text:
The transport of oil is big money. But so is a pipeline spill — something Enbridge Inc., proponent of the $5.5-billion Northern Gateway pipeline project, knows painfully well.
The Alberta-based company is spending $700 million to clean up an oil spill from its pipeline on the Kalamazoo River in Michigan in July 2010. An estimated 3.5 million litres of 3.8 million spilled have been recovered to date.
"The last thing you want is to address a major incident," said Ray Doering, Enbridge's manager of engineering for Northern Gateway. "That's in nobody's best interests. You want to get it right."
The Kalamazoo is one river.
However, Enbridge has identified 773 streams — 669 of them bearing fish — that must be crossed if its 1,172-kilometre dual-pipeline project gets the go-ahead between Alberta and Kitimat on B.C.'s north coast.
The company promises to meet the highest standards for construction and monitoring along the route to try to prevent spills from happening in the first place and to respond quickly should something go wrong.
Environmentalists remain unconvinced, saying the history of oil pipelines proves that spills are inevitable and can be especially devastating when they occur in a river.
Enbridge plans a number of different construction techniques for crossing fragile waterways, working in low-flow levels or when fish are not present and employing laser imagery to assess the underlying soils.
An "isolated" technique involves construction of a temporary dam on the stream and diversion of the water through pipes or an artificial channel to allow a dry area to install the pipe.
Where streams dry up or freeze, Enbridge could employ an "open-cut or trenched" technique.
Aerial crossings in which the pipeline runs above the waterway would be used in a handful of cases, including the Murray River near Tumbler Ridge.
Larger and more significant watercourses would require "trenchless" crossings that go beneath the river to avoid disturbing the river bed. Methods include a direct auger or bore hole from one side of the river to the other or a more complicated technique known as horizontal directional drilling.
Directional drilling is expected to be used on rivers such as the Pembina, Athabasca and Smoky in Alberta and the Parsnip, Stuart and Morice in B.C.
Depth of the pipeline depends on factors such as fisheries values, soil conditions and the likelihood of a stream to shift with seasonal flooding, but could vary from 1.5 metres to 50 metres, Doering said.
"We are going to be held to very high standards ... through the regulatory process and [if approved] through its entire operating life. And so it should be. Absolutely."
Over the years, however, there have been more than enough pipeline spills to justify the opposition's rallying cry: "It is not a question of if, but when, a spill will happen."
A 2007 "pipeline performance" report by the Alberta Energy and Utilities Board found 12,848 pipeline incidents across 377,000 kilometres of energy pipelines over a 15-year period. Internal corrosion was the most prevalent cause of pipeline failure at 57 per cent followed by external corrosion at 12 per cent.
More recently, in April 2011 in northern Alberta, Plains Midstream Canada's Rainbow pipeline in northern Alberta spilled 28,000 barrels of crude oil, the largest spill in the province in three decades.
B.C.'s Oil and Gas Commission reported 37 "pipeline incidents" in 2009 — the most recent year for which statistics are available — including 21 leaks across more than 35,000 kilometres of pipelines, the largest involving a 2,500-cubic-metre spill of contaminated water.
The 2009 incidents mainly involved produced water (nine, including contaminated with salt, petroleum or chemicals), natural gas (seven), fresh water (five), and sour gas (four). Internal corrosion was the "predominant hazard" and accounted for about 40 per cent of incidents, the commission reported.
Environmentalists are concerned that the bitumen that would flow through the Northern Gateway project from Alberta to the coast is especially corrosive.
Enbridge denies that assertion, and promises to employ the best steel on the market for its pipeline along with a corrosion-prevention program that includes protective coatings and "cathodic protection" to guard against electro-chemical corrosion.
Enbridge's environmental studies suggest that the impact of a pipeline spill on its Northern Gateway pipelines depends on the amount, location, landscape and time of year.
Spills on land would tend to be more localized unless pollutants migrate into the water table.
Spills into a stream could take three years for water quality and invertebrates to recover, and one or more generations for fish populations — with ongoing negative impacts on aboriginal and recreational harvesting. Wetlands could take two or three years to recover after the cleanup.
The costs of cleanups in streams can be extreme, and one needn't look to Kalamazoo or even Alberta.
In August 2000, a Pembina Pipeline Corp. line between Taylor and Kamloops spilled about 985 cubic metres of light crude oil on the Pine River, a tributary of the Peace River, about 110 kilometres upstream of Chetwynd. .
A Ministry of Environment report said that Pembina (which had recently acquired the line from Federated Pipe Lines Ltd.) spent more than $30 million on the cleanup, making it "one of the most expensive inland pipeline oil spills in Canadian history." Fish, insects and other wildlife were affected, while Chetwynd was forced to shut off its water supply, the ministry said.
About 450 cubic metres of oil were removed from the river, 415 cubic metres removed in contaminated soil, and about 80 cubic metres spread throughout the environment.
Given the length of pipeline proposed for Northern Gateway, that's where the chance of a spill is greatest, with a spill into a salmon-bearing river representing "the nightmare scenario," said George Hoberg, a political scientist at the University of B.C. who specializes in environmental and natural resource policy.
The environmental consequences of a coastal marine spill from a supertanker, however, are greater, he noted.
"I have no doubt that pipeline safety and tanker safety is improving," he said, "but I'm also certain the risk of a significant spill can't be eliminated."
Enbridge says its Northern Gateway's dual pipelines — diluted bitumen headed west to Kitimat for export, and imported condensate heading east to Alberta — will employ the best technologies to monitor for spills and remotely isolate sections of pipeline should trouble develop.
"People need to understand the lengths we're going to to make sure the project is designed and operated safely," Doering said. "We're proposing a significant level of control that really wouldn't be experienced on some of the older systems operating in North America."
Enbridge accepts that the political and cultural sensibilities differ between Alberta and B.C.
"It just so happens people in Alberta are more familiar with pipelines," he continued from Calgary. "When you get west of Prince George, pipelines are new to a lot of people. It takes a lot of effort on our part".
Enbridge says it is important to have staff on the ground and in the sky to monitor for small leaks that might go undetected on pipeline right-of-ways. Communities play a role in that, too, he said, while noting that much of the pipeline through B.C. is in wilderness areas where few people visit.
The potential for a leak to occur is lower on the pipeline proper, Doering said, than from the failure, say, of a gasket or fitting at a "contained facility area" such as a pump station.
"Pipeline failure is not what you'd expect to occur," he said.
Doering added the company has worked to select a safe route and to mitigate hazards, including traversing the Interior Plateau "with 400 to 500 kilometres of basically gently rolling terrain." Rather than run up and over the Coast Mountains, the company has also proposed to punch through two tunnels.
That's of little comfort to an army of environmental groups lined up to oppose Northern Gateway.
The U.S.-based Natural Resources Defense Council, Pembina Institute of Alberta and Living Oceans Society of B.C. wrote an environmental impact report last November entitled "Pipeline and Tanker Trouble."
Endorsed by eight other groups such as Pacific Wild, Sierra Club BC and ForestEthics, the report warns that even new pipelines in North America have leaked and that the risks are greater in a mountainous environment. "Over the last 33 years, there have been six catastrophic landslides affecting natural gas pipelines in west-central B.C." the report warned.
Nathan Lemphers, a senior policy analyst with the Pembina Institute, argued Enbridge's risk assessment is inadequate because it looks only at 500 metres on each side of the centre line of the right-away even though the dangers from landslides can extend kilometres away.
"That is certainly a risk to the pipeline," he said.
Orland Wilkerson, an assistant professor in the school of environmental planning at the University of Northern B.C. in Prince George, agreed there are better methods of monitoring pipelines than 20 years ago and that the technology is more likely to hold up under rigorous conditions.
"Still, if the ground gives way around a pipe, it doesn't matter how strong it is, it's going to break. And the pipe is going through some rough country."
He noted there are also concerns about the potential for the 25-metre-wide pipeline right-of-way to provide increased access to wilderness areas, including making it easier for wolves to hunt game.
Despite such environmental concerns and the fact human error can foil the best technology, Wilkerson believes that Northern Gateway stands a good chance of going ahead, based on the history of the Canadian environmental assessments to approve major projects.
"My suspicions are this will go through," Wilkerson said.
Hundreds of British Columbians will soon be lining up to try to prove that prediction wrong.
A three-member Joint Review Panel begins public hearings on Northern Gateway Jan. 10 in Kitamaat Village.


text:
Rascal P200 Powerchair
- Ex .Vat
- Inc. VAT
- Brands : Rascal
- Product Code: RascalP200Powerchair
- Availability: In Stock
Welcome, Guest
The Rascal P200 electric wheelchair is a 4 mph Rear-Wheel Drive powerchair suitable for indoor and outdoor use comes with 55Ah batteries as standard and features a flexible seating system with a removable seat cushion enabling bespoke adaptations.
The capacity to adjust the seat tilt, backrest angle and the horizontal strap tension for total comfort achieves the ideal seating position.
Advanced Mobility has been redefined with the multi-adjustable Rascal P200 powerchair from Electric Mobility. The Rascal P200 offers the very latest in flexible seating systems. It easily meets a variety of everyday demands with an impressive multi-positional seat which includes the capability to adjust back rest angle and tension. The removable seat cushion for bespoke adaptations and coil spring suspension, both ensure comfort is maximized. With a stylish design and outstanding finish quality, the P200 excels in a wide variety of environments.
The level of flexibility that the P200 powerchair from Electric Mobility offers is exceptional. The swing away controller allows easier access under tables, side transfers are straightforward with detachable arm rests while the fully adjustable seat and back rest can be re-positioned to meet changing needs.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
MPSA awards should be named after highly distinguished scholars who have made significant contributions. It is also in the interest of the MPSA, and the profession, to consider the diversity of profiles represented in the MPSA's set of awards. Those considered for a naming honor have sound reputations with respect to their character and research.
The MPSA currently has well over a dozen awards, including:
Several current awards are not named, and new awards are also a possibility. Nominations to name an award can be made by MPSA members. The nomination should be sent to firstname.lastname@example.com and they should include:
The MPSA President will appoint a five-person ad hoc Committee on Awards to review the nomination(s) and make a recommendation to the Council that takes note of all relevant factors. This committee will evaluate recommendations to name current awards, as well create new awards.
Created April 6, 2017


text:
If you want to re-create this animation, save the 2D Animation assets to your own Creative Cloud account. Once in your Creative Cloud Libraries, you can access these assets from the CC Libraries panel in Animate.
Note: You need to be signed into your Creative Cloud account to save the library. Get an Adobe ID if you don't have one.
Create an HTML5 Canvas document and set the stage and document properties to prepare your animation project. Access a vector image from Adobe Stock to use as the background to the animation.
Add layers to the composition and use drawing tools, such as the Rectangle, Pen, and Brush tools to finish drawing the background scene.
Create a new layer for the character. Then, import the character, drawn in Illustrator, from the CC Libraries panel. Create movie clip symbols and separate the layers to prepare all parts of the character for animation.
Note: Click 2D Animation assets to save the character to your CC Libraries account.
Learn the difference between frames and keyframes and motion tweens and shape tweens. Then, apply these concepts to apply looping animation to the different parts of the character to create the appearance of realistic movement.
Learn the difference between movie clip animation and animation on the main timeline. Animate the character across the main timeline and fine-tune its path. Define separate animation for a cloud in the sky and test your animation project.
Use the publish settings to export your project for use on the web, in Dreamweaver, Muse, or InDesign projects, or to a custom publishing target.
Contributors: Joseph Labrecque, Ryan Bubnis


text:
Big Art: Miniature Golf
Bring along your lucky putter or use ours in this fully-playable miniature golf course. Designed by artists from across the United States, Big Art: Miniature Golf is a unique exhibition that explores the fusion between art, design and play.
Visitors will see – and play on – a diverse selection of artist-created miniature golf holes, ranging from an orbit around the Sun and into a black hole, playing inside an enormous golf hole cup, to the world's smallest version of the world's largest miniature golf course.
Each hole offers a one-of-a-kind experience for all visitors - be they golf lovers, art lovers, or both. Big Art: Miniature Golf promises a singular survey of some of the most whimsical and playful American artists working today.
Holes and the Artists
"A Hole"
Cynthia Chang and Misha Kahn
(Duluth, Minnesota)
"Spiral Ramps"
Aphidoidea (Andrew Hernandez, Paulina Bouyer, Jackie Muñoz, Jesus Eduardo (eddie) Magaña)
(Los Angeles, California)
Alex Heffesse
(Brooklyn, New York)
"Hard to Swallow"
Jeane Cooper
(Boca Raton, Florida)
"In or Out"
Francisca Pisfil
(Miami, Florida)
"The Life Hole"
Jeff Whipple
(Jacksonville, Florida)
"Golf in the Swamp with John Muir"
Charles Falarara and Sri Prabha
(Miami, Florida)
"Tiger Woods"
Scott Mazariegos & John Larsen
(Portland, Oregon)
"Toward the Black Hole"
Steven Gutierrez
(Chardon, Ohio)
"Trapped in Paradise"
Robert Reed
(Honolulu, Hawaii)
"World's Smallest Version of the World's Largest Miniature Golf Course"
Erika Nelson
(Lucas, Kansas)
Putters and golf balls provided at gallery entrance.


text:
For this one on the left I used a embossed layer that features three snowmen!! I found a colour printed greeting which I trimmed and pierced and then glued in place above my little guys. Next, I sewed this layer to the front of a white card using white thread in my sewing machine!! Found enough supplies to make three of these!!
For these three I used three wax resist backgrounds that feature the same embossing folder with the three snowmen!! I trimmed them to fit on coordinating card fronts and added colour printed and embossed vellum greetings which I found in my stash. If you colour print on vellum using an inkjet printer and you are fast you can coat your wet printing with embossing powder and then heat it!!
A lovely embossed image!!
So another 6 cards to add to my stash!! 34+6=40 cards!! I am very happy to have been able to find these supplies and get all caught up on my Christmas cards for this year!!


text:
Serving Central Texas
Your Appearance Is Our Business
Customized cleaning programs that's personalized to your schedule. From one time, daily or weekly cleanings, we'll accommodate your needs.
Experience the Ultra-Clean Services difference by calling us today for a free consultation.
Call today for additional information and a free estimate.
Banks & Credit Unions
Offices & Churches
Medical clinics
Commercial & Industrial
New construction clean up
Premium floor services
Window cleaning
Call today for your FREE estimate and let's get your property cleaned right.
You can feel safe knowing that we are fully insured, bonded and covered under worker's compensation.
Your satisfaction is guaranteed with every job.
Take advantage of our high quality floor care services. Our floor services include buffing, waxing, sealing, stripping and cleaning. Your office will look amazing after you hire our professionals.
Serving Central Texas
You'll put over 25 years of cleaning experience and expertise to work when you hire our professional staff at
Ultra-Clean Janitorial Services.


text:
Oreo Chocolate Cream 176g
Click Image for Gallery
Oreo Chocolate Cream - oreo biscuits with choco cream inside.
These Oreo cookies have answered NO to the classic white filling, but a brown one. The mild cocoa flavor blends very well with the dark biscuit (6 x 2 cookies)
Sugar, wheat flour, vegetable fats (containing antioxidant E320), low fat cocoa powder 9%, glucose-fructose syrup, baking soda ammonium bicarbonate, whey powder (from milk), cocoa paste, salt, emulsifier soy lecithin), flavoring.
May contain traces of sesame seeds, almonds, hazelnuts and walnuts.
- Views: 11639
- Brand: Oreo
- Product Code: Milka Oreo Chocolate Cream 176g
- Availability: In Stock
Available Options
Related Products


text:
La Quinta, CAHome Menu
Home Improvement Programs
HERO & Ygrene Program
Homeowners interested in reducing their utility bills through upgrades now have an alternative to tapping their mortgage for home equity loans. Through partnership with the City of La Quinta, HERO and Ygrene are offering low-fixed interest rates and flexible payment terms of up to 20 years, with repayments made through property taxes. Currently, both programs offer a wide array of home energy products including:
- Windows, Skylights, & Doors
- Heating, Ventilation, & Air Conditioning
- Solar Panels
- Roofing & Insulation
- Pool Pumps & Related Equipment
- Lighting
- Artificial Turf
- Drip Irrigation
Interested residents of Ygrene should visit www.cleanenergycvupgrade.com. Residents may also call the company toll-free at (877) 819-4736. Learn more at http://ygreneworks.com/services-areas/la-quinta/.
- Windows, Skylights, & Doors
- Heating, Ventilation, & Air Conditioning
- Solar Panels
- Roofing & Insulation
- Water Heating
- Artificial Turf
- Drip Irrigation
- Electric Vehicle Charging Stations
To find a HERO registered contractor in your area or to apply, call the HERO Hotline at 855-HERO-411 (855-437-6411) or visit www.heroprogram.com/laquinta.
For more information about either of these programs, please contact Bryce Bunker, Business Analyst at (760) 777-7131 or via email at email@example.com.


text:
"We are shaped by our thoughts; we become what we think. When the mind is pure, joy follows like a shadow that never leaves" – The Buddha
When I was a teenager, I was a real worrier. I'd often spend my Sunday evenings, working myself up into a complete frenzy about how certain situations at school would work out. My little brain would go into over drive, imagining things that hadn't even happened. I'd convince myself I would fail the math exam coming up, or my drama presentation would be a complete flop and everyone would laugh at me. I look back now and realise that I was in fact a prisoner of my own negative thoughts. Many a Sunday evening would be clouded by my worries, and in turn cause me a lot of unnecessary stress and anxiety. A little cloud of anxiousness, created by a fear within my own head.
As I grew older and under went my own spiritual training, I began to accept, that if I wanted to live a positive, happy and fulfilled life, I needed to learn to control my own negative thought patterns. For I believe, like the Buddha once taught, the energetic vibrations of our thoughts, attract experiences to us and therefore we become what we think.
Become truly aware of your thought patterns – There is nothing wrong with having negative thoughts, we are human, lets face it, it's going to happen. But when it does, try to really acknowledge that thought and take time to explore it, replacing it with a positive action. For example, you are due to give a presentation at work, and you realise you are thinking that it is all going to go wrong. You are going to slip up, forget the words, not get your point across and the boss is going to hate it! As soon as you truly acknowledge that thought. Stop. Breathe and explore the that it is in fact totally pointless convincing yourself this is going to happen, as in truth, when you really look at the situation, you actually have no clue how it is going to turn out! You are simply falling into the pattern of your own negative thought process. Explore the possibility that it could in fact go marvelously well, you may deliver a presentation that everyone finds interesting and enjoyable. Your points are seen as strong and encouraging, and your boss in fact loves it! Don't allow your negative thoughts to own you, acknowledge them, but don't attach yourself to them. When you refuse to give them power, they will dispel on their own accord.
Every time a negative thought arises write down 3 things that are positive in your life – My own spiritual tutor gave me this task when I first started teachings with her. It was a gracious way of teaching me the art of being thankful. When completed properly, every day, it really is helpful in keeping your mind focused on all that is good in your life. The trick is to think of 3 different things every time. It can be as simple as being grateful that your train was on time, you wake up and the sun is shining, you are able to enjoy a fresh sandwich and a cup of coffee at lunch time. Or you can explore more meaningful reasons why you are happy. You are grateful for your loving partner, your clean bill of health, your beautiful kids or the roof over your head.
The Power of Positive Mantras – During times of challenge or turmoil, I love to write mantra's on little post it notes and I stick them around my house and office. A will say them in my mind every time I see one. For me, they act as a gentle reminder that I am in fact completely in charge of my thought process. I use sayings such as "Everything is always as it should be, I grow with every challenging experience", "Positive thought is positive action", "Challenges are what make life interesting, and overcoming them is what makes life meaningful" You can obviously make up your own.
Be mindful of playing the victim – For some, life is a complicated journey of stresses, strains and constant challenges. For others, life is a wonderful adventure, full of exciting opportunities to grow, experience and develop. When we truly start to accept that our thoughts have a direct and powerful effect on the world around us and the experiences we face, challenges suddenly become a learning tool, rather than an opportunity to dwell in self-pity, sadness or worry. When something challenging happens, truly step back and take the opportunity to explore that experience in a completely different light. Acknowledge how the situation is making you feel, and explore how those feelings are showing you or teaching you something. I truly believe, every experience is sent to teach us something, that in itself, helps me embrace both the good and the moments that take a little more insight to accept.
Create a positive vision board or personal journal – Positive thought needs to be backed up with positive action. During quiet times I like to write down in a journal what I want to achieve in my life or where I see myself in the next 12 months. This applies to personal goals, emotional well-being, career path and family life. For me, writing it down actually reinforces it my mind. I am putting out to the universe through my thoughts and actions, of where I want my life to be heading. In my office I have a vision board, on it I have pinned various photographs, magazine cuttings and sentences or words. Each give me inspiration every time I look at them, reminding me of the things that make me happy and keep me motivated. I change it every 6-12 months.
Embrace the silence – In the west in general, we find it exceptionally difficult to embrace silence. To simply be present in pure wholeness, with no noise, no distractions and no interruptions that are constantly demanding our attention. To just simply sit, and be comfortable with the healing light of 'nothingness', is actually one of the most positive actions you can honour yourself with, every day. Stillness forces us to be comfortable with ourselves in our truest form. It enables us to be present in the moment, with everything else stripped away, things that usually pull us in every direction. Stillness, invites you to truly discover yourself, including your thought patterns and subsequent emotions. If you find silence too overwhelming to begin with, you may find your mind chattering away too much (which is fine by the way), then try listening to a short 10 minute meditation for positive thought. There are many on Youtube, or various mindfulness websites. Try and do this at least twice a day, preferably in the morning and in the evening. Learning techniques that will help you to tap into your deeper nature and explore the reasons behind your thoughts, will help you to gradually view them in a more productive light.
If you have enjoyed this post you may also enjoy '11 things to give up to step closer to happiness'.


text:
You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. Matthew 5:14-16
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. John 1:5 (Both verses from English Standard Version)
Tonight is New Year's Eve; the time we move from 2012 into 2013. After quite the year we experienced, we have high hopes for 2013. We started 2012 with Presidential campaign shenanigans that almost made you want to tear up your voter registration card. We ended the year with a horrific shooting at an elementary school and the suicide of a 17 year-old gang-rape victim whose plight gained worldwide attention.
Who knows what 2013 holds? Tonight, people will either be at home, at parties around the globe, or at "Watchnight" services praying the changing of the years. Will 2013 be a banner year to celebrate, or will it be another doozy we'll talk about this time next year?
For those of us in the boardinghouse-hold of Faith (and others), what will we allow to dominate our world this year? Will we continue to allow darkness to pervade our world through war, ecological damage, socioeconomic inequities, hate in all its various guises, spiritually low-end living, and the fear that keeps us from growing? Or, will we become the light in our world through love, tolerance, openness, spiritual maturity by living the Christ in our lives, environmental and socioeconomic justice, creativity, wisdom, integrity, and the courage to live with love?
We must be the "light of the world" as Jesus calls us; light so powerful and bright that even a black hole cannot prevail. The world needs us and not just for 2013, but as long as darkness still abides. We must shine as Jesus calls us to-no matter what your spiritual beliefs are; shine until all darkness is scattered. We must shine in New Delhi, Newtown (Connecticut), Washington, Afghanistan, the Middle East, our individual communities-we're needed all over the place.
We need to shine until all are lights. And when all are lights, then we can truly glorify our Father/Mother which is in Heaven.
What will we choose for 2013: darkness or light? The choice is ours to make.
Peace for 2013 (and beyond).


text:
It is about 5 degrees warmer in the shop than outside, but we have lots of fans, and it is tolerable. We are still on a push to make goods for 'Prepare for the Playa'.
New skirts, shorts, kilts, belts and pouches rolling off of the line. Hard to focus, but we are amped.
Kilt making – fire hose and found bling
Kilt making – mustard patch is 'LDH' large-diameter hose.
Kilt detail
Your happy kilt shaper
Fire hose miniskirt
New fire hose miniskirt
Pouches, belts, and a new brown skirt from hemp Eastern European Army Duffel Bags.
New belt – detail – the white parts are the scraps left when we cut out the 'scales' for the hose miniskirts.


text:
Qwertt wants to take a pet census. How many pets do you have? What are they? Cats, dogs, fish, birds... Everybody is welcome at TMIT.
We currently have three cats: a 15 year old tortie named Winky, an 8 year old black fluffball named Powder, and a 1 year old tortie terror named Toast. We also have a fish tank with an indeterminate number of fish and one snail.


text:
Grant Barnes, Sports Editor
September 1, 2018
Following a postseason for the ages, the 2017-18 NBA season concluded this past summer in an absolute Finals mismatch. In this series, the perennial Western Conference champion Golden State Warriors once again completely dismantled...
February 21, 2018
The Tulane Hullabaloo
Student newspaper serving Tulane University, Uptown New Orleans
© 2020 The Hullabaloo is an independent, student-run organization that operates out of New Orleans. All material belongs to The Hullabaloo. This publication or portions thereof may not be reproduced without the prior written permission of The Hullabaloo. For reprint permission, please contact The Hullabaloo at [email protected] • Privacy Policy • FLEX WordPress Theme by SNO • Log in


text:
FedEx Ship Manager at fedex.com - Quick Help - Tutorial - Select Additional Options
Close Window
FedEx Ship Manager
Select Additional Options
<< Back to table of contents
<< Previous
Next >>
Special services—
Select the services required for your shipment. If you are shipping FedEx Express International services, you can choose special delivery options that are available for your shipment and country. If you are shipping FedEx International Ground (U.S. and Canada only) or FedEx Express International Freight (U.S. outbound only), the Options screen displays unique Special services for each shipping service. Click
on designated fields to enter more information as required.
Shipping options—
Select a pickup or drop-off option. Click
Find location
to find the nearest FedEx drop-off location or
Schedule pickup
to schedule a FedEx pickup. This option is not available for all countries or for FedEx Express International Freight service.
FedEx Express reference information—
Complete this section as needed. (For FedEx International Ground shipments, the section title changes to FedEx Ground reference information.) Note that if you entered information into the Your reference field on the main shipping screen, that same information displays in the Your reference field in this section.
FedEx Insight
To manage shipment details, select
Block shipment data
to prohibit your recipient and third-party payers from viewing information about your shipment. Select
Shipment contents
to allow detailed shipment information (e.g., part number, quantity, description) to be visible for FedEx InSight customers only. Click
to describe your shipment contents.
If you have completed all of your required information and want to display/print the bar code label, click
to print the label. Attach it to your shipment.
Close Window


text:
Introduction: Suet Cage From Scrap Mesh and Wire.
This is an easy project that takes less than a half hour to complete (took me under ten minutes).
Start wish some wire mesh scrap (about 1-2 square feet is plenty). The smaller holes are better if you have squirrels and will make the cage somewhat squirrel resistant.
What's needed:
1. wire mesh
2. some scrap wire (one foot of wire is more than enough)
3. wire cutters
4. small board for bending (to ensure straight bends)
5. gloves for anyone wanting to protect their hands. the mesh is sharp!
Teacher Notes
Teachers! Did you use this instructable in your classroom?
Add a Teacher Note to share how you incorporated it into your lesson.
Step 1: The First Bend!
Use the suet you will be giving the birds as your size guide.
In general, you will simply bend the mesh around the suet.
Image: Bend one edge up the depth of the suet.
Step 2: Second Bend
Bend the other side of the mesh as shown.
I used a board as a bending guide to ensure a straight bend of the wire mesh.
Be sure to give extra space so the suet has some wiggle room (and hope your suet doesn't wiggle).
Step 3: Cut It!
Keeping in mind that you want to give extra space around the suet, cut the few wires at the top as shown (on both sides).
Step 4: Cut It Again!
Cut the wire mesh again to enclose the suet.
Remember to use a board to get those straight bends.
Keep it simple, put the suet in its wire mesh space, see what fits and then take it out for the bends (you don't want suet all over your work space). :)
Step 5: Wire It Closed
You can use insulated wire, uninulated wire, rusty wire, anything that will twist and is a little stronger than a twist tie.
Wire it closed so the all but one side is open.
The little bottom/top flap can go over or under, whatever you feel it best. I tucked my little pieces into the wire frame.
Step 6: More Wire Cutting
Cut the mesh on the edges so you can bend it over to close it all the way.
Unwrap the suet and put it in before you bend it over.
Now you have a suet cage with a little standing area for the birdies! Yay!
Some would say to trim the sharp wires to keep the birds save, but I left my pokey ends standing up to discourage squirrels from jumping on it. The birds fly through thorny trees in my back yard without a scratch, so I'm figuring they should be able to navigate the anti-squirrel measures I left in place.
Step 7: Put a Wire on the Top and Wait....
Put a hanging wire on the top and get ready for some bird watching.
Try to put the suet and cage out of the sun in a visible area so you can enjoy as much as the birds will.
Happy Bird Watching! :)
Step 8:
Be the First to Share
Very nice and simple! Thanks for sharing this.


text:
Below you can find answers to our most Frequently Asked Questions. Click the questions for the answer.
Cuddingtons built our garden room and we are ecstatic with it! It was the first time we have used these contractors and they are truly superb. From the moment they stepped into our house they were in a different league to anyone else. They had great ideas for our garden room and the whole process was truly professional and reliable. I would also like to add how very clean and tidy everybody was. Cuddingtons have amazing talented and hard working staff and they all work and get on as a team. Nothing was ever too much trouble and I will (and have) used them again and recommend them to everybody!Garden Room - Chris & Julie Wimbledon - 10-Nov-2016


text:
Senior Security Engineer
To Apply: ALL APPLICANTS please email a CV AND covering letter to email@example.com
Location: UK (London) or Sweden (Malmö)
At Neo4j we make the world's leading graph database. We take security seriously, with all engineers responsible for evaluating security implications, and choosing secure designs. We're now looking to expand our security expertise by hiring an experienced software engineer who has specialised in security concerns. We would like this person to take holistic architectural ownership of the security aspects of our expanding product range.
In this role, you will:
- Work as part of the Engineering organisation at Neo4j as we continue to deliver our industry-leading database software to our customers in finance and other industries.
- Collaborate directly with other engineers to provide coaching and expertise in choosing the right processes and technologies.
- Pair-program with engineers to implement secure designs.
- Coordinate penetration testing of our products and assist in developing an automated approach to verify their ongoing integrity.
- Act as a stakeholder for the security-focused features of our products, including secure network communications, authentication and access control. This will require working closely with our Product Management team.
- Convene the company's Security Interest Group, be responsible for all security-related technical documentation released with our products and help promote a culture of security awareness across the organisation.
- An active interest in computer and network security
- Knowledge of industry standards and best practices
- A solid understanding of threat modelling and penetration testing
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Recent coding experience in at least one major programming language


text:
"Clean it up, Johnny."
At the 2:32 mark of Stadium Arcadium's heavy, bass driven jam "Readymade," Anthony Kiedis fortunately wasn't asking lead guitarist John Frusciante to kick another drug habit. While getting clean has certainly played a significant role in the Red Hot Chili Peppers' improbable evolution, longevity, and success, collective sobriety gave this 2006 request new meaning. Kiedis was instead directing the esoteric axeman to sweep in with the kind of beautifully filthy solo that defines the California quartet's landmark double album, which celebrates its tenth birthday on May 9th.
Although Frusciante left the band for weirder pastures in 2009, this twenty-eight-song collection is undoubtedly one of his (and the group's) masterpieces. 1991's Blood Sugar Sex Magik and 1999's Californication may be more widely renowned (2002's By The Way will always be my personal favorite), but the eclectic Stadium Arcadium comprehensively illuminates the musical and metaphysical extremes the Chili Peppers (in all of their various reincarnations) have experienced and shared for over three decades.
For me (and several of my best/oldest friends), Stadium Arcadium is a unique time capsule. No other record transports me back to such a specific era, place, and feeling. The record always evokes the ambiguity, innocence, and fun that defined my most formative high school summers.
"Charlie" and "Tell Me Baby" remind me of sucking at beer pong. Frusciante's "Wet Sand" solo returns me to a frenetic Hawaiian pool party that now feels like a Project X prequel. "Death of a Martian" weirdly puts me back in the driver's seat of "Clive Owen" (my 1994 325 coupe named after the star of BMW's The Hire) during a crazy Long Island storm. These moments weren't exactly adolescent checkpoints, like prom or graduation, but they are far more representative of what makes youthful mundanities quite extraordinary.
While this epic work may be impossible for the Chili Peppers to replicate (2011's Frusciante-less I'm With You is solid, but forgettable), the band's recent album announcement and single release filled my ears and heart with joy and hope.
Stadium Arcadium may be ten-years-old, but revisiting it is one of the few things makes me feel like I haven't aged a day.


text:
Information about the Pyrenean Shepherd
The Pyrenean Shepherd is a medium-small breed of dog native to the Pyrenees mountains in southern France and northern Spain, bred since at least medieval times for herding livestock, especially sheep. It worked as an active herder together with the Great Pyrenees, another mountain dog, which acted as the flock's guardian.
The Pyrenean Shepherd is the smallest of the French herding dogs. The breed comes in two varieties: Rough-faced and smooth-Faced. Rough-faced males are 15 ½ (39 cm) to 18 ½ (47 cm) inches at the withers, and rough-faced females are 15 (38 cm) to 18 (46 cm) inches. Smooth-faced males are 15 ½ (39 cm) to 21 (53 cm) inches at the withers, and smooth-faced females are 15 ½ (39 cm) to 20 ½ (52 cm) inches at the withers. The weight is between 15-32 lbs (7-15 kg), aiming for lithe and muscular, never fat.
The head is of small proportions in comparison to the dog, with a rather flat skull, and a somewhat short, triangular muzzle. The face is expressive and intelligent, with dark eyes, except in the case of merles or slate grey coat colour. Traditionally the dog's ears are cropped. If natural, the Pyrenean Shepherd should have semi-prick or rose ears. Naturally prick ears are not correct for the breed, and may indicate an outcross.
The body is long and lean, and should reflect the natural energetic athleticism of the dog. The legs are well proportioned, with lean, well-angulated, well-let-down hocks typical of a sure-footed mountain breed. The tail can be docked short, a natural bob-tail, or naturally long with a crook in the end, so long as its carried below the topline at rest and in motion.
The coat has two basic varieties, smooth-faced and rough-faced (demi-long or long-haired). The smooth-faced variety has short, fine hairs on the muzzle, with a modest ruff around the face and neck, and some feathering along the legs, tail, and belly. In contrast, the rough-faced has longer hair on the muzzle and face, though never enough to cover or obscure the eyes or create a bearded effect, and demi-long or long, coarse hair over the rest of the body. The rough-faced dog can also form cords over his hindquarters and front legs.
Shades of fawn are most typical for the breed, either with or without black mask and overlay. Also very common are brindles and various shades of grey. Less common are merles of various kinds (blue merle, brindle merle, fawn merle), and black. All colors allow for some white at the head, chest and feet, but solid colors are preferred.
The Pyrenean Shepherd was designed to be a sheepdog, and as such is full of the same sort of energy that other herding dogs have, but in a surprisingly small package. This adaptive dog wants to, and can, do all the jobs on the field, and is a natural herder. A dog that needs a job, its cleverness makes it ideal for other work and dog sports such as flyball, competitive obedience and agility. This dog is good with children that they were brought up with. They have a sense of protector over the children.
Pyr Sheps are "one-man" dogs, attached and dedicated to their owners, with a desire to follow them around the house to help with daily chores. They sense every mood and often seem to be able to read their masters' minds, as they are constantly watchful. Because of this, they are extremely trainable.
Their natural wariness, while valuable in a herding dog that may need to alert their shepherd of strange animals or people, combined with their herding bossiness, can lead to shyness or aggression in even the most friendly puppy if not properly managed. Frequent socialization from a very young age can help counter this trait.
Pyrenean Shepherds can compete in dog agility trials, obedience, showmanship, flyball and tracking events. On January 1, 2009 the breed finally became eligible to compete in herding events in the US. Herding instincts and trainability can be measured at noncompetitive herding tests. Pyr Sheps exhibiting basic herding instincts can be trained to compete in herding trials.
Pyr Sheps needs only a weekly brush, as well as regular checks for burrs or mats, to keep its coat in good condition.
After the first World War, the Pyrenean Shepherd gained national recognition in France for their valiant work as couriers, search and rescue dogs, watch dogs, and company mascots.
The smooth-faced Pyrenean Shepherd in its harlequin or blue merle coloration may have been one of the foundation breeds for the Australian Shepherd when sheep herders brought their sheepdogs to the American West when they flew to the United States as contract herders for the Western Range Association in the 1940s until the early 1970s.
It is not yet a well-known breed outside of its native France, but its size, intelligence, and attractive coat make it appealing. After one of its breed won the World Agility Championship for midsized dogs in 2003, it gained more attention as an intelligent performance dog for dog sports.


text:
In regards to the Islamic State, Hillary Clinton had this to say in Saturday night's little-watched Democratic candidate's debate: "We now finally are where we need to be. We have a strategy and a commitment to go after ISIS. … And we finally have a U.N. Security Council resolution bringing the world together to go after a political transition in Syria."
Are we really where we need to be? And frankly, who care about the United Nations? Although it's great to know that the expensive gabfest took time off from its main vocation--demonizing Israel.
Bloomberg's Megan Murphy says Hillary's ISIS observation is "really going to hurt" her next autumn.


text:
Cargo applications for smartphones
The main functional of Cargo is now in your smartphone!
- Built-in messenger
- Annuaire des entreprises
- Notifications about matching for loads and transports
- Search and add offers
Cargo.Messenger for computers
Do not miss a single message. Cargo Messenger helps keep you connected.
- Automatic start when the computer is turned on
- Resizable messenger window
- Receive messages when working in other programs
- Selected contacts are always at hand


text:
Listing details for Paul Hoare
Paul Hoare
Exhibited at the prestigious RI, Royal Watercolour Society, for 3 years, with an exhibition at the Mall Galleries, Pall Mall, London. His work was picked for the national Sunday Times Watercolour competition, 1 of only 100 works, with a national touring exhibition. His gallery is open by arrangement.
View site map - view gallery of images


text:
The Whooperups
Sensible DaydreamYear Released: 2017
Format: 7"
Label: Everything Sucks Music
Reviewed by MH on Oct 21, 2017
This one is by a London trio who feature members of Wolf Girl, Charla Fantasma and The Spook School - 3 bands I have plenty of time for. Just stumbled across this info while skimming over what was left in the review list, and their Facebook page tells me they play "ugly pop" but it's maybe a little prettier than that sounds - fuzzy, catchy and melodic with nice harmonies backing up the main vocals. "Latent Teenage Fantasy" is something of a gem and "Karaoke" is a brilliant little storytelling pop song but all four songs are worth your time.
Share this:


text:
Spring Trip Report from Drew Brockett:
2015 Spring Solo Canoe Trip - One Night/Two Days
Day One - April 30, 2015
Today's journey: Mudro - Fourtown - Boot - Fairy - Gun - Wagosh - Niki - Chippewa - Papoose - Friday Bay of Crooked Lake
Paddling miles: 12.5
Portage miles: 7 (eleven portages, 750 rods x 3 because of double portaging)
Weather: mostly sunny and warm, slight breeze from the south, almost perfect
It was a beautiful morning as I left my home at about 5:30am. I got to the #23 Mudro Lake entry point a little after 6am and started paddling by 7am. My vehicle was the only one in the parking lot. It was a wonderful site early in the season since this is one of the most popular BWCA starting points throughout the paddling season.
Day One - April 30, 2015
Today's journey: Mudro - Fourtown - Boot - Fairy - Gun - Wagosh - Niki - Chippewa - Papoose - Friday Bay of Crooked Lake
Paddling miles: 12.5
Portage miles: 7 (eleven portages, 750 rods x 3 because of double portaging)
Weather: mostly sunny and warm, slight breeze from the south, almost perfect
It was a beautiful morning as I left my home at about 5:30am. I got to the #23 Mudro Lake entry point a little after 6am and started paddling by 7am. My vehicle was the only one in the parking lot. It was a wonderful site early in the season since this is one of the most popular BWCA starting points throughout the paddling season.
The day was long as I had a goal to get to Friday Bay. I just kept paddling and portaging. It was good to see this area again as it had been a few years since I traveled these lakes. The highlights for the day included a pine marten that was walking along the bank of a lake, seeing nobody, the many birds either seen or heard (bald eagles, kingfisher, winter wren, loons, and more), and the fact that I was back in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area.
Once I found my campsite on an island in the northeast part of Friday Bay, it was late afternoon. I had earned an evening of relaxing, that's for sure. It was a big day for my first trip of the year.
The quiet evening was spent eating dinner and enjoying the view from the rocks. Tent-time came early. I needed to get some sleep as I made the decision to try to paddle out and complete the entire loop in one night. Usually, we tell our clients to do the loop in about 5 days. My buddy at work, Adam, is notorious for doing big trips and piling on the miles when he solo trips all summer. It was my turn to try to do that.
Sleep came easy. The forest went to bed.
Day Two - May 1, 2015
Today's journey: Crooked Lake (Friday Bay area) - Basswood River - Lower Basswood Falls - Horse River - Horse - Tin Can Mike - Sand Pit - Mudro
Paddling miles: 19.3
Portage miles: 4.8 (10 portages, 513 rods x 3)
Weather: Mostly cloudy, wind picked up a bit in the afternoon from the SW, warm
I knew it was going to be a big day so I got up before 5am, took care of taking down camp and getting some food into me, and was paddling by 6am. It was a perfect morning to be on the water.
Crooked Lake is a large lake with many bays and fingers. I had many miles to go before my first portage around Lower Basswood Falls. As I paddled, it was amazing knowing I was the only one anywhere near this area. One man's wilderness, so to speak. As the canoe glided over the water, I paid attention to the beautiful, rugged shoreline. When I passed by campsites, I made a mental note about it for future reference.
Sometimes one must get out of the canoe to stretch the legs and reset your body. I took advantage of the flat rocks at historic Table Rock. It's an easy place to get in/out of a canoe, plus to know that it's a place of history with the voyageurs and natives, makes it a neat area.
After a quick break and walk around Table Rock, my next stop would be the first portage of the day. But, before I got there, I caught a glimpse of the elusive fisher.
Now the day was about more portages and a nice river paddle. It was such a great day so far and I knew I could just keep going and eventually get to my vehicle. It's not that I wanted to leave the BWCA, but there are a lot of things I needed to do at my home, plus I thought it would be a good challenge to do this loop in two days.
There are portages marked on the map and then there are little areas that are listed as rapids. These rapid areas became interesting. They are small rapids, but rocky. I was able to paddle up the first one. Another one, I had to portage around. The last one I had to get into the water and pull (line) my canoe through the rapids. I was in the water up to my thighs, but had the Chota Hippie Waders on so didn't get wet at all. Actually, that was a lot of fun doing that.
Once I got to Horse Lake, I needed to refuel with some lunch. I found a campsite and enjoyed the food, the view, and the break.
Now the final push, knowing that there was a brutal portage coming up later in the day. I got to the bottom of Horse Lake, passing a rock on the side that has a metal ring in it. That's from the logging days of this area.
Eventually I was on the portage from Tin Can Mike to Sandpit. The first part of it has a fine wooden walkway so canoeists don't have to walk in a wet area. As I was walking along the portage, I heard something bigger in the woods and move away from the portage. I stood still...listening and watching. I heard it again and it moved a little deeper in the woods. Then I saw something in a slightly different location from the most recent noise. All of the sudden, I saw two cute little bear cubs climbing a tree. Then I knew it was the mama bear that had run away.
Uh oh. Now what? I need to do this portage and come back and get my canoe and food pack. I decided to just get going. As I passed the tree with the cubs, I couldn't believe how cute they were as they climbed and wondered who I was. Quickly a decision was made to snap a few shots and get to the end of the portage. Coming back past that area, I had a stick, just in case, and I had my whistle. When I passed the bears, I saw the mother at the base of the tree sort of in and out of a hole (could be the den?). Now the mama was with them. I kept walking. They were all more afraid of me.
My final time walking past them wasn't a big deal as I had a canoe on my shoulders and figured that was "scary" to them. As I passed, the same thing happened, the cubs were on the tree and the mama was at the base of the tree. No biggie at all. What an incredible site!! Two little cubs with their mother. Luck was on my side. Notice one of the pictures has both of the cubs in it.
The last part of the trip was tough. The portage with the bears is the easiest one I know.....flat....as it was an old road during the logging days. Now, it was time for "Heart Attack Hill". This is a steep uphill climb and it wears you out. I just took my time, paced myself, and took small steps. Once I brought my pack to the end, I knew I had to go and get the rest of the gear. There is nothing like doing a portage like that twice...up that hill.
That portage ends at Mudro Lake where I hear my first voices since the radio in my vehicle. It's a family coming in late in the day and staying at the one Mudro site. I didn't want to see anyone, but what are you going to do.
Once back at the parking lot, there are four other vehicles now. Wait until summertime, this lot will be packed. For me, off season is the time to experience the busy areas. I'm lucky I can do that.
The journey was fantastic. Spring in the wilderness, before the bugs, the heat, and the crowds, is a special time. Happiness comes from everywhere you look. Peace is all around you. Life is great.
Hope you enjoy this little write-up. Find something good in each day.


text:
City, Suburb, and Rural Communities
People live, work, and have fun together in many different kinds of communities. With the help of three children, students learn about the similarities and differences of neighborhoods in the city, suburbs, and rural communities. We join each child as they show us what it is like to live in his/her neighborhood. Schools, stores, and play-time activities are presented in each type of neighborhood.
Find out how our three types of communities-cities, suburbs and rural areas-are different for the people that work, live and play in them.
- Students will know that a community is a place where people live, work, and play.
- Students will be able to identify the three types of communities discussed in the video. A city is a busy community made up of many different neighborhoods. A suburb is a community that surrounds a city. Suburbs tend to be more spacious and have a lower concentration of people. Rural communities surround the suburbs, and they are made up of farmland and spacious country. A rural community (or "the country") is not home to large numbers of people.
- Students will be able to explain the contrasting characteristics of each of the three types of communities.
- Population concentration: Cities have a high concentration of people. In fact, thousands-even millions-of people live, work and play within the limits of a city. In the suburbs people are spread out, which increases the amount of space that can be used for homes, parks, and places of business. In rural communities people are really spread out, the nearest neighbor may be miles away. This low population concentration allows for a lot of land to be used to grow crops or raise animals.
- Jobs: Cities have many different businesses that offer many different jobs. Not a lot of business is done in the suburbs, so there are not many jobs. Often, people live in the suburbs and work in the city. In rural areas people usually work on farms or ranches.
- Housing: City land is scarce and expensive, therefore, homes are small and they are built close together. Often, many homes are contained in one building called an apartment building. Apartments are home to individuals, couples, and even entire families. Land in the suburbs is more abundant than in the city, so homes are larger, and they even have yards. There is not a need for many apartment buildings in the suburbs. In rural communities houses are few and far between. Property owners have more than just a yard on which their houses rest; they live on farms and ranches that can contain many acres of land.
- Shopping: Cities have many different places to shop. Each neighborhood has its own stores, where neighbors can buy the things they need and want. In fact, some apartment buildings contain their own grocery stores. The suburbs do not have as many places to shop, but they do have malls and shopping centers that are within a few minutes' drive. Usually, rural areas do not have places to shop; people have to drive to a town to find stores where they can buy food, clothing, and other items.
- Transportation: Cities have a lot of roads to handle the many cars that are moving about. Still, city roads are often very busy with automobile traffic. However, cities do have buses, trains, and/or subways, which help to decrease the number of cars. Suburbs tend to have less traffic because of their lower population. Suburban traffic can become congested as people are driving to and from work or school. In rural communities traffic is not busy. They do not have as many roads as in cities and suburbs because they don't need them.
- Attractions: Many people like the city because there are a lot of fun things to do and see. Cities have movie theaters, lots of different restaurants, libraries, museums, operas, plays, and concerts. Some cities even have basketball, baseball, and/or football teams. In addition, cities tend to have a lot of culture, because they are home to many different people. Suburbs may not have the same kinds of attractions as a city, but they do have more land for parks and natural areas where people can fish, ride their bikes, play sports, and walk on nature trails. Rural areas have a lot of land, which allows people to do things like ride horses and raise animals. In fact, many rural children belong to 4-H clubs; the children raise horses, cows, and other animals, and have them compete for prizes at fairs.
- Schools: Most communities have schools. However, cities usually have schools that are within walking distance of where students live. Suburban schools may be spread farther apart, students may have to ride their bikes or carpool with their neighbors. Schools in rural communities can be far away from where people live, so the students may have to take the bus to get to school.
- Where do you live? Before viewing the video, ask the students where they think they live (do they live in a city, suburb, or rural community?). Have them supply reasons why they think the way they do. If the students have trouble, it's O.K. After viewing the video, ask the question again; they should have no problem labeling the type of community in which they live.
- Where do you want to live? After viewing the video, draw three concentric circles on the board. Label the innermost circle "City," label the middle circle "Suburb," and label the outermost circle "Rural Area." Then, have the students come up to the board and write their names in the circle that represents the community in which they want to live. Read the names in each circle, and ask the students to tell the class why they prefer the community they chose; they should use examples from the video as their support.
- Community report: Have the class draw pictures, make dioramas, or put together collages that represent the communities they call home. When the projects are complete, each student should tell the class about his/her community. The student should answer many questions including: What type of community does she live in? Is her community busy or quiet? Does she live in a house or an apartment? Are there any stores nearby? What activities does she do for fun in her community?


text:
I recently caught up with @whileoutriding for a couple of days/nights exploring the trails of southern Dorset on two wheels with an emphasis on great pub and cafe stops, and a good opportunity to do some more bag testing. It's a part of the world in which I'd not done any… more »
A fluff-covered heap
Do you remember as a kid you had, or might have had, those sticky rubber creepy crawlies you could fling at a window and watch them slowly creep their way down… this post is kind of one of those, entirely pointless with the exception that the rubber toy is just… more »
Three Moors
Having been busy at the sewing machine recently the end results needed a decent shakedown ride so a riding buddy and I decided to take the published Two Moors bikepacking route and turn it into a Three Moors adventure by riding home via Bodmin Moor as well. Exmoor in particular… more »
That thing that never happens in Cornwall…
…happened. It's not news anymore, at least not if you're in the UK, but I did enjoy a rather splendid afternoon, all the mud on the trails is now frozen solid… an opportunity not to be missed. And snow, there was snow.
Seven and a half years
Not much of an anniversary.. rather that I've been in quite a reflective mood recently.. something to do with growing older perhaps… I wasn't going to bother writing but it has been pointed out to me by folk more intelligent than I that there are people out there perhaps considering a… more »
N+1 = Big Bro
I'm really not on board with the way the bike industry is constantly inventing new standards for things under the pretence that the new standard is "better" than what came before.. much of it is a simple exercise in trying to convince the customer that the stuff they bought last… more »
Brother Cycles AllDay
For whatever reason I recently decided that I needed to build myself a new lightweight tourer, day-tripper, ultralight overnight bivy, commuter, go-fishing, take a picnic, audax, tracks & trails, just riding around in a t-shirt sort of a bike… so of course I did. Naturally in this context 'needed' nearly always… more »
October Early Weekend
Thursday morning dawned filthy wet and misty, the forecast promised better however so when the rain began to ease around midday, and with the encroaching winter very much in mind, camping gear, food, and fishing clobber was hastily thrown at bikes for a cheeky early weekend at a favourite spot just… more »
A Vintage Autumn
Arguments over whether it is late summer or early autumn aside, it is turning into a vintage season for blackberries. Apparently the summer was warm and damp while I was away, and this is the result. My Surly Cross Check makes a great tool for foraging with an old tub… more »
Local Trails
I find that when I have a difficult coding problem inspiration often comes from entirely unrelated activities… I'm in a cafe on the plaza in Arequipa this morning writing code which is of course why I'm playing with pictures and scribbling a quick blog post. Well, that is my excuse… more »
Anything But
I have homework, as well as some proper work – you know that stuff that earns £, to do this afternoon so of course I am doing anything but. Hence this post and only because I have a couple of pictures kicking around that may, or may not look pretty…. more »
Village Life
… following on from yesterday's post I stopped for a couple of days in the small town of Santo Tomas. I found it quite an interesting place, it had a bit of a Wild West feel.. something to do with the artfully crumbly buildings, and the hats. Situated in a… more »
On from Espinar
It's been a while so I think I will split this into two posts… one today and one tomorrow. When I last wrote I was in Espinar and planning a slightly easier route for a while in the hope that it would help me get rid of the lingering chest… more »
Dia de la Bandera – A Photo Essay
Something I've noticed about clouds and silver linings is that those linings often manifest themselves in quite unexpected ways. Yesterday, the 7th June, was Peru's national Flag Day, Dia de la Bandera. The day commemorates the Battle of Arica, fought on June 7, 1880 between the forces of Peru and… more »
Onwards and Upwards…
.. at last. I was able to leave Chivay after just over 2 weeks of convalescence so to speak. Still not 100% and with a persistent chesty cough I decided I was going anyway. I did however take it easy on the first day, just cruising gently back up the… more »
Onwards… perhaps
Hopefully this will be my last post from Chivay. It has been two weeks and I feel at something of a crossroads. Yesterday I went for a short spin up the valley on my unloaded bike, just to see how I was… I was OK, but not brilliant. My chest… more »
A little bit more Chivay
One is still in Chivay. It's been a week now. The last couple of days I have been navigating the apparent chaos of the Peruvian rural healthcare system, and, having found my way around it I've been really happy despite ending up with a large, and somewhat painful needle in… more »
Arequipa… part 2
We delayed departure from Arequipa by a day to spend a little more time exploring what is a rather wonderful town. There are a ton of riding photos and stories from the road to come tomorrow, I have my feet up in Chivay today, but this set I think are… more »
via Arequipa
Hitting the road tomorrow so now seemed like a good opportunity to sling up a quick post with some pics. In Arequipa at present in the south. I had thought I might go north to begin with but the wet season seems to be lingering much longer up that way… more »
Some Two-Wheeled Stuff
One hasn't felt particularly inspired to write recently, I have a large mug of tea and packet of jaffa cakes by my side right now however so perhaps now is the time to pull my socks up and finger out. As far as the weekend on two wheels goes I'm… more »
Moving on to Malaga
Moving on from Córdoba was a little difficult, I'd found a terrific little place to stay (http://mayflowershostel.es, recommended), made the acquaintance of some nice folk, and really liked the atmosphere of the town. I fell into quite a nice little routine of morning coffee at a street café that somehow merged… more »
Sevilla en la Lluvia
It is pouring with rain in Seville. An escape from the Cornish winter seemed like a good idea, I had a cheap flight to use, felt a need for some sunshine and, with a two-wheeled return to the Andes imminent, some solid miles on a bike could be useful… It was sunny… more »
Bicycle book-ending
Every year around this time, well.. always on the 24th, around lunchtime, to be precise, I load my bike and pedal east to the 'ancestral home' for a couple of days. I find the bike ride there and back makes a terrific, and deeply satisfying 'book-end' to a lovely family… more »
Last Days of Autumn
If used to the fall colours of the eastern US and Canada then autumn in the UK might, possibly, seem rather dull by comparison… but it isn't really. The palette is just rather more subtle and subdued. I think it is quite beautiful, especially towards the close of autumn as the winter… more »
Revisiting Summer
Having been utterly lacking with regard to motivation to write anything recently I thought I might make the effort to tell a very brief story of a regression to the summers of my childhood. Not that I ever grew up or anything it's just that those warm summer days with… more »
Bikepacking: A Book Review
A few weeks ago I received a copy of a rather nice new book from Wild Things Publishing, the background being that there is a little bit of my photography between the covers – but really only a very tiny amount and it is, quite rightly, lost amongst the rather splendid… more »
Summer Nights
Just a couple of snaps from the just past weekend local 'adventure' with friends. I was going to include them as part of a post I'm working on that, for once isn't about me, ha, and that also, for a change, requires me to think a little about what I'm… more »
A quick spin north
When I last wrote the long range forecast suggested a weather window might form for a sea kayak journey to explore the uninhabited islands and islets that form the most southerly limits of the Outer Hebrides. With a few days in hand in the meantime I decided to hop on my… more »
Back on Barra
I'm back on the Isle of Barra in the Outer Hebrides for a bit, visiting friends and renewing my acquaintance with this rather wonderful corner of the world. Some folk may remember I spent a summer out here working as a sea kayak guide for local operator Clearwater Paddling (http://www.clearwaterpaddling.com)…. more »
Early Spring Lunch
Last weekend Cornwall was still very much in the grip of winter, but spring does appear to have since arrived… yesterday the sun was warm, the wind was light and the lanes were fragrant with the scent of flowers.. so a spin out for lunch with a riding buddy was in… more »
A quick trip east
Panniers clanking with bottles of alcohol while pedalling east on the squally afternoon of the 24th to spend Christmas at the 'ancestral home' I was treated to some fabulously stormy late afternoon light across Gerrans Bay.. and a stunning moonrise on arrival that just goes to show that it's always better by bike. Even… more »
Mid-Winter Mid-Cornwall
The 'permarain' of the past few weeks eased for a bit on Sunday to leave some much needed spells of sunshine between blustery showers. Rather than just go riding as usual for a few hours on the fixed wheel trainer a friend and I decided to make an all day… more »
Whetman Equipment Contact Line
After an awful lot of cycling-heavy content… time to get back to that other fun thing to do.. sea kayaking… Now, I've learned over the years that there are particular topics in sea kayaking that are almost guaranteed to spark off a lively debate.. one is rudders (yawn).. the other… more »
Post-Himalayan Apathy…
It's always 'challenging' returning home after a decent adventure but this time seems to have been, or rather 'is', particularly difficult. All I can think about it is the mountains – nothing new there – accompanied by a crippling apathy with respect to what passes for normal life. I'm tired too…… more »


text:
IDW Transformers More than Meets the Eye #22 Review
Tuesday, October 15th, 2013 3:57am CDTCategories: Comic Book News, Reviews, Site Articles
Posted by: Va'al Views: 38,346
Topic Options: View Discussion · Sign in or Join to reply
(Spoiler free-ish)
MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE: THE MOVIE! When the Autobots set off on their mission to find the Knights of Cybertron, RODIMUS gave REWIND a simple instruction: film everything. The result is a documentary that will forever change your perception of life on board the Lost Light. Discover RUNG's secret! Meet the greatest Autobot of all time! And learn what SKIDS really got up to on Hedonia!
Remember him? Remember?!
We were told by the solicits and various interviews with James Roberts that this would be a breather issue, an actual 'filler' comic (for those of you who love throwing the word about), and it definitely does do that. But it does a little more too, both in terms of looking back, fleshing out and dropping some hints at what Dark Cybertron might bring.
Roberts has plenty of time and space in this issue to work his humour and dialogue, without falling into the tonal discordances that occur during big emotional moments or fight scenes. Setting the story mostly during downtimes allows him to just play around with characters and episodes we've seen so far. And the individual panels format really brings out the more idiosyncratic lines by the Lost Light crew.
But, as I said, there's a little more to that. We're introduced to an (apparently) even more advanced and belligerous mechanical civilisation, the Ammonites and the Terradores, which seem to be multiple combiners of adorable little minicon-sized robots. Or are they? Are they hiding anything? Is there.. more than meets the eye?
Yep, we'll definitely see ultra-biners
The issue overall is definitely a recap and a pause, but there are two moments that make it fit even better in the path to Dark Cybertron. The Thunderclash episode and the Hedonia expanded story were actually blended together fairly well, while still having the 'these are just two things that happened' feeling about them. And find out Rung's altmode.
As mentioned, teased and prodded at for quite a while now, this issue marks the return of James Raiz on artwork duties, and it's definitely different from Milne or Roche's approach. Raiz has a darker, heavier touch to his lines, while still not losing in details. Some readers will complain, but I personally like the different style.
So was I, Cyclonus, so was I
Josh Burcham works quite nicely with Raiz's darker style, bringing a light touch and a touch of light to the heavier lines in the pencils and inks. He works particularly well with the different camera perspectives, shifting tones slightly for the Rewind vs Lost Light security camera shots.
Red Alert's presence/paranoia is *everywhere*
The lettering doesn't have to do too much in the issue, but Tom B. Long still has some nice moments, in the style I've come to expect from him. All in all, I like the different texture of the artistic side of the issue, and don't think it detracts anything from the story or its details.
Spoilerish ahead
As I mentioned above, we get to delve a little into the life of some of the major cast members of the Lost Light, expanding on some episodes, almost answering a couple of questions and preparing the stage even if very briefly, for what is ahead. And Rung's altmode. And be prepared for some really, really silly humour.
And self-deprecation?
The art might not appeal to all readers used to the Milne or Roche approaches, but I would still suggest considering it as how Rewind sees the world through his camera - Raiz does a great job in picking up on the artistic qualities of the entire run, and reproduces them perfectly, in his own style.
A final comment, though, to this final issue of what Roberts calls Season 1 of MTMTE. I can't shake off the feeling that this and the prose extract from #21 could have somehow been shrunk together, allowing for some more light on the Tyrest situation. In any case, it's a good issue, and one I think we'll need once we lose cast members (as Roberts has, as per usual, teased).
Credit(s): IDW Publishing, Va'al
Got Transformers News? Let us know here!
Most Popular Transformers News
Most Recent Transformers News
IDW Comics News Roundup with Layoffs Announced, Simon Furman Commentary and TF VS Terminator CoverPosted 19 hours ago
TFSource News - FT Smokey, MMC Tortor, MP51 Arcee, FH Naval Commander, God Neptune & More!Posted 1 day ago
New Stock Images of Takara Tomy Mall Exclusives Earthrise Micromasters and Deluxe AirwavePosted 1 day ago
Posted by Hypershock on October 16th, 2013 @ 9:59am CDT
Posted by Va'al on October 16th, 2013 @ 12:31pm CDT
Hypershock wrote:aaaahahahaha, looks like the Circle of Light shares Seibertron's opinion of the Lost Light Crew members
Yeah, Roberts does play on fan-reactions a lot.
Posted by 1984forever on October 17th, 2013 @ 3:24am CDT
Va'al wrote:Hypershock wrote:aaaahahahaha, looks like the Circle of Light shares Seibertron's opinion of the Lost Light Crew members
Yeah, Roberts does play on fan-reactions a lot.
Yes, I got the feeling that Tyrest's belief that he could reach Cyberutopia by killing all the KOs was a parody of my belief that Transformers would be purified if every character after G1 season 1 was omitted from existence.
As for the art on this issue... Booooooo! I'm tired of seeing banged up wrecks in the pages of Transformers. Raiz needs to consult with Floro Dery on the correct way to draw these characters.
Posted by Burn on October 20th, 2013 @ 3:50am CDT
And it's not too often I laugh out loud while reading a comic, but Whirl "ending the 16 million year old war" and the reveal of Rung's "alt-mode" was too hard not to laugh at.
One thing I couldn't work out was Magnus' reaction to Thunderclash's praise. Just could not work out what was going on in that frame.
Posted by Va'al on October 21st, 2013 @ 1:18pm CDT
Burn wrote:That was a damn good read, and I haven't really been a fan of this book.
And it's not too often I laugh out loud while reading a comic, but Whirl "ending the 16 million year old war" and the reveal of Rung's "alt-mode" was too hard not to laugh at.
One thing I couldn't work out was Magnus' reaction to Thunderclash's praise. Just could not work out what was going on in that frame.
He hugs him. The big softie.
Posted by Va'al on January 1st, 2015 @ 8:02am CST
The following was cut from MTMTE #22 (the documentary issue) for reasons of space - it would have taken up five pages. But as you can see, it was written up and ready to go. It was never seen or approved by John Barber or Hasbro, let alone published, so it's not canon (it's headcanon to me, though).
The lead-in to this scene would have been a to-camera interview with Drift in which he would have bemoaned Ratchet's lack of a sense of humor. I'd originally written it – or something like it – for issue #13, but again it had to go when more important things took up page space.
1 / Drift walks into the medibay, where Ratchet is waiting with Rewind. Ratchet looks troubled and pensive. He's leaning on one of the circuit slabs.
DRIFT: You wanted to see me.
DRIFT: Am I ill?
RATCHET: You're fine. It's me.
RATCHET: Close the door.
2 / Ratchet in the foreground, looking at the floor. Drift in the background, in front of the closed door, hand on the door activation pad, looking at Ratchet.
RATCHET: This is—
RATCHET: You'll appreciate this is particularly difficult
for me to talk about, however…
RATCHET: You may be many things, but—until your
next massive personality shift—you're not one to gloat.
3 / Drift stands opposite Ratchet, looking worried.
DRIFT: Okay, I'm worried now.
DRIFT: What is it? Is everything alright?
4 / Cut to Drift being interviewed.
DRIFT: I'd never seen him so worried.
DRIFT: And he was being nice—to me.
5 / Back to the medibay, as Panel 3. Ratchet is looking at his hands.
RATCHET: It's my hands.
RATCHET: Pharma's hands.
RATCHET: I mean the hands you, er, liberated from
RATCHET: The rogue doctor we met on Delphi. Who's
now dead.
6 / Cut to Ratchet being interviewed.
RATCHET: I don't know why I added that bit.
Posted by Nemesis Maximo on January 1st, 2015 @ 11:23am CST
Posted by Randomhero on January 1st, 2015 @ 7:13pm CST
Posted by leokearon on January 10th, 2015 @ 2:01am CST
Posted by Va'al on January 11th, 2015 @ 8:43am CST
Posted by Madeus Prime on January 11th, 2015 @ 10:55am CST
Posted by ishigoto on January 11th, 2015 @ 11:15am CST
Posted by Nisus on January 11th, 2015 @ 11:49am CST
Posted by dragons on January 11th, 2015 @ 3:50pm CST
Nisus wrote:LOL! He went full anime with Drift and Ratchet's Badges.
yes he did i dont know what to say this doesnt fit int otransformers series at all for me something i expect mr bay to put int o his transformers movies not expect to see in comics this is dumb comedy for transformers, transformers animated series it can fit into but everyhitng else no way never known rachet and drift to have sense of humor and drift is skinny looking
Posted by Gallifreyan Autobot on January 11th, 2015 @ 4:54pm CST
Posted by Va'al on January 11th, 2015 @ 5:06pm CST
Autobot tap out wrote:is it me or does the art style of these deleted scenes remind anyone of the art style of Termination and A Common Foe
Yep, same artist.
Posted by Gallifreyan Autobot on January 11th, 2015 @ 5:18pm CST
Va'al wrote:Autobot tap out wrote:is it me or does the art style of these deleted scenes remind anyone of the art style of Termination and A Common Foe
Yep, same artist.
so that is why
Posted by Nemesis Maximo on January 11th, 2015 @ 6:59pm CST
Posted by triKlops on January 11th, 2015 @ 8:11pm CST
Posted by synapse on January 12th, 2015 @ 1:25am CST


text:
Village of Stickney Tree Board
Mission Statement
This committee is dedicated to the preservation of the existing trees throughout our community and the repopulation of trees that have been removed or can no longer survive. We feel this need is great in order to preserve the integrity of our community.
The purpose of the Tree Board is to advise and provide information to the Mayor and Village Board on matters relating to urban forestry and to help the village meet the requirements of the Tree City USA program.
Tree City USA is a nationwide movement that provides the framework necessary for communities to manage and expand their public trees.
The benefits of the Tree City USA program are providing direction, assistance and national recognition for our community. It's the framework for a healthy, sustainable urban forestry program in our town.
- It reduces costs for energy, storm water management and erosion control
- Cuts energy consumption by up to 25%
- It boosts property values across our community
- Builds stronger ties to neighborhood and community
- Improves community pride
Tree Board Appointments:


text:
Madeleine Meilleur, a feminist liberal lawyer, (what a combination) is the Minister responsible for FRO. This is the oxy-moronically named Family Responsibility Office (Mom's Stazi Police) designed to be the official misandric arm of the Ontario Provincial Government currently ruled by the most incompetent Liberal government in Canadian history. In previous correspondence with her colleague Laurel Broten another feminist Liberal lawyer, to allow men access to DV assistance and counselling on an equal basis to females she used some cherry picked and bogus stats, supplied by her professional feminist staff in her Status of Women portfolio to deny my request. Keep in mind she is both Ontario's Official Feminist in Chief but is allied with Meilleur in the DV Industry the chief cause of radical feminists.
The feminists in charge of these gulags relish in the power they get over men on an official basis. Most men pay their child support. The smaller number of non-custodial moms are by far less likely to pay but you can bet it would be front page news if one of them were thrown into jail for non-payment. The MSM would be demanding changes because then the chivalrous and protective editors would finally see the stupidity of these laws. The vast majority of those who cannot pay are unemployed or underemployed after being laid off. Those who have cars or trucks often live in them under the circumstances as mom gets to stay in the family home in many cases, while collecting welfare, child benefits, and from hubby. Who's the real dead beat here?
We have devolved to the 18th century including debtors prisons thanks to feminists like Broten and those kindly male sycophantic politicians who think they are being white knights. They are, in a manner, self loathing by thinking fathers are unimportant, when that in fact is scientifically, a malicious misandric myth. The gulag called FRO is the manifestation of misandry perpetuated by the political and judicial class. Mom's get 90% of sole physical custody, ownership and control of the children to do with what she may, including denying access with impunity.
The Political class' response is to create further impediments to dad earning a living through loss of license, jail, posting his picture for the world to see on a website, humiliating his children, and now impounding his vehicle. What morons we have in the Government and FRO. What do you get when a moron makes the rules for other morons? Chaos and the further denigration of men.
Some research notes with respect to child support:
The Political class' response is to create further impediments to dad earning a living through loss of license, jail, posting his picture for the world to see on a website, humiliating his children, and now impounding his vehicle. What morons we have in the Government and FRO. What do you get when a moron makes the rules for other morons? Chaos and the further denigration of men.
Some research notes with respect to child support:
"Studies show that the overwhelming majority of steadily employed divorced fathers pay their child support. While there are a few well‑heeled divorced dads who stiff their children, most non‑paying dads are either poor, unemployed, disabled, or incarcerated. According to a US Government Accounting Office report, two‑thirds of those fathers who do not pay their child support fail to do so because they are financially unable to do so."
Source: Judi Bartfield and Daniel R. Meyer: "Are There Really Deadbeat Dads? The Relationship Between Ability to Pay, Enforcement, and Compliance in Nonmarital Child Support Cases," Social Service Review 68, 1994, pp. 219‑235.
Source: "Deadbeat Dad Image A Myth, Study Finds," New York Times, May 5, 1999. See: http://sharedparent.freeyellow.com/ddiamsf.pdf. Look for "Divorced moms reported."
Source: Cathy Young, Ceasefire!: Why Women and Men Must Join Forces to Achieve True Equality, The Free Press, 1999, pp. 206‑207.
Source: Kathleen Parker, "Deadbeat dads more myth than reality," The Orlando Sentinel, Jan 24 1999. See: http://www.dadi.org/kpdbeat2.htm. Look for "Census Bureau."
"Fathers have a much better record of paying court-ordered child support than mothers do." When children were living with dad and support was ordered moms paid an average of 33% owed; dads paid an average of 62% owed. 13% of dads overpaid but not a single mom. Keep in mind the moms salary exceeded dads otherwise support would not likely be ordered.
Conclusion: When dads have the children, moms are far less likely to be ordered to pay support, are ordered to pay less, are less likely to pay it, and never overpay.
Source: John Siegmund, "Preliminary Analysis of the Database of the DC Office of Paternity and Child Support Enforcement" compiled for the Children's Rights Council, November 9, 1999.
Father and Child Reunion, Warren Farrell, PhD, page 179
Compiled by Glenn Sacks and located at http://www.glennsacks.com/blog/?page_id=1000 and Mike Murphy. MJM
Barbara Kay: Courts get a new way to discriminate against fathers
Barbara Kay November 9, 2010 – 10:40 am
"They throw guys in jail for non-support all the time, and when they do, the guys serve the whole 30, 60 or 90-day sentence (the term keeps lengthening), even though cocaine dealers routinely get out of jail after serving half their time."
GREG WOOD/AFP/Getty Images
Wait a minute ... a man with a stroller? You mean men are parents too? But why should men have access to their children? This is weird.
Ontario's Family Responsibility Office, which is responsible for ensuring that custodial parents don't get stiffed for child support payments by the non-custodial parent, has a lot of power.
Starting Dec. 1, someone (read "father") in arrears on their support payments can have their car impounded. That's about the stupidest punishment for non-payment one can imagine, since most people need their cars in order to work. As Lloyd Gorling, a father's rights activist put it, "How are you going to make support payments if you can't get to work? If you can't make support payments, does the government really think you're going to be taking a taxi every day to work?"
If you're going for irrational responses to non-payment, why not just throw the guy in jail –– but oh wait, they already do that. They throw guys in jail for non-support all the time, and when they do, the guys serve the whole 30, 60 or 90-day sentence (the term keeps lengthening), even though cocaine dealers routinely get out of jail after serving half their time.
In 2004 an FRO staff member didn't bother waiting for a court date to review the financial status of an out-of-work truck driver. He just suspended his license because – hey, because he could, you see. But the guy couldn't pay, because he had no job, you FRO idiot. He had no money to pay with, you FRO moron. He was looking for work, and the FRO decided that the best way to deal with a non-paying parent was to make it impossible to find a job so he could pay the support. Nice going, FRO. His suicide note lamented that he didn't see any way out of his situation and had lost hope. And did anyone pay for that? Of course not.
The FRO is accountable to no one.
Let's look at the bigger picture, though. What is the guy paying child support for? Yeah yeah, to support his children. But that means they are, you know, sort of his children, right? Not necessarily. The custodial parent, almost always the ex-wife, although supposed to grant agreed-upon access rights to the children's father, can arbitrarily decide she doesn't want to allow access, and for any old reason — oh sorry, little Jimmy has a play date, oh sorry little Emma has too much homework, oh sorry, I just don't want to — can deny the father access. And does she pay for that? No. Oh, she might get a scolding from the judge, but there is no downside for her. No custodial mom has ever spent a night in jail or had her licence suspended for refusing her children's father legal access to them. If they have, enlighten me. I have never heard of such an outcome.
You want to impose draconian punishments for non-support? Fine. But be rational about them. The arbitrary car-licence suspension is simply stupid. It punishes the children. But reluctance to punish children is the rationale for not jailing mothers who refuse access to fathers. Judges continually say they can't put the mother in jail, because how would it look for the kids to see their mothers punished? One might ask the same question about their dads, no? Or does nobody care how it is for children to know their dads are in jail because they couldn't give their mothers money? Rhetorical question. Of course nobody cares how a father's suffering impacts on children, because only mothers' suffering has the attention of family courts, police and the FRO.
If I were paying money for child support – and by the way, no custodial parent is obliged to say how she spends the money she gets for the children; she could be using it for spa days and nobody at the FRO would care – I wouldn't be much encouraged to carry on with it if I never got to see my kids. It would occur to me that the state considers money more important to children than fathering. If the state feels that way, maybe society does too. Kind of an incentive-suppressant for fathers.
This story is about a lot more than car licences or what the appropriate punishment should be for failure to pay child support. Double standards abound in the custody industry. The FRO is a very scary agency characterized by way too much power, and far too little intelligence.
National Post
Read more: http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2010/11/09/barbara-kay-courts-get-a-new-way-to-discriminate-against-fathers/#ixzz14oC463HU


text:
DTE PHEV Grant
May 12, 2008
UMTRI receives MPSC grant to study plug-in hybrid electric vehicles
UMTRI will participate in a $5-million program awarded to DTE Energy to study plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) as part of the Michigan Energy Efficiency Grant. The Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) approved the grant as part of a nearly $6.5-million statewide environmental initiative project grant. Other program partners include General Motors, the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, NextEnergy, and several University of Michigan units led by the Michigan Memorial Phoenix Energy Institute (MMPEI): the School of Natural Resources and Environment, the College of Engineering, and the Ross School of Business.
UMTRI will use the Michigan Energy Efficiency Grant funding to study PHEVs and their interaction with the stateメs electricity grid. By providing a cost-effective, practical solution that substantially improves automotive fuel economy and emissions without the limited range of a pure electric vehicle, PHEVs have the potential to simultaneously redefine the vehicle and transform our use of the electric utility system. PHEVs do not require massive upfront investments because the existing electric infrastructure can likely be made to support relatively quick, widespread adoption.
The MPSC smart grid pilot program will study vehicle-to-grid systems of transferring electricity during peak load times, analyze the environmental effects of using PHEVs, and study how the vehicles would impact the electric systemメs peak usage and capacity requirements.
UMTRI's roles in the two-year PHEV project include:
- Conducting a pilot project survey to gauge consumer experience with PHEVs (for example, to determine how important available charging is to PHEVs being viewed as convenient and hassle-free to fuel, whether participants are realizing reduced vehicle operating costs, etc.)
- Conducting another survey to assess the acceptance and use potential of PHEVs—How do people perceive their value? Do customers attain financial and "peace of mind" value from PHEV capabilities?
- Assessing, along with the U-M School of Natural Resources and Environment, environmental impacts of PHEVs compared to conventionally-powered vehicles, including pollutants, life cycle energy, and fossil carbon emissions associated with the products.
Todd Anuskiewicz, UMTRI business development manager, says "The main goals of the project are to bolster economic development in Michigan, assess the environmental impacts of PHEVs, and understand how the widespread adoption of PHEV technology impacts both Detroit Edison and the broader Michigan electric system. The team will leverage its combined expertise and experience in PHEV technology to focus on near-term technologies and applications that will bridge the gap between first-generation PHEVs and the current electric utility system. We hope to create commercial opportunities with a seamless customer experience from day one, to help accelerate adoption of PHEVs and position Michigan businesses for success in an emerging PHEV market."
Peter Sweatman, director of UMTRI says, "This grant is an excellent opportunity for research to find out more about PHEVs, and UMTRI is excited to be part of the University of Michigan PHEV collaboration. PHEVs represent a huge transformation in the way vehicles are powered. Not only do PHEVs move away from an all-mechanical drivetrain, but the energy source is diversified to include electricity, reducing the role of carbon based liquid fuel. Currently the cost of electricity to power a vehicle is equivalent to 40 to 70 cents per gallon. Hopefully, PHEVs will reduce the demand for gasoline and contribute to a reduction in the nation's oil-dependence. Through the leadership of MMPEI, the University is able to focus an unparalleled breadth of scholarship on PHEVs."
More Information
What Is a PHEV?
A plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) is a hybrid vehicle with batteries that can be recharged by plugging into an electric power source. A PHEV combines features of conventional hybrid electric vehicles and battery electric vehicles, possessing both an internal combustion engine and batteries for power. A PHEV can be filled at a gas station or charged from any 120-volt outlet. When powered by electricity, PHEVs function as an electric vehicle with a gas-tank backup.
Previous PHEV Study
In a recent paper, John L. Sullivan of UMTRI's Transportation Systems Group and Craig Stephan of the Argonne National Laboratory investigated some of the benefits of PHEVs over their spark-ignited counterparts. Key findings include that the spare U.S. electricity generating capacity is sufficient to support up to 34 percent of the nationメs light-duty vehicle fleet, depending on how such vehicles are driven (all-electric mode city driving versus other forms of driving). This, of course, implies a significant petroleum displacement and as such represents an important energy security benefit. Further, if the electricity to power PHEVs comes from the current U.S. grid under average conditions, emissions of carbon dioxide are reduced by 59 percent. If the electricity comes from new technology natural gas, the reduction in carbon dioxide emissions is greater at 72 percent. The article, "Environmental and Energy Implications of Plug-In Hybrid-Electric Vehicles," was written when both Sullivan and Stephan were working for Ford. It was published in Environmental Science & Technology, volume 42, number 4, pp. 1185ヨ1190.