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There's something almost hypnotic about flying behind turbines. There's extra power, of course, and if you're standing outside, you experience that characteristic shriek of jet combustion that only a pilot can love.
Perhaps more than that, however, at least for aviators with most of their hours in avgas airplanes, there's the phenomenal smoothness of one or more turbine engines. Whether your turbine is driving a propeller or blasting you forward with pure jet thrust, the experience is akin to riding on velvet.
The new Cessna Skylane JT-A may not be quite that smooth, but it's close, and the airplane's power plant isn't even a turbine. As the designation implies, this 182 runs on jet fuel, but it's not driven by a jet engine. It's a turbo diesel, designed to operate on conventional Jet A, and the four-cylinder diesel is smoother than any six-cylinder avgas engine you've flown. (No, in perhaps the ultimate irony, the diesel Skylane isn't certified to burn diesel fuel, even if you were willing to drain some out of your Mercedes. You'd certainly never find any at local airports.)
For 2013, Cessna elected to retire the not-so-old avgas-powered Turbo Skylane T182T and replace it with a turbo diesel. Diesels have had a checkered career in aviation, though their heritage stretches way back to the 1920s. In the United States, Packard diesels were used on rigid airships starting in 1928, and German Jumo and Daimler-Benz diesels were employed on the famous Zeppelins (including the ill-fated Hindenburg) of the same period.
The major advantage of diesels in all applications was/is a comparatively low fuel consumption.
Piston aircraft engines experience an average specific fuel consumption of .43 lbs./hp/hr., whereas diesel engines record an sfc (specific fuel consumption) of more like .37 lbs./hp/hr. burning jet fuel. That's about a 12% improvement in efficiency. A second advantage is that avgas availability outside the U.S. is a sometime thing, whereas jet fuel is plentiful practically everywhere. Since American GA aircraft manufacturers sell roughly half their products overseas, the near-universal availability of jet fuel outside the U.S. and Canada makes a diesel engine more attractive.
Finally, jet fuel is almost universally cheaper abroad. To use an extreme example, when I flew through Narsarsuaq, Greenland, about a year ago, avgas cost $16/gallon while Jet A was priced at $5.89/gallon. Luckily for Americans, the delta between the two fuels on domestic soil is barely noticeable, but jet fuel is obviously far more attractive on the other side of either pond.
Thielert of Germany and SMA of France produced the first general aviation aircraft diesels in 2001. By now, practically everyone knows the story of Thielert. Despite developing what seemed a viable engine for the single-engine Diamond DA-40 Star and DA-42 Twin Star, Thielert went bankrupt in 2008, leaving Diamond holding the bag on hundreds of diesel-powered airplanes and an uncertain future for its two primary products. As a result, Diamond was forced to develop its own partner engine company. Diamond created Austro Engines and built the new manufacturing facility next door to the company's production facility in Weiner Neustadt, Austria.
Though Cessna's initial interest in diesels was in the Thielert/Mercedes product, the German Thielert company's bankruptcy caused Cessna to take a closer look at the French SMA engine. The 305 cubic inch/230 hp SMA mill had been fitted to older Skylanes under an STC in 2001, and since then, SMA has continued to develop the engine.
I flew one of those aftermarket Skylane diesels for this magazine in 2006 (see our April 2006 issue), when the predicted avgas shortage was still far in the future (we thought). Today, 100LL is becoming scarce in Europe, the Middle East, Indonesia, Africa, the Far East and other parts of the world. North America is one of the few places with adequate supplies of avgas at the moment, but 100LL isn't a high-volume fuel, and volume is everything in the fuel business.
Like its avgas equivalent, the diesel Skylane's JT-A power plant offers 230 hp, but fuel efficiency on Jet A is roughly 30% better. That means you can fly farther on the same fuel and convert more useful load to payload.
These days, few refiners are willing to dedicate the resources necessary to produce avgas. In addition, the American Environmental Protection Agency has been trying to shut down avgas production for years because of its minuscule lead content. If the EPA ever gets its way, we'll have to turn to alternative fuels. Some of those show promise, and several are under development, but no one can guess when they might be ready for mass distribution and universal application.
Unlike the early SMA effort, the installation on the Skylane JT-A is a dramatic improvement over the old engine, with an estimated 40% new parts. The C1 version features a huge turbocharger and an equally impressive intercooler, the latter designed to keep the diesel cool while pulling as much as 90 inches of manifold pressure. Yes, you read that correctly, 90 inches. No one expects a Skylane JT-A to run against the Mustangs and Bearcats at Reno, but that's the kind of power they pull from their Merlins and Pratts, at least numerically.
As we went to press, Cessna was anticipating an FAA type certificate for the Skylane JT-A by April. I flew a pre-production model with flight-test equipment in the aft fuselage, but the design had been frozen for production, so there should be no differences in performance or specifications between the prototype and the completed airplanes.
The Skylane JT-A is virtually identical to the Turbo Skylane from the firewall aft. Weights and CG are the same. All the changes (except for diesel instrumentation on the G1000) are confined to the power section and prop of the aircraft. Even the cowling is recognizable. It fits in the original footprint, though its configuration does boast two large intakes out front, one for intercooler and the second for oil cooler. Other than that, you could easily mistake a JT-A for an older Lycoming-powered Skylane.
Previous diesel cycle engines have suffered from significant weight increases over avgas mills. That's a function of the fact that diesels need to be stronger to endure the extreme compression ratios and temperatures of ignition without spark plugs or magnetos. Most aircraft avgas piston engines employ compression ratios of 7:1 or 8:1, diesels compress their fuel/air load to 17:1 or more.
The JT-A avoids part of the weight problem by mounting a lightweight three-blade Hartzell carbon-fiber propeller behind the spinner. As a result of that and other economies, the total weight increase forward of the firewall is only 15 pounds.
As mentioned above, the JT-A uses the same fuel tanks as the avgas model— 87 gallons. That means if you fill the tanks, you'll be carrying an extra 70 pounds of fuel, since Jet A weighs an extra .8 pound per gallon more than avgas.
Theoretically, that increases the delta to 85 pounds, but the good news is that the airplane's range is so exemplary with the lower-Jet A sfc, you may not need to fill the tanks on some flights, a characteristic common to turbines. Cessna doesn't mount sight gauges on the JT-A's high wings, so you may not be able to trust the line boy to hit your exact fuel requirement, but the company claims the fuel gauges on the Garmin G1000 are extremely accurate. Still, payload is only 400 pounds, so you may need to mind the weight and balance if you need to carry a full fuel.
(Cessna recognized the distinct possibility of line personnel misfueling the JT-A, and accordingly, the fuel tanks are designed to accept the duck-billed "jet only" filler nozzles. This makes it extremely difficult—nothing is impossible—for anyone to pump avgas into the tanks.)
Since horsepower hasn't changed, aerodynamics are identical and airframe weight is essentially the same, it's no big surprise that the Skylane JT-A flies basically the same as last year's avgas-powered T182T, only better. I flew with Cessna demo pilot Charles Wilcox out of the company's Wichita Mid-Continent facility. Wilcox did much of the test work on the JT-A and probably knows the airplane better than anyone. He had worked out a standard demo routine that showed the JT-A to maximum advantage.
Predictably, the new Skylane demonstrated the manners we've all come to expect from a 182. Climb is simply a matter of pushing the single power lever (you're almost tempted to call it a thrust lever) full forward, and letting the ECU computer set power. There's no waste gate on the engine, so all intake air goes through the turbo. As a result, you'll see something you've probably never seen before on a Cessna: 90 inches of manifold pressure during climb. This turbo is indeed stout.
Despite that, climb fuel flow will be almost exactly half of equivalent power on the turbo Lycoming airplane, about 12 gph. Ascending at 85 knots on a near-ISA day, the JT-A showed me a consistent 1,000 fpm all the way to 10,500 feet.
As we cleared the Wichita class C and pointed west toward Kingman, Kansas, for some landings, I leveled, set 90% power and watched speed walk around to cover 155 knots. That's the spec, and it's no surprise that it's very comparable to that of the T182T. Manifold pressure ran about 70 inches for cruise. If I owned a JT-A, I doubt if I'd ever get used to seeing that.
The diesel Skylane feels comfortable at max cruise—fuel burn is down to about 11 gph, the noise level is very civilized at the engine's constant 2,200 rpm and vibration is virtually non-existent. Skylanes have always offered a smooth ride; stable and not skittish in turbulence, and the JT-A only makes a good thing better. Critical altitude is 10,000 feet, and the turbo diesel will still deliver 75% power at the airplane's maximum altitude of 20,000 feet.
At max cruise, the 87-gallon capacity allows for seven hours' endurance plus reserve, enough for easy 1,000 nm legs. If you're one of those rare folks who likes to practice ferry flying, the JT-A will accommodate. Unlike avgas engines, diesels don't care what power setting you use. If the mission demands it and you're into masochism, you can retard the power on the SMA engine to 35% and endure for 14 hours, enough to cover 1,500 nm.
Since the JT-A has no aerodynamic changes, I wouldn't have expected any revisions to stall and slow flight manners, and sure enough, there weren't any. Directly over Kingman, I tried a few 60-degree steep turns, and the airplane had nothing new to tell me. It maintains all the habits of a Skylane.
Wilcox was eager to show me how the big diesel reacted to an in-flight shutdown, so we cooled the engine for a minute or two, then brought the power lever to fuel cut-off. At first, you have no hard indication that you've just lost power. The giveaway comes when you raise the nose and see the rpm begin to decay. The prop will continue to windmill even in a dirty stall, however. To restart, you simply bring the power lever out of the cut-off position to reintroduce fuel and let the computer do the rest. The point is that the electronic control unit simplifies shutdown and startup so much that there's almost nothing you can do wrong, it says here. I, Robot.
Stalls in a variety of configurations were next. The airplane hangs in there until airspeed is practically off the dial. The spec is 41 knots with flaps fully deflected. That means, in theory, you could maintain an approach speed of 50 knots and still preserve 1.2 times Vso.
Landings at Kingman were classic Skylane. Plenty of control pitch right into the flare and lots of elevator trim to stay ahead of the heavy elevator. No one has ever claimed Skylanes are short-field airplanes, but the new JT-A could probably use unobstructed runways of 1,500 feet or less without problems.
One anomaly I noticed during landings was that the JT-A isn't as amenable to no-flap approaches as was the avgas version. Residual thrust without the benefit of flaps means a reluctance to bleed off speed in the flare. Cessna is still working that problem and hopes to have a solution by the time the first airplanes are delivered this summer.
Cessna recognized early on that engine maintenance would be a major concern for prospective buyers, and to that end, they enlisted the aid of Lycoming. Cessna and Lycoming are both Textron companies, and Cessna arranged for the Lycoming Service Centers around the country to handle all engine service/warranty problems. Lycoming is in process of bringing its shops up to speed, so buyers should be able to rest easier when first deliveries begin late this summer.
TBO has been set at a preliminary 2,400 hours, and that may not be as optimistic as you think. Automobiles with ECU-directed turbo-diesels under the hood benefit from almost ridiculous reliability, though it's expressed in miles rather than hours, and there's no reason aircraft diesels shouldn't offer the same durability. The engine will require an oil change every 100 hours, a turbo inspection and possible overhaul at half TBO and an inspection of the fuel injection system every 600 hours.
Of course, the big question, conveniently saved for those who aren't punch- drunk from plowing through all the numbers above, is price. As with any other Cessna product, there will be some options, but the base price has been set at a preliminary $515,000. At the press briefing prior to the flight, a British reporter suggested that price would be "a significant challenge" in Europe, but "the shrinking supply of avgas may be a compelling argument for diesels."
Recent developments in turbo-diesel technology have been exponential, and the day of the general aviation diesel- cycle engine may very well have arrived. Diesels are no longer dirty contributors to pollution and noise, and offer some significant advantages over avgas-burning engines. Even in a down market, price is always subjective, and Cessna's Skylane JT-A is certainly a worthwhile subject.


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It took me a little while but I managed it! This blog is now a book that you may purchase!!
It took me a little while but I managed it! This blog is now a book that you may purchase!!
The stats helper monkeys at WordPress.com mulled over how this blog did in 2010, and here's a high level summary of its overall blog health:
The Blog-Health-o-Meter™ reads Wow.
A helper monkey made this abstract painting, inspired by your stats.
A Boeing 747-400 passenger jet can hold 416 passengers. This blog was viewed about 7,000 times in 2010. That's about 17 full 747s.
In 2010, there were 222 new posts, growing the total archive of this blog to 223 posts.
The busiest day of the year was August 2nd with 555 views. The most popular post that day was List of Movies.
The top referring sites in 2010 were emmawatsonsmagic.com, alphainventions.com, twitter.com, facebook.com, and refzip.com.
Some visitors came searching, mostly for 212 films, film 212, 212 films 7 months, blue film, and is donnie darko crazy.
These are the posts and pages that got the most views in 2010.
List of Movies June 2010
About My Challenge! December 2009
2 comments
Donnie Darko June 2010
My Top 20 July 2010
'The Shawshank Redemption', 'Mallrats', 'Oldboy' and 'The Godfather' A.K.A. THE FINALE July 2010
Its been updated with what people have said after I finished my challenge. Look to your right, at the links.
Its been nice not having to watch and review any movies these past 2 days but its oddly weird not having a movie on a list to watch >.< I've been busying myself with family tree stuff and writing letters to my friends back home. I'm going to try and sleep as much as I can because once college starts, I doubt I'll get any sleep for 2 years!
Thanks to anyone who took an interest in my challenge and ever looked or read any of my crap-excuse-for-a-review. Thanks to those who took the time to comment. I hope that my challenge has inspired you to watch a few movies yourself or even your own challenge like Julie Powell did for me.
I'VE DONE IT! I actually managed to watch 212 films in 7 months! BOOYA!! However, I will not feel like I've fully completed this challenge until I type up my so-called 'reviews'. I now have 43minutes to type all four of today's movies up. Guess I kind of regret not typing up The Shawshank Redemption when I had the chance [I had a nap instead >.<]
Anyways, 3 of these films were amazing, guess which one wasn't so *eye roll, glares at TheFilmFan* [lol joking, by the way]. Now, seeing as time is short and I now have 41 minutes left, these reviews might be short, brief, bullet points and I may miss some key points, especially in Shawshank, Oldboy and Godfather. At least this time I have a genuine excuse for my crappy reviews! 40 minutes to go!
Its my last day of the challenge!!! I watched Shawshank Redeption this morning [which was brilliant] so that's out the way and I shall review it at some point today along with the last 3.
I knew that Laura and my cousins and Auntie flying over from England to spend a couple of weeks with us was going to set me and my challenge back so its amazing that I only have to not watch 2 movies because there wasn't enough time for them to get here. So I won't be watching Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back or Raiders of the Lost Ark. I asked around on Twitter and I got two new movies that people have recommended.
I shall watch 'Oldboy', recommended by filmthreat [via Twitter] and 'Mallrats' by TheFilmFan [also via Twitter]. So, I shall watch them two then my final film of the Godfather which DID arrive here on time. Lets hope I can finish them all by 11.59pm tonight!!!
I had my new friend Karyn over to watch these two with me. We discussed them, exchanged funny comments and so on. Its nice watching movies with friends, I've really missed it! Anyways, I'm going to use Karyn as an excuse for my reviews being short and crap because she distracted me from my note-taking!!! Both films neither of us had seen before which was good.
I've been trying to delay my viewing of this because its one of my mum's favourite movie and I wanted to watch it with her. Have you ever watched someone when they're watching a movie they love? It's a beautiful sight to me.
Anyways, this is one of the best 'old-black-and-white' movies I've seen, I wasn't bored for one minute, its fast paced for a noir movie and the storyline is very interesting; a guy flies over to Venice [post-World War II, its separated into 4 different zones run by winning allies] for a job with his best friend only to find out he'd died. It all seems too fishy though so the best friend goes on a little investigation. It really made me think about what I would do if it were my best friend, Sarah.
I've been dreading reviewing this because I knew it was going to end up being a long review that I'm just too tired to write. This is because it is such a freaking awesome movie. The beautiful cinematography, mind-boggling editing, the acting, the storyline and the characters are all perfect in the sense of great movie making. Obviously, the storyline and characters are due to the book [which I shall put on my reading list] but… I don't know, its just amazing. This film is kind of like Marmite, you either love it or you hate it. I love it. My brother loves it. I remember he saw it for the first time when me, him, our mum and uncles were on holiday in Wales and my uncles had brought their portable DVD player and some DVDs and he just watched Fight Club on repeat for the whole week. Yes, he enjoys it because of the fighting and he loves Brad Pitt but I think, unbeknownst to him, that its more than that.
I thought there was no point doing three separate posts as I pretty much watched these movies back to back to save time. I have one more film to watch tonight and it will probably be Fight Club which I will review separately.
I've never seen the last 10 minutes of this film! I've seen the rest a couple of times but never the ending, how weird! Anyways, I watched this with my dad as this is one of his favourite movies and its nice to watch a movie with someone who loves it. I think I don't love it as much as my dad because of the time difference and I've been completely spoilt with sci-fi/CGI movies that I wasn't impressed by it. Well, I say that but I can appreciate that back then [1982] it was pretty amazing and, actually, I was impressed by the landscape parts, where we see the ruin that is now LA. It does make you wonder whether we'll all be living in constant smog and rain in 9 years time [the film is set in 2019].

subset: commoncrawl


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Avaya to Honor Texas Commission as it Sees Momentum Across Country for Kari's Law Adoption with U.S. Senate Considering Passage of S. 123, After House Bill H.R. 582 passes 408-0 in the House of Representatives
Santa Clara, CA – July 25, 2017 - Avaya, the global market leader in contact center and call taking solutions for public safety communication centers, today announced that it will be honoring the Texas Commission on State Emergency Communications (CSEC) this Fall for demonstrating its leadership in the development and implementation of Kari's Law in Texas.
The 2015 law mandates that owners of multi-line telephone systems (MLTS) used in commercial businesses, schools and government facilities in the State must provide direct-dial access to 9-1-1 without having to first dial an additional digit such as 9 before getting an outside line, and recommends that critical on-site notification be deployed when available in the system. The award presentation is scheduled to take place at the Illinois Institute of Technology during its Real Time Collaboration Lab Conference being held on campus on September 25-28.
In alignment with Kari's Law, enacted by Governor Abbot in 2015, current MLTS operators must now be compliant by September, or if applicable, file for a financial hardship waiver for their telephone system, as provided by the legislation. The State recently reminded MLTS operators in a press release from CSEC that the window to remediate systems or file for a hardship waiver is quickly approaching. Business owners and operators of a MLTS system have until September 1, 2017 according to the recent CSEC press release. This action is the latest milestone for Kari's Law, which has been gaining momentum throughout the country.
Despite a unanimous House bill approving H.R. 582, Hank Hunt hasn't been waiting to keep the ball moving on a State by State basis until this becomes the law of the land. After testimony in 2016 by Avaya's Mark J. Fletcher, ENP just last year, Elizabeth Crowley introduced the NYC 911 Direct Access Bill. Fletcher said, "Avaya's influence and expertise was clearly visible in this law recently enacted in all five boroughs of New York City Council following similar legislation by the governors of Illinois, Maryland, Texas, Tennessee, and Maine, as well as local Suffolk County, NY Legislators."
House bill H.R. 582, which amends the Communications Act of 1934, was introduced by Representative Louie Gohmert, from Marshall, Texas, Kari's home district, and was immediately passed in a bi-partisan vote of 408-0 vote in the first weeks of the new congress.
Support of this House bill in the U.S. Senate, S.123, known as the Kari's Law Act of 2017, has also enjoyed bi-partisan, bi-cameral support since it was introduced on January 12, 2017 by U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D – MN) and the bill's five Republican and Democratic senators who co-sponsored the bill after meeting with Fletcher and Hunt in Washington DC last summer. Approval may be imminent as Senator John Thune (R -SD), one of the five co-sponsors and chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, referred the bill to the Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders on July 10, 2017. The Senate Committee referred the bill to the Congressional Budget Office, which had estimated on February 14, 2017 that S.123 would have "an insignificant revenue effect," while providing protection for millions of government workers. Fletcher added that, "one of the key requirements of our efforts on the bill has been a minimal or, in many cases, a zero-cost impact," making the bill easy to implement anywhere and on any system.
Avaya offers mission critical services in a resilient, reliable and secure environment to Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) around the world. In collaboration with the European Emergency Number Association in Brussels, and NENA, Avaya is helping replace the many legacy first responder systems developed and deployed in the 1960s and 1970s, better connect the more than 6,000 9-1-1 centers across the United States and transform how first responders save lives.
Additional Quotes:
"Shortly after this tragic incident, I personally met with the Hunt family and committed Avaya's support championing this initiative. We are proud to have made good on that promise, and continue to do so as part of our daily business in educating and enabling our partners and customers. We commend the State of Texas and Governor Abbott for being an example for others to follow."
Kevin Kennedy, CEO, Avaya
"I signed Kari's Law to ensure that all Texans have the ability to access 9-1-1 services no matter where they find themselves during an emergency. This important change to Texas law is only as good as the compliance that follows. The use of multi-line telephone systems should not impede anyone's ability to make a life-saving phone call, and I am urging all business service users employing a MLTS to ensure they are compliant. Lives depend on your cooperation."
Greg Abbott, Governor, Texas
"I am so proud of the example set by my home state of Texas. Not only for what my fellow Texans did but what it means for the rest of the country and the world. When the eyes of the world were on Texas, the folks at CSEC moved quickly to ensure that no other American in their jurisdiction would have to suffer a similar fate."
Hank Hunt, Kari Hunt's Dad
About Avaya
Avaya enables the mission critical, real-time communication applications of the world's most important operations. As the global leader in delivering superior communications experiences, Avaya provides the most complete portfolio of software and services for contact center and unified communications with integrated, secure networking— offered on premises, in the cloud, or a hybrid. Today's digital world requires some form of communications enablement, and no other company is better positioned to do this than Avaya. For more information, please visit www.avaya.com.
Certain statements contained in this press release are forward-looking statements. These statements may be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "anticipate," "believe," "continue," "could," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "might," "plan," "potential," "predict," "should" or "will" or other similar terminology. We have based these forward-looking statements on our current expectations, assumptions, estimates and projections. While we believe these expectations, assumptions, estimates and projections are reasonable, such forward-looking statements are only predictions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control. These and other important factors may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. For a list and description of such risks and uncertainties, please refer to Avaya's filings with the SEC that are available at www.sec.gov. Avaya disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.


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Fujifilm have finally decided to release their X-Pro 1 concept camera into the wild, and looking at those specs it's clear that Fujifilm mean business
Amazon appears to have leaked the official price for the Fujifilm X-Pro 1 after it had also leaked the existence of the camera just a few weeks before. Coming in at a frankly premium $1699.99 for the base you'll then have to start splashing out more than $500 just for the lenses as well.
This comes after Fujifilm announced the X-Pro1 as a direct competitor to Micro Four Thirds and other hybrid camera systems.
Fujifilm X-Pro 1 specs
The camera boasts some seriously impressive specs, many of which can be attributed to the brand-new sensor that has been built for the X-Pro 1 called the X-Trans CMOS. By rearranging the way a sensor detects colours Fujifilm have accomplished what they believe to be a much better quality image with far less distortion than rival cameras.
To process these higher quality images they've had to build a brand-new processor as well in the form of the EXR Processor Pro. In the lens department you've then got a choice of either a XF18mmF2 R lens, XF 35mmF1.4 R or a XF60mmF2.4 R Macro lens.
Fujifilm X-Pro 1 features
Helping you translate all this tech into a great image Fujifilm have equipped the X-Pro 1 with a Hybrid Multi-Viewfinder which gives you the ability to swap between using an optical viewfinder or a digital one, in turn giving you the best of both worlds.
The X-Pro 1 has 16.3 million pixels and will record video in full-HD at 1080p at 24fps. It also then comes with all the usual software-based bells and whistles you'd expect such as red-eye reduction, face recognition and automatic scene selection.
With a price of what looks to be well over £1000 in the UK it is certainly gunning for the top-end of the market so expect it to rival products such as their Leica D-Lux 5 and others.
Is this the ultimate compact camera? Let us know what you think via the comments box below...
Source: Amazon


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Looking for a Ford, London Ontario? Here Are 5 Reasons to Test Drive an F-150
There are few vehicles as distinguished as the F-150 from Ford. London Ontario's contractors rely on this powerful truck to get to the jobsite day after day in every sort of weather. And, each year, it outpaces all other trucks in sales and performance. In honor of the F-150, Courtesy Ford Lincoln has put together this little list of reasons why you should stop in today to take an F-150 for a test drive.
#5 – The Latest Ford F-150 Is Better and More Powerful than Ever
Like just about any task, it takes time to develop the greatest things. For going on seven decades, the Ford Motor Company has produced this iconic truck, and the latest one is the most heavy duty and strongest F-150 ever. The newest pickup is built with a high-strength, stiffer steel frame and military grade aluminum alloy body.
Compared to previous model years, it receives better gas mileage, has a greater payload, and is much lighter. There are also four engine choices delivering unmatched power: 5.0L TiVCT V8, all new 2.7L EcoBoost V6, 3.5L EcoBoost V6, and the new 3.5L TiVCT V6.
Also added to the new F-150 are eleven class exclusive features. These include a remote open tailgate that gently lowers the tailgate at the push of a button and LED taillights, spotlights, and headlights. Plus, to allow easy access in and out of the truck bed, there is an upgraded extendable tailgate step that folds out of the tailgate.
There is all new cargo box lighting, and for state of the art cargo management and seamless organization, an all-new boxlink accessory system is also in the truck bed of this Ford. London Ontario F-150 shoppers will also be delighted to find it features a class exclusive 360 degree camera view, eight inch productivity screen, and a class leading sized moonroof. And, not to be outdone, there is new technology that includes 110 volt/400 watt outlets, a smart trailer tow module, and various other new truck apps.
#4 – The F-150 Has Won Countless Awards
From Popular Mechanics Magazine and PickupTrucks.com, the Ford F-150 was the clear winner of the Light-Duty Challenge. Automotive experts can spot a good thing when they see it. The F-150 dominated in the performance oriented competitive events finishing in first or second in eleven out of thirteen events.
For four years, well-known automotive industry experts Motor Trend has named the F-150 Truck of the Year. Vehicles must be all new or have undergone a significant change to be considered for this title. In addition, the F-150 is a Top Safety Pick of the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety.
#3 – The F-150 Is the Truck People Use to Get Work Done
It is no surprise that F-150 pickups are used most often for the toughest job all over Canada because they are built Ford Tough. In a recent survey, workers in fifteen work and labor intensive job areas were asked what type of trucks they used. The F-150 won in every category. 63 percent of Government truck drivers, 60 percent of Maintenance workers and Gas, Sanitary, and Electric Service workers, and 70 percent of Hazmat truck drivers drove an F-150.
#2 – The F-150 Is the Best Selling Truck
For the past 37 years, the F-150 has been the best-selling truck on the continent. The Ford F-Series has been around since 1948. Since then, they have sold trucks to more than 33 million people. Another Ford truck is sold to a happy new owner every 41 seconds.
#1 – You Can Test Drive an F-150 at Courtesy Ford Lincoln
For those looking to take a test drive in an F-150 or other vehicles from Ford, London Ontario's Courtesy Ford Lincoln has you covered. We have both new and used F-150s and are always offering the best deals and service in the area.Back


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C-ven Technologies was founded in 2004. We are a consulting company specialized in services in the Cloud platform, dedicated to offer integrated technological solutions of business management, based on Microsoft tools (Dynamics 365, Azure, Power Apps), to small and medium enterprises in the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico.
Digital transformation opens a new space and is changing the way we do business. Our responsibility as a Microsoft Awarded Partner is to promote innovation and entrepreneurship to transform society and the economy with a view to globalization and digitalization. In this scenario, we promote a cultural change, a new vision and the potential use of Big Data analysis for strategic decision making.
We take care of helping our partners to redefine their vision, their client's experience and the efficiency of their processes. We help them convert their resources into a competitive advantage that allows them to increase their productivity, reduce costs, diversify their income through new channels, and redesign the contact points to move towards a customer-centered organization and adapted to the new times.
Our 14 years of experience in the sector allow us to anticipate the needs of our customers, and offer solutions that increase their competitiveness and productivity. For this, we have a team formed by dynamic professionals, and a methodology for agile and solid project management, which guarantees the fulfillment of the tasks in the estimated time and with the highest quality in the delivery. In this way, we make work more efficient and transparent for our clients.
We have successful implementations of our verticals in Dynamics 365 in the Banking, Insurance and Education sector. The satisfaction of our customers is our main objective, and with the support of Microsoft, we are constantly designing new solutions that meet the needs of the business sector.


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A & P Shows - with their prize-winning heifers, farm machinery, highland dancing, wood-chopping, sheep dog trials and carnival atmosphere - are as Kiwi as No. 8 wire and gumboots.
Last season I attended eleven, from as far north as Whangarei right down to Hawke's Bay.
Each show evokes its own particular mood. Clevedon was a foodie heaven where we enjoyed whitebait fritters for lunch and plenty of delicious tastings of chutneys and spicy nuts. The ground at Rotorua was seriously waterlogged thanks to the tail end of Cyclone Wilma which swept through the night before.
Matamata was where my daughter and her friend spent all their sideshow money on the gigantic inflatable slide. Te Aroha offered goodie bags and sportsmanship awards for the young competitors, Hawke's Bay had a lolly scramble and the stewards at Te Kauwhata dressed up like Santa's elves.
It's thanks to our eight-year-old - who competes on her little pony, Floss - that we've become such A & P Show aficionados.
We hang out alongside the equestrian ring dispensing sunblock and fresh water while we cheer our daughter on as she parades around and does workouts for the judge.
The standard of competitors is high. Back in my day we'd give the pony a shampoo and plait the mane and tail. Today the ponies are decked out like beauty contestants with dyed legs, bleached socks, diamante brow-bands, faux tails - and, sometimes, a subtle application of make-up.
There's occasionally a spot of unscripted excitement such as a loose horse that's ditched its rider or a small child having a hissy-fit and refusing to hop on board his or her mount.
But don't be fooled by the casual country ambiance. Competing at these shows is a very serious business.
The equestrian section alone is governed by 108 densely-typed pages of rules and guidelines covering, among other things, protests, forbidden substances and the Yellow Card system for dealing with inappropriate behaviour.
At stake are the highly coveted purple ribbons awarded to the champions of each section which provide competitors with their automatic ticket to the season's most prestigious equestrian event: the Horse of the Year show.
There are worse ways to see the countryside than to be on the A & P Show circuit. We get to spend time in places that otherwise would be no more than a dot on the map as we whizz through.
We've become blasé about using portable toilets and we're accustomed to nimbly avoiding cow-pats in long grass.
From time to time there are whisperings that these events are losing their cachet, that they aren't what they used to be, but I don't believe a word of it.
In February we attended Franklin's 125th show and last year we were at Whangarei's 130th summer show and Cambridge's 117th.
It's my pick that hardworking committees, sponsors, officials, competitors and the communities at large will continue to preserve and build on such long and cherished heritages.
A & P shows are a well established part of our collective history yet they don't feel retro, old-fashioned or kitsch. They just seem very genuine - and upbeat, too, in a low-key rural way.
They run like well-oiled machines where children can show off pet calves, teams of fencers are given two hours to build a fence, you feed ping-pong balls into clowns' mouths and wisps of pink candyfloss stick to everything in sight.
It's a wholesome day out. There are over eighty such shows held annually throughout the country - see ras.org.nz - and several, such as Clevedon, Franklin and Kumeu, are reasonably handy to Auckland.
Why don't you pay one a visit this summer? Go on. You know you want to.


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Encore Sunday Returns!
On July 31 at 5:30pm, join us at Friendship Auditorium for a relaxing Sunday evening of jazz, blues, & standards sung by renowned LA songstress Lori Donato, accompanied by piano and upright bass. Lori has been performing for the club since the 1990s, and we are honored to have her return for our second ever Encore Sunday.
"Very few people in this world can make music that will stir your soul to laughter, to sadness, to romance, or to pathos. One of these simply superb few is Lori Donato."
– Stanley Garner, Director, LA Opera
$12 advance tickets available at www.encoresundays.eventbrite.com
Or $15 cash sales at the door


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At time of writing this, the SSAIB have around 1500 accredited companies and we're proud to be one of them.
Why should you choose an SSAIB approved Security Company?
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SSAIB certification means that you can be confident in the quality of service provided to protect your business from the potentially devastating consequences of fire or crime.
The SSAIB check the following so that you don't have to:
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- That best-practice standards are maintained.
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- Compliance with all relevant standards and codes of practice, British or European
- Identity cards are carried at all times
What are your thoughts?
We hope you found our article useful and look forward to answering your questions.


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- Templates
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Have you heard about the new iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus? I'm sure you did. Apple has dominated the tech scene again with its latest release of the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus that is now dust and water-resistant. Your iPhone 7 can now be submerged in one meter water and still function perfectly.
With the rise of iPhone 7 users, you don't want to miss out on the trend. Change your online banner ads or tech presentations using iPhone 6s and 6s Plus to an iPhone 7 design using our professional and clean iPhone 7 mock-up designs below.
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UNM College of Nursing earns top 10 ranking in national evaluation
The University of New Mexico College of Nursing is ranked 10th nationally in Best Value BSN Programs on schools that offer the best combination of cost and return on investment. The Top 50 list was recently released by Value Colleges, a national research and ranking firm for accredited college degree programs.
Nearly 190 U.S. nursing schools accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education or Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing were evaluated according to their 20-year ROI per-credit tuition rate based on Payscale's 2015 report, U.S. News & World Report's national rankings, and credit per hour tuition rate as reported by each individual college.
"We have a tremendous history of value in our 60 years, providing cutting-edge approaches to academic experiences that are accessible, responsive and pertinent to the changing environment in health care and academia," says College of Nursing Dean Nancy Ridenour, PhD, RN, APRN, BC, FAAN. "Credit goes largely to our renowned faculty who provides an education that emphasizes working with rural and underserved populations and prepares our students to transform nursing and health care."
In the report, schools that offer the best combination of cost and return on investment were ranked highest. Other nursing schools in the top 10 included University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Texas Tech University, San Diego State University, University of Oklahoma, Stony Brook University and others.
According to Value Colleges, the University of New Mexico's College of Nursing has a wealth of resources to draw upon for its students, including participation in the New Mexico Nursing Education Consortium as well as clinical experience in UNM Hospital, the UNM Cancer Research and Treatment Center, and UNM Children's Hospital. The report also lists the NM College of Nursing's emphasis on diversity, community engagement and service to underserved populations, as well as affordable tuition and ample financial aid as bases for the top-10 ranking.


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XI Newsletter
Students of Class XI and XII may take Science, Commerce or Humanities course, each of which cover 5 subjects.
The Science Course: English, Physics and Chemistry are the compulsory subjects for the students .
The Medical Stream : This has Biology as the fourth subject while the fifth subject can be Maths / Psychology / Physical Education.
The Non Medical Stream : This has fourth subject as Mathematics and the fifth subject can be Computer Science / Economics / Informatic Practices / Physical Education.
The Commerce Course: English, Accountancy, Business Studies and Economics are compulsory subjects. For the fifth subject, students have a choice of Mathematics / Psychology / Physical Education.
The Humanities Course: English is a compulsory subject. Other choices are :
- Economics / Geography
- History / Legal Studies / Maths / Hindi
- Political Science / Fine Arts
- Psychology / Maths / Physical Education(Physical Education can be opted as the sixth subject in all the streams in class XII only.)
The class XII course culminates in the All India Senior Secondary Examinations, which is also conducted by the Central Board of Secondary Education.
XII Newsletter
The new academic session 2018-19 has commenced with reverberating zest and vitality. The entire environment of the school is electrified with the noblest of all pursuits, the dissemination of knowledge. Following is the information regarding the school rules and the examination system in Class XII.
Every student must have minimum 75% attendance, as per CBSE rules.
Every student must reach school by 7:30 a.m.
Every student should be in proper uniform, with proper haircut and trimmed nails.
No student is allowed to carry mobile phones, smart watches and other gadgets in school. Gadgets if confiscated shall be returned after the session concludes.
In case the student is absent from school, the parents should send an application to the Class teacher, at the earliest.
- They ensure consistency and rigour in academic preparation and evaluation.
- The re-test for the same will be held on the following Friday after school. This test is strictly for students who could not appear earlier due to unavoidable circumstances.
- If it's a medical case, medical certificate should be submitted when the child resumes school . Non-medical cases should submit a pre sanctioned leave application.
- It is compulsory to write the monday test .
- It is compulsory to appear in all the examinations
- The examination schedule is given in the almanac.
- Pre mid term – 2nd July to 11th July
- Mid Term - 20th September to 1st October
- Pre board I - 22nd November to 3rd December
- Pre board II - 24th December to 27th December; 7th January to 14th January
The examination papers are set in accordance with the CBSE guidelines. They consolidate and reinforce the syllabus concepts.
The specific date sheet for every round of examination along with the syllabus will be provided on the school website well in advance, for further desired reference.
The parents are requested to
- ensure regularity and punctuality of their wards.
- be in regular touch with the class Teacher and subject teachers.
- attend Parent Teacher meetings regularly.
- update their contact numbers with the Class Teacher
- ensure that the child appears for every test and examination.
- The project work for Board exams should be submitted at the time of Pre-board practical exams.
- The Board practicals are scheduled for first week of February 2019.
- The Board exams are scheduled to be held from the first week of March 2019.
- If the child appears for Board practical exam in a specific subject, the child must appear for Board theory paper for the same subject.
- If a child is unwell during the Board examinations, the school should be informed immediately.
We appreciate wholeheartedly your unstinted support and look forward to receiving the same always, as we proceed with yet another enriching and fulfilling year.


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IT'S the day after the most important date in Scotland's history.
The people have decided to remain part of the UK but Scotland will always be unique.
Passionate and proud, Scots have shown true grace throughout an extraordinary campaign.
The eyes of the world have been turned on our small country during a spirited campaign from the Highlands to the Borders.
Flags have been carried to the top of munros and stickers and badges have peppered the people.
Described as a stunning reawakening of our democracy, the referendum heralded unprecedented numbers of people turning out to vote, with over 80 per cent in most areas, amidst a carnival atmosphere.
But while Scotland's political landscape will now certainly change – the scenery for which she is loved and famous will remain the same.
What happens now that Scotland has voted against independence? Find out here.
Join us for our live coverage of the independence referendum as we bring you the latest news and analysis.
Look at where the vote was won and lost with Scotland Now's live interactive map in our referendum section here.


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When I was visiting Vancouver back in September, some friends of mine were really excited to introduce me to the new reincarnation of one of their long-time favourite restaurants. Double Double had been on a long hiatus of about six years since their original location on Kingsway, between Victoria and Nanaimo, had burned down. Earlier this summer, Double Double had reopened at Empire Center in Richmond.
Since word has spread about their re-opening, their loyal customers from before have been coming in droves to check out their new location. When my friends organized a dinner there, we were lucky they accepted reservations as there would have been almost no way we would have managed to get a table for 10 people.
We started off with an order of the Salted Chinese Donut ($2.25). This donut was light and very crispy but the oil used to fry it could have been a bit fresher. I wouldn't say it's the most memorable Chinese donut I've ever had but it was certainly executed well.
We also tried an order of the Sweet Chinese Donut ($2.25). It was just ok. Personally, I wasn't a fan of it as I found the texture to be a bit doughy and hard.
Next up was the Pan Fried Cuttle Fish Cake ($7.95). I enjoyed this dish thoroughly though I wish the outside crust would be more crispy. The cuttlefish cake was flavourful and had a nice spring to it.
My friends told me one of the items Double Double has been best known for is their Crispy Deep Fried Prawn Wonton ($7.50). Indeed, these wontons were tasty. They were plump with shrimp filling and crispy on the outside. I liked that they didn't taste greasy at all.
We also tried another version of deep fried wontons, the Fried Wontons with Sweet and Sour Sauce ($8.50), which is often known in Cantonese as Kam Lo Wonton. I don't actually think this dish is on Double Double's menu but my friends managed to order it as it is a classic Hong Kong style dish. I enjoyed the accompanying sweet and sour sauce which contained meatballs, lychee, pineapple, and various vegetables such as red and green bell pepper chunks and water chestnuts though it wasn't a traditional interpretation of the dish. Traditionally, the sauce includes onion, tomatoes, shrimp, squid, and pork liver though there are very few places that include these items any more. However, I thought the wonton component was a little lacking in substance since this version at Double Double actually only consists of deep-fried wonton wrappers without the slightest bit of filling at all. I've had this dish on various occasions in the past and the wontons always contained filling, even if it was just a tiny bit.
For a rice dish, we decided to try the Fook Chow Seafood Fried Rice ($13.95). This dish was well executed. I really enjoyed the contrasting textures and flavours.
My friends also ordered the Beef Fried Rice Noodle with Egg ($9.95). This isn't a dish I order often so I can't really compare. The dish was tasty though the presentation with the yellowish sauce wasn't all that visually appealing.
Next up was the HK Style Crispy Minced Beef Congee ($13.50 for a big bowl; $4.99 for a small bowl). A large bowl was enough to feed our table of 9 since we had ordered all the other dishes. We each had a small bowl of the congee to try.This turned out to be one of my favourite items of the evening. The texture of this congee was quite interesting as it was almost gruel-like but it was very creamy and thick. It was unlike most of the other congee that I've had before. The minced beef was mixed with deep fried rice vermicelli which gave it the crispy texture.
Our first vegetable dish was the Stir Fried On Choy with Bean Curd Sauce ($7.95).
This dish was well executed and the vegetables were tender and flavourful.
We also tried the Green Beans with Spicy Minced Meat ($7.50). The green beans were fried perfectly and had just the right amount of crispness. The spicy minced meat was well-seasoned and flavourful. Though it wasn't necessarily the most memorable fried green bean dish that I've ever had, it was certainly well-executed and I wouldn't hesitate to order it again.
Lastly, we had a large order of the Golden Crispy Big Prawns with Salted Egg Yolk ($11.90 for medium; $16.90 for large). My biggest issue was that this dish took forever to arrive. In fact, we waited probably over an hour for it. We kept on telling our server and even the manager to go and check on the order on multiple occasions and they kept on telling us that the order was going to arrive soon. It was freshly prepared and still very hot when it arrived at our table. The prawns tasted fine but weren't spectacular. I certainly didn't think it was worth the hour-long wait for the dish to arrive.
In all honesty, the service we received on our first visit left a lot to be desired. The majority of the dishes came really quickly with the exception of the Golden Crispy Big Prawns with Salted Egg Yolk, which took over an hour to arrive. And we also had trouble flagging our server down for tea refills. We just chalked it up to them still trying to sort things out and get into the groove since the restaurant was still pretty new at that point and had only been open for a few weeks. If this was any other restaurant, I probably would not have had any desire to return. But I really enjoyed the HK Style Crispy Minced Beef Congee and I was also curious about some of the snack items such as the Wok-Fried Radish Cake with XO Sauce that we weren't able to try on our first visit because they had sold out. I actually ended up going back to Double Double two more times during my stay in Vancouver. But the subsequent visits, I made sure to go at off peaks hours so I didn't have to deal with line-ups or a packed restaurant. And the service at off-peak times was actually decent and not as chaotic.
On my second it visit, I went with my friend C. She wasn't feeling well and wanted just a small bowl of Plain Congee ($2.25). I purposely went with a big bowl of the HK Style Crispy Minced Beef Congee ($13.50 for a big bowl; $4.99 for a small bowl) as I wanted to doggie bag the remainder for a snack later that evening. The HK Style Crispy Minced Beef Congee was as tasty as the version that I had on my first visit to Double Double the previous week. This time the congee was even garnished with fried peanuts and diced scallion.
The item I had been really looking forward to try was the Wok-Fried Radish Cake with XO Sauce ($5.50) since it was sold out on our first visit. Even though the name of the dish is similar, this preparation at Double Double is quite different from the Stir Fried Radish Cake in Spicy XO Sauce that I had at Good Choice Restaurant previously. Personally, though this version was tasty, I preferred the version from Good Choice more since they cube the radish cake, which leaves for more surface area to be fried and become crispy.
Also, we tried the Salt & Pepper Silverfish ($7.50). This version from Double Double was flavourful and super crunchy. It was the perfect topping for our congee. I did find that it was a tad on the greasy side.
Overall, I thought Double Double is really good value for the price as the portions were pretty generous. Most of the dishes we tried were well executed and tasty. I think the standouts were definitely the deep fried items such as the Crispy Prawn Wontons. My only recommendation is to go at off peak hours to avoid the line-ups and the chaotic service. Double Double is definitely a place I will keep on returning to if I'm look for casual comfort food at a reasonable price.
Double Double
Empire Center
#128, 4600 No. 3 Road
Richmond, BC
(604) 370-3345


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It's a Micro World after all is a blog dedicated to discussing pretty much whatever I feel like. When I delve into scientific matters it will primarily be discussing microbiology (agricultural, bioenergy, and environmental focus). Otherwise, I'll probably ramble on about sports and life.
My posts are presented as opinion and commentary and do not represent the views of LabSpaces Productions, LLC, my employer, or my educational institution.
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[Summary: Thomas Joseph talks about why he went into the field he went into, and gives thanks to his parents.]
I really like this post by Zuska. As a matter of fact, my parents did the very same thing for me. The only exception being that I had to pay my last year of college because my dad was laid off from work* and so my folks couldn't help me with some of my tuition and fees that year. They didn't have to shoulder the entire burden -- I was on a X-C and T&F partial scholarship when we went to Division I my sophomore year, and I did work/study as well -- but they shouldered the majority of it. They wanted to give me a leg up on life, a life without being crushed by student loans the minute I flipped that tassle from right to left on my academic cap. And I couldn't be more grateful to them. Life wasn't always easy in the Joseph household, we were middle class, but that didn't mean times were always peachy. I remember my dad being on strike a few times and having to work odd jobs to keep food on the table, I remember him working 4PM to 12AM shifts for months at a time and him waking up at 6 or 7AM to see us off to school and then not seeing him until the next 6 or 7AM because he was gone by the time we got home from school. I remember racing my sister down the block to my father when we'd see him coming home from work off of the subway. So, when I think of my father, I think of him working. Yes, there were the times we'd go fishing on the weekends, and the vacations in the cabins up in Greene County, but when you boil things down a majority of the memories I have of my father revolve around him supporting the family.
Not to say that isn't a Good Thing (TM), because it's a whole lot better than not having memories of my father at all, or having plenty of unsavory memories of him instead. So I consider myself very fortunate. I also have similar memories of my grandfather whos idea of retirement was to work five days instead of six or seven. If cancer hadn't cut him down at the end, I am convinced he would have worked til the day he died, and he would have enjoyed every minute of it.
And so two of most important figures in my life instilled in me the appreciation for a hard days work, and a job well done. I also grew up in a family where family was the most important thing. There was not a major holiday that went by where we didn't go to my grandparents, or another relatives house (or hosted at our house) and celebrate the holidays with family. I still remember those heated, and loud discussions at the dinner table, where my uncles would try to raise my grandfathers (their fathers) ire. Those are the days I miss the most.
At any rate, my folks didn't want me to live a blue-collar life. Not that it wasn't a respectable living, it most certainly is, but they wanted more for me. They wanted me to get a college education, something neither of my parents had, and be successful. More importantly, they wanted me to be happy. I remember more than one occasion where they told me that they didn't care what I did, as long as I was happy doing it. The conversations went something along these lines:
Me: Mom, what would you say if I dropped out of school and became a garbage man?
Mom: Would you be happy doing it?
Me: I doubt it.
Mom: Well, there ya go.
I am convinced that if I had answered in the affirmative, she would have told me to pursue it. We had these conversations a handful of times during graduate school when I would consider whether it was all worth it or not. For some reason though, I doubt dropping out of undergraduate school would have been an option .
So where am I going with all of this? At an early age I saw the importance of family, and the need to be happy. Sure, you do what you have to because you're committed, and proud of your work, and the fact that doing this supports your family and those who depend on you, but you've got to be happy doing it. If you hate your job and your life, how is that going to help?
In graduate school I saw first hand, very quickly that academia was a grind. My mentor was at work seemingly 24/7, and while he didn't demand that of us, if you spent too many weekends out of the lab totally, you could tell you earned a place on his bad side. I saw the struggles for funding, and then the pressures of keeping the money coming in when the previous funding allowed you to grow a large lab so you didn't have to lay people off. I saw the departmental politics (intra and inter), heard about the politics in the field I worked in and managed to see some of it first hand. Half of it seemed childish, the other seemed likely to threaten careers if allowed to go on for too long. Mostly however, there was the issue of funding. It's all my boss ever did.
That didn't seem like fun to me.
When I started graduate school, I did it because I liked working at the bench. As a Med Tech, about 75% of what you did was automated, but Micro wasn't like that (at the time at any rate). It was bench work, and sleuthing, and it was exciting and a challenge. Research was like clinical micro but only about a million times better. So when I finally got into graduate school and saw behind the scenes that there would be less bench work, and less sleuthing, it seemed to lose its luster. I also didn't want to struggle for funding for the rest of my life. I didn't want to spend 24/7 at the lab either.
I wanted a family. I know there are people who can solidly juggle the two, but in my experiences they were the exception rather than the norm. The people who were the norm were the Dr. Kerns of this life, and they were the kind of idiots I didn't want judging my career at every step, from manuscript peer review, grant reviews, to tenure review. More often, I saw married faculty spend their weekends in the lab, sometimes lament that they were missing a family event. I saw a handful get divorced. I didn't want to go down that route.
So I eschewed academia. I was fortunate to meet a few people during graduate school that pointed me in the right direction of non-academic research and I'd like to think I've flourished in this setting so far. I work my hours, I get to the bench (not as much as I'd like), I get to write my manuscripts, analyse data, formulate more hypotheses and design the coolest experiments I can in an attempt to answer them. I get to do science. And at the end of the day, I leave my work at work. I don't have a family yet, but I see my coworkers who enjoy a balanced life, with both successful careers and happy families**. So I know I'm in a setting where that is attainable.
So what would I say to people like Kern? If he wants to spend his life in the lab, that's fine. I think its an ego thing though, and if thats what gets him up in the morning, so be it. Thats his choice. For me, I've come to a place in my life where I don't need to be remembered forever. I doubt I'll become embedded in history like Jonas Salk, or Robert Koch and I'm fine with that. What I do want is to settle down, have kids and raise them well. My job will help me do that very thing. Do I like my job? Yes, I do, which is why I do it. However, in the end it's just that ... a job. I do it because it pays. I put in my honest effort and my hours, and I do the highest quality work I am capable of (because of pride and because of the values instilled in me at an early age). While I'd be thrilled if I could solve environmental issues which would benefit all mankind by my individual discoveries, I'll take solace in the fact that my work might be one of a thousand stones in the foundation of knowledge which will help move things along. So, I'll do my job and then use the rest of my time as I see fit ... having and raising a family. I may not get to Stockholm for a Nobel, but I'll see plenty of the rest of the world with my family, and to me that is what matters most.
*He and his fellow coworkers won their class action, wrongful termination, lawsuit a couple of years later.
**Obviously I see things from the outside.
This post has been viewed: 723 time(s)
Think back a few hundred years, how many scientists can we name? Not too many. My point is that we are but pebbles in the scientific quarry, some of us may be boulders, but largely we are all pebbles. Our goal is to advance science, but honestly will our small individual contributions be the one big thing that brings about panacea? Hell no. In science the sum is of course greater than all the parts and its a giant machine that moves in inches not miles (centimeters and kilometers for our more metric friendly audience). Many scientists that I meet now are the anti-Kern. Yes they still wish to put in an honest day's worth of work and will go the extra mile, but they also realize that their time on this rock that is hurtling through space is limited. Why not take the extra time to take your wife out to dinner or show you kid how to play catch in the backyard. These activities will probably be more rewarding than staying at work late at night for an extra few hours just to tweak with figures for a grant application. To the world (and science) you are but a mere speck of dust, but to those around you, you are their world. Make it worth it.
This is the first Korn-related post thats actually reassured me that it's possible for me to have a future with science in it. That kind of work, the daily hours with time for a family, is exactly what I want to end up having, I just want it in Science. :)
This is a great post. I don't think we need to sacrifice our lives for "cures" that won't hit the bedside for at least another 50 years. Science will be there waiting for you bright and early every Monday morning :)
I bailed on a post-doc opportunity (amazingly cool science) when the current post-doc informed me that the PI required everyone to have cell phones so he could reach you 24/7...and then followed with an example story of how he (the post-doc) had an interesting result at 1am, called the PI, and was joined by him in the lab 15 min later. Please note they were engaged in environmental microbiology, not emergency brain surgery. I took a big 'ole pass on that lab. I try very hard to impress both a strong work ethic AND the need for balance and a real life on my students.
I agree with you, TJ. In my current lab if you don't at least show up a bit on most weekends (even if it's just for 10 minutes) you will be on the PI's list. I don't like the demands of academia. I feel like my family is my number one priority. My husband and I are talking about trying to have kids, and I plan to spend as much time with them as possible. I've seen a lot of people in grad school, and now in my postdoc, burn themselves out because everything is a crisis and to fix it they have to be in the lab 24-7. I don't want that.
Industry isn't perfect. You still have drama and politics, but it's an easier pace. In fact, at Pfizer, one of the major pushes was to make sure Colleagues had a solid Work-Life balance. I prefer that setting.
What an awesome post and great story about your family! So glad you have found a way to do work that makes you happy and lets you have a life. St. Kern can suck it, baby.
Fantastic post! I've come across a multitude of Kerns in my short academic career thus far, and all it has served to do is to reinforce the notion that I don't want to end up like them. As Genomic Repairman said, most of us are just pebbles in the scientific quarry, and why on earth should we sacrifice everything to achieve that end.
Everything you described is exactly how I feel, an incredibly noble way to leave an impact in the world is to raise your children well and give them exactly what your parents gave you.
So true! Great article! My graduate advisor always felt guilty whether she was at work or at home. She always talked about spending time with the kids becz they were growing up so fast, but at all of their sporting events she would be working to catch up and write more grants. Grant season was the season from hell! The once over-nurturing environment of our lab (becz apparently she couldn't trust us to think on our own) turned into an information desert...and our PI, who was strung out on caffeine, continually filled us up with WRONG information and HORRIBLE ideas that took us weeks, if not months, to undo! Academia is for the egotistical...and they can have it! I'll take family that will take care of me when I grow old. And last time I checked, a pipette never kept anyone warm at night...unless it was being burned!
And last time I checked, a pipette never kept anyone warm at night...unless it was being burned!
Good point!
I know this comment comes a little late, but great post TJ. My current plans are to try and juggle the academic pursuit with family, and while I know that will require some longer days, I WILL NOT let it take over my life. I am pretty sure no one on their death bed ever looked back on their life and thought, "Gee, I really wish I would have spent less time with my loved ones and more time at work."
This is a really great post. Balance is a valuable lesson, and the earlier on it is learned, the better off one is, imo.
So where do you work? What do you mean by non-academic research? Biotech companies??
Where I work is strictly provided on a need-to-know basis. However, non-academic research is research done in a non-academic setting. That can be industry, private institutions, government agencies, hospitals ... the list is long and varied.
I am not a fan of academic research by any means but something has to be said about the job uncertainty observed in biotech companies, especially these days.
Other than that, private institutions are usually either companies or grant funded places (aka academia minus the teaching), the majority of government agencies are no good for NON-American citizens (even with a green card, i.e. permanent residents), hospital positions are very rare (unless you do clinical research) etc etc.
This is exactly why I asked where you worked. The points you made about academia are indeed legit, but I have not found a research based professional scenario where all is wonderful and great. And as it looks like you did, I was curious to find out more about it. (Stalking was never my intention :-)).
For pseudonymity purposes, I cannot reveal where I work. I will say this however, not every institution/center/etc will be an ideal fit for everyone. There will be people who won't be eligible either due to citizenship, career-arc, skill set, etc.
When I found my current place of employment, my focus changed so dramatically that if you can't look at my career and guess what degrees I hold. As for what is "wonderful and great", that is also up to the individual. A lot of people are probably much better at stomaching bullcrap than I am, which may make their ideal job a lot different than mine. I may have tolerances which make me ideally suited for my current career, where some people would despise it. To this I recommend the following: Keep an open mind when entering graduate school as to your career path. When looking at postdocs, also keep an open mind. While the temptation may be to sharpen your current skill set, perhaps look into convincing someone to take a flyer on your skills (which you can apply to their own questions as a twist on their own research) and have them train you in theirs. This worked for me (though once again, it may not work out for everyone).


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White water rafting Program A
Rafting on the enchanting Songpreak River is true to say one of Thailand's best kept secrets. This challenge should not be missed. Safety is top priority on the popular rubber raft. Even for those who normally fear water, there are experienced and well trained guides to ensure that all participants are equipped with helmet and lifejacket. High laugh, scream and yells are unavoidable factors among participants, while they duel with the river forces.
As if this were not enough excitement you should also try the All Terrain Vehicles (ATV) and elephant trekking in the rainforest.
|07.30am – 08.00am
|Pickup at your hotel.
|16.00pm – 17.30pm
|Transfer back to hotels
|Booking Rates:
|What's included:
|Important Note:
*Please contact us for an exact quote and bookings


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Delphi, in it's XE4 version, is not only a cross platform tool, but it also offers a way to develop for Apple's iOS, that is the iPhone and the iPad.
It is also easy to find out how it does all that, and whether it works for you by registering for one of Embarcadero's free, online Webinars. These come around from time to time, with differing emphasis. See http://www.embarcadero.com/coderage.


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Safety Publications/Articles
Young CFIs
One of the challenges that young flight instructors face is that they often appear young to their prospective students. Not every young CFI has a problem with this. Those with boyish or girlish looks, however, often aren't prepared to cope with the questions posed to them by their students.
I started flight instructing when I was very young, and I looked it, too. An older student would ask me, "How long have you been instructing?" To which I'd honestly reply, "Oh, eight or nine [long pause] weeks."
The prospective and mature student might then ask, "With your limited experience, why should I train with you over someone older and with more flight time?" That was an honest question and one I was unprepared to answer-at least until I prepared an answer. Every good salesman knows that you must always be prepared to handle customer objections and turn them into advantages. From then on, when asked, I'd say something like the following:
"Actually, Mr. Jones, the recency of my training is very much to your advantage. Like every other CFI, I am fully certified by the FAA to train beginning pilots, advanced pilots, and even flight instructors. You'll benefit from my being trained on the latest equipment, using the latest techniques. You will also find that I do not have any 'This is the way we've always done it' attitude to get in your way. Your comfort and success is my greatest interest, so let's get started, and if at any point you don't feel I'm doing the best possible job for you, I'll help you find someone more to your liking. Is that fair enough?"
There you go. One quart of lemonade, fresh squeezed from the customer's lemons. You've taken what the customer saw as a disadvantage (your inexperience) and converted it into an advantage. It worked for me, and should do the same for you.
By Rod Machado


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Registration for the Japanese Language School's Fall Semester is now open! Class & Registration Information for the Fall 2019 Semester is available below. Final Deadline for registration without late fee is Friday, September 13th, 2019!
Thank you very much for your patience and support!
For all questions, please call (202) 833-2210 or e-mail email@example.com. If you need assistance in finding your most suitable class level, you may call or e-mail us, or take a self-assessment placement test.
We kindly ask that you refer to our FAQ before inquiring. Thank you.
Language & Culture School
The Japan-America Society offers Japanese and English language instruction and other classes for special cultural activities such as Japanese calligraphy, yoga in Japanese, and kimono classes. Whether you are looking to start fresh or improve your current language skills, or if you want to take up a new traditional Japanese art form, we have it here for you!
Quick Points about the Japanese Language School (JLS)
- All our Japanese classes meet once a week for one and a half hours for ten weeks. Classes are on Monday – Thursday, starting at either 5:30pm or 7:00pm.
- Tuition: $200 for JASWDC members and $275 for non-JASWDC members. There will be a $25 late fee added to the tuition if you sign up after the deadline.
- You can become a member and sign up for a class at the same time.
- If you don't know which class you should join, you can take a self-assessment placement test or stop by our office Monday – Friday, between 9:30am – 5:30pm or contact us at 202-833-2210 or email@example.com. We can offer you a consultation based on your history of learning Japanese. (Placement tests are not mandatory and are not final indicators of which level you should take.)
- Class descriptions can be found here. Please note that not all classes will be offered each semester, but that a selection of beginner/intermediate/advanced classes will.
- All our Japanese classes have a minimum of 4 students and a maximum of 12 students. If the class has less than 4 students, that class will be cancelled.
If your questions are not addressed here, please go to the FAQ page before contacting us.
In 2018, JLS plans to begin and end its Japanese language semesters as follows:
Winter 2018: January 8 – March 15 (10 weeks)
Spring 2017: April 23 – June 28 (10 weeks)
Summer 2017: July 9 – September 13 (10 weeks)
Fall 2017: September 24 – November 29 (10 weeks)
Quick points about the English Language School (ELS)
- 授業は毎週火曜日、10時(会話クラス)もしくは11時30分(ディスカッションクラス)から。
- 1学期10週間、各クラス1時間半。
- 受講費は、日米協会会員様は$200、非会員様は$275。締切後の申込みは事務手数料$25が追加になります。
- 日米協会会員登録と英語講座のお申し込みを同時に行う事も可能。
- お申し込みが4名以下の場合、講座が開講されない場合がありますので、予めご了承ください。
To learn more about the Japanese & English Language Schools >>
Culture Classes
In addition to traditional Japanese classes, we offer other opportunities, called Culture Classes, to learn and practice the language such as yoga and networking lunches in Japanese.
To learn more about our Culture Classes >>
Weekly Nihongo
Weekly Nihongo (#WeeklyNihongo) is JASWDC's online-only casual classroom of Japanese learning. Posted weekly on our Facebook by native Japanese learners, Weekly Nihongo teaches our Internet audience about simple grammar, phrases, words, etymology, and fun facts related to the Japanese language using videos and photos. If you need to brush up on certain Japanese grammar points, or want to learn more behind the language that you're learning, our bite-sized Weekly Nihongo posts are perfect for you.


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In the techie news (not that I'm a techie, but sometimes I like to pretend I am) it has been somewhat controversial that Verizon and Skype partner up. At the Mobile World Congress last month the announcement was made regarding this pairing and the tech world was a tad split on how good this would be for the industry. On one hand, Skype is a very inexpensive phone/video service available to almost anyone. On the other hand, Skype is a very inexpensive phone/video service available to almost anyone. Starting this week, the service will be available on 9 different smartphones. This is going to be fantastic for anyone - individual or business - who runs on a budget.
So I know that there is a Skype app for iPhones, but let's do a little comparison to see the differences between the Skypes.
The iPhone Skype application:
- you can't run other programs while using the app
- the app works over the Wi-Fi network (for now at least)
The Verizon Skype Mobile service:
- will be of the "always on" variety (your contacts will be able to see your presence and call you or IM you through the Skype service)
- routes calls over the Verizon 3G network (a network built for voice and call volume)
- does not impact available minutes on either calling/data plan
The Skype service, in general, has always been great for international calls. It is extremely cost-effective in that regard. That particular perk remains the same. The Skype Mobile service will allow international calls with a lower per-minute charge than you would normally incur on your cell phone.
My opinion (assuming you want it)? Good all around.
The story: http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/192270/benefits_of_skype_mobile_on_verizon.html


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Well heck I finally deleted you
from my phone,
from my conscious mind
and then you had the nerve to show up in a dream,
all friendly and conciliatory.
I leaned against your shoulder, into the feel of you.
Sure, we can be friends
Sweet (did you whisper back?)
Robin Lubatkin does circle time with the very young and what she calls "songhealing" with the very old.


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27 -29 April 2014, Larnaca, Cyprus
Objective: To educate and certify Organizers on an international basis. The seminar is organized by the FIDE Event's Commission (EVE) and the Cyprus Chess Federation.
Subject: Successful Seminar attendees will be granted a FIDE IO Norm necessary for the FIDE IO title application. Detailed International Organizers Titles Regulations here.
Schedule:Sunday, 27th April 16:00 to 19:00 Seminar (Part 1)Monday, 28th April 16:00 to 19:00 Seminar (Part 2)Tuesday, 29th April 16:00 to 19:00 Seminar (Part 3 - Exams)
Venue: The seminar will be held at the Cityhall of Larnaca.
Seminar Topics: General Tournaments' Regultions - FIDE Events Regulations - Bid Procedure, Evaluation Criteria – FIDE Calendar Regulations - Events Management.
Seminar Fee: The seminar is FIDE supported and is free for the participants from the FIDE Zone 10.1 (European Small Nations) Lecturer : IO Theodoros Tsorbatzoglou - Secretary FIDE Events Commission Email:
Language: The seminar will be held in English language. Information/Registration: Mr. Paris Klerides Email:
Skype account: parisklerides Tel: +357 99663686 FIDE Secretariat:
Deadline for registrations: Tuesday 22.04. 2014. Up to 20 participants by registration priority.


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"Inspiration is a key element to growth. We need to see our peer's work to measure our own skill levels…and that helps us to keep striving to learn different techniques and to perfect the techniques we already attempt." Extracted from the CQJP 2012 blog write up.
Yes you are going to say "what another project on your plate?" and I'm going to say is YEPPERS, and I've got the plans for this project mapped out and just have to manage one block of at least 6" square monthly and embellished. Again I'm not sure what to expect from this or how it is going to unfold but I'm going to try! I will be posting my monthly accomplishments here in this page for all to check out and hopefully a Christmas themed wall hanging to show off a year from now.
OHHHHH I wish I was retired now so my days were my own and I could play full time - I sure have enough stash, if I really put my mind to task and use what I have, to last me a long time that is for sure.
So anyone else who wants to play with "crazy quilting and cq embellishing" check out the CQ Journal Project website for more information.


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Happy Motivation Monday, friends! Here's a site full of motivational quotes for writers. Enjoy!
Take shelter in inspirational quotes, meditations, writing prompts, and life reflections for sensitive souls.
Happy Motivation Monday, friends! Here's a site full of motivational quotes for writers. Enjoy!
Finally, it's Funny Friday again! Hooray! Here's a writing joke to brighten your afternoon.
There was once a young man who, in his youth, professed his desire to become a great writer.
When asked to define "great," he said, "I want to write stuff that the whole world will read, stuff that people will react to on a truly emotional level, stuff that will make them scream, cry, howl in pain and anger!"
He now works for Microsoft, writing error messages.
Happy Writing Wednesday, friends! Let's take a few minutes to talk about senses. Take a look at the first five pages of a recent work, and highlight any descriptions that appeal to the senses: touch, taste, sight, smell, and sound. How many highlights did you make? Were there highlights on each page? If not, where could you add sensory description to make your writing come alive for the reader? The writing journey is tough, but don't lose your senses! 😉
Happy Motivation Monday, friends! Today, let's talk about a topic we're all familiar with–stress. Stress tends to deplete motivation. To stay motivated, we need to manage stress by replacing it with positive thoughts and actions. How has stress impacted your motivation lately?
Take some time to identify the stress in your life. How is your stress affecting you physically and emotionally? I challenge you to take 15 minutes this evening to sit in a quiet room, put on some relaxing music, close your eyes, and focus on your breathing. If any stressful thoughts come to mind, replace them with motivational thoughts. Think about your goals and the feeling of meeting those goals, rather than focusing on the stress of the journey.
Let's see what results we see in the following week after taking time to clear our minds of stress.
TGIF! I hope you get to unwind this evening with a good book. 🙂
Happy Writing Wednesday, friends! This Monday, I got an incredibly helpful professional critique, and I learned so much from the feedback. Most importantly, I learned how to improve my plot development. I'd like to share my three biggest plot development lessons with you.
I hope you'll benefit from these lessons as much as I have. Best of luck on your writing!
Happy Motivation Monday, friends! It's a beautiful, albeit chilly, day. I'm finally feeling back to normal, and today I will receive a professional critique of my novel with many helpful suggestions. Now it's time for me to plan how to implement these changes and set up a regular schedule, most likely using the Pomodoro method.
Whatever your goal may be, I'd like to invite you to join me in the journey toward meeting a goal. What can you do to get there? How can you break it into manageable chunks for each day? What will it mean when you reach your goal? How will your life change? I hope these thoughts will motivate you as much as they motivate me.
It's a new year with new possibilities, and it's time to make them reality!


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Thursday, October 15, 2009
Interpreting the HIT Standards Spreadsheet
Interpreting the Clinical Operations Recommendations
The Clincial Operations document has been very difficult to read because it groups various functions together when making the standards recommendations. But then it doesn't identify which standards apply to which functions. I did a little calling around and digging to find out what it all means, and am reporting my findings here in the hopes of helping to dispell similar confusions others face.
However, I must note that you use this information at your own risk. The interim final rule will be published in the Federal Register some time in December. While I may have some good guesses, nobody except those at ONC who are writing it really knows what it will contain.
First of all, the Clinical Operations Workgroup spreadsheet was limited to two pages to avoid scaring people off. However, if you've tried to print it out like I did, and your vision is as good (as bad really) as mine, you'll see that the information is as dense as what could have appeared in four or more pages. Also, the tabular format really wasted a lot of white space that could have been put to better use.
Summary Records, Clincial Reports, Encounter Messages, Radiology Messages, Allergies, and Clinical Notes Content Exchange
The HIT Standards Committee recommended use of the Standards specified HITSP Capabilities 117, 118, 119, 120, 126, 127 and 137 for these purposes. What they didn't say which would have been helpful, is which of these capabilities applies to Summary Records (119 and 120), Clinical Reports (126, 127), Encounter Messages (137), Radiology Messages (137), Allergies (I haven't figured that one out yet but it appears to be 117 and 118 by a process of elimination), and Clinical Notes Content (119 and 120).
As always, when you use a term or short phrase, it's really helpful if you give a definition of it, especially if your readers weren't part of the norming process that you went through. I'd like to point out that "Clinical Reports" and "Clinical Notes" are pretty hard to distinguish between, and I've only managed to do so because I did the mappnig. This is one of the principals that the HITSP Data Architecure specification uses. Each thing we discuss has both a name and a definition. Hopefully, future communications from the Standards Committee will be more helpful here.
I won't go into all the gory details for the other requirements. Now that you know the general pattern, you should be able to apply it on your own. The key thing in understanding the HIT Standards document is to A) look at the HITSP Capabilities they identified, and then B) break down the requirements by function and map them to capabilities.
I'll be working on some thoughts about how to better present this information and communicating those to members of the Clinical Operations Workgroup subsequently.
Interpreting the Privacy and Security (and Infrastructure) Workgroup Recommendations
The output of this group is much easier to read. There are four tabs in the spreadsheet, crossing certification/guidance with security/infrastructure (there's very little here with respect to privacy yet). My interpretation of this is that the guidance tabs identifies the appropriate HITSP specifications that will help you to understand what to implement, and the certification tabs tell you the standards that have been recommended. Why they couldn't just identify the HITSP specifications and leave the naming of standards to those documents is beyond my pay grade.
Document Exchange
This was most helpful except for one thing, which was Document Exchange. The question that I've had to track down is whether or not one a document exchange standard (e.g., XDS.b, XDR or XDM) is required for 2011 or not . The spreadsheets from the workgroup call out specifically standards that are required, and specifically name XDS.b, XDR and XDM but in 2013 and beyond. However, they also call out HITSP Service Collaboration 112, which specifically names XDS.b, XDR and XDM.
So, I sent out several queries, and the feedback I've heard and seen from others who have been in communication with the Security and Privacy Workgroup and the Clinical Operations Workgroup is that intent was that ONE OF these would be needed to support the exchange of patient information, just as is specified in Capability 119 and 120, and the underlying Service Collaboration 112.
2 comments:
The Privacy and Security updates were fixes. They consisted of two items:ReplyDelete
1) SOAP version now fixed at 1.2. There was a misunderstanding before that SOAP 1.1 was needed, but reality is that the marketplace using the selected healthcare standards isn't actually using any SOAP 1.1
2) Kerberos. This was a misunderstanding as well that I outlined on my blog http://healthcaresecprivacy.blogspot.com/2009/09/kerberos-required-in-2011-then.html
As to the XDS, XDR, XDM question... I have been told that the answer is as Keith has stated. Pick at least one. Anyone will do. What is not as clear is that when you pick one, you need to pick both-sides of that one. That is you must pick a way to send and receive. For Example: If you pick XDM, then you must be able to publish to XDM and consume XDM. Ill be interested to hear Keith's perspective on consumption, does this mean just 'view' or does it mean 'import in full fidelity with complete attribution of source'?
Bravo Keith, my sentiments exactly. And many others are going through the exact same exercise you mention, because of the 'many-to-many' relationships of requirements to standards in each row of the spreadsheet. The EHRA actually made a public comment to the same effect, through Charles Parisot. Your specific breakdown of one "row" was good to illustrate this in terms that the public can understand.ReplyDelete
David Tao


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Posts Tagged 'gotham city'
Christian Bale (Bruce Wayne), Heath Ledger (The Joker), Aaron Eckhart (Harvey Dent), Michael Caine (Alfred), Gary Oldman (Gordon), Morgan Freeman (Lucius Fox), Cillian Murphy (Jonathan Crane), Maggie Gyllenhaal (Rachel). Screenplay by Christopher and Jonathan Nolan. Directed by Christopher Nolan. Rating: 12A. Running time: 152 minutes. A cinema-screen film if you've ever seen one, the second […]
Filed under: action, crime, drama, thriller | Leave a Comment
Tags: aaron eckhart, batman, bruce wayne, chicago, christian bale, christopher nolan, cillian murphy, gary oldman, gotham city, heath ledger, inception, kant, kurosawa, maggie cyllenhaal, manhattan, michael caine, morality, morgan freeman, nietzsche, nihilism, the dark knight, the joker, ubermensch


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Students and Teachers….what are you doing this summer? Whatever your summer plans are, you've "Gotta" take advantage of this incredible offer of 9 weeks of Yoga for only $99!! This is a great opportunity to experience the difference a regular yoga practice will make in your life! For example, yoga improves concentration and focus, increases strength and flexibility, reduces stress and anxiety, and is the perfect compliment to any sports and recreation activity! Athletes everywhere are discovering the benefits of yoga…but more on that next week! Stay tuned!
9 WEEKS FOR $99 offer expires June 30th…so sign up today! You can even sign up over the phone! Call 704.237-0526


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on October 15, 2009 by eldar in Personal Notes, Comments (0)
Guns and morons
I just could not resist the temptation and answered on the friend's blog to his "Guns and morons" post:
Geeze, Serge, as somebody who has two great colleges under the belt you sure should know better than mixing up privilege and right, legally, two quite different concepts.
As long as gun ownership is the right, it should be treated as a right like the right to vote. Lets apply your logic to the right to vote.
1. Does most of the population has brains to vote? As a voting citizen of this great country who was disappointed with the results of voting over and over again, I don't feel so. Morons are not just on gun boards, that's a landmark of any great civilization that has enough food to feed everybody. While USA is a great example, it's not the only one. Think of USSR…
2. Consequences of morons exercising their right to vote are actually more dire than the consequences of the right to own guns. 2000 and 2004 elections left us with two wars with thousands of US casualties, and if you add dead Iraqis and Afgan people any firearm casualties stats in US will look like a statistical error.
So, following your liberal logic, we should prohibit voting. It's definitely not safe for public.
You see the problem? Rights are not supposed to be safe.
That said, I agree with you that morons will be at the heart of misusing any right people get.
I just disagree on focusing it on firearms theme. I don't think that in "moron+gun" the problem is the gun. Just like in "moron+voting", "moron+car", "moron+alcohol" or even "moron+ability to procreate".
Tags: Just a thought, Personal


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There are some great benefits to selling your house on auction. If you're in a situation where you need to sell your home within a particular time period, an auction is the perfect way forward as it has a set schedule.
Selling Your House at Auction
Auctions are also ideal for properties with unique characteristics, which are difficult to put a price on. Auctions are a more public way of selling your home and an effective means of reaching the masses.
Putting your house on auction really is the best way to find out exactly what the market is willing to pay for your property. There is no ceiling price. They offer a formulated marketing program designed to get the best offers from buyers. The set date of sale builds momentum as the auction date nears, which can have a positive effect on potential buyers and encourages them to act quickly. For this reason, many properties are sold prior to auction day as buyers are encouraged to enter into pre-auction negotiations.
Another positive with a house on auction is that auctions generally have set marketing costs and schedules, so you're aware of most of the incurred costs up front.
When you agree to sell your house on auction, you get the additional benefit of knowing exactly how many open for inspection days to plan for. These controlled, open house inspections minimise the impact on you and your family.
A house on auction has a set reserve price based on detailed discussions between you and your selling agent. This means there is no danger you will sell your house for less than you have specified. In fact, the competitive bidding at auction means there is no price barrier. And in the event your home does not meet the reserve, the auction process identifies the most likely buyers to negotiate with, once the hammer has fallen.