After Porn Ends 2 picks up where its predecessor left off and not only turns back the clock to meet the oldest living stars in adult film's history, but goes in depth with some of Its most current retirees and juxtaposes their experiences in a life after porn. Delving deeper into society's ongoing stigmas of race, misogyny, and the reality of decreasing opportunities for these former VHS box cover stars. For some, their careers in adult entertainment is accepted proudly and without regret. In fact, it seems to have proven to be the pathway to their current happiness and inner peace. For others, however, a career in porn has proven to be a conduit to certain despair as they struggle to find a way to bury their past and emerge with a new career or calling.
A look behind the curtain of Washington politics following three "renegade" Republican Congressmen as they bring libertarian and conservative zeal to champion the President’s call to “drain the swamp.”
‘Lady Day’ was one of the greatest jazz vocalists the world ever heard. In 1971, journalist Linda Lipnack Kuehl set out to write the definitive biography of Billie Holiday. Before her mysterious death in 1978, Lipnack Kuehl had taped over 200 hours of interviews. The tapes have never been heard. Now they form the basis of an atmospheric, multi-layered documentary that captures the many complex facets of a proud black woman, violent drug addict, loyal friend, vindictive lover and unforgettable singer of ‘God Bless The Child’, ‘Saddest Tale’ and the haunting ‘Strange Fruit’.
“NARUTO to BORUTO THE LIVE 2019”, a special event for the 20th anniversary of the first publication of “NARUTO” series in Weekly Shonen Jump!! Featuring live performances by artists performing the theme songs of both “NARUTO” and “BORUTO: NARUTO NEXT GENERATIONS”, anime cast members reading original story episodes, and more.
Beyond Barricades is a documentary on political punk band Anti-Flag, featuring interviews with Tom Morello, Billy Bragg, Tim McIlrath, Brian Baker & More. The film explores the trials and tribulations of playing politically charged music and devoting your life to activism.
Healthcare systems are overwhelmed, economies are disrupted and governments impose lockdowns to contain the spread of the virus. Where did this novel coronavirus come from? In what way was it manifesting itself in humans? How was it being spread? We uncover the vital questions scientists ask as they grapple to understand this new virus, and its potential threat. We also speak to the scientists and experts leading the fight against this latest pandemic to develop vaccines and treatments in a bid to halt the coronavirus' relentless spread.
For a book project, photographer Timothy Greenfield-Sanders took photographs of 30 stars of adult movies, each pair of photographs in the same pose, clothed and nude. This film records the photo shoots and includes interviews with the performers and commentary from eight writers (and John Waters). The actors and writers discuss economics, nudity and exhibitionism, careers, and private lives.
Italy, 1970. An increasing legion of harmless warriors begins a peaceful struggle for sexual freedom through pornography, shaking and shocking religious authorities and conservative political institutions. They are ironic, happy, crazy. They are dreamers, defenders of definitive communion between body and soul. But they were censored and humiliated. They were mistreated and arrested for demanding loud a new cultural renaissance.
This autobiography of Hector Delgado runs from his childhood to become one of the greatest exponents of the urban genre, but the results of that life did not please him and led him to try to take his life .After being victim of a firefight at a service station in Aguada, a city hall in Puerto Rico, he stopped earning at least two hundred American dollars for presentation and being "devout of Jesus"
In 2008, after a show celebrating the 20th anniversary of his fashion house, Maison Margiela, visionary designer Martin Margiela left the fashion world for good. Throughout his career, the Belgian designer remained anonymous, refusing interviews and never being photographed, leading some to call him the fashion world’s answer to Banksy. Now, more than a decade after his departure, Margiela digs into his meticulous and idiosyncratic personal archives to reflect on his revolutionary career and legacy.


Sep 23, 2020
Sep 16, 2020
Guests: Nick & Marjorie Allan, pastors at The Well Sheffield, England and authors of the new book The XYZ of Discipleship: Understanding and Reaching Generations Y & Z.
Nick and Marjorie have served churches in England for more than 20 years. With their hearts for the younger generation, they share their experiences...
Sep 9, 2020
We talk with the authors of a compelling new book, "Leading Small Groups that Thrive: Five Shifts to take your group to the next level." Based on extensive research, this book provides insights and practical how-tos on building small groups that are healthy, effective, and transformational.


"...Irwin Katsof's literary contributions continue to inspire and enlighten readers on their own spiritual journeys."
Irwin Katsof, acclaimed author and conscientious businessman, has built a distinguished reputation rooted in a deep commitment to the betterment of both enterprises and the greater global community. Long before his business endeavors, Irwin embraced roles as a devoted father and a respected rabbi. As the father of eight children, he aspires to leave behind a world that is progressing toward a more peaceful and harmonious future, a legacy that extends to his 25 grandchildren. Drawing from his spiritual background as a Rabbi, Irwin passionately believes in the fundamental values of kindness and compassion, seeing them as the cornerstones of his business philosophy. These principles guide his mission to contribute positively to the world, both personally and professionally.
Irwin Katsof's literary journey began in 1998 and continues till today. He authored three impactful books while his fourth book, a memoir tentatively titled "A Time of Living Dangerously: Trying to Get Rich While Staying Connected to God," is currently in progress with a hopeful publication date in Q1 2024.
In 1998, he co-authored "Powerful Prayers: Conversations on Faith, Hope, and the Human Spirit with Today’s Most Provocative People" alongside the renowned Larry King. This collaborative effort achieved remarkable success, ranking as the tenth best-selling religious book of the year according to Publishers Weekly. In 2000, Irwin published his second book, "How to Get Your Prayers Answered," a work that garnered such acclaim it was reissued in 2002. His third book, "The Words Can Heal Handbook: How Changing Your Words Can Change Your Life," followed suit in 2001. Irwin Katsof's literary contributions continue to inspire and enlighten readers on their own spiritual journeys.
Irwin Katsof's remarkable journey through the world of business and international relations is a testament to his unwavering commitment to fostering global connections and promoting economic growth. In 2008, he co-led the U.S. Commerce Department Trade Mission to the Republic of Georgia, a pivotal moment that marked his foray into international trade initiatives. Two years later, he continued his diplomatic efforts as the Co-leader of a U.S. Commerce Department Trade Mission to Belarus.
In 2010, Irwin Katsof assumed a role on the Board of Directors of IDW Media Holdings, Inc., a fully integrated media company encompassing multiple award-winning subsidiaries. His impact on international trade policy was recognized in 2011 when he was appointed to the U.S. Commerce Department Trade Advisory Board (ITAC 6), focusing on International Energy Trade Policy.
Irwin's influence in the business world expanded further in 2012 when he joined the Board of Directors of Genie Energy (NYSE-GNE). However, his most significant contribution came in 2013 when he organized the first-ever Certified Trade Mission to Israel. This marked the inception of Trademissions.org, an organization dedicated to helping U.S. fund managers raise capital outside the United States. This initiative has since facilitated over 8,500 LP investors and hosted trade missions in various countries, aiding American fund managers in accessing global capital.
Beyond his achievements in business and international trade, Irwin Katsof has pursued a path of personal growth and healing. He obtained certification as a Trauma and Tension Reducing Practitioner in 2017 and completed a rigorous four-year program to become a Certified Core Energetics Practitioner in 2018. This body psychotherapy and spiritual development approach has deepened his understanding of personal transformation.
In 2023, Irwin continued his academic pursuits, earning a Master's in Transpersonal Psychology with a specialty in Applied Spirituality from Atlantic University. He currently divides his time between Rockland County, New York, and Jerusalem, Israel, and is a dedicated family man, with eight children and twenty-five grandchildren, celebrating over four decades of marriage with his wife, Judy. Irwin Katsof's life journey exemplifies his enduring dedication to bridging cultures and fostering personal and global growth.


Gannon Phi Omega
Erie, PA 16541
Charter Date April 28, 1990
Chapter No. 145
Advisor Dr. Al Habib Ullah
Dr. Hamid Torab and Dr. Halit M. Kosar petitioned to install a Pi Tau Sigma Chapter at Gannon University. In 1990, the petition was approved and the Gannon Phi Omega Chapter was formally installed on April 28, 1990. National President James R. Welty, National Vice-President Charles Spiekennann, and National Secretary-Treasurer Edwin I Griggs were present to officiate the installation ceremony. Six undergraduates were initiated as charter members.
Chapter goals are to recognize outstanding Mechanical Engineering students, to promote excellence in the engineering profession, and to provide assistance to Pi Tau Sigma members and all Mechanical Engineering students while upholding the high ideals of the fraternity.
ANNUAL SUMMARY REPORTS
During the academic year, Pi Tau Sigma Society focused on supporting the ASME Student Chapter's literacy project by repairing and maintaining a network of 15 Little Free Libraries (LFLs) in neighboring communities, aiming to enhance literacy among local residents. Additionally, the society provided tutoring services to mechanical engineering students, helping them improve their knowledge in math, physics, and mechanical engineering courses. Society members dedicated their time to assist students in achieving their academic goals. Furthermore, Pi Tau Sigma Society supported the department faculties by organizing lab tours during university open houses, allowing prospective students to explore the facilities and learn about the department's research activities. Regular chapter meetings were held to address ethical and integrity concerns related to proposed initiatives, ensuring the society's positive contribution to the academic community and upholding its commitment to maintaining high ethical standards. These activities collectively demonstrate society’s dedication to promoting literacy, supporting academic excellence, engaging with prospective students, and fostering a culture of integrity within the academic community.
The main volunteer community activity for the academic year was to take charge of managing and delivering books for the joint Gannon, Erie community section of the national “Little Free Libraries” program. In their freshman intro to engineering course, the students may select a project for designing and building little book boxes unique to the specific local in the Erie area. A total of twelve such boxes now exist and are located over an area of twenty five city blocks by six miles. Pi Tau sigma members develop a schedule and deliver books weekly filling the boxes for a total of over 4000 books for a typical academic year. The Pi Tau mambers have complete responsibility of organizing the hundreds of books donated to the Houising and Neighbor Development (HANDS) center of Erie. The books are organized in categories of childrens, elementary school, teens, adults as well as biography, history, fiction, eclectic, instructional, sprots, and several stem categories of life sciences, physical sceineces, math, and engineering. The members decide on the type of books that most suit a particular area where a box is located. This has been a significant service to the area and we will continue to be as it is expanded t with the design of additional boxes to accommodate the huge influx of book donations. Members as well as the chapter faculty advisor also volunteer to deliver books during the summer. The activity has complete support of Gannon University, HANDS, and the Erie community. The Gannon Phi Omega is completely in charge of the program. Society members also provided a tutoring service for any Mechanical Engineering student who was interested in improving his/her knowledge of math, physics, and mechanical engineering courses. Along with designing and building new boxes and repairing and improving existing boxes, the tutoring adds another excellent way of providing service to the profession.


The book is called "How to Do Nothing" by Jenny Odell and can be read here.
Here's a description:
A thread to discuss this book already exists on Discord (in the #library channel) but you can also discuss here if you like!In a world where addictive technology is designed to buy and sell our attention, and our value is determined by our 24/7 data productivity, it can seem impossible to escape. But in this inspiring field guide to dropping out of the attention economy, artist and critic Jenny Odell shows us how we can still win back our lives.
Odell sees our attention as the most precious—and overdrawn—resource we have. And we must actively and continuously choose how we use it. We might not spend it on things that capitalism has deemed important … but once we can start paying a new kind of attention, she writes, we can undertake bolder forms of political action, reimagine humankind’s role in the environment, and arrive at more meaningful understandings of happiness and progress.
Far from the simple anti-technology screed, or the back-to-nature meditation we read so often, How to do Nothing is an action plan for thinking outside of capitalist narratives of efficiency and techno-determinism. Provocative, timely, and utterly persuasive, this book will change how you see your place in our world.
There is also https://web.hypothes.is/ for annotating PDFs in your browser (there is an "unofficial" version for Firefox, just need to search it).
For me, personally, this is exactly the kind of book I need to read because I can't do NOTHING Very excited to check it out!


Government and Associations
King One Design x Luzhou Jixian Branch
The Luzhou Jixian Branch of the New Taipei City Library invited King One Design to renovate the library space to subvert the local residents' imagination of "restrictive" and "steady" libraries, break through traditional thinking, and integrate local living art and literary atmosphere style. Improve the quality of reading space and the utilization rate of facilities with the "Library of Life" with Luzhou-style characteristics, create "reading is a life attitude and a living habit", optimize the value of library space, and successfully bring the library closer to the local area distance of residents.
🙇♀ We are sorry to inform you that this article hasn't had an English version yet. If you're still interested in reading this article in Chinese, please go to the Language bar and click "TW" You will have access to this article.


Joe Letteri Interview
Weta Digital's Joe Letteri talks about working on The Hobbit, Batman vs Superman and the upcoming Avatar films.
Animators in Action on The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
Weta Digital presents a peek inside the world of the animation team as they work on The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug.
The Hobbit Films - Titles and Release Dates
The titles and release dates for Peter Jackson's new The Hobbit films have been announced.


How to make all learning content accessible from one interface? Quiklrn along with its partners has integrated library management solutions, e-books, e-courses , and e-journals which are accessible from Quiklrn app.
The integrated solution is aimed to:
- Facilitate Anytime, Any where access to all content from one platform.
- Manage licenses and access control
- Make Industry relevant courses to students for employable skills
- Offer industry ready evaluation tests to help students with placements.
KEY CHALLENGES in content access
- How to give access to library content in a learning platform?
- How to make e-books from various publishers available to students?
- How to make e-journals subscription accessible along with curriculum content?
- How to manage the licenses and access control?


I’m a huge archi-nerd when it comes to reading books about architecture, so I’ve looked at a fair amount of architecture book lists. In reading such lists though, I’ve noticed some glaring omissions. Instead of doing a top blah blah architecture blah blah list, this is simply a list of my favorite architecture books in no particular order.
Everyone needs a couple “coffee table books” of their favorite architects. I’m starting off my list with a few of my favorites. I’m not trying to push these architects or their design philosophies on you, but as collections of their work, the next three books are big, beautiful and filled with images and great text to accompany them. In general, you can’t go wrong with the large Tashen or Phaidon books.
Renzo Piano Building Workshop 1966 to Today by Philip Jodidio
Renzo Piano has always been one of my favorite architects. This book showcases all his big hitters, except for his most recent ones.
Louis I. Kahn by Robert McCarter
I maintain than an architect who does not appreciate Kahn’s work is no archtiect at all. It’s a strong stance, but his use of simple geometry and light is something special.
Kieran Timberlake: Inquiry by Stephen Kieran, James Timberlake and Karl Wallick
This book rocks mostly because of it’s extensive use of details for the projects shown in the book. I can’t count how many times I’ve been left wondering how something was actually constructed in these types of books. This book answers questions like “Do that have a thermal brake?” “How did they do that?” and Whaaaaa?” I hope we start to see more and more architects taking this approach for their own portfolio books.
The Death and Life of Great American Cities by Jane Jacobs
This book should be read by every child in the country. There is no greater book to read explaining what make our cities great. This book had a huge impact on what my beliefs of what makes great cities are. It focuses on local communities, usability and an eyes on the street mentality that is being rediscovered as what make great neighborhoods and cities work.
“Cities have the capability of providing something for everybody, only because, and only when, they are created by everybody.”
A Pattern Language by Christopher Alexander
I will forever be grateful for the mentor who gave me this book while I was still in school. It has had a great effect on how I think about design and the ideal that I strive to achieve within my designs. This book reads like a cookbook for making great spaces and is surprising in its simplicity. Great architecture is not about grand statements or overarching plans, but a conglomerate of small interactions that form to create a wonderful whole. Moving from the very minute details to entire city planning, this book is great for every aspect of design, for those looking for tips on how to personalize their own house to city planners looking for ways to create vibrant neighborhoods.
Modern Architecture: A Critical History by Kenneth Frampton
I’ll be honest here and admit that I haven’t read this book cover to cover, but for history books on modern architecture, this one is up there with the best. It’s been around for a while, but Kenneth Frampton remains an important figure in the world of architecture and this book checks the boxes for critical thought on modern architecture.
Architecture: Form, Space, and Order by Fancis K. Ching
Any of Ching’s books are worthy of making this list, and you should probably go ahead and get all of them, but this book is my favorite. It covers the basics of architecture in his unique graphic style.
Architectural Graphic Standards by The American Institute of Architects
Long recognized as the go to reference books for architects, this covers the whole gambit of architecture in a hefty 6.8 pound 1120 page monster. The picture above is from the 11th addition, which I’ve heard mixed reviews about. If you’re really worried, you can look for older versions that have a better reputation.
How to Start and Operate Your Own Design Firm by Albert Rubeling
Nearly everyone has a class that scrapes the surface as to what types of firms are out there and what some firm organizations look like, but in terms of actually going deep into what it’s like to run a business, it’s not even close to what it should be. Granted, I haven’t read a lot of books about the business of architecture, but this one is a great starter. It covers all the basics of starting and running your own architecture firm. Even if you never plan on running your own architecture firm (although 40% of licensed architects do), the information in this book gives you a greater understanding of how to be successful in architecture.
Mechanical and Electrical Equipment for Buildings by Walter Grondzik, Alison Kwok, Benjamin Stein, and John Reynolds
Commonly known as MEEB. Jamb packed at 1,724 pages with nearly everything you need to know about Mechanical and Electrical systems. The go-to guide for quick MEP lessons so you can sound smart in front of your engineers.
Writing for Design Professionals by Stephen Kliment
This book is definitely not the most glamorous on the list, but it has been a great resource on how to communicate, specifically in the design world. It covers proposals, marketing materials, websites, correspondence and much more. I highly recommend this book for everyone as a resource for when you need to communicate clearly and effectively.
Eyes of the Skin by Juhani Pallasmaa
A great book by a great thinker in architecture. This book discusses how we use our senses to interact with spaces. The phenomenology of architecture.
“To at least some extent every place can be remembered, partly because it is unique, but partly because it has affected our bodies and generated enough associations to hold it in our personal worlds.”
Design Like You Give a Damn by Architecture for Humanity
Just like the title implies, this book and it’s sequel is a call to action for architects to put their talents to good use. A great book for inspiration and remembering about our responsibility to design with purpose.
Cradle to Cradle by Michael Braungart and William McDonough
Everyone has heard about green or sustainable design, but these guys take it a step further. Cradle to Cradle is a system where every waste product in a manufacturing process becomes food for something else. This eliminates the problem of waste and simply creates loops of regenerative products. A great book to read and an ideal to strive towards in the construction industry. An added benefit of this book is the unique “paper” it’s made with making it fully “Cradle-to-cradle”, waterproof and its smells divine.
“Here’s where redesign begins in earnest, where we stop trying to be less bad and we start figuring out how to be good.”
Invisible Cities by Italo Calvino
A collection of short stories by the great Italo Calvino. This book is written as a conversation between Marco Polo and Kublai Khan. Polo describes cities to Khan in a unique way that really takes your imagination for a ride.
Marco Polo describes a bridge, stone by stone.
“But which is the stone that supports the bridge?” Kublai Khan asks.
“The bridge is not supported by one stone or another,” Marco answers, “but by the line of the arch that they form.”
Kublai Khan remains silent, reflecting. Then he adds: “Why do you speak to me of the stones? It is only the arch that matters to me.”
Polo answers: “Without stones there is no arch.”
The Architecture of Happiness by Alain de Botton
A book that explores the ways in which architecture shapes how we feel and how we can use those powers for good.
“The architects who benefit us most maybe those generous enough to lay aside their claims to genius in order to devote themselves to assembling graceful but predominantly unoriginal boxes. Architecture should have the confidence and the kindness to be a little boring.”
That’s it, until I buy more books.
I think it’s also important to note that despite the aura of wisdom and authority I radiate (is that what that smell is!?) there is a huge amount of knowledge and information out there that I have never heard of and probably will never know about. This list reflects my own experiences and what I have been exposed to, so you may not like any of these books and you probably think I’ve left out some good ones as well. If that’s the case, please let me know. I love it when my library grows and I can discover new untouched realms of the architecture universe.
*All Images in this post are courtesy of Amazon.com, unless otherwise noted. I have included links to all the books listed, in case you want to purchase them for yourself. I am not getting any sort of commission on anything on this page, I just simply like to encourage others to go out and read more about architecture.


Last updated on Saturday, 28-October-2000.
A photograph of mom, as a teenager, in her living room, January, 1959.
My dad, the bread delivery man, holding me on his knee, April 1961.
A studio proof of Gary and I, probably taken in 1963.
Photograph of dad sitting at a table in Clay Center, Kansas, in 1964.
I'm riding a toy truck down the driveway in Clay Center, Kansas, in Autumn of 1964.
Photo booth monkeys.
Lisa, mom, and myself at the Wilcox house, 1966 or 1967.
Vampire: A first grade school portrait, 1966-67.
First grade class picture, Deaf Smith Elementary, 1967-68.
Gary and I wearing our Sunday Best in Rosenberg, 1968.
Lisa wearing her Sunday Best in Rosenberg, 1968.
Backyard barbecue on St. John Street, Austin, in 1968.
Gary and I in the front yard on St. John street in 1968 or 1969.
Petty family church directory portrait taken around 1969.
Eating watermelon on Linny and Johnny's back porch, September 1969.
School portrait, 1970.
The Operators, 1970 Pee Wee baseball champions.
Portrait of my sister, Lisa, with chickenpox, Spring 1971.
Dad's Southwestern Bell Telephone Company ID badge.
Dad working at the Republican convention, Kemper Arena, Kansas City.
The oldest picture I have of Jamie Burton.
Stage production of "Here We Are", with Robin Salyer, Fall of 1975.
Our Lanier high school drama teacher, Mr. Foard, on stage.
Jamie Burton pins boutonniere on Richard, 1975.
Jamie and Gary at Christmas, 1975.
Richard and Jamie in The Devil's Disciple, summer 1976.
Mom, Gary, Lisa, Jamie, Ginny, and myself at the Country Dinner Playhouse.
The sultan and his harem in 1976's production of "Don't Drink the Water".
Mr. Foard's drama room at Lanier, Fall of 1976.
Gary, Richard, and Rusty in the Lanier drama room.
Posing in class shirts at Christina Dahlberg's house.
Ginny Tompson wrote a Valentine note to my mom and dad in 1977.
Jamie, Vera, and I at a party at Pat Blashill's house in early 1977.
Gary and Richard "fighting" before rehearsal, Summer 1977.
Bruce Falke visits us in Huntsville, summer of 1978.
Lisa, Ed, and Richard in the backyard on Coy's Drive
Alison Griner in her living room in Huntsville, Alabama, in 1979.
Graduating from Grissom H.S. and playing with my tassel, May 1979.
Diane Colvard, Huntsville, Alabama, 1978, '79, '80.
Rusty and Gary with Checkers the clown, Six Flags Over Texas.
Vera and I when we first met, Oakhurst Apartments, Austin, 1981.
Vera and Richard playing football, Christmas 1981.
At a campout, me kneeling with a tripod and camera, Summer 1982.
A Vera and Richard wedding photograph, September 1982.
Mom & Dad in the early 80's.
A portrait of mom made during the early 80's.
A black and white shot of my cousins Chris and James.
A cast photograph from the Broken Arrow Community Playhouse.
Portrait of Lisa at Thanksgiving dinner.
Me in Vera and Amanda's labor room, September 16th, 1984.
Karla, Gary, Rusty, and Amanda at the Riverside Apartments, Austin, 1984.
Our humble apartment in The Landing Apartments on Town Lake, Austin, 1985.
Mr. Foard and my grandparents at Gary and Karla's wedding reception.
While Vera holds her a the swimming pool, Amanda accidentally splashes herself.
Little Amanda picking dandelions.
Gary working in the study on January street.
Our "jump up and down alarm clock".
Vera, Ann, and Ginny visit with kids at Ginny's house in 1986.
Amanda the little Pixie.
Family portrait during the holiday season in Tulsa, 1986.
Amanda, Zarchary, and Gary in the Tulsa hot tub.
Amanda & Zachary reading books.
A curious behavior is documented.
Amanda-too-cute on her tricycle.
Uncle Rusty tutors pinãta carnage.
Amanda loved blowing bubbles.
The Petty side of the family at Lisa and Stan's Wedding, May 1989.
Gary poses with a quart of Pennzoil in Arlington.
Reunion party at our house on Kandy Drive, 1989.
- The Ann (McCaffrey) & Robert Mechler and family.
- The Jamie (Burton) & Tommy Wheeless and family.
- Laura (Sargologos) and Paul Radcliffe.
- Ginny (Tompson) & Jim MacDonald and family.
- Mark & Camille Gordon.
- Mark & Rusty smooze.
- Jamie & Ann smooze.
- Christina & Mr. Foard pose.
- Gary holds Andrew.
- The ever vivacious Heather Hielscher!
- Kids playing on the sofa.
- Kids playing on the floor.
Family reunion at my uncle Donald's house, Dallas, 1990.
Andrew riding the magic air-trike.
A school photograph of a young Amanda.
A school photograph of a young Andrew (the bear).
The Guys -- Dad, Andrew, and myself.
Lettie and I spent Christmas in Oklahoma City at Lisa and Stan's home in 1991.
Amanda's seventh birthday, September 1991.
Amanda wearing cocoanuts, Andrew wearing an Arabian head dress.
Grandparents with their grandchildren
Lettie standing outside the Black Eyed Pea.
Lettie and I at the 1993 BEST Christmas dance.
The best vacation I've ever taken, 1993.
A Gary Petty family portrait, 1997.
Alison Berger and family Christmas card, Fall 1997.
Andrew at his middle school band concert in the Fall of 1998.
The Stan and Lisa Hunt family, Tennessee, 1998.
My soul brother, Rusty, and his kids, Arlington, Texas, Spring 1999.
Portrait of my son, Andrew, on his front porch, Summer 1999.
Gary carrying Spencer out to the car after after Grandpa Petty's 81st birthday party, October 1999.
Amanda and I on the south rim of the Grand Canyon, November 1999.
Maui Millennium Holiday.
- Looking toward a mountain, taken from a Wilea beach, by Andrew.
A Polaroid strip photograph of Amanda, April 2000.


Whether you are an English professor with stacks of books, a collector of rare editions or someone who simply can't part with beloved cookbooks, your childrens' old favorites and books for summer reading, SDA can create the perfect library for you. More than many other projects we encounter, clients want a library that reflects their tastes while creating a restful, serene atmosphere.
Simple built-in shelving for small collections (but with room to grow) or complete room units with moving ladders to reach the highest shelves are all designs we have experience constructing. And we can do the design work or follow your architect's plan – whatever suits you and your budget. With materials as well, SDA's years of experience will help direct you toward those woods and hardware best suited to the project at hand.
If you want a library, you clearly hold your books in high regard. Expect us to do the same.


Archives by date
You are browsing the site archives by date.
By hungsta2 on November 25, 2016
In Spring of 2016, Dr. Kristin Campbell was awarded the prestigious Killam Faculty Research Fellowship from the University of British Columbia recognizing outstanding promise to advance learning in her professional career during her sabbatical. Read more here. With the help of UBC Studios, Dr. Campbell was asked to share the story behind her research and inspirations throughout […]


Library patrons will be pleased to know that the Latham Library will finally be open to all comers on July 19, no appointments required, after adhering to guidelines from the VT Department of Libraries Reopening Information, the Thetford Emergency Management Director, and the Community Nurse since March of this year.
At the start of the pandemic, the library services were limited to “Phase 1” operations, where only curbside pickup of books and other materials was possible, and returned books were sanitized and quarantined. Any programs that were available were held through Zoom. “Phase 2” began in early May and added limited on-site internet and collection browsing, with temperature checks, masks, and sanitizing of mouse, keyboard, and surfaces. In late May any programs switched to taking place outdoors.
July 19th heralds the start of “Phase 3” where free public access is now possible thanks to grant funding that provided the library with air purifiers, a sneeze guard at the desk, and a generous stock of PPE. If many people are using the building, open windows and doors will increase air flow in and out. There are residents standing by to serve as back-up staff in case of illness. Staff and volunteers are all tested, and a high proportion are vaccinated. Limited gathering may be allowed, though 6-foot distancing is still in effect regarding computer workstations and checkouts.
It is up to library users to consider their vaccination status and whether they have any cold-like symptoms as highlighted in warning signs asking symptomatic people to stay outside. Another thing to think about is any recent travel abroad. The library is providing masks, and everyone is asked to use the hand sanitizer when they enter. People may continue to use curbside pickup to borrow books if they feel averse to entering the building.
Much planning, consultation with local Emergency Management, and studying of state guidelines has been poured into these preparations. Library users can acknowledge the work and dedication that keeps the Latham Library open even under the restrictions imposed by a pandemic and honor it by remembering that we are all participants in public health and safety.
Latham Library Summer Hours:


Literacy Activities For This Week
Here is some reading and grammar work for you to complete this next coming week. Some of you might find this tricky so I have also put "Olympics games reading -easier." You can then write about what you have found out in your own words. Make your own mini fact file and email it to me..
The main reading activity is about inspirational female athletes. There are three levels for the reading, so please select the level that you are comfortable with. You will need to read and answer the questions in your books.
If you are finding it tricky, please try "Olympics games reading comprehension." You can then write about what you have found out in your own words.
Accelerated Reading Programme
Whilst we are learning from home, we recommend using AR on ANY of your own books at home.
Don't worry if they are not in your normal ZPD.
Here is the weblink to complete a test: https://ukhosted84.renlearn.co.uk/2236464/


Posted by Stillmind via Wikipedia Gandhi first employed civil disobedience while an expatriate lawyer in South Africa, during the resident Indian community’s struggle there for civil rights. During this time, he wrote articles for Indian newspapers about black people that some modern readers consider racist. After his return to India in 1915, he organised protests by peasants, farmers, and urban labourers concerning excessive land-tax and discrimination. After assuming leadership of the Indian National Congress in 1921, Gandhi led nationwide campaigns to ease poverty, expand women’s rights, build religious and ethnic amity, end untouchability, and increase economic self-reliance. Above all, he aimed to achieve Swaraj or the independence of India from foreign domination. Gandhi famously led his followers in the Non-cooperation movement that protested the British-imposed salt tax with the 400 km (240 mi) Dandi Salt March in 1930. Later, in 1942, he launched the Quit India civil disobedience movement demanding immediate independence for India. Gandhi spent a number of years in jail in both South Africa and India.
His story, life and triumph are one of the most fascinating in the history of Humankind.


Through The Esses - Buddy Palumbo And Burt Levy - 10 years on
© Andrew S. Hartwell
"There was a brief scream and scuffle from the fence, where Roy's oldest kid was trying to force his little sister's hand between the fence slats in hopes the neighbors Lab would mistake it for another turkey part. In a flash of crystalline uncertainty, I started to wonder if maybe getting married and having a family was really what I wanted out of life." - Buddy Palumbo, From The Novel: Montezuma's Ferrari
Burt "BS" Levy penned those words in the second of three novels about a young man who goes to work at a local garage in the 1950's and eventually learns more about life in a few years time than many come to know over an entire lifetime. Young mechanic Buddy Palumbo is the focal point of the novels, which first became available 10 years ago beginning with "The Last Open Road". The story line revolves around the early years of sportscar racing in America and the many characters that populated the grids and paddocks at a time when sponsors were not a part of the action. A time when rich men would drive their brand new sportscars to the track - typically a course laid out on streets or along private driveways - then slap a number on the door and go off at high speed trying to show their peers that they were forces to be reckoned with. And once the race was over, the numbers came off and the cars were driven home.


The Program Committee is developing a collaborative program with the Unitarian Church for Black History Month 2004. In keeping with this year’s theme Brown vs. The Board of Education, the program will feature a keynote speaker and commentaries on five Western Addition pioneers.
The Library and Archives Committee is in the process of establishing a book club for members and friends of the Society. The committee plans to select for its first work a book written about Brown vs. the Board of Education, the theme for Black History Month 2004. Details about book club meetings will soon be available. Please contact Mary Manning, Society Archivist, at 415-292-6172, with your questions.
For more information about our committees or to join one of them, please contact us at 415.292.6172


41 Upcoming EventsToggle Filters
Visit The College to discuss the opportunities open to you and find out what college life is really like. We recommend you have a look at the range of courses on offer via The College website prior to coming along to our Open Events. The College offers ample free-parking on campus and good local transport connections are available. Family & friends welcome.
Community Navigator Drop-in sessions at Cowes Library on the last Tuesday of every month 10.30am – 12pm
Parish Council meetings will be held on the first Tuesday of the month at various locations within the parish. Meetings start at 7 pm unless otherwise stated. There will be 15 minutes set aside to consider questions submitted by the public. Phone: 01983 609850 Website: http://www.chillertonandgatcombe.org/parish-council/minutes/ Email: email@example.com


Then a funny thing happened. The Bigwigs declared that, essentially, nothing could change from the beginning of the book to the end, so as to stay In Canon.
(Except, of course, that the books were never supposed to be canon, which is why Spock could have a kid, among other things.)
Well, when nothing important is allowed to happen, books become...boring.
But I have fond memories of those early books: if history writers could present history as vividly as Diane Duane did in Spock's World and The Romulan Way, more kids would love the subject. Margaret Wander Bonanno's Dwellers in the Crucible is one of my favorite books -- note, not "Star Trek books" but one of my favorite books -- ever (though I gather it's controversial). The Wounded Sky (because any book that invents something called "creative physics" is awesome), The Three-Minute Universe (because appearances can be deceiving), Uhura's Song (because "Eyebrow on stun, Mr. Spock!" still sends me into fits of hysterics).
Then, around the same time as the Edict From On High said that nothing important could happen in the novels, Margaret Wander Bonanno wrote a sequel to Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (the one with the whales), but (according to her, to be fair) it was 95% re-written. She and Pocket Books / Paramount / Star Trek parted ways.
Then, a while back, she announced that she'd written Catalyst of Sorrows, for the series of "Lost Era" books that covered the time after the end of the Star Trek movies. I bought it, but for some reason never read it. (I probably will find it and read it now.)
And after that, she wrote Burning Dreams, which is essentially The Christopher Pike book.
Christopher Pike was the captain in the unaired pilot of Star Trek called "The Cage;" he reappeared in a two-part episode called "The Menagerie," which used some of the unaired footage during a court martial. Without going too much into the story (if you're reading this review, I assume you at least know who Chris Pike was), after giving up command of the Enterprise, Pike is grievously wounded -- paralyzed and able to communicate only by indicating "yes" or "no" -- but is eventually taken back to Talos IV, where he can live a life of illusion.
What always fascinated me about Pike was the depth the character was given in just the few minutes we saw him. He's passionate, dedicated -- and tortured by the memories of the people who died under his command. When I came across filk in the late 1990s, and found "The Price of Command," it immediately and irrevocably became my Christopher Pike song. If I thought I could find enough footage, I'd do a vid with it.
In any event, Burning Dreams is the story of Chris Pike's life -- and the story of what he does with the life of illusion he's been given when he returns to Talos IV.
It's very different in both tone and style -- with the exception of flashback and present being heavily intertwined -- than Dwellers in the Crucible, but that befits Pike, I think. Dwellers is about an archaeologist and a linguist -- not to mention a human and a Vulcan -- so the narration matches the characters. Pike is many things, but he's not flowery.
The back story that Burning Dreams develops for Pike makes sense, though it seems to me to be a little melodramatic -- especially his very early years with his mother and stepfather. The story of his horse Tango, though, was heartbreaking.
The story of his initial acclimation to Talos IV -- wondering where illusion ended and reality began, especially with Vina, rang true. Despite his injuries, I can't imagine Pike -- especially the one developed in Burning Dreams -- just giving himself over entirely to fantasy easily. That he's aware enough to wonder whether he's really with Vina or if he's with an illusion of Vina rings very true to character.
Pike's injuries themselves take on an even more horrific context than they did originally, given his past. Pike is a tragic figure, who spends most of his life beating himself up for not being good enough, strong enough, to prevent the death of someone he cared about. It makes his reaction to his crewmens' deaths that much more poignant. But, it makes you wonder: how did someone with that predisposition to take everything so personally make it through the psychological testing you'd assume a Starfleet captain would be subject to?
The end -- the part of the story set in the "present" -- of course carries its own flashback, as it explains Spock's overwhelming loyalty to Pike (while still qualifying it with the proviso that it's Kirk who held the "top spot," so to speak, in the Spock-Loyalty-Hierarchy). That part seemed...a bit off. From Pike's perspective, the events were interesting and illuminating -- but why they translated into Loyalty Forever on Spock's part was...confusing.
Interesting to me was the lack of cameos; at least one character from Dwellers (generally Cleante, but with mention of T'Shael) appears, to my recollection, in all of Bonanno's early books; I'd have to read Catalyst of Sorrows to see if she appears there. I wonder if they were expressly forbidden or if Bonanno has simply moved on from the characters?
I was surprisingly taken in by Burning Dreams. I had some quibbles -- being the nascent disability rights activist that I am -- with the language used to describe Pike after his injury, but by and large I was able to engage my suspension of disbelief and just go with the story.
To me, Pike remains a sadly tragic character, but Bonanno was able to give him a worthy ending.


|The Ins and Outs of Online Shopping!|
11:00 AM - 12:30 PM
Shopping online can be fast, fun, and convenient! Learn guidelines for shopping safely online and get tips on great sites for browsing, finding product reviews, and making purchases. This will be a hands-on based class.
Class is hands-on. Registration is limited to 12.
Presented by Lee L. & Sophie M.
Sponsored by Computer Classes
Contact: Reference Desk
Contact Number: 847.673.3733


One of the best things about homeschooling is that you get to teach your kids the things you feel are really important. For me, that definitely includes Shakespeare, and not just in high school English class, either. I start exposing them to Shakespeare from the time they’re little. To start off with, we have this prettily illustrated book:
It’s a retelling of six plays, which Axa used to often request as a bedtime story when she was three and four. I was initially put off by the fact that it’s written entirely in present tense, but I suppose the author may have done it on purpose, to convey something of the immediacy of seeing a play. She does include frequent quotes taken straight from the text of the plays, which gives a nice feel to the story. And the illustrations really are nice.
While it’s not one my children are old enough to read, my latest favorite book about Shakespeare is Asimov’s Guide to Shakespeare. Yes, it’s by the same Isaac Asimov of science fiction fame. He was a professor of biochemistry, and wrote hundreds of books about popular science, but his interests extended in many directions. In an age of increasing specialization, especially by academics, it is refreshing to read a book by a biochemist about Shakespeare. One of the things I love about his guide is that it focuses on analyzing the plays within their historical setting. Since, like many homeschoolers, I like to build our curriculum loosely around historical time periods, it’s very handy to know how to order Shakespeare’s plays, and which incidents and people Shakespeare borrowed (and manipulated) out of history.
Once we start formal “school” at age six, there are two Shakespeare books popular with Charlotte Mason homeschoolers. I started out with Tales from Shakespeare, by Charles and Mary Lamb. But Axa just found it boring (and that’s the last thing I want to happen to Shakespeare). So we switched to Beautiful Stories from Shakespeare, which is written for a slightly younger audience by Edith Nesbit, the celebrated author of such books as The Railway Children and Five Children and It, both beloved at our house.
With Beautiful Stories from Shakespeare, things went much better, and Axa produced lovely narrations of the couple of stories I scheduled for her to listen to last term. This term, in keeping with Charlotte Mason’s counsel against “gobbling” books, we were to have read only Two Gentlemen of Verona and Romeo and Juliet. However, in a fit of desperation one day when Axa told me she had no audio books to listen to, I caved and gave her the whole CD with the librivox recording of Beautiful Stories from Shakespeare. Initially, she listened to it rather grumpily, since she had nothing else to listen to, but it quickly became a favorite of both her and Raj. Soon they were vying for who would listen to it at bedtime, and randomly telling me funny anecdotes from Shakespeare.
But Axa really fell in love with Shakespeare when I found her a Romeo and Juliet graphic novel with accompanying audio CD at the library a couple of weeks ago. She listened to it over and over again, talked about it every day, and was devastated when it accidentally got taken back to the library (don’t worry, we’ll check it out again when we go back this week).
So last week when Tony and I attended “An Evening With the Bard” at Daytona State College on our date, we determined to take the kids back with us the next night. The performance featured an assortment of monologues and scenes from Shakespeare’s plays, including several from Romeo and Juliet. Axa was entranced, and drank in every minute of it with shining eyes, although she did tell me she doesn’t like Macbeth at all. Even four-year-old Raj enjoyed at least the fencing scenes. As Mercutio was insulting Tybalt as “the King of Cats,” and they were going at it with the rapiers despite the protests of the horrified Romeo, he leaned over to me and whispered excitedly, “Mommy, I know this one!”
So my next order of business is to find a play that we can go to, hopefully Romeo and Juliet, Twelfth Night, or A Midsummer Night’s Dream, since those are the children’s favorites. Anyone know of anything playing in the Orlando/Volusia County Florida area?


The yoga edition – five books to deepen your understanding:
1/ Ann Swanson – Science of Yoga
If you want to understand more about what yoga is doing for you then this is a great book. Really lovely illustrations, not too difficult to read or understand, and it covers posture and breath.
2/ Swami Satyananda Saraswati – Asana, Pranayama, Mudra & Bandha
I’m a big fan of these publications from the Bihar School. They are well written and full of wisdom about authentic yoga practices. This is a great place to start if you’re a beginner and want to get an overall view of yogic techniques.
3/ Osho – Yoga: The Science of the Soul
No list could be complete without Osho, love him or hate him, he has influenced my approach greatly. This is an amalgamations of talks Osho gave about yoga. It focuses on Patanjalis Yoga Sutras and on the deeper aspect of the practice, the exploration of consciousness.
4/ James Mallinson & Mark Singleton – The Roots of Yoga
If the history of yoga interests you then this is a great place to start. It’s not the easier book to read but it’s based in fact, looks at the discipline as a whole and is not biased towards any particular style of yoga. Mark Singleton’s previous book, Yoga Body, is also a great read on the subject.
5/ Michael Booth – Eat Pray Eat
This is sort of an accidental yoga book, hugely enjoyable. It covers the author’s ill-fated attempts to write a book in India about Indian food with his family. Along the way he ends up in a hard-core yoga boot camp with a guru…..


The carefree childhood: Another casualty of Covid-19 (by Kirsty Bucholz - Die Matie)
There has been no shortage of information on the effects of Covid-19 on the economy, depression and anxiety when it comes to adults. What we have not considered or investigated to the full extent, is the effect all of these changes would have on children and adolescents.
It was a privilege to be featured in an article by Kirsty Bucholz, writing for the Stellenbosch University publication, Die Matie.
I invite all parents, guardians and teachers to read this article.


I’m over at Care2.com today talking about 7 classic dystopian novels that are great to recommend (or teach!) to teens after they’ve read The Hunger Games. This is particularly important now that the first video is out on DVD. Even if teenagers loved the movie and didn’t read the book, you can inspire them to read one of these!
Dystopian literature is so popular, especially right now, because of the anxiety of these times. We are facing a global recession, war, and a new tragedy every time we turn on the news. People turn to dystopian literature in these times because it calls to our attention the possibility of a different world, and makes us think about how much worse the world could actually be. Furthermore, each dystopian novel is equipped with its own Katniss — its own hero willing to risk everything to make the world a better place. For this reason, people with idealistic tendencies, and especially teenagers, love dystopian fiction because they still believe that the world can be improved.
Whatever your reason for loving dystopian literature, there is plenty of it to choose from. Some of the best authors in the world have written classic dystopian fiction for you and your teen to enjoy, and the following slideshow will give you some ideas for what to read after you’ve finished The Hunger Games.
Click through to see the slideshow and find some great ideas for your teenagers to read, whether you are a teacher, a parent, or both.
Image Credit: Nomadic Lass


“You can't have pride without humility. Aggression without tolerance. Strength without compassion. Power without restraint.”
I am currently represented by Bre Stephens at Jennifer De Chiara Literary Agency for the following novels. I am in the process of getting a contract with a major publisher. I'll be adding any other novels that my agent takes on, so visit frequently to keep updated.
Shrine of Unanswered Prayers
YA Japanese Folklore
Recommended for ages 12+
19-year-old Hinako doesn’t believe in gods. If they were real, they would have stopped her parent's murder. So when a boy at the convenience store claims to be the god of unanswered prayers, she laughs him off. But Aoi isn’t done with her. In fact, he follows her home and whisking her off to his shrine to convince her of his godliness.
Hinako insists it’s all a dream, though, and attempts to flee. The second she sets foot outside the shrine, however, she’s attacked by the demons of the Spirit Realm she has dismissed her entire life. Desperate for help, she makes a deal with the very god she tried to run from. In exchange for saving her, she agrees to assist him in granting the people of Japan their deepest desires.
Although Hinako’s out of immediate danger, she’s now bound to Aoi for life. Her only hope of returning to the Human Realm is to fully embrace the existence of the gods that failed her. Yet, the deeper she dives into the world of the spirits, the more she discovers what really happened all those years ago. Now Hinako must choose: hang on to the skepticism that’s kept her safe, or surrender herself to the spirits and uncover the truth behind her parents’ murder.
This YA novel is perfect for fans of devious yokai and folklore like in Shadow of the Fox by Julie Kagawa mixed with the enemies to lovers trope in The Cruel Prince by Holly Black.
Between odd jobs and school exams, adopted 18-year-old Corrin barely has time to breathe. With her parents’ debt piling up, she has no other choice. The only thing keeping her going is the promise of fleeing her decaying home life for college. But her greedy parents rip away her only glimmer of hope when they sell her to the Spirit Realm.
As if having her dreams shattered isn’t enough, Corrin is put on display at a market, where she is to be auctioned off to the highest bidder. Just as she’s about to be sold as a bride, a jikininki--a ghoul that feeds on the dead--steps in to save her. Her unlikely savior asks for only one thing in return: Corrin’s service in his coffee shop, only to discovers the truth behind his kindness: the jikininki knew her birth parents.
Before long, the job that was supposed to save Corrin turns into a hellish nightmare. The yokai treat her like trash because she’s human and the fellow staff stop at nothing to make her feel insignificant. When the yokai are unsuccessful at bullying Corrin out of the Spirit Realm, however, their attacks turn from upsetting to murderous. But the longer Corrin stays, the closer she comes to uncovering the memories she’d thought she lost, revealing why the Spirit Realm feels like home.
That is, if the yokai don't kill her first.
This YA novel is perfect for fans of the found family trope in Fruits Basket by Natsuki Takaya mixed with the unparalleled tension of Tokyo Ghoul by Sui Ishida.


伟大的转折在线播放第35集Tom threw a blotted, crumpled paper into Polly's lap, and tramped up and down again, faster than ever. Polly took one look at the total and clasped her hands, for to her inexperienced eyes it looked appalling.视屏如果没有播放按钮请刷新网页
"Delighted to see you again, Mr. Stone," she said in her rich, husky voice. She panted a little as she spoke, like a short- winded lap-dog. It was Mrs. Budge who, having read in the "Daily Mirror" that the Government needed peach stones--what they needed them for she never knew--had made the collection of peach stones her peculiar "bit" of war work. She had thirty-six peach trees in her walled garden, as well as four hot-houses in which trees could be forced, so that she was able to eat peaches practically the whole year round. In 1916 she ate 4200 peaches, and sent the stones to the Government. In 1917 the military authorities called up three of her gardeners, and what with this and the fact that it was a bad year for wall fruit, she only managed to eat 2900 peaches during that crucial period of the national destinies. In 1918 she did rather better, for between January 1st and the date of the Armistice she ate 3300 peaches. Since the Armistice she had relaxed her efforts; now she did not eat more than two or three peaches a day. Her constitution, she complained, had suffered; but it had suffered for a good cause.伟大的转折在线播放第35集
伟大的转折在线播放第35集The lashed wheel groaned and kicked softly, the riding-sail slatted a little in the shifts of the light wind, the windlass creaked, and the miserable procession continued. Harvey expostulated, threatened, whimpered, and at last wept outright, while Dan, the words clotting on his tongue, spoke of the beauty of watchfulness, and slashed away with the rope's end, punishing the dories as often as he hit Harvey. At last the clock in the cabin struck ten, and upon the tenth stroke little Penn crept on deck. He found two boys in two tumbled heaps side by side on the main-hatch, so deeply asleep that he actually rolled them to their berths.
"Honoured, indeed," said she, "by another visit from the wards in Jarndyce! Ve-ry happy to receive Jarndyce of Bleak House beneath my humble roof!" with a special curtsy. "Fitz-Jarndyce, my dear"-- she had bestowed that name on Caddy, it appeared, and always called her by it--"a double welcome!"伟大的转折在线播放第35集


SEQUEL TO THE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER
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“Marion has ambitiously expanded on his original idea."
“A richly imagined philosophical exploration."
“Exciting action...intriguing characters...epic scale."
“Poignant and poetic...brings zombie lit back from the dead."
R is recovering from death.
He’s learning how to breathe, how to speak, how to be human, one clumsy step at a time. He doesn’t remember his old life and he doesn’t want to. He’s building a new one with Julie.
But his old life remembers him. The plague has another host far more dangerous than the Dead. It’s coming to return the world to the good old days of stability and control and the strong eating the weak, and stopping it will require a frightening journey into the surreal wastelands of America—and the shadowy basement of R’s mind.
The story concludes with THE LIVING, coming soon...
When you order here at my website, not only do you get the lowest price possible, you get INSTANT GRATIFICATION.
You get a digital copy of post-apocalyptic America's last newspaper, the Exed World Almanac, a bizarre but enlightening “zine" hand-drawn by a mysterious character who you'll meet in The Burning World.
The Almanac is a high resolution 15-page PDF that you can read on your screen or print into reality. Add it to your bookshelf. Give it as a gift. It will never be published or available online, so it's yours to enjoy and share as you desire.


Ratana Revisited – An Unfinished Legacy (Reed 2006)
Now rare and out of print. Copies of Ratana the Prophet are available
The thoroughly researched and referenced and widely acclaimed original work Ratana Revisited - an unfinished legacy was published by Reed in July 2006. It's pretty much sold out now but the more mainstream, more affordable version Ratana the Prophet, January 2009, Penguin is now available directly from the author
Just over two decades ago I embarked on a challenging and rewarding history lesson, researching and compiling the history of the Ratana movement and the life of T.W. Ratana.
It was never my intention to write a book. I simply found myself at the right place at the right time and, on asking the right questions and making the right connections, people began sharing the little knowledge they had about this man Ratana and the movement he founded.
After reading everything in the public domain, I was given access to material that had been lost or hidden, and eventually a much larger picture emerged that demanded to be put down in print.
This was a fascinating and formative period of New Zealand history. It required some serious study to gain the context, including a need to understand the history of the Treaty of Waitangi and the Maori prophetic and political movement which all seemed to arrive at a conjunction in this man T.W Ratana between the two world wars.
The result was the comprehensive 700 page Ratana Revisited – An Unfinished Legacy (Reed 2006) which ultimately returned to the country, and Ratana’s followers and their families, an important New Zealand story.
Penguin which acquired Reed (Raupo) at the end of 2007 commissioned me to rework Ratana Revisited for a more mainstream audience. The new title, Ratana the Prophet features a more narrative approach to its predecessor with additional information and new photographs.


Sebastian Droste was born Willy Knobloch in Hamburg in 1898. His father ran a family business making silk stockings in a factory in Chemnitz which allowed Willy a privileged upbringing. As a teenager he sought to escape his parents and enrolled in a local art school where he excelled in languages, physical culture and dance.
In 1915 he was drafted into the army and most likely fought on the Western Front, however, little is known of his military service.
He moved to Berlin in 1919, aged 27 and changed his name from Willy Knobloch to Sebastian Droste. Once there the newly christened Droste was hired by Celly De Rheidt as a dancer to play the centre piece for her Dance of Beauty evenings at the Schwartzer Kater on Friedrichstraße. Here he became a moderately successful ‘naked’ dancer, choreographer and Expressionist poet. His first poem appeared in Der Sturm in 1919, and between then and 1923 a further 15 poems and ‘grotesques’ would appear in the journal.
On 13 June 1922 he met Anita Berber, both were cocaine addicts with a desire for fame, Droste was a like minded individual and the perfect partner for Berber. He became her manager and together they produced The Dances of Depravity, Horror and Ecstasy which was staged in November the same year at the Konzerthaus-Saal in Vienna.
In 1923 they returned to Berlin, both deeply addicted to cocaine. Droste stole furs and jewels from Berber and left for New York.
In 1925 in New York, Droste met the San Franciscan photographer, Francis Bruguiere and together they composed over 60 photographs for a project titled The Way. This was to act as promotional material for a proposed Expressionist film starring Droste, UFA ultimately passed on the proposal. Droste sent a handful of the stills to Die Dame magazine with an article titled ‘Photography as Art: Remarks on Recent Photographs by Francis Bruguiere’, the piece was published in July the same year.
Droste returned to his parents home in Hamburg in July 1927, he had tuberculosis and died a few weeks later at the age of 35. The same year, after Droste’s death the Art Centre in New York exhibited 35 photographs from The Way shoot. The series was acclaimed by the critics and stands to this day as some of the best examples of Expressionist photography.
Droste is one of the lesser known figures from Berlin’s Cabaret era, he’s the side story to the far more flamboyant and decadent Anita Berber. Whilst Droste may have been overshadowed by Berber, it certainly wasn’t for his lack of trying. He’s that curious phenomena, a little like Ed Wood, he was a man whose ambitions far outweighed his talent. That’s not to say that he wasn’t a talented man, having read some of his poetry he feels unpolished, but certainly not lacking in ideas or vision which is something that The Way photo shoot proves.
This brief biography is all I’ve managed to find out and most of this has come from a biography of Berber. The only known surviving footage of him comes from Algol – Tragödie der Macht starring Emil Jannings, Droste is credited simply as Ein Tänzer.
There are hints in the Berber book about what Droste was like, it describes him as possessing ‘a cold-hearted, nearly inhuman personality. Even his collaborators thought him vicious and self serving.’ He’s also described as being sexually creepy with an ‘ability to manipulate Berlin’s seen-it-all show people’.
See also: The Wicked and The Naked by Sebastian Droste
The Seven Addictions and Five Professions of Anita Berber by Mel Gordon.
Dances of Vice, Horror & Ectasy by Anita Berber & Sebastian Droste (Translated by Merrill Cole)


Cassandra Integration Testing
Cassandra Unit is a library which can intergrate with your Java code and help dynamically spin up an embedded Cassandra instances when needed. Once you are done using this instance, you can just termiated it and the library will take care of cleaning up after it.
What purpose does this library serve ?
- Biggest advantage is in
testing. Developers or CI/CD tools no longer need to depend on a centralized database.
- Developers can run all kinds of test scenarios on their code and also test you their DML/DDL queryies before executing them on main Cassandra Cluster. Which means faster development, reduced latency and dependency.
##Steps for Spring JUnit :
1. Include the following dependencies in pom.xml
2. Annotate your Junit class with the following
3. Place your DDL queries in a file named ‘create-table.cql’under /resource folder of your TEST
Leverage the Jmeter plugin for Cassandra developed by Netflix.


My (Dis)Abilities – A Book about Sharing Experiences!
A few months ago, Terri Mak, a client of SACARE informed us about a book project that she was working on called My (Dis)Abilities. The book project is a collaborative project which will share the stories of dozens of people living with disabilities living around South Australia.
The My (Dis)Abilities book project has been created to share first hand stories and experiences of those living with a disability.The vision of the book is ‘To encourage people with a disability, and to increase the knowledge and understanding of disability in the community’.
Each chapter will be written as a personal account from each of the participants, and will include chapters by two SACARE Clients; Terri Mak, and our renowned resident blogger Alice Waterman!
As a part of this process, the book creators also entered a short film about book project into the ‘Focus on Ability’ film competition. Please give the video a view below and be sure to vote for them. If they are to win, their prizes would go straight back into funding the book project.
A little bit about our two authors…
Terri’s Journey with a disability began in 2013 when she was involved in a car accident. At the time she was doing a solo trip of Australia. Terri is now tetraplegic after she sustained a spinal cord injury.
The ever-positive Terri has learned adjust to her ‘second-life’ (which is what she coined her post-injury life). Facing difficulties have been inevitable when learning to live with an acquired injury, but especially when trying to lead a normal life in a wheelchair, in a world that is rarely wheelchair accessible. Terri’s part in the book project is a part of highlighting and expressing these problems.
Terri was very excited to take part in the book project, after her friend John shared the idea with her in 2017. Terri is now one of the driving forces behind the book project and has helped to get it where it is today. She is not only using this book to share her journey, but is also using the time as a way to reflect and use the writing as a form of therapy; a way to increase awareness and encourage the disability community. She has also learnt a host of new valuable skills such as how to use new internet software to help build websites, run projects and a bit about different marketing strategies.
If you would like to learn a bit more about Terri or keep up to date with her life, check out her website here: http://welcometomyqueendom.com/
When Alice was 2 years old she contracted a virus which made her quite sick. Alice is now 24 and lives in supported accommodation with SACARE. Alice has faced challenges in her life, but has remained a sunny beam of positivity. Although she is non-verbal, Alice is able to communicate through the use of her phone, gestures and most importantly her facial expressions. Alice lives life to the fullest. She’s always out and about seeing movies, musicals and live shows. She also works twice a week at Blend Creative. Alice has written and made a series of awesome blogs and videos for SACARE, if you would like to see them head here.
By being a part of this book project Alice is excited to work on her general writing and communication skills. Her main goal for the book project was to learn a new way to express and share her experience as a person with a disability. She believes that this story can give hope to others who are in a similar condition to her.
Alice has enjoyed doing this project because she has grown, learnt a lot about herself and others with a disability.
If you would like to keep up to date with the progress of the my disabilities book, have a look at their website here.
Or maybe you would like to stay up to date with all of the other cool things happening around SACARE?
To do that, check out our news and information page here.


volume 1. Mammals -- volume 2. Arachnids, birds, crustaceans, insects, and mollusks -- volume 3. Amphibians, corals, fish, plants, and reptiles
Covers the endangered and threatened status of a myriad of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, mollusks, insects, arachnids, corals, crustaceans, and plants. Each entry provides the species' common/scientific name, classification information, current status according to the IUCN and the Endangered Species Act, description, location, reason for endangerment, and measures being taken to protect it
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I can always tell when it is the beginning of a semester by the number of searches that I see leading to www.LoisBackstage.com that involve the phrases “How to make a prompt book” “color coded prompt books” “how to write blocking” “prompt book examples” and others in the same vein. Welcome young stage managers! The posts you are most likely looking for here are:
Calling the Show: Three C’s to Conquer – An in depth look at the tool necessary to effectively call a show.
The Vancouver SMArts Conference 2010 – SMArts is a Canadian stage management conference that occurs every year in Toronto and one other major Canadian city. In 2010 it was in Vancouver and these are my notes from the sessions I took in.
The SM Kit – A look at my SM kit and a list of all the things that have gone into it, along with where to find the items.
Other resources around the internet:
SM Network is a forum for stage managers old and new. It is full of resources in the form of old posts with questions and the solutions that other stage managers have suggested and has a large base of users that can answer questions you may have. But before you post, do a search and make sure someone else hasn’t already asked your question. Better to continue an existing thread than to make a second one.
Stage Managers Do Make Coffee is an article written by Carissa Dollar that is often used as a text book for beginning stage managers and is free online. It has a good mix of practical advice, anecdotes & questions to ask yourself to help prepare for the job at hand.
There are a number of great books that you can pick up at a local bookstore, read in a library, or order online. A few of my favourites are:
The Art & Craft of Stage Management by Doris Schneider
Stage Managing the Arts in Canada by Winston Morgan


Testing Made Easy V2.0
An Evolution of Testing is a book focused on Software Testing, its scope & its approach. The Book talks more in detail about Manual Testing and a brief on Automation Testing.
The Book is being written for all those Software Testing Professionals who are new to the testing field & to others who want to know what exactly is Software Testing is all about. A Complete detail information on S/W Testing -> Process, Methods, Approach etc. It comes handy as a quick references on Software Testing.
You can buy this book from this link:


Download free Michael W. Dean's "A User's Manual for the Human Experience" audiobook or eBook
NOT YOUR MOTHER'S SELF-HELP BOOK!
A USER'S MANUAL FOR THE HUMAN EXPERIENCE is a post-modern guide for today's realist everyone who knows that meditating on rainbows, angels and puppies won't solve anything. It's a libertarian approach to recovery - from substances, bad people, and lazy work habits.
Make a donation (donations are NOT tax-deductible, but they might just make you feel really really good): >
WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT THE BOOK:
intellectual memoir, part self-help book. Michael W. Dean's Practical
Emotional Self-Defense (PESD) techniques flow from a wealth of life experiences,
both positive and negative. 'The Only Two Rules in Life' have some radical,
yourself the opportunity to step outside your comfort zone and put yourself
in the court with this modern-day Socrates."
Michael Dean back in the day, when he was a 19-year-old punk rocker with
an appetite for self-destruction. I honestly didnt think hed
live to be 30. But guess what? It turns out that Michael isnt just
a survivor; hes a survivor whos learned how to enjoy life,
liberty, and the pursuit of happiness after recovery. For everyone who
wants to know how to stay sane, develop a great work ethic, and make a
mark on the world, Michael Dean has a great story to tell."
NOTE: This book came out in 2009. A lot of the URLs mentioned in the book are now 404, but the book is fine and still helpful without them.


24 January 2022SDWG's Social, Economic and Cultural Expert Group releases a new State of Knowledge Report focused on Renewable Economies in the Arctic.The SDWG is pleased to announce the release of Renewable Economies in the Arctic. This new State of Knowledge Report was published as part of the Routledge Research in Polar Regions Series and can be accessed HERE. This book offers multidisciplinary perspectives on renewable economies in the Arctic and how these are being supported scientifically, economically, socially, and politically by the Arctic states. The economic development of the Arctic region is witnessing new, innovative trends which hold promise for the sustainable development of the region. This book discusses the emerging forms of renewable economies to understand where intellectual and technological innovations are being made. It draws on the expertise of scholars from across the Arctic and provides the reader with a foundation of knowledge to identify the unique challenges of the region and explore opportunities to unlock the immense potential of renewable resources to boost the region’s economy. This book offers a holistic Arctic perspective against the backdrop of prevailing social, economic, and climatic challenges. With critical insights on the economic state of play and the role of renewable resources in the development of the Arctic region, this book will be a vital point of reference for Arctic scholars, communities, and policy makers.


- Members-Only Resources
- PSLA Parent Advocacy Program
Parents can be a powerful voice in advocating for effective school library programs. Parents want their children to have the tools to be a success in school and in life.
The Pennsylvania PTA strongly supports school libraries. In Janaury 2011, the PA PTA developed the Position Statement on Public School Library Programs.
As the school librarian, get to know the parents and/or parent organization in your school! Work with them to develop and implement the school library mission and vision. Focus your advocacy actions on making sure the parents know how the school library program is helping achieve success for their children. Communicate with parents!


When you get old, some people think they can’t stay active as before or they assume that they loss the flexibility of their body. Unfortunately most people think loss of flexibility of body is inevitable with their aging. But it is not true!
Do you know, there are people who start chair yoga in their 50s, 60s or even 70s.By practicing chair yoga or senior yoga techniques they have found improvement in the flexibility of their body and enjoy active lifestyle.
Chair Yoga: Lifespan Yoga for Health and Wellness is a book which I came across recently which is written by Beth Daugherty .
In her book Chair Yoga: Lifespan Yoga for Health and Wellness, Beth Daugherty, the author explains how to practice yoga by sitting on a chair. She also explains the ways of practicing yoga by using a chair as a prop. In this book, the author attempts to explain how it is exciting to practice chair yoga by focusing on to the movements of the body. She also shares chair yoga practicing techniques including yoga postures and breathing techniques. The advantage of chair yoga is that seniors can practice yoga techniques without the fear of falling. This is a really good book to learn the techniques of yoga for seniors.
By sharing her inspirational stories with her students, the author has written this book in a way to make anyone attract to practice chair yoga.
Read more details, check preview and buy Chair Yoga: Lifespan Yoga for Health and Wellness on Amazon.


The mission of the Ojibwa Community Library is to provide a collection of print and non-print materials to meet the lifelong learning, recreational, research, cultural, and informational needs of the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community to include the Keweenaw Bay Ojibwa Community College and ages ranging from pre-school to elders.
The Ojibwa Community library is located at 409 Superior Avenue, Baraga, Michigan. It was opened in 2002 to serve the students of Keweenaw Bay Ojibwa Community College and the community. The library is open to the public. The library has 6 Internet-linked computers available for use by patrons and provides free wireless Internet access. The library has a large selection of Native American books, periodicals and movies as well as popular fiction, non-fiction, children's books, and audio books. Ojibwa Community Library participates in the Upper Peninsula Region of Library Cooperation (UPRLC), which provides access to over 1.5 million volumes through interlibrary loan. The entire UPRLC catalog can be searched on-line using this link - http://uprl.ent.sirsi.net/client/en_US/oclib/
Laminating and copying are also available for a small charge. Call 906-353-8163 for additional information. Mary Bergerson is the Director and Kathy Autio is the assistant.
The Ojibwa Community Library received an Enhancement Grant from the Institutes of Museum and Library Services in Washington, DC. This is a $137,657 two year grant to enhance the services of the library. The title of the grant is Ji-mashawiidookawindwaa Ikwewag (Empowering Futures) Project. The library will be working with the KBIC's Office of Violence Against Women (OVW) to provide safe library services for the guests of the Transition House. The library will work with the KBIC's Department of Health and Human Service's" Positively You" group which is comprised of junior and senior high school girls that are tribal members or tribal descendants.
The grant will be through years 2012-2014.
If you would like to be able to use your Android or Apple Devices to connect to the catalog to place holds, renew items, search, or review your accounts, please download the proper application. Please see the links below to direct you to the correct Android or Apple download to do so.


Sky Athmann, the “Anthem Man,” is a walking paradigm of the 1970’s and a Tom Sawyer of the twenty-first century. This curious singer, songwriter, musician, producer, instrument repair extraordinaire, and overall “musical genius” is on a journey to recapture the timeless essence of his childhood era and share the magic in song, with an extensive original library of music, exceeding into the thousands.
Inspired by the sounds of Simon and Garfunkel, the Mamas and the Papas, ABBA, and Fleetwood Mac he has taken his music to an entirely out of this world experience. With intricate vocal harmonies and complex instrumental arrangements his songs become ageless anthems that feel like reconnecting with a long lost friend.
A seasoned studio professional, Sky enjoys the artistry of crafting a good song, however his true passion lies in performing on stage and bringing his music to a larger audience.


Isn't it funny how over my holiday vacation, with plenty of time on my hands, I had nothing in mind to post about. As soon as I'm back in the saddle at work, I can't wait to start posting again...
Anyhow, books. Most fantasy campaigns have them, in one form or another. Some of them are magical, but most of them are really just plain old books covering an endless variety of subjects, from the history of ancient kingdoms to the heraldry of various noble houses, to descriptions of battles won and lost or how to identify various plants and their medicinal or Alchemical properties. In any event, books are a rare and valuable commodity in most ancient cultures before the advent of the printing press, and some are probably easily worth their weight in silver, if not gold.
And yet, despite the treasure trove of knowledge and learning available in these books, most systems lack any sort of mechanic for "book learning". If a PC picks up a book on the history of the Argothian Empire and spends a few weeks reading it, most systems, as written, do nothing to show that the PC has acquired any new ability to use that information. The GM can, of course, make a spot rule or ruling that says the PC now has X% chance to answer any question on Argothian ancient history, but typically this is something the GM has to intervene on.
Call of Cthluhu had a mechanic in place with regard to "Mythos tomes" and how they raised a PC's Mythos skill, and I think it worked pretty well. Each book had a percentage rating for how far it would raise your Mythos skill, and the time it took to digest the information (as well as how much of your precious Sanity it would burn away...). However, this mechanic was for Mythos tomes only, not "book learning" in general.
I can understand that most RPGs are about "adventure" and therefore creating rules for sitting around and reading books seems a little...lame. On the other hand, setting up a few basic rules to get more out of books and libraries in game might actually be beneficial to the PCs. In the TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, most of the discussion of how to take down the Big Bad Guys revolved around what could be dug up in the school's library, and the character of Willow, the spacy nerd who did all the digging, played a vital role in defeating a lot of the bad guys (even before she began practicing magic).
So there is a good precedent for being able to weave "book learning" into an RPG while still maintaining an action-y pace to the game. In addition, by allowing characters to raise skills in the areas of history, languages, religion, and other study-derived skills, players don't necessarily have to feel "min-maxer's guilt" over ignoring such skills during character creation, or sacrificing them when they level up or gain character points in order to keep their Broadsword skill climbing. If one can treat "book learning" as a special type of skill development that works outside of, but parallel to, the normal "go adventuring and get better at stuff" model, then players might be encouraged to treat books found in-game as something other than just GP in paper form that needs to be sold to a collector the next time the party hits a big enough town.
Of course, this begs the question - what do GMs do now about all these books that would have to be "written" in their campaign setting? I actually think this solves a lot of that problem. Often I found that if PCs found a book the first question would be "what do I learn if I read it?". Well, you can rattle off a few sentences about how the book is a history of the Argothian Empire or how it's a bestiary for the Upland Marshes, but you will get the inquisitive player who will actually want to know "everything". It's a little unrealistic to summarize a big fat dusty volume in one or two paragraphs - otherwise, that book would be a lot thinner! But if you used a skill-adjustment system with regards to some of these books, then the real content is mostly irrelevant: you have a time to read, perhaps a check against some sort of Intelligence or Research skill (representing the PC's ability to "learn" from reading), and if you're successful, you gain X% in the skill listed for the book. In fact, depending on how granular and stratified your system is, you could have a particular book give a small modifier to a general skill and a larger modifier to a more specific skill (Rolemaster or GURPS would be prime candidates for this option).
Of course, this idea isn't perfect. In more abstract and 'big-grain" systems the idea that one or even a handful of books will move you from "three dots" to "four dots" in a skill is a little silly. In this case, a helpful GM might rule that if you've got access to, or have read a book regarding that subject, you get a bonus to rolls in that skill with regards to that particular topic. Perhaps you'd list the book (or the "information" depending on whether you need the book at hand or just had to have read it) in your Equipment or Powers or Traits listing as a special circumstance modifier to certain knowledge rolls.
In the end, I think that regardless of how it gets implemented into the system, there are good reasons for making books and other forms of written (or heard) knowledge part of the rules. It wouldn't work for every system or every genre/playstyle, but I think there are some that would really benefit from the time and effort this would require.


WebDAV File Upload¶
You can use WebDAV-compatible apps, including Microsoft's Windows Explorer and Apple's Finder, to add files to your originals and import folders from a remote computer or mobile device.
Follow the instructions to learn how to connect.
You can start importing or indexing as usual after files have been transferred to your library.
You can use also WebDAV to download files from your library. Simply connect to
http://server-ip:2342/originals/ (local server without HTTPS) or
https://yourdomain/originals/ (public server with HTTPS enabled), and copy the files to
a folder on your local device.


In-Text citations should NOT be word for word, they MUST be in your own words, this is a college level course and should be treated as such.
Initial post should be at least 200 words and contain references. The post goes beyond summarizing or describing; evaluates, analyzes, critique, applies; focuses on key concepts or ideas; constructively challenges others. Paraphrases should be <20% of the post. Posts should end in a question to continue the discussion (minimum 1 critical thinking question).
Supports arguments in each post with at least one solid reference to a scholarly source; includes citation of a scholarly source, invokes a relevant theory/concept, connects to real-life experience. Scholarly sources are journals, books, trade/professional publications, research findings. Blogs, newspaper articles, dictionaries, while perhaps helpful, are not scholarly sources. Maximum 1 direct quote (not included in the wordcount minimum).
Writing in posts should be coherent and understandable and meets minimum college writing standards. Although other APA rules for written material may be more relaxed, APA formatting of inline citations should be adhered to in discussions.
Student’s response to discussion prompts should be succinct and substantive. Initial posts should be a MINIMUM of 200 words and supported by a MINIMUM of one scholarly citation and reference per post.
- Schmidt & Brown (2019)
In your posts and assignments, follow APA 8.13 to cite specific parts of the textbook with your in-text citations. Specific parts can include chapters, tables, figures, page numbers, etc.
In the reference list, provide an entry for the entire work following APA format (9.28;10.39) for a chapter in an edited book:
- Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Year of publication). Title of chapter. In E. E. Editor & F. F. Editor (Eds.), Title of work: Capital letter also for subtitle(pp. pages of chapter). Publisher. DOI (if available)
- Griffin, E. &Titler, M.G. (2019) Using evidence through collaboration to promote excellence in nursing practice. In N.A. Schmidt & J.M. Brown (eds.), Evidence-based practice for nurses: Appraisal and application of research (pp. 42-66). Jones & Bartlett Learning.
My Groups Project: “Sleep Promotion in the Hospital”
Our PICOT Question for our group project: In critically ill patients(P), what is the effect of music (I) on their length of stay (O) compared to the effect of no sleep promotion intervention on length of stay (C) over a 3-month period(T)?
Discussion Post: Please Answer Accordingly
Using the key term of qualitative design, share a summary of the qualitative research you have found in searching for evidence related to your PICO question. Compare/contrast the sampling techniques and philosophical underpinnings. Can qualitative studies be used to support EBP? WHy or Why not?
This assignment addresses module 7 SLO 3,4,5,6


Several years ago, when I was a struggling journalist with serious aspirations to be a “real” writer, I had a part-time job in a bookshop, Central News Agency in the Carlton Centre. One or two shifts a week, or over the weekend, I worked in the newsstand/bookshop in the lobby of the Carlton Hotel.
On one occasion, a man walked into the newsstand and asked about a particular book. I told him I enjoyed it, and that it was better than the other “big hit” of the time. I did not realise that I had praised the author of a book. It was embarrassing….
Fast forward… Someone on twitter asked what books I had on my shelves that demonstrated my interests or preferences. I can’t remember which it was. I listed the authors by their names. William Dalrymple was third or fourth on the list – by the number of books. I was a bit embarrassed because William caught the tweet. Earlier, today, I went back to make sure. Indeed, by number of authors, he is in fourth place.
As explained elsewhere, I restarted my writing career three or four years ago when I stopped working full-time to try and eke out a living as a writer. It’s going… Because of my interests in Asia, especially South East Asia, in history, heritage, memory and “travel” writing, I immersed myself in William Dalrymple’s work, especially on India, because he is so exceptionally well informed, knowledgeable, a wonderful writer and he seems like just an all-round good person. I hoped (still do hope) that his work would help me get on with my own research and writing, especially, on Malaysia. And so, there are several reasons for William being third on the “most-authors” on my bookshelves. I can confirm that the following are the books by William Dalrymple I have on my shelves (and about the place). Still a bit embarrassed.
- The Anarchy: The Relentless Rise of the East India Company
- City of Djinns: A Year in Delhi
- From the Holy Mountain: A Journey in the Shadow of Byzantium
- White Mughals
- Nine Lives: In Search of the Sacred in Modern India.
- Return of a King: The Battle for Afghanistan
- The Writer’s Eye
- Koh-i-Noor: The History of the World’s Most Infamous Diamond
- The Last Mughal, The Fall of a Dynasty.
The other surprise was that a former professor, who became a friend, was fifth on the list. As an avowed pacifist, I remain unsure of why I have a fascination with war… Christopher Coker would make anyone interested in the subject. On a whim, I took one of his courses at the LSE, along with classes in political economy.


From our Senator, Elizabeth Warren:
This book tells a very public story about fraud and bailouts and elections. It also tells a very personal story about mothers and daughters, day care and dogs, aging parents and cranky toddlers. It’s not meant to be a definitive account of any historical event—it’s just what I saw and what I lived. It’s also a story about losing, learning, and getting stronger along the way. It’s a story about what’s worth fighting for, and how sometimes, even when we fight against powerful opponents, we can win.


March 17, 2006 -- (UCC-SPC inform) -- In association with the Ukrainian Canadian Congress – Saskatchewan Provincial Council (UCC-SPC), the Saskatchewan Ukrainian Historical Society (SUHS) will launch a new Saskatchewan travel guide at its genealogy conference this weekend.
“Saskatchewan’s Ukrainian Legacy: a travel guide to the cultural and historical sites in the Ukrainian bloc settlement communities” is the most comprehensive list available to date of what can be seen and done in the Ukrainian communities in the province.
Information includes a list of sites, locations, brief history and how to get there. Also featured are a collection of remarkable photographs from around Saskatchewan, maps and an index of sites.
The 52-page guide is an invitation to explore the sites and communities of one of the province’s largest ethnic settlements. It highlights the province’s numerous cities and towns, and takes the traveller on a journey off the highway into the heart of the countryside.
The launch takes place at the SUHS conference, “In Baba’s Trunk,” on Saturday, March 18, 2006 at 11:15 am in the lower level of All Saints Ukrainian Orthodox Church (2616 Louise Street) in Saskatoon.
The UCC-SPC serves the Saskatchewan Ukrainian community of almost 122,000 to maintain, develop and share its Ukrainian Canadian identity, culture and aspirations. The SUHS is a formal association of non academics researching the history of the province and the role of Ukrainian pioneers in its development.


Nobody enters marriage expecting to divorce. Divorce was not in God's initial plan either. When the Pharisees came to Jesus to try to get him to pick a side in the when-is-it-okay-to-divorce debate, Jesus redirects them back to the beginning. In Matthew 19, he quotes Genesis 2:24, saying that when a man leaves his father and mother and becomes one with his wife, no one should separate them. Instead of listening to Pharisees debate the…
The New Year is a marker for making changes in our life. We choose to focus on getting in shape, losing those last few pounds, or maybe making this the year we finally get organized. Many diets and exercise programs begin and end the same…
Despite the self-centered title, this book is a very helpful, high-level look at how marriages work. Why do honeymooners fall in love? Why do they fall out of love? This book has some answers!
This is one of the best books about what a marriage is. It's really a theology of marriage rather than a "how to" manual, but it's perspective provides ample context for why the How-To stuff works.


So the witches that pop culture is used to seeing today is cheesy witches like Wizards of Waverly Place and Sabrina the Teenage Witch, young adult witches like in Harry Potter, and a girl-power trio in Charmed. Benjamin Christensen’s Häxan: Witchcraft Through the Ages is another film that tries to define the documentary genre. This film shows the history of witchcraft from the middle ages until the present (1920s). You are able to see how witchcraft was treated in the past and present. Accused witches back then would endure trials, torture, and conviction. In the present, if a woman committed any sorcery, they would just be accused as crazy.
So this documentary starts off with some scholarly facts about witchcraft and sorcery and then you see a lot of narrative scenes. Big difference between this documentary and Nanook of the North is that Nanook of the North would try to fool the audience into thinking everything you see in the film is real. Häxan purposefully stages scenes into narratives but telling the audience that what we see really happened. The meaning of documentaries was still very loose. Do you believe this film fits the terms of a documentary?
Häxan uses classic double exposure effects to show the witches flying through the air. We also see literal figures of the devil and other creatures of sorcery- bringing out elements of fantasy as well. There are also a lot of disturbing elements we see such as a witch giving birth to demons, bewitching rituals, and sexual content. Because of these dark elements, this documentary was banned in the U.S. It was also considered at the time the most expensive Scandinavian film. If you see the re-established version, you’ll hear jazz music in the background which I found strange considering I thought I would hear haunting, chilling music like the kind in The Phantom Carriage.
Häxan: Witchcraft Through The Ages is a good film to see to learn what the 1920s perspective of witchcraft was, staging of the narrative scenes, and for another example of an early documentary. So tell me, witchcraft real or psychological delusions?
Watch this 1920s supernatural documentary and let me know what you think: