text:
Chasm of comprehension
Last year, Google's AI AlphaGo beat Korean Lee Sedol in Go, a game many expected humans to continue to dominate for years, if not decades, to come.
With the 37th move in the match's second game, AlphaGo landed a surprise on the right-hand side of the 19-by-19 board that flummoxed even the world's best Go players, including Lee Sedol. "That's a very strange move," said one commentator, himself a nine dan Go player, the highest rank there is. "I thought it was a mistake," said the other. Lee Sedol, after leaving the match room, took nearly fifteen minutes to formulate a response. Fan Gui—the three-time European Go champion who played AlphaGo during a closed-door match in October, losing five games to none—reacted with incredulity. But then, drawing on his experience with AlphaGo—he has played the machine time and again in the five months since October—Fan Hui saw the beauty in this rather unusual move.
Indeed, the move turned the course of the game. AlphaGo went on to win Game Two, and at the post-game press conference, Lee Sedol was in shock. "Yesterday, I was surprised," he said through an interpreter, referring to his loss in Game One. "But today I am speechless. If you look at the way the game was played, I admit, it was a very clear loss on my part. From the very beginning of the game, there was not a moment in time when I felt that I was leading."
The first time Gary Kasparov sensed deep intelligence in Deep Blue, he described the computer's move as a very human one.
I GOT MY FIRST GLIMPSE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE ON Feb. 10, 1996, at 4:45 p.m. EST, when in the first game of my match with Deep Blue, the computer nudged a pawn forward to a square where it could easily be captured. It was a wonderful and extremely human move. If I had been playing White, I might have offered this pawn sacrifice. It fractured Black's pawn structure and opened up the board. Although there did not appear to be a forced line of play that would allow recovery of the pawn, my instincts told me that with so many "loose" Black pawns and a somewhat exposed Black king, White could probably recover the material, with a better overall position to boot.
But a computer, I thought, would never make such a move. A computer can't "see" the long-term consequences of structural changes in the position or understand how changes in pawn formations may be good or bad.
Humans do this sort of thing all the time. But computers generally calculate each line of play so far as possible within the time allotted. Because chess is a game of virtually limitless possibilities, even a beast like Deep Blue, which can look at more than 100 million positions a second, can go only so deep. When computers reach that point, they evaluate the various resulting positions and select the move leading to the best one. And because computers' primary way of evaluating chess positions is by measuring material superiority, they are notoriously materialistic. If they "understood" the game, they might act differently, but they don't understand.
So I was stunned by this pawn sacrifice. What could it mean? I had played a lot of computers but had never experienced anything like this. I could feel--I could smell--a new kind of intelligence across the table. While I played through the rest of the game as best I could, I was lost; it played beautiful, flawless chess the rest of the way and won easily.
Later, in the Kasparov-Deep Blue rematch that IBM's computer won, again a move in the 2nd game was pivotal. There is debate or whether the move was a mistake or intentional on the part of the computer, but it flummoxed Kasparov (italics mine):
'I was not in the mood of playing at all,'' he said, adding that after Game 5 on Saturday, he had become so dispirited that he felt the match was already over. Asked why, he said: ''I'm a human being. When I see something that is well beyond my understanding, I'm afraid.''
At the news conference after the game, a dark-eyed and brooding champion said that his problems began after the second game, won by Deep Blue after Mr. Kasparov had resigned what was eventually shown to be a drawn position. Mr. Kasparov said he had missed the draw because the computer had played so brilliantly that he thought it would have obviated the possibility of the draw known as perpetual check.
''I do not understand how the most powerful chess machine in the world could not see simple perpetual check,'' he said. He added he was frustrated by I.B.M.'s resistance to allowing him to see the printouts of the computer's thought processes so he could understand how it made its decisions, and implied again that there was some untoward behavior by the Deep Blue team.
Asked if he was accusing I.B.M. of cheating, he said: ''I have no idea what's happening behind the curtain. Maybe it was an outstanding accomplishment by the computer. But I don't think this machine is unbeatable.''
Mr. Kasparov, who defeated a predecessor of Deep Blue a year ago, won the first game of this year's match, but it was his last triumph, a signal that the computer's pattern of thought had eluded him. He couldn't figure out what its weaknesses were, or if he did, how to exploit them.
Legend has it that a move in Game One and another in Game Two were actually just programming glitches that caused Deep Blue to make random moves that threw Kasparov off, but regardless, the theme is the same: at some point he no longer understood what the program was doing. He no longer had a working mental model, like material advantage, for his computer opponent.
This year, a new version of AlphaGo was unleashed on the world: AlphaGo Zero.
As many will remember, AlphaGo—a program that used machine learning to master Go—decimated world champion Ke Jie earlier this year. Then, the program's creators at Google's DeepMind let the program continue to train by playing millions of games against itself. In a paper published in Nature earlier this week, DeepMind revealed that a new version of AlphaGo (which they christened AlphaGo Zero) picked up Go from scratch, without studying any human games at all. AlphaGo Zero took a mere three days to reach the point where it was pitted against an older version of itself and won 100 games to zero.
That AlphaGo Zero had nothing to learn from playing the world's best humans, and that it trounced its artificial parent 100-0, is evolutionary velocity of a majesty not seen since the ectomorphs in the Alien movie franchise. It is also, in its arrogance, terrifying.
DeepMind released 55 games that a previous version of AlphaGo played against itself for Go players around the world to analyze.
Since May, experts have been painstakingly analyzing the 55 machine-versus-machine games. And their descriptions of AlphaGo's moves often seem to keep circling back to the same several words: Amazing. Strange. Alien.
"They're how I imagine games from far in the future," Shi Yue, a top Go player from China, has told the press. A Go enthusiast named Jonathan Hop who's been reviewing the games on YouTube calls the AlphaGo-versus-AlphaGo face-offs "Go from an alternate dimension." From all accounts, one gets the sense that an alien civilization has dropped a cryptic guidebook in our midst: a manual that's brilliant—or at least, the parts of it we can understand.
Some moves AlphaGo likes to make against its clone are downright incomprehensible, even to the world's best players. (These tend to happen early on in the games—probably because that phase is already mysterious, being farthest away from any final game outcome.) One opening move in Game One has many players stumped. Says Redmond, "I think a natural reaction (and the reaction I'm mostly seeing) is that they just sort of give up, and sort of throw their hands up in the opening. Because it's so hard to try to attach a story about what AlphaGo is doing. You have to be ready to deny a lot of the things that we've believed and that have worked for us."
Like others, Redmond notes that the games somehow feel "alien." "There's some inhuman element in the way AlphaGo plays," he says, "which makes it very difficult for us to just even sort of get into the game."
Ke Jie, the Chinese Go master who was defeated by AlphaGo earlier this year, said:
"Last year, it was still quite humanlike when it played. But this year, it became like a god of Go."
After his defeat, Ke posted what might be the most poetic and bracing quote of 2017 on Weibo (I first saw it in the WSJ):
"I would go as far as to say not a single human has touched the edge of the truth of Go."
When Josh Brown died in his Tesla after driving under a semi, it kicked off a months long investigation into who was at fault. Ultimately, the NHTSA absolved Autopilot of blame. The driver was said to have had 7 seconds to see the semi and apply the brakes but was suspected of watching a movie while the car was in Autopilot.
In this instance, it appeared enough evidence could be gathered to make such a determination. In the future, diagnosing why Autopilot or other self-driving algorithms made certain choices will likely only become more and more challenging as the algorithms rise in complexity.
At times, when I have my Tesla in Autopilot mode, the car will do something bizarre and I'll take over. For example, if I drive to work out of San Francisco, I have to exit left and merge onto the 101 using a ramp that arcs to the left almost 90 degrees. There are two lanes on that ramp, but even if I start in the far left lane and am following a car in front of me my car always seems to try to slide over to the right lane.
Why does it do that? My only mental model is the one I know, which is my own method for driving. I look at the road, look for lane markings and other cars, and turn a steering wheel to stay in a safe zone in my lane. But thinking that my car drives using that exact process says more about my limited imagination than anything else because Autopilot doesn't drive the way humans do. This becomes evident when you look at videos showing how a self-driving car "sees" the road.
When I worked at Flipboard, we moved to a home feed that tried to select articles for users based on machine learning. That algorithm continued to be to tweaked and evolved over time, trying to optimize for engagement. Some of that tweaking was done by humans, but a lot of it was done by ML.
At times, people would ask why a certain article had been selected for them? Was it because they had once read a piece on astronomy? Dwelled for a few seconds on a headline about NASA? By that point, the algorithm was so complex it was impossible to really offer an explanation that made intuitive sense to a human, there were so many features and interactions in play.
As more of the world comes to rely on artificial intelligence, and as AI makes great advances, we will walk to the edge of a chasm of comprehension. We've long thought that artificial intelligence might surpass us eventually by thinking like us, but better. But the more likely scenario, as recent developments have shown us, is that the most powerful AI may not think like us at all, and we, with our human brains, may never understand how they think. Like an ant that cannot understand a bit about what the human towering above them is thinking, we will gaze into our AI in blank incomprehension. We will gaze into the void. The limit to our ability to comprehend another intelligence is our ability to describe its workings, and that asymptote is drawn by the limits of our brain, which largely analogizes all forms of intelligence to itself in a form of unwitting intellectual narcissism.
This is part of the general trend of increasing abstraction that marks modern life, but it is different than not knowing how a laptop is made, or how to sew a shirt for oneself. We take solace in knowing that someone out there can. To admit that it's not clear to any human alive how an AI made a particular decision feels less like a ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ and more like the end of some innocence.
I suspect we'll continue to tolerate that level of abstraction when technology functions as we want it to, but we'll bang our heads in frustration when it doesn't. Like the annoyance we feel when we reach the limits of our ability to answer a young child who keeps asking us "Why?" in recursive succession, this frustration will cut deep because it will be indistinguishable from humiliation.


text:
When Olivia Bevelstoke is told that her new neighbor may have killed his fiancée, she doesn't believe it for a second, but, still, how can she help spying on him, just to be sure? So she stakes out a spot near her bedroom window, cleverly concealed by curtains, watches, and waits . . . and discovers a most intriguing man, who is definitely up to something.
Sir Harry Valentine works for the boring branch of the War Office, translating documents vital to national security. He's not a spy, but he's had all the training, and when a gorgeous blonde begins to watch him from her window, he is instantly suspicious. But just when he decides that she's nothing more than an annoyingly nosy debutante, he discovers that she might be engaged to a foreign prince, who might be plotting against England. And when Harry is roped into spying on Olivia, he discovers that he might be falling for her himself . . .
Julia Quinn started writing her first book one month after finishing college and has been tapping away at her keyboard ever since. The #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than two dozen novels for Avon Books, she is a graduate of Harvard and Radcliffe Colleges and is one of only sixteen authors ever to be inducted in the Romance Writers of America Hall of Fame. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her family. Please visit her on the web at www.juliaquinn.com.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Sajak VS Trebek/
By Bill Maher
A few weeks ago "Wheel of Fortune" host Pat Sajak jokingly tweeted this:
Well, now "Jeopardy" host Alex Trebek has weighed in.
Trebek, who describes himself as a social liberal/fiscal conservative, told Salon that he believes climate change exists and is contributed to by human activity:
"I have seen firsthand the effects of climate change, in trips to Antarctica and Mount Kilimanjaro, both of which are showing huge changes due to global warming."
Is it any surprise that the guy who hosts the show for dumb people – "Wheel" – denies climate change while the guy who hosts the show for smart people – "Jeopardy" – believes climate change is real?
"Wheel of Fortune" and "Jeopardy" have always made strange bedfellows. "Jeopardy" is a game of skill with a level playing field, a game show for liberals. "Wheel" is a game of luck where the lucky are allowed to buy clues to help insure a victory, a game show for conservatives. Buying a vowel is the ultimate entitlement for those who are ahead. It's a get out of jail free card for those lucky enough to get a decent spin of the wheel. Also "Wheel of Fortune" begins each episode with the audience chanting "Wheel… of… Fortune!" in unison just like Republicans chant "USA… USA…" in unison at their conventions.
Watching "Jeopardy" makes smart people feel dumb and watching "Wheel" makes dumb people feel smart. Republicans love watching "Wheel" because they love feeling superior to others. They speak English and look down their nose at anyone who doesn't. They don't need food stamps, so why should anyone else? It's no surprise that the climate change believer hosts the show where knowledge is king and the climate change denier hosts the show with questions easier than the TV Guide crossword puzzle.


text:
Passport question
View Single Post
December 19th, 2006, 05:44 PM
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Massachusetts
Posts: 4,770
Originally Posted by
I thought I would go ahead and apply for a passport now so that when we do decide to go cruising again I would have it. One of the fields to fill in is your travel plans. What if you don't have travel plans at this time? Can't we get a passport for future use?
Sure -- and it's very prudent to do so! If you don't have firm plans, just just put someplace close, like "Bahamas" (or "Canada" or "Mexico" or "Bermuda" for those who live closer to these destinations) and a date four or five months out. If you want, you can indicate "(Tentative)" after it. If any official ever asks, just say that you changed your plans after you applied for the passport.
And for those who don't know, it's a very good idea to start the passport process as early as possible -- especially if you have never obtained a passport before. When my mother applied for her first passport, an irregularity in her birth record came to light. Apparently the delivering physician failed to submit the birth report to the town clerk, so the birth did not get recorded right way. The omission surfaced when she was a teenager, and her neighbors had to submit affidavits as to the date of her birth so that the clerk could make a record. When she applief for a passport for the first time, over fifty years later, teh passport office required additional documentation in the form of (1) her bapismal record (or something equivalent) showing a date shortly after her birth and (2) the page from the first federal census after her birth showing her name. She received a letter from the passport office stating that she needed to obtain and submit this information, so she had to write to the U. S. Census Bureau to obtain the census record, await its return, and then submit it to the passport office with her baptismal certificate (easily obtained, since she was local). The requirement for additional documentation added about two or three months onto the usual process before her passport arrived. The fact that such situaitons are rare is little consolation if you don't get your passport in time for a cruise because of such a situaiton. Passport renewals are much easier because the old passport is the only documentation required.
Originally Posted by
One more question. What if you just don't know an answer, like where an ex spouse was born. I can guess, but may not be correct. What do you do in that case?
If you don't know the answer to a question, make a reasonable effort to obtain it. If that fails, write "(Unknown)" in the place in the form.
That said, I don't understand why the passport application would ask the birthplace of a former spouse, or any other question to which you would not know the answer.
View Public Profile
Send a private message to Rev22:17
Find all posts by Rev22:17


text:
We have a blog!
Thomas Sanz
There is going to be a boatload of great content happening up in here - recipes, articles, links to other people writing great articles, photos, etc.
It's going to be one of the coolest blogs on the webz so check back often.
Here's a photo of a bunch of cute kids.


text:
Share the post "A year in Switzerland, a lifetime of memories"
August is almost over (again), bringing about the start of a new semester at Les Roches. As I follow the Facebook feed of many friends returning to Les Roches, two emotions surfaced: first, of how I would love to be there with them; and second, of that excitement leading up to the moment I first arrived in Bluche.
It has been exactly one year since I first set foot in Les Roches – leaving the comfortable life I had in Australia to pursue a lifelong dream of being in the hospitality industry. There were hesitations at first, considering the high cost of tuition, the risk of changing career and the culture shock of moving from the city to the mountains… On my first week, as I sat at the marketplace looking into the kitchen, I wondered if I was better off working in the industry directly instead of coming to school.
However, these fears eased off as I started making friends with people from around the world – Italy, France, China, India, Russia, Mexico… Everyone was friendly as we began breaking the ice over drinks. Thereafter, we were thrown into the deep sea – in both classroom and operations – learning how to serve in a fast-paced environment; mass cooking production for 800 hungry guests; flambé and carving; creating our own cocktails… all of which were new experiences for someone who has always been working behind a computer screen in an office.
In addition to school, we had the opportunity to travel so much together. Our first trip was to the makeshift beach, Etang Long, at Crans-Montana, followed by weekend trips to Sion. We also participated in trips organized by the school, including a gastronomy tour of cheese and chocolate as well as a day trip to the Matterhorn and even a beautiful 12-course lunch at a Michelin-starred restaurant!
While being exposed to hospitality operations, I also had a chance to create so many beautiful memories with a group of multicultural people whom I've learned to call friends over the year.
In retrospect, going back to that very day I had my doubts about whether leaving everything I knew for Switzerland was the right choice. But I would say that it has been a great choice, for it has led me down a different path – one that is filled with greater possibilities, meeting of very interesting people and an opportunity to positively impact more people's lives.
Comments are closed.


text:
Is there a creative lifestyle?
If you could tweak or redesign your way of life to inspire and support more of your own kind of productive creativity, what would your life design look like?
Would you need to be rich, or to ditch your day job? Or change your bedtime and rising time to give yourself another productive hour in the day?
Would you need to get married and get your family started, or get the kids into school or grown and gone? To be in love again, or be free of entanglements and dependents entirely? To be more intentional about how you spend the hours you have been given?
Do you need a retreat, artist's colony, or sabbatical? A grant, a sponsor, tenure, or complete independence?
Do you need a bigger house, a studio apartment, a private office, better furniture or tools, a better view, a massive mahogany desk, a new computer/tablet/phone/software suite/fine ink pen? Or the courage or persistence to create a few minutes or hours of quiet, uninterrupted time in your day?
Do you need to become a minimalist or a connoisseur of inspiring artifacts?
Do you need investors, an agent, a guru, a flesh and blood muse, a therapist, a coach? A better boss, or to be your own boss? A housekeeper, an assistant, a manager, programmer, web designer, or a master teacher?
More support from your family or respect from your friends? Or do you need to be more honest, kind, or serious with yourself?
Nature or nightlife? People or privacy? Grit or glamour?
Do you need to be healthier, wiser, younger, older, from a different family or state or country or zip code?
Do you need to live in the country or move to the city? Or rearrange the space where you currently work, give it a fresh coat of paint, or get the clutter out?
Do you need a degree, or another degree, or a different one?
Do you need reviews, or better ones? More experience, or to be just starting out again with the fresh energy of a beginner?
Or do you need to just get to work, or take a break, or a real vacation?
Any of these may be useful to your creative life, though many might also be creativity killers in the wrong hands. A few of them might be absolutely necessary for your creative life.
We must figure out which is which.
So go ahead, design the fantasy version of your best creative lifestyle. Probably there will be something useful to learn from that fantasy, and perhaps even real goals to work toward, sacrifices to make in order to get there, sweeping changes to be made in order to live the way you want to live.
Then design your best creative life from the one you have today. The people, resources, obligations and opportunities that are in it. Within this life, is there some important editing or adding that needs to happen, within your present capability?
There may actually be people or major habits changes or big commitments that really need to be let go of, or brought on board, and you may need support to figure out what's what and how to make it happen. If so, do that. If your life is standing in the way of your life, it's best not to stay asleep about that much longer.
Or the life you have now may turn out to surprise you with its potential to support a delightfully productively creative life. There will be tweaks, repairs, and enhancements on your list. You will have to prioritize them and work on them as you can.
In the meantime, work. Which really means play, if you are doing creative work that is your own.
Let these dreams, plans and insights inform what you do to shape your creative environment going forward. But don't let it fool you into thinking that once these changes are made, you will finally be able to do your true creative work.
You can start it now, continue it now, give it life with the life you gave. This is how every creative producer has done it, and how you will, too.


text:
iPhone Tips andTricks You must to know - Have you ever accidentally deleted an email and struggled to recover it? Next time, just shake your phone and it will undo the action. It works for pretty much everything. Of course. You're about to run out the door and your phone is redlining on 20% battery power. If you need to get the most of a desperate last-minute charge, turn the phone to airplane mode and it will charge way faster.
Another trick to preserve battery life is to clean up those sneaky apps working in the background by double-clicking the home button and swiping away. In the era of the selfie, this trick is a life changer. It increases stabitlity andb the cable is longer than anyone's arm – including Bradley Cooper's. What do you think of that, Ellen?
When you finish typing a sentence, your reflex is to hit the period key. But if you hit the space bar twice, you're ready to start a new sentence! Thought your keyboard didn't have capslock? Tap the capital button twice and yell at your friends all you want Some reminders are most helpful when set for a specific time, like when to pick up your kid from school or when to drag yourself out of bed. Other reminders work better based on where you are. Thanks to location-based alerts, you can be reminded of your coworker's birthday the minute you step into the office, or to buy milk once you get to the grocery store.
Read Also : Top Tips to Take a Better Smartphone or top 10 London Attraction
Tired of getting phonecalls from automated operators or that person you gave your number to once to be nice? You can block a contact easily, and never have to worry about ducking calls again. Does it take more than a beep or a vibration to get your attention? Never miss another text, email or phone call by setting up LED flash alerts. This also comes in handy if you have a bottomless pit for a handbag. Just spotted Beyonce or the President and have to act fast to get a photo? There's a good chance it's going to be blurry. Avoid this by using "burst mode." Your camera will take 10 images per second and you'll be able to select and keep your favorite ones.


text:
My Wife Ruth
My dear wife, Ruth, loved me. I know because she ended every sentence obsessively with the words, "love you". I am sure this was a subconscious reflex on her part, however it destroyed my attempts to win any debate with her or even argue sensibly. How could I when she would nip the air with, "I don't think so. Love you". Subconsciously my mind would respond, "hate you", an endless repetitive dictum which over decades developed into a fantasy of plotting her demise.
She ruled our marriage with a precision of lists and with specific order of events, jobs to be done, programmes or films to watch, books to read and friends who had to be to called. I couldn't agrue since birthdays and anniversary listed on the calendar made sense. However, she was oblivious to the standing jokes by her colleagues in the library or even the obvious mimicking from the milkman, "I'll add whipped cream to the list Mrs Cornice, love you."
It was the Saturday shopping list that haunted me, the nightmare of them all. She had a different list for each Saturday of the month and then repeated it every four weeks. Washing powder on the first Saturday, cooking oil second Saturdays only and so it went on. The meticulously planned route through the supermarket would ensure all the items were collected in the correct order. Every item was placed into the trolley and subsequently removed to ensure the receipt provided proof of correctness and corresponded line for line on the list. Ruth was distraught when the layout of the grocery aisles were reorganised. She told the manager it was unthinkable, love you.
However, today, I was ecstatic by shopping on my own and without a list. I wandered around as random as bee in search of pollen. I ignored the sliced bread normally on every list. I avoided the fish counter, a third Saturday item, instead I collected a bottle of German red Dornfelder wine – never on any list. I thought, what would she say if she knew about my lunch; a large cut of Italian ham, succulent moist and delicious on crusty French bread. For dessert, a sweet mango and a pineapple, two items I would normally pass by to collect the oranges on her fruit list.
Toiletries were bought only on Wednesday's when she would shop alone. I was treated to the same bar of shaving soap. But today, well, I added shaving gel and a new Gillette razor, because yesterday, I had sharpen and used my old open razor for the very last time.
Oh, I do still love my dear wife, but her obsession for lists and ritual precision certainly lead to my unbearable frustration, no children and psychopathic madness. At least I now know she was absolutely right how premeditated thought towards a perfect plan complete with check lists ensured every eventuality was considered. I could never fault her idealism and application of order with her doctrine of neatness. That is why I know; no one will ever miss my dear obsessive wife or ever discover where she has gone.


text:
Working on a new and exciting project with Quiet Hounds in Atlanta, Georgia. Quiet Hounds came at me for some apparel/merch ideas for their annual Goat Farm concert. After thinking through a few different directions, I wanted to explore a new illustration technique that may compliment the band's artistic roots and inject some personality. The concept is to highlight a vicious hound with the words "QUIET" on top of it. Creating a nice contrast between a vicious hound being tamed by the words "quiet."
Kicked off these illustrations on a Saturday night with Jimi and friends.
Initial hound illustration. Wasn't in favor of this direction – generally lacked the personality I was looking for.
Original Illustrations. Rough sketch of typography to see how the illustrations matches type.
Scanned illustration and bringing into the computer to polish up. Left is original scan, right is progress on the cleanup of the linework. Thinking of inverting the illustration to have more weight on the garment. Interesting in going with a Raglan style tee with dark sleeves.


text:
Hey y'all, I'm Stephanie, a German-American, who was born and raised in Savannah, GA, went to Columbia, SC for college (Go Gamecocks!), did a little stint in Mexico, and finally moved to Strasbourg, France after college.
I'm a twenty-something new mom, who loves to travel and eat all the food, all while trying to live the healthiest life I can and have fun along the way.
If you're interested in collaborating, please contact me.
To read a little more about me, keep scrolling!
I met my goofy British husband during my study abroad semester in Guadalajara, Mexico. We happened to choose the same business program, coming from different continents, and met the first week during orientation. Studying abroad is a wonderful experience, and let's just say, if you can travel around together in a foreign country on little sleep and less money and still have fun, he's a keeper!
Our lovely and fun baby boy was born in August 2015, and we welcome our sweet daughter in Dec 2017. I've learned so much about myself and feel like a totally new person after becoming a mom. We have a lot of fun navigating our multi-lingual, multi-cultural life as a family of 4.
I hope you enjoy following us on our adventures!
***Disclaimer: I am not an expert parent and definitely don't claim to be! We're all doing the best we can with what life throws at us (lemons, tomatoes, diapers…). I'm loving this parenthood thing and looking forward to learning from other parents!
There are affiliate links in my posts which means that I might make a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only work with products and brands that I truly love. Thank you for helping me support them.


text:
- A victim gets one in "Brown Eyed Girl". Sophie, a 17-year-old girl who had aged out of the (literally) Axe-Crazy predator's preferred age group, was about to be "replaced" by Mandy, a cop's daughter. Isles discovers that she had been a captive for four years, and still fought to the death to protect Mandy, a total stranger. The kid died a hero.
- Rizzoli finally takes Hoyt down in "Remember Me".Jane: I WIN!! (*stabs him through the heart with the very scalpel he used on her and Maura*) And you're going to Hell alone!
- And then when his new apprentice tries to zap her with the stun baton, Korsak smashes through the locked door and drops the corrupt guard with a split-second Double Tap. Hoyt dies watching his Swan Song collapse like a house of cards.
- Jane still bears the scars from when Hoyt literally pinned her hands to the ground. She got her revenge later in the episode by putting a bullet into both of his hands at once, telling him, "We match."
- A trio of girls get one for taking down a corrupt and pedophile teacher who'd driven one of their friends to attempt suicide. By each one claiming to be the driver of the car that ran him down and giving all but identical stories with the only change is each one is the one who first confronts the man, they are able to exploit Loophole Abuse to create reasonable doubt as Massachusettes law states only the driver can be charged with vehicular manslaughter, and get away with it.
- Korsak gets one for taking on a mother-son duo of serial killers who have him shackled in his basement, bleeding from a blow to the head. Despite being incapacitated, injured, and knowing what these two have done previously, he never loses his cool, goading the male killer on being a Momma's Boy and even snarking at him while the young man angrily cuts into his throat with a scalpel. He manages to turn the pair against each other to the point where mother actually shoots son, and buys enough time for Jane to burst in and shoot the deranged mother. Then Korsak tells his friends to call for an ambulance, not for himself, but for his would-be killers.
- Cavanaugh gets one when he tells off Rizzoli's Jerkass Alcoholic Father after he openly insults Tommy, the one person who was willing to forgive and accept him for his parental failures.
Awesome / Rizzoli & Isles
Go To


text:
Warmer and brighter today, more rain tomorrow
Posted: Oct 13, 2017 3:03 AM EST
Skies start out cloudy this morning with a couple areas of patchy drizzle. As dry air moves in today it'll gradually clear the clouds out, giving us mostly sunny conditions by this evening. It's a pleasant night with lows in the upper 50s. The next system moves in tomorrow with a few scattered showers and storms. The main line comes through Saturday night into Sunday morning as the cold front sweeps through the area. Highs go from the mid 70s on Saturday to the low 60s Sunday.
Today: Partly cloudy to mostly sunny, high 72.
Tonight: Mostly to partly clear, low 58.
Saturday: Mostly to partly cloudy with scattered showers/storms, high of 74.
Sunday: Shower likely, mostly in the morning, highs in the low 60s.
Save with
0 Comments
Post a comment
Be the first to leave a comment!


text:
Fees & Policies
My fee for 50 minute therapy sessions is $160. Longer sessions are often recommended for EMDR and are prorated accordingly. Payment is requested at the time of each session for in person and remote sessions unless otherwise discussed. If a balance exceeds two sessions we may need to discuss pausing therapy for the time being or explore other avenues. I accept payment in the form of cash, check or paypal before or at the time of your session. My rate increases periodically in accordance with industry standards and average cost of living changes, though no more than annually. I will give you a minimum of one month's notice of any fee changes.
I am a participating provider with Alameda Alliance. For clients who have a PPO with mental health benefits I can provide a monthly statement to submit to your insurance company for reimbursement. Please note that a diagnosis (from the Diagnostic and Statistic Manual of Mental Disorders/DSM) is typically required in order to comply with insurance reimbursement. The reason for this is most insurance companies require therapy be of medical necessity in order to justify coverage. I am happy to explain more about what that means and address any questions to the best of my ability. When working together I will be transparent with you about my working diagnosis. Though there is an assessment element to my work it is important for me to note that my orientation strays from a pathological model. I can offer a diagnosis to aid in the assistance of financial reimbursement, but I do not subscribe to a medical model of dysfunction as far as how I actually work with you and see you. I aim to learn about symptoms and stressors, how they affect you and the wealth of reasons they arise. Ultimately I lean toward a strength based and humanizing perspective rather than one that sees through a lens of fault, deficiency and the categorization of normalcy. Though I aim to check any personal agenda I might have in order to better see, understand and support your particular path, I do own a wish to help de-stigmatize you and your presenting concerns. To support and open to a deep welcoming of you as you are, wholy complete, even if you might feel crazy, broken, inadequate, not good enough, or some other form of distress unraveling. This is how I aim to sit in my seat as your therapist and invite that unfolding within you.
Reduced Rates
It is my wish that psychotherapy be available to all with a need and desire. I am saddened and frustrated by the habitual stigmatization of emotions and de-centering of mental health. This lack of seeing health as a human right, with health including the mind/heart, results in diminished resources for therapy, amongst other health related services, relegating it to auxiliary support or for those with certain financial resources. I regret the fact that I may be included in this paradigm given my fee and limited lower fee openings. I reserve as many lower fee openings in my practice for new clients as is possible to support my practice in maintaining itself. Unfortunately this does not correspond to many. I employ some leeway with current clients if they experience a sudden financial change resulting in an inability to pay my full fee. If you are at some point paying on a sliding scale due to financial hardship and your income increases we will discuss an adjustment to your fee. If at some point we are unable to continue working together due to finances I will be happy to provide assistance with referrals if you wish to find other therapy options. I encourage you to bring forth any monetary concerns regarding your fee should they arise.
Cancellation Policy
I treat the time we schedule for your session as your regularly occurring appointment time. I believe in the benefits of consistent and regular meetings. My hope is for you and I to stick to this time as best we can. If I have scheduling conflicts I will give you as much notice as possible and request that you do as well. Like other relationships this frequency supports a thread of continuity and connectedness between us and the particulars of the themes we are exploring. I find that the consistent schedule itself can be like a frame or a sturdy structure that can contribute to feelings of security and safety in navigating sometimes difficult topics. At a minimum I request 48 hours notice and charge your fee for missed sessions with less notice. Realizing life is what it is with unanticipated last minute changes I make an effort to offer same week reschedules if I have the availability and only charge for the session that occurred. Because I have a full schedule and there can at times be a greater demand for therapy I offer my times to people who are able to come to therapy regularly. If there are repeated cancellations and missed sessions it may make sense for us to consider whether we are a fit for each other at the time being.


text:
Rifugio Padon Trail 680 is a 5.6 kilometer lightly trafficked out and back trail located near Canazei, Trentino-South Tyrol, Italy that offers scenic views and is rated as moderate. The trail is primarily used for hiking and trail running and is best used from May until October.
Hike from the cable car at the top and a trail to the Rifugio Padon to the east. It is trail 680. This is a great hike with much fewer people. It's better if you add the hike to the top of the mountain behind the Rifugio Padon. Nice hike with a great view of the marmalade mountain and everything below.
David B.
This was a great hike. Great coffee at the Rifugio Padon. We hiked up to the very top lookout and had some great views. I recommend going up to the top. Took the cable car up to the top instead of hiking all the way up to the top from Arabba. There were goats and cattle being herded in the hill side. Great view of Marmalade Mountain and the town below.


text:
At this year's World Airline Awards run by aviation experts Skytrax, the airline won the Best Staff Service award as part of the highly acclaimed international awards held at the Paris Air Show.
SAA also managed to retain its 4-Star rating for the 15th year in a row.
Read More


text:
Why I Don't Believe In Cheat Days...
... and other things which are entirely my opinion.
I am going to open this discourse by stating that while I am an ACE certified group fitness instructor I am in no way, shape or form a nutritionist.
Everyone has their own beliefs when it comes to dieting and healthy eating and what works for some does not work for all, however when someone tells me they are having a cheat day it makes me want to lose my effing mind.
You see, most of these people say they have a cheat day once a week and then eat 6,000+ work of calories on that one day. What in the heck good does that do for you? None. Zero.
My personal belief to eating is this: eat healthy and in moderation and if you have a craving for some "bad" then eat it. 80/20 rule y'all. Having one day a week where you go hog wild is terrible for you and living in a world where you are restricting yourself like that but letting yourself go crazy one day a week just teaches your body nothing.
How did I lose weight? I measured. I weighed things and ate portion sizes. I am also a vegetarian so I don't eat meat. I did eat an excess of chips and sweets because I love them. Until last summer when I had a revelation that I was doing all these awesome things for my body in terms of working out but I wasn't fueling it for that, so I cut back on processed foods and sugars and really concentrated on eating more whole foods. But I still eat things like donuts once in awhile. Why? Because I am not a monster! This winter I have gone a bit more hog wild and haven't been as diligent about what I am eating and I keep telling myself to get back to the good food because I just generally feel better, but I will still not consider anything a cheat day.
Using the word cheat is like cheating on your health. It's like saying I want to be better but not really because I am willing to cheat myself out of living a healthy, moderation consuming life. If you are like me and don't have a stop button on snacks, then either buy them in small portions or just say ok I am only going to eat the things that are truly worth it (have I talked about donuts enough in this post?).
Using the word cheat is like saying I am going to get out there and do something new for the first time, except it's not going to be something new at all, it's just going to be something that I haven't done in awhile and I will most likely invite all of my friends.
Using the word cheat is like calling yourself a cat lady when you only have one cat and no cat paraphernalia.
Just saying, don't cheat yourself out of health by having a cheat day. Cheat your way into health by staying truth to healthy eating while occasionally eating that thing that you really want (it's a donut, right?).
End of rant.
*Thanks to the internet for letting me steal all of these pictures and a special thanks to OMG Cats In Space for just existing.
*Thanks to Stan's and Firecakes for opening locations near my house and for making my commute home dangerous. If you would like to sponsor me, I would be ok with tha.t


text:
115 Granted Patents
Fast-Growing, Multi-National
3X's Global Cleantech Top 100
Strong, Global Team & Partnerships
The leader for safe and sustainable FR solutions
World's ONLY Polymeric, Non-Halogenated FR
Oeko-Tex Standard 100 Approved
ISO 9001:2015 Certified
"I see a very bright future for FRX Polymers. We have developed the right product at the right time, and we are in the enviable position of being first to market with a polymeric, non-halogenated FR solution.
"Science has always been a passion since I was about fourteen years old. I especially liked chemistry, also because we had a very inspirational chemistry teacher at that time. It's great to create new substances from different starting materials.
Find the proper FRX Polymers solution for your unique needs.
To learn more about FRX Polymers products or to obtain specific information about solutions for your market, contact your regional FRX Polymers Representative.


text: This is 'Stubborn Man' from the upcoming ep 'Crow's Nest' which will be released in January. The Vancouver release party is at the Electric Owl on the January 25th. This song is a response to the current Harper regime which holds little respect for the environment, for First Nations or for life in general.


text:
I am happy to announce the Siemens PLM Gears program! This program is an effort to recognize and reward the extensive contributions of our community's most valuable members.
The Siemens PLM Community is practically bursting with helpful, thoughtful, and knowledgeable people. Anyone who has visited this community for any period of time can attest to that. However, as with any group of people, there are those who stand apart from the group. Our community is no exception to this; we have several of these "superusers."
These users go above and beyond what is considered the standard or default behavior. They login nearly every day. They devote countless hours just to resolve a single person's problem. They receive more kudos and have more posts accepted as solutions than 95% of the other users combined. They're such an integral part of our community that we would be severely impaired if they ever chose to leave us. These are the users that were selected for the Gears program.
Gears is an annual program, which means membership has to be earned each year. It's structured into three tiers - 1st Gear, 2nd Gear, and 3rd Gear - and will have at most 45 members for any particular year. 1st Gear members are selected by nominations from the Community Managers. 2nd Gear and 3rd Gear members are selected based on their helpfulness, engagement, and behavior towards other users. The "inaugural class" for 2018 has already been selected.
Gears members receive a myriad of benefits, but one important marker that many of you have contacted me about is their special rank. All Gears members have a purple gear icon next to their username. This is a visual indicator that that user is amongst the best of the best, so you can probably trust what they're saying!
Please see this list of your 2018 Gears members and their areas of expertise.
Hi @KatieKing,
I'm seeing an issue, where when clicking the link to view the Gears members, I'm being asking for a login, yet using my webkey details does nothing. I did discover cancelling the login & clicking the "go back" button on the browser [Chrome] allows it to continue.....although, I was expecting to see the cool Gears graphics you had previewed in previous post to the group.
I've recorded a video [via Solid Edge screen recorder] showing what I'm seeing.
I have a question on this.
It seems that this program overlooks the broadly, but still highly, skilled and experienced contributors whose expertise crosses over multiple software communities and instead only focuses on those that post primarily (or only) in one software community.
I would expect this considering that it is the individual Community Managers of each software tool that do the nominations according to your post.
However, many of us cross knowledge folks know a lot, have posted a lot, and have had their posted accepted as solutions a lot but are not listed on any of the three tiers.
Look randomly at the stats of some of those 2018 Gear program members, it makes me wonder why I and some others weren't selected as well. My only assumption is that those like myself are overlooked and effectively penalized for not staying within one forum or another.
Since this is an annual election, only the statistics of the last year are taken into account.
It doesn't make sense to take the entire lifetime into account for an annual election.
Another point, the Gears program appears to be CAD centric (NX and Solid Edge only). The "Teamcenter and Technomatix" section is listed as third gear with only a single user selected for Teamcenter. That user is @SathiaSamidurai who has 7 posts, 3 kudos and 0 solutions. His last login was 2018-03-15. Luckily, @Jamie_Griffis is also listed as having Teamcenter otherwise I'd have to question their selections and process.
Gears Members
I think there are a host of people who have contributed more and are more involved in the community than Sathia. I think we can do a better job acknowledging candidates for "Gears".
The selection of the potential candidates was made before February 2018 and one has been asked if he wants to be part of this program or not. Some of the more active members might have opted out of staying in the spot-light, so it is not possible to just take the activity into account.
It is the first time this election was done, the time will surly bring enhancements to the process, but you will never get rid of members denying their election.
@Stefan_Pendl I can only speak from my perspective and say that I was not asked. And looking at previous posts I'm guessing that @LarryCarpenter was also not asked. If you have specific examples then feel free to share them. From the outside, it feels like the rewards that come with this program are misplaced in a few instances, especially for Teamcenter which is a major product. Without Teamcenter none of the CAD integrations make sense and it appears to have little emphasis in Gears. Lets hope these comments and others are factors in the next year.
@RandyEllsworth maybe I can clarify this. For our first group of Gears, we wanted to started small and keep things manageable so we decided to limit it to customers only. There was a discussion about separate recognition for partners but that is still in the ideation phase. Then, based on user statistics, I selected up to 13 users for the 2nd and 3rd Gears. The 1st Gears were all nominated by the community managers. The distribution you see with regards to the Gears' "primary product" is purely because those products' users are the most engaged and most helpful in
If you have suggestions for when we select next year's group, I would welcome those.
I guess my first suggestion is to stop eliminating partners from the equation. They are likely your most valuable commodity since they have a larger customer exposure. And partners are already excluded from, not allowed to attend, Siemens PLM Connection unless they pay a hefty fee (for an SMB). Lets take a pledge to stop all the partner bias and be one big and happy community. Room for improvement. The more the merrier. I'm not trying to bash, only improve the situation for all. Fair treatment.
I am a customer, monitor and post helpful responses whenever I can, and was never asked about this program.
You must be a registered user to add a comment. If you've already registered, sign in. Otherwise, register and sign in.


text:
I started writing stories at a pretty early age, 9 years old. My first story was about a caveman named Uk and his wife Og seeing their first total eclipse of the sun. I remember both of them were terrified, but Uk somehow becomes a hero to his wife. I think he told her not to worry, the sun would return from the mouth of the beast. The last words of the story were from Og: "Oh, Uk!" Not exactly a brilliant display of early talent. I was in the fifth grade, my teacher put in the comments on my report card that "Philip gazes out the window a lot." That was probably pretty accurate, but not a bad thing in my humble opinion. Then I won the eighth grade spelling contest against the smartest girl in the class—and I was off to the races. From there, I bought a little locked-key diary so it forced me to make an entry on a daily basis and it seemed important to me not to leave a day blank. It still seems important not to have blank days.
That was long ago and what I have really learned is that you don't know what you'll write until you sit down and write. Which is another way of saying: You don't know what's inside you until you write it, until you face the holy of holies: The Blank Page.
I certainly didn't know I would write a novel about a 17-year-old boy who would find the greatest source of gold in the California Gold Rush. I didn't know I would write about the falling of giant trees, the great Redwoods and what it took to bring a big one down. Or that I would be researching the Paiute Indians of Pyramid Lake. Or that I would revisit three horrific battles of the Civil War: Stones River; Chickamauga; Missionary Ridge. I never would have known if I hadn't sat down to write.
I believe all of these things were inside of me like seeds that just needed to grow under the sunlight of a writer's attention and love. Yes, I do love what I write about. Stephen King calls it the workings of "the boys in the boiler room" Yes, the subconscious mind.
People say, "What should I write about?" For the sake of discussion, let's just say your heart is an amazingly powerful magnet (I believe it is) and is magnetically drawn and turns just like a compass towards what it loves. When you start feeling drawn to something, someplace, or event, and most particularly, a certain time and place, there you will find what you will write about. There is your goldmine, your jackpot, your motherlode. You'll be drawn to it just like magic, just like a magnet. There you will find your joy. Follow your bliss. Don't ever bother with the Million Dollar Lotto. That's bogus. Your heart's joy is not there. But that's for another discussion.
By the way, I didn't know I was going to write any of this until I sat down to write. Goodbye for now.
– Phil


text:
- Poster presentation
- Open Access
- Published:
Training in communication addressed to doctors and patients in the HIV/AIDS area
BMC Infectious Diseasesvolume 13, Article number: P24 (2013)
Article metrics
685 Accesses
The Romanian HIV/AIDS Center in the National Institute for Infectious Diseases "Prof. Dr. Matei Balş" in partnership with the Romanian Association against AIDS (ARAS) and Data Center Solutions implemented a project destined to improve communication between doctors and HIV patients.
The project aimed to experiment a new type of training by communication, namely online communication through an electronic platform. The training focused on two different approaches: an online, real-time class designed for patients, taught by physicians, psychologists and social workers from the National Institute for Infectious Diseases "Prof. Dr. Matei Balş" and another class addressed to physicians. The latter was uploaded on the website so that it could be accessed by doctors, depending on their spare time and interest in a certain topic.
The classes for physicians were held by teams of doctors, psychologists and social workers from the National Institute for Infectious Diseases "Prof. Dr. Matei Balş". More valid data on the rate of access are to be released by specialists in this type of communication from Data Center Solutions.
The classes for patients were deployed throughout 10 online sessions, twice a week and were held by teams made of doctors, psychologists and social workers from the National Institute for Infectious Diseases "Prof. Dr. Matei Balş". They consisted of an initial segment of teaching, kept by the teaching teams and a second segment of questions and answers formulated by patients. ARAS was responsible with mobilizing and informing those interested in the subject, so that anyone who owed a PC at their personal residence could access the class, while other interested patients were gathered in ARAS centers all around the country.
This new method of communication has had, so far, a great popularity, this representing the underlying reason that the initial model of training in 2012 was resumed, with added modifications suggested by participants' questions that targeted especially injecting drug users. The largest interest revolved around treatment and prevention. The innovative communication method was unanimously accepted as highly useful. Recording of presentations were later on resumed in schools and some penitentiaries in Romania. The classes' recordings were also displayed in schools and penitentiaries, with approximately 180 hours of replay and a mean share of participation of 8000 viewers. They had the possibility to listen to questions and answers formulated during the initial class to which they added their own questions addressed to ARAS representatives.
Rights and permissions
This article is published under license to BioMed Central Ltd. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
About this article
- Infectious Disease
- Social Worker
- Drug User
- Initial Segment
- Inject Drug User


text:
Scandi Style A3 Print Mock Ups
Scandi Style A3 Print Mock Ups
Want to get your print images up fuss-free? Simply add your graphics to our stock photography for quick product upload, without compromising on style.
These hi res styled stock photos features a blank white frame in the centre, ready for you to add your graphics to. It is styled table top, with neutral accessories to create a Scandi-inspired look.
There are three frames - black, white and natural wood.
All our prints use frames by Frameishly. Read more about their frames and our collaboration here.
Once you have purchased the image, you'll be sent one hi res JPEGs to edit yourself. Each file is 4000x4000 pixels, and suitable for print.
Need something slightly different? We can create your own exclusive stock photography, or take photos of your own products within about a week. Get in touch by emailing us: firstname.lastname@example.com


text:
What colour are you? A focus on yellow
Yellow is between green and orange on the spectrum of visible light.
Thousands of years ago, a yellow ochre pigment made from clay was one of the first colours used in prehistoric cave art. A little more recently yellows were made from arsenic and cow urine, amongst other substances.


text:
A map of all the World's airports and other landing places
This map has been on social networks for already some time, so it is likely you have come across it already, nevertheless I could not resist the temptation to post it here too since it is one of a kind.
The map shows all landing places in the World, that is airports, aerodromes, etc. based on data from Ourairports.com, a project we expect to be able to report on shortly.
A couple of observations on my side:
1) The US is a nation of fliers
2) Although there has been a lot of talk about there being too many airports in Spain, it does not look like it when comparing with its European neighbours (another matter is whether some particular projects have seen massive overinvestment, which is not incompatible with the total number of airports and aerodromes being relatively small)


text:
Your Custom Text Here
Let me introduce you to the most fun loving couple, Amanda and Sean. I was lucky enough to film these two on their amazing wedding day. I only snapped a handful of photos on here, but if you head over to the video section you'll see a very short film for their social medias that I put together! I love these two.


text:
Thursday night, May 15th, is opening night at Nortbrook Velodrome! Here is the flier for opening night! It's FREE for race entry!!!! (Remember you must be Category 4 or higher to race Thursday nights)
Ed Rudolph Velodrome is our closest Velodrome as it is located in the northwestern suburb of Northbrook. Despite construction and planning headaches, we'll be going out there to have a big debut for the Crew. Logistics will guarantee to be another pain but we've been waiting for this for a while.
Spectator fees are low but necessary to help things like this go. It looks like $2 gets you access but, if you can print one, you should totally grab this coupon and a friend, cause they'll get in for free. Don't have a printer? Hit us up in the comments or send us one of them electronic letters and we'll have some waiting for ya!
As long as you're not feeling shy, let's take another opportunity to plug the coolest fund-raiser since sliced pie... We'll be sure to bring some for those interested.
If you're curious what it takes to race on the velodrome, definitely check their website. Also, they have a checklist of rules and etiquette for you right here.


text: > -----Original Message----- > From: community-bounces at lists.openmoko.org [mailto:community- > bounces at lists.openmoko.org] On Behalf Of Matthew S. Hamrick > Sent: Monday, 26 March 2007 5:49 PM > To: mathew davis > Cc: OpenMoko community; SVHMPC > Subject: Re: E-mail style voicemail. > > I came up with something conceptually similar... I live in the > sticks, so I don't have mobile service at my house. As I drive into > the office, I have intermittent service. I had really bad service in > my old office building so I came up with the following solution. > > 1. Forward cell calls to my asterisk box. > 2. If my SIP phone isn't registered or I don't answer, take a message. > 3. Send a SMS message to my phone that's intercepted by the voice > mail app. > 4. When the voice mail app receives the SMS message, it establishes a > net connection to my asterisk box and downloads the message to my phone. > > > _______________________________________________ > OpenMoko community mailing list > community at lists.openmoko.org > http://lists.openmoko.org/mailman/listinfo/community Hi Mathew, I think once OpenMoko becomes more prevalent I think you'll find there are a number of hosted asterisk related applications that are released for Neo handset users. I've already spoken with a few people interested in developing mixed mobile/fixed line voice driven applications for both communities. A smarter voicemail system than what is currently provided by your carrier is just one of them. Regards, Dean Collins dean at mexuar.com +1-212-203-4357 Ph +1-917-207-3420 Mb +61-2-9016-5642 (Sydney in-dial). <http://click.mexuar.com/webuser/click/7/userurl/Cognation> <http://click.mexuar.com/webuser/nojs/7/userurl/Cognation> -------------------------------------------------------------------- www.Mexuar.com <http://www.mexuar.com/> Want to voice enable your website? Use Corraleta to reach your customers in 10 seconds or less. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://lists.openmoko.org/pipermail/community/attachments/20070326/f9db4530/attachment.htm -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: image/gif Size: 2775 bytes Desc: image001.gif Url : http://lists.openmoko.org/pipermail/community/attachments/20070326/f9db4530/attachment.gif


text:
New fashion elle sharing Sobia Nazir Silk & Chiffon Eid Collection 2015 for Women with latest design you ever love. Sobia Nazir another time brings you the most recent Eid midsummer eid ul azha collection 2015 that contains of beautiful dresses suitable for the terribly season. This designer is incredibly popular within the country for her distinctive styling and coming up with up to the international levels. ladies fromeverywhere the country admire the fashionable distinctive styles created by Sobia Nazir.
She creates each item of fashion with nice passion and labor that is actually mirrored. you'd certainly become an acquaintance of this whole in a very single look. The collection that's bestowed during this article includes, as mentioned on top of the most recent Eid midsummer eid ul azha collection 2015 by Sobia Nazir.
Silk and Chiffon Eid ul azha dresses 2015 by Designer Sobia Nazir
These dresses are manufactured from terribly fine quality stuff that's sewed with beautiful experience to gift associate outfit of up to this point vogue. the colours and patterns employed in this midsummer eid ul azha collection are terribly daring and bright that additionally provide the certain impact to your outlook.
The good contrasts employed in the gathering raise the sweetness of those dresses. Sobia Nazir is associate awing designer UN agency are often elite by you for any of your occasion in life. Look the pictures of Sobia Nazir Silk & Chiffon Eid ul azha dresses Collection 2015 for Women….


text:
This is a photographic portrait and rendering of the "Medium" character. This will also be realized in the VR world of the piece.
This is a photographic portrait of the "Fitcher's Bird" as she burns down the house of the predator. This will be part of a 360 video song film.
This is Elizabeth Jameson's artist sketch of the cave scene for the fairytale Wild Swans in which the protagonist has to weave garments out of stinging nettles in order to break the spell that curses her and her brothers.
This is an artist rendering of the central "Mandala Space" that will be rendered in VR. The dancer will be covered in flowers and in the sky, video testimonials contributed by audience members will appear in the clouds of flowers above.


text:
FCC's jurisdiction over VoIP confirmed
A federal appeals court (8th Circuit) has upheld the FCC's 2004 conclusion that VoIP providers (like Vonage) provide an interstate service that frees them from state control.
This ruling confirms the FCC's jurisdiction over VoIP, acting as regulators over the digital communication technology in similar fashion to their authority over regular telecommunications.
Despite this case dealing mostly with the more consumer market-focused Vonage, it has overtones that will affect the channel and the businesses that look to networking consultants and VARs to provide solutions for their communications needs. In short, it's much easier to trust and invest in a technology that has an established federal commission overseeing it.
As a result, businesses can be expected to view VoIP communications as an even more viable alternative to traditional circuit-switched telephones. For networking channel professionals looking for help and ideas for selling these systems, as well as suggestions for the actual set-up, SearchNetworkingChannel.com recently launched a VoIP Project Guide that answers many questions and offers helpful insight.
Thoughts on this ruling? Ideas on VoIP? Drop me a line!
~Eric Pierce


text:
For a man with a lot of serious issues he needs to address every day, President Trump plainly spends a lot of time thinking about special counsel Robert S. Mueller III's investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election. If you're one of his supporters, it can be a challenge just to keep up with the shifting defenses he offers for the things he and people working for him did during the campaign, so today we're going to focus on this rather extraordinary outburst from yesterday afternoon:
This is like someone on trial for bank robbery saying, "That bank wasn't even robbed! Somebody else robbed it! And what we should really be asking is why the cops didn't stop the bank from being robbed!"
Last week I wrote a piece arguing that we need to stop chasing Trump down the absurd rabbit holes that he digs for us, where we pretend that some ridiculous lie he tosses out is worthy of serious consideration. So I want to tread carefully here, because the question isn't whether Trump's specific allegations have any merit. This is worth discussing, however, because it's part of a broader campaign on the part of the president and his allies to create a fog around the truth of what happened in 2016. It's plain that he desperately wants us to forget those events, particularly his own actions and those of people around him.
We should say there's a case to be made that President Barack Obama did not act aggressively enough to counter Russian meddling in our election. All the reports we have gotten suggest Obama was extremely reluctant to do anything that would suggest he was trying to use the resources of the federal government to help Hillary Clinton. For instance, at one point, then-FBI Director James B. Comey suggested that he could write an op-ed explaining what Russia was doing, but Obama "replied that going public would play right into Russia's hands by sowing doubts about the election's legitimacy," according to the New York Times.
So there may have been more aggressive moves Obama could have made, even if any public statements he had offered would have been unlikely to change the outcome of the election. But here's what's important now: Whatever you think of Obama's decision-making, it changes nothing about what Trump and his campaign did.
And because the president is trying so hard to obscure the actual history of 2016, let's review some facts about the Trump campaign and Russia that are not in dispute:
- Trump's former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, is under indictment for a series of crimes, some of which are connected to his relationships with a Kremlin-allied Ukrainian leader and a Russian oligarch close to Vladimir Putin. His deputy, Rick Gates, pleaded guilty to conspiracy and lying to the FBI, and is cooperating with the Mueller investigation.
- In June 2016, Donald Trump Jr. was approached by an acquaintance with an offer of dirt on Hillary Clinton from a group of Russians, which the acquaintance characterized as follows: "This is obviously very high level and sensitive information but is part of Russia and its government's support for Mr. Trump." Don Jr. replied "I love it" and gathered Manafort and Jared Kushner to meet with the Russians.
- When the story of that meeting broke about a year later, President Trump himself reportedly dictated a false story to be given to the press, claiming that the meeting took place to discuss adoption of Russian children.
- In July 2016, Trump publicly encouraged Russia to hack into Clinton's email.
- In 2015, Michael Flynn, who would go on to become Trump's national security adviser, was paid $45,000 plus travel expenses to deliver a speech in Moscow at an event honoring RT, a television network that acts as a mouthpiece for the Kremlin. He sat with Putin at the dinner.
- Flynn pleaded guilty to lying to FBI investigators about his conversations with the Russian ambassador to the United States, and is cooperating with Mueller's investigation.
- George Papadopoulos, a foreign policy adviser to the Trump campaign, got the FBI counterintelligence investigation rolling when he told an Australian diplomat that the campaign had been offered dirt on Clinton from Russia in the form of hacked emails. (The diplomat passed the information along to the U.S. government.) Papadopoulos also pleaded guilty to lying to investigators and is cooperating with Mueller.
- Carter Page, another Trump foreign policy adviser, had been on the FBI radar for years before the campaign because they suspected that Russian intelligence agents were attempting to recruit him. In 2016 the FBI became concerned enough about his contacts with people connected to the Russian government that it obtained a FISA warrant to monitor him.
- Both in his confirmation hearing and on a security clearance questionnaire in preparation for becoming attorney general, Jeff Sessions claimed that he had no contact with Russian officials during the campaign. He later admitted that this was false and that he did have multiple meetings with the Russian ambassador.
- During the presidential transition, the Russian ambassador was picked up on surveillance telling his superiors that Trump's son-in-law and close adviser, Jared Kushner, had suggested they set up a secret communications channel, perhaps within the Russian Embassy or consulate, so that Trump aides could speak to the Russians without U.S. intelligence agencies monitoring the communications. Even the Russians found this suggestion completely bonkers.
To repeat, none of that is in dispute. And it's only part of the full picture of the Russia investigation, which has expanded to include other potential crimes. We can argue about the significance of any one piece of that puzzle; some pieces are very significant, and others may be trivial. We can also argue about whether Trump is innocent or guilty of particular crimes such as obstruction of justice. But the connections between the Trump campaign and Russia were so copious that it would be positively bizarre for there not to be a serious, thorough investigation, especially considering that we know Russia carried out a comprehensive effort to manipulate our election.
Yet that is exactly what Trump is trying to persuade people to believe: not just that he's innocent, but that he and everyone around him are so obviously innocent that there should never have been an investigation in the first place. Of all his crazy claims about Russia, that may be the craziest.
Read more from Paul Waldman:
Time to stop chasing Trump's lies down the rabbit hole
What really led to Trump's North Korea faceplant
Trump just told a very revealing joke about the midterm elections


text:
First World Problems - Evolved Mommy
At the beginning of summer we made a decision to turn off the news because we couldn't think of a single reason that we *need* to watch the news every night, and all it was doing was adding unnecessary stress. There's nothing we can do today as a family to turn around the world economy or to make everyone be nice. Why were we ingesting this information then?
You know what? It's been absolutely freeing. I have no idea what's going on in the world. Okay, well that's not entirely true. I do still listen to NPR most days, but I turn it off when it gets contentious.
The other day I saw this tweet:
And I realized we really do have it pretty good. Maybe in America we are an average ho-hum family, but relatively speaking that's a pretty good thing.
We don't go to bed hungry and we don't worry about bombings in the streets outside our home. There are no fighter jets overhead. No military presence on our streets.
Suddenly the things I worry about seemed trite. I definitely have first world problems.
For example, here are the things that occupy my brain on an average day:
- It's so hard to have expensive taste on a budget. Pretty sure I was meant to be filthy rich and live in the Hamptons. Can't be certain, though.
- Can I justify a $300 bag by saying quality matters? And how do I decide between Dooney & Bourke, Badgley Mischka and 3.1 Phillip Lim?
- I have had more headaches in the last six months than I've had in my entire life. Is it the weather? Or, more interestingly, I've only started taking prescription headache medicine in the last six months. Is the medicine causing more headaches? Sneaky pharmaceutical companies. Wouldn't put it past them.
- How long will I love mustard yellow? Is this a fall 2011 trend or is it here long enough to buy curtains?
- "Baby Got Back" by Sir-Mix-A-Lot has been stuck in my head for two days, only briefly interrupted by "Shoo Fly. Don't Bother Me." The more annoyed I get with the looping "Baby Got Back" serenade by my brain the louder it is. Does this happen to other people? Am I crazy? If so, can I go to one of those luxury rehab places? I'd like six months at a Palm Springs resort please, but only if it's covered by my insurance.
- Steve just told me pigs have more feelings and memories than dogs. I don't want to eat pork anymore. But pepperoni is so delicious. If only I could think of the pigs when I order pizza. But usually I can't think of anything but the delicious pizza.
- Safari is running sooooo slow on my MacBook since I installed the Lion OS. It's a blessing in disguise, though, because now I've discovered how wonderful Firefox is.
- Step class is hard.
- What if someone else brings grapes to playgroup? Should I bake something? No, that's too much work. I'll bring carrots.
- I should write more often. Maybe I'll stay up until 10:30 instead of going to bed at 10:00.
- We need butter. I should go to Ozark Natural Foods. It's so far for just the one thing, though. I don't want to ingest fat-building hormones. I'll go tomorrow.
See. Ridiculous. Honest, though.
What are your first world problems.


text:
Join our email list for exclusive savings and new product information.
Webbing carry handle with nylon buckle for ease in loading. Nylon strap affixed to bottom inside of bag to connect line via snap. Rust proof, heavy duty, spring loaded steel clasp attaches bag to equipment of harness. 3M Scotchlite reflective tape across the bottom and sides for maximum visibility...day or night. Easy draw together pull top with Barrel-loc closure.
L.A. Rescue bags are constructed with high-quality materials, and include a lifetime warranty. Learn more.
All orders are shipped via ground except for certain larger orders, ambulance cots, etc. which ship via commercial trucking service.
When shipping ground you can expect the following transit days to your location. Please note: The transit days are based on business days.


text:
A huge thanks to Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser for sponsoring this post. Just remember, the advice I give is mine, all mine. #FueltheLove #CollectiveBias
'Tis the season to hit the road! Kids are out of school, three-day-weekends are plentiful, and the great outdoors is calling. Summer vacations usually involve a lengthy drive, but is your vehicle road trip ready?
There are 9 things to check off your safety list before heading out to your destination.
Check/Change Oil
If your motor oil is low or old, you risk the chance of damaging your engine. With your vehicle on a flat surface, pull out the dipstick, wipe it off, and reinsert it. Pull it out again and check the oil level. It should be close to full. If it's not, or if the oil is too dark, it's probably time for an oil change.
You can do this yourself or a professional can do it for you. Regardless of who does it, make sure you get the product that's right for your vehicle. I use Pennzoil High Milage Vehicle oil since both my car and van are over 75,000 miles. I'm partial to Pennzoil because it is designed to protect my engine so I can drive an extra 550 miles a year versus driving with a dirty engine. Hey, 550 miles is a good road trip!
Check/Top Off Antifreeze
I've passed many a person, pulled off the road, pouring water in their overheated vehicle. Let's avoid that, shall we? Take a peek under your hood and check your engine coolant level. If it's between LOW and FULL, you're good to go. If it's below LOW, have a professional check for leaks.
Check Battery for Leaks & Cracks
Make sure the box powering your car is damage-free. If you find corrosion, it's leaking acid and will need to be replaced. Bite the bullet. It's easier to buy a new battery than drive with vinegar and baking soda to clean the terminals when your car won't start. (Yes, my sister totally did that.)
Top Off Wiper Fluid
Driving through a bug-infested stretch or a dust storm is pretty par for the course on my road trips. But if I'm out of wiper fluid, an annoyance has become a hazard. You have to see to drive, so fill it up and you won't have to stop at a gas station just to clean your windshield.
Check/Replace Wipers
Once that wiper fluid is filled, run it through and check your wipers at the same time. Again, visibility is key and you don't want to be caught in a rainstorm with a streaky windshield. Replace those wipers, even if the forecast doesn't call for rain.
Check Lights
Have a family member or friend stand outside while you hit the breaks, turn on headlights, and signal for turns. I've been pulled over a few times not knowing I had a taillight or headlamp out. Don't risk getting a ticket on vacation!
Check Tire Pressure & Tread
Before you fill up with gas, take advantage of the station's air compressor and check the air. Look at the sticker on your door frame for the recommended tire pressure. For tread, use the "coin trick." Stick a penny in the tread of your tires. If the tread covers any part of Lincoln's head, there's still life in your tires. If the tread doesn't touch his head, it's time to replace them.
Check Spare Tire
Changing a tire is no bueno. It's not difficult, but it's annoying. Hopefully you won't have to do it on your trip if you've checked your pressure and tread. But just to be safe, at the same time you check your other tires, pull out the spare and check its tire pressure as well. If it's a full-size tire, the pressure will be the same as your others. If it's a donut, the recommended tire pressure should be on the whitewall.
Purchase/Update Emergency Kit
I'm mildly paranoid. I like to prepare for the worst. Having an emergency kit helps me not worry about the unexpected. Mine has jumper cables, a flashlight, flares, a small tool kit, and a first aid kit.
To dot your i's and cross your t's, I created a printable PDF of these safety reminders. CLICK HERE for the free download.
Last, but not least, here's a little time-saving tip for all your road-trip preparation…
Take your vehicle to your local Walmart for your oil change. While the pros put some much-needed Pennzoil in, you can shop for all the other things you may need for your vacation.
Now through September 9th, Pennzoil oil changes will be on Rollback. I paid $35.88 for my High Milage change compared to my normal $39.88. (Getting it changed elsewhere typically costs $46.) More money in my pocket means more road trip souvenirs!
Where are you heading this summer? Is your vehicle road ready?


text:
A man accused of committing sex crimes with an 8-year-old girl appeared in Grand Court today.
The 56-year-old man is accused of engaging in various sexual acts with his partner's daughter. The court has ordered the media not to name the man or the complaint in the case in order to protect the girl's identity.
The man pleaded not guilty to the charges last month. Today (Feb 14) his attorneys entered a "No Case" submission and said there's a lack of credible witnesses.
It's expected Justice Charles Quinn will decide tomorrow (Feb 15) if the submission will be accepted.


text:
Sauté, sear, slow cook, pressure cook, pressure steam, and keep warm with a countdown timer.
A combined pressure cooker and slow cooker, allowing you to cook quickly or slowly depending on your recipe.
With countdown LED displayed timer.
Includes stainless steel trivet to raise food out of liquid for roasting, steaming and pressure cook or slow cook settings.
6L non-stick cooking bowl can be removed for serving at the dinner table.


text:
Before stretching your low back...read this!
Does your low back get sore as the day goes on? You're not alone! Many patients I see feel the constant need to stretch out their backs in the morning and throughout the day. In fact, many of them have been told to do this by a friend, family member, trainer, or even physician. My next question is usually, "How well is that working for you?" Every time the answer is the same, "it's not." Time to shift the paradigm on treatment for low back pain!
1. Why is my back so tight?
First things first, let's talk about tight, or "hypertonic" muscles. It is very common to have very tight and sore muscles in the low back. However, we have to think about why those muscles are tight! Muscles tighten up or go into spasm in attempt to stabilize an area of dysfunction. So many times in low back cases, those tight stiff muscles in the back are the only thing holding us together! Do we really want to stretch or loosen up the only stability we have? Yikes!
Having a background in applied kinesiology has given me the tools to be able to see which muscles are hypertonic and which muscles are not firing well (or inhibited.) If a muscle is working too hard it is because there is a weakness elsewhere! We can receive massage, soft tissue work, chiropractic manipulations, kinesiology tape, etc. to the area all we want, but it is absolutely imperative to address the weakness and faulty firing patterns happening! Low back pain is often due to limited stability in the pelvis and core. I have seen so many times that just by performing simple activation exercises, low back pain can be decreased significantly.
2. Avoid excessive flexion of the spine
Most of us live the majority of our days in a flexed, or curved position. Hunched over computer desks, looking at phones, even working with clients. Virtually all stretches for the low back put us further into that pattern, which is not ideal. In fact, the most common mechanism to cause disc herniations is a combination of flexion and rotation in the low back, which many people perform daily to stretch! Ditch the flexion stretches and get movements in the hip and mid back (common tight areas) instead!
3. What do do instead?
In order to reduce back pain, we want to stabilize the low back and gain strength and mobility elsewhere. Two VERY common restricted areas in the body are the hips and thoracic spine (mid back). Perform these stretches and mobility drills daily to off-set the flexion dependent environment we live in!
Hip Flexor Stretch
Hold the stretch for 3-5 seconds on each side and return to a neutral kneeling stance. Only stretch as far as comfortable (no more than 6/10 on a scale of discomfort). Repeat 5-10 times per side. Raise the arm opposite the bent knee if a deeper stretch is desired.
Mobilize Thoracic Spine
Place the foam roller horizontal across the mid back. First start by "scanning" the area. Roll up and down the mid back slowly, feeling for sore or restricted areas. Once a restriction or sore spot is found, place the pelvis on the ground and perform 5 small extensions, arching the mid back around the foam roller. Make sure to keep the neck and head in a neutral position. Then return to scanning and repeat if another restricted area is found.
In addition to mobility, we also must consider stability. Having increased range of motion doesn't mean much if we can't control it via the muscular system. Perform these exercises daily to activate your core and pelvic stability, which will result in much less strain on the low back!
Glute Bridge
Lift the pelvis up off the ground, making sure to keep the low back stable (not arched!). Hold for 3-5 seconds and return to the ground Repeat 5-10 times. To up the anty add a resistance band above the knees!
Dead Bug with Exercise Ball
Place a large exercise ball between the knees and arms. Squeeze the arms and knees into the ball simultaneously for 3-5 seconds, making sure to breathe. Be mindful to keep the lower back from arching! Repeat 5-10 times.
Of course, seeking help from a medical professional is always a great first step. Did you know that research has proven and validated chiropractic care as a successful and safe treatment for low back pain? Check out this meta analysis! Regular chiropractic treatments will provide significant relief and help kick that low back pain for good. And remember, any physical pain can also stem from internal or emotional imbalances. By addressing physical, internal, and emotional health, our bodies can heal, be whole, and thrive!


text: Cape Town - Jurgen Klopp says that Loris Karius is now his first-choice goalkeeper after the young German replaced Simon Mignolet during the Reds' run up the Premier League table.Mignolet will be back in action for Tuesday's EFL Cup tie against Tottenham Hotspur but the competition has long been used by leading clubs to rest key players.Karius, who joined for £4.7m during the summer, played in pre-season but then broke his hand and missed the start of the new Premier League campaign.But the 23-year-old displaced Mignolet, an inconsistent performer in his past three seasons at Anfield, for Liverpool's third-round EFL Cup win over Derby County last month and has since kept his place. "This moment we have a No 1 and that's Loris Karius," said Klopp. "That's the situation and what the goalkeepers know. I cannot leave them in doubt."There was a short period with the two or three games we (initially) gave Loris to see a little bit more of him, but after the last international break I spoke to both of them and we made this decision."Of course, he (Mignolet) was not happy about this but nobody can see this in training. He is still working hard, improving, (doing) all that he has to do. He is a very serious person and a good professional."Saturday's victory over West Bromwich Albion took Liverpool level on points with Premier League leaders Manchester City and second-placed Arsenal.The Merseysiders have lost just once in 11 games in all competitions this season but Klopp said it was far too early to talk about Liverpool winning the title, having last been crowned domestic champions before the start of the Premier League in 1990."It's normal in football that when you are in a good position people starting talking a little bit more positive," said the colourful German."But I don't recognise too much what everybody is saying about us. Of course I recognise the mood around LFC and it's good, but we're still in October. There's a long way to go so there is nothing to say about this."Nothing we have done up until now has been close to 100 percent. We have to improve a lot of things."


text:
Law's Wars
The Fate of the Rule of Law in the US 'War on Terror'
Part of Cambridge Studies in Law and Society
- Author: Richard L. Abel, UCLA
- Date Published: August 2019
- availability: Available
- format: Paperback
- isbn: 9781108454650
Other available formats:
Hardback, eBook
Looking for an inspection copy?
This title is not currently available on inspection
The US 'war on terror', which Bush declared and Obama continued, repeatedly violated fundamental rule of law values. Law's Wars: The Fate of the Rule of Law in the US 'War on Terror' is the first comprehensive account of efforts to resist and correct those violations. It focuses on responses to abuses in Abu Ghraib, efforts by Guantánamo Bay detainees to improve conditions of confinement in and win release, exposés of and efforts to end torture and electronic surveillance, and civilian casualties on the battlefield, including targeted killings. Abel deploys a law and society perspective to construct and analyze detailed narratives of the roles of victims, whistle-blowers, the media, NGOs, lawyers, doctors, politicians, military personnel, foreign governments and international organizations in defending the rule of law. Only by understanding past errors can we hope to prevent their repetition in what promises to be an endless 'war on terror'.Read more
- Focuses on the defense of the rule of law during the US 'war on terror'
- Permits comparisons between the Bush and Obama administrations
- The book is social scientific rather than doctrinal
Reviews & endorsements
'Law's Wars offers an intensely detailed, richly sourced, immensely sobering account of five battles where the rule of law was at stake following 9/11. Abel's gripping legal and political narrative will stand as a monument of record to the failure of rule of law institutions, yet also to successful counter-attacks by branches of the state, civil society and market. The rule of law is not dead for Abel, nor for the US, however soiled its currency in the war on terror.' Terence Halliday, Co-Director, Center on Law and Globalization, American Bar FoundationSee more reviews
'Packed with primary sources and told in gripping narrative, Law's Wars recounts the stories of Abu Ghraib and Guantánamo, surveillance and torture, targeted killings and extraordinary renditions, secret prisons and drone strikes, war crimes and more. However, over the whole story hovers the rule of law - what it might be, how it was damaged and how it might return. At once patient and urgent, full of overwhelming evidence and yet never losing sight of the big picture, Law's Wars bears compelling witness to the precise ways that the US failed its own best ideals and how it could have - and should have - done better.' Kim Lane Scheppele, Princeton University, New Jersey
'Of all the books on the US war on terror and the law, this is the indispensable one. From detention and torture to surveillance and civilian casualties, Richard L. Abel puts all the pieces together. His research is encyclopedic, his story-telling taut, his analysis superb.' David Luban, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, and author of Torture, Power, and Law
Customer reviews
Not yet reviewed
Be the first to review
Review was not posted due to profanity×
Product details
- Date Published: August 2019
- format: Paperback
- isbn: 9781108454650
- dimensions: 230 x 120 x 60 mm
- weight: 1.15kg
- contains: 2 tables
- availability: Available
Table of Contents
1. Defending the rule of law
2. Abu Ghraib
3. Guantánamo Bay
4. Interrogation
5. Electronic surveillance
6. Ius in Bello
7. The resilience of the rule of law.
Sign In
Please sign in to access your account
Not already registered? Create an account now. ×
Sorry, this resource is locked
Please register or sign in to request access. If you are having problems accessing these resources please email firstname.lastname@example.com Sign in
» Proceed
You are now leaving the Cambridge University Press website. Your eBook purchase and download will be completed by our partner www.ebooks.com. Please see the permission section of the www.ebooks.com catalogue page for details of the print & copy limits on our eBooks.Continue ×


text:
Not my usual order, but in this case I'm talking about a certain James Church, writer of a particularly excellent first-thriller called A Corpse in the Koryo. (It doesn't come out until October, and if the title changes between now and then—as I well know, these things happen—I'll let you know.) I recently read it in manuscript, sent by my publisher, and I was damned well impressed.
So what's a Koryo? Well, it's the Hotel Koryo in Pyongyang. That's right, North Korea. Which as you can guess is right up my alley. And the cop in this mystery (the genre's somewhere between police procedural—light on the procedure—and espionage) is the brilliantly named Inspector O.
O is an endearing character, with a mix of necessary pragmatism and romanticism (in particular concerning wood), as well as authentic complexity. I don't know if Koryo is the start of a series, but I hope it is.
It's not just the milieu that appeals—though that certainly does, taking the reader to a place few know at all. More, it's the writing—a beautifully honed minimalism that nonetheless evokes its scenes with great detail. I love it when writers are able to leave room for the reader's imagination. It takes talent to know where to leave those spaces, and James Church has plenty of such talent.
The question I had now and then was: Who is James Church? That's a bit of a mystery. The bio only says he worked a long time for "a Western intelligence service." (I quote this from memory, the bio's on my desk at home.) Now, that leaves the field open. But he's certainly familiar with North Korea, and so my imagination starts running. The only other clue is in the manuscript itself, its final words:


text:
Artist photographer Takashi Tomo-oka's work is about
stillness and restraint.His subject is mainly flowers
and plants, and begins with a patient study of the
shape of a plant as it grows.Watching how a stem curves,
how a bloom opens.He then makes a sketch,
creating a diagram of how he wants the plant
to look as a photograph,accounting for the ample white
space that gives his images their modern edge.
Printing on washi paper, has a softening effect upon
these austere photographs .
These works embody the principles of WABI-SABI—an
aesthetic ideal based on finding beauty in
imperfection and impermanence.
These works explore not just the beauty of plants
but also their dark side—dying leaves or ones
eaten by bugs, rotting berries, even poisonous weeds …
Pared down to its barest essence, wabi-sabi is the Japanese art of finding beauty in imperfection and profundity in nature, of accepting the natural cycle of growth, decay, and death. It's simple, slow, and uncluttered-and it reveres authenticity above all.
Wabi-sabi is underplayed and modest, the kind of quiet, undeclared beauty that waits patiently to be discovered.
Via : flickeflu.com