text:
Oracle recommends that you perform a full backup of all files in the database before using this statement. For more information, see Oracle Database Backup and Recovery User's Guide.
The CREATE
statement should be used in only a few cases. Use this statement to re-create a control file if all control files being used by the database are lost and no backup control file exists. You can also use this statement to change the maximum number of redo log file groups, redo log file members, archived redo log files, data files, or instances that can concurrently have the database mounted and open.
To change the name of the database, Oracle recommends that you use the DBNEWID
utility rather than the CREATE
statement. DBNEWID
is preferable because no OPEN
operation is required after changing the database name.
See Also:
Oracle Database Utilities for more information about the
utility -
"BACKUP CONTROLFILE Clause" for information creating a script based on an existing database control file
To create a control file, you must have the SYSDBA
or SYSBACKUP
system privilege.
The database must not be mounted by any instance. After successfully creating the control file, Oracle mounts the database in the mode specified by the CLUSTER_DATABASE
parameter. The DBA must then perform media recovery before opening the database. If you are using the database with Oracle Real Application Clusters (Oracle RAC), then you must then shut down and remount the database in SHARED
mode (by setting the value of the CLUSTER_DATABASE
initialization parameter to TRUE
) before other instances can start up.
When you issue a CREATE
statement, Oracle Database creates a new control file based on the information you specify in the statement. The control file resides in the location specified in the CONTROL_FILES
initialization parameter. If that parameter does not have a value, then the database creates an Oracle-managed control file in the default control file destination, which is one of the following (in order of precedence):
One or more control files as specified in the
initialization parameter. The file in the first directory is the primary control file. WhenDB_CREATE_ONLINE_LOG_DEST_
is specified, the database does not create a control file inDB_CREATE_FILE_DEST
or inDB_RECOVERY_FILE_DEST
(the fast recovery area). -
If no value is specified for
, but values are set for both theDB_CREATE_FILE_DEST
, then the database creates one control file in each location. The location specified inDB_CREATE_FILE_DEST
is the primary control file. -
If a value is specified only for
, then the database creates one control file in that location. -
If a value is specified only for
, then the database creates one control file in that location.
If no values are set for any of these parameters, then the database creates a control file in the default location for the operating system on which the database is running. This control file is not an Oracle Managed File.
If you omit any clauses, then Oracle Database uses the default values rather than the values for the previous control file. After successfully creating the control file, Oracle Database mounts the database in the mode specified by the initialization parameter CLUSTER_DATABASE
. If that parameter is not set, then the default value is FALSE
, and the database is mounted in EXCLUSIVE
mode. Oracle recommends that you then shut down the instance and take a full backup of all files in the database.
Specify REUSE
to indicate that existing control files identified by the initialization parameter CONTROL_FILES
can be reused, overwriting any information they may currently contain. If you omit this clause and any of these control files already exists, then Oracle Database returns an error.
DATABASE Clause
Specify the name of the database. The value of this parameter must be the existing database name established by the previous CREATE
statement or CREATE
SET DATABASE Clause
Use SET
to change the name of the database. The name of a database can be as long as eight bytes.
When you specify this clause, you must also specify RESETLOGS
. If you want to rename the database and retain your existing log files, then after issuing this CREATE
statement you must complete a full database recovery using an ALTER
Use the logfile_clause
to specify the redo log files for your database. You must list all members of all redo log file groups.
Use the redo_log_file_spec
form of file_specification
(see file_specification) to list regular redo log files in an operating system file system or to list Oracle ASM disk group redo log files. When using a form of ASM_filename
, you cannot specify the autoextend_clause
of the redo_log_file_spec
If you specify RESETLOGS
in this clause, then you must use one of the file creation forms of ASM_filename
. If you specify NORESETLOGS
, then you must specify one of the reference forms of ASM_filename
See Also:
ASM_filename for information on the different forms of syntax and Oracle Automatic Storage Management Administrator's Guide for general information about using Oracle ASM
GROUP integer
Specify the logfile group number. If you specify GROUP
values, then Oracle Database verifies these values with the GROUP
values when the database was last open.
If you omit this clause, then the database creates logfiles using system default values. In addition, if either the DB_CREATE_ONLINE_LOG_DEST_
or DB_CREATE_FILE_DEST
initialization parameter has been set, and if you have specified RESETLOGS
, then the database creates two logs in the default logfile destination specified in the DB_CREATE_ONLINE_LOG_DEST_
n parameter, and if it is not set, then in the DB_CREATE_FILE_DEST
See Also:
file_specification for a full description of this clause
Specify RESETLOGS
if you want Oracle Database to ignore the contents of the files listed in the LOGFILE
clause. These files do not have to exist. You must specify this clause if you have specified the SET
Each redo_log_file_spec
in the LOGFILE
clause must specify the SIZE
parameter. The database assigns all online redo log file groups to thread 1 and enables this thread for public use by any instance. After using this clause, you must open the database using the RESETLOGS
clause of the ALTER
Specify NORESETLOGS
if you want Oracle Database to use all files in the LOGFILE
clause as they were when the database was last open. These files must exist and must be the current online redo log files rather than restored backups. The database reassigns the redo log file groups to the threads to which they were previously assigned and reenables the threads as they were previously enabled.
You cannot specify NORESETLOGS
if you have specified the SET
clause to change the name of the database. Refer to "SET DATABASE Clause" for more information.
DATAFILE Clause
Specify the data files of the database. You must list all data files. These files must all exist, although they may be restored backups that require media recovery.
Do not include in the DATAFILE
clause any data files in read-only tablespaces. You can add these types of files to the database later. Also, do not include in this clause any temporary data files (temp files).
Use the datafile_tempfile_spec
form of file_specification
(see file_specification) to list regular data files and temp files in an operating system file system or to list Oracle ASM disk group files. When using a form of ASM_filename
, you must use one of the reference forms of ASM_filename
. Refer to ASM_filename for information on the different forms of syntax.
See Also:
Oracle Automatic Storage Management Administrator's Guide for general information about using Oracle ASM
Restriction on DATAFILE
You cannot specify the autoextend_clause
of file_specification
in this DATAFILE
MAXLOGFILES Clause
Specify the maximum number of online redo log file groups that can ever be created for the database. Oracle Database uses this value to determine how much space to allocate in the control file for the names of redo log files. The default and maximum values depend on your operating system. The value that you specify should not be less than the greatest GROUP
value for any redo log file group.
MAXLOGMEMBERS Clause
Specify the maximum number of members, or identical copies, for a redo log file group. Oracle Database uses this value to determine how much space to allocate in the control file for the names of redo log files. The minimum value is 1. The maximum and default values depend on your operating system.
MAXLOGHISTORY Clause
This parameter is useful only if you are using Oracle Database in ARCHIVELOG
mode. Specify your current estimate of the maximum number of archived redo log file groups needed for automatic media recovery of the database. The database uses this value to determine how much space to allocate in the control file for the names of archived redo log files.
The minimum value is 0. The default value is a multiple of the MAXINSTANCES
value and depends on your operating system. The maximum value is limited only by the maximum size of the control file. The database will continue to add additional space to the appropriate section of the control file as needed, so that you do not need to re-create the control file if your your original configuration is no longer adequate. As a result, the actual value of this parameter can eventually exceed the value you specify.
MAXDATAFILES Clause
Specify the initial sizing of the data files section of the control file at CREATE
or CREATE
time. An attempt to add a file whose number is greater than MAXDATAFILES
, but less than or equal to DB_FILES
, causes the control file to expand automatically so that the data files section can accommodate more files.
The number of data files accessible to your instance is also limited by the initialization parameter DB_FILES
MAXINSTANCES Clause
Specify the maximum number of instances that can simultaneously have the database mounted and open. This value takes precedence over the value of the initialization parameter INSTANCES
. The minimum value is 1. The maximum and default values depend on your operating system.
Specify ARCHIVELOG
to archive the contents of redo log files before reusing them. This clause prepares for the possibility of media recovery as well as instance or system failure recovery.
If you omit both the ARCHIVELOG
clause and NOARCHIVELOG
clause, then Oracle Database chooses NOARCHIVELOG
mode by default. After creating the control file, you can change between ARCHIVELOG
mode and NOARCHIVELOG
mode with the ALTER
Use this clause to put the database into FORCE
mode after control file creation. When the database is in this mode, Oracle Database logs all changes in the database except changes to temporary tablespaces and temporary segments. This setting takes precedence over and is independent of any NOLOGGING
or FORCE
settings you specify for individual tablespaces and any NOLOGGING
settings you specify for individual database objects. If you omit this clause, then the database will not be in FORCE
mode after the control file is created.
mode can have performance effects. Refer to Oracle Database Administrator's Guide for information on when to use this setting.
The SET STANDBY NOLOGGING
disables logging on the standby. You can specify it in two modes:
SET STANDBY NOLOGGING FOR DATA AVAILABILITY guarantees full data replication to the standby database. The primary and standby databases are synchronized during the load. In cases of network congestion the primary database will throttle its load.
SET STANDBY NOLOGGING FOR LOAD PERFORMANCE to maintain speed of primary database load and synchronize with the standby later.
Restrictions On SET STANDBY NOLOGGING
The SET STANDBY NOLOGGING
clause cannot be used at the same time as FORCE LOGGING
If you specify a character set, then Oracle Database reconstructs character set information in the control file. If media recovery of the database is subsequently required, then this information will be available before the database is open, so that tablespace names can be correctly interpreted during recovery. This clause is required only if you are using a character set other than the default, which depends on your operating system. Oracle Database prints the current database character set to the alert log in $ORACLE_HOME/log
during startup.
If you are re-creating your control file and you are using Recovery Manager for tablespace recovery, and if you specify a different character set from the one stored in the data dictionary, then tablespace recovery will not succeed. However, at database open, the control file character set will be updated with the correct character set from the data dictionary.
You cannot modify the character set of the database with this clause.
See Also:
Oracle Database Backup and Recovery User's Guide for more information on tablespace recovery
Creating a Controlfile: Example
This statement re-creates a control file. In this statement, database demo
was created with the WE8DEC character set. The example uses the word path
where you would normally insert the path on your system to the appropriate Oracle Database directories.
STARTUP NOMOUNT CREATE CONTROLFILE REUSE DATABASE "demo" NORESETLOGS NOARCHIVELOG MAXLOGFILES 32 MAXLOGMEMBERS 2 MAXDATAFILES 32 MAXINSTANCES 1 MAXLOGHISTORY 449 LOGFILE GROUP 1 '/path/oracle/dbs/t_log1.f' SIZE 500K, GROUP 2 '/path/oracle/dbs/t_log2.f' SIZE 500K # STANDBY LOGFILE DATAFILE '/path/oracle/dbs/t_db1.f', '/path/oracle/dbs/dbu19i.dbf', '/path/oracle/dbs/tbs_11.f', '/path/oracle/dbs/smundo.dbf', '/path/oracle/dbs/demo.dbf' CHARACTER SET WE8DEC ;


text:
You know, I got a chance to watch some of the Supreme Court hearings yesterday. In theory, it was a chance for senators to ask questions of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson. In practice, the judge did not always say that much. She was mainly present while senators delivered speeches, vented anger and talked to the cameras for social media videos and fundraising. Today comes a little more. NPR congressional correspondent Susan Davis is covering the hearings. Sue, good morning.
SUSAN DAVIS, BYLINE: Hey, Steve.
INSKEEP: At least three Republican senators focused on Jackson's rulings in a handful of child porn cases. Why?
DAVIS: Well, there has been a pretty clear strategy, at least from a handful of Republican senators, to try to cast her as someone who is soft on crime. Missouri Republican Senator Josh Hawley, in particular, focused the entirety of his time on this issue. Now, I should note the White House did criticize Hawley specifically. They said he was flirting with conspiracy theories promoted by the QAnon movement that the Democratic Party is somehow run by people who support or protect child predators. Here's a little bit of Hawley's exchange with the judge.
KETANJI BROWN JACKSON: You said before the probation office is making recommendations and they do so on a case-by-case basis. That is what Congress requires. Once...
JOSH HAWLEY: But you had discretion, Judge. You admit that, right? I just want to be clear on that.
JACKSON: Senator, sentencing is a discretionary act of a judge, but it's not a numbers game.
DAVIS: Now, Steve, it is accurate that in a handful of cases involving child pornography, Jackson did not hand down the maximum sentence. But this has been pretty closely examined by fact-checkers and even some conservative legal writers who have largely debunked the idea that it was out of the norm or that Jackson's rulings - and saying that Jackson's rulings were consistent, not just with precedent, but with other judges in similar cases. Also important context here - Jackson has the support of the Fraternal Order of Police. It's a group that would not necessarily support a nominee believed to be lax, especially on a crime like that.
INSKEEP: Let me ask about another issue. What did she say about abortion rights?
DAVIS: You know, like most nominees, she did not directly answer the question. But it was interesting how she answered it. She aligned herself with how recently confirmed conservative judges have answered the same question.
JACKSON: I do agree with both Justice Kavanaugh and Justice Barrett on this issue. Roe and Casey are the settled law of the Supreme Court.
DAVIS: Steve, this is a great example how both conservative and liberal nominees can answer the same question the same way, but are very widely expected to vote differently on this issue. If she's confirmed, she won't join the court until after a case challenging Roe is decided later this year. And her appointment won't change the ideological makeup of the court. It will still be a 6-3 conservative majority.
INSKEEP: It's interesting that she managed to get on the record again what those justices have said about Roe and Casey in the past. Let me ask now about Senator Ted Cruz, Republican from Texas. He focused on the judge's role on the board of Georgetown Day School, this private school in Washington, D.C. And he focused on the school's curriculum, including a book on how to talk to kids about racism by Ibram X. Kendi.
TED CRUZ: Do you agree with this book that is being taught with kids that babies are racist?
INSKEEP: That was the question as phrased by Cruz. How did she respond?
DAVIS: Well, she stressed that she has no control over that or any other school's curriculum. She also testified that this legal academic idea of critical race theory is not something that affects her role as a judge.
JACKSON: It doesn't come up in my work as a judge. It's never something that I've studied or relied on, and it wouldn't be something that I would rely on if I was on the Supreme Court.
DAVIS: Republicans like Cruz have focused on this concept of critical race theory to basically question any sort of anti-racism curriculum in schools, because it's a position that has been, frankly, very motivating to Republican voters.
INSKEEP: Sue, pleasure talking with you, as always. Thanks so much.
DAVIS: Thanks, Steve.
INSKEEP: That's NPR's Susan Davis. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
IANA Policy for Allocation of ASN Blocks to RIRs
This policy proposal has been accepted
- State:
- Accepted
- Publication date
- Draft document
- DRAFT: Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) Policy for Allocation of ASN Blocks to Regional Internet Registries
- Authors
- Proposal Version
- 1.0 - 01 May 2007
- All Versions
- Accepted
- 17 Sep 2007
- Working Group
- Address Policy Working Group
- Proposal type
- New
- Policy term
- Renewable
This This proposal is to have a global policy for the Regional Internet Registries (RIRs) to receive blocks of Autonomous System Numbers (ASNs) from the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA).
Summary of Proposal:
This proposal is to have a global policy for the Regional Internet Registries (RIRs) to receive blocks of Autonomous System Numbers (ASNs) from the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA).
Arguments Supporting the Proposal
There are global policies governing the allocation of IPv4 and IPv6 blocks from the IANA to RIRs. At this point there is no specific policy regarding the allocation of Autonomous System Numbers from the IANA to the RIRs. This proposal will create a policy to fill this gap.
The criteria being proposed has already been the practice between IANA and RIRs so far and it has been proven to work. It is designed to allow RIRs to request ASN blocks from the IANA in a timely fashion and maintain enough ASNs in holding to ensure that their registration services can be sustained.
It is also proposed that the RIRs be allocated as many ASN blocks as are needed to support their registration needs for the next 12 months. This will generally mean that each RIR will only need to make one ASN request from the IANA each year, thus lowering operational overhead for the RIRs.
Arguments Opposing the Proposal
Additional Information:
Note: In order to provide additional information related to the proposal, details of an impact analysis carried out by the RIPE NCC are documented below. The projections presented in this analysis are based on existing data and should be viewed only as an indication of the possible impact that the policy may have if the proposal is accepted and implemented.
A. Impact of Policy on Registry and Addressing System
Address/Internet Number Resource Consumption:
After analysing the data that is currently available, the RIPE NCC does not anticipate that any significant impact will be caused if this proposal is implemented.


text:
Engaging Work Tasks at Your Fingertips
Search through thousands of quality teaching materials that will help your students reach their learning goals.
View All or select a category.
All of our PRINT and GO Resources are 20% off to help your students practice IEP goals and academic skills at home.
Add PRINT and GO Resources to your cart and apply coupon code PRINT to see the discount. Limited time offer.
Sports Theme tracing & drawing skills worksheets for students with autism and special education needs.
10 pages
Autism Educators, Inc. © 2012-2024


text:
Craft-O-Maniac Monday Link Up Party #13
If you are brand new to Craft-O-Maniac Monday and ready to party with us …
"You Rock!"
~Please be courteous to your host and link back to
~Please link up only "3" cRaFts. DIY projects. or Recipes.
~PLEASE DO NOT link to giveaways, craft posts attached to your own link party, business's, or Etsy shops. Please share your work and not someone else's.
~ Please show some bloggy support and love and visit some other bloggers and say hello. Have fun!


text:
Disney on Ice – Magical Ice Festival
In April 2020 we are running a trip to Disney On Ice at Leeds Arena.
You'll join fearless wayfinder Moana and the greatest demigod that ever lived, Maui, on an action-packed voyage to return the stolen heart of Te Fiti. Journey alongside royal sisters from Anna and Elsa, the hilarious snowman Olaf, rugged mountain-man Kristoff and his loyal reindeer Sven from Disney's Frozen as they navigate sparkling landscapes in a thrilling story full of courage, magic and unforgettable characters. Dive "Under The Sea" with a show-stopping performance by Sebastian as he breaks out of his shell to make waves with Ariel in Disney's The Little Mermaid. You'll get tangled up with a chorus of rowdy residents when they get a visit from the sassy and spirited Rapunzel and her charming ally Flynn from Disney's Tangled. Plus, get swept away by Disney's Beauty and the Beast as the Beast and his castle's enchanted entourage take center stage in a spectacular show for Belle.
It will be a magical mix of royalty when Disney On Ice brings this winsome wonderland to a city near you!


text:
Blood Bank Refrigerator Single Door
Precise temperature control system
The worldwide famous high-accuracy computer-controlled temperature system with original binding can maintain the temperature constancy in the box at 4±1℃ precisely. The temperature set-value can be adjusted at 2℃~6℃, and the temperature display precision is 0.1℃, the resolution is 0.1℃ and the adjusting increment is 0.1℃. The value is to be displayed through three-digital high-brightness figure.
The system has special high-resolution temperature calibrating function. That means the set-value figure can be displayed and calibrated at 2~8℃. The calibrating increment is 0.1℃.
The forced cold-air circulation system with intelligence-control fan can ensure the temperature uniformity inside the box.
24-hours tracing, recording and printing system[Optional]
The imported temperature recording and printing system. There are four precise temperature sensors (two sensors for some systems) inside the box and two temperature indicators outside the box, which are to display the temperature of upper and lower point, for users to supervise the temperature at each operating states in the box. The display precision–resolution is 0.1℃.
The distinguished power-off memory function can hold and store huge temperature data and information permanently.
The temperature printing has password protection function, which can prevent illegally printing of the temperature fluctuation information.
5-ways alarm system: including 2 sound alarm devices with 220V power supply, 2 light alarm devices with 220V power supply and one remote signal alarm apparatus (optional), consisting the super complementary supervision system.
The data management software is available for one or more temperature signals changes.
Communicate with PC through RS-232 interface to examine the temperature curve diagnosis diagram of one or more refrigerators and display the data sheet. The data and images can be stored, inquired and printed.
Safe control system
Keyboard lock, password protection function, and method against missing-adjustment of the operating parameter; Setting of the alarm temperature range.
7 system failure alarms (high temperature alarm, low temperature alarm, sensors failure alarm, door-opening alarm, electricity failure alarm, low back-up battery alarm, low voltage alarm).
Code display of the failure position (some machines have all these seven alarms);
Three alarm ways (buzzer alarm, flashing alarm, remote signal alarm).
The starting delay function due to self-checking and the interval protection function between temporary stop and start can ensure the reliable operation;
The system can record the condition of the maximum and the minimum temperature inside the box automatically without recording paper.
With the specially designed function, the system can operate under the state of sensor failure or the state of numerical disturbance safely and automatically.
The operating parameter display function can ensure that the system is under supervision by operator and with security and stability.
Equipped with remote alarm interface,
The distinguished operating parameter of the temperature control system can separate the operator menu from the supervisor menu, which can locate the respective responsibility of the operating parameter and the article storage.
The inbuilt lithium accumulator can keep displaying the temperature inside the box and can keep the light and sound alarm available for 72 hours after electricity failure.
Optional items:
The EPS emergency supply is adoptable;
The DC24V-AC220V inverter is adoptable, and the DC24V power supply can keep the refrigerator under normal operation.
Refrigeration system
Import and adopt the original binding Germany DANFOSS high-performance compressor;
Import and adopt the original binding "Bi-Sonic" double fan strongly against the low temperature and moisture;
Germany "EBM" heat elimination fan;
Import and adopt the Japanese Matsushita vaporizer (cooling pipeline inside the box);
Fluoride-free refrigeration system for environmental protection to make green products and create green world.
Humanization design
Adopt the specialized stainless steel blood holder, which is easy to use and the blood state can be seen clearly from outside of the window;
High-quality adjustable stand of plastic coated steel wire can make the operation and the cleaning easily.
The large-screen design is easy for observation.
The safe lock design can prevent missing-opening.
Wide voltage band is available for 187-242V voltage.
The refrigerator body is made of high-quality structural steel plate, which is treated with advanced phosphate rot-proof spray coating processing. The surface color is soft.
Double transparent insulation glazed door, filled with inert gas.
The power saving lamps on the body can light the whole space inside the refrigerator.
The double high-transparent synthetic glass little-door can prevent large cold air from spilling when the door is opened.


text:
- "I will travel to the distant land of Cyprus to dispose of the remaining Templars before they rebuild their Order and hunt us again. I am Altaïr. I am an Assassin."
- ―Box description.[src]
Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines is a 2009 video game for the PlayStation Portable console, and is a direct sequel to 2007's Assassin's Creed. It was released in the United States on 17 November 2009 and worldwide on 20 November of the same year.
The game follows the events of Assassin's Creed, and depicts the journey of the Assassin Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad to the island of Cyprus, in order to learn more of the Templars' intentions, now under the rule of Armand Bouchart.
Though the game does not feature Desmond Miles, the interface, HUDs, and design of the game are still based on the Animus.
Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines contains similar, if not the same, gameplay to Assassin's Creed in terms of control style, although there were modifications to the control scheme. Some features from the previous game, such as the Eagle Vision, the Gentle Push, and horseback riding were removed from the game. Blending is now only used to safely bypass guards, as Altaïr can no longer blend with scholars as a means to hide. High and low profile assassinations can still be done in the game, in addition to the new ledge assassination.
Taking the place of flags, a new collectible featured in the game are Templar coins, which can be used to upgrade health bars, and the amount of damage a weapon can inflict. Three types of coins are present in game: Bronze, Silver and Gold, with Gold holding the highest value.
Similar to the previous game, side missions are available to players, such as saving civilians from Templar soldiers, and performing specific tasks for allies of the resistance. The variety of tasks has been expanded, such as delivering letters, and intercepting couriers. In return, Altaïr will receive coins as a reward, instead of assistance from groups, as in the previous game.
With the game centered on the island of Cyprus, the setting was based on two areas: Limassol and Kyrenia. Like in the previous game, Altaïr can synchronize from high vantage points in order to map out the city. Although the map itself is already drawn out, synchronizing will provide the locations of various side-missions.
Combat in Bloodlines is likewise similar to Assassin's Creed. Weapons from the previous game return, such as Altaïr's sword, his short blade, throwing knives, and fists. In addition, throwing knives can now be reclaimed after being used on an enemy. Altaïr is now also able to instantly kill a downed enemy.
Story missions and assassinations have been redone. Previous ways to gather information, such as pickpocketing and eavesdropping, were removed from the game. As a replacement, missions were played in the same structure as Assassin's Creed II, with Altaïr handling one task after another and slowly gathering information from both his allies and enemies as each mission was cleared.
An in-game achievement system called accomplishments is featured in Bloodlines, which rewards players with Templar coins. Accomplishments can be earned after performing specific tasks, such as killing a set number of soldiers in a specific order, and also collecting all of the Templar coins located throughout the game world.
During the Autumn of 1191, the Assassin Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad had heard of the Templars' plan to depart for Cyprus. While the Templars made preparations to leave from Acre's harbor, Altaïr led an assault in order to intercept them and learn more.
Encountering Maria Thorpe, Robert de Sablé's former stewardess, Altaïr subdued and took Maria as his prisoner. Once the Assassins departed the area with Maria, Altaïr heard from one of his subordinates that the Templars had recently purchased the island of Cyprus from King Richard, after the fall of Isaac Comnenus' rule. Suspecting that their intentions were beyond governance, Altaïr departed for Cyprus with Maria in tow.
Altaïr arrived at Limassol, and made contact with Alexander, the informant mentioned by his men. Alexander discussed the Templars' presence with him, and devised a plan to gather more information.
Altaïr consulted with Osman, a resistance spy within the Templar's ranks, and managed to lower the defenses of the Templar-controlled Limassol Castle, in order to infiltrate the castle with ease. He was also able to learn of a certain archive that the Templars were keeping a secret, though if he wanted to learn more, he would have to seek out Frederick the Red.
Altaïr entered the castle and encountered Frederick, though he gained no information before his target's death. Heading out of the structure, Altaïr saw that the safe house of the resistance had been burned to the ground by the Templars, and, after searching the area, learned of Maria's survival.
Fleeing to the church area, Altaïr watched over an announcement being made by Armand Bouchart, the current Grand Master of the Templar Order, regarding the death of Frederick. Slaying Osman in the midst of his announcement, Armand threatened to tighten the grip of the government within the city if they refused to cooperate in searching for the murderer.
Just then, Maria arrived and pleaded to Bouchart for safety, though he attributed her safe escape as being in league with the Assassins. Despite her claims, Maria was taken away by Bouchart's men on the grounds of conspiring against their Order, though she was intercepted and rescued by Altaïr.
After regrouping by the city's harbor, Alexander helped Altaïr charter a boat for the city of Kyrenia, which was where Bouchart had fled. Consorting with Alexander's associate Pasha, Altaïr was able to make his way into the city with Maria.
Once Altaïr had arrived at the city of Kyrenia, he encountered the resistance member Markos, who helped stop Maria's escape attempt. Altaïr then left her to the care of Markos while he searched for the resistance leader Barnabas, the man mentioned by Alexander. Meeting with Barnabas, Altaïr was instructed to murder the claimed traitor Jonas, as his end of the deal for assistance in dealing with the Templars.
Intercepting Jonas, Altaïr learned before his target's death that the Templar figure Moloch had placed a price on both his and Maria's head. Learning of this, Altaïr made his way back to the harbor in order to ensure that she was safe. Rescuing her and Markos from harassers, Altaïr instructed them to make their way into the resistance safe house.
After this, Altaïr returned to the safe house and reported to Barnabas, who subsequently told him of a riot happening around the city due to Jonas' death. Barnabas claimed that Jonas was a well-respected man, though few knew of his treachery. Altaïr then explained that more of the resistance were making their way to the safe house, and that he should explain the situation to them.
Departing to deal with the riot, Altaïr was successful and immediately returned to Barnabas, though he found that he had disappeared. Seeing that Markos and Maria were safe, Altaïr decided to eliminate Moloch due to the threat he posed. Infiltrating Kantara Castle, Altaïr dealt with Moloch and escaped before he was caught.
At once, Altaïr returned to the safe house, though he learned that Maria and other resistance members were taken away by the Templars. Markos explained that the discovery of their hideout was the cause of the Dark Oracle, who was told to have mystical powers. He was also able to learn that the man he knew as Barnabas was a traitor, and that the real Barnabas was murdered before Altaïr's arrival. From there, he left the safe house to rescue Maria and the resistance members.
After successfully rescuing the men at Kyrenia's harbor, he was able to learn that Maria was taken away by Moloch's son, Shalim. After liberating the resistance members, Altaïr regrouped with Markos to report of the men's status. With the uncertainty of the Oracle's mysticism, Altaïr decided to explore the Oracle's supposed prison at Buffavento Castle. There, he overheard Bouchart and Shalim, who made mention of a delivery to Alexander, which Altaïr believed to be a sign of treachery. Dwelling further into the castle, Altaïr located the Oracle and had to assassinate her in her cell, as she attacked him in a crazed frenzy, before he left the castle.
Returning to the safe house, Altaïr asked Markos for information regarding Shalim. Told very little, he tasked himself with tailing Shalim to learn more about him. Following him, Altaïr witnessed him and his men harass the citizens of Kyrenia, and took it upon himself to liberate them. After doing so, he reported back to Markos, and learned that he regularly confessed at a nearby church. Conversing with a monk, he set up a meeting, but the monk was killed by a Templar assailant. Altaïr gave chase, though was only able to pick up one of the agent's belongings. Reporting to Markos, he learned that Shalim was frequently seen by the harbor, and decided to pick up where he left off by heading there.
Altaïr saw a group of beautiful women meant for Shalim's entertainment, and amongst them was Maria in disguise. Following the carriage the women rode on, Altaïr reached Saint Hilarion Castle and prepared to infiltrate the castle in search of Shalim. Just as he located Shalim, Altaïr saw Maria conversing with him, who talked about the Templars' intention with the Apple. Deserted by Maria, Altaïr prepared to duel both Shalim and his twin brother Shahar, whom he thought was the former.
Dealing with the twins, Altaïr left the castle and reported back to Markos. Altaïr learned that Kyrenia had been fully liberated of the Templars, and that their fleets set sail for Limassol once more, to which he left in pursuit.
Altaïr located the newly rebuilt safe house and rendezvoused with Alexander, who immediately branded the Assassin as a traitor, much to his surprise. Altaïr explained the chain of events to Alexander, who subsequently told him of the Templars' abuse of power. Altaïr first dealt with the captain guards, then asked several of the pirates for Bouchart's whereabouts whilst posing as a Templar messenger.
Altaïr learned of a recent murder committed by a Templar sergeant and left to interrogate him. After doing so, he was pointed to Demetris if he wanted more information. Questioning Demetris, he learned that he was the perpetrator of the murder, though he was killed by the same agent from Kyrenia before he could reveal any more.
Unable to chase the agent, Altaïr returned to the safe house, though he only found a note from Alexander, instructing him to meet by the castle's courtyard. Doing so, he saw Alexander's corpse, and was greeted by the Templar agent, who was also the impostor of Barnabas.
The agent was able to turn the whole town against Altaïr, as a mob made their way to the courtyard ready to drive him out. With this, the Assassin was forced to utilize the Apple of Eden to drive the civilians away without casualty. After this, the agent asked for the Apple, though as he did, he was stabbed by Maria from behind.
After an argument, Maria informed Altaïr of the Archive's location, which was within the Castle premises. After dealing with a group of Templar soldiers, Altaïr proceeded into the Archive.
Arriving to the sight of Bouchart knocking Maria out, Bouchart mentioned their true plans and intentions. The Archive had existed while under Comnenus' rule, and because of his defeat by King Richard, the Archive was compromised. To prevent this, the Templars were forced to buy the island, and due to Altaïr's meddling, was also forced to liberate the artifacts out of it.
After he was finished, Bouchart engaged in combat with Altaïr, but was eventually defeated. After helping Maria recover, Altaïr escaped the crumbling structure with Maria and the two of them made their way out before it was destroyed.
From there, Altaïr and Maria discussed their future intentions by Limassol's harbor. While Maria stated that her interests were sailing East for India, Altaïr pondered over his journey and understanding of the Creed. Afterwards, he too said that he would head eastwards and the two left the harbor together.
Development of Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines was announced on 2 June 2009 at Sony's 2009 E3 Conference with a release date set for 17 November 2009.[1] On 16 July 2009, a trailer for the game debuted on the Assassin's Creed YouTube channel with a short cinematic placed on an image of the PlayStation Portable.[2]
The trailer was narrated by one of the in-game bosses, Moloch, and revealed several details, such as the location of the game, and the installment's protagonist, Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad. The game was being developed by Ubisoft Montreal in conjunction with Griptonite Games.[2]
It was revealed in E3 2009 that inter-connectivity between Bloodlines and Assassin's Creed II would be available, allowing players to earn bonuses on both games after connecting the PSP system to the PS3 console.[3]
Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines has the ability to connect with the PS3 system to earn bonuses on both installments. Depending on how many Codex pages the player has collected in Assassin's Creed II, players can unlock health bonuses in Bloodlines, as well as receive upgrades for the Hidden Blade that roughly resemble the ones present in Assassin's Creed II.[3]
Upgrade | Unlocked by | Description |
Health Upgrade | Collecting Codex Pages | Increases Altaïr's health. The amount added depends on the number of Codex pages collected. |
Hidden Blade Armor Plating | Collecting the 13th Codex Page | Grants Altaïr the ability to block using the Hidden Blade. |
Knife-Gun | Collecting the 28th Codex Page | Grants Altaïr the ability to fire knives out of the Hidden Blade. |
Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines released on the PlayStation Portable on 17 November 2009, 19 November, and 20 November in North America, Australia and Europe respectively, before seeing a Japan release on 23 December.
- Base copy
- White PSP console
- Angels and Demons on UMD
- 2GB Memory Stick[4]
- Altaïr's voice in Bloodlines is different from his in Assassin's Creed, possessing a Middle Eastern accent that was not present in the previous game. This accent would later be present in Assassin's Creed: Revelations.
- While Desmond does not make a physical appearance within the game, the tutorial segment mentions the Animus user as Subject 17, Desmond's subject number.
- The design for the throwing knives has been altered. In the first game, it is simply a flat knife, but in the game, it now possesses a cylindrical hilt and a four sided blade.
- Throughout the game, Altaïr's model is rendered without the short blade's sheath on his back. This creates a minor visual glitch in the animation, causing Altaïr to reach for his back when drawing (and returning) the short blade, even though nothing is there.
- Except for the sixth Memory Block, a cut-scene played at the end of each Block depicting Altaïr writing down his thoughts in his personal journal; the journal that would later become the Codex. The exact time and date this occurs is debatable, but based on what is written in the Codex, it is more likely that he began to work on it after the events in Bloodlines, due to conflicting events.
- However, some entries from the Codex show that Altaïr wrote entries before his time on Cyprus.
- In each Codex entry, Altaïr wrote on the following subjects, in chronological order:
- His time with the Apple of Eden.
- His opinion and observations about the Apple of Eden's creation and origin.
- The common man's natural instincts that results to violence.
- The origins and legacy of the First Civilization.
- His confrontation with Al Mualim.
- The chaos that surrounded life, and life's purpose.
- ↑ Devries, Jack (2 June 2009). E3 2009: Assassin's Creed PSP Gets Official Name and Date. IGN. Archived from the original on 7 February 2018. Retrieved on 4 January 2020.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Assassin's Creed Bloodlines Video Game, Debut Trailer HD on the GameTrailersFullHD YouTube channel
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Miller, Greg (17 July 2009). Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines Deets. IGN. Archived from the original on 22 May 2024. Retrieved on 4 January 2020.
- ↑ Neirinckx, Kristin (16 July 2009). NEW Limited Edition Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines PSP Entertainment Pack. PlayStation.Blog. Archived from the original on 14 January 2024. Retrieved on 4 January 2020.


text:
Each set includes:
Model sets also make great awards for mathematical achievements. They have been official prizes
They are very beautiful and much admired.—H. M. Cundy (1913–2005)
I was happy to see that they are very juggle-able.—Professor David J. Wright
They are really cute.—Professor Michèle Audin
They arrived yesterday and look great!—Professor J. W. (Bill) Bruce
Very neat!—Professor Emeritus Joseph L. Doob
Very nice.—Professor Emeritus R. P. Burn
They are lovely!—Professor Josef Lauri
Very nice.—Robert Webb
The polytopes arrived. They look awesome.—Professor Alexander Barvinok
It is a special pleasure to have these handsome specimens on my desk.—Dr. Peter Pesic
They're beautiful!—Professor Ian Stewart
These are beautiful objects to behold. I was reminded of the wisdom of Ralph Waldo Emerson when he said: 'We ascribe beauty to that which is simple; which has no superfluous parts; which exactly answers its end. which stands related to all things; which is the mean of many extremes.'; These Polyhedra are beautiful because they are simple; they have no superfluous parts; they exactly answer their ends; they stand related to all things; they represent the mean of many extremes.—Professor S. J. Abas
Your models arrived yesterday and they are beautiful. It is startling how crisp the corners are, particularly on the tetrahedron. They are a terrific addition to my exhibit.—Professor Michael Henle
The models have arrived safely and are very nice indeed. Very tactile!—Dr. Julian R. Havil
Awesome die-cast solids! I've been working in a virtual space with software for so long, it's good to feel real physical mathematical models for a change.—Ron Avitzur
The solids arrived yesterday, and they are BEAUTIFUL! I also liked the nice packaging.—Professor Eli Maor
Your polyhedral creations arrived while I was in California, and I am delighted to have them. For my book, 'Math and the Mona Lisa,' I had created images of the five basic polyhedral solids—in addition to a number of truncated, tessellated and stellated variations—using MATHEMATICA. I am delighted to have in my possession now the tangible solid forms in hand. They are indeed beautifully engineered and a wonder to hold.—Professor Bulent Atalay
These models are not only a delight for all geometers but also for all aesthetes who are lucky enough to see them and any person of sensibility who is lucky enough to touch them.—Professor Emeritus Peter Hilton and Professor Jean Pedersen
They are little gems!—Professor John A. Adam
They are beautiful!—Professor Jack Graver
Got the polyhedra—wow! They are wonderful. I may be purchasing some more sets. Much appreciated!—Professor Joseph O'Rourke
I like them very much.—Professor William Fulton
The models arrived this morning. They are in perfect shape and look great.—Professor Jean-Pierre Tignol
They are excellent.—Professor Peter M. Higgins
Quite handsome.—Professor Emeritus Norman W. Johnson
The polyhedra models made by Pedagoguery Software are just the thing to stimulate thought and exploration among students of any age. What properties have shapes, as different as these, in common? By playing with them, running your finger over their boundaries and turning them around in the light, insight is sparked.—Robert L. Kaplan
They are beautiful little objects and I'll make good use of them in my courses.—Professor Robert Edward Lewand
The models are lovely—my colleagues are delighted with the set I have given to the Department of Mathematics.—Professor Victor E. Hill IV
They look wonderful.—Wucius Wong
They're great!—Professor Vincent J. Matsko
I have your models on my desk and many visitors are amazed by their beauty and utility.—Professor István Hargittai
Cool!!!—Ivars Peterson
It's handy to have these precise little models that you can take out of your pocket and pass around the classroom.—Professor George W. Hart
They are really beautiful.—Professor Malcolm Adams
They are beautiful.—John Derbyshire


text:
Shodor Receives Honor in 2021 HPCwire Readers' and Editors' Choice Awards
Shodor Staff Receives Business Leader's Women's Extraordinaire Award
Shodor Executive Director Receives the Michael C. Jackson Distinguished Service Award
Shodor Named a "Best of the Web" Resource by Shmoop
Shodor Intern Team Takes 1st Place at the Conrad Spirit of Innovation Competition
Shodor is a Four-Time Winner of the Alfred P. Sloan Award
Shodor Honored at Business Excellence Awards
Shodor Honors Volunteers with Volunteer Service Award
Shodor Staff Awarded Best Paper at TeraGrid '10
Shodor Student Receives Student Leadership Award from North Carolina SMT Education Center
Shodor Intern Wins NCWIT Award for Aspirations in Computing
Shodor Wins Alfred P. Sloan Award for Back-to-Back Years
Shodor Receives Funding From National Spending Bill
Shodor Interns Present at the MCNC/NCREN 25th Anniversary Celebration in Cary, NC
Shodor Recognized for Exemplary Workplace Practices
Shodor Intern Wins Southern Growth YouTube Video Contest
Shodor Receives Statewide Partnership Award from NCSMT
Cisco Recognizes Shodor with National Award
American Library Association Selects Shodor as an Outstanding Reference
Interactivate Receives A+ Review.
First, Second, and Third Modules of Interactivate Translated to Spanish.
Shodor Recognized as Webby Honoree in Two Categories.
Shodor Among Top 89 in Workplace Flexibility Shodor was named one of 89 national winners of the 2006 Alfred P. Sloan Awards for Business Excellence in Workplace Flexibility. This award was given to organizations that demonstrated "the best flexible work practices and policies in the nation." The winners were announced in an ad in USA Today and are posted on this website. |
Shodor Board Member Becomes Associate Dean Holly P. Hirst, Shodor board member, and one of the most active members of Shodor's national faculty development program, the National Computational Science Institute (NCSI), was named Associate Dean for Graduate Studies at Appalachian State University in April. |
Shodor's Undergraduate Computational Engineering and Science Program is awarded On November 13, 2006, an Undergraduate Computational Engineering and Science National Program Award was presented to Robert M. Panoff, Shodor's executive director, for his work implementing the National Computational Science Institute. Presented by the Krell Institute and sponsored by the Department of Energy, the award seeks to "promote and enhance undergraduate education in computational engineering and science." |
Interactivate Featured on the Radio Interactivate was featured on national radio. On December 4, 2006, Shodor's website received around 38,000 extra visitors (or an 80% increase over normal traffic) after Kim Komando featured the software on her radio show. You can see Kim's review of our site here. |
Shodor Receives $2.8 Million Grant The Shodor Education Foundation and North Carolina Central University announced a $2.8 million grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to open a new Pathway to the National Science Digital Library, NSF's online library of resources for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education. |
Mentor Center Receives Rambus Grant Shodor's Mentor Center has been awarded a $5,000 grant from the Rambus Foundation at Community Foundation Silicon Valley. This grant will expand the opportunities available for high school students to gain expertise in the fields of math, science, technology, and engineering through mentor-guided internships at Shodor. |
Shodor's Website Among Top 101 for Secondary Educators Shodor's website was selected for inclusion in the book 101 Best Web Sites for Secondary Teachers, written by James Lerman and published by the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE). |
Shodor Helps Redesign Grant Program Four Shodor staff members participated in a nationwide videoconference for NSF's redesign of its Course, Curriculum, and Laboratory Improvement (CCLI) program. Bob Panoff served as the regional facilitator for the videoconference held at MCNC in Research Triangle Park, March 29, 2005. |
Shodor Receives $900,000 for Apprenticeship Program Shodor announced an award of $900,000 from The National Science Foundation (NSF) for a new apprenticeship program. One of NSF's ITEST (Information Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers) grants, this funding provided students with the opportunity to grow from excitement, to experience, to expertise through Shodor's student programs. |
Shodor Receives 3-year Grant for DEAF STEM Shodor received a 3-year grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) for its DEAF STEM (Deaf Educational Access for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) research project. The grant will support the development of sign language translations for online lessons, as well as resources to help educational interpreters improve their sign language skills. |
Shodor Staff Member Publishes Math Article Bethany Hudnutt, Math Education Specialist, had an article published in the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics online journal, On-Math. The article demonstrates examples of appropriate uses of technology using several Interactivate applets. Note that you must be an NCTM member to view this article. |
Shodor Staff Member Publishes Science Paper Staff Scientist Dave Joiner's paper Modeling the Transport of Polarized Radiation Due to Scattering in Spherical Dust Shells was accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journal. |
Shodor Staff Member Publishes Monkey Article Cornelia Simons (Seiffert) co-authored a paper entitled The axial skeleton of primates: How does genus Tarsius fit in? that appears in Tarsiers: Past, Present, and Future (Wright, P.C., Simons, E.L. & Gursky, S. (eds.) Rutgers University Press, 2003). |
Shodor Among Top 26 Employee Supporters in North Carolina ESGR (Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve) honored Shodor as one of 26 awardees in NC that were recognized for their support of employees in the National Guard or Reserve. Learn more about this award at the ESGR website. |
Shodor Receives DIVERT Award for the Second Year in a Row Shodor received the DIVERT award for the second year in a row. Shodor was awarded this honor by the City of Durham for implementing an innovative recycling program. |
Shodor Staff Member Publishes Education Article Bethany Hudnutt, Math Education Specialist, published an article about Shodor's various projects for Meridian Magazine. Read the article. |
Shodor Staff Member Publishes Engineering Article Garrett Love, Engineering Educator, published an article in The International Journal for Numerical Methods in Engineering. |
Shodor Staff Member Publishes Software Paper Alton Patrick, Shodor Software Engineer, published a paper in the journal Optimization and Engineering. |
Shodor Staff Member Publishes Paper on Human Evolution Cornelia Simons, Bioscience Education Specialist, had a paper accepted for publication at The Journal of Human Evolution. |
Shodor Receives DIVERT Award Shodor was selected by the city of Durham for the DIVERT (Durham's Innovative Ventures Encouraging the Reduction of Trash) Award to be presented at Durham's Earth Day Festival. |
Shodor Intern Wins Herald-Sun Front Page Award Shodor intern Monte Evans won the Herald-Sun Newspaper's coveted Front Page Award in technology. |
Eisenhower National Clearinghouse Digital Dozen Award Shodor's MASTER tools are awarded an Eisenhower National Clearinghouse Digital Dozen Award. |
Links2Go Mathematical Activities Award Shodor was chosen as a Key Resource by Links 2 Go in the topic of Mathematical Activities. Based on the analysis of millions of web pages, our page was one of the most relevant and popular sites on this topic. |
Awesome Library Recognition shodor.org was selected for inclusion in the Awesome Library, a collection of the top five percent of sites in the field of K-12 education. ( Top 5% in K-12 Education Edhelper Award) |
edHelper Honor Roll Site Shodor's Interactivate was chosen as an excellent resource for lesson plans, webquests and free worksheets by edhelper.com. |
Forbes Best of the Web shodor.org was named " Best of the Web." In particular Forbes noted Shodor's Master Tools. |
$450,000 Grant from the National Science Foundation The National Science Foundation awarded $450,000 to Shodor to develop technical sign language, teaching materials and activities that make computational science accessible to hearing-impaired students. |
Britannica Internet Guide Award Britannica editors rated shodor.org as one of the most valuable and reliable sites on the Internet on the basis of quality, accuracy of content, presentation and usability. |
Special Recognition Award Shodor was honored by the Durham Mayor's Committee for Persons with Disabilities. This award is given to an individual or group for extraordinary contributions and advancing opportunities for people with disabilities as well as exploring their capabilities and potential. |
Project Interactivate Digital Dozen Award Project Interactivate received an Eisenhower National Clearinghouse Digital Dozen Award. This award recognizes the efforts of businesses to improve schools. Shodor was recognized for its programs in math, science and medical careers. |
$177,000 grant for SUCCEED Project SUCCEED, one of the Shodor's most active programs, received a $177,000 grant from The Burroughs Wellcome Fund in February. This financial award is pivotal in completing Project SUCCEED, and the Burroughs Wellcome Fund has been instrumental in expanding this program to reach dozens of local students from throughout the Triangle. Activities sponsored by this award include the Internet Explorers Club, Computational Science Classes, and Workshops and Research Apprenticeships. |
Memorandum of Understanding Shodor was named one of seven partners in the National Science Foundation (NSF) for the revitalization of the nation's undergraduate education. This prestigious group, consisting of some of the nation's most successful companies, seeks to unite the individual efforts of its members in an attempt to develop national education strategies. To further explain the role of Shodor, the NSF has released a Memorandum of Understanding elaborating upon the role of Shodor and its partners. |
Annenberg/CPB INPUT award Dr. Holly Peters Hirst's MAT1010 course at Appalachian State University was named an Annenberg/CPB INPUT award winner in quantitative literacy. The INPUT award is given to teachers, selected from across the nation, who "promote innovative use of technology in instruction of mathematics service courses." Dr. Holly Peters Hirst is a member of Shodor's Board of Directors, and an active member in the Foundation's operations. |
Top Priority Education Finalist The Greater Durham Chamber of Commerce and the Durham Public Schools honored Shodor as a finalist in the non-profit division of the 1996 Education Top Priority awards. The Education Top Priority awards are given to businesses that go beyond their mission statement to contribute to education and to implement policies that promote education in the work force. Shodor met or exceeded nearly every criteria of possible contribution or influence, including employing local students as apprentices, providing training for local teachers, and volunteering for other community efforts. |
Shodor Intern Wins Student of the Year Intern Monte Evans won the 1996 Student of the Year award for Durham County. Monte Evans, a 13 year old at the time of the award, attended Lowes Grove Middle School. In addition to his excellent academic record, Monte has been a volunteer intern at Shodor since 1993. |
Shodor Helps Department of Defense Dependent Schools Simulations and supporting materials developed by Shodor staff were used as the basis of an international science collaboration demonstrating network technologies involving four of the schools from the Department of Defense Dependent Schools, for which Dr. Panoff, Shodor's executive director, received a letter of commendation from the Department of Defense. |


text:
I'm terrible at gratitude.
How bad am I? I'm so bad at gratitude that most days, I don't notice the sunlight on the leaves of the Berkeley oaks as I ride my bike down the street. I forget to be thankful for the guy who hand-brews that delicious cup of coffee I drink mid-way through every weekday morning. I don't even know the dude's name!
I usually take for granted that I have legs to walk on, eyes to see with, arms I can use to hug my son. I forget my son! Well, I don't actually *forget* about him, at least as a physical presence; I generally remember to pick him up from school and feed him dinner. But as I face the quotidian slings and arrows of parenthood, I forget all the time how much he's changed my life for the better.
Gratitude (and its sibling, appreciation) is the mental tool we use to remind ourselves of the good stuff. It's a lens that helps us to see the things that don't make it onto our lists of problems to be solved. It's a spotlight that we shine on the people who give us the good things in life. It's a bright red paintbrush we apply to otherwise-invisible blessings, like clean streets or health or enough food to eat.
Gratitude doesn't make problems and threats disappear. We can lose jobs, we can be attacked on the street, we can get sick. I've experienced all of those things. I remember those harrowing times at unexpected moments: My heart beats faster, my throat constricts. My body wants to hit something or run away, one or the other. But there's nothing to hit, nowhere to run. The threats are indeed real, but at that moment, they exist only in memory or imagination. *I am the threat*; it is me who is wearing myself out with worry.
That's when I need to turn on the gratitude. If I do that enough, suggests the psychological research, gratitude might just become a habit. What will that mean for me? It means, says the research, that I increase my chances of psychologically surviving hard times, that I stand a chance to be happier in the good times. I'm not ignoring the threats; I'm appreciating the resources and people that might help me face those threats.
If you're already one of those highly grateful people, stop reading this essay—you don't need it. Instead you should read Amie Gordon's "Five Ways Giving Thanks Can Backfire." But if you're more like me, then here are some tips for how you and I can become one of those fantastically grateful people.
## 1. Once in a while, they think about death and loss
Didn't see that one coming, did you? I'm not *just* being perverse—contemplating endings really does make you more grateful for the life you currently have, according to several studies.
For example, when Araceli Friasa and colleagues asked people to visualize their own deaths, their gratitude measurably increased. Similarly, when Minkyung Koo and colleagues asked people to envision the sudden disappearance of their romantic partners from their lives, they became more grateful to their partners. The same goes for imagining that some positive event, like a job promotion, never happened.
This isn't just theoretical: When you find yourself taking a good thing for granted, try giving it up for a little while. Researchers Jordi Quoidbach and Elizabeth Dunn had 55 people eat a piece of chocolate—and then the researchers told some of those people to resist chocolate for a week and others to binge on chocolate if they wanted. They left a third group to their own devices.
Guess who ended up happiest, according to self-reports? The people who abstained from chocolate. And who were the least happy? The people who binged. That's the power of gratitude!
## 2. They take the time to smell the roses
And they also smell the coffee, the bread baking in the oven, the aroma of a new car—whatever gives them pleasure.
Loyola University psychologist Fred Bryant finds that savoring positive experiences makes them stickier in your brain, and increases their benefits to your psyche—and the key, he argues, is expressing gratitude for the experience. That's one of the ways appreciation and gratitude go hand in hand.
You might also consider adding some little ritual to how you experience the pleasures of the body: A study published this year in Psychological Science finds that rituals like prayer or even just shaking a sugar packet "make people pay more attention to food, and paying attention makes food taste better," as Emily Nauman reports in her Greater Good article about the research.
This brand of mindfulness makes intuitive sense—but how does it work with the first habit above?
Well, we humans are astoundingly adaptive creatures, and we will adapt even to the good things. When we do, their subjective value starts to drop; we start to take them for granted. That's the point at which we might give them up for a while—be it chocolate, sex, or even something like sunlight—and then take the time to really savor them when we allow them back into our lives.
That goes for people, too, and that goes back to the first habit: If you're taking someone for granted, take a step back—and imagine your life without them. Then try savoring their presence, just like you would a rose. Or a new car. Whatever! The point is, absence may just make the heart grow grateful.
## 3. They take the good things as gifts, not birthrights
What's the opposite of gratitude? Entitlement—the attitude that people owe you something just because you're so very special.
"In all its manifestations, a preoccupation with the self can cause us to forget our benefits and our benefactors or to feel that we are owed things from others and therefore have no reason to feel thankful," writes Robert Emmons, co-director of the GGSC's Gratitude project. "Counting blessings will be ineffective because grievances will always outnumber gifts."
The antidote to entitlement, argues Emmons, is to see that we did not create ourselves—we were created, if not by evolution, then by God; or if not by God, then by our parents. Likewise, we are never truly self-sufficient. Humans need other people to grow our food and heal our injuries; we need love, and for that we need family, partners, friends, and pets.
"Seeing with grateful eyes requires that we see the web of interconnection in which we alternate between being givers and receivers," writes Emmons. "The humble person says that life is a gift to be grateful for, not a right to be claimed."
## 4. They're grateful to people, not just things
At the start of this piece, I mentioned gratitude for sunlight and trees. That's great for me—and it may
have good effects, like leading me to think about my impact on the environment—but the trees just don't care. Likewise, the sun doesn't know I exist; that big ball of flaming gas isn't even aware of its own existence, as far as we know. My gratitude doesn't make it burn any brighter.
That's not true of people—people will glow in gratitude. Saying thanks to my son might make him happier and it can strengthen our emotional bond. Thanking the guy who makes my coffee can strengthen social bonds—in part by deepening our understanding of how we're interconnected with other people.
My colleague Emiliana Simon-Thomas, the GGSC's science director and another co-director of our Expanding Gratitude project, puts it this way:
> Experiences that heighten meaningful connections with others—like noticing how another person has helped you, acknowledging the effort it took, and savoring how you benefitted from it—engage biological systems for trust and affection, alongside circuits for pleasure and reward. This provides a synergistic and enduring boost to the positive experience. Saying 'thank you' to a person, your brain registers that something good has happened and that you are more richly enmeshed in a meaningful social community.
## 5. They *thank* outside the box
Grateful people are habitually specific. They don't say, "I love you because you're just so wonderfully wonderful, you!" Instead, the really skilled grateful person will say: "I love you for the pancakes you make when you see I'm hungry and the way you massage my feet after work even when you're really tired and how you give me hugs when I'm sad so that I'll feel better!"
The reason for this is pretty simple: It makes the expression of gratitude feel more authentic, for it reveals that the thanker was genuinely paying attention and isn't just going through the motions. The richest thank you's will acknowledge intentions ("the pancakes you make when you see I'm hungry") and costs ("you massage my feet after work even when you're really tired"), and they'll describe the value of benefits received ("you give me hugs when I'm sad so that I'll feel better").
When Amie Gordon and colleagues studied gratitude in couples, they found that spouses signal grateful feelings through more caring and attentive behavior. They ask clarifying questions; they respond to trouble with hugs and to good news with smiles. "These gestures," Gordon writes, "can have profound effects: Participants who were better listeners during those conversations in the lab had partners who reported feeling more appreciated by them."
Remember: Gratitude thrives on specificity!
## 6. They *thank* outside the box
But let's get real: Pancakes, massages, hugs? *Boring!* Most of my examples so far are easy and clichéd. But here's who the really tough-minded grateful person thanks: the boyfriend who dumped her, the homeless person who asked for change, the boss who laid him off.
We're graduating from Basic to Advanced Gratitude, so pay attention. And since I myself am still working on Basic, I'll turn once again to Dr. Emmons for guidance: "It's easy to feel grateful for the good things. No one 'feels' grateful that [they have] lost a job or a home or good health or has taken a devastating hit on [their] retirement portfolio."
In such moments, he says, gratitude becomes a critical cognitive process—a way of thinking about the world that can help us turn disaster into a stepping stone. If we're willing and able to look, he argues, we can find a reason to feel grateful even to people who have harmed us. We can thank that boyfriend for being brave enough to end a relationship that wasn't working; the homeless person for reminding us of our advantages and vulnerability; the boss, for forcing us to face new challenges.
"Life is suffering. No amount of positive thinking exercises will change this truth," writes Emmons in his *Greater Good* article "How Gratitude Can Help You Through Hard Times." He continues:
> So telling people simply to buck up, count their blessings, and remember how much they still have to be grateful for can certainly do much harm. Processing a life experience through a grateful lens does not mean denying negativity. It is not a form of superficial happiology. Instead, it means realizing the power you have to transform an obstacle into an opportunity. It means reframing a loss into a potential gain, recasting negativity into positive channels for gratitude.
That's what truly, fantastically grateful people do. Can you?
*For more reasons to practice gratitude, check out this infographic created by Here's My Chance.*


text:
Most 3D printers use stepper motors to control the movement of the extruder head. If you could actually print those motors it would be one more big step toward self-replicating hardware. Now obviously [Chris Hawkins'] working 3d printed stepper motor wasn't built 100% through 3D printing, but the majority of the parts were. All that he had to add was the electronic driver pieces, magnets, wire, and a few nails.
The coils are made up of nails wrapped in magnet wire. The rotor is a 3D printed framework which accepts neodymium rare earth magnets. The axle is pointed which reduces the friction where it meets the cone-shaped support on either side of the frame. The IC on the upper right is a transistor array that facilitates switching the 20V driving the coils. The board on the lower right is a Digispark, which is an ATtiny85 breakout board that includes a USB edge connector for programming and a linear regulator which is how he gets away with feeding 20V as the source.
Don't miss the demo video after the break where you can see the motor stepping 7.5 degrees at a time.


text:
Liked how SquareWear 2.0 has so many built-in components and yet so compact in size? Introducing SquareWear Mini — the little sister of SquareWear that has the same capabilities (and more!) but is 25% smaler in size!
SquareWear Mini
Available for purchase at Rayshobby Shop.
So what is SquareWear Mini? Similar to SquareWear 2.0, the SquareWear Mini is essentially an Arduino running at 3.3V and 12MHz. It is based on the ATmega328 microcontroller, and it has a load of build-in components, including USB port, power switch, pushbutton, buzzer, temperature sensor, light sensor, MOSFETs, lithium battery jack, and lithium battery charger. The pins have enlarged sizes for sewing with conductive threads, for soldering sew-on snaps, and they are great for touch sensing too.
How did I shrink it to be smaller than the original SquareWear? Well, by removing the on-board rechargable coin battery and color LED, and routing some pins to the side. With the space saved, I was even able to add a 16KB I2C EEPROM for storing extra data. Shortly you will see how this is useful. These changes were made because SquareWear designed specially to be attached to a chainable color LED matrix. This will enable a whole new set of exciting projects, as you can see from the video above.
Color LED Matrix
So let me briefly explain the LED matrix. Each matrix contains 35 LEDs arranged on a 5×7 grid with 8mm spacing. It uses the WS2812B color LEDs. These are great because the LED has a built-in chip that allows you to daisey chain them in bulk and still be able to individually set the color of any LED with only one microcontorller pin. Adafruit gave them a name calle the Neopixels. No matter how many LEDs you have, you only need 3 pins to get them to work, namely the VCC, GND, and DATA_IN pins.
These pins are mapped out at the back of the LED matrix. The locations of these pins exactly match the VCC, GND, and digital D10 pins on SquareWear Mini, so you can easily attach SquareWear Mini with the LED matrix by either soldering some sew-on snaps, or directly soldering the two boards together.
The resolution 5×7 is not a whole lot, but it is sufficient to display ASCII characters and a lot of cute icons:
The LED matrix is designed to be chainable too. Each board has DATAIND pins on one side, and DATAOUT on the other side. To extend the number of boards in the X direction, just place two matrices side by side and solder across the 6 pins on the boundary. The solder will get the two boards firmly attached to each other. Chain several boards together to make a large display panel, and it's great for showing text and messages in any color you want. For example, you can use it as a name tag, or a thermometer (remember, SquareWear Mini has a built-in temperature sensor!)
You can also extend the panel in the Y direction. To do so, use three wires to connect the VCC, GND, and DATA_OUT pins of the previous row to the VCC, GND, DATA_IN pins of the next row. Also solder across the pins on the vertical direction to firmly attach the two rows of boards together. There you go, a bigger panel to display more detailed graphics!
Software Demos
We've re-worked the SquareWear software library to include LED matrix demos. These demos work on both the original SquareWear 2.0 and SquareWear Mini. Check the video above for selected examples. The demos are included in the pre-configured software package, and are also available for downloaded individually at the SquareWear Github repository.
What I want to highlight here is the Flipbook Animation demo. It's a great demo that allows you to interactively design pixel patterns and even an animation. SquareWear Mini can store the frame data into the I2C EEPROM and play it back later. Even better, it comes with sounds too! So how does this work? First, you upload the Flipbook Arduino code to SquareWear. Then, run the Flipbook host software. The host software is written in Processing and is cross-platform. It uses the HID Serial interface to communicate with SquareWear. In the host software you can click on pixels and assign them color values. These values are immediately transferred to SquareWear so you can preview the frame in real-time. For each frame you can specify the frame time and optionally a music note to play. You can create multiple frames, navigate through each frame, make modifications, save the animation to a disk file etc. At last, when you are satisfied with it, click on 'Transfer to Device' and the data will be stored into EEPROM. Next time you turn on SquareWear, just click the pushbutton and it will play back the stored animation. Isn't that cool? With this tool, you never have to think about converting pixel patterns to programming code any more. Let your creativity and imagination take over!
Hope you like SquareWear Mini, and let us know your cool project ideas!


text:
N° 42 Stalinist caterpillar into libertarian butterfly? The evolving ideology of the PKK
This paper examines the evolution of the ideology of the Turkish Kurdish PKK. The first two parts discuss the early strategic orientation of the PKK and its similarity to other national liberation movements of the time. Part three discusses the idea of 'creating a new man', an idea that became central to the PKK's conception of the future society they struggled for. This idea was a distinctive characteristic of the PKK. It is not unusual for activists in this movement to describe their political convictions as 'the ideology of Öcalan' and part four discusses the role of Abdullah Öcalan as the leader and ideologue of the movement. Part five discusses another distinguishing characteristic of the PKK: the role that it sees for women and women's liberation in social change. Part six and seven deal with the changing ideas of the PKK about the future society: its vision of a 'democratic civilization and its changing conception of 'socialism'.


text: 50 foot x 12 inch Camdon Garland Dura-Lit 400 Clear Lights. Picture this Camdon Fir Garland winding down the banister in your home or business. Such a plush piece of garland deserves a central display location! Thick fir branches come unlit, or pre-lit with clear, multicolor, or Clear lights. Available in a good selection of lengths, this garland will fit nicely in many spots.


text:
I've known about Charlie Todd and Improv Everywhere since he uploaded Frozen Grand Central to YouTube in 2008. I was fascinated by their creativity and boldness from the start. I went back and watched all their videos and read all the blogs from their missions – it was captivating. I subscribed to their YouTube channel and I joined the now-disbanded "Urban Prankster Network†online.
Charlie and I have exchanged emails and messages over the years after I helped co-found Improv AZ and I started digging into the legal issues surrounding flash mobs and pranks. He was always friendly and helpful, but since we lived on opposite sides of the country, we never met in person.
A few weeks ago, I got a note from Charlie saying that he was debuting his film "We Cause Scenes†at SXSW. The film follows the story of Improv Everywhere from the beginning to where it is now. I love this story because Charlie didn't start out trying to create this group. He was just a guy who was having fun with his friends and he embraced the opportunities that allowed it to grow into his career. I was so excited. I immediately put his film at the top of my SXSW to-do list.
I met Charlie about an hour before the film in the convention center. When I saw his familiar face, threw up my arms, and screeched, "Charlie Todd!†I gave him a big hug and chatted for a few minutes before claiming my spot in line. It was so great to meet him in person but because we've been conversing for years, it was like seeing an old friend.
The movie was fantastic. If it comes to your city, go see it. It's a great story.
During the Q&A after the movie, Charlie announced that Improv Everywhere was doing an MP3 Experiment in Austin. I of course rearranged my schedule so I could go. We were given a place, a time, an MP3 to download, and we were told to wear a certain color shirt and bring an uninflated balloon. You'll have to wait to see the video to see what we did, but we had a blast. It was so great to do a mission with my prankster brothers and sisters.
I give my friend Jeff Moriarty a lot of credit for helping me become the person I am today. If he hadn't organized the first No Pants Ride in Phoenix, there never would have been an Improv AZ and I wouldn't be a flash mob attorney and blogger. Watching Charlie's movie reminded me that I have to give him a lot of credit too. He was the one who came up with the idea for the original No Pants Subway Ride and he was the one who decided to invite the world to participate in 2009. If he hadn't done that, he wouldn't have given Jeff his launch into the official prank/flash mob world.
So thank you Charlie. Without you, I wouldn't be the person I am today.
Related articles
- We Cause Scenes, A Film By NYU Students, Premieres At SXSW This Week (nyulocal.com)
- We Cause Scenes, Feature Documentary About Improv Everywhere (laughingsquid.com)
- Storytelling – Charlie Todd: The shared experience of absurdity (nextlevelofnews.com)
- The ideas behind a prank: Q&A with Charlie Todd (ted.com)


text:
He wants to marry a girl with whom he had a relationship
Before answering your question, we must remind you that it is obligatory to repent and regret what you have done with this woman, because you have fallen into several major sins, the most serious of which is zina (fornication) which is clearly forbidden in the Qur'aan and Sunnah, and the scholars are unanimously agreed that it is haraam, and wise people are unanimously agreed that it is abhorrent and evil.
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"And come not near to unlawful sex. Verily, it is a Faahishah (i.e. anything that transgresses its limits: a great sin), and an evil way that leads one to hell unless Allaah forgives him)"
[al-Isra' 17:32]
And the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "No adulterer is a believer at the time when he is committing adultery." Narrated by al-Bukhaari (2475) and Muslim (57).
There is a severe punishment for zina in al-Barzakh, before the punishment in the Hereafter. In the famous hadeeth of Samurah ibn Jundub (may Allaah be pleased with him) about the dream, it says:
"… then we [i.e., the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and Jibreel and Mikaa'eel] proceeded and came to something like a tannoor (a kind of oven), in which there were clamouring voices." He [the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)] said: "We looked into it and there we saw naked men and women. Flames were coming to them from the bottom of it, and when the flames reached them, they made uproar. I said to them [i.e., the two angels who were accompanying him], 'Who are these?' … They said, 'We will tell you. As for the naked men and women in the structure that resembled a tannoor oven, they are the adulterers and adulteresses.'"
Narrated by al-Bukhaari (6640).
Allaah has ordained the hadd punishment for zina. He says concerning the hadd punishment for an unmarried person (interpretation of the meaning):
"The fornicatress and the fornicator, flog each of them with a hundred stripes. Let not pity withhold you in their case, in a punishment prescribed by Allaah, if you believe in Allaah and the Last Day. And let a party of the believers witness their punishment"
[al-Noor 24:2]
As for the person who has previously been married, the hadd punishment is execution, In the hadeeth narrated by Imam Muslim in his Saheeh (3199) it is narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "For a previously-married person with a previously-married person, [the punishment is] one hundred lashes and stoning."
What we have said to you applies to the woman too, and she should realize that her sin is even worse, but because, as you say, she has become righteous, we hope that her repentance is sincere and that Allaah will forgive her by His grace and kindness.
You should note that if you have not both repented from the sin of zina, then it is not permissible for you to marry her, because Allaah has forbidden the zaani and zaaniyah to marry unless they both repent. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"The adulterer — fornicator marries not but an adulteress — fornicatress or a Mushrikah; and the adulteress –fornicatress, none marries her except an adulterer — fornicater or a Mushrik [and that means that the man who agrees to marry (have a sexual relation with) a Mushrikah (female polytheist, pagan or idolatress) or a prostitute, then surely, he is either an adulterer — fornicator, or a Mushrik (polytheist, pagan or idolater). And the woman who agrees to marry (have a sexual relation with) a Mushrik (polytheist, pagan or idolater) or an adulterer — fornicator, then she is either a prostitute or a Mushrikah (female polytheist, pagan, or idolatress)]. Such a thing is forbidden to the believers (of Islamic Monotheism)"
[al-Noor 24:3]
Shaykh 'Abd al-Rahmaan al-Sa'di (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
This clearly points to the abhorrent nature of zina, and that is tarnishes the honour of the one who does it in a way that other sins do not. Allaah tells us that no woman would marry a zaani but a woman who is also a zaaniyah, who is like him, or a mushrik woman who associates others with Allaah and does not believe in the Resurrection or in reward and punishment (in the Hereafter), and who does not adhere to the commands of Allaah. And similarly, no one would marry a zaaniyah except a zaani or a mushrik. "Such a thing is forbidden to the believers" means, it is haraam for them to marry zaanis or zaaniyahs.
What the verse means is that if a person wants to marry the man or woman who commits zina and has not repented from that, despite the fact that Allaah has prohibited that, then he is either not adhering to the ruling of Allaah and His Messenger, in which case he cannot be anything but a mushrik, or he is adhering to the ruling of Allaah and His Messenger but he agrees to this marriage despite knowing that this person has committed zina, in which case this marriage is also zina, and he is an immoral zaani. If he truly believed in Allaah, he would not do that. This clearly indicates that it is haraam to marry a zaaniyah unless she repents, or to marry a zaani unless he repents, because marriage is the strongest type of companionship, and Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): "Assemble those who did wrong, together with their companions" [al-Saaffaat 37:22]. Allaah has forbidden that because of what it involves of great evil, and lack of protective jealousy, and attribution of children who are not his to the husband, and the zaani failing to keep her chaste because he is distracted elsewhere, any one of which is sufficient reason for the prohibition. End quote.
Tafseer al-Sa'di (p. 561).
The scholars of the Standing Committee were asked:
A man committed zina with a virgin and wants to marry her. Is it permissible for him to do that?
They replied:
If the matter is as described, each of them must repent to Allaah and give up this sin, and regret what has happened of immoral actions, and resolve not to do it again, and do a lot of good deeds, in the hope that Allaah will accept their repentance and turn their bad deeds into good. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"And those who invoke not any other ilaah (god) along with Allaah, nor kill such person as Allaah has forbidden, except for just cause, nor commit illegal sexual intercourse ___ and whoever does this shall receive the punishment.
69. The torment will be doubled to him on the Day of Resurrection, and he will abide therein in disgrace;
70. Except those who repent and believe (in Islamic Monotheism), and do righteous deeds; for those, Allaah will change their sins into good deeds, and Allaah is Oft‑Forgiving, Most Merciful
71. And whosoever repents and does righteous good deeds; then verily, he repents towards Allaah with true repentance"
[al-Furqaan 25:68-70]
If he wants to marry her, then he must wait for one menstrual cycle to establish whether her womb is empty before doing the marriage contract with her. If it turns out that she is pregnant, then it is not permissible for him to do the marriage contract with her until after she gives birth, in accordance with the hadeeth in which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) forbade a man to water the crop of another with his own water. End quote.
Fataawa Islamiyyah (3/247).
So repent to Allaah and set your affairs straight, and do a lot of good deeds, and after that it will be permissible for you to get married. We ask Allaah to accept your repentance and to forgive you, by His grace and mercy.
See also question no. 85335.
And Allaah knows best.


text:
Web Design
& Online Marketing
Need a fresh Website Design, Shopping Cart or E-mail Marketing campaign?
Domain Name
Parking Services
Looking to secure a new web address? Reserve it today and park it for FREE!
E-mail Accounts
& Hosting Services
Need Email Accounts for your business? Contact us a quick account setup..
Computer Systems
& Cyber Security
Expand your company Intranet and/or Extranet. Contact us for a quote.


text:
Stephen Miller's and Trump's Gross Re-Politicization of DOJ
There was some legitimate concern about inappropriate machination of the Department of Justice when Trump named and confirmed Jeff Sessions as his Attorney General. Typical discussion followed this by Isaac Arnsdorf at Politico:
Donald Trump suggested on the campaign trail that he could use the Justice Department to fulfill his political agenda, taunting Hillary Clinton by threatening to throw her in jail over her email scandal.
Now, Sen. Jeff Sessions, Trump's pick for attorney general, will have to decide whether to follow his predecessors by vowing to not let politics drive the DOJ's decision-making.
That was one, and a serious, level of concern. Today we find said concern not close to being deep enough as to how the Trump White House would try to run Justice as merely a lever of their extreme politics.
But, via the New York Daily News, comes a little noticed, and truly frightening report of just how renegade and ridiculous the "fine tuned machine" the Trump White House is determined to be in politicizing the DOJ. In an article captioned "Stephen Miller called Brooklyn U.S. Attorney at home and told him how to defend travel ban in court", comes the stunning news that:
In the chaotic hours after President Trump signed on a Friday afternoon the sloppily written executive order meant to fulfill his Muslim ban campaign promise, Stephen Miller called the home of Robert Capers to dictate to the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District how he should defend that order at a Saturday emergency federal court hearing.
That's according to a federal law enforcement official with knowledge of the call, which happened as Department of Justice attorneys cancelled plans, found babysitters and rushed back to their Brooklyn office to try and find out what exactly it was they were defending and who was being affected by it — how many people were already being held in America, how many were being barred from arriving here and the exact status of each person.
The full article at the NYDN is mandatory reading, but let that sink in for a second. 31 year old Stephen Miller, a wet behind the ears extreme right wing ideologue with white nationalist leanings and NO, repeat NO legal training, much less law degree, called up a United States Attorney – at home! – to "dictate" how the DOJ would operate in an emergency litigation situation in an United States District Court.
Stunning is too weak of a response. Shocking is insufficient. It is actually hard to know what the proper words for this are.
I asked Matthew A. Miller, former OPA head under the Obama DOJ for a thought on the implications of Stephen Miller's hubris in this instance. His reply was:
The last time a White House started dictating demands to U.S. attorneys, the sitting Attorney General had to resign in disgrace. This raises yet another in a series of questions about whether the Sessions Justice Department will be independent from the Trump White House.
Exactly. I would have said "unprecedented" above along with "stunning" and "shocking", but for what occurred during a period of the Bush/Cheney regime when the interaction and control of the DOJ from the White House was extreme. And, ultimately, blown up as beyond unacceptable and appropriate by more reasoned minds and authorities. And, I might add, substantially due to the Fourth Estate of the press, that Trump blithely and ignorantly describes as "enemies of the American people".
Yes, it is really that important of a moment now with Stephen Miller (note: NO relation to Matthew A. Miller) and the extreme hubris and lack of institutional awareness, competence or control, and obvious disdain for any, by the Trump Administration.
Back in 2007 Senator Sheldon Whitehouse created, and displayed at a Senate hearing, a stunning graphic displaying the shocking difference between communication between the Clinton White House and DOJ, and the ridiculous political input that the Bush Cheney White House had to DOJ.
With the grossly inappropriate statements of President Donald Trump as to how "he" will direct prosecutions of political enemies and other criminal and military defendants, leakers and others, to the literally insane conduct of Stephen Miller here, it is time to remember Senator Whitehouse's chart.
It is also time to wonder if Sheldon Whitehouse and other members of the Senate Judiciary Committee have the cojones to take the fight for the Constitution and integrity of the justice system once again to a renegade White House. And the Trump White House has quickly made the Bush/Cheney White house look better in the rear view mirror, as truly craven as they were.
And, yes, the situation is exactly that dire if you recall the same Stephen Miller, being sent out and directed to all the Sunday political shows to declare and mandate that:
"…our opponents, the media and the whole world will soon see as we begin to take further actions, that the powers of the president to protect our country are very substantial and will not be questioned."
This is straight up an Article II Branch declaration of pure tyranny by Stephen Miller and Trump. This is a serious problem, and this is an Administration making good on its promise and determination in that regard.


text:
NAIROBI, (Reuters) – Tanzania's President John Magufuli, one of Africa's most prominent coronavirus sceptics, has died aged 61, Vice President Samia Suluhu Hassan said today after a more than two-week absence from public life that led to speculation about his health.
She said he died from the heart disease that had plagued him for a decade. She said burial arrangements were under way and announced 14 days of mourning and the flying of flags at half staff. State television broadcast mournful and religious songs.
Magufuli, had not been seen in public since Feb. 27, sparking rumours that he had contracted COVID-19. Officials denied on March 12 that he had fallen ill. He was Tanzania's first president to die while in office.
"Dear Tanzanians, it is sad to announce that today 17 March 2021 around 6 p.m. we lost our brave leader, President John Magufuli who died from heart disease at Mzena hospital in Dar es Salaam where he was getting treatment," the vice president said on state broadcaster TBC.
Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa said on Friday that he had spoken to Magufuli, and blamed the narrative of the president's ailment on some "hateful" Tanzanians living abroad.
Tundu Lissu, Magufuli's main rival in the October election when the president won a second five-year term, had suggested Tanzania's leader had been flown to Kenya for treatment for COVID-19 and then moved to India in a coma.
After the death was announced, opposition leader Zitto Kabwe said he had spoken to Vice President Hassan to offer condolences for Magufuli's death. "The nation will remember him for his contribution to the development of our country," Kabwe said in a statement published on Twitter.
According to Tanzania's Constitution, Vice President Hassan, 61, should assume the presidency for the remainder of the five-year term that Magufuli began serving last year after winning a second term. She would be the East African nation's first female president.
Born in the semi-autonomous archipelago of Zanzibar, Hassan studied economics in Britain, worked for the U.N.'s World Food Programme and then held various government posts prior to becoming Tanzania's first female vice president in 2015.
Hassan said Magufuli was admitted on March 6 to Jakaya Kikwete Cardiac Institute for heart problems and discharged the next day. A week later he felt bad and was rushed to Mzena hospital where he was getting treatment under supervision of doctors from the cardiac institute.
Nicknamed "The Bulldozer" because of his reputation for pushing through policies despite opposition, Magufuli frustrated the World Health Organization (WHO) during the pandemic by playing down the threat from COVID-19, saying god and remedies such as steam inhalation would protect Tanzanians.
The former chemistry teacher had mocked coronavirus tests, denounced vaccines as part of a Western conspiracy to take Africa's wealth, and opposed mask-wearing and social distancing.
Tanzania stopped reporting coronavirus data in May last year when it had reported 509 cases and 21 deaths, according to the WHO, which has urged the government to be more transparent.
He was re-elected for a second term in 2020, winning 84% of the vote in an election the opposition said was marred by irregularities and whose results it rejected.


text:
Advancing global communication has been a mantra of the social media age, but with technology blitzing forward so rapidly, many older citizens are more alienated than ever.
Cyber-Seniors, a touching documentary from Saffron Cassaday, follows a passion project created by her younger sisters, Macaulee and Kascha Cassaday, in which volunteer high schoolers coach senior citizens on how to access the Internet. It's telling that one of the first lessons is how to turn a computer on and off. Navigating Facebook, the end goal for many of the cyber-seniors, feels lofty.
Despite their own frequent misgivings, the seniors' eagerness to learn — and their slow but steady progress toward online independence — is heartening to watch. Eventually, the seniors even compete in a YouTube video challenge, an event that demonstrates just how irrelevant the age gap can be. Shura, a lovely 88-year-old from the program, voices the frustration that multitudes have felt when receiving their first downvote: "How can someone dislike something so innocuous?"
Though touched with some real-life tragedy, the film is at its best in scenes of seniors interacting with their families online; their rapturous expressions illustrate the supreme comfort that communication can bring to people, even when the message is a simple hello.
If there's a film that will make you want to finally accept that friend request from your grandparents, this one is it.
Read the article online at Village Voice.