A Riot of Useful Beauty

With sufficient affection and elbow grease, even a corner cursed with poor soil can become the loveliest of gardens.

| June/July 2006

In 1971, we moved our four children, a small Noah’s Ark of animals and ourselves to a rundown farm on a remote peninsula on Cape Breton Island, off the northeastern tip of Nova Scotia. We lived there for 30 years, farming on a small scale. It was a hard life, but rewarding — hard because Cape Breton is a marginal environment for growing; rewarding because we learned to surmount the difficulties of high winds, a short growing season and heavy, infertile clay soil using simple ideas and techniques that can be applied to any situation.

When we needed a sunny site to harvest herbs in quantity for Jo Ann’s growing herb business, our choice was limited to flat ground on the west side of the house. This had once been a strawberry bed but now grew nothing but grass where calves were tethered. This area was near a poultry house, and the unlikely juxtaposition of these humble quarters with what became known as the “Harvest Bed” proved to be a fruitful association. We laid out a raised bed 60 feet long by 4 feet wide using a no-dig technique that had proved successful for growing vegetables on top of soil we found too difficult to improve by traditional methods: We placed plastic grain bags over the sod, then enclosed the area with spruce logs, leaving a 6-inch outside edging of plastic, later covered with wood shavings, to discourage weeds from creeping into the bed. We filled the enclosure with rough compost (not completely broken down), stomped it into place and allowed it to settle for a week or so. Finally, we topped the entire bed with several inches of aged, composted manure, a rich, dark friable mixture. The completed bed was 8 to 10 inches deep.

Because the Harvest Bed was lined with plastic, we concentrated on growing annual herbs or shallow-rooted indispensable perennials, like chives and lemon balm. Because of our limited space, we enforced a strict criterion for the Harvest Bed: The plants had to be useful for flavoring, scent, seed production or crafts. As Jo Ann’s business expanded to include potpourri, vinegars, skin fresheners and dried posies, the range of plants in the bed also expanded. We planted deep-rooted lovage, an important ingredient in dried herb mixes, just beyond the end of the bed (in unimproved ground) by making a slit in the sod with a sharp spade, then shoving in the root and roughly closing the slit by stamping on it. We heavily mulched the area with a thick layer of compost from the poultry house, then topped it with rotted sawdust, all of which eventually broke down to become crumbly, rich soil. The lovage thrived there, producing two heavy crops of leafy stalks a season.

As we added more perennials, we had to adapt the plastic-lined bed to grow plants with more demanding roots, like echinacea, rue, ‘Moonshine’ yarrow, Russian sage, lavender and the artemisias. For these, we slashed a hole through the plastic before planting them, so their roots would have room to spread. We grew spreading types, like fern-leaf tansy (indispensable for rose bouquets), with garlic chives in an old iron tub. Around the base we planted lemon-scented costmary (a tall, rangy plant especially aggressive in rich soil), reducing it to a mat of ground-hugging foliage by cutting it back and harvesting the leaves several times during the growing season for simmering potpourri, skin fresheners and assorted crafts (their flat, perfect leaves make a delightful, aromatic bookmark).

We maintained ‘Silver King’ artemisia, which easily could colonize the whole bed if left on its own, as a wide, distinctive swath against the fence in the middle of the border. When it threatened to move ahead in any direction, we ruthlessly pulled its wandering roots.

As our garden expanded, we put up our first garden decoration — a 7-foot weathered slab board fence to mark the boundary between the poultry yard and the Harvest Bed. Although it served the practical purpose of protecting the plants from wind, the fence also proved an appealing rustic structure and gave us the opportunity to grow tall plants, such as hollyhocks and sunflowers. The notion of a strictly utilitarian planting of blocks of herbs for harvesting faded as soon as the first hollyhocks sent up their stalks to 13 feet, adorned all the way up with wide-open, flushed pink, dark-eyed trumpets. By the simplest means, the Harvest Bed had transformed a neglected area, integrating the disparate elements of poultry house and yard into a harmonious working and living environment.

mother earth news fair

Oct. 21-22, 2017
Topeka, KS.


Involving Deities In Your Spell-Work: Yes, It Can Be Done Respectfully

Once, apropos of nothing, while meditating with Hermes, he let loose with the following rant:

“It’s not like I don’t want to help. I do. I’m helpful. I like being helpful. And I get that I’m useful, too! I’ve got commerce and diplomacy and language and invention and the afterlife — and who wouldn’t want to call on me? But could people like, ASK before either touching my balls or yanking on my intimate divine bits?”

And it’s true. I have seen countless spell books that “use” deities as symbols in spells, or which “use” the names and symbols belonging to a deity to empower a working.

Here is what it is to be a Polytheist: we view deities as sovereign individuals. If you buy into consent culture, then it logically follows that a deity’s consent, or lack thereof, is important.

Some people have, as a solution to this, completely rejected all magic. This is not the solution I favor. Sometimes, people get stuck. They get in trouble. They need a job, or a miracle cure, and sometimes, prayer isn’t quite enough.

Some have, rather understandably, simply switched to doing spell work which only calls on their own power. I also do not favor this solution. Humans are foolish and do very silly things with magical power if left completely to their own devices.

If done respectfully and consensually, I believe that involving a deity with your spell work can be of great benefit to both the magician and the community. We, as humans, are always closer to human problems than deities are. Deities always have a bit of a bird’s eye view and a lot of wisdom. By our powers combined, we can do a lot more than either party can do separately.

Getting Consent

The first thing to do is to call the deity, offer them hospitality, and propose your working to them.

Offering hospitality might involve offering food, or drink, or just incense, depending upon your space and what is possible for you. Olympians particularly like the smoke of their offerings, and so, as unromantic as it might sound, pouring wine into a frying pan and letting the steam rise up is sufficient.

I make a statement of intent, or an invitation.

Something like, “Hey, my friend is sick and I was going to do some healing magic to help them. What do you say, Asklepios, you down?”

Then, I do some manner of oracle to get an answer. This could be in the form of a divination or omen. If the answer is yes, I go ahead ands plain out a working which calls upon the deity.

If the answer is no, and this is very important, I respect that no, and I do not do a working with that deity for that purpose.

Following Through and Respecting Yes

If the deity agrees to help you with a working, respect that yes. Once they’ve agreed to help, you should follow through with the working. They have likely agreed to help because they think the working is noble and a good idea.

As to outsiders, even if you might not work with deities in this way, respect that the deity has decided to help another with their working. Suggesting that the deity didn’t really mean yes, even if they sent an omen, or even if they answered yes in an oracle, is disrespecting a deity and their right to say “yes” even as calling on their power without asking is disrespecting their right to say “no.”

Showing Respect and Gratitude

It is very important to respect their presence in the room when you call them. Do whatever you would do if you were to call them in the spirit of worship. For Olympians, make sure the space has been purified. Say hymns. Make offerings.

Then, go ahead with your working.

Afterwards, make sure that you thank the deity for their presence, and give them some manner or gift to show appreciation. Occasionally, they may contact you in dreams between the time you ask and the time that you do the working, or even after the working, and ask for a specific favor from you.

If what they ask for isn’t something you can comfortably do, say no, but let them know that you appreciate their help, and are open to running a different sort of errand for them.

1 Comment

  1. This makes sense. I don’t usually do the asking *before* the working, but the idea that Their participation is optional, that They can say no, is built into the working, and the working I do is framed accordingly.

    “Dear [Deity], I am doing this working for that reason, and ask that you please do this thing. If you do this thing, I will do that other thing for you. I will take the thing being done as evidence that you do, indeed want that other thing done.” Or, alternately, the entire working IS the negotiation of which you speak. “Hey, [Deity]! Have some hospitality! I would like to negotiate with you for this thing! If you are willing to do this thing, let us discuss what is required of me in return!”

    I find both work pretty well, but which way I do it depends as much or more on how easy I find it to hear direct replies, and of course, the understood personality of the deity in question.

    I guess sometimes people really do just invoke the gods in their spellwork without acknowledging the autonomy of the gods, don’t they? It’s weird how much our underlying assumptions shape their actions without our even noticing.

Comments are closed.


Game based training, multimedia learning, modality effect, temporal contiguity, information processing, learning

There is an increasing interest in using video games as a means to deliver training to individuals learning new skills or tasks. However, current research lacks a clear method of developing effective instructional material when these games are used as training tools and explaining how gameplay may affect learning. The literature contains multiple approaches to training and GBT but generally lacks a foundational-level and theoretically relevant approach to how people learn specifically from video games and how to design instructional guidance within these gaming environments. This study investigated instructional delivery within GBT. Video games are a form of multimedia, consisting of both imagery and sounds. The Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning (CTML; Mayer 2005) explicitly describes how people learn from multimedia information, consisting of a combination of narration (words) and animation (pictures). This study empirically examined the effects of the modality and temporal contiguity principles on learning in a game-based virtual environment. Based on these principles, it was hypothesized that receiving either voice or embedded training would result in better performance on learning measures. Additionally, receiving a combination of voice and embedded training would lead to better performance on learning measures than all other instructional conditions. A total of 128 participants received training on the role and procedures related to the combat lifesaver - a non-medical soldier who receives additional training on combat-relevant lifesaving medical procedures. Training sessions involved an instructional presentation manipulated along the modality (voice or text) and temporal contiguity (embedded in the game or presented before gameplay) principles. Instructional delivery was manipulated in a 2x2 between-subjects design with four instructional conditions: Upfront-Voice, Upfront-Text, Embedded-Voice, and Embedded-Text. Results indicated that: (1) upfront instruction led to significantly better retention performance than embedded instructional regardless of delivery modality; (2) receiving voice-based instruction led to better transfer performance than text-based instruction regardless of presentation timing; (3) no differences in performance were observed on the simple application test between any instructional conditions; and (4) a significant interaction of modality-by-temporal contiguity was obtained. Simple effects analysis indicated differing effects along modality within the embedded instruction group, with voice recipients performing better than text (p = .012). Individual group comparisons revealed that the upfront-voice group performed better on retention than both embedded groups (p = .006), the embedded-voice group performed better on transfer than the upfront text group (p = .002), and the embedded-voice group performed better on the complex application test than the embedded-text group (p =.012). Findings indicated partial support for the application of the modality and temporal contiguity principles of CTML in interactive GBT. Combining gameplay (i.e., practice) with instructional presentation both helps and hinders working memory's ability to process information. Findings also explain how expanding CTML into game-based training may fundamentally change how a person processes information as a function of the specific type of knowledge being taught. Results will drive future systematic research to test and determine the most effective means of designing instruction for interactive GBT. Further theoretical and practical implications will be discussed.

Graduation Date

Mouloua, Mustapha

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

College of Sciences

Degree Program

Psychology; Human Factors Psychology

Release Date

December 2014

Length of Campus-only Access

Access Status

Doctoral Dissertation (Open Access)

Included in

Psychology Commons


Research Article

  1. R W Simpson,
  2. J I Mann,
  3. J Eaton,
  4. R A Moore,
  5. R Carter,
  6. T D Hockaday

    Fourteen patients with established maturity-onset diabetes were treated as outpatients with a high-carbohydrate-(about 60% of total daily energy requirements)-modified fat diet (ratio of polyunsaturated fatty acids to other fatty acids greater than or equal to 1:1) for six weeks. Commercially available and acceptable cereal foods and tuberous vegetables high in both digestible and non-digestible carbohydrates were used. Simple sugars were restricted. Compared with their usual, low-carbohydrate diabetic diet this diet resulted in a fall in basal plasma glucose concentration (average of values measured at 0300, 0500, and 0700), mean preprandial plasma glucose concentration (average of values measured at 0800, 1230, and 1730), and percentage of glycosylated haemoglobin. Modifying dietary fat also decreased the fasting plasma cholesterol concentration. The findings suggest that it is no longer justifiable to prescribe a low-carbohydrate diet for maturity-onset diabetes.


The COMPUTE statement begins a compute block that produces a customized summary at the end of the report. This STYLE= option specifies the style element to use for the text that is created by the LINE statement in this compute block. This style element switches the foreground and background colors that were specified for the LINES location in the PROC REPORT statement. It also changes the font style, the font weight, and the font size.
   compute after manager
           / style=[font_style=roman font_size=3 font_weight=bold
             background=white foreground=black];


„Relationships that last are ones in which the other person widens our world? Well, yes”

“A spouse or romantic partner is a bridge between a person’s different social worlds”.

Fac pariu ca nu s-au gandit la relatiile in care exista multa dependenta.


PentagonThe White House will soon announce its decision to strengthen the United States Cyber Command and separate cyber war operations from intelligence functions, according to insider reports. For many decades, the National Security Agency has been in charge of protecting America’s cyber network and combating online threats. But in 2009, the Administration of US President Barack Obama established a brand new Cyber Command, proposing that the online environment represented a new theater of war. Since that time, the US Department of Defense has been campaigning in favor of strengthening the new Cyber Command and completely removing it from the patronage of the NSA –despite the fact that the latter is also a Pentagon agency.

According to media reports, US President Donald Trump has decided to follow the Pentagon’s suggestion. After several months of delay, his administration is now preparing to announce a major reinforcement of the US Cyber Command, and a formal separation between its functions and those of the NSA. According to the American news network PBS, which broke the news on Monday, the idea behind the move is to give the Cyber Command more operational autonomy and to allow it to establish its own mission statement, which will be distinct from that of the NSA. The latter is an intelligence organization, which means that it primarily seeks to exploit adversary networks for purposes of collecting information. Broadly speaking, therefore, the NSA finds operational adversary cyber networks far more useful than destroyed networks. That tends to clash with the goals of the US Cyber Command, whose tactical goals often center on launching destructive attacks on enemy networks. It is believed that the impending change will allow it to do so without the interference of the NSA.

According to PBS, which cited anonymous sources in its report, the details of the separation “are still being worked out”. Furthermore, some observers caution that the Cyber Command will continue to rely on NSA technology and expertise for years to come, until it is able to carry its own weight. There is even less discussion about the view of the NSA on the matter, which some claim is notably negative. However, the move appears to have been decided, and the Cyber Command’s budget will be increased by nearly 20% to $647 million in the coming year, reflecting its elevated role in US defense.

Author: Joseph Fitsanakis | Date: 19 July 2017 | Permalink

Islamic State’s cyber army still ‘largely intact’ despite America’s efforts

US Cyber CommandThe global reach of the Islamic State through the use of the internet remains “largely intact” despite relentless efforts by some of America’s most advanced cyber warfare experts to neutralize the group’s online presence. It is now over a year since the United States Department of Defense announced that it had launched a cyber war against the Islamic State —the militant Sunni Muslim group that today controls large parts of Syria and Iraq.

At that time, the Pentagon’s Cyber Command (USCYBERCOM), put in motion plans that included the deployment of computer viruses, denial-of-service attacks and other cyber weapons against computers, internet servers and cell phone networks belonging to the Islamic State. As intelNews wrote at the time, the idea behind the plan was that an all-out online war against the Sunni militant group would hurt its public image and prevent it from launching armed attacks against targets abroad. Additionally, the Pentagon aimed to disrupt the Islamic State’s ability to recruit new members online, to spread its propaganda and to coordinate operations through the use of encrypted communications.

However, according to The New York Times, American military commanders are disappointed with the Cyber Command’s efforts. The Pentagon is quickly discovering, says the paper, that its cyber warfare methods, which were designed for fixed targets in countries like North Korea and Iran, are ineffective against the mobile and polymorphic cyber army of the Islamic State. In many instances, US Pentagon hackers wipe out online information found on Islamic State servers, only to see it reappear elsewhere online within hours. In other cases, US Cyber Command experts uncover Islamic State information stored on the cloud, but are unable to access it because it is strongly encrypted.

According to The Times, the lack of progress in the cyber war against the Islamic State was one of the reasons why the administration of President Barack Obama sought to replace Admiral Mike Rogers, the head of the National Security Agency, who also led the US Cyber Command —and continues to do so under the Donald Trump administration.

Author: Ian Allen | Date: 20 June 2017 | Permalink

US considers launching all-out cyber war against Islamic State

US Cyber CommandFollowing a request from the White House, the United States Department of Defense is putting together options to launch offensive cyber operations of an unprecedented scale against the Islamic State. The White House reportedly issued the request soon after the December 2 shooting in San Bernardino, California, in response to reports that the two shooters were radicalized through exposure to online propaganda by the Islamic State. According to American government officials, US President Barack Obama directed the Pentagon to put together a report outlining options for “a stepped up cyber offensive” against online activities by the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria.

The report is allegedly being prepared by the US Cyber Command (USCYBERCOM), the Pentagon office responsible for conducting what the US military calls “full spectrum military cyberspace operations”. Offensive cyber security planners at USCYBERCOM, which is located at Fort George G. Meade in Maryland, are said to have prepared plans that include proposals to launch numerous computer viruses, denial-of-service attacks and other cyber weapons against computers, internet servers and cell phone networks belonging to the Islamic State. The idea behind the plan is that an all-out online war against the Sunni militant group would hurt its image and prevent it from launching armed attacks against civilian targets abroad.

However, Canadian newspaper The Toronto Star reports that a number of other US agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, have voiced objections to the USCYBERCOM plan, arguing that an all-out cyber war against the Islamic State could backfire. Specifically, some US intelligence officials argue that sabotaging online communications nodes, as well as cell phone networks, would make it harder to spy on the Islamic State. Additionally, such a move would hinder the work of aid groups, opposition forces, and even Western-backed rebel forces in the Levant, who rely on the same Internet and cellular networks to communicate with each other. These officials argue instead that the US should opt for surgical attacks on specific computers or cell phones used by senior Islamic State planners.

According to media reports, US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter is scheduled to meet with USCYBERCOM commanders this week in order to evaluate the possibilities for offensive cyber attacks against the Islamic State. He will then brief President Barack Obama on the available options.

Author: Ian Allen | Date: 22 December 2015 | Permalink

Did US spies hack French government computers using Facebook?

The Palais de l'ÉlyséeBy JOSEPH FITSANAKIS | |

US and Israel behind computer virus that hit Iran, say sources

Flame virus code segmentBy JOSEPH FITSANAKIS | |
Flame, a sophisticated computer malware that was detected last month in computers belonging to the Iranian National Oil Company and Iran’s Ministry of Petroleum, was created by Israel and the United States, according to a leading American newspaper. Quoting “officials familiar with US cyber-operations”, The Washington Post reported on Wednesday that the malware, which is said to be “massive in size”, is part of a wider covert program codenamed OLYMPIC GAMES. The paper said that the US portion of the program is spearheaded by the National Security Agency, which specializes in cyberespionage, and the CIA’s Information Operations Center. The Post further claims that OLYMPIC GAMES has a three-fold mission: to delay the development of the Iranian nuclear program; to discourage Israeli and American officials from resorting to a conventional military attack on Iran; and to buy time for those officials who favor addressing the Iranian nuclear stalemate with diplomatic pressures coupled with sanctions. According to one “former intelligence official” quoted in The Post, the scale of OLYMPIC GAMES “is proportionate to the problem that’s trying to be resolved”. Russian antivirus company Kaspersky Lab, which first spotted the Flame virus in May, said that it is “one of the most complex threats ever discovered”. It is over 20 megabytes in size, consisting of 650,000 lines of code. In comparison, Stuxnet, a computer super-virus that was detected by experts in 2010, and caused unprecedented waves of panic among Iranian cybersecurity experts, was 500 kilobytes in size. Read more of this post

News you may have missed #675

Eugene ForseyBy IAN ALLEN | |

US Pentagon computers cannot be protected, says NSA head

General Keith AlexanderBy JOSEPH FITSANAKIS | |
The man in charge of America’s most powerful intelligence agency says the United States Department of Defense computer network is so disordered and chaotic that it cannot be defended from cyberattacks. General Keith Alexander directs the National Security Agency, America’s wealthiest intelligence institution, which expert James Bamford has described as “the world’s most powerful spy agency”. As America’s foremost signals intelligence agency, the NSA is largely responsible for protecting the integrity, security and cohesion of the country’s public and restricted military communications networks, including computer networks. To do so, it consumes an annual budget that dwarfs those of most other intelligence agencies, and employs entire armies of computer security experts and other professionals. But, according to General Alexander, who also heads the US Pentagon’s new Cyber Command, there is not much his army of cyberwarriors can do to either prevent or repel possible large-scale cyberattacks directed against the DoD’s computer networks. The NSA chief was speaking yesterday at the International Conference on Cyber Security, a high-profile gathering of experts at New York’s Fordham University. He told the conference, which is sponsored by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, that the Pentagon’s computer infrastructure is too anarchic and chaotic to be successfully defended from cyberespionage, cyberterrorism, or cyberwarfare assaults. He said the DoD computer system consists of so many interconnected networks —over 15,000 in all— that the NSA “can’t see them all [let alone] defend them all”. As a result, said Alexander, the DoD’s current communications infrastructure “is indefensible”. Read more of this post


Emergency Management

An emergency is always messy, stressful and confusing, no matter how good the emergency response procedures. We are rarely able to train for the stress of the decision making cycle, the stimulus of trauma associated with the real impact of a disaster, the suppression of emotions that we have to work through and the speed of which these life saving decision have to be made.

All these factors mean that a robust emergency response plan will still feel inadequate; until it is compared against the management of an emergency without a plan in place. Only then can we see that we were not frozen in the moment; we made a decision, we acted on impulse based on our training, we had fall-back options if required; and we prevailed. In comparison to the cost of not having a plan, then it will always be worth the cost.

Russell Boon is an experienced Emergency Manager consulting to business and industry ensuring legal and regulatory compliance. Russell has 30 years experience in emergency management specializing in emergency planning and preparedness.


Programming of Life
por Donald E. Johnson (136 páginas)

This book expands the information and its processing that was introduced in the “Probabilitiy’s Nature and Nature’s Probability” books (scientist and “Lite” versions). No proposed scenario so far has dealt in a feasible manner with this critical topic. The non-material reality of information is stressed, especially with respect to instantiated algorithms, controls, and symbolic codes. The book stresses an information science perspective, taking no stance on philosophical or theological issues that could be envisioned.

Probability’s Nature and Nature’s Probability: A Call to Scientific Integrity
por Donald E. Johnson (132 páginas)

The author once believed anyone not accepting the “proven” scenarios for chemical and biological evolution that were ingrained during his science education had the same mentality as someone believing in a flat earth. With continued scientific investigation, paying closer attention to actual data (rather than speculative conclusions), he began to doubt the natural explanations that had been so ingrained in a number of key areas including the origin and fine-tuning of mass and energy, the origin of life with its complex functional information, and the increase in functional complexity in living organisms. It was science, and not religion, that caused his disbelief in the explanatory powers of undirected nature using scientific-sounding concepts that in fact have no known scientific basis. Scientific integrity needs to be restored so that ideas that have no methods to test or falsify are not considered part of science. Too often “possible” is used by scientists without considering that “possible” has a scientific definition within the nature of probability. For example, one should not be able to get away with stating “it is possible that life arose from non-life by …” or “it’s possible that a different form of life exists elsewhere in the Universe” without first demonstrating that it is indeed possible (non-zero probability) using known science. This book reviews the many prevalent scenarios that are widely accepted, but need closer examination of their scientific validity. It will also examine the scientific validity of Intelligent Design (ID) as a model that can be empirically detected and examined. For example, the book uses known science (including Shannon, functional, and prescriptive information principles) to prove that it is impossible (zero probability) for life’s complex information system, with thousands of interacting computers in each cell, to have an undirected natural source. The usefulness of the ID model for furthering scientific inquiry is also analyzed. One chapter is devoted to exposing fallacies, presuppositions, and beliefs that attempt to prevent acceptance of ID as “science”.

por David L. Abel (123 páginas)

“The First Gene: The Birth of Programming, Messaging and Formal Control” is a peer-reviewed anthology of papers that focuses, for the first time, entirely on the following difficult scientific questions: *How did physics and chemistry write the first genetic instructions? *How could a prebiotic (pre-life, inanimate) environment consisting of nothing but chance and necessity have programmed logic gates, decision nodes, configurable-switch settings, and prescriptive information using a symbolic system of codons (three nucleotides per unit/block of code)? The codon table is formal, not physical. It has also been shown to be conceptually ideal. *How did primordial nature know how to write in redundancy codes that maximally protect information? *How did mere physics encode and decode linear digital instructions that are not determined by physical interactions? All known life is networked and cybernetic. “Cybernetics” is the study of various means of steering, organizing and controlling objects and events toward producing utility. The constraints of initial conditions and the physical laws themselves are blind and indifferent to functional success. Only controls, not constraints, steer events toward the goal of usefulness (e.g., becoming alive or staying alive). Life-origin science cannot advance until first answering these questions: *1-How does nonphysical programming arise out of physicality to then establish control over that physicality? *2-How did inanimate nature give rise to a formally-directed, linear, digital, symbol-based and cybernetic-rich life? *3-What are the necessary and sufficient conditions for turning physics and chemistry into formal controls, regulation, organization, engineering, and computational feats? “The First Gene” directly addresses these questions.

Beyond Intelligent Design: From an autonomous universe to a functional virtual reality
por Efthimios Harokopos (133 páginas)

Is our world autonomous or its existence requires another level of reality that acts in the background to bring about the phenomena? This is an intriguing question that has not been settled by science since the time that the Eleatic philosophers challenged the autonomy of the world 2,500 years ago. If our world is not autonomous, then there are significant implications regarding every aspect of our lives, including our science and religion. Non-autonomy would further imply that life did not emerge by chance but there is an underline intelligence that governs its creation and evolution. In essence, the possibility of a non-autonomous world directly challenges the consistency of modern evolution theory. The intelligent design vs. evolution debate is probably the most controversial one of our times. Beyond Intelligent Design approaches the notorious intelligent design doctrine from a novel perspective based on the virtual reality hypothesis and in a way that allows falsification through experimentation. Obscured facts regarding the foundations of classical but also of modern science are presented that challenge the autonomy of this world. The shaky foundations of modern science warrant the investigation of alternatives, such as theories that deny the autonomy of this world and corroborate the hypothesis of intelligent interaction, which in turn indirectly supports the intelligent design hypothesis. Beyond Intelligent Design takes the reader on a journey in time and space that starts in Elea, at around 550 BC. Elea was a small ancient Greek colony in the south of Italy. It is where the strongest blow to common scientific wisdom was ever delivered by a group of poets and philosophers against efforts to understand the world through observation, experimentation and inductive reasoning. Then, the book proceeds to reconcile the Eleatic arguments with the ideas expressed by Cartesian philosophers of the 17th century, discusses how Descartes, Newton and Leibniz dealt with them and then presents some of the foundational weaknesses of the most successful modern scientific theories, special relativity and quantum mechanics. Beyond Intelligent Design does not attempt to provide direct support to the intelligent design hypothesis but instead argues that science must not exclude alternatives theories, such as those that challenge the autonomy of this world, because such autonomy is not evident. More importantly, the book asserts that alternative theories about the emergence of the world and human life should be part of the educational curriculum because they can provide a balance to the cultivation of human values.

Being as Communion: A Metaphysics of Information
por William Dembski (236 páginas)

In Being as Communion: A Metaphysics of Information, noted mathematician and philosopher William Dembski challenges the oft-made claim that mind is a myth and that everything about us—including our thoughts, our ethics, and our decisions—are ultimately the products of unguided material processes. Dembski provocatively argues that the opposite is true: In light of modern information theory, it is materialism, not mind that is the “myth”. The capstone of a trilogy that includes The Design Inference and No Free Lunch, Being as Communion is already being hailed as “staggeringly original”, “brilliant”, and “a tour de force”.

The Design Inference: Eliminating Chance through Small Probabilities
por William Dembski (264 páginas)

No Free Lunch: Why Specified Complexity Cannot Be Purchased without Intelligence
por William Dembski (432 páginas)

Darwin’s greatest accomplishment was to show how life might be explained as the result of natural selection. But does Darwin’s theory mean that life was unintended? William A. Dembski argues that it does not. As the leading proponent of intelligent design, Dembski reveals a designer capable of originating the complexity and specificity found throughout the cosmos. Scientists and theologians alike will find this book of interest as it brings the question of creation firmly into the realm of scientific debate. The paperback is updated with a new Preface by the author.

The Design Revolution: Answering the Toughest Questions about Intelligent Design
por William Dembski (324 páginas)

Is it science? Is it religion? What exactly is the Design Revolution? Today scientists, mathematicians and philosophers in the intelligent design movement are challenging a certain view of science–one that limits its investigations and procedures to purely law-like and mechanical explanations. They charge that there is no scientific reason to exclude the consideration of intelligence, agency and purpose from truly scientific research. In fact, they say, the practice of science often does already include these factors! As the intelligent design movement has gained momentum, questions have naturally arisen to challenge its provocative claims. In this book William A. Dembski rises to the occasion clearly and concisely answering the most vexing questions posed to the intelligent design program. Writing with nonexperts in mind, Dembski responds to more than sixty questions asked by experts and nonexperts alike who have attended his many public lectures, as well as objections raised in written reviews. The Design Revolution has begun. Its success depends on how well it answers the questions of its detractors. Read this book and you’ll have a good idea of the prospects and challenges facing this revolution in scientific thinking.

Undeniable: How Biology Confirms Our Intuition That Life Is Designed
por Douglas Axe (304 páginas)

Our intuition was right all along.

Evolution: Still a Theory in Crisis
por Michael Denton (354 páginas)

More than thirty years after his landmark book Evolution: A Theory in Crisis (1985), biologist Michael Denton revisits his earlier thesis about the inability of Darwinian evolution to explain the history of life. He argues that there remains “an irresistible consilience of evidence for rejecting Darwinian cumulative selection as the major driving force of evolution”. From the origin of life to the origin of human language, the great divisions in the natural order are still as profound as ever, and they are still unsupported by the series of adaptive transitional forms predicted by Darwin. In addition, Denton makes a provocative new argument about the pervasiveness of non-adaptive order throughout biology, order that cannot be explained by the Darwinian mechanism.

The Edge of Evolution: The Search for the Limits of Darwinism
por Michael Behe (336 páginas)

When Michael J. Behe’s first book, Darwin’s Black Box, was published in 1996, it launched the intelligent design movement. Critics howled, yet hundreds of thousands of readers — and a growing number of scientists — were intrigued by Behe’s claim that Darwinism could not explain the complex machinery of the cell.
Now, in his long-awaited follow-up, Behe presents far more than a challenge to Darwinism: He presents the evidence of the genetics revolution — the first direct evidence of nature’s mutational pathways — to radically redefine the debate about Darwinism.
How much of life does Darwin’s theory explain? Most scientists believe it accounts for everything from the machinery of the cell to the history of life on earth. Darwin’s ideas have been applied to law, culture, and politics.
As a result, for the first time in history Darwin’s theory can be rigorously evaluated. The results are shocking. Although it can explain marginal changes in evolutionary history, random mutation and natural selection explain very little of the basic machinery of life. The “edge” of evolution, a line that defines the border between random and nonrandom mutation, lies very far from where Darwin pointed. Behe argues convincingly that most of the mutations that have defined the history of life on earth have been nonrandom.

A Caixa Preta De Darwin: O Desafio Da Bioquímica À Teoria Da Evolução
por Michael Behe (304 páginas)

A teoria da evolução de Darwin é em geral aceita pelos cientistas. Contudo, desde que Watson e Crick abriram o campo da bioquímica, a ciência vem vivendo um clima de frustração, tentando conciliar as descobertas espantosas desse campo moderno com uma teoria do século XX que não pode explicá-las. Com a publicação de A caixa preta de Darwin, é tempo de os cientistas se permitirem examinar novas e extraordinárias possibilidades, e de ficarmos de sobreaviso com o que vão descobrir.

Signature in the Cell: DNA and the Evidence for Intelligent Design
por Stephen Meyer (624 páginas)

Signature of Controversy: Responses to Critics of Signature in the Cell
por David Klinghoffer (143 páginas)

Signature of Controversy is a response to the 2009 bestseller Signature in the Cell by Stephen C. Meyer, a book recognized as establishing one of the strongest pillars underlying the argument for intelligent design. To call Signature in the Cell important is an understatement. The critical response that followed the publication of Stephen Meyer’s book was fascinating, but the fact is that few—if any—of the critics really grappled with the crux of Meyer’s argument or with the substance of intelligent-design theory. This is remarkable and telling. In Signature of Controversy, defenders of intelligent design analyze the hostile response using the critics’ own writings.

por Stephen Meyer (560 páginas)

Debating Darwin’s Doubt: A Scientific Controversy That Can No Longer Be Denied
por David Klinghoffer (123 páginas)

In 2013 Stephen Meyer’s book Darwin’s Doubt: The Explosive Origin of Animal Life and the Case for Intelligent Design became a national bestseller, provoking a wide-ranging debate about the adequacy of Darwinian theory to explain life’s history. In Debating Darwin’s Doubt: A Scientific Controversy that Can No Longer Be Denied, leading scholars in the intelligent design community respond to critiques of Meyer’s book and show that the core challenge posed by Meyer remains unanswered: Where did the influx of information essential to the creation of new body plans come from? In addition to ten chapters by Stephen Meyer, Debating Darwin’s Doubt also includes contributions from biologists Richard Sternberg, Douglas Axe, and Ann Gauger; philosopher of biology Paul Nelson; mathematicians William Dembski and David Berlinski; and Center for Science and Culture research coordinator Casey Luskin. In forty-four chapters, these contributing authors explore topics such as orphan genes, cladistics, small shelly fossils, protein evolution, the length of the Cambrian explosion, the God-of-the-Gaps objection to intelligent design, and criticisms raised by proponents of theistic evolution. Anyone who wants to understand the cutting-edge of current scientific debates over modern Darwinian theory needs to read this book.

Information Theory, Evolution, and the Origin of Life
por Hubert Yockey (272 páginas)

In the Beginning Was Information
por Werner Gitt (264 páginas)

Information is the cornerstone of life, yet it is something people don’t often think about. In his fascinating new book, In the Beginning Was Information, Dr. Werner Gitt helps the reader see how the very presence of information reveals a Designer: Do we take for granted the presence of information that organizes every part of the human body, from hair color to the way internal organs work? What is the origin of all our complicated data? How is it that information in our ordered universe is organized and processed? Gitt explains the necessity of information – and more importantly, the need for an Organizer and Originator of that information. The huge amount of information present in just a small amount of DNA alone refutes the possibility of a non-intelligent beginning for life. It all points to a Being who not only organizes biological data, but also cares for the creation.

Without Excuse
por Werner Gitt (352 páginas)

Science’s Blind Spot: The Unseen Religion of Scientific Naturalism
por Cornelius Hunter (176 páginas)

Had evolutionists been in charge, they wouldn’t have made the mosquito, planetary orbits would align perfectly, and the human eye would be better designed. But they tend to gloss over their own failed predictions and faulty premises. Naturalists see Darwin’s theories as “logical” and that’s enough. To think otherwise brands you a heretic to all things wise and rational. Science’s Blind Spot takes the reader on an enlightening journey through the ever-evolving theory of evolution. Cornelius G. Hunter goes head-to-head with those who twist textbooks, confuse our children, and reject all challengers before they can even speak. This fascinating, fact-filled resource opens minds to nature in a way that both seeks and sees the intelligent design behind creation’s masterpieces.

Science and Human Origins
por Ann Gauger, Douglas Axe e Casey Luskin (126 páginas)

Deixe um comentário

Logotipo do

Você está comentando utilizando sua conta Sair / Alterar )

Imagem do Twitter

Você está comentando utilizando sua conta Twitter. Sair / Alterar )

Foto do Facebook

Você está comentando utilizando sua conta Facebook. Sair / Alterar )

Foto do Google+

Conectando a %s


Futons and sofa beds offer needed seating while also providing an extra bed for guests. These dual purposes allow for flexibility, particularly in situations where space is limited. Rather than dedicating one room as a space for guests, the futon or sofa bed allows homeowners to use the room as an office, hobby, play or living room while also providing overnight hospitality for guests. But which piece of furniture is better, the futon or the sofa bed?

Futon Benefits

Futons consist of a wood or metal frame and mattress that transitions from a sofa-like construction to a bed. A good quality futon mattress will usually offer more sleeping comfort than a standard sofa bed. Futon mattresses come in soft, medium and firm as well as in twin, queen and full sizes. Such a variety of features is an important selling point for the futon. Sofa beds do not generally offer mattress firmness or, in some cases, size choices. The average futon is a relatively light weight. Futon fans like the portability and good night's sleep that these couches provide.

Sofa Bed Benefits

Unlike a futon, a sofa bed does not broadcast the fact that it also functions as a bed. Most sofa beds look like ordinary couches until the bed is pulled out. The sofa bed transforms into a bed by removing the sofa cushions and pulling out a tri-folding metal frame and mattress. The mattress folds away into the sofa when not in use. Sofa beds tend to offer more comfortable seating than the typical futon. Since the sofa bed looks just like an ordinary sofa, finding a sofa bed that complements the other furniture in the room is usually pretty easy, regardless of decorating preferences or furniture styles.

Futon Disadvantages

Sitting on a futon is not always a comfortable experience compared with the sofa bed. While many futon styles are available, there is no confusing this piece of furniture with a traditional sofa. The appearance of the piece usually screams futon. If a customer cuts too many corners and purchases a thin mattress, the futon will also lose its sleeping comfort advantage.

Sofa Bed Disadvantages

Sofa beds are known for their excessive weight. Moving the sofa bed or taking it up a staircase is much more difficult than moving a futon. This extra size and weight can also make it difficult to get a sofa bed through narrow doorways, which is not a problem for the lightweight and portable futon. Often, sleeping on a sofa bed will feel comfortable at first, but the bed can loose comfort over time because of the thinner mattress and the metal bars that span the bed frame.

Even the most deluxe futon is still considered a casual piece of furniture. Sofa beds are available in either formal or informal styles. But the same futon that stands out unattractively in a formally decorated room might add just the right touch of casual comfort to a more relaxed decor.

Cleaning a futon is a simple as removing and washing the fabric cover. Even a slip covered sofa bed presents more of a cleaning challenge. It requires a good deal of time and effort to remove, wash, iron and replace a slipcover on the average sofa bed. If there is no slipcover, cleaning the upholstery presents even more of a challenge. When a futon cover becomes worn out, replacing it is much less expensive than having a sofa bed reupholstered.

The futon is considerably less expensive than the average sofa bed.


With a growing pressure to work excessive hours each day, maintaining a good work-life balance is becoming increasingly difficult for regular business owners. Many entrepreneurs exceed the number of hours deemed safe to work every week, with it having an effect on their mental and physical health.

With that in mind, what can you do to ensure that you have the perfect balance between your work and family life? Whilst everyone’s idea of this is different, we’ve compiled some tips to help you get out of the office and spend more time with the people you care about.

Man half business half home life

Switch Off

With mobiles, tablets and laptops all being easily accessible from home, sometimes it can be hard to switch off from work. It’s all too easy to check that notification when it pops up on your phone but just because you can access your emails whilst you’re in the bath, doesn’t mean you have to.

Make a promise to yourself that you aren’t going to check your emails before a certain time each morning and after a certain time each night. Anything that comes through to you before 7am or after 7pm isn’t likely to be resolved out of office hours anyway, so don’t stress yourself out by engaging with it.

Testimnial of Numberjuice Invoicing Software

Say No To Perfection

This is both a positive and negative trait of many entrepreneurs that often leads to too much time being spent in the office and not enough time spent with friends and family. Many successful business people pick up perfectionist habits at a young age and carry them into adulthood. Unfortunately, as you get older your responsibilities also tend to grow, making it impossible to ever reach true perfection.

If you want to ditch the work in favour of some quality time with loved ones, you have to stop looking for that perfect end product. Running your own business, you’ll be constantly evolving and adapting your products or services anyway, so don’t be afraid to take some well-deserved time off and come back to your projects later.

Get To Know Nature

Spending time exercising, meditating and going on short trips away will help you to better understand the need for rest and relaxation. Nowadays, most people don’t even stop for their lunch, so appreciating the importance of taking breaks is impossible.

Alongside topping up that all important vitamin D, spending time outdoors can clear your mind of all those work worries and force you to spend more time on yourself. So get lost in the forest with your family and take the time to just do nothing – your mind and your body will thank you for it.


Best Reasons to Maintain Personal Journal

Lots of people own personal bullet journal, but do not often write in them. It appears they’ve a bit of a desire to maintain a journal or else they would not own one. Nevertheless they simply can not appear to discover the time to compose. Giving someone a “why” can frequently help them determine the how. Here are 3 good reasons to put aside some time on a constant basis to compose a journal.

#1 Journaling joins pathways in the mind. Were you aware that the action of cursive writing really reinforces the mind? From the publication The Brain That Changes Itself, we learn of that research which was conducted, demonstrating that something powerful is going on upstairs once we participate in the physical action of cursive writing. The mind really creates new pathways. Cursive writing is an excellent treatment for anybody, particularly those who want neurological recovery. For some reason cursive writing is more valuable than manuscript, and the two are far better for mind health compared to using a digital device like a computer, ipadmobile, phone, or ipod.
#2 Journaling is discovered to be quite therapeutic. Therapists throughout the world have incorporated journaling to the therapeutic apps they set their patients around. A bullet journal is an excellent spot to work out hard memories, come to terms with despair, release anxiety, anxiety, anger, and a series of different emotions that generally keep bottled up within causing anxiety to the body that translates into sickness and a decrease in the quality of life. Simply let it to your journal. It could help you feel a whole lot better.
#3 Writing down your goals, dreams, dreams, and dreams, is essential if you hope to achieve them. We have learned from a number of different self-help or achievement, gurus that it’s a vitally important measure. Stephen Covey teaches in 7 Habits of Highly Successful People that “Composing Crystalizes Thought”. What better place is there to write down your dreams than on your personal journal? You’ve got a lot greater prospect of understanding them.


понедельник, 31 октября 2011 г.

Fluency vs. Accuracy. What is most important? Answer: fluency.

- to become aware of what is involved in speaking
- to become aware of the implications for classroom practice
- to indentify different task  types
- to be able to evaluate a variety of speaking activities and adapt speaking skills
Materials should be interesting for students.
The characteristics of a successful speaking activity are:
- Learners talk a lot - as much as possible of the period of time allotted to the activity in fact occupied by learner talk.
- Participation is even - all get a chance to speak.
- Motivation is high - learners are eager to speak: because they are interested in the topic and have something new to say aboout it.
- Language is of an acceptable kevel - learners express themselves in utterances that are relevant.
The problem with
- inhibition
- nothing to say
- low on uneven participation
- mother-tongue use
Solve Problems in Speaking:
- use group work
- keep students speaking the target language
- talk together with students as much as possible
- give a lot of encouragement and praise
- correct mistakes at the end of the lesson in private.
Types of Speaking Activities:
Interviews, surveys, questionnaires, guessing games, communication games, drama, debates, simulations, role plays, problem-solving activities etc.
Finally, need practice, feel comfortable, be creatively. Do it!

Комментариев нет:

Отправить комментарий

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...


Hardening mechanisms in metals with foreign atomsReportar como inadecuado

Hardening mechanisms in metals with foreign atoms - Descarga este documento en PDF. Documentación en PDF para descargar gratis. Disponible también para leer online.

Abstract : A survey of possible mechanisms impeding and influencing glide processes in metals with impurities solutes and particles is given. After putting together the elementary interactions, the threshold stress for a single dislocation is considered, its successful calculations for T = 0 and the effects of thermal fluctuations are summarized. Then the behaviour of many dislocations moving either independently of each other or in correlated groups is discussed for solid solutions in stage I, the simultaneous occurrence of hardening and softening mechanisms in pointed out. Finally, the dislocation-dislocation interactions of strain hardening are taken into account. In general, they superimpose on the dislocation-impurity interactions not in a simply additive, but in a multiplicative way.

Keywords : hardening impurity dislocation interactions slip glide impurities thermal fluctuations dislocations solid solutions softening dislocation dislocation interactions dislocation impurity interactions

Autor: C. Schwink

Fuente: https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/

Documentos relacionados


Format: Paperback

Language: English

Format: PDF / Kindle / ePub

Size: 12.37 MB

Downloadable formats: PDF

Thomas Hardy preferred fantasy over realism, claiming that “a story must be exceptional enough to justify its telling,” and that a writer must have “something more unusual to relate than the ordinary experience of every average man and woman.”2 1. They're tracking down a tiger that has appeared in the area recently, around the time Atsushi came to the area. I didn�t find the characters to be likable, but if you can get past that, the book has a lot to offer.

Pages: 238

Publisher: Hippocampus Press (August 20, 2012)

ISBN: 1614980497

Unutterable Horror: A History of Supernatural Fiction, Volume 1

Rhapsody: Notes on Strange Fictions

Stephen King and Philosophy (Great Authors and Philosophy)

Separate from his literary production, Hawthorne wrote expansively on literary theory and criticism. His theories exemplify the Romantic spirit in American letters at mid-century. He espoused the conviction that objects can hold significance deeper than their apparent meaning, and that the symbolic nature of reality was the most fertile ground for literature Lovecraft's Southern Vacation: A Robert E. Howard LitCrit TriplePunchPack! Lovecraft's Southern Vacation: A Robert. Such topics can range from marital infidelity to more outlandish topics. Additionally, the guests are encouraged to make public confessions, and even resolve their issues via on-camera "group therapy." [17] Television documentary: A genre of television programming that broadcasts documentaries Thinking Horror Volume 1 Thinking Horror Volume 1. Theological - Combining the strands of science with religion to explore how important the latter is to the former , source: Primal Sources: Essays on H. P. Lovecraft Primal Sources: Essays on H. P.. Social: The ace-in-the-hole is social. the Po valley would flood. which trap a substantial amount of the world’s water. baby. Mental: The ace-in-the-hole is mental. it offers story ideas to flesh out the series. and possibly the horror of whatever monsters accompany that fate. locking it up near the poles. most cults have some ace-in-the-hole (AITH) to frustrate the hero. more importantly. one meteor Fairies (The Celtic Tales for download for free Fairies (The Celtic Tales for Sagas and. These can be tricky to find, as many writers seem to shy away from the "Gothic" label, but at the end of the day, if a piece of art concentrates on certain aspects of the human mind or experience, it is considered "Gothic". The most prominent features of Gothic horror fiction are terror and mystery. This is far too wide a definition, as simply including a bit of horror and mystique in your text would hardly qualify it as "Gothic" download. The realism of “Scream”; a psycho killer changes to the surreal in “The Ring”; a supernatural child killer. This suggests that psycho killers are being replaced with the supernatural killer and therefore the horror genre itself is changing Gothic and Racism Gothic and Racism.

Sometimes it is used to characterize or explain events that people consider extraordinary (see also preternatural or paranormal). A concept of the supernatural is generally identified with religion, although there is much debate as to whether a conception of the supernatural is necessary for religion download Lovecraft Annual No. 6 (2012) epub. Geoff Ryman’s 1992 novel Was (British title "Was. . ."), described by its author as the work of a "fantasy writer who fell in love with realism," is set in a version of the American Midwest that seems strongly influenced by such naturalist writers as Hamlin Garland and Frank Norris, and on the surface offers few of the solaces of traditional fantasy , source: Danse Macabre Danse Macabre. Hybrid texts mix and match a range of genres. They draw on formats that have proven popularity. used in film and television. The name derived from the idea that events are seen candidly, as a fly on a wall might see them ref.: The Horror Comics: Fiends, Freaks and Fantastic Creatures, 1940s-1980s The Horror Comics: Fiends, Freaks and.

A Nightmare on Elm Street - Web Reference eBook

Shadow Writer the Non-Fiction Vol 2: Articles and Essays

Lovecraft: Disturbing the Universe

I suppose the kindest thing would be to put you out of your misery. Slasher is a very popular horror film subgenre, but it is also a term used to describe books of the same nature. Slasher Horror often involves a large cast of victims that are slaughtered one by one. The antagonist is usually a psychopathic murderer that acts alone Frankenstein, or The Modern download here Frankenstein, or The Modern Prometheus:. And again, unfortunately, he is too powerful to easily learn from his mistakes and woe to any heroes who must fight him. Weakness: Centurions become impaired, and then disabled, if they go for more than a few days without vampire blood. Centurion Half-Bloods are more than just Renfields. They’ve been fed and trained on a regimen of vampire blood until their cells and body have adapted to it Lovecraft Annual No. 6 (2012) online. Ad- Use Silence (Deception or Intimidation): Silence is often uncomfortable and investigators use it to get people engaged in nervous chatter and to reveal information unintentionally. or perhaps Expertise: Arcane to bypass mystical wards. however. though it’s also illegal without a search warrant. binoculars , cited: Dollar Deal: The Story of the Stephen King Dollar Baby Filmmakers Dollar Deal: The Story of the Stephen. Thrillers and suspense fiction are paired together because thrillers often utilize suspense elements in the development of the story—evil lurking just around the corner that motivates the protagonist to hunt down and capture the villain-at-large. Although both thrillers and mysteries often involve the protagonist solving a crime and bringing bad guys to justice, the central conflict of thrillers/suspense focuses on developing an urgent sense of imminent jeopardy rather than solving a mystery or the detection of a crime download Lovecraft Annual No. 6 (2012) pdf. If she decides that the laws of nature as she knows them can remain unchanged and still allow for the phenomena described, the novel is in the genre of "the uncanny," or supernatural explained. For the source of Todorov's notion of the uncanny, see the entry on Freud's Unheimlich. Examples: Comparing the works of Horace Walpole and Clara Reeves illustrates the difference between "marvelous" and "uncanny" works read Lovecraft Annual No. 6 (2012) pdf, azw (kindle).

THE DREAD AND PORTENT OF LOVECRAFT'S NECRONOMICON: Horror Fiction as Socio-historical Commentary

Gothic and Racism

Dollar Deal: The Story of the Stephen King Dollar Baby Filmmakers

Touchstones: Essays on the Fantastic

Monstrous media/spectral subjects: Imaging gothic fictions from the nineteenth century to the present (International Gothic MUP)

True Ghost Stories: True Ghost Stories Of Terrifying Paranormal Activity, Haunted Houses And Spooky Places From Around The World (True Ghost Stories, ... and Hauntings, True Paranormal) (Volume 1)

A Nightmare on Elm Street - Web Reference eBook

Demon-Lovers and Their Victims in British Fiction

Action novels include "The Rainmaker," "Rainbow Six" and "Timeline." Horror films scare, terrify and keep the audience in suspense. The horror genre often includes supernatural happenings, special effects, the living dead, monsters and aliens as well as serial killers Critical Insights: Dracula download for free Critical Insights: Dracula. In spite of such general disagreements over usage, there are some definitive and universal statements one can make regarding the nature of the Romantic Movement in both England and America. First and foremost, Romanticism is concerned with the individual more than with society. The individual consciousness and especially the individual imagination are especially fascinating for the Romantics. “Melancholy” was quite the buzzword for the Romantic poets, and altered states of consciousness were often sought after in order to enhance one’s creative potential Unnatural Reproductions and Monstrosity: The Birth of the Monster in Literature, Film, and Media Unnatural Reproductions and Monstrosity:. Use short sentences to create tension, and choose the most descriptive words you can to describe the action. Instead of saying "yelled," for example, choose "shrieked" or "hollered." "This article was incredibly helpful to me as for a piece of homework I need to write a Gothic style narrative The Evolution of Vampires in read pdf The Evolution of Vampires in Fiction:. He has prepared editions of the work of H What They Wrote What They Wrote. But today 1% of films are rarely banned, instead they are cut and made an over 18. this allows viewers to see more explicit content. How zombies have changed over time: How zombies have changed over time The first zombies did not look very realistic as in the 1930’s they did not have the technology or makeup skills to do so , source: A Brief History of Zombies A Brief History of Zombies. After all, who better to pin a murder on than a convicted murderer. Barrymore's late-night mischief turns out to be innocent, and the convicted murderer turns out to not be involved in the mysterious deaths ref.: Lovecraft's Southern Vacation: A Robert E. Howard LitCrit TriplePunchPack! Lovecraft's Southern Vacation: A Robert. Among the current writers one of the most famous is Stephen King, who made a lot of best-sellers. Another branch of the Horror story, and related to the ghost stories, is the gothic literature, that developed in the 17th century: it is featured by hollow settings, and the characters are often evil creatures Supernatural Sinophone Taiwan read for free Supernatural Sinophone Taiwan and Beyond. It is the anniversary of the death of their friend Sam, and the game will star actors Hayden Panettiere, Rami Malek, and Brett Dalton. No tentative release date has been announced. Silent Hills: The game Silent Hills was just revealed yesterday through the unique means of a teaser demo called P , cited: Ghost Writing in Contemporary read for free Ghost Writing in Contemporary American. Four Flies on Grey Velvet is the final film in Argento’s infamous (but in no way structurally connected) “animal trilogy.” Four Flies literalizes the eye as a photographic camera, toying with the theory that a dead person’s retina retains the last image he or she sees before they die. This especially homoerotic entry into Argento’s canon borrows heavily from Peeping Tom and injects one of Hitchcock’s favorite subjects into the script: the innocent man, wrongly accused Terrors of Uncertainty (Routledge Revivals): The Cultural Contexts of Horror Fiction Terrors of Uncertainty (Routledge. Commentary: George Romero, John Carpenter, Tom Savini, David Cronenberg, Wes Craven, Tobe Hooper, John Landis. Knife-weilding murderers, buxom teens fleeing for their lives, the undead limping across streets. These images are synonymous with horror movies. Go behind-the-scenes with filmmaker greats as they reveal their inspirations for some of the most disturbingly gruesome films that have emerged on screen ref.: The Gothic Novel 1790-1830: Plot Summaries and Index to Motifs The Gothic Novel 1790-1830: Plot.

Rated 4.8/5
based on 910 customer reviews


Registry Healer icon

Registry Healer

โดย KsL Software

Registry Healer is a great app app for Windows in to help you get the most out of your device. Developed by KsL Software, it’s a tool that is 96% ปลอดภัย according to the service report from Virus Total. Unlike other similar apps in its category such as USBDeview, Argente Registry Cleaner, BlueScreenView, Startup Sentinel, Registry Life, RefreshPC, Registry Healer includes many features in its 4.24MB compared to the average program size of 2.53MB in its category. Additionally, the app can be used in Windows devices with the version or higher. Registry Healer has reached a total of 2,341 downloads on Uptodown. Furthermore, in the latest version, 5.4.1, updated on 23.07.14, the program has been improved and includes slight error corrections.

Rate this App

Uptodown X


SADfest NJ is a multi-day music festival coming in July 2016. The purpose of the festival is to raise awareness of suicide, addiction, and depression and give others a chance to provide support for those who need it. By hosting this festival, we are creating a community initiative to battle those undesirable issues. This initiative will strengthen our community by providing an opportunity for people to feel proud knowing that they can make a difference and also by providing an opportunity for others to feel included, accepted, and appreciated.

Depressive disorders affect 21 million people per year.

With an addiction problem, those people are 6 times more likely to attempt suicide.

A person commits suicide every 12.9 minutes.

Build our music scene to be a safe environment where everyone can feel accepted and appreciated.

Educate attendees about mental illness to reduce the social stigma against it and encourage community support.

Fundraise for non-profit mental health organizations that share similar goals.


Psychic Rogue

NOTE: This class hasn’t actually been house ruled. I just posted it here from the Wizards of the Coast site for easy reference. See

Adventures: Unlike their nonpsionic cousins, psychic rogues have discovered their innate talent for psionics and how to best put it to use in their chosen way of life. Understandably they follow a slightly different path that foregoes some of the standards of typical rogue training in favor of developing their psionic prowess.

Characteristics: While skilled in stealthy movement and other arts requiring subtlety, the psychic rogue also depends on his psionic abilities to deal with whatever the world brings his way. Those attracted to the ways of stealth and darkness may find the psychic rogue an attractive choice. Their use of psionic powers also attracts those who have a wish to enhance their mental abilities. The combination of his skills and psionic powers make for a dangerous foe, so those who claim any psychic rogue as an enemy had best watch out for unusual tactics.

Alignment: As with rogues, psychic rogues look for the next opportunity and do not often hold tight to specific ideals. As a result, psychic rogues can be of any of alignment.

Religion: Diversity is one of the keys to the psychic rogue, so while common choices of worship include Olidammara (god of thieves) or Nerull (god of death), these choices are but a small percentage of the actual variety of deities worshiped by psychic rogues. In fact, some psychic rogues choose not to worship a deity at all.

Background: Psychic rogues can learn their skills in a variety of ways. Some work with organizations that utilize the skills of psychic rogues during the course of their activities. In this case, the psychic rogue can learn skills while working with a mentor or from a series of mentors. Others learn their skills while on the streets of a city where psionic powers are not uncommon. Again, a mentor or series of tutors may provide the skills a psychic rogue possesses. In any case, psychic rogues prefer not to tout their skills to the public at large given the nature of their skillset.

Races: Psychic rogues are commonly humans, duergar, elans, elves, halflings, gnomes, xephs, or half-elves. Dwarves, githzerai, half-giants, maenads, thri-kreen, and half-orcs are rarely psychic rogues, but sometimes one will feel drawn to the class.

Other Classes: Psychic rogues, like rogues, work well with those who can serve as distractions or who can provide a buffer in combat, such as a soulknife, psychic warrior, or fighter. Other psionic characters and arcane or divine casters may complement the powers of the psychic rogue. They prefer to stay away from those who have obvious problems with stealthy methods, such as paladins and clerics. At times, they dislike dealing with large groups due to the sheer numbers, and sometimes they find themselves irritated at another group member’s inability to move a bit more quietly in situations that call for silence.

Role: Because the psychic rogue has access to psionic powers, he can bolster his own abilities. Depending on the skills and focus the psychic rogue chooses to follow in this class, this could make the character great at conning others, superb at gathering information, or excellent at moving through a dungeon without being noticed. In combat, the psychic rogue has a few options for both attacking personally (though usually opportunistically) or with psionic capability. This makes the psychic rogue quite adaptable to a variety of situations. His ability to detect and disable traps can also assist a party as a whole in moving through an area controlled by an enemy that has no qualms about placing deathly obstacles in the way.

Game Rule Information

Abilities: As with the rogue, psychic rogues find Dexterity to be of high importance on their chosen path both for the ability to gain extra protection and due to the skills they favor. Also, Intelligence provides the psychic rogue with more skill points to spread among his skills, and high scores in both Intelligence and Wisdom assist with other skills psychic rogues find useful.

Alignment: Any.

Hit Die: d6.

Class Skills

Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 6 + Int modifier.

Class Features

All the following are class features of the psychic rogue.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Psychic rogues are proficient with all simple weapons, plus the hand crossbow, rapier, sap, shortbow, and short sword. Psychic rogues are proficient with light armor, but not with shields.

Power Points/Day: A psychic rogue’s ability to manifest powers is limited by the power points he has available. His base daily allotment of power points is given on Table: The Psychic Rogue. In addition, he receives bonus power points per day if he has a high Intelligence score (see Table: Ability Modifiers and Bonus Power Points). His race may also provide bonus power points per day, as may certain feats and items. A 1st-level psychic rogue gains no power points for his class level, but he gains bonus power points (if he is entitled to any) and can manifest the single power he knows with those power points.

Powers Known: A psychic rogue begins play knowing one psychic rogue power of your choice. With the exception of 4th, 8th, 12th, 16th, and 20th levels, each time he achieves a new level, he unlocks the knowledge of a new power.

Choose the powers known from the psychic rogue power list. (Exception: The feats Expanded Knowledge and Epic Expanded Knowledge do allow a psychic rogue to learn powers from the lists of other classes.) A psychic rogue can manifest any power that has a power point cost equal to or lower than his manifester level.

The total number of powers a psychic rogue can manifest in a day is limited only by his daily power points.

The Difficulty Class for saving throws against psychic rogue powers is 10 + the power’s level + the psychic rogue’s Intelligence modifier.

Maximum Power Level Known: A psychic rogue begins play with the ability to learn 1st-level powers. As he attains higher levels, he may gain the ability to master more complex powers.

To learn or manifest a power, a psychic rogue must have an Intelligence score of at least 10 + the power’s level.

Sneak Attack: If a psychic rogue can catch an opponent when she cannot defend herself effectively from his attack, he can strike a vital spot for extra damage.

Basically, the psychic rogue’s attack deals extra damage any time his target would be denied a Dexterity bonus to AC (whether the target actually has a Dexterity bonus or not), or when the psychic rogue flanks his target. This extra damage is 1d6 at 1st level, and it increases by 1d6 every three psychic rogue levels thereafter. Should the psychic rogue score a critical hit with a sneak attack, this extra damage is not multiplied.

With a sap (blackjack) or an unarmed strike, a psychic rogue can make a sneak attack that deals nonlethal damage instead of lethal damage. He cannot use a weapon that deals lethal damage to deal nonlethal damage in a sneak attack, not even with the usual -4 penalty, because he must make optimal use of his weapon to execute a sneak attack.

A psychic rogue can sneak attack only living creatures with discernible anatomies—undead, constructs, oozes, plants, and incorporeal creatures lack vital areas to attack. Any creature that is immune to critical hits is not vulnerable to sneak attacks. The psychic rogue must be able to see the target well enough to pick out a vital spot and must be able to reach such a spot. A psychic rogue cannot sneak attack while striking a creature with concealment or striking the limbs of a creature whose vitals are beyond reach.

Trapfinding: Psychic rogues can use the Search skill to locate traps when the task has a Difficulty Class higher than 20.

Finding a nonmagical trap has a DC of at least 20, or higher if it is well hidden. Finding a magic or psionic trap has a DC of 25 + the level of the spell or power used to create it.

Psychic rogues can use the Disable Device skill to disarm magic and psionic traps. Magic and psionic traps generally have a DC of 25 + the level of the spell or power used to create them.

A psychic rogue who beats a trap’s DC by 10 or more with a Disable Device check can study a trap, figure out how it works, and bypass it (with his party) without disarming it.

Evasion (Ex): At 2nd level and higher, a psychic rogue can avoid even magical and unusual attacks with great agility. If he makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, he instead takes no damage. Evasion can be used only if the psychic rogue is wearing light armor or no armor. A helpless psychic rogue does not gain the benefit of evasion.

Danger Sense (Su): At 5th level, a psychic rogue gains the ability to augment his ability to sense danger. When active, this ability grants the psychic rogue the effects of the danger sense power. This ability is active as long as the psychic rogue maintains psionic focus.

At 7th level, the psychic rogue’s danger sense ability gains the effects of a single augmentation and he is granted the effects of the uncanny dodge ability. While his danger sense ability is active, the psychic rogue can react to danger before his senses would normally allow him to do so. He retains his Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) even if he is caught flat-footed or struck by an invisible attacker. However, he still loses his Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized. If a psychic rogue already has uncanny dodge from a different class (a psychic rogue with at least two levels of barbarian, for example), he automatically gains improved uncanny dodge (see below) instead.

At 9th level, he gains a second augmentation and is granted the effects of the improved uncanny dodge ability. While his danger sense ability is active, the psychic rogue cannot be flanked; he can react to opponents on opposite sides of him as easily as he can react to a single attacker. This defense denies another rogue the ability to sneak attack the character by flanking him, unless the attacker has at least four more rogue levels than the target does. If a character already has uncanny dodge (see above) from a second class, the character automatically gains improved uncanny dodge instead, and the levels from the classes that grant uncanny dodge stack to determine the minimum rogue level required to flank the character.

Special Abilities: On attaining 11th level, and at every three levels thereafter (14th, 17th, and 20th), a psychic rogue gains a special ability of his choice from among the following options.

Blind Spot (Ps): The psychic rogue can use this ability once per day. While in effect, the psychic rogue can attempt to make himself completely undetectable to any single creature as if manifesting the cloud mind power with a manifester level equal to his psychic rogue level. If the target creature fails its save, the psychic rogue can remain hidden as long as he maintains concentration on this ability.

Decoy (Ps): Once a day, the psychic rogue can create an illusionary duplicate of himself. The illusion functions as a project image spell with a caster level equal to his psychic rogue level, except that it lasts as long as he maintains concentration, to a maximum of 1 round per caster level.

Enhanced Sneak Attack (Su): When the psychic rogue has psionic focus, he adds psionic damage to his sneak attacks. This ability increases his sneak attack damage by +1d6. (For example, an 11th-level psychic rogue would deal +5d6 damage with a sneak attack instead of +4d6). This ability may be selected up to three times.

Improved Evasion (Ex): This ability works like evasion, except that while the psychic rogue still takes no damage on a successful Reflex saving throw against attacks, he henceforth takes only half damage on a failed save. A helpless psychic rogue does not gain the benefit of improved evasion.

Mind Cripple (Su): A psychic rogue with this ability has learned to focus psychic energy into his sneak attacks, which disrupts the mental capability of his foe. An opponent damaged by one of his sneak attacks also takes 2 points of Intelligence damage. Ability points lost to damage return on their own at the rate of 1 point per day for each damaged ability.

Shadow Jump (Ps): The psychic rogue gains the ability to travel between shadows. This ability works like the psionic dimension door power with a manifester level equal to his psychic rogue level, except as follows: The transport must begin and end in an area with at least some shadow. A psychic rogue can jump up to a total of 60 feet each day in this way; this can be a single jump of 60 feet or he can split the total distance he can jump each day among many jumps, but each one, no matter how small, counts as a 10-foot jump.

The psychic rogue can select this ability up to three times and he adds 60 feet to the daily total each time he selects it.

The psychic rogue can expend his psionic focus to use this ability as a move action.

Skill Mastery: The psychic rogue becomes so certain in the use of specific skills that he can use them reliably even under adverse conditions. Upon gaining this ability, he selects a number of skills equal to 3 + his Intelligence modifier. When making a skill check with one of these skills, he may take 10 even if stress and distractions would normally prevent him from doing so. A psychic rogue may gain this special ability multiple times, selecting additional skills for it to apply to each time.

Slippery Mind (Ex): This ability represents the psychic rogue’s ability to wriggle free from magical or psionic effects that would otherwise control or compel him. If a psychic rogue with slippery mind is affected by an enchantment spell or effect and fails his saving throw, he can attempt it again 1 round later at the same Difficulty Class. He gets only this one extra chance to succeed on his saving throw.

Feat: A psychic rogue can gain a bonus feat in place of a special ability.

Your title here…

Psychic Rogue

The World Born Dead mrlost


Recycle Bins For Your Property

Generally, the increasing environmental awareness has led to most people preferring changing their old litter bins to the recycle bins. Many countries have actually made recycle bins mandatory, and most of these countries choose to change the law so as to prevent littering and ensure practical and convenient liter disposal and waste management. It is worth noting that recycling is simply a process of separating liter into groups which are usually glass, metal and paper. This is an excellent way of protecting the environment and make our neighborhood always safer and cleaner.

Most glass recycling bins are usually designed for easy recognition and are marked with slogans that promotes recycling on a green or blue background along with the recycling symbol that is universally accepted. My Recycle bins are sometimes different in color so as to enable the user to differentiate between the kinds of waste materials to be placed in them. This makes it very simple to use recycle bins, hence you do not have any difficulties when you dispose your liter. Even though there is universal standard, it is important to know that the blue color is commonly used in indicating that a bin for recycling in public places.

recycling bins south africa

You will definitely be helping our planet conserve materials and energy in case you choose to use the recycle bins. The market is full of wide range of recycle bins with pioneer plastic recycle bins being durable and of high quality. These bins come in different sizes and volume such as twenty five liter linking recycle bin and many more. Recycle bins can be used in kitchen, living room, garden and any other place of your choice. Apart from quality and durability, it is also important that you consider the recycle bin design, hence you may choose either modern or traditional recycle bins design.

Contact today


Dee Why Library

Education & Training, Library

725 Pittwater Road, Dee Why NSW

Opening Times

Monday - Thursday 9.00am - 8.00pm
Friday 9.00am - 6.00pm
Saturday 10.00am - 4.00pm
Sunday 2.00pm - 5.00pm

Dee Why Library has public computers with free internet and word processing, research rooms, reference collections and access to many online databases. They also have printing, photocopy, and fax services. This library provides free access to a collection of over 200,000 resources for your learning and enjoyment.

Need to know

Appointment: Not required.
Referral: Not required.
Catering to: All ages.
Cost: Both free and paid services.
Parent or guardian: Not required.
Languages: English


A research by a group of scientists on Bdelloid rotifers, microscopic aquatic animals that live in watery or occasionally wet habitats including ponds, rivers, soils, and on mosses and lichens, shows that these organisms have not had sex for the past 40 million years. But, these organisms have still managed to evolve into distinct species thus challenging the theory that sexual reproduction is essential for two entities of the same species two have distinct characteristics.

Biological theories apart, how could these species not think of sex. I mean the basic urge that drives the male of a species to engross in a fight with another male to get a chance to mate with the female of that species has been curbed in these species. Life must be real boring being one of these Bdelloid guys.

Click on the link below to read more,


In Brief
SpaceX's BFR is set to have a huge impact on our capacity to travel to other planets. However, Elon Musk wants to use it to revolutionize long-distance travel on Earth, too.

Earlier this week, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk teased “unexpected applications” for the company’s interplanetary transportation technology, set to be detailed during his presentation at the International Astronautical Congress. We now know what he was referring to — ultra-fast long-distance travel right here on Earth.

SpaceX’s BFR will be capable of taking astronauts to the Moon and Mars, but it’s also set to dramatically reduce the time it takes to travel between major cities. Musk claims that it could be used to travel anywhere on Earth in less than an hour.

Travelling between New York City and Shanghai will apparently take just 39 minutes. Passengers could head to Dubai from London in just 29 minutes or make it from Los Angeles to Toronto in 24 minutes.

Despite the BFR’s incredible speed — the craft would reach 18,000 miles per hour at its peak — the ride would be pretty comfortable, according to Musk. In a tweet posted shortly after his presentation, he explained that the ascent would feel like a “mild to moderate amusement park ride,” and the journey itself would be smooth, peaceful, and silent right up until landing.


You are currently browsing the tag archive for the ‘led screen’ tag.

In a follow-up to my previous post on the best laptop screen – MacBook Pro 15″ LED backlit screen, I’ve discovered why the laptop screen is quite different in displaying the same photo as compared to something like a Samsung SyncMaster 206bw which I use as my secondary display.

It comes down to screen gamut [pronounced gammet], or how many colors a display can accurately represent. For example, a black and white display has less gamut than a color CRT with a dead electron gun, which in turn has less gamut than a fresh new Apple MacBook Pro LED screen.

Viewing a dedicated display like the Samsung side-by-side with any laptop screen, will make the laptop screen look “washed-out” in terms of color, simply because the laptop screen cannot produce as many different colors. At extremes you’ll have one color replace another, for example, light reds replacing what should be orange hues (which is the most notable deficiency in colors of the MacBook Pro LED screens).

This doesn’t mean the MacBook Pro LED screen is bad, it’s actually the best in terms of color gamut amongst all of the previous Apple laptop screens.

For a more in-depth discussion of color gamut on the MacBook Pro 15″ LED displays, check out these posts from James Duncan Davidson and Rob Gailbraith.


Reps. Nadler, Petri, and Conyers Reintroduce the Bipartisan State Secrets Protection Act

Oct 23, 2013 Issues: Civil Liberties, Civil Rights

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressmembers Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), the Ranking Democrat on the Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice, Tom Petri (R-WI), and John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI), the Ranking Democrat of the Judiciary Committee, reintroduced legislation that would ensure meaningful judicial determination of the state secrets privilege. The bipartisan State Secrets Protection Act would curb abuse of the privilege while providing protection for valid state secrets.

The state secrets privilege allows the government to withhold evidence in litigation if its disclosure would harm national security.  The purpose of the privilege is to protect legitimate state secrets. However, if it is not properly policed by the courts, it can be abused to conceal embarrassing or unlawful conduct whose disclosure poses no genuine threat to national security.

“In recent years, the executive branch has used the state secret privilege aggressively, often seeking outright dismissal of entire cases based on the claim that the very subject matter of a case is too secret to be heard by a court. This troubling trend cannot continue.  The basic rights and freedoms that we cherish as a nation are meaningless without the means to enforce them,” said Rep. Nadler.  “This important bill recognizes that protecting sensitive information is an important responsibility for any administration and requires that courts protect legitimate state secrets while preventing the premature and sweeping dismissal of entire cases.  The right to seek protection from the courts is fundamental to protecting basic civil liberties and it must not be sacrificed to overbroad claims of secrecy.”

“Especially nowadays where recent revelations about intrusions on personal privacy have caused a growing distrust in government, it’s important that the law is clear and the executive branch is held accountable.  I’m sure there are cases where national security is truly at risk, and that information must be protected,” said Rep. Petri. “But we shouldn’t have to simply take the executive branch’s word for it.  Shouldn’t an independent, responsible party apart from the executive branch review the material to determine when and how national security really necessitates restricting the use of sensitive material? The answer is, quite obviously, yes. We have a similar procedure for criminal cases, and we need one for civil cases as well.”

“In matters of national security, the federal government has a duty to protect sensitive information from being improperly disclosed. However, there have been incidents in the past where the federal government abused the state secrets privilege to protect information that, while posing no true harm to national security, proved embarrassing to the government. As recent revelations regarding the executive branch’s sweeping surveillance programs have confirmed, robust oversight and meaningful checks on executive branch authorities are critical to safeguarding our civil rights,” said Rep. Conyers. “This legislation, which provides long overdue guidance to the courts on how to handle executive branch assertions of secrecy in civil litigation, will protect citizens’ civil liberties from further abuse while maintaining the legitimate exercise of the state secrets privilege.”

In 1953, the widows of three civilian engineers filed a civil case against the government for negligence in a military airplane crash that killed their husbands.  The government, citing national security concerns, refused to provide an accident report of the crash.  The Supreme Court, in U.S. v. Reynolds, upheld that refusal, without ever reviewing the accident report itself.  When the report was discovered through an internet search 50 years later, it did not reveal any secret military information but, instead, showed the government’s negligence in the crash.

More recently, the executive branch’s increased use of the privilege to dismiss cases challenging the most troubling aspects of the war on terror – including rendition, torture, warrantless wiretapping, and the lethal targeting of U.S. citizens – has highlighted the need to ensure that judges do not simply accept a government’s secrecy claim at face value.  Regardless of the administration in office, there is a continued need for clear guidance on proper court handling of executive branch secrecy claims.

The bipartisan State Secrets Protection Act is modeled on existing protections and procedures for handling secret evidence.  Specifically, the bill would require a court to make an independent assessment of the privilege claim, and would allow evidence to be withheld only if “public disclosure of the evidence that the government seeks to protect would be reasonably likely to cause significant harm to the national defense or diplomatic relations of the United States.”

Under the bill, when this standard is met, a judge must protect the evidence from harmful disclosure, and shall consider whether a non-privileged substitute can be created that would prevent an unnecessary dismissal of the claims.  Through these reasonable and uniform procedures and standards, the bill would strengthen national security and the rule of law, and would help restore checks and balances.


Hello everyone!

My name is Abby and I am so excited that you are visiting my blog! Blogging is something I never really saw myself doing, but decided I have a lot to say most of the time so why not.

I am obsessed with elephants. I find random quotes to be inspiring. I spell everything wrong. I contradict myself all the time. I have plenty of blonde moments. I am extra stubborn. I tend to ramble.

This semester I am studying abroad and have been traveling all over Europe trying to get a different perspective on life and hopefully find myself along the way.

Anywho… I hope you enjoy reading my blog!