Non-fiction explores what is true; fiction explores truth. The length of a novel allows a writer to break out of the sound-bite approach to complex issues and show the various shades of gray. If she does it skillfully, the reader even loses himself in the process of being edu-tained.
Character
A lovable character can hold interest every bit as well as fast-moving action.
Hesitate to name minor characters. The reader can hold only so many details in the memory. If we read about Kim and Judy having lunch together and the author tells us their waitress is Maria, we make a mental note: “I need to remember Kim, Judy, and Maria.” If Maria is unimportant to the plot, the author should leave her name out—unless she’s part of a red herring. Calling her a waitress allows her to fulfill her function in the scene and allows the reader to forget her. Generally in a narrative when an author names somebody, the reader thinks “I need to remember this.”
Use point-of-view to heighten tension. The Book of Ruth demonstrates what happens when a writer uses point-of-view to heighten tension. Remember the part in Ruth’s story when she goes down to the threshing floor to propose to Boaz? The author, under inspiration of the Spirit, writes, “[Boaz] awoke and behold! A woman was lying at his feet!” The reader already knows the woman is Ruth. Yet it’s so much better to say “a woman” than “Ruth,” because it helps readers see events from Boaz’s point of view. We can feel with him the surprise.
The same is true of Jacob’s wrestling match. We know his opponent is the Lord, but Jacob doesn’t. And the text describes events from Jacob’s point of view: “Then Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him until daybreak” (Gen 32:24). Only later does our man Jake realize he’s gotten down and dirty with the Lord Himself and somehow prevailed.
Use limited point-of-view to capitalize on reader identification. As you’ve read the story of David and Bathsheba, have you ever wondered if she seduced him? Did she flirt? Bat her eyelashes? I suspect there’s a reason the author leaves us wondering. We’re supposed to see the story completely from David’s point of view. And David is 100 percent responsible for his choices, no matter what she is doing. (That means this: so are we.)
From the storyteller’s perspective, it doesn’t matter whether Bathsheba is a righteous woman taking a ritual bath or a little seductress flaunting her assets. Regardless of her actions, the king could and should have done better.
Use setting to communicate something greater than the place itself.Choose a setting that communicates something important. I’m not saying a writer should make the setting exotic, though that’s sometimes a good idea. I mean use the setting to make a statement.
Where is Jezebel when she kills the owner of the vineyard she covets? In Jezreel. Where is Jezebel years later when dogs snarf her up? In Jezreel. More than a decade later, we come back to the place where she committed her grandest injustice to watch her get what’s coming to her. And the fact that events end up where they do says something about God’s ultimate sovereignty, about His ability in the end to make all things right.
Where is Peter when he denies the Lord three times? By a fire. Where is Peter when Jesus gives him three chances to declare his love? Right—by a fire.
Where is Elisha when he raises the Shunnemite woman’s only son? At Shunem. Where is Jesus when he raises the widow of Nain’s only son? At Nain—right around the mountain from Shunem. The similarities in the miracles and locations are not lost on those present. The place shows them that a prophet better than Elisha has come.
Setting
When determining when a story is set, the writer isn’t limited only to past, present, and future. A futuristic story can happen long ago in a galaxy far, far away.
The message (women should be able to inherit, own land, marry whom they please) should submit to the story, not vice versa.
The reader respects the storyteller who crafts a big-surprise ending (especially if said reader realizes he or she should have seen it coming).
When people already know how the story turns out (the ship sinks), an intriguing subplot (where’s the necklace?) can keep the pages turning.
nix “with” phrases. (“She looked at him with a smile” becomes “She smiled at him” or even, when possible, “She smiled.”)
highlight “am,” “are,” “is,” “was,” “were,” and “being,” and to replace these with stronger verbs.
cross out “I remember” and dive right into the memory unless I want a level of distance between the reader and my story. So, for example, “I remember my dad taking me to Central Park when I was six” becomes “When I was six, my dad took me to Central Park.”
use odd rather than even numbers of phrases in a series (“I came, I saw, I conquered” [3] works better than “I came, I saw, I wanted, I conquered” [4]).
If you want to your characters to be compelling, give the “good guys” some weaknesses. Nobody’s perfect, so use “imperfection” to make characters believable and endearing.
Writing forces us to clarify what we believe.
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Question of the Month From NovelNetwork.com
Question of the Month
Whew! It's hot this summer. So let's talk steam. What are some of your most sensual moments from your Harlequin Intrigue books? A desperate love scene? A tender touch? That first passionate kiss? We often talk about the suspense, but what makes the relationship sizzle in your books?
Julie Miller: For me, the sizzle in an Intrigue is all about the emotion and sensuality. With the fast pacing and extra danger of an Intrigue, there's not a lot of time to get analytical about developing feelings. When the heat is on, I let my characters react more honestly, more vulnerably--without the time or luxury of filtering their emotions or being politically correct. So what you get is an intensity of attraction and heart-deep feelings.
For the growing physical attraction, I like to find a motif that fits the characters--maybe a nickname or catch phrase, or a particular touch, recurring action or setting piece. Then, as the story goes on, I intensify each occurrence as the motif repeats itself, letting the words or touch or setting become more intimate as the relationship becomes more intimate. Brushing a lock of hair off her forehead can be a practical thing in the first occurrence--she needs to see the mug shot clearly. The second time, he brushes the hair aside gently, to check for injuries after a tense encounter with the bad guys--he's starting to care. The third time, brushing the hair aside becomes an intimate caress as they kiss or make love. In my October Intrigue, Private S.W.A.T. Takeover, my hero, Holden Kincaid, is fascinated with my heroine's freckles. At first it's a joke about how they make her look like a kid instead of a sensible grown woman. Later, they become an endearing symbol of her vulnerability as a hit man closes in on them. By the time the love scene rolls around, he takes delight in counting each and every freckle--wherever they might be!
Mallory Kane: Unlike a lot of authors I talk to, I LOVE writing the sensual moments. Okay yeah, but that's not the only reason :) Those moments are rare enough in high-tension romantic suspense like Intrigues, so I always hope to make an impact with them. I want the hero and heroine to connect on more than a physical level. I try to make that stolen kiss or desperate embrace a part of the suspense. If they believe they're about to die, or if they've just lived through a harrowing near-death experience, their emotions are going to be raw and heightened, as are their physical reactions. And that, I hope, makes a more exciting, more emotional and more sensual read.
In my September 08 Intrigue, Solving the Mysterious Stranger, my hero and heroine are battling an international terrorist with literally the fate of the nation at stake. They can't trust each other, but working together is their only chance at survival. Since each hour could be their last, the danger is high and the sexual tension is higher.
Joanna Wayne: I like it HOT! I make it sizzle by putting off the lovemaking as long as I can. I like for the hero and heroine to be so hungry for each other that they all but tear each others clothes off when the big lovemaking scene arrives. I don't close the bedroom door-not that it always takes place in a bedroom- until I'm good and ready. I know that most romance readers have very vivid imaginations and don't need me to spell out the intimacy, but I also think the reader should get to feel the heat-all the way. My June Intrigue, Loaded, sizzles practically from the opening page. But then who can ever resist a rich, hunky, brave Texas rancher?
Sylvie Kurtz: I think the sizzle comes from the expectation of what might happen between these two people--from the sexual tension--more than from anything else. It's fun to get them close, then pull them back before they kiss or make love and let that attraction simmer. The proximity of danger and physical closeness fuels that tension, and makes an Intrigue a book like no other.
Patricia Rosemoor: I'm in the process of reading my Christmas Delivery printout and realize the love scenes in this book are among my favorites. The reason? Tremendous emotion. My hero and heroine were young lovers separated when the hero was human trafficked to a third world country to be part of a soldier-for-hire operation (like Blackwater). And now he's come back to find out who was responsible and to make that person pay. The relationship between Lexie and Simon is fraught with emotion. He thinks after what he's been forced to do and what he intends to do--see that justice is done--he's no good for her. She agrees. Furthermore, for different reasons, they think he's not the right father for their daughter. And within the notion they can't be together is the love that never died. So the love scenes are more about what they want and can't have than about the actual physical relationship. Though of course I didn't skip that part, either. But in my mind, the sense of desperation is what makes these scenes sizzle.
B.J. Daniels: Sizzle? You know it all depends on the characters. Some of them have so much passion that of course it's going to carry over into the bedroom or the back of the car or the dining room table. :) But other characters... I've had some who refused to get to the really intimate stuff until they were married. You can't argue with your characters. Not that there isn't any romance. Sometimes there just isn't any sex on screen. Personally, I like a man who holds your hand. Who smiles from across the room to let you know he's thinking of you. Who knows how to do the sweet kisses as well as the hot ones. I think there are a lot of ways to show someone how you feel about them and turn up the heat without getting hot and heavy. A touch. A glance. A whisper in the dark. You want steamy? First you have to put the water on to boil. Let it simmer. Getting there is more than half the fun.
Susan Kearney: Hot, hot, hot is how I like to write my sex scenes And that was why I also wrote for Blaze as well as Intrigue. Now that I write single title, my love scenes are still hot. Dancing With Fire is about a belly dancer whose father is murdered. And from the very first page, when the hero sees her dancing through a window, the tension is tight. Why because he instantly wants her--but she wants nothing to do with a dreamer like her father. That tension keeps going right through the suspense and into the love scenes. That tension drives the book.
Whew! It's hot this summer. So let's talk steam. What are some of your most sensual moments from your Harlequin Intrigue books? A desperate love scene? A tender touch? That first passionate kiss? We often talk about the suspense, but what makes the relationship sizzle in your books?
Julie Miller: For me, the sizzle in an Intrigue is all about the emotion and sensuality. With the fast pacing and extra danger of an Intrigue, there's not a lot of time to get analytical about developing feelings. When the heat is on, I let my characters react more honestly, more vulnerably--without the time or luxury of filtering their emotions or being politically correct. So what you get is an intensity of attraction and heart-deep feelings.
For the growing physical attraction, I like to find a motif that fits the characters--maybe a nickname or catch phrase, or a particular touch, recurring action or setting piece. Then, as the story goes on, I intensify each occurrence as the motif repeats itself, letting the words or touch or setting become more intimate as the relationship becomes more intimate. Brushing a lock of hair off her forehead can be a practical thing in the first occurrence--she needs to see the mug shot clearly. The second time, he brushes the hair aside gently, to check for injuries after a tense encounter with the bad guys--he's starting to care. The third time, brushing the hair aside becomes an intimate caress as they kiss or make love. In my October Intrigue, Private S.W.A.T. Takeover, my hero, Holden Kincaid, is fascinated with my heroine's freckles. At first it's a joke about how they make her look like a kid instead of a sensible grown woman. Later, they become an endearing symbol of her vulnerability as a hit man closes in on them. By the time the love scene rolls around, he takes delight in counting each and every freckle--wherever they might be!
Mallory Kane: Unlike a lot of authors I talk to, I LOVE writing the sensual moments. Okay yeah, but that's not the only reason :) Those moments are rare enough in high-tension romantic suspense like Intrigues, so I always hope to make an impact with them. I want the hero and heroine to connect on more than a physical level. I try to make that stolen kiss or desperate embrace a part of the suspense. If they believe they're about to die, or if they've just lived through a harrowing near-death experience, their emotions are going to be raw and heightened, as are their physical reactions. And that, I hope, makes a more exciting, more emotional and more sensual read.
In my September 08 Intrigue, Solving the Mysterious Stranger, my hero and heroine are battling an international terrorist with literally the fate of the nation at stake. They can't trust each other, but working together is their only chance at survival. Since each hour could be their last, the danger is high and the sexual tension is higher.
Joanna Wayne: I like it HOT! I make it sizzle by putting off the lovemaking as long as I can. I like for the hero and heroine to be so hungry for each other that they all but tear each others clothes off when the big lovemaking scene arrives. I don't close the bedroom door-not that it always takes place in a bedroom- until I'm good and ready. I know that most romance readers have very vivid imaginations and don't need me to spell out the intimacy, but I also think the reader should get to feel the heat-all the way. My June Intrigue, Loaded, sizzles practically from the opening page. But then who can ever resist a rich, hunky, brave Texas rancher?
Sylvie Kurtz: I think the sizzle comes from the expectation of what might happen between these two people--from the sexual tension--more than from anything else. It's fun to get them close, then pull them back before they kiss or make love and let that attraction simmer. The proximity of danger and physical closeness fuels that tension, and makes an Intrigue a book like no other.
Patricia Rosemoor: I'm in the process of reading my Christmas Delivery printout and realize the love scenes in this book are among my favorites. The reason? Tremendous emotion. My hero and heroine were young lovers separated when the hero was human trafficked to a third world country to be part of a soldier-for-hire operation (like Blackwater). And now he's come back to find out who was responsible and to make that person pay. The relationship between Lexie and Simon is fraught with emotion. He thinks after what he's been forced to do and what he intends to do--see that justice is done--he's no good for her. She agrees. Furthermore, for different reasons, they think he's not the right father for their daughter. And within the notion they can't be together is the love that never died. So the love scenes are more about what they want and can't have than about the actual physical relationship. Though of course I didn't skip that part, either. But in my mind, the sense of desperation is what makes these scenes sizzle.
B.J. Daniels: Sizzle? You know it all depends on the characters. Some of them have so much passion that of course it's going to carry over into the bedroom or the back of the car or the dining room table. :) But other characters... I've had some who refused to get to the really intimate stuff until they were married. You can't argue with your characters. Not that there isn't any romance. Sometimes there just isn't any sex on screen. Personally, I like a man who holds your hand. Who smiles from across the room to let you know he's thinking of you. Who knows how to do the sweet kisses as well as the hot ones. I think there are a lot of ways to show someone how you feel about them and turn up the heat without getting hot and heavy. A touch. A glance. A whisper in the dark. You want steamy? First you have to put the water on to boil. Let it simmer. Getting there is more than half the fun.
Susan Kearney: Hot, hot, hot is how I like to write my sex scenes And that was why I also wrote for Blaze as well as Intrigue. Now that I write single title, my love scenes are still hot. Dancing With Fire is about a belly dancer whose father is murdered. And from the very first page, when the hero sees her dancing through a window, the tension is tight. Why because he instantly wants her--but she wants nothing to do with a dreamer like her father. That tension keeps going right through the suspense and into the love scenes. That tension drives the book.
Classic twist endings
Citizen Kane (1941): Sure everyone knows that Rosebud is a sled now, but that's a twist ending. The best part of the script is that the whole story revolves around finding out what Rosebud is and then slowly gets away from it as we become wrapped up in the unfolding of Kane's life. When we finally discover what it is, you have to take a beat to let it sink in. That's a great twist, because it so much doesn't alter the core of the film or is used as some big shock. What it does is make you reevaluate your perception of Kane as a person and gives you the key to unlocking what has been built as an enigmatic and cryptic person.
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valence (1962): "When the legend becomes fact, print the legend." Ransom Stoddard (Jimmy Stewart) is a US Senator who made his name and fame on shooting legendary outlaw Liberty Valence (Lee Marvin). When he attends the funeral of an old, broken down bum the press starts sniffing around and Stewart reveals what truly happened. He was a greenhorn lawyer come out west who ran afoul of Valence. Valence himself is on a collision course to a showdown with local rancher Tom Doniphon (John Wayne). Doniphon's second destiny is to marry pretty waitress Hallie (Vera Miles). She takes a liking to the stubborn Stoddard who refuses to leave town and is going to have a duel with Valence even though he can hardly fire a gun. Valence plays with Stoddard like a cat with a mouse, but is shot to death in the end. Stoddard's star is launched as killing Liberty boosts the territory's quest for statehood. The near death experience makes Hallie realize that she loves Ransom and marries him. Doniphon's life spirals out of control. Drunk and surly, he goes to Stoddard and reveals that he shot Valence from a nearby dark alley more for Hallie's sake than his and it cost him the only thing he truly wanted in life. Wayne gives a great performance and crafts a deep, believable character that you first kind of don't like and then really feel for.
Charade (1963): Audrey Hepburn and Cary Grant are two of the most beautiful people of all time and have great chemistry in this murder mystery. Hepburn's husband is murdered and shifty associates come around looking for money he has hidden away. Grant aides her, but he's not the person he says he is. Or the other person he says he is. Or that guy either. Hepburn seeks help from a special agent played by Walter Matthau, but is he who he says he is? Turns out that Matthau was one of her husband's crooked associates and Grant was the real special agent Matthau was pretending to be.
Chinatown (1974): Jake Gittes (Jack Nicholson) is a private detective in Los Angeles in 1937. He's hired by who he believes to be the wife of Hollis Mulwray to track him as she believes he is having an affair. Mulwray is the head of the water and power department. Gittes gets pictures of the man with a young woman and a scandal erupts. Gittes meets the real Mrs. Mulwray (Faye Dunaway) and realizes he was duped in order to get at Hollis. Matters become more complicated when Hollis turns up dead and Gittes links the crime to illegal dealings in the department. Gittes gets closer to Mrs. Mulwray and her father Noah Cross (John Huston). In the end Gittes uncovers much more than he bargained for as events come to a head in the one place he hoped he would never have to go back to-Chinatown. Hollis was not having an affair with the young woman he was seen with, she is the daughter of Mrs. Mulwray from being raped by her father. You don't see it coming, because they don't build it like there's going to be some great twist. Then when they deliver it, it's straightforward and easy to understand. They also package it into a great, iconic scene with Nicholson slapping Dunaway back and forth hard with her screaming "my sister, my daughter, my sister, my daughter."
Dressed to Kill (1980): Kind of a rip-off of Psycho from Brian DePalma, but I like it. Michael Caine is a therapist who has a knife stolen from him by a patient who needs his signature to get a sex change operation. He then uses the knife to kill another patient (Angie Dickinson). A hooker sees the murder and becomes the next target. It turns out the doctor is also the supposed transsexual. Plus, when you think the movie should be over, DePalma throws in one last curveball at you. Very stylish and highly controversial when first released.
Shattered (1991): Dan Merrick (Tom Berenger) is a successful architect who has a horrible car accident with his wife (Greta Sacchi). His face is completely destroyed and he suffers from amnesia. He tries to resume his old life, but things don't seem right to him. He runs into a private investigator (Bob Hoskins) that he had hired to look into an affair his wife was having. He now hires him to help figure what is going on in his life and what his wife is up to. This is one I don't think a lot of people will be familiar with, so I'll save the ending. It has that old school film noir feel to it, almost crossing over to Hitchcockian. The ending hits you out of nowhere, but then your brain starts putting all the pieces together and it fits.
Dead Again (1991): Kenneth Branagh plays a private detective charged with protecting and finding the identity of a woman with amnesia, Emma Thompson. During hypnosis sessions with Derek Jacobi, Thompson's character relives a past life where Thompson was a musician married to a brilliant composer in Branagh. She's murdered and he's accused of it. For the grandiose Branagh as director and star this is a zesty little murder mystery with a clever twist. Again, you might not be familiar, so I won't reveal.
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valence (1962): "When the legend becomes fact, print the legend." Ransom Stoddard (Jimmy Stewart) is a US Senator who made his name and fame on shooting legendary outlaw Liberty Valence (Lee Marvin). When he attends the funeral of an old, broken down bum the press starts sniffing around and Stewart reveals what truly happened. He was a greenhorn lawyer come out west who ran afoul of Valence. Valence himself is on a collision course to a showdown with local rancher Tom Doniphon (John Wayne). Doniphon's second destiny is to marry pretty waitress Hallie (Vera Miles). She takes a liking to the stubborn Stoddard who refuses to leave town and is going to have a duel with Valence even though he can hardly fire a gun. Valence plays with Stoddard like a cat with a mouse, but is shot to death in the end. Stoddard's star is launched as killing Liberty boosts the territory's quest for statehood. The near death experience makes Hallie realize that she loves Ransom and marries him. Doniphon's life spirals out of control. Drunk and surly, he goes to Stoddard and reveals that he shot Valence from a nearby dark alley more for Hallie's sake than his and it cost him the only thing he truly wanted in life. Wayne gives a great performance and crafts a deep, believable character that you first kind of don't like and then really feel for.
Charade (1963): Audrey Hepburn and Cary Grant are two of the most beautiful people of all time and have great chemistry in this murder mystery. Hepburn's husband is murdered and shifty associates come around looking for money he has hidden away. Grant aides her, but he's not the person he says he is. Or the other person he says he is. Or that guy either. Hepburn seeks help from a special agent played by Walter Matthau, but is he who he says he is? Turns out that Matthau was one of her husband's crooked associates and Grant was the real special agent Matthau was pretending to be.
Chinatown (1974): Jake Gittes (Jack Nicholson) is a private detective in Los Angeles in 1937. He's hired by who he believes to be the wife of Hollis Mulwray to track him as she believes he is having an affair. Mulwray is the head of the water and power department. Gittes gets pictures of the man with a young woman and a scandal erupts. Gittes meets the real Mrs. Mulwray (Faye Dunaway) and realizes he was duped in order to get at Hollis. Matters become more complicated when Hollis turns up dead and Gittes links the crime to illegal dealings in the department. Gittes gets closer to Mrs. Mulwray and her father Noah Cross (John Huston). In the end Gittes uncovers much more than he bargained for as events come to a head in the one place he hoped he would never have to go back to-Chinatown. Hollis was not having an affair with the young woman he was seen with, she is the daughter of Mrs. Mulwray from being raped by her father. You don't see it coming, because they don't build it like there's going to be some great twist. Then when they deliver it, it's straightforward and easy to understand. They also package it into a great, iconic scene with Nicholson slapping Dunaway back and forth hard with her screaming "my sister, my daughter, my sister, my daughter."
Dressed to Kill (1980): Kind of a rip-off of Psycho from Brian DePalma, but I like it. Michael Caine is a therapist who has a knife stolen from him by a patient who needs his signature to get a sex change operation. He then uses the knife to kill another patient (Angie Dickinson). A hooker sees the murder and becomes the next target. It turns out the doctor is also the supposed transsexual. Plus, when you think the movie should be over, DePalma throws in one last curveball at you. Very stylish and highly controversial when first released.
Shattered (1991): Dan Merrick (Tom Berenger) is a successful architect who has a horrible car accident with his wife (Greta Sacchi). His face is completely destroyed and he suffers from amnesia. He tries to resume his old life, but things don't seem right to him. He runs into a private investigator (Bob Hoskins) that he had hired to look into an affair his wife was having. He now hires him to help figure what is going on in his life and what his wife is up to. This is one I don't think a lot of people will be familiar with, so I'll save the ending. It has that old school film noir feel to it, almost crossing over to Hitchcockian. The ending hits you out of nowhere, but then your brain starts putting all the pieces together and it fits.
Dead Again (1991): Kenneth Branagh plays a private detective charged with protecting and finding the identity of a woman with amnesia, Emma Thompson. During hypnosis sessions with Derek Jacobi, Thompson's character relives a past life where Thompson was a musician married to a brilliant composer in Branagh. She's murdered and he's accused of it. For the grandiose Branagh as director and star this is a zesty little murder mystery with a clever twist. Again, you might not be familiar, so I won't reveal.
23 Must-Have Toys from the 1950s and Beyond
by the Editors of Publications International, Ltd.
Times have changed since the days when an imaginative kid was happy to play with an empty cardboard box. Today, about 2.6 billion toys are sold every year, creating a $20.3 billion industry. It seems that every decade manufacturers create a toy that launches a buying craze. Some just flash past on their way to a rummage sale table; others are timeless treasures. So without further ado, here are some of the best toy fads of the 20th century.
1950s
1. Silly Putty was developed in 1943 when James Wright, a General Electric researcher, was seeking a synthetic rubber substitute. His silicone-based polymer was elastic, could bounce, be easily molded, and always held its shape. Parents liked the fact that the putty was nontoxic and nonirritating. Since its debut as a toy in 1950, more than 300 million eggs of Silly Putty have been sold.
2. In 1943, naval engineer Richard James stumbled across an invention that would become a beloved toy worldwide. Made of 87 feet of flat wire coiled into a three-inch-diameter circle, the Slinky could "walk" down stairs when one end was placed on one step and the other on the step below. The classic slinky really took off in the 1950s, and today more than 300 million of the simple-yet-clever toys have sold worldwide.
©2007 Mattel
Barbie was created
in 1959.
3. Mr. Potato Head, with his interchangeable facial features, was patented in 1952 and was the first toy to be advertised on television. But for the first eight years, parents had to supply children with a real potato until a plastic potato body was included in 1960.
4. Intending to create a wallpaper cleaner, Joseph and Noah McVicker invented Play-Doh in 1955. Initially available in only one color (off-white) and in a 1.5-pound can, Play-Doh now comes in a rainbow of colors. The recipe remains a secret, but more than 700 million pounds of this nontoxic goop have sold since its introduction.
5. The concept of the hula hoop had been around for centuries. Then, in the late 1950s, Wham-O, a maverick California toy company, rolled out a plastic hoop for swivel-hipped kids. The concept caught on and 25 million sold in the first six months. They cost $1.98 each, and, by 1958, 100 million of them had been sold around the world -- except in Japan and the Soviet Union where they were said to represent the "emptiness of American culture." Ouch.
Barbie leads off the list of toys continued on the next page.
Some of the toys on this section of the list are still popular favorites today.
6. Barbie vamped onto the toy scene in 1959, the creation of Ruth Handler and her husband Elliot, who along with Harold Matson founded the Mattel toy company. Handler noticed that her daughter Barbara (Barbie) and her friends played with an adult female doll from Switzerland more than their baby dolls. So, Handler came up with her "Barbie" concept, and the rest is toy history.
7. Chatty Cathy, also released by the Mattel Corporation in 1959, was the era's second most popular doll. Yakking her way onto store shelves, Cathy could speak 11 phrases when a string in her back was pulled. "I love you" or "Please take me with you" could be disconcerting at first, but Chatty Cathy was a '50s classic.
8. Betsy Wetsy also made a splash with 1950s-era children. Created by the Ideal Toy Company, Betsy's already-open mouth would accept a liquid-filled bottle. The premise was simple and straightforward: Whatever goes in quickly comes out the other end, helping youngsters gain valuable diaper-changing experience.
1960s
9. Since 1963, when they were first introduced, more than 16 million Easy Bake Ovens have been sold. A light bulb provided the heat source for baking mini-cakes in America's first working toy oven. The original color was a trendy turquoise, and the stoves also sported a carrying handle and fake range top. As children, several celebrity chefs, including Bobby Flay, owned an Easy Bake Oven, which perhaps provided inspiration for their future careers.
10. Toy lovers have to salute manufacturer Hasbro for its G.I. Joe action figure, which first marched out in 1964. The 11-1/2-inch-tall doll for boys had 21 moving parts and was the world's first action figure. Hasbro's 40th Anniversary G.I. Joe collection in 2004 included a re-creation of the original doll, his clothes, accessories, and even the packaging. Nostalgic Joe pals snapped up thousands of these new recruits.
11. Hot Wheels screeched into the toy world in 1968, screaming out of Mattel's concept garage with 16 miniature autos. The glamorous Python, Custom Cougar, and Hot Heap immediately attracted attention and plenty of buyers. Track sets were also released in the same year so that children could simulate a real auto race. Today, more than 15 million people collect Hot Wheels cars.
Continue through the toys of the '70s and '80s on the next page.
23 Must-Have Toys from the 1950s and Beyond, 12-17
The Cabbage Patch Doll, which is listed in this section, caused one of the biggest toy crazes of the 1980s.
1970s
12. "Weebles wobble but they don't fall down..." This was the unforgettable advertising slogan for these egg-shaped playthings first released by Hasbro in 1971. Each weeble had a sticker mounted on its short, fat "body" so it resembled a human or an animal. At the height of their popularity, the Weeble family had its own tree house and cottage, and a host of other characters and accessories were also produced, including a firefighter and fire truck, a playground, and a circus complete with a ringmaster, clown, and trapeze artist.
13. Also extremely popular in the '70s, the Big Wheel was the chosen mode of transportation for most young boys, and many girls, too. With its 16-inch front wheel and fat rear tires, this low-riding, spiffed up tricycle was even a hit with parents, who considered it safer than a standard trike.
1980s
14. Strawberry Shortcake was the sweetest-smelling doll of the 1980s. Created in 1977 by Muriel Fahrion for American Greetings, the company expanded the toy line in the 1980s to include Strawberry's friends and their pets. Each doll had a fruit- or dessert-scented theme complete with scented hair. Accessories, clothes, bedding, stickers, movies, and games followed, but by 1985 the fad had waned. The characters were revived in the 2000s with DVDs, video games, an animated TV series, and even a full-length animated film.
15. Xavier Roberts was a teenager when he launched his Babyland General Hospital during the 1970s in Cleveland, Georgia, allowing children to adopt a "baby." In 1983, the Coleco toy company started mass-producing these dolls as Cabbage Patch Kids. Each "kid" came with a unique name and a set of adoption papers, and stores couldn't keep them on the shelves, selling more than three million of the dolls in the first year.
16. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles were created by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird, who had both studied art history. As such, they named their characters Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello, and Michelangelo. In 1984, with a mere $1,200, the Turtle creators launched the swashbuckling terrapins in a black-and-white comic book. More comics, as well as an animated television series, clothing, toys, and several full-length feature films followed, proving that the Green Team could earn some green, as well.
17. One of the biggest toy crazes of the 1980s was the brain-teasing Rubik's Cube. Created by Hungarian architect Erno Rubik, this perplexing puzzle was first introduced in 1977, and from 1980 to 1982 more than 100 million of the cubes sold. It sparked a trend and similar puzzles were created in various shapes, such as a pyramid and a sphere. The Rubik's Cube has seen a recent resurgence in popularity and retains a place of honor on many desktops.
Follow the toy path to its finish on the next page.
23 Must-Have Toys from the 1950s and Beyond, 18-23
Below are the final six must-have toys from the 1990s and today.
1990s
18. From 1996 until around 1999, you couldn't escape the Beanie Baby. Like Cabbage Patch Kids and troll dolls of decades past, Ty Warner's Beanie Babies became a nationwide toy-collecting craze. The little plush-bodied, bean-filled animals came in dozens of different styles and colors and had special tags that included a poetic description of the character and its name. To feed the frenzy, Ty limited the release of certain Beanies and therefore sent the price of characters such as the "Blue Elephant" into the thousands. The fad died out before the millennium, but Beanie Babies still grace cubicles around the world.
19. Based on a Japanese toy called "Poketto Monstaa," Pokemon were tiny "pocket monsters" that battled each other when ordered by their "trainer." In 1996, Nintendo adapted the Japanese characters to promote its portable video game system, Game Boy. Pokemon trading cards and a television series were also wildly popular.
20. Undoubtedly the must-have toy of 1996, the immensely popular Tickle Me Elmo doll was based on the furry, red Sesame Street character. He'd giggle, saying, "Oh boy, that tickles," when he was tickled or squeezed. Manufacturer Tyco sold more than a million of the creatures that year, and when stores ran out of the dolls, some parents resorted to online auctions to secure one for their child.
21. Another plush gizmo, animatronic Furbies spoke their own "language" and became wildly successful in late 1998. Although they retailed for $30, they often fetched $100 or more online from desperate parents. More than 27 million Furbies sold in the first year, and a new, revamped Furby was introduced in 2005 with new features, including advanced voice recognition, so Furby can respond to questions based on its "mood."
2000s
22. The big fad toy of 2000 was the scooter, with approximately five million sold that year. These foot-propelled devices, a spin-off of the 1950s models, were made of lightweight aluminum and used tiny, low friction wheels similar to those on in-line skates. Weighing about ten pounds, they could be folded up and easily stored. Yet the scooters were relatively dangerous until operators became skilled at riding them. From January through October 2000, more than 27,000 people (mostly young males under the age of 15) were treated for scooter-related injuries.
23. Popular with kids of the new millennium (and adults, too), Heelys are a brand of sneakers with one or more wheels embedded in the soles. Somewhat similar to in-line skates, Heelys enable the wearer to roll from place to place, rather than mundanely walking. As of March 2006, manufacturer Heelys, Inc. has sold more than two million of these specialty sneaks, which are available in a wide variety of styles and colors for the whole family. And for added convenience and safety, they also sell helmets!
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS:
Helen Davies, Marjorie Dorfman, Mary Fons, Deborah Hawkins, Martin Hintz, Linnea Lundgren, David Priess, Julia Clark Robinson, Paul Seaburn, Heidi Stevens, and Steve Theunissen
http://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/23-must-have-toys-from-the-1950s-and-beyond.htm/printable
Times have changed since the days when an imaginative kid was happy to play with an empty cardboard box. Today, about 2.6 billion toys are sold every year, creating a $20.3 billion industry. It seems that every decade manufacturers create a toy that launches a buying craze. Some just flash past on their way to a rummage sale table; others are timeless treasures. So without further ado, here are some of the best toy fads of the 20th century.
1950s
1. Silly Putty was developed in 1943 when James Wright, a General Electric researcher, was seeking a synthetic rubber substitute. His silicone-based polymer was elastic, could bounce, be easily molded, and always held its shape. Parents liked the fact that the putty was nontoxic and nonirritating. Since its debut as a toy in 1950, more than 300 million eggs of Silly Putty have been sold.
2. In 1943, naval engineer Richard James stumbled across an invention that would become a beloved toy worldwide. Made of 87 feet of flat wire coiled into a three-inch-diameter circle, the Slinky could "walk" down stairs when one end was placed on one step and the other on the step below. The classic slinky really took off in the 1950s, and today more than 300 million of the simple-yet-clever toys have sold worldwide.
©2007 Mattel
Barbie was created
in 1959.
3. Mr. Potato Head, with his interchangeable facial features, was patented in 1952 and was the first toy to be advertised on television. But for the first eight years, parents had to supply children with a real potato until a plastic potato body was included in 1960.
4. Intending to create a wallpaper cleaner, Joseph and Noah McVicker invented Play-Doh in 1955. Initially available in only one color (off-white) and in a 1.5-pound can, Play-Doh now comes in a rainbow of colors. The recipe remains a secret, but more than 700 million pounds of this nontoxic goop have sold since its introduction.
5. The concept of the hula hoop had been around for centuries. Then, in the late 1950s, Wham-O, a maverick California toy company, rolled out a plastic hoop for swivel-hipped kids. The concept caught on and 25 million sold in the first six months. They cost $1.98 each, and, by 1958, 100 million of them had been sold around the world -- except in Japan and the Soviet Union where they were said to represent the "emptiness of American culture." Ouch.
Barbie leads off the list of toys continued on the next page.
Some of the toys on this section of the list are still popular favorites today.
6. Barbie vamped onto the toy scene in 1959, the creation of Ruth Handler and her husband Elliot, who along with Harold Matson founded the Mattel toy company. Handler noticed that her daughter Barbara (Barbie) and her friends played with an adult female doll from Switzerland more than their baby dolls. So, Handler came up with her "Barbie" concept, and the rest is toy history.
7. Chatty Cathy, also released by the Mattel Corporation in 1959, was the era's second most popular doll. Yakking her way onto store shelves, Cathy could speak 11 phrases when a string in her back was pulled. "I love you" or "Please take me with you" could be disconcerting at first, but Chatty Cathy was a '50s classic.
8. Betsy Wetsy also made a splash with 1950s-era children. Created by the Ideal Toy Company, Betsy's already-open mouth would accept a liquid-filled bottle. The premise was simple and straightforward: Whatever goes in quickly comes out the other end, helping youngsters gain valuable diaper-changing experience.
1960s
9. Since 1963, when they were first introduced, more than 16 million Easy Bake Ovens have been sold. A light bulb provided the heat source for baking mini-cakes in America's first working toy oven. The original color was a trendy turquoise, and the stoves also sported a carrying handle and fake range top. As children, several celebrity chefs, including Bobby Flay, owned an Easy Bake Oven, which perhaps provided inspiration for their future careers.
10. Toy lovers have to salute manufacturer Hasbro for its G.I. Joe action figure, which first marched out in 1964. The 11-1/2-inch-tall doll for boys had 21 moving parts and was the world's first action figure. Hasbro's 40th Anniversary G.I. Joe collection in 2004 included a re-creation of the original doll, his clothes, accessories, and even the packaging. Nostalgic Joe pals snapped up thousands of these new recruits.
11. Hot Wheels screeched into the toy world in 1968, screaming out of Mattel's concept garage with 16 miniature autos. The glamorous Python, Custom Cougar, and Hot Heap immediately attracted attention and plenty of buyers. Track sets were also released in the same year so that children could simulate a real auto race. Today, more than 15 million people collect Hot Wheels cars.
Continue through the toys of the '70s and '80s on the next page.
23 Must-Have Toys from the 1950s and Beyond, 12-17
The Cabbage Patch Doll, which is listed in this section, caused one of the biggest toy crazes of the 1980s.
1970s
12. "Weebles wobble but they don't fall down..." This was the unforgettable advertising slogan for these egg-shaped playthings first released by Hasbro in 1971. Each weeble had a sticker mounted on its short, fat "body" so it resembled a human or an animal. At the height of their popularity, the Weeble family had its own tree house and cottage, and a host of other characters and accessories were also produced, including a firefighter and fire truck, a playground, and a circus complete with a ringmaster, clown, and trapeze artist.
13. Also extremely popular in the '70s, the Big Wheel was the chosen mode of transportation for most young boys, and many girls, too. With its 16-inch front wheel and fat rear tires, this low-riding, spiffed up tricycle was even a hit with parents, who considered it safer than a standard trike.
1980s
14. Strawberry Shortcake was the sweetest-smelling doll of the 1980s. Created in 1977 by Muriel Fahrion for American Greetings, the company expanded the toy line in the 1980s to include Strawberry's friends and their pets. Each doll had a fruit- or dessert-scented theme complete with scented hair. Accessories, clothes, bedding, stickers, movies, and games followed, but by 1985 the fad had waned. The characters were revived in the 2000s with DVDs, video games, an animated TV series, and even a full-length animated film.
15. Xavier Roberts was a teenager when he launched his Babyland General Hospital during the 1970s in Cleveland, Georgia, allowing children to adopt a "baby." In 1983, the Coleco toy company started mass-producing these dolls as Cabbage Patch Kids. Each "kid" came with a unique name and a set of adoption papers, and stores couldn't keep them on the shelves, selling more than three million of the dolls in the first year.
16. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles were created by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird, who had both studied art history. As such, they named their characters Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello, and Michelangelo. In 1984, with a mere $1,200, the Turtle creators launched the swashbuckling terrapins in a black-and-white comic book. More comics, as well as an animated television series, clothing, toys, and several full-length feature films followed, proving that the Green Team could earn some green, as well.
17. One of the biggest toy crazes of the 1980s was the brain-teasing Rubik's Cube. Created by Hungarian architect Erno Rubik, this perplexing puzzle was first introduced in 1977, and from 1980 to 1982 more than 100 million of the cubes sold. It sparked a trend and similar puzzles were created in various shapes, such as a pyramid and a sphere. The Rubik's Cube has seen a recent resurgence in popularity and retains a place of honor on many desktops.
Follow the toy path to its finish on the next page.
23 Must-Have Toys from the 1950s and Beyond, 18-23
Below are the final six must-have toys from the 1990s and today.
1990s
18. From 1996 until around 1999, you couldn't escape the Beanie Baby. Like Cabbage Patch Kids and troll dolls of decades past, Ty Warner's Beanie Babies became a nationwide toy-collecting craze. The little plush-bodied, bean-filled animals came in dozens of different styles and colors and had special tags that included a poetic description of the character and its name. To feed the frenzy, Ty limited the release of certain Beanies and therefore sent the price of characters such as the "Blue Elephant" into the thousands. The fad died out before the millennium, but Beanie Babies still grace cubicles around the world.
19. Based on a Japanese toy called "Poketto Monstaa," Pokemon were tiny "pocket monsters" that battled each other when ordered by their "trainer." In 1996, Nintendo adapted the Japanese characters to promote its portable video game system, Game Boy. Pokemon trading cards and a television series were also wildly popular.
20. Undoubtedly the must-have toy of 1996, the immensely popular Tickle Me Elmo doll was based on the furry, red Sesame Street character. He'd giggle, saying, "Oh boy, that tickles," when he was tickled or squeezed. Manufacturer Tyco sold more than a million of the creatures that year, and when stores ran out of the dolls, some parents resorted to online auctions to secure one for their child.
21. Another plush gizmo, animatronic Furbies spoke their own "language" and became wildly successful in late 1998. Although they retailed for $30, they often fetched $100 or more online from desperate parents. More than 27 million Furbies sold in the first year, and a new, revamped Furby was introduced in 2005 with new features, including advanced voice recognition, so Furby can respond to questions based on its "mood."
2000s
22. The big fad toy of 2000 was the scooter, with approximately five million sold that year. These foot-propelled devices, a spin-off of the 1950s models, were made of lightweight aluminum and used tiny, low friction wheels similar to those on in-line skates. Weighing about ten pounds, they could be folded up and easily stored. Yet the scooters were relatively dangerous until operators became skilled at riding them. From January through October 2000, more than 27,000 people (mostly young males under the age of 15) were treated for scooter-related injuries.
23. Popular with kids of the new millennium (and adults, too), Heelys are a brand of sneakers with one or more wheels embedded in the soles. Somewhat similar to in-line skates, Heelys enable the wearer to roll from place to place, rather than mundanely walking. As of March 2006, manufacturer Heelys, Inc. has sold more than two million of these specialty sneaks, which are available in a wide variety of styles and colors for the whole family. And for added convenience and safety, they also sell helmets!
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS:
Helen Davies, Marjorie Dorfman, Mary Fons, Deborah Hawkins, Martin Hintz, Linnea Lundgren, David Priess, Julia Clark Robinson, Paul Seaburn, Heidi Stevens, and Steve Theunissen
http://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/23-must-have-toys-from-the-1950s-and-beyond.htm/printable
53 Slang Terms by Decade
by the Editors of Publications International, Ltd.
Every generation has its slang -- new words and phrases that allow kids to communicate without their parents understanding. Read on to learn some of the most popular slang terms through the decades.
1920s
1. 23 skiddoo -- to get going; move along; leave; or scram
2. The cat's pajamas -- the best; the height of excellence
3. Gams -- legs
4. The real McCoy -- sincere; genuine; the real thing
5. Hotsy-totsy -- perfect
6. Moll -- a female companion of a gangster
7. Speakeasy -- a place where alcohol was illegally sold and drunk during Prohibition
8. The bee's knees -- excellent; outstanding
1930s
9. I'll be a monkey's uncle -- sign of disbelief; I don't believe it!
10. Gig -- a job
11. Girl Friday -- a secretary or female assistant
12. Juke joint -- a casual and inexpensive establishment with drinking, dancing, and blues music, typically in the southeastern United States
13. Skivvies -- men's underwear
1940s
14. Blockbuster -- a huge success
15. Keeping up with the Joneses -- competing to have a lifestyle or socioeconomic status comparable to one's neighbors
16. Cool -- excellent; clever; sophisticated; fashionable; or enjoyable
17. Sitting in the hot seat -- in a highly uncomfortable or embarrassing situation
18. Smooch -- kiss
1950s
19. Big brother is watching you -- someone of authority is monitoring your actions
20. Boo-boo -- a mistake; a wound
21. Hi-fi -- high fidelity; a record player or turntable
22. Hipster -- an innovative and trendy person
1960s
23. Daddy-o -- a man; used to address a hipster or beatnik
24. Groovy -- cool; hip; excellent
25. Hippie -- derived from hipster; a young adult who rebelled against established institutions, criticized middle-class values, opposed the Vietnam War, and promoted sexual freedom
26. The Man -- a person of authority; a group in power
1970s
27. Catch you on the flip side -- see you later
28. Dig it -- to like or understand something
29. Get down/Boogie -- dance
30. Mind-blowing -- unbelievable; originally an expression for the effects of hallucinogenic drugs
31. Pump iron -- lift weights
32. Workaholic -- a person who works too much or is addicted to his or her job
1980s
33. Bodacious -- beautiful
34. Chillin' -- relaxing
35. Dweeb -- a nerd; someone who is not cool
36. Fly -- cool; very hip
37. Gag me with a spoon -- disgusting
38. Gnarly -- exceptional; very cool
39. Preppy -- one who dresses in designer clothing and has a neat, clean-cut appearance
40. Wicked -- excellent; great
41. Yuppie -- Young Urban Professional; a college-educated person with a well-paying job who lives near a big city; often associated with a materialistic and superficial personality
1990s
42. Diss -- show disrespect
43. Get jiggy -- dance; flirt
44. Homey/Homeboy -- a friend or buddy
45. My bad -- my mistake
46. Phat -- cool or hip; highly attractive; hot
47. Wassup? -- What's up?; How are you?
48. Word -- yes; I agree
2000s
49. Barney Bag -- a gigantic purse
50. Newbie -- a newcomer; someone who is inexperienced
51. Peeps -- friends; people
52. Rents -- parents
53. Sweet -- beyond cool
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS:
Helen Davies, Marjorie Dorfman, Mary Fons, Deborah Hawkins, Martin Hintz, Linnea Lundgren, David Priess, Julia Clark Robinson, Paul Seaburn, Heidi Stevens, and Steve Theunissen
http://people.howstuffworks.com/53-slang-terms-by-decade.htm
Every generation has its slang -- new words and phrases that allow kids to communicate without their parents understanding. Read on to learn some of the most popular slang terms through the decades.
1920s
1. 23 skiddoo -- to get going; move along; leave; or scram
2. The cat's pajamas -- the best; the height of excellence
3. Gams -- legs
4. The real McCoy -- sincere; genuine; the real thing
5. Hotsy-totsy -- perfect
6. Moll -- a female companion of a gangster
7. Speakeasy -- a place where alcohol was illegally sold and drunk during Prohibition
8. The bee's knees -- excellent; outstanding
1930s
9. I'll be a monkey's uncle -- sign of disbelief; I don't believe it!
10. Gig -- a job
11. Girl Friday -- a secretary or female assistant
12. Juke joint -- a casual and inexpensive establishment with drinking, dancing, and blues music, typically in the southeastern United States
13. Skivvies -- men's underwear
1940s
14. Blockbuster -- a huge success
15. Keeping up with the Joneses -- competing to have a lifestyle or socioeconomic status comparable to one's neighbors
16. Cool -- excellent; clever; sophisticated; fashionable; or enjoyable
17. Sitting in the hot seat -- in a highly uncomfortable or embarrassing situation
18. Smooch -- kiss
1950s
19. Big brother is watching you -- someone of authority is monitoring your actions
20. Boo-boo -- a mistake; a wound
21. Hi-fi -- high fidelity; a record player or turntable
22. Hipster -- an innovative and trendy person
1960s
23. Daddy-o -- a man; used to address a hipster or beatnik
24. Groovy -- cool; hip; excellent
25. Hippie -- derived from hipster; a young adult who rebelled against established institutions, criticized middle-class values, opposed the Vietnam War, and promoted sexual freedom
26. The Man -- a person of authority; a group in power
1970s
27. Catch you on the flip side -- see you later
28. Dig it -- to like or understand something
29. Get down/Boogie -- dance
30. Mind-blowing -- unbelievable; originally an expression for the effects of hallucinogenic drugs
31. Pump iron -- lift weights
32. Workaholic -- a person who works too much or is addicted to his or her job
1980s
33. Bodacious -- beautiful
34. Chillin' -- relaxing
35. Dweeb -- a nerd; someone who is not cool
36. Fly -- cool; very hip
37. Gag me with a spoon -- disgusting
38. Gnarly -- exceptional; very cool
39. Preppy -- one who dresses in designer clothing and has a neat, clean-cut appearance
40. Wicked -- excellent; great
41. Yuppie -- Young Urban Professional; a college-educated person with a well-paying job who lives near a big city; often associated with a materialistic and superficial personality
1990s
42. Diss -- show disrespect
43. Get jiggy -- dance; flirt
44. Homey/Homeboy -- a friend or buddy
45. My bad -- my mistake
46. Phat -- cool or hip; highly attractive; hot
47. Wassup? -- What's up?; How are you?
48. Word -- yes; I agree
2000s
49. Barney Bag -- a gigantic purse
50. Newbie -- a newcomer; someone who is inexperienced
51. Peeps -- friends; people
52. Rents -- parents
53. Sweet -- beyond cool
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS:
Helen Davies, Marjorie Dorfman, Mary Fons, Deborah Hawkins, Martin Hintz, Linnea Lundgren, David Priess, Julia Clark Robinson, Paul Seaburn, Heidi Stevens, and Steve Theunissen
http://people.howstuffworks.com/53-slang-terms-by-decade.htm
GAME THEORY IS CONCERNED WITH RATIONAL WAYS OF PLAYING
Here is a fascinating little blurb I found (somewhere). Think about how to use this not in games or roleplaying but in a detective story. A.D.
GAME THEORY IS CONCERNED WITH RATIONAL WAYS OF PLAYING
BY A. D. DeGroot
Thought and choice...
[...]The rapid insight of the masterplayer into the possibilities of a newly shown position, his immediate 'seeing' of structural and dynamic essentials, of possible combinatorial gimmicks, and so forth, are only understandable if we realize that as a result of his "experience" he quite literally 'sees' the position in a totally different (and much more adequate) way than a weaker player.
The vast difference between the two in efficiency, particularly in the amount of time to find out what the core problem is ( ' what's cooking really ' ) and to discover highly specific, adequate means of thought and field action, need not and must not be primarily ascribed to large differences in ' natural ' power for abstraction.
The difference is mainly due to differences in perception.
It is above all " the treasury of ready experience " which put the masterplayer that much ahead of the others.
His extremely extensive widely branched and highly organized system of knowledge and experience enables him, first, to recognize immediately a position as one belonging to an unwritten category with corresponding field means to be applied, and second, to 'see' immediately and in a highly adequate way its specific, individual features against the background of the category.
It is no accident that the word ' seeing ', as used here, stands both for perception and abstraction. The two processes tend to fuse together; they are difficult to distinguish. But if a masterplayer and a weaker player are
compared, often the former literally 'sees' possibilities that are deeply hidden for the latter, possibilities that the latter must first try to discover, calculate, think out, or deduce in order in his turn to be able to ' see ' them.
In other words, the difference in achievement between the masterplayer and non-master rest primarily on the fact that the masterplayer, basing himself on an enormous experience, [ can start his operational thinking at a much more advanced stage ] and can consequently function much more specifically and efficiently in his problem-solving field.
GAME THEORY IS CONCERNED WITH RATIONAL WAYS OF PLAYING
BY A. D. DeGroot
Thought and choice...
[...]The rapid insight of the masterplayer into the possibilities of a newly shown position, his immediate 'seeing' of structural and dynamic essentials, of possible combinatorial gimmicks, and so forth, are only understandable if we realize that as a result of his "experience" he quite literally 'sees' the position in a totally different (and much more adequate) way than a weaker player.
The vast difference between the two in efficiency, particularly in the amount of time to find out what the core problem is ( ' what's cooking really ' ) and to discover highly specific, adequate means of thought and field action, need not and must not be primarily ascribed to large differences in ' natural ' power for abstraction.
The difference is mainly due to differences in perception.
It is above all " the treasury of ready experience " which put the masterplayer that much ahead of the others.
His extremely extensive widely branched and highly organized system of knowledge and experience enables him, first, to recognize immediately a position as one belonging to an unwritten category with corresponding field means to be applied, and second, to 'see' immediately and in a highly adequate way its specific, individual features against the background of the category.
It is no accident that the word ' seeing ', as used here, stands both for perception and abstraction. The two processes tend to fuse together; they are difficult to distinguish. But if a masterplayer and a weaker player are
compared, often the former literally 'sees' possibilities that are deeply hidden for the latter, possibilities that the latter must first try to discover, calculate, think out, or deduce in order in his turn to be able to ' see ' them.
In other words, the difference in achievement between the masterplayer and non-master rest primarily on the fact that the masterplayer, basing himself on an enormous experience, [ can start his operational thinking at a much more advanced stage ] and can consequently function much more specifically and efficiently in his problem-solving field.
Fingerprint Information
Are fingerprints inherited... are they more similar between family members than between strangers?
The general shape or overall pattern of finger and palm prints can be inherited. Family members will often have similar patterns or designs (whorls, loops, etc.) on the same fingers of their hands. The tiny details in the fingerprint ridges, however, are not inherited and are different between all friction skin areas of all persons... even between twins.
The overall general flow or pattern (Level 1 detail) of friction ridges on human hands and feet is governed primarily by the height and position of the volar pads formed before birth. The formation of the volar pads is affected by inherited traits from the parents. High pads will form whorls, low pads arches, a medium height pad to one side a loop, etc. Thus twins or close relatives may have very similar ridge flow patterns (also called finger or palm print classification).
A few related articles are listed as follows:
Heredity in Fingerprints ,G. Shahan, ID News, Vol XX, No. 4, pp. 1, 10-14.
A Family Fingerprint Project, J.S. McCANN, ID News, May 1975, pp. 7-11.
Inherited Characteristics In Fingerprints: (or Theory of Relativity), T. Jones, The Print, Vol 4, No. 5.
Fingerprint patterns are inherited and thus non-fingerprint experts looking in a police fingerprint file must be careful not to confuse fingerprint records of close relatives based on fingerprint classification (Level 1 detail). Likewise, a National Crime Information Center Fingerprint Classification Code (FPC) may be very similar for close relatives.
The actual finger and palm print detail used to effect an identification is not inherited and experts have no problem differentiating even identical twins
Only the overall whorl, loop, etc., patterns are inherited. The police might confuse your fingerprints with your twin brother's... for about ten seconds. The moment they put a magnifying glass on them they will see obvious differences.
The general shape or overall pattern of finger and palm prints can be inherited. Family members will often have similar patterns or designs (whorls, loops, etc.) on the same fingers of their hands. The tiny details in the fingerprint ridges, however, are not inherited and are different between all friction skin areas of all persons... even between twins.
The overall general flow or pattern (Level 1 detail) of friction ridges on human hands and feet is governed primarily by the height and position of the volar pads formed before birth. The formation of the volar pads is affected by inherited traits from the parents. High pads will form whorls, low pads arches, a medium height pad to one side a loop, etc. Thus twins or close relatives may have very similar ridge flow patterns (also called finger or palm print classification).
A few related articles are listed as follows:
Heredity in Fingerprints ,G. Shahan, ID News, Vol XX, No. 4, pp. 1, 10-14.
A Family Fingerprint Project, J.S. McCANN, ID News, May 1975, pp. 7-11.
Inherited Characteristics In Fingerprints: (or Theory of Relativity), T. Jones, The Print, Vol 4, No. 5.
Fingerprint patterns are inherited and thus non-fingerprint experts looking in a police fingerprint file must be careful not to confuse fingerprint records of close relatives based on fingerprint classification (Level 1 detail). Likewise, a National Crime Information Center Fingerprint Classification Code (FPC) may be very similar for close relatives.
The actual finger and palm print detail used to effect an identification is not inherited and experts have no problem differentiating even identical twins
Only the overall whorl, loop, etc., patterns are inherited. The police might confuse your fingerprints with your twin brother's... for about ten seconds. The moment they put a magnifying glass on them they will see obvious differences.
Quotes
Carl Sagan - "Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known."
Those who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream only by night. -- Edgar Allan Poe, "Eleonora," US short story author, editor, & poet (1809 - 1849)
"Love me when I least deserve it, because that's when I really need it. " - Swedish proverb
"When I kill a man it's cause he needs killing." Sniper 3 quote
Fast is fine, but accuracy is everything. -- Wyatt Earp
Rest is to the week what holes are to lace.
Those who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream only by night. -- Edgar Allan Poe, "Eleonora," US short story author, editor, & poet (1809 - 1849)
"Love me when I least deserve it, because that's when I really need it. " - Swedish proverb
"When I kill a man it's cause he needs killing." Sniper 3 quote
Fast is fine, but accuracy is everything. -- Wyatt Earp
Rest is to the week what holes are to lace.
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