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What else can you call a blog when 61 IVS'ers come to a quiet island for a week of fun, laughter and great diving? This is IVS's biggest trip to date, and what a great one it has turned out to be! So lets begin…
For starters let's just say I had a feeling that this would be a very different start to one of our trips…I begin my day with an on time departure from Harleysville to allow me to arrive in Bonaire a full two days ahead of the group. Plenty of time to set up appointments, make dinner reservations, get the dive center squared away, and be ready to greet our arriving IVS'ers when they start coming in at 4:30 a.m. on Saturday. The only possible hiccup in my plans is the fact that Delta only flies directly to Bonaire on Saturdays, so I'm traveling to Miami today on my favorite airline, then for a third world sort of travel experience, I am switching over to Insel Air to complete my journey, flying first to Curacao, then on to Bonaire. Sounds simple enough, eh?
To help ensure that all these connections happen, I've decided to start off with a 6:45 flight this morning out of Philadelphia. So, after a busy night of organizing, locating missing gear, shuffling paperwork, washing clothes, and finally packing, I find myself heading down to the airport in what should be plenty of time to park, shuttle to the airport, and make my flight in a leisurely fashion. Is this to be? Let's see how the morning unfolds…
Bad sign #1 – traffic is completely stopped on I-476 on my way south. Should be OK, how long can this last? Tick, tick, tick…..after a half hour of sitting, finally we start crawling south. At this point, my safety margin has evaporated, and it is a more customary mad rush to the airport. In fact, I don't have time to park now or I will miss the FAA-mandated 45 minute baggage cut-off time before my flight! Geeez…how did this happen already??
So I throw caution to the winds, and race directly to the curbside check-in to get my bags in. But oh no, the line outside is too long, and I need to run my bags inside. Of course there is no parking and certainly no abandoned vehicles without drivers allowed to stop in front of the terminal, but does this deter this man on his mission? Noooooo! So I park the truck, turn on the flashers, and drag my bags out and into the terminal. I leave the tailgate down for that "still unloading" look, just in case I need to fool the parking police.
Well it seems there was quite a bit of bad weather along the east coast last night, causing flight cancellations all over the place, and certainly fouling this mornings travel up a bit. So my first flight is delayed, but a second flight is available, so the helpful Delta gate agent gets right on the task of moving my reservation around. Meanwhile, I need to keep running back outside to ensure my truck is still there and not being towed away or blown up like an abandoned bag!
OK, new flight confirmed finally, now time to check the bags. I have six bags in total, two big Pelican cases that weigh in at 74 and 78 pounds each, plus a big roller duffle, pushing 68 pounds. Add to that my small Pelican case full of cameras, my backpack, and another bag full of paperwork that somehow keeps following me around on my trips. The "master plan" is to check them through all the way to Bonaire via Delta as there is no doubt that Insel Air will be bringing out the big cash register for my excess baggage fees. If Delta tags them all the way to my final destination, then I am home free and Insel Air gets nothing! I like that! In between the agent working the computer and asking questions, I keep running back to the front door to check on the truck – it's still there, flashers going, and no tow truck in front!
But alas, we have a problem here Houston. It seems that Delta and Insel Air don't have a 'cooperative baggage agreement" so the folks at Delta cannot check my bags past Miami. Man, this sucks, I am thinking, I am going to take a hurting in Miami when I have to check these bags onto the Insel Air flight.
So…now the wheels are turning. I need a new plan here, and I only have a few hours to hatch a good one. OK, so I agree to have my bags accompany me to Miami, and head out to park the truck. Amazing, it has been sitting here for 45 minutes now, and I didn't even get a ticket, let alone have to fight off a nasty Philadelphia Parking Authority tow truck operator. Fate is funny today, giving me good signs, bad signs, mixed signs…..the jury is still out on how today will turn out!
So back down the road I go, and just in case I catch some grief about my three carry-ons, I am thinking a roll of duct tape would be a good idea to be able to tape my paperwork bag onto my camera case, which, according to airline standards, converts the two of them into "one" carry-on. So gosh, at 6:45 in the morning, you would think that it would be no problem to pick up a roll somewhere near the airport. But, do you think there's a hardware store near the airport? No…not at all. I drive all the way to Glenolden, stop for a soda at a local Wawa, and there's a local cop so I ask him for help. Sure enough, there's 24-hour Wal-Mart a couple of blocks away, so I head in that direction. Wait, there's a 24-hour Walhgreen's there, so I pull in. Sure enough, they have duct tape, so my mission is accomplished. Back in the truck, I head back to park and get to the airport.
My shuttle drops me off at the airport and boy, things have picked up here in terms of human traffic. Seems that there was quite a bit of bad weather in the region and that caused a lot of flight cancellations, and now the excess strain is showing. Not cool, I am thinking, as I tip the shuttle driver and jog on up to security. Holy smokes Batman, the security lines are extending completely out of the enclosed area, even the frequent flyer line. Not cool, I think, now time is starting to get a wee bit tight here. I wait patiently, slowly moving forward, watching my watch. I am thinking, how can a day that started out so relaxed be causing me to have such anxiety now??
Finally I get to the front of the line, and have my ID checked. Cool, I am thinking, it's tight, but still very do-able with regards to boarding, which has, by my watch, just started. It's not too far to the gate, so I just need to get past this one last hurdle here with the baggage screeners and I am golden. So, the way the baggage screening machines are laid out, you need to walk almost up to the machine to push your bags in, and then you have to turn and walk about 10 feet over to pass through the metal detector. Could have been a more efficient layout, I think every time I pass through, but who would listen? So I have my shoes off, laptop and phone in one bin, backpack, other briefcase, and my camera case on the table. I push them forward, but the guy in front of me gets real testy when my stuff touches his, and he literally pushes my first bin back towards me. OK, I am thinking, what is his issue? Single child? Mother refused to nurse him? Never picked for the team in grade school? Who knows, but there is something for sure, and I don't need to work on a cure for him today. So, I leave some extra space in front of me, so his items are untouched by mine.
As his bags start onto the belt, I slide mine forward, almost to the belt, not touching his, but clearly onto the roller conveyor. There's a guy behind me with that 'frequent traveler' air about him, and he and I were kibitzing and sharing comments on the state of affairs in TSA Central this morning. So I glance at him, he acknowledges that he'll push his things along to ensure mine get through, and I head over to pass through the metal detector. As I pass through, the belt starts on the conveyor, and suddenly there is a curly-haired female TSA agent standing next to it, and asks, loudly, "Who's bags are these?" Well it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure that out, and I look over, and she says "Sir, you have to push your own bags through the machine". "Cut me a friggin' break", I am thinking, I am already through the metal detector, so I wave to my friend who was behind me and say out loud, "can you give them a little shove?"
Well that little bit of insolence didn't sit well with Ms. TSA and she storms along the back of the machine, watching over the monitor screen as my bags pass through. I am quietly shaking my head, thinking what can she have up her little blue sleeve? "Sir, is this your bag?" she asks, knowing full well the answer. I nod, and she says "I have to examine this bag sir". "Whatever floats your boat", I think I said, and with that she picks up my camera case and says "follow me please" as she heads over to the screening table. I gather my other bags, put my shoes back on, and begin to head over, as I catch her glaring at my, her look expressing her inner rage that I didn't just race right over there as directed by Her Little Blue Highness.
So I stroll over, and stand alongside the table where she has my bag. She asks for another agent to help her lift my bag onto the table, and I am wondering, what sort of lackadaisical fitness requirements do they have in place that she couldn't flip that bag up there? She'd really be great if called upon to wrestle down a gun-wielding terrorist, that's for sure. I suppose she would ask for help with that too.
"Stand over here in front of me sir", she says, and I respond "I am fine here, thanks." "No sir, I need you over here", she says, more emphatically this time. "Is this a TSA rule?", I ask, and she says "Yes it is, you have to stand here". I ask what the definition of "here" is, since there are no feet painted on the floor or box to define the area known as "here". I move and ask her "how's this" and she says that it's fine. So I am looking around, watching the other activities going on, and she says "Sir, you need to watch me while I check your bag". " I NEED to watch you?", I asked incredulously. "Why? You can pilfer whatever you want, it's OK", I say to her. Hmmmm, definitely not what she was seeking this morning, and she says in a stern voice, "We don't pilfer sir". I say "Oh yes, I'm sorry, you're right, although they did just convict those three Philadelphia TSA agents for stealing things out of passengers bags, eh? I think that pretty much puts the TSA and pilfering on the same page". " She rebutts with "that happens at every job", and I am shocked at that cavalier response to which I say "maybe that happens at every one of the jobs you've worked at, but it certainly does not happen at every job".
Well you can imagine this discourse is not helping expedite the checking of my bag, and after she has wiped it many, many times, she slides the sample pad into the machine and announces "Sir, we have a positive reading on your bag." Man, what a surprise that was, I am thinking. So now my other bags need to be re-scanned, and I need to be thoroughly patted down. The "patter" then samples his gloves, and lo and behold, another positive reading, or so he claims. This is getting less pretty all the time here! Off with the shoes, off with the belt, more wipe downs, more bag searching (and just possibly pilfering?) and finally they have had enough of me, and I am free to go. So I skidaddle down to the gate, and as I approach I can see out the window the jetway to my plane being pulled away. Those bastards, I am thinking, they have won this round, but the fight is far from over!!
So now we're back on the phone with Delta, and they move me to an afternoon flight out of Philadelphia which will cause me to miss my Insel connection in Miami. Might be a bad thing, might be a good thing…we'll see. The helpful Delta agent then books me on an American Airlines flight from Miami Curacao, and all I need to do is grab a short island hopper to Bonaire tonight. I grab lunch, get a little work done, and finally board my first flight of the day!
But wait, there's more! The bad weather has come back in, and we are delayed getting out, and delayed further in Atlanta. At this point we'll miss the American flight, so Delta puts me up overnight in Miami and rebooks me for the next day. I still need to think about those overweight bags though, and checking with American, they plan to hit me with excess bag fees and they will not check them to Bonaire, meaning I will have Dutch Antilles Airlines fees too. Man, back to square one here!
So now the wheels are really turning here…I abandon my bags in Miami, leaving them under the watchful eyes of Delta's baggage office there. When they call me Friday morning to say they have my bags, I inform them that I've been placed on another flight and I need my bags to be sent to my original final destination. And guess what? The answer is YES! So much for that 'bags have to travel with the passenger' nonsense!
But here I am, thinking man this 3-plus-hour flight in coach is going to be painful, so let's see about an upgrade. I'm a member of the American Airlines frequent flyer program with quite a few miles in my account, so I call the airline and go about getting my upgrade to first class in place. "No problem", the agent assures me, that will only require the redemption of 15,000 miles from my account for the upgrade. "No sweat", I am thinking, let's do it. "OK sir, that will be 15,000 miles plus a $50 fee for the redemption", he says. "Hmmm", I am thinking, "Delta never charges me". OK, so I give him the credit card info, and then he says "Alrighty sir, that is done, but because we are redeeming these miles less than seven days before your flight, there is a $100 expediting fee for the redemption". "Clearly, we are not flying on Delta here", I share with him, as I give him the nod to go ahead and bang this customer one more time. So, 15,000 miles, plus $50, plus $100 and I am sitting in a big comfortable seat, which my butt needs now from the screwing I just received from America Airlines. Yep, only 15,000 miles for that upgrade……
Mission accomplished (assuming bags actually make it) and I jet off to Curacao with only my carry-on's. Small world story here…as I am boarding the plane in Curacao I notice a guy looking at my IVS polo shirt. The one I have chosen for today's adventure is a fitting one, as it says IVS-St. Louis, a poignant reminder that not all decisions that look good on paper end up as good ones! He catches my eye and says "Wowe, we've got an Indian Valley Scuba in Pennsylvania too! I chuckle, realize he had been reading the shirt, and find out he is none other than Jeff Linowski, an IVS customer and fellow PADI instructor, from Chester. He's here with one student for the week too, and plans on doing some diving with our gang while he's here. Cool. Amazing small world it always proves to be!
So finally I am making my way to the lovely island of Bonaire at 8:45 Friday evening. Still ahead of schedule, sort of, but at least I am here! Tom Brennan has flown in this evening too, as has Mark & Natasha Souder, so we commiserate with dinner and drinks at the resort, re-uniting with our favorite waiter Andrew who remembers us all from last year. Andrew informs us we are the biggest group that Plaza Resort has hosted this year, and I smile and tell him "wait til next year!" We finally call it a night, getting a few hours of sleep before greeting the gang in the morning.
Meanwhile, back at the ranch, the gang on the Continental flight from Newark has chartered a bus to haul them up from the shop to the airport. Great plan, or so it seems, until the bus is loaded, and the rear bumper is literally dragging the ground with the pile of dive gear that was all loaded in the back few rows of seats. Too little time to get another bus, so a few of the group get off, fill two vans with luggage, and the merry caravan gets on it's way to north Jersey. Nothing like a little supplemental drama to help add character to an already great trip!
Well four-thirty comes way too early, and we get up to meet the first wave, including Mike & Cathy Parzynski, Donna Raleigh, Roy & Laurie Scherrer, Ray Graff with his daughter Caitlin and her boyfriend Nick Tingly, Lynn & James Swartley along with their recent high school graduate daughter Jess, Jody Bryan & John Alcott, Rob & Jen O'Donnell, Drew & Vanessa Myers, Mike & Teresa Swartley, Brad Creveling, Brian LaSpino & Deanna Kuik, Diane DeFeo & Albert Cugno, Misty Pileggi, Catherine Stevenson, Scott Bruce, Herb & Sheldon DuBois, Amir Stark, Morris Kligger and his daughter Rachel, Tom Rebbie & Penny Kospiah, Keith and Craig Beaver, and the Bennett's – Phil, Becky, Steve & Mike.
On the 5:30 a.m. flight we get to greet some of our longer distance travelers, Jesica & Sheril Tyre, and Berry Smith from California, along with Stephanie Skelton and Meredith Bernardo from Ohio. Steph and Mere are traveling light like me, although not by plan, as their baggage has been lost, so their clothes and bags will hopefully be delivered tomorrow! Mere is not a happy girl at all!!
Orientations at Toucan Diving begin in shifts since our group is significantly larger than the briefing room. First group at 8, second at 9, another at 11, then 2, and finally the last one will be at 4 for those arriving on this afternoon's Delta flight. Dive shop manager Alexander, along with staffers George, Sherman & Erika, do their typical great job with getting everyone signed up and set up for the weeks diving. It is truly a pleasure to work with such professionals as these folks and the rest of the staff at Toucan Diving.
The first briefing is barely over and the 'clank, clank' of tanks being loaded in our rentals SUV's can be heard as our divers get ready to log their first dives. First car in line is Jim, Lynn, Jody & John, piling in two tanks each for a ride to the southern sites. Amir & Brad are waiting patiently in their car for the first one to move so they can start loading tanks too. Man, these guys love to dive!!
I head down to the airport to hopefully pick up my bags, along with the last of our arrivals on the Delta flight. But first, small world story #2…I am early to the airport (go figure) so I head into the lounge to grab a brew and wait for the plane to arrive. As I order my beer, I hear "Hey, Dave Valaika" from across the room and I turn to see James, the DM from Amoray Dive Resort in Key Largo, standing there with his dad. The two of them were here on vacation last week, and as fate would have it, they were flying home on the Delta plane that was about to land. We'll be diving with James at Amoray in less than four weeks from now. Small, small, world. OK, back to picking up the rest of the crew, which includes our official group leader Sue Douglass, Rachel McGril (another long distance traveler, coming in from Cuba), Joe Cox, Michele Highley and her sons Palmer & Ranier, photo-pro Bob Hahn, Tony Smith, Neil Spaulding from Colorado, Kevin Carre, and Morris, Niki and Rachel Kligger. Amazingly my bags have survived their ordeal and were the first ones off the plane, so we are, in the words of 70's sensations Peaches and Herb, re-united and it feels so good!
Back to the resort and we get through our fifth and final orientation of the day, and I can just about narrate that video by heart! Everyone is excited, and in fact some of our earliest arrivals already have 3 and 4 dives under their belts! Busy boy that I have been, I finally get my first dive of the dive of the day in, a night dive off the beach at the resort, and nail my first lionfish of the week here. By nighttime of day one the dive count is up to five already for our most intrepid divers, including Steve, Amir, Joe, and Brad. Wow!
Sunday begins another beautiful sunny day in the land known as 'Diver's Paradise' and some of our guys are in the water at 6:00 a.m. already! It won't be surprising to see some with over 40 logged dives on this trip – we'll update that count later this week! Breakfast at the Banana Tree Restaurant is delicious and more than ample, so we get a good filling there before we start our day. Our open water checkout dives begin this morning and we've got Morris, Palmer, Berry & Cathy P ready for their briefing and first dives. Rachel is joining us also for some DSD dives with Steve H. Sue administers the pre-dive briefing, and we gear up and head into the water. Weighting is checked, some adjustments made, and our group gets under and enjoys two good initial skills dives on the house reef, known as 18 Palm. Lots of life here, and beautiful healthy corals and sponges of all sorts too. I find myself thinking about the home team who are at Dutch Springs this weekend with another big group of check out dives scheduled, and hoping they are experiencing equally great conditions, albeit with slightly less coral, and water temps a little lower than the 85 degrees we are enjoying here.
Bob Hahn is starting his two-day underwater digital photography program today also, so his group is in the classroom and getting their cameras ready. They will end up getting in three dives and shooting a few hundred photos today before returning to the class and learning how to optimize those images using Adobe Photoshop. Bob's class is truly the way to go to really improve your skills in capturing some fantastic images of what we see and enjoy so much under the sea.
The first of our boat dives begin this afternoon, and with the size of our group, Toucan Diving has dedicated four boats to handle us. We head over to Klein Bonaire, and the first thing on our list is Seahorses, so we drop in at Rockpile and do a nice, long one-way dive towards westward along the island. Sure enough, there is a huge seahorse there, and Sherman our guide points it out to us. It must be 7 or 8 inches long, a really nice one, and he's not shy at all about us taking pictures – very cool. And Ranier gets a treat as Erika snorkels with him while we are diving, so everyone gets wet on this trip!
Toucan Diving is great to work with, and we have arranged for all our boat dives to be done in "drift fashion", rather than the typical local way of the boat anchoring and you dive away from the boat then turn and cover the same reef as you swim back to the boat. In our case, we don't moor, and we don't turn around, as the boat follows our bubbles and meets us further along the reef for our pickup. Much more fun and we get to see so much more of the reef this way too.
Today we have a couple of folks who are not feeling so well on the boat, so rather than staying out for our second dive and having them feeling any worse, we opt to head back to the main island and enjoy a "hot drop" north of the resort, and we dive our way along the reef, ending up surfacing in front of the resort itself. Meanwhile the boat heads in to get the 'greener' ones unloaded and feeling better with a non-moving surface under their feet.
Sunday night and most of us enjoy yet another night dive, with a bunch of us heading down to the Salt Pier to sneak in (without required guide or permit) and we have a great dive, with Eagle Rays swooping around us, lots of turtles, octopus, squid, plenty of fish life and more. Another lionfish meets his maker tonight too. Great night dive and just the perfect way to work up a good thirst for a visit to the Coconut Crash Beach Bar for a little late night round of snacks, hydrating beverages, and laughter.
Monday and our divers again are off and running all over the island, starting at the crack of dawn. The earliest enjoyed a sunrise dive on the Hilma Hooker wreck, followed by a second dive before breakfast – you have to love this passion that so many of us have for diving! Our open water students are back at it, and we complete all our skills off the beach with a couple of great dives there. Diane DeFeo, our IAHD-Americas certified diver on this trip, also enjoys her longest and deepest dive to date, and it's wonderful to work with her and share our love of diving.
Afternoon and it's boat time again, and we're ready to head out to see some more turtles over at Klein Bonaire. We first drop in at 'Just a Nice Dive' and sure enough, there are turtles all around. We do another nice drift dive, and see about 8 turtles during the course of the journey, along with squid, big puffers, and plenty of other great critters. We surface, swap tanks, motor along for about a 30 minute surface interval, and we're back under water, repeating the fun. From there we head back towards the main island, and the boat drops us off in front of Richard's Restaurant for our third boat dive, where again we swim along the reef and end up at the resort. I manage to nail 4 more lionfish on this jaunt, doing my part to keep the population in check! And the spotted eels well fed, as they love to take the lionfish off my spear. Very cool.
Tonight we have a boat night dive, and a lot of first time night-divers aboard, so that is always cool to see folks enjoying their first black-water experience. It's a good dive, lots to see, another lionfish goes to the great big reef in the sky, and everyone comes back just gushing with all the cool things they saw. Great dive!
Tuesday and it's more great diving all over the island. Some of the group made the drive up to the northwest coast and experienced some of the more challenging entries & exits there. The reef right in front of the resort, called 18 Palms, is always popular and is visited daily. We've got two really nice seahorses hanging out there, one black and one orange, and they are a delight to photograph and observe. The boats run out and we get three more dives in on them today, checking out some frogfish at one site, and finally doing our signature drift dive back to the resort with our third tank off the boat. We love the way Toucan Diving treats us and allows us to get three dives in on every boat trip – thank you Alexander! For tonight's entertainment we have a beach BBQ complete with the Silver Bullet band, a local troop with lots of drums, steel drums, and rhythm to entertain us non-stop while we enjoy a sumptious feast right on the beach under a most beautiful night sky. Life doesn't get much better than this!
Mike Parzynski also chimed in on the Hilma Hooker:
It seems I cannot stay away from the Hilma Hooker when on Bonaire. The first dive was with Herb and Sheldon. It was prefaced with Jody and John just getting out of the water. Jody proudly announces "Alcott got 99 feet, but I got 100." So, to honor the Valaika tradition of taking a challenge, I dug a hole under the bow and hit 101. Take that!
The second trip to the Hilma Hooker was a double dip with Donna. It was her first time, so I was gentle with her. We swam out towards the in-shore buoy and then dropped down and slid down the reef. Take a route around the bow we were greeted by nice bit tarpon hanging out in the holds. Into hold one, through one of the doors into hold two and come out by the rear of the ship. A quick look at gauges, turned on our lights and into the engine room we go. Of course, with camera in one hand, light in the other, I felt like a bull in a china shop. We did bounce around a little, but had a great dive. Easy penetration and not too tight. Back up the beautiful reef and surface right at the entry point.
So I ask Donna if she wants to hit a different spot and with a gleam in her eye, she says, "I want to do that one again!" So, off gas a bit, change out the tanks and back in the water to the Hilma Hooker. This time we head straight to the stern, do a nice swim through a passageway and then into the rear cargo hold. There is a door….. let's take a look. Okay, it is the engine room, there is a set of stairs, there is ambient light…. No problem, into the ship once again. Of course, it gets a little tight for me considering I have a slung 40, but a little wiggling and we have a great trip though with some awesome pictures on the way. Then it is up to the superstructure where Donna drops in and looks into a few of the rooms, doing recon for her second week on this lovely island with the DiveNY crowd.
Wednesday and we have no boat dives scheduled, so the SUV's are busy running up and down the coast, loaded with IVS divers and tanks, ready to splash at a moment's notice. There are so many wonderful sites here to choose from that it is difficult trying to decide which ones to go to next! We have some Advanced Open Water training to do today, so Sue takes her group over to the Hilma Hooker, a wreck sunk in 100 ft of water off the edge of the reef. Here they complete a Deep Adventure Dive, followed by a Wreck Adventure Dive, and everyone does great. The huge tarpon that hang under this 300 ft long wreck are amazing and not in the least intimidated by the presence of divers, so you can really observe these big fish just chillin' and watching you as you swim along. Pretty cool!
Wednesday afternoon and while some are diving, it's 'back to school' time for Jesica, Berry & Sheril, as they take their Enriched Air Nitrox exams and pass with flying colors – way to go team! Now they are officially qualified to breath the gas they've been breathing since Sunday – whew! And great news from the airport on Stephanie & Meredith's bags, which have still not shown up. Turns out they have arrived today! The girls are smiling big time at the thought of at least having everything they packed for the second half of the week. They head over to the airport but can't get their bags because no one is on duty at the Continental Airlines office until 11 this evening. Geeesh!! So back they go at 11, and lo and behold, there are some bags there for Ms Skelton! That would be Ms Rosemary Skelton, from San Antonio, Texas…..not Stephanie Skelton from Cleveland, Ohio. How can they screw up something as simple as this? And is Rosemary wondering why her bags are on vacation in Bonaire and not home with her? And more so, where are Steph and Mere's bags??
Well the disappointment was short-lived, cause there was another call from the airline in the morning – the bags have arrived in Bonaire!! Woo-hoo! So back to the airport go Stephanie & Meredith, and guess what? They are looking at the same wrong bags they saw last night!! Seems no one talks to anyone else at the airport here, and the morning crew was not aware these were the wrong bags, so essentially another day is lost in the baggage search. And people wonder why I fly Delta…
More Thursday stories here…including the second Salt Pier night dive…18 lionfish..
Mike Parzynski also added:
The last dive of the trip I got to spend with newly certified diver Cathy Parzynski. I couldn't be happier. We go to "The Rock", an awesome unmarked sight just south of The Invisibles. After we get to depth, and turn north, Cathy takes my hand. At first I think to myself "Is this a Bev and Butch dive?" but she explains after that through the week of getting certified she's been so focused on her instructor she hasn't really seen the amazing underwater beauty. It was such a great feeling watching the wonder in her eyes as she pointed out things that were new and exciting It is also amazing when I point to a large French Angel, she gives back the eel sign and points to a small Chain Moray swimming through the coral She's already spotting things I'm missing. That is the greatest memory I could possibly take home from this awesome trip!
It was a great experience diving with my wife for the first time. Already I'm trying to find a quick trip opportunity to get her back in the water.
More to come here….
Friday and a few of us are scrambling to get a few last dives in before the obligatory off-gassing before flying time begins. Seems Amir is leading the pack with 29 this morning, and he gets two more in for an even 31. Will there be a MDTD Award tonight, for completing "More Dives Than Dave"? I am thinking not, as I get two more in the morning on the 'wild side' with Bonaire East Coast Diving, and head back to the resort for three final dives off the beach to get my count up to 31 also! Whew!! And Stephanie, our Cadiallac-winning veteran of "The Price Is Right" fame, hears that call again…"Stephanie Skelton, come on down"…to the airport that is. Seems their bags have again arrived…we'll see! So the girls drive over, and again, there is no one from Continental to open the baggage office for them to get their bags, but they manage to convince the airport security guard to go into the back room and take photographs of the bags with Meredith's phone, and they are able to verify that they are indeed their bags. They make plans to come back at 11 that night, just in time to be in physical possession of their missing bags for about 5 hours before they leave again on the 6 a.m. flight! While the mystery of how can bags be lost for an entire week will never be solved, at least they have them. And care to know the most insulting part of this circus? Stephanie is a Continental employee, and Meredith's father is a Continental pilot. This airline really knows how to take care of their own people….NOT!
More to come…Maiky's Snack, last morning, departures…!
Filed under: Bonaire, Dive Trips, Indian Valley Scuba | Tagged: Bonaire | Leave a comment »


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I personally like keeping up with the latest gadgets on the market. It's remarkable how many new and shiny things people keep coming up with and bringing to the market. There are a few reasons why keeping up with them makes sense to me.
For starters, it makes it a lot easier to go shopping for someone's birthday or a holiday. Many of the latest gadgets I see I know right away aren't for me, but I can immediately envision a friend or family member using such a thing. Secondly, sometimes I do find things that make my life easier. Third, just knowing about such things does make for some interesting small talk around the water cooler at work.


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Orhan Pamuk's novel Museum of Innocence is written from the perspective of Kemal, a man who is so obsessively in love with a woman called Füsun that he starts creating a museum for her belongings. The idea of an actual museum was in Pamuk's mind right from the outset of writing his novel. In fact, he started collecting objects beforehand and let them inspire him throughout the writing process. He was planning to open the museum and publish the book at the same time. However, the curation of the museum took the author longer than originally anticipated.
Situated in an old three-storey building in Çukurcuma which was built in 1897, the museum exhibits a variety of artefacts including clothes, toys, utensils, bus and cinema tickets, bankbooks, paintings, photographs, and various other items from the time in which the novel is set. These objects are curated chronologically according to the chapters of the book and are displayed in 83 showcases. An installation of 4213 cigarettes that Füsun has smoked is the first thing that welcomes visitor.
I've always felt that the human eye is partial to objects that reveal themselves not directly in front of it, but somewhat off-centre, waiting to be grasped from an oblique view. Truth and meaning seem to tease and tantalise in these moments when the object appears not precisely where it lies but at its point of absence, where it gives way to what is external to it.
Observing a star directly in its familiar bearing gives us an elusive image, for not only is our vision limited by that blind spot where the optic nerve punctures the pupil, but, observed alone, the star's very bearings seem to come adrift. It is only when we grasp it as part of a constellation that it occupies its rightful place in the night sky, and both the stars and the spaces between them form a coherent image, our minds piecing together instances of light whose origins may be millions of years apart in celestial history.
It's not that what is past casts its light on what is present, or what is present its light on what is past; rather, image is that wherein what has been comes together in a flash with the now to form a constellation. In other words, image is dialectics at a standstill. (1999, p. 462)
The relationship of the elements of the past to the present is one that is actualized dialectically. But this dialectic is not a gradual process of recurrent synthesis; it is much more discontinuous and brittle; it is a dialectic whose interrelations and tensions are realized all at once, in a single moment, as if through the cessation of historical time, rather than through its continued unfolding. The historian's task …is the collection and juxtaposition of heterogeneous historical elements with one another and with the now of the author, the text and the reader.
By the dialectic we mean the interaction between oppositions such as good and evil, light and dark, lightness and weight, warm and cold, love and hate. A world where all of these terms are diametrically aligned, corresponding according to their usual connotations, is not just boring. It is false. Only in turning these terms around, in discovering how the good cop becomes corrupted, how the poor ragpicker seeks salvation in high culture, how the rainy days become the most joyful, does the world obtain nuance, granularity, and movement.
Walter Benjamin's key insight is that this dialectic need not occur as a continuous or linear becoming, but rather all at once. For Benjamin, this meant that history did not follow a deterministic march (as the vulgar interpretation of Hegel assumes), but rather contained moments of radical uncertainty and freedom. The dialectical image may appear all at once by virtue of the moment itself, a crisis point in which all the different strands are called to the same scene, but the historian, the artist, or the spectator can also assume the responsibility to bring immanent dialectical tensions to the surface. The constellation refers to the image constructed by this particular gaze. What distinguishes the constellation is the attempt to this dialectic as an image whose depths are contained within its surface-level relations.
We are addressing the awkward question of the emergence of truth from within the fragmented material arrangement of the universe we inhabit. When we perceive objects as elements of a constellation, we perceive their arrangement in the framework of an idea. These ideas are doorways to truth, through which it peers and tantalises.
Phenomena are redeemed through ideas. Ideas, for their part, need representing in the world of phenomena. The human mimetic faculty is the means to bring ideas into the world. Concepts simply group individual phenomena while leaving them as individuals. Redemption transforms individual phenomena into totalities, through conceiving their relations.
Phenomena are not incorporated in ideas. Rather, ideas are virtual. They are the objective, virtual arrangement of phenomena. At the same time, they belong to two different, incommensurable worlds. Ideas represent phenomena in terms of something radically other. 'Ideas are to objects as constellations are to stars'. Phenomena limit how they can be represented by ideas. But ideas are necessary to symbolically construct relations among phenomena.
Six propositions on the constellation.
- The constellation displays each element as being interdependent among the other elements around it through a complex web of surface-level associations. As a corollary, it displays each element as being unfinished, as suggesting a larger whole of which it can only play a part, or as being in a constant state of becoming.
- The constellation allows for a slippage of dialectical relationships. A slight shift in perspective can make what initially appeared jovial to become grave. This is achieved not just through offering a range of viewpoints, but also through a process whereby a process of one-way influence or illumination is then turned back on itself, like an artist or epoch creating its own precursors.
- The constellation allows for reconfiguration of the dialectical structure itself. Take the classic Freudian dialectic. There is a child, and its father. The child rebels against the father's excessive intrusion in his life, and develops its own personality against what the father represents. When the child is older, he or she realises that, without the father figure, there would have been no ground on which establish this rebellion, and thus the figure enabled its journey towards independence. This version of the dialectic privileges the figure of the father as the child's anchor in both phases. Yet in bringing dialectics to a standstill, no one object occupies this role, thus allowing one to imagine reconfigurations where different elements occupy such positions in relaton to the rest, defining the field on their own terms.
- The constellation also allows for reconfiguration of objects' relationship to time. The present is both what the past dreamed of and what the future will look back on, and add to. Thus, the constellation points both towards present and past, and finds meaning in objects by thrusting them out of their original contexts and into new ones. Here lies its allegorical dimension.
- Between the objects of a constellation we find a multitude of absences, grey areas, gaps and seams which, alongside the elements of the constellation, delimiting each object and creating room for their articulation. These gaps became charged with meaning, and rather than signifiers for lack, become signifiers for dialectical negation.
- The constellation leaves vacant places for new elements to insert themselves into and perhaps redefine the whole constellation, and it is into these places that the observer can insert their own context to absorb and influence the other elements. It is as if a constellation in the night sky were missing a star that will emerge from a celestial event of our own doing.
I realized that when arranged with love and care, objects in the museum- an odd photograph, a bottle opener, a picture of a boat, a coffee cup, a postcard- could attain a much greater significance than they had before. I had to put these strange photographs and used objects on my desk and reimagine them as pieces belonging to the lives of real people. The more I looked at the objects on my desk next to my notebook- rusty keys, candy boxes, pliers, and lighters- the more I felt as if they were communicating with one another. Their ending up in this place after being uprooted form the places they used to belong to and separated from the people whose lives they were once a part of- their loneliness, in a word- aroused in me the shamanic belief that objects too have spirits.
Why has no one else ever thought of something like this, of bringing together a novel and a museum in a single story? The reasoning behind my museum could be applied to already published novels as well as to novels as yet unwritten. If someone made an Anna Karenina Museum, finding a way to display the material world of the novel, I'd come running.
Today we know that the Milky Way is a conglomerate canvas formed of millions of stars. Even though the various stars in this mass are separated by long distances, the distance of the mass from us is so large that we observe them as being rather close to one another. The Milky Way encircles the entire solar system. Many astronomers deem the Milky Way to be the frontier of the known universe and believe that beyond it lies a vacuum that our minds cannot comprehend."
When aligning our dressed-up selves in neat rows at a friend's house, arranging our heads with meticulous care inside the phantom frame (in group poses, heads on the left-hand side will pleasantly angle toward the right and those on the right will lean to the left), we look at the camera lens as if we are observing the present through the opposite end of a telescope from an imaginary day in the future. We have yet to know of the museum visitors who will be observing us. But, it seems, the idea of the future we have constructed in our minds has immediately alerted us to the emptiness and futility of the small problems, pretensions, jokes, and obsessions of our present. And so we are able to smile with a heartfelt irony and feel the significance of this occasion.
While making the museum, we frequently came face-to-face with the serendipitous nature of beauty.
Averroes, who read Aristotle's Physics in an Arabic translation in the twelfth century, fourteen hundred years after it was written, emphasizes the parallels between indivisible matter (atoms) and indivisible units of time (moments). Just as in Aristotle's physics, time emerges when individual moments shrink into themselves, so when objects do the same, they lose their stories. It is at this point that the innocent of objects becomes apparent. Our museum has been built on the contradictory desires to tell the stories of objects and to demonstrate their timeless innocence.
The constellation may be imaginary, imputed to things that have no need of it and remain blind to it, but this is not to say it is unreal. Yet the reality of the constellation does not take a literal form, as lines really traced in the void between stars. The reality of the constellation is manifest in their power of orientation, to give direction to travelers, especially at sea. The constellation exists not between stars, but between stars and sailors as the orienting force which is a condition of navigation. The lines of the constellation are traced in the movements of ships at sea, even if these lines bear no resemblance to those imagined in the heavens.


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Wednesday, 15 June 2011
The Real Ale Festival
The variety continues to increase year on year with pale'n'oppy and porter taking their place alongside brown bitter. Suits me as those are precisely the types of beer I like to drink. 18 Scottish-brewed varieties of porter and stout are on the list; not bad for a genre that was practically extinct north of the border ten or fifteen years ago.
One of our most promising new breweries, Tempest from Kelso, is represented with three beers and advance reports suggest their RyePA (groan) is one of the best beers at the festival. What I've had of theirs, porter and lager on trips to Edinburgh (unfortunately, as far as I know not a single cask has yet ever made it to Glasgow) has been very impressive so I'm looking forward to trying all three.
It's also good to have a chance to drink the beers of superb breweries from the North East of Scotland: Burnside and Deeside. Others I'm keen to try include the latest from the ever-experimental Tinpot, the new IPA and Mild from Knops and Luckie respectively, and a rarely seen draught Traquair beer. This is a great time to be a beer drinker in Scotland.
2 comments:
- Mark Payne22 June 2011 at 11:21
What did you make of the CBOS results? Seemed very 'Old School' to me.ReplyDelete
They were quite odd and it seems to me that the selection process could do with being streamlined. But as I've just posted in my review of the festival, I'm not really interested in awards anyway. I don't ever base my choice of beers on what's won an award.ReplyDelete
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text: Police clashed with protesters in several towns where residents have complained of poor living conditions In the town of Standerton, southeast of Johannesburg, burnt tyres and rubbish filled the streets, and several people were reported injured in the protest. Meanwhile, towns and shops were closed after thousands marched on the municipal offices in the nearby township of Sakhile. Pressure on Zuma The six-month-old government of Jacob Zuma, the country's president, is under pressure to deliver on campaign promises and improve basic services such as water and electricity in South Africa. Zuma has promised to ease inequalities in the country, but he has said the government has fallen short in meeting demands for better basic services. His government has set up a special hotline to deal with complaints, but a spokesman for the president says he will not meet protesters. But Sipho Seepe, a political columnist writing with the Mail and Guardian newspaper, said the people are not angry at Zuma. "They are angry at the local officials," Sepe told Al Jazeera. "So we must not give the impression that this is a revolt against the government of Jacob Zuma. 'Heightened expectations' "What we have are more heightened expectations that came as a result of the last elections that we had. The protests are taking place at the local level," Sepe said. "What the people see is that the local government officials represent the past regime, a regime that was arrogant and aloof. They do not see these leaders at the local level as part of the new regime." However, Hassan Isilow, a journalist in Cape Town, said Zuma should not have made such promises for easing the economic inequalities in the country. "Regrettably the president has not delivered on any of these promises," Isilow told Al Jazeera. "The problem is the country is grappling with a recession, but the local people want a better living condition regardless of the economic situation of the country," he said. "People have argued that the country has a lot of resources ... but there's a high level of corruption within the ruling ANC where top officials within the government and the municipalities have misappropriated funds. "The local people believe that, had it not been for corruption, then service delivery would not have been a problem." SOURCE: Al Jazeera and agencies


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Newly acquired IPad Pro 12.9" (v2) running IOS 12.1.1. Camera works fine with apple own IOS app. but when using LRCC camera module, image on screen jumps up & down as though constantly trying to refocus. not sure how else to describe the issue. Some of the images taken are OK, others blurry. Have done the usual uninstall & reinstall of LRCC but no luck. Uploading a still image would not show the issue. I do not currently have a subscription but am considering. As no problem using the IOS camera app, have to assume it's not a hardware issue.
In the Lightroom Camera App are you set to Automatic, Professional, High Dynamic Range, Long Exposure, or Depth Capture? Do you see the focus hunting in other modes?
Hi. Thanks for the reply. I can only see auto, professional and hdr modes. It is happening in all three modes. I have not seen any mention of long exposure or depth capture. Are these setting available without a subscription? The screen images "jump" upwards and downwards by about 5mm and are doing this constantly.
Long Exposure is a tech preview you have to enable.
Depth Capture is camera dependant and your camera may not support it.
I will have my iPadPro with me tomorrow and will test it out.
Depth Capture is camera dependant and your camera may not support it.
I will have my iPadPro with me tomorrow and will test it out.
I grabbed my iPad Pro (Gen 1) and tested it. I see a slight jump on initial focus but then it is stable. If, however, I am too close to the subject, the focus hunt continues to cycle causing a motion like you are describing. Is it possible you are trying to photograph closer than the camera can focus?
One additional question: is this the rear or front (Selfie) camera you are using?
One additional question: is this the rear or front (Selfie) camera you are using?
thanks. definitely the rear (main) camera. Have tried everything I can think of. It's not within minimum focussing distance but thanks for the suggestion. having already uninstalled & reinstalled LRCC I don't think doing it again will help so the only thing I've got left to try is a factory reset for the IPad. Not keen to do this unless I have to. Thanks again
Rick, so i don't repeat myself or litter this thread, could you look at my post here:
and put any answer there?
and put any answer there?
just wondering if anyone else could shed any light on the issue I'm having with the LRCC camera module on my new IPad Pro v2 12.9". Thanks
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To read about the Kayden Project go here
or watch the video introduction to the project.
All the parts for the Angel Bear have written patterns but each one also has a full video tutorial. Even those with little to no crochet experience will have the opportunity to make one.
Written patterns:
Video tutorial playlist on youtube:


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Previous Challenge Entry (Level 3 - Advanced)
Topic: Hmph! (03/04/10)
TITLE: Of Roux and Royalty
By Karen Pourbabaee
Far away, along languid bayou waters flowing by long fertile gardens, lived the gumbo queen, Clotilde. She lived in a quaint cypress Creole cottage, its galerie overlooking Bayou LaFourche, right alongside the "longest village street in the world", also known as Louisiana highway one. Her "gumbo king", Pierre, was a fisherman and shrimper and together they produced culinary delights prized both "up the bayou" and "down the bayou". In fact, Clotilde really was the reigning gumbo queen, having won the Cajun gumbo cookoff for 25 years at the premiere festival of Larose, the French Food Festival.
Now, two things absolutely necessary for a good Cajun cook are the right pot and a lot of patience. Everything else is just a matter of imagination. One doesn't just throw ingredients into a pot and hope for the best. Especially not Clotilde. As a new young Cajun bride my goal was to learn from the queen. So one morning I headed down the bayou to Clotilde's cottage where I found her sitting out on the galerie.
"Bonjour, Madame Clotilde, comme etes-vous?"
"Tres bien, sha, how come you down de bayou today? Where's your honey, Joseph? "
"Left today on de shrimp boat wit Gaston and Jean…gone down to de gulf a few days. Jus' hoping dat you gonna make gumbo today. I could use lessons from de queen," I said smiling.
She dismissed my compliment with a wave of her hand. "Sure, beb, Pierre caught plenty shrimp and crab dis week and dat's gonna make a fine gumbo!"
Leaving the galerie, we passed Clotilde's kitchen, going out the back door to her "backyard pantry". " De first ting you gotta do is make a garden by your kitchen…tomatoes, peppers, celery, shallots, garlic and all kinds of herbs." She quickly harvests necessities for today's gumbo pot.
Watching Clotilde make magic, I made mental notes. Backyard pantry. Bouquet garni and garlic hanging in the window. File' and cayenne pepper on the shelf. Iron pots. Lots of patience to make the roux.
"Mmm, sa bonne!" I exclaimed admiringly, tasting from the pot.So began the first of many cooking lessons with the gumbo queen.
Soon the sugarcane harvest and cool evenings heralded fall's arrival and October's French Food Festival. The gumbo cookoff Saturday night ends with a scrumptious gumbo feast, along with jambalaya, etoufee, and many seafood delicacies.
Clotilde and Pierre arrived early with their gumbo pot and all the fixings. The competitors, including myself, were soon busy setting up cooking spaces. I noticed a larger number of younger cooks than in past years. Clotilde anxiously surveyed the group too, obviously not happy about the new competitors she faced.
The mayor of Larose announced the start of competition , "Let the roux making begin!" Tension filled the festival tent as participants stirred the oil and flour combination with their gumbo paddles slowly, carefully, patiently, watching for just the right hue to be proudly called roux. That not being attained, one might as well quit, for the gumbo would never be worthy of a prize.
At various times, competitors added fresh ingredients…vegetables, herbs, spices, then seafood. As each completed their masterpiece, they placed their gumbo paddle astride the gumbo pot. At 6PM sharp the ending bell sounded and fiddles and accordions sang their Cajun melodies, signaling judges to begin taste-testing.
"As mayor of Larose, after careful consideration of such wonderful entries, I'm pleased to announce winners of the annual Gumbo Cookoff…honorable mention goes to Alzina Thibodeaux… third place to Suzette LeBlanc…second place goes to Clotilde Boudreaux…"
There was a sudden hush under the big tent as Clotilde responded with a loud "HMPH!" , plopped right down into her chair, arms folded. No one believed it, most of all Clotilde.
" First place is awarded to Michelle Angelette , our new Gumbo Queen!"
My jaw dropped, and walking past the dethroned queen, I heard another loud "HMPH!"
"Our grand prize is a trip to New Orleans with an appearance on Justin Wilson's cooking show. Congratulations, Michelle!"
Amid thunderous applause, I knew what I had to do. "Tank you for dis honor, mayor. Would Clotilde Boudreaux join me on de stage?"
As she approached the stage, all the cooks waved gumbo paddles in her honor as the crowd stood to its feet.
"Mon ami, would you be my partner on Wilson's TV show?"
"Hmmmm…" a smile spread across her face. "Mais oui, I tink we would make a good team."
And de band played on.
Author's Notes:
1)Roux: brown sauce base for all Cajun gumbos and stews 2)Sha, beb: cajun terms of endearment, dear 3) All points of reference in bayou country are noted as up the bayou, down the bayou, or across the bayou 4) bonjour…comme ete-vous: good morning, how are you 5) tres bien:very good 6) sa bonne: it's good 7) mon ami: my friend 8) mais oui: but yes 9)galerie: front porch
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My Man Jeeves
by P. G. Wodehouse, Simon Prebble (Narrator)
Unabridged Audiobook, 5 Hrs., 8 min.
Blackstone Audio, Inc., 2006
Read: April 24 – 25, 2018
This is a collection of eight short stories — half of them starring Jeeves and Wooster, the other half featuring Reggie Pepper (who is basically Wooster without Jeeves). Like the rest of the books featuring Jeeves and Wooster, this is frequently hailed as a comedic classic, a masterpiece, and has no dearth of fans — highbrow and lowbrow alike.
I am not one of them. Wooster and Pepper are vapid, privileged aristocrats — vain, insipid, too wealthy and seeming incapable of narrating — or conversing — in coherent sentences. Jeeves is a frequently (but not infallibly) conniving and tricky valet, who seemingly knows more than anyone else around him. I honestly don't know if I'd want him working for me, he's too nosy, too duplicitous for my taste. All the characters get into farcical situations that are complicated and entirely of their own devices. If they could just be upfront and honest with others (including each other), their lives would be far less complicated.
Prebble did a fine job, I think. Yeah, I had no patience for any of the narrators of the stories — but that's not on him. That's totally on the characters. I think he grabbed the personalities perfectly. I just don't see why anyone would bother.
I'm primarily posting about this experience as a reminder to myself: Just give up, HC. You and Wodehouse are just not compatible. You may have friends (Internet-based and Real Life) that love him, but you just don't understand the appeal.
Not funny. Not amusing. Not charming. Pretty much a waste of time. Just can't recommend this to anyone.


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So long as the memory of certain beloved friends lives in my heart, I shall say that life is good.
- Helen Keller
Donating in memoriam of a lost loved one is a wonderful way to honour their giving heart and love of animals. Please click here to donate via CanadaHelps and you will get an instant tax receipt. Then, if you wish, come back and pick out one of the certificates below to give in lieu of gifts or flowers. Just click on the one that you like best and download the file to print or email.
Donating in memory of someone's dearly departed horse or pet is a lovely way to show that you understand their loss and sympathize with them during this sad time.
All you have to do is click here to donate via CanadaHelps and you get an instant tax receipt.
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A blog about random family happenings, recipe creations and occasionally a rant or rave about life in general.
Friday, August 26, 2011
And the winner is...
Congratulations to #10 Mandy.
I have another giveaway I'll be posting next week for some Betty Crocker yummies! Can't wait to share with y'all!
2 comments:
- Unknown said...
How did you do on the Slimmer this Summer challenge? Regardless of how you did, I am running a challenge and wondered if you might want to join. You can check it you here: http://thriceblessed-lessofme.blogspot.com/2011/08/new-challenge.html
- August 27, 2011 at 6:27 PM
- Mandy said...
thank you Candi! I'm so excited!
I'll let you know what I buy with it.
- August 29, 2011 at 8:54 PM
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With all due respect, what are you talking about? Seriously. Where does Ryan's or Romney's plan say, "take away healthcare for seniors or we go bankrupt". I'm beginning to get embarrassed for you and your lack of knowledge, and you're arrogant about it too.The Ryan plan turns Medicare into a voucher program (or "premium support"). From 2022, these vouchers/support payments will rise only at the rate of inflation. If medical inflation remains as high as it has been, within a couple of years these payments will cover only a part of the costs to obtain insurance and many seniors - an ever increasing number - will simply be unable to afford insurance, just as is the case right now for a large minority of the general population. That is how the "Path to Prosperity" intends to save money (for the taxpayer).The trend is likely to accelerate rapidly, as ever higher out-of-pocket payments on insurance policies create ever-increasing incentives for healthy seniors to delay their purchase of health insurance until they get sick.That means higher payouts per capita for insurers, forcing them to raise prices, which will cause further (relatively healthy) seniors to forego insurance, and so on.30 years from now no more than a fraction of seniors are likely to be health insured. I would assume you can't give them Medicaid as that would defeat the purpose of saving costs.
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The mantra of several Monmouth College students who have returned to campus early for SOFIA (Summer Opportunities for Intellectual Activities) is "What goes up, must come down." Others are working daily with a couple types of critters – Madagascar hissing cockroaches and "blood-sucking" leeches – that would probably make most of their peers extremely squeamish. "We're breaking a lot of things," said professor of mathematics and computer science Howard Dwyer of his SOFIA group, which is studying why things fly. So far, the group has experimented with paper airplanes, handmade kites and fragile balsa gliders. Crashes have been par for the course, but the kites stayed aloft on a windless day thanks to a dome of air over the softball field, and a handmade hot air balloon also defied gravity for an extended period. "We're building things, we're having fun," said Dwyer, who noted that his students will work their way up to boomerangs, roto-powered crafts and, ultimately, a radio-controlled plane during the three-week SOFIA session. For two physics groups, it will actually be a good thing when their project comes down to earth. They will be launching a weather balloon, which they expect to rise nearly 100,000 feet (almost 19 miles) before the balloon pops and their data collection device descends with a parachute. The balloon should stay airborne for 3-4 hours and may drift up to 70 miles. "We think it may come down somewhere near Canton," said assistant professor of physics Tim Stiles. "We'll retrieve it using a GPS/SPOT system." His physics colleague, Chris Fasano, added, "We're the payload on the balloon," referring to lightning-related research being done by three students, including two – Emily Bell and Nick Olson – who were part of the college's first class of Midwest Scholars a year ago. "We were all set up to do this research last summer," said Bell, " except for one thing – it doesn't storm here anymore." "That's right," quipped Fasano. "You can blame the drought on our lightning research." Two other groups are performing research related to cockroaches and leeches. For the cockroaches, what the students are putting into them is important, as they are trying to determine the effects of anti-microbial medications on growth, as well as the effects on the insects' parasites. For the leeches, it's important what's being taken out – specifically, the DNA that is present in the 109 leeches that were collected while biology professor James Godde and three students spent five days this summer in the Malaysian jungle. The DNA that the leeches ingested will be analyzed to determine the mammal diversity in the jungle.
"Our students are hoping for muntjacs, which are barking deer," said Godde. "We'd also be very excited if we got tiger DNA."
How do Monmouth students feel about their SOFIA experience? Another group, led by professor of mathematics and computer science Marjorie Bond, is devoting its time to find out. The students, who are studying experimental design and survey design, will take part in several projects, including a survey of the 62 students and 17 faculty involved in SOFIA. The aforementioned groups made brief presentations of their research at a colloquium on Aug. 10. The remaining 11 groups will discuss their topics the next two Fridays, and all of the groups will display their research on Aug. 25 in conjunction with matriculation activities.
1-800-747-2687 • 700 E. Broadway, Monmouth, Illinois 61462 (Map)
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From the CTA Web2 for Dev Gateway blog, they review the efforts in the past year where during series of workshops and other initiatives, participants were introduced to a range of web2.0 technologies and networks, exploring what could be done using them. They have a range of activities for the last quarter of 2012 including within existing agricultural business and communities.
One year on and the impact of these sessions has far exceeded expectations. MINAGRI has consolidated its presence on Facebook and Twitter, and CICA run two on-the-job training for MINAGRI and projects' staff. A total of 50 individuals (42% of whom were women) were trained in the use of VoIP, online mapping and professional / corporate social networking in 2012.


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Create an Account - Increase your productivity, customize your experience, and engage in information you care about.
Agendas are available prior to the meetings. Minutes are available following approval.
View Most Recent Agendas and Minutes
Agendas and other important public notices pertaining to the City government are listed on the Website Calendar.
This Board has two year terms and members can live in the Pilot Point ETJ area.
Duties of the Keep Pilot Point Beautiful Advisory Board include;
Main Street Director
Email Lenette Cox
More Information


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Richard Ehrhardt, PhD
MSU Extension
Extension Specialist
MSU Extension
Agriculture and agribusiness
BS, University of Wisconsin-Madison
MS, Cornell University
PhD, Cornell University
Post Doc, University of California-Santa Cruz
Post Doc, Cornell University
Major interest is to improve the efficiency of small ruminant production through applied research and extension efforts. Key interest areas include: efficient use of forage resources, extending the grazing season, the interaction between nutrition and aseasonal reproductive success, preventative health management and strategic nutritional management. In addition to working with both large and small scale producers, I am also involved in training veterinary students in small ruminant production and preventative health programs.


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Plastic Posts
Liniar's innovative range of uPVC garden fencing systems allows you to revolutionise your outdoor living space, offering an attractive alternative to more traditional fencing products.
Made from lead-free window grade durable uPVC, Liniar fencing is designed and manufactured at our Derbyshire factory, complete with ISO 9001 accreditation.
With more than 15 years of experience in the fencing market, the range is designed, modelled, tooled, manufactured, foiled and stocked at Liniar's state-of-the-art 400,000ft² facility in the heart of the UK.
The Liniar brand is synonymous with quality engineering, style and innovation. Continued investment in product design and development, facilities and machinery keep Liniar at the forefront of the very latest technology.
You can be assured of a top quality product with Liniar's unparalleled attention to design and engineering details.
Not only do you get the best deal by buying directly from the manufacturer, you can rest assured that our quality systems and customer care are second to none, so if you ever have a problem, we'll be there at the end of the telephone.
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Check out our site to see the huge range of materials we offer, if you need help with measurements and dimensions or if you are just looking for a little expert advice, please don't hesitate to call us.
We are based in Coventry but have regular deliveries of our fencing supplies to Kenilworth, Rugby, Bedworth, Nuneaton, Hinckley, Leamington Spa, Warwick, Balsall Common, Stratford upon Avon, Henley in Arden, Solihull, Knowle, Dorridge, Hockley Heath, Lutterworth, Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham, Warwickshire, West Midlands, Oxford, Banbury.
Delivery by carrier will be arranged to all other parts of the UK.
Major credit cards are accepted


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OMEGA Removal Sockets for Hi-Lok® Hi-Lite®, Eddie-Bolt® Fastener Collars. OMEGA Removal Sockets feature a patented 3/8'' External Hex Drive Socket and left-hand tapered internal threads for removing collars from threaded pins with a 3/16'' diameter.
OMEGA Collar Removal Sockets feature set screws for square drive retention and are made of tough 17-4 tool steel that has been heat-treated for maximum wear resistance. OMEGA OMSK3581 Series Sockets feature a tapered bore with innovative dual-lead left-hand threads that grip for quick removal by simply screwing themselves counter-clockwise onto a collar. The collars are then removed from the sockets by rotating clockwise using pliers or other tools. OMEGA Collar Removal Tools are designed to be used with aluminum, steel, and titanium collars. If used with aluminum collars, then expect your OMEGA Collar Removal Tools to have a longer life. Eddie-Bolt® is a registered trademark of Alcoa Fastening Systems.US PAT 5,737,981.
Omega Technologies Collar Removal Tools Digital Catalog
The OMEGA OMSK3581-6H 3/16'' Collar Removal Socket For Hi-Lok And Hi-Lite is one of thousands of quality tooling products available from MRO Tools. Please browse Hi-Lok Collar Removal Sockets for tools similar to the OMEGA OMSK3581-6H 3/16'' Collar Removal Socket For Hi-Lok And Hi-Lite.OMEGA OMSK3581-6H 3/16'' Collar Removal Socket For Hi-Lok And Hi-Lite description summary: OMEGA 3/16'' removal socket for Hi-Lok®, Hi-Lite®, Eddie-Bolt® Fastener Collars. Replaces ATSK3581-6 and 3581-6. 3/8'' External Hex Drive Socket with left-hand tapered internal threads, for removing collars from 3/16'' threaded pins. Quantity discounts may be available for the OMEGA OMSK3581-6H 3/16'' Collar Removal Socket For Hi-Lok And Hi-Lite. Please contact MRO Tools for details.


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- Details
- Specs
- Reviews
These energy saving timers use no electricity to operate. The Intermatic FD12HHW SPST 12-Hour Spring Wound Timer is designed to replace any standard wall switch, single or multi-gang, and automatically limit the "ON" time of fans, lights, motors, heaters and other energy consuming loads. Time limits of 5, 15, 30 and 60 minutes and 2, 4, 6 and 12 hours are available. The "hold feature" allows the user to override the automatic shut-off function for extended use of the load as required. Supplied with a molded white, ivory or almond time dial plate designed to fit either toggle or decorator style switch plates; single or multi-gang with no field modifications required to fit either style switch plate. Time saving "up front" terminal connection with teeter type terminals and an easy "press-on" knob design ensure quick and easy installation. Single Pole, Single Throw (SPST) indicates the Timer can control one circuit (one set of lights, a spa pump, a fan, etc.) at the same time. The Timer is also available in Ivory.
- Brand: Intermatic
- Part No.: FD12HHW
- Inductive: 20 Amp 125 VAC 50/60 Hz; 10 Amp 250 VAC 50/60 Hz; 10 Amp 277 VAC 50/60 Hz,
- Tungsten: 7 Amp 125 VAC,
- Motor: 1 HP 125 VAC 50/60 Hz; 2 HP 250 VAC 50/60Hz
- Brand: Intermatic


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Meaningful Use Stage 2 Electronic Health Records
Meaningful Use Objectives For Stage 2 Electronic Health Records
Sharing electronic health records is always a matter of security. It's all about making sure someone's medical history is protected as it's transferred and stored in the digital space. Christensen Law shares this article of a few things that go into securing your electronic health records.
Written By: S.Sandy Sanbar, MD, PhD, JD, Blake Christensen, DO, D. Wade Christensen, JD, J.Clay Christensen, JD, L. Nazette Zuhdi, JD, LLM, Adam W. Christensen, JD, MBA, Oklahoma City
On Jan 1, 2014, Meaningful Use Stage 2 began for eligible professionals (EPs). Physicians must develop strategies for meeting each of the following five Meaningful Use Objectives, and talk to their vendors about plans and timelines for getting their electronic health record (EHRs) certified and upgraded.
(1) Develop Web Portals for Patients. Physicians should sign up their patients to participate in a web portal linked to EHR's that give more than 50% of patients seen during the reporting period timely online access (within 4 business days of a visit) to their health records and allows them to message the physician securely. And, more than 5% of patients seen in that party their health information. EPs will also have to demonstrate Meaningful Use for the entire calendar year, not just for the 90-day period required in Stage 1. Secure messaging might be built into the EHR. One may use an external messaging service like RelayHealth, which offers a certified EHR that includes patient-messaging features. Kryptiq is another external messaging service. Patients may also set up their own personal health record (PHR) on an external "platform" such as Microsoft Health Vault, which allows users of some EHRs to upload clinical data to patients' PHRs with their permission.
(2) Exchanging Clinical Summaries. EHRs should be capable of generating a summary in a specific and mandatory format known as the Consolidated CDA, which can be shared with other physicians who use EHRs when exchanging clinical summaries with other providers during transitions of care, such as referrals and consultations. Some EHRs can currently create a similar summary known as the Continuity of Care Document (CCD). In Stage 2, EPs must provide a summary-of-care record for more than 50% of transitions of care and referrals. In 10% of those transitions, the summary must be transmitted electronically using certified EHRs. EPs have to exchange a summary at least once with a recipient who uses a different EHR from that of the sender, or conduct a successful exchange with one of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services-designed test EHR. Some healthcare organizations and physician groups are acquiring internal health information exchanges (HIEs) that allow providers to send clinical messages and document attachments to one another. Other organizations may allow independent practices to join their HIEs. Alternatively, a private practice could join a community or regional HIE if one is available. Direct Secure Messaging (DSM) protocol, created by a public-private consortium, specifies how a clinical message can be transmitted from one trusted party to another. Companies known as health information service providers (HISP) route the messages, maintain provider directories, and guarantee the authenticity of senders and receivers of information. DSM could provide independent physicians a cost-effective way to exchange summaries.
(3) Laboratory Orders. Physicians should place laboratory orders themselves. More than 30% of laboratory and imaging test orders must be done electronically in Stage 2. Laboratories are expected to offer a two-way interface before 2014 in order to keep its customers. Physician groups should analyze workflow and figure out how best to pace lab orders electronically, e.g. customizing template orders for annual exams that might include a blood panel, ECG, and bone density test.
(4) Medication Reconciliation. More than 60% of medication orders must be done electronically in Stage 2, compared with just 30% or prescription drug orders in Stage 1. When a patient is transferred to the care of an EP, the physician must use his EHR to reconcile the patient's medications in 50% of these care transitions. Vendors must build in the capability. Staffers will have to ask patients about their medications and capture that data in structured fields, and Surescripts medication histories can help as well.
(5) Preventive Care reminders. An EHR must have some kind of registry function that can identify patients who are due for preventative/follow-up care for more than 10% of patients with two or more office visits in the previous 2 years. The EHR must have a method of automating those alerts to patients; the office staff does not have to call or mail reminders. Third-party solutions do exist that help solve this problem if an EHR cannot do it.
Electronic health records make the transfer of important patient information easier to do between doctors and other health professionals, but its convenience can be abused if not properly secured. Christensen Law hopes that this has been informative for readers and if you have any questions regarding medical law, don't hesitate to give our professional lawyers in OKC a call!


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Janie Dee
"Is there a more enchanting actress on the British stage than Janie Dee?" The Times
"... the show's glory is Janie Dee... She plays all the layers simultaneously: incredulous and wistful, chilly and carnal. Is she the best actor in Britain? Could be." Sunday Times Culture
Award-winning actress and musical star, Janie Dee returns to Crazy Coqs for one night only with special show, CHRISTMAS AT HOME WITH JANIE DEE.
Get into the Christmas spirit with Janie as she performs an eclectic selection of songs, including a sprinkling of seasonal favourites. Janie will be joined by special guests Matilda & Alfie Wickham, Christian Lees, Jonah Lees, Danielle Anton, Jonah King & Father Christmas!
Janie is the winner of two Olivier Awards and The Evening Standard and Critics Circle Best Actress Award. Last year, she appeared in numerous stage shows, including the London premiere of Stephen Sondheim's Putting It Together and delighting audiences and critics in the acclaimed West End revival of Noel Coward's classic Blithe Spirit with the legendary actress Dame Angela Lansbury.


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From Executive Producers Roma Downey and Mark Burnett comes The Bible — an epic 10-part miniseries retelling stories from the Scriptures for a whole new generation. Breathtaking in scope and scale, The Bible features powerful performances, exotic locales and dazzling visual effects that breathe spectacular life into the dramatic tales of faith and courage from Genesis through Revelation. This historic television event is sure to entertain and inspire the whole family.
"The Bible" Series premieres tonight Sunday, 3.3.13 on History Channel at 8/7c.
To celebrate the launch of this wonderful series, I am giving away one copy of A Story of God and All of Us: A Novel Based on the Epic TV Miniseries "The Bible". This book is a companion to The Bible Series, the epic 10-hour miniseries produced by the authors and televised around the world.
To enter to win this contest leave a comment below by midnight Pacific time on Friday, March 8, 2013. One winner will be randomly selected to win this prize.
"The Bible" Series premieres tonight Sunday, 3.3.13 on History Channel at 8/7c. Visit http://www.
Update: Our winner Brian has been notified. Thank you for entering!


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Visiting southern India is a rather different experience from the more well-trodden north, but, as these highlights show, there are numerous reasons to make the trip.
You don't need to be a seasoned traveller to guess that there's a lot more to India than the Taj Mahal. One area that's less often on people's bucket lists is southern India. It may not be as frequently visited as other parts of India, but it has a rich culture and history that give it an abundance of interest and charm. If you've never been to India before and you're a bit nervous about it, you're in luck: southern India gives travellers a more relaxing experience than the chaotic cities of the north, making it ideal for a first-time visitor. In this post, we introduce you to the people, food and sightseeing highlights of this unmissable part of India.
Fishing boats of Cochin, India
The people
Five states make up southern India: Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. Several languages are spoken, the main ones being Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam. In contrast to the European-influenced culture of the north of India, the predominant culture in the south is Dravidian, with many different religious beliefs peacefully coexisting. South Indian women wear the sari, and men wear a sarong-like garment. The people are laid-back, grounded and cheerful, and generally welcoming towards tourists.
A region of several languages and a number of religions. Southern India is famed for its inquisitive and ever hospitable people
The food
One of the delights of a trip to southern India is the food. Dishes are often served on banana leaves, which is an enjoyable experience in itself. There are culinary variations between different states, but broadly speaking there's a vegetarian focus, with a lot of rice and lentils (daals), local fruits and vegetables such as the tamarind, and of course plenty of spices, chillies and coconut. Southern Indian cooking is some of the hottest in the country, particularly local dishes from Tamil Nadu. Caffeine addicts will be pleased to learn that coffee is hugely popular throughout southern India. If you're including the coast on your travel itinerary, expect magnificent seafood.
Expect a vegetarian focus with Dahl's, lentils and local fruits
The unmissable highlights
Colourful Cochin
Also known as Kochi, the great trading port of Cochin is situated on the west coast and is packed full of interesting things to see. From a 400-year-old synagogue to the heady aromas of its spice trading streets, Cochin is a place where history seems to come to life. Its trading past has given it a fascinating mix of cultural influences from as far away as Holland and Portugal. Don't leave without a walk around its delightful waterfront, where you'll see Chinese-style fishing nets suspended above the waters of its picturesque harbour - a particularly impressive sight at sunset.
The beaches and colonial architecture of Cochin
The temples of Tamil Nadu
Southern India's largest and most stunning temples are to be found in Tamil Nadu. Particularly worthy of a visit is Kanchipuram, known as the "city of a thousand temples", though actually a small town. This former capital of the Pallava kingdom is a major site of pilgrimage, and has temples that date from Medieval times. Mahabalipuram (also known as Mamallapuram) is another place to add to your itinerary; its complex of beautifully carved shrines, sculptures and caves are UNESCO-protected and are superb examples of Dravidian architecture.
The colourful temples of Tamil Nadu
Colonial Pondicherry
The historic seaside town of Pondicherry is a former French colony that retains much of its colonial charm. It was capital of India's French colonies in the 17th century, and you'll notice plenty of French influences mixing with the local Tamil style in the city's architecture. This is the perfect place to sample the local coffee, stroll the streets and enjoy an atmosphere best described as east meets west. The other thing that makes Pondicherry worth a visit is its famous Sri Aurobindo Ashram, a spiritual community that offers tours and meditation to tourists.
Periyar National Park
Those with an interest in wildlife will relish the chance to see some of southern India's endangered species at the Periyar National Park in Kerala. Situated in the evocatively-named Cardamom Hills, this National Park is home to large populations of elephants and tigers, as well as bison, leopards and innumerable other species of jungle wildlife.
The leopards of Periyar National Park
Another destination for temple enthusiasts: Madurai, one of the oldest cities in southern India (it's been around since the 4th century BC), has Dravidian temples that are major sites of pilgrimage. The most famous temple, and the primary attraction for most visitors to Madurai, is Sri Meenakshi, which is adorned with colourful images of deities, animals and other mythical figures.
The temples of Madurai
Chennai is the city formerly known as Madras. While there aren't as many famous sights to see here as in some of India's other major cities, its appeal lies in its friendly people and artistic and religious heritage. Marina Beach is a highlight; at 12km long, it's the perfect place for an evening stroll by the sea after a day exploring the city's museums and temples.
The backwaters of Kerala
The state of Kerala is famous for its peaceful backwaters, which are best appreciated by boat. This network of canals, rivers and lakes is a place to enjoy a slower pace of life after the noise and chaos of urban India. A few days on the water, listening to the birdsong and drifting past picturesque riverside villages, will leave you feeling rejuvenated and calm.
The backwaters of Kerala
When to go
With its tropical climate, southern India can get extremely hot and muggy during the summer months. For this reason, the best time to go is in the winter, with peak season falling between December and February. Even then the temperatures are on the hot side of pleasant, ranging from about 22 to 30 degrees Celsius, but humidity is lower, which makes all the difference. If you're heading for the hills, these higher areas will be cooler and you'll need a layer or two for the early mornings and evenings.
Elephants at Nagarhole National Park in southern India
If we've managed to whet your appetite for southern India, visit this fascinating part of the world on our Secrets of Southern India tour.


text: This is a flock of birds flying across the screen. 2 files are included, the birds comped over a background and the birds flying with and alpha channel so you can put them over whatever background you like. These make a nice intricate addition to any comp, especially some sort of nature setting. Both files are HD. Enjoy!


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Add Some Kink to Your Sex Life With The Nylon Wrist and Ankle Restrain Belt
Are you ready to turn up the heat? Don't let your sex life get bland or boring. Add a little bondage play so that you and your partner can have the experience of a lifetime. Nylon Wrist and Ankle Restrain Belt
Can give you just that. It was 2 ankle cuffs and 2 wrist cuffs that are all attached together through a series of nylon belts. The submissive partner can be completely restrained in a safe and comfortable manner. This piece has been made to be comfortable even during prolonged and active use. The quality materials ensure that even after many uses, the belt will remain strong and sturdy and be long lasting. The adjustable straps ensure that you will be able to have multiple combinations and ways in which the submissive partner can be tied up. So, go ahead. Enjoy your kink! And rest assured that you will be having fun without worry of any harm.
Material: Nylon
Closure: Hooks
Colors: Black
Size: 28 cm cuffs for ankles and 23 cm cuffs for hands.


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90, of Worcester passed away peacefully Saturday, April 17th 2010 in her home with her cherished sisters by her side.
Arshaloose, also known as "Arshie" or "Ruth" was born in Bagdad, Iraq, July 18, 1919, she was the oldest daughter of Karekin and Zaroohi (Balian) Surabian. Ruth came to Worcester as a infant, graduated from Worcester Girls Trade and has lived here all her life.
Arshie is survived by her two devoted and beloved sisters, H. Agnes and Siranoosh "Dorothy" Surabian both with whom she lived; many cousins, extended family and friends who cared for Ruth and her sisters.
Arshie worked for many years as an assembler for the Neles-Jamesbury Corporation before retiring.
She previously worked 10 years for the U.S. Envelope Corporation.
She was a member of the Armenian Apostolic Church of Our Savior, its Mass Committee and women's club. She loved to cook, bake and especially loved her garden, which earned an award for its beauty from Paul Rogers.
The funeral will be held Wednesday, April 21st from the MERCADANTE FUNERAL HOME & CHAPEL, 370 Plantation St. with a Service at 11:00 a.m. in the Armenian Church of Our Savior, 87 Salisbury St. Burial will follow next to her parents in Hope Cemetery. Friends and relatives are invited to visit with the family, Tuesday, April 20th from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the funeral home. A Dahngark Service will be held at 7:00 p.m. Tuesday during calling hours in the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Umass Memorial Hospice, 650 Lincoln St., Worcester or the Armenian Church of Our Savoir, 87 Salisbury St.