a misaq kazimi thought-stream, blog
Voteacracy, a fairly new website has a cool idea:
We are about action. By providing Americans the ability to vote on bills in Congress we create a measurable repository of citizens sentiment towards each bill.
For example you could vote on these current bills:
Whereas Perspactive is the title of this blog, adding a simple “@” sign to it automatically makes it the property of the Twitter community.
Hello Twitter, I am @perspactive, Twitter:
Okay then:
This past June marked the 150th Anniversary of the American Civil War. Here are two interesting documents that were displayed at one of the exhibitions commemorating the event.
Although not exactly ‘feminist’ by the definition of the popular images of ‘feminism’ you may have in mind, the list of books below are written by or about some key female figures of the Baha’i Faith. Each text examines the life, experiences, spiritual stations and perspectives of these women who were in the forefront of action since the inception of the Babi/Baha’i faith.
A cumulative study of these books, in the light of the teachings of the faith, while considering the role and responsibility of women within it, will perhaps provide any interested party a solid ground to form a Baha’i perspective on feminist theories and women studies in general.
1. Asíyyih Khánum (Navvab)
Here is a biographical essay of the wife of Bahá’u’lláh, the Founder of the Bahá’í Faith. Her story, little known, is one of strength, patience, long-suffering and devotion to One who was her ‘husband, the Lord of Hosts’, whom she accompanied through all the vicissitudes of exile and imprisonment.
2. Prophet’s Daughter: The Life and Legacy of Bahiyyih Khanum, the daughter of Baha’u’llah.
During the mid nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, when women in the Middle East were largely invisible, deprived of education, and without status in their communities, she was an active participant in the religion’s turbulent early years and contributed significantly to its emergence as an independent world religion.
3. Munirih Khanum: Memoirs and Letters
Recollections of the wife of Abdul-Baha: including her familys association with Bahaullah and the Bab, her marriage to Abdul-Baha, and her experiences as a member of Abdul-Bahas family.
4. Rejoice In My Gladness The Life of Tahirih
The definitive biography of a woman born into a deeply fanatical environment in nineteenth-century Persia, who spent her life denouncing the second-class status of women and who sacrificed her life for her beliefs.
5. Portraits of Some Baha’i Women
Short pen portraits of seven such women whose services to the Cause of Bahá’u’lláh have spanned the twentieth century. Emogene Hoagg, Claudia Coles, Anna Kunz, Amelia Collins, Kate Dwyer, Ella Bailey, Ella Quant – some well known, others less so – all devoted their lives to the promotion and development of the Faith they loved.
6. Lua Getsinger, Herald of the Covenant
The voice of Lua Getsinger as heard through her diaries, letters and talks between 1898 and 1916.
7. The Diary of Juliet Thompson
This diary is a love story. It is the day by day account which Juliet Thompson, one of the early Bahá’ís of New York, kept of her many hours with ‘Abdu’l-Bahá–first on pilgrimage to “Akká in 1909, then in Europe in 1911, and finally in America in 1912.
8. Her Eternal Crown: Queen Marie of Romania and the Bahá’í Faith
The first monarch to accept the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh, she struggled against the political bonds that tie every ruler to proclaim the new religion.
9. Corinne True: Faithful Handmaid of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá
Few realize that the Hand of the Cause of God, Corinne True, long honoured for her major role in the erection of the first Bahá’í House of Worship in the Western Hemisphere, was not only ‘Mother of the Temple’ but, before all else, a mother, devoted to the care of husband and four daughters and four sons.
10. Compassionate Woman The Life and Legacy of Patricia Locke
A captivating biography of Patricia Locke, a Lakota Indian, who dedicated her life to righting injustices on behalf of indigenous people, as well as all of humanity.
11. Legacy of Courage: The Life of Ola Pawlowska, Knight of Bahá’u’lláh
Here is the story of a remarkable life that began in the Austro-Hungarian Empire of Franz Joseph, spanned two World Wars, and played out on three continents.
12. Lidia: The Life of Lidia Zamenhof, Daughter of Esperanto
Lidia Zamenhof was the youngest daughter of Ludwig Zamenhof, the creator of the international auxiliary language, Esperanto.
13. Maxwells of Montreal, The Early Years 1870–1922
The book draws on over 1,600 personal letters between May, Sutherland and Mary Maxwell (Amatu’l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum), together with about 1,400 letters which the three Maxwells exchanged with their relatives and some of the early Bahá’ís.
14. Sarah Ann Ridgway
Set against the backdrop of a world moving from an agrarian society to an industrial one, Sarah Ann’s story gives us a glimpse into the lives of ordinary working people, their households, factories and schools. But there is a story within this story: the determined quest of one Bahá’í woman to unveil the life of another.
15. Ethel Jenner Rosenberg:
The Life and Times of England’s Outstanding Baha’i Pioneer Worker.
To conclude, allow me to point out to some previous writings on this subject:
Say hello to Ren, Dr. Ren Ng, graduate of Stanford University who is set out to change the way we take pictures. No, he is not introducing a new lens, a higher megapixel camera or even a new chip in the existent cameras, he has invented and is introducing a whole new camera in itself – he has named it the Lytro camera.
Here I set with Ren to discover what it’s all about.
Mithaq Kazimi: Can you summarize the technology you are developing?
Dr. Ren Ng: Lytro is creating the first light field cameras. Unlike regular digital or film cameras, which can only record a scene in two-dimensions, light field cameras capture all of the light rays traveling in every direction through a scene. This means that some aspects of a picture can be manipulated after the fact. To capture this additional data, Lytro cameras include an innovative new light field sensor that captures the color, intensity and direction of light rays. Light field cameras unleash the power of the light, to forever change how everyone takes and experiences pictures.
What is your personal interest in photography: artistic, technical or both?
Photography has always been a passion of mine but I began to study light field photography when I was in the PhD program at Stanford University. I loved photography but was frustrated by the limitations of cameras. When trying to take a picture of a friend’s young, active daughter using my DSLR it was impossible to capture the fleeting moments. That personal experience inspired me start researching what would become my dissertation on light field photography and eventually lead me to starting Lytro which will be introducing the first light field camera for consumers.
How long have you been working on it?
I have been researching light field technology for more than eight years beginning with my studies within the PhD program at Stanford University.
What have you been challenged by while developing the technology?
The main challenges were really pulling together the diverse resources required to build the original prototype camera. We recruited a professor in EE to the project, an ME professional, raised $25K in research capital, developed a relatively complex set of supply chain partners to fabricate the light field sensor and build the custom camera, and developed all the software to render images. It was a very complex set of technical and operational activities over a six month period, and so satisfying when I glued the prototype together on my kitchen table and it worked!
Do you think people will embrace the technology as it becomes available, and why?
We do, the response overall has already been amazing! We’ve seen a wide range of interest from camera enthusiasts to the everyday person wanting to capture the important moments in their lives with this new kind of camera.
What is going to be different in your cameras?
The light field fully defines how a scene appears, from the foreground to the background and everything in between. Unlike conventional cameras, which can only record a scene in two dimensions, light field cameras can capture all of the light traveling in every direction through a scene in four dimensions. A light field picture taken with a Lytro camera can be manipulated after the fact in ways not possible with conventional cameras, like focusing a picture after it’s been taken.
The two main features that are evident so far are “focus-later” and “3D” capture, what are some others?
Sky is the limit with this type of technology. Video capabilities are planned for a future version, but we don’t want to give too much away regarding our roadmap. But as far as the 3D, using the full light field, Lytro cameras will allow you to easily switch between 2D and 3D views or shift the perspective of the scene.
Who has been more interested in it so far, general consumers or pro users?
We’ve had a great response for those looking to reserve a camera at lytro.com – we’ve seen interest from camera enthusiasts, professionals and people who want to stretch their creative potential.
Who did you have in mind while developing the technology?
We were very focused on people who want to capture the important moments of their lives in a multi-dimensional, creative way.
Is there a learning curve?
People are so used to waiting for an auto-focus motor on conventional cameras that there will be a bit of “re-learning” to do when shooting a light field camera with an instant shutter.
For the professionals, what does it offer?
Professional photographers are very much on top of the latest trends in technology and we believe many of them will be interested in using a Lytro as part of their camera kit. We’re excited to see the creativity they bring to light field photography..
Can you give us the tech details (res, pix, etc..)?
We are not providing specific details about the camera at this time.
Does the cameras capture video?
Not at this time.
Is there a plan to implement it in the future?
It is definitely something that is in our roadmap but right now we are focused exclusively on still camera and bringing the first light field camera for everyone.
Any closing thoughts, news?
We are keeping people informed of developments through Twitter (@lytro) and Facebook.com/lytro. We will definitely keep you updated as we share more details on the Lytro camera.
Below are some ‘living pictures’, click on any part of it to focus:
Note: now it comes in a environmentally destructive plastic bottle, only for 99 cents.
Awhile back, I posted about a book that was probably not a good idea to have children read or gain knowledge from. But just the other day, I found another book that doesn’t need a “keep away from children’s reach” sign on it.
Here is one place you never thought you could put your house number sign in/on:
There are many “facebook clones” out there. But this website – V-kon-tak-te (trans: in touch/contact), is a successful one. Started in 2007 in Russia, it has gained much popularity within the ‘iron curtain’ region. Recently, it broke the ‘Berlin wall’ and began to offer its website in many more languages to people as far – well, look at the list below.
VK has kept it simple, like facebook from the founder’s dorm room.
Offered in these languages:
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Albert Einstein said many interesting things – some good and some even great. Here is a great thought of his printed on a purple shirt:
