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We are very pleased to offer an exceptional range of quality gift baskets for women, in a variety of styles and themes. You can always count on us any time you need thoughtful and unique gift baskets delivered to friends or loved ones.
Chocolate is always near the top of the list when it comes to a woman's favorite things, so this year, we've created plenty of wonderful chocolate themed baskets. Our Godiva gift baskets are just one of the many options from which to choose in our collection of delicious chocolate gifts. Featuring chocolate covered strawberries, a Godiva ballotin, truffles, chocolate biscuits and chocolate bars, all of these delights are presented in a reusable willow basket. What a special way to celebrate her love of chocolate.
If you are looking for an administrative gift basket or just a thank you for a loved one who appreciates a great cup of coffee you'll find the perfect gift. Our espresso inspired chocolate gift basket is bursting with chocolate coffee caramels, dark chocolate espresso beans, chocolate espresso cookies, biscotti, Irish cream, hazelnut, French vanilla and raspberry coffee indulges, all served on a re-usable faux leather serving tray! Also available, is a huge selection of Starbucks gift baskets for women, like our Starbucks Celebration Gift Basket, which overflows with a variety of coffee samplers and chocolate bars. Our Starbucks Recharge and Renew gift baskets for women include coffee delights like Starbucks Caffe Verona ground coffee and Starbucks house blend ground coffee as well as the famous Starbucks logo mug, Walker's shortbread fingers, and Walker's shortbread medallions.
Among the many gourmet gift baskets available, is the classic gourmet cheese baskets, filled with delicious crackers, smoked almonds, salami, fancy mustard and creamy Ghirardelli chocolates. There's a little bit of everything for your favorite foodie. We've perfected fruit basket delivery and our farm-fresh fruits are always a welcome gift option.
When you are shopping for your health conscious female friends, check out Shari's Berries sugar free or gluten free gift basket ideas for women. Our sugar free and gluten free baskets include goodies like mixed gourmet nuts, sugar-free chocolate almonds, taffy, caramel, jellybeans, rice cakes, chocolate chip cookies, gluten-free chocolate cookies, snack chips, pretzels, and tea. These gourmet gift baskets arrive in a beautiful keepsake basket they can keep as a reminder of your thoughtful gift. Whatever they love, our baskets are fill with so much variety you're sure to find the perfect fit.
Every girl loves to be pampered, and we've spoiled you for choice with our range of spa inspired gift baskets. Spa inspired baskets make great holiday gifts for mom or grandmother, with luxury items like soaps, oils, diffusers, scrubs, slippers and robes. Whether it's a Mother's Day gift basket or just a little something to let that special woman in your life know you care.
So stop searching for gift basket ideas for women! The team at Shari's Berries has created gift baskets for every taste and every occasion, from birthday gift baskets to holiday gift baskets, that include everything from gourmet food and wine to spa-inspired luxury apparel and candle sets.


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The grand coronation night of Binibining Pilipinas 2014 happened Sunday night and it was Parul Shah who grabbed the title of Bb. Pilipinas-Tourism. For the complete list of winners, CLICK HERE.
Half-Indian and Half-Filipino Parul Shah, 25, is a registered nurse from Pangasinan. This is her second time to join Binibining Pilipinas, and she believes that this year people will see a better and stronger Parul.
"You know what they say, when it's a comeback, it's more exciting. I really prepared for this. I worked on my weaknesses. I got this second chance and I am going to work harder," Parul said.
Apart from her Binibini preparations last year, Parul also took the time to volunteer for relief operations in Bohol and Tacloban, and considers this experience as one of the best things that happened to her so far.
"Helping them made me feel grounded, No matter what happened, I see in each and everyone in us that we didn't lose hope. Hope was what kept us going even through calamities. The calamity opened my eyes to see the bigger picture in life," she said.
Parul loves cooking, playing volleyball, and surfing. She has also dabbed in hair styling. She is fluent in Hindi, Arabic, Gujarati, Ilocano, Filipino and English. This girl hopes to represent the Philippines at the Miss Tourism Queen International pageant.
Chase it, Parul!
For more Kapamilya updates follow/like BIDA KAPAMILYA on Twitter and Facebook.

subset: commoncrawl


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Please note: You are viewing an archived Bucknell University news story. It is possible that information found on this page has become outdated or inaccurate, and links and images contained within are not guaranteed to function correctly.
Quick quiz: Name Einstein's most famous equation.
Most of you probably had E=mc2 in your heads the instant you saw "Einstein." You didn't have to think about it — it's something you just know, and have probably known since childhood.
But can you say you understand it?
The physicists among you likely can, but for the rest of us, much of our scientific knowledge remains a catalogue of facts that we don't fully comprehend — and that sort of knowledge, two Bucknell University philosophy professors say, can be dangerous.
The question of how America might achieve greater public understanding of science is the focus of a new project by Professors Matthew Slater and Jason Leddington, philosophy. Funded by a $100,000 grant from the Varieties of Understanding project and the John Templeton Foundation, the yearlong project seeks to investigate the difference between public knowledge and public understanding, and to offer advice for scientists and science communicators engaged in science outreach.
"In most cases, communication between scientists and the public is oriented around consensus and trust," Slater said. "That is, a layperson should believe that E=mc2 because that's what the experts overwhelmingly believe. So much of our knowledge about science comes from testimony, from the say-so of others in a position to know. With this model of knowledge production, it seems all one needs to do is undermine the credibility of scientists — undermine their trustworthiness, undermine their acumen — and that's enough to basically break the knowledge-forming process."
In democratic societies, where public consensus shapes policy, breaking down that process can have dire consequences, some of which we're already seeing, Slater said.
Take, for instance, America's climate change debate. The idea that human activity is fueling climate change has near universal acceptance among scientists, but a recent Gallup poll finds that only one in three Americans is seriously worried about global warming's consequences, while one in four remains skeptical it's happening at all.
In similar fashion, the medical community has continually affirmed the safety of vaccines, and recognizes that the social good they provide in controlling infectious disease vastly outweighs any risk they present. Yet in the last decade, North America and Western Europe have seen outbreaks of diseases once eradicated in the West, including measles and whooping cough, a resurgence attributed to parents opting to not vaccinate their children based on fears stemming from discredited science.
"If our strategies changed from producing public knowledge to producing a public with a certain amount of understanding of the subject matter, that's less likely to be disrupted by people seeding doubt by saying, 'These scientists are unreliable or untrustworthy,'" Slater said.
The Bucknell philosophers can't say yet what real public understanding of science might look like — figuring that out is a key component of their grant — but Leddington suggests a useful metaphor might be found in America's driveways and parking lots.
"People generally have an understanding of how cars work, and they know more than just an assortment of facts," Leddington said. "They have a sense of how things are interconnected. It's not as if they run out of gas and say, 'I don't know why my car won't run.' There's a way in which we generally understand how cars work even if we don't know the details."
To aid them in their efforts, the philosophers are seeking collaborators from Bucknell's science faculty. They plan to host symposia twice a month in the spring semester where students and faculty can explore topics related to understanding, as well as a series of speakers addressing public understanding of science.
"It is emphatically not going to be the two of us and a bunch of philosophy students sitting around chatting," Leddington said. "We're not going to make any real progress on this without collaboration with scientists, as well as with people from education, psychology and other humanities who are interested in these questions. It's a hugely interdisciplinary project."
In addition to the general theoretical project, Slater and Leddington will examine case studies of scientific communication in three areas: climate change, vaccines and neuroscience. The researchers said they chose to include neuroscience because of its visibility in popular culture and its growing relevance to the fields of law and ethics.
"Perhaps more than any other science, the results of neuroscientific inquiry are sensationalized in the public sphere," Leddington said. "You can find headlines like: 'Scientists discover the part of your brain responsible for moral behavior' when no thoughtful neuroscientist really believes that we have achieved this, or that such a claim even makes sense. The public has very little understanding of what neuroscience is about and what results we can actually get out of it, and this has troubling consequences."
In one year, Slater and Leddington will present their findings at the Varieties of Understanding Midpoint Conference at Fordham University's Lincoln Center Campus in New York City. They plan to develop recommendations for science communicators based on their work, and will incorporate their research into classes this fall. In the meantime, you can follow their work on their project blog.
They are also considering seeking additional grants to keep the project going. "What we're hoping is that this will really lay the groundwork for several years of research," Leddington said.


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Boostcase adds over 100% more battery life for iPhone 6s and iPhone 6. It's innovative modular design is a modern reinvention of the battery case featuring a standalone protective case with an attachable battery sleeve. So you can conveniently add power when you need it and remove it when you don't.
This GEMSTONE edition features a cofused protective case for added drop protection and the world's first all transparent design battery case.


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Where we live, clean water is a given. If you're thirsty, turn on the tap and clean water comes right out.
The truth is– we're in the minority. Right now, 800 million people on the planet still don't have access to clean, safe, drinking water. That's one in nine of us. Dirty water causes 80% of all sickness and disease and kills more people each year than all forms of violence, including war.
We want to bring people together who are willing to GET DIRTY – to roll-up their sleeves and bring safe, clean drinking water to the world's poorest. With the help of our experienced non-profit agency partners, we fund clean water, sanitation and hygiene projects in Africa and Central America.
At Liquid, clean water is our global cause. We have completed more than 85 clean water projects around the world… and we have clean water trips scheduled to Central America and Africa for 2019! Join a team!


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Sierra Energy's FastOx gasification eliminates the need for landfills. Household trash, hazardous waste, tires, medical waste, construction and demolition materials are converted into energy, safely and responsibly.
Our 50 ton per day system turns waste into valuable products including electricity, hydrogen, diesel, ammonia and other chemicals.
This plant was built in partnership with the U.S. Army, the California Energy Commission and the U.S. Department of Defense.


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Kate Moss Kate's Kiss Lipstick on paper. Executed 2014.
Kate Moss Kate's Kiss Lipstick on paper. Executed 2014.
General delivery information available from the auctioneer
Holloway's do not provide a postage and packaging service but the following carriers operate in our area. We would always recommend professional fine art carriers
Art for Cancer Charities online auction: a summary
This sale offers an eclectic mix of kindly donated signed, doodled, illustrated postcards and works of art from a number of celebrities and artists.
All proceeds from the sale go to the charities Action Against Cancer and the Brain Tumour Charity. The auctioneer, Holloway?s in Banbury, and the online host, the-saleroom.com, will not take any commission from the sale.
Viewing: Online viewing only.
Bidding: Online bidding only.
Postage and Packaging: Please use the ATG delivery service, Mail Boxes Banbury (01295 277733) or make your own arrangements.
Collection: By arrangement with the auctioneer, Holloway?s.
Commission: No commission is payable to either Holloway?s or the-saleroom.com
Payment: Please contact Holloway's directly to make payment for lots won.
The Art for Cancer Charities online auction: a bit from the organisers
Grayson Perry, Chris Levine, Orlando Bloom and Joanna Lumley are among a host of famous faces who have given their artistic backing to a family fundraiser dreamt by twelve Northamptonshire mums wanting to make a difference.
A private view of the eclectic array of art was at a family camping evening – the Grand Sleepover – set up to raise money for Action Against Cancer and Brain Tumour Charity Silas Pullen Fund.
The array of top talent came after a simple request, as organiser Natasha Douglas explained: "We asked a range of well-known people to donate five minutes of their time and send us a handmade postcard with a sketch, doodle or quote. The response was overwhelming"
"This is an extraordinary collection of art. I am so happy that my picture will raise money for these two inspirational cancer charities" Ronni Ancona, Scottish actress, impressionist and author.
Co-organiser Gabriella Grafftey-Smith said: "'What is most humbling about this exercise is that everyone has been touched in some way by cancer, so by pulling together through the contribution of individual talent, it gives each person a sense of empowerment – a sense that they can make a difference. I urge everyone to please, get bidding."
Other stars taking part in the postcard exhibition include actor Joseph Fiennes, Jake and Dinos Chapman, Pippa Middleton, Olly Murs, Mario Testino, Bear Grylls, William Fox-Pitt, chefs Michel Roux Snr and Jnr, Nuno Mendez and Gordon Ramsey, food critic William Sitwell and contemporary artists Mark Adlington, Emma Levine, George Irvine, Oliver Akers-Douglas, Jane Corsellis and Veronica Ward.


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When Rick Lazio visited the TU's editorial board Friday, he started by reviewing his biography then made a long presentation about his big economic priorities, taking 15 minutes to outline the three areas where he'd cut spending: reducing the compensation and size of the state workforce, eliminating defined-benefit pensions for public employees and "re-designing" the Medicaid program.
I was somewhat surprised when Lazio didn't make any mention of education spending, which accounts for the largest chunk of state spending. He spoke about it with nuance, calling New York's institutions of higher education "some of the greatest assets we have on our balance sheet" and calling for more "flexibility" for SUNY and CUNY campuses to set tuition and enter into public-private partnerships, which Gov. David Paterson has pushed for but has met resistance in the Legislature.
"It's very important to get it right," Lazio said of elementary and secondary education. "We spend more per student than any other state in the country. I think our outcomes could be better and need to be better. I think we have a good school system I think we need to have a great school system, and I think that increases, to the extent that we will have increases — and I think we will take a breather right now, because where we are right now is that after the increases in aid to education over the last several years which have been robust, we're going to have to take a breather back, here, I think."
"But I do think that as our economy rebuilds, as we rebuild our tax base, there's a couple of things that I would like to do," he continued. He wanted to "encourage more early-childhood education" and use money to motivate "reforms" similar to what the Federal education department has done under Barack Obama, including programs like Race to the Top.
Later, we asked Lazio to clarify what he meant by "a breather."
"I think current year means it's likely that we'll see less spending than we do right now. In the short run," he said. He then noted that many school districts are struggling — singling out Buffalo — and noted that "We can't avoid the fact that there's a lot of responsibility for this, and I think the governor needs to be a prodder, a leader, a cheerleader, all of the above and needs to use the budget authority as effectively as one can to incent the kind of changes and reforms."
So, not an unabashed pledge to reduce spending here, unlike the state workforce and Medicaid. New York State United Teachers is officially neutral in the governor's race, and President Dick Iannuzzi told me that "we could find little in common with Lazio or Paladino" as they considered their endorsement and NYSUT opted not to endorse Democratic candidate Andrew Cuomo at its convention earlier this month.
Carl Paladino, Lazio's rival for the GOP nomination, has proposed sending poor children in places like Buffalo to boarding schools to reduce education expenses. Cuomo addressed education funding starting on page 49 of Cuomo: The Book, noting that "we should direct scarce dollars first to basic educational program needs before allowing expense-based reimbursements for building aid and support functions to escalate in an uncontrolled way."
Cuomo and Lazio are both pushing for property tax caps that are opposed by teachers' unions. Paladino belittles the caps and promises to cut taxes.


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The Slender-billed Curlew has only been confirmed breeding near Tara, north of Omsk in Siberia, between 1909-1925. It migrates west-south-west and a few reached the last known regular wintering site, Merja Zerga in Morocco, every year until 1995. Ever since records have become few, far between and less convincing. The last record accepted by a national committee is from Hungary in April 2001. The population is now thought to be lower than 50 birds. The recording shared by Adam Gretton is the only known sound recording of the species. He also shares a judiciously enhanced version, XC398794. Convince yourself it is the same cut!
Slender-billed Curlew Numenius tenuirostris
What is xeno-canto?
xeno-canto is a website dedicated to sharing bird sounds from all over the world. Whether you are a research scientist, a birder, or simply curious about a sound that you heard out your kitchen window, we invite you to listen, download, and explore the bird sound recordings in the collection.
But xeno-canto is more than just a collection of recordings. It is also a collaborative project. We invite you to share your own bird recordings, help identify mystery recordings, or share your expertise in the forums. Welcome!
Latest News
Stanislas Wroza uploads a great set from Siberia. Thanks for sharing! Still, many places left to cover out there, especially further north of the railroad.
Congratulations Stanislas , Great contribution to these not well documented avifaunas from this enormous geographical region, also highlight, Andrew Spencer great work, who has been adding several new species to the collection from India and Western Africa!!
1 replies :: Your reply
.... very busy on the site somehow today. It has trouble coping. We're on it :-)
Sound recording phenomenon Peter Boesman (29.000+ recordings on XC!) describes two new species from Africa.
Excellent! Well done!!
1 replies :: Your reply
525+ recordists added 8.000+ recordings in May. Incredible. Thanks for sharing, everyone!
Latest Additions
- XC488796: Fieldfare by Lars Edenius from Sweden
- XC488795: Eurasian Golden Oriole by Anne-Marie Elo from Latvia
- XC488794: Common Redshank by guus van duin from Netherlands
- XC488793: Whimbrel by Ignaas Robbe from Belgium
- XC488792: Little Bittern by Ignaas Robbe from Belgium
- XC488791: Little Ringed Plover by Ireneusz Oleksik from Poland
- XC488790: Pied Myna by Paul Bourdin from India
- XC488789: Eurasian Curlew by Ireneusz Oleksik from Poland
- XC488788: Grey-breasted Prinia by Paul Bourdin from India
- XC488787: Mew Gull by Ireneusz Oleksik from Poland
- More...
Great work!
Latest Mysteries
- XC488782 by Ian Hearn from Nepal
- XC488722 by Jeremy Pinnix from United States
- XC488720 by Marco Pantalone from Italy
- XC488682 by Linda Dudinyak from United States
- XC488666 by Elliot Chasin from United States
- XC488664 by david m from United Kingdom
- XC488647 by Donnie Darko from United States
- XC488645 by Martin Fransson from Sweden
- XC488628 by Vincent Martens from Netherlands
- XC488624 by J. R. from United States
- More...
Latest Articles
- IOC updates december 2018 by Willem-Pier Vellinga
- Identification of some Brazilian elaenias by voice by Jeremy Minns
- Mimicry of Western Bonelli Warbler by the Common Redstart in Northern Europe by Jacques Comolet-Tirman
- IOC updates 23 July 2018 by Willem-Pier Vellinga
- New website using XC - Northern Birdsong by Stein Ø. Nilsen
- More...


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HIV Dementia Risk Causes New Concerns
As many as 20 percent of people with HIV may be experiencing problems with the brain's executive secretary: remembering, carrying out complex tasks, organizing paperwork, keeping track of the endless minutiae of a day. And the tasks they need to do to stay alive -- filling prescriptions and swallowing pills on a strict schedule -- are potentially threatened. Doctors are worried that HIV patients, surviving longer thanks to effective treatments, will experience dementia at ages far younger than is customary.
Tests can often pinpoint difficulties that might not yet be obvious: subtle problems with memory, word retrieval, attention and the ability to follow complex directions. As the situation worsens, problems become obvious in everyday chores, missed appointments, lost work and forgotten names.
HIV infects monocytes, common blood cells that can move through the brain's protective membrane, triggering inflammation that changes brain cell physiology. HIV itself can also pass into the brain. Treatment can partially suppress HIV in the brain, said Dr. Gary Blick, who has tested dozens of medicines used in highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). But regimens can also come with side effects, including cognitive problems.
"It's hard to tease out what's going on," said Dr. Marshall Forstein, medical director of mental health and addiction services at Fenway Community Health. Doctors often overlook memory and thinking problems, or blame them on the stress of the illness. They could also be a signal for depression.
Cognitive decline also has an effect on the drug-taking regimen. Dr. Justin C. McArthur of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine studied patients with cognitive problems, half of whom were given beepers that prompted "Time to take your medicine" twice a day. Those who were reminded took three times the number of pills as those who did not have the beeper, McArthur said. The study is being repeated using reminders via cell phones.
Examined at autopsy, HIV dementia's damage is to the basal ganglia, the same area affected in Parkinson's disease. Parkinson's destroys the cells; in AIDS dementia the problem is massive inflammation. Indeed, McArthur and colleagues have been testing the benefits of selegiline, a Parkinson's drug that blocks the inflammatory process.


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|A portion of our new backyard.
Taken today, after the settlement papers were signed.
March 30, 2012.
One day last June (I think), this poem by Michael DeVernon Boblett that I share at the end of this post was offered as the Meditation Monday on the Unitarian Universalist Association's Facebook page. It spoke to me then (as these UU meditations tend to do) because we were in the midst of selling our previous home and going on our second month with nary a showing (much less an offer or potential buyer) in sight. I had been laid off from my job, a development that took me by surprise. The Husband was more than 300 miles away in our new state, while I was taking care of two kids, packing the house, and keeping the house pristine for the imaginary buyers.
It was a stressful, uncertain, scary time.
|Windows in the family room of our previous home.
Still, the storms were surely at our walls.
If you are my Facebook friend, you know how stressful these last few weeks, this past year, have all been. I have not made my mother proud with my language used in my posts, and each time my laptop goes on the fritz, I believe it is my father saying he's still able to punish me, at almost 43, even from the great beyond.
And then, earlier this week, I again found these same words by the gifted Michael DeVernon Boblett, the same meditation I read in June, and I remembered: I had saved it to hit publish for when we bought a new house, because it seemed just so apropos.
I did not know, I could not know, how fitting it would still be.
Because as trying as this past year has been (and it has), as this mortgage process has come to a close, these last 36 hours have had me blindsided. My sense of balance and stability and confidence has been rocked, as it has so often this past year. This is the hand in the house of cards that we are dealt in life, I suppose. Beginnings and endings, sometimes in collusion, sometimes unexpected.
We bought a new house today. Signed the papers, sealed the deal, shook the hands.
Weatherwise, it was a day of every imaginable temperature: cold in the morning, then sunny and warm. Tonight, the rains pound and the storms are at our walls.
But what I have learned is that the walls of this house are strong, thanks to some special people we are lucky to have in our lives and because of how we've been tested this year.
I don't know you, Michael DeVernon Boblett, but I thank you for the gift of your words here below. They mean so very much tonight.
Our House
by Michael DeVernon Boblett
May the walls of this house be strong in the face of storms:
Whether of winds or of words,
whether of thunder or of tyranny.
May the windows of this house be clear to the world's light:
Whether of dawns or of daring,
whether of sunsets or of stillness.
May the foundations of this house be firm upon the good earth:
Whether of soil or of sharing,
whether of bedrock or of behavior.
May the doors of this house be wide to all that come from afar:
Whether poems or people,
whether songs or strangers.
May this house embrace, like a graceful chalice,
The flame it cannot define or limit,
as a heart enshrines hopes larger than its beating walls.


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Words Of Wisdom of the Day: Washington state Rep. Maureen Walsh (R-Walla Walla) chokes back tears as she speaks candidly in support of the state's bill to legalize same-sex marriages.
The legislation passed yesterday by a vote of 55 to 43 and now heads to Gov. Chris Gregoire, who has already promised to sign it into law.
Money: "My daughter came out of the closet a couple of years
- Reposted by


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10 U.S. Code § 4411 - Establishment: purpose
The Secretary of the Army may maintain schools and camps for the military instruction and training of persons selected, upon their application, from warrant officers and enlisted members of the Army and civilians, to qualify them for appointment as reserve officers, or enlistment as reserve noncommissioned officers, for service in the Army Reserve.
Historical and Revision Notes
Revised section
Source (U.S. Code)
Source (Statutes at Large)
10:442 (words before 1st semicolon of 1st sentence).
June 3, 1916, ch. 134, § 47d (words before 1st semicolon of 1st sentence); added June 4, 1920, ch. 227, subch. I, § 34 (words before 1st semicolon of 1st sentence of last par.), 41 Stat. 779.
The words "upon military reservations or elsewhere" are omitted as surplusage. The words "or enlistment as" are inserted for clarity. The words "of the Army" are inserted for clarity.
Pub. L. 103–337, div. A, title V, § 559, Oct. 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 2776, as amended by Pub. L. 104–201, div. A, title III, § 371, Sept. 23, 1996, 110 Stat. 2499; Pub. L. 105–85, div. A, title X, § 1073(c)(3), Nov. 18, 1997, 111 Stat. 1904, authorized the Secretary of the Army to enter into an agreement with an accredited institution of higher education (or a consortium of such institutions) under which students enrolled at an institution of higher education that was a party to the agreement could receive instruction at the Foreign Language Center of the Defense Language Institute on a space-available basis and to permit other persons who would benefit from the instruction provided at the Center to receive instruction at the Center on a cost-reimbursable, space-available basis, provided that no student could be admitted to the Center to commence a program of instruction beginning after Sept. 30, 1997.
LII has no control over and does not endorse any external Internet site that contains links to or references LII.


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Black holes may shut down stellar factories
Galaxies stop forming stars despite access to raw materials
Digitized Sky Survey, Chandra/NASA , Southern Observatory for Astrophysical Research, Very Large Array
Supermassive black holes might slowly suffocate galaxies. The suggestion runs counter to astronomers' notion that galaxies stop forming stars when they run out of cold gas. But researchers have found a cache of galaxies loaded with cold gas that aren't making stars. The team's observations suggest that the galaxies' central black holes stirred up the gas and shut down the stellar assembly lines.
Over the last decade, astronomers have learned that black holes can drive the fates of entire galaxies. "It's a bit like an orange affecting the Earth," says Andrew Fabian, an astronomer at the University of Cambridge. "These black holes are enormously powerful. They're emerging as an important factor in the way galaxies operate."
Stanford astrophysicist Norbert Werner and colleagues looked at eight giant elliptical galaxies, all within about 100 million light-years of Earth. Giant ellipticals are the retirement homes of


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George Bolton and Fog City Stable's The Factor, an easy winner of the Rebel (Grade III) in first visit to Arkansas, has returned to "The Natural State" as a strong 7-5 favorite in a field of 13 3-year-olds entered in Saturday's $1 million Arkansas Derby (GI) at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark.
Churchill Downs oddsmaker Mike Battaglia indicated this week that an impressive victory in the Arkansas Derby would likely make the Bob Baffert-trained son of War Front the morning line favorite for the 137th running of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (GI) at Churchill Downs on Saturday, May 7.
The Factor drew post three in the 13-horse Arkansas Derby field and jockey Martin Garcia will return to the saddle as the colt runs at the 1 1/8-mile distance for the first time. The Factor has won three of four starts, with a three-race winning streak that includes victories in the San Vicente (GII) at Santa Anita and his romp in the Rebel.
The Arkansas Derby was the final prep for WinStar Farm's 2010 Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver, who finished second at Oaklawn before winning the big race at Churchill Downs three weeks later.
Looking for redemption in this year's Arkansas Derby is Super Saver's half-brother, WinStar Farm's homebred Brethren. The Todd Pletcher-trained son of Distorted Humor has not raced since a disappointing third-place run as the heavy favorite behind longshot Watch Me Go in the Tampa Bay Derby (GIII).
It was the first loss in four career starts for Brethren, who had won Tampa Bay's Sam F. Davis (GIII) in his previous start. Pletcher will add blinkers to Brethren's equipment on Saturday and Ramon Dominguez will ride the WinStar colt, who is listed at 10-1 in the Arkansas Derby morning line. Pletcher will also saddle Dance City (15-1).
Another colt looking to revive his Kentucky Derby hopes in Saturday's race is Sway Away, who loomed as a major Kentucky Derby contender following a close runner-up finish to The Factor in the San Vicente, but never threatened in a sixth-place finish in the Rebel. Trainer Jeff Bonde's Southern California-based colt remained at Oaklawn after that race and has trained well since. Sway Away will also be equipped with blinkers for the first time.
Others in the Arkansas Derby include Louisiana Derby (GII) runner-up Nehro; Archarcharch, winner of Oaklawn's Southwest (GIII) and third in the Rebel; Elite Alex, fourth in the Louisiana Derby and three-time Kentucky Derby-winning jockey Calvin Borel's only the "Run for the Roses" mount at this point; and Southwest runner-up
J P's Gusto, who will also blinkers for Saturday's race; and stretch-running Rebel runner-up Caleb's Posse.
Others in the Arkansas Derby include Alternation, Truman's Commander, Saratoga Red and J W Blue.
Post time for the Arkansas Derby is scheduled for 5:58 p.m. (Central).
The Arkansas Derby undercard includes the $100,000 Northern Spur for 3-year-olds at a mile. The Steve Asmussen-trained Albergatti heads a field of nine.
Arkansas Derby Odds and Ends: The race will feature a $1 million purse for the eighth consecutive year … Inaugurated in 1936, the race has produced five Kentucky Derby winners since 1983, including two who won both races: Sunny's Halo (1st in 1983 Arkansas Derby), Lil E. Tee (2nd in 1992), Grindstone (2nd in 1996), Smarty Jones (1st in 2004) and Super Saver (2nd in 2010) … Four horses exited the race last year to run in the Derby: winner Line of David (18th in the Derby), runner-up Super Saver (Kentucky Derby winner), third Dublin (7th in the Derby) and fifth Noble's Promise (5th in the Derby) … Record of starters in the Derby since 1985: 68-4-1-5 … The filly Althea (1984) holds the stakes record of 1:46.80 … Concern (1994), Balto Star (2001) and Smarty Jones (2004) posted the highest winning Beyer Speed Figures (109); Certain (1999) recorded the lowest (94) … California shippers have won the last three runnings: Gayego (2008), Papa Clem (2009) and Line of David (2010).
MIDWEST (Illinois, Kentucky) / SANTIVA HEADS LARGE FIELD IN TOYOTA BLUE GRASS – Tom Walters' Santiva, winner of Churchill Downs' Kentucky Jockey Club (GII) and runner-up in his 2011 debut to Mucho Macho Man in the Risen Star (GII) at Fair Grounds, figures to be a lukewarm favorite when he faces 11 rivals in Saturday's 87th running of the $750,000 Toyota Blue Grass (GI) over the synthetic Polytrack surface at Keeneland.
Handicapper Mike Battaglia has installed Santiva as the 3-1 morning line choice in the 1 1/8-mile race, which has sent 19 horses on to the Kentucky Derby winner's circle at Churchill Downs. The most recent was James Tafel's Street Sense, who finished second in the 2007 Toyota Bluegrass but won the Derby three weeks alter.
Santiva will break from post three and will have Julien Leparoux in the saddle for the first time. Trainer Eddie Kenneally's Giant's Causeway colt has a 1-3-1 record in five races that includes a runner-up finish to J.B.'s Thunder last fall in Keeneland's Dixiana Breeders' Futurity (GI),
"There's some speed in the race," Kenneally said. "There is no true, true speed horses in there, but there are horses that like to lay close to the pace, as does our horse. With a good break, we'll just leave it with Julien, let him dictate what happens as the race unfolds. No specific instructions for him."
Other Toyota Blue Grass contenders include West Point Thoroughbreds' King Congie (5-1), who was disqualified from a win in Gulfstream Park's Hallandale Beach on turf and then scratched from Turfway Park's Vinery Racing Spiral (GIII) because of a muscle strain; the Neil Howard-trained Wilkinson (6-1), winner of Fair Grounds' Lecomte (GIII) on traditional dirt; and Brilliant Speed (6-1), elevated to second in the Hallandale Beach.
Trainer Mike Maker, who won the Toyota Blue Grass a year ago with Stately Victor, has a pair of contenders this year in Joes Blazing Aaron (12-1), winner of the Gulfstream Park's Palm Beach (GIII) on turf, and Twinspired, the winner of Turfway Park's WEBN Stakes and third in the Vinery Racing Spiral.
Todd Pletcher, who won the Blue Grass with Bandini (2005) and Monba (2008) will saddle a trio of contenders this year in Queen'splatekitten, Sensational Slam and Praetereo.
Completing the Toyota Blue Grass field are Willcox Inn, Crimson China and Newsdad.
Post time for the Toyota Blue Grass is scheduled for 5:45 p.m. (Eastern)
Toyota Blue Grass Odds and Ends: Inaugurated at Keeneland in 1937, the race has produced 18 Kentucky Derby winners, including 10 who won both races: Whirlaway (2nd in 1941 Blue Grass), Shut Out (1st in 1942), Tomy Lee (1st in 1959), Decidedly (2nd in 1962), Chateaugay (1st in 1963), Northern Dancer (1st in 1964), Lucky Debonair (1st in 1965), Proud Clarion (2nd in 1967), Forward Pass (1st in 1968), Dust Commander (1st in 1970), Riva Ridge (1st in 1972), Spectacular Bid (1st in 1979), Alysheba (3rd via disqualification in 1987), Unbridled (3rd in 1990), Strike the Gold (1st in 1991), Sea Hero (4th in 1993), Thunder Gulch (4th in 1995) and Street Sense (2nd in 2007) … Three horses exited the race last year to run in the Derby: winner Stately Victor (8th in the Derby), runner-up Paddy O'Prado (3rd in the Derby) and sixth Make Music for Me (4th in the Derby) … Record of starters in the Derby since 1985: 96-6-9-6 … Record of starters in the Derby since they installed the synthetic Polytrack surface in 2007: 17-1-0-1 … Stately Victor (2010) holds the Polytrack stakes record of 1:48.69 … Sinister Minister (2006) posted the highest winning Beyer Speed Figure (116); Monba (2008) recorded the lowest (92).
EAST (Maryland, New York) / TESTS ON UNCLE MO DETECT INFECTION – Post-race blood tests conducted three days after last Saturday's loss by Repole Stable's Uncle Mo in the April 9 Resorts World New York Casino Wood Memorial (GI) at Aqueduct indicate the 2010 juvenile champion suffered from an infection that could explain his disappointing performance.
Uncle Mo, the 1-10 favorite in the Wood, led most of the way through moderate fractions, but was collared in the stretch, first by runner-up Arthur's Tale and then by eventual winner Toby's Corner. A press release issued on Thursday, April 14 by trainer Todd Pletcher and owner Mike Repole revealed that blood work performed on Uncle Mo on Tuesday revealed that the colt had an infection of his GI tract. Pletcher said treatment started immediately.
"The vets also concluded that Uncle Mo is perfectly capable of returning to full training while the treatment continues," Pletcher said. "My main focus is to return Uncle Mo to optimum health in the next 23 days, and I am optimistic that we can accomplish this goal."
Plans call for Uncle Mo to ship from New York to Churchill Downs on Monday, April 18. Pletcher said Uncle Mo would work twice before the May 7 Kentucky Derby.
Repole said in the release that he was "relieved" that the test results were "able to find a reason why we got a disappointing performance" from Uncle Mo in the Wood.
"I, like all racing fans, hope that Uncle Mo will be 100 percent on May 7th and in the starting gate at Churchill Downs," Repole said. "Though it has been a lifelong dream to run (in) and win the Kentucky Derby, if Uncle Mo is not 100 percent, we will skip the Derby and go right to the Preakness (GI)."
Uncle Mo returned to the track for jogs on Wednesday and Thursday.
WEST (Arizona, California, New Mexico) / PREMIER PEGASUS COULD BE OUT OF TRAINING UNTIL FALL – Owner-trainer Myung Kwon Cho's San Felipe (GII) winner Premier Pegasus, the favorite for last week's $1 million Santa Anita Derby (GI) before he suffered leg injury, could be out of training until September.
Daily Racing Form reported on Friday that assistant trainer Maria Ayala said that the son of 2000 Kentucky Derby winner Fusaichi Pegasus would spend the next two months resting in his owner's stable.
Premier Pegasus fractured his left front cannon bone and underwent surgery on April 8 to place a stabilizing screw placed in the leg. Ayala said Premier Pegasus could go to a local farm later in the summer.
"In two months, we'll see the X-ray and if everything is good, we can take out the screw," Ayala told DRF's Steve Anderson. "The doctor said it's not too bad and it looks good."
SA Derby's Top Two Look Toward Louisville – Midnight Interlude and Comma to the Top, the top two finishers in the Santa Anita Derby, returned to the track on Wednesday as their connections eyed trips to Louisville to compete in Kentucky Derby 137.
Trainer Peter Miller told Daily Racing Form that Comma to the Top would have two works at Hollywood Park before he travels to Churchill Downs on May 2.
BATTAGLIA TABS THE FACTOR AS DERBY FAVORITE – FOR NOW – Last week's surprising loss by Uncle Mo in the $1 million Wood Memorial at Aqueduct was an unexpected turn on the road to Churchill Downs and Kentucky Derby 137. The setback probably cost the previously unbeaten and unchallenged Uncle Mo the status of favorite for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands.
Oddsmaker Mike Battaglia, who sets morning line odds for the Kentucky Derby, was asked this week to take an early crack at Derby 137 odds in the aftermath of Uncle Mo's loss. Battaglia looked at the 20 3-year-olds now atop the list of graded stakes earnings and determined that, if the Kentucky Derby was run on that day (Tuesday, April 12), Arkansas Derby favorite The Factor would be the 7-2 morning line choice for the Run for the Roses.
Battaglia set Dialed In and Uncle Mo as the co-second choices at 4-1.
The rest of Battaglia's very early morning line included Soldat (10-1); Toby's Corner (10-1); Midnight Interlude (12-1); Mucho Macho Man (12-1); Animal Kingdom (15-1); Pants On Fire (15-1); Santiva (20-1); Shackleford (20-1); Comma to the Top (30-1); Jaycito (30-1); Stay Thirsty (30-1); Astrology (50-1); Decisive Moment (50-1); J P's Gusto (50-1); Master of Hounds (50-1); Twice the Appeal (50-1); and Watch Me Go (50-1).


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You're looking for more information about canola. Maybe you've checked websites that make you wonder who's telling the truth. Wonder no more.
We asked impartial professionals in the fields of nutrition, biology and food science to answer your questions. Some of these questions may seem a little bizarre but that's what's out there!
So here's the truth. We promise.
Questions about canola oil
What is canola oil?Was canola developed using genetic engineering?Have human studies been conducted on the consumption of canola oil?Is canola oil safe for animals and humans?Are canola oil and rapeseed oil poisonous to living things?Was GRAS status for canola oil purchased from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)?Can canola oil and rapeseed be used as lubricants, penetrating oils, fuel, soap, paints, etc?Does canola form "latex-like substances which agglutinate red blood corpuscles"?Does canola oil cause emphysema, respiratory distress, anaemia, constipation, irritability, and blindness in animals and humans?Does the Canadian government subsidize Canadian food processors who use canola oil?Is mustard gas made from canola oil?Is it true that in China, rapeseed oil was found to emit harmful emissions when heated?Does canola oil turn rancid quickly?Is canola oil linked to mad cow disease?Can canola kill insects such as aphids? Are the covalent bonds holding fatty acids together harmful?Do the glycosides in canola suppress the immune system?Is it true that Europe has banned canola oil since 1991?
External Links
Mayo Clinic says canola oil is healthy.Snopes - Debunking the myth about canola oil!
Canola oil is one of the healthiest of all commonly used cooking oils. It is lowest in saturated fat, high in cholesterol-lowering mono-unsaturated fat and the best source of omega-3 fats of all popular oils.
Canola oil comes from pressed canola seed. The seed is harvested from pods that are formed after those beautiful yellow flowers fade away. North American farmers have been growing canola seed for over 30 years.
Canola is not rapeseed. It looks the same on the outside but it's very different on the inside, where it matters. In the late 1960s, plant scientists used traditional plant breeding methods to get rid of rapeseed's undesirable qualities - erucic acid and glucosinolates. That means canola oil and meal are different from rapeseed oil and meal.
Canola was developed using traditional plant breeding techniques, so it was not developed using biotechnology. However, about 80% of the canola grown in Canada has now been modified using biotechnology to make it tolerant to some herbicides. Using these specific herbicides has reduced the amount of chemical needed for weed control in the fields.Remember - the canola plant has been modified, not the oil. So canola oil from the herbicide tolerant plant is exactly the same safe and healthy oil as canola oil from conventional plants. The modification has been made to only one canola gene and it is a protein. Processing removes all proteins from canola oil. That means canola oil made from GM seed is conventional canola oil.
Yes. Clinical studies involving thousands of healthy volunteers have been conducted over the past 20 years. These studies examined the role of canola oil in lowering blood cholesterol levels and reducing risk of coronary heart disease, cancer, diabetes and high blood pressure.
The studies confirmed that when used as part of a balanced diet, canola oil has been shown to lower blood cholesterol levels and have a beneficial effect on clot formation, thereby decreasing the risk of heart disease and stroke.
Canola oil contains just 7% saturated fat compared to 15% for olive oil, 19% from peanut oil and 12% for sunflower oil.
Yes. Before being approved for food use, canola oil was required to go through stringent animal feeding trials to ensure it was a safe edible oil. A great deal of research has shown the benefits of incorporating canola oil into human diets.
No. Canola oil has been thoroughly tested and is guaranteed safe and beneficial for humans.
Hydrogenated rapeseed oil is also safe and is in fact approved by Canadian and US food regulatory agencies for use as a food product emulsifier. When rapeseed oil is fully hydrogenated, its erucic acid becomes behenic acid - a natural saturated fatty acid found in peanuts and peanut butter. Some peanut butter brands contain very small amounts of hydrogenated rapeseed oil to prevent the peanut oil from separating from the peanut butter.
Rapeseed is grown on very limited acreages in North America under contract between the grower and the buyer. It doesn't get into the regular grain handling system.
No. The FDA granted GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) status following the submission of a lengthy petition, which detailed years of research on the beneficial health effects of canola oil in human and animal diets.
Yes. Any plant-sourced oil such as olive, corn, soybean and flax can be used industrially to make lubricants, oils, fuel, soaps, paints, plastics, cosmetics or inks. In fact, any organic hydrocarbon (including ALL vegetable oils) can be processed and denatured to make industrial chemicals. Proteins in milk can be used to make glue. Wheat and canola can be used to make ethanol, and canola seed can be used to produce biodiesel.
But just because you can do this doesn't make the approved food oils at the grocery store somehow poisonous or harmful!
No. In fact, canola oil has good effects on your blood. Canola oil is a good source of alpha-linolenic acid or ALA, for short. ALA is an essential omega-3 fatty acid required in the human diet because our bodies cannot make it.
Animal and human clinical studies show that ALA has many of the same beneficial effects on blood clotting, platelet aggregation and the vascular system as omega-3 fatty acids found in fatty fish such as salmon and mackerel.
No. After extensive animal and human testing, canola oil has been proven to be absolutely safe to consume and will not produce these or any other diseases or conditions.
No. Canada's food processors use canola oil because their customers want healthy food.
No. Mustard gas is an oily volatile liquid that got its name from its mustard-like odour. It bears no relation to canola, or any other plant member of the mustard family.
Yes. However, the study also found that other vegetable oils tested in China produced the same emissions under the same conditions. Most people in China cook with unrefined rapeseed oil, which is not processed to remove contaminants and contains no antioxidants. Temperatures during wok cooking in China are about 100° F higher than those used in Canada and the US. This combination of frying with unrefined rapeseed oil at very high temperatures (to the point where the oil produces a thick, black smoke) can produce harmful emissions.
Consumers in other countries use more refined vegetable oils - never rapeseed oil - at much lower cooking temperatures. These two factors prevent these emissions. All vegetable frying oils used in Canada and the US (and many other countries) are refined and frequently contain antioxidants that help prevent harmful emissions during frying.
No. Canola oil's shelf life stored at room temperature is about one year. Except for flaxseed oil, the shelf life of other vegetable oils stored at room temperature is similar. Flaxseed oil should be stored in the refrigerator.
No. There is no connection between BSE and canola oil.
Yes. Pour any cooking oil - canola, olive, corn, sunflower or peanut - over an insect and you'll suffocate it. Vegetable oils in general are recommended by many horticulturists as a non-chemical, more environmentally friendly insect control method.
No. Millions of organic compounds found on earth contain covalent bonds. Covalent bonds are those in which atoms share their electrons. There is nothing dangerous or harmful about covalent bonds. They are the glue that holds together most organic compounds, such as fatty acids, proteins, glucose and ascorbic acid (vitamin C).
When necessary, the body uses enzymes (types of proteins) to break the covalent bonds during normal metabolism. The fatty acids found in canola oil and all other fats and oils contain covalent bonds that can be broken by enzymes to create compounds used to produce energy or make hormones and other important compounds.
No. There is no evidence that canola oil depresses the immune system.
Glycosides are compounds formed from reactions involving alcohols and sugars such as glucose. Many compounds found in plants - flavourings, colors and steroids - occur as glycosides. Table sugar - or sucrose, as it is known chemically - is a glycoside, as is lactose or milk sugar and potato starch. So is salicin, the bitter-tasting glycoside obtained from willow bark and used by First Nations peoples many years ago to treat fevers and other ailments. Today, we use a related compound for the aches and pains of sore throats, colds and the flu - we call it ASA.
Glycosides are a key part of normal human metabolism. There is no evidence that canola oil depresses the immune system.
No. The European Union (EU) countries together produce more canola than Canada. Europeans call their canola "oilseed rape" - and call the oil "rape oil" or "rapeseed oil" - but it is canola. They chose not to adopt the new name "canola" when it was developed. So Europeans consume canola oil every day - and have ever since canola was introduced in Europe shortly after being developed in Canada.
The difference is that European farmers are prevented by law from growing genetically modified canola (or any GM crop). Europeans therefore consume canola oil from non-GM plants. Most of the canola oil from Canada can be exported to the EU and the EU has also approved some of the GM canola seed for processing.
Canola oil produced from GM plants is safe and healthy. And canola oil itself does not contain any GM ingredients. The GM modification is made to one canola gene and it is a protein. All proteins are removed from canola oil during processing so canola oil made from GM plants is no different from conventional canola oil.
Copyright © 2017 Canola Council of Canada


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Japan's new prime minister, Shinzo Abe, is trying to revive the country's flagging economy, and we could all learn from the exercise. You may recall that, in the 1980s, Japan was widely anointed as the next economic superpower, displacing the United States. It's been a long slide since. In the 1990s, the "bubble economy" of high stock and real estate prices burst. The stock market is roughly a quarter of its high. Land prices have tumbled to 1975 levels. Since 2000, economic growth has averaged less than 1 percent annually. Government debt has ballooned to 214 percent of the economy (gross national product), about double the level of most advanced countries. Some superpower.
To get the economy moving, Abe has proposed a "stimulus" package of 10.3 trillion yen ($114 billion), about 2.2 percent of gross domestic product (GDP), and pushed the Bank of Japan (BOJ) — Japan's Federal Reserve — to ease credit. This is familiar stuff. For years, Japanese governments have adopted stimulus plans. Since 1995, budget deficits have averaged 6 percent of GDP; that's why debt (all past deficits) has exploded. The BOJ has repeatedly eased credit. In 1999, it cut short-term rates to near zero. It has had two episodes of "quantitative easing" — pumping more money into the economy — one from 2001 to 2006, the other from 2009 to now.
None of this has restored Japan's glory days. In the largest sense, Japan is searching for a new economic model. Until the mid-1980s, it relied on export-led growth. Toyota, Panasonic and other multinationals seemed invincible. Exports and investment in new factories provided the main engine of growth. Unfortunately for Japan, developments in the 1980s doomed this model. The yen appreciated on foreign exchange markets, making exports more expensive. And the emergence of other low-cost Asian producers — first South Korea and Taiwan and later Thailand, Malaysia and China — displaced Japan as an export platform.
So the growth engine slowed. What could replace it? Japan has wrestled with this question for two decades. "Japan's [economic] dynamism was exaggerated," says economist Adam Posen of the Peterson Institute. "In the 1980s, people focused on a few great companies and ignored how much of Japanese business was relatively backward." Japan's domestic-based businesses (retailing, distribution, food production and health care, among others) have not powered the economy the way exports did.
Stimulus policies have been the substitute. To combat deep recessions, they're justified; President Obama's 2009 stimulus was warranted. But stimulus is supposed to be temporary. It's supposed to "jump-start the economy." Expansion becomes self-sustaining. In Japan, this transition never really occurred. The longest period of growth (2002-07) depended heavily on a cheap yen that revived the export model. Richard Katz, editor of the Oriental Economist, calculates that about 60 percent of GDP growth in those years reflected exports and investment tied to exports. This ended with the 2008-09 financial crisis.
The lesson is that huge budget deficits and ultra-low interest rates — the basics of stimulus — have limits and can be self-defeating. To use a well-worn metaphor: Stimulus becomes a narcotic. People feel better for a while, but the effect wears off. The economy then needs a new fix. Too many fixes may spawn new problems (examples: excessive debt, asset "bubbles," inflation). That's already happened in Japan.
It's caught in a trap. On the one hand, it needs stimulus to grow. On the other, the debt from past stimulus measures threatens future growth. About 95 percent of government debt is held by Japanese investors — banks, insurance companies and pensions — that have been patient, report economists Takeo Hoshi and Takatoshi Ito. If investors lose patience and balk at buying government debt, the economy could implode. But their patience presumes that annual deficits will someday shrink. The trouble is that the required tax increases or spending cuts could act as a drag on the economy. Already, the Diet has voted to raise the consumption tax in 2014 and 2015 from 5 percent to 10 percent.
Considering this, Japan isn't an attractive place for private investment. A declining population reinforces the effect. Katz of the Oriental Economist suggests spurring growth by dismantling protections for sheltered domestic industries. Higher growth would emerge as "inefficient firms die [and are] replaced by better firms." But Japan's leaders have generally shunned this complex and contentious approach. Once the present stimulus fades, Katz writes, it's likely "Japan will fall back to stagnation."
The United States isn't Japan. The American economy is more flexible and entrepreneurial. The natural gas and oil boom is a godsend. Housing is reviving. Still, similarities with Japan loom. Growth rates have been stubbornly low. Both countries rely on stimulus policies — cheap credit, big deficits — to cure problems that are fundamentally structural and psychological. The parallels are worrying.
Read more on this debate:


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I'm exploring the web to find sites I like
Transpeninsular km 19.5 | Sector 5, Cabo San Lucas 23410, Mexico
"worst vacation ever"
Posted by: Rosa on Aug 14, 2012
see all reviews
Tucked away on a tranquil sandy cove along Los Cabos' colorful sapphire coast, Meliá Cabo Real All Inclusive Beach & Golf Resort lies between the spectacular scenery of the exotic desert and the only protected safe swimming beach in the area.
Share your experiences with others. Don't forget to send your review to Debbie by using an easy form.
"worst vacation ever"
Posted by:
Rosa on Aug 14, 2012 >
1 contribution(s) United States of America
Visited on: Aug, 2012 | Wedding | Family and Kids
545 people found this review helpful
This resort was one of the worst I've ever been to. I felt like I was stranded in this place for a whole week with no turning back, zombieland, boring. Very poorly organized, very bootleg as far as entertainment goes.
This place appeared very dead from our arrival till our departure, the staff don't interact much although they were nice but not very festive.
The rooms were the only decent part of the whole resort, airconditioned, airy and clean
Restaurants and Bars:
There are only 3 restaurants in this resort and you need reservtions, most of the time the times for dinner are limitted even though the restaurants were mostly empty anyway, the food was ok but always the same.
The beach was always rough, you could not go in the water or do any water sports. The pool was hot and small, no activities, no music most of the time, boring actually.
Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel:
There is not much to do in this resort but be in the pool or your room. The lobby was boring and extremely hot.
Other Comments:
Basically, this is a boring resort, no entertainment at night, there were 2 shows out of the whole vacation, every other night was very bootleg activities like a group of people sitting around playing guessing games, the lobby had the same live music night after night, nothing to get you in a dancing mood and supposedly the club started at 12 to 1:00 with 6 people in it. After a few minutes in the lobby you were sweating and tired from no air circulation that all you really could do is go to your room to get some fresh air.
"Not A Quiet Place !"
Posted by: Terry
on Dec 30, 2011 >
1 contribution(s) Canada
Visited on: Dec, 2011 | Leisure | With Spouse/Partner
691 people found this review helpful
We have stayed in many resorts in Cabo. We chose ME Cabo, owned by Melia Hotels because of its great location - Medano Beach, walking distance to downtown Cabo San Lucas. We are in our late 40's. What a mistake it was to stay here - it is a place for the 20 something crowd! The facilities are open to the public - anyone can come and use the pool, beach, restaurants, etc. The pool area is one big beach club/lounge party scene all day and evening with a DJ pumping out club tunes the entire time. There are speakers everywhere, you cannot even get any peace and quiet on your balcony. You cannot find a seat around the pool, and today there is a Special Event going on - if you are at the pool, you must participate in their Bottle Service. You must purchase a whole bottle of booze plus all of the mix and service for a ridiculous price. A bottle of water at this hotel is $9!
Later at night, the party moves from the pool area to the dance club, Passion. Again, extremely loud music fills all of the public areas, because this bar is part of the lobby, and the sound is everywhere!
We are very disappointed in this 5 star resort. We had no idea that we were booking into a non-stop dance club! Casa Dorada next door is far superior, and does not just cater to the young crowd. We are disappointed in Air Canada Vacations for not accurately describing this place.
Room Number:
4 Star
"Loved it so much we are going back next month"
Posted by:
Margaret on Apr 22, 2011 >
1 contribution(s) United States of America
Visited on: Oct, 2010 | Leisure | With Spouse/Partner
668 people found this review helpful
We went last October and besides the birds flying around in the morning, everything there was great. The pool did get a little dingy but we told management and it was cleaned that night to our satisfaction. The food is fantastic at all the restuarants and even the buffet will make you anything you want if you ask them. The service is outstanding. We went snorkeling almost everyday in the little beach area and went scuba diving in Cabo. We had a rental car and were able to go to both main towns with no problems or concerns. American money is useless now there, so change to pesos at the airport. We are going back for 10 days in May and I can't wait. (The beds are a little stiff but you sleep so well it was never an issue and I have a bad back, never hurt)
I would recomend Melia to anyone!!
Room Number:
dont remember
Room Block:
Top floor ocean view
Cold drink and prompt checkin, with an upgrade!
Well air conditioned, beds could be softer, but I like a firm mattress
Restaurants and Bars:
All three restaurants were exceptional, the buffet is a bit redundant. Drinks were to my liking, and Im a drinker, never had to wait for service, not even for a soda.
Beach bar not open often, but just took several drinks with me down there, have to go upstairs to use the bathroom anyway, just get a few more cocktails or send your husband.
Pool got dingy, but they cleaned it as soon as we mentioned it.
Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel:
Snorkeled daily, went scuba diving in Cabo. Had a car, so left whenever we wanted. You HAve to get a Massage at the resort, I get massages twice a month and the lady at Melia made me melt, I gave her a $50 tip and plan on seeing her a couple times next month.
Other Comments:
Go! You will love it.
"Not satisfied"
Posted by:
ivan on Mar 21, 2011 >
1 contribution(s) Canada
Visited on: Mar, 2011 | Leisure | Family and Kids
743 people found this review helpful
Very clean, food was great, intertainment was verry verry poor, the mini-gime could not be enny mor mini sad the beach is always marked red (no swimming) beach bar closed hot tub was cold. drinks were strong verry stong and i lke them strong but i could live with that.marking it 2 flowers because of the food and hygeen.
Restaurants and Bars:
food was great drinks wear strong
pool was clean hot tob was cool
Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel:
few and far in beetween
Other Comments:
wail out in front verry cool but wont be going back


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Blog candy chez Ingrid Bolme
C'est un blog candy incroyable à ne surtout pas manquer. L'info se trouve ICI. Je passe le relai !!!
Win a "mountain of Prima products"!
I am celebrating my new blog design and wish to give away this "mountain" of Prima products to one of you! Yes, that's right! ;O)
This huge lot of Prima products contains; *Ingvild Bolme Comfort-Craft Tools Distressing Tool * Ingvild Bolme Comfort-Craft Tools Craft Knife * Ingvild Bolme Comfort-Craft Tools knife blade refills * Ingvild Bolme Comfort Craft Tools Chalk Edgers - 6 colors! * Ingvild Bolme Shabby Chic Resin Treasures "Roman Pillars" * Ingvild Bolme Shabby Chic Resin Treasures "Window Closers" * Ingvild Bolme Shabby Chic Resin Treasures "Mushrooms" * two Prima trim/laces * Prima Pebbles * two Prima flower vines * 4 packs of Prima alphabets * two packs of Prima butterflies * three packs of Prima "Say it in Pearls" centers * two packs of Prima canvas buttons * two packs of Prima "Say it in Pearls" swirls * three packs of Prima "Say it in Crystals" swirls * two Prima felt sticker trims * three Prima clear tapes * Donna Downey trim * Ruby-Violet cuff * Prima decorate border * Prima felt DeVines * Prima Fancy Felt Matties * Prima Vines Jewelry * pack of Prima journaling notecards * lot of Prima notecards * lot of 21 Prima flowers and mulberry flower * huge lot of 21 packs of Prima flowers! * 12x12 Prima Embossed Chipboard * two Prima 12x12 paintables * Prima 12x12 overlay * huge lot of 39 Prima 12x12 two sided pattern papers!
What do you have to do to get a ticket to this "lottery"? 1. Post the picture above in your blog. Where, how, how large and so on is up to you! 2. Link back to my blog - www.ingvildbolme.com 3. Write some words about this giveaway. All I ask for to be mentioned in the text is that the giveaway is a celebration of the new blog design. The rest is up to you! ;O) 4. Post a comment with a link (directly to where your post is!) below in this post. 5. Then you have to cross your fingers! ;O)
Who can join? - everyone! ;O)
I ship international. But please note that I do not have any responsibility for any extra charges from customs etc. It will be shipped as a gift as it is. All products on the picture will be included.
The giveaway ends 31st of August 2012. I will accept comments in this post to the 31st of August 12.00 p.m. GMT-time. The winner will be picked and announced within September 5th.
Please note that you can also follow updates, news and works @ Twitter Facebook Pinterest Scrapbook.com Two Peas in a Bucket
I also recommend you to visit Primas blog hereto see all their amazing new products, wonderful DT works and lots of great news and updates to follow.


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A Taste of Luxury at Spruce in San Francisco
Step inside Spruce in San Francisco to be cocooned in plushness.
Baccarat crystal chandeliers in the otherwise dimly-lit, 70-seat restaurant create an intimate ambiance of drama and mystery. So much so that the chocolate mohair walls look almost black in the evening, all the better to showcase the eye-catching, over-sized charcoal sketches of whimsical figures, including a torso draped in an Adidas sweatshirt and the the backside of a bald man clad in a natty suit.
The six-year-old restaurant, with its hammerhead banquettes and faux ostrich chairs, is all about glam. Indeed, it makes you want to have an excuse to, err, spruce up just to go there.
Recently, I was invited to be a guest at the restaurant, part of the Bacchus Management Group of restaurants that also includes the Village Pub in Woodside, Mayfield Bakery & Cafe in Palo Alto, Cafe des Amis in San Francisco, and Pizza Antica locations throughout the Bay Area.
Chef de Cuisine John Madriaga has a deft touch with local ingredients, especially vegetables, not surprisingly since he cooked at Manresa in Los Gatos and apprenticed at Copenhagen's famed Noma. He also has access to SMIP Ranch, the Santa Cruz Mountains farm that supplies produce to all the Bacchus restaurants.


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How much would you pay for a cold one, that's best served at room temp?
The pitch: If your idea of a "cold one" is a dollar-draft special at the corner tavern, Samuel Adams's Utopias is probably not your pour. But that's almost the point: The craft-beer-maker has positioned Utopias, which is released approximately every two years in limited quantities, as the cognac of brewskis, a $190 bottle of beer that's more like a fine brandy and comes bottled in a commemorative black decanter. SAM, -0.48% touts that Utopias is made "with the world's finest, all-natural ingredients," including specialty malts and hops. The noncarbonated dark beer — actually, a blend of several beers — is also aged using "a variety of wood barrels" sourced from areas as far-flung as Nicaragua and Kentucky. The end result is a brew with "sweet flavors of honey, toffee, caramel, cocoa and vanilla, balanced by distinct notes of molasses, raisins, plums and berries," according to the beer-maker.
The reality: Calling Utopias a beer is a bit like calling a Lamborghini a form of transportation. It's a brew more by the textbook definition — "Beer is fermented grain," says Samuel Adams founder Jim Koch — than by the everyday drinker's
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definition. And forget about the whole "cold one" thing as well: Koch enjoys his Utopias at room temperature. As for the taste, the beer with the big price tag (and the high alcohol content — 29%, compared with the 5% of, say, good old Budweiser) is indeed comparable with some other popular after-dinner drinks. Little wonder that Koch likes to showcase Utopias in blind taste-tests alongside a $300 port and a $500 cognac; he says it wins nearly every time. Beer connoisseurs (aka "hop heads") have shared his enthusiasm — to a point: "This is a very good drink, though it's not exactly beer in the classical sense of the word," writes one reviewer at BeerAdvocate magazine's website. And from a ranking standpoint, Utopias barely cracks the magazine's Top 100 list — it's in the 89th spot, putting it far below brews that are a fraction of the price. But as Koch points out, since Utopias meets the legal definition of beer, it does come with a built-in savings of sorts — at least in states where bottle-deposit laws apply. "It's a $190 bottle, but you can get a nickel back," he says.


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Breaking Down Nemesis: Part Five
Welcome to Part Five of Breaking Down Nemesis! In Part Four, we discovered that Miss Marple's original idea, of meeting Mrs. Anderson and asking her about the deceased Mister Rafiel, turns out to be a bunk. In fact, we are no closer at all to finding out the mystery that Mister Rafiel wanted us to find, nor are we actually anywhere closer to the actual plot! It turns out that from what we've found out, Mrs. Anderson doesn't have anything to do with it at all!
Luckily enough, this chapter is entitled Instructions From Beyond, so I don't doubt we'll finally get some directions! It starts out with a letter that arrives three or four days after the confrontation with Mrs. Anderson. I've copied it here, for your perusal as well!
Dear Miss Marple,
By the time you read this I shall be dead and also buried. Not cremated, I am glad to think. It has always seemed to me unlikely that one would manage to rise up from one's handsome bronze vase full of ashes and haunt anyone if one wanted so to do! Whereas the idea of rising from one's grave and haunting anyone is quite possible. Shall I want to do that? Who knows. I might even want to communicate with you.
By now my solicitors will have communicated with you and will have put a certain proposition before you. I hope you will have accepted it. If you have not accepted it, don't feel in the least remorseful. It will be your choice.
This should reach you, if my solicitors have done what they were told to do, and if the posts have done the duty they are expected to perform, on the 11th of the month. In communication from a travel bureau in London. I hope what it proposes will not be distasteful to you. I needn't say more. I want you to have an open mind. Take care of yourself. I think you will manage to do that. You are a very shrewd person. The best of luck and may your gaurdian angel be at your side looking after you. You may need on.
Your affectionate friend,
My fangirl instincts are beginning to really enjoy the idea of these two in a romance. However, putting that aside, Miss Marple is quickly contacted, again in two days time, by the Famous Houses and Gardens of Great Brittain. I won't type up their whole letter, it basically states that she's been given a free tour around London, and after checking with a few of her friends to make sure the company wasn't a scam, she made arrangements.
Once again, we are treated to a scene with Cherry. She's worried that Miss Marple might not be up to the long amounts of walking involved with the group tour. In the end, Cherry decides that so long as Miss Marple doesn't "Fall down with a heart attack, even if you are looking at a particularly sumptuous fountain or something", that she's fine with it.
Another two days later, and Miss Marple carries her small overnight bag as well as her new suitcase onto a very nice new bus. Another bit of her genius shows through, as she studies the Passenger list, along with the daily itenerary. Apperantly, the itenerary was quite well arranged, with two seperate tours, one for those fleet of foot, and one for the elderly who can't really move that well. Miss Marple then began guessing who each name on the passenger lists belonged to.
Now, during this particular strain of thought, Miss Marple uses that term again, that I took exception to in the second chapter. "Old Pussies" is a bit… Well, problematic nowadays. So, we'll not be going over that too much. I'm attempting to take this book as the time period it was written in.
To be quite honest, this chapter really didn't interest me all that much during my first read through. It was mostly descriptions of what people looked like, and how they struck Miss Marple, which while normally quite interesting, was, in this case, quite boring. Of the fifteen passengers, she determined quite a few things. Unfortunately, with the way it is written, and how tangled it all is, I honestly can't begin to untangle it.
However, this does bring credit to our Agatha Christie Code theory. Miss Christie just added sixteen new characters to the story, and gave them all very in depth descriptions, and as noted, my brain basically just GAVE UP. Luckily, in the next chapter, we get slowly introduced to them a little easier, so I'm not really going to lay them out now. However, I am going to note a few bits of good writing.
Once again, we're treated to a very organic thought process from Miss Marple. She goes from thinking about the four other old women, which is realistic mostly due to the fact that people generally note those similar to themselves. I know that I tend to look at young women on the bus before I look at old men, or older women. We see again, how she compares others to those that she knows. Specifically, she compares an old woman to someone called "Dame Emily Waldron", a notable scientist, and a Principal of an Oxford College.
Perhaps we should learn from this. The next chance you get, take a moment and categorize your own thinking. Take notes on what you notice first, and follow along to your next thought. When you read books, note the thought processes of the characters that you're reading.
The first day of the trip passes, without Miss Marple determining if anyone was involved in a murder, and she goes to bed, hoping that she might find something out the next day. Before bed, she spends a few moments, noting things down in her notebook. Which, honestly, is a wonderful way to bring us into re-thinking the things she'd discovered today as well. A wonderful narrative device, in fact.
So what have we learned today? Having an organic thought process for your character, as well as showing creative narrative devices to re-iterate information that may have been hard to understand in the first place, are keys to salvaging a rather horrid chapter.
For those of you following along, what did you think of this chapter? For those of you who aren't, Share your experiences in the comments, with books that start slow and boring, and then pick up?


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The Knot's Best of Weddings 2012
We are so excited to announce that Mercury Hall was picked as Best of Weddings 2012 by The Knot again this year!! Thank you to all of the lovely brides and vendors. This is our fifth year to get this award and we could not be more thrilled. What a great week!
Much love,


text:
Dark laughter
Boni & Liveright, 1925 - 319 pages
Roman fra USA i tiden efter 1. verdenskrig om et opgřr mod den ansvarsfřlelse og det hykleri, der drćber et naturligt kćrlighedsliv.
From inside the book
12 pages matching Orleans in this book
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LibraryThing ReviewUser Review - hbergander - LibraryThing
I found a copy at Madrid's feria del libro in the late sixties. The book is not easy to read. It is influenced from the sexual emancipation between the World Wars. However, Lawrence Durrell and especially Henry Miller's writings follow the spirit of the times much more explicit. Read full review
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text:
Too many entries in the filter causes mail that comes in from the server be deleted before it even makes it into POCO. Is there a maximum amount of entries allowed? Several times this has happened and I have to erase the filter file and start from scratch.
If it is me doing it, I have saved the last filter.ini file for review if anyone might want to let me know what I am doing that causes the problem.


text:
Educational Background
- B.S. in Elementary Education; M.Ed. in Education, Indiana University of Pennsylvania
- Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction, The Pennsylvania State University
Research Interests
- Science education
- Scientific inquiry
- Self-efficacy
- Issues in science education
- Issues in teacher education
- Early childhood education
- Literacy education
- Science as Inquiry
- Education of Young Children
- Early Literacy
- Elementary Student Teacher Supervision
- Social Foundations of Education
Other Interests
- University-school collaboration
- Improving teaching and learning at the university level


text:
Accelerated, or rush, immunotherapy is done very quickly to increase
your tolerance to an allergen. There are different schedules for the shots that
try to achieve a maintenance dose more quickly than standard immunotherapy. For
example, a rush immunotherapy schedule might include:
All immunotherapy should be done in a doctor's office or clinic so
that emergency care is available.
Rush immunotherapy may be done if:
ByHealthwise StaffPrimary Medical ReviewerE. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal MedicineSpecialist Medical ReviewerMartin J. Gabica, MD - Family Medicine
Current as ofApril 3, 2017
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Last modified on: 8 September 2017


text:
Code: Select all
import requests
payload = {'username': 'ivnja', 'password': 'hunter2'}
r = requests.post('http://www.forums.xkcd.com/ucp.php', data=payload)
What this should be doing is logging me into the forum and dropping me at my control panel, but as far as I can tell the login is failing and I end up at the same "Please login" page (i.e. this:
). I've tried running this with both http://www.forums.xkcd.com/ucp.php and http://www.forums.xkcd.com/ucp.php?mode=login as the URLs. One thing I did notice is that if, while signed out, I go to forums.xkcd.com in my browser and click the login link, it sometimes brings me to the same page but with an sid appended after ?mode=login, but sometimes does not. Copying one of the sid-appended urls into my Python code and running it with that did not work, either.
The thing is, it's not showing any error that I can see. When I attempt to log in with an incorrect password in my browser, red text saying "You have specified an incorrect password. Please check your password and try again. If you continue to have problems please contact the Board Administrator" shows up, and in the page source you can find the following:
Ditto for an incorrect username. When I run my code, I don't get that in the output no matter what I put for username or password, leading me to believe that the Python code isn't actually managing to post anything to attempt the login.
Code: Select all

You have specified an incorrect password. Please check your password and try again. If you continue to have problems please contact the Board Administrator.

Would anyone who is familiar with the requests library (or has a different way of doing it) mind guiding me through what I should be doing to get this to work?


text:
I have a life-limiting illness
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text:
This looks delicious! I made leek and potato soup for Rosh Hashana, but I may try these for Sukkos. BTW, reading the recipe in Step 1, when I read "recover," I thought it meant to take a break. As in, you're really cooking, sit down, have a tea--recover. LOL! I had to read it again.
I noticed that too when I was reading over the recipe and wondered for a second what I meant!
I'm sure everyone can use a break while cooking, but I just meant to put the cover back on the pan :)
Another note: even though I like making dough from scratch, you can make these even easier by using store-bough dough, such as Mazors. If using the pizza doughs, let them defrost and rise on the baking sheet before topping them with leeks and baking. They will taste much better that way vs. using frozen. You can also use the doughs labeled "sambousak." It's a different flavor/texture, but I like them as a stand-in for the mini pizza doughs.


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via press release:
AX MEN returns Sunday, December 12 at 9pm ET on HISTORY
From the steamy swamps of the south to the remote wilds of Alaska, the stakes are higher – and the dangers more life-threatening than ever – for loggers in season four of… AX MEN Returning Sunday, December 12 at 9PM ET on HISTORY(R)
Treacherous Working Conditions Pit Man (and Woman) Against Nature – and Each Other – in the Original Logging Series
New York – The intrepid AX MEN are back, with three new crews and five returning favorites, risking their lives in an all-new race to be "King of the Mountain." Season four of the acclaimed series premieres Sunday, December 12 at 9pm ET on HISTORY.
Falling trees, bone-crushing equipment, human error, freak accidents, hungry predators, brutal forces of nature… it's all in a day's work for generations of loggers who have jeopardized their lives to provide America with the timber it needs. And, while technology may have changed the logging industry over the years, the work today is as life-threatening as ever.
This season, the AX MEN face off on the biggest playing field yet, from the rugged reaches of Alaska to the deadly depths of Florida and Louisiana's swamp. Father-and-son team Gabe and Craig Rygaard return to battle their nemesis, reigning "King of the mountain" J.M. Browning. But this year, the crews from Washington and Oregon have more than each other to worry about – there's been a changing of the guard at Pihl Logging as Leah Proctor, a female greenhorn, is brought on to keep the men on their toes.
Newcomers Papac Logging of Alaska and Lemare Logging of British Columbia are also throwing their hats into the ring. These companies specialize in conquering the rugged Pacific wilderness, as far removed from civilization as one can get. They scoff at how easy the guys in the "Lower 48" have it and would like nothing better than to show them how the "big boys get it done."
Each morning, Papac crews load into boats that take them across miles of the roughest water in Alaska. On the other end is Suemez Island, one of the most difficult jobs Papac has ever attempted. The men of Papac are the Lewis's & Clarks of this land, and they are the first to step foot in some of these areas and must be prepared for everything from black bears and sudden storms to some of the biggest and most unpredictable timber in our country.
Down south, "Swampman" Shelby Stanga is back and his sights are set on the biggest logs in the Louisiana bayous. But to claim them, he'll need help from a crew of sidekicks as colorful as he is. In Florida, James Smith and the S&S Aqua/Collins crew return to do battle on the Suwannee River. Rounding out the water logging crews is newcomer Olson Marine, a unique tugboat operation in Alaska that transports millions of dollars in timber through hundreds of miles of the most violent waters and unpredictable weather in the world.
For more than a hundred years, larger than life characters, many of whom are members of logging families who go back to the time when the West was being settled – have spent their days among towering trees and powerful machines and their nights in outposts far from the comforts of civilization. AX MEN tells the remarkable story, detailing the history of the logging industry and how technology has transformed life for today's logger, while the struggle of man versus nature stays the same.
The eight crews of season 4 of AX MEN are:
Rygaard Logging – Rygaard was known for making a little go a long way, running old equipment and taking the jobs that no one else wants. Now, owner Gabe Rygaard has invested everything he has into giving this old-school company a makeover with the biggest and best machinery on the mountain. Still smarting from last year's three-load loss to rival J.M. Browning, Rygaard is eager for another shot. But this season the crew finds itself in unchartered territory, on one of Washington's most treacherous mountains, trying the ultra dangerous practice of downhill logging. Outspoken but lovable Craig Rygaard returns, along with greenhorn Dave Schroder, now a permanent member of the team. But Dave's notorious screw-ups are still plaguing him… and Craig's had enough.
Pihl Logging – Pihl Logging has sought redemption for the last three years and failed to find it each time. Now, boss Mike Pihl is looking to put an end to the losing streak with two major moves: put son-in-law Kelly Baska in charge of keeping this unruly crew in line, and, bringing in a new greenhorn to keep them all on their toes – Leah Proctor. Leah has an uphill battle winning over this cantankerous crew, but the former forest fire fighter knows the stereotype she's up against. The old gang is back – including crusty yarder operator Leland Bontrager and a few new rigging slingers with strong opinions and little tact. The crew will have to get it together if they're going to conquer the job sites. This season, there's a new mandate at Pihl: leave the drama at the door.
J.M. Browning Logging – Browning Logging known for hiring the best men, putting them to work on the best equipment, and expecting miracles in return. Owner Jay Browning has built his empire over decades of hard work and personal sacrifice. This season, Browning is out to tackle the jobs its competitors can't or won't. Jesse Browning returns to lead the team and finally prove to his father that he has what it takes to follow in Jay's footsteps. But, with nearly impossible expectations to meet and personal tragedy to overcome, this season will push Jesse to his breaking point like never before.
S&S Aqua Logging/Collins River Logging – Last year, Jimmy Smith and son James left Washington for Florida, where they partnered with river logger Joe Collins and team. The target: hundreds of sunken logs perfectly cured in the murky waters of the Suwannee River. But, turning a profit proved difficult, especially when a 10-foot alligator made Jimmy its target. After months of setbacks and disappointment, Jimmy returned to Washington without his son, who decided to stay behind and take a job on the Collins crew. Now, James is well on his way to becoming one of Collins' top divers, and Jimmy's coming back for his son and redemption.
Papac – Papac Logging is a no frills, rough-and-tumble timber outfit based in Alaska. After logging for years with his father in Washington, Mike Papac branched out on his own, taking half of his dad's men with him. Papac men are tough and smart, and they won't take no for an answer. Each morning, crews load into boats that take them across miles of the roughest water in Alaska, bound for the remote primordial forests of Suemez Island.
Lemare – A massive logging company in Vancouver Island, B.C., Lemare's 400 workers turn out billions of dollars in virgin-growth green gold every year. Owner Eric Dutcyvich isn't interested in logging the same way his father and grandfather did – he's a well-educated man with an advanced business degree and a sharp intellect. But with more than 50% of his employees nearing retirement, Eric must bring the next generation of loggers up to speed. Lemere's new training academy is the chance of a lifetime for its brightest young men to prove that they are ready to rise to positions of power within the company. This season, careers will be made, lives will be changed, and a new generation will learn that logging isn't just running around in the woods – it's outsmarting the competition.
Olson – One of the last remaining tug boat logging companies in America, Alaska-based Olson is a family-run business with a fleet of barges and tugboats capable of hauling thousands of tons of timber through a maze of jagged islands, strong currents, hidden deadheads, and violent weather. Captain Rodney Wills leads Olson's top crew and its tug, the Avery O, in stints up to three months at a time, and they all have harrowing stories to prove it. This season Rodney will meet the most explosive greenhorn in AX MEN history, Dustin Timber Dethlefs, who's back for another go. Rodney's a tough man to please, and Dustin will have to keep his ego in check to survive.
Shelby Stanga – Shelby has lived and logged in the swamps north of New Orleans since he was nine years old. He grew up eating swamp rats and wrestling alligators, and speaks in a Cajun accent that only his dog Willy understands. It's a well-known fact that "Swampman" doesn't work well with others. But now, his huge winch is in need of thousands of dollars in repairs, and he's eyeing the biggest logs in the swamp to turn the biggest profit. For the first time in his life, he has no choice but to find help. Shelby is putting all of his friends to work, from a childhood buddy-turned-alligator-wrestler to his long lost wife, and even his log buyer. If he's lucky, Shelby will find both an assistant and a way to save his crumbling empire before the swamp bites back.
AX MEN is produced for HISTORY by Original Productions. Executive producers for HISTORY are David McKillop and Russ McCarroll. Executive producers for Original Productions are Thom Beers and Philip Segal.
HISTORY(R) and HISTORY HD(R) are the leading destinations for revealing, award-winning original non-fiction series and event-driven specials that connect history with viewers in an informative, immersive and entertaining manner across multiple platforms. Programming covers a diverse variety of historical genres ranging from military history to contemporary history, technology to natural history, as well as science, archaeology and pop culture. Among the network's program offerings are hit series such as American Pickers, Ax Men, The Universe, Ice Road Truckers, Chasing Mummies, Top Shot and Pawn Stars, as well as acclaimed specials including America the Story of Us, WWII in HD, 102 Minutes That Changed America, Moonshot and Life After People. HISTORY has earned four Peabody Awards, eight Primetime Emmy(R) Awards, 12 News & Documentary Emmy(R) Awards and received the prestigious Governor's Award from the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences for the network's Save Our History(R) campaign dedicated to historic preservation and history education. Take a Veteran to School Day is the network's latest initiative connecting America's schools and communities with veterans from all wars. The HISTORY website, located at http://www.history.com, is the leading online resource for all things history, featuring over 20,000 videos, images, audio clips, articles and interactive features that allow visitors to dig deeper into a broad range of thousands of historical topics.