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The Beginning of Julian's Spiritual Vision, in a Collection of Theological Works, including Julian of Norwich
Illuminated manuscript: Ink and pigments on vellum
Additional MS 37790; Item number: f.97v
26.5 x 16.5 cm
The British Library, London
Julian of Norwich, (c. November 8, 1342 – c. 1416) the anchorite at St Julian in Norwich (which belonged to Carrow Priory), wrote her account in 1413 of her mystical visions and spiritual experiences. The account in the above manuscript is a shortened version.
This page, near the beginning of the writing, has her account of her vision in May 1373 during an illness when she was thirty and one-half years old.
With his recent trip to the United Kingdom in mind, Julian of Norwich was the subject of the Pope`s latest Wednesday catechesis on significant women in the medieval Church
Her book, "The Revelations of Divine Love." is a classic written in Middle English.
The Catholic Encyclopedia summarises the Book thus:
"When seemingly at the point of death, in the bodily sickness for which she had prayed in order to renew her spiritual life, she passes into a trance while contemplating the crucifix, and has the vision of Christ's suffering "in which all the shewings that follow be grounded and joined".
The book is the record of twenty years' meditation upon that one experience; for, "when the shewing, which is given for a time, is passed and hid, then faith keepeth it by grace of the Holy Ghost unto our lives end".
More than fifteen years later, she received "in ghostly understanding" the explanation, the key to all religious experience:
"What? wouldest thou wit thy Lord's meaning in this thing? Wit it well: Love was His meaning. Who sheweth it thee? Love. Wherefore sheweth He it thee? For love. Hold thee therein, thou shalt wit more in the same. But thou shalt never wit therein other without end."
With this illumination, the whole mystery of Redemption and the purpose of human life became clear to her, and even the possibility of sin and the existence of evil does not trouble her, but is made "a bliss by love".
This is the great deed, transcending our reason, that the Blessed Trinity shall do at the last day:
"Thou shalt see thyself that all manner of thing shall be well.""
The Pope concentrates on seeing The Revelations as being centred on "Divine Love", the subject matter of his First Encyclical. He discusses how Julian tries to deal with the question of how an all-powerful God can allow evil and the sufferiing of the innocent. In Benedict`s view, successfully.
He also tackles a rather controversial aspect of Julian`s teaching: "God as Mother". This was taken up by Pope John Paul I. It has been taken up by certain feminist theologians who like to put a spin on this. Benedict sees this part of Julian`s writings as simply a metaphor based on the teaching of Isaiah.
He also discusses how valuable the vocations of the enclosed orders are in the Church`s life and works, which to many outside (and some inside) the Church appear to be of no use whatsoever.
The Pope said:
"Dear brothers and sisters,
I am still remembering with great joy the journey I made to the United Kingdom last September. England is a land that has given birth to so many illustrious figures who with their testimony and their teaching have embellished the history of the Church.
One of these, venerated both by the Catholic Church as well as the Anglican Communion, is the mystic Julian of Norwich, of whom I would like to speak this morning.
The information we have on her life -- not much -- is taken primarily from the book in which this kind and pious woman gathered the content of her visions, titled "Revelations of Divine Love." It is known that she lived from 1342 to about 1430, years of torment both for the Church, lacerated by the schism following the Pope's return from Avignon to Rome, as well as for the people suffering the consequences of a long war between the kingdom of England and that of France. God, however, even in times of tribulation, does not cease to raise figures such as Julian of Norwich, to call men back to peace, love and joy.
As she herself recounts, in May of 1373, probably on the 13th of that month, she was suddenly stricken by a very serious illness that in three days seemed to bring her to the point of death. When the priest who came to her bedside showed her the crucifix, Julian not only quickly recovered her health, but received 16 revelations that subsequently she reported in writing and commented in her book, "Revelations of Divine Love."
And it was in fact the Lord who, 15 years after these extraordinary events, revealed to her the meaning of those visions.
"Do you wish to know what your Lord intended and to know the meaning of this revelation? Know well: Love is what he intended. Who reveals this to you? Love. Why does he reveal it to you? Out of love ... So learn that love is our Lord's meaning" (Julian of Norwich, "Il Libro delle Rivelazioni," Chapter 86, Milan, 1997, p. 320).
Inspired by divine love, Julian made a radical choice. Like one of the ancient hermits, she chose to live in a cell, which was near a church dedicated to St. Julian, in the city of Norwich, at the time a very important urban centre, near London. Perhaps she took the name Julian precisely from that saint to whom the church was dedicated and next to which she lived for so many years, until her death.
We might be surprised and even perplexed by this decision to live as a "recluse," as this was called in her time. However, she was not alone in making this choice: During those centuries a considerable number of women opted for this kind of life, adopting rules elaborated purposefully for them, such as that composed by St. Aelred of Rievaulx.
The anchorites or "recluses" dedicated themselves within their cells to prayer, meditation and study. In this way, they developed a very fine human and religious sensitivity, which made them venerated by the people. Men and women of every age and condition, in need of advice and comfort, sought them devotedly.
Hence, it was not an individualistic choice; precisely with this closeness to the Lord, what matured in her also was the capacity to be a counselor to many, to help those who lived in difficulty in this life.
We know that Julian also received frequent visitors, as attested in the autobiography of another fervent Christian woman of her time, Margery Kempe, who went to Norwich in 1413 to receive suggestions on her spiritual life. This is why when Julian was alive she was called, as is written on the funeral monument that houses her remains, "Mother Julian." She became a mother for many.
The women and men who withdraw to live in the company of God, precisely because of this decision, acquire a great sense of compassion for the sorrows and weaknesses of others. As friends of God, they have a wisdom that the world, from which they distance themselves, does not have. And with kindness, they share it with those who knock on their door.
I am thinking, hence, with admiration and gratitude, of women's and men's cloistered monasteries that, today more than ever, are oases of peace and hope, precious treasures for the whole Church, especially in recalling the primacy of God and the importance of constant and intense prayer for the journey of faith.
It was precisely in the solitude inhabited by God that Julian of Norwich composed the "Revelations of Divine Love," of which we have two editions, a shorter one this is probably older, and a longer one. This book contains a message of optimism based on the certainty of being loved by God and of being protected by his Providence.
In this book we read the following wonderful words:
"I saw with absolute certainty ... that God, even before creating us loved us, with a love that has never failed, and will never vanish. And in this love he did all his works, and in this love he disposed that all things should be useful for us, and in this love our life lasts for ever ... In this love we have our beginning, and we see all this in God without end" (Il libro delle rivelazioni, chapter 86, p. 320).
The subject of divine love returns often in the visions of Julian of Norwich who, with a certain audacity, does not hesitate to compare it also to maternal love. This is one of the most characteristic messages of her mystical theology. Tenderness, solicitude and the gentleness of God's goodness to us are so great that, to us pilgrims on earth, they evoke the love of a mother for her children. Indeed, at times the biblical prophets also used this language that recalls the tenderness, intensity and totality of the love of God, which manifests itself in creation and in the whole history of salvation and has its culmination in the incarnation of the Son. God, however, always surpasses every human love, as the prophet Isaiah says:
"Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even if these may forget, yet I will not forget you" (Isaiah 49:15).
Julian of Norwich understood the central message for the spiritual life: God is love and only when we open ourselves totally and with total trust to this love and allow it to become the sole guide of existence, is everything transfigured, true peace and true joy are found and one is able to spread this around.
I would like to stress another point.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church takes up the words of Julian of Norwich when it gives the point of view of the Catholic faith on an issue that does not cease to constitute a provocation for all believers (cf. Nos. 304-314). If God is supremely good and wise, why does evil and the suffering of the innocent exist? Saints as well, precisely the saints, ask themselves this question.
Enlightened by faith, they give us an answer that opens our heart to trust and hope: In the mysterious designs of Providence, even from evil, God draws a greater good, as Julian of Norwich writes:
"I learned by the grace of God that I must remain firmly in the faith, and hence I must firmly and perfectly believe that all will end well" (Il libro delle rivelazioni, chapter 32, p. 173).
Yes, dear brothers and sisters, God's promises are always greater than our hopes. If we entrust to God, to his immense love, the most pure and most profound desires of our heart, we will never be disappointed.
"And all will be well," "everything will be for the good": This is the final message that Julian of Norwich transmits to us and that I also propose to you today."
Mother Julian has influenced many not only in the Catholic Church but also in the Anglican Churc. One who read Mother Julian was the late Cardinal Hume, the late Archbishop of Westminister. While still Abbot of Ampleforth, Cardinal Basil Hume delivered a series of talks to the monks at Ampleforth. They were collected and published as a book called Searching for God. One talk in July 1974 was a Meditation on Mother Julian of Norwich and her desire to receive "three wounds": true contrition; genuine compassion; the sincere longing for God. Here is the meditation he delivered.
For websites with her biography and online texts of her Revelations with links to essays and articles, as well as links to study resources and a list of books helpful for further study see the Luminarium Julian of Norwich page


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I started at 6:05am on the 28th July 2014 from the Henrys Fork car park to reach Kings Peak and return to the car park.
Here are my splits:
Henrys Fork Car park 6:05am
Elkhorn Crossing (bridge) 52mins
Gunsight Pass 1:43
Andersons Pass (via short cut to the right 15m over Gunsight pass) 2:12
Kings Peak Summit (via a horrible line!) 2:33
Ran off the summit (yes, I took in the views for a while) 2:37
Andersons Pass 2:56
Gunsight Pass 3:21
Elkhorn Crossing (bridge) 4:01
Henrys Fork Car park (10:53am) 4:47:56
Give or take 40.5km, 1240m vertical gain and loss.
I believe this is the overall FKT on this route.

subset: commoncrawl


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We shouldn't be surprised that after seeing the list of nominees for most influential women in Canadian social media that when the guy's list came out it would be stacked with a lot of Vancouver (and environs) folks on the list…
Boris Mann bmannconsulting.com
Darren Barefoot http://www.darrenbarefoot.com/
Jon Husband http://blog.wirearchy.com/
Jordan Behan jordanbehan.com
Kris Krug kriskrug.com
Leonard Brody http://www.nowpublic.com/leonard_brody
Rob Cottingham http://www.robcottingham.ca
Tod Maffin http://www.todmaffin.com/blog
[From Vote: Who Is Canada's Most Influential Man In Social Media? | Profectio]
Congrats to all the nominees! All the guys on the list are well deserving. Of course there are people missing from the list, there always are some gaps, but we can certainly be proud of what Canada is bringing to the world of social media.


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Monday, April 26, 2010
Without Web Access
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Like Oktoberfest, but with much less beer
Over at the famous Theresienweise Munich is celebrating it's annual Springfest with more than 100 rides, concession stands, and even a couple of beer tents. The event turns out to be a strange mix between fairground rides, a few beer tents, and a bit of a swap meet. I stopped by to find the event absolutely packed with people. The carnival lasts through May 2nd. Locals call it' Oktoberfest's little sister, but I found it to lack the mystique that surrounds Oktoberfest.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Pie in the Sky
In an unprecedented lock down of European airspace, most of the major European airports shut down all service as ash from the Icelandic volcano continued to cover most of Europe. European airlines, losing approx. $200M per day cried foul on the mish mash of European regulators who control the airspace, and demanded for a unified EU approach. Munich airport has largely been non-functional for three days. So it was a bit of a shock to see this blimp flying all over Munich for the past few days. European airlines are expected to reach 50% capacity by Thursday, and European governments are enlisting a broad band of holiday companies to leverage their airlines to bring travelers home.
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Through the Eye of the Needle
A jet trail is visible behind the Olympiadorf, which was an amazingly rare sight in Europe on Friday. Most air traffic came to a screeching halt throughout Northern Europe, Eastern Europe and Russia; as Icelandic volcanic ash blanketed the continent. 15 of 16 German airports were closed on Friday, and Munich was the only exception – thanks to its Southern location. On Saturday, even Munich joined the mix – with nearly all flights cancelled. No telling how long the delay will last, but in the meantime millions of travelers have been stranded or are taking alternate means of transportation. This photo was taken between the arches of the Olympic complex, a design chosen because it was so unlike the Nazi era bold block construction. There has been construction going on for the past year or so (you can see the crane), but I've not been able to find information on what they are building. Anyone know?
Friday, April 16, 2010
Going Postal
I couldn't help laughing when I saw this decal in the middle of the Deutsche Post symbol. For those of you who don't know this American reference of "going postal," it comes from a spree of shootings that occurred in the 80s/90s, where postal workers for no apparent reason (beyond having the most boring job known to man) went crazy and began shooting their co-workers. Well, despite being almost the size of the US postal service (470K vs 550K employees), I'm happy to say there's no shooting that I know of at the Deutsche Post. And as a private organization now operating in more than 220 countries, and as owner of DHL & Dutch TNT Post, it is the largest logistics corporation in the world.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Playing Second Fiddle
Throughout Friedrich Von Gartner's career, he was always the king's number two architect behind Leo Von Klenze – mastermind of the Greek revival in Munich, including the Glypothek, Konigsplatz, and Ludwigstrasse. Yet Gartner had some amazing contributions to make to Munich, including the Feldhernhalle, Siegestor, and the University building – not to mention buildings in other countries like the Helenic Parliament in Athens. Gartner then was named director for the world renowned Nymphenburg Porcelain Manufacturing company. This particular tribute (picture) to him sits at Gartnerplatz, with the beautiful State Theater in the background. Of course keeping with tradition it is considered Munich's second theater – after the Bavarian State National Theatre, next to the Residence.
Monday, April 12, 2010
Bavaria's BMW Escorted Police
Well, what else would you expect the Polizei of Munchen to drive but a BMW? With more than 32,000 police and nearly 6,000 civilian employees, Munich has one of the largest police forces in Germany. Compared to many European cities, Munich's crime is quite low, although there are occasional reports of murders and muggings, most often committed by youth groups around the U/S-Bahn late at night. Actually, a significant percentage of Munich crime is committed by organized gangs from Eastern Europe. Here are a few of the higher profile crimes in Munich over the past few decades. In 2005, fashion designer Rudolph Moshammer was killed in his home. In 1998, Georgio Basile was released after killing 30 people, as he testified and led to the arrest of 50 Mafia numbers, In 1994, known as the Plutonium Affair, a security person discovered 363 g of plutonium on a smuggler. And finally, in 1972, you see the fateful day at the Olympics where Palestinian terrorists attacked the Israeli athletes.
Friday, April 9, 2010
The Red Baron in Munich
Where else would you find something like a 1918 Fokker Triplane, like the one the Red Baron flew in WWI – but in the Deutsches Museum. Although I wanted so badly for this to be one of the many planes he flew in combat, it appears it is only a similar model. The Red Baron is so engrained in pop culture, that you see him in everything from famous movies to a Snoopy reference in the Peanuts cartoons. But he was certainly real. The Red Baron was a German fighter pilot named Manfred von Richthofen, who has been credited with more than 80 war time victories. It turns out the baron was not the most acrobatic or spectacular pilot, but rather than using risky or aggressive tactics like other pilots, he strictly observed a set of maxims that assured the success of both squadron and its pilots. In addition, he was an expert marksman from growing up hunting wild boar, elk, deer and birds. Combine this with his approach of attacking from above with the sun blinding opposing pilots, and you have one of the most consistent pilots in WWI.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
One-on-One With the Gods
A Spring time view of the top of a "German Athens" otherwise known as the Glyptotek, the showcase of the Konigsplatz area of Munich. The entire area was designed by King Ludwig I as the location to house all the Greek antiquities. And although the area is absolutely stunning, it pales in comparison to the buildings in their original form. As an example, here is a picture of the lavish Glyptotek interior before the bombing of WWII. If Adolph Hitler had his way, you would now see a grand boulevard on Brienner Strasse (one of the original royal roads) with endless museums lining the streets all the way from Konigsplatz to the other side of the Isar river.
Monday, April 5, 2010
Ahhhh. Spring
Welcome to the best time of the year in Munich. I know, you always hear about Octoberfest and the wonderful Christmas markets, and maybe even the ski season. They are all very nice, but nothing compares to Munich in the Spring – as this is where you can really do things outside. This is when you can hike the alps, when you could talk to locals at neighborhood cafes (as pictured), and this is when you can visit thousands of beer gardens around the region – each one unique and with its own character. So after a long and endless Winter, Spring has arrived in Munich.
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Frohe Ostern!
In the Catholic heart of Germany, I thought I would see much more emphasis on Easter. The city of Munich and surrounding Bavaria region observed Good Friday, and Easter Monday. Many people took extended holidays as kids were out of school. However, there just seemed to be little emphasis on the holiday this year. No big festivities that I heard of, and not much mention in the news. Perhaps the entire holiday was over-shadowed with the on-going sex scandal in the Catholic Church. But when the big Easter event is a collection of Creches & Crosses at the Fishing and Hunting museum, it seems quite low profile. About the gist of Easter in Munich seemed to be the random decorations in windows throughout town (as pictured). If you had a different experience, please let me know. Perhaps I missed something or had my head buried in a chocolate Easter Egg.
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Going Downhill
On March 3 I did a post on the interesting U-bahn signs that surround Munich. I was fascinated by their historical appeal. It was karin who provided all the insight I could have expected – stating that the current cool designs were done in the 70s, but were being phased out. I came across the first sign of modernization today (see picture), and I have to say that it's a sad state of affairs. A three-year old could have designed this image, and it lacks all the sophisticated imagery that the current image has. Is there any way we can reverse the decision, with any hope of keeping the image of Munich as cool?
Friday, April 2, 2010
Where's the Flippin Beef?
In Munich, you are likely to find pork just about anywhere you go. In fact, in most of Germany you are about to find the same. I honestly don't know the historical significance of Germany's love affair with swine (aside from the fact that it's cheap), but I can tell you that to find a good steak, you might as well drive the four hours across the border into France. So I was quite surprised to see this poster in the University district – set for Cohen's Restaurant, with the slogan of "Cohen's Restaurant goes with everything. Except Pork." As it turns out, it's a traditional Jewish restaurant with the influx of Oriental & Eastern European cuisine. Oh well, where have all the good steaks in Munich gone?


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Below are some real examples from resumes I received, modified to protect the innocents. Each one is follwoed with my take on the quote.
1. Although I have no academic degree ,I authored multiple papers for master and undergraduate students. The papers got excellent grades and I was paid well.
- I'm dishonest, cheated for a living, and dim-witted enough to write about it in a CV.
2. My high school average grade is 107.
- It is actually possible in Israel , but not very relevant if you are over 22.
3. While working in ACME Corporation I also started a startup with two friends.
- I cheated on my former employers , failed miserably and now you have the opportunity to let me do it again.
4. English as a mother tonge.
- Excellent control of the spell checker as well.
5. Programming language : Basic, Logo, Turbo Pascal, C,C++, LISP, Visual Basic.
- Someone once told me to mention every technology I have ever heard of.
6. Operating Systems : DOS, Windows 98,Windows 2003.
- Not many people pratice DOS these days and I'm unique.
7. Army Service: Sniper. Finished first in Class.
- You'd better hire me, or else…
Tags: CV, Funny, interviews


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Thursday, March 8, 2012
Time to change !
If I could change something around me, what would it be ?
If I could change something around me I would make sure that there is no Women's day to begin with. We, women don't need a day to celebrate the cause of our being. We need not be reminded that we are beautiful, special, privileged for just one day especially when they are horrible atrocities committed on women across the world, every day of the year. If I could change something, I would change the way a woman thinks about another woman. If your husband/boyfriend is cheating on you, the other woman becomes a slut automatically. The poor soul might not even know that the man is married with two kids. This was perhaps a very general example but what I mean to say is that as women, need to be there for each other and believe in the existence of each other. It is very easy to shower someone with profanities, but try being in her shoes, and would would realize it is not that easy after all.
It is not easy being a daughter of someone who heads a multinational company because her mother won't be a able to find time for her, whenever she needs someone to talk to to. It is not easy being pretty, smart or incredibly talented. Because no matter how good you are, there will always be people judging you, discouraging you, telling you that you can't make it happen because you are a girl.
You will be born , grow up, grow old and die like every mortal. But in between your body and surroundings will undergo enormous changes, most of which you will be unable to comprehend. You will be expected to be a obedient daughter and not a rebel. You will be expected to wear vermilion on your forehead, change your identity and belong to someone else for the rest of your life. And you will. But you will also teach the world, to be passionate again. You will love and bear the baby of your partner. But you will also laugh and cry. You will be angry and ecstatic because you are but a human who needs to express herself.
If I could change something around me,I would try ensuring that feminism as a concept or as a social structure does not set a trend that patriarchy has, over the years. It should not not be downright offensive towards men but instead be a way to fight back the powerful and aid the deprived.
Lastly, If I could change something around me, I would change myself . Be a little more forgiving and a little less judgmental. I wish I could trust people more, give a chance to even those who have hurt me time and again. And also be persistent and never give up. Like Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley had once said, - "I do not wish women to have power over men; but over themselves."
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Chau Har LeeApril 30, 2010
The girls I work with are occasionally bemused by my taste in day-to-day footwear. Most of the time I'll stick to ballet flats or classic pumps, but then on occasion I'll bust out something tall and architectural that propels me well over 6 feet. I don't think they realise that the craziest of the shoes I own is quite staid when compared to any single one of these beauties made by Chau Har Lee for her graduate collection last year.
Lee won loads of awards for her collection and is currently working at Marloes Ten Bhömer, which seems to me to be a perfect fit. I'm dying to see what comes from her next. I'd be happy to have created something along these lines as a sculpture alone, so to have it be functional is a dream!


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NextSeq 500/550 High Output Kit—Available in 3 sizes (300 cycles, 150 cycles, and 75 cycles), the NextSeq 500/550 High Output Kit includes a high-output flow cell, a high-output reagent cartridge, and a buffer cartridge.
NextSeq 500/550 Mid Output Kit—Available in 2 sizes (300 cycles and 150 cycles), the NextSeq 500/550 Mid Output Kit includes a mid-output flow cell, a mid-output reagent cartridge, and a buffer cartridge.
Kit Versions and Compatibility—The NextSeq 500/550 Kit v2 requires NCS v1.4, or later. If using the original NextSeq 500 Kit (v1), continue using NCS v1.3.
NextSeq Control Software—The control software interface guides you through the steps to load the flow cell and reagents before beginning a sequencing run. During the run, the control software operates the imaging stage, dispenses reagents, controls flow cell temperatures, and captures images of clusters on the flow cell.
Real-Time Analysis—The NextSeq system uses an updated implementation of Real-Time Analysis (RTA) called RTA v2, which includes important architecture differences from RTA used on other Illumina sequencing systems. Unlike earlier versions of RTA, all processes are performed in memory to maximize processing speed. RTA is part of the NextSeq system software.
The NextSeq system is enabled to integrate with BaseSpace, providing an end to end data storage, sharing, and analysis system. The NextSeq seamlessly streams data to BaseSpace, where demultiplexing and conversion to industry-standard FASTQ file formats occurs automatically as the final step in data transfer to Basespace.
Use bcl2fastq2 Conversion Software to convert NextSeq sequencing data to standard FASTQ file formats for downstream analysis using third-party analysis solutions. For more information, see bcl2fastq2 Conversion Software.


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Archive for June, 2009
Bing Impressions
Posted by imma in Uncategorized on June 10, 2009
Microsoft's most touted search engine finally made to the day light after key acquisitions and internal testing. There is a war going on in the search industry and it is both beautiful and hopefully ugly from the perspectives of each management (I like a good fight between two equally resource laden warriors). Microsoft need to catch up with Google on search and that is both because Google has been milking that space and has grown formidable in the process but also Google is increasingly turning its attention into areas that Microsoft would like to remain the most visible player. It is no secret that both companies covet each other's markets though there are some who argue that Google is taking less defensive actions to fend Microsoft as Microsoft is doing with Google on search.
Bing is a result of internal Microsoft refinements on Live Search as well as the addition of technologies acquired through the actions of companies like Powerset. Microsoft's purchase of powerset, gave Bing its ability to understand and process natural languages.
First Impressions
I am generally a quiet person or at the very least I am increasingly appreciative of silence. The name Bing reminds me of a piece of cutlery falling and hitting the floor (hard cold cement), more so unexpectedly. The name will probably grow on me but for now, I just get the impression of an irritating sound … a la the sound Windows Vista makes when showing an error (I hope that volume is not all the way up)!
The Good
Microsoft's Bing does a great job of handling general queries. Queries about movies were most useful, with suggestions that I would definitely want to look at. A search for Star Trek returned results that are both useful and would lead to the discovery of new information and facts.
The user interface (UI) is pleasant though I am biased towards the Spartan look that Google has going on but alas we are not talking about Google's search engine page. Here is an area where I definitely prefer how Bing's way: image search! Bing's image search results are well presented that it is a pleasure to interact with the results. The number of clicks are kept to the minimum with no need to open a new page. Bing's image search result page is one of those things that make you wonder why hasn't someone thought of this before?
Still on the UI, I like the search history: you are immediately aware of what you just typed. This is particularly handy for situations in which the search becomes a little bit too involving … for example, there are situations in which you only want search results which include a particular word or phrase and thus require the use of the + operator. Another way to refine a search would be to quote a phrase that you are looking for thus eliminating any results that only show the constituent words in varying number of occurrences. So, if your refinement does not yield the result, that you are expecting Bing's search history allows to easily go back to one of the previous search queries that you entered.
The Bad
Aside from the suggestions of an irritating sound of a piece of cutlery hitting the floor, Bing does not seem to show a greater understanding for the internet as yet. While it is particularly good at handling general queries, it falls short when looking for specific information that may be technical in nature.
Here is an example: there are moments when I am writing code in Java that I get an inexplicable exception that I am not able to immediately identify the source. In such an instance, I would like to find instances of discussions on the internet that makes a mention of the exception in question (at least the standard part of the exception). The other day I was searching for an exception thrown up by JAXB (java.io.IOException: [failed to localize] error.marshalling.jaxb) and Bing returned 4 results – none of which was immediately useful and thus required further search inside a PDF. Trying the same query on Google returned 260 hits, with links to discussion forums featuring prominently.
I don't have any rational explanation as to why Bing's results were not particularly useful in this instant. Of course the technical nature of the query may have something to do with it – natural query processing may have been too overzealous in their attempt to find the most appropriate match for a query that essentially does not make sense in any natural language.
As with all web applications and more so even search engines, Bing is an on going project that will be refined as time passes and new issues are raised as more people interact with the search engine. The attention to details in the user interface makes it a user friendly search engine. These details may be small when looked at individually, but together they do contribute to a pleasant user interaction.
It's presentation of image search results is particularly pleasant as it reduces the number of clicks that a user has to use in order to view a full size picture.
Firefox 3.5: Not yet a Release Candidate
Posted by imma in Uncategorized on June 9, 2009
The number of words used to described prerelease software is just staggering. Yes, we do have our favorite bearer of the perpetual beta moniker in the name of Gmail but that is a topic for another day. Mozilla has released a "Preview" of its popular Firefox browser whose next release is to be labeled Firefox 3.5. The preview release is being used for testing, before they finally release a release candidate (RC).
Among the most commonly mentioned features of HTML5 in Firefox 3.5 is the support for audio and video tag. Native support for audio and video content is important because before HTML5, browsers have had to rely on plug-ins to play video and audio. You need to download and install plug-ins before you can view any videos on YouTube or any such video websites. If you happen to reach sites that use Microsoft codec, then you will also need to download a plug-in for Windows Media files. A consistent and out of the the box video and audio playback capability is a win for all web users.
Firefox 3.5 preview will help developers of the browser to gather feedback about the bug fixes that have implemented since the release of Firefox 3.5 beta 4. As of this writing, you can not download Firefox 3.5 preview from Mozilla but if you have Firefox 3.5 beta 4 installed you can do a manual update from the Help menu. Find the announcement of the release of the preview here.


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I always loved red lipstick. You know that feeling you have when you see an incredibly stylish woman, dressed up, wearing gorgeous heels and red lipstick? I always think as a powerful woman, and I kind of have the idea that a woman like this is showing the world how powerful she is, that she has self-confidence and believes in herself. So a long time ago I developed a weird obsession for red lipstick, but unluckily I never found one that suited me. I always looked awful with red lips until I found this one. I don't really know though if it is my obsession that makes me like it or if I look good with it, what do you think?
martes, 30 de diciembre de 2008
jueves, 25 de diciembre de 2008
Merry Christmas
Publicado por Míriam Juan-Torres en 21:48 16 comentarios:
lunes, 22 de diciembre de 2008
Herve Ledger Bandage dress
Lindsay Lohan
Publicado por Míriam Juan-Torres en 22:01 18 comentarios:
miércoles, 17 de diciembre de 2008
Christmas around the corner
So Christmas is around the corner, and this year looks like it is going to be perfect (well.. Lots of homework but I think I can deal with that). The streets are covered with shiny lights, Santa Claus are around the corners and give the children (and me!) sweets, and everything looks like a fairy tale, I'll just have to wait for snow!
I'm posting this pic 'cause I realised that my eyes always look kind of weird in all the pics I posted, and here... well they look as they are LoL
Publicado por Míriam Juan-Torres en 19:08 20 comentarios:
lunes, 15 de diciembre de 2008
Two for the road
I think I'm in love with her.
This is probably not one of the most popular movies by Audrey Hepburn, though it is one of my favourite. She looks gorgeous (how wouldn't she huh?) and I also like the story. Miss Hepburn was an iconic woman, for her glamour and for her way of being. Her style, her body that didn't fit the stereotype of the time, and everything she did, changed the fashion world. There's a before and after her. She's Miss Hepburn, she was unique, and there's never gonna be anyone like her.
Publicado por Míriam Juan-Torres en 22:03 16 comentarios:
domingo, 14 de diciembre de 2008
Are we human?
Publicado por Míriam Juan-Torres en 18:03 22 comentarios:
miércoles, 10 de diciembre de 2008
2 weeks away from freedom
Everyday it gets colder and darker sooner than expected, which is something I don't really like as I'm one of those girls who'd rather spend time in light clothes than wear awesome jackets. Not that I don't like winter clothes, but all this coldness is so annoying to me... Anyhow, lately I developed an addiction to leggings and dresses that is making me happier, though is not the best way to fight against the weather. But whatever, just the thought of free time in Christmas, the possibility of snowboarding and ending the research project that me and two friends have been doing for a long long time, is making me smile as much as I can.
Publicado por Míriam Juan-Torres en 14:19 28 comentarios:
domingo, 7 de diciembre de 2008
Girls night out
So once again, Irene and I decided to go partying alone: another night, another place. Lately we've been trying places we've never been to, and though sometimes the place is not exactly how we thought it would be, we always end up having lots of fun, even when we get home at five thirty o'clock wishing for a waaaaaarm bed and needing a good rest.
Black skirt and shirt, from bershka; black heels from Zara; tights from Calcedonia; purse from Misako (boyfriend's birthday present!)
Publicado por Míriam Juan-Torres en 11:28 25 comentarios:
jueves, 4 de diciembre de 2008
One woman, one flower.
So like three weeks ago I went to Plaça Espanya (Barcelona) where there's a Museum called MNAC and the Caixa Fòrum. The beauty of this place cannot be denied as the architecture is amazing, so well constructed (it was actually a Palace). One of the expositions I went to was fascinating too, the artist, Alphonse Mucha, was a Modernist who introduced Art to publicity, and also did jewelery and photography.
Publicado por Míriam Juan-Torres en 15:10 26 comentarios:
lunes, 1 de diciembre de 2008
Treat concert at Razzmatazz
So on Saturday I went to a concert at Razzmatazz, a friend of mine was playing with his group, Treat, and they really rocked it. So fun :). Razzmatazz is in Barcelona, it is divided in few rooms, the rooms are for concerts ( The Killers was supposed to play there in March ) and later at night they open as a discotheque.
Publicado por Míriam Juan-Torres en 15:19 17 comentarios:
sábado, 29 de noviembre de 2008
Cold friday
After a week without seeing him, I finally got to see my boyfriend, who didn't care about taking few pictures of me (thank you!). It's freezing here, in Barcelona, so I decided to wear my new white hat, I loooooooooooove it. So warmm. Wearing tights with shorts probably, wasn't the best idea against the weather but I was just feeling like wearing them, and after all it wasn't that bad. We ended up at Starbucks, how not? Always the same, but it's so good that we cannot help it.
Publicado por Míriam Juan-Torres en 15:03 19 comentarios:
jueves, 27 de noviembre de 2008
I could say a lot about these dresses but I really think there's no need. The dresses talk by themselves. Perfect cut, gorgeous colours and those amazing prints make this GUCCI resort collection one of the prettiest I've ever seen. Look and enjoy!
I particularly love this short dress, though colour orange is not my favourite ( I actually don't like it) I can't help but being stunned by this piece.
Publicado por Míriam Juan-Torres en 21:06 5 comentarios:
miércoles, 26 de noviembre de 2008
Chocolate, Milk, and Cinnamon.
Ok, So making a blog was a difficult decision. Is it gonna be successful? Or is it gonna be a failure? (quite traumatic would it be) Am I going to be able to keep uploading or I'll just quite in a second? My point finally was that a blog could be a nice way of sharing my passions: fashion, music, art, life, and, above all, craziness. So, here I am.
And as someone once said...
Publicado por Míriam Juan-Torres en 15:56 3 comentarios:
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A "new year" can be a "clean slate, " a "fresh start." Maybe that's why everyone gets so excited. Maybe sometimes we think that it's our chance- a rare chance that only comes around every 365 days.
But is this really the only chance we have for a whole 365 days?
While there is something different about the first day of a new year, and while it is a good opportunity to set resolutions, it's not the only time we get a fresh start. At least, that's not how it is with God.
Lamentations 3:22-24
It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.
God's mercies are new every morning. We don't have to wait to make new resolutions, or to stand back up from our failures. Through Christ, you can do that any day of the year. So, why get so excited about it? Here's why:
This whole cycle of "newness" is uncommonly common.
Sounds weird at first, but think about it. Is it every day that you come across a God that loves you so much that He's willing to clear the slate of everything you've done to him, including crucifying His only Son?
Well, (hehe) it is every day! But it's uncommonly common in that all those other false gods are not so willing to clear the slate. However, our one, true God loves us plenty to do that!
Now this calls for celebration!


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Another sweater for me is off the needles... it's actually been done for a while, but I was a bit of a procrastinator when it came to the zipper and photos!
I reviewed Carol Feller's latest e-book Among Stones and SWORE that I would make myself a Liathite.... and then while at Fingerlakes Fiber Festival in September I finally got to see Ross Fiber Farms yarn in person and the perfect match was made!
her farm's story with us, and it really resonated with me, so of course the first time I met her (and saw her yarn) some had to come home!
Jacob/Leicester Longwool in Worsted weight, which is perfect with a long sleeve shirt underneath it.
Caro's method of using blocking wires and pin... and it was freaking painless! Why was I so scared to install a zipper? Silly me!
As for knitting this top down, seamless hoodie, it was such a fast, fun knit and it fit into all of my other deadline knitting so well, I almost don't even remember knitting it.... I would just pick it up, work a cable repeat, and then come back to it again when I needed a break.
Congrats to geo9, LaurainATL and Rooski... get in touch to claim your prize!
Liathite and Ross Farms... a match made in heaven!
5 comments:
What a great sweater! The color is perfect for you.ReplyDeleteReplies
Thanks! I haven't really taken it off it days!Delete
I love the wool you used--so natural looking (like it's fresh off the sheep!).ReplyDeleteReplies
It is some really special and sheepy yarn : )! As long as a wear a thick shirt under it I'm itch free!Delete
Nice post , i hope everyone , will like your postReplyDelete
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Crafty Secret's Color Challenge!
The gals at Crafty Secrets are going to show you various ways of adding color to your images! The girls are going to give you some step-by-step instructions on how to use different mediums. My medium of choice today is using my Copics. I placed all the instructions on my pictures and then realized they may be difficult to read.......so I will just write them again here. : ) I used this beautiful image from the Seasonal Friends set.
I always pick out my papers and embellishments first. I think it is easier to color your image accordingly, rather than the other way around.


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Friday, February 20, 2009
Caught in the 1973 Arab-Israeli war
Jeanne had bought a man's robe and was wearing it when we left, not sure that was a great idea. She was the focus of all the men's curiosity who had probably never seen a woman in a man's garb before. With hundreds of people trying to get out of Luxor it was a real nightmare at the train station as the airport was closed.
It seemed like hours before we finally left Luxor. During the trip I remember passing an airport and seeing Egyptian military jets taking off. When we arrived in Cairo we were taken to the Sheraton Hotel until preparations could be made to get us out of Egypt.
We were told to stay in the hotel where we would receive instructions about how we would be evacuated out of Egypt. Jeanne and I were having a drink in the bar on the roof of the hotel when suddenly two rockets were fired into the sky, the Israeli Air Force was overhead. We were told to all get back into our rooms, not to turn on any lights that night and to have all of our luggage packed and ready to go.
From our balcony we could see a steady stream of Russian transport planes heading for the Cairo airport. It was a strange experience and we had no idea if we would actually be able to leave in spite of the assurance of the US consulate. Leaving by air was impossible as the Cairo airport had been closed down for commercial traffic.
At about 3 AM we got a frantic call to get down to the lobby with all of our belongings, we would be leaving at any moment.
I think there were six buses in our caravan, all had large green crosses painted on their roofs, we were on our way out of Cairo, headed for Bengazi, Libya. Along the way, we saw a few Egyptian jets fly low overhead.
We stopped at El Alamein where we saw the remains of World War II German tanks, this was the location of two major battles in the war.
When we reached the Libyan border it was total chaos, many cars , trucks and buses were trying to leave Egypt. The Libyan government refused to let us through unless we had each of our passports translated into Arabic. Naturally, this took hours, but we finally were on our way again. The officials told all the women not to leave the bus as there was the possibility of them being kidnapped, no one questioned it and they all remained on the bus.
Sometime in the middle of the night we reached Derna where the buses gassed up, then we were on our way again. soon after dawn arrived we were in for another experience, we were caught in a terrible sandstorm which made driving almost impossible. After a few hours we finally reached Bengazi. The officials there took my cameras away and left them on the floor of the bus near the front door. I protested, not wanting my equipment to get stolen. They said that would not happen here as the punishment for stealing in Libya is to have one's hand cut off. So there was my Nikon equipment just laying on the floor of an open bus in Bengazi, Libya.
At that time we didn't have a consulate in Libya, but the US sent a representative to help us get hotel rooms and to get us out of Libya. A day later we were flown to Rome on a Bulgarian airliner and I still had my trusty Nikon with me. Needless to say, by this time we were all worn out, Jeanne even became ill and could not enjoy her stay in Rome.
This is a map of our trip to Bengazi which I estimate was about 700 miles. Near the end of our journey, somewhere between Al Bayda and Bengazi, is where we got caught in that terrible sandstorm, as if we needed more problems.
5 comments:
- harald said...
Interesting to read and very nice drawings!
- February 20, 2009 at 2:16 PM
- Leif Peng said...
What a crazy adventure, Harry! How good to know you and your wife made it safe and sound.
I absolutely love the style of your drawings from this series... does this come entirely 'from within' or was there someone influencing you at the time? David Stone Martin, or Jacob Landau, perhaps?
- February 21, 2009 at 6:06 PM
- Harry Borgman said...
Hi Leif,
It certainly was a crazy adventure and also a bit scary as our government was not on very good terms with Libya, we thought that they might keep us there for a while. The art was done for a newspaper article on our trip and I decided to do the drawings in the style that I use when doing sketches while traveling. It's a style that's quite natural for me, almost like handwriting, they worked especially well for the article.
- February 22, 2009 at 6:36 AM
- Anthony said...
Stunning, beautiful sketches. I agree with Leif -- I like the technique very much. Were the blacks done with a brush? or marker? (looks like a brush). To be going through this and produce such beautiful work while living throught it is amazing.
- February 24, 2009 at 3:48 PM
- Harry Borgman said...
Hi Anthony,
Thanks for your comments. These sketches were actually done for the newspaper article after I had returned from the trip. The black areas were drawn in with a brush.
- February 25, 2009 at 9:09 AM


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James K-M's Cave Paintings exhibition opened at the Kootenay Gallery last weekend, and we travelled there with Andrew Jordan for the show. Marilyn James, spokesperson of the Siniixt people opened the exhibition. Also opening that same evening was Joanne Circle's show in the other room of the gallery.
James K-M, Marilyn James, Joanne Circle, Andrew Jordan
After the opening we went out for dinner but the only place open after 9 pm in Castlegar is Boston Pizza. It became the site of our great mind-blowing symposium discussion on art, with James, me, Andrew, Joanne, and her friend, Maggie.
Andrew, James and I stayed at the Flamingo Motel in Castlegar, which featured handmade quilts, a funky gazebo wired for sound, and apple trees.
James shows covers of the 500 albums in the gazebo, as we listen to Midnight Cowboy. Note albums on the floor, speakers on the ceiling and turntable just behind James on the right.
Andrew picks an apple from the Flamingo's trees.
It wasn't far to go up to Nelson and over to Ainsworth Hot Springs. In Nelson we visited Margrith Schraner and Ernest Hekkanen, both writers and publishers of the well-regarded New Orphic Review. Their home is also the New Orphic Gallery, and their front lawn may be a site of the "controversial" bronze monument to Vietnam-era war resisters. After wonderful dinner, wide-ranging conversation (or is it wild-ranging conversation?) and a good night's sleep, we left the next morning for Vancouver – laden with dusky plums and perfumed grapes from their trees and vines.
Margrith Schraner and Ernest Hekkanen talk with James in the gallery
(Link here for a random post from my blog.)


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Millions have suffered in the recent and continuing floods.Admittedly,such floods have never been experienced ever in the history of Pakistan,however,floods are a common cyclical occurrence with mighty Indus. Lesser floods have always occurred.This is yet another area where adequate and ample research opportunities are available.Floods cannot be prevented but their frequency and intensity reduced through storage dam,which is a separate issue and has been dealt with elsewhere in these pages.
Floods impact can be handled and mitigated in a more organised and scientific manner much reducing the misery and sufferings of the affected populace,if Universities develop and maintain something that is called River Basin Models(RBM).Through such models one could predict the flow down the river and forecast, with the addition of GIS tools, the areas which would be inundated with a fair degree of accuracy and sufficient warning at-least for Punjab and Sindh where bulk of the losses have occurred. Universities of Peshawar,Jamshoro and Punjab are the directly relevant universities which could be involved with the work done by Pakistan Council of Water Research(PCWR).One wonders whether water research is conducted by our universities at all.water is such a fertile and wide area of research that hundreds of Phds can be absorbed in it.
Another related area where there would be no dearth of subjects and possibly even of funds is Environment which is no more a mere local issue and is integrated with the world environment. Research on the local environment,weather modelling,monitoring changes and trends are respectable issues of research,providing topics for research frontiers as is liked by the conventional wisdom on the campus in Pakistan.


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Jamie Oliver's Potato Salad
Boil a bunch of creamer potatoes (or young potatoes) until tender. Do this by adding the potatoes into boiling salted water instead of starting off in cold water. I like to really boil them so they are very tender, but not water logged.
While they are boiling, add the zest and juice of one lemon. Add olive oil to a ratio of 1:4 lemon to oil. Add salt and pepper and 3 tbsp of capers.
Add the cooked potatoes to the oil mixture and toss. Cut any bigger potatoes into smaller chunks. Cool the potatoes until about room temperature. Add fresh chopped dill and a couple big spoonfuls of horseradish. Mix and adjust to taste.
This potato salad goes well with everything, but is best suited to being served with salmon.
Sorry there are no true measurements, but that seems to be how cooking shows go these days. I have made it lots and each time it turns out very tastey, so exact amounts don't really affect the taste!! Good luck and enjoy!


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What a great concept!
An easy to use app that lets you keep track of all beer debts owed and satisfied. Keep your friends honest with the currency of beer.
You can also use this app to track any type of other debt type transactions such as 'who did dishes last?' 'I mowed the grass…now its your turn.' etc. Its completely customizable as far as type of debt.
Check it out:
Amplify'd from androidforums.com
[App] BeerBank – beer debt manager
manage debts of beer, liquor or similar type of items. Useful if you want to be that guy who remembers if someone bought a glass for beer to him last night and pays back later with a favor of similar kind!
You can track beer, liquor, money, cigarettes or add custom items.
See this Amp at http://amplify.com/u/a19rdl


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Versailles is about 30 minutes outside Paris on the commuter rail, and my friend Eric lives near the chateau grounds. We went out for a Sunday picnic with him and his wife and utterly adorable kid. It must be admitted that there's nothing quite like a bottle of wine, a baguette and a jar of foie gras under a tree in Marie Antoinette's back yard (though I think in fact we were sitting in her former cow pasture, which takes some of the romance off). There are some beautifully parklike corners of the grounds and people from the city and the local towns (including a whole flock of Girl Scouts) were picnicking and playing soccer and whatnot. The more formally planted part of the grounds require a ticket to visit, and we went in to see the famous fountains, which these days are accompanied by Baroque music playing from hidden speakers among the trees. The fountains are pretty lovely, hidden among high box hedges trimmed into, if not a maze proper, a sort of series of lanes and byways in which a person could easily get lost.
The grounds are the ultimate example of the classical European garden, with topiary shrubs trimmed to within an inch of their lives, and everything planted in geometric lines and shapes. They open out to a terrace behind the chateau, and the following view:
No shade, acres of gravel; intolerable on a hot day, in fact, despite the plantings.
The question here is "Why?" and the answer appears to be "Because they (the kings of France) could." Like the Forbidden City, Versailles is an example of architecture which expands horizontally to express its dominance and power. American urbanites are accustomed to verticality as a sign of power and wealth, like the Sears Tower in Chicago. But the chateau de Versailles has only a few stories: it is rather its all-encompassing sprawl and the repetitiveness of its facade (which only emphasizes the way it goes on and on) that make the point of royal power.
Friday, June 27, 2008
2 comments:
I'm going to have some Dunkin Donuts iced coffee and a bagel over at Spy Pond tomorrow if it doesn't rain. I don't think it's quite the same as champagne and baguette at Versailles, but at least I know where there's a shady bench.
- June 27, 2008 at 10:30 AM
- SEB said...
Is it a sign that I've been in France too long that this comment made me crave Dunkin' Donuts?
- June 28, 2008 at 6:50 AM
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A lovely summer so farJun 17, 2011 | | 0 comments |
For the past ten years of living in Utah, summer has been one of those nasty times of year that we have to endure to get to the more tolerable weather of spring, autumn and winter. Endless 40°C days, blast-furnace winds that dry out everything from your skin to your garden and sun so blazing it's just too hot to be outside.
But this year, things are looking up - we've had 60 days below average temperature so far and haven't even approached 30°C yet. The hottest days of the year are nearly always around July 24th after which it starts to cool off - that's only 5 weeks away and by this point we're normally dying of heat.
The downside of course is that it's still snowing in the mountains, and we still have most of the winter snowpack still to come down which means we're enduring flooding in places. But people's gardens and the parks look beautiful and green for a change. Trees and bushes are thriving, roses and other plants are going gangbusters.
I suppose the only downside is that the motorcycling is a bit sketchy at the moment. The only mountain pass that is open right now is Wolf Creek and that's only been open for two weeks. Normally it's clear in April. Monte Cristo pass - an excellent riding road that is normally open by the middle of May still has 25ft of snow on it in the third week in June.
But you know what - I can tolerate later riding seasons in return for not feeling like I'm living in an oven for three months of the year.


text: Just as a follow-up post to our Spring BlogHop...I would dearly love to see any pages made with our freebie kits! (Even if you added some of your own stash) Send me a note letting me know where you have posted your layout! Seriously! I would love, love, love to see where your imagination took you with these papers and elements!


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I will make the obligatory Samuel Pepys reference by showing a picture of the six manuscript volumes of his diary, now housed at Magdalene College:
Susie will be reading her Faith Statement at a potluck Saturday evening at church. She has been on two weekend retreats, and met with her fellow Coming of Age students on Sunday mornings for much of the year. Like the journalist she hopes to become, she was at the keyboard finishing up the statement as the hands of the clock grew later and later. If that wasn't enough, the world premiere of Steph's play, TeenTalk.com debuted Tuesday night at The Graham School, and Susie was one of the actors. (See below YouTube file for the finished product--complete with cameo appearances by the P.A. system.)
But there's more. Steph and her partner, Mike, are en route here by way of car and Amtrak from the Space Coast of Florida even as I
The first rainfall in over a week is going on right now. Before I started typing, I ran outside (when it was still sprinkling, and not raining hard, as it is now) and put a blue 12' × 12' plastic pool cover over the trike. I doubt one good rain will ruin the trike, but nonetheless I hurried out there to cover it. I must be like the owner of a new car, who dies a million deaths the first time he sees a scratch, no matter how microscopic, on his beloved vehicle.
At the same time, I know I should not be complaining about how hectic this weekend will be. Susie will be going to Florida with Steph for the summer, and I probably will not see her until mid-August. This means I'll have about 10-12 weeks of quiet and time to myself. Time will tell if that translates into a renewal of my long-moribund mental energy to write--poetry, blogs, diaries, or anything else. I will be back at the bookstore Monday night, for at least the coming week, as summer quarter is just around the corner at Columbus State Community College.
Susie went on Graham's class trip to Cedar Point today. She had to be at school an hour earlier than normal. I was still getting dressed when I heard her shutting the front door and sprinting toward the bus stop. Yesterday was the last day of school, and Susie greeted me with the news that she is now a sophomore... not that there was any doubt in my mind.
Another semi-noteworthy event I'll share. I received a package yesterday containing the Sears Silvertone AM radio I bought on eBay. It's currently sitting on my night table, which is too cluttered right now to be photo-worthy. I combed the Internet for months for the same model I remember seeing in our house when I was a kid. Dad bought it when he was a student at the Catholic University of America in the late 1940s, and I used it on and off for much of my life.
As prone to coincidence as I am, the first thing I did when I took the radio out of the box was check the underside. I last saw Dad's radio on my desk when I left home in 1982, and it was nowhere to be found when he died in 2000. When I was a child, I scribbled on the underside of the radio with a crayon, and apparently it was indelible. My first thought was that I had ended up with his radio again. This was not the case this time.
When I was younger, the clock lit up in an eerie orange, and the words MAGIC GLOW rimmed the lower part of the dial. By the time I left home, the clock no longer glowed. This is true with the model that arrived yesterday, but the clock still keeps time. I moved the AM dial around from low to the high end, and could barely pick up 610 WTVN, and only then with plenty of static. I'm sure the radio has seen better days, and I am not going to expend any mental energy constructing an antenna. I'm just glad to have this radio and this model by the bed.


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Via Hot Air, news that Bill Richardson has thrown his considerable weight, if less significant political endorsement, behind Barack Obama.
Geraghty takes a few swipes at the ol' lug:
The man always looked like an unmade bed, contradicted his own proposals all the time, spat out gaffes like a Pez dispenser, and referred to his previous positions in government like he had obsessive-compulsive disorder... but somehow I miss the guy anyway.
I won't disagree with that assessment one bit; I'm laughing too much to be critical of it in any way.
But please. Geraghty sets up his post with this:
Richardson Endorses Obama... A Little While After It Would Really Help
Bill Richardson endorses Obama.
Would have been more helpful before the New Mexico caucus, which Hillary won by a narrow margin.
Geraghty Questions the Timing!
Now I'm not saying Jim doesn't know the answer. Of course he does. We all do. Richardson simply waited until he knew which way the wind blows. He waited until he felt it safe to back the winner.
And of course, not being one to countenance such disloyalty to the Clinton family, James Carville calls Richardson Judas Iscariot.
But please.
Richardson is simply Speaking Truth to Power!
Hillary is finished!
That is, if you're all into that crazy counting delgates and stuff.


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Project Description
Location: Burnaby, British Columbia
Chapter: Vancouver
GAC status: Artisan
Date Joined: July 2009
I was born in Edmonton, Alberta, in 1979. In 2001 I moved to Vancouver to do a 16 month internship at Electronic Arts Canada. Following graduation from the University of Alberta I returned to Vancouver in 2003, this time newly wedded, and have lived in the Metro Vancouver area ever since. I have a wonderful 6 year old daughter, a busy 4 year old son, and two of the nicest cats you'll ever meet.
I have a Bachelor's degree in Science, with specialization in Computing Science. I worked as a Software Engineer at Electronic Arts for 6 years, covering a variety of areas: User Interfaces, Animation, Game play, and Networking. Currently I am the Director of Operations for a start up Medical Device company, looking to launch it's first product early 2015.
I began designing board games as a young child, and early on was encouraged by my mother, who dutifully played all of my prototypes, and to this day even confesses to liking a few of them [though I think she's a little biased]. Growing up in the 80's the world of video games took over my interests, hence the education and career path, but I would still play the occasional board games like D&D, Dune, Supremacy, and Diplomacy. As I nearing the end of my education a friend introduced me to Settler's of Catan. Playing my first 'Euro' game was like a breath of fresh air. I started to inundate myself into the hobby. The more games I played the more I knew that I had to get back into board game design.
By 2009 I had had a board game in development for a couple of years and I was looking to get unbiased feedback on the game, since up until that point it had only been family and friends playing the game. I decided to enter the "Concours International de Créateurs de Jeux do Société" organized by the "Centre National Du Jeu" in Boulogne-Billancourt, just outside Paris. They were promising feedback on the any game that made it to the 'evaluation' stage of the competition. To my great surprise, not only did I end up making it to the 'evaluation' stage of the competition, but I ended up being selected as one of 4 winners! I never did get that feedback though… The game was called "The Great Pyramid", and later went on to be published as "Alba Longa" by Quined Games.
"Alba Longa" is my only published game so far, I have many in the works, including "Iron Horse Bandits" which won the inaugural "Europa-Ludi" competition in 2012. Although it has won a competition, it is still under development to try to make it the best it can possibly be. Watch this space for more info.
|Alba Longa Publisher: Quined Games, Tasty Minstrel Games Year: 2011 BGG page


text: Texpand does not work on my device? The most probable reason for this is you have another third party accessibility services that may interfere with Texpand. It is confirmed that "Type machine" a keyboard logger app totally disables Texpand. Why does Google play store say this app is not compatible with my device? Texpand requires… Continue reading Texpand's Frequently Asked Questions