Reading with Style discussion

Post questions about the RwS Summer 2013 Challenge here.

Concerning "20.6 MLB 32 Teams", I believe the correct number of teams is 30.

http://mlb.mlb.com/team/index.jsp

and

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mlb

Great set of tasks!

Ha! Well, shucks. Care to propose a couple of expansion teams?

My family and I have this debate all the time! 32 NFL, 30 MLB! But when I ask my uncles (who have lived in the DC Metro area forever!), they always include the Senators and the Expos (who are now, of course the Nationals). Someday, maybe there will be 32 teams. ;)

Is the task going to stay at the 3 and 2 in the page count, though? Hoping so;)

Yes, keep the 3 and the 2.

Another question about "20.6 MLB 32 Teams":

Will the scorekeepers automatically use the Goodreads database for page count of the most popular edition, or will they be double-checking each book on WorldCat?

The reason I ask is that I noticed that Goodreads has the page count of The Chimney Sweeper's Boy by Barbara Vine at 352 pages (book would qualify for task). However, WorldCat has that same ISBN listed at 344 pages (book does not qualify). http://www.worldcat.org/title/chimney...

There are probably lots of other books with page count discrepancies.

Just wanted to know in advance if we need to verify page counts on all books for this task, and if so, would we use BPL or WorldCat? (BPL does not have this ISBN listed.)

We always use the GR most popular edition page count. However, if someone points out that the GR database is incorrect, we will correct it.

Regarding the possibility of claiming the completion bonus more than once (not that there's a chance I will, but just because I like to know) - do you have to complete all the tasks the first time before starting to read for tasks for the second time around?

That doesn't sound very clear but I hope you know what I mean!

Very clear. No you just need to have completed each task twice before you can claim the 2nd completion bonus. You could complete 19 tasks twice (38 books) without finishing the first time, and then read that last task twice in a row and quickly get 2 finishers, if that's the way your reading works for you.

Don (The Book Guy) wrote: "If the body of water wins for task 10.3 as it looks like it will, does this book work for that task?

Good Harbor"

We're going to say no to this one, Don. Harbor stretches it a bit, being a part of another body of water, and it has other connotations as well that have nothing to do with water.

Don (The Book Guy) wrote: "I was looking at a possible combo."

It's fun to try to squeeze out every last 5 points - and to perhaps make our final decisions as to what to read based on them!

Is there a post thread for 10.5: Smithsonian Day? Or are my tired "computer eyes" playing tricks on me? :)

No, bu I'll go make one if you have questions. We don't usually have one for every task.

Oh, gotcha. I was just going to make some suggestions for people. If I shouldn't, just let me know. No biggie!

Camille wrote: "Oh, gotcha. I was just going to make some suggestions for people. If I shouldn't, just let me know. No biggie!"

That's fine - and it's obvious you've already done the research. Members may appreciate seeing something that had not yet caught their attention.

I'm about to finish A House of Pomegranates by Oscar Wilde for Go Visit the Neighbors and I'm curious about style points. It looks like BPL just has an ebook from Project Gutenberg listed. There's no Lexile and it's not on the canon list. I bought a print on demand copy:

A House of Pomegranates

Thanks!

Karen GHHS wrote: "I'm about to finish A House of Pomegranates by Oscar Wilde for Go Visit the Neighbors and I'm curious about style points. It looks like BPL just has an ebook from Project Gutenberg listed. There's ..."

As this title itself is not given any YA designation, we won't consider any lexile either. You're good to go with it. Lucky you! It just gets over the 100 page line! ;-)

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Karen GHHS wrote: "I'm about to finish A House of Pomegranates by Oscar Wilde for Go Visit the Neighbors and I'm curious about style points. It looks like BPL just has an ebook from Project Gutenbe..."

Thanks, Elizabeth,
My copy has 106 pages, so it's not quite as close as the 101 most popular edition;) I already read one story collection of Wilde's and enjoyed it, so when I saw this on the Victorians list, it looked like a good choice. It's a pleasant surprise to get the style points, too!

For some reason, I can no longer open the link for 10.1. is it because of Apple? I was able to open it before.

Try again - it's been converted to Google docs, so there shouldn't be a problem.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/c...

How do you do spoiler tags?

how do I get in Google Docs? Do I have to have a gmail account?

Jayme(the ghost reader) wrote: "How do you do spoiler tags?"

<"spoiler>-type text here-<"/spoiler>

Deleting the quotation marks in the above results in:
(view spoiler)[-type text here- (hide spoiler)]

If you click on the (some html is ok) link above the comment box it has the code for some basic text effects such as bold, italics, underline, strike through as well.

Rebekah wrote: "how do I get in Google Docs? Do I have to have a gmail account?"

That was set up so that anyone with the link could access it. What happens when you click the link?

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Rebekah wrote: "how do I get in Google Docs? Do I have to have a gmail account?"

That was set up so that anyone with the link could access it. What happens when you click the link?"

https://accounts.google.com/ServiceLo...

Rebekah wrote: "Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Rebekah wrote: "how do I get in Google Docs? Do I have to have a gmail account?"

That was set up so that anyone with the link could access it. What happens when you clic..."

I don't understand, Rebekah. That is the list.

You only get the list if you are logged in to gmail.

It is setup for anyone with the link can view, no sign in required.

Can you see the Smithsonian Day file?

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "It is setup for anyone with the link can view, no sign in required.

Can you see the Smithsonian Day file?"

I can see the files. I do know from working with students and staff at school who are using Explorer, that often that browser will cause problems opening links from Google Apps. Chrome and Safari are good and so is Firefox. Could the browser be the problem?

I have safari. When I click it I get a page to sign into my account. I don't have a gmail account.

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "It is setup for anyone with the link can view, no sign in required.

Can you see the Smithsonian Day file?"

No I get the same message. I was able to see a few weeks ago and had written down some of the books I might read for these tasks but when I tried to go back the other day to check on other books, then I started having the trouble

Any idea about looking at the document?

I don't know why you'd have to log into Google (you didn't have to before), but can you create an account and do so?

I am really curious about this and whether Google is playing "monopoly" and has changed something to make people need an account to access these links when it was not necessary before. That said, Rebekah, it is simple to open an account and I do use both my home and school Google accounts constantly and love the services Google provides.

I think you don't even have to use your regular email. You can sign up for gmail and then never use that email address.

Have you tried this link:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AjNYiu5YFfj8dFoyMTJJNWhIVmd4dlltZjhoS09LcGc#gid=0?
It looks like it is different than the one in message No. 28.

itpdx wrote: "Have you tried this link:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/c...?
It looks like it is different than the one in message No. 28."

That worked! I wonder what the deal is?

When does this challenge end, end of this month or end of August?

Jayme(the ghost reader) wrote: "When does this challenge end, end of this month or end of August?"

This one ends August 31.

Oh good, I have some more time.

itpdx wrote: "Have you tried this link:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/c...?
It looks like it is different than the one in message No. 28."

Can you believe it no longer works?! I guess I'll just set up a g-mail account and hope that will do it.

Everyone - google.docs allows you to download or email a document as an attachment under the File menu, upper left on the page. There are options for different file types under the download option, including one as a txt file, so you don't even need a spreadsheet program. When selecting the txt (or comma separated values) option, note that it is for the current sheet only. Some files have more than one sheet.

Honestly, I don't know what all that means but I found I can open with my iPad and from time to time I can open on my apple. I just don't know what I'm doing different when that happens.

Rebekah wrote: "Honestly, I don't know what all that means but I found I can open with my iPad and from time to time I can open on my apple. I just don't know what I'm doing different when that happens."

What that means is that you can have it on your computer and not rely further on google.docs.

Meir Shalev is "a columnist for the Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth" but it appears that his primary occupation is novelist. Would he count as a journalist for 20.5? Thanks

Deedee wrote: "Meir Shalev is "a columnist for the Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth" but it appears that his primary occupation is novelist. Would he count as a journalist for 20.5? Thanks"

No, sorry, his work with TV was not of the reporting type.

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Deedee wrote: "Meir Shalev is "a columnist for the Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth" but it appears that his primary occupation is novelist. Would he count as a journalist for 20.5? Thanks"

No, sor..."

Oh, OK, I though Yedioth Ahronoth was a newspaper.

Deedee wrote: "Oh, OK, I though Yedioth Ahronoth was a newspaper. "

Yes as columnist, which usually means opinion pieces. Sorry I wasn't clear - I tried to see what he did early in his career.