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Richard Dawkins Named 'World's Top Thinker' in Global Poll
Famous atheist author Richard Dawkins has been named the world's top thinker in a global vote that counted 10,000 voices from over 100 countries.
"When Richard Dawkins, the Oxford evolutionary biologist, coined the term 'meme' in The Selfish Gene 37 years ago, he can't have anticipated its current popularity as a word to describe internet fads," said Prospect Magazine, which conducted the poll, in explaining the biologist professor's popularity.
"But this is only one of the ways in which he thrives as an intellectual in the internet age. He is also prolific on Twitter, with more than half a million followers – and his success in this poll attests to his popularity online. He uses this platform to attack his old foe, religion, and to promote science and rationalism."
The author of The God Delusion is one of the leaders of the New Atheist movement, and has based his career on trying to show how life and the universe can be explained entirely by secular science, rejecting all supernatural explanations.
Not all would agree with the results of the poll, however. Dawkins has received criticism on his active Twitter account for some comments he has made, such as his reasoning that unborn children are "less human" than pigs.
Dawkins also lost a notable debate earlier this year against former Anglican head Rowan Williams at Cambridge University in England on the topic of religion's place in society.
The atheist author and his team attempted to argue that religion has no place in the 21st Century, while Williams and his team argued the opposite. In front of an audience of over 800 people, Dawkins lost the debate by 324 to 136 votes.
"Religion has always been a matter of community building, a matter of building relations of compassion, fellow-feeling and, dare I say it, inclusion," the retired archbishop said. "The notion that religious commitment can be purely a private matter is one that runs against the grain of religious history."
The top 10 names in Prospect Magazine's list are all male and include professors, politicians, scientists and economists. Afghanistan politician and former presidential candidate Dr. Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai, a Muslim, took second place. Experimental psychologist Steven Pinker, who is also an atheist, took third place, while Shia Muslim Iraqi politician Ali Allawi took fourth. American economist Paul Krugman, who served under President Ronald Reagan, rounded up the top five.
A full list of the top 66 thinkers as chosen by the voters is available on the Prospect website.


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"Okay, don't tell me his name, just his initials," my mother greeted me when I answered the phone one recent morning. "Who's the actor who plays Indiana Jones?"
"H.F.," I replied.
And then, silence on the other end of the phone, except for the theme song from Raiders of the Lost Ark, or whatever, playing in the background. My mother was watching an Indiana Jones movie with the Korean technicians at the nail salon, a perk of retirement few people tell you about. Only, she couldn't remember the lead actor's name, and she'd promised the ladies at the salon that she'd figure it out.
"His first name is a last name," I offered, but that didn't seem to help jog her memory. "The same as a U.S. president," I added.
More From Good Housekeeping
"What number?" she asked, because my mother has the presidential line-up memorized. Had I answered, "Ninth, and the first to die in office," my mother would have come up with the name instantaneously. She'd also have added that he was the oldest president until Ronald Reagan took office, and then she'd have rambled on about Tippecanoe and Tyler, too. Except, I didn't know any of that until I Googled him later.
"I dunno," I replied.
"Harding?" she answered, verging on exasperation. It alarmed her that she couldn't remember the actor's name. My mother, who can recall what she wore to a party in the spring of 1963 and the names of every team in the National Football League, doesn't forget movie stars' names. To her, this meant she must be heading down the road to dementia.
I tried a different tack: "His last name is a car company."
"Ferrari?" she asked.
And the Oscar goes to...Harding Ferrari!
"He was in Star Wars, Mom," I said.
"I know. Han Solo. I just can't remember his real name," she said, her voice trailing off. I heard "H.F." talking in the movie, and waited for my mom to say something else, but she didn't.
Finally, I put her out of her misery. "Harrison Ford," I gave up.
"Nope. I wasn't going to get that," she admitted, sounding worried. Other people fear they'll get old, lose their minds and end up incapable of remembering where they live or who they're married to. My mother, however, fears losing access to some of the oodles and oodles of useless information she's stored in her head over the past 71 years.
She could, after all, tell you what year we went to Canada on a family trip (1979), who starred in Maude (Bea Arthur) and when Labor Day is this year (September 7th) without looking them up. And then she could disappear into her closet and return with a photo album from Prince Edward Island, a TV Guide from 1975 and calendars for the next six years.
My mother is our very own Wikipedia - minus the Harrison Ford entry, perhaps.
"You know," I said, "when I couldn't come up with the word 'lotion' to describe how I got my rings off my fingers the other day, I substituted it with 'sauce.'"
She chuckled.
"I'm talking about removing jewelry with lasagna ingredients because I can't come up with the right word, and you're worried about Indiana Jones?" I asked. "Plus, I'm 30 years younger than you are."
But she had to hang up to go do whatever it is that retired people do after they watch feature films at the nail salon on a Thursday morning. And I needed some sau--, er, lotion, or whatever.
From now on, I'll just use initials.

subset: commoncrawl


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A.R.D (Auto Rapid Deluxe) was founded in 2008; its goal is to provide high quality services with a new dimension in the transportation business (ie. Taxi).
Our goal is the ultimate response to the demands of our customers by providing a diverse range of products extending our services covering a wide range of needs and desires in transport services.
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Our fleet consists of Mercedes Benz luxury cars, taxi, vans and buses, providing security, luxury and comfort on the go. The combination of technological services (Internet, Wi-Fi system, Skype in preselected vehicles) with luxury vehicles and professional service drivers delivers maximum passenger satisfaction.
Experienced and well trained personnel will respond to all your needs and demands. Special care will be taken to satisfy private and V.I.P. customers, which wish to use our services at low prices, to any destination within or outside of Attika.
Solutions for companies, general tourism offices, public and private companies and senior executives of these, covering conferences, service for hotel guests with high demands, etc. Flexible solutions for your business needs with special offers and proposals for solutions adapted exactly to the parameters of your needs.
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Just choose your destination and with a simple phone call, SMS or E-MAIL 24 hours a day, your requirement will be fulfilled within a reasonable amount of time.


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|Adaptive dynamics of hematopoietic stem cells and their supporting stroma: A model and mathematical analysis. Mathematical Biosciences and Engineering. (2019)..
|GEMME: A Simple and Fast Global Epistatic Model Predicting Mutational Effects. Molecular Biology and Evolution. (2019)..
|Reshuffling yeast chromosomes with CRISPR/Cas9. PLOS Genetics. 15, pp.1-26 (2019)..
|The many types of heterogeneity in replicative senescence. Yeast. (ja), (2019)..
|Molecular characterization of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii telomeres and telomerase mutants. Life Science Alliance. 2, (2019)..
|Epistasis detectably alters correlations between genomic sites in a narrow parameter window. PLOS ONE. 14, pp.1-16 (2019)..
|Decrypting protein surfaces by combining evolution, geometry and molecular docking. Proteins. (2019)..
|A bHLH-PAS protein regulates light-dependent rhythmic processes in the marine diatom "Phaeodactylum tricornutum". PNAS. pp.271445 (2019)..
|André Goffeau's imprinting on second generation yeast "genomologists". Yeast. 36(4), pp.167 - 175 (2019)..
|A subtelomeric region affects telomerase-negative replicative senescence in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Scientific Reports. 9(1), pp.1845 (2019)..
|Adaptation in replicative senescence: a risky business. Curr Genet. (2019)..
|Toward a unified scoring function for native state discrimination and drug-binding pocket recognition. Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics. 20(25), pp.17148 - 17155 (2018)..
|EncoMPASS: an Encyclopedia of Membrane Proteins Analyzed by Structure and Symmetry. bioRxiv. pp.391961 (2018)..
|Homology Inference Based on a Reconciliation Approach for the Comparative Genomics of Protozoa. Evolutionary Bioinformatics. 14, pp.1176934318785138 (2018)..
|Crystal Structure of Chloroplastic Thioredoxin f2 from Chlamydomonas reinhardtii Reveals Distinct Surface Properties. Antioxidants (Basel). 7, (2018)..


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Story highlights
Techstars demo day focused on Austin, Texas, startups this week
The program offered work space, seed money and networking in Austin
In exchange, the program gets a 6% stake in the startup
It's the innovation hotbed deep in the heart of Texas, the town where the tech and Web world's movers, shakers and up-and-comers descend every spring to learn, network and party at South by Southwest Interactive.
Now, Austin, Texas, is showing off an emerging startup scene some hope will make it the Silicon Valley of the Southwest.
More than 700 people gathered Tuesday in Austin for the city's inaugural Techstars demo day. At its best, such a demo can give people a brief glimpse into the future of tech, and this event, coupled with Austin's scene, did not disappoint.
In return for a 6% stake in the startups, many of which had moved to the Texas capital to participate in the three-month program, the highly competitive Techstars gave these new companies access to a huge network of mentors, a downtown Austin office space and $18,000 in seed funding.
Out of 800 applicants, only 10 were accepted.
"The goal is to make this a fantastic place to start companies," program manager Jason Seats said. "If you want to help, dig in. Help them find investors, employees, office space."
Tuesday was graduation day, with dozens of T-shirt-clad founders preparing to lay it all on the line in their quest for investment dollars that would allow them to take their businesses to the next level. The Austin Music Hall was filled with media, mentors and – most importantly to the startups – hundreds of potential investors.
Here's a look at five of our favorites:
It makes a health care app designed to help doctors and nurses engage with patients who have chronic medical conditions.
We've all left the doctor's office with a folder of homework – information to read, exercises to do, foods to eat and certain biometrics to monitor. And most of us either lose the folder or ignore the advice.
The Filament Labs app is customizable by your health care provider to keep the information on your mobile device specific to you. It's designed to make tracking symptoms of your condition easier and keep communication lines open. If it works, you take better care of yourself, your doctor has a clearer understanding of how you're managing your condition, and you stay healthy.
Many believe the future of manufacturing lies in 3-D printing for the masses. Right now, there are hundreds of small- to medium-size 3-D printing shops nationwide with big dreams but limited pipelines.
Proto Exchange aims to change that. Here's how it works: Currently if a consumer places a last-minute order for 1,000 widgets to be delivered next week, a small company can't deliver in time. So, it either disappoints a customer or can't compete for the business to begin with.
Proto Exchange attacks this problem by networking the small manufacturers into a virtual conglomerate that allows them to share resources, outsource large orders and scale up manufacturing quickly.
Nothing kills a company's reputation like software that doesn't work right. But as Testlio founder Kristel Viidik puts it, "testing is f***ing hard."
She aims to change that by giving companies easy access to the best mobile app beta-testers around. Testlio has created a network of more than 1,200 professional testers that can be hired to use, abuse and find all the bugs in a mobile app before bringing it to market.
There's nothing hotter right now than wearable tech, and the Atlas wristband was probably the coolest piece of hardware on display Tuesday.
The device is targeted at the exercise marketplace, a field dominated by companies such as Nike, JawBone and Fitbit. CEO Peter Li and co-founders had tried all the gadgets on the market and said they found them to be no more than glorified pedometers – fun to use for a few weeks but eventually relegated to the sock drawer.
For Li, "the data you got was limited – steps weren't enough." Leveraging multiple sensors and advanced algorithms, Atlas has created a device that can differentiate between a whole host of exercises.
To demonstrate, the company brought a fitness model on to the stage and showed the Atlas successfully keeping track of everything from biceps curls to squat thrusts.
Keeping with the demo day tradition of casual profanity, Gone CEO Nico Bayerque sums up his company's mission succinctly.
"I'm going to help you get rid of the sh*t you don't need anymore," he said.
The product takes Craigslist's sell-anything ethos and couples it with Amazon's ease of use and speedy shipping.
Simply take a picture of something you want to get rid of, and Gone says it will automatically find the right marketplace to sell it.
The company then makes an offer and, if you like it, it will send a prepaid box for shipping. The company also partners with donation and recycling centers in case no one wants to buy what you're selling.
Bayerque said that around two-thirds of items in the marketplace get sold while one-third end up being donated. Either way, Gone says, your home will end up less cluttered.
The demo day came to a close with Seats, the program manager, exhorting the audience to do more than passively watch the show. He moved to Austin this year to manage the Techstars program, and he wants these new businesses to put down roots in his new home.


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Please click on the images for more information.
Bioshock Infinite
2k/Irrational Games
Rhianna worked as an additional writer for this project, helping the core narrative team develop and shape the VO for the AI characters in the game.
Piranha Bytes/Deep Silver
Rhianna worked as part of a team of three writers on the English speaking localisation rewrite of this hardcore role-playing game. Risen was nominated for the Writers' Guild of Great Britain's Best Videogame Script award in 2010.
Viking: Battle for Asgard
SEGA/ Creative Assembly
Rhianna worked on the script and story design for this blood-drenched, hack'n'slash set in the world of Norse mythology. Viking was shortlisted for Best New IP in the '08 Develop awards.
Prince of Persia
Working with Andrew S. Walsh, the main writer on this latest Prince of Persia game, Rhianna contributed additional AI dialogue for the game's new on-demand dialogue system.
Overlord: Raising Hell
Rhianna wrote the script and co-designed the story for the Overlord expansion, Overlord: Raising Hell.
Stronghold Legends
Firefly Studios/2k Games
Story design and script - Official Website
Beyond Divinity
Larian Studios
Story editor - Official Website


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A visit to the new distillery at Chichibu
Ichiro Akuto at the new Chichibu distillery
Update: The ground breaking ceremony at Chichibu
Update: I think I have located the distillery on the Japanese single malt distillery map.
The hottest story in Japanese whisky right now is the the new Chichibu distillery, a really heart warming tale of the son of a centuries old alcohol making family being brought to ruin in his attempts to make top quality whisky and then picking himself up and building a brand new distillery at Chichibu.
Well, John Hawkins has gone and got the scoop. John is a good friend of Nonjatta`s, having previously shared his Tokyo whisky bar [1,2] knowledge with us. He now lives in the UK but a recent visit to his old Japanese haunts brought a real coup: a visit to Chichibu, a meeting with Ichiro Akuto himself, and some wonderful photographs of the new distillery [full gallery here]. He has been kind enough to write up an account for Nonjatta:
"I had been fortunate enough to meet Ichiro Akuto on several occasions previously. Akuto-san is a friend of Watanabe-san, the owner of Quercus - my favourite whisky bar in Tokyo. So I had met him in Quercus a couple of times, in addition to his appearance at Whisky Live Tokyo in 2006. I was a big fan of the Ichiro's Malt series - the fine whiskies from the old Chichibu distillery (also known as Hanyu and Golden Horse), and so was naturally very excited to hear about Akuto-san's project to build a new distillery in Chichibu.
Ahead of my most recent visit to Japan I had heard the good news that the new distillery was now complete, and Akuto-san had been granted a license to start distilling. Better still, Watanabe-san had managed to arrange for us to be among the first people to visit the new distillery, shortly after it began production.
Chichibu is about an hour and a half by train from central Tokyo, and then from Chichibu station there was a 15 minute taxi ride to get to the distillery itself. As the taxi came over the brow of a hill, the distinctive pagoda roof of the new distillery came into sight, nestled amongst the mountains of Saitama. The sense of excitement in the taxi was palpable.
We were greeted by Akuto-san at the entrance to the distillery, and in that delightful Japanese way we took off our shoes and put on slippers before entering the building.
The tour started in the milling room, where Akuto-san showed us the two types of malt he is currently using. One of these is imported from Germany, the other from England. The mill itself was also imported from the UK. His intention is to eventually source barley locally from Saitama prefecture and he is currently discussing this with local farmers.
He has also discovered that he can source peat within Saitama and so eventually he will be malting and peating his own barley, using raw materials entirely from the local area. I couldn't help but admire Akuto-san's commitment to an area of Japan which some might consider a bit of a backwater. It isn't particularly famous for anything, although I'd like to think in the future Saitama will be synonymous with fine whisky.
After leaving the milling room we moved on to the main hall of the distillery building, where the majority of the rest of the whisky making process is carried out. We started here with the mash tun and, as far as I could tell, the production of the wort adhered largely to the standard process. Akuto-san mentioned that he had recently found a local farmer to take away the draff to use as animal feed (although thankfully he avoided making the now somewhat weary "happy cows" gag). He later told us that some of the distillery apparatus had been purchased from a local brewery. I think the mash tun may have come from there.
The main hall
Next up were the wash backs - there were five of these and they had a distinctly Japanese look to them - to my eyes similar to those used in sake brewing. They were made of a Japanese oak, mizunara (Quercus crispula). Akuto-san said that as the wood was still very new. They were having to use higher than normal quantities of yeast initially to counteract the tannin.
From there we proceded to the piece de la resistance: the stills. There is just one wash still and one spirit still, both fairly squat and similar in appearance to each other. Both were manufactured by Forsyth's and imported from Scotland. Akuto-san has been particularly meticulous here, travelling to Scotland on at least three separate occasions to discuss their design and construction. To my eyes they were quite similar to the stills at Kilchoman - the same sort of size and shape - although I'm sure a distiller would shake his head at that.
Ichiro Akuto and the wash still
Distillation at Chichibu only started within the last few weeks. Even though our visit was on a Saturday, we were fortunate enough to see the distillery in full swing. We could actually see the new make in the spirit safe. We'll have to wait and see how it tastes.
The distillery currently consists of three buildings - the main distillery building, the maltings, and the warehouse. After leaving the main distillery building we took a quick look around the maltings, with that fabulous pagoda roof, which to me looks even more at home atop a Japanese distillery. Currently, the building is being used mainly for storage. They aren't ready to do their own malting yet.
We moved on to the warehouse. This was also a glimpse of things to come. At the time of our visit, there were only a few dozen barrels in there and none had yet been filled. Akuto-san expects to start filling barrels in April. All of the spirit produced until then will be stored temporarily in vats. The foundations of a fourth building, a visitors center, are being laid.
It will be several years before we can really know what the finished product tastes like, but everything about the distillery and the great man behind it gives me a very good feeling. We may be witnessing a classic in the making. I believe Akuto-san is already taking orders for advance purchases of casks. I am extremely tempted."
The warehouse (above and below)
John also has another post about this visit on his own, excellent blog.
I am not sure, but after a lot of searching, think I have pinned down the address of the distillery:
49 Midori ga oka, Chichibu Shi, Saitama, Japan


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Last week, the Pew Research Center released a report called "The Rise of Asian Americans," offering a portrait seemingly full of good news. Asian Americans, Pew said, are on the whole more educated, affluent and happier than other Americans. They hew more strongly to family values and an ethic of hard work. And, quietly, these 17 million Asian Americans have surpassed Hispanics as the largest and fastest-growing cohort of immigrants to the U.S.
(MORE: Christopher J. Ferguson: What You Need to Know About the New Census Numbers on Hispanic Births)
The report made headlines everywhere: "Asians Top of the Immigration Class" was a typical, if somewhat ham-handed, one. The leading advocacy groups for Asian Americans were silent for a beat. Then they decried the report. It was "disparaging," "shallow," "disturbing." It perpetuated a patronizing stereotype of Asians as dutiful nerds, a "model minority." It overlooked the true cultural diversity of the Asian population and obscured the struggles and pain of countless Asians.
Rarely in either the Pew report or in the advocates' response was this possibility raised: both the good and the bad could be true at the same time.
(MORE: Liu: What Asian Americans Reveal About Affirmative Action)
Welcome to race in America. It may be 2012, and we may have a black President, but public discussion of race remains inexorably, insanely binary. American race talk used to be literally black-and-white, leaving no room for other colors. Now the problem is it's figuratively black-and-white. For all our rainbow multiculturalism, there are still basically two choices — in or out, mainstream or opposition, powerful or powerless. Sometimes the labels white and black are used, but they signify more than hue or actual demography — they signify polarity — and any cognitive dissonance must be resolved to one or the other.
This is why those Asian-American advocates felt they had to blast the Pew report. When forced by the media to choose between telling an achievement story or an injustice story — Is yellow white or black? — they felt compelled to choose the latter. That's understandable. There is privation and injustice in Asian America — from high poverty among Hmong refugees to forgotten elders in Chinatowns to the health struggles of Pacific Islanders — and if activists privileged enough to have a voice use it to express complacency or self-congratulation, then they aren't doing their job. Moreover, Asian Americans rightly resist being used by whites to criticize other groups who aren't deemed "model."
Yet this binary is a box. It limits the freedom of Asian Americans to call progress progress, or to discuss openly the causes of the challenges that persist. It makes it harder to unpack the fact that in Asian America, as in America at large, widening inequality and the cult of meritocracy has created more anxiety for both winners and losers. It means we all keep speaking a language of race when we are trying to communicate about issues of class.
Consider Chinese Americans, the largest Asian-American subgroup. Pew tells us that on average the 4 million Americans of Chinese descent have both more college attainment and more poverty than other Americans, both higher incomes and less optimism about race relations. As China grows stronger, Chinese Americans are going to be cast as both valuable bridge-building citizens and aliens of uncertain loyalty. Are we ready for both?
(MORE: Liu: Our Real Blind Spot About China)
We may be. Last week, as the Pew report and its backlash broke, two other Asian-American story lines unfolded. First was the commemoration of the 30th anniversary of the killing of Vincent Chin, a Chinese American who was beaten to death in Detroit by resentful white autoworkers who assumed he was Japanese. Those assailants never spent a day in jail. Meanwhile, thanks to Chinese-American Congresswoman Judy Chu, the House of Representatives last Tuesday passed a historic apology for the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act, the "yellow peril" law that for decades banned the immigration or naturalization of people from China.
Both good news and bad. Complexity is here, and it's not going away. If we must have a binary in our reckoning with race, then, let it be between those who know how to navigate complexity and those who don't. And let Asian Americans be at the forefront of the first group, showing their compatriots how to embrace diversity and contradiction: how to be truly American.


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Machar Men In Kampala To Meet M7 Over UPDF Withdrawal
A South Sudanese rebel delegation was due to hold talks with Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni in Kampala on Tuesday and will ask him to withdraw troops from South Sudan, where they were deployed to help the Juba government, the rebel camp said.
Museveni said in January his forces were supporting South Sudanese President Salva Kiir against rebels led by the former deputy president Riek Machar.
The presence of Ugandan troops has drawn sharp criticism from rebels. South Sudan's other neighbours and Western powers worry that it complicates efforts to end a conflict that erupted seven months ago and which has driven the nation towards famine.
A Ugandan official said the timing of any withdrawal would be decided by Uganda alone and not "dictated" by others.
"The topic is to open a new chapter with Uganda and President Museveni," Miyong Kuon, a spokesman for Machar, said of the rebel delegation. He was speaking in the Ethiopian capital, where peace talks have been held.
Ugandan Foreign Ministry spokesman Fred Opolot would not give details of the agenda for talks but said: "It will generally be around finding a way out of the impasse in the peace process."
The warring factions have held months of peace talks in Addis Ababa since fighting erupted in mid-December, but there has been little progress.
Two cease-fire deals, one reached in January and another in May, have crumbled. Kiir and Machar, long-time political rivals, also agreed in May to start talks on a transitional government but that idea has not advanced since then.
Asked if a withdrawal of Ugandan forces would be discussed with Museveni, a rebel official said: "That is part of the package. How, when and where is something we will discuss."
Uganda's junior foreign minister, Okello Oryem, said the issue was not up for discussion. "Nobody will dictate to us when to leave South Sudan, period," he told Reuters.
Museveni has long had close ties with Kiir, leader of South Sudan's dominant SPLA, which led the fight for more than two decades against Sudan's government in Khartoum before independence. A peace deal in 2005 led to South Sudan's secession in 2011.
Oil producer South Sudan is a major export market for Uganda, and trade has been hurt by the eruption of fighting.
The United States, meanwhile, condemned ground attacks by rebels against government soldiers in the northern town of Nasir on Sunday and warned that Washington would impose sanctions on those who threatened peace efforts.
The United States has already imposed sanctions on commanders from both sides for violating a cease-fire signed in January.
State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf called on Kiir and Machar to "reaffirm their commitment" to peace and ensure their forces stop all fighting immediately.


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This post was written as part of The Breastfeeding Cafe's Carnival. For more info on the Breastfeeding Cafe, go to www.breastfeedingcafe.wordpress.com. For more info on the Carnival or if you want to participate, contact Claire at clindstrom2 {at} gmail {dot} com. Today's post is things we'd like to share with our nurslings about what it means for us to breastfeed. Please read the other blogs in today's carnival listed below and check back for more posts July 18th through the 31st!
Dear Daniel,
The moment you were born, I ceased being your everything. I know I can't be everything to you anymore, and that's a good thing even though it's hard for me sometimes. When someone other than me can give you something you need, it hurts in a place deep inside me. It's that good kind of hurt, though, the kind that happens when new things are happening and people are growing and changing. I love that you have so many people who love you so much—you are truly a lucky person!
It means so much to me that I am able to nurse you. There are so many benefits of nursing for both of us! But, if I had to choose just one thing to tell you about what it means to me to nurse you, it's that it's something only I can do for you. It means you need me for just a little longer, and I know this won't last forever. Because of that, I'm taking this time to enjoy every second I have with you in my arms and at my breast.
For the same reason, I will let you decide when you are ready for this part of our relationship to be finished. I know there will be (and have already been) moments when nursing you feels like a bit of a chore, but in those moments I will try to remind myself of what it means to you to always have me there for you when you need me. I will remember that you will not be small forever, and that the two months we've had together so far have gone incredibly fast already.
Thank you for this time together. You are so precious to me.
Here are more posts by the Breastfeeding Cafe Carnival participants! Check back because more will be added throughout the day.
- Amy @ Anktangle—just ONE thing
- Sylko @ Chaotic Mama—Breastfeeding Carnival: The World
- Timbra @ Bosoms & Babes—Ho Hum EXTRAordinary
- Shelly @ Lousy Mom—What does breastfeeding mean?
- Renee @ Just the 5 of us!—Amazing
- Claire @ The Adventures of Lactating Girl—The Best Start Possible
- Lisa R.D @ Harper Hoorahs—It's More Than Just the Milk
- Sarah @ Most Revealing—One thing
- Natasha @ naturalurbanmama—Breastfeeding Thoughts: A Letter to my Kids
- Mamapoekie @ Authentic Parenting—Breastfeeding: What It Means To Me
- And of course the guest poster on the Breastfeeding Cafe's Blog today is Marilee Poulson—The Normal Course of Breastfeeding


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Cascades Antibacterial paper towel won Gold honors in the Edison Awards Consumer Packaged Goods: Cleaning Solutions Category.
Cascades new antibacterial paper towel was launched in October 2012 and is a safe and effective way to reduce bacterial contamination. The paper towel has received Gold honors in the Edison Awards after an international judging panel of about 3,000 business executives and leaders from the product development, design, engineering, science and medicine fields made the decision.
"We're incredibly proud of this product and pleased to receive this distinguished honor," said Suzanne Blanchet, Cascades Tissue Group CEO. "Eighty percent of infections are transmitted by hands, so we believe this innovation can have a significant impact on overall public health."
The Cascades Antibacterial paper towel is dry to the touch, green in color, and kills 99.99 percent of bacteria that comes into contact with people when they wash their hands. The product also reduces the risk of contamination in areas such as food service, schools, and work.
This free webinar will inform attendees on the most significant updates and modifications in the new standard, known as E1527-21 Standard Practice for Environmental Site Assessments: Phase I Environmental Site Assessment Process.


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Hey guys!
It's already the end of November. It's pretty insane. A couple more weeks and it'll be time for finals!
November, as I'm looking at it, is CRUNCH TIME! It seems like all my professors are packing in lectures and quizzes and exams and papers and speeches. Or at least they're all assigning them all at once. In the next week, I will have written two drafts for two separate term papers for two of my classes! And for the classes I don't have term papers in, I still have mid-terms. Ugh.
Anyway, a lot has happened since my last blog post! I've changed majors... again. Yeah, okay. Well, I had to go through an interview to change my major from Biology to Exercise Sport Science, but after that interview, I realized I didn't want to do science. I went through this giant, giant process of thinking about my future and doing something I'm truly passionate about. At this point in time, I don't know exactly what that is. And you know what? That's completely fine. Really, don't rush into majors you're not sure that you want. I've sort of just doubled up on general ed classes this semester. I did get to find out what I don't want to major in, and I know I want to be a teacher.
More From Seventeen
So now, I'm in undeclared arts and I'm a music minor — and I feel loads better!
In terms of my outside-of-school life, I SAW THE FULL HOUSE HOUSES! The ones they used in the show! :) My friends and I took a short bus ride to Alamo Square, which is actually pretty close to my campus! The view there is beautiful! It's a giant hill and you get to see the city in the distance! Plus, the weather was beautiful. We ate Lunchables, which they now sell at the caf (I find that pretty hilarious). It was so fun! We thought back on the days when life was so much easier and our biggest concern was the candy that came with our Lunchables. We took a bunch of pictures and climbed a couple of trees. It was definitely an interesting way to start off our Sunday!
Well, that's pretty much all I have to say for this week! In the meantime, I will be blasting my Michael Buble Christmas album in preparation for the holidays!
Until next time,
P.S. I totally forgot to mention that no one really dresses up during classes on Halloween. (They all dress up during the evening for parties and such!) I found out the hard way. But I did meet this girl who dressed up as the house from Up while I was Kevin from Up! We took a picture together! :)


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New IK Multimedia and Line6 MIDI interfaces for iOS
The iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad are now established favorites for the mobile muso with new synths and sequencers seemingly coming out every week. Until iOS 4 however there was no standardized method for getting MIDI control signals in and out of the units for interfacing with 'proper' equipment. Some enterprising developers created methods using the Apple Camera Kit USB connector whilst Line 6 created its own proprietary method and the MIDI Mobilizer dongle to go with it. In the iOS 4 software release Apple ported the CoreMIDI programming interface framework from MacOS and developers finally had a standard method with which they were familiar. Though iOS4 was released a year ago, compatible MIDI interfaces are now only beginning to get to market.
IK Multimedia chose a somewhat subdued Summer NAMM exhibition last week to announce the iRig MIDI interface whilst Line 6 countered yesterday with MIDI Mobilizer II, a CoreMIDI compatible update to its original groundbreaking MIDI Mobilizer. It should be noted that both interfaces require iOS 4 which will run on the following devices: iPod Touch 3 and 4, iPhone 3GS and 4,and iPad 1 and 2.
The devices are very similar in form sporting the obligatory Apple 30-pin connector and miniature jack sockets with associated mini jack to DIN MIDI 5-pin cables for connection. Both units also sport input and output indicator LEDs but the IK iRig MIDI has a couple of advantages up its sleeve in the form of a MIDI Thru mini-jack and a mini USB socket to allow the iDevice to be charged whilst in operation. Both units come with (via the usual App Store download) a MIDI data recorder/player. Again the iRig MIDI has a slight advantage in also providing the Sample Tank FREE sound module app for er, free.
Every synth or drum machine on iOS, including the wildly popular GarageBand is CoreMIDI compatible so that you can use full size keyboards and controllers to play these apps. Similarly, mobile DAWS and sequencers will be able to control and sync with your music hardware. These units also make it easier to connect footswitches and other controllers for non-music-based apps which suggests some interesting possibilities.
Both interfaces are 'coming soon' for around US$70. Let the market (and marketing) decide.


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(visited by Helmut Resch, Babs Coleman and Matthew Oparaocha)
03-Nov-2005 -- Continued from 12N 12E.
We were at Maiduguri and heading for Damasak. At Damasak we turned onto the road leading to Kukawa. We were told this road is in very bad condition, so we were prepared to go from Damasak for a long ride on the bikes to the confluence 13N 13E.
But the road proved to be in a very good condition and we were able to drive to Garunda without difficulties. This year there have been good rainfalls in this area and the ground produced a thick cover of grass. 500 meters before Garunda we stopped at an swampy water well which serves as the source of water supply for this village. A few meters past Garunda and 190 meters off the street we found the confluence 13N 13E.
Continued at 12N 13E.


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An archive catalog may be found here.
7883. Human Rights Post Conflict Justice
3.00 credits
Prerequisites: None.
Grading Basis: Student Option
How do countries cope with periods of massive human rights abuses committed in the past? What role should the international community play in promoting accountability and reconciliation for such abuses? What is the role of courts, either domestic or international, in such processes? Should countries pass amnesty laws and pardons for human rights offenders to facilitate the consolidation of democracy and should these laws be binding on international courts? This seminar will explore a range of approaches that countries have used, including truth commissions and criminal trials. The seminar will focus on a number of case studies, including South Africa, Guatemala, Rwanda and the Balkans, as well as the impact of international lawsuits such as the Pinochet extradition proceedings between Britain and Spain. We will look at the Rome Statute establishing the International Criminal Court and examine the issues raised by a court with its jurisdiction. Drawing on these examples, students will compare the advantages and disadvantages of international and domestic solutions in each context. Students will be required to write a short book review, a 6-8 page midterm paper and a final paper of 15-20 pages.


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Recap: Queen In-Hyun's Man Episode 16
"A chance meeting that started at a gap in time. That meeting already ended a year ago…"
It's a busy day in Seoul, ONE YEAR LATER.
Hee-Jin's house is a mess and Soo-Kyung is on the phone with the movers. She hangs up and promptly receives a call from Hee-Jin. Hee-Jin wants to make sure that Soo-Kyung didn't throw away tea set. Soo-Kyung complains that Hee-Jin never used it anyway but Hee-Jin claims she was just saving it until they moved to a nicer house. Hee-Jin makes Soo-Kyung swear and Soo-Kyung just tells Hee-Jin to worry about the photo shoot.
When Soo-Kyung hangs up, the hair stylist asks Hee-Jin if she is moving. Hee-Jin confirms. It's the first time she has bought a house and moved. The hair stylist exclaims that Hee-Jin must have earned a lot of money, considering the number of commercials she has done in the past year. Hee-Jin clarifies that she actually didn't make that much money since her appearance fee was so low.
The hair stylist gets a phone call and leaves. Right after, Hee-Jin gets a phone call from the director of the drama, "New Jang Hee Bin." He is calling on behalf of his colleague, a director in the educational programming department who wants Hee-Jin to narrate a documentary for him. Hee-Jin agrees to do it since the director is asking her for a favor.
Hee-Jin meets with the documentary director and she asks why he wants her to narrate. The director explains that they are starting to film the next part of a documentary series called "The Untold Stories of History." The series generally highlights hidden figures in history. The title for the next part is called "Queen In-Hyun's Man." Hee-Jin asks what the title means. The director replies that there was a rumored unofficial history of Queen In-Hyun having a lover. Hee-Jin is surprised. The drama she filmed didn't mention anything of that. The director explains that because it was such a small event, it was probably taken out of the script. It was also only given a brief mention in the Annals. But last month, some very interesting evidence was discovered so the director hopes make an interesting story out of it. (Is it the letter?! Omg, it's the letter!).
Hee-Jin is one her way to another job when she takes out the script for the documentary. She reads. "In 1694, on the twentieth year of the reign of King Sukjong, if you look at the Annals for the fifth month, you will find a interesting passage. Kim Boong-Do, who was a royal scholar, was rumored among the citizens to have frequently visited the Queen during the time she was stripped of her status."
Hee-Jin repeats the name. "Kim Boong-Do? It's my first time hearing that name. It wasn't in the script for the drama. Kim…Boong…Do." (My heart. Every time she says his name like that with no recognition, I bleed.)
Soo-Kyung has come home after a long day and Hee-Jin is still reading the script. Soo-Kyung asks why Hee-Jin agreed to do it when she doesn't have that much time. Hee-Jin thinks it will be fun. "It's called Queen In-Hyun's man, not Jang Hee Bin's Man. It's strange, isn't it?" Soo-Kyung asks, "Isn't Queen In-Hyun's man Sukjong?"
"Nope," Hee-Jin explains. "Listen. At that time there was scholar named Kim Boong-Do and he is the 'Queen In-Hyun's Man.' There were rumors that at the time when Queen In-Hyun was stripped of her status, Kim Boong-Do was her lover. This rumor reached the King. So the King brought Kim Boong-Do in for questioning and he died in the process. It was later revealed that the rumor was untrue. So eventually it was recorded in the Annals that he died an undeserved death. But this documentary is about what happened after that…" (Heart. Stopped. Beating.)
Hee-Jin continues. "It's interesting starting from here. It was written in the Annals that this man died but records of him alive have been discovered recently. The descendants of Nam Goong Man Prime Minister revealed the minister's journal last month (Nam Goong Man is the man with the daughter who the King wanted Boong-Do to marry). In the journal, the minister wrote that he saw Kim Boong-Do alive. Nam Goong Man saw Kim Boong-Do coincidentally one day while he was taking a survey of the country. This was a year after it was written in the Annals that Kim Boong-Do died."
(I want to see Kim Boong-Do's face so badly, guys. Only five minutes into the show but it feels like forever!)
It is Joseon and the subtitles read, "1695, fifth month, Pyeong-An province, Eui Ju." The Prime Minister is walking the streets with his men and takes a break to eat. He wants to go wash his hands first so he heads out into the back alleyway where he bumps into a tall man, his face covered by a large hat. The minister asks if the man is alright but the man remains silent and tries to pass on. But the minister stops him, saying, "You look like someone I know." Kim Boong-Do hurriedly pushes the minister away and runs. Soldiers come to the minister and ask him what's wrong. The minister says, "What is this? I saw a dead man. Chase that man. Find out who he is!"
The soldiers chase after Boong-Do through the streets. (I want to see your face, Boong-Do! I want to hear your voice!) Boong-Do manages to find his way back the guesthouse and starts to pack his things. He hears the soldiers outside, however, asking for a tall man with short hair. The owner replies that a man of that description is here; he's been hear about five days. Boong-Do steps out and the soldiers ask him if he knows that he just bumped into the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister wants to see him. While it first looks like Boong-Do will go with the men, he then quickly pushes them away and starts to run. The soldiers try to chase him.
The soldiers eventually just bring the only thing left from Boong-Do's room to the Prime Minister. He looks it over, noting it is not a book that can be read by commoners. He flips the pages and sees a white document. He opens it and exclaims that the handwriting belongs to Kim Boong-Do. "How can this be?"
Boong-Do is once again running away on a horse. He comes across a divided road and asks his horse, "Where should we go? Where do you want to go?" (Why does it break my heart to hear him say this?!) The horse picks the left road and Boong-Do says, "This way? Okay, let's go." (Ugh, making a choice when it doesn't make any difference. My poor Boong-Do.)
The Prime Minister reports to the King that country seems to be in a good state. The King asks if there was anything else and the minister answers that one strange thing happened. He saw someone who looked like Kim Boong-Do. It wasn't just the physical appearance but also the handwriting and his writing style. He thought that perhaps Kim Boong-Do was alive so he wanted to question the man but the man ran away.
The King asks with a sad smile, "Did he look like he suffered?" The Prime Minister is surprised by the King's reaction. The King continues, "I have a debt to Kim Boong-Do." The Prime Minister tries to question the King but the eunuch interrupts him. The King warns the Prime Minister to not say anything about this to anyone. "That man is already a dead person." The Prime Minister complies.
The Prime Minister later writes in his journal, "I don't know what happened between the King and Kim Boong-Do, but I am sure that he is alive and that he is traveling around the country in order to not be caught. Because I know that due to the scholar's sacrifice, the country has regained stability, my heart is saddened to think about his difficult life. But the fact that he lives must forever be kept a secret."
Soo-Kyung asks Hee-Jin why she is not sleeping but Hee-Jin is too absorbed with the script. Hee-Jin feels bad for the man, Kim Boong-Do. Seeing that the King didn't kill him but just secretly chased him away means that it wasn't an actual affair but a one-sided love story. "I mean, how did a man from a well-known family, who passed the civil examination with top score at the age of nineteen and received the respect of the King, come to fall in love with the Queen? Tsk, tsk, tsk. This is totally a case of a life ruined because of a woman." (That woman is you, Hee-Jin! You!!!!!!!!! My poor Boong-Do! Please remember him Hee-Jin. Please!)
Boong-Do is refilling his water container at a temple. He quietly passes the ladle to a couple behind him and walks away. The man thinks he recognizes Boong-Do.
Boong-Do is getting his horse ready to leave when a monk approaches him. It is the same monk that told Boong-Do about Sook Myung monk's death. They bow to each other and the monk asks why Boong-Do is here. Boong-Do replies, "I thought Joseon was fairly large but after traveling for a year, I have passed the same places many times."
The monk asks, "Until when will you keep running away? Aren't you tired?" Boong-Do replies, "I am tired. But funnily enough, it has become the reason for living. Being chased is not bad. If I didn't even have the goal of running away, I don't know how I would have lived each day." (I am weeping blood for this man.)
The monk looks on sadly. "If you have committed a crime, isn't it right that you pay the price of the crime?" Boong-Do replies, "I want to do that too but getting caught is actually a larger crime." The monk does not understand Boong-Do's words. Boong-Do simply says, "I think I have stayed too long. I don't want to bring trouble here too."
Right at that moment, soldiers with the man who recognized him come for Boong-Do. Boong-Do tells the monk to say that he doesn't know him. Boong-Do tries to run away but soldiers surround him. The head officer comes and proclaims that Boong-Do is to be arrested on the charges of murder. Boong-Do, without any weapons of his own and only using a rope, takes down a few men. He is then able to steal a weapon from one of the soldiers and holds it a point. He looks around his surroundings, however, and sees the soldiers all around and regular citizens watching in fear. Boong-Do drops his weapon.
It is the recording studio. Hee-Jin is in the sound booth, recording the narration. "Last month, the Prime Minister's journal was revealed. In it was written the surprise meeting with the "dead" Kim Boong-Do and his conversation with the King. Kim Boong-Do's letter that was found along with the journal is also drawing attention. In this letter, written in the sixth month of 1694- a month after his recorded death- we can feel a deep affection and the sadness of a separation towards a nameless person. Scholars speculate that this letter is addressed to Queen In-Hyun, the rumored receiver of his affection."
Another narrator reads the letter. (OMG, nice deep voice but Boong-Do was not that old!) "This letter is written to both me and you. I may forget that I wrote this letter or this letter itself might disappear. But this letter is written for me and you, either one of us who may live on holding onto memories… My final wish is that I want to remember you. Not even having those memories in an aimless life will be hell. And you…I hope that even if you read this letter in the future, you won't know who it is for." Hee-Jin is watching and listening to this in the studio. (Ha! So this how Hee-Jin doesn't need to know to read the Hanja. Brilliant, writer, brilliant.)
Hee-Jin continues her narration. "A man who wanted his love to forget him. It is probably because she was out of his reach. How about the man? Was he able to keep his memories? It seems that he didn't forget. The woman is mentioned a few times in other documents found along with the letter." (Aw, Boong-Do kept on writing about her.)
The director calls cut. They are done for the first episode. The actor who narrated Boong-Do's letter is going out for a drink. Hee-Jin looks on wistfully at the screen in front of her, portraying "Kim Boong-Do" writing the letter.
The director comes into the sound booth, followed by Dong-Min. He winks at her and calls her out.
Dong-Min and Hee-Jin sit drinking coffee. Dong-Min comments that Hee-Jin seems to be doing all sorts of stuff these days. Hee-Jin replies that since the director asked for a favor, she couldn't decline. Hee-Jin asks, "I read you were shooting overseas. When did you come back?" Dong-Min is happy her question. "So you were curious about me? You must have missed me in order to read news about me." Hee-Jin clarifies. "I don't want to say this because you'll act even more superior but whenever I go on the internet, your news is everywhere." Dong-Min replies, "It isn't acting. I am just really superior. Only you call it acting."
Hee-Jin asks, "Why are you here?" Dong-Min answers Hee-Jin with his own question. "You don't have anyone these days, right? I'm so lonely. Let's date again. Do you just want to work until you die? What the point of making all that money? I'm lonely and you're lonely."
It looks like this isn't the first time that Dong-Min has asked within the past year. Hee-Jin says, "I read that you are dating someone in a girl group who is ten years younger." Dong-Min whispers into Hee-Jin's ear that the girl was too immature. "No matter where I look or how much I think about it, there is no other woman like Choi Hee-Jin."
Hee-Jin just says, "Do I look that easy to you?" Dong-Min pulls out the aegyo. "What about a drink tonight?" Hee-Jin looks over to the other side of the lobby to see Na-Jeong walking. She says to Dong-Min, "How about her? I think you guys are perfect for each other." Dong-Min yells to Na-Jeong. "Do you want to go out with me? Hee-Jin claims we are perfect for each other." Na-Jeong can't believe what she is hearing. Dong-Min continues, "If you want to date me, I will comply. Since I'm so lonely, I can't be picky." (Wow. Now that's a proposal a woman can't refuse. *Snort*)
Hee-Jin whispers, "You're crazy," and Na-Jeong denies the man with a very clear "X."
Dong-Min turns to Hee-Jin. "See, there is no hope for her." Hee-Jin asks, "When will you grow up?" Dong-Min answers, "I don't want to."
Chun-Soo calls Dong-Min away but when it looks like he is going to leave with Dong-Min, Chun-Soo comes back and quietly asks Hee-Jin, "What is Soo-Kyung up to these days? Is she meeting someone?" Hee-Jin asks, "Why do you want to know?" Chun-Soo answers, "Because I'm lonely these days." Hee-Jin tries to save Soo-Kyung from Chun-Soo. "She hasn't said anything but it looks like she has a boyfriend." Chun-Soo is disappointed.
Soo-Kyung and Hee-Jin are in the van together. Soo-Kyung exclaims, "If he can't sleep at night, he should take a sleeping pill. Why is he asking about me? Why are those two so similar to each other and why us? Do we look that easy to them? Are we their plaything?" Still, Soo-Kyung can't help but feel a little flattered as she brushes out her eyelashes. "That old man does have a good eye for people though. So what did you say?" Hee-Jin tells her that she told Chun-Soo Soo-Kyung has a boyfriend. This is not what Soo-Kyung wanted to hear, however. She cries, "When did I have a boyfriend?" Hee-Jin explains, "I told him that so he would give up and not bother you." Soo-Kyung's expression shows that she wants to chew Hee-Jin up and feed her to the dogs. Hee-Jin asks, "Did I say something wrong?" Soo-Kyung pretends that nothing is wrong. "You did well." Soo-Kyung whispers to herself, "She is no help to my life."
Hee-Jin scolds the driver. "We're going to be late." Soo-Kyung yells at Hee-Jin, her bitterness finding an outlet. "I told you to not do this documentary! Why the heck are they doing an outdoor shooting when it's just a few lines of narration? Are they trying to milk you for everything they can?!"
The documentary production team is at the palace courtyard and the director explains to Hee-Jin that she is to walk down the path and narrate. Hee-Jin tells her stylist that she used to come here every day when she was filming the drama but it's been a year since she last came. Hee-Jin slowly looks around the palace courtyard as we see Boong-Do, back in Joseon time, being led into the palace by soldiers.
Boong-Do is stopped at the same place that Hee-Jin stands in the future. Boong-Do looks around with a wistful smile on his face. The soldier asks, "What are you looking at?" Boong-Do replies, "It's been a while since I was last here." The soldier laughs. How can someone like him have been to the palace before? Right at that moment, the Prime Minister and other officials enter the courtyard. Boong-Do quickly turns his head.
Hee-Jin starts to film. "The battle between the Western faction and Southern faction. The entangle destiny of In-Hyun Wang Hoo and Jang Ok Jeong. We are familiar with their story that has been retold many times in dramas. In the recorded bloodbath in the spring of 1694, there is a record of an interesting figure. Because of a scandal with Queen In-Hyun, the man had to prove his innocence through death. Kim Boong-Do, a member of the Western faction, a royal scholar, and 27 years of age. He is today's main figure- Queen In-Hyun's Man." As Hee-Jin narrates, she walks through Kim Boong-Do and stands back-to-back to him. We also see the buildings of Seoul rising in Hee-Jin's time.
Hee-Jin continues, "Did that man really love Queen In-Hyun? Or as it is written in the Annals, was it just a false charge?" As the screen color fades back and forth to signify the thinning veil between the two time periods, Hee-Jin suddenly starts to feel pain in her chest. She looks around a bit but composes herself. She starts to narrate again.
"Kim Boong-Do. A figure recorded in history as man from a great family who passed the civil examination with top score, received respect from the King, and died after loving the Queen." Tears start to fall from Hee-Jin's eyes while at the same time, tears form in Boong-Do's eyes. "Starting from now, we will take a look at his short life."
The director calls cut. "What's wrong?" Hee-Jin tries to explain but can't stop from crying.
Boong-Do is led to prison to wait for his questioning tomorrow. The director comes over to Hee-Jin and Hee-Jin explains that it was just dust in her eye. But Hee-Jin can't shake away the strange feeling so she once again looks around.
Boong-Do sits in prison, waiting. The prison guard throws Boong-Do his satchel and informs him that the questioning will start early tomorrow. Boong-Do asks who will question him and learns that it will be the head investigator, Yoon Sung-Moon. Yoon Sung-Moon is the man who was with Boong-Do on the day he disappeared from the city streets after being shot by arrows.
Boong-Do remembers what he said to the King. "Asking you to kill me is in order for me to live. I will live. I want to live. So please let me die honorably. Then I will never reappear in this land again."
Boong-Do repeat the words, "I will never reappear in this land again. I will never reappear in this land again"
Hee-Jin is driving home and gets a call from Soo-Kyung. Soo-Kyung heard from the director that Hee-Jin cried while filming the opening of the documentary. She asks why. She heard Hee-Jin cried very sadly. Hee-Jin replies that she doesn't know herself the reason for her tears. "Tears just suddenly started to fall and I was surprised myself. Suddenly, I was so sad without any reason." Soo-Kyung asks, "Did you drink? What is so sad?" (There are different levels of "sad" in the Korean language and the word being used here describes a sadness that really comes from within.) Hee-Jin thinks she needs a beer when she gets home. She hangs up but she is still finding it hard to breathe. She turns on the music to distract herself.
Boong-Do opens his satchel and sees his cellphone and necktie. Boong-Do carefully holds the necktie and remembers Hee-Jin putting it on for him, teaching him that the purpose of the necktie was for kissing. Boong-Do repeats, "The purpose of the necktie." He starts to tie the necktie from the ceiling, standing on a barrel. (What the $%#&*!)
It starts to rain in Seoul and Hee-Jin sits at the red light. She says to herself, "Why does it rain so frequently.?"
Boong-Do tearfully places the necktie around his neck. The pain in Hee-Jin's chest worsens and tears pour out from her eyes. Back and forth we go between the two people until Boong-Do, with finality, drops his hand from the necktie and prepares to step off the barrel. Hee-Jin cries uncontrollably, "What is this? What is this?"
Boong-Do pushes away the barrel. He hangs. Hee-Jin holds her head and chest, sobbing, "What is this?"
Suddenly, Hee-Jin remembers typing "sun soo" into a cellphone. "Who is sun-soo?" She looks up the contact list on her phone but can't find the name. She remembers the number, though, and dials it.
On the floor near Boong-Do's dangling legs, his phone lights up. The screen shows Hee-Jin's face with the title, "The World's Most Beautiful Woman."
Hee-Jin's phone rings but no one picks up. Hee-Jin drops her phone because she is hyperventilating. She has to get out of the car and as she stands in the rain, memories flood back to her. "You're a player over there too, right?" "Mr. Player calls 'The World's Most Beautiful Woman'." Boong-Do's voice- "I will definitely return after solving everything."
Hee-Jin breaks down.
Hee-Jin is back at the television station, dripping wet. She runs into the director of the documentary. He asks her why she is here. She asks to see the footage of "Queen In-Hyun's Man."
The director leads her to a theater to watch it. (It's a room where audiences pre-watch a show and they record the audiences' reaction for the background soundtrack.) The director shows her how to work the equipment. He looks on curiously at Hee-Jin but turns the lights off for her.
Hee-Jin starts to watch the documentary. She sees herself in the opening of the documentary, at the palace. Hee-Jin fast-forwards to where the she is talking about the letter. "Kim Boong-Do's letter that was found along with the journal is also drawing attention. In this letter, written in the sixth month of 1694- a month after his recorded death- we can feel a deep affection and the sadness of a separation towards a nameless person. Scholars speculate that this letter is addressed to Queen In-Hyun, the rumored receiver of his affection." Hee-Jin hears Boong-Do's words, now knowing whom the letter was addressed to.
"This is letter written both to me and you. I may forget that I even wrote this letter, or this letter itself might disappear. This letter is for me and you, either one of us who may live on holding onto memories. When I obtained this amulet by chance, I wanted to know what the cause and effect/reason was. First, I thought the reason was so that I would be able to fulfill my dream. Then I thought perhaps the reason was for our fateful meeting. Then I thought it must be for me to live in a new world. But now I have belatedly realized the real cause and effect. In order to save my own life, I would have to lose everything. My future, my name, my values… my people…and also you."
Outside in Hee-Jin's car, her phone lights up. The screen shows Boong-Do's number.
"I don't know what will happen now. Will we forget each other or will we suffer forever, unable to let go of our memories? My final wish is to be able to remember you. To not have even those memories in an aimless life will be hell. And you.. even if you read this in the future, I hope you won't know who this letter is for."
The letter ends and Hee-Jin's narration is heard once again. "A man who wanted his love to forget him. It is probably because she was out of his reach. How about the man? Was he able to keep his memories? It seems that he didn't forget. The woman is mentioned a few times in other documents found along with the letter."
Hee-Jin cries softly in the theater. The door opens but Hee-Jin doesn't look up. She says, "I'm sorry. Just a moment please."
A familiar voice is heard- "Why won't you pick up after calling me?" Hee-Jin turns around slowly.
Boong-Do is standing by the doorway, in his black suit. Hee-Jin freezes. She can't believe her eyes. Boong-Do speaks first. "I had to search a long time. Didn't you call me? One hour ago?" Boong-Do smiles as he holds up his phone. Hee-Jin is still a statue.
Flashback to Boong-Do hanging from the ceiling but in his final moments of consciousness, he hears the phone ringing. He opens his eyes and sees the phone lit up with Hee-Jin's face on the screen. Boong-Do desperately pulls at the necktie and struggles to break free. Because of his long legs, he can brace himself on the prison doors while the necktie loosens. (There has never been a greater use of long legs. Never! And thank god the necktie material is silky!) Boong-Do falls to the ground and he struggles to answer. Just as he slides the call connection on, he transports to the future. He places the phone to the ear and struggles to say "Hello" but Hee-Jin at that time has just dropped the phone and run out of her car.
Boong-Do focuses his eyes and he sees Seoul bustling around him. He starts to laugh in joy and sits himself up. Boong-Do's voice has found his strength again and he cries into the phone, "Hello? Answer please, 'The World's Most Beautiful Woman." Boong-Do continues to laugh in joy despite the silence on the other side.
Hee-Jin is still in freeze frame while Boong-Do tries to hold back his tears. "Are you going to keep staring at me like that? If you called out someone who was living well, you have to take responsibility." Hee-Jin finally unfreezes. She orders, "Close the door." Boong-Do obeys. Hee-Jin then commands, "Come here." Boong-Do obeys. Hee-Jin slowly walks toward Boong-Do and gently caresses his face. "You're real. You're really alive."
Then Hee-Jin simply asks, "How have you been during the past year?" Boong-Do replies, "I traveled the country, leaving a lover in every province. The year went by really fast." Hee-Jin laughs. "You're lying. The evidence is all here." Boong-Do looks at the screen that is now showing his letter. He pretends to not recognize the letter and just asks, "What is that?"
Hee-Jin brings Boong-Do's face back to her. "What happened? The talisman?" Boong-Do answers. "I burned the talisman." Hee-Jin asks, "How did you come here?" Boong-Do replies, "I said I came because you called." Hee-Jin- "Me?" Boong-Do- "You."
Boong-Do cups Hee-Jin's face and memorizes every curve and every eyelash. He gives a long blink, like the one he gave at the red carpet, the blink that conveys more than words ever can. Hee-Jin blinks back.
Boong-Do speaks. "The purpose of the necktie. I missed the purpose that you taught me. I almost used it for something else." Hee-Jin asks, "You missed the purpose of the necktie?" Boong-Do answers, "So much that I could die." Hee-Jin pulls at Boong-Do's tie. "You mean this?" Hee-Jin start to pull Boong-Do in, but Boong-Do has waited too long and leans in quickly for a kiss. Hee-Jin holds on tightly to his tie.
Hee-Jin narrates, "A chance meeting that started at a gap in time. That meeting already ended a year ago. Right now, we did not meet because of a monk's strange talisman but because of our very own link of memories. So we start this second meeting. Now I am his savior and the price for that is being by my side forever."
Boong-Do stops kissing to look at the screen. It is showing his letter. "My letter still exists? How?" Hee-Jin explains that it was found with the Prime Minister's belongings and his descendants revealed it last month. Boong-Do is indignant. "Why would they do that with someone's private things? I have to get rid of it." Hee-Jin informs Boong-Do that the letter is in a museum now. He can never get rid of it. Forever. "Or at least until the museum falls down."
Boong-Do is angry. "I'm losing my taste." (Meaning he is going to go crazy.) Hee-Jin laughs and they proceed to kiss again (heating up my screen).
On the theater screen we see poor Soo-Kyung sitting once again with Boong-Do. "I'm REALLY going crazy here. You just suddenly appear and say you are Hee-Jin's boyfriend. I have never heard about you from Hee-Jin before." Soo-Kyung sighs and folds her arms. "From now on, you have to tell me truth. Do you understand?" Boong-Do replies yes. Soo-Kyung starts the all-too-familiar line of questioning. "What school do you go too?" Boong-Do answers the first few but can't help but laugh. Soo-Kyung asks him why he is laughing. Boong-Do just tells her what she wants to know. "My parents are both dead. I live alone. I have an inheritance." Soo-Kyung says this time, "Oh my god, how perfect. You're a perfect man." (She is echoing the voices of fangirls all around the world.) Boong-Do continues, "My father worked for the country." Soo-Kyung- "Wow, politics?" The fourth wall breaks and we see the actors start to laugh.
Ah, love that transcends time and memories that are more powerful than a talisman.
Time is both the enemy and friend to this couple. Three hundred years separate them but it is also the time they have spent together, and the memories they have made, that creates a connection that can't be severed, be it swords, assassins, death or fire.
The first time the talisman was torn, it was through no will of their own and Hee-Jin retained her memories as if it was a dream, while Boong-Do's memories were suppressed. When the talisman was burned by Boong-Do for the sake of Hee-Jin, he was able to keep his memories while her memories were lost. But once again they came back to Hee-Jin, unable to be suppressed forever.
*EDIT– I have to add here, after reading the comments, my theory regarding time, memory, and the talisman.
My theory is that memories transcend power, time…everything. So even though the talisman burned and time was reset, Boong-Do and Hee-Jin remembered it (eventually) both times. The writer has shown through the first instance of the talisman breaking that memories are ultimately unaffected for Hee-Jin and Boong-Do, whether time is reset and the talisman torn apart. The second time when it is burned, memories still last even though once again, time is reset and the talisman is gone. It makes sense in this story that Boong-Do was able to retain his memories and that Hee-Jin's came back to her.
Boong-Do has been written as the active figure in this drama, while Hee-Jin is the reactive character. He is the one who gets to travel back and forth, fight villains, and risk life and death. So many decisions and the ability to choose rests in him, and in a lesser character or in a poorly written drama, we would have found this unfair and unequal.
The rules of time-travel were laid out by the writer and we could have blamed her for leaving Hee-Jin so helpless and powerless to do anything. This aspect of Hee-Jin would have been a glaring flaw in the drama if Hee-Jin was not such a functional human being. Yes, Hee-Jin waited at an empty park and cried, but she only went when she had time. She still continued filming and doing what she had to do in her daily life.
I have said this before but I love Hee-Jin's reaction every time when Boong-Do returns to her. She never dramatically drops the phone or rushes over to Boong-Do. She always quietly asks after him, wanting to know what happened,
While Boong-Do can physically move back and forth through time, it is Hee-Jin that can spiritually (for the lack of a better word) connect with Boong-Do. She is the one that feels Boong-Do through time and not the other way around. Hee-Jin is doing what she can, opening up the gap in time so her phone call reaches Boong-Do and saves him from dying.
As for Boong-Do's choice to die… Boong-Do is a man of his word and his promise to never appear in Joseon again has to be kept through his death. I am incredibly happy with this writer who has laid out our characters and their choices so carefully throughout the drama, so that an action never feels like it was a last-minute stunt to keep the drama going.
As you may be able to tell, I am happy with ending. While we didn't get to see Boong-Do and Hee-Jin make a life together, we got a little bit of that in the previous episode and we also got some major kissing in this one. This episode was not as emotionally packed as the previous one (at least for me) but it was incredibly well-suited to the entire tone of the drama.
The verdict has come in and this drama is now my number one drama of all time. "Damo" has been my number one for nine years and while many dramas have come close, none have been able to topple her place. But here is "Queen In-Hyun's Man," a wonderful balance of comedy, romance, and thriller. The writing was subtle, the direction sure-handed, and the acting was tailored to the characters. "Damo" tore my heart out but "Queen In-Hyun's Man" did that and piece it back together again.
Dramas are made for entertainment and many remain at that. But once in a while, a special gem comes along that will latch itself onto your heart and head, and remain there for a very long time. There is no doubt that my experience of the drama was enhanced by the readers of this blog. Thank you so much for reading through my uneven writing and inexperienced recapping. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and emotions. Thank you for sending me virtual hugs and cookies. I felt and ate them all. Thank you for loving this drama as much as I did, even if you perhaps didn't as much. Thank you for sharing Boong-Do and Hee-Jin. I will keep them safe in a little corner of my heart.
madsu #
I think this is an ending that will slowly grow on people as they re-watch the drama.
Mostly the absence of emotional turbulence since get-go is what threw many people off. We had come to expect this drama to fling us viewers around mentally like laundry. The last episode was surprisingly mellow in tone in the beginning.
The fact that our super smarty did not find a safe house in one year, actually ran into (WTH) the left prime minister, got chased by guards and then got caught, didn't sit well with me personally. Even though this was probably the plot device for the survival of the letter, that could have been done in other, less contrived ways. Oh, and I was going WTH are you doing back in the capital where people actually know what you look like.
The episode started to pick up for me with the palace and time interlocking scene. As many have mentioned, HJ feels his presence there, but not the other way around. I see the reason for this as BD was actually there in the past. HJ is in the future, not yet there, so BD cannot feel her. He can only remember her. HJ starts to cry as the memories start to push forward.
In prison, BD fishes out that tie and my heart started a low heavy thump. (Boy, this kid is a pro at getting himself killed). So I guess HJ was on her way back from the palace shooting when he kicked himself off that barrel and turned several of my hairs gray.
When the phone started ringing in the cell, I was already back to pleading with my screen.- Bye bye mellow-. Please, please, please get down and pick up. Take the pressure off of your neck. Long legs save the day. Fab! The tie that I loved to distraction in ep 15, I hate with vehemence, for holding on to him – break damn tie, break. Ok, slip off. Fine, whatever, answer the bloody phone. He does, he transports.. and she leaves the phone and is hyperventilating in the rain! I mean- really! He is laughing, and I am doing my best not to scare my neighbours with maniacal howls. My son is asking me what happened. I scream at him to go away. Poor thing, he gets that a lot now a days. Bear with me honey. This is the last ep.
HJ is a soaking mess, memory back, looking carefully at the letter on the screen. Voice over is very useful, and it is BD's voice reading it out now. BD finds her, they talk, they kiss and become kdrama history.
This drama has never compressed emotions into a short time frame before. Here the emotional swing starts once he kicks off that barrel and roughly 15 minutes later, I am giggling at Su Kyung, and the drama is over. I am scratching my head. This episode is not balanced. Where is my sustained high? I couldn't sympathize with BD in the beginning as he wasn't trapped despite his best effort. So the elation of HJ getting her memory back, and him making his way back to her feels lopsided. I feel slightly disappointed at the ending.
I will marathon the series once the subs are up, because overall the series is beautifully balanced. Our boy did go through A LOT before he found his happiness. We have to put it all together to see the full picture. Bravo drama team!
With that long ramble, I thank Joonni for her courage and dedication in taking this project up and seeing it through. Thank you for your insights, feelings, mvs, transcripts and all the modern Korean lessons. Most of all, in keeping with this drama, thank you for your time. If I ever do make that time warp app, you'll be the first to know 😉June 10, 2012
britener #
I wanted to write something long and meaningful, but everyone seems to have cover that. Instead, I just want to give hugs and thanks to this community esp. Joonni for bringing (A+) EXCELLENT recaps and an incredible journey for all of us. I know that if I just watched this drama without recaps or fanpage, I would've still enjoyed this show very much. The fact that you have a place for all of us to share and bond made this whole journey more memorable and touching for me. Joonni, I think you are the BEST recapper and I can't wait to go on another drama journey with you and the fans here. *hugs* to everyone:DJune 10, 2012
britener #
Hi, again. I looked through your older posts to see how far back it is and I wanted to see what other shows you have recapped. I am shocked to learn that this show is your first time recapping! You definitely are a great writer and recapper. Wow! You definitely picked an excellent show to start off hehe.June 10, 2012
Fangie #
I don't normally comment or post anything here but I absolutely love QIHM ❤ and omg ji hyun woo and yoo in na, love them together. I'm so glad he confessed despite the consequences of it. Its the first drama that I am seriously rooting for the leads to date in real life. Excellent recap btw 🙂June 10, 2012
shl #
Just wanted to thank Joonni and everyone here for weighing in on discussing QIHM. You've all discussed and explained areas of the drama that weren't clear to me, and helped me think through the bits I was puzzling over. Thank you for all the time and effort you've taken in explaining your points of view, and so thoroughly! You've all truly enhanced my enjoyment of this QIHM, which is definitely going to be one of my favourites for a long time.June 10, 2012
shl #
Joonni, just had a thought – wouldn't it be interesting if someone novellised the drama? Of course it wouldn't be able to capture the lush cinematography or the music precisely, but it might have more leeway to reflect thoughts and emotions and explore deeper themes. I don't know if it would work, really, but i'm a sucker for the written word 🙂 allows the imagination more scope. I'm imagining it to be like The English Patient'June 11, 2012
lidy #
been keeping up with the recaps of QIM and started marathoning it. the cell phone going through and boong-do making it back to modern seoul bothered most ppl and was seen as not as believable, but after QIM ending, it came to mind how that ending really was plausible. if you think about it:
-boong-do and heejin met and was separated bc of the power of the talisman. now that the talisman is gone and both are suffering from its wrath/curse (though heejin is unaware bc her memories are gone), in the end, they were able to overcome/beat the power of the talisman
-the talisman's power was that boong-do lives when he dies. even w/o the talisman, the only thing left is boong-do's life and when he tries to kill himself, heejin remembers him (and has the feeling of unease again from ep 13 when she fainted)and tries calling him. boong-do choosing death and heejin calling, created the miracle that allowed them to meet again
-man proposes, god disposes. boong-do chose to end his life, and in doing so, heejin remembers him and calls him, allowing the path to return to modern seoul to happen
-bc of the talisman, heejin is always left waiting for boong-do to return. this time she called for him, allowing him to come back. their meeting is inevitable, even w/ fate trying to get in the way
-love conquers all
*and how i love jo asking boong-do and getting all happy about how he's rich and went to sungkwankun for the 3rd time 😀June 11, 2012
microworm #
Thanx for your recap. I watched the last episode last week and had been having trouble trying to find a satisfactory explanation for the ending i.e. the use of mobile phone to transport BD back to future. I don't know Korean and thus, had been searching the web for recaps and see what others said about it. I am glad to find your recap and I think your comments and view on the ending fits in well with the drama. It was the memories of both Boong-do and Heejin that brought them back together. As for the mobile phone, I guess I just have to accept that it is a fantasy story and so it is possible that miracles do happen.June 11, 2012
Tako #
So what was the purpose of the opening sequence in the first episode?
I would have loved to see this scene again. Maybe from a different perspective? It would have been a nice reference with the idea of modernity and past.
Too bad they have decided not to include it again.June 11, 2012
p7879 #
Have you guys saw the director's cut of the last kissing scene? Go watch it and prepare to be blown away!September 24, 2012
pam lee #
Hi, Joonnie. I know it's been a few months since QIHM came out but I just finished watching it and I just wanted to thank you for suggesting it in your top 10 kdrama list of all time. Honestly, at first I didn't really like it. It seemed slow and unevenly paced, but as the story progressed towards the end, it got so exceptionally good!!! I will definitely recommend it to all of my friends! Now, let's hope our Imja couple gets a well-deserved ending too! I'm still rooting for them even though the forecast predicts a torrential downpour of tears, a lot of body-wracking sobs and dry heaving.October 15, 2012
Aeyouline #
I have to totally agree with you! This "Queen Inhyun's Man" is officially my top favortie drama! But "Lovers In Paris" will always be in my heart and "The Greatest love" too!
I really enjoyed this drama! It has all the elements that I am looking for. The first time that I love the lead actress more than the lead actor. But what I love about Ji hyun's character is that, he made In-na's character to shine! I just don't know how to fully express my huge happiness in this drama. I was even successful in persuading my husband to watch this. My husband couldn't stop himself watching after he started! He finished this in one sitting even though he had to work in the morning! And it is so nice to share the excitement and thrills that this drama gave me to my loving husband. I will soon watch Reply 1997! Cheers!January 21, 2013
QIHMfan #
hello all,
i just finished watching this series and want to share some reviews IMHO..
# overally i find this drama good.. light, entertaining and funny..
# quite unique story.. instead of time travel, this one is kind of 'time wrap', means they ignore the 'usual' time travel rules.. the time come parallel in past and 2012 time.. means if you skip a hour, it's skipped too in other period..
# I feel like watching 'Disney' kind of movie.. (Disney style Kdrama) how they recite the story, how they put the mix of feeling like fun, sad, action, thriller, etc.. and how they explain everything (almost everthing are explained), how they add some miracles 'spices', and last but most important: happy ending (even it's like a forced one)..
# somehow i don't really get their love chemistry.. perhaps need more character development? or I can't find true reason why they 'really' love each other.. (see point below)
# kiss scene is always nice. But this drama has a tad too many kissing scenes.. and too long.. so feel like a 'lust' rather than 'showing love' (can someone do the summation of how long they actually been kissing the whole show? is there any drama has longer couple kiss compared to this?)
# their love 'sacrifies' two persons, one is Yoon Wol (which her fate is truly miserable for me) and Han Dong min (this one is lesser pain, but i think he really loves her — but talisman prevents him)
– just before the end, i was actually guessing, don't say he uses cellphone to time wrap.. but then, he really DID haha.. but it's ok.. if talisman (a paper can do), why not phone.. just forget the battery issue.
as conclusion, I will give 7 out of 10 for this one 🙂January 24, 2013
QIHMfan #
a thought though, if we stick to 'time travel rules'… when the first time talisman is torn.. the 2012 got affected.. all people lost memories.. as if nothing happens. so the questions is:
1. does the talisman just fade away people memory in 2012 –including changing all the media/photo/news/etc which already publicly published (but actually BD did travel to the 2012 and all the moments we watch truly happened)
2. or, the talisman canceled BD action in the 2012.. (means he never travels) but in this case, BD should instantly disappear in the past time, because he should have been killed by then.. (reversing the time travel effect)
for me, the writer intention is more to the #1 one right? but for me a bit more make sense if #2.. because a bit strange if only removing the memories without removing the concequencies of his visit (say if BD is a bad guy, and kill president in 2012, if the talisman only removes the memory, what happened to the president by then??)
AND one more: if the horse he's been riding can travel to future (as horse is living creature too), why not try holding her hand while he's about to come back to past? or otherway, why not bringing Yoon Wol to future (well this will extend the story to more love-complex situation hehe, but at least Yoon Wol didnt need to die)
sorry if this has been discussed before, i just recently watched and still hot for me :pJanuary 24, 2013
I love this this Kdrama, usually i watched other kdramas people often recommend. And often i screamed at the stupidity in which the writers insults the viewers intelligence. But not so here, whilst others may comment with their excessive analysis of time travel, if you really want to understand then i suggest you go back to School and study Physics and science. I grew up in Scifi/fantasy culture and I've seen lots of shows that depicts time travel. Being a trekkie fan enough said. So trust me when i say the writer's perspective of time travel in QIHM is more plausible than the stupid writing of Faith, Rooftop Prince and Dr Jin, all these shows i watched and endured their idiocy. The writers for these shows specialized in overused korean drama gimicks and in my opinion should not be writing such drama themes when they HAVE NO experience in the Science Fiction Fantasy Genre. Like asking Baz Lurhmann to write Star Wars, its ridiculous. So stop bagging QIHM, when its the best Korean time travel drama EVER so far.March 1, 2013
Sorry may i know what question are you referring to?March 13, 2013
If you referring to my ranting, i apologize i just get excited at people's nitpicking at the small details. I also get frustrated because their isn't any good kdrama lately, there is only so many times i can watch QIHM over and over again 🙂March 13, 2013
I know this if off topic but I'm looking into starting my own weblog and was curious what all is needed to get set up? I'm assuming
having a blog like yours would cost a pretty penny?
I'm not very internet smart so I'm not 100% certain. Any tips or advice would be greatly appreciated. ThanksMarch 14, 2013
yanra #
thanks for making this recap, all of my questions about this drama have been answered by your recap and other comments. Actually i'd been watching this Kdrama last year but i'm still enthusiastic to watch this again and again. i follow your another Kdrama Recap.April 28, 2013
Celine #
Love the drama what sony xperia phone was their using?May 27, 2013
Claire PUA #
I stumbled upon your recap and I must say, your writing is amazing–both form and content.
I also enjoyed the comments of your readers–you have a very smart following c: I am now a fan.
Your work is very inspired and I'd love to read more of it c: do you have a personal blog or any other creative outputs?
~ClaireFebruary 12, 2014


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Below are links to full reviews as well as our comparison chart that lines up specifications, price, and features of other brands side-by-side.
If you are beginning your search for an electric sit-to-stand desk, the number of choices can be overwhelming. For the smart shopper who looks hard at a purchase before committing, we have video comparison reviews of our MojoDesk standing desk and a 3D desk builder to view our desks and accessories at all angles.
3D MojoDesk Builder | 360 View
If you are considering a standing desk, these video reviews and comparison charts will help you decide what options are right for you. One of the key differences of MojoDesk is the quality and stability of our adjustable height frame. All MojoDesk models come standard with a commercial-grade frame that lifts over 250lbs. Unlike others, our bases are all dual-motor with 3-stage telescoping T-style legs for ultimate stablity and include an LED hand control with 4 height presets at no upcharge.
But before we get into more detail, here's a quick video about the importance of a sit-to-stand desk for overall work wellness.
Both MojoDesk and Vari (previously VariDesk) offer a full sit-to-stand desk that meets BIFMA stability requirements, comes with a 5-year warranty, and offers free shipping to the lower 48--but the similarities end there. If you're looking for stability and safety up to 300 pounds (vs. 200-250 with the other guys), MojoDesk is the clear choice.
Secretlab has released a new version of their MAGNUS gaming desk called the MAGNUS Pro, an electric sit-to-stand desk. In this comparison and unboxing review, we evaluate the setup process and functionality of the largest version they offer, the MAGNUS Pro XL. We also detail the order process, experience with customer service, and a "potential electrical concern."
Read Full MAGNUS Pro XL Unboxing Review
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Our "apples-to-apples" comparison for this review is between the Evodesk Ergo Edge electric standing desk and MojoDesk—and the findings may surprise you. Let's start with issues of safety and health: two critical factors when researching a high-quality gaming desk.
Ergonomic comfort during long sessions of work or gaming is top priority. In addition to the damage that passionate keyboard users inflict upon the sit-to-stand desk itself, gamers and workers are also punishing their own hands and wrists. Both comfort and stability were key factors in comparing MojoDesk with the IKEA Bekant standing desk side-by-side.
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Secretlab sells a line of popular ergonomic gaming chairs and now offers a fixed-height gaming desk with magnetic cable management called MAGNUS. In this video, we compare the MAGNUS Metal Gaming Desk to MojoDesk for stability, functionality, and price.
Whether you're 4'11" or 6'6", size matters when it comes to choosing the right standing desk. MojoDesk has the greatest height-adjustability on the market today, to deliver the best in health and comfort for users of all shapes and sizes. From reducing and preventing back problems to improving circulation, alternately sitting and standing improves both health and productivity.
MojoDesk and the iMovR Lander have several similarities, including a large adjustable range, compliance with national ergonomic standards and free shipping.
The areas where iMovR comes up short—namely environmental compliance, tabletop design return policy and price—can be significant concerns for gamers and desk jockeys on a budget.
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3D Builder | 360 MojoDesk View
Design Inspiration: Customer Setup Photos
Note: All specifications sourced from competitor website specification pages as of January, 2020. Since that time, Varidesk (now Vari) has changed their ProDesk in the chart below in both specs, pricing, and name. The price below on the cart and specs are being updated. The list price of $695 is for the 48x30 Vari ProDesk which has now been replaced with the 48x30 Vari Electric Standing Desk at $550. We will have an updated review soon.
Sources: Autonomous, Fully, UpLift, Varidesk
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Each product listing has close-up pictures of the desktops. These are photographs, not renderings.
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Has the DSLR come of age?
*Apologies to email subscribers who may have received an unfinished draft version of this article when I published it by mistake!
DSLR cameras with HD video capabilities have been on the market for a couple of years and have been making a significant impression for pretty much as long.
I spent part of last week nerding out big time at the annual Canon Expo in London (my write up of last years event is right here).
It's mostly targeting stills photographers, with the majority of demos, products and talks aimed at the traditional DSLR user. But this year, there was a significantly higher number of videographers attending, and more and more products designed for their needs.
For example, the Steadicam Merlin (a lightweight stabiliser that gives you steadicam smoothness on moving shots) was one of the most popular items. There was more paraphernalia including handheld rigs, LCD monitors, matte boxes and ring lights – all designed for the filmmaker. You can now even rig up DSLR cameras to shoot in 3D!
So, has the DSLR come of age?
That's what Dan Chung, one of the real pioneers in the cinematic aesthetic of video journalism, told attendees on Tuesday.
He says DSLR cameras offer a flexibility and portability that a camcorder alternative just can't. For him, the most important thing is being able to fit all of his gear into a backpack, and the size of DSLRs means he can bring as many as four cameras with him, plus lenses, filters and the like, on any assignment.
That's a huge amount more video power than one, more expensive camcorder.
Why you should think about the Canon 550D
Currently the cheapest popular version of the video DSLR is the Canon 550D. I have been shooting with it since the spring, and have made films for editorial and commercial clients.
At £600 it is a sliver of the cost of its daddy, the 5D Mark II, and because of that, you would imagine – less good.
But here's what I really took away from the Canon Expo: the 550D was getting applause from many quarters – as a better alternative to the more expensive 5D Mark II.
For example, James Tonkin, head of the multimedia production company Hangman said he would choose the 550D over a 5D, and Dan said if he could buy 1 5D Mark II, or 3 550D cameras, he would choose the 550D. Their affordability means he's prepared to take risks with them to get more unique and dramatic shots.
The only other cameras in this price range are realistically, the Canon Legria camcorder, which has no aperture or focus control, the Lumix FZ100 or a much older camera. Either side you could pay £100 for a flip cam, or £2,000 for a broadcast camera.
I'm sure we'll start to see more remarkable stuff being shot on the 550D entering the mainstream soon.


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Two Worlds 2 Latest Updates
PlayStation Network European weekly update announced for 9th May
This week's European PlayStation Network releases features the Binary Domain full game download, as well as Sony's Move-enabled intriguing adventure game Datura and a "Super Bundle" for Dead Space which includes all of the DLC released for the game.
Two Worlds' SouthPeak exit NYSE
Two Worlds II publisher SouthPeak Interactive have delisted from the New York Stock Exchange because benefits are "outweighed by the associated costs." They'll rethink the move if "economic conditions and circumstances" change, but otherwise they'll stay gone. Two Worlds II and My Baby brought a profitable Q3.
Two Worlds II goes velvet in its GOTY edition
TopWare Interactive has announced that it is releasing the Two Worlds II: Velvet Game of the Year Edition this coming October 18. The special edition comes with the Pirates of the Flying Fortress expansion and all of the up-to-date upgrades.
Two Worlds II DLC announced
The first major DLC for Two Worlds II has been announced today, called "Pirates of the Flying Fortress", and as the title suggests, it has a nautical motif.
Two Worlds II in UK now "exclusively on Amazon", out March 1st
TopWare have announced that Two Worlds II will only be sold by online retailer Amazon in the UK with no other retailer receiving stock to sell of the RPG. It won't be releasing this Friday, February 25th either as it pushes back a week to Tuesday, March 1st. Amazon will have "all versions in stock" says TopWare.