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Seckel's First Law
Visual Perception is Essentially an Ambiguity Solving Process.
Most of us take vision for granted. After all, it comes to us so easily. With normal vision we are able to navigate quickly and efficiently through a visually rich three-dimensional world of light, shading, texture, and color—a complex world in motion, with objects of different sizes at differing distances. Looking about we have a definite sense of the "real world".
In fact, our visual system is so successful at building an accurate representation of the real world (our perception) that most of us do not realize what a difficult task our brain is performing. Without conscious thought, our visual system gathers and interprets complex information, providing us with a seamless perception of our environment. The complexities of how we perceive are cleverly concealed by a successful visual system.
It might seem reasonable for us to assume that there is a one-to-one mapping between the real world and what you perceive—that your visual system "sees" the retinal image, in much the way that a digital camera records what it "sees."
Although it seems like a useful analogy, there is no real comparison between our visual system and a camera beyond a strictly surface level. Furthermore, this comparison trivializes the accomplishments of our visual system. This is because a camera records incoming information, but our brain interprets incoming information. Furthermore, it feels to us as if a photograph reproduces a three-dimensional world, but it doesn't. It onlysuggests one. The same visual system that interprets the world around us also interprets the photograph to make it appear as a three-dimensional scene.
Our perceptions are not always perfect. Sometimes our brain will interpret a static image on the retina in more than one way. A skeleton cube, known as a Necker cube, is a classic example of a single image that is interpreted in more than one way. If you fixate on this cube for any length of time, it will spontaneously reverse in depth, even though the image on the retina remains constant. Our brain interprets this image differently because of conflicting depth cues.
The great 19th century German physicist and physiologist Hermann Von Helmholtz first discovered the basic problem of perception over one hundred years ago. He correctly reasoned that the visual information from our world that is projected onto the back of the retina is spatially ambiguous. Helmholtz reasoned that there can be an infinite variety of shapes that can give rise to the same retinal image, as long as they subtend the same visual angle to the eye.
However, the concept of visual ambiguity is far deeper than what Helmholtz originally proposed, because it turns out that any one aspect of visual information, such as brightness, color, motion, etc, could have arisen from infinitely many different conditions. It is very hard to appreciate this fact at first, because what we perceive in a normal viewing environment is not at all ambiguous.
If all visual stimuli are inherently ambiguous, how does our visual/perceptual system discard the infinite variety of possible conditions to settle on the correct interpretation almost all the time, and in such a quick and efficient manner? The problem basically stated is, how does the visual system "retrieve" all of the visual information about the 3D world from the very limited information contained in the 2D retinal image? This is a basic and central question of perception.
Studying the visual system only at one level will never result in a full understanding of visual perception. Many of the underlying mechanisms that mediate vision may be even "messier" than previously thought, with cross-feedback from more than one level of visual processing contributing to processing at another level. UCSD vision scientist V.S. Ramachandran is correct when he believes that it is time to "open the black box in order to study the responses of nerve cells," but he is also probably right to promote his Utilitarian Theory of Perception, which argues for a clever "bag of tricks" that the human visual system has evolved over millions of years of evolution to resolve the inherent ambiguities in the visual image. Visual perception is largely an ambiguity-solving process.
The task of vision scientists, therefore, is to uncover these hidden and underlying constraints, rather than to attribute to the visual system a degree of simplicity that it simply does not possess.
Seckel's Second Law
Our Visual/Perceptual System is Highly Constrained.
Sometimes our perceptions are wrong. Often these errors have been classified as illusions, dismissed by many as failures of the visual system, quirky exceptions to normal vision.
If illusions are not failures of the visual system, then, what are they? After all, we do categorize a number of different perceptual experiences as "illusions". What makes them fundamentally different than those we perceive as normal?
One difference is a noticeable split between your perception and conception. With an illusion, your perception is fooled but your conception is correct—you're seeing something wrong (your mis perception), but youknow it's wrong (your correct conception). Initially, your conception may be fooled too, but at that point you are unaware that you are encountering an illusion. It is only when your conception is at odds with your perception that you are aware that you have encountered an illusion.
Furthermore, in almost all pictorial illusions (where the meaning of the image is not ambiguous), your perceptions will continue to be fooled, even though your conception is fine, no matter how many times you view the illusion. It does not matter how old you are, how smart you are, how cultured you are, or how artistic you are, you will continue to be fooled by these illusions over and over again. In fact, you cannot "undo" your incorrect perceptions, even with extended experiences, worldly knowledge, or training. It is more important for your visual system to adhere to these constraints than to violate them because it has encountered something unusual, inconsistent, or paradoxical. This indicates that your visual/perceptual system is highly constrained on how it interprets the world.
It is not my intention to cause the reader to think that visual perception is unreliable and untrustworthy. This would be a mistake as, for the most part, our perceptions of the world are veridical. However, how we perceive the world is not a mirror image of reality, but an actively and intelligently constructed one that allows us to have the best chances for survival in a complicated environment.


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To be rejected by a 25-year-old. That's bad, isn't it. That's more of a statement than a question, which is why I didn't end it with a question mark. But to have a 25-year-old basically wear me out by asking me to meet him for lunch or dinner — chaperoned, if necessary…and then to finally agree and have it happen…and then to have an entire week pass and hear nothing from him…I'm part insulted and part not surprised. What do I have to offer a 25-year-old other than cynicism and less-than-firm thighs. Again, not a question. So I'm guessing his curiosity about going out with the much older "Kellie Rasberry" was satisfied while I'm left feeling rejected by a freaking 25-year-old. I shall never travel down this path again. Pinky swear.
And just to pile on, I had a conversation with a woman and it turns out we just so happen to have a mutual ex in common. I can't even really call him an "ex" because we didn't date long enough to say we were a couple. But this woman says our mutual ex described me as "bitter and annoying." Yeah, my feelings were hurt a little bit over that one. And yeah, I wanted to punch her in the teeth because she was intentionally trying to hurt me. And yeah, I wanted to call him up and chew him out for saying such unforgivable things about me. But I had to admit to myself that he had a point.
I tend to be a bit of an over-sharer — which has been FABULOUS for my radio career but not so much so for my love life. And I'm afraid that way too soon in this particular relationship, I over-shared my bitterness from my divorce. What guy wants to hear that? Guys just want to get through awkward dinner conversation while walking that fine line between getting you drunk enough to score but not drunk enough to throw up. So yes, my feelings were hurt. But I also learned a valuable lesson about keeping my mouth shut about my divorce during a date. Oh, I still want to call this guy up and chew his ass for telling this woman and who knows who else that I'm bitter and annoying. I'd rather have people decide that for themselves after meeting me than have their opinions pre-poisoned. But I'm not going to do that. I am going to simultaneously and secretly thank my ex for inadvertently calling this problem to my attention while wishing him a very bad week. Make that two weeks. Two really, really bad weeks.

subset: commoncrawl


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UIA monitors flights to Tel Aviv every 48 hours
17.05.2021: Ukraine International Airlines announced another cancellation of flights to Tel Aviv. In order to ensure the safety of passengers and crew the flights PS 778/17MAY TLV – KBP, PS788/17MAY TLV-ODS, PS775/776 17MAY KBP-TLV-KBP, PS777/778 17/18MAY KBP-TLV-KBP and PS775/776 18MAY KBP-TLV-KBP are canceled.
Since the escalation of the conflict, the air carrier has operated a single flight, and later announced the cancellation of all subsequent flights. "We are monitoring the situation in Israel very thoroughly. We see that many airlines fly to Ben Gurion airport, circle around and return to their home airports. The situation during the first day of the conflict developed very rapidly. While we were issuing an official message about the return to KBP from Larnaca, Ben Gurion Airport has already confirmed our landing. However, we cannot keep passengers stressed and in the dark, so since today we decided to cancel flights and reconsider our decision every 48 hours. The decisions in the airline are made by taking into account NOTAMs, internal risk assessment, the current regulations of Ben Gurion Airport and the messages of the aviation regulators of Ukraine and Israel, since flight safety is achieved by each of the aviation actors doing their part of "homework". "At the moment, the level of threat to aviation security has been increased, according to the state regulator of Ukraine, and Ukrainian carriers are advised to refrain from flying to Tel Aviv," noted Yevheniy Dykhne, UIA CEO, in his comment.
It is known that on May 11, after the escalation of the military-political situation in the Middle East, the UIA flight, which was en route to Tel Aviv, changed its arrival airport at the request of the security units of Ben Gurion Airport and landed in Larnaca. Later, the crew of the Ukrainian liner has received an additional information from the Tel Aviv airport, which guaranteed maximum flight safety in specially designated area. Now, all Kyiv-Tel Aviv-Kyiv and Odesa-Tel Aviv-Odesa flights have been cancelled up to and including May 18.
"Today Ben Gurion Airport is recognised as the world's top airport in terms of security management at the highest threat levels. I have witnessed this myself during my tenure at the Boryspil airport, which closely follows footsteps of its Tel Aviv counterpart and keeps drawing on their experience. We have 100% confidence in the expertise and professionalism of Israel's main airport. As soon as we receive a signal about the possibility of a full resumption of flights, we will immediately restore them," added Yevheniy Dykhne.
For tickets with actually canceled flights, the following actions are possible:
- Change of travel date for UIA flights without payment of penalty according to the fare in the original class during the ticket validity period, subject to removal of restrictions by the airport.
- Exchange of a ticket for a promo code with an additional 25% bonus on the UIA website
- Refund
UIA's decision to operate flights will be reviewed every 48 hours, taking into account updates on restrictions of flights to TLV airport.


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The Preacher.., Volym 1–2proprietors, 1830 |
Frĺn bokens innehĺll
Sida 257
... said , thou wicked and slothful servant , thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not , and gather where I have not strawed ; thou shouldst have used my talent , thou shouldst at least have put it to the exchangers , that I might have ...
... said , thou wicked and slothful servant , thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not , and gather where I have not strawed ; thou shouldst have used my talent , thou shouldst at least have put it to the exchangers , that I might have ...
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Vanliga ord och fraser
Almighty Amorites angels Apostle behold believe blessed body brethren bring called cerning character children of men Chorazin Christ Jesus Christian church covenant creature death declaration disciples divine doctrine earth eternal everlasting evil eyes faith Father fear feel Fleet Street flesh friends gifts give glorious glory God's Gospel grace hand happiness hath hear heart heaven heavenly Holy Ghost Holy Spirit honour hope human Israel Jehovah Jerusalem Jesus Christ Jews judgment kingdom kingdom of God light live look Lord Jesus Christ means ment mercy mighty mind nature ness never ourselves peace persons pray prayer preach present promise prophet racter Redeemer religion repentance resurrection righteousness Sabbath salvation Satan Saviour Scrip Scripture Sermon DELIVERED serve the LORD sinner sins soul speak suffer thee things thou throne tion true truth ture unto Wellington Street word
Populära avsnitt
Sida 201 - according to the covenant that I made with their "fathers in the day when I took them by the hand " to lead them out of the land of Egypt ; because " they continued not in my covenant, and I re" garded them not, saith the Lord.
Sida 53 - In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows be darkened. And the doors shall be shut in the streets, when the sound of the grinding is low, and he shall rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of music shall be brought low...
Sida 15 - All flesh is not the same flesh ; but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds.
Sida 252 - Watch therefore ; for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. But know this, that if the good man of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have •watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. Therefore be ye also ready : for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.
Sida 90 - For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the first-fruits of the Spirit; even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.
Sida 29 - A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you ; and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments and do them.
Sida 149 - For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
Sida 31 - And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me.
Sida 19 - Are not my days few? cease then, And let me alone, that I may take comfort a little, Before I go whence I shall not return, Even to the land of darkness and the shadow of death; A land of darkness, as darkness itself; And of the shadow of death, without any order, And where the light is as darkness.
Sida 242 - And I will come near to you to judgment; And I will be a swift witness Against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, And against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, The widow, and the fatherless, And that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, Saith the Lord of hosts.


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How can one possibly defeat an invincible knight? That was the question I was asking myself as I faced off against the Black Knight in Conquests of Camelot. The infamous knight had given me the chance to walk away, but doing so would condemn my fellow knight Gawaine to certain death. To keep my honour intact, I had no choice but to agree to his jousting challenge. As I did so, my view shifted to one I'd not experienced in the game so far. To the left of the screen I could see an image of the Black Knight, while I could see myself to the right. In between these images I had a first person view of the jousting field. I quickly noted that I was able to move my shield by using the E,S,D and F keys, and that I could move my lance by using the 8, 4, 2, 6 and 5 keys. Suddenly the Black Knight charged at me, moving his lance to his right as he did. I pressed the S key to move my lance to my left, assuming this would block his attack, only to find myself on my ass a second later! "The Black Knight has unhorsed you for the first time, Arthur. Make it the last!" I decided to master blocking his attacks before even attempting to move my lance, but found myself knocked off my horse repeatedly. "Alas! All Camelot will grieve to hear that valiant King Arthur was slain by the Black Knight." I restored, grit my teeth, and prepared to try again.
Looks awesome doesn't it!
It's not! There were even times when we both went down but it was marked as only a loss to me.
I'll cut to the chase here and say that this section of the game was all but impossible to play as it was designed. I don't know if it has anything to do with DOSBox or whether it was always this hard, but I found it very frustrating indeed. I eventually figured out that I could knock the Black Knight down easily enough, by simply moving my lance to the left of screen just as he was nearing me, but actually blocking his lance intentionally was just blind luck. Eventually I pretty much ignored my shield and concentrated on knocking him off. A few well timed blows combined with a couple of very lucky blocks resulted in victory, but I didn't feel good about it at all. "You have vanquished the Black Knight, King Arthur!" The companion comments I've read seem to suggest I'm not alone in my dislike for this mini-game, so I'd be very interested to hear from anyone that actually mastered jousting. Once it was over, the Black Knight's body simply vanished, "as is to be expected with such a supernatural being", so I left the field of battle to venture deeper into the Forest. On the next screen I found Gawaine, tied to a tree and dying! "King... Arthur... I knew... you would come." I cut his shackles with my sword, and as he slumped to the ground, Gawaine told me to "Beware... the Mad Monk... of Glastonbury. I believe he has... the Grail."
Ah yes, very realistic!
When a hero is needed, I can't help but respond!
I tried to talk to Gawaine, but he seemed unresponsive. I tried to help him in various ways, but the game kept telling me that he would die of his injuries if I didn't get him to Camelot soon. Eventually I tried picking him up and putting him on my horse, and it worked! "Your horse will carry him safely back to Camelot. Even if you must go on foot, you must continue your search without delay, but be assured that this noble sacrifice brings blessings upon you." I was losing animals left, right and centre now, but I continued on to the right of screen on foot. The next screen really caught my attention! I'd entered a circle of large upright stones, and in the centre of it stood an old hag on top of a pedestal! Merlin clearly sensed danger: "Beware, Arthur! I like not the look of this old hag who stands upon the pedestal." What was particularly worrying was that investigating the smaller stones within the circle revealed that they were once men, clearly having been turned to stone by some sort of evil magic. As I approached her, the hag spoke the following words: "Halt! Ye shall not pass me unhindered, king though ye be. And if ye give me not what I desire, a stone ye shall be. And what may this be that I desire, ye wonder? Hah! If ye be so cunning a knight, ye shall know."
Just for clarity, which god are you talking about in this instance?
Smurfette was going through her rebellious stage!
What could she possibly want? I hardly had anything in my inventory! It was then that I noticed the "magickal" sleeve that I'd picked up in the forest, and decided it was worth a shot. "Aye! Aye! That is what I most desire! Bring it here at once!" I tried to think of why she might want the sleeve, but couldn't come up with anything. Figuring it must be from some story I wasn't aware of, I walked up and gave it to her. Before my eyes, the hag transformed into a much more aesthetically pleasing woman! "Bless you, valiant knight! I am the Lady Elayne, transformed into the forest witch by a hideous spell cast upon me by the Black Knight. Only this sleeve, which I gave to my true love, could set me free. And if my sleeve is here, my beloved cannot be far away. I must find him at once! Fare thee well!" The Lady Elayne then ran off in the direction I'd just come from, and presumably would come across the bones of her lover soon enough. With the hag out of the way, I was now able to read the runes on the pedestal she'd been standing on. "Five poets bold did come astray. Five standing stones now bar the way. Of limbs bereft, yet voice I left. To pass through the middle, you must ask for..." The writing faded away at this point, so I was not able to read what the final line was supposed to say. It seemed obvious to me what it was supposed to say though, as "middle" rhymes with "riddle"!
"My darling...as a sign of my true love for you...RRRIIIPPP...I want you to have this sleeve!"
...a fiddle? Um...
I walked through the arch to the left of screen, and was surprised to find my mule eating grass. "You have reached the base of Glastonbury Tor on the edge of the Forest Perilous." OK, so the slope leading upwards behind my mule must take me to the ruins where this Mad Monk resides. I tried to walk in that direction, but suddenly was thrown backwards by an invisible force! "You were thrown back by a sorcerous barrier of great power. Yet there must be a way to pass it." It was only then that I noticed the five stones, and remembered the riddle I'd just read on the pedestal. "Five poets bold did come astray. Five standing stones now bar the way. Of limbs bereft, yet voice I left. To pass through the middle, you must ask for the riddle." I typed "ask for riddle", but that didn't work. I tried "read riddle", but was told that "The only riddle to read here is that there is no riddle here to read." Hmmm…what about these poets? I walked up to one of the stones and typed "talk to poet". The stone responded!!!! "You can see nothing else when you look in my face, I will look you in the eye and I will never lie. What am I?" Given my experience with creating riddles for the blog, I felt confident I could figure this out, and any other riddles the poets could throw my way. After a few moments thought, I typed "mirror". The stone lit up with a purple light, and I received a message telling me that I'd solved its riddle. One down, four to go!
Whatever you do, don't whiz on the electric fence!
The Riddling Stones demanded satisfaction...sorry, that was the best I could do
The second riddle I was given was: "To unravel me you need a simple key, no key that was made by locksmith's hand, but a key that only I will understand. What am I?" Hey, that's easy I thought! It's a…um…aahhh…hmmmm…a code? No? My expectations that I would breeze through these riddles were shattered, and things didn't get any better when I read the other three riddles. The third riddle was "When I am filled I can point the way. When I am empty nothing moves me, I have two skins, one without and one within. What am I?" The fourth riddle was "You heard me before, yet you hear me again, then I die, 'til you call me again. What am I?" Finally, the fifth riddle was "I go around in circles but always straight ahead, never complain no matter where I am led. What am I?" I put a little bit of thought into each of these riddles, but couldn't come up with an obvious answer for any of them. I left the game to have dinner with my wife and daughter, and it must have been very apparent to them that my mind was elsewhere. Each of the riddles (well, the three that I could remember anyway) were going around and around in my head while I sat silently and unconsciously chewed my food. By the end of that meal, I'd solved two of them! The third riddle was obviously a piece of clothing, probably a glove, while the answer to the fifth one just had to be a lodestone!
I imagine anyone that missed the lodestone earlier in the game would struggle to solve this riddle
I excused myself from the table and rushed back to my laptop, desperate to try out both answers. To my delight, they were both correct! Three down, two to go! It took me a couple more minutes of thinking to figure out that the answer to the second riddle was in fact "riddle", but I was really stuck on the fourth one! I tried to think of things that made sound intermittently, but it was only when I focussed on the "til you call me again" bit that I had a eureka moment! I pictured someone calling out and the word "echo" came to me. I knew it was right as soon as I thought of it, but I was still hugely excited when the fifth and final stone lit up! I was now able to walk between the stones, but as soon as I did, I simply disappeared! Merlin panicked, asking "Arthur? Arthur! Where are you?", but soon calmed down when I reappeared in the ruins of Glastonbury Tor. "Ah, there you are! That was not my doing. You have been brought by another power to the center of the ruins of Glastonbury Tor." I was able to leave this screen in all four directions, so I just had to pick one. I went south, and found myself standing near a well. There was a man sitting nearby, and from his clothes I had to assume he was the Mad Monk I'd been warned about!
Ooovvveerrr heeerrreeee!!!!!!
Medieval rest rooms didn't offer the privacy we take for granted these days
Strangely, I wasn't able to right click on the monk to get information about him, so I decided to focus on the well before approaching him. "The well lid is iron, with a solid iron bar and a lock holding it in place." I tried a few things to get the lid open, but it clearly wasn't going to happen without a key. When I right clicked on the tree to the right of the well, I was unexpectedly given a heap of information about it. "The legend of Joseph of Arimathea has it that when he hid the Grail, he also stuck his staff into the ground and from that place a thorn tree grew." As with Old Father Tree in the Forest Perilous, I didn't seem to be able to interact further with the thorn tree, so I had to assume it was one of the "extras" I spoke about earlier. It was time to deal with this monk, so I typed "look at monk". "This Monk seems calm enough. Perhaps he is not the one they call the Mad Monk. We shall see." I walked towards him, and to my surprise, he simply stood up and quickly walked away to the west. I decided not to chase him and to instead concentrate on exploring the environment. With that in mind I continued south, reappearing on a screen containing a large altar in its centre. "It is an extremely ancient altar, of a most peculiar configuration. Its three parts may hint at the worship of a trinity of some sort." Hmmmm, interesting! What could the altar be used for?!
I hope I wasn't supposed to do something with this tree...because I didn't!
A fair amount of attention was given to making all the shadows consistent in each section of the game
I soon discovered that continuing south brought me back to the starting point, and walking in the east and west directions took me through pretty much empty screens of ruins before also looping back. The monk appeared repeatedly throughout this exploration, and ran away whenever I got too close. If I talked to him, he would respond with "As you can see, I am but an old, poor helpless monk seeking enlightenment through solitude. I am amazed you have passed the riddle stones, for your own face betrays no great intelligence." His condescending words convinced me that he was indeed the Mad Monk, but what was I supposed to be doing on this strange hilltop? Eventually I thought I would try asking him about the Grail, at which point he became very agitated! "Thief! Robber! You come seeking treasure, but you will find only death! The power is mine! Mine! I will never share it!" He then ran away again, but this time I followed him. I wasn't prepared for what I found on the next screen! There were now three Mad Monks running around swinging clubs! "Those glazed, fanatical eyes filled with hatred, those snarling lips flecked with foam! The Monk truly is a madman!" Luckily the monks moved with little purpose, so I was able to regain my wits and draw my sword. As each of them came towards me, I thrust my sword in their general direction (farting didn't seem a likely solution). All three went down with a single blow, and somehow I managed to avoid all of their wild swings!
Caption Contest
Captaaaain Caaaaavvveemmmmmaaaannnnn!!!!!
The monk cried out "Arrghh... in vino veritas..." as he died, and then disappeared, just as the Black Knight had done. However, in his place appeared three glowing orbs with tentacle-like appendages! "We are the Old Ones and you have killed the monk, our servant, the only servant we have had for centuries. You must take his place. You will never leave here, unless you can appease us for this loss." Having made this statement, the Old Ones faded away, leaving me to wonder exactly how I was supposed to "appease" them. I still wasn't able to get into the well or do anything with the tree, which left the altar. Since the altar had three parts, hinting that it was used to worship a trinity of sorts, I tried standing in front of it and praying to the Old Ones. They reappeared behind the altar and proclaimed that "Copper is for the lowest spirits of the earth. Gold is for the young gods. You cannot appease us with those metals. We three are the eldest servants of the mother-moon. We love most dearly the metal that gleams cold and pure like hardened moonlight." Clearly they wanted silver, so I placed a single silver coin on the altar. "We need more silver to appease us." I placed another coin, and another, and another, until there were five silver coins on the altar. "Glorious silver! How pure and perfect it is! Having silver is better than having a servant! We release you from our service and leave you a gift."
Turning to the bottle will not solve your problems you mad bastard!
Hey, so this is what happened to The Young Ones!
Just imagine how excited they'd be about the Silver Surfer!
In place of the silver coins lay an iron key, which I eagerly picked up. I walked up one screen to the well, and used the key on it to unlock it. Inside was...water! I'm not sure what I'd been expecting, but it was certainly more than water. I tried getting into the well, but wasn't able to. I then tried drinking it, and found that I could, but apart from being told that the water was ice-cold, nothing happened. After a few more failed attempts, I typed "put hand in water", and watched as Arthur fished around for something. "So THIS is the Mad Monk's treasure! A beautiful, glittering crystal heart. How cold it is to the touch! Alas, Arthur, this is the object of power that created the Spell of Circular Entrapment." I would now be able to leave Glastonbury Tor, but where would I go next? The game had made a real point of mentioning how cold the crystal heart was, so perhaps it was the item that the Lady of the Lake wanted brought to her?! There was only one way to find out, and that would involve navigating my way back to the Lady's ice palace. Regardless of the outcome, I was making some serious progress, and thoroughly enjoying the experience too. Conquests of Camelot hasn't been overly difficult so far, but I have had to use my brain on a few occasions. I just have to hope that future action mini-games aren't as clunky as the Black Knight sequence. Join me in a few days to find out!
Yes! I knew it! Oh...hang on!
I think I know someone that will REALLY like this!
Time: 1 hour 00 minutes
Time: 3 hours 00 minutes
Regarding Spoilers and Companion Assist Points: I've written a set of
rules regarding spoilers and companion assist points. Please read it here before making any
comments that could be considered a spoiler in any way. The short of it is that
no points will be given for hints or spoilers given in advance of me requiring
one. Please...try not to spoil any part of the game for me...unless I really
obviously need the help...or I specifically request assistance. In this
instance, I've not made any requests for assistance. Thanks!


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June 16, 2011
Buying blinds
As I mentioned above we've been sorting out this house in sunny climes and as part and parcel of that we've been looking into blinds. For of course part of the problem with being in sunny climes is that while you're indeed there for the sun, you don't want it inside with you all the time.
The middle of the day for example, you'd rather keep the sun outside: not just for temperature reasons but to avoid it fading all that furniture we've just so expensively put into the place.
And as is also normalin sunny climes, the houses aren't exactly built for the inevitable but short winter. There's not much heating in them, not a great deal of insulation (what there is being used to keep the summer heat out, not the winter heat in) so once again blinds are a both desirable and necessary addition.
I to have to admit that one of the things I really like about this modern world is that not only can we live and work here in these sunny climes, something the internet has made possible, we can also do our shopping from the comfort of my desk.
I can't think of anything worse than traipsing around looking at home furnishings (umm, well, OK, maybe shoe shopping) but being able to do it with a few clicks of the mouse is getting close to enjoyable.
June 16, 2011 in Business | Permalink
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Greenock Westburn
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Holiday Club 2014
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Church Outing 2012
General Assembly 2012
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TechRadar Verdict
Creative Shot mode is a clear strength of this camera, it produces some superb images and makes even the least imaginative photographer seem creative. However, not being able to connect directly to Twitter and Facebook etc introduces an extra layer of faff.
- +
Easy to use
- +
One-touch Wi-Fi
- +
Small size
- +
Good sensor, Responsive touch-control
- -
Slightly awkward to hold
- -
Little manual control
- -
Restricted LCD movement
Why you can trust TechRadar
Since it doesn't have the essential telecommunication features the Canon PowerShot N clearly isn't going to take the place of a phone, but the manufacturer hopes that we will use it in conjunction with one.
Thanks to its manufacturer's camera making know-how and its 1/2.3-inch 12.1MP back-illuminated CMOS sensor and Digic 5 processor, the Canon N is capable of taking better images than the average smartphone.
Furthermore, because its lens has a focal length range equivalent to 28-224mm, it is more versatile than a phone when composing shots. And, if the 8x optical zoom isn't enough for you this can be extended digitally to 16x to produce the equivalent of a 448mm lens.
Although it's not app enabled, the PowerShot N has Wi-Fi technology built-in so that it can be connected to a computer or a smartphone to enable you to share images quickly. There's even a dedicated button that, after initial set-up, can be used to connect to a smartphone or tablet with one touch.
Unfortunately, we haven't been able to test this aspect of the camera yet. But judging by the options in the Wi-Fi section of the menu, it should be pretty straightforward to set up.
For those who want to let the world know where they've been taking photographs, Canon has a free smartphone app that enables location data to be added to images from a smart device.
The Canon PowerShot N is all about creating images quickly and easily, so naturally all the exposure modes are automatic. Program mode provides the most control, with aspects such as exposure compensation and white balance being adjustable. Alternatively, there are some creative shooting options with filter effect such as Fish-eye Effect, Miniature Effect, Soft Focus, Toy Camera Effect and Monochrome.
There's also Creative Shot mode, in which the Canon N takes a sequence of shots that produces six images, one untreated and the rest adjusted in a variety of ways depending upon what the camera makes of the image. The camera looks at aspects such as composition, focus, white balance, gradation and contrast and generates five alternative versions automatically.
It produces a variety of fun effects, with some dramatic crops, extreme colour and brightness and contrast shifts that replicate old film, cross-processed and black and white images. While it's a hit and miss process, it's fun, and it sometimes produces interesting images that will be a hit on Facebook and the like. We noticed that when shooting a couple of people, the camera often produces shots of both people by themselves as well as one with them together.
Once you start using the Canon PowerShot N at a social gathering and show your subjects the results from the Creative Shot mode, you'll find that people are soon clamouring to try it themselves.
We have seen the Hybrid Auto mode before, but Canon has made it more easily accessible via the shooting mode menu screen. When this option is selected, the Canon N records four seconds of 720p footage before each shot. The camera uses the information from the clip to determine the best settings to use for the still image.
But the fun part is that the camera merges all the four second clips captured during the day to create a short movie. It should make for amusing viewing when the Canon N is used at parties.
Build and handling
Perhaps the most noticeable thing about Canon N is that it's almost square rather than rectangular. It also has a 2.7-inch tilting LCD screen that is touch sensitive. This capacitive device enables you to take control over key features such as the focus point and trip the shutter with a touch of the screen, and we found that it's nice and responsive.
With the lens collapsed, the Canon N is fairly compact and can be slipped into a jacket pocket, or in some cases a jeans pocket, so it's easy to transport and can be carried everywhere. It's also fairly light yet feels solid and well built, so you'll be happy to take it everywhere that you'd normally take your phone.
There are two rings around the lens. The first has three notches in the top of it and is used to zoom from one focal length to another - no great surprises there - but the other is the shutter release, and pushing it up or down trips the shutter. It takes a few moments to get used to it, but it means that the camera can be fired from a range of angles because you can always reach the shutter release.
As most setting selections are made via the touchscreen, there are only three buttons and one switch on the Canon N. One button turns the camera on and off, another switches to playback mode, while the third is the One Touch Wi-Fi button mentioned earlier.
The switch is used to select either the normal shooting mode with access to Program, Auto, Hybrid Auto and the filter effect options or Creative Shot mode. When Creative Shot mode is selected, touching the shutter release or using touch-shutter mode triggers the camera to take a sequence of shots that are then processed to create the six variations mentioned earlier.
Although it has flat sides and will stand upright on a tabletop or similar when the screen is folded home, when this is flipped out for easier viewing from above, the camera becomes unbalanced. This means that you need to hold the camera up to get a shot, so it's not quite as stable. This could be resolved if a rotating foot was added to the bottom of the camera to keep it balanced.
The Canon N's small size, smooth sides and flip-up screen mean it takes a few moments to work out how to hold it. It can be held up level with the eye or down at waist level. Some may find it easy to hold and use one-handed as the fingers of the right hand curl around the body and onto the lens rings (one of which is the shutter release). But it feels a bit strange with no real grip, and you may find your fingers slipping up behind the screen when it is tilted.
One disappointment with the screen is that it can't be flipped right up above the camera for viewing from in front to help you take self-portraits. Canon UK's David Parry tells us that making screens that flip through 180 degrees or more as strong as Canon wants them to be is difficult – and that means expensive.
Helpfully, if you turn the camera upside-down to make it easier to shoot from above eye-level, the camera automatically rotates the shots so they appear the correct way around when they are reviewed.
Canon has also put large lugs on the left and right of the camera to attach the strap. As a result, the N cannot rest level on a flat surface when shooting portrait orientation images. This is a shame as it seems a logical way of shooting in some low light conditions. The problem could have been avoided if the strap was more like a lanyard and only attached on one side of the camera.
However, we are told that the company is planning on making a feature of the strap, with the possibility of users customising their straps or choosing decorative versions.
Our tests reveal that the image quality from the Canon PowerShot N is very respectable and on a par with the results from the manufacturer's other 12MP compact cameras, such as the impressive Canon PowerShot SX50 HS and Canon PowerShot SX260 HS.
The Canon N can resolve a high level of detail for a compact camera, and images look sharp. The exposure is also generally very good, and images have pleasantly saturated colours that match the original scene.
Although the Canon N has a collection of shooting modes, we found that we kept returning to the Creative Shot mode, because it produces some great results, akin to the images produced by Instagram and Snapseed.
Naturally, having six images from every shot means that there's soon quite a collection of images to sift through, so it's useful to mark the best ones as favourites as you go through and review them. You can then use Favourites as the search criteria to find the images you want to show, but there isn't a way of uploading the images to a smartphone from the search - which seems odd.
Thanks to the Wi-Fi technology that's built in to the Canon N, images can be uploaded to a smart device via the Canon Camera Window app (available on iOS and Android smartphones and tablets).
While the process is relatively simple, the extra effort of connecting to another device before an image can be uploaded to Facebook or Twitter means that you are more likely to do it at the end of the day or at a convenient stopping point, rather than as you go along. This means you are less likely to upload lots of images - that may be a good or bad thing depending on your point of view.
The Canon N isn't intended to take the place of a DSLR or even a phone, but to complement them as a 'take-everywhere' type camera. And features such as the back-illuminated 1/2.3-inch sensor, tilting touchscreen and the ring shutter release mean that it helps you get better shots than you'd normally get on your phone.
Despite the simplicity of the touchscreen interface and the high build quality, some may find its size and shape makes it a little awkward to hold. This could be a deciding factor for some, but we think there will be others that love it, and for these people it may help put some fun and spontaneity into their photography.
We liked
The Canon PowerShot N is easy to use, and it's small enough to slip in a pocket, yet it produces high-quality images for a compact camera.
We disliked
Some will find the camera awkward to hold, and you can't stand it on a flat surface to take portrait orientation shots in low light because the strap lugs stick out. It also overbalances on a flat surface in landscape orientation if the screen is tilted.
The screen tilt is also limited so that it can't be used to compose selfies, which seems a logical use for a camera like this.
Final verdict
The Canon PowerShot N's Creative Shot mode is a clear strength of this camera, since it produces some superb images and makes even the least imaginative photographer seem creative. However, there's no getting away from the fact that not being able to connect directly to image sharing sites such as Flickr, Twitter and Facebook introduces an extra layer of faff.
At £269.99/$299 the Canon N seems overpriced - somewhere closer to half that would be nearer the right mark. It is designed to be a fun addition to a smartphone, but most people will think pretty seriously before spending that kind of money.
Nevertheless, it is capable of producing high-quality images, and for every person who thinks it's an overpriced gimmick there will be another person who loves it. And why not.


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Report: Amazon Tested Wireless Network
Amazon.com (NASDAQ:AMZN) tested a new wireless network that would allow users of Amazon devices to connect to the Internet, Bloomberg News reported Friday.
The reported test would be another sign Amazon, the world's largest e-commerce company, wants to extend beyond online retail and hardware like the Kindle. Adding wireless connectivity to its portfolio would give Amazon a footprint in what users do on the Internet, how they connect and what device they use.
Fellow tech giant Google (NASDAQ:GOOG) has built high-speed broadband networks in 17 cities and operates a Wi-Fi network in Mountain View, Calif. It also agreed to a partnership with Starbucks (NASDAQ:SBUX) to provide wireless connectivity at the chain's coffee shops.
Amazon's wireless network was said to be tested in Cupertino, Calif., and utilized spectrum owned by satellite communications company Globalstar. The firm is seeking FCC approval to convert about 80% of its spectrum to terrestrial use, which would include services like wireless Internet.
Amazon didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.
Bloomberg News said it wasn't clear if the network testing, done in the vicinity of Amazon's Lab126 research facilities, was still underway. Lab126 designs and engineers the company's Kindle devices.
Shares of Amazon were trading a penny higher at $289.74 early Friday afternoon.


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Ancestral Chops: Paul Frank Native Designer Louie Gong
Ancestral Chops: Paul Frank Native Designer Louie Gong
This is the third of four features on the Native designers who have been selected to collaborate with Paul Frank Industries on a line of clothing and accessories. Called "Paul Frank Presents," the collection will debut on August 16 at the Santa Fe Indian Market. (To read the first two installments, see "Point Lips, Not Fingers: Dustin Martin" and "The Definitive Hoodrat: Autumn Dawn Gomez".) Gong's contribution to the lineis a silkscreened handbag.
NAME: Louie Gong
TRIBAL HERITAGE: Nooksack
INFLUENCES AS A DESIGNER: "My art reflects a merger of influences from my mixed heritage (which also includes Asian and Caucasian) and upbringing in the Nooksack tribal community. The "Same Boat" illustration featured on my high-end tote bag includes creatures from earth, land, and sky all moving in the same direction. It represents the undeniable connections between all living things, and the idea that the pathway to sustainable change is one we must travel together. Paul Frank's whimsical branding helped me share this message with lighthearted enthusiasm rather than a sense of somber responsibility."
THOUGHTS ON WORKING WITH PAUL FRANK INDUSTRIES: "I feel the same way my grandma did when she cooked bannock: you do the best you can with the resources and opportunities available to you and feel thankful.
"It's important to acknowledge that the artists are not passive recipients of this opportunity. I'm a self-taught artist and entrepreneur who has worked 12 hours a day for many years so I would be prepared to capitalize on an opportunity to work with a national brand like Paul Frank. I recognize that this will help introduce my artwork to a wider audience and increase my capacity, by providing access to industry connections and knowledge that would take years of trial and error to develop. I believe in the quality of my hustle and the appeal of my artwork, so I'm excited about taking opportunity as far as possible.
"The fact that the collaboration was generated by the Native community raising its collective voice only makes the story of this project a better teaching tool for both aspiring artists and companies that want to work with us.
"This shouldn't be seen as a "special project". This collaboration represents what would already be commonplace if we lived in a meritocracy. After all, it's our cultural capital and our community's ancestral design chops that are the basis for so many current fashion trends. Now, a fraction of the work is going where it should be going, instead of to in-house designers whose creative process starts with a Google search."
For more information on Louie Gong, visit his official site, EighthGeneration.com, and the Eighth Generation Facebook page.


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What a long, strange trip it's been for the Rev. Al Sharpton.
He's gone from rabble-rousing street preacher and civil rights impresario—ringmaster of the racially divisive Tawana Brawley and Crown Heights circuses of two decades ago—to respected politico, friend of the president, occasional collaborator with Newt Gingrich, and now host of his own weeknight cable television show.
PoliticsNation, with Sharpton in the anchor chair, formally debuts Aug. 29 on MSNBC, filling the 6 p.m. time slot that most recently was occupied by "Young Turk" Cenk Uygar, who resisted management's edicts and left last month in a huff. In the past several weeks, Sharpton has been the interim host, apparently proving to MSNBC President Phil Griffin that he's a risk worth taking.
"I don't come to this totally without some background," says Sharpton, until now a frequent in-studio guest whose previous attempts at television hosting were forcibly brief. "I've been doing a radio show [Radio One's syndicated Keeping It Real] for five and a half years and I did do a TV One show for a while. I think the difference is that you are able to engage and dialogue where you guide the dialogue…I do that on radio, and it's no different on television, and on radio I have to go to callers, and all that doesn't bother me at all."
Maybe not, but Sharpton as anchorman is hardly polished. A skillful debater, entertaining conversationalist and, needless to say, impassioned sermonizer (in private, he's mordantly funny), he also possesses an up-close-and-personal knowledge of ground-level politics, having run for this and that over the years and figured out how to leverage his influence. But the good reverend has yet to achieve a comfortable relationship with the camera.
Occasionally stiff and muted, as though his ebullient personality were clapped in irons, he looks distracted by the voices in his head (or, more likely, in his earpiece). He also seems to enjoy a spotty acquaintance with mainstream (or at least white) pop-culture icons; or maybe he's simply not a Matthew Broderick fan. During a recent show, he referred to someone in his script named "Ferris Boo-ler." And unlike the smoothly cool Barack Obama, Sharpton has been frequently pinned down in a wrestling match with the Teleprompter.
"I hate Teleprompters," Sharpton acknowledges, noting quite rightly that "everybody has their moments" but minimizing his own difficulties—which once or twice have brought the proceedings to a crashing halt, but can be solved, like most such problems, by faithful practice. "I'm getting more relaxed and I'm getting more comfortable. You gotta remember, the fact is, when I first came on, substituting for Ed [Schultz, who had the time slot before MSNBC orchestrated a prime-time shakeup] I was filling in. Now this becomes my show. But if I had come in all-guns-blazing-Al Sharpton, they'd say. 'What are you doing? Trying to take over and get Ed out?' Now it's my show. It's a different ball game. Either way, they would have been critical if I'd over-Al Sharptoned it or under-Al Sharptoned it. Now it's just Al Sharpton. What do they want me to do?"
Sharpton has come under fire—notably from St. Petersburg Times television critic Eric Deggans, a former officer of the National Association of Black Journalists—for accepting a valuable piece of evening cable real estate that might otherwise have gone to an African-American journalist. A few weeks ago, amid a squall of criticism over the reverend's impending good fortune, an aggrieved Sharpton cancelled a scheduled appearance at the NABJ's annual convention. Later he was mollified when the group's new president expressed happiness that he was getting the opportunity.
"To be fair about it, the NABJ understood that if I didn't get it, it wouldn't have gone to a journalist," Sharpton tells me. "It's a moot point. There are no journalists [as hosts] after 5 p.m. on MSNBC. Everyone after 5 deals with opinions. So the argument is kind of apples and oranges."
Sharpton, meanwhile, scoffs at the claim of Daily Beast contributor Wayne Barrett, a longtime detractor in the Okefenokee Swamp of New York politics, that he got his show as a kind of "affirmative action" reward for being a key minority supporter of the Comcast merger with NBC Universal, MSNBC's parent company.
"I think that is not worthy of comment," Sharpton tells me, but then offers an elaborate comment. "Because, first of all, for 25 years since we fought over Brooklyn politics, Barrett has a conspiracy theory for everybody. There were many people that supported the Comcast merger [including Urban League president Marc Morial]. Did they all get shows? I mean, what are we talking about? It's so ridiculous."
Sharpton goes on: "It's very public and registered with the FCC why we supported the merger. Comcast made some very, very, I might say unparalleled commitments for TV stations to blacks and Latinos…So I think it's belittling to the black community to say that that commitment doesn't mean anything, and that somebody was going to get a show that didn't even exist at that time [before the prime-time shakeup]…It's so insane."
Sharpton, an Obama loyalist who has spent much airtime defending the president, claims PoliticsNation will not be an Obama-criticism-free space. "Not at all," he says. "Last night I talked about how I disagree with him on Libya. It's been overstated—I feel free to disagree with him. It's true I've been generally supportive."
Indeed, when MSNBC political analyst Pat Buchanan, a rare conservative on the network, came on the show recently and referred to Obama as "your boy," Sharpton was quick to slap Buchanan's wrists for the racially suggestive epithet. "I confronted him and I left it there," Sharpton says. "I didn't agree with his comment and he answered me, and we moved on. Next."
Sharpton adds: "But you know what's so funny to me? Three years ago people were saying President Obama would never deal with Al Sharpton and now they're saying Sharpton is too close to Obama. If I listened to my critics, I would have nothing else to listen to."
As for Sharpton's remarkable career trajectory, "You're looking at growth," he tells me. "I came up in the aftermath of the Dr. King days, but if you look at those guys, mine is similar to theirs. Adam Clayton Powell ran boycotts and marched in Harlem, and he ended up the chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee. Reverend [Jesse] Jackson started as a rabble-rouser in Chicago and ended up running for president and having a talk show on CNN. The only guys that are surprised at my growth are those who never thought I'd make it. I'm sorry for them that I've disappointed them, and glad that I continue growing."


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AikiWeb Aikido Forums
> Ellis Amdur in PA, Feb 26/27, 2005
View Full Version :
Ellis Amdur in PA, Feb 26/27, 2005
Please visit our
Robert Wolfe
Itten Dojo will host an aikido seminar with Ellis Amdur on February 26 and 27, 2005. This will be an open seminar focusing on the integration of atemi to aikido technique. Participation will be limited to 36 students to facilitate a high degree of interaction and personal attention from the guest instructor.
Mr. Amdur is a crisis intervention specialist in Seattle, and began his martial arts training in 1968. He spent 13 years in Japan, and currently holds instructor's licenses in the Araki-ryu Torite Kogusoku and the Toda-ha Buko-ryu naginatajutsu, teaching both these martial traditions in Seattle. Mr. Amdur extensively cross-trained in judo, hsing i, Ch'en family t'ai chi ch'uan and muay thai. He began aikido training in 1973 with Terry Dobson in New York City, and continued his training in Japan with a number of instructors, most notably Kuwamori Yasunori and Kuroiwa Yoshio. He is the founder of Edgework, which offers trainings and consultation to law enforcement and social service personnel for the de-escalation of conflict and management of the behavior of emotionally disturbed individuals, as well as the author of Dueling with O-Sensei and Old School. Additional information on Mr. Amdur can be found at www.koryu.com/bio.html#eamdur or on his personal website, www.ellisamdur.com.
A registration flier in Acrobat format can be downloaded at www.ittendojo.org/downloads/amdur-05.pdf
Thanks very much.
Robert Wolfe
Itten Dojo, Inc.
4425 Valley Road, Suite 300
Enola, PA 17025-1444
(717) 728-8871
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Andy Hall & Roosevelt Collier
Andy Hall of The Infamous Stringdusters and Roosevelt Collier of the Lee Boys have come together on a new album, Let The Steel Play, which is set for independent release June 16, 2017. Let the Steel Play was born out of a love of slide guitar, and a friendship made through music. Andy Hall and Roosevelt Collier met in 2012 on Jam Cruise, and began playing music together when their paths would cross. Both are sought after sit-in players at festivals throughout the country and known for their dexterity, versatility, and intuitive knack for picking up rhythms and melodies.
Andy comes from the world of bluegrass, and cut his teeth in Nashville's vibrant country and bluegrass scene having performed with Earl Scruggs, Ryan Adams, and Dolly Parton (who he is also on two albums with). Roosevelt "The Dr." was born into the Sacred Steel sound, learning lap and pedal steel at a young age directly under his uncles and grandfather in the House of God church his family attended in Perrine, FL. Roosevelt has performed alongside BB King, Widespread Panic, The Allman Brothers, and Del McCoury Band.
Coming from different backgrounds and methods, yet brought together through slide guitar, Roosevelt and Andy have joined forces to create a musical bridge that emanates a freshness, yet honors both traditions.
The bluegrass tradition is highlighted by classics such as a haunting and melodic version of "A Maiden's Prayer," which was written initially for piano in Poland and made popular in the 1930's in America by Bob Wills who arranged it on fiddle in a more Western Swing style and added lyrics; it was later recorded by Buck Owens and Willie Nelson. Let The Steel Play also includes the 1920's folk song made popular by Flatts and Scruggs, "Reuben's Train," which is jazzed up even more in it's evolution here.
The time-honored song "This Little Light Of Mine" is played in both bluegrass and gospel music. Andy says, "We chose it because it seemed like a natural bridge between our two styles, and it is just fun to play. Roosevelt's unique way of playing bass parts on the steel is highlighted in the breakdown section."
"Power In the Blood" showcase the sounds of Sacred Steel. Written by Lewis E. Jones in 1899, the slides take on a very vocal style here; you can almost imagine yourself in church, feeling the holy spirit!
For a slightly more modern flair they also perform a version of the Grateful Dead's "Crazy Fingers." "When we recorded this album I had been playing quite a bit with Phil Lesh, and was doing Grateful Grass shows with Keller Williams, so I certainly had the Grateful Dead on the brain," says Andy Hall, "'Crazy Fingers' has always been a closet favorite of mine. Amazing complex chords that work so well together. Yet the melody is so memorable. I play the melody throughout, and then Roosevelt soars on the intro riff that we repeat at the end."
Additionally there are 5 originals that Andy and Roosevelt wrote together specifically for this project. From the uplifting "Rosebud" to the fast paced "Remington," this record showcases not only exceptional slide work, but engaging songwriting. "The Darkest Hour" was written on Hall's Weissenborn style guitar, which has a mellower, pretty sound and juxtaposes nicely with the gritty low sound of Roosevelt's lap steel.
In the final song of the album, "Colfax Boogie," Anders Beck of Greensky Bluegrass adds his Dobro prowess to make a slide guitar power trio. They co-wrote it while all together in the studio and had fun with three slides all taking turns and playing off each other, a perfect way to round out the project.
Let The Steel Play was recorded at Macy Sound Studios in Denver, CO, and produced by John Macy (The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Los Lobos). The mastering was done by Fred Guarino (he also recorded The Infamous Stringdusters' 2015 album Undercover), at Tiki Recording.
Let the Steel Play is an instrumental offering that gives the listener something new, yet familiar. Where two traditions come together and form something new and relevant. The slide guitar is not all that common, but it's certainly a treat to the ear and to the soul.
Let The Steel Play Track Listing
1. This Little Light Of Mine 4:51
2. Maiden's Prayer 3:48
3. Singing Steel 4:01
4. Crazy Fingers 4:40
5. Rosebud 3:04
6. Reuben's Train 3:34
7. Remington 3:06
8. The Darkest Hour 4:05
9. Power In the Blood 3:50
10. Colfax Boogie (W/ Anders Beck) 4:46
Instruments & credits:
Andy Hall:
1929 National Style 2 Squareneck Tricone 1, 10
Beard Mahogany Belle Beard Model Resonator Guitar 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9
Bear Creek Koa Weissenborn Style Guitar 8
Roosevelt Collier:
Asher Electro Hawaiian Lap Steel, 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
Meredith Maple Resonator Guitar 3, 10
Anders Beck:
Meredith Mahogany Resonator Guitar 10
Artist Update
Andy Hall & Roosevelt Collier Release 'Let The Steel Play' June 16 – Sacred Steel Meets Bluegrass


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In a restaurant in London recently I ordered a plate of Spaghetti alla Chitarra – square cut spaghetti that was cooked with some very spicy pork sausage. Square cut spaghetti are popular in Abruzzo, but also in Molise, Lazio and Puglia and obviously can now be found elsewhere in the world.
I had also found them on a menu in Marin County a year before London. There I ordered Rustichella d'Abruzzo Chitarra with Manila clams, Pacific squid and 'Nduja with anchovy and breadcrumbs (this is how it was written on the menu).
There is a little bit of Italian regional fusion in this dish:
The pasta is from Rustichella d'Abruzzo – a pasta manufacturer in the central region of Abruzzo on the Adriatic coast, famous because it uses traditional methods for quality pasta production and quality ingredients. For example the durum wheat is from growers in Italy as well as Canada and Australia. The Italian square-cut spaghetti was originally shaped by the dough being rolled over a box strung with guitar strings (chitarra= guitar) to create the straight edges. Now of course, it is all machine made.
'Nduja is a spicy, soft spreadable salame from Calabria.
The use of toasted breadcrumbs as a topping for pasta is both Calabrese and Sicilian.
I do not have a recipe from the restaurant for Rustichella d'Abruzzo Chitarra with Manila clams, Pacific squid, 'Nduja and anchovy and breadcrumbs, however, I have a pretty good palate and a sharp sense of smell. This is my interpretation of this recipe.
The estimation of amounts and is based on my tastes and preferences.
Recipe for 6 people
Breadcrumbs, anchovies and garlic mixture (often called pangrattato in Italian) is used to sprinkle on top of the dish instead of cheese.
1 cup bread crumbs made from 1-2 day old good quality bread
⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil, more if needed
6 anchovies, chopped finely
1 garlic clove, chopped finely
In a fry pan (I use a non stick one) heat the oil, add the anchovies and toss them around for about 30 seconds before adding the garlic. Stir over medium heat until fragrant – the anchovies will break up and 'dissolve' into the oil.
Add breadcrumbs and continue to stir them until the crumbs are golden and toasted. Remove from the pan when they are ready otherwise they will continue to cook; set aside until you wish to use them.
700g of squid sliced into rings (optional – add 200g of vongole or clams without their shell per person )– adjust to your tastes.
150g of' 'Nduja (add more if you like more spice)
2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
1-2 red onions, sliced thinly
2-3 tablespoons of passata
In a frypan sauté the onion in the olive oil. When it is soft and golden add the 'Nduja and stir gently on low heat until it is dissolved. Add the squid and toss it around till it is transparent and cooked (I do not cook squid for long). Add the passata half way through cooking, stir over medium-low heat until you have the consistency of a thick tomato sauce. You may need to add a little more liquid if necessary.
400 g spaghetti. Use good quality durum wheat spaghetti. The recommended amount on packets is 100 g per person. I always think that this is far too much especially for a first course, but adapt amounts accordingly. If you increase the amount of pasta you could also increase the amount of squid.
Cook the pasta, drain it and dress it with the sauce.
Dish it out into separate plates or into a large serving plate, top with the breadcrumb mixture and serve.
I have written about 'Nduja in an earlier post. See: Nduja, A Spreadable and Spicy Pork Salame From Calabria


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Posted 13 years ago
(28 items)
I am a lifelong Steiff collector and admire many of the company's classic and wonderful designs. However, a particular favorite of mine has always been their "Teddy Baby", a pattern that debuted in 1929 and has been produced on and off in the line ever since.
Teddy Baby has been produced in a number of slightly varying designs over the years. However, all Steiff Teddy Baby bears have three things in common: a distinctive, well defined muzzle; flat, broad, clawed feet made for standing; and sweet, toddler-like features. Pre-World War II, Teddy Baby was made in 9, 12, 13, 15, 20, 22, 25, 30, 35, 38, 40, 45, and 65 cm sizes.
It is interesting to note that Teddy Baby was one of the very first items Steiff started producing when the factory in Germany opened after the war. Due to limited supplies and logistical complications, he was made in artificial silk plush (a transitional, lower quality material) in 1948. Then, once supplies and operations were back in order, he was produced in blonde or brown mohair in 9, 22, 28, 30, and 40 cm in the identical pattern made before the war. All sizes over 9 cm came with a leather collar with a bell. Teddy Baby remained in the Steiff line from 1949 to 1957, although due to his popularity with collectors, has been replicated many times in numerous limited edition series.
The Teddy Baby "foursome" shown here are modern, replica bears produced within the last 15 years. The Teddy Baby "threesome" pictured are vintage Teds from the late 1940's and early 1950's. The close up is a 9 cm Teddy Baby from 1950; it is in almost pristine condition with its original chest tag, button in ear, and white linen US Zone seam tag.


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Last time we met my friend, PhD student and working academic 'Dave' he was walking through the Valley of Shit. Dave emerged from the deathly valley soon after I published that post, but he has now hit the last phase of PhD study, which I call "PhD detachment". Dave, somewhat more colourfully, calls this phase "Screw you thesis!". He tells us why in this post, but caution – there's some strong language!
Them: "Do you hate it yet?"
Me: "Huh?"
Them: "Do you hate it yet… your thesis? You know you are ready when you begin to hate it."
Me: "Uh… well, uh…no. Not yet."
Them: "You will."
I've had this conversation a few times over the past few months and it was really starting to bug me. I never knew how to deal with it so I usually just smiled, nodded and said something like "I guess I will… eventually", but that always felt false to me because on the available evidence, I didn't really have any reason to hate my thesis.
Generally, my PhD has gone pretty smoothly and other than the normal low-level bullshit that you have to deal with in any large project, it had progressed steadily.
Sure, I had my moments of doubt about the quality of my work and the worthiness of my contribution, but from what I can gather, this is all pretty normal stuff. After all, it's not until the examiners have given it the Big Red Tick do you know with any certainty how good it is.
I couldn't see why anyone would hate their project. That seemed counter-productive to me. Don't worry about how you feel about it, just get on and finish it. I couldn't understand why anyone would want to waste energy on emotions about a project.
That is, until this morning when, all of a sudden, I hated it.
Not just hated it, but HATED it. The kind of burning hatred that consumed me with the heat of a thousand suns. I was pissed off and this realisation hit me, like many other realisations, in the shower.
You see, this morning I looked down in the shower and noticed that I was sharing the shower with two rubber ducks, a small rubber chicken, a tugboat, a plastic shark and my two year old son. When did all these things get in the shower with me? How long had they been there? Have I always had children's toys in the shower, or is this a new thing? And what's with the chicken? All the others at least have something to do with water, but a chicken? That's just odd.
Come to think of it, what was the conversation about over the breakfast table this morning? What plans did I make with my wife? What did I agree to do later this week? What are the plans for today? I mean, I know what my plans are; I'll be writing. But what will the rest of my family be doing?
Will they be going out in the sunshine? If so, with who and to do what? Was I invited? Even if I was, I would have said no, but the point is, I can't remember if I was invited or not. AND if I wasn't invited was that because I always say no anyway or has it become normal that my family make plans without me? When did THAT start?
This was starting to turn into a pretty heavy shower.
And that's when I realised that I hate my thesis. Well, not my thesis exactly, but the all-consuming nature of it. I hate the fact that I can't think about anything else. I hate the fact that my son is growing up fast and I can't find the time to enjoy it with him.
I hate the fact that everything in my life is on auto-pilot and I don't want to change anything. Change would mean I'd have to put energy into thinking about how I would have to re-enter the world again, for a little while, until I can put that part of my life back on auto-pilot again. I hate the fact that I haven't had a good night's rest in months. I hate the fact that I've lost nearly all of my friends as their patience for me finishing runs out. I hate the fact that I have come to hate my thesis.
But really, is that right? Maybe this hate thing is not hate at all, but resistance to change. Maybe I've mis-diagnosed hatred as resistance? Is that possible?
I'm reminded of some work done by William Bridges on organisational change. He argues that there are three stages of transition that people go through when they are faced with change: Endings; The Neutral Zone; and New Beginnings.
Briefly, when people are faced with change, something comes to an end. For people to transition successfully, Bridge suggests, they need to recognise that they will lose something, or indeed, they will lose part of their current identity.
When people accept this loss, they move into the Neutral Zone where they spend time examining the way they do things. What different behaviours and attitudes might better suit the new (changed) state? This examination can take longer than the change itself.
Finally, once the first two transition stages have been navigated, people begin to work towards New Beginnings. However, while this appears to be a neat little theory, people often find the psychological transition stages difficult and so they resist going through them.
Maybe that is what is happening with me and my thesis?
I'm nearly at the end of my project. I'll be done in December. Come 2013, I'll be doing something else. Something different. Something NOT my thesis. So I guess there is a sense of loss there.
I'll no longer have to spend my weekends worrying about such things as methodologies, or qualitative codes. I won't have to feel guilty because I didn't hit my minimum words-per-day target. And, I suppose, I'll no longer have the excuse of having to work on my thesis to get out of various social obligations.
I guess that also means that I'll have to re-think the way I plan my time and focus my attention. I am already doing that to some degree – even though it's only September, I'm already thinking about my teaching and research obligations in 2013 in light of the fact that the thesis will be done – it will no longer compete for time. How will that look, exactly? What routines will I have to change?
And finally, what does all this mean for me and my family once I'm finished? How do I begin to act as a Post-Doc father? I've never had to do that before. Where do I begin? What do I do?
As my project winds up, I realise that the deadline is approaching faster than I'd like it to. The change is coming, but I haven't completed the transition and so I'm feeling a little edgy about that; I'm resisting and it's manifesting as a strong emotion: hate. As the wonderful Leela James sings: "Whoever said it was 'teasy, they lied; it ain't easy…" but at least now I know what it is that I'm up against.
So, Screw You Thesis.
The change is coming and there's nothing I can now do about that. But how I respond, well that's up to me and I'm done with the hating bit. I see you for what you are now Thesis. I understand that once you are finished, I can get about living differently; a better life.
So I'm going to embrace you as I race to the finish. I'm going to look forward to this new life I am about to begin. I'm going to stop hating you and use you as a springboard into the future. The next time someone asks me "do I hate it yet", I'm going to say: "I did. Briefly. But I'm over than now and am looking forward to finishing."


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Also from the Climate Desk: Should medical ethics apply to Earth care?
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration isn't known for its political forecasts, but last spring, the agency quietly released a 40-page study that should give a jolt to any campaign strategist who hopes to work in the next dozen election cycles. Simply called "Scenarios for 2035," the report never once mentions voting trends or red-blue divides, but it does explain how changes in climate could quickly and radically reshape American politics–upending the power balance in Congress, scuttling traditional paths to the White House, and igniting new fights over natural and financial resources.
The NOAA report joins a variety of other studies, from the government and from environmental groups, that suggest politicians as a species may need to adapt to climate change as fast as polar bears. Consider the ways the electoral environment could be affected: Both major political parties could see their power bases erode as Americans, responding to warming temperatures and rising seas, flee the Republican-dominated South and Democratic-friendly coasts. Drought in the Southwest could reignite water wars between California suburbanites and Rocky Mountain swing voters. In Iowa, where floodwaters will rise more often and corn yields could suffer from heat waves and insect plagues, wanna-be presidential contenders could end up talking FEMA as much as the Farm Bill.
And if you think the current immigration debate is charged, wait until so-called climate refugees begin pouring in from China, Southeast Asia, and Sub-Saharan Africa. Meanwhile, on the foreign policy front, the NOAA study projects "tensions between governments in the East and West [will] begin to fray as it is becoming clear that an entirely new level of commitment"—read: huge amounts of money—"will probably be needed to address the relationship between people and the planet."
Mass migrations have historically triggered power shifts in American politics—to the West in the late 1800s, to the Sun Belt in the 1970s, and today to the booming Southwest. Forecasters say climate change could have similar effects. In two of the three climate scenarios NOAA outlines for 2035, the decades-long trend of Americans moving to the Southeast and to both coasts ebbs, due largely to hotter summers, rising waters and increased hurricane activity. In the more extreme of the two–what is essentially the "no mitigation" scenario, which is to say, the federal government makes little effort to curb carbon emissions–northern state populations swell 20 percent by 2035, while California and Florida each lose millions of people. Other analysts expect urban populations to expand, due to both an influx of immigrants fleeing foreign countries ravaged by climate change, and to former suburb-dwellers who find many of their signature comforts imperiled. (Playing catch in the yard is less appealing if there's no water for the grass.)
Taken together, these changes could disrupt political patterns that have taken hold over the last two decades. Since Bill Clinton first ran for president, certain truisms have emerged. Democrats start by banking on the West Coast and the Northeast; Republicans build from the South and the Great Plains. Florida, the Rust Belt, and increasingly the Four Corners—they more or less break the tie. But shift electoral votes from the Sunshine State to the Great Lakes, or from California to the Dakotas, and you open up all sorts of new routes to the magic number, 270. Or consider what happens to the makeup of Congress if census results require that California lose seats and Indiana gain them. You'd be looking at a Democratic Party, for example, with fewer liberals like Nancy Pelosi and more Blue Dogs like Baron Hill. At every electoral level, a new wave of urbanization could spell trouble for Republicans, because Democratic candidates dominate in cities.
Many analysts expect climate change to elevate regional tensions over partisan matters–and unleash a new wave of national wedge issues in the process. Chief among them: Water. Vast swaths of the country may come to know the down-to-the-last-drop battles between farmers, subdivision developers, and environmentalists that states such as Colorado have long witnessed. Due to more frequent droughts and declining snowpacks, "You're going to have an increasingly limited resource and increased demand from cities such as Los Angeles and Las Vegas" for water typically used by Rocky Mountain ranchers, said Rick Ridder, a veteran Democratic consultant in Denver. "This is going to pit urban America versus rural America."
The most precious resource of all could prove to be federal dollars. A changing climate brings extreme flooding, wilting crops, rising tides that swallow coastlines, and new waves of immigrants; that could prove to be a drain on U.S. coffers as every hard-hit area clamors for its slice of relief. One impact, analysts say, is that non-emergency priorities will get crowded out of the budget. Environmentalists point to what's happening already with the Forest Service, where firefighting costs have ballooned and other programs—including recreation and habitat restoration—have suffered. "We could get caught in a spiral of emergency response," said Lou Leonard, a climate expert with the World Wildlife Fund. "Mitigation could become secondary to urgent adaptation needs, and America could go broke trying to cope with climate change." Special interests could lose key allies: Louisiana residents might, for example, demand more attention to their sinking coast and less to the oil and gas industry.
In two of the three NOAA scenarios, the US economy never quite recovers as the world shifts away from fossil fuels and toward low-carbon energy sources. At some point, many experts predict, America's inability to make this transition could make climate adaptation itself a dominant political issue. After years of demanding little action on global warming, voters could suddenly and angrily urge their leaders to shower government aid on the farmers, coast-dwellers and other populations suffering under the effects of a changing climate. Their cries could form the basis of a new populist movement, rooted in poorer and middle-class voters who seethe at their political leaders' inattention to their problems and lament an American Dream gone awry. Ridder suggests those folks could call themselves the Sunscreen Party.
This piece was produced by The Atlantic as part of the Climate Desk collaboration.


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When the Witwatersrand and Johannesburg was first explored by Miners in the year 1886, they sent home exciting stories of abundance and possibilities, inviting everyone to join them in discovering the richness.
We welcome you to our Johannesburg Guest House and are happy assisting you, to experience what so many loves about our city and its surroundings. Bed and Breakfast at The Wedgwood is located in the charming central suburb, Melville, Johannesburg. The Wedgwood is among the most sought after, Four Star Conference and Accommodation establishments, in Melville.
Bed and Breakfast at The Wedgwood is easily accessible to and from all the major Hi-Ways, Business Centres, University Johannesburg, Witwatersrand University, KPMG, SASOL Rosebank, Milpark Hospital, Johannesburg Eye Hospital, Flora Clinic, WesBank Building and MTN West Rand Head Office, ABSA, Standard Bank, First National Bank, Cresta Shopping Centre, Rosebank Shopping Centre, Park Town and Tourist attractions in and around Johannesburg. Our facility is nested in a quaint street and walking distance from an array of Restaurants, Galleries, Antique Shops, Boutiques, Gift shops, Hair Styling Salon, Beauty treatment Salon and a local shuttle away from Parkview Golf Club and Parkview Squash Club.
The Wedgwood is ideally situated for conference getaways, but still very optimal for stop-overs or business and corporate travellers working in the financial district. Enter our door and find yourself in a tranquil environment, arranged to promote relaxation and maximise your stay in Johannesburg, while embodying our City's history and flair. Completing this atmosphere is a level of personal service, driven by the owners love for guest satisfaction and travel. Through our own travel, we gained valuable inspiration giving us a constant flow of fresh ideas to bring back to our property.
The invitation of 1886 still stands. Join us for a visit. You'll find a lifetime of memories easily within reach and a hub from the city and its surrounding amenities. When you do come to visit, be careful not to pack lightly – because like those miners and explorers from long ago, you may discover you simply have to stay longer.


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6 Ways to Boost Security in Your Condo, Even Without a Concierge
All homeowners want to take measures to make sure their homes are secure and that all occupants within their homes are kept safe at all times. When it comes to condos, there is usually an added level of security in the form of a locked main entrance, security cameras, or 24-hour concierge. In secure buildings, visitors typically have to be buzzed in by a guard or an owner before they're allowed in.
But as much as homeowners associations are responsible for making sure that their buildings are secure at all times, unit owners can take measures into their own hands as well to ramp up their own personal security.
Here are suggestions to take the level of security of your condo to the next level, whether or not your particular building is armed with 24-hour surveillance.
1. Consider Installing an Alarm For Your Unit
The building itself will come with its own security measures, but you might want to consider having your own security alarm installed in your unit. While you may have to get permission from your HOA to install an alarm, it can give you more peace of mind knowing that there's another hurdle that thieves must go through in order to cause any amount of harm.
You might be even willing to take things a step further and have an alarm installed in your locker as well, especially if you've got valuables stashed away in there.
2. Never Lets Strangers in Behind You When You Enter the Building
Owners of the building are equipped either with a fob or a code that allows them to enter through main entrances of the building. Anyone else who doesn't have either one of these things will need to be let in by someone who knows them. If you happen to be near the entrance and notice someone you're not familiar asking to be buzzed in or trying to slip in behind you, resist the urge to be polite for a moment.
You don't know who the person is, so you could be inadvertently allowing someone with bad intentions into the building. The person that they're coming to see – if their visit is legitimate – should be the one to let them in. Even if the person is wearing a uniform, don't allow them to enter unless they're armed with appropriate identification.
3. Always Keep Your Balcony Doors Locked
Locking the door to your unit is a no-brainer, but are you guilty of leaving your balcony door unlocked from time to time? People with bad intentions will go to great lengths to break into units, including trying to go through balcony entrances.
Don't underestimate what some people will do to gain entrance to other people's homes, including climbing walls and making their way through any nook and cranny they can access, and balcony doors are one of them.
4. Block Windows and Install Bars if You're on the First Floor
There are advantages to living on the first floor of a building; namely, not having to take an elevator every time you want to go in and out. But having a first-floor unit also comes with certain hazards that other unit owners on higher levels might not have to worry about, including being within easier access to criminals.
If you live on the main level, consider blocking out your windows. Thieves like to have a look inside where they plan to break into, and if they can't see what's inside, they may be less inclined to break in. You can do this either with blinds or even with frosted stick-ons.
Further, you might also want to install a bar across your balcony sliding doors to make it nearly impossible for bandits to pry the door open.
5. Get Familiar With the Residents of the Building
Knowing who lives in the building and what their regular routines are can help you get better acquainted with normal ongoings versus activities that seem out of the norm.
By paying attention and getting to know who lives in the building and what their routines are, you'll be in a better position to spot suspicious activity. So get out there and don't be afraid to mingle a little.
6. Make Sure the Door Closes Behind You After You Enter
When you enter your building, make sure to wait and verify that the door closes behind you so no one can slip in without anyone noticing.
The Bottom Line
Condo living is usually very secure. There are usually multiple layers of security that you can feel safe behind. But if you really want to ensure the ultimate in safety, consider adopting any one of the above tips. There's absolutely nothing wrong with going the extra mile to ensure your safety and that of your family.


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Maglite's used(?) to be the king of flashlights, but replacing those pesky D-cell batteries is kind of ridiculous in this day and age. So [Travis] decided to upgrade it to make use of the ever-so-common, 18650 lithium-ion battery.
Not looking to purchase any components [Travis] performed this hack using simple recycled household parts. You could solder tabs on the 18650's so they better mimic a typical alkaline battery cell, but [Travis] notes that because most solder tarnishes the electrical conductivity isn't always the greatest. So instead, he used aluminum foil. It doesn't look professional, but it does the job and keeps all the components unmodified so the lithium cells can be used elsewhere if needed. To center the batteries inside the Maglite he used a few strips of cardboard from a case of beer — again, this is just making use of what was available. That being said however, if you wanted to do a professional job on it, nothing is stopping you! A 3D printed 18650 to D-cell adapter would look quite nice… Finally, in order to make the battery spring contact the smaller surface area of the lithium cells, all you have to do is flip it around backwards and slightly bend the inner spring out. That's about it.
It's a pretty simple hack we admit, but definitely super handy. In a past project [Travis] also replaced the halogen bulb with a high power LED, making this flashlight even more powerful — and because the LED driver accepts a broader range of voltages it lasts longer too. If you need more inspiration for retrofitting flashlights with LEDs check out this switch-mode driver board hack.
Unfortunately this hack does reduce the Maglite's thief-head-bashing-ability with such light batteries.


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Do you like the new look of my blog ? I have worked on it for the last 2 days. The reason that I have giving my blog a new look is because I'm going to shut down my Dutch blog and will continue posting only here.
The only other thing that will change is that I will write each post in English AND Dutch, because there are Dutch people that can't read English. Each post (starting january 1) will start of in Dutch and then write the English translation in Italic.
Finaly my christmas exchange arrived. It was posted on december 18 in Belgium by Ingrid. She made me a wonderful christmas biscornu and also included a beautiful christmascard and some threads. Thanks Ingrid !
Today also arrived some books I orderd by Bookdepository. I love reading my books in English. Some books are still on the way. But today came ...
The Witch's Trinity - Erika Mailman
The Heretic's Daughter - Kathleen Kent
Daughters of the Witching Hill - Mary Sharratt
First I want to finish the book Fallen by Lauren Kate before I start reading these ones. A few weeks back the 4 books of Michael Scott also arrived, so let the winter continue ^_^
2. The Magician
3. The Sorceress
I hope you all have a wonderful New Year's Eve tomorrow.


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Practical Foundations for Programming Languages (first impressions)
Robert Harper has (somewhat) recently released a pre-print of a book (PDF) that he has been working on, Practical Foundations for Programming Languages. I downloaded a copy when it initially came out, but I was guilty of putting off actually digging into the book's 590-some pages. It was only until Harper successfully baited me with one of his most recent blog posts that I finally sat down and skimmed it a bit more thoroughly.
The immediate temptation is to compare PFPL to Benjamin Pierce's seminal Types and Programming Languages. At first glance, there would seem to be quite a bit of overlap, both in terms of content and in terms of presentation. Both books starting with a very simple programming language and successively add features to explain successively more complex topics in programming languages design. But PFPL consciously differs from TAPL in many aspects. For ideological reasons, Harper completely skips the untyped language, jumping straight to a typed language with variable let-bindings, in order to immediately introduce types, contexts and safety. This presentation is substantially more terse, and newcomers with no programming languages experience may perceive that PFPL feels more like a reference manual than a textbook—one commenter likened it to a math textbook. (Apropos of nothing, Harper's introductory class 15-312 Principles of Programming Languages, which uses PFPL, does start with the untyped lambda calculus.)
Nevertheless, this terseness is an asset for PFPL; for one thing, it permits Harper to cover a lot of ground, covering topics that TAPL did not handle at all. Nor does the terseness mean that Harper has "left anything out", each chapter is self-contained and comprehensive on the topics it chooses to cover. It also makes it a fun read for people like me who do have familiarity with the topics discussed but benefit from seeing and thinking about a different treatment.
Harper has been blogging about his book, and I think his blog posts are a good indication of what parts of the book are particularly worth looking at. Harper has taken the style of going "all intuition" in his blog posts, and relegating most of the formalism to his book. I think this is a shame, since the formalisms he defines are quite accessible and would make things a lot clearer for many in his audience (judging from the comments section, at least!) Here are some of the pairings:
- Dynamic Languages are Static Languages is a companion to Chapter 18, "Dynamic Typing". There, he develops Dynamic PCF (essentially the core of Lisp) and shows how the usual concrete syntax masks the tagging that occurs, and the usual dynamics masks the wasteful and repetitive checks that are endemic to dynamically typed languages. There is always a temptation, in these holy wars, to expand the scope of the argument, but if you accept Dynamic PCF as a valid way of framing one aspect of the debate, it is extremely precise.
- Referential transparency is a companion to Chapter 32, "Symbols". Symbols are a little weird, because most languages don't even have a way of even acknowledging this concept exists. You might think of it as an identifier for a "generalized mutable cell" apart from how you actually access it, but really you should just read the formal treatment, since it is very simple.
- Words matter is a companion to Chapter 36, "Assignable References". It's a simple terminology split, motivated by how Harper defines the term "variable", way in Chapter 1 of his book.
- Haskell is Exceptionally Unsafe is a companion to Chapter 34, "Dynamic Classification". It argues that it is important to be able to generate exception classes at runtime (the term "class" here has a very precise meaning, namely, it is an index of a finite sum, in this case the exception type; this is discussed in Chapter 12). At least in the Haskell community, this is not a particularly common usage of the term "dynamic" (though I agree with Harper that it is a correct usage), and PFPL spells exactly what it means, no more, no less.
All-in-all, Practical Foundations for Programming Languages is well worth checking out. It is a not too widely kept secret that no one really reads textbooks from tip to tail, but if you found yourself reading one of Harper's blog posts and being puzzled, do give the companion chapter a chance. Even with just the small bits of the book I have read, PFPL has taught me new things and clarified my thinking.


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SSI SCHAEFER's shelf-retrieval machines (SRM) and shuttle systems for containers, cartons, and trays are a key element of the cost-optimized logistics chain. Wherever you need optimized storage with rapid material transport and short access times, SSI SCHAEFER offers you innovative and economical solutions tailored to your precise requirements.
No elements available.