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Death Valley Grand Loop Part I
October 2009
I hope that you find my account of this adventure interesting and educational, and that I inspire you to visit these or similar places. My love for the desert and primitive camping is deep and I like few things as much as hanging out with good people in the middle of a stunning natural environment.
During this trip everyone took tons of photos; counting all of us, we logged over 1500 individual shots. Of those posted here, about half are mine, half are Arlos, with Graham and Agnieszka contributing a few here and there. In addition, Arlo took most and processed all of the extra wide panoramas. A big thank you to everyone for sharing their efforts. We used the following cameras: Canon G10, Canon S70, and a Samsung S730. As always, you can see a larger version any picture just by clicking on it.
Trip Preparation
I send a first email to Graham on June 5th 2009, four and a half months before we actually leave. Here's a snippet:
"Are you cool with Death Valley? Arlo and I went to the north part in 2001 and drove up the back side of the Cerro Gordo silver mine, then north along the Inyo Crest. Mazourka Canyon also climbs up into the Inyo Range, perhaps offering some challenging 4x4ing. Saline Valley is very beautiful and offers another 4x4 route over to Eureka Valley and its nice dune field. And there's also Racetrack Playa, home of the sliding rocks."
I am hopeful that I can convince him to take 10 days off from work and spend it jeeping around with me in the desert. I am pretty sure Arlo will be game and know from past experience that he'll make an excellent traveling companion. After a gazillion more emails and phone calls we agree on dates, the itinerary, and the food. Graham's sweetie, Agnieszka, decides to come as well.
When planning a venture with as many moving parts as this one, I keep my head on straight with lists: one for gear, one for food, one for the Jeep, one for tasks, and one to keep track of all the lists. Once everything's crossed off, it's time to go!
The gear list. (Yes, I do bring a pillow!)
Arlo drives down from Mendocino the afternoon before our departure and we spend a few hours with last minute gear sorting and food packing. Even though I am anxious to get started, I sleep well that night.
Santa Rosa to Bishop
We get up early and are on the road by 8am. After driving east to Sacramento, we head up into the Sierra on Hwy 50 and pass over Echo Summit. The tail end of an early storm is still moving through and our drive is blessed with views of snow-capped peaks and scudding clouds.
We stop at the Lake Tahoe overlook and enjoy this view.
After reaching the bottom of Echo Pass, we head to Gardnerville and Hwy 395 and from there to Bishop.
Hwy 88, just west of Gardnerville; winter is coming.
View south over Mono Lake from the Conway Summit overlook; Boundary Peak (13,140') in the background above and just to the left of David.
Arlo shoots this nice panorama of Mono Lake.
After 365 miles and a long day of driving, we pull into Pleasant Valley Campground, a few miles north of Bishop. Pretty basic and not terribly scenic, this campground is situated right on the Owens River, which gurgles softly nearby. The LA Dept of Power controls the entirety of the Owens River and this is one of the places where part of the river is allowed to flow in its natural channel. Mostly it is managed into aqueducts and pipes for its long journey to thirsty LA.
At dusk we are visited by a family of raccoons. I elect to sleep in the tent - I am not sure I want them sniffing and clutching (they have those little hands!) around me as I sleep. I awake at one point in the night to hear them climbing on the picnic table.
Our first camp on the Owens River; the river is hidden by the mass of greenery behind the site.
Bishop to Lone Pine and the Alabama Hills
After a good sleep, we arise early, eat our oatmeal, and pack the Jeep. Packing is an evolving process, hopefully improving each time everything is crammed inside. The stackable Roughneck tubs are a great help and keep miscellaneous items from rattling around and getting lost. Arlo's technique is to place the sleeping bags on the coolers, providing extra insulation and making the ice last a good deal longer. Our challenge is to pack up with enough room on top so that the driver can see over the pile in the rear view mirror.
Arlo and Jeep, packed up and ready to hit the road.
Graham and Agnieszka are leaving Atascadero today, joining up with us later in the afternoon. We head south on Hwy 395, the view dominated by the eastern escarpment of the Sierra, fresh snow from the recent storm adding to the grandeur.
Hwy 395 to Lone Pine, Sierra peaks on the right.
Upon our arrival at Lone Pine, we check in Portagee Joe Campground, our pre-arranged meeting spot with Graham and Agnieszka. We secure a good site and make a few calls; Arlo to Ann and I to Brenda. Then we call Graham. The recent storm brought rain and high winds to his town of Atascadero and his departure has been delayed due to emergency roof repairs. We reach them on the road and are stoked that we'll see them tonight.
David calls Brenda; Mt. Whitney in the background.
After our calls, we head out to the Alabama Hills, an area of desert granite west of Lone Pine. Since the 1920s the Alabama Hills have been used for Hollywood B-movie westerns and TV shows, a much-storied past chronicled in several local saloons. Classics such as How the West Was Won and The Lone Ranger were filmed here and it's not hard to see why: easy access to beautiful scenery, all in a dramatic setting. After a lunch of salami and cheese sandwiches, we take a short hike through the granite outcrops.
David and Arlo, Alabama Hills and Sierra Crest in the background.
Alabama Hills granite, Sierra Crest in the background.
Graham and Agnieszka Arrive At Portagee Joe Campground
After our hike, we retreat to Portagee Joe Campground to relax and wait for Graham and Agnieszka. We have the entire campground to ourselves and enjoy our shady spot.
That sure is a comfy looking Thermarest pad Arlo's got there!
Graham and Agnieszka arrive, my but that's a big Land Rover!
Graham purchased his 1997 Discovery Land Rover at the auto auction for $2500 - a total steal. Being the jeep-geek that he is, he promptly modified the heck out of it, installing many upgraded components, including HUMONGOUS 35 inch tires. A very photogenic ride you've got there sir!
A boy and his Land Rover.
David and Agnieszka prepare salads for our first dinner as a group.
I do my best to bring fresh food while on the road; you can click here to see my menu. Folks who bring only packaged, processed food are missing out as it is easy to eat well while camping. I have a portable, well equipped kitchen and enjoy camp cooking immensely.
Good whiskey, now that's something Graham can brag about!
While making dinner, three vans pull into the campground and disgorge about 25 folks. In just a few minutes they erect a small tent city and set about preparing their dinner. Graham pays a them cordial visit and learns that they are geology students from San Jose State. They camp at the other end of the campground and prove to be excellent (and quiet) neighbors.
After dinner Graham gets out his telescope and we look at Jupiter and four of its moons. Arlo points out a few other interesting items, including the Andromeda Galaxy and a couple of star clusters. The night is still and clear, and the stargazing is excellent. Given the early October sunsets, we spend a lot of time looking up during our evenings. Arlo impresses everyone with his knowledge of the heavens, and shows us something new each night.
The last time Arlo and Graham saw each other was at my wedding in 2002. We talk well into the night, catching up and sharing stories. For those who don't know, the three of us are old school chums, and between us share elementary, secondary, and college schooling.
Ascending The Swansea Grade
We arise before dawn and watch the morning light spill down the Sierra, Mt. Whitney pressing lightly against the sky. This is the official start of the trip and we're eager to hit the road. The San Jose State students are well organized and hit the road while we're still eating our granola. Given what I remember of Geology field trips at UCSC, this group's ability to move quickly is impressive.
David, Graham, and Arlo and early morning sun on the Sierra.
After a quick stop in Lone Pine, we head to the ghost town of Swansea where, in 1870, ore was processed from nearby mines, including Cerro Gordo. This ore was ferried across Owens Lake and ultimately shipped to Swansea, Wales (yes, in Great Brittan) for final refining. Unfortunately the massive Lone Pine Earthquake (1872) leveled Swansea. This quake was one of the largest to hit California in recorded history and is thought have measured near 8.0 on the Richter Scale. To add a final nail in Swansea's coffin, the quake generated a giant tidal wave on Owens Lake, which washed away what little was left of of the town. Today old Swansea is invisible, consisting only of indistinct ruins and an historic highway marker. We find our road and head on up to the Inyo Crest.
The Swansea Cerro Gordo Road is 4X4 only. Fine with us!
Arlo and David ready the Jeep for the tough terrain ahead; Arlo lowers tire pressure while David disconnects the front sway bar for better articulation (axle flexing).
Four miles up the grade, we come to the first challenging section of the trip: about 1500 feet of rock steps, tight turns, and steep climbs. Both vehicles traverse the terrain with ease. It's somewhat of an anticlimax, since many blog and guidebook writers had described this section as very challenging. In fact the Jeep performs exceptionally well for the entire trip, never stumbling on even the roughest terrain.
Graham's Land Rover on the first rough section, the 35 inch tires making short work of this challenge; David shots some video.
David's Cherokee on the same section.
Land Rover Power!!
Graham and David stop and enjoy the view of the Sierra Crest.
The Swansea Grade continues upwards and after another hour or so we reach the top of the Inyo Crest. Our elevation is now about 9200 feet and cool breezes have replaced the hot, still air of the Owens Valley almost 6000 feet below. We're at the Burgess Mine, site of a minor gold rush in 1908. The mine works are spread out along many branching jeep roads, most of which are now closed to vehicles. The road extends a few miles to the north, where more prospects and ruins can be found. Instead we head south to the Saline Valley Salt Tram. The day is clear and the views extend for a hundred miles.
Graham and Arlo look down into Saline Valley, home of the Saline Valley Hot Springs and Chicken Strip, a rough back-country airstrip.
The Saline Valley Salt Tram
Before checking out the Salt Tram, we claim the "super nice" campsite for ourselves. Though primitive, there are a few rough tables built into the junipers and the view of the Sierra is stupendous. Arlo and I camped here on our 2001 trip; the return kindles fond memories.
We sit a spell after lunch, digesting before visiting the Salt Tram.
The Saline Valley Salt Tram was constructed between 1911 and 1913 and operated until 1933. At the time, this electrically powered ariel tramway was the highest of its kind in the world. The 13 mile conveyance was composed of 39 large towers and 123 smaller towers, with five separately powered sections. When in operation the tramway carried almost three hundred 750 lbs buckets, transporting 20 tons of salt an hour. And what a journey that salt took - from an elevation of 1020 feet at the salt mine in Saline Valley, up to 8720 feet here at the Inyo Crest, and back down to 3635 feet in the Owens Valley, where it was refined and transported to market by railroad. Unfortunately, tramway was never profitable, even though four different owners gave it a go. I want a ride in one of those buckets!
Much of the tramway's rough-hewn and durable construction has survived 75 years of wind, rain, snow, heat, and dry desert air. The summit station transports me back to a time when everything was rougher and larger; when tough men got things done with their hands and old fashioned know-how.
The Salt Tram summit station from the north side, Saline Valley is down to the left.
Inside the summit station - I imagine salt buckets cresting through here on their way to Owens Valley.
Summit station detail - the timbers are rough, oversized, durable.
After a hour or so at the summit station, we return to camp and relax for the remainder of the afternoon. Actually, Graham pops up the hood on his Land Rover and fixes a small problem with the adjustable shock mount kit he installed before the trip. While it never breaks down, the Land Rover continues to teethe for the rest of the trip. Fortunately Graham is the uber mechanic and easily up to the task.
After a yummy dinner of spicy chicken drumsticks, rice, and lentil soup (thanks to Agnieszka!) we spend a couple hours chatting, gradually getting colder and colder as the night sets in at almost 9000 feet. We decide to have a hot cup of ... wait, there's no tea? No hot chocolate? What kind of trip is this? We end up drinking cups of hot water, which, actually, is pretty satisfying and gets us through another hour of stargazing, chatting, and reminiscing. I sleep outside again and enjoy the steady stream of stars pin wheeling over my head.
Along the Inyo Crest to Cerro Gordo
The next day, I rise before dawn and brew my morning pot of espresso. I cherish this early time to myself and watch the Sierra greet the day.
David enjoys the dawn.
After breakfast, we pack up and head south along the Inyo Crest. While I'd originally planned to spend two nights here, we decide to move along to Cerro Gordo and points south. Looking back, I realize that a second day would have be justifiable. I guess I'll just have to come back - care to join me?
Looking back at the Salt Tram from the south, the tender's cabin is on the left, New York Butte (10,663') in the background.
Graham and Agnieszka.
Driving south along the Inyo Crest is like balancing on a knife edge. To the left the terrain falls away into Saline Valley, at times more than 8000 feet below. To the right, Owens Valley is 5500 feet below. The views extend for 100 miles and the air is clear, crisp, and invigorating. The road descends steep side canyons, only to climb back out and perch precariously on the steep side of the crest, threatening to tip the Jeep over the edge. The descent into Boiler Canyon is steep and I feel like I'm literally standing upright on the brake pedal. In other words - FUN!
Driving along the Inyo Crest, Pleasant Mountain (9,690') in the background on the left.
A "tippy" section of narrow shelf road after Boiler Canyon - notice that how it tips the Jeep to the right? Arlo has to fight the urge to lean into the center of the Jeep.
Looking down into the Owens Valley.
Graham on another tippy section.
The Land Rover is somewhat bouncy on new springs, making the tippy sections more exhilarating. Graham is an old hand at this and I doubt he is nervous for even a second. After a few more miles, we come to the Cerro Gordo Mine.
Our first view of the Cerro Gordo Mine and ghost town.
Cerro Gordo is one of the most productive mines of the region, with silver, lead, and zinc among the minerals extracted from over 50 miles of tunnels and shafts. Between 1868 and 1875 alone about $13,000,000 in silver was mined; Cerro Gordo is the largest silver mine in California history. During these boom years, silver-lead bullion bricks were smelted quicker than they could be shipped down the mountain, and lay around in stacks like so much cord wood. Mining activity at Cerro Gordo helped birth the towns of Swansea and Keeler, and continued until 1957.
Upon entering the town, we are approached and offered a tour for $10 each. We elect to continue on down the mountain get started on the second leg of the journey. In retrospect, I think I would've enjoyed taking more time here as well. The tour would have been interesting and I'd have some pictures of Cerro Gordo to share. A few can be found here.
We pull over to discuss our options.
Cerro Gordo plaque.
As we descend Yellow Grade to Keeler, several mines appear close by the road. Graham, with infectious enthusiasm, stops to explore one of the horizontal shafts. It goes back at least 100 feet before we turn around and head back to daylight.
With relish, Graham gets ready to go inside a mine.
After the mine we pull off the road for a quick lunch, then head on down to Keeler and rejoin Hwy 136, just a few miles south of where we left it at Swansea. We turn south and drive to Olancha, where gas, ice and the beginning of Leg II await us.
Descending Yellow Grade, Graham in the distance, the Sierra beyond.
Part II: Lee Flat to the Lost Burro Mine
Continue to the next chapter by clicking here.
Arlo's pictures of our 2001 trip to this area can be found here:
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Tag Archives: Kip
In His Words: Kip's First Interview
Those of you who have been frequent visitors to I HAVE CAT over the years know my cats don't write. They don't post, they don't give quotes and they most certainly do not give interviews. Until today. When contacted by the … Continue reading
Posted in Cats Tagged interview, Kip, my cats 18 Comments

subset: commoncrawl


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+ Talman offers 'not guilty' plea in Donna Chen case
A public defender representing the man charged in connection with the Jan. 7 death of a Siesta runner entered a "not guilty" plea for him during his arraignment Feb. 3, according to the State Attorney's Office.
Blake C. Talman, 22, of Bradenton, remained in Sarasota County Jail early this week under total bond of $118,000. He is charged with vehicular homicide and multiple DUI offenses related to his striking Donna Chen, 53, as she was running along Midnight Pass Road. Chen died at the scene.
Talman has been in jail since the day of the incident.
Assistant State Attorney Amanda Gambert told the Pelican Press Monday that Talman's next court appearance is set for 9 a.m. Feb. 29, in the 12th Judicial Circuit Court in Sarasota. At that time, Gambert said, a trial date might be set.
Gambert added that the state was beginning its discovery process in the case.
Attorney Patricia Edwards, a public defender, is representing Talman.
+ Comp plan amendment workshop focuss on retail
Sarasota County Planning Services will hold a workshop from 6 to 8 p.m. Feb. 21, to accept public comments on the possibility of the county's allowing up to 15,000 square feet of free-standing commercial uses before requiring special exception approval, within major employment center areas containing industrial light manufacturing and warehousing (ILW) zoning.
The workshop will be held at Colonial Oaks Park, Room A, 5300 Colonial Oaks Blvd., Sarasota.
The proposed Sarasota County Comprehensive Plan amendment would allow the redevelopment of existing ILW-zoned properties within major employment centers, including more retail opportunities, without turning the centers into commercial centers, according to Planning Services staff. The workshop will focus on where the potential, additional retail uses in these major employment centers could be located.
Public comments will help staff refine options for the Sarasota County Planning Commission's review and recommendation at a meeting tentatively scheduled for April 5.
Additional information is available online at the Sarasota County website, www.scgov.net, keyword search "Planning Services."
+ County offers property owners notification system
Sarasota County is encouraging property owners, both year-round and seasonal, to sign up for the free CodeRED alert notification system.
CodeRED provides alerts to property owners regarding issues in their neighborhoods, including water/sewer service interruptions, road closures, Amber Alerts and evacuations, according to a county news release.
The system issues an automated call to alert registered property owners and occupants in the event of an incident that could impact their daily activities.
"The CodeRED system is a valuable communications tool that allows us to keep property owners and renters informed about events in their neighborhood," said Paula Parsons Grubb of Sarasota County Environmental Utilities.
To sign up for the CodeRED system, visit www.scgov.net and select the CodeRED system button on the front page. Registration is free, and Sarasota County does not share the information with private third-party vendors
For more, visit www.scgov.net.
Meetings & agendas
• Community Alliance Developmental Disabilities Committee — 1 p.m. Feb. 14, Health and Human Services Department, Room 226, 2200 Ringling Blvd., Sarasota.
• Tourist Development Council — 4 p.m. Feb. 16, R.L. Anderson Center, Commission Chambers, 4000 S. Tamiami Trail, Venice.
• Sarasota County Planning Commission — 6:30 p.m. Feb. 16, R.L. Anderson Center, Commission Chambers, 4000 S. Tamiami Trail, Venice.


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Rural carriers in three districts now have easy and convenient access to automated job bidding.
As of June 18, rural carriers in the Northland (Minnesota and Wisconsin), Central Illinois and Tennessee districts must use automated bidding. The online process will be extended to all rural carriers by the end of fiscal year 2010.
Rural carriers in these districts now have the same access to automated bidding as clerks, letter carriers and mail handlers. Access options include eJob bidding located at LiteBlue; H.R. kiosks and Web-bidding computers; or through phone bidding interactive voice response at 877–477–3273, option 2 (TDD/TTY at 800–865–7208).
To bid, rural carriers need to know their employee identification number (EIN), postal PIN and their preference of positions. No PIN? No problem. Go to LiteBlue's Log In page, click on "Forget Your PIN?" Then, enter your EIN and request a new one.


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Denver Post sports writer Mike Klis posts his Broncos Mailbag on Tuesdays during the NFL season.
Pose a Broncos- or NFL-related question for the Broncos Mailbag.
Mailbaggers… True story. My best friend in the world, Bouch, is part-owner of Yesterday's Bar & Grill in Clifton, N.J. The Patriots-Jets game ended Sunday a tad early, so CBS switched to the Broncos-Chargers game.
Bouch is tending bar. He said there are about 20 people in the place.
"Everyone in the bar starts going crazy for Tebow," Bouch said.
He surmises it's because Tebow is so different.
"That last play of the game was unreal," Bouch said. "Everybody's yelling, screaming. Can you imagine if he completed that pass? Even after it was incomplete, the place went berserk."
Bouch is a Yankees fan first. He likes the New York football Giants, OK.
"But I'll tell ya, everyone here was a Broncos fan," he said. "All because of Tebow. I'll tell ya, whatever 'it' is, he's got it."
See there, Broncos fans. The team no longer belongs to just you. Tebow has made the Broncos a national brand. On with the mailbag…
Mike, obviously Tim Tebow needs to work on getting comfortable under center, but once that happens, the passing game should be summed up with one play: PLAY-ACTION BOOTLEG. Feel free to suggest this to Mr. Fox as it appears he has not heard of this perfect play for Tebow.
—Brandon, Farmington, N.M.
It may be perfect if Tebow, a left-handed thrower, rolls to his left. But it may be a while before Tebow perfects the throw while rolling to his right. Even though he's a terrific athlete, Tebow is not yet wired with the type of flexibility to throw on the run to his right. Which is no crime. Peyton Manning can't throw on the run to the right or left and he turned out all right.
But you're right, Brandon, the play-action rollout to the left does make sense for Tebow, especially in red zone, short yardage and goal-to-go situations. The dual threat, run-throw option is the strength of Tebow's game.
For Tebow to properly execute the play-action rollout, though, he has to first execute the exchange of the snap from center J.D. Walton.
Tim Tebow will start at Miami. The question is, will his leash be short or long? Will John Fox give him time to work out the bugs or is it win now?
—Steve Green, Bend, Oregon
Tebow's leash will extend from Miami to Denver and on back to Yesterday's Bar & Grill. Barring a bump or sprain, he'll be the Broncos' quarterback till season's end.
How good do you think Andrew Luck would be in the NFL? Is this a franchise quarterback we are looking at?
—Jason, Arlington, Texas
You heard it hear first: Luck has a chance. I still don't get why he returned to Stanford instead of declaring himself eligible for the NFL Draft earlier this year. Why do you go to college? To get a decent job some day. Hopefully a job you like that pays well.
And don't start with the value of an education. You don't learn about the ways of the world until you're through with your education. (This public service announcement is brought to you by the Unknown Comics, name of all my Murray State intramural teams and led by a future Yesterday's barkeep.)
Luck is the real deal as a quarterback, in some part because of the pro-style offense he runs at Stanford. He would have been the No. 1 pick in the draft last year – ahead of Cam Newton, who went No. 1 to Carolina.
To me, Luck returning to Stanford was the equivalent of Triple-A ballplayer who just hit .420 with 40 homers refusing a promotion to the big leagues. He's playing in the wrong league.
Who calls the offensive plays for our beloved Broncos these days?
—D. Johnson, Des Moines, Iowa
That would be Mike McCoy, the Broncos' offensive coordinator. He held that title under Josh McDaniels, too, but it wasn't until McDaniels was fired with four games remaining last season that McCoy took control of the play calling.
McCoy had success in the final three games last season calling plays for Tebow, so it should help the young quarterback ease into the starting role for the final 11 games.
Pass interference on the last play! Did you see it? No. 33 for the Chargers pushes Matt Willis out of the end zone during the final pass.
—Dave Buchanan, Highlands Ranch
Ordinarily, all's fair on the Hail Mary pass to the end zone. There's almost always pass interference on both sides and it's almost never called. The infraction against Matt Willis was more blatant than usual, though.
The league will look at it, but objectively speaking, a pass interference penalty on the last play of the game – which would have given the Broncos one more shot from the 1 yard line – is a difficult way to decide a game.
Mike: A quick question on Peyton Hillis. I am reading rumors that his negotiations with the Browns are not going well and that he is expected to request a trade before the October 18 deadline. After all, the guy is making only $600,000 annually, especially after putting up 1,177 yards last season. What are the chances the Broncos might get him back?
—Kirill Shepelenko, Decatur, Ala.
While you never say never, I would say it's unlikely the Broncos bring Hillis back. First, Hillis' agent Kennard McGuire has a way of getting contract extensions for his clients either with the current team, or through trade of his client's choice.
Brandon Marshall didn't get his contract in Denver but he did after McGuire facilitated his trade to Miami. I'd be surprised if Hillis wanted to come back to Denver, and I'd be surprised if the Broncos would take him back, if only because he is so popular here.
Tebow's popularity is wearing enough on a team. They don't need to double their trouble with an outspoken fan base.
Besides, running backs aren't the commodity they used to be, Kirill. Good ones come out of college every year. And good ones are wasted every year in this pass-heavy league.
With Chad Henne out for the season, any chance talks start up again to trade Kyle Orton to Miami?
—Brian, Hamilton, Mont.
I don't think Miami would go there again. I'm not sure Orton would go there again. It's almost impossible for a quarterback other than Brett Favre to come in after Week 5 and ably run an offense by Week 9. And by then, the Dolphins might be 2-7 or worse. So why go with a veteran quarterback who just lost his job?
And I doubt Orton pushes for a trade given his family situation. He and his wife have a newborn daughter, their first child. Why pick up and move in mid-October when he can somewhat pick his city when he becomes a free agent in March?
It's going to be awkward, no doubt, for Orton and his teammates while he splits the scout team reps with Brady Quinn. Orton, from what I've been told, is brilliant in the film room. He could be a great quarterback's coach some day if he chooses to go that route. He'll be asked to now serve in the backup role of doing what he can to help the starter – in this case, Tebow – prepare for the next opponent. Awk-ward!
If a team calls about Orton between now and the Tuesday deadline, the Broncos will listen. But I'd be surprised if a team does call because even if no draft pick compensation is involved, Orton still has roughly $5.7 million to be paid on his salary this season.
Seems like over the past 35 years of watching the Broncos, I've heard announcers say "He's having a career day!" regarding opposing QBs, receivers, running backs, kickers, etc. Does a stat exist for which team has surrendered the most "career days"? Sadly, I think the Broncos may top that list.
—Chip Whitson, Spokane, Wash.
I'm sure there's a stat geek out there who has devised a "career day" formula. It's a little too vague for the monstrosity statisticians though. We do know that San Diego running back Ryan Mathews rushed for a career-best 125 yards Sunday against the Broncos, one week after Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers had a "career day" by becoming the first player in NFL history to pass for 400 yards and four touchdowns while rushing for two touchdowns.
But it seems to me, Chip, there's a new record set every week in the NFL, especially in the passing game. Unofficially, the Broncos have given up their fair share.
Mike Klis is in his seventh season covering the Broncos and the NFL for The Denver Post. Pose a Broncos- or NFL-related question for the Broncos Mailbag. Listen to Mike Klis on "Klis' Korner" regularly on 102.3 FM The Ticket.


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I recently came across a concern when converting Shape (.shp) to Adobe Illustrator (.eps).
The problem was converting the Shape point data into EPS - it was the first time I have encountered it as previously it has been linear features.
I was using the FME EPS writer which converted the Shape point symbols to a text. I wasn't confident about the location of the text in the EPS (justification, symbol, text size etc) and was in a hurry. So I went back to FME and created small polygon features from the points.
I will revisit this in FME and check the position of the text symbol in the EPS to know if it is accurate.
In the meantime I was wondering how people get GIS data into Illustrator:
- EPS writer in ArcGIS
- MaPublisher
and I'd be interested to hear any pros/cons for each especially methods using FME.


text: Cattech 0 Posted June 17, 2012 Think I ruined Father's Day for Dad, I took a four wheeler ride around the farm today and ended up breaking some bad news. Dad sprayed some left-over Accent Gold and Prowl in some areas, atrazine and oil in a few other areas, all on Liberty Ready corn, & things don't look good. Corn looks like a massive hail storm came through in all the lower ground. Ends of leaves appear shredded off, holes through the leaves closer to the stems, everything curled to the ground. Even worse - the grass is still green. Corn up on higher dry ground seems OK, so I don't think it was hail. Just wondering if conventional corn herbicides and the GMO corn can have adverse reactions. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites


text: Chip Salzenberg said:> According to Dr. Werner Fink:> > What's about mistakes? This interface is very easy and> > therefore it _is_ very dangerous, isn't it?> > I agree. Perhaps the device should require that writing take place> at an offset greater than zero ("dd oskip=1k"?), [...]i'm just a kernel neophyte here, but since we're talking about hacks(;-)... how about a sort of side-device that's used as a guard? this remindsme of the big paper-cutter machine i used in high school print shop --one had to press the left-button with the left hand and theright-button with the right hand, or the blade wouldn't come down. sothere could be a /dev/bios and /dev/biosguard, the latter of which hasto be open (for writing, of course) in order for a dangerous write tothe former. like this: fd1 = open("/dev/biosguard", O_WRONLY); fd2 = open("/dev/bios", O_WRONLY); write(fd2, newbioscode, newbioscodelen); close(fd2); close(fd1);i'm assuming the bios driver could know which process has opened/dev/bios and make sure that same process has also opened/dev/biosguard.obviously, this could work under /proc, too.john-To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe linux-kernel" inthe body of a message to email@example.com


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After years of talk, S.C. rail dispute to the courts
NORTH CHARLESTON — With a "Don't Tread on Me" flag flying in front of City Hall, North Charleston has sued the state of South Carolina in both state and federal court in its ongoing dispute over a rail yard to serve a new $525 million port terminal.
Still, top officials of the state and the city say they are hopeful something can be worked out before a prolonged and expensive court fight.
"I'm not confident it will happen, but I'm hopeful it will happen," Mayor Keith Summey said this week. "We are very supportive of industry and very supportive of growth. But what the state is asking is that one community pay the whole price tag of growth and we think that's inappropriate."
"I think most of the issues around this can be resolved," said Commerce Secretary Bobby Hitt. "The one fundamental disagreement we have is the location of the rail yard."
That's been the ongoing disagreement for several years as the State Ports Authority builds a new terminal at the old Charleston Navy Base.
During the 1990s, public opposition scuttled State Port Authority plans to build a $1.2 billion Global Gateway terminal on nearby Daniel Island.
State lawmakers then directed the authority to build a 300-acre terminal at the old Charleston Naval Base. There will be no direct rail link to the terminal.
The city has proposed an intermodal rail yard be build on a vacant industrial tract south of the old base where containers could be moved for loading on trains.
But the state says the best location is on land to the north of the terminal near an area North Charleston has been redeveloping. The state has condemned land owned by both North Charleston and Clemson University, which is building a wind turbine testing facility nearby.
With no resolution in sight, the flag went up and the court papers were served.
The lawsuit alleges the state's proposed location for the rail yard violates a memorandum of agreement signed almost a decade ago that port activity would remain on the south end of the base.
The state plan envisions building new track and having Norfolk Southern reach the terminal from the north end of the base while CSX, the other railroad serving the area, would have access from the south.
The city contends new rail lines with trains rumbling to the north would harm its urban renewal efforts of the past decade, making its multi-million waterfront park less desireable and affecting millions invested in neighborhoods nearby.
Trains, perhaps as long as a mile, could block roads leading to redeveloped areas, said Ray Anderson, a special assistant to Summey.
Hitt said the state's position is that the alternative site to the south of the old base does not grant equal access to both railroads and is closer to an existing CSX yard.
"It gives an operating advantage to one railroad over the other," he said. "The state of South Carolina can't be getting into the business of picking winners and losers. You can't be spending millions of dollars to create a facility that would give an advantage to one company over another company."
Anderson disagrees with the analysis and says the southern site can be accessible to both lines.
Summey said this week that, while in the past he had opposed all trains moving out the north end of the base, said one train a day "could be workable if they do the right thing for noise barriers and realign that rail line."
The mayor said "life is a compromise, we're willing to work with them."
But he said that putting a rail yard near the Clemson site could affect spin off businesses expected to locate there when the wind turbine project is operating.
"It would kill anything we are trying to do with the Clemson project — create up to 10,000 or 20,000 jobs over a 10-year period which is far more than is going to be created by a rail yard," he said.
Norfolk Southern spokesman Robin Chapman said he expected the terminal would mean one additional train a day to the one that now moves out the north end of the base.
CSX is willing to sit down and try to work out a solution, said railroad spokeswoman Carla Groleau.
"We look forward to a speedy resolution so that South Carolina can benefit from a more competitive port," she said.
Cathy Sams of Clemson said the university had no comment on the lawsuits.
Byron Miller of the State Ports Authority said the authority is fully complying with the memorandum of agreement from 2002.
"While the Ports Authority is not involved in either rail plan, we believe industries using rail would benefit from a dual-access, regional rail solution that enjoys the support of both railroads," he said.


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A tropical plant Sue
The land of rugby
There'll be a lot of hangovers tomorrow Geoff
Gardening Grandma wrote (see)
He's now trying to stay awake for the England/Wales match, but was working last night so will probably fail.
He's now trying to stay awake for the England/Wales match, but was working last night so will probably fail.
Would have been hard to sleep through that game GG
And we were singing hymns and arias
Land of my Fathers, ar hyd y nos
We done it Glyn !!!!!!!
Good advice artjack. Most people living in close proximity to our next door neighbour have had similar problems with him and our friendly police community support officer offered to arrange a mediation session for us. (Unfortunately we all agreed to this but he told the PCSO he couldn't bear to look at any of us!!!).
Glyn - it brought tears to my eyes
Afties all - raining here too Had a nice lie in - needed after Sue's party last night! Got some nice little plants in Morrisons - 2 camellias, a pieris, a ceanothus and a photinia (just because it was called Little Red Robin) and they were only £2 each Have got quite a nice stash of plants ready for my shady part of garden now. Need some nice weather to finish off clearing it so I can get on and plant them.
Hope everyone is feeling good today. Dove - love the sound of your Aunty B
Great party Sue and thanks girls for helping me home. See you tomorrow
Hit me with your rhythm stick


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The University of Canberra Brumbies have named an unchanged side to face the Hurricanes this weekend having come through last week's match in Auckland unscathed.
With just three competition games left, the Brumbies are working hard to maintain combinations and routine.
Head Coach Jake White said he was pleased to have the benefit of consistency in his selections and that it provided stability for the team moving into the twilight stages of the 2013 Super Rugby competition.
"I've said all along that by this time in the competition we want to be solidifying our combinations and selecting a similar team each week and I think that's clearly reflected in the side I've chosen to face the Hurricanes," White said.
"The Hurricanes are fairly typical of New Zealand teams with the exception perhaps of the Crusaders, in that they like to throw the ball around and have the ability to score long-range tries.
"They've selected a big pack, so our forwards are also going to have to be working hard to stop them getting a roll on. The Hurricanes are unpredictable and strong right across the pitch, so Friday night shapes as a tough assignment for our guys."
Wellington comes to Canberra on the back of a bye weekend and a close loss to the front-running Chiefs. The side should be well rested and desperate for a win to stay within finals contention.
Friday Night Footy returns to Canberra this weekend, with plenty of support expected to come through the gates at the end of a tough week of work across the ACT and its surrounding regions.
This is the 19th time the University of Canberra Brumbies have faced off against the Hurricanes, with the ACT-based side holding a narrow advantage over their rivals at 10 wins to eight. The last time the Brumbies took on the Hurricanes was in Wellington last year, with the visitors managing a 37-25 win.
Should the Brumbies seal another win on Friday it will extend the streak to three for the first time since 1997.
University of Canberra Brumbies
1. Scott Sio
2. Stephen Moore
3. Ben Alexander
4. Scott Fardy
5. Sam Carter
6. Peter Kimlin
7. Colby Faingaa
8. Ben Mowen (c)
9. Nic White
10. Matt Toomua
11. Joe Tomane
12. Christian Lealiifano
13. Tevita Kuridrani
14. Henry Speight
15. Jesse Mogg
16. Siliva Siliva
17. Ruan Smith
18. Fotu Auelua
19. Jordan Smiler
20. Ian Prior
21. Robbie Coleman
22. Clyde Rathbone


text:
EA's Mass Effect Trilogy compilation announcement is word of a PS3-exclusive bundle from Ubisoft. Assassin's Creed Ezio Trilogy will launch on November 14 for $39.99, bundling Assassin's Creed 2, Assassin's Creed Brotherhood and Assassin's Creed Revelations.
In addition to the stock games, Assassin's Creed Ezio Trilogy also tosses in all of the Assassin's Creed 2 DLC, which should mean the Bonfire of the Vanities and additional Templar lairs. We've inquired with Ubisoft to confirm the precise DLC inclusions, and will update accordingly.
Update: Ubisoft says the Assassin's Creed 2 DLC included is Bonfire of the Vanities and Battle of Forli.


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Symposium 2012
Scott Miller's Luncheon Address
03.23.2012 Posted In: Symposium 2012 By Jordan Magaziner
Charting Your Path to Clinical Excellence
After hearing from Scott Miller, a pioneer in integrating the science of expertise with the realities of clinical practice, in our recent webcast series on excellence and an issue on the same topic last year, I was really looking forward to seeing and hearing from him in person. His research on what makes a top performer—and how to apply these lessons to gain mastery in the field of psychotherapy—is so intriguing. But seeing him in person today was really a treat.
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Monday Morning Humor for 09/30/2013
Monday Morning Humor for 09/30/2013
In a recent New York Times column, David Brooks describes American culture as "mentally lazy." Overcoming that, he argues, requires a dose of what he calls "social paternalism" in public policy.
Is he right?
I thought about that yesterday, as I drank a can of pink grapefruit-flavored San Pellegrino while sitting in an old family friend's living room. The friend had just returned from swimming laps and wore Speedo jammers—knee-length, spandex-tight swim trunks, a jarring sight on an adult male. "Mary," he said. "Here's the problem with the media today: No one can just sit with someone they disagree with and listen to their point of view anymore." (Was I not listening to a man in Speedo jammers with all manner of civility?)
He continued, "America wants a media outlet that will provide civil disagreement; she just doesn't know it yet."
He presented, in effect, an interesting anomaly. Conflict around an idea creates buzz. Yet, bombast causes sources to lose credibility with media consumers. "News" coverage and opinion pieces dwell in a Catch-22: The ridiculous get attention while the substantive get lost in the fray—and then the ridiculous get dismissed anyway. Subsequently, the public, though engaged in a whirlwind of dramatic press, tunes out.
Where I differ with AMiJ (Adult Male in Jammers) is on what it is the public wants. Why search for an even-keeled news sources when loud commentary and feuding pundits attract so many eyeballs? A talk show where two or more parties calmly discuss current events without exaggeration would not do as well as the over-the-top pundits.
It's not just news. In the same thread, reality television gains traction. Trashy TV shows enter the cultural mainstream when we self-deprecatingly call, say, The Real Housewives a guilty pleasure. Yet, any time we watch or discuss such shows we encourage more of them being made. As much as Americans like to complain about the media, the ultimate responsibility for the media we consume lies not with newspaper or network executives, but with us.
So is David Brooks right that American culture is "mentally lazy"? Perhaps. But on whether that carries any implications for public policy, the answer is a firm, "No." Neither government nor AMiJ knows any better what "we" want. Brooks and others may find biased, bombastic, or dumbed-down media objectionable, but so what?
Click here for the full article:
The leader of the embattled National Security Agency doubled down Wednesday against calls from Capitol Hill to restrict U.S. government surveillance programs — a campaign he attributed to "sensationalized" reporting and "media leaks."
On the same day that key Senate lawmakers pledged to bring new oversight to the NSA, Gen. Keith Alexander mounted a public defense of his agency: He stressed the intelligence community isn't "listening to Americans' phone calls and reading their emails," and he urged technology and government leaders to help "get the facts out" and "get our nation to understand why we need these tools" in the wake of Edward Snowden's disclosures.
Speaking at a cybersecurity conference in Washington, Alexander also commended companies for cooperating with the federal government, and he made a plea for more power — particularly to thwart terrorists who have elevated their activities to cyberspace.
"Over 950 people were killed in Kenya, Syria, Iraq, Yemen and Afghanistan," Alexander said at the Billington CyberSecurity Summit, referencing recent violence in the region, "and we're discussing more esoteric things here. Why? Because we've stopped the terrorist attacks here."
"We've been fortunate, and it's not been luck," the general continued. "It's our military that's out [front], and it's our intelligence community back here. They can't do it without tools. So we're going to have a debate in this country: Do we give up those tools? I'm concerned we'll make the wrong decision."
Alexander gave the speech before attending a classified meeting with lawmakers on the Senate Judiciary Committee — whose chairman, Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), just this Tuesday called for sweeping changes to the NSA's surveillance powers.
Sens. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and other lawmakers later unveiled their own blueprint for surveillance reform. The package would reform the secret court that authorizes government surveillance requests while limiting the NSA's ability to collect U.S. phone call logs in bulk.
"It is designed to set a high bar and serve as a measure for true intelligence reform," Wyden said at a news conference, emphasizing the proposed legislation is "not cosmetic."
Alexander heads back to the Hill on Thursday to testify before the Senate Intelligence Committee, which is exploring the NSA's data collection and retention practices under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, or FISA. He'll return again next week for an open session with Leahy's panel.
Even against those strong political currents, however, Alexander fiercely defended the NSA's existing authorities.
The general repeatedly referenced Sept. 11, 2001, saying the intelligence community had learned from those attacks that it "had to connect the dots." Alexander pointed to the Boston tragedy and "the threats this summer" as he made the case for "speed and agility" in intelligence gathering. The NSA leader also rebuffed charges that his agency had siphoned up mounds of Americans' personal data. Pointing to Section 215, the provision in the PATRIOT Act under which the NSA has sought telephone call logs in bulk, Alexander emphasized: "There is no content, there [are] no names, just the numbers. That's it. That's all we asked for."
Alexander also appeared to defend tech companies like Google and Microsoft, both of which are actively are fighting the federal government to release more data about government surveillance requests. Speaking only generally about "industry," Alexander said companies aren't "driving up to the NSA" and "dumping" data. They're doing "what the courts are directing them to provide," Alexander said. "Our industry have taken a beating on this, and it's wrong."
Click below for the full article:
4. Track the effectiveness.
Speaking of the TSA leads directly into a final way of minimizing the excesses and wastefulness of a national surveillance state. Every policy and every agency needs to be reviewed for effectiveness over time. On its 10-year anniversary, the TSA was the subject of a withering report by Reps. John Mica (R-Fla.) and Paul Broun (R-Ga.), who noted that $56 billion invested in making flying safer after 9/11 had not increased safety by any appreciable measure.
At the same, TSA personnel increased by 400 percent while passenger volume had increased by less than 12 percent. More recently, in July, the GAO released a report documenting a 27 percent increase in TSA-employee misconduct between 2010 and 2012.
A variety of books over the past few years—including Moises Naim's new The End of Power and Matt Welch's and my The Declaration of Independents (2011)—document the way in which power and authority is leaching out of traditional centralized authorities such as governments, corporations, and churches. This result is a change in the relationship between state and citizen, producer and consumer, priest and congregant. What was once a far more hierarchical, top-down, and force-fed relationship is much flatter and more voluntary. Companies must do more than ever to placate their workers and customers, and even the Catholic Church can no longer issue doctrine without regard for the reaction of believers.
Governments, of course, maintain more power but even they rest ultimately upon the consent of the governed. At least since the attacks of September 11, 2001, our own government has used real and imaginary threats to engage in behavior that is not just increasingly being revealed to the public (thank you, Edward Snowden and other whistleblowers) but being reviled as noxious, misguided, and offensive to basic civil liberties and freedom. It's little wonder then, that the president's and Congress' approval ratings are so low. Would that they would recognize us as partners in the war on terror rather than as potential combatants. They might just make our world a bit safer and be able to get on with their jobs of actually governing.
Click below for the full article.
3. Target the bad guys.
Supporters of a massive, effectively unregulated surveillance state are constantly touting the benefits of dragnet-style reporting requirements and snooping. For instance, Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Mich.) have said repeatedly that NSA logging of phone call metadata and internet traffic were instrumental in the 2009 arrests of Najibullah Zazi, who plotted to blow up New York's subway system, and David Headley, who traveled to Mumbai to scope the Taj Mahal hotel for an attack. Yet it turns out that neither case provides any evidence for the efficacy of widespread surveillance programs.
Indeed, they point to the effectiveness of old-fashioned intelligence and police work, where authorities keep tabs on people and groups with well-known reputations for violence and terrorism (Zazi was picked up based on tips from British agents; as a former Drug Enforcment Adminstration informant (!), Headley was well-known to investigators).
Surveillance-state supporters are constantly invoking the "needle-in-the-haystack" metaphor, the idea being that finding terrorists requires patient sifting through huge mounds of extraneous material. It's odd then, isn't it, that the basic urge is always to increase the size of the haystack rather than decrease it. Consider how The PATRIOT Act vastly increased the number of "currency transaction reports" (CTRs) that banks needed to file with the federal government in the name of outing terrorist money flows. Originally created to help snag drug kingpins, some 12 million CTRs were being filed annually before 9/11—a number that was already overwhelming any ability to use the information effectively. Creating a bigger haystack isn't a smart way to find bad guys hidden within.
The same dynamic is at work in arguably the most-visible and least-popular excresence of the war on terror: the creation of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and the imposition of invasive and time-consuming procedures at the nation's airports. The threat of hijacked planes being used as missiles was effectively ended on the morning of 9/11 itself, when passengers charged hijackers on United Flt 93 and drove the plane into a Pennsylvania field. The barricading of cockpit doors shortly after 9/11 ended the possibility of a repeat of 9/11. Yet we continue to fund a massively expensive system to search all people boarding airplanes in a long-running exercise in "security theater" that accomplishes nothing.
Click below for the full article.
2. Legal authority is not optional.
Whether we're discussing the use of drones, metadata dragnets, or anything else that seems creepy at first mention, the real anxiety stems from a lack of a clearly articulated and defensible legal framework. As disconcerting as it was to learn of a secret presidential kill list, it was far worse to realize that there was essentially no controlling legal authority which bound Barack Obama's decisionmaking process. Similarly, recognizing that the NSA is not simply unwilling to follow the law but incapable of even understanding it is unacceptable.
No government—or branch of government—wants to have its decisions vetted by any sort of watchdog, but that's the only way to minimize errors and build confidence that national security operations are not ultimately creating a government within a government. We have reached the point where the courts originally set up by 1978's FISA (itself a product of an earlier era of massive violations of civil liberties), need a complete overhaul. If even sitting senators have trouble getting information about how and why the government is collecting information on citizens, something is wrong beyond repair.
The same is true for the foundational document in the War on Terror, which was passed by Congress on September 14, 2001 and grants vague and sweeping powers to the president of the United States. It reads, "The president is authorized to use all necessary and appropriate force against those nations, organizations, or persons he determines planned, authorized, committed, or aided the terrorist attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001, or harbored such organizations or persons, in order to prevent any future acts of international terrorism against the United States by such nations, organizations or persons." A dozen years after the 9/11 attacks, any such declaration needs to be scrapped, rewritten, and voted on—in the cold light of day, not a hot flash of panic.
What was once a far more hierarchical, top-down, and force-fed relationship is much flatter and more voluntary.
Click below for the full article.
Like hits for Katy Perry, the scandals for the National Security Agency just keep coming. In the wake of revelations that the NSA has been tracking virtually every phone call ever made and sifting through Internet data like a crazed prospector panning for gold at Sutter's Mill, there's yet more disturbing news with every passing day.
The latest is that between 2006 and 2009, Politico reports, the NSA lied about its activities to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court charged with authorizing its snooping. Worse still, this outcome is a toxic mix of spy-agency overreach and bureaucratic incompetence. "An internal inquiry into the misstatements also found that no one at the NSA understood how the entire call-tracking program worked," says Politico, which quotes an unnamed source who explains, "There was nobody at NSA who really had a full idea of how the program was operating at the time."
This is as outrageous as it is dispiriting (and predictable). But a dozen years after the 9/11 attacks ushered in the global war on terror, there's no reason that we should have to live in fear of our government's efforts to keep us safe and warm. Here are four basic principles that should inform what might be called a libertarian national security state. That is, one that helps to protects us without routinely transgressing constitutional guarantees to privacy, due process, freedom from illegal searches, and the right to be left alone.
1. Transparency uber alles.
One of the main reasons that Barack Obama's approval ratings are in the crapper is because of his epic failure to live up to his promise to run what he guaranteed would be the most transparent administration EVAH. That's especially true when it comes to national security issues. Even the most hardened anti-terror hawks have been shocked by revelations of widespread secret drone strikes, extra-judicial kill lists, a war on leakers and journalists, and ubiquitous snooping on Americans.
However disturbing it was to learn of massive surveillance of law-abiding citizens in violation of restrictions on the NSA, it was made even worse by blatant lies to the American public. When Director of National Intelligence James Clapper flat-out lied under oath to Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), there should have been immediate and visible consequences, both in terms of personnel and policy.
In an age of Wikileaks, Anonymous, Edward Snowden, and other ultimately unstoppable forces, transparency isn't just a buzzword, like green energy or farm-fresh. It's an eventuality and the first government that levels with its people about what it's actually up to will be far stronger and resilient than one that is constantly hiding its activities. We're grownups, for Christ's sake, and if some sort of restriction on our freedoms or oversight on our activities is actually defensible and necessary for a legitimate security purpose, we'll respond in a responsible way.
Every bullshit, after-the-fact rationalization drives a deeper wedge between citizens and government. White House press releases like the one issued on July 23 don't help. "In light of the recent unauthorized disclosures," it read, "the President has said that he welcomes a debate about how best to simultaneously safeguard both our national security and the privacy of our citizens." In such moments, Barack Obama moves beyond cynicism into the realm of pure insult.
Click below for the full article.
In this short article I will discuss the basic mechanics of the biggest financial crime in the history of the United States and some elements of how this crime, conducted by the Federal Reserve System, is cheating all Americans every day out of the wages which they receive for their labor. A future article will discuss how the savings which Americans are putting aside for their future are being slowly and steadily stolen by this same group. But there is first a even more important question to ask : While you have recently seen the media discuss the financial scandal regarding the Enron corporation why haven't you heard one word about what I am about to discuss which in size makes Enron look like a ant compared to Mount Everest?
From the beginnings of our nation there was a great debate and battle over many years regarding a basic question of how the nation will function : Who shall issue the money of the nation? The answer to the question of who shall issue ( make ) the money of the nation boiled down to 2 possibilities –
While a fuller understanding of the history of the battles over this issue can be found at the various forums and websites to which we will refer you to for greater information the quickest summation of the answer to the problem is that :
The summated result of this action is that the private corporation, unaccountable to the people of the nation, controls the nation as it controls the flow of money within the nation. As part of a mountain of evidence that the private corporation controls the nation I refer you now to the following website : http://www.algaoaktree.com/MoneyMenu.htm
You will be taken to a website which has the best explanation of the money situation that I know of and it is here where you will learn of the total corruption of the Federal Reserve System, the private corporation which currently controls the issuance of money within our nation.
Please take your time and read the many extremely well written articles at this site completely. After reading the articles on this site you may ask one of the questions which I did upon learning the truth of our monetary system : Even though the subject of money is a somewhat technical one, why isn't the information found on this site more well known to the citizens of our nation?
Click below for the full article.


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Kellogg (K) had its estimates and price target increased by BMO (BMO) due to improving North American sales trends. A $63 price target was issued with a market perform rating.
Shares are higher by about a quarter of a percent.
Cerner Corporation (CERN) had its numbers increased by Oppenheimer (OPY) due to increased bookings. An underperform rating was issued with a $54 price target.
Shares are higher by about 1.9 percent.


text:
Otford Station :: Shared Description
by N Chadwick
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Created: Thu, 9 Dec 2010, Updated: Thu, 3 Feb 2011
The 'Shared Description' text on this page is Copyright 2010 N Chadwick, however it is specifically licensed so that contributors can reuse it on their own images without restriction.


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Colleyville Caregiver Relief Volunteer
32.9244, -96.8365)
Cause Areas
WhenIt's flexible! We'll work with your schedule.
WhereVarious Locations Throughout DFW & Surrounding Co.12477 Merit DriveDallas, TX 75244
Provides relief for primary caregiver by sitting with the patient while their primary caregiver attends to errands, their own doctor appointments or to have a couple hours just for themselves.
- Patient Care
- People Skills
- Healthcare
- Elder care
- Hospice Care
- Relationship Building
Good Match For
Requirements & Commitment
- Driver's License Needed
- Background Check
- Must be at least 18
- Orientation or Training
- Up to 3 hours, times varies
- TB and Drug Test
More opportunities with Faith Presbyterian Hospice
- Mesquite Caregiver Relief...
- Colleyville Caregiver Relief...
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- Video Volunteer
- Garland Patient Companion...
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- South Oak Cliff Patient Companion
- Faith Kids Volunteer Bereavement...
- McKinney Caregiver Relief...
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Terrible terrible salon. $105.00 for being rushed through a root touch up. The hair dresser was rough and tough on my hair and scalp. The whole appointment was finished in 40 minutes. Blow drying...
I love Victoria!
Ya Yas Salon is located at 4010 Commons Dr W Ste 108 in Destin and has been in the business of Beauty Shops since 2006.
Ya Yas Salon is located at 4010 Commons Dr W, Destin, FL. This location is in the Downtown Destin neighborhood. This business specializes in Beauty Salons and Beauty Supplies and has 1 review(s) with a star rating of 4.2.


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Camp visiting day is approaching this weekend for Middle Dude, who is spending 7 weeks up in New Hampshire at sleepaway camp. As the much anticipated day comes closer, the camp sends out a reminder, along with some rules, such as:
No leaving the camp grounds during visiting day
Only family members may visit
No pets allowed on visiting day
And the all important rule:
Please limit the amount of junk food you bring.
Well, I am an extreme rule follower, so I made note of all these guidelines and followed them accordingly a few years ago when Big Dude had his first visiting day at camp. The morning of visiting day, my husband and I were eating breakfast at a local diner in New Hampshire and we noticed they had fresh cider donuts.
"Maybe we should bring Big Dude some donuts?" my husband asked.
I hesitated, worrying about the junk food rule and said, "sure, let's bring him 6 donuts. He can always share with his bunkmates."
My son had also requested that we bring him some gum. I worried about sneaking in the two packs of Bubble Yum, but I figured they wouldn't confiscate it if he kept it on the down low.
When we arrived for visiting day, I noticed other parents carrying large shopping bags and boxes of stuff.
Huh, I guess they are bringing their kids stuff they forgot to pack initially? I thought.
We immediately and proudly presented Big Dude with the 6 cider donuts and 2 packs of gum, thinking we were the best parents ever for sneaking in this small amount of junk food. Big Dude gave us a puzzled look, and quickly ate all 6 donuts.
When we entered Big Dude's bunk, I noticed that every kid had a gigantic mound of junk food piled on top of their beds.
I looked back at Big Dude's bed with the 2 packs of gum and crumpled up bag that had previously held the donuts and I knew I had mom-failed with a capital F.
The guilt stayed with me all year long. When next summer's visiting day came up, let's just say I compensated BIG TIME. Big Dude, with the haunting memory of the mom who screwed up the previous year, continually reminded me in every letter and phone call home to bring TONS of junk food. After I backed up the U-Haul to his cabin and dumped everything on his bed and compared it to the other campers' beds, I knew I done good.
"So, not bad huh?" I bragged.
"Yeah, a lot better than 6 donuts mom."
Ouch. But, he was right.
Middle Dude seems to remember that first visiting day when his brother was so deprived compared to everyone else. Now that it's his turn to be visited at camp, he is making sure no fatal errors occur again. When we spoke to him on the phone the other night, he had a LIST of what I should bring.
"Don't worry, I got it covered. I got all your favorite stuff." I reassured him.
I have now learned that some rules were made to be broken. So, if anyone out there is going to camp visiting day for the first time this weekend, don't F it up like I did. Break the rules and bring the junk food.
Lots of it.
Trust me on this one.
P.S. My friend Lisa is going to her kids' visiting day this weekend and is also breaking Rules 1 and 2 as listed above. While I don't recommend doing that, apparently it's okay to break all the visiting day rules at certain camps. I wish her luck and hopefully she and her kids won't be kicked out of camp for the remainder of summer.
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By Ryan Skinner
I had the wonderful opportunity this week to travel to Aruba for a vacation with my fiancée and future stepchildren. One evening, while sitting alone on the balcony of our room, gazing out in awe at the beautiful landscape and feeling warmed the balmy breezes, I was overwhelmed with a feeling of gratitude. I'm blessed with so many things – family and friends who love me, opportunities to meet and work with amazing people and the daily opportunity to express how grateful I am to God for giving this recovering addict a second chance at life. I've been in very dark places and know that my story could have ended differently. But this night in Aruba, like all of the days since I made the commitment to be clean and sober, offered another moment to reflect on the reality that if you do the right things, hang in there and choose to live God's way, all of those blessings are possible.
Since I renewed my commitment to God and a life of meaning and purpose dedicated to helping others both professionally and personally, I've developed daily prayer, meditation and journaling rituals that help me get into the right spiritual mindset. I've been doing this ever since I got sober. I wake up by 6 a.m. at the latest and spend 30 minutes on a combination of praying (sometimes on my knees on a clean floor, but sometimes even at my kitchen counter having my morning coffee) and doing affirmation readings from books of positive quotes and writings that inspire me to live that day and be present. I spend a lot of time on gratitude. Whether it's dark or light, I always light a candle. It's just my way of bringing spirituality into the moment and connecting with God. My morning journaling is simple, just writing thank you to God for another day He has granted me. Continue reading


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Let this breast-inspired radiator heat up your life, literally! Okay, I was exaggerating; nowhere on the manufacturer homepage does the words breast-inspired come about, but honestly. Look at this beast, and it is named the Madonna to boot. Aeon, the manufacturer, calls the design eye-catching, but I like to think of this radiator as just hot! Oh ho!
Puns and jokes aside this Madonna-esque radiator pumps out 1,339 BTUs and costs well over $2,300. Madonna really does blow a lot of hot air. Oh snap! I'm on a roll today.
Product Page [Via ShinyShiny]


text: > > > Compulab does have, and has always had, very interesting > > > embedded boards. > does anyone know the word on openness of their hardware? If you want open hardware, Balloon boards at http://balloonboard.org/ seem the most likely candidate, buy enough and you can specify your own components http://balloonboard.org/hardware/buildoptions.html Buy them from http://balloonboard.org/balloonwiki/BalloonzCompany