text:
Abracadabra (Silver): Open all Death Tombs
All You Can Eat Buffet (Bronze): Complete Sticks and Stones
Antiquing (Bronze): Complete Lost Relics
Bravo Old Chap (Bronze): Defeat Wicked K
By Your Command (Bronze): Collect the Interdiction Stone
City of the Dead (Bronze): Complete City of the Dead
Clipped Wings (Bronze): Defeat Archon
Crow Carrion (Bronze): Defeat the Crowfather
Death Will Tear Us Apart (Bronze): Collect the Soul Splitter
Diamond Geezertron (Bronze): Unlock the final skill in either skill tree
Dust to Dust (Bronze): Defeat the Guardian
Epic! (Bronze): Death Reaches Level 30
Feeding Time (Bronze): Level Up Your 1st Possessed Weapon
Fire of the Mountain (Bronze): Complete Fire of the Mountain
Full Potential (Bronze): Unlock All Combat Moves & Upgrades
Gnomad (Bronze): Complete GnoMAD
Grim Reaping (Bronze): Unlock Reaper Form
Heart of the Mountain (Bronze): Complete Heart of the Mountain
I Can Has Cake? (Bronze): Collect the Voidwalker
Is There Anyone Else? (Silver): Complete The Crucible
It's Not Over (Bronze): Defeat Samael
I've Brought You A Gift (Bronze): Defeat the Soul Arbiter
Like a Noss (Bronze): Defeat the four creatures named by Thane
Looks Familiar (Bronze): Collect Redemption
Lord of the Black Stone (Bronze): Complete Lord of the Black Stone
Mass Ruckus (Bronze): Equip elite items to all slots
Pathfinder (Silver): First use of Fast Travel
Pay It Forward (Bronze): Gift An Item To A Friend
Respec Yourself (Silver): Your First Respec
Soul Crushing (Bronze): Defeat The Wailing Host
Stains of Heresy (Bronze): Complete Stains of Heresy
Tearing Time A New One (Bronze): Collect the Phasewalker
Tears of the Mountain (Bronze): Complete Tears of the Mountain
The Big Boss (Bronze): Defeat Absalom
The Book of the Dead (Bronze): Complete The Book of the Dead
The Court of Bones (Bronze): Defeat Basileus
The Lord of Bones (Bronze): Complete The Lord of Bones
The Mad Queen (Bronze): Complete The Mad Queen
The Rod of Arafel (Bronze): Complete The Rod of Arafel
The Root Of Corruption (Bronze): Open The Well Of Souls
The Secondary Adventure (Silver): Complete all Secondary Quests
The Spectral Touch (Bronze): Collect Deathgrip
The Toll of Kings (Bronze): Complete The Toll of Kings
The Triple Lindy (Bronze): Complete 3 different high dives in the Foundry
To Move a Mountain (Bronze): Complete To Move a Mountain
Tree of Life (Bronze): Complete Tree of Life
A True Horseman (Gold): Complete the game on APOCALYPTIC
Four My Brother (Gold): Complete the game on NORMAL
BFA (Platinum): Unlock Everything


text:
Olympic worries build
Official Washington says it's confident Russia can handle security at the Winter Olympics next month — but better to be safe than sorry.
In public, for the record, American national security leaders say Russian authorities have a good handle on the games. Gen. Valery Gerasimov, chief of the Russian armed forces, has "a handpicked, highly trained task force that's been in place for some time," Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Martin Dempsey said after meeting Gerasimov in Belgium.
But that hasn't stopped American security officials from offering Russia nearly everything in the arsenal but President Barack Obama's nuclear codes, with the assurance that whatever Russia asked for, it would get.
( PHOTOS: Presidents at the Olympics)
"I reiterated the fact that we would favorably consider requests from them," Dempsey said.
Previously, FBI Director Jim Comey told reporters that he has sent a security team to Russia for the Olympics, and Pentagon press secretary Rear Adm. John Kirby said on Monday that the "United States has offered its full support to the Russian government."
Obama himself even got into the act with a phone call to his counterpart, Vladimir Putin, the White House said.
( PHOTOS: Barack Obama and Vladimir Putin's relationship)
"The two presidents … discussed how best to advance shared U.S.-Russian interests, including a safe and secure Sochi Olympics, for which the United States has offered its full assistance," according to the official readout.
Meanwhile, the public drumbeat about security in Sochi continues to get louder. The cable news networks on in offices across Washington describe the hunt for so-called black widow female suicide bombers who could attack the games. Plus, threats are reportedly coming in to several countries' Olympic organizations.
( Also on POLITICO: Full defense policy coverage)
Putin insists the games will be safe — he has described sending a force of 40,000 troops and police, which would surround Sochi with "a ring of steel." Russia's intelligence and security services have become infamous for their crackdowns on some of the country's restive Muslim population — though that might present its own separate worry to Washington and the rest.
Russia scholar Ariel Cohen of the conservative Heritage Foundation described a visit to Russia in 2004 that was supposed to include a meeting with Putin. Instead, it took a tragic turn as he and his other participants were "glued to the television" watching the deadly hostage standoff at a school in Beslan.
"I was horrified at how badly it was handled," Cohen remembered. "There was not even a perimeter set and the hostage rescue was all botched up."
Two years before that, Russian forces tried to end a hostage crisis at a theater in Moscow by pumping it full of gas, ultimately killing more than 100 people. Security commanders did not set up first aid stations or notify ambulances about their strategy, Cohen said — and he said there's little evidence Russia's counterterrorism capabilities have improved since then.
( From POLITICO Magazine: The Putin Olympics)
The problem is that with less than a month before the Olympics, it might not make a difference even if Putin accepted full-scale American assistance.
"They have a long way to go — even if they started working with us months ago, we would not be able to able turn this around."
For now, American officials are playing their cards close to the vest. Kirby said that two American warships could be available to sail to the Black Sea to be close to the Olympics, for example, but the Pentagon will not confirm what types of ships it might send or what they might be ready to do.
( Also on POLITICO: Sen. Angus King would skip Olympics)
"For security reasons we do not discuss future ship movements," said Navy Capt. Greg Hicks, a spokesman for U.S. European Command. "The U.S. Navy does, on a normal and routine basis, operate ships in the Black Sea consistent with the Montreux Convention and International Law. As part of USEUCOM's routine readiness posture, a variety of U.S. military assets are in a ready-to-deploy status to support or respond to a range of contingencies or emergent crises in and around our area of responsibility."
ABC News has reported the U.S. could send an amphibious warship and a destroyer to the Black Sea in case of worry about Sochi. At least four U.S. Navy warships are operating in the Mediterranean Sea now, including two destroyers and two frigates — though the total force there is likely larger.
Sochi is on the Black Sea coast. In a crisis, helicopters or amphibious vehicles from the Navy ships could evacuate Americans or others — though U.S. officials emphasize that they would get involved in Russia only with a request from Moscow.
So far, no such request has been made public, although according to an official Pentagon story, Dempsey said that his Russian counterpart expressed an interest in the equipment the U.S. has developed to detect improvised explosive devices in Iraq and Afghanistan.
"The United States would share technical information on the counter-IED efforts," he added, "and if it is compatible with Russian equipment, will look to provide that information to Russia in time for the games."

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Luggage storage Gubbio
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Here's what customers are saying about us
Great service. Quick and easy to book with lots of options for storage around the city at a very reasonable price!
Extremely easy to use and incredibly useful for us. Stasher is a real find that I will use again and recommend to others
La plataforma es muy amigable y sencilla de utilizar, cuenta con una gran variedad de espacios para seleccionar el que esté más cerca. Toda la información necesaria de los lugares, se encuentra a la vista y muy sencilla de entender. Todo excelente
Really easy and convenient service - we had to check out of our booking.com apartment by 10am but our flight home from Marseille wasn't until the evening so it was a perfect and affordable solution to drop our main luggage cases off and be able to do more sightseeing.
We needed somewhere to store a small suitcase as we had a few hours to kill in Bristol before a friend was picking us up. This Stasher location was a quick 5 min walk from station and so easy to use. The staff I encountered on the drop-off and pick-up were friendly and courteous and the whole process only took a matter of minutes. After a lovely afternoon exploring Bristol, we came back to pick up our suitcase and, as our friend was running late, we purchased a drink in the hotel bar while we waited. Win win!
Very convenient service. Having to check out early from our Air B&B, our flight wasn't until late. This service allowed us to continue our holiday without the hassle of dragging and hogging our luggage around with us. Highly recommend.
Very useful. We arrived to Victoria Coach Station and I was very happy to found this place because it allows to us to gain some time instead of go to the Airbnb and come back to the center of London. I'll use this service next time absolutely
Easy to book, it's very convenient and reduces the hassle when you see which locations have space. Reasonably priced. Would use again and recommend!
This service was a life saver in Rome! The website was very user friendly and offered several locations to choose from so we could get as close to our location as possible.
Very easy to pre-book and pay and lots of choice of places to leave bags so could easily find a suitable location. Much cheaper than leaving luggage at the station.
I'm SO HAPPY Stasher exists! Please continue all over the world. It was easy to storage my luggage with the business I chose so I could go on a walking tour, and the location of the business was a bonus for my sightseeing.
Me sirvió mucho, la ubicación, cerca de la avenida Paulista. Ideal si tenes un día libre y tu hotel no te permite tener las maletas aguardadas. Práctico.
Stasher is an excellent idea! I've always struggled with trying to store larger items of luggage safely and securely while exploring or waiting between accommodation check-out and travel times. The app was easy and convenient to use.
Not used a service like this before so wasn't sure what to expect , We needn't have worried . What a great service , easy to find, friendly staff explained everything , stored our bags securely and We felt very comfortable leaving our belongings with them so we could have a great day out without being weighed down with luggage, def be using stasher again 😊
I had never used such a service before and so did not really know what to expect. However I was pleased that I found Stasher. The website was very easy to use and did just what it said on the tin! I will certainly use the site again and recommend to others.
Great concept! Stasher addresses one of the shortcomings of AirBnB-not knowing what to do with your luggage after an early arrival. Our experience enabled us to drop our bags within two blocks of our stay and start seeing the city.
Such a great service! It made our trip 1000x easier because of all the Stasher locations throughout the city. SO happy we found Stasher!
The app is very simple and efficient to use, as you put dates and baggage amount and can start to find places using a graphical map
No sabía qué hacer con mis maletas en Barcelona durante una visita entre viajes y busqué un lugar donde hacerlo. La web ess estupenda, fácil e intuitiva y te lleva a encontrar el lugar de tu preferencia y con la mejor ubicación para dejar tus maletas. En mi caso: Barcelona, La Rambla. Excelente experiencia. Gracias.
Due to the rail strike in London our plans were changed so we no longer needed to use Stasher. I contacted them immediately and the money paid was refunded . It was a very efficient and positive experience.
Very easy to use. I was slightly nervous of not getting the location in advance of booking but it was very close to Kings X station.
I was shocked by how easy and convenient stasher was. It was simple to book, and all went smoothly from start to finish. Would definitely use again.
Really convenient if you have checked out from your hotel but you still have the whole day to go around the city
Super easy to use and such a convenience. Never knew it existed before and will definitely use again.
It was easy and straightforward to book a place to store our luggage. We are glad we decided to use this service.
It was really easy to book using the mobile web site. The instructions what to do were clear and straightforward. Plus the price was reasonable.
No fuss, no bother, did the job, and friendly and helpful too. All I had to do was take a photo of the bag and show my online booking. Ray! Thanks.
La primera vez que usaba esta página y no estaba muy segura. Encantada con el servicio. La página fácil de usar, segura en el pago y clara en la dirección.
Muy buena aplicación, para cuando necesitas movilizarte por las ciudades sin cargar maletas.
Great service. Website easy to use. This is my second time using this service in different countries and both times the experience was super. Would definitely recommend it
super easy! made a world of difference having somewhere safe to store our luggage as we explored London for the day, cannot recommend enough!
Quite literally the best system for making the most of your holiday. We arrived in Sydney for a short break and wanted to get the most out of our time here. Stashing our 4 large cases on the first day meant we were free to explore unhindered. Simple booking system and clear instructions for drop off / pick up. Highly recommended ✈❤🧳
Great service. Such a great idea for when you have things to do that won't allow your bags in. I work in the city and was attending a concert after work so I had my laptop bag with me. Well the venue didn't allow bags in so we used Stasher, problem solved. Will definitely use again.
App was very easy to use. I was looking for a place to store my luggage when I returned to NY when we were waiting to take off. It took me about 10 minutes and all done.
Get app. So useful and have already recommended to friends who now use it.
Great location in Bristol - near railway station and bus links to airport and across city. Staff pleasant and helpful. Quick and easy drop-off and collection process. Good value for money. Would definitely recommend.
Storing my suitcase at the Camberley couldn't have been easier. Minutes from the station, easy to find. My suitcase was safe and secure. Staff were extremely friendly and helpful in giving directions etc. Definately use them again 👍
Great app, really easy to find convenient storage at a sensible price.
This is my first time using this app. Very convenient and definitely cheaper than other options!
Brilliant system which was easy to use. I could pay quickly with Apple Pay and the email system meant I had my booking reference straight away.
Buchung war sehr einfach uns schnell
Absolutely loved not having to carry my bag around with me before I could check in to my stay!
I love Stasher! Easy to book, lots of choice of locations, cheaper than storage at the train station, and even easy to cancel if your plans change.
Todo funciona fluido, me gustó bastante el proceso y el precio está bien, de seguro se lo recomendaré a mis amigos.
Very quick and easy, for someone who isn't always best with instructions I had no issues! Highly recommend :)
Sehr gute und unkomplizierte Möglichkeit der Gepäckaufbewahrung während unserer Tagestour in Paris. Die Koffer wurden in einem sauberen Kellerraum mit Videoüberwachung aufbewahrt. Der Zugang zu diesem Raum war unberechtigen Personen nicht möglich. Das Personal des Geschäftes war sehr freundlich. Gerne wieder!
Easy to use booked online you get a confirmation email with full address of location drop bag off away you go,pick bag up great service
Había muchos sitios para escoger donde guardar el equipaje. La reserva y pago muy sencillo.
The Stasher app is so easy to use. You just enter your location, choose the place most convenient for you and book your time slot, then pay…job done!
Easy to use, can't believe I have just found Stasher! All those times I have been carrying my bags around!
Easy to use and easy to cancel and get a refund if your plans change.
Easy to use. Just put in where I wanted and it showed me all the drop off points available and i could choose the most convenient for me.
It was overall an easy and smooth experience. Staff and location of storage are all pleasant. Highly recommended!
Procedura di prenotazione, semplice ed efficiente, siti tutti facilmente raggiungibili. Una ancora maggiore capillarità dei centri di raccolta sarebbe auspicabile.
Es muy fácil registrarte y reservar para dejar tus maletas en un punto cercano. Además cuenta con bastantes puntos en la ciudad donde lo he utilizado.
I was a bit nervous about it since it's sometimes hard to know what to trust on the internet, especially in a foreign country. I actually went over to the drop off beforehand without my bags to make sure everything looked legit. But it all worked out perfectly, and it seems like a great operation. I'll definitely start here next time I need to store bags when traveling.
Such a great concept which gave us sightseeing time before our late flight without the hassle of carrying our luggage.
Super simple to use, wish I'd known about this years ago, if you travel why would you not use this.
Great app! Easy to navigate and pay. Offered multiple sites in the area of town we wanted to explore. Definitely took the worry out of what to do with luggage while sightseeing.
Lifesaver when you're travelling with lots of luggage.
Very easy and flexible. Book, change, cancel. Easy. Safe secure storage and easy to find hotels.
Easy to use and helpful
Easy to use. Great price. Would definitely do this again
I love that you don't have to fill out a million forms to book storage space and insurance is automatically included!
Really good alternative to station luggage storage which is often really expensive and not open when you need it. The platform makes it easy to find more convenient options at a good price
Super easy and a wonderful option to allow me to use the most of my time in each city
Friendly, good service. Would recommend to everyone that's on holiday that needs to transfer hotels and due to check in & check out times its great for wait times, not having to carry luggage with you for hours
Fantastic service. Dragging your luggage around on the first day and last day of a London visit is a thing of the past.
Very easy and straight forward!
Luggage Storage Gubbio
Whether you've just checked out of your accommodation and waiting for your flight, on a long layover or you simply need a place to leave your bags for a few hours., Stasher luggage storage in Gubbio is here to help. No more searching where can I find luggage storage near me in Gubbio! Just pick up your phone, find a Stashpoint around you and enjoy your day!
Stasher's bag storage service in Gubbio connects you with a network of hand-picked locations that can look after your stuff in locations near the town center, train stations, transport hubs, and tourist attractions. With Stasher's convenient, affordable, and secure luggage storage, you can get to know Gubbio without worrying about your bags.
PricingFrom €5.99 per bag/dayNo height or weight restrictions Discover more
Luggage Storage Near You In Gubbio With Stasher
If you want to really experience what Gubbio has to offer, you've probably figured out that you can't truly enjoy yourself if heavy bags weigh you down. Unfortunately, most transportation hubs don't offer left luggage storage services or lockers. And when they do, they're expensive, have limited capacity, and charge exorbitant fees for oversized items.
Whether you've just arrived or have a few hours to spare after checking out, don't let your luggage hold you back. Explore the city freely, and leave your baggage worries with us! Book secure luggage storage with Stasher. It's convenient, affordable, and fully insured.
Why Choose Stasher Luggage Storage Options?
Stasher is the world's first and largest luggage storage network. We offer trust, security, affordability, and convenience, including:
- From £/$/€5 per day: Fixed price per bag, no size or weight restrictions. 50% the price of station lockers.
- 100% Money back guarantee: Free cancellation on all unused bookings and a full refund if you're not satisfied.
- £/$/€1000 insurance per bag: All bags stashed with us are insured against loss, theft & damage.
- 24/7 Support: You can always contact our award-winning customer support team should you have any questions.
- 3000+ Stashpoints: Find us in over 600 cities and more than 70 countries.
- Book in less than 2 minutes: Get instant online confirmation to show in-store.
Luggage storage in Gubbio starts from €5.99 per item per day and €5.99 for each additional day. We also offer discounts for long-term storage.
How To Store Luggage in Gubbio with Stasher
Booking secure luggage storage in Gubbio couldn't be easier:Download our app for Android or iPhone. Alternatively, use your browser to navigate to Stasher.com.
- Search - Enter your location to see all the nearby Stashpoints.
- Book - Choose a Stashpoint and enter your drop-off and pick-up times.
- Stash - Drop off your luggage at the Stashpoint and enjoy your day!
When you're ready, just drop off your luggage and enjoy your stay in Gubbio. Have questions or need help? Get in touch with us at [email protected] or call us at +44-20-3355-3544 (UK).
Frequently asked questions
Is Stasher's luggage storage in Gubbio safe?
Stasher's security team personally visits each Stashpoint to be certain that your luggage will be safe. We also attach a security tag to each of your items and insure each bag for up to £1,000 in the unlikely case that anything gets lost, damaged, or stolen.
How does Stasher work?
Stasher puts you in touch with a network of local hotels and businesses that offer affordable luggage storage in Gubbio. Book online, drop your bags off, and continue exploring the city!
Where can I store my luggage in Gubbio?
Stasher offers award-winning, safe, and convenient luggage storage near key Gubbio attractions and main transportation hubs. Over 21,000 verified customer reviews have earned us a ranking of 4.8/5 stars on Feefo, which awarded Stasher with its Platinum Trusted Service Award.
How much does it cost to store my luggage in Gubbio?
Luggage storage in Gubbio costs from €5.99.
Is there a size limit for luggage storage with Stasher?
No. Our flat fee per day includes oversized or overweight items. However, you may wish to contact your Stashpoint before booking to make sure the location has space to accommodate exceptionally large items like surfboards or upright basses.
We can accommodate all types of luggage, big or small. To ensure a smooth experience, contact us before booking if you wish to store any odd-sized items (such as bikes, skiing equipment, etc.). Our customer support team is available 24/7.
How long can I store my luggage in Gubbio for?
You can store your luggage for as long or as little as you'd like. Just select your desired drop-off and pick-up dates on the checkout page. If you wish to change your booking, you can easily do so without any extra fees!
Will my luggage be safe?
All of our luggage storage locations (we call them Stashpoints!) are vetted by a member of our team. The area reserved for bags is accessible only by the employees and business staff. In addition, each item is insured for up to €1,155.00, adding an extra layer of security.
What will happen in case I have a problem with my booking?
Our award-winning customer service is always on hand to help you out. Chat to us using the online chat tool, email us at [email protected], or give us a call! We pride ourselves in taking care of our customers. Our stellar track record has earned us customer service awards from Feefo and Visit England, while more than 5000 reviews give us an average rating of 4.7!
What safety precautions are in place for Covid-19?
To keep you and other customers safe, please be aware Stasher are advising all customers and hosts of the following guidelines:
- Maintain a distance of 2 meters from other customers and staff
- Transfer bags by placing them on the floor for the customer to pick up, rather than passing directly
- Follow the guidance of local government in regards to: travel, social distancing and Personal Protective Equipment.
- Provide and use hand sanitiser if possible.
- We recommend taking photographs of luggage tags and applying tags to the bags yourself
What if I need to change my drop-off and pick-up times?
We ask for approximate drop-off and pick-up times so that we can prepare for your arrival. However, you can always change your plans.
How long can I store my luggage in Gubbio?
You can store your baggage at one of our Gubbio luggage storage locations for a few hours, days, or even months. We offer discounts for extended storage. It's up to you.


text:
Almost done!
That's sad, I am ready for this to be over. But at least I have still been able to blog about restaurants and recipes - my true loves! I do need to get back to some photo challenges. I have kinda taken a break with those as well. Oops!
Today is day eight and that means I will be talking about three turn ons. Yay for short days. Yesterday I only had to write about four things, and now today only three.
Day eight : Three turn ons
- Hard worker - My man is such a hard worker. Yes, that definitely means at work, where he is needed for all kinds of jobs because he does them all so well and in a timely manner. But that also means at home and in all aspects of life. Whatever he puts his mind to, he does it wholeheartedly. Now I have admitted that I am not much of a cleaner. PJ, though he doesn't like to clean, is much better than I am. He doesn't get side tracked easily like me. He doesn't take breaks in between. He just gets the job done when it comes to cleaning. And at work, he is just a beast. He is usually sweating because he is working so hard. I love that he takes pride in his work. That is his passion - to be the best worker he can be .... always, in any circumstance. Who wants a bum for a husband? I never have to worry about him being unmotivated, or not taking care of our (future) family. He will always do what he has to to provide for his family. And employees like PJ are the type that move up in the world. Bosses love him and recognize his abililties, and I am sure that when the time comes for promotions and opportunities, his name will be at the top of the list. Hey, he has already moved up in so many ways already over the years.
- Confidence - I kind of touched base with this in my 'turn-offs' post. An insecure man is not attractive. One who is constantly worrying about being cheated on or you leaving him. One who just takes crap from his woman, not knowing his worth or how he deserves to be treated. A man can be not very physically attractive, but if he has that confidence and swag, then it makes him sexy. Not to be confused with cockiness though.
- Loyalty - I guess I have just been blessed with a good man. He always makes time for me. He doesn't go out and stay out late with his friends at if-y places. He likes to spend his downtime with me, just hanging out at home. He doesn't check out other pretty girls (in front of me at least!). He tells me all the time that I am exactly what he wants in this world, so he would never have a reason to cheat on me. He is loyal to me. He is loyal to his friends. He is loyal to his job. That is a great quality to find in a man.


text:
Thursday, December 03, 2009
Top Ten Things
From my perspective, I don't view these types of decisions that Roy brings up as technology decisions. I am sure there are some who say no to technology, but those administrators often say no to everything. Technology is just another tool to use and an administrator weighs whether he can use the tool or not. It's not an either or situation.
Using Tools to Make Connections
Library administration should keep up with current trends so that when staff members come up with ideas, they understand where those ideas are coming from. It will lead to a faster implementation, another way to accomplish the idea, or if the idea will work.
I enjoyed the re-post from the M Word, Marketing Libraries blog for five skills that drive innovation:
Associating: The ability to connect seemingly unrelated questions, problems or ideas from different fields.
Questioning: Innovators constantly ask questions that challenge the common wisdom. They ask "why?", "why not?" and "what if?"
Observing: Discovery-driven executives scrutinize common phenomena, particularly the behavior of potential customers.
Experimenting: Innovative entrepreneurs actively try out new ideas by creating prototypes and launching pilots.
Networking: innovators go out of their way to meet people with different ideas and perspectives.
I always remember when I went in for a demo on a product. It was for Vocera. He was demonstrating the product and talking about the things it can do. I remember constantly scribbling in my notebook while he was speaking, even when he was not speaking. My staff asked me if we were supposed to take notes and what was I writing. Even the demonstrator asked. I told them that while he was speaking I was making connections to all the potential for this device. All the things we needed for our library beyond what he was talking about. I think most librarians should be doing this during a product demonstration, but then ferret out what would actually be needed from the product, or if the product is needed at all.
I am not sure Roy's list is very helpful, but for a few points. Technology is getting cheaper and easier, true. It's relative though. If you have a tight budget and staff uncomfortable with using the tool, or even if the tool will be useful, those weigh into the decision. There is also the danger of having no direction for new services, technology or otherwise. Is this right for the community? I also enjoyed the feature creep discussion here and here. Having new services and technology without rhyme or reason is dangerous for budgets and for staff.
Don't Drown Your Horse
I see the entire list as a re-hash of concepts that have been used before and can be applied to a general view. Don't be afraid of failure, don't try to be perfect, are commonly used. However, some of the examples such as "technology gets easier over time" is fine, but the example of installing Unix seems a bit off. That isn't a good example if this article is directed at administrators.
Another piece would be staff buy-in. We can say "don't be afraid of failure", but when it fails, staff can get pretty frustrated, even angry. Furthermore, without buy-in it just looks like you are shoving things down their throats. Drowning the horse in trying to make him drink.
I don't think administrators are saying no to projects because they involve technology. They say no to projects that they don't understand or aren't sure they have the resources for, staff or otherwise. Those trying to implement or attempting to convince others to implement must have a clear vision of what is to be accomplished and tell a compelling story.
Additional Thoughts
"...focus on risk mitigation, not risk elimination," Teri Takai, California State Chief Information Officer.
"In dealing with new ventures, particularly in dealing with technology, you should find ways to mitigate risk, but not eliminate it. New ideas and decisions involve risks, there is no way around it. Knowing what to do when things go wrong is more important than making something foolproof."
Know the organization well enough to understand the impact of the decision.
From Giuliani's Leadership:
"Knowing the small details of a large system leaves a leader open to charges of micromanaging. But understanding how something works is not only a leader's responsibility; it also makes him or her better able to let people do their jobs. If they don't have to explain the basics of what they need and why they need it every time they request more funds or different resources, then they are freer to pursue strategies beyond simply spending what they're given."
"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic". -Arthur C. Clarke
Don't abuse tech staff just because they know about technology. There is too much mythology behind those that can get things done. They work hard and love what they do, but they aren't magicians.
We need to move these conversations into conversations about change and not conversations about technology. Everything libraries do is about technology and what kind of service to roll-out is all tied together. It may put them on the cutting edge or the bleeding edge, it may put them on par with everyone else, or they can say it isn't right for them. The choice is made locally for that community. It shouldn't be implemented simply because someone else is doing it; it must be proven locally. Understanding the service to add or to change, knowing its impact on the library and staff, and understanding the return on investment are key pieces. A library needs to decide whether it is worth it to them.
3 comments:
- Jason Eiseman said...
Thanks for the link. Nice post, there are definitely a lot of things to consider in technology implementation. It's not easy.
- Frontline Librarian said...
I like the way you refocused the question away from technology to attitudes about change. That really is the crux. I think the "10 Things" list is targeting an old school administrator who still hasn't quite gotten it. A neighboring library system recently sent out a list serve request asking other libraries for input as they created a taskforce (yes, a taskforce) to explore whether they should have a facebook or twitter page. Instead of waiting until it appears the technology boat is about to leave us behind and then acting, library administrators need to be listening and learning about what the future holds for not only libraries, but also business, technology, nonprofit fundraising, etc. Not so that we can jump on each and every bandwagon that comes along, but so that we can be writing mental notes to ourselves about how these things may connect with the mission of our library.
Helpful stuff to think through - thanks!
- jdscott50 said...
Thank you for the comments. There are plenty of people looking at new things with old approaches. The facebook example is pretty funny. (unfortunately, sometimes it is local government that can block something so small.)
There has to be a balance and most importantly trust. We do have to be more nimble when it comes to technology projects as technology is ever changing, and quickly.


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Judith Malina Joins Jewish Show Business Stars in Next Stage of Life
Anarchist-pacifist Judith Malina, who co-founded the iconic Living Theatre, doesn't want to be in an assisted living facility at all. Still, she concedes that the picturesque Lillian Booth Actors' Home, in Englewood, N.J., with its manicured lawns and gardens, is pretty nice. At least she's among fellow artists.
Operated by The Actors' Fund, the 111-year-old residence is designed for theater folk — or members of their immediate family — who have worked in front of and behind the footlights and now need assistance with daily living and, in some instances, require nursing home care. At the moment, 124 residents live on the premises, with 82 in the nursing home facility.
The home evokes theater at every turn — from its walls lined with vintage theatrical posters and archival photographs, to its library filled with theater books, to the performers who come in to entertain the residents. Within the past few months these have included K.T. Sullivan, Larry Woodard and cast members of "Mamma Mia!" as well as the cast of "Old Jews Telling Jokes."
Despite some good times, restrictions abound in institutionalized living. "They don't let me light my Shabbos candles," complained Malina, 86. "I've told them I'll just light them for a couple of moments while someone stands in the corner with a fire extinguisher. But they said, 'No, no, no.' Instead, they gave me two electrical candles."
It goes without saying that Malina is not allowed to light up her joints, with which she is keenly identified and hitherto smoked openly. The risk of fire is that much greater because oxygen is pumped into the room — Malina suffers from emphysema.
Sporting black eyeliner and long black hair, the director-actress never anticipated this chapter in her life. Indeed, until February 21 she lived in an apartment on Clinton Street, on Manhattan's Lower East Side, one story above the theater that she and her first husband, Julian Beck, founded in 1946. The building was the last in a series of spaces that housed the theater.
Best known for its communally created productions, awash in anarchistic themes, revolutionary cries and audience participation, the troupe has performed in venues across the globe. But running the place cost $20,000 a month, and despite contributions from Al Pacino and Yoko Ono, and the $800,000 generated from the sale of Beck's art collection, the theater simply could not make it.
"You cannot cover your expenses with box office," Malina said. "Every other theater gets some kind of funding, but we didn't get a nickel from anybody —not the corporations, not the government. They don't want to fund an anarchist group that wants to abolish money. In the '60s and '70s we got funding from the NEA [National Endowment for the Arts], but now they won't do it; however, we will continue to produce plays in different venues."
Indeed, the day I visit Malina, she is getting ready to travel into New York City to perform in "Here We Are," the company's latest play, which is enjoying an extended run at the Clemente Solo Vélez Cultural and Educational Center, on the Lower East Side.
Malina is now planning to write two new plays, one for the Living Theater and another to be produced at the Lillian Booth. The latter will voice personal advocacy — as opposed to politics — and focus on the indignities of old age and on the lack of respect that many elderly experience despite their enhanced wisdom. "The problem is worse today than it ever was, because prejudices are growing," she said. "Generally, people are more prejudiced today than they once were." Malina hopes to stage the work at the home with a cast of residents, or what she only half-kiddingly refers to as "inmates."
During the interview, she rummages through piles of papers and miscellany to share with me: books about the Living Theatre; old reviews, clips and photos. One picture has special meaning; it features herself, Beck and her second husband, actor Hanon Reznikov, who was also a member of the Living Theatre and was 23 years her junior.
"Hanon said he'd always take care of me," she said wistfully. To her, his sudden death in 2008 is still shocking. Gazing at the picture, she said, "The three of us worked together and slept together."
Malina defines herself as a "heretical Jew," choosing her observances and reshaping others. She fasts on Yom Kippur and eats matzo on Passover, though the theatrical Seders the Living Theatre conducted each year utilized a Haggadah that Malina had revised to reflect a "nonracist, nonsexist" worldview.
Around her neck she sports a peace sign and a ring with the Jewish prayer in Hebrew, "Blessed art Thou, O Lord our God, the Lord is one."
Lillian Booth's residents, 35% of whom are Jewish, reflect an array of backgrounds and experiences. Rita Sussman was suffering from asthma and confined to a wheelchair when I visited her (shockingly, she passed away the day after our conversation). She is the mother of pianist Bette Sussman, who performed with Whitney Houston and Bette Midler.
Frail, 97-year-old Jennie Schulman served as a dance critic for half a century, mostly for Back Stage. Harold Cherry, 82, is a veteran regional actor, and the Juilliard-trained Joan Stein, 88, was a member of the chamber ensemble the Walden Trio and an accompanist on NBC's "Your Show of Shows," starring Sid Caesar and Imogene Coca.
Indeed, the day I'm at the home, Stein is performing at a memorial for a beloved resident: actress Charlotte Fairchild, who appeared in the original productions of "Mama" and "Damn Yankees." Audio and video clips are shown, reminiscences offered, and Stein plays, totally from memory, a touching rendition of "Clair de Lune." It is a stunning performance.
"I try to practice as often as possible," she said to me following the service. Like most of the others, Stein says she does not look back at her life with a host of what-ifs. She says she would not do anything differently, even if that were possible.
By contrast, Cherry wishes he had had more formal education. Still, he does not disparage his unsteady career as an actor, despite the stream of supplementary jobs he needed throughout his life. After all, he had the opportunity to perform in productions of "King Lear" and "Henry V," starring, respectively, Morris Carnovsky and Philip Bosco, at the American Shakespeare Festival Theatre, in Stratford, Conn.
To this day, his family is made up of his actor-friends, and they are his most constant visitors. "I never married," he said. "I liked a lot of girls but didn't connect with any of them the way I wanted. Without a family, my actor friends became my family." Raised in an orphanage, he sees a "thread" between his beginnings and his current chapter.
While some of the residents hail from synagogue-going and kosher homes, others do not. Nonetheless, a connection to their Jewish roots is a constant.
Cherry credits the Jewish orphanage he was raised in for his sense of himself as a Jew — culturally, if not religiously — and for introducing him to theater through its annual Hanukkah pageants.
Without being religious, though she grew up in a conservative Jewish home, Schulman says that being Jewish has informed her life and career — not least her boycotting of German dance companies in the years following World War II, though in more recent decades she felt she could no longer hold contemporary Germans responsible for what their parents or grandparents may have done. Looking back, she believes she was ultimately able to review their productions fairly.
Likewise, she approached Israeli dancers with neutrality. Indeed, Schulman says the dancers she observed in Israel were not up to snuff. Asked if she was harsher on them precisely because she was a Jew, Schulman considers the possibility, but is not sure.
Stein suggests that much of her artistry and worldview emerged from her being a Jew. When she was growing up, her synagogue's cantor said it was important that she know her history. But after Friday night services, "he'd come to the house and sing lieder while my mother played the piano. He called me 'artiste.'"
Similarly, when she was slated to perform in a secular concert on Rosh Hashanah and worried if she should, an Orthodox woman looked at her and smiled. "She said 'I think God would be pleased to hear you play.' I believe when I play the piano, it's my way of praying," Stein said.
Stein's aesthetics and cultural identity are also rooted in internationalism. Her Russian-born father played the baritone horn in the czar's band in Imperial Russia and had a non-Jewish patron when that was virtually unknown. Still, when the czar's final edict came down, dictating that all Jewish musicians in the band convert to Christianity or leave, Stein's father left.
"In the arts, people are international citizens," Stein said. "Think about Daniel Barenboim, with his youth orchestra of Israelis and Palestinians. They are not in agreement politically, but they are able to get together through their music."
Stein believes that her Russian, Hungarian and Jewish ancestry all inform her music. But then, so does her life in America in general, and in particular New York City, where most of her music teachers and many of her colleagues were Jews. She also cited the feminist influence of her mother, a professional pianist who made more money than Stein's father when that arrangement was socially frowned upon.
"I had had a sheltered life in McKeesport, Pa., where I grew up, but I was able to come to New York by myself when I was 17-years-old, thanks to the support of my family, community and culture," Stein recalled.
Malina also came of age in a cosmopolitan family. Her father was a conservative rabbi for German Jewish congregations in New York, while her mother was an aspiring actress. Accepting the idea that she could not be a rebbetzin and a performer, she — and her husband — encouraged Judith to pursue a career in theater.
Malina sees the Living Theatre's central vision as Jewish. She pointed to her necklace: "'The Lord is one.' It's the fundamental concept of Judaism, which is the unification of everything and everyone."
"My pacifism, my politics, my art, are all based on 'The Lord is one.' Holiness is our unification, and every play we do is about unification, reaching toward what I call the beautiful anarchist, nonviolent revolution. And for me that means unification."
Religious services for Jews and Christians are available in the home, though according to all accounts they are "ritual-lite," often taking place at times that are convenient for the home but not traditional for the holiday. Passover was celebrated in the middle of the afternoon during Passover week, not on the first night of Passover.
Sussman said the home's Passover service made her nostalgic for the full-fledged Seders she and her husband used to host in their home. The Four Questions made Cherry reminisce about childhood Seders, But personal evolution has occurred, and, perhaps not surprisingly, the final line of the service, "Next Year in Jerusalem," has a different impact than it once did, at least for some of the residents.
"There's so much conflict all over the world, and I feel we just need to be more constructive rather than destructive," Cherry remarked. "That line makes me a little uncomfortable."
"I don't get into the political," Stein said. "I have friends with differing views on this subject, including friends in Israel. The Seder has new meaning for me, mostly because non-Jews are sharing in the experience. And that's a good thing, because it brings people together."
Malina also celebrates the home's inclusive Seder. "I want everyone, but especially the goyim who are present, to be aware that it's a feast of liberation and redemption from slavery, not in the past but in the future," she asserted. "When I say 'we' are slaves, I mean everyone. When we say, 'Next year we'll be in Jerusalem,' it means we will all be where we want to be. The concept of Zion is not a place in the Middle East, it's a place of holiness that should be everywhere and could be anywhere, and this is becoming more pressing and more important everyday."
It's late afternoon and the sun casts shadows across the floor in the lounge where the memorial had taken place earlier. A few stragglers remain sitting and chatting with plates of fruit on their laps. The mood has lightened. Life goes on.
Perhaps Malina speaks for all the residents when she says, "I'm proud to have survived, but it's also lonely to have survived."
Simi Horwitz writes frequently about theater for the Forward.


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Wind power as an alternative to coal
Wind power is the conversion of wind energy into a useful form of energy, such as using wind turbines to make electricity, wind mills for mechanical power, wind pumps for pumping water or drainage, or sails to propel ships. At the end of 2009, worldwide nameplate capacity of wind-powered generators was 159.2 gigawatts (GW) and energy production was 340 terawatt hour (TWh), or about 2% of worldwide electricity usage.[1]
Between 2000 and 2010, world wind electric generating capacity increased from 17,000 megawatts to nearly 200,000 megawatts, with global wind capacity at 194.4 GW in 2010.[2]
Worldwide Usage
The worldwide use of wind energy is growing rapidly, with several countries having achieved relatively high levels of wind power penetration by 2008, such as 19% of stationary electricity production in Denmark[3], 13% in Portugal and Spain[4], and 7% in Germany and the Republic of Ireland.[5]
In 2008, wind machines in the United States generated a total of 52 billion kilowatthours, about 1.3% of total U.S. electricity generation. The world's largest wind farm, the Horse Hollow Wind Energy Center in Texas, has 421 wind turbines that generate enough electricity to power 220,000 homes per year.[6]
As of May 2009, eighty countries around the world are using wind power on a commercial basis.[7]
In 2010, Denmark ranked highest in terms of share of electricity supplied by wind, with 21 percent. Germany was second with 8 percent, although three north German states get 40 percent or more of their electricity from wind. In Iowa, enough wind turbines came online in the last few years to produce up to 20 percent of that state's electricity. In terms of volume, the United States leads with 35,000 megawatts of wind generating capacity, followed by China and Germany with 26,000 megawatts each. The state of Texas is the leading generator of electricity from wind, with 9,700 megawatts of wind generating capacity online, an additional 370 megawatts under construction, and more under development. If all of the wind farms projected for 2025 are completed, Texas will have 38,000 megawatts of wind generating capacity — the equivalent of 38 coal-fired power plants, satisfying roughly 90 percent of the current residential electricity needs of the state's 25 million people.[8]
Wind Energy
The Earth is unevenly heated by the sun, such that the poles receive less energy from the sun than the equator; along with this, dry land heats up (and cools down) more quickly than the seas do. The differential heating drives a global atmospheric convection system reaching from the Earth's surface to the stratosphere, which acts as a virtual ceiling. Most of the energy stored in these wind movements can be found at high altitudes where continuous wind speeds of over 160 km/h (99 mph) occur. Eventually, the wind energy is converted through friction into diffuse heat throughout the Earth's surface and the atmosphere.[6]
Wind Power and Electricity
Wind Turbines
Wind turbines use blades to collect the wind's kinetic energy. The wind flows over the blades creating lift, like the effect on airplane wings, which causes them to turn. The blades are connected to a drive shaft that turns an electric generator to produce electricity. In a wind farm, individual turbines are interconnected with a medium voltage (often 34.5 kV), power collection system and communications network. At a substation, this medium-voltage electrical current is increased in voltage with a transformer for connection to the high voltage electric power transmission system.[6]
Wind Power and Grids
Small wind turbines can be used to power a single home or business, and may have a capacity of less than 100 kilowatts. Larger, commercial-sized turbines may have a capacity of 5 million watts, or 5 megawatts, and are often grouped together into wind farms that provide power to the electrical grid.[6] The surplus power produced by domestic microgenerators can, in some jurisdictions, be fed into the network and sold to the utility company, producing a retail credit for the microgenerators' owners to offset their energy costs.[9]
Wind power is non-dispatchable, meaning that for economic operation, all of the available output must be taken when it is available. Therefore other resources, such as hydropower and standard load management techniques, must be used to match supply with demand. The intermittency of wind seldom creates problems when using wind power to supply a low proportion of total demand.[10]
Studies suggest the total amount of economically extractable power available from the wind is considerably more than present human power use from all sources.[11] An estimated 72 terawatt (TW) of wind power on the Earth potentially can be commercially viable, compared to about 15 TW average global power consumption from all sources in 2005, although not all the energy of the wind flowing past a given point can be recovered (see Betz' law).[12]
Distribution of wind speed
The strength of wind varies, and an average value for a given location does not alone indicate the amount of energy a wind turbine could produce there. To assess the frequency of wind speeds at a particular location, a probability distribution function is often fit to the observed data. Different locations will have different wind speed distributions. Making wind power more consistent requires that various existing technologies and methods be extended, in particular the use of stronger inter-regional transmission lines to link widely distributed wind farms. Problems of variability are addressed by grid energy storage, batteries, pumped-storage hydroelectricity and energy demand management.[13]
Energy Capacity Factor
Since wind speed is not constant, a wind farm's annual energy production is a theoretical maxim, called the capacity factor. Unlike fueled generating plants, the capacity factor is determined by the inherent properties of wind. Typical capacity factors are 20–40%, with values at the upper end of the range in particularly favorable sites. For example, a 1 MW turbine with a capacity factor of 35% will not produce 8,760 MW·h in a year (1 × 24 × 365), but only 1 × 0.35 × 24 × 365 = 3,066 MW·h, averaging to 0.35 MW. Online data is available for some locations and the capacity factor can be calculated from the yearly output.[14]
According to a 2007 Stanford University study published in the Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology, interconnecting ten or more wind farms can allow an average of 33% of the total energy produced to be used as reliable, baseload electric power, as long as minimum criteria are met for wind speed and turbine height.[15]
In a 2008 study released by the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, the capacity factor achieved by the wind turbine fleet is shown to be increasing as the technology improves. The capacity factor achieved by new wind turbines in 2004 and 2005 reached 36%.[16]
Wind Power Density
Wind power density (WPD) is a calculation of the effective power of the wind at a particular location, indicating how much energy is available at the site for conversion by a wind turbine.[17] A map showing the distribution of wind power density is a first step in identifying possible locations for wind turbines. In the United States, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory classifies wind power density into ascending classes. The larger the WPD at a location, the higher it is rated by class. Wind power classes 3 (300–400 W/m2 at 50 m altitude) to 7 (800–2000 W/m2 at 50 m altitude) are generally considered suitable for wind power development. There are 625,000 km2 in the contiguous United States that have class 3 or higher wind resources and which are within 10 km of electric transmission lines. If this area is fully utilized for wind power, it would produce power at the average continuous equivalent rate of 734 GW. For comparison, in 2007 the US consumed electricity at an average rate of 474 GW,[18] from a total generating capacity of 1,088 GW.[19]
Wind Energy Penetration
Wind energy "penetration" refers to the fraction of energy produced by wind compared with the total available generation capacity. There is no generally accepted "maximum" level of wind penetration. The limit for a particular grid will depend on the existing generating plants, pricing mechanisms, capacity for storage or demand management, and other factors. At present, a few grid systems have penetration of wind energy above 5%: Denmark (values over 19%), Spain and Portugal (values over 11%), Germany and the Republic of Ireland (values over 6%). For instance, in the morning hours of November 8, 2009, wind energy produced covered more than half the electricity demand in Spain, setting a new record, and without problems for the network.[20] The Danish grid is heavily interconnected to the European electrical grid, and it has solved grid management problems by exporting almost half of its wind power to Norway. The correlation between electricity export and wind power production is very strong.[21].
Intermittency and penetration limits
Electricity generated from wind power can be highly variable at several different timescales: from hour to hour, daily, and seasonally. Annual variation also exists, but is not as significant. Related to variability is the short-term (hourly or daily) predictability of wind plant output. Like other electricity sources, wind energy must be "scheduled". Pumped-storage hydroelectricity or other forms of grid energy storage can store energy developed by high-wind periods and release it when needed.[22]
In particular geographic regions, peak wind speeds may not coincide with peak demand for electrical power. In the US states of California and Texas, for example, hot days in summer may have low wind speed and high electrical demand due to air conditioning. Some utilities subsidize the purchase of geothermal heat pumps by their customers, to reduce electricity demand during the summer months by making air conditioning up to 70% more efficient.[23]
In the UK, demand for electricity is higher in winter than in summer, and so are wind speeds.[24] Solar power tends to be complementary to wind.[25] On daily to weekly timescales, high pressure areas tend to bring clear skies and low surface winds, whereas low pressure areas tend to be windier and cloudier. On seasonal timescales, solar energy typically peaks in summer, whereas in many areas wind energy is lower in summer and higher in winter.[26] Thus the intermittencies of wind and solar power tend to cancel each other somewhat. A demonstration project at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy showed the effect. The Institute for Solar Energy Supply Technology of the University of Kassel pilot-tested a combined power plant linking solar, wind, biogas and hydrostorage to provide load-following power around the clock, entirely from renewable sources.[27] Three 2009 reports on the wind variability in the UK generally agree that variability of wind needs to be taken into account, but it does not make the grid unmanageable; and the additional costs, which are modest, can be quantified.[28]
U.S. Wind Energy Proposals
Pickens Plan
Texas oilman T. Boone Pickens is the sponsor of a proposed 4,000 megawatt (MW) wind farm in Texas.[29] The Pickens Plan is a proposal put forward by Pickens to undertake a major exansion of wind power in the United States, mainly along the high-wind zone that runs from north to south through the Great Plains states. Pickens asserts that wind could provide 20 percent of U.S. electricity within the next ten years, offsetting natural gas consumption and thereby allowing natural gas to be used as a transportation fuel. The ultimate goal is to reduce U.S. oil imports. [30]
Google "Clean Energy 2030" Proposal
Google's "Clean Energy 2030" outlines a plan for weaning the U.S. off of coal and oil for electricity generation by 2030 (with some remaining use of natural gas as well as nuclear), and cutting oil use for cars by 44%.
To do so, the report recommends onshore and offshore wind could grow from 2008 levels of about 20 gigawatts (GW)[31] to 380 GW, generating 29% of 2030 electricity demand.
To support the feasibility of this increase, the google report points to the US Department of Energy (DOE) study "20% Wind Energy by 2030" that concluded the U.S. could deploy 300 GW of wind by 2030, and an earlier National Renewable Energy Laboratory study "20% Wind Energy by 2030: Increasing Wind Energy's Contribution to U.S. Electricity Supply" that found up to about 600 GW of wind power by 2030 was feasible. These reports suggest google's target, 380 GW in 2030, is achievable.
The google report sees the biggest challenge as providing adequate transmission capacity to get the power to market. Extrapolating from the DOE study, about 20,000 miles of new transmission capacity would be required to support 300 GW of onshore wind and 80 GW of concentrating solar power generation. About 200,000 miles of high-voltage transmission now exist in the US.
To complement wind usage, google also recommends:
- increasing solar energy, both photovoltaic (PV) and concentrating solar power (CSP), from 2010 levels of about 1 GW to 250 GW, generating 12% of demand;
- increasing geothermal energy, both conventional and enhanced geothermal systems (EGS), from 2010 levels of 2.4 GW to 80 GW, generating 15% of demand.
The google report concludes that its proposed increases in wind, solar, and geothermal power, combined with modest projected expansion of other non-fossil energy sources such as nuclear (115 GW), hydro (78 GW), and biomass and municipal waste (23 GW), would meet about 90% of U.S. electricity demand by 2030.
U.S. Wind Energy Projects
First U.S. Offshore Wind Farm Approved
In April 2010, the first U.S. offshore wind farm was approved, spanning 5 miles/8 km off the Massachusetts coast. The 130-turbine, 420-megawatt Cape Wind project will be in Horseshoe Shoal, Nantucket Sound, and will produce enough electricity to power 400,000 houses, or an estimated 75% of the area's electricity needs. The site is tucked between the mainland of the cape and the islands of Martha's Vineyard, an exclusive celebrity vacation destination, and Nantucket.[32]
The turbines, more than 400 feet high, will dot an area of about 24 square miles (62 square km), larger than Manhattan, and be visible low on the horizon from parts of Cape Cod. German conglomerate Siemens AG will provide the turbines. Construction is expected to begin in 2010, and power generation could begin by 2012.[32]
The project got final approval for its operating plans on April 19, 2011, and could start construction as early as fall 2012.[33]
There are other offshore wind projects already proposed for the East Coast and Great Lakes.[32]
Shepherds Flat Wind Farm in Oregon
On April 18, 2011, Google announced it would invest $100 million in the 845-megawatt Shepherds Flat Wind Farm in Oregon. Shepherds Flat, being built near Arlington, Ore., will be the world's largest turbine farm when completed. Other investors in the Oregon wind farm are General Electric, the nation's biggest turbine maker, and Sumitomo Corporation. Shepherds Flat is being developed by Caithness Energy, which has secured a $1.3 billion federal loan guarantee, as well as state incentives. Google's investment arm, Google Ventures, has put in tens of millions in various renewable projects.[34]
Reports Comparing Wind and Coal
Carbon Dioxide Emissions of Wind vs. Carbon Capture
A detailed report from Stanford University, released in December 2008, reviewed and ranked major energy solutions to global warming and energy security. The study showed that coal with carbon capture emits 60 times as much CO2 as wind energy per kilowatt-hour of electricity generated as wind.[35][36]
Costs and Benefits of Wind vs. Mountaintop Removal Mining
A 2008 report by Downstream Strategies "The Long-Term Economic Effects of Wind Versus Mountaintop Removal Coal on Coal River Mountain" examined the costs and benefits of mountaintop removal mining versus development of wind farms at Coal River Mountain in West Virginia. The report found considerable benefits for Raleigh County residents with wind farms. Among the report's findings:
- When combining local externality costs with local earnings, the mountaintop removal mines actually cost the citizens of Raleigh County more than the income the mines provide, as the negative health effects from coal mining combined with the environmental impacts were costlier than mine earnings.
- Developing wind resources on Coal River Mountain would provide net positive local economic benefits to the region, particularly when combined with development of a local wind turbine manufacturing industry. Even without considering externalities, the local industry wind scenario would provide more cumulative jobs than the mountaintop removal scenario.
- Due to limited resources, the economic benefits from mountaintop removal mining would end after 17 years when the mining ends, but the costs would continue due to the health and environmental effects, while the benefits from the wind scenario would continue indefinitely.
- The wind scenario would generate significantly more local taxes for Raleigh County than the mountaintop removal scenario. Only about $36,000 per year in coal severance taxes would be paid to Raleigh County by mountaintop removal mining on Coal River Mountain as compared to about $1.74 million in local property taxes a wind farm would generate each year. And while the severance taxes end when mining ends, the property taxes from the wind farm will continue into the future.
- Despite the local economic benefits of pursuing the development of wind, a final decision rests with the landowners and the mining companies that are leasing the land. But there are governmental actions available that could shift the current emphasis on coal production to one that includes wind production, including a change in the regulatory or legal landscape in regard to surface coal mining, having the Governor use executive powers to rescind the Bee Tree Mine and Eagle Mine mining permits and prevent the further mining permits in the area from being approved, and having the state stimulate the creation of green jobs.
Bird death reports
- Altamont
- Backbone Mountain[37]
- 4,000 bats
- Wolf Island EcoPower
- 1,962 birds and bats in 8 months (i.e. 2,943 annually)
- Big Horn Wind Farm
- 30 raptors[39]
Estimates of bird deaths from other causes.
- ↑ "World Wind Energy Report 2009"(PDF), World Wind Energy Association, February 2010.
- ↑ "March 21 News: Wind power surged from 17,000 MW to 194,000 MW in past decade; Google takes on climate science deniers" Climate Progress, March 21, 2011.
- ↑ "Danish Annual Energy Statistics 2007" (PDF) Danish Energy Authority, October 2008.
- ↑ "La demanda de energía eléctrica desciende un 4,6% en el 2009" Red Eléctrica de Espana, December 22, 2009
- ↑ "How Countries Can Integrate Wind Power Smoothly Into Power Systems" Science Daily, Nov. 12, 2009.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 "Wind Basics" Energy Information Administration, accessed March 2010.
- ↑ Janet L. Sawin,"Wind Power Increase in 2008 Exceeds 10-year Average Growth Rate" Worldwatch Institute, May 7, 2009
- ↑ "March 21 News: Wind power surged from 17,000 MW to 194,000 MW in past decade; Google takes on climate science deniers" Climate Progress, March 21, 2011.
- ↑ ["Home-made energy to prop up grid"] The Times, June 22, 2008.
- ↑ Hannele Holttinen, et al. "Design and Operation of Power Systems with Large Amounts of Wind Power: IEA Wind Summary Paper" (PDF), Global Wind Power Conference September 18-21, 2006, Adelaide, Australia.
- ↑ Brian Hurley,"Where Does The Wind Come From – And How Much Is There?", Claverton Energy Research Group, November 2, 2009
- ↑ "Mapping the global wind power resource" University of Delaware College of Earth, Ocean, and Environment, accessed March 2010
- ↑ Dr Gregor Czisch,"Optimal Solution: 100% Renewable HVDC Supergrid to save our climate" Claverton Energy Research Group, 2008 Conference Paper
- ↑ "Wind Power: Capacity Factor, Intermittency, and what happens when the wind doesn't blow?" Renewable Energy Research Laboratory, University of Massachusetts at Amherst, retrieved March 2010.
- ↑ Archer, C. L.; Jacobson, M. Z.,"Supplying Baseload Power and Reducing Transmission Requirements by Interconnecting Wind Farms", Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology (American Meteorological Society) 46 (11): 1701–1717 (2007).
- ↑ "20% Wind Energy by 2030" U.S. Department of Energy Report, May 2008
- ↑ "Basic Principles of Wind Resource Evaluation" American Wind Energy Association, accessed March 2010.
- ↑ "Net Generation by Energy Source: Total (All Sectors)", Energy Information Administration (EIA), Dept. of Energy (DOE), accessed March 2010.
- ↑ "Useful Thermal Output by Energy Source by Combined Heat and Power Producers", Energy Information Administration (EIA), Dept. of Energy (DOE), accessed March 2010.
- ↑ "Wind power produced more than half the electricity in Spain during the early morning hours" Red Eléctrica de Espana, November 8, 2009.
- ↑ V.C. Mason, "Wind power in Denmark" Dr V.C. Mason and Country Guardian, December 2008
- ↑ "Pumped Storage Hydroelectricity" Power Partners Resource Guide, accessed March 2010.
- ↑ "Geothermal Heat Pumps" Capital Electric Cooperative, accessed March 2010.
- ↑ David Dixon, Nuclear Engineer "Wind Generation's Performance during the July 2006 California Heat Storm", US DOE, Oakland Operations, August 9, 2006.
- ↑ Shelby Wood,"Wind + sun join forces at Washington power plan" The Oregonian, January 21, 2008.
- ↑ "Lake Erie Wind Resource Report, Cleveland Water Crib Monitoring Site, Two-Year Report Executive Summary" (PDF), Green Energy Ohio, January 10, 2008.
- ↑ "The Combined Power Plant: the first stage in providing 100% power from renewable energy", SolarServer, January 2008.
- ↑ Jo Abbess,"Wind Energy Variability and Intermittency in the UK : New Reports" Claverton Energy Research Group, August 17, 2009.
- ↑ "T. Boone Pickens kicking off the world's largest wind farm," Earth2Tech 4/14/08
- ↑ Pickens Plan website, accessed July 2008
- ↑ "2nd Quarter 2008 Market Report" American Wind Energy Association, July 2008.
- ↑ 32.0 32.1 32.2 Katharine Seelye, "U.S. Approves Wind Farm Off Cape Cod" New York Times, April 28, 2010.
- ↑ Jess Zimmerman, "Cape Wind approved: The U.S. could have offshore wind this year" Grist, April 19, 2011.
- ↑ Todd Woody, "Google invests $100 million in giant Oregon wind farm" Grist, April 11, 2011.
- ↑ "Review of solutions to global warming, air pollution, and energy security" Mark Z. Jacobson, Energy and Environmental Science, December 1, 2008.
- ↑ "How to Fix Global Warming and Gain Energy Security," Rachel's Democracy & Health News #990, December 18, 2008.
- ↑ 37.0 37.1 John Ritter, Wind turbines taking toll on birds of prey USA Today, January 4, 2005
- ↑ William M. Welch, Bird deaths present problems at wind farms," USA Today, September 22, 2010
- ↑ "Study: Wind farms = Bird Killers, DailyTech June 22, 2010
Related GEM.wiki articles
- Michigan wind energy
- alternative fuels
- Alternatives to coal plants
- CLEAN Energy Act of 2007
- climate change / global warming
- Concentrating solar power land use
- Conservation and efficiency programs as an alternative to coal
- Energy Bulletin
- Geothermal power as an alternative to coal
- National Commission on Energy Policy
- National Energy Policy
- Nuclear power as an alternative to coal
- Nuclear PR
- oil depletion
- peak oil / peak oil: we have oil
- Peak Oil Caucus
- Photovoltaic power as an alternative to coal
- Renewable and Sustainable Energy APG
- Richard H. Truly
- Thermal solar power as an alternative to coal
- U.S. tax breaks for renewable energy
External links
Wikipedia also has an article on Wind power as an alternative to coal. This article may use content from the Wikipedia article under the terms of the GFDL.


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Flashrom/1.0: Difference between revisions
(Start 1.0 release notes)
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A tarball is available for download at
A tarball is available for download at
and more in the "Tags" section of CGit at
and more in the "Tags" section of CGit at
Revision as of 21:31, 2 January 2018
Long overdue, we finally have another release after 0.9.9. The biggest change is our transition to Git. Though, out of two features we put on the Roadmap, also one made it into the release: Flashrom now has layout support for all read, write and erase commands. Also, a new option to refrain from reading the whole chip before a write cycle.
New major user-visible features
- Support layouts for read and erase commands
- New command line switch --noverify-all (-N) allows flashing of individual regions without reading the whole flash chip (particular useful with locked down Intel ME firmware)
- New command line switch --ifd to read the layout from an Intel Firmware Descriptor on flash
- We got rid of the delay-loop calibration (if the OS provides an accurate timer through clock_gettime())
- Reading speed of USB programmers should have increased (reading bigger chunks at once, we reduce the overhead)
- Support Intel 100 series PCHs (Sunrise Point, coupled with Skylake and Kaby Lake) and C620 series PCHs (Lewisburg paired with Workstation/Server versions of the former)
New programmers
- Intel 100 series / C620 series PCHs
- Intel I210 NICs (EEPROM and SPI)
- AMD Merlin Falcon (FP4)
New chips
Infrastructural improvements and fixes
- Replace the calibrated delay-loop with a loop over clock_gettime() if applicable
- Switch to Git as VCS
flashrom 1.0 can be downloaded in various ways:
Anonymous checkout from the git repository at https://review.coreboot.org/flashrom.git (tag v1.0)
A tarball is available for download at
https://download.flashrom.org/releases/flashrom-1.0.tar.bz2 (GPG signature).
and more in the "Tags" section of CGit at
Supported hardware
Please see the archived status page for the hardware supported by this release.


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Google did little during its first-quarter earnings report to shush critics who say its Enterprise unit is a second-class citizen in its kingdom.
The company gave no substantial details regarding overall sales trends for the Enterprise business, nor for individual products such as the Google Apps cloud email and collaboration suite, the Compute Engine IaaS (Infrastructure-as-a-Service) tool and the App Engine PaaS (Platform-as-a-Service) offering.
Top IT and business executives pay close attention to how well the products of their existing and prospective vendors are doing, to make sure they don't invest in wares with uncertain futures.
"I think CIOs would like to see Google report [Enterprise unit] revenues in more detail so they have a better sense of Google's commitment to their market," said Forrester Research analyst Ted Schadler.
Google could accomplish this via an authorized disclosure from Enterprise unit president Amit Singh or via an official filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Schadler said via email.
Most of Google's revenue comes from online advertising, so its quarterly earnings filings and conference call understandably focus on that business, but the company could provide better clarity and more specific information about the financial performance of its enterprise products.
After all, millions of companies, government agencies, schools and commercial developers pay to use those products and have made a strategic bet that Google will stand behind them for the long run.
In the enterprise collaboration market in particular, where Google Apps faces Microsoft's increasingly strong Office 365 suite and wares from other large vendors and startups, "product alone" isn't enough to win the battle for customers, said Alan Lepofsky, a Constellation Research analyst.
"In a market where transparency is one of the primary tenets, customers want to know the vendor they are dealing with is financially stable. When a publicly traded vendor does not provide details of their enterprise software business, it does not tell a convincing story," Lepofsky said via email.
The question of how committed Google is to its Enterprise business is persistent and inevitably flares up when, as with Wednesday's earnings report, Google misses Wall Street estimates. Critics and competitors sometimes float the idea that if Google had to cut costs, it might target the Enterprise group.
So, how difficult is it to get a handle on Google's Enterprise business sales performance? For starters, it's included in a revenue category labeled Other with a mishmash of other non-advertising, consumer products.
In the first quarter, the Other category's revenue was $1.6 billion, up 48 percent year on year but down 6 percent sequentially. It represented only 10 percent of the company's total revenue.
What products drove the Other category's growth? Consumer sales of apps and digital content such as books, movies and songs in the Google Play store, along with sales of Chromecast, a consumer digital media player device.
A financial analyst asked during the call which products from the Other category had underperformed, but Google executives declined to say, stating that the company doesn't break out the category's revenue into segments and reiterating their satisfaction with Google Play sales.
At another point in the call, Nikesh Arora, Google's chief business officer, addressed the Enterprise unit and said that the company continued to see "strong product adoption around the globe" and that it's "investing significantly" in its cloud platform, for which it forecasts "continued momentum." As for Apps, "every day" more customers sign up for the suite, he said. He didn't cite any sales figures, revenue growth percentages or profit/loss numbers. There was also no mention at all of Chromebooks.
Later on, another analyst asked what Google's plan was to differentiate its enterprise cloud offerings, and Arora said the company is in no hurry to do so because the market is in its "very early days" and the opportunity is plentiful for what he termed a few viable vendors.
"There's a lot of room for all of us to have a great time for many, many, many years before we start worrying about differentiation and why my sort of thing is better than yours," Arora said.
"I don't think the challenge right now is the need to differentiate. I think our biggest differentiator is we have the most experience in the space," he added.
Reached via email, a Google spokesman declined to provide more information about the Enterprise unit's performance during the quarter.


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After four decades of marriage, my husband and I could probably sum up the secret of a long and satisfying marriage in three words: God's amazing grace. Regardless of how long you've been married, I've listed some additional secrets below that might be helpful. No, these secrets are not necessarily our secrets, though we've tried to incorporate them into our marriage relationship. Like you, we're still learning.
But as marriage enrichment leaders through the years we've had the privilege of working with many couples. And in his ministry position, my husband has had the opportunity to counsel and help numerous couples.
What makes a marriage flourish? This list is not exhaustive, but here are seven secrets of a long and satisfying marriage that we've observed through the years: (If you've been married over 20 years, I'd love to hear your thoughts on what makes a marriage last. You can do so at the end of this blog).
1. Build your marriage on the right spiritual foundation, with Christ as the center.
This includes a respect for each other and submission to God. Couples with mutual faith and spiritual goals who pray together do tend to stay together (Ephesians 5:21, NASB). But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you (Matthew 6:33, NKJV).
2. Seek to understand and appreciate the God-given differences and uniqueness of your spouse.
Couples can spend a lifetime of fruitless, unhappy years trying to change each other to mirror their own personalities instead of celebrating and being grateful for their differences. Men and women are different. In addition, your spouse's strengths (that you might call irritations) may be the very tool God wants to use to compliment your weakness in that area. You made all the delicate inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother's womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex (Psalms 139:12-14, NLT). Love does cover a multitude of flaws! (1 Peter 4:8, NASB).
3. Draw the right conclusions about the things that happen to you and your marriage.
Recognize the lies, "It will always be this way;" "Things will never change;" or "I married the wrong person," and make a mutual commitment to work on difficult issues that may arise. Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life (Psalms 139:23-24, NLT). Romans 8:28 is another great principle to help you keep the right perspective.
4. Continually practice communication that includes talking–and listening–with a genuine effort to understand.
Practicing "fast-food" communication helps. Think about talking with your spouse like the cashiers do on the microphone when you're in line at a fast-food restaurant. They repeat your order back to you until they (hopefully) get it right. James 1:19 is a great rule of thumb. Taking the time to truly understand your mate by "drawing out" their thoughts takes it a step further: Counsel in the heart of man [woman] is like deep water, But a man [woman] of understanding will draw it out (Proverbs 20:5, NKJV).
5. Become a life-long a student of your spouse, including learning and "speaking" their love language.
In Gary Chapman's book, The Five Love Languages, he shares five ways that all of us best "receive" love: words of affirmation, acts of service, physical touch, quality time, and gifts. It's a fascinating, but rewarding task to discover what your spouse's love language really is. Chapman's book is now available in paperback, and if you are interested, you can find it here. I have a few other helpful marriage books listed on my resource page, but there are tons more available. Keep in mind that relationships are hurt, not helped, if you base this "love language" on an "I-will-if-you-will" or an "I won't if you don't," basis. Love chooses to give, even when the giving may seem one-sided at times.
6. Be willing to get help should your marriage "hit the wall."
Most couples will occasionally "hit the wall." That happened to us fifteen years into our marriage. This often happens to a runner about halfway through his race. That's the point where his body is feeling the pressure of the race, and he must make a decision: to quit or to get a second wind and keep on going to finish. Same thing in a marriage. At that point, don't hesitate to get help from a trusted counselor. We all come into marriage with baggage. Sometimes we need help "unpacking" it. Determine that the benefits are worth the work. Marriage is built on commitment, through the good times–and the bad. It's not based on feelings or emotions. Love is patient…love never fails (1 Corinthians 13:4-8, NIV). And forgiveness—and grace—are essentials to a growing relationship.
7. Have fun together.
Divert daily; withdraw weekly; abandon annually–these were the challenges we heard from a pastor friend early on in our marriage. Take time to get away and nurture the relationship God gave you. No money? Cheap dates with your spouse are plentiful. Be creative, and make it a priority to have fun. Laughter is not only a great healer. It's also great way to nourish a growing marriage. A merry heart does good, like medicine (Proverbs 17:22, NKJV).
Would You Share Your Secrets for a Long and Satisfying Marriage?
These seven secrets are not exhaustive. God's Word offers many practical principles and blueprints for this most sacred relationship. How about sharing the secrets of your marriage? I know others would benefit by your comments. If you've been married at least 20 years, what are some secrets you can share with us? What are the things that have helped make your marriage strong?
For more from Rebecca, please visit www.rebeccabarlowjordan.com
Sign up for Rebecca's encouraging blog/newsletter, or purchase her newest devotional books from Zondervan- Day-votions™ for Women, Day-votions™ for Mothers, and Day-votions™ for Grandmothers.
Image Credit: Thinkstock.com, Unsplash.com
Originally published Friday, 10 February 2017.


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Troxler encourages farmers to have corn tested for aflatoxin
Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler is encouraging farmers to have their corn tested for aflatoxin to prevent contamination of feeds and food.
Aflatoxin is a byproduct of the mold Aspergillus flavus, and can be harmful to both humans and livestock.
"Because of our climate in North Carolina, there's always the potential for aflatoxin to appear," Troxler said. "Farmers should take advantage of our testing service to protect feed and food against this mold."
Some farmers may need to have corn samples tested for crop insurance or quality assurance purposes. These samples must be submitted to a grain marketing location certified by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The tests cost $22.20 per sample.
For insurance or quality assurance purposes, farmers must submit a 5-pound sample of shelled corn by mail, UPS or FedEx to a USDA-certified grain marketing location. The following locations can conduct USDA-certified testing, and they will accept samples between 6:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. weekdays:
Cargill Soybean Plant
Attn: Ben Honeycutt
1400 S. Blount St.
Raleigh, NC 27603
Grain Grading Office
Attn: Judy Grimes
407-G South Griffin St.
Elizabeth City, NC 27909
Farmers who grow or buy bulk corn to feed to their own animals can have it tested for free by the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services' Constable Laboratory, 4000 Reedy Creek Road in Raleigh.
This laboratory is not on the Risk Management
Agency's approved testing facility list; therefore, results from this location will not be accepted for insurance claims.
Farmers may drop off 5-pound samples of shelled corn at the lab or at one of six agricultural research stations. Forms for submitting samples will be available at the following collection sites:
- Border Belt Tobacco Research Station, 86 Border Belt Drive, Whiteville, 910-648-4703;
- Peanut Belt Tobacco Research Station, 112 Research Station Lane, Lewiston-Woodville, 252-348-2213;
- Tidewater Research Station, 207 Research Station Road, Plymouth, 252-793-4118;
- Lower Coastal Plain Tobacco/Cunningham Research Station, 200 Cunningham Road, Kinston, 252-527-3579;
- Piedmont Research Station, 8350 Sherrills Ford Road, Salisbury, 704-278-2624;
- Mountain Horticultural Crops Research Station, 74 Research Drive, Fletcher, 828-684-7197.
Samples also may be mailed directly to the lab at the following address:
N.C. Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services
Food and Drug Protection Division
1070 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-1070
For more about the aflatoxin testing program, contact Jennifer Godwin or Michelle Gilliam at 919-733-7366.


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Hashiriya Drifter (走り屋 – Street Racing) – from 80-90′ Japan car culture.
Hashiriya Drifter is the ultimate drift racing game that you always wanted to play! This immersive, epic car game also offers an update with the Nascar experience. There are dozens of cars you can choose from in this online racing game, and you need to burn rubber on the asphalt if you really want to win.
You will be playing against more than 10 million players in intense, exciting PVP races. Ditch Fortnite, PUBG or Kahoot Drive and instead focus on one of the most impressive, exciting racing games out there. You get the CSR experience on steroids for free, and you also get to test your driving skills in no time. And since you can play against 20 people online at the same time, this is a very immersive and intense experience.
If you love street racing and drifting, Hashiriya Drifter is the coolest game you can play. These street racing are immersive and you have the unique opportunity to fully modify your car the way you want.
There are dozens of levels to choose from, and they all come with twists and turns to test your drifting capabilities. Your focus is to try and become the best and reach the finish line first. It s not easy to do that in this seesaw, challenging simulator game. But you need to constantly improve as you play against people which have your own skill range.
In the game you have realistic tuning for every vehicle, with more than 100 parts for a single car that you can fully customize the way you want.
Hashiriya Drifter offers you then best online racing experience and a cool way to drift around the horizon against people from all over the world. Do you have what it takes to become the best driver in the universe? Test out your skills against millions of other players, only with Hashiriya Drifter by downloading it today!
* " Exciting, fun driving game
* " Very immersive and extremely easy to play
* " Play against people from all over the world
* " Intense drifting action
* " Full Car Customization (Tuning, Car Parts, Paint, Vinyl's)
* " More than 10.000.000 players in Online Multiplayer, Car Meets and PvP Battles & Tournament Battles!
The game inspired by oldschool street drifting in early japan with deep custiomization and ability to build a car from scratch!
Dismountable chassis and suspension!
Realistic car damage!
It has very cool drifting physics ideal for touge street drifting!
Follow Instagram page for updates!


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Was It Good For You?
In the movies, sex always looks great. But if you're like a lot of men, sex may not be as good as you think it could be. You might feel anxiety, concerns about your performance, or even self-consciousness about your body. No matter what the scenario, it just feels like you're not having sex as often as everyone else.
An Ohio State University study found young men think about sex about 19 times per day (as compared to young women who think about it 10 times daily). Despite it being on men's minds much of the time, men still remain confused about what great sex is, and how to have it. Men face both mental barriers and physical barriers to great sex. They may be plagued with self-doubt, and cling to myths and misperceptions about sex. Physically, many men could use some work on the mechanics of lovemaking.
What Is Great Sex?
"Great sex is in the eye of the beholder, or the be-hander," says Patti Britton, a clinical sexologist and author of The Art of Sex Coaching. "For some men, it might be the ability to produce fantabulous multiple orgasms in their partner. For other men, it might mean being able to last three minutes. Being a great lover means becoming a great lover to your particular partner, and that requires doing something very difficult: opening your mouth."
Men may talk a good game when it comes to sex, but most don't think the sex they have is as good as it could be. The following slides are a guide to great sex in a relationship with six tips for more sexual pleasure.
Great Sex Tip 1: Take Up Pillow Talk
Pillow talk is important. Aside from kissing and other sexual activities, men can use their mouths for talking to their partner about what they want, and what their partner likes. It's about being open and trusting.
"If you get to know yourself and your partner, you'll have a much more erotic and explosive sexual relationship," says Joy Davidson, a New York-based psychologist and sexologist, and the author of Fearless Sex.
Great Sex Tip 2: Don't Believe Locker Room Talk
Men may brag to friends and exaggerate the frequency of their sexual activity, but unlike women, men are less likely to talk about insecurities they have surrounding sex. The result is that men create distorted pictures of sexual frequency and prowess for themselves and one another.
According to Michael Castleman, a San Francisco-based sex expert and author of Great Sex: A Man's Guide to the Secret Principles of Total-Body Sex, the average frequency of sex in committed long-term relationships is roughly once every 10 days.
"A lot of men wind up thinking that their sex life is missing something, that other men are having wilder sex or more frequent sex," Davidson says. "They have a sense that the pleasure ship has sailed and left them behind."
Great Sex Tip 3: Don't Compare Your Sex Life With Porn
Unfortunately, men may learn a lot of what they know about sex from pornography. The problem with that is women and men who appear in porn are often in great physical shape. Both women and men are well-endowed, which can create unrealistic expectations.
"One of the most destructive myths of porn is that it convinces so many guys that they're too small," Castleman says. "They forget that pornography is self-selecting... These are not average men. They're the extreme end of the scale."
Other myths men may learn from pornography include the ideas that women are always ready for sex, that the same moves work on every partner all the time, and that sex always ends in orgasm.
Porn isn't all bad. It can give men ideas for sexual exploration and fun scenarios to enjoy with their partners, with a caveat: "As long as you're aware that it's not reality," Castleman says. "It's like watching a car chase in an action movie. It's exciting. It's entertaining. But everyone knows it's not the way to drive." And men should be aware of the dangers of porn addiction.
Great Sex Tip 4: Focus on Pleasurable Sensations
Stress, anxiety, and distractions can lead to less satisfying sex. Leave the stress of the job at work, and minimize your anxiety about your performance. "If we can quiet our monkey-minds, put a stop to that ceaseless inner-chatter, we can open ourselves up to better sex," Britton says.
She recommends that men adopt a mantra: FOPS, or Focus on Pleasurable Sensations. "There are techniques ranging from eye-gazing to massage and synchronized breathing that help keep you in the moment," Britton says. "Great sex happens in the present. It doesn't happen in the future, like worrying about how quickly you're going to come."
Great Sex Tip 5: Focus Less on Size and More on Other Matters
When it comes to penis size, men always hear that size doesn't matter to women. While this may be the case for most, it's not so much about having the biggest penis as it is fitting with your partner. "I'm not going to pretend it doesn't matter," Davidson says. "There are plenty of women for whom it absolutely does. But I prefer to focus on the idea of the right fit."
People come in all shapes and sizes and some fit better with each other. For many women, average sized men are the best fit. This is usually a matter of personal preference. However, it's not something to get caught up in and worry about. Focus on foreplay – kissing, caressing, and other ways of giving pleasure – can lead to satisfying sex for men and women of all shapes and sizes.
Don't forget to talk to your partner, too. "A lot of women are very responsive to a man's voice during lovemaking," Davidson says. "If a man has verbal facility and can entice a woman through his voice that can become a powerful part of his repertoire."
Great Sex Tip 6: Schedule Sex...Really!
It may sound mundane to schedule sex, but it can actually make it more relaxing with both partners having more realistic expectations. "There's this powerful mythology that says you should fall into each other's arms spontaneously, with string music playing and the sun setting in the West, and if that doesn't happen there's something wrong with you," Castleman says. "Nonsense. Real life doesn't work that way."
Scheduling sex can also eliminate conflict over desire differences and remove the pressure to perform. "People say, 'What if I'm not in the mood?' Well, one of the things about relationships is that you sometimes make compromises. But what astonishes people once they start scheduling sex is that they can actually enjoy it," says Castleman.
Sex Tips for Men: How to Have a Better Sex Life
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