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CTR 2012 Planning
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Topic Name: CTR 2012 Planning
on: November 16, 2011, 03:03:33 PM
Posts: 252
CTR 2012 Planning
November 16, 2011, 03:03:33 PM »
I am interested in doing the CTR 2012 edition. I have followed the racers the last two years and it looks incredible (incredibly hard and awesome!). I am a newbie so everything about this race will be new to me. And, I have never done a multi-day bike ride but plan on doing several before the race to test myself and equipment.
Has a date been set for 2012 or am I jumping the gun?
I have started planning my training and gear prep since I expect it will take me until August to prepare for this monumental adventure. I read last year's planning thread (yep, all 27 pages!) so I have some understanding about planning but would be interested in advice for training over the winter months. I have some thoughts but would enjoy hearing from experienced riders.
Topic Name: CTR 2012 Planning
Reply #1
on: November 17, 2011, 09:35:34 AM
Posts: 593
Re: CTR 2012 Planning
Reply #1 on:
November 17, 2011, 09:35:34 AM »
Monday, July 30th, 2012 - 6am
My 2 cents on a first attempt in the CTR:
Race something else this season first to get used to the concept, like ITT of the Grand Loop or AZT 300 or DaveH's Utah race. If that cant be done, no biggie but the first 2 days of the CTR can be overwhelming.
Work on your fitness MORE than working on gear choices this winter. I think that the goal should be the best shape/lowest weight that is acceptable in your life. I mix it up and run many miles/do tons of pushups,curls, upper body. You can finish with average fitness ( I did in an 08 ITT, 09 and 10 races) but it makes things more difficult and mentally challenging.
As long as your camping gear is light, it does not matter really what choices you come up with. Bivies, tents, tarps, sleeping bags, no bag, etc. have all been tried and some things work well for some people but not for others. Custom bike bags are a great thing, but you do not have to have the best to compete. Homemade gear works just as well IMO.
Bikes: 26 or 29, HT or FS, all seem to work well if set up right.
Do not give yourself a time limit to complete the race that is unrealistic. In my experience that results in quitting before Durango nearly every time. Having to catch a flight or make a wedding or whatever will ruin your race effort mentally. Maybe Krefs (AZT 300/750 record holder) can do that, but the average human will succumb to the added stress of a time limit. Any excuse in your mind to quit will be madly amplified by the stress of an event like the CTR.
Divide Bike Bags
Topic Name: CTR 2012 Planning
Reply #2
on: November 17, 2011, 04:36:39 PM
Posts: 252
Re: CTR 2012 Planning
Reply #2 on:
November 17, 2011, 04:36:39 PM »
Thanks for the response and your insight! In winter, I would like to work on upper body strength & core at the gym and bike outside when possible (I'm in Ft Collins). With crappy weather, would all day snow shoeing/hiking help out or is it better to cycle for shorter periods (on the trainer - gag!) in the gym? I can only muster 60-90 minutes on a trainer.
I am trying to keep the cost down and thought about making a bike seat bag, so good to know others have done that. I don't think a frame bag would fit much stuff on my bike ('06 FSR Stumpjumper). I have looked into a bivy but too cramped/claustrophobic for me. I am thinking more of a 1 person tent (probably just take the fly and the footprint and skip the mesh tent to save weight) that weighs around 2 to 2 1/2 lbs (Big Agnes has a couple).
I like the advice about not setting a time limit. That does seem a way to set up unneeded mental stress. I will be back of the pack but that's OK since my goal is simply to finish this monumental race - the race is really against myself to see how I measure up against the CT. I have set goals for daily mileage but realize they are just goals and plan on being flexible. Hmmm, I wonder if there could be an "award" for lanterne rouge!
Thanks for the info on the start time/day. Does it always start on a Monday? The last couple of years, I noticed that. It seems like it would reduce the time needed off work if it started on a weekend (for us back of the packers) so the begining (and hopefully) the end will be on the weekend.
Topic Name: CTR 2012 Planning
Reply #3
on: November 17, 2011, 05:32:15 PM
Posts: 593
Re: CTR 2012 Planning
Reply #3 on:
November 17, 2011, 05:32:15 PM »
I would bet that the race starts on a Monday due to the Hwy 285 stretch from Shawnee to Kenosha Pass. It is a very dangerous stretch of road to navigate during heavy traffic hours (weekend).
Daily mileage goals for folks who finish in 7 days or more can be problematic too. A good example would be not clearing Georgia Pass on day 1 (mile 80 or so). Those who do get good mileage on day 2 and clear 10 mile and Searle/Kokomo (usually). Those who dont have low mileage on day 2, sometimes half of day 1. But then you can bust out a 100 mile 24hrs after that and reach Beuna Vista if the slow progress on day 2 does not demoralize you. I guess what I am saying is wake up each morning and forget yesterdays mileage or issues and just plug away.
As far as bike bags go, I bet Jeremy11 from this site could make you a nice bag for that small front tri area Stumpy, and he charges about half of what the big boys do (around 70-80 bucks).
Divide Bike Bags
Topic Name: CTR 2012 Planning
Reply #4
on: November 21, 2011, 06:15:50 PM
Location: Boulder, CO
Posts: 48
Re: CTR 2012 Planning
Reply #4 on:
November 21, 2011, 06:15:50 PM »
Hi mtnbound,
I spread the load between a bag behind the saddle, the sleeping bad and pad on the bars (in a dry bag), and everything else in the back pack. I also put two 20 oz water bottles on the frame so that I could carry less water in the backpack. I tended to load more things onto the bike on the road sections and keep more things in the backpack during the tough singletrack sections. The seatbag/handlebar-roll setup is cheap, solid, and works pretty well as long as you don't mind having some weight on your back.
I started on Saturday evening last year in order to avoid taking off more than a week of work. It worked out pretty well. This time I'm thinking about flying to Durango and riding back to Denver. This way I don't need to bum a ride back from Durango and, if I'm still feeling strong after the CT, I could ride all the way back to my house in Boulder. Anyone else interested in a Sunday morning departure from Durango?
I think that some snowshoeing would be good training for the CTR: unless you are a cycling god, there will be plenty of slogging uphill with a bike on your back. I was glad to have done some running during the summer before the race to make sure that I had tough feet!
But why are we talking about bikes? It's ski season!
Cheers, Dan
Topic Name: CTR 2012 Planning
Reply #5
on: November 22, 2011, 05:54:49 AM
Location: Crested Butte, CO
Posts: 257
Re: CTR 2012 Planning
Reply #5 on:
November 22, 2011, 05:54:49 AM »
For training during the winter I like ski mountaineering. There's so much to explore out there on a pair of skis. Hell if you really wanted to you could ski lots of the CT! I snowshoed for years, switched to skiing and had way more fun!
And since you live here, iPod should take advantage of just riding the CT for training when you can. It's a fantastic trail with lots of variety.
For me there wasn't really a way to prepare for the mental challenges of the race. It was just something that I had to live through. For planning purposes I had some general ideas of how long it was going to take, but once the race started I was just living from hour to hour.
~ Siddhartha
Topic Name: CTR 2012 Planning
Reply #6
on: November 28, 2011, 11:18:40 AM
Posts: 252
Re: CTR 2012 Planning
Reply #6 on:
November 28, 2011, 11:18:40 AM »
dream4est - The Highway 285 section does look treacherous. Still, I am considering starting that Saturday to take less time off work. I see what you mean about daily mileage goals - the section just past Georgia Pass is intimidating, with tons of climbing, and I expect it to be demoralizing. Since my main goal is just to finish, regardless of time, I won't put much emphasis on mileage goals. Like you said, just get up each morning and start riding. Probably tape a reminder on my bars, something like "just keep pedaling"! Forward motion, no matter how slow, is still forward motion.
Dan - I do want to keep it cheap and am working on how much to place on the bike and how much in the backpack. However, I won't get too specific until early spring (Marchish), when I want to start trying different setups to see what works best. I don't want to buy too much equipment but will get what is necessary. I will get a 1 person tent (but likely not take the tent, just the rain fly and ground cloth). I have a 12 year old North Face's Cat's Meow sleeping bag but haven't weighed it yet. It's a good backpacking bag but not particularly packable or light - probably just shy of 3 lbs. What weight do most racers have for their bags? I probably won't ski this year but good to know snow shoeing is good training for CTR!
bartspedden - I like the idea of riding sections of the CT as training. Get a good idea of how sections will look and you get to ride an awesome trail! I figured the mental aspect is hard to prep for. The best I could come up with is just to get some weekend overnight trips in.
Training so far has been not so good over the Turkey Day holiday - spent 40+ hours in the car so no training occurred. But getting a ride in this afternoon, which should be good since the weather is close to 60!
Topic Name: CTR 2012 Planning
Reply #7
on: December 02, 2011, 02:46:13 PM
Location: Crested Butte, CO
Posts: 257
Re: CTR 2012 Planning
Reply #7 on:
December 02, 2011, 02:46:13 PM »
I did some more thinking how best to mentally train for the unknowns of an adventure race like the CTR. Is there really a way to do this? While I'm still not certain,,there is one thing that keeps coming back. I had to build a strong desire to finish. I had to obsess about it to the point where it was my primary thought when falling asleep. Just thinking about the CTR became my happy place. I definitely had some low points (
) but I think that all of the time spent thinking about the CTR prior to the race helped me through the lows. I toured the trail with car support in 2009 (and learned about the race while on the trail), I bailed in Frisco from the race in 2010, and finally finished the race in 2011. While I was a bit more fit in 2011 I think the raw desire to finish is what made the difference.
I'm sure it's probably different for lots of folks though. I'm not a terribly gifted athlete, I'm disciplined and I work hard and smart. Visualization is a powerful tool for me and I also practice chi gong. But in the end I really wanted, maybe even needed, to finish the race this year. Dropping out sucks balls, and it's something you have to live with. I didn't beat myself over it, but I did use that defeat to build a strong desire to finish in 2011.
Hope that helps.
~ Siddhartha
Topic Name: CTR 2012 Planning
Reply #8
on: December 03, 2011, 08:03:06 AM
Posts: 25
Re: CTR 2012 Planning
Reply #8 on:
December 03, 2011, 08:03:06 AM »
Thanks for asking the question mtnbound and everyone else for the info. I am in for 2012 as well, and this will be my first ultra race too. I am a bit overwhelmed with everything, and have the added worry of altitude (I live in VT) Any suggestions for dealing with that? Or am I just screwed?
Topic Name: CTR 2012 Planning
Reply #9
on: December 04, 2011, 06:08:47 PM
Location: Crested Butte, CO
Posts: 257
Re: CTR 2012 Planning
Reply #9 on:
December 04, 2011, 06:08:47 PM »
Quote from: Laps on December 03, 2011, 08:03:06 AM
Thanks for asking the question mtnbound and everyone else for the info. I am in for 2012 as well, and this will be my first ultra race too. I am a bit overwhelmed with everything, and have the added worry of altitude (I live in VT) Any suggestions for dealing with that? Or am I just screwed?
Check out this post:
~ Siddhartha
Topic Name: CTR 2012 Planning
Reply #10
on: December 04, 2011, 09:44:11 PM
Posts: 252
Re: CTR 2012 Planning
Reply #10 on:
December 04, 2011, 09:44:11 PM »
I really appreciate all of the feeback! Thanks everyone!
bartspedden - I have been obsessing about it. I have started training and it helps keep me going. I hope, though, I won't burn out/get tired of thinking about it. During the race, I was wondering about the mental aspect of it and how to get thru the lows. I don't know if anyone has tried this before but I was considering recording some inspirations/motivational messages on my phone before the race and play them back when I hit the low points. I also read Toby Gladden's blog post on how he planned to deal with different mental barriers and thought I might copy those onto my phone too (with some tweaking) to help me get past them.
I got the Fenix LD20 light based upon others mentioning in this forum - it is so light! I was also going to get BD Storm headlamp - it is waterproof and burns up to 100 lumens while having a long battery life (much longer than the LD20) and it is easier to wrap the band around the handlebars (not sure which light will be mounted where but both lights can be mounted on either the helmet or handlebars). I didn't find a review in any forum in bikepacking.net on the Storm or on this combo - anyone try the Storm or use this combo? The LD20 can go up to 180 lumen but only for 2 1/2 hours or 80 lumens for 6 hrs while the Storm can do 100 lumen for 50 hrs (and longer for lower lumens) so it seems a good combo. The LD20 is 60 grams plus batteries (I read that the typical AA weighs 23 grams so for 2 AA, the total weight is about 106 grams) while the Storm weights about 110 grams with 3 AAAs. I thought about using two Storms for their longevity but like that the LD20 can boost up to 181 lumens for a short time, if needed. For those that rode the CTR, were there times when you needed/wanted those extra lumens?
Finally, I went to REI and looked at Garmin's eTrex Vista HCX (the one many recommended on this forum) and the new eTrex 30. The two are very comparable - essentially the 30 is the same as the HCX but the 30 is the newer version, though it has mostly the same features. The 30 looks sharper and the graphics and menus are better but that was about it for the differences, except the 30 is $60 more (though the 30 did have an alarm, which could be helpful on the CTR but they got rid of the games that the HCX had - bummer!). The REI guy said he didn't see any real differences between the two except that Garmin seems to want to phase out the HCX with the 30. I read that ScottM was going to do a review of the new eTrex - anyone else have any knowledge or experience with these two models? Thanks again for everyone's input!
Topic Name: CTR 2012 Planning
Reply #11
on: December 05, 2011, 09:38:30 AM
Location: Gunnison, CO
Posts: 127
Re: CTR 2012 Planning
Reply #11 on:
December 05, 2011, 09:38:30 AM »
I liked my 29er w/ tubeless tires. I was getting tired of the hiking by the end-so be ready for that--feet are still numb. I would take spare brake pads. I would preride as much as you can. Especially Bueny to Durango--there are some sections that can mess with you if you don't know how much farther you have to go or what you are up against. Notably after the Crest trail to Hwy 114, Slumgullion to Silverton, And silverton to Durango. I think having a goal that is attainable is a good idea and trying to hit it helps me focus. Take extra food at Bueny. Try not to get lost too much. The packs from Relevate were good. You could probably make something but the R&D put into these is worth quite a bit and it sucks to have problems. If you see a storm building try to beat it or wait a few in a dry spot and it will probably/maybe pass. I really thought it was a pretty easy race and not much training required
. Nordic skiing is great conditioning in the winter. Focus on the positive and just push the rest to the back of you mind. You will be riding through some killer country, wildflowers will be awesome. Great wildlife viewing opportunities. People along the way are great and supportive. Something to experience for sure.
Topic Name: CTR 2012 Planning
Reply #12
on: December 05, 2011, 12:00:50 PM
Posts: 25
Re: CTR 2012 Planning
Reply #12 on:
December 05, 2011, 12:00:50 PM »
Thanks Bart. I have some book shopping to do. How helpful/essential is the CT guidebook?
Topic Name: CTR 2012 Planning
Reply #13
on: December 05, 2011, 05:15:43 PM
Location: Boulder, CO
Posts: 48
Re: CTR 2012 Planning
Reply #13 on:
December 05, 2011, 05:15:43 PM »
Hi mtnbound,
I used the BD Storm headlamp on my helmet. I attached it with zip ties, which was a little bit annoying, but it worked. It's very bright for a AAA battery-powered light and it was enough for riding technical stuff at night. I think that next year I will try to get a light that is made specifically to attach to the helmet. This is for two reasons: 1) it would save a little frustration to be able to quickly attach/remove the light. 2) I think that moving the light source from the front of my helmet to the top of my helmet should provide a slightly better angle for the light. If you have tried riding at night with only a headlamp, you will see what I mean about the angle of the light - it kinda makes me nauseous after a while.
I have tried wrapping a headlamp around the handlebars and find that it's very hard to get the lamp not to slip when you hit bumps. I used a Princeton Tec EOS last year, and it worked okay. I think it's 80 lumens, which is almost bright enough, but it really chews through batteries at the highest setting. I'm searching for a better AA/AAA powered bar lamp for next year. I wish they made a bar-mount for the Storm!
Topic Name: CTR 2012 Planning
Reply #14
on: December 05, 2011, 08:25:18 PM
Location: Crested Butte, CO
Posts: 257
Re: CTR 2012 Planning
Reply #14 on:
December 05, 2011, 08:25:18 PM »
Quote from: Laps on December 05, 2011, 12:00:50 PM
Thanks Bart. I have some book shopping to do. How helpful/essential is the CT guidebook?
I think the CT guide book is pretty essential for a first timer. Tons of good info. My first time touring the CT was without a GPS, all I did was use the distance on my cyclocomputer and the waypoints from the guide book to make decisions. I would have to pull the book out a number of times each day just to make sure everything was cool. This is fine for touring, but a time sink for racing. However, I think this really helped burn the details of the course into my head and made me a little more intimate with the overall course. This past year I did it without the guide book and just a gps. I figured for the most part, I knew where I was, and at the weight of the guide book... it was an easy decision to leave it home. I once tried the companion guide book without the GPS and got lost for about 10 minutes. But it was 10 minutes downhill and it took another 30 minutes to get back to where I started... D'Oh! So for me, I didn't like the companion, I know others love it though, to each their own. In 2010 I cut out all the "unneeded" info from the guide book to reduce the weight and carried a GPS.
So, I guess in the end it just comes down to how familiar you are with the course. One the one side of the equation you have folks that have never ridden a mile of the CT before racing it, and I would think that the guide book is pretty essential for them for research. On the other hand there's veterans that don't need a map at all.
Where do you think you fit in?
~ Siddhartha
Topic Name: CTR 2012 Planning
Reply #15
on: December 06, 2011, 02:47:26 AM
Posts: 25
Re: CTR 2012 Planning
Reply #15 on:
December 06, 2011, 02:47:26 AM »
I am in the "never set foot near the CTR, but I've seen a lot of pictures category" I plan on bringing the guidebook/gps/additional map and compass (seriously). I have never set foot on the CT and I won't be able to get out to CO until about a week before the race. I will have the waypoints loaded onto a GPS, and now that you have put the idea in my head, I might buy two guidebooks, and "edit" one for weight.
Have you used Stefan's waypoints? It seems like that is what most people do, how easy/idiot proof is it?
(Because I will surely test the limits of it being idiot proof)
Thanks again for the advice!
Topic Name: CTR 2012 Planning
Reply #16
on: December 06, 2011, 08:48:29 AM
Location: Crested Butte, CO
Posts: 257
Re: CTR 2012 Planning
Reply #16 on:
December 06, 2011, 08:48:29 AM »
While I've never used Stefan's waypoints, certainly others on the forum have with success. The good part about the CT is that it's really well marked and there tends to be plenty of water. With the exception of the 200'ish miles from Mt. Princeton Hot Springs to Silvertion, a town is no more then a day away.
I had a big eye opening with respect to the use of GPSs after the 2011 CTR. A GPS is huge advantage if you are unfamiliar with the course and are good with the GPS. Missing a turn or two on a 500 mile race is not the end of the world, but it is a waste of time and might rattle confidence a little if you let it. The tough part is staying focused. To save battery life I don't keep my GPS on, but just turn it on when I have a question. On sections that have more route finding I will keep it on until I feel like I know where I'm going. A couple sets of spare batteries eased my mind...
For me, following the line on the GPS is great for racing, but I prefer not to use the GPS while just riding. I seem to learn more about the area when I'm not looking at the digital device. As a kid it was awesome to get to the top of a mountain, pull out the map and identify all the peaks. I love that about the part about learning different ranges, at some point you know where you are because you can recognize other peaks.
I'll be in the "never ridden a mile" category on the AZT 300 this year, and there doesn't seem to be a book. So I'll be relying on the GPS for navigation, waypoints for water, and a lifetime of playing in the mountains for everything else. I can't wait!
~ Siddhartha
Topic Name: CTR 2012 Planning
Reply #17
on: December 07, 2011, 04:32:11 PM
Posts: 25
Re: CTR 2012 Planning
Reply #17 on:
December 07, 2011, 04:32:11 PM »
Thaanks again Bart. I don't have a gps at this point, but I plan on getting familiar with one skiingthis winter. This will certainly be an eye opening experience for me in more ways than one. Good luck with AZT!
Topic Name: CTR 2012 Planning
Reply #18
on: December 08, 2011, 11:00:44 AM
Posts: 599
Re: CTR 2012 Planning
Reply #18 on:
December 08, 2011, 11:00:44 AM »
I used the GPS track but didn't use the waypoints. Following the trail is pretty easy most of the time, but in the tricky areas it helps to have a line to follow. I also used the databook, which was pretty helpful just for cross-reference. Pre-race I had traced out all detours on the databook maps to the greatest extent possible, as well as on a DeLorme Gazetteer. I spent a couple months just studying the Gazetteer, trying to memorize the detours and the route in general. Once back to Silverton I was in home territory, which helped... especially when a lost hiker near Bolam Pass tried to convince Shaggy and I that we were NOT on the Colorado Trail at all. After we got him turned around (not without a few suspicious glances from Shaggy, I might add, who was relying on my navigation to Durango), he felt a little silly, since his two sons had been watching the whole exchange with interest.
BEDROCK BAGS - Hand crafted, rock solid, made in the USA. Established 2012.
Ever since I began riding singlespeed my life has been on a path of self-destruction.
Topic Name: CTR 2012 Planning
Reply #19
on: December 08, 2011, 11:24:24 AM
Location: Boulder, CO
Posts: 48
Re: CTR 2012 Planning
Reply #19 on:
December 08, 2011, 11:24:24 AM »
The GPS is super sweet and I used it all the time on the CT. But, it's good to bring maps as a backup and to get an idea of the terrain. It's also nice to know what towns you can get to if you have to bail. I had printed maps that covered all of the route. I brought waterproof printed maps from Lat 40 or National Geographic Trails Illustrated for some of the singletrack sections. For the road sections and some parts of the singletrack that I already knew pretty well, I ripped out pages from the Benchmark Atlas:
That atlas has really good info on the dirt roads and the Colorado Trail. They are pretty zoomed out, so they quickly give you the big picture about where you are. However, since they are so zoomed out, they can sandbag you pretty good
As an added benefit, after you are done with each map you can just drop it in the recycling!
The databook is also really helpful, especially regarding water sources. It has a few mistakes. For instance, it said that the climbing on the segment just before you get to Stoney Pass Road was 1,000'. I think it was more like 4,000'!
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- The objective straight chiropractic viewpoint (11/5/2000)
- You are very stupid (Joye King, DC, 11/12/00)
- Our purpose is to remove nerve interference. (Mariclaire Russo, DC, 11/26/00)
- Barrett's the quack! (Adam Tanase, 3/28/01)
- Chiropractors are not unsufficiently trained! (Anthony Breitbach, 5/7/01)
- I know what you do with your quackery website (Jack A. Atzmon, DC, 8/14/01)
- The basic principles of chiropractic cannot be debated. (Kevin M. Phillips, DC, 5/1/02)
- In response to your ignorance (name removed by request, 3/2/99, 2/3/04, 2/4/04)
- Every single patient I have seen has benefited (Michael Bartell, DC, 3/8/04)
- I have never met a chiropractor who speaks or writes in the manner you have posted (Michelle Frankin, DC, 4/19/04 and 4/20/04)
- Most of your information is a bunch of garbage. (name removed by request, 9/19/04 and 9/30/04)
- Your site makes me laugh. (Shandria A. Kelly, 11/14/04)
- Do you sleep well at night knowing that you are a slave to the drug companies? (Jonathan Kropf, 12/6/04)
- Stroke doesn't exist because of chiropractors (Daniel Crocker, 3/28/06)
- You should try to structure your Web site on facts not feelings (Moses Bernard, 4/6/07)
- You should revise your work and change the rhetoric used to a more neutral tone. (Tyson Shardlow, DC, 1/18/10)
- Forgotten Facts about Applied Kinesiolgy (Michael Fritz, DC, ND, 2/14/19)
For Additional Information
This page was revised on Februsry 14, 2019.


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Ask the Experts Question: Should I upgrade to the MSI GeForce GTX 980 Ti Lightning, or wait?
Hi, I have an ASUS GTX690-4GD5 and was thinking of upgrading to a MSI GeForce GTX 980 Ti Lightning in the next few weeks or should I wait till mid next year? My Rig CPU: Intel Core i7 2700K OC @ 4.6GHz "I Love My Sandybridge!" CPU Cooler: Corsair Hydro H80 MB: ASUS Maximus IV Extreme-Z RAM: G.SKILL Ripjaws X Series 16GB (4 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 2133 GPU: ASUS GTX690-4GD5 PS: Corsair Professional Series HX1050 Box: Cooler Master HAF X Opt drive: ASUS Bluray Reader OS: Windows 10 Pro 64-bit My monitor is: Sony Bravia 46inch 1080p @60Hz
Hey there Richard,
Your GeForce GTX 690 is still a good card, but I can see why you're itching to upgrade. The MSI GeForce GTX 980 Ti Lightning is one of the best video cards you can buy right now, and it would last you for a number of years.
Gaming at 1080p, 1440p, 4K or even VR would be no problem for the GTX 980 Ti Lightning - but your next question: should I wait? That's up to you. If you want to play all of the games that have been released lately like Star Wars: Battlefront, Fallout 4, and more - then yes, upgrade now. You'll be fine with it now, and absolutely fine going into the new year.
If you wait, you could grab the next-gen cards when they're released sometime around the May/June mark if the rumors are correct.


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Air Guitar
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just a typical weekend rocking the joint....I mean living room..Guitar Hero-style..
11 responses
Donald Garrett gave props (7 Nov 2010):
Most excellent shot! Enter this in Frenzy or Creative Portraiture!!
Leslie Hunziker gave props (7 Nov 2010):
awesome shot!
Lisa Toleno (Deleted) gave props (7 Nov 2010):
thats cool!
Jim Ford (Deleted) gave props (8 Nov 2010):
air guitar....literally....wonderful shot!
Traci Cottingham said (8 Nov 2010):
jim...your title is so much better , one of those head smackin moments! ...gonna change it , thanks for your comments!
Micci Shannon gave props (14 Nov 2010):
AWESOME timing!! Kids are the best.
Kevin Kott (Deleted) gave props (15 Nov 2010):
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Kent Serene gave props (19 Nov 2010):
I like it!
Sonia Adam Murray gave props (22 Nov 2010):
Brilliant, wonderfully done, Bravo!
William Garvey gave props (12 Mar 2011):
Ba Ba Ba Bad, Bad to the bone! Cool shot!
Elizabeth Loock said (22 May 2011):
Lovely shot! Good timing
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Elliptical Cross Trainer Workouts
Walk into any fitness facility in the beginning of the new year and one section is always packed: the cardio equipment. This does not mean that weight training is unimportant, but people understand they need to break a sweat to lose weight and improve their health. The elliptical cross trainers are among the most popular, and the workouts can be adapted for most people.
Benefits of the Elliptical
Elliptical machines can give you an effective cardiovascular workout, according to the Mayo Clinic. They simulate a motion similar to running so you can get a high-intensity workout. They are low impact on your ankles, knees, hips and back so most people are able to use them. If the cross trainer you choose has movable arms, you can work both your upper and lower body, burning more calories. You can also go forward or backward, working your body in different ways.
Types of Ellipticals
Every fitness manufacturer has its own model of elliptical cross trainer. The panels with the workouts and information during the workout may look different, but they all offer a similar workout. The biggest differences in the machines are that some have movable arms and some do not. If you are new to using an elliptical, try one without movable arms. It will give you a good workout using just the muscles in your lower body so you can get used to the motion. Add in the arm motion to increase intensity by using more muscles at the same time.
Elliptical Programs
Some elliptical cross trainers have just a few programs, while others have numerous options. Common programs that you will see include a manual setting, fat burn, cardio training, hill, interval and random. Using a manual setting allows you to control your workout. You can change the incline and resistance level to achieve the intensity you desire. Fat burn and cardio training are misleading unless you understand exercise physiology. Fat burn is lower intensity and does not burn as many overall calories during your workout. Cardio is higher intensity and burns more calories. So if weight loss is a goal, try for the cardio program. Hill programs gradually go up and down, while intervals can go very high, then low. In a random program, anything goes; you don't know what's coming next.
Cardio Recommendations
The American College of Sports Medicine recommends cardiovascular exercise a minimum of three times per week for at least 20 minutes at a moderate to vigorous intensity. If you are new to elliptical trainers, build up gradually, starting with as little as five to 10 minutes. If you have a lot of weight to lose, you want to increase the amounts of cardio you do over time. Build up to five to seven days of cardio each week for 30 to 60 minutes. If the elliptical is your choice of cardio, use different programs to stimulate your body to change.
- Mayo Clinic: Elliptical Machines: Better Than Treadmills?
- ExRx.net: Elliptical Cross Trainer
- ExRx.net: Elliptical Trainer
- ACSM's Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription; American College of Sports Medicine
Photo Credits
- Jupiterimages/Comstock/Getty Images


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Escaflowne - TV series + movie Set (DVD)
Title: Escaflowne - TV series + movie Set
Volume: DVD
Running time: 810
Distributor: Bandai Entertainment
Release date: 2004-10-26
Suggested retail price: $99.98
Age rating: PG-13
Hitomi Kanzaki is an ordinary high school student who feels that her life has lost all meaning. She wishes that she could just disappear into thin air. Granting her wish, a mysterious figure catapults Hitomi away from Earth to a strange new world called Gaea – a mythical realm ruled by sword and sorcery and immersed in blood and violence. Thrust into a conflict she doesn't quite understand, Hitomi helps aid the young Prince Van as they embark upon their journey of discover. The battle over a legendary suit of dragon armor, Escaflowne has begun.
1. Fateful Confession
2. The Girl From the Mystic Moon
3. The Gallant Swordsman
4. The Diabolical Adonis
5. Seal of the Brothers
6. Capitol of Intrigue
7. Unexpected Partings
8. The Day the Angel Flew
9. Memories of a Feathor
10. The Blue-Eyed Prince
11. Prophecy of Death
12. The Secret Door
13. Red Destiny
14. Dangerous Wounds
15. Lost Paradise
16. The Guided Ones
17. The Edge of the World
18. The Gravity of Destiny
19. Operation Golden Rule of Love
20. False Vows
21. Reaction of Fortune
22. The Black Winged Angel
23. Storm Premonition
24. Fateful Decision
25. Zone of Absolute Fortune
26. Eternal Love
ESCAFLOWNE the Movie
Special Features & Extras
- Dolby Digital 5.1-Japanese
- Dolby Digital Stereo-Japanese/English
- Aspect Ratio - 16:9 Anamorphic (Widescreen)
- Interactive Menu
- Collects the ENTIRE 26 episode series of Escaflowne and includes the Escaflowne Movie
- Playstation Game Footage!
- Music Videos
- Textless Opening
- "Club Escaflowne" Cast Interviews
- "Club Escaflowne" Staff Interviews
(added on 2004-08-10, modified on 2004-08-10)
Encyclopedia information about


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The University of Surrey is dedicated to providing care leavers with a complete package of in-depth information, support and advice.
On our campus, single room accommodation is guaranteed for care leavers during the academic year provided their care leaver status is confirmed by Student Support Services and they apply by the deadline each year.
We also offer a Care Leavers Bursary, which is awarded shortly after entry if Care Leavers meet the eligibility requirements.
Care Leavers also have a dedicated point of contact in the Student Services Centre who is available to provide support information advice and guidance.
University of Surrey Care Leaver page https://www.surrey.ac.uk/currentstudents/ask/care-leaver-support/
Care Leaver Bursary details https://www.surrey.ac.uk/fees-and-funding/scholarships-and-bursaries/care-leavers-bursary-2018-entry
University of Surrey Care Leaver Guide (PDF): https://www.surrey.ac.uk/sites/default/files/2018-06/care-leavers-guide-18-19.pdf


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Sister M. Blandina O'Neill, SSJ, formerly Mary M. O'Neill, died May 3 at the age of 95. Sister Blandina was born in Philadelphia, the daughter of Thomas and Mary McGinty O'Neill.
Sister Blandina entered the Sisters of St. Joseph from Most Blessed Sacrament Parish in Philadelphia on Jan. 6, 1935. She served in the Archdioceses of Philadelphia, Baltimore, Md., and the dioceses of Camden, N.J., Harrisburg, Allentown, and Arlington, Va.
She is preceded in death by her parents, her sister, Isabel Hart, and her brother Thomas O'Neill; also survived by her sister Bernardine Hugues, nieces, nephews , and members of her congregation.
A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated May 8 followed by burial in the community cemetery.
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I'm a fan, a really big fan, of wine but my beer knowledge is pretty limited. I tend to categorize beer by color (light brown, medium brown and dark brown) and we named our Newfie Guinness because he was black and stout— that's the sum total of my beer knowledge. So when my friend showed up with the 'best beer in the world', I was suspicious. I did what any good non-beer drinker would do when the 'best beer in the world' was sitting on the kitchen counter, I googled it. Turns out, he was right. According to Huffington Post, 'Westvleteren XII is produced by Trappist monks at the abbey of Saint Sixtus in the Belgian countryside, and only available for purchase through hard-to-get reservations. The beer's sudden appearance in the States is a financial necessity for the abbey -- after a round of expensive renovations, the monks decided to sell the beer outside the monastery for one time only'.
After doing a kitchen renovation a couple of years ago, I completely understand coming in over budget and needing to raise some extra cash. Those Trappist monks are lucky to have some expensive beer ($84.99 for a six-pack and 2 glasses) to feather their newly renovated nest and I was lucky to get a taste of a pretty spectacular beer. Can I say it's the best in the world? I'm not sure what the criteria is for such a lofty title but I can say it was nicely balanced with prominent notes of chocolate, dried fruits, spice and molasses. Maybe the monks will decide to renovate the rest of the Abbey in 2013 and I'll get a chance at honing my beer tasting skills on another bottle of Westvleteren. I'll keep you posted.


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Get Ready to Treasure Hunt with the Three Speckled Hens!
Saturday, September 23, 2017
The Three Speckled Hens are excited to welcome everyone back to the Paso Robles Event Center on September 30 and October 1, for another exciting Antiques and Old Stuff Show! We can't stop clucking about our 10th Anniversary celebrations and changes coming to this fall show.
Every year, we put on a biannual antique market to showcase our more than 150 dealers and vendors. These vendors come from all over the state to sell unique treasures and vintage pieces. Along with our antique dealers, we invite food vendors such as Sugar Lips Donuts and Coop Café, to keep stomachs happy while treasure hunting! There will be two separate bars and many other food options to keep you fueled for the shopping marathon. Our shows provide an amazing experience for hens, roosters and chicks of all ages to enjoy – we even have a Hen Pecked Husband area!
Whether you are an avid Junker or a new treasure hunter, you will be excited to hear about the updates and changes coming to the fall Three Speckled Hens Antiques and Old Stuff Show!
First and foremost, you will notice a change in the booth layout in the outside areas. After our spring show, we assessed the flow and decided to turn some of the booths in order to make wider aisles. We think the new layout will give you a better visual and easier access to all that good merchandise and finds. And remember, we have two large buildings full of dandy dealers and fabulous finds.
Another change is that instead of passing out brochures at the entrances, you will find new Mega Maps stationed throughout the show grounds. Look for the YOU ARE HERE chicken pin to get your bearings! Smaller maps with the names and booth numbers of our dealers will be available at each Mega Map station.
The Paso Robles Event Center is again handling all parking. When you pay your $5 to park, you receive a receipt that has a $2 OFF Coupon valid for the July 2018 California Mid-State Fair.
One of the reasons we love putting on this show every year is because of our wonderful friends at Jack's Helping Hand. Visit the Jack's Helping Hand booth to show your own support. Proceeds from the shows are supporting their mission to give aid and assistance to the families of children with special needs. The Three Speckled Hens first invited Jack's Helping Hand to be a part of the Antique and Old Stuffs Show in 2010 and have since raised more than $20,000 for the cause. If you want to learn more about how the Hens give back to Jack's Helping Hand and other organizations, check out their blog.
For more information about our upcoming show and to purchase tickets, check out our website.


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Three-dimensional robots, droids and drones will patrol Fed Square with the launch of a new mixed reality experience.
Renowned for cultural attractions, world-class events and tourism experiences, tagSpace: Robots @ Fed Square is an augmented reality experience that will immerse Fed Square visitors in another world.
By downloading the tagSpace EXPERIENCE app, users will be able to hunt down eight 3-D robots, droids and drones across key locations at Fed Square.
Released in August 2017, the tagSpace EXPERIENCE app is like a web browser for the new 'Visual Web' – it allows users to view large-scale, public, mixed reality experiences in an outdoor location, capture images and video of the virtual content, and then share it through their social networks.
tagSpace CEO Paul Martin said, "We're excited to demonstrate the tagSpace EXPERIENCE app at the iconic Fed Square. It will give people the opportunity to feel the wonder and see the possibilities of this interactive technology."
Augmented reality games such as Pokémon Go introduced the general public to the ability to blend the real and virtual worlds.
Visitors to Fed Square can interact with tagSpace: Robots @ Fed Square by downloading the free tagSpace EXPERIENCE app. The experience is being provided in conjunction with Australasia's premier innovation event, Pause Fest.
tagSpace: Robots @ Fed Square runs at Fed Square from Thursday 7 February – Wednesday 28 February.
Download the free app by searching tagSpace I Experience.


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Joining the masses for Jen's 7 day blogging challenge. Try to contain yourself...this is navel-gazing at it's best.
Camille: "I wear your glasses, Ra-Ra?"
Aunt Sarah: "Your wish is my command, Camille."
My children are in the inevitable detox brought on from a week spent at my parent's house. My Sister the Sister (of the infamous Nashville Dominicans) and my attorney Sister and her hubs were in town, so we did a Staycation with our entire family.
My kids are just now coming off a week long sugar binge and the experience of having 5 other non-parental units indulge every single one of their minute personal desires.
The detox isn't pretty.
For instance, when I wouldn't let Camille have some goldfish crackers until she finished her sandwich yesterday, she said,
"If you don't give me some goldfish, I'm gonna pee on you."
And I silently cursed my entire family for creating such monsters.
We returned from our Staycation Saturday evening and this morning, I woke up with an anxiety attack. This is the last week of swim team, which means our swim schedule is grueling. (Practice everyday plus two meets this week and a swim party on Saturday.) And August is right around the corner, so Summer is almost over.
While I lay in bed making mental lists of all the things I still haven't taken care of---book buying, securing school supplies, doctors and dentist appointments, gifts for the swim coaches, locating a babysitter for my mandatory teacher's meetings--I started dreading August and the impending school year.
Then I got up, and wandered downstairs where I noticed all the dirt and filth, the unorganized piles of stuff, the unpacked suitcases, the overgrown lawn, and the general unkempt nature of my home, and I panicked some more.
Because I wasn't feeling stressed enough, I decided to keep my 11 am dermatology appointment so the doctor could examine a few suspicious moles. I was right to get them checked out because the doctor biopsied two a-typical ones.
I wasn't too nervous about the procedure, until I saw the life size posters of the various stages of skin cancer and then....my imagination got to working.
Maybe it's just me, but the in depth information on the classification system of melanomas while waiting for a dermatologist to biopsy some weird moles seems like over kill.
MySummer Book Club is reading Les Miserables, which is a novel almost 1300 pages in length. While the story is breathtakingly beautiful, Victor Hugo could have benefited from an editor. Oh, I know. I'm immature, uncultured, and uneducated to think one of the greatest novelists who ever lived needed an editor.
But the dude was wordy.
And that's saying something coming from me.
Christopher has been wearing this outfit since we returned home on Saturday evening. I noticed some serious stains on it, but I'm pregnant and it's super hot and I'm picking my battles. If he wants to wear it to the moon and back, I really don't care right now.
See you tomorrow.
I'm sure you can't wait.


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Dr. Parker graduated from the University of Alabama in 1982 with an honors degree in biology. She attended medical school and completed residency training in psychiatry at the University of Alabama-School of Medicine in Birmingham. Parker completed her fellowship in child/adolescent psychiatry at the University of Arkansas for the Health Sciences in Little Rock. As a second year resident, she was awarded her department's Most Outstanding Resident Award, and as a fellow, she was awarded her department's Most Outstanding Child Fellow Award. Parker is dual certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology in adult psychiatry and child/adolescent psychiatry. During her tenure at AltaPointe, the organization has grown from 300 employees to more than 1,450 employees. In addition to her role as AltaPointe's medical director, she is vice-chair and associate professor for the University of South Alabama College of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry. Parker has received numerous honors and awards throughout her career. She is the president of the Alabama Hospital Psychiatric Association and past president of the Mobile Bay Psychiatric Association, a local chapter of the American Psychiatric Association. In 2007, she was named an Alabama Health Care Hero by the Alabama Hospital Association. She was appointed by Alabama Governor Bob Riley to serve as a member of the Alabama Interagency Autism Coordinating Council, a position she still holds. She serves as an adjunct faculty member in the USA College of Allied Health Professions, Department of Physician Assistant Studies, and the USA College of Nursing. Parker has served as a member of the USA Center for Healthy Communities Advisory Committee. Past appointments include the Mercy Medical Advisory Board, the Mayor's Transitional Task Force on Healthcare, and the Mobile Ballet Board of Directors. Her major psychiatric interests are in the fields of autism-related disorders, healthcare disparities and telepsychiatry.
Olivia Nettles, LPC, NCC, joined AltaPointe Health in 1993 as a therapist in child and adolescent outpatient services. Nettles steadily moved into management roles, first with a promotion to assistant director of child and adolescent outpatient services in 1996 and in August 2002 to director of performance improvement. She was the first director of BayPointe Hospital and Residential Services when the facility opened in 2002. Since 2008, Nettles has served as clinical director of AltaPointe's children's outpatient services where she oversees the clinical programming of the outpatient clinics, intensive outreach services, the transitional age residential services and BayView Professional Services.
A proven mental health counselor and leader, she is a member of the Alabama Council Clinical Directors Association and has held the positions of vice president and president. Nettles also has been an active member of the National Alliance for Mental Illness-Mobile Board of Directors and received the NAMI- Alabama "Mental Health Professional of the Year" award in August 2016.
Nettles graduated with honors from the University of Alabama earning a bachelor's degree in commerce and business administration with a major in marketing as well as a master's degree in counselor education. She is a National Certified Counselor, a Licensed Professional Counselor and a Certified Counseling Supervisor in Alabama. Nettles is an active member of the American Counseling Association, Alabama Mental Health Counselors Association and NAMI Mobile.
John M. Conrad, LICSW, is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker and a Substance Abuse Professional with more than 25 years of experience as a psychotherapist. He earned his undergraduate degrees in psychology and behavioral science from Athens State College and his master's degree in Clinical Social Work from the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg.
Conrad has extensive experience in marital and family systems, addictive disorders, and general psychiatric disorders. He is trained in cognitive behavioral therapy, family systems theory and addictive medicine. Conrad is the Assistant Director for BayView Professional Associates. He has extensive experience in the areas of program development, supervision and direct client services.


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Barnum sings
Barnum High School Choirs presented their Winter Concert February 12 in the school auditorium. The event was directed by Lori Koski and featured numbers by the Junior High Choir, Senior High Choir and Swing Choir. Accompanists were Seth Vogt and Jeff Gilbertson. Instrumentalists were Quinn Casey and Paige Rilea. The spring Senior High Choir Concert has been set for May 16.


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The Jane Austen Festival charity for 2019
The Forever Friends Appeal is the fundraising charity for the Royal United Hospitals (RUH), Bath.
The Appeal is currently fundraising for the new Dyson Cancer Centre and the RNHRD and Therapies Centre, which will both be built near the main entrance of the RUH. As well as fundraising for major campaigns, the Appeal also raises funds for the hospital's wards and departments. These funds go towards paying for state-of-the-art medical equipment and facilities, research and innovations, staff training and the creation of welcoming and highly beneficial healing environments for patients and their families.
Spearheading the Appeal is the Cancer Care Campaign – which will help fund the build of a pioneering new Cancer Centre at the RUH. The need is great as the current Cancer unit is located in a number of single story red brick buildings on the north of the hospital site and whilst the quality of clinical care is excellent, they do not reflect the quality of clinical care provided within.
The aim is to build a new and pioneering Cancer Centre which balances the RUH's clinical expertise with the provision of a nurturing environment – that is centred on patient care and experience, reducing stress and anxiety, whilst promoting health and thereby embracing a 'holistic' approach for patients and their families.
The building will take a holistic design approach to provide a ground-breaking facility, promoting a healing and therapeutic environment for our thousands of patients and their families. Not only will this allow our patients to be treated with appropriate space and privacy, protecting their dignity at an incredibly difficult time, but will also act as a model of care for other District General Hospitals around the UK.
So far, with the help of the incredible generosity of our local community, the minimum £8.5million fundraising target needed for the pioneering new RUH Cancer Centre has been reached. However, earlier this year (2018) the Appeal announced it is continuing the Cancer Care Campaign as many donors, including people who take part and support the Jane Austen Festival want to sustain the campaign to maximise the fundraising efforts for the new Centre. We want to ensure it is truly special in its design, facilities and equipment, stepping ever closer to transforming Cancer care for thousands of patients in their time of need.
For more information and to donate CLICK HERE


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The first Coventry & Warwickshire Woman Who…Awards took place at Coombe Abbey last April where 140 local business men and women celebrated the achievements of Women in Business and Rising Stars of the future. The 2017 Awards Lunch takes place on Friday 5th May. Book now.
Take a look at the 2017 Finalists.
Our Awards Lunch commences at 11.00am with a Business Expo, networking and a welcome drink.
Radio and TV Presenter, Trish Adudu, will be entertaining us throughout the afternoon of Awards and will introduce our inspiring keynote speakers, Helen Walbey, (Recycle Scooters, Diversity Chair with the FSB and Chair of the FSB's National Women in Enterprise Taskforce), Holly Matthews (Actress and Business Owner) and Louise Stuart (FSB Head of Communications and former BBC South East Political Editor).
Our Winners will be presented with their Awards and all Finalists and nominees will be presented with Award Certificates. The afternoon will conclude with our raffle, with prizes donated by local businesses, and all proceeds in aid of our nominated charity.
Event Management by FH Events
Photographs by Linda Scannell Photography


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The scary zipper lock screen is free unlocking application made for entertaining and fun download now and use it every day. The greatest benefit of the scary lock screen is that it will be the perfect zipper unlock for devices with different resolutions. Lock app come with the accompanying scary sound and you will know if someone tries to unlock the device and it will be secure from unauthorized use. The next great thing is that scary wallpaper can frighten introuder who tries to unlock your phone and learn it a valuable lesson don&apost touch other people phone decorated with scary lock screen wallpaper! The zipper is decorated with pendant for an even better look of your device background.
Scary Zipper Lock Screen Features
* easy to unlock the phone
* shows missed calls
* shows SMS notification
* HD background
* shows the time
* compatible with almost every smartphone
* compatible with tablet
* contains supporting sound
* easy to enable/ disable zipper and sound from the settings menu
* perfect lock screen wallpaper for your device
I bet you&aposre just wondering how this application runs... don&apost bother yourself with this question. Cool zipper lock screen app is made so that it can be used by people of all ages just click on the picture and in menu and set chosen zipper lock. The main characteristic of free zipper lock screen is that you never have to unzip the lock and then to answer the call also if you have missed calls or receive messages it will appear on zipper screen. You will certainly have a phone that attracts attention with its locker. Unzip image to unlock your phone drag zipper to the bottom of your phone and enjoy in zipping effect and zipper sound.
Use best lock screen app for Android everyday you will have a huge amount of fun and never stop using free zipper lock screen. This lock app does not require any code pin code/ passcode to unlock your zipper.


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I wanted to get the thank you cards for my baby shower that my family had for me done before the baby was born and came home. These were REALLY simple but I think they turned out cute. For those of you who know me well I get bored very easily, so I used three different stamp sets.
Here is what I used:
Stamp sets: Bugs and Kisses, Holiday Blitz, Nursery Necessities, and Thank you Kindly
Paper: Whisper White Cardstock
Ink: Regal Rose, Barely Banana, Bashful Blue and Basic Black Classic ink Pads
That was it! I hand wrote a personal message to each person in the card as I feel sometimes a personal message means more.
Thanks for looking!


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Provisioning in Neiafu, Tonga
When we agreed to cross the Pacific on S/V Julia, we decided to leave Starry Horizons in Neiafu. It was only an afterthought when I realized that meant leaving Starry Horizons' fridge and freezer empty. Upon returning, I would need to provision a full boat in Neiafu before... Continue Reading


text: In business since 1732, The Rowland Company is a specialty distributor of crane control components. During the last five years we have expanded our scope of work to included upgrade and modernizing crane controls. The Rowland Company specializes in providing solutions to our customers, tailored to their specific needs. Typically, the products used in these applications are brakes, remote controls, joysticks, conductor bar and festoon systems, variable frequency drives, motors, cable, sheaves, wheels and other related items. Contact Us or Request for Quote.


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Topic Area: Solar Energy
Geographic Area: Kenya
Focal Question: Are solar cookers a viable, cost-effective alternative to traditional methods of cooking in Kenya?
(1) Solar Cookers International, "Breakthrough at Kenyan Refugee Camps." http://www.accessone.com/~sbcn/kakuma-m.htm
(2) Kammen, Daniel M. "Cookstoves for the Developing World." Scientific American. volume 273, number 1, July 1995: 72-75.
Reviewer: Jill M. Maccaferri, Colby College '96
This case study investigated the introduction of a relatively newly-designed solar cooker to two refugee camps in Kenya- Kakuma and Dadaab. Instructional workshops and demonstrations were provided for women at both Kakuma and Dadaab. As a result of the educational sessions, many women throughout the camp became interested in obtaining and learning to operate a solar cooker of their own. The project has been considered a success and a guideline for the introduction of solar cookers to other tropical areas throughout the world.
The new-model cooker can be constructed from a cardboard box and aluminum foil. The box is opened, flattened, and then covered with a reflective material such as tin foil. The sides of the box are angled such that the sunlight is focused into the center area where a black cooking pot is placed. Experimentation has shown that cooking certain foods in plastic bags has better results as compared to cooking the food in the pot alone. The new cooker design is inexpensive, easy to construct from local materials, simple to use, and more portable than box models of cookstoves. The solar cooker requires little maintenance or repair as the surfaces need only to be wiped off after use and on occasion the foil may need to be replaced. These characteristics made the new model of solar cooker a success in the refugee camps of Kenya.
Women in the refugee camps were invited to attend a workshop where they could learn to use a solar cooker and obtain one of their own if they wished. In Kakuma, the solar cookers were given out for free along with a portion of food so that the women would not have to experiment with the cooker using their own food. In Dadaab refugees earned a cooker by working toward the betterment of the refugee camp. In most cases this included tree planting in and around the camp. The introduction of the cookers was regarded as a success in both camps as follow up investigations showed that the cookers were still widely being used. As of October 1995 over 1500 families had attended the workshops and received their own cooker.
The average Kenyan spends about 40% of earned income on fuel, 74% of which is used for cooking. It is estimated that the average family will save 60% of its fuelwood by using solar cookers. This can amount to great economic savings as well as reducing the pressure on dwindling fuelwood supplies. In terms of the families now living in the refugee camps, the solar cookers may provide an alternative to trading scarce food rations for fuelwood. In Kakuma, every two weeks each refugee is allotted one stick of firewood measuring two inches in diameter and roughly thirty inches in length. If this fuelwood is used up before the next ration of fuelwood is handed out, families must either scrounge within the camp for any bit of fuel they can find or they must trade a portion of their food to be able to cook the remaining amount food they have.
The solar cookers do take a substantially longer period of time to cook food as opposed to traditional methods of cooking. For instance, it takes approximately 50 minutes to boil two liters of water using a solar cooker. Because solar cookers often require several hours to cook food, it is necessary that the food begin cooking ahead of time. Obviously this meant a modification of lifestyle for Kenyan women. However, since solar cooking requires little stirring, food can be left to cook unattended while other daily tasks are performed.
Some evidence suggested that solar cookers actually free up time for many Kenyan women. Women spend roughly five hours a day searching for fuelwood to last for three days. By using the solar cooker and hence less fuelwood, women may have more free time which may be used for social betterment such as family planning, caring for children, or for improvements in agricultural practices. This potentially could become an important part of improving the lives of women in developing countries.
Since the new model of cooker has only recently been implemented in Kenya, it will take a period of adjustment and experimentation until the knowledge of how to cook such traditional meals as ugali becomes widespread. However, it has been reported that since the introduction of the new solar cookers to the refugee camps last year, Kenyan women have already begun to experiment and have since learned to cook several different types of food with remarkable results.
On cloudy or rainy days the solar cookers may not cook the food completely. This would mostly become a problem during the rainy seasons. Families may need to have a back-up cooking facility which then raises the question of possible additional costs of having two facilities. Solar cookers can certainly supplement conventional techniques while providing the owners with increased savings in fuelwood, but it seems unlikely that they will ever completely replace conventional methods of cooking.
The solar cookers were important tools of sustainability for several reasons. First, and perhaps most importantly, the stoves improved the conditions to which Kenyan women were exposed when they cooked. Under traditional methods of cooking with fuelwood, both women and children were exposed to extremely unhealthy levels of smoke from the cooking flame. This smoke has been linked to the high numbers of respiratory infections among women and children in developing countries. As the solar cooker has no flame, no smoke is produced thus greatly improving health and living conditions.
Domestic cooking accounts for 60% of wood burning in developing countries. The United Nations estimates that solar cooking will reduce the felling of trees around the camps by 40%. Obviously this can result in tremendous benefits for the environment such as a reduction in soil erosion. Further benefits that resulted from the solar cookers in the refugee camps were increased cleanliness and improved nutritional content of food as compared to food cooked using traditional methods of cooking.
The implementation of solar cookers in two refugee camps in Kenya has been regarded as a success. Since the introduction of the new model of cooker has taken place only recently and because the costs of the cookers in many cases were heavily subsidized, it is not yet known with absolute certainty whether or not the cookers will continue to be a success in the future once they are introduced to the market system. However, as of yet there have been few problems and the Kenyans seem to welcome the solar cookers into their lifestyle. Whether or not the solar cookers will be affordable remains to be seen. It is estimated that the new model of cooker would cost US$2-3 which may be a relatively large investment for certain Kenyans especially if a traditional cooking area is still required. However, the saving in fuelwood costs and time collecting fuelwood does appear to be great enough such that the solar cooker would pay for itself over time. Future investigations will look into this question to determine whether the new-model solar cooker will become an integrated part of the Kenyan lifestyle.


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BlackBerry isn't very good at keeping secrets.
Take the BlackBerry Venice; a slider phone that the company rubbed under the noses of tech journalists for several months before "officially" releasing the handset with a single tweak - the new name of 'Priv'.
A few weeks on, and they're at it again.
This is the BlackBerry Vienna - a handset that ditches the Priv's slider mechanism for their classic ever-present keyboard.
Leaked by the BlackBerry obsessives of CrackBerry, the group speculates that the new Vienna will continue BlackBerry's courtship with an Android operating system.
There's no word on release date as of yet, and we'd bet our considerable Pog collection on the name changing before launch.
Convinced? Let us know.


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Who was the first man to take a picture of the Taj Mahal from the air?
Probably Captain V. Sundaram, one of the pioneers of aviation in India and the first man to fly extensively over the country. He took the picture of the Taj in 1936 with a Kodak box camera he had bought for eight rupees.
Captain Sundaram became a pilot at the age of 19 and by the time he was 30 he had flown, as he says, "some of the greatest heroes of the day." These included the indomitable Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. Sundaram flew the Sardar across the length and breadth of India while the latter was negotiating the merger of hundreds of small princely states with India.
On many of his flights, his wife, Usha, served as co-pilot.
Captain Sundaram tells his story in his engrossing book, "An Airman's Saga," published by Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan. He writes simply and lucidly and brings alive a period in which aviation was in its infancy and a joyride in a plane cost as little as Rs.10.
Today the book itself costs Rs.300.


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Categories: Mains, Quick and Easy
Step 1Measure the depth of a large pot by tying a length of string around the roast and then suspending the roast inside the pot so that the roast doesn't touch the bottom. Lay a wooden spoon across the top of the pot like a bridge. Tie the string to the spoon. With the meat still suspended, fill the pot with enough water to submerge the roast.
Step 2Remove the meat and the spoon, cover the pot tightly with a lid and bring the water to a rolling boil over high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of salt and carefully lower the beef into the water so it hangs from the spoon, not touching the bottom. Prop the lid on top until the water returns to the boil, then remove the lid. Cook the beef 15 minutes per pound for a center that is on the cool side of medium rare, 20 minutes per pound for medium.
Step 3When the meat is done, remove it and the spoon from the boiling water, cut loose the suspending string, cover the roast loosely with foil and set aside for 10 to 15 minutes.
Step 4While the beef is resting, trim the tough stems from the watercress and place it in a salad bowl. In a small mixing bowl, beat the vinegar into the mustard, then gradually add the oil, beating with a fork to make a smooth dressing. Season to taste with a little salt. Pour it over the watercress and toss well.
Step 5Cut free the strings that bind the roast and carve the meat into 1/4-inch slices, being careful to reserve all meat juices. Arrange the slices in the center of a warm oval platter. Arrange the watercress salad around the outside of the roast, and then the bread slices on top of that.
Step 6Serve immediately, passing the very coarse salt at the same time to sprinkle on the meat according to taste. Use the bread to sop up as much of the meat juice as possible.


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Did you know that some anti-cancer medications in the form of a pill are costing patients thousands of dollars each month because they are not covered under the benefit that intravenous (IV) medications are?
The Cancer Treatment Fairness Act, House Bill 301, which the Florida Senate just passed yesterday, will help grant fair access to the cancer treatment options prescribed to patients by their physicians. Florida Komen Affiliates, including the Miami/Ft. Lauderdale Affiliate, have been supporting this issue which would require that individual or group insurance policies that currently provide coverage for cancer treatment medications also provide coverage for orally administered cancer treatment medications.
On March 6, 2013, Florida Komen Affiliates traveled to Tallahassee for the Senate bill hearing. Our message is simple: it is time Florida joins the 22 other states across the country, and the District of Columbia, in granting equal access to life-saving cancer treatment drugs regardless of how they are administered.
Debbie Giardina was a local patient advocate dear to our hearts. In 2007, Debbie was diagnosed with breast cancer and went through six months of IV chemotherapy plus radiation and a double mastectomy. Debbie then learned her cancer had metastasized to the bones in her back and she counted on a new promising form of cancer therapy to fight her cancer. However, Debbie's insurance company, like many others, only covered 50 percent of this drug expense because it was in a pill form, as opposed to IV form which is largely covered by insurance companies.
Debbie and her husband Sal saw themselves paying $2,000 a month with a credit card to cover the cost. A 2011 Miami Herald article stated Debbie was "among a growing number of cancer patients who find themselves unable to take advantage of the latest drugs because they can't afford them and insurance won't fully pay." Debbie's vow in supporting the Cancer Treatment Fairness Act was to be able to see her grandchildren grow up and spend time with her loving husband. As she told the Miami Herald, "nobody gets to put an expiration date on me". Debbie was eventually able to get assistance through the drug company for her oral chemotherapy but there are many cancer patients that are not as lucky.
Unfortunately, Debbie's battle with cancer ended on January 8, 2013 as her husband Sal and best friend Deborah Anthony sat by her side. Deborah Anthony, who had known Debbie since 1976, remembers Debbie "never complaining about feeling lousy and rarely feeling sorry for herself." Deborah Anthony and Debbie went on many trips together, including four "Cruise for the Cure" events in the Bahamas.
"True friends like Debbie are hard to find… I have many friends but only Debbie was my BEST friend, there is something different about a best friend – we had that connection", says Deborah Anthony.
We will always remember Debbie's dynamic personality and strength. Our thoughts and prayers are with her family and friends.
Click here to stay up to date on the Cancer Treatment Fairness Act as it goes to the Florida House.
Click here to join Komen Advocacy.


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Made of durable cotton and featuring a refined grey and white illustration of the London skyline, this stylish purse will keep your cards and coins safe. From the contemporary Sketch London range, this small accessory is designed by UK based artist Angela Fielder.
Additional information:
- Approx. 16cm x 9.5cm
- 100% cotton with PVC backing


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This year's AISTech-show took place in Pittsburgh, PA and was one of the largest AIST shows so far with over 7500 attendees (read more). Shapeline was present as usual and had the new VeriFlat®-sensor on display. The sensor was fully operational and demonstrated real-time measurement on a moving sheet in the booth, which caused a fair bit of attention. On Tuesday night, the annual Hospitality suite was arranged in the nearby Westin hotel by Shapeline and partners. It was the biggest hospitality suite so far with live music, two bars, food and several hundred guests. An event to look out for next year!
All in all, the spirit on the show was more optimistic than before, hopefully yet another sign that there is an up-turn in the global steel industry.


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Manchester – the best city on the planet! A vibrant and bustling city. It's a big place and Latics covers the North, East of Manchester and parts of the City Centre. Negotiating the busy roads through the centre of Manchester can be challenging! And then you have the bustling centres and residential streets of Cheetham Hill, Newton Heath and Blackley. Latics driving instructors will help you get to grips with the wide variety of roads and help build your confidence so you're able to deal with busy traffic and tricky junctions.
Once you're ready for your test, you can book your driving test at one of the nearest test centres at Failsworth, Middleton, or Cheetham Hill.
Our driving school covers the North and East of Manchester with our Latics driving instructors giving driving lessons in Audenshaw, Blackley, City Centre, Clayton, Collyhurst, Crumpsall, Failsworth, Gorton, Harpurhey, Longsight, Moston, Newton Heath and Openshaw.
Info & Reviews
The driving instructors above may only cover parts of Manchester, but once we have your precise location, we can allocate a suitable instructor for you.
Your driving instructor can pick you up from home, work or college, and you can feel secure knowing you can stay with the same driving instructor until you pass your test. Our driving instructors in Manchester have brilliant pass rates and together, you can choose the duration and frequency of your driving lessons to suit your needs.
You have already taken your first step to getting on the road! Now let us do the rest! Ring our top-notch driving school to book driving lessons in Manchester today on 0161 410 1011, request a call back, or book online.


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Assistant/Associate Professor (tenure track) of Cognitive Psychology, American University in Cairo
The University's educational assets include the largest English-language academic library collection in Egypt, three modern theaters and 15 cross-disciplinary research centers. The University's modern, 260-acre New Cairo campus constitutes a visionary investment in the future of Cairo, Egypt and the region — a state-of-the-art facility for advanced research, innovative teaching, lifelong learning and civic engagement. Chartered and accredited in the United States and Egypt, The American University in Cairo is an independent, not-for-profit, equal-opportunity institution.
Egypt has been much in the news over recent years, there is a somewhat exaggerated media view of a country much in turmoil with a precarious security situation. The university is proud to have a large foreign faculty from across the globe holding long term appointments, with new foreign faculty regularly joining the ranks. Life in Cairo is rich and vibrant and our international faculty enjoy the wonders of this ancient, yet modern city, as well as the opportunity to explore this diverse country.
We seek to appoint a successful Cognitive Psychologist who will join a School and Faculty in a tenure track position, with research ambition and a drive to have real impact in the world. We welcome applications from people with research interests in any area of Cognitive Psychology but it is essential that they are able to teach a broad range of topics in cognitive and experimental psychology.
We are looking for highly motivated people with a creative and collegiate approach to Psychology, and we welcome applicants working with a range of methods who are committed to both research and teaching. All faculty members will contribute directly to research, teaching and learning and to service in the School. In addition to salary, previous faculty have received generous access to research and conference travel grants, health insurance and pension scheme, annual home leave for all family members, as well as, the opportunity of excellent faculty housing located next to campus or free transportation for off campus housing.
Further information about the University and the School of Psychology can be found at http://schools.aucegypt.edu/huss/sape/psyc/Pages/default.aspx.
For an informal discussion please contact Dr Kate Ellis, Assistant Professor of psychology (email: firstname.lastname@example.com, telephone: 00201144449741)
Please use the links below to go to the relevant pages to apply.
We acknowledge, understand and embrace diversity.


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Remember the Peanut Butter stuffed Cookie Dough Bars I shared with you last week? I didn't want to spoil the surprise but I got so excited by the idea of using peanut butter cups to stuff them into bars, or truffles, or cakes that I simply had to make more versions of it. I am so excited to share this with you guys and I hope you are too! Just by looking at these No-bake Pumpkin Donuts with Cookie Butter Cup Stuffing, I feel I have to make another batch right now. So what's the different to the Cookie Dough bars? Firstly, this time I didn't start with PB cups I made Speculoos Butter Cups or as you might call them Dutch Cookie Butter Cups. Yeees!
How did that happen? So while I was making the usual PB cups, I reached up to the shelf to grab the PB jar and what did I spot? That big jar of Dutch Cookie butter that I had brought back with me from my recent trip to the Netherlands. If you have never tried the Dutch Cookie Butter or Speculoos Butter – go and get yourself one right now! They taste like salty Christmas Caramel Butter in a jar! There are heaps of vegan versions of the Dutch Speculoos Butter out there – you could make your own also (or try one of these nut butters). So as I said I wanted to change things up a bit. So while my usual PB cups went into the cookie dough bars I decided that my newly invented Speculoss Butter cups should go into a no-bake pumpkin donut. And I L-O-V-E how they turned out.
I am not going to lie to you, this is amazing and highly addictive stuff. The donut is soft with amazing fall flavors of pumpkin and cinnamon. The highlight of course when biting into them is the soft center made of Dutch cookie butter cups. I could SO imagine these as a wonderful Thanksgiving treat! Easy to prepare in advance, no hassle with the baking, you simply press the dough into your donut mould with the cookie butter cups in between and refrigerate. Would love to hear from you what you think about these munchies!
No-bake Pumpkin Donuts with Cookie Butter Cup Stuffing
- 1 1/2 cup of pumpkin puree (I made my own)
- 5 tbsp of creamed coconut/coconut butter
- 5 tbsp maple syrup
- 2 tbsp vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
- 1 tsp maca powder
- 4 tbsp tigernut flour (if you don't have tigernut flour replace with 2 tbsp coconut flour instead)
- 2 tbsp coconut flour
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger/ginger powder
- 1 tsp gingerbread spice
Mix all ingredients until you end up with a fairly smooth dough. Grab your donut pan and press a little bit of dough into every shape to cover the bottom. Take your cookie butter (speculoos) cups out of the fridge and press 3 into each donut shape. Then take the remaining dough and cover the cookie butter cups with the pumpkin dough. Transfer to the freezer to set for at least 3 hours or overnight. In order to get the donuts out of the pan just tap it slightly on the kitchen bench so it releases. Or even turn it around and tap it on the kitchen bench again. Once released, coat them with melted chocolate and chopped nuts or cookie crumbles.
Dutch Cookie Butter Cups (Or Speculoos Butter Cups)
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup coconut oil melted (Tropicai has a very good one)
- pinch of salt
- pinch of ground vanilla
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground coffee (optional but brings out the chocolate flavors)
- 3 tbsp coconut syrup (Tropicai)
- Dutch cookie butter spread (half a teaspoon for every mini cupcake mould)
If you loved my No-bake Pumpkin Donuts with Cookie Butter Cup Stuffing I would love to hear about it! Leave a comment or tag me on Instagram or Facebook @whensweetbecomeshealthy so I don't miss it ♥


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By Luisa Villegas
Program Director, South America
Human displacement remains a continued challenge around the world. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Global Trends 2012 report, an estimated 35.8 million people were displaced last year, of whom approximately half—some 17.7 million people—were forced to move within their own countries. For years, Africa and the Middle East have had the largest displaced populations. However, if you distill these numbers by country rather than region—Syria (3 million), the Democratic Republic of Congo (2.7 million) Sudan (2.2 million) Iraq (2.1 million) and Somalia (up to 1.36 million)—each still trails Colombia (estimates vary from 3.7 – 5.5 million), a country with tremendous growth and strong democratic institutions.
In spite of the challenges, for more than a decade Colombia has made significant strides toward helping displaced persons by enacting legislation that encouraged local governments to assist displaced persons and protect their rights. Today, this effort continues with the so-called Victims Law ("Ley 1448 de Víctimas y Restitución de Tierras"), a historic piece of legislation passed in 2011 to bring an end to the country's armed conflict and to promote peace and social reconciliation. This law is designed to aid citizens who have suffered displacement, kidnapping, extortion, abuse and loss of a direct family member due to the civil strife during the past 25 years.
Since 2000, the Pan American Development Foundation (PADF) has assisted displaced persons and other vulnerable groups by improving income generation opportunities and providing access to services such as health, education, housing and food security. Building on this experience, PADF has more recently worked to carry out initiatives that support the implementation of the Victims Law, including developing micro-enterprises among displaced persons; aiding Afro-Colombians and Indigenous people; and providing technical, managerial and other assistance to Victims' Unit field offices and Ministries such as Justice, Labor and Foreign Relations.
In addition, PADF is helping in the prevention of recruitment by gangs of children and youth at risk, which is supporting the Ministry of Foreign Affairs's "PIP"—short for Integral Prevention Plan—strategy during 2013 to 2014. This initiative partners with organizations such as PADF to establish multi-service centers in conflictive areas to aid and counsel at-risk youth, much like Boys and Girls Clubs or YMCAs/YWCAs. These centers, operated by local governments and NGOs like PADF, provide safe spaces to engage youth and provide access to computer labs, cafeterias, game rooms, sports facilities, counseling, youth and microenterprise development training. Launched by the Santos Administration recently, this strategy seeks to accelerate the country's peace process by reintegrating ex-combatants, combating FARC recruitment and gang activities, and ensuring progress regarding the country's social justice objectives.
Colombia: Accelerating the Peace Process through Job Creation and Violence Prevention
By Luisa Villegas


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Day 1⃣1⃣: MappCraft.com ✨MINIMALista ❤Love Your 👓Look Challenge 👗/
Only three days left of the 14 Day MINIMALista Love Your Look Challenge! I realize that it has taken me four weeks to document a two-week project but life doesn't always happen in real time, okay?
Did this series inspire you to take a closer look at your clothing choices? Have you identified which garments send you into the world feeling amazing and which drain your precious life force? I hope so because we are only a week away from the Spring 2016 MINIMALista Ruthless Wardrobe Edit. AKA: The first closet of the rest of your life. Get your rolling rack ready!
What I wore:
1. Base: Spanx opaque tights
2. Core: Max Studio leather look skirt
3. Core: Cashmere tunic sweater with exposed zipper detail from Gilt.com
4. Accessories: Kendra Scott cocktail ring; Christian Louboutin ROUGE LOUBOUTIN Sheer Voile Lip Color #001S pendant
5. Footwear: Loeffler Randal cut out booties
Core: There are items that hang in my closet to act simply as muse, a fashion quirk that's followed me from childhood. Unlike my previous life, where I had an auxiliary closet dedicated to "inspiring" garments, I now limit this practice to one or two frocks that are too fanciful for frequent use but visually represent my personal style aspirations. Embellished with leatherette pleats, this otherwise simple, black Max Studio pencil skirt epitomizes my personal aesthetic: basics elevated by unexpected elements.
Core: You can't see the best part of this black cashmere tunic sweater: an exposed zipper that runs the full length of the back. Another example of a simple silhouette elevated by fabric and details.
MINIMAListas make room in their closet for INSPIRATION
Accessories: All black everything requires stand out accessories that don't recede into the darkness. Love the chunk, function and pedigree of my Christian Louboutin lipstick pendant. Even though I don't wear it often, I can't seem to shake this oversized abstract Kendra Scott cocktail ring.
MINIMAListas know that BOLD ACCESSORIES keep all black from boring
Footwear: These cut out platform booties were my first Loeffler Randal purchase. LR is quite obviously my favorite shoe and handbag resource for the very reasons mentioned above: the aesthetic is simple and sturdy, elevated by quality material and interesting details. I bought these booties in September 2008 for New York Fashion Week when Cibu sponsored Christian Siriano's first show after winning Project Runway. Now that was a fashion moment. Originally these shoes were gray and I wore them to the bone. With the help of my cobbler, we reincarnated them in 2012 with black dye and to this day I feel all the fashion feelings (and very tall) when I wear them.
MINIMAListas know every outfit has a better STORY
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