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IN most ways, the Barthelmes Manufacturing Company is a typical sheet metal fabricator. Five days a week, machines here stamp out thousands of computer cases, electrical patch panels and other items for companies like United Technologies.
Yet a growing part of the company's business is being devoted to something decidedly unindustrial: edible walls metal panels filled with soil and seeds and hung vertically.
They may sound like a piece of Willie Wonka's chocolate factory. In fact, they are the latest development in green roof technology. Like green roofs, edible walls include a thick layer of vegetation on the outside of buildings to provide insulation and reduce heating and electricity costs.
But unlike green roofs and their vertical cousins, green walls edible walls also produce fruit, vegetables and herbs in far less space than typical gardens. That's why advocates of urban farming have embraced them as a way to lower food costs, increase nutritional quality and cut fuel consumption and carbon emissions by using fewer delivery trucks.
"The traditional metal fabrication industry is shrinking, and green is an emerging area," said Larry Lehning, the chief executive at Barthelmes, whose sales of green products have doubled this year and make up 15 percent of the company's revenue. Edible walls descendants of espalier, or trees grown against walls that were popular during the Middle Ages in Europe are just one small attempt to grow food in cities. For instance, Valcent Products builds greenhouses filled with hundreds of trays of hydroponic vegetables stacked on conveyor belts. Sky Vegetables hopes to build commercial farms on the flat roofs of hospitals, schools and food banks.
Dickson D. Despommier, the director of the Vertical Farm Project at Columbia University, envisions entire skyscrapers turned into indoor farms capable of growing 100 different crops.
All of these solutions, though, require large investments and considerable technology. Edible walls, by contrast, can be built for a fraction of the cost, do not need computers or greenhouses and require far less maintenance.
The leader in this niche area is Green Living Technologies, another company in Rochester that has built edible walls here, in New York City, Los Angeles, Detroit and elsewhere.
"Instead of bringing food to the city, we're bringing the whole farm," said George Irwin, the chief executive and founder of the company. "What we're implementing is back to basics."
The idea for the edible wall, which is often portable and hung from a structural wall, was inspired by Mr. Irwin's young son and daughter about five years ago. Mr. Irwin, who was installing green roofs and green walls, was asked by his children if they could plant some lettuce seeds in a wall. Not expecting much, Mr. Irwin plopped the seeds into the soil in a panel that he was using for a sloped green roof. A few days later, they sprouted.
Mr. Irwin saw the potential for these vertical planters in cities where space is tight and food costs high. They can be hung in backyards, parking lots and other spots. He has sold them mostly to homeowners and schools, but he hopes to persuade restaurants and supermarkets to buy them so customers can pick their own food.
Uninterested in being a manufacturer, Mr. Irwin has contracted with Barthelmes and other companies for 2-foot-by-2-foot stainless steel and aluminum panels and other products.
The panels have intersecting slats inside that create 24 cells for seeds to be planted. The slats have long holes in them so roots can migrate between the cells, strengthening the soil and plants.
Mr. Irwin, who has an online column as the Green Wall editor, holds two-day seminars where landscape designers pay $800 to learn how to install products made by Green Living Technologies. One of the nearly 500 resellers is Kari Elwell Katzander, a landscape designer in New York City. She comes up with designs for her customers and then calls Plant Connection, another of Mr. Irwin's partners, which recommends plants to grow and then cultivates them for two to five months at its nursery on Long Island.
In early November, Ms. Katzander installed three panels, each four inches deep, for Brad Zizmor, who has a backyard deck at his first-floor apartment in Manhattan.
Ms. Katzander and Plant Connection decided on 10 plants, including strawberries, lettuce, chives, oregano, parsley, rosemary and thyme. The panels, which weigh about 50 pounds each when filled, were hung on a wooden wall that surrounds the deck.
To irrigate the plants, a quarter-inch hose with tiny holes was draped across the top of the panels and attached to a larger hose. Ms. Katzander figured out how often to feed the plants to avoid runoff and to ensure that the plants would not be too dry or wet.
"What's nice is you can be surrounded by the food you're eating," Mr. Zizmor said.
Mr. Zizmor is considering whether to keep several panels cultivating on Long Island so he can swap them out each season.
AT about $125 a square foot, or $500 per planted panel, plus more for design, delivery and maintenance, edible walls do not make sense for every home, or even cities where there is open land.
Still, Mr. Irwin has shown that edible walls can work on a larger scale. At four locations in the Skid Row area of Los Angeles, there are walls with more than 4,000 plants growing: tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, spinach, leeks, even baby watermelon. At one location, a homeless shelter, residents tend to a six-foot-high, 30-foot-long wall, eating some food they harvest and selling the rest.
The project, urban farming advocates say, is just the start of something larger.
"We have 30 miles of rooftop in New York City and maybe 3,000 miles of walls," said Paul Mankiewicz, the executive director of the Gaia Institute in New York. "It's basically about maximizing the productivity per square foot."


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2019 / 2020 Goaltending Overview
BLOMHA's approach to the position of goaltending is two-fold: provide the opportunity for younger aged children to try the position; and to focus on improving all of our goalies' skating proficiency in conjunction with honing specific goalie skills.
Our House League goalie rotation program starts at Initiation Program 7 (Minor Novice) and continues in Novice (8). Goalie equipment is provided to the teams so no investment is required by the parents to have their children try the position. The program also eliminates the need for a season-long commitment by any one player. The element of the pressure to win is replaced by the enjoyment of trying something new.
Washington Capitals No. 1 Braden Holtby won the Vezina Trophy in 2016 and added the Stanley Cup this season, so goaltending parents everywhere might want to pay attention when he lists not being a full-time goalie at too young an age as one of the keys to his success. – InGoal Magazine | June 20, 2018 | Read full article
Our Skating Improvement Program (SIP sessions) are available to House League, Select and Rep MD goalies at all ages. A goalie's skating competence becomes very apparent when the pads come off and they run through drills. Therefore these sessions are conducted without goalie equipment in order to assess skill level and allow participants to push their limits without the restriction of goalie pads. The sessions work on turning, stopping, acceleration, crossovers, backwards skating and specific skills related to goalie crease movement.
Participants wear tracksuits with basic safety equipment – helmet with a full cage, regular gloves and stick, neck guard and regular skates or goalie skates, elbow and shin pads and a protective cup (jock). Full out equipment if you have it. Goalie masks can be worn if a regular helmet is not available.
"He (Holtby's father) really encouraged me to play as a forward and a goaltender … so I played both up until peewee, which really helped develop my skating, helped develop my puck handling, all those other things you wouldn't really get by choosing to be just a goaltender at a really young age," Holtby said. – InGoal Magazine | June 20, 2018 | Read full article
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subset: commoncrawl


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The movie Borat is a lot of things, a comic triumph, mean, weirdly Tocquevillian. It is filled with anti-semitic humor, and I admit I laughed. But there is also something really scary about the film, and that seems to me the takeaway, if you are Jewish (which the maker, Sacha Baron Cohen, is): the feeling that it could happen here, pogroms could happen in the United States in about ten seconds.
The U.S. portrait Borat offers is of an ignorant redneck land pulsating with unexamined prejudice. A crowd at a rodeo cheer when Borat gives a speech about killing every woman and child in Iraq. College students who pick him up hitchhiking are pleased to talk about the power of Jews in America. His image of Christians at a revival meetingcrazies. And into this world comes Borat, from a village in eastern Europe, not far from the old Pale of Settlement, talking about Jews and money. When he shows us his village's annual festival of the Running of the Jew, culminating in the destruction of the Jew egg, the Jew baby, the American audience you're sitting with is laughing.
It felt to me like a test. Borat was saying, Watch, I will bring virulent anti-Semitism from eastern Europe to the liberal utopia, and people here will eat it up. These ignorant people too can turn into cossacks under the right circumstances.
I don't agree with Borat on this. I think America is too liberal, too diverse and too loving of its diversity, to fall for such a thing. But I got a chill alright.


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Now with the fourth team of his rookie NFL season, Kirk Barton has strong advice for those who might follow in his footsteps.
Now with the fourth team of his rookie NFL season, Kirk Barton has strong advice for those who might follow in his footsteps.
"Don't sign a lease. Extended Stay Hotels are your friend."
Barton, an All-Big Ten offensive lineman at Ohio State, laughed. But it's his serious desire to play in the NFL that landed him with the Cincinnati Bengals on Thanksgiving night when they signed him off Miami's practice squad.
"I'm going someplace where I think I have a realistic chance at playing," said Barton, who doesn't expect to be active for a game Sunday against Baltimore. "Bottom line, you just want to play."
A seventh-round draft pick by Chicago, he made the team in training camp and played on special teams in the Bears' season opener.
Then Barton was cut two days later.
"In Chicago, I had just signed a six-month apartment lease the Friday before the opening game, and I was gone within a week," Barton said.
The Bears intended to sign him to their practice squad, but the Dolphins claimed him off waivers. He was added to Miami's active roster, never was activated for a game and was cut Oct. 16.
Miami also planned to add Barton to its practice squad, but San Francisco claimed him. He and his fiance, Brittany Jordan, had just gotten an apartment fixed up when he suddenly was headed for the West Coast.
"Amazing," Barton said. "Other than going from Miami to Seattle, you can't really make a bigger switch, miles-wise, in the NFL."
He arrived in San Francisco just before coach Mike Nolan was fired and Mike Singletary was promoted. He witnessed Singletary ordering tight end Vernon Davis off the field during a game and Singletary's halftime speech in which he dropped his pants.
"I don't want to go into too much detail, but it was an interesting time, to say the least," Barton said. "We also had a bye week during that time, so I took the opportunity to pretty much see California for the first time, to drive down and see Hollywood."
Never activated for a game, he was cut Nov. 9. Three days later, the Dolphins signed him again. All he had to do was pack three bags -- "That's where I discovered Extended Stay" -- and on his return to the Dolphins he signed for a seven-week stay in a modest beachfront vacation condo in Hollywood Beach.
"Of course, we're not using it the last few weeks, but my future in-laws said they might go down and stay there for a while," Barton said.
Again, he laughed. But at least Barton knows there is interest in him.
"Young linemen are a pretty big commodity in the league," he said. "Everybody wants young tackles. That's why Miami wanted to keep me."
In the past two weeks, the Bengals have lost two starting linemen to injuries, left tackle Levi Jones (leg and back) and left guard Andrew Whitworth (ankle sprain), plus backup guard Scott Kooistra (knee).
"He's a young prospect who will have an opportunity to grow and develop," coach Marvin Lewis said. "It's a good way to add another prospective guy to our roster."
Dispatch reporter Scott Priestle contributed to this story.


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Youth Ministry Grades 6-12
Our vision of Youth Ministry begins with proclaiming the Good News of Jesus to young people and encouraging them to become his disciples. Our challenge is to present the Good News in a way that young people can make the connection between what they are hearing and how it applies to their lives today, as part of their life-long faith journey. To accomplish this, we must incorporate the spiritual, social, cultural, and developmental areas of an adolescent's life. We must identify their needs and interests and provide appropriate ministry and programming in response.
The appropriate approach to effective youth ministry is one that is comprehensive. The blueprint for accomplishing this can be found in the document "Renewing the Vision: A Framework for Catholic Youth Ministry." This document emphasizes the call to make ministry to youth a concern for the entire church community. In order to respond to the needs of our youth, we must focus on three goals: to empower young people to live as disciples of Jesus Christ in our world today; to draw young people to responsible participation in the life, mission, and work of the Catholic faith community; and to foster the total personal and spiritual growth of each young person. Ministry to young people includes catechetical programs, creative prayer and worship experiences, service opportunities, mentoring programs, and the development of leadership skills.
Youth Ministry Mission Statement
Preaching, teaching, leading and living the Catholic life; to excite and inspire the youth of St. Andrew by the Bay to serve God and his people with love and compassion!
Serve, Pray, Love


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Mt Olympus Ski Resort Guide
Photo credit: Bernard Musyck
Photo credit: adventuretrek
Photo credit: Yiannis
Photo credit: Joanna
Slope Stats
- Acres of ski:-
- Pistes:6
- Snowmaking:-
- Halfpipes:-
- Terrain Parks:-
- X-Country:-
- beginner80%
- intermediate20%
- advanced
The sport of skiing first appeared on Cyprus sometime around 1934, when a group of people created the first 'Mountaineering Club' of the island. After World War II, the Cyprus Ski Club was created in 1947 and since then it has a leading role in the development of skiing on the island. The first lift was built and operated on the eastern face of Mt Olympus, while a second lift was built in 1951 to the west of Troodos Square. Today many hundreds of Cypriots and perhaps as many foreigners enjoy the wonderful sport of skiing every winter on the beautiful slopes of Mt Olympus. Skiing, with its 60 year plus history on this island, is here not only to stay, but to continue its growth. The nearest airport to Mt Olympus is Larnaka.
- Nearest Airport:Larnaka
- Nearest Train Station:
- Tourist Office Phone:+357 22 449837
- Tourist Office Website:www.cyprusski.com
- Slopeside accommodation:-
- 2
- -
Announcements & News from the Mt Olympus ski resort manager
Join our ski resort manager programme
The resort is still closed for the season.
Latest Snow Reportview full snow report
- Issued:20 Jan
- Last Snowfall:20 January 2020
- Snow Depth (upper):–
- Snow Depth (lower):–
- Piste:-
- Off-piste:-
Today's Weather (1890 m)view full snow forecast
2150 m
2000 m
1150 m
Resorts close to Mt Olympus include:
- Laqlouq 288km
- Ehden Town 292km
- Mzaar Ski Resort 293km
- Zaarour 293km
- Cedars 302km
Mt Olympus Location Maps
(Also see our detailed Weather Map around Mt Olympus, which will give you visual overview of current and future snow conditions)
Visitor Reviews of Mt Olympus
FMC from Cyprus writes:
Having just read a pretty poor review of Mt Olympus, I am peed off so will write my own. I have lived here for 3 years and only just discovered the mountain this season. It is great; plenty of snow this year, the lift pass and ski hire (own boots) was 12 Euros. Yes, 12 Euros for a day. That was the first nice surprise. Locals, expats and military folk stationed here should take full advantage. It is not a place you would come to from the UK expecting a week of skiing. But, if you are here and the conditions are good, please go up to Troodos. We drove up in an Astra with no chains and managed to park on the busiest day of the season, a bank holiday Monday, queued for rental about 15 mins and got some fairly old skis which were perfectly adequate. There was over a metre of snow too and the place looked beautiful with lots of pine trees covered in snow. On a later visit, this week, it had bit less snow but was still skiable.
Speaking as a person who learnt to ski as a child in the very rough and ready Alpine region of Australia, Mt Olympus brought back happy memories of just skiing for fun; no need to cover a massive resort to get value from your expensive lift pass, no piste maps, no lift queues and not a go pro in sight. It ain't Val d'Isere and I love it for that.
If you go you can expect to get good experience skiing in sometimes difficult conditions. There appears to be no grooming of slopes. You could learn to ski here; there are ski school group lessons for 15 Euros, private lessons for 35 Euros. I have skied in much worse condition this time of year (mid March) in Andorra, France, Italy so really I think Mt Olympus is a little gem. Beware of other skiers/snowboarders though, some people are out of their depth and can be a bit scary, i.e the inability to stop or check their speed.
City Forecasts
Closest to Mt Olympus
- Limassol, Cyprus34km
- Kyrenia, Cyprus42km
- Paphos, Cyprus46km
- Nicosia, Cyprus50km
- Larnaca, Cyprus70km
Surf Breaks
Closest to Mt Olympus
- Shipwrecks, Cyprus39km
- Helios Bay, Cyprus45km
- Potima Point, Cyprus45km
- Venus Beach, Cyprus46km
- Cripplers, Cyprus50km
Mountain Peaks
Closest to Mt Olympus
- Mount Olympus (Cyprus), Cyprus0km
- Jabal el Barouk, Lebanon296km
- Mount Sannine, Lebanon297km
- Mount Aqraa, Turkey303km
- Mount Lebanon, Lebanon306km


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At Matter of Trust and globalcompostproject.org, we're committed to promoting natural abundance and composting. We've teamed up with experts including scientists, NGOs and agriculture specialists from around the world to share information on a platform to make it easy and commonplace.
In 2014, Matter of Trust partnered with Marin Carbon Project (John Wick), The Carbon Cycle Institute (Dr. Jeffrey Creque), UC Berkeley (Dr. Whendee Silver's Laboratory), Lawrence Berkeley Laboratories (Dr. Gary Anderson), and many other organizations and waste diversion experts to establish the Global Compost Project. Visit the website for resources, partners, pledges and more.
Our goal is an awareness campaign and large scale green/brown waste recycling mobilization that creates enough compost to cover millions of acres of government-owned grazed rangelands in the US and beyond. This program diverts organics from the waste stream and promotes composting of soil everywhere it makes sense, in order to help boost photosynthesis so that nature can pull more carbon back into the Earth.
Nature is always in balance, but humans only thrive in certain environmental conditions and, says John Wick, "right now, for much of life on the planet, there is too much carbon in the air and too little carbon in the soil". Human activity, such as mono-cropping, tilling, mining, drilling, fracking, logging, slashing and burning, under grazing, overgrazing, factory farming, and the use of polluting pesticides have depleted our soils. These practices can cause ecosystems to crash and some landscapes to off-gas CO2.
Compost is an easy, natural human invention that boosts photosynthesis while cleaning up the mess we've created.
Two peer reviewed studies that took place over a seven-year period clearly demonstrated proof of concept. The Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and Marin Carbon Project found that by spreading roughly 1/4 inch (1cm) of compost on grazed rangelands, the microbes in the soil are activated to naturally sequester more carbon. Via photosynthesis, composted plants and trees intake carbon at greater rates, averaging 1 ton per acre per year for up to 30 years.
The results are delighting water conservationists, microbiologists, and climate change scientists around the world. Compost replenishes the soil carbon to balanced levels. It is as if the eco-systems are rebooted, and within one to five years native grasses and wildlife rebound. The carbon intake, forage capacity and water retention return to more normal rhythms.
Rangelands are key because grasses can withstand decades of drought and have roots that grow vertically straight down (as much as 30 feet) pulling carbon deep into the earth. Trees are also very important in the carbon cycle. Trees are more likely to grow near water sources and have roots that fan out horizontally.
Grazing lands are most efficient when animals eat only the green tips and don't pull up the vital roots. The grasses then regrow and continue to pull in more carbon. The key is to neither undergraze nor overgraze rangelands, but to work naturally with the optimal strategy for each ecosystem. Carbon sequestering techniques include multi-strata farming, managed grazing and many more.
Aerated compost rows with active, natural bacteria reach steaming temperatures of 131 degrees Fahrenheit (degrees 55 Celsius) that continue for three-week spans. This thermophilic composting of green and brown waste can breakdown toxins and synthetic compounds (medicinal, chemical and hormonal) due to the sustained high temperatures.
Want to know how you can impact climate change from your own kitchen? Find out more about the Global Compost Project and make a pledge here.


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New State President
We have a new President!
Please join me in welcoming our new state President, Dean Swearingen.
Congratulations! Please also join me in thanking Mike Rowley for all his hard work and determination over the last year as being our President.
Good luck in all your future ventures!


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"I would just like to complement your friendly technician that was sent to attend to the broken machine. He was fast and efficient and we appreciate his excellent service to get the machine fixed quickly. "
Sharon Du Preez
Scholtz Attorneys
"I would like to thank Mthasako for his excellent customer service skills."
Ridwaan Cassim
Lencar Exclusive Properties
"Thanx a mill Brightness. Good to see that good service still exists."
Charmaine Venter
Coleus Packaging
"I would just like to give a big compliment to the great service we just received from Greg, he is excellent."
John Murray
Country Manager - Africa
"I would like to extend a word of thanks to the delivery guys today. The stairs to my office caused quite a problem getting the machines into my office. These gentlemen worked hard to get the machines in.
Many thanks to Johannes, Thuso, Joel, Lawrence, Jabu and Collin. They were very friendly and did this hectic job without complaining. They made a plan and got the machines in.
I am really appreciative as it is as you know a mission to carry the machines let alone navigate stairs with obstacles.I hope you can extend my thanks and appreciation to them for doing such a great job."
Katherine Benbrook
Mind The Gap
"I would like to extend a very BIG word of thanks to your excellent service. Thabiso did a good job. He was very friendly!! Thank you!"
Life Ministries Christian Sschool
"As a regular driver on the N1 it is a wonderful sight, seeing the South African Rugby flags waving in the wind from your premises! It really heightens one's spirit and makes one realise that among all the business related matters we face every day, that we should pause for these wonderful moments as well!
Thanks to Toshiba making me, and thousands of other road users, aware of this fact!"
Dawid Liebenberg
PostNet Southern Africa
"I would like to bring your attention to the excellent technical support I received today (telephonically) from Mr Clifford Mbasa of Toshiba. He is an expert in his field but showed great patience in dealing with myself – hardly an expert.
He is an asset to Toshiba and I truly hope he is appreciated as same."
Nadine Bentel
Childrens Disability Centre
"Just a thank you letter for the service we've received for over 20 years, adn today specially for the assistance from your company after we've has the mishap when our house was hit by lightening causing our printer and computer to be destroyed
Your sales manager Mr Craig Ashpin, that has been assisting us for this whole time we've been hiring your machines, this is the 5th machine from Toshiba, and we're only had the best service from your company"
Pastor Jakes Snyman
"We would like to express our thanks to Gregory and Greg for their excellent services this morning in assisting us with moving our two printers for us. They truly went the extra mile."
Madelaine Posthumus
Thinking Fusion Africa
"I would like to commend Keanan on his fabulous service. He was so pleasant and very thorough"
Lesley Caddy
Randburg Clinic School


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Framed or unframed, desk size to sofa size, printed by us in Arizona and Alabama since 2007. Explore now.
Shorpy is funded by you. Help by purchasing a print or contributing. Learn more.
Circa 1916. "Hackett Motor Car Co., Jackson, Michigan." National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size. Another view here.
Maury Klein has a great book called The Power Makers which describes the race to industrialize using the power of steam (which clearly was the driving force of this shop), the rate at which steam depleted forests and then led to widespread use of anthracite coal, and finally to Edison and Westinghouse's battles to electrify the country.
Highly recommended, a very engaging study of the key decisionmaking and makers behind the US industrial revolution. His description of the mighty Corliss steam engine will make you weep.
For many years my dad was a machinist for the NYC Department of Sanitation. I'd visit him at his job in Bed-Stuy. It always had a smell of grease and oil. I loved that smell.
Back in those days the they would burn the trash right on site in these huge furnaces. I remember the shop always being nice and toasty in the winter and hot as hell in the summer.
I always thought it was the neatest place to be.
That's an an air tank, not a water heater. The compressor is to the right.
My father used to work in the Erie RR maintenance shops as a teenager back before WWII. He was telling me one day about all the overhead belt drive machinery. The belts are all leather and apparently making, fitting and adjusting new belts was a skilled trade in those days. He remembers a company that would come in about once a year to inspect, adjust and, if necessary, replace worn belts. This was all tied up with getting the drive gear ratios adjusted properly for each piece of equipment, and the drive wheels placed properly. According to Dad it was not a task you took lightly because an improperly adjusted belt or worse, a broken belt, would have serious consequences.
Actually, you'd be surprised how easily those line shafts could be set up.
Typically the shaft supports had some method of adjustment- quadrant screws, slots, etc. That mad it as simple as bolting the bracket to the board or joist, run the shaft through it, and tweak the screws 'til it's straight.
You can see the adjusters fairly clearly on the left-hand post-mounted shafting, and on the nearest-right ceiling shaft that powers the pedestal grinder.
The pulleys are almost as easy. Yes, they need to be somewhat closely aligned, but they're slightly crowned and typically wider than the belt itself. That and the distance allow them to be misaligned by quite a bit and still work reliably.
Setting the tension was reasonably easy too- cut the belt to length, press in new clips. pin back together, done. If/when the belt stretches or breaks, just cut and add another clip.
It was actually surprisingly efficient for the time.
Drive belts were not prone to come off their pulleys. One of the things we studied in engineering when I went to school was how they worked. The pulleys have a slight crown on them. As the moving belt starts to move sideways off a pulley, the crown causes it to move back. We analyzed the mathematics of the process. The belts are self-centering.
AT wrote: "It must have been a job keeping those belts from spinning right of their pulleys. Alignment must have been critical."
Actually, with flat leather belts, the pulley alignment is not a critical factor in their performance. Usually the flat pulley has a slight crown on the surface which helps to keep the belt centered on the pulley. The torque delivered comes strictly from the friction between the flat surface of the belt and the pulley face.
The more modern v-belt requires precisely aligned pulleys because the friction occurs between the edges of the belt and the walls of the pulley grooves into which the belt is forced by drive tension.
This appears to be a very modern shop for its time, with the gaslight and the power-driven machines. When I was young we used flat belts like these to power our buzz saw -- we attached it to our John Deere Model A tractor. When those belts broke the result was sometimes tragic.
The Poor Housekeeping Seal.
Riveted water heater tank, overhead belts, no guards on grinders, parts all over the floor, overhead gas lighting and, I'm sure, open containers of solvents somewhere in the mix. Yassir, 'nuf stuff in there to keep the OSHA inspector busy for days!
It must have been a job keeping those belts from spinning right of their pulleys. Alignment must have been critical. I imagine that there was a trade devoted to that task. And when a belt snaps and flies off there were whoops and hollers! All right, all right. Get back to work.
Shops like this one are engineering marvels. The big belts and shafts, the gaslights and machinery all on a safe oil soaked wood floor littered with stock, fascinate me.
Let's see ... Two W.H. & J. Barnes Drilling Machines (or possibly Rockfords, but they don't have back gears) and one of a different model that may be an earlier or smaller version, or a different brand entirely.
The near machine is a Rockford (no relation) No. 3 hand miller, and the small pedestal grinder just past it is, I think, a Buffalo Forge- the work rests are sitting on the crate in front of it.
I think the shaper is a Gould & Eberhard 16", but I'm probably wrong. Can't see enough of either lathe for an ID, but the horizontal mill toward the back right is almost certainly a small Brown & Sharpe.
All that and some gas lamps, too!


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Decisions are like answers to questions. When I think of the word "decision" or "decide" I think of the multiple choice test question where two of the choices seem right, but I can't decide which one. I also think of Robert Frost's illustration in his poem "The Road Not Taken". Like a traveller at a fork in the road, Frost's words "Yet knowing how way leads on to way, I doubted if I should ever come back" (Frost, 1920) illustrate the challenges that can come with a simple decision.
It is said in education that teachers make thousands of decisions every day. If you live with a teacher, you may have noticed that at the end of the day, they are tired of questions. This is because they answer so many during the 7-8 hour period we call "school": "Will we have homework today?", "Who's turn is it?", "Can I go to the bathroom?" That last one is for you English teachers. But, at the end of the day any teacher will tell you that they are tired of decisions and questions. I believe that mindless sitcoms are distinct favorites of teachers for this very reason.
"Do the right thing". Out of all of my graduate work, these words of my mentor stick in my mind. While completing the practicum portion of my master of education administration degree, I worked under the supervision of Christopher White. Mr. White is principal at Crossroads Charter Academy in Big Rapids, Michigan. In one of our many discussions regarding the many decisions that a principal makes, he answered, "Do the right thing". I don't exactly remember the question that necessitated this answer, but the question was about the sometimes difficult and often complex issues that principals deal with. On the face of it, the answer seemed too simple, and yet there is a lot of wisdom in the simple stuff. It can get so easy to focus on the complexities of problems that your attention can get distracted from the basics. I think this is where Mr. White wanted to direct my attention, and in discussions with many other principals, I have heard similar advice.
I think that part of this has to do with the difference between wisdom and knowledge. Knowledge is the understanding of facts while wisdom is the ability to understand knowledge and apply it for lasting success. As Christians, we recognize that true wisdom is from God. And it is found in His word. This is where Lutheran Schools thrive because they are rooted in God's word. Lutheran teachers, with the help of the Holy Spirit, not only impart facts and figures but also wisdom to their students. All of this, because they are called by an Omniscient God into their mission field.
This can lead a person to ask, "And what about when we get it wrong?" Here too our Lutheran Schools are equipped to lead people in the way they should go. We recognize that we all are sinful and in need of God's saving grace. Our Lutheran schools talk about and show forgiveness. When troubles arise, and they always do, we find peace in the fact that there is forgiveness. We find comfort in God's word which shows us examples of God choosing imperfect people to do His work on earth. Like a sower who scatters seed, we instruct students in our Lutheran Schools and pray that those seeds of God's word take root in our students. That seed of God's wisdom makes Lutheran Education vital in our world today.


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Overhead Door Company of Salinas™ is a leading provider of overhead and garage door systems. From residential garage doors to commercial overhead doors and openers, Overhead Door provides the solutions, service and support you need to ensure your home or business is safe and has reliable access everyday.
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How Healthy Are You?
We're putting together a program called the Salubrity Index to give you quantifiable values to assess your overall state of health.
It's a strange thing about people, we never appreciate things when their functional, it's only after they break do we begin to realize their value. Which is why quality IT people are so under-appreciated in this world. As long as our bodies are meeting our needs, we never pay them any attention. We abuse them, neglect them, feed them garbage and make little effort for maintenance. Until one day, there's a problem and then for a short span, we pay attention. What we want to do here is help people maintain their bodies, and one of the keys to doing that is running diagnostics to determine if there are any problems ahead.
Know your Metrics
I love numbers, they're like a reliable friend that you can always count on. They don't lie and they're a universal language in which we can all agree. In a former life I was a high school math teacher and most of my students, were mostly convinced, they hated numbers. But I contend that people love math and numbers, even if they say the don't.
My friends can rattle off all their fantasy football players stats, for every week, for all of their multiple fantasy teams. Mom can tell me carb/fat ratios in everything that she eats. My girlfriend can always tell me who has is offering what percentage of discounts for anything I need to buy. Dad, although he can't remember where he put his keys, can tell me the current prices of all his favorite stocks, and what they were when he bought and sold them from even decades ago. It's amazing that people can retain so much numerical information about the things that they care about.
Nobody seems to have any idea what their own bio markers are. Blood pressure numbers? How about lipid counts? Something as simple as your height/waist ratio? Nope. Maybe some know their weight within a few pounds, but it seems it's the only metric people care about, and it's mostly just for vanities sake. Sadly the scale is typically a poor indicator of overall health. We can do better.
Quantifying our Health
The Salubrity Index is all about getting people to know their bio statistics. Understanding the numbers that tell them about their body, so they can make informed decisions about how to improve their metrics and realize the benefits of healthy living.
This index will take in a wide array of factors that can be determined by self assessment to get a data driven understanding of your overall health.
Understand that nothing you do at home can replace the value of going to a hospital and getting a full workup. This is not a replacement for getting a physical or checkup at a clinic/hospital by trained physicians. What we're proposing is putting together a set of diagnostics that you can easily measure at home so you can have an ongoing system of metrics to evaluate your health by. Fortunately in this age of technology a lot of the tests that are run in doctor's offices, can be run at home. So what we're doing here is simply applying the Pareto Principle to our own diagnostics and collecting the most data we can for the least amount of effort/cost.
In an attempt to garner as much data as possible, I've broken data collection up into various categories based on ease of administration and usefulness of the data.
- No Tools Required
You can get all these data points right now while you're reading this. You don't need any tools to get these metrics.
- Beginner Basics
These are basic stats that require some minor equipment, this set of metrics is a great baseline of bio markers.
- Advanced Targeted Arsenal
These are typically more targeted tests that approach a smaller subset of data. After you've got your basics, you'll want to go through these and see which tests you feel are best for you.
As we gather up all the data, we can begin to gain a better assessment of your overall health.
Let's get started…
No Tools Required
This list of personal tests are not only for gathering some information, but also to make you aware of all your body's systems and all the things that are working right, that you may not be paying any attention to.
Things you'll need before running through this gamut of tests:
- Pen and Paper
- Timer (smartphone timer should be adequate)
- Tape Measure
- Plastic Spoon (preferred) or Metal Spoon
- Clear Ziploc bag (big enough to put said spoon inside)
Strength and Balance
Sit-Up Capacity
Research has shown that sit-up capacity stands out as a mortality predictor. The idea is that those with more muscle mass tend to have better insulin resistance. This is an easy assessment and a good workout.
It's simple, how many sit-ups can you do in one minute?
If you're near or below these numbers, your muscle mass is probably in sufficient and you should make an effort to get some resistance training in your regimen. Swimming is one the most effective fully body resistance workouts you can do that requires very little equipment.
The ability to balance is a large indicator for who is likely to have serious falls/accidents in the future. This affects young and old alike.
It's an easy test, just take off your shoes and balance on one foot, cross your arms and lift your leg to a 45 degree angle, for as long as you can. 5 seconds is the statistically significant indicator for older adults that separates those who are more likely to fall in the next 3 years.
|#Sec Eyes Open
|#Sec Eyes Closed
If your balance is poor, there are both neurological and physical factors that could be a play. You'll find bodyweight routines like yoga or pilates can help strengthen your core and help with your overall balance.
Walking Speed
People who walk slow are 3x more likely to die from heart disease. Walking speed is currently the most accurate way to determine which adults are at risk for falls.
Slow walkers = 26% higher chances of hospitalization and 50% higher mortality within 7 years.
Find a place where you can mark off a distance in meters, anything greater than 5 or 6 should be sufficient, and time how long it takes you to walk that distance. You can walk as fast as you want, but you must not run or stride, meaning always one foot should be on the ground.
Take the # of Seconds / # of Meters and that gives your walking speed in meters per second. 1.5 meters per second is average and if you're slower than that, then your risk increases.
Criss-Cross Apple Sauce
This test your overall strength and balance, in just 10 seconds.
Start off with 10 points. Cross your legs, squat down and sit down on the floor; then get back up. If any part of your body touches down, you lose a point for each touch, also subtract one point if you wobble. Here's a guide complete with pictures.
Every point you lose is a 21% increased risk in mortality in the next 6 years. This study was done in individuals over 50, so for younger people that correlation is probably skewed. However, if you're under 50 and score less than 8, you should really examine your lifestyle and make some changes.
Circulatory System
Palm Reading (a real fortune teller)
Iron deficiency is common among both women (due to menstruation blood loss) and those who abstain from eating meat. Iron's primary roll is to help your body transfer oxygen to all the cells in your body. If you're iron deprived, your cells are lacking oxygen and that causes fatigue, trouble focusing, irregular heart-beat and shortness of breath.
Fortunately, a quick glance at your palms or mouth can give you a good indication about your iron levels. Simply spread you palm wide and look at the creases? If they're considerably pale, then you may be Anemic (low iron). Other places to check are inside your gums or inside your eyelids. These all have blood circulating close to the skin, so if the skin is pale, you're probably low.
If you're looking pale, and and suspect Iron deficiency, you can go to a clinic to run a hemoglobin or hematocrit test to check your iron levels. If you're hesitant to go to the clinic, you can run a hemoglobin test at home. In the meantime you should make an effort to eat iron rich foods, leafy green vegetables and meats. You can take an iron supplement, but you should probably find out your hemoglobin levels first before supplementation. Over supplementing Iron causes as many issues as deficiency has, so be careful with supplementation.
The Pitter Patter of Your Heart
An irregular heartbeat is something that many people have but don't realize. A-Fib is dangerous because as blood pools in the heart due to the irregular rhythm, a clot can form, which causes strokes.
Some people have a constant irregular heartbeat, some come and go, and the later is harder to detect. The easiest way to test your heart is simply to take your pulse and tap your foot to the rhythm of the beats. Is it consistent, can you keep the rhythm or is it erratic? Check it at multiple times of the day, and especially if you're feeling a flutter. If you're noticing a flutter or an irregular pattern, you should see a doctor about it. Sometimes it's as easy fixed as ensuring you're getting an adequate amount of electrolytes.
Pins and Needles
- On your bed, lie on your back and use pillows/cushions to elevate both your legs to a elevate both your 45 degree angle. Wait one full minute and then quickly move your legs to let them hang at a 90 degree angle off the side of the bed. (basically touching the floor if you can reach it)
- Wait 30 seconds and look at your legs. If they are considerably more pale when elevated, you may have peripheral arterial disease (which simply the narrowing of the arteries of the legs) or Raynaud's Disease.
- Other symptoms are cramping, pain, leg tiredness when walking or climbing stairs.
Diabetes Risks
Just the Facts Ma'am
Diabetes is a treatable, sometime preventable, and one of the leading causes of death in the United States. 96% of people that are pre-diabetic don't know about it.
Answer these few questions about common risk factors…
- Gender?
Male: +1
Female: 0
- Age?
< 40: 0
40-49: +1
50-59: +2
60 >: +3
- Immediate Family Member with Diabetes?
Yes: +1
No: 0
- Do you have high blood pressure or are being treated for it?
Yes: +1
No: 0
- Overweight?
Normal: 0
Overweight: +1
Obese: +2
Extremely obese: +3
- Physically Active?
No: 0
Yes: –1
If you score a 4 or higher, chances are that you're already pre-diabetic. More than 5 and you're considered high risk for diabetes.
If you're likely to be diabetic or even pre-diabteic, it's very important to get a blood glucose test to test your insulin sensitivity. It's best to get this done in a professional setting, but If you're hesitant to go to the doctor, you can start by taking a test at home.
Agility and Longevity
Hope you washed your feet
The lining of the blood vessels is composed of the same smooth muscle tissue as the tissue lining your hips and back. So by testing your flexibility you can get a fairly reliable indication of the shape of your circulatory network. This has been backed by studies that showed adults who adhere to stretching regimens showed a significant increase in their arterial flexibility as well.
All you need to do to check this is sit on the floor with your legs straight in front of you, with our toes pointing up. Then bend forward and see if you can touch your toes. If you can't, then you're at a higher risk for hypertension, which can be treated. Get a proper reading at a cuff in the grocery store or at home utilizing a home monitor. Blood pressure may be the single most important health metric you can measure, so having a monitor at home is a real good idea.
Add 10 minutes of stretches to your morning routine and you should be benefitting both your muscles and circulatory system.
Oral Health
Tongue Residue Test
- Stick your tongue out and scrape the back of it with a spoon, preferably a white plastic spoon, try to collect as much 'material' as possible.
- Take your sample and put it in a clear plastic bag and seal it
- Put the sample in the bag under a bright light for 1 minute
- Examine the spoon, is the sample discolored, or thick? It should be clear and not have a mild odor.
- If the smell is particularly ominous it could be signs of a further health related issues.
- Fruity smell? Diabetes
- Ammonia (Urine of Fishy)? Kidney Issues
For a more detailed analysis, here is a list of causes of bad breath.
Also, please note, this is a pretty good indicator what your breath smells like to people in your life.
Gum Disease
Pay attention to your gums when you're brushing and flossing (you are flossing aren't you?).
- Do they bleed?
- Are they swollen?
- Do you have loose teeth?
Gums a good indicator of overall oral health. Periodontitis (gum disease), is fairly common and is actually significantly correlated with heart disease. It's often a bacterial infection that can be easily treated, but you need to be aware of it.
Cancer Screenings
Know your body. This is key to early cancer detection. Self checks are not a replacement for getting professional checkups. However, if you make a habit of checking yourself and paying attention to your body a bit more, you're considerably more likely to notice issues earlier. Early detection is possibly the most important aspect to cancer treatment, so get to know your body, it's the only one you'll ever have. At the beginning of every month, give your body a quick once over. After you've done these checks a few times, it'll only take a few minutes, might save your life.
Testicular self check
The American Cancer Society has a good guide on checking yourself.
Breast Self exam
Self exams are not a replacement to mammograms, but are a great supplementary tool. Here's some guidance on breast self exams.
Oral Cancer
Rates are rising, and growth is mostly due to HPV infections, you need to pay attention to your mouth and throat. 30 percent of oral cancers originate in the tongue, 17 percent in the lip, and 14 percent in the floor of the mouth. Though with the increase of HPV infections, cancers are starting to be found in the tonsils, tonsillar pillar and crypt, the base of the tongue, and the oropharynx. Survival rates of oral cancer are HIGHLY correlated to the stage at which they're discovered. If you have a sore that hasn't healed within 10-14 days, see someone about it right away, don't hesitate.
Here's a guide to checking for oral cancers at home.
Skin Cancer
Nothing can replace having a good dermatologist give you a skin cancer screening. The only problem is that they can't be there everyday to look for changes. Unless you happen to be dating one. So get to know your own skin and know what to look for or find a partner to help you.
Look over your moles and spots. All of them! It only takes one to cause problems.
Have any changed recently?
Do you have any new ones that have suddenly developed?
Here are the guidelines for looking at suspicious moles, known as 'ABCDE'.
- A, asymmetry: If the mole is cut in half vertically, the two halves are not the same.
- B, border: The edges of the mole are irregular.
- C, color: There are changes in the color of the mole or surrounding area.
- D, diameter: The diameter of the mole is larger than 5mm.
- E, everything: The mole starts to itch, bleed, or change in any way.
There are various smart phone apps that make claims to be able to detect skin cancer. One of the more popular and tested ones is Skin Vision. A few years ago it was demonstrating an 81% accuracy rate with melanoma detection, but their algorithm has been getting better every year. This is still not a replacement for a proper dermatologist. Ff you find anything suspicious, you could at least get some idea whether it's serious, while you're waiting for your appointment with the Doctor. If you're having trouble getting an appointment, you may be ables to send your dermatologist images of your suspicions and they can often make a diagnosis based on photographic evidence. Melanoma caught in the earliest stage has a 99% survival rate, but only 14% when caught in late stages.
Mental Health
Depression and Bipolar Disorders
Depression has physiological effects as well as mental. Depression causes increased risk of heart disease and diabetes. It's not easy to diagnose so you may have it and never be diagnosed.
The first diagnostic set of questions are relatively simple:
- During the past 30 days, have you often been bothered by feeling down, depressed, or hopeless?
- During the past 30 days, have you often been bothered by having little interest or pleasure in doing things?
If you answer yes to both those questions, it's worth taking a further look. There are a lot of tests online that can give you a better understanding of your depression.
This simple test has been shown in research to be a good screening tool for showing early signs of dementia.
- Get a pen and paper and draw a clock, complete with all 12 numbers and the hands pointing to 3:40.
- Closed Circle: +1
- Properly Placed Numbers +1
- Getting all 12 Numbers +1
- Properly Placed Hands +1
- If you lose any points, (score is less than 4) there might be cause for concern and it would be a good idea to get a dementia screening.
Clean Air
How clean is the air that you live in? Download an air quality app to find out. You might be surprised how much dirtier the air is than you think. The only app I've found that doesn't give you watered down numbers is 'Air Quality: Real time AQI'. There are many factors to air pollution, different size particulates, various gases and air composition. Though the most commonly discussed one is PM2.5, as it's perceived to cause the most harm. PM2.5 are very small particles that can get deep into your lungs and are responsible for causing bronchitis and cancer.
If your PM2.5 AQI levels are consistently higher than 100, you should invest in an air purifier for your home. You can even make one yourself, all you need is a fan and a HEPA filter. The folks at Smart Air started this DYI air cleaner trend.
Quality of Sleep
- Sleep how much sleep are you averaging per week?
- What time do you usually get to sleep by?
- How would you rate the quality of sleep?
- Is your room totally blacked out?
- Do you have a quiet area to sleep?
Sleep Apnea (ask your partner)
You'll need to ask someone who is acquainted with being in the same room as you while you're sleeping. Ask them about your snoring (if they haven't already complained to you about it). If your snoring is very loud, peppered with occasional pauses (longer than 10secs) or including gasping, moaning and mumbling. If you're nodding off in the middle of the day, but you got a good nights sleep (7-8hours), that's and indicator of sleep issues. Waking up with a headache, dry throat, general irritability and lack of focus can be signal of sleep apnea as well.
Macular Degeneration
- Look at a large frame in your house (window frame, door frame or hallway entrance). Cover one eye and look at the horizontal and vertical lines of the frame for 30 seconds.
- Switch Eyes
- If you start to develop Macular Degeneration you'll notice wavy lines, bowing in or out or missing parts of the lines.
This is a common issue in people over 50, there are some treatments available, so it's better if you can catch it early.
General Vision Tests
Online exams are great for detecting vision problems. Essilor offers a fairly extensive range of online eye tests. You can take the tests as often as you want, in a comfortable setting. However, these don't replace a visit to the ophthalmologist, as they can't physically check the eye to do pressure tests and other physical eye examinations.
Wobble Watch
- Stretch out your hand with your palm down
- Place a piece of paper on top of your hand
- Look for trembling or shaking of the paper, which could be a sign of hyperthyroidism. (The paper is just accentuate the shake/wobble)
A slight tremble is common, and has many causes, including caffeine or other stimulates. Women are much more likely than men to have hyperthyroidism. When the thyroid is overactive, this can cause many of the bodies regulatory systems to 'run hot'.
If you suspect your thyroid is overactive, then another test that can give you a better indication is a basal temperature test, see next.
Basal Temperature
A basal temperature check is another indicator of thyroid activity based on checking your temperature to see if your within the normal range. Check here for easy instructions on how to run this test.
Beginner Basics
Here are the measurement you'll need to make an initial assessment…
Physical Metrics
A simple scale should be adequate, though to ensure of consistent measurements and avoid variability, try and measure yourself in your underwear or naked and on a scale that you'll have future access to.
Try this free online calculator (this used to be the gold standard, but it doesn't account for short/tall people, nor body shape, so we combine it with waist/height ratio to get a good estimate)
Waist (Girth)
Using a simple body tape measure from the top of the hip bone, the tape should be snug but not digging into the skin.
What's your waist looking like these days? Belly fat is hyper problematic (more so than other fats like around your hips), and releases inflammatory chemicals that cause cell damage in the Pancreas, which causes diabetes and high blood pressure.
Knowing your waist size in ratio to your height, gives us a better idea about how you're built. Ideally, you don't want to exceed a 2:1 height to waist ratio. For example, I'm 81 inches tall so my waist should be no larger than 40 inches and preferably considerably smaller than that.
You probably know this one by heart.
How old are you? No Cheating. This isn't your dating profile.
Blood Pressure
We can't stress the importance of knowing your blood pressure numbers, it's probably the most important metric here. You'll either need to visit a clinic, or a grocery store, for an HiGi station, or buy a home blood pressure monitor. Having a monitor at home is the best solution, as everyone that lives with you can utilize it as well. In addition to more people having access, you should really be checking your blood pressure at regular intervals and if you have the equipment at home, it's quite easy.
If you're wanting to test your thyroid, make sure you measure the same spot. Ideally, you'd use a glass thermometer in your armpit for consistency.
Resting Pulse
If you're unsure how to take your pulse, here is a handy guide
Active Heart Rate
Knowing out how your heart is behaving throughout the day and during exercise can give you a good indication of your overall heart health. There are a million heart rate trackers that you can purchase that will track this information for you. Though the most accurate ones use a chest band for the sensor along with a wristband to interact with it.
One thing that's difficult for doctors to diagnose is intermittent atrial fibrillation (A-Fib) because you'd have to be having an episode while you're in the hospital for it to be seen. These heart rate monitors can track and store your data all day, so you can find intermittent anomalies.
If you want to get some baseline metrics but don't want to splash out so much money for equipment, you do have a few options. You can subscribe to Lumoid services and simply rent some personal trackers to take some measurements. Though you will probably be inclined to buy one after using them, which isn't the worst thing in the world.
You can glean a lot of info from any HiGi station. It's a great way to track some of your basic metrics. You can even win free prizes just for participating and tracking your health, a win/win all the way around.
Blood Metrics
Full Lipid Profile
- HDL (High Density LipoProteins)
hese are considered the 'good cholesterol', you want a ratio of high HDL's to low LDL's.
- LDL (Low Density LipoProteins)
- Total Cholesterol
- Triglycerides
Not actually cholesterol, but are typically lumped together with cholesterol numbers. It's basically a measurement of a specific fat in your blood that indicates if you're carrying body fat and eating too much sugar.
Lipid Panels can be conducted at home and ordered online. At home tests are considered quite reliable and regulated by the FDA. Though having them done at a clinic offers you the opportunity to speak to a professional about your results.
Oral Glucose Tolerance Test
We've got a great guide to walk you through the process, it's quite an easy test to administer, just simple fast, a good nights sleep, and a few alarms.
A1C Blood Test
A hemoglobin A1C blood test, gives your a better feel for your average blood glucose levels over a period of time. This test is as valuable as the OGTT test and together they're considered the gold standard of making diabetes diagnosis.
Hemoglobin Check (Iron Deficiency)
Fatigued? Pale? Weak? These are all signs of Iron deficiency, which is quite common among women (because of blood loss during menstruation) and those who abstain from eating meat. A simple hemoglobin check can let you know if you need to start making dietary changes to ensure you're getting enough iron.
Thyroid Health
Previously the standard test for measuring thyroid activity was simply the TSH (Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone) test. Though it doesn't actually test the hormones that are released by the thyroid (T3,T4), but the hormones that pituitary gland uses to stimulate thyroid. Theoretically if you know the TSH values, then you can surmise about the functioning of the Thyroid. However that isn't always the case and there are instances where TSH number can be unreliable, especially in cases where the pituitary gland is malfunctioning.
A TSH test combined with a T3 and T4 test, is a complete diagnostic of your thyroid. A can give you can get a better understanding of your thyroid function.
Thyroid Panel:
- Measurement of Serum Thyroid Hormones: T4 by RIA
- Measurement of Serum Thyroid Hormones: T3 by RIA
- Sensitive Measurement of Pituitary Production of TSH
You can order all these tests online, simply order a test kit and send back your blood sample. EverlyWell is a reputable vendor for these tests.
Advanced Autonomous Arsenal
This is the next series of tests in our quest for Autonomous Health. The previous tests cover the 80/20 rule in regards to the most common ailments we have. However, we're all individuals, not statistics, so even if I'm afflicted with something that is statistically unlikely, then the Pareto Principal doesn't really apply. So these tests are more specific in what they check for, still very common health issues that should be watched for. It's similar to applying the Pareto Principal in a targeted way on the 20% we didn't cover previously.
These are the advanced metrics, once you've got your basics covered above you should dive into these, to really get an comprehensive analysis of your body.
These are listed in order of perceived value from a ROI analysis.
There has been a huge incredibly harmful disinformation campaign online about vaccinations causing autism. There is no science to support these claims what so ever. Read the research collected by the American Academy of Pediatrics.
- Flu Shot (Every Year)
- Hepatitis A (this is a food borne illness, and thus not easily preventable without a vaccine)
- Hepatitis B (this can cause liver cancer, so if your sexually active, get this)
- Tetanus
- Whooping Cough (Pertussis)
- Diphtheria
- MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella)
- HPV (Human Papillomavirus)
- Meningococcal Disease
- Chickenpox (Varicella)
- Shingles (for adults over 60)
- Pneumococcal (for adults 65+ years
If you're wondering which vaccinations you should get, the CDC has a online questionnaire you can take to determine your eligibility.
** This list doesn't include travel vaccinations that you'll need if you're going to be going abroad.
DNA Analysis
There are a few reputable companies that are doing DNA analysis, and in recent years prices have come down considerably. Getting gene analysis can sometimes be done for as little as ~$100USD. A DNA analysis can give you clues into your genetic history and what genes put you at statistically higher risk for certain ailments. Reports typically contain genealogy reports, so you can find out about your genetic make up in regards to your ancestry. They also find you potential DNA relatives based on the DNA of others who are in their research pools.
In 2013 the FDA handed down new regulations disallowing 23 and Me to provide medical analysis with their genealogy reports. Which means inside the US, the DNA analysis firms cannot give you medical data/recommendations with your official reports. This regulation doesn't apply outside the US, so if you're strictly looking for medical data (not ancestry) then you'll probably like 23 and Me's offerings, as they still have a focus on medical data.
If you're in the US, never fear, you can still get the data, you'll just need to jump through another hoop first.
Basically the process for Americans is to get an analysis from any of the major DNA analysis firms, then run that data through Promethease. Promethease takes your genealogy reports and generates medical information based on that data. They work with most of the major DNA vendors and their reports are only 5$ or $10USD.
ISOGG (International Society of Genetic Genealogy) offers a good informative page for comparing the major vendors and their offerings/prices. Because of the regulations for each specific country, look here for links to country specific pages.
The major vendors:
If you're interested in ancestry information as well and looking to find genetic relatives; The Legal Geneologist has info how to get your data into all the major DNA pools.
Gut Biome Analysis
Gut Biome testing is still a very developing area of science and medicine. Research has been blooming in the last few years in relation to gut bacteria and it's effects on overall health. With the advent of microbiota analysis firms, and progressively more research, we're starting to build a picture of which bacteria profiles are harmful and helpful and in what quantities. It's quite complicated, as often it's not a single bacteria that is either good or bad, but a healthy combination of various bacterias. Fortunately, there are a lot of firms working on this, and the next few years will hopefully show some great progress in what we know about the gut.
If you would like to get an analysis your personal gut microbiome, you can find a variety of sites to provide you with such info.
If you would like to learn more about your gut health, because there isn't really an established authority on the topic, the Reddit MicroBiome wiki has a lot of good data and resources.
Allergy Panel
Do you suspect you have food allergies?
EverlyWell offers a variety of tests you can take at home. Their food sensitivity test, runs your blood sample against ~90 different common high sensitivity foods. For a food allergy test, it's prices is comparable to others at $200. EverlyWell uses a blood based test, which is reliable form of allergy testing. Some companies make dubious claims to be able to allergy analysis with hair samples, but there isn't sufficient data to back up those claims.
Eye Health
See an ophthalmologist
Get a physical eye exam where they do pressure tests to look for things like glaucoma and hypertension. Eye clinics are everywhere, test are quick and are typically reasonably priced, sometimes free if you're willing to buy a pair of glasses.
Prostate Cancer
If you're a man over 50, you might want to begin getting PSA(Prostate Specific Agent) tests to look for prostate cancer. There has been some controversy over the use of PSA tests due to the high number of false positives. Also, many tumors that are found, are so slow growing, the patient wouldn't be affected by them in their lifetime anyway. Thus in some cases it creates unnecessary stress and biopsies and unneeded treatment. However, if you have a family history of prostate cancer and are over 65, then you should definitely consider getting a PSA test.
Bowel cancer screening
There are a variety of tests for checking bowel cancer. Everyone knows about the dreaded colonoscopy, which is neither pleasant nor convenient. The colonoscopy is considered the 'gold standard' for checking bowel cancer. However, there are tests you can do at home that can give you fairly reliable indications of bowel cancer.
Guaiac-based fecal occult blood test (gFOBT)
This tests for blood that could occur anywhere in the digestive track, starting from the mouth all through to the colon.
Fecal Immunochemical test (FIT)
This tests for blood that could occur anywhere in the lower digestive track, making it a more specific test than the gFOBT.
Stool DNA test (Cologuard)
This is the newest test and looks for DNA mutations that occur in cases of bowel cancer. It's perhaps the most accurate test, but is very expensive ~$500USD and is less precise, leading to more false positives.


text:
Well, I had a very strong prejudice against the famous novel of the early 20th century, very social, anti-capitalist and Pro-socialist, and if not for the fact that this thing appears in several good lists, I probably would not dare. A very powerful thing.
Heavy, deep, powerful thing. The end of the novel – the utopia of socialism, in which the author plunges with the head of the protagonist, gradually depriving it of virtually everything – loved ones, family, work, livelihood, desires to live. The tragic fate of the poor family of immigrants from Lithuania to America is described perfectly, some scenes and plot moves simply brilliant.
The utopianism of the ending somehow not quite in harmony with a deeply depressive realism and grim naturalism of the novel. But the author is very passionately and sincerely believes in his proposed decision, and this sincerity is captivating. Interesting fact, Sinclair in this novel so strong and darkly depict the horrors going on in slaughterhouses, after the release of the novel has raised a huge buzz on the subject of lesopromyshlennoe, a Commission was established and her investigation eventually led to the creation of still very important the FDA the Office for quality control of food and medicines.


text: Ghostown, the group behind the cool Boogietown demo, won the Amiga demo competition at the Revision 2015 demo party with their new release called Sushi Boyz. With a catchy tune playing in the background, some very stylish pixel magic. and a good dose of humor to boot, its not strange that this production is fun to watch. :) You can find it embedded from YouTube below.


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Sweeping Forward
About the Film:
The Rochester Association for Film Arts and Sciences (RAFAS) will host Patricia McDowell of Breakfastfilms out of Toronto, and screen her recent film "Sweeping Forward" 6 p.m. Sunday, April 23.
Anne-Marie Saheb stars as Bess Lavigne, a former curling prodigy who works part time doing cleaning in a women's shelter and at a local curling club. Her solitary existence is disrupted by intermittent panic attacks... but she's not the only one with problems. When Bess is asked to give curling lessons to the four troubled women from the shelter, they all learn to overcome their differences and help one another, and ultimately they discover a fierce bond on and off the ice.
Panel style discussion about details of producing and creating her film to follow as well as audience Q&A. This is an excellent opportunity for local filmmakers to get incite into a reasonable sized successful project in the ultra-low/micro budget category many of our members work in.


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Ryobi Tools
Ryobi has made changing the line on its weed trimmers fairly easy. Whether the single-line or the dual-line trimmer, both models share the same design technology, which allows you to follow a few simple steps and change the trimming line in just a few minutes. No hand tools are required, and the process is quite easy to master.
Release the trigger to allow the trimmer head to stop rotating. Unplug or shut off the engine to the trimmer (depending on the model). Grasp the bump knob -- that's the line advance knob on the bottom of the cutting head -- in one hand and the trimmer head in the other, then twist the bump knob counterclockwise to remove it.
Remove the empty line spool located inside the trimmer head after the bump knob has been removed. Clean the trimmer head with a damp rag to remove any debris. Inspect the trimmer head and the line spool for any cracks or excessively worn parts. Replace if necessary.
Cut two pieces of replacement trimmer line approximately 2.4 m (8 feet) in length. Insert the end of the first piece of new line into the hole in the upper threaded part of the spool. Follow the small arrows on the spool to wind that line counterclockwise onto the spool, Secure the line temporarily by pushing it onto one of the slotted tabs on the upper spool.
Repeat the same process for the lower (empty) threaded area of the spool, but wind the line clockwise. Secure the line in the slotted tab directly opposite the first secured line.
Insert both lines into the small eyelets located in the trimmer head. Place the spool on the driveshaft. Release the two lines from their tabs by pulling each line out while pressing down on the spool.
Push down firmly on the spool to expose the threads located inside the driveshaft. Connect the bump knob to the threads located inside the driveshaft while still pushing down. Twist the bump knob clockwise to attach it securely. Test the trimmer to make sure it's operating properly.
Most recent
- Ryobi Tools


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I've been meaning to do a postpartum for awhile now, but if you read my last two posts (here and here), you know life has been quite crazy! I also wanted it to be a video update, but I'm finding that videos are much harder to do with a two-year-old who wants your constant attention and I pretty much pass out right along with her at night so free time while she sleeps is pretty much a no-go.
At any rate, I'm now 4 months postpartum. If you read Arlo's birth story (here), you remember I had my second c-section (you can read about my first here). I was also on bed rest for two months leading up to his birth due to pre-term labor. A cause for this was never found and seems to be a fluke (fingers crossed it doesn't happen again in the future).
My initial experience with the c-section itself was much better this time around, despite my anxiety going into it. There's just something about knowing you're walking into a hospital to get sliced open…sorry for the graphic description, but seriously! I was also feeling a bit discouraged because I was really hoping for a VBAC, but it just didn't work out. I won't get into the details again, they're in the birth story, but the surgery was much calmer than the first time. I was terrified, but the hospital staff and my wonderful OB made it more comfortable.
My initial recovery was much better also. I was able to hold Arlo immediately while still on the operating table and also right after being wheeled to recovery. With Lark, I had a high fever and after 16 hours of labor, an epidural, and even more anesthesia at the point I need surgery, I was exhausted and shaky from coming down off the drugs and could barely hold Lark.
In recovery with Arlo, I felt great. I was shaky, but not as bad as with Lark. I had zero pain as I still had anesthesia in my system. I think it took me longer to be able to move my legs this time with the spinal, but I wasn't in recovery very
long at all. After being wheeled back to our room, I felt anxious about recovery again. Scared of the pain, which was slowly creeping in, and I still couldn't move very well and was really swollen in my legs, something else I didn't quite remember with Lark's c-section. I didn't have a fever this time, but was having awful hot flashes the entire time I was in the hospital, which they think was from hormones and anesthesia. I was sweating like a pig! It was awful!
I always hate the hospital part because any and all modesty you have goes out the window! You have all sorts of strangers coming and looking AHEM…under your gown…and because it took me a bit to gain movement back, I had to literally be rolled over and 'cleaned up' several times a day. I had staples this time, which really freaked me out! But I couldn't feel them at all. I can't remember exactly when I finally got up, but I think it was on the second day. With Lark, they forced me out of bed within hours! This time they let me decide. Once I finally got up, I was super dizzy, obviously. I hadn't moved in nearly 24 hours. They also let me eat right away, which was nice, because I was starving! I had really excruciating contractions at one point, which was actually from a full bladder. The catheter was not draining properly and the full bladder caused pressure and cramping. The contractions were actually worse than any I had prior to having Arlo or while in labor with Lark. But once I was up and moving, they were able to remove the catheter. I felt like it was easier to move around this time, maybe because I knew what to expect. I was still walking around like the hunchback of Notre Dame, but I was much more confident about moving and getting up. I needed help to get up, of course, but it wasn't as bad as I anticipated.
Before getting discharged, I had to have the staples removed. That was interesting. I had to shower first, which scared me both times I had a c-section. Something about running water over an open wound…makes me shudder! But I did it and it was no big deal! The bonus was that I didn't have as much numbness and tingling at the incision site as last time, so touching it wasn't painful or irritating. And to my surprise, the horrific and giant staples I thought I had that mangled my stomach, turned out to be teeny tiny and didn't even leave any marks. I'm always prepared for the worst case scenario! They pulled them out with tiny clippers and it didn't hurt until the last few and even that was just a minor sting.
I was discharged feeling sore, but still felt pretty good. I had been getting headaches, pretty significant ones. I'd compare them to a migraine. I think likely from the anesthesia, and they last about a week or two, but were lessened with the
pain meds and motrin.
My pain felt more manageable this time and I was able to space out doses of meds after just a week. I took the pain meds the entire two weeks following the surgery, and continued with Motrin after that, mainly to stay on top of it because if I didn't, I was laid up and I now had two kids to take care of! I was sore, yes, but I was mobile and not bed ridden! I slept on the couch a couple of nights, just because I could sit partially up, which was more comfortable. For me. And I continued to have painful contractions from breastfeeding, which felt more intense than the first time around also, but I was told that happens in second, third, etc pregnancies. So I guess I'll go TMI on all of you and tell you that my postpartum bleeding lasted about 6 weeks, same as after my first pregnancy, and was pretty significant. But you gotta love those hospital mesh underwear and pads! 😉
At four months, I'm still pretty sore at times, especially if I let my bladder get too full. My stomach muscles are tender to the touch and it's still hard to lay on my stomach. I was pretty good about doing ab exercises at first, but have since quit and need to get back on it! I feel like my recovery is lasting a bit longer than last time, in that I'm having a lot of back issues this time around. I was sore last time for over a year, and then I was pregnant again so there's always been tenderness. But this time my back is having a hard time coming around. I also suffered from SPD (symphysis pubic dysfunction) in both pregnancies which affects the ligaments in your pubic bone and cause misalignment. Last time it went away when Lark was born, this time it's lingering and I suspect my entire pelvis is out of alignment and causing all of the issues. I had a severe back injury as a child and my pelvis hasn't been the same since. My OB thinks that may have something to do with the pre-term labor. She's not confident I'd even be able to deliver vaginally, even though I'd like to. I need to see a chiropractor, which I used to do regularly, I just don't have the extra money right now to do so!
So aside from the back pain, I'd say I'm in pretty good shape, and my scar is even healing much better this time too. My periods have returned, with a vengeance, since I quit breastfeeding earlier than intended, but they're completely out of whack and absolute misery…sorry for the TMI again, but it's part of the process! My numbness and tingling is still less, maybe it's because some of that surface feeling was already gone from last time. I did end up with a couple of new stretch marks near my incision, but I'm almost thinking they're from surgery and the stretching at the surgery site, because they didn't appear prior to the c-section and they're very minor.As far as postpartum depression and anxiety, I feel like I fared better than last time. I've been really lucky. I've only been slightly weepy at times, but last time, with Lark, it hit me hard when I went back to work. I felt alone in the world and wasn't prepared for how much it would affect my work life and relationships with others. I suddenly couldn't relate to people without kids, and they weren't enjoying my constant talk about my baby. This time, I was more prepared and I was able to separate it and recognize it so I didn't isolate myself as much. It's definitely tough maneuvering into motherhood, whether it's the first time or the tenth time. I wish more people were sensitive to that and didn't expect so much out of new moms. Just my opinion…
My skin allergies are behaving strangely, mainly because they're less severe during pregnancy and the hormonal imbalance after the fact affects my skin. I'm just getting rashes and itching much easier than normal. I don't expect it to go away completely, but I think it will calm down after awhile. I'm also losing hair at an alarming rate, which happened after Lark too, and while it's depressing at times, I know it's temporary.
Some days I'm still longing for maternity pants and hating denim waistbands, my belly is still loose and poochy and my back hurts probably at 85% of the time, but I'm doing really well and I'm pleased with my progress at just 4 months out! Plus, a cute baby makes all of it completely worth every bit of agony 😉
Updates on Arlo and Lark will be coming soon =)


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Customised Tours
Customized Tours in Holland
We offer a wide range of sightseeing and cultural tours and excursions.
Tour topics can include :
Museums, History, WWII, Arcitecture, Curators, sport tours (Soccer, golf etc.), Business tours/incentives,School/university trips, flowers, nature, etc. etc.
Should you already have an idea for a tour, please e-mail us or use our e-mail form and we will provide you with a detailed itinerary and a quotation for that specific tour. If you are looking for ideas, AmsterdamCityTours.com will be happy to create a custom tour or help you to develop new itineraries for your group visiting Holland.
Amsterdam City Tours offers complete services to Travel Agents, clubs, societies, businesses and private groups.
With your Driver/Guide(s) you can be away from a single day to several weeks.
We are able to provide a full service, including accommodation and other costs (admission, lunch etc).
We have developed close relationships with a wide variety of hotels in Amsterdam and Holland. Tell us what your looking for and let us help match your needs with just the right property.
Amsterdam City Tours only uses modern standard and executive coaches, all fitted with all the necessary safety features and maintained to the highest standards.
Schools and Universities
For schools and Universities traveling to Holland, we can provide a full service from your home town to Amsterdam and the rest of Europe. If you have a school trip we will be pleased to transport you as required on your day trips to the enormous amount of culture, museums and venues we have here.
We are specialised in custom tour arrangements for students and youth travel groups planning to visit to Amsterdam and other destinations in Holland.
Amsterdam and The Netherlands are an ideal location for school trips with a vast array of features in a small country.


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Christmas Gift
Felt Christmas gift is one of the handmade felt product which is very popular and famous items of felt approved on Christmas festival to make festival memorable and enjoyable. We can easily offer different shape and sizes as well as combo of colors. This type of felt gifts is used to exchange the love and experience between the friends ,family members, and other relatives. If you have your own pattern and design we can also promote
Showing 1 to 4 of 4 (1 Pages)


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Bill Cohen
Columbus, Ohio
I've been singing and playing guitar and piano for 50 years. Now that I'm retired, I spend a lot of time playing music at retirement villages, nursing homes, and alzheimers' units. At those places, I see the power of music to give joy, spark memories, and stir emotions. I thank God for music. It's just one of millions of daily miracles in our everyday lives that we too often take for granted…..miracles that make me believe in the human spirit and the Creator. So what better song to symbolize that….than…. "I Believe."


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The Squid and The Whale DVD in March
in categories:
The essential DVD website DVD Times is reporting that The Squid and The Whale will be out on (region 1) DVD on the 26 March. The site also has artwork and a list of the DVD extras.
Dean Wareham and Britta Phillips supplied music for the Noah Baumbach film (IMDB).


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Quote:~ Heroes 6 - News and Information topic ~
Use this thread to POST official information about upcoming Might And Magic: Heroes 6.
Please use the Discussion Thread to discuss existing news.
Quote:We will burn the world to ash and dance upon its ruins!�
The Demons were spawned by Urgash, the Dragon of Chaos, to confront and overcome the children of the Elemental Dragons. For centuries, they�ve been imprisoned in Sheogh, a mystical jail-world created at the heart of Ashan�s fiery core by the sacrifice of the prophet Sar-Elam.
The Demons have evolved to appreciate the heat, but the fact that they cannot escape their prison is intolerable. However, a flaw in the ritual weakens the prison when a Bloodmoon eclipse occurs, allowing the demon legions to regain a momentary freedom, that they usually use to swarm and ravage Ashan.
The Infernal hierarchy is complex but simply structured; the strongest rule, imposing their will on the weakest, and all bow their horned heads to the six Demon Overlords.
A new leader, Kha Beleth, has started to preach another possibility for demonic organization. He speaks of a world where all demons are created equal and have a right to live freely within and without Sheogh. He is gathering followers, and intends on using the upcoming Bloodmoon eclipse to gain a foothold on Ashan, and expose, if not impose, his people�s right to an equal place amongst the children of the Dragon Gods.
ESRB Rating: RATING PENDING. May contain content inappropriate for children. Visit www.esrb.org for rating information.
�Life is change, chaos, filth and suffering.
Death is peace, order, everlasting beauty.�
Necropolis is at the beginning of their rise to power, and power they have. They are currently fighting for emancipation and acceptance from their brethren the Wizards of the Seven Cities. They do not seek to convert all the nations of Ashan to their morbid belief, nor to kill them all and raise them as undead, but rather to have a dominant place in the world as protectors of the equilibrium between the worlds of life and death.
They see the upcoming Demon Invasions as an opportunity to sanctify their religious order and justify its existence to the other factions of Ashan.
Quote:I write without delay that was brightly postponed from the 3-sentry of "a torment of the producer":
1) The system of heroes abilities is completely reprocessed. Now there are no primary and secondary skills or abilities, aren't present perks, there are no separate spells. All abilities which hero can receive, now earning by "ability points". This system is similar to system World of Warcraft.
2) About magic I wasn't described: now magic is ability too, so magic spells are added as ability, instead of are learned in Magic guild or somewhere. (Accordingly, the Magic guild is eliminated).
3) Depending on reputation the hero can choose one of three directions: Life, Death and Neutral and to receive corresponding Advanced class. Initially in each fraction two classes of heroes: Might and Magic, then occurs a branching on Advanced class (3 possibilities), total it turns out on 6 various types of heroes Advanced classes in each race. These types are really unique, as besides racial abilities there are also �class abilities�.
4) The Beta test will be obligatory, and �extending circles�, gradually covering all most part of "fans". And these "circles" will start with offices Ubisoft to France and the USA, and also from Hungary (where Heroes are developed) and Romania (where they are "plentifully tested). At present still it is considered that game is at an alpha version stage as not still placeholders are replaced with real elements.
5) The Fourth race won't be divulged yet.
6) Dragons will disappear in Heroes VI as units of 7th level, but will appear in it as "bosses". It is made intend: too strong units dragons turn out but if absolutely to clean them from game � it turns out boringly (and doesn't match the game Universe).
7) The Damage magic will be strongly weakened, that the Magic-hero couldn't take out the whole army of Might-hero almost alone. The magic will play "a support" role along with another traditional abilities.
Quote:Skeletons can fling a spear.
Ghosts can cast some support spell on allies.
Liches can cast a spell on allies and pass the received damage to the chosen unit as health points.
Unupgraded vampires can teleport too.
According to Ervan, necromancer's 7th level unit will be a semihuman/semispider, it being can become (not absolutely clearly � to divide into two beings or to turn into two different beings). About 6th level unit no info.
The Griffin�s Battle Dive now works a little on another � he attacks not a cell in the field, he attacks chosen unit, independently there was it on the same place or has moved.
10 big bosses (more than 2�2 cells) already made.
Quote:Liches can cast a spell on allies and pass the received damage to the chosen unit as health points.
Quote:Video Heroes VI Igromir by Heroic Corner (http://heroes.ag.ru)
Quote:Quote:Video Heroes VI Igromir by Heroic Corner (http://heroes.ag.ru)
141 Mb, what's this video about?
Quote:Who is the Haven hero?


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'We won't give up fight against CPO': Greenway protest escalates in Kerry
Kerry County Council has been accused of "heavy handed, bullying" tactics to acquire land for the South Kerry Greenway by local landowners who took their fight to council headquarters in Tralee on Tuesday.
Up to 150 people, including farmers and landowners from South Kerry, backed an IFA-led protest to voice anger at the use of Compulsory Purchase Orders (CPOs) to acquire land.
Christy McDonnell from Foilmore told The Kerryman the council is not listening to the farmers. "There has been no negotiations in two years – it is high time the truth came out. They are using bully-boy tactics. Each and every farmer is for the greenway.
When it was first started 85 per cent were in favour and when the council took over that support dropped.
"We are not giving up. We will go to Europe or to the highest court in the land. We are going the distance."
Jim Moriarty from Glenbeigh said the intended route would go right through his reclaimed fields as well as his daughter's driveway.
"They are going diagonally through my fields and I am worried about my livelihood," he said.
Local farmer, Morgan Lyne said the issue was much more than Greenways. "It will be about land acquisition rights if it goes to
The south Kerry farmers were joined by their counterparts from across the country as almost 150 farmers voiced their concerns at plans by Kerry County Council to acquire the land for the project by CPO.
The IFA says that there have been little meaningful negotiations with farmers and the organisation has called on the local authority to halt the CPO process and open dialogue with farmers along the route. Up to 170 landowners are affected in total.
Up to 50 landowners, the majority farmers, are opposed to the project, it has been claimed and CPO opponents say that there are 32 people currently in a local group set up to oppose the process.
The message from landowners on Tuesday was that they are not against the greenway but are opposed to use of the CPOs to acquire the land. They want to negotiate with the council on the best route to take.
Michael O'Sullivan from Foilmore, who owns some of the railway line, says that the council is seeking some of this land for the route, though not the actual land on the former railway route.
He wants the greenway route to go around his fields but the council have refused this option, he claims.
"They are not listening to use and they are not consulting with us."
Michael Sheehy from Renard will be faced with the greenway running right in front of his house, he claims. Again, he says the council won't listen to other alternatives including using a nearby local road. "They don't negotiate. They just tell you."
The IFA has said it will stand firm and fight. "The message is we want Kerry County Council to adopt the guidelines in the strategy, appoint an agronomist and listen to farmers," said IFA Environmental Chairman Thomas Cooney.
Kerry County Council said in statement that the local authority has spent two years negotiating with landowners but was unable to get an agreement
"There was detailed, lengthy and comprehensive engagement with approximately 170 landowners. As it was not possible to acquire the land by negotiation, the council decided to acquire the land by CPO
"Kerry County Council has met with IFA representatives on a number of occasions and will do so again," the council statement added.
Related Content
- Kerry farmers say 'no' to forced sale of land
- 'Farmers in Kerry are essentially being used as guinea pigs': Row over Greenway rumbles on