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Entropy 2014, 16(1), 200-220; doi:10.3390/e16010200
Abstract: Quantum time correlation functions are often the principal objects of interest in experimental investigations of the dynamics of quantum systems. For instance, transport properties, such as diffusion and reaction rate coefficients, can be obtained by integrating these functions. The evaluation of such correlation functions entails sampling from quantum equilibrium density operators and quantum time evolution of operators. For condensed phase and complex systems, where quantum dynamics is difficult to carry out, approximations must often be made to compute these functions. We present a general scheme for the computation of correlation functions, which preserves the full quantum equilibrium structure of the system and approximates the time evolution with quantum-classical Liouville dynamics. Several aspects of the scheme are discussed, including a practical and general approach to sample the quantum equilibrium density, the properties of the quantum-classical Liouville equation in the context of correlation function computations, simulation schemes for the approximate dynamics and their interpretation and connections to other approximate quantum dynamical methods.
1. Introduction
The dynamical properties of condensed-phase or complex systems are often investigated experimentally by applying external fields to weakly perturb a system and observe its relaxation back to the thermal equilibrium state. In such experiments, measurable quantities can be related to equilibrium time correlation functions via linear response theory [1,2]:
Exact numerical evaluation of Equation (1) for real condensed phase quantum systems is prohibitive, since the computational cost scales exponentially with respect to the number of degrees of freedom (DOF). Various approaches have been developed to address this challenging problem. A common approach shared by many methods is to partition the entire system into a subsystem (whose dynamical properties are of interest) and an environment (or bath) in which the subsystem resides. Other recently developed schemes for computing quantum correlation functions do not rely on such a partition and instead utilize approximations to treat the quantum evolution of the entire system in conjunction with quantum equilibrium sampling [3–5]. In this paper, we focus on schemes based on the system-bath partition, and using this partition, the Hamiltonian reads: Ĥ= Ĥb+ĥs+V̂c(R̂); where and ĥs represent the pure bath and subsystem Hamiltonians, respectively. The last term in Ĥ is a coupling potential that depends on the spatial coordinates of the bath wave functions. We shall always take the bath part of the Hamiltonian in the coordinate representation; however, we can represent in some quantum basis: .
Several methods based on various master equations [6–10] and path integral influence functional methods [11,12] provide approximate schemes, often in the weak coupling limit, to systematically project out the environmental DOF and yield a subsystem dynamics that incorporates dissipation and decoherence, due to coupling to the environment. However, for many applications, such as proton and electron transfer in condensed phases, it is desirable to explicitly simulate, even approximately, the bath dynamics, since specific local bath DOF may be crucial for a description of the dynamics of the quantum subsystem. For this purpose, several semiclassical [13–15] and mixed quantum-classical [16,17] (MQC) methods, which either treat the entire dynamics semiclassically or simulate the dynamics of the bath and subsystem with different levels of rigor (e.g., classical versus quantum mechanical), have been formulated. Many semiclassical and mixed quantum-classical approaches, adopting powerful classical simulation techniques, evaluate Equation (1) by combined Monte Carlo-molecular dynamics (MC-MD) techniques.
In this paper, we formulate MC-MD schemes to evaluate Equation (1) within the framework of the quantum-classical Liouville equation (QCLE) [18]. The QCLE employs a partial Wigner representation of the environmental (bath) DOF and may be derived from full quantum dynamics by truncating the quantum evolution operator to the first order in a small parameter related to the ratio of the characteristic masses of quantum and bath DOF [18]. In particular, we suppose that the quantum subsystem has a finite-dimension Hilbert space. Under this assumption, Equation (1) is cast in the following form [19,20]:
Two main tasks are involved in evaluating Equation (2) with an MC-MD algorithm. First, one needs to sample initial conditions (for an ensemble of trajectories) from the partially Wigner-transformed quantum density, with ρeq = e−βĤ/ZQ. There exist numerical algorithms to accomplish such a task [21,22]. Second, one needs to propagate the initial points in the phase space. These time-evolved trajectories may then be used to construct the matrix elements, , needed to compute the correlation function. Various simulation methods, whose structure depends on the basis chosen to represent the quantum degrees of freedom in the QCLE, have been devised to simulate the mixed quantum-classical dynamics [23–31]. Simulation methods that utilize an adiabatic basis can be cast into the form of surface-hopping dynamics, but in a way that includes coherent evolution segments that account for creation and destruction of coherence in a proper manner. More recently, as in some semiclassical approaches [32], the mapping basis [33] was used to describe the quantum degrees of freedom in the QCLE in a continuous classical-like manner, leading to a trajectory description in the full system phase space [30,31,34–36].
The goals and outline of the paper are as follows: We first consider how the two ingredients, quantum equilibrium sampling and evolution of quantum operators, which are needed to compute quantum correlation functions, may be carried out. In Section 2, we describe a path-integral scheme to perform MC sampling from the partially Wigner transformed quantum density. In the Appendix, we also discuss a simplified, but approximate sampling scheme that is useful in the high-temperature limit. Another aim of this paper is to demonstrate how a recently-developed simulation method for the QCLE, the forward-backward trajectory solution (FBTS), can be used to efficiently obtain quantum correlation functions. To place these results in proper context, in Section 3, we sketch the important features and properties of the QCLE and discuss both the adiabatic Trotter-based surface-hopping (TBSH) algorithm and the FBTS, which is formulated in the mapping basis. In this section, we also present the explicit form of the N-level generalization of the TBSH algorithm. Comparisons of the trajectories that underlie these algorithms allow us to investigate how completely different ensembles of trajectories can be used to simulate the same observable correlation function. The implementation and utility of the simulation algorithms are illustrated on the dynamics in a two-level system coupled to a quartic oscillator embedded in a bath of independent harmonic oscillators, described in Section 4. Finally, in Section 5, we comment on the advantages, challenges and potential problems in adopting an approximate mixed quantum-classical dynamics for the computation of quantum time-correlation functions.
2. Sampling from the Partially Wigner-Transformed Density
In general, analytical expressions for the Wigner transform of the density matrix cannot be determined easily. In this section, we present a path-integral-based scheme to perform MC sampling from the Wigner-transformed density, , in Equation (2).
First, we recall the definition of partial Wigner transform:
3. Quantum-Classical Liouville Equation
In this section, we discuss how one can simulate the time-evolved matrix elements, , in Equation (2) using the QCLE:
The QCLE has many desirable features, such as the conservation of energy, momentum and phase space volumes. Furthermore, the QCLE is equivalent to full quantum dynamics for arbitrary quantum subsystems, which are bilinearly coupled to a harmonic bath. For instance, commonly used spin boson models are of this type. In this circumstance, the combination of quantum and classical brackets in the QCLE does have a Lie algebraic structure. For the more general bath and coupling potentials, the QCLE provides an approximate description of the quantum dynamics. In this case, comparisons of simulations of QCL dynamics with exact quantum results have indicated that it is quantitatively accurate for a wide range of systems [36,39–48]
The QCLE equation can be simulated using ensembles of trajectories, which, in combination with the quantum initial condition sampling discussed above, provides a way to compute quantum correlation functions. As we shall see, the nature of the trajectories that enter in the simulations depends on the algorithm and should not be ascribed physical significance. It is only the observable, in this case, the correlation function, that has physical meaning and is independent of the manner in which it is simulated, provided the simulation algorithm is capable of exactly solving the QCLE, which is not always the case. One of the goals of this paper is to illustrate how a recently-developed FBTS [31] can be used to easily compute quantum correlation functions. For this purpose, it is interesting to contrast the solution using this scheme, and the trajectory description that underlies it, with the previously-developed and frequently-used TBSH algorithm [26]. Taking the adiabatic representation of the QCL superoperator is the key step in implementing the TBSH algorithm. The last representation of QCLE in Equation (8) resembles the quantum Liouville equation and forms the starting point of the FBTS.
3.1. Adiabatic Trotter-Based Surface Hopping
In order to discuss the nature of the trajectory description involved in the TBSH algorithm, we briefly describe how it is implemented and, in particular, present the explicit generalization to an N-level quantum subsystem, which was only outlined in [26]. We first consider the adiabatic representation of the QCLE, since the TBSH algorithm is cast in this basis. The adiabatic basis is defined by ĥW(R) | α; R〉 = Eα(R) | α; R〉, where ĥW(R) = ĤW(R) − P2/2M is taken to be the adiabatic Hamiltonian for a static configuration of R in this section. In the adiabatic basis, the QCLE reads:
Equation (10) admits a formal solution:
At this point, we have specified all the necessary details in order to simulate the QCL dynamics in the adiabatic basis:
In this algorithm, we see that the trajectories in the ensemble that are used to simulate the time evolution are non-Newtonian in character, consisting of Newtonian segments where the system evolves on adiabatic surfaces, or the mean of two adiabatic surfaces, interspersed with quantum transitions and momentum changes.
3.2. Forward-Backward Trajectory Solution
This scheme is motivated by another way of writing the formally exact solution [38] of the QCLE using the last line of Equation (8):
One approach to solve Equation (25) is to apply the mapping transformation in which N discrete quantum states of the subsystem are represented by the continuous position and momenta of N fictitious harmonic oscillators. The properties of the original subsystem are then obtained via an ensemble average involving trajectories in the phase space of the fictitious oscillators. More precisely, in the mapping representation, a subsystem state, |λ〉, is replaced by |mλ〉 = |01, …, 1λ, … 0N〉, a product state specifying the occupation numbers (limited to zero or one) of N fictitious harmonic oscillators [33,49]. Creation and annihilation operators, and âλ, satisfy the commutation relation for harmonic oscillators. The actions of these operators on the single-excitation mapping states are and âλ|mλ〉 = |0〉, where |0〉 = ||01 . . . 0N 〉 is the ground state of the mapping basis.
Next, we define the mapping version of operators, , such that matrix elements of B̂W in the subsystem basis are equal to the matrix elements of the corresponding mapping operator: . In particular, the mapping Hamiltonian is:
We now introduce the coherent states, |z〉, in the mapping space, âλ|z〉 = zλ|z〉 and , where |z〉 = |z1, . . . , zN 〉, and the eigenvalue is . The variables q = (q1, . . . , qN) and p = (p1, . . . , pN) are mean coordinates and momenta of the harmonic oscillators encoded in the coherent state, |z〉, respectively. The coherent states form an overcomplete basis with the inner product between any two such states, 〈z| z′〉 = e−(|z−z′|2)−i(z·z′*−z* ·z′). Finally, we remark that the coherent states provide the resolution of identity:
Similar to the path integral approach for solving the quantum dynamics, we decompose the forward and backward evolution operators in Equation (27) into a concatenation of M short-time evolutions with Δti = τ and Mτ = t. In each short-time interval, Δti, we introduce two sets of coherent states, |zi〉 and , via Equation (28) to expand the forward and backward time evolution operators, respectively. The time evolution (generated by a quadratic Hamiltonian) of coherent states can be represented by trajectory evolution in the phase space of (q, p). After some algebra, the matrix elements of Equation (27) can be approximated by:
The main approximation introduced in the derivation of the FBTS, Equation (29), is the orthogonality approximation. The simplest improvement to the algorithm is to refrain from applying this approximation at every time step. In [36], we outlined a practical approach to evaluate the set of selected integrals of zi and (which could be evaluated analytically if the orthogonality approximation were applied). We termed this extension of FBTS as the jump FBTS (JFBTS). Since the computational cost grows quickly with respect to the number of jumps inserted, one needs to make a trade-off between numerical efficiency and accuracy.
In the simplest approach, one selects every (M/K) time step from a total of M steps to fully evaluate the coherent state integrals:
3.3. Comparisons between Algorithms
The differences between the two QCLE simulation algorithms can be traced to the quantum basis that is used and the way that feedback between quantum and classical systems is treated. In the case of the TBSH algorithm, the trajectories are propagated through a Hellmann-Feynman force, or the mean of two Hellmann-Feynman forces [Equation (12)], with intermittent surface hops that switch the adiabatic surfaces on which the trajectories propagate. In the case of FBTS, one not only propagates the bath dynamical variables as trajectories, but also the quantum dynamical variables, which are associated with fictitious harmonic oscillators. In this extended phase space, we have exact Hamiltonian dynamics. In particular, the force acting on the bath particles simultaneously involves all N adiabatic surfaces, which is similar to, but different from, the Ehrenfest mean-field approach. The very different characteristics of the trajectories in two algorithms manifest the artificial character of the trajectory dynamics. Thus, one should not attach physical significance to single trajectories in the computation. All physical properties of the system can only be extracted from a proper ensemble average of a large set of trajectories, as implied in Equation (2). Nevertheless, insight into the trajectory dynamics of each algorithm will help to judge the simulation efficiency for various classes of models.
For certain problems, such as proton transfer reactions, where the time scales of the bath and subsystem are well-separated, even during nonadiabatic transitions, the TBSH algorithm can yield quantitatively accurate results with a few hops. There are also dynamical problems in which distinct bath motions can be explicitly correlated with the subsystem's quantum states. For instance, in the simple Tully I model [35,50], trajectories populated on the excited state will cross the avoided crossing point, while the ground state trajectories will eventually be reflected and retrace their paths in the opposite direction. This kind of behavior is, however, completely missed when one propagates trajectories in a single effective mean field. Again, the inherent multi-configuration nature of surface-hopping-like algorithms is a more appropriate choice for this case. However, a recent study [51] has indicated that the "jump" version of mean-field-like algorithms can improve the simulation results in cases of this type.
Alternatively, there are also many examples where one would expect FBTS to be the preferred simulation method. In general, the TBSH algorithm has convergence issues, as the MC weights associated with nonadiabatic hops grows rapidly. Even for the simple spin boson model, one can identify parameter regimes where this numerical instability is clearly observed. In these cases, the FBTS and JFBTS are certainly the alternatives that one should adopt for efficient simulations.
4. An Example: Quartic Oscillator in a Harmonic Bath
As a specific example to illustrate the formalism outlined above, we consider a two-level system coupled to a quartic bistable oscillator with a single pair of phase space coordinates X0 = (R0, P0). The quartic oscillator is, in turn, coupled to an Ohmic heat bath of Nb independent harmonic oscillators with phase space coordinates Xi = (Ri, Pi) and i = 1 . . . Nb. The partially Wigner transformed Hamiltonian, expressed in the diabatic basis, {|R〉, |L〉}, reads:
The adiabatic states for the subsystem are:
We shall study the autocorrelation functions, CLL, with  = B̂ = |L〉 〈L|. The entire system is assumed to be in thermal equilibrium initially. Using the high-temperature approximation presented in the Appendix, the correlation function of interest can be given in a compact form:
In this study, we report numerical results in the energy unit, ℏωc, and distance unit, , for each environmental DOF. We consider two sets of parameters. In the first case, we use the following parameter values, a = 1.0, ω0 = 1.2, γ0 = 0.05 γb = 1.0, Ω = 0.3, ξ = 0.1, ωmax = 3 and β = 0.2, in the dimensionless units. Figure 1a presents the potential surface profiles [53], Wα(R0). The two diabatic surfaces, WL,R(R0), remain close to each other, and the two adiabatic surfaces, W±(R0), share essentially the same characteristics. In this case, a mean-field-based algorithm, like FBTS, should be accurate and efficient. This problem can also be handled easily in the adiabatic basis, since the surface-hopping trajectories will be initialized in both the adiabatic ground and excited states, because the system is in a thermal equilibrium state at t = 0. Furthermore, the coupling parameter, γb, was purposely chosen to be small in order to minimize the number of nonadiabatic transitions (or hops) encountered in the TBSH algorithm. In panel (b), CLL(t) is computed using both algorithms. The agreement between these results is good.
Next, we consider the following parameter set, a = 0.8, ω0 = 0.6, γ0 = 0.3 γb = 1.0, Ω = 0.1, ξ = 0.1, ωmax = 3, and β = 0.2 in the dimensionless units. Figure 2a shows the potential surface profiles, Wα(R0), obtained from this set of parameters. In this case, the adiabatic, W±(R0), and diabatic surfaces, WL,R(R0), only differ markedly near the region of the barrier top, where an avoided crossing point indicates significant mixing of the two diabatic states. Nonadiabatic effects should be most prominent near this barrier top. A stronger coupling, γ0, is also chosen in this case. Figure 2b presents the autocorrelation functions. In the main figure of panel (b), the blue curves (CLL(t) computed by the FBTS) start with the full correlation at one, then gradually reduce to 1/2, which implies that the subsystem is in an equal admixture of the two diabatic states in the asymptotic limit. The TBSH simulation results are only valid for very short times (as shown in the inset of the Figure 2b), due to instability arising from the accumulation of weights, even with filtering [54]. The thermal equilibrium distribution, (R0), has a bimodal distribution profile, as illustrated in Figure 2a; however, for the (inverse) temperature, β = 0.2, the double-peaked structure is very broad. The (R0) distribution profile (blue curve in Figure 2a) suggests that the thermal equilibrium state has a non-trivial contribution from the excited surface. Sampling from (R0) yields many R0 values near the barrier top, where several hops immediately take place for this strong-coupling case, and the instability sets in early in the simulation. Lowering β will produce a more pronounced double-peak structure for (R0), but the quartic oscillator's momentum, P0, will fluctuate with a larger variance in the presence of the heat bath in this case. Since nonadiabatic transitions depend non-trivially on a = P0· d12(R0)Δt in the TBSH algorithm, large momentum fluctuations will eventually affect the long-time result. This case shows some of the practical limitations of the TBSH algorithm for the computation of this correlation function.
5. Conclusions
The scheme for computing the quantum correlation function in Equation (2) combines a numerically exact quantum initial sampling method with dynamics described by the QCLE; thus, the approximations in the simulation method reside in the dynamics. It is easier to compute the equilibrium properties of a quantum system, for instance, by using the imaginary-time Feynman path integral method, than to obtain dynamical properties by using similar real-time Feynman path integrals without adopting further approximations. Since we approximate the quantum dynamics of the entire system, quantum subsystem plus bath, by QCL dynamics, it is appropriate to comment on some of its features.
It is known that the quantum-classical bracket, defined in terms of the commutator and Poisson brackets in Equation (8), does not possess a Lie algebraic structure, since it fails to satisfy the Jacobi identity [2,38]. This lack of a proper algebraic structure is shared by all known MQC methods and simply reflects the inconsistency in mixing classical and quantum mechanical dynamics. One consequence of this inconsistency is that the partial Wigner transform, ρ̂We(R, P), of the full canonical equilibrium density function, ρ̂eq = e−βĤ/ZQ, is not stationary under the QCLE; however, ρ̂We(R, P) can be written as an expansion in the mass ratio (or ℏ), and it has been shown that the full quantum equilibrium density is conserved under the QCL dynamics up to (ℏ). Therefore, the detailed balance relation is also satisfied to this order. The violation of a detailed balance is a common problem that affects all major MQC methods, including the two most popular approaches, Ehrenfest mean-field [55] and Tully's fewest switching surface hopping [56] (FSSH), to various degrees. Of course, as noted earlier, for the class of models where an arbitrary quantum system is bilinearly coupled to a harmonic bath, the dynamics is exact, and a detailed balance is exactly satisfied.
The dynamics described by the QCLE can be related to that prescribed by other methods. In [57], it was shown that one could derive both Ehrenfest mean-field dynamics and a version of surface-hopping dynamics starting from the QCLE. In the former case, one simply drops all the "correlations" (including entanglement) between the subsystem and bath densities in the QCLE [58]. In the later case, one projects out all the off-diagonal matrix elements of the density in the QCLE to obtain a generalized master equation for the subsystem alone. Then, one considers decoherence to suppress the coherences in order to recover a simple "surface hopping" dynamics [59] similar to that prescribed in the FSSH algorithm. Furthermore, it had been proven [60] that the QCLE and the partially linearized path integral (PLPI) method [61–64] share the same starting mathematical foundation. In particular, the most recent PLPI algorithm, called PLDM (Partially Linearized Density Matrix) method [64], is very similar to the FBTS presented in this paper [31]. One can also draw comparisons between methods based on the QCLE and semiclassical initial value representations. For instance, numerical schemes based on the Poisson bracket mapping equation (PBME) [30], an approximate equation derived from the mapping-transformed QCLE, and the linearized semiclassical initial value representations [65] share the same set of equations of motion for the trajectories.
Mixed quantum-classical methods are often the only feasible approach to explore the dynamics of large complex systems, such as condensed phase or biochemical systems, where only a few light-mass DOF need be treated quantum mechanically. In many rate processes of interest, such as electron transfer or proton transfer, the local polar solvent motions are responsible for important features of the reaction mechanism. As a result, it is essential that the dynamics of these environmental degrees of freedom be treated in detail. Open quantum system methods that trace out all bath details cannot capture important aspects of such dynamics.
Some recent work [48,66] has suggested interesting ways to combine the QCLE and the generalized master equation [67–69] approach. Simulation tests on spin boson models [48] and a two-level system coupled to an anharmonic bath [68] indicate that accurate, long-time dynamical properties of such systems can be efficiently calculated with an improved memory kernel (which takes the short-time QCLE computation of some bath correlation functions as the input) for the general master equation. This type of hybrid approach may eventually prove to be useful for studies of more complex systems.
Finally, we provide comments that may help in choosing between the two algorithms for simulations. The TBSH algorithm, without filtering, provides a very accurate QCL dynamics before the onset of the sign problem associated with its heavy reliance on Monte Carlo sampling. While filtering can be used to extend simulations to much longer times, the problems related to Monte Carlo sampling limits its usefulness in performing long-time simulations, as vividly illustrated in Section 4. However, the TBSH is found to be the preferred simulation method (in comparison to the FBTS) when one investigates bath dynamical properties of systems in the vicinity of conical intersections and avoided crossings. For instance, the TBSH results accurately capture the intricate geometric phases [46] and the bimodal structure in the momentum distribution [35] in the Tully 1 model (a single avoided crossing model), while the FBTS fails to reproduce these delicate features, even though it provides fairly accurate population dynamics, as reported in [36]. Since the FBTS trajectory dynamics is based on a mean-field description, one finds that the results are usually very accurate (even in the long-time limit) when the energy gap between diabatic energy surfaces is small in comparison to the typical subsystem-bath coupling strength. Another advantage of the FBTS is the availability of the JFBTS [36] algorithm, which implements systematic correction of FBTS results towards the exact QCL dynamics and provides a simple method to gauge the sufficiency of the FBTS results.
Research was supported in part by a grant from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada.
Conflicts of Interest
The authors declare no conflict of interest.
Appendix High Temperature Limit
Many realistic chemical and biological processes take place at room temperature, in which case, it is often justified to apply a classical approximation to the bath. In this Appendix, we make two assumptions: As in most condensed phase models, we consider a pure subsystem observable, Â, such that . We also assume that the environment is further partitioned into an immediate part that can couple nonlinearly to the quantum subsystem and shield the subsystem from the larger set of environmental DOF, often modeled as a heat bath of independent harmonic oscillators. Furthermore, we write X = {Xb, Xn}, where n refers to the few DOF that couple directly to the quantum subsystem and b refers to the remainder of the large number of coordinates that only couple to the n-labeled coordinates. Similarly, we re-label different parts of the Hamiltonian as follows: Ĥ =Ĥs +Ĥn + V̂sn +Ĥb + V̂bn with Ĥi = K̂i+ V̂i and i = s, b, n. The quantities, K̂i and V̂i, are the total kinetic energy and isolated potential, respectively, of the i-th system. Potential energy terms with a subscript of two letters imply a coupling potential between two components of the composite system. In addition, we introduce ĥW (Rn) = Ĥs + V̂sn(Rn) + Vn(Rn),Ĥbn(Rn) = Ĥb + V̂bn(Rn) and Ĥsn =ĥW (Rn) + K̂n. In the following, we express the distance in units of and energy in units of ℏωc, where ωc is the cut-off frequency of the heat bath.
Under these assumptions, one needs to evaluate the partial Wigner transform of e−βĤ alone. In the high temperature limit, we factorize the un-normalized equilibrium density matrix operator, ρ̂ = e−βĤsne−βĤbn. The partial Wigner transform of this approximate density operator reads:
We next apply a symmetric Trotter decomposition to the matrix element of Equation (36):
In this equation, the symmetric Trotter decomposition separates the subsystem potential in ĥW (Rn) into harmonic, , and anharmonic, ΔĤ(Rn) =ĥW (Rn) − Vho(Rn), contributions; furthermore, we define Ĥho = K̂n + V̂ho.
The anharmonic term in Equation (37) can be approximated as follows:
Substituting Equation (37) into Equation (36) and integrating out the Z variable, Equation (36) simplifies to:
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I was drawn into helping people with AIDS by St. Mary's Church in Laguna Beach. Helping out on an AIDS Care Team for 15 years, I became very close to several care partners as we walked through their last years together and learned first-hand of the tragedy that is AIDS. Two years ago, I was recruited by a good friend to do the CA AIDS LifeCycle, a 7-day ride from SF to LA. It turned out to be one of the most fun weeks of my life – helping people out by fundraising and cycling through beautiful California. And it got me into great shape! This year is my 60th birthday and I decided to do another ride to celebrate it and to attempt to raise $6,000. Dozens of generous, compassionate people have helped me reach that goal. It's a privilege to be a top fundraiser – but even more, I'm very happy to help out the thousands of people living in the OC with AIDS. We all look to the day when there is no need for all of this. But until that day, I'm happy to help out.
Posted: September 28, 2010

subset: commoncrawl


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Looking Back: Products and Trends Since 2000Posted in How To on September 1, 2012
Sometimes the best way to see where you are is to see where you've been. The world is not the same place it was at the turn of the 21st century. The same goes for the off-road world. While some things in the off-road world are worse than they were, most have gotten better since the dawn of the year 2000.
In the spirit of self-assessment, we've put together a list (in no particular order) of 10 standout products and trends that have helped to shape the off-road world as we know it today. Some began before Y2K but have gained strength and prevalence as time has marched forward. Other items on this list simply didn't exist prior to 12 years ago. Disclaimers and background dispensed with, here's the list:
Off-Road Prowess Straight from the Dealer Lot
Enthusiasts have always and will always modify their vehicles to suit off-road needs, styles, and tastes. Even so, it's better yet when the factories take notice and build what we like on the assembly line. The Ford Raptor (seen below), the Dodge Power Wagon, and the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon are proof that the OEMs can build awesome stuff when they've got their collective fingers on the pulse of the off-road world.
Bolt-on Long Travel
Unless you're purchasing a Dodge Ram 2500 or 3500 HD 4x4 or Ford Super Duty 4x4, you've probably got A-arms under the front of your late-model truck. That means you've got limited suspension travel and suspect durability when your truck leaves the dealer lot. It doesn't have to stay that way. Bolt-on long-travel suspension systems let you ditch the factory A-arms for replacements that are longer and stronger. Couple these with high-quality coilover and bypass shocks, and you've got something that's genuinely ready for the dirt. Bolt-on long travel systems existed in Y2K, but there are more offerings today, more companies producing them, and the off-roading public has a better appreciation of their features and benefits. Most require some welding to install, for instance to install a shock hoop or bumpstop can, but heavy fabrication is seldom required.
Hardcore Axles, New Applications
The Ford 9-inch and the Dana 60 are time-honored hard hitters in the off-road world. New-school electronics using wheel speed sensors, and multi-link suspension requiring complex bracketry made axle swapping a tough proposition for newer vehicles, but the aftermarket has figured out clever ways to integrate time-honored axles and late-model vehicles. Your engine computer and suspension won't know the difference, but you'll hit the backcountry with extra confidence knowing your axles are up to the task.
LED Lights
LED bulbs have been around for a long, long time, but it wasn't until the last few years that LED lighting has become bright enough to safely light up the night for off-roading. LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) run cooler, use less power, and are more shock- and vibration-resistant than other types of off-road lights. The future is bright (pun intended) for LEDs.
Power Steps
One fact in the life of a truck owner is that trucks have more difficult ingress and egress than cars do. They're taller. As truck owners, we don't mind the extra effort to get in and out, but our friends, family, and significant others often do. Get rid of your truck for something lower? Never! Retracting steps fold down automatically when the doors are opened, and then retract up and out of sight when the doors close. Keep your truck and keep your friends and family happy all with one product.
Off-Roaders Get Politically Active
There are several forces that would like all of us to lose access to public land, even the established OHV areas and established trails that many of us enjoy. By our very nature, off-roaders are largely individualistic, but we've been forced to unify in order to preserve our off-roading opportunities. Participation and membership in off-road advocacy organizations is on the rise, and it's making a difference. We think every off-roader should be a member of at least one off-road advocacy organization. After all, the trail you save might be your own.
Synthetic Winch Ropes
A winch is one of the best trail tools you can own. It can save your rig and save your life. It can also injure or kill you. Traditional steel winch ropes (AKA cables) build up considerable energy when under tension and can snap back with deadly force if the rope breaks or the winch hook gets loose. Synthetic winch ropes do not store energy the same way their steel counterparts do. If a synthetic winch rope breaks, it falls limp to the ground instead of whipping through the air the way a steel rope will. Synthetic winch ropes are also lighter than steel cables, reducing winch weight and the load on your suspension. Synthetic winch ropes are also much easier on the hands compared to steel.
Easy Install, Self-Learning EFI
There are diehards who will cling to their carburetors forever, but most of us freely enjoy the benefits of EFI. Who wouldn't love all-altitude, all-angle drivability and effortless cold starting? Throw improved fuel economy on top and it's a combination made in heaven. Converting an older engine to run with an EFI system used to require a laptop, an involved installation, and lots of tuning time. Today there are easy-to-install EFI systems from several sources. Critical sensors are housed in the throttle body, wiring harnesses are pre-made and clearly labeled, and the system self-learns and self-tunes as you drive.
New Role for RTI Ramps
In the late '90s it seemed that everyone wanted to build an RTI ramp champ. Bragging rights were reserved for those whose rigs scored 1,000 or came close. It turned out that having an ultra-flexy suspension didn't equal off-road performance all by itself. Shackles with hinges in the middle, pried-open leaf spring clamps, and "buggy spring" (3/4 elliptical) leaf arrangements are among the mods performed in the name of RTI scores. While those suspension mods are mostly gone, the RTI ramp is here to stay. What do RTI ramps do these days? They're an excellent tool for cycling suspension and checking tire, steering, and suspension component clearance. Yes, some still use them to get bragging rights.
Flared Fenders and Fender Flares
Bigger tires, lower ride heights (for better handling), and more wheel travel are all desirable features to build into trucks. There's one big hang-up, though, and that's the factory sheet metal. Thanks to the proliferation of flared fiberglass fenders and bedsides, it's possible to make the mechanical things happen without the body panels getting in the way. Urethane fenders are offered for limited applications. We would love to see more urethane fenders on the market. Some enthusiasts' needs are better served by retaining their factory fenders and bedsides and installing extended flares instead. Jeepers benefit from steel tube fenders that add rock defense on top of tire clearance. What do body mods have to do with handling and suspension? As it turns out: quite a bit!


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Multitalented actor Jack Black ("Kung Fu Panda," "Tropic Thunder,") is set to guest-star in the upcoming post Super Bowl episode of "The Office." The announcement was made by Angela Bromstad, President, Primetime Entertainment, NBC and Universal Media Studios.
In one plot of the special post Super Bowl episode of "The Office," some of the office workers try to secretly watch a bootlegged Hollywood movie during the workday. The movie stars Jack Black and other notable Hollywood actors.
The special hour-long episode titled "Stress Relief" will premiere immediately following "Super Bowl XLIII," Sunday, February 1 (10:30-11:30 p.m. ET; simultaneously to all time zones) on NBC. Season five of the Emmy-Award winning series will continue airing in its regular time slot; Thursdays (9-9:30 p.m. ET/PT) on NBC.
"The Office" is executive-produced by Ben Silverman, Greg Daniels, who developed the series for American audiences, Ricky Gervais, Stephen Merchant, Howard Klein and Paul Lieberstein and Jennifer Celotta and produced by Reveille LLC, Deedle Dee Productions and Universal Media Studios.
This year has been very busy for Jack Black, starting with lending his voice to the lead animated character of "Po" in Paramount Pictures' Kung Fu Panda. The film has earned more than $626 million worldwide, making it DreamWorks Animation's most successful non-sequel film to date. So it comes as no surprise that DreamWorks has signed Black for the sequel scheduled to release in summer of 2011.
Black was back on top of the box office charts in August for the Paramount release of "Tropic Thunder." Directed and written by Ben Stiller, who also starred in the film, Black was joined by the star-studded cast of Robert Downey Jr., Tom Cruise and Matthew McConaughey. The film was #1 in the box office for two straight weeks and has earned over $100 million domestically.
Black recently wrapped filming his next feature film, "The Year One," starring opposite of Michael Cera ("Juno"). Produced by Judd Apatow ("Pineapple Express") and directed by Harold Ramis ("Knocked Up"), Black plays "Zed" a lazy hunter-gatherer who is banished from his primitive village and set off on an epic journey through the ancient world. This adventure comedy is set to release in June of 2009.
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Claudette Ortiz gave us a wonderful interview and was extremely down to earth and classy. Please make sure to follow her on her journey visit http://www.myclaudette.com for more information on this amazing young woman.
At 16, a stunningly beautiful and vocally talented CLAUDETTE ORTIZ, was discovered by Wyclef Jean and Jerry Wonda becoming the third and only female member of City High. The hot young trio quickly took the world by storm with their poignantly conscious debut single, "What Would You Do." The Grammy nominated group described as a "refreshingly innovative mix of R&B, Soul and a smattering of Hip-Hop" by Vibe magazine consisted of Claudette, Ryan Toby and Ryan Pardo.
City High quickly became known as the group with the provocative lyrics, pulsating beats and great vocal harmonies. "What Would You Do," depicted a young woman fallen on hard times, desperate to feed her kids and ultimately deciding to sleep with a man for money. Dealing with real life situations, the song begs for the listener to answer, What Would You Do? Needless to say, the single with its in your face, true to life lyrics shot up the R&B/Pop charts both domestically and internationally and became the group's first Grammy nominated single. But, it was not until their follow up single, "Caramel," and Claudette's duet with Wyclef, "Two Wrongs," hit the airwaves that audiences and industries everywhere began to hone in on the Caribbean beauty's ability to play the guitar and her vocal prowess.
As the music soared the Willingboro, NJ native's profile soared. Press developed an insatiable appetite for the self-taught, sultry voiced musician. Mesmerized with CLAUDETTE's beauty, Maxim named her a sex symbol in their Hot 100 issue. Blender called her "the sexiest woman in hip-hop." Vanity Fair included her in their top 12 artists to watch. The New York Times chronicled the tutelage of Andre' Leon Talley, an editor at large for Vogue, as he introduced CLAUDETTE to the fashion world in Paris.
Then it all stopped. The group disbanded. CLAUDETTE, now faced with fewer life choices, worked as a chef during the morning, cleaned houses during the day and pursued songwriting at night. Guided by her steadfast moral compass, CLAUDETTE had her own answer to the question: "What Would You Do" she chose the hardships that came along with honest work while trying to earn enough money to care for her family. Desperate, humiliated and on her last dime, she decided to join Air Force Reserves. However, the day before her appointment to sign in, she got a call from TV One's producer of the reality show, R&B Divas, LA.
Whisking off to Los Angeles with the intentions of making this platform the catalyst for her career revival CLAUDETTE again becomes the last member added to the cast. The show stars six divas: documenting their professional careers,friendships and personal lives as they play, work and struggle to get their careers back on track. R&B Divas: LA, has become TV One's most viewed network show, ever. CLAUDETTE aims to inspire others by the hard choices she has been forced to make describing herself with one word: enduring.
"It is not about how fast you finish, but rather giving it your all and fighting until the end." While filming for the reality series, CLAUDETTE remains steadfast in her position to never be "there" again. Continuing to use God as her guide, she's in the studio recording her solo album and exploring film and additional television opportunities. Complex magazine named her as "1 of 10 Sexy R&B Singers Who Should Make a Comeback," CLAUDETTE is currently doing just that!


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But Will You Make Money? – Part 3
March 23, 2012
Filed under: Pricing — @ 8:00 am
I think there are six rules you should consider when you quote prices to prospective clients. I wrote about the first three rules in my previous posting; here are the other three:
4. Present what you provide to give you pricing flexibility. Sometimes, we get caught in a rut in our services and prices. We may think a client needs to do something but the client may have different ideas and we don't know how to respond. To give you some flexibility, you might think about the following for your pricing structure:
a. Consider a range for the services you provide to serve both high-end and low-end client needs and allow the client to choose between the services;
b. Consider adding new services to add to the choices you provide; but
c. Remember that any innovation should be designed for growth of your practice and priced for profit; don't add something that is just a loss leader.
5. Build your selling backbone. I think one reason attorneys have trouble with effectively pricing their services is because they're scared of a client saying no. If that's the case, consider (and practice) the following:
a. Know the value of the services you provide (that is, the value to the client, not just how much time you think a project will take you);
b. Learn a little about a potential client before you quote a price so you can explain what you provide in terms that are valuable to him or her; and
c. Don't negotiate your prices — if you do, you've lost all leverage for future dealings with that person.
6. Remember who you are. Although you may not think what you do is special, it is. It takes education and experience to effectively represent someone; you're also taking on potential liability with everything you do! Therefore, price accordingly:
a. Tactfully explain how you are better than your competitors and how you do more;
b. Practice your explanation of what you do (your spouse will find it really interesting!); and
c. Have justifiable pride in your services, because what lawyers do (e.g., save taxes, keep people out of jail) is extraordinary.
Please let me know how this helps you!


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Masoleums of Ustad and Shagird Two beautiful 17th century tombs are situated in Nakodar. One of them belongs to Ustad (teacher) Mohammed Momin Hussaini alias Hafizah, a musician in the service of 'Khan-e-Khana'- the chamberlain of Emperor Jahangir. The other tomb belongs to Haji Jamal, his disciple. The mausoleums are similar in architecture to Emperor Humayun's tomb in Delhi and stand out as buildings of great attraction.
Tourism >


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Sheldon Schwartz Acoustic Guitars
Regular visitors to this site and my shop will know of my love of innovation, for example Michi Matsuda. Sheldon's Oracle with three elliptical sound holes and carbon reinforced bracing has received rave reviews from players and pundits alike.
Sheldon started making guitars in 1992 after being frustrated at not being able to buy a guitar he liked. He studied with David Freeman to learn the basics and was fortunate to have both Linda Manzer and Grit Laskin (see the Laskin page on this website) nearby to offer expert guidance. Having started out working in his basement for five years in 2008 he moved to an eighteen hundred square foot purpose built workshop.
You can see an interview with Sheldon here Interview
Schwartz Oracle - Bearclaw Sitka & East Indian Rosewood£9,195.00In stockFinance available (UK residents only) from £265.00 per month with 10% deposit
Its hard to know what to say sometimes when such amazing guitars arrive. I am shocked that Sheldon's work isn't more widely known.
This is an original and wonderful work of art. I'm am fond of commenting on how great luthiers can combine qualities that otherwise might be considered mutually exclusive. Well Sheldon has pulled it off in achieving the big sound that you might expect from a sitka/rosewood sixteen inch guitar of this quality with remarkable individual note clarity and balance. Players in smaller rooms won't need amplification, neither will those who play with a soft touch - finger tips not nails for instance - lack any response or tonal character. Its big and beautiful and soft and mellow, a guitar that will respond to all moods and playing styles. Brilliant!
New demo video here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUNllTSpg2I
• Top Bear Claw Sitka Spruce purchased in 1997 with bent wood/drop
top style arm rest.
• Back and sides East Indian Rosewood purchased in 1994
• Cutaway with an access bevel
• 14 frets to the body
• 25.5" scale
• 1.75" nut width
• 2.25" string spacing at saddle
• 16" lower bout
• Five piece mahogany, Peruvian walnut and curly maple neck
• Lacewood logo
• Cherry and black pear purfling
• Black walnut bindings
• Ebony headstock veneer
• Black walnut rear headstock veneer
• Glow in the dark side dots
• Ebony fretboard
• Ebony pinless bridge
• Gotoh 510 tuners
• Black tuner buttons
• Black Tusq nut and saddle
• Clear pickguard
• Workhorse carbon copy case
1 Item(s)


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BESTSELLER: Weston Fruit & Wine Press 16 Quart Capacity Item Number: 05-0101-W
Weston Brand Fruit and Wine Press 16 Quart Capacity
Make healthy, fresh fruit juices, ciders and wines right at home. This Fruit & Wine Press combines modern technology and old world tradition to create a simple and fun tool for your family, so you can now begin your own traditions. The instruction manual also includes great recipes for Syrups, Ciders, Sauces, Wines and More. Why pay for expensive wines that are nothing more than fermented grape juice behind a brand-name label, make the type of wine that you like for a fraction of the price.
This screw-down style wine press will allow you to squeeze many of your favorite fruits into juices and wines with ease and efficiency. Simply place the fruit of choice into the juicing cage. Place the wood pressing blocks on top of the fruit and ratchet the handle down. The juice will be squeezed out of the fruit and will exit the juice cage through the opening in the slats, then down to a built-in spout. The molded bottom tray will funnel the juice into your container, virtually mess free!
The Weston Brand Fruit & Wine Press is manufactured to the highest standards to give you years of trouble free performance. Now you can make healthy, fresh fruit juices, ciders, and wines right at home. Remember, pressing fruit takes patience, so go ahead and experiment and have fun.
Operating Instructions:
Cleaning Instructions
See Previous: Genuine Jaffrey Fruit & Wine Press Parts
|Genuine Jaffrey Fruit Grinder


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Laura Nelson reflects on the parallels between gardening and the mystery of life and death as she mourns the loss of her mother.
Browsing: Gardening
Walk with Kelly Tallent through her father's garden. Let the signs of spring teach us about our new life in Christ Jesus!
Creating a rose garden dedicated to the Blessed Mother taught Margaret Rose Realy, Obl. OSB, a few things!
We warmly welcome new contributing writer Kathleen M. Billings, who challenges us to weed the gardens of our souls so that God may plant spiritual fruit.
Green tomatoes can be ripened after harvesting by following a few steps offered here by Margaret Rose Realy, Obl OSB.
Summer gardens are in need of attention. Margaret Rose Realy, Obl OSB, offers an easy to-do list for practical gardening.
When you work hard to create a garden, you want nothing more than for it to thrive. There is a joy in the hard work and in the plant that provides a good harvest. Kate Daneluk ponders this while working in her garden.
Melanie Jean Juneau asks, have you noticed how people crave the outdoors? There is deep yearning in all of us to connect with God and the easiest place is outdoors, especially in the silence.
Charisse Tierney tells us how a backyard Mary garden has brought her family closer to Our Lady, and provides information and resources to help your family start a Mary garden of your own!
Catholic gardeners can express their faith with plants. Margaret Rose Realy, Obl OSB, offers plants suitable for a virtuous garden on justice.
Many bulbs are not winter hardy. Margaret Rose Realy, Obl. OSB, offers advice on how to store those tender bulbs.
We are never too old to learn, or re-learn as the case may be. Sheri Wohlfert shares some lessons learned as this year's crop makes it from the tomato patch to the pantry.
On the menu for CatholicMom.com's Sunday Brunch, we have a sample of articles from the past week.
Gardening using containers? Margaret Rose Realy, Obl OSB offers practical advice on buying and growing with containers. Start planning ahead for next year!
Ever wonder if all your work in your children's lives will bear fruit? Abbey Dupuy muses about bare dirt, being certain of things unseen, and harvesting tiny tomatoes.


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Shipping Into Canada
Moving freight over the Canada-US border is not as difficult as you may think. Our experts are here to assist you with all of your Canadian importing needs.
Before You Ship Your Freight
To get you the best rates and the best service options, it is important to have a clear understanding of the freight. Different jurisdictions have different rules on what can be moved, permit requirements, and maximum allowable weight. Additionally, there are physical limitations as to what can actually move within specific pieces of equipment or by certain modes of transport (i.e. air cargo). For LTL (Less-Than-Truckload), the freight charges will depend on both the weight and how much physical space it occupies in the trailer or on the deck. This standard is typically applied in either cubic feet or linear foot of trailer. To calculate the cubic foot volume, multiply the LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT (all in inches) and divide that total by 1728. The final number is the density of your freight. If the dimensions are not available, a US-based Shipper should be able to provide the NMFC Class associated with the commodity being moved. The table below illustrates the density equivalent of the various NMFC Classes.
|MMFC Class
|Min Avg. Density (in lbs/ft3)
Documentation is a critical part of International shipping; any error can result in costly delays at the border. The following documentations are needed to ensure safe and timely movement of cargo into Canada:
Shipper's Bill of Lading
A properly completed shipper's Bill of Lading should have following information:
- Shipping Date
- Shipper's name and address
- Shipper signature
- Country of Origin
- Consignee's name
- Importer of Record's name and address (who is paying the freight charges)
- Destination full address (includes contact name and tel #)
- Shipper's or Consignee's order number
- Shipment gross weight and unit of measure
- Number of pieces in the consignment
- Complete and accurate description of the product being shipped including, but not limited to:
- NMFC Class or dimensions and actual weight
- Skid or piece count
- UN# if Dangerous Goods
- Any delivery appointment requirements
- Any specific temperature requirements
- Other government agency documents (Dangerous Goods, Quota, etc…)
Commercial Invoice
If a shipment's value is less than C$1,600 it is classified as an LVS (Low Value Shipment) and the only document needed is the Commercial Invoice. A copy should be attached to the bill of lading. If a shipment's value is over C$1,600 (HVS), the Shipper must complete the Canada Customs Invoice (CCI). Three copies should be attached to the bill of lading, and copies sent by mail or fax to the consignee and/or the consignee's broker. (Note it is very important that the quantity/number of pieces and weight match exactly the information on the Bill of Lading). The CCI must include:
- Federal ID# of the Importer of Record
- Currency (USD or CAD)
- Country of Origin
- Date and Signature of person preparing the document(s)
Export Declaration
The U.S. Shipper's Export Declaration (U.S. Form 7525V) is no longer required for shipments to Canada except under certain circumstances. Goods that are in transit through, or being stored in Canada for ultimate re-export to another country require this document. A U.S. Department of Commerce or U.S. State Department License is required to export from the U.S.A. The goods are subject to U.S. International Arms Traffic Regulations and other US Federal Legislation (i.e. Helms-Burton Act).
Exporter's Certificate of Origin
Under the NAFTA (North America Free Trade Agreement), Duties or Taxes on certain goods made in the U.S.A. or Canada have been, or soon will be, reduced or eliminated. To benefit from this agreement, exporters / manufacturers must determine whether their goods qualify under the Rules of Origin. These agreed upon Rules of Origin define those goods and materials which are entitled to Free Trade Agreement benefits. The exporter must complete a NAFTA Exporter's Certificate of Origin and send a copy of it to the importer. This is not a transportation document and is not required to accompany the shipment. However, to claim benefits under the NAFTA at the time of entry, the importer must possess the Exporter's Certificate of Origin. It must be available if requested by customs. Customs officials in both Canada and the U.S. will accept either country's certificates. But, if the certificate is not available, the NAFTA benefits will not be applied and the appropriate Most Favored Nation tariff will be applied. Your Customs Broker can work with you to maximize your benefits under NAFTA and other programs.
Tendering a Shipment
- Email all of the details from the BOL to email@example.com
(Telephone & Fax also available)
- APPS will dispatch a driver to pick up your shipment
- Shipments will be billed into APPS system and you can start tracing the shipment
- Customs Documents will be faxed to the designated Customs Broker for PARS clearance
- We forward your original paperwork to cross the border with your shipment
- For northbound intermodal moves, in addition to sending the shipping detail to the customs broker, the shipper must also fax a copy of the bill of lading and the US customs invoice to APPS at 1-905-861-2797
When Your Shipment Arrives at the Border
Canada Customs will clear your shipment immediately through the Pre-Arrival Review System (PARS). If your shipment cannot be cleared at the border, it will move In-Bond from the border to a sufferance warehouse (or to the destination ramp for intermodal). Additional charges will apply.
When Your Shipment Enters Canada
- Shipments cleared at the border are immediately routed per the delivery instructions
- Shipments not cleared at the border (moving in-bond):
- Goods will be reported to Canada Customs (CBSA) upon arrival
- Goods will be reported via fax to the importer of record's broker for clearance
- Goods will remain in the bonded facility until an electronic release confirmation (EDI) has been received from the CBSA's Release Notification System (RNS). N.B. For road moves only
- Shipments will be delivered to the final consignee once clearance confirmation has been received through the RNS systems and any applicable extra charges have been approved


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Bert Hernandez, Jr.
Memorial services for Bert Hernandez, Jr., 70, were held Friday at Cox Funeral Home's Benton Chapel with Vince Hernandez officiating. Arrangements were by Cox Funeral Home of Amarillo.
Mr. Hernandez died May 6, 2014.
He was born on Dec. 31, 1943, in Phoenix, Ariz., to Carmen and Bert Hernandez, Sr. Bert was a life-long resident of the Texas Panhandle. After graduating from Sunray High School in 1962, Bert farmed with his father in Stratford. In 1965 he graduated from West Texas Barber College in Amarillo. Bert was drafted by the U.S. Air Force in 1969. He served in the Vietnam War, stationed in Thailand, before being honorably discharged in 1972. After leaving the Air Force, Bert returned to Dumas, got married, had a daughter and opened a local barbershop. Over the next three decades, Bert was the owner of barbershops across the Texas Panhandle before retiring in 2013 owning The University Barbershop in Canyon. Bert was an avid sports car enthusiast, enjoying racing, building, collecting and showing hot rods - it was one of his passions away from golf.
Survivors include a daughter, Kasey West, her husband, Jack, and their son, Ethan West, of Boulder, Colo., a sister, Yolanda Easley of Alamo; and a brother, Manual Hernandez of Howardwick.
The family encourages memorials be sent to the Department of Veteran's Affairs - Amarillo VA or Thomas Creek VA Medical Center, 6010 Amarillo Blvd. West, Amarillo, TX 79106.
Sign the online guest book at www.coxfuneralhomeamarillo.com.


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About Us
The Chem-Dry system originated in the USA in 1977 when a revolutionary carbonated solution that not only cleaned beautifully, but was also safe and non-toxic, was formulated.
The exclusive Chem-Dry process generates natural CO2 to produce millions of tiny, effervescent bubbles which penetrate the carpet fibre, dissolve dirt and stains quickly and act as tiny propellants that actually lift dirt to the surface for extraction. This unique process has enabled the Chem-Dry network to grow to thousands of successful franchises around the world.
Chem-Dry has now become the world's favourite carpet and upholstery cleaning company, with a UK network of franchises equipped to clean almost any surface in your home and business.
We have developed our services to become industry leaders in:
- Carpet cleaning
- Rug cleaning
- Upholstery cleaning
- Curtain cleaning
- Mattress cleaning
- Pet urine odour removal
- Tile, stone and grout cleaning
If you would like to experience the superior carpet and upholstery cleaning power of Chem-Dry, please call 01482 888195 or use our online form to request a quote from your nearest franchise.
If you are interested in joining the Chem-Dry franchise network, please read our Franchise Information page, call 01482 888195 or email email@example.com.


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Your cart is empty
It's all about the boots and it's all about the music! New from Justin the Bent Rail Collection is about being 20 years old with nothing to lose but a good night's sleep. This exciting new line of boots for guys and gals is available in a variety of leathers stitch designs and toe profiles that offer comfort and style for today's"lived in' look and feel. Follow"Justin Bent Rail' on Facebook and Twitter for concert dates and info on your favorite bands like Randy Rogers Band Wade Bowen and Casey Donahew!
very comfortable and very durable...i do atleast 12 hours of farm and ranch work 5 days a week and these boots have lasted for 8 months and easily have another 8 months left in them


text: So in these first 2 films we already had 6 different iron man armors, what's next? What if iron man follows the bond rule od infinite sequels with different actors like some suggseted before? Se We got MARK I MARK II MARK III MARK IV MARK V MARK VI Mark VII? So what's next for iron man to wear? Maybe catch some hulks in avengers? Hulks on a rampage, who'l you call? Huk Buster!!!


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A convicted sex offender lived in Bradenton Beach for more than three years has moved off Anna Maria Island.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement website reported the convicted sex offender had lived in the 100 block of Ninth Street North since 2007.
Convicted sex offenders in Florida are required to register their address with the FDLE and report any changes within three days of moving to a new location.
The Bradenton Beach sex offender moved to the mainland.
There are no convicted sex offenders now living in Bradenton Beach, according to the FDLE website.
Two convicted sex offenders reside in Holmes Beach, while three convicted sex offenders live in or near Cortez, including a 71-year-old man residing in the 12500 block of Cortez Road West. The address is a recreational-vehicle park.
The man was convicted in Manatee County in May of two counts of possession of a photograph showing a sexual performance by a child. According to the FDLE website, he remains under supervision.
One convicted sex offender lives on 82nd Street West, while another lives in the Mount Vernon subdivision on Cortez Road West. A convicted sex offender lives in Coral Park, the subdivision adjacent to Mount Vernon.
The other sex offenders living on Anna Maria Island or within five miles are no longer under supervision.
Bradenton Beach Police Chief Sam Speciale said his officers regularly check on any convicted sex offender living in the city.
The FDLE did not report any convicted sex offender living in the city of Anna Maria.
Information on all sex offenders listed with the FDLE can be found at www.fdle.state.fl.us. A link is provided at The Islander website, www.islander.org, under community links.


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At the wedding of two Greek gods, Kaye Underhill is the only mortal in a sea of scantily clad nymphs and fickle satyrs. And worse — she's dateless. The only bright side is the hot, muscled hunkiness of the God of War, who's seated next to her. But there's no way Kaye could ever grab a god's attention… Is there?
Ares is in big trouble. A vengeful witch curses him, and the first person he touches will steal his strengths, while he receives their weaknesses. When Kaye trips, Ares catches her and poof! His powers disappear, and Kaye suddenly has the strength and coordination of a Greek god. To break the curse and regain his powers, Ares must get Kaye to fall in love with him.
But for the god who makes war, making love presents a whole new set of problems…
Early Reviews:
"A light fun read with laugh out loud moments." --Marta Cox
"A delightful mix of fantasy and humor with characters that were easy to like" -- Denise Van Plew
"A strong story and an enchanting, feel good read." --Talking Books
Information:Title: Ares' Temptation
Author: Aubrie Dionne
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Length: 183 pages
Release Date: March 2015
Imprint: Covet


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Biggest sweet potato?
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BIG sweet potatoes! They look great!
I've been trying to get sweet potatoes in the ground for the past 2 years. The first year they did nothing and I was assured that they do great in bad soil. Well they don't. This year I was up in a trailer park while my husband had surgery and didn't have a pot to plant in (ha! ha!).
Hopefully next spring I will be able to plant the slips I will grow starting in February. I love sweet potatoes.
Comment by Wed Sep 5 14:13:15 2012—
Mona --- I've found that sweet potatoes are pickier than people give them credit for. They don't like heavy soil, can't handle being defoliated by deer repeatedly (but who can?), and hate even a hint of shade. If you get those things figured out, though, sweet potatoes become a plant-it-and-forget-it crop.
Here's hoping 2013 is the year of the sweet potato for you!
Comment by Wed Sep 5 14:56:55 2012—
Well I guess we know what makes Anna smile - BIG SWEET POTATOES!
Comment by Thu Sep 6 09:18:00 2012—
Everett --- I don't know what it is about huge sweet potatoes --- we don't even eat that many and small ones are easier to chop. But they do cheer me right up.
Comment by Thu Sep 6 14:28:38 2012—
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Ahead of the Eid-el-Kabir celebration on Friday September 1, Ogun State Traffic Management Agency, TRACE, has reminded the public that the Holy Ghost Service of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, will hold same day.
Similarly, the Power Must Change Hand of Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries, MFM comes up on Saturday 2, while the annual Ojude-Oba Festival at Ijebu-Ode, is scheduled for Sunday, 3 September.
In a traffic advisory issued on Tuesday by its spokesman, Babatunde Akinbiyi, TRACE said the "coincidence of these ccelebrations and religious programmes suggests an increase in the volume of human and vehicular traffic, especially along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, with its attendant traffic challenges".
"In this regard, motorists plying the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, but who are not attending the aforementioned religious programmes and are in haste, are advised to please make use of the following alternative routes:
"Sango Ota-Ifo-Abeokuta-Sagamu/Interchange-Ijebu/Ode-Benin/Ore Expressway.
"Victoria Island-Lekki-Epe-Ijebu/Ode-Benin/Ore Expressway.
"Ikorodu-Itoikin-Benin/Ore Expressway.
"Mowe Ofada-Sagamu/Interchange-Ijebu/Ode-Benin/Ore Expressway".
We wish everyone traveling safe journey. And happy celebration to our muslim readers


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NSW Graphic
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All-Around Advancement
If you had to choose just one wheel, the 404 Firecrest Tubular should be your choice. With the depth and shape proven in all conditions, it's the all-around performer and the standard by which all other wheels are measured. The 58mm rim profile is a classic in Zipp®'s arsenal that dates back to the early 1990s. A favorite of pro athletes, the 404 Tubular has won many Grand Tour stages, ITU triathlons and Ironman® titles.
At the center of the 404 Firecrest Tubular is Zipp's 77/177 hubset with best-in-class durability and improved bearing protection with no pre-load adjustment needed. The result is improved stiffness, durability, simplicity and versatility.
Precision-engineered hubs along with Firecrest technology create something special. The 404 Firecrest Tubular weighs 1,505 grams per set, providing best-in-class performance at a light weight, making it perfect for hilly courses as well.
Firecrest technology, with rims that maintain a near-constant width almost all the way to the spoke bed, is the first aero profile that effectively controls airflow around the back half of the wheel. Firecrest wheels offer stable, predictable handling at every wind angle by moving the center of pressure – the focal point of side forces on the rim – to its optimal location near the steering axis. A wider rim and proprietary resin system and manufacturing process increases lateral stiffness for sprinting and cornering yet offers greater vertical compliance for more control, comfort, and durability on rough surfaces.
Each 404 Firecrest Tubular wheel comes with Tangente Platinum Pro brake pads, Zipp Integrated Valve Extender with valve-core wrench, and quick release.MSRP:
Front wheel: $950 / €1,000
BikeRadar reviews 404 Firecrest tubular January 2012
"Zipp's latest evolution of their 404 wheels is undoubtedly their most predictable, comfortable and versatile high-velocity set yet, making them true aero all-rounders...."
Read the review here.
"Zipp's New Shape" July 2011
Tri-Magazine.net takes a closer look at the new Firecrest rim shape. Click here for the full story.
"Zipp Reinvents The Wheel" February 2011 [pdf]
Cycling Weekly takes a closer look at the new Firecrest platform.
With the new proprietary Firecrest rim shape in our 202, 303, 404 and 808 Firecrest wheels, Zipp wheels make a bigger difference in more ways than ever. Not only is Firecrest more aerodynamic than any other rim design, it improves handling in crosswinds and overall ride quality.
ABLC™ (Aerodynamic Boundary Layer Control)
Advanced Boundary Layer Control (ABLC) refers to the patented and instantly recognizable dimpled pattern found on all of our carbon rims. ABLC smoothes airflow across the rim's surface and is tailored to every model from the 202 to the Super-9 Disc. The third-generation of ABLC has up to four times more dimples than before.
VCLC™ (Visco-Elastic Constrained Layer Control)
Visco-Elastic Constrained Layer Control (VCLC) uses a vibration-absorbing material sandwiched between layers of rigid carbon laminate in the rim. When the wheel receives an impact from the road, much of the shock is absorbed by the VCLC system, delivering a 10% reduction in vibration.
Carbon Bridge™
Carbon Bridge uses a Kevlar® thread in a co-axial helix stitch to bind sheets of carbon to each other in our tubular rims. Because Kevlar is 350% more impact resistant than carbon, it can disperse shock more evenly throughout the carbon laminate, making for a rim that is practically bulletproof. In particular, Carbon Bridge reduces the vulnerability of the rim's tire bed, the area most susceptible to damage from impact.


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Shia/Sunni conflict in Pakistan http://brownpundits.blogspot.com/2015/01/shia-killing-in-pakistan-background-and.html
About how the Shia Sunni conflict in Pakistan intensified (excerpts)
About how the Shia Sunni conflict in Pakistan intensified (excerpts)
At ground level a lot of this was not due to any single organized conspiracy but involved the confluence of several factors: Islamization put the question of "whose Islam" on the table; Zia's personal leanings led to support for anti-Shia factions; Saudi Arabia inserted Wahabi-Salafi propaganda into the mix; The Shia response to the Zakat law and open (even if mostly symbolic) support from Iran helped opponents to label them Iranian agents; and modernization and modern education themselves led to a preference for modern (and fascist) versions of Islam in preference to Indian folk Islam with its "superstitious", it's heavy Indian coloring of rituals and folk beliefs and it's striking multicultural colorfulness.
Newly rich Saudi and Gulf individuals wished to promote "true Islam" in Pakistan. Many individuals in Pakistan wished to be paid by Gulf and Saudi millionaires to do the same. While the actual madrassa cannon-fodder came mostly from poor families, the policy the promoted the same came from middle class military officers and their civilian collaborators. Modern education and economics had prepared the minds of many middle class Pakistanis (including many whose families were traditionally Barelvi Sunni) to accept Maudoodi-type "back-to-basics" modern Islamism. Just like traditional folk Hinduism was rejected by Arya Samajis and other Hindu reformers, educated middle class Muslims in Pakistan were ready to reject folk Islam and strive for modernized purity. Thus,in predominantly Barelvi Pakistan, the majority of the new madrassas set up all over the country and paid for by Gulf money turned out to be hardline Deobandi, Ahle hadith and Wahhabi in sectarian orientation.
It is worth repeating that the Anti-Shia polemic was not paramount in the minds of many of the geniuses who promoted these policies. In fact, many in the Pakistani middle class still have no clear idea of where the anti-Shia polemic is coming from. It was not part of our education. While Shias were a minority sect, their version of Karbala and the martyrdom of Husain was widely accepted and reverence for Ali and the house of Ali was part of most Sufi orders. Shia symbolism had spread well beyond the Shias and become part of the cultural heritage of educated Sunnis in South Asia (or maybe, as Jaun Elya points out here, a lot of what is now typically "Shia" had it's origin within Sunnis, things not necessarily always being divided in exactly the same boxes in which they are divided today). Certainly there were Ahle hadith and Wahhabi mullahs in Pakistan who were frankly anti-Shia, but even they tended to stay away from any direct criticism of Imam Hussein and his family. That this kind of reverence is not a universal feature of the Muslim word is not something that is even vaguely known to most Pakistani or Indian middle class Sunnis. That in Indonesia and Malaysia there is practically no sense of Moharram as a month of universal mourning is a surprise; that the Saudi Wahhabis have a well-developed anti-Shia polemic that brands the Shias as heretics, Jewvish agents and frank enemies of Islam was poorly understood.
But the fact is the Saudi Wahhabis and their fellow travelers DO have such a story. When I first heard the Saudi version (from a Pakistani doctor who had converted to Saudi Islam and ran a "study circle" in our residential camp in Saudi Arabia) it was a bit of a shock. It took a while for me to realize that his version of history was completely mainstream in Saudi Arabia. In this version, Islam (basically a military conquest enterprise from day one) was spreading rapidly on its way to conquer the world, until a Jew named Ibne Saba helped to create a fitna (the first civil war) that sabotaged this first attempt at world conquest. This fitna is now known as the Shia sect and they have been sabotaging Islam ever since. I paraphrase of course, but this is not too far from what any pious Saudi or Gulf millionaire believes. It is therefore no surprise that they spend good money to teach Pakistanis these "truths" and some of them go on to support killers who take the next step and start physically eliminating Shias.
A second and only locally important economic factor was the fact that there were some prominent Shia landlords and power-brokers in Southern Punjab. Anti-Shia polemics combined in those parts with what the Marxists gleefully call "class issues" to give it something of the color of a hardline Sunni revolt against the local Shia elite in these areas.
But the third and most critical component of this perfect storm was the state policy of Jihad or "strategic depth". The Afghan Jihad that effectively destroyed Afghanistan may have been a CIA project, but from day one it was supported and then hijacked by local actors who had priorities of their own. Cynical Saudis saw it as a way to send away religious zealots to "jihad camp"; Pious Saudis saw it as a way to spread true Islam to the benighted heathens; and GHQ saw it as a golden opportunity to get "strategic depth" in Afghanistan, to be translated later into conquest of Kashmir and projection of power (perhaps even an empire!) in Central Asia.


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Tony Jones has joined the BASS team in the role of OHS Systems Compliance Coordinator.
He brings to the team a wealth of knowledge that compliments the BASS team.
Tony's background has been in the Underground Coal mining Industry of Central Queensland and in the Inspection industry in the Bass Straight Oil and Gas fields.
We welcome him to the Bass team and look forward to using his knowledge as a valued new member of the team.
- Does the operation of your business meet the requirements of the Legislation?
- Do you know if your employees are being exposed to unnecessary risks?
- Do you need the right advice with your systems?
- Is your Electrical Test and Tagging compliant?
- Do you need to contact us for advice and assistance?
- Go to the Contact Us Icon and follow the prompts to get your business headed in the right direction.
In most cases, if you have breached your Health and Safety obligations your insurer may not honour the policy you hold with them. The "Product Disclosure Statement" provided by your insurance company will explain your "Duty of Care" and obligation to provide a compliant system at your workplace.
Contact BASS to assist you with your compliance.


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If you missed the previous postings, be sure and go back and leave comments each day, as I haven't picked winners on the previous days yet.
What country is everyone from? if in the USA, what State?
Did you sign up Feb 1? Be sure and go back and leave a comment there (CLICK HERE). Yesterday a Bookmark contest started, go back to check it out as the stamp is on sale through Friday to join in! Have you seen the winner list? it's been updated!! CLICK HERE


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Vanderbilt's Mason names 4 new members of his football staff
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) Vanderbilt football coach Derek Mason has added four assistants to his staff.
They are defensive coordinator Jason Tarver, special teams coordinator Shawn Mennenga, wide receivers coach Aaron Moorehead and cornerbacks coach Terrence Brown.
The appointment of Tarver marks a change in approach for Mason, who had served as his own defensive coordinator since 2015.
Tarver and Mason were both Stanford assistants in 2011. Tarver also has been a defensive assistant for the San Francisco 49ers and Oakland Raiders.
Mennenga has been a special teams assistant coach with the Cleveland Browns the last seven seasons. Moorehead, who previously worked with Mason at Stanford, spent the last three seasons as Texas A&M's receivers coach.
Brown was a defensive graduate assistant for Washington the last three seasons.
Vanderbilt went 5-7 last season.
More AP college football: http://collegefootball.ap.org and https://twitter.com/AP-Top25
Updated February 8, 2018


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Availability: In stock
Be the first to review this product
The LP610 13' Air-Cushioned Light Stand features a lightweight, solid aluminum design. This stand is ideal for supporting heavy lighting gear or studio equipment, when stability is a necessity. The LP610 Light Stand serves as an excellent mount for studio strobes with larger softboxes. The LP610's air cushioning helps to ensure your mounted accessories do not drop too quickly when lowering a section on the stand - often saving a joint or two on your fingers!


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While today's temperatures were not much colder than yesterday, still in the 80s to lower 90s, humidity did decrease from yesterday, with the temperatures also cooling down starting tomorrow.
A dry pattern has now developed, which should make for a potentially very dry first half of July, with no rain expected in the 7-day range. This week's temperatures should be comfortable compared to the last week, with below average temperatures returning, but enjoy it while it lasts, as what could be the biggest heat wave since 2008 could take place next week.
Tomorrow's Outlook:
Tomorrow will fortunately be colder than today. With a trough moving in, high temperatures will only rise into the lower to mid 70s inland, upper 70s to lower 80s for the immediate NYC area, and with a NW wind, Long Island and S CT will also rise into the upper 70s. This is nearly 10-15 degrees colder than today for some places.
The rest of the region should also be chilly tomorrow, with high temperatures in the 70s and 80s for the Mid Atlantic, and in the 60s to lower 70s for the Northeast. The only areas of rain tomorrow should be in the northern Northeast and New England, otherwise dry conditions are expected.
Thursday and Friday: Chilly, Dry
The next three days are going to be very comfortable, and may be the coolest days for a while. Thursday morning should be quite chilly, with low temperatures in the 50s across most of the area, except for NYC, which should be in the upper 50s to lower 60s. A few upper 40s are also expected in the interior. High temperatures should be in the lower to mid 70s inland, and in the mid to upper 70s for the immediate NYC area, Long Island and S CT. Friday should be slightly warmer than Thursday.
Heat Wave To Start On Sunday, July 4th
Saturday will already bring back warmth and humidity, something not seen since today. High temperatures will warm up into the mid to upper 80s, with sunny skies expected. By Sunday, July 4th, however, the temperatures will only continue to warm up, reaching the lower to mid 90s for the immediate NYC area, along with increased humidity.
Sunday will be the start of what could potentially be the biggest heat wave since June 2008, when temperatures reached the lower 100s in parts of the area. With 850 mb temperatures in the range of 18c to 22c and no precipitation around, combined with sunny skies, high temperatures are easily going to reach the mid to upper 90s away from the coast, and if the models remain steady or trend slightly warmer, lower 100s may even be possible in parts of the immediate NYC area, however this is still uncertain, and the trends later this week will tell if this could happen or not. Along with humid conditions, the heat index could easily reach the 100s during this time period.
These very hot conditions should last until about Thursday, when slightly cooler temperatures are possible, but not significantly colder. Afterwards, there is still a lot of uncertainty, however if the ECMWF verifies, the heat returns yet again for Friday and Saturday. Stay tuned as more details on this potential heat wave become clearer through this week.


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Lori Capra
Graduate Success Story
Lori Capra (RYT 200 & Yoga Trapeze® Certified Teacher)
Lori completed her 200hr Yoga Teacher Training in 2015 with Great Heart Yoga in Olympia, WA. In 2016, she complemented her certification with Yoga Trapeze® Teacher Training with YOGABODY in Barcelona Spain. After her initial training, Lori began teaching in a small studio in partnership with a Massage Therapy Center. And within one week of completing Yoga Trapeze® teacher training the studio mounted hooks so she could start offering Trapeze right away.
Lori now teaches in four different venues in two different counties, holding over 16 public & private traditional & Yoga trapeze sessions per week. She is holding classes 2x per week a local middle school and at the local Intercity Transit office 2x per month. Many of her students have been beginners & she is inspired to make yoga and yoga trapeze accessible to anyone who wants to try.
In the warmer weather Lori teaches Stand Up Paddle yoga lessons as well. At age of 19 Lori began her own yoga practice. At that same time she began her carpentry career. After over 30 years of each she has managed to keep herself flexible, strong and healthy, mitigating many of the typical construction injuries.
Lori is the mother of twins who are equally drawn to yoga. She considers them her Yin Yang twins. Lori brings a wealth of experience, compassion, and knowledge to her students. She would say that the most important aspect of her work is to inspire her students to be conscious in their body, connected to their breathing, & to have compasion for themselves. Simple tools for a fun, energized, healthy life.
Web: Yoga Trapeze® Olympia
Facebook: Yoga Trapeze® Olympia
Phone: +1 360-451-3179
Adress: 8th ave se
Olympia, Washington, WA 98501