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Access control, the chore of deciding who can get access to digital resources and then enforcing those decisions, can be a challenging task in large organizations and becomes even more daunting when information must be shared across agency lines.
The Federal CIO Council has identified a scheme called Attribute Based Access Control (ABAC) to promote information sharing, but implementing ABAC can be complex. The National Institute of Standards and Technology has released draft guidelines for implementing this method of access control.
ABAC matches attributes of a person requesting access, as well as attributes of the resources being requested, against a policy that defines who is allowed to receive access and under what conditions. The scheme was first outlined in the OASIS Extensible Access Control Markup Language in 2003, but without a formal definition and implementation guidance, ABAC solutions were developed and deployed without a common set of requirements.
NIST's draft Special Publication 800-162, Guide to Attribute Based Access Control (ABAC) Definition and Considerations, addresses that problem.
"Despite the clear guidance to implement ABAC, to date there has not been a comprehensive effort to formally define or guide the implementation of ABAC within the Federal Government," the NIST report says. "This document brings together many previously separate bodies of ABAC knowledge in order to bridge gaps between available technology and best practice ABAC implementations."
The call to use ABAC came in Version 2 of the CIO Council's Federal Identity, Credential, and Access Management (FICAM) Roadmap and Implementation Guidance, published in 2011.
SP 800-162 provides a definition of ABAC and a description of its functional components, along with planning, design, implementation and operational considerations for employing it within a large enterprise. Under the scheme, the owner of the resources being protected assigns attributes to each object and creates rules for what attributes in a user will allow access. This allows use of detailed access control policies without prior knowledge of the person requesting access and for an unlimited number of subjects that might require access.
Attributes can include such things as a person's name, affiliation, clearance level, Social Security number or eye color, and together these attributes create a persona tied to a job. There can be different personas for different jobs (such as a Monday-Friday job and a weekend job), the report says. A subset of attributes can be held in a credential or token that can be used for authentication.
NIST calls a person's attributes subject attributes, because objects, such as a remote automated device, also can have attributes.
But actually deploying the system is not easy, NIST says. "When deployed across an enterprise for the purposes of increasing information sharing between diverse organizations, ABAC implementations become much more complex — relying on the existence of extensive attribute management infrastructures, machine readable policy ontologies and interoperable access control mechanisms deployed to uniquely diverse networks."
The report offers a set of principles for implementing ABAC:
Comments on the draft guidelines should be sent May 31 to [email protected] with "Comments SP 800-162" in the subject line.
About the Author
William Jackson is a Maryland-based freelance writer.
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National Weather Service confirms tornado in Largo area
NWS: Tornado damaged homes, uprooted trees
The National Weather Service has confirmed a tornado in Prince George's County on Friday.
The weather service announced Monday its confirmation of an EF-0 tornado near Largo shortly before 7:30 p.m. Friday.
Peak winds reached 85 mph, touching down in the Marlboro Ridge subdivision off Ritchie Marlboro Road.
The weather service said the tornado uprooted and snapped several trees and damaged three homes, blowing out windows and garage doors.
The tornado traveled half a mile before lifting, and it lasted less than a minute.
Much of central Maryland and the upper Eastern Shore had been blanketed by a tornado watch for much of Friday evening as severe storms moved through the state.
An EF-0 tornado can have wind speeds from 65 to 85 mph.
Share weather photos on u local:

subset: commoncrawl


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AMERICA'S NEXT TOP MODEL - (9:00-10:00 p.m. ET)
"The Girl Who Licks the Floor" (TV-14, L)
THE GIRLS PACK THEIR BAGS FOR A COLLEGE ROAD TRIP - On the way to their Palm Springs destination, the models make three pit stops where they will be challenged to take photos of themselves doing �random acts of modeling.' The winner gets to host her own segment on NYLONTV.COM. Exhausted and grungy from their long day, the girls are caught off guard for a down-and-dirty photo shoot taken at random locations around their kitschy motel (#1907).


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Blood Culture
A blood culture is a test that looks for germs such as bacteria or fungi in the blood. A doctor might order this test when a child has symptoms of an infection — such as a high fever or chills — and the doctor suspects germs have spread into the blood. The culture can show what type of germ is causing the infection, which will determine how it is treated.
To do the test, the doctor will take a blood sample and send it to a lab for testing. Results are ready in a few days.
If a child is severely ill, the doctor may start treatment before the results are complete, basing treatment on the most likely cause of the infection. Once the culture results and most effective antibiotics have been identified (called antibiotic sensitivity) doctors can adjust the treatment choice.
Why Do a Blood Culture?
During some illnesses, certain infection-causing bacteria and fungi can invade the bloodstream and spread into other parts of the body, away from the original infection site. Their presence in the blood usually means that a child has a serious infection. Such infections usually cause a more rapid heart rate, high fever, and an increase in the number of white blood cells, the cells in the body that fight infections.
A blood culture can be a sign of underlying infections or problems, such as endocarditis, a severe and potentially life-threatening problem that occurs when bacteria in the bloodstream stick to the heart valves.
Some other possible causes of bloodstream infections include osteomyelitis, a bone infection often caused by the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus, and cellulitis, a skin infection that involves areas of tissue just below the skin's surface.
If an underlying cause is suspected, a doctor may order additional tests to find the cause of the bloodstream infection.
How Is a Blood Culture Done?
To do a blood culture, the nurse or phlebotomist (technician who draws blood) cleans the skin with an alcohol pad and a special antibacterial solution. Then this person inserts a small sterile needle through the skin into a vein and draws the blood directly into a culture bottle. Careful skin cleaning is important because it prevents contamination of the blood that's being drawn. It kills bacteria that may be on the surface of the skin so that they don't appear in the blood culture and interfere with identification of the germ causing the infection.
Sometimes it seems like a lot of blood is drawn for the test, but it's important that enough be drawn for the culture to be accurate. This may be less than a teaspoon (5 milliliters) in babies and 1–2 teaspoons (5–10 milliliters) in older children, depending on their size. The amount of blood drawn is tiny compared with the amount of blood in the body, and it's quickly replenished (within 24–48 hours).
After the blood is sent to the lab, results usually are available in 1–2 days. If you have any questions about the test, be sure to speak with your doctor.


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Search our list of items to see which item goes where.
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World in Conflict: Soviet Assault,World in Conflict Preview
- Related Games:
- World in Conflict: Soviet Assault,World in Conflict
How I learned to stop worrying and love the bomb.
Look at this. It's not a tiny worm, or an ancient example of cave man cursive, it's the Ebola Reston virus, one of the most horrifically deadly organisms on the planet. Now look again, and notice how the picture, moments ago just a weird squiggle, is transformed by virtue of its lethality into something cryptic and ominous. Like the innocent light above an angler fish's hideous maw, it's easy to imagine if you looked long enough, you might see your own demise staring back at you.
Death has that effect on imagery, and that's why some of the coolest looking things on the planet are the deadliest, like this, this and this little guy. Now, critters and instruments that are only lethal on small scales are still eerily fascinating, especially since you're only one person. And really, some of these seem scarier than things like Doppler images of storms or pictures of deadly viruses, because maybe there are vicious dogs where you live, but no stray tropical storms. That you know of.
When launched, the nuclear missile arcs in across the horizon like any other (the game is full of missiles), but when it hits, there's a white-hot blinding flash, followed by an immense shockwave that bowls over trees and obliterates houses. All that remains is a huge, billowing cloud with a fiery core that slowly grows and blossoms into a distinct and beautiful mile-high mushroom. It's a sight to behold, especially since it won't burn your eyes out or disintegrate your body.


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This week I had baked eggs for the first time (at the lovely Richmond Rd Cafe in Grey Lynn – just a shout out for some of the best customer service I have had in a long time, they are super accommodating to any dietary requests, remember previous orders and requests you have had and always go the extra mile) and it tasted awesome! So I came up with a creation incorporating similar elements. Yummy breakfast if you need to spoil someone (including yourself) with something a little bit different than regular bacon and eggs 🙂
Makes two little ramekins – enough for 2 people (or one very hungry person). To make enough for 4, double the recipe.
1/2 of a 425g tin of chickpeas (drained and washed)
1/2 of a 300g tin of tomato paste or puree
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/8-1/4 tsp hot chilli powder
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
3 tbsp water
4 eggs
2 handfuls of fresh baby spinach
250g streaky bacon (I get the Freedom Farms SPCA approved brand)
Preheat the oven to 175C (350F) and grease two little ramekins (I used ones which were 10cm wide, 6cm deep / 4 inches wide, 2.3 inches deep – keep in mind that if you use a different size the cooking time will change).
Cut up the onion into small chunks and pop in a small pot on high heat. When the onions are starting to turn glossy (and I like to cook mine till they get a nice brown surface as it gives it more taste), add the tomato paste, chickpeas, water and spices. Give it a good stir and pop a lid on it for 10 minutes in order for the flavors to develop (or longer if you want the chickpeas to turn mushy).
Now divide the chickpea mix into the two ramekins, spoon out two holes for the eggs and pop them in.
These will turn out with the eggs almost cooked all the way through. If you would like the egg yolk to be soft and runny, make a hollow in the middle, separate the egg yolk and put it in first, then the egg whites on top.
Cook for approximately 20 minutes or as long as it takes for the egg whites to cook (as soon as you see no uncooked egg whites, take it out the oven or it will cook all the way through). Whilst they are cooking, make the bacon (fry to a crisp on a dry pan, then place on a plate with kitchen towel to soak up the extra fat – better finish the bacon before the rest and then keep warm in the oven than let anything go cold). Plate it all up and it is ready to eat. Enjoy!
If you would like to see more recipes like this you can always follow me here (via email, see top right on this page) or on Facebook.


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A graduate of Moscow State University, Arkady ran an investment consulting firm, managing private accounts, and also worked in the industrial equipment (induction heating) industry prior to his work at ElliottWaveTrader.
What I love about EW is you know when things go wrong and you know when to get out of a position at minimal damage...it has helped so much in my RR work""Kenneth_Aydt" - Trading Room" - 2019-10-03
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My 401K money has been protected during this, and I'm making money in little chunks in my trading accounts. And that is all thanks to Avi, HD, Garrett, Zac, and so many great members here. Sincerely, my account and my family say a huge THANK YOU to you all.""Franchise"" - Trading Room 2020-03-16
After this week's action and watching how Avi & company nailed the piss out of so many moves, you can't argue with me anymore about the efficacy of EW. . . Just amazing to have a methodology that works so well PLUS the guidance from Avi.""Bcindc"" - Seeking Alpha 2020-03-09
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I will say this about this site and the crew in general: It is one of the most cohesive, cooperative and harmonious "work" groups I have ever experienced. Everyone's dedication is exemplary, above and beyond the call of duty. The leadership is outstanding. All the trading and money making aside, it is a true pleasure to be here. I haven't even talked about the quality of the analysis. That, I think speaks for itself. OUTSTANDING!""Nanook" - Trading Room" - 2018-11-08
When it comes to navigating the markets, I feel like I was driving with a blindfold on before finding EWT.""bryanjf1" - Trading Room" - 2020-08-07
Avi, you are the best strategist that I follow and you have made more prescient calls than anyone on the street. I currently subscribe to your service and am very pleased. I have been a licensed financial advisor for over a decade and worked at a number of Fortune 500 companies in my career, including usbank, Morgan Stanley, Russell investment and now am a director and lincoln financial and i can tell you that none of the so called experts have virtually an ability to determine market direction. With you insight, i have made a killing and am basing my strategies around your advice. Keep up the good work and ignore the naysayers who are missing out on your sage advice!""Blue Chip Investing"" - Seeking Alpha 2020-04-12
Avi applies the most rigorous application of Elliott wave and Fibonacci analysis that I have seen. Add to that the invention of Fibonacci Pinball, a simple and elegant Fibonacci extension theory that I haven't seen anywhere else. It provides an almost eerie sense of direction once a second wave is identified.""ChillyD" - Trading Room" - 2020-06-30
Top ticks, bottom ticks. Not sure if EWT has enough power to move the market just yet or bigger money is following these world class analyst. Sure is a pleasure to be in company of such great analysts.""Goelz" - Trading Room" - 2020-06-17


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By Jason Miks
GPS digital producer Jason Miks sits down with renowned evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins, author of the Selfish Gene and An Appetite for Wonder, to discuss readers' questions on religion, its role in society and whether children can be described as "Christian."
A number of readers noting your skepticism over religion's role in society ask whether an absence of religion would leave us without a moral compass?
The very idea that we get a moral compass from religion is horrible. Not only should we not get our moral compass from religion, as a matter of fact we don't. We shouldn't, because if you actually look at the bible or the Koran, and get your moral compass from there, it's horrible – stoning people to death, stoning people for breaking the Sabbath.
Now of course we don't do that anymore, but the reason we don't do it is that we pick out those verses of the bible that we like, and reject those verses we don't like. What criteria do we use to pick out the good ones and reject the bad ones? Non-biblical criteria, non-religious criteria. The same criteria as guide any modern person in their moral compass that has nothing to do with religion.
So the moral compass of any person is very much a part of the century or even the decade in which they happen to live, regardless of their religion. So we live in the early 21st century, and our moral compass in the early 21st century is quite different from 100 years ago, or 200 years ago. We are now much less racist than they were, much less sexist than they were. We are much kinder than non-human animals than they were – all sorts of respects in which we are labeled with a moral compass. So something has changed, and it certainly has nothing to do with religion.
You've been travelling to the States from the U.K. for a number of years. Have you noticed much of a change in the place of religion in the two countries over that time?
Notoriously, the United States is the most religious of the Western advanced nations. It's a bit mysterious why that is. In Britain, Christianity is dying. Islam, unfortunately, isn't. In Western Europe generally, Christianity is dying. Even in America, the figures show that religious adherence is being steadily reduced, and the people who now record themselves as having no religious affiliation is something like 20 percent. Many people don't recognize what a high figure it is, and so politicians here who feel they have to curry favor with religious lobbies should maybe take a look at those statistics and realize that not everyone in this country is religious.
You say it's a bit of a mystery why America is so much more religious than other advanced countries. Do you have any thoughts on why it might be? Tied to that question of disposition, several readers also wondered if there is a genetic predisposition toward faith?
There probably is, but I don't think that really explains why America is so different from Britain. The least implausible suggestion that I've heard is that Britain and Scandinavian countries, which are also very non-religious, have an established church, and that kind of makes religion boring. Whereas in America, there is constitutionally a bar against an established church, and that could be one reason why religion has become so popular – it has become big business, it has become free enterprise, rival churches vie with each other for congregations and especially tax free ties.
Some readers see you as very evangelical in your atheism. Do you feel it a duty, just as some Christians might to share the word of God, to spread an atheist point of view?
Duty is a funny word. But when you say evangelical, I like to think that I don't shout or shriek, but employ a quiet, sober voice of reason. And reason is on our side.
You've talked about feeling uncomfortable with the impact of religion on children. In fact, one reader asked whether you would prefer to see no under-18s at church. What's your take?
I certainly wouldn't wish to prohibit parents influencing their children. However, for the rest of the world, to label a child a Catholic child simply because its parents are Catholic, seems to me to be a form of child abuse. The child is too young to know.
You can see the absurdity of talking about a Catholic child of four when you think what it would be like if we talked about an existentialist child of four, or a logical positivist of four. In other words, we wouldn't accept the labeling of a child based the parents' belief, so why do we accept it when it's religion? Why does religion get a free pass when it comes to labeling children in this way?
Yes, things have gotten better since we replaced God with guns, haven't they.
Athiests, tell me how that believing that matter, every million forms of it, that arose spontaneously from a pure nothing in a vacuum is more rational than believing in a power that made it happen. Tell me how the odds of life as we know it right now is so unbelievably far fetched and nearly nonexistent, that it makes more rational
And logical sense to believe it came about randomly than with a higher power involved.
According to a Dawkins interview a few years back it could have been aliens (honestly!)
Ok, but you have to tell me how big God is first.
And I'll say for this question, size does matter.
The beauty of atheism is that we are not afraid to say "I don't know". It doesn't mean that there is no answer, just that we don't know it right now. Therefore, it eliminates the need to make one up – like the earth is resting on the back of a giant tortoise or that all people came from incest via the progeny of Adam & Eve.
Faith makes the same reply. "I don't know. I don't know how god does it. I just know he does somehow". And why athiests insist on making a higher power an enemy of science is also perplexing amd unfair. Though even I too get exasperated with believers than will deny science in the face of prrof. If god invented everything, then god invented science too. And in my opinion science is the tool with which he/she works.
Shauna, you need to read the Bible before trying to use it as refference. Adam and Eve were the first people...not the only people. If you read the bible you will find that their children married people from another land...not.their brother or sister. Oh, and they weren't apes either by the way.
Pugh, so who were these other people? If they weren't children of Adam and Eve who were there parents? So you are saying that Adam and Eve were just the first people God created and all not all men are their descendents because God created other people after Adam and Eve? How does that square with original sin? The story is that we all inherit sin from Adam and Eve. If all men are not descendents of Adam and Eve, then they are not born sinful unless the serpent lured the other people he created into sinning too? But we have no story telling us about the creation of the other people and how they fared after being created. Did these people also have the right to name all the other creatures God created? Were these other first peoples God created equal to or lesser than Adam and Eve? If they were created after Adam and Eve why were so many more of them to allow for the building of cities? Again the story, the Bible, offers no information on this. Maybe they were created by another god? Since you made up a little story to explain away inconsistencies in the story of creation, then we are all free to do the same.
I can only speak for myself. I don't "believe" anything about the origins of life nor do I really care. I am content to assume that is beyond our capabilities as humans. Evolution is a scientific theory with significant evidence behind it – nothing more or nothing less.
But likewise, I see nothing to believe about some deity in the sky either.
My goal in life is to be productive to my family and to society and try to make a positive contribution in the world. That's plenty to occupy me and I'm not missing anything that drives me to want to connect to some deity. When I die, my remains go back to the earth. The notion of an afterlife is impossible for me to believe – it's nonsensical.
Lisa , I'm curious to know what the strong evidence for evolution is. Thank you
Mike – if you are asking that question here, then I'm pretty sure no answer given is going to satisfy you.
oh Mike, there are so many books/experiments etc out there that provide the knowledge you crave
and yet you believe that an invisible sky daddy created everything out of................. nothing.
And you believe that every bit of the universe came from a pure vacuum of void just like magic? Poof. One minute pure nothing, and then the next all matter randomly appeared . Even Scientifically this makes no sense. Makes less sense than a higher intention driving it.
No, I don't know how it happened and scientists don't know either. Science has only presented the most plausible answer to a point based on the evidence at hand.....and that will likely change as more evidence is discovered.
Meanwhile there are thousands of religions each positing a creation story based on nothing but imagination.
The default answer is not "Godidit"
Disillusioned – Check out sometime what a "singularity" is. No one has ever suggested that everything came from nothing (except christians perhaps).
It's the thing that religious people so love to completely ignore:evidence! That's what sets science apart from religion, people! Science is based upon collection and interpretation of known FACTS! Science may occasionally get it wrong but at least they TRY to base their conclusions on evidence. Religion requires NO EVIDENCE. In fact, it demands the ignoring of vast stores of evidence. This is the recipe for getting your worldview completely wrong! Which is what religion has obviously done. Religion, SHOW ME THE EVIDENCE and I will believe. Of course, this cannot be done because there IS NO valid evidence to be shown. There are only statements we are told to believe.
Religion requires ignorance to perpetuate
Science is about questions that should be answered
Religion is about answers that should not be questioned.
Hey Disillusioned
A Higgs–Saw Mechanism as a Source for Dark Energy
Lawrence M. Krauss
It might be to complicated for you
Dark energy is matter that came from nothing, right? Explain that to me. Explain how something came from a void of utter, complete, vacuum.
The higgs boson is still a particle of matter, right? Where did it come from in a void of nothing?
if you have not taken a physics class you won't understand , the pdf above is the math behind it.
2 Higgs boson scientists tipped for Nobel Prize
Something does not come from nothing. There must be something first. Mass, light, energy, something. A void does not generate matter.
@Disillusioned There is no such thing as a true vacuum according to quantum mechanics. There is a probability that particles pop into existences and disappear after a short time frame. As far as Dark matter goes, science do not know what is actually going on. There seem to be more mass in the universe than we can see because based on our current knowledge their is not enough visible mass to hold the universe together. Thus, they just call this missing mass "Dark matter". But it could be the case that we are miss understanding some fundamental law and is leading science to the wrong conclusion. For example, gravity could act differently over long distances. There is a propose theory based on this thought called "quantum gravity". My point science just does not know what is actually happening at the present time
SOMETHING FROM NOTHING ? [OFFICIAL] Richard Dawkins & Lawrence Krauss
Do not forget the talking snake ?
Disillusioned – "Something does not come from nothing. There must be something first. Mass, light, energy, something. A void does not generate matter."
Using your logic what created your god?
There is only one form of matter that we have observed and it is made of quarks...there are different variations of the quark coupling but still only one form of matter...until they ever actually observer this so-called 'dark matter' then there will be 2 forms of matter.
Disillusioned, scientists do not all accept that the universe was created from nothing. In fact the universe may be eternal which means it would have no beginning or end. It is a great many biblical literalists who say the Bible says that which is came from nothing. This would bring up the old ontological problem of how something can exist in nothing. What does it mean for something to be bounded by nothing? This confusion comes from nothing being defined as a void being a space where nothing discrete exists or being defined as nothing at all. Did the Big Bang fill up the empty space or did it create its own space from nothing?
Classic creationist straw man argument. "arose spontaneously from a pure nothing in a vacuum" ... "life ... came about randomly"
Nobody with a decent knowledge of science would say those things, yet creationists keep pretending that's what science says. Even if there were a creator, wouldn't you want to study his creation to see how it works? That's what science does. Learn a little about what we know, through science, of the creation, and stop with the ridiculous straw man caricatures of science.
And one more tip: Yes, there are things we don't yet understand. That does NOT imply there's a God. (nor does understanding imply there isn't)
Way, way more evidence for the Big Bang than there is for any religious sky being. Evolution is a fact, and is provable.
There, I've simplified it for you.
Disillusioned, there's a fundamental flaw to your reasoning. Several, in fact:
(1) Just because you can't imagine how "everything" came from "nothing", doesn't mean that it didn't happen.
(2) And supposing a deity DID create everything, how do you know it was YOUR deity?
(3) Finally, how do you know there isn't an alternative explanation – one no one has thought of yet?
As an Atheist, I have NO IDEA how the universe came to be. However, there's NO EVIDENCE that it was through some supernatural creator. Until such evidence presents itself (and it has to be more that just "not having a better explanation"), I'll withhold judgment – and BELIEF.
Believer: I don't know, so God did it! And not just any God...my God...
Atheist: I don't know. Let's try to find out! You know, with evidence and stuff...
So our moral compass should not be religion because it is bad because stoning people is wrong. So i have a question. What makes it wrong.?There is murder all the time in the animal kingdom. Who decides what is wrong? Is it the individual or the culture perhaps science ? You are making a presupposition that there is wrong. Without objective truth( or knowledge of design intent) its all opinion or subjective fodder. For a guy who believes in a random chance existence there is some judgement on morals that do not exist in the philosophy he espouses. You cant have it both ways. Either morals exist because design exists and there is intent or there is no intent therefore no mind,no morality, and no intent.
We are just animals in survival mood and if stoning gets rid of the unfit so be it. Right!!
Apparently it is Dawkins who gets to decide – lol
There is murder in the animal world, but primarily for the animals to sustain themselves. If you study animal behavior, when competing to mate or for territoiral rights, animals seldom kill their rivals. And they never kill for the joy of killing as humans do.
Animals DO kill just for the fun of it. We had cats on the farm that toyed with mice, killed them and then left them. Our dogs would kill ducks off of the pond and NEVER eat them.
Apparently you've never owned a cat.
Morals exist because they further a society.
Regardless of how we got here (God, Aliens, or slime), it would not matter one bit what actions are best for the advancement and well-being of our world and our society. That's where the so-called moral compass come from – the balance between "me" and "us". It includes both negative reinforcement (punishment that the group could impose upon the individual) and positive reinforcement (knowing your children and theirs) will continue to live in this world after you are gone.
Read Dawkins more carefully. He does not state ethical sureties. I know him to be a follower of Foucault; morality is a moving target driven by popular culture. Right and wrong are defined by society at large according to Dawkins (and myself). He does not state stoning is right or wrong – he says our moral compass has changed. The Bible and Koran forward stoning as acceptable at certain points in the text. We no longer find this acceptable in the 43 nations defined as developed according to UN. He's stating pop culture's accepted standards, not his own, in the example referenced in this short CNN article.
"He's stating pop culture's accepted standards, not his own"
Ah, poor misunderstood Richard. Sounds to much like a political spin job to me, he said it, its his opinion.
There are plenty of philosophical explanations of ethics rooted in logic, so I think your idea that there are only two choices, a divinely defined moral code or no moral code, is fairly closed mined.
I'll ask you in turn. Do you believe that God created a senseless moral code, or do you think the moral code that God created is logical? So, if the moral code makes sense, saying that something is right or wrong "because God says so" doesn't seem to give God enough credit.
fool, the animals only kill for food. humans do it for other stupid reasons like sport....
God doesn't keep my family safe from violent egocentric sociopaths. Guns do. I'm not a gun person myself but I'd rely on that before praying in a closet while pigs invade my home and kill my family.
Moral compass? What moral compass?
The one that doesn't Allow sociopathic freaks to wig out amd take out people's innocent families. Any more inane questions?
Sociopaths (by definition) lack empathy. Empathy is the basis of most of our moralities. So I'm not sure what you're point is – that a religious sociopath would somehow be more moral than a regular person that happens to be an atheist?
As usual, Dawkins reveals is spectacular and purposeful ignorance of Christianity by claiming, for example, that we don't stone people for violating biblical ritual laws anymore because we pick biblical verses we like and ignore others. God's revelation to us has been progressive as we have been able to understand it, and Christ changed everything. The old laws and penalties are not practiced because they have been superseded (for Christians, in any case) by the law of love expressed and paid for by Christ. However, the old laws, though brutal to our sensibilities were morally advanced in their day. An eye for an eye was morally superior to killing the whole clan whose member put out the eye of a member of an opposing clan. The bias and lack of objectivity shown by Dawkins wouldn't be so irritating if he was not always claiming to be such a paragon of reason.
The words are the same now as they were then, so the meanings would have been there then as they are now, right? Or does it require someone with "special knowledge" to interpret it so everyone can "take it to mean" the same thing?
There you go, now you are getting close. The problem is, most who want to argue against the 'words' are taking them to mean, what they personally understand the meaning of them to be today, in this culture. Which, in many cases, is significantly different than how it should be understood in an entirely foreign culture and language. It would generally take effort and study to attempt the arguement that Dawkins profers (not to understand the gist mind you, simply see 'The Greatest Commandment'), but to carry on a detailed, in depth argeument would take effort and study, something we, as a society, tend to shy away from. So we follow what ever moderm Messiah gets shoved in front of the popular media du juer...aka, Richard Dawkins
Really? Then why do Christians still quote Old Testament verses to support their hatred of gays? Or, no birth control? Or, that the earth is only 6,000 years old? Or, that all the folks on the earth are the products of incest, via the progeny of Adam & Eve? Or, any number of other things?
Not all Christians are conservative fundamentalists. By any means. People proudly calling themselves Christians were on the lines to protest the war. Quakers have a page on gay rights. Nuns are out on the front lines getting arrested for chaining themselves to nuclear weapons facilities. When was the last time you took a stand on progressive rights?
I dunno, why do any number of villiage idiots do any number of things? There are crazy and extreme people on both sides of this arguement, they ahve nothing to do with it in my mind. The point is not whether so-and-so does or does not do this or that, the point is whether there is any substance to Dawkins position or not. I personally see very little.
Atta boy Stephen!
But the Bible is supposedly received revelation, the Word of God, divinely inspired and absolute. Is your argument that God didn't know any better back then but does now? Are you really suggesting that God felt that stoning was okay because at least it wasn't as bad as slaughtering an entire clan, but then decided somewhere further down the line that, wait, maybe I can do better? Is you conception of God one of a being so fallible and prone to change that He couldn't decide that, hey, maybe throwing rocks at someone to kill them for a minor sin might not be the best idea *from the start*?
Incidentally, Jesus affirmed the Mosaic Code. He specifically said he wasn't there to undo it. So, no, the New Testament doesn't change a thing. And modern Christians, for the most part, consider the entire Bible, all 66 books (73 if you're Catholic) the sacred Word of God. Picking and choosing because of cultural shifts is purely hypocritical. Either you follow it all, or you follow none of it. Or you're a hypocrite...which is probably the best way to handle it, actually.
Most christians (in my experience) are Paulians first, Christians second and don't even realize it. What I mean is that they trust the intrepretation of Jesus' words by Paul as being "more true" than what Jesus actually is supposed to have said. Always fascinated me...
This article actually shows Dawkins' level of understanding of the thing he rants against, he very clearly has little or no understanding of the Christian bible. For him to use examples from the Old Testament as 'Christian morality' clealry demonstrastes that he is either being puposefully duplicitous or ignorant, for him to entirely ignore the "greatest commandment" (love God and love your neighbor as yourself), is being purposefully decietful. People who call themselves Christian may chose to ignore the greatest commandment but for Dawkins to deny that it is the very root of chrisitian morality simply clarifies whether or not he is being sincer – clearly he is not.
I think he's saying the "moral compass" is also an "immoral compass."
Yep, "love God and love your neighbor as yourself", I can see how that could be taken both ways...lol
If I went into my backyard and came back with the story that a "spiritual person" appeared to only me and revealed Mully's will for mankind, would you believe me? If I produced squiggly lines on paper by the "telepresence" of the same aforementioned spiritual being and pronounced them a new ancient language, would you believe that? If I then proceeded to tell you that Mully was the One True God and that all who followed his holy scriptures would find everlasting joy in the eternal afterlife, would you believe that? And, finally, if Mully, may his holy name be praised, said that the best way to earn a joyous place in the afterlife was to cut out the heart of a vanquished foe with an obsidian knife on the top of a high temple and devour it, would you believe that?
If you're going to reject basic tenets from other people's religions, why would you believe anybody's?
That's what Dawkins is arguing when he says that our "moral compass" does not come from religion. Religions are incapable of providing a moral compass because they have no (rational) means for determining the validity of competing religious arguments.
If one religion is true, then they all have the same claim to truth. If they are all true, then the (moral?) world is fundamentally irrational and unprincipled.
I'd say that's a higher Power then. Wouldnt you? Whatever name you want to put on god. People that don't believe in a god will just as soon believe in aliens and extraterrestrial life with no proof!
As an atheist, and with the science I have at hand, I don't believe in aliens. But if one is ready to believe in a god for which there is no evidence, then belief in aliens is just as easy. I think the ball is in your court.
Prove that there is not a god. If you can't , and still believe there isnt a god , then your mind is just as closed as the beleivers.
How can anyone say there is no evidence of God? When I look around at the beauty of creation I see God everywhere. Yeah, there is a lot of crap out there as mankind has forsaken their Creator. And this has all been foretold. But I simply do not have enough faith to believe that this is all it the result of an amoeba fart that took place a bazillion years ago.
Believers look around and see intent. I see proof of god and intent too when I look around. Athiests do not see an intent or purpose of life or matter. As I understand. They see randomness and chance. Things just happened by chance to occur this way.
Not being able to disprove something is not proof of it's existence.
As an agnostic, I do not believe in god, but I admit I have no knowledge one way or another. Could there be a god? Sure. Do I see any evidence of such a being? Not in the slightest. Just because I don't know exactly how the universe formed doesn't mean "God" is the right answer.
At least when scientists named "Dark Energy" as their explanation for the acceleration of the universe expansion, they at least admitted that the term was just how they described their ignorance on the matter. For the religious people to say God exists if we can't prove he doesn't... That's just moronic.
Watching a beautiful sunset is not proof that god exists. Nobody knows if god exists. Nobody. Not atheists. Not theists. I'm all for people believing what they want to believe, but anybody who thinks they KNOW the answer is full of bologna.
Christianity is dying because the world is growing up and no longer in need of mythical explanations for observed phenomena, In the U.S, it is morphing into a last bastion of bitterness and hate for those who refuse to grow up and see the universe as it is. It is a sad, dwindling gathering of the "lost boys" and girls with Jesus as Peter Pan.
Grampa, eloqguently put
Actually, "Chrisitianity is dying" be cause we are becoming conmsumed with our own personal superiority, self centeredness and greed, nothing to do with "growing up" (silly notion if you read the state of the world today anyway). Nice bit of arrogance though.
Arrogance is being certain of your opinion to the point you present it as facts.
The whole god given morality thing for Christians fails because we are not born with morals. Just the other day I had to explain to my 7 year old grandson why it is wrong to go around the patio stomping the life out of every living thing he found. If morals were divinely given then it makes no sense that only a select group of people in the middle east were anointed with them thousands of years ago. If Christian assertions were true pertaining to "Christian morals" then every non-Christian country, region or state would be in total chaos and that is simply not the case. Regardless, prisons are full of Christians, no? (Oh but THOSE aren't REAL Christians, right?)
Anyone with a modest knowledge of anthropology and sociology knows that morals evolved to ensure group survival, they weren't handed down to an old man on mountain nor poofed into our brains.
There is a big, big difference in believing there is a maker of the universe, and following a human construct like the various religions here. Neither side wants to admit that.
I would abosutely admit that. There are actually 3 separate questions there in my mind – 1 is there a god or gods? 2 was the universe created by an intelligent agency? and 3 does the christian god exist? I don't believe the first 2 can ever be known for certain (at least from our end, at this time). The 3rd may be debated based on the specific information provided to describe that god. That's why I'm an agnostic atheist. I don't KNOW that no gods exist, but based on the information I have, I don't believe they do. It is a conditional belief and one that can change as new data is presented.
All it takes for a Christian to ruin the lives of other people is for rational people to do nothing
he dosent understand why the country with the most christians, and what used to be considered a christian nation, is also the most powerfull, most respected, most free, richest country in the world. and, why as we move further from gods word, we decline in status.. his ignorance in gods word is troubling. if he understood gods word, he would see its perfection. it is the basis for all law used today. god has always blessed those who trust him. my god, the god of abraham and moses is alive and his will shall be done. god is not slack concerning his promise but is longsuffering, giving all man the oppurtunity for repentance. tribulation is at hand, seek gods forgivness and follow his command, before its to late
so wrong
So, if things go right, give credit to God. If things go wrong, we must have offended him.
How about we accept responsibility for our actions?
christians should at least consider that they've been had. Religion is a delusion. It is used to control.
Control what? The Govt is control, God is freedom from control
The only problem that I have with Mr. Dawkins is his obsessive need to find an external pressure for an individuals freely chosen and very personal religious faith. He shares this annoying paternal disposition with the liberal nanny state's of Europe; which contemptuously believe that it has all the answers in life; and will protect the uneducated masses from their own inability to genuinely understand and appreciate the fact that they know what is best for them.
I am a devout Roman Catholic Mr. Dawkins; and I have no interest in you lecturing me from a perceived position of intellectual worldliness and evolutionary superiority. I respect your choice to embrace atheism. You have never displayed a similar interest in respecting those who embrace a faith based life. Just don't continue to explain to me why I am Roman Catholic. Your are simply not smart enough to do so. The fact that you think you are; is a delusional exercise in comedic hubris.
Respectfully, many people (like Dawkins) feel that religious belief is inherently dangerous to us as individuals and to humanity as a species. Deciding to believe anything on insufficient evidence CAN be EXTREMELY dangerous if we allow it to spread into the rest of our lives. Why shouldn't we take EVERYTHING on faith? Why shouldn't we rely on faith alone to inform our decisions about medicine and similar important life choices? Now, I'll assume that you,' like most Catholics, draw a line here and behave rationally 99% of the time. But this is only because you recognize, even if subconsciously, that we have to if we hope to function successfully in the world. Personal religious belief becomes a self-indulgent exception we allow ourselves.
I've read and listened to an extraordinary amount of Catholic work that is unabashedly critical of Atheism. Be prepared to criticize THAT first – or risk your credibility...
Finally; reason! God Bless Richard Dawkins!!!
Funny how you don't see Gods reason isn't it?
If Mr. Dawkins is perplexed as to why Christian children are called Christian he only needs to read the New Testament.
Go ahead ,remove God even more. When you cant leave your house and fear death every minute of the day,maybe you will begin to pray again!
Dawkins tries to define other people's religion and then explain why it doesn't make sense or isn't a good moral code. How can you claim that you are arguing logically if you don't first agree on premises?
If one believes the claim that God created a universal moral code, one might venture to ask, does God's code of ethics make sense? Is it a good moral code that applies well in this world? If God's moral code is not senseless, then we should be able to make logical, secular arguments to describe why that code of ethics is correct. That being the case, arguing that something is morally right or morally wrong because "God said so" doesn't seem to give God enough credit for the thought he put into this.
I think he's trying to say the morals can make sense without religion. Not that the morals that can be derived from religion are invald. He's basically saying they come from the same source (us), whether religiously derived or not.
I still believe even atheistic morality is based on religious values. Why would you embrace the ideas of wrong and right otherwise? Why would you not enforce the idea that you create a life only guided by evolutionary principles? Why would you not allow your sick children to die as defects?
Well, there are many different arguments to that. Hobbes would say that it is a social contract with society, established because everyone is better off if everyone has to follow rules for the collective good (which would not include letting the elderly or sick children die). Kant would claim that you shouldn't be a hypocrite, and you wouldn't want to die if the situations were reversed. Mills would say that the world would be a worse place if innocents were killed. Aristotle would say that letting innocents die would inhibit contentment with yourself.
Why bother not only caring for yourselves and letting your civilization die? Why care for the elderly. What factual benefit do you get from that, especially if they're sick and amnesiac and can't pass along life lessons?
Empathy – see it's not really that hard.
If you believe people are soulless why care about these things? Amd I assume most atheists do not believe in a soul.
Why can't I choose my own philosophical and ideological principles to live by? I define myself through my actions. I don't want to be someone who doesn't care about children or the elderly, so I care. It is a choice.
I personally don't see evidence for the existence of a soul but it certainly isn't a requirement of atheism nor am I sure why it would have any bearing on ethics.
Since it is a positive assertion I think the better question would be, why do you believe in the soul?
Disillusioned asked how dark matter came from nothing. Any matter (not just dark) is being made from nothing continuously throughout the universe as I write this. The universe is a froth of particles and anti-particle pairs forming and usually annihilating themselves very quickly. Some of these particle pairs survive. This concept has been proven by science – look it up. The idea is that the existence of these particles represents energy (matter=energy) which is "borrowed" from the universe. The entire known universe could have been formed in a similar way. That original big bang could be a larger version of this known concept.
If the unoverse a a froth of particles then the particles are something. This does not jibe with the Big Bang, which asserts that preuniverse space was void of any matter. I am not arguing science, but tell me if preuniverse was void, then how could nothing, and I mean no froth of particles at all, could make matter.
I can't believe how often you and others have asked this question. You've gotten the answer multiple times, but you keep asking like the answer will change if you just keep at it. Scientists don't have an answer for what came before. The point is that they are trying to figure it out. You know, instead of not finding a definite answer immediately and deciding it must be something supernatural. Being an atheist doesn't mean knowing how the universe began and the truth of all mysteries held within. It means that we keep looking for answers and admit when we don't know something.
The truth is is that our planet is so embued with the teachings of a religious past that even athiests carry the remnants of the morality and values of such.
Are atheists influenced by religious culture? Certainly. I think someone who claims to by a morally code solely based on logic should try describing their moral code to a philosopher and watch that philosopher tear apart all the inconsistencies. To claim that atheist morality is solely based on religion I think does not give the field of philosophy enough credit.
Shortsighted and intellectually dishonest, and those are the author's good points. Delve into the Bible as far as you like, but really, it's moral compass, taking God completely out of the equation, boils down to only two specifics: 8 of the 10 Commandments (Thou shalt not kill, honor thy mother and thy father, etc) and the Golden Rule. "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you".
We owe the bible more than the author wants you to know. People are obviously incapable of voluntarily behaving themselves. At some point in their lives, people were exposed to these precepts in the Bible. Some paid attention and took it to heart...some did not. You can tell which group any person falls in by their actions.
"People are obviously incapable of voluntarily behaving themselves."
So, they must be coerced? Doesn't sound very inspirational to me. A lot of Christians act in love of God, not in fear of him, and I respect that.
I choose to do what I believe is right, not because I believe I will be rewarded or punished for my actions, not out of love for any being, but because I want to be the type of person that does the right thing. If you do what is right just for the afterlife, then you care too much about yourself and not enough about everyone else.
The golden rule can be easily logically derived with the premise that there is universal moral law. If there is universal moral law, then an action carried out by you against another person is morally equivalent to an action carried out by another person against you. That being the case, you cannot logically declare that it is immoral for someone to do something to you but it is ok for you to do that same action to that person.
Can't say I disagree with Dawkins on some of his observations about "religion" but as it will always be, no one will ever have special knowledge of "faith" Some have it, some don't and you can't prove otherwise
And some of us had it and don't anymore. Can you understand then why we doubt the claims of others that say they do?
"Religion is regarded by the common people as true, by the wise as false, and by rulers as useful." –Seneca Jesus was simply the latest manifestation of a long line of god-men myths, and an un-original copy. He wasn't even an original Messiah. There were dozens before and after Jesus. Anyone who believes in the primitive Bedouin god, must accept his genocidal immorality and the immorality of his followers. Ethics and religion are simply incompatible.
I always get a kick out of people who quote things like they actually mean something. The historical evidence for Seneca is hardly worht mentioning in comparison to the histroical evidence for nearly anything in scriptures, yet here you are quoting him as if we should accept this as the finale...haha Might also wanna do a quick google search on something like 'famous historical christians" or some such thing, Im thinking you may find more than a few who were considered 'wise'.
Science can't answer everything yet. Germ theory was a scientific discovery of the late 19th century. Before germ theory, many people died of infectious diseases and people said I don't know why he died so it must have been God's will. Then there is the watchmaker idea. Something as complex as our universe must have had a creator – God. But that would require another far more superior creator to create God.
I have some major scientific questions;
Where did the universe come from. Yes, we know there was a Big Bang. But how could something be created out of nothing?
Abiogenesis; the natural process by which life arises from simple organic compounds.
I look forward these being solved by science – not faith.


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We all walk in the dark and each of us must learn to turn on his or her own light.
- Earl Nightingale
We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are.
- Anais Nin
You must have long range goals to keep you from being frustrated by short range failures.
- Charles C. Noble
How you spend your time is more important than how you spend your money. Money mistakes can be corrected, but time is gone forever.
- David Norris
Every morning I get up and look through the Forbes list of the richest people in America. If I'm not there, I go to work.
- Robert Orben
When buying and selling are controlled by legislation, the first things to be bought and sold are legislators.
- P.J. O'Rourke
Vision enables you to glimpse into the future, to sense its hope and power, because you yourself are the means for that future's creation.
- Sara Paddison
If you want to know your past life, look into your present condition; if you want to know your future, look into your present action.
- Padmisambha
Never let your head hang down. Never give up and sit down and grieve. Find another way. And don't pray when it rains if you don't pray when the sun shines.
- Satchel Paige
Do you wish people to think well of you? Don't speak well of yourself.
- Blaise Pascal
The best way to have a good idea is to have lots of ideas.
- Linus Pauling
People become really quite remarkable when they start thinking that they can do things. When they believe in themselves they have the first secret of success.
- Norman Vincent Peale
Friday, May 18, 2012
quotes for today
Posted by Fireman John at 12:36 PM 0 comments
Friday, May 11, 2012
weekly celeb update
latest celebrity substance abuse news
from About.com/Alcoholism;
'Lost' Star Matthew Fox Arrested for DUI
Star of the television show "Lost" Matthew Fox has been charged in Bend, Oregon with two misdemeanors as a result of a traffic stop for failing to signal properly. The 45-year-old Fox was charged with misdemeanor driving under the influence and driving without a license.
Thomas Kinkade's Death Ruled Accidental Overdose
"Painter of Light" artist Thomas Kinkade's April 6 death has been ruled an accidental overdose of alcohol and prescription tranquilizers. Family members said Kinkade battled alcoholism and had a relapse just before his death in the Santa Clara home.
Ex-Miss USA Sentenced in Drunk Driving Case
Former Miss USA Rima Fakih, 26, avoided going to jail by pleading no contest to driving while visibly impaired in connection with her December drunk driving arrest. Instead she will serve six months on probation, do 20 hours of community service, pay a $600 fine and take an alcohol safety class.
Amanda Bynes to Lose Driver's License?
Former child star Amanda Bynes was already facing charged of colliding with a police vehicle and not stopping, when she hit another car and was chased down by Hollywood police. Bynes said she didn't know she had hit the other car and police believe her because of the lack of damage to both vehicles.
Singer Jake Owen Arrested on Alcohol Charges
Country singer Jake Owen attracted the attention of Vero Beach police when he got a bit too rowdy. The "Alone With You" singer later apologized for his behavior via Twitter saying he had a bit too much fun on Cinco de Mayo.
Clemson Star Watkins Arrested on Drug Charges
Clemson star receiver and All-American Sammy Watkins has been arrested along with soccer player Amadou-Tidiane Daniel Dia for possession of marijuana and a controlled substance. Watkins apologized for the incident after campus police found him with two pills for which he did not have a prescription.
Posted by Fireman John at 1:41 PM 0 comments
Monday, May 7, 2012
Monday quotes
Posted by Fireman John at 4:17 PM 0 comments
Saturday, May 5, 2012
weekly celeb update
celebrity substance abuse news from
Natalie Wood's Daughter Arrested on Drug Charges
Courtney Wagner, daughter of actor Robert Wagner and the late Natalie Wood, has been arrested for felony cocaine and heroin possession. Police searched her Malibu home after someone reported a woman's screams and a gunshot coming from the home. No one was injured.
Bobby Brown: I Didn't Get Whitney Houston Into Drugs
Singer Bobby Brown is taking no responsibility for the downfall and eventual death of his former wife Whitney Houston, telling "The Today Show" that he never used heavy drugs until she came into his life. Brown said Whitney was into drugs "way before" they became a couple.
Wiz Khalifa Busted For Marijuana in N.C.
Rapper Wiz Khalifa has been arrested again for possession of marijuana. Police found 11.39 grams of weed while searching his tour bus in North Carolina. He was given and citation, but will have to appear in court later to face charges.
'Oil Can' Boyd Tells ESPN He Used Crack Every Day
Dennis "Oil Can" Boyd says management turned the other way as he used crack cocaine everyday of the 1986 season with the Boston Red Sox because they needed his talent. Boyd said he even smoke in the Oakland clubhouse and carried the drug in his cap while on the mound.
Notre Dame Starting QB Rees Jailed
For the second year in a row, Notre Dame's starting quarterback has gotten in trouble with police. Tommy Rees was pepper-sprayed after leaving an off-campus party while resisting arrest for illegal consumption of alcohol by a minor. Police said Rees' blood-alcohol level was 0.11.
Drunk Reports Car Stolen From Passenger Seat
Seattle police responded quickly when they received a 9-1-1 call from an intoxicated man who reported that his vehicle had been stolen. When officers recovered the vehicle, they had no problem finding the Audi's owner. He was sitting in the passenger seat.
Posted by Fireman John at 9:37 PM 0 comments


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GRAMMY Awards: Lauren Jauregui Predicts Who Will Win Album of the Year
A three-way tie because they're all so good?
Lauren Jauregui is immediately taking over with the release of just two singles. Showing off her sultry and powerful vocals in tracks "Expectations" and "More Than That," the literally flawless queen has her sights set on notching a GRAMMY nomination.
Related: Jaguars Asked, She Answered: Lauren Jauregui Reveals the Empowering Song She Lives by
While she works towards getting her own nod from the Recording Academy, Lauren is dishing on her "expectations" for who will win the biggest category at the 61st annual awards show, airing February 10.
With Album Of The Year nominees including some of the biggest musicians on the planet, saying the competition is stiff is a huge understatement. Because of the level of talent artists like Drake, Cardi B, and Kacey Musgraves are delivering, Lauren had some trouble picking just one as her favored winner...
"Janelle Monáe's album is IT." Agreed, girl.
Get her GRAMMY predictions for who will win Album Of The Year in the video above and tune in as the 2019 GRAMMY Awards broadcast live on CBS from the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Sunday, February 10th at 8PM.
RADIO.COM's GRAMMY Coverage is brought to you by Air National Guard. GOANG.com.


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Julius James is on his fourth team in his five MLS seasons and has yet to experience the postseason.
That's why the Columbus Crew defender hopes his first playoff game Thursday at Colorado (10 pm ET; streamed LIVE on MLSsoccer.com, TSN2 in Canada) isn't his last this year.
After time with Toronto FC, Houston and D.C. United before joining the Crew in February, James is going to the playoffs in less than an ideal situation, since Columbus fell into the single-elimination wild card as the ninth of 10 qualifiers due to this past Saturday's 3-2 loss at Chicago.
"You win or go home," he said. "Everybody wants to get to the promised land, and we definitely do."
The first step to the MLS Cup differs from the recent format, when eight teams qualified and the first rounds were two-game, aggregate-goal series. Unlike what the teams face Thursday, one mistake in those series usually wasn't fatal.
In 2008, the Crew tied Kansas City 1-1 in the first leg before winning 2-0 at home to advance to the knockout Eastern Conference Championship, where they beat Chicago 2-1. The Crew then beat New York 3-1 to win the MLS Cup.
The following season, the Crew opened the playoffs with a 1-0 defeat at Real Salt Lake but rallied to take a 2-0 lead in Crew Stadium before RSL scored the next three goals to eliminate the stunned defending champions.
A similar pattern emerged in 2010 – the Crew lost 1-0 at Colorado, won the home game 2-1 to tie the aggregate but eventually lost on penalty kicks.
"Last year, we went [to Colorado] knowing we have a home game after," captain Chad Marshall said. "You kind of sit back and defend and take the pressure and hope to get out of there with a tie or maybe sneak a win."
There's no safety net of a home match this time around.
"This game we have to be all out," Marshall said. "We have to go for the win. There's no sitting back. We have to be ready from the start."
Middle ground
On Monday, coach Robert Warzycha was adamant that midfielder Danny O'Rourke would start vs. Colorado despite a troublesome left knee. A day later, he hedged his bet and said Tony Tchani, who has not played since July 9 because of his knee problems, could be in the mix along with rookie Rich Balchan.
O'Rourke went through warm-ups on Tuesday after receiving a cortisone shot the day before then was told to rest by the coaching staff.
"With Danny, we don't know what it's going to be," Warzycha said.
O'Rourke or Balchan may replace holding midfielder Kevin Burns in a tactical move, while Tchani might take the spot of red-card suspended Emmanuel Ekpo in the more advanced central midfield role. The problem is Burns is the only one without injury or fitness concerns, especially at altitude. Balchan has endured groin problems and Tchani underwent knee surgery two months ago.
"[Tchani] is not 90-minutes fit, but he's such a good player, it would be nice to have him on the field for as long as he could go," Warzycha said.


text:
by Gerda Theuns-de Boer
Vogel's contribution to early 20th-century
archaeology, including photo documentation and prints.
In January 1901, the Dutch Sanskritist Jean Philippe Vogel (1871–1958) entered the Archaeological Survey of India to direct the activities for the Panjab, Baluchistan and Ajmir Circle—later amalgamated into the Panjab and United Provinces Circle. An interesting period, as the survey stood on the threshold of renewal. Jean Philippe Vogel proved, by personality and scholarship, the right man to assist in realizing the gradual professionalization of Indian archaeology.
This book highlights Vogel's contribution to early 20th-century archaeology, including an introductory retrospect study on 19th-century Indian archaeology. It provides extensive photographic documentation, prints dating from 1870 to 1920, presented in their art and photo-historical context. It discusses Vogel's visionary ideas in the field of preservation and restoration, research and care for museum collections. Vogel's diaries and letters are valuable resources that allow for an interesting conclusion on social relations within the so-called "archaeological family", picturing the Dutch citizen Vogel moving around in India's colonial society, discussing his thoughts on both "Englishmen" and "natives". With special references to Vogel's explorations and excavations in Gandhara, The Punjab Hill States (Chamba), Kasia (Kusinagara), Saheth-Maheth (Sravasti) and Mathura; it also includes a chronology on Vogel's archaeological activities.
"A meticulously produced work of colonial and photographic history."
Imprint: Mapin
Rights Available
World Rights


text:
|Find the best surf spots
heuu...well, not really a surf country.
Location: Central Asia, northwest of China; a small portion west of the Ural River in eastern-most Europe
Geographic coordinates: 47° 52.417' N, 68° 17.692' E
Coastline km: 0 km (landlocked); note - Kazakhstan borders the Aral Sea, now split into two bodies of water (1,070 km), and the Caspian Sea (1,894 km) km
Climate: continental, cold winters and hot summers, arid and semiarid
Terrain: extends from the Volga to the Altai Mountains and from the plains in western Siberia to oases and desert in Central Asia
Natural hazards: earthquakes in the south, mudslides around Almaty. radioactive or toxic chemical sites associated with former defense industries and test ranges scattered throughout the country pose health risks for humans and animals; industrial pollution is severe in some cities; because the two main rivers which flowed into the Aral Sea have been diverted for irrigation, it is drying up and leaving behind a harmful layer of chemical pesticides and natural salts; these substances are then picked up by the wind and blown into noxious dust storms; pollution in the Caspian Sea; soil pollution from overuse of agricultural chemicals and salination from poor infrastructure and wasteful irrigation practices
Currency: tenge (KZT)
Languages: Kazakh (Qazaq, state language) 64.4%, Russian (official, used in everyday business, designated the "language of interethnic communication")
|Best Surfing Season
|Typical Swell Size
|Surf Equipment
|Não sei
|Não sei
|Não sei
|Não sei
|Não sei
|Não sei
|Water temp.
|Air temp.
Want to correct or complete those additional data? Edit this page
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By Borat , 08-08-2006
kazhakstan rocks - just came back from a three month surf trip in kazakstan, ive been all over the world surfing places like mongolia, austria, switzerland and bolivia, and without doubt kazakstan is the most amazing place for surf on earth. I had one week of consistent 4 inch waves, perfect A frames , unreal. All my ant friends were really stoked. Do it man go there...
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The Rays just came back to tie the Rangers at three in the 11th inning at the Trop thanks to this base-slap that just missed Joe Nathan's glove. Just one pitch after Freddy Guzmán stole second and one strike away from his 40th save, Nathan gave up the game-tying run to David DeJesus. We've seen this before.
The way he collapses and slumps his head back in agony/exasperation perfectly encapsulates the feeling in Arlington as the Rangers, losers of eight of their last 10, continue to spiral.
We head to the 12th inning.


text: From talented Israeli magician Yigal Mesika comes one of the most powerful utility gimmicks ever invented. These invisible thread loops are strong enough to move silverware or a pair of sunglasses fearlessly, stretch to ten inches without breaking and make an incredible array of stunning effects not only possible, but very practical. The loops can be worn all day long without fear of snagging or breaking and you will always be ready to perform a miracle.Each package contains five loops and detailed instructions with 15 illustrations.


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Low Estrogen Linked to PTSD
High levels of estrogen may help protect a woman from mood disorders, while low levels of the hormone can make a woman more susceptible to trauma at certain times in her menstrual cycle, according to new research by Harvard and Emory University neuroscientists.
Depression and anxiety disorders are twice as common in women as in men, but the reason for this gender difference has remained unclear. The new research, however, suggests that women are most at risk for symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) when their estrogen is low during the menstrual cycle.
"PTSD is a disorder of recovery," said author Mohammed Milad, associate professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School (HMS) and director of the Behavioral Neuroscience Laboratory at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH).
Men may be less susceptible to mood disorders since testosterone is regularly converted into estrogen in the male brain, resulting in a more steady flow of estrogen.
In healthy women and female rats, estrogen calms the fear response, according to the Harvard researchers, who were led by Kelimer Lebron-Milad, an HMS instructor of psychiatry.
The Emory researchers, led by postdoctoral researcher Ebony Glover, proved that the same is true for women suffering from PTSD. The higher their blood levels of estrogen were when they completed a fear-extinction task, the less likely women were to act startled.
Both studies used "fear-conditioning" experiments, in which the participant is trained to fear a safe "conditioned stimulus" such as a colored shape, paired with a frightening or painful "unconditioned stimulus" like a shock to the finger or a puff of air to the neck or eye.
Overall, women or female rats showed less fear to the neutral stimulus when their estrogen levels were high rather than low.
PTSD is common in women after a trauma such as rape or sexual assault, which studies say are experienced by 25 to 30 percent of women in their lifetimes, and the symptoms last on average four times as long in women as in men after trauma.
This new research suggests the reason for this vulnerability may be the monthly menstrual change in estrogen.
"People are afraid to look into the influence of sex hormones on 'fear learning' and extinction," said Mohammed Milad, "because it's such a complex system."
When Milad studied fear as a Ph.D. student, his lab used only male rats. But when he began to study fear in humans as a postdoctoral researcher, he saw that female data were much more variable.
"The data led me there," to sex differences, Milad said. "Since females add variance, scientists have tended to avoid studying them" in rodent research, he said. Studies of the human brain would tend to combine men and women, assuming that neurological gender differences were minimal. But this attitude is changing.
In addition, since birth control pills affect estrogen levels, they may be used as a future treatment against post-traumatic stress.
The research is published in Biological Psychiatry.
Source: Biological Psychiatry
Pedersen, T. (2018). Low Estrogen Linked to PTSD. Psych Central. Retrieved on November 23, 2020, from https://psychcentral.com/news/2012/08/11/low-estrogen-linked-to-ptsd/43004.html
Last reviewed: By a member of our scientific advisory board on 8 Aug 2018
Published on Psych Central.com. All rights reserved.


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North Korean Super Spy
Former North Korean secret agent, Kim Hyun-Hee, offers insights into the unpredictable regime in Pyongyang.
LEIGH SALES, PRESENTER: She was once North Korea's top female secret agent, a woman who successfully carried out a mission to blow up a South Korean airliner.
In 1987, Kim Hyon Hui planted the bomb that left 115 people dead, but she was later caught. After trying to kill herself with poison, Kim Hyon Hui was given the death sentence.
A few years later, she was later pardoned, and she now lives in the South at an undisclosed location surrounded by bodyguards.
As North Korea warns it will launch another missile test, the former super spy sat down for an exclusive interview with the ABC's North Asia correspondent Mark Willacy.
MARK WILLACY, REPORTER: Revolutionary, assassin, spy - Kim Hyon Hui has been all of those things. But she'll be forever infamous as one of the North Korea's most daring and destructive secret agents, the femme fatale behind the rogue state's most deadly terrorist act.
KIM HYON HUI, FORMER NORTH KOREAN SPY (voiceover translation): It was a huge operation and I was trained to get the operation done. As an agent in North Korea, I was in no position to argue if a mission was right or wrong. I was trained to carry out the mission even if it cost people's lives.
MARK WILLACY: Kim Hyun Hee's mission was to bomb a South Korean airliner. The attack in 1987 killed all 115 people on board and led to the United States listing North Korea as a state sponsor of terrorism.
KIM HYON HUI (voiceover translation): From the moment I got on the Korean air flight, left the bomb in the overhead locker and until I got off, I was nervous, every second of the operation.
MARK WILLACY: Kim Hyon Hui sat down in Seoul for an exclusive interview with 7.30.
With tensions on the Peninsula higher than they've been in years, her story offers a glimpse inside one of the world's most unpredictable and secretive states, a regime founded by the eternal leader Kim Il-sung.
KIM HYON HUI (voiceover translation): In North Korea I was taught that our leader Kim Il-sung was a god. You were taught to put him before your own parents. You learned from early childhood to say "Thank you, great leader" for everything. And if you said the wrong thing, even if it was a slip of the tongue, you'd end up in the gulag. North Korea is not a state, it's a cult.
MARK WILLACY: In 1970s North Korea, in the Orwellian uniformity of this cult, Kim Hyon Hui stood out, and the regime quickly noticed the teenager because of her sharp intelligence and stunning beauty. That plus her ability to speak perfect Japanese meant Kim Hyon Hui was singled out to become a spy.
KIM HYON HUI (voiceover translation): One day a black sedan showed up at my school. They were from the central party and told me I'd been chosen. I wasn't even allowed time to say goodbye to my friends; I was just told to pack. I was given one last night with my family.
MARK WILLACY: In 1980, Kim Hyon Hui was sent to North Korea's elite spy training school in the remote mountains. She was given a new name and intensive training in martial arts, weapons and languages. After nearly eight years of learning spycraft, Kim was ready for her defining mission, one devised by the son of the founder and the country's future "Dear Leader".
KIM HYON HUI (voiceover translation): In North Korea, you needed Kim Jong-il's approval for the most minor thing, let alone a spy mission. He personally ordered the operation to bomb the Korean air flight.
MARK WILLACY: This was the ultimate target of Kim Hyon Hui's mission, the 1988 Seoul Olympics.
NEWSREADER (archive footage): These games are the first in 12 years with no major boycotts and the Eastern Bloc, led by the Soviet Union, is expected to dominate the medals.
MARK WILLACY: The future "Dear Leader" of North Korea, Kim Jong-il hoped the bombing of Flight 858 would scare foreign teams into staying away from the Olympics
NEWSREADER (archive footage): The Australians were amongst the brightest in the stadium in gold stockman's coats and wide-brimmed hats.
MARK WILLACY: Flight 858 was scheduled to take off from Baghdad on 28th November, 1987, bound for Seoul. But it would not reach its destination.
Kim Hyon Hui was teamed up with a legendary North Korean spy Kim Sung-il. Together, they flew from Pyongyang to Moscow. Then they travelled to Budapest where they were given fake Japanese passports and began posing a father and daughter touring Europe together. From Budapest, they flew to Vienna, then to Belgrade.
KIM HYON HUI (voiceover translation): My partner and I had experience as agents in Europe. We were confident there and knew how the airports worked.
MARK WILLACY: But they were soon flying out for unfamiliar territory to Baghdad. There, Kim Hyon Hui set the timer on the bomb, which was hidden inside a transistor radio. It was set to explode nine hours after flight 858 took off, as the plane was in the air en route to Seoul.
KIM HYON HUI (voiceover translation): It was such a huge operation. I was so focused on trying to complete it. I was worried if I could do it.
MARK WILLACY: After stowing the bomb, the two North Koreans left the plane during a stopover in Abu Dhabi and made their way to Bahrain. Flight 858, meanwhile, had continued on towards Seoul. But over the Andaman Sea, the timer stopped ticking.
In Seoul, the relatives of the 115 people on board were told the plane had gone down, with suspicions immediately focusing on a bomb.
Back in Bahrain, 25-year-old agent Kim Hyon Hui was desperately trying to make her escape.
KIM HYON HUI (voiceover translation): We had nowhere to run. We had to get out of Bahrain, but our next plane didn't leave for two days. I was so anxious; it was driving me crazy. I had no idea if we'd been successful or if the plane had been blown up.
NEWSREADER (archive footage): With the search for wreckage of the Korean airliner concentrated on the Thai-Burma border, a strong suspicion has developed it was the target of a terrorist bomb.
MARK WILLACY: But their mission was about to unravel. Two days later, as they were about to board a plane to get out of Bahrain, Kim Hyon Hui and her partner were suddenly confronted by authorities who discovered they were travelling on fake passports.
KIM HYON HUI (voiceover translation): We were told that flight 585 had exploded and that there were no survivors. We knew then our bombing operation had been successful.
MARK WILLACY: As they were being searched, the veteran agent Kim Sung-il told his young comrade it was time to bite down on an ampoule of cyanide hidden in their cigarettes.
KIM HYON HUI (voiceover translation): He said, "What awaits us is interrogation and eventually death. I have lived a long time and I am an old man, but you are so young. I am sorry." I knew when an operation failed, an agent had to kill themselves, so I bit down on the cyanide ampoule. As I did, I remembered my mother in North Korea, then I blacked out.
MARK WILLACY: The older agent died almost immediately. But Kim Hyon Hui was revived. And after recovering, she was flown to South Korea to stand trial. There, she refused to break and admit her role in the bombing for many days, but the interrogators slowly ground her down.
KIM HYON HUI (voiceover translation): For the first eight days, I kept resisting with lies, but then my interrogators took me for drives through Seoul and I saw how modern it was and I listened to how the agents around me spoke so freely. This contradicted everything I'd been told in North Korea. I realised then I'd taken innocent lives and I expected to be given the death penalty.
MARK WILLACY: And that's what happened. But unlike her victims on flight 858, Kim Hyon Hui would be spared death. She was pardoned, with the South Korean Government deciding she was merely a brainwashed victim of the Kim cult. Today she lives in South Korea at an undisclosed location, surrounded at all times by half a dozen bodyguards, fearful North Korean assassins may strike at any time.
KIM HYON HUI (voiceover translation): I deserved the death penalty for what I did, but I believe my life was spared because I was the only witness to this terror perpetrated by North Korea. As the only witness, it is my destiny to testify about the truth.
MARK WILLACY: But recently, the threats from the North have been targeted at the whole of the South Korea. Not to mention US bases in Guam, Japan, Hawaii and the continental United States.
This former North Korean agent believes the regime's young untested leader is trying to tighten his grip on power by playing the tough guy in front of his domestic audience.
KIM HYON HUI (voiceover translation): Kim Jong-un is too young and too inexperienced. He's struggling to gain complete control over the military and to win their loyalty. That's why he's doing so many visits to military bases, to firm up support. He's also using the nuclear program as a bargaining chip for aid, to keep the public behind him.
MARK WILLACY: To Kim Hyon Hui, the fact that a third-generation of the Kim dynasty is threatening the world is horrifying. But she knows those suffering the most are the millions doomed to live, work and die under the heel of the regime, including the family she had to leave behind.
KIM HYON HUI (voiceover translation): I once heard a story that a defector saw my family in a concentration camp about 15 years ago. But to this day, I have no idea what happened to my family.
MARK WILLACY: Kim Hyon Hui wasn't so much chosen as compelled by the North Korean regime to carry out a horrific crime, one that shattered so many lives and one that haunts her every day of her life.
KIM HYON HUI (voiceover translation): I regret what I did and I am repentant. I feel I should not hide the truth from the family members of those who died. It is my duty to tell them what happened.
LEIGHSALES: Mark Willacy with that amazing report.
Author Mark Willacy


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I was just looking at this question on Area51. It has eleven great on topic votes, and no other votes. The site still says they need ten questions of all sorts? What's the new goal?
I'm worried about how much consensus you expect in a site before it can go to commit. Even at just ten votes, you would still need twenty people who agreed exactly about the set of on and off topic questions to get a site into the commit phase.
Math (Original 10 votes):
- 10 Questions
- 10 votes for question (assumed)
- 5 votes per follower
- 100 votes / 5 votes
- 20 users
Current Math (With above actual 30 vote limit):
- 10 Questions
- 30 votes for question (current actual)
- 5 votes per follower
- 300 votes / 5 votes
- 60 users
This inclines me to wonder if the limit is actually 30 (which would require 60 users to be in agreement).


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Have you read the geekhack TOS lately?
0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.
I am really debating selling my Lcd-2's today :9
Someone buy my DT880/600s, I need the T1s now. Thanks.
What stat amp are you using MrSneis?
Why a USED Gilmore Lite? The panda-R only buys NEW. He SELLS lots of minty threadcrapping quality stuff though.Show Image
I have a big sharpie.Brb.
It is infinitely easier to waste money at HeadFi than here.Do they think Gold Plated USB DAC connectors sound better?
My Dr. can beat up your Dr.!
Is that another stripper terminology thing you Canadians use?
Get a grado sr80i . Can't be beat in the price range.
Hi, if there is any audiofiles lurking around here would you mind throwing some knowledge at me. I was looking into some headphones but im not sure i could spend $100+ ... i was thinking of either buying a sub $50 headphone or saving for one around $100 but since there dont seem to be many good headphones around 100 even if i convinced myself to spend that much aside from the hd555(disliked by audiophiles?) a/ad700(prolly best in price range?) m50(mabe best ?)so i was leaning towards getting something on the cheaper side... seeing if i take to fine audio then go on from there ... for the lower price range i was thinking between JVc harx700 or harx900 (900 has better pads, better sound ??) same drivers so pads prolly biggest difference..? also the Samson sr850 which is the one im thinking of getting atmill be using these for gaming/movies/music .. i like most music styles but prolly more rockish(alt-rock) type things . i put a heavy emphasis on comfort .. my audio experience is limited to random earbuds including my current M9's so as i said before im looking for advice on whether to go cheaper or save up and which headphones are best in given price ranges looking for biggest bang/buck concerns i have with the $100 price range is that there doesnt seem to be alot of value in that range... as the sound of headphones in that range seem pretty lacking (ex: bass lightness) and as im a newbie i doubt i could appreciate the mid/high differences between those 2 ranges (as newbs tend to prefer bass as the sr850's are hiked up in price atm(highest they've been for awhile says amazon price tracker) i have some time to decide before they come back downanyways - rant over
My bose cracked in half after about 3 years.Bose Blows.
Which Samsons are you considering?I found the SR850, which look to be about the same price point. The Superlux HD 681 is a more direct competitor to that phone, at a much better price point. The sound is similar to the 668's when modded (do some searching at HeadFi).On further inspection: it looks like they're both made by the same company!
Koss has a lifetime warranty, you might be able to swing a free replacement for the Porta Pros.
I'd see if I liked the sound first by trying the standard model first. You'll be getting another someday anyway and can upgrade then. Like shiny spacebars these things don't last forever.
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Talk:File storage
can we drop the personal opinions on hard drive manufacturers, its outdated, wrong, and just not appropriate.--Steveadeff 03:15, 30 January 2006 (UTC)
- I agree. As cited in MythTV:Manual_of_Style#Avoid_the_second_person, usage of "I" and "we" is inappropriate, along with too much personal opinion. "Nothing but the facts, ma'am." --Gregturn 04:15, 30 January 2006 (UTC)
- I'm not sure. As long as opinions are clearly marked, I personally think the anecdotal datapoints are useful, myself. I was the one who modified that section to note that we didn't have to be quite as impersonal as Wikipedia. :-)
--Baylink 04:23, 30 January 2006 (UTC)
- I'm not sure. As long as opinions are clearly marked, I personally think the anecdotal datapoints are useful, myself. I was the one who modified that section to note that we didn't have to be quite as impersonal as Wikipedia. :-)
- I think opinion can fit into the articles. For one example, I wrote up more elaboration on Wikipedia:Expect. I set aside a section called Opinion, and tried to gather both pro and con opinions, essentially giving other editors option to add their own opinions in to offer a consensus on the tool. I think wikipedia allows opinions, but they need to be properly cordined off (which I guess supports Baylink's comment). However, I still believe that "I" and "we" is inappropriate. It tends to latch onto personal, time-based experiences as opposed to timeless experience. "I found that this mechanism works very well in backing up my data" sounds a little better when rewritten as "This mechanism works very well in backing up data for the following reasons..." I guess I will follow this thread, and try to add some clarification based on the outcome to MythTV:Manual of Style (should it be warranted.) --Gregturn 04:34, 30 January 2006 (UTC)
I personally don't like the reccomendation of XFS or JFS, especially in conjunction with LVM. I've had problems where I wanted to remove one drive (and had plenty of room to do so), but since I took the reccomendation of using JFS, and JFS can't be reduced, I wound up losing everything when that one drive crashed. When I have time to rebuild my system, I intend to use a combination of RAID and LVM, but even with redundance I'm going to use ReiserFS instead of JFS. I would move towards a reccomendation of JFS or LVM if only using one drive, but in the LVM section reccomending something else.--AusIV 14:01, 19 September 2006 (UTC)
Someone should mention using ZFS as file storage. I know it can't be used to it's full right in Linux yet. But using a separate server for storage could be an option for people.ChristianW 13:06, 17 July 2007 (UTC)


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Bar Boulud, London, located at Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, an outpost of two Michelin-starred chef Daniel Boulud. Bringing a touch of NYC chic to London it takes the form of a French bistro and wine bar, with a focus on delicious wines from the Rhone Valley and Burgundy, and charcuterie overseen by Paris' acclaimed charcutier, Gilles Verot.
Borgo Egnazia's gastronomic offering is also inspired by local tradition, divided into six restaurants. All six serve dishes linked by their local Apulian heritage, created by executive chef Domingo Schingaro under the supervision of consultant turned Michelin star chef Andrea Ribaldone. Dishes use the best locally-sourced ingredients. Even the wine list is of the highest level, prepared by sommelier Giuseppe Cupertino with 600 selected labels, 450 of which are from Puglia.
Carlton Hotel St. Moritz, located in the sunniest spot in the town, offers an unbeatable, overwhelmingly beautiful view over the impressive Engadine mountain scenery and the St. Moritz lake. Culinary experience of the highest level can be enjoyed at the gourmet restaurant Da Vittorio - St. Moritz, awarded with 18 Gault&Millau Points and 1 Michelin star, as well as at the restaurant Romanoff which offers authentic fine Swiss cuisine.
Das Central Hotel and Europe's highest gourmet restaurant, ice Q, in the Austrian Otztal Valley combine traditional Alpine cuisine with innovation culinary vision. The breath-taking ice Q featured in the recent James Bond film, Spectre, offers fine-dining with 360 degree views of snow-capped peaks across Austria, Germany and Italy. Wine is a tradition at the family-owned hotel, creators of their own bespoke wine, PINO 3000. Every year the hotel host a gourmet food and wine festival in the Alps, bringing together international chefs and winegrowers.
Forte Village offers the ultimate foodie escape with 21 permanent restaurants and bars set in 47 hectares of mature greenery. Every summer, the resort hosts a spectacular array of Michelin-starred chefs who cook up their famed dishes for guests. This year's newest opening is the Berlin-based vegetarian restaurant Cookies Cream.
At the award-winning, family-run Gilpin Hotel & Lake House all 35 of the bedrooms have lovely Lakeland views. Executive Chef Hrishikesh Desai was recently awarded his first Michelin star. The fine dining restaurant has four different dining rooms, each with its own character and style and is the perfect place to enjoy a romantic five-course candlelit dinner delivering modern British dishes. While restaurant, Gilpin Spice, offers a less formal space with dishes from the length of the ancient spice route.
An elegant family-owned hotel, the Grand Hotel Excelsior is the ideal place from which to explore the magnificent Amalfi Coast and the famous sights of Herculaneum, Pompeii and Mount Vesuvius. With fabulous views, exquisite food in Michelin-starred restaurant Terrazza Bosquet, beautiful gardens surrounded by orange trees, it's perfect for families or couples. Learn how to make the perfect pizza, visit Capri, soak up some sun or cool off by the hotel's pool.
L'Albereta is the ideal destination for wine-lovers. A stone's throw from the Bellavista wine estate, founded in 1977 and home to some of Italy's finest sparkling wine, L'Albereta became a boutique hotel when the Moretti family converted their private villa in order to accommodate visitors to the winery.
In the heart of Coteaux Varois in Provence wine country and within easy access to Monaco, St. Tropez, Nice and Aix, this superlative 10-bedroom country retreat borders a 12th century Benedictine Abbey. Enjoy gastronomic cuisine with a Michelin star and prestigious Provencal wines, close to the quaint village of Cotignac and all the activities of the region. A secret gem.
Whilst riding his motorcycle in Provence in 1994 Alain Ducasse discovered this home and lovingly converted it into a country inn with just 12 unique and elegant guest-rooms and delicious gourmet food. Surrounded by luscious gardens, olive trees and lavender, and overlooking the charming village of Moustiers Sainte-Marie, this romantic hideaway perfectly reflects the finest ingredients of Provence.
Palazzo Manfredi is a rare gem of elegance and hospitality in a unique historical setting, with rooms and a large terrace overlooking the Coliseum, the Imperial Forum and the Domus Aurea. This luxurious property steps back in time into a perfect balance of old and new with exquisitely-appointed rooms and suites masterminded for an elite clientele which appreciates the highest levels of comfort and refinement.
A 12-acre kitchen garden carefully cultivated by Michelin-starred chef, Harald Gasser supplies all the fruit, vegetables, herbs and rare spices for San Luis' restaurant and spa. Gasser sources ingredients sustainably and invites guests to taste and rediscover traditional Alpine flavours expertly combining them with tastes from the Mediterranean. Guests are free to choose where to dine for lunch and dinner, whilst home grown breakfasts are delivered discreetly to your door.
St. Hubertus is the wonderful three Michelin-starred restaurant at the five-star Rosa Alpina Hotel in the Italian Dolomites. The restaurant's head chef, Norbert Niederkofler, fuses inherently Italian recipes with flavours from his South Tyrolean heritage, culminating in delectable dishes. The intimate restaurant has nine tables in the dining room, one chef's table with a view to the kitchen and one small table at the open fireplace and is open for dinner during both the summer and winter ski seasons.
An exceptional mountain hotel with some top-class events: Ski on your Private Mountain, learn from the best chefs at the Tschuggen Gourmet Tour, dine in an igloo built from blocks of snow and ice, serving truffle and champagne fondue, indulge in gourmet 'fast food' in trendy restaurant The Basement or eat in style at Michelin-star La Vetta.
Four restaurants and five bars offer mouth-watering flavours and authentic Sicilian tastes, with delicious gourmet dishes at Zagara, relaxed freshly-caught seafood on the beach at Amare, trattoria-style pizza and pasta with clifftop views at Liola, and the ultimate breakfast with a view at Buon Giorno. Master the true flavours of Sicilian cuisine and tradition with cookery lessons with ingredients hand-picked from Verdura's own organic vegetable garden, olive, lemon and orange trees.


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Gailan Ngan Wobble Mug, Grey $40.00
- Why is it special?
- Details
Country of Origin: Canada
Designer: Gailan Ngan
Materials: Ceramic
Dimensions: Approx. H 4" x W 3.5" Each piece is unique
Why is it Special?
Gailan Ngan's wobble mugs rock gently when placed on a tabletop, and feel comfortably at home when held in the hand. The slight differences in each mug highlights the handmade quality of each mug, resulting in unique pieces every time. These mugs look beautiful as a group, but are special enough to stand out on their own. In the shop, they are our regular go-to mugs for tea. A ceramicist and visual artist, Gailan Ngan began her ongoing fascination with ceramics at an early age, first as a studio assistant (and later as an apprentice) to her father, Wayne Ngan. She founded her own studio, Cornershop, in 1997, graduated from the Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design in 2002 and now divides her time between Hornby Island and Vancouver.