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What is natural gas?
Natural gas is a fossil fuel formed underground over millions of years from the remains of plants, animals and microorganisms. Like all fossil fuels, it is "non renewable"—there is a finite amount of it, and once it is depleted, there is no more available for future needs. Non-renewable resources are consumed much faster than nature can create them.
Natural gas is generally found a mile or more beneath the earth's surface, but is sometimes found at shallower depths.
Natural gas is a combustible mixture of hydrocarbon gases, consisting primarily of methane—but also containing smaller amounts of other marketable hydrocarbons such as ethane, propane and butane, along with impurities such as hydrogen sulfide and carbon dioxide. Many of these gases, like methane, are greenhouse gases (GHGs): they trap heat in the atmosphere and contribute to global warming.
What is methane?
Methane is the primary component of natural gas—typically about 70% to 90% by volume. It is a molecule, CH4, made up of one carbon atom and four hydrogen atoms. The combustion of methane produces heat, water (H20) and carbon dioxide (CO2). Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas, many times more potent than carbon dioxide, which is currently the largest contributer to man made climate change. Think of greenhouse gases as creating a heavy blanket in our atmosphere, trapping too much of the sun's heat on our planet.
What makes natural gas smell like rotten eggs?
Methane is odorless, colorless, and tasteless. That awful odor comes from mercaptan, which is added to the gas, so that you can smell a gas leak in your home or on your block.
What is shale gas?
Shale is fine-grained, organic-rich, sedimentary rock. Shale can be a 'source-rock' for oil and natural gas.
Millions of years ago, the remains of ancient life were trapped in layers of mud, preventing normal decay. That mud was buried under the earth and exposed to high temperatures and pressures, chemically transforming the sediment to rock and the trapped particles into natural gas. As shale was formed, clays in the mud compressed and layered—that's what makes it difficult for the trapped oil and gas to rise through the formation.
Today natural gas producers use horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing—injecting water, sand or other "proppants" (materials that keep fractures open) and chemicals down the wellbore—to break up the shale and release the trapped oil and gas.
Most of the shale gas in North America is concentrated in ancient sedimentary basins in distinct geographical areas. There are currently over twenty active shale plays in the United States, and fourteen states make up about 85% of onshore unconventional natural gas reserves.
Why is shale gas the focus of so much attention these days?
The availability of new technologies for extracting shale gas means that our "energy landscape"—the mix of fuels we use to power our lives—is changing radically.
In 2001, shale gas accounted for only 2% of total U.S. natural gas production. In one decade—because of technological developments in horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing–that number has grown to 30%.
The U.S. Energy Information Administration projects that shale gas production will increase significantly between 2009 and 2035. By 2035, shale gas is projected to reach nearly half of total domestic natural gas production.
The brisk and far-reaching scope of shale gas extraction has led to profound public concern about the negative impacts of irresponsible gas development on human health and our air, water and land.
What is fracking?
During the hydraulic fracturing process, commonly referred to as "fracking," millions of gallons of water, combined with sand and chemicals – some of them toxic–are injected down a well bore under intense pressure to create tiny fissures in the shale, allowing the trapped oil or natural gas to flow into the well.
Hydraulic fracturing is not new. It has been used in oil and gas wells for decades. What's new is the combination of hydraulic fracturing with horizontal drilling in onshore production. With horizontal drilling technology, the well bores turn sideways – think of a bendable straw – to reach much further into and along the shale formation. It's this recent combination of technologies that has made it profitable to produce shale gas in areas that were once prohibitively expensive for gas industry development.
Why is natural gas a potentially "cleaner" fuel?
Natural gas may have a significant role to play in achieving a cleaner, less carbon-intensive energy future for the United States –but only if it is possible to develop it responsibly.
Natural gas has the potential to be good news for the environment because it means we are burning less coal. Natural gas burns cleaner than either coal or oil, with lower emissions of greenhouse gases, smog-forming pollutants, mercury, sulfur dioxide, soot and other contaminants.
And – unlike coal-fired plants – modern gas turbines can adapt their output quickly, making them ideal supplements to intermittent wind and solar energy generation. Output from these technologies can vary over the course of a day or a season, and gas-fired power plants, particularly high efficiency combustion turbines, are currently one of the few commercially-viable technologies that can quickly fill in the gaps.
However, as the grid is made 'smarter' in the next few years, energy efficiency, demand response and energy storage will be able to fill much of this firming role for intermittent resources.
How does natural gas affect coal?
Respected Grist writer, David Roberts was alarmed when he read this headline in The Christian Science Monitor: "Study: EPA regulations squelch US coal industry." He wondered if there could actually be a reputable study supporting this. He found just the opposite when he assessed the recent report [PDF] by the research consultancy Brattle Group, explaining why the EPA is not the only reason coal plants are retiring. Please read why Roberts' thinks this is good news for children's health and climate change:
Anyway. Let's look at what the Brattle Group did say, which is quite interesting.
The report is an update of its brief from late 2010 on potential coal-plant retirements. The headline news: Brattle is substantially upping its projection of how many coal plants will retire, by about 25 GW. That's huge. But it's not happening because of EPA regulations. In fact, say the authors, the change is "primarily due to changing market conditions, not environmental rule revisions, which have trended towards more lenient requirements and schedules" (my emphasis).
Catch that? Relative to the situation in 2010, EPA regulations look likeless of a threat. The agency's new Cross-State Air Pollution Rule(CSAPR) and Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS) were finalized with "less restrictive requirements on the compliance deadlines and equipment than previously predicted." The new rule on cooling towers turned out to be less stringent than industry feared as well. CSAPR was scheduled to go into effect in 2012, but was recentlystruck down by a federal court. (It's uncertain whether it will eventually be upheld, altered, or replaced.)
Long story short, the regulatory climate for coal is slightly more favorable than expected two years ago. But it doesn't matter, because "market conditions" are kicking coal's ass anyway.
One market condition has to do with demand for power, which has slowed/plateaued due to the recession and recent mild weather. Another is the falling price of renewables. But the big one, the cudgel to coal's head, is natural gas prices. You will recall that in April, natural gas generation equaled coal generation in the U.S. (at 32 percent each) for the first time since the Energy Information Administration started keeping records. Utilities are cranking natural gas up and retiring coal plants, mainly for economic reasons. Nick Akins, president and CEO of the coal-heavy utility American Electric Power, has said flat out that "there will not be any new coal plants built, with the current price of gas and the forecast for the future for gas."
So what can we expect for coal-plant retirements given these market conditions? First, here's where we stand, according to Brattle: "As of July 2012, approximately 30 GW of coal plant capacity (roughly 10% of total coal capacity) had announced plans to retire by 2016." That's already a lot. To determine how much more is in the offing, Brattle had to estimate two crucial variables: first, what natural gas prices will do, and second, how strict EPA regulations will end up being. So they ran scenarios for both high and low gas prices, and for both "strict" and "lenient" regulatory environments.
The result: "We find that 59 GW to 77 GW of coal plant capacity are likely to retire instead of retrofit with environmental equipment" (my emphasis). That's 20 to 25 percent of U.S. coal generation capacity, in a matter of less than a decade. It's an extraordinary shift — far bigger than anything the EPA could engineer — and it's an unqualified good for public health and the fight against climate change.
Is natural gas development dangerous?
Unfortunately, current production practices have resulted in unacceptable impacts on air, water, landscapes, people and communities. Irresponsible natural gas development presents serious risks to people's health and the environment in several ways, including:
- Human exposure to toxic chemicals and the waste products of gas extraction;
- Contamination of groundwater and surface water from spills, problems with well construction and operation and failures at waste storage facilities;
- Global warming impacts through the release of methane—a powerful greenhouse gas;
- Deleterious air pollution—both local and regional—from equipment and activities involved in drilling, production and pipeline transportation; and
- Negative impacts on the quality of life in communities.
- Workers inspect a natural gas valve at a fracking site in
Pennsylvania's Marcellus Shale region. (1)
Are natural gas production and greenhouse gases related?
Methane (CH4), the primary component of natural gas, is a greenhouse gas many times more potent than carbon dioxide (CO2), now the principal contributor to man-made climate change.
Methane has a very high global warming potential – much higher than CO2. Pound for pound, methane can trap heat about 25 times more effectively than carbon dioxide over a 100-year timeline. Over a shorter timeline, the impact of methane is even greater. This is because methane breaks down relatively quickly in the atmosphere. So its global warming impacts are greatest in near-term decades.
Methane can leak at many points along the development process. Very small leaks at the point of production, along the pipeline system or at the local distribution system, can actually undo the greenhouse-gas benefits of switching from coal to natural gas.
A less-known aspect of methane is that it also adds to ozone (O3) levels, another greenhouse gas and air pollutant. In relation to health, ozone exposure can have many effects, ranging from minor ones on the respiratory system to premature mortality. Ozone is not emitted directly but is formed through the reaction of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), such as methane, and nitrogen oxides (NOx) in the presence of sunlight.
- Natural gas compressor station
Just how much methane is released into the atmosphere during these processes is uncertain because the measured data is limited and drilling and completion processes have evolved rapidly in recent years. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has estimated the methane leak rate at a little more than two percent. But a recent study by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) suggested it might be twice that in northern Colorado. Other studies suggest it could be higher still.
Are there other air pollution issues related to natural gas production?
Yes. Leaks and venting at natural gas well sites and processing plants release other pollutants besides methane that can threaten air quality and public health, including the following hazardous air pollutants (HAPs):
- Exposure to benzene can cause skin and respiratory irritation, and long-term exposure can lead to cancer and blood, developmental and reproductive disorders;
- Long-term exposure to toluene can cause skin and respiratory irritation, headaches, dizziness, birth defects and damage the nervous system;
- Ethylbenzene can cause irritation of the throat and eyes, and dizziness and long-term exposure can cause blood disorders;
- High levels of xylene exposure have numerous short-term impacts, including nausea, gastric irritation and neurological effects, and long-term exposure can negatively impact the nervous system; and
- Exposure to n-hexane can cause dizziness, nausea and headaches, while long-term exposure can lead to numbness, muscular atrophy, blurred vision and fatigue.
The EPA notes that areas with natural gas development can have increased levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and hazardous air pollutants (HAPs). The air quality impacts of these emissions vary based on local conditions, but they can be significant, even in rural areas. For example, wintertime ozone levels in excess of the nation's health-based air quality standards have been recorded in parts of Wyoming and Utah, where natural gas and oil production are the only significant industrial activities.
- A fracking site in Bradford County, Pennsylvania. (2)
Engines and other combustion sources used throughout the industry also produce emissions that can affect air quality.
In 2009, a Southern Methodist University study estimated that the combined amounts of VOCs and nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions from oil and natural gas production in the Barnett Shale of North Texas were comparable to amounts of those emissions from the roughly four million cars and trucks in the Dallas Fort-Worth metro area. The Barnett Shale is a geological formation underlying 5,000 square miles of Texas, including at least 17 counties, and the city of Forth Worth.
What is Ozone—and what does that have to do with gas production?
Ground level ozone—O3– is the main component of smog. Ground level ozone is created by chemical reactions between nitrogen oxides (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Some of the major sources of ozone precursors are emissions from industrial facilities and electric utilities, motor vehicle exhaust, gasoline vapors, and chemical solvents.
Oil and gas development produces significant amounts of smog-forming pollution and is directly linked to ozone problems in states like Wyoming, where previously pristine air quality has deteriorated to levels that violate the nation's health-based air quality standards for ozone; Wyoming families are now experiencing unhealthy levels of ozone concentrations on some days comparable to some of the nation's most polluted urban areas.
Without rigorous pollution control measures, the problem of ozone pollution will worsen as the pace of oil and gas development surges across the country. The U. S Energy Information Administration projects that shale gas production will triple between 2009 and 2035, and that by 2035 shale gas will account for nearly 46% of domestic energy production, touching communities across the country, from Pennsylvania and Ohio to Texas, North Dakota and Colorado.
In certain communities close to oil and gas development, there is inadequate ozone monitoring to provide the data needed to let people know whether or not the air they are breathing is safe.
Petitioners have respectfully urged the EPA to take actions that will provide important public health protections for communities faced with ozone pollution from gas development.
Ozone levels in the air climb during hot, sunny days, but high ozone concentrations have also been measured in winter months in parts of Wyoming and Colorado where there are high emissions of VOCs and NOx associated with oil and gas development. Ozone can travel great distances carried by the wind.
Ozone is a powerful oxidant that can irritate the airways, causing a burning sensation, coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath. Ozone has been linked to a host of maladies, including premature mortality, heart failure, increased hospital admissions and emergency room visits for respiratory causes among children and adults with pre-existing respiratory disease, such as asthma and inflammation of the lung, and possible long-term damage to the lungs.
Children, the elderly, and people with existing respiratory conditions are the most at risk from ozone pollution. Children are more vulnerable to the damaging effects of ozone because their lungs are still developing—and children tend to be more active outdoors, even when ozone levels are high.
Ozone also damages crops and ecosystems. Ozone is one of the most phytotoxic air pollutants. It damages vegetation in national parks and wilderness areas, especially in mountain regions–and, as well, valuable crops.
Ozone pollution also contributes to climate change. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), ozone is the third-largest contributor to climate change after carbon dioxide and methane.
What are EPA's 'New Source Performance Standards?
These standards for the oil and natural gas sector (often referred to as NSPS) will limit harmful ozone precursors and air toxics. They are an important first step in reducing air pollution—as they cover only new sources. (These new standards will also limit the emission of methane, a potent greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change.)
The NSPS use cost-effective, proven technologies—as demonstrated in states like Colorado and Wyoming—that in many cases plug leaks of NOx and VOCs through the gas development system. These new performance standards reduce pollution, conserve a valuable source of energy, and in some cases actually save producers money.
- Drill rig set up for winter natural gas drilling in Wyoming
What is flaring?
Flaring is a method of burning off gas at the well-head that produces harmful pollution. It also wastes a finite energy resource. Producers flare natural gas to eliminate the dangers of venting gas that the developer cannot use on-site or put into a pipeline. Flaring can also be used to protect pipes or vessels from becoming over-pressured. Natural gas is frequently flared when there is no pipeline infrastructure in place to transport the gas to market.
- Gas flare in La Porte, Texas. (3)
Burning natural gas produces both carbon dioxide – a greenhouse gas – and nitrogen oxides (NOx), a pollutant that contributes to the formation of smog or ground-level ozone. Depending on how efficiently the gas is combusted, flaring can also lead to emissions of soot, unburned hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide and other contaminants that can be dangerous to human health.
On top of these serious health and environmental impacts, flaring wastes natural gas – a finite, domestic energy resource that could otherwise be used to heat our homes and power our country. The U. S. is currently wasting more of the fuel than it has in years, with flaring rising 223% from 2007 to 2011, making it the fastest growing offender in the world.
The World Bank recently issued an analysis showing that the United States is behind only Russia, Nigeria, Iran and Iraq in terms of the amount of gas we burned in flares in 2011. In the U.S, in 2011, this amounted to 7.1 billion cubic meters of gas flared. This could have powered many American homes.
Regulators and producers need to take measures to reduce flaring wherever possible. Infrastructure can be built to capture the gas instead. It should be noted, however, that if the choice is between venting and flaring, flaring is the better option so as to avoid releasing uncombusted methane – a highly potent greenhouse gas – directly into the atmosphere.
The best option of all, though, is to capture the natural gas and bring it to market responsibly.
A new federal requirement for "green completions," which capture natural gas and other emissions following the completion of drilling the gas well but before production begins, can help reduce the practice of venting methane directly into the atmosphere. This new requirement will take effect by 2015.
The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), with supporting data from EPA, estimates that around 40% of the natural gas vented and flared on onshore federal leases could be captured at a profit to the operator with currently available technologies. Recouping these losses could increase federal royalty payments by $23 million annually.
- Nighttime view of widespread drilling throughout Northwestern North Dakota.
More on flaring in North Dakota here.
Are air quality risks the only worry about natural gas production?
No. Natural gas development involves other important activities of concern:
- Water management—Careful use of water is especially important in areas prone to drought and in sensitive ecosystems;
- Wastewater management—Wastewater must be handled, stored, transported and either disposed of or recycled in ways that protect people and the environment. Spills and leaks in waste containment facilities are a major problem in the industry;
- Well integrity—Poor construction and operation of wells – especially in casing, cementing and pressure management – can lead to the contamination of drinking water; and
- Local community and land impacts—Communities can be overwhelmed by the impacts of gas development activities, such as infrastructure development, truck traffic, lights and noise, and burdens on local government resources. Land disturbance and ecosystem impacts from intensive development can also be a major problem.
- Pipeline construction and sand tankers in Wyalusing, PA (5)
Is natural gas production regulated?
Currently there is no federal legislation in place that regulates natural gas production. Notably, many states have made efforts to regulate natural gas production on a local level, and some have been successful. In June 2013 Illinois Governor Pat Quinn signed legislation to regulate fracking in his state. Legislation overwhelmingly passed both the Illinois Senate (52-3) and the House (108-9) last month. The law is now seen as the nation's strictest for oil and gas drilling.
What sensitive areas should remain off limits to natural gas development?
An advisory committee to the Department of Energy noted that some areas are so unique and/or sensitive that they should be declared off limits to drilling. The committee recommended using science-based processes for identifying these areas. Communities can–and should–choose to ban fracking in sensitive areas.
- North Dakota's Bakken shale — a primary area for fracking (6)
Can hydraulic fracturing cause earthquakes?
Reports of earthquakes connected to shale gas wastewater disposal have surfaced in Oklahoma, Ohio, Arkansas and elsewhere. These earthquakes have ranged in magnitude from 1.0-4.7 on the Richter scale.
Two studies have tied a recent increase in significant earthquakes to reinjection of wastewater fluids from unconventional oil and gas drilling. More from Climate Progress
While hydraulic fracturing does have micro-seismic impacts, the earthquakes that have gained attention are not the result of the hydraulic fracturing process. Rather, they are linked to the deep well injection of wastewater that is produced after a well is hydraulically fractured. In deep well injection, wastewater is taken away and injected into special disposal wells that are regulated under EPA rules. While the frequency of these events has increased, most of the tremors have been very small (earthquakes below magnitude 3.0 generally are too small to feel) and, for the most part, have not posed safety risks.
- Modern natural gas well detail
Nevertheless, the incidence of earthquakes points to the need for better rules for injection wells, including improved analysis of the geology surrounding injection wells, better monitoring of injection well pressures and requirements that injection well operators to take corrective measures – including shutting down the wells if there are signs of trouble.
Where can I learn more?
1) Air Pollution Issues Associated with Natural Gas and Oil Operations
Alvarez, R., & Paranhos, E., June 2012.
This document reviews key sources of air pollution and points to air policy concerns and considerations related to oil and gas industries. It discusses both environmental and public health impacts relations to ambient air and greenhouse gas pollution.
2) EPA Natural Gas Air Pollution Standards
EPA Air and Radiation, April 17, 2012
Standards recently established for oil and gas industry activities limit smog-forming volatile organic compound (VOCs) and other toxic air pollutants that affect human health. Information on emissions, regulatory actions, and technical material is presented by the EPA, and EDF's summary highlights additional key points of interest.
3) Natural Gas Operations from a Public Health Perspective
Colborn et al, 2011. TEDX.
This study was the first of its kind to complete a thorough analysis of chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing fluids. Although concentrations and volumes of these substances were not in the scope of the study, it provides a glimpse into general health risks possible from direct consumption or absorption.
5) IEA: Golden Rules for a Golden Age of Gas
6) SEAB Interim 90-Day Report + SEAB 2nd 90-Day Report
7) PNAS Paper: Greater focus needed on methane leakage from natural gas infrastructure
8) Do Shale Gas Activities Play a Role in Rising Ozone Levels?
Craft, E., Texas Clean Air Matters, EDF blog. July 2012.
This blog post summarizes what is currently known about the relationship between shale gas development and rising ozone levels. Ground-level ozone, or "smog," is emitted in significant amounts from equipment used in drilling, production, processing, and transporting of natural gas and oil. The many health effects associated with ozone, such as respiratory disease, put children and the elderly at greatest risk from pollution.
Photo sources:
(1) Getty Images
(2) Ralph Wilson, AP file
(3) Texas Tribune
(4) Star Tribune
(5) Scott Cannon, un-naturalgas.org
(6) CNN, courtesy of Continental Resources
TOPICS: Natural Gas


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Editors' Note: You must be 17 years old to download this application. The download button opens the iTunes App Store, where you may continue the download process. You must have iTunes installed with an active iTunes account in order to download and install the software. This download may not be available in some countries.
Publisher's Description
************** Over 3.0 million sold **************iDownloads PLUS is the most powerful and fastest download manager in the AppStore having features that other download managers can only dream of. UNLIKE other download manager apps which only lets you download 5 to 7 files, iDownloads PLUS Free has No limitations what so ever meaning you can download UNLIMITED number of files.iDownloads PLUS turns your iPhone/iPad/iPod Touch into a fully functional Download Manager!New Features:-> Playlists has been added for both Music and Movie player (Major request by you guys)-> Social sharing has been added. Now you can share your text, links, images on your favorite social sites like Facebook, twitter, tumblr etc.-> Download notifications have been added (Both inside the app and outside as well)-> Dropbox support has been added.-> Disk Space (pie chart) feature.-> Photo gallery has been upgraded and optimized.-> File share using wifi has been upgraded.-> "Block advertisement" has been optimized.-> Browsing speed has been optimized.Web browser:-> Download any media directly from safari's own media player (Both audio and video)-> Tap and hold on an image to download it.-> Set the Home Page directly from the browser view.-> Address bar can also be used as a search bar (Omni bar).-> Supports Google, Yahoo!, AltaVista, AOL, Ask, Lycos, Giga Blast, Wikipedia or Bing search. Download manager:-> Faster downloading. -> Supports pause/resume or canceling the downloading file anytime reliably through easy to use controls.-> Live download progress bar, speed and size indication. -> Able to download file of unknown size and unknown format. File manager:-> Powerful file search.-> Document viewer supports Microsoft Word, Excel, Power point, pdf, txt, htm, html and rtf file formats. -> Files can be sorted by Name, Kind etc.-> Extract ZIP and RAR files. -> 'Open with' feature allows opening files in different apps installed on the device.Audio player:-> Ability to play all music files in a folder like a playlist.-> Repeat and shuffle songs. -> Shows the album art and music info.-> Music playback continues with the screen locked and in the background. -> iPod controls can be used for the music control.-> The album art of mp3 files can be saved to Photos and even changed with custom image from the Photos.-> Advance features have also been added to audio player like playlists, fine scrubbing (Swipe to seek upto 28x in the portrait mode and upto 42x in the Landscape mode).Music Bar:-> Music bar shows the play/pause and home button to quickly jump to the player controls. Video player:-> Video playback of .m4v, .mp4, and .mov formats only.-> Advance movie player added with features like playlists, fine scrubbing (Swipe to seek upto 28x in the portrait mode and upto 42x in the Landscape mode) and snapshots. -> Default movie player for air play support.-> Supports TV-Out. Photo viewer:-> Photo Viewer supports all the iphone supported image formats and shows the images in gallery and in slideshow as well.File sharing:-> Supports iTunes USB File Sharing (iOS version 4.0 or later required). -> Transfer files to your PC in the Wi-Fi network.-> Send files as email attachments (size under 15MB). Orientation Lock:-> Supports Orientation lock both in portrait and Landscape mode.Passcode lock:-> Supports Locking of the app so that no one can access the application even when it is on and the screen gets locked or recovered from the background. Multitasking:-> Background audio.-> Downloading continues in background.Disclaimer:This software is provided for the sole purpose of using/downloading legal content. Developers of this software doesn't endorse in any way or form infringement of copyright material. Users are solely responsible for making sure that they are using/downloading material that doesn't infringe on copyrights of the respective content owners.
What's new in this version:
1) The app's browser now remembers the tabs that were opened previously, every time the user open's the app.2) Added a new feature using which the user can share Images directly from the webpage itself without downloading it.3) Fixed the bug due to which the Advertisement would show on top of the tab bar.4) Improved the tap and hold download options for both links and images.5) Fixed the Music Bar disappearing bug.6) Crashes + Bugfixes

subset: commoncrawl


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Karlovy Vary International Film Festival Final Day by Tom Clift
With the 48th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival now well and truly in the rear-view mirror, it's time for my (belated) final dispatch. After a week full of mostly European and North American features, the last two days brought with them a trio of Asian productions, including the highly anticipated martial arts flick from celebrated Hong Kong auteur Wong Kar-wai.
Before I get to that, however, it's worth mentioning the festival's prize winners. I unfortunately missed my chance to see János Szász's Grand Prix winning Le grand cahier, but I did catch the winner of the Special Jury Prize, the psychedelic A Field in England, and even had the opportunity to interview its director, Ben Wheatley. I also got to interview first time director Lance Edmands, whose film Bluebird deservedly took home the Best Actress award, split between its four female primaries, Amy Morton, Louisa Krause, Emily Mead and Margo Martindale (the film also won the Ecumenical Jury Prize). Best Actor, meanwhile, went to Ólafur Darri Ólafsson for his role in Marteinn Þórsson's XL.
The local Czech film industry was represented by Jan Hřebejk, who took home the Best Director prize for the psychologically unsettling The Honeymoon (perhaps my favourite film of the festival), as well as by the Czech-Russian-German coproduction Pipeline, which claimed the gong for Best Documentary, and the Audience Award winning Revival.
Click here to read more from Tom's final day at KVIFF.
© Movie Mezzanine 2013–2014
Observer theme by Zack Sultan


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Incredible action clip from Top Gear series 18, in which Richard Hammond races rocket-powered flying man Yves Rossy against a rally-spec Skoda.
(Source: youtube.com)
Watch a great behind the scenes video of Fassbender, The Stig, and an absolutely gorgeous McLaren MP4-12C here.
(Also, did we mention that Top Gear Season 18 is on sale on iTunes this week? Either way, we thought you should know.)
(via fassytastic)
From Monday night's episode of Top Gear.
It's time for Season: 18 Episode: 1 - The Ferrari Challenge
Starts tonight at 8:30/7:30c on BBC America.
All of our photos didn't upload correctly so we're reposting this. In the meantime, staring longingly at the Lamborghini and McLaren above.
The newly reformed Top Gear band on an Indian train singing "Hey Jude" and changing the lyrics to "naan" in an attempt to get the other passengers to join in.
The end credits of the Top Gear India Special, PMSL
Jeremy: Oh god, that's an absolute beauty.
James: That's quite a good idea actually—but don't tell him. Hammond you idiot.
Jeremy: You idiot.
(Source: mynameisbiru)
Top Gear Season 18 gets its US Premiere at 8/7c tonight with the India Special.
Richard Hammond's Crash Course gets its World Premiere at 10/9c tonight.
Both on BBC America.
We're one day away from the US Premiere of Top Gear Season 18.


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MT. JEWETT – Acting at a special meeting Sunday, the Mt. Jewett Borough Council voted 4-0 to adopt a 2012 budget that calls for a 1-mill increase in the property tax rate.
Council President Chuck Paar joined with Councilwoman Linda Berry and Councilmen Don Martyna and Brett Morgan to approve the spending plan. Councilmen John Keesee, Chip Lannen and Wil Antrim did not attend the meeting. Antrim returned home recently after undergoing heart surgery at UPMC Hamot Hospital in Erie.
Kane found itself on the short end Friday night in a 60-39 loss to visiting Elk County Catholic.
The Kane Wolves were able to stay with the Elk County Catholic Crusaders the first half despite only shooting five of 16 from the free-throw line. The Crusaders hit a big desperation 3-pointer right before the buzzer of the half to take a six-point lead into the locker room instead of a three-point lead.
James J. "Jim" Salvamoser, 71, of 349 Kinzua Avenue, died unexpectedly at his home on Thursday, Dec. 15, 2011.
Born Jan. 9, 1940, in Kane, he was a son of Francis "Frank" and Julia Powley Salvamoser. On Aug. 26, 1961, in Mt. Jewett, he married Marjorie Kimbrough who survives. Jim and Margie recently celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary.
Ruth L. Landfair, 92, of 103 High Point Dr., died Thursday, Dec. 15, 2011 at Kane Community Hospital.
Born Sept. 21, 1919, in New Alexandria, she was a daughter of John H. and Laura Taylor Gallagher. On July 7, 1941, in West Virginia, she married Harry W. Landfair who preceded her in death in 1973.
Mrs. Landfair was one of Jehovah's Witnesses and attended the Kingdom Hall in Kane. Ruth loved watching birds and wildlife, growing flowers, and reading the Bible.
Lloyd R. McAllen, 92, formerly of Lantz Corners, then Central Towers in Kane, died Thursday afternoon, Dec. 15, 2011, at the Bradford Manor.
Born June 17, 1919 in Kane, he was the son of Daniel W. and Ruth N. Becker McAllen. On Feb. 28, 1948, he married Dolores A. "Dee" Mitsch, who survives.
After graduating from Kane Area Schools in 1938, Mr. McAllen served in the U.S. Navy during WWII in the Asiatic-Pacific-Philippine Liberation, and was awarded five medals and the Purple Heart.Â
Charges against a Kane man who is accused of driving under the influence (DUI) of marijuana have been bound over to McKean County Court following a preliminary hearing earlier this week.
Charles Henry Sherwood, 47, of 117 Welsh St., Kane, appeared at the hearing before Acting Kane District Court Judge Michael Fedora.
The defendant is accused of operating a green 1995 Ford Explorer while under the influence of marijuana, according to court documents.
A warrant has been issued for the arrest of a Mt. Jewett man who is charged with seven felony counts linked with an alleged sexual assault involving a girl who was 13 years old at the time.
Roger Merle Crate II, 21, of 24 Chestnut St., Mt. Jewett, is accused of having sexual contact with the girl between Nov. 28, 2009 and March 30 of this year.
Pick up a copy of the Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2011 edition of The Kane Republican for more.
More improvements are being planned for Evergreen Park in Kane.
The "Friends of Evergreen Park" group has been concentrating its efforts on repairing the wooden Creative Playland, which had been targeted for demolition.
The organization is widening its scope to include improvements to other area of the park.
"It's a great park," Dick Bly, president of the "Friends of Evergreen Park," told the Kane Borough Council earlier this week. "We want to make it better."
The Kane Lady Wolves again used a balance scoring attack to lift them to a win over Sheffield.
Audrey Perry again got off to a hot start as she hit for eight big points in the first quarter to lift the team's intensity.
All 11 players that got in the game scored for the Lady Wolves.
Perry led the scoring with 10 points followed by Angie Geer with eight while Drew Victory, Kaila Jamerson and Taylor Bucheit each chipped in with six each.
Irvin D. "Cutter" Strawcutter of 4258 Niles Hill Rd., Wellsville, N.Y. passed away Monday, Dec. 12, 2011, at Cuba Memorial Hospital surrounded by family.
Mr. Strawcutter was born Nov. 28, 1935 in Brookville, Pa., the son of Ray Edward and Evelyn McManigle Strawcutter. On March 8, 2009 in Cuba, N.Y., he married the former Sharon Lounsberry who survives.
Cutter was a graduate of Kane High School, class of 1955. After graduation he served in the Army as a Ranger for two years. He then worked for National Fuel Gas as a Field Supervisor in the Regulator Dept. for 35 years retiring in 1997.


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Dalton Cliff: This is a beautiful cliff in the middle of Biryah Forest. You will appreciate the scenic greenery and frolicking animals. You have amazing views of the Golan, the Hulah Valley, Mount Hermon and the Galilee. On the cliff you have the option of rock climbing up and rappelling down or hiking the trail.
Click here to contact us to book this tour!


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- Erik Richardson
- Milwaukee, WI
- United States
Teacher, Richardson Ideaworks, Inc.
This conversation is closed.
Can you think of a way to positively impact a billion people over the next ten years?
At the heart of the Singularity University graduate program that runs each summer is that each team must choose and develop one project that could have just that kind of impact.
My question to you, then, is: What can YOU come up with that could create positive change on that scale, and what would drive it?
Topics: activism educational technology invention
Apr 29 2011: One of the biggest problems the world will face in the coming decade and beyond is insufficient water. I live in a country where there is an abundance but I beleive that it would be wise for all of us to practice better water useage now. There is no good reason for water to go down the drain if it has not been used for toilet purposes so community laws have to be changed to encourage the use of grey water to water our property and fields.
Apr 30 2011: That is so true..Debra..no water no food no life..there was a TED talk on Harvesting water ( I'll look up the link and post here..it was about an ancient ancient system of harvesting what little rain water there is in his arid desert land..and Bermuda and many islands of course rely on water harvest...the systems are simple and universal ( but in need of updating for modern health concerns..). Could be afanatstic project to do a state of the art..ancient and modern and universally doable simple methods of harvesting water. The TED talk film was so wonderful because he was very caerful to point out that what we think of as modern water supply management may not be the most effective solution.
Here is the Link To the Water Harvesting Talkhttp://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/anupam_mishra_the_ancient_ingenuity_of_water_harvesting.html:
Apr 30 2011: global issue mapping? yes! and also global polling on which we all need to tackle first? globally as "we the citizens of the world?" As a youngster I wasone of 12 students invited to participate in Buckminsiter' first World Game ( didn't get to do it alas..I had to work that summer) but very similar. I think Kristopher's suggestion for a student lead project of global issue mapping and priotizing is an excellent one an dthat Fuller's World Game is a good model that..udated of course to take advantage of modern media...The World Game was an annual event for many years. It could help answer a critical first step question..what do we agree globally is the most pressing unaddressed need ?
Here we see already a list of things we see as major un met global needs--water ( can't have food or life without water), food, housing, education..what else and what do we agree about these issues..how do we tackle whatever issues are on the top of our list.?
Apr 30 2011: I noticed in the most recent TED talk on new IPAD technologies that they were beginning to use something similar to what Kristofer is suggesting. When the demonstrator pinched or expanded particular section of Al Gore's book- it showed resources or potential resources and problem areas at the touch of his fingers. If the technology already exists- plugging in your idea on a global scale should be possible!
Apr 30 2011: The technology sure exists. I imagine a website hosting the service, but also tablet/mobile applications accessing it. I don't think the main problem is the technology, a platform would probably not take more than a couple of weeks/months to develop for a single programmer. I rather think the biggest problem is to get the data in an accessible format that don't require every new data set to be manually entered into the platform.
Apr 30 2011: Lindsay, your comment makes me think of an extension. This is a much more involved project than the one I first proposed, it would be to build a strategy game like Civilization[1] or Sim City[2] that was completely based on real world scenarios.
[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civilization_%28series%29
[2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sim_city
Apr 30 2011: Yes, the games are a kind of simulation modeling and the project if it were a global map of issues should include decision modeling would be a great way to exlore the trade offs and inte rrelationships..the consequence of one choice on the goals and needs of another valued choice. .Could be very simple and intuitive..doesn't have to be a big expensive dfificut to program thing..could be as easy as asking each person to asess plus or minus how much one decsion would impact another. e.g. water harvesting big plus on food, big plus on carbon foot print (otherwise food has to be shipped inetc. etc..If many many folk are involved an intutive model might do just as good a job as a methmatical model with complicated inputs and outputs. Might work especailly well for focusing priorities..is water more important than food?I'm likingthis idea more & more..and if it were such a simple quick to launch decision model maybe the students could actually get input from millions of people around the world!!! We could all just tune in and play the Wolrd Game ( Buckie would love this)!!!
Apr 30 2011: Kristofer! That is a great idea because in addition to its other wonderful possibilities it could take advantage of what Clay Shirky calls global cognitive surplus! In other words many many people would want to play or contribute to finding the best solutions and they would get pleasure and fun rather than pay for doing so- an advantage to both sides and humanity!
May 1 2011: Both of you really got my head spining. So I decided to create a mockup last night, just to vizualise the possibilities and hopefully get some more discussion going. Check it out and see if you get any new ideas! (If you don't want to provide your own name as user name, just enter some nonsense name into the box. The user name is used as identifier for the player in the game.)
Lisa ClearyApr 28 2011: In answering this question I would start with asking if I have already impacted on a billion people in the last ten years, or am I presently impacting a very large number of people?
If the answer to these questions is yes, then it seems that I don't have to reach out to seemingly unreachable people, with creative new projects, but work out a way to adjust my relationships with these large numbers of people, to ensure I am positively impacting on one billion of them over ten years.
I guess it will be a personal answer depending very much on who I am and the nature of my relationships with this number of people.
If I were a billionaire in China...If I were a fisherman in Indonesia...If I were a woman with a baby in a warzone...
For me personally, I am a 40yr old woman, living in an affluent, industrialised country...I can make loads of changes to my personal habits of creation and destruction, consumption and pollution, and work on my values, attitudes and emotions and improve my contribution to my family, community, ecological community and into the wider world beyond.
Equally, I could change myself and my lifestyle by travelling to a place where I can live more in harmony with a billion people, but with a lot more hardships; For instance, a third world place, or a retreat into the countryside or 'bush' as we say here. However, I would need some time to learn to use more sustainable technologies, and to know how to live more closely with the new environment and social structure.
If I were a very affluent 'westener', I wouldn't have to go to these lengths, just downsize my environmental footprint enough to positively impact a billion people over ten years. Perhaps influencing my affluent offspring and family and community would also help.
But what if I were an indigenous person, living mostly traditionally-tiny footprint- how could I do it? Just continue my lifestyle and thereby enact my vision of a better tomorrow for a billion?
Apr 30 2011: That wasn't all clear in how you prsented this conversation to us. Certainly my comments were not framed with reference to that. I thought you were talking about designing a doable student projecf. for Singularity University.Still some interesting indeas have emerged and are worth following through on.
May 1 2011: I am looking for doable projects, Lindsay, and I am working from within the context of affluent American society, so I think your comments are relevant. The students at SU have to come up with their own projects, but there are some common elements and obstacles in the examples I've seen talked about, so I wanted to see what a broader set of contributors suggests. You're right that there are some interesting ideas so far . . .
Apr 28 2011: Why not just changing the mindset of people, and in particular the beliefs rooted in religion, known to create tensions and divide people?
The solution would be to educate people about atheism, so that everyone will be able to understand that paradise is here, so that we could all build a better world in the "now"and not focus on the after-life.
Somak MitraMay 2 2011: That would not only be extremely difficult, it would also be stupid and irresponsible. Religion has flaws like any other human invention, but it is foolish to try and wipe it out by denying its usefulness. It is also incorrect to think that evil springs from religion.
Atheism doesn't change human nature, and it it incorrect to think that it will reduce tensions and violence in any way.
vipindas s 10+
May 23 2011: try:
for 100 of such examples... some are directly implementable.
TEDx Talk: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sLh-U99avso
or http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQBp6z4j704
and recently
Apr 30 2011: http://www.insurance-quotes-for-you.com/20_Things_That_Happen_In_One_Minute.html
Stop being wasteful
Apr 29 2011: @Colleen
1. Yes, that conversation is still open, and I did try to encourage people that sharing their efforts is meant to be inspiring and supportive, but you're right that it's still hard for people to open up.
2. The problem is, I actually want to understand the issues underlying all of the conversations I've launched. I am fascinated by such a wide range of issues that it's too hard to choose! You should see how long the list is for questions I've wanted to start but didn't :-D
Apr 29 2011: I don't think it's hard for people to open up. We see a lot of "opening" on TED. I think the real "problem" is the number of interesting topics available, and it's sometimes difficult to choose where to spend our time and energy. Oh...wait...it's not a problem...it's a feature! LOL...:>)
Apr 29 2011: One way I can see this happening is if we create cheap green technology which we then market. For this, we can make a community, perhaps through social networks, encouraging people to present their ideas for innovative technology. Collaborative efforts from engineering students have created many useful inventions in the past, which have actually been put to use. If that is done, a group of people with the required capital can start marketing that technology.
Of course there are a lot of blocks on the way, but I believe this can work.
Apr 30 2011: The main obstacles would be financial and the opposition from other non green technologies.
The students could perhaps work on various technologies, the ones most needed today, eg, a better way to harness solar power, newer methods for creating biofuel etc.
The collaborative process should be global, or as far reaching as possible. There could be monetary incentives to the group that creates the most efficient technology. I'd vouch for the power of online social networks in starting this idea.
Apr 28 2011: Why not create a World Community Bank that will create resources and opportunities for economically disadvantaged people who are underserved by traditional financial institutions.
This entity would help by creating jobs, providing financial services, supplying capital for small businesses, providing affordable housing and increasing community services.
The goal is a sustainable society. Community investments can have a greater impact than donating to a specific charity.
Sharing Interests and Spreading Wealth will provide the world an Abundance of Health.
Apr 29 2011: you mean like the World Bank http://www.worldbank.org/..or are you suggesting something else?
Apr 28 2011: don't all the ideas that change the world begin with one person recognizing a need or posing a question that has never been asked and then going for it? or were you think of technologies or the focus of inquiry ege cheap affordable liveabe housing that be produced and erected anywhere?
If technology I would say a way to grow and distribute enough food to end world hunger would be the most important contribution the singularity university could make..
Apr 28 2011: One could be to create a politycal party, and it might take less than 10 years to create an impact. Two... to become an artist who fights for enviromental and human rights or for a free-from-capitalism society. Three... one could even be to become a porn producer who makes movies with moral values about sex, changing the whole paradigm of pornography. Four... to free China from dictatorship (1.5 billion). Five... to create Panacea. Six... to discover the formula for inmortality. Seven... to create a weapon of mass destruction which you can have in your garden and menace politicians to well behave... they are all hard and there some others that i can think of... but philosophy and solutiones have always existed. Humanity never had the courage to put them to work, because down here, the individual power of a civilian like us is almost non existant... so, what`s the point of asking such a question?... Where are you trying to get when you ask such a question?... what should we do with the valid/right answers?...
Apr 28 2011: You certainly cover a wide range of possibilities, though I'm not sure you're really taking the spirit of the question very seriously. My goal in asking the question has several different parts, the two main ones are:
1.) to look for feasible solutions with low entry barriers, easy launch capability and a capacity for self-propulsion
2.) to compare/contrast the kinds of ideas we can come up with to those generated by the elite, tech innovators that participate in the Singularity program
Apr 28 2011: A single act of compassion can move the world.
Think something like Tiananmen square (that photo moves me yet)
While something like this is hard to duplicate, I imagine a Website where someone can pledge to do a wholesome compassionate act once a day.
They could share their act on the website, get badges and credit for all they've done and importantly inspire more people to make more pledges.
Or maybe you could talk to Justin Bieber, he's got half a billion views on his "baby" video. :-)
Apr 28 2011: HA! I wish I'd have seen that before! I think a standalone site could garner some attention though (especially if you had it endorsed by Justin Bieber).
after 500 acts the person can get a special badge!
Instead of thumbs up you "pat them on the back."
Every week you send a newsletter with "the best' to inspire more people.
And Justin could sing your theme music!
if not that I like Kiva.org
Apr 29 2011: I agree Christopher, that a "single act of compassion can move the world". I believe TED, and sharing ideas is moving the world as we speak:>)
You started a discussion thread on which people could list compassionate acts they do every day. Of course, you realize how many interesting topics there are on TED? Is your discussion site still open? Don't give up on it so easily:>) To list our good deeds every day seems a little like bragging. Do you supose changing the title or intent might help encourage participation? Also, I find that those sites that get the action, are often "primed" by the person who starts the site. You've had several sites going Erik. Would it be helpful to spend more time on the one you want to promote the most?
Comment deleted
May 23 2011: Birdia.
I am glad to have this iconic image brought back to mind.. This is the courage we need now. We need to understand that our values alined with willl..alined with action is the courage we need to heal all that's broken in or country an din the wolrd.
I am impressed with your tracking system..that you found your way back to thi sobscure comment in a dormant conversation.. Thnak you for that.
I don't know whether this lost thread is the place to pusue such an important idea but, for the recird, it woukd be very interesting to have a little bit more on how the sermin at your school conflicted with your own interior sense of the meaning of that event. ( did you see the TED talk on ove rreliance on experts)..most children sitting in thos epews would just have adopted what they were being told from the pulpit as the "correct" interpretation of that event. Were you able to take a place apart from that because it was happening in China and you resonated more strongly wit that or was part of it just an interior knowing that what they were saying from the pulpit was wrong.
Best Reegards & Thanks again
Apr 30 2011: I remember that moment..one of many amazing moments witnessed on live TV in my generation along with the shooting of Lee Harvey Oswald, the shooting of the young student at Kent State. ( That might make an interesting TED list our live witness via media to moments and events of great significance). I remember this moment so well and the iconic message that courage involves risk..courage involves alining your heart and will into something with such strength it can stop a line of approaching tanks. Right to the heart of the question Erik invites us to visit..in spirit ..whatever project the Singularity University students come up with it will take the alinement of heart and will of this young man to discover that idea and to nuure it to a program or at least a proposal that is worth exploring. Any thouhgts on what the focus of that project should be?Tx Birdia


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In perhaps the best titled article ever, "Crying Over Spilled Semen," Psychology Today reports on a study that basically says women are addicted to semen. Hilarious.
The finding that women who do not use condoms during sex are less depressed and less likely to attempt suicide than are women who have sex with condoms and women who are not sexually active, leads one researcher to conclude that semen contains powerful—and potentially addictive—mood-altering chemicals.
Study author Gordon G. Gallup, Ph.D., a psychologist at the State University of New York in Albany, also found that women who routinely had intercourse without condoms became increasingly depressed as more time elapsed since their last sexual encounter. There was no such correlation for women whose partners regularly used condoms.
Gallup also found that women who did not use condoms were most likely to initiate sex and to seek out new partners as soon as a relationship ended: "These women are more vulnerable to the rebound effect, which suggests that there is a chemical dependency."
Gallup also says he's planning on examining whether "semen withdrawal" places women at an increased risk for depression. Yeah. Well I guess the best way to avoid semen addiction is to never get started. I'm sure that will go over well.


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Posts Tagged 'training'
My First Double Century
August 12th, 2009 • Comments Cycling/Fitness
Tags: Connecticut, cycling, Maine, Thread City Cyclers, training
A blurry shot of the 200 mile group. I am second from the left in a borrowed vest and arm warmers (thanks John!)
On Saturday, August 8th, I completed my first double century (200 miles) bike ride with a small group of Thread City Cyclers. The ride took us from Willington, CT to Portland, ME. The route had been ridden multiple times by Garth Bean, and he was gracious enough to let us tag along this time around.
All in all, I must say it was an incredible experience. It took an indescribable amount of physical and mental endurance, and it is definitely an athletic achievement I am glad to have completed.
What is Your Favorite Electrolyte Replacement Drink for Cycling?
March 20th, 2009 • Comments Cycling/Fitness
Tags: Accelerade, ClifBar, cycling, Cycling/Fitness, Cyomax, electrolytes, Heed, MotorTabs, training
Electrolyte Replacement Drinks are crucial to cycling success. Photo by BurningKarma.
Nutrition is a huge part of cycling. Without proper nutrition, you will be unable to maintain a steady pace and your performance will be much poorer than what it should be. One of the most important parts of your nutritional plan is the electrolyte replacement drink you consume during your rides.
The world of electrolyte replacement drinks is very big, and there are a multitude of options on the market. Most riders have favorites which they prefer to drink. However, as a relatively new cyclist, I am still trying to find my favorite brand of electrolyte replacement drink.
As a result, I've turned to you guys, the loyal readers of MikeMartinRacing.com. What are your favorite electrolyte replacement drinks? I know some are better than others, and rather than constantly change my program trying to find the best brand, I'm asking you what yours is. Your responses will greatly impact my choice of electrolyte replacement drink heading into the near future, so don't forget to leave your reply in the comments.
Read more »
Running is a Great Way to Cross-Train, Even for Cyclists
March 11th, 2009 • Comments Cycling/Fitness
Tags: cross-training, cycling, economy, Running, training
I began cycling in order to train for motocross. I knew that I needed to be in better shape in order to perform at my absolute highest at the track on the weekends. I was never a huge running fan, and cycling was more similar to motocross than any of the other cardio activities I had tried. As a result, cycling became my training method of choice by default, not because I enjoyed the sport.
However, after spending an entire spring, summer and fall cycling almost every day, I grew to love the sport. The speed, adrenaline rush and sense of adventure I got from the sport left me dying to ride day in and day out.
After about 10 months of solid cycling, I have ben adding a good amount of running into my training program. Before cycling I really disliked running, but I have begun to love it. I still prefer cycling to running any day, but, running is a great substitution when cycling just does not fit into my program.
If you are currently a cyclist, and looking for a way to add some diversity to your program, running is a great option, and heres why.
Running Uses Less Time
I'm a teenager, and as a result I am a pretty busy person. Between school, homework, this website, and cycling, I have little to no free time. As a result, sometimes I don't have two or three hours to spend on the bike. However, when I still want to get a good cardio workout in, I have begun turning to running. Spending 30-45 minutes running can give me the same workout in less than half the time.
The stark time difference between running and cycling may lead you to wonder why I don't just run all the time. Well, the reason is quite simple: I don't enjoy it. For me, running takes a lot of mental perserverance and it overall just isn't as fun for me. If I based all of my cardio training off of running, I would have a very tough time running day in and day out, which would make my training less effective.
Running Uses Different Muscles
Unfortunately, when you cycle you use essentially the same muscles day in and day out. While this is great if you are trying to build those muscles, when cross training, it is crucial to build more than the standard set of muscles so that you are totally prepared for motocross.
This is where running comes in. Running works a totally different set of muscles as cycling which is a great way to round out your training and ensure that you are as prepared for motocross as possible.
Furthermore, this will allow you to train more often. Because running uses different muscles which allows you to put in hard days of riding and running back to back without feeling too many of the effects. This will allow you to train harder and more often and allow your muscles to recover at the same time, which is an earth shattering training routine.
Variety Helps Make Your Training More Effective
As I wrote about a few weeks ago, having variety in your training can help make your training more effective, which is, of course what everyone is trying to do with their training. Introducing running into your program in addition to just cycling can help keep you motivated to train throughout the week and prevent dry spells due to burn out.
Running in between hard bike rides helps to break up your week and really gives your training some variety. This prevents burn out and boredom from doing the same training rides every week. Even though I love cycling, after a few weeks I sometimes need a break. Rather than take a day off and waste valuable training time, I can now go for a run, unwind from cycling, still work my legs and get a good cardio workout in.
Breaking up your workouts with running is a win win situation no matter how you look at it. If you don't mind running, then it is just another form of training. However, if you dread running (like I used to), then spending one or two days a week running will make the cycling days even sweeter and will motivate you to train even when your ti
red, sick, or the weather is subpar.
Running Is Mentally and Physically Tough
There is no doubt about it, running is tough. There is no relief from the pain and even when your going down hills, you can't fly down them like you can on a bicycle. Running requires constant effort by your legs and as a result is an extremely tough exercise, both mentally and physically.
Mentally, running has always been extremely hard for me. I'm so used to the speed and adrenaline rush of motocross and cycling that it takes a lot to accept the fact that you simply aren't moving fast, even when you're putting in a very hard effort. This type of mental integrity, can actually be a benefit come race time. It helps to build your mental strength, which should help you out on the track at the end of a long moto when you really want to give in to the heat, to the fatigue and to the rough track, but know that it is in your best interest to push for 2 more laps until the finish.
Physically, the toughest part of running is that their is absolutely no relief. No matter the terrain, you always must be moving your legs, and even going fast down hills takes energy. While cycling you can recover slightly on downhills and flats, however, while running this simply isn't possible and you are forced to put in a constant effort. This allows running to greatly improve the effectiveness of your training.
We're In a Recession, and Running is Cheap
Our economy is in a very tough time right now, and motocross riders will be hit some of the hardest of any consumers. Everyone is looking to cut costs, and your training routine may be one of those areas in which to cut costs. I love cycling, but it can be a very expensive, especially once your equipment begins breaking and clothes need replacing.
Thankfully, running is a relatively cheap way to get in almost the same level of workout. It may not be quite as fun as cycling, but when your choice is between running or no workout at all, running is always the better option.
One of the greatest things about running, is that you can run under almost any conditions and with almost any equipment. While a good pair of running shoes is a plus and proper winter aparell is great for cold winter runs, household items can be made to work, making running much more of a budget activity. Cycling, on the other hand, requires special shoes, special clothes, a helmet and gloves. I'm not saying that all of the cycling gear is a waste, in fact it is one of my favorite parts of the sport. However, when times get tough, sometimes we need to cut costs, and running is one possible way to accomplish this.
Surprisingly, Trail Running Can be Fun
While running on the road is possibly one of the most boring training activities I do, trail running can be surprisingly fun. There are not a lot of mountain biking trails around here, and if there were, I am in no position to invest in an entirely new bike and set of gear just to mountain bike in the woods. However, trail running is a great way to see the sights and sounds of the woods for a low cost.
I first got introduced to train running during middle school where I was a member of the cross country team, and ever since I have had a soft spot for the sport. I don't do it enough, especially because of the rough winter weather we've been having, but I will definitely be introducing it more into my program come spring, and more importantly, summer.
One of the great parts of trail running is that you can use essentially the same gear as road running. While mountain biking requires an entirely new arsenal of equipment compared to road cycling, you can basically use all of the same gear for trail running. This keeps the price low, yet maximizes the fun level of running, which can be quite boring in other cases.
I love cycling, it is my preferred cardio exercise and the main way I train for motocross. However, after months of cycling, I began looking for something new to introduce into my program. I wanted a way to mix up my training a little bit and add some more variety. In addition, I wanted to find a way to get my cardio in when I didn't have 2+ hours to spend on the bike. For me, running has field this void and I have greatly enjoyed the nice addition it has made to my training. I still cycle for about 75% of my motocross training, however, running has offered a valid alternative when cycling just is not feasible.
7 Ways to Make Your Motocross Training More Effective
February 20th, 2009 • Comments Cycling/Fitness
Tags: cycling, Cycling/Fitness, motocross, rollers, training
Training is a crucial part of motocross racing. It is impossible to be successful in motocross without a vigorous and effective training routine. Being fit allows you to push harder and last longer which can be extremely beneficial at rough tracks such as Southwick. Motocross is a physically demanding sport and being in excellent shape can have lasting effects on your performance.
However, most motocross athletes are novices to training. They are unaware of how to workout and how to make it as affective as possible. Here are seven ways to make your motocross training more effective.
Eat Right
I have found that most amateur motocross are notoriously bad eaters. Maybe this is as a result of the heavy influence of the energy drink market, or maybe it is due to the nutritionally lacking food sold by vendors at the races, or maybe it is a result of the fact that many motocross riders are teenagers, who also, notoriously eat badly. Regardless of the reason though, many motocross riders eat poorly, which has a significant negative impact on our training.
As a result, if you want to maximize the effect your training has on your fitness, eat right. Eating right can be an incredible task, and I am not going to begin to cover it all here, but there are some tips which should get you on the right path to eating healthier.
- Go Organic: Organic foods contain less chemicals, more nutrients and are ultimately better for your body. They allow you to maximize the nutritional value from your food and minimize the damaging chemicals found in many of todays foods. Thankfully, organic foods are clearly labeled and can be found at many big grocery stores including Wal-Mart, Stop and Shop and, obviously, Whole Foods.
- Eat a Big Breakfast: Eating a big breakfast prevents mid morning snacks and helps to carry you throughout your entire day nutritionally. Don't skimp on breakfast, its an important nutritional step in your day.
- Don't drink your calories: Calories in a liquid format go down much easier than in solid food. Furthermore, sugary drinks such as soda contain incredible amounts of sugar and calories an considerable decrease the effectiveness of your training.
These are just a few of the ways to help improve your eating habits. In the future, I will go over the many other ways, but those are a few tips to help you get started improving your diet.
Recover After Hard Workouts
There is no way around it, intense workouts take a toll on your body. Whether cycling, running or lifting, exercising puts a toll on your muslces, your bones, your joints, and ultimately your mind. Almost as important as actually working out is the recovery days in between tough work outs. Whether you choose to take a day off to recover, or simply take it easy, recovery days can do wonders for your fitness.
Recovery days allow your your muscles to rest and repair themselves for another hard day. In addition, they allow your mind to rest and get recharged for another hard day in the gym or on the bike. Finally, taking an occasional day off gives you time to do other things that are crucial to your motocross success.
Take a day off from cycling to work on your bike, do a few extra laps at the practice track, get organized for the weekend or spend some time resting your mind and getting yourself in a good mental position to perform at your best during the race weekend.
Recovery is almost as important as actually exercising and without it your training routine is simply doing harm to your body and is not actually allowing your fitness to improve.
Take Your Training Indoors
We all love sunny weather. It makes running and cycling much more enjoyable and ultimately motivates us more to get out there and exercise. However, it is not always sunny out. Whether rain, snow, ice, or wind, in New England adverse weather is unavoidable.
But, this does not mean that your training routine must be put on hold while the weather is holding you up indoors. There are a number of ways to continue training inside your home. Even if you cannot get to the gym, the show much go on as far as your training goes, here are a few ways to go that.
- Rollers or a trainer: Rollers and trainers are excellent ways to take your cycling training indoors. Rollers help to increase your straight line stability and trainers can significantly increase the overall power of your pedal stroke. Both devices can easily be used indoors, regardless of the weather.
- Push Ups and Sit Ups: Most people who spend a lot of time in the gym overlook push ups and sit ups as a waste of time because the effects are not as noticeable and they obviously put much less resistance on your muscles. However, the fact is that when done right, they can be very beneficial to your overall fitness. In order to maximize the effect, do many sets of many reps, do your reps slow, and don't allow too much recovery time in between sets. While push ups and sit ups will never be as effective as lifting, they can be a great alternative if you are stuck inside.
- Recover: I just went over how beneficial recovery is to your training. So, if your stuck inside due to inclement weather, take a day to recover so you can come back rested and recharged when the weather improves.
Find a Workout Buddy
One of the toughest parts about keeping your motocross training effective is working out when you plan to. There is no denying that some days, you just don't feel like getting on the bike and putting in a hard 60 mile ride. This is where a workout buddy comes in. Having a friend to work out with is a great way to stay motivated.
Working out with a friend as opposed to doing your exercises solo can benefit your training in a number of ways. Not only does planning workouts with a buddy keep you on track and makes skipping a workout less convenient, but exercising with a friend can be incredibly motivating.
While running, riding, or lifting by yourself, it is too easy to give up when the going gets tough and let up while in the middle of a tough climb. I'm not saying everyone will give in, but the vast majority will, and this limits how effective your training can be. Thankfully, working out with a partner can help to eliminate this and as a pair you can push yourself to new levels and allow you to go further on the bike, running, or in the gym than you ever thought you could.
Develop a Schedule
Another tip to help prevent missed workouts, developing a schedule can be infinitely useful in keeping your training on track. Formulating a set in stone schedule not only allows you to easily plan around when you will be working out, it also allows your body to adjust to your workout/recovery cycle. A predetermined schedule prevents you from the dangerous cycle of extremely hard periods of training followed by extended periods of rest. Instead, having a good schedule can ensure that you get a consistent amount of training in week in and week out.
Furthermore, having a schedule can make your life easier when it is time to increase your training regime. With a good solid schedule as a starting point, it is easier to add a number of miles to certain days when you know you feel the freshest in your week.
I strongly feel that most athletes do not plan their training regime enough and rather just train when they feel like it which is both inefficient and can be quite dangerous.
Push Yourself To the Edge
While it is important to ensure that your training and your workouts are all done safely and within your own personal limits, it is equally important to take certain days out of your schedule and really push yourself to the bitter edge. It is almost impossible to ever improve in your fitness if you always ride within your comfort level. Instead, it is crucial to push yourself as far as you can, essentially to the verge of failure.
This will benefeit your training in a number of ways. Not only will it test your body so you know exactly how much your training has improved your fitness, but it also pushes your muslces to an area of fatigue that they are not adjusted too which makes it easier to go to that same level next time. Essentially, this will ultimately allow you to increase your lactate threshold which helps build stronger muscles and ultimately increases your fitness. Here are a few ways for you to push your training to a whole new level.
Cario Exercises (running/cycling):
- Distance: Manny cardio athletes have a certain distance they are comfortable with. For me, this is about 60 miles cycling and 3 miles running (I don't run a lot). One way to push yourself to the edge is to increase this distance. The key, however, is to not give up. Many people would be surprised to see how far they can actually ride/run, and the key is to push yourself up the last hill on your ride and push yourself to spring the last 100m after a long run. It is tough to do, and takes a certain amount of mental integrity, but can have an incredible effect on your fitness.
- Hills: Every cyclist and running dreads hills. They take an incredible amout of extra energy and force your body to push it self beyond its comfort zone. However, as a result riding hills can increase your fitness far beyond the normal riding. Try to find a loop around your home with a number of long, steep hills in quick recession to really test and improve your fitness.
- Workout with someone stronger: When your workout by yourself, you naturally get into a comfort level and it is very hard to push yourself past this. However, working out with a friend who is stronger and more fit than you can have great effects on your training intensity. Working out as a pair can help motivated you and help push yourself when you are struggling. As motocross racers, we are all incredibly competitive and mentally we have a hard time letting someone beat us up a hill or through a flat. There is almost no more affective way to push your training to a new level then training with someone who is stronger than you.
Strength Training (Lifting):
- More weight: Obviously the more weight you lift, the stronger you get and the more you can push your body. However, you must be careful with this technique. It is easy to lift too much and severely hurt your muscles. So, if you choose to increase your weight in your weight training, please be sure not to push yourself too far or you could find yourself unable to ride motocross for weeks or even months.
- More Reps: An extremely effective way to increase your fitness using weight training is to increase the number of reps you do with the same amount of weight. This is a very safe way to increase your fitness and can build strong, lean, and efficient muscles which can be very beneficial to your motocross riding.
Variety in Your Routine
It is both physically and mentally draining to do the same type of workouts day in and day out. It is hard to get motivated for a road bike ride when you know you'll just have to climb the same hills, tuck in the same descents and deal with the same stoplights. It is much easier to get excited to workout for a new ride or run with new features to test your body in different ways. This is why it is almost crucial to build variety into your workout routine. Variety helps keeps you mentally and physically fresh and prevents you from burning out and abandoning your intense training schedule all together.
Here are a few ways to build variety into your workout schedule:
- Different exercises: Mix it up. Lift one day, cycle the next and run on the others. Depending on what you enjoy doing, favor your schedule to that activity, but always be sure to do a little bit of what you don't enjoy as much. Not only will it make your favored activity even better but it will help to build different muscles which otherwise would go ignored.
- Different routes: Map out a number of routes on Google Maps and print them out. Cycle them throughout your training schedule to keep it fresh and exciting.
- Different time of day: Depending on your schedule, this method may or may not be possible, however, riding/running/lifting at different times of day can add a ton of variety to your training. Cycling/running in the morning is a totally different experience than in the evening and can make your training unique even if the route and intensity are exactly the same.
- Recover: I've said it before, and I'll say it again and again, because it is incredibly important. Recovery is crucial in your training routine and your hard work is wasted if you don't give your muscles time to re-grow, get stronger and prepare themselves for the next days workout. Make sure to include one or two days a week for recovery so that you are not constantly beating your body into the ground.
Training for motocross can be monotonous, painful, and sometimes ineffective if done incorrectly. However, there are a number of tips to help make your motocross training not only more effective, but more importantly more enjoyable which will help motivate you to train more, preventing burnout and maximizing your results to have the largest effect on the motocross track.
Essential Road Cycling Decision: To Use Clipless Pedals or Not?
January 2nd, 2009 • Comments Cycling/Fitness
Tags: clipless, commuting, cycling, Cycling/Fitness, pedals, platform, toe-strap, training
-Photo by bryanpearson on Flickr.
Pedals are one of the most crucial contact points in any bicycle. For cyclists, this raises an essential question. To use clipless pedals or not. Most bikes come with no pedals at all, leaving the buyer to decide which types of pedals to use. By far, clipless are the most popular. However, the cost and complexity of use drive some riders away from these pedals. The other road-based options are platform and toe-strap pedals. These types of pedals offer various advantages and disadvantages, and are all used by many riders because of these. However, I believe that for any type of serious cycling, clipless pedals are by far the best choice.
Platform Pedals
-Photo by square_eye on Flickr
Of the three choices, platform pedals are by far the simplest solution. Basically the same type of pedals on childrens bikes, they are a flat, two sided platform where you simply put your foot on the platform and ride.
The major advantage of these types of pedals is that they allow you to ride in any type of shoe, are very easy to use, and are the cheapest of the three major options. However, they can limit your power output as you have absolutely no ability to pull up on the pedal in the second portion of the pedal stroke. This means that you are only outputting power when pushing down on the pedals and not when the pedals are moving up. This can theoretically decrease your power output by up to 50%.
Who are platform pedals good for?
- People who want to get one and ride, with little concern about performance
- Newbie cyclists who want an easy to use pedal system as they adjust to the rest of their bike
- Commuters who do not wish to deal with seperate cycling shoes


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Our dedicated science faculty brings a range of experiences to the department including scientific and educational research, professional publications, and collective years of teaching experience totaling more than five decades. The science educators pride themselves on not only being inspiring teachers but also passionate scientists with the desire to nurture the natural sense of inquiry in all students.
In keeping with the RHP mission, our hands-on, experiential approach is closely aligned with the four pillars. To support our students' development of Sound Character, all science courses incorporate many collaborative activities which not only foster an appreciation of differences, but build the ability to work effectively as part of a team. Our program nurtures the development of independent and creative problem solvers through scientific inquiry. Building a strong foundation in the principles of science provides the knowledge all individuals need to be informed, active, and socially responsible global citizens.
Through the study of physics, chemistry, biology, and anatomy, students learn critical principles to understand the development and maintenance of Healthy Bodies. In physics, for example, students model the impact of a crash on the skull such as could be experienced in a bicycling accident and then actively demonstrate the protection provided by wearing a helmet. In chemistry, students learn about normal chemical interactions within their bodies and the detrimental influence of other chemicals. Biology and anatomy naturally lend themselves to the study and appreciation of maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
One of the beauties of an RHP education is the ability to be creative. This is strongly emphasized in the sciences as students are offered multiple avenues through which to develop their Creative Spirit. Assimilating scientific concepts and building scientific awareness entails hands-on labs, active research, and reading, listening, and engaging in conversations about science. Our students are encouraged to express their ideas and beliefs in ways that support their individual learning styles.
A cornerstone to science education is the development of critical thinking and problem solving skills. These are the foundation of Disciplined Minds. Labs and hands-on investigations support these skills as well as building inquiry and research skills. Through scientific dialogue, our students develop comprehension, analytical reasoning, and the synthesis of new knowledge.
Middle School Science
Middle school children are naturally inquisitive and come to school with a desire to learn. Our science program is designed to grow that desire by giving these students new tools and perspectives with which to frame their questions about the world around them. Classroom learning is active and engaging. Campus based experiences are fully supported with field trips including the annual Outdoor Education trips which integrate topics particular to each grade level through the experience. For example, the 6th grade trip to Catalina provides authentic interactions with the marine biology introduced in class. The 6th grade curriculum starts with the broad view of a study of our solar system then gradually narrows the focus to life on Earth with a concluding introduction of human anatomy. The 7th grade trip to science camp incorporates both the principles of physics studied in the classroom as well as an overview of life sciences. The 8th grade trip down the Colorado River is a great way to support concepts of hydrology and the very real concern of increasing water shortages in our part of the country.
Upper School Science
At RHP, we have a "Physics First" curriculum. By offering Conceptual Physics to all 9th graders, we are providing the intellectual foundation students will need for their subsequent studies in chemistry, biology, and more advanced physics. Students begin their high school career by developing an understanding of foundational physics concepts in the context of investigating real world phenomena. The final engineering project in physics requires students to apply the principles they have studied throughout the year in solving a challenge within the context of buoyancy.
Our 10th grade curriculum encompasses the study of chemistry with the option of taking an honors level chemistry for those students who are qualified. This lab based course studies chemistry from the level of subatomic particles to chemical reactions. Students develop many of the principles of physics they have learned in the study of the behavior of gases, nuclear reactions, energy, and molecular interactions. Honors chemistry takes a more quantitative approach to these topics and involves more data collection and analysis in order to support or reject scientific hypotheses.
In their junior year, students traditionally take biology or honors biology. Biology is centered on the study of life but heavily built upon a foundation of both physics and chemistry. Concepts in this course emphasize the importance of both physical and chemical principles to the study of life. At the 11th and 12th grade level, some students may choose to take one of our offerings of AP courses which include AP Physics, AP Biology, and AP Chemistry. These courses are fully approved by the College Board and meet the requirements to prepare participating students for the appropriate AP exam.
Electives available in the 12th grade are Honors Anatomy and Physiology or Robotics. The lab-based anatomy and physiology course explores the systems that support our bodies from both a structural and functional approach. As a senior level course, many of the topics are taught from a research perspective and ongoing collaboration on projects is encouraged through the use of Internet based work-spaces.
Physics Applications, Robotics has become an annual tradition. In 2009, nearly half of the senior class participated in the FIRST competition held at the Long Beach Arena. This year's environmentally friendly robot was built largely of bamboo, a sustainable resource. The RHP team competed against 70 schools from across the globe, made the quarter finals, and came in 15th overall. It was a crowning success for nearly a year of hard work.
Our graduates leave RHP with a comprehensive background in the major sciences and are fully prepared for new challenges as they progress in their educations and careers. The science program is not specifically designed to produce scientists, but rather it strives to produce scientifically literate thinkers.
For a small school, we are fortunate to have such a talented and creative team within the science department. These teachers are able to offer a truly challenging and thoroughly engaging program at the college-prep level and the students love it.
Science Department Chair


text:
The head of a company survived 9/11 because
His son started kindergarten.
Another fellow was alive because it was
His turn to bring donuts.
One woman was late because her
Alarm clock didn't go off in time.
One was late because of being stuck on the NJ Turnpike
Because of an auto accident.
One of them
Missed his bus.
One spilled food on her clothes and had to take
Time to change.
Car wouldn't start.
One couldn't
Get a taxi.
The one that struck me was the man
Who put on a new pair of shoes that morning,
Took the various means to get to work but before.
He got there, he developed a blister on his foot.
He stopped at a drugstore to buy a Band-Aid.
That is why he is alive today..
Now when I am
Stuck in traffic,
Miss an elevator,
Turn back to answer a ringing telephone…
All the little things that annoy me,
I think to myself,
This is exactly where
I'm meant to be
At this very moment
(via newyorkinthespring)
This time last year I was asleep, about to be woken by the police at the door to give us the news we had been dreading. That Thomas' body had been found. I woke up to my mum screaming. As soon as she opened the door she knew. This world is so cruel. I hate not being able to see him every day. I miss my big brother so much. This pain is unbearable.
(via estantodoslocos)
(Source: isaidnopeeking, via newyorkinthespring)
(Source: heyneda, via newyorkinthespring)
1. Are her lips like the hot chocolate your mother made
During the winter months when you were seven? Or have you not tasted her well enough to find the fine granules of cocoa that lightly come with each kiss?
2. Do you know her favorite songs? Not when she is happy, but when she is sad. What music reaches inside her ribcage and softly consoles her heart?
3. When she is sad, are you on the phone or are you at her door? Words do not wipe away tears, fingers do.
4. Do you know all the things that keep her up at night? Do you know why she has gone three days without sleep? Do you know of the insurmountable waves of sadness that wash over her like a tsunami?
5. Do you know the things to say that will calm her heartbeat? The places to touch? The places to love?
6. Everytime you see her do you kiss her like it's the last time but love her like it's the first?
7. Do you love her?
8. Do you love her?"Things I Want To Ask Your Boyfriend" - Nishat Ahmed (via rainydaysandblankets)
(Source: sickwithsyllables, via newyorkinthespring)
omg they are so offended if you lick them back.
Fun fact! Dogs lick the mouths of those they consider higher in rank! So if you lick them back, they are not offended, they just don't see themselves as higher than you and they are confused! The second dog must be a very loyal dog because he or she literally refuses to be licked back haha! I love dogs.
i started reading that expecting an angry rant and it turned out to be one of the nicest things ever.
I have reblogged this like ten times
(Source: kingjrific, via br0nt0saurus)


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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Ferraro isnt the only one with explaining to do. Before this lil video I was willing to give one or both the benefit of the doubt, but the fact that the vid made it up on ferarro's site first and then Sara's site sort of leads me to believe that 'they' are both full of shit and the reality is they are the same person. In fact, I actually felt sorry for both but now I'm just disgusted with this person as until I see legal proceedings, I wont believe anything other than this 'is' a publicity stunt at this point.
Ataraxaven said...
You do know how easy it would be to keep tabs on Sarah's Youtube profile and look for a video that you've been warned would be coming, right...?


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Brachycaulos Abdita has soft, smooth leaves that curl out from its thick base. This plant is a beautiful grassy green in color and a has a very lush look to it. In bloom, the leaves turn an absolutely stunning shade of bright pink.
* please keep in mind that these are unique, individual, live plants, so all measurements are approximate and the air plants we choose for you will be the best available, but may look slightly different than those pictured online.