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It's a BOY!
It's a BOY! Paxton James was born on 9/12 at 9:12 pm, weighing in at 7 lbs 10 oz. He wasn't in a hurry to leave his nest but what a sweet, precious bundle of joy! Mom & baby are doing well. The highlight of a fantastic year! We are abundantly blessed.
Bittersweet Day
Bittersweet day today as we box up Mango Tango for her journey home! She's been a trusty steed, performing so well from the Atlantic to the Pacific, over hill & dale, prairies & mountains, under rain, overcast & sunshiny skies and in headwinds, tailwinds, crosswinds & no winds! Wow! What an adventure it has been! Looking forward to many more miles and adventures with her and my co-pilot!
We've spent the last 10 days riding & camping in the sunny San Juan Islands. Today we rented a car and are ready to zip up to Vancouver when Baby Rathbun decides to make her/his appearance. In the meantime, this grandma- & grandpa-to-be will continue our adventures via motor vehicle.
Now what?
So we landed in Anacortes over three weeks ago. What is a vagabond couple to do?? We have been waiting in the Pacific Northwest waiting for a certain Vancouver bundle of joy to make his or her appearance – our first grandchild! When we were on our way west, we had a goal, a destination, each and every day, now, "not so much". It's been a waiting game and a much different game indeed!
We spent the first three days after dipping our tires in the Pacific Ocean in Anacortes. We relaxed, we had thank you post cards to print and write up, we condensed the blog to print up for Shawn's mom, and relaxed some more. It was a fun break for us. Then we backtracked our way out of Anacortes and headed north along the coast and rode Chuckanut Drive. What a beautiful scenic drive! We camped out a night at Larrabee State Park before heading into Bellingham, where our son's and daughter's friend Dana lives. Dana and her husband John have such a beautiful home in Bellingham, and they had plenty of room for us to hang out for a couple days. We enjoyed being in Bellingham. After leaving the Midwest, this is the first place where we felt like we'd could "fit". It is a lively town with great transportation opportunities, bicycle friendly and a hardware store that made Jim giddy.
Dana and John dropped us off at the Amtrak station before heading out crabbing. They enjoyed great success crabbing, by the way! When we returned to Bellingham later, Dana shared their bounty with us! Fresh dungeness crab! Yum!
We took the Amtrak Cascades train right to Vancouver. What a comfortable, beautiful ride! Then a couple of easy transfers to the Skytrain, the Seabus and a short walk uphill and pretty soon we were at Walt & Leanne's front door! Gotta love public transportation – especially for a couple of road-weary cyclists! We spent about 5 days with the expectant parents, enjoying some big city amenities (shopping) and a very crowded free day at the PNE (Pacific Northwest Exhibition), as well as knitting and helping out the kids with a few home projects. Then back on the Amtrak – this time to Everett!
Jim's niece, Candy lives in Everett with hubby Adam and their 3 boys and 2 dogs. We spent a couple of nights with them before they left on vacation and sure enjoyed the good nature and high energy of our grand- nephews! What a fun family! We stayed at their house for the next week, dog sitting their 2 German shepherds and enjoying the town of Everett. Early in the week, we went up to Bellingham with our truck and retrieved our bike and packs.
We also took the bus into Seattle and met up with Shawn's nephew, Nathan and his girlfriend, Hannah for lunch and picked up a bag of cold weather gear that we had sent on ahead to Nathan to hold for us. While there we enjoyed the soapbox races downtown Seattle – what a riot!
Once our dog-sitting duties were done, we said a teary 🙂 goodbye to the dogs (they were fun and the bitch was such a sweetheart!), loaded up the bike and rode to the Boeing Future of Flight Museum for a tour of the museum and the Boeing plant. It was the day before Labor Day and the plant was rather quiet, but still the tour was fascinating! After the tour, we hopped on the ferry to Whidbey Island.
We took our time traveling up Whidbey Island, riding the 60-some miles across 3 days. The first day we rode 30, or so up to Fort Ebey State Park. What a beautiful park and an interesting place! It was a military installation during WW2 and the gun battery bluff has a gorgeous view of the water! Our hiker-biker campsite was just a couple hundred yards from this viewpoint so we took plenty of opportunities to enjoy the view. We were told that it was a great place for whale watching, but we didn't see any whales. We did see a pair of hikers contemplating their options for camping. We knew we had received the last hiker-biker spot so we told them they were welcome to pitch their tent on our spot and they took us up on the offer. This made for a great evening of conversation!
Our new hiker friends, Margaret and Alexandra, are from North Carolina and both just graduated from college. One is headed for the Peace Corps and the other is headed to grad school. They are hiking the Pacific Northwest Trail & started on the northeast side of Glacier National Park in June. The trail ends on the Pacific Ocean, on the west side of the Olympic Peninsula, so they're nearing the end of their trip and are within 15 miles of the 1,000 mile milestone! We swapped a lot of stories from our respective summer of traveling and challenges along the way. We thought it was such a drag to have to carry 3 liters of water and extra food thru some of the remote sections of road we traveled but they sometimes had to carry 10-14 days of food and 8 liters of water! When they went thru the last town, they weighed their backpacks for the first time – they're all stocked up on food and are carrying 37 lbs each. They go a week or two between towns and have found themselves bushwhacking to find their trail. It was fascinating to talk with them & we're looking forward to hearing how these last few weeks go. Incredible adventure!
Our camping next stop, about 20 miles down the road, was Deception Pass State Park. We had considered pressing on, but it was the Labor Day weekend and traffic was heavy. Someone told us that the traffic is always heavy because there s a Naval base on the island, but we were also concerned about getting a campsite. In any case, it was another beautiful park to enjoy. We had a bit of trouble finding the hiker-biker spots but eventually made it. It was a drag that there wasn't better signage because this was a very hilly park and we didn't want to climb any more hills than necessary. The trail to the sites was also narrow & steep, so we just took the first site. We made a small fire and Shawn was finally able to ceremoniously burn her threadbare, tattered clothing that served her so well on this trip (as well as past trips!). (Due to the fires burning, there had been a fire ban in the entire state of Washington when we first finished our trip.). After dinner, we walked out to the beach and enjoyed another beautiful vista.
The following morning, we walked our bike along the muddy, rock-strewn lakeshore trail to avoid some very steep hills on the park road and exited the park. We immediately climbed a long hill up to the bridges that span Deception Pass. These bridges were built by the CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) in the 1930's and offered spectacular views! They were also quite narrow, so we walked them and the walkway was also quite narrow – in fact, barely wide enough for our loaded bike to fit with only about 2″ of clearance. The longer bridge was 976′ long & the other one was about a third that size (don't recall the exact distance), which gave us plenty of time for pictures and enjoying the view and (for Shawn) fretting about the height (about 180′ feet above the water, depending on the tide). You can read more about it here: http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deception_Pass_Bridge
Another 10 miles of hilly but beautiful scenery, brought us back into Anacortes where we dipped our front tire 3 weeks ago! Crossing our path from 3 weeks ago, we rode right to the ferry dock and bought tickets to the San Juan Islands. There is a nice ferry system for the San Juan Islands, where you buy one ticket and then all inter-island rides are free after that. Our plan is to just ride & explore these islands for next week. We hear there are some very nice state parks but with heavy rain in the forecast, we took a room at a hostel last night and were glad that we did because it was quite cold and rainy. Sunshine is the forecast for today & the coming week, so we'll be enjoying some nice quiet island riding!
Us with Walt & Leanne behind! ❤
Candy & Adam & 2 of the guys (3rd one was in the car):
Nate & Hannah with us!
The DOGS!
Alexandra & Margaret:
Thank You!
Thank You!
Whenever someone asks us what the best part of the trip has been, without a moment's hesitation, we respond, "the people!" The people we've met have been so incredibly kind and we are so very thankful to so many people! At the risk of missing someone, we'd like to take the time to thank some of them because we couldn't have done this without them!
1. Thank you to our Warmshowers hosts! Wow! How wonderful to have these kind souls along the way to provide a place to sleep and clean up! More than that, somehow it gave a certain level of security as we traveled thru a new area of the country to know that we had a friend nearby and someone was expecting us and if we ran into any trouble, we could call them. The conversations we enjoyed with our WS hosts distracted us from our fatigue or worry about the challenges ahead. And we enjoyed getting to know our hosts – what interesting people – each & every one! Plus, their advice on the local roads was incredibly helpful. We can't express how helpful these WS hosts have been in so many ways! One of our own past WS guests, when we told them we were doing this trip responded with advice to do as many WS stays as possible and now we see why!
If you've been reading this blog and are not a WS host, give it some consideration! We've been a host for many years and have found our guests have enriched our lives in a way that surprised us. One of our WS hosts said they like being WS hosts because their jobs keep them at home all summer and WS brings the world to them. If you're interested, check it out at Warmshowers.org
2. Thank you to our family & friends!
We quit our jobs and sold our house to do this trip! It was hard to sell the home they grew up in but our kids have encouraged us every step of the way! Aimee flew to Michigan from Alaska to surprise us at our send-off party! Matt & Luke drove over from Detroit to come to our send-off party! Then Walt & Leanne drove down to Anacortes from Vancouver to help us celebrate the end of this trip – with champagne!
Shawn's brother, Boyce and brother-in-law, Brad drove us to Bar Harbor, Maine to start this journey – that was a long drive out there from Michigan and an even longer drive back! (Wow! It seems like ages ago!)
Shawn's sister, Sheila has provided logistical support by getting our rear wheel to us not just once but twice, as well as other important things such as new credit cards and our favorite powdered sports drinks. She is also collecting stuff that we mail back to Michigan! Thanks Deeda!
Our brothers, sisters and friends sent us frequent encouraging messages and prayed for our strength and safety! We couldn't respond to each one but so often, these messages came right when we needed them the most! Thank you!
Mom! My mom has been my inspiration all my life! When I was a kid, reading the Romeo Observer articles about the adventures of a couple guys from my hometown, my mom & I marveled at their adventure. She taught me persistence, perseverance, and true strength comes from within. I felt like she was with me with every pedal stroke and every time I spoke with her on the phone, she was so excited to get an update.
Cousins! I really leaned on my cousins for accommodations! Kim, Adam, Ann, Bella, Ronnie, Thank you so much for putting us up in your beautiful homes! And thank you to Ronnie & Bella for mailing our new tires to us after they arrived after we left your house! And what fun to have cousin Carol stop in to say hi at our hotel in Bemidji!
Scott – we really are family thru our sons! You are absolutely one of the best cooks we stayed with! And thank you for such a beautiful bedroom to stay in!
Judy – I'm so glad we met on that Wisconsin bike ride 2 years ago and have kept in touch! What a great evening we had together!
Garth & Karen – thanks for an evening at your beautiful cottage.
Nancy & Duane – thanks for a wonderful dinner at your place!
Thank you Dave and Lin! We were so very grateful when Lin picked us up on Sherman Pass after we blew out our rear hub! In addition, you both taught us to let others help us. We always want to think we can do this on our own but in reality, we do need the help of others and in accepting help, we bless our helpers. This bike breakdown also caused us to stop for a few days, attend services at your church and thank The Lord for our blessings. We are abundantly blessed!
Chris & Leslie in Ontario! We met you two as you were riding by on your tandem and we were fixing a flat. You invited us to your house for a drink and a snack and the use of your tire pump. We felt an instant kinship with you, as fellow adventurers and we wanted to spend more time getting to know you but the road was beckoning!
Leah, the ferry boat captain in Vermont who we met while relaxing in a park and you offered us a place to stay for the evening. We wish we could've taken you up on your offer but we had already made Warmshowers arrangements for the night.
Kind shopkeepers and locals, such as Debra from Ganonoque who offered us a comfortable chair and refreshing beverage and friendly conversation! Simple things mean so much to the weary traveler!
Oh my gosh and we have so many helpful bike mechanics to thank! These mechanics dropped everything to help out a couple of cross-continent bike tourers! Some of the repairs were quick & simple, sometimes just checking our chains but more often there were time-consuming repairs. You guys ROCK!
3. Thank you to our fellow cyclists! With a few exceptions, we only met for a few brief moments by the side of some road, often miles from nowhere but we always had great conversations, trading tips on the road ahead. More than that, it was great to meet someone who "gets us" – someone who understands the lure of bicycle travel and revels in it!
Tim, you came along right when our spirits were low and how crazy that we turned out to be such compatible travel companions for 10 days! I love how you kept things light and teased me about hooligans. 🙂 We always smile when we think of you and look forward to showing you the beauty of the Great Lakes on your next trip to the states!
Bala, you're an amazing young man and what you accomplished this summer was incredible! You are going places in this world! We can't wait to hear what comes next – after you finish your last 2 years of high school!
Andrew – we really had a glorious day riding together for 90 miles of tailwinds! But we loved hearing of your past adventures and sure do enjoy getting your email notes!
Ginna – we enjoyed lunch together in Shelby before you hopped on the train. We were so worried about the upcoming mountains and you encouraged us and gave us the confidence we needed to ride the mountains! You were right! We COULD do it. (We still can't imagine riding the Cascade Mtns just for fun tho!)
Vincent & Victor – we shared Warmshowers accommodations with each of you on separate occasions but we felt like we knew you even better, as we ended up staying in the same places down the road several days after you!
Dakota & Chelsea – what a fun evening we had together! And thank you for your many encouraging messages! You guys have a great attitude & you'll have a great trip!
Many eastbound cyclists! Wow! We met so many of you in North Dakota! Congrats to Pete & Deb and to Wendy & Casey for completing your adventures! Josh & Jess, Durrell and others are still traveling and we wish you well! We enjoyed reading your blogs to see what to expect ahead of us and also how you experienced the road now behind us.
We leapfrogged with fellow west bounder, George and were saddened to learn that the fires and extreme heat in Washington threw a wrench into his plans and he had to reroute and stop riding before he reached the coast. I think our hub problems were a blessing in disguise because it delayed us just enough so that we were able to go thru the fire-ravaged areas after the road reopened.
We were also saddened to learn that health problems caused fellow Michigan tandem riders, Loren & Dave, to abandon their west to east cross-country tour. We can only imagine the depth of their disappointment and we thought of them often as we struggled with the various challenges of weather, fires, heat, & mountains – things that we don't typically experience in Michigan and couldn't have trained for after a long, cold, snow Michigan winter.
4. Thank you to all readers of this blog. Sometimes we (OK – Shawn) ramble on with silly details but you've read these posts and encouraged us, either thru actual notes and messages or thru positive thoughts and prayers.
We'll make one last request of you all. If you have enjoyed reading this blog, we would be thrilled if you would visit the website of the Grand Rapids Community Foundation and consider joining us as donors to this organization that does so much good in our community. The Foundation's website is: http://www.grfoundation.org
Day 93 – Rockport, WA to Anacortes, WA
Day 93 – Rockport, WA to Anacortes, WA – 68 miles
We slept well last night! We were absolutely bushed and slept 9 hours! We woke up refreshed & excited to finish this push to the Pacific! After packing up, we headed to the restaurant, eager to have one of Tootsie's famous cinnamon rolls. Wouldn't you know, they're sold out! Every time we hear about someone's cinnamon rolls, we're unable to partake! Not a big deal – we ended up a much more nutritious breakfast, eventually. (The customer service was another story!)
Once we were on the bike, Shawn found that yesterday's effort left her rather fatigued and sore. As we reflected on yesterday's ride, we realized that we had spent 11 hours riding yesterday's miles. We don't generally keep track of time spent riding but we're sure it was our longest because we started shortly after 6 am and ended shortly after 5 pm. Sure we took breaks but none of them were long, extended breaks in a restaurant because there wasn't a restaurant to go to! But we were glad we got those miles done so we could have an easier day today!
Our son, Walt and his wife, Leanne were planning to meet us at our finish point in Anacortes, so we were especially excited to get to Anacortes. But we still had 60-some miles to ride that required food & rest stops. The route was mostly flat with some hills along the way as we followed the Skagit River for much of the way. Probably the toughest part was following our map thru such a populous area – it's been awhile since we rode thru multiple towns of more than 1,000 people.
We enjoyed the difference in plants – we're now in the northwest rainforest and there is quite a variety of trees and flowers and mosses hanging from the trees. And the blackberries! The blackberry bushes are everywhere and the bushes are loaded! We stopped and picked a couple handfuls in a matter of minutes. Yum!
Shortly after riding thru Sedro Wooley, we saw a truck towing a boat that was parked on the shoulder ahead of us. As we approached it, the driver got out of the car and it was our Warmshowers host from Republic, DiAnne! They're headed out to the Pacific for a vacation of fishing and crabbing and she spotted us riding! She hugged us and congratulated us! How great to see her!
We had some nice riding on quiet country roads before rejoining route 20, which was quite busy. Shortly before coming into Anacortes, we hopped onto a very nice paved bike trail – there was a causeway across Fidalgo Bay and then the trail continued up along the shore into town. After that, we rejoined route 20 to head to Washington Park on the west shore.
Walt had called us earlier and told us that there was a very nice park that looked much more suitable for dipping our tire than the ferry terminal that Adventure Cycling suggested. He and Leanne were waiting there for us and sure enough, as we came down the hill toward the park, I could see someone standing in the grass watching for our approach – it was Walt! What an incredible feeling to see him standing there watching for us!!! Leanne was waiting for us in the park. (She is pregnant, so we certainly wouldn't expect her to run out to the road!). We stopped for kisses and hugs! Then we all went down to the water for pictures – lots of pictures! Wow! I'm so glad we finished on a Sunday so they could drive down from Vancouver and join us! What a great family we have! Our other two kids came to our send-off party and these two came to our finish celebration. And they brought champagne! And beer! We enjoyed that champagne right there on the beach! Champagne never tasted so good!!!
We have so much to cover, and so many people to thank, but we're tired and need to chill out for a bit. I'm sure there will be time for writing as we relax in Anacortes tomorrow!
What a ride, a dream come true!!!
Coast to Coast!!!
Day 92 – Mazama, WA to Rockport, WA
Day 92 – Mazama, WA to Rockport, WA – 78 miles
What a day! Two mountain passes and 78 miles! Holy WAH! (But boy we're tired!)
We started the day with a quick in-room breakfast. As with the other passes, we wanted to get an early start. We took the time to apply our Detroit Lions tattoos – they were a gift from our friends Stu and Deb (so we wouldn't forget our roots) and since the Lions have a preseason game today, we thought we'd support the team. (And they won – can you believe it?)
Today's ride started right on the approach to Washington Pass (the locals call it Wash Pass), it's an 18 mile climb so we dug in and slowly (4 mph top speed) made our way up. We take frequent breaks on these climbs and today was no different. About half way up, Jim asked for a break and we pulled over. He didn't know whether it was a nutrition issue, maybe thinner air, or perhaps the effects of the allergic reaction from a bee sting he got the night before. We took an extended break, shared a protein bar, lots of water and the issue seemed to pass. We continued the climb. People had told us about the end of the climb where there is one switch back with a steep climb. Two miles from the end, the switch back was obvious to us. We took a break at the start of the switch back, looking up at the road we would be finishing on. Really, way up there? We'll never make it! We started up, and the excitement of being so close to finishing our last climbs gave us the push we needed to make it up the switch back. We stopped at the top for photos and to marvel at the climb we had made. One of the best parts of Wash Pass is the views, the other passes did not open up to such spectacular views as much as this one did, and as we looked down the mountain(!) valleys we were amazed at our accomplishment. Certainly this view will be a memory frozen in our minds for the rest of our lives. The tire dip at the Pacific will be incredible, but getting over Washington Pass is our payoff for 3 months of "training", and we both marveled at our accomplishment! We kept saying, "Damn we're good!!"
We had a bit of a picnic lunch on a guard rail just after the pass, then we made our way down the pass. Wash Pass has a Siamese twin pass that is 5 miles from the main pass, Rainy Pass culminates with a 2 mile uphill to the pass. Our euphoria from our Washington victory pushed us up and over the two mile climb and we made it with out a break. A photo stop at the pass and then we started the long and fast downhill. We rode the drag break most of the way, although it was not always required for a safe descent. With such a heavily loaded bike, we had agreed to a speed of 30 mph or less on the descents. We probably had about 20 miles of coasting downhill. We deserved it though! We climbed all those miles, it was time to cash them in!!
We saw some great scenery as we cruised down the hill. The first thing we noticed was the greenery! The Cascades are the boundary between desert and rain forest in Washington. The transition between the two is dramatic and to be quite honest we are liking the quantity and variety of plant life we see. Our route also took us past high reservoirs, Ross Lake and Diablo Lake. There are high viewpoints to see these lakes and the water is an incredible blue! The mountains seem to stretch on forever, but thankfully they are on our left and right, and we don't have to climb any more of them.
The only downside of today's ride was the lack of services. We rode nearly 70 miles before we could get more food or water. We had been carrying lots of food and extra water, and today was the day we needed it! When we finally did get to a store, we grabbed some snacks and enjoyed just hanging out and sitting for a bit in a chair. It was already a long day!
We located a hotel room in the next town but that was 17 miles from our snack spot. We were tired and ready to be done, but we dragged ourselves out to the bike and headed out. What we thought would be a long 17 turned into a fun 17. We are following the Skagit River, making it's way to the coast, so we had a nice steady down hill to the hotel. We we there in less than an hour!
We swallowed a whale today, and tomorrow, if all goes well, we roll into our destination town of Anacortes. It's hard to believe that our journey is almost over!
Alf, from Sydney, Australia:


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Also featuring vegan treats by Crow and a performance by singer/songwriter Alina Ashley Nicole.
Featuring clothing, housewares and movies, you won't want to miss this special opportunity to shop late at Twilight! Saturday, February 23, 2013 6-9pm

subset: commoncrawl


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It's been a steady, solid week of productivity here at Flights of Fancy, though far less intense than last week. I write this week's ROW80 update while in the midst of an impromptu Hugh Jackman mini-marathon. I am refreshing my memory of his filmography circa 2001: Someone Like You, Kate and Leopold, and if I can stay awake, X-Men. It is "research" for the Hugh-themed posts I have planned for my birthday month of February… or so I keep telling myself. 😀
I've hit just about all of my goals for the week, though I didn't attack them with the same fervor from last week. That was partly due to the weather — Monday was super rainy and dark, and I stayed inside and had a "manflesh"-themed movie marathon (The Two Towers, 300, and Gladiator), and the last few days have been like summer in January, with absolutely perfect beach weather. Thursday was my work-at-the-beach day, yesterday was a grading-at-Starbucks day, and today was all about cleaning my apartment. Still, I managed to get things done.
Here's my week in review:
Writing: I made it to all of this week's ROW80 writing sprints, and while I had a few slow days, I wrote a handful of new scenes for my steampunk WIP. There's still lots of work to be done with outlining and plotting and the like, so in the week to come, my goal is to make planning a priority. However, I can't be too disappointed with my output for the week: 5705 words. Not too shabby!
Day Job: My thesis advisor gave me the green light on my draft, and I've sent it off to the other members of my committee. The early word is that I should be able to defend by the end of the quarter (early March). In addition, my advisor sent along her initial feedback. Overall, it's positive, with observations of my "stunningly beautiful prose" and my intellectual contributions. However, she has a number of critiques for me to keep in mind for the future of the project, including any articles I may write.
I've been a little angsty about the critiques, if only because they remind me of all the work that still needs to be done in order for me to create scholarly work that is worthy of publication. I've also been more than a little stressed because I'm going to have to take over my advisor's class for a couple of weeks, since she will be out of town on a family emergency. I've guest-lectured before, but this… this will require lots of planning and lecture-writing and whatnot. I have a few days to pull together the first class (on WWII-era cinema and women's roles in the military), but I'm definitely a little nervous. Cross your fingers that I survive!
Social Time: I saw Underworld: Awakening with my friend Melissa last Sunday, and I was supposed to go to a birthday party last night, but it got canceled… until the cancellation was retracted a couple of hours later, when I was already in pjs with a stack of rented movies to watch. But I'm off to see Haywire tomorrow, which should be exciting, as I'm hearing lots of great things about it.
Exercise: I worked out 4 times this week, and I've been on track with my healthy meals and snacks. I treated myself to In-n-Out on Thursday, and grabbed an Its-It yesterday since it was hot, but the good news is that the taste of fast food hasn't left me with crazy cravings for more. I'm still eating at least one salad a day, and my need for snacking has decreased big time. Better yet, the at-home Pilates is getting easier, and I can once again touch my toes without feeling too sore. Progress!
50/50 Challenge: I read Angela Wallace's ELEMENTAL MAGIC this week, a lovely urban fantasy/paranormal romance that I really enjoyed. I also discovered Redbox and rented a whole bunch of movies, including Crazy, Stupid, Love (I think I FINALLY understand the Ryan Gosling obsession now), the 2011 Conan the Barbarian (Jason Momoa's bare bottom is probably the only good thing about the film), and Real Steel (ohhhhh, so good, and Hugh has STILL got it. So.Damn.Hot.). I'm 10 books ahead of schedule, and a few movies ahead too, so that's nice.
In case you missed it, our beloved #teamsprinty, the ROWers who sprint together on weekdays (11 am PST!), were featured in my "Wicked Wednesday" post, which was a battle between two of Orlando Bloom's beloved characters, Legolas Greenleaf from The Lord of the Rings and Will Turner from Pirates of the Caribbean. At the moment, Team Elf is winning with 10 votes, followed by those of you unable to choose between (7 votes). Team Pirate is trailing with only 6 votes. If you're inclined, head over and cast your vote today, or just pop over and check out the comments. They are probably the most entertaining and hilarious I've ever received on the blog.
Don't forget to swing by and visit the rest of our wonderful ROW80 participants!


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Barnard, A and Sinclair, Marlene (2006) Spectators & spectacles: nurses, midwives and visuality. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 55 (5). pp. 578-586. [Journal article]
Full text not available from this repository.
URL: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1365-2648.2006.03947.x/full
DOI: DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2648.2006.03947.x
Aim. In this paper we reflect on how linear perspective vision influences the practice of nurses and midwives and to advance understanding of clinical practice in technologically intensive environments through examination of drawings by nurses and midwives and through critical analysis.Background. There is increasing emphasis on vision in Western culture, and both nurses and midwives spend a great deal of time observing their clinical environment(s). Healthcare practitioners work increasingly in image-based realities and nurses rely on visual skills. Vision and visual representation are central to our practice and are important to examine because we look often at technology to assess people and care.Discussion. The world in which we practise is one of meaning(s). Technological development is transformative in nature and produces changes that alter the way(s) we give care. Amongst all this change, it is unclear how we practise in environments characterized by increasing technology and it is unknown how nursing and midwifery practice alter as a result.Conclusion. Simple drawings included in this paper highlight an important and shared experience of clinical practice(s). They emphasize the importance and scope of the visual sense and expose practitioner behaviour that has enormous implications for current and future professional development and person-focussed care provision. Experiences described in this paper require further examination and highlight substantial changes to nurse–patient relationships, health care and the way we practise.
|Item Type:
|Journal article
|clinical practice;midwifery;nursing;technology;theory;vision;visualism
|Faculties and Schools:
|Faculty of Life and Health Sciences
Faculty of Life and Health Sciences > School of Nursing
|Research Institutes and Groups:
|Institute of Nursing and Health Research
Institute of Nursing and Health Research > Centre for Maternal, Fetal and Infant Research
|ID Code:
|Deposited By:
|Professor Marlene Sinclair
|Deposited On:
|23 Feb 2011 12:31
|Last Modified:
|09 May 2016 11:06
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Grave consequences : The Grand Tour Series, Book 2. / Lisa T Bergren.
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- ISBN: 9780781408783 (electronic bk)
- Physical Description: 1 online resource.
- Publisher: Colorado Springs : David C. Cook, 2014.
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| The Grand Tour series by bestselling author Lisa T. Bergren continues as Cora Kensington journeys through France, Austria, and Italy. But an enemy trails her every step of the way, and a forbidden love forms, endangering many of their dreams.
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| Requires OverDrive Read (file size: N/A KB) or Adobe Digital Editions (file size: 10326 KB) or Adobe Digital Editions (file size: 7018 KB) or Amazon Kindle (file size: N/A KB).
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Interview by Nancy Todd
Regina and I met Elyn Aviva and Gary White at the TBEX (Travel Blogger's Exchange) Conference in Girona and immediately were taken by the paths they have traveled. They live life with passion, depth and clarity. They are a fascinating and diverse couple to be with and we look forward to continue hearing about their life journeys.
1. You have traveled extensively. Why did you decide to make your home in Girona, Spain ?
We moved to Spain as an American retired expat couple in 2009. We settled in the small, dusty, northern meseta town of Sahagún (León) because Elyn lived there in 1982-1983 while she was doing fieldwork for her PhD in cultural anthropology on the Camino de Santiago. And we lived there together in 1997-1998. So this time, when we decided to move to Spain more-or-less permanently, we went back to Sahagún, where we had friends and connections. But after a year, it was time to move on.
We had visited Girona during a trip around northern Catalonia, and we had been favorably impressed. Girona had everything we thought we wanted: it's a fascinating town, complete with an Apple computer store, a small English-speaking community and cultural scene, organic grocery stores, numerous good restaurants, excellent transportation connections—vital for us as travel writers—and the historic Barri Vell. We rented an apartment for a month to see if the reality was as good as the fantasy, and within a week we were looking seriously for a long-term rental. We've been here three years now and really love our lifestyle.
2. Sacred places are important in your life and writing. What sacred places have you written about/traveled to in Spain?
Oh my! Too many to mention. We've written two Powerful Places Guidebooks on Spain—Powerful Places on the Caminos de Santiago and Powerful Places in Catalonia. The first includes a number of sacred sites on the various pilgrimage roads that lead to Santiago de Compostela in northwestern Spain. They are places easier to reach by car than on foot, including: San Baudelio de Berlanga (Soria), Santa Cristina de Lena (Asturias), the Dolmen de Cubillejo and the Visigothic Santa María de Lara outside of Quintanilla de las Viñas (Burgos).
The second guidebook describes a select number of powerful places in northern Catalonia, including the Barri Vell in Girona, Montserrat, Sant Pere de Rodes on Cap de Creus, the Dolmen d'en Daina, the Beech Forest in La Garrotxa. The gorgeous Cathedral de León, O Cebreiro, Montserrat, the church with a dolmen in the crypt in Cangas de Onis. The list could go on. We are always finding more powerful places to visit. Read our books or follow our blog for details!
3. You (Elyn) hiked El Camino in 1982 before it had become popular. What were the main highlights regarding your walk?
Elyn: Some 30 years ago, I walked the Camino Francés, the main Camino de Santiago that stretches 800 kms from the Pyrenees to Santiago. In those days, few pilgrims traveled the road. The route was poorly marked, and there were no organized hostels, refugios or albergues. It was quite an adventure, a journey into the unknown! My companion and I had to ask for shelter in isolated villages, and were often told, "Go sleep in the fields!" Sometimes in the tiny mountain towns, there was nowhere to buy food, and we had to knock on doors and ask someone to sell us bread, or make us a sandwich—if they would.
Because we had only a schematic map and there were few yellow arrows pointing the way, we got lost often. This made for a very metaphorical pilgrimage, filled with wrong directions, detours, and help coming when most needed. In those days, pilgrims were still an unusual occurrence on the Camino, so people interacted with us in a much more personal way: offering us a drink, leading us out of town on the "right" route, or asking us to say a prayer, light a candle, or embrace the statue of the Apostle in the cathedral in Santiago for them. These experiences formed the basis for my book, Following the Milky Way: A Pilgrimage on the Camino de Santiago (2nd edition). Considered a classic, it was the first contemporary travel narrative by an American about walking the Camino and describes the Camino the way it was in 1982.
4. Tell us about your blogs, books, and art that you are involved in.
We have had a publishing company, Pilgrims Process Inc., for a number of years and have published over 40 books by various authors, including books by Elyn on pilgrimage and quest. The website is www.Pilgrimsprocess.com. Our slogan is, "Books for People Who Think."
Three years ago, we started publishing the Powerful Places Guidebooks series, a collection of focused guidebooks for people who want to experience a place, not merely visit it. The website is http://www.pilgrimsprocess.com/. So far, we have published Powerful Places on the Caminos de Santiago, in Scotland, in Ireland, in Brittany, in Catalonia, and in Wales. The books provide detailed maps, lots of graphics, background information, and suggestions for turning your journey into transformational travel. You can also find Powerful Places Guidebooks on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/PowerfulPlaces?ref=ts.
Recently we started the blog, www.PowerfulPlaces.info, and we publish a related monthly newsletter. The purpose of the blog is to share our enthusiasm for sacred sites and to provide a forum for exchange of experiences and ideas. We're always looking for guest bloggers to widen the coverage and expand the expertise. Maybe you, the reader of this interview, will be interested in writing for us. If so, contact us at the blog.
Gary is also producing podcasts about experiencing powerful places, transformative travel, books, and ex-pat life. The links are on PowerfulPlaces.info, or you can go to the Youtube link, http://www.youtube.com/user/tchbth?feature=mhee.
Elyn is also a fiber artist. She creates transformational fiber figures and, more recently, wet felting. She is enthralled with the alchemical process of turning loose fluffy wool fibers into dense but malleable material. She makes sculpted wet-felted vessels and silk-and-wool (nuno-felted) wearable art pieces. They can be seen on her website, www.fiberalchemy.com.
5. What is there about Spain that you are passionate about?
Gary: The life. The food. The history.
Elyn: The life style. The people. The cultural, historical, and culinary richness. The natural beauty. The numerous pilgrimage trails.
6. Where would you recommend people travel in Spain, your favorite places?
Elyn: I would recommend traveling all or parts of the Caminos de Santiago, of which there are many: the Camino Francés, the Northern Route, the Camí de Sant Jaume in Catalonia, to name a few. If possible, make the journey on foot, although some of the routes can be approximated by bicycle or by car. It's a fantastic way to experience the people, architecture, food, wine, landscape, history, culture—you name it—of Spain, and it is travel with a focus and goal. Some specific places are Suso at San Millán de la Cogolla (La Rioja), San Juan de la Peña (Huesca), Sant Pere de Rodes in Cap de Creus, San Andrés de Teixido (Galicia), and of course—Barcelona and Girona.
Gary: I have so many favorite places. Costa Brava, La Garrotxa, Granada, Toledo, San Baudelio de Berlanga (Soria), Monasterio de Lleyre (Navarra), Montserrat (Catalonia), Val de Hecho (Huesca), Hermita de San Bartolo in Cañón del Río Lobos (Soria), Cabo Finisterre (Galicia)…. We talk about many of these in our guidebooks.


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OMG a new topic! Spoilers to follow.
It's so rare that I watch tv that I don't know how long this show has been on, but it is originally a podcast that now has a tv show. It was on BBC America and I saw the year is review episode earlier tonight.
The host interviewed many interesting people including David Tennant. And the host exchanged gifts with one of his guests that he has known (for real) for many years. The gift he received was a 12 sided die. They also compared ringtones. It was candid and not stuffy at all.
Also there was a Nerdist of the Year award. Three of the nominees were Sir Isaac Newton, Weird Al, and FELICIA DAY.
Wanna know who won?


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Patent application title: CLOSED RETORT CHARCOAL REACTOR SYSTEM
John Flottvik (Fort Langley, CA)
IPC8 Class: AC10L500FI
USPC Class:
Class name: Fuel and related compositions consolidated solids (e.g., briquette, etc.) carbonized material (e.g., coke, etc.)
Publication date: 2009-08-27
Patent application number: 20090211151
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Patent application title: CLOSED RETORT CHARCOAL REACTOR SYSTEM
John Flottvik
Origin: VANCOUVER, BC CA
IPC8 Class: AC10L500FI
USPC Class:
A reactor is provided for converting organic material to charcoal, with
the reactor having a furnace and a retort extending through the furnace.
The retort has an auger extending therethrough, with the auger having a
flight with gaps therein. Members project inwardly from the walls of the
retort at the gaps in the flight to unplug blockages in the retort. A gas
collection system is provided which has a branched portion having two or
more venting tubes, each with valves so that each may be shut off
independently to allow to off-line cleaning without requiring shutdown of
the system. A method for converting organic material may be practiced by
introducing combustible materials into the reactor.
1-25. (canceled)
26. A method for converting organic material, the method comprising:(a) introducing the organic material into an interior of a retort at an inlet region of the retort;(b) advancing the organic material through the interior by rotating an auger extending through the interior, wherein the auger comprises a core and a flight; and(c) disrupting any plugs of the organic material in the interior by providing one or more members fixed to the retort and projecting into the interior, the one or more members coinciding with longitudinally extending gaps in the flight.
27. The method of claim 26 comprising preventing formation of plugs of the organic material by limiting a volume of the organic material introduced into the interior by widening a diameter of the core at an upstream end of the auger.
28. The method of claim 26 comprising reducing buildup of the organic material at an outlet region of the retort by providing a fin on a downstream end of the auger.
29. The method of claim 26 comprising allowing exhaust gases to be released into a path defined by an offset of a longitudinal axis of the auger in relation to a longitudinal axis of the retort.
30. The method of claim 26 comprising allowing continuous venting of exhaust gases from the retort to a gas condenser, the gas condenser comprising a plurality of branches, wherein the flow of exhaust gas to any particular branch can be directed to the other branches during removal of any buildup of organic material in that particular branch.
[0001]This invention relates to apparatus and methods for producing charcoal in a continuous manner. In particular, the invention relates to apparatus and methods in which organic material is advanced by an auger through one or more retort tubes. The organic material is converted to charcoal by anaerobic heating in the retort tube.
[0002]It is known that charcoal may be produced by moving organic material through retorts, or heated anaerobic vessels. For example, Canadian Patent Application No. 2,110,282 relates to a method of treating biomass material wherein the material is carried through a heated casing by an auger which runs the entire length of the heated casing.
[0003]Canadian Patent Application No. 2,140,898 discloses an apparatus that allows thermal dimensional changes of metal parts in a retort mechanism which incorporates heating and cooling stages and comprises a retort auger that extends the entire length of the retort.
[0004]Canadian Patent No. 2,242,279 discloses an apparatus for continuous charcoal production comprising a heated tubular retort with a screw element extending through the retort. The flight of the screw element is separated into sections by gaps coincident with gas vents penetrating the retort.
[0005]Japanese Patent Document 58-501912 discloses a method for manufacturing carbonised briquettes by introducing vegetable matter into a heated retort. The heated retort incorporates a screw to advance material through the retort.
[0006]Australian Patent Document 90 50613 discloses an apparatus for use in the production of charcoal comprising a hollow retort shell containing an auger for advancing material through the shell.
[0007]A significant problem with prior systems is that organic material often adopts a viscous liquid or semi-solid state at a certain stage during the conversion to charcoal. Tar and creosote are typical examples of such partially converted organic material. These materials are sticky and often form plugs within the retort, often where the retort is initially exposed to heat. Plugs impede the steady feed-through of material and in some instances can completely block the advance of organic material. Removing plugs can be costly, and may require shutting down the system and disrupting otherwise continuous charcoal production. Plugs can also prevent pyrolysis gases from properly venting from retorts. Gas condensers to which pyrolysis gases are vented may also become congested with partially converted organic material.
[0008]There is a need for apparatus and methods that reduce or eliminate plug formation and congestion in retort charcoal reactor systems.
[0009]This invention provides apparatus and methods for the continuous production of charcoal in retort charcoal reactors while reducing or eliminating the above-mentioned problems with prior systems.
[0010]The following embodiments and aspects thereof are described and illustrated in conjunction with apparatus and methods which are meant to be exemplary and illustrative, not limiting in scope.
[0011]In one embodiment of the invention, a reactor is provided for converting organic material, the reactor comprising: [0012](a) a furnace; [0013](b) a retort extending through the furnace; [0014](c) an auger extending through the retort, the auger comprising a flight; and, [0015](d) one or more members projecting from an interior surface of the retort;wherein the flight comprises two or more sections separated by one or more longitudinally extending gaps wherein the flight is at least partially removed, the gaps being coincident with the one or more members.
[0016]In one embodiment of the invention, the members may be pins removably threaded through the wall of the retort.
[0017]In one embodiment of the invention, the reactor has a gas collection and condensation system, the system comprising: [0018](a) one or more gas vents penetrating the retort; [0019](b) a collection vent in fluid communication with the one or more gas vents; [0020](c) a transfer vent in fluid communication with the gas collection vent, the transfer vent comprising a plurality of arms, each arm comprising a valve; and, [0021](d) a gas condenser comprising a plurality of branches, each branch in fluid communication with a corresponding arm, each branch comprising a cleaning means;wherein closing any of the valves directs gases from the retort to the gas condenser through any of the arms with open valves, permitting the branch corresponding to the arm with the closed valve to be cleaned by the cleaning means.
[0022]A method is also provided for converting organic material, the method comprising: [0023](a) introducing the organic material into an interior of a retort at an inlet region of the retort; [0024](b) advancing the organic material through the interior by rotating an auger extending through the interior, wherein the auger comprises a core and a flight; and [0025](c) disrupting any plugs of the organic material in the interior by providing one or more members fixed to the retort and projecting into the interior, the one or more members coinciding with longitudinally extending gaps in the flight.
[0026]In addition to the exemplary aspects and embodiments described above, further aspects and embodiments will become apparent by reference to the drawings and the following detailed description.
[0027]In drawings which illustrate non-limiting specific embodiments of the invention:
[0028]FIG. 1 is a semi-schematic side view of a reactor according to one embodiment of the invention;
[0029]FIG. 2 is a cutaway side view of a retort according to one embodiment of the invention;
[0030]FIG. 3 is a view corresponding to plane I-I of the gas condenser of the reactor shown in FIG. 1; and
[0031]FIG. 4 is a view corresponding to plane II-II of the retort shown in FIG. 2.
[0032]A reactor 1 according to one embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 1. Feed system 2 supplies organic material to one or more anaerobic retorts 4. Organic material may be wood waste or agricultural waste, for example. Heat provided by furnace 6 converts the organic material advancing through retorts 4 into charcoal. Exhaust from combustion of fuel used to heat furnace 6 is released at stack 8. Charcoal produced in retorts 4 is collected at chute 10. Pyrolysis gases released during charcoal production are vented from retorts 4 to condenser 12. The gases are cooled in condenser 12 to form a distillate. The distillate may be routed to tank 14 for use as fuel to heat furnace 6, or to boiler 16 for use as fuel to drive turbine 18.
[0033]Retort 4 according to one embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 2. Retort 4 has inlet region 18 and outlet region 20. Feed system 2 loads organic material into inlet region 18. Organic material converted to charcoal is collected by chute 10 at outlet region 20. The bulk of retort 4 is sealed within the interior of furnace 6.
[0034]Auger 22 extends through the interior of retort 4. Auger 22 is rotated along its longitudinal axis by a motor (not shown). The main components of auger 22 are core 24 and helical flight 26.
[0035]Core 24 has a constant diameter except at inlet region 18 where core 24 widens. As shown in FIG. 2, the diameter of core 24 may be widest at the upstream end of retort 4 and taper to a narrower constant diameter at approximately upstream wall 29 of furnace 6. The widening of core 24 reduces the volume of organic material that could otherwise be loaded into retort 4 by feed system 2 at any given time. Reducing the volume of incoming organic material reduces the likelihood of organic material forming plugs in retort 4.
[0036]Auger 22 has gap sections 28, 28' where a portion of flight 26 has been removed. Gap sections 28, 28' are located downstream of upstream wall 29 of furnace 6. One or more projections 30 correspond to each gap section 28. Projections 30, 30' are removably fixed to retort 4 and project radially from the interior surface of retort 4 toward core 24 of auger 22. As shown in FIG. 4, projections 30, 30' may be pins inserted through wall 31 of retort 4, for example. Projections 30, 30' serve to break up any plugs to allow free and continuous advancement of organic material through retort 4.
[0037]Flight 26 forms one or more fins 32 at outlet region 20 of retort 4. The base of fin 32 is fixed to core 24 in parallel to the longitudinal axis of auger 22. Fin 32 projects radially from core 24 toward the interior surface of retort 4. Organic material advanced to outlet region 20, which is mostly charcoal by this stage, is swept into chute 10 by the broad side of fin 32 as auger 22 rotates. Fin 32 thereby prevents buildup of organic material at outlet region 20.
[0038]The longitudinal axis of auger 22 is offset in relation to the longitudinal axis of retort 4 as shown in FIG. 4. Auger 22 is generally offset in a direction opposite to the location of exhaust gas vents 34. Enlarged path 36 in retort 4 resulting from the offset of auger 22 improves venting of pyrolysis gases to exhaust vents 34.
[0039]Exhaust gas vents 34 connect to an exhaust collection vent 38, which connects to transfer vent 40. Transfer vent 40 splits into two arms. Each arm has a valve 42 to control the flow of exhaust gases. Each arm of transfer vent 40 connects to a respective branch of Y-shaped gas condenser 44, as shown in FIG. 3. When gas condenser 44 is clean, both valves 42 remain open. If one of the branches of gas condenser 44 becomes congested (with tar, for example) valve 42 in the corresponding arm of transfer 40 is closed. Once valve 42 is closed, the congested branch of gas condenser 44 may be cleaned by cleaning means while exhaust gas continues to vent through the other arm of transfer vent 40 to its corresponding branch of gas condenser 44. The cleaning means may be an auger 46 driven by a hydraulic piston 48, for example, as shown in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3.
[0040]Apparatus according to a specific embodiment of the invention will now be described. The following specifications are currently preferred where the organic matter being used as raw material is sawdust. These specifications are included here for illustrative purposes.
[0041]The optimal temperature to which furnace 6 should heat retort 4 is approximately 600° C. The interior of furnace 6 is preferably coated with a suitable lining 50 such as a 1500° C. tolerant refractory. Lining 50 should be at least 3 inches thick. Thermal insulation 52, at least one inch thick, should be provided between lining 50 and outer wall 54 of furnace 6. Outer wall 54 may be fabricated of steel.
[0042]Retort 4 ideally has an internal diameter of about 14 inches. Diameter 56 of flight 26 is ideally about 12 inches. Enlarged path 36 created by the offset of auger 22 in retort 4 has a maximum height 58 of about 2 inches.
[0043]Pitch 60 of flight 26 is ideally about 9 inches. Plug formation tends to occur with substantially lower pitch diameters, while substantially higher pitch diameters do not provide sufficient time for organic material in retort 4 to convert to charcoal.
[0044]Auger 22 ideally has two gap sections 28, 28' and two corresponding projections 30, 30'. Gap sections 28, 28' should be about 4 inches in length. First gap section 28 begins at about 12 inches downstream of upstream wall 29 of furnace 6. Second gap section 28' begins at about 24 inches downstream of upstream wall 29 of furnace 6. First and second projections 30, 30' are removably fixed to locations on retort 4 corresponding to about the centre of respective first and second gap sections 28, 28'. Ideally, the distance by which projections 30, 30' project into retort 4 is adjustable, for example by providing threads on projections 30, 30' and corresponding threaded holes in retort 4.
[0045]Six exhaust gas vents 34 are ideally provided for each retort 4. This number of exhaust gas vents has been found to provide substantially complete discharge of pyrolysis gases from retort 4.
[0046]As will be apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the foregoing disclosure, many alterations and modifications are possible in the practice of this invention without departing from the spirit or scope thereof. For example: [0047]projections 30 may be of various shapes and sizes provided that the overall advancement of organic material is facilitated (by breaking up plugs) rather than impeded (by blocking the flow of the organic material); [0048]more than one projection 30, 30' may correspond to each gap section 28, 28'; [0049]fin 32 may be of various, generally flat shapes; [0050]fin 32 may be fixed to core 24 independently of flight 26; and [0051]alternative means for cleaning gas condenser 44 may be provided. For example, auger 46 may be substituted with a brush with metallic bristles.
[0052]Accordingly, the scope of the invention is to be construed in accordance with the substance defined by the following claims.
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Todd Standing is a columnist for Unexplained-Mysteries and a Bigfoot researcher. He's made quite a lot of headlines in the Bigfoot community by coming forward with video "proof" of these bipedal, ape-like creatures that he has filmed in recent expeditions. It doesn't just end there, he also claims to know a secret location called "Sylvanic" (According to Todd, this is the name given by the "native" people) said to be a hidden valley nestled deep into the American Rockies.
Todd and his team have released several teaser videos as proof and claim that they are keeping the location secret in order to protect the newly found creatures. Their website sylvanic.com has very limited information as to who the team is and what it is they actually found.
Their website itself holds no real information. There are a few links for an online store to buy the "video evidence" of the creatures they filmed. Not a surprise.
So what is the real story behind the "Sylvanic Bigfoot" ?
According to Todd's Youtube account, there is a short video clip of the supposed evidence that was captured recently. The video was uploaded to Youtube on November 27, 2009. I don't know the date of the video itself.
As far as most of the information from Slyvanic.com, the details of the location or more video proof cannot be divulged due to the team's effort to help protect these creatures by there claims.
Source: ghosttheory.com


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As you probably know, I'm working on a RPG game called "Planet Stronghold".
I am trying to do something slightly different with this RPG. I would even dare call it "casual RPG", since it misses some of the classic "hardcore" gameplay elements. In particular:
- there is no in-game currency. You can't sell or buy weapons. This is probably the biggest difference from… well, ANY rpg I've ever played. What does it means? That you'll have several weapons and armors at your disposal, but you won't have to buy them. To get the best ones, the only way would be to solve some quests you'll encounter through the story.
- there is almost no "permanent death". You can't really "lose" in the game. This is also very different even if something similar could be already found in recent casual RPG like Torchlight, for example. In my game, if you lose a battle you'll simply have the option to fall back and try it with a different team/equipment configuration. Of course there will be a few exceptions: in some particular plot situation you'll face a hard battle but you'll be warned to save before it. But I hate the mechanic of "save/try/reload" that is used in many RPG just to give the players the illustion that the game is longer (but in reality you'll spend most of the time loading and saving)
- there won't be a huge map. I mean, a tilemap or detailed map as it is in many RPG, mostly JRPG. I was dubious if to implement this or not, but given the nature of the game, I decided to skip this. Since the gameplay follows the main story, you will be able to use a small map with instant traveling between each different location to complete side-quest, but not like you do in normal RPG/JRPG. If you hated walking endless hours in those insanely huge (and repetitive) tilemaps, you'll like my game. Otherwise…I hope you'll like the game anyway 🙂
- very few grinding. You won't have to kill 500 rats to get to level 2. The leveling up will be slow, and you won't get much XP from battles, but you'll get a big boost if you solve quests. Anyway, being the game linear, I'll be able to craft each specific battle so hopefully that should lead to more interesting enemy encounters.
- There also won't be endless random encounters, unless you choose to adventure in the wastelands (so, there will be but will be entirely optional). I understand that random encounters are a good way to raise your characters levels without doing side-quests, so I'll leave that option available for those people who prefer to fight than solve quests.
As you can see it's quite different from a "standard", traditional RPG. I hope the direction I took will be appreciated anyway, so far the feedback from the Alpha testers was quite positive (many says it's the best game I've made so far, even if isn't finished yet! :D).
Note that this won't mean that the game will be easy. It will be if you choose the "easy" option. But if you pick the "hard" option, in the game you'll have to face some really tough fights! That's all for now, I'll get back to writing more plot and coding more enemy battles.
p.s. For those who like traditional RPG, fear not. My other RPG game in development, the Dungeon Crawler "Tower Of Destiny", will be much more similar to the classic "hardcore RPGs" 😉


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'Dexter,' Season 8, Episode 3, 'What's Eating Dexter Morgan?': TV Recap
Dexter continues to battle with demons from his past, while new ones arise in his present. The episode opens with Harrison sitting in a pool of blood, reminiscent of Dexter's childhood trauma– but this turns out to be a bloodbath of red popsicles. Dexter feeds him Pepto-Bismol to recover. "A tiny shot of pink is all it it takes to fix my son's pains, but it's not that easy with Deb."
Deb continues to spiral out of control and gets arrested for drink driving. Her knight in charming dis- armor, Quinn, heads out of the warm arms of Jamie Batiste at 4 a.m. to look after her. Debra is snappy and short when he picks her up at the police station. "They kept me out of the drunk tank, thanks for for professional courtesy."
Dexter returns to Sussman's cabin and finds that the crime scened has changed; the body moved from the tree to inside. "I think we have the brain surgeon," said Batiste. Dexter puzzles over who staged the crime scene.


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This is the landing page for the 2003 news archive. Please select a month on the left to refine your search. Not sure what month to look for? Just use our site wide search to help find the data your looking for.
Mandatory Binding Arbitration Agreements: Are They Fair for Consumers?


text:
How I Stroll, Journal #1
I've snapped so many photos and recorded hours and hours of video capturing Finn in various states of movement. He and I have always been a pair of adventurers together. Whether on walks braving the urban landscape or hiking deep into the arms of giant Redwoods, we enjoy getting some space.
Here's the first installment in a series of videos talking about being a dad and wielding a stroller. I hope you enjoy them, and give them a THUMBS UP OVER HERE.
Having trouble? CLICK HERE! This video was shot entirely on an iPhone!
When Baby Jogger asked if I'd do a few videos for them, I was pretty jazzed. We've used Baby Jogger since Finn was a tiny munchkin. Let me rephrase: WE ACTUALLY USE THEM. I'm stoked to help them out because we've had great success with their mobile baby-pushers.
Follow my adventures on Twitter and Instagram by using the Hashtag #howistroll!
You can also follow them on the following places:
Baby Jogger Website
Who wants to see a book on a Face?
True Story
I can't dance. True story.
Disclosure/Disclaimer Thing: This is a sponsored post for Baby Jogger. This post is my own opinion and my crazytalk doesn't necessarily reflect the opinions of Baby Jogger or its staff. Who are obviously smart enough to hire us.


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Poler Napsack
Most traditional sleeping bags have the same shape: rectangular. But we aren't interested in traditional, which is why we suggest the Poler Napsack ($130). This interestingly shaped sleeping bag is rated to 50 degrees, it has zippers at the shoulders for your arms, a cinch at the bottom for your legs, and a chest pocket to keep your personal goods (like gummy snacks or something). So whether you are a habitual couch-surfer, or you are just looking to upgrade your lazy-Sunday wardrobe, this napsack should suit you well.


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File sharing websites are a dime a dozen these days and I'm not even talking about the warez ones. Some of the most popular ones I can think of would be rapidshare and megaupload for files and imageshack and tinypic for pictures.
Now let's compare all of their methods for making money.
Premium signup for $6.99/month (theres more payment options but I'll just compare monthly).
No advertisements on download page.
It seems they have dropped the advertising and decided to rely on offering people a good and fast service with hopes of people signing up for premium membership.
Premium signup for 9.99/month.
Advertisements on download page.
Typical file sharing website, they do have some other cool features but I won't get into those since this is just about comparing the different ways file sharing sites monetize themselves.
Premium signup for $8/month.
They have two 300×250 banners on the front page, links page and a 728×60 banner at the top of the image viewing page with a popup ad.
A single 300×250 banner on home page, links page and image viewing page.
No option for premium member, all advertisement based.
Now that I've put the way these 4 popular sites monetize their sites let's compare my image sharing website.
No advertisements (theres 2 links at the footer which are just 2 other free internet tool websites I offer).
No option for premium member.
Now heres my problem, I don't know what I should do about monetizing my site, picpanda. Do you think ads are the way to go or premium members? Or perhaps something else? Please note file sharing sites are NOT cheap to run and very server intensive.
I would love to hear your guys thoughts on this.


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Karen Peterson's admonition for reporters to dig deeper into stories (column, 1-20) seems a bit odd given how many newsworthy stories are ignored by the mainstream media. It seems that those happenings that are potentially harmful to the Obama administration sort of sink to the bottom of media's curiosity and scrutiny.
A case in point is the bogus imprisonment of a U.S. Marine combat veteran in Mexico from August to just before Christmas last year.
His family went through appropriate channels to attempt getting their son released from the renegade prison where he was being detained under threat of bodily harm, sometimes chained to his bed. Prison personnel also had contacted the family demanding payment to save their son's life.
Eventually, after repeatedly being told by the State Department they couldn't do anything to gain their son's release, the family went to their local press in Florida for help. The "evil" Fox News picked up the story and exerted pressure for the young Marine's release just prior to Christmas. No other network featured this imprisonment of a U.S. citizen without a trial in a foreign country.
When the Marine was finally released, he was malnourished, disease-ridden and his body covered with insect bites. He was in such bad condition, his father, who had met his son after his release across the California border, was forced to stop in Louisiana at an emergency room to have his son treated before they could return home.


text: On Mar 14, 2013, at 1:29 PM, Garrett Mace <garrettmace at gmail.com> wrote: > Pssh, it's obvious that drinking fluorinated water from an early age leads to sufficient credulity and paranoia to accept government conspiracies about fluorinated water and killing 2,000 office workers who knew too much. Do you know what age range(s) are critical for this effect? Do you know any good historical fluoride concentration data sources? I need to figure out whether my selective credulity has a definitive neuro-chemical cause, or if it's just a generalized character flaw. I left the US when I was fairly young, so I suspect the effect wasn't complete. The first protest I went to was somewhat anti-government and co-organized by me. Maybe I would've realized how infallible Congress was if I'd had my full course of fluoridated water. -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: smime.p7s Type: application/pkcs7-signature Size: 1382 bytes Desc: not available URL: <http://www.noisebridge.net/pipermail/noisebridge-discuss/attachments/20130314/3b67195e/attachment.bin>


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Senator Sessions Names 20 Worst Loopholes
The hard-working Senator from Alabama has posted a list of 20 things wrong with the wretched Senate amnesty bill. As he remarked…
"I am deeply concerned about the numerous loopholes we have found in this legislation. They are more than technical errors, but rather symptoms of a fundamentally flawed piece of legislation that stands no chance of actually fixing our broken immigration system… Many of the loopholes are indicative of a desire not to have the system work."
Here are a few of the more egregious loopholes, but they are all terrible. Read the whole thing, if you can stand it.
Loophole 5 – Completion of Background Checks Not Required For Probationary Legal Status:
Legal status must be granted to illegal aliens 24 hours after they file an application, even if the aliens have not yet "passed all appropriate background checks." (Last year`s bill gave DHS 90 days to check an alien`s background before any status was granted). No legal status should be given to any illegal alien until all appropriate background checks are complete. [See pp. 290].
Loophole 6 – Some Child Molesters Are Still Eligible:
Some aggravated felons — those who have sexually abused a minor — are eligible for amnesty. A child molester who committed the crime before the bill is enacted is not barred from getting amnesty if their conviction document omitted the age of the victim. The bill corrects this loophole for future child molesters, but does not close the loophole for current or past convictions. [See p. 47: 30-33, & p. 48: 1-2]
Loophole 7 – Terrorism Connections Allowed, Good Moral Character Not Required:
Illegal aliens with terrorism connections are not barred from getting amnesty. An illegal alien seeking most immigration benefits must show "good moral character." Last year`s bill specifically barred aliens with terrorism connections from having "good moral character" and being eligible for amnesty. This year`s bill does neither. Additionally, bill drafters ignored the Administration`s request that changes be made to the asylum, cancellation of removal, and withholding of removal statutes in order to prevent aliens with terrorist connections from receiving relief. [Compare § 204 in S. 2611 from the 109th Congress with missing § 204 on p. 48 of S.A. 1150, & see missing subsection (5) on p. 287 of S.A. 1150].
Loophole 8 – Gang Members Are Eligible:
Instead of ensuring that members of violent gangs such as MS 13 are deported after coming out of the shadows to apply for amnesty, the bill will allow violent gang members to get amnesty as long as they "renounce" their gang membership on their application. [See p. 289: 34-36].
[Sen. Sessions Releases List of 20 Loopholes in the Senate Immigration Bill, Sen. Jeff Sessions Press Release 6/4/07]
This list should not be construed to mean that there are ONLY 20 loopholes in the Senate amnesty bill.


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SOS nightlife and kids
We are a family with a 14 yr. old and twin 9 yr. old's. Our 14 yr. old is almost 6' tall. Are they allowed to watch us in the casino's? My 9 yr. old is an awsome card player and is use to playing with adults. Kids are quiet and well behaved. Would not want to leave them in the cabin at night. Are the shows geared for families? Thanks in advance for your help.
Hi LM,
Sorry but international law states that children (under 18s) are not allowed in the casino area. Some casinos are stricter than others about kicking the kids out, but they are all supposed to stick to that. Previously I was casino manager onboard the ships so I can tell you from experience that while well behaved kids would be welcome, it has to be one rule for all. You get a gang of running shrieking kids disturbing everyone and you tell them they can't be in the casino they point to the nice quiet kid in the corner and they say "Oh yeah what about them?". So no kids, full stop.
Most ships though do have lots of stuff for kids and teens, even if the shows aren't that interesting for them, there should be plenty of other (supervised) animation, games, teens disco,kids club etc and they'll make friends anyhow, kids do, and they'll want to hang out with their friends by the pool or in the video arcades or whatever. Check the brochure for your cruiseline, there should be something in there about facilities for kids.
Hi BLSmom,
Rachel is absolutely right! The kids will be having fun with the other kids and probably won't want to watch you in the casino.
You probably wouldn't want them there anyway. There's smoking and language you might not want your children to hear :shock: !
Children in the casino also make the gamblers uncomfortable, as some of them will feel pressured to "watch what they say", etc.
I hope ALL of you have a great cruise!
|All times are GMT -4. The time now is 12:54 AM.


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I give them a second chance if they have a reason for standing me up. If they don't give me a satisfactory reason, I don't make anymore plans with them unless they beg . Then I'll give them another chance. Revenge would never come into the picture. If that's the worse they do to me who cares.
I don't think I'd care, I just wouldn't talk to them anymore. I would however want to rule out unintentional stand-up...like if they got in a car accident or a relative died or they got lost or they forgot they had a job interview/work or some other acceptable reason.
Oh, you bet your royal butt that if somebody stands me up without a dam good reason I get even!! With a good reason I forgive but otherwise, no way. There's truth behind that old saying "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned!!"
that happen to me this weekend with my girl and i ask her out but she kept telling me to wait the whole day couldn't do anything else. I think im going to get even like "eye per eye" but that would make me look bad and besides that am not like her i respect my friends and tell them the truth if i can go or not go. i think how felt that day so just go or not go. just me :)
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Couple of weeks back, Google officially announced the android 6.0 M OS as the Marshmallow operating system. Google also mentioned that it will be releasing two new nexus phones which will pave way for the new OS.
According to that report, it was stated that one of the nexus phones will be produced by LG while the other will be produced by Huawei. However, Google hasn't stated exactly when the new flagship devices will be launched neither are they stating when the new OS will be rolled over.
New information from CNET in regards the flagship phones has it is that Google will announce its two flagship phones in San Francisco on September 29. This is likely coming up few weeks after the official launch of Apple's iPhone 6s and 6s Plus which is scheduled to hold September 9th.
In the past few months, leaks of both phones has continually surfaced online. The 5.2-inch nexus phone which is the smaller one built by LG was first spotted in Mid-August while the 5.7inch nexus phone which is the larger one built by Huawei made its first appearance last week and the phone tend to gave a rather unusual rear design.
The launch of both flagship phones will pave way for the official roll out of the Android 6.0 Marshmallow to existing devices. Samsung has already confirmed the list of first phones that will get the update when it is officially launched.
Considering the fact that CNET is announcing that both flagship will be announced on the 29th of September which is few weeks from now and Google still holding roll out information of android 6.0 to the chest, we won't be too disappointed to see the flagship being launched with android 5.x lollipop. If that be the case, we may just have to wait a little longer for the marshmallow OS to be officially unveiled.


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Position available - IWMI Program Director (Deputy Director General Level)
The successful applicant will be appointed at Deputy Director General level of IWMI. The position will be based in Colombo, Sri Lanka, and will involve extensive international travel to field sites and partner agencies.
It is anticipated that approximately US$0.45 billion will be committed to the program over a five-year period. The Program
Director will head the program management committee and be responsible for the strategic implementation of the research, integration of science across the program, partnership development and program outputs. He/she will report to the Director General of IWMI, be assisted by a Program Manager and supported administratively by IWMI staff.
The successful candidate will have proven experience of scientific leadership in natural resources and environmental management as well as a strong ability in forming effective research partnerships to tackle key issues in the CGIAR's focus areas.
For more information, download information sheet, or visit www.iwmi.org/About_IWMI/Vacancies/


text:
Telegram Plus v22.214.171.124 Apk
Telegram Plus v126.96.36.199 Apk Telegram Plus apk is an android instant messenger application which has the function almost the same as WhatsApp but has a feature much more complete. Maybe you're new to hear words of this telegram, the user's actual application of this telegram is already a lot. Even pointed Telegram Plus apk app users will continue… Read More »


text:
Was using ldap://my_ldap_server (port 389) and TLS without an issue until I was told that was only for testing. For production, I now have to use ldaps://my_ldap_server (port 636) and SSL without TLS. Now, I cannot bind with my service account. I'm able to run ldapsearch on the same system (using ldaps://) that Drupal is running on, and ldapsearch works fine. ldap.conf file is same.
I did a tcpdump trace and found that the drupal ldap module doesn't seem to be sending a SSLv2 "Client Hello," which is the first packet after the TCP handshake using ldapsearch. Drupal seems to send a SSL "Continuation Data" packet, instead of the client hello.
Comment #1sammys CreditAttribution: sammys commented
I've stumbled on this myself. I was also getting the same problem with NSS authentication. Fixing the NSS problem seemed to assist with the LDAP module. My fix was to add 'TLS_REQCERT never' to the /etc/ldap/ldap.conf file (on linux/Debian sarge).
After that i've been having login problems with the bind process failing intermittantly. I'm trying to find the source of the problem.
Sammy Spets
Comment #2sammys CreditAttribution: sammys commented
Thought it might be useful to add what I mean by intermittant.
I've managed to get the bind working occasionally by playing around with the settings:
- Store passwords in encrypted form
- Password for non-anonymous search
Kind of weird I know... but that's how it is!
Comment #5ssteinem CreditAttribution: ssteinem commented
I'm having to configure my drupal instance with ldap / SSL the same way mentioned above with the only exception that I run drupal on Windows 2003. ldapsearch works fine.
Does anybody know where I have to place the ldap.conf file? Do I need this file? Using SYSINTERNALS-Tools I found no request for such a file.
My error message is:
LDAP Bind failure for user uid=.... . Error 81: Can't contact LDAP server.
Netmon shoes about 16 tcp packages being exchanged before it stops. I don't know if php does not find the certificates for the ldap server. Does Windows (oder IIS) tell php dll where to look for the cert?
Comment #7ablivio CreditAttribution: ablivio commented
Do not appologize...
Thanks to your post, I have been able to quickly figure out how to cope with the same problem here. :-)
Comment #firstname.lastname@example.com CreditAttribution: firstname.lastname@example.com commented
Thanks for the post, this seems to have fix the secure ldap connection problem
Comment #11lyricnz CreditAttribution: lyricnz commented
Also, if you are using Zend Server, it appears to have broken support for LDAPS. See
Possible fix/workaround described at http://taniwhasolutions.com/news/free-beer-not-good-enough
Comment #13johnbarclay CreditAttribution: johnbarclay commented
|» Closed (won't fix)
Closing 4.7 issues to clean out issue queue.
Comment #14xaogeo CreditAttribution: xaogeo commented
Hi man, I tryed to set my ldaps:// and 636 port but I still get the same error, did u set up something else to apache? or php?


text: Can anyone provide information on Mexican Phlox (P. mesoleuca or other spp.) ? It is an alpine Phlox native to Chihuahua, Mexico. I am posting for a friend attempting to grow it from cell tissue cultures. Shoots and roots do well in axenic culture, but transplantation to vermiculite fails every time. Any information or suggestions would be helpful. Thanks in advance. Gary Boden University of Rhode Island


text:
For winning in American Samoa, do you suppose that Romney, known to hum a few bars on the campaign trail, will start humming "I'd like to wash that man right out of my hair'?
He couldn't rinse out Rick Santorum or Newt Gingrich on Tuesday.
Check out my post on Mitt Romney's Southern victory at http://www.aaldef.org/blog


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Sushi Earbuds, Monchhichis and Hello Kitty Snacks: Tokyo's Craziest Souvenirs
How good is your souvenir game? If you only bring back T-shirts and snow globes, then get prepared to be amazed. Tokyo is known for its crazy fashions and unique style, and the wacky souvenirs you can find in this city might make your friends back home raise an eyebrow. So without further ado, here are 10 crazy souvenirs you might end up keeping for yourself.


text:
Click below to view the edition of ASU's AMuseum electronic newsletter and learn about exhibits, activities, and events at the museum. Some of the topics covered are:
- New Art Initiative Between Phoenix and Guadalajra
- New and Ongoing Exhibits
- Events and More.
ASU Museum Newsletter (PDF)
The Peak Welcomes Your Comment
The Peak invites you to share your thoughts about this article by using the "Submit a Comment" box at the bottom of this page. All comments are reviewed based on The Peak's Comment Policy prior to publishing.
GPPA Membership Make a Donation to GPPA Peak Advertizements & Advertorials


text:
The self-appointed documenters of African exploitation received a measure of opprobrium this week, as CBS News points out in its report on the questionable viral video campaign of the non-profit Invisible Children.
Invisible Children has been criticized for spending more of their resources on advocacy and filmmaking rather than on-the-ground humanitarian work. And they've also been accused of grossly mis-representing the politics and context surrounding indicted Ugandan war criminal, Joseph Kony, who remains on the loose despite decades of his murderous assault on civilians, especially children.
"One consequence, whether it's [Invisible Children] or Save Darfur, is a lot of dangerously ill-prepared young people embarking on missions to save the children of this or that war zone," Chris Blattman, professor of political science and economics at Yale University, told CBS. "At best it's hubris and egocentric. More often, though, it leads to bad programs, misallocated resources, or ill-conceived military adventures."
Blattman, one of the most perceptive commentators on African affairs and on the contradictions of aid projects in the region, is highlighting a problem that I've longed complained about: the tendency to Americans and Europeans to hijack African problems for their own purposes. The case of Jospeh Kony seems to have attracted some of the worse examples of this general tendency, with its stark and often-inaccurate depictions of Kony, his Lords Resistance Army and the conditions of northern Uganda.
Many of the stories of the LRA are simply fabricated, and there is no discussion of the geopolitical rationale for Sudan's support for Kony and the LRA — or why Museveni and the US tolerated his activities for so long. These documentaries are also profoundly ignorant of ethnic issues. The film-makers, invariably white and professed altruist, present a story that goes like this: black people woke up one day and started killing each other for no reason. the men also mistreated horribly their women and children, again for no reason.
When the US government kills wome and children in Afghanistan, as its forces surely have done, we are told that these actions are regretable mistakes; and the very white altruistic do-gooders who complain about Kony and African brutality say nothing.
In fact, the Acholi people of northern Uganda have very specific grievances against the Ugandan government and even the highest leaders of the Acholi, such as Norbert Mao, an elected member of the Ugandan government, view the LRA as an expression of Acholi grievance. To be sure, Mao disapproves of Kony and his methods, he deplores the mistreatment of children and he wishes the Acholi could only peacefully express their dissent.
But your documentary and the many others like it never speak to Maoi or understand the conflict in ethnic terms. These film-makers are part of industry that gets monetary rewards for re-packaging lies and half-truths for the sole purpose of presenting Africans as half-human, diminished victims of their own people.
My wife Chizo, in these situations, would ask, why are foreigners so eager to document our failures when they have so little interest in African successes. Some insight into this pathology can be found in my own lengthy examination of the persistent tropes, or meta-narratives, that explain how Westerners become committed to denigrating, diminishing and dismissing Africans — without even realizing they are doing.
In brief, in reviewing the various "meta-narratives," or tropes, in storytelling by non-Africans about Africa, I first identify these tropes and then argue that they grip the minds of outsiders so fiercely as to prevent them from actually seeing Africa and its people in their terms (whatever that might be) and instead see Africans as a "prop," or backdrop against which to play out their own issues. Problematic and perverse meta-narratives are, in my view, the challenging intellectual issue facing Western thinkers on Africa.
These tropes can and should be contested — and the flap over the actions of Invisible Children should promote more critical perspectives on how African conflicts are depicted and why.


text:
FlexStream™ Gas Standards Generator
Product Announcement from Kin-Tek Laboratories Inc.
The FlexStream™ gas standards generator provides:
• Permeation tube oven with wide temperature range controlled to 0.01 °C
• High-accuracy primary dilution mass flow rate
• Front panel color touch-screen human interface
• Automation of all calculations; key in the target concentration and the FlexStream sets the flow rate
• Single-oven module can create mixtures with up to 8 components
• External computer monitoring and control.
The FlexStream™ is ideally suited for creating trace concentration - ppm, ppb, and pptr - mixtures. The FlexStream uses KIN-TEK Trace Source™ disposable, refillable and diffusion permeation tubes for over 500 chemicals.
The FlexStream is composed of one or more of the following modules, depending on application requirements:
- FlexStream Base module: The "Base" module is required in every FlexStream system. This module provides (a) front panel color touchscreen, (b) permeation tube oven, (c) primary dilution mass flow rate and (d) Ethernet and serial RS-232 connectivity to an external computer.
- FlexStream Auxiliary Permeation Oven Module (PM): Additional permeation tube ovens allow generation of a multi-component gas stream for cases in which (a) the tubes must be maintained at different temperatures, (b) differing permeation technologies (disposable tubes vs. refillable tubes) are required, (c) more components are needed than can be held in a single oven, or (d) for applications in which various components will be switched in and out of the gas stream. Up to 5 PM oven modules can be added wherein each oven can hold up to eight disposable permeation tubes or one factory-refillable tube. An added benefit is that any combination of ovens can be kept on standby to keep various tubes at temperature while not adding their emission to the output gas stream.
- FlexStream Gas Feed Permeation Oven Module (GF): Most applications can use liquid-filled permeation tubes. However, some compounds (e.g., NO, CO, O2, etc.) have very high vapor pressures and require a special mechanism to achieve desired concentration levels. The Gas Feed Module contains the same oven as an auxiliary Permeation Oven Module (PM) but with additional controls that allow the customer to refill a "customer-refillable" gas-fed permeation tube and to set the operating pressure of the tube. These are special tubes, typically made of stainless steel. Prior to shipment, KIN-TEK determines the tube membrane's certified emission rate for one or more components. In use, the customer typically supplies component gas from a cylinder to initially fill the tube and to periodically recharge it.
- FlexStream Secondary Dilution module (SD): The SD module extends the range of concentration attained from permeation tubes by providing an additional stage of dilution of the gas stream. Very low concentrations - ppb or ppt - can be generated depending on the emission rate of the tubes and the flow rate range of the primary and secondary dilution mass flow controllers. Overall dilution ratios of 10,000:1 can be achieved.
- FlexStream Interface Module (IM): The Interface Module contains gas stream interfacing components needed to assure constant gas stream output conditions independent of variations in flow and pressure. The Interface Module is ideal for applications where flow capacity of end use is limited (e.g., filling of gas bags), or when back pressure is required to introduce the output gas stream sample to the device under test. Controls are provided on the front panel for adjusting the output pressure.
- FlexStream Modular Gas Standards Generator: The FlexStream Base module and any additional modules can be packaged in stand-alone carrying cases or packaged in one or two 3-module expansion cases as shown (unused module slots in the expansion case are filled with blank panels). The modules are electronically connected to each other by a short cable on the rear panel.
|More Info


text:
I was disappointed to hear about the cancellation of the ghost walk in Douglas this year. As parents of preschoolers who live in Douglas, we were really looking forward to going to the ghost walk and of course I've told all of my friends who also have preschoolers to go to the ghost walk this year. I was hoping that maybe they might be interested in reconsidering. In Douglas there's really no other place to go since they also don't trick-or-treat in Douglas. I hope Jerry will reconsider and let us folks in Douglas have a place to go with our preschoolers.
Liz White
Ms. Joy, there's truth amid your rhetoric. But unfortunately by your vehemence you isolate yourself and become essentially irrelevant. Mr. House, if Ms. Joy prefers Managua to Kabul, that's fine. Buy her the ticket, bucko.
Philip Stewart
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