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December 31, 2003
NECA releases new publication
The National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) recently released its 23rd National Electrical Installation Standard publication, the NECA 230-2003, "Standard for Selecting, Installing, and Maintaining Electric Motors and Motor Controllers."
The guide covers subjects like motor design code letters and characteristics; receiving and storing motors and controllers on job sites; selecting motor branch-circuit, short circuit, and ground fault protective devices; and motor wiring connections.
Charles Trout, the long-time chairman of National Electrical Code-Making Panel 12, was the principal author of NECA 230. The American National Standards Institute approved the guide.
The guide is available in downloadable PDF format at www.neca-neis.org/standards.
December 30, 2003
ILSCO revamps website
ILSCO, a Cincinnati-based manufacturer of electrical connectors, recently launched its enhanced website, http://www.ilsco.com. Authorized distributors and representatives of the company now have secure access to online ordering, real-time inventory availability, account customer pricing, online order status and tracking, and sales reporting.
The Web site also includes a product catalog, cross-reference search, company news, technical data, company contacts, and a sales representative locator.
December 29, 2003
National Association of Electrical Distributors releases results of sales survey
The National Association of Electrical Distributors (NAED) recently released the results of its Quarterly Sales Change Expectation Report for the fourth quarter of 2003. Most respondents are positive about fourth quarter sales as 72% of respondents predict a positive gain. Respondents in the Midwest are the most optimistic about fourth quarter sales, with 76.4% respondents expecting an increase. However, some are still cautious, as 11% expect no movement and 17% expect a negative turn in sales.
NAED sent the survey to about 3,500 distributor locations in early October to obtain the previous quarter's and upcoming quarter's sales change expectations. The next survey is scheduled for January.
December 24, 2003
Midwest Renewables to invest more than $260 million in Iowa
Earlier this year, Midwest Renewables of Alden, a renewable energy company, began planning a $65 million ethanol plant west of Iowa's industrial park. Now the company intends to bring a $200 million wind farm to southern Franklin County in north central Iowa.
Midwest Renewables joined Whitney & Co., a private equity firm from Connecticut, to build the ethanol plant. Per year, the plant is expected to consume as many as 14 million bushels of corn to produce 40 million gal of ethanol, and produce 127,000 tons of dried distiller grain. It should be fully functioning by the end of 2004 and could employ 35 people.
The two companies are also working together on the wind farm, which could have as many as 135 turbines, span an area 10 mi to 15 mi wide, and produce 200MW of power. Construction on the $200 million project could begin in 2004, provided a Midwest utility company agrees to buy the power.
December 23, 2003
IEEE seeks legislation to enforce visa rules
IEEE is pushing Congress to enact legislation that requires companies to use L-1 visas strictly for their intended purposes. The group says the visa systems are being abused, and as a result, preventing U.S. workers from finding work.
The purpose of an L-1 visa is to enable multinational corporate executives, managers, and employees with special skills to work at subsidiaries in the United States on a temporary basis. However, IEEE claims companies are using the visas to move foreign guest workers into the country as a source of lower-cost contract labor.
State Department figures show the number of L-1 visas increased from 38,307 in 1998 to 57,721 in 2002. This increase seems to correlate with the rise in U.S. high-tech unemployment. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, electrical and electronics engineers were unemployed at a rate of 1% in 1997 and a rate of 6.7% by the third quarter of 2003.
Ultimately, IEEE wants the legislation to close what it perceives as loopholes in the visa programs and strengthen enforcement and penalties for those who violate the laws.
December 22, 2003
Meridian Project Systems creates technical assistance center
Meridian Project Systems (MPS) recently announced the availability of its Technical Assistance Center for its large-scale enterprise clients that deploy any MPS products. The center's staff collaborates with the MPS Professional Services group to provide technical resources throughout its clients' implementation and rollout phases.
Client accounts are managed by one customer lead, and services include yearly on-site consultations regarding product use, general performance and extension options, quarterly account reviews, enhancement requests, product revisions or upgrades, and access to MPS technical bulletins.
December 19, 2003
Chicago Public Schools undergo EnergySaver project
Electric City Corp. recently received a contract from the Chicago Public School system to complete a $4 million EnergySaver project. The project aims to cut energy costs through the use of EnergySaver products at all schools that meet specific investment return requirements set by the school board. These products will control the energy sent to the school's lighting fixtures, therefore reducing the energy consumed when the lights are turned on and off or retrofitted.
Schools will be selected by Electric City Corp. and approved by the Chicago Public School system through a detailed engineering process. The project is expected to take 18 months to complete.
December 18, 2003
Renewable energy companies create solar pumping system in California
Kyocera Solar and WorldWater Corp. have teamed up to produce a solar pumping system for Lehr Bothers, a potato and citrus grower in Edison, Calif. Kyrocera Solar, a provider of solar electric products for industry and agriculture, supplied 760 of its KC-158W solar panels to power a 350-hp pump. The pump is tied to the electric grid and used for processing potatoes at the packing facility. WorldWater, a solar engineering and water management company, designed and installed the solar pumping system.
The 10,000-sq-ft, 120kW solar array is installed on a carport and works with both the conventional utility grid and solar power. It's designed to reduce electricity costs, especially during peak hours, and it makes sure the pump will continue to function in the event of a power outage or power reduction from the electric grid.
Quentin T. Kelly, chairman and CEO of WorldWater Corp., says there are additional benefits to the system. "Solar power offers farmers an alternative energy source that is reliable, affordable, and clean," Kelly says.
December 17, 2003
Nebraska Public Power District approves construction of wind farm
On December 12, the Nebraska Public Power District (NPPD) unanimously approved the construction of a 75MW wind farm on land south of Ainsworth, Neb. If the project goes forth as planned, as many as 50 windmills will stand 185 ft to 245 ft above the Sand Hills near Ainsworth. The windmill farm has the potential to generate electricity for 24,000 homes.
Pending approval from the Nebraska Power Review Board, the NPPD will build 30MW worth of wind turbines for its own use and an additional 45MW for outside companies. The Omaha Public Power District and the Jacksonville Electric Authority are negotiating with the NPPD to purchase 10MW each, and the NPPD would market the remaining 25MW to other public power districts.
Bill Fehrman, NPPD chief executive officer, says the wind farm would allow the NPPD to reduce its wintertime purchase of power. Its completion date is set for Spring 2005, with an estimated cost of $100 million.
December 16, 2003
National Lighting Bureau offers free publications
The National Lighting Bureau recently announced 11 of its publications are now available as free, downloadable PDFs. Some of the free publications are Getting the Most from Your Lighting Dollar, Guide to Industrial Lighting, Lighting for Safety and Security, and Performing a Lighting System Audit. The manuals include how-to information and case studies.
Hard copies of the publications are still available for about $20 each, with delivery.
For a complete list of free publications, visit at http://www.nlb.org/pubs/.
December 15, 2003
U.S. economy looking up in 2004
The U.S. economy is set to grow at its fastest rate in 20 years, according to a report released by the New-York-based Conference Board. The report attributes the growth to the economy's strong year-end finish in 2003 and increased profits and productivity, which lead to more business spending.
Gross domestic product could hit 5.7% in 2004, a 2.6% increase over 2003's 3.1% growth rate. With profits on the rise, businesses are predicted to spend heftily on capitol improvements in 2004. Real capitol spending will be up 11.7% compared to an estimated 2.7% in 2003.
However, the job market isn't likely to see such dramatic increases. The unemployment rate is expected to drop slightly from 6.0% in 2003 to 5.6% in 2004. Some economists attribute this sluggish increase to dramatic productivity gains, which enable fewer workers to do as much or more work than before.
December 12, 2003
Caterpillar and ZTR Technologies announce joint venture
On December 11, Caterpillar and ZTR Technologies announced the establishment of PointGuard LLC, a 24/7 system monitoring and management solution for the electrical power generation, and the oil and gas engine markets. Both companies own 50% of the joint venture.
The system works from a central point, combining specific site equipment and information to provide a detailed analysis and summary report. System services include automated alarm notification, data storage and trending, fuel dispatch, and Global Positioning System mapping, directions and advanced reports. It features critical standby, peak shaving, and curtailment in the building services segment. Incident Manager, a software-based tool, tracks downtime causes and provides reports to help with contract compliance and process improvements.
Currently the system is available exclusively in North America, but the companies have future plans to market worldwide.
December 10, 2003
Mr. Electric finishes strong in 2003
Mr. Electric, a company that offers residential and light commercial electrical installation and repair, will end 2003 on a positive note. The company added 42 new franchises worldwide and achieved a 13.8% increase in U.S. sales revenue.
This will be one of Mr. Electric's strongest years, and President Rick Cross attributes the success to the fact that the company aimed to attract the independent electrical businesses looking to diversify into the service and repair industry. The change in focus created more opportunities and more business for the company.
Mr. Electric plans to open 60 additional franchises worldwide in 2004.
December 9, 2003
Sun Power & Geothermal Energy funds California solar system
On December 1, Sun Power & Geothermal Energy announced it will award the Butte County Center in Oroville, Calif., an $8.4 million contract to design and build a 1MW solar photovoltaic system.
The system will use Xantrex inverters and include more than 9,000 Sharp 185W solar modules. It will feature installation methods like two ground-mount arrays, one rooftop array, and solar panels mounted on parking shade structures at a county parking lot. The four solar arrays will provide 100% of the power for the Butte County Administration building, the East jail, and the West jail.
The solar system will store power from sunny days so it can be used at night and when it's overcast. It has the potential to replace the equivalent energy used by 400 California homes, prevent 1,250 tons of carbon dioxide from being emitted in the atmosphere, and will eliminate the annual net electric bill for each of the three buildings.
Upon its completion in June 2004, the solar system will be one of the top 10 largest solar energy systems in the United States.
December 8, 2003
FERC aims to set grid reliability standards
On December 1, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Chairman Pat Wood, announced if Congress can't overhaul the United States energy policy by early 2004, FERC will consider setting its own power grid reliability standards.
During an agency conference on grid reliability, Wood explained the need to create mandatory reliability standards to prevent another blackout like the one in August that left 50 million Americans in the dark.
Officials from the North American Electric Reliability Council (NERC), an industry-funded group, were scheduled to address the conference later in the afternoon. Representatives from NERC couldn't be reached for comment on FERC's possible actions.
Wood says FERC wants to set standards possibly by Summer 2004.
December 5, 2003
Economic activity continues to improve
On December 1, the Institute for Supply Management (ISM) released the results of a monthly survey of manufacturing supply executives that stated November was a positive month for the economy. Economic activity in the manufacturing sector rose for the fifth consecutive month while the overall economy grew for the 25th consecutive month.
ISM's manufacturing index climbed 5.8 points from 57 in October to 62.8 in November as the new-orders index jumped 9.4 points to the highest level in nearly 20 years, and the production index rose 5.7 points. Both gains were the seventh in a row, and both showed increases in 16 out of 20 manufacturing industries.
December 4, 2003
October's construction values show positive signs
On November 24, the Census Bureau reported the value of construction put-in-place in October rose 0.9%, bringing the seasonally adjusted rate to $922 billion. October's figure was the fifth straight monthly increase and fourth consecutive monthly record.
Overall, construction in the first 10 months of 2003 was up 3.7% compared to the first 10 months of 2002. Private residential and public construction contributed to the increase, with gains of 9% and 3%, respectively. Those gains compensated for the 6% decrease in private non-residential construction, which is at its lowest level in six years.
December 3, 2003
Siemens' trade show gears up for U.S. tour
Siemens Energy & Automation recently announced the company's 1,000-ft Exider technology train will tour the United States starting February 23 in Chicago for National Manufacturing Week.
After leaving Chicago, "trade show on wheels" will embark on a 10-city, coast-to-coast tour. The train houses technology like 224 plasma screen TVs and monitors, 189 DVD players, four servers, nine miles of electrical cables, and almost two miles of data lines. Visitors can tour railcars modeled after customer themes like machine tool components, commercial and residential power distribution, and engineering services.
Since its European launch in 2002, the trade show has toured more than 90 cities in 20 countries and hosted 80,000 visitors. The company hopes to reach 15,000 engineers, contractors, and other industry professionals in the United States.
For tour dates and more information, visit http://www.usa.exider.com.
December 2, 2003
Siemon publishes new issue of "Cabling For The Future"
The Siemon Co. recently published the new edition of "Cabling For The Future" magazine. This industry magazine covers topics like voice over IP, standards updates, technical support, fiber termination methods, network traffic, and case studies. Visit http://www.cftfonline.com to order or download a complimentary issue of the magazine.
December 1, 2003
Energy Department to hold blackout meetings in December
The Energy Department recently announced investigators will hold three public meetings in December to discuss the power blackout in August that spanned eight U.S states and part of Canada, and left 50 million people in the dark. The meetings are scheduled for Dec. 4 in Cleveland, Dec. 5 in New York, and Dec. 8 in Toronto.
In addition, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) will meet today at its headquarters to take public comment on a report investigators released last week. The report largely blames the outage on the Ohio-based FirstEnergy Corp., saying in addition to failing to keep trees trimmed, it didn't have adequate alarms or computer equipment to flag the growing drain on its grid. The report claims the outage was largely preventable. The meeting will also focus on how the agency can promote grid reliability standards.


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Our Outlet
The Boathouse
The 3-storey building overlooking Stanley Bay is one of seafront spot's most popular dining landmarks. Steeped in a stylish East Coast flavour reminiscent of Martha's Vineyard, the relaxed décor offers a comfortable and casual environment.
An international a-la-carte menu features the freshest seafood, appetizers, salads and dishes from African Chicken, Tandoori Swordfish to Barbequed Baby Back Pork Ribs. The Spinnaker's Bar on the ground floor offers a comprehensive selection of beers, wines and cocktails.
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Tel: +852 2813 4467
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Tel: +852 2108 4467
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ADT Monitoring: Using the Best Technology
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Austin, TX: Should You Move There?
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Countless people are moving to Austin, TX every year to take part in this diverse and prosperous city—and perhaps you are too. As the state capital, it's a thriving metropolis that isn't short on personality and charm. Some of Austin's greatest attractions include the city's weather, culture and ample employment opportunities—but it's not without it's […]
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Furry fandom
The furry fandom is a subculture interested in anthropomorphic animal characters with human personalities and characteristics.[1][2][3] Examples of anthropomorphic attributes include exhibiting human intelligence and facial expressions, speaking, walking on two legs, and wearing clothes. The term "furry fandom" is also used to refer to the community of people who gather on the internet and at furry conventions.[4]
According to fandom historian Fred Patten, the concept of furry originated at a science fiction convention in 1980,[5] when a character drawing from Steve Gallacci's Albedo Anthropomorphics started a discussion of anthropomorphic characters in science fiction novels. This led to the formation of a discussion group that met at science fiction conventions and comics conventions.
The specific term furry fandom was being used in fanzines as early as 1983, and had become the standard name for the genre by the mid-1990s, when it was defined as "the organized appreciation and dissemination of art and prose regarding 'Furries', or fictional mammalian anthropomorphic characters".[6] However, fans consider the origins of furry fandom to be much earlier, with fictional works such as Kimba, The White Lion released in 1965, Richard Adams' novel Watership Down, published in 1972 (and its 1978 film adaptation), as well as Disney's Robin Hood as oft-cited examples.[5] Internet newsgroup discussion in the 1990s created some separation between fans of "funny animal" characters and furry characters, meant to avoid the baggage that was associated with the term "furry".[7]
During the 1980s, furry fans began to publish fanzines, developing a diverse social group that eventually began to schedule social gatherings. By 1989, there was sufficient interest to stage the first furry convention.[8] It was called Confurence 0, and was held at the Holiday Inn Bristol Plaza in Costa Mesa, California.[9] The next decade, the internet became accessible to the general population and became the most popular means for furry fans to socialize.[10] The newsgroup alt.fan.furry was created in November 1990, and virtual environments such as MUCKs also became popular places on the internet for fans to meet and communicate.[11]
The furry fandom is male-dominated, with surveys reporting around 80% male respondents.[12][13][14]
Allegorical novels, including works of both science fiction and fantasy, and cartoons featuring anthropomorphic animals are often cited as the earliest inspiration for the fandom.[5] A survey conducted in 2007 suggested that, when compared with a non-furry control group, a higher proportion of those self-identifying as furries liked cartoons "a great deal" as children and recalled watching them significantly more often, as well as being more likely to enjoy works of science fiction than those outside of the community.[15]
According to a survey from 2008, most furries believe that visual art, conventions, literature, and online communities are strongly important to the fandom.[13]
Fans with craft skills create their own plush toys, sometimes referred to as plushies, and also build elaborate costumes called fursuits,[16] which are worn for fun or to participate in parades, convention masquerades, dances, or fund-raising charity events (as entertainers).[17] Fursuits range from designs featuring simple construction and resembling sports mascots[15] to those with more sophisticated features that include moving jaw mechanisms, animatronic parts, prosthetic makeup, and other features. Fursuits range in price from $500, for mascot-like designs, to an upwards of $10,000 for models incorporating animatronics.[18] While about 80% of furries do not own a full fursuit,[12][13][15] often citing their expensive cost as the decisive factor,[15] a majority of them hold positive feelings towards fursuiters and the conventions in which they participate.[12][13] Some fans may also wear "partial" suits consisting simply of ears and a tail, or a head, paws, and a tail.[15]
Furry fans also pursue puppetry, recording videos and performing live shows such as Rapid T. Rabbit and Friends and the Funday PawPet Show, and create furry accessories, such as ears or tails.[19]
Anthropomorphic animal characters created by furry fans, known as fursonas,[20] are used for role-playing in MUDs,[21] on internet forums, or on electronic mailing lists.[22] A variety of species are employed as the basis of these personas, although many furry fans (for example over 60% of those surveyed in 2007) choose to identify themselves with carnivorans.[23][24] The longest-running online furry role-playing environment is FurryMUCK, which was established in 1990.[25] Many furry fans had their first exposure to the fandom come from multiplayer online role-playing games.[26][unreliable source?] Another popular online furry social game is called Furcadia, created by Dragon's Eye Productions. There are also several furry-themed areas and communities in the virtual world Second Life.[27]
Sufficient interest and membership has enabled the creation of many furry conventions in North America and Europe. A furry convention is for the fans get together to buy and sell artwork, participate in workshops, wear costumes, and socialize.[28] The world's largest[29] furry convention, Anthrocon with more than 5,861 participants, held annually in Pittsburgh in June,[30] was estimated to have generated approximately $3 million to Pittsburgh's economy in 2008.[31] Another convention, Further Confusion, held in San Jose each January, closely follows Anthrocon in scale and attendance. US$470,000 was raised in conventions for charity from 2000–9.[32] The first known furry convention, ConFurence,[5] is no longer held; Califur has replaced it, as both conventions were based in Southern California. A University of California, Davis survey suggested that about 40% of furries had attended at least one furry convention.[12]
Websites and online communities
The internet contains a multitude of furry websites and online communities, such as art community websites Fur Affinity, Inkbunny, SoFurry and Weasyl; social networking sites Furry 4 Life, FurNation; and WikiFur, a collaborative furry wiki.[33] These, with the IRC networks FurNet and Anthrochat, form a key part of furry fandom. Usenet newsgroups such as alt.fan.furry and alt.lifestyle.furry, popular from the mid-1990s to 2005, have been replaced by topic-specific forums, mailing lists and LiveJournal communities.
There are several webcomics featuring animal characters created by or for furry fans; as such, they may be referred to as furry comics. One such comic, T.H.E. Fox, was first published on CompuServe in 1986, predating the World Wide Web by several years,[34] while another, Kevin and Kell by Bill Holbrook, has been awarded both a Web Cartoonists' Choice Award and an Ursa Major Award.[35][36]
Furry lifestylers
The phrases furry lifestyle and furry lifestyler first appeared in July 1996 on the newsgroup alt.fan.furry during an ongoing dispute within that online community. The Usenet newsgroup alt.lifestyle.furry was created to accommodate discussion beyond furry art and literature, and to resolve disputes concerning what should or should not be associated with the fandom; its members quickly adopted the term furry lifestylers, and still consider the fandom and the lifestyle to be separate social entities. They have defined and adopted an alternative meaning of the word furry specific to this group: "a person with an important emotional/spiritual connection with an animal or animals, real, fictional, or symbolic."[37]
In their 2007 survey, Gerbasi et al. examined what it meant to be a furry, and proposed a taxonomy in which to categorise different "types" of furries. The largest group—38% of those surveyed—described their interest in furry fandom predominantly as a "route to socializing with others who share common interests such as anthropomorphic art and costumes."[38] However they also identified furries who saw themselves as "other than human", or who desired to become more like the furry species which they identified with.[10][15]
Sexual aspects
|Wikimedia Commons has media related to Yiff.
When compared with the general population, homosexuality and bisexuality are over-represented in the furry fandom[15] by about a factor of 10. Of the US population, about 1.8% of persons self-identify as bisexual and 1.7% as homosexual according to a 2011 study from scholars at UCLA.[39] In contrast, according to four different surveys 14–25% of the fandom members report homosexuality, 37–52% bisexuality, 28–51% heterosexuality, and 3–8% other forms of alternative sexual relationships.[12][14][40][41] Approximately half of the respondents reported being in a relationship, of which 76% were in a relationship with another member of furry fandom.[12] Examples of sexual aspects within furry fandom include erotic art and furry-themed cybersex.[42][43] The term "yiff" is sometimes used to indicate sexual activity or sexual material within the fandom—this applies to sexual activity and interaction within the subculture whether in the form of cybersex or offline.[44][45]
Sexual attraction to furry characters is a polarizing issue. In one survey with 4,300 furry respondents, 37% answered that sexual attraction is important in their furry activities, 38% were ambivalent, and 24% answered that it has little or nothing to do with their furry activities.[41] In a different online survey, 33% of furry respondents answered that they have a "significant sexual interest in furry", another 46% stated they have a "minor sexual interest in furry", and the remaining 21% stated they have a "non-sexual interest in furry". The survey specifically avoided adult-oriented websites to prevent bias.[14] Another survey found that 96.3% of male furry respondents reported viewing furry pornography, compared with 78.3% of female; males estimated 50.9% of all furry art they view is pornographic, compared with 30.7% female. Furries have a slight preference for pornographic furry artwork over non-pornographic artwork. 17.1% of males reported that when they viewed pornography it is exclusively or near-exclusively furry pornography, and only about 5% reported that pornography was the top factor which got them into the fandom.[46]
A portion of the fandom is sexually interested in zoophilia (sex with animals), although a majority take a negative stance towards it. An anonymous survey in 2008 found 17% of respondents reported zoophilia. An earlier survey, conducted from 1997 to 1998, reported about 2% of furry respondents stating an interest in zoophilia, and less than 1% an interest in plushophilia (sexually aroused by stuffed animal toys). The older, lower results, which are even lower than estimated in the general population, were due to the methodology of questioning respondents face-to-face, which led to social desirability bias.[40][47] In contrast, one comparative study from 1974 and 1980 showed 7.5% of sampled students at University of Northern Iowa reporting zoophilia,[48] while other studies find only 2.2%[49] to 5.3%[50] expressing fantasies of sex with animals.
Public perception and media coverage
Early portrayal of the furries in magazines such as Wired,[51] Loaded,[52] Vanity Fair,[53] and the syndicated sex column "Savage Love" focused mainly on the sexual aspect of furry fandom. Fictional portrayals of furry fandom have appeared on television shows such as ER,[54] CSI: Crime Scene Investigation,[55] The Drew Carey Show,[56] Sex2K on MTV,[57] Entourage,[58] 1000 Ways to Die,[59] Tosh.0,[60][61] and 30 Rock.[62] Most furry fans claim that these media portrayals are misconceptions,[63][64][65] while the recent coverage focuses on debunking myths and stereotypes that have come to be associated with the furry fandom.[66] A reporter attending Anthrocon 2006 noted that "despite their wild image from Vanity Fair, MTV and CSI, furry conventions aren't about kinky sex between weirdos gussied up in foxy costumes", that conference attendees were "not having sex more than the rest of us",[67] and that the furry convention was about "people talking and drawing animals and comic-book characters in sketchbooks."[44] In October 2007, a Hartford Advocate reporter attended FurFright 2007 undercover because of media restrictions. She learned that the restrictions were intended to prevent misinformation, and reported that the scandalous behavior she had expected was not evident.[68] Recent coverage of the furry fandom has been more balanced. According to Ian Wolf, a 2009 article from the BBC entitled "Who are the furries?" was the first piece of journalism to be nominated for an Ursa Major Award, the main awards given in the field of anthropomorphism.[10][69][70]
Milwaukee Brewers broadcaster Jim Powell was sharing a hotel with Anthrocon 2007 attendees a day before the convention and reported a negative opinion of the furries.[71] Several downtown Pittsburgh businesses welcome furries during the event, with local business owners creating special T-shirts and drawing paw prints in chalk outside their shops to attract attendees.[72] Dr. Samuel Conway, CEO of Anthrocon, said that "For the most part, people give us curious stares, but they're good-natured curious stares. We're here to have fun, people have fun having us here, everybody wins".[73] Positive coverage was generated following a furry convention that was held in a Vancouver hotel where a number of Syrian refugees were being temporarily housed. Despite some concerns and warnings by staff that there could be a seriously negative culture clash if the two groups interacted, the refugee children were on the whole delighted to meet the convention goers who seemed like cartoon characters come to life. [74][75]
According to Furry survey, about half of furries perceive public reaction to the fandom as negative; less than a fifth stated that the public responded to them more negatively than they did most furries.[13] Furry fans' belief that they will be portrayed as "mainly obsessed with sex" has led to mistrust of the media and social researchers.[10]
Sociological aspects
The International Anthropomorphic Research Project, a team of social scientists from various disciplines led by Plante, Reysen, Roberts, and Gerbasi, has been collecting data on the furry fandom using numerous methodologies. Their 2016 publication collects several peer-reviewed and self-published studies into a single volume.[76][77] Among their findings were that the average adult furry is between 23–27 years of age, with more than 75% of adult furries reporting being 25 years of age or younger, and 88% of adult furries being under the age of 30. Minors were not included in the study for professional ethics reasons.[77]:4–7 78–85% of furries identify as male, nearly 2% of furries identify as transgender, the remaining identify as female.[77]:10 83–90% of furries self-identify as White, with small minorities of furries self-identifying as Asian (2–4%), Black (2–3%), and Hispanic (3%).[77]:7–10 21% of furries consider themselves to be a brony, 44% consider themselves to be anime fans, and 11% consider themselves sport fans.[77]:32–33 Furries, as a group, are more politically liberal and less religious than the average American or other comparable fan groups such as anime fans,[77]:18 while still containing contentious groups such as neo-Nazis and alt-right activists whose affiliation is partly in jest and partly in earnest.[78] Religion: 54% of furries self-identified as atheist or agnostic, 23% as Christian, 4% as Pagan, 2% as Wiccan, and the remainder identified with other religions.[77]:16 Approximately 70% of adult furries have either completed, or are currently completing post-secondary education.[77]:12
One of the most universal behaviors in the furry fandom is the creation of a fursona – an anthropomorphic animal representation or avatar. More than 95% of furries have a fursona – an anthropomorphic avatar or representation of themselves. Nearly half of furries report that they have only ever had one fursona to represent themselves; relatively few furries have had more than three or four fursonas; in part, this is due to the fact that, for many furries, their fursonas are a personally significant, meaningful representation of their ideal self. The most popular fursona species include wolves, foxes, dogs, large felines, and dragons. Data suggest that there are generally no associations between personality traits and different fursona species.[77]:50–74 However, furries, along with sport fans, report different degrees of personality traits when thinking of themselves in their everyday identity compared with their fan identity.[77]:129–133 Some furries identify as partly non-human: 35% say they do not feel 100% human (compared with 7% of non-furries), and 39% say they would be 0% human if they could (compared with 10% of non-furries).[77]:78
Inclusion and belongingness are central themes in the furry fandom: compared with members of other fandoms such as anime or fantasy sport, furries are significantly more likely to identify with other members of their fan community. On average, half of a furry's friends are also furry themselves.[77]:123–133 Furries rate themselves higher (compared with a comparison community sample of non-furries) on degree of global awareness (knowledge of the world and felt connection to others in the world), global citizenship identification (psychological connection with global citizens), and environmental sustainability.[77]:18
See also
- ^ Staeger, Rob (July 26, 2001). "Invasion of the Furries". The Wayne Suburban. Retrieved 2009-05-20.
- ^ Matthews, Dylan (March 27, 2015). "9 questions about furries you were too embarrassed to ask". Vox. Retrieved 2016-08-07.
- ^ Aaron, Michael. "More Than Just a Pretty Face: Unmasking Furry Fandom".
- ^ Kurutz, Daveen Rae (June 17, 2006). "It's a furry weekend". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Retrieved 2006-06-30.
- ^ a b c d Patten, Fred (2012-07-15). "Retrospective: An Illustrated Chronology of Furry Fandom, 1966–1996". Flayrah. Retrieved 2012-07-15.
- ^ Patten, Fred. "The Yarf! reviews". ANTHRO. Retrieved 2007-09-24.
- ^ Sandler, Kevin S. (1998). Reading the Rabbit: Explorations in Warner Bros. Animation. New Brunswick, N.J.: Rutgers University Press. p. 202. ISBN 0-8135-2537-3. OCLC 37890394.
[The distinction between "furry" and "funny animal"] is largely because of the baggage the term 'furry' carries with it, as a number of people see 'furries' [to be] obsessed with the sexuality of their fictitious characters.
- ^ Patten, Fred (2017). Furry Fandom Conventions, 1989-2015. McFarland. 57. ISBN 9781476663814.
- ^ Klee, Miles. "Here's some amazing raw footage from the world's first furry convention". The Daily Dot. Retrieved 28 June 2018.
- ^ a b c d Winterman, Denise (November 13, 2009). "Who are the furries?". BBC News Magazine. Retrieved 2009-11-29.
- ^ Stamper, Chris (March 29, 1996). "Furry Muckity-Muck". The Netly News. Archived from the original on 2007-09-27. Retrieved 2007-04-13.
- ^ a b c d e f University of California, Davis Department of Psychology (May 5, 2007). "Furry Survey Results". Retrieved 2007-05-05.
- ^ a b c d e Alex "Klisoura" Osaki. "Furry Survey". Retrieved 2008-08-08.
- ^ a b c Kyle Evans (2008). "The Furry Sociological Survey" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-09-04. Retrieved 2012-09-01.
- ^ a b c d e f g Gerbasi, Kathleen; Paolone, Nicholas; Higner, Justin; Scaletta, Laura; Bernstein, Penny; Conway, Samuel; Privitera, Adam (2008). "Furries From A to Z (Anthropomorphism to Zoomorphism)" (PDF). Society & Animals. 3 (3): 197–222. doi:10.1163/156853008X323376.
- ^ Riggs, Adam (2004). Critter Costuming: Making Mascots and Fabricating Fursuits. Ibexa Press.
- ^ Larson, Alina (January 23, 2003). "Animal Instincts: Fans of Furry Critters Convene to Help Mankind". Tri-Valley Herald. ANG Newspapers. Retrieved 2009-05-20.
- ^ "Furries Descend On Pittsburgh". KDKA-TV. June 16, 2006. Archived from the original on 2007-01-26. Retrieved 2006-06-30.
- ^ Irwin, Charles & Watterson, Summer (April 24, 2002). "A 'furry' tale for a foxy college student". The Olympian. Retrieved 2008-09-03.
- ^ Gaudio, Greg (August 23, 2008). "Lions and foxes and cat-dragons walk on two legs in Beach". The Virginian-Pilot. Retrieved 2008-09-07.
- ^ Mitchell, Don (March 23, 1995). "From MUDs To Virtual Worlds". Social Computing Group, Microsoft. Retrieved 2009-11-06.
- ^ Howells, Shelley (October 1, 2002). "Secret lives of strange and furry". The New Zealand Herald.
- ^ Gerbasi, Kathleen; Paolone, Nicholas; Higner, Justin; Scaletta, Laura; Bernstein, Penny; Conway, Samuel; Privitera, Adam (2008). "Furries From A to Z (Anthropomorphism to Zoomorphism)". Society & Animals. 3: 205.
- ^ Werner, Christian. "Och, sind die süüüüß!". Zeit Online Zuender (in German). Zeit Online. Retrieved 2008-09-06.
- ^ Mulligan, Jessica; Patrovsky, Bridgette (2003). Developing Online Games: An Insider's Guide. New Riders. p. 452. ISBN 1-59273-000-0.
1990 [...] FurryMUCK opens. It features avatars who are anthropomorphic animals.
- ^ Baldwin, Denis (August 2006). "Walk With the Animals: Local furries explain it's not about perversion, furpiles and plush". Ann Arbor Paper. 2 (1). Archived from the original on 2007-02-04. Retrieved 2007-02-02.
Many furs' first introduction to the fandom is through on-line MUCKs or MOOs, such as Furry Muck, the graphic FurCadia, or even through sites that try to poke fun at the fandom, such as Something Awful, or Portal of Evil.
- ^ Peralta, Eyder (May 28, 2006). "In Second Life, the World is Yours". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved 2007-08-13.
- ^ Jorgensen, Karl. "What is a furry convention like?". Furry Fandom Infocenter.
- ^ Editor in chief, Craig Glenday (August 7, 2007). Guinness World Records 2008. Guinness. p. 123. ISBN 1-904994-19-9.CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link)
- ^ "Anthrocon website official". Anthrocon. Retrieved 2014-09-21.
- ^ Brandolph, Adam (June 28, 2008). "Furry convention a $3 million cash cow for city businesses". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Archived from the original on April 14, 2009. Retrieved 2008-07-04.
- ^ Parry, Laurence (January 17, 2010). "2009 charity donations down; $470,000 raised this decade". Flayrah. Retrieved 2010-02-02.
- ^ Melissa Meinzer (2006-06-29). "Animal Passions". Pittsburgh City Paper. Retrieved 2012-04-08.
- ^ The Commodore 64/128 RoundTable (1994). "Interview with Joe Ekaitis". Retrieved 2007-01-12.
- ^ "2001 Winners and Nominees". Web Cartoonist's Choice Awards. 2001-02-19. Archived from the original on 2009-12-31. Retrieved 2007-12-04.
- ^ "Award Winners 2003". Ursa Major Awards. Retrieved 2007-11-09.
- ^ "alt.lifestyle.furry - Frequently Asked Questions". May 8, 2001. Archived from the original on August 21, 2006. Retrieved 2006-08-26.
- ^ Gerbasi, Kathleen; Paolone, Nicholas; Higner, Justin; Scaletta, Laura; Bernstein, Penny; Conway, Samuel; Privitera, Adam (2008). "Furries From A to Z (Anthropomorphism to Zoomorphism)". Society & Animals. 3: 220.
- ^ Gary J. Gates (2011). "How many people are lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender?" (PDF). Retrieved April 23, 2015.
- ^ a b Alex Osaki (June 27, 2008). "State of the Fandom" (PDF). Furry Research Center. Retrieved March 22, 2015.
- ^ a b Gerbasi; et al. (2011). "International Online Furry Survey: Winter 2011". Retrieved 2012-09-01.
- ^ Bardzell, Jeffery, and Shaowen Bardzell. Sex-Interface-Aesthetics: The Docile Avatars and Embodied Pixels of Second Life BDSM. Indiana University, 2005.
- ^ Stuttaford, Thomas; Godson, Suzi (December 8, 2007). "I like dressing up as a bear during sex". The Times. London. Retrieved 2007-12-11. (further details)
- ^ a b Meinzer, Melissa (June 29, 2006). "Animal Passions: The furries come to town — and our correspondent tails along". Pittsburgh City Paper. Retrieved 2007-05-25.
- ^ Padva, Gilad. Dreamboys, Meatmen and Werewolves: Visualizing Erotic Identities in All-Male Comic Strips. Sexualities 8:5 (2005). 587–99
- ^ Plante, C. N., Reysen, S., Roberts, S. E., & Gerbasi, K. C. (2013). International Anthropomorphic Research Project: Furry Fiesta 2013 Summary
- ^ Griffiths, Mark (2012-04-05). "Animal magnetism: Inside the world of the furries". Retrieved 2012-09-01.
- ^ Story, MD (1982). "A comparison of university student experience with various sexual outlets in 1974 and 1980". Adolescence. 17 (68): 737–47. PMID 7164870.
- ^ Joyal, C. C., Cossette, A., & Lapierre, V. (2014). "What Exactly Is an Unusual Sexual Fantasy?". The Journal of Sexual Medicine. 12 (2): 328–340. doi:10.1111/jsm.12734.
- ^ Crépault, Claude; Couture, Marcel (1980). "Men's erotic fantasies". Archives of Sexual Behavior. 9 (6): 565–81. doi:10.1007/BF01542159. PMID 7458662.
- ^ Josh Quittner (March 1994), "Johnny Manhattan Meets the Furry Muckers", Wired,
People describe themselves as furry cuddly animals; more times than not, they have furry cuddly animal sex. FurryMuckers like to write long, loving, animal-sexy descriptions of themselves
- ^ "Heavy Petting". Loaded magazine. March 1998.
- ^ Gurley, George (March 2001). "Pleasures of the fur". Vanity Fair.
- ^ "Fear of Commitment". ER. Season 7. Episode 20. 2001-03-05. NBC.
- ^ "Fur and Loathing". CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. Season 4. Episode 5. 2003-10-30. CBS.
- ^ "Mama Told Me I Should Come". The Drew Carey Show. Season 8. Episode 6. 2002-10-21. ABC. See The Drew Carey Show on WikiFur for more information.
- ^ MTV. "Sex2K Fursuit Video". Retrieved 2006-08-26.
- ^ "The Day Fuckers". Entourage. Season 4. Episode 7. July 28, 2007. HBO.
- ^ "Death Over Easy". 1000 Ways to Die. Season 1. Episode 4. February 8, 2009. Spike.
- ^ Jordan (2011-08-10). "Tosh.O Web Redemption: The Larper". larping. Archived from the original on 2014-11-29. Retrieved 2010-11-11.
- ^ Markos (2013-09-05). "Kusa the Arctic Fox gets Web Redemption on Comedy Central's Tosh.0". Furry News Network. Archived from the original on 2014-11-29.
- ^ "Emanuelle Goes to Dinosaur Land". 30 Rock. Season 4. Episode 21. 2010-05-13. NBC.
- ^ Baldwin, Denis (August 2006). "Walk With the Animals: Local furries explain it's not about perversion, furpiles and plush". Ann Arbor Paper. Archived from the original on 2007-02-04. Retrieved 2007-02-02.
- ^ Belser, Ann (June 18, 2006). "All about 'furry fandom' at confab". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved 2006-06-30.
- ^ "We're at it like rabbits". The Sun. 3 April 2007. Retrieved 2007-04-11.
- ^ Togneri, Chris (July 6, 2007). "Furries purr over Pittsburgh reception". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Archived from the original on July 12, 2007. Retrieved 2007-07-14.
- ^ Meinzer, Melissa (February 2, 2006). "Fur Ball In The Works". Pittsburgh City Paper. Retrieved 2007-05-25.
- ^ Abel, Jennifer (November 1, 2007). "Hell Hath No Furries". Hartford Advocate. Advocate Weekly Newspapers. Archived from the original on 2010-04-26. Retrieved 26 April 2010.
- ^ "Award Winners 2009". Ursa Major Awards. May 3, 2010. Retrieved June 25, 2010.
- ^ TheChainedWolf (2010-03-14). "Ursa Major Awards 2009: predictions and forlorn hopes". FurteanTimes.com/Flayrah. Retrieved 2010-11-11.
- ^ "The Brewers Meet the Furries". Deadspin. July 6, 2007. Retrieved 2007-06-07.
- ^ Parry, Laurence (July 17, 2007). "Anthrocon 2007 draws thousands to Pittsburgh for furry weekend". Wikinews. Retrieved 2009-11-06.
- ^ "Furry Convention Creates Wild Scene In Pittsburgh". WPXI News. June 26, 2008. Archived from the original on December 5, 2008. Retrieved 2008-07-04.
- ^ Ferreras, Jesse (10 March 2016). "Syrian Refugees Get Put Up in Same Hotel As Furries. Kids LOVE It". The Huffington Post. The Huffington Post B.C. Retrieved 27 December 2016.
- ^ Brennan, Christopher (March 10, 2016). "Syrian refugee children dance with furries after being placed in same hotel as VancouFur convention". New York Daily News. Retrieved 27 December 2016.
- ^ Gerbasi, Kathleen; Plante, Courtney; Reysen, Stephen; Roberts, Sharon (2015). "The origins of the international anthropomorphic research project". In Howl, Thurston (ed.). Furries among us: Essays on furries by the most prominent members of the fandom. Nashville, TN: Thurston Howl Publications. pp. 102–105. ISBN 0990890260.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Plante, Courtney N.; Reysen, Stephen; Roberts, Sharon E.; Gerbasi, Kathleen C. (2016). FurScience! A summary of five years of research from the International Anthropomorphic Research Project. Waterloo, Ontario: FurScience. ISBN 978-0-9976288-0-7. Retrieved December 27, 2016.
- ^ Roisin Kiberd (January 12, 2017). "Pony Nationalism and the Furred Reich: Inside the Alt-Furry's Online Zoo". Vice Media. Retrieved January 25, 2017.
Further reading
- Ferreday, Debra. "Becoming deer: Nonhuman drag and online utopias." Feminist Theory 12.2 (2011): 219-225.
- Hilton, Craig. "Furry Fandom — An Insider's View from the Outside", parts 1 & 2. South Fur Lands #2 & #3, 1995, 1996.
- Martin, Watts. Mange: the need for criticism in furrydom 1994, 1998 (Archive.org mirror)
- Morgan, Matt. Creature Comfort: Anthropomorphism, Sexuality and Revitalization in the Furry Fandom. Diss. Mississippi State University, 2008.
- Probyn-Rapsey, Fiona. "Furries and the Limits of Species Identity Disorder: A Response to Gerbasi et al." Society and Animals 19.3 (2011): 294-301.
- Plante, C. N., Reysen, S., Roberts, S.E., & Gerbasi, K. C. (2016). FurScience! A summary of Five Years of Research from the International Anthropomorphic Research Project. Waterloo, Ontario: FurScience.
External links
|Wikimedia Commons has media related to Furry.


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Amazon Prepares E-Book Subscription Service
Amazon.com appears to be preparing a subscription e-book service offering unlimited access to 600,000 titles, according to details the Web retailer briefly posted to its website.
The service, reported earlier by GigaOm, would be called Kindle Unlimited and allow customers to download select e-books for $9.99 per month. Kindle Unlimited would compete with startups like Oyster and Scribd, which offer 500,000 and 400,000 e-books, respectively, for $8.99 or $9.95 a month.


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After nearly a decade of setbacks and false starts, stem-cell science finally seems to be hitting its stride. Just a year after Japanese scientists first reported that they had generated stem cells by reprogramming adult skin cells without using embryos American researchers have managed to use that groundbreaking technique to achieve another scientific milestone. They created the first nerve cells from reprogrammed stem cells an important demonstration of the potential power of stem-cell-based treatments to cure disease.
Led by Kevin Eggan at the Harvard Stem Cell Institute and Christopher Henderson at Columbia University, the 13-person team reported online today in Science Express that they had generated motor neurons from the skin cells of two elderly patients with a rare form of ALS, or Lou Gehrig's disease, a progressive neurodegenerative condition. The new study marks an important first step on the road toward real stem-cell-based therapies, and also answers several plaguing questions about the pioneering stem-cell technique known as induced pluripotent stem cell, or iPS, generation.
IPS was first described by Japanese biologist Shinya Yamanaka, who, in 2007, showed that the introduction of four genes into an adult human skin cell could reprogram it back to an embryonic state (Yamanaka had reported the same achievement in mice the previous year). Like embryonic stem cells, these reprogrammed adult cells could be coaxed into becoming any other type of cell from skin to nerve to muscle. But researchers questioned whether the new stem cells would behave as predictably or as safely as embryonic stem cells, or whether iPS would consistently yield usable cells. "Our work shows that the original method developed by Yamanaka works great," says Eggan.
Researchers also questioned whether iPS would work with delicate cells from older people or with cells taken from patients with disease (Yamanaka used skin cells from healthy middle-aged people in his study). Eggan and Henderson tackled both issues at once, by working with cells from two siblings, ages 82 and 89, who both had ALS. It turned out that generating iPS cells from older patients proved no more difficult than growing them from younger ones, says Eggan. "This study puts those issues definitively to rest," he says. "It opens the door to being able to make patient-specific stem-cell lines [to treat] diseases that affect people very late in life, like Parkinson's or Alzheimer's disease."
In the lab, Eggan's group has successfully turned stem cells into motor neurons, the cells that connect the spinal cord to the body's muscles and which degenerate in ALS. But researchers have not been able to prove that these cells will be clinically useful that is, whether the new nerve cells will work as well as healthy ones in the spinal cord of a patient. Testing the viability of cells made from iPS stem cells is still a long way off, mostly because iPS requires the use of viruses to deliver the time-reversing genes into adult cells that works in the lab, but it is not yet safe for patients. To use iPS cells in patients, researchers would have to find a way to reprogram adult cells using chemicals, rather than genes.
There are other, more immediate payoffs of the new study. For one thing, it gives researchers a better understanding of how ALS progresses. Because the new nerve cells have the same genetic makeup as the patients' own diseased cells, Henderson says, they may very well develop signs of the disease in culture, allowing researchers to watch ALS unfold before they eyes. "Our lack of understanding of the disease process is preventing us from developing more efficient cures," says Henderson. "Because the disease is happening in the spinal cord, we don't have access to living samples of neurons undergoing the disease process. But now we have in the culture dish the very cells affected by the disease."
One theory about the cause of ALS is that motor nerves die after exposure to a toxic compound released by other nerve cells in the spinal cord. The Harvard and Columbia groups are hoping to test that idea in the lab: if the cells in culture release the same agent, then finding drug compounds that block the damaging effects of the toxin could preserve neurons and hold off the paralyzing effects of the disease.
The answers to those questions, says Eggan, may come in a matter of "months, not years." It's still unclear whether the new iPS nerve cells can live up to the gold standard of cells created from human embryonic stem cells, but Eggan, Henderson and their colleagues are confident that their current achievement brings stem-cell science one step closer to the original and ultimate goal: cures for diseases such as ALS, Alzheimer's and diabetes.


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Well, all, I am moving this blog over from Typepad to Wordpress.com. I'm not yet quite ready to declare myself done as a blogger, but as I haven't managed to post more than twice this year so far, I can't justify continuing to pay for a Typepad account. If you'd like to keep reading (if I post anything more to read?), you can find me at http://newkidonthehallway.wordpress.com. I think everything has imported over there, but if you run into any problems, please let me know? Also, for the moment the blog will still be here, at typepad, but I suspect at some point fairly soon it will go away. But I would imagine that if you google me you can find me after that happens.
Typepad has been good to me, but all good things must come to an end, right?
Hope to see you all at the new site!


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Alvarado-Provodnikov among the 10-most watched boxing broadcasts in 2013
Saturday's national broadcast of Mike Alvarado's championship defense against Ruslan Provodnikov in Colorado drew 1.2 million TV viewers on HBO, according to Nielsen Media Research.
Denver's Alvarado lost by 10th-round TKO after choosing not to return for the 11th round. Provodnikov took away the World Boxing Organization junior welterweight title.


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Please fill this form out completely. Once your information is submitted, a confirmation email will be sent to you with more information regarding the event location and times.
To register for the PSI Basic Seminar in Canada, please visit one of the following websites based on your location:
Calgary - psiseminarscalgary.ca
Vancouver - psiseminarsvancouver.ca


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|Jepson Flora Project: Jepson Interchange
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Jepson Interchange (more information)
©Copyright 1993 by the Regents of the University of California
Annual to subshrub
Leaves generally basal and cauline, alternate, generally simple; stipules 0
Inflorescence: generally raceme
Flower bisexual; sepals 4, free; petals (0)4, free, generally white or yellow, often clawed; stamens generally (2,4)6, generally 4 long, 2 short; ovary 1, superior, chambers generally 2, septum membranous, connecting 2 parietal placentas, style 1, stigma simple or 2-lobed
Fruit: generally capsule ("silique") with 2 deciduous valves, sometimes breaking transversely or indehiscent
Seeds 1many per chamber
Genera in family: 300+ genera, 3000+ species: worldwide, especially cool regions; some cultivated for food (especially Brassica, Raphanus ) and ornamental
Recent taxonomic note: Recently treated to include Capparaceae [Rodman et al. 1993 Ann Missouri Bot Gard 80:686699; Rollins 1993 Cruciferae of Continental North America. Stanford Univ Press]
Family description, key to genera by Robert A. Price.
THELYPODIUMWinter annual to biennial, perennial herb; hairs 0 or simple
Stem generally erect, branched or not
Leaves: basal generally rosetted, petioled, generally shed early, entire to pinnately lobed; cauline petioled or sessile, often clasping
Flower: sepals erect to reflexed, greenish, white, lavender, or purplish, bases sac-like or not; petals linear to oblanceolate, white, lavender, or purple; stamens equal or 4 long, 2 short, paired filaments rarely ± fused
Fruit erect or spreading, narrowly linear, ± narrowed between seeds, cylindric or ± flat parallel to septum, generally stalked above receptacle; pedicel ± flat at base or not, generally expanded at tip; stigma in width < style tip, generally entire
Seeds 1 row per chamber, ± flat; wing generally 0; embryonic root at edge or toward back of 1 cotyledon
Species in genus: 20 species: w North America
Etymology: (Greek: female foot, from fruit stalk above receptacle)
Reference: [Al-Shehbaz 1973 Contr Gray Herb 204:1148]
T. stenopetalum S. Watson
SLENDER-PETALED THELYPODIUMBiennial, glabrous, glaucousSee the CNPS Inventory for information about endangerment and rarity.
Stem ± decumbent, 38 dm, branched from base
Leaves: basal 415 cm, oblanceolate to oblong, entire or wavy-margined, thickish; cauline ascending, sessile, 25 cm, ± oblong-lanceolate, sagittate, clasping stem, ± entire to few-toothed or shallowly lobed
Flower: petals linear, lavender, rarely white, blades crinkled at base; paired filaments free
Fruit 35 cm, straight to ± curved, cylindric or rarely 4-angled, ± narrowed between seeds; stalk above receptacle 0.53.5 mm, stout; pedicel ascending, rarely ± spreading, 48 mm, stout, base not flat; style 12 mm, slender
Seed: embryonic root at edge or back of 1 cotyledon
Ecology: Alkaline flats, lake shores
Elevation: 19002200 m.
Bioregional distribution: San Bernardino Mountains (Bear Valley).
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TOSH Soccer Program
TOSH – The Orthopedic Specialty Hospital. TOSH is one of country's premier orthopedic and sports medicine hospitals. TOSH is a comprehensive orthopedic center that specializes in all things sports medicine and sports science. The TOSH Soccer Program is an "umbrella" term for the many specific services we offer to soccer players of all ages. TOSH has worked closely with Utah Youth Soccer Association for many years as the official sports medicine and sports training partner to UYSA. TOSH is also the title sponsor for Utah's Olympic Development Program (UYSA State Select Program). TOSH offers many services to UYSA members in the fields of sports medicine and sports science that are briefly outlined below.
TOSH Sports Medicine Team: Our team consists of nationally recognized orthopedic physicians, leading physical therapists, nationally certified athletic trainers and performance sports specialists. The result of this teamwork leads to soccer players getting back onto the field faster, stronger and better prepared to return to play.
Orthopedic Physicians: TOSH is proud to have many of the premier orthopedic physicians and surgeons in the country on its medical staff. Our physicians' clinics and state-of-the art surgical suites are equipped with the latest technology and staffed by highly-qualified professionals.
Physical Therapists: Our specialty is "return to sport" therapy. We recognize that athletes deal with sensitive timelines and complex injuries. Our staff uses the latest technology and rehabilitation protocols to guide soccer players through a personalized recovery program designed specifically for them. TOSH has created a one of kind Interval Kicking Protocol that slowly introduces the stress of kicking into the physical therapy. This process results in quicker recovery times. Before returning players to the field, they will be tested through our physical therapy and sports science department to ensure that they are ready to return to the game.
Free Soccer Injury Assessment Program: TOSH offers free injury assessments to UYSA players, coaches and families. If you get hurt during a training session or game give us call and we can usually get you in to be evaluated that same day. You will be assessed for free by a TOSH certified athletic trainer or a licensed physical therapist. The objective is to evaluate your injury and decide whether it needs to be referred to a physician or can be self-treated. Call us 801-314-4111 to set up a free assessment.
TOSH Sports Science Team: The Sports Science team consists of nationally-recognized physiologists, bio-mechanists, sport dieticians, exercise specialists and athletic trainers. We have an industry leading sport specific training program staffed with employees who have a minimum of a bachelor's degree. The TOSH sports science team focuses on improving athleticism, strength, speed, agility, power and reducing chance for athletic injuries. The result of this teamwork creates healthy soccer players who are able to stay on the field performing better, faster and stronger.
TOSH Sports Performance Training: This program was developed by performance sports specialists at Athletic Republic to improve all aspects of athleticism. The focus is on improving skill, speed, strength, and power while correcting mechanics to maximize efficiency and prevent injuries. For more information, or set up an introduction session call us at (801) 314-2996.
TOSH Soccer Specific Training: We offer soccer specific training options including: (1) Kicking mechanics course using Dartfish™ video analysis, (2) Individual and/or team training sessions on the TOSH soccer field, and (3) free team nutritional classes. If there is a specific goal for a player, team, coach or parent, we can help them achieve it. For more specific information call us at (801) 314-4111.
Bridge Program: This program sets us apart from other rehabilitation programs. The Bridge Program was designed by physicians, rehabilitation experts, and exercise specialists at TOSH to "bridge" the gap between traditional physical therapy and full return to sport. TOSH recommends all rehabilitating soccer players complete this program to help prepare the neuromuscular system for full return to play.
Sport Nutrition: Nutritional preparation to fuel the body is a very important step for the performance of a player over 90 minutes of play. TOSH has two registered sport dieticians that are available for individual consultations or free team nutrition classes. For more specific information call (801) 314-4038.


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global excellence in
Careful Lighting for Tomorrow's World
Lighting Applications
Art + Sculpture
Private Oil Painting The beautiful oil paintings in this private collection are perfectly lit using fibre optic lighting.
Alexander Beleschenko External Glass Panels A series of beautiful glass panels designed by Beleschenko, and illuminated with fibre optics, adorn the front of a Princes Street building in London.
Bridgewater House The unusual fibre optic picture-light system here has all the equipment secreted within the body of the chandelier.
Fulham Palace Fine paintings and photographic works of art elegantly exhibited and elegantly lit.
Grace Wu Bruce Gallery Sculpted lighting for sculpted forms - perfection in illumination.
Malcolm Fairley Ltd, Bury Street Japanese works of art on display in the windows of Malcolm Fairley Ltd in St James's, London, create a show-stopping impact on pedestrians passing by.
Light Sculptures by Tim Noble and Sue Webster Tim Noble and Sue Webster are artists who use everyday objects and the Spectralux 3000 to create shadow sculptures.
The Garrick Club Absolute Action were tasked with lighting the many paintings lining the Main Staircase at The Garrick Club, London.
British Ambassador's Residence, Vienna Modern art forms a bold statement in this stunning Viennese residence.
The Tudor Gallery, National Portrait Gallery, London The collection of the oldest and therefore the most vulnerable portraits in the National Portrait Gallery are illuminated using fibre optics.
The Van Loon Museum, Amsterdam
The Gurney Clock, Norwich Martin Burgess's Gurney Clock is based on a 1740s design and took 11 years to build ... and is illuminated in Norwich using fibre optic lighting.
Paintings at Cliveden The purity and intensity of 'received' fibre optic lighting can have an extra-ordinary impact on paintings.
Fidelity de Waal Exhibit, Luxembourg Beautiful, serene ceramica made breathtakingly wonderful by fantastic lighting.
The Orange Telecommunications Spine The striking, award-winning telecommunications mast for Orange in Bristol.
Millennium Square, Leeds Dramatic fibre optic uplighting of this striking sculpture in Leeds
Private Collection of Modern Art A stylish collection of modern works of art are beautifully lit using fibre optics.
The Lowry Building Art displayed in the Award-winning art gallery housed in the triangular Lowry Building in Manchester was lit using fibre optic lighting by Absolute Action.
Korean War Veterans Memorial, Washington DC
Canopies and Atria
Bentall Centre Award winning lighting at Kingston's new shopping centre.
Bracken House Canopy This lofty canopy is strikingly illuminated by an innovative fibre optic system.
Bevan Ashford Drops of light from stalactites - artistry in atria.
The Victoria and Albert Museum Cool blues make cool views - today's take on Victoriana drama.
Wembley Stadium Steps Over 1000 metres of LED lightstrips enhance the marble steps at Wembley Stadium after dark.
Metro Canopy - Washington Graceful lighting for form and function - whatever the weather in Washington DC.
Kings College Hospital, London Suitably eye catching entrance lighting for a future-focussed hospital of worldwide reknown.
The African American Civil War Memorial The names of the 209,000 African American soldiers who gave their lives during the American civil war are lit up continually using Absolute Action's fibre optics.
Leadenhall Street Canopy Changing colours accentuate this canopy which seems to float at the front of the building.
Mandeville House Sign Angled light outputs onto mirrored surfaces evenly highlights the sign lettering.
Millenium Bridge Navigation Lights, two per side, were designed and fitted to the Millenium Footbridge with a view to providing shipping with the ability to safely sail beneath the bridge at night.
St Helens Canopy Emphatic footprints of light issue a striking invitation to step inside this London office building.
No 1 Poultry, London Say it with colours! The bold and dynamic central atrium feature at No 1 Poultry in the City of London.
Japanese American Memorial Japanese American Memorial Dedicated to the memory of the Japanese Americans who fell in service to the Allies during World War 2
DC Canopies, Washington DC A recent commission to create an illuminated glass canopy over the entrance to an office building in Washington DC was entrusted to the experts at Absolute Action.
Grosvenor Hotel An innovative glazed canopy feature at the Grosvenor hotel.
Kings Road A fan-shaped "crown" of light adds drama to this modern commercial building.
Doddington Estate Majestic and stately by day, these fine architectural features become breathtaking by night.
National Portrait Gallery The structural walls either side of the entrance are up-lit to create a wall wash effect.
Hippodrome - Birmingham Lighting of this iconic Birmingham theatre entrance is by Absolute Action.
Private Garden The ambience of this garden is enhanced at night with lighting by Absolute Action.
New York City Office Building
Linen Hall Linen Hall takes advantage of the many benefits of using fibre optic lighting systems for external applications.
Brighton Pier Promenade Decorative in-paver light boxes add rhythm to this popular seaside walkway.
Commercial Installations
The Botanist, No.7 Sloane Square The illumination of the Botanical Art Montage at this exclusive restaurant involved using the best quality borosilicate quartz glass fibre optics to create a dramatic 3D effect.
The Walbrook Building The Walbrook Building - illumination of reception glass tube wall.
The White Horse Leisure Centre, Abingdon The White Horse Leisure Centre features a stunning glass block wall designed by artist Julia Newbould in collaboration with Absolute Action.
Clements Inn Innovative lighting effects at Clements Inn, in the City of London
Chutney Mary Restaurant Spicing things up a little with some delicate varieties of fibre optic lighting.
The Jugged Hare Fibre optic cabinet lighting of taxidermy forms a striking feature within this trendy London bar and restaurant.
TY Warner Penthouse, Four Seasons, New York The highest hotel suite in New York boasts the world's most remarkable skyline ... and lighting!
London Night Club This dance floor is illuminated with thousands of small twinkling lights, from permanently installed glass fibre units.
Royal Court Theatre Careful integration of manufacturing techniques delivers a clever solution to auditorium lighting.
Holborn Hotel A stunning, starscape crystal ceiling above the restaurant of The Holborn Hotel, London.
Bass Night Club The decorative bubble rod is lit with an ever changing colour wheel giving a continually changing effect.
Barking Town Hall Dramatic lighting effects from the fibre optic system in this municipal building.
Hellidon Lakes Hotel Stylish fibre optic lighting provides a grand entrance at this prestige hotel
Seeley Library Fibre optic lighting at Seeley Library
Bar 38 The suffusing colour-change in the back lighting of the bar attracts attention and enhances the products.
Corney & Barrow Wine Bar, Paternoster Street, London A glimmering bar wall made possible by the fibre optic lighting of mauve Prismex panels creates a luxurious and modern ambience.
Bevan Ashford Exeter Reception Fibre optic lighting at Bevan Ashford Exeter Reception.
Cafe Mango Optical illusions in coloured diffusions for a change of mood .
Tube Station This London Tube Station was stylishly lit using Absolute Action's fibre optics.
Absolute Action Reception Area Fibre optic lighting in the Absolute Action Reception & Boardroom at Focus House.
Harley's American Superbowl & Restaurant, Santa Cruz de Tenerife Fun lighting for a holiday hotspot!
Euston Road Fibre optic lighting in a Euston Road reception area.
Brown & Root Control Room Fibre optic lighting in the Brown and Root Control Room
Jawaby Oil Reception Fibre optic lighting in the Jawabi Oil Reception
Gems + Jewellery
Rare Diamonds at The Smithsonian, Washington DC The Smithsonian's special Fancy Diamonds Exhibit is lit using Absolute Action's fibre optic lighting expertise.
The Hope Diamond and Other Famous Diamonds at The Smithsonian The Hope Diamond is not only the largest and most famous blue diamond in existence, but is also claimed to be the most viewed artefact in the world.
Gems at the Smithsonian A stunning display of cut and raw stones in the Gem Hall of the Museum of Natural History at the Smithsonian Institution.
Royal Ontario Museum A single gem - an immense Beryl specimen - has been lit with a warm, intense light to enrich its striking colouration, and demonstrates the unexpected power of fibre optic light.
The Diamond Exhibition at The Natural History Museum, London Steinmetz Diamond Group employed Absolute Action to light up their display of exquisite diamonds at the Natural History Museum in London.
Exquisite Carnet Jewellery Exhibitions The Exquisite Exhibition, Glasgow, of Carnet jewellery designed by Michelle Ong.
Dresden Green The Dresden Green Diamond.
National Bank of Dubai Pearl Museum The illumination of a stunning collection of artefacts specifically created using the finest pearls.
Bejewelled by Tiffany A temporary exhibition of Tiffany jewellery and its impact on fashionable society throughout the 20th century.
Butterflies The JAR exhibit at the Gilbert Collection, Somerset House.
J. Paint & Sons J.Paint & Sons is a boutique manufacturing jewellery company based in Guernsey for which Absolute Action provided beautiful window display lighting to dramatic effect.
Longmire Longmire Ltd, originally based on New Bond Street, London, employed a lighting designer, Simon Page, to source the best fibre optic lighting available in order to highlight the beauty of its craftmanship in its exclusive Mayfair location.
Guernsey Private Collection Luxurious pearls gleam in the soft, warm light.
Mouawad Jewellers The Mouawad family have been creating fine jewellery from the most exquisite diamonds for four generations.
Conservation Projects
Private Collection of Antiquities A valuable private collection of antiquities is safely and beautifully lit using fibre optic lighting by Absolute Action.
Ashmolean Museum Absolute Action now illuminates the show-cases at the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford, England with their LED Fibre Optic Light Sources
Hatfield House Absolute Action were commissioned to install four substantial fibre optic lighting systems within The Winter Dining Room at Hatfield House.
Hardwick Hall Audit Room, National Trust Calm of balm in soft allure - rich perfection.
Stories in Stone, University College, Cork The Ogam (Ogham) Stones Collection in UCC, Cork, Ireland, is the largest collection of such inscriptions on open display in Ireland. They are part of an exhibition called 'Stories in Stone'
Texas State History Museum A series of sealed cases float suspended in this photographic mural, each lit with precision from a single remote source.
Pilkington Museum Skill, experience and diverse optical focusing components ensure that every display is lit to its best advantage.
Manassas - Henry Hill Visitor Centre Henry Hill Visitor Centre Artifacts and exhibits pertaining to the First Battle of Manassas are displayed in the Henry Hill Visitor Center museum. Exhibits include audio-visual displays and a fiber-optic battle map presentation that describes troop movements during the battle.
The Oscar E. Monnig Meteorite Gallery, Texas Christian University In 2003, the Texas Christian University opened a gallery dedicated to a meteorite collection donated by Oscar Monnig. Some of the best examples of meteorites in the world are displayed here.
NASA Moon Rocks Exhibition at The Natural History Museum, New York Absolute Action's commission to illuminate NASA's unique collection of Moon Rocks endorses the high esteem in which the company's fibre optic systems and services are held throughout the world - and beyond!
Waddesdon Manor Delicate and valuable objects are suffused with well-distributed light to generate an even palette of illumination.
The Courtauld Silver Collection, Somerset House A century of silver: an exhibition at Somerset House is illuminated by Absolute Action's fibre optics
The Wallace Collection Magnificent porcelain required extreme care in lighting placement and focusing for maximum visual effect.
The-Bodleian-LIbrary Careful conservation lighting at the famous Bodleian Library protects some of the world's most rare and valuable books.
Maidstone County Museum Creativity in conservation, protecting our treasured heritage at the County Museum in Maidstone, county town of Kent.
George Washington Museum Domestic memorabilia exhibited at the Museum in the grounds of George Washington's private residence.
Imperial War Museum This museum boasted the largest fibre optic installation in the country.
Kensington Palace The lighting was designed to elevate or diminish absolutely smoothly in intensity.
Lee Chapel Museum The memorial to the life and times of General Robert E Lee.
Public Records Office The PRO decided the Domesday Book needed preserving with this technology.
Decor and Effects
HSBC Screen Suffusions of coloured light sweep through this fabulous optical illusion.
Infinity Room The Infinity Room
Basilica Blue Glass Chandelier A cascade of glass icicles suffused with rich coloured lights.
Bubble Display This display uses the properties of Total Internal Reflection transmitting light along optical fibre threads.
Cinedom Cologne This spectacular star ceiling spans 25 metres above the central concourse the largest multiplex cinemas in Europe.
Crystallite Ceiling Multi-faceted output heads provide a striking, sparkling effect. Fibre with crystal tips generate a surprisingly dramatic amount of light.
Holland America Cruise Ship A glittering Waterford crystal globe sparkles as the centre piece of a floating world.
Cliveden Ceiling Twinkling stars overhead in the painted ceiling add a touch of authenticity to the fabulous murals in this exclusive member's club.
P & O Flag P & O's trademark flag is brought to life by hundreds of sequenced rippling dots of light.
Norwegian Dawn Cruise Liner
Ecclesiastical Lighting
Lincoln Cathedral Our lighting system weaves unobtrusive modern fibre optic technology into this magnificent ancient fabric.
St Botolph's Church, Aldgate, London Both the image of the dove and the gift of light symbolise hope, and the fusion of the two in this beautiful engraving at St Botolph's Church, provides a source of inspiration and solace for those entering the chapel.
The Crypt, Canterbury Cathedral Fibre optic lighting meant that the altarpiece in the Chapel of our Lady Undercroft could be lit with no evident source of light.
St Mary's Presbytery, Bourne Street, London A cool diffusion of light for the intricate high-level Tympana contrasts with the rich warmth of the light for the wood panelling.
Eton Chapel The warm tonality of the engraved brass plaques is enriched by the warm colour temperature of the light source.
Pagham Church This application at St Thomas Becket, Pagham, is as stunning as it is profound.
St David's Cathedral This discreet fibre optic lighting system safeguards our sublime architectural heritage.
Bothwell St, Glasgow Glasgow's famous recessed statue benefits from the light and shadow cast from the warmth of fibre optic lighting.
The King Mohammed V Mausoleum Built in the 1930's, the mausoleum for King Mohammed V sits in the city of Rabat, the capital of Morocco.
Wet Lighting
Chewton Glen Down-lighters produce a striking effect around and in the pool area at Chewton Glen.
Seafield Spa Seafield
Private Pool A stunning private pool is lit using fibre optic uplighters on the back wall of the pool and 15 stainless steel 25mm lensed underwater fibre optic light fittings. the lightsource (housed outside the pool) was fitted with a six colour change facility.
Le Spa - Cirencester The incorporation of a sophisticated colour change has given a breathtaking finishing touch to the this pool.
Royal Cresent Spa, Bath This exclusive luxury bath, spa and sauna features delicate, warm and accurately focused lighting.
Private Pool The intimate atmosphere of this pool is regulated by different colours for changes of time and mood.
City Grange Hotel Subtle fibre optic lighting for this luxurious pool at the City Grange Hotel.
Lowestoft Royal Plain A stunning blue Linear Emission detail within a new pedestrianised feature at this coastal town.
Retail Applications
Fortnum & Mason Individual illumination of fine wines inside a large chilled wine cabinet perfect for heat & maintenance free fibre optic lighting.
3D Crystal Images, Covent Garden A fun and innovative means of portraiture: faces engraved within a crystal block and then illuminated using Absolute Action's fibre optic lighting.
Reiss, New York The focal point of this glamorous new Reiss store in the Downtown Soho area of New York is the glass rod chandelier, expertly lit using Absolute Action's fibre optics.
Judith Leiber Display This display at a well known london store is cool, discreet and flexible.
The Cigar House Discreet cool lighting is essential in a fully himidified display area.
Mouawad Jewellers Mouawad has entered the Guinness Book of Records on several occasions for creating the most valuable necklace, the most valuable purse and the most valuable item of lingerie (modelled by Heidi Klum), owing to the exquisite quality of the gems used to adorn all three.
Burberry, Paris Every square foot of the flagship store in Paris is a mix between elegant design and technological innovation.
Alpha Retail This installation at Birmingham Airport has colour changing glass shelves.
Marks Antiques, London Based in London, the firm of Marks Antiques specialized in top quality antique silver. Started by Albert Marks in 1934 and greatly expanded by his son Anthony, the firm has built an international reputation for the finest quality silver. Absolute Action had the honour of illuminating it before the iconic store finally closed its doors in 2009.
Copenhagen Airport The cool lighting used here is the perfect application for preserving fine fragrances.
Longmire Longmire Ltd is an independent English jewellers and is known throughout the world for being the 'cufflink connoisseur'.
Heathrow Wine Expensive vintage wine is safely illuminated with heat free light.
Budgens Heat free bright light over the frozen food containers in this major store group.
Rubie & Millie The specially lit display cabinets are cool both in appearance and reality.
The Wine Collection Fibre optic lighting enhances the modern style of this wine store.
Residential Lighting
Private London Residence Have you ever considered illuminating your curtains? Make your window dressings a feature after dark by bathing them in light, safely, using fibre optics.
Knightsbridge Apartment Clean, calm and serene - discreet lighting compliments this epitome of sophistication.
Kamakura, Japan
Lighting Kitchen Cabinets A simple colour wheel installed on Absolute Action fibre optic illuminator provides non-culinary artistry in this stylish London kitchen.
Hatfield House Absolute Action were commissioned to install four substantial fibre optic lighting systems within The Winter Dining Room at Hatfield House.
Star Ceiling This ceiling in a private residence gives a star-studded casting of shimmering light.
Private Apartment This cutting edge, stylish apartment exemplifies the flexibility and artistic possibilities of fibre optic lighting.
Bathroom in London House An exclusive three dimensional infinity floor introduces a unique lighting effect into this private residence in South London.
Private Residence in Boston, USA A dark room is brought to life with the use of fibre optic lighting.
Listed Residence This listed home with many original features is lit discreetly and beautifully using fibre optic lighting.
Rose Tinted Calm With fibre optic lighting colours can be easily changed to create a variety of moods.
London Wet Room Atmospheric fibre optic lighting by Absolute Action in a wet room in this exclusive Chelsea residence.
The Basilica Blue Chandelier In a private residence in Maryland, this stunning chandelier is brought to life by fibre optics.
Room in Private Residence Fibre optic lighting picks out natural features in this stunning house.
Bar area in Private Residence The bar area in this modern house recieves the full benefit of fibre optic lighting.
Fireplace Feature The ornate mantlepiece at this private residence is as much a feature as the fireplace itself - so why not illuminate it?
Private Residence Fibre optic lighting enhances the clean syle of this modern room.
Lighting Products
The Light Source
The Optical Fibre
The Output Fittings
Bedside Reading Light
The Art Light
Why is The Art Light so special? Excellent colour rendering : No heat or UV : Discreet and elegant : Low energy : Minimal maintenance : Wide range of options
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Slimline Light Bar
The Absolute Action Slim Light Bar is an exciting new addition to the Company's extensive range of display case lighting equipment, for retail or conservation applications.
A uniformly-spaced row of unlensed glass fibre heads deliver a well distributed wash of light across the display area.
Ideally used in conjunction with a system of focusable lensed heads, the Light Bar complements the directed light beams by eliminating distracting shadow contrasts. Being a mere 20mm in diameter, the Light Bar occupies minimal space and can be secreted behind the most slender of structural frames.
All the benefits of a remote source lamp are preserved, with a feeder fibre of whatever length is appropriate being run to a light source in a convenient location for maintenance.
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Flying Dutchmen top the pool with three wins at Berlin Grand Slam
After two straight wins against Schalk/Saxton from Canada and USA's Rosenthal/Dalhauser on the first day of main draw, the 18th seeded Dutch team needed a third set to defeat Czech team Premysl Kubala and Jan Hadrava: 21-13, 17-21, 15-6.
The first set was easy for tall Stiekema (2.00m) and Varenhorst (2.12m), attacking over the Czech block and serving strong. But Kubala and Hadrava came back in the second, moving the Dutch around a lot and misleading them in attacking.
In the tiebreak the Dutch regrouped and played a solid block-defence to create a big gap. At 14-5 they had their first match point, which was warded off by Hadrava, but at the next match point the Czech player spiked in the net.
"We didn't think it was going to be a tough match", said Stiekema. "But in the end it was. In the second set we weren't able to get any points from them, while in the first we dominated and this was what it was like in our first two games. And now all of a sudden, we did not get any points. This guy (Hadrava) hit so fast! But in the end we won the tiebreak easily, so a few adjustments worked miracles."
Stiekema and Varenhorst won their first World Tour medal this year in Fuzhou, where they finished third. They are happy with their form at the moment. "We're doing really well. Yesterday we played really good, we started of well today, had a dip, but a clear win in the end again. So, it's really going well."
What makes the difference here in Berlin, is their block-defence, said Stiekema. "At the moment everything goes well actually, we score easily, blocking and in defence. That really makes the difference, even against the top teams, like yesterday against Rosenthal and Dalhauser. That's our strong point at the moment."
Their length is a big bonus too, since they are both able to hit over the block. "That always helps, but that's beach volleyball. There are also some short teams that use their length to their advantage in defence, as we try to use our length to our advantage."
After their bronze medal in Fuzhou, the Dutch finished 17th in Shanghai, 5th at the European Championship and 9th in Moscow. "We aimed for 9th here", said Stiekema, "that's always our general goal. Today we will evaluate and I would really like to be on the podium again. But this is such a strong field, from 9th place on there are only really, really good teams."
Asked about the other teams that might end up on the podium, Stiekema said: "The team that impressed me the most out here, was Hyden/Bourne. I don't know what they were doing, but they scored almost every point. They won against every team. Most of the top teams are failing. Erdmann/Matysik yesterday, Rogers/Dalhauser lost, Pedro/Emanuel, Semenov. But Nicolai/Lupo always win, they are a strong team too."
Italy comes back from behind
European champions Paolo Nicolai and Daniele Lupo were pushed hard in their final pool match against Moscow's silver medallists Grzegorz Fijalek and Mariusz Prudel.
The Italians, who also won the Fuzhou Open and Shanghai Grand Slam this year, lost the first set, came back in the second, but were trailing in the tiebreak again.
Poland even had a match point at 14-13, but the Italians managed to level and at the next point had a match point of their own. It was Nicolai who scored the winner with a one-handed block: 18-21, 21-16, 16-14.
"Very tough", said Nicolai. "They played very well. They used the wind better than us in the first part of the game. Then we served better and played a good side-out. We were behind in the tiebreak, but we were on the good side of the wind at the right moment, so we won the game."
Nicolai and Lupo defeated Germany's Walkenhorst/Windscheif 2-1 and Austria's Winter/Petutschnig 2-0 on Thursday. "We are happy with these results", Nicolai said, "because it was a very tough pool. Those Germans were good, and against Austria, if you don't play top level, you can lose. And now another tournament begins."
About their medal chances Nicolai said: "We are in a good moment, because we have been playing well in the other tournaments. In Moscow we finished fourth and we were a little bit down after this, but now we will try to win this tournament."
There were only three teams that won the pool with straight wins: USA's birthday boy Tri Bourne and John Hyden, Latvia's Samoilovs/Smedins and Brazilian qualifiers Bruno/Alison.
Top seeded Germans Jonathan Erdmann and Kay Matysik finished 4th in their pool and are out of the tournament.
FIVB Berlin smart Grand Slam Tournament Page
FIVB Berlin smart Grand Slam women's results
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