Processed with VSCOcam with c2 preset

Welcome to my blog. I document my adventures in travel, photography and lifestyle.

New posts whenever I can.
Enjoy your stay!

KL-SIAM Road Trip Day 10 // Chao Phraya & Chinatown.

The second-last day of my never-ending road trip series and by far my favourite day, a good part of which was spent on the Chao Phraya River.

To be honest, I hadn't gone to Bangkok with the intention of even visiting the river. We had an extra day as we had decided to take a flight back home and I was surfing online to see what other activities we could possibly engage in. I chanced upon a recommendation by some tourists regarding river tours.

Upon closer inspection, I realised that getting to the river bank is quite easy via train and there are a number of ferries that you can take to get to your destination of choice. I was sold in 5 minutes.

Best. Decision. Ever.

To reach Chao Phraya River, hop on the BTS Skytrain to Saphan Taksin Station. From there, the river is just a short walk away. There's a little booth in front which sells tickets to the Chao Phraya Tourist Boat, which is 150Baht for unlimited journeys within a day. The only caveat is that it services piers 1 to 13. If you wish to travel further north or south on the river, there is the Chao Phraya Express Boat Services, which services up to Pier 33 up north and 4 down south. Prices vary depending on your destination and you'll have to be discerning to get on the right boat, which bear colour coded flags.

We opted for the tourist boat as we wanted our very first experience on the river to be a relatively conservative one. We aren't really fond of touristy undertakings, preferring to be left alone to explore at our own pace, but the guide was very helpful as he talked us through the landmarks near each pier. You are free to alight wherever you want.

And yes, there are plenty of tourists on this boat.

The Chao Phraya isn't just a tourist attraction. It's also a place where trade happens. Tugboats pull barges in and out, goods are delivered and the Thai people live by the river. It's a bustling waterway.

I'm not quite sure why the river is milk tea coloured, but don't worry, it doesn't smell strange.

We alighted at Rachawongs (Pier 5) for Chinatown as we weren't dressed well enough for the Grand Palace and we weren't interested in visiting any temples. The museums are fairly expensive, so they were relatively out of our budget for this trip.

We weren't disappointed in the slightest by Chinatown, though! There are tons of cheap souvenirs to be had for a fraction of the price compared to those sold at Chatuchak! This is also where merchants come for various goods that need to be bought in bulk (e.g. various forms of retail packaging).

I walked away with a pair of "Ray Bans" from one of the many sunglasses shops here.

Traffic as a pedestrian in Chinatown is a little daunting if you're not used to it. Despite the fact that there are traffic lights and pedestrian crossings, motorists are usually in a ridiculous hurry. It seems like there is no good time to cross the road.

This isn't true though, but you do need to make a decision swiftly and be gung-ho about it. Cross, and the motorists are skilful enough to avoid you. Be wise, nonetheless. If at all possible, try to stick to overhead pedestrian walkways. Unfortunately, I didn't see any of that in Chinatown. Of course, the good stuff lines the streets.

Food here is also a lot cheaper. The bowl of fish ball beehoon soup above cost just 35Baht. It would have gone for 50Baht in the heart of town. Of course, it's still not steep by any means, but if you're very budget conscious, it's a good place to go.

I would have loved to explore the river a little more, except that we didn't pay our first visit early enough in our trip to allow for a second and third visit. It's definitely on my list the next time I head to Bangkok!

KL-Siam Road Trip Day 11 // Minimalist packing for an 11 day trip.

KL-SIAM Road Trip Day 9 // Silom.

KL-SIAM Road Trip Day 9 // Silom.


Italaian American Museum of Los Angeles

Italian American Museum

Best Series

Best Series

This series was absolutely amazing and in so many ways changed American Society and greatly influenced pop culture. There is no doubt that this series made its mark on America.. Today we burried James Gandolfini, safe passages Jimmy and our prayers are with you and your family.

James Gandolfini – Essay

I wrote this essay back in November of 2007 very shortly before my 27th birthday for a class I was in. It was about The Sopranos and the pop culture that it has affected and why it is so popular beyond being just a “mob show”. I thought with the passing of the great James Gandolfini it was an appropriate time to share it. The Sopranos is perhaps my favorite series of all time and will forever be. James Gandolfini is by far one of the best actors of my lifetime. I hope you all enjoy the essay.

Most critics that I have read agree that The Sopranos is one of the most significant contributions to television in recent history. In the ad for the final episodes of the series it pictures Tony Soprano in the foreground lower right side, with the statue of liberty off behind him in the very upper left corner. Tony is staring to his right out of the corner of his eye as if closely examining something or someone. He is wearing his traditional attire dress shirt and tie with trench coat on top. The coat would seem to be to shelter him from the cold but it could also be seen as protecting his heart from the coldness of the life he leads as a mafia don. The entire ad is in grayscale except for the print on it, mostly in red with the date and time in white. Between Tony and the statue is the New York Bay. This ad redefines the pursuit of the American dream.

According to the ad one always needs to be on the lookout for anything coming their way. The pursuit of the dream as displayed by The Sopranos is power and money. This in the show is done via membership and rank in the Italian Mafia. The higher up you go in the ranks the more wealthy you are and for Tony Soprano there is no higher, he is the don of North New Jersey. As Americans’ we tend to identify highly with these fictional model of gangster characters. It’s seen in movies as far back as Little Ceasar and the original Scarface from the 1930’s. In the essay titled “Our Mobsters, Ourselves: Why The Sopranos Is Theraputic TV,” the author discusses how people identify with Tony and other characters in The Sopranos not because of their gangster lifestyle but all of their everyday problems and struggles, which are the same struggles as most regular people go through, (Willis 520-527). The traditional American dream is freedom and the pursuit of happieness, to Tony Soprano the American dream is money and power, though he does value and love his family unconditionally.

As an avid watcher of The Sopranos I can see the development and success of Tony achieving his American dream, only to find out in the final episode that enditements were being handed out to start a R.I.C.O. Case against him. This could very easily lead to the crumbling of the American dream for Tony Soprano. In an absolutely brilliant ending we have no definitive answer as to what happens to any of the characters in the show, we are let mid-point as they are all still persuing their dreams, each person different.

The advertisement shows a very focused person. Tony is determined to get what he wants. The look on his face shows that no one will stop him from getting what is his. He appears very strong and powerful and focused. He is the go-getter he is the “American dream”. The ocean between Tony and the Statue of Liberty could also represent the long passage to America that his ancestors’ took when they came over from Italy. Also many of his “friends” disappeared to never be seen again in the series, a few of whom are in the ocean today, and yet the ocean is also thought of as water which brings life. There are many double meanings which can be interpreted in any number of ways.
The Sopranos is not only about the American dream but really the American way of life. It isn’t simply about gangsters and thugs. I don’t recall the episode but early on in the series Tony and his daughter Meadow are talking at breakfast and she brings up sex, during breakfast. He proceeds to inform her that while it may be the 1990s outside it is 1954 in his house and sex is not a topic of conversation appropriate at the breakfast table. It is this kind of lesson that is still a throwback to an old American standard that not many people are still up with in this world we have now. Even though it is a show about the mafia it is much more. It is a story of life and raising children. It is about protecting family and keeping close what is most important in life. It is a refreshing change of moral (aside from all the crimes committed). It is truly a lesson in being old fashioned. Regardless of their professions there is a strong respect for women and for their families. I have not seen as much importance placed on loving one’s children or how to treat women in a television show in a long time. This being said they are not perfect, there are fights with spouses and abuse to women, but this is not a norm.

The Sopranos is a timeless show that will last forever as groundbreaking television. It is a lesson in life but it a lesson in achieving what you want on your own credit. It isn’t about getting everything handed to you. Its about the American dream. Its about becoming wealthy and powerful while providing for your family and helping your friends when they need you. It is about loyalty and honor and how to never be disloyal and to always keep what is most important close to you.

Works Cited
“Various Episodes”. Chase, David, et al. James Gandolfini, Edie Falco, Lorraine
Bracco, et al. The Sopranos. Home Box Office. HBO. 1999-2007.
Willis, Ellen. “Our Mobsters, Ourselves: Why The Sopranos Is Theraputic TV.”
The McGraw-Hill Reader: Issues Across The Disciplines: Ninth Edition.
Ed. Gilbert H. Muller. Boston, McGraw-Hill, 2006. 520-527.


Where a landlord and tenant are disputing the terms of a statutory lease renewal, Flanders Community Centre Ltd v Newham London Borough Council [2016] highlights the need to produce sound expert evidence and plead cases thoroughly at trial.

A tenant took a 7 year lease of a council property to use as a community centre, at an annual rent of £1. The property was in poor condition and the tenant was obliged to carry out works within 1 year of the lease commencing. If the works were not completed within this time, the rent would increase to £1,200 pa. The lease also contained onerous terms relating to the property's use as a community centre which allowed the landlord a high degree of control.

The lease had protection as a business tenancy under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954 (the 1954 Act). On expiry of the lease the tenant remained in occupation and the parties sought to negotiate new lease terms. They could not agree the rent that would be payable and the tenant issued proceedings.

The tenant initially proposed a new rent of £1,200 pa with a rent concession on commencement but later changed its claim to propose £1 per year. The landlord wanted £23,000 per year. Each party appointed experts but it was difficult to find comparable evidence considering the nature of the property and the original lease terms, which were unusual.

The tenant's expert thought the property had no market value and suggested £1 per year whereas the landlord's expert suggested £16,000 per year. The tenant's expert took irrelevant factors into account, such as the tenant's ability to pay a higher rent, whereas the landlord's expert sought to rely on the rents paid for other community centres without actually having access to the terms of their leases.

It appeared that the rent of £1 had been the only rent ever paid, despite the required works not having been done. No-one argued that the passing rent was anything other than this. The experts assumed the works had been done because only £1 was being paid and this had not been corrected.

Section 34 of the 1954 Act says the rent will be 'determined by the court to be that at which, having regard to the terms of the tenancy (other than those relating to rent), the holding might reasonably be expected to be let in the open market by a willing lessor' subject to certain statutory disregards.

On this basis, the County Court decided that the rent should be £1 per year. It thought both sides' expert evidence was inadequate. Given there was no evidence as to current market rent, the court thought the rent should not change.

The landlord appealed. On appeal it tried to raise new arguments that the rent should have been £1,200 as the tenant had not carried out the repair works.

The High Court dismissed the appeal. Under Civil Procedure Rule 52.11(3) an appeal could only be allowed where the lower court decision was wrong, either because of an error of law or because a serious procedural error had taken place.

No serious procedural error had taken place. As to an error of law, the High Court found the County Court had been entitled to reach the decision it had on the evidence and arguments presented to it, namely that it had no reliable evidence of the current letting value of the property.

Both parties' experts agreed that the passing rent was a relevant factor. The county court was therefore entitled to place weight on the current passing rent. The court could have calculated the new rent by assessing what evidence was available to value the specific factors that made the original lease different from other leases in the market. However it was not obliged to do so in the absence of help from the parties and the court had not been given any information on those points of difference; it therefore could not ascertain what discount might be suitable for those points.

The High Court emphasised that it was important to remember that "the trial is not a dress rehearsal for some second round" and the parties could not raise new arguments on appeal as to questions of fact.

  • The case is a reminder of the need to prepare cases properly and produce suitable expert evidence in relation to proposed lease renewal terms.
  • Experts and counsel should be given thorough instructions; they should be made aware of all the circumstances of the matter. A careful review of any reports and supporting evidence should be carried out.
  • Where rent is concerned, evidence needs to be given as to the nature of the property and how the original lease terms compare to others in the market. If comparables are not available, evidence should be brought as to how to value specific factors e.g. how much discount would apply to a restrictive user clause.
  • Finally, all points need to be made and evidence brought at the original trial; an appeal will not be a re-trial.


Francesco Colonna (c. 1453 – c. 1517) was a prominent member of the Colonna family.

By 1506, Francesco lost his house in Rome to the banks of the city. Several of Francesco's paintings, including Leonardo da Vinci's Lady with an Ermine, were put up for auction and purchased by Duccio de Luca, a Florentine merchant.

Ad blocker interference detected!


ABCB11 functions with B1 and B19 to regulate rootward auxin transport

Jesica Elyse Reemmer, Purdue University

Auxin transport is essential for the architecture and development of erect plants. In a network of transporters directing auxin flows, ATP-Binding Cassette (ABC) transporters are a ubiquitous family of proteins that actively transport important substrates, including auxins, across the plasma membrane. ABCB1 and ABCB19 have been shown to account for the majority of rootward auxin transport, but residual fluxes to the root tip in Arabidopsis b1b19 double mutants implies the involvement of at least one additional auxin transporter in this process. Of specific interest, the severe dwarfism seen in abcb1abcb19 is strikingly reminiscent of that seen in mutants defective in the FK506-binding protein 42 (FKBP42), known as TWISTED DWARF1 (TWD1). FKBPs function in the maturation and stabilization of proteins, and biochemical evidence indicates that TWD1 functions in ABCB protein maturation and activation in particular. However, although b1b19 largely phenocopies twd1, the relative severity of the twd1 phenotype further suggests TWD1 activity may regulate the missing rootward auxin transporter. A broad screen including 12 ABCBs now reveals that ABCB11 acts in concert with ABCB1 and ABCB19 in long-distance transport, with an additional role in basipetal auxin transport in leaf tissues. Support for this conclusion comes from analyses of ABCB11 expression, ABCB11 protein localization and interaction, growth phenotypes of b11 single and abcb1b19b11 triple mutants, and auxin transport and accumulation mediated by ABCB11. The comparative analysis of the ABCB knock-out lines with twd1-3 now provides the means to deconvolute the relationship between auxin, ABCB transporters and FKBP42, as well as the mechanisms leading to the phenotypes seen in the abcb and twd1 mutants. My work thus concludes both that B11 mediates long-distance rootward auxin efflux and that such function by ABCB transporters is crucial to describing the twd phenotype. Future uses of this work include the possibility of customizing plant architecture through the manipulation of substrate specificity and transport directionality of ABCB transporters. ^

Angus Murphy, Purdue University.

Subject Area

Biology, Botany|Agriculture, Horticulture|Chemistry, Biochemistry

Off-Campus Purdue Users:
To access this dissertation, please log in to our
proxy server


Construction works - ROOF SYSTEMS

The last touch of the building, i.e. the roof, is also part of our job. This is the part of the building directly exposed to weather conditions and hence it is extremely important to be sound and resistant. The modern roof system should combine efficiency, functionality, aesthetics and high energy efficiency.

What are the roof systems?

Building a weather and climate-resistant roof requires it to be approached as a complex system solution, not just as a layout of tiles.

One of the main advantages of the modern roofing systems, compared to the old building materials, is that all system elements are working better and are easier to install which makes them more resistant to harsh weather conditions.

The good roofing system results in energy efficiency.

The resistant roof system, installed properly, is very important to the overall energy efficiency of the building.

In addition to complete replacement of the roof system EIS - Construction Company Ltd. is making rehabilitation and renovation of roofs and roofing systems for better heat insulation.


Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Tree Lighting

Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting

Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting 2009 Google News

It's a gorgeous day in the city for the tree lighting ceremony. Enjoy ...

Inside The Matrix

Season 4 of Sanctuary, like season 4 of Fringe, leaves a lot to be desired. I record the shows, then fast forward through them and basically delete. But Tuesday night on Sanctuary, was the exception.

In an episode called "Chimera", Helen Magnus and Nikola Tesla were trapped in a virtual Sanctuary world at the mercy of the avatar, insane genius, Adam Worth. It was all about Magnus and Nikola entering a virtual reality hologram to fix something, then shutting it down. References were made to The Matrix with awesome special effects created by green screen. This episode repeats Friday night, in case you want to be inside the illusion.

It's not easy knowing that you exist in the hologram while others don't get it, but as long as you have a friend or two along the way, success is had at the end. What is the true reality for us ... you will soon discover the answer. It's all consciousness.


Thanks for being interested in fair play! We consider providing a secure gameplay environment a top priority. To ensure our games are fair and fun for everyone, we do not tolerate cheating or fraudulent behavior. Fraudulent service providers are often involved in illegal activity, hacking and scams; these activities hurt innocent people, in addition to being unfair to other players. Note: using these services carries a risk of losing control of one's accounts or financial data. To help us create a great gaming environment, and to safeguard your account and device from abuse, please steer clear of the following dangers:

1. THIRD PARTY SOFTWARE Third party software consists of unapproved apps that manipulate gameplay. By altering game functionality, third party software aims to provide unfair advantages while potentially putting players' accounts and privacy at risk. Third party software includes: Hacks, 'mods', or programs that unfairly alter game functionality 'Bots', or gameplay automation services or scripts Any other programs that aim to modify or provide unearned progress

2. UNAUTHORIZED GEM SELLING & GAME ECONOMY ABUSE by exploiting private player data and stolen credit cards, certain websites and individuals sell in-game currency. IMPORTANT: If you release your private logins to illicit parties, you are permanently putting not only your game, but also financial and online security into a high-risk situation.

AWC Antidoping Committee


The body of a Canadian woman who died hours after fulfilling her dream of summiting the world's tallest mountain is one step closer to being returned to her family members.

A five-person climbing team slogged through rough weather over two days to recover the body of Shriya Shah-Klorfine from the slopes of Mount Everest.

Her remains are currently resting at a camp within helicopter range and are to be flown on Tuesday to the Nepalese capital of Kathmandu, where her husband and other family members are waiting to make final arrangements.

The 33-year-old from Toronto succumbed to exhaustion and cold while making her way down from the summit to the camp where she was slated to rest for the night on May 19. She was one of four climbers to perish on a busy day near the peak.

Ganesh Thakuri, owner of Utmost Adventure Trekking which oversaw Shah-Klorfine's expedition, said recovering her body was a way to make amends for failing to bring her home alive.

"Anything can happen on the mountain," he said in a telephone interview from Kathmandu. "Sometimes we work hard and we try to help each other, but sometimes it doesn't work."

The recovery operation involved a team of five climbers ascending to more than 8,000 metres above sea level, Thakuri said.

Difficult weather conditions slowed the group's progress, but the team succeeded in bringing the body back to Camp 2, the second of four climbing camps early Monday.

Thakuri said a helicopter was scheduled to retrieve Shah-Klorfine's body from the mountain later in the day, but had to abort the plan after running into cloudy weather.

Shah-Klorfine's death was caused in part by overcrowding in the mountain's so-called "death zone" between the final camp and the summit, Thakuri said.

The area above the last camp at the South Col earned its name because of its steep icy terrain, treacherous conditions and low oxygen level. Climbers are generally advised not to attempt the dangerous area too late in the day in order to conserve their strength for the return trip.

The estimated 150 people making their way up the peak that day caused many bottlenecks along the route, slowing progress for all concerned and taxing some beyond their strength.

Shah-Klorfine had been climbing for nearly 17 hours by the time she reached the summit at 2 p.m., Thakuri said.

The descent was further complicated by cold, windy conditions, he added.

'She lost her stamina'

"She lost her stamina, and according to the Sherpas was suffering with the altitude. Everything came together when they were coming down and she collapsed," Thakuri said.

Sixty-two-year-old German doctor Eberhard Schaaf, 55-year-old Wang-yi Fa of China and 44-year-old South Korean mountaineer Song Won-bin also died on the mountain that day.

Born in Kathmandu, Shah-Klorfine grew up in Mumbai, India, and moved to Canada to be with her husband and start an import business, SOS Splash of Style Inc.

Her adopted country soon became central to her convictions as she involved herself in social and political groups, including the Conservative Party of Canada. She was on the board of directors as secretary to the party's Toronto-Davenport riding association and ran for election in the riding of Mississauga East-Cooksville during Ontario's most recent provincial vote

Her desire to climb Mount Everest was also intermingled with her patriotism. "This is my dream and passion, and [I] want to do something for my country," Shah-Klorfine wrote on her website.


“The mainstream comes at you, but you have to go underground.” – Frank Zappa

In order to fully comprehend the term underground, we must begin with a working definition of what it is part of mainstream culture. From there, we will be able to contrast the two elements. Mainstream concepts are those which are perceived as being the ‘norm’ or commonly accepted, whereas the term 'underground' can portray a different meaning to all of us.

To support or be part of an underground network indicates a rejection of commonalities and mainstream notions; such a definition can also be associated with the music industry. During Italy’s early 1900s, musicians worked to create music alongside the ever-growing technological industry, determined to change the ways that music was made and distributed. Yet, if we think back to the early 1900s, we know that much of the music created was not recorded until much later. It became a mainstream idea when the notion of incorporating technology and music came to play, rather than what the Futurists had created as an underground, lesser known concept. Their determination to progress the manner in which music was created and shared, and their resistance against conservative and common ideas about music shifted the entire music industry forever. However, it would be foolish to believe there existed no resistance movements of any kind before this time. Not just art, but social. Not just social, but political. Not just political, but religious. Resistance is resistance, in any shape or form.

The term was commonly used during the era of World War II, where resistance movements to ruling regimes would literally meet in underground, secret locations. Later, the term kept its literal meaning during the period of prohibition in the United States. Bars and jazz clubs struggled against their own government to continue to serve alcohol to patrons. These activities were generally carried out in the basements of salons or theatres, thus making them both figuratively and literally ‘underground’. This was an act of rebellion towards the common law. Today, however, the sale and consumption of alcohol is legal and bars are no longer considered to be part of the underground, as they have been accepted by and large by the general population. Thus, we cannot look at one activity or entity in particular and claim it is ‘underground’. Underground is about the context and acceptance; nothing more and nothing less.

The examples used above can easily be compared to the music industry. Music that is not widely accepted or known by others may be considered as “underground”. However, it is difficult to know how many people listen to a particular style of music, especially in an increasingly globalized world. Perhaps your favourite artist is not so popular in your own town or country, but elsewhere may be considered common and ‘mainstream’. It has become evident that the music industry has had trouble using the term, or fear that what they once perceived to be underground has lost its means to be labeled under such category. This may be true, since bringing something into the mainstream means that it has become widely accepted, and a commonality.

Perhaps in ten years from now, your idea of underground music will become the mainstream, and a new wave of underground ideas will swipe the old ones away. The underground is dynamic and ever changing, only time will be able to judge what can and can’t be classified as ‘underground’. Underground ideas are not purely rooted in music and trenches, or bars and jazz clubs; the history is much deeper than that, with great social, political, and religious connotations. We can determine what is underground only by contrasting it against what is mainstream during our own times and place.

Zeina Samy


NRI Canadian Sikh elected head of Canada Police

INGENaahluwaliaAmrik Singh Ahluwalia has been unanimously elected as the new head of Canada’s Peel Police, the country’s third largest municipal police force.  He was voted as the new chair of Ontario’s Peel Police Services Board after he was backed by the Mayor of Brampton and the Mayor of Mississauga.

Ahluwalia who arrived in Canada decades ago with just $7 in his pocket said he is honoured and grateful for the post and the responsibility that has been bestowed upon him.

Ahluwalia is also a business leader with a background in manufacturing and petro-chemicals and he has served as President of the Sikh Society Calgary. He is also a volunteer with Seva Food Bank, Mississauga.

He is the third Indo-Canadian to rise in the country’s government ranks after Navdeep Singh Bains and Harjit Singh Sajjan who became the first Sikh Cabinet ministers in Canada.


Study: 5-species mixture produces more in pasture

Study: 5-species mixture produces more in pasture

More forage and more stored carbon is win for cattle producers and the environment.

Getting more for less is an attractive concept. But it isn’t that easy when it comes to producing more food on less land with fewer resources.

R. Howard Skinner has been researching this idea of more for less in agriculture. Skinner is a physiological plant ecologist and member of the USDA-ARS-Pasture System and Watershed Management Research Unit. He’s been looking into how to increase the amount of forage pastures can grow.

Physiological plant ecologist R. Howard Skinner is researching how to increase the amount of forage pastures can grow. (Photo: rasica/Thinkstock)

Previous studies suggest incorporating multiple types of plants in pastures is an effective way to increase the amount of forage. However, these studies varied in length. It hasn’t been possible to say for sure what long-term effect using multiple types of plants has on forage production. To learn more, Skinner spent nine years tracking the progress of multispecies pastures.

What they did

Skinner and his team at Pennsylvania State University Hawbecker Farm planted eight experimental paddocks. They planted four paddocks with orchard grass and white clover. Another four paddocks had a combination of chicory, orchardgrass, tall fescue, white clover, and alfalfa. When the plants reached a certain height, cows grazed in the paddocks.

The researchers collected samples of the forage before and after the cows grazed. This helped them estimate the amount of forage produced and determine what types of plants were present in the paddocks. Additionally, researchers collected soil samples to check on the plant roots and determine how much carbon was being stored in the soil.

Skinner tracked changes in the amounts of each plant species over the course of the nine years.

What they found

“We expected some of the species from the more complex mixture to disappear over time,” he explains. What he didn’t expect was the continued superior performance of the five-species mixture even after some of the species disappeared.

“Initially I would have thought the loss of species from the more complex mixture was a negative, but this research suggests that by improving soil conditions, specifically soil organic matter, the initial inclusion of multiple species had a long-lasting positive effect even after species differences had disappeared.”

The five-species mixture produced, on average over the nine years, 31% more forage than the two-species mixture. This could be because the five-species mixtures were also storing more carbon in the soil than the two-species mixtures.

These results are encouraging, and reach beyond mere number of forage plants. Increased amounts of carbon stored in the soil also means the soil can hold more water.

“The greatest challenge from climate change in the northeast probably has more to do with water availability (both too much and too little) than heat,” says Skinner. Incorporating multiple species into pastures may be able to help protect against runoff after heavy storms and against droughts during dry years.

Skinner recommends researchers and land managers “select a few species with specific goals in mind,” but understand that many factors, including how the land was previously managed, will have a bearing on results.

Skinner’s research is published in Crop Science.

Hide comments

Plain text

  • No HTML tags allowed.
  • Lines and paragraphs break automatically.


TARDIS Technical Index

A dematerialising TARDIS

This is the first stage of space-time travel. The Molecular Dematerialization Codes are needed to activate the laser trigger found inside the Dematerialization Circuit. The Symbiotic Relationship Circuits automatically input these codes if the operator is a Time Lord. It might be possible to bypass the codes and activate the laser trigger using a Light Accelerator. Once the circuit is activated Dematerialization begins with the sublaminar processes being modulated by a stepped series of quantum-depolarized frabjastanic couplings. The resulting gravimetric packets are then filtered through a reciprocating Brantix-Wankel amulator to convert their subneutronic spin from anticlockwise to inside out. This is necessary because the only way to enter the Vortex is by slipping through the cracks between one moment of time and the next. During the dematerialization phase the Relative Dimensional Stabilizer can be heard outside and, if the operator leaves the brake on, on the inside as well. Many Exo-Shell disguises are equipped with a Materialization Beacon which indicates both dematerialization and rematerializations. The Beacon can also be set to illuminate when there is one or more sapient being inside.

The TARDIS can take part of the surrounding environment with it when it dematerializes, but this requires some skill to accomplish reliably. The operator must use the dials beneath the console's dematerialization array to extend the Ionic Time Field. This is done by matching it to the energy signature of a nearby object. If that object's energy signature has been locked on to the TARDIS's engines then it is possible to take that object with the TARDIS during vortex travel and drop it in a new Time Zone. It is possible to move spaceships, or even entire towns through the Vortex using this technique but it is very difficult to accomplish. If programmed correctly, a TARDIS can dematerialize leaving whatever has recently entered it behind at the original coordinates. This is made even easier if the object is not fully in phase with the interior dimensions.

With the dematerialization complete the TARDIS's Harmonic Generator uses the subneutronic spin as a basic Space-Time Warping Template for a resonant harmonic/mesonic collapse of the interstitial mesh which opens and then seals the breach in space-time preventing any disturbances. The Space-Time Warping Template can be used to seal other types of breaches (see Temporal Fusion). If removed from the TARDIS the Space-Time Warping Template will appear to physically twist and warp. This is a neurological illusion caused by the template twisting the space-time structure of the neural network of the observer's brain. The amount of power being used by the TARDIS increases drastically during Dematerialization. Most of this power is converted into potential energy. To prevent this energy from discharging into normal space at the moment of dematerialization the energy is stored and slowly emitted from the Eye of Harmony in the form of Hawking Radiation. If a TARDIS is trapped in mid-dematerialization it will keep releasing chronometric particles from the event horizon. The energy will continue to be emitted until the TARDIS has "bled to death." After each materialization, it takes twelve minutes for the Time Rotor's Energy Storage Unit to power up for the next trip. This makes the Dematerialization Circuit the most power-intensive system in a TARDIS.

The Dematerialization process will be quite rocky if the thermo-couplings have been exposed to freezing conditions. For this reason it is important to keep the main doors closed if the exterior environment is sub zero. Dyestrial toxin clouds in the atmosphere can inhibit a TARDIS's dematerialization. For this reason the operator should ensure that a TARDIS moves through time to a point where there is no Dyestrial toxin before beginning spatial displacement. Strong shields, temporal fields, magnetic fields, or steep gravity gradients (like a black hole) can also interfere with dematerialization.

Since mass affects the shape of space-time it is possible that a TARDIS may find it easier to enter and exit the Vortex away from large masses like a planet. During dematerialization it would shift itself slightly out of time - making it insubstantial and invisible. It would then lift-off to reach a safe distance from the nearest gravitational body. At this point it would enter the Vortex. Minor faults in the visual stabilization circuits would explain the numerous scenes of the TARDIS hanging or travelling through normal space. The various scenes of the TARDIS flying up into the sky could be cases where it takes off or arrives in a visible (and sometimes tangible) form due to a malfunction of the visual stabilization circuit. Alternatively the Vortex might look like space when the TARDIS is hanging in limbo (and thus not generating a wormhole tunnel). The handful of physical take off scenes could just mean that the Doctor chose to use Hover Mode to gain some distance from a specific interference field before he began the dematerialization process.

Color Key

The following color code is used:

  • The TARDIS Technical Index is copyright Will B Swift.

Copyright Statement


Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Photography Book Review - Understanding Exposure

In his introduction, Bryan Petersen makes note of the fact that the modern DSLR camera has so many controls and modes that even an experienced photographer can become confused. You could use the camera's auto settings and take perfectly good photographs but you will never be able to explain how you achieved that particular result. He suggests the only way to fully understand exposure on a modern DSLR camera is to use the Manual Mode and to take control of the settings yourself, or to "fly solo".

While he defines exposure traditionally and technically, I achieved a far greater understanding from his "Photographic Triangle" explanation of the basic concept of the interaction of aperture, shutter speed and ISO. This for me is the highlight of the book and cuts through most of the confusing technical jargon so often associated with books about photography. Additionally, His "Heart of the Triangle: The Light Meter" example of obtaining water through a kitchen faucet as it explains the relationship between aperture, shutter speed and ISO, illustrates very simply the concept of exposure.

There have been three editions of this book written by Bryan Petersen: 1990, 2004 and more recently, 2010. While there have been marked advances in camera technology during the twenty years between editions, it is fair to say that the overwhelming message about the "Photographic Triangle" remains true. It is by far the simplest explanation of exposure that you will ever read and the easiest to understand. Once you embrace the concepts of the Manual Mode on your DSLR and apply Bryan's explanation of exposure in any situation, the "light bulb" moment will happen for you and remain forever more. I do recommend though that you revisit the book from time to time because each time I heave reread his book, I have gleaned yet another kernel of knowledge from it. I consider it to be one of the best books written about this subject and I recommend to anyone seeking to understand exposure and to produce perfect photos every time.


Pathways and biological systems modelling group

Modelling the Neurospora circadian clock and its response to light and temperature

We have constructed a comprehensive dynamic model of the Neurospora crassa circadian clock that incorporates its key components and their transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation. Simulations from the model identified components that strongly influence the period and amplitude of the molecular oscillations and predicted the possible key mechanisms allowing the clock to respond to environmental cues, such as light and temperature. Experiments have been carried out to validate the predictions from the model and simulations were made to explore possible mechanisms. The dry (modelling) and wet (experimental) results inform each other and bring about efficient and cost-reducing research in this typical systems biology approach.

Circadian clock figure

Circadian clock model of Neurospora crassa available from the BioModels database: BIOMD0000000437

Tseng YY, Hunt SM, Heintzen C, Crosthwaite SK, Schwartz JM (2012). Comprehensive modelling of the Neurospora circadian clock and its temperature compensation. PLoS Computational Biology 8: e1002437.
PubMed | Full text


Mar 2, 2014

Shall We Read About Ukrainian History?

Given the current crisis between the Ukraine and Russia, is there any interest in reading a book about Ukrainian history as our next selection. Here are a few possibilities:

Ukraine: Birth of a Modern Nation by Serhy Yekelchyk (2007, more than 4 stars, 320 pages)

Borderland: A Journey through the History of Ukraine by Anna Reid. (2000. almost 4 star average rating, 272 pages) We have an outside recommendation for this book from a good source.
Borderland tells the story of Ukraine. A thousand years ago it was the center of the first great Slav civilization, Kievan Rus. In 1240, the Mongols invaded from the east, and for the next seven centureies, Ukraine was split between warring neighbors: Lithuanians, Poles, Russians, Austrians, and Tatars. Again and again, borderland turned into battlefield: during the Cossack risings of the seventeenth century, Russia’s wars with Sweden in the eighteenth, the Civil War of 1918–1920, and under Nazi occupation. Ukraine finally won independence in 1991, with the collapse of the Soviet Union. Bigger than France and a populous as Britain, it has the potential to become one of the most powerful states in Europe.In this finely written and penetrating book, Anna Reid combines research and her own experiences to chart Ukraine’s tragic past. Talking to peasants and politicians, rabbis and racketeers, dissidents and paramilitaries, survivors of Stalin’s famine and of Nazi labor camps, she reveals the layers of myth and propaganda that wrap this divided land. From the Polish churches of Lviv to the coal mines of the Russian-speaking Donbass, from the Galician shtetlech to the Tatar shantytowns of Crimea, the book explores Ukraine’s struggle to build itself a national identity, and identity that faces up to a bloody past, and embraces all the peoples within its borders.
 Black Sea by Neal Ascherson (1996, 4 stars, 320 pages)
Winner of the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for History
In this study of the fateful encounters between Europe and Asia on the shores of a legendary sea, Neal Ascherson explores the disputed meaning of community, nationhood, history, and culture in a region famous for its dramatic conflicts. What makes the Back Sea cultures distinctive, Ascherson agrues, is the way their comonent parts came together over the millennia to shape unique communities, languages, religions, and trade. As he shows with skill and persuasiveness, Black Sea patterns in the Caucasus, Russia, Ukraine, Romania, Turkey, and Greece have linked the peoples of Europe and Asia together for centuries.

2014 Ukraine and Crimea Crisis: The Crimean Tatars and Their Influence on the Triangle Of Conflict - Russia - Crimea - Ukraine, History of Crimea, Sevastopol, Russian Black Sea Fleet (2008, unrated, 161 pages) (This book is available from Amazon on Kindle for a fee, or to sample for free on the Internet.)
This study of the conflict over the years involving Ukraine, Russia, and the Crimea is particularly interesting and relevant in light of the ongoing crisis in 2014. The dissolution of the Soviet Union brought about multidimensional problems to the former republics of the USSR and their inhabitants. In 1990s Ukraine, Crimea became a center of conflict between Ukraine and Russia over the former Soviet Black Sea Fleet and Crimea itself, perceived as historically their own by both sides of the conflict. Local Crimean authorities took advantage of the specificity of a demographic situation in Crimea were Ukrainians, the titular nation, are in minority and considerably Russified to claim for autonomy. Later, they attempted to secede from Ukraine. At the same time, the Crimean Tatar influx from exile, orchestrated by the Stalin regime in 1944, further exacerbated the 'triangle of conflict' between the dyads Russia-Ukraine and Crimea-Ukraine. The Crimean Tatars, currently 12 percent of the Crimean population, proclaimed Crimea the national territory of the Crimean Tatar people, on which they alone possess the right to self-government and claimed greater rights for themselves as allegedly the most indigenous peoples in Crimea, while the rest are colonizers. The explains the historical developments in Crimea and attempts to draw implications to the Ukrainian government in dealing with Crimean Tatar nationalism which seems to be overcoming the problems within the 'triangle of conflict' that was so sharp in 1990s.
Please Comment!

  • Do you think it is a good idea to read a book on Ukrainian History?
  • Do you have any suggestion in addition to those listed above for us to read on the Ukraine?
  • Which if any of these books interest you?
  • Do you like the idea of everyone choosing their own reading and having a more general discussion on Ukrainian history?
As a result of a request from a member, I have added a couple of new books to the list of possibles:

The Ukrainians: Unexpected Nation by Andrew Wilson (unrated, 416 pages, 2009)
This book is the most acute, informed, and up-to-date account available today of Ukraine and its people. Andrew Wilson brings his classic work up to the present, through the Orange Revolution and its aftermath, including the 2006 election, the ensuing crisis of 2007, the Ukrainian response to the Russian invasion of Georgia in 2008, the economic crisis in Ukraine, and the 2009 gas dispute between Russia and Ukraine. It looks forward to the key election in 2010, which will revisit many of the issues that were thought settled in 2004.

Russia, Ukraine, and the Breakup of the Soviet Union by Joseph D. Dwyer. (3 stars, 438 pages, 2000)
Focusing on the critical relationship between Ukraine and Russia, renowned scholar Roman Szporluk chronicles the final two decades in the history of the Soviet Union and presents a story that is often lost in the standard interpretations of the collapse of communism.

This is not exactly history, but it might be worth reading:

Return to Ukraine by Anie Savage (4 stars plus, 272 pages, 2000, only available in hardback, but available at paperback prices from other venders)
Nearly fifty years after fleeing Ukraine during World War II, Ania Savage returned with her mother and aunt—their first trip back to their homeland. In this riveting account of the journey, she records both the changes they found in Ukraine in the early days of postSoviet existence and the memories they had gone to seek.
The cemetery is a desolate, forgotten place. My mother’s face has turned white. She clutches at her purse and is whispering to herself. "This is not the cemetery," my mother says. "We had a beautiful cemetery."
I’m the one who finds the double grave of my grandparents near the center of the cemetery. A rough concrete cross rises above the graves, paid for with money my mother and Katia had sent to the village a few years into Mikhail Gorbachev’s glasnost. A metal plaque bearing my grandparents’ names hangs from the cross.
Still more books to consider (added 3/10/2014)

Ukraine: The Search for a National Identity edited by Sharon Wolchik and Volodymyr Zviglyanich (unrated, 338 pages, 1999, expensive but available at lower prices used)
This comprehensive book focuses on the challenges facing Ukraine as a newly emerged state after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Like all countries with no recent history of independence, Ukraine had to invent or recreate effective political institutions, reintroduce a market economy, and reorient its foreign policy. These tasks were impossible to accomplish without resolving the question of national identity. In this balanced and clear-eyed assessment, a team of U.S. and Ukrainian specialists explores the external and internal dimensions of national identity and statehood, providing a wealth of information previously unavailable to Western scholars.
Arguing that the search for national identity is a multidimensional process, the authors show that it reflects the realities of the dawning twenty-first century. Paradoxically, this quest must cope with the both the weakening of state boundaries caused by globalization and the strengthening of the national model as new countries emerge from the disintegration of the Soviet Union and Yugoslavia.
After providing the historical context of Ukraine’s international debut, the book analyzes the complexities of constructing a national identity. The authors explore questions of ethnic relations and regionalism, the development of political values and attitudes, mass-elite relations, the cultural background of economic strategies, gender issues, and the threat of organized crime to emergent civil society.

Bloodlands: Europe Between Hitler and Stalin by Timothy Snyder (4 stars plus, 580 pages, 2012)
Postwar: A History of Europe Since 1945 by Tony Judt (4 stars, 960 pages, 2006)
World War II may have ended in 1945, but according to historian Tony Judt, the conflict's epilogue lasted for nearly the rest of the century. Calling 1945-1989 "an interim age," Judt examines what happened on each side of the Iron Curtain, with the West nervously inching forward while the East endured the "peace of the prison yard" until the fall of Communism in 1989 signaled their chance to progress. Though he proposes no grand, overarching theory of the postwar period, Judt's massive work covers the broad strokes as well as the fine details of the years 1945 to 2005. No one book (even at nearly a thousand pages) could fully encompass this complex period, but Postwar comes close, and is impressive for its scope, synthesis, clarity, and narrative cohesion.
Judt treats the entire continent as a whole, providing equal coverage of social changes, economic forces, and cultural shifts in western and eastern Europe. He offers a county-by-county analysis of how each Eastern nation shed Communism and traces the rise of the European Union, looking at what it represents both economically and ideologically. Along with the dealings between European nations, he also covers Europe's conflicted relationship with the United States, which learned much different lessons from World War II than did Europe. In particular, he studies the success of the Marshall Plan and the way the West both appreciated and resented the help, for acceptance of it reminded them of their diminished place in the world. No impartial observer, Judt offers his judgments and opinions throughout the book in an attempt to instruct as well as inform. If a moral lesson is to come from World War II, Judt writes, "then it will have to be taught afresh with each passing generation. 'European Union' may be an answer to history, but it can never be a substitute." This book would be an excellent place to start that lesson. --Shawn Carkonen

  1. One member shared this:

    I've read "The Ukrainians: Unexpected Nation", though my copy is somewhat
    old, and only goes up to the Kuchma government (the one prior to the
    "Orange Revolution"). I got it after traveling there about a dozen years
    ago. There's a newer edition out, but it looks like it doesn't extend
    much past 2004-05. Still, it's an adequate history of
    Scythia/Transcarpathia/Ruthenia/Galicia/Ukraine. And there really aren't
    too many of those, in English.

    Honestly, if we want to make sense of what's going on now, I would
    consciously AVOID any English language text that purports to explain the
    last, say, 5-9 years. From what I've seen of the American & BBC news
    coverage (and parallel to that, the coverage of the Sochi Olympics), I
    think the number of prominent, trustworthy English-speaking observers
    might be in the single digits. (So far my absolute favorites are the
    Beltway "experts" who continually refer to Ukraine as "the Ukraine". It's
    only been Ukraine -- no "the" -- for 20 years now, so I can see how they'd
    have a hard time keeping up.)

    My two bits.

  2. Here are some more. Response 1: Reading Ukrainian history seems as good as anything; I'm game. I would prefer something truly historical, going well back to its earliest settlers, as Reid's and Ascherson's works purport to do. Perhaps the others do so as well, but I do not perceive that in their publishers' descriptions.

    Response 2: I think a book on Ukraine would be a great idea right now. One reason we read history is to better understand current events in different parts of the world. It's an area I know nothing about and I'd have to defer to Sam's expertise. Maybe there's a book that could bring some of us up on the learning curve.

    Response 3: Are there any books that are a post WWII history of the entire area?

  3. A couple more members have responded positively to the idea of reading a book on Ukraine now.

    IN response to the last item in the previous comment, a member wrote:

    "Bloodlands" covers central and eastern Europe just before and just after the war, but its focus is, well, blood, purges, and genocides and such -- probably narrower than what you want.

    Tony Judt's "Postwar" is a very good, sweeping history of postwar Europe, but the EEC/EU fills much of its text, and the whole thing is longer than a typical monthly selection.


Anarchism in Korea: independence, transnationalism, and the question of national development, 1919-1984

Korean anarchists, early 20th century

A regional and transnational history of anarchism in Korea by Dongyoun Hwang. This book provides a history of anarchism in Korea and challenges conventional views of Korean anarchism as merely part of nationalist ideology, situating the study within a wider East Asian regional context.

1921: The Mitsubishi-Kawasaki Strike

A dissertation about the largest strike in pre WWII Japanese history by workers at the port of Kobe. The strike was an attempt by the workers to supplant the authority of management and secure their own autonomy. The text also covers the industrialisation of Japan and the early development of the Japanese labour movement.

The Chain Factory - Osugi Sakae

A short story about society and its effects on people and how it can be resisted

Hiroshima: The atomic hecatomb

Ground zero of the Hiroshima explosion

Letter from a Japanese anarchist about the Hiroshima bombing, and the response of self-organisation and mutual aid from the local population following the explosion.

Lovable Anarchism: Campus Protest in Japan From the 1990s to Today

Kyoto Students occupy clock tower

A paper documenting several examples of recent protests by students and university employees on campuses in Japan following a period of privatisations and a move towards short term contracts.

Production control in Japan

Post-war Japan saw a major strike wave. Due to shortages of nearly all necessities, some of the strikes took the form of 'production control' where workers occupied workplaces and continued production to meet direct needs.

Japan's wartime use of colonial labour: Taiwan and Korea (1937-45)

A thesis detailing the extent of the exploitation of colonial labourers of Taiwanese and Korean origin as Japan mobilised for war, the conditions of the workers and their resistance.

Japanese Inter War Proletarian Propaganda

A gallery of Proletarian propaganda posters, handbills postcards and photos from the Inter War years. The material was created by multiple organisations and currents, an essay explaining these images can be found here.

Political Protest in Interwar Japan

A collection of propaganda produced by Leftist political parties, Unions and the Proletarian Cultural movement. With accompanying notes placing them in context.

Reflections on the way to the gallows

Kanno Sugako


kindle transfer PDF: 11 to 20 of 1000 results fetched - page 2 [ec]

Transfer Factor
Transfer Factor: Basic Properties and Clinical Applications covers papers about transfer factor. The book presents papers on the in vitro studies of transfer factor; the characterization of transfer factor; and the animal models of transfer factor. The text also includes articles on the use of transfer factor in infectious and neoplastic diseases and transfer factor therapy. Examples of papers on transfer factor therapy include the role of transfer factor in the treatment of lymphoma cutis in Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome, transfer factor immunotherapy of rheumatoid arthritis, and transfer factor therapy in a patient with an isolated T-cell deficiency. Immunologists, pathologists, oncologists, microbiologists and people involved in the study of infectious diseases will find the book invaluable.
Category: Technology. ISBN: 9780120646500

Technology Transfer
This book identifies, analyses and systematically discusses the major factors responsible for the effective transfer of new technology. Professor Cohen maintains that the necessary conditions for a successful transfer and for knowledge flow are complex, involving engineering issues as well as economic, managerial, social and political factors. He develops an essential methodology for rigorous modeling which takes account of these complex quantitative and qualitative factors. Providing a practical, step-by-step and holistic model to effectively manage technology transfer, this book will enable governments and organizations to logically make strategic assessments of the outcome of the technologies chosen, as also to determine the appropriateness and sustainability of these technologies.
Category: Business. ISBN: 9780761997702

Proton Transfer
Proton Transfer
Category: Science. ISBN: 9780444415127

Technology Transfer
Category: Business. ISBN: 9780815329978

Risk Transfer
Category: Business. ISBN: 9780471464983

Electron Transfer
an integrated approach to electron transfer phenomena This two-part stand-alone volume in the prestigious Advances in Chemical Physics series provides the most comprehensive overview of electron transfer science today. It draws on cutting-edge research from diverse areas of chemistry, physics, and biology-covering the most recent developments in the field, and pointing to important future trends. This second volume offers the following sections: * Solvent control, including ultrafast solvation dynamics and related topics * Ultrafast electron transfer and coherence effects * Molecular electronics * Electron transfer and exciplex chemistry * Biomolecules-from electron transfer tubes to kinetics in a DNA environment Part One addresses the historical perspective, electron transfer phenomena in isolated molecules and clusters, general theory, and electron transfer kinetics in bridged compounds. Electron transfer science has seen tremendous progress in recent years. Technological innovations, most notably the advent of femtosecond lasers, now permit the real-time investigation of intramolecular and intermolecular electron transfer processes on a time scale of nuclear motion. New scientific information abounds, illuminating the processes of energy acquisition, storage, and disposal in large molecules, clusters, condensed phase, and biophysical systems. Electron Transfer: From Isolated Molecules to Biomolecules is the first book devoted to the exciting work being done in nonradiative electron transfer dynamics today. This two-part edited volume emphasizes the interdisciplinary nature of the field, bringing together the contributions of pioneers in chemistry, physics, and biology. Both theoretical and experimental topics are featured. The authors describe modern approaches to the exploration of different systems, including supersonic beam techniques, femtosecond laser spectroscopy, chemical syntheses, and methods in genetic and chemical engineering. They examine applications in such areas as supersonic jets, solvents, electrodes, semi- conductors, respiratory and enzymatic protein systems, photosynthesis, and more. They also relate electron transfer and radiationless transitions theory to pertinent physical phenomena, and provide a conceptual framework for the different processes. Complete with over two hundred illustrations, Part Two opens with solvent control issues, including electron transfer reactions and ultrafast solvation dynamics. Other topics include ultrafast electron transfer and coherence effects, molecular electronics, and electron transfer in exciplex chemistry. This volume concludes with a section on biomolecules-from electron transfer tubes to experimental electron transfer and transport in DNA. Timely, comprehensive, and authoritative, Electron Transfer: From Isolated Molecules to Biomolecules is an essential resource for physical chemists, molecular physicists, and researchers working in nonradiative dynamic
Category: Science. ISBN: 9780471252917

Technology Transfer
The purpose of this book is to help research scientists exploit their ideas commercially.
Category: Business. ISBN: 9780521460668

Heat Transfer
This textbook provides engineers with the capability, tools and confidence to solve real-world heat transfer problems.
Category: Technology. ISBN: 9780521881074

Transfer Day
The narrative of Transfer Day explores the discovery of ancestral roots on the Island of St. Croix and the history of the American Virgin Islands, formally known as the Danish West Indies. The Transfer Day literary project is central to a series of projects that formulate a comprehensive study of the historical "New World." Learn the role the Virgin Islands and Caribbean region played in the growth and advanced development of the Western world and the African Diaspora.Apart from the Caribbean Islands as the first port of call for Christopher Columbus' four voyages and the explorer's "official" mandate of discovery, enslaved Africans on St. Croix and the Virgin Islands in particular gave birth to historical African American figures. These people made exemplary contributions to the respective islands of their birth, as well to the illustrious and colorful history of America and the famous Harlem Renaissance. The book crystallizes an important and unheralded piece of history that enjoys a symbiotic connection in context to the broader popular historical account of the development of the Western hemisphere, from the sixteenth century to current political, economic, and social times.
Category: Biography & Autobiography. ISBN: 9781628572582

Language Transfer
Category: Language Arts & Disciplines. ISBN: 9780521371681
Previous1 [2] 3456Next


Monday, December 12, 2011

Smoked Duck

The finished smoked duck... amazing!

Duck has a reputation in the United States of being hard to cook.  Many people don't like duck  This is mainly due to people poorly cooking it.  How many of you have had duck at someone's house?  Greasy and smothered in orange sauce?  Who would want to eat that?  Uh... not me!

The other experience most others have had is at a Chinese restaurant.  You can often get really good duck at a Chinese restaurant... IF they know what they are doing.  It can be fantastic.  However, it can be really bad as well.

I have always liked duck.  I plan on raising my own ducks in the future, so I thought I would experiment a bit and try to find some alternate ways to prepare duck.  I had actually never heard of smoked duck before I had decided to get some ducks for my smoker.  After I had read a bit online, I found out that there were a number of people who were also smoking duck.  Not a lot, but enough for me to get some ideas of what I was looking to do and confirming my own ideas as well.

Duck does have a lot of fat in it.  This is not a problem.  It gives it a lot of flavor.  But we don't want the fat to stay in the meat.  I am not too concerned about the fat content in a health context (since I saved the fat!), but too much fat left in duck meat results in a greasy meat.  That is not tasty at all.  One way to avoid that is to make sure that the duck's skin has "drains" in it.  I used a paring knife and poked all over the skin, through the skin but not the meat (muscle) underneath, to allow the fat to drain as the birds cooked.

I rinsed the birds with cool water after I removed the giblets and neck from the cavity.  I only used a bit of salt on and in the birds.  The fat and smoke will provide enough flavor.  I covered the wings and legs with foil to prevent them from cooking too fast and burning (I removed the foil during the last hour).  I did not tie up the birds at all.  I wanted the smokey, hot air to circulate all around the birds.

I arranged my offset smoker as you can see above.  On the left is the firebox.  I have a pile of charcoal ready to light.  To the right of that is my water pan.  I make sure to keep the air humid (not wet) by keeping this full of water.   Under the cooking grate in the smoke box I placed a drip pan to collect the fat from the cooking birds.  I'll discuss what I did with the fat in a later post.

I used a mix of hickory and mesquite wood blocks and chips - that was all I had access to where I live.  Hickory is a medium strength wood - flavor speaking.  We can use it with beef and pork in moderation, lightly with chicken, and it is probably too strong for lighter fish.  Mesquite is a stronger wood for flavor.  It can easily overpower smoked meats, so we use it with caution depending on the natural flavors of the meat we are smoking.  Duck and other waterfowl, as well as most game meats, are much more strongly flavored, so they can handle a bit more mesquite.  I thought a mix of about 60/40 hickory/mesquite would be a good ratio.

In general, I add wood every 15-30 minutes for the first few hours, then I only add additional charcoal to keep the temperature at a steady place.

Temperatures are the most important thing to monitor when smoking/BBQ-ing.  There are a number of temperatures which I keep track.  First is the smoke box temperature.  I try to smoke/BBQ fatty meats at about 225 F (107 C).  This is the ideal temp to slowly melt the fat and connective tissues and create a juicy meat.  Lean meats like turkey can be smoked/BBQ'd at a bit higher temperature... 325 F (162C).  For duck, I tried to keep the cooking temp between 250-275 F (121-135 C).  It is fattier than turkey, but it doesn't have nearly the connective tissue as a brisket would have.  I monitor this temperature with a screw-on probe thermometer I drilled through the door of the smoke box.

The next temperature I monitor is the meat temperature.  I use a probe thermometer with a heat resistant cord connected to a battery operated digital display as you can see in the photo above.  My goal for duck is 160 F (71 C) in the deep breast.  Once the temp raises to this goal, it will continue cooking for a bit with an ultimate goal of 165 F (74 C).  I like this model.  On the lower line of the digital display, you can see the current probe temp on the left and the goal (alarm) temp on the right.

In reality, I don't completely trust this temperature probe.  I think the heat will conduct down the probe and give a falsely elevated reading.  When I get close to the goal temp, I will then use an instant read probe thermometer and check the meat in several places.  This gives me an idea of how much longer to BBQ the meat.  I will move one piece of meat to the cool end of the smoke box (farthest from the firebox) if it is at a higher temp than the other pieces.  In the case of the ducks, I spun them around since one end was cooking faster than the other.

Here is the end product.  A crispy skin.  Juicy but not greasy meat.  Good smoke flavor, but not overpowering.  It took about 4 hours... I think.  I wasn't really keeping track of the time.  Our guest for the duck dinner, Joan (also a bit of a food snob... in a good way!) is a duck lover.  She orders duck whenever she gets a chance.  She said that this was the best duck she has ever tasted.  High praise!

There is a mix of art and science to smoking meat the right way.  Practice will make perfect.  Get to know your smoker, and you will be making great food!  Have fun!

  1. This looks like an awesome meal John. I had duck for perhaps the first time in Germany last week and just loved it. I'm excited to hear what you did with the fat.

  2. Did you know that you can create short links with LinkShrink and make dollars from every click on your shortened urls.


What is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy?

What is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy?

An introduction to Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) by Declan Fitzpatrick.

Hello, my name is Declan Fitzpatrick, I’m a Psychotherapist and I would like to talk a little bit about cognitive behavioural therapy.

Cognitive behavioural therapy is a form of therapy which takes the view that, how we think; our cognition, how we act; our behaviours, how we feel; our emotions, and what is happening in our body; our physiology, all interact strongly together. In particular, CBT takes the view that our thoughts strongly influence our feelings and our behaviours. Specifically CBT tries to identify and address that might be overly negative, unhelpful and unrealistic, as these thoughts might give rise to feelings of distress, including anxiety, feelings of panic depression and anger.

CBT differs to other more traditional type of talking therapies in that it is designed to be an action orientated therapy. Together, the CBT therapist and the client, attempt to identify faulty or maladaptive thoughts and perceptions that the client may have. Once identified, these thoughts can be challenged and adjusted leading to changed emotional response. Many people find this kind of focused therapy useful and it is designed to give the client something to work on, during and between sessions.

CBT is considered a collaborative therapy, in that the client and therapist in a very focused way to try and bring about some change in the clients life. For example, a client that presents with depression may be encouraged to identify any overly distorted thoughts and perceptions that they may be working from. Together, the therapist and the client will try to bring more balance into the clients thinking. The more balanced the client’s thoughts and perspectives are; the less negative the client may feel. Similarly, the client and therapist might work to identify any behaviours that might affecting the way the client is feeling. They may develop some behavioural experiments, in order to help the client reality test some of their unhelpful beliefs.

It is important to stress that Cognitive Behavioural Therapy is not just about trying to think positively. Instead, what CBT suggest is that that people examine whatever difficulties and problems they are experiencing, from as many different angles as possible. Clients are encouraged to examine alternatives to their thoughts and beliefs, in order to help them better manage their feelings.

Over the last 30 years or so, CBT has established itself as a main stream therapy. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy has been shown to be very effective with issues such as anxiety, depression, panic attacks, low self-esteem, addictions, trauma and anger and stress problems.

Thank you.


Honey Gingerbread Cookie Recipe

eHow Food Blog

Heather Bertinetti sweetens up traditional gingerbread with honey.

Honey Gingerbread Cookie Recipe

1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
4 teaspoons ground ginger
4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 cup molasses
1 cup honey
Powdered sugar, to garnishIn a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg.  Set aside.

In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar together on low speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.  Add the eggs, one at a time, incorporating them completely between each addition (stop the mixer and scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl between each addition as well).  Add the molasses and honey and mix until fully incorporated.

Turn the mixer to its lowest speed and add the reserved dry ingredients.  Mix everything together until the dough forms into a ball.  Spread the dough out onto a large sheet of plastic wrap, press flat into a dish about 1-inch thick and wrap tightly.  Refrigerate the dough until firm, at least 2 hours and preferably overnight.

When you’re ready to bake the cookies, preheat an oven to 350ºF and prepare two baking sheets by lining them with parchment paper.

Lightly flour a large work surface.  Roll the chilled dough out to 1/4-inch thick.  Cut the cookies out with whatever cutter you desire.  Arrange the cookies on the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 1-inch between each cookie (the dough scraps can be gathered together and rolled out again up to two more times).  Bake the cookies until pale golden brown around the edges, 7 to 8 minutes.  Let the cookies cool for about 5 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring them to a cooling screen to cool completely.

Dust the cooled cookies with powdered sugar and serve.

Watch the video:

In association with Rachael Ray at www.rachaelray.com

Promoted By Zergnet

Submit Your Work!


5 Essential Truths of Self-Care

Ask most people about taking good care of themselves and being healthy, and they can probably tell you how they do that physically (or at least they know how they should do it). Even mentally or spiritually we generally know what we can or should do. But what about emotionally?? How do we take good care of our selves at a deeper, more fundamental level? I believe there are practical ways to accomplish this.

 5 Essential Components to Good Self-Care:

 Receiving from others. We all have needs, desires, and preferences. Not allowing others to give to you means you run on empty. It also takes away the gift of others giving to you. Be OK with accepting good words, actions, and gifts from others.

  • Attending to your own legitimate needs. Most of us know when we need to rest, play, sleep, and generally do things that revive or refresh us. These are important to our well-being overall and to the next important component of good self-care.
  • Giving to others. You can give without loving, but you cannot love without giving! The amount of your giving expresses the amount of your love. The true test of love is not feeling, it is action! When we give we get back too. We meet an inherent need for ourselves by giving to others. It’s good for others, it’s good for us!
  • Forgiving others and yourself. Failure to forgive leads to feelings and emotions of anger, resentment, bitterness, hatred, fear, and hostility. It only hurts me. (More on this later!)
  • Boundaries are an essential and vital part of healthy life and caring for ourselves.

 Let’s talk more about boundaries:

 Dr. Henry Cloud and Dr. John Townsend are the leading experts on boundaries. “A boundary is a personal property line that marks those things for which we are responsible. Boundaries define us, they show where “I” end and someone else begins. They define what is me and what is not me.”  They are like fences in my life. They keep the good in and the bad out. And we must be the gatekeepers. If something, or someone, hurts me, I need to set boundaries to keep those hurts from getting in. We need to keep things inside the fence that will nurture us and keep things outside the fence that will harm us.

The word “no” is the most basic boundary setting word. People with poor boundaries have trouble saying no to the control, pressure, demands, or real problems of others. Boundaries are the guidelines that outline what we allow into our lives, and what we don’t. And there must be a consequence if our boundaries are broken. Remember, our boundaries are meant to protect us; emotionally, physically, mentally, and spiritually. If we have a person in our lives that has a tendency to speak insensitively, in cutting or cruel ways, we must set the boundary, “please don’t talk to me in that way.” That’s the boundary. If they continue, they break the boundary, and the consequence may be that we hang up the phone or walk away. This protects us from their emotionally damaging words.

The National Institute of Marriage also has some important ideas about using boundaries in ways that care for ourselves without hurting other people. To be effective, boundaries should take care of you and your interests in a way that also accomplishes your personal and relational goals.

Ask the question: What am I wanting to accomplish with my boundaries?

Most people will answer in one of two ways:

  • I need boundaries to protect myself from people or circumstances. This response typically leads to the building of barriers between you and others. If your motivation is to create distance or isolation, then it is an unhealthy reason for boundaries.

But, if the answer is…

  • I need boundaries to take good care of myself within ongoing relationships. This response strengthens and builds those relationships, leading them toward health.

We have to be careful not to build walls and barriers in relationships that we actually need to be nourishing and maintaining. When boundaries are used to build walls, harm can be done by the withdrawal, control, and manipulation that may result.

Withdrawal, control or manipulation hurt both the relationship and the personal sense of worth.

Healthy boundaries are characterized by love, honor, and respect.

How can you set boundaries to protect your heart, and move toward rather than away from relationships?

Safe Marriages!

Would you consider your marriage to be safe?

What does it mean to be in a relationship that is emotionally safe? Generally when we talk about safety in marriage, physical safety first comes to mind; but few couples consciously think about creating a safe environment emotionally for one another. What are we talking about, and why is it important?

First, let’s talk about what it means to feel emotionally safe. Emotional or relational safety means feeling accepted; there is no judgment or criticism. A person can communicate honestly, be themselves and know their deepest thoughts, feelings, hurts and experiences will be honored and treated with care. When you feel safe, you do not need to prove, or impress. It allows you and your partner to be real and genuine with one another without fear; fear of being rejected, criticized, misunderstood, and feeling inadequate or insignificant. You feel free to be open and honest, true to yourself and without regrets.

When a person feels emotional or relational safety they:

  • Feel their partner cares for them
  • Know what they feel and think matters
  •  Can be different and yet still accepted
  •  Have a good balance of time alone and as a couple
  • Are comfortable that unhealthy words and actions will not be present
  • Feel free to be open and vulnerable
  • Feel they are partners in the relationship and can make decisions together
  • Can equally be heard and understood

Compassion and understanding create safety!

Why is establishing safety essential for great relationships? We were created for relationship and we all desire to be close, connected and have intimacy with others; it’s in our genes. When we feel safe, we can be open and vulnerable with others. When we feel threatened emotionally, we have a natural, physiological reaction of “fight or flight.” We feel insecure, unsafe and our heart and soul become closed off, defensive and disconnected from our spouse. Ultimately, intimacy in relationships depends on emotional and relational safety. When we feel well cared for by our spouse, it is safe for us to be fully ourselves and makes it easier to communicate and solve problems. Safety and feeling you are cared for come before problem solving takes place.

Creating safety is also central for healthy marriages because security and safety are principles initiated by God himself for our benefit. Over and over we see God characterized as our rock, a fortress, and a stronghold; the one where we can go to find refuge, find protection and be delivered (2 Thess 3:3; Isa 19:20; Ps 18:2). He obviously is concerned enough for our security and safety to become the provider for it. And why would he do this for us? Because he sees the people he has created in his own image as valuable and as a treasure! The value of who we are comes from God. He says we are precious and honored in His sight and he loves us (Isa 43:4). When we recognize and accept our spouse as a valuable treasure, just as God does, we will demonstrate by our words and actions that they are worth protecting.

Creating a safe marriage involves both attitude and action. So, how do we create the emotional safety we all desire and need? Here are a few suggestions:

  • View your spouse as God does: valuable, precious, a treasure; created in His image.
  • Treat your spouse in words and actions with care, compassion and sensitivity.
  • Be a trustworthy person-follow through on your promises, keep your word.
  • Do not judge or criticize (You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things. Rom 2:1)
  • Learn to respect and embrace your differences and make them work for the relationship.
  • Be committed to demonstrating your love and support with consistency (words of affirmation, affection, time together, romance, etc.).
  • Listen with your heart: be “in tune” with your spouse’s emotions.
  • Ask yourself some questions: When does my marriage feel safe? When does it feel unsafe? What is happening when the relationship feels safe, unsafe? How do I contribute to an unsafe emotional environment? What words or behaviors do I use that are unsafe? What could I change that would impact the safety of my marriage?

Have you considered making your marriage a totally safe place emotionally and relationally? When we focus on being safe for our spouse, we are inviting them to open their heart and soul to us so we can have the open, loving relationship we desire and were created to have. See your spouse as a person of great worth and value, and then treat them accordingly.

 Be safe!

The Behavior of Love

Setting Your Goals!

“Planning is bringing the future into the present so you can do something about it now. -Alan Lakein

“The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty.” -Proverbs 21:5

It’s almost impossible to begin the New Year without at least thinking about making some kind of resolution, new promises to yourself, or setting some newer, more realistic goals. Did you achieve the plans you set last year? Can you even remember what personal goals you made a year ago? It is said that change is inevitable, and that change is the essence of life itself.  But most of us don’t want that change to just happen to us without our consent, and quite honestly we want to take some ownership or control and want to have a sense of power over the change in our lives.   But for some reason, our personal plans are generally quite difficult for us to achieve. Sometimes even when the place we are, mentally, emotionally, or relationally is not healthy, we still feel more comfortable staying where we are than in making a change; even if the alternative would obviously be better for us. Why do we have so much trouble making our goals happen? Read the rest of this entry »

New Year’s Parenting Resolution

Tiffany N. Smith, LPC, LMFT, NCC

Join Our Mailing List

Blog Categories


CHEO’s Respiratory Therapy Department organized the 1st Annual Munter Cup 6 vs 6 co-ed staff ball hockey tournament, which took place in the CHEO parking lot from 4-8pm on Thursday, June 29th.

HALO put together a team and played 7 games in 4 hours with constant rain the entire time. The HALO team won all of their round-robin games, and won the championship game 1-0.

Congratulations, HALOs!