How many bookstores have their own cat?

Time Out Bookstore in Auckland, New Zealand, does

Time Out began 23 years ago in Auckland’s Mount Eden shopping strip with a conscious attempt to be different. One of the first boutique bookstores, it also sold music and kept daringly late hours.  While shop space is for those who are slim enough to enjoy browsing through a huge choice in a small area, above the store is an airy brick walled space used for book launches and promotions.  And owner for the past nine years, Wendy Tighe-Umbers, doesn't charge a cent.  All she wants is for those who are coming to let her know ahead, for catering purposes.

The last time I sat up there on one of the comfy couches to chat about books with Wendy's super-enthusiastic staff, I was honored with a rub about the ankles by the resident cat, Oscar.  Now, sadly, Oscar has passed on to kitty-heaven.  Lucinda, his successor, is no stray, but a pedigree Tonkinese, named after a Peter Carey novel.  And her personal taste in literature?  No one knows.  She is definitely too ladylike to reveal anything so personal ...

Spoonbill and Sugartown in Brooklyn has a cat, too.

His name is Hayes.  Hayes is an unusual cat, as unusual as his bookstore's name. 

Hayes is a tripod.  Surgery to remove a cancerous leg cost $1000, but much of it was donated by adoring bookstore patrons.  "Come for the books, and stay for the synth musik," the staff say, but it seems sure that some folk come to see the cat.

And in Madison Avenue, Manhattan, there is another

This is the Corner Bookstore, whose cat is the grandly named Hampton.

He was named after that domain of the super rich because he was rescued from there.  Appropriately, he has developed very particular tastes.  When he was small, he used to get stuck behind any old bookshelf, but now he favors the travel section.

Especially China and India.

To read more about New York City bookstore cats, try this link

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8:33 PM | 0 comments

Bad news from UK libraries

UK library visits fall by 7.5 million

From the BBC.

The number of visits to UK libraries dropped by more than 7.5 million to 314.55 million in 2010-2011, annual figures show.

The Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy data, covering the year to 31 March 2011, shows a drop in the number of static and mobile public libraries from 4,612 to 4,579.

And they show a 2.9% drop in the number of book loans to 300.22 million.

Campaigners say more than 400 public libraries are threatened with closure.

A number of local councils plan to close them to save money after being given a 27% cut in central government funding over four years.

The figures show a drop of 22.77 million over five years in the number of visits to UK libraries to 314.55 million in 2010-2011.

That figure represents a 6.7% drop.

The total number of books held by libraries dropped by about a million from the previous year to 98.24 million while there was also a drop in the stock of CDs, DVDs and other materials.

There was, however, a rise of about 300,000 in the number of loans of children's fiction books - to 81.57 million.  And there was an increase of about 180,000 - to 17.65 million - in the number of children's fiction books available for loan.

But, for once, we can't blame the digital age

The number of visits to library websites fell from 120.4 million in 2009-2010 to 114.77 million in 2010-2011 despite rises in previous years.

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12:57 PM | 0 comments

Kindle Owners' Lending Library Launched by Amazon

A new way to borrow a book

This new service from Amazon lends out selected, mostly backlist titles, with promoted books coming from publishers including Scholastic, Norton, Bloomsbury, Grove/Atlantic, Workman/Algonquin, F+W Media, Lonely Planet, and Amazon's own publishing imprints.

Rosetta Books tells the WSJ they alone are contributing about 200 titles. None of the six largest publishers are participating.

The program is available only to Amazon Prime members, and titles can be browsed and checked out only through Amazon ereading devices. Users can "borrow" only one title at a time, and only one title a month.

While Amazon boasts the collection includes "over 100 current and former NYT bestsellers," Publishers Lunch observes that the emphasis is very much on "former." Browsing for titles on the device will be an impediment to discovery for many users (and incentive to upgrade to Fire, on which that will be easier). But general Amazon product pages prominently announce to Kindle Device Owners that they can "borrow this book for free, with no due dates."

According to publisher gossip, Amazon offered "a lot of money" to participate in the program. Amazon says in the announcement that most publishers have received "a fixed fee" for the included titles (apparently for a two-year agreement--and any additional titles added during that period would yield further licensing fees.) But "in some cases, Amazon is purchasing a title each time it is borrowed by a reader under standard wholesale terms as a no-risk trial to demonstrate to publishers the incremental growth and revenue opportunity that this new service presents."

Where Amazon leads, will Kobo follow?
Release
Kindle Owners Lending Library

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12:01 PM | 0 comments

Sorry for the neglect, again

Sorry for the complete lack of update of Novak in Basel but I have been so busy getting ready for Paris.

I am now in Paris so I should be able to bring you all the Nole News from tomorrow.

A quick reminder that I am working for www.thetennistimes.com during Bercy where I will be publishing daily reports on all the matches, press conferences and behind the scene action. I will also be providing a link to my Flickr account for my photos.

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11:22 AM | 0 comments

Assange to face charges

 WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has lost his appeal against extradition to Sweden to answer sex crime allegations, the Associated Press reports.

In a judgment Wednesday, Judges John Thomas and Duncan Ousely said that Assange, who was in court to hear the verdict, should be sent to Sweden to be questioned over the alleged rape of one woman and the molestation of another in Stockholm last year.
The 40-year-old has denied wrongdoing, and insists the case is politically motivated by those opposed to the work of his secret-spilling organization.

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12:06 PM | 0 comments

Football Manager 2012 - tips, tricks, players and my team! (1)

Hello hello! If you clicked on this link from Twitter - then obviously you're a Football Manager fan and being one, love sharing your tactics too! I'm no different so let's get on with it aye?

Transfers! Transfers!

First thing you have to know before entering transfer market - what you really need - your most pressing issues with the team. For me (I'm managing Liverpool) , it was a backup striker for Andy Carroll, and a secondary need, backups for Kuyt and Suarez up front.

My recommendations - (i bought the guys in bold) - not in order- but hey, why not?

1. Hulk - a beast i tell you! Like a faster Ronaldo (Luiz Nazario de Lima) and he is able to play winger too.

2. Darwin Quintero - another Luis Suarez. Very good dribbler and vision. Good speed too. Available around 4-5mil.

3. Yaya Sanogo - cheap early on. A Drogba-isque type player. Good addition if you play one man up front.

4. Jelle Vossen - Huntelaar/ Van Nistelrooy-ish - not very fast but good finishing stats. Play him as a poacher or target man. Comes at the cheap too! But if you have the money for more expensive player, get.... Sanogo (#3) instead.

5. Ivan Rakitic - my best player found in FM2011. Good footballing brains. Superb long shots. Good vision and creativity making him a suitable playmaker if you play a fluid formation. Must buy.

6. Eden Hazard- buy him if you have the money. (35mil and still Lille wont budge!) Absolute gem. Best player in the game? Maybe not. But probably top 5?

7. Christian Eriksen - LFC didnt have the money so i bought Eriksen. But ain't that cheap either. 15mil! Possible wonderkid with good offensive stats. Younger than Hazard too so might be a better buy if you want to build your squad from the younger players.

8. Anthony Vanden Borre - what he lacks in skill, he covers with versatility. Able to play any position in midfield and also doubles up as wing backs, fullbacks and centre backs when need to. Friggin cheap too! Snap him up early on (under 1mil!) or wait for a bit for January window when he will decline to renew a contract renewal making him even cheaper. Good choice if you need cover in several positions.

9. Jay Spearing - assuming you're not playing as Liverpool, that is. Hardworking, Mascherano-type player. Occasional good long shots too! Good buy considering LFC MIGHT be willing to let him go with their surplus of players in midfield.

10. Jonjo Shelvey - A young Gerrard perhaps. Same like Spearing, LFC might let him go at the cheap. Just try and ask.

11. Nicolas Lodiero - Young playmaker. Not much on the physical stats but technical and mental stats are good.

Tiki-Taka?Tiki-Taca?

Like in FM 2011, I've converted my LFC to play the Barcelona-way - tiki-taka. (or however you spell it)

The basics of tiki-taka (I don't care, I'm spelling it this way from now on) revolves around having versatile players who can interchange positions with each other, and focusing A LOT on short-range, patient passing game. Best formation to play this philosophy is, like the real-life Barcelona, is 4-3-3.

Defense!

Your fullbacks will be converted into wingbacks - and they will run a lot, do lots of crosses and help in attack. Good thing for LFC, Glen Johnson and Jose Enrique are natural dribblers and crossers. Sorted.

Two center-backs must be able to play the ball and pressure opposing forwards early on. So I played one as a ball-playing defender, and the other, a stopper.

Midfield!

A three midfield formation might look narrow but dont forget - your width is supplied by both converted wingbacks and your forwards who play deep-lying forwards (more of that later). My midfielders consists of a deep-lying play-maker (support), a ball winning midfielder (defend), and a center midfielder (support, or attack as you see fit) - but please do experiment - you might get a better mix than mine. It's all about the players.

Forwards!

I have Andy Carroll playing middle as my target man, with supplies focusing to feet rather than head. Suarez and Kuyt play as deep-lying forwards. Close down on oppositions often and preferably use the 'work ball into box' shout.

Team philosophy -

Close down often. You know your midfield is kinda thin, so make sure your forwards ALWAYS close down the moment you lose possession of the ball. Keeps them under pressure all over the field.

Keep passes short, with the formation fluid and give high creativity room for the players - magic word - fluidity. Short passes keeps the ball close to your players, and play ball to feet rather than into space - unless it's in the rain.

Some might find it tedious at first but when you see the possessions average 55% and above, with passing rates 80% +++, I highly doubt you'd change to another. Your opponents can't score if they don't have the ball, right?

So feel happy to give it a try, and share suggestions on how to improve the tactic. I made 4-3-3 as my standard tactic for LFC, and this is the opening game of the season, VS Man City which I won 2-1 thanks to Suarez and Carroll's goals.

Note the passing rate, possession, shots on goal and chances created by both teams.

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7:26 PM | 0 comments

Football Manager 2012 - a review.

Those on Twitter might (or may not) have noticed I've been less active there especially after working hours recently. And it is down to this.

I've got a copy of the new Football Manager 2012 and man that game is addictive (like any other Football Managers before it).

Picked it up for RM 135 (i got a 4 ringgit discount YAY!) - hey. It might very well be the ONLY original game I'd be buying in the next one year or so. So why not yeah?

No pirated one available yet, and since FM2012 needs you to be logged into Steam to install, I'd suggest just get the bloody original why dont ya?

So what's new?

For those who are used to the FM games, they would still need a couple hours to get around the reworked interface which i think in the long run, will serve well despite the niggling changes for those still trying to get the hang of it.

The transfer system has been tweaked - players can have a better say when it comes to negotiating contract talks (and I thought last season's was complicated. Damn you, and bless you (at the same time), Sports Interactive for doing that.

Interaction with players, managers, team talks (it's called Pep Talk now - What sort of talk you give to Pepe Reina ?A Pep talk! #Ha!) now come with a new feature where you can choose what sort of tone you wanna use. Be meek, or aggressive? And the response is instant.

Tactics wise, managers can now prepare a set of shouts to be instantly used from kick-off itself, or whenever throughout the game. So unlike last season where usually players will pause the game before picking out certain combination of shouts, they can have it sorted from the whistle itself.

Graphics-wise, not much of an improvement but the weather and stadium effects are much more...umm...tolerable. But your players will STILL move about like they're not wearing skates on an ice ring.

Weather takes bigger effect on the game with seasoned players surely taking advantage from the wind, rain or snow.

I've always been a stat nut and scouting for gems is an obsession to me. Uncovering that hidden gem - like Anatoli Todorov (was it in FM2007?) or Ivan Rakitic, Yaya Sanogo and Steven Defour last season (more on my tactics later, in another post) - scouting for talent is something i pride myself for. So the player search tool and customizing searches are much sleeker now.

Funnily, i noticed FM2012 runs smoother on my PC compared to FM2011. Maybe it's just me. But do share your experience with the game.

I gotta get back to whooping Sir Alex Ferguson's ass. ;p

Final verdict - Buy it! Buy it! Buy it!

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7:06 PM | 0 comments