torrential, afoot, run (or take) its course, run the gamut, preorder, Harry Potter, jugglers, whisk broom, gauntlet

The furore over the “Panama papers” suggests that leaks will do more than any politician to sink tax havens

The Panama papers: a torrential leak

A huge trove of documents has revealed the secrets of offshore business, presaging tougher times for tax havens

ECON.ST

The hideous monster of F.W. Murnau's "Nosferatu" first creeped onto our screens on this day in 1922. Have vampire films now run their course?

Africans have been waiting for decades for the mains electricity which the rich world takes for granted. Sub-Saharan Africa’s 910m people consume less electricity each year than the 4.8m people of Alabama. Many more who are on the grid suffer brown-outs and dangerous surges in current. But a solar revolution is afoot.


Archive: Mains electricity is scarce and unreliable in Africa, but a solar revolution is afoot. The Economist explains why social power is spreading so fast in Africa http://econ.st/1H74jxN


During the Asian financial crisis in 1998, South Koreans rallied behind domestic products. Coke and BMW cars were out, “815 cola” and home-grown Hyundais were in. But appeals to patriotism seem to have run their course, and South Koreans have rediscovered their fascination for all things foreign. The reason: locals are fed up of paying over the odds, and are looking elsewhere http://econ.st/1J2BaVP
 As the summer season officially gets underway this week, The Times has everything you need to know about the arts scene across the nation and across the world — with insights and perspective that run the gamut from early music to new; from ballet to modern dance; from opera to theater; from antiquities to contemporary art; from TV to film; from comedy to tragedy; and much more.


Torrential rain causes flooding across large areas of northern England and Scotland, with some people forced to leave their homes.

Cameron throws Scots independence gauntlet

By Kiran Stacey,Andrew Bolger in London, in Edinburgh

David Cameron, British prime minister, has challenged Scotland’s first minister to hold a referendum on independence, paving the way for a vote that could trigger the collapse of the United Kingdom.

also gant·let (gônt'lĭt, gänt'-)
n.

1. A protective glove worn with medieval armor.
2. A protective glove with a flared cuff, used in manual labor, in certain sports, and for driving.
3. A challenge: throw down the gauntlet; take up the gauntlet.
4. A dress glove cuffed above the wrist.

[Middle English, from Old French gantelet, diminutive of gant, glove, from Frankish *want.]

gauntlet
gaunt·let² also gant·let (gônt'lĭt, gänt'-)
n.

1. 1. A form of punishment or torture in which people armed with sticks or other weapons arrange themselves in two lines facing each other and beat the person forced to run between them.
   2. The lines of people so arranged.
2. An onslaught or attack from all sides: "The hostages . . . ran the gauntlet of insult on their way to the airport" (Harper's).
3. A severe trial; an ordeal.

[Alteration (influenced by GAUNTLET¹) of gantlope, from Swedish gatlopp : gata, lane (from Old Norse) + lopp, course, running (from Middle Low German lōp).]

WORD HISTORY The spelling gauntlet is acceptable for both gauntlet meaning "glove" or "challenge" and gauntlet meaning "a form of punishment in which lines of men beat a person forced to run between them"; but this has not always been the case. The story of the gauntlet used in to throw down the gauntlet is linguistically unexciting: it comes from the Old French word gantelet, a diminutive of gant, "glove." From the time of its appearance in Middle English (in a work composed in 1449), the word has been spelled with an au as well as an a, still a possible spelling. But the gauntlet used in to run the gauntlet is an alteration of the earlier English form gantlope, which came from the Swedish word gatlopp, a compound of gata, "lane," and lopp, "course." The earliest recorded form of the English word, found in 1646, is gantelope, showing that alteration of the Swedish word had already occurred. The English word was then influenced by the spelling of the word gauntlet, "glove," and in 1676 we find the first recorded instance of the spelling gauntlet for this word, although gantelope is found as late as 1836. From then on spellings with au and a are both found, but the au seems to have won out.

Nook In-Store Sales Are Delayed

Barnes & Noble said customers won't be able to buy and take home Nook electronic book readers on Monday, because the bookstore chain is intent on fulfilling preorders.

Spotlight

W.C. Fields

Before he became known for his biting comedy and his propensity for alcohol, W.C. Fields was a successful juggler. He was slim and handsome, wore baggy clothes and called himself "The Eccentric Tramp Juggler"; he chose to juggle in silence, so as not to distract the audience from concentrating on his talents and tricks. Fields' props included six tennis balls, several cigar boxes, a walking stick, a top hat and sundry other items. A popular trick he performed was to balance a top hat, cigar and whisk broom on his foot and then, with a kick, catapult the hat to his head, the cigar to his mouth and the broom to his back pocket. W.C. Fields was born on this date in 1880.

run (or take) its course

8

Complete its natural development without interference:his illness had to run its course to the crisisThe doctor's ​advice is to ​let the ​fever run ​its ​course.I had to ​accept that the ​relationship had run ​its ​course.

juggle (ENTERTAIN) Show phonetics
verb [I or T]
to throw several objects up into the air, and then catch and throw them up repeatedly so that one or more stays in the air, usually in order to entertain people:
We all watched in amazement as he juggled with three flaming torches.

juggler Show phonetics
noun [C]
a person who juggles objects in order to entertain people

juggling Show phonetics
noun [U]



A broom is a cleaning tool consisting of stiff fibres attached to, and roughly parallel to, a cylindrical handle, the broomstick. In the context of witchcraft, "broomstick" is likely to refer to the broom as a whole. A smaller whisk broom or brush is sometimes called a duster.

Harry Potter Notebook: It Begins

News, data and analysis on the movie and book, from The Wall Street Journal and news wires.
July 21, 2007 6:30 a.m.

BEHIND THE MAGIC: The lavish Harry Potter release parties throughout New York felt magical. Outside of J.K. Rowling's final pages, the true wizards were the men and women who made the night happen for legions of fans.

Gary Beaugrand worked from 4 a.m. Thursday until after 10 p.m. Friday, driving truckloads of books to various New York locations. As he expertly maneuvered his massive semi-truck out of a tight parking spot and onto Broadway Avenue, he said his 10-year-old son, Gary Jr., was a big Potter fan, but admitted that he himself had only read the beginning of one of the Potter books. It's a cool job, he said, but after dropping off his precious cargo, Mr. Beaugrand was ready for a break.

Meanwhile, approximately 255 Scholastic, Inc. employees-- 130 of whom had volunteered for no extra pay -- oversaw the scene at the U.S. publisher of the Harry Potter books' headquarters. The volunteers complemented the "core" Harry Potter team, manning booths, coordinating and registering over 200 members of the media and catering to the thousands of Potter fans.

Employees bore smiles and Harry Potter gear. In between radioing to various checkpoints, Sarah Trabucchi, 28, gushed about working the event and being a part of literary history -- despite the long day. Ms. Trabucci, a manager in Scholastic's corporate communications department, said the company's volunteer response was overwhelming not just because Scholastic boasts large numbers of Potter fans, but because spreading love of books was part of the job. "Everybody here at Scholastic really believes in the mission," she said.

But not all Hallow's night support staff felt the Harry Potter love. "I can't believe this is all for a f---ing book," one member of a Barnes & Noble media relations team was overheard saying. "These people are so happy, you'd think it was porn."

At 2:45 a.m., clusters of readers huddled in lit doorways and camped out on benches and curbs as a pack of Barnes and Noble staffers exited their now-locked bookstore in search of breakfast, then bed. Kim Klinkerman, 27, had pulled the longest shift of the crew -- a full 18 hours -- with just one Frappuccino. Aside from the extra pay, what kept her going?

"I love Harry Potter too," she said simply, then headed off down the now empty street. Just then, garbage trucks arrived to clean up the magical mess of bookmarks, wristbands, and Potter-fan trash left behind. -- Cassandra Vinograd, 4:58 a.m. July 21

* * *

SAYING GOODBYE TO AN OLD FRIEND: Triumphant fans emerged with "Deathly Hallows" in hand, some finding the moment bittersweet.

Anna Todd, a 20 year-old film student at SUNY-Purchase with a painted scar and a "Hogwart's Tonsil Hockey Team" T-shirt, was tearing up outside the Union Square Barnes & Noble store shortly after midnight: "I was 12 years old when I started reading this, and now I'm 20, it's like I'm losing an old friend," she said. "I've been waiting for the book for so long and now that's it's here, I don't want to read it, I want to savor it."

《哈利波特》系列小說對書迷影響有多大，完結篇出爐，哈迷的想法又是什麼？美國南卡羅萊納大學生Brent Lomas說：「《哈利波特》是童年的象徵。我小時候常期待下一集出爐，現在完了，就像一位朋友或親人離我而去。」尼加拉瓜少女Maria L.也說：「我5、6歲就開始追隨哈利波特和他的魔法同伴。7月21日是一個重要日子，霍格華茲一班人在這天告別童年，邁向茫然的將來，包括我在內，也要 學他們不斷向前。」
柬埔寨青年Sokunpanha You則說：「對我而言，《哈利波特》不只帶來一種嗜好，而是一腔熱情，我平時看的多數是高棉語著作，是《哈利波特》書帶我進入英語世界，帶我浸淫於英國文學中，現在我不看書就無法過活，全拜一個用掃帚、住樓梯底的四眼仔所賜。」

Cassandra Vinograd

The wall of tributes at a block party held by Scholastic.

Emotions were expressed in many ways. On the Muggle Board, a wall of forget-me-nots at Scholastic's block party on Mercer Street, a note read: "The Weasley Twins Complete Me."

Others, weary from avoiding Internet spoilers, plotted their reading strategy. Nineteen year-old Emily Kurland's mother was sitting in a Starbucks across the street while her daughter, costumed as Hermione, waited on the fourth floor of Barnes & Noble. "She's planning a marathon reading session because she has to ride MetroNorth on Sunday, and she's afraid somebody's going to give away the ending," her mother said. "She wants to read it before anybody spoils it."

Earlier, hired magicians and costumed families waited in snaking lines for face painting and video testimonials, while parents prayed that sleep would overtake their giddy children long before the book-buying hour. Charles Frisk, 41, sported a leather "utilikilt" equipped with a tool belt, and a black cape his sister made in the 8th grade. "I am Godric Gryffindor, founder of the house Harry Potter lives in," he said. "I'm kind of an obscure, historical character, but people come up to me, and they can guess who I am."

Over at Borders on Columbus Circle, Mitch McConnell was a ghostly portrait with a silver jacket and brass horn, standing behind a cardboard picture frame. The part-time actor, who usually works morning hours shelving books, greeted guests at Borders' Grand Hallows Ball. While plainclothes employees had to answer the desperate queries of latecomers seeking assurances that they'd have a copy of the tome come midnight, Mr. McConnell and his costumed co-workers simply smiled from behind the frames. "We're ghosts so we get to move around, we're not trapped," he said. "It's more fun than alphabetizing." -- Gabrielle Coppola, 3:12 a.m., July 21

• Vote and Discuss: When do you plan to start the book?
• Photo Gallery: New York, London, Tokyo, Los Angeles

* * *

A DIFFERENT WORLD: "Get out of the street, get out of the street" yelled a New York City policeman at gawkers as the first buyers squeezed through the human gauntlet massed in front of the Barnes & Noble on the north end of Union Square.

Sophie Hayward

One of the first Union Square buyers showed his book to onlookers.

The more passive onlookers lined metal barriers on the other side of the street and cheered as the first purchasers, surrounded by lights and cameras, pushed out of the store toward the sidewalk shortly after midnight. "Show us your book!" yelled onlookers, and some obliged.

Three blocks south and five minutes later, the scene was a bit different. A small sign announced the books at the Virgin Megastore on 14th Street. "If you are here for the new Harry Potter book, the end of the line is in the back of the shop by the world-slash-country department," intoned a rich voiced but slightly bored sounding announcer.

From world/country, the line wrapped from comedy and Richard Prior thru soundtracks, including "Pretty In Pink" for $8, by a listening station for Ennio Morricone's "We All Love." As the line moved on in fits and starts, past 12:30 a.m., it passed new releases including "Zidane", an original soundtrack by Mogwai, past "Save Nicole" t-shirts, done Andy-Warhol-print style. Still later, as the lined snaked up and back through the aisles, came Luke Skywalker tees, the Sanford & Son shirts, past Young Jeezy's new CD, "The Inspiration."

(fits and starts, by Also, in fits and starts. With irregular intervals of action and inaction, spasmodically, as in The campaign is proceeding by fits and starts. This expression began in the late 1500s as by fits, the noun fit meaning a "paroxysm" or "seizure"; starts was added about a century later.)

Then a left and a detour through the accessories department, home to foot-tall John Lennon dolls, Sesame Street lunch boxes and marijuana-themed ice-cube trays. Then came the rich, slightly bored voice again.

"One Harry Potter book per customer … We want everyone to get a copy." Uh oh.

But the line pressed on, past the rock-and-pop racks and "Hello Kitty Paradise" DVDs. Past the $10 sale-rack Bob Marley and Simpsons Monopoly impulse purchase. And the two of us are at the counter. And we're paying, for two books, one at a time, on different credit cards. And at 12:49 a.m., we're out. – Tim Hanrahan, 2:30 a.m. July 21

* * *

RESTLESS IN MANHATTAN: At Manhattan's largest Barnes & Noble store in Union Square, Jim Dale, the U.S. narrator of the "Harry Potter" audiobook series, was speaking to lucky customers at the much-hyped book release.

Outside, frustrated customers who had reserved copies of Harry Potter -- some months in advance -- stretched for nearly four blocks.

Crowd control deteriorated around 9:45 p.m. Eastern, reporters and vendors outside said. People crowded the entrance, some with wristbands held high in the air, hoping to gain entrance. They pushed against six security guards trying to maintain order. Some with wristbands were being allowed entrance.

Emily Edgerton, 22 years old, didn't have a wristband. She said security had told her she might not get into the store tonight due to overcrowding.

Event security yelled at the crowd to step back, threatening not to let anyone in. Some customers yelled back saying they would sue, others simply said they couldn't hear the instructions. Megaphones were brought out, to little avail. Security personnel half-jokingly told some outside to come back tomorrow.

Inside, Barnes & Noble representatives said the store was at capacity, and they would let people in shortly.

Amanda McDonald, 22, who reserved her book three weeks ago, was disappointed. "People who didn't reserve a book and got a wristband earlier are getting into the store, and we reserved books weeks ago," she complained. She came from across the water in Jersey City, N.J., to hear Mr. Dale, and now she wasn't sure if she'd even leave with the prized text.

Store representatives said the problem soon would be resolved. "They'll all get books," said Carolyn J. Brown, the store's director of corporate communications. "I just wish we had a bigger store."

At 10:50, surrounded by customers, store employees were outside trying to explain the situation. About 10 blocks south, at Astor Place, a Barnes & Noble had a much more modest line -- just about a block long. -- Cassandra Vinograd, 11:38 p.m.

* * *

FAST NEW YORK SALES … OF OUTFITS: In New York, ahead of the U.S. release, wizard hats, wands, and ties flew off the shelves faster than broomsticks.

Open since July 15, the Harry Potter store at New York's F.A.O. Schwarz toy store has had to reorder costumes and accessories more than once after costumes and hats sold out, according to company spokesperson Nanette DiFalco. Ms. DiFalco said wands, hats, and neckties are the most popular items.

Other costume retailers said they readied themselves more in preparation for the July 11 film release of "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" than they have for this book. Yan Demko, an employee of New York Costumes, said his store's two most popular items have been robes modeled after the movie costumes and wands. – Cassandra Vinograd, 8:45 p.m.

* * *

Potter fans stand in line in New York. Also photos from Australia, Japan, U.K.

WALKING AND READING: At about 1 a.m. in London, as people crowded the streets near bookstores by Trafalgar Square and Piccadilly Circus, reading the book as they walked along, a few minutes drive away, Bloomsbury's offices on Theobald Road were quiet, with the crest of each Hogwarts House hanging from the lobby ceiling as always. – Emily Nelson, 8:25 pm ET

* * *

GRYFFINDORS ON JERMYN STREET: In central London at Waterstones book store, the lines snaked around the street and police cordoned off the area. Kids, many dressed in black robes and Gryffindor scarves, filled Jermyn Street, the street behind the store, lined with some of London's oldest and most high-end men's clothing stores.

Ulla Karikko, age 19, and four friends from Finland came to London to buy the book. They started standing in line at 8 a.m. Friday morning, waiting out torrential rains during the day with some 100 people. "We're going to stay tonight and read. I'm going to read it until I fall asleep and then I'll wake up tomorrow and read more," Ms. Karikko said. Ms. Karikko was wearing a black robe and time turner around her neck.

Eight-year-old Melissa Cleary, dressed as a witch in a black cloak and pointy hat, came with her parents to Waterstones at Piccadilly Circus in London to see others in costumes -- and, eventually, get a book. At midnight, the store was estimating that the end of the line might not get inside for several hours.

She and her parents, John and Ann, planned to buy three copies so each could read without waiting. Ann said she is trying to avoid seeing anything online, on TV or in the papers that might give away the plot.

Melissa's favorite character: Hermione. "She's clever," she said. -- Emily Nelson, 7:26 p.m.

* * *

CITY THAT NEVER SLEEPS: The Barnes & Noble store at Union Square expects more than 5,000 people to show up for its Midnight Magic Costume Party, which will include crafts and games for children and a guest appearance by British actor and Harry Potter audio-book narrator Jim Dale.

Scholastic will transform a Soho city block into Harry Potter Place. The publisher will feature attractions from the books, such as the Knight Bus and Whomping Willow, along with face painting, jugglers and stilt-walkers.

Three hundred people already are lined up outside the Borders store at Columbus Circle for the Grand Hallows Ball. The event, held at the Time Warner Center, includes live performances by alternative band Lifehouse and vocalist Colbie Caillat. The ball will be bathed in orange light, and magicians, palm readers, ice sculptures and floral displays will be on hand. Read more. – Wayne Ma, MarketWatch.com, posted here 5:25 p.m.

* * *

WAITING FOR LONDON: No books are going on sale before midnight London time, meaning even odder sale hours in the East. Tel Aviv's Steimatzky bookstore was due to open at 2:01 a.m. local time Saturday, defying criticism from Orthodox Jewish lawmakers for opening on the Sabbath, when the law requires most businesses in Israel to close.

In India, stores were opening at dawn for special Harry Potter parties. In Bangkok, British ambassador David Fall was to hand over Thailand's first official copy of "Deathly Hallows" to the first customer in line at the Emporium Shopping Complex. The mall was decked out with a re-creation of King's Cross Station's platform 9 3/4, where Harry and friends catch the Hogwarts Express to school.

Phnom Penh's Monument Books -- Cambodia's only outlet for the book -- expected its allotment of 224 copies to sell out within hours. -- Associated Press, July 20

* * *

POTTER GRIEF: Bloomberg News has a report on how a children's charity has brought in extra staff to man phone lines in case Harry Potter dies in the final book. "For many children, Harry Potter and his friends have become a major part of their childhood,'' Kate Trench, a spokeswoman for London's ChildLine, tells Bloomberg. "Excitement could give way to sadness for those caught up in the huge build-up to the seventh and final book," she says.

* * *

HARRY'S BUSINESS FUTURE: Richard Menzies-Gow, of Dresdner Kleinwort, tells MarketWatch (video below): "Harry Potter won't disappear. It will obviously decrease in terms of the contribution with no new stimulus. Remember, you will have box sets, reissues ... you've got another two films to come in the series. Obviously, that has a whole load of promotion around the series and will stimulate sales of the books. So it will continue to contribute but naturally there will be an easing of that contribution over time." – July 20

* * *

ALMOST TIME: Thousands of would-be warlocks, sorcerers and Muggles lined up outside bookstores from Sydney to Seattle on Friday, eager to get their hands on "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," the seventh and final volume in the boy wizard's saga.

-->

Harry Potter fans in London line up as the witching hour draws near. For publishers, it spells the end of a profitable chapter, as MarketWatch's Sarah Turner reports. (July 20)

In a now-familiar ritual that is part sales frenzy and part Halloween party, bookstores across Britain were flinging open their doors at a minute past midnight Saturday. Shops as far afield as Singapore and Australia were putting the book on sale at the same time; the United States was to follow from midnight EDT. Harry's creator, J.K. Rowling, was giving a midnight reading to 500 competition-winning children in the grand Victorian surroundings of London's Natural History Museum. -- July 20

More Video

• Barnes & Noble stores prepare
• Amazon Gears Up for 'Harry Potter' Finale

* * *

RELIEF RALLY: Shares in Harry Potter's U.K. publisher Bloomsbury sparkled on Friday, with investors as eager as readers to welcome the launch of the seventh and final tome in the boy wizard's adventures. Shares in Bloomsbury Publishing rose 1.1% outside the top index in London ahead of the launch of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" at midnight. (In the U.S., Harry Potter is published by Scholastic.) – July 20

* * **

HUSH MONEY: Two things came unexpectedly to Kevin Jones's house in Cary, N.C. this week. First, the seventh Harry Potter book, which was delivered days before it was supposed to be by an online retailer being sued by the publisher. Second, a call from said retailer.

The News & Observer of Raleigh, N.C., reports DeepDiscount.com called Mr. Jones at home Wednesday and asked for his silence. "They asked me not to share the book with anybody," said Mr. Jones. "They said they would be sending a gift certificate for being a good customer and not divulging the book to anybody else."

Mr. Jones has said the secrets are safe with him. He and his wife haven't cracked open the book yet as they are still deciding who gets to read it first.

* * *

ROWLING, NOT HAPPY: "I am staggered that some American newspapers have decided to publish purported spoilers in the form of reviews in complete disregard of the wishes of literally millions of readers, particularly children," said author J.K. Rowling, according to Reuters. She added: "I am incredibly grateful to all those newspapers, booksellers and others who have chosen not to attempt to spoil Harry's last adventure for fans."

* * *

BOOKS DISAPPEAR: Some news coverage of the new "Harry Potter" book used the Disapparate spell to make 1,080 copies disappear. Here's how.

Scholastic on Wednesday released a statement acknowledging that some copies had been prematurely distributed. "The number of copies shipped is around one one-hundredth of one% of the total U.S. copies to go on sale at 12:01 a.m. on July 21st," Scholastic said.

One% means one-hundredth. One% of 12 million is 120,000. One one-hundredth of that is 1,200. But one widely distributed report calculated it as 120 instead. Read the full Numbers Guy post. – Carl Bialik, July 19

* * *

AN EARLY REVIEW: The Baltimore Sun posted a brief review of "Deathly Hallows" on its Web site Wednesday.

The review starts: "When you have read the last sentence on the last page of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, you will say, 'Of course.' "

The rest of the review doesn't give away much, but it gives away enough – the meaning of the "deathly hallows" and some discussion of Harry's fate. You were warned.

Update: The Sun has posted a longer review. Also, the New York Times also published its review Wednesday. It says: "[T]rue to its roots, it ends not with modernist, 'Soprano'-esque equivocation, but with good old-fashioned closure: a big-screen, heart-racing, bone-chilling confrontation and an epilogue that clearly lays out people's fates." – July 18

* * *

POTTER AS RUNNING MATE? Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama is the "Harry Potter parent" who has read all six books about the boy wizard's adventures with his older daughter, his wife said Thursday.

WSJ.COM DISCUSSION

When do you plan to start the new Harry Potter book?

My kids get through the books so fast and they have this deep-seated (and perverse) need to tell me how each book ends -- it's almost like having the Cliff Notes right in the car with you. But I'll work my way through [Harry Potter] over the holidays. – Joe Bute Vote and share your opinion.

In an interview with the Associated Press, Michelle Obama said her husband has read the books aloud with 9-year-old Malia and saw the latest movie, "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix," with her last Sunday. Both are awaiting the release of J.K. Rowling's seven and final book in the series, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," this weekend, but finding time to read won't be easy, she said.

"The challenge will be scheduling Harry Potter reading time in between Iowa and New Hampshire and fundraising, but I guarantee you they will figure out a way to do it," Michelle Obama told the AP. -- July 18

* * *

EARLY OWL: Scholastic said in a statement Wednesday that it "recently learned" that some readers received copies of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" through the mail, beginning on Tuesday, "as a result of a breach of the on-sale agreement by the distributor, Levy Home Entertainment, and shipments made by DeepDiscount.com, a customer of that distributor." The book is supposed to arrive at homes no earlier than Saturday.

Scholastic said it is taking "immediate legal action" against DeepDiscount and Levy Home Entertainment. It added that the number of copies shipped is around one one-hundredth of 1% of the total U.S. copies set to go on sale this Friday night.

The Baltimore Sun reported Wednesday that Davidsonville, Md., resident Jon Hopkins, a 25-year-old software engineer, had received the book Tuesday. "I couldn't believe it," he told the Sun. He said he had ordered the book from DeepDiscount.com on June 3.

Scholastic's reaction to the Sun: "You're kidding me."

DeepDiscount's reaction: "Oh. That's never good."

The company's director of merchandising, Rob Broggi, told the Sun that DeepDiscount is shipping an unspecified number of Potter books from its warehouses in Chicago based on estimated delivery times provided by the U.S. Postal Service. Shipping from Chicago to New York is estimated to take five days, he told the Sun. Shipping to Maryland and points south was expected to take even longer, he told the Sun. Read the full Sun article. -- July 18, 2007

* * *

Confessions of a Curious Muggle

Tom Weber reports.

As betrayals go, maybe it's not up there with turning your friends over to Lord Voldemort. But I still feel like I've turned to the forces of darkness.

I read the end of Harry Potter.

Before I go further, let me reassure you that I won't reveal any "spoilers" or key plot developments. And I admit I have no way of knowing whether the words I read were the genuine article, the real authentic J.K. Rowling finale that will go on sale midnight Friday. I could have been reading a fake.

But somehow, I don't think so. I believe I read the real ending. And I hate myself. Sorry, Ms. Rowling. Apologies, you thousands of kids who have railed against the revelation of spoilers. I just couldn't help myself.

Harry Potter books, clips, revenues, reviews.

My fall from grace began yesterday with a casual round of online procrastination, er, research. Web sites were buzzing that the secret was out. The pages of "Harry Potter" were coursing through the Internet's peer-to-peer file-sharing networks, proliferating like cockroaches no mere publishing company could hope to eradicate.

I read a blog posting here, a news story there, and just kept clicking. Some links that I hit went to dead pages -- someone had gotten there first and cleansed the offending material from the web.

Then I clicked a link that showed me rows of tiny pictures. Tiny pictures of tiny book pages, photographed against some brown-and-beige carpet. They were too small to read. But they sure looked like a Harry Potter book.

I could have stopped then. I could have put the mouse down and returned to work.

But I didn't. I kept clicking and quickly got to a zoomed-in photo of a page. Apparently it is page 753; the chapter is titled "Epilogue." By the second paragraph, I already knew too much. And having crossed the line, there was little point in stopping. I kept going for 10 more pages before I stopped myself.

I talked to friends who are Harry Potter fans to confess what I had done. They didn't want to talk much, for fear I would reveal something to them.

Is the whole notion of surprise doomed? We watch TV on Tivo or iTunes, meaning cliffhanger resolutions are no longer experienced simultaneously. Any tidbit can spread across the web in a flash. Temptation is everywhere, and resistance may be futile.

By the way. If you're wondering whether Harry dies, the answer is ...

Tempted, weren't you? -- July 17

* * *

GAME OVER? Is publishing's most closely guarded secret out? Several purported copies of the new Harry Potter book are hitting Internet file-sharing services, the photo-sharing service Flickr and other sites, including the video site YouTube.

Scholastic Corp., publisher of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," wouldn't confirm whether any of the material online is authentic. But the company but did say it has found three or four versions of the leaked book online, and confirmed that it has found fake copies. Monday, Scholastic obtained a subpoena against one file-sharing site in an attempt to learn the identity of a person who allegedly posted sections of the book, which is slated to go sale this Saturday at 12:01 a.m. Read the full article. – July 17

* * *

A BOOK'S RANSOM: Bloomsbury, the U.K. publisher of the final Harry Potter book, has cancelled an order to supply 500,000 copies to Wal-Mart Stores' Asda supermarkets. Bloomsbury said it had taken the decision because it had not been paid by the chain.

Amazon.co.uk

Bloomsbury's marketing director, Minna Fry, said the publisher hoped to resolve the dispute before the book is released on Saturday. "It's to do with the fact that they owe us money and haven't settled their bills,'' Fry told British Broadcasting Corp. radio. Here's the BBC writeup.

But Asda said Bloombsury is retaliating for its criticism of the book's recommended retail price of £17.99, or about $36. Asda plans to sell "Deathly Hallows" for £8.87. Asda has accused Bloomsbury of "attempting to hold children to ransom'' by setting the price too high.

Bloomsbury denied the dispute was connected to the price of the book. Many large chains are offering "Deathly Hallows" at big discounts, with supermarket Tesco matching Asda's price and book chain Waterstone's selling it for £8.99 pounds).

In the U.S., publisher Scholastic set the list price at $34.99, but Amazon.com is selling it for $17.99, while Barnes & Noble's Web site is selling it for $20.99. – July 17

* * *

BOOKISH TOWN: Meanwhile, Amazon.com named Falls Church, Va. As the "Harry-est town," with more purchases of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" per capita than any other town in America. See Amazon's town and state lists. Amazon's deadline to preorder the book for delivery Saturday is noon today. – July 17

* * *

CHARMING AUDIENCES: "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix'' conjured up a $77.4 million debut to lead the weekend box office, according to studio estimates Sunday. That raised the movie's total domestic gross to $140 million since opening Wednesday. "Order of the Phoenix" also has taken in an additional $190.3 million in 44 other countries where it began rolling out Wednesday.

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The fifth installment of the Harry Potter film franchise hit theaters Wednesday.

The movie also broke every sales record in IMAX's 40-year-history: largest single-day domestic gross ($1.9 million); biggest five-day ($7.3 million); and an unprecedented per-screen-average ($80,500 across 91 venues). IMAX's previous five-day record openings included "Superman Returns" ($5 million), "Batman Begins" ($3.2 million) and "Polar Express" ($3 million). If the IMAX numbers sound diminutive at first, the super-sized theater chain prides itself on providing incremental grosses over several months, long after standard theaters make way for the next blockbuster. For instance, IMAX venues ultimately made up 15% of "Superman Returns" total box-office sales. Read more in Stat Snapshot. – Associated Press, Lily Oei, July 15

* * *

In Monday's Journal, Jeff Trachtenberg interviews George Jones, chief executive of Borders Group. Here are Harry Potter-related excerpts.

WSJ: Do you buy into the idea that potential readers would rather surf the Web, play videogames or watch DVDs, and if so, are they gone for good?

Mr. Jones: Some are choosing alternatives. But there is still a strong mass of readers out there. And as people hit retirement, they tend to read a lot more. So the aging of our population works in our favor in that regard. One thing the Harry Potter books have done is motivate kids to read. Kids who didn't read were suddenly standing in line for a 700-page book. And that has carried through. I'm not saying it offsets video games or watching Youtube.com, but I do think that regardless of what's happening, books are still alive and well and that plenty of people read.

WSJ: What is it about the Harry Potter books that grabbed kids so strongly? There have been lots of other adventure sagas with witches and magic.

Mr. Jones: She [J. K. Rowling] created a complete world, a parallel universe with extraordinary detail. There is also an amazing cast of characters, each of whom is clearly defined. She had a vision of seven books when she started, so you can follow the kids as they mature. Between reading the books and seeing the movies, people have developed feelings for them. I'm certain that in 100 years, new generations will still be reading these books, much as they do "The Wizard of Oz" or "Winnie the Pooh." You've got a series that spans gender and age, and that's an amazing thing. Read the full interview.

* * *

WSJ.COM DISCUSSION

Will Harry Potter remain a "must read" 50 years from now?

The Potter books are wonderful if only because they teach children that there can be a great deal of enjoyment in reading a fat book -- even more enjoyment than comes from being glued to a flat screen. The series speaks a great deal about good and evil, loyalty and friendship, fear and hope. I think books like that will always be "must reads" for those who enjoy reading. – Jim Fuehrmeyer Read more.

HARRY SPINOFFS: Avid Harry fans have also supported the myriad titles that have blossomed around him, the total of which easily outnumber those penned by Ms. Rowling. These books run the gamut from the academic, "The Hidden Myths in Harry Potter" (25,000 copies sold) to the speculative, "The End of Harry Potter?" (27,000 copies).

But none of these books comes close to the sales generated by the titles in the series itself. Pre-sales of "Deathly Hallows" have already positioned it atop Amazon's and Barnes & Noble's best-sellers lists; its predecessor, "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince," sold a record 6.9 million copies in the first 24 hours of its release. And with the film version of "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" now in theaters, copies of that book are flying off the shelves: 14,000 in the last week alone. No wonder then there's a bookstore-sponsored movement afoot to have Ms. Rowling continue the franchise. See related stats. – Lily Oei, July 13

* * *

BOX OFFICE MAGIC: "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" took in $44.8 million in its first day, the best single-day gross ever for a movie on a Wednesday. That included $12 million from screenings that started at midnight Tuesday.

The sequel from Time Warner's unit Warner Bros. topped the previous Wednesday record of $40.4 million for 2004's "Spider-Man 2," according to box-office tracker Media By Numbers.

"In terms of box office, the law of diminishing returns does not apply to 'Harry Potter." It seems to be getting better with age," said Paul Dergarabedian, Media By Numbers president, who noted that the July 21 publication of the seventh and final "Harry Potter" novel likely helped drive interest in the latest film.

"Order of the Phoenix," the fifth installment of the movie franchise based on J.K. Rowling's fantasy best-sellers, has teen wizard Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) teaching classmates magic spells to defend themselves against the coming battle with the forces of dark Lord Voldemort. – Associated Press, July 12, 2007

• Interactive Graphic: Guide to Harry Potter books, movies, business

* * *

EARLY BIRDS: MovieTickets.com said Wednesday that "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" has exceeded advance sales for "Transformers" and "Spider-Man 3," and was about even with the third installment of "Pirates of the Caribbean."

MovieTickets.com's all-time pre-release rankings:

1. Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith
2. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (4th movie)
3. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (3)
4. Matrix Reloaded
5. Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (3)
6. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (5)

Rival ticket seller Fandango, meanwhile, said the "Phoenix," as of Tuesday, was selling more tickets than "Spider-Man 3" and the recent "Pirates of the Caribbean" sold at the same point in those films' respective sales cycles. – July 11

* * *

GREEN PHOENIX: An early look at reviews for the fifth Potter movie installment reveals mostly positive marks, according to film site RottenTomatoes.com – but below previous films. The first four films – Sorcerer's Stone, Chamber of Secrets, Prisoner of Azkaban and Goblet of Fire – got rankings of 79%, 82%, 89% and 89% respectively on the Tomatometer. Phoenix gets a 75% currently.

According to the site, the Tomatometer measures the percentage of "approved tomatometer critics" who recommend a movie, that is, the number of good reviews divided by the total number of reviews. A mark over 60% is considered "fresh" as opposed to "rotten." – July 10

* * *

INTERACTIVE MAGIC: Various sites are rolling out Harry Potter graphics and packages, ranging from publisher Scholastic's "Rita Skeeter Daily Opinion Poll" and "seven word review" sections to the Kansas City Star's character and location guide. The Washington Post has a "Hogwarts Hub" with a reader poll and reviews. Meanwhile, The Wall Street Journal has an interactive look at the box-office and book-sales results for the first four films and first six books. – July 11

* * *

WAL-MART PLEDGE: Wal-Mart is planning Harry Potter extravaganzas at its stores, scheduling 2,900 midnight parties on Friday, July 20; the book goes on sale at 12:01 Saturday.

There's no Sorting Hat for would-be buyers, but rather sorting bands: Wal-Mart says stores will sort fans into groups of Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff with color bands to ensure a place in line – though Wal-Wart says a place in line doesn't guarantee a book.

The chain is also pledging that no employees will discuss the final chapter of the Deathly Hallows with customers. Here is Wal-Mart's pledge, in full:

There's plenty of excitement brewing,
As the final chapter draws near;
But hearing the story's end from others,
Is what magicals and muggles all fear;
So at Wal-Mart worldwide we've decided,
To make a pledge to our customers that's clear,
We'll keep silent on what we discover July 21,
So you buy without fear of reveal here.

-- Tim Hanrahan, July 9

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《哈利波特》系列小說台灣銷售量
◎書名/銷量
哈利波特1—神秘的魔法石 逾105萬本
哈利波特2—消失的密室 逾95萬本
哈利波特3—阿茲卡班的逃犯 逾90萬本
哈利波特4—火盃的考驗 逾90萬本
哈利波特5—鳳凰會的密令 逾70萬本
哈利波特6—混血王子的背叛 逾65萬本
哈利波特7—致命的聖徒（暫譯） 尚未出書
資料來源：皇冠出版社

《哈利波特》系列小說小檔案
．作者：J.K.羅琳(J. K. Rowling)
．出版熱況：1997年《哈利波特—神秘的魔法石》上市，引發全球書迷連續十年瘋魔法熱潮，被稱為「文學界的披頭四狂熱」，也讓作者賺進10億美元（約328億元台幣）
．銷售量：前六集在全球共賣出3億2500萬本
．周邊效益：被拍成電影，改編為電腦遊戲，百貨公司設商品專賣店，美國佛州明年將開設「哈利波特的魔法世界」主題樂園
．原文出版社：BLOOMSBURY
．繁體中文出版社：皇冠出版社
．譯本：翻譯成64種語言
資料來源：《蘋果》資料室

 Israel’s National Library unveiled the cache of recently purchased documents that run the gamut of life experiences, including biblical commentaries, personal letters and financial records. 以色列國家圖書館公開了一批最近才購入、包含各種人生經驗的文件，包括聖經評論、私人書信及財務紀錄等。

 run the gamut：片語，指經驗、展示或表達某事的全部範圍，如Our discussions ran the gamut from wealth to war and education to the environment.（我們的討論從財富到戰爭、再到教育和環境等無所不包。）gamut為名詞，指（音樂的）全音階、音域，或泛指全部範圍。
experience, display, or perform the complete range of something:Owen runs the gamut of emotions in the space of the film

gamut

  音節

gam • ut

発音

gǽmət

gamutの変化形

gamuts (複数形)

gamutの慣用句

run the gamut, （全1件）

[名]

1 全（領）域, 全般, 範囲.

2 《音楽》音階；全音域；長音階.

run the (whole) gamut

（…の）全範囲に及ぶ, すべてを経験する［含む］((of ...))

The letters ran the gamut from praise to contempt.
手紙の内容は賞賛から軽蔑までさまざまだった.

preorder

v. t.To order to arrange beforehand; to foreordain. Sir W. Hamilton.

torrential[tor・ren・tial]

• レベル：社会人必須
• 発音記号[tɔːrénʃəl | tə-]

[形]

1 激流［奔流］の（ような）；急流の作用でできた

torrential flooding
激しい洪水

a torrential downpour
滝のようなどしゃ降り.

2 〈事・物が〉急流のような速さ［激しさ］の；〈雨が〉どしゃ降りの.

3 〈感情などが〉激しい；〈言動・能力などが〉圧倒的な.

tor・ren・tial・ly

[副]猛烈に.



afoot

afootLine breaks: afoot

Pronunciation: /əˈfʊt/

Definition of afoot in English:

adverb& adjective

1In preparation or progress; happening or beginning tohappen:[AS PREDICATIVE ADJECTIVE]: plans are afoot for a festival

2 chiefly North American On foot:

[AS ADVERB]: they were forced to go afoot