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I drove my rental out to Easton and checked into the Silver Ridge Ranch, probably the closest lodging to the race start.
Perhaps I had cleared everything out of my system, because my bowels didn't bother me during the entire race.
Map of the course, a big clockwise loop:
First half:
Race started up. Lots of guys darted ahead. I could tell quickly that I was still recovering from Headlands, because even holding back, I felt that lingering fatigue that normal mortals still feel three weeks after a 100-miler.
I met Trey Barnes, who had entered the race with a bunch of his ultrarunning buddies from North Carolina, although he had just moved to the South Bay (of San Francisco). Goat Rock (mile 3.7) came sooner than we expected; passing it was marked by Glenn Tachiyama shooting a picture of every runner. Here's me, with Trey right behind.
James pre-race. He had to drop at 80 miles, but showed a great positive attitude post-race.
Another runner to catch up with me, talk a while and then leave me behind, was 100-mile rookie Samantha Sigle from Boulder. She would maintain her lead in the women's race to win in 23:18, 18th overall).
Unfortunately, the section from Olallie Meadows (mile 47) to Hyak (mile 53) involving ropes and the the long Snoqualmie Tunnel had to be rerouted this year. No more tunnel-- I just missed it, my only view would be on my finisher's buckle.
RD Charlie Crissman replaced it with a climb to the top of a ski lift, followed by a harrowing, technical descent, a black diamond run ("most difficult" for those that don't ski or snowboard), largely along the lines of another lift. On the ascent I was talking with a guy who knew the founding race director well, but this was his first time doing the race himself. We must have been enough into our conversation, that we forgot to read some question left near the ski lift to verify we had done the route that we were supposed to report to a volunteer at the next aid station.
Ready to head out, I asked someone to show me which way to go-- and it turned out to be Charlie Crissman, the race director, who walks me out of the tents and points the direction. However, I was mildly out of it and didn't really hear or register what he said. Had I listened better, or simply read the printed directions I was carrying, I would have known that it was a straight shot with no turns, first flat and then up a long hill to the next aid station Keechelus Ridge (mile 60.5). But I didn't, so when I saw a ribboned gate at the entrance of a fireroad to the left, I took it. After going up almost a quarter mile, I came to a house. There were ribbons tied to a gate, so even though it looks like someone's house, I figured I must be on course. After fumbling around someone's property, I finally pulled out the directions and figured out that I screwed up. Fortunately no one home with a shotgun.
After literally bushwhacking through a non-trail stretch of dense forest, I soon encountered a trail completely washed out in places, littered with roots and fallen logs, and quickly learned I had to be very careful if I wanted to prevent injury and finish the race. This didn't stop one guy, apparently familiar with the "trail", and quite coordinated and fearless, who flew by, commenting "God, I LOVE this trail!"
At a more runnable part, I got nervous due to lack of ribbons, and so turned around and went back a quarter to half a mile, until I saw a light approaching. It was Shawn McTaggart, from Renton, whom I had briefly talked to in my last lap or two of McNaughton 150 mile in April. We ended up running a while together for a while until she dropped off, and I had to slog through the trail alone. Luckily two guys came from behind, but weren't going so fast I couldn't keep up. Roch Horton and his pacer armed with this humongous, bright light. I do believe pacing often IS light-muling, but had no qualms about using their lights (ahead of me) to pick up the pace and probably save 10-15 minutes. In the end, it took me 2 hours and 20 minutes to move less than six miles!
It was great finally to get to Mineral Creek aid station (mile 73.9), where this guy, among others, helped me regain my bearings.
At No Name Ridge (mile 81.5), I laid down for several minutes. Just had to sleep. Though not a drop-bag station (the last was Mineral Creek), they said they would deliver anything I left by 1pm, so I left my pack, which was killing my shoulders and neck by making by trapezius muscles increasingly tight. Unfortunately, I decided to keep my jacket tied around my waist, scared it would get cold at the higher elevations, but which I never used. I also brought my headlamp, which I kept on maybe 10 minutes. I ran a little with Trey Barnes, whom I hadn't seen in almost 65 miles. He had caught up with me while I laid down at No Name.
This awesome couple hiked in (hiked up) to man the Thorpe Mountain aid station (mile 84). They told me I then had to go up and down a summit, remembering to grab some sort of ticket to give them as proof I went all the way up.
And Glenn Tachiyama was there, shooting amazing photos of all of us (including the two above and below). Well worth all the running we'd done.
Perhaps one of the only places on the course (a big non-repeating loop) where you could see runners going in opposite directions.
My flight didn't leave until that evening, so plenty of time to socialize and eat. I even drove back to the river to soak a bit, got a massage, and tried to nap on a cot.
An Unexpected Race After the Race
Next time I bug out earlier...
my Garmin Forerunner recorded maps:
miles 0-53, start to Hyak
miles 53-80, Hyak to No Name Ridge
miles 80 to not-quite-100, No Name Ridge to almost the finish
(You can few his beautiful images full-sized. Thanks, Glenn-- they are a definite bonus for running this race.)


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Hydrogen tractor
FOR THE first time, New Holland exhibited its futuristic tractor that is powered by hydrogen. The company first revealed a prototype of the new tractor, called the H2, last summer.
"This tractor has been developed in Italy with the Fiat family [which owns New Holland]," explains Ulrich Weller of New Holland in Germany. "We have good opportunities to share with colleagues in cars and trucks where fuel cells already are used. So it is a little step for us to go to a tractor with a fuel cell for hydrogen."
Hydrogen holds big promise as a future fuel because it is readily available and its emissions amount to only water vapor. However, the drawback is cost. "Fuel cells have a huge cost and it is an issue," Weller says.
In spite of the cost, New Holland wants to be ready to build hydrogen tractors if the technology becomes less expensive.
Germany, we believe we must look for alternative resources and fuels and we think hydrogen is one possibility," Weller says. The company hopes to test hydrogen tractors on German farms within the next few years. Ideally, the farms will use solar or biogas to produce the hydrogen needed for the H2 tractor.
Watch a video about the tractors and new combines at www.farmindustrynews.com/tv/videos.
Antilock brakes on tractors
ANTILOCK BRAKING system (ABS) technology that's employed in automobiles is now being launched in tractors. Case IH exhibited the company's new ABS technology on a Puma tractor model that reaches road speeds of up to 40 mph.
"Customers have increasing demands to travel at higher speeds and to achieve that with increased safety," reports Michael Gillen, Case IH global product marketing. He says Case IH's design for ABS works with the conventional tractor brakes. Plus, new features have been added that have not been seen on ABS, especially on agricultural equipment.
"We call our system the automatic-steer-by-brakes system," he adds. "It allows customers to turn tighter on headlands without the disadvantages seen by ABS. In normal ABS, vehicles make a compromise because there's only one brake pedal. On our system, we retain the dual-pedal system so we steer the tractor in two ways."
Another feature of the Case IH ABS system is referred to as "hill holder." ABS will apply brakes just as an operator disengages the clutch to keep the tractor from rolling down a hill uncontrolled. The ABS also offers the opposite feature, called "drive away." This feature allows brakes to be disengaged with clutch intake to allow a tractor to drive away.
John Deere displayed its new ActiveCommand Steering system, also known as steer-by-wire. "It has only been used in airplanes like Boeing and in Formula One," says Roland Forster, John Deere product line manager. "It is a fully electronic system that gives operators more control over the vehicle especially at high speeds of 25 to 40 mph."
ActiveCommand actively intervenes in steering through a controller. A driver will feel some feedback at the steering wheel during driving maneuvers. But the intervention improves driving safety and comfort. This system eliminates the uncontrollable oversteering that sometimes occurs when a driver takes fast evasive action.
Forster says, overall, steering will be very precise with ActiveCommand and should make steering easier with less turns of the wheel at places like the headlands.
John Deere will introduce ActiveCommand in the North American and European tractor markets in 2011.
Agritechnica awarded Deere a gold medal for innovation for Active Command. See video of the new sprayer at www.farmindustrynews.com/tv/videos.
Fast tire adjustment
A NEW on-the-go tire pressure adjustment system makes switching tire pressure from field to road much easier. AGCO designed the system and showed it on the Fendt 900 Vario tractor at Agritechnica.
The tractor operator can push a switch and the tire pressure on the tractor wheels is automatically adjusted for fieldwork or road travel. It takes about seven minutes to build tire pressure and just two minutes to reduce the pressure. A tire pressure system with a modified compressor is installed on the tractor. Control of the system is integrated into the electronic terminal.
LED lighting
LOTS OF LED lights showed up on new equipment at Agritechnica. But the most surprising place for the high-tech lights was on a sprayer boom. Amazone, a large German sprayer company, installed LED lights at each nozzle on a spray boom. Why? During night spraying, a farmer can quickly spot a malfunctioning nozzle with an LED light on it. This allows farmers the option to spray in the evening and night when winds are low to prevent sprayer drift.
Canola oil engine
DEUTZ-FAHR now offers an engine that will let farmers use canola oil or regular diesel fuel to power the tractor engine. Farmers who raise canola can process it for oil and use the oil for fuel.
The engine is designed to work for tractors of 130 to 200 hp. The new engine takes about 7% more canola oil than diesel fuel to power it. It is offered as an option, costing about $6,000 to $7,000 more than a regular diesel fuel engine.
However, fuel prices have dropped, and Stephan Bissinger, Deutz-Fahr product marketing, says demand for the alternative fuel engine also has dropped. He expects that, if fuel prices climb again, the engine will be in greater demand.
The engine is designed to work for tractors of 130 to 200 hp. Bissinger says the new engine takes about 7% more canola oil than diesel fuel to power the engine.
See video of new New Holland's hydrogen tractor at farmindustrynews.com/tv/videos
See video of ABS and ActiveCommand at farmindustrynews.com/tv/videos
See video of these products from Agritechnica at farmindustrynews.com/tv/videos

subset: commoncrawl


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on Tuesday, May, 07, 2013 6:28 PM
I've had this for quite a while, but I've been sitting on it because I wasn't sure if it could stand on its own. Also, it doesn't really have a title, so the thread title is just something I came up with on the fly.
I have an OC, named Elise. As a character she shows up in a lot of my stories in a lot of different ways (though not, I don't think, anything I have here), but the main story about her is basically one I just use for messing around with ideas, world-building, etc., so it's never been fit for public consumption.
Backstory is that in her story, she ends up on the digitization project because she and Sam were friends in college; he looks her up later, about a year after
, when he and Alan and Quorra are working on the Grid project privately, and convinces her to come help out and to work at Encom as well.
Ultimately, the project fails (where do you take a story about such a radically-changed world, if it doesn't fail?). Everyone ends up with some sort of bad end (highlight to read if you want, skip if you don't want to see bad stuff happening to the characters!):
SPOILER... Mouse Over To Read:
{Sam is killed in a motorcycle accident in his mid-30s; Elise and Quorra and Alan try to continue the project at first, but then Alan drops out because he has early-onset Alzheimer's that is worsening, and Elise and Quorra decide this was really Sam's baby and not theirs, so Quorra decides to go back to the Grid for good, and since Elise is starting to age (and the program she's in love with does not), she decides not to return. )
Elise keeps the server running, and when she's in her 80s or so, getting close to dying, she is sitting there reflecting on it all. There's a lot I've written about this time in her life, but it makes little sense without being emotionally invested in the characters and such. I suspect this part, about how knowing about the digital world can change your life, might be able to stand on its own, though. I didn't post it for a long time since I wasn't sure, but I asked a few people and they said it might be fine as a free-standing one-shot.
What do you want? I'm busy.
Program, please!
Chaos.... good news.
Posts: 2,389
RE: "Consequences"
on Tuesday, May, 07, 2013 6:35 PM
It's best not to get involved. I understand that now. I always had the suspicion, but now I know without a doubt that Walter Gibbs was right when he warned me to be cautious.
We live in two worlds that should never have been mixed. We created the programs, for a specific purpose, and when we begin to see them the same way we see ourselves, that balance is thrown off.
Any religion could show you. Look at the old Greek myths. When the gods walked among the humans, it never ended well. Kevin Flynn himself may have reached into his Zen teachings and told you that the balance is everything, that all things must have their own place and purpose. Even look at my own faith-- when our creator became one of us, it didn't end well for him.
It's not only because I loved and lost. I'm not that self-centered. Though I guess I have seen, first-hand, the heartbreak that comes of getting too close.
I've never looked at it the same way again. How could I? I still find it hard to delete a program, no matter how buggy. I feel inclined to keep them all, even if they're of no use. Then I face the decision of whether they can be repaired, and if not, how bad off they are-- wondering if a barely-functional life is better than no life at all. And that brings me to ask myself: what gives
the right to decide? Yet how can I ask?
Hey, you in there, on the other side of the screen-- do you want to live?
Every microwave, every calculator, every time I swear at the copy machine. I'm painfully aware that they're in there. I see someone's old computer sitting out by the road and feel like I should say a requiem prayer. At the company, I would watch them degaussing old hard drives for disposal, and I would lay my hand on the pile and whisper,
forgive them, for they know not what they do.
What other worlds exist that we don't know about, that we might never even imagine? In what other ways may we be unwitting or unwilling gods, dispensing fate with an unknowing flip of a switch or a careless kill command? What are we to our own gods and what are they to us?
The world wasn't ready. It would have never been ready. Ever-present in the human condition is that sense of manifest destiny:
Expand. Conquer. Take.
We never have, and perhaps never will, mastered that basic animal instinct to further our own interests, even at the expense of someone else. And when some higher discernment would call us to accountability, we will do anything to convince ourselves that we do right, to see the Other as less-than, as sub-human, as less deserving than we. That way we can sleep tonight, look at ourselves in the mirror tomorrow, and still do whatever we want.
So it would have been with the programs, the way we would see it: They are not like us. They are just programs. We can take what we want, dominate what we want. It is ours. It is our right. We are better. We are gods. They only exist to do our will. And those of us who know better, who have known them, befriended them, laughed and cried and loved with them… all of our protests wouldn't change it, wouldn't save them. It would have broken my heart to see it.
And so I let it go, this dream of a man I never met who gave everything for it, a dream passed on to his son who was one of my best friends in the world and who in his own way broke my heart. A dream that some might say I betrayed, and yet I couldn't see it dashed to pieces, bastardized by greed and xenophobia and all of the other plagues we can't quite exorcise from the deepest, darkest recesses of our humanity. The dream has not been and will not be realized, but in this way it has also never quite died… it would be for a better person than I to say whether, in releasing it in order to protect it, I have been true to the memory of the men who dreamed it.
I'm the only one left now who knows what would be lost. When I die, memory and knowledge die with me. It is best this way. The world that is too beautiful and amazing not to be shared is too beautiful and amazing to ruin. I guard the safety and peace of all of those I have loved, who are still and ever will be present in my heart, as long as it continues to beat. Their memory flows through my veins, will be stilled as my lifeblood will be stilled one morning not far in the future. It can't be long now, and I will join those who went before me. I am ready, have long been ready. I regret nothing.
What do you want? I'm busy.
Program, please!
Chaos.... good news.
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Sleep is composed of natural sleep cycles of brain activity, and is made up of two basic phases with individual stages within. These include rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep.
What is Non REM Sleep?
Non REM sleep occurs during the first four sleep phases, and before REM sleep, which is the final stage before the sleep cycle repeats itself. On average each stage lasts from five to 15 minutes. A typical night's sleep is comprised of 75% non-REM sleep and 25% REM sleep.
Non-REM sleep is an important component of our sleep cycle because many of our body and mind's functions are restored during this time, reports the Sleep Disorders Center at the University of Maryland Medical Center.
The Four Stages of non-REM Sleep
To understand NREM sleep, it's best to examine the individual stages of this type of sleep.
Stage One – This is the onset of sleep. You can be aroused and awakened quite easily during this stage. This is also the stage where sleepers experience the involuntary hypnic jerk. Stage one lasts roughly five to 10 minutes.
Stage Two – During stage two of non-rapid eye movement sleep, your body temperature decreases as does your heart rate. Dreaming continues to be rare in the stage, and no eye movement occurs. In this stage, the person may be heard sleep talking, but it may sound mumbled. Here, your body starts to prepare itself for entering deep sleep. Stage two usually makes up the bulk of a person's sleep cycle (about 40 to 45 percent).
Stage Three – This stage is known as delta sleep or slow wave sleep. If awakened during this stage, the person may feel disoriented for several minutes.
Stage Four – Like stage three, stage four is also a delta sleep stage. Nightmares and dreams occur during this stage.
Who would have thought that a regular night's sleep was made up of such an integrated, complex process? Yet. our body needs both REM and NREM sleep to be fully rested, restored, and rejuvenated.
Link to Us!
If you found this article useful and shareable, please copy and paste the following into the html code of your website or blog:
Learn More about Getting a Better Night's Sleep and Good Sleep Hygiene at Plushbeds Green Sleep Blog.


text:
Smash is back! And things are different -- from the inside. The creator and head writer for the television show, Theresa Rebeck, has been replaced with Gossip Girl's Josh Safran. This could be a good thing. After all, the first season of Smash had just as many sincere fans as hate-watching fans.
Is the new Smash going to be worth watching? Will it transcend camp and weirdness? Will we care about Karen and Ivy and Bombshell? Will Julia finally stop with those terrible scarves already?!?
Season 2 starts right about where the first season left off. Karen is all set to play Marilyn, and Derek introduces her to a Broadway star, Veronica "Ronnie" Moore. She's played by none other than Jennifer Hudson! And Ms. Hudson's musical numbers are one of the highlights of the whole episode. Even better -- we'll be seeing more of her!
Okay, but Jennifer Hudson isn't a main character and can't save the show herself. (Or we'd just call it the Jennifer Hudson Show and have her sing the whole time, which is actually a great idea.) This is Smash, so shit is about to happen. Like Julia almost reconciling with her husband but then not. So she moves in with Tom. Also, the reviews for his music were glowing but everyone hates her words. So it's time for Julia's Very Tedious Nervous Breakdown (whining underneath a comforter in pajamas).
The next meltdown: Eileen's finances get all tied up when her ex-husband sicks the Feds on her in some bogus investigation. Poor Eileen must deal with the lawyers. And she has the most boring problems. So there's no show, apparently.
Another meltdown: Karen gets Ivy fired from the show. Must! Kill! Rival! One thing that hasn't changed from the first season -- I still don't like Karen. But did you hear that marvelous grownup's apology Ivy delivers to her, after she's been fired? I'm so happy to see Ivy getting stronger and more confident.
And yet another meltdown: Women are suing Derek for sexual harassment. He claims he's innocent, but the joke's on him because he actually has no idea what sexual harassment even is. But he is still bright enough to deliver a (unrelated to sexual harassment) zinger to Tom. "Did you pack something warm for your trip to the moral high ground?" Haha, another highlight.
So I guess the big secondary plot this season is going to be Karen cultivating the hot new talent from Greenpoint, Brooklyn, Kyle and his brooding/flirting writing partner, Jimmy. I'm sorry, but I'm already bored by Jimmy. He's a cliche, and he's going to be a temperamental pain in the ass.
I was starting to hate the new season, and then they delivered that ridiculous Eurythmics "Would I Lie to You" number with Derek and the ladies, complete with little black dresses and hot pink pumps. Further proof that there is no god, because why would a compassionate god allow human beings to put this on television?!? Let the hate-watching begin.
(I did notice a lot of viewers loved the hot pink shoes, though.)
Okay, so I'm just about to give up on the whole thing. I don't care about Karen and her reluctant protege. I'm sick of Julia's wallowing. Eileen's legal problems are soooo tedious. But guess what? They all pull their shit together!
Derek delivers a pep talk to Ivy. The whole production team shows up at a benefit they were dis-invited to and storm the stage. Ivy sings like a pro. They all look awesome (well, except Julia is in a surpassing unflattering dress) and hoodwink all the Broadway VIPs that they're winners, not loozahs. Team Smash! Yay! It's ON!
And then Tom tells Julia exactly what she's needed to hear all along. "It's time to retire the scarves." Haha, Tom. You. Take a note, wardrobe.
Ugh, and then we end with this ugly scene of Ivy making nice with Derek only to find Karen already at his place, ready to show him Jimmy and Kyle's music. So I guess that's still going on. They're still stoking the flames of that rivalry, and that's probably a good thing.
Will I keep watching? I don't know. I'll give it another episode. I want to see if they give Julia some better costumes. And I'm living for just one more scene where Ivy triumphs over Karen.
What did you think of the season premiere? Will you keep watching?
Image via NBC


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text: Although it is not an official import in the United States, there are a few Land Rover Defenders pulling duty on the western side of "the Pond." To call this old 4x4 iconic would be an understatement. The years have barely affected its styling. But now there's a new concept model, which is far more affected. Yes, it still has a butch-ness to it, but making all those more recent vehicles for spoiled townies seems to have softened the Land Rover brand somewhat. Country folk might find the wheels on this DC100 rather too urbane for their liking. Nevertheless, Land Rover will be replacing the Defender in 2015 and it might look like this, and it might go on sale Stateside. But so far, no one at the Green Oval will say one way or the other.


text: Culture, leisure activities, and sports … the City of Bagnols sees to it that there are plenty of quality activities and events all year round. For this, Bagnols takes advantage, among other things, of its exceptional environment and pleasant climate. Between Mediterranean hills, woods and rivers, the area offers the possibility of practicing numerous outdoor activities. The sports facilities and multiple auditoriums throughout the City, of various capacities, offer many leisure activities as well. Whether organizing many of the City's cultural events, sports training courses for the young or festivities, over 300 non-profit organizations located all over the region are equally and actively involved in the life of the city. Judge for yourself!


text:
Duane Hanson was born in Alexandria, Minnesota, on January 17, 1925. He received his BA from Macalester college in 1946 and his MFA from the Cranbrook Academy of Art in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan in 1951. From 1953 to 1960, Hanson lived in Munich and Bremerhaven, Germany, working as an art teacher for the U.S. Army dependent school system. It was in Germany that he began to experiment with synthetic media, in particular polyester resin and fiberglass -materials that would become his signature media.
Hanson moved back to America in 1960 and from 1962-1965 he was an art professor at Oglethorpe University in Atlanta. During this period he was commissioned to produce several large decorative sculptures for the exterior of the university building. During the 60's he was conceiving his sculptures in the spirit of contemporaneous social protest and political agitation movements.
Hanson then moved to New York in 1969, his works were shown in solo exhibitions in New York and Germany. He created more than 25 sculptures over the next four years. His "sculptures of life" convey the emptiness, boredom, and loneliness of everyday life. Hanson's work depicts the clichés of American lower and middle class-life. He transformed the reality of life into the realism of art. We all come across Hanson's people every day life at the post office or gas station, or while walking in town.
"I'm not duplicating life, I'm making a statement about human values," Hanson said. "I show the empty-headedness, the fatigue, the aging, the frustration. These people can't keep up with the competition. They're left out, psychologically handicapped."
In 1974, a retrospective of Hanson's work toured through Europe including Stuttgart, Berlin and Denmark. The tour was a great success and in 1976 his work went on a major tour of museums in America which was also well received by the public. A large one man show was held at the Corcoran Gallery in Washington D.C. in 1978 and at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York City in 1979. In 1983 Hanson was named Florida ambassador of the arts.
Duane Hanson battled cancer since 1971, he died on January 6, 1996 at the age of 70 in Boca Raton, Florida.
Jusart-e.com 2009 - 2012


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My fantastic pal, Billierosie, sent me this great review for Dirty Words (out now in a brand new edition from Renaissance E Books/Sizzler Editions)... thanks, sweetie!
What's also cool is that this edition restores Patrick Califia's very special introduction.
What is it about M.Christian's DIRTY WORDS, that has me thinking of tapestry? In particular the Bayeux Tapestry, in Northern France? DIRTY WORDS is M.Christian's collection of erotic, if not pornographic stories, displaying human sexuality at its most raw and crude. The Bayeux Tapestry, as I remember it, has nothing to do with sex and everything to do with Queen Matilda and her refined Ladies in Waiting, stitching away in chilly castles in Normandy, France, while their men folk sail off to conquer the unrefined British.


text:
Professional World Meets Classroom
By Matt Hawkins
January 14, 2014
Five Bradley students mingled with Caterpillar employees and community members during a week of Lean Six Sigma training. The experience was the first training offered through a partnership between Caterpillar and the Foster College of Business.
Students received three credits for the course, which introduced them to training common in the business world.
"We wanted to give students a more hands-on experience interacting with professionals in the area," said Management and Leadership department chair Dr. Ross Fink. "A lot of businesses are using Six Sigma in the area, so why not get them in the room with professionals so students can interact with them?"
Students took advantage of the opportunity to learn from the network of professionals that also included Caterpillar suppliers, dealers and community members.
"This is beyond valuable," said senior industrial engineering major Leah Anderson. "You see real world applications. They bring in ideas from projects they're working on. There are years and years of experience in here that we don't get in the classroom."
Dan Anderson, a senior industrial engineering major, appreciated the Caterpillar expertise.
"To be able to be taught by Caterpillar is quite beneficial," he said. "With the things we're learning as industrial engineers, this is very relevant. It's something we're getting a lot of benefit from."
After completing the course, students will receive Six Sigma Green Belt recognition. Green Belts are the second of four certifications in the training process, with Black Belts and Master Black Belts the final steps.
Though geared toward business and industrial professions, Six Sigma can be applied across disciplines.
"No matter what course I'm taking, Six Sigma is applicable," Leah Anderson said. "It's basically what industrial engineering is: efficiency and quality, improving processes."


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The Mets have as many issues as a year of Sports Illustrated. They also have a general manager, Omar Minaya, poised for another four years to answer them. Here's what I see as the most pertinent issues facing the Mets.
1. JERRY MANUEL: Will Minaya bring back the manager who took over a floundering team and guided them into contention until the final day? And with him, his coaching staff? The Mets were fading under Willie Randolph when Manuel replaced him in June. With pretty much the same talent, the Mets turned it around. MY OPINION: Manuel should be brought back. This team worked hard for him and hustled. Talent issues beyond his control is why they failed.
2. CARLOS DELGADO: The struggling first baseman transformed into the slugging first baseman shortly after Manuel took over. Coincidence? Delgado says no and is annoyed with the suggestion. But, his numbers were impressive enough to merit MVP consideration. The Mets could pick up his option for $16 million or offer a $4 million buyout. Was Delgado's second half a fluke? That's a tough one. MY OPINION: If the Mets believe they are a contender and make some early moves to fix the pen, then Delgado should be brought back. It would be one less hassle. Should they go this route, there should not be an extension. Make him earn it. HOWEVER, if the Mets remain stagnant and believe they are in a rebuilding mode, then give him the buyout and go young. In this case, I would send Daniel Murphy to the Arizona Fall League for instruction at first. Nick Evans, too.
3. SECOND BASE: Ramon Martinez was a spark the final week of the season, but in the end, he's still a retread player. Damion Easley is a role player I want back. Luis Castillo is not the answer. MY OPINION: Castillo can't play here. I would try to trade him with the understanding of eating most of his salary. If they can't do that then dump him and eat the whole thing. If this is a platoon position next year, so be it.
4. LEFT FIELD: Moises Alou can't go in a time machine. The Mets finished the season platooning Daniel Murphy, Nick Evans and Fernando Tatis, with Endy Chavez coming in late for defense. I can see them doing that again, but acquiring a full time outfielder would be better. MY OPINION: Whatever they do, it should not be Manny Ramirez. I think they should look for a full time outfielder, but don't overpay because they have more pressing issues.
5. STARTING PITCHING: They have two spots that are in question, Pedro Martinez and Oliver Perez. Martinez was never completely healthy and was lost with the death of this father. His fastball faded and he proved to be a five-inning guy. Half of Perez's 34 starts were no-decisions and he finished at 10-8, the numbers for a fifth starter. MY OPINION: Perez won't come at a fifth starter's salary. With agent Scott Boras, he'll demand a lot. If the Mets want him, they should make their best offer during their negotiating window and sign him before CC Sabathia sets the market. If Boras says no, then fine and move on. I don't see Perez ever becoming a No. 1. As far as Martinez, he wants to pitch and I'd bring him back as a fifth starter.
6. BULLPEN: With the exception of Joe Smith, I can see a complete housecleaning. Aaron Heilman and Scott Schoeneweis are under contract, but so what? Twenty-nine blown saves should mean everybody is vulnerable. MY OPINION: Minaya won't bring back seven new arms. I'd look at Brian Fuentes before Francisco Rodriguez as the closer because of economics (they are already paying Billy Wagner $11 million not to close next year). The bridge is essential. I'd give Eddie Kunz and Bobby Parnell a shot in spring training to close. Winter ball might not be a bad idea, either. Brian Stokes, Smith, Luis Ayala and Pedro Feliciano I can see coming back. They've listened to trade offers for Heilman before. Now is the time to do it, because he's gone once he's a free agent. It's one thing to think overhaul, but it's another to actually do it. They have to realistic in that the entire pen can't be replaced.
This will be the offseason Minaya earns his money.


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- Preemies
Pacifier ideal for the needs of premature babies
To stimulate the sucking action of babies born prematurely, MAM has developed a pacifier which meets the special needs of premature babies: the MAM Preemie – available in three sizes.
While the MAM Preemie stimulates sucking which is independent of eating, it allows a correct jaw position to be maintained and guarantees the healthy development of the baby.
- Preemie Size 1 (for a weight of less than 1,200 grams)
- Preemie Size 2 (for a weight of between 1,000 and 1,800 grams) were designed specially for premature babies with a low weight at birth.
Please note that Preemie Sizes 1 and 2 are intended only for hospital use under supervision of health care professionals. Therefore they can only be ordered by clinics.
- Preemie Size 3 was developed for use at home.
This size is designed to cater for the needs of children weighing between 1,600 and 2,500 grams.
MAM Preemie Transition Set: ideal for aiding baby's transition to a regular pacifier
Contents of MAM Preemie Transition Set:
- 2 MAM Preemie Size 3
- 2 MAM Start
- Quarz Rosé - Set Girl
- Arctic Blue - Set Boy
for € 14,-, incl. VAT, excl. shipping costs (no minimum order value)
MAM Preemie 3 - Set Girl MAM Start
This is how easy it is to order the MAM Preemie Transition Set
1) Order
Send order form and declaration of consent completed in full and signed to consumer-service(at)mambaby.com or by FAX to +43 1 49141-404.
2) Order confirmation
If all of the details are complete, the order will be confirmed by e-mail or fax.
3) Dispatch
The Preemie Transition Set will be dispatched within a week after the order confirmation. If there are any delays, you will be notified in good time. The invoice and payment slip will be enclosed with the delivery.
In case of online banking, please quote your name and invoice number as the reference.
Bank Austria
Account Number: 255 106 002/00; Sort Code: 12000.
4) Questions?
If you have any questions about your order, please contact consumer-service(at)mambaby.com.
5) T+Cs
The General Terms and Conditions of Business for MAM Preemies apply.


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above: 1920s anti valentine card from prairie peacock
And I thought that the Anti Valentine was a recent concept. Obviously not. Some of the AV items on Etsy are lots of fun. I suppose people dislike the day for a variety of reasons. Some people have never recovered from a broken heart. Some don't believe in the notion of romantic love. Others feel that Valentine's Day has become overly commercial. Although I'm sure you don't have to spend money to celebrate the day I must confess that I'm not a fan. To put so much emphasis on one day as a time for declaring our love seems strange to me. Much better to let those we love know that they're cherished every day don't you think?
1. photo from patrick's house photography 2. journal from brown books 3. cross stitch card from ceg handmade 4. tote from shebbo designs 5. matches from dippy lulu 6. tshirt from nude and loitering tees 7. print from sandra eterovic 8. drawing from the sketchy lifeYou may not have heard or read this poem from Leonard Cohen (those who know me know that I'm a real fan). I didn't discover it till recently when I found a secondhand book of his earlier poems. I may not be keen on Valentine's Day but tokens of love are always appreciated. This is the poem that I'd love somebody to read to me...any day...any time.
When I think of 'love' I don't just think of people, but of birds and animals and other creatures. When I hear the birds around my home here I often have an involuntary intake of breath; an instantaneous smile. And just for a moment, I'm up there, soaring.
above: aceo from lemachi designs
print from moi, artdecadence (here in honor of Melange on Etsy Team 'Freedom' Challenge


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UConn Men's Game day
UConn men at Marquette
WHEN: Tonight, 8
WHERE: Bradley Center, Milwaukee
RECORDS: Marquette 9-3, UConn 10-2
ON THE AIR: ESPNU (Mike Corey, LaPhonso Ellis); WTIC 1080-AM (Joe D'Ambrosio, Wayne Norman)
UP NEXT: Jan. 8 vs. DePaul
Junior Cadougan G 6-1 Sr.: Shooting 16.7 percent from 3-point range
Vander Blue G 6-4 Jr.: Team-high 13.4 ppg
Todd Mayo G 6-3 So.: 12 pts, 6 rebs vs. North Carolina Central
Jamil Wilson F 6-7 Jr.: 9 ppg, 4.4 rpg
Devante Gardner F/C 6-8 Jr.: 12 ppg, 5 rpg
Trent Locket G 6-5 Sr.: Shooting higher percentage from 3
(40 %) than from field (39.5 %)
Chris O'Tule C 6-11 Sr.: 4.8 ppg, 3.2 rpg
Juan Andrson F 6-6 So.: 9 pts vs. NC Central
Derrick Wilson G 6-1 So.: 2.4 ppg, 2.1 apg
Shabazz Napier G 6-0 Jr.: Seven or more rebs in 3 of past 4 games
Ryan Boatright G 5-10 So.: Double-digit FG attempts in past 6 games
Omar Calhoun G 6-5 Fr.: 14 pts vs. Washington
DeAndre Daniels F 6-8 So.: Leading rebounder at 4.3 per game
Enosch Wolf C 7-1 Jr.: 9 rebs in 17 mins vs. Washington
Tyler Olander F 6-9 Jr: 4 pts, 2 rebs vs. Washington
Niels Giffey F 6-7 Jr.: Scoreless vs. Washington
R.J. Evans G 6-3 R-Sr.: 6-for-7 FG in past 2 games
Phil Nolan F 6-9 Fr.: 9 pts, 4 rebs in past 2 games
THE BUZZ IN MILWAUKEE: Well, there is no Buzz. Marquette coach Buzz Williams will serve a team-imposed one-game suspension due to a recruiting violation that the school reported this past summer. Williams declined to publicly name his replacement according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
MAYO RETURNS: Marquette's Todd Mayo, the brother of Dallas Mavericks guard O.J. Mayo, was academically ineligible for the entire first semester, which caused him to miss the Golden Eagles' first 10 games. He recently returned, giving Marquette another dynamic player in the backcourt.
NOLAN'S HOMECOMING: UConn freshman Phil Nolan is back in his hometown of Milwaukee. The 6-foot-9 forward expects plenty of familiar faces to come out for tonight's Big East opener.
"I know I got tickets for 15 people, but a lot of friends and family ordered tickets already, so it's going to be fun," Nolan said.


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If you're after blue bedrooms, we have the best blue bedroom ideas for your new look.
Blue is the perfect colour for your bedroom. The colour blue falls within a wide spectrum of shades from the palest hue to an inky blue-black – as a primary colour it forms a wide spectrum of hues. It is also an ideal shade for a bedroom décor, able to contrast and complement other shades beautifully, and has a deeply calming effect as the colour chimes with the sky and sea.
Introduce blue into your decorating scheme based on key factors. If you have large bay windows then statement curtains in an inky-blue hue marries well with floral bedlinen. Add a dramatic centrepoint to a room with a glass chandelier, against a simple backdrop of white walls and a neutral sheepskin rug.
To add a rustic feel to your bedroom, beech, oak and walnut all contrast fantastically with shades of blue. Marry a wooden double bed and furniture with sky-blue bedlinen, add plump white pillows with a subtle blue stripe. A beach-inspired makeover is also wonderfully effective and simple to achieve. Transform a simple divan bed with an oversized fabric-covered headboard with a nautical stripe, and dress the bed with complementing striped bedlinen.
A modern theme for your bedroom can be simply achieved with bold blue wallpaper in an abstract design and patterned bedlinen – add an Oriental-patterned rug for added contrast. Introduce yellow or lime cushions to contrast with the blue tones. For a really bold décor, a peacock-blue headboard or bedlinen is a standout feature.
Create a romantic French vibe to your bedroom with delicately embroidered blue bedlinen and a patterned fabric headboard. Duck-egg blue painted walls contrast beautifully with this theme complemented by cream and neutral accessories.
For a luxurious blue-themed boudoir, Oriental-themed wallpaper acts as a stunning backdrop – team with a luxurious pale-blue satin bedspread and matching cushions. Add a teal velvet headboard and matching bedside tables to complete the look.
Bedroom with blue-and-white curtains
Dress a large bay window with statement curtains made from two complementary fabric designs. Soften the look with white walls, a cosy rug and themed bedlinen.
Curtain fabrics
HarlequinColefax and Fowler
For more bedroom decorating ideas, check out our bedroom colour schemes gallery.
Blue bedroom with rustic textures and four-poster bed
Introduce shades of blue into your bedroom design with a few key accessories and fabrics - here, a deep blue throw is teamed with patterened cushions.
Similar bed
William Yeoward
Blue bedroom with yellow accents and painterly wallpaper
Choose wallpaper in a rich indigo blue shade and combine with distinct fabric prints and other textural designs for a unified look.
Abbott & Boyd
Christopher Farr
Blue bedroom with patterned headboard and French-inspired furnishings
Create a French vibe with embroidered bedlinen and a romantic blue and cream patterned headboard. Here, pretty accessories have been chosen in complementary shades.
Farrow & Ball
Headboard fabric
GP & J Baker
Blue bedroom with Oriental-style wallpaper and velvet headboard
Not sure how to put together a blue bedroom design? Try using a pretty Oriental-style wallpaper as a backdrop and combining it with a light blue satin bedspread and teal velvet headboard.
Wallpaper Direct
Blue bedroom with dramatic headboard and alcove shelving
Love bold colour? Be brave and go for a bright peacock blue.Team with a few white accessories to soften the look.
Cushion covers
The Conran Shop
The Dormy House
Blue bedroom with coastal-inspired palette
Give your bed a makeover with a beach-inspired patterned headboard. Add blue bedlinen for an extra shot of colour.
Headboard fabric
GP & J Baker
Duvet cover and pillowcases
House of Fraser
Blue bedroom with geometric designs
Give a classic blue and white scheme a modern twist with geometric designs in varying scales for an eye-catching effect.
Christopher Farr
Blue bedroom with painted dado rail
Try an unsual paint idea in your bedroom. Here, the walls are painted horizontally in blue - creating the look of a dado rail.
Titley and Marr
Blue paint
Fired Earth
Blue bedroom with period-style bed and strung curtains
Transform your bedroom to a boudoir and line the walls with a classic blue wallpaper. Place a period-style blue bed against a backdrop of beautiful Italian strung curtains to complete the look.
Colefax and Fowler
Feather & Black
Blue bedroom with iron bedstead and white painted furniture
Introduce colour and sophistication to a primarily white bedroom, with a subtle blue damask feature wall and a sumptuous powder blue quilt.
Laura Ashley
Similar bed
Feather & Black
Blue bedroom with large Anglepoise floor lamp
Inky blue is the perfect colour option for a unisex bedroom and it creates a moody look in this example. Steal this style with similar floor-to-ceiling curtains, inky bed linen, damask details and an oversized Anglepoise floor lamp.
Floor lamp
Blue bedroom with lime accessories and floral wallpaper
Combine vibrant blue and zesty lime accessories with bold floral wallpaper, for a contemporary edge in a vintage-themed bedroom.
Feature Wallpaper
Sofas & Stuff
Blue bedroom with striped bedding
Layer on lots of contrasting blue and white striped bedding for a casual country vibe.
Bed set
Marks & Spencer
Pillowcases and throw
Blue bedroom with beach-inspired scheme
Blue bedroom with yellow patterned wall
Make a statement in the bedroom by placing rich blue velvet pieces and striped accessories against a backdrop of floral wallpaper in citric chartreuse yellow.
Marks & Spencer
Blue bedroom with mottled fabrics and marbled walls
Choose calming blue and green hues fused together in mottled fabrics and marbled walls for a peaceful under the sea feel in the bedroom.
Wall panel
Painted in
Andaman Sea by Fired Earth
Blue bedroom with Eastern-inspired drapes and cobalt and white linen
Switch plain curtains for Eastern-inspired drapes in cobalt and crisp white, to liven up a dull bedroom in an instant. Throw a similar bedspread into the mix to pull the scheme together.
Designers Guild
Duvet cover and pillowcases
Volga Linen


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Move In & Move Out Cleaning Idal For Landlords, Tenants, and Agencies
Get ready to move into or out of any property – in the sure and certain knowledge that you'll get a home that's clean, hygienic, completely spotless, and ready to be occupied again. Book move in or move out cleaning as tenant, landlord, or agency representative – you get the same full insurance cover and quality guarantee.
Ask any questions you might have or confirm your booking on 020 7846 0756 or by using our booking form. Or read on below to see how we'll help you move…
Move In and Move Out Cleaning – Why Use Us?
- End Of Tenancy Cleaning Havering delivers a comprehensive cleanse suitable for any type or size of property you have
- The UK's leading estate agencies approve of the tasks we perform during this service
- All necessary tools and cleaning detergents are provided as part of your appointment
- Support provided around the clock no matter when and where you need us for move out cleaning
- Select short notice appointments, a weekday or weekend slot, or even a Bank Holiday booking time
- All of the end of lease cleaning services we offer make a great fit with our removals services
- Start your service with an obligation-free quote now – we're on the line 24/7
Your Move In/ Move Out Cleaning Appointment – Further Details
Move out cleaning from us can be easily combined with move in cleaning – that is to say, cleansing for a property that's about to be occupied. Whether the person doing the occupying is you yourself, or a forthcoming tenant for a property you own, this service ticks all of the boxes.
Whether you're moving in or moving out of this property, you'll get everything you need – a cleanse for all interior parts of the premises, including every room, hallway, and connecting space. This means all surfaces, fixtures and fittings like showers and baths, the oven in the kitchen, and every other part of your home that you as the landlord – or your landlord if you're the tenant – will expect to be cleansed to the highest standard.
The UK's leading estate agencies have approved of the work that we do, and we don't limit the amount of time your service lasts for. These are only two of the ways we support the standard of service you will receive. There's also our re-clean guarantee – which allows you to book a whole additional appointment for FREE if needed.
You can get more information or arrange your move out cleaning service now by giving us a call, or find more information over on our home page.


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A controversial issue affecting families on the financial brink is being debated in Harrisburg. Some lawmakers want to allow payday loans to return to Pennsylvania.
Payday lending is considered a scourge by advocates for the poor and working class. They say the loans crush vulnerable families by trapping them in an endless cycle of debt at outrageous interest rates.


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Location: Riggs Hall, Third Floor, 304E
Phone: (417) 865-2811 ext. 7335
Location: Riggs Hall, Third Floor, 304E
With lots of residence halls and lots of students filling them up, Evangel's Housing department is always busy. We're happy to help students however we can when it comes to housing situations, so don't be afraid to ask us if you have questions or concerns.
For more information on Housing, visit the Housing section of our website.
|Pam Smallwood
|Administrative Assistant
|Diane Fulks


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Mighty Cam 1080P HDMI Color Camera 2M w/ USB Flash Drive
1080p HDMI Output – Onboard Image Saving
Aven's 1080P HD color camera allows you to connect the camera directly to a HD monitor with an HDMI input. A PC not required for image processing, thus saving you bench space. In addition, a built in USB Flash Drive allows you to save images. All features of this digital camera can be controlled via on screen menus, such as RGB values, white balance, cross hair grid, and auto exposure. 4 Vertical and 4 horizontal cross hair grids available with 6 color selections. Remote switch for capturing images onto the USB flash drive is included. Produces stunning life like images with exceptional clarity.
All-In-One Inspection and File Saving – No Computer Required
- View real-time 1080p HD images directly on your HD monitor
- Versatile C Mount for easy microscope or video lens attachment
- Save images directly to the included USB Flash Drive
- On-board menu system for access to camera settings
- Includes remote switch for instant snap shots
*stands, lenses, microscopes, monitors and lighting accessories sold separately


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Dem plans bill to require privatization approval
A state lawmaker from western Pennsylvania plans to introduce a bill requiring legislative approval for privatizing government programs that would include the Pennsylvania Lottery, according to a news release last week.
State Rep. Tony DeLuca, D-Allegheny County, was seeking co-sponsors for the bill, which he plans to introduce in January, the release stated.
A private-management agreement could be reached around that time, according to a timeline related to the plans.
DeLuca questions whether private management could do as well as the success achieved by the lottery under public management and said no governor should take such "unilateral action" without legislative consultation and approval, according to the release.
Privatization is under consideration because of a need to help secure necessary funding for the state's senior population, which benefits from lottery-funded programs and is growing, according to Gov. Tom Corbett's administration.
The lottery is not the only public asset that's been part of privatization talks.
Plans to privatize parts of the state liquor store system were on the legislative track during this session, which expires at the end of the year, without gaining lawmaker approval.
Corbett's office tweeted Monday that the administration would continue to pursue privatizing liquor stores. Corbett talked about the issue during to a visit to the Pennsylvania Press Club.


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viarun needed a new twitter background design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 181 designs submitted by 19 freelance designers.
billeater.com saves you money on your bills. We've got tips and tools that help you save money on insurance premiums, mortgage payments, electric bills, credit cards, taxes, and more.
U.S. readers that want to save money on their bills.
I'd like a twitter background that:
- Visually reflects the site theme of saving money on your bills
- Is mostly visual. No words other than "billeater.com" and the site slogan "save money on your bills."
- Is aligned with the style and colors of the website. Should not be the "same" as the website, but they should be obviously related.
- Considers the variety of screen resolutions that twitter visitors might have. In other words, has to look okay whether the user has a 1024x768 display or one of the newer widescreen displays
- Does not alter the branding/logo. Don't reinvent the billeater "character" or change the font (Arial Black) of the site slogan, etc.
- Nice matching with the twitter settings for background colors. ( really nice work on this one: http://twitter.com/innerclick )
Some examples of twitter backgrounds I like..not that I want mine to copy any of these, but you might get a feel for my tastes:
I attached a jpg of the logo on the front page, and a vector adobe illustrator file with the billeater.com logo in it.
Looking forward to some great designs! The existing profile is at http://twitter.com/billeater ... ignore the background, I don't like it. Thought it might be helpful to see the content though.


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StanCorp Financial Group Inc (SFG) is Trading Higher on Unusual Volume for February 11Equities Staff Follow |
StanCorp Financial Group Inc (SFG) experienced unusually high volume on Feb. 11, as the stock gained 0.02% to a closing price of $114.84. The stock saw 1 million shares trade hands over the course of the day on 4,019 trades. Given that the stock's average daily volume over the last month has been 388,759 shares a day, this represents a pretty substantial spike over the norm.
StanCorp Financial Group Inc has a P/B ratio of 2.14. It also has a P/E ratio of 23. The stock has traded between $115.43 and $65.28 over the last 52-weeks, its 50-day SMA is now $114.06, and its 200-day SMA $101.59.
StanCorp Financial Group Inc is a holding company. The Company offers group and individual disability insurance, group life and accidental death and dismemberment insurance, group dental and group vision insurance, and absence management services.
Headquartered in Portland, OR, StanCorp Financial Group Inc has 2,803 employees and is currently under the leadership of CEO J. Gregory Ness.
For a complete fundamental analysis analysis of StanCorp Financial Group Inc, check out Equities.com's Stock Valuation Analysis report for SFG. To see the latest independent stock recommendations from Equities.com's analysts, visit our Research section.
The Russell 3000 is not well known outside the world of finance, but it's one of the strongest indices out there for getting a broad sense of the stock market. Unlike the better-known Dow Jones Industrial Average or S&P 500, membership on the Russell 3000 isn't selected by committee. It's simply the 3,000 most valuable companies in the country.
With 3,000 stocks making up the index, it gives a broad look at the markets, including the small-and mid-cap companies that aren't on the Dow or the S&P 500. And with a rules-based system for determining membership, there's no bias that could potentially limit membership. That's why many financial professionals will turn to the Russell 3000 long before the better-known indices when trying to take the temperature of the market.
For more news on the financial markets, go to Equities.com. Also, learn more about our independent proprietary equity research reports and our robust do-it-yourself Stock Valuation Analysis reports in our Research section.
All data provided by QuoteMedia and was accurate as of 4:30PM ET.
DISCLOSURE: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors, and do not represent the views of equities.com. Readers should not consider statements made by the author as formal recommendations and should consult their financial advisor before making any investment decisions. To read our full disclosure, please go to: http://www.equities.com/disclaimer


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Common sense and good taste seem to have prevailed: FOX has decided to pull the plug on both its planned OJ Simpson book and television interview special, "O.J. Simpson: If I Did It, Here's How It Happened."
News Corporation Chairman and CEO Rupert Murdoch said today, "I and senior management agree with the American public that this was an ill-considered project. We are sorry for any pain this has caused the families of Ron Goldman and Nicole Brown-Simpson."
CommentsClick To View
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Industry News
Jennifer Aniston's New 'Do!
This just in! Jennifer Aniston's new hair cut is already a HUGE social media buzz. Everyone from media outlets, celebrity reporters and beauty bloggers (and salons including Zennkai Salon in Vancouver, featured here) are buzzing about the latest images to hit the Web showcasing the actress' latest style update.
A hair icon for two decades, Aniston's hair always creates MAJOR buzz--whether it's "The Rachel" (the cut made famous by Aniston's role on Friends), or her role with product line Living Proof, get ready to hear from clients about the new 'do!
Though we're sure once washed, blow dried and styled this look will stunning in typical Aniston style. What's YOUR favorite look Aniston has sported?
|Jennifer Aniston Joins Chris McMillan To Share Living Proof News


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Monday, April 30, 2012
What's New on the Prairie
I've been busy behind the scenes here "At Home" preparing for a new gig. Yes, I quit that job. I could write a book but seriously I cannot waste my energy revisiting it or dwelling on it. I choose not to look back.
Back in March I mentioned in passing that I'd participated in a craft show. It was a spring craft show and true to northern Illinois it snowed the day before the show. That translated to small attendance. I did well regardless but the best thing about doing the show is that the folks at Heritage Prairie Farm invited me to be a vendor at their weekly farmer's market.
I decided to take the leap, quit the job and put all my energy into doing these weekly markets. My sister will be helping me and contributing her great designs. Since it's a farmer's market we will be focusing on the aprons, the aforementioned dishcloths, vintage cookbooks and kitchen gadgets, dishtowels, napkin rings and whatever else we can dream up.
The reason I haven't mentioned this before is that lots and lots of things had to fall in place to make it happen, not the least of which was discovering that we must carry $1,000,000 in liability insurance. YES...... that's a one with six zeros after it. ONE MILLION. Thankfully, the insurance is not as expensive as one might believe.
The first farmer's market is this Saturday and I just received the certificate of insurance today. Nothing like coming in under the wire.
Check out Heritage Prairie Farm. It's a really great venture.
They hold fabulous farm dinners and be sure to check out the link to their weddings. Can you imagine getting married under a beautiful white tent in the middle of a farm with the sun going down beyond the fields to the west? It's really a cool venue. For later in the evening they have a large circle of Adirondack chairs to sit around the fire.
The serve pizzas cooked over a wood fire on certain nights of the week and there's a small market store on the premises selling fresh eggs, cheese and honey from their apiary.
Like I said, my sister and I will be there starting this Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Fellow northern Illinois blogger Jen Rizzo will be just down the road at the Kane County Flea Market, so you can come visit both of us. The Kane County Flea Market is open on Saturday from 12 noon till 5 and Sunday from 7 a.m. till 4 p.m.
Now I'm off to try and get organized and do some signage.
7 comments:
- Charm Bracelet Diva said...
Okay lady, when were you going to tell me about this? I have never heard of this place yet Mapquest tells me that I live only 22 minutes away. 22 minutes away! I love Farmer's Markets and this one looks fabulous! If it weren't for my son's First Communion this weekend I'd be there! Are you going to be there every Saturday this summer? Do tell so that I can stop by and enjoy!
And congrats on the new venture. You're going to be madly successful! I'm so jealous, I've toyed with the idea of doing something similar but fear and self-doubt always take over. You're my hero! Bonne chance!
- April 30, 2012 at 7:18 PM
- Vee said...
Sounds like a perfect outlet for you and your sis. I hope that you have a lot of fun and do very well. Then you'll have to race home and crank up the sewing machines to have enough to sell the following week? You'll stay busy, which you like best anyway and you'll be busy doing the things you enjoy. I enjoyed seeing the wedding venue. That does sound like a wonderful way to have a wedding and a reception all in one beautiful location. Wish that I were closer because I'd love to check everything out in person.
One million dollars worth of insurance...< insert low whistle >
- April 30, 2012 at 7:22 PM
- MaddiesMom said...
Congratulations on embarking on becoming a regular vendor at the Farmer's Market.... I wish you loads of luck (and good weather if it's outdoors)
I can't believe you need liability ins, let alone for a million dollars, for aprons and dish cloths...must be a standard thing they make all vendors do?
- April 30, 2012 at 9:16 PM
The new venture sounds wonderful. Do what you love!
- May 1, 2012 at 8:31 AM
- bv said...
i am excited! this is perfect for you and will be fun, unlike that stupid old gig. if i lived closer i would beg to work with you....weddings? hmmmm, do i see a opp for wedding accessories??? ring pillows etc...
this is going to be a blast! and you will be surrounded by lovely people, all good...
- May 1, 2012 at 10:34 AM
Congratulations, Suzanne. That place looks wonderful...so much going on. I would love to do a road trip and visit some Saturday. Best wishes on your new venture.
- May 2, 2012 at 5:53 AM
- Samplings from Spring Creek said...
When you are ready to write a book about former jobs and employers--I can contribute, I have had some unreal experiences!
- May 4, 2012 at 4:21 AM


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Thursday, October 15, 2009
Coloring a sweater
Adding texture to a specific area
In this image I want the main body of her sweater to look like a knit, but the ribbing on the cuffs should be straight and I don't want her skirt or skin to get textured either. This is where you need to plan ahead. If you add the texture after you've colored the whole picture then you'll want to mask off any areas that you don't want to get textured.
This is a picture I drew last week and since it is going into my example book I photocopied my original onto color laser copier paper. As I mentioned earlier, paper will make a huge difference in your final results. You'll get better results if you work on Neenah Classic Crest Solar White, Copic sketchbook paper, or Copic Stamping paper. Prism Simply Smooth will work but you'll need to soak the texture more, along with Papertrey Ink, and Gina K. papers. Test a few paper types until you get the technique to work correctly.
I start by coloring her main sweater nice and evenly with a BV00. To make sure it is really smooth I started at one sleeve and colored with the side of the brush (not the tip) in circles, really soaking the paper evenly. I didn't let any area get too dry or else I would have had streaking.
Next I added my darker BV04. Usually this is too big a color jump in this family, but I couldn't find my BV02 and I know that I'm going to be adding texture anyways so I went for it.
Notice how I added my darker color in feathered strokes. In areas that I want to have a softer blend I lift up at the end of my stroke. This puts less dye on the page and makes it easier to blend back in.
Then I come back with my BV00 and color over the whole area. In this case I start coloring on the light side and push my BV00 into the darker BV04. See how the whole sweater gets darker and the areas that I feathered with the darker purple really blended in nicely. If the sweater is a little uneven or blotchy at this point it's OK, since I'm going to be adding texture anyways.
Now I'm ready to add my texture. On an older post I added texture with a wadded paper-towel soaked in Copic Colorless blender solution. In this example I don't want the wrinkly look that worked with the bushes, I want a specific sweater looking texture. What better way to get sweater texture than with a sweater? Luckily my husband had a black sweater hanging in the closet with just the right woven look I wanted. This technique won't ruin the sweater (though try at your own risk) and if any color happened to come off my paper it wouldn't show up on the black sweater anyways.
This will take practice to get it right, so don't give up if it doesn't work the first time (click on the photo to enlarge).
At this point I would suggest getting clean, absorbent scratch paper under your work. Any stray color on your scratch paper might bleed through where you don't want it.
After my base colors were dry, I carefully pinched a small area of the sweater in my fingers, about the size of a large coin, and soaked it in colorless blender solution. Not sopping wet, just a little damp. Then I dabbed it onto my sweater.
In the first try you'll see it was too wet and is kind of soft and washed looking. You might like that look, but I want a stronger knit look. This wet look is caused by one of a few things:
1. Wrong paper. softer papers, like Georgia Pacific, will not give crisp definition.
2. Base color too wet. Let the base colors dry longer before adding texture, particularly on thicker papers.
3. Too much blender soaked into your texture fabric. Let your fabric dry a bit more before you try again (I like to make a test-dab first to see how wet my fabric is)
4. Holding your texture too long in one place. Test and practice to see how long you need to hold it in place. This varies from paper type to paper type.
5. No scratch paper/ wet scratch paper. Get clean scratch paper before you try this.
To fix the first try I let my paper dry completely and I used less blender on my husband's sweater. Then I carefully dabbed it on again over the same area. Success! See how crisp the sweater texture is. Notice on her arm that the color was bleeding a bit. After I finished texturing the whole area I went back and fixed my bleeding mistakes using the colorless blender. Be sure to clean up the pendant while you are working on other mistakes. Then I colored the ribbing last, in little streaks, with the BV00 and BV04. Now it's the same color as the sweater, but without the knit look.
Here is my final artwork that I colored last week and I forgot to scan in the steps. Original artwork by Marianne Walker. Hair/notebook Y11, E31 Sweater BV00, BV04, Blender Skirt R83, R85, R89 Shoes R83, Blender Skin E000, E11, BV31 Socks BV31. Now your artwork can have a fuzzy, warm winter. Have a great day!
14 comments:
- Stampin_melissa said...
Wow, great job Marianne!
- October 15, 2009 at 7:12 AM
- Nancy ~ Inkcicles said...
Very cool! I don't think I would of thought to let the texture spots dry and then do another layer again to make them more crisp.
Thanks Marianne!
- October 15, 2009 at 8:21 AM
- NikkiNix said...
Awesome tutorial - thanks so much!!
- October 15, 2009 at 9:10 AM
- treesawardincrafts said...
I just love this tutorial! Much, much better than bloc colouring. I will definitely have to try this one. Thanks.
- October 15, 2009 at 9:33 AM
- Jessica said...
Thank you so much for sharing your talent with us!
- October 15, 2009 at 11:35 AM
- Cheryl O said...
What a great tutorial, Marianne! Thank you for sharing that one with us. I'll have to try this on those fall and winter stamps I have.....
- October 15, 2009 at 6:16 PM
- Sammi said...
what a great tutorial! thanks!!
will definitely have to try this!
- October 15, 2009 at 10:49 PM
- Rebecca Ednie said...
This was awesome! I knew how to add texture but I wouldn't have thought to use an actual sweater! Duh! Thanks for sharing.
- October 16, 2009 at 10:14 AM
- Bev said...
Nifty! Thanks!
- October 16, 2009 at 11:21 AM
- leenda said...
This is too cool! Thanks for the tutorial!
- October 16, 2009 at 2:55 PM
- Deebi27 said...
I love your talent and can't wait to take Sally's Copics 101 in Evansville, In, actually Princeton, In on Saturday...YEA!!!!!!!
- October 17, 2009 at 9:32 PM
- Debbie Olson said...
Love this, Marianne! You rock, but you knew that, right? ;-D
- October 18, 2009 at 6:57 PM
- Lorraine said...
Stunning result!
- October 27, 2009 at 12:09 PM
Coloring a sweater is as easier as visit Viagra Online you just need log as and them enjoy it.
- August 30, 2010 at 9:00 AM


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This is an activity about the states of matter. Learners will participate in a demonstration to reintroduce them to three states of matter: solid, liquid, and gas. The demonstration also introduces them to a fourth state of matter, plasma, through... (View More) investigation of the properties of volume and shape as they relate to common solids, liquids, and gases, and to the mystery matter later identified at the end as plasma. The demonstration also covers plasma's connection to the Sun and connections to science related to the Interstellar Boundary Explorer, or IBEX, spacecraft. This activity complements other IBEX informal education materials. The demonstration requires use of a small plasma ball and, ideally, a slightly darkened room so that the plasma ball can be more easily seen. An instructional video explaining how to facilitate this activity is available: http://bit.ly/125ZW5k. (View Less)
Materials Cost: Over $20
This is a set of materials about spectroscopy, including a downloadable PowerPoint presentation and two demonstrations or activities. Learners will read and/or hear about the science of spectroscopy, what a spectrum is, and how spectroscopy is... (View More) important to the study of our Sun. These resources can also accompany the Stanford Solar Center's Build Your Own Spectroscope activity. (View Less)
This is an activity about the the functioning of the Interstellar Boundary Explorer, or IBEX, spacecraft. Learners will participate in an interactive demonstration to illustrate how the IBEX spacecraft uses its particle detectors to collect and sort... (View More) particles that come from the boundary of the Solar System. This activity complements other IBEX informal education materials. An instructional video explaining how to facilitate this activity is available: http://bit.ly/YqwWCd. (View Less)
In this activity, students will learn how technology can help scientists solve a problem. One of the challenges scientists face with any spacecraft is attitude control. Students will be introduced to the problem of attitude control in space through... (View More) an experiment using angular momentum, and experience two different ways scientists address this problem. Students begin by discussing the technology(ies) that powers satellites and enable(s) them to move through space. Students then engage in an angular momentum experiment. Estimated cost of this activity does not include the cost of the bicycle wheel for the angular momentum experiment. This activity is one of several in the Swift: Eyes through Time collection available on the Teachers' Domain website. (View Less)
Materials Cost: $5 - $10 per group of students
This article describes an indoor, game-type demonstration, incorporating physics (EM wave modulation), math (binary codes), space technology, and music to show how spacecraft put information into the radio signals they send back to Earth. The... (View More) article was originally written for and published by the International Technology Education Association in its journal, The Technology Teacher. It is now archived on The Space Place Web site. (View Less)
This is a activity about how reaction wheels affect spacecraft orientation (attitude). Learners will observe Newton's Third Law (action-reaction) in the changes caused by a reaction wheel acting upon a spacecraft suspended from a support wire and in... (View More) the ensuing interfering forces from the wire support. The experiment includes an option for demonstration and for learner investigation. Notes about gyroscopes are included. (View Less)
Materials Cost: $10 - $20 per group of students


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City of Lincoln
Mayor's Office
2006 Media Releases
Mayor Coleen J. Seng today announced that a community food project has been awarded a federal grant of more than $275,000. "From Garden to Table" is a project of Open Harvest Natural Foods Grocery in partnership with the Lincoln Parks and Recreation Department and Community CROPS (Combining Resources, Opportunities and People for Sustainability), a local community garden project.
The three-year project addresses the needs of low-income, minority and new Americans by:
"This grant is a tremendous investment in the health of this community," said Mayor Seng. "I want to thank all the organizations who are working together on this important project. By helping families develop healthy eating habits and attitudes, the entire community benefits."
The USDA Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service will fund and administer the grant. Additional partners include the El Centro de las Americas (formerly named the Hispanic Community Center), the Malone Community Center, the Asian Community and Cultural Center, the Indian Center and the Good Neighbor Community Center.
"This grant enables us to serve our community more effectively by translating our bulk food programs into other languages and developing programs about eco-literacy to educate the public on where food comes from. Many children do not even know how a seed grows." said Jackie Barnhardt, Open Harvest's Outreach Director. "We can create a stronger food security system when we understand and support the vital service our local farmers provide to us."
The Lincoln Parks and Recreation Department will help develop youth-driven community garden activities, cultivate family involvement and provide hands-on cooking and nutrition classes, with a special focus on addressing childhood obesity. Several educational programs will also be developed to air on 5 CITY-TV, the government access cable television channel.
"Our motivation for the project is to go beyond the mere provision of free snacks and supper, by helping the children understand the food production cycle and good nutrition, learn easy food preparation techniques and start to increase their own families' food self-reliance," said Sandy Myers, Recreation Manager.
The Nutrition Education Project of the Lancaster County Extension Service will provide nutrition education and cooking classes at the "F" Street Recreation Center, using produce raised by children working on the youth gardens.
From Garden to Table strengthens the ability of Community CROPS to provide technical assistance, resources and access to garden plots and small farms. The project also creates an opportunity for CROPS to build an ethnic farmers market to increase access to fresh local fruits and vegetables and encourage economic development for refugee, New American and low-income farmers.
The grant also creates opportunities to connect people to high-nutrient, economical bulk foods by expanding outreach and marketing to a broader community. KZUM Community Radio will provide cultural awareness of the From Garden to Table project and education on nutrition and food self-reliance.


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SUVs are all the rage these days. Small ones. Big ones. Huge ones. There's an SUV for every life stage and lifestyle – from urban cute utes to mountain-loving rock crawlers.
So, why would you buy a Chevrolet Traverse over, say, a Volkswagen Atlas or Mazda CX-9? While a lot of vehicular purchases are based on brand loyalty, below are five good reasons to consider Traverse over its 7-passenger competition. And maybe one that could be a deal breaker.
Comfy seating for 7 or 8
The test vehicle was a 3LT model with leather seats, and it came with plush second-row captain's chairs that slide forward or backward to allow for more or less space depending on legroom needs of second- and third-row passengers.
Access to the third row is easily accomplished between the captain's chairs for those of the kid-sized variety, with plenty of legroom if the second-row passengers don't slide their seats all the way rearward.
The cushions of the third-row seats had some squish to them, so anyone riding in the back row won't feel like they're sitting on concrete after a few minutes – this tends to be the downfall of a lot of SUVs with a third row. Atlas included.
A middle bench seat is standard on the L and LS trims and available at the LT trim level.
Neither Atlas nor CX-9 offer 8-passenger seating.
Rear camera mirror
This is one of the coolest new features I'm starting to see pop up in vehicles.
Basically it turns your rear-view mirror into a camera display. It takes some visual reconditioning because things do appear differently, but in the end it's a huge help.
The biggest advantage is when you're in a vehicle like the Traverse and have passengers and cargo to contend with. The camera on the rear of the vehicle essentially makes visual obstacles disappear.
Plus, the digital display brightens up the image portrayed on the screen, which creates overall better visibility at night or during inclement weather.
So far, we've only seen this on General Motors vehicles, though we've heard it will make its debut in the Nissan Armada for 2018.
310 Horsepower
The Traverse offers two engine options, a fuel sipping 2.0-liter, 4-cylinder and a peppy 3.6-liter, V-6. The test vehicle had the V-6, which delivers 310 horsepower and 266 pound-feet of torque.
This is just the right amount of power for the 4,362-pound vehicle. You won't win any drag races, but you won't stress out over highway merges either.
It's worth noting that neither the Atlas nor the CX-9 offer this much power. Atlas wrings out a measly 276 horsepower from its V-6, and CX-9 only has a 4-cylinder engine that delivers 250 horsepower.
Cavernous cargo space
The redesigned Traverse has a bigger, blockier shape. This not only serves to give the SUV a more handsome, masculine appearance, but it also creates more usable cargo space.
I picked up my in-laws at the airport during the test period, and their two carry-on suitcases were able to lay flat, head-to-head on the floor of the cargo area. But they easily could have stood upright as well. In that position, at least five carry-on cases could fit behind the third-row seats, with plenty of room to lay garment bags, pillows or additional suitcases on top.
The third-row seats also fold flat, as do the second row captain's chairs, which opens up space for larger objects like bikes or book shelves.
USB ports galore
I firmly believe there should be at least one USB port per seat in the car. Few automakers agree with me.
You see, most modern families have at least one mobile device per person. Whether it's a cell phone or a tablet, these devices are invaluable on a long road trip. Until said devices need to recharged before you reach your final destination.
The Traverse test vehicle had seven USB ports to match the seven seats, and it had the added bonus of an actual 120-volt plug in the second row. So, it's a win-win-win in my book – eight devices can physically all charge at the same time.
Most three-row SUVs forget the back row passengers altogether, and if there are any USB ports in the second row, you're lucky.
Auto stop/start engine
In an attempt to increase fuel economy ratings, many automakers have started to adopt the auto stop/start engine feature, which turns off your engine when you bring the vehicle to a complete stop – like when you encounter a red light. The idea is that if your engine isn't idling, you are saving fuel and your fuel economy numbers will increase.
I loathe this feature because it also mutes your HVAC settings and occasionally creates too long of a pause when you stop quickly before turning into traffic. Plus a lot of the systems out there are still herky jerky, with loud engine noises and noticeable shudders as the engine turns on and off.
Most automakers allow you to turn it off, but General Motors does not. And that, to me, is a deal breaker.
I would also argue that the whole reason it exists is a bust in urban driving where there is a stop sign on every corner. For the engine to turn off and then back on at each intersection, the vehicle seems to use more – not less – fuel. Case in point: In mostly city driving, I averaged 15.6 mpg. The EPA estimates that you should get 17 mpg in city driving.
A Facebook friend found a way to cheat the system by placing the transmission in low mode and then tapping it into 9th gear and driving like that. I asked the engineers at Chevrolet if this would hurt the engine or transmission, and they said no. But they also said they couldn't guarantee that this cheat would work every time.
The Bottom Line
The 2018 Traverse is a handsome vehicle. It has a base price just more than $30K, and proves to be a nice family vehicle with excellent legroom and plenty of USB ports to charge mobile devices. When you add the available 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot into the mix (subscription required), you can keep the peace among family members on long or short drives.
The test vehicle was a 3LT model, which included features such as the rear camera mirror, second row captain's chairs, passive entry and push-button start. Add in the heated front seats, and you have something that's both useable and comfortable.
The as-tested price was $44,185, which seems like a fair price to pay for functional family vehicle.
For reference a comparably equipped Atlas would cost $44,240 and a CX-9 would cost $45,255.


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Service Times:
Classic Council Road
A classic blend of hymns and choruses with choir and orchestra
at 9am
Modern Worship
Worship that reflects new styles and artist
at 10:15am
Confirmation #: 10272176Description: Our Traditional Worship is located in the Worship Center. It is a joy-filled experience with hymns of the faith as the main staple of this worship. You will find familiar and new songs incorporated with organ, piano and the CRBC orchestra as the accompaniment. Whether you help lead or come as a ready participant, we think the praise of Jesus will be felt each time you come. Contact Name: Hester FultonContact Number: 405 692-1687Contact Email: firstname.lastname@example.com: Arts SuiteEvent Details: http://public.serviceu.com/calendar/EventDetails.asp?OrgKey=c7f9aeb7-3f44-47ba-9a4e-9a09ae5c7705&EventID=10272176&OccID=419008053


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The football-following world first knew that Peyton Manning has an ankle injury when he missed practice three days after getting banged around by the Colts.
The football-following world was reminded of the Peyton Manning ankle injury when he was hit low on Sunday by Chargers defensive end Corey Liuget.
Now, in a development that should surprise no one, Manning isn't at practice.
He presumably will be listed as not participating due to an injured ankle. The team hasn't specified the ankle but on Sunday it was the right leg that Liuget attacked. A report that both ankles are injured has prompted speculation that Manning simply doesn't want anyone to know which angle is injured.
Or that he's trying to provide cover for something else, like an injured shoulder.
Regardless, interim coach Jack Del Rio already has said that Manning definitely will play on Sunday night against the Chiefs.


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15,376 questions
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Dear Anjali and friends
Can a woman ejaculate like man? My husband asks me to ejaculate but I cant. He has shown some films on this subject where I saw the women ejaculating, but I always think that is the urine and not as mentioned in the theory.
I read some articles where it is mentioned that women have some gland from where the ejaculation happens. My husband arouses me a lot at G-spot (he terms it as G-spot). I also feel extremely pleasurable but cant ejaculate as he wants.
Can any woman answer this question? Even any husband having such experience with his wife please share.


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I'm thrilled the Jets are doing so well. They are kindred spirits with the team they once shared Shea Stadium with, and not just because of the housing link.
They also have a history of being disappointed.
I covered the Jets during the Joe Walton Era, and I'll never forget on 3-18 Mark Gastineau being called for roughing Bernie Kosar. It kept the drive alive and the Browns eventually won in overtime. That was the year the Jets started out 10-1 and limped into the playoffs.
Well, they are rolling now. I hope you'll add to the link, and if I get comments asking me about blogging the Jets-Colts game on Sunday I'll do it.


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Bush to create world's biggest ocean preserve
Posted 15 June 2006 - 10:32 AM
WASHINGTON - President Bush on Thursday is expected to announce the creation of the world's largest marine protected area — a group of remote Hawaiian islands that cover 84 million acres and are home to 7,000 species of birds, fish and marine mammals, at least a quarter of which are unique to Hawaii.
At a White House ceremony, the president was planning to designate the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands — which have been described as "America's Galapagos" and as the most intact tropical marine region under U.S. jurisdiction — the United States' 75th national monument.
The decision immediately sets aside 139,000 square miles of largely uninhabited islands, atolls, coral reef colonies and underwater peaks known as seamounts to be managed by federal and state agencies.
Conrad Lautenbacher, head of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which will manage nearly all of it, said the new protected area would dwarf all others.
"It's the single-largest act of ocean conservation in history. It's a large milestone," Lautenbacher said. "It is a place to maintain biodiversity and to maintain basically the nurseries of the Pacific. It spawns a lot of the life that permeates the middle of the Pacific Ocean."
Conservationists, who have clashed with the Bush administration on most other environmental issues, were just as pleased.
"This an unprecedented win for endangered Hawaiian monk seals, green sea turtles, black-footed albatrosses, tiger sharks, the incredible reef corals in these waters, the people of Hawaii and all Americans, now and in generations to come," Elliott Norse, president of the Marine Conservation Biology Institute, said in a statement ahead of the announcement. "It's the start of a new era of protecting places in the sea before they're degraded beyond recognition. In my opinion, this is the best thing President Bush has done for the environment."
Added Fred Krupp, head of Environmental Defense: "The president is creating the world's largest marine protected area. It's as important as the establishment of Yellowstone" — arguably the crown jewel of the National Park System.
The national monument, about the size of California, will be 38 times larger than Yellowstone, and larger even than Australia's Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.
Roger Rufe, president of The Ocean Conservancy, agreed the area was on par with Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon. "Teddy Roosevelt is largely considered the father of our national park system," he added. With this national monument, "President Bush may be securing a similar legacy in our oceans."
Posted 22 October 2006 - 05:42 PM
Posted 02 January 2007 - 12:45 PM
Read the Article
...In my opinion, this is the best thing President Bush has done for the environment."
...and the only one.
Aquatica D200/Twin DS-125/Hart 250HS/SB-800/10.5DX/12-24DX/17-55DX/105/60/ULCS
Web Gallery
Posted 02 January 2007 - 01:10 PM
The Hawaiian Islands National Wildlife Refuge (HINWR) is a National Wildlife Refuge of the United States, comprised of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, with the exception of Midway Atoll and Kure Atoll and was created in 1909 by President Theodore Roosevelt's Executive Order 1019.
After that, in 2000 the area was designated as an 'ecosystem reserve' by Clinton. Then, in 2002, a public comment period began on the creation of a National Marine Sanctuary under legislation passed by Congress and signed by Clinton.
The Sanctuary was scheduled to come in effect in 2008, but Bush designated the area as a National Monument and now has his name on it. The area was going to be a sanctuary (which provides the same level of protection) regardless of Bush's new designation.
Luiz Rocha - www.luizrocha.com
Nikon D800, Aquatica AD800, Ikelite strobes.
Posted 02 January 2007 - 04:33 PM
Posted 08 January 2007 - 11:04 AM
Posted 08 January 2007 - 11:36 AM
Luiz Rocha - www.luizrocha.com
Nikon D800, Aquatica AD800, Ikelite strobes.
Posted 09 January 2007 - 11:50 AM
That's the thing, the designation changed (from sanctuary to national monument) but the protection remains exactly the same (they were protected before).
Yup. protection is the same. what's changed is the level of involvement by differing state & federal agencies, NGOs, stake holders - which means an exponential increase in bureaucracy & politics!
Luckily for coral everywhere, the live stuff doesn't have enough worms living on it to make cracking it worthwhile. I like the dead stuff that's full of holes & nicely covered with sponges & algae.


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(CNN) -- Rapper will.i.am can boast of an accomplishment that is out of this world: His latest single premiered from Mars, making it the first song to debut on another planet.
The Black Eyed Peas singer wrote the song, "Reaching for the Stars," to mark the successful landing of NASA's Curiosity rover on the Red Planet this month.
A far cry from his regular hip-hop tunes, it features a 40-piece orchestra set to a futuristic beat.
The song is set to transcend time and cultures, he said.
"Mars has always fascinated us, and the things Curiosity tells us about it will help us learn about whether or not life was possible there," said Charles Bolden, the NASA administrator. "And what future human explorers can expect, will.i.am has provided the first song on our playlist of Mars exploration."
The song was unveiled during a news conference Tuesday at a NASA laboratory in Pasadena, California. The playback included Martian photos of eroded knobs, gulches on a mountainside and exposed geological layering.
Flight director Bobak Ferdowsi, aka "Mohawk Guy," gave a thumbs up and hit the play button, sending his teammates beaming, swaying and clapping.
"Why do they say the sky is the limit," will.i.am sings, "when I've seen the footprints on the Moon."
The tune -- which aims to encourage youth to study science -- completed a trip of more than 300 million miles from Earth to Mars and back, according to NASA.
"And I know that Mars might be far, but baby it ain't really that far," will.i.am goes on. "Let's reach for the stars."
In addition to the singer, students also attended the event in Pasadena, where they asked questions about the Curiosity mission and the song's interplanetary transmission.
"This is about inspiring young people to lead a life without limits placed on their potential and to pursue collaboration between humanity and technology," will.i.am said.
While will.i.am has the first song, NASA also accomplished another feat this week. Bolden's became the first human voice broadcast from another planet.
The space agency's accomplishments are the latest in a series of advances aimed at making science more cool.
NASA beamed The Beatles' "Across the Universe" into space on February 4, 2008.
The song marked the anniversary of the day The Beatles recorded the song and the 50th year of NASA's founding.
An excited Paul McCartney welcomed the beaming of the song written by fellow Beatle John Lennon.
"Amazing! Well done, NASA!" McCartney said in a message to the space agency at the time. "Send my love to the aliens."
Despite the complexity of landing a 2,000-pound vehicle on another planet, Curiosity had a perfect landing on August 6, and most of the instruments scientists have tested appear to function.
Curiosity is sending back more data from the surface of Mars than the combined results of all of NASA's previous rovers, the space agency said.
Last week, it completed its first drive on Mars, setting the stage for it to venture farther afield.
There's only been one glitch so far: a wind sensor on the rover's weather station was damaged and the reason might always remain mysterious, scientists say.