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To Automate or Not to Automate … That is NOT the Question: An AML Perspective

Since the 1970s, the U.S. Congress has passed plentiful legislation requiring financial institutions to safeguard against individuals and/or businesses that may commit the act of money laundering. These institutions must adhere to regulations by diligently creating auditable paper trails and reporting client activity and potentially suspicious transactions. Increased regulatory fines require them to maintain costly anti-money laundering (AML) programs that have – until now – required a great deal of manual work.

These AML programs fall into two groups: know your customer (KYC) programs, which require banks to collect client information on a periodic basis, and transaction monitoring, which requires banks to analyze applicable transactions and corresponding activity within an account. Regardless of whether a financial institution employee operates within KYC and/or transaction monitoring, all business processes involved can be broken down into two steps: 1) an analyst will complete the business process, and 2) a senior and/or more experienced employee will perform a follow-up quality assurance check to ensure it is correct and compliant. This follows the central “Maker-Checker” methodology used by financial institutions to authorize information systems.

Much of the work that helps financial institutions comply with these new AML regulations has – until recently – been performed manually. Challenges include:

  • Increasing cost of compliance due to changing requirements, including steep fines for not meeting compliance.
  • Increasing headcount that is not an effective long-term strategy as individuals hired for the job do not have the necessary skillset.

The RPA Methodology

Today, many organizations are enjoying the advantages of implementing RPA to support manual functions. Presuming a financial institution’s AML processes are mature, stable and have established business rules to determine money laundering risk, implementing RPA can benefit the organization by potentially reducing headcount and/or overall cost associated with satisfying compliance requirements. However, financial institutions have been slow to adopt RPA solutions in their AML programs because of a fundamental disconnect between the desire for data-driven insights and the ability to make decisions based on those insights, which creates a constraint on satisfying compliance concerns.

Let’s explore two examples that illustrate how implementing RPA can do just that, given the right conditions.

1. Cursory Reviews to Approve a Loan

When a client applies for a loan, a financial institution typically uses an analyst to document the client’s AML risk and provide a synopsis of the findings to support the approval or denial of the loan. In these types of reviews, an analyst populates a form with corresponding AML data performing the same, repeatable processes – a perfect candidate for RPA implementation. When the financial institution deploys RPA in this context, it can use these outcomes as insights to derive tailored business rules that allow an automation to perform the low-risk reviews while routing the medium to high-risk reviews to a corresponding analyst to determine loan approval. Thus, the institution achieves the dual benefits of greater efficiency and improved insight.

However, before automating the analyst process, the institution must consider the existing business rules involved with the process. Most RPA insights will indicate this use case: “…screening systems [which can] generate thousands of duplicate alerts that are then closed by investigators using previous case closure evidence.” What this use case does not consider is that many financial institutions have business rules already “baked into” their AML processes that create an abundance of “enhanced due diligence” alerts within an account. These rules automatically deem the account to be medium to high-risk instead of providing the correct indication of low-risk. This scenario inflates a customer’s risk rating and generates false positives instead of legitimate suspicious activity and creates unnecessary work for the human workforce.

To formulate a successful, long-term automatable solution, financial institutions must consider the tuning thresholds that mitigate alerted activity based on prior history. If the thresholds established generate a greater number of false positives, these thresholds should be revised. Conversely, if the tuning thresholds generate the appropriate number of alerts that deem activity to be considered for further review, the bank should collect these data points to understand AML risk associated with approving or denying the loan. RPA can capture these data points to expedite the process by directing those medium to high-risk approvals to the human workforce while automatically approving the low-risk loans.

2. Account Reviews

All financial institutions conduct account reviews – whether proactively or in reaction to compliance requirements – by sampling a specific time period to determine if the transactions occurring within an account are legitimate. An analyst would choose a sample of these transactions and research the transactions and counterparties accordingly to determine AML risk.

The data can determine risk based on transaction trends such as customer type, product type, markets served and transaction amount. Tracing and reviewing trends to help determine AML risk allows for future RPA solutions to be implemented. The automation can leverage the trends found in the analyst reviews as business rules, perform cursory reviews on the associated transactions and counterparties and reserve the medium to high-risk cases for the human workforce.

To showcase the power of RPA, for example, let’s assume grocery store A administers 1,000 checks totaling $500,000 and grocery store B administers 10,000 checks totaling $5,000,000. After an account review, an analyst deemed these grocery stores to be low-risk. RPA can perform these reviews as well by comparing them to similar customer profiles and indicate to the analyst that certain account activity should be deemed low-risk. The analyst simply needs to perform a cursory review on counterparties to ensure the transactions between the customer and the counterparty are suitable based on industry, and the account review can be finished more efficiently as a result.

There is no “one size fits all” approach to implementing RPA in the AML landscape, and RPA is certainly not the sole answer to the current suite of challenges. Leveraging technology to combat money laundering in financial institutions is relatively new, and much goes into AML reviews that RPA cannot easily support, such as preparing suspicious activity reports and searching counterparties to determine the connection between an international company and a U.S.-based individual. Enterprises must consider how they use AML-specific data to make compliance decisions and allow RPA to support that journey as opposed to using RPA to make these compliance decisions. A data-driven AML program that leverages RPA creates the foundation for a successful risk-based approach toward determining AML risk that satisfies regulatory compliance concerns and adds maximum value to the process.

About the author

Kyle “KJ” Fenton leverages his prior consulting experiences and insights to help enterprises get the most out of their robotic process automation (RPA) investments. He provides documentation of all of the necessary business requirements obtained during stakeholder meetings and plays a key part in developing automations and training employees to manage them. Since joining ISG, KJ has developed demonstrations for both Automation Anywhere and Blue Prism products that showcase ISG’s point of view and capabilities. His most recent client experience involves building out two automations that handle life policy claim payment processing for a global life insurance


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Monday 8 August 2022 \

Gaza’s ark: a bid to break Israel’s blockade…from within

Palestinian laborers and foreign activists are working tirelessly to transform a large fishing boat into “Gaza’s Ark”

Source : AFP / 31 Jul 2013

Palestinian laborers and foreign activists are working tirelessly to transform a large fishing boat into “Gaza’s Ark” with the aim of exporting local produce in the latest bid to break Israel’s blockade on the coastal strip.

The Ark, which is being fitted out to carry goods and more than 100 passengers, is expected to set sail for Europe when it is completed by the end of July in the latest high-profile attempt to challenge Israel’s maritime lockdown on the tiny Hamas-run territory.

If they are successful, this will be the first time goods from Gaza have been exported by sea since the signing of the 1994 Oslo Peace Accords.

Significantly, this attempt to alleviate the effects of the seven-year blockade comes from within Gaza, where locals refurbishing the 24-metre-long (78 feet) vessel want to take matters into their own hands, rather than waiting for help from the outside world.

“This will help fishermen, farmers and factory workers in Gaza to market their products,” said Abu Ammar Bakr, who was a fisherman for 40 years before turning his hand to repairing boats.

Mohammed Abu Salmi, who owns a furniture shop, was equally buoyed by the prospect of shipping products overseas.

“Export by sea will resuscitate farming and light industry in Gaza and will ease unemployment... and help to lift this oppressive blockade,”he told AFP.

“We have great experience and produce great furniture,”Abu Salmi boasted.

“We exported to Israel and from there to Europe before the blockade, and people abroad are asking for our products,” he said, pointing proudly at the dining tables and chairs fashioned in his workshop.

Among the items which are to be carried on board for export are fruit and farm produce, furniture, embroidery and other crafts, organizers say.

“The aim is not aid or humanitarian like the boats that were coming to Gaza, it’s a commercial venture to support the Palestinian economy and pave the way to exporting Palestinian products,”project manager Mahfouz Kabariti said.

But a sense of apprehension marks the preparations.

A plaque at the entrance to the quay on which the Ark is being built remembers the nine Turkish activists who were killed in May 2010 during an Israeli raid on a six-ship flotilla trying to reach Gaza in defiance of the blockade.

Although the international outcry which followed the deadly raid forced Israel to significantly ease the terms of its blockade on Gaza, which was first imposed in 2006, tight curbs remain in place on exports and travel.

Breaking the siege ‘from within’

Under the terms of the current restrictions, Gaza fishermen are not allowed to enter waters more than six nautical miles (11 kilometers) from the shore, with naval patrol boats known to fire on those who step out of line.

It is the prospect of a confrontation with Israeli forces that is worrying some of those planning to join the boat on its blockade-breaking mission, with Abu Salmi afraid the navy might “open fire and sink the Ark, or arrest those on board like they did in 2010 and seize the goods.”

Organizers of the project are unsure what action Israel might take.

“I hope Israel won’t stop the boat from sailing to European countries,”said Kabariti.

“It is natural that the Israeli authorities might not allow a boat to set sail from Gaza. But we want to send our message to the world, whether the occupation allows it to sail or not,”he said.

“We want to draw attention to the blockade which is preventing Palestinian products from being exported, and we have an ark that we can use to do it.”

Among those planning to join the Ark on its maiden voyage are a number of foreign activists, who include Swedish national Charlie Andreasson who also took part in the ill-fated Freedom Flotilla of 2010.

The aim, said Andreasson, is “to break the siege”.

“Why would they stop it?”he asked, somewhat naively.

“We’ve been sending ships to Gaza to try to break the siege, and this time we are turning it around and sending a ship from Gaza out to Europe with goods -- so we’re trying to break the siege from within,”he told AFP.

Andreasson has been working on the project since early June, when activists managed to raise enough money from European donors to buy up the old fishing boat.

From its purchase to completion, including labor, Gaza’s Ark will have cost an estimated $150,000 (114,000 euros), with its website showing that so far, $110,000 has been raised.

Dozens of people are working to restore the Ark, with local fishermen receiving a salary for their labor and foreign activists volunteering.

The project’s mission statement, according to the website, is to “challenge the illegal and inhuman Israeli blockade”.

For fisherman Bakr, it would be a huge blow if the Ark -- which will sail under the Palestinian flag as well as several international ones -- never left port.

Fisherman and factory workers would have to watch their goods “festering in warehouses because they’re unable to export them”, he said.

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The Village Square: June 19, 2017

I didn’t do any gaming this weekend due to graduation festivities, but thanks to Twitter I was able to follow all of the happenings at Origins.

New Star Wars Destiny Booster Packs
Fantasy Flight Games announced the third set of booster packs for Star Wars: Destiny. Empire at War will be available in the third quarter of this year and “emulates the chaos found in the Star Wars galaxy during its darkest times with themes that disrupt your opponent’s board and decimate their best laid plans. These 160 brand-new cards will focus on taking core concepts of Star Wars: Destiny and throwing them into disarray.”

Origins Award Winners Announced
This weekend the Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts and Design named its award winners at Origins. According to, winners included Scythe, Happy Salmon, No Thank You, Evil!, and Mystic Vale.

Pathfinder Adventures on PC and Mac
Pathfinder Adventures has been released on the PC and Mac. According to a recent press release, “The Base Edition of Rise of the Runelords will emulate the base deck of the physical game while bringing along all six of the Adventure Decks, 11 of the iconic Pathfinder characters plus additional uncommon and rare cards.” Check out the game trailer below.

Munchkin Lite
According to Dice Tower News, a slimmed-down version of Munchkin will be available in October. It “keeps the same look and feel of Munchkin, but plays faster, and with less table space, making it a perfect game for 3-4 players with an hour to spare.”

All Out Collector’s Edition
The Walking Dead: All Out War game is being released in a collector’s edition this September. According to, the box set will contain the complete core game and “will include a slew of exclusives and expansion packs,” including “Prelude to Woodbury Solo Starter Set, Scenery Booster, Walker Roamer Booster, Equipment Booster, Deluxe Gaming Mat: Atlanta Suburbs, Lee & Clementine Show Exclusive, Exclusive Walker Rick Miniature, Exclusive Dale Prison Advisor, Exclusive Scott Moon.”

Upcoming Board Game Conventions
June 23-35. Polycon. San Luis Obispo, California.
July 5-9. Dice Tower Con. Orlando, Florida.
July 15-17. Protospiel. Manchester, Michigan.
July 22-30. World Boardgaming Championship. Champion, Pennsylvania.
July 28-30. NovaComic-Con. Tyson’s Corner, Virginia.
August 17-20. Gen Con 50. Indianapolis, Indiana.
August 25-27. Coulee Con. La Crosse, Wisconsin.
August 25-27. Congress of Gamers. Falls Church, Virginia.
September 1-4. Gateway 2017. Los Angeles, California.
September 1-4. Pacificon Game Expo. Santa Clara, California.
September 9-10. WashingCon. Washington, D.C.
September 15-17. GrandCon. Grand Rapids, MI.
September 15-17. Protospiel. Chicago, Illinois.
October 6-8. TsunamiCon. Wichita, Kansas.
October 6-8. CinCityCon. Cincinnati, Ohio.
October 7-8. Congress of Gamers. Rockville, Maryland.
October 13-15. XPO 2017. Tulsa, Oklahoma.
October 13-15. ConnCon/FallCon. Stamford, Connecticut.
November 17-19. PAX Unplugged. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Visit for more convention listings.

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Erbazzone o scarpazzone emiliano (Chard and pancetta tart from Emilia Romagna)

Erbazzone is a chard tart with an impeccable pedigree. It comes from Reggio Emilia, a charming town in Emilia Romagna, the land of Parmigiano, balsamic vinegar, tortellini, mortadella, prosciutto di Parma, i.e. one of Italy’s culinary heavens.  It used to be a typical spring dish (when  young, tender chards were available), now it can be prepared almost all year round, because leafy greens seem to be always available (and rather “local” too). I have made erbazzone with spring chards, with older, winter chards, with chards only, with chards and spinach and also with cabbage: it never fails. The pastry is a pasta matta traditionally made with strutto (lard, these days sometimes replaced with butter) and the filling is mellow and savory at the same time: onions and chard sautéd in a mix of chopped pancetta & lard, with some parmigiano to round them off. The (generally rectangular) tart is then baked with extra lard brushed over the top: this gives the  lean pastry a richer finish.
This savory pie is also called scarpazzone, which roughly translates as “big shoes”. Most contemporary recipes use only chard leaves, but in older times this tart was made with both leaves and stalks, the “shoe” of the whole leave: the stalks bulk up the filling and lend extra sweetness. I now prepare my erbazzone/scarpazzone following this thrifty and clever tip.

There are different versions of this torta salata (savory tart); sometimes partially cooked rice is added to the greens, sometimes ricotta: however, this seems to be very controversial, because purists claim that adding ricotta is blasphemy. I stand in the NO-ricotta team, mainly because I think this makes for a better pie.
Some sources claim erbazzone  to be of Jewish heritage.
One detail everybody agrees is that erbazzone must be on the thin side when assembled, no thicker than three centimeters at most.

Pancetta and lard make this tart truly irresistible. For sake of experimenting, I have also made erbazzone  with an olive oil-only pastry and using a limited amount of pancetta in the filling: it does work of course, but the whole suffers a little, it sings but it does not soar. Here in the UK, I am now lucky enough to be able to get hold of excellent lard, but in the past I have also successfully used goose fat, more easily available.
Note that, contrary to many vegetable pies of this type, there are no eggs in the filling.

Erbazzone o scarpazzone

6-8 portions
26 x 36 cm non stick pan, greased

1 quantity pasta matta,  rested and ready to be rolled
1.5 kg young, tender chards (or a combination of spinach and chards is fine too)
2 large onions, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
50 g parmigiano
100 g pancetta and lard, reduced to a creamy paste in the food processor. Sometimes I have used Italian lardo only (not lard), reduced to a paste.

Cut up the chards in ribbons, wash them and steam them lightly, until the stalks are barely tendere. Drain and cool down. Squeeze them and chop them coarsely.
Keep two-three tablespoon of the pancetta&lard mix aside.
In a roomy pan, fry the onions and the garlic  in the remaining pancetta & lard: the heat is gentle and the pan is covered. If you salt the onions, they will release some of their moisture and they will soften faster and better. When they are lightly golden, add the chopped greens, toss them well into the flavorsome  base and cook for about 20-30 minutes: there should not be much moisture left in the pan, at the end. Cool down completely, add the Parmesan and mix well. Check for salt and pepper.

Pre heat the oven to 180° C. Divide the dough into two pieces, one larger than the other. Roll out the larger piece to fit the tray, making sure to have few centimeters of pastry left overhanging the sides.
Spread the filling inside. Roll out the smaller piece and place it atop the base.
Fold the overhanging pastry over and create a border, pressing down to seal.
Dock the top with the prongs of a fork.
Bake the tart on the floor of the oven for about 20 minutes. Remove it and brush it with the pancetta&lard mix that you had kept aside.
Return it to the oven, moving it to the first from the bottom level and bake it for further 30-40 minutes.
Cool down completely before eating.

There are similarities of course with the Ligurian torta Pasqualina

16 thoughts on “Erbazzone o scarpazzone emiliano (Chard and pancetta tart from Emilia Romagna)

  1. The lard really makes the crust and there are but a few places where good lard is available. However, the young chard is beautiful in our markets now. I love all the different crusts you use, Stefano – each dish has its own. Much like each pasta shape has its own sauce. Have you ever had the torta di erbe served in Lucca? Mark fell in love with it have never been able to source a good recipe. Ciao, David

    1. Hi david and thanks
      …yes: torta di erbi o torta coi becchi or scarpaccia, more or less sweet. imactually left somethiing for u on frank’s blog when u mentioned it/or I have sent u an email – cannote remember. I have few versions if u r interested (sweet and savoury)

    1. Thanks michelle…I m trying to convince myself that such tarts are not too bad for u in moderation (deluding myself of course)

        1. …ys! And my concept of “moderation” is flexible…actually, All in all, I am pretty moderate and I can easily pass on the second cookie that is offered me; these days, I can happily have just half a croissant and half a pizza, for instance

          1. Made it without pancetta, and it was still delicious. Strangely enough there are also recipes for Erbazzone that are more like frittata. Chard seems to be the only constant factor.

  2. This has been on my to-do list for quite some time now. It looks incredible. Reminds me in a vague way of the onion pie they used to make on the pugliese side of my family. And I’m with you—I think ricotta wouldn’t do at all.

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Should I ask for more money?

I received a question from one of my IT Manager Institute students that I think is worth a discussion.

The situation
“We will be conducting Business Continuity Testing in about two weeks and validating our Disaster Recovery (DR) strategy.

We will be testing the following:
–  TPS, TDS, TPI, LSA, LPS, HBC, FPS, CRS, SCI, TSS, TPM (These are all in-house developed systems, client server)
–  HO Internet link will be brought down
–  Telcom VPN connection into HO data center will be brought down
–  International circuits for two country networks will be brought down
–  HO TEBA bank link will be brought down
–  3G link for mobile users will be brought down
Other processes & systems:
–  Active Directory to be failed over to DR (Disaster Recovery site)
–  Job Scheduler (EDI’s) to be failed over to DR
–  Internal and external mail to be failed over to DR site
–  FTP Server to be failed over to DR

It might not look like a big deal but it is one heck of a lot of work to get to the point where we can switch off our data center and within about an hour be up and running at our Disaster Recovery (DR) site, with everything working.

In my opinion the team of people that made this possible deserve a big bonus.”

The question
“My question to you is would it be unfair to ask executive management for a bonus and if so how do I approach it?”

My response
The first question that comes to mind is, “Do you have budget to cover a bonus?” If so, probably no problem; if not, it might be an issue.

2nd question, “Do you have money budgeted to do something other than a cash bonus?” If so, also probably not a problem.

Bonuses don’t have to necessarily be in cash. Could be gifts, nights on the town with their spouse, a nice dinner you host with the team and their spouse, paid time off, etc. What’s important is that you show your team you appreciate their hard work and the results they achieve.

The biggest issue is whether you have the money to pay for it in your operational budget or if you have to ask for extra money outside of your budget. Having to ask for more money is something most executives don’t like to hear, , , not to say it would be wrong to go ask for it, , , only stating what I think about what they will “hear”.

Senior management wants their IT department to be in control of their finances. What this means is that you need to plan for such things, , , even when you don’t necessarily know specifically what the money will be used for.

Do you remember the example I mentioned in the IT Manager Institute class where I put $1,000.00 in my 1987 budget for an employee event, , , not knowing at the time what the event would be? We ended up using it for the houseboat meeting and all day outing on the lake. Didn’t know we would do this when I budgeted for it, but I had the money allocated when we determined what we wanted to do for my staff 8 or 9 months later.

It’s ultimately your call, but my approach would tend to be to do something that is within your current budget without having to ask for “extra money”. If you have it covered, go for it, , , if not, you might want to do something else that’s a bit creative like “paid time off” for a job well done.

It’s worth the effort for you to show appreciation for your staff’s efforts and their results, , , I would just do it without having to go ask my company for more money, , , the company has already approved what it is willing to spend in IT for this fiscal year, , , you should try to make it happen within that commitment. Next year, , , plan to spend some money for performance excellence and make it part of next year’s operational budget.

Lastly, I’m glad to see you are testing your Disaster Recovery strategy. It’s going to help you sleep at night knowing that everything will work properly when and if the event takes place. Your company owes you a bit of appreciation for anticipating and taking care of such an issue before it happens.

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New Release: SEESAW for percussion duo, played on guitar

I’m happy to announce that sheet music for Seesaw is now available HERE

SEESAW (2020) is scored for two percussionists who perform on one shared acoustic guitar. The piece was commissioned by the New Works Project, which organized a consortium of 31 musicians from around the globe to support the creation of this work. Find out more about the piece at the link above, and check out this wonderful recording below by Quey Percussion Duo 👍🏽

Thoughts on Classical Music’s Status-Quo, Racism, and Activism

I’ve been reflecting on racism and classical music over the last two months. Here are some thoughts I’ve written during this time, for me and whoever wants to listen, especially those who hold positions of power in classical music:

• All-white programming and all-white festival rosters are wrong. They feed a structurally racist system. These systems have become classical music’s status-quo, and status-quo actions inevitably hold back and harm minority communities.

• The delusion that nothing is wrong with classical music’s status-quo also feeds a structurally racist system, and inevitably holds back and harms minority communities.

• The delusion that white supremacy only exists via klan hoods and burning crosses, and not in our music spaces via status-quo thinking and actions, also feeds a structurally racist system that inevitably holds back and harms minority communities.

• If you cannot bring yourself to say or talk about white supremacy, systemic racism and their function in our music scene, I suggest taking time to educate yourself, and to get comfortable with those words and how they exist in our spaces.

• As a person of color, I recognize that the systems of racism within classical music have been normalized, even for me. It’s easy for people of color to be conditioned to see all-white programming or festival rosters and not think twice about it, because that normalization is inherent within the system, and in part why it is so harmful.

• I am a person of color, but that does not make me an expert on the topic of racism. My perspective is just that. I continue to learn and grow. And if I can learn and grow, white friends and colleagues can certainly do the same.

• Representation matters. “Mexican-American” is in my bio because I want the Latinx community to know that I’m here. I want to show young Latinx musicians that this thing is possible. Some people reading this may not realize it, but minority musicians carry the weight of our communities on our shoulders. If you are in a position of power, you can help lift up our communities by hiring more minority musicians.

• “There just aren’t many musicians of color to choose from” and “we really like to program people we’ve worked with before” are things that should not be said in 2021. That is antiquated thinking and continues to produce status-quo results.

• “There’s a standard of excellence we aren’t willing to compromise” is not acceptable. There are many minority musicians that are more than capable of meeting and exceeding the standards you have set. There are many of us out there. We are capable.

• Every institution has, at some time or another, worked with and hired people of color. Please don’t use these instances as tokens to be redeemed when your institution screws up.

• If you are looking to make meaningful, lasting change, you must first recognize the structures and biases you have forever operated in. That is a sentence that has been written thousands of times inside of thousands of books and online postings. But here it is again for whoever needs it.

Some Thoughts on Activism

Lastly, and this is the part I’m still unpacking, and perhaps something other people are feeling too: Nearly every institution in our field has inevitably been centered in whiteness, from the institutions we teach at to the orchestras we play in, to the publishing companies we support to the concert presenters who make the whole thing go. It’s inevitably baked into every corner of classical music. To use an analogy from Sonya Renee Taylor, “you can’t take the ingredient out the cake.”

And this is where I feel frozen. How do we navigate an entire ecosystem that was structured this way? Should we continue to speak out, raise hell and call on problematic institutions to change until they are good enough? Or should they be dismantled and built anew? Maybe the better question is: How do we eliminate systemic racism and white supremacy from classical music’s identity? This is a loaded question but one that’s been swimming in my head recently.

The last thing I’ve been thinking about is personal: What kind of activist do I want to be? Do I want to lead with agitation, anger, dogma, openness or grace? Maybe all of these methods can co-exist to help the cause? Also, should I expect everyone to speak in the same vernacular on the issues, to know the right way to respond to every situation involving social justice? Should I shame those whose journey has not yet arrived at a place of allyship? Is building a mass movement that is inclusionary of, and dare I say it, different ideological viewpoints and perspectives, the way we ultimately arrive at a more equitable, less racist space? To quote Alicia Garza, co-founder of the Black Lives Matter movement: “More than a moral question, is a practical one. Can we build a movement of millions with the people who may not grasp our black, queer, feminist, intersectional, anti-capitalist, anti-imperialist ideology but know that we deserve a better life and who are willing to fight for it and win?”

Honestly, I had trepidation expressing this vulnerability here, for fear of being called out for being problematic, for moving the conversation away from the issues at hand and towards my own feelings. These are very similar to the feelings I had in my younger, religious years, when I decided to speak out of step with my church and ask questions about the how and the why. I was ultimately dealt shame, guilt and emptiness for doing so. This is not a healthy way to experience church, or activism for that matter, and I have more reflecting to do here.

Back to the Issue

My existential feelings aside, let me get back on track here. To those in power, from deans to professors to publishers to instrument companies: Systemic racism and white supremacy exist in our music spaces to the detriment of minority musicians. Making progress involves acknowledging their prevalence, and I don’t see enough people in power taking this step. I don’t see them acknowledging that an all-white festival roster is harmful, or acknowledging how the tenure system at universities has historically kept people of color out of positions of power, thus perpetuating the status-quo. These are just two realities of many that minority musicians have lived with everyday.

I don’t hold a position of power, but I do have a platform. I wrote these words to call on those in power, who I know will read this, to start acknowledging and talking about white supremacy and systemic racism at their institutions, and to do so out loud, as uncomfortable as it might be.

I can’t write this note without putting focus on the hate crime and domestic terrorist attack that happened in Atlanta, which killed Xiaojie Tan, Daoyou Feng, Delaina Ashley Yaun Gonzalez, Paul Andre Michels, Soon Chung Park, Hyun Grant, Suncha Kim and Yong Ae Yue. This was a hate crime targeting Asian women, and one deep-rooted in racism, xenophobia and misogyny. AAPI musicians in our community need to be supported and heard, and I offer my solidarity and love to you.

Specifically to my fellow percussionists: The influence and contributions from Asian artists to our space is so significant and vast. The percussion community is indebted to these artists, and also owes AAPI musicians a safe space to create art, one without bigotry, or stereotypes, or status-quo behavior.

There are those who want us to believe racism and white supremacy had nothing to do with the Atlanta attacks. This is the same delusional thinking that minority communities and musicians in our space deal with everyday. Let me say this again: This is status-quo, delusional thinking that inevitably holds back and harms minority communities.

To donate to the families affected by the Atlanta shooting, and to donate to fundraisers assisting those affected by Anti-Asian hate, please visit:

Pay-what-you-want consortium: 4.3 marimba duos

The consortium for 4.3 octave marimba duos has closed. Thank you so much to the supporters who backed this project!

A note to supporters: I’ve decided to title this collection Song Book, Vol. 4.3, to fit into the broader scope of my collection of song books. As vol. 4 was next in line, it seemed like an appropriate title! As a supporter, your name will be listed in the completed aoew. You will receive the collection by February 1, 2021 or sooner, and you will have exclusivity to perform these pieces through Sept. 2021 before the music is made available to the public.

I’ve been overwhelmed by the support this project has received. I’m looking forward to writing this book, and really appreciate you helping bring this music to life!

Episode 7: John H. Beck

The one and only John H. Beck, Professor Emeritus of Percussion at Eastman School of Music, joins the show! He talks about his teaching philosophy, his wine philosophy, what it was like teaching people like Steve Gadd, Leigh Howard Stevens, Gordon Stout, John Hollenbeck and Michal Burritt, his fortissimo snare drum roll during his Philadelphia Orchestra audition, the late, great Alan Abel, and more. So much percussion history during this hour from one of our favorites. Enjoy!


text:
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text:
You Are Appreciated! <3

9 comments on “You Are Appreciated! <3

  1. That is absolutely adorable!

    Liked by 1 person

  2. You are SOOOO appreciated :3

    Liked by 1 person

  3. Wonderful picture, Izzy. Love definitely is kind.

    Liked by 1 person

  4. Reblogged this on youarebeingloved and commented:
    🙂 🙂 sweet, sweet, sweet

  5. Happy Sunday and cheers! ☺

    Liked by 1 person

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text:
Suggest correction - #3525 - 1999-12-24

Fill in your contact information if you would like to be notified when your correction has been reviewed.
On the left you see the clue as it is currently displayed. Enter your correction on the right by editing the text directly. The top left field is the clue's value, either as given on the board, or, if a Daily Double, the value of the contestant's wager. If the clue is a Daily Double, check the checkbox to the right of this field. The top right field is the clue order number representing the order of the clue's selection amongst other clues in the round. The large blue field is for the clue text, which should be entered as closely as possible to how it appears on the show, with the exception that the words should not be all caps. Links to media clue files should be entered with HTML-style hyperlinks. Next come the nicknames of the three contestants in the form of response toggles: single clicks on the name change its color from white (no response) to green (correct response) to red (incorrect response) and back. Below this should be typed the correct response (only the most essential part--it should not be entered in the form of a question). The bottom field on the right is the clue comments field, where dialog (including incorrect responses) can be entered. (Note that the correct response should never be typed in the comments field; rather, it should be denoted by [*].)
    $1000 5
Frederic Dannay & Manfred B. Lee

Show #3525 - Friday, December 24, 1999

Eli Cotham, an advertising executive from Los Angeles, California

Hal Barron, a college professor from Altadena, California

Mitch Teich, a public radio news reporter from Flagstaff, Arizona (2-day champion whose cash winnings total $20,990)

Jeopardy! Round

    $100 8
Located on the Lehigh River, Bethlehem is 60 miles north of this larger city
    $100 6
Green Bay Packers
    $100 10
A baby born before the 37th week of pregnancy, & about 10% of them are, is considered this
    $100 14
This Apollo 11 astronaut now lives on a dairy farm near Lebanon, Ohio
    $100 26
Handel wrote "Messiah" in about 3 weeks while living in this city
    $100 1
Elie Wiesel won his 1986, Bishop Tutu in 1984
    DD: $500 9
Est. in 1904 by Charles Schwab, this company bearing the city's name is the 2nd largest of its type in the U.S.
    $200 7
Dallas Cowboys
    $200 19
If a sperm with an X chromosome fertilizes the egg, the baby will be this sex
    $200 15
This Apollo 14 astronaut & first American in space passed away in 1998
    $200 27
As you'd expect from a religious work, this is the final word sung in the oratorio
    $200 2
In order to prevent conflict, you might pass this sacred ceremonial object used by some Native Americans
    $300 23
A world famous Bethlehem choir performs works by this family fuguer every year at a festival in his honor
    $300 11
Chicago Bears
    $300 20
To have a full-term Christmas baby, you should conceive on or about the 20th of this month
    $300 16
The second man on the Moon, he came in second on "Celebrity Jeopardy!"
    $300 28
In one aria, this brass instrument "shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible"
    $300 3
In 1971 this Cat Stevens hit song chugged up to No. 7 on the U.S. pop charts
    $400 24
Born in 1898, this Bethlehem, PA. native's works include "John Brown's Body" & "The Devil and Daniel Webster"
    $400 12
Oakland Raiders
    $400 21
The Dick-Read labor method encourages you to do this, also the title of a Frankie Goes to Hollywood hit
    $400 17
Still on active astronaut status, John Young, 69, works at this NASA site in Houston
    $400 29
It's what audiences traditionally do when they hear the following:

"Hallelujah, hallelujah..."
    $400 4
This overseas humanitarian sevice was originally part of the U.S. State Department
    $500 25
The Moravian Church, based in Bethlehem, is a Protestant group organized in the 15th c. in this current republic
    $500 13
Miami Dolphins
    $500 22
Braxton-Hicks are a type of these; the mother may not even notice them
    $500 18
Apollo 15's David Scott served as an adviser on this appropriate HBO series
    $500 30
First performed in 1742, "Messiah" has been called "The final flowering of" this era of music
    $500 5
It's what Neville Chamberlain promised on his return from Germany in September 1938

Scores at the first commercial break (after clue 13):

Mitch Hal Eli
$1,800 $100 $400

Scores at the end of the Jeopardy! Round:

Mitch Hal Eli
$4,600 -$300 $1,000

Double Jeopardy! Round

(Alex: How appropriate!)
    $200 7
This great tenor's last appearance at the Met was December 24, 1920; his first was in 1903
    $200 21
Dead vegetation built up in layers forms peat, which next forms this organic rock
    $200 6
This country's Shang dynasty arose in the 1700s B.C. along the Yellow River
    $200 1
Karen Christence Blixen-Finecke
    $200 26
The WB show "Angel" is a spin-off from this one
    $200 16
On St. Patrick's Day, many restaurants serve up this dish, straight out of a Dr. Seuss book
    $400 12
On December 24, 1988 she was nominated for the post of Secretary of Labor
    $400 22
This molten substance can surface as lava, or cool & harden into igneous rock
    $400 8
This explorer sailed to North America on 3 different ships: the Hopewell, Half Moon & Discovery
    $400 2
David John Moore Cornwell
    $400 27
"Oh, Thank Heaven!" Kari Wuhrer was the angel seen here called on to tout Bakery Sticks for this chain
    $400 17
On its first voyage in 1971, this group protested nuclear testing in the Aleutian Islands
    $600 13
Opera debuts on Christmas Eve include "Aida" in 1871 in Cairo & this Menotti opera in 1951 on TV
    DD: $600 23
A lot of one-celled organisms died to create this British landmark seen here:
    $600 9
In June 1955 the Argentine navy staged an unsuccessful revolt against this dictator
    $600 3
Charles Lutwidge Dodgson
    $600 28
This musical that opened in New York in 1972 includes a Teen Angel in its cast of characters
    $600 18
On the cover of their 1988 "Abbey Road EP", they're wearing little else than strategically placed socks
    $800 14
On Christmas Eve in 1988 this group found itself with a No. 1 hit, "Every Rose Has Its Thorn"
    $800 24
Sandstone is made of sand, which is made up mostly of this mineral
    DD: $500 10
Among those to reach this fabled African outpost in the 19th century were Rene Caillie & Gordon Laing
    $800 4
William Sydney Porter
    $800 19
Garibaldi's followers, or what they wore
    $1000 15
This north African Mediterranean nation was granted its independence from Italy December 24, 1951
    $1000 25
A type of rock made of pebbles cemented together, or a corporation with divisions in several industries
    $1000 11
The Cuban Missile Crisis & the 1967 Arab-Israeli War occurred while he served as U.N. Secretary-General
    $1000 5
Frederic Dannay & Manfred B. Lee
    $1000 20
Readers got their first taste of Hannibal Lecter in this 1981 Thomas Harris novel

Scores at the end of the Double Jeopardy! Round:

Mitch Hal Eli
$4,000 $5,500 $4,500

Final Jeopardy! Round

(Alex: We won't be back tomorrow, we'll be back on Monday!)
A 1999 study concluded that this 13-foot-long, 3-foot-wide holy relic dates back to pre-8th century Jerusalem

Final scores:

Mitch Hal Eli
$23 $9,001 $8,001
3rd place: Yahoo! Shopping Spree New champion: $9,001 2nd place: Intel PC Camera Pro Pack & Compaq Presario Internet Desktop PC

Game dynamics:

Coryat scores:

Mitch Hal Eli
$4,000 $6,000 $5,000
20 R,
5 W
14 R
(including 1 DD),
4 W
(including 1 DD)
12 R,
3 W
(including 1 DD)

Combined Coryat: $15,000

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The J! Archive is created by fans, for fans. The Jeopardy! game show and all elements thereof, including but not limited to copyright and trademark thereto, are the property of Jeopardy Productions, Inc. and are protected under law. This website is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or operated by Jeopardy Productions, Inc. Join the discussion at


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Sunday, May 23, 2010

Jackson's 2nd Birthday!

If you would like to see all of the pictures!

Monday, May 17, 2010

Friday, May 14, 2010

Monday, May 10, 2010

The J's

Jackson and Jack are about 5 weeks apart and when they see each other then remembered how much fun they have together. Jack's mom is one of my best friends from college and we can't figure out how to get them to move out to CA to be closer to us!!

Friday, May 7, 2010


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Self-cleaning dish brush for maximum hygiene!

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text:
In Circles Suede Necklace - Jada Jo

In Circles Suede Necklace

Jada Jo

Story Behind The Jewelry

There is just something very masculine about a cord around and gentleman's neck, it enhances the outfit's overall elegance. The pendant is a hammered 14K gold circle. Circles are a universal symbol for wholeness and totality.

Designed and handmade in Newport Beach, California. USA

Suede Cord: Cream, Black, or Brown, Vermeil, Brass

Circles represent the notions of totality, wholeness, original perfection, the Self, the infinite, and also eternity and timelessness.

37"(inches), length is adjustable. Cord available in Black and Brown.

Collections: Calling All Men, Sale

Category: circle, Cord, handmade, leather, Made in USA, pendant, Suede, unisex, Vermeil, white

Type: Unknown Type

Related Items


text:
Posts tagged “old

Girls And Boys. ./ . Old And New.,/.When We Grow Up And Move On. .. . .///.

Girls and Boys Grow Old.././. Brighton 2015

Obsessive followers would have noted of late most of my works of the past year are based around the art of tattoo and graphic design. Many artists go through dramatic changes as their lives influence their decisions and their work. I am one such example../.

I have recently started work as a tattoo apprentice at Black Sails Tattoo Brighton, because of this i am finding less and less time for painting and creating Fine Art, it also means i have less and less space for my previous works and my new work expands and takes over i must make room for such changes. I have always been an advocate of free art, street exhibitions and vandalism, In a fond farewell to some of my earliest “serious” art works i found the perfect place to wave goodbye and grow a little… .. ././. Here’s to always moving forward./ .

Life. . /In Little Pieces. . . . ././.

The more i practice for the art of Tattoo the more my half finished ideas of art and expression slip away, today i sought to rekindle one such project, changing the pen for the brush to take on an old adversary

In 2012 i started a series entitled ‘Life In Little Pieces’.
The idea was to create a wall of 12 ‘saints’ all of which have had their place in my life past and future. essentially they are all self portraits  /. They would be exhibited in a row, like the imposing art in a christian church, but take on a more gothic and self reflecting tone. Rather than these idols that celebrate the idea of virtue and sacrifice i wanted to focus on the parts of humanity which we might not want to fully admit, misdeed, alienation, heartbreak and ultimately, mortality.

Today’s two new additions means that there is only one more step to complete this long forgotten project././ The hardest step ‘Passing The Seed’./.

Me And Spielberg… . … .. We’re Like This.. . ./././///.

Two more old paintings which never really made the grade have finally been sorted out.. . ./. /.

‘Crumpled Human Package’                   ‘Furr God’s Sake’

                   Acrylic on Plywood                   Acrylic and Oil on Plywood

            100 cm x 100 cm                                 70 cm x 100 cm

Calm Down Spielberg.. …. . /. .//. / .

Recent posts might suggest that im running out of ideas… ../. / I have been attacking old paintings and improving them, now normally i would stand by the premise of ‘once a piece of art is finished it should never be revisited’ but there has been quite few paintings now that have been keeping me up at night. I knew when i ‘finished’ them i was not happy with them the truth is i was either bored of looking at them or utterly clueless as to what to do with them. This week that has changed, I have had breakthrough’s on paintings i never wanted to see the light of day and i put it down to my work schedule. I normally have a million different ideas, series’, paintings, drawings and plans all going on at the same time and normally i end up evolving before i’ve really finished exploring these ideas. This week i wrote a list of all the things i have going on and unfinished  and am not allowed to start anything new until this list is complete. So even though the ideas are piling up still, Its better than half finished projects piling up! Thats not to say that this blog will be short of new things to show you.. . …. . …/./. Here is the latest re hash of an old painting i did… …. . .its now good enough to be used as origanlly intended, Art work for the band Caolin Clay.. . ….. .. ./. ////. .

‘Caolin Clay’    Acrylic on Plywood  81cm x 63cm

Close up.,. . … /. /.. /.

Check Them Out Here.. . … /. / .

Skull Studies………..

I had just recently paid a visit to the natural history museum……. one of the most beautiful interesting places in England, And it got me thinking about death…….

“Absent Brain Surgery” Acrylic on card 25cm x 27cm           “Climate Change” Acrylic on card 30cm x 27cm

No doubt there will be more to come……………..

My drawing of all things old, industrial and victorian is now complete. Framed and mounted with a maroon border and dedicated to my mother……Jenny.

This piece is available on limited print, limited to 20. Unfortionately my shop is not online at the moment so please contact me for details.

Whats new?

Heres a few photos of what im currently working on, Its a drawing of all things old, industrial and victorian with a certain person in mind….

Method of approach……  I wanted the card to look and feel really old and dirty so i made up a mix of soot and water and painted the A3 card then roasted it, after which i scrapped any remnants off and started work with a piolot V5 hi-tecpoint.


text:
2013 biggest man hoe ….met this guy from brookyn tries to talk to any thing that has a pums between its leg wether young old, big small n tells them he single so woman can mind him so he can go out n look more girls. idk whats wrong with these men these days

0 thoughts on “FAMOUS MAN H-E

  1. Him a straight mix up bout two days ago him have this boy from bronx 3 gal a cuss and bae mix up. Him a f**k two a the gal dem the boy baby mother and the dj a tink him and the third one come from the sed place. One rompous yuh see the baby mother and the dj galaang when me do mi research the boy a 21 the dj almost 30 the baby mother just turn 21 the next gyal a 24. Boy still live wid him mumma deh pon child support look like a real straggler. The baby mother have a pickney weh flossin king from bx nuh stop deny him not even look her way wid the chile
    The dj miserable cause the next gal a breed so she alone a guh childless.
    One bunch a no ambition classless bitches.

  2. Senda…….ano everything glitter a gold……all di wile unno blame man…sometime uno fi cut uno eye affa some man an tap gi dem uno numba so uno don’t ave di issue of worklessness n carelessness n mixup to deal wid…unno fi tap sen een ppl pic wey no inna unno cocky battle..

  3. Ricka flawless everybody know a u send in this u vex because the dj yute nuh want u so u go start war wid the two other girl dem so stop draw kid inna it and talk bout the bbm message dem weh u send him wen put up the video on ig that’s why him put u on blast u is the trouble maker

  4. Althea wow send this in di bwoy f**k are and leave her. Wow yuh hurt all young bwoy disown yuh. Him Dunn wow bad. Wow yuh start clean yuh dutty house?

    1. @Anon whey yuh sey Althea ‘old foot’ Wow :mewek
      Den him nuh old enough to be her son??? IF a true some a dem dancehall teteh must retire. Nuh whey day shi a war ova a next man?? Yuh know what as a matter of fact mi nuh believe dat one dere.. :hoax2

    2. Lol its her this time around she not that brave, I saw some arguement on is ig the other day with some girls he put up a video of his friend this girl fr bx pick it up on her and say a she dem a throw word on and bbm the yute a question him bout it which the yute tell her she have no rite to question him about is ig she keep going and going the yute get fed up and put it on his ig asking how mi put a video wid mi friend and this girl wyaa start trouble wid me that’s wen all hell bruk loose the girl inna the video comment and a dj comment then the girl weh start it comment and one big back and forth ting and the yute delete it but but she didn’t stop she start bbm back the yute looking for trouble then she go has get a dj yute a bx weh she a war over arrested I don’t really know the names of these girls

    3. fuss a ricka now a wow unnuh fi stop call up ppl name caw unnuh caw see chue di screen suh tapp e…tap blame ppl innocently

      1. For sure its ricka also the first comment on here it’s also she claim she have 2 degree but she fool u f**k , just mi its not wow wen it comes to famous she stay inna her lane !!!!

  5. 10:29 im not ricka flawless the boy more than want the gyal ive seen them together on several occassions and ricka take good care of the boy him family and kids pay up him child support for him and a nuh she same one save him from go rikers? unu deh pon the gal and she naw pay unu no mind.
    the boy famous is a batty boy fi put up the chat why him nuh tell unu him tell ricka nuh fi fraid a sheika?
    me nuh wrong her fi ask if a she them a chat bout him beg her fi her pin him follow her so why play hypocrite? the whole a unu put together doh mek bloodclawt one if ricka did wah send in sumn im sure she would a put up that story cause a regular she bleach burn and put out Justo so wah the hype bout him go back doh?

  6. Ricka flawless u not really smart the more u comment the more u gi weh u self so just be a good hospital and admit it u get the yute arrested because him nuh want you and him baby mother him want up and a that a hurt u so u go friend all hers friends on ig and start trouble because u a look attention so it don’t mek sense u come on here making up stories u up all 2 inna the morning a text ppl how u ago get the yute arrested go over the yute mother yard a talk shit why u nuh be a lady about the situation and talk the truth and stop mix up other ppl inna it cause the reason why u send in this is because u want the baby mother and the dj girl fi come give u attention

  7. So senda wah wrong if the man say more pussy to him cocky why u mad mi a guess him never give u the time a day smh famous or wah u wyaa name just use u condom and f**k as much as u can wen u dweet ppl get upset lol like seriously wah u a watch the cocky fah u nuh have a life !!!!

  8. I happen to be Ricka’s friend she is at work I messaged her about being on here.
    FYI bx justice she doesn’t care both her and justo know why he got arrested and didn’t she save him from rikers? She pay his child support to right? Justo baby mother doh hav dry shit inna her ass hence flossing king and justo both don’t stop f**k pon her and naw look her way? She feed his kids too right and his family. For somebody he don’t want they share joint accounts she knows down to his social and his family when man don’t want woman them f**k and cut.
    Anyway Ricka said she don’t know famous from a hole in the wall and don’t care who he wants to f**k she said both the baby mother and the dj know where she lives she was driving in and driving the dj car so any problems they know where to find her. What she wants she’s gonna get legally so justo will be arrested again cause she not contacting anybody government will do it for her.

    1. Ricka really now u a say a u friend lol like seriously why u a hide u u just love the attention right now u get it where want it but why u send in the yute pic ? Why u never target ur so call matey dem? Down to justo say u always put ppl on here all ur so call friends say its u so why u a deny it just leave out the yute out ur mix up that because him and sheika and the dj a friend u ago put him inna it and for the record justo say u never do nothing for his kid so stop trying to look big the man say him f**k u either u just bad because him inlove with sheika and u find out him deh wid the dj girl so u nuh inna interest

  9. Jessica that’s you hey girl? Or sheka is that you why the f**k the two a you nuh guh suck justo dick weh him love put inna batty? Justo weh don’t even have a decent pair a shoes unu a argue over really and truly a this farin gone to? Come off a the gyal name. She do enough fi help him child support diaper wipes food clothes shoes brief phone bill rent unu should a glad somebody help him inna time of need sas crise unu is a miserable set .

  10. I personally know famous kid he is a straight up person and him ago talk him and don’t care if it offend u and the flip side nice person to be around full of vybz loyal and his a yute u can trust if u nuh violate or try to be a hypocrite towards him then u won’t see is bad side I know him years now I know wat he will and will not do..!!!!! Senda try off a somebody else

  11. When justo got put out of Ricka apartment when she find condom wrapper inna him pocket why that happen again? Didn’t she post the garbage bag she pack him up in on instagram plus this long ass convo with he baby mother weh the baby mother a say justo is a dead beat and him full a std?
    Justo the day when You rickà and your daughter Jayda was at stop and shop buying baby diapers wipes baby body wash baby food etc who was it for?
    When the baby mother move from ct and justo suppose to have the pickney who did you go to for money to buy things for him Ricka right. Who buy food for your mom to cook Ricka right? Justo is this why you always a cuss Ricka bout talking to her friends? Yea she told us everything. Your baby mother call her ATM right.
    The child support for Jamal Ricka pay it right .justo how much taxi fare Ricka pay for u? How much clothes you get? How much money you borrow till you their the girl money off her dresser. Yea we talk bout it all . Justo talk bout her pregnancy and the fact that you both have a child on the way yes that’s right it wasn’t aborted she told you that because she don’t want you around her child when he arrives on this earth you will just have another child support to pay. Justo tell the people the truth .

  12. Mi wonder if a me alone see it the post was a about famous being hoe but its quite clear its about justo,him baby mother, the dj girl and ricka flawless and reading the comments it look like it ricka send in the post and come change the topic to justo but my question to u ricka why u never send in justo pic or him baby mother ? Why u a mix up other ppl inna ting fah? Why? @met u fi put some a dem ppl yah on blast wen dem a try mix up innocent ppl

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On this day…15 September

On 15 September 1904 Joyce left the Martello Tower in Sandycove. Having arrived to stay at the Martello Tower on Friday 9 September, Joyce left it abruptly in the early hours of Thursday 15 September, and did not return. This final break with Gogarty also seemed to have confirmed Joyce’s determination to leave Ireland as […]

On this day…9 September

On 9 September 1904 Joyce arrived at the Martello Tower. Joyce’s short-lived stay at the Martello Tower in Sandycove began on Friday 9 September 1904 and ended just six days later. Despite the brevity of his stay there, his connection with this unusual residence has made it the most iconic of all the locations associated […]

On this day…14 August

On 14 August 1904 Joyce got the proofs of ‘The Holy Office from the printer.’ Joyce wrote his satirical poem ‘The Holy Office’ at the beginning of August 1904.  He submitted it to his friend Constantine Curran for publication in St Stephen’s, the student magazine of University College Dublin. On 8 August Curran rejected the […]


text:
7 Things I’ve Given Up So That I Can Write More and Read More

When asked by people how to get published, I pass along the advice that Stephen King gave in On Writing: Read a lot and write a lot. That advice worked for me, and I figure it can’t hurt to pass it along. What doesn’t get asked nearly as much is what it takes to write a lot and read a lot. Obviously, some discipline is involved, but the first and foremost ingredient is love: you’ve got to love to read and you’ve got to love to write.

Love is important because, for me, I’ve found that I’ve had to give up a lot of things in order to read a lot and write a lot. Sacrificing these thing is only possible in the context of love for what you are doing. Some of the sacrifices are small, and some seem inconsequential, even beneficial, but there are drawbacks. I thought I’d list some of the things I have deliberately given up in order to read more and write more. In each case, I chose these things because I love reading and writing more than I love doing these other things.

1. Live Television

I don’t watch live TV anymore. Haven’t for a while, but even shows I was interested in (Dexter, for example) no longer hold my interest. In part this is because I am exceedingly tired of serial TV shows. I prefer old fashioned series, like M*A*S*H or Magnum, P.I., where you could watch any episode and not have to worry about getting sucked into a cliff-hanger ending. I get that cliff-hangers bring back audiences (thank you so much, Dallas), but I think they come with a risk of alienating a small subset of the audience: people like me who would be okay investing 40 minutes, but not 880 minutes.

The other reason I’ve given up TV is, quite frankly, I’d rather use that time to read or write. It is no exaggeration to say that my voluntary weekly TV-watching is down to probably under 30 minutes a week. I’m fine with that, but it does come with a downside:

I can’t talk about the shows that are airing in a crowd of people. But I suppose that’s okay, because I’d rather spend that time writing, too.

2. Streaming Videos

For a while, I found streaming videos to be a good alternative to watching TV. I could watch an entire season of a show much faster without the commercials and didn’t have to wait for next week to find out what happens with the cliffhanger.

But now, when I find myself thinking: this might be an interesting show (e.g. Elementary), my first thought in response is: I can’t. I just can’t get sucked in. If I watch the show it will eat into my reading and writing time, and the truth is, I’d rather read or write.

3. VIdeo Games

I used to play video games, but haven’t for years. For me, these are complete time sinks, with one exception, which I’ll get to. That is not to say that some games don’t interest me. The Kerbal Space Program looks fascinating, and I’d love to be able to play it. But whenever I consider signing up, I think: time sink. I could be reading or writing. And I’d rather read or write than play video games.

The one exception is the (these days, rare) occasion when we play Rock Band with friends. This is a social thing, involving other people, and often beer. I’m okay with that.

4. Watching Baseball on TV

Despite being more than halfway through 2013 season, I have yet to watch a baseball game on TV. I can’t remember the last time I’ve gone this far into the season without watching a ball game, and I honestly miss it.

Still, each time I think of possibly watching a ball game, I think, couldn’t I spend this time better by writing? If I have 3 hours to kill, I could potentially write 4,500 words. Sure, watching a baseball game would be fun, and I’m sure I’ll do it before the season is over, but I resist. I resist.

5. Personal Coding Projects

Speaking of baseball, every now and then, I want to get back to the baseball simulator I was developing in Mathematica. I am fascinated by the concept of it, and love figuring out how to do things like that myself (yes, I know such things exist, but I enjoy figuring it out). Each time I think about working on it, however, that little voice1 reminds me that I could be writing–or reading. And the truth is, that is what I’d rather be doing.

6. Social Lunches

For a long time now (years, really) I eschew all lunch meetings and social lunches. This probably makes me a little antisocial in the office, but it keeps me healthy and allows me to kill two birds with one stone. I spent my lunch hour walking–anywhere from 3-4 miles. And while I walk, I listen to audio books.

I get invited to lunches every now and then, but I rarely accept. I’d much rather spend my lunch walking and reading.

7. Being Clever on the Internet

I’ve found this happening more and more: I start to write a “clever” reply to a comment on Facebook. Or I start to construct a “clever” response to a Tweet I’ve seen. And about halfway through, I’ll think, “Why do I need to try to be clever?” Most likely, I won’t be. And I’ll feel compelled to read followup responses. All of this takes time and it’s time that I don’t have. I’d rather spend this time writing.

Giving up these things allows me more time to read and write, and allows me to make the best of other time I have, like time with the family and the kids. I miss watching baseball games, and I miss the intellectual challenge of some of the coding projects I worked on. But I love writing, and it is not really a sacrifice to give up these things for something you really love.

  1. A la Magnum, P.I.

  1. Jamie .. I couldnt agree more with your post. I watch TV only when on the treadmill .. or late at night to keep the mrs company 🙂

  2. Baseball – way too many games to watch them all. It’s much easier being a football fan, minus all the beer. I’d love to give up TV, but I’ve fallen in love with too many shows now.

  3. I agree with most of this, especially live television. At this stage in my career, however (I work at a literary management company in HW) taking social lunches (and more often, drinks) is a crucial part of having a presence in our world. Perhaps when I’ve established myself some more. this won’t be as much a necessity, and I can focus more on reading/writing. Thanks for this post Jamie. All good reminders.

  4. I’ve given up a lot of these things too. I keep my Netflix subscription active only because I watch shows or movies with long-distance friends and family. I run out of things to talk about with my family because there’s often nothing new to report. But having a show to share helps keep the conversation going and keeps us talking regularly because even if we have nothing “new” to share, we want to know what happens next.

    I haven’t been blogging as much either. Been putting more of my writing energy into my fiction lately. Not that I don’t have any brilliant blog ideas, I’m just staring the end of this novel in the face, and I know myself well enough to know that it will take a lot of energy to finish. Endings are the worst for me.

    Thanks for the great post Jamie! Can’t wait to see what you’ve been writing with that extra time and effort.

  5. I agree, TV is a nightmare on productivity. I like the idea of walking and listening on your lunch hour. I used to do a similar thing when I worked in a rural area and I miss it x

    1. Michelle, I hadn’t seen that site before, but thanks for pointing it out. I think they’ve taken it much farther than I have. I’ve added the blog to my RSS feeds. 🙂

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If you wanted to make up a certain people and talk about their language/culture.

Would you use 青い人語 or 青い人の言語?

And how would you pronounce the first example? 「あおいひとご」 or 「あおいじんご」？

What about examples with already existing things? 犬語、本語、 etc. ?

  • 1
    This may not be super relevant to your question but I feel that if a writer were to make up 'the Blue People' in Japanese they'd go with 「青｛あお｝の民｛たみ｝」 over 「青い｛あおい｝人｛ひと｝」
    – Angelos
    Jul 14 at 20:37
  • Yes, it was a crude example emblematic of how a five year old or a caveman would come up with a new name for a tribe. But thank you for telling me how it's actually done! Jul 16 at 12:02

1 Answer 1

Think of 語 as a suffix similar to -ese (as in Japanese and Cantonese). Unlike English -ese, it can attach to almost any noun, but you're basically coining a new word that refers to a unique language by doing so. On the other hand, Aの言語 is a phrase that are made of several words and means "language of A" or "language spoken by A".

犬語 ("dogese") is not a word listed in a dictionary, but it can be a valid expression if dogs in your fictional work form a community and speak a distinct language. If dogs speak English and can communicate with humans using English, 犬語は英語だ ("Dogese is English") makes no sense, and you have to say something like この世界の犬の言語は英語だ ("The language of dogs in this world is English") instead. 本語 ("bookese") may be valid if you're thinking of a fantasy world where books have a mouth and speak to one anther using a special language, but I personally have never seen a setting like this.

(I also feel 青い人 is probably not what you want as the name for a specific tribe/species, but it's a different story. You may be interested in this question.)

  • That was a well-rounded answer to my question. It explained a lot. Thank you very much 😊 Jul 16 at 12:00

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S01E03 of anime adaptation of the LN/manga The Devil Is a Part-Timer!

See here 1:18 - 1:32 There are these 2 characters Chiho and Emi who meet for the 1st time when Emi interrupts Chiho's profession (confession?) of romantic feelings to Maou, who is Chiho's seniour colleague and the title character. Chiho assumes Emi is Maou's ex-romantic partner. In the part translated as 'It's none of your business now!' Chiho seems to address Emi as onee-san.

  1. Is that in like a sarcastic way or something? I thought Chiho would say something like 'omae' ? Or maybe it's a slight in pointing out how much older Emi is?

  2. Actually, I notice the English dub has a non-corresponding part (see here 1:14 - 1:19) where Chiho says 'If anybody here needs to stop yakking, it's you, sister!' So is the meaning of 'onee-san' by original Chiho similar to the meaning of 'sister' by dub Chiho?

Note 1: In the English dub, 'sister' is not directly translated from onee-san because in the original Chiho is asking Emi 'Are you trying to say you're more intimate with Maou-san?' The 'sister' is actually 12 seconds (1:14 dub which is 1:40 original vs 1:28 original) after the use of 'onee-san' in the original.

Note 2: I think the dub is changing the dialogue vastly like trying to make it more of a romantic fight when in the original they're trying to understand what the other is saying.

  • 1
    This seems like a question for the anime stack exchange
    – Angelos
    Aug 1 at 19:06
  • 3
    Why would it be sarcastic? Have you looked at a basic dictionary entry for お姉さん? There are many meanings listed there that would not require a sarcastic interpretation to fit the context... Aug 1 at 21:26
  • 1
    @Angelos this is actually a legitimate question about the Japanese language, not anime, IMHO. The fact that it was prompted by something heard in an anime episode actually has nothing to do with the actual question being asked (about how the word お姉さん is used and why somebody would use it in that sort of situation)..
    – Foogod
    Aug 1 at 23:18
  • @DariusJahandarie Because they're arguing/hostile/abrasive with each other? I thought Chiho would say something like 'omae' ? Or maybe it's a slight pointing out how much older Emi is? Actually I'll edit post to include this. Thanks!
    – BCLC
    Aug 2 at 6:13
  • @Foogod Well there could be something specific to the anime/manga/LN. But that's why I included as much relevant details as possible. I actually haven't watched/read this. I just saw some clips about it
    – BCLC
    Aug 2 at 6:22

1 Answer 1

お姉さん ("onee-san") is not only used to mean "sister". In common speech it is quite often used (particularly by kids/young adults) when talking to any young woman who is older than them (particularly if they don't know her name). It is often similar to saying "miss", etc, in English. (the same is true with お兄さん ("onii-san") and guys)

In this case, it is really just a more respectful way to say "you" to a girl who is older than her (in this sort of situation, using あなた, etc, would probably come off as pretty rude, and as I remember, Chiho didn't actually know Emi's name at this point, so she wouldn't be able to use her name).

Likewise, おばさん and おじさん are often used to address somewhat older men/women in general (basically similar to "ma'am" and "mister"), and おばあさん and おじいさん are sometimes used to address old ladies and old men (one should be very careful about the pronunciation of おばさん and おじさん, though, because if you hold the vowel a little too long, you can end up calling someone "old woman" when you meant to just say "ma'am", etc (there are many tropes about young kids making this mistake and (vain) women getting annoyed at being called "granny" before their time, etc))

  • Comments are not for extended discussion; this conversation has been moved to chat.
    – Chocolate
    Aug 3 at 15:40

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Getting Started With Cucumber Pro

August 9, 2018

HEADS UP - March 22, 2019 UPDATE

Cucumber Pro has been relaunched as Jam. I’ll be leaving this post the way it is, but pretend that any time you see Pro that it actually says Jam. :)

Cucumber’s latest offering for enabling teams to expose living documentation across teams in an easy and collaborative way is here!

It’s wonderful!

Let’s back it up first!

Some of you have probably heard about or interacted with something called Relish. Relish was the Cucumber team’s original tool for publishing documentation from feature files. Cucumber Pro is like Relish and there are definitely parallels between the two services, like being able to select particular branches in the same place, but Cucumber Pro has taken what Relish did and improved upon it. Cucumber Pro is not just better, it’s way better. It’s still in beta so there are places for improvements, but the place that it’s in now offers a ton of useful and awesome behavior, my favorite of which is the ability to post test results to it from your favorite CI/CD system. Cucumber Pro displays your test results in some really awesome and easy to read ways, which is a fantastic win for a platform that’s meant to be used by all members of a company, not just the technical folks.

This article isn’t about the various features of Cucumber Pro but rather about how to get yourself set up and some of the things that I’ve worked out that might not be currently easily determinable at first glance.

*A note before we get started: As of writing on Aug 9, 2018, Cucumber Pro is still in beta and it’s still very early days. The only way that I know of to get into Cucumber Pro is via an invite. Also, there will be tons of improvements and features added, so this article may have places where it becomes out of date. I can’t promise all will stay current, but some of the topics will likely be timeless.*

It Begins

There are a few things you need to do before we can get cracking with Cucumber Pro. You’ll be walked through or there will be very readable buttons for the following steps on the Cucumber Pro page after signing up/in.

  1. Create a license
  2. Add a project (So far I’ve been naming mine the same as the git repos they’ll be interacting with)
  3. Create and set your web hook.

Once you do the above, you should have your project show up in Cucumber Pro and look something like this:

😎 Cool. 😎

Now you might be wondering, “Okay, so… where is everything?” There are a few points to that answer. The simplest and fastest being that there’s a drop down in the top left-hand corner that says. “Table of contents” that’ll display all features in your project.

The longer answer is that if your project is anything like some of mine (mostly flat and only base cucumber items), there will need to be some changes made to help Cucumber Pro best display things for you.

Landing Documentation

If you revisit the initial screenshot that I shared, you’ll see that the data displayed there isn’t actually Gherkin and there’s nothing that look like Scenarios. That’s because Cucumber Pro enables you to have a main/landing documentation page. This of this as a way to give an over-arching description and to set up a curated table of contents for yourself if you’d like. Cucumber Pro’s documentation has a page like this that links to current features and also contains information around road map plans.

To set your project up to be able to display this type of data, create a file in the foot of your Features directory. Cucumber Pro will automatically handle this file for you!

Cucumber Pro tip: In order to link to your feature files from this location, you’ll need to use relative links and include the branch ‘master’ in them all, regardless of whether or not you’re on a trunk or feature branch. For instance in my example, the link to the Funky feature is master/features/funky/funky.feature

If you set up your repo to be watched and you set up a landing doc page fine, but when you hit the table of contents, you find this:

It’s likely your feature directory is flat, and looks something like this:

├── features
│  ├── funky.feature
│  ├── jive.feature
│  ├──
│  ├── step_definitions
│  │  ├── funky_steps.rb
│  │  └── jive_steps.rb
│  └── support
│     └── env.rb
├── Gemfile
├── Gemfile.lock

To get it to look like this:

You’ll want to group similar features into their own directories like this:

├── features
│  ├── funky
│  │  └── funky.feature
│  ├── jive
│  │  └── jive.feature
│  ├──
│  ├── step_definitions
│  │  ├── funky_steps.rb
│  │  └── jive_steps.rb
│  └── support
│     └── env.rb
├── Gemfile
├── Gemfile.lock

It’s a simple change, but absolutely necessary to help you help Cucumber Pro help you. :p

My favorite feature: Test Visualization

As I mentioned before and showed in my screenshot (though MUCH more data is possible to be shown), Cucumber Pro has the ability to display your test run data on the same page as your living documentation! It’ll show passes, fails, and flaky tests in a super easy to read manner but in order to do this, Cucumber Pro has to get the data from whatever CI/CD tool you’re using. The team has offered up a few different options for some languages, though not all have package support for Cucumber Pro just yet so for now scripts will need to be used.

The CI software I’m most comfortable with is CircleCI and it’s what I used to connect my test project to Cucumber Pro. I’ve got my build set up to the the usual things, but have it outputting test results to a particular place for later. When later comes around, the following script works:

    - &sync_cucumber_pro
        name: Sync Cucumber Pro
        command: |
          env | \
              grep --extended-regexp --ignore-case --invert-match "^.*(${mask}).*=" | \
              curl \
                --fail \
                --request POST \
                --form env=@- \
                --form "profileName=$PROFILE_NAME" \
                --form "payload=@$RESULTS_PATH;type=application/x.cucumber.rb.results+json" \
        when: always

Cucumber Pro tip: If you don’t include the when: always line in the job and your test step fails, CircleCI will not run your script step afterward!

There are data points above covered in Cucumber Pro’s offering of the scripts in case some things don’t make sense. To find this data, you’ll need to go into the settings for your particular project and then scroll down to below the web hook area. Once you got that rigged up, you should start seeing your CI/CD runner’s results in Cucumber Pro! Simple!

There you have it! There are the initial steps to getting started with Cucumber Pro and some hopefully really useful pointers to make that process smoother for you! If you’d like to check out my demo project you can see it here.

If you have any questions, comments, etc, please reach out or leave a comment below!


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It's all about the answers!

Ask a question

Does RTC store the history of custom attributes?

Lewis Zalany (11) | asked Sep 09 '19, 12:01 p.m.

I'm trying to retrieve data from RTC/Rational Data Warehouse (v6.0.3) using SQL. For most things I've been able to use the Jazz Reporting Service Report Builder to generate the SQL I need.

My problem is that the report builder does not appear to allow custom attributes to be used to filter the results of historical trend reports, which is what I need to do.

My question is; Does RTC store the history of custom attributes?

And if so, does anyone have example SQL of filtering a historical trend report using a custom attribute?

Thanks in advance

One answer

permanent link
Ralph Schoon (60.8k33643) | answered Sep 18 '19, 2:10 a.m.

this seems to indicate that it does (this is from

I would suggest to look into that and experiment with the generated SQL.

Please note that complex item values such as contributors, items and some other types that are not represented by a simple value might not be represented in the data warehouse.

Your answer

Register or to post your answer.


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Tag Archives: Tax Consulting South Africa

Regulation of Cryptocurrency in South Africa Should Not Scare Away Investors Experts Say

Two experts have said they welcome South Africa’s planned regulation of cryptocurrency but warned this should not scare away investors. If the regulation is balanced between the need to protect investors and stimulating interest in crypto investment, this “could see funds stream into South Africa while growing the country’s burgeoning crypto ecosystem.” Crypto as a… Read More »


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A USB Loader for the Cidco MailStation

posted on mar 31st, 2020 with tags hardware, mailstation, and z80

Last year I wrote about the Cidco MailStation and how I was using it as a Z80 development platform. One of the biggest hurdles to running code on them is that it must be uploaded over the MailStation’s parallel port with a LapLink cable and some custom software (although it’s certainly easier than having to pull and flash a chip).

I recently created a USB data loader device that allows for easier development from a modern computer and implements the MailStation’s custom data encoding routines in its firmware.

Table of Contents

  1. Parallel Interfaces
  2. Teensy
  3. Serial-to-Parallel

Parallel Interfaces

While USB-to-serial adapters are easily found and widely supported, there are hardly any analogs for parallel ports. There are USB printer adapters but these work by implementing specific printing functionality through a USB driver rather than exposing each of the pins to the operating system.

Connecting to the MailStation also requires a LapLink cable with its custom pinout, similar to a null-modem adapter for a serial port.

Since none of my modern computers have legacy parallel ports, I’ve had to rely on an older computer to act as a hardware proxy, listening on the network for code uploads and then sending it over its parallel port. I started with an HP Omnibook 800CT and then a ThinkPad X61 in an UltraBase dock.

Later I acquired a Thunderbolt PCI card enclosure and installed a PCI parallel port card in it:

macbook connected to a thunderbolt enclosure, with cable connecting to mailstation, on a desk

This was all such a hassle and I heard from other people interested in MailStation development that it was hard to find LapLink cables and computers with parallel ports.

I recently purchased a Teensy 3.2 which is a small 32-bit ARM board with a bunch of I/O pins. The Teensy is Arduino-compatible which makes it easy to write code for and interface with.

Normally the LapLink cable between the MailStation and a computer only connects five data pins for output and five for input, so I mapped out ten wires between the Teensy and a DB25 breakout board connected to the back of the MailStation.

breakout board with various wires connected to it wires connected to teensy board pins

For reference, the pinout (which is arbitrary on the Teensy side) is:

Teensy MailStation/DB25
Pin 1 Pin 2 (Data 0)
Pin 2 Pin 3 (Data 1)
Pin 3 Pin 4 (Data 2)
Pin 4 Pin 5 (Data 3)
Pin 5 Pin 6 (Data 4)
Pin 7 Pin 10 (Ack)
Pin 8 Pin 11 (Busy)
Pin 9 Pin 12 (Paper Out)
Pin 10 Pin 13 (Select)
Pin 11 Pin 15 (Error)
GND Pin 25 (Ground)

Once everything was connected, I wrote some firmware to get it sending and receiving data over those pins using the MailStation’s proprietary data-transfer routines. Since there are only five data pins to work with, a single byte is split up into three chunks and reassembled on the receiving side.

Using the Teensy’s USB libraries, I enabled its serial port mode which makes it appear to the computer as a USB serial port:

umodem0 at uhub0 port 4 configuration 1 interface 0 "jcs Mailstation Loader" rev 1.10/2.75 addr 9
ucom0 at umodem0

Now any software can open the serial device (/dev/ttyU0 on OpenBSD) and just write bytes to it. Each byte is received by the Teensy firmware and then split up into three chunks and sent over its pseudo-parallel interface to the MailStation. This way the sender doesn’t have to be concerned with any data transfer routines or do expensive polling over USB.

The firmware code for my Teensy loader can be downloaded on GitHub along with a compiled version for uploading with teensyloader.

I’m no good with PCB design, but it would be awesome if someone could design a custom board that integrates the Teensy with a DB25 interface to do all of this without any external wires.

breakout board plugged into mailstation, with wires leading to teensy board

Questions or comments? E-mail me or tweet at @jcs.


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Thursday, December 31, 2015

Review of Netflix Series Making a Murderer

I’m going to attempt a mostly spoiler free review with a few minor plot points sprinkled in to make it cleared. From an author’s perspective, the 10 ep documentary offers insight into the behind the scenes workings of court reporters, lawyers, and law enforcement. In particular, it demonstrates interrogation/police procedures techniques, the good and the ugly. The interrogation of a sixteen year old boy with a 70 IQ who doesn’t know the meaning of the word “inconsistent” is especially disturbing. His mother didn’t know the meaning of the word either. I felt so sorry for the poor kid. From a writer’s perspective, I’d recommend watching it if you have an interest in writing crime fiction.  I learned a lot. However, I’m going to issue a ‘possible trigger warning’ because it deals with two disturbing cases of violence against women.

Netflix Description: Filmed over 10 years, this real-life thrilled follows a DNA exoneree  [Steven Avery] who, while exposing police corruption, becomes a suspect in a grisly new crime.

I found myself going through a lot of emotions as I watched the series, because I didn’t like the central focus of the doc, Steven Avery. He is a shitty human being. I was proud that the film makers didn’t shy away from that fact. I felt really sorry for his parents, who seemed like good people. But even though Steven is an asshole that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have rights. Innocent until proven guilty. Period.

I’ve seen a lot of justifiable anger posts online about the cases. I’m more upset about his nephew, but I can understand the ire. Overall, I like the style and format of the documentary. It was gripping to watch. I felt like the victim’s family got a little shafted, because we only had press conferences from the brother. They were stiff and formal, which can never properly demonstrate their grief. I can't imagine how they were feeling.

Has anyone seen the series? Do you think the jury made the right decision?

Wednesday, September 2, 2015

New Interview

I was really excited when Rick R Reed asked me do a interview for his blog. Several of his books are on my all time favorites list. The Chaser series is fantastic. You can find the interview here. I talk a little about writing When One Door Opens. In  Caleb/Logan news, I am hoping to put out another free short story again this year. The focus last time was on Christmas, so I'm moving on to Valentines' Day. Look for the story to be posted in February.

Tuesday, August 11, 2015

Desk Talk with C.S. Poe

The very lovely C.S. Poe, author of Love Has No Expiration, interviewed me on her blog about my writing space in her new feature Desk Talk. Check it out if you're interested in my Diet Coke and PlayDoh obsession, approach to writing, and future projects. You can find the interview here.

Saturday, May 16, 2015

Greatest Hits Collection

I'm excited to announce that my novel When One Door Opens was selected to be included in Dreamspinner Press Year Six Greatest Hits collection. The collection includes four other wonderful books as well for $9.99.

Mary Calmes: Frog
R. Cooper: A Boy and His Dragon
Lisa M. Owens: Worth the Coming Home
Xavier Mayne: Frat House Troopers
JD Ruskin: When One Door Opens

ISBN-13 978-1-63476-615-9
Pages 920
Cover Artist Paul Richmond

Saturday, April 4, 2015

Paperbacks on Sale

If you like paperbacks, I'd suggest you head over to the Dreamspinner Store. They have a massive sale in the month of April for all in stock paperbacks. You can find my books here, but many others are also on sale.

Thursday, March 26, 2015

New Book Trailer

My paranormal romance has a new book trailer for Finding MattThe talented folks at have created a new book trailer for me. They use graphics and animation to create such a unique style. I hope you like it as much as I do. I'd love to hear what you think.


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TEL: +61 73345 4590

Decorative Hollow Forest Charm with Black & White Color in Sterling Silver

Product Descriptions

Joie De Vie Charms features 925 Sterling Silver, Swarovski Crystal Elements, Fresh Water Pearls, and Natural Stones. Our jewellery ranges include charms, necklaces, bracelets, earnings, rings and brooches. All our pieces are beautifully handcrafted.

  • Features:
  • Condition: New
  • Collection: Sterling Silver Charms
  • Brand: JDV Charms
  • Jewellery Metal: 925 Sterling Silver
  • Size: 5mm(W)??Aperture,??10mm(H) Pendant
  • Pandora bracelets compatible??

Gift ideas for Birthday, festivals, Christmas, party, casual.??

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Jean Ryan, a native Vermonter, lives in Lillian, Alabama. Her stories and essays have appeared in a variety of journals and anthologies. Nominated for several Pushcart Prizes, she has also published a novel, LOST SISTER. Her short story collections, SURVIVAL SKILLS and LOVERS AND LONERS, are available online. STRANGE COMPANY, her collection of short nature essays, has been published in paperback, digital and an audio version.

“There are no shortcuts. Writers must stay on course, figuring out what they want to convey, putting their idea into words, then finding the right words—precise and beautiful at once. Every so often the perfect word or phrase arrives unbidden, but writing in general is hard work. If it isn’t, it probably isn’t worth much.”

To read a Q&A with the author, please follow this link to the Ashland Creek Press blog.

14 thoughts on “About

  1. Your blog on “Accountable” brought tears to my eyes along with some quilt. I’ll think twice before I step on another living creature regardless of how pesty they are. Great job as always my dear friend! ❤

  2. Dear friend, Thank you very much, I was really happy to have been following your blog. I’m still a lot to figure out, and here I can only say that you are an awesome blogger, full Inspiring and hope you can inspire more readers. Thanks and greetings compassion from Gede Prama 🙂

  3. Thanks for following my blog, Jean! I hope you enjoy my take on things. I certainly enjoy yours.

    Every time I see your picture I have the sense we have met. I moved to Portland a few years ago after 35 years in San Francisco and the East Bay. The only possible connection I can come up with is Book Passage, near Larkspur. Did you ever take a class there with Annie Lamott?

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text:
Airbnb T-shirt Design

A commissioned T-shirt design illustration for Airbnb’s internal event in Phuket:
Asia Pacific Gathering for both CX (Customer Experience) and TnS (Trust & Safety) teams

The design brief was to include the spirit animals of both teams —
Giraffe and Wolf respectively, showing them coming together and having a fun and chilling time.

20150915-AIRBNB-02-0220150915-AIRBNB-02-01 20150915-AIRBNB-02-03

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