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Tonight, President Barack Obama announced that he authorized two operations in Iraq -- "targeted airstrikes to protect our American personnel, and a humanitarian effort to help save thousands of Iraqi civilians who are trapped on a mountain without food and water and facing almost certain death." President Obama explained:
"...I said in June -- as the terrorist group ISIL began an advance across Iraq -- that the United States would be prepared to take targeted military action in Iraq if and when we determined that the situation required it. In recent days, these terrorists have continued to move across Iraq, and have neared the city of Erbil, where American diplomats and civilians serve at our consulate and American military personnel advise Iraqi forces.
"To stop the advance on Erbil, I've directed our military to take targeted strikes against ISIL terrorist convoys should they move toward the city. We intend to stay vigilant, and take action if these terrorist forces threaten our personnel or facilities anywhere in Iraq, including our consulate in Erbil and our embassy in Baghdad. We're also providing urgent assistance to Iraqi government and Kurdish forces so they can more effectively wage the fight against ISIL.
"Second, at the request of the Iraqi government -- we've begun operations to help save Iraqi civilians stranded on the mountain. As ISIL has marched across Iraq, it has waged a ruthless campaign against innocent Iraqis. And these terrorists have been especially barbaric towards religious minorities, including Christian and Yezidis, a small and ancient religious sect. Countless Iraqis have been displaced. And chilling reports describe ISIL militants rounding up families, conducting mass executions, and enslaving Yezidi women.
"In recent days, Yezidi women, men and children from the area of Sinjar have fled for their lives. And thousands -- perhaps tens of thousands -- are now hiding high up on the mountain, with little but the clothes on their backs. They're without food, they're without water. People are starving. And children are dying of thirst. Meanwhile, ISIL forces below have called for the systematic destruction of the entire Yezidi people, which would constitute genocide. So these innocent families are faced with a horrible choice: descend the mountain and be slaughtered, or stay and slowly die of thirst and hunger.
"I've said before, the United States cannot and should not intervene every time there's a crisis in the world. So let me be clear about why we must act, and act now. When we face a situation like we do on that mountain -- with innocent people facing the prospect of violence on a horrific scale, when we have a mandate to help -- in this case, a request from the Iraqi government -- and when we have the unique capabilities to help avert a massacre, then I believe the United States of America cannot turn a blind eye. We can act, carefully and responsibly, to prevent a potential act of genocide. That's what we're doing on that mountain.
"I've, therefore, authorized targeted airstrikes, if necessary, to help forces in Iraq as they fight to break the siege of Mount Sinjar and protect the civilians trapped there. Already, American aircraft have begun conducting humanitarian airdrops of food and water to help these desperate men, women and children survive. Earlier this week, one Iraqi in the area cried to the world, 'There is no one coming to help.' Well today, America is coming to help. We're also consulting with other countries -- and the United Nations -- who have called for action to address this humanitarian crisis."
In a statement, Secretary of State John Kerry said, "President Obama has acted expeditiously and appropriately in authorizing targeted military action and providing significant humanitarian assistance to the people of Iraq at this very difficult moment when it is vitally needed. The stakes for Iraq's future could not be clearer, and today's crisis underscores the stakes profoundly."
Secretary Kerry continued, "...We will continue to coordinate with our allies in the region and the international community to assist Iraqis to confront ISIL's brutal ideology which poses a severe threat to Iraq, the region, and the United States.
"President Obama has been unequivocal that he will do what is necessary and what is in our national interest to confront ISIL and its threat to the security of the region and to our own long-term security. He has been equally clear, as I have on my visit to Iraq and in all my conversations with Iraqi and regional leaders, that the only durable way to stop ISIL is for Iraq's real leaders to unite and form an inclusive government as rapidly as possible within their own constitutional framework."
For more information:
"President Obama has been unequivocal that he will do what is necessary and what is in our national interest to confront ISIL and its threat to the security of the region and to our own long-term security." -Sec. Kerry
This blog used to have some pretty amazing discussions among the public and folks in government, of which the following was but one of many;
..and I've noted the healthy discussion on this and other grave topics du jour among former secretaries here;
Which included one of most interesting defintions of "Diplomacy" I've ever heard thanks to Robert Gates, to which he stated; ..is like saying "nice doggy, nice doggy" while looking for a rock.
One may well wonder if we had dropped a big rock on Assad's pointy little head a few years back whether all that's happened since might have been avoided, including ISIL's emergence as the cancer it has become to social order in the region...but at least the President has a rock in his hand now to help folks deal with the results.
Maybe it had to get to this point to motivate Iraqis to work together for the good of all, in common cause. As well as motivating nations in the region and in Europe to realize that the price of leaving dictators and terrorists to set the terms of people's living conditions was in no one's national interests.
Some relevant comments from;
I realize the President would much rather be tweeking American domestic policy to get a few things through Congress, than "confront" ISIL (ISIS...or any other wanna be jihadi that can't be bothered to go home and take care of his mother as a better alternative.) Sec. Kerry used the term "confront" as an intent of US policy towards ISIL....All I can say is I hope there's more to it than that... in policy goals ...inclusive of using the term "ISIL" in the past tense, as being one with the dustbin of history.
We have one advantage by circumstance and that's that a good 80% of the world's terrorists have gathered in Syria and Iraq, and it's about time we held a multilateral regional rodeo and rounded them all up.....hog tied if need be. Might as well grab Assad too, you'all will want a rodeo clown...stuffed in a barrel for fun. Call it "Cowboy diplomacy".
Folks , I don't mean to be flip....but I have yet to see anyone make of this the opportunity that's been presented to the international community on a golden platter...
...and help set the stage for a good 'ol fashioned "a*^$ Whuppin' of ISIL, by every single nation in the region, acting in concert...
...You'all (the powers that be among nations) have 10 million displaced needing to go back home to rebuild their lives...they challenge you far more than my words here could ever inspire. Another 40 million world-wide.
Long time ago when the Arab Spring started a fellow know on Dipnote as "John in Greece" asked me if it would turn into a bloodbath....I don't know that anyone including the UN has been keeping track of how many have died in the region since this all started.... The US provided critical support to the Libyan people when faced with Ghaddafi's wrath, in concert with NATO allies, and the EU.
Removed a dictator from power helping the people get some justice and freedom. Now they gots to make something of it better than what they had. Iraq isn't dissimilar in this respect, nor will Syria be, sans Assad.
Democracy is not a placebo for the masses. Folks are finding out how hard it is to protect democratic freedom once they got a taste of it. Runs the risk of upon ridding themselves of a dictator , being like everyone wants to have a revolution and become dictator...and run roughshod over people's good nature in the process.
We do a pretty good job of removing dictators, defeating insugents, and taking the fight to a self declared enemy. It's the follow-up we have trouble with...
I can't imagine how quickly this terrorist org would remain in buisiness if all (except Iran) of Syria and Iraq's neighbors were to "borrow" Syrian and Iraqi territory to attack ISIL upon...technicly cross Syria and Iraq's border with massed armed forces on a specific mission , once completed to return to bases.
The mission being two-fold w/ US air support; to eliminare ISIL as a threat and remove civilians from harms way and provide aid to them.
If the Russians can't or won't remove Assad, then it's probably time to give him and his family "72 hours" to leave Syria and give up power, and I'm not too sure if that's being too generous or not. Put the big squeeze on ISIL from all corners by all concerned, till there's nothing to be concerned about from them. The faster they are defeated, the less permanent damage to society will take place. -EJ
---end excerpts from comments---
It seems to me that if one has been awarded the Nobel peace prize, and he happens to be "the leader of the free world" a President can never stop earning is so long as he is, and sometimes that isn't a matter of ending US involvement in conflicts, but by creating the peace among nations from scratch as the tide of war inherantly has its eb and flow.
If it is declared a matter of imminent genocide which needs to be addressed on mt. Sinjar...will this Administration then address the ongoing genocide in Syria at the hands of Assad and ISIL? Or will the President stick to Susan Rice's opinion given sometime back that what is going on in Syria doesn't merit that definition?
Only time will tell.
It is interesting to see the two-fold approach outlined in my comments be put into kinetic motion due to circumstance we "can't walk away from" but I sure hate being right most of the time.
Cowboy diplomacy is fully dependant on the strength and temperament of the horse ridden, and if you want to round up the bad guys, best form up a posse, in everyone's national interests.


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Fab Services
At MakersFactory we offer the following services:
|3D Printing
|3D Scanning
|Design Services
|Private Tutoring
3D Printing
Manufacturing is in the middle of a 3D-printing revolution, and MakersFactory has the tech and tools to help you join in!
Our 3D printers can fabricate physical objects layer-by-layer, with high precision and resolution. Your designs can become reality, from product prototypes to personal projects to amazing gifts and trinkets!
We can also 3D print objects in high-strength materials and in full color (see "Options," below).
What can you do with MakersFactory 3D-Printing?
- Turn your 3D design into reality
- Duplicate a physical object
What you need:
All 3D-printing jobs start with a digital 3D model. If you don't have a 3D model file to begin with, check out our 3D Scanning and Design Services!
We can accept a wide variety of 3D file types; simply submit your files using our get a quote feature and we'll sort out the rest. Following are the best file types to submit (file types in bold contain color information for color 3D prints):
- .blend (Blender)
- .zpr (ZPrint)
- .wrl (VRML)
- .stl (Stereolithography)
- .obj (Wavefront)
- .ply (Polygon File Format)
- .dxf (AutoCAD)
Options and Materials:
We can 3D print objects with the following machines and materials:
- ABS plastic on PP3DP "UP! Plus" plastic extrusion printer
- ZP151 plaster powder on ZCorp 650 powder printer
- ZP151 plaster powder with Z-Max 90 high-strength epoxy
Ask for ABS plastic if you:
- Are on a budget or want to do multiple iterations quickly
- Do not need color detail on your models
- Want to do heat-treatment to apply a smooth finish
- Want to 3D-print parts designed to snap together or be flexible
- Have a model smaller than 5in x 5in x 5in.
Ask for plaster powder if you:
- Want high-resolution, smooth 3D-printed models
- Require color detail on your models
- Have a model smaller than 15 in x 10 in x 8 in.
Ask for high-strength epoxy if you:
- Want parts that can be polished or machined
- Require parts with extra durability
There is a $50 job minimum (which includes a $15 base fee for all jobs).
3D-printed parts do not have a fixed pricing schedule. Use our get-a-quote feature to receive a quote. Following are some guidelines to follow when designing files to be 3D-printed, to keep the costs manageable:
- Plaster powder models have a 50% extra materials cost for printing in color.
- Parts are priced roughly by volume, so if the quoted price is too high, try reducing the size.
- Models that contain thin or fragile parts will likely cost more, as they are likely to fall off when printing or handling and we may print duplicates so that the print will yield at least one intact copy.
Making things has never been easier, with MakersFactory laser-cutting services! We can cut and engrave a wide variety of materials to produce structural components, interlocking pieces, custom engravings and wood-burned designs, and more!
Our laser-cutter has an area of 12in x 24in; consult with our technicians using our get-a-quote form if you need designs larger than this size.
What can you do with MakersFactory Laser-Cutting?
- Control high-precision laser cuts and engraving with vector image files
- Use "raster" mode to engrave images onto the surface of a wide variety of materials
- Choose between "through" cuts, perforated or pop-out lines, and surface engraving for most materials
What you need:
To use the laser-cutter to cut or burn lines on a material, you will need a vector image file. These files consist of points, lines, and curves rather than pixels, and include file types such as:
- .ai (Adobe Illustrator)
- .svg (Inkscape and others)
- .pdf (if generated with a vector image program)
- .cdr (CorelDRAW)
- .dwg and .dxf (AutoCAD)
If you don't have digital designs or a vector image file, check out our Design Services. We also may be able to scan your designs and digitize them semi-automatically.
To use the laser-cutter to "raster" engrave an image, you only need the image. If you have a digital copy, any file format will be accepted; if you need the image to be scanned and digitized first, you may need to use our design services.
Options and Materials:
The laser-cutter has three main modes:
- "vector" cutting, where the laser traces a path, cutting through the material
- "vector" engraving, where the laser traces a path but only burns the top of the material without cutting through
- "raster" engraving, where the laser burns an image into the surface of a material
We can combine multiple modes in the same design. If you are providing your own design file, please color-code your designs or use separate layers to distinguish different modes.
You may bring your own materials to be engraved, or we can use materials we have in stock. Following are the materials our laser-cutter can use:
- Wood of any kind
- Acrylic (aka Plexiglas)
- Cardboard, cork board, or other composite wood materials
- Leather
- Rubber and Silicone Foam Rubber
- Paper
- Felt
We can also use the following materials, but not in "cutting" mode:
- Anodized Aluminum
- Coated, Painted, and Treated Metals
- Glass
- Marble and Stone
We keep 3mm and 6mm MDF (medium density fiberboard) and transparent acrylic in stock.
There is a $50 job minimum (which includes a $20 base fee for all jobs).
Pricing varies greatly with the intricacy of the design and the material being used. The only fixed price schedule is for "raster" engraving, which costs $0.30 per square inch of design. Following are some guidelines to keep laser-cutting costs manageable:
- The larger the total length of the lines in the file, the more expensive the design will be.
- Try not to include "duplicate" lines that overlap completely.
- If your design includes cutting, thicker or denser materials will bring up the cost of the job.
- If you provide your own material, you will not be charged sales tax on your order.
3D Scanning
Turn real objects into digital models with our 3D scanning capabilities! Digitize your cherished possessions or make digital copies of physical objects for use in 3D printing!
What can you do with MakersFactory 3D Scanning?
- Create high-detail 3D models of objects up to 6in in size
- Create 3D models of large objects (12 in or larger), such as people
- Combine 3D scanning and 3D printing to duplicate a physical object
What you need:
All 3D scanning jobs begin with a consultation, in-person or over the phone. Generally we must be able to examine the object to be duplicated in-person to determine the ease of scanning the object. Please send a quote request using our get-a-quote form to schedule a design consultation. You can also schedule consultation over the phone at (831) 621-0801 or by sending an email to [firstname.lastname@example.com].
Not all objects can be successfully laser-scanned. It may be more convenient to design the object from scratch using our Design Services. Objects which are too transparent or too reflective may not scan successfully. Objects with internal detail or intricate, thin parts may lose this detail after scanning.
Laser-scanning jobs are priced at $125.00 per hour, with a $50 job minimum. Payment is required upon delivery of the files in question. Submit a quote through our [get-a-quote] form to receive an estimate.
If our technicians are uncertain about the length of time that your laser-scanning job will require, we may ask you to provide payment in advance. If the design is finished with time to spare, you will be refunded the extra time. If the design remains unfinished after the initial paid time has run out, we will stop and consult with you before proceeding.
Design Services
We don't just make bits and pieces; we also design digital files for use with our fabrication services or a variety of other purposes. MakersFactory can help you realize your designs and ideas in the digital world, so that you can take part in the ongoing high-tech revolution!
-What can you create with MakersFactory Design Services?
- 3D models suitable for 3D-printing or rendering
- 2D designs for laser-cutting
- Other custom digital or high-tech creations
What do you need?
All design jobs begin with a consultation, either in-person or over the phone. Consultation is free up to the first 30 minutes. Please send a quote using our [get-a-quote] form to schedule a design consultation and provide all design materials. You can also schedule consultation over the phone at (831) 621-0801 or by sending an email to [firstname.lastname@example.com].
We design to your specifications; please make your design materials as specific as possible.
Design services are priced at $125.00 per hour, with a $50 job minimum. Payment is required upon delivery of the files in question. Submit a quote through our [get-a-quote] form to receive an estimate.
If our technicians are uncertain about the length of time that your design job will require, we may ask you to provide payment in advance. If the design is finished with time to spare, you will be refunded the extra time. If the design remains unfinished after the initial paid time has run out, we will stop and consult with you before proceeding.
Private Tutoring
If you want to be brought up to speed on design software or sharpen your skills, MakersFactory instructors can help you get there. We offer one-on-one or small group tutoring up to six students, on a subject of your choice.
What can I learn with MakersFactory Private Tutoring?
- 3D design software such as Blender, Rhinoceros, and Trimble SketchUp
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Private tutoring is priced at $90 per hour for one student, $135 for two students per hour (minimum 1 hour).

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Even Dummies Can Do Agency Evaluation
December 7, 2011
Ken Lloyd, author, "Performance Appraisals & Phrases for Dummies," and Richard Benyon, chief executive officer, Decideware, discussed how to conduct a successful agency evaluation.
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text:
New Year's Baby
Staff photo by Steve Muscatello
Roman Chantler is the New Year's baby for 2013 in New Ulm. Roman was born at 7:05 a.m. Wednesday and weighed 6 pounds 6 ounces and was 19 2/3 inches long. Roman's parents are TC and Sarah Chantler of Hanska. Roman has an older sister Vivian who will be turning two-years-old soon.


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Skip to comments.Reagan's Last-Ditch Falklands Plea Revealed
Posted on 12/28/2012 10:11:00 AM PST by the scotsman
'Ronald Reagan issued a last-ditch appeal to Margaret Thatcher to abandon her campaign to retake the Falklands and to hand over the islands to international peacekeepers, according to official documents made public today.
Files released by the National Archives at Kew, South West London, under the 30-year rule show that as British troops closed in on final victory, the US president made a late-night phone call to Mrs Thatcher urging her not to completely humiliate the Argentines.
However, his request fell on deaf ears as a defiant Prime Minister insisted that she had not sent a British task force across the globe just "to hand over the Queen's islands to a contact group".'
(Excerpt) Read more at uk.news.yahoo.com ...
Don't have any problem with trying to find a peaceful solution. That is what friends (or seconds) are supposed to do.
It was proposing UN Peacekeepers as a solution. The UN is possibly the most corrupt and incompetent organization in the world. I would hate to see what sort or horrors they'd inflict on the poor Falkland Islanders.
The French intervention in Mexico was in the 1860's. I suppose an argument could be made that America's attentions were elsewhere at that time.
The Brits have no place in the western hemisphere. Remember the Monroe Doctrine.
While I think it's valid to criticise a lot of UN Peacekeeping operations as you have done, now, the situation was quite a bit different back then. Until the 1990s, UN Peace Keeping operations were fairly rare, and they tended to be undertaken by forces including significant numbers of troops from first world nations. For example, during the 1970s (the period just prior to the Falklands War), there were only three UN Peacekeeping operations, headed by nations such as Finland, Canada, France, and Denmark. In the 1990s, there were 28 UN Peacekeeping operations, many of which were being undertaken by half trained soldiers from countries with significant corruption problems. How UN Peacekeeping operations are undertaken changed dramatically after about 1988.
Even if he was, reverend Wright probably convinced him the national average income was over $250K and they are all supposedly "rich" and therefore, he resents 'em!!!
Your post should read: "I hope this is not true. It would reduce my respect for Reagan."
Oh, it probably is only half-true. Like he said it, but Maggie knew he didn't mean it. That's called diplomacy.
Doesn't make sense based on everything else he did, does it.
As always, the stinging humor comes whipping thru the interspace, blogoshere.
Sorry, but its your opinion on the papers released this week. I have my opposite opinion. These are at least documents we can read rather than speculation.
Just because you dont like whats being presented dosent mean its rubbish.
BTW, the Aussies and Kiwis gave us some naval and intelligence support. Dont disrespect them, they may not be your kith and kin but they are ours.
Our big 3 supports were the US, Chile and S Africa. France, contrary to myth, actually helped us with the Exocets. It was Germany that was the problem with missiles.
Who cares about the Monroe Doctrine?.
Sorry, but last time I looked it was nothing but an American doctrine of intent. It was never law. Oh, and btw, we were in the Western Hemisphere before your country was born.
I never understand why Americans think we were/are supposed to bow down to this mythical doctrine.
Woe is me... I'm just nuts, that's all there is to it!!!
I was merely using Australia and New Zealand as examples of natural allies to the UK and that it was certainly expected that they would help England to kick out Argentina from the Falklands.
Comparing them to Guam and Puerto Rico was not a comment on the military capabilities of Australia and NZ at all but rather a poke at your "allies" comment. As if Guam and PR would not be an ally to us in a similar situation.
So which is it, Scotsman, did the US assist the UK or not with the Falklands?
The Brits "occupy" a small archipelago in the South Atlantic that until discovered and settled by England had been completely uninhabited by anyone.
They established themselves there LONG before Argentina even existed as a political entity.
Argentina attacked and tried to conquer this small archipelago using "Las Malvinas" as a pretext.
The Brits beat them back and unequivocally re-established their title with true blood and guts, 8000 miles from home.
Yeah, that sounds pretty illegitimate to me.
OK, my apologies. Obviously I did misunderstand what you were saying.
You be nuts auright—this be the last, unedumacashun, post dat I sends to ya'alls.
From now on, I slip into my black tassled loafers, dark grey slacks, top brand name of course, Armani suit coat,
bespoke shirt from London and Hermes tie. I will try and use a few 6 and 7 letter words in my future missives. All I can do is try.
Yes, I talked to your mother about that once and she agreed that you were trying... Very trying!!! (hoot!)
1—It read as disrespectful to Australia and NZ. Both naturalman and I read it as such.
2—Yes, America helped. But there is this myth now that we wouldnt have won without the US help. Which is nonsense.
OUCH...I'd rather be Rick-Rolled.
Too bad. I understand though. It means you probably don't think much of Guam or Puerto Rico. You're probably a bit gun shy too. My Scottish ancestors are rolling over in their graves.
2Yes, America helped. But there is this myth now that we wouldnt have won without the US help.
Oh hogwash. Only in your mind. Most people don't even know the type of help that was given.
I have no problem with the U.K.s occupation and possession of the Falklands. I find their understanding of the legitimacy of that and their failure to find the legitimacy of Israel defending itself as hypocritical.
1—Firstly, what the fudge has guns to with it.
BTW, you do realise that naturalman and I are ex-armed forces?. Gun shy?. I was a Para for seven years!. And I have been a gun owner since I was 17. And still am. Rifle, shotgun, and more air weapons than I can count.
Your comment, even if not intended to be so, LOOKED and read disrespectful. An actual bonefide Aussie thought so to.
2—Nope, I have read here many times and from other Americans that US involvement was so crucial in 1982, that the lack of it would have meant a British defeat. I have had to correct/attack such tosh, as has Winnie, Vanders and our Aussie friend.
Sorry, but the UK govt publicly supports Israel. They supported publicly the retaliation recently against Hamas.
The UK officially supports Israel even if a loud leftwing pro-Palestinian minority makes itself heard often.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.


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remember those crazy vegetables I told you that I found?
a watermelon radish and a black radish.
well I sliced them up and roasted them with garlic and basil and olive oil.
honestly, it kind of scared me to slice up a normal-looking veggie and see neon pink inside.
and the black radish turned out solid white on the inside.
so peculiar, these vegetables.
I roasted them at 450 degrees for an hour or so, until they looked brownish at the ends, and they were yummy.
you should give them a try!
additional watermelon radish links
additional black radish links


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Mine was 1967-70 which was a birthday present back in 1976 (my 11th birthday). It was on cassette and on first play got tangled in the player. My dad did some nifty tape joining hence the line, I read the news today Oh boy on A Day In The Life was missing!
My most recent is the vinyl version of Love.


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NRG?Repowering Opposition Draws Fire From State Lawmakers
DUNKIRK – A release Wednesday from opponents of repowering the Dunkirk NRG plant, and a plant in Cayuga County, was met with harsh criticism from three state senators.
The release detailed the views the groups filed with the Public Service Commission on Wednesday. Joining in the filing on PSC Case 12-E-0577 were The Business Council of New York State Inc., Sierra Club, ACE NY, Earthjustice, Vote Solar Initiative, Citizens Campaign for the Environment, Environmental Advocates of New York, and Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnership.
The PSC is deciding between two options it wanted studied, repowering with natural gas as proposed by the power plant owners, or transmission line upgrades proposed by National Grid, which owns the transmission lines. According to a release from the Business Council, the groups jointly called for cleaner solutions to replace the outdated Dunkirk and Cayuga coal plants.
"The Business Council joins with the environmental advocacy community in calling upon the Public Service Commission to place an emphasis on the most efficient and cost-effective solutions when planning for the retirements of Cayuga and Dunkirk power plants. The commission should consider the following alternatives including transmission upgrades and clean energy alternatives such as energy efficiency and demand response that will reduce overall demand, cut waste, reduce energy costs and limit the need for new generation," said Heather Briccetti, president and CEO of The Business Council of New York State. "The commission should reject the current repowering proposals which runs counter to New York's now-dynamic and competitive energy market where capital costs and associated risks for conventional projects are borne by the developer, not by the ratepayer. Energy market forces and design have already provided New York consumers with cleaner, more reliable generation, and historically lower wholesale electricity costs."
Lisa Dix is the senior New York representative for the Sierra Club.
"We can't afford to sink more money into dirty coal of the past. The potential retirement of these coal plants is an opportunity to invest in a healthier future for our kids that we can't miss out on," Dix said. "Upstate New York has tremendous potential for clean, renewable energy like wind, solar and efficiency that together could cut energy demand, lower electricity prices, create jobs and clean up the air we all breathe."
State Sen. Catharine Young, who represents Dunkirk and Chautauqua County, was joined by Senate Energy Chair state Sen. George Maziarz and state Sen. Mike Nozziolo in their joint statement.
"We are shocked and deeply troubled by the press release circulated by the Business Council and Sierra Club calling for the closure of the Upstate New York Dunkirk and Cayuga power generating stations. Their uninformed stance represents a direct attack on the communities that we represent, the workers at those facilities, and the Central and Western New York economy," the senators stated. "Upstate New York has suffered through the loss of manufacturing jobs, tax base and population, and now the Business Council, which claims to support job creation and economic development, is working with leftwing New York City environmental interests to kill middle class jobs in the power generation industry. The Business Council's out of touch, anti-jobs position on this issue and its collaboration with groups, who on a regular basis work to kill job opportunities and a hopeful future for upstate New York, is an affront to common sense and the antithesis of that organization's stated mission.
"The proposals to repower coal plants in Lansing and Dunkirk to natural gas will guarantee jobs remain for workers and new construction jobs will be created, the tax base will be protected for communities and school districts, and the environment will be much cleaner."
The senators noted the proposals to build state-of-the-art combined cycle natural gas plants submitted to the PSC represent a combined $1 billion investment in the two local communities.
"These plants will create more than 1,000 construction jobs and maintain good-paying union jobs at the repowered plants and protect millions of dollars that are badly needed by local communities and schools. The energy produced at the repowered plans will substantially reduce (by between 73 to 100 percent) emissions of harmful pollutants such as mercury, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon dioxide and particulate matter," the senators stated. "Studies show that repowering these plants will produce substantial ratepayer savings, with at least $300 million in benefits to ratepayers totaling $3 billion over the next 10 years. These savings will help energy consumers, including family budgets, senior citizens on fixed incomes, and manufacturers and small businesses that provide jobs.
"The Business Council's assessment was premature, without a factual basis or adequate research, and heavily weighted toward the special interests of private utility companies that have vested financial stakes in killing these projects."
When the PSC will release its decision is not known, but expect the war of words to continue until the decision is released.


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Vermett sworn in as treasurer
Shari Vermett, Webster City, became the new Hamilton County treasurer Wednesday morning following an appointment by the Hamilton County Supervisors.
Vermett was given the oath of office at the Hamilton County Board of Supervisors at the board's reorganizational meeting. The appointment comes following the announcement on Nov. 13 that longtime Hamilton County Treasurer Deb Leksell would retire on Dec. 31. With two years remaining of the term, the supervisors opted to fill the vacancy by an appointment rather than conduct a special election. However, the appointment Wednesday starts a two-week period during which time Hamilton County residents could gather signatures on a petition to call for a special election.
Two candidates applied and both were interviewed by the supervisors on Dec. 10. Vermett has 27 years of experience working in the treasurer's office. Leksell voiced her recommendation of Vermett when she announced her retirement. The supervisors noted that the appointment would provide the least disruption with the office and in service to the public.
The supervisors also received the year-end report from the Treasurer's Office prepared at the end of the business day on Dec. 31. The document closed out the books for the year, according to Bailey, and also on Leksell's oversight. He noted that the books had balanced.


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These spunky centenarians show you how to live the good life well into your 100s.
With age comes wisdom�so centenarians must have plenty to share. That�s the premise of the new book Extraordinary Centenarians In America: Their Secrets to Living a Long Vibrant Life by Gwen Weiss-Numeroff, which profiles 30 men and women between the ages of� 96-116. They share their secrets to good health, good marriages and aging gracefully. Here are 25 of their best quotes on aging. �Don�t fight the day, just let it be. Get up and be positive.� � Gussie Levine, 100 �My 80s were the best years of my life!� � Besse Cooper, 116 �Find a cause and knock yourself out for it. It will enhance your brainpower, interest in life, and keep you alive longer.� �Alyse Laemmle, 96 �Don�t stay mad at anything�you have to get used to the losses, otherwise you can�t win.� � Benjamin Goldfaden, 99 �Pizza is going to support a whole generation of cardiologists!� � Dr. Leila Denmark, 114 �I�ll never retire as long as I live�that�s like retiring from life! I�ll never stop writing, teaching, lecturing. If you�re in good health, living is exciting on its own.� � Bel Kaufman, 101 �Do things that you�ve never done before.� �Lillian Modell, 100 �My longevity is attributed my long, happy marriage. We did everything together. She was perfect in my eyes.� � Gardner Watts, 98 �What�s controlled my age more than anything else was my mental capacity. I loved school, and was always very active.� � Sandra Horowitz, 97 �Sow good seeds for your children. Teach your children to give.� � Winifred Thomas, 101 �Don�t smoke, don�t drink, and don�t retire!� �Ebby Halliday, 101 �I try not to make a big fuss over things. I always said, �This too shall pass.�� � Barbara Brody, 102 �You must keep active, or you will just wither away. Always be involved in some activity.� � Miriam Henson, 105 �Be and do the best that you can. If you are unhappy about something, take action and try to improve it.� � Hilda Schwall Berner, 97 �I want to share�it makes you strong. Not wanting a whole lot makes you feel satisfied.� �Loretta Hodge, 102 �Life was not easy, but it made me stronger.� � Johanna Zurndorfer, 97 �For a long, healthy life, you need a plan and a purpose. It could be family, writing a book or becoming president. Without a purpose, plan or objective, what do you need?� � Irving Ladimer, 96 �You have to be lucky, but I made the best of things when bad things happened. I also ate prunes every single day.� � Morris Lensky, 101 �If it can be fixed, fix it!� � Anne Lomedico, 104 �Get involved. You�ll find pleasure and sometimes disappointment, but there is a sense of achievement if you participate in a successful undertaking, whether it is organizational or professional.� � Murray Shusterman, 100 �Be good, don�t complain�just get up and do.� � Jennie Cascone, 100 �Sleep well and have a Bailey�s Irish Cream before bed if you have a cold.� � Helen Mulligan, 101 �It is very important to have a widespread curiosity about life.� � Irving Kahn, 106 �Look inside your soul and find your tools. We all have tools and have to live with the help of them. I have two tools�my words and my images.� �Ruth Gruber, 101 �Think positively, enjoy your children, enjoy your life.� � Anne Lamont, 100 Brought to you by: Spry Living


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About the Author: Tom Weinz is the dedicated Foreign Service Liaison Officer (FSLO) aboard the USNS Richard E. Byrd for Pacific Partnership 2009 (PP09)."The little unremembered acts of kindness and love are the best parts of a person's life."
Samoa's deputy prime minister quoted these words of William Wordsworth during his dedication speech for work done at the National Hospital. Pacific Partnership 2009 (PP09) is fully choreographed to achieve maximum results during relatively short visits. But the multifaceted, multitalented men and women carrying out this mission are interacting in uniquely spontaneous ways which will be remembered by countless individuals throughout their lives.
Without doubt, the medical focus of PP09 is central, and here are some impressive numbers: at our four MEDCAP sites, doctors met with 2,144 patients; dentists cared for 601 patients; optometrists tested 685 individuals (and dispensed free glasses as needed.) PP09 experts presented educational exchanges and classes to more than 3,500 local students, nurses, doctors and teachers, and participated in more advanced subject matter exchanges with 224 people. PP09 biomedical technicians repaired 44 pieces of equipment that were not functioning when we arrived in Samoa. (The veterinarians also provided outstanding service, but more on that in a later piece.)
One two-year-old boy in the village of Lalomanu will grow up with the story of how his life was saved by a U.S. Navy surgeon. The child was brought to the medical clinic critically dehydrated from severe gastroenteritis. When routine attempts to rehydrate the boy failed, a successful surgical procedure was used to insert an IV tube and he was rushed to Apia. After two days in the hospital, he was released in good condition.
Speaking with a local woman at one of the PP09 closing ceremonies, I asked whether she considered our brief stay worthwhile. She responded sincerely, in words that echoed other Samoans' expressions during the past ten days: "We are so happy to have you here, and we hope you will return very soon!"
This has been a very personal experience. Our band has played for kids with special needs and marched with the police band in the streets of Apia. Similarly, all of us have worked both for and with our Samoan counterparts. And it makes Samoans and Americans and our several partner nation participants a little wiser, a little more understanding, and even more appreciative of random acts of kindness and love.
Read Tom Weinz's previous entry from Samoa or his next one from Tonga.
Jimmy in Colorado writes:
I did not know that we have continued to contribute to the Pacific Islands since the 2004 tsunami. It's really cool that we are doing this. Thank you for your posts.
Eric in New Mexico writes:
Hi Tom, Just saw a news report that New Zealand's south island just suffered a 7.6 earthquake, w/ tsunami alert.
Are you folks "on call" for such an event, if needed?
Keep up the good work, those are some great stats in such a short period of time.


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If you saw the second and third "Back to the Future" movies, you likely remember the celebrated DeLorean car that was used in the pictures. But there were other vehicles in the films too. Michael J. Fox's character, Marty McFly, drove a 1985 Toyota Xtra Cab 4X4 truck in those movies, and it's that truck that will be undergoing a restoration soon.
According to the Time Machine Restoration Company, the Toyota was stolen many years ago, and was recently recovered by the Mexican federal police. The car was auctioned off, and the company, already restoring the movie's iconic DeLorean, got the truck too.
It's not clear what the vehicle was doing in Mexico, or why the Mexico federal police were involved, but there's no question that it's the actual car. There was a note written on the passenger-side sun visor that read, "Keith, Many thanks. See you on something else I'm sure—Michael J. Fox."


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It's a girl thing
MARSHALL – It was a great day to be a girl Thursday afternoon at Grace Life Church in Marshall, where nearly 40 young ladies took part in the fifth annual L.O.L.! Club.
The camp, which was founded by House of Hope counselor Kim Sanow, has been taking place from 1-5 p.m. every day this week.
"It feels wonderful to have so many kids in attendance," Sanow said. "It's the biggest group yet. We finally found a time where we're not interfering with other things going on in the community. A lot of Vacation Bible Schools are in the morning, so we took the afternoon."
Sanow encourages the girls to embrace being one-of-a-kind throughout their entire life.
"We want them to celebrate being a girl, to celebrate what their strengths are," she said.
A new theme is revealed each day to the girls, who are between second- and fifth-grade.
"We usually start out by talking about what bullying is and what cliques are at school, Sanow said. "We talk about some of the things girls have experienced in school. And second-graders can tell me exactly what bullying is. They know what it is. So they share a lot of information and we talk about it."
Along with high school mentors, the camp participants do a variety of activities each day.
"We decorated some name tags so we could call each other by our first names," Sanow said. "That's always neat, and we wear them the entire week. They also do a journal every day, so we get those decorated and going on Monday."
On Tuesday, a number of presentations and skits took place in an effort to help the girls identify bullies and their targets.
"Anybody can be a target," Sanow said. "You don't have to be a little girl to be a target. You could be a mom and still be a target. The mentors do skits and the girls identify what roles are being played in the skit."
Camp attendees also learn what a defender is.
"That's really awesome when they can identify with a defender," Sanow said.
On Wednesday, Sanow talks about friendship.
"The girls learned that if a friend isn't working out for them, they can look for other friends, too," she said. "They don't have to feel trapped. It gives them permission. They're in charge of their heart and they need to guard their heart. If someone is abusing you, then you need to move on and find someone who has like interests. We talk openly about that."
The mentors are also trained to talk to the girls in their small group gatherings. The half-dozen mentors are a key element to the success of the camp, Sanow said.
"The girls are a little shy the first day, so the mentors draw them in," Sanow said. "By today, the girls are hanging on the mentors. They can't wait to see them every day. It's awesome."
Some of the camp participants have actually returned to be mentors the past few years. Kaitlyn Timm, who will be a fifth-grader next year at Marshall Middle School, would like to come back and be a mentor someday.
"Kaitlyn has been to a couple of clubs and camps with me and is so positive every time she comes," Sanow said. "I told her I'd love for her to be a mentor someday and she just grinned. It's so rewarding to be a positive role model for these girls."
Timm said she was enjoying the L.O.L camp.
"We learn a bunch of different stuff about bullying and to not be a bully," she said. "It's fun. My favorite part is probably the crafts that we do. I really liked making the friendship bracelets. I picked purple, blue and green."
In addition to decorating little mirrors with paint markers and lots of bling, the girls also created friendship boxes. Each person in a mentor group put an uplifting message in the individual boxes.
"It's fun," third-grader Grace Ehlers said of doing the crafts. "My favorite part was doing the friendship box that people put notes in. I put notes that said 'you are awesome.'"
On Thursday, Sanow asked the girls to guess which famous people off the list, which included Taylor Swift, Emma Watson, Sandra Bullock, Tom Cruise, Demi Lovato, Lady Gaga, Tyra Banks, Kate Middleton and Christina Aguilera, they thought were bullied. It turned out that the entire list of 15 had been victims of bullying.
"If it could happen to them, it could happen to you," Sanow said.
While the girls filled in worksheets, Sanow talked about maintaining friendships and gave them tools to use when faced with tough decisions and conflict.
She also revealed tips about communication.
"A smile is a good way to connect with someone," she said. "You can tell whether or not someone is approachable that way."
Other advice offered Thursday was to listen, speak clearly, report abuse, give each other support and to act with integrity.
The camp concludes today with a parent engagement time, where the girls perform a song and dance.


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Here's how RW members rated this race (79 votes).
In short: Good support and lovely scenery!Date of review: May 4, 2011
In short: Clumsy start, not flat, plenty of waterIn full: Cons:The start area had just two portaloos, which was nowhere near enough. The gents' urinals were embarrassingly positioned, flanking the queue for the portaloos. There was no baggage area. The position of the start line required runners to back up on the field and dodge vehicles and a small fence & bushes. Definitely not as flat as had been promoted. Insufficient transport and/or directions back to the start. Cheezy medal had more space dedicated to the advertisers and promoters than the event itself (which was only afforded very small lettering!)Pros:Great/enthusiastic marshals - heaps of praise to them having to stand out in that heat. Plenty of water and sponge area on the course itself and also at the finish. Excellent finish location with plenty of enthusiastic supporters. Not a bad goody bag at all.Date of review: May 3, 2011
In short: hard first half but easy second halfIn full: Never done this one before and found the first half hard and the second half easy. The organisation was fantastic but the down side was the finish was a mile from the start and no directions back. Overall was a good race.Date of review: May 3, 2011
In short: Good first event look forward to next yearIn full: If they can sort the start out then this will be a great race. Good water stations and plenty of local support. A must do for next yearDate of review: May 3, 2011
In short: Brilliant organisation, a great raceIn full: I can't fault this race, it was very well organised, the marshalling was first class, there were loads of water stations and the course was fantastic. Excellent!Date of review: May 3, 2011
In short: well organised race apart from start as has been said before great marshalls plenty of water stops the sponges on the last section were most welcome the aerobics at the start were a good idea didn't use shuttle back as was such a warm day Date of review: May 3, 2011
In short: Has the makings of a very special race.In full: GOOD POINTS.I think the course was good,generally flat.One big hill at mile 2 and miles 10-12 were undulating.Although not really big inclines at 10-12 i was tired at this point and have to admit I was blowing bubbles.But with less than 3 miles to go and a downhill finish to the end there are a lot worse courses out there.I would also like to give a mention to the toilets.How many starts are spoilt because of lack of attention to this detail?The 4 way mens urinal block was a good idea.A quick no hassle stop for the men that seemed to keep the ladies que for cubicles down.No need to hide in the bushes or miss out on a warm up.Good finish area.Masseuers,blister treatment,stalls and instant race times were some of the nice touches.BAD POINTS.One of the strangest starts I've ever seen.Not enough width on a short pathway caused congestion,amplified by then turning a corner to cross the start.Saw two guys run down a bank and jump off a wall!Can't understand why anyone thought that this was good place to start a 1000+ runners.Also a slight concern the level crossing doesnt come down.Those trains had better bloody well wait.Date of review: May 2, 2011
In short: very well organized, good atmosphere.Date of review: May 2, 2011
In short: Well organised, on an interesting, varied courseIn full: Well organised, marshalls were great (thanks)- it must have taken a lot of effort & local goodwill to make the majority of the course traffic free.. Agree with comments ref the start, I couldn't hear any annoucements as to what was happening, just followed the crowd. Smaller water bottles would have been better & less wasteful, but good that there were frequent water & sponge stations on a warm sunny day. Lichfield is a lovely city to spend time in after the run. Hope to be bcak next yearDate of review: May 2, 2011
In short: fantastic first half marathon for lichfield - see you next yearIn full: A great first half marathon for lichfield and long may it continue. No steep uphill climbs and no breakneck downhills to endure just nicely undulating, challenging but with a definite pb potential. Great support, great marshalling, great finish and a great goody bag. My only gripe was the start, very congested, a little dangerous perhaps and may need rethinking, otherwise well done the organisers!! Date of review: May 2, 2011
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When brain-gobbling zombies invade, a sleepover at Zack Clarke's house quickly turns into a Level-3 creep-over. Soon, he and his friends find themselves on a mission to save the world. It's up to Zack and the Zombie Chasers to stop a pack of hideous brain-craving monsters from gobbling up the US of A!
The Zombie Chasers Series
Zack, Madison, and the rest of the Zombie Chasers are on a mission to save the world, but first they have to survive their flesh-eating, half-dead neighbors--and each other! Find out how the zombie outbreak that started it all began in Book 1.
The country is still crawling with puss-spewing zombies--and Zack's sister Zoe is one of them! The world is counting on Zack, Rice, and friends to find a cure. Follow the Zombie Chaser's perilous search for an antidote in Book Two: Undead Ahead.
A zombie virus turned Zack Clarke's parents, neighbors, and most of the country into brain-munching fiends--but in Book 3: Sludgment Day, Zack and the Zombie Chasers have the antidote, and they're ready to de-zombify the U.S. of Z!
Zack, his sister Zoe, and pals Rice, Madison, and Ozzie saved the country from brain-gobbling ghouls--they're national heroes!--but when millions of people mysteriously rezombify, their celebratory trip to the Big Apple goes from sublime to slime!
The living dead are back and they mean business in Nothing Left to Ooze, book five of John Kloepfer's sidesplitting Zombie Chasers tween series, with illustrations by David DeGrand. It's a perfect pick for fans of the series and zombie aficionados everywhere!


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"The president of the company and I often fly together because we have such a hard time finding enough time in the office. We'll say 'save that for the trip.' "
Cessna Citation V/Ultra
The Citation V/Ultra is perhaps the best example of Cessna's well-honed ability to continually evolve a time-tested airframe into a market-leading workhorse. Based on the wildly popular Citation II, which entered production in 1977, the Ultra adds a slightly stretched fuselage, a plush interior, a more efficient high-speed wing, more powerful engines and updated avionics.
This is the airplane fractional provider NetJets bet the farm on when it was coming of age in the 1990s. NetJets would become the largest operator of Ultras, buying more than 60 brand new, and the company routinely flies them more than 1,200 hours a year. Corporate operators also appreciate the Ultra's simple systems and durability. One CFO practically gushed about his manufacturing company's pair of Ultras, which each log more than 600 hours a year.
"They're real workhorses," he said. "They have the right combination of load, range, speed and short-field capabilities."
From Middle America, the airplane can hit either coast, most of the time without taking on fuel. The Ultra's maximum cruising speed is close to 430 knots. At maximum weights, it can take off in less than 3,200 feet and land and stop in less than 2,200. It will climb to 45,000 feet at a blistering 4,100 feet per minute and carry two pilots and six passengers 1,960 nautical miles (no wind) and a full load
of eight passengers somewhat shorter distances. (An advertised ninth seat is the belted potty. If you've been reading my articles, you know I believe aircraft marketers are overreaching when they claim that those or other varieties of padded shelves are real seats.)
For its time, the Ultra offered the longest cabin in its class-17.3 feet, or four feet longer than a Learjet 31 or 35 and almost two feet longer than a Beechjet or a King Air 350. Slide, swivel and reclining executive passenger seats are arranged in a facing, double-club configuration. Adding a forward closet/refreshment center cuts the number of seats to seven (and yes, you really will want the in-cabin storage this offers-without it there is virtually none). The 14 cabin windows provide adequate natural light and the five-inch drop aisle yields 55.3 inches of "standing" room. The belted potty has privacy doors, a relief tube and a chemical toilet that must be emptied from the inside by carrying the basin through the passenger cabin.
The airplane's 63 cubic feet of baggage space will swallow up to 1,450 pounds-850 in the nose and 600 in the aft compartment. That's triple the luggage space of a King Air 350, according to Cessna.
The Ultra doesn't have an auxiliary power unit, so to keep it cool on the ramp you need to either plug into a ground cart or spool up the right engine. The aircraft does come standard with a "flood" cooling system that can be run on the ground through 10,000 feet. An optional vapor-cycle air-conditioning system works from the ground up to 18,000 feet and is something you really should have, as the flood system by itself doesn't always get the job done.
Most straight-wing Citation cabins can look a little worse for wear after a few years so it's a good idea to plan on new seat covering and carpet every five years, if not more often. You may also want to update the onboard entertainment equipment, as offerings have become considerably better in the last few years.
Any Cessna Citation Service Center and at least half a dozen independent completion centers within the continental U.S. and a few in Canada are well versed in cabin refurbishment and updating of the aircraft. Independent U.S. centers with strong Citation experience include Duncan, Elliott, Premier, Rose, Stevens and West Star; in Canada, the list includes Goderich and Flying Colours.
Carpet and recovering can run anywhere from $50,000 to $100,000, while a complete cabin gut job can cost $500,000. Some of these cabins have been in use for well over a decade and will need work.
Up front, the Honeywell Primus 1000 digital avionics package, although more than 15 years old, remains adequate. Most panels have been upgraded with terrain and traffic-avoidance systems. One veteran Ultra pilot recommends also adding a second Flight Management System (FMS) computer (one is standard) if you plan on operating frequently at uncontrolled fields with non-precision instrument approaches, especially if those airports have limited avionics support. A second FMS is a $100,000 add-on but when you're stuck somewhere or can't reach your exact destination airport, it won't seem all that expensive.
The Ultra's straight-leg landing gear will let you know you have touched down and care must be taken not to bang the airplane onto the runway. (Cessna added softer, trailing-link main landing gear to the Ultra's successor, the Encore, and moved them closer together to make ground turning and parking easier.) I find that just about any Cessna lands better if you're able to carry a few extra knots on landing, though that's sometimes impossible because of runway length.
With the Ultra, there is another reason to carry a little extra speed when landing-ice. Eleven years ago, I was renting hangar space at my local airport. When I returned from the Christmas holidays, I noticed that my airplane had a new neighbor-the wreckage of a Citation V that had fatally crashed on approach in icing conditions a few days earlier. Ice has been a factor in several other Citation V/Ultra crashes over the years, when pilots have allowed the aircraft to get too slow during landing and/or improperly operated de-icing equipment.
Beginning with the Citation S/II in 1984, Cessna went with a new wing design that improved the airplane's high-speed performance. The Ultra and the V share that wing. The design slightly changed the Citation's stall performance and that is exacerbated when ice is on the wings. Ultra/V approach stalls in ice can be abrupt and, sometimes, unrecoverable. In 1996, the FAA issued a directive calling for higher approach speeds on the aircraft when ice is present and Cessna later reaffirmed that guidance. Bottom line: when encountering ice on approach, you land faster and suck up more runway. This is not rocket science, though, and when operated properly, the Ultra is a very safe airplane. Like all "straight wing" Citations, it can be flown single-pilot with the proper FAA endorsements.
The Ultra is an evolved design with few bugs and a deserved reputation for versatility and utility. Because of this, it holds its value better than other aircraft in its class. A 1997 Ultra that sold new for $6 million will still fetch close to $5 million. Its high resale value is a testament to the power of evolution.
How the Ultra Updated the V
Cessna announced the Model 560 Ultra in 1993 and during its five-year production run, from 1994 to 1999, the company delivered 278 of them. When new in 1994, the aircraft retailed for $5.495 million. The Ultra was an updated version of the Citation V, which Cessna manufactured from 1988 to 1993.
The main differences between the V and the Ultra concern the engines, avionics and interior. For the Ultra, Cessna went with the Pratt & Whitney JT15D-5D turbofans, which produce 145 more pounds of thrust per side and are slightly more efficient than an earlier generation of the same engine on the Citation V.
On the Ultra, the company replaced the cluttered instrument panel of the V with the sleek, large three-screen layout of the Honeywell Primus 1000. The Primus features two primary flight displays, one for each pilot position, and a multi-function display in the center of the panel.
Interior amenities in the Ultra were stepped up a few notches from those in the V. The former offers better passenger controls, higher quality leathers, a new air stair, cleaner looking interior panels and cabinetry and improved fit and finish throughout.
Cessna has made more changes to the basic design since 1999 with the Citation Encore and Encore+. Recent innovations have included the addition of better landing gear; increased fuel capacity and payload; and upgraded engines, engine controls and avionics. The current price of a new Encore+, typically equipped, is $8.4 million.
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Where has everybody gone? I realize the site's been acting up lately, but even before that, forum members have been seeming to "mysteriously dissapear." I realize there are other things in life to do besides come to a Macca forum, but it's just a bummer to seemingly lose so many regular posters. It's hard to imagine that we have 117 members, when only a few of us really post on a regular basis. It seems like some wind has been taken out of the sails of this forum because of it. People like NetherLEN, Scrodfish, Chris Speers (again!), Dakota, DrRobert, just to name a few. Then you have the REALLY mysterious people who only made like 1,2,or 3 posts, then were never heard from again. And of course the whole Airdog "situation" or whatever it was. Come back people!!!!
Edited by - Ram1 on 06/26/2002 18:19:47


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WikipediaRead full entry
Morelia bredli
- Common names: Bredl's python, Centralian python, Centralian carpet python, central Australian carpet python, Bredl's carpet python, central Australian Bredl's carpet python, central Bredl's carpet python.
Morelia bredli is a non-venomous python species found in Australia. No subspecies are currently recognized.[2]
The specific name, bredli, is in honor of Australian crocodile conservationist Josef "Joe" Bredl (1948–2007), older brother of "the barefoot bushman", Rob Bredl.[3]
This is a heavily built species with adults approaching or exceeding 2 m (6 ft 5 in) in total length (including tail). Many captive specimens have been recorded at 3 m (9 ft 9 in) and slightly longer. The color pattern consists of a brown to reddish ground color with a highly variable pattern of pale intrusions. There are normally black borders around the intrusions that become more extensive around the tail. The belly is yellowish to pale cream.[4]
Geographic range[edit]
M. bredli is found in Australia, in the mountains of southern Northern Territory. The type locality given is "Pitchie Ritchie Park, Alice Springs, Northern Territory, Australia (23°42', 133°51')".[1]
Prefers very arid desert areas. Normally arboreal, inhabiting ranges and rocky outcrops.
- ^ a b McDiarmid RW, Campbell JA, Touré T. 1999. Snake Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference, Volume 1. Herpetologists' League. 511 pp. ISBN 1-893777-00-6 (series). ISBN 1-893777-01-4 (volume).
- ^ "Morelia bredli". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 11 September 2007.
- ^ Beolens B, Watkins M, Grayson M. 2011. The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. ISBN 978-1-4214-0135-5. (Morelia bredli, pp. 37-38).
- ^ Centralian Carpet Python, Morelia spilota bredli at the Snake Ranch. Accessed 11 April 2008.
Further reading[edit]
- Gow GF. 1981. A new species of python from central Australia. Australian Journal of Herpetology 1 (1): 29-34. (Python bredli ).