This blog feature amusing and heartwarming stories about our late Leonberger dog Bronco, as well as other Leonbergers. It also has a lot of information about the Leonberger breed, the history, care, training, Leonberger organizations, etc. I also wrote a Leonberger book, which I am featuring in the sidebar.
This is a Leonberger blog but sometimes I post about books that are not about Leonbergers but that are books that I want to promote. This is another one of those. I recently read Voice Of A Story Teller Paperback – by Sara Kjeldsen. It was a book that I loved and therefore I want to promote it.
Paperback – September 29, 2020, ASIN : B08KB137YM, ISBN-13 : 979-8690747237, 91 pages, Item Weight : 4.8 ounces, dimensions : 6 x 0.21 x 9 inches, it cost $4.65 on US Amazon. Click here to order it from Amazon.com.
Kindle – September 25, 2020, ASIN : B08K5Q3J7L, 66 pages. It is currently $3.99 on Amazon.com. Click here to order it from Amazon.com.
Front cover of Voice Of A Story Teller. Click here or the picture to visit the Amazon.com page for the paperback version of the book.
Amazon’s description of the book
A troubled war survivor named Barak becomes obsessed with a beloved story teller named Almaz. Though she is beautiful and charming, Barak is convinced that she is a fake and has the power to start wars. He can’t seem to control his violent thoughts toward her and they worsen every time she runs into him. Will Almaz be able to help Barak heal with her words, or will he act on his urges?
My Amazon Review of Voice Of A Story Teller
The Story of a Lonely Mind Darkened by Pain
This story takes place in a somewhat dystopian future. The narrator, Barak, lost his friends in a terrible war, something that deeply traumatized him. He feels forgotten by his society and he becomes obsessed with a charming storyteller Almaz whom he feels is arrogant and is stealing everyone’s attention away from what he thinks is important. His bitterness, self-pity, envy and anger result in him hating Almaz. We are following his dark thoughts, which leads him to commit dark acts, which in turn result in an intriguing tale with interesting consequences.
I hesitate to call Barak a protagonist, which is why I call him “the narrator”. You can understand him and feel sorry for him even though you disagree with his thinking and his ghastly actions. Culpability, being responsible, karma, still apply even when you are hurting, a truth that your self-pity may overshadow. The Abel and Cain story comes to mind, and I was also relating it to the confessions of the demon in Clive Barker’s Mr. B Gone. I guess the author used her expertise in therapy to make Barak’s dark character possible to understand, even relatable, at the same time as the story teaches us readers something.
This book is very well written, compelling and imaginative. It is full of interesting twists and surprises, wow moments, and may even be shocking at times. It is a book you want to think about after you are done reading it. The book also demonstrates the value of storytelling. Stories are powerful and they stay with us long after the storyteller is gone. It is certainly a page turner and I highly recommend it.
Back cover of Voice Of A Story Teller. Click here or the picture to visit the Amazon.com page for the kindle version of the book.
I’ve got a number of hobbies, one of them being learning French. Back in December I took and passed the DELF / CEFR B1 level language test in French. The CEFR is a European standard for assessing an individual’s language proficiency that is being adopted around the world. It includes all European languages as well as other languages. The A1 & A2 tests are for beginners with A2 being more challenging. The B1 and B2 tests are for independent speakers, meaning you can get around without help, listening to the news, having conversations, etc. C1 & C2 are advanced levels, like native speakers and experts. If you immigrate to France, you need to pass the B1 test to become a citizen. Most countries do not have such a language requirement for citizenship. The A1, A2, B1, B2 tests (and maybe C1 & C2) consist of four parts but the different tests have different difficulty levels.
Oral comprehension: Listening to recordings like a conversation or a radio broadcast and answering questions about what was said.
Reading comprehension: Reading articles and answering questions
Writing: Such as writing an essay, and for A1 it is just filling out a form or writing a 40+ word post card
Oral production: Participating in conversations and doing presentations on topics decided on at the exam.
To pass the test you need 50 out of 100. As mentioned, the test is designed to assess your level. It is not like a test you take to get a grade at school. Therefore, if you do what is expected of you at the B1 level you may get 50-60 points and more if you can do more. If you get 80+ on the B1 test, then you probably should have taken the B2 test. There are no A, B, C, D or 1,2,3,4,5 grades.
My B1 test results
There are a couple of things that come to mind regarding these tests.
Learn to Speak 25 languages in one hour!
Yesterday I saw an advertisement on Facebook for the Pimsleur approach that stated, “start speaking a new language after just one lesson”. Well, I used the Pimsleur approach for French for a short while and I remember the first half an hour lesson. You learned to repeat one short sentence. That’s not speaking a new language in my opinion. The advertisement sounded like there should be more to it. I should say I think the Pimsleur approach is a good approach. It is the ad I have a problem with. I’ve seen other language program commercials stating that you will become fluent in 24 hours, or become conversant right away, and many other ads that are just BS.
There are some language geniuses but most of us need a lot of practice to learn a second language regardless of method. There is no way around the fact that you need to know a few thousand words, internalize sentence structure and grammar, etc., before you can be fluent. I think one reason these language companies get away with unrealistic promises is that many people expect ads to be BS and another that many language learners greatly overestimate their proficiency. These universally accepted tests are great for assessing true proficiency.
Our younger son with his black belt in Tae Kwon Do
When our younger son (pictured above) was 6-7 years old my wife used to play a song in the car that featured Hello and Goodbye in 25 languages, and he learned that song. One day I was having a conversation with a waiter at a restaurant who noticed that I had an accent. He was curious about my native language Swedish. That’s when my son told him “I speak 25 languages”. So, the waiter started asking him questions about how to say hello and goodbye in the various languages he claimed to speak, and he knew. So, the waiter asked me, “does he really speak 25 languages?”. I said, well that’s what he says. Perhaps, the language companies could put this song in the first lesson and then claim, not entirely incorrectly, that with their method you’ll speak 25 languages in one hour.
Proficiency assessment for other subjects
I sometimes wonder if rather than assigning grades to students it would be more practical to allow people to attain certain levels in one or more fields that they are interested in. Naturally, people could reach their levels any way they like, and not necessarily through the university system. Considering the many failures of modern universities, extremely high tuition, student loan issues, grade inflation, crazy partying and drugs, failures to protect girls from sexual assault, political indoctrination, antisemitism on campuses, fewer people going to college, parents losing faith in universities (including myself), and the list goes on, maybe it is time for something new. What should replace it I don’t know. Perhaps assessing proficiency levels instead of class grades could be part of it.
The books I review in this blog are typically Leonberger books but sometimes I review other kinds of books that I love and want to promote. In this post I will review the third and fourth book of an incredible series of books called the Harbor Point series. To see my reviews for book one and two click here.
The Destination comes in a paperback edition, and a Kindle edition and I read the kindle edition.
Paperback – October 31, 2023, ISBN-13 : 979-8865687214, 74 pages, Item Weight : 4.6 ounces, dimensions : 5 x 0.17 x 8 inches, it is currently $5.99 on Amazon. Click here to order it from Amazon.com.
Kindle – October 31, 2023 : B0CCQB7X1S, 64 pages. It is currently $2.99 on Amazon.com (free with kindle unlimited). Click here to order it from Amazon.com.
The Destination by D. L. Finn
This is Amazon’s description of the book.
The Harbor Pointe Inn has loomed on California’s cliffs for generations of Hawthornes. For some, it’s been a blessing. For others, a curse. Travel through two centuries of stories to discover the old inn’s secrets.
It’s 1967, and best friends Lacey and Sandy are enjoying a beach vacation, completely unaware of the danger that is lying in wait outside their door. Their room is quaint, with an amazing view of the Pacific Ocean and an old lighthouse, but a killer is stalking their next victim. Powerless, Annie the ghost watches, knowing there’s nothing she can do to help—not even her parents, the innkeepers. Who will survive their stay at the Harbor Pointe Inn, where the edge of evil lurks within the shadows?
Two best friends Sandy and Lacey are on vacation, and they are staying at Harbor Pointe Inn, a hotel next to a lighthouse by the California coast. There is a serial killer on the lose and there is also a ghost who is trying to be helpful. The setting is depicted skillfully so that you really feel as if you are present at the ocean side, the beach, the cliffs, the cave, the old hotel and lighthouse, and the old friendly couple at the Inn, etc. The story is entertaining and imaginative but foreboding and it builds tension. It features an ominous presence which is hinted at throughout the story until we find out about it at the end. To me this is a new take on the serial killer genre and seeing the situation develop through the eyes of unsuspecting people as well as through the eyes of an innocent ghost who knows the truth but has limited powers is quite intriguing.
The characters are well developed and believable, the dialogue is engaging, and the story is compelling and unique. You need to keep reading because you want to find out what is going on and what will happen. The ending was unique and emotional. I highly recommend this short story.
About the Author
D.L. Finn is an independent California local who encourages everyone to embrace their inner child. She was born and raised in the foggy Bay Area, but in 1990 relocated with her husband, kids, dogs, and cats to the Sierra foothills in Nevada City, CA. She immersed herself in reading all types of books, but especially loved romance, horror, and fantasy.
She always treasured creating her own reality on paper. Finally, being surrounded by towering pines, oaks, and cedars, her creativity was nurtured until it bloomed. Her creations vary from children’s books, young adult fantasy, and adult paranormal romance to an autobiography with poetry. She continues on her adventures with an open invitation for her readers to join her.
The fourth book The Seas of Time also comes in a paperback edition, and a Kindle edition and in this case, I read the paperback.
Paperback – November 13, 2023, 2023, ASIN : B0CMLMDC87, ISBN-13 : 979-8865687214, 151 pages, Item Weight : 8 ounces, dimensions : 5 x 0.35 x 8 inches, it is currently $7.50 on Amazon. Click here to order it from Amazon.com.
Kindle – November 14, 2023, 2023 : ASIN : B0CCQGRXH9, 145 pages. It is currently $2.99 on Amazon.com (free with kindle unlimited). Click here to order it from Amazon.com.
The front cover of The Seas of Time (scan)
This is Amazon’s description of the book.
The Harbor Pointe Inn has loomed on California’s cliffs for generations of Hawthornes. For some, it’s been a blessing. For others, a curse. Travel through two centuries of stories to discover the old inn’s secrets.
In 1858, a ship carrying ice from Alaska wrecked off the coast of California, and little does Taliah Keldan realize how that tragedy will impact her life in 1972.
When Tali decides to quit college and become a civil rights activist, her disappointed parents encourage her to think it over. What better spot for contemplation than at her aunt and uncle’s Harbor Pointe Inn, a charming seaside getaway with its own lighthouse? The place is under renovation and empty of guests. All she’ll have to deal with is the construction crew.
But the inn is far from peaceful.
Tali discovers an old Bible hidden in the lighthouse keeper’s cottage. Strange prayers angle down the margins, all but one ruined by the sea. When she deciphers the crude writing, a dark portal gapes open to a pre-civil war night when an escaped slave in a foundering ship prayed to his voodoo God. A winged creature emerges from the watery void, and her stay transforms into a nightmare.
With the aid of the construction foreman, Tali is determined to send the beast back through time, a choice that will risk their lives, test her convictions, and change her future.
Voodoo, Imagination, Action, a Great Story Originating with Slavery
This is a somewhat scary paranormal fantasy story with some comical passages, but above all, it is a good story. It is part of a series of books centered on a lighthouse at Harbor Point on the northern California coast. The story begins in 1858 on a ship traveling from Alaska to California. Onboard is an African American escaped slave whom the crew is planning to sell back into slavery. To save himself he uses voodoo. Next, we move forward to 1972 where we meet Tali, a young and determined African American woman who comes to Harbor Point for a temporary job as a caretaker. She accidentally summons the supernatural and so begins a wild adventure.
It is a unique story filled with horror, mystery, and fast paced action. The story is very imaginative with lots of fantastic imagery including some wormhole-like time travel, as well as some comedy. The character development is amazing, and you’ll find yourself caring for several of the characters. The characters grow and mature in ways that are both plausible and inspiring. I imagined Tali as being an older version of Abra Stone from Stephen King’s Dr. Sleep. It is a very good story, and I was very entertained the entire time as I read the book. I highly recommend it.
About the Author
A long-time reader, best-selling author D. Wallace Peach started writing later in life when years of working in business surrendered to a full-time indulgence in the imaginative world of books. She was instantly hooked.
In addition to fantasy books, Peach’s publishing career includes participation in various anthologies featuring short stories, flash fiction, and poetry. She’s an avid supporter of the arts in her local community, organizing and publishing annual anthologies of Oregon prose, poetry, and photography.
Peach lives in a log cabin amongst the tall evergreens and emerald moss of Oregon’s rainforest with her husband, two owls, a horde of bats, and the occasional family of coyotes.
With this post I just wanted to wish everyone a Happy New Year and remind everyone that Fireworks is not appreciated by many dogs. Our Leonberger Bronco did not mind fireworks. Our Labrador Baylor did not mind fireworks and our Pug Daisy does not seem to mind either. However, our Japanese Shin Ryu was terrified of fireworks and so was our German Shepherd Baby. Our mini–Australian Shepherd Rollo is more than terrified of fireworks, and he was traumatized by a rouge bottle rocket that was launched in the middle of the neighborhood against the rules. Kids having fun can do a lot of damage to a puppy.
Fireworks are beautiful but not appreciated by all dogs. Photo by Rakicevic Nenad on Pexels.com
The books I review in this blog are typically Leonberger books but sometimes I review other kinds of books that I love and want to promote. I’ve come across a very good series of 8 books called the Harbor Point Series. There are a couple of them I haven’t read yet, but I am certain they will be great as well. I decided to review two Harbor Point books at a time starting with the first two:
The Price of Atonement comes in one format, Kindle – September 26, 2023, ASIN : B0CCW59D94, 117 pages. It is currently $2.99 on Amazon.com (free with kindle unlimited). Click here to order it from Amazon.com.
The Price of Atonement by Mae Clair
This is Amazon’s description of the book.
The Harbor Pointe Inn has loomed on California’s cliffs for generations of Hawthornes. For some, it’s been a blessing. For others, a curse. Travel through two centuries of stories to discover the old inn’s secrets.
Some hauntings come from within.
Leviticus Sinclair has been a broken man since the murders of his wife and brother. Burdened by personal failures the night they were killed, he occupies himself by crossing the country, searching out departed spirits unwilling to move from this world to the next. His dead brother’s Bible and a pocket watch—forever frozen at the precise moment of his wife’s death—serve as grim reminders of a past he cannot exorcise.
Accompanied by Wyatt Resnick, a paid employee who fills the role of researcher and hired muscle, Leviticus arrives at the Harbor Pointe Inn amid rumors of a vengeful ghost. A phantom who may be the single spirit he has long sought, one capable of freeing him from his torment.
Set in the remote Pacific Northwest of 1887, The Price of Atonement is a story of jealousy, guilt, and one man’s relentless quest for absolution.
This is my five-star Amazon Review of The Price of Atonement
An Angry Ghost and A Mysterious Ghost Hunter
The Price of Atonement is the first book in the Harbor Point series, a series of eight spooky books centered around the Harbor Point lighthouse and the Harbor Point Inn, the adjacent hotel or Inn. At the beginning of this book, we learn that the Harbor Point lighthouse was constructed in 1870 and was built by Isaac Hawthorne. This story takes place in 1887. The Harbor Point books can be read independently but I recommend that you read this one so that you know the background.
Leviticus Sinclair arrives at Harbor Point Inn with his assistant Wyatt Resnik. Harbor Point is haunted by an angry and powerful ghost, which has not been good for business. The current owner is August Hawthorne, the son of Isaac Hawthorne, and his wife Etta. One source of the haunting is believed to be the sinking of the June Pearl in 1876, in which 2/3 of crew died. Leviticus has powerful paranormal abilities due to his unusual situation, but he is also acting like a detective. Leviticus and his assistant Wyatt has to figure out what is going on, which is not easy since not everyone is willing to share what they know. They reminded me a bit of Sherlock Holmes and Watson. All I will divulge is that we are in for some big surprises and interesting revelations.
This is a scary ghost story that should satisfy any fan of paranormal horror. It is also an intriguing mystery and a detective story. Above all it is a good story that is very spooky and fun and full of surprises. A haunted lighthouse may seem like a typical ghost story, but it is not. It is a very unique story. The characters are well developed and believable and you empathize with them. It is very well written. I highly recommend The Price of Atonement.
About the Author
A member of the International Thriller Writers, Mae Clair is also a founding member and contributor to the award-winning writing blog, Story Empire. She has achieved bestseller status on both Amazon and Barnes & Noble, with several of her novels chosen as book club selections.
Mae writes primarily in the mystery/suspense genre, flavoring her plots with elements of urban legend and folklore. Married to her high school sweetheart, she lives in Pennsylvania and is passionate about cryptozoology, old photographs, a good Maine lobster tail, and cats.
The second book, The Gift also comes in one format, Kindle – October 17, 2023, ASIN : B0CD15LV2Z, 85 pages. It is currently $2.99 on Amazon.com (free with kindle unlimited). Click here to order it from Amazon.com.
The Gift by Gwen M. Plano
This is Amazon’s description of the book.
The Harbor Pointe Inn has loomed on California’s cliffs for generations of Hawthornes. For some, it’s been a blessing. For others, a curse. Travel through two centuries of stories to discover the old inn’s secrets.
In an innocent 1958 American suburb, Shelly doesn’t know the power of a kiss. Or how it will change her entire life.
At sixteen years old, she falls in love with a young man. One night—just one night—they go too far. Months later, pregnant and shamed, Shelly’s parents banish her.
Alone and heavily pregnant, circumstances force Shelly to cross the country in an old pickup.
A mistaken turn leaves her lost in a forest amidst a severe snow storm and in labor.
In the dark of night. Shelly must get help for her new-born baby before they both perish. A light in the distance gives her the slimmest glimmer of hope.
After Shelly wraps the infant in her father’s old jacket, she trudges through the snow to a lighthouse keeper’s cottage. Snow half buries the squat stone building.
Will Shelly find shelter, or is it the beginning of the end?
This is my five-star Amazon Review of The Gift
A Christmas Miracle by the Lighthouse
This book is a little different from the others in the Harbor Point series in the sense that it is not a horror story or a spooky story. It features some mysteries, but it is more of a feel-good love story centered on the Harbor Point Lighthouse and the Harbor Point Inn. At the beginning of the story a 17-year-old pregnant girl named Shelly is sent away by her parents. They want nothing to do with her. Her father gives her his old truck and some money and off she goes. Bad things happen and her future looks grim but then things turn around. You could call it a Christmas miracle by the lighthouse.
It is a beautiful Christmas story, which I admit was not what I expected. It was pure coincidence that I read it on Christmas Day. I am writing this review on Christmas Day as well. Life is full of unexpected events, some of which may seem like miracles, and this story is about a Christmas miracle. A miracle, yes, but it is entirely believable. The author did a great job in making the reader feel good and the story was captivating, and the characters were believable and relatable. If you want to read a good story that makes you feel happier, read this story. I highly recommend it.
About the Author
Gwen M. Plano, aka Gwendolyn M. Plano, grew up in Southern California and spent most of her professional life in higher education. She taught and served as an administrator in colleges in Japan, New York, Connecticut, and California. Gwen’s academic background is in theology and counseling. Recently retired, she now lives in the high desert of Arizona, where she writes, gardens, and travels with her husband.
Gwen’s first book is an acclaimed memoir, Letting Go into Perfect Love. Her second book, The Contract between heaven and earth, is a thriller fiction novel, co-authored by John W. Howell. It has received multiple awards and is an Amazon Best Seller. The Choice, the unexpected heroes is the sequel to The Contract. It is also a thriller, involving the attempt of an unfriendly nation to take over the world. The third book in the series, The Culmination, a new beginning is an action-packed military thriller that spans the globe and involves multiple Heads of State and the threat of World War III. Only love can change the fate of humanity.
When Gwen is not writing, she’s often in the beautiful Red Rocks of Sedona, where she finds inspiration.
This is a Leonberger blog and most books that I review are Leonberger books but sometimes I present and review other kinds of books that I love and that I want to promote. Today I would like to present a great book on Romania called Dreamland: Banat, Crisana, Maramures, Transylvania, 100-WORD STORIES, Folklore and History, written by Patricia Furstenberg. I found this book to be very interesting and fascinating. It comes in a paperback edition, hardcover, and a Kindle edition and I read the paperback edition.
Paperback – June 10, 2022, ISBN-13 : 979-8835263172, 214 pages, Item Weight : 13.6 ounces, dimensions : 6 x 0.51 x 9 inches, it is currently $27.00 on Amazon. Click here to order it from Amazon.com.
Hardcover – June 25, 2022, ISBN-13 : 979-8838116918, 215 pages, Item Weight : 13.6 ounces, dimensions : 6 x 0.68 x 9 inches, it is currently $15.24 on Amazon. Click here to order it from Amazon.com.
Kindle – June 9, 2022, ASIN : B0B3QXD6GQ, 241 pages. It is currently $2.99 on Amazon.com (free with kindle unlimited). Click here to order it from Amazon.com.
This is my scan of the front cover of the paperback version of the book Dreamland. Click on the photo to go to the Amazon location for the paperback version of the book.
This is a truly fascinating book on four of the of the ten provinces of Romania, Banat, Crisana, Maramures and Transylvania. It features 117 100-word stories drawn from legends, folklore and history. I visited Transylvania in 2008 and this book reminded me of the many magical experiences we had there. Some of the photos in the book reminded me of the places we visited, including a photo of Dracula’s birthplace encompassing a little hotel where we stayed. When I saw the photo, I was reminded that I sat on one of the chairs in the picture and I shared my food with a stray dog. You can read about my travel story here.
This is Amazon’s description of the book.
For her books on Romania and her blog promoting Romania, Patricia Furstenberg was included in Top 100 Romanians from Everywhere Category Art 2023, Top 100 Români de Pretutindeni, by Repatriot, as featured in Newsweek Romania.
Discover the untold tales that shaped history and folklore in DREAMLAND through well-crafted 100-word stories: A Captivating Read, Delightful and Fascinating, A Magical Tour Through Romania’s History and Folklore.
Journey into the aftermath of a giant’s forbidden love, the chilling fate of a maiden turned to stone, the mystery surrounding the lost Dacian treasure, or the true reasons behind the terror inspired by Vlad the Impaler. Uncover hidden truths and well-guarded secrets behind these legendary stories of “happily ever after,” chilling origins, elusive warriors, and the enigmatic figures that have shaped Transylvania for millennia.
Dreamland reveals the epic narratives and whimsical photography behind the legends we thought we knew, inviting you to dive deeper into a world where history meets myth.
My Amazon Five Star Review of Dreamland: Banat, Crisana, Maramures, Transylvania, 100-WORD STORIES, Folklore and History
A Magical Historical Tour of Four Romanian Provinces
This is a truly fascinating and beautifully written book on four of the of the ten provinces of Romania, Banat, Crisana, Maramures and Transylvania. I would say that about half of the book is about Transylvania and half on the other three smaller provinces.
The book features 117 100-word long lyrical stories and poems. The 100-word stories are concise and written in a rich and expressive manner. These stories are based on legends and folklore about dragons, witches, giants, mythical creatures, kings, as well as local culture and historical events. Following each 100-word story were explanations of the historical context as well as nearly 90 gorgeous color photographs. Out of curiosity I counted the words in a few of them because I was curious as to whether they really were exactly 100 words, and the ones I counted were. I don’t think it is important that they are 100 words. However, the fact that the author was able to do it is kind of impressive.
The historical events depicted include the building of fortresses, fortified churches and cities, invasions, Roman and Ottoman invasions, the taking of slaves, kings, warlords and heroes and of course Vlad Tepes III or Vlad Draculea (Dracula). In the back there is a map showing the geographic location of each entry.
In 2008 I visited Transylvania with my son and his water polo team. The coach, Mihai, was from Transylvania and he took us on an incredible Dracula themed guided tour of Transylvania and some other parts of Romania (I was one of two chaperons). Therefore, I recognized many of the places described including Sighisoara, Brasov, Sibiu, Prejmer, Balea Lac, Rasnov, the Fagaras mountains, the Transfagarasan road, Biertan, Bran castle, and the Black Church in Brasov. It was an amazing feeling to read about these places and see the photos, which were much better than mine. It brought back many good memories. Romania is a fascinating country with a very rich history.
This book is very well written, the 100-word stories are interesting and impressive, the accompanying explanations informative, and the book is well organized. It is a true gem and I highly recommend it to anyone planning to visit Romania and to anyone interested in Romania.
This is a photo of the back cover of the book Dreamland. Click on the photo to go to the Amazon location for the kindle version of the book.
About the Author
Amazon Bestseller and Award Winning writer Patricia Furstenberg is the author of JOYFUL TROUBLE, SILENT HEROES: When Love and Values Are Worth Fighting for (chosen One in Five Books Everyone Should Read in Their Lifetime), and new releases DREAMLAND and TRANSYLVANIA’S HISTORY A to Z. With a medical degree behind her, Patricia writes about unconditional love and war, while her keen interest for history and dogs brought her writing, through a perfect loop, to her native Romania, Patricia being the creator of #Im4Ro hashtag, sharing positive stories.
Her latest books, “Dreamland” and “Transylvania’s History A to Z” are “a wonderful combination of stories, photos, history, and legends”, “a novel idea and a captivating read”.
Someone suggested that I write a little bit about my background in Robotics and the fact that I did a PhD in Robotics (Department of Electrical Engineering and Applied Physics). My thesis involved the emulation of basic animal behavior such as reflexes and fixed action patterns, as well as tree-search based artificial intelligence. I used neural networks in other contexts, but not for my PhD research. It also involved quite a bit of non-linear robot system control and the study of chaotic systems. I implemented my research on many kinds of robots but the robot I used the most was the 7-degrees of freedom Robotics Research Corporation Robot pictured below.
Robotics Research Corporation Robot
It looks messy in the picture, and I should probably explain. I had hung a few boxes from the ceiling and placed a coatrack in front of the robot. There is also another robot just outside the picture to the left. I placed a sonar sensor, or perhaps more correctly eco-location equipment on the tip of the robot. I used the sonar/eco-location to create a 3D map of the robot’s surroundings. Since the sonar-sensor could not see everything at once I used the arm of the robot to search and investigate the surroundings, including discovering that the boxes were open on one side. The motion of the robot was guided by the sonar and was not directly programmed by me. The robot was able to avoid colliding with the objects, including the other robot as it was moving. I moved objects around and added clothes and hats to the coatrack to make it harder. It looked like an animal figuring out what was around it. This was in 1993.
The 7 possible joint rotations (degrees of freedom) of the RRC robot.
Maybe I should explain what 7-degrees of freedom mean. One degree of freedom could be a rotation (around a joint) or a translation. To arbitrarily position an object in space you need at least three degrees of freedom. To arbitrarily orient an object in space you need an additional three degrees of freedom. So, to arbitrarily position and orient a tool in space you need at least six degrees of freedom. Industrial robots frequently have six degrees of freedom. However, if you also want the robot arm to avoid collisions with objects in its space you need an additional degree of freedom. That’s why I needed a 7-degrees of freedom robot.
In the picture below an arc welding robot PW-10 is moving around unaware of its surroundings. The RRC robot detects that the PW-10 is in its space and perhaps approaching and quickly gets out of the way. Reflex control in action.
PW-10 Arc Welding Robot to the left. RRC robot on the right trying to avoid collision.
Robotics can be Math heavy (Algebra, Trigonometry, Calculus)
Part of the job of creating the control system is to create the kinematics, dynamics, and perhaps inverse kinematics, for the robot, and this is math heavy. Lots of algebra, calculus and trigonometry. I have included the Jacobian matrixes for the first four degrees of freedom for the RRC robot below. Just to illustrate how math heavy it is, and this is just four degrees of freedom. Note, doing this was not part of my research. It was just a basic mandatory task to get the robot to move predictably before you even get started.
I should say that as soon as I finished my PhD, I was offered a job at JPL in Los Angeles to work on an 11-degree of freedom robot that was supposed to be on the International Space Station. However, the government cut the funding for the project, so I never got to do it. Instead, I took a job with ABB Robotics. I did not get to do the math for the 11-degree robot but one of my first tasks at ABB Robotics in Wisconsin was to create the kinematic matrixes for more than 20 ABB robots.
Algebra is indeed a good skill in many professions. A lot of engineers, scientists, mathematicians, IT professionals use algebra in their work, and algebra teaches you how to think logically and methodically. Therefore, schools should teach it. Which is why I don’t find this common joke funny “Another Day Has Passed And I Didn’t Use Algebra Once”. I don’t find “Another Day Has Passed And I Didn’t Play An Musical Instrument Once” funny either but somehow I think the problem with the joke is more obvious to some people in the latter case.
Robotics can be math heavy (four dimensional Jacobian for RRC robot).Robotics can be math heavy (four dimensional Jacobian for RRC robot continued).Robotics can be math heavy (four dimensional Jacobian for RRC robot continued).Robotics can be math heavy (four dimensional Jacobian for RRC robot continued).Robotics can be math heavy (four dimensional Jacobian for RRC robot).
Note, not all factors are explained or shown so to see the complete equation you have to open the link in the first paragraph.
Today, December 13, is Saint Lucy’s Day (Santa Lucia in Swedish) in Sweden. On this day girls or young women dress up in white robes and the chosen St. Lucy places a crown of candles or lights in her hair, The other girls/women are referred to as “Tärnor”. Boys dress up in white robes and wear white cones on their heads. Some of the boys dress up as gnomes. Then they march through the streets or inside buildings. They sing songs and hand out Lucia buns, gingerbread cookies and other goodies. They typically do this early in the morning while it is still dark. If the Lucia group is inside, you typically turn off the lights to create the right ambiance.
This evening my daughter surprised me by baking the traditional saffron buns, so called Lusse Bullar or Lucia Buns in English. She prepared a Swedish meatball dinner and dressed up as St. Lucia. I had completely forgotten about St. Lucy, so it was a surprise. She did not want her picture online, so I am including online photos of St. Lucia.
A Lucia procession. Fredrik Magnusson, CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia CommonsLucia procession at award ceremony. Holger Motzkau 2010, Wikipedia/Wikimedia Commons (cc-by-sa-3.0), CC BY-SA 3.0 , via Wikimedia CommonsThe Lucia buns my daughter baked. (My photo of course)One of the Lucia Buns my daughter baked.Meatball dinner that my daughter prepared.
St. Lucy takes place during the Nobel Week. The Nobel award ceremony happen on December 10. It should be noted that we often speak of the Nobel Prize, but there are six Nobel Prizes. The prizes for Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, Literature, and Economics, are awarded in Stockholm, Sweden. The Nobel Peace prize is awarded in Oslo, Norway.
Anyway, On December 13 a St. Lucy parade visit and sometimes surprise the Nobel Prize winners in Stockholm who are staying for a few days (they stay at the Grand Hotel). In the past, these surprises did not always work out well, as the St. Lucy group of white dressed women sometimes frightened laurates from East Asia. In East Asia white dressed women are often thought of as ghosts (yūrei and onryō). Think of Samara Morgan in the Ring movies. Therefore, they modified how the Lucia train (as it is called) marches through the hotel. For example, they no longer show up in people’s rooms unannounced.
As a little piece of interesting information this is a list of this year’s Nobel Prize winners.
Physics: Pierre Agostini; Ferenc Krausz; Anne L’Huillier – “for experimental methods that generate attosecond pulses of light for the study of electron dynamics in matter.”
Chemistry: Moungi Bawendi; Louis E. Brus; Alexey Ekimov – “for the discovery and synthesis of quantum dots.”
Physiology or Medicine: Katalin Karikó; Drew Weissman – “for their discoveries concerning nucleoside base modifications that enabled the development of effective mRNA vaccines against COVID-19”
Literature: Jon Fosse – for “his innovative plays and prose which give voice to the unsayable”.
Economics: Claudia Goldin – “for having advanced our understanding of women’s labour market outcomes”.
Peace Prize: Narges Mohammadi – “for her fight against the oppression of women in Iran and her fight to promote human rights and freedom for all.
Today I received the Leonberger Health Foundation International (LHFI) Calendar for 2024 and I was reminded of this wonderful organization. LHFI supports medical research that improves the health and lives of Leonbergers as well as other large dog breeds, potentially even humans. They have raised nearly half a million dollars for research into conditions that affect canine health, including osteosarcoma, hemangiosarcoma, glaucoma, cardiac diseases, thyroid diseases, and neurological disorders. Its research also supports healthful longevity and aging as well as population diversity. They have had several successes, for example the eradication of Addision’s disease among Leonbergers.
Front page of the Leonberger Health Foundation International 2024 Calendar
The Leonberger Health Foundation International (LHFI) was founded in 2000 by Waltraut Zieher and other members of the LCA’s health, education, and research committee to “facilitate the solicitation and distribution of donations given to support health related breed-specific research.” The LHFI also administers a program that collects DNA samples from Leonbergers to share with universities and research institutions.
January page of the Leonberger Health Foundation International 2024 Calendar
All purebred dogs are more or less inbred, which comes with inherent health risks. That is especially true for large breeds. However, Leonbergers, especially those bred in North America, are fortunate compared to other large breeds. The Leonberger breed standard does not call for traits that can be detrimental to health. The precise and restrictive breeding regulations of the Leonberger Club of America (LCA) and other Leonberger clubs, and the work of the Leonberger Health Foundation International or LHFI, have resulted in Leonbergers being relatively free of inherited illnesses compared to other large dog breeds in America. For more information see Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association, “Guide to Congenital and Heritable Disorders in Dogs,”
June page of the the Leonberger Health Foundation International 2024 Calendar
One happy event for our family was when Bronco received his Grey Muzzle Award, which is an award given for longevity by LHFI. LHFI bestows the award on any Leonberger who has reached the age of twelve. These Leonbergers are the canine equivalents of centenarians, humans who are at least one hundred years old. The Grey Muzzle Award is also given to breeders, because they are partially responsible for the dogs’ longevity. The Grey Muzzle Award was certainly a happy event in Wikman family. If you have a twelve-year-old Leonberger, simply fill out a form on the LHFI website or send an email to lhfgreymuzzle@gmail.com.
The Grey Muzzle Award from the Leonberger Health Foundation International
The foundation will ask for some information, including the registered name and call name of the dog; the breeder’s name, kennel name, address, and email; the dam’s registered name; the sire’s registered name; the owner’s name, address, and email; the birth date of the dog; and whether the dog is alive or dead. If the latter, they will want to know the cause of death. In addition, they would like you to write a one-paragraph tribute to the dog and send two (preferably high-resolution) photos—one head shot and one favorite photo. To find out more about the Grey Muzzle Award click here. To see the 2019–2020 awardees video featuring Bronco click here.
Grey Muzzle Award certificate from the Leonberger Health Foundation International
I can add that when Bronco passed away, we sent his DNA to the University of Minnesota to be used in research. This was facilitated by the LHFI.
Familiar faces. Time marches on.
The 2019-2020 Grey Muzzle Awardees. Bronco is on the second row from the top and second from left. Click on the picture to visit the YouTube video.
Video showing 33 2019 & 2020 Grey Muzzle Awardees (Leonbergers)
Many of the owners of very old Leonbergers joined the Double Digit Leonberger group on Facebook (Leonberger 10+ years old) and the owners of the extremely old Leonbergers (around 12 or older) started talking to each other a lot. It was a small group from around the world. This is why I said “Familiar faces” above. I knew many of them, including Pling, a Leonberger in Sweden. I and Pling’s owner talked a lot to each other in Swedish. Bronco and Pling reached about the same age and passed not too far from each other in time.
Our Leonberger Bronco from the LHFI Grey Muzzle Awardee Video 2019-2020.Our Leonberger Bronco from the LHFI Grey Muzzle Awardee Video 2019-2020.Pling a Leonberger from Sweden from the LHFI Grey Muzzle Awardee Video 2019-2020.
Note, all royalty earnings from my book (see right) go to the Leonberger Health Foundation International.
I’ve been, or am, a member of several Facebook dog groups. I’ve found that most of them are awful. Take for example the Pug groups. I’ve joined a few Pug groups so that can post about Daisy. What I’ve found is that almost all of the Pug groups have preapproval turned on for all posts. Most other groups (Leonberger groups, beer groups, discussion group, etc..) do not. It would not be a bad thing if it wasn’t for the fact that the administrators/moderators of several of the Pug groups take weeks before they approve a post, all while shamelessly doing constant self-promotion, promoting products, and spamming the group they are supposed to moderate. I am a moderator or administrator in several groups, and I certainly don’t behave that way.
Another thing that annoys me is that they copy the photos that members post and then repost them in multiple places and multiple groups without attribution. Look at my photo from Daisy’s birthday below. That photo was copied (not shared) without attribution in lots of groups, multiple times, receiving several thousand reactions and thousands of comments, which is something I only found out about by accident. Who knows how far and wide the photo was spread. Unless someone explained it to you, you would think that it was their pug and that it was they who took the photo. I assume they do this because they want to get attention and be social network influencers. I’ve never complained, that probably would get me banned from the groups in question. However, I don’t think that is the way to run a group. I have not yet found a decent Pug group.
Photo from Daisy’s 15th birthday on October 22. This photo has been spread all over Facebook without attribution.
This brings me to the seven Leonberger groups that I am a member of (there are many more). I’ve listed them below. Only one group does post pre-approval and they typically approve posts within a few hours. None of moderators/administrators of these groups spam their groups, try to push products, or copy members photos/posts without attribution. People have friendly informative discussions, and they get to know each other. The Leonberger community is smaller, and the owners/administrators/moderators of the groups are more mature and responsible. I think it makes a difference that Pug groups tend to be run by attention seeking youngsters. I wish I could find a Pug group that was more like a Leonberger group.
Leonberger’s All Colors Worldwide
LEONBERGER
Leonberger Double Digit Double Club
Leonberger Forum
Global Leonberger Lovers
Leonberger Lovers
Frontier Leonberger Club of the Southwest
I think my favorite Leonberger group is the Leonberger Double Digit Club. It is a group for Leonberger owners with Leonbergers who ten years are old or older. Leonbergers tend not to live very long so that is why this is an exclusive club. It was one of the former administrators (and founder) of this group who suggested to me that I write a book about our Leonberger Bronco.
Below I am posting a few screenshots of my posts from the Leonberger Double Digit Club.
Jacqui pointed out to me in a comment below that you can take action when people are using your stuff without attribution. A photo that took me a second to take may not be a big deal, even though it is bit rude to use it as if it is yours. However, when people copy artwork, as had happened to a few commentors below we have a more serious situation. So anyway, here is the link that Jacqui posted in her comment. (You can also visit the comment).
Leonberger Life 