text:
ESSAY- Pete Seeger's last war
Nearly three years ago, on the day Ronald Reagan died, an atypically modest tribute to the patriarch of the right appeared at the foot of a veteran's monument in Wappingers Falls, a quiet town in upstate New York. A rough-cut chunk of granite dedicates the site to a local Marine lost in action during the Vietnam War; a wreath of fading red, white, and blue carnations was left over from Memorial Day. The pole of a dollar-store American flag was stuck in the earth, and a portrait of Reagan cut from a magazine and taped onto a piece of cardboard, lay on the ground.
If you had pulled out of the parking area the monument shares with Shorty's Pizza and driven south on Route 9 for two miles, you would have found a contrapuntal scene that afternoon: about a dozen people gathered at an intersection to protest the Bush administration's military policies.
A steel post was decorated with a peace symbol, made from a coat hanger, and an American flag like the one at the veteran's memorial. A young woman sat in a folding lawn chair, holding a sign asking, "Vietnam all over?" A teenage boy held up a bill imploring, "Stop the War!"
An old man with a white straw broom of a beard stood in their midst wearing stained, torn blue jeans and a polo shirt that had probably been a color like burgundy, perhaps 10 or 15 years and a few hundred washings ago. He stood straight-backed, his arms at his sides, turning his head left to right, left to right, in rhythm as he watched the cars pass. His mouth moved silently, as if he were singing to himself or trying to send messages through the windshields. He wasn't holding a placard and needed none: his very image is a symbol of political dissent.
Pete Seeger, who lives near Wappingers Falls, has been protesting the Bush administration's actions in Iraq at these Saturday peace vigils, organized a few months before the invasion— and at dozens of other anti-war events of all sizes around the country— with the passion, if not the vigor, of a person one-fourth his age.
Indeed, after an extended period of low-key concentration on local issues, during which Seeger was most visibly absorbed with cleaning up the Hudson River, the grand old lion of the American left had, in his 85th year, again taken to challenging the state of world affairs. This is the latest— and perhaps the last—of his great missions, a crusade with resonant echoes of his work in the eras of the civil rights movement and the Vietnam War.
In 2003, Seeger led thousands in song at the New York City arm of the Global March for Peace. The veteran protest songwriter has since rewritten and rerecorded his Vietnam-era broadside, "Bring Them Home," with three of his musical acolytes, Billy Bragg, Ani DiFranco, and Steve Earle:
"Now we don't want to fight for oil / Bring 'em home, bring 'em home / Underneath some foreign soil / Bring 'em home, bring 'em home."
And in mid-2004, as violence in Iraq erupted in anticipation of the formal transfer of authority to an interim Iraqi government, Seeger prepared to lead a performance of antiwar songs at the Clearwater Festival, the annual Hudson River event to raise social, political, and environmental consciousness (and funds) that he and his wife, Toshi, launched 35 years earlier.
The effort struck some of his critics as quixotic, the tragicomic vagary of a clinging, misguided anachronism. A lifelong Marxist blacklisted during the McCarthy era, Seeger has long been an easy target for conservatives. (Seeger's early group, the Almanac Singers, released an album of songs against American involvement in World War II, but recalled it and replaced it with anti-Axis songs when Hitler attacked the Soviet Union.)
Since the fall of the Iron Curtain, Seeger's little-changed politics have proved vexing even to former like-minded souls such as Ronald Radosh, a fellow at the Hudson Institute and author of Commies: A Journey Through the Old Left, the New Left and the Leftover Left. A red-diaper baby who took banjo lessons from Seeger and organized his first concert at the University of Wisconsin, Radosh said then, "I have known Pete for most of my life, and I think he's a national treasure for his contribution to American music culture, for acquainting America with its own indigenous music. But Pete doesn't understand that this is not the '60s, and Iraq and the war against terrorism are not the war in Vietnam. He looks at things through his old lens, and that's more than unfortunate. It's sort of sad and silly."
To those he still rallies to dissent and activism, however, Seeger remains an inspiration, the unwavering embodiment of progressive idealism. After all, he has been using music to stand up for the disenfranchised and to mobilize their sympathizers since the days of the original American folk-music revival in the 1930s.
Once Woody Guthrie's partner and traveling companion, later the composer of "Where Have All the Flowers Gone?" and "Turn, Turn, Turn," now a friend and mentor to young artists such as DiFranco (who was born after "Turn, Turn, Turn" was written), Seeger has lived the whole history of activist culture as we know it.
With the rebirth of the Prism where Pete Seeger's brother Mike has played (see this week's cover story), we republish this essay which first appeared in Mother Jones magazine. Pete Seeger last appeared locally at the Culbreth Theater during the 2001 Virginia Festival of the Book.


text:
'Secular' Christmas Cards a Long-Held, White House Tradition?
The Obama family is sending out Christmas cards with no mention of Christ or Christmas, but apparently, that is what presidents have been doing for nearly 100 years.
According to a Los Angeles Times op-ed piece by David Greenberg, a professor of history, journalism, and media studies at Rutgers University, White House Christmas cards have traditionally been secular and inclusive in nature, going back all the way to the 1920s when President Calvin Coolidge, a devoted Christian in his personal life, sent out cards void of specific religious references.
Rather than religious references, Coolidge's card referenced a "state of mind" that cherished "peace and goodwill," Greenberg wrote, adding that the cards had an inclusive tone at a time of great divisiveness, with immigration, Prohibition, and the Ku Klux Klan, among the controversial issues of the time.
Coolidge started a "secular" tradition that continued throughout the rest of the 20th century. Eisenhower, who sent out cards wishing recipients a "fine holiday season," personally viewed particular religions as insignificant compared to the final result of their teachings, having once said in his 1954 Flag Day speech, "Our government makes no sense unless it is founded on a deeply felt religious faith – and I don't care what it is."
Presidents known for their strongly-held Christian beliefs did not break the secular tradition. Ronald Reagan, an outspoken Christian who was president at a time when evangelical groups like the Moral Majority gained increased influence in politics, also sent out Christmas cards that made no reference to Christ.
George W. Bush, also a Christian, sent out "Happy Holiday" cards instead of Christmas cards, although his included Bible verses. Nonetheless, many cultural commentators believe phrases that do not specifically reference "Christmas" are a result of a "war on Christmas," and Bush was criticized for his generic holiday cards.
William Donohue, president of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights, said about Bush's cards: "This clearly demonstrates that the Bush administration has suffered a loss of will and that they have capitulated to the worst elements in our culture."
This year, President Barack Obama's cards are adhering to a presidential tradition of holiday cards that are designed to be generic and inclusive, saying: "From our family to yours, may your holidays shine with the light of the season."

subset: commoncrawl


text: Firearm Safety for Teachers Did you know... Guns are in more than one third of all U.S. households? They're a very real danger to children, whether you own one or not. Of the 192 million firearms owned in the United States, 65 million are handguns? Research shows guns in homes are a serious risk to families. A gun kept in the home is far more likely to kill someone known to the family than to kill or injure a household member than kill or injure an intruder? A gun kept in the home triples the risk of homicide? The risk of suicide is five times more likely if a gun is kept in the home? Use these tips to ensure that the children in your care are safe from firearms: Even if there isn't a gun in their household, chances are there is one in their friend's or neighbor's home. That's why it's important to talk to kids about the potential dangers of guns, and what to do if they find one: Stop what they are doing. Never touch or play with any gun. Immediately leave the area where a gun is located. Tell an adult. For more information, please visit the following websites: Safe Kids Worldwide Gun Safety Educator's Portal KidsHealth Tips for Gun Safety (With Lesson Plans) Project ChildSafe Website


text:
We are seeking General Cleaners for 1st shift opportunities in a facility located in Cheraw, SC.
Hours: Full time, 1st shift (M-F)
NB Services is a recognized leader in providing facility maintenance and building services to many of the most recognized brands in the manufacturing, distribution, power generation, hospitality, health care and automotive industries.
We are a $200 million dollar enterprise operating in 29 states predominantly in the eastern half of the U.S. and continue to experience rapid growth requiring the addition of experienced and capable leaders to support it.
Pride, passion and performance are the hallmark of our associates and we are looking for choice individuals that want to serve the communities in which they work. Join us!!


text:
Robin Bank – an invitation to mass civil disobedience
by Shaun Chamberlin on April 2nd, 2012
My hero Enric Duran (AKA Robin Bank) has posted this new video explaining his legal situation and inviting others to join his radical action against the banks.
For those who haven't seen it, I strongly recommend watching his inspiring 2008 video first.
What I find particularly fascinating about this new video is Duran's statement that "I know speaking of the extension of disobedience, of the risks of detention and prison, brings up our fears and insecurities. But I also know from experience, that the experience of freedom, understood as the consistency between thought and action, generates a feeling of well-being that 1,000 bars cannot block."
This echoes the account of another hero of mine, Tim DeChristopher, now in jail, who recently said,


text:
Crochet and knit classes
08-25 Learn to crochet or knit at the in the Fellowship Hall at the First Baptist Church of Pine Island from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Supplies needed are G or H crochet hook or a size 8 set of knitting needles and a ball of cotton yarn. For more information, call Yvonne Dewey at 283-4476. more »»
Little League Majors
08-25 Greater Pine Island Little League Majors teams Reds and Marlins will face off at 6 p.m. on Field #1. All are welcome to come and cheer on the players. more »»
Island Tai Chi Club
08-25 The Island Tai Chi Club meets at the Fishers of Men Luberan Church in St. James City from 3 to 5 p.m. and from 6 to 8 p.m. For more information, call Frank Tuma at 283-9155. more »»
Order of the Golden Brush
08-25 All are welome to paint at the St. James Civic Center located at Fourth Avenue and Lemon Street in St. James City beginning at 9 a.m. For more information, call Honey at 283-3092 or Melissa at 283-5203. more »»
Peace Meditations
08-25 Meditations in peace are held at 3 p.m. Everyone is invited and welcome. For more information, call Sheilana Massey at 282-3595. more »»
Order of the Golden Brush
08-25 Novice and accomplished artists are welcome to a supportive and fun place to enjoy painting. Just bring your brushes and your favorite medium beginning at 10 a.m. We will meet at the St. James City Civic Center located at the corner of Fourth Avenue and Lemon Street in St. James City. more »»
Tai Chi classes
08-25 Tai Chi classes will be offered at the Fishers of Men Lutheran Church at from 3 to 5 p.m. and again at 6 to 8 p.m. For more information, call Frank Tuma at 283-9155. more »»
Exercise class
08-25 Free ladies exercise classes will be held at the First Baptist Church of Pine Island located across from Pine Island Elementary School from 11 a.m. to noon. All are welcome to attend. For more information, call the church at 283-1737 or Marilyn McManus at 282-9148. more »»
Sunshine Synchro Splash
08-25 Practice for Sunshine Synchro Splash will take place at the Pine Island Public Pool from 5:45 to 8 p.m. more »»
AA Meetings
08-25 Sunday: 7:30 p.m., Methodist Church; Monday: 7 p.m., Methodist Church; Tuesday: 9:30 a.m., Fishers of Men Lutheran Church; Wednesday: 10 a.m., Fishers of Men Lutheran Church; Wednesday: 7:30 p.m., Matlacha Community Center; Thursday: 8 p.m., Fishers of Men Lutheran Church; Friday: 10 a.m. more »»
NA Meetings
08-25 Tuesday: 8 p.m., Methodist ChurchSaturday: 6:30 p.m. more »»
American Legion Post 136
08-25 4106 Stringfellow Road, 283-4434; Log onto www.post136fl.org.Tuesday: Bingo starts at 6pm. Legion Riders meet first Wednesday; Auxiliary meets second Wednesday; Legion Post meets third Wednesday; S.A.L. meets fourth Wednesday. Call about meal times and menu. more »»
Museum of the Islands
08-25 Located at 5728 Sesame Drive at the Center (next to library). Winter hours: Open Tuesday to Saturday 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Sunday 1 to 4 p.m. Summer hours are Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.. Tours are available, call 283-1525. more »»
Peace Meditations
08-25 Meditations centered in peace are held at 3 p.m., every Tuesday. Explore personal and spiritual essence to heal blocks to individual peace locally and worldwide. Everyone is welcome. Call Sheilana Massey, DD, at 282-3595 for details. more »»
Pine Island Chamber of Commerce
08-25 2nd Tuesday – 6 p.m., Board of Directors meeting, at Chamber building. Guests welcome 3rd Thursday – 6 p.m. Business After-Hours at member business (to be announced in press release the week prior) 4th Tuesday – 7:30 a.m. Chamber Breakfast at Island Grill in Winn-Dixie Shopping Cente. more »»
Pine Island Community Church
08-25 The Thrift Store hours are from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. more »»
Pine Island Outdoor Sketchers
08-25 The Pine Island Outdoor Sketchers (formerly the Peter Quigley Outdoor Sketchers) meets on Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to noon at various sites on Pine Island. Everyone, regardless of experience, is invited to attend. Just bring a chair and your drawing/painting equipment. No charge. more »»
Pine Island Pool
08-25 Sunday, 1 to 5:45 p.m.; Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, 11 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.; Friday, 9 a.m. to 8:45 p.m.; and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. The pool is located at 5675 Sesame Drive. Call 239-283-2220. more »»
Pine Island Public Library
08-25 The Pine Island Public library is located in the Pine Island Center at 10700 Russell Road. The phone number is 533-4350. Library hours: Tuesday and Thursday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Wednesday, noon to 8 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Monday, closed. more »»
Tai Chi Club
08-25 The Tai Chi Club meets Tuesday and Thursday from 3-5 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. at the Fishers of Men Lutheran Church. For information contact Frank Tuma at 283-9155. more »»
American Legion Post 136
08-25 4106 Stringfellow Road, 283-4434; Log onto www.post136fl.org.Tuesday: Bingo starts at 6pm. Legion Riders meet first Wednesday; Auxiliary meets second Wednesday; Legion Post meets third Wednesday; S.A.L. meets fourth Wednesday. Call about meal times and menu. more »»
Greater Pine Island Elks Lodge #2781
08-25 Elks Lodge located at the four-way stop on Pine Island. Lodge meetings are held the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. Wednesday and Friday chef specials, games and entertainment. Call lodge at 283-4388 for details or email firstname.lastname@example.com or visit www.elks.org / lodges / home. more »»
View Events by Day


text:
How exactly do regular expressions work in Java? Let's say I have the string:
String test = new String("Sally went to the barn."); //any string will do this is for experimentation purposes
and I wanted to use the String's split() function... or any regEx function to get all the words out and put them into a neat little ArrayList<String> (or even better a Hashtable<String, Integer> that'll count the amount of times each word appears).
I tried:
String regEx = "\w"; String[] splitter = test.split(regEx); for(int i=0;i<splitter.length;i++){ System.out.println(splitter[i]); }
But the compiler tells me that "\w" is "an invalid escape sequence. How would I go about extracting every word from a string and putting it into a data structure? Please help, I'm so lost.


text:
Letters The focus of today's letters is botnets: the threat they represent to the future happiness of our children, and how they can, and must, be stopped. The following pretty well represents a cross section of opinion on the matter, starting with your thoughts on the cunning "let's block port 25" plan:
>(1 - Many ISPs now block port 25, which is an excellent trend).
Take away peoples' car keys and there won't be any more road deaths.
A solution that penalises legitimate needs of some users and in particular many SMEs with their own servers is one that should not be condoned by someone with 20 years network/security experience. Education is the best, if not only, answer but in the real world this is not going to happen.
I'm no security expert so I'm not going to profer a solution, I'll leave that up to you lot, just come up with a sensible one.
Kind regards, Chris Winpenny
Your "Stop the bots" article mentions something I find somewhat peculiar. You say "(1 - Many ISPs now block port 25, which is an excellent trend)". Is this such an excellent trend? I understand, and agree with, your point of view -- that by blocking port 25, these botnets cannot send out mail. The trouble is that there is no way to determine if an SMTP connection is to your appropriate SMTP server, which will send the message for you, or whether the connection is a direct connection to the recipient's SMTP server.
I have nine email accounts covering four domains. Only one of those accounts is the account I have with my ISP. If my ISP blocked port 25, I could not send my outgoing mail through the appropriate server for the remaining eight accounts; it would all have to go through my ISP's server. This causes two problems. First, some ISPs do not relay mail, period. If the "From:" address is not the address associate with your account at that ISP, they will not send the message (Verizon used to be this way; I don't know if they still are). The bigger problem, however, is with SPF records. No one in their right mind would add their ISP's SMTP servers as trusted servers for their domain. So any receiving server enforcing SPF records would reject the messages because they didn't come from the sending domain's trusted servers.
You may then say "Well, host your own mail server". But the problem would remain because the ISP would then be blocking port 25 traffic from the mail server instead of from my workstation. I agree that spam is a big problem that we need to do something about (I guess Bill Gates was wrong about eliminating spam within two years, eh?), but I think blocking port 25 is the wrong way to do it.
Food for thought there on the port 25 ruse. Now, where does Microsoft fit into all of this?
"...If you found some Trojan bot software on your parents' computer, stealing their credit card information and distributing viruses, would you just wipe the computer, reinstall, and leave it at that? Has it become your problem yet? Would you analyse the botnet, log in yourself as a bot and see if you can disable its command and control centre? Is there any point in helping thousands of people along the way?..."
Wrong questions. What you SHOULD be asking is why does my government allow a company like Microsoft to sell shitware to 95% of the population that allows such infections BY DESIGN? Why is my Grandmother expected to be a computer engineer and expert in root-kits/spyware/virus infection vectors just to detect/remove all the bad stuff that self-installs on her computer? Why do I have to load down my CPU with all manor of extraneous bandaid software called anti-virus/spyware/firewall/etc just to be able to even run it for more than a few days on the Internet?
And don't even try to come back with all the bs about keeping the computer software updated, be careful, etc... the standard updated Windows box is still a sitting duck for break-ins, it doesn't matter what the operator does. Windows boxes have broken security BY DESIGN... why are they even legal to sell?
I got your 'BOTS' hangin dude.
Aaron has a couple of points to make regarding the statement "...In another 15 years, they [bots] might be ready" (to subjugate humanity, etc, etc):
Bloody hell! How about a little rationality? A little sanity? A little less drawing strained and silly comparisons to an enjoyable but not exactly prescient sci-fi flick? A little more something worth the time of Reg readers?
To be entirely fair, some small portions of the article is actually worth reading -- the bits in the middle, where it talks about botnets and how to go about investigating and potentially disabling them -- those bits are worthwhile, although I think it might not be a bad idea to mention that pissing off people with botnets can lead to some pretty unpleasant consequences (massive DDoS anyone?)
Going wild about Skynet and distributed AI intelligence launching all the nukes and destroying humanity to replace it with a sterile, cold nuclear-winter vision of chrome steel in completely unnecessary and impractical bipedal-humanoid form, grinning metal skulls and plasma rifles and all, well -- if Mr Martin takes all that crap seriously, he should probably get out into the bright sunlight a little more, and if he doesn't then he should probably check the calendar again because I think he missed that April 1 was almost a month ago.
And, while I'm on the subject --
"What interested me most about this SciFi classic was how real and plausible this future could be, understanding the dark side of human nature that creates evil and some people's inherent need to cause harm."
Mr Martin needs to watch the movie again. In the movie(s), Skynet was a human creation, designed to automate the entire US military and defense systems, and it became conscious and went batshit on its own -- there was no human agency of evil involved. In fact, there was only questionably any evil at all, considering that Skynet destroyed humanity as the most probable threat to its (Skynet's) continued survival -- it's more of a moralistic 'man should not tread in god's domain' kind of story with guns and shiny robots.
Speaking of man, god, and shiny robots, I'd go on to add that humans didn't create the Terminator robots; that was Skynet's doing, because the HKs (robot tanks and airplanes with big guns) weren't efficient enough at killing humans. Skynet figured it'd have better luck if it had something which could impersonate humans well enough to get into their caves and hideaways, at which point the shooting would start. Now, granted, I might sound like a sad bastard knowing all this, but it's made perfectly clear in the first Terminator movie, which in a lot of ways is the best of the lot -- and if Mr Martin's never seen it, then he needs to toddle back over to the VCR and spend a couple of hours learning what he's talking about.
Whatta bloody moron. It doesn't help him make his point any, either; without all the incompetent sci-fi wibblage, I'd have taken his article a lot more seriously. (To be fair, I wouldn't have laughed nearly as much, but that's what the BOFH is for.)
Blimey. That set us straight, and no messing.
To conclude the botnet round-up, we're always happy to bring a little cheers into our readers' lives:
I'm sorry, but I had to laugh when I saw this in your article about botnets:
"Most readers would have the ability to read the logs, find the attack attempt, download the script themselves, and see how it works."
What can one say to that except HAHAHAHAHAHAAAAR?!
Most people in my department, which is tech support, wouldn't even be able to tell you how to change the default mail program, and they all read El Reg.
On the other hand, thanks for the laugh. I was still blowing Pepsi out of my nose an hour later...
Readers should note that this email was not sponsored by Pepsi. See the end of these letters for the reason we are making this disclaimer.
Right, let's have another rantette, what with it being Friday and all.
The US Supreme Court has refused to hear the appeal of Reverend Jerry Falwell against an Appeals Court ruling that allowed a gay rights activists to continue operating a site about the television evangelist under the domain name fallwell.com:
It's heartening to see that bigot Falwell get slapped down by the justice system!
Bullying, free-speech hating, neo-conservative, so called Christians (what, exactly, is Christian about being a judgemental f**ktard anyway?) need to be firmly put in their place before they have a chance to destroy this country entirely.
We're hated by half the world and laughed at by most of the rest, in large part thanks to idiots like Falwell, so I have a lot of respect for folks who speak out against them and hopefully remind the world that not everyone in the USA is a fundamentalist moron.
Paul Glover
You don't rate the bloke much then?
Moving on to matters linguistic, the UK's ASA has ruled that the umlaut in Möben doesn't make the furniture outfit sound Germanic. Ahem...
This isn't a dig at your report, but a dig at the ASA.
Artistic device, my ass. Möben, or moeben (for that is how I shall write their name if I can't find the umlaut on my keyboard) is desperately trying to sound German. An umlaut as an artistic device only serves to create a Germanic feel - that's what the "artistic device" is trying to achieve.
The German word for furniture is "möbel", in the plural it becomes "möbeln".
Sounds and looks uncannily similar to "möben", doesn't it? It's as if someone wanted to create a german sounding name that suggested German furniture company.
I had assumed that they're a German company: that makes me both stupid and gullible. It would be hard to think of a better trademarkeable name for a German furniture company!
I do sort of see where the ASA are coming from, but the sheer balls of Moeben for saying that they're not trying to appear German is almost as good as SCO saying that they have evidence of literal copying of their code into Linux.
Cheers, Nick.
My favourite example of this sort of caper is the completely American-founded and -owned Haagen-Dazs...
Ah yes, you have to admire Ben and Jerry's for wearing their roots on their sleeve. No mistaking them for a couple of München cream worriers.
Sounds like the evolution of the Heavy Metal Umlaut? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heavy-metal_umlaut
Indeed, as the cited Wiki piece notes: "It is a form of marketing that invokes stereotypes of boldness and strength commonly attributed to peoples such as the Vikings." Hence the Möben umlaut ploy: "Yeah, hello love, this is Möben Basingstoke here. We're going to come round tomorrow at three and cremate your husband on top of his Löngböat kitchen, if it's convenient."
Some company somewhere in Wales has decided to lay cables in sewers. That's fibre optic cables, by the way:
Presumably, you're talking about storm sewers, and not sanitary sewers. You might clarify that.
Brand Hilton
Erm, not sure - but we reckon it really is the sanitary sewers...
This idea was used in Paris some years ago and was such a success that the sewer company sold off its sewerage business and went into dark fibre MAN's instead. Should give a whole new meaning to the internet being variably; full of shit, swimming in filth or stooping to new depths.
Fibre optic networks in the sewers - is that a case of the Sun shining *into* your arse for a change?
Sounds like a shit-hot idea
Keith McMahon
Nearly missed this one lads: "Thames Water has also allowed its sewers in London to be used to lay cables."
It didn't really matter if there was an IT angle on this one did it?
Not really. We reserve the right to completely ignore the lack of IT angle in any story if we believe it's in the public interest to publish.
Kev Warwick, eh? The good prof, aka Captain Cyborg, recently hooked up with a Dalek:
Lester, you've got it completely the wrong way round. You write of "Warwick's Dalek slave" -- but Warwick is, in fact, the Dalek's slave, controlled through the RFID chip that Warwick was foolish enough to implant.
Sadly (or, from the human perspective, not), this demonstrates alien stupidity in ways that a long and dishonourable history of administring rectal examinations to straw-chewing hicks, and of incompetent bovine vivisections, could never hope to rival.
The chances of Kevin Warwick either doing any significant damage to humanity, or being accepted as an ambassador for anything other than pointless self-mutilation, are ... not good.
"The remote-control alien will be accompanied by Professor Kevin Warwick, Professor of Cybernetics at Reading University" is clearly in the same sense as "the queen will be accompanied by her favourite corgi" ---
it will obviously be the Dalek which controls cpt. Cyborg. As per usual. If you doubt this, I challenge anybody to point me to any trait the beloved captain has exhibited, which would be too complex for a Dalek's logical circuitry?
An opportunity missed. As any fule kno, the Daleks are manic xenophobes who can always be relied upon to turn upon their unwitting allies "at the death", so to speak. By unmasking their dastardly alliance, you have merely served to save Professor Cyborg from at least one of the following: Being showered in something that looks suspiciously like shaving foam, but obviously isn't as it's fatal. Being illustrated in alternately positive and negative film footage causing death. Being shot [does happen, even with Daleks - I can describe the series when this happened although I cannot name it, nor do I care whether you or one of your mates down the pub can before you ask]. Being subjected to miscellaneous Quantel effects, considered trendy at the time by the more discerning Dalek, causing death. Being surmounted in wavy bright lines that are, apparently, fatal.
The cry of "Exterminate" is common to all the above as Daleks have much in common with the English and are, therefore, traditionalists.
This is by no means an exhaustive list as even I'm not that sad, although I am disappointed at the missed opportunity to study exactly what technique the Daleks have devised for disposing of redundant pawns these days.
PS: If anybody's got the recording of 20,000 Dalek supporters chanting "Two intergalactic wars and one world cup" as their first XI beat Germany 3-1 in the 2197 World Cup Final I'd like a copy please.
Yes, we'd pay good money for that, too.
Re: Kevin Warwick.
He's not the cyber-messiah, he's a very naughty bot!
cheers, DaveK
Oh dear, oh dear.
A California woman has decided to knock up a house from bits of old 747. An interesting idea...
She's quite a brave one to take one for the team, since aluminum dust is toxic:
Also, one hopes other American Indians "Using the whole buffalo" aren't trying to do so in her watershed, especially since acid rain will wash aluminum into the soil and attack plants' root systems.
Brian Bush
This has, of course, been done before. I refer to Neal Stephenson's excellent novel, Cryptonomicon, in which Randy's gaming nerd friend Chester builds a house with the entire remains of a crashed TWA 747 suspended from the glass ceiling. In this case, Chester reports, "the FAA and NTSB were surprisingly cool about it."
Chester also possesses an "espresso machine that looks like a scale model of an oil refinery" but sadly no make or model number are quoted.
Steve Oram
Yes, a shame that.
Jumbo Jet wings reused for residential roofing... Do you see anything wrong with that?
Think 'high winds'. Think perfect aerofoil. Think several hundred thousand pounds of lift. Think roof flying away.
Stuff the flying car, where's my flying house?
A quick correction re: pythons as delivered to a Scottish family with a shiny new telly:
I feel compelled to comment on the article regarding the snake in the television because it contains an obvious and very common fallacy regarding snakes.
The vast majority of non-venemous snakes (which includes the one mentioned in the article) do NOT have fangs. They have itty bitty teeth which they obviously use to aid them in swallowing prey.
The correct term for what the snake did is called a "threat gape". The purpose of which is to make the snake appear as threatening as possible and hopefully scare away whatever creature had scared it in the first place. Which, according to the article, it had admirably succeeded in doing.
The absolute LAST thing a snake will want to do if it has any choice in the matter, is strike. Especially a poor little 10 incher, which at that size, would be lucky if it managed to even break skin on a successful strike.
Imagine yourself dumped out of your happy home, in front of four giants who out-mass you by several orders of magnitude. I'm sure the first and only thing on YOUR mind would be to do whatever you possibly can to make sure they leave you alone.
We now return you to our regularly scheduled program of silly British antics. :)
... so here's a Paris Hilton quickie:
PARIS HILTON IS NOT AN "amateur pornstar".
Please don't use this in your articles. It is false. She did not take part in the release of the tape.
To be fair, we did also describe Ms Hilton as "multi-talented", and have in the past described her as "highly talented", Mind you, we've also accused her of flaunting herself like a two-bit hussy, which is a little unfair since she is only an amateur pornstar and, as you point out, did not take part in the release of the tape.
Before putting a stop to this madness, let's have the latest gripe on an old theme:
I was wondering when did Microsoft buy The Register it seems very odd to see any advertisers name on same level as the sites so I assume they bought you oh well see ya round hope you understand I dislike Microsoft and won't read an MS fan site, or an intel fan site or an oracle fan site you used to tell the truth now I know you can't be trusted.
Alan Donaly
We reckon Alan is moaning about our InfoSec section, sponsored by Microsoft and duly branded in lovely Redmond sky blue.
Well, it pays the bills, which is more than you lot do, coming down here every day, getting your top-notch IT news for nothing, banging on about sponsorship deals, etc, etc.
We're reminded by this letter of the mail we got years back when we sold El Reg to Microsoft. The deal was concluded on 1 April, but we still have sleepness nights thinking about those abusive emails... ®


text:
Later today, USC will announce whether Matt Barkley will be healthy enough to return to play in the Sun Bowl early next week (here's a hint: he won't).
Following the Trojans' first postseason game since 2009, one of Barkley's top targets over the past three seasons will announce whether he'll return to play one more collegiate season.
After USC arrived in El Paso Wednesday for on-site bowl preparations, wide receiver Robert Woods confirmed to reporters that he will reveal his NFL intentions Monday, after the Trojans square off with Georgia Tech in the Sun Bowl. It's expected the true junior will forego his final season of collegiate eligibility, with the Orange County Register writing that "[s]ources said Woods would probably turn pro, barring a last-minute change of heart."
Woods is USC's career leader in receptions, but has seen his role in the passing game decreased by the continuing emergence of Marqise Lee, who staked his claim to the Biletnikoff Award earlier this month after eclipsing Woods' single-season school receiving record. Despite being relegated to "an afterthought" and Option B behind Lee, Woods still managed 73 catches for 813 yards and 11 touchdowns thus far this season.
If as expected Woods makes himself available for the 2013 NFL draft, the Los Angeles Times writes that Woods stated "he received a draft evaluation from the NFL that gave him a range that topped at the second round."
While we're here, and in other USC Sun Bowl news, the Trojans likely didn't endear themselves to either the El Paso Chamber of Commerce or the Yellow Jackets thanks to a pair of "incidents" upon their arrival. As far as the former is concerned, defensive lineman Leonard Williams referred to El Paso as a "sh***y city" in a tweet that was subsequently deleted; in the latter misstep, the Trojans as a team were an hour or so late for a dinner feting both Sun Bowl participants. Tech ended up leaving the feast just as the USC entourage was arriving.
Yep, never a dull moment when a Lane Kiffin-coached team is involved.


text:
Tiger Woods's Coach Resigns Via Text Message
"It is in both of our best interests for me to step aside," says Hank Haney
The upheaval in Tiger Woods's life continues, as his coach Hank Haney resigned Monday night. How'd he do it? Via text message.
"I believe at this time that it is in both of our best interests for me to step aside as Tiger's coach," Haney said in a statement to The Golf Channel, according to Golf.com. "I will always look back upon our past half dozen years together as my best days in professional golf."
Haney did not give a particular reason, saying it was just time to move on. He told KTCK-AM sports radio in Dallas on Tuesday that he had resigned via text message.
RELATED: Tiger Woods Suffers a Really Rotten Day
"I texted him last night [that I was leaving], and he texted me back," Haney told the station. "We went back and forth for a while, but he had his kids last night and couldn't talk. We are going to talk later today."
Haney insisted he wasn't fired. He also predicted that Woods will return to top form after his sex scandal. "As we all know, Tiger has been through a lot in the past six months," he said, "and I really believe that given the chance, mind free and injury free, we will all see Tiger Woods play once again like we all know he can."


text:
The Metropol Parasol, located in Seville, Spain, just opened its doors to the public and is the world's largest wooden structure. Some pragmatically-minded city planners originally wanted to build a parking garage on the site, then they discovered some artifacts of archaeological significance and opted to build a museum/shopping center instead.
From the looks of it, the roof is the best part—you can actually go up there and check out views of the entire city. [Design Boom via Inhabitat]
Image Credit: Ignacio Ysasi


text:
Dog food reviews
Member List
Dry Dog Foods
1 Star Dry Dog Food
Previous Product
Next Product
Bil Jac Senior with Chicken & Oatmeal Dog Food
Date of last review
Mon November 21, 2005
Recommended By
Average Price
Average Rating
No recommendations
None indicated
None indicated
Fresh Chicken, Fresh Chicken By-Products (Organ Meat Only), Oatmeal, Corn, Fresh Chicken Liver, Dried Beet Pulp (sugar removed), Brewers Dried Yeast, Cane Molasses, Eggs, Salt, Sodium Propionate (a preservative), DL-Methionine, L-Lysine, Vitamin A Acetate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Niacin, Biotin, Choline Chloride, Folic Acid, Thiamine Mononitrate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), BHA (a preservative), Vitamin B12 Supplement, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Manganous Oxide, Inositol, Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Ferrous Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Cobalt Carbonate, Potassium Iodine, Sodium Selenite.
Guaranteed Analysis:
Crude Protein (minimum) 20%
Crude Fat (minimum) 12%
Moisture (maximum) 10%
Crude Fiber (maximum) 4%
Post a Reply
Registered: October 2005
Posts: 3953
Review Date:
Mon November 21, 2005
Would you recommend the product?
| Price you paid?:
Not Indicated
| Rating:
First ingredient is a named meat product.
Uses by-products, low quality grains and other controversial fillers. Uses chemical preservatives believed to be carcinogenic.
The first ingredient in this food is a named meat source. However, it is chicken inclusive of water content (about 80%) and once that is removed there is probably substantially less chicken in the food. The same applies to chicken liver (5th ingredient).
The next ingredient is by-products. Whilst we appreciate that the manufacturer states this comes from organ meat only, it is impossible to ascertain the quality of by-products and these are usually products that are of such low quality as to be rejected for use in the human food chain, or else are those parts that have so little value that they cannot be used elsewhere in either the human or pet food industries. We recommend avoiding any pet food using such ingredients. The AAFCO definition of chicken by-products is consists of the ground, rendered, clean parts of the carcass of slaughtered chicken, such as necks, feet, undeveloped eggs and intestines, exclusive of feathers, except in such amounts as might occur unavoidable in good processing practice.
Oatmeal is a decent grain, but the next grain is corn. Corn is difficult for dogs to digest and thought to be the cause of a great many allergy and yeast infection problems.
Beet pulp is another controversial ingredient it is a by-product, being dried residue from sugar beets which has been cleaned and extracted in the process of manufacturing sugar. It is a controversial ingredient in dog food, claimed by some manufacturers to be a good source of fibre, and derided by others as an ingredient added to slow down the transition of rancid animal fats and causing stress to kidney and liver in the process. We note that beet pulp is an ingredient that commonly causes problems for dogs, including allergies and ear infections, and prefer not to see it used in dog food. There are less controversial products around if additional fibre is required.
Cane molasses adds unnecessary sugar to the food, and is likely to contribute to yeast infections in dogs prone to those. We appreciate the use of eggs in the food.
BHA is a chemical preservative believed to be carcinogenic.
Powered by:
Copyright 2006 All Enthusiast, Inc.
Trusted Gourmet
Terms of use
Privacy policy
Copyright © 2005 - 2009 DogFoodAnalysis.com.
All Rights Reserved.
Mesure d'audience ROI statistique webanalytics par


text:
SAS once again among the best employers in Switzerland
SAS has been recognized once again as one of the best employers in Switzerland. In the Best Workplaces Switzerland 2018 ranking by the Great Place to Work Institute, the Swiss subsidiary of the US software company earned third place in its category. The main factors behind this top ranking included the excellent company culture and the high emphasis SAS places on employee satisfaction. The award ceremony took place on May 16 at Kaufleuten in Zurich.
SAS also earns frequent praise as an employer in international comparisons. In Germany and Austria, the software manufacturer ranked in the top 10 once again in 2018. For the Great Place to Work ranking, employees of participating companies are anonymously surveyed on topics involving general satisfaction, collaboration, compensation, leadership, and professional development.
Dr. Patric Märki, Vice President SAS Region DACH, feels that SAS is on the right path as an employer: "I'm very pleased that SAS has been recognized as one of the best employers in Switzerland again in 2018. This shows that employees at SAS feel appreciated—and that has a positive impact on their interactions with customers. For us as a company, this can be translated into the following formula: Only with satisfied employees can we ensure our customers are satisfied. And our ranking shows that we have both in Switzerland — I'm very proud of that."
"It's always a great affirmation to keep finishing near the top of ranking such as Great Place to Work. We want to offer employees flexibility and an environment they enjoy working in. Part of that is enabling each one of us to put our talents to their best use and receive opportunities to grow. This is the only way to ensure employees are satisfied with their workplace. These efforts to create an outstanding place to work, to offer as much flexibility as possible, and to ensure lifelong learning have always characterized SAS," said Marlies Bürkel, Director Human Resources SAS DACH. "The positive response we've seen confirms that we're on the right track."
About SAS
SAS is the leader in analytics. Through innovative software and services, SAS empowers and inspires customers around the world to transform data into intelligence. SAS gives you THE POWER TO KNOW®.


text:
Industrial organization is a field of economics that studies the structure of and boundaries between firms and markets and the strategic interactions of firms. The study of industrial organization adds to the perfectly competitive model real-world frictions such as limited information, transaction costs, costs of adjusting prices, government actions, and barriers to entry by new firms into a market that may be associated with imperfect competition.
Description: More than 40 of the top researchers in this field have written chapters that go from the foundations to the state of the art. Basic chapters on algorithmic methods for equilibria, mechanism design and combinatorial auctions are followed by chapters on important game theory applications such as incentives and pricing, cost sharing, information markets and cryptography and security. This definitive work will set the tone of research for the next few years and ...
MIT Libraries
Description: Title page includes summary
Kett's Rebellion, England, 1549
Trends in Telephone Service is published by the Industry Analysis and Technology Division of the Federal Communication Commissionâs Wireline Competition Bureau. This report is designed to provide answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about the telephone industry -- questions asked by consumers, members of Congress, other government agencies, telecommunications carriers, and members of the business and academic communities. To this end, the report contain...
Government Reference Publication
Potential Relationships Between Market Structure and Innovation -- ?Schumpeterian Hypothesis?: Large firms in concentrated markets are more likely to support innovation. -- Innovation shapes market structure. -- Market Structure and innovation are simultaneously shaped by underlying market characteristics, such as innovative opportunities and appropriability.
Nutrition Reference Publication
Excerpt: Outline ... Background ... Overview of abatement and transaction costs ... Reducing transaction costs ... A model to analyze the effect of project design ... The measurement problem ... Conclusions ...
Description : This paper introduces a model of 'theory of mind', namely, how we represent the intentions and goals of others to optimise our mutual interactions. We draw on ideas from optimum control and game theory to provide a 'game theory of mind'. First, we consider the representations of goals in terms of value functions that are prescribed by utility or rewards. Critically, the joint value functions and ensuing behaviour are optimised recursively, under the assumpt...
This report presents the estimates of trade transaction costs in APEC for each year from 2006 to 2010. The estimates are to form part of the Final Assessment of TFAP II and are to be based on the methodology and approach that was developed for the Interim Assessment of that Plan.
Structural models are becoming increasingly used in industrial organization. These methods are useful in markets because they allow for a logic link between game theory and empirical practice.
Abstract: This paper evaluates a model of sequential innovation in which industry structure (the number of firms) is endogenous and a standard of patentability determines the proportion of all inventions that qualify for protection. In equilibrium, the number of firms actively engaged in R&D is the primary determinant of an industry?s rate of progress. The patentability standard affects firms' entry decisions because it affects the expected profits associated with innovations.


text:
The Greystone Manor Supperclub has just opened its doors in Industry's old space. Now catering to a discerning clientele, this venue has a mix of sit-down dining, a dance floor with two full-service bars, and bottle service with a butler—if you can swing it. But either way, you are in for a treat when the DJ starts spinning, old-Hollywood showgirls start appearing from behind a huge LED wall, and aerialists descend from the ceiling. Aerialists, really! Now, that's a party!
Greystone Manor Supperclub
643 North La Cinega Boulevard
West Hollywood, CA 90069
Copyright LXTVN - LXTV


text:
"A man walking alone on a deserted beach, brandishing a lantern in his outstretched hand, might be a fool. But, for a ship that went astray on a stormy night, he might be the savior."
Sunday, August 09, 2009
In February of this year I came to the realization that I've been consuming my life for the wrong reasons. Consuming, not living, since that's what I think I've been doing for the most part. You know how it is when people decide to stop or start doing something on the occasion of their birthday or the new year. Well, I'm not that kind of man. I never made any resolution and accordingly the positive changes that have permeated my existence since were not planned at all. I looked at myself in the mirror and thought I could do better with my body. I'm eating healthier and putting my muscles to use in a manner that is enjoyable to me. For four months I would start my morning by a forty minute bicycle ride by the sea. My meaningful immersion in music died in the 1980's and I changed that too. I plugged my iPhone and reintroduced myself to old and new tunes. My morning ride became my favorite part of the day. With the advent of July, however, riding a bicycle in Tartous becomes more of an ordeal and less of a pleasure. I'm very uncomfortable in the heat but the positive effects of daily exercise were too apparent to ignore. I put the treadmill that has been laying there like a piece of furniture to good use too. I have to admit that I don't enjoy exercising indoors per say but I've found a way to cheat my brain into accepting this temporary inconvenience. Every day I follow an episode of my all-time favorite TV Series M*A*S*H* on DVD while sweating my butt off. I'm sleeping much better. I'm drinking my beer when I feel like it and enjoying it a whole lot more. I'm looking good (well that's a debatable point) and I've lost 11 kg in the process. I was a chubby 88 kg on my birthday at the end of February and I'm an attractive 77 kg now (again that point is open to contention). In a way I'm a late bloomer. I've just come of age, thirty years too late perhaps, but at least I've shed my inherited shell. I am free.
There's always a downfall though, a catch of a sort. Taking off the ragged robes of social conformity and mental subservience will eventually bring a confrontation with others. By and large I've always been the type who avoids direct hostilities with those I disagree with. But at the same time I can't go along anymore with certain "established" practices. It hurts to keep quiet when bigots and fanatics preach and gesticulate. Whether I want to or not, I'm being drawn into retaliation at least in the form of the written word. Almudawen (Syrian Blogs Community) has just announced the First Annual Competition of Almudawen for the Best Syrian Blogs. This is a commendable effort on their part if it's indeed intended to honor outstanding Syrian blogs, encourage and support a blogging culture and expose the role of blogs in the making and shaping of a civil society in Syria. However, if you read the 5th and last condition for blogs to be accepted in the competition, this is what you'll find (translated word by word): the contents of which [the submitted blog] must not dissent from the accepted mores and morals (i.e. sex through videos or photos, hostility to religions, cussing, swearing and bad taste). Do I take it that it is acceptable for a blog to attack trans-dressers but not Sheikhs and priests? Or, for the sake of argument, is a photo of a random cloud in the sky in the shape of an eye and a comment underneath that this is the eye of God acceptable but not another photo of a woman's perfect behind with the apt remark that this butt is an elegant example of the splendor of creation (if we're so inclined to believe)? I know and very much like two out of the five honorable judges and I'm surprised that they have accepted this sanctimonious condition. In fact I'm certain that they did not. Who in the hell then decided that bloggers/people who are interested in sex, hostile to religion and use the word FUCK casually cannot contribute to the making and shaping of a civil society in Syria? What kind of change are we to expect from an infant blogging movement already enslaved by bigotry and intolerance?
I hope it doesn't take this younger generation as long as it took mine to realize that religious tyranny is as bad, if not worse than political dictatorship. Civil society, my ass.
Immediately after I published this post yesterday, Yazan commented then deleted his own comment. He had no prior knowledge about the 5th and final condition of the competition, he wrote to me privately. However, he wanted to resolve the matter with the guys at Almudawen. He wrote earlier today and informed met that Almudawen has removed this shameful clause and came to their senses (under pressure from Yazan no doubt). I'm glad to hear that he will post about the whole matter on his blog later today as well.
Thank you abu fares for bringing up the issue in such a gracious way, as always!
I've posted, something of a clarification, and a response, here:
|What do you think?
50 comments:
- Isobel said...
Well, Abufares, I can only really comment on the first half of your post, since I'm not familiar with Almudawen. However, I could say it would be a shame if your blog, and other blogs of value, were eliminated due to these seemingly stringent conditions.
Congratulations on your quest to improve your condition and health! Its remarkable what people can achieve when they put their minds to it. I was mentioning this very same thing in my comment to Omar's post about "Weight Gain" (http://omars2cents.blogspot.com/2009/07/gaining-weight-is-problem_31.html). Moderation and exercise are key! I wish I could say I live by those words...I have a severe weakness for sweets...but I'm trying!! :) I'm so glad you succeeded!
- Gabriela said...
It's so nice to know you decided to spoil yourself a little. Go ahead!
About the downfall you mentioned, you'll always find intolerance and bigotry, no matter where you are or who are you with. I guess it's a necessary (a very regrettable one) part of human nature.
- Unknown said...
These are not stringent conditions, these are bigoted dispositions.
As for my quest to improve my condition and health I think i was inspired. February was a beautiful month for me.
Your severe weakness for sweets perplexes me in terms of how I should respond in an appropriate manner. I've been told that I'm very sweet. Is that relevant?
- Unknown said...
Oh yeah I'm spoiled and it feels good ;-)
Intolerance and bigotry are indeed prevalent all over but to make an official declaration of it and for others to accept it at face value is simply disgusting.
- Isobel said...
Its only relevant if you're normally covered in a thick layer of chocolate...otherwise...I'll stick to my ice cream sandwiches!! lol!! :)
- Joseph said...
I loved the Sloggi bum in the above photo. Check these Palmers' Bums...
I still haven't fixed the bike's front tyre! Shame. LOL
Have a good evening abufares.
- Unknown said...
First of all I commend your determination, exercising everyday is a big commitment. I wish I had this sort of discipline.
As for the awards.. I have noticed a sharp change in the Syrian blogosphere from its inception to now. It's a shame to see such rules encouraging conformity and lack or original thought. I would rather see that perfect behind in the picture than a highly photoshoped image of the sun and some clouds.
- abu kareem said...
Abu Fare,
I saw your picture on KJ's blog, you are looking downright svelte my friend!
I agree with Omar regarding the change in the Syrian blogosphere. It is one of the reasons I am writing less and less.
- Dubai Jazz said...
Never too late for change, Abu Fares! Again, I find it fit to quote Douglas Adams, whose words I think are relevant:
"I seldom end up where I wanted to go, but almost always end up where I need to be."
btw, I'd rather be a juror in an audition for a porn movie than to participate in this farce (best blog award). Let them shove their piety up their collective ass.
- Dubai Jazz said...
P.s., by that I don't mean Yazan or Yaman, I'm sure they were unaware of this requisite.
- Unknown said...
Thank you for the delicious photo. I felt like a little kid in a candy store. "uuuuuuummmmmmmm, mom can I have them all?"
- Unknown said...
Well it really came without determination, commitment or discipline. I think the key is to find a form of exercise that we enjoy. Riding a bicycle to me was just that. It doesn't feel like an obligation at all. As a matter of fact I miss it so much and can't wait for the weather to get milder.
In November 2008 I wrote about the sharp change in the Syrian blogsphere "Secular Shivers and Religious Fever"
Many fellow bloggers disagreed with me then and considered my generalizations too naive and elementary. Yet here it is, the Syrian blogsphere is divided (mainly) along a line of religiosity and it will continue to do so with the new wave of Neo-Islamists bulldozing their way into their own rendition of a "Civil Society".
I'd rather live under the semi-secularism of a dictatorship than under a Religious bastardized version of a democracy.
- Unknown said...
@Abu Kareem
Well I need the women to agree and find my svelteness attractive:-)
The changes we are going through should be a strong motive for you, me and everyone who doesn't agree with "their vision" to write more and more. They are too loud to quietly accept or even ignore.
The least we can do is have our voices heard.
- Unknown said...
Yazan and Yaman are the 2 persons I meant when I said (I know and love).
I'm sure beyond a shadow of a doubt that they were sucked into this or tricked in some way.
I have written to Almudawen yesterday and asked them very kindly to remove my blog's listing from their site. They haven't (yet) responded to my message nor removed my listing. I don't want to be a part of their community that's all. I will wait for a couple of days and hope that they just respect my choice. I would very much appreciate an amicable separation.
- Unknown said...
The only reason I can't normally be covered in a thick layer of chocolate is that underneath I'm more "Fire cream" then Ice cream. I will be very messy indeed ;-)
- Unknown said...
Dear Readers
Immediately after I published this post yesterday, Yazan commented then deleted his own comment. He had no prior knowledge about the 5th and final condition of the competition, he wrote to me privately. However, he wanted to resolve the matter with the guys at Almudawen. He wrote earlier today and informed met that Almudawen has removed this shameful clause and came to their senses (under pressure from Yazan no doubt). I'm glad to hear that he will post about the whole matter on his blog later today as well.
- Yazan said...
Abu Fares,
Thanks for the thoughtful comment, and I'm glad this little episode was undone so quickly.
- Yazan said...
Thank you abu fares for bringing up the issue in such a gracious way, as always!
I've posted, something of a clarification, and a response, here:
The whole changes idea, I've been struggling with it for about a year or so now. I'm right at the basis of choosing what to do. I'm free to be. Either I'm greedy and want everything or I'm still lost in transition.
Being a non-conformist in such an unexpected way tires me. I too, will find a way soon to pleasure me and bring me to being content with myself/whats around me and how I'm leading my life. I was never a fan of my life leading me. I want to lead it.
I don't agree with the 5th condition but to a different point of view than yours. What gathers us in Almudawen is not our religion but ethnicity. Therefore, whatever is our belief is ours to keep as long as we keep our respect to our beloved Syria even in constructive criticism.
I believe we all have morals. We're all capable of acting human.. and even if some fail, its not our job to change their beliefs. We could just disregard them and be a "civil society".
- Katia said...
You tackled this issue so elegantly but firmly, and Yazan solved it like a true gentleman. Bravo to both of you!
As for the subject itself, you said it all: "I hope it doesn't take this younger generation as long as it took mine to realize that religious tyranny is as bad, if not worse than political dictatorship."
Btw... "Well I need the women to agree and find my svelteness attractive:-)"... We do agree ;-)
- Unknown said...
I have only to express my admiration regarding the diplomatic way you resolved the matter.
Frankly speaking, I would've not done the same and I'm amazed by your maturity and patience. Perhaps time made me more suspicious than I'd like although I'm certain that what Almudawen did was intentional and with prejudice.
There's a huge difference between Syplanet and Almudawen. The first is an aggregator, no more, no less. Almudawen has an agenda. They have goals and ambitions and a statement of purpose if read carefully it seems nothing short of a manifesto. I still remember that they changed the wording of their statement when they first appeared one year ago. It read something like... Almudawen wants to be the ONLY whatever for Syrian bloggers. They then dropped it to the MAIN blablabla for Syrian bloggers. Now, they did the same not out of intellectual courtesy but because they were obviously cornered.
I can't be as trusting as you are. I've been bitten far too many times.
But congratulations for solving the problem in your own way. Scoring goals is indeed more important than beating the goal keeper.
Let's hope it stays within the bounds of a football game.
- Unknown said...
Thank you for dropping by. What gathers us at Syplanet before Almudawen is the fact that we are either Syrian bloggers or write about Syria. No more, no less. Eventually we kind of find each other and might become very good friends or know about each other and continue to lead separate pursuits. There's no problem with that at all.
As I walk on any street in Damascus I can tell within minutes that we are a very diverse people with the influences of many cultures, trends and degrees of religiosity shaping our national identity. So who is to say that our writings must not dissent from the accepted mores and morals? Who said that it's OK to defame the political establishment but not the religious authorities? Is this the civil society they dream of and advocate? What's the point? Why bother change? Why do we even have to replace bad with worse?
Who decided that being a religious Syrian is better and more honorable than being an atheist Syrian. Or being a Hijabed girl better than a woman wearing revealing clothes?
WHO can give himself or herself this right?
A blogger should write freely as he or she pleases. As long as they don't try to shove their sense of morality up our ass I really don't care.
I'm so certain that many fellow Syrians have checked this blog of mine once and never returned. I've done that so many times. This is all normal. I have no illusions whatsoever that blogging will bring us closer together. It will only show how wonderfully varied we are. And that by itself is the best we can ever hope for. The day when each speaks his or he own mind without political and/or RELIGIOUS persecution.
- Unknown said...
I tackled this issue as I only know how. I won't stand still if people step on my toes.
Yazan did a great job indeed and made us all proud. I hope his commendable effort was worthwhile.
And, thank you for the compliment on my sveltenes... it means so much more to me ;-)
Well, oh well you will have to post a picture of the new svelt you! Ahum!
77kg is more or less 169 lbs right? I can not remember your weight about 28 years ago???
In any case, I'm sure you look very good. You know, your beautiful mind is more importnat than your "fisique". I do undesrtand the need to feel better healthwise and the boost of energy after doing excersise is always great. That's why I swim my 2,000 meters 3 days of the week.
About the rest, you are correct to expose Almudawen. The "tiny print" on the rules is usually forgotten by most, and always very important. I'm glad your friend had a positive impact on the rest of the Jury and was able to change their minds!
w.b. yeats
Dear Abu Fares,
I am in no way za3laneh minnak, It's just that I've been in Damascus for the past 8 months and I haven't called and I feel bad about it. I was in a depression phase but I am ok now. I finished my thesis and my defense is in couple months.
I missed you, when I am done with my defense I plan on visiting Tartous. Will call you to set a date.
I have two complaints if I may about this post: first you assumed that it was Yazan who put pressure in order for almudawwen to remove the fifth condition,but Yazan explained that the decision was made due a consensus among the committee. This assumption suggests that Almudawwen people don't listen to others' suggestion, and won't consider change unless under pressure, which I don't think that's the case. and it did prove it wasn't the case.
second, I am not sure if words like "tricked" or "sucked into" are the best way to describe or assume what happened, or even help with lessening the gap among us as bloggers. Omar explained that he listed the condition the last minute, which I agree he shouldn't. Nevertheless, Apart from my personal friendship with Omar, I wouldn't assume "bad faith" from people especially if that might reflect the whole blogsphere. I know Omar, he's a great guy, I mean it, and I am not defending him but I am trying to lessen the misunderstanding among two great men.
What I am saying dear Abu Fares, is that after the whole homosexual discussion on the blogsphere, I personally want to reach out than isolate myself within a certain circle of like-minded bloggers. It's not challenging enough mo hek?
These are Syrian bloggers, and I myself was wrong enough to treat some of them the way I did,and I wish we do have "good faith" in people who are part of our community. It's something to criticize someone and another thing to use words that might offend them.
Seriously, Abu Fares, I think there is one person in this blogsphere who is close-minded, arrogant and rude,Almudawwen has its issues, and they will listen if you speak to them.
sorry for the long comment, and looking forward to a kas 3ara2 with you!
One last thing, about the "agenda", yes they have an agenda, that's why Omar asked Yaman, Yazan, Maha and a foreigner to be part of the committee ;-)
- Unknown said...
You're always welcome to this blog and to Tartous along with your friends and the friends of your friends, Omar included.
When I assumed that Yazan was tricked or sucked in I based my assumption on my knowledge of him. There was no way on earth he would have accepted that 5th condition. As far as I'm concerned nobody who accepts/dreams of/promotes the democratic process accepts such a biased condition. I respect Omar in the sense that he went ahead and stated that he did that alone without consulting with the others. But, in my opinion, he was wrong to do so. On his blog one can write whatever one wants. It's his personal space and no one has the right to object. However, Almudawen is a public place, a civil aggregator of Syrian blogs, or am I wrong? It's for all Syrians, not for religious Syrians. Again, am I wrong? His personal belief, which I respect as long as he keeps it on his blog, has no place in a public forum.
Was I harsh when I stated that Yazan has exercised pressure on Almudawen? Yes I was. Why? because it was my opinion that (on my blog) I should challenge a "civil aggregator" which didn't abide by the rules of the game. I never attacked Omar personally since I don't even know him. You of course know me enough to realize that I'm not that kind of person.
It is my opinion that Almudawen was wrong when the 5th condition was added.
Be that as it may, I cannot harbor bad feelings toward anyone. So you can imagine my attitude toward an intelligent blogger with a blog titled "The Harbor = Al Marfa'a". Like I know Yazan, I also know you and I'm sure when you say that Omar is a "great guy" you truly mean it.
I already disagree with you on several issues (didn't you know that?) and I'm also aware that I presently disagree and will continue to disagree with Omar on other issues as well. That should not, however, be considered as an obstacle in extending our hands to each other anytime. He might think that I am a dinosaur and I might think that he has crossed the line between personal opinion and civil obligation but we can always sit down and enjoy a glass of... tea together.
He might never come over this blog again so I don't mind at all if you convey my message to him. It was never personal. He has a cause which he strongly defends and I have a different cause which I strongly believe in and would do anything in my capacity to defend as well.
The Arak, we can drink alone you and me ;-)
- Unknown said...
And Razan,
whose agenda???
- Unknown said...
@w. b. Yeats
I'm exactly like I was 28 years ago except perhaps a little more handsome.
Time and love have matured me gracefully like the best of wines :-)
I see! I see...
"Love of beauty is Taste. The creation of beauty is Art."
Ralph Waldo Emerson
U have evolved into a priceless art masterpiece
: )
w.b. yeats
- saint said...
Hey abufares, due still have the Bigfoot account?
- Fantasia Lillith said...
Ah my friend ... just went to jarofjuice (KJ's site) to see the pic! my friend you look great!
I am a fitness "fanatic". I am at the gym twice a day 5-6 days a week. I go for cardio before work and do weights at lunch. I rock climb, am learning to scuba dive and snowshoe among other activities.
I believe very strongly that a fit physical body does help promote a healthy mind and thus, creativity. The Greeks had it right way back in ancient days when the Olympics were created.
I do ask you to please read the cover story of the times. It's very "Michael Moore" in it's one sided approach to the issue. I will give you my analogy that you will understand better after you read the article. I think that it's like shampoo and conditioner. Shampoo (food) all alone will clean your hair but using conditioner (exercise) will take it to a entire new level.
As for the rest … I can't comment really. I am blessed to live in a country that - although hypocritical with regards to certain issues and hiding behind the face of political correctness to avoid facing the class problem and underlying racial issues that still exists among other things - I admit that it's nothing compare to what you live on a day to day. The nature of my blog shows that tolerance is something we have and likely take for granted. But don't be fooled. Bigotry in the US is a huge issue. Not long ago a friend of mine had his blog shut down by a puritanical American run company, Small minds are all over. Look at facebook … they even encourage you to report (squeal) on people. If you don't like it? Go away! Ah - this rant my need to wait…. My date awaits!
Your comment back gave me a vibe of misunderstanding. I agree to what you have said. In fact, I am not Syrian by blood. I was just born & raised there and love it with the warmth of a thousand suns. So, yes for diversity!
About morals, I never thought you deviated from them. Being expressive doesn't mean of lacking morals.
I'm coming to Syria end of September. I've only went to Tartous once in my life. I was very young and don't have much recollection. This year, I will enrich myself with the lands and sea of Tartous. "As a blogger", you've made an imprint and will definitely be on my mind :) cheers!
- Unknown said...
I have privately replied to your message. Be well.
- Unknown said...
Thank you for stating the obvious (that I look great:-) lolllll.
Bigotry is the same everywhere. The problem with all bigots, however, is that they always think that they are unique. The most tragic manifestation of this vile human illness is when bigots from two different religious pursuits come face to face and kill each other, all in the name of God.
Should I give examples? I don't think so.
- Unknown said...
My morals are the healthy offspring of my human conscience and the splendor of nature. They are not the misbegotten brood born to fear and submission.
Syrian morality is a result of thousands of years of civilization. It is as varied as we are. Islamic morality is an integral and very important part of our identity but is not the only one that's all. Spirituality is a wonderful experience but has nothing to do with the running of a nation unless all constituents are of the exact same conviction (The Vatican for instance). Syria is neither the Vatican nor Saudi Arabia... THANK GOD :-)
September and October are beautiful here in Tartous. I will be more than honored by your visit. Please let me know so that I can Oum Bil Wajeb.
teslam abufares, kelak zo2 :)
- Antonio Tahhan said...
keep doing what you're doing, abufares - with the exercise and the blogging :)
- Unknown said...
I have every intention of doing so and not stopping.
Thank you for your kind words of encouragement.
- Karin said...
It takes a lot of determination and dicipline to do what you did ... CONTRATULATION!! Just don't be too strict with yourself but I guess there's not much danger (you know how to enjoy!)
About the other issue ... I absolutely agree with you! Tolerance & freedom of speech and expression are values need to be granted in a society, anything less is unacceptable.
Spirituality is something wonderful and precious and nothing's wrong with expressing it on a blog the way you do. You said THANK GOD Syria is not Saudi Arabia nor the Vatikan ... yea - THANK GOD INDEED!!
Will you follow me to Albuquerque? I'll take off on the 21st (work-assignment) and plan to blog a LOT about my experiences. I briefly posted about it ...
- Unknown said...
It was inspiration more than determination really. It still is.
You know what I find strange Karin? You would expect people who are prosecuted because of their religious or political beliefs to appreciate freedom of speech and to be more open minded. It's surprising that although they are still, with the rest of society, suffering from political tyranny they are already scheming on how to implement their discriminatory policies against those who do not share the same set of values if they ever climb the power ladder.
While you and perhaps many others can relate to "my" spirituality, to them it's total blasphemy. It's a take it or leave it proposition with them. Take it all or shut-up. Their way of life, their inherited beliefs are somehow holier than the everybody's else. All by virtue of birth. Truly sad.
- Karin said...
"Take it all or shut-up" .. shut up?? NEVER!! I'm with you Abufares!
I was re-reading your blog, and my daughters asked me why was I reading something that had a picture of a girl's bum so prominantly exposed... Je!
I said a I have a wierd friend, but he is a good writer.
: )
w.b. yeats
- Unknown said...
@w.b. yeats
Are you sure you were reading my post and not gazing at the girl's bum?
You're not getting kinky after all these years, are you???
Kinky?! ... mmm, I think I have not reach that stage yet! : P
Carlos will be the first to find out, but I promise to let you know too. Ha, ha
w.b. yeats
- jimmy said...
wlek yo2borne rabbak ya abu fares!
- Unknown said...
Thank you for dropping by and for you heartfelt encouragement.
I really appreciate your support for freedom of expression.


text:
In neither of the two Torah references to the holiday of Rosh Hashana (Leviticus 23:23-25, Numbers 29:1), is there a specific mention of the shofar, the ram's horn. Only the Teruah, the sound made by the shofar, is noted. So why do we only use the shofar on Rosh Hashana when the same sound can be made on another instrument?
In the Talmudic discussion, Rabbi Abahu (c. 279-320 C.E., Caeseria, Israel) responded to this question by referring to the oral tradition that God wanted the Jewish people to use a ram's horn to remind Him of the binding of Isaac (known as the Akeidah), which culminated in a ram being offered as a sacrifice in Isaac's stead. The shofar represents that ram.
Why is it important to God that the Jewish people remind Him of the Akeidah on Rosh Hashana? On a simple level, the oral tradition states that the Akeidah took place on the first of Tishrei, which is Rosh Hashana. More importantly, however, is the fact that the Akeidah reminds God of the Jewish people's commitment to the ways of its ancestors.
On Rosh Hashana, humanity is judged...and far too often it is the negative side of the scale that is weighed down. However, when God sees the Jewish people recalling the patriarchs' and matriarchs' devotion and commitment, and demonstrating that we, ourselves, strive toward that devotion, His attribute of mercy can override His attribute of judgment and enable Him to judge us favorably for a good year to come.
This Treat is reposted in honor of Rosh Hashana.
Copyright © 2019 NJOP. All rights reserved.
Wednesday, September 25, 2019
Remembering the Akeidah
Posted by Jewish Treats at 1:05 AM
Labels: High Holidays, Jewish, Judaism, ReTreat, rosh hashana treat
No comments:
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
Threads 1 to 35 of 149
Forum: Orioles 24x7
The 2019 season is over and the O's had another disastrous season while the Nats go to the World Series. This is the place for lively debate about the Orioles, the team, management, ownership and the old 'Oriole Magic'. This forum is also for general discussion of MLB.


text:
Setting Up Your CB Radio - Communication Breakdown
Get the most out of your CB
Trail communication is key, whether your spotter is telling you where to put your tires or when you are trying to reach base camp to tell them you are upside-down. That is why we require a Citizens Band radio (CB) on the Ultimate Adventure. Having a CB is but the first step in communicating on the trail though, not the last. The most important and often overlooked aspect of installing a mobile CB is tuning the antenna. While a properly tuned antenna will result in strong radio performance, an untuned antenna can result in poor performance and can even damage your radio from excessive radio frequency heat that is reflected back into the radio instead of transmitted out.
This is the issue we were having in one of our trail trucks. We could hear our friends if they were nearby, but they could not hear us transmit worth a darn. So we headed to our local truck stop and got some help from Cecil at Airtime Communications. Cecil not only tuned our antenna to get our CB working properly, but he also gave us a crash course on the theory and application of CB radios. At truck stops all over the country you can not only buy CB radios and antennas, but you can also find guys like Cecil who are experts at the dying art of tuning an antenna.
Tuning is adjusting an antenna so that the radio's output power is transformed into radio signals as efficiently as possible. To achieve that, it is necessary to lengthen or shorten the CB antenna slightly. The goal of tuning is to match the antenna's physical length with that of the radio frequency being used to maximize performance and transmission efficiency. How do you know what length you need? That is where a standing wave ratio (SWR) meter comes in. You can buy an SWR meter and a coax jumper cable for as little as $25. It's a good investment, particularly if you can get your wheeling buddies to chip in and everyone uses the SWR meter to tune up their radios.
You still need to know how to use the SWR meter though, and that's when a guy like Cecil is handy to have around. "The goal of antenna tuning is to achieve as low an SWR reading as possible on Channel 1 and Channel 40, at each end of the spectrum," he explained. "1.5:1 is great, 2.0:1 is acceptable, and over 3.0:1 is headed for meltdown. Your radio was over 3.0:1 when you came in."
Firestik fiberglass antennas have an adjustable tuning screw at the tip of the antenna so that you can shorten or lengthen it to adjust the overall length of your antenna. If the reading on Channel 1 is greater than the reading on Channel 40, your antenna is too short and you'll need to lengthen it. Conversely, if the reading on Channel 40 is greater than Channel 1, you need to shorten your antenna. Make very small adjustments and then recheck the SWR readings on both channels. For a professional like Cecil this only took a few minutes. If you are new at CB tuning, take notes on the changes you are making and how they affect your readings and be patient. Once Cecil had worked his magic, now all of our wheeling buddies have us 10-10 all the way from our 20 to our 99.
Up to Code
Need some new lingo to throw around on the trail? Want to impress your trucker friends? Don't worry, 4WOR has your 10-39.
10-1 Receiving poorly
10-2 Receiving well
10-3 Stop transmitting
10-4 OK, message received
10-5 Relay message
10-6 Busy, stand by
10-7 Out of service, leaving air
10-9 Repeat message
10-10 Transmission completed, standing by
10-11 Talking too rapidly
10-13 Advise weather and road conditions
10-17 Urgent business
10-20 My location is ____, or what's your location?
10-23 Stand by
10-26 Disregard last information/cancel last message
10-28 Identify your station
10-30 Does not conform to FCC rules
10-32 I will give you a radio check
10-36 Need correct time
10-37 Wrecker needed at ____
10-38 Ambulance needed at ____
10-39 Your message delivered
10-41 Please tune to channel ____
10-42 Traffic accident at ____
10-43 Traffic tied up at ____
10-44 I have a message for you
10-50 Break channel
10-60 What is next message number?
10-62 Unable to copy, use phone
10-65 Awaiting your next message or assignment
10-71 Proceed with transmission in sequence
10-77 Negative contact
10-91 Talk closer to the mic
10-94 Please give me a long count
10-99 Mission completed, all units secure
10-100 Need to go to bathroom
Special Thanks To:
Airtime Communications


text:
May 14, 2013
Construction crews throughout Kansas will be busy upgrading roads and highways this summer. Kansas Department of Transportation encourages motorists to slow down, watch for workers and drive safely through work zones.
Use the comment form below to begin a discussion about this content.
Commenting has been disabled for this item.


text:
TPS SeriesWith an ESR as low as 80m?, TPS capacitors are suitable for smoothing and filtering on 3.3V power rails, which is a favorite output voltage of DC/DC converters. Devices with high capacitance can also be used as battery support in handheld devices where small size is one of the key design requirements.
TPS tantalum capacitors have a maximum direct leakage current of 19.8μA and a maximum dissipation factor at 120Hz of 12%. Operating temperature range is -55 to +125°C. Importantly, these devices meet the requirements of AEC-Q200 for the automotive industry.


text:
It was our first night in Belize and things were not starting out well.
"You didn't tell me we were camping!" exclaimed my 16-year-old daughter Kelsey. "I would never have agreed to come if I had known we were camping."
She had a point. I hadn't used the word "camping," because to me camping means a sleeping bag on the floor of a tent. We were in a comfortable wooden cabana with beds, mattresses, pillows and sheets. There was electricity and a central shower area with running water and flush toilets. This wasn't really camping.
I suspected the underlying problem was really a slight case of nomophobia, or fear of being out of cellphone contact. With no cellphone signal and no wi-fi, the cabanas were practically prehistoric — in a teenager's mind, anyways. When I booked the trip with Island Expeditions, I had hoped that a few days away from technology on a mother-daughter adventure trip would be good for both of us.
The adventure began the next day with a half-day guided river tubing and caving tour. We were transported by bus to a lush rainforest area where we each selected an inner tube, a life jacket and a hard hat with a headlamp. Our guide pointed out unique flora and fauna as we hiked along a well-travelled trail through lush rainforest. When we stopped for a short rest, our guide pulled a rust-coloured stone from the river and painted everyone's faces Mayan style. He said it would bring good luck in the caves.
Eventually we climbed aboard our tubes and rode them down the river and into a limestone cave system filled with stalactites, stalagmites and other fascinating rock formations. With nothing but the light from our headlamps it was sometimes eerie as we floated and hiked our way through the caves — no wonder we needed that good luck.
After a hearty lunch at a local restaurant, we visited the Belize Zoo to get a first-hand look at their jaguar rescue program and meet the jaguars close up. Island Expeditions is a big supporter of the zoo's conservation efforts and it was good to know that our travel choice was going to support a worthwhile conservation initiative.
The next day, we travelled cross-country by van and then boarded a boat to make the one-hour journey to the tiny island of Southwest Caye on Glover's Reef Atoll. One of the richest marine habitats in the Caribbean Sea, Glover's Reef is considered by many to be one of the world's top snorkelling and diving areas. Using the tiny island as a base camp, we planned to spend the next six days exploring as much of the reef as possible.
This time we were staying in actual tents, making it difficult to argue with Kelsey's assertion that I should have used the word "camping" when describing the trip.
On the upside, the large tents were beachfront and equipped with beds, mattresses, sheets, pillows and furniture. Toilet facilities were another matter.
"I miss plumbing," she said when she realized that she would be using a composting toilet and a solar-powered shower for the next few days. Once again, there was no Internet and no cellphone access at the base camp.
It didn't take long to get into the routine of camp life, which began with a daily sunrise yoga class led by a professional yoga instructor under the shade of coconut palms, and ended with a delicious dinner in the main dining lodge.
In between there were snorkel tours, kayaking expeditions, kayak sailing, stand-up paddleboard lessons, a guided fishing excursion and plenty of time for hammock surfing with a good book.
Each night after dinner, Kelsey and I made a habit of lying out on the boat dock and gazing up at the magnificent star-filled sky. There is virtually no light pollution when you are on a tiny island in the middle of a vast expanse of ocean.
On our last night in Belize, while we lay on the dock trying to locate the Big Dipper, Kelsey spotted a falling star — her first ever.
"I really loved this trip," she confided as we made our way back to our tent a few minutes later. "Maybe camping really is my thing."
I didn't have the heart to tell her that she hadn't really gone camping — not by my definition anyways.
If You Go:
Island Expeditions is a Canadian-based adventure company that offers a variety of all-inclusive adventure tours in Belize. We experienced the Glover's Reef and River of Caves tour. The seven-day tour runs from November through May and starts at $1,899 per person, including all meals, transportation and comfortable camp-style accommodations. (A word to the wise: use your own discretion when deciding whether or not to call it a camping trip.) Airfare to Belize is not included in the rate. For more information, visit: www.islandexpeditions.com
Debbie Olsen is an Alberta-based freelance writer.


text:
We're clearly pretty obsessed with vintage kids' books, especially ones that have great photography. This one, Be a Frog, a Bird, or a Tree, is so cool. It shows all of these different yoga moves, along with black and white shots of kids, and some beautiful illustrations. The writing is really good and evocative too. Our daughter loves it. And since this is a book that is out-of-print, most people don't know it, so it makes for a clever birthday gift!
- Comments
- 0
- Tags
- Exercising with Kids, Indoor Activities


text:
Bake the Book: Balaboosta
Chef Einat Admony claims she is the only chef she knows who cooks at home. At least, the only one who cooks as elaborately as she does. Several times a week, after leaving her post as chef at her restaurant, she makes dinner for anywhere from two to thirty people in her home. It's as much about the food as it is bringing people together. Food, to her, is love, and "What good is love if you partake of it alone?"
Thus, Balaboosta: Bold Mediterranean Recipes To Feed The People You Love. It's her first book, sharing its name with her restaurant and the Yiddish word for "perfect housewife." And it's exactly what it says on the tin. This is a book with a beating heart, steeped in personal and cultural history and pounding with flavors from the Middle East. Chef Admony, herself being of mixed Iranian and Yemenite heritage, and having grown up in Tel Aviv, blends all those flavors into an edible personal narrative to introduce recipes she uses to love the people she feeds.
There are savory recipes for grilled fish, fried cauliflower, couscous, oxtail soup, as well as a chapter dedicated to basic syrups and aiolis titled, quite simply, "Can't Live Without." That casual passion is always there, infusing all of Balaboosta's recipes with an infectious vivacity.
All of that said, we are here for dessert. There are traditional dishes, like Baklava and Malabi, a milky custard chef Admony dresses with orange marmalade sauce. And there are playful variations on classics, like the Cream-Bo, a Mallomar-type chocolate covered cream cookie, known as a Krembo in Israel. Lastly, there are Turkish Coffee Brownies, a solid version of a liquid pick-me-up. We suggest making many of each, opening your home to guests and becoming your own Balaboosta.
Win A Copy!
Thanks to the generous folks over at Artisan Books, we are giving away five (5) copies of Balaboosta to give away this week. All you have to do is share your favorite Mediterranean sweet in the comments below.
All products linked here have been independently selected by our editors. We may earn a commission on purchases, as described in our affiliate policy.


text:
This is an interesting blog.
FRD, I think your grandma hakka is a bit short cut. That is how the old people talked.
In my generation, the sentence would be this way, "ngai mti kiadui tso nai4 vui loi qi ko nai4 tang"
Sorry I am not good in tone.
Translaltion: "I do not know where they come from, went through where or which places?"
Hakka from France and Polynesia
Discussions on the Hakka dialects.


text: Hi! Welcome to the Mine Safety and Health Administration's page that was made with kids in mind. Our job is to protect those that work at mines, maybe your father, mother, aunt or uncle. We are putting this page up so that you might explore and learn more about mining.


text:
There are a number of ways of mapping hardware into C but due to the limitations of the const keyword [did you know you can cast the const away? add it to the list of things in C like = actually being assign, declare a pointer with * and then deference it's content with *, etc., etc.] most microcontroller manufacturers end up using #define statements as they can be made to result in fixed numeric constants that can then be optimized correctly in all situations.
[For a quick counter example create a function that accesses a global const pointer, call it and then look at the ASM. Does that look optimal to you? But don't blame the compiler - it can't assume you haven't messed with the const pointer with casts! A good discussion is here.]
Anyway the normal way is to begin with several layers of #defines. The reason is for maintainability and portability. Typically the registers for a microcontroller peripheral are created at a fixed offset from a base and typically they will want to use the same peripheral in several micros. So this is how they arrange things for the USB module in the Fujitsu MB9BF506R, an ARM Cortex M3 based microcontroller:
#define FM3_PERIPH_BASE (0x40000000UL) ... #define FM3_USB0_BASE (FM3_PERIPH_BASE + 0x42100UL)
So the USB peripheral is actually to be found starting at address 0x40042100UL. However the actual device registers are laid out by a C struct. The struct creates the offsets for the individual registers internally and maps them to the human readable names.
Structs have several rules imposed on them by the C standard and also have a few gotchas so please treat these header files with great care when used with a different compiler UNTIL you have verified it. The rules are:
- The named elements of a struct will be in the same order as declared in C .
- Suitable padding may be included between elements to speed access to the data.
Here is a fragment of C from the mb9bf506r.h header file which creates the C symbols for the appropriate registers:
typedef struct { union { union { __IO uint16_t HCNT; stc_usb_hcnt_field_t HCNT_f; }; struct { union { __IO uint8_t HCNT0; stc_usb_hcnt0_field_t HCNT0_f; }; union { __IO uint8_t HCNT1; stc_usb_hcnt1_field_t HCNT1_f; }; }; }; ...
So following the rules of struct's in C we have the first element being an unsigned, 16 bit long register called HCNT at the first address of this struct, 0x40042100UL. Note the use of unions to allow the same address in memory to be accessed several different ways. In this case it is enabling HCNT to be accessed as a 16 bit wide register and as two separate 8 bit ones called HCNT0 and HCNT1.
Lets look at the same piece but with the next register's definition included:
... union { union { __IO uint16_t HCNT; stc_usb_hcnt_field_t HCNT_f; }; struct { union { __IO uint8_t HCNT0; stc_usb_hcnt0_field_t HCNT0_f; }; union { __IO uint8_t HCNT1; stc_usb_hcnt1_field_t HCNT1_f; }; }; }; uint8_t RESERVED0[2]; union { __IO uint8_t HIRQ; stc_usb_hirq_field_t HIRQ_f; }; union { __IO uint8_t HERR; stc_usb_herr_field_t HERR_f; }; uint8_t RESERVED1[2]; ...
The line of real interest is uint8_t RESERVED0[2]; between the two 16 bit registers. ARM devices' memory map is byte addressing, i.e. each byte attracts a unique address number. So the 16 bit variable is sitting across two 8 bit numbers (which the union allows individual access to). However the main memory of an ARM system is typically organized on 32 bit words, i.e. two 16 bit words and four 8 bit words. The uint8_t RESERVED0[2]; array of two 8 bit words 'pushes' the next register (the 8 bit HIRQ) to the start of the next 32 bit word. This means that the HCNT is at 0x40042100UL while the HIRQ is at 0x40042104UL, 4 bytes offset from the USB peripheral base.


text:
This talk page is only for discussing improvements to the page "Lionfish".
It is not the place for general discussion about the topic of this article.
- Please sign and date your posts by typing four tildes (
- Put new text under old text. Click here to start a new topic.
- Please abide by the conduct policy (in short, remain civil and assume good faith).
- For expedited discussions, feel free to join our Discord server.
Community content is available under CC-BY-SA unless otherwise noted.