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Tag Archives: French Army
Tolstoy As Villain: Tolstoy, Tolstory, Tall Story
Russia Against Napoleon: The True Story of the Campaigns of War and Peace by Dominic Lieven
My Rating: ★★★★☆
Russia's defeat of Napoleon is one of the most dramatic stories in European history. The war has been immortalized by Tolstoy in his epic, War & Peace. There is no great puzzle as to why Russia fought Napoleon. How it fought him and why it won are much bigger and more interesting questions. To answer these questions requires one to demolish well-established myths.
It is not surprising that myths dominate Western thinking about Russia's role in Napoleon's defeat. What happened in 1812–14 is usually distorted in British, French and American books. Popular works on the Napoleonic era necessarily follow a rather set pattern.
Fascination with Napoleon, with the timeless lessons to be learned from military genius, along with the fame of Clausewitz, generally seen as the greatest of all thinkers on modern war, has meant that the Russian side of the story paled in comparison. And got short shrift. The result is that the Russian side of the story is ignored or misinterpreted, with historians largely seeing Russia through the prism of French- or German-language sources.
The European Myths
The distortions manifest first as sort of colonial racism. Napoleon himself set the tone by finding few words of praise for any Russian troops other than Cossacks – ascribing to them the cause of his own retreat. Blaming defeat on the Cossacks or the weather was useful. Since the French army had no Cossacks and the weather was an 'unfair' act of God, no French officer need fear that by invoking these sources of disaster he was questioning his own superior virility or professional skill.
Thus, studies of the 1812 campaign in English mostly concentrate on Napoleon's mistakes, on the problems created for the French by Russia's geography and climate. The year 1813 traditionally belongs to German authors celebrating the resurgence of Prussia and the triumph of German patriotism.
The Russian Distortion
Thus the rest of Europe had a complete version of how events transpired. But, what of Russia itself?
In Russia, the later Decembrist revolt and its suppression was the beginning of the exceptionally bitter split between right and left in Russia which eventually ended in the revolution of 1917. The violent hatred between the two camps helped to poison and distort memories of 1812–14.
When it took over the 1812 myth and made it an integral part of Soviet patriotism, the Communist regime to a great extent set such ideas in stone. The historical reality of Russia's war effort had to be startlingly distorted to suit official ideology in the Stalinist era. Nobles and the Royalty had to be vilified; a folk hero in the form of Kutuzov had to be elevated; and the significance of mass resistance to Napoleon had to be exaggerated.
The Loudest Voice: Tolstoy
Leo Tolstoy was by far the most important nineteenth-century mythmaker as regards his impact on Russian (and foreign) understanding of Russia's role in the Napoleonic era. Tolstoy depicts elemental Russian patriotism as uniting in defense of national soil.
War and Peace has had more influence on popular perceptions of Napoleon's defeat by Russia than all the history books ever written. By denying any rational direction of events in 1812 by human actors and implying that military professionalism was a German disease Tolstoy feeds rather easily into Western interpretations of 1812 which blame the snow or chance for French defeat.
And, perhaps most important in the context of this work, Tolstoy, by ending his novel War and Peace in December 1812 with the war only half over and the greatest challenges still to come, he also contributes greatly to the fact that both Russians and foreigners largely forget the huge Russian achievement in 1813–14 even in getting their army across Europe to Paris, let alone defeating Napoleon en route. Thus, the long, bitter but ultimately triumphant road that led from Vilna in December 1812 to Paris in March 1814 plays no part in his work, just as it was entirely marginalized in the Soviet patriotic canon and in contemporary Russian folk memory.
So instead of being a voice for Russia, this popular or 'Tolstoyan' Russian interpretation of the war fits rather well with foreign accounts that play down the role of Russia's army and government in the victory over Napoleon.
Napoleon himself was much inclined to blame geography, the climate and chance; this absolved him from responsibility for the catastrophe. Historians usually add Napoleon's miscalculations and blunders to the equation but many of them are happy to go along with Tolstoy's implied conclusion that the Russian leadership had little control over events and that Russian 'strategy' was a combination of improvisation and accident.
Inevitably too, Russian lack of interest in 1813–14 left the field free for historians of other nations who were happy to tell the story of these years with Russia's role marginalized.
The above is a summation of the basic premise of the book. The author goes on to demonstrate that these 'stories' are myths and tries to give a detailed analysis of how Russia really defeated Napoleon. He gives details of every campaign, including logistics, troop recruitment, weather patterns, foreign policy manipulations, chance events, etc. It is fascinating yet quite tedious.
For now, I can provide no comments on the author's thesis and can only form an opinion after further exploration of the events through other histories. To me, the premise of the book was more interesting and perhaps more important than the actual content itself, which is passably good but never intriguing.
I can comment on whether this really is essential reading or not for explorers of Tolstoy (and students of Russia, by default) only after finishing War & Peace, but for now it does seem to be.
Best infographic ever. (sourcererblog.wordpress.com)
How Napoleon Fell from Power and It's Effects (jaw77710.wordpress.com)
War and Peace, Leo Tolstoy (theneovictorian.wordpress.com)
Napoleon Bonaparte (qanitadhanani.wordpress.com)
1813-1814 : Napoleon blowing bubbles (retronaut.com)
The Bloodless War Between Britain and Sweden sets the Stage for One of the Bloodiest Battles of the Napoleonic Era (crackedhistory.com)
Posted by Riku on December 25, 2013 in Book Reviews, Books
Tags: Cossacks, Dominic Lieven, French Army, Leo Tolstoy, Napoleon, Russia, Tolstoy, War & Peace


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December 13, 2015 by KingSigy
People love to claim that the Legend of Zelda series is basically the same game over and over again. While this is failing to take into account all of the handheld titles, even the main console entries have enough differences to differentiate themselves.
Still, Nintendo must have really taken that criticism to heart as the Legend of Zelda: Triforce Heroes is completely different from the classic Zelda mold. The game is more akin to Four Swords and not it's Gamecube sequel.
While I enjoyed the game, I think it was mostly due to me being a die-hard Zelda fan. The singleplayer mode is hot trash and the weird requirement of three players kind of ruins local multiplayer with just a single buddy. Download Play is very generous, so at least you don't have to have friends with copies of the game.
I can't quite put my finger on why I may consider this the weakest Zelda game in the series. That isn't to say anything is particularly bad about it, save for it's netcode; I'm mostly just saying that nothing is quite original about it.
Since the game bears a huge resemblance to Four Swords, it's easy to compare the two games. For starters, you progress through areas that are basically small rooms. There isn't an overworld or any kind of dungeon exploration; you are placed in an area with some items and small puzzles.
Successfully completing the puzzle gets you to the next room and so on until a boss fight. It is fun, but it becomes pretty routine in a very short time. There are stylish touches like some graphical effects, 3D and great music, but without the costume changing mechanic, the game would be a bit dull.
Costumes are what define this Zelda experience. Changing to and fro makes for some great times. Having Link cross dress or putting on a replica of Marth's outfit is well and good, but unlocking some of the more badass costumes (like Sword Master or Fierce Deity) can make replays and challenges trivial.
Four Swords was incredibly rudimentary in design. While having three friends help you through puzzles was a blast, all of it's dungeons are randomly generated. At some point, you begin to see repeat room designs and immediately know the solution. I guess that takes awhile, but it also leads to a game that has no distinct or memorable moments.
That game got it's fun out of being novel. The DSi re-release added some much needed content to spruce up the endgame, but it's original state is a bit of a throwaway gimmick. Can Zelda multiplayer work? Four Swords said yes.
The sequel, Four Swords Adventures really went to town with the whole concept. You were required to have Gameboy Advance link cables for multiplayer, but each person could be exploring a small room on their own. Main puzzles had players taking divergent paths to find items and culminate in some grand solution.
Or a daring escape!
Everyone emerged from their GBAs and provided the steps necessary; Triforce Heroes doesn't really have that. I can accept the lack of 4 players, but often times you can beat an entire room by yourself. It makes the concept of multiplayer feel like it was forced upon a different execution of the Zelda formula.
While online play should make up for lacking friends or having differing schedules, Triforce Heroes has some really unstable netcode. Seemingly perfect games can end suddenly for no reason and most people have no idea how to setup a WiFi connection; I've had lag so bad that my sword wouldn't swing for 5 seconds after pressing the attack button.
At least with Four Swords and Four Swords Adventures, you had to be in the same room. It might have limited the chances most people had to play the game (not to mention the outlandish price required for such a feat), but the game worked at all times. Triforce Heroes sometimes fails at multiplayer while simultaneously failing at singleplayer.
The original Four Swords never even had a singleplayer component, but Four Swords Adventures allowed players to summon the extra Link's in different formations. That kind of gameplay feels akin to some classic Bioware RPGs like Icewind Dale or Baldur's Gate. Why the same type of mechanic wasn't utilized in Triforce Heroes is beyond my comprehension.
Singleplayer has you tapping the bottom screen to switch between dopples of yourself. It makes for tedious progression; every time you get somewhere with one Link, you need to completely stop and redo it for another. The totem mechanic almost seems to come from frustration in solo play rather than any genuine multiplayer advantage.
There is also a rather limited method of communication for online play. You get emoticons that you can press which are supposed to tell other players what to do. They rarely work. There are no icons for "Do not use item" or "Stop". You just have a generic "NO!!!" to warn players of anything wrong.
Where is the "Stop Dying" button?!
Trying to specify what needs to be done in a given situation to a totally clueless player is an exercise in frustration. You wouldn't even believe how many times I ended up yelling at my 3DS when a solution came to me in seconds. To watch others shrug and bumble around like a doofus is maddening.
When everything does click into place, Triforce Heroes is fast and fun. I like that there is actual puzzle solving instead of just murdering enemies like in Four Swords. This feels like a compromise between the two previous multiplayer Zelda titles. It also has a vibe similar to Skyward Sword's upgrades.
I also can't stay mad at a Zelda game that calls back to the 2D gameplay from yesteryear. People love to worry about how Nintendo has basically forgotten "classic" Zelda, but they still make these games for us to enjoy. They never buried that tried and true game system.
If anything, I think Triforce Heroes has shown me that I just prefer to take my Zelda alone. To me (and a lot of people), Zelda has been about exploring a new world and conquering it's many dungeons. It's been about guiding Link through treacherous paths and perilous situations.
Traveling "literally" anywhere.
Sure, sharing that fun is great, but the real joy comes from figuring out a solution and putting it into action. Without the ability to verbalize that to a friend (or get them to read your mind), the game becomes an exercise in patience and insanity.
Having like minded players makes all the difference. With friends who actually understand Zelda (or being in the same room), you can accomplish what is being thrown at you. Local multiplayer saves the day yet again.
All in all, Triforce Heroes isn't bad. I rather enjoy it. I just don't know if I'd ever see myself playing through it again.Four Swords exists mostly as a way to kill time on long flights and Four Swords Adventures is an epic journey with friends.
Triforce Heroes kind of feels like a short trip to an amusement park. It's fun while it lasts, but you really want to get home after you've had your fun. It also sucks to have to deal with people who lack common sense.
This entry was posted in Gaming, Op/Ed, Review, Uncategorized and tagged 3ds, changing, clothes, co-op, costumes, discussion, ds, gamecube, gaming, legend of zelda, link, mechanics, multiplayer, nintendo, Review, zelda.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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HomeAivaras Abromavičius EN
Aivaras Abromavičius EN
Lithuania's TS-LKD nominates ex-econmin for Vilnius mayor
September 26, 2018 BNS 0
Lithuania's conservative Homeland Union – Lithuanian Christian Democrats has nominated former Economy Minister Dainius Kreivys for Vilnius mayor. […]
V. Gailius and A. Abromavičius offered respectively the posts of justice and economy minister?
November 13, 2017 Vilma Danauskiene 0
Opposition Seimas Liberal Movement group member Vitalijus Gailius is being offered the post of minister of justice, while former Ukrainian Minister of Economy Aivaras Abromavičius – the post of minister of economy. This information was […]
ELECTIONS. Vėsaitė (SocDems) and Abromavičius (Conservatives) debate economics
October 3, 2016 DELFI 0
Former Minister of Economy, Social Democrat (LSDP) Birutė Vėsaitė and Aivaras Abromavičius, former Ukrainian Minister of Economic Development and Trade, now candidate for the Homeland Union – Lithuanian Christian Democrats (TS-LKD), were featured in a live Delfi Balsuok 2016 debate on September 30. The main topic of the evening was economics and future plans in Seimas. […]
Abromavičius, Šimonytė, Ušackas and Pavilionis among conservatives' candidates for ministers
September 12, 2016 BNS EN 0
The opposition Homeland Union – Lithuanian Christian Democratic announced that the party's leader Gabrielius Landsbergis would be the prime minister, if the party is involved in formation of the government after the upcoming elections. […]
Former Ukrainian minister throws his lot with Lithuanian conservatives
July 21, 2016 BNS 0
Aivaras Abromavičius, a former economy minister of Ukraine, has agreed to join the government team of the Homeland Union–Lithuanian Christian Democrats (TS-LKD), if the party wins this October's general elections.
To read this article, try a €5.99 monthly subscription by clicking here. […]
Aivaras Abromavičius, resigned Ukrainian minister of economy, said to have returned
March 16, 2016 www.DELFI.lt 0
Aivaras Abromavičius, the Ukrainian minister of economy who said he would resign over pervasive corruption in the Ukrainian government, is currently back at work, according to several Ukrainian news sources. […]
'Lack of Ukraine reform could lead EU to lift Russian sanctions' – EU ambassador
Ukraine's lack of progress on reforms may lead the EU to lean towards rejecting an extension of sanctions on Russia, according to the European Union's Ambassador to Russia, Vygaudas Ušackas. […]
Early elections only way out of Ukraine's political stalemate, Lithuanian analyst says
February 18, 2016 the Lithuania Tribune 0
Ukraine has gotten itself into a political cul-de-sac and the only way out is to call early elections, says a leading Lithuanian political scientist. […]
Abromavičius resignation should trigger re-evaluation of Kiev ties
February 10, 2016 www.lrt.lt 0
It is little wonder that the resignation of Aivaras Abromavičius, Ukraine's Lithuanian-born Minister of Economy, has created a political uproar and a government crisis. The move should also encourage Lithuania and like-minded countries to sharpen policies towards Kiev. […]
Ukraine not doing enough to eradicate corruption, says Lithuania's foreign minister
Not enough measures are being taken by the Ukraine to eradicate corruption, according to Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Linas Linkevičius. […]
Leaked correspondence shows Abromavičius told truth about Ukraine corruption
February 9, 2016 LT Daily 0
Ukrainian media have published evidence that Ukraine's former Economic Development and Trade Minister, Lithuanian Aivaras Abromavičius, was not lying about corruption in government blocking his reforms. […]
Saakashvili backs Abromavičius after resignation over Ukraine corruption
Governor of the Odessa region of Ukraine Mikheil Saakashvili has expressed his support for the Lithuanian-born Minister of Economy of Ukraine Aivaras Abromavičius after he announced his resignation due what he said was systematic corruption and blocking of important reforms in Ukraine. […]
International community expresses dismay over Abromavičius' Ukraine resignation
The ambassadors of Western countries in Kiev have expressed their regret over the recent resignation of Ukraine's Economic Development and Trade Minister Aivaras Abromavičius, praising him for his efforts in fighting corruption and implementing reforms necessary for Ukraine's economy. […]
Blow to Ukraine's reform effort as Lithuanian-born economy minister quits
February 3, 2016 the Lithuania Tribune 0
The Lithuanian Minister of Economy of Ukraine, Aivaras Abromavičius, said on Wednesday he was stepping down as his ministry was being hijacked by corrupt vested interests. […]
Ukraine's economy minister keeps Lithuanian citizenship
September 8, 2015 BNS 0
Ukrainian Economic Development and Trade Minister Aivaras Abromavičius has retained his Lithuanian citizenship, although the law says that citizenship is lost when a person works for a foreign country's civil service without permission. […]
Lithuania could help Ukraine with exports promotion, minister says
August 3, 2015 BNS 0
Lithuania could help Ukraine with the restructuring of government reserve, promotion of exports as well as with advice on operations of a centre of registers, Ukraine's economy minister believes. […]
Lithuanian foreign minister: Ukraine's reformers race against time
The reforms underway in Ukraine should be completed as soon as possible, and the country's politicians are faced with the challenge of time, says Lithuania's Foreign Minister Linas Linkevičius. […]
Ukraine's minister of economy visiting Lithuania
Ukraine's Economy Minister Aivaras Abromavičius, who is Lithuanian, is visiting Vilnius on Friday. […]
Lithuanian minister in charge of making Ukraine economy more efficient: 400 ministry staff gone in 7 months
July 16, 2015 Ramunas Bogdanas 0
Many Lithuanians follow closely developments in Kiev, where Aivaras Abromavičius, a 39-year-old Vilnius-born businessman, has been put in charge of Ukraine's ministry of economy and trade. He is one of several foreigners invited by Ukraine's current leadership who decided it takes an outsider to tackle corruption and inefficiency that plagues the country's economy. […]
Ukraine's minister Abromavičius may lose Lithuanian citizenship after all
Ukraine's Economy Minister Aivaras Abromavičius may lose his Lithuanian citizenship, as Lithuania's laws do not provide for an exception for emigrants of Lithuanian origin. […]


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LUMHS confers degrees on 551 students
No one can dare cast evil eye on Pakistan, says Dr AQ Khan
US, China, Turkey were on board over pilot's release: Rashid
Minister says India is 'now well aware of our military capability'
Shahram Haq March 03, 2019
Minister says India is 'now well aware of our military capability.' PHOTO: FILE
LAHORE: Federal Minister for Railways Sheikh Rashid Ahmad has said that all stakeholders, including some world powers, were on board as Pakistan decided to release Indian Air Force pilot Abhinandan Varthaman.
Rashid claimed during a press conference here on Saturday that India initially planned to fire rockets on all important airports of Pakistan, but the armed forces were ready to stop such attacks.
"This is the difference of leadership; Modi, the Indian Prime Minister, thinks after action whereas Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan thinks ahead."
He added that the opposition, armed forces and government, as well as the United States, China and Turkey were on board when the country decided to hand over the pilot back to India.
"Every inch of Indian territory is in range of our missiles as our technology is superior," warned the railways minister.
He further said that Indian Prime Minister Modi has been badly exposed before the world after the recent incidents as he neither has the intelligence level of Gandhi or Nehru nor of Vajpayee and his adventure has resulted in declining investments in India and damaged his image in the world.
Indian pilot thanks Pak Army for saving him from lynch mob
The Awami Muslim League chief said some people, including some opposition leaders, were opposing the government's decision, but former prime minister Nawaz Sharif had also sent back an Indian pilot a few days after the Kargil war.
"Currently Imran and Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa are on one page, however, the situation was different during the Kargil conflict," he said.
Rashid added the attack on Taj Mahal hotel back in 2009 was a much bigger issue than Pulwama attack, however, the premier has played a great stroke and placed himself among those deserving the Nobel Peace Prize.
As per the minister, the Indian Air Force is around four times bigger than PAF in size. "PAF's level is much higher when it comes to quality, not quantity, and India knows it well." He said after the shooting down of Indian fighter planes, disappointment and frustration was "evident from their face and body language".
Talking about the Kashmir issue, Rashid said Kashmiris don't need Pakistan's support as they are now fighting for freedom on their own.
"The Kashmir issue has once again become a hot topic due to this incident. I am not in favour of war as I believe that war is the result of failed foreign policies but if it happens this would be the last and final war between the two neighbouring countries and this will be due to the Kashmir issue," he added.
"Every child of Kashmir is ready for martyrdom," he went on to say. He appreciated Pakistan's media for covering all the incidents responsibly, while criticising Indian media for promoting warmongering between the two countries.
Samjhauta Express to resume
Meanwhile, the railways minister has announced that the Samjhauta Express train service will resume its operations according to schedule.
He said an emergency has been declared in Pakistan Railways and it has sufficient stock of fuel to meet at least one month's requirements. He warned India against creating instability in the region and asserted, "India is well aware of military capability of Pakistan and its air force."
He expressed annoyance over Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Khurshid Shah's criticism against PM Imran Khan and said, "We can capture their pilot anytime." He announced that the prime minister will inaugurate the VIP Jinnah Express on March 20.
Captured IAF pilot to be handed over to India at Wagah Border
Abhinandan walks home through Wagah
Captured Indian pilot to cross Wagah border shortly
Pakistan strongly condemns desecration of Holy Quran in Denmark


Please pay particular attention to section 3 (Keeping your IT Credentials Secure).
Sharing account details may result in your account being locked and you being subjected to a re-education discussion (i.e. a rant) by LSU's Head of Technical Services and / or your password being changed. Repeat offenders will be referred to either their line manager or University IT Services, as appropriate, for disciplinary action. The university can, and do, remove IT privileges given to students and Uni staff as well as issuing fines. Whilst it isn't obvious, helpfully setting a password for a colleague that can't physically attend LSU to change their password for themselves isn't acceptable either.
You should also be aware that leaving LSU computers logged in unlocked and unattended is also a breach of the policy. Sanctions usually involve the ranty Head of Technical Services shouting at you, having to repeatedly change your password, facebook account hacking, and emails being sent declaring your undying love to colleagues. Again repeat offenders will be referred to their line manager or University IT Services.
Just because software will install in your profile does not mean you are allowed to install it, or should install it.
Some software is not permitted because it conflicts with other software (e.g. Trusteer Raport used by HSBC et al), because you would be in breach of the user licence (e.g. Spotify), or its use may break the law. Colleagues who without permission install software, may be referred to their line manager or University IT Services - in the case of pirated software you WILL be reported.


ZAMBRERO, a quick-service Mexican restaurant chain from Australia, has opened its first international branch at Bangkok's CentralWorld. Located on the mall's sixth floor, the restaurant specializes in fresh and healthy Mexican food made fresh to order. Flavour is enhanced by sous vide cooking, in which meat is sealed in airtight bags and slow-cooked at a low temperature to so it remains tender and juicy. The menu includes burritos, nachos, tacos, quesadillas, chips & dips, and more. Dishes range from B69-B189. Open daily 10am-10pm.


Onuku Limited is a 100% Maori owned company based in Whakatane, New Zealand. Onuku is associated with the Onuku Maori Lands Trust (OMLT) that owns, administers and farms approximately 2,363 Hectares of prime land at the base of the mighty Mount Tarawera.
Onuku Limited is a 100% Maori owned company based in Whakatane, New Zealand. Onuku is associated with the Onuku Maori Lands Trust (OMLT) that owns, administers and farms approximately 2,363 Hectares of prime land at the base of the mighty Mount Tarawera (which famously erupted in 1866) and on the shores of Lake Rotomahana. A stone's throw to the famous sunken Pink and White terraces that were once considered the 'Eighth wonder of the World'. Onuku Ltd is headed by Les Stowell who is both a beneficiary and a current Trustee of OMLT.
OMLT are currently involved in trial plantings of Manuka seedlings for manuka oil extraction and have more than 500 hives deployed on their lands. The opportunity to expand their farming investment portfolio came up following discussions with Les and Hayden Stowell. As a result of these discussions, Onuku Limited was established.


This title presents the nitty-gritty of basic patternmaking. Off-the-peg too bland or doesn't fit? Made-to-measure too expensive? Then why not do it yourself? This volume explains the nitty-gritty of basic patternmaking, laying the essential foundations for anyone taking their first steps in tailoring and dressmaking. Four fundamental garments - skirt, dress, jacket and coat - are used to explain patterns step by step, with clear sequences of photographs and descriptions. Gradually, the reader is enabled to tackle ever-increasing complexity in patternmaking, moving toward such activities as customizing, the creative adaptation of basic models, and deriving patterns from pictures. About the Author: Lucia Mors took her first steps at Vivienne Westwood's Studio. Since then, she has earned a degree in fashion design at the Meisterschule fur Mode, Munich, and added to her resume with two shoe collections for the Selve brand, while gathering experience as head of the pattern-design department of the Misericordia fair-trade company in Peru. Currently, she is continuing her studies at the Academy of Arts in Berlin, determined to give fashion a true element of social conscience.


We are writing in support of Ellen Sturgis, Democrat for state representative in the Third Middlesex District.
Lancaster is not part of her district (it includes Bolton and Stow), but as Nashoba School Committee members who have served with Ellen, we have no doubt that she will be an extremely effective state legislator. Ellen brought a sense of fiscal responsibility to the school district budgeting process, ensuring a balance between maintaining an excellent school system and keeping growth (and its impact on town assessments) to a reasonable level. We also saw her ensure that our contract negotiations were productive, respectful and ultimately successful in creating a compromise that all parties could support.
This experience of working collaboratively with others makes Ellen the most qualified to serve the Third Middlesex District. We encourage you to support Ellen Sturgis on Sept. 16.


Brian Mitchell (www.duke.edu) is a licensed professional engineer in the state of North Carolina. He has worked as a mechanical engineer at Duke University for more than 5 years, where he oversees planning and engineering for the campus steam and distributed hot water systems. His primary role is to improve both efficiency and reliability for more than 9 miles of underground distribution piping. Prior to working at Duke, he worked as a consultant for 9 years, designing and implementing thermal distribution systems for higher education and government clients. Mr. Mitchell obtained a BS in Mechanical Engineering from North Carolina State University. He can be reached at brian.mitchell@duke.edu.
Contributor: Brian Cahill (www.aerogel.com) is a process engineer with 16 years of experience with steam powered manufacturing operations in Europe. His primary role involved the operational management of 5 steam generating facilities and led best practice teams across 32 manufacturing sites in process and safety management. Mr. Cahill joined Aspen Aerogels in 2011 and has worked in a variety of technical sales and marketing roles. He can be reached at bcahill@aerogel.com.
Steam power has a long and important history. It has powered an industrial revolution, supported the growth of our largest cities, and shaped the political maps of our world. Yet, for many, it goes unnoticed. Steam warms our homes and workplaces in winter, and even cools us in summer. Steam also provides the energy to support industrial, medical, commercial, and manufacturing operations around the globe.
Even though steam power has been used since the first century, it really didn't make its mark on the world until it was used in London in 1698. The idea of harnessing steam power hasn't changed for centuries, but the technology behind it has. Since the first metropolitan steam network commissioned in New York in 1882, the industry has witnessed incredible technological advances in generation, transportation, and control. Unrelenting demand for quality, reliability, and efficiency have increased the pressure on operators to maintain resilient networks, and the steam community has responded with innovation and advancements. However, even with all the improvements in technology and system design, a key element of today's steam networks has remained relatively untouched: thermal insulation.
The role of thermal insulation in a steam network is quite simple: maintain the desired steam quality, protect the asset and infrastructure from environmental conditions, and safeguard those who interact with the network, including maintenance personnel and the general public. Those of us in the insulation industry know that when insulation works, it goes unnoticed. When it fails, however, the consequences can be severe.
Insulation may not be the most interesting of efficiency-enhancing measures, but it is the unsung hero in our modern world. Unfortunately, insulation's contribution to safe and efficient operations is sometimes overlooked in favor of more "advanced" technologies. Whereas a new, more reliable model of steam trap or a more economical water treatment technology may appeal to a facility manager, insulation choices are largely based on whatever material the site has traditionally used—in spite of the cost of underperforming or failed insulation.
Water is the true enemy of thermal insulation. When insulation becomes wet, it loses its ability to conserve energy, protect workers, and maintain system performance. Thermal resistance is decimated, and the increased risk of corrosion may endanger infrastructure.
A colleague once shared the consequences of saturated insulation in an industrial steam network he had worked on in Europe. It required him to work around periodic reduced capacity and increased condensate production; overloaded steam traps; and increased consumption of fuel, water, and treatment chemicals during winter months. A near disastrous corrosion event on a heavy fuel oil tank roof and wall caused major disruption and expensive repairs. The root cause of the tank performance was corrosion under insulation (CUI), a term that was not well known at the time—he simply believed the tank had failed as the result of wet insulation.
It is critical to keep the insulation system in place and the underlying asset dry. That's easier said than done, and some facilities have abandoned steam altogether, migrating all or part of their network to pressurized hot water systems. In many cases, this decision is motivated by frustrations born of suppressed capacity, increased maintenance costs, and compromised safety conditions whenever it rains or snows.
Duke University is one of the countless industrial, medical, commercial, and manufacturing operations around the world that generates and delivers steam via an underground network of pipes, vaults, and tunnels. Recently, the university planned to expand its steam supply to a new state-of-the-art medical center; as the University's Mechanical Engineer, I knew the steam network would need to operate at its highest performance levels to maintain sufficient capacity.
Duke's steam network consists of approximately 13 miles of underground steam pipe and over 100 vaults. Unfortunately, the vaults were susceptible to severe problems whenever it rained: fugitive steam escaping the vault, boiling water within the vault, damage to the concrete vault structure, and higher operating costs, among other issues.
What caused these problems to the steam system? Wet, damaged, or missing insulation. If a vault is prone to regular flooding, certain insulation materials will not last for extended periods of time. In addition, some thermal insulation materials have a tendency to get crushed when maintenance personnel walk on the piping or work around it.
The option that Duke University chose to mitigate these concerns was a high-temperature aerogel blanket insulation. It is thin, flexible, water-resistant, and breathable. Silica aerogels are amongst the lightest solids known to science, composed of 98% air. Long chains of open celled pores create an intricate path limiting conductive and convective heat transfer. The silica aerogel structure is extremely hydrophobic and has a low thermal conductivity. These features may allow reduced insulation thicknesses to meet local efficiency requirements. Reducing the thickness of insulation in a confined space, such as a vault or tunnel, allows for easier retrofitting or upgrade of steam and condensate lines.
I had experience with this insulation before joining Duke. I had previously tested the product on a project that required the thermal insulation to work in a trench prone to flooding. Despite the challenging environmental conditions, the insulation worked and was successfully integrated into the project, leading me to believe it might also be a good choice for Duke's steam network.
On the Durham campus, many vaults suffered severe problems whenever it rained, and the existing insulation had previously degraded and fallen off some of the pipework when it got wet. I focused on non-absorbent insulations, and recalling my earlier project, decided to test aerogel blanket insulation in a couple of high-risk vaults. While the layout varies slightly at each vault, the scope mandated upgrades to current campus standards, including installation of inverted bucket steam traps, standardized steam trap assemblies, and the testing or replacing of sump pumps. The insulation was applied to all steam and condensate piping and fittings, and valves were protected with removable jackets.
The results were very positive. Not only did the aerogel blanket survive, but it continued to insulate, contributing to the transformation of the existing network and safeguarding the performance of the medical center addition.
Duke is experiencing numerous benefits from these new insulation systems. Duke has more than 100 steam vaults with various pipe sizes and configurations. The facilities team estimated each vault's heat loss when fully insulated versus uninsulated: on average, an uninsulated vault costs the university around $4,750/year. When fully insulated, the cost of heat loss plummets to $359/year. Duke budgeted approximately $3,000–$4,000 per vault for installing new insulation, giving the university a simple payback of less than a year. For completely bare vaults, we will see savings up to 92%. While these savings would be true for any insulation (taking into account varying thickness to match the heat loss), the main difference with using a steam-appropriate insulation—such as aerogel—is that it can withstand flooding and remain securely on the pipe, thus saving money and resources that would have been spent on re-installation.
After the first test install, I observed the system and noted there was no steaming, reduced complaints, and reduced maintenance and overtime spending—mainly due to not having to re-insulate the vault after heavy rain or a prolonged period of flooding. We now have less of a problem with sump pumps burning out prematurely due to flooding as the water does not get hot enough to damage the pump.
Insulation is vital to steam networks. Just looking at our energy/cost calculations, it is apparent that a lack of insulation cost us money and increased heat in vaults leads to brittle concrete, excessive wear on sump pumps, and unsafe conditions for entry. Additionally, excessive heat loss can quickly overload the steam traps and our condensate management system, leading to larger problems in distribution. In the past, lack of insulation on the piping had been a contributing factor to excessive condensate build up in the piping—an issue that is now mitigated.
For others in similar situations, I recommend testing the insulation materials in your worst wet environment. While I concede it may cost more to use an insulation that is new to installers (who may have been using the same insulation for decades), it will save money in the long run. I am pleased with the results of the new installation, which allows us to better manage ground-water infiltration and keep our steam system efficient and operational.
After a successful pilot, I changed Duke's design guidelines for steam vault insulation to use aerogel blanket insulation. Each year, we evaluate the distribution system to see which vaults are least efficient and target them for re-insulation. We have re-insulated all or part of 22 steam vaults and will continue re-insulate 5–10 vaults per year until all the vaults are well insulated and operating as efficiently as possible.
In addition to using it in our steam vaults, we have started specifying this material as the primary insulation in our direct buried piping systems. The reduced insulation thickness reduces the outer diameter of the piping system and ensures the insulation will remain effective should a major leak occur. As a side benefit, the reduced outer diameter has also decreased new vault sizes and trench widths, further lowering installation costs.
Ordinarily, expanding the steam network system for the new medical center at Duke would require additional steam-generating capacity. However, the application of new insulation made the system so efficient, that we do not require this additional capacity investment.
Taking system conditions and likely wear and tear is a critical part of designing an insulation system. In the case of steam systems, it is vitally important to specify an insulation that can withstand the moisture and wear typically associated with these applications. Proper specification and maintenance can reduce energy usage, guard against corrosion, and garner significant financial savings.
This article was published in the May 2017 issue of Insulation Outlook magazine. Copyright © 2017 National Insulation Association. All rights reserved. The contents of this website and Insulation Outlook magazine may not be reproduced in any means, in whole or in part, without the prior written permission of the publisher and NIA. Any unauthorized duplication is strictly prohibited and would violate NIA's copyright and may violate other copyright agreements that NIA has with authors and partners. Contact publisher@insulation.org to reprint or reproduce this content.


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/ Rob Beschizza / 12 pm Fri, Dec 18 2015
Six months with a dumbphone
By Rob Beschizza
In yearning for simplicity, the question is its own answer. Or maybe just get something old from Nokia.
A while back, I realized that something was amiss in my relationship with my telephone. Notifications, email, Facebook, Twitter… it all became a constant drain on on my attention, the internet following me around like a shadow. I just couldn't give it up! So I asked the readers of Boing Boing about the current situation with low-end dumbphones, in the hopes that something was out there that could do the things I needed to do (send texts and make calls) without having me permanently dripped to the great saline bag of bullshit in the cloud.
And without being absolute junk.
I once owned the legendary e-ink phone, the Moto F3, and hankered for those simple, halcyon days. But it, like some of the most minimal options touted (such as the grandmatastic Johns Phone and $15 cardphones from China), are so rudimentary as to be hostile to their purpose. If all I had to do was receive calls, fine. But these things don't even have functional address books.
My search for a really nice dumbphone left me with three standout options:
1. Get whatever standard entry-level candybar phone the carriers are giving away.
2. Get one of the classy, high-end Nokia dumbphones (e.g. the 301 and the 515) from before it was eaten by Microsoft.
3. … something else? A model aimed at seniors?
1 is the sanest, eBay-free route of the 2015 dumbphone aficionado, but they're bland and chintzy and not well-designed. They work, but they aren't nice. If you're just looking to get a job done, though, here you go. Stop reading! You're done. Get a Blu Phone or a Samsung Chuckle or Kyocera Snazzy or whatever is lately $9.95 contact-free. However, guess what: most have the same problems as…
2, which I thought would be just the ticket, but let me tell you, classy Nokia models didn't work for me at all. Sure, Nokia's hardware is great. The devices are sturdy, well-designed, and it's really obvious they're the end of many years of hardware design evolution. The problem is Nokia's Series 40 software. It's a trash fire, and there's just no saving it. A slow, hinky, fiddly, crashy, stinky, rinky-dink trash fire. Take every UI metaphor ever, throw it in the blender of a mad Finn's stomach, then vomit it onto a tiny, non-touch LCD screen. This is every fancy late-era Nokia dumbphone.
Worse: these models not only have Facebook apps, you aren't allowed to delete them! The ultimate betrayal from my escape-the-smartphone dumbphone.
Now, the ultra-basic Nokia models, such as the Nokia 105/106, are in fact much better than the supposedly flagship dumbphone models, because their software (Series 30) is simpler: no apps, no nonsense. It's still not great, but it is what it is, the batteries last weeks on a charge, and they're better than contemporary carrier crapphones from Samsung and LG. Moreover, contemporary models are more likely to have various pointless additions and apps (i.e. Facebook) that muddy the nice useful simplicity of your dumbphone.
So I kept looking. Which brings us to 3, and to…
…this bizarre looking contraption, which comes all the way from the Baltics. Creator Just5 also offers a more modern-looking rounded version in black, but I like the Brick model--yes, it's called the Brick!--in wild colors like green and crimson. And it's pretty much exactly what I wanted.
It's basic, easy to use, and the UI is completely straightforward. It's designed with intent, right down to the retro 80s font and the black and white UI. Everything about it adheres to a rather dramatic miniminal plan, which is quite appealing after the surprising mess that most dumbphones present. It's responsive and well thought out: once muscle memory sets in, you'll set a reminder faster than you can tell Siri to do the same thing, and there's no possibility she will think you want to pet a bookbinder.
It has an address book and a few basic apps such as an alarm, a calendar, and text messaging.
There are some minor shortcomings. It would be great if the calendar app let you set reminders or alarms. As it is it just lets you know what the date is, which seems incomplete: a nice plain UI without any functionality.
The texting app doesn't understand some texts, too -- you just get the header. My guess is these contain multimedia (or are perhaps lingering iPhone conversations it can't understand). If it's MMS, it could surely be fixed, as the display is in fact full color.
The musical ringtones are awful. Trashy dancey MIDI tunes, the looming specter of recent European Union integration. None of them can be replaced, but there are basic beeping and ringing tones to use instead.
If you want a dumbphone that does the basics, this (or its less squared-off sister model) might be it. The key takehome: it is intentionally designed to the minimalist pixel without being a nearly-useless stunt gadget like Johns Phone.
There's one big caveat, though, which means I'll be moving on after 6 months of use. It's only 2G, and 2G coverage is getting so spotty where I live that it's often impossible to make calls on it. Before you pick up a crazy 2G dumbphone, then, make sure 2G still works in your neck of the woods. 2G is also, according to intelligent-sounding people on the internet, so insecure that it lacks any significant privacy.
Also, mysteriously, while it works on T-Mobile (at least where coverage exists) the AT&T sims I tried all made it crash. I had this problem with other 2G phones I tried, too, so maybe something's up with newer AT&T cards.
You can get the Brick for $125-ish on eBay, unlocked.
If I continue to have 2G trouble, the next step is the CAT Phone: durable, serviceable and 3G. Not exactly a design classic, but there seem to be few emerging alternatives.
The question remains, then, whether the experience of being smartphone-free is worth it. Fortunately, no lengthy, vaguely-existential essay is required to explain that yes, yes it is. If you're still here, you know why, and all that's left is to do it.
2g is dead / bricks / dumbphones / facebook / fine / Gadgets / just5 / nokia / noteads / smartphones
Apple Rac: rack-mounted Mac Pros now on offer
The rack-mounted version of the expensive and handsome new Mac Pro is now available, starting at $6499. You can configure yourself a model up to $54,547.98, rack not included.
Lil Dumpster Fire vinyl figurine
Celebrate the new decade with a $22 Lil Dumpster Fire figurine so that you can gaze upon your immortal petrochemical chum and recall fondly the days when the dumpster fire was merely figurative. (via Super Punch)


The Interesting World of Insects. A Fall Activity Packet for First Grade.
Jackson Community Coll., MI. Dahlem Environmental Education Center.
Dahlem Environmental Education Center, Jackson Community College, 7117 South Jackson Rd., Jackson, MI 49201.
Sponsor: Department of Education, Washington, DC. Inst. of Museum Services.
Authoring Institution: Jackson Community Coll., MI. Dahlem Environmental Education Center.


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Philip Tetlock On Forecasting
Russ Roberts interviewed psychologist Philip Tetlock about his research on forecasting future events using groups of amateurs. Here's a sample:
Russ: Going back to the earlier work that you did and before the fall of the Soviet Union, what were some of the main empirical takeaways from that work?
PT: Well, one big takeaway was that--liberals and conservatives had very different policy prescriptions, and they had very different conditional forecasts about what would happen if you went down one policy path or another. And that nobody really came close to predicting the Gorbachev phenomenon. Nobody, for that matter, came really close to predicting the disintegration of the Soviet Union later on. But everyone after the fact seemed to have an explanation that either appropriated credit or deflected blame.
Russ: And it was consistent with their worldview, I'm sure.
PT: And meshed perfectly with their prior worldview. So, it was as though we were in an outcome-irrelevant learning situation. It didn't really matter what happened--people would be in an excellent position to interpret what happened as consistent with their prior views. And the idea of forecasting tournaments was to make it easier for people to remember their past states of ignorance.
PT: This is an aside of sorts, but it's just a wonderful insight into human nature, and it's a theme here at EconTalk. Which is: When you went back and asked people to give what they remember as their probability of, say, the Soviet Union falling, what did they say?
Guest: Well, they certainly thought they assigned a higher probability to the dissolution of the Soviet Union than they did. And there were a few people who assigned really low probabilities who remember assigning higher than a 50% probability. So, people really pumped up those probabilities retrospectively. So, the psychologists call that 'hindsight bias' or the 'I knew it all along' effect. And we saw that in spades in the Soviet Forecasting Tournament.
Russ: Yeah. I think that's an incredibly important thing that we all tend to do. We tend to think we had much more vision than we actually had. And we usually don't write those things down. You happen to have written some of them down. So that was awkward, that they actually had their original forecasts. But most of us, the I-knew-it-all-along problem is a bigger problem for most of us because we don't write it down.
PT: Well, we truly remember it differently. Even if you think the person on the other side of the table knows what the correct answer is, you still tend to misremember it.
Econtalk has the hour-long podcast and a transcript of highlights from the interview.
Previous posts on Tetlock's work. Foxes and Hedehogs, Are pundits blowing hot air?
Posted at 09:36 AM in Front Page, Psychology & Psychoanalysis | Permalink | Comments (4)
Elsewhere today, I followed a link to an article about children lying. I didn't find that article enlightening, but it reminded me of something I posted a few years ago. I just reread it and decided it's worth a rerun.
This began as a comment on a post about secrets at Jung at Heart, but it was growing too long, so for context, read Cheryl Fuller's post first. Some of my thoughts on the psychology of secrets follow.
Shameful or guilty secrets can eat a person alive, but I wonder if there are functions of secrets that are more benign, or even psychically necessary and beneficial. What about secrets in relation to the developmental task of psychological separation and individuation?
Between parent and child, does the ability to keep a few secrets aid differentiation of the self? Perhaps it's reassuring to have a private self holding some secrets that serve a boundary function, marking inner and outer, me and not-me.
Continue reading "Secrets and Lies" »
Posted at 11:05 PM in Front Page, Psychology & Psychoanalysis | Permalink | Comments (1)
The Psychiatrist Psychopath
In 2005, UC Irvine psychatric researcher James Fallon made a startling personal discovery while studying psychopaths. Fallon's own PET scan looked exactly like the PET scans of psychopaths he was studying.
His story was covered a few years ago in a number of publications, but I was reminded of it again when NPR's Snap Judgment told Fallon's story yesterday in a fascinating progam that included clips from an interview with Fallon.
I promise you, this particular podcast is well worth a few minutes investment of your time, even if you've already heard about Fallon.
Posted at 01:10 PM in Front Page, neuropsychology, Psychology & Psychoanalysis | Permalink | Comments (0)
War Research: Why Men Fight
David Berreby discusses ongoing research:
In contrast to how we perceive them, the majority of terrorists, insurgents, and perpetrators of mass killing who have been tested by scientists have proven to be basically like the rest of us. That's not to say that participating in a genocide or blowing oneself up in a crowded market is normal, but such behavior is not evidence of personality disorder or other serious psychopathology; rather, it's an adaptive state of mind that mentally healthy people are entirely capable of adopting. In the case of Islamist terrorist groups, Atran says, "most foreign volunteers and supporters fall within the mid-ranges of what social scientists call the normal distribution of attributes like empathy, compassion, idealism, and wanting to help rather than hurt other people." It's proof of what the mid-20th-century political theorist Hannah Arendt famously called "the banality of evil" in her consideration of the seeming ordinariness of Nazis who committed atrocities in World War II.
"Ours is a 'banality of evil' approach," says Hammad Sheikh, a psychologist at the New School for Social Research and collaborator with Atran and Wilson. Sheikh's personal interest in the psychological origins of group violence began when he was growing up in Germany. "I could never believe that the Nazis were these evil people who had taken over. Millions of ordinary people had followed Hitler, and I met them. They had been fanatics. But in my childhood, they were nice old people shaking my hand and giving me chocolate."
Phil Zimbardo's Prison Experiment: The Movie
Looks better than the original film of the study.
For those who are unfamiliar with the Stanford Prison Experiment, Wikipedia offers a compact summary, including criticism.
Pets and mental illness
Yet another study finds a link between cats and serious mental illness. Does something genetic run in families with a preference for cats as pets, or is it something about cats?
A parasite common in cats, Toxoplasma gondii, perhaps ingested via feces while cleaning litter boxes, is under suspicion. The parasite is actually widespread in warmblooded animals, including humans, and associations between latent infection and several pathological changes in behavior have been identified by researchers.
Psychologist To Head Cook County Jail
CHICAGO, May 19 (Reuters) - A clinical psychologist will be appointed head of Chicago's Cook County Jail, the nation's second-largest jail where a third of the inmates are mentally ill, officials announced on Tuesday.
Nneka Jones Tapia will become executive director of the jail on May 26, county officials said. Tapia, who has been with the sheriff's office since 2013 and oversees mental health strategy, replaces Cara Smith, who will become chief strategy officer for Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart.
I've known quite a few psychologists who are employed at the jail or did clinical training there. As the Reuters article indicates, since the 1960s, the number of beds in Illinois psychiatric hospitals has declined from 35,000 to just 1500. With inadequate support for deinstitutionalization, many who would have been treated in psychiatric hospitals, now end up in Cook County jail or, as Sheriff Tom Dart has described it, "the largest mental health facility in the country."
Stephen Frosh on Forgiveness in Judaism and Psychoanalysis
This is a fascinating and wide-ranging exploration of the difficult subject of forgiveness, both as an individual and social imperative, informed by Jewish thought and psychoanalysis. A sample (56:50):
[Walter Benjamin] writes, For every image of the past that is not recognized by the present as one of its own concerns threatens to disappear irretrievably."
The incitement to remember that Benjamin references, directs us to continually reexamine the past, to keep it in the present as a living entity, not only as a memorial to something lost.
What happened? What was done? What's the legacy? Especially, what injustice does it speak of that penetrates the present in barely visible streams of dust and smoke? The dust of historical oppression; the smoke and fumes of past destruction; these vapours drift across time and are breathed in by every generation – ghostly emanations that infiltrate the present, structuring it and giving it meaning, and sometimes poisoning it too.
Do yourself a favor and at least listen to the fine introduction by psychoanalyst Harvey Schwartz.
The problem of false memory in eyewitness accounts
The New York Times reported on the power of false memory, graphically illustrated by the case of an unprovoked hammer attack that ended in the shooting of the attacker. Witness Anthony O'Grady reported that the man was trying to get away from a police officer when he was gunned down. Another witness, Sunny Khalsa, said that the attacker was handcuffed when he was shot.
But there was surveillance video and:
Contrary to what Mr. O'Grady said, the man who was shot had not been trying to get away from the officers; he was actually chasing an officer from the sidewalk onto Eighth Avenue, swinging a hammer at her head. Behind both was the officer's partner, who shot the man, David Baril.
And Ms. Khalsa did not see Mr. Baril being shot while in handcuffs; he is, as the video and still photographs show, freely swinging the hammer, then lying on the ground with his arms at his side. He was handcuffed a few moments later, well after he had been shot.
There is no evidence that the mistaken accounts of either person were malicious or intentionally false. Studies of memories of traumatic events consistently show how common it is for errors to creep into confidently recalled accounts, according to cognitive psychologists
I wish the press would discuss this phenomenon more often when offering news analysis that cites the accounts of witnesses.
Taking guns from police officers when they're in therapy or on medication
This is an old post that saw a bump in traffic this week.
Some time back, an acquaintance who is a police officer shot and killed a gun-wielding criminal. In the aftermath, he went through a routine departmental investigation that included a psych consultation. Later, he received an award for heroism because his actions may have saved the lives of bystanders.
The officer explained to me that he had been depressed for several months. He thought he was doing fine when he went for the psych consultation, but realized later that he was still "in shock" at the time. He added that even if he knew he wasn't fine, he would have lied to the psychologist because the department would have taken his gun and assigned him to a desk job if it was known that he was having difficulty.
He wanted to know if a doc from outside the department would be obliged to report him to his department if he went for therapy or got an antidepressant prescription filled without using his regular pharmacy or prescription coverage.
Continue reading "Taking guns from police officers when they're in therapy or on medication" »