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Encounters with Aliens on this Day
June 18
1944 - A man by the name of Langer gave a dramatic account of
his encounter with seven belligerent dwarves, 4.5 feet tall, who came from
a spherical UFO that had landed on the beach in Oahu near Kaneohe,
Hawaii in the morning around 9 a.m. They wore green coveralls.
(Source: David F. Webb & Ted Bloecher, HUMCAT: Catalogue of Humanoid
Reports, case A0120, citing Donald Worley).
1953 - At 2:30 a.m. Howard Phillips, Hilda Walker and Judy Meyers were in a garden on 118 East Third Street in Houston, Texas when they noticed a strange "shadow" on the lawn that resembled a "flying man." They watched him take off and fly away. (Sources: Harold Wilkins, Flying Saucers on the Attack, p. 261; Jacques Vallee, Passport to Magonia: A Century of Landings, p. 202).
1965 - The Chilean military base in Antarctica sighted a large, lens-shaped UFO at 4:00 p.m. A photograph was taken and electromagnetic effects were reported. (Sources: NICAP UFO Investigator, September-October 1965, p. 2; Coral E. Lorenzen, Flying Saucers: The Startling Evidence of the Invasion from Outer Space, p. 235; Brad Steiger, Strangers From the Skies, p. 123; Frank Edwards, Flying Saucers--Serious Business, p. 283; UNICAT, case # 112).
1966 - Leon Barbier, the mayor of Bar-sur-Loup, France saw a large, round object with yellow and green lights on a hilltop at 3:45 a.m. At 4:00 a.m. a truck driver, Mr. Dugelay, saw a disc-shaped object over Le Rouret, France. It remained motionless for five minutes, then disappeared. Its lights were alternately red and bluish-green. (Source: Jacques Vallee, Passport to Magonia: A Century of Landings, cases 774 & 775).
1966 - Just before midnight four campers at Mount Mitchell, North Carolina saw an object with three flashing red lights land on the ground 200 meters away. It remained there all night, rose at dawn, was then was observed through binoculars as a red-colored, bell-shaped craft. Broken trees and other traces were found. (Source: Jacques Vallee, Passport to Magonia: A Century of Landings, case 776).
1968 - On this night near Catamarca, Argentina four people in a car saw a bright, stationary object only five meters above the ground. At this point, their engine failed. The object rose, flashing a light, then quickly moved away. (Source: Mark Rodeghier, UFO Reports Involving Vehicle Interference, citing FSR Case Histories, Supplement 16).
1971 - At 12:55 a.m. four witnesses in a rural area of Ben
Lomond, California observed the house lights flicker, then static
electricity and sparking everywhere before the electrical power failed.
They next observed a huge ball of light during a widespread California
power blackout that lasted one hour. (Source: Josephine Clark, FSR,
November-December 1971, p. 21).
1974 - At 3:30 p.m. on a sunny afternoon a strange metallic flying object flew around over the sea off the State of Santa Catarina, Brazil. It was at a distance of some thousand metres or so from the shore at Navegantes. After hovering for some six minutes above the sea, it veered at a 90 degree angle towards the beach and then dropped into the sea. Fisherman Avelino Severiano Generosa, age 46, his parents, his wife, and his nine children were all on the beach when they saw the silent, bright shiny object flying very low along the shore. It remaining stationary for six minutes, then it dropped into the sea. He at once put out in his motor-launch to the area, but found only foam on the sea where the object had disappeared. There were twenty other people on the beach who also saw the object, but none of the others had the courage to go out in the boat to see what was happening. Days later Celso Lemkuni, a diver, tried to make a dive to locate the object, but had no success owing to the strong winds lashing the coast. (Source: Gordon Creighton, "Alleged Kidnappings and Other Matters", FSR, March-April 1975, pp. 21-22, citing O Dia, July 12, 1974).
1979 - Sr. A. Ferreira was returning home from his job as a security guard in Mirassol, Sao Paolo State, Brazil at 3:00 a.m. when a metallic oval-shaped craft landed on three legs near his home. Three humanoids came out of the craft and paralyzed him with red beams of light, from boxes that they carried on their chests. These humanoid beings also carried boxes on their backs and had an insignia on their chests. He was floated onboard the craft alongside and once inside he believed he passed out. However, under hypnosis he remembered traveling to a larger craft where he found himself in a dark room with small lights and what looked like star maps. Ten to twelve humanoids were in the room with him. They were of two different types. Some had skin with a greenish tinge, with black smooth hair, thin lips, thin noses, pointed ears, and large eyes. The others were similar in appearance except that they had brown skin, kinky hair, dark eyes, and thick lips. All were between four and five feet tall and wore white uniforms and gloves. He was taken to another room and laid on a couch, a naked woman the entered the room. She was human like with black almond-shaped eyes, brown skin, a large head, red kinky hair, and very foul smelling breath. He resisted her sexual advances but was forcibly restrained. They spread an oily substance on his body, and forced him to have sexual intercourse with the female. The beings spoke in an unknown language among themselves but by telepathy with him. He was given the impression that they were conducting genetic experiments and were interested in reproduction. (Source: Thomas E. Bullard, UFO Abductions: The Measure of a Mystery, case 131, citing APRO Bulletin, November 1983, p. 1).
1980 - A schoolgirl saw what looked like a big monkey-like creature shrink to something only a few inches tall outside her house in Lumut, Perak State, Malaysia at 7:00 a.m. She screamed and then fainted. At 10:30 a.m. that morning two more schoolgirls went to the local school and saw two minature figures less than 7 feet away from them. One was dressed in a white spacesuit, the other in black. They were very hairy and only about two inches tall. Both carried backpacks and some sort of weapons. Their feet did not touch the ground. That evening at around 8 p.m. two teachers and several students searched a field and saw three more of the tiny entities, dressed in white. They also found a U-shaped mark on the ground. (Source: Ahmad Jamaludin, Summary of Unidentified Flying Objects and Related Events in Malaysia, cases 97, 98, & 99).
1982 - Five Chinese Air Force jet pilots flying over Heilongjiang Province, China at 9:57 p.m. encountered a huge odd looking aerial object. for two hours. Their gyro-compass gave a wrong directional reading, 30 degrees on right, and they experienced radio jamming during their three hour encounter. The yellowish-green UFO was stationary at first, then climbed rapidly and increased speed. At about the same time at the Bishui Forestry Center, also inHeilongjiang Province, China a beam shot up from behind a hill, 300 meters away, that turned into a creamy-yellow spiral. At the top of this beam was a white disc, 30-40 cm in diameter, that was dazzling and revolved counter-clockwise. It made a buzzing sound, then shot up straight up and away. (Sources: (1) Timothy Green, Above Top Secret, p. 217; MUFON UFO Journal, February 1984, p. 3; (2) Wendelle Stevens & Paul Dong, UFOs over Modern China, p. 247).
1992 - In California a woman named Connie awoke to discover a scab in her navel and a 2" x 6" bruise on her leg. During a later hypnosis session she recalled being on an exam table in an abduction experience during this night. Her abductors used telepathy to communicate with her. There was also a deer screen memory, in which she was led to believe at first that she was looking at deer, and not humanoids. This has been commonly reported in other alien abduction experiences. (Source: Richard J. Boylan, Close Extraterrestrial Encounters, p. 104).
1993 - A man working at a prison in Auckland, New Zealand looked out a window at 10:35 p.m. to see a bright light land on a nearby hill. Soon three humanoid figures became visible next to the light; they didnot appear to be human in nature. No further details are given. (Source: Albert S. Rosales, Humanoid Contact Database 1993, citing Mysterious Reality).
1993 - Multiple objects were seen in the sky at 8:45 p.m., and a time loss of 30 minutes occurred to a witness on Block Island, off the coast of Rhode Island. (Source: Peter Davenport, National UFO Reporting Center, Seattle, report uploaded February 18, 2001).
1996 - At 6:30 a.m. 40 witnesses in Constanta, Romania watched as a brilliant cigar-shaped object curved slowly and silently through the sky, then suddenly sped up and flew away rapidly to the northwest. (Source: Lumieres dans la Nuit, issue 340).
1996 - At 11:33 p.m. a barking dog and a booming sound alerted the witness to two bright lights floating in the sky over Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, which then "zoomed past." (Source: Geoff Dittman, 1996 Canadian UFO Survey, case # 117, citing NOUFORS).
1997 - In the pre-dawn hours a disc-shaped object with a second object hovering above it was seen from Norman's Law, Scotland. RAF Leuchars said there were not any of their planes in the area at that time. (Source: Ron Halliday, UFO Scotland: The Secret History of Scotland's UFO Phenomenon, p. 146).
2000 - Beginning at 11:45 p.m. a triangular-shaped object was seen hovering above train tracks in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada for 18 minutes. (Source: Peter Davenport, National UFO Reporting Center, Seattle, report uploaded December 2, 2000).
Written by Donald A. Johnson, Ph.D. (Revised 11 November 2009).
Compiled from the UFOCAT computer database.
Themes: abduction, abduction and sexual encounter, deer screen memory, disc-shaped UFOs, flying humanoid, missing time, multi-colored UFOs, paralysis, red UFO, short UFOnauts, tiny humanoid entities, tripod landing gear, vehicle EM effects, vertical ascent.


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With his suspension there has been something psychologically embattled about England, hunkering down and waiting for a squat, one-man cavalry unit to arrive.
Hodgson did not even bother to pretend otherwise: he is getting a world-class player back and he is going straight into the team.
While it is undoubtedly a relief to the England manager to have him back, it also raises certain expectations of Hodgson himself.
He is no longer being forced to coach and select with restraint. In integrating a player of Rooney's ability into the side, can Hodgson find a way of transcending the self-evident limitations in the way his side are playing?
There is no need for an instant conversion, just a few glimmers of promise about which to build some faith.
Certainly Rooney's return has given him decisions to make. The obvious first is which of his goalscorers to drop, Andy Carroll or Danny Welbeck.
While Carroll's header against Sweden was a convincing finish the rest of his play was limited and at times clumsily naive. Still, he worked phenomenally hard, running 11km (a kilometre further than Welbeck) over the course of the game (only Scott Parker and Steven Gerrard ran further).
Yet for all that industry he is probably best used as a specialist weapon against opponents vulnerable to his power in the air.
Against Ukraine he is likely to be restricted to the bench.
While Hodgson is cautious about placing too much pressure on a relatively inexperienced player, Welbeck has the advantage over Carroll not just because of his greater technical accomplishment and pace but because he already has an established chemistry with Rooney.
In an interview with this newspaper towards the end of the season, he explained the relationship.
"We just seem to work really well with each other," he said. "We understand each others' games really well.
"The bond is still forming and it is getting stronger and stronger every game. It can go on to great things. We are always messing about and joking off the field as well.
"We have banter going on between us and when we go on the pitch we will work hard to score goals and help create goals for each other.
"He is a Scouser, I am a Manc. But that goes out of it, we are good friends now. I am really looking forward to building that partnership and taking it to the next level."
The other issue Hodgson needs to address is how to take England to a different level. The bold, expansive move would be to switch to a 4-2-3-1 and play Ashley Young and Theo Walcott either side of Rooney.
It might not feel right going on the front foot for a game in which he only needs a point but it will also give the players time in a new system before facing a top-class opponent in the quarter-finals.
For someone of Hodgson's careful disposition that may be taking things too far.
Milner covered more distance than any other England player in the first half against Sweden and it could be argued that he created the conditions for which a fresh sub like Walcott could hurt the opposition.
The counter would be that Milner and England are making more work for themselves than necessary by repeatedly giving the ball away and failing to put the opponent on the back foot.
Rather than make too radical a change, Hodgson is instead likely to build from the foundations of defensive solidity built in the pre-tournament friendlies and the 1-1 draw with France.
The sloppiness on set pieces against Sweden – in conceding them and in defending them – is something he will work on today and tomorrow.
The game scenario, with England only needing a draw, does seem to suit a more cautious approach.
They played like an away team against Belgium at Wembley but this time there will be no pretending.
Donetsk is a passionate football city and, faced with elimination, Ukraine's fans will ensure the atmosphere is intense, even if the temperature should be cooler than it was against France.
"We're getting used to playing away from home," Hodgson said. "We played away from home against Sweden didn't we?
"I mean, basically speaking our very brave and enthusiastic 4,000 or so were being constantly shouted down by the 20,000 Swedes.
"So we've already played in one very much away game and we'll have to prepare ourselves for another away game."
Some cautionary words may be required. The last time England played in a febrile atmosphere like this was in Podgorica when they drew 2-2 and Rooney was sent off for kicking a Montenegrin defender.
With the pressure already growing on him ahead of his belated Euro 2012 debut, and a stadium goading him if things aren't going his way, Rooney must be careful to channel his notorious frustration into the right areas.
With his ability to play with his back to goal – to spin, to flick, to link – Rooney should change the England dynamic sufficiently to make them a more threatening counter-attacking unit.
He has thrived playing in that way with United when it has been required and with the pace of Young and Welbeck, and Ukraine's enthusiasm to get their full backs forward, there should be plenty of space to exploit in transition.
Certainly England need to improve in possession. Against France they were the technically inferior side and the combination of heat and hesitancy complicated things.
The Swedes seemed as allergic to possession as the England players, though, and when Hodgson starts going through the DVD of the game he will see far too little progressive diagonal passing.
Players are not moving between the lines, acting as fulcrums. Everything is being done in straight lines.
Never mind disrupting the Ukrainian game, Hodgson must hope Rooney can bring some healthy disruption to his own tactically rigid team.

subset: commoncrawl


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Stereo & Video Russian M8
The Eighth Note
by Sergey Klobukov
The ancients once have counted the wonders of the world and, on reflection, left the list of seven wonders for posterity¼ The happy lot of the figure of seven (seven colors, seven planets, and, at last, seven notes) seems to give the modest figure of eight no way of being compared to its brilliant precursor.
We, present generation, see the world a bit wider and a bit more diverse, I mean, we have more chance of looking beyond the horizon. But is there any room in our hearts for at least one miracle?
One can like music and know much about sound, one can understand circuit design and have an experience of audio expertise. One can never think about this and be an ordinary sheikh of Araby. Of course, what is not forbidden is allowed¼ But all that is allowed is just a petty fuss in the face of Music. The problem is whether you are ready to believe in the absolute of what you have heard. Are you ready?
If you think that Audio Note ?8 preamp turns divinity into reality, you are wrong. The earth and heaven stay in their places. But when you listen to the M8, for certain, something is happening to you. Here and now, this "something" transforms you, your emotions, mood, and feelings rather than the outward things. You feel ease, light, and comfort near the silver panel and glittering polished connectors. You are on a snow-clad top of the mountain, you are in the skies, beyond the clouds, higher than $30000, higher than any money. Who can calculate the feelings radiated by the Audio Note ascetic when your heart is comforted with music? Who can evaluate far-away roughness of the bow, fine play of valve harmonics on your overstrained ear? What words we need? How to call you, the eighth note of the musical scale? A more self-assured person can explain everything, but not me. And may the pyramids of Egypt forgive me.
All material copyright Audio Note (UK) Ltd., unless otherwise stated


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With the fashion world's current fascination, or 'Karlmania' if you will, it is no suprise that his cat got his own 'i-Profile: Choupette' in i-D Magazine.
Founded in the 1980s, the British magazine dedicated to fashion, music, art and youth culture is the brainchild of former Vogue Art director Terry Jones. Today, it boasts exclusive features such as the first ever photo story and profile on Karl Lagerfeld's now famous kitty named Choupette.
The cat lives a lavish lifestyle with perks that come from having eccentric Karl as your 'dad.' Choupette has its own iPad, two maids and travels in a private jet complete with a view of the celestial heavens. The i-D magazine profile depicts these facets of Coco Cat's lifestyle with the absolutely adorable appeal of this spoiled kitty.
Spoiled Lifestyle Kitties
More Stats +/-
Retro-Kitsch Songstress Editorials
French Feline Attire
Feline Fedoras
Couture Icon Ponies
Pop Icon Pintraits


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Aprilaire Manual Digital Humidifier Control
The Aprilaire 4655 Humidistat is designed for low voltage service to control humidification equipment. An increase in relative humidity expands the nylon ribbon which opens the control switch to stop operation of the humidifier. A decrease in relative humidity reverses the process and closes the control switch. Can be wall mounted or mounted on return plenum. Includes plenum cutout template (4 5/32" X 2 7/16"). For duct mount, locate at least 6" upstream of humidifier, humidifier bypass ductwork or fresh air intake ductwork.


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The daughter of the head of the Zhu village, she is the equal, and sometimes better, of her family's male warriors. She battles Song Jiang's army but is captured. She becomes an orphan after Li Kui slaughters the entire village. She becomes a ward of the bandits, and is given to Stumpy Tiger Wang in marriage due to an earlier promise and consequently joins the outlaws.
She is one of the greater bandits and sometimes battles as part of the vanguard. She is sometimes part of the second charge and takes a large part in capturing enemy generals. She meets her end in battle against Fang La's rebel army.
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Promotion decisions involve a thorough review of a Faculty member's performance and contributions to the College.
Dean's Role: The Academic Deans are responsible for evaluating a Faculty member's teaching effectiveness as well as his/her contributions to the profession and to the College. The Dean will write a narrative statement supporting his or her decision for promotion based upon the packet of materials forwarded by the Chair with his or her own observations.
Reviewers at each level of the process may request additional information. If the requested materials are not submitted on or before the stated due date at each level of review, it may be necessary to withdraw the Faculty member's name from the current round of review.
When the packet is complete, submit it to the Vice President for Academic Affairs on or before the deadline date. Please click this link Dean Recommendation Promotion form to download a copy of the form.
†MS Word documents require MS Word to view or print
This page developed and maintained by Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs. Send comments and suggestions to email@example.com .


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The brain is truly remarkable. As powerful as it is in good health, its resilience in revitalizing after injury is even more amazing. With time and the right rehabilitation program of consistent, aggressive therapy, brain function can rebound. Although full recovery is not always possible, early rehabilitation is critical for repair and the full potential of recovery.
Learn more about our brain injury rehabilitation programs.
Join us for a virtual tour of our hospital where you will see our patient rooms, exercise facilities, and more. You can also set up a personal tour by calling our hospital.
Learn more »
"I would absolutely recommend this hospital... Everyone here went above and beyond every day to help me get better."
Other patient testimonials »


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In a case report in The New England Journal of Medicine, Tran et al at the National Cancer Institute describe response to adoptive transfer of ex vivo expanded tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes containing T cells targeting personalized cancer neoepitopes in a patient with lung metastases from colorectal cancer. The patient is part of a phase II study evaluating this approach in metastatic solid cancers.
Identification of Reactive T Cells
The patient had 10 lung lesions as the only source of cancer progression. Three lesions were resected and evaluated for mutations; culturing for reactivity against mutant neoepitopes revealed a polyclonal CD8-positive T-cell response against mutant KRAS G12D in tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes. The culture with the highest frequency of such CD8-positive T cells was expanded for use in treatment.
Prior to cell infusion, the patient underwent a nonmyeloablative lymphodepleting regimen consisting of cyclophosphamide followed by fludarabine. The patient then received a single infusion of approximately 1.11×1011 HLA-C*08:02–restricted tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes composed of four T-cell clonotypes specifically targeting KRAS G12D. Infusion was followed by treatment with five doses of interleukin-2 (aldesleukin [Proleukin]), limited by patient fatigue.
Response to Treatment
All 7 remaining lesions had regressed by first follow-up at 40 days after cell therapy, with the patient having a 9-month partial response until disease progression was observed in 1 lesion. The lesion was resected, and the patient remained clinically disease-free at 4 months afterward.
Pathologic analysis of a responding lesion showed extensive necrosis and no live tumor cells. The progressing lesion was found to have lost the chromosome 6 haplotype encoding the HLA-C*08:02 class I major histocompatibility complex molecule, with this loss of expression indicating a direct mechanism of tumor immune evasion.
As stated by the authors: "Thus, the infusion of CD8+ cells targeting mutant KRAS mediated effective antitumor immunotherapy against a cancer that expressed mutant KRAS G12D and HLA-C*08:02…. [W]e found direct evidence of tumor immune evasion … through loss of heterozygosity of the copy of chromosome 6 that encoded HLA-C*08:02."
The study was supported by the Center for Cancer Research Intramural Research Program of the National Cancer Institute.
The content in this post has not been reviewed by the American Society of Clinical Oncology, Inc. (ASCO®) and does not necessarily reflect the ideas and opinions of ASCO®.
The content in this post has not been reviewed by the American Society of Clinical Oncology, Inc. (ASCO®) and does not necessarily reflect the ideas and opinions of ASCO®.


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We've only just finished filtering through all the announcements that arrived at Apple's recent March keynote, but that hasn't stopped speculation about what we could see in the upcoming iPhone 7. We've put together some of the best theories together to determine what we can expect to see in the next iteration of the iPhone. Let us know in the comments below what you'd like to see included.
1. There could be a pink variant
Apple is reportedly considering launching a pink variation of their upcoming handset. Although we did see a pink iPhone 5C, it'll be the first time a bright colour has really been considered for their flagship device.
2. Force Touch will make an appearance
One of the most impressive features announced for the Apple Watch was Force Touch, which can detect how light or how hard a user is pressing on the display. Incorporating this into the iPhone 7 wouldn't prove to be a massive task, but could open itself up to a whole new way of interacting with your device.
3. It'll launch alongside the iPhone 6S
The jury is well and truly out on this one. The iPhone 6S is heavily rumoured to be a slightly smaller iPhone, with the iPhone 7 being the larger device in the same vein as the iPhone 6 Plus.
4. It'll have a DSLR-quality camera
A lot has been said about the camera quality on the iPhone 6, and the release of the iPhone 7 could see the biggest improvement in mobile photography for sometime. Chances are we'll see a dual-lens included with a ton of new features to explore; including adding an optical zoom function.
5. Expect it to be released in September
Apple are very monotonous when it comes to announcing and releasing their devices. You can fully expect it to be announced late July/early August and then released the following month.


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In Maher's mind, here's how it works: Powerful, married men have "sh*tty" sex lives so they're frustrated, which prompts them to sexually harass women. Yes, he said because some men aren't "satisfied" at home they abuse women. So women those terrible wives are to blame.
Comedian Joy Behar was appearing on the show, but she didn't think the wives of men accused of sexual harassment and worse are the reason men sexually harass women.
"They're bored at home? No, that's got nothing to do with it," Behar said. "Let's leave the wives at out of it. The wives are home minding their own business while these jerks are jerking off."


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Routes : North America : United States : West Virginia : Roped Climbing : Seneca Rocks Region : The Panhandle : Smoke Hole Canyon : Long Branch : Local Hospitality
Local Hospitality - 5.12aAverage Rating : 0.00 out of 5
Route sequence (left to right): 16
Route Summary | Ascent Notes (0)
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4 bolts and anchors
Description:Climb the colorful face and steep roof just L of the corner and graffitti'd rock plate. Pull GENTLY on roof holds... let the big-un's climb LAST!
Descent Options:Lower from anchors.
Submitted by: roninthorne on 2009-04-11
Views: 741
Route ID: 98827


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Friday, 9 June 2017
Sorrento Sunrise Stitchscape
I've had a really interesting day at the first day of the Bridge Arts show in Uckfield. There are so many really talented artists in the show and it was a bit daunting at first, but happily, everybody is lovely and I'll share a few photos of my stand later this weekend after our second and final day tomorrow. I didn't need to start setting up until lunchtime today, so popped in to the studio this morning to finish mounting and framing a couple of my new Stitchscapes- namely my Sorrento Sunrise Stitchscape!
I was halfway through mounting and framing the piece before I remembered that I hadn't shown you chaps the finished embroidery- so I rushed outside to snap a few pictures on my phone to share with you.
I really like this piece; it is exactly how I found Sorrento to be- colourful, bright, interesting, almost sparkly with the bright white buildings and dazzling shopping streets. The best part about these Stitchscapes is that they all have a story to them- where the inspiration came from, the history of the fabric prints used, or the collections of objects (shells) used as embellishments.
I should maybe write a little blurb about each piece to display at shows so that people have the history behind them- or perhaps put together a little book with images and details for interested parties to flick through.
My favourite part of this piece is the sandy bottom with the hand dyed scrim, different beads, bullion knot barnacles, french knots and Sorrento shells. Having framed and seen this piece mounted on a wall, I also like the way the tiny clear sequins twinkle at you across the room- it is exactly like the flashes of light you get in the sea.
There are lots of holiday memories locked away in this little 'scape, and I hope it will remind others of their trips away as well.
1 comment:
- Anonymous24 June 2017 at 11:10
Such a beautiful work, you are so talented! Good luck in everything)ReplyDelete
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Smooth Jazz Cruise 2018
12th Annual Smooth Jazz Cruise:
When you mix, The high sea, Beautiful Ports or Call, All enclusive cruise ship, and Jazz you have a beautiful combination. This is the Joyner Cruise, this is the matures, with clss crowd. A beautiful trip, wonderful port, Great music. The Smooth Jazz criuse is hight recommended.
What to expect on the Smooth Jazz Cruise6 days, 7 night on the high sea, enjoying the beauty of exotic port, blended with a mix of Smooth Jazz, from some of the greatest musian to touch the high sea.
Smooth Jazz Cruise 2018 DatesFebruary 10-17, 2018
Estimated Price Range:
$1,775 to $2,600 per person
Smooth Jazz Cruise Video and Information
Ports of Calls during Smooth Jazz CruiseDeparture Port:
Smooth Jazz Cruise leaves from Fort Lauderdale
- Ft. Lauderdale
- Belize- Costa Maya
- Mexico – Cozumel
- Mexico – Cococay
- Bahamas
More Infom At Smooth Jazz Cruise
What do I need to sail:
Hotel in Fort Lauderdale
Spending cash
Tip Cash o the Ship
Travel Insurance


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Windows Phone may be in distant third compared to Android and iOS, but we certainly are gaining more and more of the big name apps for our platform. When it comes to music services, we're certainly not lacking any of the major ones out there.
We've got Microsoft's own Xbox Music and other third party services like Pandora, Rdio, Spotify, Nokia Music, and more. They all compete on features and price, after that it comes down to which one you personally like better. Fans of Rdio on Windows Phone 8 should be happy as the app just picked up a big update today, let's check it out.
It was in late February of this year that we last checked out Rdio for Windows Phone. The update back then was small and focused on improving online streaming and the interface. So what's version 4.0 bringing to the table for Rdio? Well for one, the app has been completely rewritten.
The big focus on v4 was to get the app super stable for Windows Phone 8. The last three months of work on Rdio has focused on user feedback and completely rewriting the app. There are some new features like Facebook login, signing-out and more, but the focus was on creating a solid Windows Phone app for Rdio. Now that they've nailed that, they'll work on adding new features.
What features would you like to see added to Rdio now that the app has a solid foundation to build on?
Rdio, like most music subscription services, offers different payment tiers for users. There are three plans (free, $4.99/month, $9.99/month) that have different perks and options depending on your use. Check out how it breaks down on Rdio's pricing page.
Want Rdio for Windows Phone 8? Grab it for free in the Windows Phone Store, use the QR codes below, or swipe to the right in our app.
Thanks for the tip @WPScoops!


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Too often, too easily, necessity gets a bad rap as the unwed mother of invention. Especially in the world of the theater, spare, minimal and experimental are heard as code words for low-budget, under-prepared and poorly conceived theater. Do not make the mistake of confusing that kind of theater with the exemplary work coming out of Buntporte Theater.
Buntporte has remounted their original work Quixote, performed at Smokebrush and at Colorado College last spring and summer, for an enthralling new production at The Denver Civic Theatre. It seems unfathomable that a play based on Cervantes' literary tome, claiming to be a satire of academia, could end up being a play whose star is its set and its "special effects," especially considering the company's challenge of staging the piece entirely with no props or set pieces other than chalk, chalkboards and erasers.
Nevertheless, the Quixote's innovative incorporation of simple set pieces is every bit as boggling as the fully functioning helicopters, underground waterways and suspended mansions of recent mega-musicals. Even the black-clad cast of Quixote frequently become animated chalk boards, incorporating themselves into impromptu sketches and making canvases out of their entire bodies.
Among the simpler effects created with three identical, rolling blackboards is the feat of linking the boards to make the chugging cars of a passenger train; flipping the board on its axis, perpendicular to its normal state, and using it as a counter; or standing it on its end to make a revolving door. More advanced techniques include lining up the boards beside each other and setting them all spinning on their axis to create the effect of a windmill for Don Quixote and his fatty squire Sancho to attack. The three boards are lined up so they are parallel to the floor and touching each other, and are then undulated with an actor at either end to create the effect of a rolling sea. A landscape scene, drawn on a board is slowly moved past actors, seated as though in a car, to give the illusion of the car's movement past the countryside. And using the board as a partial screen, action is suggested by pairs of legs seen interacting beneath the board, heads popping out above it and various body parts humorously reaching out from either side.
The use of props is equally inventive. The actors use a stick of chalk as a cigarette in one scene, complete with a pair of actors clapping erasers together to depict the smoke. In another scene, a fight ends with a character's teeth being knocked out as broken bits of chalk tumble out of his mouth. Smaller, handheld chalkboards become masks, one with a hastily drawn eye and nose serving to disguise a character. The fluidity of a chalk-based set also enables the quick-draw creation of an island on the black floor of the stage, populated with equally quick fish sketches.
The Denver Civic Theatre has long been used for one company or another to indulge their experimental vision at spare rates in front of a minimal audience. Too often, however, these untested ideas wallow in dark, belabored interpretations that construct an impenetrable wall of obfuscation between artist and audience. Buntporte bucks tradition by infusing their production with the upbeat energy so often missing from experimental theater, filling the stage not only with a vibrant volley of ideas but with a stream of fast-paced, carefully choreographed action.
The production is funnier, more creative and more sophisticated than one has the right to expect from such a young company satirizing the previously limited target of academia. The trump card is the versatile ensemble cast, a seasoned troupe who never relent in their mission to captivate the audience.
Equally appealing to audiences looking for literary allusions as well as Laurel and Hardy references, Quixote is well worth the trip to Denver. See it and delight in the continued success of this Springs-born company.


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Your Opportunities are Unlimited at UT
Interested in working in teams and changing the world? Discover how engineering is a profitable and flexible career with unlimited possibilities such as working in medicine, law, research, and a wide variety of other industries.
YOUatUT is a one day pre-college event for high school students (rising 9th - 12th grade students) interested in exploring the different engineering careers that The University of Texas at Austin has to offer.
Upcoming YOUatUT Events
Friday, March 22, 2019 from 9:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Registration will open early February 2019.
Registered students must complete the following. A complete registration includes:
1. Event Registration by Student
2. Payment of Non-Refundable Registration Fee
3. Completed Consent Forms by Parent/Legal Guardian (sent via DocuSign)
At YOUatUT, participants will explore how engineering benefits society and impacts the world through:
- Engineering sessions (tours, presentations and activities) led by industry professionals, engineering faculty and/or graduate students
- Interactive introductions to a variety of engineering areas and exciting career options
- Creative engineering design and fun hands-on engineering projects
There is a non-refundable registration fee of $250 for each participant interested in attending. Lunch and one validated parking pass is included as part of the registration fee.
An OPTIONAL Parent/Guardian Information session will be offered from 9:00 - 10:00 a.m. Cockrell School of Engineering staff will be available to answer questions about admissions, housing, etc. Lunch is not included for parents/families/guests.
YOUatUT Sample Schedule:
8:30 – 9:00
Participant Check-in
9:00 – 9:10
YOUatUT Welcome
9:10 – 10:00
Optional Parent Concurrent Session
9:10 – 9:45
Engineering Dream Big!
Learn how you can benefit society and change the world through the different engineering majors offered at the Cockrell School of Engineering.
9:45 – 10:30
Engineering Expedition
Tour led by engineering students. Learn about the different departments and opportunities for engineering students.
10:30 – 11:30
Engineering Student Conversations
Hear about engineering students' experiences in the Cockrell School and at UT Austin.
11:30 – 12:30
Faculty Conversation and Lunch
An engineering professor will share their experience and answer questions.
1:00 – 3:00
Visualization Lab Tour/Engineering Project: Just for Kicks
Work in a team and use your creativity and imagination to create an automated kicking machine.
3:00 – 4:00
Hands-On Activity
|4:00 – 4:30
Student Q&A, Wrap-up & Goodbyes
Final Questions and tips. Get some awesome giveaways!
Find out more about the
Women in Engineering Program!
Find out more about the
Equal Opportunity in Engineering


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Coenzyme Q10, or CoQ10, is a compound naturally made by the human body that promotes cell growth and maintenance inside the mitochondria of the cells, according to WebMD. CoQ10 also acts as an antioxidant, protecting the DNA in cells from damaging chemicals called free radicals.
CoQ10 has been shown to be effective in treating chronic heart failure, high blood pressure and the early stages of age-related macular degeneration, reports Mayo Clinic. Because insufficient amounts of CoQ10 may be linked to breast cancer, studies show that the supplement is an effective addition to the treatment protocol. CoQ10 may prolong survival in end-stage cancer, and the blood level amount can act as a predictive agent when trying to determine the risk of progression in skin cancer patients.
Studies show that coenzyme Q10 can protect the heart from the toxic affects of certain chemotherapy drugs, states WebMD. It can also act as an immune system stimulator and is thus an important adjuvant therapy addition to many cancer treatments. As individuals age, coenzyme Q10 levels decrease in the tissue. Because the highest concentrations are found in the heart, liver and kidney tissues, supplementation in the elderly and applications for use in treating specific conditions such as heart disease, chest pain and asthma are promising, but more research is needed, notes Mayo Clinic.


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Blueberry Sauce Recipe
2 T. butter
1 T. flour
1 16-oz. package frozen blueberries
1/4 C. sugar, or to taste
1 T. lemon juice
1 t. lemon zest (optional)
pinch salt
2 T. water
butter in a saucepan. Blend in all other ingredients. Cook over
medium-high heat, stirring until berries disintegrate and thicken,
about five minutes. Makes about 2 cups.
Ice Cream Recipe Provided By
Razzle Dazzle Recipes


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A railroad switch, turnout or [set of] points is a mechanical installation enabling railway trains to be guided from one track to another at a railway junction.
The switch consists of the pair of linked tapering rails, known as points (switch rails or point blades), lying between the diverging outer rails (the stock rails). These points can be moved laterally into one of two positions so as to determine whether a train coming from the narrow end will be led towards the straight path or towards the diverging path. A train moving from the narrow end towards the point blades is said to be executing a facing-point movement.
Unless the switch is locked, a train coming from either of the converging directs will pass through the points onto the narrow end, regardless of the position of the points, as the vehicle's wheels will force the points to move. Passage through a switch in this direction is known as a trailing-point movement.
A switch generally has a straight "through" track (such as the main-line) and a diverging route. The handedness of the installation is described by the side that the diverging track leaves. Right-hand switches have a diverging path to the right of the straight track, when coming from the narrow end and a left-handed switch has the diverging track leaving to the opposite side.
A straight track is not always present; for example, both tracks may curve, one to the left and one to the right (such as for a Wye Switch) or both tracks may curve, with differing radii, in the same direction.
A railroad car's wheels are guided along the tracks by coning of the wheels.[1] Only in extreme cases does it rely on the flanges located on the insides of the wheels. When the wheels reach the switch, the wheels are guided along the route determined by which of the two points is connected to the track facing the switch. In the illustration, if the left point is connected, the left wheel will be guided along the rail of that point, and the train will diverge to the right. If the right point is connected, the right wheel's flange will be guided along the rail of that point, and the train will continue along the straight track. Only one of the points may be connected to the facing track at any time; the two points are mechanically locked together to ensure that this is always the case.
A mechanism is provided to move the points from one position to the other (change the points). Historically, this would require a lever to be moved by a human operator, and some switches are still controlled in this way. However, most are now operated by a remotely controlled electric motor or by pneumatic or hydraulic actuation.
In a trailing-point movement, the wheels will force the points to the proper position. This is sometimes known as running through the switch. If the points are rigidly connected to the switch control mechanism, the control mechanism's linkages may be bent, requiring repair before the switch is again usable. For this reason, switches are normally set to the proper position before performing a trailing-point movement.[2]
An example of a mechanism that would require repair after a run-through in the trailing direction is a clamp-lock. This mechanism is popular in the UK, but the damage caused is common to most types of switches. However, some switches are designed to be forced to the proper position without damage. Examples include variable switches, spring switches, and weighted switches.
Generally, switches are designed to be safely traversed at low speed. However, it is possible to modify the simpler types of switch to allow trains to pass at high speed. More complicated switch systems, such as double slips are restricted to low-speed operation. On European High Speed Lines it is not uncommon to find switches where 200 km/h (124.3 mph) and more are allowed.[citation needed]
The conventional way to increase turnout speeds is to lengthen the turnout and use a shallower frog angle. If the frog angle is so shallow that a fixed frog cannot support a train's wheels, a swingnose crossing (US: moveable point frog) will be used. Higher speeds are possible without lengthening the turnout by using uniformly curved rail and a very low entry angle.
An AREMA (American Railway Engineering and Maintenance of Way Association) design number 20 turnout has a diverging speed limit of 45 miles per hour (72.4 km/h).[3][4]
In cold conditions, snow and ice can prevent the correct operation of switches. In the past, people were employed by railway companies to keep the switches clear by sweeping the snow away, and this is still used in some countries, especially on minor lines. Some were provided with gas torches for melting ice. More recently, switches have had heaters installed in the vicinity of the points so that the temperature of the rails in these areas can be kept above freezing. The heaters may be powered by gas or electricity.
The switch points of tram lines are often operated remotely by the driver. Monorail systems have special switches.
Many roller coasters have switches for the siding, or even for a double station system, for example in Disneyland Resort Paris' Space Mountain and Big Thunder Mountain coasters.
Regular rail can cross its own track because the gaps in the rails for wheel flanges are narrow, permitting the bladed design in this article. Round pipe roller coaster rails and box beam monorail rails usually have wheels riding at angles other than on top. These additional other angle wheels are a larger loading gauge, requiring big gaps in the rail (structure gauge) where rails cross or meet.
There are three basic switch designs for roller coasters. Flexing, substituting and table rotating rails have all been used. Flexing the entire rail truss, fixed at one end, to point towards an alternate destination requires manipulating a long segment of rail. Substituting a segment requires placing two or more segments of rail on flat plate that is moved in its entirety to provide straight or curved track.
Alternatively these substitution track segments can be wrapped around a rotating cylinder, creating a triangular truss or a two sided plate. Rotating a table with a curved track segment in a Y junction is the less used third option. This can even make a triangle junction. If the curved track turns the cars 60 degrees, and three rail lines meet as three equally spaced spokes, 120 degrees apart, than the curved track sitting on a turn table can be rotated to connect any two of the three rail lines at this junction.
The divergence and length of a switch is determined by the angle of the frog (the point in the switch where two rails cross, see below) and the angle or curvature of the switch blades. The length and placement of the other components are determined from this using established formulas and standards. This divergence is measured as the number of units of length for a single unit of separation.
In North America this is generally referred to as a switch's "number". For example, on a "number 12" switch, the rails are one unit apart at a distance of twelve units from the center of the frog. In the United Kingdom points and crossings using chaired bullhead rail would be referred to using a letter and number combination. The letter would define the length (and hence the radius) of the switch blades and the number would define the angle of the crossing (frog). Thus an A7 turnout would be very short and likely only to be found in dockyards etc. whereas an E12 would be found as a fairly high speed turnout on a mainline.
The correct setting of points is fundamental to the safe running of a railway. For example, an incorrectly set switch may result in two trains being on the same track, potentially causing a collision.
Perhaps the greatest security challenge in railway operation is preventing the tampering of manually-operable switches. Similar (non-fatal) wrecks near Newport News, Virginia on August 12, 1992 and in Stewiacke, Nova Scotia on April 12, 2001 resulted from switches being thrown open in front of the trains by teenage saboteurs. To prevent these incidents, most unused switches are locked up.
The 1998 Eschede train disaster was one of the world's deadliest high-speed train accidents, resulting in over 100 deaths. It occurred when a wheel rim failed at 200 km/h (125 mph), partially derailing the car. The wheel rim went through the floor of the carriage and was dragging on the ground. On arrival at the junction it threw the switch, causing the rear wheels of the car to switch onto a track parallel to the track taken by the front wheels. The car was thereby thrown into and destroyed the piers supporting a 300-tonne roadway overpass.
In 1980, 18 people died in the Buttevant Rail Disaster at Buttevant, Co. Cork in Ireland, when the Dublin-Cork express was derailed at high speed after being inadvertently switched into a siding via ground frame operated points.
The Potters Bar rail crash at Potters Bar, Hertfordshire in the United Kingdom occurred in May 2002, when a switch sprang to a different position as a coach crossed it, a type of mishap called "splitting the switch." The front wheels of a coach progressed along the straight track as intended, but the rear wheels slewed along the diverging track. This caused the whole coach to detach from the train and slew sideways across the platform ahead. Fortunately, the movement of the switch occurred beneath the final coach, so that although 7 people were killed, the front coaches remained on the tracks. Poor maintenance of the points was found to be the primary cause of the crash.
The initial conclusion of the inquiry into the Grayrigg derailment of February 23, 2007 blames an incorrectly maintained set of points.
On early lines, vehicles were moved between tracks by means of sliding rails. The switch as we know it was patented by Charles Fox in 1832.
Prior to the widespread availability of electricity, switches at heavily-traveled junctions were operated from a signal box constructed near the tracks through an elaborate system of rods and levers. The levers were also used to control railway signals to control the movement of trains over the points. Eventually, mechanical systems known as interlockings were introduced to make sure that a signal could only be set to allow a train to proceed over points when it was safe to do so. On some low-traffic branch lines, in self-contained marshalling yards, or on heritage railways, switches may still be operated in this way.
The points (switch rails or point blades) are the movable rails which guide the wheels towards either the straight or the diverging track. They are tapered on most switches, but on stub switches they have square ends.
In the UK and Commonwealth countries, the term points refers to the entire mechanism, whereas in North America the term refers only to the movable rails.
The frog, also known as the common crossing (or K-Rail in Australian terminology), refers to the crossing point of two rails. This can be assembled out of several appropriately cut and bent pieces of rail or can be a single casting of manganese steel. On lines with heavy use the casting may be treated with explosive shock hardening to increase service life.[5] A frog forms part of a railroad switch, and is also used in a level junction (flat crossing). The frog is designed to ensure the wheel crosses the gap in the rail without "dropping" into the gap; the wheel and rail profile ensures that the wheel is always supported by at least one rail. To ensure that the wheels follow the appropriate flangeway, a check-rail ("guard rail" North American terminology) is installed inside the rail opposite the frog.[citation needed]
On lines with heavy and/or high-speed traffic, a swingnose crossing (moveable point frog) may be used. As the name implies, there is a second mechanism located at the frog. This moves a small portion of rail, to eliminate the gap in the rail that normally occurs at the frog. A separate switch machine is required to operate the movable point frog switch.
This term "frog" is derived from the appearance of the elongated x-shaped assemblage of rails, which resembles the shape of a leaping frog.
On dual-gauge switches, a special frog is used where the 3rd rail crosses the common rail. Denver and Rio Grande crews called this a "toad."
A guard rail (check rail) is a short piece of rail placed alongside the main (stock) rail opposite the frog. These exist to ensure that the wheels follow the appropriate flangeway through the frog and that the train does not derail. Generally, there are two of these for each frog, one by each outer rail. Guard rails are not required with a "self-guarding cast manganese" frog, as the raised part of the casting serve the same purpose. These frogs are for low-speed use and are common in rail yards.
A switch motor (also known as a switch machine, point motor or point machine) is an electric or hydraulic or pneumatic mechanism that aligns the points with one of the possible routes. The switch motor also includes electrical contacts to detect that the switch has completely set and locked. If the switch fails to do this, signals are kept at red. There is also usually some kind of manual handle for operating the switch in emergencies, such as power failures.
A points lever, ground throw, or switchstand is a lever and accompanying linkages that are used to align the points of a switch manually. This lever and its accompanying hardware is usually mounted to a pair of long sleepers that extend from the switch at the points. They are often used in a place of a switch motor on infrequently used switches. In some places, infrequently used points may be operated from a ground frame. To prevent the tampering with of these switches by outside means, these switches are locked up when not in use.
Joints are used where the moving points meet the fixed rails of the switch. They allow the points to hinge easily between their positions. Originally the movable switch blades were connected to the fixed closure rails with loose joints, but since steel rails are somewhat flexible it is possible to make this join by thinning a short section of the rail itself. This can be called a heelless switch.
Turnouts were originally built with straight switch blades, which ended at the pointy end with a sharp angle. These switches cause a bump when the train traverses in the turnout direction.
The switch blades could be made with a curved point which meets the stockrail at a tangent, causing less of a bump, but the disadvantage is that the metal at the point is thin and necessarily weak.
A solution to these conflicting requirements was found in the 1920s on the German Reichsbahn.
The first step was to have different rail profile for the stock rails and switch rails, with the switch rails being about 25mm less high, and stockier in the middle.
As it is difficult to see the lie of a switch from a distance, especially at night, European railways and derivatives provide point indicators which are often illuminated.
A swingnose crossing. The point of the V-shaped rail is moved to align the rail in the appropriate direction where the two rails cross.
Several different styles of switch stand on display
A ground frame (at Bristol Temple Meads station, UK) contains a few levers for manually operating nearby points
A light industrial or yard track switch joint, where the points are joined to the closure rails by bolts through a "joint bar" or "fish plates"
Apart from the standard right-hand and left-hand switches, switches commonly come in various combinations of configurations.
A double slip switch (double slip) is a narrow-angled diagonal flat crossing of two lines combined with four pairs of points in such a way as to allow vehicles to change from one straight track to the other, as well as going straight across. A train approaching the arrangement may leave by either of the two tracks on the opposite side of the crossing. To reach the third possible exit, the train must change tracks on the slip and then reverse.
The arrangement gives the possibility of setting four routes, but the four blades at each end of the crossing are often connected to move in unison, so the crossing can be worked by just two levers or point motors. This gives the same functionality of two points placed end to end. The additional complexity of this type of switch restricts it to locations where space is limited, such as stations.
In North America, the arrangement may also be called a double switch, or more colloquially, a puzzle switch. The Great Western Railway in the United Kingdom used the term double compound points, and the switch is also known as a double compound in Victoria (Australia).
A single slip switch works on the same principle as a double slip but provides for only one switching possibility. Trains approaching on one of the two crossing tracks can either continue over the crossing, or switch tracks to the other line. However, trains from the other track can only continue over the crossing, and cannot switch tracks. This is normally used to allow access to sidings and improve safety by avoiding having switch blades facing the usual direction of traffic. To reach the sidings from what would be a facing direction, trains must continue over the crossing, then reverse along the curved route (usually onto the other line of a double track) and can then move forward over the crossing into the siding.
An outside slip switch is similar to the double or single slip switches described above, except that the switch blades are outside of the diamond instead of inside. An advantage over an inside slip switch is that trains can pass the slips with higher speeds. A disadvantage over an inside slip switch is that they are longer and need more space.
An outside slip switch can be so long that its slips do not overlap at all, as in the example pictured. In such a case a single, outside slip switch is the same as two regular switches and a regular crossing. An outside, double slip switch is about the same as a scissors crossover (see below), but with the disadvantages:
By the disadvantages over both the double inside slip switch and the scissors crossover, double outside slip switches are only used in rare, specific cases.
A crossover is a pair of switches that connects two parallel rail tracks, allowing a train on one track to cross over to the other. Like the switches themselves, crossovers can be described as either facing or trailing.
When two crossovers are present in opposite directions, one after the other, the four-switch configuration is called a double crossover. If the crossovers overlap it is dubbed a scissors crossover, scissors crossing, or just scissors; or, due to the diamond in the center, a diamond crossover. This makes for a very compact track layout at the expense of using a level junction.
In a setup where each of the two tracks normally carries trains of only one direction, a crossover can be used either to detour "wrong-rail" around an obstruction or to reverse direction. A crossover can also join two tracks of the same direction, possibly a pair of local and express tracks, and allow trains to switch from one to the other.
On a crowded system, routine use of crossovers (or switches in general) will reduce throughput, as the switches must be changed for each train. For this reason, on some high-capacity rapid transit systems, crossovers between local and express tracks are not used during normal rush hour service, and service patterns are planned around use of the usually flying junctions at each end of the local-express line.
In Germany a crossover is known as an Überleitstelle (abbreviated to: Üst) and is defined as an operating control point on the open line.[6] It is also a block section. At an Überleitstelle trains can transfer from one track of a single or double track section of route to another track on a double track section on the same route. Depending on the safety equipment provided, trains may run this other track either by exception or routinely against the normal direction of traffic.
An Überleitstelle must have at least one turnout. On double tracked routes, single and double crossovers are common, each one consisting of two turnouts and an intermediate section. Very often - but not mandatory - the turnouts and block signals at an Überleitstelle are remotely controlled or set from a central signal box.
The official categorisation of an Überleitstelle as a type of junction first arose in Germany with the construction of high-speed railways. Previous to that there were already operating control points at which trains could just transfer from one track to another on the same route, but they were considered as junctions (Abzweigstelle). The latter are still used to refer to those places in stations which enable trains to cross from one route to another.
A stub switch lacks the tapered points (point blades) of a typical switch. Instead, both the movable rails and the ends of the rails of the diverging routes have their ends cut off square. The switch mechanism aligns the movable rails with the rails of one of the diverging routes. In 19th century US railroad use, the stub switch was typically used in conjunction with a harp switch stand.
The rails leading up to a stub switch are not secured to the sleepers for several feet, and rail alignment across the gap is not positively enforced. Stub switches also require some flexibility in the rails, or an extra joint at which they hinge. Therefore these switches cannot be traversed at high speed or by heavy traffic and so are not suitable for main line use. A further disadvantage is that a stub switch being approached from the diverging route that is not connected by the points would result in a derailment.
Stub switches were more common in the very early days of railways and their tramway predecessors. Now, because of their disadvantages, stub switches are used primarily on narrow gauge lines and branch lines. Some modern monorail switches use the same principle.
A plate switch incorporates the tapered points of a typical switch into a self-contained plate. Each point blade is moved separately by hand. Plate switches are only used for double-flanged wheels, with wheels running through the plates on their flanges, guided by the edges of the plate and the moveable blade.
Because plate switches can only be used by double-flanged wheels and at extremely low speeds, they are typically only found on hand-worked narrow gauge lines.
A three-way switch is used to split a railroad track into three divergent paths rather than the more usual two. The complexity of such arrangements usually results in severe speed restrictions, and therefore three-way switches are usually only used in a station or depot where space is restricted and low speeds are normal.
Stub switches can more readily select between three routes, so most three-way switches are stub switches, although some were built using points [7]. It was extremely difficult to hold the two rails the correct distance apart for the length of the switch with these types of switch.
A three-way switch from a Brisbane tram depot is shown on the right. This example has two points (point blades) on each track, allowing for three diverging routes. The points can both be set to one side, resulting in a vehicle turning off the straight track. Alternatively, the two blades can be separated if the vehicle must continue along the straight track.
An interlaced turnout is a different method of splitting a track into three divergent paths. It is an arrangement of two standard turnouts, one left- and one right-handed, in an "interlaced" fashion. The points of the second turnout are positioned between the points and the frog of the first turnout. In common with other forms of three way turnouts an additional common-crossing is required. Due to the inherent complexity of the arrangement, interlaced turnouts are normally only used in locations where space is exceptionally tight, such as station throats or industrial areas within large cities. Interlaced turnouts can also be found in some yards, where a series of switches branching off to the same side are placed so close together that the points of one switch are placed before the frog of the preceding switch.[8]
A wye switch (Y points) has trailing ends which diverge symmetrically and in opposite directions. The name originates from the similarity of their shape to that of the letter Y. Wye switches are usually used where space is at a premium. In North America this is also called an "Equilateral Switch" or "Equilateral Turnout"
Run-off points are used to protect main lines from stray or runaway railroad cars or from trains passing signals set at danger. In these cases, vehicles would otherwise roll onto and obstruct a main line (sometimes known as fouling) and cause an accident. Depending on the situation in which they are used, run-off points are referred to either as trap points or catch points. Derailers are another device used for the same purpose.
Catch points are installed on the running line itself, where the railway climbs at a steep gradient. They are used to prevent runaway vehicles colliding with another train further down the slope. In some cases, catch points lead into a sand drag to safely stop the runaway vehicle, which may be travelling at some speed. Catch points are usually held in the 'derail' position by a spring. They can be set to allow a train to pass safely in the downhill direction using a lever or other mechanism to override the spring for a short time.
Catch points originate from the days of the 'unfitted' goods train. These trains did not have a mechanism in place to automatically brake runaway cars. Catch points were therefore required to stop the rear portion of a train that had become divided, although they would also stop vehicles that had run away for any other reason. Now that trains are all 'fitted', catch points are mostly obsolete.
Similar to catch points, trap points are provided at the exit from a siding or where a goods line joins a line that may be used by passenger trains. Unless they have been specifically set to allow traffic to pass onto the main line, the trap points will direct any approaching vehicle away from the main line. This may simply result in the vehicle being derailed, but in some cases a sand drag is used, especially where the vehicle is likely to be a runaway travelling at speed due to a slope.
A derailer works by derailing any vehicle passing over it. There are different types of derailer, but in some cases they consist of a single switch point installed in a track. The point can be pulled into a position to derail any equipment that is not supposed to pass.
Dual gauge switches are used in dual gauge systems. There are various possible scenarios involving the routes that trains on each gauge may take, including the two gauges separating or one gauge being able to choose between diverging paths and the other not. Because of the extra track involved, dual gauge switches have more points and frogs than their single gauge counterparts. This limits speeds even more than usual.
A related formation is the 'swish' or rail exchange, where (usually) the common rail changes sides. These have no moving parts, the narrower gauge wheels being guided by guard rails as they transition from one rail to another. The wider gauge only encounters continuous rail so is unaffected by the exchange. At dual gauge turntables, a similar arrangement is used to move the narrow gauge track from one side to a central position.
Rack railway switches are as varied as rack railway technologies, for optional rack lines such as the Zentralbahn in Switzerland and the West Coast Wilderness Railway in Tasmania it is convenient to only use switches on sections flat enough for adhesion (for example, on a pass summit). Other systems which rely on the rack for driving (with the conventional rail wheels undriven) such as the Dolderbahn in Zurich, Štrbské Pleso in Slovakia and the Schynige Platte rack railway instead must switch the rack rail. The Dolderbahn switch works by bending all three rails, an operation that is performed every trip as the two trains pass in the middle. The Štrbské Pleso and Schynige Platte Straub rack system instead relies on a complex set of moving points which assemble the rack in the traversed direction and simultaneously clear the crossed direction conventional rails.
Although not strictly speaking a turnout, a switch diamond is an active trackwork assembly used where the crossing angle between two tracks is too shallow for totally passive trackwork- the unguided sections of each rail would overlap. These vaguely resemble two standard points assembled very closely toe-to-toe. These would also often utilise swingnose crossings at the outer ends to ensure complete wheel support in the same way as provided on shallow angle turnouts. In North America these are known as Movable-Point Diamonds.
Such switches are usually implemented on the basis of increasing the safe crossing speed. Open blades impose a speed restriction due to the potential of the crossing impact fracturing the rail. Remember that both wheels on an axle hit the crossing gaps almost simultaneously. Switching the blades like the photo shows allows a much higher speed across the gap.
The frog end is not as bad, because the outer rail is still continuous, the wing rail (the bit that bends away after the frog gap) provides a gradual transition, and the check rail avoids the possibility of points splitting. Note how the wing rail has a wider shiny section, showing how the wheel load is transferred across the gap.
Single point switches, known as Tongue and Plain Mate switches, are sometimes used on freight railways in slow speed operation in paved areas such as in ports. In the United States, they are regulated by provision 213.135(i) of the Federal Railroad Administration Track Safety Standards. On streetcar (tram) systems using grooved rails, if the wheels on both sides of the car are connected by a solid axle, only one switchpoint is needed to steer it onto one or the other track. The opposite wheel is supported for a short distance by its flange running in the groove.
Expansion joints are a construction that allows the rails to move relative to each other due to changes in temperature while retaining continuity for through traffic.[9] They are often used on large bridges such as the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
Turnout speeds are governed by a number of factors.
As a general rule, the finer the crossing angle of a turnout, the higher the turnout speed. Turnouts are rated by number, which represents the ratio of divergence per length as measured at the frog. A rule of thumb is that the rated speed of a switch is twice is number.
Other considerations include the type of turnout (e.g. normal or swing nose, or slips etc.), wear and tear issues, and the weight and type of the vehicle passing over. Speeds for a trailing movement may be higher than for a facing movement. In many systems, speed limits vary depending on the type of train - for example in Sydney, Australia, a turnout can have a "normal" speed limit for locomotive hauled trains, and a higher speed for multiple unit trains or for the high-speed XPT/Xplorer services.


text:
Alternative Titles
Synonyms: Ikemen Café ni Youkoso, Ikemen Kafe ni Youkoso
Japanese: イケメンカフェにようこそ
Type: Manga
Volumes: 2
Chapters: Unknown
Status: Finished
Published: 2010
Genres: Shoujo
Authors: Mori, Chise (Story & Art)
Serialization: None
Score: 7.001 (scored by 2 users)
1 This score is not weighted. Please note that 'Not yet published' titles are excluded.
Ranked: #182612
2 based on the top manga page. Please note that 'R18+' titles are excluded.
Popularity: #30819
Members: 56
Favorites: 0


text:
Editor's note: This Veterans Day Voice of OC is publishing a series of plaques honoring some of Orange County's most decorated veterans. Paul F. McLellan was born on June 22, 1917 in Dupree, South Dakota. He also received the Bronze Star and two Purple Hearts.
LTC Paul F. McLellan, U.S.M.C.
Citation: Navy Cross
War: World War II
Paul F. McLellan for extraordinary heroism as Executive Officer of Company G, Second Battalion, Ninth Marines, Third Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces on Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands, from 26 February to 15 March 1945. On 26 February, when his Company Commander was killed during an attack against strongly fortified positions, Captain McLellan immediately assumed command and, in the face of intense hostile fire, skillfully led the attack and permitted his company to overrun an enemy strong point near the second airfield and annihilate the Japanese who had previously held up the advance of three Marine divisions. Again directing his company in an attack against hostile defenses near the third airfield on 3 March, he continually braved intense small-arms fire as he moved from one platoon to another to coordinate the attack and, by his daring leadership and tactical ability, aided materially in destroying forty enemy pillboxes and over two hundred of the Japanese. Throughout this period, he continued to lead his company effectively until seriously wounded on 15 March. His strategic ability, initiative and courageous devotion to duty reflect the highest credit on Captain McLellan and the United States Naval Service.
Orange County Walk of Honor by AMVETS
More about Paul F. McLellan:
- Hall of Valor (Military Times)
- Iwo Jima Veterans Interviews (Interview 1 & interview 2)on the 70th Anniversary of the Flag Raisings on Mt. Suribachi, Iwo Jima (You Tube)
- Voice of OC to Publish Series on Veterans Memorial Plaques


text:
Nouakchott- Mauritania (PANA) -- The director general of the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA), Abdelaziz Khelef, is due in Nouakchott on 25 November for a working visit, official sources affirmed in Nouakchott.
Khelef, on a sub-regional tour to Senegal, Guinea-Bissau, the Gambia and Mauritania, is expected to meet with the Mauritanian private sector in order to sensitise its members on the opportunities offered by BADEA whose interventions in Africa covers 43 countries and reached US$3.
354 billion.
According to the same source, only two or three Mauritanian companies have until now benefited from the opportunities offered by BADEA.


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|bewarethesmirk (bewarethesmirk) wrote,
@ 2010-05-23 20:17:00
|Current mood:
|Current music:
|as if by magic - la roux
|Entry tags:
|category: femmeslash, fandom: hp, genre: drama/angst., genre: pwp, genre: romance, length: 1-4.9k, my fics, pairing: ginny/luna, rating: nc-17
FIC: An Orgasmic Quest (Ginny/Luna, NC-17)
Title: An Orgasmic Quest
Author: bewarethesmirk
Rating: NC-17
Pairing: Ginny/Luna
Summary: Luna thought that orgasms were oddly complicated.
Word Count: ~1,565
Author's Notes: Written as a pinch-hit for femmefest. Beta'd be the lovely woldy.
One day during History of Magic, it occurred to Luna that she was seventeen-years-old and had never had an orgasm. Well, that wasn't true. Luna experienced orgasms frequently, if she could help it, but she'd never had an orgasm as a result of someone else.
To commemorate the approaching holidays, the professors were gifting them with a huge round of practice exams for their N.E.W.T.s. Luna wanted to be calm and prepared, and everyone knew that orgasms helped to relax tense muscles, ward off sickness - not to mention they helped to expand comprehension rates.
Luna listened to Binns drone on about some indiscriminate goblin war and pretended to scribble down notes. She looked about the room, wondering who might like to fuck her. She wondered if any of these people liked her, even. There was no-one in the room Luna even cared to fuck and no-one she could think of except for Ginny Weasley, who was her best friend and Luna couldn't risk losing her no matter how much Luna wanted to bury her face between Ginny's legs.
Wrinkling her nose, Luna thought that orgasms were oddly complicated.
Next to her, Ginny looked up and met Luna's eyes. They exchanged small smiles and Luna wanted.
They were in the library with a mountain of books heaped on the table between them, and Ginny's Muggle shirt was cut low.
"I will never understand this," Ginny declared and slammed her Potions book shut. "Ever. And I don't even care. Slughorn will probably give me an O anyway."
"Probably," Luna echoed.
"He likes me," Ginny said, grinning.
"Everyone likes you," Luna said, closing her book, too. Except for Harry, maybe, but it had been a nasty break-up.
She looked at Ginny's collarbone. There was no way she was going to concentrate. Squeezing her thighs together, Luna crossed her arms on the table and did what she'd promised herself she wouldn't do. "I'd like to ask you about something."
Ginny studied Luna's face, and her face transitioned from frustration to something kind and concerned. The freckles on her nose and cheeks seemed softer, her eyes brighter and the curve of her mouth lax.
Luna hesitated, which was rare. "I want to have an orgasm with someone else."
Ginny was a good actress. Her eyes widened only slightly.
"That's great, Luna," she said, smiling, and Luna's shoulders relaxed –
"Are you, um, interested in someone?"
– then tightened again.
"Yes, but it's a secret," Luna said and sat up straighter. "Anyway, I want to do well on my exams."
Ginny smiled. "Of course."
"I need to find someone who's interested but I can't think of anyone who likes me."
"Hm," Ginny said, carefully, staring at Luna very carefully. There was a slow steady ache in Luna's belly, and it was not a stomachache. "I think I might know someone but she's a…she."
Luna didn't know whether to be glad or aggrieved. "That's brilliant."
Ginny stared.
"I like girls, too," Luna said, looking down.
"Let me think about it," Ginny said slowly, brow furrowed. "I'll tell you tomorrow."
The next day, Luna leaned against Ginny's pillows, which were too fluffy for her liking. She hoped there were no hopperknockers lurking beneath the sheets.
They were trying to study but Ginny had insisted upon asking Luna what she liked in girls so that she could better determine what Luna wanted from a partner. It wasn't helping.
"I'll tell you who I was thinking of," Ginny said, a look of fierce determination on her face. Her hair was down today, straight and red and shiny. Oddly, Luna wanted to kiss her hair, to pull it.
Ginny sat up and leaned far too close. "Are you attracted to me?" she asked, soft and serious.
And easy as that, they kissed. It was once – a neat kiss, a press of their lips, warm and soft. Luna longed for more.
"Tomorrow," Ginny whispered, for apparently no good reason.
Ginny Weasley was a tease, but that wasn't surprising. At all. Luna quite liked it.
Once they were behind the door, Ginny pulled their bodies flush and said, "I've been thinking about this all day," and kissed Luna hard on the mouth. Luna made a small sound in surprise and when her mouth opened, Ginny took control, pushing her tongue in, licking. The kiss was incredible, firm lips, tight pressure and their soft tongues.
Luna liked the wet, warmth of Ginny's mouth and liked even more when Ginny pushed her back onto the bed.
"I want to give you what you want," Ginny said, stepping between Luna's legs. Taking Luna's chin in her hand, Ginny leaned forward to kiss her again and Luna was distracted by the familiar pattern of freckles on Ginny's cheeks, the long red eyelashes, the heat in her voice.
Luna was sure whatever she felt was reflected upon her face. Ginny's fingers traced her mouth and the line of her jaw.
"Nothing will change unless you want it to," said Ginny.
What does that mean? Luna wondered before she was too distracted to think. These were wonders of a different variety: Ginny kissing her soft and sweet, then deep and fierce. Their tongues slipped together, and Ginny bit her lip. There was little softness in the kiss after a bit, nothing hesitant in the way Ginny slipped to her knees and pulled up Luna's grey skirt.
"I've made certain no-one will come in," Ginny said against her bare knee. The movement of her mouth tickled.
"How?" Luna asked, tilting her head, looking down to watch Ginny's hair spilling out across her pale thighs as she mouthed up, closer.
"I never reveal my secrets," Ginny said, smirking. Then her mouth was open on Luna's thigh, sucking and biting, dragging her tongue as she pushed up Luna's skirt. Ginny licked up, eyes on
Luna's, and then sucked a line of hard kisses up the pale length of her skin.
"We should take off my knickers," Luna said, and she and Ginny hands met, twined, to push them down her kissed-pink thighs.
"Hold yourself open."
Luna's fingers reached for her thighs to hold them open wider.
"No." Ginny smacked her thigh lightly. "Your cunt. Spread it."
Shivering, Luna' s fingers find the damp crease of her inner thighs, the slick skin of her cunt and she parted her cunt. She should be blushingly hotly, but she wasn't. She was on display for Ginny, and her lower belly was tightening, hot little shivers easing down her spine.
When Ginny pressed the tip of her tongue to Luna's clit, she moaned, her head falling back. Her back arched, and she knew without a doubt she was going to come like this.
"Your mouth – "
"Mmm," Ginny agreed against her cunt, licking from her clit to her entrance, getting her face all messy. Luna worked her fingers into Ginny's soft hair and pressed her face into her cunt, wanting to feel Ginny's nose against her skin – all the way.
Hot and wet, Ginny took Luna's clit into her mouth. It was all slick and fucking hot, with a graze of teeth, and fuck, Luna was shattered. Ginny pulled off her clit with a nasty pop and said, "I want you to come. You're so lovely."
Luna's mouth fell open and she said, "Yes," and pushed Ginny's face to her cunt and ground down onto Ginny's face. Ginny nose was pressed against the very top of her cunt, Ginny's fingers circling her tight entrance and she imagined Ginny's fingers stretching her, fucking her open, shoving them in.
Oh fuck. She grabbed Ginny's hair and pushed up once, twice and her hips jerked, chasing the pleasure that seized her body in one long wave and then long shuddering ones that kinked her toes.
"I want to do that again," Luna said, when she'd caught her breath and Ginny was holding her close.
"Tonight, maybe?" Ginny asked. "We might have to find somewhere to go."
"Leave it to me," Luna whispered, strands of Ginny's hair wound around her fingers and shining crimson in the late afternoon sun.
Ginny watched her, maybe scrutinising.
"Thank you," Luna said, kissed her once. "I should do very well on finals," she said and meant it. Her body felt pleasantly like soup.
Luna and Ginny walked down the hall of Hogwarts holding hands and no-one seemed to think anything of it. Whether it was Ginny's reputation or Luna's eccentricity or just nonchalance that spared them a critical glance, it mattered not.
"Bill is going to kill us for being late," Ginny whispered in Luna's ear. Luna laughed and smiled.
They increased their pace, but only slightly.
Luna had been thinking about this but didn't know quite how to phrase it. "I've been thinking," she said.
"I know," Ginny said softly and her hand tightened.
"I'd like to try. More." Luna smiled. "I like having orgasms with you," she said dreamily.
Ginny grinned and raised her eyebrows. "I do think it's my turn."
"Oh, it is," Luna said. "I ordered a – what is it called? – strap-on from a sex toy shop. It should arrive by owl in a few days."
With that, Luna paused in front of the DADA classroom and smiled ever so slightly before sliding in, leaving Ginny to follow. Luna had a few tricks up her sleeve.


text:
Sensex erases early gains to lose 141 pts; Nifty below 5,800
In a highly volatile trade, BSE benchmark Sensex today erased early gains to close lower for the third straight day, losing over 141 points on heavy selling in realty stocks following the home loan racket.business Updated: Nov 25, 2010 17:01 IST
In a highly volatile trade, BSE benchmark Sensex on Thursday erased early gains to close lower for the third straight day, losing over 141 points on heavy selling in realty stocks following the home loan racket.
The Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) benchmark index, Sensex, after losing 498 points in the last two trading sessions, fell further by 141.69 to 19,318.16. It touched the day's high of 19,628.27.
The Sensex slid 1.2% on Wednesday to its lowest level in more than two months, as news of the investigation into the housing racket emerged. Later, CBI arrested eight senior officials and of PSU banks and financial firms, including LIC Housing CEO, on charges of taking bribes to grant corporate loans.
The broad-based National Stock Exchange (NSE) index Nifty broke another crucial 5800 points level, closing 66 points down to 5,799.75. It touched the day's high of 5,907.10.
A better global trend and easing food inflation failed to check the down-trend as market participants indulged in squaring up their positions on the last day of monthly derivatives contract on Thursday.
There was a steep fall in stocks of realty, capital goods, power and refinery sectors.
In the 30-BSE index components, 23 stocks closed with losses while seven ended higher, led by IT major Infosys Technologies, Tata Consultancy Services and Bharti Airtel.
A rise in stocks of information technologies, which get more than 50% of their revenue from the US and European markets, only helped in minimising the losses.
The realty sector index suffered the most by losing 5.40% to 2,877.35, after DLF, the nation's largest real estate developer, fell 4.13% to Rs 292.75, and D B Realty by 9.99% to Rs 235.25 on fears the sector might face higher borrowing costs after following the bribes and improper loans scam.
The stocks of Money Matters Financial Services, also named in the bribery probe, fell 19.99% to Rs 425, in continuation to its 20% fall in the previous session. Both were the daily lower limits set by the exchange authorities.
The heavy machinery sector's Capital Goods index was second worst performer by losing 2.88% to 14,990.06 as stocks of Larsen and Tourbo, BHEL, Siemens India, Suzlon, ABB, BEML and Reliance Industrial Infra suffered major losses.
First Published: Nov 25, 2010 10:12 IST


text:
- Piper Ferguson
Even if you've never heard of Booker T. Jones, you have heard him.
The Memphis legend was just 17 when he and his fellow session players at Stax Records formed what soon became R&B's premier instrumental band.
Booker T. and the MGs, who would perform on hundreds of recordings by soul artists ranging from Wilson Pickett to Otis Redding, released their debut single "Green Onions" in the fall of 1962. With its unmistakable Hammond organ melody and soulful mid-tempo groove, it's a song that, once heard, cannot be forgotten.
The deceptively understated instrumental managed to reach No. 1 on the R&B charts four separate times, and has since been covered by a bizarrely eclectic array of musicians: Count Basie, Johnny Thunders, The Ventures, The Blues Brothers, Mongo Santamaria, Vassar Clements, Paul Hardcastle, Tom Petty ... the list goes on.
But none of those artists could capture the magic that occurred during that original Memphis recording session.
And from Booker T's perspective, neither could he.
"There was this little inflection in the way I was using the left hand, the rhythm of it, that I still try to duplicate," says Jones with characteristic humility. "And also the way the song moves, with that infectious kind of attraction and magnetism that draws you in. That's kind of hard to recreate, you know? It's like something that happens just once, and we were like, 'Oh my God, how did we do that?'"
The same could be said for any number of milestones in Booker T's career. As the '60s drew to a close, Jones and his band's classic lineup — guitarist Steve Cropper, bassist Donald "Duck" Dunn, and drummer Al Jackson Jr. — found their way back into the Top 10 with two successive singles, "Time Is Tight" and "Hang 'em High." But despite renewed commercial success, internal tensions within the Stax organization were taking their toll.
After recording one last MGs album in 1970, the band called it a day and Jones moved to Los Angeles. Cropper and Dunn would go on to revive the Stax Sound as members of The Blues Brothers, while Jones became a session player for artists ranging from Ray Charles to Rancid. He also took the production helm on timeless albums like Willie Nelson's Stardust.
- Piper Ferguson
And then there's Jones' solo career, still going strong, which includes a 2009 album backed by Drive-By Truckers, with Neil Young on guitar. Booker T's two most recent albums — the first of which was co-produced by Questlove from The Roots — boast guest performances by retro-soul revivalists Mayer Hawthorne and Raphael Saadiq, My Morning Jacket frontman Jim James, The National's Matt Berninger, British R&B chanteuse Estelle, Dap-Kings frontwoman Sharon Jones, rock 'n' roll icon Lou Reed and reluctant blues savior Gary Clark Jr.
The difficult truth is that, at the age of 71, Jones is cooler than the rest of us combined.
While Booker T and the Hammond B-3 will forever be associated in pop-music history, the son of science teacher Booker T. Jones Sr. was always drawn to a wide range of instruments. He was trying to play his family's upright piano before he could reach the keys. At the age of 5, he was begging his parents for a drum without success; instead, his mom bought him a ukulele from a dime store in downtown Memphis. By the fourth grade, he was taking clarinet lessons and soon was playing oboe and baritone sax as well.
Jones doesn't remember whether he was 11 or 12 when he first heard the sound that would change his life.
"It was Ray Charles playing on a song for Quincy Jones called 'One Mint Julep.' And Ray was playing a Hammond M-3 organ, I later found out. But I heard that song and it so affected me that I thought, 'I would be so happy if I could do that with my life, if I could make a sound like that.'"
By coincidence, Jones' piano teacher had a Hammond in her dining room, and it didn't take him long to figure out that was the same kind of instrument he'd heard on the radio. "And then, when I got hired at Stax, it turned out they had the actual instrument that Ray played, so that's the one I played on 'Green Onions.' And so my dream came true."
With the civil rights movement still in its early stages, Stax Records served as a kind of refuge from the racism that still prevailed throughout the South. Founded in 1957 by Estelle Axton and her brother Jim Stewart, the company's staff was integrated, and so were the musicians. Jones and Jackson were black, Cropper and Dunn were white. The music was what mattered.
The unique "Stax Sound" came, in part, due to the studio itself. Sound technology had yet to transcend the limits of its physical surroundings. But it was also, to a greater degree, because of the local musicians, typically from poor and working-class families, whose instrumental and vocal talents gave the music its soul.
Stax also had its regional equivalents around the country: In Alabama, the "Muscle Shoals Sound" emanated from the studio of the same name. In New Orleans, producer Allen Toussaint and The Meters were creating "The Crescent City Sound." Head up north to Detroit, and you'd find Berry Gordy's basement studio, where musicians were cranking out "The Motown Sound."
"A lot of people ask me if there was a rivalry between Stax and Motown," says Jones, "but the truth is that Mrs. Axton, who was half-owner of Stax, would play Motown records to kind of urge us on. I think it was more creativeness than competitiveness."
- Sean Davey
Of course, not everything that came out of Stax was a hit. Jones remembers several artists whose singles failed to find the commercial success that he and his colleagues knew they deserved.
"We had our favorites," he recalls, "and one in particular was 'Your Good Thing' by Mable John, which for some reason didn't become a big hit."
Jones places Frederick Knight's signature song "I've Been Lonely for So Long" in a similar category.
But while several Stax artists lingered in obscurity, Booker T. and the MGs found themselves increasingly in demand, at home in Memphis, going out on tours, even appearing on national television.
"My drummer and bassist [Jackson and Dunn] were good friends with Creedence Clearwater Revival," recalls Jones, "and so we spent a week jamming with them in this woodshed they used as a rehearsal space in Oakland. And then we did a TV show and concert together afterward."
The MGs also struck up a friendship with Billy Preston, who was well-known for his keyboard contributions to recordings by The Beatles, Little Richard and The Rolling Stones.
"Next to Ray Charles, he was the most soulful Hammond player," says Jones. "We were still wet behind the ears when we got to Hollywood, and we met him while playing a TV show — I think it was 'Shindig!' — and he was just the nicest guy. And, of course, he had the same upbringing that I did. You know, the church and classical music and all that."
Jones also keeps in contact with Dr. Lonnie Smith, a master of the Hammond B-3 known for his trademark turban and an unmatched ability to create a full-band sound from an analog instrument's keyboards and foot pedals.
"I'm known as a Hammond player, but it's dedicated people like Lonnie who are the real Hammond players," says Jones, who still prefers bass players to bass pedals. "Those are unique individuals that can do that, and Dr. Lonnie Smith is probably the most unique."
These days, Jones rents his Hammond B-3s on the road. The manufacturer, he says, stopped making them in 1974, and airlines stopped carrying them in 1994. In addition to being massive, pre-digital Hammonds were on a par with 1970s Mellotron synthesizers when it came to breaking down.
"You would have to bolt down the tone generators just to move them at all," says Jones, with the weariness of someone who spent too much time doing that.
Even so, he resists his Hammond technician's urgings to take a lightweight digital version on the road.
"I had one that I played in London years ago that fooled my bass player for a while," Jones says, "but I think it's similar to the debate about analog recordings versus digital recordings. To the sophisticated ear, a person can tell. Well, they say they can, anyway."
But for Jones, who admits to being something of a perfectionist, there's really no option: "I don't use the small ones. I can't. I need the double keyboards, I need to have the original tones and the original drawbars, just to do my thing. Otherwise, it doesn't sound like me."
By the time Stax Records closed its doors in the mid-1970s, Jones had already moved to Los Angeles. Compared to most transplants, his period of culture shock was brief, having already become familiar with the Hollywood studio system during his earliest trips to LA.
Jones' first "super-professonal session," as he calls it, was at the direct invitation of Atlantic Records' co-founder Ahmet Ertegun. "He called my sister's house and said, 'Can Booker come over to Hollywood? We have a Bobby Darin session.' And so I borrowed her car, she gave me directions and I raced over there through LA traffic. I'd barely made it through the door when the red [recording] light came on.
"That's how they did it in Hollywood in those days, so they were used to that. But I was a small-town boy from Memphis, Tennessee. We'd be like, 'Let's get a cup of coffee first.'"
Jones has learned a lot more in the years since, including how to work with singers who might never have made their way to Memphis. "Every session changes according to how well you know the person," he says. "You have to really think on your feet, especially with someone like Lou Reed or Estelle. Whereas the people I worked with every day back in Memphis — Albert King, Otis Redding, William Bell or even Eddie Floyd — you already know what the format is. But when you go into a session with somebody you haven't worked with before, like Barbra Streisand or Bobby Darin, that's when your professionalism has to kick in. And sometimes it doesn't!"
Then there are those times when musicians from completely different backgrounds turn out to be kindred souls.
"I had that with Sinead O'Connor over in Ireland," says Jones. "We were working on some music, and she just started naming all these blues tunes that came from all these people who came out of my area. She knew them all, she knew the lyrics, she knew everything."
Jones' collaboration with Lou Reed was more complicated. Reed turned down Jones' request to sing "The Bronx" on his 2011 album, The Road From Memphis.
"We wanted him to do it, but he said no," Jones says. "So I finally got him on the phone and read the lyrics to him."
A consummate New Yorker, Reed acquiesced, but it took a considerable amount of time for him to let down his guard in the studio. "He was cantankerous for a good while," Jones says. "But it came together, and by the end, we became harmonious."
As different as their personalities may have been, Lou Reed and Booker T. shared at least one thing in common: Both had achieved fame early on with hit singles they'd be asked about for the rest of their lives. Once, in a moment of exasperation, Reed told a particularly petulant interviewer that, yes, he'd spent every day of his life trying to write a song as successful as "Walk on the Wild Side."
Was there ever that kind of pressure in the aftermath of "Green Onions"?
"That's an interesting question," says Jones. "I didn't have the criteria 'as good as.' And I think that 'pressure' isn't exactly the correct word. It's always been a pleasure to do it. The ideas are always there, there's music in my mind every day, and I think a lot of musicians feel that.
"It's more like there's this creative urge all the time. And it doesn't go away."