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Williams discusses Nats' start, Harper in Q&A
In his first year with the Nationals, Matt Williams has proved to be an aggressive manager. He is not afraid to play small ball -- hit and run or bunt -- to win a game. Williams will even have one of his sluggers like Jayson Werth swing at a 3-0 pitch to get the run across.
Things seem to be working out for Williams -- the Nationals were in second place with a 17-14 record, only a half-game behind the Braves entering Monday's action.View Full Game Coverage
In his first year with the Nationals, Matt Williams has proved to be an aggressive manager. He is not afraid to play small ball -- hit and run or bunt -- to win a game. Williams will even have one of his sluggers like Jayson Werth swing at a 3-0 pitch to get the run across.
Things seem to be working out for Williams -- the Nationals were in second place with a 17-14 record, only a half-game behind the Braves entering Monday's action.View Full Game Coverage
MLB.com caught up with Williams recently to talk about the Nationals.
MLB.com: You have been a Major League manager since Nov. 1. What are the likes and dislikes about the job?
Matt Williams: They are all likes. There have been some interesting challenges that you have to adjust to. But it's all part of the job. It's all part of the whole package of trying to be a manager and trying to do what you need to do.
I have some really good experience of managing the bullpen, some injuries, stuff that you don't count on. So that is in-the-fire stuff that you can't anticipate. That's been good. That's been a challenge. But overall, it has been enjoyable. It's fun to be a part of. I rely on my coaches' input, making a plan. Through all those challenges, we've done pretty well at staying even keel and being in the position we are in.
MLB.com: When you are facing those challenges, do you ever ask yourself, "What would Roger Craig do?" or "What would Dusty Baker do?"
Williams: Yeah, sure. With every different scenario that comes up, you try to go back to your experiences as a player and say, "How would they handle this?" "How would they go about trying to make the right decision?" That's all part of it because you learn from those guys, you take something from those guys.
MLB.com: Do you hear from Craig and Baker?
Williams: Yeah. I haven't heard from Roger personally, but he sent a message through somebody else. I certainly talk to Bake. I try to understand how they go about doing it. What would Buck Showalter do? What would Bob Brenly do? In that regard, even Bob Melvin. He wasn't a manager (when I played), but he was our bench coach and he is a guy I respect a lot. You lean on those experiences all the time.
MLB.com: Some of those challenges have been injuries. How frustrating has that been for you?
Williams: It's frustrating when you lose three of your main guys. You set out the year and get out of Spring Training with this grand plan, realizing that it never goes as planned. It simply doesn't.
In the first series, you lose your catcher (Wilson Ramos) and then, of course, Ryan Zimmerman's injury and then, of course, Bryce Harper's injury. Not having Doug Fister out of Spring Training (hurt). So you have to guard against it. Players don't think about that. They think about winning today's game. I try to mix and match the lineup … but that's part of the job. It's never going to be the way you want it. You are not going to have everybody all the time for the whole season anyway. So that is part of the adjustment process for me and for our team -- going through 162 games. It's not going to work the way you want it to work all the time.
MLB.com: You will be getting Ramos and Fister back soon. Tell me how great that feels to have them back? It will really strengthen your team.
Williams: It just sets things into alignment. Wilson is a big part of it, so is Doug. For that matter, so is Scott Hairston. I commend the guys for playing the way they have played, knowing that we are short with the guys we had planned.
Jose Lobaton and Sandy Leon have done a fantastic job, but Wilson is a big part of this club. So you want to get those guys back and get them back in the fold. You understand that when they come back, there may be an adjustment process for them. Sure, you want all your guys on the field and so they can give you the best chance to win every day.
MLB.com: One of the players lost to injury was Harper. How much will he be missed?
Williams: Harper is a fantastic player with a huge upside. He is going to be wonderful for a lot of years. To lose him, that's an injury that you don't know the time frame on. He is a big part of our team, but we have to step up. We may have to do things a little differently. It may be important to move that runner over, make sure that we do things correctly because you don't have the firepower that you would have with Harper. But we can't worry about it now. It's over and done with. … It is what it is.
MLB.com: Before the injury, how do you think Harper was doing on the field?
Williams: I think he was doing fine. We expect Bryce not to be the MVP. We have to understand that he is 21. He has a long way to go to be the player that he wants to be and he knows that. He has admitted that. He told me, "I'm a good player, but I know I have a lot to learn. I have a lot to do." I agree with him.
He is the youngest player in the Major Leagues and he's good. He is willing to learn and he is willing to do the work to get better. He wants to be great. So, he is doing fine. He has some early struggles, but that sometimes how things happen. In April of 2013, he was hot. There is nothing to be said about it but starting off a little slow. We tried to get him some spots, move around a little bit to get comfortable. I thought he started hitting, started feeling good.
MLB.com: You took some criticism from the national writers for the way you handled Harper this year. What is your reaction to it?
|"We still have to play well and we have to do things right. … But the capability is there. This team can go far. This team can be really competitive on an everyday basis."
|-- Nats manager Matt Williams
Williams: You know I haven't reacted and I don't think I'm going to. I felt I needed to do the appropriate thing. It wasn't about Bryce. It was about the way we were playing at the time. I had a meeting with the team and I told them the next one that does not run and touch first base, he will be taken out of the game. So it wasn't about Bryce. He just happened to be the one. It could have been Jayson, it could have been Desi (Ian Desmond), it could have been Roche (Adam LaRoche), it could have been anybody.
(Harper) just didn't do it. I told the team I was going to do this. I was expected to do it on behalf of our team and our organization. If I take criticism for that, it's perfectly fine because we collectively are here to win games. Bryce knew and I knew and everybody else knew that it was going to blow up. He handled it perfectly. Criticism is part of the job, second-guessing is part of the job. I understand that. But my job is to hopefully make the best decision I can for our team and organization. Everybody has a different opinion.
MLB.com: I get a feeling from you that the Nationals can go far in the postseason this year.
Williams: Sure. I think we have to play well. I feel like this is a really good team. My opinion hasn't changed since Day One when they hired me. We have the capability. It doesn't mean that it will translate every day. We still have to play well and we have to do things right. … But the capability is there. This team can go far. This team can be really competitive on an everyday basis.
MLB.com: In what areas would you like to see this team improve?
Williams: The only thing is, our defense isn't that good. We want to improve on that on an everyday basis. I think over the last couple of weeks, we have done a better job running the bases. We had a couple of plays in Houston where we went from first to third on balls where we could have easily stayed. So those two areas are keys for us. Our situational hitting can always get better. From a bullpen standpoint, you just can't walk people so that can get better. For the most part, it has been OK.
MLB.com: You said if the Nationals win 10 games in a row, you are going to do your Babe Ruth impersonation in the batting cage like you did when you were with the Giants. How much do you look forward to doing that again?
Williams: I would love to do it. That means we would win 10 in a row. I would gladly embarrass myself in front of the nation or anyone that wants to watch. I did it before just to do it. If anybody else sees this impersonation, it would mean we have won 10 in a row and that's a very good thing for our club and our organization.
Bill Ladson is a reporter for MLB.com and writes an MLBlog, All Nats All the time. He also can be found on Twitter @WashingNats.


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Pressure transducers, when connected to an appropriate electrical source and exposed to a pressure source, will produce an electrical output signal (voltage, current, or frequency) proportional to the pressure. Most transducers are designed to produce output that is linear with the applied pressure and independent of other system variables — the most important of these being temperature. Most outputs are mV, V, mA, and, sometimes, as a frequency.
Figure 1 — Three common methods of pressure trasnduction.
Pressure transducers have a sensing element of constant area and respond to force applied to this area by the fluid pressure. This force deflects a diaphragm, bellows, or Bourdon tube. In turn, these deflections, strains, or tensions are converted to electrical outputs through any of a variety of different transduction methods. Figure 1 illustrates three of these.
Electrical input/output
To operate, most pressure transducers require an electrical input (usually called excitation). Many operate from a 5- to 10-Vdc input and produce full-scale outputs from, say, 0 to 20 mV and 0 to 100 mV. Transducers that produce high level voltage outputs operate from voltage sources. Typical outputs are 0 to 5, 1 to 5, 1 to 6, and 1 to 11 Vdc. Digital control circuits can be interfaced by routing transducer output through an analog-to-digital (A/D) converter or by using a transducer with a frequency output. This allows pressure to be monitored by microprocessors, programmable controllers, computers, and similar electronic instruments.
Pressure transducers that generate a current output usually are called transmitters. By definition, they are variable-current devices and produce 4- to 20-mA outputs with supplies of widely varying voltage.
Outputs are chosen with the following factors in mind:
- the type of device that will receive the transducer's output signal (programmable controller, panel meter, signal conditioner, etc.)
- the distance between the transducer and its receiving device
- presence of electromagnetic interference (EMI) in the environment, which can come from sources such as power lines, welding equipment, solenoid valves, motors, 2-way radios, etc., and
- cost as it relates to the entire installed system (not just the transducer).
Measurement error
Pressure transducers are mechanical structures made from more than one material. Because of this, they respond not only to changes in pressure, but to changes in temperatures as well. These changes can affect both the zero and full scale output (FSO) of the transducer, regardless of its type. The term temperature effect upon zero refers to the change in output at constant pressure as temperature is varied over a stated range. Extreme temperature fluctuations may change a transducer's output signal even though pressure remains constant.
Many other characteristics — such as linearity, hysteresis, repeatability, etc. — help to determine the measurement accuracy of a pressure transducer, Figure 2. Additional factors, equally important, are more elusive; these include packaging, configuration, construction materials, and internal design. Each of these can be appraised on the basis of field testing and/or experience.
Figure 2 — Components of static accuracy: non linearity, hysteresis, repeatability. Click on image for larger view.
Overall, the best pressure transducer for one application is not necessarily the best for another. In fact, a transducer with the second best performance may be the best choice for an application if its price is significantly lower.
Pressure transducer terminology
The following definitions are used to put a quantitative value on transducer performance.
Range refers to minimum through maximum pressures that can be accurately measured by a transducer. Usually transducers are selected so that system operating pressure is 50 to 60% of the transducer's maximum rated pressure. For example, a hydraulic system, normally operating in the 2500- to 3000-psi region, would usually use a 5000 psi transducer. In addition to providing a safety margin, this practice also makes a good compromise among performance characteristics.
Over-range capability is the maximum magnitude or pressure that can be applied to a transducer without causing a change in performance beyond specified tolerance.
Burst pressure refers to fluid pressure at which mechanical failure and/or fluid leakage from the transducer is expected. Do not confuse burst pressure with over-range capability. Exceeding over-range capability can affect a transducer's ability to function; exceeding burst pressure can destroy it.
FSO (full-scale output) refers to the variation in the output signal as the transducer performs over its calibrated range from minimum to maximum pressure at a specified temperature. A tolerance and a temperature are generally given. Output, with maximum pressure applied and rated excitation, is FSO. Example: 5 Vdc ± 0.05 Vdc at 77° F
Zero unbalance is the residual output of an excited transducer that has no pressure applied. For a sealed gage transducer, tolerance must account for temperature and atmospheric pressure. Examples are 0.0 V ± 5mV at 77° F and ± 0.4 mA at 77° F.
If zero unbalance is large in respect to FSO, the user may have to zero a transducer through an external zero-adjust circuit. This ensures that the transducer will produce no output signal when no pressure is present. Depending on accuracy requirements, the user also may have to calibrate the transducer's output circuit to correct for deviations from nominal value at FS.
Most manufacturers specify accuracy as plus or minus a percentage of FSO, including the mathematically combined effects of linearity, hysteresis, and repeatability errors. Note that this accuracy does not include the effects of environment - especially temperature - and system dynamics. Operation at a constant temperature is implicit in this concept of accuracy.
Resolution refers to the smallest change in pressure that can be detected in the transducer's output. It is usually expressed as a percentage of FSO. For example, if two transducers each have a resolution of 0.1% of FSO, a 100 psi (6.8 bar) transducer could detect a pressure increase or decrease of 0.1 psi (0.007 bar). A 5000 psi (340 bar) transducer could detect a pressure change of 5 psi (0.34 bar).
Resolution generally is not constant throughout a transducer's range. Manufacturers may publish values for maximum resolution or average resolution. Users should be aware of the difference between them when comparing one transducer's performance with another.
Maximum resolution describes the best resolution that can be expected. Average resolution represents a value between the best and worst values throughout a transducer's range. Even though a pressure transducer may have infinite resolution, electrical noise — contained in power supplies and introduced by other sources — can limit resolution. Also, instrumentation, such as analog-to-digital (A/D) converters, can limit resolution.
Pressure spikes
Pressure spikes are microsecond to millisecond bursts of pressure that can reach 15 times the normal system operating pressure. For example, if a valve shifts abruptly to block flow, a shock wave can be generated within the system. Likewise, if a hydraulic system is moving a load and the load suddenly stops, the system may react with a brief surge of pressure.
System control electronics — such as PLCs with millisecond scan times — are not fast enough to detect spikes of such short duration. Often, the first indication that a system is generating pressure spikes is a positive shift in a pressure transducer's zero output. System control electronics commonly indicate the shift in transducer output as a pressure out-of-range condition, which could cause the system controller to shut down.
Pressure transducers are the components most vulnerable to damage from pressure spikes. Transducers, with much quicker response than mechanical gauges, react to spikes and can show signs of having been over-pressurized. This is not because the transducer is less durable than the mechanical gauge it replaced. Actually, a transducer designed for severe service should have been specified. Spikes also damage the machines that generate them. The erratic flow of liquid, common in systems that generate spikes, reduces efficiency and accelerates wear on valve ports and seals.
(Note that pressure spikes do not pose serious problems in pneumatic systems because the air is compressible, which tends to dampen shock. Cyclic pressure surges, caused by pulsation from compressors, pose a greater potential problem because the pressure surges — while not as sharp — occur repeatedly and frequently.)
Pressure spikes usually can be detected with an oscilloscope through a transducer of, say, five times the normal operating pressure range. Once it is determined that spikes exist in a system, any of several practices can be used to prevent them from damaging the transducer. A transducer with a higher pressure rating can be used. However, doing so sacrifices accuracy in the normal operating range because a transducer with a wider operating range has poorer resolution.
As an alternative, a snubber can be used to dampen the spike. A snubber is an orifice installed in piping between the transducer and the source of the spike. A potential disadvantage of this practice is that it slows the response of the measurement. If neither measurement resolution nor response can be compromised, a transducer that can tolerate spikes should be specified. Obviously, these transducers cost more.
Big impact from temperature
Temperature is a major consideration in the performance of pressure transducers. As temperatures change, different materials expand or contract at different rates, which creates residual stresses within the structure. These stresses can change the output of the transducer by changing its geometry, mechanical properties, and electrical characteristics. While manufacturers take great care in selecting materials and determining how they are put together, these changes are inevitable. Transducer manufacturers compensate for these changes in a variety of ways - generally, by electrically adjusting the transducer's output circuit.
Transducers are specified to have a compensated temperature range. Within this temperature range, the transducer will perform within published specifications. Transducers also have an operating temperature range. Transducers will continue to perform within this range, but an operating error likely would exceed published specifications. For example, a transducer's typical compensated range might be 30° to 130° F (1° to 54° C), while its typical operating range could as great as 60° to 200° F (51° to 93° C).
The degree of compensation is expressed by two specifications:
Thermal effect on zero gives the boundaries within which the zero value of the transducer is compensated to stay. This is usually published as ±x% of FSO within the compensated range. Some transducer manufacturers may publish the same value as ±x% of FSO/°F within the compensated range; this makes the numbers look smaller. Graphically, the thermal effect on zero can be expressed as shown in Figure 3.
Thermal effect on span gives the boundaries within which the full scale output of the transducer is compensated, to stay. This is usually expressed as ±x% of reading within the compensated range. Here, too, some manufacturers may publish the same value as ±x% of reading/°F within the compensated range. Graphically the thermal effect on span can be expressed as shown in Figure 3.
Figure 3 — Thermal effects on span and zero at 5° C and 50° C. At 80% pressure, ideal output would be 80%. Howerver, low temperature can lower the output to less than 60%, and high temperature can increase output to 100%. In the above plots, values are arbitrary, and trends exaggerated to illustrate effects. Click on image for larger view.
Thermal errors are separate from other errors affecting total transducer accuracy (linearity, repeatability, and hysteresis). These errors must be accounted for and specified separately. Accuracy over the compensated temperature range must include the thermal effects on zero and FSO.
It is important to realize that the performance specifications of transducer manufacturers refer to ambient temperature - that is, the temperature of the air surrounding the external case of the transducer. Users also must be aware of media (fluid) temperature, because it can have a significant effect on the actual operating temperature of the transducer and, therefore, its performance.
Physical considerations
Materials of construction are usually selected by the transducer manufacturer, but they also are clearly important to the user. Material in contact with media (or wetted materials) includes all materials exposed to the pressurized fluid. These may include any of a variety of stainless steel, bronzes, epoxies, plastics, elastomers, glasses, and silicon. Users must satisfy themselves that the pressure medium will not adversely affect any of these materials. If this does occur, the calibration of the transducer will certainly change. Ultimately, its sealing integrity will fail as well.
Environmental specifications tend to be difficult to relate to actual working environments. OEMs often test their components through actual usage in the working environment to carefully and accurately determine operating parameters - shock and vibration levels, temperature excursions, moisture levels, etc. These approaches require time and money, but they are recommended. If lack of time or money prevents exhaustive testing, follow these steps:
- Look at manufacturers' published environmental specifications.
- Ask around. Chances are that associates may have had experience with similar applications and components.
- Talk to transducer suppliers who have extensive experience in similar fluid power applications. No test is better than actual product usage in a real-world working environment.
Electromagnetic interference
Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) can affect transducer performance. High field strengths tend to affect transducer outputs. In some cases, these fields can completely saturate internal amplifiers to the point where erroneous outputs are produced regardless of the pressure input.
There are shielding and grounding techniques that are remedies for the effects of EMI. Also, wires should be carefully routed from the transducer to its receiving device so as to avoid EMI areas. Solutions are specific to each problem presented.
Only a few transducer manufacturers specify EMI protection. This is stated as: percentage of full scale error divided by a frequency range up to a maximum field strength. Example: Full scale output error typically is less than 1% over the frequency range of 20 kHz to 2 GHz at field strengths up to 100V/m. While these specifications are difficult to relate to the real world, the fact that manufacturers supply EMI data in their specifications indicates they have had some experience dealing with this interference.
Other specifications
There are many design features that may not appear in published specifications that can be important over the life of the application.
- is the transducer sensitive to mounting orientation (attitude)? Will pressure readings be consistent if the attitude changes when the equipment moves?
- are special wrenches or tools needed to install the transducer?
- will external design and materials of construction stand up to physical abuse? In mobile equipment, a protruding transducer can make a convenient step for maintenance personnel climbing on equipment. Moreover, falling debris is another potential source of physical damage. When possible, transducers should be accessible, but in areas not subjected to potentially damaging conditions, and
- can electrical connections be made in a reliable and fool-proof fashion? Can leads come to the transducer from any direction? Is reverse polarity protection provided?
It should now be evident that no one transducer is better than all others. An ideal transducer for one application could be unsatisfactory for another. With the wide variety of transducer products to choose from, knowing what features to look for and how to interpret specifications for a particular application will help you choose transducers with confidence.
The checklist above is designed to help users organize application information that has an effect on transducers. However, even when the checklist is completed, it still may be difficult to select a specific transducer for a specific application. For example, one transducer may cost five or ten times more than another, but offer comparable performance characteristics. This cost difference can usually be attributed to additional capabilities built into the more expensive transducer. Immunity to electrical noise or the ability to sustain pressure spikes are two characteristics that add cost to a transducer without improving basic performance parameters. However, specifying a transducer without these characteristics, in an application clearly needing them, ultimately will result in an unsuccessful application.
Furthermore, the more expensive transducer may actually cost less when considering economics of an entire system. This is because the less expensive transducer may require additional components that make it function in an otherwise unacceptable environment.
In general, capabilities that add cost to a transducer, so it can perform under less than ideal conditions, can be divided into four categories:
- special performance capabilities that make a standard transducer compatible with a special application
- the environment, both the fluid and of that surrounding the exterior of the transducer
- electrical requirements, both of the input and output signals, and
- physical and mechanical requirements, regarding size strength, etc.
In general, as the number of these capabilities increases, so does cost of the transducer. Some characteristics substantially add to a transducer's cost while others do not. This means it is important to evaluate each application to decide what characteristics are absolutely essential to an application and which are desirable, yet cost effective.
Types of pressure measurement
Selecting a pressure transducer goes beyond choosing one with acceptable performance. It must be configured to measure any of four common forms of pressure.
Gauge pressure (psig) (barg) quantifies fluid pressure relative to ambient air pressure. In the case of a diaphragm-type transducer, Figure (a), the fluid side of the diaphragm sees the measured pressure; the other side sees ambient air pressure. Because a transducer measuring gage pressure is vented to the atmosphere, it could be exposed to atmospheric contamination and condensation unless precautions are taken.
Absolute pressure (psia) (bara) measures pressure relative to a vacuum. In the case of a diaphragm-type transducer, Figure (b), one side of the diaphragm sees fluid pressure, the other sees a full vacuum.
Sealed reference pressure (psis) (bars) is measured relative to a reference pressure whose magnitude is at, or close to, standard atmospheric pressure. In the case of a diaphragm-type transducer, Figure (c), one side of the diaphragm is exposed to the fluid pressure while the other side is exposed to to a chamber sealed from the atmosphere and containing pressurized gas at standard atmospheric pressure. The pressure transducers recommended for hydraulic service are sealed gage to ensure that the units sensitive internal components remain moisture and dirt free.
Differential pressure (psid) (bard) quantifies the pressure difference between two points within a system. The measurement also must consider the magnitude of the system's line pressure. Measurements usually are taken from two different fluid inputs within the system using a transducer designed specifically for differential-pressure calculations, Figure (d), or by installing a separate transducer at each of the two fluid inputs. (Output from each transducer is routed to a common signal processor that produces a signal proportional to line pressure as well as the difference between the two pressures.)
Line pressure is important not only for monitoring system operation, but also for making differential pressure measurements more meaningful. For example, an 8 psi (0.544 bar) pressure drop across a filter may be acceptable for a system operating at 120 psi (8.16 bar), but unacceptable for one operating at 80 psi (5.44 bar).
Standard atmospheric air pressure (zero gauge pressure) is 14.7 psia (1 bar). Actual atmospheric pressure normally ranges from 14.2 to 15.2 psia (0.966-1.03 bar). Recognizing the small variations from nominal, the user realizes that in the range of hydraulic pressures, the possible difference between a vented gage and sealed gage transducers output would be extremely small. In the order of less than 0.5 psig (0.034 bar) in 2000 psig (136 bar), there is an error of only 0.025%. Because most pneumatic systems operate at pressures much lower than hydraulic, the difference between vented gage and sealed gage measurements may be more significant.
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Application checklist
Checklist for application of pressure transducers. Click on image for larger view.

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Posts Taggedofficial
Apple's Notes app is fine if you're quickly jotting things down, but after a while you may start to want something more powerful. That's when services like Evernote and Simplenote. The former has had a native Mac app for a while now, but the latter has relied on third-party solutions like the newer Justnotes and Brett Terpstra's fantastic nvALT.
But now there's something new on the market. It's an official app developed by Automattic, the team behind WordPress which now owns Simplenote itself as well. The free Simplenote for Mac promises to bring the whole experience to your computer without a Web browser, and kicks off an entire new wave of Simplenote apps across all their supported platforms. Is the long-awaited client everything we've dreamed of? (more…)


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Swimming Pool Blog
by Michael Cancio, October 23, 2009
It is that time of year again to begin worrying about having to keep your swimming pool heated. The current state of the economy is making us all "tighten our belts" a little bit, and normally, the first thing to get trimmed are the luxury items; such as, your backyard swimming pool. That said, it is then very important to keep those operating costs for continued swimming pool enjoyment to a minimum. Today we will discuss many ways you can keep your pool heated longer into the Fall and Winter and still have some money left in your wallet. The first and most obvious is turning down the thermostat (just like in your house, closely monitoring your thermostat will instantly save you money). Lowering your set temperature will keep your heater from having to run as much and still keep it luke warm enough to use for swimming your laps when you wake first thing in the morning or after you return from work in the evening.
One of the most often overlooked elements surrounding heat-loss from your swimming pool is, believe it or not; the wind. So, logically, planting some nice thick hedges (green alternative) around the perimeter of the pool will definitely help with decreasing your pools heat loss and also give it a more private feel, not to mention the aesthetic benefit. Simply plant them and watch them grow, nature does the rest. If you don't have the space or want hedges, pool fencing is another alternative to prevent wind from robbing your pool of its heat.
Sticking to our "green" way of reducing your heating cost we'll focus on the Sun. Yes, depending on your climate and general geographic area where you reside, using some solar (green) alternatives range from the fairly inexpensive to the more pricey up-front cost; however, using a solar alternative produces a return on your investment the minute it is installed. Whether it is using Solar Rings spread across the surface of your pool in separate rings, a complete Solar Blanket that covers the entire surface of your pool for maximum heat absorption, a liquid solar blanket which you pour into your pool and creates a clear invisible heat absorbing cover on the surface of your pool, or using a solar panel heater that heats water and returns it to your pool powered by the Sun (green!). Solar heat has been proven to literally pay for itself within 1-3 years (return on your investment) by drastically reducing heating costs; depending on your use, amount of panels, placement, climate, pool size, etc In short, there is no better solution to reduce your pool heating costs than using solar, and it just does not get any more environmentally friendly. Enersol solar panels are available here.
Keeping your swimming pool covered will dramatically decrease your heating costs. Some ideas/options include, pool safety covers, auto-covers, Sun Domes, and Attic Heaters. Swimming pool safety covers are relatively light-weight and are somewhat easy to release and pull over the deck. They will reduce heat loss and in turn reduce your heating costs. The auto-cover is an expensive option and is something that is much easier to have installed when your swimming pool is built, because the installer can build it into the ground at one end of the pool which is less of an eye-sore. Post-installation requires costly planning, consultation, re-designing, and digging which can compromise the integrity of your pool in the long-run, but there is nothing like having an automatic cover (electric) to use. It could actually pay for itself in reduced heating costs over the life of the pool. The benefits of having and using an auto-cover are immense; however, they are costly to install and maintain. The newest alternative is the Sun Dome. It is a lightweight enclosure (bubble) that fits most round or oval above-ground pools and spas; there is also a Sun Dome for in-ground rectangle shaped pools. It will heat the pool water and air acting as a passive solar cover (like a greenhouse).
The dome will keep your pool clean and lessens the use of chemicals as well. The Sun Dome itself is made of 12 mil double polished clear vinyl, and the frame is made from 1" aluminum tubing. Convenient screened-in windows allow for cross-ventilation and keep out bugs! Overall, it extends your swimming season, giving you much more use of your pool. Another interesting alternative is the attic heater. It acts to harness the heat (hot air) trapped in your attic and with the use of a small condenser (like a radiator on steroids?) heats the swimming pool water via the hot air from your attic and then returns the heated water to your swimming pool. The attic solar heater is the most respected and sought after solar heating alternative to solar panels. It will also cool your attic! Brilliant!


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Jaasoos wins HH The President of the UAE Cup
The Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club-sponsored HH The President of the UAE Cup, a 1400m Listed race for Thoroughbreds, was the highlight of Sunday evening`s final meeting of the calendar year in the Capital and was won easily by Jaasoos.
Trained by Dhruba Selvaratnam for his main patron His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the seven-year-old posted a comfortable victory under James Doyle to gain compensation for his unlucky second three weeks ago in the 1600m National Day Cup, a race he had won in both 2009 and 2010.
Drawn badly on that occasion, he was well berthed in one on this occasion and always travelled strongly under Doyle who was able to commit him for home early in the straight.
Escape Route finished well but Jaasoos never looked likely to be caught with Doyle explaining: "I am so pleased for Dhruba, the team and the horse; it is his third run this season and the first time we have been well drawn. He has really carried me into the race very strongly, quickened nicely and held on well. The runner-up was finishing quickly but my horse had plenty left."
Selvaratnam added; "We won the first President`s Cup with Faltaat back in 1994 and landed it again a few years ago with Ans Bach. It is nice to come here and win these big races obviously and the horse deserved a change of luck having been beaten by the draw twice this season."
The main Purebred Arabian race was the Listed Abu Dhabi Championship, one of three 1600m races restricted to three-year-olds.
It was won comfortably by Mestor, posting his third course and distance victory of the season for Champion Trainer Ali Rashid Al Raihe and his stable jockey Royston Ffrench.
Again, the colt, owned by the Royal Cavalry Of Oman, made virtually every yard and Ffrench said: "He is a really nice young horse who hopefully has plenty of scope to continue progressing. From the moment he walked in the yard we have always liked him and he has now won three without being seriously challenged. It would be nice to think he is a horse with a future."
Racing opened with the Abu Dhabi Fillies` Classic which was turned into a procession by AF Al Hemah under Tadhg O`Shea.
Trained by Eric Lemartinel, she was having her second career start and O`Shea said: "I rode her first time and she was very green. Clearly she has learned a lot and won very nicely tonight."
O`Shea then doubled up in the Abu Dhabi Colts` Classic, partnering Okba to victory for Mohammed Ali Al Ketbi.
O`Shea added: "He has had to work a bit harder than the filly but is a nice horse and still learning."
Apprentice Salima Al Taleei opened her account for the season on Maram for trainer Mohammed Al Shamsi in the 1200m handicap.
The jockey said: "It is nice to get a winner on the board but it has taken a while this season."
Racing concluded with a 2200m maiden in which Nawasi Alkeer opened his account at the third time of asking for trainer Jameel Salman with Carlos Sanchez in the saddle.


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Recently the world was ruled by the big power "Idols" with their overwhelming magic.
Including "the media", "the politics", "the economy", all were controlled by the Idols...
The music other than the idol songs was seen as harmful, and the metal was not an exception.
The metallers who were robbed of their soul prayed for the restoration of the metal.
Before long, the prayers reached "the Fox God" who is in charge of the metal.
The Fox God named three girls, SU-METAL, YUIMETAL and MOAMETAL,
"BABYMETAL" meaning "the birth of the new metal",
and, as the dark heroines of the idol scene, has sent them down to this world.
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Yui-Metal, Su-Metal, Moa-Metal
\m/ What is BABYMETAL? \m/
The coolest idol group you'll ever hear!
Originally, it was formed in 2010 as a sub-group of Sakura Gakuin. I'll leave researching Sakura Gakuin up to you, but in short it is a school-themed idol group, not entirely unlike Morning Musume. As with Japanese schools, there are various clubs within Sakura Gakuin - BABYMETAL is the Heavy Music Club group.
What music do they play? Fucking metal! Idol metal! The idol influence is becoming less strong than it was in their early releases and the new songs stand on their own as proper metal pieces, but you still can't mistake it. And you're into labels, the metal part is mostly of power, heavy, and death varieties.
\m/ Who is BABYMETAL? \m/
Su-Metal (Nakamoto Suzuka) - Vocals, Dance
Moa-Metal (Kikuchi Moa) - Screams, Dance
Yui-Metal (Mizuno Yui) - Screams, Dance
On the first impression you could say that BABYMETAL is just Su-Metal with two backup dancers, but it's not entirely true. Moa-Metal and Yui-Metal are gradually being given more to do, including their own solo song.
Su-Metal is no longer a Sakura Gakuin member. As she graduated from junior high school and turned 15, she had to graduate from Sakura Gakuin as well. However, following the group's success, she was allowed to remain a member and the leader of BABYMETAL.
\m/ Sub-groups? \m/
Yes, there even is a sub-group. It's called BLACK BABYMETAL, the members are Moa-Metal and Yui-Metal. They have released one song so far.
Su-Metal also had a solo song, however she doesn't have a sub-group name.
\m/ Discography \m/
Go look it up on some wiki! Instead, here's the best BABYMETAL songs, according to me:
MEGITSUNE - the latest single as of December 2013, with a very good PV. One of favourites.
IJIME, DAME, ZETTAI - I'm 99% sure the PV was shot in the stone mine museum we visited during our trip. Also, their major debut.
Headbangeeeeerrrrr!!!!! - the beautiful coming-of-age song.
Doki Doki☆Morning - debut song from 2011, only got a DVD single release.
Catch me if you can - a fun little song about playing hide-and-seek with Mr Ogre.
onedari daisakusen - BLACK BABYMETAL sub-group song. Probably my current favourite. I recommend reading the lyrics to this one, I laughed my ass off.
akatsuki - Su-Metal's solo song, a beautiful power ballad with some killer guitar solo dialogue in the middle.
BABYMETAL DEATH - the epic concert intro song. です <-> DEATH is my favourite Japanese pun.
\m/ Extra Videos \m/
Too good not to share:
Love Machine - yes, THIS Love Machine. Sung by Moa-Metal during an event. Ignore the fan-made video, it makes no sense.
Chokotto Love - another Hello! Project cover, by Yui-Metal. Same deal about the video.
Tsubasa wo kudasai - the classic song from Su-Metal's birthday concert.
Live at Inazuma Rock Fes 2013 - great performance with a real band, highly recommended. Thanks Anderei for this one!
Metallica Through the Never promo video - say what you want about today's Metallica, but being the official promotion face for their movie is a big deal. The girls are going places.
\m/ Resources \m/
Official Website
Official Youtube Channel
Enki-Du's Translation Blog - probably the best translation blog I've ever seen with a ton of cultural and background notes that help you understand the songs on a whole new level. This is where the opening verse of this post comes from. Go to this post if you just want to jump straight into song translations, though there's more than that to find there!
The BABYMETAL Thread \m/ on the MM-BBS.
Put your KITSUNE up!


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Saturday, November 8, 2008
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One thing that every city has in common is an old cemetery. Have you ever thought about all the history that these hallowed grounds hold? The Minden Cemetery Association has and does think about it. The way they choose to remember the past is with the annual Minden Cemetery Ghost Walk. This annual event held in Minden, Louisiana at the Old Minden Cemetery on Bayou Avenue off of Pine Street is the scene of Minden's past once again. The tour is every November in conjunction with Veterans Day.


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Virtually, all chemical reactions in the body require an enzyme system to help the biochemical reaction take place. An enzyme system generally consists of three parts. They are a specific protein molecule, another smaller organic compound, which is often a vitamin, such as pyridoxine or vitamin B6, and finally a charged mineral, such as zinc, copper, manganese or magnesium. Magnesium is a critical co-factor in more than 300 enzymatic reactions in the human body. Each mineral when dissolved in fluids has a characteristic electrical charge, called its valance. Minerals with a charge of plus 1, or univalent cations, include sodium and potassium. Minerals with a charge of plus 2, or divalent cations, include copper, zinc, manganese and magnesium. Potassium and magnesium are the most abundant cations found within the cells of the body with magnesium being the most abundant divalent cation.
In the USA, magnesium supplementation is dramatically under utilized by conventional physicians and is more important in patient therapy than most physicians realize. There are over 200 published clinical studies documenting the need for magnesium. In fact, at the 1992 American College of Cardiology annual meeting, a limited biography on magnesium was the most often requested item at the National Council on Magnesium and Cardiovascular booth.
Up until recently, conventional medicine's interest in magnesium has been only by obstetricians, who have used injectable magnesium sulfate extensively in the treatment of high blood pressure and pre-eclampsia and eclampsia of pregnancy. But, recently conventional physicians have become interested in treating patients with acute heart attacks, chronic cardiovascular disease, heart arrhythmias, diabetes, asthma, chronic fatigue syndrome and many other disorders.
Symptoms of Magnesium Deficiency?
What are some of the symptoms of magnesium deficiency? They are outlined beautifully in a recent article by Dr. Sidney Baker. Magnesium deficiency can affect virtually every organ system of the body. With regard to skeletal muscle, one may experience twitches, cramps, muscle tension, muscle soreness, including back aches, neck pain, tension headaches and jaw joint (or TMJ) dysfunction. Also, one may experience chest tightness or a peculiar sensation that he can't take a deep breath. Sometimes a person may sigh a lot.
Symptoms involving impaired contraction of smooth muscles include constipation; urinary spasms; menstrual cramps; difficulty swallowing or a lump in the throat-especially provoked by eating sugar; photophobia, especially difficulty adjusting to oncoming bright headlights in the absence of eye disease; and loud noise sensitivity from stapedius muscle tension in the ear.
Other symptoms and signs of magnesium deficiency and discuss laboratory testing for this common condition. Continuing with the symptoms of magnesium deficiency, the central nervous system is markedly affected. Symptoms include insomnia, anxiety, hyperactivity and restlessness with constant movement, panic attacks, agoraphobia, and premenstrual irritability. Magnesium deficiency symptoms involving the peripheral nervous system include numbness, tingling, and other abnormal sensations, such as zips, zaps and vibratory sensations.


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Foodie [Admin]08/01/11
This recipe "My Most Favorite Food" shares with us here is for its Coconut Macaroons, kosher for Passover and year round. "When my French Moroccan baker first made these back in 1985, I almost swooned," says Doris Schechter, MMFF founder. "He then suggested dipping them in melted semi-sweet chocolate." As for the undipped version, Doris recommends using them in trifle where they lend wonderful flavor and texture.
3 dozen
5½ cup very finely flaked desiccated coconut
1 Finely grated zest and juice of one large lemon
6 extra-large egg whites
2¼ cup sugar
Preheat over to 350F degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, stir together the coconut and lemon zest until well combined.
In a large saucepan, combine the egg whites and sugar over medium-high heat, stirring constantly until the sugar melts and the mixture turns almost marshmallow-white in color. Stir in the coconut. Stirring constantly, combine the mixture well.
Add the lemon juice and continue to stir until incorporated. (The mixture will be sticky and come together in a mass.)
Carefully spoon the batter into a large pastry bag fitted with a #9 star tip and pipe mounds, each about 2 inches wide and 1-1/2 inches high, onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 3/4 inch in between. (You should have 36 mounds when done.)
If you don't have a pastry bag, use a tablespoon to spoon mounds of the batter onto the baking sheet.
Bake for about 10 minutes. or until the macaroons are lightly golden on the top and the edges of the mounds slightly darker. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the cookies cool on the sheet. Store the macaroons, in layers, in an airtight container for one week.
Variation: Chocolate Covered Coconut Macaroons
In the top of a double boiler set over hot water, melt 6 ounces chopped semisweet chocolate, stirring until glossy. Dip the cooked macaroons, one at a time, into the chocolate, covering them completely.
Hold the cookie over the pan to let the excess chocolate drip back in. Place the cookies on a wire rack set over a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and let set for at least 30 minutes, depending upon the temperature. Store in layers, separated by wax paper, in the refrigerator.


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Groovy is a dynamic scripting language that runs on the Java platform with very similar syntax to Java, along with a number of dynamic features. In fact, most Java syntax is valid Groovy syntax. However, Groovy code can be more compact than Java because it doesn't require many of the elements that Java does. For example (source: Wikipedia), this segment in Java:
for (String it : new String[] {"Rod", "Carlos", "Chris"}) if (it.length() <= 4) System.out.println(it);
Can be written as in Groovy.
["Rod", "Carlos", "Chris"].findAll{it.size() <= 4}.each{println it}
Some of Groovy's features include:
- Dynamic typing with the def keyword
- Closures
- Operator Overloading
- Native syntax for lists and associative arrays
- Native Support for RegEx
- Polymorphic Iterations
- The ?. operator to auto-check for nulls
Getting Started and Resources:
The Groovy Website
Eclipse Plugin
NetBeans Plugin


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To many in the video game industry, the two words "Jack" and "Thompson" engender horror and disgust.
Thompson, a self-appointed uber-critic of the industry, has spent the last few years railing away at games he deems too full of sex or violence. Never was he out in more force than during 2005's so-called "Hot Coffee" scandal, in which the monster hit Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas was discovered to have hidden, but easily uncoverable, animations that mimicked sexual activity.
In the lead-up to the midnight Tuesday release of Rockstar Games' follow-up game, Grand Theft Auto IV, Thompson was at it again. (See GameSpot's review here: Grand Theft Auto IV (PlayStation 3).)
According to online technology news site Softpedia, Thompson wrote an e-mail to Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick's mother (Take-Two is Rockstar's parent company).
"Your son last week was reported to have said the following about Grand Theft Auto IV," the letter allegedly began. "'We've already received numerous reviews, and to a one, they are perfect scores. My mom couldn't write better reviews...' Taking your son's thought, I would encourage you either to play this game or have an adroit video gamer play it for you. Some of the latter gamers are on death row, so try to find one out in the civilian population who hasn't killed someone yet."
In an e-mail to CNET News.com Monday, Thompson confirmed that he wrote the letter, but said he sent it to Strauss' attorney and not to his mother.
"I sent it to Strauss' attorney to make the point that if you drag your mother into your porn business pimping," Thompson told me by e-mail, "you had better be prepared for blowback."
There can be little doubt that the release of GTA IV will be one of the biggest events of the year in video games, both from a business and entertainment standpoint--and from the perspective of politicians, organizations, and individuals like Thompson seeking to derail the game due to what they expect to be an overabundance of violence and sex.
For example, California state Sen. Leland Yee (D-San Francisco/San Mateo), recently put out a press release in which he exhorted parents not to buy GTA IV for their kids.
"Unfortunately, the makers of Grand Theft Auto have a history of deceiving the ratings board and the public on the true content of their games," Yee said in the statement.
Indeed, Take-Two and Rockstar got into pretty serious trouble over the "Hot Coffee" scandal because Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas was originally rated "M," meaning 17-year-olds could buy it. After the scandal broke, the publishers were forced to re-rate the game as "AO" for adults only. And in June 2006, Take-Two reached an agreement with the Federal Trade Commission promising to accurately depict the contents of its games.
Last week, the Parents Television Council issued a release demanding that retailers not sell GTA IV or, at least, not make it available to children.
But after sifting through all these press releases, e-mails, statements, and demands that the world's retailers and parents run screaming from GTA IV, it's striking that none of the people behind these missives has seen the game, and thus couldn't possibly know its full contents.
Part of the problem, said Aaron Muszalski, a visual effects artist formerly with Industrial Light & Magic who teaches at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, is that critics of games like those in the GTA series pass judgment on a very small sample of the whole game.
"When it was reported that, in earlier GTA games, it was possible to have sex with prostitutes and then beat them to death," Muszalski said, "people who lacked a grasp of 'sandbox' gameplay were likely to have interpreted that news to have meant that to 'win' at GTA, one had to perform such tasks, perhaps even that they were a recurring stage in the gameplay.
"Of course, such a perception is grossly flawed, as anyone who has actually played GTA...will quickly tell you," Muszalski continued. "Many of the aspects of GTA that were most covered in the press were things that, in the actual course of gameplay, many people would never need nor choose to do."
Of course, no one denies that there is sexually suggestive or violent content in GTA and other games. And Rockstar Games didn't help its cause in its slow response to the "Hot Coffee" scandal, nor does it now with its reaction to critics who accuse it of serving up games that are harmful to children.
"We don't have any comment on that," Rockstar spokesman Steve Hahnel told me Monday.
Sen. Clinton takes a bye
But perhaps the more measured approach to the GTA situation evinced even by some of the series' more vocal critics might be a more fair way to go.
For example, Sen. Hillary Clinton, who was one of the loudest members of the anti-GTA: San Andreas coalition in 2005, has decided to sit this round out.
"We are not planning to issue a statement at this point," Clinton spokeswoman Sarah Gegenheimer wrote in an e-mail.
And the National Organization for Women, which, according to the International Game Developers Association took GTA III to task for "encourag(ing) violence toward and the degradation of women (and) glorifies violence and degrades women," has also decided to remain calm. For now.
"We would really like to see the actual game before we comment on it," said Mai Shiozaki, NOW's press secretary. "But it's not like we're going to go out and buy it."
To be sure, there's little doubt that the controversy over the release of GTA IV is music to Rockstar Games' ears, no matter how shrill the criticism from the likes of Thompson, Yee, the Parents Television Council, and others.
After all, as they say, any publicity is good publicity.
"It's their leading franchise, and it's the driver of the vast majority of their profits," said Colin Sebastian, a senior video game analyst at Lazard Capital Partners, "and so the game needs to sell very well, and I think it will. It's one of the few blockbuster franchises you can count on, in terms of sequels and follow-ons."
Sebastian said that because of the game's huge existing fan base, plus solid early reviews and the fact that it's coming out initially on two platforms--Xbox and PlayStation 3--he expects GTA IV to live up to or even exceed the sales numbers of its hit predecessors.
Analysts predict that GTA IV of $170 million for first-day sales.
What GTA means to EA's takeover bid
One major component to the GTA saga is the game's role in the ongoing merger discussions between would-be buyer Electronic Arts and Take-Two.
What's clear in that dynamic, especially now that the game is being released, is that its success could impact the amount that EA is willing to pay for Take-Two.
"The expectations for GTA were already justifiably very high," Sebastian said. "EA understood that when they made their bid....Every day that passes, they're (going to be) losing out on GTA revenues, so they're likely to lower their bid over time....But if GTA massively exceeds their expectations, that could be a scenario where EA might have to raise their bid."
None of this, of course, matters to critics like Yee or the Parents Television Council, both of which cited the oft-reported history of violence in GTA as reason behind their statements.
"We've seen a number of clips of the game," said Yee spokesperson Adam Keigwin. "From the clips alone, and based on GTA and Rockstar's history, (Yee) thought it very appropriate to issue a statement urging parents not to purchase the game for their children."
Similarly, Gavin McKiernan, the national grassroots director for the Parents Television Council, said that despite not having seen the game yet, "You can't necessarily wait until the cat's out of the bag...There's a huge (GTA) marketing and release push, and I'm sure this game will sell lots and lots of copies, so you can't wait."
Plus, McKiernan added, "this is a pretty established, known quantity. If there was going to be a significant change in style and tenor, that would be well known."
To which Muszalski might say, "So what?"
"GTA has always been memorable for the degree to which it succeeds at dramatizing the narrative, and contextually supporting the players actions," he said. "This is not crime for crime's sake, as anyone who has really played the game will tell you, but which, sadly, may not be apparent to anyone who has merely had the game presented to them, mid-gameplay."


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Inspired by Shining Light from designer Bev Getschel
Quilt tester: Laura Boehnke
8" square gray print (center star block)
1 yard black tone-on-tone (blocks, quilt center)
1/4 yard each of gold and olive green prints (blocks)
4-1/2" square gray leaf print (center star block)
3/8 yard each of gray, gold, blue, and brown tone-on-tones (quilt center, outer border, binding)
5x8" rectangle each of brown, blue, and olive green florals (blocks)
1/8 yard blue print (blocks)
1-5/8 yards backing fabric
37x57" batting
Finished quilt: 28-1/2x48-1/2"
Finished blocks: center star, 16" square; floating star, 8" square
Quantities are for 44/45"-wide, 100% cotton fabrics.
Measurements include 1/4" seam allowances. Sew with right sides together unless otherwise stated.


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Latest media releases
UBS commences new share buyback program.
On 5 March 2001, UBS will commence a share buyback program leading to the cancellation of shares. The repurchase will take place over a "second trading line" on the SWX Swiss Exchange.
UBS is setting up a second trading line on the SWX Swiss Exchange to buy back its registered shares. On this second line, shares will be purchased exclusively by UBS. The second line will be available from March 5, 2001 to March 5, 2002. The repurchased shares must be cancelled. Cancellation will follow the approval of the 2002 Annual General Meeting. The program, aimed at institutional investors, allows tax-efficient cancellation of shares.
UBS's Board of Directors has established a maximum buyback limit of CHF 5 billion, corresponding to approximately 18 million registered shares, or about 4% of total share capital. While maintaining its strong capitalisation and ratings, UBS is committed to returning to shareholders capital in excess of its business needs. Strong cashflow generation and rigid capital discipline contributed to a BIS Tier 1 Ratio of 11.7% at December 31, 2000.
This second line program supersedes the share buyback program launched on completion of the PaineWebber merger. A total of 29'656'023 shares were repurchased between November 6, 2000 and March 2, 2001 at an average price of CHF 266. These shares were not earmarked for cancellation, being used primarily to replace shares borrowed for delivery in the PaineWebber merger.
Zurich / Basel, 5 March 2001


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Aspiring Hemingways, die-hard recreational-vehicle fans, Harley-obsessed boomers: If you're feeling a little uninspired about your retirement options (another community based around a golf course? Really?), you're in luck. A new breed of retirement community is catering to those whose interests lie a little outside the mainstream.
The number of retirement communities that serve a specific niche, a group of people that share a common background or interest, is on the rise.
University-based retirement communities, for example, offer senior living facilities that are located on, and integrated into, college campuses. These communities, which attract aging intellectuals and self-improvers who want continuing education opportunities, have grown from almost none 15 years ago to around 50 currently, says Andrew Carle, an assistant professor at George Mason University who specializes in senior housing.
Universities, of course, cater to a fairly broad range of interests. But as the niche-community idea has caught on, communities have sprouted up to serve more narrowly-defined groups.
ShantiNiketan, a community for aging Indian-Americans in Florida, opened its doors in 2010 (and an expansion is currently under way).
Oakmont Senior Living, which owns 34 retirement communities, opened its first community for gays and lesbians in 2011. And NoHo Senior Artists Community, for writers, actors and other artists, opened just last December.
"Boomers have already sparked an explosion of products—why would it be any different with retirement?" says Carle. "The critical mass is there and boomers want to do a lot of what they love when they retire."
Or, as Neil Schuster, founder of niche community Lake Weir Living, puts it: "The typical cookie-cutter gated community is oversaturated…a lot of people just don't want that."
Some developers have found that some retirees are willing to pay a little more to live in the company of like-minded people; and targeting their community to a specific niche makes marketing easier, too.
To be sure, not everyone wants to organize their lives around a certain group or a specific activity, and there is a risk of getting sick of the niche you pick. (RV living may be great, but do you really want to spend your entire retirement in a 40-foot-long box?)
And research from Harvard law professor Cass Sunstein, author of "Going to Extremes: How Like Minds Unite and Divide," suggests that people who spend a ton of time around like-minded people tend to get more extreme in their views about people who don't share their opinions.
That said, these experiments in group living can give pre-retirees a sense of just how many different ways there are to structure a retirement. Here are eight of the most unusual retirement communities in America.


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Date(s) - 02/22/2019
4:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Halls of St. George
Come to the Halls of St. George to try our famous Fish Fry dinners! Held every Friday, all-year-round (with a few exceptions) from 4-8. Their extensive menu includes Alaskan Pollock, Ocean Perch, Lake Perch, Salmon, Orange Roughy, Shrimp, etc. We also serve delicious Serbian homemade dishes including Cevaps (grilled beef sausage), Pljeskavice (grilled beef patty), Raznjici (shish-kabobs), Potato Salad, Bean Soup, Crepes with Nutella and more.
Reservations are preferred and walk-ins are welcome!
Full Bar Available. Prices range from $11 – $15.
For more info, please call 219-865-9411 or visit www.hallsofstgeorge.com


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Click here for official meet webpage
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. - The Tennessee Tech men's and women's cross country teams will open the 2012 season Saturday when they compete in the Fleet Feet Sports Earl Jacoby Memorial Invitational, hosted the the University of Alabama-Huntsville. The men will get the day started with an 8K race at 9 a.m., followed at 9:45 a.m. by the women's 5K event.
A dozen schools will participate in the race, which will be held at Sharon Johnston Park, located 18 miles northeast of the UAH campus. In addition to host UAH and the Golden Eagles, teams in the field include West Florida, Montevallo, Stillman, Miles, Tuskegee, North Alabama, Young Harris, Morehouse, Delta State and Alabama A&M.
Tony Cox enters his ninth season as Golden Eagle head coach, and will brings two Tech teams each featuring a bevy of veterans.
For the men's team, the top seven runners are all back in action, led by John Greene, a senior from Friendsville, Tenn. Greene paced Tech inn all seven meets a year ago, and is expected to fill that role again this season. His biggest challenge from the Tech lineup will come from junior Matthew Bishop and senior Michael Mahan. Bishop was second on the team in every meet in 2011, and Mahan placed third.
The other top returnees include sophomores Charlie Jordan, Matt Pennycuff and Sterling Smith, who switched roles in the fifth, sixth and seventh position on the team all last year.
On the women's squad, juniors Rebecca Cline and Peri Winborne have been the top two finishers the past two years, and should once again pace the team. Cline was second on the team in the third three meets, then moved to the lead for the final four events of the year. Winborne opened the year as the team's pacesetter, then claimed second and third place spots later in the year while battling minor injuries.
A couple of key runners last year have graduated in Leah Bradley and Traci Jones, but Tech has plenty of other returnees ready to move up the ladder including senior Beth Miller, and juniors Meghan O'Dnoghue, Amelia McCoy and Kara Webb.
Results from the meet will be posted on TTUsports.com as soon as they become available.


text: Curator 1 Posted May 29, 2010 So many games need a LCG revival.Deadlands and 7th Sea come instantly to mind. All LCG systems have a unique element to them that doesn't just make them just another MTG clone. I love the strategy behind every decision. Doomtown, the Deadlands card, game was very unique. Combat was done through Poker. Each card had a symbol in the top corn for each of the types of suits in Poker. With the release of each LCG I have noticed they all have locations in them. Doomtown had these too. They have strategy behind what cards you include in the deck that go beyond just making it full of multiple good cards. With Deadlands, you had to cater the deck to have the suites in them. You could cheat the deck by including all Aces, but the draw back is that Aces are on the weaker cards and unique cards, so they would just take up space once you had one in play. Every LCG has an in depth lore behind them to follow as story pack cycles. Deadlands has a very rich story behind it because it was crafted for a Roleplaying Game and followed the Legend of the Five Rings tournament format to determine what happens next. I found my old Deadlands cards the other day while looking for deck boxes for my Invasion cards. Please FFG try to get the license. You lack a Western license game and this would be perfect to fill that hole. The LCG format would take that Poker deck balancing to a whole new level, because now decks wont be limited by the number of Poker suits available to the person from card packs with random cards in them. From the Wiki.Doomtown (originally Deadlands:Doomtown) is a collectible card game, a companion to the Deadlands roleplaying setting. The game sets itself apart from other CCGs by having each card also serve as a playing card and resolving certain in-game situations with a hand of poker, thus accentuating the Old West atmosphere of the game. The game involves complex deck construction and deep strategies, and was designed with multiplayer (three or more players) in mind. The sheer amount of card draw in the game makes luck much less of a factor, while the movement rules (in the style of board games such as chess) reward intelligent strategy. Doomtown was heavily story-driven as well, with a detailed and intriguing storyline that affected cards and play styles. An example was the Fear Level that changed with each expansion and improved or disrupted play styles. Doomtown also held storyline tournaments in which players could directly influence the storyline. For instance, in the finals of a major storyline tournament, Sheriff Coleman was killed by a Sweetrock hired gunman; the sheriff was subsequently killed in the storyline, resulting in new events and action cards, and a later experienced version was Harrowed (revived as a living dead) to avenge his own death.Examples of various factions:BlackJacks: The outlaws of the game, constantly robbing the populace, and bearing a grudge against Sweetrock. Blackjack was their original leader. Law Dogs: The lawmen of the town. Usually consists of a sheriff and his deputies. They hunt down wanted dudes and disperse justice. Collegium: Mad scientists who use Ghost Rock to power their gadgets. These guys can dispense some serious hurt if you let them. Sweetrock Mining Company: The big corporation around those parts, with lots of capital to spend. They employ shady and highly aggressive tactics to win the town. Whateleys: Lovecraftian family involved in witchcraft and demonology. Very nasty. They are the primary users of Hexes in the game. Sioux Union: A coalition of many different Indian tribes. They are the primary enemy of the Whateleys in the original storyline. They are the primary users of Spirits spells in the game Maze Rats: A band of pirates, mostly Chinese. They raid the mines of the Great Maze and use Kung Fu. Texas Rangers: Agents of the South (the Civil War is still dragging on). Their general policy toward the supernatural is "shoot it or recruit it". The Agency (A special branch of the Pinkertons): Agents of the North. Under the guidance of the Ghost, they aim to cleanse Gomorra of occult influence. Lost Angels (replacing the similar Flock, which was eliminated from the storyline): They think they are the chosen of God, but the reality is much more sinister. They use their miracles in an attempt to bring about the Apocalypse. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites


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Editor's Note: TheStreet ratings do not represent the views of TheStreet's staff or its contributors. Ratings are established by computer based on metrics for performance (which includes growth, stock performance, efficiency and valuation) and risk (volatility and solvency). Companies with poor cash flow or high debt levels tend to earn lower ratings in our model. NEW YORK ( TheStreet) -- Sealed Air Corporation (NYSE: SEE) hit a new 52-week high Wednesday as it is currently trading at $23.51, above its previous 52-week high of $23.27 with 698,229 shares traded as of 11:01 a.m. ET. Average volume has been 2.7 million shares over the past 30 days. Sealed Air has a market cap of $4.44 billion and is part of the consumer goods sector and consumer non-durables industry. Shares are up 30% year to date as of the close of trading on Tuesday. Sealed Air Corporation, through its subsidiaries, provides food safety and security, facility hygiene, and product protection solutions worldwide.
- EXCLUSIVE OFFER: Jim Cramer's Protégé, Dave Peltier, only buys Stocks Under $10 that he thinks could potentially double. See what he's trading today with a 14-day FREE pass.


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Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials
PUBLISHED: 11:25 02 September 2011 | UPDATED: 22:02 21 February 2013
The 2011 Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials, the 50th Anniversary of the event, started at 4.00pm with the first horse inspection in the main arena.
The 2011 Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials, the 50th Anniversary of the event, started at 4.00pm with the first horse inspection in the main arena.
Eighty three (81) combinations came in front of the ground jury of; Angela Tucker (GBR) President, Michel Asseray (FRA) and Christina Klingspor (SWE). Albeit four horses were held over for re-inspection all passed and are now in contention for the Land Rover perpetual challenge trophy and the 50,000 first prize. American rider Juliam Stiler won the first award of the event winning the prize for the best turned out rider which was judged by Sarah Jewson, wife of the Burghley committee chairman Richard Jewson.
Nine former winners are among the entries for this years 50th anniversary competition including last years winners Caroline Powell (NZL) and Lenamore, however as yet no-horse has managed to win Burghley in consecutive years and only one horse Priceless and Ginnie Elliott (nee Holgate) has ever won twice in 1983 and 85. Lenamore is one of two eighteen year old horses here this year. The other is Comanche the ride of James Robinson (GBR). The pair is making what must be a record ninth appearance on the Burghley start list.
William Fox-Pitt and Mark Todd (NZL) have both won Burghley on five previous occasions and a win this year for either rider would therefore give them a record sixth victory. Lucinda Fredericks (AUS) is only the second rider beside Captain Mark Phillips, now the Burghley course designer, to have won the event with a mare. This year Lucinda returns with the German-bred Prada, also a mare and one of 11 mares that passed the inspection this evening.
Mary King, well recovered from her fall at Luhmuhlen last week also rides a mare, her homebred Kings Temptress, by Primitive Rising and one of three on the start list by this Thoroughbred sire. Mary also has the experienced Burghley horse Apache Sauce to help in her bid for her second Burghley title. Mary is also one of nine riders with two horses. As well as Mary other former winners with two rides are; William Fox-Pitt, Oliver Townend, Andrew Nicholson (NZL), Pippa Funnell, and Caroline Powell while Burghley first-timer Johnathan Paget (NZL) also has two rides as does British rider Francis Whittington.
Former local girl and Fitzwilliam Pony Club member Sarah Cohen (nee Cutteridge) and the Preci-Spark homebred gelding Treason will be the first in the dressage arena tomorrow morning as the Guinea Pig combination for the Ground Jury.
The first competitive rider will be Sam Griffiths (AUS) and Happy Times (no. 2) who will come before the ground jury at 09.30am.


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Nothing — not work, home renovations or even being a newlywed — could detain Brooks Saucier from trading megaphone for paddle as he switches from the role of event organizer to competitor.
Nothing — not work, home renovations or even being a newlywed — could detain Brooks Saucier from trading megaphone for paddle as he switches from the role of event organizer to competitor in the ninth annual Jerry's Baddle, which will be held April 19 in the Green River Gorge.
Competitors in the extreme biathlon begin in Henderson County and must navigate through roughly four miles of class IV-V rapids in the Green River Gorge before transitioning to their bikes for a grueling 26 miles of steep climbing through Polk County.
The event is a fundraiser for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, held in honor of Jerry Beckwith, a professional triathlete and avid paddler who died from complications from the disease in 2006. ALS is commonly referred to as "Lou Gehrig's Disease" and affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal card, progressively paralyzing the body.
"It was the race Jerry always dreamed and talked about," Saucier said. "I was driving home from an annual New Year's Eve fundraiser in New Orleans for a childhood friend that also had ALS and I realized we needed to make this event happen for him."
Saucier recruited friends and volunteers to host the first Jerry's Baddle with Beckwith watching on the sidelines as his dream became reality.
"He died 17 days later at age 47," Saucier said. "He walked into hospice on a Monday evening and passed away Tuesday morning."
Saucier said the grassroots event raised $10,000, which they donated to the North Carolina ALS Catfish Hunter Chapter, an organization dedicated to supporting ALS patients and their families.
"We were honestly surprised that we raised that much," Saucier said. "We had such great feedback from the community that we decided to continue doing the event as a fundraiser for ALS."
Saucier said the race is unique because it allows individuals to decide how competitive they want to be and what challenges they choose to bite off.
"Jerry was very much about having a good time on the river more than running the biggest and hardest rapids," Saucier said. "He wasn't afraid to sneak around tricky rapids or even walk proudly around them, and he would have been all about people finding creative ways to compete in the race at their own comfort level."
A commemorative plaque was placed overlooking Gorilla, a class V waterfall, with a footprint and the quote "I'll run it next time," which Beckwith would say each time he portaged around the rapid.
"We contemplated for a while making the race where people had to portage around Gorilla in honor of Jerry," Saucier said. "He never ran Gorilla but was still able to have fun out there without running the biggest rapids."
The length of the race and the extensive sections of flat-water paddling make it feasible to portage the rapid and still win, Saucer said.
"A big portion of the race is how well you do on the bike," Saucier said. "You spend the most time on the bike riding a grueling course where you climb over 4,000 feet."
Participants can also choose to compete as a team, allowing them to opt out of either the kayaking or cycling portion of the race. Saucier said another significant attribute of the event is the celebratory festival that awaits finishers and includes food, music and beer.
"I've done a lot of runs and bike rides where you finish the event, go to the awards ceremony and then go home," Saucier said. "It was important to make this a place for people to stay, hang out and enjoy themselves."
The event is still grassroots, relying on more than 50 volunteers to organize and host the event, but Saucier said his job as overall organizer has become streamlined.
"Everyone has their roles and we pretty much are duplicating from previous years," Saucier said. "My biggest challenge this year is that I haven't really trained."
Saucier has consistently placed in the top 5-10 of solo racers, despite his obligations as race organizer.
"We've always said we don't want it to be so stressful that we don't feel like we can race," Saucier said. "We have enough people supporting and helping that I'm confident that I can give the other racers instructions and safety protocol and then focus on competing."
He married another triathlete last August, Michelle Saucier, whose experience allowed her to quickly take over the task of being around the day of the race as an overall coordinator. Even with the extra help and live in training partner, work obligations and two intensive house renovations have prevented him from his normal pre Baddle regimen.
"Michelle and I did a ride a few weeks ago but I have been on the bike by far the least amount ever," Saucier said. "This year I'm less in the competitive category and more focused on just finishing and doing my best."


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Guest House Kaine
Welcome to guest house Kaine!
Fukuoka, Hakata, is the gateway to Kyushu. Machiya has redecorated and developed a guest house.
We will serve you with the Hakata style mat and Japanese style futon (bed).
It is an at-home Japanese style guesthouse and the price is very reasonable. We have Private rooms or dormitory rooms.
Travelers who are planning to visit other places in Kyushu such as Nagasaki, Miyazaki, Kumamoto, Kagoshima, Oita, Saga, or South Korea this is a perfect place for you to take a pit stop. Please stop by with all means, solo journey, backpacker and wandering travel are all welcome.Guest House Kaine is a small, modern-Japanese-style hotel in Fukuoka. We have single, twin and dormitory rooms traditionally furnished with tatami flooring and futons. Air conditioning is available for an additional charge. Shared bathroom facilities can be used 24-hours a day.
We are situated 15 minutes from Hakata Station and 20 minutes from Fukuoka Airport. Tenjin and Nakasu are within walking distance. Fukuoka is an ideal base from which to explore other parts of Kyushu, such as Nagasaki, Miyazaki, Kumamoto, Kagoshima and even South Korea.
An inexpensive noodle and shochu bar can be found by the entrance to the guest house.
Hostel policies:
Reception opening hours: 08:00-13:00 and 15:00-22:00.
(entrance is closed / 1pm-3pm and 10pm- 8am
Five days notice must be given for cancellations or the following charges will apply:
- 2-5 days = 30%
- 1 day = 50%
- On the day/no show = 100%
We can only accept left-luggage during opening hours (8am-1pm).
Availability & RatesTo view availability and prices please select dates and click 'Update Dates'
Hostel Facilities & Policies
- Age Restriction
- Air Conditioning
- Breakfast Not Included
- Credit Cards Not Accepted
- Free City Maps
- Free Internet Access
- Free WiFi
- Hair Dryers
- No Curfew
- Taxes included
- Washing Machine
Cancellation PolicyThis property has a 5 day cancellation policy. Failure to cancel within this time will result in a cancellation charge equal to the first night of your stay.
Must-Read Hostel InfoThis property has specific Terms & Conditions.
< Cancellation policy>
We require 6 days notice prior to the accommodation date to cancel or alter your booking.
2 ~ 5 days before: 30%,
1 day before: 50%,
same day as reservation or no cancellation report: 100%
DirectionsShow MapHide Map
◆It takes about 7 minutes in walking from Nakasukawabata sybway station to Kaine.
- Exit 6 -Turn 180 -Turn left at yellow building (Fukuoka Asian Art Museum)
- Walk straight and cross major intersection (you'll see The 'Hakata Harp' Bar in front of you)
- Go left at The Hakata Harp -Turn right at The 1st corner -Walk straight for 1.5 blocks
- Guest House Kaine will be on your right hand side.
- If you take a bus from Hakata port international terminal,get off the 'Tsumashoji' bus stop. Bus No. / 55 , 80 , 151 or 152 (190yen)
◆It takes about 5 minutes on foot from Nishitetu bus Tsumashoji bus stop.
- Walk in the same direction (direction to Tenjin) as the bus.
- Going about 200m.
- Turn left in front of the Hakata junior high school where the intersection was placed in the between coin parks.
- You can see Hotel Okura in botom of the street, and go straight about 200m.
◆It takes 5 minutes on foot from Nishitetu bus 'Hakatagocho' bus stop
- Showa street is placed when walking about 150m from the stop toward Hotel Okura (direction to Tenjin) -There is 'Ishimura-Manseido'(石村萬盛堂) Japanese confection shop in opposite of Hotel Okura.
- You can see the arch signboard '須崎問屋街(Susaki-tonyagai)' when finishing crossing at the crosswalk.
Located Near
Kaine guesthouse is located within walking distance of city center Tenjin eria. (shopping, restaurant, convenience store, club, bar ,Yatai and hot spring.
And Sumo tournament on November stadium is near here!)


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Plante doing his best 'secret agent man' impersonation
I occasionally monitor a local neoconner radio station and found that they have added a new syndicated talker, Chris Plante. As with many in the hive of left/right diversions, he has a 9/11 connection.
Plante was a CNN reporter at the Pentagon on 9/11 and one of the first to say anything on the air at 9:48 am.
PLANTE: Well, and speaking to people here at the Pentagon, as they're being evacuated from the building. I'm told by several people that there was, in fact, an explosion.Whether or not the helicopter report means anything is unknown and up for debate but Plante was obviously not in on the gag from the beginning and as far as I can tell the helicopter story was not mentioned again. It's similar to fellow CNN Pentagon correspondent Jamie McIntyre's early report of no evidence of a plane having crashed anywhere near the Pentagon. Down the rabbit hole, not to be discussed by 'serious' MSM journalists ever again.
I was told by one witness, an Air Force enlisted - senior enlisted man, that he was outside when it occurred. He said that he saw a helicopter circle the building. He said it appeared to be a U.S. military helicopter, and that it disappeared behind the building where the helicopter landing zone is - excuse me - and he then saw a fireball go into the sky.
Plante and McIntyre teamed up in Sept. of 2011 for revisionist remembrances of the fateful day, propping up the ailing official story as the good little cover-upers they are.
Plante's radio show is typical right wing drivel with fake libertarian leanings. Not worth the airwaves he occupies. I won't listen again.
Only at times is NPR any better but not when they promote an author who blends the military commission trial of patsy '9/11 mastermind' Khalid Sheikh Mohammed with the Nuremberg trials and says all is well in the bizarro world of 'holocaust' and 'terrorism' show courts.
In other 9/11 news, a local memorial site, complete with a rusty steel beam from tower one, just can't seem to get enough donations to complete it. I'd like to think that it's because tributes to lies don't deserve support but that's not it. This is an area that overall refuses to come to grips with the reality that yes, our own government will kill its own and allow a foreign tribe to help do the dirty work to usher in a profiteering war agenda and demonize a whole group of people who had nothing to do with it.
It would make a good gallows pole for the real perps and that's something a good number would donate to.
In another little tidbit, it has been revealed that the son of an Israeli diplomat designed the New York City WTC 9/11 Memorial. Keeping it all in the family.
One more thing.
For last year's 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terror attacks, U.S. Transportation Security Administration officials wanted their workers to remember the thousands who died. So the agency bought 70,000 commemorative bracelets -- made in China.
Can this criminal mob insult us any more than they have the last ten years? Indeed they can and most certainly will but one day soon our collective remembrances will be turned around ... one day soon.


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Did You See This? Coach rips off shirt, pumps up team
Coaches will go to extreme measures to pump up their players. We saw a perfect example of it prior to Saturday afternoon's Penn State-Purdue football game. There, on the sideline of Ross-Ade Stadium, Penn State strength and conditioning coach Craig Fitzgerald took off his shirt and did a belly flop, of sorts, to get his players excited. It seemed to work, as Penn State cruised 34-9. Watch Fitzgerald in action now.


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Boutin Publishes Research Article
Professor of Mathematics Debra Boutin published a research article titled "The Cost of 2-Distinguishing Selected Kneser Graphs and Hypercubes" in the Journal of Combinatorial Mathematics and Combinatorial Computing. In this article, Boutin presents results on a set of vertices that can be used to remove all symmetries from a network. These results give the exact size of these set for two well-known network families.


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Happy Mother's Day Caramel Apple with Candies
Wish her Happy Mother's Day in a deliciously big way! Give an over one pound, tart Granny Smith apple dipped in premium creamy caramel, then sprinkled with Spring-inspired blue, yellow, orange and pink milk chocolate rainbow candy and laced with white confection drizzle. It's yum and then some! Measures 8"H x 4"W x 4"L Arrives festively tied with curled pink and orange ribbon and a Happy Mother's Day tag. This chocolate gift is exceptionally fresh and requires 2-Day delivery.


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partner link
Monthly Archives: March 2017
Guide to Buying Quality Used Furniture
Are you right about to shop for used furniture? Do you wish to make a successful purchase, which will fit into your budget and come up to your requirements and expectations? That's not a problem, if you are serious about … Continue reading
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Please arrive 15 minutes early. This gives you a few minutes to check in at the reception desk, change into a robe, use the restroom, and fill out the appropriate questionnaire according to what services you are receiving.
What To Wear
Cozy robes and slippers are provided for our guests receiving spa services. Most massage and body treatments are enjoyed without clothing, although undergarments may be worn if preferred. During body treatments, you may choose to either wear an old bathing suit (some treatments will stain fabric), disposable panties which are provided, or no clothing. Male guests receiving body treatments are requested to wear an old swimsuit. Most importantly, wear what is comfortable for you. Our licensed therapists are trained to drape you discreetly and to protect your privacy at all times. We are not responsible for any lost, stolen, or damaged personal property or clothing. Please leave all valuables at home or in our locked lockers.
We recommend that you leave valuable jewelry at home. If you do remove your jewelry during your visit with us, you may either lock it in your locker or keep it with you in your purse during treatments. We are not responsible for lost or stolen personal items.
Tranquility Lounge
Our Tranquility Lounge is a place to relax and unwind before and after your spa treatments. We encourage you to take a few moments after your treatments in the Tranquility Lounge to enjoy the experience, have a cup of herbal tea and allow yourself to awaken gently. To preserve this peaceful atmosphere for all of our guests, we ask that you speak softly and refrain from using cell phones while in the spa.
After Your Service
To receive the full benefit from your spa visit, allow yourself 15 to 30 minutes after your spa treatment to relax and gently awaken. Feel free to enjoy a cup of herbal tea in our Tranquility Lounge or leisurely walk around The Boulevard at Box Hill. Our everyday lives are so hectic and busy that you may be surprised how relaxed you are after your treatment. Certain services, such as the Soothing Hot Stone Massage, Shirodhara and Raindrop Therapy, REQUIRE some quiet time afterward to "come back to reality." We recommend not driving immediately after receiving these services!
Gratuities are left to the discretion of our guests. Gratuities are not included in the price of our services nor are they included in any of our gift cards unless specifically noted. A 20% gratuity is customary.
Our spas are created to be an oasis of peace and tranquility for adults. The minimum age requirement to receive spa services is 12 years of age. We love children and we don't like to see them refrained from their natural movements and freedom of expression and exploring. However, our environment is not an appropriate place for children. We ask that they are properly attended to elsewhere while you visit the spa
Cell Phones & Pagers
To respect the wishes of all of our clients, we request that all cell phones and pagers are turned off during your visit. Cell phone use is not permitted in the spa.


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The Colorado Department of Corrections has a special team that responds to emergency situations within the state prison system. S. O. R. T. (Special Operations Response Team) is the "SWAT" team for the state prison system. Its members are all specially trained in weapons, hostage situations, riots, etc. and on call to respond anywhere in the state as needed. They are the elite members of the Colorado Department of Corrections.
My Mom was a member of the S.O.R.T. team. She was a nurse practitioner and paramedic and was the Medical Officer of the team. Though she was usually at least 15 years older than other team members and one of the few female S.O.R.T. officers, she was required to pass the same physical tests and be certified in the different weapons and tactics the team used in these emergency situations. Everything! Automatic weapons, hand-to-hand combat, rappelling, the works.
For 2 weeks every summer, the S.O.R.T. team would train at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. Mom would pack her gear and depart, and Dad would worry for the next 2 weeks.
When Mom finally came home again, she'd be "black and blue" and sore all over, but… oh so HAPPY! She loved that job and working with "her boys".
Mom and part of the S.O.R.T. team even acted as event security when Pope John Paul II visited Denver in August 1993. I remember she sent us some of the t-shirts that her team wore in Denver.
(Mom first row, far right)
(Mom getting ready to head off to the Air Force Academy)
(Plaque presented to Mom on her retirement in 1998)


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LASHKAR GAH Afghanistan (Reuters) - Afghan forces battled the Taliban in southern Helmand province on Monday for a second week, officials and residents said on Monday, seeking to reassert control over a strategic district just weeks after the departure of U.S. troops.
The battle for Helmand contributes to a troubling security outlook for Afghanistan where the hardline Taliban, in power from 1996 to 2001, are seeking to oust foreign forces and set up an Islamic state.
While Afghan forces with U.S. air support have mostly held out this year, they will be left to battle the growing Taliban insurgency alone after most foreign troops pull out of the country at the end of the year.
Close to half of Afghanistan's opium is produced in Helmand, according to the United Nations, where yearly output rose by around a third in 2013.
Last year's bumper crop provided a financial boost to insurgents whose strongholds are in the south, while also supporting criminal networks ferrying the drug across the border with Iran.
Officials said the battle was tilting in favor of Afghan security forces, who had regained control over much of the Sangin district, a section of the opium trade route West, this week.
The view was contested by residents who said Taliban fighters continued to attack army and police from their village hideouts.
"There is still fighting, but not as intense as it was three or four days ago," Sangin district chief Suliman Shah told Reuters. "Overall the security situation is under control."
Afghan troops stationed there ran out of bullets and food but fresh supplies had since arrived, he added.
The Taliban offensive started ten days ago when around 1,000 fighters attacked government offices and police outposts scattered across the district, apparently emboldened by the departure of U.S. troops in May.
Figures on casualties were difficult to ascertain but around 50 police, soldiers and civilians were estimated by security forces to have been killed in the initial days of fighting.
A tribal elder in Sangin said that the Taliban had shifted strategy away from firefights this week, planting bombs in the street and then taking refuge in villages in Kajaki district further north.
"The Taliban come out of their hideouts, plant roadside bombs and then escape. Yesterday at least two local policemen were killed by their roadside bombs," said tribal elder Mohammad Hashim Sanginzoi.
Whether a small contingent of U.S. troops stays on in Afghanistan after this year remains in doubt as outgoing President Hamid Karzai has refused to sign a key bilateral security deal with Washington.
Afghanistan and its near 350,000-strong security force is dependent on foreign aid for most of its income and without a U.S. military presence on the ground, donations are expected to drop.
While both contenders for the presidency have promised to sign the deal promptly if elected, the outcome of the June 14 run-off is in doubt as one of the candidates has dropped out claiming mass fraud gave his rival a million-vote lead.
Preliminary results are due to be announced on Wednesday.
Additional reporting by Mirwais Harooni in Kabul; Writing by Jessica Donati; Editing by Nick Macfie


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THESE Are The Seats You Should Avoid On A Plane At ALL Costs
When it comes to the part of planning your trip where you're forced to choose your plane seats, it truly is an an exciting, exhilarating time.
It's the ACTUAL chair that you'll ACTUALLY be sitting in on the way to your ACTUAL trip. So, what's the important thing to know before you commit to a seat?
These are the seats to avoid, according to a report on Smarter Traveller...
The seat with the entertainment box
This is the seat where you'll find a BIG old box under the seat in front of you, meaning - you guessed it - there's nowhere to put your feet, or your bag!
The seat at the BACK of any section
Basically, they're the ones found just in front of a bank of toilets of galley. You can't recline and look forward to hearing flushing during your entire trip.
The seat next to the main exit door
Everyone thinks this seat is great, due to the ample leg room - but there are a couple of very important downsides.
You have no under-seat storage.
Yep, because the people behind you stow underneath your seat - and you'll come up against - literally - the reduced seat width that comes with the solid metal armrests need to stow tray tables. Plus, you'll be colder, as your seat is by the door.
This is because the door has inner mechanical workings instead of insulation like the rest of the plane.
The misaligned window seat
The promise of a window seat is thrilling for most people.
They get to see the takeoff and landing, and then CLOUDS for a loooooong time. But it doesn't always work out as peachy as you'd hope. But many planes have configurations that place some seats between windows.
Not only is this disappointing for anyone who likes to look out the window, it can also create complicated lighting issues, as the window in front of and behind you may peek into your row but you won't be able to control them.
Source: Smarter Traveler