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A detailed method for extraction and assembly of intact soil core lysimeters and their use for study of leachate and associated loss of nutrients from surface applied poultry litter is demonstrated.
Leaching of nutrients from land applied fertilizers and manure used in agriculture can lead to accelerated eutrophication of surface water. Because the landscape has complex and varied soil morphology, an accompanying disparity in flow paths for leachate through the soil macropore and matrix structure is present. The rate of flow through these paths is further affected by antecedent soil moisture. Lysimeters are used to quantify flow rate, volume of water and concentration of nutrients leaching downward through soils. While many lysimeter designs exist, accurately determining the volume of water and mass balance of nutrients is best accomplished with bounded lysimeters that leave the natural soil structure intact.
Here we present a detailed method for the extraction and construction of soil core lysimeters equipped with soil moisture sensors at 5 cm and 25 cm depths. Lysimeters from four different Coastal Plain soils (Bojac, Evesboro, Quindocqua and Sassafras) were collected on the Delmarva Peninsula and moved to an indoor climate controlled facility. Soils were irrigated once weekly with the equivalent of 2 cm of rainfall to draw down soil nitrate-N concentrations. At the end of the draw down period, poultry litter was applied (162 kg TN ha-1) and leaching was resumed for an additional five weeks. Total recovery of applied irrigation water varied from 71% to 85%. Nitrate-N concentration varied over the course of the study from an average of 27.1 mg L-1 before litter application to 40.3 mg L-1 following litter application. While greatest flux of nutrients was measured in soils dominated by coarse sand (Sassafras) the greatest immediate flux occurred from the finest textured soil with pronounced macropore development (Quindocqua).
The Delmarva Peninsula borders the eastern shore of the Chesapeake Bay, and is the home to one of largest poultry production regions in the US. Roughly 600 million chickens and an estimated 750,000 tons of manure are generated from the production of these birds each year1. Most of the manure is used locally as a fertilizer amendment on agricultural fields. Because of historically high rates of manure application, nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus have accumulated in the soil and are now susceptible to off-site losses via subsurface leaching2. Much of the groundwater flow is directed toward an extensive network of ditches that ultimately drain to the Chesapeake Bay3. The nutrients carried to the Bay are linked to the decline in the Bay's health due to eutrophication4.
Connecting nutrient management with off-site losses of nutrients requires specialized tools to monitor hydrologic flows and associated nutrient transfers. Lysimeters represent a major category of instruments used to characterize and quantify the movement of nutrients through soils. Lysimeters have a long history of use in monitoring nutrient flow in percolating water5-7, from tension lysimeters that can be adjusted to counter soil matrix potential so that they better estimate plant available water, to zero-tension lysimeters that are more representative of processes occurring during free drainage. All approaches to lysimetery present inherent biases. For instance, some lysimeters are too small to fully represent spatially complex processes in natural soils, or are too large and expensive to provide good statistical replication of heterogeneous soils8. Further, pan lysimeters require soils above them to be saturated to collect leachate and are inefficient compared to tension lysimeters at measuring matrix flow9.
Closed lysimeter systems, such as zero-tension soil core lysimeters (also known as soil monolith lysimeters), greatly improve the confidence with which water budgets and associated pollutant budgets (e.g., nutrient budgets) are carried out10. These lysimeters are most representative when they contain intact cores of soil; lysimeters filled with repacked soils do not maintain the original structure, horizons and macropore connections that influence the transport of solutes and particulate compounds alike11,12. From an experimental stand point, approaches that facilitate greater replication of undisturbed soil conditions are advantageous, given the inherent spatial variability that exists in soil physical and chemical properties13.
Two preferred methods have been used for collecting intact soil core lysimeters: drop hammer and cutting head. The former has been more commonly performed, as it can be achieved with devices as simple as a sledge hammer (smaller lysimeters). When performed properly, soil core collection with a drop hammer has been shown to be relatively cost effective, especially when compared with other coring techniques. However, the sheer forces imposed by driving a lysimeter casing into the ground can cause smearing and compaction, producing conditions inside the lysimeter that are not representative of native soil and may even favor certain types of water movement (e.g., bypass flow, or flow along the soil core edge). As a result, some researchers have preferred the use of corers that cut away an intact soil with a drilling apparatus or other excavation device5.
Various materials have been used as casings for soil core lysimeters. Steel pipes and boxes are comparatively low cost, durable and readily available and can be used to collect larger lysimeters due to their strength14-17. However, while steel is satisfactory for evaluating the leaching of relatively unreactive compounds such as nitrate, the iron in steel reacts with phosphate and must therefore be coated or otherwise treated for the study of phosphorus leaching. Commonly, plastic casings are used to study phosphorus leaching, such as thick walled (Schedule 80) PVC pipe that can withstand the impact of a drop hammer (if used) and retain its structure when larger diameter soil cores are obtained (e.g., ≥30 cm)18-22.
In general, soil core lysimeters are analyzed ex situ. Once collected, soil core lysimeters may be installed in outdoor "lysimeter farms" where surrounding soil and above ground climates represent natural field conditions. For instance, in Sweden, the Swedish Agricultural University has maintained three separate lysimeter farms over the past three decades, analyzing pesticide fate-and-transport, long-term soil fertility trials, and management practices that can be scaled to 30 cm diameter intact cores23. Soil core lysimeters have also been subjected to indoor leaching experiments where there is greater control of climatic conditions24,25. Liu et al. used a rainfall simulator to regularly irrigate soil core lysimeters under an array of catch crops26. Kibet and Kun all employed hand irrigation techniques to study arsenic and nutrient leaching through soil cores27,28.
A variety of edaphic and hydrologic processes can be inferred from soil core lysimeters. Kun et al. (2015) used 30 cm diameter PVC column lysimeters to investigate nitrogen leaching after urea application28. By collecting leachate at different time intervals following an irrigation event, they were able to differentiate between rapid and gradual flows, with the former assumed to be dominated by macropore flow, and the later assumed to be dominated by matrix flow. Since urea is readily hydrolyzed when in contact with soil, they interpreted the presence of elevated urea concentrations in leachate collected shortly after urea application as evidence of macropore transport that bypassed the soil matrix. Over time, they detected elevated concentrations of different forms of nitrogen in leachate, tracking the transformation of applied urea to ammonium after initial hydrolysis, then the transformation of ammonium to nitrate with nitrification.
To illustrate considerations in designing, conducting and interpreting soil core lysimeter experiments, we carried out an investigation of four different soils found in the mid-Atlantic coastal plain of USA. The study measured leaching concentration and loss of nitrate before and after application of dry poultry manure (i.e., poultry "litter")28. Nutrient losses from the application of poultry litter to soils are a key concern to the health of the Chesapeake Bay, and understanding the interaction of applied poultry litter and agricultural soil properties is needed to improve nutrient management recommendations. We present here a detailed method for extracting intact soil core lysimeters, tracking soil moisture, and interpreting differential nitrate leaching losses from these soils.
This experiment is part of a larger study conducted to assess nutrient leaching from agricultural soils of the Delmarva Peninsula, USA27,28. Soil core lysimeters were collected from sites in Delaware, Maryland and Virginia in 2010. Here we present unpublished results from these studies. Although initial experiments were conducted to assess phosphorus leaching, nitrate leaching from theses soils was also monitored.
Four common agricultural soils from the Atlantic coastal plain of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed were sampled: Bojac (coarse-loamy, mixed, semiactive, thermic Typic Hapludult); Evesboro (mesic, coated Lamellic Quartzipsamment); Quindocqua (fine-loamy, mixed, active, mesic Typic Endoaquult); Sassafras (fine-loamy, siliceous, semiactive, mesic Typic Hapludult). For each soil, horizon morphology was described from the profiles exposed by the excavation of the columns (Table 1). Surface textures of the soils ranged from sand (Evesboro) to loamy fine sand/sandy loam (Bojac and Sassafras) to silt loam (Quindocqua). Although all soils had been historically fertilized with poultry litter, none had been applied in the 10 months prior to the study. All soils had been in no-till corn production for at least one season prior to soil core lysimeter collection.
Following collection, soil core lysimeters were transported to the USDA-ARS simulatorium facility in State College, PA. There they were subject to indoor irrigation experiments (22-26 °C) to assess nutrient leaching related to poultry litter application. Specifically, lysimeters were irrigated with 2 cm of water weekly for 8 weeks until nitrate in percolate was equilibrated between the soils. Poultry litter (dry poultry manure) was then applied to the surface of all soils at the rate of 162 kg ha-1 of total N. Irrigation was continued for 5 more weeks. Moisture sensors recorded volumetric moisture content at 5 minute intervals continuously, throughout the irrigation and leaching cycle. Leachate was collected after 24 hr and again 7 days later immediately prior to irrigation.
Leachate data from the soil core lysimeters were analyzed using simple descriptive statistics to illustrate differences in leachate quantity and quality between soils, as well as differences before and after litter application. Because soil moisture sensors were placed in only two of the replicate soil core lysimeters for each soil (Evesboro, Bojac, Sassafras, Quindocqua), statistics for soil moisture content were based on N = 2, whereas statistics for leachate depth, nitrate-N concentration and nitrate-N flux were derived from 10 soil core lysimeters for Evesboro, Bojac and Sassafras and 5 soil core lysimeters for Quindocqua. To assess the importance of replication within soils, coefficients of variation (CV) for leachate depth were calculated for different replicate numbers. A Monte Carlo simulation approach was used to repeatedly sample a subset of soil core lysimeters (N = 3) from the total number of replicates within each soil group (10 for Evesboro, Bojac, Sassafras; 5 for the Quindocqua).
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1. Preparing the Materials
- Cut the main body of the lysimeter from 30.5 cm (12 inch) diameter (ID; nominal) schedule 80 PVC; this has a wall thickness of 1.9 cm (0.75 inch) (Figure 1a). Cut the length of the lysimeter body depending on the thickness of the soil layer(s) to be studied; here, use a 53 cm (21 inch) long body. Rout a 0.63 cm deep by 45° bevel around the bottom end of the lysimeter to form a sharp leading edge on the inside wall of the lysimeter body to aid in cutting through the soil.
- Modify a 34.5 cm ID, flat bottom PVC cap by gluing a 15.3 cm tall 30.5 cm ID ring of schedule 80 PVC into the cap to allow for free drainage of water and provide storage capacity for leachate prior to collection (Figure 1b). Cut the ring from the same stock as the main body to serve as a coupling to join the cap to the body. The cap will be joined to the body with a flexible coupling and hose clamps (Figure 1c and 1d). Install a port for sample collection by drilling a 1.27 cm hole and tapping it with a 1.27 cm 14 NPT pipe tap and turn a 1.27 cm nylon barbed male adapter (Figure 1e) into the outer edge of the cap where the sidewall and bottom meet.
- Cut a 34 cm diameter disk from 1.27 cm thick flat stock PVC that will be used to cover the bottom of the lysimeters (Figure 1g). Drill 180, evenly spaced, 0.32 cm. diameter holes into the disk to allow drainage from the bottom of the soil-filled lysimeter to enter the cap. Glue ground cloth or other filter fabric to one side of the disk to prevent soil from passing through the bottom disk during leachate drainage.
- Build lifting scissors from 2.5 cm flat iron and 2.5 cm water pipe (Figure 2). Cut two of the 2.5 cm bands of flat iron to 50.0 cm lengths and bend into a semi-circle using the outside of the lysimeter body as a guide. Weld a 5 cm band to each end of each semi-circle band. Join each of the bands with a hinge pin. Weld the water pipe on the outer ring of the bands opposite of each other.
2. Driving Lysimeter Casing into Soil with the Drop Hammer
- Remove surface vegetation, rocks and other debris from collection area. Position 2 lysimeter bodies on level ground where lysimeters are to be taken (Figure 3a). Ensure that lysimeters are level so that soil within the column is of a uniform depth.
- Drive a specially designed, trailer-mounted, drop hammer into place over the lysimeter bodies. When the drop hammer is in place, deploy hydraulically powered outriggers to level the steel plate with the ground and top of the lysimeter bodies. The outriggers also provide stability for the drop hammer (Figure 3b).
- Partially hoist the 10.2 cm thick, 1.52 m by 1.52 m square steel plate weighing 1,180 kg up a 3 m tower with the aid of a mechanical winch (Figure 3b). Release the steel plate to hammer the columns into the soil.
- Repeat step 2.3 several times until the column rim is 2 cm above the soil surface (Figure 3c).
- Check for soil compaction inside the lysimeter by measuring the depth of soil inside and outside of the column. If the soil inside the column is more than 1 cm lower than soil outside the column, soils are compacted and are not suitable for research.
3. Removing the Soil Core
- Place a perforated PVC disk (Figure 1c) and flexible pipe coupling (Figure 1d) over the column to prevent contamination by soil and other debris during the excavation process.
- Dig a trench beside the soil core and slightly deeper than the column bottom with a backhoe (Figure 4a).
- Widen the hole with a shovel or pick (Figure 4b) and expose as much of the outside of cylinder as possible.
- Push a heavy metal digging bar down along the entire length of the side of the column so that it is between the soil and outside column wall (Figure 4c).
- Pry the digging bar back and forth until the soil interface at the bottom of the column is broken.
- Frame the lifting scissors around the top of the lysimeter (shown in Figure 2) in preparation for soil core removal. With a person holding each bar, pull up until the scissors close tightly around the column and lift the lysimeter out of the hole. Place the lysimeter on a flat working surface such as piece of plywood.
4. Preparing the Soil Core for Lysimeter Assembly
- Flip the soil core over so that the bottom side is up. The wooden plywood disk installed in step 3.1 will hold the soil in place.
- Gently, level the soil even with the rim of the PVC (Figure 5a) with a straight edge. Remove stones protruding above the plane of the rim with a pen knife or screwdriver.
- Fill any voids with chemically inert play sand and gently pack it (Figure 5b).
- Grade the sand even with the column bottom with a straight edge and remove any excess sand (Figure 5c and d).
- Clean any soil from the rim and the outer side walls of the lysimeters with a brush or lightly blow it off the edge and ensure that the rim is clean for adhesives to stick and for a snug fitting of the cap.
5. Assembling the Lysimeter
- Extrude a continuous round bead of clear silicon caulk around the rim of the lysimeter (Figure 6a). The caulk should be thick enough to seal the perforated disk bottom to the lysimeters and prevent leaking.
- Lay the perforated disk (Figure 1c) onto the rim with the filter fabric facing the sand and press down firmly to allow good contact of the plate and lysimeter.
- Drill eight evenly spaced pilot holes around the edge of the plate and fasten the perforated disk with 1.0 inch stainless steel screws with a drill driver (Figure 6b).
- Slip the flexible pipe coupling on to the lysimeter base so that about 2 cm of the coupling is projecting above the lysimeter rim (Figure 5c).
- Fit the modified PVC cap into the flexible pipe coupling (Figure 6c), and push the cap down until it makes contact with the lysimeter body. With a block of wood on top of the cap use a mallet to gently tap the cap in place.
- Place the fastening bands in the grooves of the coupling and secure lightly without constricting the coupling. Tighten the metal around the coupling with a hand held 1/4 inch hex driver until the lysimeter cap is firmly held in place. The lysimeter is ready to be flipped and transported to a climate controlled facility.
6. Installing Moisture Sensors
- Scribe a 5 cm long, horizontal line on the lysimeter wall at 5 and 25 cm depths. Measure from the soil surface and not the rim of the lysimeter.
- Drill a 1.0 cm diameter hole through the wall of the lysimeter at each end of the marked lines.
- Cut the remaining 3 cm of plastic between the drilled holes away with a rotary cutting tool.
- Chisel a 1 cm thick by 5 cm long slit into the soil to accommodate the casing of a moisture sensor (e.g., Decagon).
- Push the moisture sensor into the hole into the cleaned out slot until the sensor prongs are firmly buried in the soil and that only the wire is sticking out of the lysimeter.
- Clean soil from the walls of the slot with a brush or rag.
- Apply a thick bead of silicone caulk into the slot to prevent water from leaking out. After the caulk has dried, apply a second cycle of silicone to ensure that all gaps in the hole surrounding the sensor are sealed.
7. Preparing Lysimeters for Leachate Collection
- Seal gaps between the soil and lysimeter wall with caulk to reduce the risk of preferential flow down the inside walls of the lysimeter.
- Pierce and load a tube of clear silicone caulk into a standard caulk gun.
- Place tip of caulk tube between void in the soil to be filled and the inside face of the lysimeter body. Push the tip of the caulk gun below the soil about 2 cm. Squeeze the caulk out of the tube until it fills the void and oozes above the soil surface.
- Set lysimeters on top of a bench or flat surface and sturdy enough to handle the weight of several lysimeters and high enough to allow free drainage of water into a 4.0 L jug (Figure 7).
- Check that soil core lysimeters are leveled in all directions with a small (15 cm) spirit level. If necessary place shims underneath lysimeters until the soil surface is completely leveled.
- Wrap Teflon tape around the threaded nylon tube fitting (0.5 in NPT) and turn the fitting clockwise into the cap. Tighten the fitting with an adjustable wrench until none of the threads are visible.
- Push a 0.5 inch hose onto the barbed end of the nylon fitting and cut the hose so that it passes approximately 4.0 cm into the mouth of the collection jug.
- Set the container under the lysimeter and place the hose inside the collection jug.
8. Irrigating Lysimeters and Collecting Leachate
- Cover the soil surface with cheese cloth or other permeable, chemically inert fabric to protect and preserve soil aggregates and surface residue.
- Measure 1,450 ml of deionized water into a graduated cylinder and pour it into watering can, equipped with shower head. Gently and evenly sprinkle the water over the fabric at a rate that does not disturb the soil surface.
- Wait a period of time for water to infiltrate an percolate through the soil column into the cap and collection container.
- Tip lysimeter in the toward the outlet hole until all water is drained from the lysimeter reservoir cap into the collection vessel.
- Measure the mass of leachate collected with a scale and convert mass in grams to ml (assume that 1.0 g of water is equivalent to 1.0 ml). Pour the leachate sample into 350 ml sterile plastic sample bottle. Immediately filter 50 ml with a suction funnel equipped with 0.45 µm filter paper in preparation for nitrate analysis using colorimetry via flow injection analysis31.
- Store filtered and unfiltered portions of the samples in a refrigerator and 4 °C until analysis.
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Representative Results
Soil moisture, leachate depth and leachate chemistry all illustrate variability across soils, revealing differences as a function of soil properties despite internal variability between replicate soil core lysimeters of a particular soil. The later point warrants particular note from the standpoint of experimental design, as inherent variability in soil moisture and leaching processes requires considerable replication to minimize type 2 statistical error. In the current study, coefficients of variation (CV) across all soils ranged from 0.02 to 0.38 for soil moisture, 0.02 to 0.06 for leachate depth, 0.22 to 0.55 for nitrate-N concentrations, and 0.23 to 0.54 for nitrate-N flux.
The effect of lysimeter replication on variance is illustrated by sampling leachate data from the replicates of individual soils (Bojac, Evesboro, Sassafras, Quindocqua), revealing a stronger influence of replication on some variables than others. In general, the CV clearly decreases as lysimeter replicates increase from three to ten (or, in the case of Quindocqua, three to five replicates). For leachate depth, CV decreased from 0.14 to 0.06 for the Bojac soil, from 0.12 to 0.06 for the Evesboro soil and from 0.08 to 0.03 for the Sassafras soil. In the case of the Quindocqua, for which only five replicates existed, the CV of N = 3 was 0.04 while the CV for N = 5 was 0.02. For nitrate-N concentration, the CV decreased from 0.88 to 0.34 for Bojac, from 0.39 to 0.17 for Evesboro, and from 0.26 to 0.12 for Sassafras. For Quindocqua, the CV of nitrate-N concentration declined from 0.35 with three replicates to 0.17 with five replicates. The effect of replication on the CV of nitrate-N flux was similar to that observed with nitrate-N concentration.
Soil moisture
Changes in soil water content at 5 cm and 25 cm depths following irrigation demonstrate differences in water transmission between coarser and finer textured soils (Figure 8). Moisture profiles indicate rapid movement of irrigation water through the coarser textured Evesboro sand and Sassafras sandy loam soils. Volumetric water content in these soils at both 5 and 25 cm depths increased to an average of 0.31 and 0.22 m3 m-3, respectively, within 1 h of irrigation and then returned to background levels (0.17 and 0.21 m3 m-3) by 9 hr after irrigation. In contrast, volumetric water content in the Bojac and Quindocqua soils did not return to background levels until at least 20 hr after irrigation.
Leachate depth
Weekly leachate depths ranged from 1.12 to 1.95 cm for the four soils over the course of the experiments (Figure 9). Irrigation water recoveries, expressed as percentage of irrigation water, followed a general trend related to soil texture, with recoveries from the sandy Evesboro (81%) and Sassafras (85%) soils being slightly more efficient than from the finer textured Bojac (77%) and Quindocqua (71%) soils. Most leachate was collected with the first sampling after irrigation (24 hr), equivalent to 80% of the total leachate collected for Bojac, 84% of the total leachate collected for Evesboro, 91% of the total leachate collected for Sassafras, and 99% of the total leachate collected for Quindocqua.
Nitrate-N concentrations and fluxes in leachate
Nitrate-N concentrations in leachate increased after litter application, but followed different temporal patterns between soils. In the week before manure application, nitrate-N concentration in leachate for the four soils averaged 27.1 mg L-1 (Figure 10). For the fine textured Quindocqua, concentration peaked immediately, with nitrate-N in the leachate samples from the first week averaging 39.9 mg L-1. In contrast, nitrate-N in leachate from the sandier textured soils increased more slowly, with peak nitrate-N concentrations occurring two weeks after litter addition for the Bojac soil (average of 37.3 mg L-1) and four weeks after litter addition for the Evesboro (average of 53.0 mg L-1) and Sassafras soils (average of 57.1 mg L-1).
Differences in leachate nitrate-N flux (kg ha-1) reflect not only trends in nitrate-N concentrations in leachate but also differences in leachate depths (Figure 11). Before litter application, weekly nitrate fluxes were 2.0-5.8 kg ha-1, with Sassafras > Evesboro > Bojac > Quindocqua. The greater leachate depths from Sassafras and Evesboro lysimeters (Figure 9) are evident in the nitrate-N fluxes before litter application. To assess the role of poultry litter application and leachate volume on nitrate-N flux, soil nitrate-N fluxes from before litter application were subtracted from subsequent weekly fluxes (Figure 12). The resulting pattern in flux changes visually and the range in nitrate-N flux among the soils is 1.1 to 4.7 kg ha-1. Nitrate-N flux from the Quindocqua soils after litter application spikes immediately and remains greater than fluxes from the other soils until week six. Nitrate-N fluxes from the coarser textured soils, again, is delayed with Bojac (3.7 kg ha-1) and Sassafras (3.8 kg ha-1) peaking in the second week after litter application and the Evesboro peaking at 3.0 kg ha-1, four weeks after litter application.
|Particle size distribution
|KCl Nitrate
|0-5 cm
|15-30 cm
|45-50 cm
|0-5 cm
|% sand
|% clay
|% sand
|% clay
|% sand
|% clay
|mg kg-1
Table 1: Chemical and physical properties of the soil core lysimeters.
Figure 1: Major Parts for Constructing Lysimeter. (a) Schedule 80 PVC lysimeter bodies; (b) PVC cap; (c) Flexible coupling; (d) Perforated disk; (e) Hose clamps; (f) Food grade tubing; (g) Threaded barbed hose fitting. Please click here to view a larger version of this figure.
Figure 2: Custom lifting scissors. Custom lifting scissors allow two people to lift and move heavy soil core lysimeters. Please click here to view a larger version of this figure.
Figure 3: View of Drop Hammer and insertion of Columns. (a) PVC columns placed level on the soil in preparation for the drop hammer. (b) Drop hammer pounding in cylinders. (c) Cylinders completely driven into soil. Please click here to view a larger version of this figure.
Figure 4: Preparation for removal of soil columns. (a) Hole being dug along-side of columns. (b) Soil being picked away from columns (note lysimeters protected from external soils with PVC cover and flexible coupling). (c) Soil-to-soil interface being broken with a digging bar. Please click here to view a larger version of this figure.
Figure 5: Preparation of lysimeter bottom for perforated plate and cap. (a) Leveling bottom and removal of protruding stones. (b) Filling voids with sterile sand. (c) Leveling sand. (d) Cleaned column with level sand. Please click here to view a larger version of this figure.
Figure 6: Installing bottom onto lysimeter. (a) Putting a ring of caulk on cleaned rim of lysimeter. (b) Fastening perforated disk onto lysimeter with stainless steel screws. (c) Putting cap on lysimeter and fastening tight with flexible coupling. Please click here to view a larger version of this figure.
Figure 7: Completely assembled lysimeter. Assembled lysimeter with hose attached and glass bottles placed beneath for leachate collection (moisture sensors not installed). Please click here to view a larger version of this figure.
Figure 8: Volumetric water content. Volumetric water content (m3 m-3) within the soil core lysimeter at 5 cm and 25 cm depths over a typical 24 hr period following irrigation. Please click here to view a larger version of this figure.
Figure 9: Leachate depth. The sum of weekly leachate depth (cm) collected from soil core lysimeters partitioned into rapid leaching (24 hr) and slow leaching (7 day) segments. Please click here to view a larger version of this figure.
Figure 10: Nitrate-N concentration. Weekly nitrate-N concentration (mg L-1) in leachate collected from soil core lysimeters before and after poultry litter application. Plotted points represent the mean and error bars around the points represent standard error of the mean. Please click here to view a larger version of this figure.
Figure 11: Nitrate-N Flux. The mass of nitrate-N (kg ha-1) in leachate collected from soil core lysimeters before and after poultry litter application. Plotted points represent the mean and error bars around the points represent standard error of the mean. Please click here to view a larger version of this figure.
Figure 12: Estimated nitrate-N flux contribution from manure. Soil nitrate-N fluxes (kg ha-1) from before litter application were subtracted from subsequent weekly fluxes to assess the contribution of poultry litter nitrogen to soil core leachate. Plotted points represent the mean and error bars around the points represent standard error of the mean. Please click here to view a larger version of this figure.
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Important steps of lysimeter Collection
Leaching studies illustrate the influence of soil properties and manure management on nitrogen losses to shallow groundwater. Soil physical properties such as soil texture, aggregate structure and bulk density mediate the percolation of water and solutes. Accurately determining leachate volume and solute concentrations is dependent upon retaining the integrity of these soil physical properties during lysimeter collection by following these critical steps: 1) the lysimeter and the drop hammer must remain level while the column is being driven into the soil; 2) soil within the lysimeter must be checked for compaction; 3) the bottom of the soil column must be leveled and voids must be filled with inert sand before the drain cap is installed; and 4) all gaps including those between the lysimeter wall and soil must be sealed with silicone caulk to prevent preferential sidewall flow or leakage from the moisture sensor ports.
Importance of maintaining soil structure
Leaching studies need to accurately represent the volume of water moving through soil profiles in order to effectively determine mass loss of solutes. The average irrigation recovered from the four soils studied was 79% of the volume applied. Similar research comparing the efficiency unbound zero-tension pan lysimeters reported average irrigation collection efficiencies of 56% and 58%29,10. Although the soils in the aforementioned studies were different from the soils in this study, we attribute the increase in irrigation recovery efficiency to the soil core lysimeters ability to retain soil physical properties and encase the soil profile.
Importance of replication
This study points to the influence of replication on variance in leachate properties and the need to increase replication in order to draw significant inferences from soil core lysimeters. Variability in leachate properties was greatest for nitrate-N concentration and flux and lowest for leachate volume. For all leachate properties, increasing the number of replicate soil core lysimeters from three to 10 (Bojac, Evesboro and Sassafras or in the case of Quindocqua, from three to five), reduced the CV to 0.06 or less. From our experience, a minimum of four replications is needed in soil core lysimeter experiments18,28,29.
Importance of tracking soil moisture
Soil moisture trends at 5 cm and 25 cm depths, in combination with an understanding of soil morphology at these depths, can be used to explain hydrologic trends and steady state assumptions. For example, soil moisture trends reveal differences in leaching processes between the coarse textured Evesboro and Sassafras soils and the finer textured Bojac and Quindocqua soils. The coarser textured soils exhibited brief increases in volumetric water content when compared to finer textured soils which had more prolonged increases in soil moisture (Figure 8). These differences were also revealed when comparing 24 hr and 7 day leachate collections, but lacked the finer temporal resolution to refine hypotheses regarding rapid macropore flow. In the case of the Bojac soil, which yielded the largest proportion of leachate after the first 24 hr collection, soil moisture trends at 25 cm depth reveal a prolonged period of soil moisture saturation that would favor denitrification conditions and therefore diminish nitrate-N in leachate. Given the insight gained from soil moisture sensors, a premium should be place on installing sensors in as many soil cores lysimeters as possible to facilitate post hoc assessment of leaching processes.
Importance of calculating mass balance
In the current study, 8.5-19.6% of applied N was lost in leachate as nitrate-N over a 6 week period. Leaching losses are clearly a major component of the N budget for manured soils and minimizing these losses is important not only for environmental quality but also for nutrient use efficiency. An estimated 80.4-91.5% of the litter-applied N remained in the soil core lysimeters. Documenting the fate of this N could be improved with use of techniques such as labels or tracers. Thus, a clear benefit of soil core lysimeters is in budgeting of water and applied materials, something that is much more difficult with other types of lysimeter systems, such as pan lysimeters, that are not bounded and are known to be less efficient9.
Limitations of Design
Although the current design efficiently measures free draining gravitational water, it is believed that the lysimeters underestimate leaching volume from the smaller pore spaces of finer textured soils due to tensional forces. The average fraction of irrigation water recovered from the fine textured Quindocqua soil accounted for only 71% of the total applied. Further, less than 1% of this volume is attributed to 'slow leaching' through the finer pores in the soil matrix. Collection efficiencies have been increased by 50% or more with the addition of passive capillary fiberglass wicks to soil profiles9. The authors are currently investigating the efficacy of fiberglass wicks for use in the soil core lysimeter described in this manuscript.
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The authors declare no competing financial interests.
The authors are grateful to the staff of USDA-ARS Pasture Systems and Watershed Management Unit. David Otto was important to both the design and construction of the custom made drop hammer (aka 'The Intimidator'). Michael Reiner and Terry Troutman assisted in the collection and construction of the lysimeters reported in this study. Sarah Fishel, Charles Montgomery and Paul Spock performed all of the nutrient analyses reported in this manuscript.
|Catalog Number
|Schedule 80 PVC Pipe
|Fry's Plastic
|Sold in 10 ft lengths
|Fernco Fittings
|Fry's Plastic
|12 inch diameter
|Type II PVC plates for perforated discs
|AIN Plastic
|Sold in 4' x 8' sheets of PVC II Vintec II
|Schedule 40 PVC Caps
|Fry's Plastic
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- Fact sheet: Chesapeake Bay total maximum daily load (TMDL). USEPA. Available from; http://www.epa.gov/reg3wapd/pdf/pdf_chesbay/BayTMDLFactSheet8_26_13.pdf (2010).
- Persson, L., Bergstrom, L. Drilling method for collection of undisturbed soil monoliths). Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 55, (1), 285-287 (1991).
- Belford, R. K. Collection and evaluation of large soil monoliths for soil and crop studies. J. Soil Sci. 30, (2), 363-373 (1979).
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- Zhu, Y., Fox, R. H., Toth, J. D. Leachate collection efficiency of zero-tension pan and passive capillary fiberglass wick lysimeters. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. (2002).
- Jemison, J. M. Jr., Fox, R. H. Estimation of zero-tension pan lysimeter collection efficiency. Soil Sci. 154, 85-94 (1992).
- Corwin, D. L. Evaluation of a simple lysimeter-design modification to minimize sidewall flow. J. Contaminant Hydrology. 42, (1), 35-49 (2000).
- Havis, R. N., Alberts, E. E. Nutrient leaching from field decomposed corn and soybean residue under simulated rainfall. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 57, 211-218 (1993).
- Bergstrom, L., Johanssson, R. Leaching of nitrate from monolith lysimeters of different types of agricultural soils. J. Environ. Qual. 20, 801-807 (1991).
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- Moyer, J., Saporito, L., Janke, R. Design, construction, and installation of an intact soil core lysimeter. Agronomy J. 88, (2), 253-256 (1996).
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- Kleinman, P. J. A., Srinivasan, M. S., Sharpley, A. N., Gburek, W. J. Phosphorus leaching through intact soil columns before and after poultry manure applications. Soil Sci. 170, (3), 153-166 (2005).
- Kleinman, P. J. A., Sharpley, A. N., Saporito, L. S., Buda, A. R., Bryant, R. B. Application of manure to no-till soils: Phosphorus losses by subsurface and surface pathways. Nutr. Cycling Agroecosyst. 84, 215-227 (2009).
- McDowell, R. W., Sharpley, A. N. Approximating phosphorus release to surface runoff and subsurface drainage. J. Environ. Qual. 30, 508-520 (2001).
- McDowell, R. W., Sharpley, A. N. Phosphorus losses in subsurface flow before and after manure application. Sci. Total Environ. 278, 113-125 (2001).
- Brock, E. H., Ketterings, Q. M., Kleinman, P. J. A. Phosphorus leaching through intact soil cores as influenced by type and duration of manure application. Nutr. Cycl. Agroecosyst. 77, 269-281 (2007).
- Svanback, A., et al. Influence of soil phosphorus and manure on phosphorus leaching in Swedish topsoils. Nutr. Cycling Agroecosyst. 96, 133-147 (2013).
- Feyereisen, G. W., et al. Effect of direct incorporation of poultry litter on phosphorus leaching from coastal plain soils. J. Soil Water Cons. 65, (4), 243-251 (2010).
- Williams, M. R., et al. Manure application under winter conditions: Nutrient runoff and leachate losses. Trans. ASABE. 54, (3), 891-899 (2011).
- Liu, J., Aronsson, H., Ulén, B., Bergström, L. Potential phosphorus leaching from sandy topsoils with different fertilizer histories before and after application of pig slurry. Soil Use Mgmt. 28, 457-467 (2012).
- Kibet, L. C., et al. Transport of dissolved trace elements in surface runoff and leachate from a coastal plain soil after poultry litter application. J. Soil Water Cons. 68, (3), 212-220 (2013).
- Han, K., et al. Phosphorus and nitrogen leaching before and after tillage and urea application. J. Environ. Qual. 44, 560-571 (2014).
- Day, P. R. This chapter in Methods of Soil Analysis. Part 1. Physical and Mineralogical Properties, Including Statistics of Measurement and Sampling. American Society of Agronomy, Soil Science Society of America. Black, C. A. (1965).
- Kleinman, P. J. A., et al. Phosphorus leaching from agricultural soils of the Delmarva Peninsula, USA. J. Environ. Qual. 44, (2), 524-534 (2015).
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Trend in demand for agriculture courses 'shifts' as economy picks up
There has been a shift away from full-time agriculture courses towards distance education as the economy has grown, according to Salesian Agricultural College (Pallaskenry, Co. Limerick) Principal Derek O'Donoghue.
Course sizes for distance education were about four times the size of full-time courses in the Level 5 Certificate in Agriculture due to mature students returning to study, O'Donoghue told Agriland.
But the steadily improving economic climate could lead to a 10-15% reduction in intake for the academic year beginning in September, as full-time students look to other sectors for opportunities.
O'Donoghue said: "The indication is that the number of applications on the full-time level 5 course is less compared to last year. That is the course starting in September.
"That trend is cyclical. The last time the economy picked up, intake at agricultural colleges dropped nationally. Similarly, they peaked during the recession."
O'Donoghue explained that six agricultural colleges across the country delivered the full-time Level 5 Certificate, as well as the distance education option for people who already had a third-level qualification.
Salesian Agricultural College has two intakes amounting to 402 students on its distance education course, compared to a peak number of 104 for students on the full-time course.
We're seeing a reduction in full-time students but an upward shift in distance education. People on the distance education course are in their mid-to-late 20s or 30s – mature students.
"Overall, the number of students is still high. But there are more realistic class sizes. We have better student-to-teacher ratios, which had probably been too weak previously," O'Donoghue said.
The deadline for agriculture college full-time course applications was May 26 but O'Donoghue expected to consider applications until the entrance exams on June 26.
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Strategy Share: Inspiring Action During Out of School Time
Our Strategy Share series features innovative ideas, projects, and approaches from our community of educators. This post was written by 2019 Education Fellow Willie Buford. I am a native and current resident of Flint, Michigan, where lead exposure has impacted most of our community. After-school and summer or Out of School Time (OST) programs can be used to inspire—and empower—students to take action on environmental … Continue reading Strategy Share: Inspiring Action During Out of School Time


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Date Posted: November 17, 2016
Location: Cafe Helpers & Meal Buddies
Contact: email@example.com
Our Village Café is a wonderful place for residents to interact and socialize with other residents, families, staff and volunteers. We are always in need of help, especially in the morning (10 – 1), and on some weekends (10-1/1-4). Meal Buddies, is another option for those of you who are busy with work, studies or family, yet still want to contribute to the lives of our seniors. We are always in need of volunteers to help residents who have difficulty eating, or need encouragement and a little extra time, to enjoy their meals. Training is provided and our staff always appreciative an extra pair of hands. If you, or anyone you know, would be interested in joining our dynamic volunteer team, please contact Andrea Macina, The Volunteer Services Coordinator for details.
Interested applicants should submit a resume to firstname.lastname@example.com


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Plaintiffs have successfully defeated Otsuka Pharmaceutical and Bristol-Meyers Squibb's motion to dismiss multidistrict litigation relating to alleged compulsive behavior side effects of the widely prescribed drug Abilify. As reported by Law360, U.S. District Judge M. Casey Rodgers issued a decision on March 16th finding that "consumers have shown their … evidence is sound and reliable and that there is a genuine dispute of material fact over whether Abilify can cause compulsive behavior." [Read more…]
Lexi Hazam Discusses Abilify Litigation at Mass Torts Made Perfect Conference
Lieff Cabraser partner Lexi J. Hazam will be speaking on a penal discussing the Abilify gambling injuries litigation at the Mass Torts Made Perfect (MTMP) Conference on Thursday, April 12, 2018 at The Wynn in Las Vegas. [Read more…]
Lexi Hazam Named to Plaintiffs Executive Committee in Nationwide Abilify Drug Injury Litigation
On December 16, 2016, Chief Judge M. Casey Rodgers of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida issued an order appointing Lexi J. Hazam of Lieff Cabraser to the Plaintiffs' Executive Committee in the multidistrict litigation previously consolidated in October 2016 over injuries and financial losses sustained by patients as a result of their use of the prescription drug Abilify. [Read more…]
Bristol-Myers Squibb Pays $19.5 Million Over Improper Abilify Drug Marketing
Bristol-Myers Squibb has agreed to pay $19.5 million to settle claims of improper advertising relating to its top-selling drug Abilify. 42 states and Washington D.C. alleged that the company improperly advertised antipsychotic drug Abilify, first approved in 2002 by the FDA to treat schizophrenic in adults. However, Bristol-Myers Squibb thereafter began promoting Abilify for off-label uses not approved by the FDA. These off-label uses had not been established as safe or effective. [Read more…]
Abilify Gambling Lawsuits Consolidated in Florida Federal Court
The Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation has consolidated more than 20 lawsuits against Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. over claims of pathological gambling side effects in patients using the antipsychotic drug Abilify in federal court in Florida. The serious impulse-control problems described in the complaints reportedly stop when the medicine is discontinued. 22 actions pending in 12 districts will be centralized under Chief District Judge M. Casey Rodgers. [Read more…]
Serious Abilify Gambling Danger Warning Updates
Lieff Cabraser represents Abilify users suffering from extreme compulsive gambling leading to major financial losses in lawsuits against Bristol-Myers Squibb for damages. In late August 2016, Bristol-Myers Squibb made significant changes to Abilify's package warnings and risk alerts. [Read more…]
Lieff Cabraser Announces Filing of Personal Injury Lawsuit Against Bristol-Myers Squibb and Otsuka Pharmaceutical for Damages Caused by Abilify Prescription Drug
Gambling addiction lawsuit alleges claims including Strict Liability, Negligent Misrepresentation, and Fraudulent Concealment, and seeks damages for neuropsychiatric, mental, physical, and economic damages, as well as punitive damages
Lexi J. Hazam of the national plaintiffs' law firm Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP, announces that Rikki Carlson of Fall River, Massachusetts, has filed a personal injury lawsuit against Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., and Otsuka America Pharmaceutical, Inc. ("Defendants") for damages suffered as a direct and proximate result of Defendants' wrongful conduct in connection with the development, design, testing, labeling, packaging, promoting, advertising, marketing, distribution, and selling of the blockbuster prescription drug Abilify.
FDA Warning: Antipsychotic Drug Abilify Linked to Severe Compulsive Behavior and Addiction
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a formal warning that the use of the antipsychotic drug aripiprazole (Abilify, Abilify Maintena, Aristada, and also used in generic versions of the drug) has been linked to compulsive urges, which can lead to uncontrollable gambling, among other addictions. These rare but serious impulse-control problems reportedly stop when the medicine is discontinued or markedly reduced in dosage. [Read more…]


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Rich Piana 5% Nutrition Real Carbs Review
ⓘ Top10Supps may receive a portion of revenues if you buy something using a link on this page. Read our disclosure page for more details.
Contents of this Article
- Rich Piana 5% Nutrition Real Carbs Overview
- Conclusion
- Carbohydrate-rich meal replacement product
- Made with "real food" sources rather than sugars
- Contains 20 g of carbohydrates per serving
- Available in packages containing 60 servings
- Made with high-quality ingredients such as yam, oats, sweet potato, and blueberries
- Available into unique and delicious flavors
- Ranked #9 on our Best Carbohydrate Supplements List
|Where to Buy 5% Nutrition Real Carbs
|Buy on Amazon
Rich Piana 5% Nutrition Real Carbs Overview
What Does Rich Piana 5% Nutrition Real Carbs Do?
It is a fairly original product in the supplement market, acting as a carbon-based meal replacement product that relies primarily on whole food sources of carbohydrates rather than nutritionally barren sugars such as dextrose and maltodextrin.
This product has been designed to provide you with a convenient way of adding high-quality carbohydrates to your diet throughout the day, even when you don't have time to sit down and eat a solid meal.
With 21 g of carbs per serving and only 1.4 g of sugar making up that total, Rich Piana 5% Nutrition Real Carbs lives up to its name by providing the nutritional benefits of "real food" with all of the convenience of a meal replacement shake.
Throwing a scoop of your favorite whey protein powder and you will have everything you need!
What's in Rich Piana 5% Nutrition Real Carbs?
Rich Piana 5% Nutrition Real Carbs contains the following ingredients:
- Vitamin A
- Calcium
- Sodium (as Sea Salt)
- Potassium
- Pounded Yam
- Oats
- Sweet Potato
- Blueberry Fruit Powder
- Natural Flavors
- Cellulose Gum
- Xanthan Gum
- Carrageenan
- Sucralose
How and When Do I Take It?
A single serving of Rich Piana 5% Nutrition Real Carbs consists of one scoop, so you can use however many scoops you require to hit your target number of carbohydrates.
This product is made up almost entirely of real food ingredients so you should be able to use it on a frequent and consistent basis without running the risk of any serious side-effects.
Be sure to add a protein source to your servings of Rich Piana 5% Nutrition Real Carbs, but aside from that you can use it as and when you require a convenient meal replacement.
What are the Benefits?
The primary benefit of any meal replacement product like Rich Piana 5% Nutrition Real Carbs is the convenience that it offers you.
Whether you work in a busy office environment or you simply don't have time to prepare whole food meals every day, a product like this allows you to get in the carbs and calories you need within a matter of seconds.
The main thing that sets Rich Piana 5% Nutrition Real Carbs apart from the competition is that it is devoid of cheap and worthless ingredients like simple sugars and excessive amounts of salt.
It is an unfortunate fact of the supplement industry that a significant proportion of products on sale, including mass gainers and RTD shakes, are laden with empty calories, but this is something that you won't have to worry about by investing in a high-quality meal replacement supplement like Rich Piana 5% Nutrition Real Carbs.
It is also worth mentioning that both yams and sweet potatoes are excellent sources of potassium, with each scoop containing 98 mg of potassium in total.
Potassium is an essential mineral that is integral to a number of vital processes throughout the human body, but most relevant is the role that it plays in maintaining an electrolyte balance and preventing excessive fluid retention.
What's more – and this probably goes without saying – blueberries are perhaps one of the most nutritionally dense fruits in existence.
The inclusion of blueberries in Rich Piana 5% Nutrition Real Carbs means that you will be receiving a potent serving of antioxidants and other phytonutrients with each scoop. This will help aid in the recovery process while also stemming the tide of illness and keeping your immune system strong.
Are There Any Precautions?
Always follow the usage guidelines provided by the manufacturer on any supplement you purchase.
Use Rich Piana 5% Nutrition Real Carbs with caution if you are particularly sensitive to caffeine or other stimulants.
Rich Piana 5% Nutrition Real Carbs should be avoided by anyone who has ever suffered a heart attack or other form of cardiovascular disease.
What's more, Rich Piana 5% Nutrition Real Carbs should not be used by pregnant or breastfeeding women, nor should it be used by individuals under the age of 18.
Consult your doctor or physician prior to using Rich Piana 5% Nutrition Real Carbs if you have any pre-existing medical conditions or if you are currently using prescription medication.
Please note that these statements have been neither written nor reviewed by a doctor or medical authority of any kind.
Available Flavors and Serving Sizes
Rich Piana 5% Nutrition Real Carbs is available in the following flavors:
- Sweet Potato Pie
- Blueberry Cobbler
- Banana Nut Bread
- Strawberry Shortcake
Rich Piana 5% Nutrition Real Carbs is available in packages containing 60 servings (3.97 lbs).
Rich Piana 5% Nutrition Real Carbs is easily one of the best meal replacement products currently on the market.
It can be very difficult to find a carbohydrate supplement or meal replacement product that tastes good and actually provides a decent amount of nutrition, so we really can't recommend Rich Piana 5% Nutrition Real Carbs strongly enough in this context.
Yams, oats, and sweet potatoes have almost always been the go-to carbohydrate sources in the diets of bodybuilders and athletes around the world, so a product like this that uses them is worth its weight in gold.
Rich Piana 5% Nutrition Real Carbs is just as easy to use as any protein powder, requiring a scoop or two shaken up with water.
This is incredibly convenient because it means that you can consume dozens of grams of quality carbohydrates within a matter of seconds.
If you are not sure when or if you will need to use Rich Piana 5% Nutrition Real Carbs through the day then you can easily add a couple of scoops to one of your shakers and then add water later on when required.
Taste / Composition / Mixability
Sweet Potato Pie and Blueberry Cobbler are both fairly unique flavors as far as protein powders and meal replacement products go.
On top of the great flavors, you can expect a shape that is easy on the stomach, mixes in seconds, and quite frankly, tastes like dessert!
Is it Worth the Money?
You might be able to save a few dollars by purchasing a weight gainer shake or protein powder that uses a small amount of oatmeal in combination with sugars like maltodextrin, but the added investment in a product like this will truly pay dividends both in the short term and long term.
There is nothing worse than spending a bunch of money on a supplement to discover that it makes you feel bloated, watery, and no one wants to send their friends running because of, shall we say gastrointestinal issues!
When buying a protein powder or supplement that you are going to be using on a daily basis, don't skimp on quality; spend a little extra on a solid product like Rich Piana 5% Nutrition Real Carbs and you won't regret it.
There is much more to be said about Rich Piana 5% Nutrition Real Carbs because at the end of the day it is a relatively simple product that serves as a convenient carbohydrate source.
If you are the kind of guy who needs a lot of carbs to make progress in your training then you might find it difficult to check down endless amounts of rice and potatoes, so if this sounds like you then you could definitely stand to benefit from using Rich Piana 5% Nutrition Real Carbs.
If you only use this product once then be sure to check out the Sweet Potato Pie flavor because this is a relatively original flavor that you aren't likely to experience elsewhere.
Pro Tip: Add a scoop to your oatmeal and prepare for an anabolic symphony of flavor in your mouth!
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About the Author
Rick Grimes is the administrator and editor on top10supps.com. He is a former D1 athlete, and a current fitness nut with over 10+ years in the health and fitness industry. After getting his bachelors degree he became devoted to contributing accurate, concise and research-based information to the bodybuilding industry. When he's not researching supps, you can find him on Twitter & Quora giving back to the community. Feel free to contact Rick with any questions.


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After the Fulbright Conference, I had Easter break at school. For me, the break meant three weeks of traveling. I also had a visitor: my soon-to-be relative, Amanda!
How will Amanda and I be related? Well… she's the fiance of the brother of my father's wife. Basically, when she gets married, she'll be my step-aunt, but since a.) step-aunt isn't clear and could mean a few different kinds of relations (my step-parent's sister, my uncle's second wife, my step-parent's sister-in-law), and b.) I'm four years older than she is, "step-aunt" seems weird. That's why I go with "relative." (Sidenote: the English language is not yet equipped for modern familial relations. We either need new words, or to stop labeling.)
Amanda had spent two weeks in Munich during college and loved it. (Klar. Germany rocks!) Once she had heard that I was going to be here, she made plans to visit. That's how I ended up on a night train from Osnabrück to Frankfurt Airport one Sunday night on my way to meet Amanda and begin our common adventure.
Note: If you're thinking about killing time in Osnabrück's train station cafe from 11:00 pm until 1:00 am when your train leaves, think again. Everything closes. Everything, that is, except for the McDonald's just outside the train station. That's how I found myself eating a McRoyal with cheese and drinking a small Coke in the middle of the night. (A real small, too, not that bucket they now pass off as a small in the US. Do you remember when "small" was actually small???)
I managed to find Amanda almost without incident. Although the email she had received and forwarded to me with flight information was clearly marked "Lufthansa," she had flown United, which Lufthansa now owns. This would not have been so bad, since all I had to do was look for the flight coming from Washington D.C.; However, whoever was in charge of the arrivals board that day was unaware that Washington D.C. and Seattle, Washington are two quite different locations. So you see, when one goes to look for the Lufthansa flight from Washington D.C. sees only the United flight from Seattle, it can be hard to locate a person. After asking for information at THREE different counters, all of which were marked with the "i" for "Information," I finally got the information I needed and found Amanda. Then, it was off to Berlin!
I was excited to be in Berlin just a few days after I had left. I had maps, a guidebook and knew my way around the subway/commuter train system somewhat. I was also glad that I had booked us a decent youth hotel and had had the chance to give it a test run the week before. Plus, Berlin is a fantastic city. It is constantly changing. Fifty percent of the people living in Berlin right now did not live there three years ago. Despite constant change, Berliners cling to the visual markers of their city's/cities' history/ies. The fonts on the street signs still reflect an East/West difference. Right in the middle of Berlin, across from the Dom, is the future site of the Humboldt Forum. This site has also been the site of heavily contested battle for visual historical representation between and East and West Berliners. The Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe is gigantic and important, but wasn't even there when I visited Berlin the first time in 2003. The Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedächtnis-Kirche that I had marveled at in 2003 was completely covered in scaffolding and cloth, invisible from the outside. The city is the seat of national government, yet is teeming with artists and subversive activity. But that's Berlin. The city itself is like a living organism that consumes, voids and breathes. It's impossible not to get swept up in it almost immediately; indeed, the city inhales you.
We arrived in Berlin around 3:00 pm, checked into Aletto Schöneberg. Amanda was jet-lagged and I had ridden a night train for 6 hours, aka had not really slept. We toyed with the idea of staying in, but decided to shower and see how we felt. Luckily, the showers perked us up enough to go get some food and walk around Schöneberg at least until dark. We quickly learned that Schöneberg is a good neighborhood be in, even if it is kind of a pain in the ass to get to via public transportation. The main drag looks sort of cold and boring, but go back just one block, and the neighborhood's true character emerges: well-kept, upper middle-class, gay-friendly. We strolled through parks with fountains, cute shops and nice restaurants and cafes. After that, we went back to the hotel and fell asleep immediately. Our sleep schedules normalized and we were good to go.
I was really excited to discover some of the "Places of Remembrance" public art installation by Berlin artist couple Stih & Schnook sprinkled along our walk that night. I had heard the couple talk once at Virginia Tech found them really provocative and straight up cool. The installation consists of 80 signs hung throughout the Bayerisches Viertel/Bavarian Quarter. On one side of the signs, there are simple pictures. On the other side, there are descriptions of the ways in rights were slowly removed from Berliner Jews and other undesirables under the Nazis. The whole thing is meant to remind passersby that even in a nice neighborhood, terrible things can happen, and that if one is not paying attention as rights are slowly removed, society as a whole can completely disintegrate. I have photos of a few of them in the slideshow below, but there is a map of each one on their website. (link below)
The time we spent in Berlin was jam-packed. We strolled along Unter den Linden, from Pariser Platz with the Brandenburg gate to Alexanderplatz with the Television Tower. I had booked us access to the Bundestag, the German Parliament building. They have a glass dome on the top with a lovely 360 degree view of Berlin. We saw the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe and the corresponding museum, the Memorial to Homosexual Victims of the Holocaust, the Book Burning Memorial, and the Neue Wache Memorial (see my first Berlin post for photos). We saw Museum Island, the World Clock, the Siegessäule, and the Rote Rathaus. We saw a fountain being restored, a punk bagpipe group, and the Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedächnis-Kirche. We saw Hannah Arendt Straße, the White Cross Memorial to Victims of the Wall, Bernauer Straße, and Potsdamer Platz. We visited Checkpoint Charlie, the Mauerpark and the Kaufhaus des Westens (KaDeWe). We ate at Hofbräuhaus Berlin, Curry 36 and Mustafa's Gemüse Kebabs. We learned that although the S-Bahn and the U-Bahn may share a station of the same name, it is not necessarily in the exact same place. (Nor is it always clearly labeled.) We sang "Happy Birthday" to a girl with a cake on the subway, and later, on the same train, saw a guy with an all-terrain tire on his unicycle and heard another guy rocking out on a banjo. In short, we saw, heard, touched, and tasted as much as we possibly could in two and half days.
All of the time we spend in Berlin was great, but there were certainly highlights. I loved hearing the banjo player on the subway. Amanda went cuckoo for the punk bagpipe group. The best part for me was the food on our last night. My loyal readers know that I have a thing for Currywurst, and I couldn't wait to introduce it to Amanda. It is, after all, a Berlin institution. At the Fulbright conference the week before, we met with the head of the Berlin senate. He told us that the best Currywurst was at Curry 36 at the Mehringdamm U-Bahn stop. I had waited to visit until Amanda arrived, and we headed off to Curry 36. We had a delicious Currywurst (without skin, natürlich) and fries. When we came out of the subway, however, we noticed a giant line outside of a food truck. I asked some folks who were waiting what the deal was. They told me they were waiting for the best döner in Berlin. After Amanda and I finished the Currywurst, we bought some beer, waited in line for an hour and got one of Mustafa's Veggie Kebabs with both yogurt sauce and spicy sauce. Oh. My. God. It was delicious! It was so worth the wait. It's basically a wrap filled with deep fried mixed vegetables, sheep's cheese and your choice of sauce. The spicy sauce was actually spicy and oh-so-good. Let this be a lesson: No one waits in line for terrible food.
As we got to know Berlin, we also got to know each other. We had only met at family functions a few times before this trip, and I think we were both a bit nervous about how it would turn out. Luckily our shared affinities for Virginia, pork, potatoes, beer, high-SPF sunscreen and travel helped us bond quickly. I ignored her frequent bathroom stops, and she ignored me when I got tired and cranky. The weather was nothing short of glorious. From my end, it couldn't have gone better.
Next stop in the Adventures of Heidi and Amanda: Krakow, Poland!
All told, I took over 1200 photos in three weeks. Here are some of from Berlin:
- Curry 36: Click on the "Menu" button ("Speisekarte") for pictures of their offerings!
- Mustafas Gemüse Kebab
- Aletto Youth Hostel and Hotel: Clean, good breakfast, free wireless internet, free coffee & tea, owned by a man from Damme
- Deutscher Bundestag: The German Parliament building. Access to the dome is free, but you have to reserve your day and time online ahead of time and bring the letter with you.
- Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe and the Homosexual Memorial
- Hofbräuhaus Berlin: touristy, and not typically Berlin, but still a good time
- Museuminsel: The Museum Island, containing The Pergamon, The Old Museum, The New Museum and The Bode Museum.
- Pure Origins: Coffee shop located behind the Humboldt Universtiy. Cheap, delicious coffee, teas, foods and baked goods. Bonus: They sell American-style iced coffee here!
- White Crosses Memorial: For victims of the Wall
- Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedächnis Kirche: Church built for Kaiser Wilhelm I in 1895, which later suffered a lot of damage in the War. The Neue Kirche (New Church) stands next to it now.
- Stih & Schnook: The artist pair who did the "Places of Remembrance" memorial art installations in the Schöneberg and Charlottenburg neighborhoods.
- Museum Haus am Checkpoint Charlie: Museum of escape attempts and information about Checkpoint Charlie
- Mauerpark: formerly part of the so-called "Death Strip" between the inner and outer Walls. Now a place for hipsters to hang out with their dogs the site of a flea market.
- Gedenkstätte Berliner Mauer: Place of remembrance for the Berlin Wall
- KaDeWe: ritzy shopping
Information on the fonts for the Berlin Street Signs:
- http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stra%C3%9Fenschild#Berlin
- http://berlin.soup.io/post/146428600/Berliner-Stra-enschilder-Font-via-qubik-com
- http://www.toytowngermany.com/lofi/index.php/t126385.html
- For free bathrooms, go into the university buildings. The one in the Humboldt's Law School building was lovely. The coffee shop across the hall from it has gigantic cups of coffee to go for very low prices.
- Bus 100 is a regular bus in the public transportation system, but it happens to go along a really nice route. It's a good way to start your trip, to see where the main attractions are in relation to each other, and to learn some things from the actual Berliners who use the bus to commute. If you have a day/week card for public transportation (highly recommended), it's free. Just watch for pickpockets.
- If you go to the Bundestag dome, be sure to leave your pocket knives and $1 Cabella's multi-tools at home. You'll get it back at the end, but who likes making a scene in a foreign government building? Whoops.
- Do not go to a museum 30 minutes before it closes and expect to get in. Whoops.
- U-Bahn = subway
- S-Bahn = commuter train


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The UN ocean negotiations have been taking place recently and the outcome of the negotiations will affect us all. They bring together leaders from all around the world to talk about ocean protection and what we can do to restore ocean health.
What exactly are these discussions about?
Picture the vast ocean expanses that make up our blue planet. The global ocean and the high seas (outside of national waters) cover more space than all the continents combined. They're home to underwater canyons that could fit Mount Everest (with room to spare) and 500 year old sharks that make turning 30 seem way less stressful. The global ocean is also home to a greater diversity of creatures than tropical rainforests, and just like forests, they can help protect us from the worst impacts of climate change.
When you look out at sea from a beach, you're not even close to seeing the global ocean. These waters are 200 miles away from any coastline and so far, it's been out of sight, out of mind. But with the ocean facing more pressures than any time in history, we can't ignore these seemingly-distant problems any more.
Who's in charge?
The global ocean is beyond national waters – it is our global commons and collective responsibility to protect. While there are different bodies in place to regulate different human activities (such as fishing or mining) there is currently no way for governments to come together and protect the global ocean from its smorgasbord of threats.
This is all the more frustrating because the solutions are in our grasp. Ocean sanctuaries (also known as Marine Protected Areas), put areas of the ocean off-limits to direct pressures like industrial fishing, mining or drilling. This creates a safe haven for wildlife populations to recover from past pressures, and build resilience to ongoing threats, like climate change and plastic pollution. Where sanctuaries are in place, we see the ocean bouncing back, with bigger, more diverse and abundant wildlife.
Scientists tell us that if we are to avoid the worst effects of climate change and safeguard wildlife, we need to strictly protect at least 30 per cent of our ocean by 2030. The ocean revolution must be organised.
Preparatory negotiations for this treaty have been going on for over a decade and now is the time to bring urgency and momentum into the corridors of power and national capitals. Governments met last September, and in March and April this year, to kick start discussions through the intergovernmental conference process. With a deadline of 2020, they only have two more rounds of negotiations – this August and early in 2020. That means we have a year to shift the power from ocean exploitation to ocean protection.
What's the latest?
The good news is that the wave of public interest in ocean conservation (spurred by the rage against plastic pollution and love for everything that David Attenborough says) has pushed many governments into backing the creation of a regular international meeting. Whilst this is a good start, what's missing is political support for a process that ensures sanctuaries provide effective protection, not just lines on a map only protected on paper. A treaty must empower governments to create and manage sanctuaries collectively – drawing on the advice of scientists and existing bodies, whilst ensuring that all governments are accountable to what happens on these high seas.
So, what's next?
We need to see more governments calling for protection and ensuring that a draft treaty is ready well ahead of the upcoming August meeting. Just as young people are schooling their governments on climate science, it's up to us to create unstoppable momentum for ocean protection. We must step up the ambition and urgency and bring these conversations into the open.
'Greenpeace (a key partner of Ocean Unite) has just started sailing an ambitious pole to pole expedition, and will be working with the High Seas Alliance to raise ambition in countries around the world' who care deeply about the ocean – working to open up political spaces in national capitals for leaders to inject ambition into negotiators' mandates. Global leaders must use high-level platforms like the G7 to drive greater political leadership on the ocean.
International cooperation and global collaboration is the only way we will protect the ocean and safeguard it for future generations.
- This is a guest blog and may not represent the views of Virgin.com. Please see virgin.com/terms for more details.
This post is part of a series produced by Virgin Unite in partnership with Ocean Unite, an initiative to unite and activate powerful voices for ocean-conservation action.


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Tuesday, July 23, 2019
By Zac Cannizzo
"Not for you. You just don't have the mind for science." The words of my 8th grade science teacher when I asked to be placed in Biology for my freshman year. It hurt. I always liked science, and I loved biology. Some of my earliest memories are watching Jack Hanna's Animal Adventures. From a young age, I wanted to be a biologist. But, I guess it wasn't for me. I guess I'm not smart enough. I guess maybe I need to do something else. I just don't have the mind for science.
Two years. I believed her for two years.
Categories: Knauss Blog, Graduate School, Science, Academia to Government, My Fellowship Position, Communication
Friday, July 5, 2019
In the academic world, communication comes in the form of peer-reviewed papers, theses or dissertations, seminar talks, conference talks, and posters. All long format and so deep into the science that you're no longer certain what language they're speaking. So, what do you do when you've been trained in those styles of communication for the past five years and you begin a communications position in the federal government as part of the Knauss fellowship program for a climate modeling program?
Categories: Knauss Blog, Academia to Government, My Fellowship Position, Communication, Tips and Advice
Tags: communication, tips
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If this is you….
…then maybe you're not "cut out" for gardening. Morning is such a good time to water, and worms are a good thing! Worms in your garden means the soil is nice and fertile.
Here's some advice for my male readers: a fertile garden and manual labor is very attractive to the ladies ;)… so get dirty.
And advice for my girl audience? Wear gloves, hire out, and bring them homemade lemonade…no just kidding. Start an indoor herb garden. Or petition to allow for a school garden. That you can do in heels.
And a little something for everyone- sign up for an organization that drops off a box of random fruits and veggies to your door! It will be a challenge to learn how to cook whatever it is they bring you.
Unless that all sounds too stressful, then just send someone to the store for organic vegetables ;).
Thanks for your readership. Blog Love.


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#MeetUsMonday - AGC Marina
AGC Marina
Argosy Cruises Team Member since 1997
Vessel home dock for: Celebrations, Champagne Lady, Goodtime III (half time), Queen's Launch
Departure location for: Lake Union Cruise, Locks Cruise, private charters, special events cruises (ex. 4th of July fireworks shows, Christmas Ship Festival)
The Seattle Central Waterfront has been Argosy's main home since 1949, but with a fleet of ships comes the need for more place to park them! And the AGC Marina's central Seattle location in South Lake Union is a great spot.
Situated on Westlake Avenue North (in between Kenmore Air's Lake Union Terminal and the 10-story Associated General Contractor's (AGC) high-rise, both on Westlake Avenue North, vessels leaving or arriving the AGC Marina have excellent views of the Space Needle and the Seattle skyline, industrial Gas Works Park, and many of Seattle's floating home communities.
The marina lies adjacent to the 6.2 mile/10 kilometer Cheshiahud Loop that encircles Lake Union, and just a short stroll south to South Lake Union Park, the Museum of History and Industry (MOHAI), and the Center for Wooden Boats. The Space Needle and Seattle Center are only a 20-minute walk to the southwest.
With our Lake Union Cruise and our new ONE-WAY Locks Cruise, our guests can make a day of it in the South Lake Union neighborhood by strolling though the nearby parks, exploring local attractions like MOHAI and the Space Needle, or enjoy any number of the area's excellent restaurants, such as Serious Pie, Cactus, or Brave Horse Tavern. See the map above for locations to many fun and tasty nearby spots.
Getting to the marina by car? You can get day-of-cruise $4 parking vouchers (with validation from Argosy crewmembers when you sail and park in the lot adjacent to the AGC Marina. Metered parking is also available on both sides of Westlake Avenue North.
For the transit-inclined, King County Metro Route 40 has a stop next to the AGC Marina and stops every 15 minutes. Nearby South Lake Union Streetcar stops can take riders into north Downtown Seattle, and several Pronto Cycle Share Stations are also located nearby. See the map above for more information on South Lake Union transit options.


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| 14.4°C Dublin
Weird Wide World of Sport
The UEFA Nations League supposedly pits teams of similar ability together but it certainly didn't look that way on Thursday night, when a young, ruthless Wales outfit completely tore Ireland to shreds.
Ryan Giggs' charges were assured on the ball, well organised and had a gameplan.
On the other hand, Ireland were shapeless, spineless and shameless.
The visitors were already in humiliation mode by half-time, with a cocksure Wales three goals to the good, and by the end it could have been a whole lot worse than the embarrassing 4-1 reverse that was suffered.
Both Wales and Ireland are going through periods of transition, but it was only the former that looked like they have any idea of what direction they want to go, although their 2-0 defeat to Denmark on Sunday illustrated that they're still very much a work in progress.
For Ireland, being swallowed up by a giant sink-hole wouldn't be a whole lot worse than where we stand at present.
It's less than a year since Ireland produced a spirited backs-to-the-wall performance in the same venue, with James McClean bagging a breakaway goal to end Wales' hopes of reaching the World Cup, but the boys in green have gone from heroes to zeros in a painful period since that night full of promise.
O'Neill's hand may have been forced as he had to field an understrength side, but where was the heart, where was the will to win?
The courage that you would expect from any half-decent side was missing, and the basics of organising a team which is at least difficult to break down seems to have gone out with the washing.
It's possible to set up a side that can remain tight at the back, but also possess a threat going forward, but in all of O'Neill's years in management he doesn't seem to have figured out how to do it yet.
Given our recent humbling by Denmark in the World Cup play-off, it would take an optimistic fan to hold high hopes of a confidence-booster when we meet them again next month.
A depleted team may have taken to the field in Cardiff, but that's no excuse for a rudderless display that was sadly lacking in skill and imagination, but most worrying of all it was also devoid of heart.
You can say what you like about the shortage of quality players, or assistant manager Roy Keane's constant ruffling of feathers, but the buck has to stop with the man steering the ship, Martin O'Neill.
When he's not picking fights with members of the media after a disastrous showing by his side or putting his foot firmly in his mouth by saying something outlandish on air, he seems to do very little in terms of piecing together a squad that can mix it with the mediocre, never mind the best.
The most startling thing is the toxic atmosphere that seems to have engulfed the camp. The squad is drowning in a sea of negativity and O'Neill certainly isn't the man to provide the life rings that will keep bobbing heads above choppy waters.
The Derryman is turning more and more into a contrary old so and so, who is shrouded in bitterness and won't suffer anybody that has the audacity to question his long-ball, dinosaur football managerial style.
O'Neill's much-vaunted man-management skills, which used to paper over the cracks of his one-dimensional approach, seem to have deserted him and now he is like a kayaker racing down foaming rapids without a paddle.
Admittedly having an assistant like Roy Keane, who seems to court controversy at every turn, adds to his woes, but he's the man who put him in that position and ultimately has to take full responsibility for what happens on the pitch and the other circus stuff that goes on away from the playing fields.
The disconnect between O'Neill and the Irish fans is growing wider and wider and although we mightn't have a pack of world-beaters coming through, a fresh face with new ideas could at least get them playing as a team.
Somebody like Chris Hughton would fit the bill perfectly, but why would he want to leave Brighton where he continues to work the oracle with the unglamorous Premier League outfit?
That said, you never know what's going to happen in the cut-throat world of top flight football. A few bad results and your head can be on the chopping block, even at a club that is punching above its weight.
You'd have to imagine Hughton's future will be secure at Albion for the foreseeable future though, while the Republic of Ireland will continue to be stifled by the suffocating presence of O'Neill.
As one of the hosts for Euro 2020, it's imperative that we qualify for the tournament.
Sadly, with the current man at the helm, I just can't see that happening.
Wexford People


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Do you know that cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the number one killer of women in Singapore? Yet, a heart health survey conducted by the Singapore Heart Foundation in 2013 revealed that only 11% of Singaporean women were aware that CVD is their leading cause of death.
To increase awareness of the dangers posed by this 'silent killer', the Singapore Heart Foundation's Go Red for Women (GRFW) campaign returns this year with the mass walk on 25 June 2016, to encourage women and their families to take active steps towards a heart-healthy lifestyle.
Pledge Your Heart Walk is a family-friendly 3.5km walk that aims to shine the spotlight on women, whom are gate-keepers to the family's health and are just as vulnerable as men to suffer from CVD. Participants, both young and the young-at-heart are encouraged to Go Red to honour the women in their life and support them in making their health a priority. Participants can either wear the event pledge tee, jazz up their outfit with red accessories or even wear a red dress!
Submit a Pledge upon Registration CVD is mostly preventable with the right lifestyle choices and every little step amounts to a lifesaving difference. To inspire participants to self-consciously make heart healthy nutritional and fitness choices, they will be asked to make a pledge upon registration at www.pledgeyourheartwalk.sg.
So if running isn't your cup of tea, how about making a pledge to brisk-walk daily? Do you know that just brisk walking for 30 minutes, 5 times a week can substantially reduce your risk of CVD?
Registration for the Singapore Heart Foundation's Pledge Your Heart Walk is now open. Fees start at $15 per person; $25 for two adults (Buddy Category); $20 for a mother and child (aged 6 – 12 years old) and $12 each for any group registration with more than 20 individuals.
Set against the gleaming backdrop of Marina Bay Waterfront Promenade, the walk will culminate in a carnival for participants, family and friends to celebrate the Go Red for Women campaign. Besides food and refreshment stalls, other highlights include a mass workout, finger prick cholesterol test, Zumba and many exciting kid-friendly fringe activities such as balloon sculpting and temporary glitter tattoo painting. Register now and join the Singapore Heart Foundation in its battle against heart diseases!
I will be there myself, so do say hi if you happen to see me! See you at Marina Bay on 25th June!
xoxo, kaitinghearts


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300 g (1 can) Sweetened Condensed Milk
75 mL (1/3 cup) lemon juice
15 mL (1 tbsp) grated lemon zest
250 mL (1 cup) whipping cream
200 g (1/3 bag) Europe's Best® Select Raspberries, frozen
400 g (2/3 bag) Europe's Best Select Raspberries, frozen
125 mL (1/2 cup) Raspberry Jam
50 mL (1/4 cup) orange juice or water
75 mL (1/3 cup) granulated sugar
10 mL (2 tsp) cornstarch
30 mL (2 tbsp) water
1. For the semifreddo, in a mixing bowl, combine sweetened condensed milk, lemon juice, lemon zest and whipping cream. Beat on high speed until thickened and soft peaks form. Fold in raspberries.
2. Spoon mixture into a plastic wrapped 9- x 5-inch (2 L) loaf pan. Freeze for 4 to 5 hours, or until firm. Cover if freezing overnight.
3. For the sauce, in a saucepan, combine raspberries, raspberry jam, orange juice and sugar. Bring mixture to a gentle boil, cooking until raspberries are very soft, about 8 minutes. In a small bowl, combine cornstarch with water and mix thoroughly. Add to raspberry mixture, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens slightly. Remove from heat. Strain through a fine sieve to remove seeds. Cover and refrigerate.
Make Ahead:
Semifreddo can be wrapped well and frozen for up to five days.
Melba Sauce can be covered and refrigerated two days ahead or frozen for two weeks
• Spray loaf pan before fitting with plastic wrap. This helps wrap stay in place


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Diecast Model Review: AutoArt 1/18 991 911 GT3RSin Miami Blue
I've done a few quick 'rundown' reviews of models in my collection in the past as Instagram posts, but thought it's time so start using my collection for more than just reference material in my artwork! So here's the first in what may become a series of reviews of models that cross my desk.
The biggest bone of contention (other than the rear wheel concavity) when Autoart announced their colors was the color accuracy of the Miami Blue paint version. This is far and away my favorite color of any 991.1 GT3RS, so I had pre-ordered it many months ago. However when photos were released of it, I was sad to see that Autoart had seemingly missed the mark by a wide margin in color accuracy. See below:
Porsche-nerds are nothing if not sticklers for accuracy. Autoart has been VERY responsive these days on their Facebook pages (yes they have two) though, and when poked vigorously about the color accuracy of Miami, they mentioned that Porsche had 'okayed' the color, and it was matched to a swatch provided by them. Having first-hand experienced Porsche's excellent reputation for accuracy, this calmed some of my worries about throwing down $200+ hard earned Canuckistan rubles for a model like this.
I'm happy to report after receiving the model that the color is quite accurate to Miami blue... in person. The issues were with either the pre-production sample used, or more likely the near-impossibility of cameras to capture Miami blue properly. Miami blue is a notoriously difficult color to photograph as it changes from a more pure blue to a blue-green as the paint goes from bright daylight into shade. Just Google it, and you'll see a seemingly endless spectrum of slightly different blues. My photos were shot in bright sunlight, so I was frustrated when I brought the model inside to assemble this review and comparing my images to the model on my desk, they all looked 'off'. I spent significant time re-touching the colors on a calibrated monitor, and still found it near impossible to match perfectly. In person the blue shows a bit darker, and with more green. Especially in shade. My bright daylight photos washed a lot of the green out of the paint that is especially apparent in shade. Just trust me, it looks beautiful and matches Miami blue in real life right down to the annoying inability to capture it.
Alright, color discussion over! I'm also happy to report that by most accounts this is one of, if not the most, accurate 991.1 GT3RS models available. Body proportions, wheels, gap & tire proportions, all present better than the GT Spirit, Minichamps in person, and possibly even the Spark renditions of the car. Shut lines are great with the exception of the leading edge of the door, but it's not distracting.
Since it's a composite model, body creases are quite sharp where they need to be also. There are nice badging details across the car, and the grilles both up front, out back, and in the trademark fender vents are all beautifully reproduced.
Other exterior elements like windows, lights, wipers, wing struts, mirrors, tires and wheels are all nicely detailed to my eye.
The Michelin sidewall is a decal/tampo so I'm not sure how long it will last though. The brakes are the red caliper steel variant on the Miami blue car. While other colors do get the yellow PCCB calipers, it seems an odd choice to put red on the blue car, when yellow calipers would have looked much nicer against the blue paint. Personal choice I guess.
The interior of the car is adequate, but not the best I've seen Autoart turn out by any measure. Even opening the passenger door is a stressful affair, the door handles don't feel like they'll stand up to much interaction so definitely use the provided plastic pick to carefully pry the doors open! Composite body models definitely do not provide the same interactive feel that metal ones do.
Seats are quite good, although the seat belts are rubber not fabric it's not a big issue on the Miami car since they're black rather than a bright red or yellow. In most photos I'd seen the gear lever looked rather comically phallic but in reality it's not that silly looking. It's actually quite accurate. The centre console, chrono, gauge cluster and roll cage all present well, and there's even some nice GT3RS badging detail visible through the rear window where the seats would divide on a non-RS model 911.
The engine bay is as detailed as it would be expected, but there are some annoyingly visible glue marks on the upper edge of it where the rear window is held in place. This is one of the only glaring issues on an otherwise excellent model. Autoart has even gone the extra mile and included magnets to hold the now-very-light-composite hood and trunk closed.
I keep my diecasts on the shelf to enjoy - I rarely pull them out to poke around them so for me my primary concern is the overall proportion and accuracy of the exterior. In that regard, Autoart yet again has beaten their competition. Try as fans might to poo-poo Autoart, there isn't another brand who can create a model as tightly put together as this, at this price point. It's a difficult thing to consistently turn out products at this caliber, and I applaud Autoart for not sacrificing quality in order to get a product to market first. Here's a snapshot compared to the Almost Real 991.1 GT3 in Birch Green.
This model may not appreciate as much in the future as many other more limited or esoteric types, but it's one that a true 911 lover will be able to enjoy and come back to and be consistently surprised and impressed by the 'feel' of the model. It's a great buy at MSRP and I'd leap on it since I have a feeling they may sell out quickly...


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Getting our hearts prepared for Christmas seems trickier these days than getting all the physical preparations complete. (Even though the physical preparations- decorations, presents, parties, food… can be overwhelming themselves!) We seem to struggle to slow down enough to give our hearts time to pause.
So, in the busiest time of the year, how can we prepare our hearts for the true meaning of the season? Here's some ideas to help:
- Take time daily with God. His greatest desire is to be with you. Spending time with Him can calm your heart, still your mind, and allow you to draw closer to Him. You can pray, read His Word, or just sit in silence listening for His voice.
- Choose an Advent calendar to help give you a focus for each day. This can be something as simple as one printed from online or as elaborate as giving a gift each day to the ones you love with meaning and purpose. YouVersion has a great free one on their app!
- Worship daily. This means sing songs of praise, be thankful, do your work in a worshipful manner, treat others how Christ would want you to treat them… Just think- how do you like to worship?
- Make a plan for the physical preparations. Decide when you'll do your shopping and what you'll get. Or do some online shopping to save time. Decide when and how you'll decorate. And decide what gatherings will be best for you and your family to attend and which ones you will say no to this year.
Preparing our hearts may be difficult, but it's not impossible- especially if we ask for help from the Holy Spirit. He's here to guide us and help us feel the peace and presence of Christ.
I'd love to know! What do you do to prepare your heart to receive Christ on Christmas?


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Logistics going digital – on our doorstep!
Managing 2.5 million vehicle movements a year on a 9 square kilometer private site is a real challenge. At Steel the complex puzzle of truck handling will soon be solved digitally and automatically as paperwork and time-consuming weighing processes become things of the past, thanks to digital technology and automated driver self-check-in.
In addition, the new gates 6 and 7 as well as a modern truck parking area on Hubertusstrasse will make checking-in a more pleasant and convenient experience for truck drivers.
Complexity made easy: Project manager logistics André Alberti combined, standardized and digitized dozens of highly complex processes involved when trucks check into the plant in Duisburg Nord. In this video he explains the challenges he had to meet, what further developments we can expect, and why people will still be needed in the future too.
Only recently it looked like something from the 80s, but today it's a model for traffic management at European industrial sites. In this film Christian Worberg, project manager equipment, explains the changes he made, how the plant gates of the future work, and what they mean for the efficiency of truck handling.
Limited rail capacity, more and more trucks on the road, and no end to the trend in sight … that's the reality in Germany today. The result is not only congestion on the roads but also, until recently, frustrating bottlenecks and long waiting times for truckers at the plant gates of thyssenkrupp Steel. For the company's logistics and security experts it was clear that the handling of truck movements on the site was in need of rejuvenation, both structurally and in terms of IT, otherwise gridlock was inevitable. After a project lasting three years, today management of traffic into and out of the site is much more efficient. At the same time, drivers can check-in at self-service terminals operated by an app. There are seven new, automated truck scales for fast weighing, and drivers too will enjoy more comfort. Soon they will be able to use a new long-stay parking area with modern sanitary facilities and break room.
Truck movements are now faster, safer and more transparent. Thanks to digitization there is less paperwork and staff at the gates can concentrate on more important tasks. And the environment benefits too: less congestion at the gates will mean less dust and noise pollution in Duisburg Nord.
Ingo Brauckmann is the new Head of Logistics at thyssenkrupp. The 48-year-old certified industrial engineer most recently served as Chief Supply Chain Officer at the Berner Group in Cologne, Germany, and brings a wealth of experience to the table. He is succeeding Ulrike Höffken, who has entered retirement.
The Logistics department at thyssenkrupp Steel represents one of the largest industrial loaders in Europe: It transports over 100 million metric tons for internal purposes each year, and has around 1,300 employees. For further information, see: https://www.thyssenkrupp-steel.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/press-release/index-107776.html
Contakt: thyssenkrupp Steel Europe AG
Business Area Steel Europe
Mark Stagge
Head of External Communications
Telephone: +49 (0)203 52-25159
Fax: +49 (0)203 52-25707Send email


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Gathering support and building awareness
Gathering support and building awareness
College Application Week is still the new kid on the block in Oregon, and it's brand new at the vast majority of our sites this year. That means we need to do a bit of work to ensure that the people in our buildings and communities know about the initiative and how they can help.
The CAW staff and steering committee are working on getting the word out statewide - to colleges, policy makers, the media, and other stakeholders. We need site coordinators to help spread the word locally - to students, parents, faculty and staff, local businesses, etc. The Site Coordinator Handbook and supplemental materials contain all the tools we think you'll need to promote your event. Use the CAW Overview for Teachers and Staff to inform your faculty that your schoolr or organziation is a CAW site this year. It's a handy one-page sheet that describes the intent and goal of the initiative and offers some quick and easy ways for them to be involved.
We encourage you to include your staff in brainstorming ideas for building excitement about the event -and, more importantly- about applying to college in general. The more the entire community is involved, the more buy-in and support you'll have!
Don't forget to share your ideas with other site coordinators by posting a comment here or on the Facebook page.