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The design philosophy for Defender's Quest boils down to two guiding principles that play to the Tower Defense (TD) genre's strengths:
Note the verbs. We don't want to TEST the player's focus (ie assault them with strobe lights and dancing kitens and
A great article, as usual.
A few comments:
1) The biggest flaw of Cursed Treasure (and many other games too) isn't actually in timing issues (made harder without slow/pause) - it's the random and its power. Unless I was doing something wrong, succeeding against the few ninja bosses essentially required grinding and returning later (with cheaper and stronger magic) OR luck (getting them sent back by a crypt, so they spent most of their invisible period wandering near spawn).
You say yourself that it's good when one only has his decisions to blame - and I would say that games that want to get close to this should do their best to avoid RNG usage whereever possible. Critical hits are so popular mechanic that you can hardly do without them, but other than that, the design should try to avoid "random" things and convert them to direct buffs/debuffs whereever possible. (I.e. my suggestion for dark enemies would be that unless they're lit up, they just take significantly reduced damage, even if it's not exactly logical).
2) I agree about air units. Usually they're done quite badly - but there are games (i.e. Bubble tanks series) where most towers can hit them, and so the decisions for the player are about "will 10 versatile towers be enough or should I instead get 9 versatiles and one AA"?
3) Number of towers CAN be high and successful at the same time. Bloons TD, especially the latest (5) does quite a good job, and also has daily challenges where some towers are disabled/restricted in upgrades, thus effectively forcing users out of their comfort zone and teaching them that even without their favorite tower, they can manage.
I agree especially about 2D vs 3D. Eye candy in general doesn't make a good game
Wow oh wow. I agree with virtually everything you've mentioned here that as I was reading this I literally at times wanted to shout "OMG YES!" "EXACTLY!"And I suppose this is why I really enjoyed DQ1 and why I continue to almost everyday keep checking your blog, forum and everything to see what progress is like as I so eagerly await DQ2. As you have demonstrated from this blog post of yours, you clearly (in my opinion anyway) know what it takes and can tick virtually all the correct boxes that make an excellent TD game.
As I was reading this, almost the whole way through it made me think of a TD game that I recently tried out and well admittedly continued to play for a few days until I realised that rather than liking it, I was TRYING to like it and as such stopped playing it soon after. And a lot of the things you mentioned here is where this particular game went wrong. This was a game on Kongregate by the name of "Prime World: Defenders" (PWD).
3D is totally unnecessary which is what PWD was. I've never understood the point of it in a TD game. I always thought that if devs put time NOT into all the 3D hassle and animations etc. but instead, put the time and money into making more levels, developing on the storyline, improving on the upgrade system and all that other stuff, that would be a far FAR better trade off and make the game much more enjoyable in the long run. 2D games can be made to look really good and aesthetic too so I don't see why they need to strive for 3D. And quite often, it can actually have a reverse impact as they sometimes can look horrible and messy.
I also hate that system where you have to build things exclusive just to take out a certain type of enemy (or as you mentioned Lock and Key enemies.) Some games really take this system too far. Looking at PWD, you had to have annoying air towers, then there were invisible enemies, then you needed flame towers to take out the swarms. I much prefer as you mentioned, other ways to reliably take them down. And yeah, you did have invisible enemies in DQ1 but you didn't take the whole concept of exclusive enemies and exclusive towers too far and so it was fine.
You also mentioned about having 20+ towers to choose from and most of them ending up obsolete. PWD was pretty much like that. And in the end you could only take in a handful with you in battle. But even if you could take all of them in, you could only realistically still only use a handful. Like you said, I would much prefer a small selection of towers but have the ability of making them versatile by way of upgrades.
I also agree entirely about providing information. Complete information on your tower's capabilities, on your enemies capabilities, full effects of upgrades etc. unless and as you mentioned, information is deliberately left out for the sake of adding a bit of a challenge (as long as it's not done in an annoying way.) TD games and other RPG games are basically a game of numbers. You need the info to do the maths to be able to figure out whether you can do something and whether or not you need more. And when this is lacking in TD and RPG games and I cant make that decision because the game refuses to give me the info, it frustrates me to hell. As with a lot of TD games, this was also the case with PWD.
I think you did a very good job in DQ1 with balancing the capabilities of melee units with that of rangers. One thing I liked very much about the rangers was how they could NOT attack close range (even though the range area was still pretty large).
Although I don't feel so strongly about the mazing thing, I do also prefer TD games where the map is predetermined and doesn't involve mazing. I do somewhat like what GemCraft did though. Maps were most often predetermined but there were still at times limited scope to alter the enemies path. I didn't quite like Desktop Tower Defence and another one I tried out a long time ago which I think was called Bubble Tower Defence or something as those relied heavily on mazing.
One thing I would disagree with… well… perhaps not disagree but say that I don't mind, is the thing about scrolling. I can appreciate why it's better to have everything on one screen but let's just imagine you wanted to make a grand level of some sort and as such, you needed more space to really create a huge impact and make the level a really memorable one, maybe for the perfect send-off for that boss who has been a big enemy in your path for freedom and peace and whatever, then I wouldn't mind if I had to scroll for that kind of a map. I guess it would depend on if you had to scroll in multiple directions, but if you could do it in such that you only say needed to scroll in one direction, it could be good. Or perhaps, if it really bothered players, you could make an option to zoom out so that everything could be seen on one screen but that would obviously compromise on the aesthetics so that could be a no-no.
Anyway, to finish up, I really like how you ended your blog post, "Now go forth and make an awesome tower defence game". Although I cant make games and am on a career path that takes me no where near making games, soooo many times I've played TD games and other RPGs too and thought gosh I would've done this differently, and this too, and I would've tweaked this stat like this and come up with all sorts of criticisms in my head. The thing about DQ1 is that I didn't have many of those thoughts. It had characteristics in the game which when I played it, I felt like, if I made a game, I would've done this and this too.
And also one more thing, (sorry I promised the point before would be the last), and this is quite off point, but thank you so much for not going down that annoying Free2Play model when deciding you were going to make games. I cant begin to say how many potentially good games have been ruined with this annoying rip-off model. PWD again had this annoying model. It only truly satisfies a very small minority (ie the rich who can flash out money at will) but mostly serves to irritate the majority, even those who are willing to pay. I don't know why developers continue to insist on this rubbish nuisance. Do they really earn a lot out of it? I wish there were some statistic or something which showed the earnings of games that went down this route as opposed to a conventional pay-a-one-off-price-to-play. I've only ever paid for games that are a one-off buy to play but not once have I paid for some special currency in an F2P. I really liked how you got a good demo up on Kongregate and used that to grab attention of the wider audience. Yeah there were some rants, but they were mostly by kids who couldn't afford or aren't allowed to buy it. I will never understand why developers go down that F2P route but I'm glad that someone of your talent didn't waste it by making a game that fell in to that category. Although I do think that there are perhaps ways to make F2P so that it isn't annoying and yet make money for the devs, I think it's extremely delicate to work with to ensure both parties are satisfied.
Anyway, I think this comment of mine is a bit too long. Got kinda carried away. Thanks for taking the time to post these stuff even whilst you're busy making DQ2. Really enjoy reading all your posts even though I barely comment. I just felt like I had to comment on this one though.
With respect to panning, zooming and 3D; there is one game that manages to weave these elements into tower defense and still play well. That game being Defense Grid. It makes smart use of the camera where panning is 'locked' to the floor plane by translating the camera along two axes, leaving the distance along the 3rd axis (representing height from the floor plane) constant. The camera essentially has a fixed orientation, but the geometry can be rotated about a fixed up-axis, plus the angle of the camera w.r.t. to the floor plane is not strictly top-down, its somewhat closer to eye level. The trick to making 3D work well within a Tower defense context is to impose reasonable constraints that limit the degree of rotational freedom so that it mimics the typical visual range of a person viewing the world from a flat surface as opposed to say a fighter pilot (with full six degrees of freedom). This is where Siegecraft loses points...too much freedom can disorient a player causing loss of focus.
One more thing. The Cursed Treasure level you referenced in your article...you can get a perfect rating without using meteors...you have to cut out the trees in the middle and build more crypts. This will take care of the ninjas with ease. When you hit the last wave, make sure you have a den ready to trigger invisibility on the boss as soon as possible. The second its visible use the frenzy skill to amp up your towers (some of which may have the fear buff assuming you ramped them up accordingly)...takes that boss out in no time.
Hi !
Thank you for this very interesting post ! Fascinating and the comments are too !I personnally agree with several things. Just disagree about the scrollable maps. I think the principle goal of a TD game is to understand how the waves work. You have to understand which kind of wave, of monster, the way he will travel. And then you begin to think about the good strategy to use.
In such games as Monster and Dwarves TD, you have to scroll to see the entire maps. But once you have understood from which waves come from, where they go, you apply a strategy and scroll the maps is just a supplementary way to challenge player. Challenge because you have to scroll to look at the wave's way, to scroll to build towers at the good place at the good moment.But I understand your point. I've tested a chinese tower defense game on Android. A bad mazing game. At one moment, you just see a strong wave coming and destroy all of your tower. So you lose and you have to reset the game. At each time you play this level, you have to scroll, look at the wave, trying to understand what they do and how destroy it and then trying a strategy. It's awful !
I think you make a very good point about Bloons TD 5. I adore the daily challenges in that game, because it's very easy to get complacent with the same tower set-up on every level. So being forced into using a small selection of uncommon towers is always a very interesting challenge.Defender's Quest has similar aspects with the layout of some levels, with limited defense points or the paths simply laid out in a way that challenges you to build an unusual defense.I hope to see more such creative constraints in the sequel!
September 2014? I've been ignoring my RSS feeds for a while!
I just wanted to add a quick note of thanks for this insightful post - I've been wanting to write a TD game for years now and still haven't gotten around to it. But your post (and the comments too!) are very useful. (I wholeheartedly agree about the Prime World comment, although I uninstalled it in the end not because of this, but because it kept loosing my save game and resetting the campaign.) The whole thing with specialized tower types is something I agree with. Actually I agree with all of what you said, it nicely firmed up vague impressions of my own and "one day" when I write a TD game I'll have to keep all this in mind. I loved DG, DG2 and DQ1. I've been playing iBomber too but that seems to suffer from the opposite - not enough tower choice (and you still need dedicated AA) and no story or interaction (aside from the obvious), things which DG and DG did well I thought.
This is why I love DQ: the devs don't add in frustrating and useless mechanics. Flying and lock-and-key mobs are my biggest gripe with other tower defense games. I can't wait to play the new game!


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typography + photography
Ed Fella is a designer who has a lot of personality and it definetly shows up in his work. I have his book 'Letters on America' which I adore. Between listening to him speak at an AIGA conference, and meeting Louise Fili in NY, and seeing her large photo collection of typographic signs, I have been enlightened and developed a passion for taking photos of signs and interesting typography wherever I go.

subset: commoncrawl


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In case you haven't spotted the Twitter update today (see the Latest Updates, right, if you're reading this on the blog), the UK Home Office has announced more changes to the visa regulations for those international students wanting to stay in the UK after studying.
There's a bit more information on Amanda's International Careers blog (it does affect PhDs and the points criteria) but more will be revealed when Gerry Bell, our International Students Officer, has pored over the new regs tonight.
By coincidence, she was already scheduled to give a talk on "International Students: Working in the UK" tomorrow, 2.30-4.00pm in Schuster Building, Moseley lecture theatre – so I guess it might be standing room only for this one.
I'd get there early.
(And then the researchers can leave on time and get to the STEPS launch in the Burlington rooms just as we start at 4pm.)


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The history of Alaska is fraught with schemes for populating the state, from the first Russian attempts at colonization in the 1700's to the outlandish 1960's plan to build a domed city near Point Mackenzie, named John F. Kennedy City. That plan was researched by Julia O'Malley for her Anchorage Daily News column in February, 2010. She dug through the basement archives of the old Anchorage Daily Times and reported:
"On the last page of a dusty binder, I came across a clipping the size of a matchbox: 'Alaska Town is Re-Named JFK City.' It was date-stamped December, 26, 1963. The town had previously been called Bay City.
"In a proclamation on the name change, Mayor George Mor stated: 'John Fitzgerald Kennedy City is a new and frontier city which will rise as a great city …' the article said.
"The population was 30."
There is no such place on the map today.
~ ~ ~
The 1935 Matanuska Colony Project was an audacious plan to move 200 hard-hit farm families from the drought-stricken upper midwest to new homes and farms in Alaska, then an only barely-settled frontier land. Farming in Alaska had been proven feasible by the U.S. government's agricultural experiment stations, the first of which was opened in 1898 in Sitka, which was at that time the capital of Alaska, by Dr. Charles Christian Georgeson.
Georgeson had been tasked with investigating Alaska's agricultural potential, and his work in opening several agricultural stations around the state marked the beginning of a substantial federal investment in Alaska.
Soon after the Sitka station, Georgeson oversaw the Kodiak Station opening, followed by another at Kenai in 1899. The following year, 1900, Georgeson toured other areas of Alaska and opened more experiment stations, including Rampart Station in the Yukon Valley and the Copper Center Station in the Copper River Basin in 1902. Each of these stations was tasked with exploring the agricultural potential of their region.
In 1902 the town of Fairbanks was established in the Tanana Valley, and in 1906 an experiment station was opened on a 1,400 acre site outside Fairbanks. The Tanana Valley became Alaska's first prominent agricultural area as farmers grew grain, hay, and vegetables, raised cattle and produced milk; the Tanana Valley was the center of agricultural production in Alaska until 1935, when the Matanuska Colony Project took shape.
Unfortunately, finding the funds to operate the experiment stations was a constant struggle and the Kenai and Copper River Stations both closed in 1908. The Rampart Station closed in 1925 after many years of successfully growing cereal crops. In 1931 the Sitka and Kodiak stations closed and all of the remaining experiment station facilities were transferred from federal ownership to the Alaska Agricultural College and School of Mines at Fairbanks, renamed the University of Alaska.
Georgeson had opened a new experiment station in the Matanuska Valley in 1915 to help promote agriculture in the area at the same time the Alaska Engineering Commission was established to build a railroad from Seward to Fairbanks. The railroad was, in large part, intended to help agricultural development by making it easier to transport goods to market, and representatives of the Alaska Railroad worked to promote agriculture and attract new settlers to both the Tanana and Matanuska Valleys.The Matanuska Valley had long been a favored land to the indigenous peoples, providing abundant rivers, creeks, and lakes for various types of fishing; forests, meadows, highlands and smaller Valleys for plentiful game and foraging of favorite foods and materials for clothing and shelters.
Framed on three sides by the towering Chugach and Talkeetna mountain ranges, the fourth side is open to the west and bounded along its southern edge by the tidal Knik Arm and glacial Knik River. The mighty Matanuska River enters the northeastern corner of the Valley and empties into Knik Arm in close proximity to the Knik River.
A trading station was established on the Matanuska River by early entrepreneur George Palmer, sometime between 1894 to 1898, to take advantage of the trails between the Cook Inlet region and the Copper River area. According to Wikipedia: "The indigenous Dena'ina-Athabascan name for the river is Ch'atanhtnu, based on the root -tanh 'trail extends out', meaning literally 'trail comes out river'."
In her small book titled Old Times on Upper Cook's Inlet (The Book Cache, Anchorage, 1967), Valley author Louise Potter describes the early trails through the Valley: "…the Indians must have marked walking trails through the Upper Inlet country well before 1898 and, after that time, prospectors brushed-out trail after trail, both winter and summer, leading from the coast to the coal and gold mines. Many of these trails were later widened for the use of dog teams and for saddle and pack horses and sleds. Eventually, some even became the government mail routes and, today, are busy roads."
Louise Potter continues, "A map of the Inlet area, copyrighted in 1899, shows eight such 'Trails Used by Natives…'" and she describes the one which probably led to the name "trail comes out river": "A summer trail from old Knik up the Matanuska River, passing 'Palmer's Upper House' (store) and King's House to Millich Creek and, via Hick's Creek, Trail Lake, and Nulchuck Tyon Village, to the Copper River (pretty much the route of the present Glenn Highway)."In October of 1914, an Alaskan pioneer of Swedish descent named John August Springer filed for homestead rights to 320 acres of benchland located on the north bank of a sweeping bend in the Matanuska River, with a commanding view of Pioneer Peak and the Knik River Valley to the south and east, and the Chugach Range to the northeast. Springer built a log cabin and a few other buildings, and cleared and proved up on his land, receiving the patent in 1920. Fifteen years later, in 1935, he sold a portion of his homestead to the United States government for $7.50 an acre, and his land became part of the Matanuska Colony Project.
According to Louise Potter in Old Times on Upper Cook's Inlet, John Springer was one of 132 people who were listed in the March 6, 1915 issue of the Knik News as having homesteads in the area. In describing early efforts by the pioneers, Potter explained the beginnings of agriculture in the Matanuska Valley:"Before the coming of the railroad when pack horses were commonly used to haul freight from the waterfronts to the mines and when the railroad survey parties' horses were being wintered at Knik and Tyonook, it was necessary to do something about horse feed. At Knik, for instance, fields were cleared for oats by 1904. The large area along the sea from Knik to Cottonwood and east became known as Hayflat as a result of the quantities of wild hay which were cut there. There were also several farms near the mouth of Ship Creek as early as 1911, St. Clair's and Whitney's among them."
~ ~ ~
In his 1968 book, The Colorful Matanuska Valley, Don L. Irwin, former superintendent of the Matanuska Experiment Station and General Manager of the Matanuska Colony Project, defined four distinct eras in the history of the Matanuska Valley. "First, the era of Russian and English voyages, discoveries, and exploration." This began with Alaska's discovery in 1741 by Danish Captain Commander Vitus Bering, at the time serving the Russian Navy, and continued through 1844 with the first mapping of the Valley by Russian Captain Mate Molekoff. During the same era English Captains James Cook and George Vancouver were sailing the same waters; Captain Vancouver sailed to the head of Cook Inlet and explored the Matanuska Valley, but there is no record that he mapped his explorations.
The second era in Valley history, according to Irwin, was the beginning of development, which "might very properly be called the Prospector's and Trader's Era." The town of Knik grew and prospered with the many gold mines on Willow Creek, while coal fields north and east of the Valley were mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey, and the new Alaska Road Commission stayed busy opening the land to homesteaders.
This was the heyday of entrepreneurial traders like George Palmer, the first white resident of the Valley according to the 1880 census, whose trading station on the Matanuska River was established to take advantage of the trails between Cook Inlet and the Copper River area. Palmer would later open a mercantile store at Knik.
Orville G. Herning was another early businessman; in 1905 he built the Knik Trading Company, operating it in Knik until 1917, when he saw the wisdom of moving his business to the new railhead in Wasilla.
That railroad marked what Don Irwin identified as the third era, a time of change in the Valley as the town of Knik dissolved into history's archives and the new town of Wasilla received a post office and a U.S. Deputy Commissioner's office which was tasked with the recording of marriages and mining claims.
Palmer, which was then known as Warton because the postal system would not accept the name Palmer, was only a railroad siding on the branch line to the Jonesville coal mines at Sutton and Chickaloon. There was a freight warehouse and a post office, and a handful of nearby homesteaders, including the aforementioned homesteader John August Springer. Irwin described the situation in 1934:
"There was no highway from the Valley into Anchorage. The Glenn Highway had not yet been surveyed. Train service was the only means of travel out of the Valley. There were no regular church services in the Matanuska Valley from 1918 to 1935. The volume of produce raised by the farmers was too small to interest the Anchorage merchants. The U.S. Agricultural Experiment Station at Matanuska began operation in 1915. A steel bridge was constructed across the Matanuska River near Palmer in 1934. The nearest physician, hospital facility and U.S. Deputy Marshal were at Anchorage. The economy of the Valley seemed to be marking time."
Irwin's fourth era was, of course, that which followed the 1935 Matanuska Colony Project. With the influx of 203 families – and the attendant financial resources provided by the Federal Government – the changes came swiftly. Roads were improved, extended, and eventually paved; bridges spanned the rivers, and freight and passenger trains established schedules. Schools and libraries were built; retail stores, supply services and other businesses were developed; cooperative electric and telephone systems took shape, and a network of churches arose, with many different faiths represented.
There have since been other significant eras which helped to mold the Valley, such as the building of the trans-Alaska pipeline and the influx of new settlers and businesses which came with those boom times, but the historic importance of the Matanuska Colony remains evident.
~ ~ ~
Today the Alaska State Fair utilizes several original Colony buildings for administration and exhibit purposes, including a beautifully preserved Colony barn, one of over 60 remaining Colony barns in the Valley. These photogenic historic landmarks can be found in many different states of repair, from well-restored and still functional to collapsed and decaying slowly into the ground. Almost all were built from the same blueprint designed by David R. Williams, and their three-sided log first floors topped by a broad gambrel roofline with a bell-cast lower pitch make them easy to identify.
Seventeen structures have been identified within the National Register of Historic Sites' Matanuska Colony Historic District, including several Colony farms, a number of original Colony homes, the Matanuska Colony Community Center, the Palmer Train Depot, and others.The Colony House museum in Palmer, originally the home of Colonists Oscar and Irene Beylund on tract number 94, north of Palmer, reflects an average Colonist family's home, restored to its 1936 -1945 appearance. Administered by the Palmer Historical Society, the living room is features furniture from the 1930′s and 40′s era, including some original to the home. The bright cheerful kitchen includes many unique items utilized by Colony housewives, and throughout the home can be found old books, games and photos which were donated by families of the original colonists. Perhaps most significantly, the town of Palmer still reflects the planning of government architect David R. Williams, whose unique design for the aforementioned Matanuska Colony Community Center still functions as the town's core, with three sides of an open central area anchored by buildings which were originally the large three-story school (now the Matanuska-Susitna Borough offices), the teacher's dormitory (now the Colony Inn), and the trading center (now a restaurant). The grassy park, now featuring historic signs telling of the town's Colony heritage, is a favorite gathering place. Nearby is the ship's bell from the U.S. Army Transport Ship St. Mihiel, which transported the first group of colonists from Minnesota to Alaska, and a set of brass plaques with the names of the Colonist families. The inscription on the first plaque reads:
"50th Anniversary. Matanuska Valley Colony Project. Honoring the 202 families from Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota who braved the migratory transition from the depression-torn years of strife and struggle to the promised lands of the fertile Matanuska Valley, and in their endeavor, with faith, hope, and courage, created a new life filled with challenging goals, bringing to Alaska the permanency of residency, the maturity of agricultural development and the true reality that Alaska held the future for the generations to come. Their sacrifices and hardships, together with their gallant leadership has brought greatness to Alaska. May their generations never die. 1935-1985."


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From The Bookshelf: John Ralston Saul, "A Fair Country"
A couple of days ago I wrapped up my annual Christmas holiday in Victoria by flying to Vancouver and then Beijing, untroubled (since I wasn't US-bound) by any paranoid nonsense about not using the washroom during the last hour of the flight. While in transit I finished reading one of the books I'd received for Christmas, John Ralston Saul's A Fair Country.
I have to admit that my expectations were not high, based on my disappointing perusal several years ago of Saul's On Equilibrium. I don't remember that earlier work in any detail, but I certainly recall my overall impression, which was of an erudite but haphazard stew of wide-ranging quotations, facts and anecdotes that rarely coalesced into coherent and persuasive arguments.
By this standard, A Fair Country was actually a pleasant surprise, in that large parts of the book turned out to make perfect sense. Unfortunately, the part that largely fails to make sense is the one that seems to have received the most attention, namely Saul's insistence that Canada is "a métis civilization" inhabited by "people of Aboriginal inspiration". This is a tough argument to make about a Westminster-style democracy whose people overwhelmingly speak European languages, profess either Christianity or no religion at all, and have little or no aboriginal blood.
So what on Earth can Saul possibly mean when he asserts that Canada is a métis civilization? Well, he thinks that some fairly subtle traits that are supposedly characteristic of Canada, such as acceptance of "non-monolithic" racial and cultural diversity, are the result of aboriginal influence. In virtually every case the supporting evidence is vague and unconvincing, and the arguments sometimes drift off into weird little eddies of self-contradiction.
In a chapter on environmentalism, for example, Saul argues that aboriginal culture includes "a philosophy in which humans are a part of nature, not a species chosen to master it", and that our inheritance of this mindset might explain why Canada has produced environmental champions like David Suzuki and Greenpeace. This is plausible, but hard to demonstrate conclusively, and in fact Saul barely tries. Worse yet, the chapter goes on to chide Canadians for partly ignoring the aboriginal perspective and, as a result, developing the tar sands in a fundamentally irresponsible "European-style, nineteenth-century, mid-Industrial Revolution way". Gasp – those horrid Europeans, so unlike virtuous aboriginals! Continuing to harp on the tar sands, however, Saul warns that "environmentally sensitive countries such as Norway, Sweden and Denmark will classify us with the Russians as unreliable, perhaps even dangerous custodians." It seems to have escaped his notice that environmentally sensitive Norwegians, Swedes and Danes are, well, Europeans.
However, A Fair Country improves as it moves away from aboriginal matters. In the second major section of the book Saul explains how the verbal formula "peace, welfare and good government", which was a staple of early documents such as the Royal Proclamation of 1763, evolved in meaning over many years only to be abruptly replaced by the "peace, order and good government" of the British North America Act. It's hardly surprising that Saul has a clear preference for welfare, which he insists on interpreting primarily as fairness, over the more authoritarian concept of order.
The book's last major section is amusingly entitled "The Castrati." This is an unflattering reference to Canada's elites, whom Saul regards as insecure, dysfunctional and incapable of taking decisive action for the good of the country. They are supposedly "colonial" in their excessive deference to outside powers, particularly the United States, although in my opinion a word like "subservient" would better describe this unfortunate mindset. However, it's hard to argue with Saul when he says that we are too passive in allowing foreigners to gain control of strategically important Canadian industries and that our leaders live in a pathetic fear of being perceived as anti-American, besides being "terrified of the sort of intelligent debate the citizenry long for".
Saul's diagnosis of the malady behind these symptoms, however, is less convincing. He puts primary blame on "the belief in order not welfare" and "the incapacity to recognize the aboriginal core of our civilization", throwing in for good measure our "utilitarian economic ideology" (which seems to refer more to globalization than to capitalism per se) and the rise of Quebec separatism. I'll give him the last two, but welfare in its various senses has an enormous role in our public discourse and I simply don't believe that the core of our civilization is aboriginal at all. If we want a stronger, more self-confident Canada that stands taller in the world and expects better of its leadership, we might do better to seek our inspiration in precisely those European traditions and habits of thought that Saul seems so strangely desperate to repudiate. Perhaps the Castrati ought to read more Nietzsche.
reneethewriter permalinkJanuary 17, 2010 9:40 pm
Thank you for reading my discursive comment – much appreciated. One quibble, re "scientific method" – wasn't that more a Chinese/Arabic process, fluid, evolving? Although as soon as I write this, I feel, yup, queasy – probably dangerous and inaccurate to ascribe to historic processes, to ideas and their evolution, fixed/stable geographic/ethnocultural/national identities or provenance?
reneethewriter permalinkJanuary 10, 2010 12:03 pm
Hi Cor and Happy New Year,
Sorry to have missed you in Vancouver (!), and thanks for the interesting post on this book – didn't our own greenjenny write about this one as well a while back? I've been reading A Fair Country, on and off, since it first came out; can't seem to read a book straight through these days because I'm still held captive by Roberto Bolano's 2666.
I appreciate your review and analysis. Not sure, however, that I'm on the same page with you re order, colonialism, or aboriginal roots. (er, see Roberto Bolano on all of that plus Mexico!) Would it surprise you at all that it's precisely those views of Ralston Saul that I find most compelling?
Only fair to lay that out, and then wheedle in with, so, which "European traditions and habits of thought" do you think worked/work well for Canada? I'm kinda in love with the common law and The Rule of Law but funnily enough, don't think of those "traditions/processes/frames (gasp!)" as "European." And truth be told, pace to all my United Churchy upbringing, I'm secretly a high church Anglican at heart and well, rather think spinsters riding their bycicles in the mist down country lanes (misquote of Orwell), is splendid. Hah! Give me V.S. Naipal over "world poetry" anyday.
What the heck is "E"(e)ur/pean" anyway? You mean like Belgrade? Austria? Like Austro-Hungarian? Like Albanian? like Swedish/Finnish – whoa, big difference. I'm contemplating a series of prose poems on the way we in the world use the giant E for european, almost always as a kind of code for The Best, The Most Cultured, top drawer, skilled, Olde Worlde; you know, like local shops and services, from cabinet makers to hair stylists, use the word; actually, especially women's hair salons and spas, the way their services and products, always advertise the merit of these things with that capital E.
Did I mention a while back that in my haphazard way (er, Bolano, again, is the excuse – my brain can hold only his work and no others) I'm reading about "order v welfare, colonialsim, and aboriginals plus other Others (irony), in books such as Patricia Roy's (UVIC historian) – A White Man's Province and The Triumph of Citizenship; also, George Melynk's Moon Over Batoche; also a long literary essay by George Elliot Clarke (sp?) just excoriating the idea of Canada as a "benign, non colonial place."
Anyway, as always, look forward to your patient disquistion (word?) over my ramblings. Your Queen of Parse.


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In response to Gerry Tuoti article
As a concerned Belmont citizen in her early twenties, I am writing to you in response to the article "Lawmakers to Consider Increasing Juvenile Court Age" by Gerry Tuoti. While reading this article I found myself somewhat concerned as well as struggling with the concept of increasing the juvenile court age to 21 due to various reasons. Although I think that it is extremely important to "provide assistance in helping young people make positive changes in their lives" (State Rep. Kay Kahn, D-Newton), I believe that holding people accountable for their actions in regard to their legal standing is imperative to aid a society with successful order. This particular article argues that scientific research has been found revealing how the brain does not fully develop until one reaches their mid-twenties. I find it extremely alarming that this argument is being made because in the eyes of the law, when one reaches 18 years of age he/she is given numerous civic duties and responsibilities. Some of these duties include the right to vote, join the military, serve on a jury, have full control over his/her own medical treatment, etc. The law legally recognizes one as an adult at the age of 18, and in turn comes adult responsibilities. As a result, trying and punishing a person in regards to their legal status is the logical and fair thing to do. I think that discerning one as an adult, and then treating he/she as a child when breaking the law is contradictory. This will ultimately teach adolescents that being legally acknowledged as an adult by the law does not result in "adult" punishments, enabling further tendencies to commit a crime without experiencing permanent ramifications, as a legal adult should.
Shauna Collins
Petition against BHS delayed start
My friend Ella Serrano-Wu and I are freshman attending Belmont High School. We created a petition against a delayed start at BHS, as we have found the outcomes of the possible change concerning. We would be pleased if Belmont Citizen Herald were to share or publish our petition, which can be accessed via the link below: https://www.change.org/p/belmont-school-bhs-same-start-time-belmont-ma.
Kate Devitt,
Ella Serrano-Wu,
Belmont High School
Support Adam Dash
I write in support of Adam Dash for Selectman and hope that you will support him, too. I've heard Adam speak a couple of times about how he sees the role of Selectman and have been impressed on several levels.
First, I am struck by his extensive experience on the Warrant Committee (the fiscal watchdog for the town). We need a Selectman who has facility with the town budget from Day One. Secondly, I am impressed by his recognition that Belmont needs to get moving on its Climate Action Plan, enacted in 2008 but without any pathway to implementing it. All over the country, action on climate change must now happen on the local level, now that we have an administration that is openly denying its existence. Finally, I like his ideas on local business and how to make Belmont more business-friendly through better permitting processes, zoning and working with surrounding neighbors. As a practicing attorney in the field, Adam has extensive professional zoning experience and has served on the Belmont Zoning Board of Appeals. He also sees underused properties in town as opportunities and has the experience to help convert them into tax paying, successful businesses.
I encourage you to learn more about Adam at his website, electadamdash.com. He will serve Belmont well as our next Selectman.
Debora Hoffman,
Goden Street
Try an electric car, earn chance at $1,000
Belmont Drives Electric is a local initiative designed to highlight the benefits of driving electric vehicles (EVs) and connect Belmont residents to rebates, incentives and free test drives.
Please join us for our next test drive event on Saturday, March 11 from 3-5 p.m. at Belmont High School where we will have a variety of electric cars available.
When you take a test drive, you will earn a chance to win $1,000 toward an EV or home charger installation. (Giveaway open to Belmont residents only. Drawing to occur at 5 p.m. Check http://www.belmontdriveselectric.org for more details.)
This event marks BDE's debut of the much-awaited, long-range Chevrolet Bolt, winner of 2017 "car of the year" awards from Motor Trend, MotorWeek and the Green Car Journal. Come try it out for yourself!
Marty Bitner, Claflin Street, co-chair,
Belmont Drives Electric
Support Adam Dash
I'm supporting Adam Dash for Selectman. He's honest, hard-working and collaborative. He'll help our town flourish.
I'm a Belmont resident and dad, and have a business on Concord Avenue (I'm a psychiatrist with a practice). I've known Adam in many ways: as a parent and neighbor; as president of my Temple (Beth El); and as a lawyer — he's represented me in my home and work life.
I've seen Adam handle complex legal and economic issues with zoning and budgets. He thinks things through, doesn't take undue risks, says what he knows and thoroughly researches any areas of doubt. Ask anyone who's worked with him on the Zoning Board or Warrant Committee. He's effective and clear, working methodically to get things done without drama. That's what he did on the Yes For Belmont override committee, and what he did as past president of Somerville's Homeless Coalition.
Adam believes in the same things I do: sensitively nurturing and investing in our town's schools, infrastructure, community resources and businesses. He wants Belmont to thrive while maintaining its small town atmosphere. He doesn't want excessive debt saddling the residents. He cares deeply about our town and works hard to help us all, and I mean all.
If I were a Selectman, I'd do what Adam wants to do. I'm grateful that someone of his generosity, focus and commitment is stepping up to serve Belmont; and so he's got my vote.
Mark Green, MD
Elect Adam Dash
I am writing to urge you to vote for Adam Dash for Selectman on Tuesday, April 4. The combination of Adam's skills, experience and temperament will ensure that he is a strong and effective Selectman.
As the senior governing body for the town, the board of selectmen should reflect the culmination of a progression of leadership in town governance, rather serve as an entry level position. And, in that regard, Adam has been actively involved in town governance — as a Town Meeting member since 2008, and, more importantly, as a member of the Warrant Committee (the town's primary financial watchdog) since 2009.
Over the past six years, I have had the opportunity to meet with the Warrant Committee on multiple occasions. On those occasions, as well as at numerous Town Meetings, I have been impressed by the insightful questions that Adam asks and the well-reasoned positions that he takes. His questions and comments are invariably right on the mark.
I was also impressed by the approach Adam took in building support for the new Underwood Pool project in 2013. He sincerely solicited public input throughout the design process, making it clear that listening carefully to the citizens was more than just a pro forma exercise. Someone who views his role as a steward for the citizens of the town, not someone who personally wants to control the decisions, is precisely what we need in the position of Selectman. I urge you to vote for Adam Dash. He has a wealth of experience in town matters and the genuine temperament that we need in a Selectman.
Jack Weis,
Chenery Terrace, Town Meeting member, Precinct 1
Adam Dash — an experienced leader
I am writing this letter in support of Adam Dash for Selectmen. During my time on the Belmont School Committee I appreciated the thorough review, thoughtful questions and action-based thinking that Adam brought to the budget process, especially during joint meetings of the Board of Selectmen, Warrant and School Committees.
In Somerville, where Adam has his law practice, he is a member of the Chamber of Commerce, the Mayor's Zoning Advisory Committee and the Homeless Coalition. He has proven experience working within various municipal environments as well a deep understanding of the issues facing some of the most vulnerable in our communities.
In Belmont, Adam's leadership positions on the successful 2015 override as well as the Warrant, CPA Study and Underwood Pool Building committees have all demonstrated that he approaches issues with an open mind without preconceived decisions. He not only asks cogent questions but listens to the answers while encouraging input from all stakeholders. Adam works to build collective consensus during the decision-making process and, most importantly, he has the skills needed to take action, facilitate the implementation of plans made and to see them through to completion.
I believe that Adam's experienced leadership makes him the best candidate for Board of Selectmen and ask that you join me in voting for him this April 4.
Laurie Graham,
Warwick Road, former Belmont School Committee member, Town Meeting member, precinct 6


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Juicy Lucy
Erro, you can do so much better than ANATT.
That being said, Lucy pulls it off with her sultry beauty. There should have been much more emphasis on that lovely bottom, IMHO. A belated short FD/AU sequence toward the end wasn't nearly enough.
I have to disagree about the ANATT. Usually I prefer a bit of tease, but what I see here is an artist at the top of his game and a model at the top of hers, with no need for any distractions. Just a beautiful naked girl. Erro has done other shoots of her in lingerie though :-)
Maybe I am weak...... but i bet u i could play with those amazing BOOBS for 3 straight weeks !!! wow
once i got past the BOOBS.. believe me it wasn't easy.... Lucy has got a beautiful little pussy. OMG
Lucy Li: the living embodiment of voluptuous.
If you ever were unlucky enough to be in a shipwreck,but lucky enough to have Lucy near,hold on tight to her.
You´ll be a happy survivor.
The Seller
I'd give her a 9 except for the man-mades...
I may have erred, but I base this opinion on her earlier sets elsewhere, where they're much smaller....
If there is still any doubt about the two dirty pillows, then get her latest video on MetArtX. Only the real ones do wiggle and bounce like those!
Them are real.... Science has come along way... but it still cant make a set of bolt-ons look this perfect
Those a natrual
Assuming that you're referring to her breasts, I think you're wrong. They're just large, large and natural.
STUNNING. I'd never complain about a Monday, ever again, if it started with Lucy Li : )
Waaaaay too much "woman" to deal with.
its all for the best isn't it?!
We all have to take one for the team eventually, don't we? (;
Lucy like Emily have big beautiful tits that don't hang done Imagine eating her. Two Orr three hours?
Nothing like looking at such a beautiful woman 530 in the morning and getting a huge erection.
Great to have her back. More please.
Great! In every sense!
A terrific set, especially considering it's ANATT. Lots of different poses, and a good mix of close-ups and wider angles. Lucy is an absolute wonder.
Sets like this are the reason the "made me cum" tag was created.
Lucy, you are a perfect voluptuous goddess who instantly improves the lives of all of us with your devastating nude figure. Your perfection forces us to surrender to our lustful desires with eager intentions! You have a body of wonders and it's amazing pouring out our feelings towards you in our own personal way. The loving generosity you gives by sharing your body with us literally makes the world a better place. You will giving so many of us amazing orgasms.
just imagine yourself crawling onto that bed with white sheets with her and enjoying her skin
...and her b00bies!
Oh my .
Wow, Erro does it again! Simple and beautiful, nothing to distract from Lucy's splendid curves :-)


text:
Whether planning a business meeting, rehearsal dinner or holiday party, you can count on McCormick & Schmick's to create an event sure to be memorable with our excellent service, delicious food & unparalleled hospitality. Our flexible dining spaces & customized menus can accommodate any event need.View Private Dining Details
See availability for bonus point tables
Daily 4:00PM - 6:30PM 8:00PM - 10:00PM
Steak was slightly over cooked and dry. Service was not attentive. Ambiance was perfect for the two of us to enjoy and talk
Great service for a group of 5. They have nice booths that seats 6 people with walls around. Great!!!
This was a wondeful expierience and wonderful food. Will always come back to this chain.e
Food was decent for an older chain restaurant. Service from the waiter was great. After we paid and left, however, a manager (Ryan?) would not help us switch the bill from a personal to a business credit card. It was an unusual request, granted, but the answer from him was just 'no,' with no alternatives or helpfulness offered. They could have made a friend by going the extra mile, but opted instead to take our money and run. Will stick with Jackson's from here on out.
My wife and I were celebrating our 29th wedding anniversary and we had high hopes for our visit. However we were very disappointed. There was no mention of our special night, no visit from the manager and the food was just ok. My wife recommended this restaurant and she regretted her decision from the moment we were seated next to the bar. Our server was good which is why we didn't complain.
Very disappointed. I took my wife here for her birthday, and it was a lackluster experience. Service was incredibly slow, and we had to ask for water... Twice. I don't if the server was slammed or we were just invisible, but it took forever to get their attention.
My wife's filet was subpar, and my swordfish was definitely an old piece of fish. I've had better tasting seafood at Long John silvers. Now, unlike the tables on either side of us, we didn't complain about our meal to the manager... But that's telling. 3 tables in the space of an hour on one night, and two had complaints. Hmm.
Then the bill... Took 15 minutes just to get the server's attention. A the bill had an extra entree added. Seriously? Two freaking people at a table ate 3 meals? They adjusted the bill... Another 15 minutes.
My recommendation... Skip this place until they can figure out if they a serious restaurant, or just competing with McDonald's.
Great business lunch with a friend. The Lobster Cobb Tower salad is amazing!
Excellent food in an excellent atmosphere. The food was prepared well and the service was excellent.
Restaurant was filled with smoke from the kitchen - to the point where wheezing and watering eyes caused us to ask to change tables. Was not crowded, but food was a long time coming and, while the plates were hot, the fare was lukewarm. Service was great, but long spells between check-ins.
Good food, good service
Anniversary dinner with my wife. Very nice and delicious. Thank you Jim.
Delicious steak, yummy cocktails, good wine list, great sides. All in all a very nice evening!
This would have been a higher star review but the lobster tails dinner was a bit disappointing. The meal came with two lobster tails that were barely bigger than large shrimp. They did bring two more but it threw the cadence of the meal off. My had the Ultimate Grill which was very good.
This McCormick and Schmick's delivers great food, venue, and superb, attentive service. It is obviously well managed. Private tables are available, as well as tables and the bar with access to the viewing windows - great for people watching.
Special food & service .... something special & fine for holiday dining
Went for Easter brunch. As a vegetarian I always check the menu before I go to a restaurant. On their regular brunch menu they have 2 vegetarian items - 0 for the Easter menu, but the chef made me a special dish that was very good. Table for 7 and everyone really enjoyed their meals (drinks and desserts were good too!). Good food, nice ambiance, extensive wine list, and good service. I would definitely recommend, especially to meat and seafood lovers.
Took a long time to get our food and didn't seem too busy even though it was Easter brunch. Food was good but expensive
Solid choice, good quality food, modest portions on some items, eclectic menu. The kitchen is surprising unprepared for a holiday, even though the dining room was not crowded. Competent, friendly staff.
This was Easter Brunch.
Great service and great food - EVERYTIME! We have been coming here for years and have never been disappointed.
Very pleasant
Waiter was not as friendly as usual for a BD celebration.
My husband loved the salmon! I had the fried shrimp which tasted fine but were very greasy.
Great server!
Fantastic! The food was excellent and the atmosphere and customer service was outstanding! This is one of our favorite dining spots!
Food and ambiance were fine. The server however was not friendly, she seemed to be in a terrible hurry to force us to move along. All this on a night that was not very busy.
We were there on St. Patty's day and there was live music in the bar and it was loud, but I'm sure on a normal day the restaurant would be less noisy. Our server was attentive and made recommendations for our meal and answered all our questions. Overall it was a good experience!
Service was terrible.
Cooked meal poorly. Ordered medium rare and received well done. No drink refills. Wrong dish brought to the table. Very loud and poor service. Not the norm for this chain and had same experience twice here.
I really like the menu, since it changes on a regular basis. The wine list is a gem to look at and try new wines as well.
great service and pleasant surprise with the birthday cake dessert.
the only problem was that I had noted that this was my 40th anniversary, but they didn't notice it and so there was nothing special for us. I mentioned it to the server at the end of the meal and he said he wasn't informed. I think the manager was asleep at the switch. There were not many guests (Sunday evening) so it wasn't because they were busy.
That was a bit disappointing.
We'll be back!!! We really enjoyed ourselves!!!
Everything was absolutely wonderful, especially our waitress Olga! We wanted for nothing! The extremely loud and energetic music could have been quite a bit lower, we were sending our son back to school, and had to shout over the music, not pleasant at all. Maybe you could keep it lower in the dining area.
pretty bad when you get a salad with grilled chicken on it and you have to send it back because the chicken was cooked to the point it resembled shoe leather
Outstanding service and atmosphere. We commandeered one of the private booths for a business meeting. It was a perfect place for private discussion . Future business partners were amazed with the service, food selection, and private atmosphere.
The restaurant is very very pleasant ...the food is very mediocre...the service is not bad...the prices are average but not in sync with the quality of the food, they should be less expensive...the mussels were minuscule and shriveled...the crab cake was well below average...it is a restaurant with a superb location, beautiful in itself but surprisingly where you would not plan to return!...the whole experience is very sad!...
The Happy Hour prices in the bar was the perfect start! The bartender was a perfect gentleman and definitely knows his craft! Our waiter for dinner was attentive and also highly experienced. The manager stopped by and really tied it all together making sure no detail was overlooked. It also didn't hurt that we discovered he was a fellow Navy Chief! Reston is getting it right at McCormack and Schmicks!
Good food and service but a bit pricey. Restaurant was nearly empty and I had a reservation but they opted to seat me st a table in the back with poor lighting. Definitely would have preferred one of the many vacant booths. Should I ever return I will be more vocal anout that.
Outstanding dinner tonight. I had the organic salmon and my husband had the flounder. All of the food was perfectly cooked and the accompanying vegetables thoughtfully chosen. Our server, Brandon, accommodated my dietary need with attention and humor. A great dinner from beginning to end.


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Bombardier and Hyundai Rotem give up competition for contract in Malaysia
Three of the six pre-qualified companies have walked away from the EUR 401 Million MRT train supply tender for the 51km Sungai Buloh-Kajang line without submitting a bid.
An extension of one month had been given, but South Korea's Hyundai Rotem Company pulled out, while Japan's Kawasaki Heavy Industries Rolling Stock Co and Canada's Bombadier Transportation decided not to submit bids.
Source: www.lse.co.uk
We, Net Translation Services Limited, are in your disposal with our experienced translator team of 35 persons specialized in Rail Systems Terminology in English, German, Russian, French languages Please visit website: Nettercume.com.tr for our references.


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Julie Bowen Videos
Emmys 2016: Anthony Anderson, Aziz Ansari Among Presenters
Hollywood's biggest TV stars including Anderson, Ansari, Julie Bowen, Taraji P. Henson and more will present at the awards show airing Sept. 18 at 7 p.m. ET on ABC.
Black Eyed Peas, Justin Timberlake and Others Remake 'Where is the Love?' in Effort to Stop Hate and Violence
ABC News' Sara Haines reports the buzziest stories of the day in "GMA" Pop News.
Carrie Underwood's Husband Duets With Garth Brooks
It's that time, "Pop news." Rachel, what's popping? So pumped guys. Lots of good stuff this morning. First up, trending everywhere -- you got the giggles this morning, rob. Everything okay? Let's do it. Let's do it. First up trending everywhere Carrie Underwood, she's insanely jealous after her
Prince Harry Plays Gardener in Rugby World Cup Ceremony Video
♪ Exciting, Rachel smith in for Sara. Brace yourself, rob. A nice variety of stuff. I'm braced. First up, it's a little hot. The Royals were the star attendees at the rugby's world cup ceremony this weekend. They looked very animated in the crowd but the show was stolen by everyone's favorite
Chrissy Teigen And John Legend's New TV Show, Miss Piggy Reunites With Kermit And More in Pop News
Good afternoon I'm Ryan Smith and here of the hottest pop news story buzzing on line. Right now. And we begin what more proof that Christie ticket of John Legend are far from being just ordinary people. The superstar couple it's that it reportedly set executive produced a new TV show based on their
Actress Ariel Winter Shares Details About Her Breast-Reduction Surgery
The "Modern Family" star speaks about the physical and emotional pain she endured, and how she overcame it.
White House Correspondents' Dinner Punchlines Pack a Punch
President Obama and other political juggernauts come together for an evening of comedy.
Is Multi-Tasking Actually Productive?
Research from Stanford University suggests that your brain is designed to handle a single activity at a time.
Julie Bowen Weighs In on Sofia Vergara's Relationship With Joe Manganiello
Here's what's happening in "Pop news." What happens when "People's" magazine's hottest guy starts dating the hottest woman on television. According to Julie Bowen you have a genetic explosion. Sofia Vergara's date may not be diverse enough because they're too good looking. They began dating after
SAG Awards Fashion Hits and Misses
it is just reminding you. Thank you, Reena. So as we've been talking out in force, to honor their own at the screen actors guild or S.A.G. Award. Forget Orange, blue is the new black. ♪ Applause plause ♪ The stars shined bright at the S.A.G. Awards dazzling bold looks that turned the


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Exciting Announcement:
New CAMH.CA website is launching late April 2018
Hundreds of students from different realms of health care come to CAMH for real-world experience
May 18, 2016 - For students, the chance to take textbook knowledge and apply it in a real-world setting is an invaluable experience. It's what brings learning to life, and in the case of those entering the world of health care, it's often where they see the impact their work can have on the lives of others.
CAMH is a teaching hospital fully affiliated with the University of Toronto (U of T), maintaining affiliation agreements with many other colleges and universities, as well. This means that students pursuing their respective professional disciplines have an opportunity to come to CAMH to put their classroom learning to work.
CAMH is currently home to 257 nursing students. With more than 406,000 registered nurses in Canada, this group of professionals is the largest in all of health care. What's unique, however, is that CAMH is also home to 205 other students who come from a wide variety of backgrounds, including: performance improvement, occupational therapy, pharmacology, biomedical engineering, social work, and spiritual care.
"Students are our future colleagues, so it's important that we provide an exceptional teaching and learning environment," said Linda Slodan, Manager of Interprofessional Education and Student Affairs, Education Services. "Whether it's in or beyond direct clinical areas, students of all disciplines gain an appreciation for mental health and addictions care."
It takes many people and professions to make up the health care system that we enjoy across the country. Meet four CAMH students whose areas of study are unrelated at first glance, but equally important to CAMH's transformative work.
Zabina Meru, Performance Improvement
With a background in health, psychology, and management, Zabina has found a creative way to combine her areas of interest and expertise. "I'm specializing in Health Services Management as part of my MBA," she explained. "I need to complete three co-op placements as part of this, all of which I hope to do in a hospital setting." Zabina studies at the DeGroote School of Business at McMaster University.
As it turned out, this year was the first time CAMH had posted with her school, which piqued her interest. Zabina has always thought of the idea of either volunteering or working at CAMH given her educational background.
In four months here, Zabina worked as part of the Performance Improvement team. Her projects were diverse, but one that she reflects on in particular is the "ULOA Reduction Project," which has the overarching goal of reducing Unauthorized Leaves of Absence among clients and phasing out the commonly used acronym, AWOL. "It's a big project that's currently in its second phase, with a view to promoting safety by reducing absconding risks."
After a summer term of classes, Zabina hopes to be back at CAMH for one of her final two co-op placements, continuing to work with Performance Improvement towards making CAMH the best it can be.
Sravya Atluri, Research
Working in Research as part of CAMH's Temerty Centre for Therapeutic Brain Stimulation, Sravya plays an important role in examining brain signals to identify neural patterns or biomarkers of depression.
"Research at Temerty combines the use of non-invasive brain stimulation [Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation] with a non-invasive and inexpensive method of monitoring the brain [electroencephalography] during stimulation," she explained. "It's very exciting to be a part of this state-of-the-art lab of researchers with diverse and specialized expertise."
Sravya is currently working towards her PhD in biomedical engineering from the Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering (IBBME) at U of T. Research may not be the first thing one thinks of when they imagine the hospital environment, but it's an integral part of identifying illnesses and developing treatments.
As one of two doctoral students at CAMH in this area, Sravya works primarily to identify biomarkers to predict responses to certain treatments in depression. "Much of recent research suggests that mental illness may be a brain network problem," she explained. "It might not necessarily be about one specific region of the brain, but instead the disruption in communication between several regions of the brain."
Sravya has two years remaining in her doctoral degree and hopes that her work will be a foundation for the development of non-invasive and portable brain stimulation technologies that treat brain network dysfunction.
Ruby Shanker, Professional Practice
What happens when conflicted values make moral and ethical decisions difficult to make? Who do you call? Most often, the go-to person is an ethicist, and when it comes to health-related questions in particular, a bioethicist.
Ruby is CAMH's lone bioethics fellow, working alongside Kevin Reel, CAMH Ethicist.
Originally from India, Ruby moved to Canada in 2011. "After practicing medicine in rural India, I made a decision to switch paths," she explained. "I saw many ethical issues – access to medication, access to care, and so on – and felt drawn to help. It just didn't feel right."
Ruby earned her master's degree in bioethics from the Joint Centre for Bioethics (JBC) at U of T. Now, she's completing six, four-month rotations as part of a clinical and organizational bioethics fellowship at the JBC.
"Ethics as a field is fascinating," she said. "We come from diverse backgrounds bringing unique perspectives to bioethics: philosophers, spiritual care providers, social workers, nurses, occupational therapists, lawyers…"
In her time at CAMH, she's seen how ethics comes into play from the bedside to boardroom.
Ruby will be at CAMH until June, before moving onto her third rotation at Humber River Hospital.
Christine O'Brien, Spiritual Care
Christine has always been drawn to academic and pastoral work. She completed her master's degree in divinity from the Toronto School of Theology at U of T, and later began working towards a doctorate degree in church history. Unfortunately, she fell severely ill and had to focus her energy on getting better.
With a persistent love for learning, she reclaimed 'student' status again later on, this time with the goal of applying her area of expertise in a health care environment. She recently completed her fourth and final unit, a requirement of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE).
"I believe that every human being is of profound worth and has inestimable dignity," she explained. "When they are suffering it can be so important to have someone there to listen and help them rediscover meaning and purpose in times of crisis."
Having done her first three units in more traditional hospital environments, Christine says she feels fortunate to have done her last stint at CAMH.
In her eight months here, Christine worked with Spiritual Care Services. "It's a totally different culture to work in a mental health environment," she said. "Even though this was my last unit, I found the learning experience to be refreshing."
Christine says the experience she gained at CAMH is applicable anywhere, and she looks forward to bringing that know-how wherever she goes.
Are you a student interested in a placement at CAMH?
Students interested in a placement at CAMH should first contact their school placement coordinator. For more information, visit the Professionals in Training webpage or email CAMH's Student Centre.


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Ubuntu 9.04 Enters Beta
The Ubuntu 9.04 beta brings along with it a few obvious changes in the GUI and fixes the ext4 filesystem bug that could count among its new features.
The first "Jaunty Jackalope" beta has finally arrived and provides a few visible and not so visible enhancements since its alpha. Visible ones include a new wallpaper and boot splash screen, and clicked GUI elements now come up in a different hue. New Dust and Dust Sand themes will be available some time soon.
Developers speeded up the boot time and fixed the much discussed ext4 filesystem data loss issue. Ubuntu also integrates the Eucalyptus infrastructure for its own cloud computing solution that is compatible with Amazon's EC2 API. Also included is the GNOME 2.26 desktop environment.
The official announcement from Canonical mentions clearly that the beta is still unstable enough not be considered for production use and lists the known issues yet to be fixed. Many have to do with the X Server that causes some problems with Intel video chipsets that can be solved only through workarounds. For example, getting the i8x5 chipsets to load X, the Device section of the /etc/X11/xorg.conf file has to be expanded by adding the line Driver "vesa". Other chipsets reported performance regressions, that can nevertheless be worked around by using the (yet unstable) DRI2/UXA acceleration option. The xorg.conf file's Device section would then get the added line Option "AccelMethod" "UXA".
The Ctrl-Alt-Backspace key sequence was disabled in the beta to prevent accidental use, although users who do want it enabled to get to the login manager can use the dontzap --disable command. Other known issues are listed in the aforementioned official announcement. ISOs and torrents for the following distros are available:
|Gallery (4 images)
Issue 210/2018
Buy this issue as a PDF
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7.5 Released
The latest release is focused on hybrid cloud.
Microsoft Releases a Linux-Based OS
The company is building a new IoT environment powered by Linux.
Solomon Hykes Leaves Docker
In a surprise move, Solomon Hykes, the creator of Docker has left the company.
Red Hat Celebrates 25th Anniversary with a New Code Portal
The company announces a GitHub page with links to source code for all its projects
Gnome 3.28 Released
The latest GNOME rolls out with better contact management and new features for handling virtual machines.
Install Firefox in a Snap on Linux
Mozilla has picked the Snap package system to deliver its application to Linux users.
OpenStack Queens Released
The new release comes with new features for mission critical workloads.
Kali Linux Comes to Windows
The Kali Linux developers even managed to run full blown XFCE desktop via WSL.
Ubuntu to Start Collecting Some Data with Ubuntu 18.04
It will be an 'opt-out' feature.
CNCF Illuminates Serverless Vision
The Cloud Native Computing Foundation announces a paper describing their model for a serverless ecosystem.


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Cimarron Sports - Baseball Nets, Cages, Screens, & Backdrops
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Cimarron Batting Cage & Frame
The Cimarron Batting Cage & Frame is lightweight, yet sturdy, and is perfect for pitching or batting practice in the backyard, or where space may be limited.
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Hung on the diamond
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Treated with Tinuvin 788 and Irganox B-215 for maximum UV protection and longer life
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Today is the first day of summer or the day of the summer solstice.
It is the longest day with more sunlight, the further north we would go in the Northern Hemisphere. My daughter is in Sweden right now and she emailed: it gets light around 3:00AM and the sun does not go down until midnight. This same pattern is true for the US, Canada, Europe, Central America and Asia.
Sol + stice comes from the Latin word sun and to stand still. When the days get longer during June, the sun rises higher and higher and then seems to stand still in the sky.
celebrations are more religiously originated.
vitamin D. It does the body good and strengthens your bones. If you want to learn more about the astronomical facts of the summer solstice, you can follow that link.
Otherwise, just enjoy summer and all its benefits of outdoors, fun and sunshine.
A slow motion trainwreck
6 hours ago


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Ammonias Wind Statistics, Aprile averages since 2006
This chart describes how frequently and how strongly the wind blows from different directions over a normal April. The biggest spokes point in the directions the wind most commonly blows from and the shade of blue implies the strength, with the strongest winds shown by dark blue. It is based on 2640 NWW3 forecasts of wind since since 2007, at 3hr intervals, for the closest NWW3 model node to Ammonias, located 37 km away (23 miles). There are insufficient recording stations world wide to use actual wind data. Invevitably some coastal places have very localized wind effects that would not be predicted by NWW3.
According to the model, the dominant wind at Ammonias blows from the S. If the rose diagram shows a close to circular outline, it means there is no strong bias in wind direction at Ammonias. Converseley, dominant spokes illustrate favoured directions, and the more dark blue, the stronger the wind. Spokes point in the direction the wind blows from. During a typical April, the model suggests that winds are light enough for the sea to be glassy (light blue) about 0.7% of the time (0 days each April) and blows offshore just 1.1% of the time (0 days in an average April). Over an average April winds exceeding >40kph (25mph) are not expected, but 0 have winds on the range 30-40 (19-25) at Ammonias
IMPORTANT: Beta version feature! Swell heights are open water values from NWW3. There is no attempt to model near-shore effects. Coastal wave heights will generally be less, especially if the break does not have unobstructed exposure to the open ocean.


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A basic characteristic of religious consciousness is distinguishing
between sacred and secular space. Ceremonial sites such as temples
have traditionally been set aside as special places to approach the
gods, venerated spots where the business of everyday life is not
allowed to intrude. As part of the traditional pattern of constructing
sacred space, certain spirits or demigods are imagined as standing at
the threshold—at the doorway of the temple or at the gateway to the
ceremonial grounds—turning away unfriendly spirits and otherwise
protecting the place.
The ancient Assyrian cherubim are examples of such threshold
guardians. Assyrian art depicts the cherubim as spiritual beings having
large, winged bodies of sphinxes, eagles, or other animals, with faces of
lions or human beings. They were positioned at the entrances of temples
and palaces as threshold guardians. Relying upon the Assyrian
model, the Bible relates that God placed cherubim at the gates of
Eden to prevent Adam and Eve from returning:
He drove out the man; and at the east of the garden of Eden
he placed the cherubim, and a flaming sword which turned
every way, to guard the way to the tree of life. (Gen. 3:24)
In this passage and others (e.g., Exod. 25:18–22, in which the
cherubim are carved on the Ark of the Covenant), these angels are
clearly performing the guardian function they served in ancient Assyria.
In later Christian thinking, it was natural to conceive of angels as
the guardians of churches. A common motif was to carve a representa
tion of Michael, the warrior archangel most associated with soldiering,
into the doorway. In Gnostic thought, the archons of the various
levels of the cosmos served as threshold guardians. Part of the knowledge
imparted to Gnostic initiates was the passwords needed to pass
through each archonic threshold.


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Mike Leake, everybody!
How good has he been? Good enough to see these top headlines when you Google 'Mike Leake':
Dominates? Strong? New Look?
Michael Leake is in the driver's seat to start the All-Star Game!
Imagine if you'd read that in February?
Now you're like… yeah, he SHOULD be starting the All-Star Game. And because the Dodgers are using like 24 different starters, if Leake ends up going head to head with Clayton Kershaw next Monday and beating the king? He probably WILL start the All-Star Game.
I feel you talking to your screen. Fine. I will pump the brakes.
But have you noticed (and by all means this could just be me) that Leake's mound success has translated to bigger swings at the plate? Sure, he's 4/22 with 1 extra base hit, so not more success per se… but it just looks like he's taking cuts.
Rich Hill's AB last night on the other hand? Yo.
Turns out he hasn't had a hit since 2009 (with the Orioles) and only has managed 14 hits over (parts of) 12 MLB seasons. (In fairness he played a bunch in the AL.)
It got me thinking… you've got a 5'10" 170lb dude and a journeyman both taking up ABs in a professional baseball game. What's the rest of MLB look like?
- Only 22 pitchers have more than 2 hits in 2017
- Only 6 pitchers have hit a HR in 2017
- Only 6 pitchers have more than 2 RBIs in 2017
A special shout out to Ivan Nova for an impressive line of 14 strikeouts in 19 at bats with a .000 average.
Why can't pitchers hit? It's been a question that minds way smarter than the ones found around here have been trying to answer for a long, long, long time. I've got no useful insight here other than hitting is really hard and pitchers don't practice it enough?
I'm more interested to see if you think you could do it. If you could become an replacement level hitting substitute for a pitcher. Not the next Mike Trout. Not an excellent hitting pitcher. Completely and totally replacement level.
Here are the assumptions/parameters:
- A non-injured pitcher will start about 31 games in a given year. Assuming 2 at bats per game, that's 62 at bats you'll take over 1 season.
- In 2017, MLB pitchers (with 50+ at bats) had an average of 9.1 hits. The lowest number of hits with 50+ at bats was Dan Straily (1/52) and the highest was Jake Arrieta (17/65). I'm too lazy to do averages for multiple years, so let's assume that 2016 was a bit high and require you to get 7 hits in 62 at bats.
- You start training now and you'll start the opening day 2018.
- You will be paid the MLB minimum salary (535,000) this year and next, so you can put your job on hold and support your family.
- All MLB rules apply – walks do not count as at bats (you'll be guaranteed 62), a fielder's choice doesn't count, a bunt hit is a hit, et al.
- You're in no danger of losing your ABs. The media and your team are all on board with this experiment and you are lauded, not derided by everyone watching. You will not be benched if you start out slow.
Photo: WLS


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There was no questioning Geno Smith's performance on Monday night against Falcons, he was superb and led the Jets to a big upset.
Many people are asking how far he can take this Jets team? Well we have to manage expectations and not get ahead or ourselves because New York face a tough schedule for the rest of the season, matches against New Orleans, New England and Pittsburgh will truly test the abilities of Smith.
I think it is way to early to be talking about the playoffs but with the Jets defence playing as well as it is anything is possible. You can be sure with the quality they have on defence they will be in with a shout in most games.
Jets fans will be holding back on praising Smith too highly after what happened to Mark Sanchez after his first two seasons but the signs are promising, he showed a great range of passing and decision making in a hostile Georgia Dome, where the fans get very loud.
Before the season started I saw quite a few NFL pundits pick the Jets to get the number one pick in next year's draft, meaning they would hold the worst record in the league.
After seeing all of this I think it would be great if New York can sneak a winning season but an 8-8 record would be very respectable after what has happened the previous two seasons.
I think it would be wrong to judge Geno Smith after only five games but at the end of the season I have a feeling we will know what type of QB he will be in the future. There's no doubt he has shown all the signs that he can be great in that position.
He may not take them far this year but with experience and playing time the New York Jets may very well be competing in the playoffs in the next few years. As a Jets fan I sincerely hope we will be calling him 'Broadway Geno' for years to come.
image: © Zennie Abraham