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It turns out my Gwyneth did not spend NYE with her bff Beyonce because, well, B was off making millions in Vegas, invited to perform at a secret concert sponsored by the Wynn -- and if Kanye West's girlfriend was paid $300K to simply appear at a party, can you imagine the price tag Bey would have negotiated to make her moves on stage? And still, even though she wasn't in New York, still she was all over that ball drop...
The Pepsi ad, did you see it? On every channel broadcasting from Times Square, as millions were counting down to midnight, there's Beysus, presiding over the occasion on a massive flashing billboard. B posted a few of her Vegas photos on her Tumblr, along with a New Year message (pet peeve: when people wish you a "Happy New Years" -- when did it become plural?!?), and some shots of her wearing a pair of leather, elastic waistband pants which I Must.Buy.Immediately.
Meanwhile, over in Brooklyn, Gwyneth was dancing side-stage at the Jay-Z/Coldplay show where Chris had his kids brought out to be close to him. He gave them, and their friend Sophia, a big shout out, called himself "the proudest daddy on earth", and publicly declared that "they have the best mother in the world".
Well sh-t. First he kisses her in concert (click here for a refresher), and now this? For Chris Martin, who can't stand to be photographed walking down the street with his wife, it's the PDA equivalent of a sex tape.
Start at the 50 second mark:
And then here, watch as Gwyneth brings her kids on stage to dance with their dad while she stays off to the side. I think that might be her ma, their grandmother, Blythe Danner tucked away in back there...? Moses and Uncle Jay are apparently really tight. I like how he flipped his hood up. And I want a puffy coat with leather panels now.
So 2012 was good to the Martins. And 2013 looks very promising too. Lots of G on the way: a new cookbook, a new movie, and both at the same time.


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First up, Carmen L. was actually inspired by a Sweet, not a wreck. This one:
Here's a close-up:
See the tulip-shape with the curls inside? That's the design from the cake!
Next, prepare for an assault of astounding adorable-tude!!
Now, the one on the left is a cake I featured in this post of Super Mario Sweets. The one on the right is a handmade plush by the über talented Emma R. of Felt Original Toys. She spent six months making it, y'all. SIX MONTHS. And all because I asked someone to make me a plush of that cake. Not that I get it, of course - Emma's not *that* crazy - but the pictures are more than enough to make me grin like a loon.
Here's a close-up, so you can see all the painstakingly precise hand-stitching:
Ok, my final reader spotlight today is the extreme opposite of "cute," so if you're enjoying basking in the glow of pastel stars and squishy, huggable cakes, you might want to skip it. Or take a moment to brace yourself before scrolling down. [evil grin]
Ok, here goes.
Soo...remember that horrific meatloaf baby cake thing I posted way back when? Yes? Seared into your memory for all time? Haha! Yeah, I thought so.
Well, a lot of you sick, sick people had one thought and one thought only: What did it look like after it was cooked?
And, "lucky" for you, loyal minion Jessica K. is here to help.

subset: commoncrawl


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It was raining this morning on my drive into Anchorage.
I thought it was just, you know, rain.
But things apparently are not as they seem.
Weather, I've learned, is God mumbling under his breath.
I didn't know, I thought water falling from the clouds was just precipitation.
Turns out rain is how God gives financial advice.
I swear I would have paid more attention to the weather if I had known, but here in the south central coastal Alaskan rainforest God never seems to shut the hell up. It rains a lot here in the summer, and it snows a lot in the winter, the ground shakes a lot and the wind howls a lot, it floods in the spring and burns in the fall.
Then, of course, there are the volcanoes.
And the tsunamis.
God, it would seem, is exactly like one of those yappy little dogs that never stops barking.
What brings this up? Why, Michele Bachmann, of course:
I don't know how much God has to do to get the attention of the politicians. We've had an earthquake; we've had a hurricane. He said, 'Are you going to start listening to me here?' Listen to the American people because the American people are roaring right now. They know government is on a morbid obesity diet and we've got to rein in the spending.
Now a cynic might accuse Bachmann of exploiting a natural disaster in order to curry favor with her dimwitted base. A cynical writer might ridicule her for her crass stupidity.
But I won't.
Of course I won't.
Yeah, the hell I won't.
Bachmann claims she was just joking about the whole billions of dollars in damage, economic disaster, lost livelihoods, thousands of homes lost, whole towns wiped out, catastrophic flooding, and not to mention forty something people dead, all as a way for God to get Congress' attention. Because, as you know, God is a member of the Tea Party.
How come God can't just tap you on the shoulder and tell you what He wants? No no, he's got to flood half the damned country and make you guess. And, stick with me here, Crazy Eyes Bachmann is his designated mouthpiece? Really?
It's just me, right?
God apparently didn't realize that the politicians he was talking to weren't even in session or anywhere near Washington when the storm came roaring through. Omnipotent my ass. Oh yes, funny, ha ha.
But hey, only an idiot would take her seriously, right?
Signs in the heavens. Thunder caused by the gods tossing boulders about. Lightning bolts hurled from Mount Olympus to smite the mortals! Waves caused by Poseidon shaking his trident. Sickness is a divine pox upon mankind, perhaps if we beat our flesh with whips we can appease God and stop the plague.
Ooooh, wait, I know, human sacrifice!
Oh, riiight. Right. Sorry. Nobody believes that kind of silly nonsense. Well, not anymore.
Of course they don't. Because that would be some crazy stupid shit right there, wouldn't it?
Just for fun, let's take a look at the comments under FoxNews and Yahoo, shall we?
Michelle Bachman needs to be elected to save the nation from crowning Obama, the antichrist, as the leader of the world! He is the BEAST spoken of in the Book of Revelations! Along with Pope Benedict and Satan, Obama will be crowned king of the world by you STUPID earth-dwelling sinners!! America is DOOMED! [SIC]
Oh noes! King of the world! The Beast! We're doooooooomed! It would be funny, except that I know people who believe exactly this. They literally believe with all their gnarled wrinkled fearful little hearts that Obama is the literal and actual anti-Christ as foretold in the book of Revelation. They know this because their self-righteous wrinkled fearful little preacher man told them it was true and he doesn't lie. Of course, before Obama it was Clinton the Anti-Christ. It's always the Son of Satan with these people. Always. It can't be just a guy we don't agree with, it's got to be the Devil, it's got to be the End Times, it's got to be the Second Coming! Oh noes! The devil is everywhere!
People actually believe this silly horseshit.
People just like Michele Bachmann.
Here's a question, how come if the Book of Revelation is God's literal plan – which ends with all the bad people getting cornholed by the Devil and all the good people getting sucked up to heaven to party with Jesus and the earth gets destroyed anyway, period, no matter what, because that's what God said, praise Jesus, then what in the hell are these people bitching about? Isn't that what they want? Isn't that exactly what they pray for every damned Sunday? By definition, America is doomed, period. Right? They've been waiting and praying for exactly that for two thousand goddamned years. If Obama is really the anti-whatsis, why aren't they out in the street cheering? I mean, the End Times are here, right? Two millennia of waiting over, woohoo! Why wouldn't they be voting for Obama? If we elect Bachmann doesn't that actually delay the end of the world? According to the Bible, the son-O-Satan has to be king of the world, right? If you don't vote for Obama, it just delays the final takeover and therefore the big rapture. Seriously, I don't get it, is Obama the anti-Christ or isn't he? Do you believe the stupid shit you're saying or don't you? Which chapter of the Bible is this written down in?
Religion makes my head hurt.
God's message is just not for politicians but for all the world. Read Matt. 24. the Bible is Gods Holy Word. He said in this chapter there would be earthquakes, famines ,pestilences{incurable dieases} waves roaring meaning tidal waves or tsunamis ,There will be wars and rumors of wars. Pray that you maybe the accounted worthy to escape all these things. "Howl ye the day of the Lord for it will come as a destruction from the ALMIGHTY!" Yes, these are God's judgements. Noah escaped because he prayed and and God warned him ahead of time.to get ready. He obeyed and he escaped. Yes, in the days of Noah God repented he made man because of their wickedness. YES! he destroyed the whole earth , men women, yes even children. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of a living God. Hebrews 11:7 By faith Noah being warned of God of things not seen as yet , moved with fear and prepared an ark for the saving of his house." Jesus is your ark of safety today. If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus Christ and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead thou shalt be saved. God destroyed all flesh in Noah's day. The Bible says unless he shortened the days there would be no flesh. saved. But our soul can be saved if we believe in Jesus. HE IS COMING! [sic]
Seriously, how in the hell do you reason with that gibberish? Earthquakes, famines, disease, waves, wars, and rumors? Oh like we haven't seen this stuff before. What's next? An eclipse? Oooh, evil portents! What makes these earthquakes, famines, diseases, waves, and wars different from all the earthquakes, famines, diseases, waves, and wars that have come before? Let's be honest here, these people have managed to ignore plague and famine and war and genocide and hurricanes and earthquakes and untold evils every damned other place in the world for last couple of decades, what makes this one so special? Because it happened to New York? Really? That's the sign? Please point to the chapter in your holy book that says so. Go on, I'll wait.
I used to live in southern California, earthquake, fire, pestilence, and war are pretty much a standard autumn, if you could work in a little famine you'd have all four horsemen of the Apocalypse. How come that isn't a sign of the Apocalypse?
Personal pet peeve: we have the ability to cure disease and stop famine – we just choose not to do it. Ditto war. Earthquakes and waves? We can mitigate the effects of those things too – but just like global climate change, we'd prefer to stand in the path of disaster and argue about God's big magic juju plan rather than take action. You ever wonder if maybe God is just killing off the stupid people? There's this old joke about a guy trapped on the roof of his house in the middle of a flood, so he prays to God for rescue. Along comes a helicopter, but the guy waves it away saying "God will save me!" The waters rise and the house shakes on its foundations. Along comes a boat, but again the man waves it away saying "God will save me!" The waters rise and the man is swept away and drowned. He goes to heaven and stands in front of God and asks bewildered, "Why didn't you save me?" and God replies, "I sent you a helicopter, I sent you a boat, you fucking idiot, what the hell do you want?"
Obama admitted he is a Muslim to George Stenonolofuss on an interview but then George told Obama that he was a Christian and Obama agreed with him. Everyone knows it's OK for a Muslim to LIE to an Infidel. [sic]
Question: who the hell is The Stenonolofuss? Is that from the Doctor Seuss Book of Revelation?
There is no separation of church and state without freedom from liberalism.
I, uh, wait, what? (See how many things you can find wrong with that one sentence, regard it as a challenge)
Michelle is most likely right, but it also could be the fact that Matthew 24 and Luke 21 is being fulfilled before our very eyes! The problem is that the media is only giving problems to Christianity. What do you think one of those fundie muzzies would do if we attacked them for saying what they do About Allah? Even tohugh they think Allah has told them that they need to annialate America, and we just turn our backs on those threats in the name of being politically correct? Michelle shouldnt have backed down That alone says how weak of a leader she would be! Icedently folks, did you know that Hurricane Katrina formed right after this nation turned its back on Israel? Another hurricane is forming today, the day after Backman was attacked for what she said!!!! HHHMMM.....maybe she was right and God is going to spank this nation for attacking one of his own?! Reguardless, its called FREEDOM OF SPEACH!!!!!! Bachman was the constitutional RIGHT t osay what she wants, even if someone doesnt like it! YOU GO GIRL!!!! [sic]
Oh yes, you go girl. Go out and maybe take an English class. Also maybe a couple courses in logic. Also make a science class or two. It's been a couple of centuries since not-goofy people actually believed that gods and spirits cause weather … wait, hold on, unless you're saying those ghostly images on the weather Doppler are, no way, couldn't be! Holy shit, we can track God with radar!
Please tell me where anywhere in our founding documents it states that there is a separation of church and state? We have freedom OF religion, not freedom FROM religion.
Glad we cleared that up. Question: Anybody else find it odd that the Framers didn't mention how religion was a requirement to be an American? Just me again, huh? Sigh.
And my personal favorite:
If any group of people need to be punished by God it is the states that were devastated. They all voted for the Antichrist not to mention are run by gays, socialists and are all broke. I leave out Va and NC from this because ACORN stole the election for the DNC criminals in those 2. Why is it that a blue state wont pay their bills? Try saving, frugality and getting back to God. Either u serve Jesus or Satan, we know how the Demomarxists feel, so hope they all enjoy hell. Leviticus 18:22-29. Read it and weep, Demomarxists.
I think you mean Demomarxist Nazi Anti-Christs!
Oh no, nobody would take Bachmann's statement as anything other than jest. Nobody at all.
Certainly not her target audience. No Sir.
When God hates all the same people you do, when God endorses your personal agenda by shaking the earth and smiting only the states of your political enemies, well, you know, maybe it's time to reexamine your belief system.
Ask yourself something, what's God trying to tell Texas? After all, the state is in the worst drought in a century. If God sent down a deluge upon Vermont as a message to Washington DC to spend less, well then is the opposite true? No rain in the Lone Star State means God wants Texans to pay more?
I'm hip.
What about all those wildfires in Arizona? Was that God trying to tell Jan Brewer to stop acting like a douchebag? Or does God only hate the liberals in Tucson? And Mexicans?
What was the message God was sending when he drowned all those deeply religious poor black people in New Orleans a couple years back? Anybody else visualizing that scene out of Blazing Saddles? Don't move or I'll shoot the n… No? Well, okay, what the hell was God saying then?
Pretty obvious God hates the ever living hell out of California.
Here's the thing, Bachmann made that joke in the context she did because she damned well knows her audience.
And because she knows they think just exactly like the commenters above.
Now, if you'll excuse me, it's raining out and I think God is telling me to have another beer.


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Collection Overview
The Davison Art Collection consists chiefly of more than 25,000 works of art on paper, mostly original prints and photographs, with smaller numbers of works in other media. Information about these objects is searchable online by students, faculty, researchers, and the public. Please follow this link to do so:
Search the Davison Art Collection
The heart of the print collection was given to Wesleyan in the 1930s, 40s, and 50s by Harriet B. and George W. Davison (B.A. Wesleyan 1892), after whom the Davison Art Collection is named. In 1952, the former DAC space at 301 High Street was built to house the collection in an addition to the historic Alsop House.
The DAC's print collection is considered to be one of the two or three most important at an American university. It includes fine impressions of works by Dürer and Northern and Italian Renaissance artists; Rembrandt and his contemporaries; Goya; nineteenth-century French painter-printmakers such as Manet and Millet; and American modern and contemporary artists, especially Jim Dine. The collection includes multiple states of many prints, providing a historical window into printmaking techniques and artists' creative processes. There are also about 600 Japanese ukiyo-e woodcuts and strong holdings illuminating the early histories of mezzotint and lithography. The DAC also has a Print Reference Library with several thousand volumes of reference works used in close conjunction with teaching and learning from the print collection.
- Old Master European prints
- 17th- to 18th-century European prints
- 19th- to 20th-century European prints
- American prints
- Japanese prints
The DAC's photographs range from calotypes and daguerreotypes made in the 1840s, to work by later photographers such as Lewis Hine and Berenice Abbott, to images by contemporary artists including Duane Michals and Cindy Sherman.
The DAC's several hundred drawings range from small sketches to large contemporary works. Among the other American artists represented are Whistler, Sargent, Kihn, Davis, Dine, and Jacquette. European drawings include works by French artists, especially printmakers, including Boitard, Jacque, Millet, Bracquemond, Buhot, Lalanne, Legros, and Braque; British draughtsmen including Gainsborough, Chinnery, Wilkie, Palmer, McBey, and Bone; and several works by German, Dutch, and Hungarian artists.
The Davison Art Collection consists primarily of works of art on paper, but it also includes a small number of paintings. American paintings include 19th- and 20th-century works by artists such as Samuel L. Waldo, Alfred Thompson Bricher, Elihu Vedder, Thomas Buchanan Read, Charles Sheeler, Kay Sage, and Alice Neel. European paintings include The Chess Players by Jean-Léon Gérôme and landscapes by Jules Dupré, Eugène Fromentin, and Jean-Charles Cazin, as well as Corner in the Artist's Studio by Ernest Meissonier. Other European paintings include Landscape with Woman Milking a Cow and a Shepherd, an oil on circular board by David Teniers the Younger, and an anonymous English oil of Lime Kiln in the Woods, ca. 1800-1810.
Three-Dimensional Objects
The DAC has a small number of three-dimensional objects, including a Bôite-en-Valise by Marcel Duchamp and Black Zag Z, 1969, a 41-by-56-inch wall sculpture by Louise Nevelson. The collection also includes contemporary artists' books such as Les Aventures des Cannibales Modernistes, an accordion book printed with lithography and woodcut by Enrique Chagoya; Kara Walker's Freedom: A Fable, a pop-up silhouette book; Jim Dine's The Temple of Flora and Glyptotek; The Book of Revelation produced by Robin Price and Barbara Benish; and Pat Oleszko's Glove Story.


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A new life sized poster of the very hot Jonathan Rhys Meyers stared down at me as I walked into the perfumery. "Anywhere in your Element" proclaimed the new Hugo Element Ad. I closed my eyes and was instantly transported to a day dream for a few seconds.
"Delicious!" I smirked as I came back to the real world. Heading towards the cashier I could hardly wait to bring my day dream to real life!
Just as the ad expressed - anywhere in my element. Being a Foodie my element is Food and so do not ask why or how an irresistible man like Jonathan Rhys Meyers sends me into day dreams of chicken, roasted vegetables, lime and farro . It just happens! Within the few seconds I had imagined what dinner would be. Thank you Jonathan!
OK so I'll admit there was an additional second to that daydream and although food was involved, it was not being eaten - but that's censored!
What's not censored is this dinner. It's a simple and healthy meal - the type we will often enjoy on a weeknight, quick to prepare but full of flavor. The oven takes care of most of the ingredients, where the chicken and vegetables are roasted with herbs and spices to bring out maximum aroma. While I love rice and especially a good risotto, we have been trying to find new healthier ways to enjoy our grains.
Farro is one of those grains I adore. It's versatile, tastes wonderfully nutty and can be used in soups, salads or as a lovely risotto. Farro is the Italian name for Emmer wheat and it is the original grain from which all other grains derive. For thousands of years it fed the people of the Mediterranean and Near Eastern regions. However due to the low yields it was replaced by other higher-yielding grains and farro's cultivation dwindled.
Today it is still very popular in Italy. Often it is confused with spelt but they are not the same grain. Farro must be pre-soaked for approximately 8 hours, whereas spelt can be boiled straight off. Cooked farro has a firm chewy texture, whereas spelt softens and becomes mushy. When shopping for farro look for farro perlato or "semi-perlato" farro grains, which means that the hull has been removed and there is no need to pre-soak - a great way to save time in the kitchen
As the crops produce lower yields, farro is a little more expensive in comparison to other types of grains. Nonetheless, farro is an extremely healthy whole grain alternative to many other types of grains. It is high in fiber, vitamin B and a great source of protein. Furthermore, as farro has a low gluten content, it can often be tolerated by those with wheat allergies. It is easily digestible into carbohydrates for energy, not to mention it rates medium on the glycemic index.
So, if you are following a low glycemic index diet or Phase 2 of the South Beach Diet, farro can be very appropriately integrated into your meal plan.
Together with a roasted chicken aromatized with the tangy flavors of lime and herbs and vegetables caramelized in their own juices this entire meal is not only healthy but truly Delicious! Just as delicious and Jonathan Rhys Meyers.
Recipe: Lime Chicken and Vegetable Farro Risotto
Printable version of recipe here.1 organic whole chicken, approx. 1.5 kg
3 organic limes, zest from 2 limes
300g farro, semi perlato
2 red onions, cut into thick slices
1 each red and yellow bell pepper, sliced
1 fennel, sliced
500ml vegetable stock
4-5 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon olive oil
4 sprigs of thyme
4 sprigs of mint
Bunch of flat leaf parsley
Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper
- Thoroughly wash the chicken inside and outside, then using paper towels pat dry. Pre-heat oven to 200 degrees C.
- In a large mixing bowl toss the onions, bell pepper and fennel slices in 3 tablespoons oil. Season with salt and pepper. Spread the vegetables evenly in a roasting tray.
- Coming back to the chicken, brush the inside and outside with the 1 tablespoon olive oil. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and the zest of two limes.
- Stuff the chicken with the 2 zested limes and thyme. Place the chicken on the in the roasting tray along with the vegetables and roast for 60 to 90 minutes.
- For the farro, heat up the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil and toast the farro, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the vegetable stock and simmer until the farro is tender, about 20-25 minutes. Do taste often while the farro is cooking, You want it to be tender but still chewy and retain its texture. Drain, cover and set aside.
- To test if the chicken is done, poke the thigh with a sharp knife, when the juices run clear it is done. Otherwise roast for a further few minutes.
- Chop up the parsley and mint. Squeeze the juice out of the remaining lime and toss well.
- Remove chicken and vegetables from the oven. Coarsely chop the vegetables. Add to the farro along with the herbs and the juice. Drizzle the 1 teaspoon olive oil. Check if the farro is still warm if not heat it through on medium heat. Mix well and season with salt and pepper.
- Carve the chicken into individual pieces and serve with the farro risotto.
Serving tips:
- If you like you can grate some Parmigiano Reggiano on top of the farro, for a more cheesy flavor.
- Toss in a few toasted pine nuts for a wonderful crunch.
- Vegetarians can add more vegetables and a few mushrooms for a wonderful aromatic dish.
I love watching Soeren digging into meals like this. He loves the taste but for me I know he is getting all the goodness from a well-balanced and healthy dinner. For Tom and me, it's meals like this that keeps us slim and trim but also gives us that extra boost of energy. It's got everything we need and like.
This is my entry to this month's Monthly Mingle being hosted by Michelle of What's Cooking Blog. Michelle's mingle theme is perfect: Healthy Family Dinners.
You might like these healthy meals from WFLH:
Bulgur with Vegetables and Feta | Chickpea Pumpkin Tajine with Coconut Couscous & Coconut Chutney | Spicy Black Sesame Sea Bream with Corn-Coriander Salad |
From around the blogs:
- Sautéed Buckwheat and Pasta - Eden Organic
- Roasted Corn + Barley Risotto - Mighty Foods
- Millet Summer Salad - Artsy Foodie
Daily Tiffin Reading Tip:
- Singing the Praises of Farro written by Ann
All photographs and written content on What's For Lunch, Honey? © 2006-2009 Meeta Khurana unless otherwise indicated. | All rights reserved | Please Ask First


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When NGC was founded in 1987, it heralded the introduction of a new standard of integrity in coin grading. From the beginning NGC focused on only one objective, a standard of consistent and accurate grading. As NGC has grown to become the leader in third-party grading services, we have maintained a steadfast and uncompromising commitment to this standard. The knowledge, integrity and dedication of NGC's team of numismatic professionals ensures you a level of grading consistency unparalleled among grading services. This record of consistency, built over the years, has helped to foster greater stability throughout the rare coin marketplace.
Grading is a team effort, with at least two professional numismatists examining every coin. To maintain impartiality, NGC's coin graders cannot be involved in the commercial buying and selling of coins. Each coin is examined by one NGC coin grader at a time, who enters the coin grade into the system. The NGC grading team's only interest is in determining accurate grades for coins. Once graded, the coin is sonically sealed in a holder made of inert material that won't affect the encapsulated coin.
At NGC we pride ourselves in our uncompromising standards and a commitment to integrity that makes us the leader in coin certification.


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Plumbing Pipe Repair Midway, NC
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Hiring a licensed plumber for your plumbing pipe repair in Midway, NC is always a good idea, but you should also take into mind their experience, availability and integrity. N&M Plumbers is here to provide you with professional plumbing services at affordable prices.
Get In Touch With A Plumber Now!We're here to help!
Burst Pipe Repair Midway, NC
When water freezes, it expands in volume by approximately 9 percent. And it expands with tremendous force: The pressure inside pipes may go from 40 pounds per square inch to 40,000 psi! No pipe can hold that much pressure, so it breaks open. The break may occur where the ice forms, but more often, it occurs where water pressure finds a weak spot in the pipe. This can be inches or even feet from the frozen area.
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Have you found yourself with a burst, cracked, broken or leaking pipe? You're probably looking in the cost to repair a plumbing pipe in Midway, NC if that is the case.
The average cost to repair a broken pipe in Midway, NC will cost less than $200. In some cases, the plumber may charge you an hourly rate with a minimum. Typical costs to hire a plumber in Midway, NC hourly can be from $50 to $150 per hour depending upon your chosen plumbing professional.
To schedule plumbing pipe repair in Midway, NC — call N&M Plumbing at 1-855-634-7112.
Pipe Repair Midway, NC
There are different piping materials that may be used, and it can effect cost. Our plumbers can repair your cast iron piping, brass piping, galvanized piping, pvc pipes, copper pipe, pex pipe, or stainless steel pipe.
Call Us Today! 1-855-634-7112.


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Skift Take
The travel industry is slowly opening up to pet travel, but the best prep for any pet travel is research as every transportation option and hotel company has a different affection for four-legged friends.
Travel for humans during holidays is tough enough: Long lines, crowds everywhere, extra bags full of presents. Throw a pet in the mix, and it's a recipe for disaster.
But Sheron Long, a frequent traveler and author of "Dog Trots Globe — To Paris and Provence," say it's worth the trouble.
"Every trip was better when Chula could be with us," she said of her Shetland sheepdog. "She was so excited, I could imagine her dog's eye view of the world. It causes you to explore and go see different things and meet people."
The U.S. Department of Transportation estimates more than 2 million pets and other animals are transported by air each year. Pets aren't allowed on Amtrak trains, Greyhound buses or cruise lines, but they can go on many regional train, bus and boat lines.
The majority of four-legged carry-on passengers are dogs, but some airlines allow rabbits, birds and other small animals. Experts say before including a pet in travel plans, consider whether it would enjoy the experience.
"Some dogs don't like to travel, some love it," said Kelly E. Carter, the pet travel expert for AOL's Paw Nation and a Chihuahua owner. "You have to know your pet."
Caroline Golon's two Persian cats "are not big fans of car travel" — the only way that they can travel since their breed is banned by many airlines — so they don't go on trips. Golon said when they travel, the family stops at pet-friendly hotels rather than drive nonstop.
"Stopping overnight gives them a chance to use the litter box at their leisure and eat and drink comfortably," said Golon, the founder of High Paw Media.
Gwen Cooper, the author of "Homer's Odyssey: A Fearless Feline Tale, or How I Learned About Love and Life with a Blind Wonder Cat," said animals pick up on their owners' moods, "which means if you're nervous, your cat or dog is going to be nervous too. The best way to avoid being nervous is to prepare you and your pet ahead of time and think through as many contingencies as possible."
For eligible cats, as well as dogs, airlines have size requirements for pets in the cabin, so a small pet must fit in a carrier that can be stowed under a seat and larger ones must be checked in. Long's dog weighs 30 pounds, so 9-year-old Chula has to fly in cargo.
During the holidays, though, when planes are fuller and lines are longer, some airlines ban pets in cargo, as well as times when the heat or cold is intense. Certain breeds can never fly on some airlines, including those considered to have bullying characteristics, like pit bulls, and snub-nosed animals like shih tzus or Persian cats because of potential breathing problems.
Animals that travel on Amtrak, Greyhound or cruises get a ticket to ride through their roles as service animals. Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, trained helper animals such as guide dogs or signal dogs must be allowed.
Pet accommodations at airports differ, though every airport has animal-relief areas. Some are easy to find — San Francisco's has paw prints on the floor leading to them — and most or all areas are located outside of security checkpoints. Federal transportation guidelines require animals to be removed from carriers, so pets should be collared and leashed — especially cats. Pet carriers are not X-rayed, but owners' hands may be wiped for chemical testing.
The hassle of traveling is only half over once the plane lands. Carter, who once canceled a trip in which she and her dog were hoping to try a new hotel in Northern California, recounted how the hotel worded its pet policy online: "We are smoke-free and pet-free."
"My God, are pets being considered killers, like smoke? That's a sign people don't want to be around pets," she said.
Lisa Porter, CEO of a website that lists pet-friendly places to stay and activities around the country, said more businesses are catering to customers with a pet in tow than ever before. For example, vineyards and wineries have opened their tours to pets, and as many as 90 percent of hotels in some cities are pet-friendly, she said.
Most five-star hotels have accommodations and perks for well-behaved pets, and even most discount hotels, including Red Roof Inns, Motel 6 and Extended Stay America, are pet-friendly. Other hotels have weight limits on animals. Some charge a nightly fee for animals, some have cleaning deposits and some will charge only if there is damage.
In France, where Long and Chula spend four months every year, so many people take their dogs to restaurants that there is an "under-table culture going on," she said. The French hospitality for dogs stops at museums, though: "The French prize their dogs, but they prize their art work even more," she said.
Chula has been such a good travel buddy that she inspired Long's book, which is a travelogue written from a dog's point of view. Long said having Chula around means never being lonely — partly because of all the people who stop to admire the dog.
"If you want to be a hermit, go (traveling) alone," Long said.
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Tags: pets
Photo credit: A sign prohibiting pets at the airport in Grenada, Spain. Daniel Lobo / Flickr.com


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WASHINGTON—Senator Ben Cardin (MD), Chairman of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (U.S. Helsinki Commission), and Representative Christopher H. Smith (NJ-4), Co-Chairman, today issued statements welcoming arrests in Serbia relating to the murder of Dnevni Telegraf editor-in-chief Slavko Curuvija on April 11, 1999.
"Slavko Cutuvija was a courageous journalist who was murdered for challenging the regime of Slobodan Milosevic in Serbia," noted Chairman Cardin. "On several occasions, I have publicly called for the perpetrators of this crime to be brought to justice. I commend the Serbian authorities for arresting former security officers for their alleged responsibility, a demonstration of political will to confront a dark period in Serbia's history. Serbia's judicial system will hopefully proceed with the next steps in this case and take similarly concrete actions in regard to other outstanding cases from that period, including the murders of the American-citizen Bytyqi brothers in July 1999. Serbia has my full support in that regard."
"Slavko Curuvija testified at a hearing of the Helsinki Commission I chaired just months before he was gunned down outside his apartment in Belgrade," added Co-Chairman Smith. "His testimony showed that he fully understood the threat he faced. He said at the hearing: 'By making an example of me, the regime sends a message to all those who would oppose it… After all his other wars, Slobodan Milosevic appears to be preparing a war against his own people…' I hope that today's news of arrests brings comfort, at long last, to the family and friends of Slavko Curuvija."


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If you've ever had a bacterial infection like staph or strep throat, your doctor may have prescribed penicillin. But if you've had the flu or a common cold virus, penicillin won't work. That's because antibacterials only kill bacteria, and both the flu and the common cold are viruses. So for illnesses like the flu, doctors prescribe antiviral drugs, which target the mechanisms that viruses use to reproduce.
"For example, there are antivirals for the flu that interfere with the virus as it tries to get out of its host cell," says science writer Carl Zimmer. "So this molecule latches on to that particular protein that the virus uses to escape, and interferes with it so that the virus is trapped inside."
Zimmer's latest piece for Wired magazine profiles the scientists who are developing antiviral medications, and examines the new ways medicine is working to attack viruses.
"There are some really amazing antivirals that have been invented over the last 40 years," he says. "There are antivirals for herpes. There are antivirals for HIV. ... Now, if you were to get Ebola and you tried to take HIV drugs, they'd do you no good at all because that HIV drug only works for HIV. It's a narrow-spectrum drug, and really, there are no broad-spectrum antivirals, at this point."
Targeting Viruses Broadly
But scientists are now working to create a "penicillin-like" drug that will target viruses more broadly. In San Francisco, a company called Prosetta is working on a drug that doesn't affect a virus directly. Instead, it works by affecting the proteins that are naturally in cells that help viruses replicate.
"The basic idea behind it is that viruses need help to build themselves," says Zimmer. "What happens is quite amazing: [Viruses] get lots of different proteins in our cells and cooperate to push their own proteins into place. And so the viruses need these groups of host proteins to form."
Prosetta created a drug that prevents the host proteins from performing their cooperative jobs and helping the viruses out. Preliminary studies have shown that targeting these host proteins — and not the virus itself — can stop Ebola, influenza, rabies and other viruses.
Other researchers are working to replace or help interferons, our body's own natural virus-fighting system. Eleanor Fish, a researcher at the University of Toronto, is heading a project to create synthetic interferon, in order to accelerate the body's virus-fighting response.
"Today, people with Hepatitis C can get interferon treatment, but it doesn't work all that well. It has some benefit, but not as much as Eleanor Fish would like," says Zimmer. "So she has been essentially tweaking the interferon molecule to make it more effective, to make it last longer, to make it safe and to make it cheap. Because what she wants to do is deploy interferon all over the world where there isn't fancy refrigeration. She wants to help people who are dealing with viruses in very remote places."
A third approach, says Zimmer, involves creating an artificial protein that would latch onto viruses and then instruct them to literally self-destruct. Spearheaded by Todd Rider at MIT, the project has been tested in cells and in mice.
"Rider's basically hot-wiring your cells so that as soon as they get infected by a virus, that trips a switch," says Zimmer. "This doesn't exist naturally, but if you were to take a pill, the thinking is, then this molecule would go into your infected cells, and as soon as it detected the virus, it would kill the infected cell, and you would recover from your disease."
But successfully eradicating viruses may bring a host of other problems, says Zimmer. He points to broad-spectrum antibiotics, which wipe out good bacteria in addition to bad bacteria.
"Eventually your body may recover, and it can take awhile, and there may be some bad consequences of the antibiotics themselves," he says. "So it's going to be interesting to see what happens in the future if we are, in fact, knocking out lots of viruses. Because we don't understand the full ecology of the viruses that get into our bodies."
There are trillions of viruses that live in our bodies, even when we're not sick, says Zimmer.
"Some are harmful, some may not be harmful," he says. "Some may even help us defend against other viruses. It's very complicated in there, and we don't really understand it very well yet."
Transplanting Gut Bacteria
Physicians are now using bacteria to combat other diseases. Zimmer points to an example of a patient infected with the Clostridium difficile bacteria, which causes severe diarrhea and can frequently return, even when treated with antibiotics. The patient was treated with a transfusion of gut microbials from a healthy individual's fecal material to restore the bacterial flora in her intestinal tract.
"Literally two days later she started feeling better, and a couple weeks later, when they went to sample the bacteria that was there, they couldn't find the C. difficile anymore. It was just gone," he says. "The only thing they had done was essentially restore her ecology, essentially like restoring a wetland."
Zimmer says fecal transplants have only been performed on patients when all other options fail — but they are seemingly quite effective.
"The problem is, as some other journalists have reported, is that the FDA has a very difficult time figuring out how to come up with regulations for this," he says. "Before it's going to become a widespread practice, the FDA is going to have to move beyond its old paradigm of giving people regular drugs to being able to give people tailored concoctions of living things — of bacteria, of maybe even viruses — as medical treatments."
These bacteria and viruses work in conjunction with other bacteria and viruses in the body, but scientists still know very little about their mechanisms, says Zimmer.
"There's this whole ecosystem of interactions going on inside our own bodies that we do not understand — barely at all," he says. "Scientists are just starting to figure it out with very big projects where they're sequencing all the genes these microbes have. But they're just at the beginning of understanding it."
Interview Highlights
On the tapeworm named after him
"Tapeworms are just quite amazing. For one thing, there's so many of them. There might be 20,000 species of tapeworms in the world. They take all sorts of strange forms through their life cycle. Some of them will live inside of a fish, and while they're inside of a fish, they start changing the fish's behavior. The fish flails around and gets eaten by a bird, which then has the tapeworm mature inside of it, because the tapeworm wants to get from one host to the next. And it's bizarre, also, to think that there are species of parasites that have adapted to our own gut that can get to be 30 to 40 feet long. I wrote a book called Parasite Rex about tapeworms and many other kinds of parasites, and that inspired a young student to become a parasitologist. And she had the opportunity to name a new species of tapeworm, and she decided to name it Acanthobothrium zimmeri.
On the scientific tattoos he collects as a hobby
"I was amazed to discover that scientists have just about every branch of science tattooed on their bodies. So, for example, there will be incredibly complicated physics equations that scientists have covering their backs. There will be people who have ancient historical engravings of dissected brains. There are ecologists with food webs tattooed on their bodies. And there lots and lots of people who have DNA all over the place. ... I haven't overcome my distaste for needles. I haven't gotten one myself. If I did, I would get a protein where the amino acids encoded my wife's name, Grace."
Copyright 2021 Fresh Air. To see more, visit Fresh Air.


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The current group of HHMI investigators includes 25 Nobel laureates and 182 members of the National Academy of Sciences. HHMI urges its researchers to take risks, explore unproven avenues, and embrace the unknown – even if it means uncertainty or the chance of failure. They identify and pursue significant biological questions in a rigorous and deep manner. They develop new tools and methods that enable creative experimental approaches to biological questions, when necessary bringing to bear concepts or techniques from other disciplines. They forge links between basic biology and medicine, opening new pathways for disease diagnosis and drug discovery.
By employing scientists as investigators rather than awarding them grants for specific research projects, HHMI provides its researchers long-term, flexible funding that gives them the freedom to explore and, if necessary, change direction. HHMI investigators have support to follow their ideas through to fruition, even if that process takes a very long time. Our philosophy of selecting "people, not projects" seeks researchers who bring innovative approaches to the study of many different biological problems through the biomedical disciplines of genetics, cell biology, developmental biology, biochemistry, and neuroscience as well as adjacent fields of biophysics, chemical biology, biomedical engineering, and computational biology. Plant scientists, evolutionary biologists, and patient-oriented researchers are also in the ranks of current investigators.
HHMI investigators are based at host institutions across the United States. This arrangement currently represents collaborative partnerships with more than 60 research institutions. Investigators continue to participate in educational and administrative activities at their host institutions and receive additional research support from a variety of sources.
Through periodic competitions, HHMI accepts applications from researchers at more than 200 research institutions across the United States, with the aim of identifying individuals who have the potential to make significant contributions to science. Investigators continue to be based at their host institutions; however, HHMI investigators and some of their laboratory personnel are Institute employees and are supported by HHMI field offices throughout the country. Each investigator receives his or her full salary, benefits, and a research budget from HHMI. Appointment is for a five-year term, which may be renewed after an exacting review process.
HHMI investigators include some of the nation's most innovative plant scientists, appointed to the Institute through a partnership between HHMI and the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation (GBMF). Despite the central role plants play in maintaining human health and in healthcare, basic research in the plant sciences has long been underfunded in the United States. HHMI and the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation are collaborating to support creative plant biologists as HHMI investigators to pursue bold research that could result in large contributions to science and society. These 14 HHMI-GBMF investigators are conducting research on a variety of plants, such as wheat, maize, tomato, Arabidopsis, moss, and algae.
HHMI's Collaborative Innovation Awards (HCIA) support interdisciplinary teams of scientists, each headed by an HHMI investigator, in pursuing potentially transformative research projects. They are intended to encourage HHMI investigators to collaborate with scientists, both inside and outside of HHMI, to undertake projects that are new and so large in scope that they require a team with a range of expertise. Collaborators receive funds from HHMI to cover their research budget for the HCIA project over four years, along with the flexibility to pursue their best ideas. HHMI began the program in 2008 and made a second round of awards in 2012, selecting awardees after inviting HHMI investigators to propose collaborations.


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The Office of General Counsel ("OGC") manages and supervises all legal affairs for the University. The General Counsel serves as the legal officer to the Board of Regents and the University. This office provides legal advice to the President, Board of Regents, faculty and administration on a broad array of legal issues and represents the University in all legal proceedings. The Office of General Counsel strives to advance the mission of the University and its complex constituency by providing timely advice toward sound decision making in all issues that face the University.
The Office of General Counsel recognizes its role in Baylor's most recent strategic vision, Pro Futuris, which states:
Aspirational Statement Five: Baylor will be a community recognized for Judicious Stewardship...where the value generated by and derived from a Baylor experience is supported through a diversity of revenues, prudent management of our resources and risks, and the pursuit of outstanding quality and character in every area of university life.
Baylor will identify improvements in operational efficiencies and risk reduction without compromising educational quality and further promote a University-wide sense of responsibility for such improvements.
The purpose of this site is to provide general information only, and nothing on this site should be construed as legal advice. If you have suggestions regarding information or educational topics which could be addressed on this website, please let us know.
Due to our role as counsel for the University, attorneys in Baylor's Office of General Counsel are not permitted to serve as counsel to Baylor employees unless those employees are representatives of the institution on the specific legal matter. Attorneys in the Office of General Counsel are never permitted to represent or provide legal advice to students. While we have notaries in our office, they are only permitted to notarize documents related to Baylor business.
Contact Us
The Office of General Counsel is located on the second floor of Pat Neff Hall.
Mailing address:
Baylor University
Office of General Counsel
One Bear Place #97034
Waco, TX 76798
Phone: (254) 710-3821
Fax: (254) 710-3843
Find us on Baylor's campus map (link will open a new window).


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After a long break from Texmex/Mexican cuisine I was back into the zone and craving more. I also wanted to use some fresh local ingredients and I remembered seeing a chicken, apricot and brie panini on good Life {eats} which sounded like a good combo. I immediately thought about doing a quesadilla version but I knew that I would need some heat so I added some chopped chipotles in adobo sauce. I followed that with some cilantro, and green onions and I was just about done. For the apricots, I decided to grill them first and I thought that since brie goes well with jams that a bit of apricot preserves would both enhance the apricot flavour and add a nice touch of contrasting and balancing sweetness. I like to cook my quesadillas stove top in a pan as I am always able to get them nice and golden brown and slightly crispy on the outside and ooey gooey and melted and good on the inside and this time was no different. The chipotle chicken, apricot and brie quesadillas turned out really well! I liked the combination of the spicy chipotle chicken along with the apricots and the melted cheese all wrapped in crispy tortillas. The touch of sweetness from the apricot preserves worked just as well in these quesadillas as they do in grilled cheese sandwiches and I am going to enjoy experimenting some more with the new combo.
Chipotle Chicken, Apricot and Brie Quesadillas
- 1/4 cup chicken (cooked and shredded)
- 1 tablespoon apricot preserves
- 1 chipotle in adobo sauce (chopped)
- 1 green onion (sliced)
- 1 tablespoon cilantro (chopped)
- a touch of butter
- 2 large tortillas
- 1 apricot (sliced in half, stoned, grilled and thinly sliced)
- 4 ounces brie (thinly sliced)
- Mix the chicken, apricot preserves, chipotle in adobo sauce, green onion, cilantro in a large bowl.
- Melt the butter in a large pan.
- Place a tortilla into the pan and swirl it around in the butter and set aside.
- Repeat for the other tortilla and leave it in the pan.
- Spread the chicken mixture, apricot and brie on the tortilla and top with the other tortilla.
- Cook until the quesadilla is golden brown on both sides and the cheese is melted.


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Smaug | |
Dragon | |
"Conversation with Smaug" by J.R.R. Tolkien | |
Biographical Information | |
Other names | Smaug the Golden Lord Smaug the Impenetrable Trāgu (see below) |
Realm | Erebor[1] |
Hoard | Treasure of Thrór, including the Arkenstone[1] |
Appeared | Presumably born in the 3rd millenium of the Third Age[2] |
Death | T.A. 2941[3] Lake-town[4] |
Slain by | Bard the Bowman[4] |
Physical Description | |
Type | Urulókë; fire-drake[5] |
Legs | Yes |
Winged | Yes |
Colour | Red-golden |
Gallery | Images of Smaug |
Never laugh at live dragons, Bilbo you fool!
Smaug was the greatest fire-breathing dragon of the Third Age. In T.A. 2770 he attacked the Lonely Mountain and the town of Dale. He claimed the treasure of the mountain for himself and forced Thrór, King under the Mountain, and his people into exile. Thorin's quest - with the help of his burglar Bilbo Baggins - to reclaim the treasure ended in success when Smaug was slain by Bard in T.A. 2941.[4][1][3][6]
When Bilbo Baggins first encounters Smaug he can hear his snoring - "like the noise of a large pot galloping in the fire, mixed with the rumble of a gigantic tom-cat purring" - but is most of all struck by the reddish glow and heat that Smaug gives off, both of which travel up the passage-way so Smaug is felt long before he is seen. His flames are green and scarlet.[2]
There he lay, a vast red-golden dragon, fast asleep; thrumming came from his jaws and nostrils, and wisps of smoke, but his fires were low in slumber. Beneath him, under all his limbs and his huge coiled tail, and about him on all sides stretching away across the unseen floors, lay countless piles of precious things, gold wrought and unwrought, gems and jewels, and silver red-stained in the ruddy light. Smaug lay, with wings folded like an immeasurable bat, turned partly on one side, so that the hobbit could see his underparts and his long pale belly crusted with gems and fragments of gold from his long lying on his costly bed.
Sack of Erebor
- See also: Sack of Erebor
Smaug was perhaps one of the dragons that infested the Grey Mountains.[7] Details of his origin are unknown, but he apparently was considered still "young" by himself and Gandalf when he first appeared in Middle-earth's history in T.A. 2770,[2][6] and as having transitioned to become "old and strong" by T.A. 2941. This implies that he was young during the War of the Dwarves and Dragons, or else not even alive at the time. However, he, like many others would hear of the Wealth and Splendour of Erebor. Hearing about the wealth of the Dwarves of Erebor, Smaug flew south "like a hurricane coming from the North" and attacked the wealthy Dwarven kingdom of the Lonely Mountain and its adjacent lands: he first landed upon the mountain before going down the slopes and setting the woods on fire. When the dwarves came running out of the front gate Smaug killed them all before turning his attention to the men of Dale, also killing most of their warriors including Girion, Lord of Dale (but his wife and child safely fled to Lake-town[4]). Returning to the mountain, he crawled into the front gate and left no dwarf he found alive.
Only Thrór, King under the Mountain, and his son Thráin II managed to escape by using the secret side-door (Thrór later gave the key to the secret door and a map of the Lonely Mountain to Thráin), while Thorin Oakenshield was one of the few dwarves who were not inside the mountain at the time of the Attack. Smaug claimed the treasure (which included the Arkenstone and a mithril coat) for himself and laid there upon a bed of gold, for the next two centuries only occasionally leaving the mountain to carry away people (especially maidens) and continue the destruction of Dale.[6][1] The area surrounding the mountain became known as the Desolation of the Dragon as "there was neither bush nor tree, and only broken and blackened stumps to speak of ones long vanished".[8]
Quest for Erebor
- See also: The Hobbit
In T.A. 2850, Gandalf, whilst spying on the Necromancer in Dol Guldur, found a Dwarf imprisoned; near death, the dwarf gave Gandalf a key and a map. Unbeknownst to Gandalf at the time, this dwarf was Thráin, King of Durin's Folk, who had been captured by the Necromancer in T.A. 2845. Having discovered that the Necromancer was indeed Sauron, Gandalf was very concerned about the Weakened State of the North, but he was most concerned about Sauron and Smaug. He knew that if Sauron could win Smaug's allegiance, Sauron could use him to terrible effect. It is for this reason that the Grey Pilgrim sought a plan to neutralise the threat of the Dragon, thus simultaneously depriving the Dark Lord of a potential minion and limit his growing power in the northern lands of Middle-earth.[9]
By chance on 15 March 2941, Gandalf met Thorin Oakenshield in Bree (although another source states that they met when Thorin overtook but started to talk to Gandalf on the road[9]). They discussed their desire to destroy Smaug and retake the Lonely Mountain; they later met in Thorin's Halls in the Blue Mountains to develop a plan. Gandalf wanted Thorin to take the hobbit Bilbo Baggins as a burglar on their adventure to retake Erebor; this took considerable persuasion.[3][1]
Later in T.A. 2941, at the home of Bilbo Baggins, Gandalf presented Thorin with the map and key, and accompanied them on part of their quest.[6] The party reached the mountain later that year on Durin's Day.[8] They sent Bilbo in through the secret door to carry out his duty as their burglar; as Smaug lay dreaming of greed and violence, Bilbo stole a heavy two-handed cup from the dragon's vast hoard of treasure (which he used as a bed) and went back to the dwarves. Meanwhile Smaug had an uneasy dream:
a warrior, altogether insignificant in size but provided with a bitter sword and great courage, figured most unpleasantly
Upon awaking Smaug felt the draught from the tunnel which led to the secret door (from which he had previously heard untoward knocking). Already suspicious, Smaug noticed that the cup was missing. This enraged Smaug beyond measure, causing him to leave his chamber and scour the mountainside for the intruder, even though he had no real use for the cup; remembering hearing strange noises from the passageway he failed to find the entrance, only eating their ponies.[2]
Remembering a saying of his father's, "every worm has a weak spot", Bilbo offered to return to the dragon's lair - the Dwarves ardently accepted and, putting on the ring, off he went. Bilbo believed that the dragon was fast asleep and that his presence would remain unknown to the dragon, however, Smaug was pretending to be asleep. He then spoke to Bilbo:
Well thief! I smell you and I feel your air. I hear your breath. Come along! Help yourself again, there is plenty and to spare!
But Bilbo was more shrewd than Smaug gave him credit: Bilbo praised the dragon and made sure that he did not reveal his real name, speaking only in riddles. Smaug could not resist the fascination of what Bilbo had said (although he did remind him that flattery would not save his life) and needed to understand it, so they continued to talk; he was also intrigued to smell something new being puzzled by the never-before-encountered "hobbit-smell". Bilbo grew more and more uncomfortable in the presence of Smaug, but plucking up courage he revealed that he had not come for the treasure alone: Smaug laughed and mocked the notion that anyone could steal from him and get away with it. Bilbo eventually revealed the true purpose of his mission to Smaug, that of "revenge" - Smaug burst into a devastating laughter, shaking Bilbo to the floor, mocking the suggestion that anyone could achieve revenge, boasting about his achievements and strengths. Bilbo then suggested that dragon's were softer underneath, particularly in the chest: in response, and in an act of sheer vanity, Smaug rolled over and claimed that Bilbo's information was false and outdated. But Bilbo, while loudly praising Smaug's jewel-encrusted underside, saw something crucial, thinking:
Old fool! Why there is a large patch in the hollow of his left breast as bare as a snail out of its shell!
Bilbo had obtained the information that he had needed. He fled up the passage, leaving behind a dragon infuriated by the notion of "revenge", and had the hair on the back of his head and heels singed off. When Bilbo returned to the door-step he regaled the dwarves with the story of his conversation with the dragon whilst the thrush was listening. Smaug left his lair once more and smashed the mountainside with strikes of his tail, trapping Thorin and Company inside the secret passage.[10]
Death and aftermath
Realizing that the Lake-men of Esgaroth must have helped the intruders - reinforced by Bilbo calling himself the "Barrel-rider," Smaug resolved to attack and destroy the town as a punitive measure. He approached it in a rage. The waters around it turned red but Smaug dared not get too close as the water would quench his fire; as the Lake-men had cut the bridges, Smaug flew above attacking and setting the town aflame, destroying the Great House with a swipe of his tail. The dragon's scales were impervious to the arrows of the defenders, but the thrush had flown to the town and informed Bard - a descendent of Girion, Lord of Dale - of the bare spot in Smaug's armour. He was then able to kill Smaug by firing the Black Arrow directly into the vulnerable spot of his left breast. As Smaug fell he crashed into and destroyed Esgaroth.[4]
After Smaug's death, Thorin and Company claimed the treasure as theirs by birthright. This created a conflict with Bard and the Elvenking of Mirkwood, who each wanted a portion of the treasure as reimbursement for huge damage that Smaug had inflicted upon them. Thorin refused to share the treasure and had every intention of going to war with the Elves of Mirkwood and men of Esgaroth to defend his right to the treasure. However the sudden attack by the armies of Bolg brought the forces of the free peoples of Middle-earth together in the Battle of Five Armies.[11][12][13] After the Battle, Bilbo's fourteenth-share of the hoard was given over to Bard who sent some to Lake-town to aid its rebuilding.[14]
Following the death of Smaug a new Lake-town was built further north; Smaug's bones could be seen from the shore but the people were always fearful of it and no one dared go in the water to retrieve the gems or gold, showing that even in Death, Smaug still had a fearful presence. [4]
I kill where I wish and none dare resist. I laid low the warriors of old and their like is not in the world today. Then I was but young and tender. Now I am old and strong, strong strong, Thief in the Shadows!
Like all dragons, Smaug - described by Thorin as "a most specially greedy, strong and wicked worm"[6] - loves to hoard gold with a meticulous knowledge of his own collection as evidenced by his immediate spotting of the missing cup.[2] Whilst being quick to anger in defence of his own wealth, he also exhibits a fierce intellect (as well as a curious fascination) in guessing/deciphering Bilbo's cryptic origins, a pride and vanity in his own armour, an arrogance in his own invulnerability (laughing at the suggestion that the dwarves would be able to have their revenge), and an ability to question Bilbo's loyalty to the dwarves.[2] These qualities, complemented by his destructive power, raised Gandalf's concerns of Smaug as a potential ally, or servant of Sauron. [9]
Fafnir in the late Norse versions of the Sigurd-story is better; and Smaug and his conversation obviously is in debt there.
In Letter 122, Tolkien noted his lack of enthusiasm for the dragon in Beowulf. Instead he stated his preference for the dragon-like creature Fafnir from the late Norse versions of the Sigurd-story. Indeed Tolkien wrote that Smaug's character owed much to Fafnir.[15]
Deriving from the same Old English and Germanic roots as smial and Smeagol,[16] the name Smaug is "the past tense of the primitive Germanic verb Smugan, to squeeze through a hole".[17] It has been suggested that Tolkien likely thought of Old English smeag, a word used to describe a "worm".[16]
Other names
In drafts of the Appendices, Tolkien wrote that Trāgu was the name of Smaug in the language of Dale, "Dalish".[18]
In the conversation between Smaug and Bilbo, Bilbo calls him "Smaug the Tremendous", "Smaug the Chiefest and Greatest of Calamities", "Smaug the Mighty", "Smaug the Unassessably Wealthy", "Lord Smaug the Impenetrable" and "Your Magnificence",[2] and later Bilbo refers to him as "Smaug the Terrible" and "Smaug the Dreadful" and Balin calls him "Old Worm".[10] When the dwarves learn of Smaug's demise they grab their harps and sing, referring to Smaug as the "Worm of Dread".[11] Appendix A uses the popular name "Smaug the Golden",[1] whilst in "The Quest of Erebor" he is simply referred to as "The Dragon".
Other versions of the legendarium
In a very early manuscript of The Hobbit, Smaug was known as Pryftan. Indeed John D. Rateliff refers to this manuscript as The Pryftan Fragment.[19] Pryftan is a simple Welsh compound that literally means "Worm of Fire."[20]
Portrayal in adaptations
Smaug in adaptations | ||||||||||||
1966: The Hobbit (1966 film):
- Smaug is named "Slag", the Ancient Monster.[source?]
1977: The Hobbit (1977 film):
- Smaug was voiced by American actor Richard Boone. In this version, Smaug is broadly similar in size and colour but his shape is less elongated due to being more weighty. Smaug's face is rounder, possessing more mammalian traits - resembling a mix between a cat and a bat - having bat-like ears and fur around the face and down the back. Also, his armour is never mentioned to be strengthened by lying on the treasure, but more resembles an extra padding of skin/scales, minus the bare patch.
- Original title: Сказочное путешествие мистера Бильбо Беггинса, хоббита, через Дикий край, Черный лес, за Туманные горы туда и обратно. Smaug was created by a puppet.
1991: Treasures Under the Mountain, or The Hobbit (1991 film):
- Animated unreleased Russian Hobbit short film. During the destruction of Dale Smaug darkens the sky. Children are flying kites (paper dragons) which are consumed by a dragon of fire. original posting: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2hWwu17udnI and here with English subtitles: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzoRd14L7AQ
2012: The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey:
- Smaug is a CGI-motion capture creature produced by Weta Digital, voiced by Benedict Cumberbatch.[21] He is shown with no front legs but walking on the wrists of his wings.
- Smaug's sack of Dale and Erebor is shown briefly during the prologue. During a meeting of the Wise, Gandalf reveals his concern regarding a potential alliance between Sauron and Smaug, as a a "dragon could be used to terrible effect". Saruman dismisses this, stating that Sauron had been vanquished. The film ends with a glimpse of the Dragon's eye as he wakes, though he is buried under the treasure. In addition, movie Smaug was over 140 metres (462 feet) in length, or "twice the size of a 747".
2013: The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug:
- The Dragon makes his full appearance in the second part. Thrain confirms Gandalf's fears of Smaug being in league with the unseen Dark Power in Dol Guldur, later revealed to be Sauron. In fact, Smaug himself confirms this, showing an awareness of the One Ring during his conversation with Bilbo, as well as giving hints on Sauron's return - the Dragon's pleased attitude further outlines his intention to throw his backing behind the Dark Lord's banner for the spoils of war. It is also observed by Bilbo that the Lake-men's legend of Girion having loosened and removed a scale from the Dragon's breast was in fact true. When the Dwarves enter the mountain, Smaug chases them, finally catching up to them in the forges, where the Dwarves stage a counterattack, tricking Smaug into relighting the forges with his fire. They manage to cover Smaug in hot molten gold, but he sheds it off without difficulty. Smaug leaves them and flies off to Lake-town to seek revenge for what he perceives to be their part in Bilbo and the Dwarves' attack.
2014: The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies:
- After destroying the majority of Lake-town, Smaug sees Bard attempting to take him on. He taunts the bowman, and, then, while charging him, Bard shoots his Black Arrow into Smaug's vulnerable spot, the same spot that his ancestor had shaken a scale off loose centuries earlier. While in the throes of death, the Dragon flies up into the sky, where he takes his last breath, claws at the sky and then falls to his watery grave in Long Lake (taking the greedy Master of Lake-town in his boat with him along the way).
Radio series
1968: The Hobbit (1968 radio series):
- Francis de Wolff provides Smaug's voice.
1979: The Hobbit (1979 radio series):
- Smaug's name is pronounced "Smog".[22] Erik Bauersfeld performed the voice of the dragon.[23]
1980: Der Hobbit (1980 German radio series):
- Smaug is played by Benno Kusche.
1989: Hobit (1989 Slovak radio series):
- The voice of Smaug is provided by Ján Mistrík.
1982: The Hobbit (1982 video game):
- The goal of this game is to plunder the treasuries of Smaug's Lair in the Lonely Mountain. While the computer is loading the game it shows a picture of Smaug with the Lonely Mountain on the background.[24]
1988: Creatures of Middle-earth (1st edition):
- In this supplement to the 1st edition of Middle-earth Role Playing, Smaug is put forward as a potential enemy should the gamesmaster wish to include the dragon in his or her story. Another dragon, Utumkodur, is described as Smaug's elder sister. [25]
1994: Creatures of Middle-earth (2nd edition):
- In this supplement to the 2nd edition of Middle-earth Role Playing, Smaug is described in some detail and given a brief history before his coming to Erebor. Smaug survived the destruction of Angband at the end of the First Age and settled at Anvilmount in the Grey Mountains. Here he found and defiled a First Age Adan holy place, destroying tombs and stealing a modest amount of treasure. Smaug was upset by his lack of wealth. Therefore when he heard the tale of the Dwarves of Erebor he knew that the great treasure should be his. Creatures of Middle-earth also describes Smaug as being the son of Ancalagon, being one of a number of siblings including Throkmaw, Ruingurth, and Utumkodur.[26]
2003: The Hobbit (2003 video game):
- Smaug was voiced by James Horan.
2018: The Lord of the Rings Online:
- Smaug the Terrible has a sister, Etterfang Foulmaw. Both of them slept in the cavern called Glimmerdeep in the Grey Mountains until Etterfang was disturbed by dwarves and fled into the deeper Caverns of Thrumfall; Smaug was unable to find her again when he awoke. It is revealed that a servant of the Dark Lord provoked his rage by slaying many young drakes and placing their heads at the front of the Dragon's lair alongside dwarven weapons. This, coupled with greed, caused Smaug to attack the Erebor, which was part of Sauron's design. Following this, the Dark Lord sent emissaries to win him the Dragon's allegiance; when none returned, Sauron tasked Karazgar, a Black Númenórean agent, with daunting Smaug into submission. Cowed through fear, the Dragon promised to give an answer to the Dark Lord's offer in fifty years. The Quest for Erebor, put in motion by Gandalf, deprived Sauron of Smaug's potential fealty, as the latter was slain before he could be summoned to Mordor.
- Smaug does not make a physical appearance, but his bones are still found around the watery ruins of the old Lake-town (known as Esgaroth-of-old). Bandits pillage the ruins and the bones for some unknown purpose.
See also
- "The Quest of Erebor", a chapter of Unfinished Tales which provides more background information
- Chrysophylax, the dragon in Farmer Giles of Ham
External links
- ↑ John D. Rateliff has suggested that this was initially written when Tolkien planned for Bilbo to kill Smaug. It was thus a prophetic dream of his own death. See J.R.R. Tolkien, John D. Rateliff (ed.), The History of The Hobbit, Mr. Baggins, The Second Phase, "Conversations with Smaug".
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix A, "Durin's Folk"
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit, "Inside Information"
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Cite error: Invalid
tag; no text was provided for refs namedAppB2
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit, "Fire and Water"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Index of Names", entry Urulóki: "Quenya word meaning 'fire-serpent', dragon"
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit, "An Unexpected Party"
- ↑ Robert Foster, The Complete Guide to Middle-earth, entry "Smaug"
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit, "On the Doorstep"
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "The Quest of Erebor"
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit, "Not at Home"
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit, "The Gathering of the Clouds"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit, "A Thief in the Night"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit, "The Clouds Burst"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit, "The Return Journey"
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 J.R.R. Tolkien; Humphrey Carpenter, Christopher Tolkien (eds.), The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien, Letter 122, (dated 18 December 1949)
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 Peter Gilliver, Edmund Weiner and Jeremy Marshall, The Ring of Words: Tolkien and the Oxford English Dictionary, pp. 190-1
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien; Humphrey Carpenter, Christopher Tolkien (eds.), The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien, Letter 25, (dated February 1938)
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Peoples of Middle-earth, "II. The Appendix on Languages", p. 54
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, John D. Rateliff (ed.), The History of The Hobbit, Mr. Baggins, The First Phase, "The Pryftan Fragment", passim
- ↑ Mark T. Hooker, Tolkien and Welsh, pp. xxv, 36
- ↑ Peter Jackson, "The Hobbit Casting Update" dated 19 June 2011, Facebook (accessed 23 December 2011)
- ↑ The Hobbit (1979 radio series), "Inside Information"
- ↑ "J.R.R. Tolkien – The Lord Of The Rings & The Hobbit", Discogs.com (accessed 23 December 2011)
- ↑ Phil Garratt, "Software Review: The Hobbit", WorldOfSpectrum.com (accessed 23 December 2011)
- ↑ Ruth Sochard Pitt, Jeff O'Hare, Peter C. Fenlon, Jr., Creatures of Middle-earth, 1st edn, pp. 51-52
- ↑ Ruth Sochard Pitt, Jeff O'Hare, Peter C. Fenlon, Jr., Creatures of Middle-earth, 2nd edn, pp. 112-115
Named Dragons | |
Glaurung · Gostir · Ancalagon · Scatha · Smaug |


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Meeting of the NATO-Russia Council at the level of Foreign Ministers held in Brussels on 19 April 2012
Chairman's statement
The Foreign Ministers of the NATO-Russia Council (NRC) met today in Brussels, fifteen years since the Founding Act on Mutual Relations, Cooperation and Security, and ten years since the Rome Declaration on NATO-Russia Relations, to take stock of progress achieved through continued cooperation and dialogue and to move forward on remaining differences.
Ministers reaffirmed all the principles and commitments contained in the NRC Lisbon Summit Joint Statement, the Rome Declaration and the Founding Act.
NRC nations share important common interests and face common security challenges that can be best addressed jointly. As agreed by the NRC Heads of State and Government in Lisbon, Ministers continued discussions on pursuing missile defence cooperation. They agreed that the stability of Afghanistan remains vital for all of us. They welcomed that the NRC has trained 2,000 counter-narcotics personnel from Afghanistan and its neighbours, and that Afghan helicopter technicians are being trained and spare parts will be provided in support of the Afghan Air Force. The two-way transit arrangements, in accordance with UNSC Resolution 1386, are an important contribution to the ISAF mission. Ministers looked forward to further cooperation on Afghanistan, including by taking into account the activities of relevant regional actors.
Ministers also welcomed the important civilian-military counter-terrorism exercise held last month. The Cooperative Airspace Initiative, a joint system for air traffic coordination, is ready for operations. Interoperability between NATO and Russian ships off the Horn of Africa has improved. With the aim of further building confidence, Ministers agreed to conduct discussions and plan, as appropriate, activities related to defence reform, nuclear doctrines and strategies, and force development and posture. They also exchanged views on improving transparency, including on military exercises. Ministers looked forward to discussions on possible ways for NRC member states to assist each other in case of terrorist attacks, natural and man-made disasters, pirate attacks and other emergency situations. They noted interest expressed in exchanging views on cyber security and in discussing opportunities for military-technical cooperation. Ministers agreed to continue to work together on an ambitious cooperative agenda and looked forward to exploring new areas of co-operation.
Ministers also discussed existing differences on key issues. They reiterated that they valued the NATO-Russia Council as a forum for political dialogue at all times and on all issues, including those where NRC member states disagree. Ministers agreed to build on their improved relations to reach the full potential of the NRC and underscored that it is through continued dialogue and transparency on all of our concerns that the NATO‑Russia relationship will be further strengthened, which would also enhance Euro‑Atlantic security as a whole.


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Riveting slip and falls notwithstanding, I think the real challenge in that environment would be trying to cook a decent meal. Imagine putting together this delicious, potato-crust-topped cod and spinach casserole in the galley of one of those boats. I actually get woozy thinking about it.
Luckily most of us have a nice steady oven at home in which to make this comforting dish happen, rogue wave free. Speaking of the oven, be sure to check your fish to see if it's flaking before taking it out. Mine took about 40 minutes, but my sauce and potatoes were warm. If you make your components ahead and they cool down, or your fish is thicker, it may take a while longer to bake, so poke and peek. You can always fix the top, and thanks to the broiler, no one will be the wiser. I hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!


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1303.8 - Australian Capital Territory Business Indicators, Apr 1995
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 20/04/1995
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A monthly summary of business related statistics for the Australian Capital Territory, with Australian comparisons. Includes CPI, building approvals, retail turnover, labour force, average weekly earnings, tourist accommodation, new motor vehicle registrations and business expectations. Also includes trend analysis, graphs and explanatory text. This publication is designed to be of assistance to business. Document Selection These documents will be presented in a new window. |


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On Saturday, I joined 250 trail runners for a hot run at the Mt.Diablo 8k/25k/50k in
I had debated all week whether it was a good idea for me to race on Saturday, due to the fact that I was emotionally not in a good place. On the previous Monday (Memorial Day weekend), I had witnessed a cycling accident devastating enough to haunt my every thought. I don't have a lot of experience with that kind of trauma up close, and it shook me pretty hard. What little sleep I had in the following days were filled with images of blood and broken bones, jerking me awake in the cold sweat every half hour. I know it's not a good idea to race when both your emotional and physical foundation are weak, but I was desperately hoping that the trails could somehow lead me out of this state of shock, like they had led me to salvation before.
An Introduction to My Demons
I found a cell phone in her bike bag and randomly called speed dial numbers to try and get her name. The first number was "Annie", who turned out to be her teenage daughter. The cyclist, Deborah, had gone out for a solo ride from
There were lots of familiar faces at the race, including Bev and Alan Abbs, Garett Graubins, Brian Wyatt, Kate and Keturah Morejohn, Wally Hessletime, Chuck Wilson, and of course, Race Directors Wendell and Sarah Doman. Everyone was looking forward to what this race could dish out. Garett was here to defend his
Jeff, Garett, and Jason Reid (25k) set a quick pace from the start, with the Abbs and Rob Evans in a group just behind them. The pitch got steep fast, and it didn't take long for all of us to be whittled down to a brisk walk. I was drinking my water quickly, and at our pace, it would be over 80 minutes to reach the first aid station. As the temperature climbed above 70 degrees, we all understood
Just when I thought I was suffering in the heat, Graham Cooper went by in his "heat training outfit" – black wool hat, gloves, black jacket, black shorts – with sweat pouring off of him. I guess that's what it takes to win States! Rob Evans came by soon after him, looking strong and running the steep hills. We made it up the steepest climb and into the saddle, and were rewarded with the first aid station (mile 8.4). I was out of food and water, so I stocked up on both.
As we headed up the next 5 miles to the observation tower at the top, I had some time to run solo. The runner's high "clarity" kicked in, and I found myself more introspective than usual. The only distraction was the gorgeous views, and the front-runners already coming back. Jeff Browning and Garett Graubins were bombing down the hill, with Bev and Alan Abbs not too far behind.
As I reached the top, I realized I was out of water again. Perhaps even worse, I could have been out of water for quite some time since my mind was so occupied. In fact, I was having trouble keeping my mind on the race at all. The "clarity" in my head was working against me, rekindling details of the Memorial Day accident that I had forgotten, or perhaps repressed. With each corner of the trail, I remembered something new – the smell of her breath, the screams of the driver, the broken hand moving on the pavement. I wasn't over this trauma, not by a longshot...and I had no idea how much more baggage was about to fall out of my head.
Around mile 20, Graham Cooper came by again in his sweat-inducing bank robber outfit. He sensed something was wrong, and was quick to offer up anything he had to help. That's quite a statement from a guy sweating a gallon an hour! I shared my emotional struggle with him, and he slowed a bit to talk it out with me over the next mile. I really appreciated how he listened and internalized what I said, and I could tell he knew that listening was the best help he could give. At the top of the crest, we wished each other luck and Graham charged down the hill.
I jogged for a few miles and realized I was out of water again. I hadn't factored that all this fast-walking would take a half an hour longer to get to the aid station on the second lap, and it was much warmer this time around. But my thoughts were still consumed with Deborah, and the little details kept zooming through my head like butterflies. As the dehydration reached a new level, my walk became more of a stagger and it was difficult to climb the hill. My thinking was hazy, my face felt like it was on fire, and it was clear that I needed some help. My ears started ringing, and I heard the sound of the accident over and over in my head. I looked down at my hands and swore I could feel blood on them. But it wasn't blood, it was vomit. My vomit. I don't even remember puking, but the proof was all over my hands.
Kevin Swisher (a fellow TRT100 training ultra runner) soon caught up to me, concerned after watching me stagger from behind. I told him I felt drunk and thirsty, and he walked with me until I got to the aid station. Mark Gilligan was there again, and when he asked what was wrong, all I could say was "I couldn't fix her. She was broken, and I couldn't fix her." Mark didn't skip a beat and said, "Uh, yeah. Maybe you should try some potatoes and salt, and a whole lotta Cytomax". I took a seat and started eating and drinking everything I could get my hands on. I felt better instantly. Kevin reminded me of a spot to douse my head in water just a few hundred yards away, and headed off.
Mark has a gift for finding the bright side in any situation, and quickly pointed out to me that this might be better training for TRT100 (Mark is also doing it) than a well-run race. If I could "get back to good", then I was probably ready for anything TRT could throw at me. After seeing the training that Graham Cooper was doing, maybe Mark was right! As I gathered my senses and set up the hill after Kevin, Jeff Browning came screaming by at full speed leading the 50k. Bev Abbs was about a minute behind, saying Alan and Garett were right on her tail. They were all suffering in the heat, drinking as much as possible, but still going hard.
With new calories, full water bottles, a mini-shower at the spigot, and a mental boost from seeing the fast folks I started walking up to the top. If I could make it to the top, I was determined to leave any demons I brought on this race there for good. Rob Evans stopped to check in on me, and he was really looking strong, as was Brian Wyatt, Chris Garcia, and Charles Stevens. Each one of them flashed a smile, and boosted my spirits just enough to take a few more steps. I climbed for what seemed like an eternity, and when I arrived at the top, I unloaded all my remaining emotional baggage in one sobbing mess.
I "downhill shuffled" through the last few miles, refusing to stop until I found the finish line in 7:01:49. By crossing the line and being welcomed by my ultrarunning friends, I felt an odd sense of closure to the day. As we cheered on the fellow finishers, I felt my spirits rise with each round of clapping. Jeff Browning had won in 5:14, with Bev Abbs coming in 4 minutes later to set a new Women's course record. Garett and Alan stayed on her tail right to the end, finishing 3rd and 4th. Rob Evans had a stellar run of 5:47 for 6th place, with Brian Wyatt running an even race to finish a few minutes behind. Everyone was depleted, but smiling. If there was going to be a day I melted down, I'm glad it was here among my "people". To each of you that were there for me, you will always have my deepest gratitude.
I slept all night that night, thanks to physically and emotionally draining myself to the last drop. The next day I heard the most unbelievable news - Deborah was alive! I had been told by police officials that a cyclist had died and assumed the worst, but it appears they had likely been referring to a different cycling accident. Deborah was in critical but stable condition at Stanford Hospital. Apparently she had no spinal damage and minimal brain impact, and was already on the road to recovery. Given what I saw, that was nothing short of a miracle. I felt much better knowing that Deborah and her family still had time together.
Life is fragile, life is resilient. The body and soul can heal beyond our wildest expectations. I've left my demons on Mt. Diablo, and as Rob Evans said "got 7 hours of therapy for a $50 entry fee". So true! But I know it was my friends along the way who really helped me get through the day, and beyond my tragedy. The ultrarunning community means more to me than I ever could have imagined, now more than ever. I am grateful for all of you.


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