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Friday, August 29, 2008

Rainbows Bless Hemp Fest

Moving is good in many ways; not moving is a symptom of death. Moving, as in changing residences, can be stressful, however. It quickly teaches us how much crap we accumulate, as time goes by in the same residence. I handled the logistics well, moving everything I could with my car, until one van load held the big furniture. I spent a full day spit-shining the old apartment, hoping only the carpet cleaning would come out of my deposit. Communication, however, was lost for 10 days, until cable service could be transferred to my new home, and then all messages to my voice mail and all my passwords for the phone system were lost. My mail isn't going to my old box, but still isn't arriving in my new PO Box.

Yesterday afternoon was dedicated to handling email and catching up on some photo work. Now, I can let off some steam by blogging for the first time in three weeks.

My new home is matched by my new job. I'm working in the registrar's office at MAM, helping catalog the collection. I'm surrounded by art, artists and art lovers, a situation which nourishes me instead of sucking my soul and numbing my mind. Can you say Wal-Mart? After a lot of that over 40 years, I think I've had my share, and its time to do something that suits my nature better. I'm in hog heaven.

Summary: three weeks on new job, changed address, and tons of internet stuff to catch up on. Here we go.

Saturday markets, Peoples' and Renegades', checking the art and chatting. I'm on my way to Hemp Fest, when I hear it cost $5 to get in. Since that represented two full thirds of everything I had, I wasn't going to the expense. Imagine my surprise to find I'm the "official photographer" for the event. It was one of those you're-on-the-list-get-your-ass-in-here-and-start-shooting moments.

I'm glad I attended Hemp Fest for a lot of reasons. Two of my favorite bands played, I saw a bunch of friends and the rainbows blessed the occasion.

As always, I hope all my beloved readers are healthy and happy. See you at the end of the Rainbow.

Speaking of, that's another story.

Friday, August 22, 2008

Around the Zoo City

Seen on the streets of the zoo city.

These people produced a benefit for the Povarello, one of Missoula's excellent charitable works.

David Sirota signs his book under the watchful eye of a tv camera, at Fact and Fiction, Thursday, August 7.
One of Missoula's underground music scenes is the Union Hall, upstairs from the Union Club, in the venerable Labor Temple building. Coming soon a special report on the underground.

Does everyone realize there is a flickr archive behind this blog, with over 1000 images from the local music scene? There's a link on the right side, under photographers and photography. Jump in if you are familiar with flickr. If not, the easiest way is to search the sets for some group or event you like. Try that here.

Monday, August 18, 2008

Zeppo and Photoshop Ads

Zeppo will play the Union Club on Friday, August 29, starting at 9pm. I've begun my initial experimenting with Photoshop, creating a poster and flyer for Zeppo and updating my own flyer.
Chuck Lester

Ruthie Data

The plan now is to move by the end of the month. I hate to give up the river, Hellgate Canyon and the birds. We have two pair of osprey nesting nearby and fishing the Clark Fork here. Last week we were visited first by one bald eagle and then a pair, and later a golden eagle. I'm going to the N/W corner of north Missoula. My email addresses and my phone number won't change. The move requires a business card and flyer update, which is not ready to fly yet.

The second prototype of my blog ad is ready to go, however, and here it is.

BVE at Total Fest

Newsflash: Joe played with Black Velvet Elvis at Total Fest, and said he would play all remaining gigs, until he left town. The latest development is Tony Mats talking about the possibility of moving to Atlanta.

If the bands who left Missoula for bigger scenes had stayed here, this would be one of the biggest scenes. Rolling Stone would have to come here.

Sunday, August 10, 2008

Friday, on the Streets

Our story begins at the corner of Higgins and Main, where I am stalking the elusive 1957 Ford Fairlane 500. There it goes now.

The moon flirts with a street lamp.

A couple pushes a sofa up the sidewalk. Their dog is riding the sofa.

The Fairlane and a 1951 Chevrolet alternate through the intersection.

A lotus passes, and two Oldsmobiles intrude.

The quarry arrives and pauses in profile.

Saturday at the Palace

"The Secret's Out" blared the headline, as both the Missoulian and the Independent covered Secret Powers, last week. Saturday night, the band held their CD release party in the Palace. The Palace is a comfy basement pool room, under the Badlander. Well, actually it is under the Golden Rose, but let's not quibble. It filled quickly with the party spirit, as the featured band took the stage.

The flowers made it look like Shmedly was playing a coffin.

I don't know why the drummer was wearing that wig, and I also can't grasp the symbolism of Shmedly in a night gown. It was obvious who was handling sound, and he kept the system humming.

These guys cook. It's a gentle symmetry I've missed, since GNP left town. The flickr archive has images from previous performances by Secret Powers.


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Can’t figure out why your home or office flower beds in Omaha are all torn up?

Sounds like you may have a mole problem! Are you experiencing mole problems here in the Greater Omaha area?  We can help. Call the local Mole removal professionals here at Critter Control of Omaha and we will quickly eliminate your mole problems.

Moles (Scalepus spp.) are not rodents, but relatives of the insectivores (insect eaters) such as shrews and hedgehogs. In their search for food, moles burrow in lawns, meadows, stream banks, and open woodlots, creating elaborate underground tunnels. They feed mainly on earthworms and insect larvae (grubs). Only rarely seen above ground, moles are 4 to 9 inches long, including the tail, with long dark gray or brown fur. Eyes are tiny, like a pinhead, and the tail and feet are usually pink. They have no visible ears. There are seven species of moles in the United States, and some species may be protected by law.

As they burrow, they sometimes damage plants, but the major problem with moles is the mounds and ridges that disfigure lawns. As they tunnel just below the surface, moles raise the sod up with their front digging feet, looking for food or new tunneling sites. They can push up surface tunnels at the rate of a foot per minute if the soil is loose. They prefer loose, moist soil shaded by vegetation.

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Please call us to schedule your home inspection today

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Tuesday, January 31, 2017

Just the Two of Us!!!

Hi there OCS fans;

Where oh where does the time go.  This is the last day of January and for my card today, I have used Hal & Hootie from High Hopes Stamps "Live Love Laugh" release.

Supplies used:
Do come back tomorrow for a brand new release along with a new challenge.   Do check out Lora's OCS store for new products and some great prices.

Until next time, keep crafting

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Thursday, June 14, 2012

Flag History

Flag Day recognizes the June day in 1777 when the Continental Congress adopted the "Stars and Stripes" as the official flag of the United States.

It is always celebrated on June 14th.

In 1814, Francis Scott Key wrote a poem, "Defense of Fort McHenry," when he saw the flag still flying the morning after an attack by the British. Today, that poem is known by another name: "The Star-Spangled Banner."

  • The Flag Act of 1818 states that a star be added for any new state on the Fourth of July following that state's admission.
  • Flag Day was observed for the first time in 1877, the 100th anniversary of the adoption of our country's red-white-and-blue banner.
  • Students first said the Pledge of Allegiance in 1892, the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus's arrival in the Americas.
  • In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson established Flag Day as an annual national celebration.
  • Congress officially recognized Flag Day by passing the National Flag Day Bill in 1949, during President Harry Truman's administration.
  • In 1983, the world's largest flag was displayed in Washington, D.C. The flag, which measured 411 feet by 210 feet, weighed 7 tons! Each star measured 13 feet across!
  • The name “Old Glory” was given to a large, 10-by-17-foot flag. flag owned by William Driver, a sea captain from Massachusetts. Driver’s flag is said to have survived attempts to deface it during the Civil War. Driver was able to fly the flag over the Tennessee state house once the war ended. The flag was last displayed in an exhibit in 2006.
  • Between 1777 and 1960, Congress passed several acts that changed the shape, design and arrangement of the flag and allowed stars and stripes to be added to reflect the admission of each new state.
  • Today the flag consists of 13 horizontal stripes, seven red alternating with six white. The stripes represent the original 13 colonies, the stars represent the 50 states of the Union. The colors of the flag are symbolic as well, red symbolizes hardiness and valor, white symbolizes purity and innocence and blue represents vigilance, perseverance and justice.
  • The National Museum of American History has undertaken a long-term conservation project of the enormous 1814 garrison flag that survived the 25-hour shelling of Ft. McHenry in Baltimore by British troops and inspired Francis Scott Key to compose "The Star-Spangled Banner." The flag had become soiled and weakened over time and was removed from the museum in December 1998. Conservation efforts began in June 1999, starting with the removal of the linen support backing that was sewn into place in 1914 using 1.7 million stitches. Painstaking steps must be taken to preserve the flag, including pH readings to measure the levels of acid or base in the fabric, color readings to analyze dyes in the fabric and fiber analysis through microscopic examination. A thorough vacuuming of all surfaces and large-format photographing of every section of the flag to benchmark its condition must also occur before conservation measures are undertaken.
  • The U.S. flag is flown 24 hours a day by either Presidential proclamation or law at the following places:
  • Fort McHenry, National Monument and Historic Shrine, Baltimore, Maryland
    • Flag House Square, Baltimore, Maryland
    • United States Marine Corps Memorial (Iwo Jima), Arlington, Virginia
    • On the Green of the Town of Lexington, Massachusetts
    • The White House, Washington, D.C.
    • United States Customs Ports of Entry
    • Grounds of the National Memorial Arch in Valley Forge State Park, Valley Forge, Pennsylvania

  • No one knows for sure who designed the U.S. flag or who created the first one. Today, most experts agree that Francis Hopkinson, a delegate to the Continental Congress from New Jersey, designed the flag. But, in 1870, William J. Canby claimed that his grandmother, a seamstress from Philadelphia named Betsy Ross, made the first U.S. flag.

    Do you fly the flag at your home?
    Kirk usually puts mine up, but he is out of it is not flying today.....not a good excuse I know.

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Giant Mustache Gummy Candy

Giant Mustache Gummy Candy

They're just a kid, so they probably can't grow a mustache. But they'll pretend that they have the fanciest of 'staches while they eat this ridiculously large gummy candy. It's a weird and hilarious present.

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  • Gift Baskets For Delivery

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    Send a Gift Basket They'll Love! All Occasions. Fast, FREE Shipping!
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    Frames, Keepsakes, Apparel & more! Free Personalization, Fast Shipping
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    Spice up your night with these personalized love coupons.
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    Unique and Fun Gifts

    Colorful and creative gifts & accessories. Free shipping available!
  • Easter Gifts for Everyone

    Easter Gifts for Everyone

    Gift Boxes filled with Chocolates for a Sweet Easter Gift. and its logo are trademarks of Registry Online, Inc. © 1997-2017, Registry Online, Inc.


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I'm in Love Black Hearts Ultimate Tennis Tote

I'm in Love Black Hearts Ultimate Tennis Tote

Whak Sak

She will no longer have to choose between style and convenience with this black tennis tote that holds up to 4 racquets and has plenty of room for other necessary equipment. It also features a detachable water bottle holder.

This product is no longer listed on by Tennis Express.  This usually means that the product is sold out or has been discontinued. Check the Similar Gifts section above to find other gifts that may be suitable.  Or, you can see more gifts from Tennis Express

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  • Personalized Golf Gifts

    Personalized Golf Gifts

    Custom golf balls, tees, frames, keepsakes & more - shop now & save!
  • A Perfect Retirement Gift

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  • Photo Basketball Gift

    Photo Basketball Gift

    Coaches & New Moms and Dads Proudly Display this on the Mantel.
  • Laptop/Tech Bags for Him

    Laptop/Tech Bags for Him

    Men's Bags That are Ruggedly Tough yet Aesthetically Pleasing.
  • Finish Line New Arrivals

    Finish Line New Arrivals

    Check Out All the New Styles for Men, Women and Kids for Holiday Gifts and its logo are trademarks of Registry Online, Inc. © 1997-2017, Registry Online, Inc.


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Paperwhites Bulb Garden

Paperwhites Bulb Garden

Paperwhites put on a stunning display, and they're remarkably easy to grow. The bulbs are already planted in a decorative tub, and with very little care they will become a beautiful indoor garden.

This product is no longer listed on by Plow & Hearth.  This usually means that the product is sold out or has been discontinued. Check the Similar Gifts section above to find other gifts that may be suitable.  Or, you can see more gifts from Plow & Hearth

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  • Seasonal Pond Care

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    Fall Shut Down Pond Care Products.
  • Ghirardelli Sweet Gifts

    Ghirardelli Sweet Gifts

    Gift Baskets Filled with Sweet Ghirardelli Chocolates.
  • Gifts for Gardeners

    Gifts for Gardeners

    Explore our unique selection of gifts for the eco-conscious gardener
  • Flower Bunch/Bear Bunch?

    Flower Bunch/Bear Bunch?

    Forever Bear Hugs from All Kids or Wilting Flowers in Days?
  • "Ribbed" Copper Vase

    Hand-hammered Copper Vase with a "Rib" design and its logo are trademarks of Registry Online, Inc. © 1997-2017, Registry Online, Inc.


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Pittsburgh Steeler's Fan Candy Bar Cake

Pittsburgh Steeler's Fan Candy Bar Cake

It looks like a cake, but it's made completely out of fun sized candy bars - two layers! An ideal surprise for the Steeler's Fan with a sweet tooth. Available unfilled or filled completely with fun sized candy bars.

This product is no longer listed on by this retailer.  Check the Similar Gifts section above to find other gifts that may be suitable.

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  • Sweet Anniversary Gifts

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  • Historic State Maps

    Historic State Maps

    Show State Pride with Our Framed Historic State Maps. High quality!
  • Finish Line New Arrivals

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  • NFL Gear!

    NFL Gear!

    Everything a NFL Fan would love to have!
  • Gifts for Sports Fans

    Gifts for Sports Fans

    Big TVs, Recliners - What Else Does the Sports Fan need? and its logo are trademarks of Registry Online, Inc. © 1997-2017, Registry Online, Inc.


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Tuesday, January 16, 2007

Around the Blogosphere: January 16th, 2007

  • SEOmoz.org has a great post up describing the process of moving to a new domain. I think it is a must read for anyone who starts on blogger with the intentions of moving to another domain eventually or who decide to change the name of their site as well as its address.
  • Darren has written a post discussing whether blog design is important. I have to say it is still very important especially for non-tech blogs. Until general society embraces RSS feeds web design is critical.
  • Yahoo!'s YPN Blog has two posts up about optimizing your blog for relevancy and what parts of your blog are important when it comes to search engines. Part 1 and Part 2.
  • Copywriter has a post up about creating cornerstone content to help Google understand your site. Great introductory piece for those just getting into blogging or SEO and must read for just about everyone.
  • Scott at Web Professor has a plugin that can ban certain email domains from user registration. (via Blog News Watch)

1 comment:

newspace.team@gmail.com said...

hai your blog is so NICE and this my blog only for bloggers with lots of info check-it-out-adsensetruths.com


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Archives for March 2013

How to create Ancient Patterns

In this photoshop tutorial we will make you learn how to design beautiful ancient patterns in few simple steps. Pattern is an image which can be tiled repeatedly and is easy to make. Patterns speed up our work and help in creating very appealing images.

Change colour

Here we are going to use a beautiful brush set to create our design. you can download it for free. It is a set of ancient symbol brushes which symbolise transformation  energy, intelligence, strength, sun,etc. We will guide you through all steps necessary to create your own custom pattern.

[Read more…]

5 Free Flower Patterns in Photoshop

In art visual elements may be combined or repeated to form patterns. Here we are providing you five attractive flower patterns to enjoy different fill effects.

pattern 1 [Read more…]

Amazing effects with Creative Curves in Photoshop

Curves make it easy create a wide variety of contemporary and vintage colour effects in seconds.

light leak [Read more…]

Pop Art Portrait Effect in Four Simple Steps

Use the Halftone filter to create an Andy Warhol style portrait effect in four simple steps.

shakira pop art

The American artist Andy Warhol was part of the Pop Art movement which shook up the art world in the 1960s. His iconic images of everything from Marilyn Monroe to CampbeIl’s Soup cans are easily recognisable even to this day. For this project we will recreate one of the styles popularised by Warhol – a halftone coloured image effect. We’Il start by [Read more…]

How to use curves in Photoshop

The Curves command remains one of the most potent tools in Photoshop’s arsenal. Versatile, powerful and intuitive, it’s the weapon of choice for most tonal tweaks. Unlike Levels, which only allows you to adjust the whites, blacks and midtone points, Curves lets you place up to 14 points (although you’ll rarely need more than four or five) to make precise adjustments to different parts of the tonal range.

katy perry

The fluid curve line ensures a smooth transition between these different tonal shifts. [Read more…]

Learn How to Fix Colors with Levels in Photoshop

Sometimes a digital image looks different to the scene that you remember, particularly if there were problems with exposure or white balance. If colors look wrong and tones lack punch, then the Levels command can come to the rescue. Here. we’ll show you how to improve tones in seconds by adding depth, enhancing skies and fixing colors.

modified image

As well as making universal adjustments to improve the tonal range, we’II also select the blue sky and use it to alter both the sky and land independently of one another. With a few simple adjustments, you can transform the image and do the scene justice. [Read more…]

How to Get The Look of a Studio Car Shot

Few of us have direct access to a studio large enough to comfortably accommodate a car, or for that matter a car that we’d want to shoot in a studio! However, attend any car event and there will be a whole host of vehicles that we can dream of owning. While the owner might not be too pleased if you drove off with the car itself, a quick snapshot will at least give you a small memento to take home.

autoshow car reflection in photoshop

A big issue with event photography is always the amount of clutter that distracts from the main subject. At the event, it’s impossible to clear the surrounds for a clean shot from the desired shooting position and angle. but back in the digital darkroom it’s easy to isolate the car and replace the background. However, while the removal of the background will clean up the image, for this shot we want to give the impression that the car was photographed in a professional studio, and not only that, but one with a reflective floor.

[Read more…]


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This article is corrected by:

  1. Errata: Erratum Volume 11, Issue 1, 11–12, Article first published online: 1 February 2013

We combine data collected from the past 40 years to estimate the indirect effects of sea otters (Enhydra lutris) on ecosystem carbon (C) production and storage across their North American range, from Vancouver Island to the western edge of Alaska's Aleutian Islands. We find that sea otters, by suppressing sea urchin (Strongylocentrotus spp) populations, allow kelp (Order Laminariales) ecosystems to develop with a net primary productivity (NPP) of 313–900 grams C per square meter per year (g C m−2 yr−1) and biomass density of 101–180 grams C per square meter (g C m−2). In the absence of sea otters, these areas would have an NPP of 25–70 g C m−2 yr−1 and biomass density of 8–14 g C m−2. Over an ecosystem area of approximately 5.1 × 1010 m2, the effect of sea otter predation on living kelp biomass alone represents a 4.4-to 8.7-teragram increase in C storage. At 2012 prices (US$47 per ton of C), this stored C would be valued at US$205 million–$408 million on the European Carbon Exchange. Although questions remain concerning the pathways and compartments of kelp C flux and storage, sea otters undoubtedly have a strong influence on these elements of the C cycle. Predator-induced trophic cascades likely influence the rates of C flux and storage in many other species and ecosystems.


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Babich and Bateman: Techdolls
Brian Green on Online Anonymity

Living with Machines: A Dialogue

Living with Machines was a seven part dialogue between veteran Nietzsche scholar Babette Babich and ‘outsider philosopher’ Chris Bateman, looking at our relationship to corporate power and influence, the possibility of virtuous behaviour against a backdrop of pervasive technology, life with social media, dinosaur hands, sex robots, and smartphones.

The dialogue originally ran from 26th January to 9th March 2017. Each of the parts ends with a link to the next one, so to read the entire serial, simply click on the first link below, and then follow the “next” links to read on.

The seven parts are as follows:

  1. Corporate Venality
  2. Monopoly and Other Games
  3. Mediaddiction
  4. Godzilla’s Tiny Hands
  5. Touching Robots
  6. Your Plastic Pal Who’s Fun To Be With
  7. Techdolls

If you enjoyed this dialogue, please leave a comment! A new Babich and Bateman dialogue begins later this year.

Feed You can follow this conversation by subscribing to the comment feed for this post.

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Monday, May 19, 2008

Doctor, doctor, give me a clue

Pharmaceuticals are investing a hell of a lot of money in finding the active components to a lot of "natural" medications. Take, for instance, licorice root. In traditional Chinese medicine, it has been used to control gastrointestinal disorders such as stomach ulcers, whereas Western herbalists tend to use it for a more varimore varied array of disease processes, some of which are justified by science, others which are not.

It seems strange to me, actually, that there are so many physicians and scientists who balk at the idea of using old-fashioned remedies for disease processes. After all, digoxin is derived from foxglove, and its use to enhance cardiac function has been around since at least the 1800s. Granted, a lot of old-fashioned cures contain a lot of hokey-pokey-hocus-pocus, but you'd think that there'd be more interest in some of the more efficacious ones.

The one major flaw in many of the studies that have been done "disproving" the efficacy of herbs is that there is no standard for efficacy and no standard for the drug that's administered. That is, studies demonstrating efficacy (or inefficacy) in mice and rats use entirely different criteria from studies purporting efficacy (or inefficacy) in humans. Furthermore, animal studies tend to use various extracts of the plant, rather than the concoctions you can buy yourself in stores--and God only knows what sort of stuff ends up in those, since there are no standards.

I take St. John's Wort and licorice, myself--the St. John's Wort seems to help my longstanding depression, and the licorice seems to help my eczema (though that's probably also because it's summer). I take them as teas (one cup of each, once a day), and it really does seem to help--I hadn't noticed the effects of St. John's Wort, actually, until I realized that I was writing for hours on end, and that my concentration had improved. I was taking it almost daily, not because of any special effects, but simply because it tastes good (to me, my counterpart hates it). And then I realized that I felt much the way I did when I was on a prescription antidepressant. The licorice is more hit-or-miss, but either way, I take it, because sleeping at night, even if it is a placebo effect, is good.

For a long time, too, I've used lavender oil on my skin, ever since that time I bought, on a whim, a little tiny tub of lavender skin balm from Terralyn. I used it because it smelled good and kept my dry skin at bay--it wasn't until I gave it to my sister to try (her eczema is far worse than mine) that she told me that it was the first thing she'd used in over 3 weeks that worked.

So my own feeling about herbal medications is generally good. But then again, I also happen to be exquisitely sensitive to drugs. Three hits of pot will knock me out, a small glass of madeira puts me to sleep, and a little extra St. John's Wort hurtles me into orbit with anxiety.

Of course, the science says that I'm a lunatic for thinking that these work, since the evidence is mostly to the contrary. But I don't think science can deal with herbal medications the way it can with chemically-engineered drugs. You can't isolate one compound from a plant and expect it to work the way taking the whole plant (part) works. After all, licorice root contains something like twenty different compounds, of varying efficacy, but the sum of them (for me) is less itching at night. There may not be known receptors for these compounds, and there may not be known pathways by which they all work, and we may never know for certain how much of the effect is due to one compound or the other. But just because we don't know the hows or whys doesn't mean it's not real.

If you're interested in using herbs, it is my recommendation that you do your own research as to which ones are right for you. If you have high blood pressure, for instance, stay away from licorice, even if you do have eczema. If you're fond of cheese and red wine, St. John's Wort may not be right for you. And so on--there are as many considerations for which herbs to take as there are for drugs. Keep in mind, these are drugs, and just because they are natural does not mean they are safe. Herbs for Health and Healing by Kathi Keville is a good place to start with your own research. It's not the end-all be-all to everything herbal, and it's coverage is almost exclusively from a Western perspective, but as a beginner's guide, it can't be beat.

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Thursday, February 28, 2013

Creative Space : Custom

It's really nice to get custom requests.
I was able to nearly knock three things off this week, from my orders list.

One was this tote bag...

All finished and delivered and one very happy customer - yay!

Another was this 'Red Riding Hood' design...just waiting on a final fabric selection for the back and then it will be complete!

What's been going on in your creative space this week? Linking up over here.

Sunday, February 24, 2013

Ripple-Along - New Crochet Project

Ok, so I've uhmmed and aahed about joining in with this, but when it all comes down to it, I've wanted to make a ripple blanket for a long time, so this is just the thing I need to get me started.

Melissa, over at One Crafty Mumma, has started up a 'Ripple-along', and I think there are quite a few crafty ladies joining in.

And now I am one of them :-)

First thing : Colour choice...

Next up : Pattern...
I've decided I like the look of the chevron blanket over at 'The Royal Sisters' blog, so I've printed it off and have it all ready to go.

But there are lots of other options out there including Lucy's from Attic 24 and Pip's from Meet Me At Mikes.

So really, I'm all set now. I just have to start.

Saturday, February 23, 2013

Tomorrow : Indie Market Place

This is where you'll find me (and my cushions and tees) and the beautiful art & card designs of Danielle from Curiouser on Sunday.

There's a promise of good coffee and even better stallholders - why not pop along and say 'hi'?

I might see you there ;-)

Thursday, February 21, 2013

My Creative Space : Inspired to Crochet

It's coming to that time of year when it's just so nice to have some yarn to play with.

I'm working on one project at the moment, with another I'm starting very soon.

What am I working on at the moment, you ask? Boot cuffs!

They have a cute scalloped top edge (which is what you will see peeking out of the top of my knee high boots). I've just finished the first one, and will start the other one tonight.
I really want to make a charcoal grey pair, but maybe in a different style...hmm...not sure yet.

And as for inspiration, I am just in love with this magazine...

I picked up the second issue today (pictured above) and there are so many great projects in it, and I just love the photography and the styling....a great magazine! And it's a sister magazine to Mollie Makes, which is another favourite.

Do you have a favourite crafting magazine that you like to read?

Linking up with the lovely makers over at Creative Space.

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Highs & Lows

Life has thrown me a terrific high and a most horrific low, all in the last 5 days.

The low : I lost my sweet cousin Brad on Friday. He was only 26.

The high : I got a new job, working 3 days a week for a private investigation firm, and I started on Monday.

Understandably, emotionally my head has had a lot to deal with, due to these vastly different events.
The best way I've found to cope, my way, is to keep seems to keep the tears at bay, as well as the stress. Strange, I know, but it works for me.

So I've been working, making, printing and working a bit more...

Do you have any specific coping mechanisms that work for you? Do you like some down time or like me, prefer to keep busy?

Oh, and I'll be back soon with our weekend's market details

Saturday, February 9, 2013

New Designs @ Curious Bazaar

Big news!

Curious Bazaar have launched an Etsy store, and my cushions & tote bags are available to buy now - yay! Exciting!

You can find these things...

plus more, over at the shop now.

More designs coming soon.....I'll give you a hint....superbot ;-)


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Nice catch for breakfast

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facebook 2012 ipo preliminary prospectus download sec link pdf

Facebook IPO 2012: The Preliminary Prospectus [DOWNLOAD]

As we reported earlier, Facebook filed papers with the SEC this morning in New York to take the company public. This is the first time the whole world gets a first look at facebook’s finances and other key numbers. Here is a summary. Users: [...]


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Thomas Paine

To argue with a person who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead.

Saturday, January 7, 2012

7 January - Netvibes - Private

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Home / high quality organic food / What is Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)?

What is Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)? 0

Audrey, Program Manager for the CSA Program at Full Circle Farms

Full Circle Farms CSA Program

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) originated in Europe and Japan as a reaction to the gradual loss of quality in produce. This natural phenomenon occurred as farms grew further and further away from the center of their own community.

In America food travels an average of 1500 miles before it reaches the dinner plate. Pesticides, herbicides, and insecticides are used to cover the stress of travel on fresh produce. Communities have come together all across America to support local farms in their community instead of giant grocery store conglomerates that choose to support large agro farms. Each CSA operates in its own unique way, but the basic idea remains the same: consumers and farmers collaborating to ensure a safe and healthy food source in their community.

For more information about the Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Program at Full Circle Farms, please visit www.fullcirclefarm.com/csa.html.

[tags] CSA, organic, Community Supported Agriculture, sustainable, natural, food, organic farming, farming [/tags]

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Browse Catalogues

Much Ado Over Coffee - Indian Coffee House Then and Now
Bhaswati Bhattacharya
Price : ₹ 975.00
ISBN : 978-93-83166-16-9
Language : English
Pages : 432
Binding : Hardback
Book Size : 140 x 216 mm
Year : 2017
Series :
Territorial Rights : World
Imprint : No Image
About the Book

Based on oral history, fiction, interesting intellectual gossip, and records of the Coffee Board of India, Much Ado Over Coffee: Indian Coffee House Then and Now is a many-sited description of the Indian Coffee House, possibly the world’s first coffee house chain.

The book offers interestingly written accounts of the addas or informal meetings, of the educated middle class in the cities of Calcutta, Allahabad and Delhi. Addas initially flourished in the neighbourhood tea shops, and then switched to the newly created coffee houses.

Readers will encounter their favourite writers, and other famous people at close quarters here. Bhaswati Battacharya brings to life the lanes and by-lanes of these cities as they were then, through the sheer gift of her ethnographic skills.

Some workers, now forgotten but who were once immensely popular with the regular visitors of the coffee houses, live on again on these pages bringing back old memories. In this context one should perhaps mention that in an interesting departure, some footnotes in this book are used to carry video links of luminaries visiting these coffee houses.Change has set in here too as everywhere else.

Table of Contents

1. Adda and Public Spaces of Sociability before the ICH;Adda: A Universal Social Practice?; Adda in the Current Context; Delhi; Allahabad; Calcutta; Conclusion

2. India Coffee House: A New Space in the City; The Birth of the India Coffee House; Everyday Practices in the New Urban Space; Democracy in ICH and the Bhadralok; Adda: Space of Dominion and Invisible Hierarchy; Semiotics of the Coffee House; The Coffee House and Imagination; Conclusion

3. The Workers and the Coffee House: From ‘India’ to ‘Indian’; The Coffee Board, the Internal Market and the Coffee House; The Formation of the Coffee Board Labour Union; From India to Indian: The Struggle for Survival; The ICWCSL and the ICH; Functioning; Challenges to Overcome; Conclusion

4. The Indian Coffee House and the World of Literature; Calcutta: All Roads Led to the Coffee House?; Hungry Generation Movement; Shruti and Shastrabirodhi Movement; Shotojol Jhornar Dhwoni; Moheener Ghoraguli; Allahabad: The Place of Literary Pilgrimage; The Crowd at the Coffee House; What Was All That Ado About?; Delhi: The Capital of Hindi Literature; The Performers of the Coffee-Tea House Act; And the Act Stimulated by Coffee; Conclusion

5. Brewing Discontent Instead of Coffee?; Politics and the Indian Coffee House; The PRRM; The Naxalbari Movement in Calcutta and ICH; The Liberation War of Bangladesh; The Emergency; Conclusion

6. How Public is the Public Space of the Indian Coffee House?; Women and the Public Space of the Coffee House; The Pioneers in Calcutta; Delhi; Allahabad; Accommodating the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Communities (LGBT); Conclusion

7. The Middle Class and Coffee Houses: Old and New; The New Coffee Cafés; The Middle Class: New versus Old; The Old Connoisseurs of the Coffee House; Is the Tradition of Adda Finally Dead?; The Current Visitors of the Coffee House; The Political Economy and the Cooperative; Conclusion

Indian Coffee House through Photographs

Contributors (Author(s), Editor(s), Translator(s), Illustrator(s) etc.)

Bhaswati Bhattacharya is a senior academic fellow affiliated with the Centre for Modern Indian Studies at Georg August University, Göttingen. Her publications include Bhattacharya et al., The Diary and Photographs of Jan Kornelis De Cock During his Trip to India, 1909-1910, Leiden: Roel of Barkhuis, 2014; Bhattacharya, Gita Dharampal-Frick and Jos Gommans (eds.),‘The World of Asian Commerce: Temporal and Spatial Continuities’, Journal of the Economic and Social History of the Orient, 50 (2007): 2-3.

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Obama Soldiers On

'Centering' on Afghanistan: a speech that pleased no one

by , June 24, 2011

In his speech explaining why the US cannot withdraw from Afghanistan any earlier than 2014 – at the earliest — President Obama wasted no time in waving the bloody shirt of 9/11. Right off the bat we heard:

"Nearly ten years ago, America suffered the worst attack on our shores since Pearl Harbor. This mass murder was planned by Osama bin Laden and his al Qaeda network in Afghanistan, and signaled a new threat to our security — one in which the targets were no longer soldiers on a battlefield, but innocent men, women and children going about their daily lives."

Is there no end to the brazen hypocrisy of our rulers? How many innocent men, women and children going about their daily lives has the US cut down? Hundreds of thousands were killed in Iraq, by sanctions as well as US military action – well before the 9/11 attacks. Oh, but they don’t count, you see, because – well, just because. Indeed, to interrupt the narrative of poor victimized America — a nation of innocents — with such tawdry facts is treason itself, and surely an American chief executive would never even think of such things, let alone say them out loud. No, the war-narrative of this White House mustn’t be marred by reality: the self-regard in which the American people hold themselves cannot be challenged by the objective world, and Obama expertly reweaves the fantasy that has held us in thrall for a decade and more:

"In the days that followed, our nation was united as we struck at al Qaeda and routed the Taliban in Afghanistan. Then, our focus shifted. A second war was launched in Iraq, and we spent enormous blood and treasure to support a new government there. By the time I took office, the war in Afghanistan had entered its seventh year. But al Qaeda’s leaders had escaped into Pakistan and were plotting new attacks, while the Taliban had regrouped and gone on the offensive. Without a new strategy and decisive action, our military commanders warned that we could face a resurgent al Qaeda, and a Taliban taking over large parts of Afghanistan."

Ah yes, those glorious days of "unity" – when no one, save a brave few, dared stand up against the war hysteria. When anyone who looked vaguely Muslim was attacked in the streets. United in hatred and fear — what a grotesque nostalgia for our "progressive" president to give voice to! Like his predecessor, Obama has often praised this mystic post-9/11"unity," including twice in this speech, and therein lies the mark of the tyrant, who always welcomes the unthinking submission to authority wartime brings.

This war-narrative is getting threadbare, however, and has some significant gaps: suddenly, we are told that, seemingly out of nowhere, "our focus shifted," and "a second war was launched" – apparently all by itself, by means of spontaneous combustion. One hardly expects him to mention of the key role played by his own party, which stood by and cowered – or cheered – as George W. Bush led the nation down into the quagmire, banners flying. But the distancing act – "by the time I took office" – is a little too glib: Bush gets all the blame for Iraq, and the decision to escalate the Afghan war is pushed off on "our military commanders." But isn’t Obama the commander-in-chief?

Our president, a prisoner of history, bravely confronts circumstances shaped by others. He praises himself for making "one of the most difficult decisions I’ve made as President," the launching of the "surge" in which 30,000 more troops were sent to the supposedly neglected Afghan front. "We set clear objectives," he avers, and yet our ultimate goal was – and still is – obscured in murk: does anyone, including the President, know what victory looks like?

"After this initial reduction," the President averred, "our troops will continue coming home at a steady pace as Afghan Security forces move into the lead. Our mission will change from combat to support. By 2014, this process of transition will be complete, and the Afghan people will be responsible for their own security."

This objective is anything but "clear": does that mean US troops will be out by 2014, or, like Iraq, will a "residual" force remain in place? What, exactly, is "a steady pace"? Your guess is as good as mine.

"The goal that we seek is achievable, and can be expressed simply: no safe-haven from which al Qaeda or its affiliates can launch attacks against our homeland, or our allies. We will not try to make Afghanistan a perfect place. We will not police its streets or patrol its mountains indefinitely. That is the responsibility of the Afghan government, which must step up its ability to protect its people; and move from an economy shaped by war to one that can sustain a lasting peace. What we can do, and will do, is build a partnership with the Afghan people that endures – one that ensures that we will be able to continue targeting terrorists and supporting a sovereign Afghan government."

How will be ensure that al-Qaeda and its allies will be unable to reestablish a safe haven in Afghanistan if we don’t police its streets and patrol its mountains indefinitely? Without the US troop presence, what is to prevent the return of the Taliban, and, presumably, al-Qaeda? That is the trick involved in this "safe haven" rhetoric: it can and has been used to justify our foreign policy of perpetual war. Never mind that the actual perpetrators of the 9/11 terrorist attacks found "safe havens" in Florida, Germany, and in many places other than Afghanistan. Any and all nations are potential "safe havens" for the shadowy enemy we have pledged to eradicate, and that’s precisely how the US government regards the rest of the world: as a potential battlefield. The Bush Doctrine lives.

The truly sinister and largely overlooked portion of the speech hints at where this murderous Doctrine will take us next:

"Of course, our efforts must also address terrorist safe-havens in Pakistan. No country is more endangered by the presence of violent extremists, which is why we will continue to press Pakistan to expand its participation in securing a more peaceful future for this war-torn region. We will work with the Pakistani government to root out the cancer of violent extremism, and we will insist that it keep its commitments. For there should be no doubt that so long as I am President, the United States will never tolerate a safe-haven for those who aim to kill us: they cannot elude us, nor escape the justice they deserve."

This administration has long been preparing to intervene more directly in Pakistan, which is touted as the Real Problem: indeed, pro-administration military theorists and pundits have cited Pakistan as the principal reason we should stay engaged in Afghanistan. The discovery of Osama bin Laden in Abbottabad and the subsequent back-and-forth between Washington and Islamabad – largely contrived – paves the way for open US military intervention. Pakistan is clearly the next target on Washington’s list – and that conflict is going to make the Afghan conflict look like a Sunday school picnic.

The government of Asif Ali Zardari is a fiction: real control of the country is in the hands of the military-intelligence apparatus, the tribal networks, and the various Islamic factions. If and when we put boots on the ground in Pakistan, it will be to strengthen the central government’s tenuous hold on power, which could give way at any moment. No doubt policymakers are secretly pining for the good old days of Gen. Pervez Musharraf, who did more to hold the country together than all the US aid that has been poured into Pakistan since his ouster: but since he is far from a democrat, his very existence clashed with the ideological pretensions of Washington policymakers, who seem to actually believe their own propaganda.

Either that, or else one could adopt a more jaundiced view, in which the US welcomed the weakness inherent in the corrupt "democratic" regime of Zardari – known as President "Ten Percent" – since it invites US intervention. Is democracy in Pakistan imperiled? Here come the Marines, just in time to save it!

The blind arrogance of our policy is reflected in the personal haughtiness of Obama, the man, who bemoaned what "a difficult decade [this has been] for our country." Who made it more difficult than it had to be? Not even the opportunity to score partisan points inspires him to raise that question, let alone answer it.

"We have learned anew the profound cost of war," he intoned, but in detailing the death toll of two wars our President mentions only American deaths – miniscule compared to the hundreds of thousands of Iraqis and Afghans who fell before the "liberating" power of the US military in the past decade. These were not soldiers, but civilians – "collateral damage" in the lingo of rationalized mass murder. How many of the relatives and loved ones of these innocents have vowed to take revenge? Osama bin Laden may be dead, but we have ensured the persistence of the terrorist virus he set loose on the world – because we incubated it in the laboratory of the Iraq and Afghan wars.

"Some have lost limbs on the field of battle," the President continued, "and others still battle the demons that have followed them home." Yet the Iraqis and Afghans see us as demons who have taken over their homes, and this is the objective reality: the Pashtun tribes we have been fighting for a decade are home, and know we must leave eventually, and so they fight a war of attrition and play a waiting game.

Which means no policy short of permanent occupation is going to achieve the administration’s war aims by ensuring the absence of any "safe havens." If the "safe haven" doctrine can rationalize invading and permanently occupying Afghanistan, why not apply the same principle to the rest of the world? Since any nation on earth could be a potential "safe haven," it would make "sense" – Bizarro World sense – to invade and occupy the entire globe, or such portions of it not already huddling under the eagle’s wing.

What gave the eagle its fabulous wingspan, and the ability to project power halfway around the world, was the economic muscle of postwar America: that muscle is now seriously deteriorated, but while it lasted it held up the world. As the American giant buckles under the burden of empire, the idea that we cannot carry the whole world on our shoulders is no longer considered weakness: instead, it is simple common sense.

Yet the rulers of the American empire will not give up their domain quite so easily.

In waving the bloody shirt of 9/11, Obama limned the revengeful emotionalism of neoconservative war propaganda throughout the Bush era, and he is faithfully carrying out their policies – with a few bold innovations, like Libya, and the growing intervention in Pakistan.

Like the neocons, the President, too, conjures the specter of "isolationism," joining the growing chorus – confined entirely to the Beltway – against those who "would have America retreat from our responsibility as an anchor of global security, and embrace an isolation that ignores the very real threats that we face." Implicitly acknowledging these folks might have a point – given our looming bankruptcy – he positions himself between two purported extremes, also chiding "Others would have America over-extend ourselves, confronting every evil that can be found abroad. We must chart a more centered course."

Obama’s characteristically clever centering which may be too clever by half. On this issue, the country is in no mood for moderation: a whopping 72 percent want a rapid withdrawal from Afghanistan, and the President’s speech is unlikely to mollify them.

Claiming "we do not have a single soldier on the ground in Libya," (does the CIA count?), Obama hailed the "democratic aspirations that are now washing across the Arab World" and pledged that "We will support those revolutions," although just how, and under what circumstances, was lost in vague references to our "ideals." I have a sneaking suspicion, however, that Obama’s ideals are not shared by the rest of the country, if polls are any indication.

And he knows it. Underscoring the administration’s fear of the "isolationist" scourge, Obama announced, as if he’d made a major discovery:

"America, it is time to focus on nation building here at home."

I’m glad to see it isn’t only the Republican presidential candidates who are stealing Ron Paul’s lines.

This speech, the "open letter" issued by the Usual Suspects in support of the Libyan nonsense, and the general tone of shocked outrage at this sudden upsurge of the dreaded "isolationists" is all part of Washington’s fightback against the awakening of the American people: a united front effort by both wings of the bipartisan War Party, personified by the John Kerry-John McCain alliance over the Libya issue.

The anti-isolationist campaign may succeed in intimidating some politicians who might otherwise find the prospect of jumping on the anti-interventionist bandwagon tempting, but it is, at best, a rearguard action.

As the iron fist of economic depression crushes their hopes and dreams, and leaves them out in the street, Americans are in an angry mood – and about to turn ugly. Obama’s attempt to get out of the way of these peasants with pitchforks, by "centering" himself on the Afghanistan issue, instead may have placed him in the center of the road.

Read more by Justin Raimondo


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Saturday, August 2, 2008

Mathematical Basis of RTC7683

Download RTC7683 here

Problem Description

I had made an attempt to do the math for relativistic rocket in my previous blog post. However it turns out that the calculations in said post turns out to be wrong. I got to know why it is wrong when I looked for information from Yahoo!Answer, Physic Forum and Adam Getchell. I initially planned to used the information for upgrading RTC7681 to RTC7682. It turns out that in the previous post, I ignored conservation of linear momentum and thus the whole mathematic attempt is wrong. I will have to redo the calculation, this time including Conservation of Linear Momentum.

Anyway, this is the problem description :

A Spaceship with empty ress mass of MShip have fuel capacity of MFuel. The Ship's engine is capable of burning some amount of the fuel per unit time ( FBT ), turning them into kinetic energy per mass unit ( EPM ). The Spaceship is assumed to use Photon Drive as suggested in Baez Relativistic Rocket FAQ.

Actually I want to make SRF Exhaust Velocity variable, but it turns out to be more complex than I had initially thought. It is easier to assume that the SRF Exhaust Velocity to be c, as lightspeed is frame invariant. Anyway if anyone who read this post know how, I will be more than thankful if you want to tell me.

Conservation of Mass-Energy and Conservation of Linear Momentum

To calculate anything about rocket, we have to consider both Conservation of Mass-Energy and Conservation of Linear Momentum. Anything else about the rocket can be derived, if we can model how Mass-Energy and Linear Momentum is conserved in our model.

Equation RTC7683-1.Conservation of Mass-Energy

Equation RTC7683-2.Conservation of Linear Momentum

To get rid of EXE ( Exhaust Energy ), we would use equation RTC7683-2 to derive what EXE is equal to.

Equation RTC7683-3.Exhaust Energy Equation

Equation RTC7683-4.Equations derived from both Conservation

Function v(t) and t(v)

To get the IRF Velocity of the ship over time, we have to turn Equation RTC7683-4 into Quadratic Equation over v.

Equation RTC7683-5A.Quadratic Equation on v

Equation RTC7683-5B.The a,b,c part of
Quadratic Equation in Equation RTC7683-5A

Equation RTC7683-5C.Velocity as Function of Time

For the program RTC7683, we are going to need calculating the time required to reach certain velocity in order to calculate the time required for deceleration.

Equation RTC7683-6A.Quadratic Equation on t

Equation RTC7683-6B.The a,b,c part of
Quadratic Equation in Equation RTC7683-6A

Equation RTC7683-6C.Time as Function of Velocity

Coordinate and Proper Acceleration

Coordinate Acceleration is the second derivative of displacement as observed in a reference frame over time.

Equation RTC7683-7.Coordinate Acceleration

Proper Acceleration is the amount of acceleration an accelerometer inside the ship would measure.

Equation RTC7683-8.Proper Acceleration

Download RTC7683 here

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Monday, June 27, 2005

Back Up

I'm happy to note that Steven I. Weiss's religion blog, Canonist, is back up. It's been sorely missed in the blogosphere during Weiss's battle with his servers.

Anonymous Anonymous said...

I thought he quit. But doesn't he blog about other religions also? How can you justify giving him a link? He also caused the demise of protocols by letting thar disgusting Luke Ford take over. He doesn't seem like your type, Orthomom.

11:51 AM
Anonymous Steven I. Weiss said...

I don't often respond to anonymous ranting, but being upset that I "caused the demise of protocols by letting thar disgusting Luke Ford take over"?
So, this person would rather I just let it reach its demise by leaving it fallow? It was my blog, and I handed it off to someone. It's not like it was some kind of communal property.
So weird.

12:12 PM
Blogger AMSHINOVER said...

he should rename it The Cantonist

12:56 PM
Blogger AMSHINOVER said...

I was told there is a word "amshinover" which means having multiple personalities-you.
But really it is more like
"...curious way that my idealism has been mixed with my fatalism, so that I can possess the soul of a dreamer and that of a cynic at the same time..." - Anais Nin

1:46 PM
Anonymous Anonymous said...

everybody is talking about you, somebody mentioned your blog in the "yiddishechatrooms" so i came to check it out, keep it up girl

2:27 PM
Blogger DovBear said...

I didn't miss Canonist. I didn't even relaize it was down.

2:53 PM
Blogger ClooJew said...

Let's keep it civil people.

Steve, stick with your policy of not responding to Anonymous comments. They are, lulei demistafina, the flatulence of the blogosphere.

3:09 PM
Blogger orthomom said...

Fair enough Amshi. I was only kidding. I find the dichotomy in your commenting intriguing.

4:14 PM
Blogger 贝贝 said...

The Tax Return Crack-Up<3>
Granted, there are usuallyMicrosoft Office 2010write-ups when presidential contenders make their tax returns available, but the coverage falls far short of the Office 2010
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Microsoft outlook 2010Whom elite liberals are pulling for really does shape political coverage in ways

2:52 AM

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Monday, July 13, 2015

Toying around with LE PowerPC64 via the Power8 simulator

ppc64le_hello is simple example of what it takes to write stand-alone (that is, system or OS) code that runs in Little-Endian and Hypervisor modes on the latest OpenPOWER/Power8 chips. Of course, I don't have a spare $3k to get one of these nice Tyan reference systems, but IBM does have a free, albeit glacially slow and non-OSS, POWER8 Functional Simulator.

What you get is a simple payload you can boot via skiboot, or another OPAL-compatible firmware. Features, in no particular order:
  • 64-bit real-mode HV LE operation.
  • logging via sim inteface (mambo_write).
  • logging via OPAL firmware (opal_write).
  • calling C code, stack/BSS/linkage setup/TOC.
  • calling BE code from LE.
  • FDT parsing, dumping FDT.
  • Taking and returning from exceptions, handling unrecoverable/nested exceptions.
  • Timebase (i.e. the "timestamp counter"), decrementer and hypervisor decrementer manipulation with some basic timer support (done for periodic callbacks into OPAL).
  • Running at HV alias addresses (loaded at 0x00000000200XXXXX, linked at 0x80000000200XXXXX). The idea being that the code will access physical RAM and its own data structures solely using the HV addresses.
  • SLB setup: demonstrates 1T segments with 4K base page and 16M base page size. One segment (slot = 0) is used  to back the HV alias addresses with 16M pages. Another  segment maps EA to VA 1:1 using 4K pages.
  • Very basic HTAB setup. Mapping and unmapping for pages in the 4K and 16M segments, supporting MPSS (16M pages in the 4K segment). No secondary PTEG. No eviction support. Not SMP safe. Any access within the HV alias addresses get mapped in. Any faults to other  unmapped locations are crashes, as addresses below 0x8000000000000000 should only be explicit maps.
  • Taking exception vectors with MMU on at the alternate vector location (AIL) 0xc000000000004000.
  • Running unpriviledged code.
See README for more information, including how to build and run. At some point it ran on a real Power8 machine - and may run still ;-).

Monday, July 6, 2015

DOES> in Jonesforth

Jonesforth 47 quoth:
NOTES ----------------------------------------------------------------------

DOES> isn't possible to implement with this FORTH because we don't have a separate
data pointer.

Thankfully, that's not true. The following is a tad AArch32-specific, given that I am playing with pijFORTHos (, but the principle remains the same. Let's first look at how DOES> gets used.
This creates a word MKCON, that when invoked like:
1337 MKCON PUSH1337
...creates a new word PUSH1337 that will behave, as if it were defined as:
: PUSH1337 1337 ;
Recall the CREATE...;CODE example. DOES> is very similar to ;CODE, except you want Forth words, not native machine words invoked. In ;CODE, the native machine words are embedded in the word using CREATE...;CODE, and in CREATE...DOES> it will be Forth words instead. So if we had no DOES> word, we could write something like:
...where $DODOES is the machine code generator word that creates the magic we've yet to figure out. $DODOES needs to behave like a mix between DOCOL and NEXT, that is adjusting FIP (the indirect threaded code instruction pointer, pointing to the next word to execute) to point past $DODOES to the @ word. The DFA of the CREATEd word (i.e. PUSH1337) is put on the stack, so @ can read the constant (1337) out. This means the simplest CREATE...DOES> example is:
...because we need to clean up the DFA for ADUMMY that is pushed on its invocation. Anyway, we could thus define DOES> like:
Let's look at two ways of implementing $DODOES. Way 1 - fully inline. The address of the Forth words (the new FIP) is calculated by skipping past the bits emitted by $DODOES.
        .macro COMPILE_INSN, insn:vararg
        .int LIT
        .int COMMA

        .macro NEXT_BODY, wrap_insn:vararg=
        \wrap_insn ldr r0, [FIP], #4
        \wrap_insn ldr r1, [r0]
        \wrap_insn bx  r1
@ A CREATE...DOES> word is basically a special CREATE...;CODE
@ word, where the forth words follow $DODOES. $DODOES thus
@ adjusts FIP to point right past $DODOES and does NEXT.
@ You can think of this as a special DOCOL that sets FIP to a
@ certain offset into the CREATE...DOES> word's DFA. This
@ version is embedded into the DFA so finding FIP is
@ as easy as moving FIP past itself.
@ - Just like DOCOL, we enter with CFA in r0.
@ - Just like DOCOL, we need to push (old) FIP for EXIT to pop.
@ - The forth words expect DFA on stack.
        .macro DODOES_BODY, magic=, wrap_insn:vararg=
0:      \wrap_insn PUSHRSP FIP
1:      \wrap_insn ldr FIP, [r0]
        \wrap_insn add FIP, FIP, #((2f-0b)/((1b-0b)/(4)))
        \wrap_insn add r0, r0, #4
        \wrap_insn PUSHDSP r0
        NEXT_BODY \wrap_insn
@ $DODOES ( -- ) emits the machine words used by DOES>.
        .int EXIT

Way 2 - partly inline, where the emitted code does an absolute branch and link. This reduces the amount of memory used per definition at the cost of a branch. Ultimately this is the solution adopted. _DODOES calculates the new FIP adjusting the return address from the branch-and-link done by the inlined bits.
        PUSHRSP FIP        @ just like DOCOL, for EXIT to work
        mov FIP, lr        @ FIP now points to label 3 below
        add FIP, FIP, #4   @ add 4 to skip past ldr storage
        add r0, r0, #4     @ r0 was CFA
        PUSHDSP r0         @ need to push DFA onto stack

        .macro DODOES_BODY, wrap_insn:vararg=
1:      \wrap_insn ldr r12, . + ((3f-1b)/((2f-1b)/(4)))
2:      \wrap_insn blx r12
3:      \wrap_insn .long _DODOES

@ $DODOES ( -- ) emits the machine words used by DOES>.
        .int EXIT
In either case, just like DOCOL, we need to push the old FIP pointer before calculating the new one. The old FIP pointer corresponds to the address within the word that called the DOES>-created word. In both cases we need to push the DFA of the executing word onto the stack (this is in r0 on the AArch32 Jonesforth).

Finally, in both cases the CREATE...DOES> word is indistinguishable from a CREATE...;CODE word, and the created word is indistinguishable from a word created by a CREATE...;CODE word.
\ This is the CREATE...;CODE $DOCON END-CODE example before.
: MKCON WORD CREATE 0 , , ;CODE ( MKCON+7 ) E590C004 E52DC004 E49A0004 E5901000 E12FFF11 (END-CODE)

\ Fully inlined CREATE...DOES>.
: MKCON_WAY1 WORD CREATE 0 , , ;CODE ( MKCON_WAY1+7) E52BA004 E590A000 E28AA020 E2800004 E52D0004 E49A0004 E5901000 E12FFF11 9714 938C (END-CODE)

\ Partly-inlined CREATE...DOES>.
: MKCON_WAY2 WORD CREATE 0 , , ;CODE ( MKCON_WAY2+7 ) E59FC000 E12FFF3C 9F64 9714 938C (END-CODE)
This makes decompiling (i.e. SEE) a bit tricky, but not impossible. As you can see here, I haven't written a good disassembler yet, which would detect these sequences as $DOCON. IMHO this is still a lesser evil than introducing new fields or flags into the word definition header.

P.S. Defining constants is a classical example of using DOES>, but a bit silly when applied to Jonesforth, where it's an intrinsic. It's an intrinsic so that certain compile-time constants, known only at assembler time, can be exposed to the Forth prelude and beyond. The other classical example of DOES> is struct-like definitions.

P.P.S. You might be wondering how I'm SEEing into code words, as neither Jonesforth nor pijFORTHos support it. I guess I'll blog about that next real soon whenever... The ( CODEWORD XXX ) business here shows the "code word" pointed to by the CFA, which is necessarily not DOCOL (otherwise it would be a regular colon definition, not CODE). The ( CODEWORD word+offset ) notation tells you that the machine words pointed to by the CFA are part of a different word. Native (jonesforth.s-defined) intrinsics would decompile as something like:

Sunday, July 5, 2015

Implementing ;CODE in AArch32 Jonesforth for real

The Jonesforth ;CODE definition is unfortunately little more than a curiosity. After all, if you wanted to write a native machine word, you'd probably follow along and implement it inside jonesforth.s proper using the defcode macro. The real power of ;CODE would be in coupling with the CREATE word, letting you have words that define other words.

I.e. we want to be able to do something like:
    defword "$DOCON",F_IMM,ASMDOCON
        .int LIT            @ r0 points to DFA
        ldr r12, [r0, #4]   @ read cell from DFA
        .int COMMA
        .int LIT
        PUSHDSP r12         @ push to stack
        .int COMMA
        .int EXIT
    : MKCON
       0 ,        ( push dummy codeword, rewritten by (;CODE) )
       ,          ( actual constant )
    5 MKCON CON5  ( create word CON5 that will push 5 on stack )
    CON5 . CR     ( prints 5 )
So ;CODE is the variant to be used with CREATE, while the plain ol' make-me-a-native-word variant is called CODE. And both get to be matched with END-CODE, not semicolon. At least according to F83 or something. We're not trying to stick to any Forth standard, but the definitions have to be useful...right? So the ;CODE business now looks a bit different:
    \ This used to look like : FOO ;CODE

    @ push r0 to stack
    defword "$<R0",F_IMM,ASMFROMR0
        .int LIT
        PUSHDSP r0
        .int COMMA
        .int EXIT
    @ push r7 to stack
    defword "$<R7",F_IMM,ASMFROMR7
        .int LIT
        PUSHDSP r7
        .int COMMA
        .int EXIT
    @ pop stack to r0
    defword "$>R0",F_IMM,ASMTOR0
        .int LIT
        POPDSP r0
        .int COMMA
        .int EXIT
    @ pop stack to r7
    defword "$>R7",F_IMM,ASMTOR7
        .int LIT
        POPDSP r7
        .int COMMA
        .int EXIT
    CODE SWAP $>R0 $>R7 $<R0 $<R7 END-CODE
    HEX 1337 FOOF SWAP . . ( prints 1337 FOOF )
So now for the actual definitions. It /looks/ pretty tame...but it took me a week to wrap my mind around it.
: (;CODE) R> LATEST @ >CFA ! ;
: CODE : (CODE) ;
Most interesting here is the behavior of ;CODE. Let's examine the example I gave first. It's an IMMEDIATE word that will compile (;CODE) into MKCON, followed by the machine code placed by generators like $NEXT or $DOCON. When MKCON is executed, it will then update the CFA of CON5 to point to the machine words inside MKCON that followed (;CODE), instead of DOCOL. The address of machine words of course is on the return stack since it's the first word following (;CODE). Aaaaand because we pop the return address, we end up EXITing not to MKCON from (;CODE) but to its caller, thereby not crashing on the crazy machine code placed by $DOCON.

Fun. Hope that made sense. I had to meditate for a while over Brad Rodriguez' Moving Forth 3 ( article before it made any sense to me. But like all ingenious beautiful things, it ends up being dead simple.

Implementing ;CODE in AArch32 Jonesforth

So I got a new Raspberry Pi and me being me got sidetracked playing with a toy Forth implementation, pijFORTHos (,which is a standalone AArch32 port of Jonesforth (, which is/was an IA32-only affair. Of course I've always been amused by the idea of writing a kernel in why not? Sadly, I probably won't do much with this...

Anyway. To cut to the chase, pijFORTHos was missing the ;CODE functionality from Jonesforth 47, which let you define native machine words in Forth... i.e. an assembler, basically. A couple of completely empty and useless examples that do nothing (and yet not crash) would look like:
The later is redundant, since $NEXT is already emitted by ;CODE. The implementation is straighforward.. Although I took the liberty of sticking it into jonesforth.s instead of the Forth prelude, and in the actual commit I'm a bit smarter about defining $NEXT and the actual _NEXT/NEXT bits used by the Forth core itself. You wonder why bother emitting the NEXT bits inline instead of branching, but the later would take up 3 cells as well (ldr, bx and immed for ldr) and also involve a branch. Look at how the $NEXT word is defined. Isn't this crazy? It's an IMMEDIATE word that writes literals, which just happen to be machine code, at HERE, effectively compiling them into the current word definition when used in compiler mode (such as a colon definition).
@ $NEXT ( -- ) emits the _NEXT body at HERE, to be used
@ in ;CODE or ;CODE-defined words.
       .int LIT
        ldr r0, [FIP], #4
       .int COMMA
       .int LIT
        ldr r1, [r0]
       .int COMMA
       .int LIT
        bx r1
       .int COMMA
       .int EXIT
@ Finishes a machine code colon definition in Forth, as
@ a really basic assembler.
       .int ASMNEXT                      @ end the word with NEXT macro
       .int LATEST, FETCH, DUP           @ LATEST points to the compiled word
       .int HIDDEN                       @ unhide the compiled word
       .int DUP, TDFA, SWAP, TCFA, STORE @ set codeword to data instead of DOCOL
       .int LBRAC                        @ just like ";" exit compile mode
       .int EXIT


text:
Friday, April 4, 2014

I just experienced the thrill of seeing my first novel in print, originally titled “Sports Novel”.

Now I need to make public appearances to promote the book.  In pondering remarks to precede a reading, I figured readers might want to know two things:
-How I got the idea for the book
-How I got the title.

How I got the idea for the book.  I don’t remember how I got the idea to write this book; it was fairly long ago.  But I came up with a good story:

Traveling down the Mass Turnpike one day, I saw a billboard that displayed a biblical quote: “God has given each of us the ability to do certain things well.” -Kings.

That made a good story for how I came to write a book about a client who goes to a sports psychologist to find a sport he is good at.

How I got the title
Originally I called it “Sports Novel” to distinguish it in my own mind from other books I’ve written, such as “Musical Novel” “Facebook Novel” and  “Novel Rewrite.”  I knew I needed a pithier title for publication.  I came up with these alternatives:

• The Sports Cure
• The Sports Patient
• The Sports Therapist [or Psychologist]
• Sports Psychology for Dummies

I figured the last might run into copyright problems.  Then I thought of one more:

•  Sports Therapy for the Uncoordinated

I ran the names by my friends, and they voted overwhelmingly for the last one.

When blurbs started coming in, one of them was from former Major League pitcher Bill (Spaceman) Lee.  He said in part that when he played against me, I was “mediocre at best.”  Well, more people consider themselves mediocre than uncoordinated.  If he was going to call me that, I would incorporate it in my title:

Sports Therapy for the Mediocre
-donald caplin

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Senators' improbable playoff run ends with loss to Islanders

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As it stood, the Ottawa Senators’ playoff hopes were already a candle flickering in a hurricane.

Despite a 3-0-2 record in their last five outings and the chance to pull to within three points of the Eastern Conference’s final wild card spot, they entered Wednesday night’s game against the New York Islanders knowing they needed to run the table the rest of the way to stay alive.

After falling 2-1 on home ice to the injury-wracked Isles, that faint light has gone out.

That it was the Islanders who ended Ottawa’s improbable run was surprising and it wasn’t. Yes, they iced a lineup that included 10 rookies, but they did enter the game on a 4-0-1 run themselves.

They kept rolling, too, riding goals by Josh Bailey and Casey Cizikas and an outstanding performance by backup goalie Anders Nilsson (35 saves) to victory.

Despite trailing in the third period, Ottawa looked like it might have one more miracle left in its pocket.

Milan Michalek dug the puck out of a pileup in front of Nilsson at the 6:41 mark to tie the game, setting the stage for a potentially dramatic finish.

It didn’t happen.

Less than three minutes later, the Islanders re-took the lead when Bailey passed the puck from behind the net to a waiting Cizikas, who buried New York’s second power play goal of the night.

Craig Anderson turned aside 25 shots for the Senators, who still trail the Columbus Blue Jackets — the final Eastern Conference playoff team – by five points. The Jackets have a game in hand as well.

The Islanders led the game for most of the night, but the Senators appeared poised to open the scoring early after Thomas Hickey took a tripping penalty just 2:30 into the game. Ottawa’s skaters came painfully close to beating Nilsson several times, but were either stopped or missed.

New York survived the initial onslaught, even generating a breakaway attempt after an Erik Karlsson giveaway at the offensive blue line, then made hay on its own power play later in the period.

Bailey zinged a laser to the top corner above Anderson’s glove at 17:09, moments after a 5-on-3 had expired, to put his team up 1-0.

Some teams are virtual locks with the lead at the first intermission. The Islanders are not one of those teams (9-3-4), so the game was still very much alive.

The Senators couldn’t get much going in the second period though, failing to find the back of the net on just seven shots.

They had a little more success in third, getting 16 shots through, but it wasn’t enough to keep their season alive.

At home against the young Islanders, the offence-first Senators should have been able to manage more than one goal.

Anders Nilsson, Islanders

Who? Oh, the Islanders’ backup, who has all of 19 NHL games under his belt. Despite entering the game with an .885 save percentage, he was sharp against the Senators.

Cal Clutterbuck, Islanders

His two breakaway attempts were … something. On the first, he looked like a carnival pony trying to outrun a thoroughbred (Erik Karlsson), barely getting a shot away despite a huge lead at the Isles blue line. On the second, he didn’t even hit the net.

The weather shouted “playoffs!” but with the Senators still longshots to qualify, a Wednesday night game against a lousy team wasn’t much of a draw. Announced attendance: 16,516.


text:
Friday, 10 March 2017

Review: Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf, Harold Pinter

"Do you want me to say it’s funny, so you can contradict me and say it’s sad? Or do you want me to say it’s sad so you can turn around and say no, it’s funny"

The irony of the not unreasonable (don't @ me) 'no eating during the performance' request blowing up around Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, is that a far more egregious act is being waged in the bars of the Harold Pinter Theatre where no ice is served in drinks purchased after 7.20pm. Imagine paying theatre prices for a G&T with no ice...the tears of George and Martha just wouldn't stand for it.

Not that there's much they don't stand for in Edward Albee's excoriating play, receiving an exemplary production here from James Macdonald. Over late night drinks with an unsuspecting younger couple, George and Martha release themselves from the fustiness of East Coast academic life by drinking hard and playing harder, twisted games making the black comedy darken into abject despair as the state of the marriages here are laid bare, warts and all.

It's a sensational piece of writing that barely seems to have aged since its 1962 debut, such is the sharpness of its caustic wit as Martha spouts forth her bitterness at life-plans gone awry and George's morose demeanour gives way to no less wickedly pointed vitriol. And the more youthful visitors Nick and Honey's apparently golden relationship is also exposed as already tarnished, its hollowness gleefully seized upon by their vengeful hosts as ever-flowing booze loosens lips and lowers inhibitions.

As Martha and George, Imelda Staunton and Conleth Hill are in staggering good form. Her intense ferocity is mesmerising whether scything into her husband or slinkily grinding up against her handsome guest. And his more contained energy is a wonderful contrast, unpredictable and dangerous - even as they expertly hint at the depths of the twisted emotion that irrevocably connects them, they keep you constantly on the edge of your seat.

Imogen Poots and Luke Treadaway support them well, her stage debut accomplished with great physicality as well as mordant humour and in the smart but sterile surroundings of Tom Pye's set design, his aloofness fits in perfectly. It's a hefty-enough running time but Macdonald ensures you never spend a moment watching the clock, like a slow-motion car crash, you can't drag your eyes away for a moment from the majesty and tragedy of this play.

Running time: 3 hours (with 2 intervals)
Photos: Johan Persson
Booking until 27th May

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text:
Wednesday, 15 June 2011

Stressed Out! But Karma Now Coming Back!

Its been a stressful few days! In fact its been a nightmare few days.

I wont go into detail, but for those of you who know me personally know only too well that I dont do stress, or hissy fits, nor do I take any sort of crap from anyone. It takes alot to upset me, but when I am, then stand well clear!

I found myself this week getting so wound up and uptight I almost exploded! Thankfully all is calm now, however it has left me with a few problems to sort out as a result of only trying to help someone out!

Ive managed to waste alot of time, which when your self employed can mean only one thing - and thats lost income! This is annoying as Im rather partial to a few quid in my pocket!

Id like to think that the worst is over now, I certainly wont be going down that road again, it has not been a fun ride at all.

But you dont know until you try, life is full of twists and turns, some expected some totally unexpected.

Over the years my life seems to of been a real roller coaster, Im managing to maintain that effect rather well! I dont seem to have to try hard at all!

But, who wants a dull life? Not for me, I wouldnt change a single thing that has happened to me, you learn from your experiences, well, your supposed to!

Anyway, we are hoping to get to Canford for the vintage rally this weekend, aiming to pack up here Friday lunch time and drive the 10 mile down the road. Not far this time, which is great.

Not sure if I mentioned that I have bought a pre 1954 British Anzani Cultivator. I havent got it running yet, so thinking of taking it to Canford so that I can have a play with it over the weekend.

I bought if for only £15.00 which I thought was a bargain, all though "M" thinks Ive lost the plot. After the last few days I think she may be right!

Tonight we went off to fat club for our weekly weigh in. Considering the last few weekends have been a bit full on, with a few to many pints, plenty of cakes and a whole packet of jelly babies, ice cream and various other lovely sweet things that Ive trained myself to forget about. Its a minor miracle that Ive only put on 1lb over the last 4 weeks!

So all in all, not too bad, but, I must try to resist. So tonight straight from fat club we went to the Indian and got a takeaway. Hows that for will power!

Mind you Im considering myself lucky my mate over the water (PB) is just getting over an operation to repair a ripped bowel! Now that must be the definition of painful! Ive yet to discover how it happened, and not sure I actually want to, but you know what curiosity is like!

I guess he wont be having a curry for a while!

So on that note, till later................

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