far, the damage to young workers from the most recent recession appears much more severe than in the 1980s, Ms. Kahn's recent research found.
"I would say everyone is optimistic now, but that doesn't mean they are not thinking about the recession anymore," said Tunc Kip, 31, the president of Atlanta's junior chamber of commerce. "There is still a lot of thought about how things were a couple years ago. It makes people a little more conservative with decisions toward shifting careers."
Mr. Clark, the young ad man in Atlanta, watched his agency struggle throughout the recession as one of its largest clients, Eastman Kodak Co., entered bankruptcy. He occasionally found himself envious of older relatives and friends who started their working lives well in advance of the recession and "didn't have the brakes slammed on their careers the same way we did."
In March 2013, nearly four years after the recession ended, he finally landed a job with a different ad firm in Atlanta, Ogilvy & Mather, and began the long process of catching up."I'm happier," Mr. Clark said. He is earning more money and has some savings, but not enough for a house. For him and his wife, "having a family is not really on the horizon, because we're not building up the base."
And "in the back of my mind," he frequently reminds himself, "it could all fall apart again."
Write to Josh Zumbrun at josh.zumbrun@wsj.com
Corrections & Amplifications
An earlier version of the chart accompanying this article incorrectly referred to a measure of job tenure as an average. It is a median. (July 14, 2014)
