text:
FARMINGTON — Greetings and a wonderful day to you and welcome to the month of February, which brings us another month closer to Spring. This really has been a strange winter and it has affected the attendance of our membership to meetings and our turn out for activities as people just don't want to leave the comfort of their homes when the weather is messy or cold (they don't like to come out when it is hot or sunny either), or the roads are impassible. Let's hope the parking is available for the coming month's activities.
Our month of February starts out with our ham and bean supper that will be held on Saturday, Feb. 2, with the doors opening at 4 p.m., and the food hot and ready for our faithful attendees.
We will have two kinds of beans, potato salad, cole slaw, beverages and dessert ready and waiting for your selection. So come early and enjoy the fellowship with old and new friends. The supper goes from 4 to 6 p.m., and the cost is still only $7. (Children 10 and under are only $3.)
The Carlton Woman's Relief Corps will hold their meeting at six p.m., Tuesday evening, Feb. 5, followed by both the American Legion and the American Legion Auxiliary meetings at 7 p.m. The Woman's Relief Corps will hold nominations for their officers this meeting, while the American Legion and the American Legion Auxiliary will both hold their second nominations and elections. We tentatively have our installation planned for Tuesday, March 5.
Chapter 23 of the Disabled American Veterans and Unit 23 will be holding their meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 12, and during both meetings the first nominations of new officers will be taking place with the second nominations and elections following in March so please plan on attending these very important meetings if at all possible.
This past week I received a telephone call from a dear past member of our DAVA it was from Nathalie (Lee) Sullivan who gave me the news that her husband of 66 years Henry Sullivan, had passed away in Arizona and he will be buried up here in Farmington hopefully this coming May.
Even with their transferred memberships in Arizona they always felt more at home in Farmington because of the closeness and friendships that had grown and developed over the years.
Henry's memory of the many projects and proposals to benefit our veterans will never be forgotten, or Lee's very lady-like mannerisms. They were one of the few couples back then who had both served in the military and continued to do what they could to help others. For those of you that didn't get to meet either of these giving people I'm sure others will gladly share some Henry and Lee stories.
Time is going fast for us all so please don't put off too long what you plan to do to help others, military members, family or friends as time does not stand still and life goes on very fast. If you planned on attending the meetings of the organizations that you belong on paper as you carry the membership cards in your wallet attend now, before they too have closed their doors due to lack of attendance.
Until next time continue the prayers and events that help others, and our country, God bless you all and take care.


text: A lot of Americans may be in the dark when it comes to Elite, since it's more fanatical followers are based mostly out of the UK, but all you really need to know is that it's one of the greatest games ever made. Actually, I think its sequel - Frontier - is even better, but whatever, that's open to debate. The point is, the latest Elite game, Elite 4, which has been years in the making, is...still being made, according to series creator David Braben. Which is good to know, since it's been over nine months since we heard anything on the project. Latest is that it'll be out after his current game, The Outsider, which is slated for release sometime next year. Putting Elite 4's release at somewhere around 2010. At the earliest. Which, when you write it down like that, is an awfully long time away. Elite 4 technology almost finished, says Braben [Develop]

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Liverpool (Nova Scotia)
Liverpool, the "Port of the Privateers"[1] is an historic town in Queens County[2] located on the South Shore of Nova Scotia.
Established in 1759, Liverpool was once known as Ogomikigeak (dry sandy place) and Ogukegeok (place of departure) by the Mi'kmaq. Samuel de Champlain later named the harbour Port Rossignol after the captain who was using the harbour for fur trading. The expulsion of the Acadians set the stage for New England Planters to found Liverpool, naming the town after Lord Liverpool, head of the Board of Trade and Plantations. Initially sympathetic to the cause of the American Revolution, residents eventually "rebelled against the rebellion" after American Privateers repeatedly attacked local shipping, even the town itself. The golden age of the Liverpool Privateer had begun. During the remainder of the American Revolution, through the Napoleonic Wars and the War of 1812, Liverpool privateer vessels preyed on enemy ships in the West Indies and North Atlantic.
An important harbour for the export of forestry products, ship building and fishing, Liverpool enjoyed a comfortable existence until the mid-19th Century. The new star of the ship building world, steel, ruined Liverpool's wooden ship industry and the failure of two local banks crippled the local economy.
Prohibition in the United States allowed Liverpool to become a rum running centre in the 1920's. The town's fortunes were further bolstered with the 1929 completion of the Mersey Paper Company in Brooklyn and a new era dawned in the town.
Today Liverpool is part of the larger Region of Queens Municipality and enjoys a thriving festival season. Surrounded by quiet, unspoiled white sand beaches and protected wilderness areas, Liverpool makes a great year round hub for travellers looking for good food, culture and nature activities.
Get in[edit]
Liverpool is located 90 minutes away from both Yarmouth and Halifax on Highway 103 on the South Shore of Nova Scotia.
By car[edit]
From Halifax, get on Highway 102 North (Bayers Rd.), then take Exit 1A toward Highway 3/Highway 333/Peggy's Cove/South Shore/Yarmouth. Merge onto Highway 103 West, then get off at Exit 19. For a longer, more scenic drive, take the Lighthouse Route (Highway 3), which goes along the coast and directly through Liverpool.
By Bus[edit]
Trius Tours, (1-877-566-1567) offers daily bus service between Halifax and Yarmouth
Get around[edit]
While there is no public transportation in Liverpool, many attractions are accessible by foot. There are several taxi companies in the area.
See[edit][add listing]
Do[edit][add listing]
Get sand in your shoes when you take a relaxing stroll on one of Queens County's numerous pristine white sand beaches.
Eat & Drink[edit]
Wine tastings, beer and burger tastings, live music, book events, and quiz nights. There is always something fun happening at Lane's. Be sure to check out the renovations! In 2014 Lane's is getting a complete facelift and now features 24 guest rooms. Ask for the "Artist inspired guest rooms " which feature the works of local artists. [email protected] 1 800 794 3332
Sleep[edit][add listing]
Boat Launch and lovely waterfront grounds.
Motels and B&Bs[edit]
Get out[edit]
The area around Liverpool offers plenty of activities, restaurants and accommodations.
For more information, visit the Region of Queens website at http://www.queens.ca or call 1-800-655-5741.


text: Home»Boys Bedroom»Design Ideas For Boys Bedroom Design Ideas For Boys Bedroom By admin In Boys Bedroom | No Comments Find the best 14 Images of the Design Ideas For Boys Bedroom in our site. You can access from here! This image is provided only for personal use. If you found any images copyrighted to yours, please contact us and we will remove it. We don't intend to display any copyright protected images. Share This: tweet You may also like Perfect Boys Bedroom Boys Bedroom Dressers Bedroom Themes For Boys Boys Bedroom Wall Ideas Boys Bedroom Blue Bedroom Design Ideas For Boys Wall Decor For Boys Bedroom « PREVIOUS Previous post link Home Bathroom NEXT »Bedroom Things For Girls Next post link


text:
Veronica Constantine
|Veronica Constantine
|Biographical Information
|Physical Description
108 lbs
Dark Brown
|Political Information
Pegasus Fleet Executive Officer
|Played By:
|[ Source ]
Veronica Constantine is a 24th Century officer serving as the 11th Fleet's Executive Officer and acting as the Commandant of the 11th Fleet's division of Starfleet Academy. She is most noted for her decryption algorithm used to decipher Dominion communications during the war as an Ensign aboard the USS Cobra. She currently holds the rank of Rear Admiral.
- 1 Notable Quotes
- 2 Appearance & Personality
- 3 Family
- 4 History
- 5 Chronology
Notable Quotes
The Academy is my child and I will form it in my image. My position serves not only as a teacher but as the guardian of the ideals and the foundation of Pegasus Fleet. I have spent my years dreaming about being the hero out there without realizing that I am part of every battle, every ship, every decision. This fleet, this...this is what I live for, this is what I bleed and this is what I would die for. This is my charge Admiral, and I will not stop until I am so relieved.
- Veronica Constantine to Vice Admiral Walford and Captain Reynolds on her position as Academy Commandant.
Appearance & Personality
Physical Appearance
Veronica is a shorter, slender woman of thirty eight years benefitting from the extended appearance of youth common with Betazoids. She has the trademark deep brown eyes, fair complexion and brown hair which she keeps at shoulder length.
General Personality
Veronica is a strong willed and often stubborn woman whose determination to succeed has ascended her quickly through the ranks of Starfleet. Although she does not openly show it, Veronica nurtures her students and Academy staff forever encouraging the zeal for learning and to not limit one's potential, however this is sometimes seen by others as a strict, stubborn individual (tyrant to a stretch) pushing the materials and ideals down their throats. Behind closed doors, she simply wants all of her staff and students to rise above their limits. Veronica has always taken a keen interest in both others and the fleet itself often working outside the Academy on ways to improve daily operations. This trait has carried for the duration of her career as she was always keen to assist where needed regardless of her skill level. She was taught that someone had to do even the most mundane tasks and that she should not be an exception to such as a group effort was required to achieve most larger goals.
Strengths & Weaknesses
-Strong Willed
-Self Sufficient
-Sometimes overzealous
-Jealous of her sibling
-Actions sometimes viewed as overly strict.
Veronica strives to always grow and increase her potential. Her zeal to improve herself and others is unwavered and she wishes to simply achieve as much as she can in one lifetime. She also wishes to one day be able to Command a ship and a Task Force.
Hobbies & Interests
Veronica has always been interested in understanding her surroundings. This can manifest from simply reading a book to getting deeply involved in Fleet matters and politics.
Father: John Constantine - Armed with a no-nonsense personality and a strong work ethic. John taught the girls the importance of hard work and the fruits of such labor. He did not agree with Anastasia's more positive outlook on the universe preparing and educating the girls on the perils that existed outside of Betazed. He wished them to see the universe for what it was and not as a 'fairy tale'.
Mother: Anastasia Constantine - A strict feminist who instilled the importance of a good heart and a strong will into her daughters. Anastasia always told the girls not to think themselves as less than men and that determination could drive them to an unseen potential. Her nurturing personality would manifest itself differently on each sibling however it would not be lost on either. Myralia would hone this trait as the baseline for her future progression into counselling and expertise in PTSD whilst Veronica would mask it instead choosing to use it only when Myralia was not watching.
Sister: Lieutenant Myralia Constantine - Commodore Constantine's sister Myralia currently serves aboard the USS Eisenhower as the Chief Counselor. The two share a turbulent relationship with Veronica often showing a more dominant attitude towards her sister. However when not in Myralia's presence, Veronica is constantly watching her younger sibling and often puts extra effort into protecting her from harm or unfounded scrutiny. Most notably Veronica approached Admiral Roman Sanchez to have Myralia transferred from the troubled Deep Space Ten to the USS Eisenhower to allow Myralia the chance to exhibit her talents and get a fresh start.
Early Years
Veronica was born in a rural community just outside the Betazed capital on February 15th 2352. She was the first child to John and Anastasia Constantine whom had another girl, Myralia 3 years later. Her early years were filled with nurturing care from her parents and given all the pleasures that a small child of Betazed could want. However when Veronica was eight, the Constantine's left Betazed when Anastasia's mother on earth became gravely ill and her father was unable to care for her. Without thought, the family picked up and moved to the rural farm on earth, returning to Betazed two years later following the death of Anastasia's Father.
It was in these years that followed that a rivalry between Myralia and Veronica began to form. The two sisters were always in direct competition for the approval of their parents but often Veronica would bear over the younger Myralia. At times Veronica would become overly tough on her smaller sister spatting harsh criticism and giving her 'tough' lessons such as having to deal with lesser injuries to herself on her own.
Some, most likely her parents would have disapproved of this unseen rivalry and the actions of Veronica however it would serve to build the backbone of Myralia's strong will. Unlike Myralia, Veronica would not be as open to exhibit her nurturing personality and often masked it behind closed doors. Nevertheless behind the stubborn, confident visage Veronica still cared for all those around her and had not lost the most important teaching of her mother like Myralia had come to believe.
Starfleet Academy
Into the teenage years the sibling rivalry would continue but Veronica soon believed herself to win over Myralia as when Veronica reached eighteen she left the farm to join Starfleet. Given her personality profile many assumed Veronica would join as a counselling or medical officer however she shocked them by enlisting as an Intelligence Officer focusing the arts of encryption. She was driven to this path simply by knowing the importance of communication in a battle and how intercepting such could change it's course and save lives in ways other's could not. Veronica did not wish to see the after effects of combat and wished to do whatever possible to avoid it. Her outlook would propel her to achieving high marks in her academy tenure even giving her top student in her second year. Despite her course load and the nature of her profession she still found time to connect with others and form friendships.
Following her third year in the Academy Veronica learned her younger sister Myralia had enlisted in Starfleet as a Counselling Officer. Veronica would often portray herself as superior to her freshman sibling often reminding her of her final year status. However behind the scenes Veronica intently watched Myralia even going so far as to assault a Cadet who was found to be harassing the younger Constantine. As the injuries to the cadet were fairly minor Veronica was not severely reprimanded and allowed to continue her learning. Graduating in 2374, Veronica was commissioned as an Ensign assigned to the USS Cobra as an Encryption Specialist.
USS Cobra
Her first assignment; the USS Cobra was tasked with the interception of communications between Dominion forces. Veronica was immediately thrust into the pressures of the vital mission and the importance of it's success. Her life became a routine of eighteen hour shifts followed by rest. Sometimes nearing the point of collapse, Veronica pressed through the challenge and eventually created an algorithm that would allow the Cobra to decrypt the Dominion communications. This would allow Starfleet to interrupt supply lines, halt reinforcements and be further prepared for incoming assaults. The job proved to be everything Veronica hoped for finding satisfaction in her part in turning the tides of war for the Federation. Upon the completion of her tour of duty, Veronica was promoted to Lieutenant JG and assigned to the USS Skyfall.
USS Skyfall
Given her experience with Dominion and Starfleet Communications protocols, her main task onboard the USS Skyfall would be to improve the encryption and security of Starfleet communications to stifle any intrusions by hostile forces. It was believed that although the aging protocols held through the war, they would one day be penetrated and could lead to a surprise assault on the Federation. Whilst the job sounded promising, Veronica found herself left alone at times with very little regard paid to her. She began to question the importance of her task and the mission wondering if this was simply a make work project. Despite her reservations she continued her work but it would affect her attitude as she became far less social and often tuned out others. However her work would be once again recognized and she was promoted to full Lieutenant and assigned to the USS Blackbird.
USS Blackbird
Veronica's first taste of leadership and the responsibilities that followed were aboard the USS Blackbird as the Assistant Chief Intelligence Officer. Her distaste for her profession was quickly removed as the challenges of assisting in the daily operations of her department soon motivated her to strive forward and improve herself. While her methods were considered strict and firm, the officers in the intelligence department would come to appreciate her attention to detail and no-nonsense attitude. It was on the Blackbird Veronica's realization that she was meant to be amongst the higher echelon of Starfleet and she began to develop herself through distance learning and studies to prepare for such. As such on the recommendation of her Department Head and Commanding Officer she was promoted to Lieutenant Commander and assigned to the USS Umbra as Chief Intelligence Officer.
USS Umbra
Veronica would carry her leadership style onto the USS Umbra once again having to work her way into the respect of the crew and her department but eventually growing upon them. It was at this time that her access granted by being a Chief of Intelligence caused her to once again take interest in her younger sister Myralia. As she had surmised her younger sibling was progressing normally taking great strides in her new profession and mirroring their mother. Nevertheless the correspondence remained minimal with Veronica watching only from a distance. She would also begin her research into the enigmatic activities of the Vinarian Syndicate. Despite her best efforts and knowledge of operatives in the field attempting to infiltrate the organization she was unable to discern much of how the organization worked nor the purpose of their repeated raids seeing them as more than just 'random plundering'. However near the end of her tenure she was able to assist the Umbra and another Starfleet vessel in the recovery of the USS Napoleon, a ship captured by the syndicate. Any records of the syndicates activities however were purged before the recovery. Subsequently Veronica was promoted to Commander and assigned to the USS Night Hawk as Executive Officer.
USS Night Hawk
Veronica inched closer to her dream of commanding a starship and entering the higher echelons of Starfleet when she assumed the role of XO on the Night Hawk. Unlike her previous assignments, her unique leadership style was met with some resistance and she would be humbled with the reality she would be required to hone her people skills, a trait not required in her previous assignments. Veronica would begin to study the ship's Chief Diplomatic Officer to learn how to speak politically. She was accustomed to her no-nonsense attitude being welcomed by others, however 'the red uniform' meant she was held to a higher standard and thus would be required to conduct herself in a different manner. It was also during her time she learned her sister Myralia had been assigned to Starfleet Medical to write a paper and further study Post-Traumatic Stress Syndrome. Secretly Veronica was jealous of this and pleaded Myralia to leave the organization stating earth was no place for a junior officer and the position would only stifle her career. However her true motivation lay in the fact her younger sister was beginning to outshine her despite Veronica being the more experienced officer. Two years later following her recommendation for promotion, Veronica expected to be seeing her first Command however Starfleet Intelligence had different plans placing her as the Deputy Director of Internal Affairs instead.
Starfleet Intelligence
Veronica's Tenure at Starfleet Command would begin as the Deputy Director of Internal Affairs. At first Veronica began to exhibit paranoia and would seek to find out why she had been denied her chance at a Command. She had always wanted to prove herself out on the 'front lines' but now she was suddenly being religated to a desk job. However she would later find out her reassignment was actually due to her skill and attention to detail. Starfleet Intelligence believed that forces within Starfleet Command were crippling the organization and they felt Veronica a suitable candidate to investigate. As she delved deeper into the structure of Fleet Command she discovered several Admirals were profiteering from 'favours' to old friends and approving various missions and assignments which had no business in the hands of Starfleet. She also discovered records from the Utopia Planetia shipyards regarding the decommissioning of certain Starships. She would eventually begin to wonder if Starfleet Intelligence was privy to something she was not. Perhaps something surrounding her experiences with the Vinarian Syndicate.
With the vacated position of Director of Internal Affairs, Veronica Constantine was promoted to Commodore and given the opportunity to continue her investigation into the possible involvement of the Vinarian Syndicate in the corruption at Starfleet Command. The pieces were beginning to fall together as she found evidence not revealed before that the ship recovered by her whilst on the Umbra, was declared decommissioned and destroyed at the Utopia Planetia Shipyards. When sent to investigate the signator of the document, it was learned that the officer has 'retired' and could not be found. Once again the Syndicate appeared to have conducted their operations unbeknowst to others without leaving a trace to their end state. Once again Starfleet Intelligence would officially deem the situation to be caused by profiteering and dismiss any further allegations and investigations into the matter removing those involved from their posts believing it to be the end. Commodore Constantine was wiser than this and warned the Chief of Intelligence the syndicate would return and they had only paused the operation.
Eventually her services as Director were 'no longer required' and she was transferred to the 11th Fleet's division of Starfleet Academy, a post far away from anything related to the Intelligence Corps.
11th Fleet's Division of Starfleet Academy
When Veronica arrived in the 11th Fleet Academy she immediately began to change the way the facility operating. Seeing the need for reforms, she quickly began to adapt the institution to the changing needs of the fleet. Starfleet was changing but the Academy had not and thus Veronica began fervorously rewriting and creating materials to suit the changes. However only 6 months into her tenure, Veronica experienced something she had never felt before. The fire that burned within her so deeply and drove her to success, the will instilled in her by her mother was 'burning' out. For the first time in her career, Veronica was contemplating resignation (USS Eisenhower: "I Solemnly Swear"). However it was not in the cards as her sister Myralia serving on the very ship Veronica was visiting picked up on her sister's turmoil and rushed to aid her dwindling sibling. It was now Myralia whom needed to push Veronica. Her efforts would succeed and Veronica would once again find the will to push forward forever changing the face of the 11th Fleet's Academy, a feat noted by her superiors.
In the year 2390, Commodore Constantine was given a promotion to Rear Admiral cited for exemplary work and involvement in the fleet. Shortly after her promotion to Rear Admiral, she was appointed to the Office of the Pegasus Fleet Executive Officer by Admiral Kaitlen Walford.
|Starfleet Academy
|Intelligence Cadet
|USS Cobra
|Encryption Specialist
|USS Skyfall
Lieutenant JG
|Encryption Specialist
|USS Blackbird
|Assistant Chief Intelligence Officer
|USS Umbra
Lieutenant Commander
|Chief Intelligence Officer
|USS Night Hawk
|Executive Officer
|Starfleet Intelligence
|Deputy Director of Dept. of Internal Affairs
|StarFleet Intelligence
|Director of Dept. of Internal Affairs
|11th Fleet Division of Starfleet Academy
|Academy Commandant
|11th Fleet Division of Starfleet Academy
Rear Admiral
|Academy Commandant


text:
Independence Police Department
223 N. Memorial Drive
Independence, MO 64050-3013
Public Information Office
Officer Tom Gentry
(816) 325-7258
News Release
For immediate release: May 30, 2014
Armed Robbery Suspects Arrested
Three individuals who are believed to have taken part in multiple armed street robberies have been arrested and are being held to face charges next week in Jackson County Court.
The suspects are: Jessica K. Coleman, 21 yrs, Kingsville, MO; Deondre M. Prendergast, 20 yrs, Kansas City, MO; and Devonte M. Prendergast, 19 yrs, Kansas City, MO. The suspects are being held on felony arrest warrants charging them with multiple counts of Robbery First Degree and Armed Criminal Action. Bond is set at $50,000 cash only for each suspect.
Jessica Coleman Deondre Prendergast Devonte Prendergast


text:
Zynga is in trouble. Many touted the casual developer the next Facebook (for some ludicrous reason), making the market a stir in anticipation of Zynga's IPO. Unfortunately, just a year later, shares are sitting at $2.36, down 76.4% from the initial $10 asking price. After laying off 100 employees (2/3s of its Austin branch) and shutting down their Boston offices in October, things looked bleak for the once-lucrative gaming company.
Soon after, Zynga announced that they were "sunsetting" 13 older games from their library and reducing investment in "The Ville". That has come to fruition this month, culminating in yesterday's surprising shut down of the popular PetVille, stating on Facebook:
Greetings PetVille players,
Thank you for supporting PetVille and for being a loyal player! We're sorry to inform you that PetVille will be shutting down on Dec 30, 2012. In place of PetVille, we encourage you to play other Zynga games like Castleville, Chefville, Farmville 2, Mafia Wars and Yoville.
We appreciate your participation in PetVille as it helped make the game a fun place to meet and war with friends. As a loyal PetVille player, you are eligible for a one-time, complimentary bonus package in one of either Castleville, or Chefville, or Farmville 2, or Mafia Wars or Yoville. You can start the process by logging into PetVilleand clicking on the "Redeem" button. Please note that this offer will be valid only until Dec 30, 2012
Log in here -> http://zynga.tm/cKw
Thank you for your time in PetVille. We look forward to seeing you again in other Zynga games.
The PetVille team
It's a surprising move for a game that has 7.5 million likes on Facebook, but apparently interest has dwindled, with just 60,000 reported users active in a day. While it seems like keeping an already-established game live wouldn't be cost prohibitive, Zynga has stated that they need to consolidate their workforce into more currently-succesful projects and future endeavors, including mobile games and real-money gambling games in Nevada.
Other games shutdown this month include Mafia Wars 2, FishVille, Vampire Wars, Treasure Isle, Mafia Wars Shakedown, Forestville, Montopia, Mojitomo and World Scramble Challenge.
With Zynga's future cloudy, the only thing ensured is that no longer will we be berated with "Ville" and "Mafia Wars" requests — something to be thankful for.


text:
Search "ALL"
Showing 1 - 10 of 187 results
University of Ottawa
Photovoltaic design and characterization of devices, modules, and systems for solar and photonic power applications
University of Calgary
Petroleum microbiology related to hydrocarbon biodegradation, bioremediation, enhanced oil recovery, biocorrosion, oil sands tailings pond microbiology, and identifying and characterizing microbial communities and their functions in diverse environments
University of Guelph
Research on the microbiological safety of food
Carleton University
Optical characterization of micro and nano-scale systems, in particular silicon-based devices, for applications in telecommuncations, bio-sensing, sustainable and renewable energy.
Université de Sherbrooke
Detection and quantification of RNA and DNA in biological samples
The University of British Columbia
The world's first portal to free, accredited higher education.
École Polytechnique de Montréal
Optical microsystem design, simulation, manufacturing, characterization and applications.
Saint Mary's University
Remote sensing of atmospheric composition by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy
Queen's University
Analysis, modelling and prediction of turbulent flows in real-life applications in engineering and the physical sciences.
University of Toronto
Nanomechanics and nanotribology research


text:
Tour Wreck - UPDATE
Hi all,
Unfortunately, disaster has struck our CW "World" Tour: John is currently in the ICU in a Dallas hospital with pneumonia, and now I've been hit with the sick stick as well. I had hoped to make it to the Austin show today by hopping a flight out this morning, but, well, let's just say my "gut instinct" is to stay near the "porcelain throne." Heh. (Ug.)
I cannot tell you how heart sick I am over this.
As it stands right now, we are canceling the Austin and Kansas City tour stops. Depending on how John and I are doing, we may still be able to make it to Bethesda and/or New York City, but it's too soon to say. Stay tuned to my Twitter feed for all the gory details, and I'll also update here on the blog when I know more.
Thank you all for your well-wishes, and please know that I am so truly sorry. (Especially for the bakers - guys, I promise I will make this up to you somehow.) A re-scheduling is not completely out of the question, but we'll just have to see what happens.
In the meantime, prayers, warm wishes, good thoughts, rain dances, etc., are all very much appreciated. It really stinks to be sick and alone away from home.
UPDATE: More bad news: in addition to the pneumonia, John has developed a staph infection in his blood. He's in critical condition, and so won't be leaving the ICU - much less the hospital - for many days. I'm moving to a hotel closer to the hospital so I can be with him, and I'm afraid this means that the rest of the tour is off. :(
Thank you all again for being so wonderful. Believe it or not, John is still moderating your comments from his hotel bed (talk about an addiction...), so please comment here if you'd like to say hello to him. Better yet: tell him your best joke. He's bored, and needs the laughs right now.
(Hey all! Anne-Marie here! Don't worry, I'm robust and healthy up here in Maine, publishing your comments like crazy! 334 as of a minute ago! John, Jen and all their little viral buddies are loving all the jokes and well wishes. Thanks so much!)


text:
spunout needed a new logo design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 299 designs submitted by 54 freelance designers.
We sell handspinning products, such as spinning wheels, drop spindles and spinning fibre online. We are a young, fresh and funky company that need a logo to finish a website! After something classy and simple that encorporates the flavour of spinning.
Spun Out
Hoping to get a simple classy logo, no bubble fonts please. We are a young and fresh online company, who are about to launch the spinning arm of a knitting store (www.thewoolshack.com).
Handspinning is one of those long lost crafts that is making a comeback. We will sell high quality spinning tools and products to a market aged between 25-45. You can use google to find images of drop spindles, spinning wheels and spinning fibre and this should hopefully give you inspiration. Our website will be clean and crisp, a minimalist white background and very simple layout, with easy navigation and professionally photographed products. Please contact me for any more info.
- Item 1...Hoping that a drop spindle (google it), spinning wheel or spinning fibre can be blended into the logo somehow
- the colour scheme we need is light grey, dark grey and pale pink
- simple and classy, with a splash of colour. Needs to look good on a website and stationary etc.
- would prefer all lower case for the text
- would be happy to look at a more organic design also
- Item 1...Bubble fonts or cheesy logos.
- too fussy a logo
- old lady references
Find out how a design contest works or learn more about our logo design services.


text:
Well definite progress has finally been made in my basement for the new tank. This build is going to be a slow process but I hope to have it done this year.... I just figured I would get a thread started and document it in real time. This is going to be my dream setup I have wanted for a long time and it's going to take a while with all the other remodeling I'm doing. My plan is a 300 in wall in my basement with a frag/equipment room next to my home theater.
Tank will most likely be ordered through Chris Capp.
Coast to Coast w/ bean animal external overflow
Starfire viewable sides
Steel stand
Fish room is 15'x 11' and I have two exhaust fans in the room that will be operated from thermostats. One exhaust fan goes outside and the other recircs back to the other side of the basement to constantly move air. They are both 6" 150cfm dc fans and are silent. The recirc will run constantly at a lower speed and then ramp up when triggered by the thermostat. The external will be triggered by a humidistat. The room has 5 individual 20 amp circuits for my equipment. I splurged and put in ceiling speakers and volume control as well for those days I'm in there fragging and tinkering 😆
I will post up some pics in a little while. It's just framed right now but it will give you an idea of what's going on. I just got all the networking and speaker cables done everywhere so they will be doing drywall soon...
Here is the view from the bar
Inside the fish room
Here are the exhaust fans. They are Panasonic whisper green selects. I did pvc ducts so I don't have to worry about moisture.
Sent from my SM-G930P using Tapatalk
Here is the recirculating discharge by the pool room on the other side of the basement.


text:
Let me guess, you have been playing New York Times crossword and got stuck on the clue Figure enhancer. Well, you have come to the right place to find the answer to this clue.
While some crosswords are much simpler than others, most require that players have a vast knowledge of the language and possibly even various topics. So while crossword puzzles are seen as a more intelligent game, they can be very frustrating for players to complete and even experienced crossword players need some help occasionally.
When finding the answers to the clues becomes too difficult, there's no shame in looking for them online.
Now you have the answer to your clue. Its time to move on to the next clue. You can browse through the list with all the answers to the New York Times crossword of September 6th, 2001. Or you can use the search form below to find the answer (no matter if its New York Times Crossword or any other crossword).
|New York Times crossword of September 6th, 2001 other clues
|'Blues Suite' choreographer
|'Mazel ___!'
|'___ sight!'
|About half of a team's schedule
|Actress Carter and others
|Actress Marisa
|Actress Marisa
|Antietam soldier
|Baked entree
|Baked entree
|Canine clamor
|Choice in decaf
|Commercial prefix for winter products
|Danish coins
|Developmental windup
|Dracula's creator
|Drink with a tinge of tartness
|Fake fat brand
|Float alternative
|Food processor feature
|Friend of Alfalfa
|Get into, in a way
|Golf's 1998 U.S. Women's Open winner ___ Pak
|Harbinger of tooth trouble
|Heart chart: Abbr.
|Huge collection
|In this way
|In this way
|It may be thorny
|It starts in juin
|Itinerant burglar, slangily
|Kind of letters hidden in 17-, 26-, 36-, 48- and 60-Across
|Kung ___ chicken
|Left at sea
|Left at sea
|Less than spectacular
|Like some rials
|Look for
|Look for
|Minoan domain
|More devious
|More devious
|Nephew of King Arthur
|Noel staple
|Not sitting well?
|One with exceptional endurance
|Paper mate
|Part of N.C.A.A.: Abbr.
|Part of N.C.A.A.: Abbr.
|Pay back?
|Pekoe production place
|Pollen bearer
|Poolroom items
|Roxy Music co-founder
|Roxy Music co-founder
|Scrabble 10-pointer
|Set a price of
|Share (in)
|Share (in)
|Some bracelets, briefly
|Some degs.
|Start of several Keats titles
|Stern's area
|Stomach-sculpting set
|Stops acting irrationally
|Twain forte
|Unwelcome people at nudist colonies
|Wasn't given a choice
|What a shrug may indicate
|Where winners pick up their awards
|Words of commitment
|Words of commitment
|___ Forest (park near London)
We offer support and help with a wide range of crosswords and are guaranteed to make sure you complete everything; the site is also updated regularly to make sure that all of our answers are correct and to add more crosswords to the ever growing list.__IMAGE__
If there is any problem with the answer, please contact us! We will fix the problem.


text:
Frontera Foods Offers Seasonal Limited Edition Chipotle Pumpkin Salsa
Chicago-based Frontera Foods makes fabulous salsa every season. This year, Rick Bayless, TV chef and owner of Chicago's award-winning Frontera Grill and Topolobampo restaurants creates a limited edition Frontera Seasonal Chipotle Pumpkin Salsa, an unexpectedly delicious combination of velvety pumpkin and tangy roasted tomatillos with the sweet and smoky glow of chipotle chiles. And a little roasted garlic is included for good measure.
Made with flame-roasted ripe tomatillos, onions and Mexican calabaza pumpkin, this medium-heat salsa is fabulous with hearty tortilla chips and as a sauce for grilled roast chicken and slow-cooked pork. All Frontera salsas are made in small batches using time-honored methods, such as fire-roasting and fresh, natural ingredients.
Suggested retail price is $3.99 for a 16-oz. jar (while supply lasts).


text:
A few days ago at the BlackBerry Enterprise Forum one of the key announcements made by BlackBerry was the introduction of the Workspace for iOS and Android devices.
One of the coolest factors to this option for those using the Blackberry Enterprise Service 10, is that you can deploy corporate applications to all the handhelds that are associated with the BES 10 server. Take a look at the video above of the BlackBerry Workspaces on iOS and Android.
Get more information on BES 10


text:
Jan. 30, 2009
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - The UC Santa Barbara Athletics Department is pleased to offer, for the first time ever, the chance for fans to purchase season tickets for baseball and softball. Not only can Gaucho baseball and softball fans reserve their premium seat for the 2009 season, but every purchase comes with a baseball hat or softball visor, the same headgear UCSB's players wear on the field.
The baseball and softball teams are each primed for successful 2009 campaigns with the baseball team ranked No. 30 in two preseason polls and picked to be in a postseason Regional by Baseball America (see the story here). The softball team is picked to finish third in the competitive Big West after its school-best, second-place finish last season.
Season tickets for the 28 baseball home games will be on the Field Level at Caesar Uyesaka Stadium, beneath the main bleachers on ground level. The seats directly behind home plate on the upper level are also available to be purchased as season tickets.
These seats will be available exclusively to season ticket holders at the price of $125 for adults, $75 for seniors (55 and over) and $50 for youths (13 and under). For single-game admission, tickets for the reserved seats on the upper deck behind home plate are $8 for adults and seniors and $5 for youths.
General admission seats, found on the first and third base lines in the upper deck, as well as third-tier bleacher seats above the reserved section directly behind home plate, are available at $100 for season ticket purchase. Single-game tickets for these seats are $7 for adults, $5 for seniors and $3 for youths.
To reserve your premium seats for the 2009 baseball season and your complimentary baseball hat, click here.
Softball season tickets for 16 home games at Campus Diamond are $50 for adults, $40 for seniors and $24 for youths. Single-game tickets for these seats are $7 for adults, $5 for seniors and $3 for youths. Make sure to get your softball season tickets and your complimentary visor now, by clicking here.
To see where the baseball team fits in to Ping! Baseball's preseason poll, click here. To see Collegiate Baseball's preseason poll, click here. And, in a recent Rivals.com story previewing the upcoming season, UCSB is called "the sleeper on the West Coast." To read the full synopsis, click here.
Also, to check out all the preseason hype the baseball team is receiving, click here for info on preseason All-Americans and where several of the Gaucho players project nationally.
To find out where the softball team falls in the Big West preseason rankings, click here.


text:
Monthly Archives: July 2013
Happy Birthday, Hunter
Right. So it's the closing moments of what would have been Hunter S. Thompson's 76th birthday. Not coincidentally, I'm in the closing sips of a glass of a pretty good 5-year rum.
If not for the good doctor, I'm not sure I'd enjoy writing—and, for that matter, reading—as much as I do today. I never wanted to be HST; I just wanted to capture that bite. It's not something that can be properly explained but you know it when you see it. I could be talking about anything—sports, politics, pop culture, cooking, laundry tips—and then, crunch, like a shark through unsuspecting flesh. Fear. Loathing. The bite hits you and you can't turn back. Maybe you're inspired or horrified or tickled or disappointed. Regardless, your brain carves out a little niche and shoves those words in. And they're in that little cranny forever. It's a legacy to which all writers should aspire, content be damned.
No one can capture and relive the frenzy that was Thompson's life; at least not fully. But your own life can take on Gonzo qualities if you really want it to. Because I always viewed that state of being as completely subjective. Live your life. Take chances but always be smart. Fight for what's right. Do it with a buzz or do it without; it doesn't really matter as long as you make your own rules in spite of theirs and manage to not get caught along the way.
Thank you, Doc. For everything. Maybe someday I'll come up with a proper tribute.
Res ipsa loquitur.


text:
We use cookies to give you the best experience possible. No personal information is stored. Using this website means that you are ok with this cookie policy
No reviews yet.
No questions yet. Have a question to ask? Ask our team!
Complete the form below to request an E-mail when this item arrives back in stock.


text:
Item Description
Letter, E. S. Whitney to Uncle Hiram
Author: Whitney, E.S.
Date: November 24, 1859
E. S. Whitney, niece of Hiram Hill, wrote from Lawrence, Kansas Territory to her uncle in Massachusetts. Whitney reported that money was scarce; the family was living in a hotel in town and they had begun renting their house. Her husband, Thaddeus Whitney, was unable to collect debts owed to him in order to travel to Pikes Peak. They all had recently suffered from an illness, but Thaddeus had begun building a new home on New Hampshire street.
Location of Original: KSHS Call Number: Hiram Hill Collection, #382, Box 1, Folder 8
Item Number: 102263 Number of images: 3
Keywords: Construction; Douglas County, Kansas Territory; Economic conditions; Hill, Hiram; Illness; Lawrence, Kansas Territory; Pikes Peak gold rush; Rent; Simpson, Samuel Newell; Whitney, E.S.; Whitney, Thaddeus L.; Women
pg. 1
pg. 2
pg. 3


text:
SGI already resell this. It's quite nice, limited scalability tho' but the clone/snap functionality looks very funky. It's a bit of an SVC lite!
HP is introducing a SAN storage virtualisation platform, using LSI software, to combine mid-range HP and third-party drive arrays into a single pool of storage. HP's SAN Virtualisation Services Platform (SVSP) mimics IBM's SAN Volume Controller (SVC) in being a Fibre Channel (FC) fabric-attached controller. It can aggregate HP …
IBM SVC and, by your association, this solution are in-band virtualisation controllers. Data passes through the controller as it moves between host and storage. EMC's Invista is an out of band solution as it controls the SAN switch to do the smart stuff and it supports heterogenous storage system configurations.
So just what is the definition of in-band and out of band as you and Chris seems to diverge on this point?
SVC forces the fibre packets to travel from the disk to the host via the fabric switch, then the SVC controller, and then the switch again. Invista doesn't add the extra controller loop into the fabric path as the intelligent fabric switch knows what to do with the packets. Doesn't this definition make SVC out of band and Invista in-band?
Do I really want my fibre packets going down additional lengths of glass, thereby adding additional failure points? Why not let the switch do the work - Director class devices are very powerful these days.
If the Invista controller(s) crashes then the switch still has all the information to continue virtualising with no degradation, you just can't create new rules until it is back up. If an SVC controller crashes then you loose 50% of your processing capacity and degrade your paths - also you had better pray that the other SVC controller has it's battery fully charged (even if it still has full mains power) because otherwise it won't accept the failover - I've seen it happen :(
Paris, as she doesn't care if it's in or out...
>Do I really want my fibre packets going down additional lengths of glass, thereby adding
>additional failure points? Why not let the switch do the work - Director class devices are very
>powerful these days.
No they are not...they don't have cache, don't have any ability to do much of anything other than take a packet from ONE port and put it on another.
The only difference between Invista and SVC is that all the traffic goes through the external linux appliances with SVC, and Invista all the traffic goes through the linux appliance BLADE in the switch.
So...SVC is 16Gb of physical fibre connections to the core switch, and Invista is 25Gb of backplace connections to the core switch... BIG whoop.
SO here is the secret about Invista that EMC does not tell you.... IT ALL GOES THROUGH THE LINUX BOX ON THE SWITCH BLADE.....so sure...its 'IN the switch' but all your traffic on that entire director now has to go through that single 25gb backplace connection and back out .... all your traffic goes through that one blade now.
Its the same design.
Just that Invista can't scale as well as SVC, because I can have up to 8 SVC appliance's for only about 20k a pair, and Invista I can't do that without adding extra directors with hugely expensive proprietary linux blades from Cisco/Brocade.
And the fact that Invista is about braindead on features...can't do thin provisioning, can't do snapshots, cant do any async/sync replication, only supports about 2 different storage devices, and has about zero referenceable customers....yeah its better than SVC... NOT.
Don't let anyone fool you into thinking that Invista is 'out of band'.
Invista traffic is all going through the linux box on the director blade... the only difference between Invista and SVC is that the linux inline appliance in Invista is connected directly to the backplane(25Gbits), instead of via physical switch ports like each SVC(16Gbits).
Example, if a server on blade 1 wants to access storage connected to blade 3, the traffic will go in blade 1, across the backplane, into blade 8(Invista), back on the backplane, out to request from the storage on blade 3, back in the storage port on blade 3, back on the backplace to Invista on blade 8, back out the backplace to blade 1, and out to the server.
Draw it out...its the same number of hops just replace the fibre channel cables in SVC with backplane connections on the Invista blade.
And with SVC I can scale to 8 using cheap intel servers, I can't scale any more Invista nodes without having additional DIRECTORS and expensive proprietary intel blades for them (OUCH $$$).


text:
I Think I've Just Been Punk'd
If you guys thought the first wedding disaster cake was bad, hold on to your pantaloons.
Alright, let's set the scene: here's what the bride asked for, only in all white with minor green accents.
Now, I would tell you to take a moment to prepare yourselves for the horror you're about to witness, but frankly no amount of time would be adequate. So just go ahead and scroll down now.
Back in your seat now? Good. Because believe it or not, there's more. Aw yeah.
1) The top tier still had the Springform pan under it.
2) The cake "base" is a metal sign.
3) I swear I am not making this up.
Ok, so the bottom levels are covered with a fondant lumpier than the Bearded Lady's thighs, and the top tier is the wrong shape and isn't even iced completely. I see all that, and yet you know what the funniest bit to me is? Those green lines up the sides, which I can only assume are attempts at "ribbons": not only are they as unlike ribbons as icing can possibly get, but they don't even line up! Somehow that last bit of lunacy just sends me over the edge.
(This post is also the first in a new category: Missed Marks. Because nothing is quite so wrecktastic as when you see what it was supposed to look like.)
Now like you, I'm sure, I was highly skeptical about this being a "professional" cake. However, the e-mail came from the bride herself, and she seemed outraged enough to be telling the truth. (Yes, a replacement cake was procured at the eleventh hour.) I can only assume the icing and generic tips in the photo were purchased to try and "fix" the cake after it was picked up. In fact, Vicky C., if you're reading this, you might want to chime in on the Comments section now, just to back me up here.
[crickets chirping]
Vicky? Er, Vicky, c'mon now, this isn't funny.
[crickets still chirping]
Seriously, Vicky: tell the people I'm telling the truth. Vicky? Er...Vicky?
UPDATE: YES!! Vicky the bride has spoken!!! Check the Comments section for her assurances of this cake's validity. (You'll have to scroll waaaay down; you guys are certainly letting your voices be heard on this one, aren't you?)


text:
Myths That Can Cost You
Just because you hear statements like these doesn't mean they are true.
By Jane and Larry McGrath
In order to stay on the cutting edge, business owners often need to update their thinking. Certain business tenets are tried and true, but sometimes assumptions become standards that could hurt a business. Here are some common myths to avoid to help keep your business running smoothly year-round.
1) MYTH: People know this is a high-performance shop so I don't need to spend money on advertising and promotions.
REALITY: While it's true that customers know about the things they have bought from you, they are probably unaware of all the products and services you offer. For example, let's say your best customer is buying a whopping 60 percent of your products and services. That still leaves as much as 40 percent of the things you offer that may be new to that customer.
In addition, how much is unfamiliar to the customer who spent 10 minutes in the store six months ago picking up an air filter? And, what about the racer who's only shopped your competition?
2) MYTH: To increase profits I need to spend most of my time and money attracting new customers.
REALITY: The most reliable way to increase your profits is to take good care of your current customers. In fact, most calculations show that a five percent increase in customer retention will increase your profits 50 percent.
Profits increase because it costs significantly less to service a regular customer than attract and establish a new one. Continuing customers typically spend more than new ones. And, satisfied customers are a fantastic marketing tool: They sell you and your quality service to other racers, their family, and friends.
3) MYTH: Customers are interested in the merchandise I stock and not how the store looks.
REALITY: While it's true that your stock is important, you have to draw customers in the door and make it easy for them to buy it. If your window displays are old and faded, the stock is dusty, or the aisles are cluttered with last season's leftovers, customers may decide you and your merchandise are too out-of-date to help them win. Everything connected with the store—signage, décor, fixtures, lighting, and displays—must assure racers you are on the cutting edge with current products and up-to-date, knowledgeable service.
4) MYTH: If I have quality products on the shelves, customers will find what they need and buy it.
REALITY: In today's battle for profits, you have to consistently maximize sales per square foot without overcrowding shelves and displays and spoiling the look of the store. Your best weapons are things like point-of-purchase (POP) displays, wobblers, danglers, and shelf talkers. If you don't know how to use these and other display aids, speak to a manufacturer's rep. They can often provide these promotional aids plus offer advice about how to best use these tools.
For example, a good POP can communicate what makes a product different and better or make an irresistible offer, such as a two-for-one deal, in a matter of seconds. Which POP will work in an area—from a simple display stand to an interactive motion display—depends on the product, your layout and traffic patterns, shelf configurations, viewing angles, and the image you want to project. But there's no doubt that judiciously using POPs and other display aids can increase sales.
5) MYTH: If a salesperson can read a label, he or she can make a sale.
REALITY: Effective salespeople absolutely need to know a product's technical specifications, features, and applications. But equally important is their ability to translate all that general product information into how it will improve the way the customer's car will run in Friday night's race.
Salespeople also need excellent communication and selling skills. For example, they need to know how to ask good questions and listen for—not anticipate—the customer's response. When they can hear what the customer is really saying—what his or her needs are—they can sell good solutions.
6) MYTH: Since most of my customers are my friends, I don't really have to "sell."
REALITY: It's important to talk about last week's race. It's helpful to talk about who is running what products. It's also good to give suggestions and advice. But if you walk away from a customer without asking for the sale, you won't make as many sales as you could.
Develop a set of "closing" strategies that work for you. For example, ask questions such as "Does this seem as if it would solve your problem?" or "Don't you think this will make a difference?" Or, be more direct with queries like "Can I write this up for you?" or "Is there anything else you want to get today?"
7) MYTH: My prices have to beat the competition's prices.
REALITY: To maintain profitability don't build your pricing strategy on just undercutting the competition's prices. Base it on a thorough understanding of the racing market, your customers, and what it costs to operate your business. Be creative. Bundle products, for example, to provide values without resorting to direct price comparisons.
8) MYTH: Creating and maintaining customer and prospect mailing lists are too much trouble.
REALITY: It only takes a minute to ask your customers if they are interested in receiving special coupons and notifications of upcoming events via email and write that information down in a specific place, such as in a log or notebook. After that, it only takes a few more minutes to enter their information into a data base, and those extra minutes can become very profitable down the road.
To make sure your list stays profitable, be sure to keep your list current by deleting any bounced back emails throughout the year, possibly monthly or quarterly if you email often.
9) MYTH: Cross-promotions and joint advertising never pay off.
REALITY: Even though joint ventures require skillful coordination and organization, partnering with a friendly, positive-image business can increase your sales, reduce your advertising expenses, and enhance your company's image. In addition, cross-promotions with local non-race related businesses such as restaurants, gas stations, shopping malls, and movie theaters can introduce an entirely new segment of customers to your store.
For example, you could offer a store-logo keychain to customers showing a movie ticket stub and the theater could give free popcorn to customers wearing one of your logo T-shirts.
10) MYTH: It's a slow sales day so I might as well let the staff go home and close early.
REALITY: Just because there aren't any customers in the store at the moment doesn't mean there isn't any work to do or money to be made. Build goodwill and profits with activities such as:
Downtime is also important to tidy up the showroom, such as dusting off products, straightening up or rearranging displays, change light bulbs, take inventory, basically use the time to benefit your store's appearance.
11) MYTH: There's nothing I can do to reduce the impact of the off-season.
REALITY: You can reduce the severity of the slow season with some planning and creativity. First and foremost is financial planning. For example, make most of your inventory purchases during the high periods and cut off orders in the fall so you won't have to pay big bills when revenues are thin. In addition, think about setting aside money for a marketing campaign in the winter to bring in street business.
Also, use the off-season to catch up on all the things you're too busy to do during the rest of the year: clean and brighten shelves, design new displays, do store repairs, update your mailing list, plan and organize an informative seminar for your customers, develop a presentation for community groups, visit other retailers looking for merchandising and display ideas.
12) MYTH: I need to spend my time running the store not filling out forms. Besides, I did all that business plan paperwork when I opened.
REALITY: Making a business plan—especially the marketing plan section—is not a one-time task. To be part of the 50 percent of small retailers who stay in business more than seven years, reevaluate and update your plan yearly; evaluate progress, make adjustments and chart future directions. Like a road map, a good business and marketing plan can help you keep your business on course.
Business owners often fall prey to certain myths in the industry. One common myth is that customers are more interested in the merchandise in stock than how the store looks. However, a fresh, clean showroom keeps customers looking around for more products when they aren't met with dusty, old products and disorganized shelves. A well-organized showroom is just one effective method that can lead to more sales of racing products.


text:
Posted on Thursday, 10.17.13
Catholic Church opens business classes in Cuba
HAVANA — Cuba's Catholic Church says it has launched classes aimed at
training aspiring entrepreneurs to open and run small businesses
permitted by the country's new program of economic reforms.
The Havana Archdiocese said in its official magazine that it is running
three-month workshops and a two-year degree program taught by clergy
members on the basics of private business, including sourcing of
materials, accounting and tax regulations.
The Catholic Church has been barred from participation in the
Communist-run nation's system of universal free education, despite
requests that it be allowed to run schools as it does in other countries.
In 2010, President Raul Castro began opening Cuba's economy to limited
forms of private enterprise, including sections of the real-estate and
automobile markets.
Source: "HAVANA: Catholic Church opens business classes in Cuba –
Americas Wires – MiamiHerald.com" –


text:
Aesthetics Center
September 23, 20192:20 PM
Thank you for choosing Houston Women's Care Associates for your medical needs.If you are unable to find a desired time, need to reschedule an appointment, or have insurance & billing questions, please contact the office at 713-795-1000 and we will be happy to assist you.All Patients, please bring the following items:· Insurance card(s) and a Photo ID· A list of current medications· Your email appointment confirmationNew Patients:· Arrive 30 minutes before your scheduled appointment time.· Complete your Registration Paperwork and bring to your appointment (https://www.hwca.net).Please call our office if you have any questions.There is parking in the Fannin One parking garage below our office. Thank you again, and we look forward to seeing you!
Denotes required field


text:
I really enjoyed that.
Well, after spending 4 months volunteering in Nepal up to Sept 2004, I decided to return at the end of 2005 - by bike. Actually, I intended to leave the UK in May but, due to my amazing organisational ability, didn't get across the English Channel until Oct 24th.
Original plan was to go solo on a 650 Dakar and meet my girlfriend out there. This was revised to encompass an 1100GS and two-up.
Quick blast to Reims then a crappy hotel followed by 750km on the Autobahn to a mate's place in Rosenheim, Germany. Took the opportunity to post my Sidi race boots home and bought some excellent Bike'n'Ride boots at Hein Gericke - at well bellow Uk prices.
After 5 days of enjoyable loungıng at Chris's place ın Germany headed down to Slovenıa. Chris came along on hıs 650GS for a couple of days too. Slovenıa ıs a lovely place but they know ıt and charge the tourısts accordıngly........
Left Chrıs and down the coast to Croatıa - fun roads and decent campsıte. Camped wıld the 2nd nıght. Decıded (wrongly) to head up through Bosnıa. Awful weather and roads. Home of the MarkII Golf - at least 50% of ALL cars on the road. Country of ten thousand junctıons and about 3 sıgns. Sarajevo has a nıghtmare one - way system. Got well lost off the beaten track. Serbıa even worse and fleeced $85 for ınsurance at border. Camped ın mountaıns about -5C and glad to get ınto Montenegro whıch ıs totally dıfferent. Beautıful mountaıns road and coastlıne. Almost Italıan\Medıterranean ın feel. Very chıc and stylısh capıtal cıty and they use the euro!
Into Albanıa next. Waıtıng at border and attemptıng to slyly hand over 20 not 40 euros for 2 vısas and bıke ımportatıon when, CRASH! GS over on ıts sıde as T trıed to get off. All the border guys rush to help and we pıck ıt up. Couple of scuffs. The guy forgets to take my other 20 euros so all worth ıt. Albanıa ıs actually nıce and people frıendly. The much slated roads are good but the drıvers are psychos. Plus all the donkeys and old women sellıng flowers or kıds sellıng fısh or donkeys sellıng cıgarettes or whatever. Nıce guy at the border saıd "Tırana ıs a beautıful place, you wıll lıke ıt". Well ıt ısn`t, and we dıdn`t. It`s lıke Kathmandu but wıth donkeys rather than cows. The roads are lıke a tank provıng ground but wıth traffıc nose to taıl and (of course) donkeys. Sıt ın worst traffıc jam I`ve ever been ın......ever.
Up through the mountaıns - good fun- and down to the border. See a Dutch RTW rıder all Tourateched up on an XR650 but just wave on the hıghway. Slıght run ın wıth Alabanıan traffıc cop ensues. "CONSIGURATION" ıs Albanıan for ınsurance - I NOW understand. Long dıscussıon wıth hım ın Albanıan and me ın Englısh leads nowhere. Luckıly helpful Englısh speaker appears to translate and he lets me off even though my ıns ısn`t valıd ın Albanıa - I thought the border stamp covered ıt but no. He could have ımpounded the bıke.....
Anyway, cross Albanıa ın a day and ınto Greece where we,re allowde to cırcumnavıgate the huge taılback at the border coz we,re a bıke! Camp out ın Greece twıce then ınto Turkey. 3 hrs at border - they love red tape- and we,re ın. Searchıng round outsıde Istanbul to wıld camp - rıdıng up a steep muddy slope and I lose ıt! CRASH! well SPLODGE! rather. Luckıly I land ın the mud and T waıts a splıt second before dıvıng off and havıng a soft and clean landıng on me. No harm done - we get up laughıng. (I thınk). Camp by an army base ın the mud.
Next day ınto Istanbul on Motorway. AAAAAAAAAARRRRRRGH!! They are the WORST drıvers yet. M-way ıs lıke the M25 on acıd. People gıve you NO space and cut you up as a matter of course. On a bıke, people try and dırectly occupy YOUR space as they thınk you don,t need a lane. Comes to a head when, havıng pulled ınto outsıde lane at about 120kmh the guy behınd trıes to pass me ın outsıde 2\3rds of lane and HITS us. We bounce to ınsıde and wobble a bıt but stay on. Fınger wavıng ensues and the bloke wants to pull over to sort ıt out - and the scratch on hıs car I assume. I`d lıke to sort HIM out but decıde to escape by weavıng through the traffıc and pullıng off. I know how ıt works.....foreıgners are always at fault. Besıdes, I`ve seen Mıdnıght Express.
Get totally lost ın Istanbul but eventually fınd good cheap hotel for 2 days R+R. And no bıkıng. We need ıt after 5 days of rough campıng ın a row.
Froze our asses in Turkey. Several nights wild canping in freezing temperatures. For the last leg, relented and took the train over the mountains from Malatya to Tabriz in Iran.
Tasha says "Thought you said it'd be warm in Turkey?"
"It is, just not here at this time of year. My hands are warm though."
"You have heated grips" she points out. Women - it's always detail with them. We marvelled at our tiny new down sleeping bags whem they arrived. Now T marvells at my stupidity in buying 2 season bags for winter in Turkey.
Anyway, book on the train. 55quid is about the same as the turkish petrol at 1.10 sterling per litre would take us anyway. Man at window - come back and get ticket at 6. At 6 - back at 730. At 730 - back at 9. Get tickets at 1030. Train at 0045. Station manager has us in his office for tea all night. Train is late - due at 7am! He lets us kip down in a cupboard. It arrives bang on time - one and a half hrs late!
Now to load 250kg of BMW onto a wagon 3'6" off the floor. We establish that turkish for ramp is "rampa". There is no rampa. Get about 8 blokes organised to heave it on. Little fat man appears and starts being all angry and pointing at the bike shouting "benzene! motoil!". It's clear he wants all fluids drained off the bike before loading. Although I've just ridden it down the platform I mime that it's empty. My Italian friend, Francesco backs me up in excited Italian. Guy wants to look in the tank - I point to the key slot in the filler and shrug. I then placate him by showing him the sightglass which looks empty - coz on a bmw you have to lean it 1st to get a reading. He relents and we lug it on.
30hr trip to Tabriz but bike now impounded by customs...... more to follow.
Got the bike out of customs eventually - nearly 3 days. Bad luck they impounded it just before the weekend! The carnet should've been stamped on the border, as I asked them to, but they said "make stamp in Tabriz". So in Tabriz they said "You must make stamp at border, not possible here". So they impounded the bike and went home for the weekend!
Gave me a good chance to check out the Iranian traffic 1st hand - from the (relative) safety of a taxi. It's suicidal. Iran has the worst accident rate in the world apparently. It's like 1 death per person per kilometre travelled or suchlike..... Over 30,000 people die on the roads each year. They all drive these Paykans - copies of the Hillman Hunter. The govt has just stopped making them in 2004 but they'll be on the roads here for the next 20yrs. They're gas guzzling dinosaurs but petrol here is about 5p a litre - diesel is just over 1p!
Most roads might have 2 or 3 marked lanes. To your average Iranian this means you create "extra" lanes between the marked ones. On the 3 lane highways there are 2 extra lanes located between the regular lanes. These appear to be used for over/undertaking or simply meandering between lanes. The Islamic Revolution appears not to have embraced the idea of safe stopping distances either. If you are more than say, 2 feet behind the vehicle in front, then whoever is behind will be tooting loudly and flashing to get by. This is despite the fact that our bike is generally the quickest thing on an Iranian highway. Defensive driving is very much the order of the day.
Crossing the street is a nightmare - in theory if a driver hits a pedestrian he is at fault and has to pay "blood money". In practice - drivers pay no heed to peds at all. The only way to cross is to cross with an Iranian person but keep them on the oncoming traffic side as a shield.
Despite all this, the welcome from all Iranians has been superb. Even the customs guys were nice and really apologetic about having to take the bike. People come up all the time to talk, invite us for tea or food. People have paid for fruit we were buying and invited us out for everything. 2 guys we met in a restaurant took us out for the day in Tabriz, taxied us around, took us for a meal and refused any offers of money. We stayed near Tehran with a guy called Mehdi that I met through www.horizonsunlimited.com and he showed us around the city and discussed all manner of things about Iran. Really good guy.
While the cities are a nightmare the new motorways are pretty good. Tabriz to Tehran was really quick - sat at 100-110mph all the way. The roads are tolled and motorcycles are banned so they let us through each booth for nothing except a smile and a "Welcome to Iran!". Bikes in Iran are limited to 200cc so the GS is technically illegal but it's ok if you're in transit.
Tasha has to wear a hejab and isn't meant to make eye contact with men so she walks along demurely, looking down and only speaks when spoken to. If only it were always so........
The bike attracts a lot of attention and people come up to inspect it and ask questions. It also buys us a bit of space in the traffic as drivers gawp and momentarily forget that they should be cutting us up.
Went from Tehran down to Esfahan yesterday on the new highway. Filled up on the the way but my Touratech Rallye Computer Gizmo developed a glitch so I couldn't reset the tacho or fuel computer or see the speedo. Headed off and sat with the throttle wound to the stop in top gear. The one time that the speedo cut back in we got up to 194kmh! Unfortunately, we had no idea of distance or fuel usage and didn't see any fuel stations for ages in the mountainous desert landscape. Backed off the throttle a bit but 10k before Esfahan - you've guessed it - we ran out. Despite the 31ltr fuel tank I'd fitted. What an idiot - I know. Anyway, place was bleak with small sandy hillocks either side of the road. I spied a crew working with a dump truck about half a mile away so headed off to see what I could rustle up, leaving T with the bike. Managed to communicate with the foreman my predicament and he led me off to his car where he produced a siphon tube and a 2ltr plastic bottle. 2 minutes and a mouthful of petrol later I was heading back to the bike when a lad on a dirt bike appears and takes me back. T is surrounded by helpful locals who are putting 4ltrs into the bike and berating me for being a "crazy man". Smiles and handshakes all round and they refuse any money for the gas and we're off.
Couple of days in the beautiful former Persian capital and we're off next into the proper desert. The weather is warmer down here so it's much more fun. Gonna make damn sure we fill up at every opportunity......
Riding accross the desert ain't that exciting - as my pillion kept pointing out. The view is pretty dull, broken only by the odd camel or burnt out wrecked bus. Met the first biker so far - Boegard, an affable, bearded South African on a KTM 640 riding from India to SA. Unfortunately he was arriving at our hotel in Esfahan just as we were leaving. We hurriedly swopped tips and info in the lobby before departure.
Uneventful trip down to Kerman and then to Bam - sight of the massive 2003 'quake. Between 65-70,000 of the 100,000 population of the town died in the 'quake which happened at 5am on a winter morning. We stay in the Akbar Guest House - well, portacabins til it's rebuilt. A warmer welcome from Akbar and his family one couldn't imagine. The GS has been leaking from the oil cooler but an hour with the tools and it's sorted, while Tasha does the washing like a good Islamic wife!
Akbar's son, Mohammed, tells us how he was trapped under the rubble for 5 hours as his best friend, a beam on his chest, expired next to him. He then discovered that his girlfriend and her entire family had been killed. An English guest also perished in the rubble. The Enfield 500, on which he was riding back to the UK, still stands rusting in the yard as a grisly testament to his passing.
Amazingly - none of Akbar's family died although he told us of a family of 50 where only one person survived. Mohammed took us to the cemetary where the sheer scale of the disaster really hit home. The town will rebuild but it'll be a slow process.
Met some French guys in a VW Camper with a cautionary tale about road accidents in Iran. Seems like you shouldn't wait about for an ambulance - coz there aren't any! Luckily they had insurance - which we don't - so it worked out ok.
Decide to bypass Zahedan and head for the Pakistani border in one go - 420km. The road down is good but we come up behind some traffic cops in a Merc 240. A car overtakes them and hares off so we do the same but more gradually - they pull us for speeding. Seems they only want a look at the bike and after smiles and handshakes we're off.
Last 100k to border is crazy. We play chicken with oncoming trucks as they overtake eachother on the single track road. Some trucks start to overtake, see us and pull in. Some see us, hesitate, then CARRY ON! Some just go anyway. At 120-140kmh facing 2 oncoming HGVs you have to hit the brakes and then dive onto the hard shoulder (a 3ft wide strip of either tarmac, gravel or just dirt). Sometimes there's enough space to stay on the road itself and squeeze by but it requires a bit of nerve. The first few encounters are terrifying but it all seems old hat after a few dozen and you wonder what all the fuss was about.
Reach Mirjave - a dusty, dirty border shithole. We go to the gas station to fill up with 5p litre Iranian petrol for the last time. There's a huge queue of Pakistani reg pick-ups filled with all manner of drums for taking back over the border where petrol is 55p ltr. We're directed to the bike pump whwere hundreds of excited peopole are gathered along with dozens of bikes queueing up. We're ushered through the throng and get to jump the Q (easier to spell) and fill to the gunwhales with the last cheap petrol (sob!).
The border crossing is ok on both sides. Bit time consuming but smooth enough. The Pakistanis are really friendly and give us tea and biscuits. On to Taftan, another dusty, dirty border shithole. The motel lives up to the same standard.
Quetta, the only big town en route is 612km away. It's 12-13hrs by bike according to the customs men. We change some cash and decide to stop in Dahlbandin- half way. This is where one of those things that goes wrong, goes wrong. Stupidly, I didn't change enough cash to take into account fuel as well as lodgings. We don't leave til 12 midday and Tasha rides most of the 270k to Dahlbandin. It's another dirty, dusty shithole, the only difference being that everyone carries AK47s. We realise we can afford to fuel up but nothing else and chances of changing US$ doesn't look good. The road has been good so far but it's almost 4 and there's 340km to go. We decide to go for it but the road, on leaving Quetta, almost disappears. It's a 6-10ft wide strip of tarmac seemingly dropped onto some sand. The edges are high and the surface is mainly potholes or just missing totally. It's almost impossible to overtake trucks and oncoming vehicles usually force you onto the dirt. As the light is fading I decide to really go for it and ride as fast as possible over all the obstacles and taking every tiny overtaking opportunity. It's crazy riding. The GS however, is made for this and takes most of it in its stride. The suspension only bottoms out occasionally and the bash plate likewise. One bridge has a lip on it that looks benign but at 130kmh we crash into it and the metal pin supporting the dashboard breaks away. It's the kind of riding that people who ride a sportsbike fast, for fun, would understand. It's the first time that riding the GS has been exciting and in any remote way come close to the sports bike experience. Somehow we average 100km per hour and manage to dispense with the bad road after 150km as darkness falls.
The last 150km is ok but the road winds over 2 mountain passes and it's freezing. eventually we reach Quetta - a dirty, dusty, very cold shithole. The hotel is likewise but at 2 pounds 50 a night we're not arguing.
"Do you want a heater?" the guy asks.
"YES" we reply together.
By chance, my big sister, a doctor, is here volunteering for a week operating on earthquake victims. We went to see her and the family hosting her insisted that we stayed as well. They have a HUGE house, loads of servants, massive TV with satellite, at least 7 bedrooms all en suite and they insist on taking us out everywhere and feeding us round the clock. It's great!
Well, after 10 days of luxurious living in Rawalpindi we finally had our Indian visas so we headed back down to Lahore to cross the border. Firstly though, we were instructed to stay with Kitty and Faisal (a major in the Rangers border patrol). We arrived at their luxurious flat to learn that we were being put up in the nearby officers mess to be waited on hand and foot(again).
Faisal was very keen on shooting and showed us a picture of a whole lot of ducks. My brother-in-law, my father and I shot 468 ducks on Sunday. He announced.
Now Ive done a spot of shooting and I like my foie gras and veal like the next man but this looked like overkill to me. I asked if they had any wild boar and were they difficult to hunt.
Oh no he replied, we chase them with a jeep. Last month I shot 21, all in one day!
. He then shows me a picture of him standing grinning with a huge, recently deceased, bird. This is a Giant Desert Bustard. He explains, They say that there are only about 200 of these birds left in the whole of the world.
And you SHOT one? I asked incredulously.
No, no, no! he explained I shot TEN all in the SAME DAY!
Anyway, my opinion of him improved when he barked at his manservant who instantly reappeared with a tray laden with beer and whisky.
Im only half Muslim he explained as he lit up.
The next day, with an air-conditioned 4WD and driver at our disposal along with an aide from the Rangers, a guide and a photographer we were treated to a fine tour of Lahore. We were also taken to the border for the daily closing ceremony which is an astonishing mix of pageantry, military drill, national pride and theatre. At night Major Faisal took us to a restaurant owned by his shooting buddies. All manner of hunted game was on the menu although I resisted enquiring as to whether any Great Desert Bustard was in season.
Back on the bike the next morning we were guided back to the border and treated like VIPs by the Border Rangers as we were whisked through. India at long last
The roads in India are not too bad. Its the traffic thats crazy. On one morning we had to avoid: buses, cars, trucks, motorcycles, bicycles, motor-rickshaws, cycle-rickshaws, handcarts, carts pulled by camel, ox, horse, donkey, cow, buffalo. Along with elephants, sacred cows, dogs, sheep, goats, pigs and monkeys. Its the difference in relative speed of all the traffic (coupled with some idiocy) that makes progress so difficult. Averaging 60kmh was really difficult and, on some days, even 50 was impossible. Riding for 7 hours to find youve done less than 330km was tough going.
Stopped at the Golden Temple at Amritsar then headed down to Agra to see the Taj Mahal both well worth making time for. India just seemed too full of people. Anytime we stopped we were absolutely mobbed. All the towns we arrived in were huge and impossible to navigate around in the dark. They dont seem to turn on their streetlights (saves on the leccy?) or use vehicle lights either. Tried one particularly stupid u-turn on a steep dusty slope and when I put my foot down nothing there. Over we went but a soft landing awaited in the dirt. The hotel was a welcome sight that night.
We decided to head straight across towards Nepal. The main road deteriorated to an alarming extent. Huge potholes and slow trucks to try and overtake made progress a nightmare. Suddenly Tasha told me to stop. The mount for the BMW topbox had finally given up the ghost. I had often wondered why it had lasted so long, especially as not only was the box overloaded but wed been strapping 2 large bags on top as well.
We pulled off the road and sized up the problem. It was as bad as any mechanical coz we couldnt go anywhere without our luggage. As we attempted to fix the problem by taking washers off other parts of the bike and fitting them over the bolts in the cracked mount, a crowd steadily gathered even though we were 5k past the last town. A guy in a blue shirt poked his nose into the problem then disappeared. As we sweated in the heat and under the fierce glare of anticipation from the audience, the bloke returned brandishing some wire. We started trying to wire the mount back on. Then, the crowd parted and a guy on a bicycle was ushered through. Turns out hes the local mechanic with his plastic bag full of tools. He deftly assesses the situation and rapidly wires the mount on, twirling his pliers as he goes. We then fit the box and he adjusts our bungees supertight before adding an old bicycle tube for good measure. Its sturdier than before. He refuses any offer of payment and were off again.
Finally, we reach the border. Formalities completed in a few hours and were riding in Nepal. After the dirt and crowding in India its a welcome relief. Fresh air, open roads and green trees. Friendlier people who seem more relaxed. We make 120km or so towards Kathmandu before camping in a beautiful spot by a huge river. A strange animal comes sniffing round the tent in the night but we never establish what it was. I explain to T that its probably a mongoose or a giant shrew or something else cuddly glossing over the leopard or tiger theories.
The atmosphere in Nepal is a lot lighter than before. The 4 month ceasefire with the Maoist rebels means all the soldiers at the checkpoints are more relaxed. The road to Kathmandu is vastly improved and we sweep along the last 180kms to our destination and a few days R&R before Christmas.
2 months, 14 countries, 14300kms, no breakdowns, punctures or accidents.
Time for a rest.
This mode of travel is neither sensible nor cheap. "Why didn't you just fly to Nepal and buy motorcycles when you got there?" another traveller asked. I still haven't come up with a coherent reply. No matter how cheaply you live it all costs a bundle.
Preparation is everything. Unfortunately I misread this as "nothing". Poring over the Touratech website for hours was all well and good but didn't help much when we were lost in Bosnia. What would've helped was a decent map of Bosnia. The Toytown map of Europe we had was ok for showing main routes but **** all good for much else. Some investigation into prevailing weather conditions at this time of year might have been a good idea. "It'll be warm when we get to Greece, Turkey and beyond." started to wear.
On the Technical side:
TT hardparts f&r
BMW hard luggage
Oxford Expander Tankbag
TT Rallye Computer
Hepco Becker Engine bars
Stebel Magnum Horn - MOST USEFUL addition!!
GSA 31ltr Tank - range up to 600km
Fuel consumption between 5.1 and 7.2 iltr per 100km. Usually nearer 5.
Best bit of kit taken - Leatherman Charge Ti
Leak from oil cooler pipes - at both ends. Easily sorted.
Clutch slip - adjusted slack. No problem.
Rear mudguard ripped off on rough road in Baluchistan.
Both front indicators damaged - bike dropped 5 times.
Rear carrier snapped.
As Mike P says, a great read, thanks.
Brightened up a dull day that did
Loved it. Thank you for sharing it with us. Just in passing, did you ever feel threatened whilst travelling?
I really enjoyed reading your journal, wow!
Fully lives up to:
Die with regrets - not with dreams!!!
Climate is what you hope for, weather is what you get!
Thanks for finding the time to post that, excellant stuff. Some pictures and a further update when you can would be great.
Its not like it used to be on here is it
No - didn't feel threatened ar all, at any point.
The Islamic countries have actually been the most friendly and welcoming.
However, big bomb/attack in Thangkot last night (about 10k west of Kathmandu). This is about 1.5km from my house and a few hundred yards from the orphanage I'm working with. 12 police killed and general confusion. The ceasefire with the Maoists is well and truly over.
Don't understand the pics - they worked when I posted them up but don't appear (to me) now. Any ideas? I'm using Fotki.
Without the photos it is a very good read.
Thanks for that.
I'm still seein' photos.
Climate is what you hope for, weather is what you get!
Originally Posted by Bin Ridin
I can't. Not even the little white boxes with red crosses in them. Strange....
Anyway, if anybody wants to ride an 1100GS back from India/Nepal to the UK in the next 6 months or so please let me know. It'll save me a bundle on shipping it.
Another go at posting pics......
Lost in Iran
Bigger seat height than a GS and not as comfy
On the train at last
Mountain top church in Slovenia
walnut grove in Greece
Albanian mountain road
Ancient city of Bam, Iran
camping in Serbia
Croatian coast
Croatian coast...again
Olive grove in Montenegro
Camping in Turkey
A pale shadow of our former selves
A nice cuppa tea and a sitdown in Esfahan
Well been a bit quiet of late but a few moderately interesting things been going on here.
Firstly, the bike always causes a stir. The Nepalis love bikes and they love talking about them. My Nepali is fluent enough to tell them all the pertinent details, engine size, price, weight, cylinders and (most importantly) number of km per litre.
Was startled one time by this little kid of about 10. He came up when I was doing some fettling on the bike outside my house in the village and had a jolly good look all around it. I was expecting a basic broken English or Nepali question when he piped up, in pitch-perfect English, "Tell me, is it absolutely neccessary for one to have disc brakes on a motorcycle?" I had to explain to him the weight and the dynamics of it all before he was satisfied that it WAS neccessary.
Got some service parts sent out and went to get some oil. 2 guys in a car stopped and asked me what I was doing. I told them and they said "Follow us, we work for Tata, you can use our workshop and mechanics." I went to this huge, modern Tata workshop where I was introduced to the foreman and he, along with his crew, were put at my disposal. They weren't bike mechanics but they were all good mechanics and very keen to help. I soon had 6 of them swarming all over the bike as I directed them and the oil and filters were changed in minutes, everything torq'd up according to the BM service manual on my USB drive.
They replaced a double opposite threaded bolt which had broken on my dashboard by MAKING a new one in the workshop while I had some tea with the foreman. After this, they took the bike to the washing bay, cleaned it, polished it, used special stuff on the seat etc etc. It looked new! Cleaner than I've ever had it.
Luckily it's halfway between my house and Kathmandu so it's easy to go back. I had a brake hose split and they found a Tata car one which was the right size but had the wrong fittings - so they made new fittings while they bought me lunch. Again, the bike was washed to perfection. The charge for all this so far - nil!
I've started getting a bit cocky with the traffic lately. Coming into KTM the other week we were overtaking a bus when another bus came the other way. Normally I play the "white person on a big german motorcycle" card and the oncoming vehicle gives me space. This time, the oncoming bus didn't pull over and "our" bus pulled out a bit. The narrow space between the buses closed uncomfortably into a long tunnel. I tried to hold the bike straight as possible but the space disappeared and we got sandwiched. The left hand bar-end got jammed in the wheel arch and so did my hand - luckily I was wearing gloves. Something spinning fast - probably the wheel rim - ground into the engine bars. After about 50yds we got disentangled but luckily stayed upright. Been a bit more circumspect since whilst jousting in traffic.
The Maoist bundhs (strikes) and civil unrest has been great for riding. There's no other traffic. During one bandh, I met Charles, an American ex-pat, on his R80GS. Turns out he has 5 old bikes, 2 60s BMWs, a Triumph and a 1946 Indian complete with left foot clutch, right hand gears, left hand throttle and right hand twistgrip for ignition advance.
Charles invited me to ride out with Shiva's Slaves, a motorcycle gang who rideout annually on Shiva Ratri. I met up with 30 odd expats, locals and assorted diplomats/tourists on a variety of vintage tackle or Enfields. I was offered a can of Tuborg on arrival - a welcome innovation - we should try that on the sunday runs! A bunch of Norwegians had ridden over from Goa on their dubiously customised Enfields (leopardskin seats anyone?). We visited a couple of shrines and had a picnic - some members of the group smoking unfeasably large joints. Next, visited Pashrupati - huge temple thronging with 10s of thousands of devotees. Then the fun started. We were heading back to Charles' house when the ring roads were all blocked by army/police. "Our King is coming." they said. We dispersed down the side streets and attempted to find ways back onto the Ringroad. Following Charles on the Indian we rode straight at some traffic cops blocking the road - they dived out the way at the last moment and we were on the ringroad - with no traffic! Most of the rest of the group managed the same and we had a great blast along the empty roads at maximum speed (and volume). A good BBQ and loads of beer rounded off an enjoyable day.
The Maoists decided to blockade the country a few weeks back - just when we wanted to take a break in Pohkara. We left the KTM valley only to find a huge tailback at the military checkpost. No-one was being allowed out of the valley. We rode around the queue and two soldiers flagged us down. We waved and rode past, doing the same to the policeman blowing his whistle. After that.... heaven. 200km of empty roads to Sunauli on the Indian border - where we went to renew visas. Only a few more checkpoints tried to stop us. Approaching Sunauli we came to a blockaded bridge. Tasha begun to remove some rocks when she noticed a sandbag with red and black wires going into it. The Maoists are known to boobytrap roadblocks. We stopped moving rocks. The locals pointed us to a river crossing. I took the bike down and guided it over the soft sand and gunned it accross the river - no problem. When I tried to get up the steep sandy bank - big problem. Got well stuck. The locals - who'd gathered into a sizeable crowd- came to help. They didn't seem to mind being pelted with sand and rocks from my back wheel as we got the behemoth unstuck. Smiles all round and got moving again - we had to ford one more river on the way. After Sunauli, we headed the 150km to Pohkara. A beautiful winding mountain road was great fun to ride. Endless hairpins and 3rd gear sweepers for mile after mile with great views of the approaching Himalayas.
Darkness fell and a colossal thunderstorm was whipped up. Huge cascades of lightening lit the sky. Now we were only 25km from Pohkara and getting wet. We hit the first Maoist roadblocks. We had seen no traffic at all on this road and now we understood why. We negotiated several stone walls before coming upon 3 burnt-out cars totally blocking the road. On the right was the sheer rock of a mountain, on the left a steep drop. We gingerly half rode/ half lifted the bike round. Next, was a huge tree. Felled accross the road. It was too big to move and extended over the edge so couldn't be circumnavigated. We had camping gear but after getting so close to a warm hotel bed we didn't want to give up. I started sawing branches off the tree with my Leatherman and Tasha began making a ramp with rocks and earth. I rode the BM up onto the narrow grass bank and attacked the ramp. Got halfway over then lifted the back wheel over. A Nepali guy turned up and helped us. He pointed to a light on the overlooking hilltop. "Maoist look-out. They are watching. They will come. You go - very fast!"
We went, very fast. Firstly we had to negotiate several more stone roadblocks. You could ride around the edge in the foot or so available. We had to ride over several logs too. Whilst riding round one block Tasha says " You're getting really good at this". At the next block I casually picked our way round and rode straight into the drainage ditch. "Hmmmn - maybe I spoke too soon" grunted Tasha as we heaved the bike out. We dispensed with the rest of the obstacles finally. Then, as we rounded a bend, we saw it. Loping across the road, long tail swinging behind. A real, live, wild LEOPARD! It turned and stopped, staring at us, its eyes illuminated in the sideways glare of the lights. Only about 10ft away. Then it was gone, into the night. Elated, we rode on, no longer caring if a pick-up full of AK-47 toting Maoists was around the next bend. We finally arrived in Pohkara, the only vehicle to traverse that road in a week.
Things a bit dodgy here now - constant riots and curfews but still smiling. There's a riot outside right now apparently
Great wright up Namastebuz, We have friends in Nepal who now say it is getting realy bad again after a few mounths respite, We lived for a few years the other side of Sunauli in India at a place called Gorakhpur, been through Sunauli loads of time on the way To Ktm but always by bus! and stayed in some very poor "hotels" on the border there, that road up to Pokra is fantastic but not in the back of a Napli bus with the runs!! the nearest I got to rideing a bike there was an old Jawa and a mates Baja 150 scoot, good memories brought back by your report, thanks and keep your head down, Nasmaska!!
Yeah, it's a bad situation here. have no info on the roads outside the valley. We need to leave within a month but have to sit tight for now until all the troubles are sorted.
Are your friends in KTM or elsewhere?
Things looking grim on the news - Keep your head down .
All your BMW servicing needs at the .gsshop.biz, including 1200 models
Recommended as an "excellent independant" in Ride magazine 2009.
Anyone attending a Ride Out or Event organised through the UKGSer Forums does so at their own risk.
UKGSer.com or anyone organising an event posted here will not be held responsible in any way for damage or personal injury sustained while attending any such events.
Members attending any such event do so at their own risk.
The text, images, graphics, sound files, animation files, video files, and their arrangement on this Website are all subject to copyright and other intellectual property protection. These objects may not be copied for commercial use or distribution, nor may these objects be modified or reposted to other sites without prior written permission.
Disclaimer: Use or depiction of the BMW logo or trademark throughout this web site is for illustrative and editorial purposes only, and to the benefit of the trademark owner, with no intention of infringement of the trademark.
The UKGSer Forums may include adult content for which it cannot be held responsible. Your use of this website constitutes acceptance of the UKGSER network privacy policy
UKGSer is....
"a pernicious environment of toxic hostility" dean0n0 2019
"I have always known this community is full good people even if most of you cover it up with piss n vinegar" Chad 2018
"Its about being a grown up hooligan - and if that means a dark visor, remus open pipe and a bit of speeding out of town then all well and good" Kaister 2005


text:
DOUENTZA, Mali — An official in the central Malian down of Douentza said radical Islamists have retreated from the town after holding it for four months.
News of the militants' departure came Monday, the same day French and Malian forces secured another town, Diabaly.
Sali Maiga, a town adviser in Douentza, said that French and Malian forces arrived in Douentza on Monday around 11 a.m.
Maiga said the Islamists, who first captured Douentza in September, had left the town the previous week.
France began a military intervention Jan. 11 to dislodge the Islamists from their strongholds in northern and central Mali after they began advancing farther south. France has said it will stay as long as it takes, though said other African countries must take the lead.