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Current Projects #3 - Lots of Words and Lots of Pretty Pictures - February 20, 2017
Admittedly, I've been sitting on this one for a while. Longer than I thought.
* * *
In December, I made a bad decision up in Maine. It was a windy day, the final launch of the season for me, and not good flying weather. The field up there is enormous, and perfectly flat. Nevertheless, it was cold and the wind was about umpteen miles per hour.
But we had rented a car, driven all the way up there, and I wouldn't get the chance to fly again until April. I had what the astronauts used to call Go Fever.
I had made a couple flights already with iffy results. The first was with my Quest Quadrunner, a four-motor cluster rocket.
The Quadrunner struggled off the pad and arced over without gaining much altitude. I thought it was due to the wind, which certainly was a factor, but when I got the rocket home, I discovered that one of the four motors failed to ignite.
|Though it is charred from blowback, the motor at the bottom did not fire.
A seven-second delay was too long for this flight. The nose cone popped off and chute opened when the rocket was perhaps 8 feet in the air or less. There was some fin damage.
My next flight was on the scratch built Ceres B booster, from the book Make: Rockets: Down-to-Earth Rocket Science by Mike Westerfield.
It carries a camera payload and can fly on just about any 24mm diameter motor I choose - black powder or composite.
I intended to make two flights with the Ceres B. The rocket had previously only flown with an Estes E9-6 black powder motor, to an altitude of 764 feet.
I was planning to fly once on an E15 and once on an F12, both AeroTech composite motors, and take the rocket to a higher altitude.
The E15 flight went just fine until landing. Then the wind grabbed the parachute and dragged the rocket a good 75-100 feet through the sand. I had to run to chase it down.
|Tracks left from the fins. I could tell where the rocket had
flipped over in the sand, as the tracks shifted positions.
I was ready to give up flying for the day after those two launches. But here's the issue: While the E15 is a single-use motor - just pop it into the rocket and fly - the F12 is a reload. You have to assemble it.
|Left: AeroTech F12-5 reload kit - 3 motors per kit. Right: AeroTech Reloadable Motor Systems (RMS) casing.
Now, before I start rambling all about composite motors and reloads, etc. (I just deleted three whole paragraphs, due to that rambling), I'll just say this: you don't want to leave an assembled AeroTech reload just sitting around all winter and then try to use it months later. It has rubber O-rings and greased parts in it, and after a while, those parts can get compressed, and fail to spring back. When that happens, you can get hot gasses leaking where you don't want one, and the motor is likely to CATO - basically, the motor blows through the casing and can destroy the rocket.
On recovery, the Ceres B shock chord and chute got so tangled, and my hands were so cold, I couldn't possibly fly it again that day. It would require some major detangling at home.
But I had this motor. It was the first time I'd ever built an AeroTech reload. I couldn't just store it over the winter and use it in spring. And I wanted to know if I'd built it right (AeroTech reloads are generally more complicated to build than Cesaroni reloads. Cesaroni and AeroTech are the two most popular brands of reloadable composite motors).
|The completed motor. The red cap on the lower left is the nozzle end. The red cap on the upper right is the ejection charge.
So, I found myself in what seemed like a dilemma - on the one hand, I didn't want to fly any more, and risk losing or damaging one of my nice rockets. On the other, I had this unused AeroTech reload, and I needed to do something with it.
In retrospect, I suppose I could have taken the motor home, disassembled it, soaked the propellant in water to destroy it, and thrown it in the trash (that's how to properly dispose of a motor you don't plan on using - for example, if it's damaged and probably not safe to fly), and cleaned the grease off the casing. Call that motor a loss.
That's not what I did. Since this was my first time using an AT reload, it did not occur to me that this would have been a smarter thing to do.
Instead, I decided to fly the motor. One of the rockets I'd brought with me was one I was pretty proud of - my clone of the Estes Astron Sprint XL.
A very simple looking rocket, but I had gotten the paint about as perfect as can be expected. It was so shiny and smooth!
You may well ask why I would then risk flying this rocket in high winds. My reasoning is that, while I really love the way this rocket came out, it was basically built from scratch. I have the parts to make it over again, and in fact, it was only made as "practice" for the kit, which you can see unfinished at the top of this post, and which I started building over a year ago. I reasoned I could always build this one again, pretty cheaply, if, say, it got damaged by dragging through the dirt like Ceres B.
I installed the F12 motor into the Astron Sprint. There was some wiggle room between the aft end of the rocket and the motor hook, so to prevent the motor sliding back and forth during flight and ejection, I taped it in place. Not pretty, but I figured it should work.
Composite motors are more economical on a per-flight, total impulse basis. What I mean is that you get more power per flight per dollar than you would with black powder motors. A 3-pack of F12 reloads costs about $30, or about $10 per motor, which isn't bad at all, considering that these are F motors.
The casing, however, cost about $40. I didn't want to lose the casing, so I packed the chute using the Jolly Logic Chute Release, and set it to release the parachute at about 200 feet, if I remember correctly. This should have kept the rocket on the field, where I'd be able to recover it.
The Maine Missile Math and Science Club flies from a beautiful field in Berwick, Maine. It's a giant turf farm, with acres and acres of perfectly flat ground covered in short, soft grass. It's nearly like walking an a giant putting green - the grass is that soft. Flights to 10,000 feet are permitted there, and the landowner is happy to have us there. It's perfect for rocketry.
|A mile and a quarter long by nearly a mile wide - a great launch site for New England
The Launch Control Officer counted down from five and pushed the ignition button - and the Astron Sprint XL took off like a shot! The F12 is a longer-burning, lower-thrust motor, but for a lightweight model rocket like the Aston Sprint XL, it's got plenty of kick. The rocket climbed a tower of thick black smoke, arced into the wind and nearly disappeared from sight.
At apogee, the nose cone popped off, and the rocket began to tumble. Despite having the parachute tightly held shut by the Chute Release, the wind took the rocket quickly down the field. At around 200 feet, the Chute Release opened, but the parachute was stuck shut - which, considering the wind, was a blessing.
However - and this is the heartbreaking part - despite the fact that the rocket stayed on the field, and the fact that I never lost sight of it completely, it landed in the one bad spot in the middle of all that beautiful turf. There is one long, narrow patch of swampy brush, and the Sprint landed somewhere in there.
I carefully kept a bead on it with my eyes, but when I got to the edge of the swamp, my heart sank a little. It can be easy to walk off course when following a missing rocket, but I knew I was on the right path when I found the one clue - a bit of blue Quest recovery wadding, which I nearly always include in my fireproofing. It must have fallen out of my Sprint as it passed over the edge of the swamp.
Hoping it had perhaps overshot the swamp, I ran around to the other side, but it was no use. I would have to trudge through shoulder-high reeds, thorns, scrub, etc, hoping to locate the downed rocket.
I walked into this, and it got pretty rough in there.
I nearly twisted an ankle a few times, got thorns in my leg, got my foot pinned in some underbrush... And the rocket could have been anywhere. I could have walked right past it several times.
After about 45 minutes in there, I realized I may never find it. I'd have spent more time looking, but it was getting late and dark, and very cold and windy, and the launch was winding down.
So, I lost the Aston Sprint XL clone. But worse - I lost the AeroTech casing and the Jolly Logic Chute Release - a loss of about $170 in one flight, not counting the rocket!
All this brings me to what I've been working on recently.
* * *
In September, Chris Michielssen wrote an inspirational blog post on the Model Rocket Building blog entitled Jake Parker - Finished Not Perfect. It spoke to me.
At the top of this post, you see the beginning stages of a build of the Estes Astron Sprint XL kit. I posted that on my Current Projects page - in December 2015! I only recently realized I had started this simple build that long ago!
The clone - the one I lost in December - was essentially "practice." I like to streamline my fins and sand them into airfoil shapes. It's something I don't find to difficult on a standard fin with four straight edges. But with an elliptical fin, I wasn't sure how to do it or where to begin. So I traced the kit fins onto some balsa, cut out some copies, and started practicing.
Here is a first attempt.
Pretty basic, not perfect, but I was able to do it pretty quickly without too much difficulty. It seemed like sanding a better airfoil - and getting all the fins the same - should be feasible. So I tried doing a set of three, with a longer beveled trailing edge.
Here is a first attempt.
|The leading edge is simply rounded.
|The trailing edge is beveled, but the bevel doesn't go too far into the fin cord.
|A cross-section, seen from the tip edge
Pretty basic, not perfect, but I was able to do it pretty quickly without too much difficulty. It seemed like sanding a better airfoil - and getting all the fins the same - should be feasible. So I tried doing a set of three, with a longer beveled trailing edge.
|Marking a guide line down the root edge
|The guide lines will help me keep my beveled edges even - so I hope.
|A tip from the Model Rocket Building blog - medium CA - cyanoacrylate - on the fin edge, and
a bit of black marker will aid in keeping my sanding straight on the outer edges of the fins.
|Guide marks for the beveled trailing edge
|I've sanded a little closer to the center on one side of the fin than on the other.
The guide line shows me where I need to even things out.
|Checking the evenness of the beveled trailing edges. They'll get sanded down further to nearly a sharp edge.
Once I had three fins which looked the same, I figured I had the technique down. And the fins looked so good, I decided I'd build a whole rocket around them. The current Estes BT-60 nose cone package you can buy includes the nose cone and tail cone from the Astron Sprint XL, so it would be simple to just make another one.
|The nose cone pictured at the top is the Aston Sprint XL cone. The tail cone is attached.
I figured I'd end up with two of them, finishing around the same time.
|Putting the shaped fins on the rocket. The tail cone was used to install the motor mount to the correct depth, and
was added later, once I had sanded off a slight overhang and filled in the seams from the molding process.
Once I got going, I spent a lot of time and care focusing on the clone. It paid off - the rocket looked beautiful. But the fact that I'd done so well on the clone made me hesitate on the kit - what if I messed up the fins? What if the paint job wasn't as nice? I'll work on it next week, I kept thinking.
This is what I've found. As I've gotten better at building and finishing, better at making my rockets look nice, I sometimes hesitate. I'm not so experienced that I can consistently get great results. I usually get pretty good results, sometimes really good, and sometimes horrible - especially with paint and sanding.
I finally decided I had enough half-built rockets lying around, and how hard could it be to airfoil those fins again, anyway? Besides, I could always make more.
Not only that, but while the Astron Sprint XL clone looked really pretty, it actually wasn't that great a flyer. It rolled really badly! (For rocket n00bs: roll is where the rocket spins around its vertical axis. Most model rockets do it a little. Some do it a lot. It's nice when you build one that doesn't roll at all - the goal for me with most rockets.)
Not only did it roll, but on its first flight, it rolled and wobbled. Such an odd flight! It meant that the center of gravity was not in line with its vertical axis. I wish I had video of that flight, because it was so unusual.
So, I did something when building the Sprint to make the rocket spin fast on every flight. It may have been unevenly sanded fins - one potential pitfall of trying to streamline them. I think a likely culprit was that I got both launch lugs on slightly crooked, causing uneven airflow and inducing roll.
The point is that the rocket looked pretty, but it was far from perfect - it was still just practice. There's nothing wrong with trying to improve your skills and make better and better rockets, but you actually have to build them and accept that you will make mistakes. That's always been a little tough for me.
So, I did it, and it wasn't that hard, and they turned out looking great. I did these ones a little different than the last ones.
While on the clone fins, I beveled the trailing edge and merely rounded over the leading edge, on the kit fins I decided to do what I guess it's appropriate to call an elliptically rounded leading edge. That is, instead of simply rounding the edge, I beveled it to a narrower thickness first, then rounded that. This was in an attempt to give the fins a more "teardrop" cross section, appropriate for an airfoil. It's what I tend to do on my rockets with straight-edged fins, when I decide to airfoil them.
|Guide marks at specific distances from the root edge
|Crossing those guide marks with more marks a specific depth from the edges
|Connecting the points where the guide marks cross. For most fins, I'd use a straightedge to mark a guide line.
For these, I was able to use the leading and trailing edges of the fins to connect the points.
|Double-checking that the guide lines were the same distance from the leading edge.
I had done the same thing for the trailing edges, which you can see here are already sanded.
|Once I got the trailing edges beveled, I gently rounded off any sharp corners left from sanding.
You can see the fin changes from flat to beveled in a nice, even curve.
|I find guide lines important when airfoiling fins. Also important - checking my work against other fins.
In this case, I was lucky. I had an extra set from a kit which was smashed in shipping. The fins survived.
|Once the leading edges were beveled to a narrower thickness, I rounded them over with a small piece of 220 grit sandpaper.
|Leading edges
|Trailing edges
|Not exactly "teardrop-shaped," but close. A sharper trailing edge (left) and an elliptically-rounded leading edge (right).
|Tip edge view
That's where I am at the moment with the Aston Sprint XL.
Speaking of fins, I'm also playing around with trying to shape fins on a scale model, by building them up and sanding them down. Here's a sneak peek.
This is just a first study. It's a work in progress. When I finish this little experiment, I'll talk about it on the blog.
Editing on the video series on building the Quest Superbird has gotten bogged down, so I've put that build on hold until I can sort out the video I have. But I've completed five videos so far. Click here to check them out if you haven't seen them.
A fun modification I've decided to try is this:
That's an Estes Crossfire ISX with a drag-reducing tail cone. I'm doing it more to have something that looks cool rather than to reduce drag, but that's the idea.
The tail cone is made from a leftover nose cone from an Apogee Components' Avion kit, from last summer's Rocket Camp. One advantage of building rockets with kids is that there are inevitably some left over parts.
Because this is a modification from the Crossfire's original design, it will require me to double check the stability before flight. I'll surely have something about this on the blog in the future.
A fun modification I've decided to try is this:
That's an Estes Crossfire ISX with a drag-reducing tail cone. I'm doing it more to have something that looks cool rather than to reduce drag, but that's the idea.
The tail cone is made from a leftover nose cone from an Apogee Components' Avion kit, from last summer's Rocket Camp. One advantage of building rockets with kids is that there are inevitably some left over parts.
Because this is a modification from the Crossfire's original design, it will require me to double check the stability before flight. I'll surely have something about this on the blog in the future.
Apart from that, I'm saving up to replace my AeroTech casing and Jolly Logic Chute Release. I hope to have more successes than failures to write about this year.
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Like my Facebook page for blog updates and extra stuff.
Have a question you'd like to see addressed on this blog? Email me at email@example.com.
Current Projects #2 - August 19, 2016
I haven't posted anything on this blog in about two weeks. Apologies to my regular readers, particularly if you've been waiting for the most recent installment of the Rocket Camp series of posts. I write this blog when I have the time, and some posts - particularly the Rocket Camp ones - take a while to finish, as I don't want to leave anything out. I just finished a 7-day work week, so writing anything of substance had to wait.
But I thought I'd get the ball rolling again with a Current Projects post, an idea I had for a regular feature on the blog, which I haven't revisited since last December.
One reason I haven't been writing much lately is that I've been trying to finish a few rocket projects. The most recent I've finished is the Estes Leviathan, a hulking beast of a model rocket on which I started construction nearly a year ago.
Estes stopped making the Leviathan recently, and it's a real shame that they did. It's a very popular kit. The rocket is a big, beautiful, four-finned rocket, part of their Pro Series II lineup. It's three inches in diameter and over 41 inches tall, and has a 29mm diameter motor mount. It's designed to be a mid power rocket (mid power is generally considered to be any rocket which uses E-G impulse motors), but with its strong construction and 29mm mount, it can be flown on motors up to H impulse.
H is where high power rocketry ("HPR") begins, and the Leviathan is a popular rocket for Level 1 HPR certification flights. Because it was relatively inexpensive (especially when Estes was liquidating them at about $22 per kit) and simple to build and fly, it's ideal for certification, because if the flight failed, it didn't cost so much, and could easily be replaced on a lower budget. A lot of dedicated HPR rockets cost much more, so a failure could hurt the wallet a lot more.
Though when I started building the Leviathan, I figured I'd just use it on F and G motors, I've decided to use it for my L1 cert flight, which I plan to do in September.
Because this blog is mainly aimed at beginners - rocket n00bs - we haven't talked about HPR much. And there's lots of exciting stuff to do in LPR and MPR (low power and mid power rocketry, respectively), and a lot of beginner stuff I haven't touched on yet. But the basics of getting a Level 1 certification are pretty simple.
First of all, you do need a certification to fly HPR. You can build all the HPR rockets you want to, but in order to purchase the motors you'll need to fly them, you must be certified.
High Power Rocketry has three levels of certification. Level 1 allows you to fly rockets with H or I impulse motors (or clusters of lower power motors which exceed the propellant weight or combined total impulse allowed in model rocketry - more on this at another time). With a Level 2, you can fly J, K, or L motors. And at Level 3, the top level of HPR, you can fly M motors and above.
Since each letter essentially doubles the total impulse - the total power a motor can impart to the rocket - you can see how quickly the rockets flown by high power rocketeers can get bigger and louder, can fly higher, and certainly get much, much more expensive! And restrictive - there aren't many places in the country where you can fly an N, O, or P motor. But if you get to witness a flight like that, it's really impressive. Motors that powerful are - well, they're very much like "real" rockets (actually, even an Estes Alpha is a real rocket, but you know what I mean).
While Level 2 and 3 certifications are more complicated, including written tests - and redundant recovery system deployment required for L3 - a Level 1 certification flight can be very, very simple. Some people go for more complexity on their certification flight, using electronically-controlled recovery deployment, but an L1 flight can be as simple as a model rocket flight, just with a bigger rocket.
What's required is that you be a member of one of two rocketry associations - the National Association of Rocketry or Tripoli Rocketry Association. You must build the rocket yourself. It can be either a kit or scratch built. You have to fill out some basic paperwork (though there's no written exam). You must then fly the rocket with qualified witnesses, usually at a club-sponsored event. The rocket has to fly on either an H or I motor, must have a stable flight, and must be successfully recovered undamaged, and with the motor still in the rocket (in other words, the motor has not accidentally been ejected during flight). Undamaged in this context means that the rocket must be judged by the witnesses to be immediately flightworthy again without making any repairs. So, while a little chip in the paint job (which will probably happen to any rocket) is OK, losing a fin is not!
* * *
But, I'm getting off track. This isn't meant to be a primer on HPR - it's a Current Projects post.
It took me nearly a year to finish the Leviathan. That's much longer than you need - this is essentially a larger model rocket with pretty simple construction. But I had to make some decisions on how I was going to build it, and I wanted to make it look as nice as I could. For me, that takes a little extra work, and I didn't have the time to do it all at once.
One thing I had to decide - would I attempt to streamline the fins? On most of my smaller model rockets, I sand the balsa fins into airfoil shapes. I enjoy doing it, I'm getting pretty good at it, and I really like the way it makes a rocket look. And it may help increase your altitude significantly.
The Leviathan has fins made of birch plywood - much tougher than the balsa fins of a basic model rocket. I don't have any power tools for shaping, cutting or sanding. My only tool for that is my Great Planes hand sander.
Well, it takes a little longer, but it's no more difficult to streamline plywood fins with a sanding block than it is with balsa. I did about a fin a day, and it came out great.
The finished rocket is flat black with two thin silver bands. Instead of a launch lug, I installed two rail buttons for use with a launch rail - which is fast replacing launch rods on high power launch pads.
I'm pretty pleased with how the Leviathan turned out, and I can't wait to fly it.
Also nearly finished is the Estes Nike Smoke, another large Pro Series II rocket. This is a sport scale model of a NASA sounding rocket from the 1960s, and it's another impressive kit.
|The Nike Smoke was flown during the 1960s, and was used to test wind shear.
It has also taken me a year to complete. I worked on a lot of rockets at once - probably too many - so it took me a little longer.
Painting the Nike Smoke has given me major problems. My first three attempts at a white undercoat came out terribly - horrible, sharp bumps all over the rocket!
|After my first attempt at painting the Nike Smoke
|The results of my third attempt...
In a day or two, I'll move on to the orange and yellow fins, followed by the United States decals, and finally a flat clear top coat (scale models are often painted with a flat top coat - real launch vehicles are rarely shiny like a nice sport model rocket, and flat colors make a model look larger).
Also nearing completion, though lagging behind, is a third Pro Series II kit, the Ventris.
This is a nice tall rocket with a larger payload section. The build has come along slowly but well, and I can't wait to finish it and fly, hopefully in September. I have a launch this weekend, but at a smaller field, and I'm not going to fly the Leviathan until my Level 1 attempt. I hope to show up at the field with all three of these, because they're pretty impressive-looking.
I also finished and flew the Copperhead a while back. The Copperhead is a rocket I designed and built for a friend, and I liked it so much I built my own. I decided to add a booster, transforming it into a two-stage rocket.
I've flown it three times - once with the booster, and twice as a single-stage rocket. I've already broken a fin off both the booster and the sustainer. I glued them back on, so the rocket can fly again. It's not as pretty as it was when I finished it, but they never are after your first flight.
* * *
Back in April, I flew a number of new things, including a rocket from the book Make: Rockets: Down-to-Earth Rocket Science, by Mike Westerfield. This rocket is called Ceres B, and has a hidden camera payload.
The Ceres B has a 24mm motor mount. The original design, from the book, is meant to be flown on E9 black powder motors. But with a composite, you can fly much higher, and use motors up to G impulse.
I had ordered some composites for that launch by AeroTech, but they didn't arrive in time. Well, they're here now! In fact, a few days ago, I took inventory of all the motors I have.
My supply of C6 motors is dwindling. I have no idea where I got all the B6-4 motors. The G40-7 composite motors at the bottom will be used in my Pro Series II rockets. I've heard that these are impressive motors to watch - a decent 2.5-second burn time with a thick plume of white smoke. I'm excited to try these guys out!
Finally, I got a hat.
|My official rocket hat
Joking aside, if you spend lots of time in the sun launching rockets, you should consider getting a sun hat. Sun screen is a must, but you will probably need extra protection. If you join a club, you'll see lots of people wearing sun hats, and it's experience (and possibly a dermatologist) which has taught them that they need these.
Back to instructional posts soon.
I'll do full build posts of the Leviathan, Nike Smoke, and Ventris, when all of them are finished - and probably after they've flown. In the mean time, I am uploading photos of the build on The Rocketry Forum. You can find the Leviathan thread here, the Nike Smoke thread here, and the Ventris here.
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Current Projects #1 - December 20, 2015
Astron Sprint XL
This is a large, BT-60 based rocket kit I've had my eye on for some time now. It's supposed to be a high-performance design, with elliptical fins (which are said to reduce induced drag) and a tail cone (which, if fit well to the airframe, reduces base drag - one of the highest sources of aerodynamic drag on a rocket in flight.
The rocket has a 24mm motor mount, and should fly nice and high on Estes E9-6 motors.
|Filling the seams on the nose cone and tail cone with plastic putty. Squadron is a popular brand. I use Tamiya,
because it's what was available at my local hobby shop when I started trying plastic putty, and I'm familiar with it.
|Slight gap at the tip of the nose cone. This will show through the paint. So I'll apply a dot of putty here and re-sand.
|Tail cone gets the putty treatment too. These seams are really tight - you wouldn't see them until paint goes on. Then they'd show up.
Astron Sprint XL clone
I like to shape my fins, usually into an airfoil shape. This is easy to do with straight-edged fins, but I'd never tried it on an elliptical fin before. I needed to figure out what they should look like, and how to do it. So, before I finish the Estes kit, I'll make a clone - or six.
My first attempt at an airfoil isn't perfect, but it's not a bad first try. It also wasn't as hard as I'd thought.
I'll refine the process as I make more fins. Then I'll pick the best three for my clone. Once I'm satisfied I can do the airfoil well and consistently, I'll finish the kit.
|I used the fin stock piece from the kit to trace a few practice fins from balsa sheet.
The three on the left are from the actual kit.
|This first attempt didn't come out perfect, but it's not a bad start.
|I haven't decided whether to make the tip sharp, or like this. I haven't found much online about the ideal elliptical airfoil.
|I'll make a longer taper than this on future fins.


text:
Blog 4th of July
Happy Independence Day. I do wonder if this day is more about getting to blow up some gunpowder and have a cookout or if anyone really has a concept of independence any more. We are now paying more taxes than ever before, have less voice in Government decisions and more rules and regulations to follow than humanly possible. The promises made to the public, mean nothing.
To put this into a writer's perspective, let's metaphor our current situation.
I sit down to write a book. I decide that I can delegate each chapter to be written, setting forth rules to keep the writer of each chapter safe. I spend a year thinking up an exciting name for the book. I study several random books from the discount shelf to determine what I want the book to be about. I begin marketing the book to the public to stir excitement and build demand for my book.
I come up with a pretty cover and show it around promising that this is the greatest book ever written, and then after the various denominations of potential readers protest my words, I say that I meant the greatest book written in the last few years.
I tell one group that the book is about them and it will change their lives for the better. When I address the next group I promise to keep them in mind and explain the benefits of reading the book will far outweigh any money I ask them to spend on it. The next group point out that I have not actually explained what the book is about. I label them terrorists and deride them for not having faith that my book is the most exciting read since Sherlock Holmes.
The chapters arrive, and I will not bother to look at them, having faith that all will be clear if they are just published. Hundreds of extra chapters flood my desk from people wanting to try their hand at writing. I include them and publish a ten book series. I point out to subsequent groups that anyone incapable of understanding the book (now ten separate 400k hardcover books titled with obscure passive phrases), is simply incapable of reading and I vow to cure their affliction with free books for those who qualify.
Nobody will qualify. I will now charge them double but offer to include a pamphlet explaining how much they need my book for free. I will also attach another pamphlet and send out two separate letters advising them that the second pamphlet explains how to use the first pamphlet and one side of one letter will be written in Spanish for the assistance of those of Latino decent. The money they spend will be used to hand out free books to any non-English speaking countries and I will personally tour these places to show my charitable side. The books will only be printed in English. I will show shock and regret that the free books were used to start fires for cooking but will also mention how very useful they have proven to be.
I will wrap a detailed statistical analysis showing how vital and useful these books have become and lobby for them to be required for safety in every home. When I am criticized that they are unreadable, I will pretend astonishment and indignation. I will make it a law that these books are read and used as life reference for all situations.
When it is finally proven the books are utter trash, I will promise to write a better book next time. I will begin marketing the next book.
Ok this was a bit tongue in cheek about how independence run amok doesn't look so pure these days. I am not a radical sign toting anti-government hater of freedom. I simply look around and wonder where freedom went? I don't feel that much good has been accomplished in the last 20 years and I am wondering how to ever fix what has slipped away. Most ideas have good intentions at their base. But then special interests come into play and the Good Idea seems to get bogged down in lots of not so good ideas.
The government seems very intent on bailing out wealthy criminals and imposing impossible rules on random citizens.
I feel suffocated and small business seems to be at war with expensive regulations that have little purpose other than to drive them out of business. (Look who lobbied for the regulations, and there is a striking pattern that explains most of the pork belly gobbledygook we seem resolved to keep stacking higher each year.)
Doctors are not in charge of a patient's health.
Teachers are not in charge of the classroom.
Once your money disappears into the electronics of a bank, it really doesn't belong to you any longer.
We are required to purchase all sorts of insurance, which rarely pays what you expect, and can randomly drop you for all sorts of reasons and constantly changes the rules after purchase. But you are required to purchase this service, or break the law, which makes it a tax.
Being lazy is rewarded. Working is punished. Saving is punished.
The other guy is always responsible for the stupid people and more rules will make stupid people safe. If stupid person finds a way to be 'injured' anyway, there will be a lawsuit against whoever owns the place he picked to be stupid. (Seriously – people stuff their face get fat and sue the person who sold them the food? And Win? People trespasses, into a person's house with the intent to do them harm, and fall down while still doing that, and sue the victim? And Win?) Who wrote these books?
We are free to worry about what we want to worry about. Do be careful where you voice specific worries. You still have the right to say some things that are worrisome, but we all know that unless you are wealthy, the squeaky wheel routine isn't financially practical. Being arrested when a peaceful protest turns ugly is expensive.
I guess today, I just want to acknowledge that the cost of freedom is about more than a war fought 200 years ago against people with who have different words to God Bless America. It is about more than the lives lost saving the world in the 1940's. It is even about more than the young men and women fighting and dying and giving up bright futures to serve this country in an unforgiving land this very second.
Don't misinterpret what I am saying. All of those things are part of the whole and should be honored.
My point is it is also about small wars right here. If freedom really matters, it matters on the small scale as well. It matters that our rights and our constitution have been breached and overrun with, boring but important little, mandates, regulations and political drivel that is making that pursuit of happiness less available.
There are times, Government is needed to step in and solve some problems. We need them to help mobilize disaster relief of course, but I am less certain that I have much appreciation for their apparent need to give 70 year old women body cavity searches because they wanted to fly somewhere to see the grandbabies. I do get the need for prisons, but I am less happy that so much space is used up for people guilty of addiction that the murderers get a smaller amount of time to make room. If the addicts are not violent, let them be free to be addicts instead of a tax burden. Do we own anything if not our bodies? Not these days, if you want to get on a plane or happen to have a prescription classed as controlled or need some test more often than average Joe Statistic, this becomes pretty clear.
Do we own anything? Is your house yours or can a bank foreclose on you when you have made all payments after they were bailed out for billions in shady loan practices?
Can you pass your life's work on to your children or will they have to sell the family farm to pay the estate taxes? (be sure to die in a convenient year)
Did you save for your children's college only to have the account emptied by identification theft or worse, a tax lien that is an unfixable government error?
Did you lose your right to work(any professional license revoked), drive to work(license suspended), hunt to keep from starving or even leave the country for your job(passport denied), for child support arrearage, because you were injured or laid off? (non-custodial equals deadbeat with no recourse and no right to ever be so sick you can't work.) Did you discover you have no real-world ability to protest or even mention that the children don't actually have any right to the money, because it is custodial spouse support renamed? (Common sense would tell any normally intelligent person that if you keep someone from working, they will have no ability to meet the government mandated obligation. The Bradley Bill disagrees – thanks Hillary and Bill.)
No, we have lost something somewhere.
We are free to pick a TV show to watch that has been surveyed and catalogued by regulations.
We can pick a hobby if it does not lead to unreported income or barter.
We pick who we marry. (Well, provided they meet government approval which can be revoked at any time should there be any other people who religiously don't quite approve.)
We can pick what we grow in our gardens, provided the plants are not banned by the government as nuisance weeds like thistle.
We can pick what we have for dinner, provided it meets government approved labeling laws and isn't imported from certain places the government doesn't approve of and isn't thought to be unsafe. (You know like haggis, prosciutto, French cheeses, and a whole list of other things we are not allowed to buy.)
We can pick what we wear, provided it isn't deemed offensive, or violate laws on exposure of certain bits. (Breasts are, of course, offensive, unless they are on men – and Moobs may be shown almost anywhere. Babies may be fed discretely)
Maybe if we all were fighting a little harder to keep a bit of common sense, it would show more honor to the many that have died in the pursuit of freedom.
So again jumping to metaphor, because this is a writer blog and I like to Show, not tell….
This evening as you light that fuse, a symbol of freedom, a symbol of who we think we are, do remember this.
You just spent money for fireworks.
You will light the fuse and walk away.
You will watch the thing put on a big display, say wow, and then be left in darkness.
Fireworks are taxed and are being used as a symbol to celebrate freedom from hidden taxes.
You are paying for Fireworks with the money you are allowed to keep after they take taxes out of your labor (Days of your life, serving your government without compensation or choice), they are again taxed and it is included in the cost, and you will again pay sales tax to honor a country founded on no taxation without representation. (A symbolic trinity of contradiction)
It is your right to mix alcohol and explosives and not care that you don't see the irony in having to put on a seatbelt to gather the elements of potential disaster.
Please have a safe and happy Independence Day.

subset: commoncrawl


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Call for entries – Editions Liverpool Open 2015
March 8, 2015 at 10:11 am 2 comments
We are beginning preparations for the 5th Liverpool Open Exhibition at Editions Gallery (we really should have a party!) and we are inviting Merseyside based artists and print makers to submit work for the 2015 Liverpool Open Exhibition. We can only hope that the response and the quality of work will be as fantastic as it has been in previous years.
The exhibition will run from the 21st May 2015 (Private View) to the 20th June 2015 at Editions Gallery, Cook Street, Liverpool.
Each selected artist will be invited to put up to 3 pieces of work in the exhibition and to be considered for selection you must be an artist or print maker resident in Merseyside.
The Exhibition is open to all forms of 2D work. Entries will be judged by an independent selection panel and therefore it is essential you provide good quality images. Artists will be contacted with the panel's decision no later than Wednesday 13th May 2014. Artwork chosen for the exhibition will be required to be handed into the Gallery before 5pm on Monday 18th May 2014.
The winner will have an exclusive solo show at Editions Gallery as well as a cash prize of £100.00 and a bottle of champagne. Second prize is £75.00. You will also have the opportunity to be selected for the best of Merseywide Exhibition featuring work from the best of all of the Merseyside Open exhibitions.
Information and an entry form can be downloaded here.
Liverpool Open Exhibition 2015 at Editions Gallery
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Current Status The most recent data shows that the gap between the employment rate for the top three performing local authorities and the employment rate for the bottom three performing local authorities has increased by 1.1 percentage points. This is due to the employment rate for the worst performing regions increasing at a slower rate than those in the best performing regions (by 1.6 and 0.5 percentage points respectively).
Last Update: 17 April 2018 Next Update: April 2019
The benefits of economic growth should be enjoyed across the whole of Scotland. At present, differences in income, participation and growth across Scotland act as a drag on our collective economic performance and potential. By addressing the low participation rates of our worst-off regions, we will release the economic potential of all Scottish people and reduce the cost of poor performance to the whole of Scotland.
Cohesion, as measured by participation rates, can be influenced by:
The Government can influence cohesion in Scotland through actions such as:
The employment rate in Scotland varies considerably between local authority areas.
The difference between the employment rate for the 3 best areas and the employment rate for the 3 worst performing local authority areas was on a downward trend between 2004 and 2008. Between 2008 and 2009 the gap increased significantly, but subsequently reduced slowly between 2009 and 2011 before increasing again in 2012. Since then, the gap has decreased annually, before increasing again over the most recent year.
Source: Annual Population Survey. The data are based on the calendar year. The data for this chart is available at the bottom of the page.
This evaluation is based on: any difference in the gap within +/- 1 percentage points of last year's figure suggests that the position is more likely to be maintaining than showing any change. A decrease in the gap of 1 percentage points or more suggests that the position is improving; whereas an increase in the gap of 1 percentage points or more suggests the position is worsening.
For information on general methodological approach, please click here.
Scotland Performs Technical Note
Statistics Topic Page
Page updated: Monday, January 28, 2019


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Glasgow City Council, supported by council leader Gordon Matheson, has agreed to support our work to fight homelessness in Scotland and around the world.
The Council has awarded us a one-year grant to support our headquarters in in Glasgow, with a further two-year grant offered in principle. Councillor Gordon Matheson said: "INSP is one of the world's largest social enterprise networks and it is based here in Glasgow. We are immensely proud to host such a dynamic organisation which does such good work supporting street papers – like Scotland's Big Issue – and 14,000 homeless vendors worldwide. The launch of the new street paper in Greece – which was given significant support and guidance by INSP – is the latest example of how INSP helps some of our communities' most vulnerable people, around the world, as well as in Glasgow."
Our Executive Director Lisa Maclean said: "We are absolutely delighted that Glasgow City Council will be supporting INSP over the next three years. Alongside the Lord Provost – one of our Patrons – we look forward to developing our partnership with the Council, to have a significant impact on street papers and homeless people in Scotland and worldwide. Glasgow City Council joins the Scottish Government as core supporter of INSP and we are eager to develop partnerships with other like-minded partners and supporters for the benefit of homeless people everywhere".
The pledge of support from the Council follows a particularly successful period for us. As well as being named 'Social Enterprise Supporter of the Year' at both the Scottish and UK Social Enterprise Awards last year,we recently learned that we have been short-listed in the European Social Innovation Competition – winners to be announced in May.


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Debuting at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show is the all-new 2017 Pagani Huayra BC, the company's latest offering and certainly its most technologically advanced and most powerful offering to date. It follows the steps of its predecessor in offering a truly performance-focused car experience.
The 'BC' in the name is the initials for Benny Caiola, the person who inspired Horacio Pagani when he was still starting his company by showing his belief in Pagani's talent in design as well as expertise in car technology.
Benny was so impressed by Horacio's passion in his car designs that he is the first buyer of a Pagani car. The Huayra BC is primarily designed for track performance, a continuation of its predecessors – the Pagani Zonda R and the Zonda Cinque – known for their 'track focused' characteristics.


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E*TRADE Self-directed IRA site
Account Forms
Access My Account
Contact Us
Account Forms
Access My Account
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Asset Custody
At the foundation of TCA by E*TRADE's self-directed IRA offerings is its custody expertise. Maintaining a strong focus on holding custody of traditional assets such as stocks, bonds, and mutual funds and non-traditional holdings such as limited partnerships, direct participation programs, and real estate, we help provide peace of mind to individual account holders.
Account Administration
In addition to providing custody for client assets, we provide a full range of administrative services for IRA's, including:
Statements for individual account holders, their representatives, and other interested parties
Facilitation of required IRS distributions
Coordination with servicing agents
Tax reporting
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In administering distributions from IRA's, E*TRADE Advisor Services follows IRS guidelines for minimum payout levels.
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Individuals and their representatives may view IRA account information 24/7 via web-based access. Password protected, each account site includes current positions and a transaction history and is updated nightly to reflect balances as of the end of the previous day.
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To convey an accurate snapshot of a retirement plan's profile, E*TRADE Advisor Services provides consolidated statements that incorporate traditional and non-traditional holdings. Each statement features a high-level overview of account activity, a comprehensive transaction summary, fee information, and posting of principal, interest, and other asset income.
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E*TRADE Advisor Services handles required tax reporting responsibilities at the state and federal level. We send individual clients an annual tax report that includes 1099R filings to report distributions and 5498 filings to report contributions, fair market value and any required minimum distributions. E*TRADE Advisor Services also supports federal and state tax withholding.
vestment Products: Not FDIC Insured - No Bank Guarantee - May Lose Value.
E*TRADE, E*TRADE Advisor Services, and Liberty are registered trademarks or trademarks of E*TRADE Financial Corporation. All other trademarks mentioned herein are the property of their respective owners. Product and service offerings are subject to change without notice.
E*TRADE Savings Bank and its affiliates ("E*TRADE") do not warrant these products, services and publications against different interpretations or subsequent changes of laws, regulations and rulings. E*TRADE does not provide legal, accounting, or tax advice. Always consult your own legal, accounting, and tax advisors.
© 2019 E*TRADE Savings Bank, doing business as "E*TRADE Advisor Services." Member FDIC. All rights reserved.


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Hours of Operation Monday - Wednesday, 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.; Thursday, 10:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.; Friday - Saturday, 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Offering You Complete Jewelry Services
Received The Knot's Top Pick of Jewelers Award in 2013
Son of a Jeweler is a full-service jewelry store with a wide selection of fine jewelry. Stop in to visit us, and view our generous assortment of sparkling gems, sapphires, rubies, and pearls. You'll see stunning pieces in all the precious metals, including platinum, silver, and gold. Our store is a no-pressure environment, and you can get free layaway for up to six months.
We specialize in bridal jewelry and offer a wonderful selection of diamonds. And our highly skilled jewelers design custom jewelry too. Contact us to design a ring to your liking, and we can combine various ring aspects to create the piece of your dreams. We have high-quality loose diamonds and gems to choose from. You'll appreciate the competitive pricing on our diamond jewelry, custom designs, and bridal and anniversary pieces.
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Son of a Jeweler is an established fine jewelry store in Fremont, CA. We have satisfied customers since 1989, and our entire staff is very knowledgeable. Our in-house jewelers and laser welders have the skills to provide everything you need in one place.
Bridal jewelry and anniversary jewelry are our specialties. We do a lot of custom design work with precious metals and gems, and our jewelers provide expert jewelry repair with free cleaning as well as jewelry inspections and appraisals. Our services also include making watch repairs and selling batteries and bands.
The name of our business was chosen by the original owner, Larry Pencovic, who was the son of a jeweler. Larry wanted to honor his father, a fine jeweler for many years who lived to a ripe old age. Sadly, Larry has also passed away, and he is missed by many in our community. Larry's wife, Tina Pencovic, is carrying on a fine family tradition.
Tina focuses on hiring a team of family and friends to offer a comfortable and relaxed atmosphere. As a family-owned-and-operated small business, we want our customers to feel free to come in and look around. No matter how much you have to spend, we treat you with respect and appreciate your interest in our jewelry store.
Thank you for your interest. We look forward to hearing from you soon.
Hours of OperationMonday - Wednesday,10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.Thursday,10:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.Friday - Saturday,10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Address39172 Paseo Padre ParkwayFremont, CA 94538
Service AreaThe Bay Area
Phone(510) 462-2058
Son of a Jeweler


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Calotren is a diet pill that speaks more of how it won't help you lose weight rather than how it will. Calotren manufacturers say that the supplement won't stimulate anything in your body, it won't starve your body, or trick it into thinking its full when it's not.
Yet, the manufacturer says, it will still help you lose weight. So then, how will it help? The pill is pretty vague on that part, saying only that it's a "protein formula" that will help you lose weight "the natural way."
The ingredients in Calotren are: collagen hydroslate, aloe vera, glycerine, potassium sorbate, methylparaben, gelatin, magnesium stearate, stearic acid, microcrystalline cellulose, and natural raspberry flavoring. The flavoring is mostly used in the liquid form, which is to be taken a tablespoon per day. The supplement comes in pill form, which is to be taken 4 times a day.
Because the ingredients in Calotren are very mild, there are few side effects that come with the drug. That being said, some users have reported feeling nauseous, having gastrointestinal problems, headaches, nausea, and dizziness.
Calotren might not come with a lot of side effects for a few of its users. However, that may be because the ingredients within it are simply not strong enough to have any effect. The manufacturers of Calotren themselves claim that this pill won't do many things. And perhaps they should add "losing weight" to that long list of things Calotren won't do.
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Read Proactol review | Visit Proactol official siteTags:


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Market value
One example is when you're remodeling a kitchen, you can raise the market value of the kitchen by including a more expensive element to the area, or by merely simply replacing kitchen cabinets with solid wood, for example adding a peninsula or island counter. Bathrooms can take advantage of new tiles, as well as altering specific pieces such as the lavatory or toilet, in the bathroom. You can even remodel a room by replacing or simply adding the wall paneling of your room genuine wood paneling, with quality. Altering the flooring of a room will also help serve the objective of increasing the market value of your home's.
Simply by asking for more you can generally get more. It's as simple as that.
Property appraisers determine the real value of a property using the above mentioned standards as their guidelines, while we as humans put intrinsic value to items. Again remembering that we're individuals, the process of establishing real property management Fayetteville AR, may be determined by asking the right questions and pointing out specific aspects of the property that might be missed by the appraiser.
Wedding guest favors should make your guests think of you along with your partner, so something personal is obviously a good alternative. Homemade wedding favors really are a uniquely personal way to say thank you to your guests for sharing in your special day. The little gifts presented to your own prestigious wedding guests ought to be a compliment to your guests, as well as a manifestation of your personal preference and style. Since your guests will probably look upon the party favors you choose as a cherished memento of a particular day, it is essential to take care when picking them, and to choose items the guests will appreciate.
Wedding coordinators are from experiencing stresses in wedding preparations far here as you'll find broad areas for just about any wedding theme like romantic or garden weddings. They can do the wedding and reception close to Grand Pavilion with seats the pool, flowering garden or the nature trail with a lake and verdant trees. Herself can be prepared by the bride in the onsite spa and salon while his nerves can be relaxed by his groom at the cardio fitness center with strength training. Parking for the guests will never be a problem as you'll find abundant parking and carport accessible. Even when you missed out some stuff like flowers or accessories, suitable stores and shops are just a few distances away some could even be reached on foot.
Are you recently wed? Congratulations are in order, and of course, wedding gifts!
From wedding dress, the bridesmaid gowns, invitation and blossoms, there are numerous essentials things you need to take care of if you are organizing your wedding. When you're planning your wedding, one of the choices you'll need certainly to make is in the selection of wedding favors to your visitors. There's certainly no shortage of stuff to take good care of of when it comes to planning a wedding. Planning a wedding is very time intensive, getting the bridesmaids dresses, finding the ideal dress on your own and choosing the food, wedding cake and locating the reception hall, there's so much to do to organize your wedding so do not wait for the last momenment. The shower is being planned by some of the very enjoyable portions of planning any wedding.
Home Improvements
It is no secret the real estate marketplace has been tough during the previous couple of years, and improving the value of a house could make the property sell earlier and for a worth that is higher. Home improvements can make a large difference in the resale value, yet not all home improvements are identical. Beware; some renovations may make no difference or little raising home worth, while others possess a significant impact on the final sale price. Let's take a look at 5 home improvements that will have a major effect on property values. You'll find attarctive pricing and contractors ready to provide competitive pricing, by shopping around.
There certainly are a few home improvements that are worthwhile that Miami home buyers frequently don't recall factoring in when negotiating the price of a house they may be intending to buy. This informative article discusses two of these, namely, sprinkler systems and hurricane shutters.
Green changes such as for example solar paneling usually takes away from the aesthetics of a home and for that reason lose the house value of this house and the houses around it.
2. Painting toilet and bedroom. New paint makes the home look cleaner and much more inviting. Additionally, it is among the very inexpensive and most easy of home improvements as you are able to do. Here's a number of what to keep in mind when painting. When painting a room where there's stains from cigarette smoke or water, cover using a stain blocker. Otherwise they'll bleed through the paint that is brand new. Use quality paint quality paint and brushes. The quality of paint and the brush is easily seen on the dry wall. Use at least two coast of paint.
Your pool and surround sound aren't home improvements, they have no value.
Add value
That being said, over a longer duration of time, since the kitchen is the most crucial room inside your home kitchen improvements have a tendency to pay off in a big way. The kitchen is where most family interaction takes place and where the household congregates. So, a roomy, attractive, well-lit kitchen with appliances which work well might be an excellent selling point for your own property and can add value.
Only the most quality hardwood floors, not laminate, and not pre-finished add value and so are mass appealing which they won't be torn up. Pre-finished floors WOn't continue five years, and wear like paper and seem good. In case you are going to do flooring subsequently spend the money only once put in nailed in place and ended in place hardwood (like your grandparents dwelling).
Another add-on that will add value to your home is a fireplace. Your guests will love to be amused near a hearth which makes them comfy. Or just the notion that one can rest by a hearth on your own favorite chair or sofa pulls one to get home following an extended day on the job.


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Guidebooks for France
France is a great place to go rock climbing with many excellent places to visit including 2 genuinely world class climbing areas; from the mountaineering and rock climbing around Chamonix and Mount Blanc; to the bouldering in the forests of Fontainebleau.
Climb Europe stocks and sells a wide range of rock climbing and bouldering guidebooks all across France. These have been broken down into the following sub-categories:
Fontainebleau and Central France rock climbing guidebooks. Fontainebleau is situated 90km south of Paris and can be simply described as the best bouldering area in Europe if not the world. The majority of the bouldering is to found in the forests that surround Fontainebleau, which makes for a magical and unique setting. The sandstone rock is of fantastic quality and the landings are generally soft and sandy. The area is huge with many different guidebooks available. In Central France the main rock climbing area is in the Bourgogne region, which stretches from Auxerre in the north through Dijon and Beaune to Macon in the south.
Chamonix rock climbing guidebooks. Chamonix is a world-class area for mountaineering and rock climbing that is famous all over the world and is dominated by Mont Blanc, the highest mountain in Western Europe at 4,810m. There are many different guidebooks available ranging from long multi-pitch alpine routes to sport climbing and bouldering.
Southeast France rock climbing guidebooks. The southeast of France includes some of the best rock climbing and sport climbing in Europe. From Avignon to Nice the regions of Provence and Cote D'Azur include the sport climbing areas of Verdon, Buoux, Ceuse, and Les Calanques near Marseille to name but a few.
Southwest France rock climbing guidebooks. The southwest of France is dominated by the Pyrenees, where there are many multi-pitch sport climbing areas plus the excellent bouldering at Targasonne. The Languedoc-Roussillon region stretches from the Pyrenees to the west of Avignon including the cities of Mines, Montpellier and Perpignan. There are many different rock climbing and sport climbing places in this area including the famous Gorge du Tarn.
Climb Europe stocks all the French rock climbing guidebooks we feature in our shop and they are dispatched within 2 working days (usually 24 hours) from the UK.
Bloc France Bouldering GuidebookPrice:£28.95This guidebook covers some of the lesser well-known sandstone bouldering areas in France that are outside of Fontainebleau. 4 distinct areas are covered, which are around Reims in northern France, the Alsace region near Strasbourg, along the Rhone valley to the south of Lyon, and around Montpellier. In total 10 bouldering areas are described and around 1,100 problems. All these problems are shown on colour photo topos, along with boulder maps. Published in April 2014, this guidebook is in German, French, Italian, and English text throughout. More Information
Faces A La Mer Guidebook – Faces Above The SeaPrice:£22.95This is a selective guidebook covering some of the Mediterranean's finest rock climbs in 7 different countries. The guidebook details 113 multi-pitch routes in Spain, France, Italy, Malta, Croatia, Greece and Turkey. The routes chosen will suit the mid-grade climber with 27 routes from F4 to F5, 52 routes from F6a+ to F6b+, and 34 routes from F6c to F7a. In total 25 different climbing areas are covered with all the routes described in great detail. Each route is shown on a colour photo topo, along with information regarding gear required, type and style of the climbing, approach and descent information. Published in 2014 and written in French and English text throughout. More Information
Multi-Pitch Rock Climbing in Europe GuidebookPrice:£32.95This coffee table style guidebook describes describing 19 of the best multi-pitch rock climbing areas in Europe. The 19 locations described are all in great setting, and are iconic places to go climbing in Ireland, France, Spain, Switzerland, Germany, Italy, Norway, Austria, Croatia, Bulgaria, and Greece. For each location there is an overall description of the style and aspect of the climbing, which coupled with personal experiences of the author and topos of iconic routes provide a great read. Published in November 2016, this book will provide great inspiration to go multi-pitch climbing in Europe, and is in English text throughout. More Information
Via Ferratas in the French Alps GuidebookPrice:£17.95This guidebook describes66 Via Ferratas in 6 areas of the French Alps: Geneva and the Northern Alps; Chambéry; Tarentaise Valley; Maurienne Valley; Grenoble; and Briançon. Published in January 2014, all the routes are illustrated by sketch maps and topo diagrams, along with a description. More Information
South Western Europe & Morocco Rock Climbing AtlasPrice:£19.99This book covers the various rock climbing, sports climbing, bouldering and deep water soloing in France, Italy, Malta, Portugal, Spain and Morocco, and will help you plan your next rock climbing holiday to south western Europe. A general introduction is given to each country, with lots of photographs, maps and background information, that make you want to go and climb in these countries. Published in December 2007 and in English text throughout. More Information


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Tech bad-boy Uber crafts tool to make staff follow the rules in future (er, coding rules, that is)
Kneel before NEAL, devs
Despite its astonishing reputation for obliterating HR policy, resisting transit regulations and bending other laws, taxi scourge Uber is rather keen to keep its code clean and ensure it follows the rules.
Developers working for the ride app biz have created a software analysis tool called NEAL to enforce code quality, and have released it as an open source project.
NEAL stands for "Not Exactly A Linter," which may require some additional explanation.
A linter is software used to check source code for style errors, obvious programming bugs, and other cockups. The term dates back to a program called Lint, written in 1978 by Stephen C. Johnson of Bell Laboratories, to vet C code.
Compilers check for problems too, of course, but in addition to flagging errors, linters look for inefficiencies and stylistic anomalies that are nonetheless legal within the code's programming language.
Linters may support custom rules, which allow them to look for user-defined constructs; most are designed to work with a specific programming language but a few (e.g. coala) support multiple languages.
COP BLOCKED: Uber app thwarted arrests of its drivers by fooling police with 'ghost cars'READ MORE
That's NEAL in a nutshell. In a blog post today, Uber software engineer Tadeu Zagallo describes the project as "an open source language-agnostic tool that allows engineers to write custom syntax-based rules."
Uber uses NEAL to ensure its Swift code meets corporate specs.
As Zagallo explained, reviewing changes to Uber's mobile app code can be slow because the company has a dozen engineering teams in different locations around the world.
With NEAL, Uber developers can make the code review process more automated and more consistent.
The result is more reliable code tests, the ability to limit binary size by preventing language constructs that generate lots of machine code, and the ability to enforce code restrictions and flow.
In addition to the Swift programming language, NEAL supports Python out of the box. It can also be extended to support other languages, but that's on you. ®


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The Falconer – Book Review
Elizabeth May
YA Fantasy
Book #1 in the falconer series
Edinburgh, Scotland, 1844
Lady Aileana Kameron, the only daughter of the Marquess of Douglas, was destined for a life carefully planned around Edinburgh's social events – right up until a faery killed her mother.
Now it's the 1844 winter season and Aileana slaughter faeries in secret, in between the endless rounds of parties, teas and balls. Armed with modified percussion pistols and explosives, she sheds her aristocratic façade every night to go hunting. She's determined to track down the faery who murdered her mother, and to destroy any who prey on humans in the city's many dark alleyways.
But the balance between high society and her private war is a delicate one, and as the fae infiltrate the ballroom and Aileana's father returns home, she has a decision to make. How much is she willing to lose – and just how far will Ailena go for revenge…?
This book has been on my TBR list for a long time and I am only sorry that I didn't pick it up sooner. Thrilling, action packed and set in 19th century steam punk Edinburgh; I couldn't help but enjoy The Falconer immensely.
On the day of her coming out ball, seventeen year old Aileana is changed forever after she witnesses a mythical fae woman rip out her mother's heart. Now one year on, Aileana is hardly recognisable as the meek, polite society girl she once was. With her reputation as a Lady hanging together by threads, she fights to endure her days of mindless balls and inane gossip, yet at night, she prowls the streets of Edinburgh, hunting down the blood thirsty fae in the hopes of running into her mother's killer.
Only Derrick, her tame pixie companion and clothes mender, knows about her nightly excursions. But when Kiaran, Aileana's trainer and unlikely accomplice in arms discovers that Aileana has been killing fae without him, he is furious. Now word is fast spreading through the fae world, that for the first time in centuries a falconer, a legendary female warrior born with both the skill and strength to hunt the fae, is alive and on the hunt. But the hunter is about to become the hunted.
As the seal holding the most powerful fae captive begins to weaken, Aileana learns she has only mere days to re-enact the spell keeping the fae from slaughtering the entire city – but she doesn't know how. Now with time working against her, she can no longer keep up appearances as a highborn Lady. Yet as the scandal surrounding her spreads, she not only has to contend with impending world doom, but an arranged marriage as well… and even Kiarans forbidden good looks cannot distract her from that.
"Duty comes first" her father told her, but now Aileana must choose, duty to society, duty to the world or duty to her heart… either way, no matter what she chooses, people she loves are going to die…
I really, really loved this book. It's the first steam punk style setting I have ever read and now I am certainly eager to check out more books in the genre. And for those of you who are unfamiliar with the term, steam punk is set within the historical Victorian era except the technology is usually both highly advanced and steam powered.
In terms of the story, I was gripped from the first few pages where we are immediately introduced to Aileana, a feisty tempered red head who is out for revenge. She is an easily likeable character yet for all her tough exterior, beneath she is a soft hearted girl who is a little love staved and naive. Struggling to balance her two lives of debutante and fae hunter, she is also sinfully attracted to her tormented fae trainer, who she knows better than to trust, yet alone fall for. My heart couldn't help but go out to her.
The secondary characters are also interesting and often humorous, particularly Derrick the Pixie, with his small yet foul mouth and never ending love of honey.
Yet I also loved Catherine, Aileana's best friend. She knows there is more going on in Aileana's life than meets the eyes and steadfastly stands by her. Catharine's mother is also an intriguing, if disproving piece of work while Catharine's brother, Gavin is a true gentleman – and the first human to really understand Aileana's true nature.
What really grabs me about these characters though is how they drive the story forward. With hidden pasts and unclear motives for helping Aileana , they add an undercurrent of speculation to the story.
Undoubtedly the most unique character however – aside from Aileana herself – is Kiaran. A full blooded fae, he is a powerful being with deadly good looks and a blunt, to the point manner. While lacking the charms of Derrick and Gavin, he has a pained, tortured soul and a thirst for vengeance that captures the readers attention – and while maybe he isn't the best love interest for Aileana (He isn't exactly the kiss and cuddle type) his lessons both better and protect Aileana in some way. I really hope we learn more about Kiaran in the next book.
My only disappointment with 'The Falconer' was its major cliff hanger of an ending! Right in the middle of the action! It's fair to say I can't wait to get my hands on the next book, I'm dying to know what happens next as so much of the plot was left unresolved.
All in all though a great, unique read set in a fantastical yet emotionally realistic world with a story that will keep you turning the pages. 4 stars!


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What does fact checked mean?
At Healthfully, we strive to deliver objective content that is accurate and up-to-date. Our team periodically reviews articles in order to ensure content quality. The sources cited below consist of evidence from peer-reviewed journals, prominent medical organizations, academic associations, and government data.
- Intestinal Gas Dynamics: Mechanisms and Clinical Relevance
- Intestinal Gas Dynamics: Mechanisms and Clinical Relevance
- Abnormal Colonic Fermentation in IBS
- Abnormal Colonic Fermentation in IBS
- Gastrointestinal Perception: Pathophysiological Implications
- Prevalence, characteristics, and impact of bloating symptoms in patients with IBS
- Prevalence, characteristics, and impact of bloating symptoms in patients with IBS
The information contained on this site is for informational purposes only, and should not be used as a substitute for the advice of a professional health care provider. Please check with the appropriate physician regarding health questions and concerns. Although we strive to deliver accurate and up-to-date information, no guarantee to that effect is made.
What Is Gas and What Is Bloating?
Gas and bloating are the most common problems that bring people to the gastroenterologist. They affect all ages and genders and come in many forms.
Gas and bloating are the most common problems that bring people to the gastroenterologist. They affect all ages and genders. They cause embarrassment and discomfort. Gas and bloating come in many forms. Some people belch a lot. Some people feel they pass excess flatus. Some just feel big and bloated and uncomfortable. Whatever the overriding symptoms, having gas is uncomfortable at the very least.
If you are experiencing serious medical symptoms, seek emergency treatment immediately.
What is Gas?
Gas is nothing more than air in the digestive tract. Bloating is the subjective feeling that the abdomen is full. Many people describe it as feeling like they have a balloon in their abdomen. When it has a visible increase in girth, we call it distention. Our digestive tract is made of the tubes that extend from our mouth to our anus. Most all gas production happens just past the stomach in the small intestine (about 18 to 22 feet long) and the large intestine, also known as the colon (about five to six feet long).
The main gases that exist in our gastrointestinal tract are carbon dioxide, oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen and methane. There are two main reasons people have problems with gas and bloating — excess gas production and visceral hypersensitivity.
Excess Gas Production
Gas is a natural byproduct of the work done in our gastrointestinal tract as we digest food and move our stool. Everyone has gas. The amount of gas produced in the body depends upon one's diet and other individual factors. The average amount of gas we normally produce has a wide range of somewhere between 500 milliliters and 1,500 milliliters in a day. However, some people do produce more gas than others.
Interestingly, we as humans don't really make gas, it is mainly produced by the trillions of microorganisms (bacteria) that normally live in our bowels. In people that have more gas than normal, the gas builds up in their bowels and causes the symptoms of bloating, belching and passing of flatus. There are many reasons why people produce excess gas.
Visceral Hypersensitivity
Visceral hypersensitivity, a fancy medical term for sensitive bowels, is an interesting topic. There are many conditions that cause sensitive bowels, the most common of which is irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). We have found that most people that complain of gas and bloating actually aren't making excess gas. What they have is visceral hypersensitivity, and their bowels are wired much more sensitively than others. They make normal amounts of gas in their bowels that the average person wouldn't feel or notice, but because their bowels are more sensitive to things inside them they feel very gassy and bloated.
There have been several studies done on this topic. One of the most largely quoted studies measured gas excretion in patients with visceral hypersensitivity and bloating and showed that total gas excreted was not different than in healthy controls.
Whether you have excess amounts of gas in your gastrointestinal tract or normal amounts that just bother you too much, you are suffering from gas and bloating, and there are things we can do to help.
- Understanding Intestinal Gas
- Canadian Society of Intestinal Research
- Intestinal Gas Dynamics: Mechanisms and Clinical Relevance
- Abnormal Colonic Fermentation in IBS
- Gastrointestinal Perception: Pathophysiological Implications
- Prevalence, characteristics, and impact of bloating symptoms in patients with IBS


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Unlike the fees paid to commission-driven brokers at brokerage firms, the fee-for-service you pay to us is tax deductible.
Financial transitions are constant, money is always in motion, that's why Security First Advisors is proud to partner with Sudden Money Institute® and Money Quotient® to integrate their ideas into a customized approach as we aim to improve the quality of our clients' lives.
We encourage you to explore our site and learn more about the services we provide. Should you have any questions or would like more information on our firm, please feel free to email us or call us at (503) 274-4224. We look forward to hearing from you.


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Calloway's Professional Crapemyrtle Food
Calloway's Professional Crapemyrtle Food has an advanced form of slow release nitrogen that keeps trees blooming all season long. The formulation of 9-13-9 plus trace elements, is ideally suited to crapemyrtles providing them with strong roots, dramatic bark and foliage, as well as abundant and colorful blooms. Our crapemyrtle food can produce your most beautiful flowering crapemyrtles ever and it is ideal for use on all blooming trees!
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