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Andy with Supertouch, Photo: Eric Fennell
Andy Guida is probably my vote for one of the most underrated drummers to have played hardcore. First leaving his mark by playing in Altercation, it is Supertouch that most people probably think of when his name pops up. Yet even after Supertouch, Andy has stayed behind the kit for a slew of rock and hardcore bands, continuing to be a total beast of power and style. And make no mistake, this guy still loves hardcore. I thought it would be cool to catch up with him, and luckily, it turns out that he has some great, crystal clear memories to share. There will be a few parts to this one, and I assure you it just gets better and better.
-Gordo DCXX
How did you find your way into hardcore? What are your earliest memories of hearing hardcore records or going to shows, and where/when was this? What were your favorite bands early on?
My intro to hardcore/punk/new wave started with my best friend Bryan's older sister. It was around 1979 or '80 when she turned us on to the first B52s album, Gang of Four's Entertainment record and DEVO's Are We Not Men. I
remember knowing that there was something different about the sound, but at 9 or 10 years old I didn't know what that meant, I just loved the sound. I started buying records when I was 6 years old but that was all rock, like Kiss and ELO, so it was definitely a different sound from Gang or Four or the B52s. Today those bands sound tame compared to what's come since. Not to say that I stopped liking straight up rock, but I really liked the newer sound of these other bands. Also, growing up in Flatbush, Brooklyn in 1979 / 1980, all I heard coming out of cars was stuff like Zeppelin and Sugarhill Gang so it made Gang of Four and B52s records sound even more different.
In 1984 my best friend Bryan and I were 13 or 14. Bryan's family had a college student who was a friend of the family living with them while he was in school. He turned us on to hardcore. This kid Walt turned us on to Black Flag, Dead Kennedys, Suicidal Tendencies, DRI, The Minutemen, The Butthole Surfers, and a lot of other bands. We bugged out when we heard all this new music. I still didn't turn away from the older rock stuff but these new bands were the shit.
Of course the absolute turning point was when we found Bad Brains Roir cassette. I still clearly remember the moment I first heard it. I was 14 and it had such a huge impact on me. IT FUCKING CHANGED MY LIFE!!! Bad Brains, Led Zeppelin, John Coltrane, Black Sabbath, Miles Davis, and Scream are all on the same level to me.
The first hardcore show I went to was PMS, Cro Mags, and Bad Brains at the Jane Street Hotel on the west side of Manhattan. They called it the Rock Hotel when they had shows there. I still have the original Village Voice ad for the show. The date was July 20, 1985, it was a week before my 15th birthday. Talk about a life changing moment. The club was hot as hell. The pit was huge. The place was packed. I wasn't brave enough to go in the pit, but I loved the whole experience.
The next show I saw was a hardcore matinee at CBGB. That was Ultraviolence, Ludichrist, Crumbsuckers and Cro Mags. That was during the same summer as my first show. It was intense, Crumbsuckers and Cro Mags were amazing. When the lights went out and Beethoven's 9th Symphony (which everyone knew from A Clockwork Orange) came on I knew there was about to be something intense. Then Cro Mags came on and holy shit was it intense! That day I was brave enough to go in the pit and I loved it. What is so funny to me is that I didn't have the hardcore handbook approved moves down yet so half the time I was standing at the edge of the stage playing air drums and watching Mackie. I must have looked goofy but I loved every minute of it.
My favorite bands were Cro Mags, Bad Brains, Agnostic Front, COC, Suicidal Tendencies, Flipper, Dr. Know, Minute Men, Butthole Surfers and DRI. There were more but the list would be too long. It's unfortunate how closed minded hardcore got to be by around 1986. The definition got very narrow and rigid. Now no one would consider the Butthole Surfers, Flipper or the Minute Men to be hardcore. Early on they were. Of course they all moved away from one type of sound which I'm sure was a rebellion against the narrow definition.
Flyer of Andy's first show
When did you first get behind a drum kit and why? Who did you play/jam with before Altercation? Influential drummers early on?
First off, drums suck, I gave them up and now I play triangle. So much easier to transport and set up. I first got behind a drum set when I was 11 years old. I actually played guitar first, in fact I still play guitar a lot, but I was more drawn to the drums. I actually destroyed some of my mom's plastic food containers by using them like drums before I ever got a drum set. I would set them up on my bed in a mock drum set configuration and play along to whatever came on the radio. When I was 11 a friend of mine got a drum set. He lived in a house and we lived in an apartment so there was no way I was getting drums. I thought his drums looked so cool. It was almost just felt in my bones that I could play drums. The first time I sat down and played I was able to play a basic rock beat. I'm not saying that I was particularly good, but it did come naturally to me. I finally got a drum set when I was 14. Once I got a set I played every chance I got. I played for hours every day. Ahh...being 14 with nothing to do was great.
The first formal band I played in was a hardcore band called Still Born. I played guitar in that band. I played on their first demo which was called Dying for Progress. That was in 1985. I jammed with all sorts of kids from my neighborhood on drums.
The first drummers that influenced me were John Bonham from Led Zeppelin, Bill Ward from Black Sabbath, Stewart Copeland from The Police, Mitch Mitchell from The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Clive Burr from Iron Maiden, Billy Cobham when he was in Mahavishnu Orchestra and Bill Bruford on the King Crimson stuff from the early to mid 80's. When I got into hardcore I was influenced by Mackie and Earl Hudson, George Hurly of The Minutemen. There was also a noisy art rock band from New York called Live Skull. Their drummer was James Lo, he played amazing tribal grooves. I also grew up hearing a lot of funk and disco so I have always liked beats with a groove.
How did you get into Altercation? A short lived band that is still loved/appreciated by many, what memories do you recall playing out and recording? How did you know those guys, and what do you think of the demo songs today?
I went to high school with Myles, who played rhythm guitar in Altercation. He and I were trying to start a band. We had some songs and we practiced in my parents' basement. He knew Eddie, who played bass in the band, from the hardcore scene. Eddie knew Jay (vocals) and Paul (lead guitar) and the three of them were trying to put a band together. We were all kids from Brooklyn so we got together at a studio that was called Gridrock, in Brooklyn.
I still remember sitting in McDonald's after one of our rehearsals trying to come up with a name. I was looking through the newspaper and I came across the word "altercation." It seemed a sufficiently angry word which fit our collective mindset. We were a study in varying degrees of teenage anger and frustration. Some of us started or got into a lot of fights and did a lot of drugs. Altercation rehearsals were a cloud of pot smoke. Amazing we remembered our songs because we smoked a shit load of pot. How were we so stoned and still so angry? Amazing.
I remember some things about our first show pretty clearly. It was a double record release for Warzone's Lower East Side Crew 7" and Youth of Today's Break Down The Walls LP. I still have the Warzone 7" I bought that day. Of course it was a CBGB hardcore matinee. Side by Side was also on the bill. I remember taking the subway to the show with my friend Jack Johnson (no, not the pop star). Jack drew the cover of the Altercation demo. I only brought cymbals to the show and I carried them in a postal mail bag. I was 17 and I had such shitty equipment. I don't remember who let me use their drums. CB's was packed. I think we went on first and there were already a lot of people there. We had a bunch of friends there and they all were going off when we played.
We only played 4 shows, 2 at CB's and 2 at the Pyramid. It was great, both clubs had matinees for a while, Pyramid on Saturday and CBGB on Sunday. At one of the Pyramid shows Paul's guitar head cooked itself onstage. It literally had smoke coming out of it. He and Myles traded songs for the rest of the set. We also played "As One" with Raybeez at the end of one of the Pyramid sets. I have always assumed that was when the seed for Jay and Paul joining Warzone was planted. At one of those Pyramid shows Raybeez wanted to take some photos with all the kids at the show in Tompkins Square Park so there were maybe 40 or 50 kids crossing Avenue A to the park, blocking traffic and the cops showed up and told us to go back into the club.
I remember bits and pieces of recording the demo at Don Fury's but nothing worth nothing. Vague memories of listening back to each take and sitting in the tiny shit ass drum booth he had. We tried to record a second demo at some studio in Brooklyn but I think Eddie didn't show up and I don't know what happened to the tapes. I should call Jay and see if he has a copy.
I transfered the Demo to CD and cleaned it up in Pro Tools so I can listen to it without destroying my tape. I only have one copy of the demo and it has some damage. I think the songs are great, the lyrics are pretty stupid but we were kids. Actually Paul's girlfriend at the time wrote the lyrics. I think we played really well for a bunch of kids. I still listen to it for enjoyment once in a while. We were so short lived but we got to leave a mark. We were lucky. I still meet new people who tell me that they really like that demo. There was a time when I was embarrassed by the band but I am grateful now that I was a part of it.
Andy with Supertouch, Photo: Eric Fennell
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Andy Guida - Altercation / Supertouch
5 comments:
- Ben Edge said...
My dad is from East Flatbush. What intersection did Andy grow up on?
- August 25, 2008 at 2:11 AM
I'm liking this interview a lot. I look forward to the rest of it.
- August 25, 2008 at 7:13 PM
- An Attitude Exhumed said...
Pro Tools copy of the demo is a must.
- August 26, 2008 at 11:24 AM
Such a great interview, can't wait for more!
- June 23, 2010 at 6:26 AM
- Unknown said...
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- August 27, 2010 at 2:47 AM


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Definitions/origins of the terms ontic/ontological and epistemic/epistemological from Susanne Bobzien:
ontic: is concerned with being (Greek 'to on', that which is)
ontological: is concerned with the theory of being (Greek 'logos',among other things: theory)
epistemic: is concerned with knowledge or with cognition (Greek 'episteme', knowledge)
epistemological: is concerned with the theory of knowledge or of cognition (Greek 'logos': see above)
I use the term Reality ("R" is capitalized) instead of "Being." Our knowledge of Reality is limited and will always be limited. The term "epistemic uncertainty" mentioned in the title of this blogpost is NOT referring to this limitation. Rather, "epistemic uncertainty" refers mostly to the variability in the "representation of knowledge."
Epistemic uncertainty (type 1): variability due to time, place and person
Reality is One and unified but there are infinite number of perspectives. The "knowledge of Reality" refers to the totality of these perspectives. Perspectives change according to time, place and person. This is the first kind of epistemic uncertainty.
Epistemic uncertainty (type 2): variability in the representation of knowledge
There are other kinds of variabilities in our "knowledge of Reality." Consider the motion of an electron in space-time. The motion can be represented by the Dirac equation or the Klein-Gordon equation. The Dirac equation takes the electron spin into account whereas the Klein-Gordon equation ignores the spin. Both the Dirac and the Klein-Gordon equations are relativistic and both are quantum mechanical. There is another equation for the motion of an electron known as the Schrodinger equation which is quantum mechanical but not valid at relativistic speeds. Schrodinger equation ignores electron spin too. Maxwell equations describe the motion of an electron also but they are neither quantum mechanical nor relativistic. Maxwell equations ignore spin too.
This is variability in the representation of knowledge. We know how electron moves because we observe what it does in different physical settings. We have developed multiple equations to describe its motion. Our knowledge includes the observations (behavior) as well the models (equations) that explain the behavior. But, there is multiplicity in the models. I am not saying all models are equal in predictive and explanatory power, I am just saying there is multiplicity. This variability (multiplicity) in the representation of (experimental + theoretical) knowledge is the second type of epistemic uncertainty.
Epistemic uncertainty (type 3): lack of information regarding inputs
I am going to use the Dirac equation as an example for the third kind of epistemic uncertainty. The Dirac equation is the most accurate and most predictive equation for the motion of an electron. But, there may be uncertainties regarding the inputs to this equation. We may not be able to quantify the input (functional shape of the external field the electron is feeling) with precision. This will lead to the uncertainties in the prediction of the Dirac equation.
Do not confuse this type of epistemic uncertainty with quantum mechanical uncertainty. I will discuss quantum mechanical uncertainty in a future post about Ontic uncertainty.
This third type of epistemic uncertainty is reduced with more information about the inputs. If the input to our model is more precise the output of the model will be more precise as well.
Epistemic uncertainty (type 4): statistical uncertainty
Statistical uncertainty of a quantity is given by the standard deviation (SD) of the statistical distribution of that quantity. Strictly speaking, the measure of standard deviation is valid for Gaussian distributions only but it can be useful to learn something about non-Gaussian distributions as well.
Most of the time we are interested in the average (mean) of a distribution which is not knowable in principle but we can take many samples and measure the mean and the SD of each sample. If you record the mean of each sample and compute the standard deviation of that set then you get the "standard error of the mean" (also known colloquially as the "margin or error"). The "standard error of the mean" is a measure of the variability of the mean from sample to sample. The epistemic uncertainty of the fourth kind is the "standard error of the mean."
Loss of information
Loss of information regarding inputs will clearly result in higher epistemic uncertainty.
You may have heard the phrase "loss of information" in the debates involving Quantum Mechanics and the physics of Black Holes. In those debates the term "loss of information" is part of the ontological discussion. So, that specific debate is beyond the scope of this blogpost and it is not really part of the epistemological discussion.
What happens to epistemic uncertainty when a model is ruled out
New findings from the Large Hadron Collider ruled out the majority of the particle models involving Supersymmetry. There are still more convoluted versions of supersymmetric particle models that may survive, that's not the question. The question is this. Does the epistemic uncertainty increase or decrease as a result of the elimination of some models?
Logically speaking, if the multiplicity of models is reduced the second kind of epistemic uncertainty will be reduced. What about the impact on the "knowledge of Reality?
If there are multiple verified models and they each describe some aspects of Reality within their declared limitations then each addition of such a verified model will increase epistemic uncertainty but it will also increase the existing knowledge of Reality (example set: Dirac, Klein-Gordon, Schrodinger, Maxwell equations)
The addition of theorized yet unverified models will NOT increase the existing knowledge of Reality but it will certainly increase the epistemic uncertainty (example set: particle models involving Supersymmetry).
Therefore, it seems to me that epistemic uncertainty will continually increase as we come up with more and more models of Reality.
Epistemic uncertainty is similar to entropy
Remember that entropy is based on the concept of variability. Entropy always increases in isolated systems so does epistemic uncertainty as we discover more perspectives of Reality.

subset: commoncrawl


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The diocese of Dipolog City is collaborating with local officials and NGOs to help indigenous people assert their claim to ancestral land against mining operations. Canada-based Toronto Ventures Inc. (TVI) is exploring for gold and other minerals on 5,000 hectares in Zamboanga del Norte province. The Church and others advocating against the operations say the mining will damage the forests and water resources, cause pollution and kill fish.
"Siocon is an environmentally critical area, as certified by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources," Mayor Caesar Soriano of Siocon said, noting the area is a watershed. "Once our forests are denuded, once open pit mining commences, certainly we'll experience flash floods," he said.
Thousands of indigenous Subanon people live on the mining sites in the mountainous communities of Siocon town, served by Dipolog diocese.
"Now, people are calm, but they are waiting," Bishop Jose Manguiran of Dipolog said in late August.
Earlier, on Aug. 13, police arrested 12 Subanon people at the Siocon parish residence. The people were detained at the police station for two hours until Church groups, the mayor and NGOs pitched in to pay the 2,000-peso bail for each person detained, including a 70-year-old tribal elder.
In a local court, TVI charged the elder and his companions with obstructing permit holders' operations in violation of the 1995 Mining Act
In March and April, Subanon men, women and children barricaded the gates of the TVI mining site in Canatuan, Siocon, seeking to prevent the start of mining in nearby Pisawak village.
"We have a legal counsel," Bishop Manguiran reported, adding that local and foreign supporters also have offered help and advice on how to deal with the foreign mining firm.
Tito Fiel, coordinator of the interdiocesan Committee on Mining Issues, called the August arrests "harassment." He acknowledges the mining law prohibits the illegal obstruction of permit holders. But he added "In our view, TVI is not really a legal mining company" because it is operating "full blast" when it has not obtained all the necessary permits.
Fiel said the Subanon are contesting mining activities "within the 8,000 hectares of ancestral lands of the Subanon in the town." They also want outposts manned by armed mining guards removed from areas around the indigenous communities.
Speaking before 800 Subanon and supporting Christian and Muslim protesters at Siocon police station on Aug. 13, Bishop Manguiran compared the mining firm to "mere visitors in the country who became oppressors of their hosts." The bishop asked why is it that the user of the resource has a larger voice in decision making than the owner.
He later said, "What I am doing, as an environmentalist, as part of the Church, is to stand with the people in protecting the earth, and to stand against government policies that destroy it."
"Actually, we are trying to put into practice the government's own laws for the environment," the bishop said.
Police are searching for 20 other tribal elders after Siocon judge Paciano Galleposo ordered their arrest when he found probable cause in the case filed against them by TVI.
In defense of the mining company, Manny Mallari, chief of the Environmental Management Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, said that TVI is legally entitled to explore in the area. He said the department signed a Mineral Production Sharing Agreement with the mining firm in 1994, before the Subanon issued their claim to the land covered by the exploration and before the 1997 law that protects indigenous ancestral land.
"They (Subanon) should respect prior rights," Mallari said. He explained that the sharing agreement permits a firm "to utilize their exploration site for 25 years and is renewable for another 25 years."
Foreign mining firms have flocked to Zamboanga del Norte since 1988 looking for gold deposits "believed to be commercial in quantity," Mallari said.
Fiel counters, however, that the local Subanon applied for a Community Forest Stewardship Agreement with the environment department in 1989, even before they formally organized as a group. Later, as Siocon Subanon Association Inc., they filed a Community Ancestral Domain Claim. Fiel added that he believes TVI is engaging in destructive open-pit mining.
He recalled one other firm left the area after having extracted gold in 1988 and an Australia-based firm later moved to Indonesia after encountering opposition from the Catholic Church and anti-mining activists.
Fiel said the diocese and its allied groups are opposing all forms of mining, including the activities of small-scale miners and "even (firms that) have permits from the national government."
Church, Mayor, NGOs Back Indigenous People Against Mining
13 Thursday Nov 2003
Posted Church Philippines, Indigenous peoplein
The diocese of Dipolog City is collaborating with local officials and NGOs to help indigenous people assert their claim to ancestral land against mining operations. Canada-based Toronto Ventures Inc. (TVI) is exploring for gold and other minerals on 5,000 hectares in Zamboanga del Norte province. The Church and others advocating against the operations say the mining will damage the forests and water resources, cause pollution and kill fish.


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Are you thinking to trekking to Everest Base Camp. Here are all our important links and pages you need to read before trekking to Everest base camp. You need to explore this information and apply to your preparation and journey into the Everest region. I have climbed Everest to the summit, helped people train to climb Everest and led over 35 treks to Everest base camp. Check out our upcoming trips.
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8). Elevation gains on the Everest trail. This will help you formulate a training plan
9). What sort of food will I get on the Everest Base Camp Trek.
10). Read our Top 10 Tips for a successful Everest trek.
11). Read our Top 11 Tips for when you are on the Everest Base Camp Trek.
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13). What vaccinations should you consider for your Everest Base Camp Trek.
14). What type of trekking boots should you have for the Everest Base Camp Trek.
15). What Insurance do I need for my Everest Base Camp Trek.
16). What additional expenses will you incur on the Everest Trek.
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Pick the right Everest Base Camp Itinerary
The first think you need to do is pick the right itinerary, there is no one size fits all and you need to have as much acclimatization in the critical points of the trek. You need 3 nights acclimatization in Namche Bazaar on the way up the trail. This is vital to a safe, enjoyable and success experience in a low oxygen environment higher up the trail. If you fail to acclimatize well lower down you run the risk of getting altitude sickness higher up.
The Everest Trek requires excellent physical preparation
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Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791)
Keyboard Concerto No 19, K459, in F (arr. de Maistre) [29:05]
Concerto for Flute, Harp, and Orchestra, K299, in C [26:49]
Keyboard Sonata No 16, K545, in C (arr. de Maistre) [8:23]
Xavier de Maistre (harp)
Magali Mosnier (flute) (K299)
Mozarteumorchester Salzburg/Ivor Bolton
rec. 25-27 February 2013, Stiftung Mozarteum, Salzburg
This CD is a peach. Xavier de Maistre has arranged Mozart's piano concerto No. 19 and piano sonata No. 16 for harp, and performs them here along with the more popular concerto for harp and flute. The two arrangements prove very satisfying and fluent at all times: the harp feels at home in this music. It's not very far off, really, from the sound of some period keyboards. So the disc is a very pleasing way to spend an hour and a testament to de Maistre's skill. He also had a friend, Sylvain Blassel, compose new cadenzas. Blassel has a CD of his own arrangement of Bach's Goldberg Variations, so Xavier de Maistre has some very talented friends.
Magali Mosnier joins in for the flute concerto and does a wonderful job with her part, though she's slightly overshadowed. This isn't her fault: the recorded sound favours de Maistre too heavily, and he dominates both orchestral works. At times his harp is as loud as, or louder than, the entire symphony orchestra. This is a very old-fashioned way of solving the engineering problem of a harp not being the easiest solo instrument to record. It's therefore not easy to assess the playing of the Mozarteumorchester Salzburg: I'm sure they're up to their usual great standards, but they've been pushed to the background.
De Maistre's close miking is fine in the wonderful little Sonata No. 16, which is a delightful combination of new and familiar. Certainly if you've heard this work too many times you'll still appreciate hearing this twist, especially since de Maistre is such a tasteful soloist. There are no repeats played in the sonata.
I'd never heard of Xavier de Maistre or Magali Mosnier before. Sony Classical assumes that they're household names, and supplies full-page photographs but no biographies. De Maistre was the first Frenchman to ever join the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra; he left in 2010, and the orchestra's principal harpist is now something which, for the VPO, is even more unthinkable than a Frenchman: a woman. De Maistre's four previous albums feature other arrangements, of concertos and other works by the likes of Haydn, Vivaldi, Rodrigo - who did the harp version of Concierto de Aranjuez himself - and Debussy. Based on the craft evident here, I'll be seeking those discs out. De Maistre knows how to arrange music effectively, and he knows how to play well. If you like Mozart, harps, or Mozart on harp, there's nothing else left to say.
Brian Reinhart
If you like Mozart, harps, or Mozart on harp, this is a lovely disc. Only sound quality is not quite perfect.
Support us financially by purchasing this disc from


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Pics of the Reflecting Pool, July 2010; note the spots of smaller trees along each side at about the location of this 'diagonal' route I-695 tunnel.
Adopted from:
In 1966, a new design for Washington, D.C.'s South Leg segment of the Inner Loop Freeway appeared. It featured a single continuous, 5,600 foot long West Potomac Park tunnel, constructed by the cut and cover method, upon a diagonal routing fully east of Lincoln Memorial traffic circle and partially beneath the Reflecting Pool. Because of its continuous length, this was the one option featuring ceiling ducts for a ventilation system. Under this plan, the surface roads in West Potomac Park were to be removed.
This design, initially pursued as a full tunnel alternative to the previous design, was approved by the National Capital Planning Commission on September 15, 1966, and recommended to the D.C. Board of Commissioners for implementation. However, this diagonal route tunnel proposal came under criticism by the Fine Arts Commission at a meeting on September 20, 1967, for reason of its destruction of two spots of mature trees that flank the Reflecting Pool, which would require more than a generation for transplanted replacements to grow to the same size as the removed trees. Hence, the D.C. Department of Public Works would back away from this design at a closed door, Tuesday meeting of the National Capital Planning Commission, reported by a Jack Eisen article in The Washington Post on October 30, 1969. Accordingly, for reason of entirely avoiding the trees along the Reflecting Pool, the earlier plan, regained its earlier status as the largely officially preferred plan. Ironically, while this tunnel was not built, the trees it would have displaced and replaced along the north side of the Reflecting Pool were displaced and replaced for other reasons.


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Phone Home
Smartphones can control a growing number of gadgetsBy Brian Sloboda
Today's world offers smartphone apps for anything and everything. Some apps let you chase imaginary Pokémon around parking lots, while others allow you to control your vast financial empire with merely a few clicks, swipes and shakes.
It should be no surprise that a growing number of household appliances are app-enabled. Most of the apps exist to make your life more convenient (assuming keeping your eyes glued to a small screen is your definition of convenience). But some of these apps can actually help you save energy and make your home more comfortable.
Manufacturers are now adding communication modules inside home appliances.
For around $130, you can purchase a Crock-Pot® that will communicate with your smartphone. If you are late coming home, you can adjust the heat setting and achieve the perfect pot roast.
Some companies are selling electrical outlets that include communication modules. These modules often use Wi-Fi to communicate simple messages to a home's wireless network. What the messages are will vary from device to device. Typically, the system will allow you to monitor energy consumption, turn devices on and off and change the setting on your thermostat.
The bulk of any energy savings will come from the ability to remotely control your HVAC system's thermostat.
Apps associated with Wi-Fi controllable thermostats are often easier to use. Thermostats from companies such as Nest, Honeywell and Ecobee allow you to adjust your home's temperature from your phone. This comes in handy when you forget to turn the air conditioner off while on vacation, or when you want to heat your living space before returning home. These thermostats are also capable of learning your schedule and can provide energy savings by turning the systems back when no one is home. Studies have shown these smart thermostats tend to perform as advertised.
App-enabled appliances won't be right for every homeowner. It depends on a variety of factors, and many questions should be answered before going down this road:
- What are my goals? Do I want home security, energy savings or just the latest app technology?
- Do I have broadband internet in my home? Many of these systems require a broadband internet connection to work properly.
- What appliances and devices in my home do I want to control? Thermostat, doors, lighting, refrigerator, cooking appliances?
- Can I afford the additional cost, and is it worth it to me?
- What appliances need replacing and does an app really make sense for that appliance? One appliance manufacturer says consumers can preheat the oven from their phone while driving home. But it does drive up the price — will you really use this feature?
- Who owns the data collected from your appliances, and how will they use it?
So far, none of these smart appliances will cook dinner with the mere push of a button, but the devices do allow you to see what is going on at home, who is home and even turn lights and air conditioning on and off. For some, these gadgets and apps are cool and worth the additional expense. For others, it's just one more piece of technology that can break or go unused while trying to rush kids off to baseball practice.
To learn more about app-enabled appliances and how to save energy, contact the energy experts at your local electric co-op. For more ways your smartphone can help you save energy, see "Smartphone Energy Apps."


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The Lord, having loved those who were his own, loved them to the end. Knowing that the hour had come to leave this world and return to the Father, in the course of a meal he washed their feet and gave them the commandment of love. In order to leave them a pledge of this love, in order never to depart from his own and to make them sharers in his Passover, he instituted the Eucharist as the memorial of his death and Resurrection, and commanded his apostles to celebrate it until his return; "thereby he constituted them priests of the New Testament. – Catechism of the Catholic Church, Paragraph 1337
First communion is celebrated each year on the feast of Christ the King.
The parish offers a parent based programme in conjunction with other parishes in the pastoral area. The programme includes preparation for the sacraments of reconciliation and confirmation. Enrollments are invited in the first school term each year. Typically, the child has celebrated his or her 8th birthday by the time they receive their first communion. Familes with older children who have yet to celebrate these sacraments of intiation, should contact the parish priest.


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Good morning!
I know I'm late to the party on Gosh Ocean but eh now I'm rocking in on my fingers, thanks to a lovely friend. Ocean is a gorgeous turquoise to blue/green duochrome that wears like iron. I used two coats with top coat, before doing a full house move out and cleaning. No chipping, only minor tip wear. This is a winner in my list. See for yourself!


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Posts Tagged 'test'
Extract Implementer
In my current work of tdd'ing any new subcommander code (clean code of course :-) I want to create some test code that leads me to a class that compares the old working copy status and new working copy status of a single directory to notify only items to the gui that have changed.
I hope to achieve a much smother and faster working copy view this way. The updates will be fed to a new QAbstractItemModel implementation that provides the data for the working copy view. Currently I have about 50 tests that exercise the item model implementation and its helper classes.
I guess this is a ridiculous number of tests for a single interface implementation and a couple of helper classes!? It is not even fully implemented yet. I wonder if forcing any code line by test code is a little bit to much…
I also wonder if there are tests I could remove because "their" code (that is the production code I wrote because of the test) is now hit by other more interesting tests.
Back to wc (working copy) status. The wc status information of any single item is represented by a svn::WcStatus object. When I created the class a few years ago I didn't want to have it a lot of setter methods. So I passed an svn_wc_status2_t* pointer to its constructor and it extracts all information from it. svn_wc_status2_t is struct from subversions api which contains all the status info.
WcStatus (const sc::String&, svn_wc_status2_t*);
Great or better not great, this is bad for testing. I don't want to setup an svn_wc_status2_t struct just to create a couple of WcStatus objects for testing. I need a WcStatus without it. Tdd'ing the new code has to wait. First I need to break some dependency.
Typically you would do an extract interface here. Or even better, as I want to keep WcStatus as the interface name, it is used everywhere in the code, extract implementer (Working Effectivly with Legacy Code).
This is easy and straightforward:
- copy WcStatus.h to WcStatusImpl.h
- move WcStatus.cpp to WcStatusImpl.cpp
- rename the class to WcStatusImpl in WcStatusImpl.h and cpp
- #include and derive WcStatusImpl from WcStatus
- Remove the constructors and fields from WcStatus.h
No problem, easily done even without ide support. At this point it compiles again but it does not link. There is one annoying step left. You have to make all methods pure virtual in the interface. It is a bit boring to add the virtual and = 0 to 25 methods…
But with this rather small refactoring I have improved my code:
- There is now one dependency less in my old legacy code which allows me to implement WcStatus test doubles
It is only a small improvement, but it is an improvement.. :-)
Subcommander Status..
It looks like I'm currently (currently!?) losing a bit track of things in Subcommander development… :-(
I tried to upgrade from Qt 4.4 to Qt 4.5. Bam, a couple of (my few) tests for the custom QAbstractItemModel (which is the base for the working copy display) don't run anymore. The working copy view now crashes randomly. Great. Unfortunately I have so few test for the model, that I'm sure I will break other things trying to fix the broken tests. I've already wasted a lot of time debugging that code in the past with all the QModelIndex objects you can't look into. I don't want to waste more time on this….
So I took another step back (moving the proxy model into the TODO list again) and started another round on the QAbstractItemModel stuff. I'm now trying to TDD the model into existence. This is going a bit slow because I 'm still a beginner at TDD. But I have about 20 tests around the new custom model implementation now and slowly it begins to do something.. :)
So far I always used cppunit to write tests. I think I'm going to drop it in favor of gtest/gmock. Allthough gmock does work together with cppunit, it is simpler and faster for me to create new tests with gtest instead of cppunit. With cppunit I always had a header and a implementation file. With gtest I just need an implementation file. This is a lot easier. Maybe this would work with cppunit too, but since gmock includes gtest anyway I have one dependency less to care for (just gmock instead of cppunit & gmock).
Another big issue that keeps me from making real progress is the maintainability of 3 build environments. Another time waster. I'm considering to move to qmake as the build environment and to drop the hand made configure/XCode/Visual Studio builds.
I also wonder if it wouldn't be a lot easier to drop Visual Studio completely and use MinGW to build Subcommander on Windows. That way I would more or less use the same build environment (gcc and friends) on all the three platforms (Mac/Linux/Windows). This should improve maintainability as well.
So I'm still working on Subcommander, but I can't tell when there will be a new release… but maybe I'm the only Subcommander user anyway… ;)
creating a custom QAbstractProxyModel – Google Mock
Part I redone, getting started using Google Mock.
A while ago I started to build a custom QAbstractProxyModel for subcommanders working copy view in creating a custom QAbstractProxyModel.
A few weeks ago I red about Google Mock, a mock framework for C++ and I planned to try it. There is a nice, simple and short introduction: Google Mock for Dummies.
In the last creating a custom QAbstractProxyModel article I created a simple mock from scratch that is simple enough for a first try. So the goal is to simplify that. If it doesn't simplify that code, why would I want to use a mock framework? :)
Here is the original hand made mock class and test. Constructor and destructor connect and disconnect the signals from src (that is the proxy model) to the slots and verify is used to verify the results.
class SignalTarget : public QObject { Q_OBJECT; public: SignalTarget( QObject* src ); ~SignalTarget(); virtual void verify(); public slots: void modelAboutToBeReset(); void modelReset(); private: QObject* _src; protected: int _hitModelAboutToBeReset; int _hitModelReset; };
To check that the tested class (the proxy model) properly emits the signals, I subclassed SignalTarget to ASSERTS that the slots were called as many times as they should. Here is the test code:
void WcViewItemProxyModelTest::emitsModelResetSignals() { class Target : public SignalTarget { public: Target( QObject* src ) : SignalTarget(src) { } void verify() { CPPUNIT_ASSERT_EQUAL( 1, _hitModelAboutToBeReset ); CPPUNIT_ASSERT_EQUAL( 1, _hitModelReset ); } }; Target target(_proxy); _proxy->reset(); target.verify(); }
Using Google Mock this gets a bit simpler. The basic mock class get a bit shorter because I no longer need the verify method and the int counters. Google Mock will take care of it:
class SignalTarget : public QObject { Q_OBJECT; public: SignalTarget( QObject* src ); ~SignalTarget(); public slots: void modelAboutToBeReset(); void modelReset(); private: QObject* _src; };
To a create the actual mock class I derive a new class from SignalTarget and tell it to mock the ...Reset() methods by using the MOCK_METHODx macro:
class MockSignal : SignalTarget { public: MockSignal(QObject* target) : SignalTarget(target) { } MOCK_METHOD0(modelAboutToBeReset, void()); MOCK_METHOD0(modelReset, void()); };
Finally I create the mock object in the test and set the expectations (the methods should be called 1 time) by using the EXPECT_CALL macro and calling Times with the expected number of calls. This is a lot simpler than creating the mock class in the original code to set up the expectations in the verify() method.
void WcViewItemProxyModelTest::emitsModelResetSignals() { MockSignal mtarget(_proxy); EXPECT_CALL(mtarget, modelAboutToBeReset()).Times(1); EXPECT_CALL(mtarget, modelReset()).Times(1); _model->reset(); }
All in all it was quite easy to get started with Google Mock. Although I used it only on a very simple example I think it is a nice help for writing tests. If it fits the thing you want to test it can reduce the code noise required to set up the test.
If you write tests in c++, check it out.. :-)
creating a custom QAbstractProxyModel
Part I, getting started.
I'm currently implementing a custom QAbstractProxyModel for subcommanders working copy view. The first reason is that I want to improve the status filtering in subcommander which is not possible with the current code based on QSortFilterProxyModel. The second reason is to get full control of sorting. My attempt to add sorting to the current code failed in such a frustrating way that I don't want to track down the problem and simply start again with fresh code that I will be able to debug :-)
Before starting with the interesting stuff (filtering and sorting) I will create a simple proxy model which does not do any sorting or filtering. It will just pass through the original (tree) model without modification. Getting this running is a big step toward the final goal.
Important for a proxy model is that is emits all the signals the source or original model emits. To achieve this the proxy model must connect to all (interesting) signals from the source model and emit the same signals with proper information from the proxy model.
I have created a test checking two signals emitted from the proxy model. To count the emitted signals I'm using a SignalTarget class which connects to the proxy signals and checks if the signals were emitted. Since the verification (CPPUNIT_ASSERT) is done inside this class it is a mock. It replaces the widget (in my case a QTreeView) that will be connected to the proxy model in the production code.
class SignalTarget : public QObject { Q_OBJECT; public: SignalTarget( QObject* src ); ~SignalTarget(); virtual void verify(); public slots: void modelAboutToBeReset(); void modelReset(); private: QObject* _src; protected: int _hitModelAboutToBeReset; int _hitModelReset; };
The idea is to count the emitted signals and check the results in the verify method. It is not yet complete. It does handle only a subset of the signals we need to check. I have declared verify as virtual so it easy to re-implement and do the actual check. The default implementation is empty. The constructor and destructor will simply connect and disconnect all signals the we need to handle in the proxy model. The slot method names correspond to the model signals.
A test method can now use SignalTarget to check the signals from the proxy model. You can see the complete test below. _proxy is the proxy model and gets created by the test setup. The reset() method triggers both signals. Because I care only for the reset signals I have overwritten verify() to simply check their call counts.
void WcViewItemProxyModelTest::emitsModelResetSignals() { class Target : public SignalTarget { public: Target( QObject* src ) : SignalTarget(src) { } void verify() { CPPUNIT_ASSERT_EQUAL( 1, _hitModelAboutToBeReset ); CPPUNIT_ASSERT_EQUAL( 1, _hitModelReset ); } }; Target target(_proxy); _proxy->reset(); target.verify(); }
This is similar to the signal testing I mentioned in my last article. The only difference is that originally I also tried to check QModelIndex indices which didn't work to well. The problem was creating valid expected indices to assert on. I tried to remember indices from previous signals and build new expected indices (sibling, parent,child) from them. Unfortunately this approach got complicated rather fast so you couldn't follow the code anymore.
To get the test running I simply connect the soure model modelReset signal to the srcModelReset() slot in the proxy model and call reset(). reset() will emit both signals the test wants to see.
void WcViewItemProxyModel::srcModelReset() { reset(); }
Very simple so far, but one has to start somewhere. :-) I guess it will get more interesting for some of the other signals the proxy model has to handle. More on this in the next article.
QAbstractItemModel again..
I have implemented subcommanders working copy view as a custom QAbstractItemModel (since subcommander displays a directory tree it is a tree model). On top of the model is a proxy model based on QSortFilterProxyModel to filter working copy items based on their subversion status.
I have a mixed feeling about Qt4's item models. It has some benefits but also a few problems.
On the positive side is the view and model separation, which of course is good. The Qt item model is really a view model and not simply a data model. But that's not a problem, you just have to accept that there a few view things you have to handle in the model.
Another useful feature is the proxy model. As already said I use it to filter items by their working copy status and I also use it to realize part of the flat and the tree view display. Switching between both is a matter of toggling an option in the proxy model and tweaking a few options in the widget that is connected to my model.
The bad thing about the item model stuff it that it is really complicated to get it working properly. Apart from all the documentation that Qt provides on implementing custom models, it is still difficult to get all the QModelIndex stuff running.
Another issue is that it is really hard to debug. You may have a small bug in your model that crashes the application. Now debug that. :-( The issue is that you can't directly watch the data behind a QModelIndex. So it is unfortunately very frustrating to find out what's wrong.
From my point of view, item models are too complicated. Said that, it is what you have to use in Qt4 if the simpler model stuff doesn't work for you. And it doesn't work for me.
So what can I do?
A while ago I was trying to find a bug in my custom QAbstractItemModel. I couldn't track it down with the debugger and finally started to write a couple of unit test for it using cppunit. (Yes, Qt has a unit test framework that supports signals and slot, but I'm already using ccpunit and I don't want to have tests in different frameworks :-)
I didn't find this bug with the tests but it helped me with another signal issue in the custom model. Under certain data constellations a change in the underlying item model wasn't properly notified to the proxy model.
I have tried two approaches. The first checks for emitted signals from the model when inserting data into the model. The second checks the existence of index values which should exist after inserting data into the model.
I think I prefer the second approach, but I'm not yet satisfied with the test code itself. It is large and also a bit messed up…
I will describe both ways in the next articles and also write about my experience with creating a custom QAbstractProxyModel.
CPPUNIT_ASSERT_EQUAL and custom data types
To write more bookmark specific settings information to the configuration file I rewrote and simplified the code that reads subcommanders project settings. I added a few tests for the new refactored code and used a ccpunit feature I had discovered a while ago: assertion traits.
If you have never heard of it read on and read what an assertion trait is and how it can help in handling custom data types in cppunit tests.
I'm using a custom build string class in the subversion related code to handle utf-8 encoded strings (
sc::String) in Subcommander.
This works well, but there was an issue when trying to use
Strings in test code:
CPPUNIT_ASSERT_EQUAL( expected, actual );
The assertion above "crashed" when printing its error message when one of the two strings was an empty string. It crashed in stl output stream code that was called by the following code inside cppunit (from TestAssert.h):
template <class T> struct assertion_traits { static bool equal( const T& x, const T& y ) { return x == y; } static std::string toString( const T& x ) { OStringStream ost; ost << x; return ost.str(); } };
Very interesting code!
CPPUNIT_ASSERT_EQUAL(a,b) calls the
equal method in this template to compare its two parameters
a and
b and calls the
toString method to print the failure message if the assertion fails.
By using a template feature that's called template specialization we can re-implement the template for a specific data type. If the compiler finds a specialization for a specific type, in my case my custom
String class, it uses the specialization for this type instead of instantiating the generic T template for the type.
Here is the "new" code for my
String class. It is nearly the same as the generic code but handles the empty string case in
toString (there is also an example in cppunit's TestAssert.h file):
template<> struct CPPUNIT_NS::assertion_traits<sc::String> { static bool equal( const sc::String& x, const sc::String& y ) { return x == y; } static std::string toString( const sc::String& x ) { std::string text = '"' + (!x.isEmpty() ? std::string(x) : "<null>") + '"'; OStringStream ost; ost << text; return ost.str(); } };
The interesting thing about specializing the generic assertion traits is that you can add support for any custom data type to
CPPUNIT_ASSERT_EQUAL with just a few lines of code.
This is even a documented feature. Surprisingly a google search on
assertion_traits delivers only about 220 hits.
Either nobody knows about this feature or it just so obvious that nobody cares to write about it :-)
Creating a testrunner..
I think i finally found the easiest way to run and organize cppunit tests. Subcommander is split up into several libs and two binaries and a testrunner binary:
subcommander (binary) submerge (binary) sublib (static lib) util (static lib) svn (static lib) testrunner (binary)
So far the testrunner contained the tests and linked with all the libs. The issue with this layout is that if i wanted to write a test for code in the subcommander binary and not in a library i had to add the source files to the testrunner. This gets combersome, especially with QObject based classes which also needs their moc files.
My new layout works upside down. I moved the test classes into its own libraries, …
subcommander (binary) subcommander-test (static lib) ... sublib (static lib) sublib-test (static lib) ...
.. moved the testrunner code into the subcommander binary and link the binary with the test libraries. Running subcommander with the -test command line option will run the tests. Without it, it will run the normal production code.
The test code is a lot easier to handle this way. The only drawback is that the production code now also contains all the test code… but maybe that's not really a drawback? Everyone can run the tests now.
So far this works really good. :-)


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Enjoy DC's Wharf, G-town, Old -Town & National Harbor while cruising the Potomac.
The boat is docked at a marina with a ton of free parking where you can also purchase ice, borrow additional life jackets (if needed) & hang-out at the restaurant / bar which has live music certain days of the week!
My Tahoe boat has a 5.0L engine, it's a fast boat!
Rental Intervals:
8-hours full day
4-hours half day
Samar's boat was great! Check out was easy. Would rent again.
Samer was a great captain! He was communicative, easy-going, and took us to all the best spots (swimming, rope swings, seeing the planes by Gravelly Point, monument tour, and Georgetown). I highly recommend him for your next boating adventure and will be renting from him again!
Samer is a scammer. His boat is not properly registered--there are two different sets of registration numbers on his boat. There is no registration card on-board. Samer showed up 1.5 hours late for our appointment; the tank was half empty. We were 2 hours late getting on the water and no refund for lost time. The boat isn't seaworthy. All dials spin around. The blower doesn't work; the speedometer and trim gauge don't work. The throttle, which he says is new, has to be muscled to engage. When running, it will suddenly take off at high speed even though you're not touching the throttle. The engine miss-fires and the boat lurches when running. The swim ladder is broken and jagged metal is exposed. We couldn't find the aft light. Samer takes no responsibility and blames everything on operator error. Stay away from this guy, he's out to make money off his unsafe boat. I had to pick one star to submit my review; I give Samer no stars.
We rented from Samer 6-22-19 same day every thing went soomth no problem will be a repeat customer.
Samer was an amazing captain! He was kind, accommodating, and easy-going. We had an incredible time on the boat and it was super fun tubing with some speed! Thank you again, Samer, for making our friend's birthday so special and being the best addition to our crew :-)
Great customer service, very responsive. Took the time to show us around the boat, helped us fill up on gas too. Great experience! Would rent again from Samer!
We had such an amazing time on the Potomac with Samer. He was really easy going and the whole day felt like we were on our own boat. Will definitely do it again!
Boat ride was great. Everything worked as should. Will definitly do again
Samer was extremely responsive and accommodating. When we arrived at the marina, the boat was in very good shape and ready to go. My daughter and I had a great time on the river, cruising around the Georgetown waterfront and the Wharf, and checking out Nats Park from the Anacostia. We made it down to Mt. Vernon to see George Washington's house from the river, and enjoyed some of the more open water down south (the boat is pretty fast!). When we returned, Samer happened to be at the fuel station and even helped us refil the boat. We will gladly rent through Samer again. As for some of the negative feedback, it is true that the gas gauge did not work, but Samer was upfront about it and we had absolutely no problem during our 4 hour cruise. The steering wheel worked perfectly fine. The boat was very dry and clean. And Samer was as polite and friendly as could be. We were very happy with our experience.
I don't believe this boat should be rented. The day began with a dock maintenance person pumping out the boat because the hull was full of water. Every storage area had water in it, so no dry areas for bags, food, and towels. The dash compartments that are meant to store valuables had the doors broken or missing entirely. We then went to fill up gas, we discovered the gas gauge is broken, which the owner was aware of yet did not mention. Since we had no gas gauge we ran out of gas and were dead in the water for about 90 mins. Parked the boat only to be contacted and told that the prop was bent. When we arrived the motor would not lift out for a pre-inspection, which we shrugged off. The boat ran the entire day with that bent prop and somehow it was a problem we needed to pay for after we parked it. I would avoid this boat, its on its last leg.
Samer was fun, accommodating and resourceful. We had a great time and really appreciate being able to go tubing with him, which our teens loved!!!
Samer was great and easy to deal with. The Tahoe was having some mechanical problems so he switched us to his other boat. We had a great day on the river. Highly recommend working with Samer.
The boat steering wheel is not good and didn't enjoy the sailing. We had it for 1 hour and it was so hard to turn the boat to go certain way because the steering wheel is not working properly
Samer was great. He accommodated us on very short notice and we had a wonderful afternoon cruising the Potomac. We will definitely be renting from him again.
I had a TERRIBLE experience renting from Samer. I have rented several times with boatsetter and always had amazing experiences. Samer, at first, was kind and communicative, but that changed quickly. It seems to me like he had a plan to scam me from the beginning. He charged me an extra $175 to "power wash" his boat without ever explaining why. I had been forthcoming with him about not not having been able to refuel after my ride, and that I would be happy to pay him for it. Maybe, that is what opened pandora's box of him wanting to rip me off. I wish I had known this was a possibility prior to renting, so at least I knew I was consciously taking the risk. Should you chose to rent with Samer, make sure to take pictures of the entire boat once you park it so he can't try to falsely accuse you and charge you unfairly.
Great afternoon on the Potomac! I rented Samer's vessel for a half-day and it was just as advertised and ready-to-go upon our arrival.
Samer is very attentive and responsive which made the whole day that much more enjoyable. I look forward to renting from him again - thanks Samer!
Samer took my kids and their friends out on the water for a fun filled day. He was an excellent captain and the kids had the best day of their visit to Washington, DC. I will definitely call on this captain again. Tubing was a blast and they laughed and enjoyed the day immensely . Thank you Samer for the great experience for them
Great Guy! Very accommodating!
Fun little older boat with everything you need for fun in the sun!
My family enjoyed our day on Samer's boat, he was a pleasure to coordinate with!
I rented Samer's boat for a half a day on the water. It was real fun. Samer was very friendly, flexible and very accommodating. His boat was fast and fun. I would definitely recommend him.
Working with Samer was easy and convenient. I rented his boat to surprise my wife for her birthday with a day on the river. The Saturday I had reserved ended up having a forecast of April snow and talking with Samer he was fine with me changing the day I had reserved. Communication was great and the marina was really easy to get to from DC, park and get right out onto the river. His one rule is to not wear shoes in the boat so if it is a cooler day in early spring or late fall make sure you wear good socks. Thanks for a great day Samer!
My friends and I rented this boat for the day and had an amazing time. Sam was very accommodating, pleasant, and cooperative, despite a few minor hiccups. If you are looking for a fun time, you should definitely check out Sam's boat!


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I have always had a home office, but I never had to work long periods of time from it. I always had a "business" office to go to. However, after my wife got a job in Omaha I had to start commuting between Omaha and Sioux City. My home office, soon became my remote office. How would this work? What challenges would I face? Would I be able to work efficiently eight hours a day from my home and still be connected with my team and clients in Sioux City.
Honestly, it all happened so fast, I didn't really have much time to think about it. And people work remotely all the time, so why couldn't I?
I soon discovered for my remote office to become a reality, I needed to overcome a few obstacles:
- Remain in contact with my team and clients.
- Access the agency server without long delays while working on projects.
- Staying focused on work and not getting sucked into random things that happen around the house.
Here are a few of the productivity tools I used to make 1 and 2 a reality:
1. Remaining in Contact With Team & Clients
Slack for Keeping in Touch With Each Other
The team started using Slack for messaging, sending PDFs and video conferencing. When Apple introduced iChat back in the early 2000's the team embraced instant messaging for communicating internally and externally. However, working remotely required a more robust tool, that's where Slack came into play. There were other tools out there, but they either didn't have all the features we needed, or they were very glitchy. Slack just works. I can't say enough great things about this app. It is the "duck tape" in my tool box of remote working solutions.
Ooma for Keeping in Touch With Clients & Vendors
The next problem to solve was how clients were going to be able to get ahold of me if they called the Sioux City office? That's were Ooma comes in. Ooma is a VoIP system that is inexpensive and has a lot of features that other more expensive systems lack. I have a VoIP phone on my desk that allows calls to be transferred to me as if I were in the Sioux City office. The system also transfers calls to my cell phone when I'm on the road traveling.
2. Accessing the Agency Server Without Long Delays
Dropbox for "Always On" Access to Our Work
It became clear early on that I was going to need a dedicated server at home. The problem though, was keeping it current with the server in Sioux City. After trying a few different solutions it was suggested I try Dropbox. I didn't think Dropbox would work. After all, syncing files on your computer is a lot different then syncing a server to another server. It did take a lot of experimenting and there was some frustration, but eventually I got it to work. I'm not going to say it's perfect, but it's darn close. Dropbox has been a great solution for syncing our servers.
3. Staying Focused on Work
Regular Breaks Help You Keep Focus
The toughest obstacle to overcome was number 3, staying focused while working from home. There are so many distractions when you're at home — laundry, dishes, dogs, your daughter on summer break who wants to show you every video on Youtube; it can be overwhelming. My solution has been to schedule my day and to plan 15 minute breaks every 2 hours. Giving myself a break every couple of hours allows me to let the dogs out, change the laundry, grab a snack, etc. I've also learned to shut my office door. My family knows when the door is shut I'm working, and shouldn't be disturbed. Cranking up the music also helps drown out the day to day activities outside of my office door.
So this is just my short list, there are a many more tools and tips I could get into, but I'll save that for another blog post.


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Tiffany's R&B Smooth
[Our Model Of The Day]
Where She's From: Tiffany Nichole Lynch was born in Fort Hood Texas, but moved to Louisiana where most of her mother's side of the family Lives. "Once my mother married my step father we moved to Houston Texas. I was about seven then. My mother was a big influence on me because she was a single mom for awhile," Tiffany tells The Black Star News. "She taught me sometimes all you can depend on is God and find strength within yourself."
Where She's At: "I am an aspiring R&B singer and model," she adds. "I see me making amazing things happen as I network more and learn more from others in the entertainment industry. I know there's no limit to my success."
"Sometimes I didn't feel like anyone believed in me or wanted to take a chance on me and that's hard especially as a child," Tiffany says, when asked about dealing with challenges. "Life is so full of challenges and obstacles. I don't let things get to me that I know won't kill me. The fact is most of the time we make situations a challenge by thinking it is and focusing on it too much."
"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and it is only skin deep," Tiffany notes. "If a young woman doesn't try to acquire any knowledge it wouldn't matter if she was the most beautiful woman in the world. Beauty physically can change and means something different to a lot of people. But having knowledge really is a bigger part of what makes you who you are."
Tiffany's Words Of Wisdom: "Where you end up is ultimately up to God and you. I think a lot of the times people stop trying and believing in themselves."
Tiffany's Secrets Of Success: "Being humble, trusting in God, and never giving up."
Tiffany's Favorite Three Movies: "The Pursuit of happiness; Ray; and Waiting to exhale."
Tiffany's Favorite Entertainers And Songs: "Whitney Houston—I love all of her songs, like Saving all my love. She has a power of her voice. Mariah Carey—I love all her songs, like Vision of love. I admire those beautiful high notes no one can hit like her; Brandy. All of her songs and her style of singing that set her apart from so many others. Aaliyah. Rest in peace. I loved the softness and soul in her voice and her dance styles. So cool and sexy. Beyonce'. I love all her songs over the years her voice has become so powerful and her energy is just as powerful as her voice."
Tiffany's Favorite Websites: "Myspace, modelmayhem, blackstarnews, Bet.com, Aol."
For more on this beautiful model and performance artist www.myspace.com/tchole
To comment or to subscribe to or advertise in New York's leading Pan African weekly investigative newspaper, or to send us a news tip, please call (212) 481-7745 or send a note to firstname.lastname@example.com
Also visit out sister publications Harlem Business News www.harlembusinessnews.com and The Groove music magazine at www.thegroovemag.com
"Speaking Truth To Empower."
Latest comments
Ann GarrisonFebruary 22,2018 @ 08:03 PM
I think you have "Filtered HTML" turned on here. If you switch to "Full HTML," it will probably...


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Take a breath of fresh air ladies and gentlemen, the summer heatwave is finally over! Well, not really but these will lighten the load a bit. Nothin' like some funky, fresh, feel good summertime vibes. Enjoy.
Skrillex – Scary Monsters And Nice Sprites (Gabriell Remix)
The Jesterz – Delorean (Gabriell Dub Mix)
Magellano – OkOk (Gabriell Remix)
Genre: Electronic, Funk
Origin: Milan, Italy
Gabriell on: Soundcloud | Facebook | Twitter | Tumblr


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Hi all.
When I initialise the Serial device (i.e. USB serial), it seems to unexpectedly initialise the pins for UART1 as well.
I have an application where I am using digital pins 0 and 1 as ordinary switch inputs. Closing the switch pulls the pin to ground. I naturally need pullups. Using this code:
The pullups do not appear to be correctly set (pin 1 always reads low - even when the switch is not closed).Code:[...] pinMode(0, INPUT_PULLUP); pinMode(1, INPUT_PULLUP); long unsigned startTime = millis (); while (!Serial && ((millis () - startTime) <= 5000)); [...]
When I reorder things this way:
Everything works as expected. Digital pins 0 and 1 are UART1 and it seems to me that somehow initialising Serial (i.e. USB serial) is also initialising pins 0 and 1 as if UART1 was also to be active.Code:[...] long unsigned startTime = millis (); while (!Serial && ((millis () - startTime) <= 5000)); pinMode(0, INPUT_PULLUP); pinMode(1, INPUT_PULLUP); [...]
I have tested by removing the Serial initialisation line and pins 0 and 1 are correctly set as pullups.
I am using Teensyduino Beta#3.
Apologies if this is expected behaviour but please let me know if it is.
Have fun


text: Listen to This Weeks Message Loading Content... Share a Link to this Message The link has been copied to your clipboard; paste it anywhere you would like to share it. Close - Browse Series - ------------- View Series Archives ------------- 20/20 Vision Activate Fortify Mobilize Faith in Action Immanuel, God with Us Multiply Be Fruitful Joy of our Salvation On Your Mark Courage Under Fire Demo Series - Browse Speakers - Vernon Brewer Ric Detlefsen Jill Graham Andy Jones Kevin McGinley Eric Murrell Mark Silvers Jonathan Simon Pastor Skinner - Browse Topics - Abide in Jesus Acts 10 - Cornelius and Peter Be a Giver Be Fruitful and Multiply Because He Lives Blind But Now I See Body of Christ Bride of Christ Christ is coming again Christlike Christmas Come Lord Jesus Dealing with Disappointment Delivered and Devoted Demonstration Do Not Be Afraid Doubt Draw Near To God Empowering Women in Ministry Endurance Endure Opposition Even So Come Ezra 1:1-3 Faith Faith in Action Faith in Action - Abel Offering Faith in Action: Jephthah Faith In Action: Moses Faith to Overcome Faith to the End Faith without works is Dead Falling Forward Forsaken for our Forgiveness Give Me Faith Give Thanks Glorify God God is Real God is Real God the Holy Spirit God's Preeminence God's Will Goodness Godliness Goodness Godliness Growing in Knowing Hills and Valleys Holiness Insight and Impact from the Resurrection Is Hell Real Jesus and His Church Jesus is God Joy Listen Live in Unity Live Supernaturally Living the Word Love One another Made alive in Christ Marriage and Divorce Mobilize Mountaintop Triumphs Multiply Passion Multiplying Disciples Not Fan but a Follower On Your Mark Our Mission Parenting Parenting with Purpose peace Prayer Problem of Evil Quick to Listen, slow to speak, slow to anger Reason for Hope Reliability of Scripture Restoring Joy Righteousness Seek and you will find Seeking Saving Giving self control Share God's Love spiritual gifts Spiritual Reproduction Stand firm Stand Firm to the End Take Up Your Cross Taking Back Territory Taming the Tongue Temptation The Greatest Commandment The Joyful Disciple Those who seek God, Find God. Thriving Comunity To Win as Many as Possible Transformed Trials Truth VS. Relativism Valley Hardships Vision Walking With God Wisdom Woman at The Well - Browse Books - John Kevin McGinley - March 29, 2020 Grace and Truth Parenting Pt 2 Listen Related Topics: Parenting | More Messages from Kevin McGinley | Download Audio From Series: "20/20 Vision" Facebook Tweet Link Share Link Send Email More From "20/20 Vision" God's Design for Marriage 2 Ric Detlefsen March 15, 2020 Listen Grace and Truth Parenting Pt 1 Kevin McGinley March 22, 2020 Listen Grace and Truth Parenting Pt 2 Kevin McGinley March 29, 2020 Listen Displaying 11-13 of 13« Back 1 2 Powered by Series Engine MAIL email@example.com CALL (970) 530-4283 FIND US 6541 S. College Ave.Fort Collins, CO } Sunday Services 10am © 2020 SouthGate Church


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In most court cases involving cases that deal with higher knowledge, it's not uncommon for both sides to call on witnesses that are experts. The experts not only provide credibility to the case, by explaining and endorsing facts, they also explain what happened and clarify any terms or happenings that the jury and the court might have trouble understanding.
They will define terms, give examples, and generally help simplify the proceedings that need to be clearly understood by the jury. One type of expert witness is a financial expert witness, who is called in on cases involving money and finances. They typically talk about fraud, interest, and other banking items but can be called on for any case or industry.
For cases like car crashes and personal injury, or cases that involve loans and investments. A financial expert witness can help the plaintiffs understand what kind of money they can hope to receive. Another common type of expert witness is a forensic specialist. They typically provide an expert view on how a patient died and can help describe the death by telling a story and talking about what was found during the autopsy.
Most experts should spend around a quarter to half of their time working within the industry that they are experts in. If they spend most of their time in court, without refreshing their knowledge they can lose credibility. Experts who have been hired by both sides of an argument are also very valuable, as they see both sides and can anticipate what lawyers and opposing experts will say.
Having an expert on your side early can help the proceedings and give your case some extra backup. Remember, the simpler things are for a jury to understand, the more likely they will empathize with what you are saying.Read More


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Digital Displays
Interactive directions and digital content delivered on digital display units.
Web Browser
Interactive route guidance delivered online without downloading an app.
Web Plus
Web-based navigation delivered
via a mobile app.
Blue Dot Mobile App
Real-time route guidance using indoor positioning technology.
Digital Maps
Customizable indoor maps provide visually pleasant navigation experiences by connecting physical and online environments no matter which platform is used.
Explore Digital Displays
Interactive directions and engaging features supplement interior signage systems.
Admin Tools
Teams can manage content including points of interest, routes, and events across all LogicJunction platforms using our intuitive content management system.
Explore Web Browser
Preview digital maps and directions when away or use interactive walking routes when on site.
Integrate indoor navigation platforms with complementary systems for appointments, meetings, and many others to support additional use cases.
Explore Web Plus
Access the same features as web browser-based navigation enhanced with a mobile interface and location detection.
SDK Library
Select from our library of SDKs that use view controllers to shorten development time, including native iOS, native Android, React Native, and Native Scripts.
Explore Blue Dot Mobile App
Navigate the indoors just like the outdoors with blue dot positioning, animated walking routes, and turn-by-turn prompts.


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|Josef Mandl, "Apparition at a Grave," 1916
This curious little Welsh tale was first published in 1892. This reprint is from the magazine "Bye-Gones," for December 14 of that year.
The Rev. John S. Simon tells the following story in the Christmas number of the Methodist Recorder. The story was told to him by his father, the late Rev. John Simon, who was born at Rhewl, and was a well-known preacher in the Vale of Llangollen :—
"One morning, many years ago, an excited group of villagers assembled under the yew trees in the churchyard. An extraordinary event had occurred. During the night a man who lived in a neighbouring village had been aroused from his sleep by a mysterious person who had entered his room. Following a beckoning finger, he had risen from his bed and hastened to Llantysilio church. To his surprise the church was open. Through the windows beamed ghostly light. He listened. He heard them denounce the then possessor of the Hall. He should not die a natural death; when he died the Hall would be seized by a stranger who had no legal right to it. These words the terror-stricken man distinctly heard, and then he retreated and fled to his village, The news was soon whispered abroad, and my father used to describe the solemn conclave under the yew trees, and the profound discussions of the rustic sages. Time rolled on. The owner of the Hall did not seem 'one penny the worse' for ghostly denunciation. One day, however, he was in his cellar decanting wine, when he cut his hand severely with a broken bottle. The wound was obstinate and would not heal. He went away from home, but the hand grew worse. Finally he died. On the day of the funeral a gentleman of military appearance presented himself at the Hall to take part in the ceremony. He was not known. The funeral cortege set out. A keen eye might have noticed that the stranger did not Join the procession. When the mourners returned to the Hall they found that they could not enter. The place was shut. The military man had taken possession. It was subsequently understood that he claimed the Hall in a stake he had won when gambling with the late proprietor. We believe that the estate was thrown into Chancery, remaining there for many long years. To the best of my recollection, I have given facts which sceptics, having purged their souls by repentance, may ponder."There is a footnote to this story. In 1821 Thomas Jones, the owner of Llangollen Hall, died. Although it was believed he had made out a will, this document could not be found. The following year, an old woman named Catherine Jones (who was better-known by the delightful name of "Kitty Taerty,") dreamed that Jones' will had been placed in his coffin, under the deceased's head. Locals found her story credible enough for a group of men to turn resurrectionist. One night, they excavated Jones' grave, but a search of the coffin found nothing. While undertaking this ghoulish task, the nervous men saw a...something...moving in the churchyard.
They did not bother to investigate. The would-be grave-robbers reburied the coffin as quickly as possible and made a hasty exit.
Jones had no near relatives, so the estate wound up in Chancery, and was eventually sold.


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History Edit
The M1903 was designed and adopted in the wake of the Philippine-American War, where the performance of the Norwegian Krag-Jorgensen rifle used till then by the US Army was found to be inferior to the Spanish Mauser used by the insurgents. The M1903 would remain in service for three decades.
In the first years before the entry of the United States in World War I, many American factories produced British Enfields to sell to the Entente side (trade with Germany was impossible since it was blockaded and the government of Woodrow Wilson was anglophile anyway). When the US finally entered the war on the Entente side in 1917, it was found easier to just issue modified versions of the Enfield that fired American Springfield bullets than to divert these factories to the production of Springfield rifles. Thus the American Expeditionary Force used both Enfields and Springfields.
Season 2 Edit
As Jimmy Darmody dies, he has a vision of himself going over the trench armed with his M1903. ("To the Lost")
Season 3 Edit
Some of Chalky White's men are armed with M1903 rifles when Gyp Rosetti goes to Chicken Bone Beach searching for Nucky Thompson in June 1923. ("Two Imposters")
Appearances Edit
|Season two appearances
|Ourselves Alone
|A Dangerous Maid
|What Does the Bee Do?
|Gimcrack & Bunkum
|The Age of Reason
|Peg of Old
|Two Boats and a Lifeguard
|Battle of the Century
|Georgia Peaches
|Under God's Power She Flourishes
|To the Lost
|Season three appearances
|"Spaghetti and Coffee"
|"Bone for Tuna"
|"Blue Bell Boy"
|"You'd Be Surprised"
|"Ging Gang Goolie"
|"Sunday Best"
|"The Pony"
|"The Milkmaid's Lot"
|"A Man, A Plan..."
|"Two Imposters"
|"Margate Sands"


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Forty-two people died, half of them in Queens. The snowstorm quickly became a political firestorm, with angry New Yorkers hurling insults like snowballs at beleaguered Mayor John Lindsay.
Even though I was only 8 at the time, I clearly remember the "Lindsay Storm". I lived in Bayside, Queens and we weren't plowed out for days. School was closed for at least 3 days.
The forecast was for flurries.
Television meteorologists predicted only a chance of snow before the flakes began falling Feb. 9, 1969.
New York City was struck particularly hard by the storm. It is estimated that 42 people perished, and several hundred more people were injured. The storm disrupted the city for days, and forced schools to close. Streets throughout Queens became impassable; mail service, buses, taxis, delivery vehicles, and trash collection were all disrupted. Thousands of motorists became trapped on the New York State Thruway. A snow emergency was issued in the city, and the Long Island Rail Road suspended all service at the time. The snowstorm left approximately 6,000 travelers stranded at Kennedy Airport. They slept on chairs and floors Over 1,000 vehicles were stalled or abandoned on the Tappan Zee Bridge; most of these were removed within a day.
The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and American Stock Exchange (AMEX) closed as a result of the storm. It was the first time in history that the NYSE closed for a full day due to the weather, and the first time since 1918 that AMEX had done so. All commodity exchanges in New York City and the National Association of Securities Dealers also closed
This snowstorm was the inspiration for two episodes of the sitcom That Girl (starring Marlo Thomas). In a two-part story line Ann and boyfriend Donald were stranded at JFK by the snowstorm after accompanying her parents to the airport. This threatened a Broadway audition Ann had later that day – which she eventually did over the phone. Later, Donald, a writer for the fictional
Today in NYC History: John Lindsay's No Good, Very Bad Snowstorm of 1969
Ever wonder why New York's politicians freak out over snowstorms? The blizzard of 1969 not only paralyzed New York City for three days, but it also nearly ended Mayor John Lindsay's political career. February 9, 1969 was supposed to be a gloomy but quiet Sunday, with a forecast for slushy rain.


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As the spring season heated up, climbers head south in search of new destinations to build their strength and stamina. One rising destination in the Southern Hemisphere is the La Mojarra climbing area on the Mesa de los Santos next to the Chicamocha Canyon National Park in Columbia. Known for bullet-hard red sandstone, overhanging sport routes and surreal climbing above a picturesque valley, the zone has started drawing international climbers due to its growing reputation.
Climbers Mason Earle and Katie Lambert journeyed to the area, staying at the climber epicenter of Refugio La Roca and tested their spring skills by sampling the hardest routes in La Mojarra's 5.8 to 5.14a range. On down days, the team experienced the cultural travel aspects of a spot featuring stunning National Park vistas, thriving farmer's markets and some of the best coffee in the world.
What an inspiring location this is!
See you all in Colombia,


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Cutting Systems UK – The Only Supplier you need for Cutting Boards.
For many years we have supplied cutting boards upon request for all existing customer systems and of course with all of our new machines. However due to several competitors scaling down their production and our own growth, we have now invested in new machinery to allow us to cut and plane cutting boards of nearly all sizes and thicknesses. Using only the best materials from leading European manufacturers we are now stocking and supplying cutting boards for any manufacturers cutting machines.
Click HERE to read more about our Range of Cutting Boards and Services.


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TSP: An In-Depth Look At The Federal Retirement Plan For Certain Federal and Civilian Employees | Daryl Shankland
DARYL SHANKLAND – Most people have some type of retirement plan, but most of the talk centers on the topic of 401(k) retirement plan. Yes, 401(k)s are great retirement vehicles, they are not the only ones. And, it's only possible to have through an employer or a private entity. And, it's not offered to military or government employees. For them, the Federal Employees' Retirement System (FERS) allows them to fund a plan called the TSP (Thrift Savings Plan).
A Look At Thrift Savings Plan
The TSP, an investment and retirement savings account for military members and federal employees, offers a plethora of benefits:
- Low administrative costs and customization ($20 yearly fee for $100,000 portfolio)
- An array of investments you can mix and match (should you want to manage the account yourself)
- Matching funds from your employer
- Easy movement of assets between retirement accounts and TSP
- Decide how to contribute money – pre-tax of a traditional TSP or post-tax of a Roth TSP
Independent government agency Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board sets up policies for investments and controls the TSP by looking at the investment performance. Every FRTIB member is a fiduciary, managing the investment so that its participants and beneficiaries' interests are protected.
How Does The TSP Work?
TSPs work like other contribution plans – 401(k) and 403(b) plans – but it's a federal government controlled program that you're automatically enrolled in if you're eligible. For any FERS employee hired after July 31, 2010, the TSP deducts three percent of the basic pay every pay period. Contributions can be changed or stopped whenever you want.
TSPs get an automatic one percent contribution from their agency every pay period, even without a contribution from you. These contributions do not come from your check. The majority of FERS participants will invest in the automatic contributions after three years of service; although certain positions do so after two years.
TSP participants can benefit from the employer matching programs, where the employer matches the employee's contributions up to a certain percentage. For a person to get the most, they need to contribute up to five percent to the TSP. The first three percent are matched dollar-for-dollar with the remaining two percent is matched 50 cents for every dollar.
These maximum contributions limits are similar to the 401(k) and 403(b) plans.
For 2018, up to $18,500 of your salary can go into the plan; in 2017, the amount was just $18,000. If you're over the age of 50, you can put another $6,000 in the catch-up contributions. These limits often change with the inflation ration. The cap is only applied to payroll deductions, not the matches employers make.
A Look At The Different TSP Funds
There are six types of funds that employees can pick from, each with their own positive and negative aspects. When choosing funds for yourself, be sure to consider what the risk tolerance is, your knowledge of the investment and the goals you have for the future.
G Fund –This is the Government Securities Investment Fund with investments in government securities. These funds are deemed low-risk and offer a low return rate.
F Fund –This is the Fixed Income Index Investment Fund, which puts money into foreign government, corporate, mortgage-backed and U.S. government bonds. When it comes to investing, the fund sticks with the indexing method. The bond market bears little influence on how it's managed. The F Fund also offers low return rates and comes with minimal risk.
C Fund –This is called the Common Stock Index Investment Fund where money is put into the stock market, and the return rate is influenced by the market's performance. There is more risk with this method, but more money could be earned from it too.
S Fund –The Small Cap Stock Index Investment Fund will put money on the stock market but only for small-to-medium sized companies not on the S&P 500. The risk is even more than the C Fund, but it could also lead to a higher return rate than the C Fund provides.
I Fund –The International Stock Index Investment Funds puts money in the international stock markets, which has the most risk but the most potential for significant growth.
L Fund –The Lifecycle Funds is an investment of savings in various series using any of the funds stipulated on the target retirement dates such L2020, L2030 and L2050, which means a person who is retiring in 2020 will have a retirement date of L2020. These funds are rebalanced each quarter to align the risk for the target date. Retirees taking money from the TSP can access their L Income Fund, which focuses on maintaining assets and rebalancing funds to ensure a proper mix.
Who Is Eligible For A TSP Account?
A TSP is not available to everybody, and not everyone who is eligible for one should open one. Those eligible for a TSP account include part-time or full-time federal employees or military members:
- FERS employees hired after Jan. 1, 1984
- CSRS (Civil Service Retirement Service) hired before Jan 1, 1984that chose not to convert to the FERS.
- Civilians of certain government services
- Active or Ready Reserve military members
Employees are encouraged to talk with their human resource office to determine their eligibility.
Withdrawing From The TSP Account
Once you reach the age of 70 1/2, you must start taking deductions from the account, or you need to begin withdrawing a year after you leave the employment. You can also make a partial or full withdrawal.
For partial ones, a one-time withdrawal can be made with the rest staying the TSP until later. This can only be done if you've never made a partial withdrawal before and you don't already have one pending. The amount for partial withdrawal must be no more than $1,000.
A full withdrawal can be made either all at one time or through a monthly payment annuity. These payments can be set to a specific payment amount until the TSP no longer has money in it. The payments can be fixed to the IRS life expectancy tables, which calculates payments based on your age and the TSP's account balance.
If a withdrawal must be made before you turn 55, you could be subjected to a 10 percent penalty. If leaving the military or federal employer, the money can remain in the TSP so long as the amount is more than $200. The savings continue to grow and be subjected to low admin costs, but there is no reason to contribute more money to it. It is possible to transfer the TSP money into a traditional IRA and employer-sponsored plans if you choose to do so.
What To Keep In Mind
If you have a TSP account, you already know how beneficial it can be for your retirement. They work like the 401(k) plans but offer more in the way of employer matches and high return rates. Be sure to talk with the benefits office to ensure you get the most from your TSP account. You should also talk with a financial advisor to get the most from the earnings.
2 Important Tips To Save Money For Your Golden Years
- Retirement saving is a key part of ensuring financial health. It's great to have a savings fund for rainy days, but when you're not working in your later years, you need a retirement fund. A 401(k) or TSP account can help you fund for those years. Be sure to contribute as much as possible and use the employer matching programs whenever possible.
- You may feel overwhelmed to invest as much as you can, but don't know how. This is why you need the help of a financial advisor. They can help you increase your savings for retirement while also ensuring the "now" of your financial life is in good shape too. Be sure to talk with a financial advisor who specializes in the area you need.
Daryl Shankland has been guiding clients in their investment decisions since 1980, encompassing both good times and bad. Her broadcasting background has helped her communicate complex, quickly changing information to clients in a manner that they can understand. Over the years, Daryl has been a frequent commentator on financial matters on both television and radio.
- You may feel overwhelmed to invest as much as you can, but don't know how. This is why you need the help of a financial advisor. They can help you increase your savings for retirement while also ensuring the "now" of your financial life is in good shape too. Be sure to talk with a financial advisor who specializes in the area you need.
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Gas hydrates (clathrates) causing pore-water freshening and oxygen isotope fractionation in deep-water sedimentary sections of terrigenous continental margins
Earth and Planetary Science Letters
By: R. Hesse and W.E. Harrison
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The occurrence of gas hydrates in deep-water sections of the continental margins predicted from anomalous acoustic reflectors on seismic profiles has been confirmed by recent deep-sea drilling results. On the Pacific continental slope off Guatemala gas hydrates were brought up for the first time from two holes (497, 498A) drilled during Leg 67 of the DSDP in water depths of 2360 and 5500 m, respectively. The hydrates occur in organic matter-rich Pleistocene to Miocene terrigenous sediments. In the hydrate-bearing zone a marked decrease in interstitial water chlorinities was observed starting at about 10-20 m subbottom depth. Pore waters at the bottom of the holes (near 400 m subbottom) have as little as half the chlorinity of seawater (i.e. 9???). Similar, but less pronounced, trends were observed during previous legs of the DSDP in other hydrate-prone segments of the continental margins where recharge of fresh water from the continent can be excluded (e.g. Leg 11). The crystallization of hydrates, like ice, excludes salt ions from the crystal structure. During burial the dissolved salts are separated from the solids. Subsidence results in a downward motion of the solids (including hydrates) relative to the pore fluids. Thawing of hydrates during recovery releases fresh water which is remixed with the pore fluid not involved in hydrate formation. The volume of the latter decreases downhole thus causing downward decreasing salinity (chlorinity). Hydrate formation is responsible for oxygen isotope fractionation with 18O-enrichment in the hydrate explaining increasingly more positive ??18O values in the pore fluids recovered (after hydrate dissociation) with depth. ?? 1981.
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