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By VINCE LUECKE, Editor
Though these words take shape on the Thursday before New Year's, I find myself with feelings of anticipation and even tinges of excitement as 2011 nears.
I'm reminded of how many things I've yet to do before the new year chimes in. I have a to-do list not quite as long as the one Santa tended to, but daunting nonetheless. I want to clear my desk of paper, put files strewn about for weeks in their proper places and dust shelves. I want to enter the new year at least halfway organized.
I won't list any specific resolutions to public scrutiny since my plan to lose weight over the past couple of months fell about 80 percent short of my goal. Alas. If resolutions were that easy to keep, we wouldn't make much of a fuss about them. On my list of things to do are general goals of spending more time with family and friends, finding time to read more and to lose some weight.
With luck I'll be able to return to Germany this spring or early summer, resuming an annual tradition I broke the past two years.
But there are more important goals than jetting off for a week or 10 days. I want to be somewhat better to myself and while I enjoy staying busy, stress is taking its toll somewhere inside me. That means learning to enjoy life more often before another year speeds by. It seems like only a few months ago that I was assembling the year's big stories at the end of 2009.
Thanks to all those who have helped make the year a good one for me and the newspaper: readers, advertisers and everyone who has offered ideas, suggestions, compliments and the occasional complaint and correction.
I show up most days eager and excited to serve as editor and I feel privileged to have a front-row seat to life here in Perry County. It's a job I take seriously.
The coming months will bring what every year does, good news and bad, but I hope the headlines for us all are positive.
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Ted Striphas is an assistant professor of media and cultural studies and director of film and media at Indiana University. His book, The Late Age of Print, has just been published by Columbia University Press.
Scott Esposito: Your overarching argument is that books—their production, consumption, and dissemination—have been developing alongside capitalism, and in fact are very emblematic of capitalism. And just as we're in what's known as "late capitalism" we're also in the "late age of print." Could you briefly explain what you mean by the late age of print?
Ted Striphas: "The late age of print" is a term I borrow and adapt from Jay David Bolter, a professor at the Georgia Institute of Technology, to describe this particular—indeed, peculiar—moment in the history of print in which we're now living. It helps me to name a paradox. On the one hand, books and other printed materials exist—and for some, are becoming lost—in a media landscape more densely crowded than ever. On the other hand, printed books now enjoy an extraordinary prevalence and degree of accessibility, owing to the recent rise of big-box bookstores, Internet bookselling, televisual book promotion, and the like. How could it be that books are dying and thriving all at once? This is the overarching question that the late age of print—both the idea and the book—addresses.
"The late age of print" also is a rejoinder of sorts to those who claim that we're now living in a digital age and that, for better or for worse, print is consequently dead. The history of communication technologies tends to be written in terms of supercession, and usually it goes something like this. In the beginning was the word, which is to say, the human voice. Its predominance is challenged once writing, and eventually printing, appear on the scene. Print eventually gives way to first generation (i.e., analog) electronic media such as radio and television, whose pre-eminence eventually succumbs to networked personal computers and other digital media.
The problem with this type of history lies in the one-dimensional—antagonistic—relationship that successive generations of communication technologies supposedly share with one another. Where's the complexity? For decades books and electronic media have been vying for people's attention. That much is undeniable. But a singular focus such as this obscures the many ways in which electronic media have augmented both the presence and authority of books in society. Consider for example the bar codes appearing on most books today. These symbols work in conjunction with digital communication technologies to ensure that the book you want is available where and when you want it.
"The late age of print" is the phrase I use to underscore the complex relationships that books share with other media. It leads us to acknowledge the maturity of books as a medium and to deny claims that they are anachronisms today.
SE: In the book you describe something known as "The Cheney Report." This was a report published in 1932 urging greater efficiency and integration in publishing. Basically it chastised publishers for being sloppy and said they could do better if they got their act together. Even though the report didn't have much immediate impact, you argue that in the long run, with the introduction of things like standard sizing and pricing, more efficient warehousing, and the big one, ISBNs and EANs, that the industry has more or less reformed itself as Cheney said it should. A lot of people now view publishing in a similar way as the 1930s—an underperforming industry that has a fundamentally sound product and could be doing a lot better than it is. What would you put in a new Cheney report for the 21st century?
TS: What a wonderful question! Indeed, today's book industry needs a comprehensive "Cheney Report" of its own. I suppose that The Late Age of Print aspires to be that type of resource, albeit in a modest way. The "Cheney Report" was 150,000 words, after all.
Cheney's brilliance lay in the way in which he resisted popular wisdom about how to jumpstart the ailing book industry of the 1930s. Nearly everyone at the time was saying, "more advertising!" Cheney didn't exactly reject this view, but he forcefully insisted that advertising wouldn't be enough. What was lacking in the book industry, he claimed, was adequate intelligence about who buys which books, and why. He also suggested that the book industry pay much more attention to improving its behind-the-scenes technical infrastructure. In a sense he was asking the industry to listen better, and to find a more productive balance between competition and cooperation.
These days the book industry is quite logistically savvy, and in significant respects it resembles the one that Cheney imagined almost 80 years ago. Many new challenges have emerged in the intervening years, however, and only some can be addressed by looking to the "Cheney Report" for inspiration. One thing Cheney clearly tells us is that advertising will never be a cure-all for the book industry's woes. It is at best only a partial solution—often a haphazard one at that.
To my mind, Cheney's insight about listening endures above all else. But the book industry of today needs to do more than just figure out who buys which books, and why. It needs to become significantly more intelligent about how, where, why, and with whom people engage books. This is, incidentally, one of the reasons for the success of Oprah's Book Club. Oprah has been adept at recommending strategies for how people might fit book reading into their busy schedules. She doesn't perceive a lack of interest in books to be a moral or intellectual failing as much as a technical problem—one that requires relatively straightforward, "everyday" solutions. When her followers complained about lacking sufficient time to read, she suggested that they ask their loved ones for alone-time—as opposed to material things—at the holidays. The book industry needs to engage in exactly this type of listening, plus it needs to be much more proactive in terms of educating people about how to creatively align book reading with everyday routines.
SE: Throughout Late Age you elaborate the idea that the book is in many ways the quintessential capitalist good. It's gone from being a somewhat uncommon item that's sold to a certain subset of consumers to a mass marketed good that is aimed right at the heart of capitalist society, i.e. the middle class. Ebooks fit very much into your vision of books as the representative capitalist good. In fact you write that "ebooks don't suggest a waning of consumer capitalism. . . . They point to its intensification or, rather, to the emergence of new practices of controlled capitalism." Could you discuss this idea a little bit?
TS: The historical trajectory I trace in The Late Age of Print is "from consumerism to control," which is the book's subtitle. I begin by exploring how books provided a kind of alibi, or moral license, for the growth of a conspicuously consuming middle-class in the United States. People often forget that the system of consumer credit that sustains this group today (until the recent financial crisis, at any rate) was virtually unknown a century ago. Guided by the Protestant ethic, most ordinary Americans used to consider consumer debt to be a fool's paradise. This type of thinking posed a problem for the industrialists of the early 20th century. They realized that capitalism would continue to thrive and expand if and only if they could open up markets beyond the wealthy minority to whom they'd generally catered. Books served this purpose unusually well, in that they tended to be looked upon as vehicles for moral, aesthetic, and intellectual uplift. That is, books could be marketed to the adherents of the Protestant ethic as productive investments, rather than as frivolous things. This belief also helped the burgeoning middle-class to justify its use of consumer credit to purchase books (along with sewing machines and the like), which helped pave the way for more liberal practices of consumption later in the 20th century.
The eventual result is the emergence of a true mass market for books in and beyond the United States. But this in turn created all sorts of anxieties among publishers, and to a somewhat lesser extent authors, particularly over the ways in which this mass of books could circulate beyond their control. At first the worry was that people were passing on their books too frequently to friends, family, colleagues, and acquaintances. Later, the book industry fretted over the duplication of books using photocopiers. Today, the bête noire is the digital scanner. In all cases, the overarching concern—and perhaps the erroneous assumption—is that the uncontrolled circulation of books and book content leads inevitably to lost sales.
Given this history, it's unsurprising—if ultimately disappointing—to me to see the book industry now scrambling to find ways to micromanage the circulation of books in everyday life. The paradigmatic case for printed books is Harry Potter. Each new installment of the series brought with it ever more stringent legal guidelines and technological control mechanisms. These were aimed at regulating precisely when, where, how, and among whom the books would move up until their release dates. Many commercial ebook systems, such as the Amazon Kindle, employ digital rights management and other technological protection measures to achieve a similar end. The broader result of all this is the emergence of a variant of capitalism that is deeply suspicious of, and at times even hostile to, the consuming public, whose relationship to books is now monitored and regimented to an unprecedented degree.
SE: Speaking of the Kindle, you discuss the idea that ebooks are evolving our idea of copyright—from a concept of copyright that more or less says "you bought it, you can do whatever you want with it," to an idea that your rights over what you buy will be managed even after you buy it (built-in digital rights management would be an example). Do you think that ultimately copyright will evolve toward greater restrictions along these lines, or do you think a backlash along the lines of what we're seeing with Creative Commons licenses and open source will change that?
TS: My inclination here is to agree with Lawrence Lessig, who, in his recent book Remix, suggests that we're presently moving in the direction of a "hybrid economy." By this he means that a more restrictive (i.e., copyright- and DRM-intensive) mode of cultural production is likely to exist side-by-side, or perhaps in some combination, with more sharing-oriented systems such as Creative Commons, open source, and the like. If indeed this assessment is true—and I think Lessig offers compelling evidence to suggest that it is—then it seems to me that two challenges will present themselves.
The first will be to develop strategies so that the latter doesn't merely become the appendage of, or "free labor" for, the former. I'm thinking of the photo sharing site Flikr, for instance. Some budding photographers who've posted their images there have, as a gesture of goodwill, offered them under a Creative Commons license, only to discover those images being used for commercial purposes because they chose the wrong type of Creative Commons license! There have been fewer instances of this type of disrespectful behavior in the book world, but clearly the temptation will be there as more material is made publicly available on- and offline through various open systems.
The second and related challenge, then, will be to preserve choice in a hybrid economy—and thus to keep the hybrid economy hybrid, as it were. The Late Age of Print will soon be offered for free online under a Creative Commons, Attribution 3.0 BY-SA-NC license. The printed edition will continue to be available for purchase, and perhaps one day Amazon.com will offer a digitally rights-managed Kindle edition. The tragedy for me would be if only one of these versions of the book were made available—the latter one, in particular. Like other industries, the book industry needs to learn that its clients will expect more and more choice as the years go by, and that they will find always ways to revolt if their choices narrow or become artificially restricted. As Malcolm Gladwell's The Tipping Point shows, disrespectful behavior begets disrespectful behavior.
SE: In your discussion of Amazon you argue that it has made the business of bookselling more of a science than anyone has previously been able to. That is, its success is basically due to being able to sell more books more quickly and efficiently than anyone in history. You cite some incredible stats: books sit on Amazon's shelves an average of 18 days, compared to 161 in a traditional bookstore. Amazon turns over some books as much as 150 times per year, compared to 4 times a year for traditional stores. And, in fact, recent stats indicate that Amazon is growing its booksales while traditional bookstores are flat or in decline. First, what is the downside to Amazon's model? What do they do poorly? And secondly, what can traditional bookstores do to compete with does Amazon's incredible efficiency and reach?
TS: The major downside of the Amazon model is what goes on behind the scenes, out of site and essentially out of mind. Most of us interface with the company through its website, where we're greeted with an extraordinary range of books and other consumer goods. But what do we really know about Amazon.com, beyond its attractive website?
Indeed, many of us forget that the website isn't just a portal through which we enter the Amazon store. It's also a conduit through which Amazon quietly enters our everyday lives to engage in intelligence gathering. Amazon knows more about which books we're interested in and have purchased than just about any bookseller around. This occurs as a result of its sophisticated client tracking capabilities, which transform our browsing around the Amazon website into an opportunity for data mining. The problem here isn't surveillance per se. I would be lying if I said I didn't enjoy Amazon's personalized recommendations, which are the result of my own and others' computer-aggregated browsing and buying habits. The problem lies with the asymmetry of this relationship. There's little possibility for opting out of any or all of Amazon's surveillance practices, much less of finding out what the company thinks it knows about us—erroneously or otherwise. Its data gathering and retention is all the more worrisome in a political climate in which, despite whatever thaw we've seen under the Obama administration, the USA PATRIOT Act remains the law of the land.
Another downside is the labor practices that Amazon must engage in to supply books and other goods as efficiently as it does. I document these issues in some detail in The Late Age of Print, so I won't delve into too many specifics here. Suffice it to say that Amazon has quite stringent performance expectations for its warehouse workers in terms of item storage and retrieval, packaging, and more. It's also been quite aggressive about staving off their unionization. In these and other ways, Amazon.com doesn't at all resemble the image of the genteel bookstore that most of us would conjure when we hear uttered the word, bookstore. For that matter, it doesn't much resemble a Borders or a Barnes & Noble, either. Amazon is a bookseller stripped down to the bare bones.
To be blunt about it, traditional bookstores cannot compete with Amazon.com unless they're prepared to abandon the mantle of the "traditional" bookstore—by which I mean, a retail outlet where something more than an economic calculus holds sway. Nevertheless, I would suggest that they make more of an issue of Amazon's data policies, while doing their best to ensure their own client confidentiality. Traditional bookstores also might take on more of an educative function as well, along the lines of what I mentioned above in discussing the success of Oprah's Book Club. Finally, traditional bookstores must recognize that they cannot simply rest on tradition, and that more and more people have come to expect both off- and online bookselling experiences. What this means is that, where possible, they'll need to invest in digital infrastructures that allow their customers to interact with the store and with one another wherever they may happen to be on the network. IndieBound is an important, if still somewhat limited, step in the right direction.
SE: You've mentioned Oprah a couple of times in this interview, and indeed in Late Age you devote a chapter to Oprah's Book Club. Therein, you advance what I think is an interesting argument: the book club's success was far from pre-ordained and in fact rested on Oprah's ability to make people who previously did not read much (or in some cases at all) enthusiastic about reading. Certainly this is exactly what a lot of people concerned with reading want, and you say that there's a lot to be learned from Oprah. However, you also note that Oprah's method doesn't necessarily promote a book for its aesthetic or literary value but for its ability to be vital to the lives of its readers. Some people won't like this message, and they'll be of the opinion that literature doesn't need those kinds of readers, or that this will water down literature as art and reading as something special and unique. What's your response?
TS: The belief that "literature doesn't need those kinds of readers" is short-sighted in any number of ways. In a crudely economic sense, it's completely self-defeating for authors and publishers. If the book industry is indeed under-performing, shouldn't it be doing everything in its power to court any and all would-be readers, instead of freezing some—and perhaps many—of them out? That type of exclusive attitude is a pathway to one thing and to one thing only: irrelevance.
Another concern I have with this view is that it is short-sighted historically. People often forget that "pure aesthetics"—by which I mean aesthetics for their own sake, or aesthetics divorced from the immediate realities of daily life—is largely an invention of the 18th or 19th century. For most of human history (at least in the West), what made good art good was its relevance, utility, or connection to people's everyday realities. The idea that a book's beauty is inversely proportional to its usefulness forgets two essential facts: first, there is more than one way in which to relate to art; and second, the definition of art is neither essential nor trans-historical.
Finally, it seems to me that a "literature doesn't need those kinds of readers" attitude is short-sighted with respect to the future. Just because a person may learn to engage with books in one particular way doesn't mean that she or he will engage with books that way for all time. I used to chew on my books as a toddler, but do I continue to do so today? Absolutely not! This example is pretty glib (and kind of gross, admittedly), but it's roughly analogous to one of the more interesting features of Oprah's Book Club. Oprah often follows easier titles with more challenging ones. So, for example, Barbara Kingsolver's Poisonwood Bible was followed by a "breeze" (Oprah's word) of a book, Elizabeth Berg's Open House. There are many more examples like this in The Late Age of Print. What the broader pattern suggests is that Oprah sees reading as a trajectory to challenge, rather than a challenge in itself. And this to me is a profoundly respectful way in which to welcome people into the world of books instead of turning them away at the door.
Scott Esposito edits The Quarterly Conversation.
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The father and the brother of the victim – who cannot be named – told the Daily Telegraph that the youngest attacker was the most vicious participant in the assault and deserved to die for his alleged crimes.
"All six should be hanged especially the juvenile who was the most brutal," the 53-year-old father said. "If the law has to be changed to enable that then so be it."
Under Indian law the youngest attacker – believed to be 17 but who has undergone tests to determine his age – could receive a maximum of just three years from a juvenile court.
The comments from the family – the first to a British newspaper – came as police formally charged five men, aged between 35 and 19, with rape and murder, as well as a string of other offences.
Fresh details also emerged from a police charge sheet, obtained by The Hindustan Times, which describes how the youngest suspect abused the unconscious victim and had been responsible for suggesting her naked body be thrown from the moving bus in which she was raped.
The story of how a 23-year-old physiotherapy student was battered and raped for an hour aboard the private bus as it cruised the streets of the capital last month has shocked much of India.
She was left for dead after the gang of men used an iron bar to inflict horrific injuries, and died at the weekend at a hospital in Singapore, 13 days after the attack.
Her family spoke to The Telegraph and said they wanted to build a hospital in the victim's name at their ancestral village so that her dream of becoming a doctor could be honoured.
But they said they felt abandoned by the Indian government in their time of need despite numerous promises of help and an outpouring of public grief.
Speaking at the family home shared with numerous relatives in the district of Ballia, in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, the victim's 20-year-old brother said: "Our family would like a hospital to be built in our village in her name."
Standing in the bare courtyard of their ramshackle home he added: "It's impossible to transport any sick or ill person to any hospital as it is far away. In the monsoon months it's worse as the entire area gets flooded so if anyone falling ill at night can only be taken to hospital the following day. In many instances they die."
The family, who returned to their village home from Delhi on Monday, in order to scatter their daughter's ashes on the nearby River Ganges, said they would allow her identity to be made public if it were in order for a new law, hospital or road to be inaugurated in her honour. Indian law prevents the naming of rape victims without their family's express permission.
Both the father and brother said they were tired of politicians lining up to pay tribute or pledge help without coming good on their offers.
"Up till now it's empty promises," said her father.
The murder case is due to be tried in a new fast-track court, one of a handful set up to handle crimes against women.
Delhi authorities have also promised to ban buses with tinted windows or curtains, and to carry out checks on bus drivers to make the city safer for women.
Politicians are debating tougher laws on sexual violence and yesterday a special recruitment drive for women police officers was announced and every police station in Delhi ordered to be staffed by at least nine female officers to help women in need.


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State of Illinois
Department of Human Services
Parents can be role models by eating healthy and being active - your children will do the same. Provide structure with mealtimes and snacks by offering 3 meals and 2-3 snacks a day.
Provide healthy foods and allow children to decide how much food they eat. Children will eat when they are hungry and stop when they are full. They will eat the right amount of food they need to grow healthy and strong.
Plan fun family activities throughout the week that encourages physical activity. It will improve strength, build muscle and strong bones, and help maintain a healthy weight.
DHS 4445 (R-08-18) Grow a Healthy Family Printed by the Authority of the State of Illinois. 7,000 copies P.O.#19-0127


text: White Mountain 537m mountain, Sperrin Mountains Ireland at MountainViews.ie Cookies. This website uses cookies, which are small text files that the website puts on your computer to facilitate operation. Cookies help us provide a better service to you. They are used to track general user traffic information and to help the website function properly. More Information Click to hide this notice for 30 days. Guestuser: Login or enrol? 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Tonduff East Top: Climbing east top in isolation Summit Summary Collaborative entry Last edit by: Colin Murphy 3 days ago Rarely done in isolation, this nondescript summit is usually climbed in conjunction with Tonduff itself or Maulin. But it can be done without visiting the nearby summits. Start at Crone Woods car ... Crotlieve Track 2646 Peter Walker 3 days ago Room to park two, perhaps more cars at the start...although it's hard to imagine legions of walkers descending on... walk, Len: 0.9km, Climb: 134m, Area: Crotlieve Mountain, Mourne Mountains (Ire|... Croghan Hill Track 2637 conormcbandon 2 days ago Ignore the vehicular part of this route. It's only a 2 Km up and down with 100m of ascent. After crossing the gate a... walk, Len: 2.0km, Climb: 105m, Area: Croghan Hill, North Midlands (Ireland) C|| Table Mountain West Top: Bird's eye view Summit Comment Colin Murphy 3 days ago As I reached the summit of this top on a gorgeous September day, I could see about 5 dark birds circling above and swooping to the heather every now and then, so I assume they were birds of prey o... Tonduff East Top: Dull top with panoramic views Summit Comment Colin Murphy 3 days ago The view to the south west from the summit. Table Mountain West Top: Unremarkable top with fine views. Summit Summary Collaborative entry Last edit by: Colin Murphy 3 days ago Usually done in conjunction with Lowbawn or Table Mt. itself, but can be completed relatively easily in isolation. parking for a few cars at a crossroads of sorts at S983 948. There is a barrier h... Alt de Comapedrosa Track 4204 David-Guenot a week ago Visiting Alt de Comapedrosa, the highpoint of Andorra at 2942m, with a friend from Wales. Actual total ascent ca. 1420m. walk, Len: 15.7km, Climb: 1558m, Area: Andorra, La Massana () || Taghart South: Only one way up Summit Comment TommyMc 3 days ago The only practical way to access this hill is from near the locked quarry gates on the road in front of it. I attempted it across the fields and scrub to the north via the adjacent masts, and the ... Devilsmother North Top: Simple top on the way to main summit. Summit Summary Collaborative entry Last edit by: Geo a week ago The most direct approach is to park at small lay-by (1-2 cars) at L91270 65070 and proceed directly up steep slope in SE direction. Terrain is short grass mostly, and was solid underfoot in late M... UK website for mountains Forum: General Peter Walker 4 days ago I'll second peter1...walkhighlands.co.uk is very good (specifically for Scotland, unsurprisingly).I'll even forgive the person on their forums (the forums are excellent, btw) whose response to 'is... Devilsmother ridge from N59 Track 4205 Geo a week ago walk, Len: 10.1km, Climb: 695m, Area: Devilsmother Far North Top, Partry/Joyce ... Most Recent Monthly Newsletter. Conditions and Info Use of MountainViews is governed by conditions and a privacy policy. Read general information about the site. Opinions in material here are not necessarily endorsed by MountainViews. Hillwalking is a risk sport. Information in comments, walks or shared GPS tracks may not be accurate for example as regards safety or access permission. You are responsible for your safety and your permission to walk. See the credits and list definitions. RSS Feed for Recent Items. Visit our Facebook page. Video display Sperrin Mountains Area More detail Place count in area: 64, OSI/LPS Maps: 12, 13, 6, 7, 8 Highest place: Sawel, 678m Maximum height for area: 678 metres, Maximum prominence for area: 657 metres, Places in area Sperrin Mountains:Balix Hill 403mBarnes Top 456mBenbradagh 465mBessy Bell 420mBohilbreaga 478mBoviel Top 454mCarn Hill 448mCarnanelly 562mCarnanelly West Top 505mCarntogher 464mClogherny Top 408mClondermot Hill 220mCoolnasillagh Mountain 423mCorick Mountain 430mCraigagh Hill 460mCraignamaddy 385mCregganconroe 300mCrockalougha 407mCrockbrack 526mCrockdooish 321mCrocknamoghil 335mCurradrolan Hill 270mCurraghchosaly Mountain 416mDart Mountain 619mDart Mountain North-West Top 525mEglish 277mFir Mountain 362mGortmonly Hill 218mKnockanbane Mountain 441mKnockavoe 296mLearmount Mountain 489mLearmount Mtn S Top 492mLetterlogher 249mMeenard Mountain 620mMeenard Mtn W Top 480mMoneyoran Hill 414mMullaghaneany 627mMullaghash 480mMullaghasturrakeen 581mMullaghbane 467mMullaghbolig 442mMullaghcarbatagh 517mMullaghcarn 542mMullaghcarn South Top 525mMullaghclogha 635mMullaghclogher 572mMullaghcroy 242mMullaghdoo 568mMullaghmeash Hill 244mMullaghmore 550mMullaghsallagh 485mMullaghturk 416mOughtmore 382mOughtmore 569mOwenreagh Hill 400mSawel 678mSlieve Gallion 528mSlieve Gallion NE Top 496mSlieveboy 259mSlievekirk 370mSpaltindoagh 420mSpelhoagh 568mStraid Hill 303mWhite Mountain 537m Note: this list of places includes island features such as summits, but not islands as such. Centre on map. White Mountain Mountain Sliabh Bán A name in Irish (Ir. Sliabh Bán [OSM], 'white mountain') Derry County, in Arderin List, Olivine basalt lava Bedrock Height: 537m OS 1:50k Mapsheet: 8 Grid Reference: C74127 02158 Place visited by 64 members. Recently by: eoghancarton, Grumbler, ilenia, David-Guenot, eamonoc, Lauranna, arderincorbett, Fergalh, melohara, LorraineG60, LorraineG, Cobhclimber, trostanite, MichaelG55, ckilm I have visited this place: NO (You need to be a logged-in member to change this.) More detail Longitude: -6.846436, Latitude: 54.86166 , Easting: 274127, Northing: 402158 Prominence: 42m, Isolation: 1.4km ITM: 674060 902146, GPS IDs, 6 char: WhtMnt, 10 char: WhtMntnBedrock type: Olivine basalt lava, (Upper Basalt Formation) White Mountain is the 451st highest place in Ireland. Linkback: http://mountainviews.ie/summit/380/ Rate Gallery COMMENTS for White Mountain 1 of 1 Follow this place's comments Picture from gerrym : Looking North past Benbradagh Picture: Looking North past Benbradagh Banagher (the long way round) by gerrym 28 Apr 2014 http://youtu.be/Uy6RFXHKw8M To make it more interesting and a longer walk I started at Banagher Glen some 9km away (670050 A) and some snow added in. The carpark at Banagher is only open June - Sept but there is limited parking beside some wooden sheds. Walk along road past carpark which has an information board on flora and fauna and history of Altnaheglish Resevoir - highest dam in N. Ireland at 42m supplying water to Derry City. Pass an old water filter house, taking fork signed to Dam which drops down and crosses to left bank of river. There is now a steady rise up along Banagher Glen, through a national nature reserve full of oak trees and the occasional buzzard flying overhead. The Dam is reached after 40 minutes and is an impressive sight. It is worthwhile spending a bit of time here exploring around the dam and taking in the scenery. Continue along track taking right turn towards resevoir and crossing stile to enter Banagher Forest.The track closely follows the edge of the resevoir which turns and twists for a couple of kilometres. This combined with the heavily wooded slopes reminds me of those pictures of N. American forests and it wouldn't feel too out of place if a bear were to come crashing out of the trees. Continue straight ahead ignoring a turn to the right which is part of a circular route around the resevoir (and a good shorter walk). Soon leave trees into a desolate area of clearfell as valley continues to narrow, a short steep climb onto open moor, eventually reaching isolated B road.Turn right and follow the road until reach the service road for the communications mast atop Mullaghmore. Climb the metal gates and begin a steep and steady ascent . There are impressive views across the sprawling trees of Banagher Forest into the heart of the ever bigger mountains of the Sperrins. There are also good views N across the Roe River Valley to the escarpment of Benbradagh. At a cattle grid on the road follow a fence off to the left towards the summit of White Mtn. This took around 20 minutes over ground containing numerous peat hags with knee deep drifted snow - although on retracing my steps the true nature of the ground was apparent as my footprints were full of water. The fence continues to the summit, which has a distinct little rocky rise. The summit area heads off to the west to give views of Slieve Gallion and the Lough Neagh basin. As said I retraced my steps to the service road and continued to the summit of Mullaghmore, with its distinctive communications mast. This is by far the more interesting of the two summits with better views and some steep little cliffs on flanks. Having soaked in the views and endured the full force of the biting wind it was back down the hillside and through Banagher Forest past the resevoir to the car, just before darkness. A walk of around 6 hours made a slightly less than average hill into a good days varied and interesting walking. Linkback: http://mountainviews.ie/summit/380/comment/1393/ Your Score: Very useful << >>Average Picture from slemish : Looking NW from White Mountain to Benbradagh with Inishowen beyond Picture: Looking NW from White Mountain to Benbradagh with Inishowen beyond not white but definitely a mountain by slemish 25 Aug 2012 White Mountain sits on the eastern edge of the Sperrins and is somewhat upstaged by higher summits nearby. If visiting in winter it may often be white but today in August it was distinctly green/brown. I parked at the gate to the access road for the transmitter on neighbouring Mullaghmore (733019 B). A quick trek up the access road leads to a flat area about halfway up. You should leave the road here and head east where the knobbly summit of White Mountain can be seen ahead. Tough going along this section with peat hags, floating bog and jelly peat to contend with - my advice is to wear wellies. Eventually you reach the 537m summit which is unmarked like so many of the Sperrins.The views in contrast to the rather dull climb are very good indeed. To the east a vast swathe of mid-Ulster opens up beneath you with views of Lough Neagh. The Antrim hills lie to the north-east. There is an interesting view north-west to Benbradagh with Binevenagh peeping out behind it and beyond that the hills of Inishowen in Donegal. Further west I could make out the distinctive profiles of Muckish, Errigal and Loughsalt Mountain - some of my favourite Donegal mountains. To the west lie the higher Sperrins - Mullaghaneany and Meenard Mountain with Sawel towering over them all. Mullaghmore unfortunately blocks the view to the south.There was a heavy shower on its way over from Oughtmore so I hurried back to the car, this time taking the direct route straight down the mountainside. Take care here though as the first section back down to the road is incredibly steep. This is not a hill I would recommend unless like me you were ticking it off. Nearby Mullaghmore offers better views and a drier climb. Total trip - about 45 minutes. Linkback: http://mountainviews.ie/summit/380/comment/14771/ Your Score: Very useful << >>Average Picture from gerrym : looking to the higher Sperrin Hills Picture: looking to the higher Sperrin Hills Well White Mtn by gerrym 7 Jan 2011 White Mountain has been a slow burner in my heart but recent cold spells have turned up the heat (if that makes any sense?). Recent trips over the Glenshane Pass have provided long lingering views of the shapely curve and rise to the summit from low level - something that i did not appreciate when using the hill as an add on to the more exciting neighbour of Mullaghmore. A recent trip took me along this shapely curve on a seven hour journey starting and finishing in Glenshane Forest (777043 C). Everywhere was blanketed in 6-8 inches of snow, the fir trees looking stunning under their heavy burden and the river starting to freeze as i followed it to the ends of the forest - a walk of 3-4 km which seemed never ending in the snow. Past the Priests Chair and uphill steeply to break out of the gloom to a stunning blue sky contrasting with deep white powder for as far as the eye could see. Low cloud still rolled about in the valleys below and touched down on the odd top but the clear Arctic air provided stunning views as i ploughed through wondrously sculpted snowdrifts to the top of Bohilbreaga (478m). A drop and rise brought the cliffs of Criag na-shoke as my boot prints left their mark in an otherwise virgin whiteness. Moydamlaght Forest below just barely standing out from the deafeningly white landscape. Great fun trying to stay atop 3-4 ft drifts by carefully spreading weight, with the odd mishap having my legs completely disappear.A touch of mist with a bright sun above gave the summit of Mullaghmore a hauntingly beautiful feel, the normally sticky peat lost in a carpet of white - with wallpaper of the same colour covering the transmitter station. Followed the nearly invisible access road downhill as big drifts filled in the ditches either side. The walk off to the top of White Mtn was glorious, the name bringing a wry smile as i went through drift after drift which brought a rare equity to the hillside. Stunning views from the summit as the winter light began to fade from the high Sperrins to the west and a towering snow cloud loomed over Benbradagh to the North. With the light gone i dropped off into the valley below instead of going over Corick Mtn - not a good move as i plodded endlessly through the deep snow for an hour to reach the Ulster Way track heading back to Glenshane Forest. The flashing lights of gritting lorries worked their way up and down the Glenshane in the bitingly low temps as i went. A beautiful cloudless sky revealed millions of stars to go with the millions of glittering ice crystals at my feet. Truly special to have such amazing winter weather conditions here, transforming our hills into a walking experience which is hard to put a cost on and leaving memories which will last a long time! Linkback: http://mountainviews.ie/summit/380/comment/1394/ Your Score: Very useful << >>Average Picture from simon3 : Misty Mullaghash, interlocking ridges from the east end of White Mountain. Picture: Misty Mullaghash, interlocking ridges from the east end of White Mountain. Hogs back. by simon3 6 Jan 2011 This is a flattish broadly east west ridge. Not a particularly exciting summit, however there are, as often happens, some interesting views for example towards Benbradagh to the north. Although the occasion was too dark and misty for anything satisfying photographically, there's probably a good view from the east which this photo hints at. Linkback: http://mountainviews.ie/summit/380/comment/6186/ Your Score: Very useful << >>Average Picture from mcna mcna on White Mountain, 2007 by mcna 21 Jan 2007 Climbed this the same day as Mullaghmore. Ascended Mullaghmore through Moydamlaght forest - see Mullaghmore contribution - and crossed over to White Mountain. I had a few Minutes break in the mist and there appeared to be a fantastic few of Corrick Mountain but unfortunately it didn't last. The descent was easy enough - to the hair pin bend on the service road to Mullaghmore and down to the Moydamlaght road. Followed this road back to the car. Descent was quite steep in parts. This mountain formed part of a very enjoyable walk but I was disappointed when I wasn't rewarded with a view! I have attached a photo that I took from the summit of White - you can see how poor the visibility was Linkback: http://mountainviews.ie/summit/380/comment/2590/ Your Score: Very useful << >>Average Picture from Aidy : West to the main Sperrins Picture: West to the main Sperrins Initial Doubts, But Worth It In The End by Aidy 20 Oct 2015 See summit comment on Mullaghmore for my approach to White Mountain - from the south and Moydamlaght Forest, via Craig-na-Shoke. From Mullaghmore, I took the access road for the mast. About half way between the summit of Mullaghmore and a sharp bend in the access road, I reached a point where a fence led up to the summit. Initially I regretted this route due to peat hags and some boggy ground. The summit looked a bit non-descript from here, and I started to think this was a bit of an empty exercise in pointless summit bagging, especially after the enjoyable walk up Mullaghmore. It was a short diversion to take in this top however, and reaching the summit, I was glad I took it. It was dry and rocky - easy to walk on. There were similarly expansive views as on Mullaghmore over almost the whole of Ulster, from the Derryveagh Mountains in Donegal, to the faint Mournes on the east coast, with Lough Neagh on the way. Great views to the north too, to Benbradagh and Lough Foyle.On the way down, I took a course directly for the sharp bend in the access road, which had a lot fewer peat hags to contend with, but a fairly steep descent at the end on to the road, convinced me that the route up from further back on the road had actually been a good choice for ascent, having a much gentler gradient. From there, it was an easy walk back to the Moydamlaght Forest entrance on the roads. Definitely worth the short diversion to include this summit. Linkback: http://mountainviews.ie/summit/380/comment/18364/ Your Score: Very useful << >>Average (End of comment section for White Mountain.) Some mapping: Open Street Map (Various variations used.) British summit data courtesy: Database of British & Irish Hills (Creative Commons Licence) MountainViews.ie, a Hill-walking Website for the island of Ireland. 11 Million Visitors Per Year. 1300 Contributors.


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Chevrolet continues to find new ways to personalize the Corvette Stingray for its potential buyers. One size certainly does not fit all, and the two new design packages pit east coast versus west coast styling. The 2015 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Atlantic convertible and Pacific coupe were introduced last fall at the SEMA Show, and will enter production as packages for the luxury and track minded individuals.
The Atlantic convertible is a "luxury GT" built for cruising the coast in comfort and style, inspired by the "private jets seen at European vacation destinations." This package is offered on the 2015 Corvette in either the 2LT or 3LT trim level, but only on Z51-equipped convertibles. The unique features that define this 2015 Corvette package include: Z06-style front splitter; chrome Torque wheels; Shark Gray exterior vents, "stinger" graphic on the hood and tonneau inserts; Stingray underhood liner and floor mats; custom splash guards, rear license plate frame, and logo valve stem caps; and custom luggage.
For the west coast track rats that want to thrash their 2015 Corvette on open track days, the Pacific Design Package offers loads of racy features. Again the Z51 package must be selected first on the 2015 Corvette coupe, and both the 2LT and 3LT trim levels will accommodate. Carbon inside and out – "CFZ" ground effects, clear carbon roof panel and interior trim – combined with satin black full-length stripes and satin black Z51 wheels scream racecar. A red stripe and Stingray center caps break up the wheels, and match the red brake calipers. The rear spoiler, mirrors, and exterior badges are all painted Carbon Flash for yet another speedy accent. However, the primary colors available include: Torch Red, Black, Artic White, Blade Silver, and Shark Gray (new color). And of course no track-going 2015 Corvette would be complete without the Competition Sport Seats (in red or black). Custom license plate frame, splash guards, indoor car cover, Stingray sill plates and floor mats are also included.
"We plan to make news with the Corvette Stingray every year, in part by offering special-edition models that offer a unique, personal ownership experience," said Todd Christensen, Corvette marketing manager. "Our customers have told us they appreciate these limited-edition models, which have become an important part of the Corvette's legacy."
Other new additions to the 2015 Corvette include the 8-speed paddle-shifted automatic transmission and the Performance Data Recorder, both of which are available on the Atlantic and Pacific. Keep it locked right here for more updates on the 2015 Corvette.


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Sunday mornings take on more meaning to me once the turning of the calendar heralds the return of the Whistler Farmers' Market. While still allowing myself the luxury of a lie-in (because after all, that's what Sundays are all about) my big motivator to help me spring out of bed is the grumbling of my stomach as I envision the mouth-watering baked goods and abundance of fresh fruits and veggies - not to mention the many other possibilities - that await.
A scene of wonder greets me as I zigzag amidst the colourful stalls lining the Upper Village Stroll - the serene street converting into a carnival-like community gathering point.
Now in its 19th year, the Whistler Farmers' Market emerged from humble beginnings, where, on a good day one farmer, one jeweler and if they were lucky, a baker would show up, re-calls market manager Chris Quinlan with a chuckle. It's a vastly different story today where 85 vendors sell their wares and on a bustling Sunday, up to 5,000 people wander the grounds.
So, what has been the fertilizer to allow the markets to cultivate and grow?
Quinlan sums it up in one word-passion. "It has definitely been the passion for regional food and events and bringing people together in a real social atmosphere, that's really what it's about," he says.
It's true - nothing beats digging into a pulled pork sandwich or a Japanese cabbage pancake with a friend, or sharing that "a ha!" moment as you encounter that one-of-a-kind gift which satisfies your need for uniqueness, while showcasing supreme local talent.
For Quinlan, it's the interactive aspect that keeps him coming back. "The market really is a manifestation of society's desire to reconnect with their food and their community," he says. "They go not only to get their groceries, but also to catch up on local news and socialize. We want to know our food as well as our neighbours."
This year, the Whistler Farmers' Market kicks off on June 16, and runs from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sundays through to October 13, and on Wednesdays from 3 to 7 p.m. until September 4.
For more info, go to www.whistler.com/events/farmers_market


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Used 2018 DodgeGrand Caravan GT Van Passenger Van
- Stock: A617
- Odometer
- 30,399 miles
- Fuel Economy
- 17.0/25.0 mpg City/Hwy
- Exterior Color
- Granite Pearlcoat
- Interior Color
- Black
- Body/Seating
- Van Passenger Van/7 seats
- Transmission
- multi-speed automatic
- Drivetrain
- front-wheel
- Engine
- 3.6L V-6 cyl
Dodge Grand Caravan
Highlighted Features
- Navigation system
- Leather upholstery
- Automatic temperature control
- Wireless phone connectivity
- Exterior parking camera rear
- Front dual zone A/C
- Auto-dimming rearview mirror
- 3rd row seats
Standard Specifications
Dealer Notes
2018 Dodge Grand Caravan GT
Priced below KBB Fair Purchase Price! Odometer is 8824 miles below market average!
Priced below KBB Fair Purchase Price! Odometer is 8824 miles below market average!
KBB.com Consumer Reviews
- 5.0
Best on the Market
By toby on Thursday, April 03, 2008No problems - great gas milage - no repairs - smooth as glass performance.
- 3.0
Average vehicle, some problems
By Gwen on Thursday, August 03, 2017I bought this minivan when it was 2 years old. Ive had it for 6 years. It was pretty reliable most of that time. Cons: Last year, the motor in the driver-side window stopped working. This year, the starter had to be replaced. The spare tire is located under the vehicle between the two front tires, and its difficult to get to.
- 3.0
Brakes Wear Out FAST
By JK on Monday, August 02, 2010Every year the brakes need to be replaced. One year it's the front brakes the next year it's the back. I have only had the car for 3 years. And I have just replaced the brakes for the third time. I was told by the dealership it is because the car is heavy... another time they said they could do something to the brakes to make them work better for $400 extra.
* The advertised price does not include sales tax, vehicle registration fees, other fees required by law, finance charges and any documentation charges. A negotiable administration fee, up to $115, may be added to the price of the vehicle.
* Images, prices, and options shown, including vehicle color, trim, options, pricing and other specifications are subject to availability, incentive offerings, current pricing and credit worthiness.
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In the new house I'm leaving out the builder basic mirrors in all of the bathrooms except the master ensuite where it's a huge expanse that goes to the ceiling.. this one caught my eye for the main floor powder room. It's a bit out there, but what an awesome statement it is! What do you think?!
Tonic Home
design philosophy | providing a foundation to grow and alter through the years, I keep the core basic and layer in the current, creating a room that is innately yours. I believe great interiors are not found in one shop. I know you should feel a sense of calm in your space as well as balance, and revel in that gut feeling that it's the right fit. DESIGN SERVICES start at only 10.00. See Sarah Swanson Design at the top left of this blog!
November 11, 2012
mirror, mirror
posted by Unknown at 11.11.12
6 comments:
- Laura Collins said...
I LOVE it!! Great choice! xo
- November 11, 2012 at 10:41 PM
- Elements said...
Love a statement piece for any room. That mirror is gorgeous.
- November 11, 2012 at 11:13 PM
- Sadie + Stella said...
Ummm love it. Absolutely love it!
- November 12, 2012 at 5:07 AM
- Ashley said...
Oh, that mirror sure is pretty! Go for it!
- November 12, 2012 at 7:14 AM
- Gaby [The Vault Files] said...
That mirror is a stunner! LOVE IT!
- November 12, 2012 at 7:49 AM
- jamie @ [kreyv] said...
I love it! It's a bit contemporary, but the gold makes it classic...perfect!
- November 12, 2012 at 4:50 PM
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Qantas-Emirates alliance wins conditional approval2 min read . Updated: 20 Dec 2012, 10:54 PM IST
Australia's competition watchdog says benefits to consumers will likely outweigh reduced competition on some routes
Australia's competition watchdog says benefits to consumers will likely outweigh reduced competition on some routes
Sydney: Australia's competition watchdog on Thursday gave its preliminary approval to a global alliance between struggling airline Qantas and Dubai-based Emirates, but only for five years initially.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) said the benefits, which will see the airlines coordinate ticket prices and flight schedules, would likely outweigh reduced competition on certain routes.
A final decision will be made by March.
"The ACCC considers that the alliance is likely to result in material, although not substantial, benefits to Australian consumers," ACCC chairman Rod Sims said in a statement to the Australian Stock Exchange.
"The main benefit arising from the alliance is an improved product and service offering by the two airlines to their customers.
"This includes increased customer access to each others' flights, destinations and frequent flyer programmes."
Sims added that the alliance, seen as pivotal to the future of Qantas, would lessen competition on some international routes, but competition from other airlines should mitigate the impact.
However, he said, Qantas and Emirates could reduce or limit capacity on routes between Australia and New Zealand under the partnership, which could result in higher airfares.
It was for this reason that the ACCC only gave an initial five-year approval, half the 10 years requested by the airlines. The decision would then be reviewed.
Under the alliance, Qantas will shift its hub for European flights to Dubai from Singapore in a bid to stem losses after this year posting its first annual deficit since privatisation in 1995.
It also means an end to Qantas's partnership with British Airways on the so-called kangaroo route to London, which has spanned nearly two decades.
Once final approval is granted, Qantas will fly daily A380 services from Sydney and Melbourne to London via Dubai, meaning that between the two airlines there will be 98 weekly services between Australia and the Emirates hub.
As a consequence, Qantas flights to Singapore and Hong Kong will terminate in those cities and be rescheduled to enable more same-day connections across Asia.
For Emirates customers, the alliance opens up Qantas's Australian domestic network of more than 50 destinations and nearly 5,000 flights per week.
The deal goes beyond codesharing to include coordinated pricing, sales and scheduling and a benefit-sharing model, although neither airline will take equity in the other.
"We put a strong case to the ACCC that outlined the benefits of this partnership, both for travellers and for Australian tourism, " Qantas chief Alan Joyce said.
"Our customer research has shown very strong support for the Qantas and Emirates partnership, particularly in terms of increasing one-stop access to Europe, cutting travel time and offering frequent flyer benefits."
Emirates president Tim Clark said his customers had also broadly welcomed the hook-up since it was first announced in September, which "reinforces what a strong match the two brands are for each other".
Since announcing the partnership, the carriers have begun initial preparations, including connecting IT systems and establishing an operational base for Qantas in Dubai.
Transport Minister Anthony Albanese said the tie-up was good for passengers and provided "the opportunity for Qantas to invest in additional aircraft capacity and international services, especially to meet the growth in Asia". AFP


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NEW YORK (Reuters) - JPMorgan Chase & Co. has expanded into the physical commodity markets aggressively over the past five years, first with the purchase of Bear Stearns in 2008 and most significantly with a $1.7 billion deal to buy RBS Sempra's global oil and metals business in 2010.
On Friday the bank - which had become Wall Street's biggest trader in commodities - announced that it was putting the physical trading operations up for sale, quitting the business after months of intensifying pressure.
The following are a selection of JPMorgan's physical trading assets and operations:
DATE OF PURCHASE: March 2008 (JPMorgan buys Bear Stearns, including power subsidiary Bear Energy)
DESCRIPTION: The bank's commodity division, known as JPMorgan Ventures Energy Corporation, has electricity trading deals with U.S. power plants and wind farms totaling almost 3,000 megawatts of capacity - enough to light up each one of Indiana's 2.8 million homes.
In May the bank largely exited the Californian power market, where it has been embroiled in a market manipulation scandal, selling power interests totaling over 3,000 MW of capacity to Edison International.
The bank's commodity division also has an equity interest in three entities that own power plants in the United States, including the 545 MW Kinder Jackson facility in Michigan, the 230 MW Brandywine plant in Maryland, and a 75 MW biomass plant in Florida.
JPMorgan also owns interests in power plants and wind farms through its private equity arm, JPMorgan Capital Partners, and JPMorgan Infrastructure Investments Group, its asset management division.
In late 2007, Bear Stearns' commodity arm, Houston-based Bear Energy, acquired the rights to more than 9,000 MW of electric power output after purchasing Williams Power Co.
ASSET: Henry Bath, metals warehousing business
DATE OF PURCHASE: July 2010
SELLER: RBS Sempra
PRICE: Part of $1.7 billion RBS Sempra deal.
DESCRIPTION: When RBS Sempra was bought by JPMorgan for $1.6 billion in 2010, it was the second-largest warehousing company in the LME's vast network with almost 100 warehouses. Since then it has been eclipsed by Goldman Sach's warehouse business Metro International and Glencore Xstrata's Pacorini, and is now the fourth largest based on the number of sheds.
The company was a founder member of the LME in 1877 and issued the first LME warrant on December 20 1883.
The company motto is "habere et dispertire" - to have and to share. Tracing its roots back to 18th century England, the Liverpool, UK-based company was eventually bought by Metallgesellschaft in 1986.
Until then, the company had largely been a trading house and ship operator. Hollywood actress Catherine Zeta Jones is reportedly named after the Henry Bath ship "Zeta" that was captained by her great grandfather.
It now has 72 warehousing locations in 11 countries.
STATUS: RBS Sempra was told by the Federal Reserve it must divest Henry Bath within two years of the launch of its 2008 joint venture, and JPMorgan was believed to be facing similar pressure to divest the business.
ASSET: (UBS) Commodities Canada
DATE OF PURCHASE: Feb 2009
DESCRIPTION: Bought from UBS in 2009, the Calgary-based trading division helped JPMorgan gain a foothold in the heart of the Canadian oil sands industry. It trades, transports and stores natural gas, crude and power.
"We provide extensive physical capabilities, specifically transport and warehousing, and specialize in trading and structuring across energy products, including oil, natural gas and power," the company says on its website detailing its Canadian operations.
The bank said in 2010 that it was growing its Natural Resources Group, hiring senior oil and gas traders in Calgary.
* NORTHERN TIER REFINERY: In December 2010, JPMorgan agreed to provide crude oil to Northern Tier Energy's 82,000 barrel per day (bpd) refinery in St. Paul, Minnesota. It now supplies more than 90 percent of the refinery's crude, according to Northern Tier's SEC filings, including about 10,000 bpd imported from Canada last year, EIA data show.
* PHILADELPHIA ENERGY SOLUTIONS REFINERY: Last summer JPMorgan agreed to provide financing and crude supply to the 335,000 bpd refinery in Philadelphia as part of a buy-out by the Carlyle Group. Since September it has been importing some 250,000 bpd of crude from Nigeria, Chad and Azerbaijan. The deal helped the bank treble its crude imports last year to nearly 130,000 bpd, the data show, overtaking Morgan Stanley's crude and fuel imports for the first time ever.
(Reporting By Jonathan Leff and David Sheppard; Editing by Alden Bentley and Andrew Hay)
Get the latest JPM stock price here.
Get the latest Oil WTI price here.


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Here are the top New England regional stories coming today from GateHouse News Service. Stories are available at gatehousenewsservice.com.
Here are the top New England regional stories coming today from GateHouse News Service. Stories are available at gatehousenewsservice.com. Please submit stories below no later than 6 p.m. local time, unless you have breaking news that is changing significantly. Questions?
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News service localization tip of the day: Teen drinking
FED UP WITH MESS, CITY GETS LETHAL WITH CANADA GEESE - The war against Canada geese has gotten lethal. To counter heavy bird droppings on public property and other goose-related dilemmas, Brockton and Raynham have begun killing the birds.
Enterprise, Papadopoulos, on wire now
With photos
PIKE TOLL COLLECTIONS ARE DOWN - Mass. Pike toll revenues are on the decline, according to statistics released this week comparing January 2009 and January 2008 figures.
MetroWest, McDonald, on wire now
SOME LAWMAKERS SAY HIGHER GAS TAX MAKES SENSE - While drivers around the state would hardly consider a gasoline tax hike a victory, some legislators say Gov. Deval Patrick's proposed 19-cent-a-gallon increase is good news for residents.
MetroWest, D'Amour, on wire now
With photo
VIDEO: HIGH-TECH LEG HELPS ACCIDENT VICTIM REBUILD HIS LIFE - Mark Cronin, 41, lost his lower left leg after he was hit by an alleged drunken driver in August. Now the construction worker, who is married with three children, is learning to walk with a prosthesis as he begins to rebuild his life.
Ledger, Scheible, on wire now
With photos, video, soundslide
ALLEGATIONS OF ABUSE PUT PLYMOUTH PRIEST ON LEAVE - The pastor of of St. Peter's Church in Plymouth has been placed on leave by the Archdiocese of Boston after allegations were made that he abused a minor 30 years ago. The Rev. Kenneth LeBlanc will remain on leave during the investigation.
Ledger, on wire now
GOVERNOR WANTS TO LET COMMUNITIES GRANT MORE LIQUOR LICENSES - Gov. Deval Patrick believes cities and towns would benefit financially from the licenses because of the fees they charge and the additional tax revenue a new business would generate.
Ledger, Markman, on wire now
COURT ALLOWS FIRST-DEGREE MURDER CHARGES AGAINST PARENTS IN DEATH OF REBECCA RILEY - The state appeals court has restored first-degree murder charges against Michael and Carolyn Riley, who are charged with killing their 4-year-old daughter Rebecca with prescription drug overdoses. In a ruling issued today, the Appeals Court of Massachusetts threw out a decision by Plymouth Superior Court Judge John P. O'Connor to limit the charges to second-degree murder.
Ledger, on wire now
With file photos
MEDFIELD BASEBALL FACILITY GETS INTO THE SWING - John Malzone has been instructing hitters for almost 15 years and before teaching the Bellingham resident was a hitter himself. If the Malzone name sounds familiar to longtime Red Sox fans, it should. His father, Frank Malzone, played for the Sox during the 1950s and 1960s where he was an All-Star, Gold Glove third-baseman. One of his teammates knew a thing or two about hitting: Ted Williams.
MetroWest, Tremblay, on wire now
With photos
MAKING CENTS: HOW THE STIMULUS LAW MAY AFFECT YOUR WALLET - The famous stimulus bill that was just signed into law by President Obama contains many tax breaks for individuals. As always, there are phase-outs for high-income taxpayers, but some of the breaks will even help high-income earners. I can't cover all of the provisions in this short space, but I'll cover a few of the bigger incentives.
Ledger, on wire now
CHECKOUT LANE: TIPS TO KEEP SKIN SOFT AND SMOOTH IN WINTER - Keeping skin soft and smooth in the winter can be a challenge. The key is to pick the right moisturizer.
Ledger, Onufrak, on wire now
With photos
WAYS TO GET COMFORTABLE WHEN WORKING AT HOME - More and more Americans are working from home, whether that means plopping a laptop on the dining room table or having a room dedicated as an office.
Ledger, on wire now
With art
GOOD TO LOCALIZE: BARTERING SURGES IN RECESSION AS BUSINESSES, INDIVIDUALS LOOK TO CUT COSTS - Doug MacAskill, who owns a fence installation business in Pembroke, says he has as bartered his services for a generator, a Jet Ski, two dirt bikes, a 16-foot boat, a pool table, a chainsaw, a couple of go-karts and a used BMW.
Ledger, Steele, on wire now
With photos
MASS. MARKET: AUTO INSURANCE APPEALS BOARD MAY BE SCRAPPED - The route to a competitive auto insurance market has just hit another big pothole. Many insurance agents are urging lawmakers to put the brakes on a plan to eliminate the state's independent review process for accident-related surcharges.
Ledger, Chesto, on wire now
BUSINESS LESSONS FROM THE GREAT DEPRESSION - Robert R. Vallee Sr., owner of Vallee Jewelers in Franklin, knows the key to surviving an economic depression. "You just work," said Vallee, a sentiment echoed by others whose parents or grandparents pulled their local businesses through the Great Depression.
Milford, Joyce, on wire now
With photos
ADAIR: IT'S UN-AMERICAN TO TALK ABOUT RACE - This week we got a twofer, a story about race that got Rush Limbaugh and his toadies frothing at the mouth, about to blow a gasket; and a second story that got Al Sharpton, "The Rev.," pumping his fist, getting ready for the battle of all battles.
MetroWest, on wire now
DAVID MARIL: MITT ROMNEY SHOULD BE THE CAR CZAR - Barack Obama convinced a large portion of voters he was going to bring a fresh style to Washington. He'd approach complicated issues by cutting through bureaucratic tape and surround himself with advisers who bring a broad spectrum of ideas and philosophies.
Enterprise, on wire now
Ledger, on wire now
RICK HOLMES: ELECTIONS COUNT - MAKE NO MISTAKE. THE DEMOCRATS ARE IN CHARGE - you can hear it in the desperate huffing and puffing from Republicans whose stale ideas are being left by the side of the road.
MetroWest, on wire now
MARY Z. CONNAUGHTON: PRESIDENTIAL DREAM STILL OUT OF REACH - How does a mother explain discrimination to a child? How does she tell her son that he is different from his classmates who also wave American flags, recite the Pledge of Allegiance, or dribble a ball across a soccer field? How does she explain that the dream Barack Obama grew up with excludes him?
MetroWest, guest column, on wire now
EDITORIAL: FISHERMAN'S MEMORIAL QUARTER DESERVES YOUR VOTE - We have an opportunity to share Gloucester's strength and heritage with the rest of the country by voting to put the Fisherman's Memorial on the back of Massachusetts' next state quarter.
CNC, on wire now
EDITORIAL: REFORM AND REVENUE FOR TRANSPORTATION - For more than a year, Gov. Deval Patrick has been promising a response to the state's ever-worsening transportation woes. Friday he delivered a proposal that includes most of what the situation requires.
MetroWest, on wire now
WATCH FOR PRO SPORTS at email@example.com
LEGENDARY QUINCY PRODUCER AL DOTOLI STILL THRIVING IN SHOWBIZ - From his household office in Quincy, Al Dotoli has quietly produced shows for everyone from Frank Sinatra to the Grateful Dead. And he's one of art thief Myles Connor's best friends.
Ledger, Lambert, on wire now
With photos
JULIE FAY: WHO NEEDS BAD GUYS? - My preschool sons have discovered cops and robbers, although they play it with a twist. Watching them, I think of situations when I could have used a ray gun to take care of some bad guys.
Ledger, on wire now
KITCHEN CALL: A 'CIAO ITALIA' CHAT - Mary Ann Esposito, star of the PBS cooking show "Ciao Italia," has just published her 10th book, "Ciao Italia Slow and Easy." Focusing on casseroles, braises, lasagna, and stews with an Italian accent, it is the perfect book for both reading and cooking on blustery winter days. Esposito feels that this new volume has caught the flavor of the current state of the economy.
CNC, on wire now
'DOWN AT THE DOCKS' DETAILS GRITTY LIVES OF NEW BEDFORD'S FISHERMEN - Many characters in Rory Nugent's book about the New Bedford waterfront are so idiosyncratic and colorful that they're almost not believable. But "Down at The Docks," Nugent's third book, is so rich with the real details of the gritty history of the Whaling City that you know he's telling it straight
MetroWest, Lodge, on wire ow
With art
FOR ROXBURY ARTIST JOHN WILSON, SEEING IS CREATING - Just a glimpse of John Wilson's drawings, prints and paintings at the Danforth Museum of Art should be enough to convince many visitors they'll want a deeper look.
MetroWest, Bergeron, on wire now
With art
BRIDGEWATER ARTIST'S LANDSCAPES REFLECT HIS SOUL - There are no people in John Diehl's expressionistic landscapes. But they are full of human emotion.
CNC, Hyman, on wire now
With photos
WAYNE WESTCOTT: ATTACKING CELLULITE - According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, less than 10 percent of American adults perform enough physical activity to attain any measurable improvements in physical fitness. This is particularly problematic for women.
Ledger, on wire now
MERRIMACK'S 'TRANCED' COULD USE A LITTLE LOOSENING UP - Being the smartest person in the room doesn't always work to one's advantage.
MetroWest, Brooks Andrews, on wire now
With photo
GENDER'S AN ISSUE IN BOSTON COLLEGE EXHIBIT - Like the old saying goes, don't judge a book by its cover especially if a blue-speckled snake is uncoiling from its pages.
MetroWest, Bergeron, on wire now
With photos
ART TEACHER, GALLERY OWNER RECLAIMS LIFE FROM LUPUS - On the night of her 48th birthday, Debra Highberger celebrated in style among friends and art students from all across the North Shore who had come together for a lupus-research benefit, a most personal cause for the Marblehead resident and Acorn Gallery co-owner.
CNC, Gamer, on wire now
With photos
BLOGGER DOCUMENTS HOME-RENOVATION TRAVAILS - Each day, blogger Katy Elliot, 30, brings thousands of people from all over the world to her home. From her snug third-floor office, she types post after post, and each month, nearly 70,000 people visit her Web site.
CNC, Gamer, on wire now
With photo
COMFORTS OF HOME: QUILTER IN SECOND DECADE OF HELPING SICK KIDS - For most folks, the holiday most associated with love passed Feb. 14. But for resident Trish Paciulli, this most recent Saturday was a day of love.
CNC, Olson, on wire now
With photos
LORETTA LAROCHE: SOME OF TODAY'S SINGERS NEED TO EXERCISE RESTRAINT - Music is evolutionary, which is as it should be, but will any of the artists of today stand the test of time like Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley have?
Ledger, on wire now
WONDERS OF NATURE ON DISPLAY IN CAMBRIDGE - See the wonder of the natural world in exhibits of photographs, glass and specimens at the Harvard Museum of Natural History.
Ledger, Feinberg, on wire now
With photos


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As you may be aware, DiS is throwing our second alternative Mercury Music Prize.
Yesterday, the nominees were announced on DiS but before you rate the albums, we thought you might like to listen to all of them or at the very least give the ones you've not heard a cursory listen. You've got until 8th of September to vote so take your time, form your opinion and then score them out of 10. You can change your vote at any time.
Oh and remember that 0 is unlistenable, 1 is rubbish, 2 is horrible, 3 is pretty terrible, 4 is bad but not without merit, 5 is average, 6 is vaguely liked it, 7 is ok, 8 is really liked it, 9 is brilliant and 10 is perfect. I like to think of 10 as unattainable, apart from works of universally connecting, era-defining, utter genius and 9 is usually what I award my album of the year. Basically, this award isn't about comparing the records to each other, it's about rating each on it own merit. We'll soon be introducing the ability to rate all albums on the site (building charts of the best & most rated albums of the Noughties, Emo/Punk/Dubstep records and/or albums by individual artists) and we thought these 12 would be a good place to start.
The Twelve Nominated Albums (in no particular order) are as follows:
- Manic Street Preachers Journal For Plague Lovers
- Emmy the Great First Love
- Late Of The Pier Fantasy Black Channel
- The Phantom Band Checkmate Savage
- The Maccabees Wall of Arms
- Super Furry Animals Dark Days/Light Years
- Patrick Wolf The Bachelor
- PJ Harvey & John Parish A Woman A Man Walked By
- Micachu Jewellery
- The Week That Was The Week That Was
- Grammatics Grammatics
- Rolo Tomassi Hysterics
Listen: Neptune Music Prize albums


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Island Shopping
THE OCCASION Furniture company C.S. Wo & Sons continued its Home for the Holidays tradition, now in its sixth year, by throwing a cocktail/shopping party at its South Coast Collection showroom in Costa Mesa. THE PLAYERS More than 350 guests attended the party and enjoyed Champagne, wine, martinis and tasting stations by Quattro Cafe. THE SCENE Guests got a head start on holiday shopping during the party, which ended with the Hawaii-based company providing island-inspired desserts like macadamia nuts covered in dark chocolate and shortbread cookies dipped in green tea. Photos by Ann Chatillon


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Attorney General Pam Bondi issued the below statement in response to the Drug Abuse Warning Network's "Drug-Related Emergency Department Visits Involving Synthetic Cannabinoids" report. Cathinones, commonly known as "bath salts," and cannabinoids, commonly known as "K2" or "Spice," are synthetic drugs that reportedly cause seizures, hallucinations, paranoid behavior, nonresponsiveness, and more.
"According to the Drug Abuse Warning Network report, synthetic cannabinoids were linked to more than 11,000 emergency department visits in 2010. It is extremely alarming that seventy-five percent of those visits were by patients ages 12-29.
"We must do everything within our power to keep these dangerous drugs out of the hands of Florida's children. I remain dedicated to partnering with the law enforcement community, health officials, and the Florida Legislature to outlaw these drugs and remove them from Florida's store shelves."
Follow this link to view the report:
Attorney General Bondi has been committed to protecting Floridians from synthetic drugs since first taking office. In 2011, Attorney General Bondi signed an executive order that temporarily outlawed MDPV, commonly known as "bath salts." Attorney General Bondi has worked closely the Florida Legislature for the past two legislative sessions to add cathinones and cannabinoids to the schedule of controlled substances.


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State of the World 2013: Is Sustainability Still Possible? Launch & Symposium
Watch LIVE WEBSTREAM of the Symposium today!
On Tuesday, April 16, the Worldwatch Institute will release the latest edition of its annual flagship publication, State of the World 2013: Is Sustainability Still Possible?, in Washington, D.C.
The event will feature some of the book's key contributors, who will share their expertise and ideas on the three main themes of the book, discussing how the term "sustainability" should be measured, how we can attain it, and how we can prepare if we fall short. A reception with food and refreshments will follow the event.
For those of you who are unable to make it in person for the launch, we invite you sign up now and come back to participate via free live webstream on the Worldwatch website on the day of the symposium.
Speakers will include (Download the full program here):
- Worldwatch President Robert Engelman
- Project Co-director Erik Assadourian
- Project Co-director Tom Prugh
as well as contributing authors...
- Jennie Moore of the British Columbia Institute of Technology
- Pat Murphy of the Arthur Morgan Institute for Community Solutions
- Science fiction author Kim Stanley Robinson
*** Registration for the Symposium is now closed, please join us via live webstream on April 16th***


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Chickpea Cake Recipes
Gluten-Free Chocolate Cupcakes with Cherry Cream Cheese Frosting
The idea of a gluten-free chocolate cupcake came up during a dinner with friends. Laura's husband has a gluten allergy and was telling me the challenges she faces. I found out that she often uses chickpea flour as a replacement for all-purpose flour.
Chickpea flour is common in savory dishes in Indian cuisine and is the main ingredient in paratha, a flat Indian bread. I was concerned that its heavy, grainy flavor would be too prominent and overwhelming for a dessert. I added a wide variety of flavorings like fresh ginger, cinnamon, rum, Medjool dates and of course chocolate to cover this up. The result was a dense chocolaty cake that has the internal consistency of fudge. The addition of cherry cream frosting is a nice complement to the fudgy cupcake and adds a bit of moisture to cover up any remaining grainy texture of the chickpea flour in the cupcake.
Full Recipe...


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WEEN Teams With Wyclef on Haiti
A water and aid initiative
Valeisha Butterfield, Co-founder and Chair of WEEN stated, "It is in times like these that our humanitarian strength is tested. This catastrophe is a wake up call and it is our responsibility to tap into our resources to support our sisters and brothers in Haiti. In the spirit of our mission, WEEN members will join forces to help restore the lives of all affected by this unfortunate disaster. This is one of many steps we are taking to do our part."
HoneyMag.com (www.honeymag.com), the 2FiftySevenGroup, Lauren Lake Enterprises (www.laurenlake.com) , Grae Enterprises (www.graeenterprise.com) and Beanpye (www.beanpye.com) are partnering companies that support WEEN's global initiative to unify the world one step at a time. In addition, Katra Lounge has graciously agreed to offer 10% of all bar profits to WEEN for Haiti.
Recognizing the state of the U.S. economy, WEEN encourages contributions large or small. Everyone is encouraged to attend this crucial initiative and contribute at least two gallons of water and the financial contribution you are able.
For more on WEEN and/or to become a member visit www.weenonline.org
Yele Haiti (www.yele.org)
Doctors Without Borders (www.doctorswithoutborders.com)
Katra (www.katranyc.com)
Post your comments directly online or submit them to email@example.com to avoid truncation.
To advertise in New York's leading weekly investigative newspaper, please call (212) 481-7745 or send a note to email@example.com
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- Ann GarrisonFebruary 22,2018 @ 08:03 PM
I think you have "Filtered HTML" turned on here. If you switch to "Full HTML," it will probably...
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It is fair to say that there are times when you get invited onto a blog tour and the invite requires a happy dance, this was one of those times. When I read Caraval last year something special happened. I felt something like I had felt when I first read The Wizard of Oz as a little girl. I felt like there was something really special in the world and I was not only holding it in my hand but I needed to tell the whole world about it. This isn't a book for a certain reader of a certain genre, this book is for everyone, it has something for every reader of every genre.
I've been given the first chapter to share with you today, something to whet the appetites of those of you who are still waiting for Tuesday's release. I have also reposted my review here so you can see exactly what I thought, as I did originally post it a few months ago.
A mesmerising, magical and stunningly imaginative debut novel for anyone who loved The Night Circus.
Welcome to Caraval, where nothing is quite what it seems.
Scarlett has never left the tiny isle of Trisda, pining from afar for the wonder of Caraval, a once-a-year week-long performance where the audience participates in the show.
Caraval is Magic. Mystery. Adventure. And for Scarlett and her beloved sister Tella it represents freedom and an escape from their ruthless, abusive father.
When the sisters' long-awaited invitations to Caraval finally arrive, it seems their dreams have come true. But no sooner have they arrived than Tella vanishes, kidnapped by the show's mastermind organiser, Legend.
Scarlett has been told that everything that happens during Caraval is only an elaborate performance. But nonetheless she quickly becomes enmeshed in a dangerous game of love, magic and heartbreak. And real or not, she must find Tella before the game is over, and her sister disappears forever.
Chapter Reveal
(Click on cover)
This book is perfection, I don't say that lightly, it is every fantasy readers dream, a world which interweaves on itself to the point where you have no idea what is real and what isn't anymore.
Scarlett is due to be married, an arranged marriage organised by her abusive Father to a man she has never met. When an invitation to Caraval arrives, something she has been trying to get for a long time, her sister Tella arranges for them to get there under any circumstances.
As soon as they arrive though, Tella disappears and "the game" appears to be centred around finding her. Stephanie Garber has created a web of intrigue, magic, and confusion. From chapter to chapter you wonder what is happening and how it is happening.
Yet despite the confusion running through your mind the story flows in a very easy way. The characters are easy to like, even the suspicious characters are likeable, until they aren't! This is a bright and colourful world, which is visual and triggers your imagination.
Scarlett goes on an emotional and physical journey while she's in "the game" trying to decipher what is real and what is the game. She spends time trying to learn what the secret of Caraval is and how to unravel it to find Tella. She needs to learn who to trust in a place where you can trust nobody.
The writing, world and people all come together to make the most wonderful book. This was a magical read, it touched me in a way that no book has in a long time. It is beautiful in so many ways, the relationships between Sisters and the way they will do anything to fight for each other is something I can relate to.
This is a book for any age, it's a timeless piece and it has a wonderful cliffhanger that already has me chomping at the bit for book two.
A huge thanks to Stephanie Garber and Hodder & Stoughton for the eARC of this book in return for my honest review.
About Stephanie Garber
Stephanie Garber wanted to be an explorer until she realised most of the world had already been discovered. So she started creating her own worlds, which is why she now writes imaginative fiction. When she's not writing, Stephanie teaches creative writing at a private college in northern California. CARAVAL is her debut novel.
Book & Buy Links
Title: Caraval
Series: Caraval #1
Author: Stephanie Garber
Genre: Fantasy | Magic
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton
Publication Date: 31 January 2017
Review Format: eBook
Other Formats: Hardcover | Paperback | Audio
Pages: 416
Buy: Amazon UK | Amazon US | Kobo | iBooks


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Replacement Parts
ARRIS X-Speed 250B RTF is specially designed for fpv drone beginners. It is fully assemble, tuned and tested by the technician before leaving the factory. It comes with Flycolor Tower w/ 30A 4in1 ESC + F4 + OSD + PDB, ARRIS S2205 2300KV brushless motor,5042 high efficiency 3 blade propeller, Foxeer HS1177 V2 FPV camera,5.8g 200mw FPV TX and antenna, Flysky FSI6 Radio with receiver and 4S 1500mah lipo battery. Plug the battery, it will work.
Main Features:
1. Simple structure frame installed with tower structure ESC/PDB, easy to assemble and easy to repair.
Dimension: 7.88 x 9.35 x 2.63 (inches)
One of the main change on the ARRIS X-Speed 250B V4.0 is the Raptor-S tower we use. Why we choose it?
1. The two layers tower structure ESC is highly integrated design products,decreasing the interference caused by signal transmission. The factory optimized the PCB layout and the pins, connecting all the electronic components on the board,avoid soldering and wiring.On this tower,the pins connect the flight controller board and the ESC board,maximally decrease the interference caused by signal transmission,
2. The Tower structure design could protect the ESC well during the flight.ESC is one of the most easily broken parts on the drones except the propellers. According to our experience,some of the ESC were damaged by the propeller rotation or tree brunch cut after the damage when it installed on top of the motor arm.Some of the ESC were damaged due to the broken of the motor arm during the crash.For this tower, the esc integrated in the tower which installed in the middle of the quad frame, the ESC's can be protected quite well.
3. Raptor S tower makes the assembling of the fpv racing drones more and more convenient,the wires tidy and concise.Using this tower, you just need to solder the 4 motor wires to the holes, so easy. The lower board integrated the 4in1 ESC,the power port is in the center,bulge a bit over. This could not only make the connecting wires more convenient, but also avoid to interrupt the esc output port on the two sides. The upper board F4 flight controller board integrated with the OSD. There is also 5V,12V and BATV for powering the camera,video tx,LED and other equipments.
4. Small size and light weight tower fit for all sizes of the quad,and make the center of gravity of the drone lower. The weight of the raptor 390 tower is only 22g, with two layers tower structure, the height is only 15.1mm.
And there are two plates on the tower,one is 4in1 ESC, and the other is the FC flight controller. If some of the components on the tower damaged, you just need to change one plate of the tower. Also it integrated with the OSD on it, you do not need to install extra OSD on the F4 separately.
ARRIS X-Speed 250B comes with the latest version motor--ARRIS S2205 2300KV brushless Motor.
Main Features:
1. Knul Design: This design ensure the stability of prop installation.
The propeller we adapts on the X-Speed 250B V3.0 version is the ARRIS 5042 high efficiency 3 blade propellers. It is very powerful and well balanced. It has 10% higher efficiency than normal propellers. Perfectly suitable for FPV racing.
The diagonal wheelbase of the ARRIS X250B frame is about 268mm, and the inner space between upper plate and lower plate is quite big. Customer can upgrade or do some modifications as you like. For example, you can install 6 inches propellers on it.
As all we know, the arm is easily broken part during the crash. ARRIS X-Speed 250B adopts 4mm thickness arms, the arm is made of carbon and glass fiber composited plate,and there is almost no hollow design cut on the motor arm, so the weight is a little heavier than the 3mm one, but it improves the strength of the drone.
Now we upgrade the camera to Foxeer HS1177 V2, one of the most popular fpv camera on fpv racign drones.The fpv camera angle i adjustable,the angle adjustable range is 0 to 45 degree. (pitch up)This could meet the requirements in different situation.
High Brightness LED. ARRIS X-Speed 250B comes with a high brightness LED .And you can change the color of the LED light through the DIP switches. 7 color for you to choose.
ARRIS 5.8g 200mW 40-CH video TX pre-assembled.The ARRIS TS5823S transmitter packs 200mW of ultra clean 5.8GHz power in a micro sized video/audio transmitter! A must for those looking save size and weight while still getting good performance. The ARRIS TS5823S is transmitting a full range of 40 channels and only weighs 10g. It's perfect for a wide range of aircraft!With a goggle or monitor in hand, you can begin your FPV journey.
FlySky FS-i6-M2 2.4GHz 6-Channel Transmitter with FS-iA6B receiver.
Channels: 6 Channels
ARRIS X-Speed 250B V3.0 has integrated with a remote controller battery warning buzzer, pilot can set the threshold (adjustable) according to CF parameter-adjustment software. When you turn on the SWD switch to 2 position, the buzzer will "beep beep", it is easy for you to find the quad.
Self-level mode is the easiest to fly, because when you leave the stick at the centre and not controlling it, your drone just level itself and stays there. This is good for beginners.
High safety ARRIS 4S 1500mah Lipo Battery
ARRIS 4S 1500mAh 50C lipo battery is specially designed for FPV racer. The price of this battery is much higher than the similar batteries in the market, because we only sell top-quality batteries. As we all know, the low quality battery might have potential safety hazard, we will never tolerate such products.For ARRIS 4S 1500mah lipo battery, we have done UN38.3 test,1.2M Drop test,MDS report for it, for the test report, you can check here.
Package Includes:
1 xARRIS X-Speed 250B V3 Racing Quad Frame
Battery Charger is sold separately.
Similar Products


text: Revised September 1, 2011 Coaching Recertification Why are you making coaches recertify now when we never had to do this before? Over the years, we have gathered a large number of coaches - but it's difficult to determine who the active coaches are. This process will raise the value of being a certified coach because customers will know that a coach is active and up-to-date on his/her knowledge and techniques. How do I take the test? Contact the USBC Coaching Certification & Development team by sending an email to firstname.lastname@example.com Can I take the test through the mail? No, the exams are only available online. This helps keep our costs reasonable. How much does it cost to take the test? For those who didn't take the exam prior to the August 31, 2011deadline, the fee is $25.00. Can I take the test for the level above where I am already certified? No. You must go through the normal process to reach each level. What aspects of video will be required for the test? Silver & Gold coaches will be required to view video and then be asked analysis questions based on what was shown. How will the test be scored? The essay portions of the Silver & Gold exams will be graded by a representative of the USBC Coaching Certification & Development team. All written exams will be automatically gradedand scored based on the number of correct answers given. What will be considered a passing grade for the exams? 80% will be considered a passing grade. What happens if I don't pass the test? Coaches will be permitted to take one retest. If the coachdoes not pass on either of the first two attempts, he/she will become"inactive" at their current level. Re-attending a class and passing therequired exams will re-activate them at their current level. What if I don't take the test? Coaches who opt out of taking the test, will be considered"inactive" and will not be listed under "Find a Coach" on bowl.com or permittedto be a member of the Coaches Association. Why don't Level I coaches have to take the test? Level I coaches are typically volunteers, so we are not requiring recertification for them at this time. Why is it necessary for me to do more in order to keep my certification? Similar to many other professional activities and careers that require continuing education, coaching will now also require it to help active coaches keep up with current technologies in the sport of bowling, especially those pertaining to equipment and the physical game. Where and when can I earn these credits? USBC Coaching Certification & Development has developed multiple options within various categories for Bronze, Silver &Gold coaches to earn credits, also called Continuing Education Units (CEU's).


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(Reuters) - A Southern California city has seen a spike in reported whooping cough cases so far this year, with the number of infections nearly tripling compared to all of last year, possibly due to a less potent vaccine or lower vaccination rates, officials said on Wednesday.
Some 43 cases of whooping cough, or pertussis, have been documented since January in Long Beach, a city of about 470,000, up from 15 cases reported in all of 2013 and four cases reported in 2012, Long Beach Health Officer Michael Kushner said.
"We've never had so many cases in such a short amount of time," Kushner said.
Whooping cough is a highly contagious bacterial infection that often begins with cold-like symptoms and a mild cough, followed by severe coughing that can last for several weeks.
The infection, which can be treated with antibiotics, is spread through the coughing or sneezing of an infected person. It is especially dangerous for young babies, who can develop pneumonia and other sometimes fatal complications.
Kushner said the rise in whooping cough cases in Long Beach was likely due to a drop in vaccinations or booster shots, a weakened vaccine or infections that are left untreated.
Across the nation, the number of reported whooping cough cases has ballooned since the 1990s, when there were fewer than 10,000 reported infections each year, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Overall, U.S. infections hit a 50-year high in 2012 with 48,277 reported cases, but the number dropped by half last year and appears to be decreasing slightly in 2014, said Centers for Disease Control and Prevention spokesman Jason McDonald.
McDonald said the long-term increase could be linked to the vaccine, which was modified in the 1990s to decrease adverse side effects, such as seizures.
"What we may have done is given up to a little bit of potency in doing that," McDonald said. Vaccination rates have consistently remained high and are likely not the cause of any spikes in reported cases, he added.
The Centers for Disease Control are currently researching possible potency problems with the current vaccine, McDonald said.
Editing by Cynthia Johnston and Diane Craft