text:
the_dark_forest
The Dark Forest — Cixin Liu
reading notes from The Dark Forest, Cixin Liu.
"It's all fascinating, but what would the axioms of cosmic sociology be?" "First: Survival is the primary need of civilization. Second: Civilization continuously grows and expands, but the total matter in the universe remains constant."
To derive a basic picture of cosmic sociology from these two axioms, you need two other important concepts: chains of suspicion, and the technological explosion
He nodded and sat up. "Rong, I used to think that a character in a novel was controlled by her creator, that she would be whatever the author wanted her to be, and do whatever the author wanted her to do, like God does for us." "Wrong!" she said, standing up and beginning to pace the room. "Now you realize you were wrong. This is the difference between an ordinary scribe and a literary writer. The highest level of literary creation is when the characters in a novel possess life in the mind of the writer. The writer is unable to control them, and might not even be able to predict the next action they will take. We can only follow them in wonder to observe and record the minute details of their lives like a voyeur. That's how a classic is made." "So literature, it turns out, is a perverted endeavor."
"Do they really believe the sophon will unfold in lower dimensions?"
I didn't use to care about the big issues, but they've gotten too huge. I never thought anything could get so big
I've started to come around to your way of thinking. I don't care about those irrelevant issues anymore. Believe it or not, I haven't watched the news in two weeks. I used to care about the big issues because people matter. We could have an effect on the outcome of current events. But no one has the power to overcome this. What's the point of troubling yourself about it?
No one ever knew the man's true name, but eventually, they called him the Second Wallbreaker
"Is it because our thoughts aren't transparent? That doesn't matter, you know. All of the skills that you lack—deceit, trickery, disguise, and misdirection—we use in your service."
Romance of the Three Kingdoms4
In one remote corner of the vast sea of information on the Internet, there was a remote corner, and in a remote corner of that remote corner, and then in a remote corner of a remote corner of a remote corner of that remote corner—that is, in the very depths of the most remote corner of all—a virtual world came back to life.
The fundamental axiom of economics is the human mercenary instinct. Without that assumption, the entire field would collapse. There isn't any fundamental axiom for sociology yet, but it might be even darker than economics. The truth always picks up dust. A small number of people could fly off into space, but if we knew it would come to that, why would we have bothered in the first place?"
The words, like insects crowding around the flame, kept working their way into his head: Escapism, socialized technology, ETO, transformation to a wartime economy, equatorial base, charter amendment, PDC, near-Earth primary warning and defensive perimeter, independent integrated mode …
a lingering coziness of a past Golden Age being eroded by the ever worsening era of crisis
Only part of it was visible, but he knew the whole slogan: "Dig deep tunnels, keep vast stores of grain, don't seek hegemony."8
Besides, I was going to tell you how to trick people, so just remember this: Real shrewdness means not letting any shrewdness show. It's not like in the movies. The truly astute don't sit in the shadows all day striking a pose. They don't show off that they're using their brains. They look all carefree and innocent. Some of them are tacky and mawkish, others careless and unserious. What's critical is not to let others think you're a person of interest. Let them look down on you or dismiss you and they won't feel you're an obstacle. You're just a broom in the corner. The pinnacle of this is to make them not notice you at all, as if you don't exist until the moment right before they die at your hands."
The source of this defeatism stems primarily from the worship of technology, and the underestimation or complete dismissal of the role of human initiative and the human spirit in war
"It was like that for Shakespeare and Balzac and Tolstoy, at least. The classic images they created were born from their mental wombs. But today's practitioners of literature have lost that creativity. Their minds give birth only to shattered fragments and freaks, whose brief lives are nothing but cryptic spasms devoid of reason. Then they sweep up these fragments into a bag they peddle under the label 'postmodern' or 'deconstructionist' or 'symbolism' or 'irrational.'"
Then they were silent. The room was completely quiet. Luo Ji could clearly hear the beating of his heart. This, he realized, was the Meditation Room. The centerpiece was a six-ton rock made of the purest raw iron, symbolizing timelessness and strength. It had been a gift from Sweden. But right now, far from wanting to meditate, he tried as hard as possible to think of nothing, convinced of what Shi had said: Any thinking is liable to go off the rails. He counted the shapes in the painting.
The First Wallfacer: Frederick Tyler
The Second Wallfacer: Manuel Rey Diaz
Rey Diaz's basic approach to warfare was built atop a single, clear idea: Modern high-tech weapons might be useful against point targets, but, for area targets, their performance is no better than conventional weapons and their cost and limited quantity make them essentially nonfactors. He was a genius at low-cost, high-tech exploits.
The Third Wallfacer: Bill Hines
As a scientist, he was the only person in history to be nominated for the Nobel Prize in two sciences simultaneously for the same discovery. During research conducted with the neuroscientist Keiko Yamasuki, he discovered that brain activity for thoughts and memories operated on the quantum level rather than on the molecular level as previously believed. This discovery pushed brain mechanisms downward to the microstate of matter, rendering all prior research nothing more than superficial attempts that merely skimmed the surface of neuroscience. This discovery also demonstrated that the animal brain's capacity to process information was several orders of magnitude higher than previously imagined, which lent credence to long-held speculation that the brain had a holographic structure
The Fourth Wallfacer: Luo Ji
He now understood that the Wallfacers had a mission far weirder than any in history, its logic cold and twisted, yet unyielding as the chains that bound Prometheus. It was an unliftable curse impossible for the Wallfacers to break under their own strength. No matter how he struggled, the totality of everything would be greeted with the Wallfacer smile and imbued with the significance of the Wallfacer Project: How are we supposed to know whether or not you are working?
"Intelligence is a vague term in our field. What in particular—" "I mean intelligence in the broadest sense of the word. Not just the traditional meaning of logical reasoning, but learning ability, imagination, and innovation as well. And also the ability to accumulate common sense and experience while preserving intellectual vigor. And enhancing mental endurance, so that a brain can think continuously without fatigue. And we can even consider the possibility of eliminating sleep. And so forth." "What will it take? Do you have even a rough idea?"
As Tyler walked in the sea breeze, his mind returned to a sentence from a suicide note from a kamikaze pilot to his mother that he had seen in the exhibit: Mom, I'm going to be a firefly.
Shi Qiang shook his head. "I don't know." He raised a hand to stop Kent from arguing. "However, sir, that's just my ignorance, not the opinion of our superiors. This is the biggest difference between you and me: I'm just someone who faithfully carries out orders. You, you're someone who always has to ask why." "Is that wrong?" "It's not about right or wrong. If everyone had to be clear about why before they executed an order, then the world would have plunged into chaos long ago. Mr. Kent, you do outrank me, but when you get down to it, we're both people who carry out orders. We ought to understand that some things aren't for people like us to think over. It's enough to do our duty. If you can't do that, then I'm afraid you'll have a rough time."
Zhuang Yan, the core meaning of the Wallfacer Project is to encapsulate humanity's real strategy in the mind of one person, the only place in the world that's safe from sophon spying. They had to choose a few people, but that doesn't mean those people are supermen. Superman doesn't exist." "But why were you chosen?"
"Wallfacers are the most untrustworthy people in history. The world's greatest liars." "That's your duty."
The Meditation Room had been designed by Dag Hammarskjöld, second secretary general of the UN, who believed that the UN ought to have a place for meditation removed from the history-making decisions of the General Assembly Hall
So he turned his attention to the power in his hands. The least of all the Wallfacers, Say had said, but he would certainly be able to make use of a terrifying amount of resources. Most importantly, he didn't have to justify his use of them to anyone. In fact, an important part of his mandate was to act in such a way as to keep others guessing, and furthermore, to do as much as possible to engender misunderstandings. Never in human history had there been such a thing! Maybe the absolute monarchs of old had been able to do whatever they wished, but even they ultimately had to account for their actions.
Garanin shrugged. "The commission can question the Wallfacers in two areas: use of resources exceeding the set scope, and harm caused to human lives. Apart from these, all questions are in violation of the spirit of the Wallfacer Project
"We haven't even tapped one percent of the potential applications of existing theories," Zhang Beihai said. "My feeling is that the biggest problem right now is the technology sector's approach to research. They're wasting too much time and money on low-end technology. In propulsion, for example, there's no reason at all to work on the fission drive, but right now they're not only throwing huge amounts of R&D at it, they're even putting the same amount of effort into studying next-gen chemical propulsion! We should focus our resources on studying fusion engines, and move directly to the development of media-free fusion engines, leapfrogging media-based fusion. The same problem exists in other areas of research. Sealed ecosystems, for instance, are a necessary technology for interstellar spacecraft, one that is not particularly dependent on fundamental theory, but research in this area is very limited."
In an era where anxiety had taken hold of everything, Luo Ji was now the world's most laid-back man. He strolled beside the lake, took a boat out into the water, had the chef turn the mushrooms he picked and the fish he caught into tasty delicacies, browsed through the library's rich collection, and when he tired of that, went outside and golfed with the guards. He rode on horseback through the grassland and on the forest path in the direction of the snow peak, but he never reached the foot of the mountain. Oftentimes, he would sit on a bench on the lakeside and look at the mountain's reflection in the water, doing and thinking nothing as an entire day passed unknowingly.
And thus, the Wallfacer Project produced a second idiom after the "Wallfacer smile." Anything that was clearly absurd but which had to be done anyway was called "part of the Wallfacer plan," or simply, "part of the plan."
He knew that his recent leisure was merely the weightlessness of tumbling into the abyss of loneliness, and now he had reached the bottom
"That's right. But Luo Ji's carefree. Nothing bothers him. Kent, old fellow, do you think what he's doing is easy? Open-mindedness, is what this is, and anyone who wants to do great things needs to be open-minded. Someone like you won't accomplish great things."
'Three things are unfilial, and having no issue is the greatest.'13
My dad said that people who are sensitive to beauty are good by nature, and if they're not good, then they can't appreciate beauty."
"On the one hand, thanks to our common enemy, our hatred of the West has faded. On the other, the human race that the Trisolarans want to wipe out includes the hated West, so to us, perishing together would be a joy. So we don't hate the Trisolarans." The old man spread his hands. "You see, hatred is a treasure more precious than gold or diamonds, and a weapon keener than any in the world, but now it's gone. It's not yours to give back. So the organization, like me, does not have long to live."
The only constant in a world of tremendous change is the swift passage of time
Over and over again he recalled her words: Suppose a vast number of civilizations are distributed throughout the universe, on the order of the number of detectable stars. Lots and lots of them. The mathematical structure of cosmic sociology is far clearer than that of human sociology. The factors of chaos and randomness in the complex makeups of every civilized society in the universe get filtered out by the immense distance, so those civilizations can act as reference points that are relatively easy to manipulate mathematically. First: Survival is the primary need of civilization. Second: Civilization continuously grows and expands, but the total matter in the universe remains constant. One more thing: To derive a basic picture of cosmic sociology from these two axioms, you need two other important concepts: chains of suspicion and the technological explosion. I'm afraid there won't be that opportunity…. Well, you might as well just forget I said anything. Either way, I've fulfilled my duty.
By this time, most of the prayer beads had been worn faint, except for twenty-one of them. These ones seemed only to get newer the more he polished them, and now emitted a faint light: Survival is the primary need of civilization. Civilization continuously grows and expands, but the total matter in the universe remains constant
"A spell against whom?" Luo Ji answered, "Against the planets of star 187J3X1. Of course, it could also work directly against the star itself."
he belonged to one of those mean social classes whose poverty was more spiritual than material, like Gogol's petty bureaucrats who, despite their lowly social station, still worry about preserving that status and spend their whole lives engaged in uncreative, exhausting random tasks that they carry out exactingly.
A crowd of people surrounded me in the square, their eyes revealing the fantasies of children, the reverence of the middle-aged, and the concern of the elderly
"Fate lies within the light cone."
In the dead, lonely, cold blackness, he saw the truth of the universe.
"I'm starting to understand. We send out a message containing the position of the star we wish to point out, relative to the surrounding stars, and the recipient compares the data to its star map to determine the star's location."
Qin Shi Huang, Aristotle, and Von Neumann
Luo Ji spent the night in a fevered torpor, haunted endlessly by restless dreams in which the stars in the night sky swirled and danced like grains of sand on the skin of a drum. He was even aware of the gravitational interaction between these stars: It wasn't three-body motion, but the 200-billion-body motion of all of the stars in the galaxy! Then the swirling stars clustered into an enormous vortex, and in that mad spiral the vortex transformed again into a giant serpent formed from the congealed silver of every star, which drilled into his brain with a roar….
"Doctor, do you believe in God?" The suddenness of the question left Ringier momentarily speechless. "… God? That's got a variety of meanings on multiple levels today, and I don't know which you—" "I believe, not because I have any proof, but because it's relatively safe: If there really is a God, then it's right to believe in him. If there isn't, then we don't have anything to lose." The general's words prompted laughter, and Ringier said, "The second half is untrue. There is something to lose, at least as far as science is concerned…. Still, so what if God exists? What's he got to do with what's right in front of us?" "If God really exists, then he may have a mouthpiece in the mortal world." They all stared at him for ages before they understood the implication of his words. Then one astronomer said, "General, what are you talking about? God wouldn't choose a mouthpiece from an atheist nation."
He was in dire need of a spacecraft capable of interstellar travel. If other roads led nowhere, then just one was left. No matter how dangerous it might be, it had to be taken.
Three old men, Zhang Yuanchao and his two old neighbors, Yang Jinwen and Miao Fuquan, were watching this on television. All of them were now past seventy, and while no one would call them doddering, they were now definitely old. For them, recalling the past and looking toward the future were both burdens, and since they were powerless to do anything about the present, their only option was to live out their waning years without thinking about anything in this unusual era.
That type of spacecraft requires planetary bases in order to navigate through the Solar System. We do that, and we would be reenacting the tragedy of the Sino-Japanese War, with the Solar System as Weihaiwei18
A navy's front line defenses ought to be at the enemy's ports. We can't do that, of course, but our defensive line ought to be pushed out as far as the Oort Cloud, and we should ensure that the fleet possesses sufficient flanking capabilities in the vast reaches outside the Solar System. This is the foundation of space force strategy."
He was, Zhang Beihai noticed immediately, one of those fortunate people who inhabited a beloved world of his own. No matter what changes befell the larger world, he could always immerse himself in his own and find contentment.
"How did this happen? The Wallfacers' privilege of sealed-off strategic thinking was meant to be used against the sophons and Trisolaris. But you and Tyler both used it against humanity." "There's nothing strange about that," Rey Diaz said. He sat next to the window, enjoying the sunlight shining in from the outside. "Right now, the greatest obstacle to humanity's survival comes from itself."
Basically, we discovered the mind's mechanism for making judgments in the cerebral neural network, as well as the ability to have a decisive impact on them. If we compare the process by which a human mind makes judgments to a computer's process, there's the input of external data, calculation, and then the final outcome. What we're able to do is omit the calculation step of the process and directly produce an outcome. When a certain piece of information enters the brain, it exerts an influence on a particular part of the neural network, and we can cause the brain to render a judgment—to believe that the information is genuine—without even thinking about it."
"That is truly a great achievement." Chang Weisi grew serious. "I mean, for neuroscience. But in the real world, Dr. Hines, you have created a truly troublesome thing. Really. The most troublesome thing in history."
"Political and ideological work establishes faith through rational, scientific thinking."
Sunrise on Mercury was a process that took over ten hours, and a faint light had just appeared on the horizon.
Precisely the opposite. It sends a non-detonation signal
Time is the one thing that can't be stopped. Like a sharp blade, it silently cuts through hard and soft, constantly advancing. Nothing is capable of jolting it even the slightest bit, but it changes everything
As the elderly passed away, the departed Golden Shore vanished into the smoke of history. The ship of human civilization floated alone in the vast ocean, surrounded on all sides by endless, sinister waves, and no one knew if there even was an opposite shore.
"Batteries?" "Batteries," he said in English. "You don't have batteries anymore?" When the nurse shook her head again, he said, "Then where does the electricity in the cup come from?" "Electricity? There's electricity everywhere," the nurse said disapprovingly. "The electricity in the cup won't run out?" "It won't run out." "It's inexhaustible?!" "Inexhaustible. How could electricity run out?"
"Is it raining out?" She shook her head. "You think I'm carrying an … umbrella?" she said, unfamiliar with the last word. "If it's not an umbrella, then what is it?" Luo Ji pointed to the device on her shoulder, imagining that she would say some peculiar name for it. But she didn't. "It's my bicycle," she said.
"But there's one thing you never anticipated: There are no longer any great powers. All countries have declined in political power." "All the countries? Then who rose up?" "A suprastate entity: the space fleet." Luo Ji thought this over for a while before realizing what Jonathan meant. "You mean the space fleet is independent?"
"We insist." The officer pressed a display area on his sleeve. It popped up an information window, which he looked over, and then said, "It's been reported. For the next forty-eight hours, the police will track you, but this requires your agreement." "We agree. We might still be in danger."
The world seems like it's built using bricks made from displays," Luo Ji sighed. "That's right. Anything smooth can light up." As Shi Qiang spoke he took out a pack of cigarettes and passed it to Luo Ji. "Look at this. Just a pack of cheap cigarettes." As soon as Luo Ji held the pack in his hands, it started displaying an animated image of several miniature pictures that seemed like an options menu. "This … it's just a film that can display images," Luo Ji said as he looked at the pack. "A film? You can go online with this gadget!"
We've actually been tracking you all along. It's just negligence." "Can you tell us what's happening?" "Killer 5.2." "What?" "It's a network virus. The ETO first released it about a century into the Crisis Era, and then there were lots of subsequent variants and upgrades. It's a murder virus. First it establishes the identity of
the target by a variety of methods including the chip everyone has implanted in their body. When it locates the target, the Killer virus manipulates every possible piece of external hardware to carry out the murder. Its concrete manifestation is what you experienced today. It seems like everything in the world wants to kill you. So, at the time, people called it a 'modern hex.' For a while, the Killer software was even commercialized and sold on the online black market. You entered the personal ID number of your target and uploaded the virus. Then, even if that person was able to evade death, they would still have a hard time living in society." "The industry developed as far as that? Incredible!" Shi Qiang exclaimed. "Software from a century ago can still run today?" Luo Ji asked incredulously.
Recent investigations still haven't discovered any signs of the Imprinted. What's your read?" "I believe that one possibility is that the Imprinted have disappeared. Another possibility is that they've been deeply hidden. If a person has an ordinary defeatist mentality, they will speak of it to others. But a one-hundred-percent unshakeable technologically hardened faith will inevitably produce a corresponding sense of mission. Defeatism and Escapism are intimately related, and if the Imprinted really exist, then their ultimate mission is bound to be accomplishing an escape into the universe. But to achieve this goal, they have to deeply conceal their true thoughts."
No matter what the future might bring, the present is most important. Of course, that mind-set was outrageous at first, the classic thinking of a traitor to humanity, but you couldn't stop people from thinking it. And very soon the entire world thought so. There was a popular slogan back then, which soon became a famous historical quote." "'Make time for civilization, for civilization won't make time,
Darkness. Before the darkness there was nothing but nothingness, and the nothingness was without color. Nothing was in the nothingness
As he spoke, a field of vibrant roses flashed on his white lab coat, then gradually faded and disappeared. As he continued speaking, the coat displayed a continuous assortment of delightful images that matched his expressions and emotions: seas, sunsets, and woods in the drizzle.
His coat showed an evening scene in which a setting sun rapidly turned into a starry sky to say farewell.
If humanity had really achieved inexhaustible energy, then they could achieve practically everything. Now he believed the words of the pretty nurse: Things might not be so serious.
From high up, it took him a long moment to realize that what he saw from here was the city. At first he thought he was looking at a giant forest, the slender tree trunks stretching straight up toward the sky, each one sprouting perpendicular branches of varying lengths. The city's buildings were the leaves hanging off these branches. The layout of the city looked random, and different trees had different densities of leaves. The Hibernation and Reawakening Center formed a part of one of those large trees, and the leaf that contained his bed hung from the narrow platform that now extended out in front of him.
The woman had her umbrella—or, rather, her bicycle—positioned on her back like a backpack, and then it stood up in back of her and opened overhead to form two coaxial propellers that started up silently, turning in opposition to offset rotational torque. Then she lifted slowly up into the air and hopped over the railing beside her into the abyss that had so dazzled him.
But please don't misunderstand. Earth is not ruled by a military government. The territory and sovereignty of the space fleets is in space, and they rarely interfere with the internal affairs of terrestrial society. This is stipulated by the UN charter. So right now the human world is divided into two international spheres: the traditional Earth International, and the newly emerged Fleet International. The three fleets of Fleet International—the Asian, European, and North American—make up the Solar Fleet, and the former Planetary Defense Council evolved into the Solar Fleet Joint Conference, nominally the highest command body in the Solar Fleet. However, as with the UN, it has a coordinating function, but no real power. In fact, it's a Solar Fleet in name only. The actual power of humanity's space-based armed forces lies in the hands of the supreme command of the three major fleets.
The facts of history have proven that, as a strategic plan, the Wallfacer Project was a complete and utter failure. It is no exaggeration to say that it was the most naïve and foolish action that human society as a whole has ever taken.
You might not be used to the times, but living won't be an issue. In this age, social welfare is excellent, and a person can enjoy a comfortable life even if they don't do anything at all. The university you used to work at is still there, right in this city. They said they would consider the question of your work, and they'll contact you later on.
He had known that his wife was a devotee of the ideas of Timothy Leary, and he had seen her fanatical desire to alter the human mind through technological means, but he had never connected it with a deeply hidden hatred of humanity.
As for the Imprinted, if they voluntarily accepted the mental seal, then that doesn't appear to have violated the laws of the time. If they applied the mental seal to other volunteers, then they were under the dominance of the faith or belief that they had already received through technical means, so they should not be subjected to punishment. So the only thing we need to do is find the mental seals. The matter of the Imprinted might not need to be pursued at all.
Pedestrians passed through in shining clothes like glowing ants. Luo Ji was impressed to no end by the urban design that elevated modern noise and crowdedness into the air and let the ground return to nature. Here, there was no shadow of the war, only human comforts and pleasures.
Hello. I am Financial Counselor 8065 of the General Banking System. Welcome
He thought about the heating glass, and finally understood: It was just a wireless power supply. The power source emitted electricity in the form of microwaves or other EM radiation to form an electric field over a certain space, allowing any equipment within it to draw power through an antenna or resonant coil. Like Shi Qiang had said, even two centuries ago, this technology was entirely ordinary. The only reason it hadn't been commonplace was because the power loss was too great. Only a small portion of the power emitted into a space could be used, but the majority was lost. In this era, however, mature controlled fusion technology meant that energy sources had been greatly enriched, to the point that losses from wireless power supplies were acceptable
At the sculpture's edge, he saw a solemn obelisk, on which was carved a line of large golden characters: MAKE TIME FOR CIVILIZATION, FOR CIVILIZATION WON'T MAKE TIME.
Shi Qiang took the cigarette pack out of Luo Ji's hands, withdrew the last two cigarettes, passed one to him, and then crumpled the empty pack into a ball and tossed it onto the table. On the crumpled ball, the images still flashed, but the sound had disappeared. "Whenever I go anywhere, the first thing I do is to turn off every screen that's around me. They're so annoying," Shi Qiang said, turning off the tabletop and floor displays with his hands and feet. "But the people here can't be away from them." He pointed around them. "There aren't any computers anymore. Anyone who wants to go online or something can just tap any smooth surface. Clothing and shoes can be used as computers, too. Believe it or not, I've even seen toilet paper that you can go online with."
Da Shi, I'm certain that while I was asleep, they not only cured my illness, but also conducted psychiatric treatment.
"Da Shi, it seems the whole world is against me. I used to have a favorable impression of it."
In a few minutes, a small, flying delivery van pulled up outside the transparent wall and delivered the medicine through the portal that had just opened up with a slender mechanical arm
"Many aspects of modern society—politics, economics, culture, lifestyle, and relations between the sexes—have changed greatly in two centuries, so it takes some time for us to adapt."
Special Contingent of Future Reinforcements commander Zhang Beihai reporting
Their tall, slender bodies had none of the clumsy sturdiness of people growing up under Earth's gravity, but possessed the light agility of spacers.
"We call the modern people 'walltappers,' because when they first get here they're always touching the wall out of habit, trying to activate something."
Eventually, environmental protection was seen as no less treasonous to humanity than the ETO. Organizations like Greenpeace were treated like ETO branches and suppressed. Work on the space forces accelerated the development of highly polluting heavy industry, which made environmental pollution unstoppable. The greenhouse effect, climate anomalies, desertification…
There's another term you might find interesting, Dr. Luo," said the first neighbor, drawing closer to him. An economist before hibernation, he had a deeper understanding of the issues. "It's called civilization immunity. It means that when the world has suffered a serious illness, it triggers civilization's immune system, so that something like the early Crisis Era won't happen again. Humanism comes first, and perpetuating civilization comes second. These are the concepts that today's society is based on."
"Emancipation of human nature inevitably brings with it scientific and technological progress."
"From now on, just think about how to live a good life. That old revolutionary slogan is just an adaptation of the old saying from the Golden Age: 'Make time for life, or life won't make time.' To new life!"
Make time for civilization, make time for life
For Zhang Beihai, this was another aspect of modern technology that few people had imagined: the elimination of single-purpose facilities. Only the first tendrils of this trend had appeared on Earth, but it was part of the fundamental structure of the far more advanced world of the fleet. This world was spare and simple. Devices were no longer permanently installed, but would appear when necessary at any location required. The world, made complex by technology, was becoming simple again, its technology hidden deeply behind the face of reality.
Under maximum propulsion, the ship's acceleration could reach 120 gs, but this exerted a force more than ten times what a human could tolerate under normal conditions. To go to maximum, they had to enter a "deep-sea state," which consisted of the cabins being filled with an oxygen-rich "deep-sea acceleration fluid" that trained personnel could breathe directly.
Floating in space five kilometers away from the station were the most peculiar objects in the Solar System: a set of six giant lenses, the top one 1,200 meters in diameter, and the five below it slightly smaller in size. This was the latest incarnation of the space telescope, but unlike the previous five generations of the Hubble, this space telescope had no barrel, or any connecting material at all between the six giant lenses. They floated independently, the rim of each lens equipped with multiple ion thrusters that could precisely adjust the distance between them or change the orientation of the entire group. Ringier-Fitzroy Station was the control center for the telescope, but even from this close, the transparent lenses were practically invisible
Fog Umbrella Project
The ship itself was a metal seed carrying the total information of human civilization. If it germinated somewhere in the universe, then it might grow into a complete civilization. The part contained the whole, hence human civilization might be holographic as well. He had failed. He had not managed to spread these seeds, and for this he felt regret. But not sadness, and not just because he'd done everything he could to carry out his duty. His mind, now freed, took flight, and he imagined the universe as holographic, every point containing the whole, so that the entire universe endured so long as one atom remained. Suddenly he had an all-encompassing sense of focus, the same feeling that Ding Yi had just over ten hours ago at the other end of the Solar System on the last stage of his approach toward the droplet, while Zhang Beihai was still asleep.
Starship Earth may have few people, but it possesses a highly refined information system through which any problem can easily be put to discussion and vote by all citizens. We can establish the first truly democratic society in human history." "That won't work either." Zhang Beihai shook his head again. "Like those citizens said before, Starship Earth is traveling through the harsh environment of space, where catastrophes that threaten the entire world might occur at any time. Earth's history during the Trisolar Crisis has demonstrated that, in the face of such disasters, particularly when our world needs to make sacrifices in order to preserve the whole, the humanitarian society you have in mind is especially fragile."
All communication could be accomplished through the eyes. As they stared at each other, their interlocking gazes were like information conduits linking their three souls together and communicating everything at high speed. Fuel. Fuel. Fuel.
The most reasonable guess was that it was a token of goodwill from Trisolaris to humanity, expressed through its nonfunctional design and beautiful form. A sincere desire for peace.
It was at this point that people noticed a strange contrast: The mechanical arm was obviously designed purely as a functional object, with a rugged steel frame and exposed hydraulics that felt complicatedly technological and crudely industrial. But the droplet was perfect in shape, a smoothly gleaming, solid drop of liquid whose exquisite beauty erased all functional and technical meaning and expressed the lightness and detachment of philosophy and art
as if through the silence they could hear the sound of time flowing through space
The magnified surface remained a smooth mirror
He had exhausted his imagination painting humanity's defeat in the most disastrous way possible, both for Hines's needs and for his own personal pleasure, but cruel reality far outstripped anything he had imagined.
When the images of the fleet's destruction twenty AU away reached Earth after a three-hour delay, the public behaved like a gang of desperate children, turning the world into a nightmare-plagued kindergarten. Mass mental breakdown spread rapidly, and everything went out of control.
In fact, Zhang Beihai had been exceptionally rational in his thinking. He clearly knew that Earth's suitability for human life was no coincidence, much less an effect of the anthropic principle, but rather was an outcome of the long-term interaction between the biosphere and the natural environment, an outcome that would not likely be repeated on another planet around some far-flung star. His choice of NH558J2 implied another possibility: Perhaps a hospitable world would never be found, and the new human civilization would forever voyage on a starship.
"I'm thinking too simply. There's never been an answer to this question throughout human history, so how can we solve it in one meeting? It will, I think, require a long process of practice and exploration before we can find the social model most suitable for Starship Earth. After the meeting, discussions should be opened up on the issue…. Please forgive me for disrupting the meeting's agenda. We should continue with the original topic."
The depth and expanse of deep space exhibited an arrogance that left no support for the mind or the eyes.
The boundlessness of space nurtured a dark new humanity in its dark embrace.
The universe had once been bright, too. For a short time after the big bang, all matter existed in the form of light, and only after the universe turned to burnt ash did heavier elements precipitate out of the darkness and form planets and life. Darkness was the mother of life and of civilization.
"There are lots of people like him," the young man said, pointing disdainfully at the weeping man. "Unsound of mind." His eyes lit up. "Actually, doomsday is a wonderful time. The most wonderful time, even. This is the only time in history where there's a chance for people to abandon all of their cares and burdens and belong entirely to themselves. It's stupid to be like him. The most responsible way of life right now is to enjoy ourselves while we can."
In this age, the meaning of the term "countryman" had shifted from geography to temporality. But it wasn't used between all hibernators.
But I have a small request: Can you not talk about your plan to save the world? They're always so long. First just tell me what you need me to do.
Not being able to save the world isn't your fault, but giving the world hope only to shatter it again is an unforgiveable sin.
He at once felt both the power and the powerlessness of time: Maybe only a thin layer of sand had been deposited over the course of two centuries, but the long geologic age when humans were not present had produced the mountain that now housed these graves. He
"Were you already aware that the universe is a dark forest?"
In the words of a well-known Trisolaran saying, "Hiding the self through a faithful mapping of the universe is the only path into eternity."
It's correct, though the word "love" is a little vague in the context of scientific discourse


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PokerStars India sponsors eight players to participate in $25 million tournament in Bahamas; none make it to final table
The picturesque island of Bahamas hosted a poker tournament organised by online poker leader PokerStars. The world's leading online poker company hosted the 'PokerStars Caribbean Adventure 2019' from 5th January to 16th January, 2019.
To popularise poker in India, eight players were sponsored by PokerStars to play at the tournament. They entered the tournament by winning $25,000 entry tickets through Platinum Passes offered by Sachiko Gaming Private Limited operated PokerStars India to winners of various other tournaments and online games.
Some of the games through which these eight players won their tickets are Diwali Rush freeroll game and Global Poker League (GPL) India in Goa.
The five-day event, at which the Indians played was called 'PokerStars NL Hold'em Players Championship – $1,000,000 Added to 1st Place'. It was held from January 6th to January 10th. It had a buy-in of $25,000. About 1039 players entered the event, and 250 were eliminated on the first day itself.
The starting stack of the event was 60,000. One of the eight Indians, Nikhil Segal, an architect from Delhi, as per Economics Times, was able to hold on to and gain on the starting stack at the end of the first day. Segal thinks that one has to be focused while playing the game. He started playing poker about15 years ago.
Another Indian player is Raman Gujral. He has also been playing poker for about 15 years. He appreciates the carefree lifestyle that goes with being a poker player.
Other six Indian players at the event included Sharad Rao, who started playing poker at the age of nine; Kavin Shah, who began playing poker in the year 2005 in Australia; an ex stock-broker from Kerela called Aneesh Nair; Sumit Sapra from Chandigarh; and Saurabh Sidhwani and Vivek Singh.
All the eight players busted out of the event. There were other players of Indian-origin at the game, too. The last Indian-origin person to bust out from the game was Ajay Chabra, who bowed out on Day 3 of the event when only 38 players were left out of the 1039 players who entered the play.
The total prize pool of the event was over $25 million.
Related Topics:bahamasonline pokerpokerpokerstarsskill
Deltin Poker Tournament Feb-March 2019 schedules announced
PokerBaazi announces Game Changer tournament from 20-24 February with Rs. 2 crore guaranteed prizepool

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Home Forums > General > General Discussion >
The Doctor Who Tested Spinal Anesthesia By Mashing His Assistant's Testicles
Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by Mahmoud Abudeif, Apr 22, 2021.
Mahmoud Abudeif Golden Member
On August 16, 1898, August Bier went into the history books when he became the first person to perform spinal anesthesia on a patient.
The man had previously undergone general anesthesia, but had suffered from severe side effects during recovery. The 34-year-old was now "hopelessly riddled" with tuberculosis and needed to have ulcers removed from his foot, but dreaded going under general anesthetic again.
Bier had the (cocainey) solution, and suggested to the patient that he try "cocainization of the spinal cord", something that had not been attempted before.
"The lumbar puncture is performed painlessly with the aid of Schleich infiltration anesthesia, infiltrating first the skin and then, with a long needle, the soft tissues down to the vertebral column," Bier wrote of his methods. "The cocaine spreads in the cerebrospinal fluid and reaches not only the surface of the cord but, most importantly, the unsheathed nerves that traverse the space, and also the ganglia."
In layman's terms, he was going to inject a bunch of cocaine into his spinal column. The patient agreed, and the operation was successful. He reported no pain, though he groaned, "aware that something was being done to his sick foot" as "the lower ends of the leg bones were sawn off, and the tuberculous capsule excised".
Apart from headaches during recovery and a raised pulse (unsurprising, considering he'd just been shot up with cocaine), the side effects were minimal. Bier went on to test spinal cord cocainization on five further patients – all without any major problems – before he decided to give it a go himself in order to investigate the headaches and nausea experienced by several of the patients.
This is where the real fun began.
Bier first asked his surgical assistant, Dr August Hildebrandt, to inject him with the solution. During the process, a lot of his cerebrospinal fluid leaked out, making it unsafe to proceed. Instead, he performed the procedure on Dr Hildebrandt, as he "immediately offered to have the same study performed on himself without delay."
Seven minutes after injection, Bier started off his tests with some light tickling of Hildebrandt's feet, and a few needle pricks in his thighs. Nothing was felt except for a little pressure, meaning it was time to escalate matters. Next, he made a small incision on his thigh, before jamming a large, curved, blunt needle in there. Still nothing.
At this point, in what today would surely warrant a "quick chat" with HR, Bier began to really beat the crap out of his colleague. At 10 minutes post-injection, he took a long needle and pushed it down the femur, before "seizing and crushing" the skin with toothed forceps. At 13 minutes, he pushed a burning cigar onto his legs, which was "felt as heat, but not as pain."
At 15 minutes he went back to foot tickling – probably making it all the more surprising when at 20 minutes he started yanking out Hildebrant's pubic hairs (which was only felt as pressure), and his chest hair above the nipples ("very painful") for contrast.
Minute 23 was not a highlight for Hildebrandt, with Bier inflicting "a strong blow to the shin with an iron hammer", but at least he couldn't say it was a total surprise when two minutes later "strong pressure and traction" was applied to his testicles. When someone starts smacking you in the shins with a hammer, surely one of your first thoughts is "you know what, I reckon this guy is the kind of person who's into mashing someone's balls".
The next 20 minutes saw some more hammer blows to the shins and strong pressure to the testicles before the cocaine began to wear off, after which the two doctors proceeded to dine, drink wine, and smoke cigars together. Hildebrandt and Bier both experienced headaches and nausea later, but only Dr Hildebrandt's legs "became painful and bruises developed in several places, especially over the tibia where sensibility had been tested by crushing and heavy blows".
No update was given about the state of his testicles, nor the impact on their professional relationship going forward.
Mahmoud Abudeif, Apr 22, 2021


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Boko Haram Kidnaps 500 Children In Northeastern Nigeria
By Ofeibea Quist-Arcton
Published March 25, 2015 at 3:33 PM CDT
Boko Haram militants have kidnapped hundreds of children and women from a town in northeastern Nigeria - this according to villagers and local officials. The Islamist militants began using abductions as a tactic a couple of years ago, getting international attention with last year's kidnapping of almost 300 schoolgirls. This area was recently liberated from Boko Haram by a regional military coalition. The insurgents are trying to create an Islamic caliphate. NPR's Ofeibea Quist-Arcton is in Nigeria's capital, Abuja. And, Ofeibea, to begin, what more can you tell us about this alleged mass kidnapping?
OFEIBEA QUIST-ARCTON, BYLINE: Well, the senator who represents the area - and that's Borno State in the Northeast, the hardest hit state in the area - Maina Ma'aji Lawan says many hundreds of children - the number's not exact - were missing and that the very young ones were given to (unintelligible) - that's the madrasas, the Islamic schools. He also says that boys and males who are between 16 and 25 years of age are conscripted by Boko Haram and indoctrinated as supply channels for their, in quotes, "horrible mission." And we're talking about Damasak, which is a trading town in Borno near Niger's borders. And just earlier this month, Nigerian and Chadian troops were the ones who apparently drove out the insurgents and secured the town.
CORNISH: What are the Nigerian authorities saying about these alleged abductions?
QUIST-ARCTON: They're saying that the reports are being investigated and giving a slightly different spin to it. I've been talking to Mike Omeri, who's head of counterinsurgency in the government. And he says the people who've been abducted are being used as human shields. Have a listen.
MIKE OMERI: Even if it is one person that is abducted or taken or kidnapped, Nigeria feels concerned. And Nigeria will do its best to rescue that person. Damasak has been retaken, of course. But the people reported to have been taken are being used by Boko Haram as shields against the advancing armed forces because Boko Haram - they are retreating as a result of the threat from the troops.
CORNISH: As you've mentioned, there are forces from neighboring countries now reporting battlefield victories against Boko Haram. Will Nigeria's military be able to hold those gains, especially after essentially the failure to do so for many years?
QUIST-ARCTON: And, Audie, that is exactly what we're hearing from the troops from neighboring countries - that they have secured towns. And they don't see a Nigerian soldier in the area - that they're waiting for them to come and take over so that Boko Haram does not then recapture captured territory. So there seems to be a lack of coordination. But when I spoke to Mike Omeri, he says, no, we are leading this coalition force. And they are helping us, and the coordination is fine. But there are question marks. And look at this incident in Damasak and these boys and children and women apparently being abducted.
CORNISH: Finally, Ofeibea, presidential and parliamentary elections are scheduled to be held on Saturday. Right now, how much of a priority is security to Nigerian voters?
QUIST-ARCTON: Security is a big issue for Nigerians, especially those in the northeast. We're talking about up to a million people who have been displaced in recent months by Boko Haram. One question - are they going to be able to vote? The electoral commission says, yes. And then for other Nigerians, has the government truly got a hand - have they been able to subdue Boko Haram? President Goodluck Jonathan, who is seeking re-election, says, yes, within a month. Many Nigerians are saying, is this certain? After six years, have they really been able to contain Boko Haram within six weeks?
CORNISH: That's NPR's Ofeibea Quist-Arcton, speaking to us from Abuja, Nigeria. Ofeibea, thank you.
QUIST-ARCTON: Always a pleasure. Thank you, Audie. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
Ofeibea Quist-Arcton
Ofeibea Quist-Arcton is an award-winning broadcaster from Ghana and is NPR's Africa Correspondent. She describes herself as a "jobbing journalist"—who's often on the hoof, reporting from somewhere.
See stories by Ofeibea Quist-Arcton


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The difference is that Amazon has data to prove what's popular and easy to sell, and free shipping to get people to buy it online instead of in the store. (That's gotten the attention of the European Commission, which is looking into whether Amazon is harming competition by using data from its sellers to develop its own products.) You can now buy Amazon-produced electric kettles, toasters, office chairs, knife sets, neoprene dumbbells, comforters, suitcases — name a product you'd find in a Walmart, and it's probably already made and sold under the AmazonBasics name. Earlier this month, the company started selling its own mattress, striking fear in the direct-to-consumer mattress startup market dominated by Casper and Tuft & Needle.
Like on Black Friday, for online Cyber Monday shoppers, there's no need to wake before the rooster crows. Honey's Parsi says that for their users, spending peaked at 4 p.m. PST in Los Angeles and 11 p.m. EST in New York City last year. "On Cyber Monday, there is less pressure to get an early start because retailers are often better stocked online, where they store items in large warehouses—not on shop shelves with limited space—and can ship items from different locations to make up for shortfalls," Palmer agrees. "Plus, many Cyber Monday sales actually start on Sunday."
Amazon acquired Junglee in 1998, and the website Junglee.com was launched in India in February 2012[115] as a comparison-shopping website. It curated and enabled searching for a diverse variety of products such as clothing, electronics, toys, jewelry and video games, among others, across thousands of online and offline sellers. Millions of products are browse-able, whereby the client selects a price, and then they are directed to a seller. In November 2017, Amazon closed down Junglee.com and the former domain currently redirects to Amazon India.[116]
After the introduction of the September 5, 2018 'Stop Bad Employers by Zeroing Out Subsidies (Stop BEZOS) Act', Amazon announced to its workers on October 2, 2018, that the minimum wage paid to salaried workers be increased to $15 per hour.[153] The wage increase applies to about 350,000 workers. It does not apply to the majority of Amazon's employees who are contract workers. Furthermore, Amazon has also removed some grants and stock options.
After reading a report about the future of the Internet that projected annual web commerce growth at 2,300%, Bezos created a list of 20 products that could be marketed online. He narrowed the list to what he felt were the five most promising products, which included: compact discs, computer hardware, computer software, videos, and books. Bezos finally decided that his new business would sell books online, due to the large worldwide demand for literature, the low price points for books, along with the huge number of titles available in print.[27] Amazon was founded in the garage of Bezos' rented home in Bellevue, Washington.[25][28][29] Bezos' parents invested almost $250,000 in the start-up.[30]
Amazon puts all of its daily deals into a Gold Box. Check the Today's Deals page to access these daily deals and get limited-time savings of up to 80% off select items, coupons to instantly clip and access to Lightning Deals. Lightning Deals are available only for a limited amount of time and have a countdown timer showing how much time is left to get the discount. Shop before the deal expires or the item sells out.
Given that trust, Amazon has only escalated up its expansion into more industries and markets over the years, with that expansion accelerating since the introduction of the first Amazon Echo speaker with Alexa a little less than four years ago. To fully comprehend just how big the company has grown over the last 25 years, we've put together a guide on every major sector, product category, and market Amazon has entered into either by developing its own products or services, or by acquiring an existing provider with an established position.
Depending on which options you choose, using an online marketplace like Amazon can make the fulfillment process easier for new and small businesses. Not only can Amazon interact with customers on your behalf, saving you time while protecting your personal and private information, but it can also handle the entire shipping process, including returns. As a result, owners can concentrate on building their businesses.
Cyber Monday generally means more retailer-wide discounts, rather than product-specific ones that pop up on Black Friday, says Novickis. But occasionally, the specific products that do get marked down on Cyber Monday are serious steals. "If a merchant stocked up on a product for Black Friday and then it didn't sell as well as expected, there could be a deeper discount on Cyber Monday," she says.
As Seen On TV is a generic nameplate for products advertised on television in the United States for direct-response mail-order through a toll-free telephone number. As Seen On TV advertisements, known as infomercials, are usually 30-minute shows or two-minute spots during commercial breaks. These products can range from kitchen, household, automotive, cleaning, health, and beauty products, to exercise and fitness products, books, or to toys and games for children. Typically the packaging for these items includes a standardized red seal in the shape of a CRT television screen with the words "AS SEEN ON TV" in white, an intentional allusion to the logo of TV Guide magazine.[citation needed]
On July 5, 1994, Bezos initially incorporated the company in Washington State with the name Cadabra, Inc.[21] He later changed the name to Amazon.com, Inc. a few months later, after a lawyer misheard its original name as "cadaver".[22] In September 1994, Bezos purchased the URL Relentless.com and briefly considered naming his online store Relentless, but friends told him the name sounded a bit sinister. The domain is still owned by Bezos and still redirects to the retailer.[23][24]
Amazon lobbies the United States federal government and state governments on issues such as the enforcement of sales taxes on online sales, transportation safety, privacy and data protection and intellectual property. According to regulatory filings, Amazon.com focuses its lobbying on the United States Congress, the Federal Communications Commission and the Federal Reserve. Amazon.com spent roughly $3.5 million, $5 million and $9.5 million on lobbying, in 2013, 2014 and 2015, respectively.[208]
Make sure there are enough funds in the account. Amazon tends to cancel orders until all funds can be paid out of your account. Contact Amazon for full details of what you can do to help them create the order, so you can get it to ship. Amazon doesn't take any money from you until the item ships. For those that are not "fulfillment by Amazon," you'll have to wait at least 30 minutes for the item to complete the transaction - These Marketplace sellers don't see any of your order until that window is clear.
Customers will find products like the card game Codenames (4.8 stars, with more than 2,000 customer reviews), which 88% of reviewers rated 5 stars, and a Lodge 3.5 Inch Cast Iron Mini Skillet (4.4 stars, with more than 10,900 customer reviews), which 76% of reviewers rated 5 stars. Of course, Amazon 4-star shoppers can also find Amazon devices like the Echo Spot (4.5 stars, with more than 5,600 customer reviews), and the Fire TV Stick (4.4 stars, with more than 197,000 customer reviews). Customers can test-drive dozens of Amazon devices and smart home accessories that work with Alexa, and shop a curated selection of speakers, fitness tech, and other highly rated consumer electronics.
Amazon has attracted widespread criticism for poor working conditions by both current employees, who refer to themselves as Amazonians,[178] and former employees,[179][180] as well as the media and politicians. In 2011, it was publicized that at the Breinigsville, Pennsylvania warehouse, workers had to carry out work in 100 °F (38 °C) heat, resulting in employees becoming extremely uncomfortable and suffering from dehydration and collapse. Loading-bay doors were not opened to allow in fresh air, due to the company's concerns over theft.[181] Amazon's initial response was to pay for an ambulance to sit outside on call to cart away overheated employees.[181] The company eventually installed air conditioning at the warehouse.[182]
Thought about upgrading your tablet? Do it now and save on Amazon! Trade in your old Fire tablet today and an Amazon Gift Card equal to the appraised value of your old tablet, plus a bonus 25% off any of the current generation Fire tablets will be applied to your account. Click this coupon to select your tablet model and start the trade-in to save!
Whether you're cleaning the garage or cleaning yourself, preparing for work or preparing a snack, you'll enjoy using brilliant items from HSN. Find a great present for a friendly coworker or a personal and thoughtful item for your close family member. Browse these highly-rated items today and discover gifts of many styles and sizes for all the important people in your life.


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Microsoft to Kill Asha, Series 40, and Nokia X in 18 Months
Today, Microsoft announced some major changes in its smartphone strategy moving forth, including a large number of layoffs from the former Nokia Devices and Services division, but it seems that the company did not reveal all on its plans for the future.
The company said that it would streamline production at some factories and that the engineering process would be restructured to only two of Nokia sites in Finland (though others would continue to operate as support), but it seems that there's more to it. Within the next 18 months, we might see the Asha, Series 40, and Nokia X series of devices completely shut down, as the company is shifting focus on Windows Phone and Lumia devices. Satya Nadella, Microsoft's CEO, has already said that some Nokia X devices will be re-purposed to Lumia phones, and Stephen Elop has reiterated that, while also saying that current Android devices will continue to be available for purchase and will also receive support. However, an internal memo from Jo Harlow, head of Microsoft's phone business, clears things up a bit more, revealing that Asha, Series 40, and Nokia X devices are being moved into "maintenance mode" effective immediately, The Verge reports.
Thus, they will no longer receive new features, although support for them will still be offered for the next 18 months. Past that, these handsets will be completely removed from Microsoft's plans. "This means there will be no new features or updates to services on any Mobile Phones platform as a result of these plans," Jo Harlow reportedly says in the aforementioned internal memo. "Whereas successful hardware was the goal at Nokia; delighting our customers with Microsoft platforms, services and applications through our hardware is our goal at Microsoft," she also notes. Thus, Microsoft will focus completely on Windows Phone and on increasing its market presence in the high-end and entry-level segments, it seems.
"To drive success in the short term, we plan to focus our high end go-to-market strategy on the Lumia 930, Lumia 1520, and other high-end products that we will be announcing very soon," Harlow says. As part of the restructuring plans, Microsoft will also kill MixRadio, it seems. This service too has been moved to maintenance mode, and the company is said to be looking into transforming it into a third-party service, and is also considering spinning it off. Said memo also reveals that the Redmond-based company will work on the building of new flagship products to be released alongside the next iteration of Windows Phone, which will arrive next year under the codename of Threshold.
Image credits to Nokia/Microsoft
New Components for iPhone 6 Leaked: Bigger Battery and Sony Camera Sensor
New reports coming from Chinese and French sources give us a little more insight on the next generation iPhone. Apple future device may be greatly improved when it comes to taking photos and videos and the battery life may be considerably higher.
A report on a Chinese Sony related forum (http://www.digi-wo.com/thread-19938-1-1.html) explains that a component made by Sony will be included in the iPhone 6. The IMX220 camera sensor has a higher megapixel count than the current iPhone 5s camera: 13MP. It also sports a 1/2.3 inch sensor that records videos in 1080p (just like the previous iPhone model). Apple usually doesn't talk about camera specs, but it does compare it to previous models. For example, when the iPhone 5s came out, the device had a sensor that increases the are for pixels by 15 percent and the pixels themselves were larger. The aperture was increased with the iSight camera and light sensitivity was larger by 33 percent. The iPhone 5s also introduced a dual flash and auto image stabilization. The iPhone 5s camera has a sapphire crystal lens cover, backside illumination sensor, five-element lens and a Hybrid IR filter.
Another leak comes from the French blog Nowhereelse.fr and it is related to the battery of the next generation iPhone. According to the mentioned source, the iPhone 6 will incorporate a 1,810 mAh cell which is considerably larger than the 1,560 mAh one found in the iPhone 5s. Sure, the iPhone 6 may have a larger case and that can easily accommodate a larger battery, but it will supposedly have a larger display as well - 4,7 inch instead of a four inch one. The increase will kill the battery even faster so a larger capacity one is a must have. The source says the new capacity is still way behind the battery for Android-powered devices like Galaxy S5 and HTC One (M8). But then again, Apple is optimizing the internal components and software to have a lower power consumption. iOS 8 may also contribute at the way the battery is drained.
The tech giant from California is getting ready to release the new iPhone this fall. The new device might be announced on September 19th and launched a week later, on September 25th. The device will supposedly have a 4.7" diagonal display made from sapphire glass.
Sony sensor to be included in iPhone 6
Image credits to alibaba.com
Microsoft to Kill Asha, Series 40, and Nokia X in ...
New Components for iPhone 6 Leaked: Bigger Battery...


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Violist Meredith Kufchak '16 Goes the Distance: Wins Principal Viola at Dallas Symphony
Meredith Kufchak Photo Credit Sylvia Elzafon
The road to becoming the Principal Viola of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra took Meredith Kufchak '16 on a journey of thousands of miles across the United States. And she didn't win just one job; she won three.
From her hometown of Columbus, Ohio, where she began formal training at age four, Kufchak was empowered to go the distance (1,156 miles to be exact) for college, from Columbus to the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University in Houston, Texas. "College was interesting for me...I was 17 when I went to college. Three of my other siblings Matt, Heather, and Rachel were all there at the same time when I was a freshman," Kufchak said.
These formative years planted the seed in Kufchak's mind that a career as an orchestral player was a path she could see herself pursuing.
After four years of undergraduate study, Kufchak made her next move—this time nearly 2,000 miles—to attend her top choice school, the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, to get her Master of Music degree in Chamber Music Performance studying with Jodi Levitz. "SFCM is unique in that you don't have to have a pre-formed group to be a part of the Chamber Music program," said Kufchak, "It's one of the only programs in the country to do that."
When asked how she realized SFCM was the place she wanted to be, Kufchak said she knew immediately that she wanted to be in San Francisco. "Honestly, I was just blown away by the city. Totally in love—it is so colorful and vibrant. There's so many incredible people," said Kufchak. "Everyone is being one hundred percent totally themselves. It is just one of my favorite places in the world. There isn't a city that I have fallen in love with quite like San Francisco."
The feeling was mutual. San Francisco loved Kufchak back as she thrived in the Bay Area, performing regularly with the Santa Rosa Symphony, New Century Chamber Orchestra, and as Principal Viola of the Fresno Philharmonic Orchestra. She recalled the moment which kickstarted her impending success: her end-of-semester jury performance evaluation. San Francisco Symphony violists Jonathan Vinocour and Yun Jie "Jay" Liu happened to be on her jury panel. Impressed with her playing, they asked her to send over her resume and then invited her to sub with the San Francisco Symphony for a week. One week of subbing quickly turned into becoming a regular face around Davies Symphony Hall, which led to Kufchak meeting SFS Violist Matthew Young, who she says was very important in her journey.
"He really helped me prepare for an audition I was taking," Kufchak said about Young. "We got to know each other well. He actually changed my playing a lot after I left school. I wasn't having lessons as much...Matt helped the puzzle pieces fall into place."
With Young's guidance, Kufchak rigorously prepared for what would shape up to be six auditions in a six-month time frame. She went on to win three of those six positions which yielded yet another 2,500-mile cross-country move upon winning a tenure track position with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. She also landed a contract with the St. Louis Symphony. After an enriching season in Pittsburgh, Kufchak made her final move as she won the position of Principal Viola with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra ahead of the 2019-2020 season.
While her achievements and her skill are extraordinary, Kufchak's deep appreciation for the people she made music with along the way shines brightly. Reflecting on what advice was given to her and what advice she might share with others, Kufchak paused for a moment, "I think it is the people I met along the way that made all the difference for me, and I am so grateful to SFCM for those connections."
Kufchak has one more new experience to look forward to: her first performance under the baton of the Dallas Symphony's new Music Director Fabio Luisi is still to come, January 31 – February 2, 2020 in an opera-in-concert performance of Strauss' Salome. If you find yourself in Dallas that weekend, be sure to attend the performance at the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center and say hello to their delightful new Principal Violist.
Success on the Audition Circuit
Alumni (and Current Students) Win Orchestra Jobs by Way of Chamber Music


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#compassion
#courage
#empathy
#kindness
I've been grappling with how to respond to and reflect upon the current climate of protests in the wake of the death of George Floyd. And then I saw this post by Rachel Ehlers on LinkedIn, and I knew exactly what to do. Her post read:
"In August, 1968, the country was still reeling from the MLK assassination and the race riots.
A brand new children's show took a different approach. Fred Rogers asked François Clemmons to join the show. Officer Clemmons, a black police officer who was a kindly, responsible authority figure, kept his neighborhood safe, and was Mr. Rogers' equal, colleague, and neighbor.
A year later in 1969 when black Americans were still prevented from swimming alongside whites, Mr. Rogers invited Officer Clemmons to join him and cool his feet in a wading pool. Most young kids were probably unaware of the real weight the episode carried, but the image of a white man tending to the needs of a black man was seared in their minds nonetheless.
25 years later, when François Clemmons retired, his last scene on the show revisited that same wading pool, this time reminiscing. Officer Clemmons asked Mr. Rogers what he'd been thinking a quarter century before. Fred Rogers' answer was that he'd been thinking of the many ways people say "I love you."
In a world screaming out for tolerance, acceptance, kindness, and love - choose to be a Fred Rogers - because if more people could find a way to love others the way he did, without barriers, this world would be a much better place...."
That is it exactly. It is appropriate to be angry right now. It is brave to demand change of others. It is also important to remember that the basis for all the change needed in our world is kindness, empathy, and love. Kind, empathetic people who love one another don't cause their death by asphyxiation on a public road with others watching and shouting to stop. The driving force must be love.
I've also felt hopeless in light of the death of George Floyd. I've felt that this has happened so many times before, and continues to happen, no matter the protests and the Black Lives Matter movement. I've felt that things won't change. But then I remembered two things:
One, the civil rights movement did result in change. It created leaps and bounds of change.
Two, there is still work to be done, and even seemingly small and quiet acts - just like those of Mr. Rogers - did and will make a difference.
Now I know that I can make a difference. I can make a difference by believing that change is possible, by living that change everyday, by engaging in even small and quiet acts to make the world a better place, especially to make Black Lives Matter in a world that doesn't always give black lives the importance they deserve.
Thank you, Fred Rogers, for teaching us how to change the world. If you'd like to read more about the two Mister Rogers' episodes with Officer Clemmons and the pool, read more here and here.
As Mahatma Gandhi said: "Be the change you wish to see in the world."
What will you do to be the change?
More Calm in the Chaos
Number 1 Way to Tackle a Big Problem, According to My Dog
Your Heart May Be Down
For the Love of Animals: From Sh*tshow to Snuggles!
Are You Wasting Your Time? Maybe Not.


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Home Wire General Springer's HR in 11th gives Astros 7-6 win, ties Series 1-1
Springer's HR in 11th gives Astros 7-6 win, ties Series 1-1
LOS ANGELES (AP) – George Springer screamed with joy as he circled the bases after hitting a two-run homer in the 11th inning.
Would it be enough? Was this the final plot twist on one of the wildest nights in postseason history?
Yes, it was – barely – and the Houston Astros won a World Series game for the first time in their 56 seasons.
Charlie Culberson hit a two-out homer in the bottom half off winner Chris Devenski, who then struck out Yasiel Puig in a tense, nine-pitch at-bat. The Astros outlasted the Los Angeles Dodgers 7-6 in a Hollywood thriller Wednesday night to tie the Series at one game apiece.
"This is an instant classic and to be part of it is pretty special," Astros starter Justin Verlander said.
On a night of dramatic swings and a World Series-record eight home runs, Marwin Gonzalez stunned the Dodger Stadium crowd with a solo shot off dominant Los Angeles closer Kenley Jansen on an 0-2 pitch in the ninth that made it 3-all.
Jose Altuve and Carlos Correa hit consecutive home runs against Josh Fields in the 10th to build a 5-3 Astros lead, with Correa making a big bat flip to celebrate.
But there was more. Much, much more.
"That's the craziest game that I've ever played in, and it's only Game 2," Springer said
Puig homered off Ken Giles starting the bottom of the 10th and Enrique Hernandez knotted the score 5-5 with a two-out RBI single.
Devenski entered and with Hernandez at second, a wild pickoff throw headed toward center field before it struck second base umpire Laz Diaz. An incredulous Hernandez put both hands on his head, unable to advance, and was stranded when Chris Taylor flied out.
Cameron Maybin, who had entered in the 10th, singled leading off the 11th against losing pitcher Brandon McCarthy, a surprise addition to the Dodgers' World Series roster who was pitching for the first time since Oct. 1. Maybin stole second and Springer hit a drive to right-center for a 7-5 lead, just the third 11th-inning home run in the Series after shots by Kirby Puckett in 1991 and David Freese in 2011.
Springer, an All-Star leadoff hitter, was 0 for 4 with four strikeouts in the Series opener Tuesday.
Devenski retired Corey Seager and Justin Turner on lineouts in the bottom half. Puig checked his swing on a 2-2 pitch – the Astros jumped when first base umpire Gerry Davis signaled no swing – and Puig fouled off two more. Devenski threw his fifth straight changeup, and Puig swung over it as the Astros ran onto the field to celebrate after finally closing out a back-and-forth game that lasted 4 hours, 19 minutes.
"Oh my gosh, it was crazy. A lot of emotions, a lot of feelings," Correa said. "The ball flies at this ballpark."
After another steamy night in a Santa Ana heat wave, the series shifts to Texas and resumes Friday at Houston's Minute Maid Park, where the retractable roof has not been open for a game since June 8. Lance McCullers Jr. starts for the Astros and Yu Darvish for the Dodgers, who acquired him from Texas at the July 31 trade deadline.
Houston is 6-0 at home in the postseason, where the Astros have outscored the Red Sox and Yankees by a combined 31-7, but just 2-5 on the road.
Before Gonzalez's home run, the Dodgers had an 85 percent chance of winning, according to Fangraphs. After Correa's long ball, the Astros were a 93 percent favorite.
"Up, down, up, down, up," Springer said, describing his emotions over the last few innings. "That's a heck of a game right there."
Verlander, wearing an undershirt, entered the dugout in the 11th inning to scream at his teammates that the game was not over.
Alex Bregman's RBI single in the third gave Houston its first lead of the Series, a hit that might have turned into a three-run, inside-the-park homer had not the ball bounced off the bill of Taylor's hat in center and deflected right to Joc Pederson in left.
Los Angeles had just two hits through seven innings but led 3-1 behind Pederson's fifth-inning solo homer and Seager's two-run drive in the sixth against Verlander. It was Pederson's first home run since July 26.
Jansen entered with a 3-1 lead for his first six-out save in a year after Bregman doubled leading off the eighth against Brandon Morrow, a ball that ticked off the glove of a diving Puig in the right-field corner.
Correa's RBI single off Jansen ended a record 28-inning postseason scoreless streak by the Dodgers' bullpen.
Gonzalez was an unlikely candidate for a tying homer. He had not driven in a run in his 45 plate appearances since Houston's postseason opener.
As the slanting sun illuminated the green hills of Elysian Park behind center field and the ochre-tinted San Gabriel Mountains beyond, retired Dodgers broadcaster Vin Scully took the mound for the ceremonial first pitch. The 89-year-old, who left the booth in 2016 after his 67th season, charmed the crowd when he began "somewhere up in heaven, Duke Snider, Jackie Robinson, Roy Campanella and Gil Hodges are laughing their heads off" at his presence on the mound. He feigned an arm injury and turned the ritual over to Fernando Valenzuela, who helped the Dodgers win their 1981 title.
The game-time temperature was 93 degrees – down 10 degrees from the opener. Celebrities in the sellout crowd of 54,293 included golfers Tiger Woods and Fred Couples, and former NFL quarterback Peyton Manning.
Houston improved to 10-0 in nine starts and one relief appearance by Verlander, the 2011 AL MVP and Cy Young Award winner obtained in a trade from Detroit at the Aug. 31 deadline to be eligible for the Astros' postseason roster.
More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball
Houston Astros' Carlos Correa, George Springer one Marwin Gonzalez celebrate after Game 2 of baseball's World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2017, in Los Angeles. The Astros won 7-6 to tie the series at 1-1. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Houston Astros' George Springer celebrates after a home run against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the 11th inning of Game 2 of baseball's World Series Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2017, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Houston Astros' George Springer celebrates after hitting a two-run home run during the 11th inning of Game 2 of baseball's World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2017, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)
Houston Astros' Marwin Gonzalez celebrates his home run with Carlos Correa during the ninth inning of Game 2 of baseball's World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2017, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Houston Astros' Jose Altuve reacts after hitting a home run during the 10th inning of Game 2 of baseball's World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2017, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Houston Astros' Jose Altuve is congratulated by Carlos Correa after hitting a home run during the 10th inning of Game 2 of baseball's World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2017, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)
Los Angeles Dodgers' Yasiel Puig reacts after diving for a ball hit by Houston Astros' Alex Bregman during the eighth inning of Game 2 of baseball's World Series Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2017, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher Kenley Jansen sits in the dugout during the ninth inning of Game 2 of baseball's World Series against the Houston Astros Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2017, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Los Angeles Dodgers' Yasiel Puig reacts as he bats during the 11th inning of Game 2 of baseball's World Series against the Houston Astros Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2017, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Alex Bregman
Brandon McCarthy
Brandon Morrow
Cameron Maybin
Carlos Correa
Charlie Culberson
Chris Devenski
Chris Taylor
Corey Seager
Duke Snider
George Springer
Josh Fields
Justin Verlander
Ken Giles
Kenley Jansen
Kike Hernandez
Lance McCullers
Marwin Gonzalez
MLB World Series
Professional baseball
Sports trading
Sports transactions
Yasiel Puig
Yu Darvish
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Fall sports could be 'blended in with winter and spring sports'
File Photo, Courtesy of Ariana Mendoza
Cal Lutheran sports teams await Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference approval for all sports to resume in spring 2021.
Ariana Salinas, Reporter
California Universities are looking into the possibility of moving their fall 2020 sports seasons to the coming spring so all student-athletes have the opportunity to participate in their respective sports.
In an email interview, Jim McHugh, associate vice president for Athletic Affairs at California Lutheran University, said that while there is no set schedule for spring or winter sports, if a schedule is created, fall sports "would be blended in with the winter and spring sports," playing a conference-only schedule.
"We are really hoping that if the plan is approved [by the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference presidents] and the state and county regulations allow, fall sports will be able to be played in the spring," McHugh said.
McHugh said shifting the fall 2020 sports into winter and spring would not effect their 2021-2022 season, it would instead create an expanded, non-traditional season. Each team will have scheduled usage times for shared athletic facilities.
While many athletes are eager to get back to playing the sports they love, the stands are not going to be as they were before COVID-19.
"Currently there is no plan to have fans in the stands at the games. Students and families will be able to see the games streamed online," McHugh said.
Limiting the number of people at each sporting event will hopefully decrease the spread of COVID-19 among athletes, coaches, referees and spectators.
McHugh shared that Cal Lutheran Athletics currently doesn't know what the COVID-19 testing protocols will look like in the spring. However, "right now the state requires that college athletics have a COVID testing plan in order for athletes to return to practice and compete," such as frequency of testing and those testing positive being placed in isolation.
The NCAA is also requiring testing, with results obtained within 72 hours, for eligibility to compete in high-contact sports.
In regards to funding fall, winter and spring sports simultaneously in spring 2021, McHugh said that each sport will use the same funding they would have used for their original 2020-2021 season.
"Health and safety are paramount when trying to figure out what sports can play in a pandemic," said former Cal Lutheran president, Chris Kimball, in an interview with the Ventura County Star.
Ariana Salinas


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BY DAVID TILSEN
After the election last November, the national Bernie Sanders Campaign launched an effort to start a national organization to continue the work of the millions of people who supported Senator Sanders. This organization, called Our Revolution (OR), was received well, and activists enthusiastically started chapters all over the country. A meeting in the Twin Cities with several hundred people in attendance was held and a Twin Cities OR was formed. Sometime later, another group calling itself OR Minnesota was also formed. Unfortunately there was discord between the two groups. There were lawsuits over who had the right to the name and logo, and there were charges that mailing lists, and online lists were appropriated. The dispute got very ugly.
The Minnesota OR, which was chaired by Travis Thompson and a volunteer board, was trying to organize in the state. They had several successful chapters, and several candidates ran for local and legislative seats under that banner. In an effort to solve the dispute, and bring accountability to the organization, a founding convention was called for Alexandria, Minn., on Saturday Sept. 16. I attended the convention.
It was exciting. There were several hundred people gathered in what used to be a movie theater, and the agenda, which called for election of a board of directors and several educational programs, was distributed. The first panel was made up of people who had run or were currently running for office. There was a lot of interest in a candidate for the Duluth City Council who had survived the primary and was campaigning hard in Duluth. I was glad to meet this energetic and intelligent young man. I was feeling good.
Then trouble started. A South Minneapolis friend, whom I had worked with on the Alondra Cano campaign named Nick Espinosa, arrived. We embraced when we saw each other, but he was quickly shuffled into a back room. What I didn't know, and later found out, was that he was not welcome. The former ad hoc board had banned him from the convention and from running for the board. He had decided to attend anyway, feeling that the banning was unreasonable. He was supported in a letter by a large number of the Twin City OR activists.
The group was stunned when the police were called and he was dragged out of the theater and arrested. People demanded to know why. The leadership of the convention was unwilling to explain anything, and it took quite a lot of talking to get any idea. I went to Travis Thompson and asked him for an explanation. I was told to get out of his room backstage or I would be arrested also. I walked onto the stage and people were yelling for an explanation. None was forthcoming; the leadership said we were breaking for lunch.
I went over to the Douglas county jail and was told that Nick was indeed in custody, and that he would be held until Monday when a judge would decide on bail. No one was allowed to visit him. There were lots of rumors about all kinds of nasty things that Nick was accused of, but again, no response to the members from the leadership, no actual accusers. I found out that he was a party to the lawsuit over the logo, and that there were other charges, which I will not repeat here, as there was never any valid information about them. I contacted people that knew Nick in Minneapolis, and although there was dismay, I didn't really get any reliable information.
In spite of this terribly-handled situation, the meeting stayed disciplined. The board elections were held, and a couple of the people who had signed the letter objecting to Nick's banning were elected to the board.
There was also an excellent presentation on Universal Health Care led by Annie Jones from Rochester and Senator John Marty of Roseville.
I drove home in the rain.
I don't know what to think at this point. I am hopeful that the organization will pull itself together; the new board seems to be serious and committed. Since Mr. Thompson left the gathering during the lunch period, the remaining people urged the group to get Nick released. The management of the venue did finally tell the police that they would not press charges, and so, as I was driving home, I received a text message that Nick was released. I am glad about that.
Nick says that he believes the whole thing was related to the dispute between the two OR organizations, and that it will be resolved by the new board. I still have not been able to get a statement from anyone who supported the banning and arrest of Nick.
Nick commented on his Facebook page: "I know there are still conflicts within our group that need to be resolved, and I'm committed to doing my part to resolving them in a democratic and restorative framework.
"Thank you to everyone who called to make sure I got out tonight, to those who made the trip to Alexandria from all corners of the state, to everyone who voted online, and to those who are ready to work to build a unified progressive movement across our state that has the potential to change the course of history."
Twin Cities DSA's short, hot summer
Lock him up!


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Search - Little Willie John :: Mister Little Willie John/Talk to Me
Mister Little Willie John/Talk to Me
Genres: Jazz, Pop, R&B
Track Listings (28) - Disc #1
Let's Rock While The Rockin's Good
Look What You've Done To Me
Are You Ever Coming Back
Don't Leave Me My Dear
All My Love Belongs To You
Will The Sun Shine Tomorrow
You Got To Get Up Early In The Morning
A Little Bit Of Loving
Why Don't You Haul Off And Love Me
I've Been Around
Drive Me Home
I'll Carry Your Love Wherever I Go
No More In Life
Uh Uh Baby
Until You Do
Don't Be Shamed To Call My Name
If I Thought You Need Me
There Is Someone In This World For Me
Do Something For Me
Letter From My Darling
Digitally remastered two-fer containing a pair of albums from the Blues great, plus bonus tracks, on one CD. This release includes Little Willie John's second and third albums, Talk To Me and Mister Little Willie John, bot... more »h of which were recorded in 1958. These LPs offer a solid introduction into this man's special brand of Soul balladry, musical feeling, passionate delivery and R&B innovation. He was one of James Brown's primary influences, and Brown would later use a similar approach for his own more orchestrated ballads. Here, you'll find the foot-tapping rhythms, spine-tingling styling and the sentimental mood renderings so typical of his personal appearances. 28 tracks. Hoo Doo Records. 2010. « less
All Artists: Little Willie John
Title: Mister Little Willie John/Talk to Me
Label: 101 DISTRIBUTION
Album Type: Import
SwapaCD Credits: 1
Other Editions: Mister Little Willie John
Digitally remastered two-fer containing a pair of albums from the Blues great, plus bonus tracks, on one CD. This release includes Little Willie John's second and third albums, Talk To Me and Mister Little Willie John, both of which were recorded in 1958. These LPs offer a solid introduction into this man's special brand of Soul balladry, musical feeling, passionate delivery and R&B innovation. He was one of James Brown's primary influences, and Brown would later use a similar approach for his own more orchestrated ballads. Here, you'll find the foot-tapping rhythms, spine-tingling styling and the sentimental mood renderings so typical of his personal appearances. 28 tracks. Hoo Doo Records. 2010.
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text:
On Architecture and Tourism Part 2: If You Build It, They Will Come
Recent estimates have put the number of tourists visiting the Colosseum at upwards of six million annually. In Egypt, tourism is once again on the rise following its recent political upheavals, but it drew 14.7 million visitors during its peak in 2010. Kenzo Tange's Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park has attracted over 53 million people since its opening in 1955 and continues to attract one million visitors annually.
Today, municipal and national officials are coming to understand the cultural and economic value of architecture centred tourism. In cities with high tourist traffic, billions of dollars are generated, much of which is fed back into the local economy. Income from the tourism industry can help support better infrastructure, improvements in social programs, increased property values, opportunities for new businesses and more in local communities.
However, creating attractions that draw tourism can be costly, or impractical. Architecturally stunning buildings offer a broad return on investment, as they have the capacity to host businesses, provide office space, invite tourism and enhance the aesthetic experience of local residents.
The oil rich city-state of Dubai quickly recognized the value of bold architecture and is erecting monumental architectural projects, like the Burj Khalifa and Burj Al Arab, at a breakneck pace. It currently attracts nearly 10 million visitors each year with no signs of slowing down.
In Bilbao, the Frank Gehry designed Guggenheim Museum was the catalyst for turning the once heavily industrialised region into an attractive and dynamic tourist destination. In 1995, Bilbao claimed only 25,000 tourists; in 2009 (2 years after the completion of Gehry's Guggenheim) the number of tourists had increased to a staggering 615,000. Today, tourism in the region generates €300 million for the Biscayan GDP and the impact of buildings by star architects in revitalizing areas in decline is referred to as the "Bilbao Effect."
Frank Gehry has made a name for himself on the international stage as an architect of landmarks. Whether it's the Guggenheim Bilbao Museum in Spain, the Ray and Maria Stat Center at MIT or the Dancing House in Prague, his works invite the attention of tourists from all over the world and speak volumes about art, creativity and experimentation in our society.
As Toronto strives to assert itself on the global stage, daring architectural landmarks are part of the portrait of a world-class city and a way to tell its story to future generations. Mirvish+Gehry promises to be no different than Gehry's other projects and will surely hold a special place in the pantheon of architecture.


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Garrett > News > What's Happening at Garrett > WATCH TODAY: Garrett Webinar Dives into Real-World Benefits of Its Groundbreaking, Industry-First E-Turbo
WATCH TODAY: Garrett Webinar Dives into Real-World Benefits of Its Groundbreaking, Industry-First E-Turbo
As the automotive world continues to put more focus on hybridized powertrains, Garrett Motion is introducing a new key technology to push the needle further – its state-of-the-art "E-Turbo".
As recently announced with Mercedes-AMG, the world's first E-Turbo for passenger vehicles is an evolution of modern turbocharging technology with immense benefits to automakers and, ultimately, those behind the wheel of hybrid vehicles. To help explain the many facets of its E-Turbo technology and its application in the real world, Garrett has released a deep-dive E-Turbo webinar hosted by Garrett Senior Director of Powertrain Peter Davies.
After a brief registration, users can access the 27-minute guided video by clicking here.
Throughout the webinar, Davies walks viewers through what initially motivated Garrett to enter the untapped E-Turbo space, the overall functionality of E-Turbos, real-world testing of an expanded fleet and much more.
"We all know that the world of powertrain is changing at an unprecedented rate. Electrification is taking place everywhere, and the world of turbocharging is no different," Davies states in the webinar. "Hybridization is an even bigger trend than fully electric vehicles. Hybrids should reach 30% of the market by 2025, of which many of those hybrids may be turbocharged as well. . . what this gives us is the opportunity to electrify the turbo as well."
Along with this new webinar, Garrett also offers registered users free access to its whitepapers with even more information on all its technologies. The E-Turbo whitepaper can be accessed by clicking here.
Garrett E-Turbo Technology Accelerating Global Powertrain Electrification Trends Beginning with Mercedes-AMG
Announced Mercedes-AMG E-Turbo partnership adds to Garrett's list of industry innovations Garrett technology electrification platforms integrate hardware and software controls ROLLE, Switzerland, June 17, 2020…
The Case for Electric Turbo to Optimize Performance, Efficiency in Advanced Hybrid Powertrains
Electric Turbo innovation Between now and 2025, the auto industry worldwide will undergo an enormous transformation that will include 48-volt mild hybrids, high-voltage hybrids and…
Understanding the Difference Between Electrified and Electric
"Electrification" has become a great, big, giant buzzword in the automotive industry as the global pursuit of cleaner more efficient energy imprints itself upon the…
Garrett Motion Showcased the Electric Turbocharger for first time at IAA 2019
On display for the first time will be Garrett's "E-Turbo" for mass market passenger vehicles, expected to launch in 2021 Garrett will display additional turbo…
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