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10 inspirational women engineers and scientists
There's evidence that STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) interest by women is starting to grow – for example, for the first time ever, the University of California, Berkeley reported this month that its intro to computer science classes attracted more women (106) than men (104) – but even so, girls (and boys) could use more STEM inspiration by example.
International Women's Day falls on March 8. A large part of the day involves celebrating the success of women. In the following pages we celebrate 10 women whose work is inspirational or who take steps to inspire in engineering or related fields.
Odds are you haven't heard of many of the women we've included in this list. While their names aren't Grace Hopper or Lady Ada Lovelace, read through for a small sampling of this current generation of engineers, entrepreneurs, and encouragers, and see what they are doing to share knowledge and inspire more STEM in the world.
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Luke Bergman has gone home. When we last checked in with Bergman, he was the chef de cuisine at Manhattan's Colicchio & Sons, coming up on a decade spent cooking in New York City. Since then, the chef has decamped to his hometown of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where he's helping an old friend at his restaurant, Valentino.
We asked Bergman to share a spring recipe, and he delivered the most refreshing ode to the season we could have imagined: blanched asparagus covered with grapefruit "snow" made by shaving frozen grapefruit. Whimsical but not gimmicky, it's a dead-simple recipe with a refreshing twist.
Heading South
Bergman took a week off when he first arrived in Fort Lauderdale, while waiting for his belongings to arrive. Now the chef is back to the usual, putting in 55-hour weeks at Valentino, a restaurant owned by his friend Giovanni Rocchio. The two met in the kitchen at The Modern in New York City and have reunited for this project in their hometown.
Ice Ice Baby
The basic method of freezing segments of grapefruit, then grating them over vegetables or a salad, can be applied to any citrus, including navel or blood oranges, limes and lemons. Bergman imagines pairing blood orange "snow" with roasted, cooled carrots, swapping sesame seeds for the almonds in the recipe; or showering a piece of fish crudo with gratings of frozen lemon and lime.
For this salad, Bergman suggests using medium-thick asparagus spears. Save the thick ones for roasting or grilling, and use pencil-thin asparagus for raw preparations. Instead of snapping the ends off the spears, which results in a lot of wasted asparagus, Bergman simply trims them and then peels the stalks with a vegetable peeler.
2 servings
Large grapefruit, 1
Sliced almonds, 2 tablespoons
Ice, 2 cups
Medium-thick asparagus spears, 10
Kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon
Extra-virgin olive oil, 2 tablespoons
Flaky salt, 2 pinches
1. Preheat the oven to 350°. On a cutting board, place the:
- Grapefruit
Slice off the two ends of the grapefruit. Stand the grapefruit upright and slice off the rind from top to bottom, exposing the flesh and slicing away the bitter white pith. Hold the grapefruit in your hand or on a cutting board and slice between the membranes to release the segments. Place half of the segments on a small plate or parchment-paper-lined baking sheet so that the segments aren't touching, and freeze until the grapefruit is completely frozen, at least 30 minutes (if freezing longer than 1 hour, cover the grapefruit with plastic wrap before freezing).
2. To a rimmed sheet pan, add the:
- Sliced almonds
Toast the almonds until they are golden, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer the almonds to a large plate and set aside to cool.
3. To a large bowl, add the:
- Ice
Cover the ice with cold water. Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. On the cutting board, place the:
- Asparagus spears
Use a paring knife to slice away the tough ends. Use a vegetable peeler to peel each spear up to about ½ inch below the base of the tip. Add the peeled asparagus to the boiling water along with the:
- Kosher salt
Cook the asparagus for 20 seconds or until just tender, then use a slotted spoon, frying spider or tongs to transfer the asparagus to the bowl of ice water. Chill the asparagus for 2 minutes, then transfer to a kitchen-towel-lined plate to drain.
4. Place the asparagus on a large plate. Drizzle the asparagus with the:
- Extra-virgin olive oil
Sprinkle with the:
- Toasted sliced almonds
Remove the grapefruit segments from the freezer. Using a box grater or a Microplane-style grater, grate the grapefruit over the asparagus. Serve immediately, sprinkled with the:
- Flaky salt

subset: commoncrawl


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The Spirit of Wine by SpitMcGee on Flickr.
Posted 2 years ago
82 notes
Tags: Weinkeller, wine cellar, Kloster Eberbach, Geist, spirit, Weinfässer, storing wine, Hessen, vault, Gewölbe,
The Spirit of Wine by SpitMcGee
i have a very clear memory of getting lost in a wine cellar when i was 5 years old..feeling of cold dampness and the...
Dapper Lou, mr immaculate
Dapper Lou, mr immaculate
©2011–2014. Postage by Greg Cooper. Icons by PixelResort. Thanks to Jamie Cassidy & Panic.
*Unlikely to find your lost post using this but you can try...


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Damian Lillard is fun to watch.
The reigning Rookie of the Year has only been improving this season, and his Blazers are one of the best teams in the league. In Thursday night's game against the Nuggets, Lillard and the Blazers put on a show, and they got the win, as well as the highlights. In the video above, Lillard splits the defense, and soars for a nasty dunk. He throws it down hard.
Lillard finished with just 11 points, but two of those were just deadly. LaMarcus Aldridge finished with a career-high 44 points as well as 13 rebounds, and he wasn't done after the game, either. After the game, Aldridge posted this picture:
That would be former Trail Blazer and teammate JJ Hickson, who is now a Denver Nugget. You can expect both Lillard and Aldridge to make the All-Star team as reserves, and it seems like Aldridge has some comedian aspects to his game as well. The Portland Trail Blazers look like they are having fun.
Tags: Damian Lillard Denver Nuggets JJ Hickson LaMarcus Aldridge Portland Trail Blazers


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Disease Control, by Vern Archer (updated April 2013)How do you know when your Discus are Sick?For the new discus hobbyist, early detection and diagnosis of a problem can be the difference between life or death for the animal.
Stress; Discus are very susceptible to stress and with stress, illness is quick to follow.
So before you medicate make sure their environment is good.
Here are some of the causes of stress?
1. Poor Water quality - high in nitrate or ammonia, general heavy bacterial load in their tank. This is usually an issue with gravel in the tank and infrequent water changes, or the use of plant fertilizers increasing the nitrate level. Inadequate or dirty filters and to many fish can contribute to stress. Discus are very sensitive to ammonia and nitrate and the overall bacterial load. It's not unusual for them to go on a hunger strike because of bad or decaying food left in their tank.
2. Shipping - if you have purchased mail order or from a store. Symptoms may not show up right away, it can be a few weeks following a major move. Don't forget to quarantine.
3. Lighting - Intense overhead lighting can scare and stress a discus. An aquarium facing a window is another good example. Over night lighting should be used in the form of a night light to avoid a sudden shock when their light goes on in the am. This can cause the fish to panic and run into something injuring itself or even causing death.
4. Tank placement - avoid high traffic areas and placing the tank to low to the ground.
5. Tank mates - avoid fast moving dominant species where they are quick to get the food and are always chasing the discus, especially the nocturnal fish that are more active at night. Discus are best kept by themselves.
6. Temperature - low water temperatures over time will impact the discus especially as it ages. Minimum temperature 84F or 29C. Fry should be initially kept at 86F or 30C.
7. Using shot gun remedies, because you think there may be a problem, usually makes things worse, especially if you already have poor environmental conditions. Try improving their environment first before throwing medications at them. A continuous bombardment of medication impacts internal organs like the kidneys and liver shortening their life and cannot correct their environment.
Symptoms of stress; hiding, facing the back of the aquarium and the reluctance to eat with white fluffy feces. Usual cause, intestinal flagellates. It is well documented that flagellates can live in the intestine of the discus as part of their normal flora and it's only when the fish is weakened from disease or stress that the flagellates take over impacting and eventually killing the fish, if left untreated.
There are a number of resistant strains of flagellates circulating the hobby, caused by the improper use of medications, so extended treatments may be necessary along with an increase in temperature. Make sure to use 400 to 450mg of metro per 10 gallons daily for at least 10 to 14 days, to avoid developing a resistant strain of flagellates. Flagellates themselves are negatively impacted by high temperature and since the higher temperatures increases the metabolism of the discus, it allows it to better fight of the infection.
Treat with metro per the instructions further down the page under Symptoms 1).
Healthy Discus;
Have good colour, not dark; Clear bright eyes, not cloudy; Fins are erect, not clamped; Their feces is dark in colour, not white or stringy; They are responsive to a good quality food; Are often seen swimming throughout the aquarium, playing by pecking each other, a sort of tag.
My Iguarpe pair (left), White Butterfly (middle) Red Albino male (right) These Discus show all the key signs of healthy Discus. Note the eyes and fins.Take the time; Observe your Discus; What do you see?01) White stringy feces?02) Are the discus breathing hard?03) Are the fish scratching against objects in the aquarium?04) Are the fish dark in colour?05) Are the fish showing clamped fins and hiding?06) Are the eyes dark and cloudy?07) Is the fish showing an abdominal swelling?08) Are the fish fussy on eating?09) Are the fish not responding to you i.e. begging for food?10) Are your fish Head or Tail standing?If you do not see any of these symptoms, then Congratulations! You have some healthy discus. However, if you are unsure about one or two symptoms, then read the "Cause and Remedy" of each symptom listed below.Note; The following detailed treatments must be completed in a bare bottom tank, with no carbon, ozone, or UV for an effective treatment. But First; Let's look at water quality and the overall ECO system that you have provided your discus. There is no point medicating if you haven't provided the basics in discus keeping, in fact you will make matters worse. A large water change should be the first course of action when a symptom appears, accompanied by a lite cleaning of the filter. Uneaten food, feces trapped in the gravel, and the lack of regular water changes, creates a fairly common discus health issue. Water Quality will impact your discus, especially high nitrate, ammonia, low oxygen and cold water.The Basic Parameters; * Water temperature is 84 to 85F or 29C for adults and 86F or 30C for fry;* Nitrates are low 5 to 10 ppm, not to exceed 20 ppm, with negligible or "0" ammonia; * Your aquarium should not have low oxygen levels from to many fish or from utilizing CO2 injection and plant fertilizers;* You should be performing regular maintenance with water changes, sponging the inside glass and the lite cleaning of the filter. If you have ground cover, it's cleaned regularly so it doesn't harbour uneaten food and feces.Note: Discus will demonstrate the same symptoms for many different illnesses including poisoning. Differentiating the actual cause of the symptoms can be difficult, especially to the untrained eye. So, think back; What has, or hasn't happened, in the past few days to the present, that would change the aquarium's environment, resulting in symptoms of a problem. For example; * The introduction of new plants or fish, possibly adding a pathogen?* A small water change after weeks of no water changes, creating a rise in pH causing an ammonia spike?* Disturbing the ground cover, cleaning or re-landscaping, releasing toxic sulphuric gas?* Outside influences like paint fumes and pesticides? Water acts like a sponge and will absorb air bourne toxins.* Overfeeding? The introduction of a new food, or an old food?The wrong treatment will make the problem worse. If the problem has been created from poisoning either by sulphur gases in the gravel or ammonia from a dramatic rise in pH then the gill filaments have been damaged. Adding any medication at this point further hinders the ability of the discus to extract oxygen through their damaged gill filaments. In many cases a thorough cleaning of the aquarium, a large 50 to 60% water change will remedy the situation. Add regular course non iodized table salt, found at your local grocery store, at 1 tablespoon per 10 gallons. Often hobbyists panic, throwing every medication that someone has suggested on a forum, looking for instant results. The accumulation of different medications can kill your fish. A calm targeted approach is always best.We live in a society where we take too many medications, impacting our long term health. So, the same can be said for our fish, each time a medication is added to an aquarium it impacts the immune system and internal organs, impacting it's longevity.***Make sure a medication is warranted before proceeding.**Symptoms; Cause and Remedy.01) White Stringy feces?The feces should be dark, not white and stringy indicating an internal intestinal problem. There are two different pathogens that can cause white stringy feces;The first pathogen, is caused by flagellates; The feces is stringy, white and fluffy like cotton wool, and the fish stop eating and hide, usually facing the back of the aquarium. All fish in the aquarium should be treated or the flagellates will quickly reappear. The Medication of choice is Metronidazole;Metro (seen here on your left) loses strength if exposed tomoisture and light. Store in a cool dark cabinet.The Treatment; Administer daily, for 10 days, after a small 25% water change. The strength must be 400mg per 10 gal.,or you risk developing a super strain of flagellates. Metro'seffectiveness is greatly reduced after 8 hours, so to kick off the treatment, the first and second dose can be just 8 to 10hours apart with a small water change prior to the dosage. The temperature should be slightly elevated 88 to 90F or 31 to 32C, to raise the animals metabolism. Also, add a couple of air stones. The reduction of light, will reduce stress, helping the recovery, and Metro loses it's strength when exposed to light.Monitor your temperature and heater; It's fairly common for a heater to stick to the "ON" state, especially at higher temperatures. In a small hospital tank make sure the wattage of your heater is appropriate, so if it were to stick "ON", it would not cook your fish.Once the animal is eating, in addition to the daily treatment, you can place metronidazole directly in the food. Either by soaking live food in a metro and water solution (I use white worms in a shot glass with the mixture and let soak for 15 minutes prior to feeding) or by adding it directly to a frozen beef heart mix. (Thaw about a tablespoon of frozen food and add 200mg, mix well and refreeze). Feed twice a day.The second pathogen, is caused by intestinal worms; The feces is whitish yellow and stringy and your discus could be losing weight, getting thinner, despite an increased appetite. There are a number of different species of intestinal worms and each species can impact the discus with a variation on the symptoms including a reluctance to eat. The Treatment; There are a number of worming medications and some are more effective then others, depending on the species of intestinal worm. I recommend, "Wormer Plus", with flubenol available in the UK at www.plymouthdiscus.com. This medication is effective against most internal wormsand is very gentle, even on small fry. Two treatments a couple of weeks apart is the most effective. Prior to anyworming medication a lite cleaning of the filter and a large50% water change must be administered. In some cases, it may be necessary to add a worming medication directly to the food. (following the treatments of flubenol and waiting a couple of weeks) For this I recommend a powdered form of Praziquantel,found at www.kensfish.com., seen here on the left.If you have a live food culture, such as white worms, place a few worms in a shot glass with water and avery small amount of "Prazi Pro". (liquid form ofpraziquantel) found in most stores and on-line supplyhouses. Let it sit for a few minutes in the solution andas the white worms begin to die feed them to your fish.This should be done twice a day morning and night repeated for 5 days.Note; Only one method should be administered at any one time and make sure to syphon off any feces at the end of the day so the worms do not get re-ingested by the fish. The "Wormer Plus" manufacture recommends; one treatment every month ongoing, to control pathogens. This will depend on what you are feeding and your situation. For example if you have a large display tank and you just want to control the pathogens, and not necessarily eliminate them, then this recommendation may work for you. Many fresh water and frozen foods can reintroduce worm issues, so for these reasons you may need to administer monthly. The "Wormer Plus" package once opened will loose it's strength after about 3 months, so when purchasing, buy a number of smaller packets rather then one large packet.One final comment on stringy feces, heavy worm infestations can create stress on the fish, resulting in an infestation of flagellates as well, especially on fry, so after worming, a 10 day metronidazole treatment is advised.Recently, I was directed to an excellent article put out by the University Of Florida by Roy P. E. Yanong 2 on internal worms. As I, and many others, have stated feeding fresh water foods can present long term problems for your fish. Check it out, I think you will find it very informative.http://www.aces.edu/dept/fisheries/education/ras/publications/Update/Nematode%20(roundworm)%20Infections%20in%20Fish.pdf 02) Are your fish breathing hard?Heavy breathing; Adult discus should have a respiration around 60 to 70, younger fish slightly higher around 70 to 80 measured in a quiet state, not when they are excited from feeding, chasing each other or fighting. When we say respiration, it's the opening and closing of the mouth and gill once, and it's the number of times this happens in a minute. (Time it for 15 seconds and multiply by 4). The gill is the lung of the fish, fine gill filaments extract oxygen from the water allowing the fish to live. Any damage to these filaments or the lack of oxygen in the water will cause rapid breathing in the discus as it trys to extract additional oxygen from the water. Small fry are especially susceptible to parasites like gill flukes that will feast on the young tender gill filaments of the fish, until it finally suffocates. Bacterial infections can also occur creating damage to the filaments, usually caused by poor water quality or from dramatic pH fluctuations. Discus are especially sensitive to ammonia which can result in gill filament damage, inviting a bacteria infection. Laboured, rapid breathing can be attributed to; Water quality; High ammonia or nitrate; To high a temperature; Low oxygen from fish crowding; The use of plant fertilizers and CO2 injectors; A bacterial or a parasite infection of the gill; And the bombardment of medications.In extreme cases, the discus can be seen gasping, pointed at the surface, desperate for additional oxygen. This usually indicates a significant water issue, very low oxygen, high nitrate and ammonia or poisonous sulphur gases. Immediate action must be taken or the fish will suffocate.Treatment; Removal of the fish immediately to your backup tank with new clean water and airstones, and proceed to do a 100% water change to the existing tank. So unfortunately, if a backup tank or some large plastic buckets with air-stones are not available, the only course of action is an immediate series of very large water changes of 75 to 80% are needed. Large water changes are continued until the water parameters improve and add extra air-stones. Drop the water temperature slightly, as cooler water has more oxygen, and "no feeding" until conditions improve. Don't forget to use Seachem's "Prime" to condition the water as chlorine can damage gill filaments and Prime can help lower ammonia. A lite cleaning and reseeding of your filter utilizing Seachem's "Stability" may be necessary.Note; If you have recently cleaned the gravel or performed a small water change you have poisoned your fish and you need to replace as much of your water as possible, ideally 100% and add air-stones.The Two "extreme case" causes; The first, read the "Perfect Storm" on the "Starting out" page, which addresses water changes and the transformation of ammonium to toxic ammonia with a rise in pH; The second, and the most common cause, is when sulphur gases are released when cleaning the gravel, burning the sensitive gill filaments of the fish. The fish will need time to heal in clean quality water with a lite salt treatment and extra air stones. Reduce the amount of light on the aquarium to reduce stess. This problem is the most frequent request for help that I receive, from hobbyists all around the world. If you have gravel, it's inevitable, as the gravel matures the sulphur gases build, "An Accident waiting to happen".03) Are your fish scratching against objects in your aquarium?If your discus scratch against a heater, a rock or other objects in your aquarium, then it's usually one of two issues;The first issue; If you are performing water changes utilizing water direct from the tap, you may be introducing small nitrogen micro bubbles when adding the new water. These small bubbles are seen on the sides of the aquarium and also form on the gills of the fish, which they find irritating. This is temporary, once the water sits for awhile the bubbles disappear, until the next water change. Removal of sharp objects in the aquarium is warranted. The Treatment - Age your water, utilizing a storage tank or backup aquarium. If that's not possible, some success has been achieved by slowing down the change water and running it through a sponge or bouncing it off a plastic container to "burst" the bubbles as they enter the aquarium. This problem occurs usually in the winter time, when the tap water is very cold.The second issue, can be "gill flukes", worms that attach to the gill filaments of the fish, damaging the gill by consuming it. Fry and young discus provide a feast for these worms as their gills are tender. This feasting slowly suffocates the young fish and for fry I suggest Euthanizing with Clove Oil, as the treatment required to remove the flukes will result in their death, trying to save small fry is pointless and inhumane.Symptoms - We must be fairly certain of the presence of gill flukes prior to subjecting your fish to this treatment.Ideally you will, very gently, take a gill scraping and verify their presence utilizing a microscope. If that is not possible then the alternative is to do some detective work;1) Verify water quality first especially nitrate and ammonia;2) Bacterial gill disease can show similar heavy breathing however there is less scratching and is usually caused by sustained poor water quality.3) Look for heavy fast breathing usually well over 100 with younger fish and scratching (flashing) against objects in the aquarium, an attempt to remove the intruder. Young fish may go dark with erratic swimming as well. If one fish has them, they all do, as they are just at various stages of the infection. 4) Have you purchased fish or plants recently?I find that adult wild fish can tolerate the fluke fairly well with no outward signs of an issue, only when they are kept with domestic fish or bred, will the flukes appear. I suggest strict quarantine and this treatment for any wild fish purchased. Note: Gill flukes don't just appear because of stress, they must be introduced to your aquarium by the purchase of plants or other fish. They can also be introduced using fresh water foods. If you have recently added fish or plants and fluke symptoms start to appear a few days later then you more than likely have gill flukes. Don't panic and follow the following procedure carefully. The Medication; Note: We use and recommend Formaldehyde 37% (Formalin). I have been asked about a Formalin based product containing 15% methanol which I do not recommend as any alcohol can be very toxic to your fish. When in doubt do a 20 minute test on a sacrificial lamb to ensure you have the correct product.Formaldehyde 37% is toxic and I suggest gloves, mask and good air circulation by opening a window or two. If your discus has a cut or open wound do not treat until it has healed, similarly if you have moved the fish with a net, wait a couple days prior to treatment to make sure there was no damage to the skin. Formaldehyde 37% may be purchased at your local chemical supply store.Note: Formaldehyde should be reasonably fresh the liquid clear not foggy or have white flakes in the bottom of the container. Avoid formaldehyde that has been sitting around for a few years.There are no short cuts with this treatment! I always get asked "There must be another way" and unfortunately there is not. Short cuts will result in the death of your fish. They must be removed to a fresh newly setup tank after the 30 minute bath. The existing tank torn down and dried and cleaned with alcohol.This is the only known treatment that effectively eliminates gill flukes. The Treatment is a 30 minute bath, each time moving the fish, after the treatment, to a properly cleaned new tank setup, leaving the dying flukes and their eggs behind. Gill Flukes have evolved over the years and become resistant to all of the medications found in our stores. Medications like Prazi Pro, Clout, Wormer Plus are all ineffective against gill flukes and are a waste of time and money. I know this from my own personal experience working with wild discus. Many medications claim they kill flukes, at best they may help reduce the numbers for a short time, but they do not kill all the resistant adult flukes, as some survive, as do the eggs.Andrew Soh's book, "Naked Truth", points this out as well and suggests a 30 minute bath with formalin at 18ml to 50 liters of water as the only effective method to rid your discus of "gill flukes".The fish should be monitored closely during the 30 minute bath and then removed into a fresh tank and he suggests to repeat every 5 days for 4 treatments, each time moving to a new tank setup. Temperature is not stated, which unfortunately is very important since flukes multiply faster in warmer water, therefore the treatment time may need to be adjusted (shortened). Note: I have used, 4 day intervals of the 30 minute treatment, at Andrew's prescribed amount of formalin, at 84F, for 4 treatments, cleaning wild discus, with excellent results. Dieter Untergasser author of "Discus Health"; In his chapter, in a book called "Exotic Discus of the World" by Dr. Clifford Chan, makes a similar claim of a more resistant gill flukes and makes a very similar suggestion to rid the gill fluke. However he suggests Formalin at 8ml per 100 liters for 10 hours, which I have not tried, as I prefer to monitor the treatment and monitoring for 10 hours is not practical for me. The best way to sterilize a tank, is to wipe it down with Isopropyl Alcohol and let dry for at least 3 days. The fluke eggs, as indicated by Andrew Soh and Dieter Untergasser are killed by the alcohol and 3 days of drying. Keep in mind, it only takes one or two eggs to survive for the tank to be re infested, so be thorough. Heaters and filter plastics should be thoroughly wiped down using Isopropyl Alcohol and let dry for 3 days. If you are using a canister filter replace everything inside the canister, followed by a thorough cleaning with alcohol and let dry. Sponge, air line, air stones, and nets are relatively inexpensive so replace with new. Refill the tank after the 3 days of drying and restart with Seachem's stability. I suggest setting up 3 small 30 gallon tanks;Note: the size of tanks will vary depending on the number of discus to be treated. Set the tanks up temporarily on styro-foam on the basement floor, bare bottom with a glass lid no light, residual room light is fine with a heater, sponge filter and extra air stones. Utilize Seachem's Stability to help condition the water and start the filters. Light feedings with daily water changes using clean hoses and nets. During the treatment, you are cleaning, drying and restarting the original tank where they will be moved to after the 4th treatment. If you suspect you received these flukes from a store, complain! maybe they will loan you the tanks and equipment for the treatment.Unfortunately the average hobbyist may feel this is overwhelming, however if you take your time and think it through, it is achievable and unfortunately the only way. Next time you bring plants or fish in, don't forget to quarantine.Note: For our younger hobbyists, make sure to get an adult involved!04) Are the fish dark in Colour?Discus turning dark, tells you there is a problem, the fish is stressed; Water quality, temperature, ammonia and nitrate levels are all factors for a discus turning dark. Some of the newer colour variations originate genetically from the "pigeon blood" strain, and are incapable of darkening their colour or showing stress bars. If you have a mixture of these new colour variations among the traditional strains, one can conclude that they are affected as well. Too often a hobbyist will see one or two dark fish and think there isn't a major issue when in fact a number of his fish are unable to show stress.What else are you seeing? We need to narrow it down.Poor appetite?Respiration is fast?Clamped fins?Feces colour is light in colour?Is it one discus, or are they all dark?Is there a lack of oxygen from fish crowding, the use of plant fertilizers and CO2?Have you added anything new to the aquarium, fish or plants? Is there ground cover, gravel or sand, and have you recently disturbed it?Have you done a lite cleaning of your filter lately? Rating the problem; From minor to severe, meaning most of the above is being observed would be severe, and one or two would be a minor. In a Minor Situation; the respiration is fine, but the fish goes dark from time to time, and it's only one or possibly two discus in the tank.Treatment; Isolate the fish, placing it in your small hospital tank for better observation. A large water change and add some course salt, at 1 table spoon per 10 gallons, and monitor the situation, especially the feces for signs of intestinal worms or flagellates. A Medium Situation; respiration may be high; fins slightly clamped impacting all fish. The ground cover may be hiding uneaten food or there may be a build up of protein on the inside glass and airline, especially if there is a chance of overfeeding. Treatment; Wipe everything down with a sponge and do a large 50 to 60% water change two days in a row. If you have ground cover in your tank, do a thorough cleaning or consider removing it, as the toxins below the surface may be the issue. Extra air-stones should be added. Add coarse salt 1 tablespoon per 10 gallons. Do a lite cleaning of your filter.Note; If disturbing or removing gravel in a mature aquarium, remove the fish to another tank, first. Dangerous sulphur toxins within the ground cover may be released, killing your fish. If it's a Major Situation; * In a major situation something has happened to either the Water Quality or you have introduced a Virus or Parasite to your aquarium. The fish are gasping at the surface, clamped fins, dark and covered in a slimy grey fungus. Note; the excess grey slime is a defence mechanism to fight off a bacterial, viral or toxic intrusion and should not be mistaken for velvet as an example. Water quality can be sulphuric gases released from your ground cover, if you have recently been disturbing or cleaning it. Check for ammonia; As I point out in my article "Perfect Storm" a small water change can transform a buildup of ammonium to toxic ammonia by a rise in pH. If it's ground cover, remove the fish into your backup tank or plastic pails and do a 100% water change making sure to use a chlorine remover like "Prime".It can be a Virus; If you have introduced new fish or plants in the past few days, and you have verified your water parameters are good, then you could have the herpes virus. Treatment; You need to move the fish to a bare bottom tank for treatment. If you do not have a secondary tank, you have to remove the fish to a backup tank or large plastic pails with air-stones while you completely drain your tank, removing all gravel and plants and refill with clean water. Use "Prime" water conditioner to remove the chlorine. If done quickly your filter should be fine maybe do a very lite cleaning of it to make sure its functions efficiently.Salt Bath Treatment; Add coarse salt at 1 tablespoon per gallon into their present holding tank or pail, with air-stones for about 20 minutes, remove immediately if they roll over or appear stressed. Place in newly furbished tank with lights off. We now have achieved a temporary cleaning of the gill area, helping the animal breath. Next; Add Furan2, at the recommended manufacturer's dosage, and repeat the antibiotic daily for at least 10 days following a large 50% water change. Also add course salt at 1 to 1.5 tablespoons per 10 gallons (2ppt) slowly bringing the salinity up over several hours. Maintain this level of salt adding any salt removed from daily water changes. Note; A small pen style salt meter used for maintaining KOI ponds, makes it much easier to maintain the desired 2 ppt concentration of salt. It measures in both ppt and %. The Koi Medic Pen shown here sells for around $100.00 available at www.petsandponds.com Turn the lights off, as this will reduce stress on the fish, and add extra air stones. Temperature should be around 83 to 84 F or 28C to help with the oxygen content of the water. Note the virus usually starts with one fish and spreads quickly in the tank, an early response is critical to their survival. No food as water quality is extremely important. Note: If you have other tanks or even an outside KOI pond, this virus can easily spread and is highly contagious. Wash your hands at every step. Do not share nets or hoses between tanks.The key, is not to panic, think it through, but act quickly, it only takes a few days to kill.Make sure to continue treatment for the full 10 days. In the absence of Furan 2, Maracyn 2 could be used or anew product by Tetra called "Fungus cure" which has thesame antibiotic as Furan2 andis available in most "Pet Stores" and "Supply Houses". FYI, Coarse salt can be found at most grocery stores non iodized salt in a 2.2 kilo bag for about $4.For those hobbyists that have water holding tanks gradually lowering your pH over a few days with the daily water changes will reduced secondary bacteria. However familiarity with lowering pH and having a good meter is a must.05) Are the fish showing clamped fins and hiding?Colour and respiration are good, but the fish's fins are down not erect and it may be hiding afraid to come out. This is common with new fish going into a tank for the first time. Lower the light level a little, so it can see out of the tank, and make sure the water parameters are good especially the temperature (86 F or 30 C for fry or 84 to 85F or 29C for adults). If it's small fry, hopefully it's not a "one of", as fry are more relaxed with a few of their siblings around, 6 to 8 is recommended. They are a social animal and prefer other discus around. Clamped fins is more of an emotional response showing fear and stress. Spending time with them will help, but long term if there is only one or two fry in a tank, they will not eat properly and therefore not grow properly, afraid to come out, and the stress can bring on disease. The same can be said, if you only have one adult discus in a tank. If you can't afford to purchase 6 to 8 fry at a time, or at least 2 adult discus, you might consider keeping another less expensive type of fish, as discus keeping is unfortunately a relatively expensive hobby.06) Are the eyes dark and cloudy?Cloudy eyes usually indicate an internal problem; bacterial infection, intestinal worms, poor water quality or even a nutritional problem. High Nitrates and cold water are also a serious factor.I suggest worming and a hard look at what you are feeding. Water quality and diet are instrumental to the health of your animal and cloudy eyes are a good indicator that this is not happening. If you are seeing a fungus this is due to poor water quality and needs to be treated as soon as possible. Treatment; Increase the frequencies of water changes and ensure water parameters are good. I recommend Maracyn 2 or Furan2 and coarse salt at 1 to 1.5 table spoon per 10 gallons (2 ppt). Treat every day following a small water change until the fungus clears. Isolate the animal to its own tank for treatment. Increase the temperature to 88F or 31C. I also suggest, in addition to the anti-biotic, for eye fungus or funguson an open wound, use "Methylene blue" directly on the fungus. Remove the fish, gently placing it on an old towel, still in the net. Using an eyedropper, drop one or two dropsof methylene blue directly on the fungus, count to ten and return the fish to the water. Obviously, you want to be organized and quick with this procedure, but it's effective and can be done twice daily. 07) Is the fish showing an abdominal swelling?If your discus is showing abdominal swelling it can be a couple of issues; Usually caused by food or over eating; An intestinal blockage or constipation is generally caused by pellet and flake foods. The foods fed dry, expand with moisture in the stomach causing a blockage.
Another source of blockage is the failure to blanche greens whether it be spinach, lettuce or peas etc. prior to adding them to your BH food mix. Blanching softens the vegetable matter making it easier for the fish to digest. Peas are a natural laxative and should be included in your food formula, it can ensure they are kept regular.
It can also be caused by over feeding.
Treatment; Isolate the fish, stop feeding and maintain a temperature of 86 F or 30C.
Administer an Epsom salt treatment, (seen here on your left),available at most drug stores. Create a liquid solution and Gradually add the Epsom salts solution over 3 to 4 hours until you reach 2 level tablespoons per 15 gallons. Low indirect light to reduce stress. After 24 hours if it hasn't worked then it probably won't.
It can be a bacterial infection; Bloat, which is usually caused by water quality caused by uneaten food trapped in the ground cover or behind aquarium furniture. In some cases it can be a heavy infestation of worms blocking the intestine. Isolate the fish and monitor the feces to help identify the cause. Usually there are other signs like "pop eye" and the swelling can be throughout the fish instead of just the abdominal cavity.
Treatment add a strong internal anti biotic like Kanamycin.
(Seachem's Kanaplex) At 1 to 2 measuring spoons per 5 gallonsevery other day for up to 10 days following a water change.
If the feces can confirm that worms are present then worm the animal with "wormer plus".
Note; 100 gm container of Kanaplex is available at www.petsandponds.com.
Unfortunately there is a high mortality rate with abdominal swelling, the key is to have a good preventative program, worming your fish and not feeding live fresh water foods will prevent heavy infestations of worms that can plug the intestinal tract. Blanching greens that you add to your BH mix.
Finally, maintain good water quality minimizing the bio load of your aquarium.
Do not place to many fish in your aquarium which taxes your bio-load.
Do not overfeed.
Perform regular water changes and consider getting rid of your ground cover.
It's important to catch it early. If there is no improvement after a week of treatment then the humane thing to do is euthanize using Clove Oil, see method further down this page.
There have been some success stories reported on the forums treating over an extended period like 30 days with Kanaplex and salt, however I feel this is very rare. The cost of medication and the suffering of the animal should be a consideration.
08) Are the fish fussy on eating?If the fish, suddenly stop eating and the feces is fine, then we need to look at water quality and the bio load. Discus, I believe, have a keen sense of smell and if there is rotting food left in the tank, or their is a protein build up on the inside glass or airlines, this will put them off eating. Measure your water quality for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate to confirm it's poor water quality. Water temperature also can have an impact, cold water slows their metabolism making them sluggish.Note: If you have ground cover, then you could have issues with it harbouring uneaten food and feces, and if you are going to perform a good cleaning, first remove your fish, as the sulphur gases are toxic and stirring the ground cover can kill your fish. Your best to do this project when you can monitor your fish through out the day. Change at least 80 to 90% of the water after cleaning the ground cover, then add "Prime", then add your fish. There are many accounts on the forums, where hobbyists cleaned the ground cover at night, only to wake up the next morning to find their fish dead from these toxic gases.Treatment; A thorough cleaning of the inside of the aquarium and a large 50 to 60% water change, two days in a row. A lite cleaning of the filter as well.The other issue could be diet, again assuming the feces is fine. A balanced nutritional diet will put the sparkle back in their eyes. Most serious hobbyists and breeders feed a beef heart Seafood mix with vitamins, minerals, fruits and vegetable to provide a well rounded diet. You can also add the occasional feed of white worm, or Hakkari's frozen Spirulina adult brine shrimp, or if they will eat it, a good quality dry food, being careful not to over feed. For more information on this subject visit the "Nutrition page". 09) Are the fish not responding to you i.e. begging for food?If your fish are healthy and happy then this should not be a problem, they should get excited when you first walk in the room following your every step looking to be fed.Now if this is not happening, what are their water parameters including temperature? Whens the last time you cleaned your tank and performed a water change? Can they see you? Or is their light so bright on the tank that they can't see out. This will result in skittish, nervous discus as all they can see is the occasional shadow. Read "starting out" on page 3.Have you taken the time to bond with your discus by hand feeding? What are you feeding? It's hard to get excited if it's the same old cereal every day (flake food). I have had numerous hobbyists, once they try our food formula, can't believe the improvement in their fish. So a good nutritional diet could be the answer.10) Are your fish Head or Tail standing?Head or tail standing, is an indication of a swim bladder problem. A successful outcome is dependent on early detection and treatment. See Understanding Swim Bladder Problems by Robin and Ron Futrell @ www.discusnews.com/article/cat-02/swimblader.shtml . Why are Discus Prone to so many Problems?Life expectancy of a discus in a closed environment, like an aquarium, is usually less than in the vastness of the wild, where water quality is usually not an issue. The discus has no natural defence against the hobbyist that neglects the aquarium's ECO system. Discus originate in the Amazon, in very soft acidic water, where there are less bacterial and viral issues. Thousands of years of evolution have not prepared the animal for all the world's pathogens in the confines of an aquarium. A good reason to keep the animal away from community tank situations. Discus require greater water quality, than most other tropical fish, do to their sensitivity to ammonia and nitrate.It's also the state of the industry, unfortunately a number of sick fish are sold in our stores and disease is prevalent. A great number of stores use massive central water filtration systems and even with the best intentions, utilizing UV sterilizers and elaborate filters, the mixing of fish from all over the world, exposes the discus to numerous bacterial, viral and parasitic problems.Good water quality, nutritional food, avoiding fresh water aquatic foods; live or frozen, will keep your discus happy and in good health. Buy your fish from one source, a quality breeder who practices proper discus keeping.Many pathogens can appear from other fish like cardinals, since most are wild caught and carry intestinal worms. Scavenger fish like plecos and catfish which feed from the bottom can be loaded in parasites. Plants, purchased from a store can become carriers of pathogens to your tank. How may times have you seen fish that have been returned to the store usually in horrible condition placed in the plant tank? Too often, I see hobbyists collecting discus as if they were stamps, buying compulsively the next colour variation to add to their collection, adding pathogens to their aquariums at every purchase. Adult discus, can live and survive with a small concentration of worms and to the untrained eye, look fairly normal. However if you introduce fry which love to eat everything and anything including adult feces, the worms quickly infest their intestines, causing the fry to weaken and become sick, often dieing. So if you are placing young fry with adults or other types of fish, make sure the adults are free from intestinal worms. If you plan on keeping the fry in their own aquarium, make sure to use a separate net and syphon hose, and wash your hands, as worms and other pathogens are easily transmitted from tank to tank.The "Medicine Cabinet":I have assembled a list of antibiotics and medications for those that like to be prepared. I suggest keeping them in a cabinet or drawer in a cool, dark and dry place away from small children. I have found these particular products to be effective. However, antibiotics should be used properly, and when treating make sure to finish the treatment so as not to develop resistant bacterial strains.I don't use "shotgun" or "cure all" treatments as targeting a specific problem is more effective, less stressful and less damaging to the internal organs of the fish. In an emergency, and a "shotgun" remedy is all you can find, then you have no choice, but it is better to be prepared. 01) External Antibiotic; Furan2; Or maracyn2; Or tetra fungus guard available at www.mops.ca or www.petsandponds.com 02) Internal Antibiotic for internal infections Kanamycin or Kanaplex www.petsandponds.com03) Internal flagellates Metronidazol www.kensfish.com or www.mops.ca04) Worming medications "wormer plus" with flubenol www.plymouthdiscus.com05) Worming med powdered "praziquantel" www.kensfish.com06) Clove oil used for euthanizing, sold at local Health food store or pharmacy.07) Prime or Safe water treatment www.mops.ca or www.petsandponds.com08) Seachems Stability for seeding filters www.mops.ca or www.petsandponds.com09) Methylene blue www.mops.ca 10) Coarse salt non iodized pickling salt sold by the 2.2 kilo bag in your local grocery store.11) Epsom salts, sold at most drug stores.If your Sick Fish is Suffering; Not responding to treatment, then the humane thing is to euthanize with "Clove Oil". The following method is inexpensive, fast acting and will not place any stress on the animal. Clove oil acts like an anesthetic putting the animal to sleep. Clove Oil SolutionThis solution's strength is based on treating 1/2 a gallon of aquarium water. Treatment; Utilizing a pail or 1 to 2 gallon aquarium, add 1/2 gallon of aquarium water along with an air stone. Add 10 to 15 drops of Clove Oil into a small jar 3/4 filled with aquarium water, place cap on jar and shake well. The solution should be milky white in colour.Place the fish in your pail or small aquarium and slowly, over a few minutes, add the solution until the fish is resting on the bottom of the container. I pour the solution into the air-stone which helps to disperse the solution evenly.There should be no movement after a few minutes other than you may see the gill move very slowly as the fish is still breathing. If the fish continues to move around add more solution.After about 10 minutes or so and you are confident the fish is a sleep, add about 20 to 25% white grain alcohol (2oz. of vodka per 8 oz. of water) to finish it off. I reduce the amount of water at this point since the fish is asleep, which saves on the amount of alcohol required.After 20 minutes, do a 30 second monitoring of the gill to confirm the animal has expired.At this point I bag the fish (no water) and place it in the freezer until I can dispose.In closing, disease prevention through early detection and treatment and maintaining good water quality and a good balanced diet, will keep your discus healthy and happy. Please forward any questions or comments to email@example.com.
Disease Alert - Discus VirusA University of California has isolated and identified a Discus virus as a form of Herpes virus. It is very difficult to isolate and required advanced equipment. There is no cure or any way of detecting animals that have previously been infected.In addition Discus samples supplied to the University of Florida have concluded that a virus was present in the samples provided.In Germany wild Altum angel fish had been exposed to domestic angels and suddenly became sick and were analysed and found to have had the herpes virus.This particular virus, first appeared in December of 2009 in some of the local area fish stores. A number of the discus forums around the world reported numerous hobbyists and suppliers with the illness after purchasing and introducing new fish to their existing stock.Symptoms - The new fish may look fine, since they are the carriers of the virus, but the existing discus, within a day or so, clamp their fins going dark with a heavy slime, huddled in the corner or gasping for oxygen at the surface of their tank.Treatment - (see above # 4 Major).2013 Update now its be over a year since I have heard of any issues with discus and this virus. However it was still circulating and killing Koi last summer.As with the common flu and cold viruses you can always count on a virus returning, its the nature of the world we live in. So it's always a good idea to follow quarantine procedures and have your fish medicine cabinet prepared.


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Free Musician's Recorder
10,000 - 50,000 downloadsAdd this app to your lists
+ By LaRoche Ent.
Great to record vocals over existing background or accompany tracks using your devices built in microphone.
What makes Musicians Recorder unique is its ability to accept any audio input source. With a custom cable you can now plug your keyboard, guitar, external mic, or any other audio input into your device for recording.
Musicians Recorder even has a Monitor feature that allows you to monitor your input signal in real time through your headphones! Works best with a phones hands free headset with a built in mic. Awesome for recording on the go this way!
Note: the Monitor feature is better suited, and has less delay with Android 4.1+
Tags: mike recorder, free musicians recorder, google recorder, music recorder and headphone monitor, recorder.
Fixed error during boot
Addressed screen sizes
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This doesn't deserve any stars! This is the WORST app I've downloaded and used EVER!!! And when you listen to your voice while recording, I havs to take my earbuds out and turn off that feature because it echos after your voice and completely distracts yo
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Push notification ads are way too much.
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Install this if you want an app that gives you obnoxious annoying pop-up ads on your home screen
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My antivirus said this contains a virus. BE WARNED!! It can take lots of money off you!
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Im not sure if its jus me or not bit i jus made a recording with this app and i cant find where it saved it to at all. When i clicked on the info button for the app it says it saves to my sd card but my phone has no sd card. About to un-install.
(48 stars)
Worst app i ever downloaded i tryied recordin my guitar and vocals and its not pickin it up dont download this app it sux
(48 stars)


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We got it! It's pretty damaged, but it was on the side of a highway. We're very happy she still has her canines at least, since finding them would have been impossible.
We're trying to figure out what's up with all the tiny holes towards the back of the skull.. We thought it was from squirrels chewing it up for calcium, but the marks do not look the same as on our raccoon. Is it deterioration because of it old age? Or from being out in the elements? Or is it a type of disease the cat may have had? Either way, it makes the skull look very interesting and unique :)


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James Beard Award Finalists Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page to Present their book at Bedell on Oct. 14
Comment | October 2, 2012 | By The Editors
James Beard Book Award Winners, Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page will be signing their book The Food Lover's Guide to Wine at Bedell Cellars on Sunday, October 14 from 2 to 4 p.m.
Books will be available for purchase ($35). Each guest for the lecture will be provided with a tasting glass of 2008 Bedell Cellars Musée and 2010 Gallery wines to accompany the lecture. There is no cost to attend the event. RSVP by emailing Molly Deegan at Bedell Cellars at firstname.lastname@example.com or calling (631) 734-7537.
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July 31, 2014
The 2014 Ursack S29 AllWhite is now listed on the IGBC list of certified bear resistant products.
July 24, 2014
The 2014 Ursack S29 AllWhite has been given IGBC certification number 3738. It may take a bit of time before that information shows up on the IGBC website. 2013 and earlier models of the AllWhite are not certified. We are working on a way to offer a low cost retrofit and once we figure that out, we will post the information on our website and attempt to contact affected customers by email.
April 18, 2014
We are still awaiting the official certification letter and number from the IGBC, but can share some of the details. At IGBC insistence, we baited an Ursack S29 AllWhite, knotted it securely and placed it on the ground with no aluminum liner and not tied to a tree. The first two grizzlies went at it for an active 57 minutes. One of the bears was nick-named "The Destroyer," but neither he nor his sister were able to compromise the Ursack. The Grizzly Wolf and Discovery Center rotates bears in and out at approximately one hour intervals. So the Destroyer went back to his quarters and five, count 'em, five more grizzlies came out to work on the same Ursack. The IGBC testing protocol requires a total of 60 minutes of active bear encounters, so even though we needed just a few minutes more to pass the test, there was no way to get the Ursack out until the five bears finished their shift. Not to worry. Ursack made if for another hour. A total of seven grizzly bears and two hours of active clawing, biting and scratching--yet Ursack survived. After washing the Ursack one could barely (bearly?) tell that it had been attacked.
Here is a picture of Randy Gravatt of the Wolf and Grizzly Discovery Center in West Yellowstone (left) and Scott Jackson of IGBC (right) after the test.
April 11, 2014
IGBC test today. PASSED. Details to follow.
March 6, 2014
The Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee (IGBC) wants to re-test the Ursack S29 AllWhite. We expect the test to occur in early April 2014 and that an official IGBC decision will be made promptly thereafter. The re-test is necessary because of the "ambiguous" results of the May 30, 2013 tests (see earlier posts below for details). The new test will be of a single Ursack placed on the ground with no aluminum liner. If it survives 60 minutes of Grizzly attacks per the IGBC test protocol (to be finalized and posted soon), then it will receive IGBC certification. Please note that even IGBC certification is no guarantee that every wilderness area in the U.S. will approve Ursack.
January 6, 2014
It has been more than seven months since we tested Ursack for the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee (IGBC) at the Grizzly Discovery Center, and there is still-despite repeated requests-no response. Many wilderness areas, e.g. Yosemite and SEKI, have delegated bear canister testing to the IGBC. Until there is a response, Ursack is in limbo. See the June 5, 2013 post below for an account of the test. Ursack had a terrific year. Our new bags, sewn with Spectra thread (sold since April 2013), had a next to perfect record in the wild as did our critter resistant Ursack Minors made with Kevlar/Stainless Steel fabric.
We just received an email from a Sierra ranger (who prefers to remain anonymous) that we think is worth sharing:
"I stumbled back upon your website to refresh my interests in your product. My wife and I successfully hiked the PCT in 2007 and carried Ursack the entire way. I believe it was partially approved for the Sierra that year. It was also a wonderful way to keep vermin out of our food. My question is why do the politics of using great products get in our way. I work for the NPS in [the Sierra] and was an eye witness to the failure of a BearVault in upper Paradise (a mother and cub who proceeded to slam the BV onto the rocks until it fractured). I could share more if interested but my point is why is this product still an approved canister? I don't know if anyone ever followed up on the incident but I'm disappointed to see some products be given thumbs up while others such as Ursack still waiting in the wings. I would love to see more hikers carrying your method."
To which we can only add: Amen and Happy New Year.
June 5, 2013
SUCCESSFUL GRIZZLY TEST. Ursack was tested in two configurations by the IGBC at the Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center in West Yellowstone on May 30, 2013. I was there for both tests. Check out a video excerpt on our Bear Test Videos page. This is a slightly newer version (since April 2013) of the Ursack S29 AllWhite which is sewn with Spectra thread. Ursack did extremely well. The IGBC test protocol requires that a product must survive 60 minutes of bear contact, which is defined as: "biting, clawing, pounding, rolling, compressing, licking or scratching." More than one Grizzly worked on the Ursacks, but the clock only runs while a bear is actively engaged. In one test, at least three (possibly four) bears attacked a baited unlined Ursack tied about five feet up a tree trunk. At the end of 60 minutes, the Ursack was fully intact with no punctures or tears. I easily untied it from the tree and opened it without the use of tools. The current IGBC published protocol states that: "If the product is not breached within the required 60 minutes of bear contact time, it will be considered to have "passed" the captive bear test."
In the other test, an Ursack with an aluminum liner was placed on the ground and not tied to anything. Sam and Illie--a brother sister tag team (Sam weighs 950 pounds)--attacked the Ursack. This bag was torn after approximately forty three minutes of contact. My interpretation is that the grizzlies were able to use their massive shoulder strength and claws to compromise the Ursack. Black bears are very different. They do not have the shoulder strength (no hump) or size of grizzlies and their claws are different. We have tested lined Ursacks on the ground with captive black bears and the Ursacks have easily survived. In the thirteen years we have been in business selling across North America (including Alaska and Canada), I have never heard of a grizzly compromising an Ursack.
It is my very strong belief that Ursack, whether lined with aluminum or not, tied up a tree or not, would pass a captive bear test with black bears. I suspect that an Ursack (aluminum lined or not) tied up a tree to minimize claw and shoulder advantage would survive a captive grizzly test.
The IGBC has not issued its official evaluation yet. We hope to receive approval within a couple of weeks. Stay tuned. I will post video excerpts of the IGBC test soon.
May 9, 2012
Ursack will not be tested in time for approval for this summer's backpacking season. Needless to say, we are disappointed. As noted in the posts below, Yosemite and SEKI (and implicitly other areas that rely on Yosemite) have turned over Ursack testing to the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee (IGBC). Based on my conversations with a representative of the IGBC, it is apparently overworked and underfunded. Although slight progress has been made toward coming up with a testing protocol, there is still much work to do. I am told that IGBC will be hiring someone to develop the protocol within the next months, but that the entire process will not be finished in time for this season. There is some room for optimism for next year. There seems to be some agreement at the IGBC that laboratory testing may no longer be useful and that the ultimate test will be with captive bears. Given that Ursack has survived testing at the Grizzly Discovery Center (where IGBC tests), there is reason for optimism. There are at least two areas of concern: (1) Yosemite and SEKI have not agreed to automatically approve Ursack even if it passes the IGBC test; and (2) By definition, IGBC deals with grizzlies, not black bears. We hope these concerns prove to be irrelevant.
In other news, our new critter resistant Ursack Minor is now available. Woven from Kevlar and stainless steel, it has significantly higher cut resitance than the previous model (and the previous model was no slouch).
Finally, a couple of book and a movie recommendation. All three consider themes of man in nature. I hope soon to be able to sell (or link) to these from our website. In the meanwhile, I highly recommend:
"Wild" by Cheryl Strayed. An absorbing account of the author's 1000 mile solo trek on the PCT. This book was just released and has received deservedly high praise.
"A Walk in the Woods" by Bill Bryson. Published in 1999, this is a highly readable tale of the author's attempt to rediscover America on the Appalachian Trail.
"The River Why" screenplay by Ursack's founder/CEO (Tom Cohen) and produced by Mrs. Ursack (Kristi Denton Cohen) is available at www.theriverwhy.com (and everywhere else). Sick of living in a home shrouded with secrets, lies and a smothering sense of competition, Gus (Zach Gilford, Friday Night Lights) runs away from home and the shadow of his famous fly-fishing father (William Hurt). Determined to live life like on his own terms, Gus makes his new home in a secluded cabin on the banks of a river where he plans to fish all day. Instead, he is propelled into a quest for self-discovery. An assortment of eccentric characters, including a free-spirited girl (Amber Heard, Zombieland) who shares his fondness for fishing, helps him find his way toward adulthood. Based on a book that has become a cult classic and set in the breathtaking wilds of Oregon.
February 20, 2012
Yosemite and Sequoia-Kings Canyon (SEKI) responded to our December letter (below). Those Parks have, until further notice, turned over the testing of Ursack to the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee (IGBC). If the IGBC certifies Ursack as "bear resistant," it will be allowed in Yosemite and SEKI. However, IGBC has no authority to formally approve containers such as Ursack. Such approval will be periodically reviewed.
Ursack has contacted the IGBC, which informed us that the testing protocol for fabric containers is not finalized and therefore IGBC is not yet ready to accept Ursack for testing. Ursack is, of course, eager to get testing underway. We cannot predict when that will happen.
There is some reason for optimism. Part of the IGBC test for hard sided containers has for years involved giving containers to grizzlies at the Wolf and Grizzly Discovery Center in West Yellowstone. Ursack informally provided a S29 AllWhite Hybrid (i.e. with aluminum liner) to the Grizzly Discovery Center in September 2011, and it survived a two hour bout with a grizzly. We assume that, generally smaller, black bears are less able to compromise bear resistant containers.
For now,we hope that the IGBC can promptly come up with a fair test for Ursack, and arrange for testing well before this summer.
December 12, 2011
Here is the letter we sent today to the Superintendents of Yosemite, Sequoia-Kings Canyon, Devils Postpile and Olympic National Parks:
Dear Superintendents:
It is my understanding that your agencies have, since as early as 2008, stopped accepting bear-resistant food storage containers for evaluation. As you may know, Ursack manufactures bear resistant food bags made for backpackers from bullet proof fabric, and has done so since 2000. Many backpackers prefer to use Ursack over the much heavier hard-sided canisters (e.g. Garcia, BearVault). Since you no longer evaluate canisters, and because previous models of Ursack are not approved, we—along with other innovators and our customers--have been locked out of your Parks. In effect, the government has granted a monopoly to existing manufacturers.
This letter is to ask for one of two solutions.
1. Adopt the policy that has been in effect in Inyo National Forest since 2008. That policy requires that: "visitors must use bear-resistant containers, designed specifically to protect food from bears." Inyo does not maintain a list of approved containers; OR
2. Promptly institute an evaluation protocol that fairly tests all new products that are submitted. Before final adoption, any protocol should take into account comments from the industry and users.
Of the two options, Ursack greatly prefers the first. There is abundant evidence that the Inyo model works. Here is what our evidence shows.
Ursack began selling the S29 AllWhite in 2009. It is made of the same Spectra material that we used in the (green) S29s in 2008 and earlier. There are two differences: because campers had a hard time tightly cinching the older S29s with aluminum liner—the "S29 Hybrid"—we eliminated the fabric coating and improved the closure mechanism on the AllWhite. The field results over the last three years have been excellent.
With thousands of Ursacks in use around the world, there has not been a single failure of an S29 AllWhite Hybrid ever. Not one.
Even when the S29 AllWhite has been used without the aluminum liner (which is how most campers prefer it), the number of bears that have gotten food rewards in the last three years is miniscule. In 2011 a bear tore a seam at 1000 Island Lake. There was one instance of seam failure in Colorado and another at South Lake Tahoe. In 2010, there was a seam torn by a bear in the Desolation Wilderness, and a minor tear at Mammoth. In 2009, a bear tore a seam at Lake Ediza in Inyo and another bear ripped into an Ursack at Kearsarge Lake. In short, other than the seam failures, even unlined Ursacks have performed well over the last three years. As you know, no bear canisters are perfect. All have failed on occasion.
The seam issue has now been resolved. This fall, while testing the S29 AllWhite Hybrid at the Grizzly Discovery Center in West Yellowstone (where the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee tests bear canisters), we discovered that coating the seams with SeamGrip was highly effective. A very large grizzly worked on Ursack for 2 hours without success, which contrasted with an earlier test of a bag with an uncoated seam. As a result, since October, all new Ursacks come with SeamGrip.
In addition to our own successful testing at the Grizzly Discovery Center and the Folsom Zoo, there have been two recent independent successful zoo tests. Wired Magazine tested with a grizzly (and Orangutans) at the Fresno Zoo and wrote about it (comparing it to BearVault) in the March 2010 issue. Patti Sowka, who has worked closely on bear testing with the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee and others, tested the AllWhite with Arizona bears.
Ultimately, canisters, including Ursack, are not the problem. According to Humboldt State/Kate McCurdy's comprehensive study of canister use non-compliance (overflow)—the inability or unwillingness of campers to pack all their food into a single canister—is the problem. Backpackers overwhelmingly (87%+) want to comply with the rules, but simply cannot reasonably carry more than one hard-sided canister. The study, commissioned by Yosemite, shows that campers are "sixty times more likely to lose food to a bear if one were to enter their camp while they are out of compliance."
In short, three years of wilderness experience by actual campers proves that the AllWhite works exceptionally well, and no aluminum lined Ursack S29 AllWhites have ever failed. There is no rational basis to deny campers the right to use Ursack in your Parks.
Please either adopt the Inyo policy or develop a fair testing protocol.
Thank you for your consideration. I look forward to hearing from you so that we can address this issue before the 2012 camping season.
May 9, 2011
The federal court of appeals has upheld SIBBG's 2007 decision to ban Ursack's older model (green) S29. In a 26 page published opinion (opinions are only published if the Court thinks they are important), the three appellate justices deferred to the decision making authority of Yosemite and SEKI. A summary of the opinion follows. Notably, the Court did not rule on Yosemite and SEKI's 2010 decision not to test or approve any new products--including the Ursack S29 AllWhite. The Court seemed to suggest that it might be arbitrary and capricious (i.e. wrong) to refuse to evaluate any new or improved bear resistant products, and stated that the remedy for Ursack was to file a new lawsuit. We hope that is not necessary and await the new regulations, if any, coming out of Yosemite and SEKI.
Here is the official summary of the opinion. The full opinion can be read at http://www.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/opinions/2011/05/09/09-17152.pdf:
9th Cir. 09-17152
The court of appeals affirmed a district court judgment. The court held that the National Park Service did not act arbitrarily and capriciously in revoking its conditional approval of a particular manufacturer's portable bear-resistant food container for use in national parks where the agency rationally applied a "three strikes" failure standard and adequately considered associated policy issues.
The National Park Service and the U.S. Forest Service required backpackers in certain areas of the Sierras to store food in portable bear-resistant containers. In particular, between 2001 and 2007, both the Park Service and the Forest Service required visitors to Yosemite National Park, Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks (SEKI), and the Inyo National Forest to use containers that had been tested and approved by the agencies.
An informal body known as the Sierra Interagency Black Bear Group (SIBBG) tested privately manufactured bear-resistant containers and made recommendations to the Park and Forest Services regarding which containers to approve.
Plaintiff-appellant Ursack, Incorporated manufactured a bear-resistant container called the Ursack. Between 2001 and 2007, it urged SIBBG to recommend the Ursack for inclusion on the agencies' lists of approved containers. In 2007, SIBBG did recommend that the agencies grant conditional approval to the Ursack for the 2007 summer season. SIBBG recommended that the agencies withdraw approval if they determined that the container failed three or more times during the season.
The agencies accepted the recommendation and granted conditional approval. At the end of the 2007 season, however, SIBBG determined that the Ursack had failed more than three times, and it recommended that the agencies withdraw conditional approval. The National Park Service withdrew conditional approval and refused to permit backpackers to use the Ursack in the container-only areas of Yosemite and SEKI. The Forest Service, however, continued to allow backpackers to use the Ursack in Inyo National Forest.
Ursack and three individual users of the Ursack (Ursack) brought suit pursuant to the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) against SIBBG, the Park Service, the Forest Service, and the superintendents of the relevant national parks and forests, alleging that the decision to withdraw conditional approval of the Ursack was arbitrary and capricious and otherwise not in accordance with law.
After reviewing the administrative record, the district court granted summary judgment in favor of the agencies.
The court of appeals affirmed, holding that Ursack failed to establish that it was entitled to any of the relief it sought.
The court of appeals characterized the central issue on appeal as whether the Park Service's decision to revoke conditional approval of the Ursack was arbitrary and capricious. Ursack also argued that the Park Service violated the "licensing" provisions of the APA, 5 U.S.C. §558.
The court first rejected Ursack's contention that the "three-strike" process failed to consider the larger picture for purposes of the Ursack. Specifically, Ursack argued that SIBBG failed to consider that backpackers might be more likely to use the easy-to-carry, soft-sided Ursack than hard-sided canisters. Ursack maintained that it was better to increase public compliance with food-storage requirements in this way, tolerating some failures each year, than to have a large number of incidents in which bears obtained food because someone decided to store food improperly. The record showed that SIBBG did not entirely fail to consider the benefit of increased compliance against the risk of container failure. It also did not show that SIBBG ignored specific aspects of the issue as framed by Ursack, such as the fact that even within the already-high compliance rate, many backpackers purportedly failed to put their extra, "overflow" food into proper containers.
Nor was there an equal protection violation in use of the "three strikes" standard in revoking approval of Ursack's product. To the extent SIBBG declined to revoke approval of a competing product in 2005 after it suffered a dozen failures, SIBBG concluded that almost all of those failures were caused by a single bear that figured out a means to break into the container. The six failures suffered by the Ursack in 2007, in contrast, did not appear to be caused by the same bear. Deferring to the agency's findings on such matters, the court concluded that the distinction was a rational basis to treat the Ursack differently than the competing product at issue.
It also was not capricious that SIBBG approved Ursacks only if the container were redesigned to eliminate the need to tie it to trees. An evaluation of the Ursack revealed that when it was hung in trees, it resulted in damage to the bark and substrate around the trees. Thus SIBBG's decision to "change course" on the product's eligibility for use in that way was a reasoned one.
Ursack also argued that if visitors could hang food from trees in certain areas of the parks and forests — thereby causing some tree damage — then SIBBG could not rationally prohibit visitors from tying Ursacks to trees in the parts of the parks and forests where tree storage was prohibited. Ursack's position was that if the Park and Forest Services tolerated tree damage caused by food storage anywhere, they had to tolerate it everywhere.
That was wrong, the court said. A rational basis for SIBBG's decision was readily apparent. Specifically, although the primary reason for prohibiting tree storage in container-only areas was that bears had learned how to obtain food stored in trees, the prohibition also had the beneficial effect of eliminating tree damage caused by human influences in those areas. In evaluating the Ursack for use in container-only areas, then, SIBBG members were rationally concerned about approving a food-storage container that might reestablish anthropogenic tree damage in areas where it had been eradicated.
Ursack's other argument was that conditional approval of the Ursack was a "license" within the meaning of the APA, so that SIBBG was required to follow the procedures in §558(c) before revoking conditional approval. Under §558(c), a licensee must receive notice by the agency in writing of the facts or conduct which may warrant the revocation, and an opportunity to demonstrate or achieve compliance with all lawful requirements.
The court disagreed with the suggestion that the Park Service's "approval" necessarily amounted to a license. Ursack did not need the Park Service's approval to manufacture or sell its products. The only consequence to Ursack of SIBBG's revocation of conditional approval was financial. Even without conditional approval, Ursack could manufacture and sell as many Ursacks as it wished, but the lack of conditional approval would have an impact on the market for its products. Thus, the real question was whether an agency decision that did not grant a form of permission to a member of the public nonetheless qualified as a license due to the decision's financial consequences.
The court concluded though, that it need not decide whether an APA license existed only where an agency stood as a gate-keeper to a proposed private activity, or whether it also extended to forms of agency approval carrying only financial consequences. Even if Ursack had been granted a license, it was not seeking the kind of process available to licensees under §558(c). Ursack was not asking for notice and a chance to demonstrate or achieve compliance with all lawful requirements. Instead, Ursack wanted to argue with SIBBG over its decision to adopt the relevant lawful requirements in the first place.
To convince SIBBG not to revoke conditional approval, Ursack would have to convince SIBBG to change its licensing criteria. Yet, challenges to licensing criteria are adequately handled through review under the arbitrary and capricious standard, the court wrote.
February 19, 2011
Ursack's lawsuit against the Sierra Interagency Black Bear Group et al. was heard by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco on February 17, 2011. The three judge panel appeared quite interested in the controversy, and we would expect a ruling well before the summer camping season. If you want to hear the oral argument, you may do so here: http://www.ca9.uscourts.gov/media/view_subpage.php?pk_id=0000007063.
September 27, 2010
Ursack has had an excellent summer camping season with next to no reported failures of the S29 AllWhite in the Sierra. Like all other commercial bear canisters, hard sided or not, perfection is not possible, but we have come close in 2010. There were no reported failures anywhere of any Ursack which used an aluminum liner, and there were only one or two S29 AllWhites that were compromised by bears.
The Wildlife Ecologist at Mt. Ranier National Park arranged for a thoroughly documented test of both the S29 AllWhite and the Ursack Minor against red foxes, an animal that has been presenting problems there. The Mt. Ranier NPS concluded that Ursack was "very successful" and recommended that it be made available for visitor use.
We are still waiting for the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to hear the appeal of our case against SIBBG (Yosemite, SEKI and Inyo). Earlier this year, we tried to submit the S29 AllWhite for consideration by Yosemite and SEKI, and were told that those Parks would not consider or test Ursack or any other new product.
January 13, 2010
It appears that Ursack will be allowed almost everywhere in the Sierra this year except Yosemite National Park and three areas (Rae Lakes, Dusy Basin, Rock Creek) of SEKI. We calculate that Ursack may be used on more than 98% of the Pacific Crest Trail. SIBBG, the Sierra Agency Black Bear Group, no longer exists. There are no standardized bear canister tests--each Superintendent of Forest Service Manager makes the decision for his or her own area. While Ursack will likely submit the S29 AllWhite Hybrid for consideration by Yosemite and SEKI, there can be no assurance of approval given those parks lack of testing criteria and/or their historical antipathy toward Ursack.
November 18, 2009
Introducing Ursack Minor for Rodents! Many customers have told us that they camp where there are no bears, but need protection from rats, mice, squirrels, raccoons and other critters. For them, we have a new product, which will be available soon. It's Ursack Minor, a rodent resistant bag made from the same material used by prison guards to thwart ice picks and knives. Our new bag will be the same size as the Ursack S29 AllWhite, but will weigh and cost less. The Ursack Minor will not be effective against bears, but because of its dense weave, it will resist rodents and other critters who have sharp teeth but not the jaw strength of bears.
September 29, 2009
Ursack has appealed the U.S. District Court decision upholding SIBBG's 2007 ban on Ursack to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. There are several grounds for the appeal--most notably: there are facts underlying the District Court decision that are either wrong or misconstrued. Typically, an appeal can take a year to be decided.
Meanwhile, there is good news. The new S29 AllWhite Hybrid (with aluminum liner) had a perfect record in 2009. There were no reported failures of the Hybrid anywhere in the world. The 2008 record for the S29 (Green) Hybrid is almost as good. One camper reported a failure--but that was through the opening, where he had failed to cinch and knot it completely tight. It appears that Inyo has changed its policy with regard to regulated canisters, and now requires that "visitors must use containers designed to prevent access to bears." This is different than past years where only specified canisters could be used. We do not have official confirmation of this change, but the Inyo website and reports from campers indicate that it is accurate.
August 10, 2009 Ursack lost its lawsuit against SIBBG and Yosemite, SEKI and Inyo. In a 42 page decision, the U.S. District Court determined that the defendants' 2007 decision to withdraw approval of the Ursack S29 Hybrid was not arbitrary, capricious or unconstitutional. Ursack argued that the decision was unfair because it was based on six alleged failures and such failure standard is not applied to other canisters. Only one of these alleged failures involved torn fabric, and that was in a ranger-baited bag in Yosemite Valley where no canisters of any kind are allowed. Yosemite refused to provide that evidence or even send a picture. All the other "failures" involved user's failure to cinch and knot the opening completely tight. The new S29 AllWhite is designed to make it easier to cinch the opening, but the efficacy of our new model was not before the Court. Government agencies, such as SIBBG, are given broad discretion to make decisions, and a decision is only overturned when there is no rational basis for it. Although Ursack disagrees with some of the Court's logic and its conclusion, the opinion was extremely well researched and written. We have not decided whether or not to appeal. June 3, 2009 It appears that settlement with federal officials is unlikely. Ursack's case is scheduled to be argued in a motion for summary judgment on July 31, 2009. It is impossible to predict when the court will render a decision or what that decision will be. March 5, 2009 There has been some movement in Ursack's lawsuit against federal officials. The parties and their lawyers met in San Francisco on February 27, 2009. Some progress was made, but at this time there is no determination if Ursack will be approved for use in Yosemite National Park, Sequoia and King's Canyon National Parks, or Inyo National Forest in 2009. All parties are continuing to work toward a prompt resolution. Updates will be posted here as appropriate. August 20, 2008 The lawsuit against SIBBG is proceeding very slowly. There will be no decision before the late fall of 2008, and therefore no chance of SIBBG approval for this camping season. Please be aware that there are many many places you can legally use Ursack in the Sierra--including Sequoia-Kings Canyon, Inyo and parts of Yosemite. Please check the map at sierrawildbear.gov for specifics. That map also shows where the parks have placed bear boxes. If you only camp in unrestricted areas or use bear boxes, you can carry Ursack anywhere. Depending on how far you can hike in a day, and if you carefully select your campsite, it is even possible to legally hike most, if not all, of the John Muir Trail carrying only an Ursack to protect bears from getting human food. April 4, 2008 Ursack has reluctantly, but resolutely, filed suit against the Sierra Interagency Black Bear Group (SIBBG) asking the court to reverse what we believe is SIBBG's arbitrary and capricious decision to withdraw approval of the Ursack S29 Hybrid. We are joined in this suit by some representative backpackers including: a former Tuolomne Meadows ranger, a college chemistry professor, and the holder of the record for the fastest self-contained female solo of the John Muir Trail. There is no way to predict, at this point, when or how the case will be resolved, but it is at least possible that Ursacks will once again be allowed in the restricted areas of the Sierra this summer. The lawsuit does not seek money. Instead, it asks that Ursack be evaluated objectively, and that backpackers' needs be factored into any decision that prohibits the use of Ursack or any other product. SIBBG's decision to ban Ursack was based on the allegation of 6 failures. There is no such thing as a bear "proof" container. All canisters have failed at one time or another. SIBBG refuses to produce evidence of these alleged Ursack failures, but we know from SIBBG's written description that in two cases bears got no food, and in two cases the problem was user error--the Ursacks were not torn and could be effectively used again today. Because we don't have the evidence, we don't know what happened in the other two incidents. There is an analogy is to auto crash testing. The National Highway Safety Traffic Administration (NHSTA), a federal agency, tests cars for rollover resistance. It does so because nearly 10,000 people are killed each year as a result of rollovers. The test they devised was based on input from a variety of scientific sources, and the results of that test are a rating system from one to five stars for each vehicle. There is no requirement that manufacturers meet a certain standard. Rather, the government relies on consumers to protect their own interests once the rollover information is provided. By contrast, SIBBG is a federal advisory group that tests containers for bear resistance. It does so in order to minimize bear-human conflict. The test they devised is largely subjective. As opposed to vehicle rollovers, no black bear has killed a Sierra camper and injuries are extremely rare. By far the biggest reason bears get human food is not failed canisters, it is campers' inability to store all their food in a single canister. But SIBBG does not test canisters for practicality, it tests them for impregnability. This is a little like a stage coach company in the old West touting the strength of its safe while ignoring the fact the that the safe can't hold all the gold. There is not enough space here to detail all of the arbitrary and capricious decisions SIBBG has made over the years with regard to Ursack. We hope to resolve this quickly and amicably so that backpackers can use the equipment they want, while giving adequate protection to bears. January 1, 2008. The Sierra Interagency Black Bear Group (SIBBG) has withdrawn its conditional approval of the Ursack S29 Hybrid (Ursack with aluminum liner) for 2008. Ursack is challenging this decision. There appears to be scant evidence to suggest that the S29 Hybrid had a significant number of product failures in 2007. The nature of Ursack�s challenge has not been finalized because we are waiting for SIBBG to provide us with the specific evidence on which it based its decision. From what we know so far, user error was the sole cause of three incidents in which bears got food. In those cases, users did not cinch the opening completely�they failed to remove all slack in the cinch cord and did not tie a secure knot. We understand that SIBBG�s decision is exasperating for our loyal customers. It is even more trying for us. We cannot run a business in which our only product is reviewed year after year by a government agency making arbitrary and capricious decisions about what equipment a camper may or may not use in the wilderness. We respect the Sierra Rangers and much of the work they do, and have no desire to file an unnecessary lawsuit. But it seems that may be the only way to bring this see saw existence to a halt. Because the situation is fluid, we are changing our return policy. Customers may return any new, unused, Ursack for a full refund within one year of purchase. We hope that approval will be reinstated by SIBBG, and that customers will hold onto their purchases until the situation is resolved. May 9, 2007. There is a very interesting and thorough study by Kate McCurdy--a former Yosemite (bear) ranger. This was Kate's master's thesis. Her thesis compiled and analyzed survey results from 568 Yosemite backpackers. The backpackers were, by a large majority, supportive of Park canister requirements. But, nearly 40% were unable to fully comply with those requirements and had to leave some food/toiletries unprotected on one or more nights. Among the significant factors preventing full compliance were the weight and bulk of hard sided canisters. "In roughly half" of the (108) bear encounters reported by survey respondents in 2005, bears got "substantial food rewards." In other words, there were roughly 50 incidents in Yosemite alone in which bears got food rewards even though the vast majority of campers were using approved canisters. It was not that those canisters failed, it was that the campers were unable or unwilling to fully comply with regulations. This number from Yosemite absolutely dwarfs the amount of food rewards bears got from failed canisters anywhere in the entire Sierra, whether those canisters were made by Ursack or other manufacturers. If SIBBG's goal is to prevent bears from getting food rewards, it would seem their time would be better spent addressing the non-compliance issue and less time evaluating the Ursack S29, a product which due to its light weight and compressibility, makes it easier for backpackers to do the right thing.READ MORE


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Coding Exam Study Guide
When you're getting ready to study for a medical coding exam I find its best to make your own study guide to follow. The reason for this is that you probably have some strong areas in the material that you won't need to spend as much time on. Rank the topics by difficulty FOR YOU and then attack the hardest topics first. My study plan might look something like this:
- Day One – Preparation. I go through the website (aapc.com for the CPC exam) and take note of all of the important info. This includes things like materials that can be used during the test, subjects covered, exam dates and cost, any recommended study guides/tips. I like to use a calendar and schedule my to do activities per day. I keep the exam cost posted to motivate myself not to slack off (I can't afford to waste $300!)
- Day Two – Materials. I will spend day two getting the needed study materials including code books if I don't already have them. I then go through my list of materials to be covered and tab the appropriate sections of each book. This step might take more than one day, and you might need to make some changes once you get started.
- Day Three and on – Study time. Now that you have your plan and materials its time to hit the books. I'll tackle one topic per day and then spend an hour reviewing the previous 3 or 4 day's topics. I like to do a weekly recap of everything too so it all stays fresh in my mind.
- Three days before exam – Review. I like to do a big all day review three days before the exam date. This allows me to cover everything and brush up on anything I'm still not confident in. Be honest with your strengths and weaknesses at this point. If you have problems in a couple areas that where you need to focus now.
- Two days before the exam - Practice Exam. Personally I'm a big fan of taking a practice exam, although it does cost extra money (typically about $50). My reasoning is that if you fail you are out the $300 testing cost so I want to be sure I'm going to pass the first time. The exam that was recommended to me can be found here, I found it really similar to the actual exam so I decided to recommend this site. When I take the practice exam I try to recreate the testing situation as close as possible, meaning only approved materials and I keep track of time.
- Day before the exam – Final review. Grade your practice exam and see how you did. This will give you the sections you need to focus on in your final review. I also like to do a total review of all the material and make sure I have my material properly tabbed for the exam.
That's my basic study guide. I would have written it out by topic but I think the first step of evaluating your own strong and weak points helps people in the long run. I have more in depth study tips if you sign up for my newsletter. Best of luck on your exam!
Comment from Vanessa Nicholas
Time March 7, 2011 at 6:30 am
I had my CPC certification about 6 years ago but couldn't find a job even though I work in a hospital; everyone wanted experience, I was so frustrated I allowed my cert. to lapse and its one of my biggest regrets. I am now in the process of deciding which route to take to take the exam again. I don't have the $1200.00 AAPC is asking for to take the course again. What do you think I should do to prepare myself: Do you recommend a study guide?
THanks in advance
Comment from Chaquetta Warren
Time November 9, 2011 at 4:11 am
Please send me your news letters and any tips that you may have. thanks
Comment from raj
Time November 18, 2011 at 5:25 am
please send me the medical coding guidance or material online . Thanking you.
Comment from Francis
Time November 18, 2011 at 8:42 pm
Hi Raj, please sign up for the newsletter (if you haven't already) and you will get emails with my tips to study for, and pass the CPC exam. Thanks!
Comment from Lesley
Time December 6, 2011 at 10:22 pm
FYI links to Practice Exam are useless, malware. Please provide better link?
Comment from Francis
Time December 7, 2011 at 4:54 pm
Hi Lesley, I've updated the links, they should work now, sorry about that
Comment from Phana
Time May 30, 2012 at 4:19 pm
Hi Francis! I tried to subscribe but it didn't work. Is there any other way that I can get practice exam and tips from you?
Comment from Francis
Time May 30, 2012 at 8:13 pm
Hi Phana, I've just been working with my friend coming up with a CPC practice exam with full rationale behind every question. Here's a link to check it out:
CPC Practice Exam
Trackback from Sam Donahue
Time September 30, 2013 at 9:13 am
Thanks for this great site. I'm studying to take my CPC exam this year and this is one of the most helpful sites I've found. How hard is it to find a job after passing your CPC exam? Do you have any suggestions or next-steps after getting certified?
Comment from Sonia
Time April 27, 2014 at 5:47 pm
Hi, I was wondering if there is any update on ICD-10 being put into place? I'm currently in school for coding and I know its been delayed. Is this going to be put in place anytime in the near future? If so it seems like a lot more education will be needed