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They are the men and women who patrol the light daily during tourism season at Times Square on Fort Myers Beach and are often dumbfoundedly blamed for the traffic congestion once drivers reach them.
The Volunteer Observers Impacting Community Efforts group should not be criticized or condemned for their roles, they should be commended, praised and glorified.
"The voice program is very affective. It's a huge help to Fort Myers Beach," said Capt. Matt Powell. "It helps our efforts and helps everybody that tries to cross the street at the light. They are incredible.
Article Photos
Fifteen members of VOICE pose with Lee County Sheriff's Office officers and Town of Fort Myers Beach officials during a breakfast celebration at Lani Kai Resort last week.
"I know it's exacerbating for motorists who finally reach the light and see someone being allowed to cross. It may appear that they have been crossing people the whole time, but that's no the case. If they are not there, then pedestrians will be walking out in the crosswalk at all times, and cars will stop once they see the pedestrian. It happens again and again and again and again."
Powell should know since he directs traffic himself after relieving VOICE members at 3 p.m. one day a week.
"You really have to manage the people and move those cars," he said. "That's what they do."
Last Wednesday, April 3, 15 of the 28 Beach members of VOICE received many thanks for a thankless job at a breakfast celebration at Lani Kai Resort. Their service efforts are not to be taken for granted.
"We couldn't do our jobs without them," said Dede Petracca, the V.O.I.C.E. supervisor for the Lee County Sheriff's Office. "These guys are out at 6 a.m. and work all day for free. They want to be here. It gives me motivation."
VOICE members also save the Town of Fort Myers Beach and its taxpayers a lot of money. Beginning the day after Christmas and ending last Friday, the voluntary program of the Lee County Sheriff's Office saved the Town almost $30,000 - an amount that would have been paid for deputies to work the light. The volunteers actually moved to Holiday Inn to aid in pedestrian crossing for Sand Bash last Saturday and Sunday.
In 2012, the VOICE program saved the Beach $73,000 between the 100 days at the light as well as parades, special events and other details.
"These people do help make Fort Myers Beach a very successful tourist destination," said Mayor Alan Mandel, who presented the VOICE fund a check for $2,000 at the breakfast.
Petracca stated that annual donation typically goes to VOICE uniforms and supplies needed throughout the year. This year the sheriff volunteers are in for a special treat if Sheriff Mike Scott approves it.
"I am going to get them safety green, lightweight shirts, instead of having to wear those traffic vests," she said. "That way they will stand out, and it'll be cooler for them."
The need for the uniformed volunteers is due to a dramatic increase in population on Estero Island. Some reports say those numbers swell by almost five fold during the winter months.
"Our population surges during that time period," said Mandel. "They are providing a service that makes the island safer and more enjoyable for people so that they want to come back."
VOICE began in 1988, when the county sheriff's department needed more deputies but had no budget to hire them.
Volunteer members -two at a time- are stationed at the traffic light at the foot of Matanzas Pass Bridge This season, they collectively logged in 600 hours, working six-hour days in directing traffic.
Not bad for a group that has an average age of 67. The eldest Beach patrol member is age 75.
"They go out there and have fun," said Petracca. "They are already talking about doing it again next year."
Fort Myers Beach Team Leader George Chapman logged the most hours during the course of tourism season with 292 hours.
"He does the scheduling," said Petracca. "If one of the guys is sick, he is the one that fills in. He's wonderful."
Even with a shorter season due to Easter being earlier this year and cooler weather on some days that resulted in a lighter impact on traffic congestion, the days were still grueling and the traffic still heavy.
"In my estimation, it was probably the same as last year. It depended on the day," said Powell about the amount of traffic. "Overall I think we had a really good season. The traffic stacked up, but it moved."
Other VOICE duties
When they are not directing traffic, VOICE members perform other tasks in other areas of Lee County. They tag abandoned cars, conduct traffic surveys, aid in business patrols such as accidents, pick up found property, canvass neighborhoods, process visitors at the stockade, provide assistance to non-profit organizations and civic groups, finger print, check on houses when residents are vacationing, check shopping plazas for vagrancy, help patrol for lost children and medical emergencies and provide traffic control for all 5K runs and marathons in Lee County.
V.O.I.C.E. members are required to donate a minimum of 16 hours per month, but usually handle more. Some even put in 1,500 to 2,000 hours a year. On 2012, one volunteer logged in 2,272 hours, more than what a full-time deputy puts in for regular time throughout the year.
If interested in becoming a member of V.O.I.C.E., applicants need to be at least 18 years old; a high school graduate or possess a G.E.D; have a valid driver's license; no criminal record; and in good health. Call the sheriff's volunteer office at 477-1422.


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Milwaukee Bucks consider making offer to Jerry Sloan
Former Utah Jazz coach Jerry Sloan told The Tribune last week he had talked to "a couple" of teams about returning to the NBA.
It turns out one of them was the Milwaukee Bucks.
USA Today reported Monday that Sloan has talked to Milwaukee about its vacant head coaching job. The newspaper, citing two anonymous league sources, called Sloan "a serious candidate."
Sloan, 71, coached the Jazz for 23 seasons and into two NBA Finals before abruptly resigning on Feb. 10, 2011. His name has been connected to several job searches over the past two years, including Indiana, Portland and Charlotte.
Most recently, Sloan told The Tribune he talked to a couple of teams, but he declined to identify them and said -- at that point -- no job offer had been made.
"It's just been conversation more than anything else," Sloan said. "I'll explore it and see what's going on. It's mostly been people checking on what I'm doing, what my wishes are and how I'm thinking."
Asked what kind of situation might lure him back to the NBA, he said, "One thing is, at my age, you'd probably like to coach a team that has a chance to win some games, rather than one that's down the ladder a little bit."
Led by young point guard Brandon Jennings and shot-blocking center Larry Sanders, Milwaukee finished last season with a record of 38-44. The Bucks were the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs but were swept in the first round by LeBron James and the Miami Heat.
Scott Skiles started the season as Milwaukee's head coach, but he left midway through the year. Assistant Jim Boylan took over on an interim basis, but he was not asked back after the Bucks were eliminated from the playoffs.
According to various media reports in recent days, the Bucks have also talked to ex-Portland head coach Nate McMillan, Los Angeles Lakers assistant Steve Clifford and Houston assistants Kelvin Sampson and B.J. Bickerstaff about their vacant coaching job.


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Apple's successful iPhone 3GS launch might mean a new video format takes over the YouTubes of the world in the near future. They're calling it "tallscreen," and I wanted to know if you gave a hoot or not.
As you can see, the medium is catching on, at least in the Twitterverse:
"The new iPhone is doing for tall-screen video what DVDs and HD did for widescreen. Sweet." - Dan Frommer, Editor, Silicon Valley Insider
Thanks to the iPhone 3GS and YouTube, our kids will laugh at our old-fashioned "widescreen" movies. "Tallscreen is way better!" - Cabel Sasser, co-founder, Panic
For the record, I prefer widescreen, if for nothing else than to adequately capture the growing waistlines of my local area American countrymen.


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Secure Web Hosting
Even after the death of the free Geocities service web hosting can be had for very cheap, with real plans starting at even a few dollars a month. But what are you getting for that kind of money? In terms of security, not a whole lot.
Most sophisticated attacks against web sites these days aren't the sort of thing that a conventional firewall will stop. The operate at the application layer, in particular SQL, PHP, and other scripting languages. Firehost differentiates itself by providing a security-conscious hosting environment for companies not big enough to build their own.
By using special monitoring processes called web application firewalls they protect their customer sites against SQL injection, cross-site scripting, cross-site request forgery and other attacks that either expose site users to attack or reveal confidential data to the attackers.
Nothing's impenetrable, especially with generalized tools, but Firehost's approach makes affordable what was heretofore within reach only of large organizations with large budgets. It's not a couple bucks a month, it starts at around $100 a month for a virtual server, but for a site with important data and important users that could easily be a bargain.


text: Find this wine Find this wine El Coto Rioja 2004 Mmmmmm! Pin It Tweet 9 years ago by Dahepburn More posts El Coto Crianza 2010 Nice Rioja enjoyed on Christmas Day on Dayton w Charcuterie & Fromage 4 years ago by ThomG El Coto Rioja 2010 Crianza Wine Bottle Dry and peppery 5 years ago by Chris N. El Coto Rioja 2010 Wine Good with osso bucco 5 years ago by Blondiefranz El Coto Rioja 2009\ Definitely big again. Not huge taste but good. 5 years ago by Robert Z. El Coto Rioja Crianza 2009 Delicate and crisp. Flowery and fruity. Has a savory note that I can't place. Very nice. $11.49 6 years ago by Mjdrum


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Tower of Iron Will wrote:People have been telling Bigfoot stories for years, but it doesn't make them any more real.
I work with a Yeti, which are cousins to bigfoot. So I know they are real.
EDIT: Apparently "Yeti" is merely his nickname......how embarassing. He says he has no bigfoot cousins.


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The San Francisco Public Library is pleased to celebrate the centennial of California woman suffrage this fall with an exhibit on the third floor of the Main Library, and with an extensive schedule of programs at the Main Library and selected branches.
The exhibit makes use of historic documents, photographs, and other ephemera which detail the long fight for California woman suffrage. Highlights of the exhibit include the stories of a number of San Francisco and Bay Area suffragists; official arguments for and against woman suffrage; and propaganda – pro and con, through sheet music, humor, cartoons and flyers.
To accompany the exhibit at the Main, there is additional information online, including bibliographies for children, teens, and adults.


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"For us, Fujitsu is the guarantee for secure data preservation mandated by Germany's data protection regulations. At the same time, Fujitsu's assistance enabled us to make our solution quickly and easily available in the cloud, and to use the Fujitsu Cloud Store to comfortably enter the software-as-a-service business."
Oliver Schulze Managing Director, agorum® Software GmbH
Obtaining software easily from the cloud is clearly one of the most important recent innovations in IT, but the actual steps into the cloud can be a challenge, particularly for medium-sized software companies. In addition, Software as a Service (SaaS) requires high-performing and secure data center capabilities. This is where Fujitsu Cloud Services steps in to support ISVs (Independent Software Vendors) in customizing their solutions. Baden-Wuerttemberg–based agorum® Software GmbH profited from this approach and is now one of the independent software providers who offer their products worldwide via Fujitsu's SaaS platform. For the customers of agorum®, using the company's software in the cloud is now possible.
As the provider of document management system (DMS) agorum® core, the company agorum® Software GmbH has been in business since 1998. The firm's DMS solution is aimed primarily at small- and medium-sized businesses. Previously, sales followed a classic per-user license model. In today's IT environment, this approach no longer suffices. "The requests for cloud-based document management solutions are constantly increasing," explains Stefan Roecker, head of marketing for agorum®. "To meet this demand, we decided to work with Fujitsu Cloud Services."
Customers of agorum® Software now have the ability to access the DMS solution agorum® core from the Fujitstu Cloud Store. "New users save significantly on initial investment costs," says Roecker. "Our customers do not have to invest in either hardware or licenses. Instead, they can subscribe to our solution with a monthly fee." Customers are then billed per user, and it is a simple matter to add new staff members to the bill, or to remove them from the subscription. "Software as a Service via the Fujitsu Cloud is also a good deal because it allows the customer to test the software under real conditions without having to pay for investments," adds Roecker. "Ultimately, thanks to cloud computing the customer saves having to purchase a server for our document management solution."
The Fujitsu Cloud Store is a web portal that makes a wide range of business solutions from various independent software providers available. After registering, each user, anywhere in the world, can use the Store's search functions to find the software that meet his or her needs. Someone who enters "document management" or "DMS" into the search engine will find the range of products from agorum® Software and can book a customized subscription that depends on the number of users. Ultimately, both sides profit from the SaaS choices available via the Fujitsu Cloud. "Two advantages for us were that using the Cloud Store from Fujitsu enabled us to increase the degree of brand awareness and to open a new sales channel," says Oliver Schulze, managing director of agorum® Software. "In turn, our customers profit from the flexibility, the attractive price model — in the end, they only pay for what they actually use — and last but not least from a high degree of security that they could otherwise only obtain with significant investment expenses."
Starting immediately, customers of agorum® have access to the data center resources of the Fujitsu Cloud. As a global IT provider, Fujitsu commands a group of six Global Cloud data centers, located in the Germany, the United Kingdom, the United States, Japan, Singapore and Australia. The DMS solution is running on servers in the Fujitsu data center in Neuenstadt, near Heilbronn, Germany. Customers of agorum® Software may also reserve secure storage capacity at the data center. "Of course customers can additionally save their data on site at their companies," says marketing head Roecker. "In this situation, we offer a module for easy synchronization."
The chief attraction of a document management solution is the faster availability of company data. "It speeds up the business processes," says Roecker. "The best example is the compilation of invoices. The company receives an invoice on paper by mail. It is scanned, and can then be rapidly distributed to the staff members who must approve it." Later, all of the documents that are saved in agorum® core can be found easily with a full-text search tool. "The distinctive feature of our system," he adds, "is the DMS drive, which means that users can address our solution just like a regular drive. That enormously simplifies saving and retrieving documents from our solution."
That the data resides in the Fujitsu Cloud and not in their own data centers makes no difference for the users — except that they profit from a higher level of security. After all, Fujitsu's data centers are some of the world's most secure — an investment that it would be very difficult for small- and medium-sized companies to match. "Our customers receive a full-value DMS via the Fujitsu Cloud," points out agorum® managing director Schulze. "And because the Cloud's data centers are in Germany, they also meet the country's data protection standards. Getting our solution ready for the Fujitsu Cloud Store only too a few days of programming, thanks to the comprehensive support from Fujitsu. We would not have been able to do it so quickly by ourselves."
For users, not only the software costs but also the amount of administrative input are lower compared with a normal license model. After all, there is no additional hardware that must be maintained; nor is it necessary for anyone on the customer side to take care of software updates. All of that takes place solely within the Fujitsu Cloud data center, which in its turn is monitored around the clock by Fujitsu's experts. Schulze has many reasons to be pleased with his cloud partnership with Fujitsu. His company has gained an additional global sales channel, and can present itself as a fully-fledged cloud computing software producer.
"With our engagement with Fujitsu Cloud, we are able to offer our customers a full range in the area of SaaS that is thoroughly thought out and financially attractive. It has put us in a position to offer finished products as well as individual solutions that are tailored to customers' special requests."
Casestudy agorum (117 KB)
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We keep the house survey cost down regardless of what property survey you need and tell you how much does a survey cost.
Our Building Surveyor uses their local knowledge of East London to ensure they deliver a detailed homebuyers report to help you decide whether you should move forward with your home move or if you should pull out.
We normally have availability within days of you booking and our turnaround for homebuyers survey reports is within 5 working days.
All of our chartered RICS Surveyors are registered with and regulated by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and have indemnity insurance that covers all of the work they undertake in a HomeBuyers Report East London and Building Surveys in East London.


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The Future of Telephony: VoIP Phone Systems
You may not know it, but if you have a phone system in your home (a "landline") there is a good chance that it is a voip in los angeles system. Major phone providers (particularly those that offer other services like internet and digital television) are now offering services that use this technology just like voip los angeles.
The acronym stands for "Voice over Internet Protocol." Phone systems that use the internet are well over a decade old. However, they have become common in the mainstream as of late, and are likely to be the future of telephony. They may be provided commercially by major companies but small companies and even individuals can also supply VoIP phone systems wherever an internet connection is available.
What are the Differences between VoIP and a Traditional Phone?
Traditional phone systems were known as Plain Old Telephone Systems (POTS). These used actual phone lines to send an analog signal to your home. VoIP is different because it sends a digital signal to and from your home. This presents a number of notable advantages.
VoIP phone calls are made online, essentially, which means you are not locked into a certain geographical location. You may make calls from your VoIP phone from anywhere in the world. Again, any place that you can connect to the internet, you can make a VoIP call.
Another benefit of the technology is that it is less expensive than a Plain Old Telephone System. VoIP services are cheaper commercially versus mobile phone plans and conventional analog landlines. Savings on long distance calls are substantial, especially for those who make such calls frequently.
Most VoIP providers are including features that were previously considered "extras" by POTS providers. Those include such advanced services as voicemail, caller ID, three-way calling and call forwarding.
How Do VoIP Phone Calls Sound?
When VoIP was new and experimental, there were some call quality limitations that are no longer an issue in the current era. Today, the sound quality of a VoIP phone call is at least as good as – and often much better than – a conventional analog call.
Because a VoIP conversation is a digital call, it is very accurate and crisp. The stability is very reliable; VoIP calls are very unlikely to suffer from any drop outs or other glitches. Any issues that do arise are usually due to the same issues that would affect any phone system: equipment failure within the home (such as your phone itself getting a short in its cords, or a cordless phone getting interference from microwaves or other devices nearby).
When using a mobile phone at home or in the office, it is generally advisable to have a VoIP phone system as a supplement and backup. In the event your cell phone provider has an outage or has sketchy service, you may be unable to make a stable call on your cell phone or may not be able to make the call at all. If you have a VoIP based landline, you do not need to rely on a cell tower or a cell phone that goes in and out of service in various parts of your home.


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Ben Jervey | July 28, 2011
By Ben Jervey • Thursday, July 28, 2011 - 12:05
Over the next couple of weeks, I'm going to be rolling out a whole lot of information about pipelines. Why?
Because these metal tubes are truly the blood vessels of the oil and gas industry. Without them, the industry wouldn't be able to deliver the liquid fossil fuels to their refineries, or out to the customers after that. Technically, it could be done with trucks and trains and tankers, but the economics just wouldn't work. Without pipelines, liquid fossil fuels become impractically expensive.
(Note: you can find all of the posts in the pipeline series with the "pipeline" tag, or by following the links at the bottom of my post.)
So through one lens, pipelines are incredible. They cart valuable petroleum products from source to refinery to end use with remarkable efficiency. And they do so really cheap!
But not all is so rosy with these tools of fossil energy infrastructure. Pipelines leak and spill – pretty often, actually. They run through fragile ecosystems, under waterways, and across incredibly valuable aquifers. And as crucial as they are in delivering affordable fuel to your gas tank or furnace, they're pretty tempting targets for anyone who wants to deal our nation's energy supply a serious blow. In other words, our dependance on oil and gas pipelines makes our nation vulnerable to a terrorist attack, a concern that's been long established in security circles.
Pipelines are typically built and paid for by private companies. But public support is crucial to the industry, and it comes in many forms, from eminent domain takings to subsidies and tax breaks to favorable environmental impact reviews.
You typically don't hear much about pipelines, unless something goes wrong. And even then, hearing something about them is rare.
So let's start at the top, and explain the very nature of pipelines: what kinds there are, what functions they serve, and where they run.
Types of pipelines
In general, there are two main types of energy pipelines: oil pipelines and natural gas pipelines. For now, I'm going to focus on those that carry oil.
For the oil industry category, there are pipelines that carry crude and others that carry refined petroleum products. If you'll allow me to expand the blood vessel metaphor, crude pipelines are technically the veins that carry crude oil from the source to refineries. Just like our veins, they get thicker as they get closer to the spot they dump their contents out. "Gathering lines," typically about 8 to 24 inches in diameter, collect oil from wells and then hook up into larger "trunk lines" that carry the crude over long distances to the refineries. The famous Trans-Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS), a trunk line, is probably the most well-known American pipeline, and it's a full 48 inches in diameter.
In all, there are roughly 55,000 miles of these thick crude oil trunk lines in the United States.
Refined product lines carry the end products of the oil industry – gasoline, jet fuel, home heating oil, diesel fuel, and so on. These stretch across nearly every American state (with a couple of exceptions in crowded New England), and in all, there are thought to be about 95,000 miles of refined product pipelines.
Where are they?
The first question that probably jumps to mind is: are there any near me? For crude oil, it's actually not so easy to find out. Official natural gas pipeline maps are out there, like this one from the Energy Information Agency.
But for security reasons, official government websites don't publish the locations of crude lines. On private company's sites you can find some not-so-detailed maps. Like this one from Canada's Centre for Energy.
But by far the most comprehensive map I was able to find came from an interesting site called Theodora, an information publishing site that gathered lots of data from primary sources and mashed it up into this impressive map. Green lines are oil pipelines, red carry natural gas, and blue carry refined petroleum products.
Here is the larger map of North America:
And here is a closer look at the U.S. pipeline system:
You can see how a bunch of big red "trunk lines" come down from Canada and Alaska, funneling crude to refineries in California and the coasts of Texas and Louisiana.
Check back soon for more information on pipelines. On Friday, we'll have a special and urgent (considering a current piece of legislation in the House) post on pipelines that carry crude from Canadian tar sands. This diluted bitumen or "DilBit" is actually a potentially unstable blend of thick raw bitumen and volatile natural gas liquid condensates. It is highly corrosive, more acidic than "regular" crude, and as such, the likelihood of it spilling or leaking out of "DilBit" tar sands pipelines is far higher than normal. More on that Friday.
Read more in the pipeline series:
Who paid for these pipelines?
"But public support is crucial to the industry, and it comes in many forms, from eminent domain takings to subsidies and tax breaks"
Why do these pipelines need to tap the public purse?
Because apparently the fossil fuel industry doesn't get tax payer handouts. They are a profitable private enterprise that doesn't need big government.
anonymous replied on Permalink
Notice he doesn't even give
Notice he doesn't even give one single example of any net "subsidy"?
Why do you suppose that is?
"Notice he doesn't even give
"Notice he doesn't even give one single example of any net "subsidy"?
Why do you suppose that is?
So do you believe they dont exist? If I provide one will you apologize?
anonymous replied on Permalink
Apologize for what, Phil?
I notice you didn't provide an example, though.
But knock yourself out, Phil. Give us just one instance where oil and gas are subsidized at a NET LOSS to taxpayers. In other words, prove that any aspect of the oil and gas are paid more in subsidies than they generate in taxes, lease payments and royalties to the government.
Take your time.
"But knock yourself out,
"But knock yourself out, Phil. Give us just one instance where oil and gas are subsidized at a NET LOSS to taxpayers."
Well anon, you would probably accuse me of spamming if I posted so many links, but lets do a few eh?
Exxon despite $2.6B profit domestically alone & during the height of the GFC, paid NO tax, while continuing to take tax payers money through subsidies & tax breaks.
For PRIVATE companies, that whinge incessantly about big government, it seems they don't mind putting their hands in the public purse. If they are turning profits & not just scraping it through, I mean multi billion $$ profits, then why……….why do they need public taxpayer handouts?
" Oil company profits have been a de-facto dinner table conversation for a few years now, what with the biggest few companies reaping wildly huge profits. In the 1st quarter of 2011 alone, Exxon/Mobil made $11 billion, Shell made $6.9 billion, BP made $7.1 billion, Chevron made $6.2 billion, and ConocoPhilips made $3.0 billion. That's a lot of profit, even if the oil companies had to pay their fare share of taxes on it like the rest of us do. However, not only do they not pay their fare share but the government gives them about $4 billion in annual tax subsidies. Yes, our government, i.e. you and I, pay for the oil companies to get a $4 billion tax break when they are showing billions in profits. You and I effectively reduce their taxable income by $4 billion dollars each and every year. When was the last time the government, or your fellow tax-paying neighbor, handed you boat loads of money and told you they were going to help you pay your taxes, even as you were reporting record profits year after year?"
When was the last time that government allowed you turn earn say $100k per year……..& then also built your driveway, maintained your house, made your tax rate a much lower tax rate than the majority of the rest of the country, then when you decide you want to dump rubbish in someone else s house…..they pick up the tab…not you?
Because that is what the oil companies get away with.
Tax payers pay for their infrastructure, like rail, ports, roads, that is entirely for their benefit, not the public's, plus they get subsidies, PLUS taxpayers pay to clean up their mess…..& you think the oil companies pay MORE in TAX?
You are one funny guy. How's Alberta going?
Ben Jervey replied on Permalink
Do not worry, anonymous. We
RickJames replied on Permalink
Phils oil use is being
Phils oil use is being subsidized by the taxpayer and it's driving him nuts.
"Phils oil use is being
"Phils oil use is being subsidized by the taxpayer and it's driving him nuts."
I don't have a problem with fossil fuels getting subsidies, if other energy sources are gettingn the same. Do you have a problem with renewables getting the same amount of subsidies as fossil fuels?
RickJames replied on Permalink
Kill all the subsidies. The
Kill all the subsidies.
The trouble with renewables is energy return on energy investment. The payoff is so far in the future. No one touches renewables without a whole bunch of other people's money.
That's why it's still an oil world.
Governments play around with subsidies but in the end oil pays for itself. It comes down to energy return on energy investment and oil wins by a thousand miles.
"Kill all the subsidies.
"Kill all the subsidies. "
I'm with ya brother. And so that renewables are on an even footing, lets give renewables a few trillion in subsidies that the fossil fuel corporations have had over the past decades & THEN lets cut the subsidies eh?
Then they are on their own. Fully responsible to build their own rail, ports & roads as well as fork out the FULL amount for clean up costs of any spill or solar panel falling over, without the taxpayers money having to interfere whatsoever. Sound fair?
"The trouble with renewables is energy return on energy investment. "
I'm sure if we give the renewable sector a few billion in R&D grants that the fossil fuel industry have got over the years we wouldn't have any problem at all.
"The payoff is so far in the future."
It's not that far into the future & what's more, once it's paid off, it's pure profit from that point on.
When my home solar is paid off in 5 years, I will be paying about $60 per year & that's only because the energy retailers charge a minimum fee for accessing their grid regardless of your energy use. If I continued to stay on fossil fuel generated energy only, my power bill would continue to be between $2k - $2.5k per year.
With fossil fuels, there IS NO payoff except for the owners of fossil fuel corporations. For you, there will be perpetual payments for energy.
"Governments play around with subsidies but in the end oil pays for itself. It comes down to energy return on energy investment and oil wins by a thousand miles."
If it was truly that self sufficient it would need NO taxpayer handouts…yet it does. It's also important to note that the USD is largely tied to oil & it is in their interest that the rest of the world continue to not only use oil, but trade in the reserve USD currency.
anonymous replied on Permalink
d'Smogblog: Frantically
d'Smogblog: Frantically deleting comments and blocking IP addresses.
What are they trying to hide?
"d'Smogblog: Frantically
"d'Smogblog: Frantically deleting comments and blocking IP addresses.
What are they trying to hide?"
Going back a week or so ago, someone was impersonating me. Both myself & the impersonator asked that the mods check & ban the person responsible. The mods banned both of us until they could determine which one was the culprit. I'm no longer banned, but you are…….guess we know now who was responsible for the impersonations & smear.
Considering this blog has virtually no censorship & moderation ( & you know it), it's quite apparent that you have failed in your continuing efforts to smear.
Gold mate….comedy gold.Pretty soon you will win a darwinian award.
An admission?
'd'Smogblog: Frantically deleting comments and blocking IP addresses.'
And you know that how?
I can guess.


text: Between the Lines - Portraits of Authors In 2009 I presented a concept to the Edinburgh International Book Festival. This was to produce a 'live exhibition' of portraits of authors and exhibit them on site. The Edinburgh International Book Festival (EIBF) is the world's largest book festival and is part of the world's largest festival that takes place annually in Edinburgh. After some logistical hurdles they kindly agreed and what has become an annual pilgrimage began. I describe the exhibition as a 'live exhibition' because it is shot on site and the work is uploaded, retouched and printed the same day ready for hanging the next day. It thus grows day by day with ever new work. The studio I work from is not, as has been suggested, a penthouse studio but an outdoor backdrop in the gardens of the Book Festival. There is no pretence or pretensions and the set up negates I work quickly and with a simple lighting set up. It is also a leveller for the great the good, the bad and the ugly. Everyone is shot on the same background with similar lighting. 'The studio' is exposed to the elements has no privacy. As a result it allows extroverts a stage to be exposed, and offers little hiding for the shy. This combination of circumstances coupled with my own approach has produced a vast series of portraits unlike any previously seen of authors and has grown to become the largest live exhibition in the world. In portraiture I want to capture an element of humanity in the subject. My goal is not to flatter or deceive. I have anything from a minute to twenty minutes with each person. Often people have seen the work and ask to be shot so preparation can go out of the window and a lot of the success depends on the ability to get on with the subject. I do not like to have too many preconceptions of people but much prefer working one to one.


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"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" Hacker Hoax
Jun 21, 2007
Rumors have been floating around the internet today concerning a 'hacker' obtaining a digital copy of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows from a Bloomsbury computer and posting the alleged ending on the web. Reuters is reporting this evening that a Bloomsbury spokesperson 'declined comment on the hacker's claims,' while Kyle Good, a spokesperson for US publishers Scholastic, is warning readers 'to be skeptical about anything on the Web that claims to have inside information on the book's plot' saying:
"There is a whole lot of junk flying around," she said. "Consider this one more theory."
It is highly unlikely that any documents containing information as well protected as the seventh Harry Potter book would be on a Bloomsbury computer and as Trend Micro, a computer security company, spokesman David Perry was noted as saying:
"We've had hypes like this on the last couple of Harry Potter books… There is a very high level of spurious information in the hacker world."


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Add gift wrapping or another customer service to a product
You can add customer service options for a product, such as gift wrapping.
- Log in to your GoDaddy account.
- In your products list, click Online Store, and click Manage next to the account you want.
- Click the Products tab and choose All Products.
- Click the name of the product you want to update.
- On the product page, click the Inventory & Options tab, and in the Add-ons section click Create Add-on.
- Type a Name for the service, such as Gift Wrapping or Delivery.
- In the Type list, select Buyer selects from a list.
- Check the Mandatory for the buyer box if you require customers to select the service.
- Add a choice for the service in the Choice box. To add more choices, click CREATE ADD-ON CHOICE. For example, if you're adding a Gift Wrapping service,
the first choice could be "Paper," and the second could be "Metallic Paper".
- Add a Charge as appropriate. If the customer chooses to add the service, the product's final price includes the increase.
- Click Done. The service option is added to the Add-ons list.
Other list options include:
Action Result Click and drag dotted area at front of each add-on Reorders the list. Click the pencil icon Create another add-on, or edit existing add-ons. Click the X Deletes the add-on after displaying a confirmation alert.


text: John Coley Nixon (d.1818) was a wealthy merchant and a topographical and satirical artist, heavily influenced by his friend Thomas Rowlandson. He lived for much of his life in London and later on the Isle of Wight. The Museum collections contain 66 original watercolours and sketches, plus engravings after Nixon.


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Learn more about the details for the 2019/20 Cross Country Audition Tour and open class schedule.
In this workshop, participants are guided through the materials, strategies and best practices for integrating dance as an art form with other areas of the curriculum.
Have you always wanted to try ballet, but haven't taken the leap? Register for our 9-Week Intro to Ballet workshop and incorporate the art of ballet into your lifestyle!
Inspire them with dance! Explore FREE online resources that include downloadable lesson plans, video content, music and more.
Canada's National Ballet School is travelling cross country! Join us in a city near you for an audition, open class or community workshop.
Stay in touch with donor events with our quarterly publication, Turnout.
Read more about the benefits of dance for people with Parkinson's Disease, the research behind the program and how to find a class in your community.


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So like, you're dating a girl, right? It's groovy. You're on Cloud 9. She's sweet and cute and you grew up loving The Muppet Show so her voice is, like, the Siren Song to your soul. She's really good at her sport, you're really good at your sport, and united you can rule the Kids Who Are Good At Their Sports world. You may or may not have broken up with your ex-girlfriend to be with her. So yeah, you're totally in it to win it. This ain't a fling. THIS IS FOREVER.
And then you meet her crazy family and the tires screech in your head. GOOD LORD WHAT HAVE I GOTTEN MYSELF INTO. On one hand, they're reaaaaaally nice and welcoming. They actually totally adore you and they're just so excited that you're in their lives now. It's like that dinner scene in Notting Hill, but without an ignorant Bernie.
So basically, you're getting bombarded with questions, her cousins are winking and nudging, her brothers are basically threatening to stuff a tennis ball down your fucking throat if you fuck this up, and meanwhile, everybody's asking you for...golf lessons? I don't know. I'm just saying shit got more complicated pretty damn quick.
So good luck if you're planning to accompany Caro to any tournaments in the U.S. this summer. I have no helpful advice for you. The reality is, yeah, our family is FUCKING NUTS and we are SHAMELESS.
See the entire conversation between Mardy, Caro, Rory, Vika, Dani, and Feli after the jump.


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Living & Working in Great Places
Thanks for being here! The six of us at CoolWorks welcome you and wish you success in finding your Jobs in Great Places®!
The resume is changing. There are a lot of reasons for this, but it does mean that if you're just re-entering the job market, dusting off and updating the resume you wrote 10 years ago might no longer be sufficient. Instead, there are some more details that you've got to pay attention to.
We've collected together 5 of them here so that you can make sure that…Continue
Added by Diana Beyer on November 22, 2016 at 7:32am — No Comments
Added by Ditesia Z. Johnson (TC) on October 21, 2016 at 12:18pm — No Comments
It's easy to write off seasonal work as something that you just do to make ends meet or to make a few extra dollars, but it can be valuable work experience. You shouldn't feel like you need to gloss over it, or that the person reading your resume won't want to read about it. If you frame it the right way, your experiences as a temp can easily make your resume stand out in a sea of bland…Continue
Added by Diana Beyer on October 13, 2016 at 8:00am — 1 Comment
I've been watching the cool works page for years; applying here and there when my current job is being particularly soul-sucking. In the last couple of months, I've started a serious job search. But first, back story.
I've worked as a swim instructor for four years. Before that, I was a wrangler at a summer camp. Before that, I was a full time college student majoring in Follow Your Heart and not caring what my future looked like as long as it "felt right". Let me tell you. That…Continue
Added by Nicole Barrett on September 26, 2016 at 7:06pm — 2 Comments
It is always challenging to balance between a well-paying job and traveling across the world maybe for leisure or just exploration. Traveling should always be goal oriented and should also go hand in hand with your career objectives.
Wandering across the world aimlessly will not only consume a lot of valuable time but also keep one away from constructive activities around your working area and the society at large. If used carefully, traveling can be turned into working…Continue
Added by Julie Ellis on September 20, 2016 at 7:18am — No Comments
This summer I am working at Wall Drug in Wall, South Dakota. In Part 1, I did an overview of three random days. In this part, I'll do 2 more...the 2nd days of August and September. I might do an edit at the end of the season for one more day...but sometimes that part of the season gets a bit hectic.
Part 1 is here:…Continue
Added by Keith Larson on September 3, 2016 at 11:08am — 1 Comment
This summer I am working at Wall Drug in Wall, South Dakota. Maybe you have seen the signs if you have ever travelled on I-90. I first heard about the company because of those signs. It was in an advertising class in college. Several years ago I was making a trip across the country and was going to spend a weekend in Pierre. Seeing those signs along the way reminded me of the place and looked up opportunities for seasonal work. I…Continue
Added by Keith Larson on September 3, 2016 at 11:00am — No Comments
Living the Dream is the book I wrote while living in my RV and working at Mount Rainier. The chapters include all sorts of things I learned during my seven year journey in seasonal work. On Monday and Tuesday, September 5 and 6th, you can download it FREE, yes, free at the link. I'd love some good reviews at amazon, too, if you're so inclined.
Many thanks to Coolworks, who I…Continue
I know its been to long since I've been on here, just thought i'd give a quick update!
I made it to Skagway, AK!!! yay! Have been working as a Adventure Guide and have totally loved every second of it! Not only have I been blown away by the pure beauty of SE Alaska, but also by all of the amazing people I have gotten to know & love.
Seems like I every now and then I catch myself thinking, "holy moses! I'm actually in Alaska!" Cant believe I finally made it here. One thing…Continue
Added by Kelsey Kerr on July 2, 2016 at 2:21pm — 2 Comments
Did you realize there is a surreal, magical place right under your nose? Did you know that Coolworks provides you an opportunity to go there every Spring? Of course I am talking about Acadia National Park and "Downeast" Maine. Considering how many folks apply at Yellowstone, Yosemite, Grand Canyon and other popular Parks in the West I am kind of amazed so few people attempt to go to Maine. I have only been here a month and I just can't get over what a special place this truly is. It is…Continue
Added by aggie71 on June 18, 2016 at 6:21pm — 8 Comments
OK Fans .... here's all the details you have been waiting for :) My Maine roadtrip itinerary:
Day 1, Saturday May 14 - Houston, TX to Brownsville, TN (726 miles)
Day 2 Sunday, May 15 - Brownsville, TN to Mansfield, OH (595 miles)
Day 3 Monday, May 16 - Mansfield, OH to Niagara Falls, ON, Canada (291 miles)
Day 3 - 5 at Niagara Falls, ON, Canada hanging out
Day 5 - Wednesday, May 18 - Niagara Falls, ON, Canada to Pittsfield, Mass (339 miles)
Day 6 -…Continue
Added by aggie71 on May 1, 2016 at 6:30am — No Comments
Just a minor update on my Maine adventure. We leave Houston on Saturday, May 14. First night will be in Memphis, Tennessee (BBQ & blues anyone?) ..... then on to Cleveland OH (I think). We should arrive in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada on Monday, May 16 and be there until May 18. Plan to visit some of the local vineyards (heard they had a ton of them there). Heading to Bar Harbor next, plan to arrive on Friday, May 20. I will be in the McFarland Hill Apartments (#4) with two room…Continue
Home, home again once more in Texas... The Mat Sinking Unit was great and I did earn allot of money for the past season (310 hours of OT), but I am so glad to be home once more on Texas soil - Galveston! I hope all of you have a great season and someday soon, I will join in again.
Hey Kari, I need a new patch... old car got totaled and it went with it.
Added by Ann Carr on April 4, 2016 at 2:55pm — No Comments
All my scheming has paid off :) I have been hired as a VUA Ranger at Acadia National Park, and my Maine adventure begins on May 22. I will be there right through the peak foliage in mid-October with my last day being November 5. Honestly, I'm excited. This is one of the few things left on my original bucket list and Maine is definitely a place I have wanted to experience for a long time. One small regret is I can't seem to connect with anyone else who is traveling up there this Spring.…Continue
Added by aggie71 on March 1, 2016 at 7:03am — 4 Comments
I live in the dorm known as "The Gulch". Its up a dirt road passed the Inn..about a mile from the main ranch area. Seeing as I am without a car, I have to wait for the shuttle van to take me to work. The shuttle leaves the ranch about 15 & 45 minutes after the hour.
Unlike some other dorms, none of the dorms here have a community room. So nowhere to hang out and watch TV with your neighbors, no community kitchen...well the general store does have a microwave that you can…Continue
Added by Sunni on February 29, 2016 at 8:18pm — No Comments
A sea of yellow from "Desert Gold" flowers are everywhere right now. Miles of land that was so bare just a month or so ago has now been colored with pretty flowers. Course tons of people have come to see them too, so we are busy at work here. Not sure how long the flowers will last but here is some pictures for you to enjoy.
Today (Feb. 29th) the…Continue
Added by Sunni on February 29, 2016 at 7:04pm — No Comments
I have 2 dogs and one likes to bark. I got tired of it and was very tired one day. I opened the back door and told the other dog to go tell him to be quiet, and he did! Here is another day I managed to get a video.
Added by Kristin Crain on February 22, 2016 at 6:56pm — No Comments
My jaw nearly fell off my face when I saw Club Med advertising on CW. If you're interested in them, you need to know a few things first, such as at least one other foreign language. You would benefit in knowing how they run things too because it's fairly different than any work experience you may have had before. If you're curious, feel free to message me. I've worked at the resorts in the Bahamas and in Florida.
Added by Brendan on February 10, 2016 at 12:02pm — No Comments
What. A. Year.
There's a solitude that comes with finishing a contract with any seasonal employer. You can't expect someone who has not been through the same program to fully appreciate it from only an explanation of the experience. The connectivity, the challenges, the humor, and the responsibilities combine to create an other-worldly experience for those in the "bubble". That's hitting me right about now as my fall adventure at Camp Summit in Argyle, TX is finally coming to a…Continue
Added by Billy Angel Sandoval on December 21, 2015 at 9:03am — No Comments
Hello CoolWorks people thought i would post up as we get into winter with some of my creations from the last few months.
I continue to look for a great spot to do my thing job wise for this winter, so if you are looking for a great addition to your team........as always, "Have knives will travel!"
Bread and Butter Roast with couscous and buttery sweet…Continue
Added by Ditesia Z. Johnson (TC) on November 30, 2015 at 1:53pm — No Comments


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July 24, 2019
Tools for Field Staff›Manuals
SILC Field Agent Guide 5.0S-Sharia-compliant
The SILC FA Guide Version 5.0S is fully compliant with the Sharia (Islamic Law). It is grounded in the experience of pilot deployments in Mauritania and Sudan. It is suitable for...More


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You rush to catch a flight, get settled on the plane and experience a sense of relief once you're in the air. Many of us know that feeling. Imagine, though, that the place you're leaving is Mali.
That's the West African nation where the French are battling Islamic militants linked to al-Qaida.
Carol Schillios, of Edmonds, returned Jan. 14 from a two-week stay in Mali, where she works to help women escape extreme poverty.
"For the flight out, I had to have an escort to the airport," Schillios, 60, said Friday. "I was the only white person at the airport, everyone else had already evacuated. It was an Air France flight to Paris, so I was worried about some kind of attack on the plane.
"On the Internet, I wrote to everyone back home to say I'm packing and have my ticket — and the minute those wheels are up, I am ordering a martini," she said.
It was a trip like no other for a woman who has traveled to the former French colony many times in the past decade.
Schillios is co-founder of a school for women in Mali's capital city of Bamako. The school, which graduated its first students in 2006, teaches traditional arts and other skills to women who would otherwise be forced into begging or the sex trade.
The artisans' creations are sold in a fair-trade shop in Edmonds, the Fabric of Life Boutique. Staffed by volunteers, the shop's proceeds fund the nonprofit Fabric of Life Foundation, which supports anti-poverty efforts in Mali, Senegal, Zimbabwe and Vietnam.
If the Fabric of Life Boutique sounds familiar, you may recall Schillios' fundraising feat in 2009. She spent 113 nights camped on the rooftop of her Edmonds shop to raise donations for the Mali school and other causes.
"We were asking for a dollar from a million people. I thought I'd be up there 30 days, but I ended up being there three months," she said. The effort raised about $100,000, and Schillios joked that "the wind blew off one of the zeroes."
Schillios founded the school with a woman in Mali, Kaaba Coulibaly. She stayed in her friend's home during her recent visit there.
Mali is in the midst of a crisis. The democratically elected president was ousted by a military-led coup last March. That action, according to The New York Times, was in response to government handling of an uprising by nomadic Tuareg rebels in Mali's northern desert.
Those rebels have now been pushed out by Islamic extremists with ties to al-Qaida. And earlier this month, France sent in troops to retake the north from the Islamic militants.
"The al-Qaida factions came into a perfect vacuum," Schillios said. "They imposed Sharia law. There is no music. Women must be covered, and they are stoning and raping women."
Schillios said food aid is no longer coming, and thousands in the north have fled Mali for refugee camps elsewhere.
"When I went on Dec. 31, my purpose was to make sure the school was secure, and to merge it with a local (Malian) association," Schillios said. The aim was to keep the school from being targeted due to its ties to the West.
Within days of her arrival in Bamako, Schillios was hearing gunfire. On the advice of her friend's husband, she spent the rest of the visit hiding out at their home. "He let Kaaba go back to work, but asked me to stay out of sight," she said.
Her friend's husband warned that a student demonstration which occurred while she was there "could easily escalate and be taken over by al-Qaida cells," Schillios said.
On Jan. 18, a few days after Schillios' homecoming, the U.S. State Department updated its travel warning for Mali. Noting the presence of al-Qaida in northern Mali, the department warned Americans against "all travel to Mali" because of fighting, the loss of government control, "and continuing threats of attacks and kidnappings of westerners."
The school is still functioning with her friend Kaaba Coulibaly in charge. Bamako has stabilized with most of the fighting north of the capital.
A Seattle native, Schillios lived in Europe as a girl. That time fostered her global concerns. From age 12 until young adulthood, she lived in Switzerland, where the Boeing Co. had transferred her father. She attended an international school there.
Before creating her foundation, she spent her career working with credit unions, and served as director of the International Credit Union Foundation. "It's the power of people to pool their resources," she said.
With Mali in her heart, she seeks out news of the conflict. She hopes for better days in the country.
"African culture is collaborative. We wanted to build on that people-helping-people philosophy," Schillios said. "When there's stability economically, there's peace."
Was it too risky to travel to Mali?
"When I signed up to go, it was safe. I was not going to allow a situation like this to stop good work," Schillios said. "I subscribe to what Eleanor Roosevelt said: Do one thing every day that scares you."
Julie Muhlstein: 425-339-3460, email@example.com.
Learn more
The Fabric of Life Boutique, which supports anti-poverty efforts for women in Mali and other countries, is located at 523 Main St., Edmonds. Information: 425-563-3925. To learn more about the shop and the nonprofit organization: www.fabricoflife.org.


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Located in the incredibly popular Montford area of Charlotte, The Townes at Montford Park townhomes are not going to be available for long! These stunning three-story all-brick townhomes with attached 2-car garages are walking distance to plenty of restaurants, bars and shopping, as well as just a 15-minute drive to Uptown Charlotte, 5-minute drive to SouthPark, and minutes away from I-485 and I-77. The Towns at Montford Park rests in one of the most popular locations within the Charlotte city limits, without the chaos of being uptown. You are not going to want to miss the opportunity to purchase one of these townhomes while you can!
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Welcome Home Center1318 E Woodlawn RoadCharlotte, NC 282091318 E Woodlawn RoadCharlotte, NC 28209(704) 759-6048
Call ahead to schedule an appointment.
(704) 759-6048
New Home Consultants:CANNON MILLER
Internet New Home Consultants:Donna PelletierErin Bowman
Hours:Mon. 1PM - 6PMTue. 10AM - 6PMWed. 10AM - 6PMThu. 10AM - 6PMFri. 10AM - 6PMSat. 10AM - 6PMSun. 1PM - 6PM
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Cable TVAT&T(833) 794-4395
Fire AdminCharlotte Fire Department Station #12704-523-3732
HospitalAtrium Health - Mercy
HospitalLevine Children's Hospital
HospitalNovant Health Express - ParkTowne Hospital
Police AdminCharlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department704-336-7600
ShoppingPark Road Shopping Center
ShoppingPhillips Place
ShoppingSouthPark Mall
Electric CompanyDuke Energy800-521-2232
Garbage CollectionActive Waste Solutions(704) 626-7400
Gas CompanyPiedmont Natural Gas800-752-7504
Telephone CompanySpectrum855-243-8892
Waste Water CompanyCity of Charlotte704-336-7600
Water CompanyCity of Charlotte704-336-7600
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By combining the stunning beauty of Lennar's Metros townhomes with the outstanding Montford location, this community is sure to impress anyone in the market for a new home. You can have the home you want exactly in the location you want - all at an affordable price. But don't wait too long; with only 38 total townhomes, this community is sure to sell out quickly. You don't want to miss your chance at living in your dream home at The Townes at Montford Park!
Charlotte anchors a two-state, 16-county region that lies in the heart of the Southeast. It's easy to get here from anywhere in the country, hence its nickname "the Gateway to the South."
Headquarters for eight Fortune 500 companies, the Charlotte area is the nation's second-largest financial center as home to both Bank of America and Wells Fargo. Energy, foodstuffs, and transportation have also fueled the incredible growth of the past decades, which has led to Charlotte being named one of the "Best Places for Business and Careers" by Forbes in 2013.
Charlotte is a great place to work, and a fun place to live. Lennar has new homes for sale throughout the metro Charlotte area and in upscale surrounding communities such as Waxhaw, Fort Mill, and Davidson. It's easy to get to this dynamic area straddling the two Carolinas, but once you're here, you may never want to leave.
Are you beginning your home buying journey? Consider the opportunities that come with buying a brand new home. From modern design to quality features, you'll discover an array of benefits when you buy new!
You're ready to buy a home. What now? myLennar is where you'll find all the info you need to manage the personal process of shopping, buying, owning and enjoying your Lennar home. So whether you're taking the first steps to purchase a home or learning how to care for the one you already own – you can find it all at myLennar.
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It's cycling season once again, which means everyone's trying to remember how the heck they managed to carry around groceries, laptops, and the rest of our daily baggage while riding around on a bike. This smart new bag from Freitag could be the answer.
The new Freitag F60 Joan—named, if you must know, for the Mad Men character—is a two-for-one bag that'll make women wonder why they ever bothered with a saddlebags or an over-the-shoulder messenger. When you're on two feet, the bag looks like any other large purse—except of course that like all Freitag bags it's made from upcycled materials, so it has the company's trademark vinyl sheen. But when it's time to hop on your bike, the bag has two straps on the back so you can firmly attach it to your handlebars and ride away. The F60 Joan also expands and contacts to fit the needs of your load, and you can even strap items to the exterior. Isn't it wonderful when everything's snugly in its place? The F60 Joan costs $210. [Freitag via Core77]


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|Birth Date:
|Loomis, Calif.
|High School:
|Del Oro HS
UC Santa Barbara
All-Big West Second Team
As a sophomore was one of two Gauchos to start all 32 of the team's games ... Led team in scoring with a 13.8 per game average ... Also led the team with 107 assists (3.3 per game), 57 steals (1.8 per game) and 64 3-pointers ... Played in 1,191 of a possible 1,295 minutes on the season, averaging 37.2 minutes per game, which led the Big West ... Shot 84.3 percent from the free throw line, which ranks as fifth-best in single-season school history ... Her 64 3-pointers count as sixth-most in a season at UCSB ... Her 203 3-point attempts rank as third-most in school history ... Was named Big West Player of the Week twice - Nov. 30 and March 1 ... Poured in a career-best 29 points on Nov. 29 at San Diego while grabbing six rebounds ... The 29 points were the most by a Gaucho in three seasons ... Hit the 20-point mark on four occasions during the season ... Scored 21 points with four assists on Feb. 24 at Cal State Northridge and followed that up with 27 points and a career-best eight assists on Feb. 27 vs. Cal Poly ... In the win over Cal Poly, Johnson was 10 of 15 from the floor, including 5-for-7 from beyond the 3-point line ... Also scored 20 points on Dec. 20 vs. Pepperdine, a game in which she went 9 of 10 at the free throw line ... Scored in double figures in all but seven games, including a run of 11 straight and 16 of 17 ... Had first career double-double on Dec. 28 at Idaho with 14 points and career-best 11 rebounds ... Blocked a season-high two shots on Jan. 30 vs. Cal State Northridge ... Shot 31.5 percent from downtown on the season ... Had season-high seven steals on Nov. 16 at Nevada ... In Big West play, Johnson averaged 14.3 points and 38.7 minutes per game ... In the Big West Tournament, averaged 12.7 points, 4.7 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game ... Following the season Emilie ranks fifth in school history in both 3-pointers made and attempted ... She also is the current leader in career free throw percentage.
All-Big West Freshman Team
Began her career with the Gauchos in outstanding fashion, playing in all 32 games, and was named to the All-Big West Freshman Team...Started 12 games overall, including the first 11 of the season...Became one of just three true freshmen to open her collegiate career at UCSB as point guard over the past decade...Averaged 6.1 points and 2.5 rebounds per game...Missed just two free throws all season, going 33-for-35, and making a career best of seven in the Big West Tournament Final...Season-high 14 points against Pacific on Feb. 19 led team...Shot a 3-point field goal percentage of .396, ranking third overall in the Big West...In conference games, she shot .417 from beyond the arc...One of four players to appear in all 32 games...Her 42 assists were third on the team and her season-high of five came on Dec. 17 vs. Harvard...Hit at least one 3-pointer in all but six games this year...Hit three 3-pointers three separate times during the season, nailing a season high of four on Feb. 19 against Pacific...Season-best eight rebounds against USC on Nov. 30...Averaged 23.9 minutes per game, most among UCSB returners.
Nominated for the McDonald's All-American team as a senior at Del Oro High after averaging 18.6 points, 5.1 assists, 5.1 rebounds and 3.2 steals per game ... Shot 38% from three-point range and 80% from the free throw line ... First-Team All-State for Division III ... First-Team All-Metro (Sacramento area) as a junior and senior ... MVP of Sierra Foothill League her final two seasons ... Selected to All-League team all four years ... Helped the Golden Eagles win SFL titles all four years she was there ... Team made semi-finals of state regional all four seasons ... Scored 29 points vs. Folsom her senior year.
Emilie Theresa Johnson was born March 19,1990 to Dave and Tricia Johnson ... Goes by Em or Em-J ... Majoring in psychology with a minor in exercise and health science ... Favorite athlete is Becky Hammon ... Favorite writer is Nicholas Sparks ... Favorite movies include Miracle and The Notebook ... Enjoys relaxing, reading, and numerous activities outdoors ... Watches any basketball game on TV over anything else ... Favorite sports team is the USA Women's Basketball sqad ... Also was recruited by Notre Dame, Colorado and UC Davis ... Has two older sisters - Mandy and Stephanie - and one older brother, Kendal.
YearG-GsMin-Avg Fg-aPct3p-aPctFt-aPctOrDrTrAvgPf-DAstToBlkStlTpAvg 08-0932-12760-23.860-173.34742-106.39633-35.9431368812.542-14272261956.1 09-1032-321191-37.2151-397.38064-203.31575-89.843201051253.969-010711365744113.8 Totals64-441951-30.5 211-570.364106-309.356108-124.871331732063.2111-11491858636369.95


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These days vintage Porsches are high dollar collector items, but in Bavaria in 1955 they were merely tow vehicles for some crazy skiers. This vintage video takes a look at "the world's most dangerous sport" which evidently involved being towed around a track by motorcycles, Volkswagen Bugs, Porsche 356s and even a Porsche 550 Spyder.
We hadn't heard of skijoring or "Motor skiing" as it's referred to in this film until last weekend when we saw it done behind a brand new Bentley Continental GT. Skiing behind an assortment of vintage German cars looks even cooler. Having said that, given the opportunity to try out motor skiing in the style shown in this video, we'd likely just try to get a few laps in on this snowy course behind the wheel of that awesome 550 Spyder.


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More posts
- 4.5 stars; at Groton Market
- Medium bodied very smooth! Perfect to drink without food. Reco'd by Jenny Mash
- Argentinian Malbec. Sweet & smooth w finish that's nice & dry. Strong acids. Black fruit, plum & dark grapes. Binnys $12
- Raising a glass of Malbec to wish Argentina victory on Sun.
- Fab Malbec at Alavita Restaurant last night!


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|KB: Book Buddies* (18-36 months) 10:30am
Event Type: Children's Programs
Date: 5/23/2019
Start Time: 10:30 AM
End Time: 11:30 AM
Join us for exciting stories, activities and songs that prepare your child for a lifelong love of reading in this 1 hour program! The first 30 minutes will be dedicated for free play. This program expressly for children ages 18-36 months years. *Caregiver must be present.Library: John F. Kennedy Library
Location: KB - Story Area


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5th Floor
Six Holes of Life - Mini Golf
of Games
In the fifth floors Gallery of Games, the walls
are literally teeming with activity. Kids can create
images of Jewish objects as they Paint a Picture
in Light by inserting colorful plastic pieces
into a lighted board. They can also search for Hidden
Jewish Treasures by pushing in special nails
to reveal concealed shapes.


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Getting Better at Bridge
Monday, December 9, 2019
If you know the basics of bridge, have played a few times, or played many years ago, this group is for you. Bridge hands are played for the entire two hours with Marilyn Lutz, an experienced bridge player and teacher acting as our consultant For more information or questions, contact the group administrator, Gene Philippi.Members only.
The Center


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Harbor Beach Resort Association-Those Thursday Places
15 March 2012
4 comments:
- Susan Clark said...
Lovely, lovely, lovely, Brenda! The cottage and beach associations were one of the chief reasons I fell so in love with Michigan. And one of the reasons I still love it.
- March 15, 2012 10:23 AM
- Brenda Leyndyke said...
Michigan is a great place to live most of the time. I never realized how lucky I was to grow up on Lake Huron until we moved. Now, we live one and a half hours from the nearest Great Lake.
- March 15, 2012 8:42 PM
- Anonymous said...
I loved spending time at my Grandma and Grandfather the Seiberts at there cabin in Harbor Beach on Lake Huron. I miss that very much. I always say it was my Heaven there and I will remember falling asleep to the waves hitting the sand so relaxing and peaceful. Thank you Grandpa Siebert for being a great role model and fun Grandpa to my brother's and sister and I. You both are in my heart forever.
- October 09, 2012 5:24 AM
- Brenda Leyndyke said...
Family memories are so special. Thank you for sharing yours. Yes, falling asleep to the waves is relaxing.
- October 14, 2012 2:03 PM


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Tuesday 6th November 2012
|Text too small?
New Zealand's wage inflation was paced by the construction sector in Canterbury as the rebuild of the country's second-biggest city continues to pick up pace.
Private sector salary and ordinary time wages rose 0.5 percent in the three months ended Sept. 30, unchanged from the June quarter, according to Statistics New Zealand's labour cost index. That was in line with economists' expectations in a Reuters survey. Public sector wage inflation was 0.4 percent in the quarter.
The national pace was outstripped by a 0.7 percent increase in labour costs for Canterbury's construction sector, which has started showing signs of gathering pace in recent months.
Last month, contract labour firm AWF Group said demand for its services as the country's biggest provider of temporary staff indicated the Canterbury recovery was gaining momentum, with firms usually willing to take on casual staff before committing to permanent employees.
Today's figures precede Thursday's household labour force survey, which is forecast to show a small fall in the unemployment rate to 6.7 percent and a 0.3 percent pick-up in jobs growth.
New Zealand's labour market has been slow to recover from the nation's deepest recession in two decades, with employers more willing to take on part-time staff than stack their books with full-timers.
Last month, the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research's quarterly survey of business opinion showed labour conditions softened in the quarter.
Statistics New Zealand's quarterly employment survey, also released today, showed total filled jobs rose 0.3 percent to a seasonally adjusted 1.715 million, pipping the 0.2 percent growth expected by economists. That was bolstered by a pick-up in part-time workers, with a 0.1 percent decline in full-time equivalents to 1.35 million.
Manufacturing FTEs shrank 4 percent to an actual 165,600 while professional, scientific, technical, administrative and support services declined 4.7 percent to 176,600. Manufacturing typically experiences a fall in FTEs in the September quarter.
Local manufacturer Rakon, which makes components for smart phones and navigation devices, today announced plans to lay-off up to 60 workers at its New Zealand facility and shift that work to its Chinese and Indian factories as it looks to cut costs and fatten its tight margins.
Today's figures showed total paid hours shrank 0.3 percent to a seasonally adjusted 51.8 million in the quarter, missing the 0.1 percent increase predicted.
Private sector wages climbed 1.4 percent to $26.26 an hour, up from 0.2 percent growth in the June quarter and ahead of the 1.1 percent forecast.
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Source: Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Release: St. Louis Monthly Reserves and Monetary Base
This series was discontinued on July 14, 2003. For information on the construction of this series, please refer to http://research.stlouisfed.org/aggreg/newbase.html. For information on the reconstructed series (RAM), available starting on July 14, 2003, please refer to https://files.stlouisfed.org/research/publications/review/03/09/Anderson.pdf.
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, Reserve Adjustment Magnitude (DISCONTINUED) [DISRAM], retrieved from FRED, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis; https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/DISRAM, December 12, 2019.


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DOMA on shaky ground in court
The Defense of Marriage Act seemed to be on shaky footing at the Supreme Court Wednesday, with a majority of justices expressing doubts about the constitutionality of the 17-year-old law banning same-sex married couples from receiving a wide array of federal benefits.
Justice Anthony Kennedy again looked like he could be the key swing vote on the issue, possibly siding with the four liberals on the court who are expected to vote to overturn it.
Story Continued Below
But Kennedy's concerns sounded different from the liberals. Rather than a fairness question for gays, his questions focussed on the traditional right of states to define marriage.
That difference could result in a decision that wipes DOMA from the books and provides federal benefits to same-sex married couples, but stops short of declaring that all government distinctions based on sexual orientation be subject to "heightened scrutiny" by the courts — a landmark decision gay rights advocates hoped for.
"You are at real risk of running in conflict with what has always been thought to be the essence of the state police power, which is to regulate marriage, divorce, custody," Kennedy said. He suggested the law was "not consistent with the historic commitment of marriage and of questions of the rights of children to the state."
The sole lawyer arguing Wednesday for the constitutionality of the 1996 law, Paul Clement, was retained by Republican leaders in the House after President Barack Obama decided in 2011 that the Justice Department would no longer defend the statute.
( AUDIO: Supreme Court oral arguments on DOMA)
Clement said Congress's key interest in passing the law was preserving the uniform treatment of couples in various states at a time when there where indications that some states might allow same-sex marriages. Nine now do.
"All these federal statutes were passed with the traditional definition of marriage in mind," Clement said. "What Congress says is, 'Let's take a time out. This is a redefinition of an age-old tradition.'"
Justice Elena Kagan said Congress wasn't preserving tradition, but departing from it when it jumped into the marriage issue. "The only uniformity that the federal government has pursued is that it's uniformly recognized the state [definition] of marriage," she said, adding that the foray into the issue in 1996 was so unusual that it "sent up a pretty big red flag."
A short time later, Kagan read aloud from the House Judiciary Committee report on DOMA which described the statute as a way to resist the immorality of homosexuality. "I'm going to quote from the House report here….'Congress decided to reflect an honor of collective moral judgment and to express moral disapproval of homosexuality,'" she said.
Kagan's reading led to gasps from and "oohs" from many in the gallery who seemed to think she'd managed a rare Supreme Court "gotcha" moment.
Clement said he was not claiming moral disapproval constituted a sufficient basis for the law. "The House report says those things," he said. "We've never invoked [them] in trying to defend the statute."
It was the second of two days of oral arguments on cases related to same-sex marriage, following Tuesday's hearing on a case that asks the court to overturn California's same-sex marriage ban, known as Prop. 8.
Wednesday's case was brought by Edith Windsor, a New York woman forced to pay $363,000 in federal estate taxes after her same-sex spouse died in 2009. If the couple had been heterosexual, no tax would have been due, but under DOMA federal tax law treated the pair as unmarried.


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If you think, or are hoping, that the 162-game suspension imposed on New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez has brought an end to the Biogenesis saga or A-Rod's controvery-laced career, think again.
The ruling by arbitrator Frederic Horowitz, which reduced the original suspension that Major League Baseball handed down to Rodriguez from 211 games to 162, may stand up to a federal court challenge by Rodriguez and his small army of attorneys, but you can bet that we'll still be wondering next month whether he'll be allowed to start the 2014 season.
Based on the comments coming out of his camp, he fully intends to seek an injunction that could postpone the start of the suspension, which could make it possible for him to start the season while the issue is being adjudicated.
That would be bad news for the Yankees, who are set to gain some serious payroll relief if Rodriguez misses the entire season. They would not have to pay about $24 million of the $86 million they still owe him under the terms of the ridiculous $275 million contract he signed before the 2008 season, which would have a significant impact on their payroll and luxury-tax situation.
It would not be particularly bad news for the rest of the American League East, since Rodriguez clearly isn't the player he was before injuries and scandal turned him into a huge liability.
He certainly seems committed to taking this to the limit, and why not? He really has nothing to lose, since a one-year suspension might be the death knell for his career. His reputation has been sullied so much that there's probably no real benefit in making some kind of high-road proclamation of regret and accepting his punishment.
Though it will be bad for baseball and the Yankees, a long court battle might be his only chance to preserve any semblance of a legacy.
The whole situation is a sad commentary on both A-Rod and MLB. He was a wonderful player in his prime and almost certainly would have gone on to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer if he had resisted the temptation to use steroids over a three-year period in the early 2000s. He admitted to that offense, but has maintained throughout the Biogenesis scandal that he has not violated baseball's Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program.
Challenging the labor agreement in federal court will be an uphill battle, but it's not out of the realm of possibility that a judge will put the suspension on hold and examine the way MLB obtained its evidence against Rodriguez. That likely would not be a speedy process.
In fact, it would be very much in A-Rod's interest to stretch the legal proceedings out as long as possible, since the Yankees likely would have to keep paying him until the issue is settled.
Either way, it's fair for fans to wonder whether baseball's steroid scourge will ever end.


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Adriana Lisboa
Brazilian author Adriana Lisboa was born in Rio de Janeiro. She has published ten books, among which five novels, a collection of short stories and prose poetry, and books for children. Her work has been translated in several countries, including France, the United States, Mexico, Italy, Sweden, and Switzerland.


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There is much to do about this upcoming expansion pack, more so then Burning Crusade and I dare say more then Wrath of The Lich King. I say this because of the buzz around the net as well as just what I hear walking around my home town. People are excited, hell I know I am. But I think people are more excited about this expansion then the other two. I'd like to talk about why we might feel this way about Cataclysm.
In Burning Crusade we were excited, don't get me wrong. We had just bested the Black Dragonflight, saved the world of Azeroth from the terrors of an awakening Old God and his minions and layed the Smack down on a mighty Lich and his floating fortress of evil. We were eager to go and take on the the next threat to our home and take the fight right to it's doorstep! We dove into Karazhan and drove out the taint infesting it, we took on Magtheridon and cut the head from between his shoulders. We beat the naga champion into pulp and took the fight to Kael'thas and his generals, all leading up to taking down the of the betrayer and then saving the all Azeroth yet again, this time from the evils of a freshly summoned Kil'jaden.
Then Wrath of The Lich King was announced. We would be returning to Azeroth full time, albeit the frozen northlands. We stepped foot into Borean Tundra or the Howling Fjord and were treated with lush, full environments to play with. From the very beginning we were taunted by the Lich King. Every step of the way he was there, messing with us, trying to break our minds and bring us into his influence. When he failed to do so he sent his agents to kill us. We cleared the Grizzly Hills and Fought back the corruption in Dragon Blight, we stomped on the trolls pledged to the lich king in Zul'drak and freed the animal spirits from their chains, We took on the Vyrkul in their homes among the storm peaks while making friends with the Sons of Hodir. We broke into the home of the titans and cleansed the corruption from it's halls and saved the world yet again from an awakening god. We proved our worth at the foot of the Lich Kings citadel and now await the doors to be breached so we can take on the blight of our lands head first.
Burning Crusade:
Burning Crusade did a couple things right, and a couple things very wrong. It was a good time because it was new content. We got to go play in Karazhan which thrilled most people because it had been sitting there for so long. We got our first glimpse and some interaction with major lore characters. Shamans and paladins got to swap sides and new races were introduced (although I still think blood elves won out compared to us blueberries), and we got one hell of a troll instance (I loved Zul'aman). They also introduced arena style pvp with various formatting for smaller more intimate pvp battles. It even allowed you to battle against your own faction! The visuals of the landscape were wild and colorful and they let us fly around on the backs of our own personal griffins. We even got to go back in time and participate in some amazing key events in Azeroth history ( I still hate you so so much Archimonde!)
But for what they did right there were a few things they did wrong. The terrain didn't blend very well between zones. Good example would be going from Zangarmarsh to Nagrand, the contrast was incredibly violent. This theme persisted through most of the between zone areas, with the exception truly being between Netherstorm and Blades Edge Mountains. Our major antagonist was Illidan Stormrage. He was supposed to be the architect of all the going ons in outland, and yet we saw or heard very very little from the emo elf. When we finally killed him atop Black Temple, I couldn't help but feel it was a bit hollow. Also at some point focus seemed to shift from Illidan to Kael'thas a little bit. He was arguably the harder fight of the two, he taunted us more then Illidan did, and then tried to summon a being capable of culling all of Azeroth. Blood Elves flowed pretty well into the horde lineup, but Draenei seemed out of place even with the alliance. I asked around for some thoughts on favorite and least favorite things from burning crusade and here's what I got in reply:
Shattered Halls
Heroic Magisters Terrace
Lore and Burning Legion theme
Space Goats!
Caverns of time!
Least Fav:
Heroic Rep Grind
The SSC lift (I hated that damn thing too, might be worse then door boss)
All of Hellfire Peninsula
Auchenai Crypts (hated that damn bridge)
Wrath of The Lich King:
Wrath has done a lot of things right. First thing off the bat is the interaction between Arthas and the PC's. From our first steps onto the shores of northrend the Lich King has been there to taunt us. So much so that when I finally drive a mace through his face atop Icecrown I know I'll dance a jig, and I think many of you will too. We are driven to want to kill him. In this they learned from their mistakes in BC and did great. The zones looked amazing and the flow between them was incredibly well done. It was very natural flow from say Borean Tundra to Dragon Blight. The quests are immersive and the entire expansion is dripping with lore tidbits, questing gives you story and feels much less of a hodge podge grind. Wrath gate event in the game is amazing, even on the 6th time seeing it. The instances are incredibly well designed and they brought back one of the most awesome but least experienced instance of vanilla WoW back for everyone to enjoy (Looking at you here Naxxramas!) The daily quests seem less of a grind, and they got rid of attunements for raids and heroics which allows players to experience the content without the soul sucking rep grind. A hero class was introduced for the first time! New Technology was introduced in they way of phasing which was showcased in the Death Knight starting zone but is present throughout the world. It also introduced 10 man raids. Which again allowed further access to content among smaller guilds. Along with these came hard mode encounters and refined vehicle combat. To me this found it's ultimate purchase in Ulduar, which is a beautiful and wonderfully designed raid zone, and almost ties for first place with me for favorite raid zone (BWL still number 1 in my book) Wrath has done so many things very very right, and very few things wrong. I got some replies to my question earlier to wrath too. here they are.
No more attunements or rep for heroics!
Ulduar Hard Modes
New Pets!
Storyline and Quest integration
Least fav:
Sons of Hodir rep grind (pre relic turn in)
Door boss! (he hates me too =/ )
Quite a difference in lists. Note how short the list of dislikes is. If I missed anything above forgive me, it wasn't intended to be all inclusive, just sort of a highlight reel.
Lets move on to the upcoming expansion,
In almost every fantasy novel I've ever read, there is a love for home, or a quest to protect home or even the dream of returning home after the adventure is completed. You can see this trend in the Lord of The Rings trilogy, Count of Monte Cristo and various other stories. I point this out because it's a common theme. This is one of the things Cataclysm is doing right and doing it up front before the game is even released. We are returning home after fighting a grueling war that has taken it's toll many times over only to find our home ransacked, disheveled and forever changed. Places so familiar to us are being left scarred and broken and lets be honest it gets us riled up. Blizzard is doing something most people never thought they would, in essence they are destroying azeroth, and reshaping it. It is definitely having the desired effect, I could hear it when the game was officially announced at Blizzconm I could hear the whispers around the room and look at all the smiling faces and heads nodding.
We have major lore figures being thrown at us right away, Deathwing not even close to least among them. We see the return of those we thought we had defeated such as Ragnaros coming to burn the world tree in Hyjal and Nefarian back to help his father's plans along. I also suspect we'll see Lady Aszhara before too long.
We get to explore areas that have always been enigmas to us such as Uldum (pronounced "Ul-doom" in case you missed the panel and matt's report on it) and what lay behind those doors where all those dragonkin came to murder us in Nefarian's throne room back in the day. We get to travel beneath the Maelstrom and we are promised we'll be able to fly in the old world now (we get to visit Iron Forges airstrip and the dancing troll village if they are still there!). The gates of the Greymane wall come open and we get to see Gilneas for the first time! I remember sitting in front of the door on my Night Elf hunter when it had the elite furbolg in front of it wondering when I'd get to go play in Gilneas. At this point the tidbits they are releasing feel even more epic then Wrath did. We are fighting to defend our world against a force that was entrusted with it's safe keeping by the titans themselves. A being so powerful that the earth trembles and ripples with his very power. We are waiting on the edge of our seat to see who lives and who dies in the coming events. As old enemies resurface, alliances are made and the very ground we walk upon is shattered.
In short this expansion is doing what a good novel would do, bringing you back home. In this case though it's bringing you back home to a place that isn't the place you remember. By tossing us into this world wide upheaval they are pushing us further into the story. Everyone from RPers to Raiders should be happy with the content that is going to be provided to us. Lore junkies will be turned on their ear and will be foaming at the mouth for more ( I know I already am!). This expansion is setting up with an epic feel to it. Even look at lowering the leveling from another 10 levels to only 5, the emphasis shifts more on content then just leveling. In my opinion that is what they are doing right. They are giving it a feeling of epic grandeur that started with Wrath and seems to have only gotten better over time. I may sound like a fan boy, but as a person who has been reading and writing fantasy stories for a very long time, I'm starting to feel like I'm playing through the events of a book rather than just a game, and that makes me happy and excited to see what's in store.
So what do you think? What was the best and worst of Burning Crusade? What was the best and worst of Wrath? How do you feel about cataclysm so far? Excited, sad, angry? What are you looking forward to the most?
Until next time,
Image courtesy of memory-alpha.org


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Customer:Vermeer Manufacturing
Location:Pella, Iowa
Scope of engine use: C2.2 to C27ACERT®
Cat Dealer:Ziegler Cat
"Find a need. Fill that need with a product built to last. And simply build the best!"
This quote from Gary Vermeer, founder of Vermeer Manufacturing in Pella, Iowa, describes not only how this well-known OEM works with its worldwide customers, but also how it works with its suppliers.
Based on this philosophy, "Vermeer provides equipment through an independent, authorized dealer network offering sales, support, service and parts," explains Mike Byram, senior director of Vermeer's Environmental Business segment. "The company is committed to its vision of taking care of customers worldwide with better solutions and with the help of quality suppliers."
One of those suppliers is Caterpillar and the Caterpillar OEM Solutions Group.
"Our ties with the Caterpillar OEM Solutions Group mostly involve the purchase of Cat industrial engines, but we also purchase Caterpillar track chain for our trenchers, a complete Cat® 304 lower undercarriage for our BC1400TX grinder, as well as numerous other design components," says Byram.
The relationship between Caterpillar and Vermeer began more than 20 years ago and continues to remain strong today. Ziegler Power Systems, the local Cat dealer, has been an integral player in the engine installation and design of Vermeer equipment with Cat engines and components.
"Ziegler Cat has been very involved with our engine program. Their involvement ranges from design through the installation testing process and review," explains Byram. "Our relationship also goes beyond the components and systems we purchase from Caterpillar. We've gone to Ziegler several times for their design expertise for our undercarriages. We provide input on application speeds, weights and other technical requirements, and they help us determine the best undercarriages for our applications."
He adds, "As emissions standards change and tighten in the future with the upcoming Tier 4 regulations, we're already working with Cat and Ziegler to better understand what this will mean for the engines and our machines. Our relationship with Ziegler Cat is a good one; the people there have always been a good source for information and service."
Cat engines are the exclusive power option for all Vermeer equipment applications above 300 hp (224 kW).
"The global presence and popularity of Cat engines in industrial settings led our company to select Cat engines for our equipment requiring 300 hp or more," Byram says. "Customers want a commonality of engines with their other equipment. Cat engines are definitely their preference. We've used other brands years ago, but now we've decided to stay with Cat engines as a response to customer input."
Current models using Cat engines include the 440-hp (328 kW) C13 ACERT™ and the 540-hp (403 kW) C15 ACERT in tub grinders and the 630-hp (470 kW) C18 ACERT in horizontal grinders.
"We provide Cat engines to Vermeer for a variety of applications and today Cat engines power 20 Vermeer products," says Ralph Dupslaff, sales engineer at Ziegler Cat's Power Systems division.
To date, Vermeer purchases not only Cat engines but also Cat undercarriage components, digger chain, seals and other design components.
Vermeer track trenchers rely on Caterpillar components. They use Cat D6 through D8 chain on the track trencher line as digging chain and D8 chain on its undercarriage.
Vermeer SC602 and SC60TX stump grinders use 60-hp (44.7-kW) Cat 3024 engines (transitioning to Cat C2.2 engines).
The Vermeer BC1400TX brush chipper uses 122-hp (91-kW) Cat 3054 engines (transitioning to Cat C4.4 ACERT engines) and a complete Cat 304 lower undercarriage.
"The flexible Cat track undercarriage allows operators to steer the mid-sized chipper through areas where a tow vehicle may not be able to maneuver due to uneven terrain, confined working areas or forestry applications," explains Byram.
The track design also offers lower ground pressure over a trailered machine, helping to reduce ground disturbance.
Vermeer plans to continue its "total solutions" approach in the future. Byram notes that international sales are up substantially, "and they're projected to grow, with Cat engines being the primary engine in new models built for the international market. The worldwide Cat service network makes them an obvious choice for equipment distributed around the world," he says.
Byram concludes, "Vermeer has some exciting products coming, and we are relying on Cat integrated systems and Cat engines as our power plant choice for these products. Just as engines with ACERT Technology are a long-term solution for meeting emissions technology, our new Vermeer machines will continue to offer our customers innovative solutions with equipment that lasts."