By JILL LAWLESS

The Associated Press

LONDON — From Titanic’s birthplace in a Belfast shipyard to its resting place in the North Atlantic, thousands were gathering Saturday to remember the cruise ship that embarked on its maiden voyage as an icon of Edwardian luxury but became, in a few dark hours 100 years ago, an enduring emblem of tragedy.

The ship was traveling from England to New York, carrying everyone from plutocrats to penniless emigrants, when it struck an iceberg at 11:40 p.m. on April 14, 1912. It sank at 2:20 a.m. on April 15, with the loss of more than 1,500 of the 2,208 passengers and crew.

Aboard the Balmoral, a cruise ship that is taking 1,309 history buffs and descendants of Titanic victims on the route of the doomed voyage, passengers and crew will hold two memorial services at the site of the disaster, 400 miles (640 kilometers) off the coast of Newfoundland — one marking the time when the ship hit the iceberg, the other the moment it sank below the waves.

A minister will lead prayers, floral wreaths will be thrown into the sea and a shipboard band, which has been entertaining guests in the evenings during the cruise, will play “Nearer My God To Thee,” the tune the Titanic’s band kept up as the vessel went down.

The Rev. Huw Mosford, who will lead the prayers, said he hoped the service would be uplifting.

“It will bring healing, it will bring some form of closure, perhaps — but I think it will also bring hope,” he told the BBC.

The cruise seeks to recreate the experience onboard the Titanic — minus the disaster. Many passengers have dressed in period costume for elaborate balls and a formal dinner recreating the last meal served aboard the ship.

Another cruise ship, Journey, left New York on Tuesday and will join Balmoral at the site.

In Belfast, Northern Ireland, where Titanic was built — pride of the Harland & Wolff shipyard — thousands will attend a choral requiem at the Anglican St. Anne’s Cathedral or a nationally televised concert at the city’s Waterfront Hall on Saturday.

The concert will feature performances by Bryan Ferry and soul singer Joss Stone, as well as 100 drummers beating out a new percussion work, “Titanic Drums.” Actors including Kenneth Branagh, Simon Callow and Imelda Staunton will read from contemporary accounts of the disaster.

At the cathedral, the performance of composer Philip Hammond’s “The Requiem for the Lost Souls of the Titanic” will be followed by a torch-lit procession to the Titanic Memorial in the grounds of Belfast city hall.

In the ship’s departure port of Southampton, England, an orchestra will play composer Gavin Bryars’ work “The Sinking of the Titanic,” and a commemoration is planned in Halifax, Nova Scotia, where more than 100 victims of the tragedy are buried.

The most famous maritime disaster in history is being highlighted around the world, even in places without direct links to it.

Venues in Las Vegas, San Diego, Houston and even Singapore are hosting Titanic exhibitions that include artifacts recovered from the site of the wreck. Among them: bottles of perfume, porcelain dishes, even a 17-foot piece of hull.

The centenary of the disaster has been marked with a global outpouring of commemoration and commerce. Events have ranged from the opening of a glossy new tourist attraction telling the ship’s story in Belfast to a 3-D rerelease of James Cameron’s 1997 romantic weepie “Titanic,” which awakened a new generation’s interest in the disaster.

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Jill Lawless can be reached at: http://twitter.com/JillLawless

(This version corrects spelling of Staunton.)

___

April 14, 2012 09:56 AM EDT

Copyright 2012, The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Goodreads.com is a website for book lovers everywhere. If you love to read, and if you love social networking, you should check out Goodreads. The website marries social networking and books in such a way that makes your friends’ reading progress easy to follow and makes it simpler than ever to find your next reading material.

What is Goodreads?

Goodreads is a social network for readers. Like Facebook or Twitter, it allows you to update statuses and share information. Unlike most popular social networks, Goodreads also allows you to show your friends your progress on the book you are reading and to write reviews for everything you’ve ever read. You can see and comment on your friends’ reading progress, as well as create or find a book club group page in your area.

How do you use Goodreads?

Goodreads is simple and intuitive to use. When you sign up for an account, you will be able to find your friends by their email addresses or other social network accounts. Once you have some friends, every time you log in, you will see a timeline of their updates. You can see when they’ve added a book to a list, or when they’ve finished or reviewed a book. As soon as you have an account, you can also start looking for books you’ve read or that you want to read and add them to your lists. Once you finish reading a book, you can go to the book page and review it by giving it any number out of five stars. If you wish to write a longer review, you can do that, too.

Finding Books

If you have ever finished a book and needed a recommendation for what to read next, Goodreads has the answer. Finding your next book has never been easier. Now, not only can you search for individual books you know you want to read and add them to your “to read” list, but you can also easily see what your friends have recently read. When you search through friends’ reviews, you can also see who liked what books, making your selection process even easier. Adding books to your “to read” list can help you keep track of what you want to read next, and seeing what books your friends enjoyed – or didn’t enjoy – can help you populate your list of books to read next.

Goodreads on the Go

Like all good social networks, Goodreads has apps for mobile phones and ways to connect to your other social networks. You can get Goodreads for iPhone and Android by downloading them from the App Store or Android Market. You can also connect your Facebook and Twitter accounts so all of your networks know what you’re reading. Furthermore, you can connect your Amazon Kindle to automatically update your progress on your e-books. Last but not least, you can set up Goodreads to auto-publish book reviews to your WordPress or Blogger blog. Sharing your favorite books has never been easier.

Book Clubs

If you are looking for a book club that meets in your area, or one that meets virtually, you can search for that on Goodreads, too. Similarly, if you want to create a web space for your own book club, you can do that easily; just start a new group on Goodreads and update the page to show what books you’re reading. You can also create events to easily share with members where and when book club meetings and author readings are taking place.

Apple has started sending out emails to Australian customers who may have been misled about the advertised “4G” capabilities of the new iPad.

Apple explains in the email that the new iPad is not compatible with Australian LTE or WiMAX networks, but does support “fast cellular networks” such as HSPA, HSPA+, and DC-HSDPA

The offer for returns is a response to complaints by Australian regulators that Apple’s use of the term “4G” in its Australian marketing may have misled some customers into thinking that the new iPad would work on Australian LTE/WiMAX networks.

Apple is allowing Australians who purchased the new iPad before March 28th to return it for a full refund.

Anchor Man: The Legend of Ron Burgundy was one of Will Ferrell’s funniest and most successful comedies, and now there’s going to be another one. Ferrell appeared in character as Ron Burgundy on Wednesday night to inform Conan O’Brien and the rest of America that the anchorman was returning for a new movie. The details of filming and expected release dates are still to be determined, but given the star-studded cast of the original, it’s probable that there will be a tremendous amount of hype around the new film.

Even though many of the stars of the original have seen improving career trajectories since the first film, none of them have reached a point where it would be unreasonable to expect them to return. Of the core cast, stars like Steve Carell, Paul Rudd and Adam McKay are almost certain to return – and there will surely be a long line of comic actors who would love to make cameo appearances, as Vince Vaughn, Luke Wilson and Ben Stiller did in the first film. Even Christina Applegate, despite her prime time television commitments, would surely arrange her schedule to reprise her role as Veronica Corningstone.

Despite maintaining his status as one of the most iconic comic actors of his generation, Will Ferrell hasn’t enjoyed a tremendous amount of box office success in recent years. He’s had plenty of success developing concepts and comedic vehicles for his production companies and others, but that feature role hasn’t emerged that has taken Ferrell to the next level. A second Anchor Man movie could prove to be the feature role that pushes Will Ferrell over the top. Stay classy, San Diego.

I came across Joining Hands when browsing through the “Great apps for the new iPad” section of the App Store because I was really hoping to find some great apps that support the new iPad‘s Retina display. I’m happy I decided to download this little game. It’s a fun puzzle game that’s both easy to understand and to play.

The story behind the game is that the little creatures, called Peablins, that you encounter in the Whispering Woods need your help grouping them up so that they’re all holding hands. You see, they believe that the only way the Boogyman won’t take you is if you’re holding hands with a friend.

So that’s your goal, make sure every hand of every Peablin is joined with the hand of another Peablin. There are different types of Peablins, though. For example, the common Peablin can have anywhere from 1 to 3 hands and just needs to be in a hexagon next to another Peablin to join hands — the hands will automatically move the correct position. The Brufflin has two inflexible hands, but can be rotated by tapping. The Gooblin doesn’t have hands, only tentacles, and can only be joined by other Gooblins. There’s three other types of Peablins that I haven’t discovered yet.

When the Peablins don’t have all their hands joined, they looks sad and scared. When all their hands are paired up with another Peablin, they light up and get happy. It’s actually pretty cute.

In addition to the goal of joining all the Peablins’ hands, each level has one or more stars placed somewhere on the hexagonal board giving you the additional challenge of placing one of your Peablins on the hexagon with a star. Sometimes you may also find several hearts on a cell. This is called a “Comfort Zone” and any Peablin placed in a Comfort Zone will be happy and unafraid of the Boogyman even if all of his hands aren’t joined with other Peablins.

I’ve found Joining Hands to be a very relaxing game. It’s definitely a puzzle game, but not a super challenging one. For a child, though, it could be very challenging. The levels do get more difficult as you progress and are introduced to new Peablins.

The Good

• Easy to learn
• Great for kids
• Universal for iPhone and iPad
• Retina graphics looks awesome on the new iPad

The Bad

• Takes a while to become challenging

The Conclusion

Joining Hands is a great casual puzzle game that is more relaxing than it is challenging. I think older kids will find it to be acceptably challenging, though, making it a great game to add to the family iPad.

Prior to her role in the much-hyped “The Hunger Games,” Jennifer Lawrence was one of many young women trying to break out from smaller roles. With the attention the new film is garnering, however, Lawrence has all the fame she could have ever wished for, and is likely to never again want for attention from producers and directors. To date, Lawrence’s most pronounced achievement was the Academy Award nomination she received last year for her role in “Winter’s Bone.” She was up against Annette Bening, Nicole Kidman, Natalie Portman and Michelle Williams then. A mere two months later, she got the lead role in The Hunger Games.

Notes Lawrence, “It was fast, but I’m grateful for it. When you get a promotion at your job, you don’t go, ‘God, that was too fast. Can I stay in the mailroom?’ You take it, thankfully. I think I’m as ready as I can be – which is not that ready.” Lawrence’s new role is based on the 2008 book by Suzanne Collins, which is written from the point of view of the character that the young actress will portray.

Director Gary Ross has stuck closely to the book and marvels at Lawrence’s ability. Notes Ross, “I think you see this once every 10 years, someone who comes along with this kind of talent, these sorts of chops, control over what she’s doing, the subtlety she has…at 21 years old, I don’t even understand it. Honest to God, I’m directing this girl and I’m in awe of it a lot of the time. I’ll just go, ‘Damn, how does she do that at her age?’”

If you are like most families in America, your kids probably bug you day in and day out for a pet. Kids love cuddling with animals, and they feel really great when you give them some responsibility and they have a job to do at home. If you’re wondering what animal is right for your family, look no further. Here you will get some ideas for finding the right pet.

Dogs

Dogs are, by far, the most social animal you can get, and that means they require the most responsibility. While it may seem like a great idea to get a dog for your family, consider that your kids will need to be responsible for walking, feeding, and playing with the dog. As children get older, this is often hard to instill in them. With younger children, be cautious because dogs can get rambunctious and hurt children who are smaller than them. Do research on breeds and choose the one that will fit with your family’s activity level if you’re set on getting a dog.

Cats

Cats are less social and require less responsibility than dogs, but there are still jobs the kids can take care of. Cats need to be fed, and the litter box needs to be cleaned. Cats can also be very playful and cuddly, while being gentler to children. Cats are great for families who need a pet that requires less responsibility than a dog.

Smaller, Furry Creatures

Gerbils, hamsters, guinea pigs, rabbits… the list of smaller, furry animals you can welcome into your home goes on and on. These animals require cages that need to be cleaned, and regular feeding and exercise, just like any animal. These smaller animals are often good gateway animals to see if your children can be responsible for taking care of larger animals like cats and dogs. They can clean cages and provide food for these animals as a start toward a larger animal with more responsibility.

Reptiles and Amphibians

Reptiles and amphibians such as lizards and frogs can provide the same training and joy as smaller animals. They also need to be fed and have cages or aquariums that need to be cleaned, but can be great pets for children or families with allergies. There are also lots of kids that are interested in scaly animals, and there is no better learning experience for them than to see the animal up close and personal. These animals also provide great excuses to check out books from the library to learn about them and their counterparts. Find out what they eat, how they move, what kind of habitat they live in and learn as much as you can with your child. The possibilities are endless. However, be sure your child knows to keep the lid on the cage, because waking up in the middle of the night to find your child’s snake crawling across your bedroom floor would not be pleasant.

Fish

Fish are fascinating creatures. Your kids will probably tell you that they are boring pets because you can’t play with them or pet them, but having fish is a great way to learn about the ocean, rivers, and other bodies of water as well as the multitude of different types of fish. Children have to feed the fish on a regular schedule, and not feed them too much or else they will be unhealthy. They can also learn how to clean the tank and provide a healthy environment for their finned companions.

It seems like we now live in a world where virtually every substance we like to consume is either bad for us, being tested to see if it’s bad for us or labeled as bad for us but still used by people like me who really don’t care what any label says. A mere trip to the refrigerator can now be considered the act of a risk taking dare devil.

“Do you realize scientists have done tests on that stuff you’re about to put into your body and discovered the chemicals in it have caused laboratory rats to grow hair like sheep dogs and howl at the moon.”

“It’s a glass of water.”

“I rest my case.”

In an effort to minimize guilt felt by doing all the things not good for me I’ve developed a system that makes enjoyment still possible; I rationalize my behavior.

I know I shouldn’t eat as many sweets as I do. Stock brokers follow me around the grocery store and when they see me reaching for a desert they’ll take out their cellular phones and start calling.

“That’s right it’s candy this week, buy all the chocolate company shares in sight and we should make as much profit as we did last week on the ice cream stock.”

My wife usually expresses her concern for my eating habits in a caring and sensitive manor.

“If you don’t quit stuffing your face with all those sweets people will start calling you the walking blimp.”

That’s when I use my rationalization technique.

“You’ve got to understand I eat all of these things for you.”

My wife then looks at me like I just removed my face to reveal I was the phantom of the opera.

“What are you talking about?”

“The more sweets I eat the less are able to go into your body. I’m always putting you first. Just call me your fat-absorbing commando.”

Due to its graphic content I won’t reveal the specifics of what she said to me.

In the arena of behavior rationalization women will never be considered second to men. With my wife such a thing occurs when she engages in the sacred ritual of shopping.

“Why did you buy that complete set of lawn furniture made out of dog biscuits?”

“Well, it was on sale, the last one they had in stock, I got a discount and had a coupon.”

“But we don’t even own a dog.”

“What’s your point?”

My daughter has developed her own rationalization skills.

“I thought I told you to go to clean up your room over two hours ago. Why isn’t it cleaned?”

“Oh dear father, as a child quickly turning into an adult I thought I would take this moment and ask my understanding parents not to view my room as just a pile of mess but to see my room as simply an artistic expression of my inner personality displayed for the world to see.”

“You’re good but if it isn’t cleaned within an hour your trip to the mall is canceled.”

From our daughter’s room we can hear cleaning being done with mutterings of how parents of artistic children just don’t understand.

The grand master of rationalization is my father. This is a man who can go golfing when there is a tornado or a blizzard and wonder where everybody went. I once asked my dad why he tried to golf in bad weather and he gave an interesting response.

“Because this is a capitalistic country and the money I spend on golfing will help the course owners stay in business, pay their taxes, pay their employees and keep a strong and robust American economy going. Like I always say, ask not what your country can do for you but be sure to play some golf for your country.”

After such a speech I swear I can almost hear someone singing God Bless America.

The main reason people rationalize their behavior is fear of the reaction to their honest and true feelings from those around them. Scientists agree that if everyone on the planet told the truth simultaneously for even the smallest period of time the combined force from such honesty could cause the earth to rotate off its axis. Due to the fact that our world is inhabited by many species of lawyers, politicians and honesty-challenged individuals we can rest assured there is no chance of such an event ever occurring.

We all acknowledge that it takes a lot of courage to always tell the truth and be honest. It seems as if the problem with our world of today is that so many people have spent so much of their time avoiding truth and reality that being honest is slowly evolving into an unknown concept.

Other Humor by the Author

The Art of the Argument

Disorganized Sports

Video Game Memoirs

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