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'HULC™' robot exoskeleton war-walker suit 'at gen 2.0'
Luxury padded interior offers 'comfort and support'
American developers say they have produced a "next-generation" version of the well-known Human Universal Load Carrier (HULC™) robotic exoskeleton suit for the US Army. The machine is now to be tested in laboratories for resistance to "sand, wind, rain, temperature and humidity".
Half a league, half a league, half a league onward to the next charging station
The HULC is basically a set of hydraulically-actuated titanium legs supporting a back frame and powered by li-ion batteries: new in the "second generation" version is the ability to use standard military-issue ones rather than special-for-HULC units.
A wearer of the machine can heave on a huge and heavy pack, or attach over-the-shoulder frames to carry heavy loads in front of himself - for instance a thick armoured shield, or an artillery shell suspended from a lifting strop - and the HULC's structure transmits the load directly to the ground without affecting him. He can walk, jog, even run or drop into a squat as though carrying nothing.
The HULC has been in development for some time, starting at inventor Russdon Angold's firm Berkeley Bionics in California. Then it got bought up by US weaponry goliath Lockheed, and the associated clout soon landed it a test-and-evaluation contract from the US Army's Natick Soldier Systems trials centre. The machine has been put through its paces by the military boffins since, and now Lockheed says that lessons have been learned and improvements made:
The ruggedized HULC system incorporates multiple design changes to increase reliability and performance in operational environments. New environmental sealing and packaging give the system's electronics increased protection from natural elements and battlefield hazards...
The ruggedized structure allows for rapid, repeatable adjustments to the torso and thigh length, without special tools, to better suit a wider variety of users. It also conforms to the body and incorporates lumbar padding for comfort and support. Additionally, the upgraded HULC features improved control software to better track the user's movements.
"The design improvements we implemented on the ruggedized exoskeleton prove our commitment to providing the Warfighter with an innovative solution," says Lockheed war-gadget bigwig Rich Russell.
The greatest weakness of the HULC thus far has been the limited endurance offered by the batteries - though admittedly it would be possible for a HULC-trooper to carry quite a lot of spares. The machine will run flat in less than an hour if the user does any running, however, leading Lockheed to look into fitting it with a fuel cell powerpack.
That said, the rival XOS suit from Raytheon still needs to be plugged in to work, so the HULC is out in front. ®
Sponsored: Webcast: Why you need managed detection and response


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The Michigan football team begins its season Saturday with a home game against Appalachian State in a rematch of their 2007 stunner, when the Mountaineers gave the Wolverines their most embarrassing loss in school history.
There could be another Michigan stunner, but it won't happen Saturday. Do not be surprised if starting quarterback Devin Gardner finishes the season on the bench — even if he remains healthy — if turnovers remain a problem.
Doing too much
Gardner can be a spectacular player. We saw that last season when he burned Indiana for 503 yards in the air, passed for 294 yards and ran for another 82 against Notre Dame and nearly led the team to an upset victory over Ohio State. However, Michigan still finished a disappointing 7-6.
The defense wasn't very good and the team needs to shed its soft label. And Gardner must do his share by not turning the ball over. That is his Achilles heel, in part because he tries to do too much when there is no play to be made.
He threw 11 interceptions in the first eight games last season and had a couple lucky drops by defensive backs. But to his credit Gardner did not throw a pick in his final four games. The problem then was his running game dried up. He rushed for minus-37 yards as Michigan stumbled to a 1-4 regular-season finish. Part of that was trying to make impossible plays as he took needless sacks.
Coach Brady Hoke said it best when he said it is sometimes best to throw the ball out of bounds. I've seen Gardner try to do Michael Jordan-like moves out of the end zone. I applaud him for trying to be a playmaker because teams need that. However, sometimes it is best to cut your losses.
Gardner also has Shane Morris breathing down his neck. Offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier is in his first season at Michigan, coming here from Alabama. It appears as if Morris fits what Nussmeier wants to do better than Gardner. Hoke appears to be a guy who is loyal to seniors in close races. But if Gardner has butterfingers again, how long can Hoke stand by his man?
Different system
Hoke must win. Athletic director David Brandon keeps saying his job is not in jeopardy. However, I keep hearing what a great job Hoke is doing graduating players and not what a great job he is doing on the field. That could be a smoke screen to keep the "Fire Hoke" wolves at bay and let us believe all is peaceful in Schembechler Hall.
I would make a change to keep the peace in the dressing room if Gardner is unable to hang onto the ball.
He was brought here to run the Rich Rodriguez spread option, which is entirely different than what Michigan wants to do now. And he is an elbow injury away from being a wide receiver.
Michigan moved him to that spot, but an elbow injury to Denard Robinson forced coaches to move Gardner back because he was the only quarterback on the roster who could move the offense.
Gardner is the most electrifying quarterback on the roster. In a perfect world he would start from beginning to end.
That can still happen if Gardner does a better job of game managing.
(313) 222-1494

subset: commoncrawl


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When: Saturday, April 12th 3:30 pm to 8:00 pm
Where: Shawnee Mission Park, shelter #4
We are starting up annual BBQ again! We have already reserved shelter #4 which for those that are unfamiliar is the same shelter that has been used in the past for BBQ meets. It is that large shelter and parking lot by the boat ramp. We will be needing volunteers to help bring supplies for the BBQ and help. More details will be posted as the time nears.


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Per night/room
Apr 2 - Apr 3
Find Orondo cabins you'll love
Take a hike on your next vacation—literally. Don't travel all the way to Orondo just to stay in any old hotel. Book accommodation that's straight out of your social feed: rustic log cabin homes with crackling fireplaces to curl up in front of and plush carpets to sink your feet into. Bask in that secluded feeling you can only get when you have a place all to yourself. Breathe in fresh mountain air. You can do all that with cabin rentals in Orondo.
Cabins in Orondo have something for everyone
Feel free to bring the whole crew this time around—if you book a big space, no one will get cabin fever at the vacation rentals in Orondo. And you don't have to fork over an arm and a leg to keep yourselves comfortable during your adventure. If "cheap" is at the top of your must-have list, Orbitz can help: we've got a great selection of affordable cabins in Orondo.
When we say bring the whole crew, we mean it. Pet-friendly log cabins in Orondo have your name on them. There's nothing your four-legged family member loves more than new smells and walks in the woods (except maybe his favorite human). A happy dog means a happy person, so find the nearest lake and jump in with both feet—or should we say, four paws.
If you're looking for something a little more upscale, check out luxury cabins for that ultimate relaxing stay in the mountains. Top amenities, ultra-soft sheets and incredible views of the best landscapes in Orondo—you got it.


text: The BlackJack II (SGH-i617) finally gets its turn to ride the Windows Mobile 6.1 bus, which brings to it slight UI changes, better SMS threading, improved GPS navigation and internet connection sharing. There's little reason why you shouldn't get it, so download it now and join the 6.1 club. [Samsung]


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1. Robert Kilely, in his Introduction, says that although Northanger Abbey satirizes gothic novels, what?s more significant about it is the manner in which Jane Austen bases her narrative on conversation. How is conversation used in the novel as a narrative device? How does conversation both aid and hinder the characters?
2. Jane Austen deftly shifts voices so as to allow us to see the world through Catherine?s eyes and her own eyes (often through Henry Tilney). What effects does this have on the reader?
3. What gothic elements are incorporated into the novel? What are the anti-gothic elements and figures of the novel? How does Austen juxtapose Bath and the Abbey?
4. It can be argued that Henry Tilney is a foil to John Thorpe. What other characters serve as foils to each other? Does Catherine have a foil?
5. Consider the use of sarcasm in the novel. How does Henry Tilney?s sarcasm force Catherine to think things through more thoroughly and expand her values and notions?
6. The novel depicts a disparity of class and wealth, most notably between the Thorpes and the Tilneys. What importance does social convention hold? Is there a certain relevance between class and behavior appertaining to the Thorpes and Tilneys? Is it ever justifiable to break with social convention and propriety?
7. One of the major elements in Northanger Abbey is reading, particularly reading novels. What are some of the differences between novels and reality that Austen is discerning? Is she convinced that novels are worthless? What is surprising about the way novels were perceived in the early nineteenth century?
8. ?No one who had ever seen Catherine Morland in her infancy, would have supposed her to be a heroine,? Jane Austen writes in her opening paragraph. Do you agree that Catherine is a heroine? How does she develop through the novel and what does she learn about her self and the world around her?


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DGS Publications
|Publication Date
|RI45 Effects of Agricultural Practices and Septic-System Effluent on the Quality of Water in the Unconfined Aquifer in Parts of Eastern Sussex County, Delaware
|Denver, J.M.
|RI41 Hydrogeology and Geochemistry of the Unconfined Aquifer, West-Central and Southwestern Delaware
|Denver, J.M.
|OFR20 Configuration of the Base and Thickness of the Unconfined Aquifer in Southeastern Sussex County, Delaware
|Denver, J.M.
|SP9 Generalized Geologic Map of Delaware
|Pickett, T.E., Spoljaric, N., Jordan, R.R.
|RI10 Pleistocene Channels of New Castle County, Delaware
|Spoljaric, N.


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Townhall columnist said some children should have been aborted
Contemplating abortion in the United States in his May 1 column, Doug Giles simultaneously decried the growing number of women who he says are getting abortions for selfish reasons, while averring that it would be better if some children who are "living with uncaring parents" were aborted, so they "wouldn't have to watch John Flipper Kerry trip over his prevaricating tongue" :
Maybe [giving] birth could interfere with Mom getting her BA degree, or expose the affair she's having with her college professor, or mess up her bikini body, or keep her from partying and sleeping with everything that moves...
I confess that sometimes I think it would be better for some kids to have been aborted, if living with uncaring parents in this cruddy culture is their only option. While mom ignores them because she's working on her tan and dad's playing tennis with his mistress... they wouldn't have to watch John Flipper Kerry trip over his prevaricating tongue.
Doug Giles writes a weekly column on cultural issues that appears on The Heritage Foundation.s website Townhall.com. He is the creator, host, and director of ClashRadio.com, a Christian radio station heard in Miami, Palm Beach, the United Kingdom, and via satellite and the Internet. His 2003 book, Ruling in Babylon, was published by Xulon Press (a Christian self-publisher).
Giles is also a pastor at His People Miami Christian Church in Miami, Florida. According to the Clash Radio website, "This fall Pastor Doug Giles is serving STEAK [Serious Theological Education Advancing the Kingdom]. An all beef discipleship course covering the majors of the Christian Faith."


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of Happy Clients
Great Resorts
Mountains - BASS Images for you to enjoy
Hi Hugh
Thanks for the pictures and, once again, thanks for a fantastic week skiing. I've said it already, but I'll say it again: it exceeded all my expectations and I just can't wait to get out and put the learning into practice.
Dear Peter
We have just returned from our first family ski holiday.
Your instructors were great. special thanks to Bob for taking the more tricky adults. He was brilliant!
Thank you so much for helping us have such a great week
Hope to be back next year!
Very many thanks and best wishes
Just to say a huge thank you for a fantastic week. I loved it. I am still on a high.
Hi Peter
Thank you for the ski lessons last week. A great ski area in which to build confidence. Loved that you threw in the sports psychology - exactly what I needed. Managed to overcome those pesky distractions and get myself over to Morgins yesterday. Won't hesitate to book more lessons if we get back to Chatel.
Enjoy the rest of the season
Wow! Fantastic photos! They've all had a great week with you. Thank you.
A most unbelievable experience, I never expected to see such a difference in such a short space of time. Thanks for a most memorable week.
Thanks so much for a fab week in Tignes for Hugo and Freddie last week. They really enjoyed their lessons with BASS.
Thanks Peter. Just got these photos now we're back in Australia. They are awesome.
The boys really loved their lessons and the improvement in their skiing was amazing. Thanks so much for your patience and skill in teaching them! Paul also clicked in his skiing thanks to his lesson with Matt.
We hope to see you again and enjoy the rest of the season.
This is my second year having lessons with BASS and they are, in one word, amazing. Nothing is a problem and each instructor I have had lessons with have been amazing, patient and paid attention to our needs. Would recommend them to everyone and will use them again every time.
Thanks so much for the fantastic lessons for mattie and martha this week. Both really enjoyed it and improved!
They have both said how much they enjoyed them and wished they'd had you before (instead of esf!!- large group and teacher they didn't understand)
Hope you have a good season and if we're lucky enough to be invited again to Chatel we shall be in touch.
Skiing with you was an eye-opener, challenging and great fun. I learnt a lot and and I feel that my performance improved significantly.
Amazing! They just loved it- thanks so much for a great week.
Hi Peter
Just wanted to say big thanks for terrific lesson yesterday morning- jo and I learnt a lot in short time and have been practicing today. I am sure it will change our ski technique forever!
Hope the stag party lesson went well!
Hi Peter,
Thanks for such a good lesson today, we really enjoyed it! We hit the bumps again this afternoon and loved it, so different to the ones we tried before the lesson!
Thanks again,
'I have attended BASS Ski Performance Breakthrough clinics for the last two seasons, completing levels one to three.
Prior to attending the courses, I was a proficient skier, but attending the courses has enabled me to improve my skiing to the next level and my enjoyment of skiing substantially.
During the courses, I learned a lot about skiing technique, both on an off piste, and attained a much greater awareness of what I was doing and what I needed to do to improve my technique. Often, small changes produced big results.
The instructor on each of my courses was Hugh Monney. The courses were challenging but fun and Hugh managed to get the most out of each skier and I noticed a significant improvement in everybody I skied with on the three courses. With out a doubt, attending Hugh's courses has helped me to become a far better skier and opened up new and exciting places for me to ski with confidence, now and in the future.
I would be happy to recommend BASS Ski Performance Breakthrough clinics to anyone who is proficient and serious about improving their skiing to the next level.'
"Hugh is a technical expert and an innovator, continually pushing the boundaries with his exciting and dynamic ideas, many of which have put BASI at the forefront in the field of of Snowsports organisations and training organisations generally. The whole membership owes a large debt of gratitude to Hugh – Thank you" Andrew Lockerbie, Chairman, BASI
It was the best skiing training I have ever had, I met some great people, developed as a person and loved it! Thanks to everyone on the course and especially to Hugh for sharing his knowledge and experience.
I'd urge other parents to get in touch with BASS without hesitation....Thank you Tom and BASS. Happy skiing and keep up the great work.
I just wanted to express a massive thank you to Bob for last week, I was on the intermediate course which ended up being himself, me and my dad (Graham).
I had such a fantastic week and it really was all thanks to him, my skiing has come on so much and everyone I was with on the trip was so pleased for me to have had great instruction and help in both skill and confidence to my skiing.
The week was a bit hit and miss with weather which luckily allowed us to experience all types of snow conditions, I learnt technique as well as being able to just enjoy the surroundings, ending with a very enjoyable last lesson exploring out into Linderes and Avoriaz.
One thing I took from him was something I won't ever forget, "you can learn as much as you like but 90% of skiing is enjoying yourself".
Please pass on this message, Thanks Bob- I really do hope to ski with you again one day!
Hi Hugh, Just a quick note to thank you for another great week in Morzine. Although it was my 4th clinic with you I still found that I glean more and more from the sessions.
Hugh's unique approach ensured I was more tuned in to my skiing than ever before, so the considerable improvements I made during the course can be built on in the future.
La Grave was memorable for all of us that skied there and I suspect we will be back for more of that unique experience.
Hi Hugh.
Thanks for the pictures and, once again, thanks for a fantastic week skiing. I've said it already, but I'll say it again: it exceeded all my expectations and I just can't wait to get out and put the learning into practice
"For more than 15 years, Hugh has been an inspiration in my professional and business life. His clarity of vision and ability to deliver shines through all his projects "James Lamb, Director, BASS Morzine
Another great day at Vail yesterday and another today at Breckenridge. A load of snow fell throughout the day so omens are good for tomorrow. The lessons from the Ski Performance Breakthrough Clinic in Morzine seem to have been learned and I feel like I've been skiing really well. In particular, the bump skiing is better than ever. Thank you.
Well Hugh - What can I say ? Thank you so much for a transformational experience . My skiing friends in Chamonix were amazed to see the progress achieved in 5 days of the Ski Performance Breakthrough clinic in Austria after 7 years in France ! That must tell all .
Thanks Hugh
Photos are great. Real bonus having a ski instructor who also acts as the group photographer!
Enjoy the rest of your exciting year
Derek has been instructing me, once last year and 5 times this year on a one to one basis.
My skiing has come on a treat and he doesn't bombard me with things to do and tries to make me work things out for myself by discussion, observing and videoing. Following Derek particularly off piste has helped me take better lines in a more controlled fashion.
He has always found the right level to push and test me without putting me too far out of my comfort zone and finds the right level of conditions whether it is on or off piste...which even this year he has managed to do considering the absence of lots of snow without travelling too far.
Today we were skiing through powder through the trees and it was close to the runs.
I will definitely be back for more.
Just wanted to drop you a quick note to thank you so much for the lessons. You were fabulous. The transformation for Niamh was incredible as it was for both Hannah and me. Equally Harrison genuinely believes he is now a world class snowboarder which is impressive given that he only had 5 lessons with Matt.
We have recommended you highly to our chums and very much look forward to more lessons at another time!
Huge thanks #HughMonney - The most effective and impactful coaching I've had in over 20 years.
Kevin Harris, @kevinharrisTV
Just got back home and thought I'd drop you a quick line say a big thanks for an truly memorable afternoon's skiing on Friday.
It's been a long running ambition to be able ski the sort of conditions/snow that we had that day - and whilst it sounds a bit silly to say, not only was it the highlight of my week, but I think it's safe to say that the afternoon goes down as one of the highlights/best days of my skiing 'career'.
Hi Hugh,
Thanks for the photographs – and not to mention for the fabulous week in Flaine last week. I really can't wait to get back onto the snow to keep putting the new skills into practice..
Myself and my boyfriend went skiing in March, we are far apart in ability as he has skied since he was 10 and I've been 3 times now over 7 years (We are both aged 23/24).
The last time I went skiing I lost confidence as I didn't have a good ski school to guide me. I started to feel as though skiing wasn't for me and that I couldn't do it.
This year was my first time skiing with Bass and it definitely won't be the last. Marc took myself and 2 others out for the "Approaching Parallel" adult class. He built up our confidence during the week and made the lessons fun too! He made me realise that I had been taught incorrectly the last time I had gone. I now I can't wait to go back which is how you should feel after a week of skiing!
Thanks Marc and Bass!
Thank you for a fantastic week. I really felt that I improved over the course of the week and I am looking forward to returning to Morzine to put it all back into practice.
Just a note to thank Craig and Martin for sorting us out with classes in Meribel last week. The tuition was great and enjoyed by all.
'Shona is brave & patient enough to go back to the fundamentals and make sure they stick. This has allowed me to really accelerate my learning and I'm skiing the best I ever have on and off piste. I have had many breakthroughs and feel incredibly excited about my future progress'
Myself and Cris just wanted to say a big thank you to Bass, and in particular Matt, for the great lessons he gave our girls. They had a great time and there is already talk of returning next year.
Thank you and best wishes for the rest of 2018.
Just wanted to say thank you for Agatha's lessons. She completed her first ever black by the end of the week so we are very grateful for the input and confidence resulting from her lessons!
Thanks Rod, ski lessons were fab... A true breakthrough on my technique!! Really enjoyed myself, so did Paul.
HI Peter
I would like to thank you for arranging ski lessons over half term my for my children Annabel and Jamie and also the Lakin family. The kids loved the lessons so please pass on a very big thank you to Will.
Great pictures! Thank you for a great week of skiing
Morning Peter.
Hope you're well. Great week had in Châtel. I just wanted to let you know the kids had a great time at ski school with Matt and Ricardo. What a great pair of guys, the kids have all come on great this week.
Just back from a great week skiing in Morzine. Our 2 young boys both had lessons through BASS. They loved it, and progressed so well! The small groups and really interactive teaching was miles better than the big groups of 15 or so you see the French schools doing...... Will be going back to BASS again next year!
The PBC was really enjoyable and I felt I really got a lot out of it. As ever, was great to ski with you.
Yet another amazing week in top company, brilliant course Hugh definitely feeling like significant progress was made, hope touring was good beautiful day for it.
Many thanks
Rod – just a quick note to say happy new year and thanks very much for looking after our disparate group so well. Everyone got a lot out of your wise instruction!
Hi Peter
I just wanted to let you know how impressed we were with Matt and what a credit he is to your organisation. He was an excellent instructor, patient, punctual, courteous and thoughtful. He had a great way with our children who thought he was brilliant. We'd definitely recommend him and your organisation to others. Thank you
Thank you for putting the photos on dropbox. It was a fantastic week! Looking forward to skiing with you again in April,
Before I first went on one of Hugh's Performance Breakthrough clinics, I was a good, but not great skier. I certainly wasn't as good as I thought I was! Hugh didn't so much deconstruct and then rebuild technique as concentrate on some fundamentals including posture and balance. With each day, additional content was introduced and by the end of the first week I was definitely skiing better and couldn't wait for more. I'm now a 10-year veteran of the programme and I still learn something new each time and my skiing has progressed beyond my wildest dreams - last season included powder skiing in Japan, ski touring and heliskiing in Iceland. The clinics aren't all about hard work though; through them I have made many great friends who now form regular ski companions.
"At the start of the course I thought the rest of the group were already great skiers, but Shona found different improvement areas for everybody. Her exercise routines enabled all to work on these and make great improvements."
"The focus of the course is very much on you and your needs, not just another generic script"
Thanks Peter. I think we'd go ahead if you were able to teach us to
get the continuity. Otherwise we'll skip it this time but will
certainly book with BASS again. Really impressed.
Incredibly helpful, friendly and focused on helping me to be a better skier. Nothing too much trouble, always efficient and keen to tailor to individual needs and requirements. Brilliant - I've been having lessons with you for years now and always learn something new and come away with my confidence levels improved.
Awesome week of tuition by Rod - Lottie and Emma had a great time!
Loved it and what a great last day of lessons! Thank you Peter
Minal and I would like to highlight and thank Peter for his amazing teaching across only a few lessons which moved us both from beginners to being confident on red slopes, his guidance and confidence enabled us to finally ski with our children, a target which we thought was many years away due to the awful teachings of a french ski school! We will surely be booking more lessons on our next trip to Chatel and singing your well deserved praises to all our friends and family.
I just wanted to write you a note to say a quick thank you. Everyone got on so well and really progressed from last year (particularly the mini-beginners!).
Your help has been really appreciated and I'll always look to BASS if you're in any of the resorts we head off too in the future.
I just wanted to say what a fantastic week I've just had. The effect on my skiing was everything that and more than I had hoped for.
Just wanted to say a big thank you to Derek for improving my dad's holiday so much.
He really enjoyed the lessons (despite not being keen to start with!) and his skiing really came on. It was great.
Thank you so much.
Will not hesitate to recommend you to Guests in my chalet.
Hi Peter,
Just a quick note to thank you and the team for the excellent arrangements in Chatel last week. Kids won't stop talking about it and I think are hooked. A picture is attached. Please extend our best wishes to Janet, William and Willie and hope to see you again next year.
Just wanted to drop you a quick line to say how pleased we were with the ski lessons. Please pass on our thanks to Matt - the kids really enjoyed their time with him and their skiing has developed enormously in just three days.
"Just want to say a massive thanks to you guys for sorting me out with lessons this past week, you made my holiday. In particular, Matt and Ollie for their perseverance with me in Chatel. You guys are fantastic. Also, Peter, for putting up with me ringing last minute for a booking. I can't recommend you guys highly enough!! Tim."
Thank you from Hector and Evie for another great stint of lessons
They LOVED it!
Just had a week in Morzine where my daughter and stepdaughter completed Junior Blue 2. Fantastic experience AGAIN!
Hi Hugh
Hope all's well?!, back in Morzine for the week - just ski'ed nastiest chopped up, mixed condition off piste on piste skis and what fun. Nothing aches no effort just ease, absolutely amazing, thank you so much for revolutionising my skiing.
Hope all's well?!, back in Morzine for the week - just ski'ed nastiest chopped up, mixed condition off piste on piste skis and what fun. Nothing aches no effort just ease, absolutely amazing, thank you so much for revolutionising my skiing.
"Hugh has pioneered "British Ski Teaching" in Europe over the last 20 years creating and leading the most successful network of elite snowsports schools in the world. "Derek Tata, Director, BASS Chamonix
...head and shoulders above any tuition encountered...surpassing our wildest expectations.
Thanks to Matt for a great week. The boys were sad to see you go.
I want to say how much I enjoyed the trip to Japan. It was such an amazing place and the skiing was fantastic. Thank you for all you did to make it such a good trip.
Hi Peter
Just wanted to say a big thank you for our lesson today. Marco was absolutely brilliant particularly for my son who absolutely adored him. He had a wonderful way of making it so fun my son didn't realise he was learning!
If Marco has any availability over the weekend, pls let us know as we'd be keen to try and book for our son to ski with him again.
Many thanks
As a mountaineer I have skied around the world from Utah to Antarctica, and taken many lessons in many countries. The level of technical input, quality of teaching, and overall service of BASS Chamonix has been exceptional, and without doubt the best I've experienced. I am happy to recommend them to anyone.'
I had a fantastic week in all senses. It was great to get some real results from my skiing and feel in control after all these years, great to see how BASS works first hand and understand what a great job you all do on the mountain. Thank you again.
Dear Hugh,
many thanks for the couple of days instruction last week ... quality tuition is such a refreshing change, all with a skillfully humorous delivery combined to make the entire week a great success in perfect conditions. My wife rebooked for next year as soon as we arrived back in Scotland!
I wanted to say thanks for a great 3 days, I learned a huge amount when I was there and, on reflection , even more since I've been back. The content and your delivery of it was excellent, and made complete sense to me, and it clearly attracts a like-minded bunch of great guys. Please let me know as soon as you have the dates sorted for next season.
Hi Hugh, just wanted to say thanks for a great week skiing. I really enjoyed the week :) I look forward to seeing you in Argentiere!
Just had an excellent 2 hour lesson with PK this morning. We need more!! Many thanks
Dear Peter,
Sylvie, who took the lessons you arranged over New Year, had a great time and very much enjoyed her beginners' lessons, thanks very much for providing them.
Thanks again. head buzzing with analysis of my skiing... You've given me a good boost of confidence.... still the best at what you do! Effortless coaching in action.
Very many thanks indeed for the images - great to have them. Skiing with you was an eye-opener, challenging and great fun. I learnt a lot and and I feel that my performance improved significantly - at least to the extent that I can now reasonably say that I can ski!
Great to see the opening of BASS Les Deux Alpes with Rod Frazer in the lead. Rod is simply the best ski instructor I have had the pleasure to learn from.
Dear Peter
On behalf of my family, I would like to thank you, Sue and your team very much for helping us make last week's holiday one of our best ever! Carla and Pippa are both becoming great skiers and I don't have to worry (quite so much) about Pip's tendency to point down.
Please do pass on our special thanks to Willie and Matt, who the girls are very fond of.
Looking forward to seeing you all next year.
Hugh's Level 1 programme has re-invigorated our enjoyment and love of skiing. It has provided us with new techniques to practice and rehearse so that we can develop our skills in an enjoyable and effective way.
Hugh's coaching style and carefully managed conveyance of important details ensures that your confidence and application of the new technical applications are deployed and built upon throughout the programme.
Also Hugh's fountain of technical knowledge is a key feature of the programme which he freely imparts to ensure that we fully understand the importance of suitable equipment (skis, books, clothing, helmets, etc) and how these play a critical role in the development of each individuals skiing technique and style.
I just wanted to say what a fantastic week I've just had. The effect on my skiing was everything that and more than I had hoped for.
"Shona is a fantastic instructor, great fun and incredibly informative. I learnt so much and can't wait to do another course with BASS Chamonix and Shona next time i'm in Chamonix, which hopefully wont be too long!"
I learnt loads in my lessons and I noticed a real improvement in my skiing, every time I have more lessons with BASS I feel more confident.
Can you thank Matt on behalf of Myself and Emily for the patience and understanding that he showed with our 8 year old daughter Poppy, during our half term visit. Poppy you may recall had suffered a broken leg the year before. Whilst Poppy was very nervous, she still manage to regain some of her confidence that had been lost.
Morning Hugh,
Yet another great week – Once again I got so much out of your instruction.
Keep the programmes coming as I'm definitely on one or two next season and maybe this season. I received the Iceland email and will respond separately.
Once again, many thanks for an excellent clinic.
Thank's for a fantastic week. I really couldn't have enjoyed the course more - and please do count me in for next year!
This was the perfect ski school for my slightly nervous eight year old who'd had a previous not so good experience with another ski school in the past. The smaller groups and fantastic instructors made the whole week a fun experience. Jazz and George were both great. Getting down and talking to the kids at their level. The right amount of gentle encouragement and persitance to bring on confidence and ski level in just five days. Very pleased with his badge! Thank you
The content of the course and - in particular - the presentation by George was absolutely outstanding. His ability to encourage and give confidence was truly amazing and he deserves much credit.
We have just returned from Val D'Isere after a fantastic week of skiing, and would like to thank all at BASS, particularly Nick who we had lessons with. He has brought us on to another level and he gave us the confidence and skills that we lacked in some areas. We wish you a prosperous season and look forward to furthering our skills with BASS next time we visit Val D'Isere.
Hi Hugh,Thank you and thanks for a really great week of skiing.
Another great week of instruction from Matt & Janet with the penguin group! Isla has progressed beyond my expectations and appears to have talked everyone's ears off in the process. 3yrs old and loving skiing - thank you so much!
Thanks Peter for my lesson and putting up with me insisting I can't do it. Anyone looking for lessons in Chatel, you really can't go wrong with these guys.
...Just to say how much the girls enjoyed your skiing lessons. They found them really good fun, and we never knew they could make such progress in such a short time! Thank you.
Hi Peter,i just wanted to email again to express my sincere thanks for all you did for me last week. when i arrived for my first lesson i couldn't understand why anyone would want to Ski but by the end of the five lessons i understood exactly what everyone was raving about, i loved it and because of you i was able to ski for the whole day with my other half and his kids on the friday of last week without looking like a complete fool and i got down slopes that at the beginning of the week would have made me crumble in fear.
George was patient, great at simplifying the technical aspects and, best of all, massively positive. Great feedback after each run and really helpful intros and instructions for the next. Confidence levels improved hugely... Can't rate highly enough...thanks George!
..We are chuffed to bits with the progress we made. Your instructor did a superb job in giving us the tools and the confidence we needed. He was full of encouragement, great at giving positive feedback & his instruction was crystal clear (and most importantly, incredibly easy to retain - he gave us some excellent pointers which we both agreed made the world of difference to our skiing)! Thanks again.
I had a fantastic session having my skiing re-constructed by Rod Frazer, and I'm skiing much better as a result. If any of you need skiing therapy, he's the man to see.
Just a quick note to say how much Farid and I enjoyed our ski lessons with you last week. I cannot tell you how much I feel I have improved with the lessons. I now feel so much more confident and in control and ready to tackle more difficult runs. What a difference it makes to be taught by an English speaker. Thank you so much for all your help and support.
Dear Hugh, I had a great 2 weeks with you in March and I can honestly say it was the most rewarding and enjoyable 2 weeks of my skiing career to date.
Memories are made by good people who are true to their beliefs and care about each and every one of their clients. Thank you BASS. We'll see you again next year.
"This has been the first lesson i've had in years that I actually feel taught me and improved my performance. Shona has many different ways of explaining the same thing to help understanding and the video analysis made a huge difference." Thank you BASS Megeve.
'Shona has a great way of explaining concepts simply with rich imagery, she's always positive and tuned in to what's going on. Her depth of experience shines through because she has 101 ways of coaching in a concept and her timing of giving you the right help at the right time is impeccable'
'I would heartily recommend Shona as a ski coach for any level of skier'
Thanks for a great week Hugh, I really enjoyed the skiing and felt my technique benefited hugely. Enjoy the rest of the season!
I had been told that I would not regret using BASS with our family, and that is advice I will follow again and pass on to others.
Amazing day off piste with super Shona. Great tuition, great skiing and great company.
Best skiing lessons I've ever had; I thought I was incapable when I arrived in Morzine. Tom deserves high praise for patiently coaxing us from the nursery slope to the chair lifts & beyond. Our group may not have progressed as fast as some, but Tom progressed us at our own rate & in a way that was so much fun I can't wait for next year.
Dear Peter, Just to say that our instructor, Matt, was absolutely brilliant. He was very professional and friendly, challenged us exactly the right amount and was an excellent guide of the mountains. It was definitely the best decision we made on our holiday to book lessons. We all progressed a huge amount without losing our confidence. The recommendation of which ski hire shop to use was also great, making picking up our skis in the morning really easy. Please thank Matt for a job really well done. Hopefully we will be back next year! Also just I say Matt Kerswell who added an extra lesson will pay online soon. Cheers, Tessa


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Chronicle 1. SAILING AROUND / PERIPLUS
Χρονικό 1. ΜΕΣΟΓΕΙΟΥ ΠΑΡΑΠΛΟΥΣ/ΠΕΡΙΠΛΟΥΣ
WHAT WAS EXACTLY THE MOTIVE behind man's decision to take his chances and go out to sea? As always, he had needs to satisfy: he initially searched for a better place to live. Navigation started long ago during migrations: the first humans e.g. arrived in Australia, presumably by boat, around 45,000 BCE. After settling down, man's needs changed: there was much food in the sea and he could certainly fish far better with a canoe or a small boat. The more he familiarized himself with the sea, the further he went out there, and thus the vessel also became a means of transport. Men started exchanging goods and, as long as production increased, the boatmen were divided into fishermen and traders – and warriors, as well. Commerce developed further in parallel with navigation. A sea trader was obliged to start taking down notes and mapping out his routes. This notebook gradually developed into a
"PERIPLUS" is the Latinization of the Hellenic word περίπλους, 'a sailing-around'. The word was understood by the ancient Greek speaker in its literal sense; however, it also developed specialized meanings, one of which became a standard term in the navigation of Hellenes, Phoenicians, and many others.(a) Such a periplus was a manuscript listing – in order and with approximate intervening distances – the ports and coastal landmarks that the captain of a vessel could expect to find along a shore. It served the same purpose as the Roman itinerarium of road stops. The navigators, however, added various notes, which, if they were skilled geographers (as many were), became part of their own additions to geography. In that sense the periplus was a type of log. The form of periplus is at least as old as the earliest Hellene historian, Hecataeus of Miletus. The works by Herodotus and Thucydides contain passages that appear to have been based on such peripli.
The Milesian Hecataeus (Ἑκαταῖος, c. 550–c. 476 BCE) flourished during the time of the Persian invasion. Having travelled extensively, he settled in his native city devoting his time to the composition of geographical and historical works. He is the first Greek historian and one of the first classical writers to mention the Celts. Some have credited him with a work entitled Γῆς περίοδος (World Survey, or Travels Round the Earth), written in two books. Each book is organized like a periplus, a point-to-point coastal survey. One, on Europe, is essentially a Mediterranean periplus, describing each region in turn, reaching as far north as Scythia. The other, on Asia, is arranged similarly to the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea. He described the countries and inhabitants of the world, the account of Egypt being particularly comprehensive. It was accompanied by a map, based upon Anaximander's map of the Earth, which he corrected and enlarged. The work only survives in fragments, by far the majority being quoted in Ethnica, the geographical lexicon compiled by Stephanus of Byzantium (fl. 6th century CE). The other known work of Hecataeus was the Genealogiae, a rationally systematized account of the legends and myths of the Hellenes, a break with the epic myth-making tradition, which survives in fragments, just enough to show what we are missing.
Anaximander (Ἀναξίμανδρος, c. 610–c. 546 BCE) was a pre-Socratic philosopher that succeeded his master, Thales, one of the Seven Sages of Greece, as head of the Milesian school where he counted Anaximenes and, arguably, Pythagoras among his pupils. According to available historical documents, he is the first philosopher known to have written down his studies, although only one fragment of his work remains. He was an early proponent of science trying to observe and explain different aspects of the universe, with a particular interest in its origins. In astronomy, he attempted to describe the mechanics of celestial bodies in relation to the Earth. In physics, his postulation that the 'apeiron' (ἄπειρον) was the source of all things led Hellenic philosophy to a new level of conceptual abstraction. He created a map of the world contributing greatly to the advancement of geography. According to Carl Sagan, he conducted the earliest recorded scientific experiment.
Herodotus (Ἡρόδοτος, c. 484–c. 425 BCE), born in Halicarnassus, is regarded as the "Father of History". He was the first historian known to systematically collect his materials, test their accuracy to a certain extent and arrange them in a well-constructed and vivid narrative. He is exclusively known for writing The Histories, a record of his 'Inquiry' into the origins of the Greco-Persian Wars that culminated in 490 and 480-479 BCE – especially since he includes a narrative account of that period, which would otherwise be poorly documented; and numerous long digressions concerning the various places and people he encountered during his wide-ranging travels around the Mediterranean, the Black Sea and beyond.
"Ἡροδότου Ἁλικαρνησσέος ἱστορίης ἀπόδεξις ἥδε, ὡς μήτε τὰ γενόμενα ἐξ ἀνθρώπων τῷ χρόνῳ ἐξίτηλα γένηται, μήτε ἔργα μεγάλα τε καὶ θωμαστά, τὰ μὲν Ἕλλησι, τὰ δὲ βαρβάροισι ἀποδεχθέντα, ἀκλεᾶ γένηται"…
(Herodotus of Halicarnassus' "Researches" are here set down to preserve the memory of the past by putting on record the astonishing achievements both of our own and of other peoples…)
It was rather conventional at that time for authors to have their works 'published' by reciting them at popular festivals. Herodotus took his Histories to Olympia, in the Olympian Games, and presented his entire work to the assembled spectators in one sitting, receiving rapturous applause at the end. According to a different account, he refused to begin reading his work until some clouds offered him a bit of shade, by which time however the assembly had dispersed – thus the proverbial expression "Herodotus and his shade" to describe anyone who misses his opportunity through delay.
The Athenian Thucydides (Θουκυδίδης, c. 460–c. 395 BCE) is the notable author of the History of the Peloponnesian War between Sparta and Athens (431-404 BCE) to the year 411. Its finale is recounted by Xenophon in his Hellenica. Thucydides is regarded as the father of "scientific history" because of his strict standards of evidence-gathering and analysis in terms of cause and effect without reference to intervention by the gods. He has also been called the father of the school of political realism, which views the relations between nations as based on might rather than right. His classical text is still studied at military colleges worldwide, and the Melian dialogue still remains a seminal work of international relations theory.(b)
This Greek civil war, the Peloponnesian War, a few years after the glorious end of the Persian Wars, marked the dramatic end to the Golden Age of Hellenic civilization.
During celebrations for victory, someone sang a song of Euripides. The Spartans were so moved they changed their minds. "They felt that it would be a barbarous act to annihilate Athens that produced such men"…
Several examples of peripli have survived one way or another. The impression one gets, even with a first look at the list below, is that for a long time, from the 6th to the 4th centuries BCE, there was a Graeco-Phoenician "bras de fer" between Massalia and Carthage aimed at dominating the sea routes leading to regions rich mainly in gold, silver, tin and amber:
- The Massaliote Periplus is a description of Tartessian and Phoenician trade routes along the coasts of Atlantic Europe, possibly dating to the 6th century, either early or late, around 500 BCE, depending on the writer. Preserved in Avienus' Ora maritima (Sea Coasts), it is a voyage from Marseille to the British Isles, circumnavigating Iberia.
- The Periplus of Hanno the Navigator, a Punic explorer of the early 5th century BCE, describing the coast of Africa from Morocco deep into the Gulf of Guinea. It was undertaken probably after Carthage's crushing defeat in Sicily in 480 BCE (when Hanno became a king with no powers). Excluded from the markets of the East, the Punics turned westwards.
- The exploration of another Punic, Himilco the Navigator, who sailed in the sea routes described in the Massaliote Periplus, from the Mediterranean to the north-western shores of Europe, during the 5th century, as well.
- The voyage of Euthymenes of Massalia (ca 450-390 or, less probable, in the early 6th century BCE). Following Hanno's route, Euthymenes must have sailed south to the Senegal River. His Periplus in the Outer Sea (possibly around 400 BCE) was lost and what survived are some references such as those made by Plutarch or Seneca the Younger (and… doubtful).
- The epic exploration of the greatest Massaliote navigator, Pytheas, ca 325 BCE, who completed a periplus of Europe, sailing to Britain, Scandinavia, the Baltic and, via river routes, the Black Sea. Only excerpts remain from his testimony, On the Ocean and World Survey, quoted by later authors, some of whom, such as Strabo (mistrustful as usual) and Polybius, treat with skepticism.
- During Pytheas' periplus of Europe, Nearchus, an admiral of Alexander the Great, performed his Paraplus (sailing by the coastline), leading the Macedonian fleet from India (the rivers Hydaspes and Indus) to the Persian Gulf and meeting the king at Susa in 324 BCE. His testimony is preserved in Arrian's Indica.
- The Periplus of the Erythraean Sea, written in the 1st century CE by some Alexandrian, gives the shoreline itinerary of the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean, starting each time at the port of Berenice. Beyond the Red Sea, the manuscript describes the coast of India as far as the Ganges River and the east coast of Africa (called Azania).
- The Periplus Ponti Euxini, describing the trade routes along the coasts of the Black Sea, was also written by Arrian in the early 2nd century CE.
"Armchair" historians tend to minimize the importance of the navigators' peripli, as we have seen. Such is the case of the Periplus Outside the Pillars of Heracles by Charon of Lampsacus (first half of the 5th century BCE), the Periplus of Pseudo-Scylax (4th or 3rd century BCE), the Periplus of Scymnus of Chios (around 110 BCE), or even the Periplus of the Outer Sea by Marcian of Heraclea (5th century CE), referring also to the British Isles. There are, however, significant losses, such as Democritus' Periplus of the Ocean (5th-4th centuries BCE, see Chronicle 7), and a Periplus by Timosthenes of Rhodes in ten volumes (3rd century BCE). The latter was an admiral of the Ptolemaic fleet, navigator, geographer and cartographer, admired and cited by geographers like Strabo and Eratosthenes. Strabo revealed another talent of this truly versatile man: he composed a "Pythic nomos" (law), a "Pythian canon", if you like, for aulos and kithara to be played at Delphi in the Pythian Games in celebration of the victory of Apollo over Python.(c)
"Nómoi, the most important form of composition in ancient Greece, evolved from a very old tradition, according to which the laws were sung by the people to be easily memorized and followed." Now legislators do their best for the laws to be incomprehensible, though (or because) ignorance of the law is not forgiven…
Such voyages, of course, together with the logbooks that gradually evolved into peripli, date back to much earlier times. At the same time, whatever we know about many important voyages come from other sources and not from the navigators' peripli. Notable examples:
- The voyages of Cretans during the Minoan thalassocracy.
- The expedition of the Argonauts.
- The wanderings of Odysseus.
- The epic periplus of Libya (that is, Africa) by the Phoenicians in the late 6th century on behalf of an Egyptian Pharaoh, mentioned by Herodotus. Having the Red Sea as a starting point, it took almost three years to complete. Trying to save his life, a Persian convict made an attempt to repeat the feat following the reverse course but finally gave up – and lost his life.
- The voyage of the (real) Scylax of Caryanda, a Greek navigator from Caria. According to the "Father of History", he explored the coasts of the Indian Ocean (as far as the mouth of the Indus River returning afterwards to Suez) on behalf of the Persians in the same period, late 6th century, circa 510 BCE.
- The voyages of Eudoxus of Cyzicus (ca 150–100 BCE) to explore the Arabian Sea on behalf of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt. According to Poseidonius and Strabo, he was the first to sail the monsoon wind system in the Indian Ocean in 118–116 BCE. He later attempted the first periplus of Africa departing from the West, namely Gades (modern Cádiz), but the expedition was lost – although some writers, such as Pliny, argue that he achieved his goal.
- A navigator possibly associated with Eudoxus (he is sometimes referred to as his captain) was Hippalos (ca 1st century BCE). In the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea he is credited with discovering the direct route from the Red Sea to South India crossing the Indian Ocean.
Before the Chronicles of ONCE UPON A… WAVE,
voyage with the Voyages of the MEDITERRANEAN PERIPLUS!


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Moto Guzzi Griso 8V 2009
2009 Moto Guzzi Griso 8V specifications, pictures, reviews and rating
2009 Moto Guzzi Griso 8V. Picture credits - Moto Guzzi. Submit more pictures.
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|General information
|Moto Guzzi Griso 8V
|Naked bike
|74.1 out of 100. Show full rating and compare with other bikes
|Engine and transmission
|1064.00 ccm (64.93 cubic inches)
|Engine type:
|V2, four-stroke
|110.00 HP (80.3 kW)) @ 7500 RPM
|108.00 Nm (11.0 kgf-m or 79.7 ft.lbs) @ 6400 RPM
|Bore x stroke:
|95.0 x 81.5 mm (3.7 x 3.2 inches)
|Valves per cylinder:
|Fuel system:
|Injection. Weber-Marelli electronic injection
|Fuel control:
|Overhead Valves (OHV)
|Inductive discharge, digitally controlled, electronic twin spark ignition
|Cooling system:
|Transmission type,
final drive:
|Shaft drive (cardan)
|Exhaust system:
|Stainless steel, 2 in 1, with three way catalyser and Lambda probe oxygen sensor
|Chassis, suspension, brakes and wheels
|Frame type:
|Double cradle, in high tensile strength tubular steel
|Rake (fork angle):
|108 mm (4.3 inches)
|Front suspension:
|Upside down fork, fully adjustable in spring preload and compression and rebound damping
|Front wheel travel:
|120 mm (4.7 inches)
|Rear suspension:
|Single sided swingarm with rising rate linkages, monoshock with separate gas reservoir, fully adjustable in spring preload and compression and rebound damping
|Rear wheel travel:
|110 mm (4.3 inches)
|Front tyre:
|Rear tyre:
|Front brakes:
|Double disc
|Front brakes diameter:
|320 mm (12.6 inches)
|Rear brakes:
|Single disc
|Rear brakes diameter:
|282 mm (11.1 inches)
|Physical measures and capacities
|Dry weight:
|222.0 kg (489.4 pounds)
|Power/weight ratio:
|0.4955 HP/kg
|Seat height:
|800 mm (31.5 inches) If adjustable, lowest setting.
|Overall height:
|1,070 mm (42.1 inches)
|Overall length:
|2,260 mm (89.0 inches)
|Overall width:
|830 mm (32.7 inches)
|Ground clearance:
|185 mm (7.3 inches)
|1,554 mm (61.2 inches)
|Fuel capacity:
|16.70 litres (4.41 gallons)
|Reserve fuel capacity:
|3.30 litres (0.87 gallons)
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Hard Hat Stickers - Nebraska State Flag
Show your Nebraska Pride by placing the Nebraska state flag decal on your hard hats. These decals can easily be positioned anywhere on your hard hats. Just peel and place, It's as easy as that!
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You've probably heard that honeybees in America are having a particularly hard time these days. Colony collapse disorder or CCD is blamed for doubling or tripling the usual rate of winter hive die-offs, and years into the epidemic, scientists are still scrambling to understand the cause or causes. Linkages have been found between CCD and a number of factors, but a single, smoking, bee-killing gun remains elusive.
Let's take a look at some of those factors — things that probably aren't killing honeybees outright, but all of which may be contributing a piece to the puzzle of CCD and the vanishing of the bees.
Cellphones:One of the earliest explanations for the sudden disappearance of honeybees in 2005 and 2006 was technology. By the mid-2000s, nearly everyone was carrying a small electromagnetic transmitter, and cellphone towers were ubiquitous even in many rural landscapes. It made sense to wonder if bombarding tiny animals that rely on a highly evolved navigational apparatus with this type of radiation could disorient them.
While the idea continues to make waves on the Internet, CCD researchers say cellphones or cell towers don't play a role in colony collapse disorder.
GMO crops
GMO crops covered in glyphosate don't appear to directly affect bee colonies. (Photo: Fotokostic/Shutterstock)
So when pollinators began dying off in shocking numbers, it made sense to look at some of the new classes of GMO crops. So-called Bt Corn, which expresses the toxin produced by the organism Bacillus thuringiensis, was first marketed in 1996 to protect crops from pests like corn rootworm and corn borer. By 2000, it was clear that monarch butterflies were being impacted by poisoned pollen that was being carried on the wind and was contaminating critical butterfly food sources like milkweeds.
So what about honeybees? Well, it doesn't appear that Bt corn causes damage to bee colonies — at least not on its own, and not in the short term. And this is where the story of CCD gets really complicated because it involves sublethal but chronic exposure to chemicals, toxic accumulation in honeycomb, the pH of different feeds, even the genetic diversity of a single hive.
As much as we would all like to point to a single cause and then regulate it away, the mystery of CCD increasingly looks like a death by a thousand cuts.
Honeybees need a steady supply of food to get them through winter. (Photo: Simun Ascic/Shutterstock)
Americans have figured out the hard way that a diet of processed convenience foods is bad for us. While you take steps to make whole, unprocessed food available to your family, consider the honeybee and what's being done to it in the name of convenience and profit.
The first thing to understand is that bees eat honey (dehydrated, fermented flower nectar) and "bee bread" (a fermented mixture of pollen and nectar). Honey is their carbohydrate source, while bee bread is about one-third protein and adds needed vitamins, minerals, fatty acids and other vital components to the bee diet. The hive spends the warm months of the year gathering nectar and pollen, then processing them into food and packaging them into cells in the honeycomb.
When left to their own devices, bees store these goods during spring, summer, and fall, and then spend the winter clustered together for warmth, eating from the pantry they had built over months of work. But managed colonies — those that are under a beekeeper's care — are asked to contribute some of these stores to the beekeeper. If you have a hive or two in your yard, you probably harvest some honey, being careful to leave enough stores for the bees to have over winter.
But if you're a commercial honey producer or a migratory beekeeping operation, the incentives are different. And this is where malnutrition comes in, because it's much more profitable to remove more honey than the bees can stand to lose and then feed bees a cheap, nutritionally inadequate honey substitute like high fructose corn syrup, and that's exactly what many large bee operations do.
It's simple mathematics: Honey sells for several dollars a pound, while fructose syrup, purchased by the tractor trailer load for the biggest operations, costs about a quarter for the same amount. And let's be clear: Hives can do very well on a diet of HFCS, and feeding some kind of sugar mixture and/or pollen substitute is a standard practice for nearly every beekeeper, whether hobbyist or professional. Often, acids like vitamin C, raw apple cider vinegar, or even kombucha will be added to a sugar syrup to bring the pH closer to that of honey, but for most non-commercial beekeepers, feeding with sugar-water is truly supplemental. The goal is to keep adequate honey on the hive for the winter.
Commercial operators may have a different incentive structure than hobbyists, but it's important to remember that they are even more dependent on their bees than hobbyists. They aren't engaging in practices that overtly diminish their hives – but a steady diet of HFCS is not the diet bees have evolved to eat, and like the rest of the CCD puzzle, it may have subtle effects, especially when paired with other stressors.
Genetically modified crops resist pesticides, but the bees don't. (Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie/Flickr)
A discussion of bee malnutrition flows easily into the topic of pesticides, because we've become so clever with our delivery systems. Systemic pesticides like imidacloprid and clothianidin, so-called "neonics," are persistent in soils for as long as two years, are water-soluble so they can travel far from their original application, and they're taken up by plants' roots and circulated throughout, so leaves, nectar, pollen, fruit – all of the plant is contaminated.
For bees, it's a genetic imperative to gather and concentrate pollen and nectar. In an agricultural zone, odds are high that bees are surrounded by plants that are circulating the most popular class of pesticides on the market, whether by direct application or because of drift or runoff. In effect, the bees are forced to accumulate toxins in their hives, and when winter comes and the bees cluster at the pantry, they spend the season eating sub-lethal doses of poisoned food.
Pesticides can even make bees more susceptible to deadly infections. A 2018 study shows that glyphosate damages the microbiota bees need to fight off pathogens.
"Most bee gut bacteria contain the enzyme targeted by glyphosate, but vary in whether they possess susceptible versions and, correspondingly, in tolerance to glyphosate. Exposing bees to glyphosate alters the bee gut community and increases susceptibility to infection by opportunistic pathogens," the study's authors wrote. "Understanding how glyphosate impacts bee gut symbionts and bee health will help elucidate a possible role of this chemical in colony decline."
While the study shows that pesticide use can have consequences, evidence to date shows a low toxicity rate among honeybees from indirect pesticide exposure from plants.
It is reasonable to wonder whether chronic exposure to a potent neurotoxin might not play a role in the sudden development of a new and fatal behavior – bees flying away from the hive in the dead of winter, en masse.
Loss of habitat
We continue to lose hives at an alarming rate but habitat loss isn't the final nail in the coffin. (Photo: GIRODJL/Shutterstock)
This is hardly a complete list of the things that are damaging America's herd of honeybees, but any list of this kind has to include loss of habitat. Whether through urbanization and the loss of biodiversity in an urban or suburban landscape or the effective paving of rural America with huge tracts of monocrop agriculture, bees have less diversity in their diets than they did even a couple of decades ago, and for all the reasons listed above, the quality of their food is likely compromised.
Again, none of these causes alone seem to definitively be the last straw for bees in North America, but all (except probably cellphones) contribute to the current sorry state of affairs for the honey bee.
If none of those are outright killing hives, what is?
Varroa destructor, a.k.a., Varroa mite
A Varroa mite on a honeybee host, captured by a scanning electron microscope. (Photo: U.S. Department of Agriculture/Wikimedia Commons)
A lot of things can kill a hive, but nothing has devastated beekeeping in America in the last half century more than the accidental introduction of Varroa destructor in the mid-1980s. A tiny parasitic mite, varroa reproduces in brood cells with developing bees. They latch onto the larval bee bodies like a tick, spreading disease and weakening the entire colony. Varroa reproduces fast, and mite populations can and do overwhelm colonies and kill them outright. Varroa is credited with wiping out the wild bee population in North America, and breeding a varroa-resistant bee is the holy grail of American beekeepers.
While CCD gets a lot of attention, the problem that strikes fear in the heart of beekeepers is the threat posed by varroa mites. There are many products available to fight varroa, from chemical miticides to essential oil mixes to mechanical fixes like mineral oil fogging or under-hive oil traps. None is 100 percent effective. All have drawbacks. Already, varroa has become resistant to the early classes of chemicals deployed against it. Many beekeepers have accepted that varroa is here to stay and are developing chemical-free management practices that accept a certain level of mite occupancy in a hive, with the aim of impeding mite population growth.
To be a beekeeper in the 21st century is to devote a lot of time and worry to varroa mites.
And here's where the story wraps back around to CCD. Australia is one of the few nations in the world to have remained free of varroa mite (so far). And Australia – which has cellphones and towers, migratory and commercial beekeeping, neonic pesticides in agriculture, high fructose corn syrup for supplemental feeding, and environmental factors like drought and urbanization and all the rest – has had zero incidents of colony collapse disorder.
Varroa mites were everywhere in North America for nearly 20 years before CCD was first reported. GMO crops came into play the decade after varroa. Neonic pesticides hit the market a decade after that – and CCD followed close behind. In the meantime, we've been urbanizing and monocropping, growing lush grass suburbs and exurbs where there used to be mixed-culture meadows and forests, and we've learned how to treat bee yards like any other CAFO (Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation), with cheap inputs available so we can maximize those tasty and profitable outputs.
It'd be an outstanding moment if we found one sole cause of CCD, but as the years go by, it seems less likely that there's a single factor at the heart of the epidemic. The Australian example is a strong argument that varroa mites – or maybe the widespread application of mite-killing chemicals – play a big role in the story. But the longer the CCD mystery goes unsolved, the more it looks like we may be creating a world that can't sustain honeybees.
Editor's note: This article has been updated since it was originally published in May 2013.


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Edmunds.com recently compared the cost of buying a new 2013 Honda Accord EX, leasing the car, or buying a used 2010 Accord EX. After factoring in the true market value of both cars, leasing charges, and current loan terms and rates, they found the total out-of-pocket cost after six years came to:
- Leasing – $24,768.
- Buying new – $28,830.
- Buying used – $20,960.
When you're considering what will cost less to drive, buying used wins, but only if you can keep the car on the road. If you buy a lemon, getting it used doesn't seem like such a good deal, so it pays to know what to look out for.
Now, let's hash out your used-car buying checklist:
1. Order the title history
Reports like a Carfax history can help you pick between a lemon and a gem, but saying "Show me the Carfax" might not be enough.
ABC News met with a driver who had bought a used truck with a clean Carfax report. Not long after buying the truck, he spun off the road and learned the truck had previous major frame damage. ABC News spoke with Carfax communications director Larry Gamache:
"We have a database of 12 billion pieces of information," Gamache said. However, he added, "we don't know everything about a used car's past."
Carfax reports come from police departments and insurance companies, as well as other sources, ABC News says. While the information shown on the report is certainly helpful, it isn't the full story.
To better protect yourself, order a car title history report from the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System, which shows the full history of a vehicle.
2. Watch out for rentals and demo cars
Rental cars may not have a lot of miles or any obvious damage, but the engine likely has a lot of wear and tear. Be sure to ask the dealership or owner if the car you're considering was ever a rental.
Also watch out for cars previously used as manufacturer test or demo cars. These cars were driven by journalists, public relations professionals and others who are putting the car through its paces, testing its limits and performance. You can ask the dealer if the car was a test or press car, but Car and Driver says to be on the lookout for the phrase "executive demo" – a fancier way of saying the same thing.
3. Ask for a service history
Ask for a service or maintenance history for any car you're considering. A good service history includes detailed records of maintenance work like oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements and other small jobs that keep a car running longer.
4. Inspect the outside
Walk around the outside of the vehicle and look for any dings, scratches, rust or mismatched paint. Open and shut all doors, the trunk and the hood. If you see rust, the car might have flood damage. Mismatched paint and off-kilter doors can mean collision damage. Don't forget to check the roof and inside the doors for paint damage.
Consumer Reports provides a list of signs to look for to make sure the car hadn't been in a wreck. For example, it says a CAPA (Certified Automotive Parts Association) sticker on parts may be a sign of collision repair.
5. Kick the tires
Insert a penny in the tread of each tire with Abe Lincoln upside down, facing you. If you can see the top of his head, the tires probably need to be replaced. All four tires should have even tread wear. If they don't, Consumer Reports says, the wheels might be misaligned.
6. Check the fluids
Open the hood and check the engine fluids. The oil should be a golden or amber color. Dark or clumped oil is a warning sign. The brake fluid should be clear, and the coolant reservoir should have color-tinted coolant or antifreeze up to the "full" line. If you're not sure how to check the fluids, have your mechanic do it.
7. Ask a professional
Finally, if the used car passes all of the other tests, have a professional mechanic check out it. A mechanic can find engine damage and look for other needed repairs that you won't be able to spot on the lot.
This story originally appeared on Money Talks News.
More from Money Talks News:
- Is AAA Worth the Cost?
- 10 Tips for Getting the Best Price for Your Used Car
- Should You Use a Car Buying Service?
Image: iStock


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Let $f$ be a function of two variables $x$ and $y$. Assume that $f$ is $C^1$. Assume that $f_{xx}$ exists and continuous.
- Is it true that $f_{xy}$ exists and continuous?
- Is it true that $f_{yx}$ exists and continuous?
I suspect that the answers are negative, so let me ask a more general question.
Question If f is $C^k$ and $\partial f^n/\partial x^n$, $n>>k$, exists and continuous. Can one say anything about $f_x$ better than $C^{k-1}$?


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Dear all,
I am new in the world of Java, so apologies my ignorance.
I've developped a c++ code for scientific visualization (with opengl). My goal would be to convert this soft from C++ to java, because I am tired to maintain it on 3 different operating systems (Windows, Linux and MacOS). However, before trying to convert such a complex program, I would like to make sure it can be converted with no dommages for the current users.
The heart of the code is the reading of a (custom) binary file containing all the objects to be displayed in a very compact format (that I don't want to describe here). But the main thing is that while reading this binary file, I am creating objects from different class (depending on the first byfe of the chunks of data that I am reading), all these objects inherits from a common base class.
In order to initialize the objects using the "right" class, is to do a switch of the first byte and depending on the value of that byte, I initialize my object using the constructor of the right class.
What I would like to know is:
1) can I use a similar strategy in java?
2) is there a better strategy that I could use ?
--> typically I would like to have a code that find itself which constructor/object to use. That would avoid me to systematically have to add a new entry inside my "switch". At the end, I'd like to have these class as pluggins and to allow the users to define a new type of object (a new class) without having to change any part of the software code except for their simple pluggin.
Any suggestion for a way to do this properly?
Thanks in advance for your help,
Best regards,


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Please, please, please celebrate all weekend. Then next week, or the week after, or say the end of summer at the latest, come back and contemplate this:
One of the secondary victories of today is that a wedge issue has been decimated.
Same-sex marriage did not become a national issue in the hands of the people who wanted those marriages, but in the hands of people who either A) wanted to extra-double-ban those marriages and/or B) pretend to do A just to get more conservative reactionaries into the polls.
As this tactic eventually led to backlash from LGBT communities and their allies, the added a C) divert activists and resources into turning that backlash into a movement, invariably at the cost of many other issues along the way. It's not that this fight wasn't important or necessary, it's that a lot was sacrificed along the way.
In the nineteen years since the first shot was fired over same-sex marriage, the Defense of Marriage Act of 1996, conservatism has run roughshod over almost every other issue in this country: education cuts, military spending, suffocating access to abortion, getting away with torture and wiretapping, dismantling net neutrality, media conglomeration, (lack of) finance reform, privatization, skewed trade agreements, the dismantling of American unions, the prison-industrial complex, bastardizing healthcare reform, and stalling out immigration reform.
In the time that we succeeded in having a national conversation over the right to marry, we have failed to have a national conversation over the fatality of being black in this country, the dehumanization of trans people, the quality of veteran care, the militarization of police, the urgency of climate change, waste and unsustainable practices in food/water/housing, the inadequacies of our two-party political representation, or whether $7.25 is anywhere close to a "living" wage.
Marriage equality has even created some fractures among the people it is supposed to benefit, LGBTQA-identified individuals. Some of the most prominent organizations fighting for marriage have been inconsistent at best and complicit at worst about trans erasure; their biggest campaigns have frequently failed to include perspectives of poverty, people of color, and immigrants, and change that is not intersectional is hardly change at all.
I put forth that marriage equality was inevitable, and that the most cynical of conservative strategists have always known so. Their battle, then, was never to prevent same-sex marriage, but to drag it out as long as possible, to normalize gay and lesbian relationships as little and as begrudgingly as possible (thanks in part to media and entertainment industries that could always be counted upon to show these relationships in the whitest, wealthiest, and most traditionally attractive ways, so that only a narrow expression of them became commonplace), to mobilize conservative voters with this single issue whenever possible, and to leverage this highly visible battle into real, long-term political consequences that slipped under the radar on pretty much every other front.
I don't say any of this to steal a single tiny thunderbolt from this huge and hard-fought victory. All I'm saying is that now that this wedge has been defeated, we can't lose momentum. We can't decide to stay home now and keep our contributions to ourselves; those same cynical conservative strategists have already picked the next eight battles if we let them continue to set the narratives. Just look how fast they were ready to sacrifice the Confederate flag once the topic came around to gun control one too many time.
A lot of other hard battles are ready and waiting for you to carry your enthusiasm, your time, you money into the next struggle for equality, so don't spend it all on celebrating. There's still work to be done. Pick someone whose life doesn't look like yours and listen to what they tell you they need. Those cheap equal-sign stickers will still be on your car in a month; who will they re-humanize next?


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We've all been there: you recognise the face of that guy in that movie – but you can't recall his name; or you're 3 names short of listing all the states in America.
These are pretty rubbish examples of what Wikipedia – the world famous collaboratively maintained encyclopaedia- is useful for, but they are, nevertheless, real-world instances of Wiki scratching an intellectual itch.
And in Ubuntu you can scratch this itch even quicker by adding the 'Wikipedia Lens' to the Unity Dash.
Wikipedia Lens
There's nothing magic about the lens. Once installed and selected you just type in search terms related to what you're looking for. The lens then displays as many results as it finds.
Clicking on a result will take you to the topic page in your default web-browser.
So how do we install it?
How to Install Wikipedia Lens in Ubuntu
The Lens isn't yet available to install through the Ubuntu Software Center but it can be installed from the 'Scopes Packagers' PPA.
This PPA provides packages for Ubuntu 11.10 and 12.04.
There are two ways to add the PPA. The fastest method is to open the Terminal application and run the following two commands separately, inputting your password when prompted.
- sudo add-apt-repository ppa:scopes-packagers/ppa
- sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install unity-lens-wikipedia


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Cheats, game codes, unlockables, hints, easter eggs, glitches, guides, walkthroughs, trophies, achievements, screenshots, videos and more for Val d'Isère Skiing and Snowboarding on iOS.
Navigate using the buttons above.
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Last Shuttle ride to ISS for ESA astronaut with 'dark matter' hunter
ESA PR 13-2011 - ESA astronaut Roberto Vittori and the five other astronauts of the STS-134 mission will be launched to the International Space Station on Space Shuttle Endeavour on 29 April to deliver a pioneering scientific experiment.
This penultimate flight of NASA's spaceplane will deliver an instrument designed to track elusive antimatter and 'dark matter' in the Universe.
Liftoff on the 14-day STS-134 mission is scheduled for 19:47 GMT (21:47 CEST), with the docking to the International Space Station (ISS) due two days later, on 1 May.
The last European to fly on a Shuttle, Roberto Vittori will be the first ESA astronaut to make a third visit to the ISS. It will also be his first flight on the Shuttle. On his two previous missions, in 2002 and 2005, he travelled on a Russian Soyuz spacecraft.
Arriving at the ISS, he will meet another Italian ESA astronaut, Paolo Nespoli, who has been aboard since 17 December.
On her last flight before retirement, Endeavour will carry a highly sophisticated European fundamental physics experiment. Mounted on the Station's main truss, the AMS-02 alpha magnetic spectrometer will probe the little-explored realm of high-energy cosmic rays to look for signs of antimatter and the mysterious dark matter.
Antimatter is believed to have been created on a par with normal matter but it seems to have disappeared from the Universe we know today. Dark matter is estimated to account for around 90% of our Universe's mass but it has not been detected directly so far. This dark matter element is reflected in the name 'DAMA' of Roberto Vittori's mission.
The AMS-02 observations could be of paramount importance for understanding the origin, nature and evolution of the Universe.
STS-134 marks the end of ESA's participation in Space Shuttle missions, which started in November 1981 with the first flight of Europe's Spacelab pallet on the second launch of Columbia. Over three decades, ESA astronauts will have flown on 26 missions and, counting payloads, hardware and experiments, Europe will have been involved in 86 missions by the time of the Shuttle's final venture, STS-135, in June.
Beginning with the Spacelab agreement in 1973, this historical and close partnership with NASA will live on through the ISS and future international human spaceflight ventures.
This last Shuttle flight of an ESA astronaut will not mean the end of ESA's presence on the Station, which will continue at least through 2020. Two ESA astronauts are training for future 6-month missions on the orbital outpost: André Kuipers will be launched in November this year and Luca Parmitano in December 2013, both in Soyuz spacecraft.
Covering the launch
ESA TV is providing extensive coverage of this penultimate Shuttle mission. Several stories are available on ESA TV's FTP server and transmitted via satellite on the Europe by Satellite (EbS) service.
ESA TV will relay NASA TV live via satellite for broadcasters in Europe from the Kennedy Space Center before launch, in addition to providing the latest images of the Shuttle on the pad and interviews on location. ESA TV will also relay NASA TV daily highlights throughout the mission.
Details will be given and updated on the ESA TV website, at http://television.esa.int.
The latest high-resolution images can be found by registering on ESA's Photo Library for Professionals, at http://www.esa-photolibrary.com.
Questions on images for media can be directed to firstname.lastname@example.com.
For further information, please contact
ESA Media Relations Office
Communication Department
Tel: +33 1 53 69 72 99
Fax: +33 1 53 69 76 90
Email: email@example.com
Rosita Suenson
Communication Programme Officer for Human Spaceflight and Operations
Tel: +31 71 565 3009
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Important: media and PR Officers in partner organisations are kindly reminded that in order to continue receiving ESA press releases, they should register at: http://online2.convento.de/ESA/Subscription.htm
All other users should review their subscription to ESA news and other services directly at the ESA web portal: http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMSFTLTRJG_index_0.html


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Three General Overviews
Dalsemer describes dance figures as done in five rural West Virginia communities in the mid- to late 1970s and reports on their regular dance events, including programming, type of audience, price and method of admission, and the traditions of figure calling and musical performance. He discusses the history of each dance event and their on-going process of evolution. With appendices: a list of tunes commonly played for square dances; transcriptions of calls; and tunes for caller Worley Gardner's singing and semi-singing calls.
This is the online version of a book originally published by Country Dance and Song Society, 1982. The website also includes eight MP3 audio files recorded live at four of the sites. A CD-ROM with embedded audio files is also available, through the CDSS Store.
from the introduction:
"This book is by no means a comprehensive survey of square dance activity throughout the state. Instead I present a detailed look at five communities whose dances I happen to have been able to find and attend while serving as artist-in-residence for the Randolph County Creative Arts Council in 1977-1978. In this haphazard sampling there is amazing diversity of form, structure and terminology. For example, at Glenville and Morgantown the dances are performed in conventional four-couple square sets while at New Creek and Dunmore I found the big circle set associated with the southern Appalachian region. At Helvetia square dancing represents a unique amalgamation of the two forms.
"I should point out that West Virginia dancers refer to any dancing done in a set of couples as square dancing regardless of the shape or size of the set. This also serves to distinguish it from "round dancing," by which they mean any dance which can be done by a single couple. Round dances include waltzes, two-steps, polkas and rock and roll. Saturday night dance programs typically include both round and square dancing in varying proportions."
This is audio only; it's part of Bob Dalsemer's introduction to his workshop introducing different dance styles from West Virginia. Despite its small size, there are different square dance styles in that state. Recorded at Dare To Be Square, Seattle, in 2009.
Created by folklorists Gerry Milnes and Becky Hill at Davis & Elkins College in Augusta, West Virginia, the Mountain Dance Trail is a statewide effort to support local square customs. The project received a lengthy article in the New York Times.