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Tor Meditation
Dion Fortune and Egyptian Magic
Dion Fortune Quotations
Cosmic Doctrine & Quantum Mechanics
Art of Changing Consciousness
Magic of Dion Fortune
What is Consciousness?
A new approach to 'The Cosmic Doctrine'
Dion Fortune and the Other Arthuriad
Meditation Instructions
Dion Fortune and Merlin
The Seven Planes of Consciousness (part 2)
The Rationale of Magic
Life's Works
Collected Resources
Dion Fortune's 'The Chant of the Elements'
Dion Fortune and her Inner Plane contacts
Grail Papers
The Rite of the Master Jesus
Guild of the Master Jesus: the teaching papers Pt 1
Communications Received
Written by Peter Nascien
Category: Authored Articles
A talk given by Wendy Berg to the Dion Fortune Seminar 2018, held in Glastonbury Town Hall on Saturday 22nd September
I'd like to speak today about Dion Fortune and Merlin.
There has to be a Merlin with Dion Fortune! We know that this must be so. There is no way that the most influential and forward-looking occultist of the 20th century would not have had a connection with Merlin and would not have been guided by him in some shape or form. We know that Merlin was there with her, just as he is always here, somewhere, in the background to our magical work. Just as we know that of course there must be a Gandalf to guide the Fellowship of the Ring, or a Dumbledore to guide Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, or a Yoda to guide the Jedi Knights.
When we think about the connection between Merlin and Dion Fortune, it's important though to bear in mind that in the 1930s very little had been published about Merlin other than a few versions of the Arthurian and Grail legends and academic studies of mediaeval literature. It's only in the last 30 years or so that a great deal of new information has come to light, pioneered by folk such as R.J. Stewart, John and Caitlin Matthews and Mike Harris. Their research and perception of Merlin brings to light much that is contained in for example the writings of Geoffrey of Monmouth in his History of the Kings of Britain in which Merlin is depicted as a wild man of the woods, living alone, half mad, having been much affected by witnessing the death of his friends in battle, and at the same time inspired with visions and given to prophecy. Similar but earlier material is found for example in The Black Book of Carmarthen.
There's a great deal in these stories of Merlin that we can relate to. They provide readable descriptions of his appearance and his life in the wilds which makes it easy for us to visualise him. He appears quite close to our own lives because he is dealing with recognisable human problems in a recognisable human world. But of course none of this more recently discovered material was available to Dion Fortune, so we can only look to her own writings for information on how she perceived Merlin, and how he appeared to her. And this is where it becomes a little more difficult because, surprisingly, she has left almost no written reference to how she was influenced by him or what her method of contact was with him, and although there are many word for word written accounts of her conversations with numerous other Inner plane guides, none refer to Merlin. Which came as a bit of a shock to me when I began to write this talk!
We find her fullest commentary on Merlin in her 'Avalon of the Heart,' which was first published in 1934. In this book, Merlin is very tentatively described as a possible guide who might have come from Atlantis and who might possibly have brought the magical powers of especially bred Atlantean priesthood, to Britain. It does sound as if she is quite hesitant to put these ideas into writing, perhaps because they were so new and so revolutionary at the time.
"Is there any possibility that in the legends of Merlin and the drowned lands of Lyonesse we are touching the history of Lost Atlantis? Is there any possibility that Avalon, with its undercurrent of pagan legend, was originally an Atlantean colony? Is it possible that Merlin was an Atlantean - a priest-initiate; and in presiding at the birth of Arthur he was carrying out the Atlantean custom of kings bred for wisdom? In order to bring the higher consciousness of the evolved Atlantean race into the Celtic tribes of the colonized island, did Merlin in defiance of the strict laws of the sacred clan, and in pursuit of ends of his own, cross the Atlantean stock on the Celt, and so breed Arthur?"
In the early 1930s there was nothing untoward with these views but there is much here that we might now feel uneasy about. And I must say that it does provide us with a very positive affirmation of how we have changed over the last 80 years or so regarding these 'Atlantean' ideas of elitism, special breeding, forced marriages, segregation, privilege and a caste system which were thought of quite differently in the 1930s.
Now wouldn't it have been interesting if someone had said to Dion Fortune: "No, sorry, no possibility whatsoever, silly idea, just forget it." Wouldn't the course of 20th century magic have been so very different if we hadn't had these ideas of Atlantis, with its sacred clans, special breeding, forced marriages, segregation, superior blood-lines and elitism conveyed to us? Later, in 1940, she wrote: "Merlin was unquestionably a druid priest and tradition declares him to be an Atlantean." A tradition which she had just invented of course. (quoted in The Magical Battle of Britain ed Gareth Knight, published by Skylight Press, page 46)
However, it's important to place these ideas within the context of Dion Fortune's magical environment at the time. She was establishing a new, different, forward-looking, expansive and inclusive magical fraternity that would be based on the best of what was already in place, but would also speak to people who had just come through the 1st World War and were looking forwards to a new order of things; the new generation of the 20th century who were beginning to set the pattern for the coming of the Aquarian Age. So she needed on the one hand to emphasise the magical tradition in which she and her group could claim authenticity, while on the other hand she needed to find something new, some new way of thinking, some new magical impulse, on which to carry things forward.
As we know, all this is very necessary for anyone starting a new esoteric school - or a new school of anything, come to that - and a method which we all adopt when needs be. We claim our tradition and we name - or at least mysteriously hint at - our Inner plane teachers, and the longer and older that tradition, and the more exalted the teachers, the better.
So Dion Fortune's position was that while she acknowledged the influence of those who had immediately preceded her: the Theosophists such as Blavatsky and Besant, the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, Masonry, spiritualism and so on, the something new and different was Merlin, and Atlantis. She herself believed that she was a Priestess from Atlantis. But up until then, although the concept of Atlantis was beginning to appear in esoteric theory, it was certainly not a name that was generally known and recognised as it is today.
However, no sooner had she introduced the possibility of recalling your past life in Atlantis and had given it some authority and credence, than everyone wanted to do it, so that it became, it seems to me, almost the pre-requisite of any magical priest or priestess worth their salt. It does seem to have created quite a pressure on the members of her Fraternity to recall the details of their life in Atlantis in order to be taken seriously. Some of their descriptions are interesting to read; others are a little less convincing.
So, for example, if we read some of the descriptions written by her and members of her magical Fraternity of the sacred mountain of Atlantis with its three levels of existence we find that although life for the priests sounds fine in their comfortable and privileged existence on the top level, conditions further down the mountain were not so good. "All slaves were branded on the chest with a hot iron; their skin was like leather and they made no fuss. They ate their dead, and in their little wattle hovels their pickled joints could be seen hanging about." And it gets worse…. "There was no drainage system. Garbage was thrown over the side of the mountain and the lower population lived on it….much was left uncleared but in those days the sense of smell was not much developed." Well, thank goodness for that. (quoted from The Arthurian Formula, ed Gareth Knight, published by Skylight Press, page 161)
Now I'm in no position to say whether or not this is a true and accurate description of life at the foot of the sacred mountain, or even if there was a sacred mountain, or even if there was an Atlantis. I don't think any of us are, although the idea became thoroughly embedded in the magical beliefs of Dion Fortune's Fraternity, now the Society of the Inner Light, whose magical practice at all levels is based on these 'memories' of Atlantis. To my mind, the point is not that we should become embroiled in Atlantean garbage disposal systems but look a little higher.
As I mentioned, one of the threads of the magical tradition DF aligned herself and her group with, was that of the Theosophists such as Blavatsky, not least in Blavatsky's description of what she called the seven root races of humanity. She named the first five of these root races as the Arctic, Hyperborean, Lemurian, Atlantean, the so-called Aryan root race of the present, and there are still two more to come. In this overview of the entire cycle of human history, the 'root race' acts as a sort of essential representative or central focus from which all else develops during that Age. As with any group or organisation, in accordance with natural law and the inevitable progress of evolution, each of these Ages, and each Root Race, eventually comes to a natural end but the best of their knowledge, achievements and wisdom are transmitted to the next Age in a series of evolutionary waves, so that each new human civilisation builds on the progress of the previous ages. This might all sound like remote and obscure occult theory but if we apply the same ideas to our own lives as a general principle of how things work, it makes common sense - which is what we want.
Another way of thinking about this seven-fold progression of humanity is to consider each Age as a stage in the gradual unfolding and development of our consciousness, both in the very general terms of the entire history of humanity's life on earth, but also in the way in which we are each progressing during our own present lives. It is generally said in this vast overall view of history that the Atlanteans had reached the stage in human development where they possessed strongly developed natural instincts, so they were psychically well attuned to natural energies and were very sensitive to sound, colour and light. On the other hand what was just beginning to develop for them was the gradual opening up and exploration of their emotional bodies, perhaps as we tend to do in our youth, with all the turbulent upheavals that entails. Their emotional stage, according to this theory, was at what is now sometimes called the lower emotional body in which the instincts of fight or flight are the most pronounced.
What the Atlanteans hadn't really developed at all, according to this scheme, was the use of the so-called concrete mind or lower mind: the rational, reasoning part of our consciousness that allows us to acquire knowledge, to learn, to make rational, logical and objective decisions - a faculty that we have now developed to a considerable extent. This means that although the Atlanteans were good at tuning in to, and using, the psychic energies and were effective in the practice of a type of instinctual magic, they lacked the higher understanding of what they were doing and why.
It's often said that magically, things didn't always go too well in Atlantis; that inevitably their instinctual powers were not always used for the general good but for individual ego, power and advancement so that things could get out of hand, and that there was conflict between the so-called 'white' magicians and the 'black' magicians which is said to have been in part responsible for the end of that Age.
Following this line of thought through to ourselves as the fifth 'wave' of humanity, and the future sixth and seventh root races, it seems that what humanity still has to develop is to gain understanding and control over our emotional bodies, to learn to become less ruled by our instincts towards fight or flight, and to develop our higher emotions of love, tolerance and compassion. Also to become less reliant on our so-called lower minds that acquire knowledge, until we relate to life purely through our higher minds which bring us the ability to intuitively understand the whole picture of things and to understand how everything is related to everything else - until ultimately we evolve into entirely spiritual beings. Still a little way to go yet, but I think we're getting there.
I've emphasised this connection between Dion Fortune, Merlin and Atlantis for two reasons. First, that it's easy to focus on the apparently glamorous 'magic' side of Atlantis - which I think DF is a little guilty of encouraging in novels such as The Sea Priestess - rather than get to the point of the exercise. Which is to consider that if indeed Merlin is bringing us the wisdom of the highest achievement of sacred and magical work practiced in Atlantis, what is that wisdom? What is the message that Merlin conveyed to Dion Fortune, and conveys now to us, regarding our magical and spiritual progress and our work on the evolutionary path for the benefit of all humanity? And how can we pass that on to those who follow us?
In this regard, we find that Dion Fortune does make one specific comment which wonderfully defines Merlin's teaching as: "Knowledge of the use of the invisible forces for the Group Mind and racial consciousness." (The Arthurian Formula page 72)
What she's telling us here is that although what we think of as magical work might be traced back to Atlantis, we now need to apply our knowledge of what these invisible energies or forces are, which will lead us to understand what we're doing, and how, and why. In other words, we need to apply the ability of our rational, so-called lower or concrete mind which brings discretion. Although the Atlanteans may have been adept in instinctively tuning in to the unseen energies, we need to learn about what they are rather than rely on instinct or gut feeling.
The second point DF is makes in this statement is we should now, under Merlin's guidance, think in terms of the group rather than our individual needs. By Group Mind, she means any group which we work in or identify with, from this temporary group gathered here today, to the esoteric groups we work in, to the land and nation we identify with and indeed to the group which is the whole of humanity.
And by 'racial consciousness' - not a term we would use nowadays - she's referring to the way in which new ideas, or trends, or movements suddenly seem to take hold in many people's minds simultaneously across the world. Movements such as the Arab Spring, or Populism, or the 'Not in my name' movement, or 'Me Too.'
The Group Mind now, is moving towards thinking in Aquarian rather than Piscean terms. We are moving towards thinking in terms of synthesis rather than segregation, inclusiveness rather than hierarchy, individual gnosis rather than restrictive authority, and in terms of diversity, equality, good will and compassion. None of these qualities, it seems, were present in Atlantis. So again it's encouraging to realise that we are moving forward.
But this presents us with quite a challenge if we try to identify anything specific that Merlin taught Dion Fortune, and which he is teaching us, because it means that Merlin is working at a higher level than we might suppose. It means that he has no concern for our individual lives, nor with providing us with specific information. It means that he doesn't offer us personal guidance, or help us in making decisions as to whether to do this, or that. And even if it makes sense to us that Merlin was once in Atlantis, he certainly isn't going to teach us about Atlantis! He's going to teach us about how to develop the mental and spiritual capacities that we already possess in order to achieve a greater understanding of the Inner causes behind outward appearances. How to achieve a better understand the energies of the universe in which we live, how to develop a higher, more abstract, more universal sense of understanding of why things are as they are - and how to use them for the greater good.
And to all that, I would like to add something that I'm sure DF was aware of: the idea of Britain as Merlin's Enclosure. That the very land and surrounding islands of Britain are somehow particular and essential to Merlin's work. Another of her Inner plane contacts, some time in the early 1930s, told her that Merlin was the 'Logos of the Green Ray in these Islands.' And there is much in this statement that we can relate to. This places Merlin behind the inspiration and power that reaches us through the elemental contacts, through the Faery tradition, through the appreciation of the Earth as a living organism whose energy can be contacted through its sacred sites, standing stones and circles, ley lines and especially through the sacred landscapes of Britain.
So what can we say with certainty about Merlin? We can say that he Merlin is an initiator. He begins work which will some time later bring something new to birth. He directs that first spark of inspiration and illumination from which new ventures and new projects take shape. This type of guidance will usually come through as a faintly perceived impulse, an intuitively grasped concept or idea which may take time to bring down into full waking consciousness. He indicates the way forward for humanity, he indicates the way things are moving and the way in which we can align ourselves with each new impetus, and he does that through a particular connection with the land and landscape of Britain: "Merlin's Enclosure."
We can see how he did exactly this for Dion Fortune. In the 1920s she founded what was then a new, different, progressive, radical thinking, inclusive, wide-ranging, broad-based, magical Fraternity. She took the best that had been achieved at her time, developed it in leaps and bounds, made its wisdom more accessible to more people and moved us all forward on the path, even though that flame has now largely passed elsewhere. What Merlin didn't do was to provide her, or us, with specific or detailed advice which can easily be put into words.
Here's a suggestion of how we might put this into practice. In Glastonbury Tor, we have the perfect example of a sacred 'mountain'. And, in whatever way we understand this, it is somehow connected to the whole of Britain. At the back of all magical work is our ability to make the connection in our own awareness between above and below, or between spirit and earth, or between within and without. A good way of doing this is to use the power of seven! We can make a connection between the seven centres of energy or chakras of our bodies, the seven levels of our aura or subtle bodies, the seven levels of our awareness - etheric, lower and upper emotional, lower and upper intellectual, lower and upper spiritual, the seven planes of manifestation through which spirit descends to physical matter - and even the seven Ages of humanity.
This sounds like an awful lot to keep in mind at one time, but it is possible to 'just do it,' by using the 'as if' technique. If we believe and act 'as if' it's perfectly possible, it can become so.
So here's a short meditation in which we can try this. If you like, close your eyes, or if you prefer, just listen with your eyes open.
Imagine yourself standing at the foot of Glastonbury Tor. And when you look up at it, it is transformed. It is no longer a physical hill of grass and earth, but a shining, crystalline hill which appears to have a golden spire rising from its summit. To rise the top will require no physical effort but can be achieved purely in your own consciousness. Be aware first of your physical body and ensure that it is quiet and still. Now move your awareness to your etheric body…. and you might like to take a deep breath as you connect with it.
Now, move your focus to your lower emotional body of instincts and passions. Ensure that it is at peace. Now, move your awareness upwards into your higher emotions of love, compassion and creativity. Ensure that they are awake.
Now move your awareness up into your lower mind with its qualities of reasoning, learning, knowledge, logic and deduction, and appreciate how you benefit from these abilities.
Now move your awareness up into your higher mind which shines with spiritual intuition, with faith and with wisdom.
And you find that you are standing on the summit of the shining, crystalline hill - although above you still, like a golden tower stretching upwards into the heavens, are the two remaining levels which represent your spiritual bodies.
From here, you can see all around you in a complete circle of the landscape. And you also have inner vision of the past, present and future. Where you stand, you become aware of a voice of guidance which is Merlin. Let us stay here, for a minute or two………..
When you are ready, visualise yourself returning back down into your physical body, and return to this place and time.
Wendy Berg
© Companions of Dion Fortune 2016 - 2018
Developed by Cat W


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Paul Hawken. Megan Krivsky. Occupations include environmentalist, entrepreneur, journalist, and author. Created ecological businesses Worked with CEO's on economic development, industrial ecology, and environmental policy.
Occupations include environmentalist, entrepreneur, journalist, and author.
Worked with CEO's on economic development, industrial ecology, and environmental policy.
Wrote books and educated others about social justice and restoring the environment.
His life is devoted to change the relationship between business and the environment.
Also studied sustainability and taught about commerce on living systems.
"Paul Hawken." Paul Hawken. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Sept. 2012. <http://www.paulhawken.com/paulhawken_frameset.html .
"The Authors." The Authors. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Sept. 2012. <http://www.natcap.org/sitepages/pid10.php>.
Welcome to Silver Lake Elementary School -. cyndi clay, principal john camponelli, assistant principal . the first smiling faces you see…. mrs. sheets and mrs. wallace – administrative assistants. the first smiling faces you see…. mrs.


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Acuvue fitting calculator launched by Johnson & Johnson Vision – AOP
The online tool is designed to simplify the fitting process for patients with presbyopia
Johnson & Johnson Vision has launched its Acuvue fitting calculator, which is an online tool to help practitioners fit its multifocal contact lenses.
The calculator has been designed to simplify the contact lens fitting process for patients with presbyopia by enabling practitioners to quickly identify the right match by following three steps.
Practitioners can enter information of the best vision sphere or subjective refraction, sensory dominance and lowest near add.
Senior director of worldwide professional affairs at Johnson & Johnson Vision, John Meyler, explained that despite the increasing availability of multifocal contact lens options, patients with presbyopia remain underrepresented.
"We hope that the simplicity of the Acuvue fitting calculator helps eye care professionals offer a solution to patients that they may not have considered before. Technological advances in multifocal lens designs means that there are more options for patients than ever before, and we want to make the fitting process as easy as possible for opticians," Mr Meyler said.
Based on technology released in 2015, each of the 183 pupil-optimised designs of the lens were created to match natural pupil variants, which vary with add and refraction combinations. It also provides an enhancement for distance and near.
The calculator is available now in the UK and will be available in other European, Middle Eastern and African markets in the first half of 2019.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Threefold flops in algebraic geometry were classified into 6 families by Katz and Morrison using the length invariant.
Curto and Morrison have also given an efficient and explicit description of the first two families via matrix factorisations, and they conjecture that this can be done generally.
I plan to recap and discuss these results and to explain how the classification can be explicitly realised using noncommutative algebra.


"Quiet neighbourhood set away from fast paced life of city."
Beautiful views. Access to bush walking tracks, schools and public transport to Figtree and Wollongong. Parks to sit and relax while children play in playground.
"DO NOT RENT 8 Keira street Mount Keira bad"


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Alatni čelik je plemeniti ugljični ili legirani čelik, s udjelom ugljika od 0,6% do 2,06% ili legirani (uglavnom s kromom, volframom, vanadijem, molibdenom, kobaltom), a koristi se za izradu alata. Osnovna svojstva koja alatni čelici moraju posjedovati su otpornost na trošenje (martenzitna mikrostruktura s visokim udjelom karbida) i udarna izdržljivost (žilavost, visoka udarna radnja loma). Stručna literatura često navodi i otpornost na popuštanje kao osnovno svojstvo, ali prema nekim autorima to ipak pripada posebnim zahtjevima prema alatnim čelicima za rad pri povišenim temperaturama (> 200 °C).

Proizvodni (ekonomski) zahtjevi i svojstva prema alatnim čelicima su: mogućnost obrade alata odvajanjem čestica, visoka zakaljivost, visoka prokaljivost, zanemariva sklonost pogrubljenju kristalnih zrna prilikom austenitizacije, neznatna promjena dimenzija tijekom rada, sigurnost s obzirom na pojavu pukotina i lomova tijekom toplinske obrade, neznatna sklonost razugljičenju tijekom toplinske obrade, otpornost na koroziju, mogućnost poliranja, ekonomičnost itd.

Toplinska obrada alatnih čelika
Alatni čelici se primjenjuju u toplinski obrađenom stanju (kaljenje i popuštanje). Dodatno se mogu provesti neki od postupaka oplemenjivanja površine. Poboljšavanje svojstava alata površinskim toplinskim obradama uglavnom se provodi sljedećim postupcima:
 površinsko kaljenje (plameno, indukcijsko, lasersko, elektronskim snopom, impulsno),
 termokemijski postupci (cementacija, nitriranje, karbonitriranje, boriranje, oksidacija, difuzija metalnih elemenata: volfram, krom, aluminij, silicij),
 tvrdo elektrokemijsko kromiranje,
 nanošenje karbida, nitrida, karbonitrida i oksida iz parne faze (CVD i PVD postupci),
 nanošenje dijamantnih slojeva ili DLC (engl. Diamond Like Carbon).
Zbog traženih svojstava i potrebe zakaljivanja i prokaljivanja alatni čelici u pravilu imaju viši udio ugljika (> 0,6%) nego konstrukcijski čelici. Uglavnom se isporučuju u toplovaljanom, hladnovučenom, kovanom ili lijevanom stanju u obliku šipki, traka ili ploča.

Povijest
Upotreba raznih alata potječe od samih početaka ljudske civilizacije. Prvi korišteni alati bili su kamena sjekira, kameni nož, te svi ostali predmeti koje je čovjek koristio u svakodnevnom životu. Prije 5000 godina započinje upotreba alata izrađenog od meteoritskog željeza. Kasnijim kontaktom u vatri takvog željeza sa sredstvom za pougljičavanje nastaju prvi alati od čelika. Alat predstavlja svako sredstvo kojim čovjek olakšava ili omogućava izvršenje željene radnje bilo neposredno, snagom ruke, bilo posredno snagom nekog stroja.

Razvoj modernih industrijskih alata doživljava tehnološku revoluciju u drugoj polovici 19. stoljeća. U tom razvoju najvažnije je istaknuti sljedeće godine:
 1868. Mushetov čelik (2% C, 7% W, 2,5% Mo),
 1898. Taylor-Whiteov brzorezni čelik (1,85% C, 3,8% Cr, 8% W),
 1904. J. A. Mathews - brzorezni čelik s vanadijem,
 1910. razvoj volframovih čelika za topli rad,
 1912. dodatak kobalta u alatne čelike,
 1930. započinje razvoj brzoreznih čelika legiranih molibdenom.

Vrste alatnih čelika
S obzirom na kemijski sastav alatni čelici mogu biti:
 ugljični (nelegirani) alatni čelik,
 niskolegirani alatni čelik,
 visokolegirani alatni čelik.
Prema radnoj temperaturi i uvjetima primjene alatni čelici se dijele na:
 alatni čelik za hladni rad (< 200 °C),
 alatni čelik za topli rad (>200 °C),
 brzorezni čelik.

Ugljični alatni čelik
Ugljični ili nelegirani alatni čelici pripadaju skupini plemenitih čelika, a sadrže 0,5 - 1,5% ugljika, te manje udjele silicija i mangana. Što je viši udio ugljika u čeliku to je viša tvrdoća (viši udio sekundarnog cementita), a niža žilavost. Budući da nisu legirani, ova skupina čelika ima nisku prokaljivost (∼ 10 mm). Zbog niske prokaljivosti imaju bolju žilavost u odnosu na druge alatne čelike, jer se kaljenjem u rubnim slojevima postiže martenzitna mikrostruktura, dok u jezgri ostaje eutektoidna mikrostruktura. Ova skupina alatnih čelika se kali s relativno niskih temperatura austenitizacije u vodi i nisko popušta (< 200 °C) zbog pada tvrdoće. Prije kaljenja obično se provodi sferoidizacijsko (meko) žarenje, kojim se olakšava obrada odvajanjem čestica i priprema kasnija austenitizacija. Ugljični alatni čelici mogu se podijeliti na četiri kvalitetne skupine: W1, W2, W3 i WS.

Do kraja 19. stoljeća svi alati su izrađivani iz ugljičnih alatnih čelika. Trenutno nelegirani (ugljični) alatni čelici zauzimaju oko 10% udjela u ukupnoj masi proizvedenih alatnih čelika. Unatoč znatno nepovoljnijim svojstvima tako visoki udio ugljičnih alatnih čelika održao se zbog toga što su: najjeftinija vrsta alatnih čelika, najšireg asortimana dimenzija, jednostavni za toplinsku obradu, razmjerno niske temperature austenitizacije, manje osjetljivi prema razugljičenju površine tijekom toplinske obrade, lakše obradivi odvajanjem čestica, bolje zavarljivi.

Glavni nedostatak ugljičnih alatnih čelika je vrlo kratko inkubacijsko trajanje do pretvorbe pothlađenog austenita u eutektoidne ili bainitne konstituente. Zbog toga što taj period traje svega nekoliko sekundi nužno je intenzivno hlađenje u vodi. To može dovesti do pojave velikih naprezanja koja uzrokuju napuknuća i lomove. Najvažnija prednost ove skupine alatnih čelika predstavlja njihova žilavost, pa stoga mjesto primjene uglavnom pronalaze u izradi udarnih alata.

Niskolegirani alatni čelici za hladan rad
Zajednička karakteristika ove skupine čelika je niska otpornost na popuštanje, osrednja žilavost (u odnosu na ugljične alatne čelike), te visoka otpornost na trošenje. Osnovni cilj zbog kojeg se provodi legiranje ovih čelika predstavlja povišenje prokaljivosti, te dobivanje kvalitetnijih i postojanijih karbida u odnosu na karbid Fe3C. Niskolegirani alatni čelici popuštaju se nisko (≤ 250 °C), pri čemu je primarni cilj izbjegavanje pojave velikih naprezanja i pukotina.

Podskupine niskolegiranih alatnih čelika za hladan rad su:
 visokougljični W-V čelici. Koristi se za: obično dolazi u srebrnastoj izvedbi za spiralna svrdla, razvrtala manjih promjera, manja glodala, alat za navoje, dlijeta za rasijecanje turpija, zubarska svrdla (120W4), noževi za drvo, papir i furnir, duhan (110WCrV5), čelik za alat za obradu mlinskih valjaka izrađenih od bijeloga tvrdog lijeva, matrice za provlačenje žice, strugači, graverska dlijeta (142WV13), sve vrste noževa za obradbu odvajanjem čestica drva, furnira, duhana, papira, polimera (100WV4).
 nisko- i srednjeugljični W-Cr-(Si)-V čelici. Koristi se za: pneumatski alat (dlijeta), ručna dlijeta, škare za udarni hladni i topli rad, matrice za kovanje vijaka i zakovica (45WCrV7), žigovi za hladno i toplo probijanje, alat za ljuštenje i blanjanje drva, cirkularna glodala za odrezivanje cijevi (60WCrV7), visokonapregnuti žigovi za hladno utiskivanje, alati za istiskivanje mekih metala (npr. alati za izradu aluminijskih ili kositrenih tuba, cinkovih čašica itd.), valjci za hladno valjanje, prikladan i za rad pri povišenim temperaturama (80WCrV8).
 niskolegirani Cr-čelici. Koristi se za: svrdla, razvrtala, alat za navoje, zubarska svrdla, pile za metal, strugači, alati za graviranje, probijači (115CrV3), rezni alati za obradu sivoga lijeva, mjedi, bakra, tvrdoga drveta, mramora, za kiparska dlijeta, britve, tvrde turpije, finorezni alat (140Cr3), manji valjci za hladno valjanje, šiljci tokarilica, alat za navoje, manja glodala, mjerni alati (kalibri), razvrtala (100Cr6).
 niskolegirani Mn-Cr-V i Mn-Cr-W čelici. Koristi se za: kalupi za kovanje novca, alat za navoje, spiralna svrdla manjih dimenzija, kalibri i granične mjerke, razvrtala, vretena mikrometara, štance (rezne ploče i noževi), noževi za papir i duhan, glodala za drvo.

Visokolegirani alatni čelici za hladan rad
Glavni legirajući element ove skupine čelike je krom (> 5%) uz moguće dodatno legiranje vanadijem, molibdenom i/ili volframom. Povišenjem stupnja legiranosti i temperature austenitizacije raste udio zaostalog austenita u zakaljenoj mikrostrukturi, što može smanjiti pojavu deformacija nakon kaljenja. S obzirom na kemijski sastav, mikrostrukturu i svojstva visokolegirani alatni čelici za hladni rad mogu se podijeliti u 3 podgrupe:
 čelici s ∼5% kroma (npr. X100CrMoV5-1). Glavna primjena mu je za izradu škara i alata za oblikovanje lima, mjernog alata, razvrtala, nareznih svrdala, nareznica, matrica složenih oblika, alata za preradu polimera itd.
 visokougljični ledeburitni čelici s 12% kroma (npr. X210Cr12, X210CrW12, X65CrMoV12, X55CrVMo12-1). Najčešća primjena ove skupine čelika je za izradu alata za hladno oblikovanje, utiskivanje, duboko izvlačenje, tlačno istiskivanje itd.
 martenzitni nehrđajući čelici (npr. X42Cr13, X45CrMoV15, X5CrMo14, X1CrMoV18). Koristi se za medicinske instrumente (npr. skalpeli, škare, zubarska kliješta, pincete i sl.), pribor za jelo (npr. noževi), žilete, britve, krojačke škare.

Alatni čelici za topli rad
Alatni čelici za rad u toplom stanju primjenjuju se za izradu alata koji su tijekom rada zagrijani na temperaturu višu od 200 °C. Najvažnije svojstvo alatnih čelika za topli rad predstavlja otpornost na popuštanje. Otpornost na popuštanje obuhvaća pojave koje se mogu javiti tijekom izloženosti povišenim temperaturama (npr. smanjenje tvrdoće, mikrostrukturne promjene, toplinski zamor). Pored otpornosti na popuštanje pred alatne čelike za topli rad postavljaju se još i dodatni zahtjevi poput otpornosti na: trošenje, visokotemperaturnu koroziju, pojavu plastičnih deformacija, udarno opterećenje (žilavost).

Alatni čelici za topli rad mogu se podijeliti u tri glavne grupe:
 niskolegirani alatni čelici za ukovnje (npr. čelici 56NiCrMoV7, 55NiCrMoV6),
 visokolegirani čelici s ∼5% kroma i 1 - 3% molibdena, namijenjeni za kalupe za tlačni lijev (npr. čelici X32CrMoV3-3, X38CrMoV5-1),
 visokolegirani W-Cr-V čelici za kalupe za tlačni lijev (npr. čelici X30WCrV4-1, X30WCrV9-3).

Brzorezni čelici

Brzorezni čelici su alatni čelici predviđeni za rad u uvjetima povišene i visoke temperature oštrice tj. za rezanje velikim brzinama. Najčešće su brzorezni čelici u radu izloženi lokalnom zagrijavanju do ≈ 600 °C (ponekad i 1000 °C), trošenju, te udarnom djelovanju obratka na alat. Kemijski sastav ove skupine čelika karakterizira povišeni udio ugljika (0,7 - 1,3%) i legiranje jakim karbidotvorcima poput kroma, volframa, vanadija i molibdena. Povišeni udio ugljika utječe na stvaranje karbida koji su postojani i pri povišenim temperaturama. Poput svih alatnih čelika brzorezne čelike karakterizira višefazna mikrostruktura sastavljena od metalne osnove i karbida. Kompleksna legiranost brzoreznih čelika uzrokom je pojave različitih vrsta karbida.

Sinterirani alatni čelici

Istraživanje i razvoj različitih procesa, te laboratorijskih metoda sinteriranja, započeli su početkom 20. stoljeća znanstvenici poput Moissona, Troosta, Wedekinda i dr. Spomenuti istraživači predstavljaju začetnike nove industrijske discipline – metalurgije praha (eng. Powder Metallurgy – PM). Današnji suvremeni materijali dobivaju se optimiranjem sastava i mikrostrukture materijala prema željenim svojstvima. Metalurgija praha pruža velike mogućnosti za ostvarenje takvog pristupa proizvodnji materijala i različitih dijelova strojeva. Metalurgija praha obuhvaća ne samo proizvodnju metala u obliku praha, nego i nemetalnih prahova, te oblikovanje dijelova iz takvih prahova postupkom sinteriranja, odnosno srašćivanja.

Intenzivniji razvoj metalurgije praha počeo je proizvodnjom i uporabom "tvrdih metala", a posljednjih godina prolazi kroz razdoblje značajnijeg napretka. Danas se postupcima metalurgije praha mogu postići jednaka ili bolja svojstva od tradicionalnih postupaka oblikovanja metala. Postupci oblikovanja praha danas se također primjenjuju u proizvodnji keramike i metalnih kompozita. Postupci sinteriranja čelika razvijeni su nakon usavršavanja postupaka sinteriranja tvrdih metala (npr. karbidi + Co, karbidi + Ni) i keramičkih materijala. Glavni razlog kasnijeg razvoja sinteriranja čelika predstavljao je problem proizvodnje osnovne sirovine tj. željeznog ili čeličnog praha.

Izvori

Slitine
Metalurgija
Materijali

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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The most affordable way to buy a new car or truck is to take advantage of manufacturer-offered low interest rates, which can occasionally run as low as zero percent. Those rates, while generous, aren't offered very often and are generally available only to buyers with the highest credit scores. Otherwise, consumers are generally forced to use other, more traditional, lending options, such as bank loans or dealer financing. There is one other, and often overlooked, financing option that may work well for a lot of buyers - using a home equity loan.
Interest rates are more favorable - Interest rates for home loans are lower than those for either unsecured loans, such as credit card loans, or car loans. The rates can be several percent lower, saving the buyer quite a bit over the life of the loan.
The interest is often tax deductible - Interest on most home equity loans is deductible from Federal income tax, effectively reducing the interest rate for the borrower.
Buyers who consider a home equity loan for financing should be aware that they are putting their home at risk should they fail to pay off the loan. Lenders could potentially foreclose and sell the home to recover their money. Borrowers should also be careful to make sure that the repayment schedule for the loan runs about the same length of time as the buyer expects to own the car. Don't take out a loan with a ten year repayment schedule if you only expect to have the car for four or five years.
The rising price of houses during the last five years has left millions of Americans with substantial equity in their homes. If you are one of the lucky ones, you might wish to consider using a home equity loan to finance your next new car or truck.


text:
Noem uses State of the State address to call for removal of sales tax on food
Gov. Kristi Noem called Tuesday for using the state's surplus to eliminate the tax charged on groceries and lower other taxes in a State of the State address that steered clear of the hot-button topic of abortion.
The Republican governor delivered her address as the Legislature's nine-week session began. All eyes are on what lawmakers might do with the state's $423 million surplus.
Noem said that shoppers are "astonished" when they arrive at the checkout line to pay for their groceries. She said it is so costly that she has watched many shoppers have to put items back on the shelves because they don't have enough money to purchase them…
https://www.brookingsradio.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Gov3.mp3
Noem was critical of a proposal to repeal the state grocery tax during the final days of the legislative session in March, but this fall, she changed course and made it a centerpiece of her reelection campaign. She has called repealing the tax her top priority for 2023, arguing that the state's surplus would cover the revenue loss.
While minority Democrats support the idea, a number of Republicans oppose it, questioning whether the state can absorb the lost revenue.
Senate Majority Leader Casey Crabtree said he also anticipates sales and property tax reduction proposals. He was vague about the legislation's prospects of success.
"We'll see where it all ends up," he said.
House GOP leader Rep. Will Mortenson said several tax reduction proposals, including the proposed grocery tax cut, will be the subject of debate.
Budget-setting during most of Noem's first term was filled with state revenues swollen by consumer spending and federal pandemic relief. Lawmakers are also cautioning that those years of plenty — when millions of dollars went to upgrading university campuses and other projects — could soon be over.
Noem is also calling for improving paid family leave and creating a way for childcare workers to get benefits.
Under her family leave proposal, state employees could get their entire salary paid for 12 weeks, instead of the 60% that is currently offered for eight weeks. The new policy would cover new births or adoptions, as well as taking care of a child, spouse, or parent with a serious health condition, or a situation where a spouse is called to active-duty military service.
Her plan also calls for allowing private sector companies to be a part of the state's risk pool, which would make it cheaper for them to offer the benefit, and providing $20 million in grants to incentivize them to participate.
Those proposals are key pieces of her goal of supporting families alongside a bid to uphold the state's abortion ban, which was triggered by the U.S. Supreme Court's June ruling. Noem, an ardent abortion opponent, faces a challenge to the ban through a citizen-proposed constitutional amendment that could appear on the 2024 ballot. She never discussed the issue directly in her address, though.
Democratic Sen. Reynold Nesiba was critical of Noem for bypassing the issue.
"At the moment that a woman needs access to reproductive health care, it is far easier for them to simply go somewhere else if they have the means to do that," Nesiba said. "But one shouldn't have to leave the state to be able to have access to reproductive health care."
Noem also notably stepped up her rhetoric against China, touting legislation that would create a board that would review the sale or lease of agricultural land to non-Americans. The move came after she blocked the Chinese-owned social media app TikTok from state devices in November 2022 and ordered a review of Chinese investments.
"We can't allow Chinese interests to purchase any South Dakota ag land, much less any land near any military base or critical state infrastructure," she said.


time more in the future.
Hmm., now it is too soon, but when I get to this part we can talk about it.
works perfectly with usre menus).
CDDs in case the switch makes sense and is accepted by others.
or a small set of packages.
reason to change if others stay silent (= ignore your suggestion).
Hmmm, I do not really see the advantage to use these files *in source*.
While I would havo no trouble with this I do not see the advantage.
.deb that contains the task directories as I've described before.
its source package.  But may be I missunderstood you.
introducing dependencies into the main Debian archive.
by just pointing /etc/cdd/sources.list to the right sources.list file.
have to find a clever solution here.


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Watch the competition heat up on the Q2 page!


text:
To My Mentor, Jan Radway, With Love
By Deborah Chappel Traylor
Janice Radway
Reading the Romance
This panel was organized with each member giving a different perspective on Reading the Romance at its thirtieth anniversary. Clearly, I'm here to give the historical perspective, and I'm happy to do that. I have a lot of history with this book—in fact, my history with the book and with Jan Radway herself reaches back almost 28 years.
My first memory of Jan was, I believe, from the fall of 1988 or spring of 1989 when she came to Duke University, where I was a new graduate student. Those were the glory days at Duke, with Stanley Fish as chair of the English Department and Fredric Jameson chair of the Comparative Lit program. They had come to Duke only a year or two before I did and promptly embarked on a hiring spree of top literary and theory scholars that was the talk of the academic world. It was as part of that hiring spree that Jan came to Duke to give a job talk. I remember most of the details of her stimulating and excellent presentation, which was an early chapter on her Book of the Month Club work (Reading the Romance had already come out a couple of years before). But frankly, when I remember that talk what is clearest in my memory is the image of Jan herself, striking in this very stylish two-piece suit—I think it was yellow and black—and she wore the coolest earrings. (I would learn later that she always wore very cool earrings.) I remember thinking she was the epitome of everything I wanted to be, and I must have had some sense of how personally important she would be to me, because I had already decided to write a dissertation on the history of women's popular romance.
Lucky, lucky me. Jan came to Duke in 1989, and, along with the fabulous Jane Tompkins, co-directed my dissertation, which I completed in 1991. There weren't many places in the country one could have written a dissertation on romance in those days, and nowhere else on earth I could have found two such perfect powerhouse female mentors as Jan Radway and Jane Tompkins. Jan was a hot young scholar, not quite forty years old, who had already made an enormous impact in cultural studies with the 1984 publication of Reading the Romance, a scholarly work that really changed things for me personally but also changed the study of popular culture in general and women's romance in particular. Jan's monograph, along with Tania Modleski's Loving with a Vengeance in 1982, virtually created the field of popular romance studies which everyone in this room has inherited today. While Modleski's work was first by a couple of years, I think it was the [End Page 1] methodology of Jan's book that truly legitimated the study of popular romance and made it the locus of inquiry on feminist theory, the body, popular culture, and reading, thus really widening the audience far beyond those interested in popular women's novels.
Through its ethnographic method, Reading the Romance became an important book for many scholars in many different fields. Just one example—about ten years ago I was putting together a syllabus for a cultural theory class for Ph.D. students in our then-new Ph.D. Program in Heritage Studies. I had gone to scholars in each of the disciplines which fed students into the program, asking those scholars to recommend what they considered important works utilizing cutting-edge theory in their own fields; I made sure they understood I was seeking these recommendations in order to use these works in my course. Imagine my surprise when Sociology chair George Lord recommended Reading the Romance as the best book to help students understand methodology and theory in Sociology! So this book has had enormous impact on many fields and among many who have had little or no scholarly interest in women's romance.
But, of course, all of us in this room have a deep interest in popular women's romance, so, in particular, and after thirty years, what does this book mean to us?
By the time Jayne Ann Krentz's anthology Dangerous Men and Adventurous Women was published in 1992, there was already a revolt of the academic daughters in motion, in which young aspiring scholars, struggling to find critical space in the wake of Jan's important book, began to criticize her methods and conclusions. I also criticized Jan for many little things (many of which now, rereading the book, I think were pretty unfair); overall, I think I was criticizing her for not championing women's romance and its readers and authors energetically and loudly enough. It became popular at PCA panels on romance in the last two decades for young scholars of women's romance to mention Reading the Romance and then try to distance themselves from it—a sort of Bloomian Anxiety of Influence, I think.
Jan's book was so big, and so important, many scholars, rather than explicitly building on it, struggled to find their own critical space in which their ideas could appear to be anything other than derivative. Of course, the field has found new things to investigate, the most promising perhaps the in-depth study of individual authors, but in a competitive industry where scholars struggled for the big, overarching theoretical statement about romance that could set them apart, Jan's book sometimes seemed more of a threatening roadblock than a stepping stone to new investigations. In short, Reading the Romance may have been too good.
Getting ready for this conference, I did something I haven't done in several years, and that was to drag out my pitifully bedraggled and dog-eared copy of Reading the Romance and reread it, cover to cover. I've read much of what's been published in this field since 1988, and I don't hesitate to claim that this book is still the best piece of scholarship available. Rereading it I was struck once more by her freshness and insight into the genre, as well as by the unfairness of many of the criticisms of her work. Jan notes that "the nature of the [Smithton readers'] operation suggests that it is unsatisfactory for an analyst to select a sample of romances currently issued by American publishers, draw conclusions about the meaning of the form by analyzing the plots of the books in the sample, and then make general statements about the cultural significance of 'romance'" (49). Most of the scholars in this room will heartily agree with Jan's claim here, and yet several of us, including me, have accused Jan of doing what her own statement admits shouldn't be done. [End Page 2]
There are valid criticisms of Reading the Romance, to be sure, including Kathleen Gillis Seidel's criticism of Jan for her failure to consider that how well or how poorly a romance is written may have more to do with readers' satisfaction with the book than does its feminist politics (Krentz 169). It's precisely Jan's analysis of the feminist politics of romance novels that seems to rub some scholars such as Pamela Regis and many of the genre's authors in just the wrong way.
She writes that romance is concerned with "the possibilities and difficulties of establishing a connection with a man who is initially incapable of satisfying a woman. Thus the romance is concerned not just with the fact of heterosexual marriage but with the perhaps more essential issue for women—how to realize a mature self and how to achieve emotional fulfillment in a culture in which such goals must be achieved in the company of an individual whose principal preoccupation is always elsewhere in the public world" (139). While, as Eric Selinger has pointed out in comments to me, she may be guilty of stereotyping men here, her personal experience as a married woman and mother, as well as her sympathetic understanding of women readers, still comes across and still challenges us to avoid stereotyping women readers and instead take what they tell us seriously, as she did.
The primary material in her book is still important and much of it still unduplicated, like the chart showing the frequency of direct responses on why readers read romance fiction—not "because [they] like to read about the strong, virile heroes" but much more frequently—as the two most frequent responses, in fact– "[f]or simple relaxation" or "[b]ecause reading is just for me; it is my time" (61).
Perhaps the most valuable contribution Jan made to the study of women's romance, besides her methodology and careful attention to why women read, is the way she ties an often deprecated form of popular culture to one of the most complex and important theoretical discussions of the last two decades, which is the discussion of the meaning of female subjectivity. She claims, "On one level, then, the romance is an account of a woman's journey to female personhood as that particular psychic configuration is constructed and realized within patriarchal culture" (138). We still haven't fully explored the ramifications of that claim, I think, and especially the layers of meaning that might develop if we bring in the later theories of scholars such as Judith Butler concerning performance and heteronormativity.
In conclusion, what is the importance of Reading the Romance thirty years later? Quite simply, I don't think we can or should study romance without it. I still feel, thirty years later, that nothing better than this has been written on this topic. And if I didn't tell you that at the time you so generously mentored me, Jan, I'm so happy this panel has given me the opportunity to tell you now. [End Page 3]
Krentz, Jayne Ann, ed. Dangerous Men and Adventurous Women: Romance Writers on the Appeal of the Romance. 1992. Reprint, New York: Harper Paperbacks, 1996. Print.
Radway, Janice. Reading the Romance: Women, Patriarchy, and Popular Literature. Chapel Hill: U of North Carolina P, 1991. Print. [End Page 4]
Published in Issue 4.2 and Roundtable Pieces


Crack feature star Auntie Flo's mix for Crack can certainly be branded the most exotic to date. World music percussion and tribal rhythms shuffle up against funk and house groove lines to generate an insatiable party atmosphere. Sticking loosely to the world music mantra that characterised superb recent eight-track EP Future Rhythm Machine, it's the world music rhythms and insatiable instrumental constructs that makes the mix so diverse and constantly engaging. Even when the mix becomes more experimental and twisted in its construct, the nod to the afrobeat or the cumbia still remains. One of the most truly original production talents to grace Crack's ears in recent times, this mix is a perfect gateway to lesser-known strands of music that need exploring.


Although I've had unsuccessful attempts in the past at growing dye plants myself, I'm determined to try it again this year. But it's always a good idea with a plan B, and that's my sister.
but that was just the first skein of many. In the end, the small amount of plants in the top photo dyed 6 test skeins or 60 g of wool in a range of orange colors.
I hope she grows some more this year – after googling around, I found that some types of coreopsis are annuals, some perennials, and some are annuals that self-seed very easily, but I don't know which one my sister has. So I'm also going to try. So I have ordered these seeds from www.wildcolours.co.uk (they sent the seeds the same day, and they arrived in my mailbox in Denmark in 3 days). It's woad, japanese indigo, coreopsis, and dyer's greenweed.
Jeg har før prøvet at gro farveplanter, uden succes. Men jeg har nydt godt af min søsters høst af skønhedsøje, som farver kraftig orange. I år prøver jeg igen at få noget til at gro: japansk indigo, vajd, skønhedsøje og farve-visse.


text:
Outpost An Untold Story of American Valor
by Jake Tapper
ISBN10: 031618540X
Condition: Standard
1 Burnside
2 Local Warehouse
The unforgettable story of a young soldier who survived one of the bloodiest battles in Afghanistan and lived to pursue his dream of playing Division I college football
At 5-foot-8, 175 pounds, Daniel Rodriguez was an unlikely recruit for the gridiron. But on the battlefield, under the daily rain of sniper fire, he made a promise to his best friend. and#8220;When I get out of this shithole, Iand#8217;m going to play college football.and#8221;
Daniel had joined the army just weeks after graduating from high school, having recently suffered a devastating loss. At age nineteen he had no idea what war really was; he just wanted to get out of town. Almost immediately, he was deployed to Iraq (and would later serve in Afghanistan).and#160;And he grew up fastand#160;and#8212; stopped sleeping, started smoking. Killing became second nature. He fought in the infamous Battle of Kamdesh and for his bravery he was awarded a Purple Heart and the Bronze Star. But his best friend was not so lucky.
Against all odds, Daniel returned home and#8212; broken, but still alive. Stuck in the clutches of PTSD, Daniel remembered that fateful promise to his friend and knew he had to make good on it. He embarked on a grueling training regimen and when he postedand#160;a video of his efforts, it went viral overnight.and#160;By some mix of grit, determination, and the power of the Internet, he earned a spot on the Clemson University football team.
A powerfully delivered narrative of a young soldier, his unlikely dream, and how he found his way out of darkness, Rise is inspiring, quintessentially American, and will resonate with anyone who has ever fought for what they what they wanted.
"Analyzing the consequences of decisions, large and small, is what makes Tapper's book so important...for those wishing to understand the middle years of the war, they could do no better than to read THE OUTPOST."--Time
"[Jake Tapper] has woven an intricate account about battlefield bravery hamstrung by military bureaucracy...[his] voice is understated, not polemical-just a good reporter letting the facts speak for themselves."--Tony Perry, Los Angeles Times
"[A] fascinating history...Tapper delivers a blow by blow account of [the soldier's] actions, their personal stories, and the tortured, often incomprehensible command decisions that kept them fighting despite inadequate support and an ally, Pakistan, that actively encouraged the enemy."--Publishers Weekly
"One of the most important [books] of the year. Jake Tapper's book is meticulously researched, excellently written and a must-read for everyone who does more than just mouth the phrase, 'I support the troops.' "--Minneapolis Star-Tribune
"Jake Tapper has written perhaps the best book set in Afghanistan to date...He provides a window into the false hopes and visions that enabled this failed experiment, an attempt to create government in spaces that had actively avoided such."--Douglas Ollivant, Foreign Policy
"Brilliant, dedicated reporting by a journalist who goes to ground to get the truth. A sad, real tale about this war, America and the brave warriors who live-and die-at the point of the spear."--Bob Woodward, author of PLAN OF ATTACK, THE COMMANDERS and OBAMA'S WARS
"The power of THE OUTPOST lies in Tapper's development of the main characters ... He juxtaposes dramatic battles, complete with limbs blown off and eyes dangling from sockets, with poignant scenes of wives and parents first learning of the deaths of their loved ones."--Seth Jones, Washington Post
"The seminal work of documentary journalism to emerge out of the post-9/11 war in Afghanistan."--Business Standard
"Mr. Tapper lays bare the poor decision-making that shattered dozens of American lives in the pursuit of an ill-conceived goal."--Wall Street Journal
"A heartbreaking chronicle of the rotation of soldiers asked to oversee an underfunded, often thankless mission."--Huffington Post
"The Outpost is a mind-boggling, all-too-true story of heroism, hubris, failed strategy, and heartbreaking sacrifice. If you want to understand how the war in Afghanistan went off the rails, you need to read this book."--Jon Krakauer, author of Into Thin Air and Where Men Win Glory
"As Rudyard Kipling did in the nineteenth century, now, in his magnificent book, Jake Tapper takes us to an untamed part of Afghanistan at war. Journey to THE OUTPOST to understand what our troops go through-and why they go through it.--James Bradley, author of FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS, FLYBOYS and THE IMPERIAL CRUISE
"Meticulously researched, excellently written and a must-read...It may prove one of the most important [books] of the year."--Curt Schleier, Seattle Times
"This is a narrative, not a polemic, and Tapper patiently lays out the history of what happened at Keating in a gripping, forceful style...[T]his unadorned, powerful account challenges the purposes and wisdom of America's ongoing military presence [in Afghanistan]...A timely indictment of a thoughtless waste of young American lives."--Kirkus
"[An] incredible account of how this outpost was horribly jeopardized."--Booklist
""The Army uses the term 'BLUF' - bottom line up front. The BLUF on Jake Tapper's new book on Afghanistan, THE OUTPOST, is that you need to read it."--breitbart.com
"A chronicle of the commitment and heroism of individual soldiers. As such, it can rarely have been surpassed in the history of military writing."--powerlineblog.com
"Tapper always finds just the right personality traits and stories about [the troops'] backgrounds, allowing readers to respect them and relate to them...The Outpost is an alternately exhilarating, heartbreaking and maddening book. But ultimately...it's a testament to the fact that the brave men and women who serve and sacrifice for the United States deserve our appreciation."--Patheos.com
"What is evident in THE OUTPOST is the sacrifice made by dozens of men who answered the call of their country."--Erica Blake, Toledo Blade
andquot;Daniel Rodriguezandndash;a decorated combat veteranandndash;doesnandrsquo;t sugarcoat the hard parts of his life. A warrior who fought on the battlefield, wrestled with PTSD, and now wins victories on the gridiron, his story reminds us that with grit and determination we can move through suffering to strength. Rise is an inspiring story of a resilient warrior who knows what it means to keep a promise.andquot; andndash;Eric Greitens, Navy SEAL and author of New York Times bestseller, The Heart and the Fist
andquot;RISE is a surreal look at what todayand#39;s youth should aspire to accomplish. From Virginia to Iraq, from Afghanistan to South Carolina, Daniel Rodriguez shows the grit and determination it takes to rise above the hardships life throws at you. Life is designed to beat you down. Daniel shows you how to kick its ass.andquot; andndash;Major Rusty Bradley, U.S. Army (ret.), bestselling author of Lions of Kandahar
andquot;Danieland#39;s service to his country and his ability to follow his dreams is what is truly right with America. His story, as movingly told in Rise, is a great example of where hard work, determination, and a never-quit attitude can get you.andquot; andndash;Sal Giunta, Medal of Honor recipient and author of the New York Times bestseller, Living with Honor
andldquo;A valuable contribution to a hefty body of work on the American war in Afghanistan that has become stale and somewhat hackneyed. It provides a raw, unvarnished and important look at one of the darkest and least understood parts of the Afghan war . . . Ms. Gall, a reporter for the New York Times in Afghanistan and Pakistan for more than a decade, beginning shortly after September 11, is in an extraordinary position to write this important and long overdue book.andrdquo; andmdash; New York Times
andldquo;The Wrong Enemy is a timely survey of a military and diplomatic undertaking that has exacted a stiff tribute from Afghans and NATO forces in lives, treasure, and national prestige. Gall is right to confront the uneasy truths involving Pakistanandrsquo;s double-dealing while also identifying coalition shortfalls . . . When it comes to informative, credible reporting from Central Asia over the past decade, Gall ranks with journalists like Dexter Filkins and David Rohde who have written about Afghanistan with authority and context. But Gall is perhaps uniquely positioned to tackle the troubling questions she raises about Pakistanandrsquo;s alleged support of terrorism . . . As the US and NATO prepare to possibly withdraw all forces from Afghanistan at the close of this year, Gallandrsquo;s book qualifies as a must-read.andrdquo; andmdash; Christian Science Monitor
andldquo;Galland#39;s long years of reporting for the New York Times from the front lines of the war are clear in this book, particularly in her vivid reconstruction of how things went rapidly downhill after the easy U.S.-led victories over the Taliban at the end of 2001 . . . To her credit, Ms. Gall gets the most important thing right. She underscores the danger of the U.S. turning its back on Afghanistan, which, while still fragile, shows more signs of modernity than ever before. The repercussions of the U.S. drawdown andlsquo;are already inspiring Islamists, who are comparing it to the withdrawal of the Soviet Unionandrsquo; after its defeat at the hands of the mujahedeen. Unlike the Obama administration, Ms. Gall recognizes that radical Islam canandrsquo;t be ignored or wished away.andrdquo; andmdash; Wall Street Journal
andldquo;A strong, well-crafted account by an informed observer.andrdquo; andmdash; Economist
andldquo;The author offers a compelling account of the attack on bin Ladenandrsquo;s compound, the repercussions of which are still being felt. Gall admirably never loses sight of the human element in this tragedy.andrdquo; andmdash; Kirkus Reviews
The epic story of Daniel Rodriguez, a soldier who fought in one of the bloodiest battles in Afghanistan, and against all odds, lived to pursue his dream of playing Division 1 college football
The inspiration behind the 2020 film starring Orlando Bloom and Scott Eastwood, The Outpost is the heartbreaking and inspiring story of one of America's deadliest battles during the war in Afghanistan, acclaimed by critics everywhere as a classic.
At 5:58 AM on October 3rd, 2009, Combat Outpost Keating, located in frighteningly vulnerable terrain in Afghanistan just 14 miles from the Pakistani border, was viciously attacked. Though the 53 Americans there prevailed against nearly 400 Taliban fighters, their casualties made it the deadliest fight of the war for the U.S. that year. Four months after the battle, a Pentagon review revealed that there was no reason for the troops at Keating to have been there in the first place.
In The Outpost, Jake Tapper gives us the powerful saga of COP Keating, from its establishment to eventual destruction, introducing us to an unforgettable cast of soldiers and their families, and to a place and war that has remained profoundly distant to most Americans. A runaway bestseller, it makes a savage war real, and American courage manifest.
"The Outpost is a mind-boggling, all-too-true story of heroism, hubris, failed strategy, and heartbreaking sacrifice. If you want to understand how the war in Afghanistan went off the rails, you need to read this book." --Jon Krakauer
The heartbreaking and inspiring story of one of America's deadliest battles during the war in Afghanistan, acclaimed by critics everywhere as a classic.
A sweeping history and powerful indictment of America's longest overt war, by the veteran New York Times journalist who was stationed in-country throughout the entire conflict.
andldquo;Provides a raw, unvarnished and important look at one of the darkest and least understood parts of the Afghan war . . . [Gall] is in an extraordinary position to write this important and long overdue book.andrdquo; andmdash; New York Times
Combining harrowing personal accounts of battles and betrayals with searing portraits of the ordinary Afghans who endured a terrible war of more than a decade, veteran New York Times correspondent Carlotta Gall reveals the full history of how the United States has been fighting the wrong enemy in the wrong country. Gall has reported from Afghanistan and Pakistan for almost the entire duration of the American intervention, beginning shortly after 9/11. She knows just how much this war has cost the Afghan people, and American and NATO soldiers, and how much damage can be traced to Pakistan and its duplicitous military and intelligence forces. The Wrong Enemy is a sweeping account of a war brought by American leaders against an enemy they barely understood, and could not truly engage.
andldquo;An enthralling and largely firsthand account of the war in Afghanistan.andrdquo;andmdash;Financial Times
and#160;
Few reporters know as much about Afghanistan as Carlotta Gall. She was there in the 1990s after the Russians were driven out. She witnessed the early flourishing of radical Islam, imported from abroad, which caused so much local suffering. She was there right after 9/11, when the US special forces helped the Northern Alliance drive the Taliban out of the north and then the south, fighting pitched battles and causing their enemies to flee underground and into Pakistan. She knows just how much this war has cost the Afghan people. And she knows just how much damage can be traced to Pakistan and its duplicitous government and intelligence forces. Combining searing personal accounts of battles and betrayals with moving portraits of the ordinary Afghans who were caught up in the conflict of more than a decade, The Wrong Enemy is a sweeping account of a war brought by American leaders against an enemy they barely understood and could not truly engage.
andldquo;A strong, well-crafted account by an informed observer.andrdquo;andmdash;The Economist
andldquo;Gall is perhaps uniquely positioned to tackle the troubling questions she raises about Pakistanand#39;s alleged support of terrorism . . . a must-read.andrdquo;andmdash; Christian Science Monitor
Daniel Rodriguez isandnbsp;a wide reciever for Division I football,andnbsp;honors student,andnbsp;and decorated war hero.andnbsp;He has served tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan, rising through the ranksandnbsp;to Sergeant. In 2009,andnbsp;he fought inandnbsp;the Battle of Kamdesh, one of the bloodiest battles in the Afghanistan conflict, earning a Purple Heart and the Bronze Star Medal With Valor Device. He has been interviewed by Dan Rather,andnbsp;profiled in The New York Times, Washington Post, Esquire, USAandnbsp;Today, andandnbsp;ESPN, and has gained internet fame for his viralandnbsp;Youtubeandnbsp;video.andnbsp;He attends Clemson University in South Carolina on the GIandnbsp;Bill. andnbsp;
An award-winning journalist and bestselling author, Joe Layden has written more than thirty books, including the New York Times bestsellers Mustaine: A Heavy Metal Memoir, No Regrets, and Living with Honor.
Joe Layden
Carlotta Gall
Jake Tapper
Politics - General
Used, Hardcover, Starting from $7.95
Used, Trade Paperback, $9.95


NEW LaCie Porsche USB-C Hard Drives!
The LaCie Porsche Design Desktop Drive is a new breed of desktop hard drive, a perfect blend of form and function. It's the product of a collaboration between one of the most renowned design firms in the world and LaCie. The LaCie Desktop Drive lets you transfer files faster than ever with USB 3.0 performance, and has the capacity to hold all of your files. It also features a striking LED that both indicates power and lends sophisticated elegance.
With 5 Gb/s speeds*, you can drag and drop files, and perform backups quickly.


text:
salesteam@nyi.net
Colocation & Data Centers
About NYI
The NYI Difference
What Are the Benefits of DevOps?
DevOps is a technical and cultural approach to development, deployment, and infrastructure that unites the responsibilities of development and operations teams; facilitates fast, iterative code releases; and provides seamless infrastructure scalability. The DevOps methodology brings together operations and development through a set of workflow best practices that give engineers control over the infrastructure that runs their applications.
DevOps is made possible by a combination of technical tools and cultural guidelines that support a path of continuous improvement. These include virtualization, containerization, orchestration, and automation technology, along with organizational modifications to eradicate silos and solve IT challenges. When embraced as a whole, DevOps allows engineers to manage infrastructure as code, deliver software releases faster with fewer bugs, recover quickly from failures, and orchestrate deployments automatically with tools like Kubernetes.
Without automation, the agile development process facilitated by DevOps wouldn't be possible. Traditionally, deploying and managing the infrastructure that supports applications and services was a slow and time-consuming process involving multiple specialist teams and quality control workflow constraints. Because the technology and cultural habits underlying DevOps automates much of the development, testing, and deployment lifecycle, engineers are empowered to independently perform all of these tasks while building quality into the development pipeline from project inception. Code can be written, tested, and put into production with minimal lead times.
Accelerated Code Deployment
Research from DevOps Research and Assessment (DORA) and Google Cloud demonstrates just how big of a difference DevOps can make to a single team as well as to an organization's whole value stream. The study found that DevOps-invested businesses saw:
46 times more code deployments with 7 times fewer change failures.
Reduced commit-to-deploy lead times by orders of magnitude.
Incident recovery times slashed by 2,604 times.
The extent of the improvements in lead times and error reduction has a significant impact on an organization's strategic business goals, not least competitiveness and revenue growth.
Reliability and Scalability
Two of the most important aspects of a DevOps workflow are containerization and orchestration. Kubernetes is now the most popular tool for orchestrating container deployments and management.
Each container carries with it everything needed to deliver a chunk of an application's functionality. A container might run a web server, a logging service, a database, a message queue, or any other software service. Containers are built automatically according to a pre-configured recipe. Kubernetes is responsible for managing the automatic deployment of containers across a cluster, also in accordance with a team's playbook — recipe — hence the term orchestration.
In more modern architecture, DevOps encourages the use of microservices, where applications are broken into units of functionality, each of which can be deployed in a container or a group of containers, known as a Pod in Kubernetes terminology. Kubernetes clusters are also managed through the Services feature, which controls communications between Pods. Services can be scaled and updated independently, and this combination of Pods and Services provides incredible reliability.
Because Pods communicate via Services, it's easy to launch more containers automatically without having to reconfigure the connections between them. To take a common example, a business could scale the number of back-end containers up or down without ever having to worry about how the front-end connects to these containers. Every part of the application can be scaled (or replaced) independently. Organizing applications in this way is incredibly flexible and resilient.
With these building blocks, developers can design, deploy, and manage complex infrastructure architectures without ever having to think about the underlying physical infrastructure or how it all works — they instrument the application and the system automatically complies.
The Journey From Legacy to DevOps
The DORA Report mentioned earlier also highlighted the struggle many businesses have when transitioning from legacy infrastructure to a DevOps approach. The J-Curve of Transformation shows that teams see initial benefits from automation but quickly run into roadblocks caused by technical debt and increased complexity.
But businesses don't have to make the transition alone. DevOps-as-a-Service empowers businesses to take advantage of the experience and infrastructure of a partner who can accelerate their adoption of DevOps improvements, tapping into the benefits we've discussed in this article without the challenges of building or scaling a team internally.
Interested in exploring how DevOps-as-a-Service could help your organization?
Please fill out the form and one of our experts will be in touch with you soon.
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Bremen Teater
LIVE REVIEW: Neko Case, Bremen Teatre, 30.10.2018
Published on October 31, 2018 in Live Reviews by Here Today
"My hair looks like shit today," says Neko Case as she takes the stage at Bremen Teatre, "but I'm still going to play this show anyway." It's the sort of blunt determination you'd expect from a person promoting an album called Hell-On. Or someone who is coming up on 25 years in the music industry. Or maybe just someone certain enough in her ability to deliver that she can make demands of the audience to forget the photos and be present for an evening.
Neko Case is a presence, and what immediately stands out about her performance is the density of the sound. Nearly every song features three or four guitars and Case with two or three backing vocalists echoing her. This goes beyond being faithful to her albums and creates a richness that fills the entirety of the theatre. It can sometimes bury how powerful Case's voice is, but her vocals come through full force when unleashed for "Maybe Sparrow" and after a slow build on "Halls of Sarah." It's to greater effect that her vocals are usually measured and she chooses to unleash them at particular moments.
This density of sound also highlights just how talented her band is. The harmonies don't blend so much as ricochet off of each other in a hall of mirrors effect. Of the seven people on the stage, only the drummer and bassist play the same instrument throughout the set, and it's nothing short of impressive that the band is so tight with that many moving parts (related: credit due also to Case's very hard working guitar tech). Being so well rehearsed, it perhaps isn't much of a surprise that there is a real sense of camaraderie among band, who trade barbs ranging from joking about who's getting fired that night to the drummer somehow being bullied into break dancing before beginning the encore.
Case herself is warm and primarily self-deprecating when she talks to the audience. It works, though, because her jokes are just silly enough that they're always funny instead of uncomfortable. "After that good time," she says when it's been revealed that her drummer is quite adept at The Worm, "we're going to bring you down with this bummer of a song." That bummer is the title track of the new album. No one in the audience seems like they've been let down.
It's an evening of firsts for Tusks. It's the band's first gig of the tour. It's frontwoman
Cate Le BonReward Having strayed from her signature guitar style into more textural, synth-based compositions, Cate Le
Photos by Amanda Farah Boris have gained cult status with their idiosyncratic take on slow, ominous waves
LIVE REVIEW: David Eugene Edwards & Alexander Hacke, Bremen Teater, 24.10.2018
It is a quiet Wednesday evening in Copenhagen, but most people that has showed up for tonights venue at Bremen Teater seems to know that soon this venue will be anything but quiet. Much can be said about the difference in background and musical style of the two musical characters who are about to show, but they do have one thing in common: They play insistently, consistently and uncompromisingly loud and has done so for decades!
A bell rings, telling the audience that the show is about to begin and the audience, mainly consisting of people halfway through life, calmly get seated in the comfortable cinema chairs while a drone-like suspense music is playing. The two performers of the evening enters the stage. David Eugene Edwards dressed in his habitual western outfit while Alexander Hacke has chosen to wear a black hat, motorcycle jacket, shining red shirt and platform Doc Martens shoes. Both wearing shades of a considerable size.
Although Alexander Hacke, bass player, composer and leading member of legendary Einstürzende Neubauten is long established as one of the grand old men of loud intellectual noise, it is David Eugene Edwards, the preaching frontman of Sixteen Horsepower, who is given the primary focus this evening. Chanting, singing, shouting and gesturing through his mythical and shamanistic verses and rituals while leaving Hacke hoveringer over his chaos pad and midi controlled noise.
The collaboration with Hacke is a refreshing new approach to the intense world of pain, religion, faith and salvation that David Eugene Edwards is known to present on his vintage instruments without the slightest touch of irony.
At this night it almost seemed as if the duo introduced a bit of humor. Hacke's outfit and operation of his electronic devices made him look like a strange mix of a German techno DJ and an old grumpy guy from The Muppet Show. David Eugene Edwards was clogging while playing and for a few seconds almost moon walking sideways towards Hacke, while also Hacke at the very end of the show was lifting his face towards the audience, presenting a few physical moves that resembled a sort of dance.
Edwards has used plenty of effects and samples in both Sixteen Horsepower and in Wovenhand, but the addition of Hacke's analogue harsh synth sounds and techno beats was somewhat unexpected. Many before has combined spiritual and native music with modern electronic beats and sounds, Eno and Byrne's 'My Life In The Bush of Ghosts' from the same year as Hacke's very first appearance with Einstürzende Neubauten comes to mind. But it is rare to experience this done with an intensity and feeling of authenticity such as in the hands of Edwards and Hacke.
Text: Ronald Laurits Jensen. Photos: Morten Aagaard Krogh
"My hair looks like shit today," says Neko Case as she takes the stage at Bremen Teatre,