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"The world of tickers was the world of men."
The Brass Giant, a steampunk novel by author and ATU alum Brooke Johnson, was recently released by Harper Voyager Impulse.
You can find an interview with Johnson about steampunk and strong female characters over at The Mary Sue.
Here's an excerpt from chapter one of her novel:
Petra Wade stood at the foot of the University steps, her hands in the pockets of her borrowed trousers. Her heart hammered in her chest as she looked upon the gleaming monument of scientific study, the anticipation of this moment finally a reality. She nervously twisted the stem of her pocket watch, feeling the familiar click of the ratchet against the winding gear.
Until now her only experience with clockwork mechanics and design had been the weekly studies with Mr. Stricket after her shift at the pawnshop, repairing pocket watches and grandfather clocks, or making clockwork contraptions out of spare parts. Still, she knew she had talent enough to compete with the best engineers the school had to offer. Yet the Guild would never allow it. The world of tickers was the world of men.
So, slipping her hands from her pockets, Petra tucked the loose strands of her hair back into her borrowed cap and gave herself the once-over, making sure her brother's clothes covered any femininity that might betray her to anyone inside. Satisfied that she looked the part, she marched up the University steps, determined not to let something as trivial as her sex stop her from pursuing the career she deserved.
Students milled about the door, discussing pitch circles and circumferential velocities. Petra's skin quivered as she passed over the threshold, the rich scent of paraffin and gasoline in the air. The floor pulsed with the jarring oscillations of the subcity below, the steady hum of perfectly fitted gears vibrating within her bones. Her fingers twitched toward the screwdriver in her pocket. From the lobby, she could see a cluttered mess of schematics papering the walls of the main workshop. Columns of unused gears stood at attention in the far corner, waiting for an engineer to affix them to a gear train. Levers rocked and cranks spun, driving gears and sliders. Steam whistled through pipes. Blowlamps hissed and sputtered over metal joints. The workshop sang an engineer's lullaby.
Petra grinned. She belonged here.
To the left and right of the entry, lift gates stood closed before clusters of students, the lights above the doors flashing yellow as the lifts sped up and down the shaft, disappearing beyond the high, arched ceiling—the brass so polished it gleamed like gold. From the lifts, stairs curved upward along the lobby walls, leading to the upper-level workshops, with the entrance to the main workshop just below.
Petra inhaled a deep breath. She could do this.
She marched toward the large, circular desk in the center of the entry hall, walking stiffly and purposefully with her hands clenched at her sides. Behind the desk sat a weedy, thin sort of man, annotating a printed letter. His hair was thin and graying, and he wore a name plate pinned to the breast of his coat: w. plaskett.
Petra cleared her throat.
"One moment," he said without looking up, continuing to scribble in the cramped margin at the bottom of the letter, until finally he capped the pen and put the letter aside. "Yes?"
She cleared her throat again and spoke in the deepest voice she could muster. "I'm here to apply for the upcoming term."
"Are you a returning student?" he asked.
Mr. Plaskett reached across the desk, grabbed a blank application file and readied his pen. "Your name?"
"Wade," she said, her heart beating faster. "Solomon Wade."
He scribbled the false name. "And date of birth?"
"March twenty-second, 1862," she answered, knowing she didn't look the least bit nineteen, though only two years shy of that age. She tugged on the brim of her hat, shading her soft features from the overhead lighting.
"Former institution?" prompted Mr. Plaskett.
The scratching of his pen stopped.
Petra stiffened. Solomon said they'd accept anyone from Eton. Mr. Plaskett bent over and dug through a drawer of files, mumbling the names of institutions as he thumbed through the tabs. She gripped the stem of her pocket watch and waited, panic creeping up her throat.
"Ah, here it is," he said. "Eton." He slapped the folder onto the desk and flipped to the back pages, running his long, narrow finger down a list of names. With a frown, he turned to the next page and scanned the first few entries. "Hmm." He shuffled through a few more pages before finally closing the file, then clasped his fingers over the folder and peered at her with an accusatory glare. "There is no one by the name of Wade here."
"Sorry?" Her voice cracked.
"I have a list of every student who has requested a transfer to the University from Eton, and there is no Solomon Wade on that list."
She stared at him a moment, winding the stem of her pocket watch as she tried to think. She and Solomon hadn't planned for this. She could demand he check again, but the name wouldn't be there, no matter how many times he read the list. The winding stem resisted against her fingers as the spring tension in the watch reached its peak. Hastily, she released the stem before the mainspring snapped.
"So, I'm not from Eton," she blurted out.
He eyed her properly now, taking note of her petite size and the state of her borrowed clothes—oversized and soot-stained. "No. I believe not."
She raised her chin and stared defiantly back, refusing to be judged, refusing to let him think she didn't belong just because she didn't look the part. "You can't stop me from applying."
Mr. Plaskett leaned back in his chair. "I have no desire to prevent worthy engineers from applying to the University. However, as a nontransfer student with no credentials or statement of reference, I will need your registration of birth, a transcript of records from your former institution, a seal of approval from the Guild of Engineers, and your tuition fees for the first term. If you can manage that before September, you may then apply for the upcoming term."
Petra's heart sank. "What about scholarships? I thought—"
"Scholarships are for students of academic merit only, not—" He arched an eyebrow and appraised her with a sweeping gaze. "—the impoverished. We are not a charity."
She tightened her hands into fists, the hair on the back of her neck bristling.
Mr. Plaskett smiled thinly—a smug, self-satisfied smirk plastered onto his face. "Now then, if that is all?" When she did not respond, he took her application file, balled it up in his fist, and tossed the crumpled paper into the bin behind his desk. "As I thought. Good day, Mr. Wade."
Gritting her teeth with a grunt of frustration, Petra swiveled away from the desk and stalked toward the door. The prat. She shoved through a group of students, stumbled over a discarded knapsack, and fell down. Her knees banged against the hard metal tiles, and her pocket watch and screwdriver slipped from her pockets and skated across the polished floor. As she moved to reach for them, her hat fell from her head, revealing her long braided hair.
"Why, it's a girl," said one of the boys behind her.
Haughty laughter echoed through the chamber, attacking Petra from all sides. Blood rushed in her ears, and her cheeks flushed under their judging gazes. Not one of them came to her aid or offered to help. Of course they wouldn't. She didn't belong there—a girl dressed in boy's clothing. Humiliation burned at the corners of her eyes. The vibration beneath the floor nauseated her. The smell of oil suffocated her. The clacking and shrilling of the machinery rattled her brain. She had to escape.
Biting back the urge to shout at the boys to mind their own business, she scrambled to her feet and snatched her things off the floor, stuffing the screwdriver back into her trouser pocket and jamming the hat onto her head. Her eyes stung, but she dared not cry. Petra Wade didn't cry.
Her pocket watch lay on the floor a few feet away. The case had sprung open, and the watch face glimmered in the overhead light. Clenching her hands at her sides, she stepped forward to retrieve it, but a shadow crossed her path and snuffed the yellow gleam reflected in the polished surface. The room hushed.
A large, heavy man crouched in front of her, reaching for her treasured timepiece. His coat strained against him as his fat pinched and bones creaked, like an old, cumbersome machine running without oil. He wore a pin on the breast of his coat, a working planetary gear system ticking in a mesmerizing array of orbiting gears—the official seal of the Guild council. The largest of the gears was acid-etched with a floral pattern, marking this vast fellow the University vice-chancellor, Hugh Lyndon. His thick fingers closed around the gilded case of her pocket watch and fastened it shut. When he stood, the boys around the lobby snapped to attention.
Vice-Chancellor Lyndon stared at the watch, running his stubby thumb over the ornate C that decorated the front of the case. "At ease, gentlemen," he said. His voice was deep and gravelly, and though he spoke quietly, it carried through the hall.
The room relaxed at his command, but the boys remained, the air in the lobby still and silent as they stared at the pair of them—the vice-chancellor of the University and this unknown girl—as if they were some spectacle.
Lyndon flipped the watch open, and deep frown lines creased his brow. The reflection of light on his round glasses obscured his eyes, but then the glare shifted as his gaze flickered from the watch to Petra. He seemed to be searching for something—fear, subordination, shame. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction. Gathering to her full height, she raised her chin in defiance. He might have been vice-chancellor of the University, but she wasn't going to bow down to anyone, least of all him. He was the reason she couldn't attend the University in the first place.
But he did not challenge her, did not ask why she was there or who she was. He merely looked once more upon the watch, and the crease in the center of his forehead deepened.
Petra watched him carefully, wondering if he had seen the watch before, recognized it somehow—but it must have been years and years ago, before she was born, before Matron found her and took her in. Her pulse quickened. If he knew something of the watch, knew its maker or who might have given it to her, perhaps he knew the answers to questions that had plagued Petra her entire life, questions she had all but given up on. The watch, and the screwdriver in her pocket, were the only two things she owned that were truly hers, found in her pockets the day of the fire, the day she became an orphan—but neither had led her to her home. Who had she been before the fire? Who were her parents? And why had no one come looking for her?
Slowly, Vice-Chancellor Lyndon shut the case over the watch face, again running his finger over the gilded C. Petra chewed her lip as questions bubbled up inside her, but she was too aware of the crowd of students standing around her, judging her, mocking her. She held her tongue.
Burying her curiosity and anger and humiliation, she held out her hand and, in the politest tone she could muster, addressed the vice-chancellor. "May I please have my watch back, sir?"
Lyndon glanced up at her, as if just remembering she was there. "Yes," he said with a nod. "Of course." Closing his fist over the pocket watch, he tentatively placed it in her palm.
Afraid she would lose her calm if she stayed a moment longer, Petra nodded curtly and left the lobby without another word, fastening the watch chain to her belt. Ignoring the silent stares of the students, she descended the steps into the courtyard, stealing a brass-plated bench on the far side of the square. The hot metal scorched her skin even through her trousers, burning the bitter embarrassment away.
She never had a chance.
Even with a disguise, even if she forged all the necessary documents, she would never manage to procure enough money to cover a semester's tuition. She sighed and buried her face in her hands.
She would never attend the University. She would never become a qualified engineer. She would forever be the shop girl at Stricket & Monfore, or if Matron had her way, she'd be married off to some well-to-do idiot with no sense for mechanics.
A shadow passed between her and the sun.
"Guess you'll be heading to work soon, then."
Petra lowered her hands from her face and looked up at the leering face of the pawnbroker's son, Bartholomew Monfore—Tolly, as she knew him. Beneath the brim of his newsboy cap, he wore a smirk to match Mr. Plaskett's.
She fumed. "Shove off, Tolly."
"Don't be like that," he said, plopping down next to her on the bench. He nudged her with his shoulder. "Now listen … me, Norris, and Hoyt are playing cards tonight, and we need a fourth. You in?"
Petra groaned. "Can't." She reached up, twisted her braid into a knot on the top of her head and hid it away with her cap. "I'm working with Mr. Stricket tonight." Even if she wasn't working, she would have come up with an excuse.
"Why bother? They said no, didn't they?" he asked, gesturing to the University. "That's why you're out here pouting."
"I'm not 'pouting.'"
"What do you call this, then?" he said with a laugh. She scowled. "Oh, come on, Petra. That school is no place for you. They know it. I know it. Only person who don't is you. Girls aren't supposed to be engineers."
"Shut up, Tolly."
He merely shrugged. "Just telling it like it is, Pet. Someday, you'll admit I was right."
Petra stood up and exhaled sharply. "I have to go."
Tolly grinned. "Don't be late for work."


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Quick Reply and quoting
Maybe there's something I'm missing, but is there anyway for the message I choose to quote ending up in the quick reply box insted of automatically taking me to the reply page? A bit of a picky thing I know, but I like using the quick reply box and I could have sworn that at one time, if you clicked "quote" and you had QR enabled, that's where it would go.
Thanks for any and all help. :smile:
I'll ask Andy if he knows if that's possible.
Thank you. :flowers:
I don't think the software has ever done that. I know you can click the button next to the quote and it will then "tag" that post as the one you are replying to but it will not copy the text of the message into the quick reply box.
The only way I have ever known the software to be setup was to click quote and go to the full reply page. We did change to vBulleting back in 2004 and maybe that was an option on our old software?
I am really lost here, and I know it's a stupid question since everybody else does it easily, but how do you post a quote and it appears in the grey box ?
You can do it 2 ways
Type in this:
But remove the "" marks that are around the Quote
Or use the button that looks like a bubble that you would see on a cartoon. Its the 4th button from the end on the right side (when you use the Post reply button. If you do a quick reply its the last button- next to the insert image button)
I'll try it.
It worked ! Thank you, Lady Jennifer !
like this click quote a grAy box will open then type your info
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Being a female, it is only right that I begin by discussing our obligations. First, as difficult as it is to admit, trying to force a guy to dance against his will is probably as rude as his refusing to dance even when there is a huge majority of women. Hinting, meaningfully glaring, threatening, and outright asking a man to dance are not only extremely unladylike, but also very unlikely to change his mind. Suck it up, ask another girl to dance, and try not to let anyone see that you're on the verge of tears from having to dance the male part in every single dance. If two girls are dancing together (or actually, in any case, since otherwise the man should always do the asking), the asker should lead. No matter which part is yours, try to be as grateful to your partner as if you were dancing with your desired partner (i. e. an actual guy). If you are set to dance with another girl, and a man asks you to dance, no matter how tempted you are to accept (and you will be), politely refuse. You are already committed, and changing your mind would be extremely rude to your partner. If you are dancing the lead, act like a gentleman! Smile, instead of looking like you'd much rather be dancing a woman's part, with a male partner (even though you would), and when the dance is over, thank you partner and escort her off of the dance floor. Basically, show a good example to all of the guys, who should be doing what you're doing. If a man does ask you to dance, congratulations! Behave with poise and grace, and avoid making any jabs about how rare it is.
Men, if you are in a situation where dancing is going on, and you are not dancing, then unless the number of men and women dancing is right about even (unlikely), rest assured that every girl present wants to wring your neck. We don't even really care that much if you dance with us specifically. If you dance with any girl, that's one guy closer to an even ratio. However, we would still like to dance with an actual male person ourselves at some point, so don't just dance with the girls you know well! Remember what I said about either dancing or having your neck wrung? Well, if you dance twice with the same girl you're making every girl that hasn't yet gotten to dance with a guy (especially if they've had to lead every time) want to wring your neck and then throw you into a lake with sharp rocks at the bottom, with a millstone tied around that scrawny little worthless wrung neck of yours. Look around for girls that aren't dancing much (they'll be the ones sitting or standing and looking wistfully at the dancing from time to time) or are dancing with other girls a lot, especially in the capacity of doing a man's job (they'll be the ones trying to be very gentlemanly and dignified, but all the time feeling just like crying), and ask those girls to dance. They will be grateful to you forever. However, while you ought to be looking for ignored girls to dance with, while dancing, the majority of your attention ought to go to your partner. Eye contact is of vital importance, as is grip, and conversation is nice too, but only if you can both converse and keep up with the dance. When the dance is over, thank your partner, and escort her off of the dance floor. Even if you don't, she will be thrilled to have danced with you, but will still be left with the faint impression that you are an impolite slob, and you would probably rather not leave that impression.
For both men and women, the same principle applies here as in every other situation: conduct yourself with decorum, as a lady or a gentleman, and try to make the experience pleasant for your partner. I hope this has been helpful for any readers there may be. Now go dance your feet off!
Added note, as of 6/10/2014: I was recently introduced to a problem I hadn't thought of before. Men, if you are in a conversation with two girls, and ask one to dance, and she declines, ask the other girl to dance! You'd think this would just be common sense/common courtesy, but apparently not. Rest assured, if you don't do this, the girl you didn't ask (and probably the one you did ask) will notice, and it will not reflect well on your character.


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Bruce Springsteen: Greetings from Asbury Park NJ [Columbia, 1973]
"The Angel" and "Mary Queen of Arkansas" are turgid unaccompanied-acoustic horrors that could scare anybody off this particular Dylan hype. But the jokey lingo and absurdist energy of everything else are exactly the excesses that made Dylan a genius instead of a talent--it takes real conviction to save "But did not heed my urgency" with "Your life was one long emergency." Even urban-mythos rambles like "Lost in the Flood" are not without charm. And in songs like "Growin' Up" and "Blinded by the Light" there's an unguarded teen-underclass poetry that has Springsteen's name on it.


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Goonhilly Satellite Earth Station - currently closed.
Set in the dramatic landscape of the Lizard Peninsula the giant dishes of Goonhilly Satellite Earth Station rise up from the heathland. Through the Visitor Centre and guided bus tour, explore the history of communication at the largest and oldest satellite station in the World.
Venue Type:
Science centre, Garden, parklands or rural site
Opening hours
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Goonhilly Satellite Earth Station - currently closed.
All information is drawn from or provided by the venues themselves and every effort is made to ensure it is correct. Please remember to double check opening hours with the venue concerned before making a special visit.
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A coalition that includes FC Bayern Munich spent months working on plans to create a private league of elite teams behind the backs of associations and other teams. #footballleaks #dirtydeals https://t.co/cXf1wXgqMP— SPIEGEL ONLINE English (@SPIEGEL_English) 2 listopada 2018
- Michael Gerlinger - who is working at FC Bayern Munich (German team) - instructed the lawyers to find out if the team could withdraw from the German league, the Bundesliga, and whether they could stop its players to play for the national team in the future,
- 7 football clubs wanted to create a Super League in 2016,
- in a few days allegedly 16 top clubs were to sign a document to establish such a league,
- the league would begin operating in the 2021 season,
- 17 teams with the strongest TV presences from England, Spain, Italy, Germany and France would compete permanently,
- 18th participant would be a team from Portugal, Russia, the Netherlands or Turkey,
- clubs think they could achieve annual revenues of 500 million euro plus,
- Bayern Munich denies everything,
- all the information comes from Football Leaks platform who previously published player contracts, transfer agreements and sponsorship deals,
- top players had to pay millions in fines and back taxes because of it,
- Football Leaks has more than 70 million documents (over 3.4 terabytes of information),
- it's the largest data leak in history.
source: twitter


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WPI's portfolio of mobile power generation solutions makes sure you have the equipment best suited for the unique and harsh conditions of onshore drilling. Available in multiple fuel source configurations, the power generation engines offered by WPI and Waukesha gas engines can increase productivity and lower operating costs.
Increase lifecycle and reduce maintenance cost with our conversion, modification and upgrade solutions.


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When it's time to learn "Machine Learning", the first thing that you will hear is "Types of Machine Learning". Because this is where you will begin to learn.
Based on learning algorithms, machines can learn in two ways. In supervised way and the other is un-supervised way. So these are the types of machine learning. Let's discuss about them with examples.
1. Supervised machine learning
Here at the very beginning you teach your machine. Then the machine gives you result based on your lessons. Let me give you a real world example:
Suppose, you want to teach the machine to recognize images of fruits. In supervised learning process you show the image of apple and tell machine that this is apple. Again you take image of orange and let it know that the image contains orange.
By this way you teach your machine with lot of images and their labels.
After that, if you show a new image to the machine, most likely it will recognize the fruit's name.
2. Unsupervised machine learning
Here you don't teach machine. It learns itself. Lets jump into an example. In this scenario, you show many images of apples and oranges. But don't say which one is apple and which one is orange. The machine will be able to predict that these two things are different. It will categorize apple in one category and orange in another category.
That is, it will cluster different things in different groups.
Isn't it that simple?
Photo Credit:
Army Photography Contest – 2007


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I know. I've been silent here, but I'm still alive and still writing and still… um, busy. Anyway, I have NEWS!!! Book 5 from the Carolina Coast releases November 13, 2018. AND it's available for preorder now. AND it's 60% OFF for a very limited time! AMAZON: https://amzn.to/2wFSa5X iTunes: https://apple.co/2MSvKZq…
Posts by Normandie
Goodreads Giveaway!
Enter to win one of five signed copies of the revised Sailing out of Darkness! Goodreads Book Giveaway Sailing out of Darkness by Normandie Fischer Giveaway ends September 15, 2017. See the giveaway details at Goodreads. Enter Giveaway
Visit Me–Elsewhere
Lots of news from my neck of the woods, but most of it has to do with my busyness. Besides writing the next Carolina Coast novel, I'm now a monthly contributor to Novel Rocket. The second Wednesday of every month you can find me there, talking about life as an author. But don't…
Audiobooks, Anyone? Another Giveaway!
https://writingonboard.com/giveaways/another-audiobook-giveaway-two-from-isaacs-house/ Another
Tonight's the Night of the Maggie Awards
And Heavy Weather is up against some great books, but especially Barbara Claypole White's The Perfect Son! Go, us!
10 Winners Chosen for Audiobook of Two from Isaac's House
Email confirmations are on the way, so check your Inbox today! Grab your own copy here Or pick up a Kindle version for only $3.99 and add the audio for $1.99.
Two from Isaac's House in Audiobook!
SAMPLE I think Brandon Potter and Spoke Media did an excellent job, especially on the Middle Eastern accents. Travel with Rina from Morehead City, NC, to Perugia, Italy, where bodies begin to drop, and Rina has no idea who is friend and who foe. Follow Tony to Perugia and…
Heavy Weather's Shiny New Badge from The MAGGIE!
Y'all have seen this before, back in 2014, when Sailing out of Darkness finaled in the Maggie. Even if Heavy Weather doesn't win, I consider it a huge honor to be short-listed with WFWA (Women's Fiction Writers Association) girlfriend, Barbara Claypole White and her delicious book, The Perfect Son.…
More Excitement: A Surprise Win
Do you remember that Heavy Weather was a finalist in the Colorado RWA's Award of Excellence Contest for Mainstream Fiction with Strong Romantic Elements? I adore anything that validates my work, my words. Guess what? Today I learned that the cover of Two from Isaac's House won the cover contest for Romantic Suspense. Congratulations to Jenny from…
Those Lovely Folk in Colorado–Heavy Weather Finals
Isn't that a lovely button? I woke to find an email announcing that Heavy Weather is a finalist. So fun! And just to remind you what the story's about, here's the trailer. Hope you enjoy! Congratulations to the other three finalists writing strong romantic elements as well…


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Transport bosses have unveiled the first official map showing the walking times between central London's Tube stations. The comprehensive plan highlights the time it takes to travel on foot between almost all of the stations on London's Underground network. It is the first official one of its kind and was released following the popularity of other unofficial versions. Walking from Leicester Square to the markets of Covent Garden takes just four minutes, but many tourists make the longer journey by Tube. People can now use the new walking Tube map to navigate London above ground, while taking in its iconic sights.
Click here to see 8 tube journeys that are quicker by foot!


text: DVDFab 10.0.3.9 with Crack. DVDFab is all-in-one DVD copying/converting/burning software. In just one or two steps, you can copy any DVD to DVDR/PSP/iPod/etc. DVDFab is brand new, is completely rewritten, is based on more than 6 years of DVD copy software development. It allows you to remove all DVD copy protections, like CSS, CPPM, RC, RCE, APS, UOPs, ARccOS, RipGuard, FluxDVD, CORE X2, etc. It is constantly updated to support latest DVD copy protections and has a very fast copying speed, normally it s about 10 20 minutes. Disable your internet connection. Install the DVDFab. Do not launch the DVDFab. Copy into DVDFab install directory. Make a shortcut ldrDVDFab and place it on the table. Launch the DVDFab by clicking on the shortcut. Download links f o r DVDFab 22.214.171.124 Patch. DVDFab 9.x Patch by BRD. Instructions to use BRD patch. Install DVDFab. Open DVDfab and activate trial. Close and make sure DVDFab is not running in the background. Now DVDFab should be activated [not trial.PREVIOUS NEXT


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Address:Plastica Panaro srl
Via Gramsci 438
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41054 Marano sul Panaro
Phone: 0039 059793340
Fax: 0039 059705052
Website: www.plasticapanaro.it
Social Media Links:
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ProfileMAX Cases are IP67 ceritified, tough,durable and reliable. They may be used in a variety of applications, ranging from marine, photography, scuba diving, hunting, fishing, special corps and even manufacturing industry. These cases offer superior protection from elements, water, dust and impacts, making them suitable for a wide array of sectors and applications.
- Commercial
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1812: Birthday of Victorian poet, Robert Browning who married Elizabeth Barrett and lived the best years and most productive in Florence, Italy.1892: Birthday of American poet and public official, Archibald Mac Leish.U.S. troops intervene in Nicaragua.1945:Unconditional Surrender of Nazi Germany to the Allies (booksense)
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As some of you might know (and if you don't, you know it now), I'm a VISUG board member since a few months. My job will be helping Gill Cleeren and Pieter Gheysens with organizing events and stuff like that.
One of the cool things that I could help with is the organization of VISUGDAY.
"Visug is celebrating its 7th anniversary. We thought it would be a great idea to organize our first conference. Tada, Visug Day is born. Internationally renowned speakers are joining us for 3 tracks of deep-dive training. The only thing that's standing between you and a fully-equipped brain is that register button. Go ahead, click it and mark April 17 in your agenda!"
As a web developer I'm very glad to see that there is a track on HTML and things that are going on on the web.
- A lap around WinJs
- Implementing MVVM in WinJS
- Real World ASP.NET MVC for developers and architects
- Just cause it's JavaScripts doesn't give you right to write rubbish
No hard feelings if you choose to follow the Windows 8 or ALM sessions
So if you are not subscribed yet, go to the VISUGDAY site and register before it's too late


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Super clear sealant, adhesive and filler. 100% crystal clear. Can be applied in all weather conditions (including wet and damp surfaces), internally and externally. No solvants or odours. Primerless adhesion on most construction materials. Overpaintable with most paints. Non-staining on porous natural stones. Suitable for sanitary applicaions.
One product seals all, bonds all. All surfaces and materials.
Design by - Sharp-aX Computer Systems Ltd.
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Eggs Two Days! Two Ways! I made my wife Alex some baked eggs for breakfast one Saturday, and she asked me what I was going to do with the rest of the eggs in the carton…which is how we came… Read More ›
movie food you can make
"Dinner And A Movie" Says "Snap Out Of It!" Bite Into The "Moonstruck Eggs" Recipe! Cher Eats! Nic Cage Chews Scenery!
"Dinner And A Movie" With Cher! Anyone hungry? I am, and in the spirit of my "Dinner In A Movie" series, it's time to share a recipe that screams out, "I need some eggs!" I could make the beautiful eggs… Read More ›
Ratatouille! "Dinner And A Movie" With Chef Thomas Keller's Legendary Byaldi!
Biting Down On Greatness! If you don't know what this is, welcome to the delicious French world of a "Ratatouille" – and I assume you've heard of that film, where this recipe came from! Time for the next installment of… Read More ›
A "Big Night" Dinner And A Movie! A Slice Of Pasta Pie! Stanley Tucci And Tony Shaloub's Timpano Recipe!
Want A Slice Of Pasta Pie? I love food. I love Italian food. And I just might love this dish most of all! Imagine being served a beautifully prepared cake – but when you cut into it, you get this!… Read More ›


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Shared a bottle of this with friends tonight. :-) Nothing better than sharing a good beer with friends.
Now I don't have any more :-(
Maybe my beer Belgian style ales will taste like this. Not likely. Still have a long way to go. It will be fun trying though. Rock on!


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An insight into the design, constructionand operation of the US Navy's supersonic, all-weather multi-role combat jet (Owners' Workshop Manual)
The US-designed and built McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet is one of the most important Fourth Generation fighters in the world. Its twin-engine, twin-tails (canted outwards), and leading edge root extensions make it one of the most recognizable fighters in operation.
The latest version is the enlarged Super Hornet. It was controversial in being chosen as the replacement for the much loved F-14 Tomcat, but the truth is that it is a potent and fearsome fighter that boasts one of the most capable radars in service and a weapons loadout that takes full advantage of it. The Super Hornet currently performs the bulk of the Western world's airstrikes on the nefarious terrorist group 'ISIS' in Iraq and Syria.
Developed initially by Northrop as the P-530 Cobra in response to the US Air Force's Light Weight Fighter competition (winner: the General Dynamics F-16), the Hornet had a troubled start in life. Designated the YF-17 for the LWF fly-off in 1974, it failed to impress the Air Force.
However, contractor McDonnell Douglas stepped in confident that it could be improved sufficiently to make it a contender for the US Navy's new fighter competition. McAir, as was often the case, were right. Re-designed and re-designated the F/A-18 (fighter/attack), it won the competition and entered service with the US Navy as a carrier-borne, multi-role fighter, marking the beginning of the Hornet's journey from Air Force 'reject' to 'king' of the US Navy's Fleet Defenders


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Taxi wars: As more mobile payment companies target the taxi market, one app maker is making a play the other way
Taxi app company myTaxi is working on a "dongle" card reader for smartphones, similar to those offered by Square in the US and SumUp, Payleven and iZettle in Europe.
MyTaxi, headquartered in Hamburg, provides a taxi ordering app and is active in 30 German cities plus Vienna, Zurich, Warsaw, Barcelona, Madrid and Washington DC. If all goes to plan, the company expects to introduce its new card reader to the "whole myTaxi fleet" of 18,000 cabs early next year, myTaxi spokesperson Lina Wüller confirmed.
The full details aren't yet available, but the plan is to launch the card reader as an extension of myTaxi's existing in-app payment solution. The device was first shown to the market at the Euro Taximesse trade fair in Cologne last month.
Tackling Square, SumUp et al – is there room?
The taxi industry is an obvious place to win traction for new mobile payment solutions. Yesterday, SumUp – which is now active in seven countries across Europe – announced a new partnership with myTaxi rival Taxi.de.
SumUp has previously signed at least four agreements with taxi associations in Germany. The company claimed yesterday to have already reached 300 taxi companies in Berlin – "equivalent to more than 10 per cent of all the taxi drivers in the capital". The new service in partnership with Taxi.de, which will see drivers given free card readers, will become available in January 2013.
Rocket Internet's mobile payments company Payleven signed its own taxi partnership, with Berlin taxi association Taxiverband Berlin Brandenburg (TVB), last month.
Despite the competition, MyTaxi's established reach should give it a good start in Germany. In the US, apart from Square and other general-purpose card reader providers, an important company to keep an eye on will be point-of-sale giant VeriFone Systems.
Verifone inked a US$35m deal to supply "smart meter" card readers to cabs in Washington DC in July. That deal was overturned in November but VeriFone's recent expansion into Poland shows continued ambitions for market leadership in taxi mobile payments.
Image credit: Flickr user zak mc
Adyen launches mobile payment solution Shuttle across Europe
Click A Taxi announces $1.5 million in angel funding and German expansion
Rocket Internet backs Brazilian taxi app Easy Taxi


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This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — A physiotherapist working at the International Committee of the Red Cross' rehabilitation center was shot by a patient in Afghanistan's northern Balkh province, a statement released by the ICRC said.
Spanish national Lorena Enebral Perez, 38, was "a skilled and caring physiotherapist who assisted patients, especially children," the statement said, quoting the ICRC's head of delegation in Afghanistan, Monica Zanarelli.
"Energetic and full of laughter, Lorena was the heart of our office. Today, our hearts are broken," Zanarelli added.
Lorena's work involved helping children, women and men who lost limbs or with other forms of disability learn how to walk and feed again themselves.
"The violent fluctuations of life seem particularly cruel today," the statement said.
It was not immediately clear if Monday's attack was politically motivated or related to a personal dispute.
Sher Jan Durani, a spokesman for the provincial police chief, said two suspects have been arrested.
Physical rehabilitation was one of the ICRC's first activities in Afghanistan, starting in Kabul in 1988, according to the organization, which now has seven centers across the country.
The seven centers manufacture more than 19,000 artificial legs, arms and other orthopedic devices a year and treat hundreds of thousands of patients, according to the ICRC.
Last week, two local ICRC staff members were released after being held by an armed group for seven months. The two were abducted on Feb. 8 while on their way to assist in the northern Jawzjan province with six other colleagues, who were shot and killed. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, and the Taliban denied involvement.
Elsewhere in Afghanistan, a Taliban suicide bomber targeted international forces on patrol in the northern Parwan province, in an attack that wounded three Afghan civilians, according to Gen. Zaman Mamozai, the provincial police chief. He was not aware of any casualties among the foreign troops.
A statement issued by the NATO-led Resolute Support Mission said that a small number of service members and Afghan civilians were wounded when a suicide attacker targeted their convoy with a vehicle carrying an improvised explosive device.
"The wounded service members were taken to the Bagram Airfield hospital for treatment. None of the injuries are considered life threatening," the statement added.
Zabihullah Mujahid, a Taliban spokesman, claimed responsibility for the attack.
Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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Top 5 Wednesday is a weekly meme that was created by Lainey of gingerreadslainey and is currently hosted by Sam of ThoughtsOnTomes. Every week, I will post my top 5 of that week's theme. If you'd like to learn more about it or join in the fun, head over to the Goodreads group where all the discussions take place here.
This week's topic is all about ships where the characters started out hating each other but that hatred blossomed into sweet, sweet love. In my opinion, the will-they-won't-they of a romance plot is much more interesting than the same romance plot after the characters have gotten together. I love the anticipation. That's why this is one of those cliches that I really don't think cheapens a work. There are some that I grow tired of, but watching a tense relationship between two strong characters change against the characters' wishes is always so exciting and satisfying. It just goes to show that sometimes it doesn't matter that a story is predictable, what matters is that it entertains you.
There are a lot of great relationships in this category, and I tried to choose examples from a wide cross-section of literature. So, here goes. My favourite Hate to Love Ships are:
1. Lizzie Bennett and Mr Darcy – Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
It's impossible to complete a post on hate to love relationships without paying homage to the most famous of all. Did Lizzie and Darcy begin this trope? I'm not sure, but they definitely are a prime example of it done perfectly. Each is certain that the other is absolutely detestable, and even make this thought public, and, as their feelings begin to change, they remain certain that the other hates them. They meet multiple obstacles, until finally, they see the light and come together. This pair have gone down in history as being an amazing hate to love ship because Austen's writing is so funny and light, and her characters are crafted so well that they come to life on the page.
2. Dimple and Rishi – When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon
This incredibly fun read was only recently released, but it is making waves. It puts a modern twist on a classic tale. This is, at heart, a simple tale of will-they-won't-they, where the pair clash at the start, and then come together. In this tale, the hatred is more one-sided than in others, but we still see the same changes in the relationship of the characters and the happy ending.
Click here to read my full review for When Dimple Met Rishi.
3. Amani and Jin – Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton
The scenes in this series which stand out the most to me are both in this book, and both involve high tension scenes between these characters. Amani and Jin spend much of this book at loggerheads, and then are thrust together against their will and have to stick together to survive, or get what they need. Their wittiness made their petty arguments fun to read, and the development of this tension to love made me feel all squishy inside like a good romance plot should.
Click here to read my full review for Rebel of the Sands.
4. Cat and Griffin – A Promise of Fire by Amanda Bouchet
Okay, I'll be honest. I didn't love this book and there were even bits of this relationship that I found a bit problematic. However, this is a great example of a great hate to love plot. The emotions between these characters are always strong, always raw, and always fun to read, despite my issues with the book in general.
Click here to read my full review for A Promise of Fire.
5. Louisa and Will – Me Before You by Jojo Moyes
Will is really mean to Louisa when he first meets her. He's condescending, he teases her, and he frankly treats her like crap. However, the journey that the characters go on together makes for a really brilliant reading experience, and Jojo Moyes's writing shows how both characters feel, why they act the way they do, and what makes them change.
Click here to read my full review for Me Before You.


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Pharmaceutical pipelines have been shifting for the last 20 years toward the development of biologics, which make up about 70% of drugs currently in development, observes Susanna White, mechanical engineer for Oval Medical Technologies. "The most recent innovations in biologics are presenting new challenges in the design of delivery platforms, pushing the limits of current glass-based technology," she tells PMP News.
Long-acting injectables (LAIs), for instance, are being developed to provide slow-release capabilities, White says. The consequence is, however, "as with other biologics, a viscous formulation and complex fluid properties (e.g., suspensions and emulsions with non-Newtonian properties)."
Single-use autoinjectors typically consist of a pre-filled glass syringe, an injection mechanism for drug delivery, and a needle safety mechanism for safe disposal of the device, White says. But instead of using glass, designing primary drug containers (PDCs) from polymers such as cyclic olefins "unlocks the constraints of glass-based PDC systems through facilitating an integrated approach to device design," she explains. "The cyclic olefin PDC provides the option to configure component geometry freely, whilst 'designing-in' strength to manage high viscosities (>100cP). This permits the delivery of complex drug formulations alongside the inclusion of a full range of features (e.g., automatic needle insertion, end of delivery feedback, and passive needle safety), within a simplified and compact form."
White will be exploring such possibilities in her upcoming Pharmapack 2018 presentation, "Polymeric PDC Technology: An integrated approach towards better auto-injector design," on February 7.
Susanna White, mechanical engineer for Oval Medical Technologies
"Glass syringes have a long history of use within autoinjectors and are widely accepted by the market," says White. "However, they do have many known issues, some of which have led to autoinjector recalls." She points to some common challenges with typical auto-injector designs:
- Lubricants risk contamination.
- Tungsten contamination from glass.
- Plunger stiction leading to delivery inconsistency, which can result in wet injections.
- Risk of glass breakage.
- Formulation viscosity and volume limitations.
- Large manufacturing tolerances.
- Complex supply chains reliant on specialist suppliers.
White provides the following 5 benefits of using polymers for drug formulations:
- Delivery speed consistency (preventing wet injections even when injecting challenging formulations e.g., non-Newtonian fluids). By eliminating the need for silicone lubricants in the container, far more consistent frictions can be achieved over time and this reduces delivery time variability.
- Shorter injection times for viscous formulations, without the risk of glass breakage. Polymers are much more robust than fragile glass PDCs allowing higher forces and greater delivery pressures to be achieved without container breakage.
- Needle depth consistency, reducing risk of adverse events. This is possible because there is a reduced number of components in the tolerance chain, there is the freedom to include features specifically designed to manage the needle position, and each polymeric component can hold improved tolerances when compared to glass.
- Improved user experience through smaller gauge needles, facilitated by the increased container pressures that can be achieved.
- Polymeric PDC components can also be molded with features that directly interact with device mechanisms, which can overcome user issues such as device recoil, variable use forces, and injection speed. Ultimately this reduces the impact on the user, whilst ensuring all required user interface features are present without compromise to overall device size or usability.
At Pharmapack, White will also explain an integrated approach toward better auto-injector design. "During the development of a combination device, two main streams of development occur: 1) the drug and 2) the delivery device. It is imperative that any device development process places equal importance on the delivery requirements of the drug, as well as the requirements of the user interface," she advises.
Such requirements must be fully understood at an early design stage for optimal device design and performance. For instance, "the user interface should not be influenced by the forces required to deliver the drug and, similarly, the drug delivery mechanism should not be influenced by any force the user applies through the user interface," White explains. "Regularly, these two sets of requirements conflict; biologics may require high delivery forces, whereas specific user populations may require low operation forces from the user interface. Part of the challenge for engineers is to accept this conflict and design around it effectively. It is possible to 'decouple' the conflicting requirements between the user interface and drug delivery mechanism through use of a polymer PDC."
Another important step is drug characterization. "Oval has developed an injection characterization system (ICS) to thoroughly analyze a range of complex formulations and their properties, allowing an improved understanding of how they must be delivered," she says. "This facilitates the correct autoinjector mechanism specification (e.g., needle bore, spring force, and container type), and also identifies factors with the potential to affect the user."
White says that "a user-centric approach to the medical device development process is key in ensuring the design of devices that promote correct, safe, and effective use. The inclusion of human factors engineering from the outset of the development process allows for an understanding of user group needs, their anticipated limitations and the environment in which the device will be used. Ultimately, the knowledge space that human factors engineering generates allows minimisation of use-related risks and avoids inadequate device design which could compromise the effectiveness of the device user interface."
At Pharmapack, Oval will be highlighting its subcutaneous platform, which White says "embodies this integrated philosophy to device design and is intended to improve clinical outcomes through the greater management of key device aspects such as needle depth or delivery time."


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Formafantasma is an Amsterdam-based Italian design house comprising of designers Andrea Trimarchi and Simone Farrasin. Taking inspiration from Lexus's Japanese Omontenashi design, which encompasses the traditions of Japanese hospitality intrinsic to how Lexus addresses its owners' vehicle needs, Formafantasma travelled to Japan to collaborate with Michelin-starred Chef Yoji Tokuyoshi on their new project. Whilst in Japan, they witnessed the design and manufacturing techniques used at Lexus and gained knowledge in what qualities and values define the Lexus brand.
Formafantasma said, 'The wonderful quality of Japanese hospitality is what really impressed us and the part of Japan we love most. Our aim is to express the kindness, hospitality and craftsmanship of Omotenashi in the right way through our installation and also to capture something of the impressive car production methods which we were introduced to.'
Formafantasma's new exhibit is split into three rooms, and the installations within each room will be inspired by a different element of Lexus design - from furniture to sculpture. Each room will be accompanied by a different taste created by Chef Yoji Tokuyoshi, inspired by the clear water that is the direct by-product of hydrogen fuel cell power generation.
Formafantasma said, 'We were greatly inspired by Lexus's painting process, and the fact the parts of the car you can't see are treated in just the same way as those you can. The colours are beautiful and their depth is impressive. These might be details, but they are beautiful and highly attractive qualities.'


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Speculative post on why GTA V on the PC seems likely.
I was first introduced to the series on my seventh birthday, when my uncle rather reluctantly purchased Grand Theft Auto London 1969 at my behest. The series remains great, which is a testament to Rockstar and their creativity as most games of these era are (in my opinion) repetitive and for the most part; unenjoyable. If like me you're a long time fan of the Grand Theft Auto series, you've no need for an introduction to what makes these games so amazing.
Each iteration has come to the PC after a period (generally between 6-8 months). While Rockstar are keeping quiet on whether GTA V will be ported over, it does seem rather likely.
Recently there was a job advertisement on the Rockstar Leeds website, looking for a programmer who would assist in bringing the latest titles to PC.
"Working together with the other Rockstar studios, you will be responsible for maintaining the studio's uncompromising quality bar, delivering the highest quality PC experience possible."
It also stated that you would be "working with skilled developers on next generation games" which of course suggests that they will be bringing more games over. This advertisement has recently been removed, so I cannot give a link to this.
Let's look into this a little. What are the two known games that could currently be ported over? Well, there's GTA V of course, and Red Dead Redemption 2.
There has also been a petition recently that has amassed over two hundred and fifty thousand signatures in a few months. If you'd like to sign this then click this link: http://www.change.org/petitions/rockstar-release-gta-v-on-pc
Finally, I was searching the internet earlier and found that Amazon.co.uk has listed Grand Theft Auto V on the PC which you can see here: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Grand-Theft-Auto-PC-DVD/dp/B0062KJ256.
So to summarise: each of the previous games in the series has come to the PC after a few months waiting period, Rockstar are looking for new programmers to help port PC games and also there's a listing on Amazon. Yes, it could be to help port over new games and possibly Red Dead, but it does seem rather likely as each iteration of the series has come to the PC after a (rather substantial period. I just really hope I don't get the story spoiled for me by the PlayStation and Xbox players who get to have their hands on the game first!
Just as a little teaser though, here's the gameplay video for you to watch (again, probably).
Note: you will have to sign into YouTube to view this video, as there is an age restriction placed by Rockstar.


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Jun 17, 2011
On the Hunt: Summer Scarves
12 comments:
Love the pink and cream scarf!ReplyDelete
me too Erin! Thinking it needs to make an appearance around my neckReplyDelete
- AnonymousJune 17, 2011 at 9:11 AM
i've been looking for the perfect printed scarf for summer - too many pretty choices here! that anthro sketch scarf might be the winner :)ReplyDelete
I bought a great hot-pink-and-grey ikat summer scarf at Pier 1!ReplyDelete
i love that leopard-print one in the bottom R! ♡, Rosa T.ReplyDelete
Scarves are totally my thing too! And I am in need of several of those! One of the things I love about June gloom in LA is it is summer scarf weather :)ReplyDelete
Totally with you on the scarf thing! Gorgeous picks - I love them all! I'm loving your blog too - just started following! :)ReplyDelete
I love these summer scarves!!! Especially the floral watercolor-looking one. So pretty!ReplyDelete
Star Hughes Living
Couldn't stop laughing - "Like reallllly my thing" - scarves are an obsession of ours too. Check us out if you get a chance.ReplyDelete
I have been browsing the internet for the perfect printed scarf for summer and I came across your blog finding these pretty choices. Love it!ReplyDelete
Love silky material scarvesReplyDelete
Thank you so much for sharing this. Very beautiful idea of scarf you have shared here.ReplyDelete
ikat fabric is my favorite for any kind of use.


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Paris recos coming up! These are far from all, but here are some of the best for you guys (since basically everyone seems to be in or around Paris ATM).
Without wasting your time…from me to you (and if you end up enjoying anything based on my recos, please share the link with your friends and networks. Thank you in advance <3)
I'm putting this first because it is the restaurant I've received most questions about. And the restaurant that served me a better fresh truffle pasta than all of Italy did (sorry to all my Italian friends). Go to East Mama, and order a truffle pasta. Just do it. We ordered coppa ham, parmesan, olives and burrata to start with which was also delicious. And the burrata salami pizza… Good god. The menu is as fresh as it comes, and with 4-5 pasta options, and 4-5 pizzas. Limited, and made to perfection. I don't even want to say more because the food speaks for itself really. Oh and did I mention that the staff is from Sicily, so you know it's legit. Just go there already!
Best breakfast in Paris. Have the savoury pancake stack with fried egg and bacon. Or eggs whatever way you prefer them with some signature baked beans, halloumi, mushrooms, bacon, or why not a home made hash brown. Warning warning though its always slammed and they don't take reservations. Go anytime after 9.30 and expect at least half an hour in line, probably more.
Hotel Costes… Well, where to start? Its as Parisian as it gets. High end as F. A hostess who will only let a certain crowd in (we know because we've been rejected in the past. For real and I'm still recommending it). Half of the staff force is rude and I'm pretty certain they've been told to be rude to go with the vibe. BUT, that aside… It's amazing. It's anything you'd ever want when you're in Paris, so go at least once. Leave your tracks at home and just go. Food is amazing there (have the plain lettuce or endive salad, steak béarnaise with frites, the fish, or the delicious lobster pasta. Leave room for desert… The light cheesecake, the fresh berries and cream, and the creme brule. Saif is a cheesecake fanatic and he says its the best cheesecake he's ever had so…there you go. If you don't feel like spending much, have a desert and a coffee. People watch – there are some really interesting characters that pop by here and there. If you're dying to celebrity watch, I'd say find yourself a seat and get comfy. They'll keep coming. Enjoy!
Second home to the Kardashian's, Kanye, and the Hadid duo, this place is another Paris staple. They don't take reservations online or over call – only by SMS. They're ALWAYS slammed, so make sure you book on time unless you're famous. They're famous for the burger, Mac and cheese and their Mexican menu. They make a banging spicy margarita. Its a really cute place and although a lot of people say its overrated, we all really enjoyed it. I'll definitely go back every time I come back to Paris. Tasty, cozy, quirky and cute.
Lou Lou's Diner
There's a Lou Lou's by the Eiffel Tower, and there's a diner. They're not the same, but they've got the same name basically, so make sure you're going to the right one (I think the one by Eiffel Tower is pretty pricey? At least its one of those restaurants without prices on their menu…). Go to the diner to save some cash and eat some really good food. Their menu is great, and so is their steak tartare, cheeseburger and fish and chips. Highly recommend!
Steak, fries, sauce and wine. Sounds delicious? Well its the only thing they serve. There's one in London too. You pay a fixed rate for the food, and you can eat as much as fries, steak and sauce as you want. They'll keep refilling your plate until you tell them to stop. If you love steak and fries, you'll love this! There's also something special about everyone in the restaurant eating the exact same thing? No chance of wishing you ordered something else etc… (happens to me all the time)
When in Paris, make sure you also…
- Have a beer or a coffee/tea in the red umbrella area in the garden by the Louvre
- Visit Notre Dame cathedral on a Sunday at 12pm noon for Sunday mass. Its gothic, its dark, its haunting and its beautiful. Light a candle for someone you've lost to the other side. Look at the stunning architecture and the beautiful, colourful window art. I cry, overwhelmed with emotions, every time
- Have cocktails at the Little Red Door – trendy, fun, candle-lit, and with incredible cocktails. Go go go
- Don't wear a bra
- Drink champagne/prosecco/sangria at an outdoor cafe
- Have a croissant with jam for breakfast (every day)
- Walk around Luxemburg gardens
- Find a grassy parky area and bring a bottle of rose or some coffee or snacks and just be. P.S. they also sell wine by the glass in the park but its not amazing. Drinkable though!
- Visit the classic Shakespare and Co bookstore for every famous book in the world
- Have a handmade ice cream at Pierre Marcolini
- Order something with béarnaise sauce. Then devour it. Order more sauce.
- Have a drink at Hemingway Bar at the Ritz (because the head bartender is supposedly ranked 'the best in the world' over and over again) – Warning: expensive. And may get you hammered.
- Order creme brûlée everywhere you go
- Eat a French onion soup. And a steak tartare if you're not vegetarian
- There are cute boat bars along the canal in the summer
- Go to jazz bars in and around Bastille area. We went to some amazing dive bars and live music sessions when we were there – I can't remember the names though, but there are plenty. Google it!
Going to go cry a little bit over the fact that I don't know when I'm back next. Enjoy this beautiful city when you go – and if you liked these recommendations, I'd be happy to share even more… There's so much beautiful to eat, drink, do and see!
P.S. If you ended up enjoying anything from my Paris list, please share the link with your friends, networks etc.
Thanks friends!


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On Colonel Risner
In Chapter XIX of The Passing of the Night, Colonel Risner describes a meeting with me in the Hanoi camp called the Plantation. This was on April 1, 1968—the day the bombing stopped over most of North Vietnam. I have spoken of the meeting in my book Hanoi. Two captured pilots were brought into a living-room to talk to me, one after the other. Risner was the first. In my text I said "the second prisoner," but that referred to the order in which I took them up: I started my account with quotations from the other pilot, much younger than Risner and eager to know how the Chicago Cubs were doing. He was a rather nice ordinary boy from an Irish Catholic background.
I did not identify either by name and was chary of telling too much, because of their prisoner status—they were not free to answer any adverse comments I might make on their attitudes and might even be harmed in some way. In the case of the younger pilot, because he was likable, I had fewer inhibitions. Hence I gave him fuller treatment than I gave the then Lieutenant Colonel Risner. All I said specifically of Risner was that he was "a gaunt, squirrel-faced older man" who "had not changed his cultural spots" but claimed to like Vietnamese candy.
Hanoi is now about to be republished in a collection of my Vietnam writings, and this spring, after the release of the POWs, while revising the manuscript, I appended a footnote. Here it is.
*This was Robinson ("Robbie") Risner, today a widely admired hard-liner and Nixon zealot. From my notes: "tight lined face, wilted eyes, somewhat squirrely. Fawns on Vietnamese officer. Servile. Zealot. Has seen error of ways. Looks at bananas. Grateful. 'Oh, gee, bananas too?' Speaks of his 'sweet tooth.' Loves the Vietnamese candy. Effusive about it. Perhaps ostracized by his fellow-prisoners. Speaks English slowly, like a Vietnamese practicing the language. Stereotyped language."
Now that I have seen Risner's book, I have searched my memory for further particulars of that meeting, looked through my notebook again, and studied a photograph of him that was taken during the conversation. Since I was the only American, outside of his fellow-prisoners, he saw in Vietnam, it is in the general interest, I think, to check his memory of that interview, as he records it, against mine. It is the unique passage in the book where somebody not a North Vietnamese jailer nor a US military hard-liner was present during a scene he describes. My notes, I suppose, were written the same day, in the afternoon during the "rest period," or in the evening.
What stands out in my recollections is the contrast between the two prisoners and the paradoxical impression that made on me. On the one hand, Risner claiming to feel deep repentance for his acts against the North Vietnamese people; on the other, the boy showing no remorse, seeming untouched, really, by his experience. As…
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September 19, 2011
McGeorge celebrated the grand opening of its $10 million Legal Studies Center on Saturday, Sept. 17, 2011, with Justice Anthony M. Kennedy of the Supreme Court of the United States taking part in a ribbon-cutting reception that attracted more than 250 alumni, faculty and Sacramento legal community leaders.
The new 46,000-square foot facility, which houses the Gordon D. Schaber Law Library, was completed in early August in time for the start of fall semester classes. Designed by Pfau Long Architecture, a leading designer of educational buildings in the West, it features expanded study space for students, a new computer lab, meeting rooms, and offices for faculty and support staff. A two-story glass atrium and cantilevered foyer operates as the hub of the facility, and several outdoor venues are incorporated into the interior study space of the library.
Justice Kennedy, a long-time member of the McGeorge faculty and frequent speaker at courthouse and law library openings across the nation, spoke glowingly of the project.
"Winston Churchill once said, 'We shape our buildings; thereafter they shape us.' This is a magnificent achievement," Kennedy said. "This building will have a profound impact on current and future law students who pass through its doors. I hope when you visit the school, when you graduate and come back, you will remember the importance of this to the community."
University of the Pacific President Pamela A. Eibeck and Dean Elizabeth Rindskopf Parker of McGeorge joined Student Bar Association President Colin Hendricks at the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
"We are delighted with the new Legal Studies Center," said Assistant Dean for Library Services and Program Matthew Downs. "The new design reinvigorates all the sections of the old library. It allows quiet study space conducive to serious research and writing undertaken by our students, yet also provides beautiful space that encourages social interaction."
Reeve-Knight Construction of Roseville was the general contractor on the two-year construction project, the largest ever undertaken on McGeorge's 13-acre Oak Park neighborhood campus.


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I've had the privilege to work with some amazing wedding venues here in Winnipeg and in other parts of the world. Every venue has it's own unique charm and finding the perfect one for you will take some time and research. Just make sure you book them fast and at least a year in advance because they are the first to get booked a long with your photographer. Choosing the right wedding venues will depend on how big your guest list is, the weather, location, and among many other things.
Finding the right one that matches your wedding style will be important as well but luckily there is just about every kind of venue available here in Winnipeg. When I say style, I really mean ambiance and feeling that you get from the building or room which adds to your beautiful story. You can always get creative and find a unique private location for your wedding ceremony and reception that maybe others haven't thought of. This will depend on how large your wedding is of course but a backyard wedding at your friends house in the country can always be an option or your favourite restaurant possibly for your small cozy wedding reception.
For destination weddings you're usually stuck with what the resort has to offer but sometimes you can do a little research and find some very cool wedding venues such as old churches or ruins in these beautiful countries that may go back thousands of years. Here's a great list of the 50 best destination wedding locations by the Knot.
Finding a nice waterfall as a backdrop or a canyon can be possible however you should always seek the advice of a wedding planner in the country and area to make sure you get the right permits and permissions to have your exotic wedding there.
Take a look at some of the awesome wedding venues I've been lucky enough to photograph in and if you have any questions about any venue please feel free to contact me!