text:
Retribution and Restoration
Is there a role for punishment in restorative justice? And if so, how would its use be different from punishment as we use it now?
- 'Pizza thief' walks the line
- From the Los Angeles Times article by Jack Leonard: If he ever returns to prison, Jerry Dewayne Williams knows he'll probably never get out. To stay clear of trouble, he has left behind the Compton neighborhood where police knew him and cut ties with friends from wilder days. Once a hard partyer, the 43-year-old says he prefers the company of a mystery novel or a "Law and Order" episode on television. Williams is one of more than 14,000 felons who, under California's three-strikes law, face a possible life sentence if they commit another felony. But few, if any, grasp the reality of that threat better than Williams.
- 'Tear up the sentencing guidelines and jail EVERY looter': Crackdown on looters revealed
- from Louise Boyle's article in the Mail Online: Magistrates have been ordered to send all those involved in last week's riots and looting to jail, a court heard today. Chair of the bench at Camberwell Green Magistrates Court, Novello Noades, revealed the instructions while sentencing one looter to six months in prison. London courts had allegedly been emailed by a clerk within HM Courts and Tribunals Service, telling them to ignore normal guidelines which might have recommended non-custodial sentences for riot-related cases.
- . Feed me Seymour: The never-ending hunger of the criminal process for procedural rights and removing children from its shop of horrors.
- In preparation for participation in Professor Arnold Loewy's Texas Tech University School of Law Annual Criminal Law Symposium, I was tasked with a specific query: Do (should) juveniles have more, less, the same, or different procedural rights than are accorded to adults? This Article briefly addresses the procedural rights of adults-delineating, contrasting, and comparing them to the rights of children within the modern juvenile justice process, primarily within the State of Texas. This histology of juvenile rights highlights the fundamental ongoing criminalization of our children. We must dissect the way we treat children accused of a violation of the criminal law at the very organic or cellular level. It is time to ignore the lies of the correctional monster we have created-a monster that must be continually fed with the lives of our young. (exdcerpt)
- . Policy conflict: Women's groups and institutionalized restorative justice.
- The Nova Scotia Restorative Justice (NSRJ) program is a province wide, systemic juvenile restorative justice program in Nova Scotia. This program offers restorative justice intervention, at varying points in the criminal justice process, for all crimes except sexual assault and intimate partner violence. This study, a case study of the policy process, reveals that this exception is not based on restorative justice (RJ) theory but instead reflects local political struggles. This case reminds policy makers that they must consider local context and stakeholders when crafting RJ programming. (author's abstract)
- . The TJ mainstreaming project: An evaluation of the Israeli Youth Act.
- This Article is a product of the mainstreaming project, which will enhance the project's international reach by examining Israeli law. Specifically, this Article will evaluate the legal landscape of youth justice legislation in Israel to see whether TJ can be mainstreamed and thrive within. In doing so, this Article will rely on a recent paper by David B. Wexler, who suggested that we can conceptualize practices and techniques of TJ as a kind of "liquid" and we can look at the legal landscape as a "bottle."' By examining the legal rules and proceedings, we can evaluate "how much of the TJ liquid can be poured into the assorted bottles." In particular, this Article looks at legislation regarding youth defendants or offenders in Israel, examines these legal rules and procedures to see how much liquid can be poured into the bottle, and whether this legal landscape is TJ friendly. Such an evaluation will teach us whether the legal landscape, as is, will allow for easy mainstreaming of TJ within youth courts. We can also learn what aspects may provide a challenge in mainstreaming TJ, as well as what changes can be made to enhance TJ potential. Before we turn to a discussion on youth justice in Israel, it will be helpful to elaborate some more on TJ and specific practices and techniques.
- . The criminal republic: Democratic breakdown as a cause of mass incarceration.
- First, more informed decisions will be better ones. That requires some deference to criminal justice experts. But encouraging such deference simultaneously requires better educating the public. "Teaching" is useless, however, unless students are attentive and open-minded. Deliberative mechanisms that engage the public with the specifics of concrete cases and compel them to engage with people outside their social sphere and ideas outside their political one help to encourage such attentiveness and open-mindedness. Indeed, such mechanisms better enable ordinary persons to draw on their own justice instincts in a more effective, informed way. Unfortunately, these mechanisms require smallgroup contact, making them hard to implement on a widespread basis. Second, any mechanism that encourages greater empathy for other groups will moderate carceral impulses. Again, such empathy requires prolonged, increased contact with members of such groups in shared tasks. Such contact is likewise hard to foster society-wide. Ultimately, therefore, reformers should encourage any empathy-promoting, accurate information-expanding, and particularly inclusive deliberative efforts in connection with criminal justice. That may lead to small victories and gradual improvement in currently harsh carceral policies. More likely, however, if the thesis suggested here is correct, more fundamental changes in America's political system to move away from raw populism toward more deliberative populism will be necessary. I can see no such changes on the horizon. Absent unexpected shocks to the political system, therefore, I see an immediate future of, at best, modest improvement in a bleak carceral justice polity. (excerpt)
- A role for restorative justice post-riots?
- from the blog of Kerry McCarthy, Labour MP: Last post for a while – well, for tonight anyway – on the riots. It occurs to me that this presents the best possible scenario for an absolute blitz on restorative justice, something which is often talked about in parliament and almost universally supported and praised, but never really implemented on the scale it could be.
- An interesting reason to use restorative justice
- "We're looking at thousands of dollars in damage and the courts would never impose that on first offenders. Nor would there be any sort of punitive action taken. With the restorative justice forum, the expectation - and my belief - is that they are going to be dealt with much more harshly through an RJ than they would be in the provincial court system or the youth courts. The courts would probably simply give them a conditional sentence and send them on their way. With the RJ forum we're looking at restitution and we'll be looking at some community input.
- Antkowiak, Thomas M.. Remedial Approaches to Human Rights Violations: The Inter-American Court of Human Rights and Beyond
- This Article argues that reparative approaches that include only compensation and declarative relief are not only insufficient in egregious cases such as Plan de Sanchez, but they are also inadequate, inefficient, and even unwanted in many other scenarios of rights abuse. Thus, I espouse a remedial model that emphasizes the restorative measures of satisfaction and rehabilitation, as well as general assurances of non-repetition, in response to all human rights violations. (excerpt)
- Barton, Charles. Empowerment and Retribution in Criminal and Restorative Justice
- Contrary to the implied suggestion in many restorative justice critiques of the status quo, the chief strength of restorative justice interventions does not lie in their rejection of punitiveness and retribution, but the empowerment of communities of care who are the most likely to respond effectively to both the causes and the consequences of criminal wrongdoing. Thus, it is the empowerment of affected stakeholders on both sides that is the crucial feature of restorative justice, and the feature whose absence causes both conventional and restorative justice to fail.
- Bibas, Stephanos. Restoration but also more justice.
- The problem, though, is restorative justice's megalomaniacal ambition to sweep away the traditional goals and processes of criminal justice instead of merely supplementing them. To restorative justice advocates, retribution for retribution's sake seems pointless. Their overoptimism about human nature leads them to slight deterrence and incapacitation as at best secondary, at worst needless. Prison seems like a pure waste of human life. But punishment is supposed to hurt. The bite of punishment sends an unequivocal message condemning the wrongdoer and vindicating the victim. It pays the criminal's debt to society. It teaches criminals and others not to hurt others, humbling proud wrongdoers. Restitution and fines can supplement prison and perhaps reduce the need for it. But because they lack the bite of condemnation and pain, they send too soft a message, overlooking the wrong and trying to hurry by it too fast. Criminals need to atone, to be humbled, to suffer. If they do not, the criminal does not learn a lesson and victims and the public never see justice done, leaving them dissatisfied. True, there are more minor offenses for which prison may not be necessary. Thus, it is no surprise that restorative justice is most prevalent for juvenile crime and minor adult crimes, not violent felonies. Shaming punishments are among the most promising alternatives to prison; they can do what fines and restitution cannot, precisely because they unequivocally blame and inflict pain. And until the public sees serious criminals suffer, it is reluctant to reintegrate and welcome them back. Restorative justice deserves more of a role in American criminal justice. Already, several states have instituted restorative processes for victims and inmates to meet after conviction and sentence. Shorn of its political baggage and reflexive hostility to punishment, restorative justice has much to teach us. But to restore victims and criminals who commit serious crimes, the state must first punish before it and we can forgive. Cheap grace and promiscuous forgiveness demean the crime and the victim. (excerpt)
- Boersma, Hans. Atonement, violence and the restoration of hope
- In this essay, Hans Boersma, professor at Trinity Western University, examines issues of violence (both outward and inward violence), hope, and the self in modern thought and culture. The outward expressions of violence are manifest in domestic violence, regional military conflicts, and more. There is also an inner violence in modernity. He argues that modernity's myth of progress and its constant reconstruction of the self are unraveling and failing, thus revealing the inner violence of modernity. Hence, the sense of direction and stability of the self are threatened and undone. Is there a way to break the cycle of violence? Too often, reactions to violence are purely punitive and retributive – stricter legislation and longer prison sentences. At the same time, theological reflection about issues of repentance and forgiveness are on the increase. Amidst all of this, Boersma contends that the retrieval of a narrative of substitutionary atonement can form a theological foundation capable of breaking the cycle of violence, providing healing and restoration, and reigniting hope.
- Book Review: The Machinery of Criminal Justice
- from the review by Andrew Taslitz on Jotwell: ....Bibas's new book, The Machinery of Criminal Justice, is so humane and thoughtful an analysis of the reforms needed in our criminal justice system that I find myself drawn to giving him still more good press....Bibas's argument turns on three central ideas: (1) the system pretends to a mechanistic efficiency deaf to the emotions and meaningful expressions that undergird any sound system of criminal justice; (2) lawyers and other experts have hijacked the system to serve their own needs, displacing defendants, victims, and even judges; and (3) the political forces at work are skewed toward undue penal harshness and elite control rather than adequately balanced by informed lay participation.
- Bryant, Michael and Judah, Eleanor Hannon. Rethinking Criminal Justice: Retribution vs. Restoration
- In this introduction to a special journal issue entitled, 'Criminal Justice: Retribution vs. Restoration', the guest editors present reasons to reform the criminal justice system, using restorative justice as a better way, 'an idea whose time has come'.
- Can we create purely non-punitive restorative programs?
- from Sylvia Clute's entry on Genuine Justice: One reason to ask this question is because there is a growing body of evidence that shows using punishment in the form of isolation, detention or suspension to address behavioral problems in schools only aggravates other issues, such as bullying, violence, substandard academic performance, the lack of parental involvement, high staff turnover and burnout. Meanwhile, restorative practices are proving to be an effective alternative to punitive measures. They provide an effective means of creating safe, supportive learning environments, often at far less cost than the punitive means, whether the cost is measured in terms of financial outlay, the time expended on discipline issues or the stress level experienced by those in the system. And restorative measures are proving to be an effective means of addressing the school-to-prison pipeline that has become of national concern. But can school or other programs be created that do not eventually resort to punitive measures for those who continue to misbehave? In researching various approaches to restorative school programs, most seem to continue the blend of restorative processes and punitive measures to varying degrees.
- Claassen, Ron. "The Myth of Redemptive Violence: Restorative Justice Challenges the 'Myth of Redemptive Violence
- This is one in a series of papers on basic principles of restorative justice. In it Claassen refers to Walter Wink's assertion that our society's preferred response to violence is vengeance, which Wink labels as the "myth of redemptive violence" - the belief that violence is a necessary and appropriate response, and even healing for the victim, especially when administered by the state on a victim's behalf. Against this, Wink points out that Jesus rejected violence as a constructive way of responding to a wrong or injustice, and Wink helps us to understand that there are alternatives to violence
- Controversies around restorative justice
- from David Belden's article in Tikkun: Restorative justice may be poised for a breakthrough into public awareness. It would be a boon for budget-cutting politicians and taxpayers if only the public could buy into it. For example, in the San Francisco Bay Area it costs around $50,000 to run a juvenile offender through the justice system, not counting the cost of incarceration if there is to be any, versus about $4,500 for a restorative process that typically leaves the victim much more satisfied, the young person reintegrated into the community without even being charged with a crime and much less likely to reoffend, and many community members relieved and grateful. Multiply the criminal justice cost many times for adults locked away for years.
- Criminal justice organisations want new Titan prisons abandoned.
- Can you believe this, at a time when you can't open a newspaper without reading about someone being murdered, when carrying of guns is commonplace, 1,000's of criminals are getting away without prison sentences and some of our prisons only hold foreigners thirty-five leading criminal justice organisations have today written to Justice Secretary Jack Straw calling for the Government's plans for three Titan prisons to be abandoned.
- Daly, Kathleen. Revisiting the relationship between retributive and restorative justice
- Convinced that this is a critical issue for advocates of restorative justice, Daly raises the question of the role of punishment in restorative justice. She frames the question largely in relation to certain restorative justice processes -- namely, family conferences as used in response to youth crime in Australia and New Zealand. Her discussion proceeds through elaboration of a series of points or assertions about retributive and restorative justice: (1) the retributive-restorative oppositional contrast is wrong; (2) there are key differences in traditional and restorative justice; (3) restorative justice processes and outcomes are alternative punishments, not alternatives to punishment; (4) there is reason to assert a complex meshing of censure, symbolic reparation, restorative processes, and "just-ness"; and (5) there are ethical problems in the practice of restorative justice.
- Dangers of the big tent
- In making the case for restorative justice, Erik Luna invokes the familiar narrative of a pathological American criminal justice system—political demagogues pushing ever tougher sentencing policies on an uninformed public, resulting in wildly escalating prisons populations and fiscal burdens—and asserts that restorative justice cannot possibly do any worse. Indeed, he suggests, restorative justice may bring about a change in heart among the demagogues: the theory and principles of restorative justice may force policymakers "to reevaluate their own intellectual commitments and the merits of their chosen sentencing methodologies.
Next 20 items » 1 2 3 4
Next 20 items » 1 2 3 4
Document Actions


text:
Book your tickets for Brisbane's September CIDN evening.
Secure you tickets for Brisbane's May Construction Industry Drinks and Networking evening. The event will be held on Monday the 21st of September at Ryan's on The Park, with the event starting at 6:00pm and finishing at 8:00pm. Come and join our open and informal event, to have a few drinks*, share some stories and enjoy some relaxed networking with people from the construction industry.
* Please note there will be a cash bar on the night with some nibbles provided.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.

subset: commoncrawl


text: Laura Ling, left, and Euna Lee about to board the plane to leave North Korea [Reuters] In depth Clinton's high stakes N Korea dash Inside North Korea's labour camps N Korea's nuclear trump card 'Stark choice' for N Korea N Korea seeks direct talks with US North Korea's future Video: N Korea frees US journalists North Korean authorities arrested Ling, 32, and Lee, 36, in March, saying they had crossed the border with China illegally "for the purpose of making animation files to be used for an anti-DPRK [North Korea] smear campaign over its human rights issue". The two who worked for the California-based Current TV co-founded by Al Gore, who was Clinton's vice-president, were found guilty after a trial and sentenced to 12 years of hard labour in June. The reporters' families said they were "overjoyed" by the pardon and "so grateful to our government … for their dedication to and hard work on behalf of American citizens". "We especially want to thank President Bill Clinton for taking on such an arduous mission and Vice-President Al Gore for his tireless efforts to bring Laura and Euna home. 'Sincere apology' The visit by Clinton, who is also the husband of Hillary Clinton, the US secretary of state, is the highest-profile US contact with North Korea since he was president nearly a decade ago when his secretary of state, Madeleine Albright, went there in 2000. State media said Kim and Clinton held an 'exhaustive conversation' [AFP] Clinton was greeted warmly on his arrival and had what KCNA described as an "exhaustive conversation" over dinner with Kim and his senior aides. State media said Clinton apologised on behalf of the women and relayed a message of gratitude from Barack Obama, the US president. "Clinton expressed words of sincere apology to Kim Jong-il for the hostile acts committed by the two American journalists against the DPRK after illegally intruding into it. "Clinton courteously conveyed to Kim Jong-il an earnest request of the US government to leniently pardon them and send them back home from a humanitarian point of view," KCNA said. The state news agency added that the visit would "contribute to deepening the understanding between the DPRK and the US and building the bilateral confidence". But the White House had a different view, saying that reports of a message from Obama were "not true" and taking pains to emphasise the private and limited nature of Clinton's trip. David Axelrod, an adviser to Obama, told MSNBC that Clinton was on a "private humanitarian mission" and that "I don't think it's related to other issues". 'Propaganda coup' Clinton's visit had raised speculation that he may discuss other issues with the North Koreans such as getting back to negotiations over their nuclear programme. "Clinton expressed words of sincere apology to Kim Jong-il for the hostile acts committed by the two American journalists" Korean Central News Agency Christopher Nelson, an Asia analyst in the US who edits the Nelson Report on international affairs, told Al Jazeera that more needed to come from Clinton's visit than the release of the journalists for it to be considered a success. He said the North Koreans "definitely wanted the propaganda coup of getting [Clinton] to go there and show respect to Dear Leader - to the leader of North Korea - and … they got that in spades". "So people here [in the US] are worried, with cause, that if all we get are the two women being returned - and we're personally thankful for that, of course - then maybe we gave the North Koreans a little too much." "We'll need to see 'what next'. Did sending somebody of the stature and importance of Bill Clinton, does that serve as a door opener, a bridge opener ... a face-saving vehicle for the North Koreans to come back to talks about denuclearisation?" Tense relations The journalists' release followed weeks of quiet negotiations between the US state department and the North Korean mission to the United Nations, said Daniel Sneider, associate director of research at Stanford University's Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Centre. The women looked to be in good health as they left North Korea on Wednesday Clinton "didn't go to negotiate this, he went to reap the fruits of the negotiation", Sneider told the Associated Press. Pardoning Ling and Lee and having Clinton serving as their emissary served both North Korea's need to continue maintaining that the two women had committed a crime and the Obama administration's desire not to expend diplomatic capital winning their freedom, Sneider added. Relations between North Korea and the US have worsened following Pyongyang's second nuclear test on May 25 and consequent United Nations sanctions. North Korea pulled out of six-party talks on its nuclear programme, expelled nuclear inspectors and test-fired a barrage of missiles in defiance of the sanctions. It also repeatedly issued bellicose rhetoric against South Korea and the US, but indicated last week that it was open to direct talks with Washington. The US, however, has maintained that the six-party arrangement is the appropriate forum for dialogue. SOURCE: Al Jazeera and agencies


text:
Every year I take the time to focus on some concrete growth for myself. Knowing how important our mental body and beliefs are, when it comes to our experience of life, I use the Creative Questions cards. The Creative Question I use to pick my New Year card is "What is the support I need at this moment in my life?"
As you may know, all Creative Questions are supporting you to educate your mind to be in alignment with Truth. So, when I am going to pick a Creative Question card, I center myself for a moment. I take a nice deep breath, while holding the Creative Question card deck close to my heart and then I pick the card that calls to me….
At the beginning of last year I picked the card "Why Am I Admired?". First I could not understand the deep meaning that it had for me… I put the Creative Question on my "treasure map" and looked at it and played with it now and then; it has been with me for the whole year; present in my consciousness and silently doing its job, in the back of my mind. At the end of 2011, I saw how many times I had been admired and how much easier it has become for me to accept acknowledgment. I have gotten a deep sense of confidence and I have become more open to show up in the world with ease and grace.
This year I did the same ceremony and I got "Why Am I Celebrated?" Wow, looks like I need some more growth in this direction I said and I could notice how in a subtle way I was resisting it, "more?".
Well, in the first week of 2012 I had a private coaching session where I realized that much of my "value" came from all that I do for others and that now it was time for me to find the essence of feeling "valuable", by simply being who I am, without having to give love, support, comfort, etc.
These qualities of love, support, comfort, etc. are something I offer all the time, and many times without choice or "space" to allow the perfect action to appear… which means that I act on automatic. What is important is that I can realize that, unconsciously, when that happens, I am coming from the understanding that "I am valuable only when I give". This is something I learned when I was around 4 years old and that come from a place of "needing to be loved or important or valued". I know this topic mentally talking, but now I have taken my time to embrace and liberate "little Monica" and her need for love, because she had a deep sense of "not being valuable". Now I observe "where I engage from, when I am in giving mode?". I have already caught myself several times, giving support when I was actually wanting to do something else. I laugh about it and embrace myself, and I keep embracing this pattern with love and respect, so it can go back to Source.
One week later, on my birthday, I started to notice that I can be much more present and allow the moment to unfold without having to help or give anything in an automatic way. I noticed that I can give a lot of support having Monica's needs and wishes also present and that I am learning to be more truthful to me and to others.
Asking this Creative Question I can acknowledge that YES! I am celebrated in many ways,….. as a radiant-loving-powerful woman when I dance and have fun with my friends; as a mother when I have a heart to heart conversation with my son; as a friend when I speak my truth; as a spiritual life coach and Divine Feminine teacher when I "take in" the gratitude my clients and participants share with me for their deep transformation and new ability to enjoy life; and as a living, breathing example of Divinity itself when I feel my heart and connection with Source.
No idea where this powerful Creative Question will bring me at the end of 2012 but for now I just say THANK YOU! And allow it to work for me. Why Am I Celebrated?…. How Do I Feel When I Am Celebrated?
What is your Creative Questions for 2012?
LOVE, Monica
P.S.: To have a radical mental change and a deep self transformation explore our program "Expand Yourself Now" so you can, step by step, not only change your mental conditioning but also liberate deep wounds and old understanding about you and life.


text:
What happens to the ribbon of land being created by the depression of the Central Artery may be the most important development decision to face Boston in a generation.
For A Wide-Open Artery Space PlanBy Patrice Todisco, 07/26/1999
Open space versus development. It is a simple and unproductive dichotomy in which to frame discussion about the future design of the parcels being created in the downtown corridor as a result of the Central Artery project.
Yet almost 10 years after a land-use plan was approved for the project and a mandated 75 percent open-space commitment was agreed upon by city and state agencies, the open-space community is being maligned for expecting what the public was promised: a system of parks, plazas, park buildings, and sidewalks knit together by a tree-lined boulevard and anchored by gateways that are uniquely landscaped and punctuated by public art.
The Boston GreenSpace Alliance, a private, nonprofit open-space advocacy group that has worked on the project since its inception, refuses to be typecast as a group of obdurate ``environmentalists'' who cannot see the forest for the trees. Instead, we advocate for the creation of a visionary open-space plan for the Artery around which every community can rally and from which complementary uses can evolve.
While recent conversations about the Artery have resulted in a spate of finger pointing, the time has come to move the project into a new arena of public discourse, where all of the city's residents and supporters have a seat at the table.
A vision for the Artery cannot be developed in isolation. It must be integrated with plans that are being developed for the city and region, including the seaport and the waterfront, turnpike air rights, the Harbor Islands, the Charles River Basin, the Emerald Necklace, the Boston 400 open-space planning process, and the neighborhood park system.
The potential for open spaces and civic structures that serve local as well as regional functions must be fully explored and evaluated within its broadest urban context.
The creation of a system of public spaces and civic structures that are integrated within a landscape plan that anticipates the future while acknowledging the past will serve as a powerful emblem for the region. The use of sustainable design and green architecture is critical to the success of a system that is unique, modern, and revolutionary in design. The same high standards and care that are being ably applied to the engineering portions of the project should be replicated for the surface elements.
If the city is unable to orchestrate and oversee this work, it is a role that the Turnpike Authority should proudly assume. In past public works projects, city building was seen as the ultimate expression of civic engagement. Instead of spending time counting trees and ruminating over unkempt planters, a task that is sadly necessary if we are to be certain the project delivers what it has promised the public, we should be working together to solve the difficult but ennobling task of creating the best possible physical environment on the surface.
Since its inception, the Artery project has been about city-building. Early design principles stressed the need to anticipate the growth of development in the downtown and the accompanying need for the creation of additional open space to support that increased density. This need was supported by an acknowledgement that well-designed and maintained open space is truly a public benefit that will improve the environmental quality while enhancing the economic vitality of the downtown.
We must not lose sight of the public benefits that the project promised and encourage the city and state to reexamine the value that a high-quality open space will add to the downtown.
We need a We do not believe the discussion should be polarized by pitting the open-space constituency against the housing or development community. We acknowledge the fine work that each has done and believe it is together that we can create and finance a plan that will assure Boston's design as we move into the 21st century.
Patrice Todisco is executive director of the Boston GreenSpace Alliance.
Copyright 2002 The New York Times Company
Advertise | Contact us | Privacy policy


text:
Pittsburgh Bans Fracking, Eliminates Some Rights of Corporate Personhood With New Ordinance
photo: Joey Gannon/Creative Commons
Following in the footsteps of tiny Licking Township in taking action against fracking when the state of Pennsylvania won't, Pittsburgh has banned corporations drilling for natural gas within the city limits. As Yes! Magazine reports, the ordinance prohibiting fracking received unanimous support in the city council and was prompted in part by corporations taking out leases to drill under area parks and cemeteries. Drafted with the help of the Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund, which also helped draft the bill in Licking Township, goes beyond just banning natural gas drilling, it takes some very important steps towards reigning in the legal rights of corporations more broadly.
Provisions in the ordinance eliminate corporate "personhood" rights within the city for corporations seeking to drill, and remove the ability of corporations to wield the Commerce and Contracts Clauses of the U.S. Constitution to override community decision-making.
In addition, with adoption of the ordinance, Pittsburgh became the first city in the U.S. to recognize legally binding rights of nature. By recognizing the rights of nature, Pittsburgh is effectively protecting ecosystems and natural communities within the city from efforts by corporations to drill there--and by other levels of government to authorize that drilling. Residents of Pittsburgh are empowered by the ordinance to enforce those rights on behalf of threatened ecosystems.
The bill still has to be signed by the mayor, and as you might expect, drilling companies are expected to challenge the ban in court.
I wonder if this means that the Pennsylvania Department of Homeland Security now considers all the members of the city council environmental extremists?
Read more: Yes! Magazine
Like this? Follow me on Facebook.
More on Fracking:
Are Pennsylvania's Fracking Opponents Really Environmental Extremists? Police Think So
Uranium Released by Fracking May Pollute Groundwater
Pennsylvania Township Bans Fracking Wastewater Disposal - Defies State Government


text:
You can use the page up and page down keys to easily skip through sections of this website or you can skip directly to the content now.
We use cookies to improve and customise our sites and services. This includes cookies from third party social media websites, which may track your use of our website. If you continue without changing your settings, we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies on our website. You can change your cookie settings at any time. Learn more.
Your privacy is important to us. AGCO has therefore recently updated its privacy policy to give you a better understanding of the types of personal data we collect from you and how we use it. We recommend you to take a moment to read the updated policy available on http://www.agcocorp.com/privacy.html
Dealer locator
Contact Us
Ground Care & Small Holder
Vineyards & Fruit
Combine Harvesters
Hay and Forage
Material Handling
Find out more about the 'S effect'
Efficiency & Economy
Farm Management
MF Always Running
AGCO Parts
AGCO Service
AGCO Shop
Press Centre
AGCO Family
Next Generation
MFeXperience Offers
Operating lease / Contract hire
Hire purchase
Three annual payments at 0% interest, delay to first annual repayment of 12 months*
Massey Ferguson through its finance partner, AGCO Finance, is further supporting the new generation of farmers with the offer of a special finance package. The new package is open to those agricultural businesses where a member of the young farmers' clubs of England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Ireland plays an integral role. The role could be one of an owner, a partner, a director or a key individual working within that business.
This special scheme is offered through AGCO Finance and can be claimed when an agricultural business is purchasing a new or demonstration Massey Ferguson tractor.
The current standard finance scheme is 1+2 annual payments at 0% interest which would require the business to pay a third of the amount financed immediately, followed by a further third in 12 months' time and the remaining third in month 24.
The new special scheme allows the business a pause of 12 months before paying the first payment of a third. This special scheme is only applicable up to a maximum of 50% of the tractor's RRP (Recommended Retail Price).
Example – New tractor:
Dealer invoice value £90,000
Part Exchange £30,000
Balance to Finance £60,000
Thus, under the special finance scheme the first repayment of £20,000 would fall due in month 12, second payment of £20,000 in month 24 and the final payment of £20,000 is due in month 36.
If annual payments are not suitable, AGCO Finance can adapt the repayments to reflect the cash flow of a customer's business. This may or may not impact on the amount of interest charged.
"Access to credit is one of the key issues facing all agribusinesses and we are very pleased to be able to offer this extra support in partnership with AGCO Finance to assist their business ambitions," says Lindsay Haddon, Massey Ferguson Advertising and Sales Promotion Manager UK and Ireland. "We are already major sponsors of the young farmers' movement across the five nations and this new scheme is a further demonstration of our commitment to the future of young people in agriculture."
Qualifying young farmers for the scheme are members of one of the following: the National Federation of Young Farmers Clubs (NFYFC), the Wales Federation of Young Farmers Clubs, Scottish Association of Young Farmers Clubs (SAYFC), the Young Farmers Clubs of Ulster and Macra ne Feirme. The young farmers must be involved within the business purchasing the tractor - for example a partner/director, son/daughter, grandchild of the owners or a key individual within the business.
Massey Ferguson tractors range from the 38-46hp MF 1700 Series right through to the 270-400hp MF 8700 S Series and are all eligible for the special finance scheme.
For further information and full terms and conditions, please contact your local MF dealer or AGCO Finance direct on 02476 851834.
* For Terms and conditions please contact AGCO Finance


text:
Diegem Accommodation
Searching for hotels in Diegem (Belgium) or Diegem accommodation? Diegem is a town in the municipality of Machelen, Flemish Brabant, Belgium. Diegem is situated just outside the Brussels-Capital Region and close to both Brussels Airport in Zaventem and the Brussels orbital motorway which has a large number of business premises.
The 15th century Diegem Parish Gothic church, in the centre of town, has a noticeable tiered spire; the Sainte Catherine's and Saint Cornelius' church are also two additional churches which are worth a visit.
Nearby attractions include the Royal Museums of Art and History, the Brewery Museum, Hanssens Park and the Belgian Center of Comic Art NH Brussels. You can also enjoy the tranquility of Brussels without missing out on the city center fun and shopping.
At the end of the day visit the complimentary health and relax center where you can unwind in peace and tranquility. You can also stay at one of the many types of accommodations that the city offers which include Bed and Breakfast, Villas-Houses, and Youth Hostels. These include the Butler Arms Hotel and the Towers Hotel.
- Browse the Diegem Map or compare Diegem accommodation from Hotels, Motels, B&Bs, Lodging & Hostels to Holiday & Caravan Parks.
Browse Cheap Accommodation by region : Europe Asia USA Formula 1
Australia - Queensland New South Wales Western Australia South Australia Victoria Tasmania
City - Sydney Melbourne Brisbane Perth Adelaide
© 2010 - 2015 HotelsAccommodation.com.au | About Us | Sydney City Guide | Terms & Privacy | Add Your Property


text:
Meanwhile, the "legal" proceedings at Gitmo have been revealed to be even more of a farce than we ever imagined, as
defense lawyers and human rights advocates charge that the fairness of the most significant proceeding at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, is routinely undermined by incompetent interpretation.And yet another Gitmo prosecutor, Lt. Col. Darrel J. Vandeveld, has resigned in protest; saying key evidence was being withheld from the defense. We already knew "incriminating evidence" was being fabricated; so this is no surprise.
The lawyers asked the court to order the government to produce an Arabic transcript of each hearing -- a motion military prosecutors are resisting.
On the home front, it appears that yesterday's market upswing was not a harbinger of prosperity returning, but a reaction to Henry Paulson's announcement that the big banks will be allowed to dictate the terms of the agreement by which they steal more of our money than we even have.
And my favorite team is now on six-game losing streak. But at least their meltdown won't affect the future of humanity.


text:
Thank you for the article.
I am surprised at the measured frequency responses of the Etymotic ER-4PT as they markedly differ from the previous measurement:
Can you explain this?
Comply Foam Tips and the Effects of Tip Selection Page 2
Properly Preparing of Comply Tips for Insertion
Comply tips have two parts: the outer foam; and a stiffer inner tube of plastic that slides over the nozzle of the earphone. The rounded end of the foam extends further than the inner tube. When squishing the foam between your fingers prior to insertion, if you simply roll the tip between your fingers the foam remains longer than the tube. I think this extra foam at the tip can push against the side of your ear canal at the bend and may partially or completely block the end of the tube from which sound emits. This will muffle the sound.
On the other hand, if you prepare the tip by pressing the foam rearward as you compress it, you can make the inner tube the most forward part as it is inserted, making it far less likely to close off as it hits the bend in your ear canal.
I think a video will make this clear:
As an alternative, some people use a razor blade to cut off the end of the foam at the tip. Others will install the tip backwards as the foam and inner plastic of the tube are the same length at the back. These methods probably work fine, but I've simply not found the need if you prepare the tip as shown in the video.
Cleaning Comply Tips
Because of their tacky nature, Comply tips pick up dirt and ear wax rather easily. The best way to have clean tips is to clean you ears regularly, and have clean hands when preparing the tips for use. None the less, the tips will eventually get dirty.
The Comply tips are a very special material and can easily be damaged (disintegrated in some cases) if alcohol, mineral spirits, or other volatile chemicals are used for cleaning. Comply recommends that you simply dampen a cloth with warm water and wipe them down. Then leave the tip to dry overnight. If you soak the tips in water, some of the chemicals in the material will leach out and the tips may degrade more quickly.
I've found the Comply tips to have very little effect on the sound quality of my IEMs, which is born out in the measurements made. I've also found them to provide excellent isolation, though I didn't do measurements to confirm.
The comfort provided by Comply tips is simply extraordinary. In every case I've tried they are a significant improvement over the stock tips that come with the earphones. Additionally, the security of fit in my ears was much better than stock silicon tips.
Comply tips are about double the price of stock replacement tips, but the improved comfort and fit make them a no-brainer for me. Highly recommended!
Comply web site.
Head-Fi Comply Tip review and another.
Thank you for the article.
Thank you! Comply Tips make my ears happier, but they may not last as long as the stock silicon tips :(
EDITED OUT the Goldenears comparison comments, since I think you explained the performance difference cause fairly well. In any case, below is the link to Goldenears measurements for the Audeo PFE with and with out Comply tips:
Originally I read your article @ work and cannot watch the video there due to filters... Any how I just got around to watch it and I'm satisfied with your explanation. It is my best guess that Goldenears might have muffled the sound similar to what you just described during measurements.
My only concern with your advice for Comply tip insertion is that while it may improve the sound, the contact of the tube with the ear internals might cause some discomfort... What are your thoughts on that?
First of all thanks for educating everyone about this Comply tips.
I do have the same angle in my left ear as yours.
When I started using Comply TX100 (with ear wax protection) tips for my Phiaton PS200 earphones, they started SINGING and whatever the sharp high frequency peaks present were gone (even at high volumes). With PS200 beautiful soundstage I enjoyed ever single song I played. But lot of people even ljokerl said that using foam tips affect sound quality. And for me they were perfect.
Please try it (as you have PS200 too).
thanks once again !
I agree with you @dondapatirc, I felt Comply tips improved the sound by removing high frequency pics. But Tyll, correct me if I wrong. I thought you said Comply tips have no effect on frequency response at all unless somehow the tip of the Comply tip collapses and blocks the tube output... right?
I guess we have to avoid pushing the tip too far into the ear, or somehow avoid the tip to collapse once inserted as per the video.
I 100% agree. Even when improperly inserted, to say that I love the sound of my PFEs is an understatement.
I stopped using my Audeos for sometime because I didn't know how to use them in the first place, and probably hurt myself a few times by pressing both the silicon and Comply tips way too much into my ear canal, and by not properly removing them, subjecting my ears to all kinds of pressures. During playback I didn't have problems. But 10 min after removing them it felt as if I had water inside my ears... for days!
I'm OK now, but IMHO IEM have a user learning curve for sure... And this article further shows it. The obvious benefits are IEM have amazing sound for the price... Even a noob like me can vouch for that.
Again, Thank you for sharing these not so obvious tips on how to make the most of our gear.
i wouldn't rule out placebo in the perceived change due to comply tips.. as NwAvGuy so often reminds us with science, bias and placebo are very real in our world.
Comply tips are soft, and squishy, the "look" like they would muffle the sound, so some people may create the muffled sound with their expectations.
In Tyll's measurement, we cannot see any differences between ear sleeves. If some differences exist, they are little significant. However, I feel the differences, specially, between Triple Flange and Black Foam.
Here I link some articles. These reflect well my experiences
I think the effect of chainging ear sleeves in IEM is effected by his or her ear canal shape also. So, not only ear sleeves but also the shapes of the coupler contribute to frequency response data, I think.
Anyway, check the data in the links. These are different with Tyll's measurement. :-)
Indeed, Comply tips seem to cause a bit less resonances than most silicone, both at low and high frequencies. It's usually really not an issue, in fact beneficial if the resonant peaks are in odd places (e.g. natural ear canal resonances at 3-4kHz, 7-8 kHz).
The resonances seem (yes, I can't measure that, I don't have an in-ear probe) to move lower by approximately 1/4 octave (for my ears) and reduced by 1-3 dB in all the IEMs I have. (VSonic GR07, HifiMan RE272, Brainwavz M2 and Ultimate Ears 4vi)
In case of the VSonic, it's enough to drop it from "sibilant" to "touched up presence". UEs are improved a bit less and are still highly annoying.
I'd attribute that to increased Vas of the ear/IEM system (same reason why foam is sometimes used in speakers) - this should be most relevant for vented and closed IEMs, more noticeable with larger dynamic driver based ones, like your Monster.
Frequency response is not the whole story - care to run a THD test? This should show a measurable difference if I'm right, especially in bass.
I was thinking along the same thing too. Kind of along the line that a tube that is sealed at both ends resonates more than a tube that is sealed at one end only. The silicone eartips reflect sound acting like a sealed end (well it is..) and the foam tips acting a bit more like an open end by absorbing the sound....
At least with the etymotic and monsters, the foam tips seem to reduce the 3-4khz "peak". Not so sure about the Phonaks.
I'm a bit unsure on how adding to the natural ear resonance would make things better. Wouldn't adding to any resonance be detrimental? Or would adding to the resonance be compensation for the iem bypassing the outer ear. But then does the outer ear resonate? I thought it just amplified sounds like a horn. Or does it amplify by resonating?. Is that the same thing?...I think my ignorance is showing...
Actually, the ear is more sensitive in the 3-4kHz region supposedly because it's an average child voice frequency and 7-8k region is used for speech, leaf rustling and various other important natural sounds. Both were an evolutionary advantage.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychoacoustics (note the images)
The actual frequency response at the highest end (>4 kHz) is quite individual and dependent mostly on external ear shape, but typically contains at least higher sensitivity regions.
Good headphones and IEMs should produce sound that has similar frequency response to a source in either free or diffuse field (I prefer free field) at some meters (I'd pick 3) in front dead ahead. Of course any added resonances are detrimental for such a design.
The other way is to tune the whole ear/headphone system to sound flat, but this either requires expensive in-ear probes and statistical data or a very good measurement "ear model", similar to the one Tyll uses.
I use equalization to achieve something similar with very good results by using averaged multiple measurements by ear over longer period of time.
(Test signal being a bunch of sine waves - bandlimited noise might be slightly more faithful but I haven't got around to synthesizing these.)
Multiple parametric equalizers with a wide Q range (up to 6 at least) are best for this adjustment. The whole process is pretty time consuming.
Headphones are actually harder to design well, since they must take outer ear into account, esp. positioning of the driver. In case of closed headphones, high frequency resonances are very hard to avoid, since there's a lot of air moved and not enough space to put absorbing material.
One way out of this trap is to use a very high efficiency driver close to the ear and acoustic seal (like Beyerdynamic DT1350), the other is to use a fully open design without any seal, but such that the driver is bass-slanted in near field. (like Sennheiser HD800)
IEMs face a different challenge: it's hard to produce a tiny driver that can create enough bass and be fast and light enough to produce very high frequencies. The obvious answer is to combine more than one driver.
Best dynamic drivers are pretty wideband of course, RE272 can do 22Hz to 18.5kHz - but non-linear in wrong ways.
Getting rid of the resonance is typically easier than in headphones due to lower pressures involved - the best such system known to me is the material used by FutureSonics in their Ear Monitors.
IEMs are always resonant in some way, because they have to maintain a seal with the ear canal to attain necessary high efficiency.
That doesn't preclude making an open back IEM (with less resonance), but of course the isolation will be abysmal. Most IEMs are of vented design.
Balanced armatures produce far less resonances due to radiating sound 90 degrees to the side and possibility of mounting them in positions closer to optimal due to small size. A similar trend in new dynamic driver designs is also to mount the driver 90 degrees tilted (e.g. Sony MDR-EX1000, Spider RealVoice) or 45 degrees tilted (HifiMan RE272).
Thank you for your insightful comment. I will likely re-read it a few times to digest it :)
"bandlimited noise might be slightly more faithful but I haven't got around to synthesizing these."
In the design, characterization, and use of digital communications systems, generating sequences that behave as white noise is of extreme importance. In fact, they are key and heavily used in modern communication systems for the purposes of timing recovery, channel estimation, and error correction... I you want an example of a relatively complex digital communication system used heavily in audio: the CD player.
Anyhow, m-sequences are the main tool for generating white noise sequences. These odd binary sequences have the following important properties: 1) Their auto-correlation function is an almost perfect impulse (has DC offset of 1/length-of-sequence ), 2) Their frequency response is flat (including DC given the DC offset) across the band, 3) Easy to generate. This wikipedia link is actually good source of info about them:
This sequences have been used to derive impulse and frequency response of twisted pair.
One thing to be mindful about characterization of a system, is that bandlimited impulses will have a sync like appearance in time domain. For example, the Shure 535 impulse response, and square waves in Tylls plots show this ringing on the front and back of the waves. This maybe due to the response of the ear phone, but this ringing is what you would expect in the characterization of an almost perfect headphone due to the fact that both the headphone and the measurement system is bandlimited. The only thing you can do is control the ringing by windowing with something other than a sharp rectangular frequency mask. A very sharp frequency cut will yield a ton of ringing. Almost no ringing will mean a slower roll off at the corner frequencies.
Another thing about the Shure 535 impulse response that catches my eye is that it shows the earphone reproduces signal to almost DC. This can be seen by the fact that the impulse response has more energy above zero than bellow it (DC offset)...
Anyway... sorry 'bout my ramblings :)
Yes, you surely are rambling - best lowpass filters have very minor aliasing, better than 100 dB rejection floor, not too long impulse response and bandwidth better than 95%. (for example, see SoX resampling lowpass very high quality with aliasing enabled, e.g. here: http://sox.sourceforge.net/rate-44k1-96k.png - option vMa is the 100% post-ringing (which is tunable) slightly aliasing lowpass; a similar filter has been recently written by Igor Petrov too, but it's not opensource)
The main reason is that the sine is not affected by any IMD and less affected by THD, so the higher harmonics will not be heard during the equalization if there are any as opposed to one done with a more complex signal.
Rambling is ma middle name :) I was really trying to give you ideas for generating a white noise like signal for the purposes of characterization... I may even give you a few liners of MATLAB code to create some... It is really no big deal to make them and can show you how to generate an impulse response out of them :)
Low pass filters: I'm really not an audio low pass filter guru. But I know a one or two about some of them :) How good a low pass filter is depends on what you are trying to accomplish. I've used mostly IIR filters because they are practical. However depending of what you use, they can mess up your phase. I use mostly Butterworth 5th order. Butterworth filters are maximally flat in the pass band with a 20dB/decade after the cut-off (EDIT: 20dB/decade/order i.e. 5th order Butterworth will have 100dB/decade... UPS!). They don't mess up the phase that much. I have used Chebyshev filters which are more flexible than the Butterworth as they allow you to trade off pass band flatness for roll-off (better than Butterworth). For certain Delta-Sigma applications I have preferred using Bessel since these are the ones that affect the phase the least out of the IIR filters I mentioned. But their roll-off is really slow (worse). If you want to get as close as possible to a brick-wall, then Elliptic is the way to go, though you are going to pay the price in the phase response... Analog Butterworth filters are used quite a bit before sampling (ADC) to avoid aliasing.
For anti-aliasing in the digital domain, CIC filters are used quite a bit... They are really nice implementations of a classical averager but with only an added and subtracter (need feedback). Since an average DOES NOT have flat pass-band, compensation is used in the last stage.
In the FIR class we have Remez, which I almost never use but is cool, and the Sinc filter which can be viewed to belong to the raised cosine filter family (beta = 0). A Sinc filter is NOT causal but you can window it so that its close. The result is an almost perfect brickwall in the frequency domain...
Now, 100dB rejection. A Butterworth can give you 100 dB rejection depending on your sampling rate and the bandwidth chosen for the Butterworth (0 to pi in the z-domain)... Which is probably what you said... Will it be ringing free? In the frequency domain YES, it is a maximally flat filter. Will it be the BEST? in terms of roll-off NO, the elliptic filter will kick its butt at the expense of other parameters...
Back to the impulse response, if you are sending a 500kHz m-sequence nicely shaped by a square root raised cosine filter to avoid intersymbol interference (and receiving it that way at the other end properly by match filtering it), you may see no issues when characterizing a headphone with it whose response stops at 20kHz... Who knows man YOU ARE MAKING ME THINK :(
What I find interesting about the Shure 535 is that it's response has a slight ring at both edges of the impulse response... almost looking like a Sinc... You don't? Then look at those square wave responses having the same small ring at both edges! How the hell did they did that?!
EDIT: I think I know where you are coming from with the Aliasing :) ... I DON'T think the ringing is due to the measurement equipment or aliasing. NOT AT ALL. I believe that is probably as close as an impulse response model of the headphone as one is going to get. The POINT IS, the Shure 535 looks A LOT to what (I would expect) an ideal headphone might measure in the time domain: A Sinc or a type of a window function. Why? Because if you want flat frequency response from 0 to x kHz and then nothing after that is exactly what you are going to get. That may not be what you want though due to the ear gains here and there (I'm aware of that too). Back to the Shure 535 the uncompensated frequency response is almost flat down to 1kHz and a smooth slight bump from there onto 8kHz. Some more minor ringing and kind of brick walls at around 12kHz only to come backup slightly around 16kHz. I think that strong decay at 12kHz coupled with very deep low frequency extension gives rise to the ringing in impulse response both before and after the main lobe, which in turn give rise to those interesting looking square waves... Just a theory.
The ring in Shure SE535 response is not at all due to bandwidth limitation of the driver, but due to lack of enough electrical damping in its balanced armatures - that is actually quite common in the small drivers such as ones used in headphones.
Far less common in larger dynamic drivers, since they have some mechanical damping and in certain designs "air braking" is important as well.
Shure's ringing is reasonably low in magnitude and acceptable, in comparison to e.g. Etymoic ER4PT. However, Audeo PFE 121 (w/ Green or Black filters) and even Klipsch X10 beats it hands down.
There *might* be added ringing in the crossover region between its two drivers due to the crossover - but there's not in this case, as it uses a nice third order Bessel (12 dB/oct) crossovers - easily seen in the phase response - with the low end driver having a knee frequency of 800 Hz and high driver using knee frequency of 4500 Hz.
IIR filters are very hard to do right in comparison with FIR filters. You trade phase distortion, amplitude distortion and tranisition only. In FIR, ringing and aliasing can be traded as well.
Remez exchange filters are nice in impulse response and but relatively slow transition.
It doesn't matter in which domain (digital or analog) you do the filtering as long as you do it before final sampling at wanted bandwidth.
Man I really wish there was a way to move replies to the left. They get all squished to the right :(
"The ring in Shure SE535 response is not at all due to bandwidth limitation of the driver, but due to lack of enough electrical damping in its balanced armatures"
Interesting. I guess is hard to fit damping in such a small structure. I don't think the ringing is due to just the bandwidth of the armature. I think is related also to the VERY step cut off of the whole system. The steeper the cut-off the more ringing I guess.
Man I wish Tyll had a way to download the raw impulse response data so I could prove this points to myself and others :)
"There *might* be added ringing in the crossover region between its two drivers due to the crossover - but there's not in this case, as it uses a nice third order Bessel (12 dB/oct) crossovers - easily seen in the phase response - with the low end driver having a knee frequency of 800 Hz and high driver using knee frequency of 4500 Hz."
That is pretty cool info man. Yes,the phase does seem to change at those frequencies! Nice catch! I still think the ringing is due to the sharp cutoff and bw of the whole system (crossovers included)
IIR filters are hard to do in high orders due to stability in the analog domain, and bit width precision in the digital domain. But at least in the digital domain, the delay lines are very small compared to FIR. Trade-offs :)
BTW, AGAIN nice catch on the phase response reading! I kind of agree with you on that Bessel filtering and order stuff @ the cross-over! Really good one!
I found that the comply's sounded the most muddled on my RE-0's. I also tend to push those as far as I can into my ears to get a better fit. My ears have a sharp bend in them about a half inch in. The comply's did not sound as muddled in my Westone W4R's, as they do not have to go in far to get a good fit. Thanks, Tyll, for the hard work and the tips (no pun intended.)
Make sure you're not using too large size for your ears. I've had similar effect with RE272 when using medium ones - the foam tended to block the sound.
Tyll- I've been remiss in not commenting on a couple of topics. First and foremost, Happy Anniversary! I've been a fan of yours and enjoyed your writing from the Stereophile ad days. (Do you recall how they lamented my assertion that your writing was the best in the magazine?)
Next, my wife did the MOD to my HD800s-thoroughly enjoying following the video. You asked for response and I must say it was curious. Really helpful with the mids and bass, but didn't seem to tame the highs. So better, just not best. (I use with an RSA Emmeline Raptor II.) On the current Comply topic, you are spot-on in my experience. That said, and having the same left ear issue, and stumbling upon custom molds I had made 10 years ago for Etys, and calling Etymotic (nice folks) and finding that the molds still fit me and the current ER4PT, I ordered the ER4PT. Obviously more in tune with my comfort level but still the "anemic"-my hearing-bottom. The reason I abandoned them long ago. Enter a new discovery:
http://www.digizoid.com/. The digiZoid2 sub is a gem for solving that issue. I know, I know, "purism", but if you can MOD an HD800, why not?
Thanks for the effort, care, and concern which goes into Innerfidelity. Your work is appreciated.
Judge Laurence Wayne
Thank you dude! Really cool! I MAY ACTUALLY BUY THE ZO!!! Again Thank you!
Thanks very much for the informative and entertaining look at the Comply tips, Tyll. Your video about how to prepare them for insertion gave me the answer to why the gray foam tips (cylinders with squared-off ends, third from left in your picture at the start of the review) work so well for me with my Etymotic MC3s and HF5s. Since the foam doesn't project beyond the end of the sleeve, even after being rolled tightly before insertion, there is nothing to block the end of the sleeve when it makes its way around and through bends in my ear canals.
Although the EOM gray foam tips from Ety are very comfortable for me - and don't seem to interfere in any way with the music I hear - I still might give the Comply tips a try. Maybe Santa will bring me a set next Xmas. He needs to, because the two lumps of coal he left me this year are NOT at all comfortable in my ears - and I haven't had much success connecting them to my headphone amp!
Thanks again! I really enjoy your web site and I frequently rely on your insights and opinions to help me make decisions about equipment.
Comply TS series are a nice new spin on the basic design, quite a bit more comfortable to my ears. Unfortunately, they don't make these in small size yet, so I can't use them with any of my IEMs without high frequency rolloff.
Complys do wear out. I assume that something leeches, either in or out, over time. When they're done, they won't sound quite right. It might be just a matter of losing seal or it might be something else.
Ear canals can be very different from person to person and even from ear to ear. What works for my funnel-shaped ears my be completely wrong for yours. You might need different sizes for each ear, even.
For whatever it's worth, with my ears and my IEMs, Comlpys and the Shure back olives have yielded the best results over time. They sound (and feel) a little different, with the black olives being bassier and punchier and the Complys being smoother, with a more articulate midrange. Moving the tips up and down the nozzle, or wearing them forwards or backwards or whatever seems to change the sound somewhat. So I'm quite ready to believe that the shape of the end of they tip (after being squashed in your ear) is important, even if you don't go so far as to squash it closed and block the nozzle.
I came to headphones via earphones and have done my share of tip swapping. This didn't seem to affect the sound of the earphones. I used to frequent the portable and earphones threads at Head-Fi, and was bemused by the obsession with ear tips and some of the extraordinary claims that were made regarding how radically they changed the sound of earphones. I was sceptical as this hadn't been my experience. However, there was an occasion when I changed a foam tip for a silicone tip and the latter altered the sound of the earphone significantly, and not for the better to my ears. Consequently, I'm not as dismissive of these claims now.
I came to this website right about time, right now I am trying to chose perfect earphones and this was very curious for me to read, I hope that this post will help me to get my perfect ones! I just love listening to music while working with photo editor as I am a photographer, for me it is such an inspiration!
I almost sent back my HF2's due to squelching and pain in my left ear.
It turned out to be ear wax build up. I'm actually relatively young, so I was a bit surprised. Any way it turns out that this is an issue for half my friends also. A lot of them have had their ears done, which I hadn't known about. I thought it was an issue only for the very old. Even Shures can given problems; and they aren't that deep. Etymotics should tell of this to avoid losing customers.
I had my ears syringed and -> Audio bliss. It also cleared up a long-standing pain that sometimes affected me when sleeping with my ear on the pillow. And when I swim my ears clear immediately whereas before it could take some time.
Since then a friend recommended an ear bulb that has done the job, without the need of the medics, when the issue reoccurred. Here's a link for that:
I use a thermometer to make sure the water is at a safe temperature (38C) to avoid burning my eardrum.
Comply foam tips are not durable and there are many varieties of foam tips that may be used.
Earsoft also made by 3M are cheap; much cheaper than Comply and can be easily made to fit almost any IEM.
More details here:
Hi Tyll
thanks for the article, it's great to see someone applying reasoned enquiry to a neglected but quite common aspect of IEM ownership and use.
Before I read your article I was convinced that Comply (or similar compliant foam tips) do reduce resonance. With my Shure SE215 or Sennheiser CX95 IEMs I don't notice much sound difference between foam, triple/double flange and regular silicones, but with my Klipsch Image X1 IEMs I remain absolutely sure that Comply tips improve things a lot by reducing the awful leaden booming. The two immediately obvious differences between the Klipsch and the others are that the Klipsch bass is both more emphasised and more resonant (booming/muddled) and that the Klipsch silicone tips are *a lot* harder than the Sennheiser or Shure equivalents.
I have no experience of Etymotic, Audeo or Monster 'phones or tips so I don't know if I'm saying anything relevant or pertinent or simply recycling unfounded impressions.
The one thing about foam tips that I do know beyond a doubt is different is how well they negate bone conduction. I often listen while out walking and if I use foam tips I hear the music, but if I use silicone tips I hear the music overlayed with the thudding footsteps of a 16 stone lead footed ogre. I prefer foam tips.
Tyll, if you have the chance, do try the newer Ts series with the spherical foam. It pretty solves all the issue on insertion. I don't even need to compress the foam when inserting the IEM and it works just as well.
I prefer the old beige ones for their comfort, durability, and reliable seal. The newer gray ones are too hard. I like the memory foam half spheres for their ease of insertion and further comfort, but they don't last very long and their seal tended to get unreliable rather quickly. Even though I can usually continue to get bass, it seems less than the beige flanged one. I get repeatable, deep bass quite easily with the beige ones and other than some itchyness when they or my ears need to be cleaned, find them comfortable enough. I do not enjoy having to remove and re-insert them, though. Once they're in, I'd rather leave them there. Though I can get the bass just right without having to worry if they've worn too much yet (since they don't), it takes a few tries and effort to get the same depth on both ears. With the foams, if they're new it takes one try and re-inserting is not bothersome if something comes up. The biggest issue with the beige ones is as they age they can get slippery and come off the stem. So I keep a pair of tweezers in my ety baggy to gently and carefully grab hold and pull them out by the flange. I was pretty freaked out the first time that happened.
Hi ClieOS,
Will any of the Ts fit the Phonak PFE?
Hi everybody !
I would like to thank Tyll for taking the time for this review of silicone and Comply foam tips.
In search for better response from certain IEMs that are otherwise to my liking, but deviate towards brightness or lack/excess of bass by not too much, but just to be annoying enough, I stumbled upon Ostry OS100, OS200 and OS300 tuning tips : http://www.shenzhenaudio.com/ostry-os100-os200-os300-earphone-turning-ti... The frequency response in which they affect Ostry's own KC-06 IEMs is shown at the bottom of this page : http://www.ostry.cn/item/detailPage?itemid=28 I have tried these three different tips and they generally behave the way the graph says. Would it be possible to measure these tips, as IMO this could be helpful to lot of people, who would like to modify/control the frequency response of their IEMs just that tiny bit in order to be truly satisfactory.
The description in Chinglish does not justice to these tips; "dental correction" should more properly read "peak reduction" in the treble (as those peaks very loosely can resemble teeth in the graph...) and "catheter" should read "nozzle" - lost in translation is something definitely going on in this case.


text:
-to the first post about this project-
These past few weeks I carved a family coat of arms in stone for a customer.
It was a top quality piece of stone, as I found out soon enough: I never encountered such a rock hard piece of Belgian blue stone (arduin) in my previous works. This piece therefore more than deserved its name of 'petit granit' by right then. It tested my skills to the limit, I have to say, and also my chisels; frequently the tungsten carbide chisel chipped at its cutting edge.
The relief is 60 x 70 cm wide and in total 5 cms thick; what remains as background is more than a centimeter thick, so the relief itself was carved a little over 3 ½ cms deep. The reason it was all made so thin is because it will be suspended from an interior wall, and for that reason the customer did not want it all to become too heavy. At the back I made two holes to hang it on the wall with two slanted pins.
Below is a slideshow that gives a glimpse of the process, a timelapse of a coat of arms so.
-In case the slideshow isn't working properly, click here-
As you can see I started with the already mentioned method of first defining the contours, "jig sawing", as I like to call it. I have learned that when I started carving wood and it is still the most efficient method by far. It saves a lot of searching for the place where everything should go. Oftentimes I'll drill many holes between the mantling right up to the background, but in this case, that was not really practical.
At the customer's request I left visible chisel stroke instead of grating and sanding everything smooth ; only the helmet's bars were filed smooth for contrast. The sides were finished with a chisel stroke. Also see this post with a video on this process.
Also see:
Timelapse of a family coat of arms-1 ↑
Timelapse of a family coat of arms-2 ↑


text:
Monthly Archives: December 2015
Quiver Quick Tip – Arrow Tubes
Back Quivers are awesome, but sometimes your arrow's need a little order. Try using arrow tubes to reduce space and quiet down the arrow rattle. If you need more… Try using PVC Pipes at different circumferences for your possibles storage.
Posted in Archery Education Tagged archery quiver, Arrow Tube, quiver, Quiver Tip, Quiver Tutorial Leave a comment
The Back Quiver Side Strap
The Back Quiver Side Strap is the perfect accessory to almost any traditional shoulder strapped back quiver. It's easy to attach and comfortable to wear. This Strap secures your quiver, restricting it's mobility, while making it easier to draw your … Continue reading
Posted in Products & Promotions Tagged archery, Back Quiver Side Strap, Quiver Side Strap, Quiver Strap, Side Strap Leave a comment


text:
Min Share: 25% (Full Price £319,950)
Share price: £79,988
Min deposit: £3,999
South Harrow
Min Share: 25% (Full Price £399,500)
Share price: £99,875
Min deposit: £4,994
Harrow & Wealdstone
Min Share: 35% (Full Price £300,000)
Share price: £105,000
Min deposit: £5,250
Origin Housing offers brand new, high specification affordable housing to Londoners. If you cannot afford to buy a home on the open market, you may be eligible to purchase one our shared ownership homes in Harrow. All of our brand new developments contain a selection of one and two bedroom apartments.
Harrow is a large suburban town situated in north west London. Those buying homes in Harrow benefit from the areas excellent transport links, including services running on the London Underground's Metropolitan Line, the London Overground, as well as multiple National Rail services. Steeped in rich a history, Harrow is known for the prestigious Harrow School, located in a leafy 300-acre estate and boasting such alumni as Winston Churchill. Nearby Harrow on the Hill's picturesque high street is packed with a plethora of independent shops, highlighting the inimitable village feel.
• When buying a house in Harrow through our shared ownership scheme, you will own a part of your home, rather than paying rent with no stake in the ownership
• You only buy what you can afford.
• Shared ownership houses and apartments require a much lower deposit compared to purchasing on the open market.
• Monthly mortgage and rent payments are almost always less than buying outright, and are often less than renting on the open market.
View our excellent range of houses for sale in Harrow. Registering an interest and we will keep you keep you updated on upcoming viewing days.
Applicants will need to live and/or work in Harrow. Other eligibility criteria
Searching for a property and registering your interest will be the first step to owning your first shared ownership home in Harrow.
Applicants will need to live or work in Harrow. You will also be asked to provide some financial details that will allow us to confirm your eligibility.
Applicants who have qualified successfully through our registration process will be the first to receive email notifications about upcoming reserve off plan events and open days in the Harrow area.


text:
I've got to admit I was surprised to arrive at Information Literacy & Summon, Sheffield Hallam University, and find there were so many people attending. There was a real buzz and engagement from the audience and the presenters. The day was dedicated case studies and discussions about how the implementation of Summon (a discovery system that enables search across library electronic and print holdings, ranging from bibliographic database content to the library catalogue, using one intuitive interface) has changed how they teach information literacy. At Leicester we have had Summon since the summer of 2011, you can see it in action on the University of Leicester library website.
The big message of the day was that discovery systems allow us to give up teaching complicated and arcane interfaces and focus on the higher level information literacy skills such as selection, evaluation, context, appropriateness, and synthesis.
Many libraries use their discovery search and subject pages as their twin tools. Some are abandoning their library catalogues completely (for example the University of the West of England) and at many others they are much less prominent. No one is teaching 'the catalogue'.
I've reported the things that stood out to me the most. The first section of the day was dedicated to presenters from Sheffield Hallam:
- Rod Aitken amused me with his comparison of Google (ideal search interface with clean screen) with the typical library website (completely cluttered).
- Alison Lahlafi emphasised how her teaching has shifted in focus from 'the tools' to 'the process'.
- Sandy Buchanan pointed out that these higher level skills are in fact the more usefully transferable and generic skills, and how he focuses enabling building students confidence using academic resources.
- Matt Borg pointed out that discovery systems are in line with the focus on the student experience and how they facilitated learning simply by making things easier.
The presenters from Huddersfield:
- Andrew Walsh amused us with the giving us an example of the information literacy lesson from hell, which included telling students that they will go blind and develop hairy palms if they dared to use Google. He contrasted to how he can teach now, which is focus on the thinking about, context and application of information. The students can teach themselves the basics of the interface, and he can facilitate to make sure they don't miss anything.
- Bryony Ramsden raised some interesting questions about the dilemma that many health librarians have about whether to teach this as well as or instead of NHS Evidence (we do both here at Leicester).
- Alison Sharman pointed out that students often don't find the facets (or tools to refine by subject / year / publication type) for themselves. She had also devised an effective method for reaching students quickly at the relevant time in their course by getting 10 minutes slots in lectures and simply talking through the discovery search and relevant points. She doesn't prepare but gets the students to suggest the topics and works with what they give her at the time. This is a quick way to reach students and incorporates an endorsement from the lecturer too.
Finally Dave Pattern, also from Huddersfield, reminded us that the ideal interface is one you don't have to teach. If we insist on making it difficult for students they will simply go elsewhere.
I realised I could be doing more with Summon than I do currently (which is to use it at induction level before moving onto the other resources in more detailed teaching sessions), and I'm going to investigate the possibilities of those 10 minute lecture slots.


text:
New Jersey
Princeton is the corporate headquarters for Solvay USA Inc. Formerly Rhodia, it was acquired by the Solvay Group in 2011 making it a leading chemicals producer worldwide. It is the corporate headquarters for several business units in North America including Aroma Performance, Engineering Plastics, Novecare, Polyamide Intermediates, Special Chem and Silica. The site employs over 350 employees.
504 Carnegie Center
Princeton, NJ 08540
Saddle Brook
Saddle Brook is the headquarters for Solvay's Technology Solutions global business unit (GBU). This location is also home to a number of Composite Materials GBU employees.
250 Pehle Avenue, Building II
Suite 306
Saddle Brook, NJ 07663
West Deptford
The West Deptford site was established in 1986 as Ausimont SpA, which was acquired by Solvay in 2002. In 2003 it changed its name to Solvay Solexis and was merged into Solvay Specialty Polymers USA, LLC in 2012, as it remains today. The site employs 140 people and produces fluorinated gases, 142b and VF2. It also produces poly vinilidene fluoride (PVDF), a semi-crystalline engineering thermoplastic and Tecnoflon, which is a fluorinated elastomer. The latter product is used on the Solvay Impulse airplane, an innovative plane that will fly around the world in 2015 fueled only by the sun. Solvay is a main sponsor and a technology partner.
10 Leonard Lane
West Deptford, NJ 08086


text: How would you feel about mixing your grunge with some indie pop? Philly-based rock group NONA presents an extremely interesting take on indie punk with Through The Head. Vocalist Mimi Gallagher has a voice that is sure to warrant strong opinions. Rarely if ever has a punk band been so unabashedly twee. Their sound is a nice interplay between punkish alternative rock and grunge. The riffs find that right balance between hard-hitting and melodic. Even when the band slows things down a bit, the results are worthwhile (see "Bottles"). NONA is already a fairly polished group, built upon impressive songwriting and razor-sharp hooks. It's absolutely a listen that won't initially stick, but if you can learn to appreciate Mimi's vocals, you will be handsomely rewarded.


text:
Providing Care for Northeastern Pennsylvania
Eric W. Blomain, MD is a local Scranton native. He went to Scranton Prep wherein he graduated as a valedictorian. Then, he attended Cornell University where he graduated with honors, and Thomas Jefferson University Medical College where he graduated with honors and a gold medal in surgery.
He did residencies in general surgery at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center in New York City, and Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia. He did a plastic surgery residency at the University of Virginia, and a craniofacial fellowship at the University Of Pennsylvania Hospital.
Dr. Blomain was a faculty of the University of Virginia, Hershey Medical Center, and Scranton Temple Residency Program. He is currently a clinical associate professor of Plastic Surgery at TCMC. Dr. Blomain is also the Chief of Plastic Surgery at Moses Taylor Hospital.
He is a former president of the Pennsylvania Plastic Surgery Society and the Lackawanna County Medical Society. He is the historian for the Robert H. Ivy Society of Plastic Surgeons, and a member of numerous other professional societies.
Dr. Blomain is Board Certified in Plastic Surgery and maintains a full-service private practice in Dunmore, PA. Eric W. Blomain MD, NEPA Plastic Surgery Associates LTD is a locally and family-owned clinic that has been operating since 1982.


text:
Published by Simo Sakari Aaltonen
I'm the author of the series of illustrated coffee table books suitable for all ages called YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT YOU'LL SEE IN THE HAUNTED GARDEN. I moved to Iceland in the summer of 2018 after a sojourn in Paris the winter before. I was born in Finland. I will soon retire this journal and move to writing on Medium. It featured explorations of various works of art & entertainment undertaken while here in Iceland. Before embarking on my own solo projects, I wrote for games such as SERENA (downloaded on Steam more than 2 million times). View all posts by Simo Sakari Aaltonen


text:
The Book Report Network
Sign up for our newsletters!
Back to school season is officially upon us! While I know some of you are already settling into your new desks and lockers, others are still squeezing in the last few days of summer. Here at Kidsreads, the new school year means a whole new season of books, series updates and features, and we couldn't be more excited about it.
Read more »
Copyright © 2020 The Book Report, Inc. All Rights Reserved.


text:
Here is my (very rough) synopsis:
Lila is a witch. One of the firstborn, to be exact, which makes her powerful. And dangerous. And in demand. The demon Angelique has a plan for the world, one that involves cities devoured in flame and dying stars. If Angelique can convince Lila to join her army, the universe will have reason to quake in fear.
But there's another complication. Melody. Lila's fallen for her, and if there's anything Lila can do to protect her, she'll do it. This means Angelique will have to find another way to get Lila to succumb to the darkness. And Melody is the perfect bargaining chip . . .
Although it definitely needs a lot of editing, at least you have the set up for the story. Now let's get to the fun stuff!
Meet the characters
Lila Evangeline, one of the main characters. Tough as nails and with power to spare, Lila has an equal amount of light and darkness in her. She's careful to keep herself in control so she doesn't end up hurting those she loves, something most witches don't bother to do. She has a strong personality, but she isn't unfriendly. Most everyone can count on her for a drink and a good laugh. Being in the middle of a crowd is where she feels right at home, mostly because she has the ability to make people move out of the way without even trying when she's weaving through a large group of people. Something about the confidence she carries helps her maneuver through the chaos, turning heads in a way that shows she doesn't care in the slightest if she does or not. Lila very much believes in the power of positive thinking and that the universe will reward you for it. She doesn't necessarily believe in a god, but some kind of higher power, a force you can't see.
Angelique "Angie" Victoria, LaLaurie, aka the big baddie of the novel. Despite being short, her imposing personality makes her seem taller. Angie also constantly changes her appearance and persona to avoid detection from the humans who try to track her down. She's smart and powerful and willing to sacrifice anything and anyone (excluding herself, of course) to get what she wants. Her longing to destroy and conquer comes from a deep-rooted loathing of humans after they killed her twin sister, Juliette. Once she learned the hard way just how despicable they could be, she went full-on demon. Now she believes the only way to cleanse the planet is to rid it of all humanity until only witches and demons remain.
Jordan James, best friend to Lila. He's insanely protective of his family and friends and would literally fight to his last breath and die if it meant saving them. He tends to keep his feelings to himself, choosing instead to mask his pain with jokes and sarcasm and well-practiced smirks. It works for the most part, though sometimes he finds himself breaking down in front of Lila or Toni. He carries guilt with him like weights on his shoulders and takes on more than he can chew, though he'd never admit it. Though he may be rough around the edges, his heart bursts with love for everyone he's close to and would do anything for them. He's extremely smart as well as being great at fighting against the demons and witches that attack him during his travels. He's kind and funny and always available to be a shoulder to cry on.
Antoinette "Toni" Yvette Moreau, girlfriend of Jordan's. Toni usually tries to hide her emotions behind a smile and a joke or a quip, but sometimes her temper just sort of blows up. Her way of showing that she cares about a person is to try to protect them, despite how it effects her. Her selflessness is probably what drew her to Jordan in the first place, seeing as they're so similar. She cares more for other people's happiness than her own and is a fantastic cook, in addition to being totally witty. She never fails to make the others laugh.
Elizabeth Rivers, "little sister" to Jordan and Toni. After showing up on Jordan's doorstep, covered in blood and with nowhere else to go, the two took her in. She's tiny, but she'll kick anyone's butt if they're standing between her and her family. She's bubbly, funny, helpful, kind, stubborn, and always smiling. She's extraordinarily clumsy and a terrible cook, always burning things, setting appliances on fire, making a mess, and just ends up breaking things in her general vicinity. When she sets her mind to it, though, she can be completely focused and coordinated in combat, and has lots of fight in her.
Location, location, location
After a
|(Granted, I'm not sure that mountain is actually in Sterling, but the characters do go on the run at some point, so it'll show up in the story eventually.)
(You can see more pictures of my characters and setting and many other things on my Pinterest board!)
Music, Maestro!
I am in looove with this soundtrack!! Anytime I hear one of these songs now, I get all the fuzzy feels because it just fits with the story so. perfectly. But I think I'm making "Favourite Colour" the ultimate theme song since I can't picture anything else but Lila and Melody when I hear it.
"She Waits" -- Louden Swain
"Slip" -- Elliot Moss
"Home Sweet Home" -- Mötley Crüe
"I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" -- Aerosmith
"Dream" -- Imagine Dragons
"I Don't Wanna Love Somebody Else" -- A Great Big World
"Can't Help Falling In Love" -- Ingrid Michaelson
"Favourite Colour" -- Carly Rae Jepsen
"End of the World" -- A Great Big World
"Mars" -- Sleeping At Last
"Jupiter" -- Sleeping At Last
"Pour Some Sugar On Me" -- Def Leppard
What I'm most excited about
The budding romance between Lila and Melody. The sarcastic quips tossed back and forth involving Lila and Jordan. Seeing Melody break out of her shell. Lizzy being a klutz. The ending. All of the characters being adorable and kickbutt all at the same time. And much, much more.
What I'm curious about
Although I have a pretty good outline for the story overall, I never know what exactly is going to happen. I'm along for the ride as much as my characters are. So I'm interested to see how certain things turn out, such as Angelique. I'm almost positive I know how she's going to be, but 99% of the time my villains surprise me. And judging from how the story's progressing so far, I have a feeling Lila and Melody's relationship isn't going to go as smoothly as I thought (not that it was going to be smooth in the first place, but it's less like mint chip and more like rocky road now). I guess I'll have to wait and see . . .
Your turn! What project are you working on right now? What are you most excited for/curious about? Leave a comment! :)


text:
The Princess of Pulchritude's rather long schnoz is a bit out of joint right now. Seems a certain holiday went by with no message from her sweetheart. No card, no flowers, mints, no hay bag. Not even a text!
As you might surmise, the date in question was February 14th, aka Valentine's Day. Of course Sug got a plethora of treats from yours truly and the kids, but you know as well as I do that Valentine's trinkets from a parent, no matter how thoughtful, are not the same as those that come from that special someone.
The Sainted Mare's sweetie, Tucker the Wunderkind, has always been the model Valentine, showering Sug with sweet billet doux such as this:
But this Valentine's Day passed without any word from her swain. I told Sug that her favorite bay gelding has been very busy lately. He moved barns, he's been training in a new discipline (dressage) and he recently did a clinic with Pierre St. Jacques, which must have put a lot of pressure on him.
I don't think Sug was believing anything I was saying. She normally doesn't set much store in manufactured holidays and takes things like this in her stride, however I suspect darker forces are at work here. February 14th isn't the only special day in February – February 26th is a pretty important day, as it's the anniversary of The Sainted Mare's birth. As she is turning 18 this year, I think she's starting to worry about aging. She recently asked me if I thought her tush wasn't as tight as it used to be, and wondered if maybe we should do a little more collected work to firm things up a bit. She also asked if the Eqyss Avocado Mist we use came in an anti-wrinkle/retinol version.
Sug is nothing if not a strong woman, however, and is determined not to let a little hiccup in the road of love get her down. Just this morning she put a little more sway in her strut as we passed some of the geldings' stalls on our way to the arena.
I told her she's like a good red wine, and only gets better with age.


text:
A major portion of one of the world's most famous hiking paths, the Appalachian Trail, passes through states in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. How much do you know about the AT in general, and its route in the Bay states in particular? Answers are below.
1. Approximately how many people have hiked the entire Appalachian Trail?
2. Roughly how many people hike a portion of the trail each year?
A. 1 million
B. 2 million
C. 4 million
D. 8 million
3. There are three ways to complete the AT. Thru-hikers do it in one trip. There are two other ways: section hiking and flip-flopping. Which is which?
A. These hikers walk the AT over a number of years. Each year, they usually pick up where they left off.
B. These hikers walk the entire trail in unconnected sections to avoid weather extremes, crowds or to break in ones' hiking legs by starting on an easier section.
4. Of those who attempt to thru-hike the AT, how many succeed?
A. 15 percent
B. 25 percent
C. 35 percent
D. 45 percent
5. The AT's route is marked with white blazes. Blazes of the same shape mark side trails to overlooks, sites, parking lots or shelters. What color are these blazes?
A. Blue
B. Orange
C. Pink
D. Yellow
6. One Bay watershed state contains the most miles of any state along the trail, while another contains the fewest miles of any state along the route. Which states are they?
A. Maryland
B. New York
C. Pennsylvania
D. Virginia
E. West Virginia
7. The two easiest states to hike through are in the Bay watershed. Which two?
A. Maryland
B. New York
C. Pennsylvania
D. Virginia
E. West Virginia
8. The route through Pennsylvania is known to be particularly rough on hikers' feet because erosion has littered the trail with small stones. This has led to a nickname. What is it?
A. Keystonesylvania
B. Pebblesvania
C. Rocksylvania
D. Trippsylvania
9. What is the Maryland Challenge?
A. Completing Maryland's section of the trail in one day.
B. Eating a 1-gallon, "rocky road" banana split at AT I C Ice Cream, which is located halfway through the route in the state.
C. Reach Maryland by July when thru-hiking north.
D. Reach Maryland by May when thru-hiking south.
10. In another challenge, hikers travel 42.9 miles along the ridgeline between West Virginia and Virginia all the way to Pennsylvania, which involves crossing the border in Maryland — all in 24 hours. This challenge is known as the:
A. Chesapeake Challenge
B. Four-State Challenge
C. Long & Lickety Split Challenge
D. Ridge Runner Challenge
11. None of the Bay states' highest points is on the AT, although it does come within a half mile of one of them. Which is it?
A. Maryland's Hoye-Crest
B. New York's Mt. Marcy
C. Pennsylvania's Mt. Davis
D. Virginia's Mt. Rogers
E. West Virginia's Spruce Knob
12. Which Bay tributary is considered the dividing line between the northern and southern sections of the trail?
A. James
B. Potomac
C. Shenandoah
D. Susquehanna
13. One Bay state's portion of the trail includes feral ponies at Grayson Highlands State Park brought to the area to help manage vegetation at the site. At Blackrock Summit, hikers can see exposed quartzite that was once part of the seabed of the Iapetus Ocean, an ancient body of water older than the Appalachians. Which state is it?
14. This Bay state is home to Harpers Ferry, location of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy's headquarters. Many consider Harper's Ferry to be the midpoint of the entire trail, but this is only psychological; the actual midpoint is farther north. Which state is it in?
15. Trail highlights in this Bay state include Delaware Water Gap; Pine Grove Furnace State Park, which contains the AT's true midway point; and the Blue Mountains, including the Pinnacle; and Hawk Mountain, renowned for the thousands of migrating raptors who fly by every fall.
16. Most of this state's peaks are less than 1,400 feet in elevation, and the AT's lowest elevation occurs here in Bear Mountain Zoo, (124 feet). This state is also home to the trail's oldest section, which was completed in 1923. (The AT is not in this state's portion of the watershed.)
17. In this Bay state, most of the AT runs along the ridgeline in South Mountain State Park, which includes scenic vistas such as High Rock, Annapolis Rock and Weverton Cliffs.
3. A. Section hiking, B. Flip-flopping
6. D. Most, E. Least
13. Virginia
14. West Virginia
15. Pennsylvania
16. New York
17. Maryland