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Saturday, 15 August 2015
Weekend sewing
32 comments:
love the weekend sewing project.... I think either white or green will be lovely (that is helpful isn't it????) DJ is stunning.... just stunning and a shame about the unpicking but at least you hadn't done two skeins??? (another helpful comment... I'm on a roll here!!) Enjoy your run away timeReplyDelete
Don't give up in DJ too soon, it looks like you have done the majority of the blocks. I love your little green pin cushion too, a change of colour than your usual red, but just as cute.ReplyDelete
Shame about the cross stitch but it will be lovely finished. Your DJ progress is so beautiful and no reason not to make a smaller quilt - especially as you have your favourite blocks. You have made me a convert to walnut shells - love the weight they give to pincushions. I think a white thread would be really fresh ...but whatever you do will be perfect!ReplyDelete
Your Dear Jane is so pretty. I am looking forward to seeing how you decide to progress.ReplyDelete
I have never used walnut shells, you have given me the nudge to find some. Here in England we don't have many quilt supply shops. I have 3 "near" my town. each about 40-60 mins drive away.
I just spied a link to another post about pin cushions, so I'm off for a look now! Have a nice Saturday.
Gorgeous pin cushion Susan, yes, sometimes a variety of projects is necessary! I think it depends on the shade of green you would use but either or would work well :-) I think your DJ is looking great all laid out together, will be interested to see how you decide to finish it off. What a pity you cant get more of that thread, it looks like a lovely project - do you need to unpick or could you start on a different piece of cloth...?ReplyDelete
Shame about the unpicking of your X-stitch...it's hard work to go back to the start. Your pincushion is looking lovely. Just to make it more difficult..how about a navy blue thread??ReplyDelete
Love the pincushion.....picked up one from Hatched and patched on the weekend and am about to give the walnut shells a go for the first time.....ReplyDelete
DJ looks awesome. If it's time to stop, it's time! Sorry about your stitchery. Don't be too discouraged.ReplyDelete
love your pin cushion, I'd be partial to a darker green for the outline, it will look wonderful either way.ReplyDelete
Great seeing your dj blocks altogether.
How sad you can't get that extra thread, I'm with you re unpicking, bummer.
enjoy your little get away this week.
- Anonymous15 August 2015 at 18:51
Hi Susan i love your pin cushion i buy the walnut shells in bulk from a reptile store,its a lot cheaper way of buying it,i love your DJ blocks,oh i hope you and your hubby have a lovely time away xxReplyDelete
Your Dear Jane is looking wonderful. Think you should continue Susan. And pincushion is so prettyReplyDelete
Your Dear Jane really is beautiful. The pin cushion is super cute and I would be crying if I had to unpick those tiny little stitches.ReplyDelete
I think either green or white will be fine Susan but as a thought how about a 'linen' look colour to match the cushion? Oh no to unpick but I think you will be happier if you do! Your DJ is just perfect!ReplyDelete
I've never used walnut shells...must try them but I've never seen them down here!
Dear Susan,ReplyDelete
really cute applique, green or white running stitch, both will look great.
Sorry you have to unpick your stitching, that is not good.
Love your pincushion...agree with Dzintra. Shame you have to undo all that work!!!ReplyDelete
Love the progress on your Dear Jan quilt. Such a shame you've had to unpick your stitching.ReplyDelete
Dear Jane looks beautiful will look forward to seeing your version of the borders. What a shame that you have to unpick all that gorgeous stitching :(ReplyDelete
Your DJ is beautiful! I love looking at them, but know I don't have the time/dedication/skill to make one. I think a smaller version will be just as amazing as full size. What size is your cute little pin cushion?ReplyDelete
Darn about unpicking - it is slow work but understandable. Walnut shells do work better and give good weight - I know you are supposed to be able to get them from reptile suppliers - but I'm still looking up here - they do get expensive...lovely pincushion...and I can hear you about DJ too - you could just finish the last block then put it away for a bit and see how you feel about it later...its a mammoth task to do the whole thing.ReplyDelete
I have read your blog for a while and definitely enjoy your projects and posts. Your DJ blocks are fantastic and I'm sure Jane would say do whatever you need to do. It's all about the fun. Make it your own.ReplyDelete
What pretty greens! White stitches would be lovely :0) Oh the crossstitch - its gorgeous! Unpicking is no fun but running out halfway would be worse. Have a fun trip to the city!ReplyDelete
The Dresden Pate is a pretty and fresh color combo.ReplyDelete
Love the red & white DJ blocks. I know it is a big project and however you finish it, it is surely going to be beautiful. Never saw a DJ I did not like.
Creative frustration/indecision - something which definitely effects one's day and week. Looks like you know how to proceed, which is in itself half the battle. Any chance of making a pincushion or similar from the cross stitch or do you need the entire fabric piece? Smart decision on the DJ, some projects have a lifespan and then start to sap you energy. Have a wonderful couple of days away!ReplyDelete
Ha ha, perhaps we had both better plant walnut trees, so we can have an unlimited supply of shells...not sure how we are going to crush them though! Love the green pincushion, I think it looks good in the square design. Your DJ is growing nicely and looks lovely, but I am nodding my head at your decision and that original border is way over the top, you want to be able to see the finish line!ReplyDelete
Lovely visit today Susan... and as my fav colour is green... I'd go with that around the pin cushion. Love the DJ top too...so pretty...& a shame about being short of cross stitch thread... always a nuisance & a waste of sewing time to unpick...but necessary at times too.ReplyDelete
Enjoy your Sunday. xox
Great weekend sewing project - the colours look good together! I love your red and white quilt blocks - beautiful!ReplyDelete
Lovely pincushion...I'd go with green! Your DJ blocks look amazing...and good luck with your reverse stitching...I just spent the night doing that too!ReplyDelete
You certainly have lots on the go and fun playing with some different fabrics.ReplyDelete
Another beauty of a pincushion - I'd go with white for the stitching. And don't fret too much about picking out the cross stitch that is already done - might be a good job if you are in the car headed to the city. Your DJ blocks are amazing.ReplyDelete
Hi SusanReplyDelete
Your DJ blocks look amazing, I like your plan of choosing a few more then making a border. it going to be a stunning quilt. What a shame about your cross stitch. Unpicking hopefully won't take too long. Have a fun week.
Oh what a pretty sight Susan - all those DJs playing nicely together! I'm sure you will take time to make a comfortable decision & end up being happy with it all.ReplyDelete
My heart sinks for all the work you've done on that x-stitch so far; as a stitcher myself I would probably unpick too, if had exhausted all avenues of trying to get some more of the thread... would it be of any use to you if I make inquiries at a couple of shops here in Perth, on your behalf?? I'm more than happy to do so
The pincushion is going to be gorgeous and your Dear Jane is beautiful, it's going to be a lovely quilt. Such a shame about the cross stitch and all that unpicking, it will be worth it in the end :) I love the cowl you finished a while back, in fact, I've saved the pattern to my Ravelry queue!ReplyDelete


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Monday, December 17, 2007
Not quite sure about the tone of this one
It's hard to quantify just how much bigger and more important film is than television, unless you work out exactly how many times the average dur-box (as those of us unfortunate to have been shackled to the industry for long enough must call it) fits into the average cinema screen, in which case film is approximately three hundred and umpty two times better than television**, a fact easily backed up by scientists saying things like 'Well it just is'. And most television is just, what, people striding about solving crimes? Pah. See also 'Cuh.
Some may think it unfortunate that such a throbbingly vital piece of word-art (is there a screen truly big enough to contain such majesty?) was sent out to The Americanian States just in time for the Writers Guild of Americania to go all strikey, but not I. In fact I can now reveal that the WGA asked me specifically to release the beast as such a crucial time - knowing that to have such a work left stranded and voidy by the Networks' refusal to simply 'stop being silly' would leave them with little choice but to conclude the strike as amicably and quickly as possible. Rumours that the networks caved the second HT landed on their desks, and that fake negotiations are continuing only to let that stupid Caveman sitcom just blimmin' die already are, I can also reveal, totally true.
In the meantime however, the film rewrite offers are coming in, only confirming my suspicions that the television big enough to contain me has simply never been built. I will remain fond of that part of my past, of course I will, and I must be careful not to openly snub my less fortunate colleague who remain shackled to the shit-cube, but at the end of the day, I think we all know I was destined for greater things.
I phone a film producer, just like that, wondering briefly if I should have a separate phone for my new film producer chums, something that would twinkle prettily on the red carpet and stand its own when I'm hanging out with Olly Kurosawa and Nev Bergman and that other one. Film Producer mentions the amount of money he has available in his budget for a rewrite. It is less than half the amount I received the previous week for a script polish on a televison pilot about a team of people who stride about solving crimes.
I've always been passionate about television.
6 comments:
You're a proper soulless capitalist lackey-whore!
I'm so proud!
*wells up a bit*
- 6:23 pm
- cello said...
Are you just checking that I'm still reading regularly?
You need to get yourselves a 52" plasma telly and then the size of screen ratios would be a bit more favourable to TV.
Of course, if you were to use time spent watching, broadcast TV gets about 100 hours a month per person compared to cinema of under 2 hours. Both are averages, it goes without saying, and we all know people, including ourselves, where those numbers are different.
Online telly would add about 12 minutes a month on average, mostly made up by you and Patch watching gazillions of hours on behalf of the whole population.
I totally agree that the ratio of shit to quality is not in TV's favour, though my shit (Battlestar Galactica) will be very different from yours (I'm a Celebrity...). But the answer is for you to get stuck in and write more for telly.
- 11:53 am
- james henry said...
I should point out that I wasn't being entirely serious about film being inherently better than telly, it's just that I assumed it would pay more money, which in the UK at least, isn't true.
The ratio of shit to good stuff is, I reckon, very slightly in telly's favour, if anything.
And I'm currently waiting to hear back about something that might see me stuck in as never before. It rhymes with 'Schmornish Teen Drama' project. Or of course, it might completely crash and burn, who knows.
Don't worry cells, I love telly really - that's why I get so cross about it when it fails to live up to my high expectations.
- 2:03 pm
- Robin Kelly said...
Cello, the original Battlestar Galactica might have been shit but there's a new version out which is brilliant! Give it a go!
- 2:23 pm
- james henry said...
Robin: I've tried this, and she's not going for it.
- 6:02 pm
"the original Battlestar Galactica might have been shit"
What?! WHAAAT?!
- 4:48 pm

subset: commoncrawl


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The truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth...
Having read so many TOK essays over the years, one common thread becomes apparent in students' approaches to the issue of truth: confusion.
The word 'truth' often appears as part of a Prescribed Title or is implicit in a discussion of knowledge. Here, we'll attempt to address the idea of truth and clarify how you could approach it in your TOK Essays and Presentations. The key concept you'll have to get to grips with in this discussion is 'evidence' and how this can be used and abused in knowing truth.
Students tend to distinguish between two kinds of truth:
1. Absolute truth – aka. 'universal truth' which is somehow unchanging and always true regardless of what individuals might think or feel about it. An example often given is 2 + 2 = 4. Please avoid this clichéd example in your work; it is much too simplistic and doesn't help to support an argument proposing the absolute nature of truth. Other examples provided are the so-called 'truths' of religion, such as the resurrection of Christ. If you ask a believer how he knows this truth, he might point to the evidence of the Bible. Now there are a few counter-claims you can make. We'll consider two:
a. How can we trust the words of the Bible since they were written by so many different hands and often seem to contradict each other?
b. What about 'truths' believers are supposed to hold as absolute which do not appear in the Bible, such as the Assumption of Mary?
The first counter can be dealt with by arguing that we just have to have faith – that is, the evidence of the Bible is not 'factual' evidence that provides rational grounds for the belief, but that we must simply trust in the Word of God which was dictated to the writers of the Bible. The second counter follows a similar move: truths not based on Biblical 'evidence' are declared truths by an authority figure whose great wisdom in such matters guarantees or underwrites the nature of the truth and makes it absolute. This actually happened in the case of the Assumption of Mary.
Now these defences of Absolute truth are not entirely satisfying are they? They beg the question of how God actually goes about dictating truths to people? Moreover, why some people and not others? And what exactly goes on during this process of divine inspiration? These are not simply rhetorical questions. Theologians have attempted to answer them in a defence of religious belief, but we won't go into those answers here.
2. Relative truth – aka. 'personal truth' which depends on individual perspectives and is based largely on opinion. The usual move students make follows this routine:
a. We are all individual and experience the world in different ways so we only have a personal conception of truth.
b. Our sense of truth is limited by personal bias, our upbringing, our cultural or religious beliefs, our fundamental sexual and gender differences and so on.
c. We can never go beyond this personal sense of truth; it drives everything we think about, perceive, feel and do.
Again, the idea that we can all believe whatever we want to believe because it's all just a matter of opinion isn't very satisfactory. How can we possibly counter this relative view of truth? Surely, your opinion about oxtail soup is your truth and my opinion about it is my truth and we should just get on with life. This might work in the case of oxtail soup, but what about more important situations like your opinion about abortion. Now we could counter the relativist position by pointing out that some of the things we believe to be true might, like belief in religious 'truths', have no supporting evidence: for example, the belief that a red sky at night means the weather's going to be nice tomorrow. This isn't quite a faith position like the religious believer but it could be argued that it's a superstitious position. We could also point out that there are so many truths that we actually agree upon because they have a rational and evidential basis: for example, it takes roughly 24 hours for the earth to spin on its axis.
Now this kind of factual truth leads onto a discussion of how to think about truth in a TOK context...
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Theory of Knowledge
Labels: Knowledge Issues, ToK Essays 2011, Truth
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The roar of the engine, the screaming tires, and the chance to take action photos of some of the fastest race cars on the planet. If you love Indy car racing and would love a chance to photograph them with the latest Sony Alpha camera gear enter to win a chance to take photos track-side during the practice rounds of the Indy.
I'm putting on this Indy Car Photography Workshop for Sony of Canada. You can enter to win on Sony's facebook page....
Rob Skeoch
Monday, June 18, 2012
Indy Car Photography Workshop
Posted by Photography as I see it at 7:51 PM
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News that bank customers in Singapore will soon be able to exchange money on social media via Facebook or Twitter shows how far retail banks have come in their quest to meet the demands of the hard-to-please millennial generation. Under the new service agreed by 20 Singaporean banks, traditional account numbers and sort codes will no longer be required. All customers will need is a social media account.
In the US, Facebook users are already able to transfer money for free via Facebook Messenger, while Snapchat offers a similar service called Snapcash. With millennials accounting for 25% of the EU and US populations, it's not surprising that retail banks want to pay catch-up with social media innovations in order to keep this hard-to-please demographic onboard. If the market researchers are right, they could be facing an uphill struggle.
According to the influential Millennial Disruption Index, a third of US millennials believe they will not need a bank at all in the near future, while 73% claim they would be more excited about a new financial services offering from Google/Amazon/Apple/PayPal than from their own bank. In short, millennials have very little time for (or trust in) traditional financial institutions.
The reverse is true when it comes to millennials' relationship with social media. The average millennial in the US spends 26 hours a month on the Facebook app, and this doesn't include Twitter, WhatsApp, Pinterest or Instagram. Millennials are also more likely to trust their social network of friends and peers than the average bank.
Connecting with millennials
So what are the four lessons bank brands could learn from social media about how to apply new technologies to connect with millennials in a meaningful way? The first is to:Learn about and understand millennials on their own terms. It's pretty much a truism that millennial experiences are mobile-first and digitally native – we estimate that around 90% of millennials use smartphones. But what does this mean for banks?
Instead of traditional products driven by long-term client/adviser relationships, millennials want innovative products inspired by new multi-channel relationships. In fact, American Banker states that 92% of millennials would make a banking choice based on digital services, while Facebook research shows that millennials are 2.5 times more likely to put their trust in an algorithm such as a robo-adviser or automated portfolio management than Gen X or Baby Boomers.
Social media brands understand their users' desire for innovative services and are constantly evolving their services, adding new features and functions in order to stay ahead of these needs (look at Snapchat adding a Memories feature, allowing users to add special snaps and stories to a folder). Instagram, a platform hugely popular with millennials, has evolved to enable them to be more creative and expressive with communication, as is their desire, by adding things such as layout, hyperlapse and boomerang.The second is the need for deep personalisation. Engaging with social media is a very intimate experience: social media brands know enough about their users to recommend new friends, Twitter personalities or contacts, and groups they may want to join. Facebook nurtures this intimacy with videos commemorating friendships, and infographics showing users their most frequently used words. Twitter knows how long it's been since you last checked in, and brings you up to date on what's happened with "While you were away". Retail banks also know a huge amount about their customers, but can they combine this knowledge with great UX design and smart tech to develop a much more personal relationship with customers?
The UK's Atom Bank app offers every customer a personalised experience, as they have their own logo and colour scheme, as well as using selfies, as part of the security process. It's not surprising that Atom Bank is a mobile-first offering. Other ideas could range from simple things such as sending a birthday message, to allowing customers to personalise their statements to include data visualisations and more. Or it could include clever ways of revealing surprising things to customers about themselves, such as "Did you know you spent £500 on shoes last year?". After all, who said banking had to be boring or a chore?The third area where brands can learn from social media is trust and transparency. Millennials are the "recession generation", whose direct experience (or whose parents' experience) of market volatility and job insecurity during the global financial crisis of 2007-2009 has impacted their finances and their trust. So how can banks respond? Again, borrow from the clear, uncomplicated way in which social media brands talk to their users. Instead of using jargon and relying on small print, speak human and be upfront about fees and charges. A fourth lesson where banks can learn from social media is conversational commerce, which involves using bots, chat and Apple-Siri-type interfaces to drive interactions between people and brands. Sparked by the success of Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp and other similar experiences, companies across all sectors are trying to identify their conversational commerce opportunities. In banking, this looks set to include messaging, chat and voice platforms in a way that enables consumers to carry out transactions within a social context. An example of this is Capital One's Amazon Echo app (or "skill") that allows customers to perform basic retail banking activities using Amazon's voice-activated virtual assistant, Alexa.
Interact and communicate
Meanwhile, one of the most popular financial apps among millennials is Venmo, a peer-to-peer payment app that includes a social feed, similar to Facebook's timeline, and which encourages emoji-based acknowledgement of money transfers.
When it comes to conversational commerce, banks aren't just learning from social media – they actively need to integrate with it because, with their instant messaging payment services, Facebook and Snapchat are increasingly moving onto their turf.
In short, for banks to solve their millennial problem, they need to recognise that the use of messaging, social and voice platforms to connect to brands and services is here to stay, and that payments through Facebook and Twitter are just the latest example of this trend. Banks need to embrace new ways for their digital products and services to interact and communicate with millennials to stay relevant and be successful among this next generation.
READ NEXT: Social media – why it's an essential tool
Main image: Anchiy, Shutterstock.com


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Jane Hutt AM for Welsh Labour joins Michael Sheen as Patron of Credit Unions in Wales
08 Jun 18
Jane Hutt AM for Welsh Labour is calling on people in Wales to join her in a making Wales a 'credit union nation'.
Jane has been a strong supporter of credit unions and most recently has been appointed as Patron of Credit Unions of Wales alongside actor Michael Sheen. The appointments of Jane Hutt and Michael Sheen will help raise awareness of the sectors profile in Wales, with their aim to increase membership of the 21 credit unions across Wales.
Speaking after her appointment, Jane said: "The fact that credit unions offer an ethical and affordable way of saving and borrowing for all of us is key. But they are also a way we can contribute to the whole community.
"It is universal; we can all take part, we can benefit and we can all help underpin this ethical borrowing and saving service for those who need it as an alternative to payday loans.
"I will work tirelessly to support the movement to make Wales a credit union nation".
Leanne Herberg, CEO of Cardiff and Vale Credit Union said: "Jane Hutt has been a long-standing supporter and member of Cardiff and Vale Credit Union and the wider movement across Wales and so we are delighted that she has agreed to take up this patronage."
Welsh First Minister, Carwyn Jones has shown his support to the Jane Hutt, as he recognises "the valuable role credit unions play in providing ethical financial services and products".


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Bird and Wildlife from the Western North Carolina, Lake Michigan and The coast of Maine including Acadia National ParkRead More


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In this op-ed piece in The New York Times, Paul Krugman gave the Republicans a much deserved drubbing for their circus show of a debate.
It's absolutely true that the GOP debate was a farce. I know, I watched it. If it wasn't painfully stupid, it was painfully insipid. Whereas the debate could have been a forum where the contenders espoused their vision about shared prosperity in a changing economy, they instead engaged in primitive chest-thumping and braggadocio.
|Image Source
The one bit in the debate that I thought worth noticing was Carly Fiorina's quip about Trump's comment about her face. The rest of the three-hour spectacle was so mind-numbing that Michael Bay must have been jealous.
But I also found it quite amusing that Krugman would say this:
...some of the candidates went beyond expounding bad analysis and peddling bad history to making outright false assertions, and probably doing so knowingly, which turns those false assertions into what are technically known as "lies."
For one thing, Krugman said in this very same column that the modern GOP economic discourse is "completely dominated by an economic doctrine — the sovereign importance of low taxes on the rich — that has failed completely and utterly in practice over the past generation."
This doctrine that Krugman did not name is, of course, Trickle Down Economics, which he once said was akin to "being nice to the wealthy and being cruel to the poor."
|ALL the economics textbooks that have ever advocated Trickle Down Economics
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Whether or not one thinks that low taxes is a good idea, which of those Republican candidates ever said that the government should give more money to the rich? The answer is "no one."
In regards to low taxes, Ben Carson said:
What made America into a great nation was the fact that we said "That guy just put in $1 billion, let's create an environment that's even more conducive to his success, so that next year he can put in $2 billion." And that's the kind of thing that helps us to grow. We can't grow by continuing to take a piece of pie and dividing it and redistributing it.
On the other hand, Marco Rubio said:
Well, first of all, capital gains and dividends is investment. That means someone is taking money they have access to and investing it in something. That's how jobs are created. My father had a job as a bartender at a hotel. And the reason why he had a job as a bartender is because someone who had money invested in that hotel. Invested in building it, invested in expanding it, invested in modernizing it so people would keep coming back. And that's why people visited that hotel. That's why my dad had a salary, and that's why he had tips.
The oversimplification of these two men's positions notwithstanding, none of the positions that we heard were about how the rich should remain rich because they deserved to be rich. In fact, both men's positions were rather uncontroversial positions about how additional wealth and jobs can be created when businesses are not hampered by burdensome regulations and steep taxes.
Obviously, low taxes and deregulation are NOT the only things that ensure job growth. Other things to take into consideration are financial and political stability, currency fluctuations, interest rates, boom-bust cycles, corruption, demographics, education levels, market failure, government failure, etc. etc.
These were topics that the Republican candidates should have discussed. However, instead of treating the voters like adults, none of these topics were brought up, which was all the more reason why the entire "debate" was such a waste of time.
Then again, can you imagine a political forum where politicians were actually honest and were forced to talk about real issues and real solutions? Voter turnout rates would fall into single digits! That is assuming, of course, that voters don't decide to express themselves on the streets.
|Revolution IS the hell of it!
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However, that's not the point that Krugman was making either! In fact, Krugman's point, at least as far as economics goes, was that Bill Clinton's tax hikes were followed by a huge economic boom while George W. Bush's tax cuts were followed by a weak recovery that ended in financial collapse.
As an economist, a Nobel laureate at that, Krugman knows very well that economic booms and busts depend on many more factors than the few I already mentioned earlier – tax rates being only just one of them. Despite the fact that he is fully aware of this, Krugman decided to play the idiot and went into "correlation is causation" mode.
The fact is, aside from the tax hikes, the Clinton economy also benefited from the end of the Cold War, NAFTA, and the rise of the tech sector. On the other hand, the Bush economy was hampered by the tech bubble burst, the War on Terror, and the much bigger housing bubble burst.
In other words, unless absolutely mismanaged to the tune of Hugo Chavez, the Clinton and Bush economies would have boomed and busted regardless of which tax policy was pursued. The only difference would have been the degree of the booms and busts.
Krugman knows this. But he took off his economist hat and put on his partisan pundit hat instead, which does a disservice to those who read his columns to learn about economics.
Krugman knows this. But he took off his economist hat and put on his partisan pundit hat instead, which does a disservice to those who read his columns to learn about economics.
So going back to his quote about false assertions and lies, I suppose the only appropriate thing to say is "Pot, meet Kettle."
|Image Source


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Khloe Kardashian Will Stick By Lamar Odom No Matter What
After an Aug. 23 report claimed that Khloe and Lamar's marital struggles were being caused not by Lamar's battle with infidelity, but with drug abuse, a source close to the couple tells HollywoodLife.com EXCLUSIVELY that it doesn't matter what the issue is — Khloe is going to stand behind her husband through it all.
Khloe Kardashian and Lamar Odom's relationship problems may be even more serious than we thought. A new report claims that the NBA husband's two-year-long struggle with drugs is the thing that is actually tearing them apart. And though a source close to the couple confirms that claim to HollywoodLife.com exclusively, the source also strongly states that NOTHING is going to break them up.
Khloe Kardashian Supporting Lamar Odom Through Alleged Drug Addiction
Even though Lamar is in a dark place right now, and is reportedly refusing the help of Khloe and his loved ones, our source says that she "will not leave him."
"Khloe has his back," the source says, insisting that even as Lamar reportedly struggles to reject drugs and stay clean, Khloe is behind him every step of the way.
"She's a good woman, and he knows that she's the best thing he has in his life," the source continues. "Without Khloe, he's finished! That's the honest truth. They will work through this."
Khloe Kardashian Wants Lamar Odom To Fight For Their Marriage
Lamar was reportedly kicked out of the house after Khloe and the family unsuccessfully tried to stage an intervention, according to TMZ.
But making him temporarily move out seems to be more of a last-ditch effort by Khloe to shake him and make him realize he needs to get clean. Even though she isn't going anywhere, as our source says, she needs to make strong gestures to get through to her struggling husband.
This includes taking off her wedding ring. The reality star was spotted out with a bare ring finger on Aug. 23, and another source told HollywoodLife.com exclusively that it was all a ploy to send a message to Lamar.
"She knew she would be getting photographed on her way out and she wanted it to happen so she could give Lamar a wake up call," the source revealed. "They are having trouble, but she wants him to fight for her trust and love."
We hope he can, for the sake of his health and the health of his marriage. What do you think, HollywoodLifers? Let us know.
WATCH: Myla Sinanaj: Lamar Odom Tried To Cheat On Khloe Kardashian With Me
— Andrew Gruttadaro, Reporting by Eric Ray
More Khloe Kardashian & Lamar Odom News:
- Lamar Odom: Why He's Keeping Quiet About Cheating Allegations
- Khloe Kardashian Steps Out Minus Wedding Ring: Leaving Lamar Odom?
- Khloe Kardashian & Lamar Odom Plan To Renew Vows — Report


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Communication Studies
Degrees Offered
|Degree Offered
|Communication Studies
|Program Description
Admission Application Instructions
- Applying for admission to the graduate program in Communication Studies is a two-step process:
- First: Complete the Online Application (https://www.applyweb.com/apply/uomont/menu.html) As part of this process, applicants must do the following:
- Self-report GRE scores
- Self-report all colleges and universities attended (including grade point average)
- 3 Letters of recommendation.
- Upload a one-page statement outlining the reasons for seeking a master's degree in communication studies.
- Upload a writing sample: any academic essay or report that you are especially proud of.
- Upload resume
- Pay the application fee.
- Second: Request Official Scores and Transcripts:
- Request that official GRE scores be sent to the University of Montana using code 4489.
- Request that official transcripts be sent to the Department of Communication Studies from all colleges and universities you have attended (excluding University of Montana) Transcripts may also be transmitted electronically through the National Student Clearinghouse.
Admission Deadlines
- Fall - Priority will be given to complete application packets received by February 1. Complete application packets received after this date will be considered on a space available basis.
- Spring - Priority will be given to complete application packets received by November 1. Complete application packets received after this date will be considered on a space available basis.
Communication Studies
Campus Location
Liberal Arts Building, Room 301
Department of Communication Studies -32 Campus Drive
University of Montana
Missoula, MT 59812
Helen Houlihan
(406) 243-4293
Fax: 406.243.6136
Graduate Coordinator
Joel Iverson, Ph.D.
(406) 243-4426
Additional Graduate Contacts
Sara Hayden
(406) 243-4333
Steve Schwarze
(406) 243-4901


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Write a note on Press Note
Press NoteDefinition :
Press notes are those devices of communication, by which a Government policy or an important announcement is issued for the information of the public. In its nature, a press note is important as compared with the handout in all implicit and explicit aspects. It is usually drafted and composed in formal language from the textual point of view, no deviation is permissible. It also designed to communicate and transmit information in strict sense of the word, with no deviation allowable.
Basic points :From the study and examination of the definition and nature of the press note, we can deduce the basic points as enumerated below :
1. Press notes are issued by the Government for the information of the general public.
2. Press note contains information in unambiguous and categorical terms.
3. Press notes are invariably linked with the basic policy or stand of the Government on some specific issues.
4. Press notes are specially attuned to accuracy of presentation, whereby a sort of credibility is created.
5. Press notes are the effective tools of bridging the communication gap, by resorting to both the outward and the inward public relation.
6. Press notes normally carry the idea of firm stand on the part of the Government.
7. Press notes are usually reproduced in the newspaper and other mass media in the similar order and manner, as they are received.
8. Press notes are closely related to the announcements of Government's basic policy as such the newspapers cannot change, reduce or alter their contents in any manner.
9. Press notes as being firm stand and Governments basic policy, is not liable to frequent alteration. As such these are usually and decidedly the last work, which may, however, be revised if genuinely required.
10. The frequency of the press note is not the same as with the handouts. It is undertaken only to highlight the stand and the viewpoint of the Government on some significantly national event or issue and when needed.


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OK, here is my latest NaNoWriMo update! The end is near - and so is my 50,000 words!
My dad gets really excited when Save-on Foods in Nelson has a case-lot sale, so we recently took another trip over there, which of course, meant another lunch out! On a whim, my dad suggested we check out Nelson's Prestige Lakeside Resort, where there is a restaurant called Frisco's Steak & Seafood House. I was game, so off we went.
Frisco's is in a lovely spot, right overlooking the water and marina located at the resort. The restaurant is quite beautiful, too, with a darker but warm ambiance and a huge gas fireplace. It was pretty busy when we got there at 12:30, but the service was excellent and the place emptied out quickly as 1:00 approached. There was a hot buffet on offer, but nothing on it appealed to us, so we perused the lunch menu and found a lot to choose from.
My dad doesn't eat seafood at all, so he went with the Beef Tender Tips with Asparagus & Portabello Sizzler. He also wanted some soup (it was a chilly day) so he ordered the French Onion Prime Rib Soup. I had a tough time choosing between the Frisco's Seafood Salad and the Frisco Burger. In the end, I went with the burger with half Caesar salad and half fries.
Both of us made great choices, except Dad wasn't keen on the soup. He said it was kind of bland, not nice & rich as a French Onion should be. But he was very impressed with his Sizzler! It came out sizzling on a cast iron platter and Dad said it was really delicious.The Frisco Burger contained beer battered halibut on a sourdough bun, topped with pickle, lettuce, tomato, red onion, and tartar sauce. It was really good, but for a signature burger it was a little bit uninspired. It wasn't particularly interesting even though it was well-prepared and tasted great. The Caesar salad, on the other hand, was fabulous! This was not your typical Caesar dressing; it definitely seemed homemade and was far better than any Caesar dressing I've had in a restaurant in ages. The fries were also good. I loved the garnishes they used on our plates; you don't get that everywhere, let me tell you!Both of us were way too full to have dessert. The prices were very reasonable given the quality of the food and the portion sizes. I had a quick peek at the dinner menu and it's very fancy and has things on it like lobster dinners, Dungeness crab dinners, and very expensive steaks. I won't be having dinner there any time soon, I can tell you that, but I'd definitely go back for lunch!
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Lunch at Frisco's Seafood & Steak House
Posted by Wandering Coyote at 12:52 AM
Labels: lunch, Nelson BC, restaurant reviews, seafood, steak
4 comments:
- Palidor said...
Looks yum! Those are definitely good-size portions. Good call on the half salad, half fries.
- Thursday, November 26, 2009 3:51:00 AM
- A Year on the Grill said...
good food, but it's the time with Dad that makes me enjoy these stories
- Thursday, November 26, 2009 4:53:00 AM
- Natashya KitchenPuppies said...
I am definitely craving fish and chips now. I haven't had any in so long - so nice that you have this time with your father.
- Thursday, November 26, 2009 5:46:00 AM
ohman that food looks so good, the views look beautiful. How fun that you get to spend so much time with Dad.
- Thursday, November 26, 2009 1:42:00 PM
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The Magician's Tower
A Sequel to The Wizard of Dark StreeteBook - 2013
From the critics
Community Activity
CommentAdd a Comment
This series continues to be an entertaining blend of magic and mystery, with intrepid wizard apprentice/girl sleuth Oona Crate. I didn't like it quite as much as the first book in the series, but the puzzles and wordplay were enjoyable, and the world of Dark Street is well drawn.
Age SuitabilityAdd Age Suitability
svitlanapower thinks this title is suitable for 10 years and over
SummaryAdd a Summary
ona Crate is back and seeking out a mystery. But she won't be using magic, only her wit. She has made her way to Oswald park to attend the famous Magician's Tower Contest, which takes place every five years. Oona hadn't been to the park since a failed magic spell cost the lives of her mother and baby sister. Moving forward Oona will rely on the facts instead of magic. With her raven companion Deacon, Oona's latest adventure begins.
Oona gets a break in her boardom when she encounters a fortune teller named Madame Romania from Romania who promises to unfold information that will release Ooona from the burden of her mother and sister's deaths. Upon her visit they discover that the punchbowl oracle, which has the power to reveal this truth, is missing. It was out of the question for the fortune teller to go to the police. As a result, Oona takes it upon herself to solve the mystery of the missing oracle, in-spite of the wizards request for her to stay focused on the contest. It's up to Oona to solve this mystery, win the contest and make her long gone parents proud.
Odyssey has created another great adventure for middle grade readers. This latest mystery is full of puzzles, clues and a magical mystery that is sure to keep readers engaged and eager to solve the "whodunit" story. Mystical characters and vivid imagery make for a quick easy read. Parents and teachers will enjoy having this in their library.
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Book Excerpt
The creature, somehow sensing her thoughts, chooses this moment to lunge at her.
But Jarche is quick, quicker than most women her age—though it is true, also, that most women her age would have long rotted away. Then she is on the ground, and then she is drawing on the agan to propel herself through the air. The creature smashes into rock and trees along the way but she remains one step ahead of it, always one step until at last, she reaches the tower.
It takes flight, barreling towards her. She feels it smash against the tower wall. She ignores it now, making her way up the steps while she continues to focus on the spells that prevent the creature from overwhelming her thoughts.
About halfway up the tower, she sees a length of chain coiled around a post and attached to a hook. She takes it, marvelling at the rush she feels as soon as she touches the cold metal. A soft, blue glow emanates from her hands. She runs across the bridge, just in time to see the creature swoop below her. She fiddles with the hook and then throws it. It hits the creature as it passes by, digging right between its shoulder blades.
Both excitement and fear builds up inside Jarche's throat. Is she hesitating? The creature roars as it flails at the end of the chain. The tower shakes as it pulls; it will not be long before it will shake itself free.
She swallows, makes a decision. There is a chance she is wrong, but…
She jumps, grabbing the taut chain on the way down. Slime and grease coats her fingers and arms. She reaches the creature and is able to comprehend only enough to grab the chain and hold tight. For a moment, she has the sudden flash of memory of a man taking her hand and kissing it before he draws back to invite her to dance. Music, an orchestra, plays in the background.
Her mind turns blank.
About the Books
Series Title: The Agartes Epilogues
Author: K.S. Villoso
Genre: Epic Fantasy
Jaeth's Eye
It has been years since his brother's accident. Kefier was only just beginning to live a normal life–at least, as normal as it could get for a mercenary from a run-down town. And then an errand goes wrong and he finds himself holding his friend's bloody corpse. Already once branded a murderer, he is pursued by men he once considered friends and stumbles into the midst of a war between two mages. One bears a name long forgotten in legend; the other is young, arrogant Ylir, who takes special interest in making sure Kefier is not killed by his associates. The apex of their rivalry: a terrible creature with one eye, cast from the womb of a witch, with powers so immense whoever possesses it holds the power to bring the continent to its knees.
Now begins a tale with roots reaching beyond the end of another. Here, a father swears vengeance for his slain children; there, a peasant girl struggles to feed her family. A wayward prince finds his way home and a continent is about to be torn asunder. And Kefier is only beginning to understand how it all began the moment he stood on that cliff and watched his brother fall…
Aina's Breath
Enosh, apprentice to one of the richest merchants in the Kag, is secretly heir to a broken line of mages. Because of The Empire of Dageis' quest for sources of the agan–the life-source that mages use for power–his people have been reduced to scavengers, his culture diminished to a speck in the wind. For more than ten years, he has helped raise a conjured beast to use as a weapon against the Dageians. But Enosh's plans are falling apart. A powerful enemy has escaped and Enosh needs to capture him before he reaches Dageis. His quest is further complicated after he finds himself used as a pawn by Gasparian nobles.
On the other end of the continent, Sume, daughter to a Jin-Sayeng hero, must return to her roots to save her country and bring honour to her father's name. To do this, she must befriend a prince and understand the terrible, corrupting nature of power and the reason her father was driven to walk away from it all those years ago…
Meanwhile, Kefier, Enosh's agan-blind brother, is forced back into a life of violence. As he struggles with the notion that hands, once bloodied, never stay clean for long, he finds himself occupied with an unexpected burden: his own brother's daughter.
Sapphire's Flight
The battle at Shi-uin has left scars. The rise of Gorrhen yn Garr to power seems unstoppable. As nations fall, the lines between love and duty become blurred and Kefier, Sume, and Enosh must learn to live with the choices they have made.
Author Bio
K.S. Villoso was born in a dank hospital on an afternoon in Albay, Philippines, and things have generally been okay since then. After spending most of her childhood in a slum area in Taguig (where she dodged death-defying traffic, ate questionable food, and fell into open-pit sewers more often than one ought to), she and her family immigrated to Vancouver, Canada, where they spent the better part of two decades trying to chase the North American Dream. She is now living amidst the forest and mountains with her family, children, and dogs in Anmore, BC.
Social Media
Jaeth's Eye
Aina's Breath
Sapphire's Flight


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|Making friends in Jemaa el Fna
One of the best pleasure of travelling in Morocco is drinking glass after glass of delicious freshly-squeezed orange juice. In Morocco orange juice is served everywhere, and it is inexpensive if compared to Europe. It costs 4-5 dh (€ 0,35-0,43) in Jemaa el Fna, and usually not more than 10 dh (€ 0,86) in a restaurant. In Italy it would cost me at least €2,50 in a bar!
|Orange juice stall in Essaouira
|Olives for sale in Essaouira
A tajine is a traditional Berber dish that takes the name of the conical earthenware pot in which it is cooked. There are all sorts of colourful tajines for sale all over Morocco, but not all of them are good for cooking. The small ones that you often see and that could fit your hand luggage are usually for presentation or decoration.
|Vegetable tajine with orange juice in Marrakesh
Our next stop was to buy bread, milk, nuts and dried fruit for our dishes. The place they took us to was absolutely fascinating, a paradise for someone like me who loves all kinds of nuts. They also had many kinds of dates, whereas in Italy you can find only one.
|Mariam shopping for nuts in the old medina
It was very interesting to see how a very simple thing like peeling vegetables can be done differently in a different part of the world. The zucchini were peeled as you do with a potato for example, and they were of a lighter colour compared to the ones we normally use in Italy. The eggplant was also peeled, but only partially. I felt like a child again, learning the basics of cooking with my mother. There was a very relaxed atmosphere throughout the class, with the girls laughing at my crying while cutting the onions.
We disposed the vegetables in the bottom of the tajine: onions first, then potatoes, peas, zucchini and eggplant.
|Small tajines for sale in Marrakesh
|Spices for our cooking class
|Cooking class in Marrakesh
The tajine was left for 30 minutes on the stove, and then it was ready to be eaten!
|Beef stew with prunes and nuts, plus the avocado milkshake
|Fish for sale in Essaouira
And you, have you tried Moroccan food? What is your favourite Moroccan dish?


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Lafayette has seen a roughly 356 percent increase in shoplifting cases over the last five years, according to a 2018 municipal court report unveiled earlier this week.
There were 260 shoplifting cases in the city throughout 2017, the report indicates, up from just 57 in 2013. Of last year's shoplifting cases, 38 involved juveniles.
The cases are occurring almost exclusively at the city's Wal-Mart Supercenter, located at 745 U.S. 287, say officials who indicate that the crimes have eaten away almost $1 million from the local store's profits in years past.
In this year's report, "the assaults, harassments, thefts — the thing that really jumps out is the shoplifting, it's just epidemic," Lafayette Municipal Judge Roger Buchholz told City Council earlier this week, "and it's almost exclusively at Wal-Mart.
"It's just pretty shocking the number of shoplifting," he added. "Sometimes our ordinance docket is 90 percent shoplifting."
Lafayette Police Chief Rick Bashor suggested that the numbers delineated in this year's report are likely due to the store's hiring of a loss prevention officer — an employee typically hired as part of the security team at a retailer or other company.
About two years ago, "Wal-Mart hired a loss prevention officer that became very aggressive and very good at her job and we've seen these (numbers) go up," Bashor said. "Prior to this, (Wal-Mart was) kind of in flux with what they had for loss prevention; they weren't doing it on a regular basis, and weren't reporting it all the time.
"So I believe that's why (the numbers went up) and we can track that with Wal-Mart's hiring of her."
The Wal-Mart employee charged with this duty, who wasn't identified by company officials on Friday, is responsible for appearing in municipal court for all these cases.
Company officials also wouldn't share what specific tactics the store employs in catching shoplifters — methods believed to have raised the number of cases so drastically in recent years.
"We have in place throughout our stores a series of polices and procedures that are constantly being updated to better the safety of our customers and security of stores," Wal-Mart spokesman Charles Crowson said Friday.
"All of these approaches are taken on a store-by-store basis, what might be necessary and prudent at one might not be necessary at another."
Whether the increase is due in part to a crackdown in the store's policies in recent years or not, the number of shoplifting occurrences are still startling, officials say, and they stand in marked contrast to those in neighboring cities.
Louisville's shoplifting cases have hovered in the teens over the last several years, records indicate, topping out at 20 in 2016; last year, there were only 16.
Though specific numbers for Erie cases between 2013 and 2017 couldn't be accessed, Erie police Cmdr. Mike Haefel said Friday that the town didn't see more than a dozen of shoplifting instances last year. He indicated that those numbers were on par with recent years, and typically occurred at the town's local grocery stores.
In Superior, a 4-square-mile town that's dedicated a significant portion to big box stores like Costco, Super Target and a Whole Foods right off of U.S. 36, the town's shoplifting numbers reflect those of its two other east county neighbors: cases in the single digits in 2015 and 2016 and 22 cases last year, according to municipal records.
Shoplifting case numbers for Boulder and Longmont, which are handled by the Boulder County Combined Court, rather than municipal employees, were not readily available on Friday.
For first-time adult shoplifting offenders, Buchholz said, the punishment is typically 40 hours of community service. If caught a second and subsequent times after that, they will face jail time.
"I don't think there's really an excuse for a second offense," he said, "and sometimes people have 12 and 13 and 30 offenses over a lifetime."
Anthony Hahn: 303-473-1422, firstname.lastname@example.com


text: I have an iMac G5 and a PowerBook G4, and I am having a problem with my Java! I have a java based program that I want to install on my iMac, but when I try to install it, it just doesn't finish installing. And all of the java based things on the web don't work anymore. All of these things work on my powerbook which is OLD! All of these used to work on my iMac but they don't work anymore. Please help! Thank you!


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Valentine's has been and gone and maybe your four-legged family member missed out on some of the affections. Fear not – February 20th is International Love Your Pet Day – giving you another opportunity to lavish your pet with loving.
I know what you're thinking: "I love my pet every day", but here are five ideas to make today extra special for that furry friend in your life:
1. Grooming Session!
Chances are it's been a while since you last groomed your pet. Like their human counterparts, most pets relish the chance for a bit of grooming. There are many benefits including promoting a manageable, matt-free coat, stimulating good circulation and reducing the buildup of grease and grime. Furthermore, the more often you groom him the better you get to know him, both physically and mentally. And afterwards, why not award him for his accommodating behavior with a favorite treat.
2. Training
Imagine being stuck indoors all day… boring isn't it? By the time you get home you're tired and usually have a bunch of chores to do. Your pet on the other hand is raring to go, and behavioral issues can develop if they aren't getting the attention they deserve. Training can be tremendously rewarding for you and your pet and strengthens the bond of friendship. Think of it as fun and challenging; an opportunity to celebrate your pet's natural intelligence and a way to unlock their full potential. Progress can sometimes be slow, but persistence is the key!
3. Cat Massage
Just stroking your feline friend from nose to tail, gives kitty a feel-good massage that actually lowers their blood pressure and the build-up of stress. The slower you stroke, the more your cat will respond and don't forget to pay extra attention to those places they like best – under the cheeks, behind the ears and at the base of the tail. Cat massage is also a good opportunity to give your cat's coat a thorough check – looking out for any matting, lumps or bumps that might need medical attention.
4. Take Doggie for an Extra-Long Walk
Going on the same short, lackluster stroll every day? We all do it. Why not combat this mutt monotony by taking him on a longer-than-usual walk, or better still, to new, unexplored areas. Introducing him to a fresh route is a great way to socialize with other dogs, seek out new scents and engage him outside his normal routine. It's also a great way to burn off some extra energy and ultimately, he will love more you for it.
5. Start their Pet Health Record (PHR)
What better way to look out for your pet than starting up their own online health record? A Pet Health Record (PHR) from Activ4Pets gives you total control over your pet's health, with a complete history of their surgeries, medications, vaccinations and much more. Their PHR is accessible 24/7 from anywhere in the world, meaning you are 100% prepared in case of emergency. The Activ4Pets platform also gives you access to an online Second Medical Opinion and an eConsultation from our global network of top vets.


text:
Oregon Rainbow Gathering MP3s
Rainbow Spirit Soundtrack
This page has 18 of the songs from the Rainbow Spirit video, directly off the digital master copy. This is way higher quality than anything dupped off the video itself.
Rainbow Spirit Video
This is an online "sampled" version of the Rainbow Spirit music video. It's a stream, but runs more like a slide show than a video.
Rainbow Spirit Sound track
This is a realplayer audio stream of the soundtrack to Rainbow Spirit video.


text:
Fresh clashes erupted on Monday in Libya's eastern city of Misrata, between Libyan troops and fighters of the Islamic State group.
According to military officials, the fighting broke out at a time when armed forces in the city of Sirte, had announced their plans to recapture areas occupied by Islamic State militants. The city has been controlled by the rebel group since June 2015.
Meanwhile, in a meeting held in Vienna, Austria, the international community endorsed a request to arm and train Libyan soldiers to help step up the fight against the terror group.
It will provide material support, without foreign military intervention.
Twenty-five regional delegations signed the communique supporting the lifting of embargo on arms sales to #Libya. https://t.co/YtkVJr4mY9— africanews (@africanews) May 16, 2016


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Citing personal reasons related to the recent death of his wife, retired General Jack Keane has revealed he turned down an offer from President-elect Donald Trump to serve as secretary of defense.
Keane's wife, Theresa, passed away earlier this year after a battle with Parkinson's Disease.
"I was asked to serve, but I'm not able to. I have some personal issues surrounding the death of my wife recently, and I explained all that to Mr. Trump, and he was very gracious and understanding, and quite supportive," Keane said.
Following his meetings with Trump, Keane told NPR's Rachel Martin the New York businessman inquired of Keane who could best serve as defense secretary. Keane responded either retired Marine Corps General James Mattis or former CIA Director, General David Petraeus, could best fulfill the role.
Keane, a retired four-star general in the U.S. Army, served for 37 years. A veteran of the Vietnam War, Keane held commands with the 10th Mountain Division, the 101st Airborne Division and the XVIII Airborne Corps.
Following his retirement in 2003, Keane held several positions on advisory boards and co-wrote a research paper entitled "Choosing Victory: A Plan for Success in Iraq". The outline served as the basis for President Bush's 2007 "surge" to Iraq, where an additional 21,000 troops were deployed to secure and protect critical areas around Baghdad and al-Anbar, Iraq.
Keane has also been featured as an occasional contributor with Fox News on military and national-security issues and is a lobbyist with AM General, an Indiana-based firm which develops and manufactures heavy military vehicles.
[NPR] [Photo courtesy Fox News Radio]


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170) Cinco classicos da Guerra Fria (ainda atuais)
Bear Market
Cold War classics for an age of a resurgent Russia
The Wall Street Journal, Saturday, December 29, 2007
1. "The Twenty Years' Crisis: 1919-1939" by E.H. Carr (Macmillan, 1939)
Published in 1939 just before Hitler invaded Poland, "The Twenty Years' Crisis: 1919-1939" was one of the first modern books on world politics in the classic tradition of Thucydides and Machiavelli. During the long weekend between the two world wars, says British scholar E.H. Carr (1892-1982), there was in the English-speaking world an almost "total neglect of the factor of power." Like Reinhold Niebuhr, whom he often quotes, Carr believes that a balance of power among states is the starting point in foreign policy but that morality is an essential consideration. Utopian "superstructures such as the League of Nations," he said, were not the answer. Carr's critics point to his early pro-Nazi stance and his muddled thinking about communist Russia. He once wrote that "the Russian Revolution gave me a sense of history" and it "turned me into a historian." That said, this book remains a seminal work on the realism that instructed U.S. and British Cold War statesmen.
2. "Darkness at Noon" by Arthur Koestler (Macmillan, 1941)
Born into a learned Jewish family in Budapest, Arthur Koestler (1905-83) was educated in pre-Nazi Germany. He became a Communist, served as a journalist in the Spanish Civil War and later visited the Soviet Union--experiences that led him to conclude that both fascism and Marxism were evil political religions. Fluent in five languages, he wrote the novel "Darkness at Noon," one of the 20th century's most stirring anticommunist works, in English. He said that his characters in "Darkness at Noon" were fictitious but that "their actions are real," a composite of Stalin's "so-called Moscow Trials" and its victims, several of whom he knew personally. This intimacy with real victims enabled Koestler to make vivid the torture, brainwashing and forced confessions of uncommitted crimes. With consummate skill he underscored the vital moral issues of the Cold War, indeed of the human drama.
3. "The Children of Light and the Children of Darkness" by Reinhold Niebuhr (Scribner, 1944)
Reinhold Niebuhr (1892-1971), born in St. Louis of German parents, was the best-known American moral philosopher of his time. Following his pioneering "Moral Man and Immoral Society" (1932) and his monumental "Nature and Destiny of Man" (1942), this slim volume, with its primer-like title, may seem like a trivial afterthought. But it is a profound analysis of man and history, and of democracy, then under siege by Hitler and Stalin. Calling his book "a vindication of democracy and a critique of its traditional defense," Niebuhr argues that "man's capacity for justice makes democracy possible; but man's inclination to injustice makes democracy necessary."
4. "The Super-Powers" by William T.R. Fox (Harcourt, 1944)
William T.R. Fox (1912-88), a Yale scholar, is generally credited with coining the word "superpower" with the publication of this book. Writing even as World War II rages, he invokes classic concepts such as the balance of power to explain the dynamics of the coming postwar world. A morally sensitive realist, Fox castigates dreamers like the Federal Council of Churches executive who in 1942 declared bluntly that "alliances and balances of power . . . are destructive of world peace," and he disabused his readers of any thought that the nascent United Nations would be able to maintain peace and order.
5. "The True Believer" by Erich Hoffer (Harper & Row, 1951)
Six years after Hiroshima, as the Cold War was revving up, this slender volume by self-educated longshoreman Eric Hoffer (1902-83) came off the presses to immediate acclaim. In idiosyncratic prose, Hoffer offers his "thoughts on the nature of mass movements," from early Christianity to the rise of modern totalitarian states. He condemns with equal fervor Hitler's Germany, Stalin's Russia and Western intellectuals seduced by their own guilt-ridden longings for utopia. Throughout his days as a blue-collar worker, Hoffer said, he "read indiscriminately everything within reach," and he quotes just as freely, from the Bible, Milton, Dostoevsky, Tocqueville, Thomas a Kempis and Yeats. Hoffer, an unabashed American patriot, championed honesty, integrity and the work ethic.
Mr. Lefever, a senior fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center, is the author of The Irony of Virtue: Ethics and American Power (1998) and America's Imperial Burden (1999).


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Taking risks is scary but leaving yourself with regrets is much worse. And more often than not we regret the risk not taken. So in an effort to curb our regrets, we become quick to act when we see something we want or when we believe a golden opportunity has graced our lives with its presence. We'll say to fate, "not again, I'm not going to let this pass me by like the last time" and we'll go for it, whatever it may be. In doing so, we hope to claim the reward we've let slip through our fingers time and time again while growing a little more as individuals.
But at the same time one shouldn't fear regret because it may make you risk unnecessarily. It may make you feel urgency where there should be none, causing you to rush and misstep, thereby forfeiting your chances and finding yourself regretting your choices once again. It seems that caring too much AND caring too little are equally detrimental and lead you down the same road you were trying to avoid. And they do. It's because they are both overcorrections, and just like driving, overcorrecting yourself will cause you to swerve and fishtail when approaching an important junction in life…giving you no real control over which road you end up taking.
So what do you do? Do you just move along somewhere in the middle, accepting everything as it comes without making a decision to care too much or too little? Or do you only act on the risks that seem good for you–when the juice is worth the squeeze? Because it can be hard to tell what is actually good for you and by the time you can tell, it may be too late to make a decision: either you get locked into the risk or you get locked into the regret. While accepting everything as it comes leaves you susceptible to the whims of chance and circumstance with no real power over the direction things go…and the second you decide to take power over the situation you are showing you care AND you are taking a risk, so once again you may misstep and wind up falling flat on your face.
The reality is life is a balancing act and there is no right or wrong way to approach this. Sometimes you risk and win, sometimes you risk and lose, while regrets are just a fact of life. Take it all in stride. You'll learn from your decisions and balance yourself out over time. If you feel something is good for you and see an opportunity then go for it…you may end up failing but don't be discouraged because one day you will win big. And then you'll learn to appreciate your risks and regrets because they guided you straight to that jackpot that has eluded you for so long. Or at least you'll know that jackpot is on the horizon and is just waiting for you to do the right combination of things to win it.
You just have to keep going and remain strong, never losing faith in yourself or your decisions. Do your best not to overcorrect when the road forks and you have no idea which way to go. But above all, make sure you stay focused on your goals and desires while appreciating what you do have in life. Sometimes we risk for things that will lead us from our paths and other times we regret things that may not have been the best for us anyways…guessing is the essence of the human condition for we can't know everything and some would even say we can't know *anything* for certain. But that's the beauty of it–the mystery and the suspense. Yeah, there may be pain involved but as someone once told me, pain is life's admission. And while that may be true, I believe new experiences are the reward. We can't grow if we don't risk and what is the purpose of a life without growth?
The uncertainty of life is certain but that should be more liberating than restricting because it means the possibilities are endless. You can wind up anywhere with anyone doing anything. So don't shy away from risk and don't fear regret. Just accept them for what they are and continue down the path that seems the best for you. There's no way to tell if you missed out on a better path or not but as long as you are happy with things there can really be nothing better. And if you aren't happy then you have all the power in the world to change that. The power comes from your mindset and your mindset comes from your attitude. Change your attitude, change your mindset, change your life, change the world.


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I saw an announcement from the Obama Administration that the Federal Deficit for 2011 would be $1.7T. This morning I see big headlines about a momentous fight in the House over cutting $60B from the next budget. The article called it a massacre and suggested that it was the biggest cut in history! This is absolutely part of the big lie, from all concerned. The Republicans, and everyone else, know that $60B in one years budget is a rounding error. It is meaningless. The American public is being sold another big lie.
Also, historically in these things, these really aren't cuts, but a reduction in the new spending levels. In other words, making up an example, if the spending on these areas last year was, say, $600B, and the new level is $700B, the actual level, after the great cuts by the Republicans, would be $640B, or still an increase of 6.67%. In typical fashion, the news article does not make it clear what has been "cut".
What are we to make of BO's announcement that the deficit will be $1.7? HA! As I noted in my recent post on the debt, last years deficit was announced as $1.7, but in fact the increased debt on the Treasury's balance sheet was $3.3T. So, two things: First, it is unlikely that the deficit will only be $1/7T. The government will overspend and under collect. Employment will not improve as predicted and Social Security and Medicare will require more cash from the budget. Interest rates will also probably be higher than predicted. The deficit will be much wider than his public statement. Second, the "off the budget" obligations will further balloon the actual debt, which, after all, in reality, is what will soak up any real savings the public accumulates. In spite of all the posturing and back patting, the Republicans will have done nothing to keep us out of a depression. Who will tell them?
How MoSCoW Can Fix America's Spending Problem - In the past several years, I have been working on managing a multitude of requirements within a government project so that the objective was achieved on ti...
1 year ago


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Stilton Tart with Cranberry Chutney (Page 34)
- Date: Saturday, December 15, 2007 -- 7pm
- Location: Bloomington, IN
- Kitchen: My Apartment
- Fellow Chef: Matty
- Dining Companions: Mike M, Teresa, Paul K, Beth, Lauren K, Jeremy, Ayelet, Michael L, Ann, Daniel L, Kent, Sue, Allan, Ann E, Jim, Marcia, Vladimir, Kitty, Muriel, Marc, and Tricia
- Recipe Rating: B-
I made this hors d'oeuvre for our holiday party on Saturday. It wasn't bad, but I also wasn't crazy about it. The crust was fine: a typical pate brisee recipe with some shortening added. The time suggested for blind-baking it wasn't long enough to get a nice golden brown. I was cautious and took it out when the recipe indicated, figuring that it would brown more during the second bake. It was a mistake to do so though. The crust came out pasty looking, and not tasting as deliciously cooked as it could have. The filling was decent. I like blue cheese a lot, and expected to be head over heels for this filling (Stilton, eggs, heavy cream...). However it came out much more quiche-like than I expected. I was hoping for more cheese and less eggs. I'm sure it is more crowd-friendly this way, as some people aren't big on blue cheese, but it would have been much more interesting had the cheese been more intense. The cranberry chutney was the highlight of the dish (see post below). The Book suggested that this is a time-saving type appetizer because it is made as one big tart and then cut into pieces. True, that is easier than making lots of little pieces, but it wasn't terribly visually appealing. If you are going to make an appetizer as fussy as this one, you might as well go all the way with the fuss. I don't see the point of cutting a few corners, but not others. Overall, this recipe was fine. However, I would have preferred a nice cracker, spread with blue cheese and topped with the chutney. That would have been a much bolder combination of flavors, and just as visually appealing.
Here is the recipe.
Apparently I have rapidly adjusted to my new small-town lifestyle. I am so used to Bloomington, that being in Chicago these past few days has been a shock to my system. Don't get me wrong, I love Chicago, but the traffic is driving me nuts! I have been driving back and forth each day between where I am staying and where V lives. Google maps tells me that this is 5.6 miles, and that it will take 18 minutes. Last night it took more than 45. I have never been one to get impatient in traffic. I drove in Boston, and city driving in Boston is probably comparable to city driving in Chicago. But, I have been away from all that now for 4 months, living in Bloomington, where the only time there is any traffic is if there is a football game. And now, apparently, I have lost whatever traffic tolerance I had built up! In a few minutes Matty and I are going to make our last battle with Chicago traffic for a while, and attempt to drive to Ohare, and then Madison. Maybe I will let him drive...
I have been thinking lately about where I would ultimately like to live. Of course there is no real geographic flexibility in my line of work, but it is still interesting to dream. The truth is, even after all my coastal living of the last few years, I think if I could choose I would live in the Midwest. I am loving being back in the Midwest. I am even loving living in a small town. It's hard to explain, but it really suits me.
Speaking of Midwestern small(ish) towns, we should head off to Madison now...


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On a whim, I re-spritzed the stamp with water without adding any more color and was able to get another softer stamp out of it. Multigenerational stamping certainly isn't new, but I was unsure that I had enough ink on the stamp to accomplish it. Totally recommend it.
This next set was with Pop Pop Poppy (40-330), Heartfelt (30-286), and Wall Paper Print background (40-134) stamps. It was my first card of the day- I used abandoned coral and picked raspberry as the Distress colors...way to much pink for me. I should have gone with a tone-on-tone texture, like an embossing folder.
I am linking to Penny Black website for the stamps so you can see them- but I bought mine at my local scrapbook store, Photo Scraps.
Aww -- super cool. Penny Black kindly tweeted one of my cards!
Simple and oh-so-lovely! https://t.co/BombNPHNm9
— Penny Black (@pennyblackinc) May 24, 2015


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EPL: Manchester City 2 - 0 Watford
Raheem Sterling scored the first Premier League goal of his Manchester City career in a 2-0 victory over Watford as Manuel Pellegrini's men achieved a new club record of 10 consecutive wins.
Sterling's close-range strike just after half-time broke a resolute Watford defence that was opened up a second time when Fernandinho netted his second goal of a season in which City look hot favourites for the title after a flawless start to the campaign that leaves them top.
Quique Sanchez Flores' Watford side deserved credit for a first-half defensive display in which they stifled the league's most potent attack, but there was a sense of inevitability about the result once the deadlock was broken at the Etihad Stadium.
City are now one victory away from equalling Chelsea and Liverpool's record winning streaks of 11 games, but on this kind of form they look well capable of breaking the Premier League record of 14, set by Arsenal in 2002.
City were unchanged from the side that beat Everton 2-0 last Sunday, while Flores dropped Ikechi Anya to the bench and replaced him with Almen Abdi.
The hosts started brightly, with Sterling – a close-season signing from Liverpool – causing havoc down the left and linking up effectively with David Silva to put Watford under pressure from the outset.
Yaya Toure wasted no time in making his presence felt, felling Abdi with a challenge from behind that earned him a stern word from referee Mark Clattenburg.
Sergio Aguero, keen to add to his only goal of the season so far in the 3-0 win over Chelsea, attempted to weave his way through the packed Watford defence, but Etienne Capoue made a key interception to prevent the Argentine from getting his shot away.
The home side began to show the first signs of frustration when Aguero was scythed down outside the box, and Aleksandar Kolarov blazed the resulting free-kick well over the crossbar.
Watford's disciplined defending stifled their hosts' early threat, and Toure started to push forward and add power and guile to the City attack.
Bacary Sagna tested Heurelho Gomes when he managed to snatch a shot after a goalmouth scramble, shortly before the Brazilian goalkeeper had to get down quickly to brilliantly turn Sterling's close-range shot round a post.
After 40 minutes of almost non-stop defending, cracks started to show in the Watford rearguard, but Aguero fired just wide from 20 yards out when a mistake by Abdi allowed him to shoot, and Watford's impressive first-half performance was rewarded with a blank scoresheet at the break.
Pellegrini sent on Samir Nasri for Jesus Navas, allowing Sterling to move into attack, and within one minute the substitution paid off, when a cross by Sagna found Sterling, who had lost his marker and enjoyed the easiest of tap-ins from close range to open his account for City.
Less than 10 minutes later, the lead was doubled when a Toure free-kick hit the wall, but the rebound fell to Silva, who teed up Fernandinho with a brilliant pass into the area and the Brazilian smashed it home into the far corner from an acute angle.
Watford should have pulled one back when a Troy Deeney stepover brilliantly played in Anya, but Sagna made a last-ditch block to keep Joe Hart's clean sheet safe.


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(February 2008)
Contact: Marjorie Lyons Playhouse, 318-869-5242
Peanuts! Peanuts! Get your PEANUTS!
Shreveport, LA - Charles Schultz's beloved gang is gathering at Marjorie Lyons Playhouse for a game of baseball, Beethoven's birthday, music and dancing. Bring the whole family and see your favorite comic strip characters come to life as they raise Charlie Brown's spirits. The gang needs your applause and laughter to convince him "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown!"
The gang will meet at Centenary College's Marjorie Lyons Playhouse Thurs., Feb. 28, through Sun., March 2. The show starts at 8 p.m. on Thurs., Feb. 28; Fri., Feb. 29;, and Sat. March 1. The Sunday matinee on March 2 will begin at 2 p.m.
Ticket prices are $10 for all adults and $1 for children accompanied by an adult (cash or check only).
The box office will be open daily starting Feb. 21 from noon to 4 p.m. For reservations, please call 318-869-5242.


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I discovered an interesting weather website today (for Wichita) - you can plug in the "from and to" dates and get a lot of data about the weather during the time span you request. So, not wanting to do real work this afternoon I compared May 1st thru Aug 11th for this year vs 2011 and 2012 (the two years if you recall that were VERY HOT and DRY..) what I found is:
In 2011, between the above dates mentioned, there were 41 days of 100 degree temps or higher...the highest was 111, the avg. daily high temp was 92 degrees and 11.95 inches of rain fell over the 3 1/2 month period.
In 2012, same date range, there were 34 days of 100 degree temps or higher...the highest again was 111, the avg daily high temp increased to 94 degrees and only 5.19 inches of rain fell over that 3 1/2 month period. That's when the lake was way down, something like 6 feet and mostly all, if not all farm ponds, etc. were empty.
In 2017, it has seemed like a cooler summer overall thus far - let's see if it has been...the same date range as the above two years, this summer since May 1, there have been 9 days of 100 degree temps or higher...the highest 107 on July 22nd, the avg daily high temp has been 87 degrees and 12.59 inches of rain have fallen during this past 3 1/2 month period.
Again, the above data was for EISENHOWER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT in Wichita, where the official Wichita weather measurements are taken I believe. So, it has been cooler for sure this summer overall, the avg daily high temp 7 degrees lower than that HOT and DRY 2012 summer not so long ago. I will take this summer over either 2011 or 2012 and most of you would as well I'm sure.
It is supposed to start warming up again by mid-week though, with highs forecast back into the 90's so summer isn't over, just hasn't been as bad though as some in the past...and to that I say - "Cool"!


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The script is posted below the video.
Tarrif Ruling
Multimedia Drive information
Steven Baker's Firm
LuigiBlood's Twitter
Hard4Games' Twitter
Hello YouTube!
This is PushDustIn from Source Gaming, and I have an interesting discovery to share with you today.
There is some evidence that there might have been a third add-on for the N64 that was developed.
Now of course, Nintendo is always testing and trying out new things, but generally we don't hear a lot about it.
Some of you may be thinking — "wait, a third add-on? The N64 didn't have any add-ons!"
Well, my friend there was one that was officially released. The N64: Disk Drive. As many of you are probably aware, the Disk Drive was released in Japan in 1999. The Disk Drive, as the name implies allowed gamers to load disk games into their N64. Sometimes this was an expansion pack, other times it would've been whole new games. For more information on the Disk Drive, please check out Hard 4 Games YouTube channel, as they have uploaded a lot of amazing content related to the Disk Drive.
The second device was the Multimedia Drive. This is where things get interesting.
So far, the Multimedia Drive has not been found in the wild — only patents exist for it. Therefore, we are unsure if Nintendo actually produced any of these guys.
The patents were discovered by DS2 on Assembler Games last year.
Reading through the patents reveals that Nintendo had BIG ideas for the N64. The multimedia drive would have allowed players to watch TV while playing their games, and connect to the Internet for online play, and to download games!
Can you imagine playing Mario Kart 64 online with friends? Of course this would've been over dial up connection for a lot of people, but that would have made my childhood!
I was researching the N64 DD, and talking to LuigiBlood about the disk format. We were discussing if the disks were ZIP-Disks or not. LuigiBlood remembered a tariff classification ruling that he thought had the format listed on it. Upon closer inspection, LuigiBlood realized that it was not talking about the Disk Drive, nor the Multimedia Drive! The tariff ruling classifies it as "N1" so that's how I will refer to is.
There are several parts where the N1 is different from the Disk Drive and the Multimedia Drive.
The first, is that there is a disc-drive. While the DD was a disc-drive, it didn't have a modem built into it, nor did have a hard drive as the N1! The Multimedia Drive did not have a disc-drive.
The second, is that N1 would have "The video processing circuitry of the N1 accessory provides enhanced imaging while not burdening the N64 processors". This is not mentioned in the Multimedia Drive patents, nor is it present in the DD. The DD relies on the expansion pack for upgraded graphics.
Lastly, the N1 has a magnetic storage drive and security software to transfer data from the N1's hard drive. The patents for the Multimedia Drive does cover some security software, but as far as the patents goes, it would have existed in the same location as the harddrive.
Another interesting tidbit is this device was being imported from South Korea. This means that Nintendo might have partnered with another company to create the N1. If we are thinking of South Korean tech companies that Nintendo might have partnered with, Samsung is probably a good choice. However, we only know the law firm that represented the company, and not the company itself. Steven W. Baker is listed on the tariff ruling, and the law firm specializes in practice of Customs and International Trade law.
Again, big shout out to LuigiBlood for helping me with the research, and answering my questions on the DD, the Multimedia Drive and the N1. I'll be including a link to his YouTube on the screen, so please check out his channel. His Twitter will be linked in the description below. You can also follow me!
Anyway, what do you think? Let us know in the comments below!
Stay subscribed to Source Gaming for more news, discussions and interesting trivia that you won't find elsewhere.
Latest posts by PushDustIn (see all)
- Straight from the Source: Koji Igarashi on Castlevania in Smash, Bloodstained - October 16, 2018
- Sakurai Discusses Isabelle, Echoes, and Newcomers - September 26, 2018
- EVERYONE IS HERE, Waiting in Line at Best Buy - September 17, 2018


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|Version 44 (modified by yyzhuang, 3 years ago) (diff)
About Sensibility Testbed
Ever wondered what science could achieve if any researcher can get data from other people's smartphones? Imagine that we would simply write a few lines of code, fire it up on a number of strangers' phones, and within minutes we would know where the dead spots of our mobile data plans are. We could also have a zero-cost navigation system when no GPS or any other location services are available: we could achieve this by establishing a Bluetooth connection with a neighboring device and get the location data from it. If we constantly monitor accelerometer data on mobile devices, we can detect vibrations within the frequency and intensity range of seismic waves, and assist distributed earthquake detection. These all sound fantastic, except that who would let us get data off their devices? Our friends and family would probably trust us. Other people? Not so much.
The privacy and security challenges on mobile devices have increased dramatically over the years. While having apps post tweets to user's Twitter account without asking for permission is seriously off-putting, hacked apps that let criminals break into individual's bank account are detrimental. Running code to collect data from smartphones is much more complex than it sounds. We not only need to ensure the security of a device so that the code that does the data collection cannot damage or hack into the device. We also must protect the privacy of a device owner so that the code cannot eavesdrop phone conversations, steal passwords, etc.
Sensibility Testbed is a smartphone testbed that allows researchers to run code and perform measurements on others' smartphones for research purposes. It ensures the security of user-owned devices, and the privacy of user-generated data. The usage model of Sensibility Testbed is unique in that it manages how device owners make their devices accessible to different research communities without putting their devices at risk. Meanwhile, it offers technical resources that allow researchers to collect data from remote mobile devices without impairing the device owner's privacy. As an added bonus, different research groups can pick, choose, share and reuse each others' user base.
Sensibility Testbed: Tutorial and Demo
Download To donate resources to the Sensibility Testbed, please download our app from Google Play.
Setup The setup and instructions of how to run code on the Sensibility Testbed, and the API to access currently supported sensors can be found at project demo page.
Local debug If you would like to debug Sensibility code locally on your phone, here is a way to do it.
Sensibility Testbed Overview
Researchers run experiments in Sensibility Testbed by writing code for a restricted, Python-based sandbox. This is the same security-reviewed Repy (Restricted Python) sandbox used in the Seattle testbed [4]. This sandbox has been deployed on the Seattle testbed over the last 6 years. Our experience has shown that the risk of it being faulty is very low. The Repy sandbox is restricted in that its API limits what a sandboxed program can do: reading from and writing to the file system can only occur in a per-experiment directory; sending and receiving data via the network interface cannot exceed a configured rate; CPU, memory and battery consumption cannot exceed a limit, etc. Therefore, the sandbox isolates the program from the rest of the device. More importantly, the sandbox allows us to interject code to implement privacy policies and control what happens with the data gathered on the device.
Why Sensibility Testbed
First, in our testbed, device owners participate as volunteers, and researchers request these devices through our server. This server, which is called a clearinghouse, mediates remote device access, but does not store any personal data. As a result, Sensibility Testbed relieves researchers from recruiting participants and allows different groups to share all the devices participated in the testbed. Additionally, Sensibility Testbed does not require researchers to write full-fledged Android apps to perform experiments. Instead, it provides an easy-to-use Python-like programming interface. Last but not the least, using Sensibility Testbed, device owners do not need to trust the researchers who run code on their devices. As you will see later in this article, Sensibility Testbed provides a secure, sandboxed environment for anyone to run experiment code on Android devices. This can effectively prevent potential security and privacy breaches. If you are interested in how to setup a clearinghouse, please refer to this page.
How Sensibility Testbed Works
In Sensibility Testbed, there are three categories of interacting parties: mobile devices owned by ordinary people, with our app installed; a clearinghouse server that discovers and configures participating devices; and researchers wanting to run experiments on mobile devices (see Figure 1). These three parties interact as follows. Mobile devices provide resources and data for researchers to use in their experiments. As mentioned above, researchers' code runs in a sandbox on a remote device that isolates the code from the rest of the device host system. Meanwhile, our clearinghouse server helps researchers acquire and manage devices, and enforces policies specified by the researcher's Institutional Review Board (IRB), thus protecting device owners' personal information. Finally, researchers use their local machines to initiate and control experiments in Sensibility Testbed. They use an experiment tool (ET) to deploy and run experiments in sandboxes on remote devices that are acquired through the clearinghouse.
Figure 1: Sensibility Testbed architecture.
In the following, let us suppose a researcher, Bob, runs an experiment on a device owner, Alice's smartphone. To understand how policies are implemented, we need to start with the Sensibility Testbed app. The app on Alice's device contains a native Android portion, and our Repy sandbox. When Alice starts the app, the native code initializes a Python interpreter, launches the Repy sandbox, and starts the communication between the device and our clearinghouse. The sandbox's restricted, secure API provides calls to file system, networking, threading functions, and so on. Therefore, Bob's code can read files, send data through the network, etc., from Alice's device. However, the original Repy sandbox does not include calls specific to mobile devices, such as GPS location, WiFi network, Bluetooth, accelerometer, cellular network, etc.
To obtain smartphone-specific data, we first implemented our sensor API using native code in the Sensibility Testbed Android app. The Repy sandbox then uses RPC to invoke the corresponding Android code, and returns the data from native code to a sandboxed program. The Repy sandbox thus defines a set of sensor API as higher level calls, such as get_location(), get_wifi(), get_accelerometer(), etc. As such, the original Repy interface and the added sensor API together provide the complete "OS level" sandbox kernel on a mobile device, as shown in Figure 2.
Figure 1: Sensibility Testbed blur policies.
Finally, this sandbox kernel determines how policies are implemented by affecting API calls. It can interpose on a call and modify the data returned, or control the frequency a call can be made over time. As mentioned above, Bob provided his IRB policies through our clearinghouse. So before Bob runs his experiment, the clearinghouse instructs the sandbox on Alice's device to restrict sensor access in accordance with these IRB policies. Using the get_location()call as an example, when Bob's code requests location data from Alice's device, the Repy sandbox first invokes the location-related Android code. As the location data is returned, Bob's IRB policy indicates that the returned location coordinates should be blurred to the nearest city to Alice's device, instead of her actual location. As a result, the sandbox returns an approximate location to Bob's program. Furthermore, as Bob's IRB policy disallows collecting information about cell tower IDs, the access to cell IDs is blocked entirely on Alice's device. Similarly, other information like WiFi SSID can be blurred to a hashed string, the frequency to access an accelerometer can be restricted to prevent inferring passwords from the movement and tilt of the device, and so on. As shown in Figure 2, different policies can be stacked together as a set of filters for different sensors, before a sandboxed program can access the sensor data.
Sensor API
This page lists all the currently supported sensors, and how to use our API to access these sensors.
Related Publications and Websites
[1] J. Cappos, L. Wang, R. Weiss, Y. Yang, and Y. Zhuang. BlurSense: Dynamic fine-grained access control for smartphone privacy. Sensors Applications Symposium (SAS), 2014. (pdf)
[2] A. Rafetseder, F. Metzger, L. Puhringer, K. Tutschku, Y. Zhuang, and J. Cappos. Sensorium–a generic sensor framework. Praxis der Informationsverarbeitung und Kommunikation, 36(1):46–46, 2013. (pdf)
[3] Open3GMap. https://o3gm.cs.univie.ac.at/
[4] J. Cappos, A. Dadgar, J. Rasley, J. Samuel, I. Beschastnikh, C. Barsan, A. Krishnamurthy, T. Anderson. Retaining Sandbox Containment Despite Bugs in Privileged Memory-Safe Code. ACM Conference on Computer and Communications Security (CCS'10, pdf)
Project Blog
Here is the blog which reports some of our latest progress.
Appropriate Use Panel
For information how to obtain our data or share sensor data with us, please visit Sensibility Testbed Appropriate Data Use Panel page.
- Prof. Justin Cappos
- Yanyan Zhuang
- Albert Rafetseder
- Prof. Richard Weiss
- Dennis Mirante
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