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A Psychological Profile of Awakening
In my work as a psychologist I rely on lists. A lot. What are "symptoms" really? Lists. They
are a rundown of the qualities of experience a person has when struggling with a problem. Depression, anxiety, trauma, and so on are actually baskets into which lists of qualities are placed. But what about the opposite of mental disorders? Can healthy states be thought of in the same way? The short answer is yes. Positive psychology has begun to group positive qualities into larger constructs such as "kindness," "bravery," and "wisdom." While some dislike the reductionist overtones of such an approach, it is nothing new. In fact, Buddhism is one of the earliest examples of how to do this well.
Buddhism is, in my opinion, the oldest and most sophisticated psychological science in the world. So it is not surprising that so many parallels exist with modern psychology, which is, in many ways, reinventing the wheel the Buddha set in motion millennia ago. Lists play a large role in Buddhism, especially when it comes to "diagnosing" rare states and transformations of consciousness. One of these lists is especially important. Think of it as the psychological profile of someone ready to awaken. The seven factors of enlightenment.
The Seven Factors
The seven factors are: mindfulness, investigation, concentration, energy, relaxation, rapture, and equanimity.
These seven arise in the meditator at certain stages of development, building gradually toward awakening. Then, when the first moment of awakening (stream entry) is close, all seven reach a peak. Six of them fall into balance with each other. The odd one out is mindfulness, which does not need anything to balance it. I often imagine these factors as being like a dog sled team. Mindfulness is the lead dog at the front of the team, followed by three equally matched pairs that balance each other perfectly.
Mindfulness – this one stands alone. Mindfulness is not merely bare attention to the present moment, it is also intuitively recognizing the kinds of things that are coming up and their significance (that is the fourth foundation of mindfulness). It sees what is happening and its significance right this instant. Mindfulness knows insights as they arise (the insight knowledges), and remembers what to do (or not do) at each development of the insight path. At first mindfulness is effortful. It is the first factor to come up, and it needs to be deliberately called up and entrained. When it begins to gain strength the meditator experiences the first stage of insight (knowledge of mind and body). So one way to tell if you are developing mindfulness, versus bare attention, is to see if you are able to experience the first stage of insight. As mindfulness is practiced in and out of meditation it becomes more automatic, taking on a life of its own.
This is where the dog sledding analogy is helpful. Mindfulness is like the lead dog, and lead dogs are very special. People build very close relationships with them and gradually turn over more of the responsibility for knowing the trail to the lead dog. Once a lead dog has experience with a path, it intuitively recognizes where the soft spots are, where the ice is thin, where the snow looks wet and where it is firm. It knows which turn to take and keeps the team moving down the center of the path and away from the slippery banks at the edges. It takes time and patience for a lead dog to learn, but once it knows a path, it can guide you along automatically, and you can let go and allow the team to take you to your destination. This is how mindfulness works as it matures and deepens. As a meditator gains experience, she learns to trust mindfulness more and more and to allow it to take the lead.
Investigation/Concentration – Investigation is the process of looking at an object and seeing that it is not what it appears to be at first glance. It is looking at something mundane, like the the sensation of the breath at the tip of the nose, and seeing that it is not just a single sensation called "breath," but a dynamic field of flickering vibrations (anicca), that are not the observer (anatta), and are uncomfortable to hold on to (dukkha). It is balanced by concentration, which is the ability to keep the mind still for long enough that objects can be seen with sufficient clarity. It involves building a calm focus that is unwavering. Investigation is like the focusing of a camera lens. Concentration is like holding the camera still long enough to focus. When both of these factors are strong and in balance things can be seen clearly for what they really are.
Energy/Relaxation – These may seem contradictory, but they are actually complimentary. The great meditation teacher Ayya Khema sometimes described "energy" as "willpower." This makes sense, although it is a translation that has lost popularity. It is the sense of applying oneself, giving all of oneself to the process and not holding back. It is the raw impulse that puts the other factors to work. It is balanced by relaxation, which is just what is sounds like. If you apply yourself, but are tight and clenched in body or mind, then the meditation is likely to stall out. Relaxation is that which allows the process to run smoothly, while energy keeps it running. These two, in a sense, feel like surrendering to the meditation, no matter how intense it becomes, with great alertness. To get an idea of what a peak balance between energy and relaxation feels like, reflect on how you feel right after a good workout, when you are letting go and not striving any longer but still full of energy.
Rapture/Equanimity – Rapture is a combination of joyful feeling and physical "pleasure." That word is in quotes because it isn't pleasure in the normal sense. It doesn't come from the five senses. A pleasant feeling fills the body in one of several different ways, electrical tingles, fine vibrations, pulses, warm light – it can be percieved differently by different people, but it is always very pleasurable. There is a kind of erotic feeling to it for many people, and this can throw off many westerners who read over and over about renouncing worldly pleasure and not becoming attached to anything. It is important to understand that this kind of pleasure is essential to the development of deeper meditation. However, it needs to be balanced with equanimity, which is that quality of mind which does not grasp or cling to experiences, good or bad. Of all the factors, equanimity may be the most odd one, because there are few experiences in normal life that are similar to it. It is a sense of calm that remains interested and focused, without feeling like anything occurring is consequential to the observer. As my teacher once put it, "you no longer feel like you have a dog in the fight." And yet, with all the rapture you are still deeply interested in what is occurring. These two balance each other beautifully.
When all seven factors are working well, they feel almost as though they take over, pulling the meditator toward awakening. Along the way the meditator puts in work and effort to develop the insights and the factors, but once things mature the combination of factors seem to grow in strength, balance, and in a sense, it feels as though they take over. It is at this point that the admonitions to "do nothing" and simply "let go" make the most sense. With the right factors in place, the process can now do itself, you simply have to hold on and watch.
Posted on January 6, 2016, in buddhism, Enlightenment, psychology, Uncategorized, vipassana and tagged Awakening, Buddhism, Enlightenment, Meditation, mindfulness, Psychology, Vipassana. Bookmark the permalink. 24 Comments.
Very interesting — thank you.
I am a little reluctant, however, to equate Buddhism and modern psychology, or to say that psychology is reinventing what the Buddha discovered, or that Buddhism is psychological science, except in the utterly loosest meaning of "science". "Parallel" is more like it, I think, but at different levels, vastly different, and the differences are as important as the parallels.
Reply to David: By "debatable efficacy" I mean literally that the efficacy of behaviouristic interventions into sustained attention (i.e. concentration based dharma practice) is debatable due to a lack of good data. For example, what proportion of the population can potentially achieve a jhana given reasonable effort and conditions? It seems clear that ability varies in this area but by how much? Is it similarly distributed to hypnotic trance ability (i.e. only about a quarter of the population can do the cool stuff)? Western Buddhists are highly self selecting group who have an interest in the contemplative life, so I would suggest that our anecdotal experience is of limited value. For me, a pragmatic approach to dharma means looking at these kinds of questions.


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TALLADEGA, Ala. - NASCAR's three title contenders hoped the tightest championship in seven years wouldn't be derailed by the typically chaotic racing at Talladega Superspeedway.
TALLADEGA, Ala. - NASCAR's three title contenders hoped the tightest championship in seven years wouldn't be derailed by the typically chaotic racing at Talladega Superspeedway.
They got what they wanted yesterday.
There was a photo-finish win for Clint Bowyer - and a traffic jam at the top of the standings featuring Jimmie Johnson, Denny Hamlin and Kevin Harvick that cleared up nothing with three races left in the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship.
Harvick was the runner-up to his Richard Childress Racing teammate, Johnson was seventh and Hamlin rallied to finish ninth. They now head to Texas with four-time defending champion Johnson leading Hamlin by 14 points and Harvick by 38.
"It's going to be an awesome championship battle all the way to Homestead, and I'm really looking forward to it," Johnson said.
The race was marked by 87 lead changes - second most in NASCAR history - and a multicar accident that sent AJ Allmendinger's car flipping across the track as the leaders roared toward the white flag. NASCAR threw the caution for Allmendinger's accident, and nobody had any idea who was out front when the yellow waved.
It took several minutes of reviews for NASCAR officials to declare Bowyer the victor. He jumped the gun with celebratory burnouts and then stuck his hand out his window for a congratulatory high-five with Harvick, who waited in his parked Chevrolet for the NASCAR call.
As Bowyer celebrated in victory lane, the title contenders tried to make sense of the day. Johnson hovered around a TV monitor in the infield media center to watch replays of the final two laps while a wide-eyed Harvick was later distracted by another view.
"Oh, I didn't know somebody flipped," he said.
That's how it usually goes at Talladega, which every driver considered the wild card of the 10 Chase races.
The goal was to set a strategy that would prevent mayhem at the superspeedway. For Johnson and Hamlin, it was riding around the back most of the day and then hooking up with a teammate for help for a final push.
Except Hamlin lost the draft, fell behind the pack and dropped a lap down. He needed to wait for the field to catch him and then slid inside a promised hole from fellow Toyota driver David Reutimann to stop the bleeding. From there, Hamlin needed cautions to get back on the lead lap and into position to keep his title chances alive.
One of the cautions that helped Hamlin also hurt Harvick. He raced hard all day but damaged the nose of his Chevrolet midway through the race in a multicar accident on the backstretch.
A quick pit-road job put him back in contention, and he continued his hard push. A caution for debris set up a restart with four laps remaining, and Harvick received unusual help from Reutimann, who as a Toyota driver probably shouldn't have pushed Hamlin's competition to the front.
"If you had your preference of helping a Toyota, if you have a choice, I think we would try to pick a Toyota," explained Reutimann, who wound up fourth behind Juan Pablo Montoya. "But sometimes you don't have a choice and you have to go with whatever's going to benefit your team the most."
Harvick wasn't all that surprised to get the push from Reutimann.
"It's hard when you line all those cars up at the end," Harvick said. "When you get down to the end, I mean, unless you're just going to let off, I just don't think that's in many's nature that sit behind the wheel of these cars. You have to just push whoever is in front of you and go for it."
Hamlin made no mention of Reutimann's help of Harvick, but despite rallying to the top-10 finish, he seemed disappointed with the final result.
"It wasn't very fun. I didn't get to race as hard as I'd like to at times," he said.
But he knew it could have been worse and took solace in how tight the race is as they move on to Texas, where Hamlin won in April.
"It's what I asked for," he said. "I asked for nobody to really get killed (in the standings) here this weekend, and let us settle it on the racetracks where our cars and our teams can make a difference and us as drivers can make a difference. And that's what we got."

subset: commoncrawl


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All replies
Re: Making a call in Japandrnewcomb2 Mar 31, 2018 7:36 AM (in response to magenta4530457)
2 of 2 people found this helpful
- Member Since: Mar 9, 2014
magenta4530457 wrote:
My family and I have T-mobile ONE plan and I'm going to Japan soon. I need clarification on making calls.
When does 20c/min apply? I'd like to know how it's charged in these cases:
1) I call my family in US.
2) My family in US calls me in Japan.
3) I call my friend in Japan who has Japanese phone number while I am in Japan.
4) My friend who has Japanese number calls me in Japan.
I use iPhone.
I appreciate if someone can explain to me. Thanks!
1) When on WiFi Calling 0¢/min. When on cellular 20¢/min
2) Ditto #1 above. The caller pays nothing extra to call your US-based number.
3) On cellular 20¢/min. If on WiFi Calling it depends on your international calling rate. It's charged like an international call from the US.
4) Ditto #1 above.
Texts are free. Data is free but very slow. Recent iPhones should work well. Read the International Roaming Checklist. Don't be surprised if your phone takes about an hour to register when you first get to Japan.
Re: Making a call in Japanmagenta4530457 Mar 31, 2018 5:50 PM (in response to drnewcomb2)
- Member Since: Mar 31, 2018
Thank you so much for your reply. It was very helpful. I appreciate it. Since I have Wifi-only iPad too, I'm going to rent a pocket wifi in Japan.
So I assume if my Japanese friend tries to call me, it's going to be like them calling me internationally from their point of view, right?
Re: Making a call in Japandrnewcomb2 Apr 1, 2018 2:54 PM (in response to magenta4530457)
1 of 1 people found this helpful
- Member Since: Mar 9, 2014
That is the way it works in most countries; no local access number. The good news is that it costs less to call the US than to call a Japanese cell phone, so they shouldn't mind too much. In some countries, some carriers will send you a text message telling you that you've been assigned a temporary local phone number for the duration of your visit. This happened to me in Indonesia. As long as I roamed that carrier, I could give out that number and receive incoming calls on it for free. I don't remember this happening in Japan.
Back when I traveled a lot I subscribed to a service that had toll-free numbers in many developed countries. If someone called the local toll-free number and entered a 6-7 digit pin it would call my phone. I'd give the numbers to my crew and tell them that now there was no reason why they couldn't check in every few hours. That company went out of business. Sad. It was very handy.
Re: Making a call in email@example.com Oct 20, 2019 12:38 AM (in response to magenta4530457)
- Member Since: Oct 20, 2018
Do you know if i Phone 8 plus is compatible in japan?
Re: Making a call in Japandrnewcomb2 Oct 20, 2019 5:34 AM (in response to email@example.com)
- Member Since: Mar 9, 2014
An iPhone 8+ should work just fine.


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In the past 12 months, webinars have become something of a business 'buzz word'. How many invites to them have you received in your inbox lately? In case you're not sure exactly what they are, a webinar is essentially a seminar conducted online – take 'web' + 'seminar' and you've got webinar!
To participate in one, all you need is a PC with an internet connection (preferably not dial up), and either a headset with mic or an inbuilt mic and speaker facilities. To run one, all you will need is the same list, plus suitable webinar software.
Having developed and delivered webinars both for ourselves and on behalf of a range of clients in the past 18 months including the Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation and Broadband Today, we regularly assist people with the development and delivery of webinars. Our services in this area include:
- Month to month access to dedicated webinar software - don't pay high monthly fees for your own account. Just pay us for 'as you need it' access!
- Correct set up of a one-off or recurring webinar session and associated autoresponders - just give us the time, date and key details and we'll do all the rest for you, providing you with messages to approve so you can get on and prepare your content and promote your event
- Dedicated 'tech assistance' live online during your session so you can concentrate on providing a quality presentation rather than dealing with technical issues which may arise


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the independent panel of judges has voted, and the results are HERE!
introducing our 15 3 girls TOP MODEL semi-finalists!
Adriana Vinca - Edmond North
Alex Green - Edmond Santa Fe
Audrey Kay - Edmond North
Cailin Adams - Edmond North
Caitlin Zuerker - Edmond Memorial
Conner Brasher - Edmond North
Jamie Jekel - Edmond North
Kate Brannen - Edmond North
Lauren Blumenthal - Deer Creek
Lauren Hatfield - Edmond Memorial
Morgan Anderson - Edmond North
Morgan Hampton - Edmond Memorial
Nick Washburn - Edmond North
Ryan Adams - Edmond North
Sterling Black - Edmond North
CONGRATULATIONS to ALL of our entrants - you guys are ALL amazing!
in just a FEW short weeks our judges will be announcing their TOP FOUR finalists - and we will be adding a FIFTH finalist as a FAN FAVORITE! go to our 3 girls seniors facebook page to vote for YOUR favorite finalist by 'Like'ing their comp card! the entrant with the MOST 'Likes' will be automatically chosen as our FIFTH finalist!
we'll post step-by-step instructions on how to vote in the upcoming days, along with when you can expect to hear the finalists and winner announcements!
til then - peace and popsicles!


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Welcome to Pittenweem Road, Anstruther
Exciting new development of five contemporary designed villas and one unique Bungalow
Our site is in the pretty fishing village of Anstruther in the East Neuk of Fife, around 10 miles south of St Andrews.
Anstruther is the largest of the East Neuk Villages and has a population of around 3500, with excellent transport links including direct buses to Edinburgh and St Andrews as well as a daily ferry to North Berwick in the summer months. The village itself has its own golf club, sailing club, tennis club and numerous leisure facilities.
Pittenween Road development is within a 10-minute walk of Anstruther town centre, which is centred around its pretty bustling harbour with its shops, bars and restaurants, including the famous Fish and Chip shop and Michelin Starred The Cellar. Anstruther has its own primary and newly built High School all within walking distance of the site.
The East Neuk of Fife is home to many Golf courses, the most famous being in St Andrews. The beaches nearby are superb and The Fife Coastal Path runs straight through Anstruther giving spectacular views.


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Denim Jegging - Rinse Wash
Denim Jegging - Rinse Wash - RINSE-WASH - 2 - Talbots Fall 2018 is rated out of 5 by 237.
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Style # P183161431
Additional Information
The softness of our leggings meets the polish of our skinny leg. Crafted from our easy, Comfort Stretch denim, these wear-everywhere jeggings are designed with our exclusive slimming panel to smooth, sculpt and contour for the utmost flattery. Or, if you have an hourglass figure, check out our Comfort Stretch Denim Jeggings - Curvy Fit/Rinse Wash.
- Skinny Leg
- Hits: High Waist
- Ankle Length
- Closure: Fly Front With Button
- Imported
Fit and Material
Fit: Inseam: Misses 29"; Misses Long 31"; Petite 26 1/2"; Plus Size 29"; Plus Size Petite 26 1/2"
Material: 70% Cotton/19% Polyester/9% Rayon/2% LYCRA® Spandex
Care: Machine Wash; Tumble Dry
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Denim Jegging - Rinse Wash - RINSE-WASH - 2 - Talbots Fall 2018 is rated out of 5 by 237.
Rated 5 out of 5 by Kitty from Great fit and style My first denim pants in years--dark color is gorgeous, soft fabric, well made
Date published: 2020-05-23
Rated 4 out of 5 by Gayle f from Nice but need alterations Overall I like these jeggings. The workmanship is typically Talbots high quality. The four stars has to do with the fit, which is not at all like a shorter-rise petite cut. And it kind of "pooches" in the front crotch, if you get my drift. Good thing I have a great tailor because these pants need alterations.
Date published: 2020-05-16
Rated 5 out of 5 by Athens Short Dog from A problem and a solution These pants are all I hoped they would be. Because I'm 4'11" and kinda shaped like a square, shopping is always a problem. These jeggings have proven to be the solution. I might have to purchase another color if they are in stock!
Date published: 2020-04-24
Rated 5 out of 5 by jeanne from Best Jeans Ever Very dark and thus slimming and dressier than lighter wash jeans. Love the fit and length! Comfort for all day wear.
Date published: 2020-04-22
Rated 5 out of 5 by Rosie from Jeans that are fun to wear! This pant is fun to wear! They make you feel young! I am glad I bought them
Date published: 2020-04-22
Rated 5 out of 5 by M Jones from Jeans Great fit! Very comfortable jeans! Love the color!
Date published: 2020-04-19
Rated 5 out of 5 by June from Best jeggings! Very comfortable and fits well. I really like the rinse. It's dark and very flattering.
Date published: 2020-04-16
Rated 1 out of 5 by Lake lady from Run large I purchased these jeggings to add to several others that I live in and love. Unfortunately these have a zipper and closure as opposed to a high waist pull up. They are several inches too wide in the waist and loose fitting in the legs.I am returning them.I ordered my normal Talbots size 8 which I have worn for years and always fit perfectly. Very disappointing!
Date published: 2020-04-15
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What is the length difference between a 12 regular and a 12 long?
Fit: Inseam: Misses 29"; Misses Long 31"; Petite 26 1/2"; Plus Size 29"; Plus Size Petite 26 1/2"
Date published: 2020-04-10
How does the fit of the Jeggings compare to the fit of Chatham pants? I love the Chatham style. I like the look of the jeggings, but found them too small in the waist in prior years.
The Jegging has a Skinny leg and front zip instead of a Slim leg and side zip compared to the Chatham Pants.
Date published: 2020-03-07
Are these jeggings high waisted?
These jeggings are a high waist style.
Date published: 2020-01-16
I'm inbetween a 12 and 14. What do you suggest My 12 jeans are a bit tight. My 14 slip down at waistline. However they are jeans. Not jeggings
A sales associate encouraged me to find my perfect fit, then buy the next smaller size, if the fabric content is more than 2% spandex. Her advice has meant that, after the first hour of wear, my jeans fit just as I want them to. It is wise to not remove any tags or wash your new jeans until you have worn them at home for an hour or two. It's worked for me with all the jeans i've Bought this year.
Date published: 2020-03-24
Is the Rinse wash more like a navy blue/ dark indigo?
The Rinse wash is very very dark blue.
Date published: 2020-03-24
What is the circumference of the leg opening?
Unfortunately, measurements are not available for this item. We recommend locating your size on the Talbots Size Chart from your actual body measurements. To see the chart, please click the VIEW SIZE CHART link on the item page. By following this chart, the garment will fit as you see it on the model.
Date published: 2020-02-09
Are the "Rinse Wash" jeggings pre-washed? (just wondering about shrinkage)
We recommend following the care instructions provided by the manufacturer to prolong the life of the garment.
Date published: 2020-04-09
Are these jeggings really soft like leggings,or more of a denim fabric?
This is a soft denim feel.
Date published: 2020-03-24
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Chocolate Art Walk weather
The weather for the weekend:
Saturday – Sunny and breezy. Highs 59 to 69. Southwest winds 15 to 25 mph.
Saturday night – Partly cloudy and windy. Lows 33 to 43. Southwest winds 20 to 30 mph.
Sunday – Mostly sunny and windy. Highs 54 to 64. Southwest winds 20 to 30 mph with gusts to around 45 mph.
Sunday Night – Partly cloudy and breezy. A 20 percent chance of snow showers after midnight. Lows 33 to 43. Southwest winds 15 to 25 mph with gusts to around 45 mph.
Come out and enjoy a delectable evening of art, music and chocolate in downtown Bishop on Saturday from 4-8 p.m.
Now in its fourth year, the DOWNTOWN BISHOP CHOCOLATE ART WALK is set to feature a multitude of special presentations, dozens of artists, art openings and musical performances, and last but not least, free unique chocolate treats at every location. Many artists will be present at the various locations to share stories and insights about their work.


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Planet Grim
by Alex Behr
eARC, 222 pg.
7.13 Books, 2017
I've been dreading the day when I had to write about this book for a month or so now — I just don't know that I'm up to it. While I can't say that I enjoyed every story, there was something in each of them that impressed me. I'd do better discussing this book over a beverage with someone who's read the stories rather than in the abstract.
In a few sentences — at most a couple of paragraphs — Behr gets you into a world with fully realized characters, completely different situations — many of which you've never even thought about before. You will be disturbed, moved, saddened, surprised, fascinated, and occasionally, struck by a darkly comic moment.
I want to stress the "dark," — Planet Grim is probably underselling it. There's not a lot o flight to be found in these pages. I'm not suggesting that you'll end up depressed at the end of every story, but you won't be chuckling or uplifted. These are real people going through some pretty real problems and situations. It's hard to slap a genre tag on these — there's the barest hint of SF (but not really, you'll see); these would all nicely fit in with a noir novel (without the knight errant); technically a lot would fit in "Women's Fiction" (but . . . no); so I guess you stick it in the "General Fiction" section, but hopefully that doesn't mean you overlook it.
A piece of advice: do not read more than two or three of these stories in one sitting. Actually, I think the volume of stories in this collection is the biggest problem with it. If there were seven of these stories in one volume, I'd probably be raving about it and demanding more. As it is, I was a little overwhelmed — there's just too much to deal with (which is why it took me 5 weeks to get through it).
I've said it before here, and I'll probably say it again, I"m not a huge short story guy. A few more collections like this could change me. There's not a dud in the batch — there are a couple that I think I didn't fully appreciate (or even "get") for one reason or another — but there's not one that's not worth a second or third read. Alex Behr can write, period. If you give her a chance, she'll convince you of that. I can't say that I enjoyed this book, I don't know if I liked it, but man, I was impressed with it, I'm glad that I got to read it, and I know it's some of the best writing I've come across this year.
Disclaimer: I was provided with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.


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A night celebrating chip disco, arkade funk and aesthetic boogie. FREE ENTRY!
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You know I gotta include a post about Ri Ri, I'm actually in love with her. Lol. Rihanna has recently signed a huge deal with Fox to broadcast 777 Tour. The Hollywood Reporter have revealed that Rihanna's 777 Concert Tour documentary will air on Monday May 6th. Dope!
So we can typically expect some footage from your behind-the-scenes preparations, and of Ri travelling across the globe to seven countries in seven days with seven shows to promote Rihanna's seventh album, Unapologetic. 777. With such a big opportunity for our favourite Bajan star, its possible this could be the beginning of future television deals with Fox. Or so I'm hoping! Noiice :)


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While participation for this edition of Wine Blogging Wednesday wasn't at an all-time high, the quality was pretty fantastic. I was thrilled with what people came up with – from all over the nation – when faced with the idea of a Snow Day wine. It was equally entertaining to read not only about the havoc some atypical weather is causing, but how our various locales deal with it. So let's get to it!
We'll start with the basic reds, which were a favorite over on the rather rainy West Coast right now.
Ryan at Oe.no.phile, who recently transplanted from Ohio to Oregon dived into a Spanish blend from Bodegas El Nido (Jumilla) to keep warm. But Ryan wasn't the only one to turn to Spain. Neil from Wine Expedition, experiencing a slightly damp week in Los Angeles, turned to the Priorat region for the 2005 Cellars Capafons Oso "Sirsell" blend.
In Washington, our favorite Walla Walla Wine Woman Catie enjoyed the Tranche Cellars blend and a lovely view of snow-capped mountains. (I can't wait to visit Walla Walla this summer!) In Oregon, Mary at Vindulge indulged in an Oregon wine that reminded her of a past Oregon blizzard – The Pines 1852 Old Vine Zinfandel. Down in stormy and wet San Francisco, my friend Thea of Luscious Lushes popped open a 2005 Petroni Syrah she got as a gift and imagined a fire in her fireplace.
Locally, Tim from Cheap Wine Ratings felt the need for some Italian comfort food and opted for an Italian-style wine with the Luna Vineyards Sangiovese. Kevin, from the Under the Grape Tree blog and Dep's Fine Wines described his perfect snow day, which included one my own favorite syrahs – Montes Folly.
Now on to the sweeter wines that were brought out at the prospect of a snow day. I have to admit, I expected more Ports. Kevin & I indulged in a port here in the Cincinnati area, where snow is no stranger. Gary and Allison, recently of Cincinnati but now in sunny Florida, chose their old favorite Sandeman's Twenty Year Old Tawny Port.
Wine (and Art) Predator's Gwendolyn, from southern California, wrote a wonderful post about a special, rare, and homemade drink. Then she zagged and actually reviews a nice little Gonzalez Byass Solera 1847 Oloroso Dulce sherry. Our international entry, Bob in Vancouver, reviews a wine fitting of the Great White North as he tackles the 2005 Jackson-Triggs Grand Reserve Sparkling Riesling Icewine on his 2001 Bottles: A Wine Odyssey.
Sparkling wine made two appearances. Michael at Undertaking Wine (what a great title!) in New York tried a New York sparkler, the Pindar Vineyards Cuvee Rare. In one of my two favorite Wine Blogging Wednesday entries, Tom at Louisville Juice explains his hatred of winter and his need for the Gloria Ferrer Blanc de Noirs to help him with a hallucination of springtime.
Then there were those who took me up on the offer of breaking away from wine and indulging in a different sort of spirit. Sort of straddling that line, Tanisha at the Grapevine, recently stranded in the great December blizzard in Washington DC, recommends a semi-homemade mulled wine to keep you warm.
Liza of the Bay area Brix Chicks took this opportunity to talk about her favorite (and mine!) vodka from Hangar One. She even includes some creative decorating tips! Wrapping it all up with my other favorite entry, Adam at Wine Zag writes about vacationing in Puerto Rico and introduces us to some fantastic boutique rum.
My thanks to everyone for their creative entries and to Lenn for letting me host! I encourage you to visit all of these great blogs and learn a little about what everyone is drinking on a snow day.
[…] Wednesday, the wineblogosphere addressed the issue of wines to drink on a snow day. Winegirl in Cincinnati collected the many entries and put them in coherent order so you can skim […]
[…] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Michelle Lentz, Michael Gorton, Jr.. Michael Gorton, Jr. said: Reading on Wine-Girl.net: WBW Roundup: It's Snowing Across the Internet http://bit.ly/60rUjQ […]
Nice round up! I think that's pretty good participant wise – what's been the most active topic? Thanks for hosting this month Michelle!
Wine Competitions Wine Book Club (WBC) Wine Judging Reviews Readings Whiskey Watch France Games Weblogs Wine Clubs Books RIP Repost WBW #65 Wine Glossary Wine Maps TasteCamp Web/Tech Marketing Uncategorized Legislation Recipes Florida Recession Wine Meet the Winemaker Greatest Hits Drink Pink! (BCRF) Holiday Current Affairs Television Spirits Photos Wine Shop Wednesday Contests Scotch & Whiskey History Disney Wine Tech Food and Wine Pairings Mad Men Monday Guest Writers Pop Culture Food and Drink Wine Blogs Knowledge Entertainment Dinner and Drinks Life Charity Benefits News Beer-Guy.net Special Events Beer WBW Local Wineries Cocktails Wine Shops Restaurants Travel Wineries Wine Notes Wine Events Weekly Cincinnati Wine Events Wine Misc Local Tastings Cincinnati
Krystal Pepper Memorial Scholarship Fund
Raising money for a scholarship fund in memory of Michelle's little sister who passed away in 2007


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Today has been a shit day. I spend all my energy on staying calm so i dont get stressed out, so the dyslexia doesnt get in the way so im not pressured, only to be shouted at about pointless things that dont matter. All i wanted to do is get the fucking assignment in, so after i was nicely offered to hurry up by 8 i did, but what blew it and sent me into a free fall of energy was i get shouted at and accused of being stupid because i didn't see the point of putting a tape onto an assignment sheet because of fear of the slight possibility of the disk falling out in transit from one assignment box to another.
I could only just about handle that. I could feel my head going into overload mode as i've not been feeling too well today so I've been extra crabby but i took everyone else's stresses today into consideration. But today has all been about poinless things like the need to label genres into their correct and only topic when really… who gives a fuck?
Its got to the point where the smallest thing is picked upon and switched into a negative or a reason to argue about which to be honest i really cant be fucked to argue back because my stress levels are through the roof and I'm really not in the mood for it.
someone also mentioned the word "Pub" which i'd not heard in a long time, and agreed to go. but due to things taking too long that plan changed into home. Thing is i really needed some alcohol because I cant take any more today. The down side is that there is nobody else here, something i was kinda hoping to happen to lift my spirits up because I'm really not cool right now, but meh its happened before, im sure it will happen again – and that's positive because with sight of it happening again, it means this time wont be the last.
I also cut my hair last night/this morning so i look more of an idiot than normal. My hair was getting annoying so in the state of randomness i decided to shave it off. It is very short now. I know i dont suit it but just the shock of some people is weird.
I've had a couple of shots and a fair bit of my Apple Smirnoff and Dr Pepper. I think i may be able to finish the bottle tonight,either that or i'll drink myself to sleep.
To pick me up i'm attempting the escape route. I'm putting The Mighty Boosh on my projector.


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It has been an incredible honeymoon for us here! The landscape is breathtaking and your ...
Wildlife Conservation
"Always leave room for wildlife" – Alec Douglas (Will Craig's grandfather)
Started in 1972, Lewa Wilderness lodge is an integral part of the history of Lewa Downs as it transformed from a farm into a not-for-profit wildlife conservancy that has gained an international reputation for extending the benefits of conservation beyond its borders.
The Lewa Wildlife Conservancy now boasts 62,000 acres of conserved land and the richness of wildlife here is astounding with over 70 different animal species and 350 bird species.
By staying at Lewa Wilderness, guests are automatically supporting the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy and all of the conservation and community development efforts.
For more information, visit www.lewa.org
Endangered Species
Lewa Wildlife Conservancy provides a safe haven for a wide variety of wildlife, and is particularly famous for its rhino and Grevy zebra programs.
The rhino program began in 1986 when the Craigs set aside 5,000 acres of land to set up the Ngare Sergoi Rhino Sanctuary. The rhinos prospered and in 1995, the Craig family turned the entire ranch into a conservancy. Lewa continues to run one of the most successful rhino protection programs in Africa and is home to 12% of Kenya's critically endangered black rhino population.
With less than 3,000 Grevy zebra remaining worldwide, Lewa represents the single largest population of Grevy zebra in the world with over 20% of these beautiful animals residing here.
Community Involvement
The success of the Conservancy is very much due to the Craig family understanding that wildlife conservation cannot succeed without support from local communities. There are a number of initiatives such as micro-credit schemes, water projects, and education and healthcare projects that the LWC is involved with to aid community development.
The Craigs have always recognized that the future of Kenya's wildlife lies with the next generation. They have been instrumental in setting up the Lewa Education Programme (LEP) to help local children get a good education and teach them the importance of the wildlife. Today, the LEP sponsors 18 schools with a total population of 6000 students. A visit to a school can be arranged during your stay.


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The Walking Dead Social Game – This Week's Tip: How to Use the New Maps
You can now explore new maps for both Chapters One and Two in The Walking Dead Social Game. By surveying the terrain, players are better equipped to scavenge for supplies (fuel and food) and to avoid life-threatening walkers. Checking out the surrounding area is easy. Just click then drag the background. When you move the map in any direction, you'll be able to see areas beyond your screen. It's a
great way to determine whether there are bonus supplies nearby which you can pick up while completing your overall mission. It's also a useful technique to discover if there are a herd of walkers just around the corner. You can even see maps of interior locations, like the convenience store in the Burger Mission or the tents in the Setting Up Defenses Mission. By remembering to move your map, you stand a better chance of surviving in The Walking Dead Social Game.


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When he was chairman and CEO of ExxonMobil, Rex Tillerson agreed that climate change was real. He is not a climate denier. Exxon endorsed the Paris agreement. He does work for a President who thinks climate change is unreal. Can a denier work with a non-denier? More broadly, can people like me befriend people like Rex Tillerson? Is there enough basis for us to cooperate or is the widely discussed American divide too much for our friendship?
As Secretary of State, Tillerson holds wild power. I hope he is as unpredictable as his boss.
The basis for people like me and people like him to be allies, if not friends, follows.
I panic at the idea that the Paris agreement will be annulled. I know it will take a while to undo it, literally till the next election at the earliest, unless the Senate gets involved. I even know that other forces, some as strategic as the international agreement, will get stronger, if the President likely prevails in an act of cruel stupidity. The biggest companies in the world are actively involved in clean energy policies. Calvert Research just issued a report, called "Power Forward 3.0," which showed that 240 companies now have climate related goals, up from 215 three years ago. They include Prudential Financial, Wells Fargo, Dow Chemical, Apple and many more. None of these companies are necessarily my friends. But they are my allies.
I also watch states like California and countries like China set gorgeous goals for themselves. When the big Paris agreement is stupidly annulled by the United States, that annulment will only accelerate other states' and countries' participation. Rex Tillerson, an intelligent globalist, and I, a prayerful pope-following globalist, hope the United States will find itself on the positive side of history, not the negative. We will join Nicaragua and Syria in being the third country not in support of the Paris agreement.
Furthermore, why would a nation state like the United States insult the international community or the Pope who also heads a large international organization?
While panicking at the idea of non-participation in the beauty of the Paris agreement by my beloved country, I appreciate the trans-national approach that Tillerson appears to be taking. He is widely quoted as understanding (duh) that air and water and birds have no national boundaries and that the climate problem has to be resolved globally not nationally. He appears to understand that the Paris agreement was a trans-national solution. Why President Trump would want to go national about a global problem is beyond me. But I don't understand much of what he does. Hurting sick old people is almost as heinous as hurting nature.
A word about nature. I love it so much that I am highly motivated to make friends with people who associate outside of my usual group. Why wouldn't I walk back and forth across the American divide as often as possible? Why wouldn't I join the birds in not understanding a national border or a political one that puts people in aisles as though that's where we were meant to be?
I write in the name of the ferns and the porcupines, the orchids and the grasses, the unborn children and the forest. They can't speak for themselves. And the President is their enemy as he annuls Paris' great hopes for nature. Perhaps Mr. Tillerson and I share a common love of nature, so common that we can't not defend the earth we love? Out of that love, we cross the divide. We become allies and we could even be friends.
Donna Schaper is Senior Minister at Judson Memorial Church in New York City. Her most recent book is I Heart Frances: Letters to the Pope from an Unlikely Admirer.
Twitter: @DonnaSchaper


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text: The WOW effect is the very thing that can make the public interested in your online project. You can achieve this effect using parallax, for instance. Today's roundup features Parallax Tutorials that can teach you how to create cool parallax effects using clear examples. Following them step by step, you'll learn how to develop the awesome websites that will attract plenty of visitors. Browse this tiny but useful collection of Parallax Tutorials and try them in order to start your own effective projects!


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I have installed XAMPP (I used the file called xampp-win32-1.8.3-5-VC11-installer.exe to install XAMPP) after disabling my AVG and disconnecting my pc from the internet. I tried to run XAMPP but got error in the logs that the port was in use (by Skype) changed the post in the XAMPP port settings in http.conf to Listen 8080
Ran XAMPP in admin most on the pc and all seems to startup ok.
I created a folder in c:\xampp\htdocs called myfiles and created a file called index.php file with the following in it...
<?php echo("hello"); ?>
I then visit http://localhost/myfiles/index.php in firefox and get a blank page.
I try to view the source code of this page and that too is blank.
So I create another file in myfiles folder called index.html and view that at http://localhost/myfiles/index.html
But still get a blank page and not source code.
XAMPP control panel shows that both Apache and MySQL are running.
In the Control Panel window, when I click 'admin' beside either Apache or MySQL the browser opens but that too is blank. I have also restarted my pc.
What could I be doing wrong that is causing the pages to show blank ?
Windows 7 (64Bit)
XAMPP CP v3.2.1


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Here is your product care!!!
Plastic is a unique material in that it will provide you with a product that will withstand rotting, fading, warping, rusting and all chemicals and solvents. Plastic welds are very strong but are not steel welds. Take every precaution to handle your products with care when possible and they will last you a lifetime! Whenever you need to clean it, use some Simple Green, wash it off with water, dry it, and spray some Armor All on for a slick and shiny look!
It's that simple!!!
And how strong is our HDPE? Check out this video and see for yourself!


text: Wilmot Cancer Institute / Specialty Services / Hereditary Cancer Screening and Risk Reduction Program Hereditary Cancer Screening and Risk Reduction Program Wilmot's Hereditary Cancer Screening and Risk Reduction program is designed to help individuals and families with inherited cancer syndromes or a family history of cancer. Based at Wilmot's Pluta Cancer Center, this program is led by medical oncologist Michelle Shayne, M.D., nurse practitioner Carol Lustig, RN MSN ANP-BC, and nurse practitioner Ashley Hendershot, DNP, FNP-BC. They can: Assess your cancer risk. Develop a personalized cancer screening plan. Provide recommendations for risk-reducing measures. Offer guidance for talking with your family about their cancer risk. You have the option to come to the Hereditary Cancer Screening and Risk Reduction Program every year to review and update your personalized cancer screening plan. Annual appointments also allow us to keep you up to date about new research findings about cancer genetics and revise your personalized screening plan based on new research on cancer genetics. Who should be seen at this clinic? The Hereditary Cancer Screening and Risk Reduction program is open to anyone with: A known personal or family history of a genetic mutation that increases the risk of cancer. A family history of multiple cancers on the same side of the family. A personal or family history of developing cancer at age 50 or younger. A personal or family history of rare cancers, including ovarian cancer, male breast cancer, triple negative breast cancer, colorectal cancer with abnormal MSI-associated histology, or endometrial cancer with abnormal MSI. What to expect at the appointment? If you have never had cancer genetic testing: You will meet with a genetic counselor or nurse practitioner with a special interest in cancer genetics. The appointment will take about one hour. During this appointment, the provider will: Ask you questions about your family history of cancer. Teach you some basics about cancer genetics. Discuss genetic testing options and possible results. Discuss the limitations and risks to genetic testing. Talk to you about insurance coverage for genetic testing. You will decide, with your team's guidance, if genetic testing is right for you and your family. If you decide to proceed with genetic testing, you can have blood drawn the same day to start the testing process. Results are typically available within four weeks. You will have an appointment in Hereditary Cancer Screening and Risk Reduction Program to review the results. At this visit your team will: Discuss the results of genetic testing and significance. Develop a personal cancer screening plan and strategies to lower your risk of cancer, regardless of the test results. Help you to inform your family about the potential for hereditary cancers. Even if you decide not to have genetic testing done or you do not qualify for testing, you have the option to have cancer screening based on your family history. Your team will develop a personal surveillance plan and list of risk-reduction strategies. If you already know you carry an inherited gene mutation or have a hereditary cancer syndrome: You will meet with a doctor and nurse practitioner who have a special interest in hereditary cancer syndromes. The appointment will take about an hour. At the appointment they will talk about: Your family history of cancer and specifics of the gene mutation. Your personal risk of cancer. Your personalized cancer screening plan. Steps you can take to lower your risk of cancer. How to inform your family about the potential for hereditary cancers. How to cope with the emotional impact of a hereditary cancer syndrome. To make an appointment, please call 585-275-5863. How can I prepare for my appointment? Learn as much as you can about the medical history of your family. Ask specifically about the history of cancer in your family. Sometimes it is difficult to know all the details about someone's illness. Just get as much information as you can. Also ask about: What country or region your ancestors emigrated from. Relatives who had cancer, including mother, father, sisters, brothers, children, grandchildren, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins, grandparents, great aunts, great uncles and great grandparents. Where in the body their cancer started or originated. For example: colon, breast or prostate. How old they were when they were diagnosed Whether anyone has had any colon polyps, and if so, how many. Who else is on the team? After your personalized cancer screening plan is made, we will refer you to cancer screening specialists who have an expertise in hereditary cancer syndromes. For example, if you need to have colonoscopies routinely, we can arrange for you to be seen by a gastroenterologist who specializes in colon screening for those who carry an increased risk of developing cancer because of an inherited genetic syndrome. Cancer screening recommendations are made based on national comprehensive cancer guidelines, as well as the consensus of a multidisciplinary conference which meets monthly. This multidisciplinary team approach is unique to this program. For each inherited cancer syndrome, there are many organs that can be affected. We utilize the experts at the University of Rochester Medical Center to screen for cancer early and often. Early detection is key to the best outcome.


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Cookbook Deals for March
If you're looking for some new cookbooks, we have the perfect solution for you! All of these cookbooks are currently on sale in e-book format. Ranging from Southern, to Asian, to Mexican cuisines and more, there's something for every eater. Find out more about each cookbook below! Cowgirl Cuisine by Paula Disbrowe Who hasn't fantasized … Continue reading
Even Cowgirls Like Brunch
Brunch can get a bad rap. For those folks out there who don't like to mix breakfast and lunch in the same meal, I'm not sure I can really help (or understand) you. Haven't you ever had breakfast for dinner? Classic! But, for anyone who thinks that brunch is too urban or elitist, boy do … Continue reading


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Valid criticism is fine. It just needs to be detailed.
"The framerates in this YouTube video are awful" is not really valid criticism. YouTube compresses things so bad it's often difficult to tell what to blame, the website or the original source.
"The frame rates in the PS3 section of the video are visibly slower than the frame rates in the comparable PC sections of the video" is a valid complaint, and one few people will disagree with. "Awful" is subjective and opinion. "Visibly slower" is objective and could be verified not only visually but with video tools if someone was so inclined.
People need to stop posting opinions as if they were facts. (Opinions are of course welcome too, as long as they are not presented as facts.)


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Options | Garbage Collect
"Garbage Collect"
option suggests to the Java Virtual Machine that it should attempt garbage collection. In theory, this option should not be required. In practice, with some Virtual Machines and when memory is low, it can be handy to select this option prior to performing a complex operation. If you are not having any memory problems then ignore this option.
If you have memory problems by all means see if this option helps but, if practicable, it would be better to:
Give the Virtual Machine more memory to play with by using the
parameter when you start Java (where
represents the number of megabytes). By default, most JVMs allocate only 64MB. It is recommended that you don't give the Virtual Machine more memory than is physically installed. Performance is likely to be unacceptable due to virtual memory paging.
Install more physical memory so that more available memory can be allocated to the JVM.
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Terms of Use


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only photo of a Yellow-browed I managed in the whole 2 weeks!
Monday, October 15, 2012
More North Ron Pics
More pictures from North Ron on the Panasonic FZ-200
Sunday, October 07, 2012
North Ronaldsay
Back from 2 weeks on North Ron, got 23 GB of photos to work my way through but for now a few of the highlights-
one of around 5 different birds seen over the 2 weeks, always nice birds to see especially close views!
Great Spotted Woodpecker, first island record since 2003 showed superbly as it fed on a sheltered part of the dyke! must be D. major major ?
Lanceolated Warbler, again showed really well on a dyke!
Little Bunting, one of several across the island
Juvenile Peregrine, proper wader hunter!
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Mrs Fitzherbert's
Burgers / Steak House / Grill
E Sussex
Mrs Fitzherberts; the woman, the bar. Brighton's original cougar, who captured the heart of a king, is back in the heart of central Brighton. Situated two minutes from the Royal Pavilion, where the Prince wooed his sweetheart, and seconds from the Theatre Royal and the Dome concert hall, like the original tale, ours is a story of passion and infatuation. A passion to provide great local craft beers, simple but quality local pub food and showcase the best of live local talent. Simply click here for current listings. We have a great fresh take on traditional pub values.
Fitzherberts boasts two great heated and lit outdoor terraces. Our street terrace, in the heart of Brighton's pedestrianised North Laine, is the best place to watch Brighton's characters play - especially whilst enjoying one of our many live gigs. Or, head up to the first floor and discover our 'Lost Gardens of Fitzherbert' cocktail bar; a true hidden gem complete with outdoor terrace, working outdoor fireplace, cocktail bar and the best DJs - we aim to entertain all! No matter where you're perched, we're the best setting for breakfast or an after work cocktail under the stars. With a fantastic retractable roofs, our terrace remain open whatever the weather. Serving locally sourced brunch, lunch and dinner, with freshly prepared drinks and speciality coffees, you are welcome to dine or drink anytime and with 10% discount for locals (ask instore) you'll always be rewarded at the Fitz.
The 'Lost gardens of Fitzherbert cocktail bar' is available for hire daytimes. With a capacity 150 guests standing, there is no hire fee. The quirky room is ideal for a wedding party, corporate meeting or training session. We do not generally hire our upstairs bar in the evenings as we have a full program of events except over the Christmas period. If you are looking for private hire, our sister venue Brighton Music Hall has a fantastic private room with pier to pier views. Table bookings (up to 6 people) can be made at any time on 01273 682401 or you can organise larger group bookings with our office on 01273 590918 or by completing our online contact form.


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Formula 1 returns to the United States after a long hiatus. The last time Formula 1 cars raced in the USA was in Indianapolis; this year's race will happen in Austin, Texas. And to put a milestone on the event, Hublot – the official watch of Formula 1 – has designed a new watch. The timepiece is called F1 King Power Austin.
The King Power Austin is made primarily from titanium to keep the weight of this 48 mm watch low. The material is also chosen for its resistance to corrosion and biocompatibility. Since this is a Formula 1 watch, there are a number of design cues that comes directly from the sport. You'll first notice the disc brake bezel, which is made from carbon and titanium. This chronograph's start and reset push-pieces, which have red highlights, also reminds of the motorsport. Securing the case to your wrist is a strap made from black Hornback alligator leather, with red stitching.
Only 250 examples of the King Power Austin will be made. Previously, Hublot also dipped into its King Power collection to produce limited-edition F1 timepieces. All are named after the venue in which the race takes place, such as Suzuka, Interlagos and India to name a few. So if you have been collecting, you'll want this one as well.


text: Changes in the phenology of physical and ecological variables associated with climate change are likely to have significant effect on many aspects of the Baltic ecosystem. We apply a set of phenological indicators to multiple environmental variables measured by satellite sensors for 17-36 years to detect possible changes in the seasonality in the Baltic Sea environment. We detect significant temporal changes, such as earlier start of the summer season and prolongation of the productive season, in several variables ranging from basic physical drivers to ecological status indicators. While increasing trends in the absolute values of variables like sea-surface temperature (SST), diffuse attenuation of light (Ked490) and satellite-detected chlorophyll concentration (CHL) are detectable, the corresponding changes in their seasonal cycles are more dramatic. For example, the cumulative sum of 30 000 W m(-2) of surface incoming short-wave irradiance (SIS) was reached 23 days earlier in 2014 compared to the beginning of the time series in 1983. The period of the year with SST of at least 17 degrees C has almost doubled (from 29 days in 1982 to 56 days in 2014), and the period with Ked490 over 0.4 m(1) has increased from about 60 days in 1998 to 240 days in 2013 -i.e., quadrupled. The period with satellite-estimated CHL of at least 3 mg m(-3) has doubled from approximately 110 days in 1998 to 220 days in 2013. While the timing of both the phytoplankton spring and summer blooms have advanced, the annual CHL maximum that in the 1980s corresponded to the spring diatom bloom in May has now shifted to the summer cyanobacteria bloom in July.


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If there is one thing I really like, it's the wisdom from those older than me, and one piece of that wisdom I'm starting to understand is the recommendation from a pastor to find a read good books as often as possible, as these shape your thinking. In the same vein I've known numerous successful men who have also suggested swearing off TV and video games, but what's great about "you are what you read" is that it's the positive "this is what you can do" recommendation that pairs with the "this is what you shouldn't do" recommendation of avoiding TV. Once you start reading on a regular basis, it's hard to put books down, and the benefits of reading start rolling in fast. You learn the author's language, and you gain some of his understanding and awareness. Just as importantly, you will often find yourself debating with the author and trying to understand what he has written. By putting in the time to read (since reading forces you to put aside everything else you are doing), the process of reading also changes you, so that you begin to talk about and use what you read in your daily life.
It's this change that's behind the adage "You are what you read." If you read nothing and learn nothing, you are nothing. If you put time into reading about health, your chances of being healthy will probably improve, and the same could be said for a number of other topics. I've found that to get the most out of a book, one needs to do four things:
Debate and dialog with the author -I think the reason many people don't find reading enjoyable is because of the way it was taught in school: Books are collections of dry facts to be memorized for a test. This isn't the case; books are a place for you to dialog and debate the author, and unlike a face-to-face conversation, you will not look weird revisiting the same place in the author-reader conversation, or visiting different parts at will. Write in the margins! Prove the author wrong if you disagree with him! Ask questions you hope the author will answer the next chapter! Doing these kinds of things make reading a lot more engaging, and more fun.
Understand where the author is coming from - This is a useful comprehension skill, because often times I find myself debating an author not because of a fundamental difference, but because of our different backgrounds. One example of this happened when I read Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover. At first I disagreed with him on a few areas, particularly on owning gold, and on what looked like a brain-dead approach to finance. By the time I finished the book, however, I understood who the intended audience was, and the real message of the book: Without a plan and a change of attitude about managing money, one would always be in debt. With a solid plan, dedication, and relatively conservative investments strategies, building wealth is a real possibility for everyone, including average-income people. After finishing the book I found that I could immediately put 98% of what was written to work, because I took the time to understand the author.
Understand what the author is trying to say - Hand in hand with understanding where the author is coming from, understanding the actual message is also important. Each chapter of a book is usually trying to communicate just one idea, or at most just a few, and the chapter or entire book is a very long explanation of those key ideas. In some cases, if you have a lot to read, you can skim ideas from books quickly if you are looking for the key ideas. If you miss them, then the whole book will seem a bit pointless, or especially in areas like finance, religion, and politics, a bad author can write a great deal of emotional fluff but not actually say anything.
And finally, Compare one author with others in his community - Comparing several authors in a given field or community helps you get a better understanding of how that community works, who the true authorities are, and it lets you sit in on great conversations between great minds. One example are the books 1984 and Brave New World, which were actually the result of a conversation between George Orwell and Aldous Huxley on their (rather dark) visions of the future. more recently, in the Paleo community, several authors have been inspired by the work of Dr. Loren Cordain, and have published their own takes and explanations of the Paleo Diet. You will find examples of this in every possible field. In addition to listening in by reading, comparing authors is also good for busting scams.
Scams, or the selling of goods and services at prices far above their real value (which is often zero), tend to begin with the truth, which is then used to emotionally prepare the victim to accept the lie. When you start reading up on a topic, you find the "truth" part of the scam repeated so many times that it becomes obvious, and you learn a lot of legitimate solutions. This is how I finally came to understand the scam from the Rich Dad, Poor Dad book series. I read Kiyosaki's books first because they were recommended to me, and when I first read the books I felt so enlightened because for the first time I learned about buying appreciating assets, and that "your home is an asset" is a popular myth. However, the rest of the recommendations of that book were garbage, which I later discovered by reading works by John T. Reed, Peter Schiff, and Dave Ramsey (While these three men obviously do not comprise the whole world of investing, they are the ones I've had a chance to read so far). It turns out that buying appreciating assets and not seeing your house as an asset is brain-dead obvious. It also turns out that successful investors do not borrow large amounts of money like Kiyosaki recommends, because those who do, as folks like Schiff and Ramsey painstakingly document, tend to go broke as they assume far more risk than they can handle. Once I read these different authors and their different views, the "debate with the authors" began and I was able to see through the Kiyosaki scams and several like it in the world of investing. Actually, your scam detection radar improves a lot once you gain basic literacy. If you learn finance, you will be much better at detecting get-rich-quick and other investment scams. If you read up on health, and especially from different perspectives, weight-loss scams and poor medicine is much easier to spot.
How to pick good books
To get started with finding good books, I'd suggest going to a site like Amazon and reading the reviews, both the good and bad ones. What you really want to look for, if the book gives advice, are reviews by people who actually gave the advice. If it is a learning book (i.e. history), read the reviews to see if people found it enjoyable or not. If you still can't come to a conclusion, get a book from both sides if there is a "debate," or check the book out from the library if you don't want to risk your hard-earned money. If the books are on a concept, you can put that concept/book title into Google and attach "review" or "criticism" to it.
Something to ignore are reviews that are obviously hit pieces. These come up a lot in areas like health, finance, politics, and religion. A hit piece is dead obvious if words like "dumb" or "ignorant" come up. It's also a hit piece if the reviewer is speaking in abstract terms to argue against people who actually read the book. For example, any prominent political writer has people who hate him; it comes with the territory. So, in the review section of his most recent book, you find a lot of negative reviews from people who mention no details from the book at all, just that the author is a bad person. Skip these, and read only the critical reviews that do the four things I mentioned earlier, as these are evidence that a reviewer read the book enough to understand what he is reviewing.
Finally, remember that you are what you read. Who do you want to become? Find authors who are already there.
Other alternatives to books
Aside from books, there are other ways to find good information. If you're not a big fan of reading, Youtube has a number of authors posting what they have to say on video, and the conversations can sometimes be real-time. Some authors may also publish regularly through an online source, maybe via a podcast or blog. These are great free means of getting good information, but I still wouldn't call them complete alternatives to books. The difference between books and online publishing is that most online formats are written or recorded to be short, and this makes it more difficult to tie ideas together the way a book can. That said, splitting your reading time between a good book and a few high-quality websites can get you the best of both worlds. The practice of taking time to learn from others is the real key, because this is what helps you become what you read.


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Our reading plan has guided us through the works of both towering and obscure figures in the history of Christianity, from ethereal Greek theologians, to desert monks, to Romanist lawyers. Four weeks from today, we begin the end of our reading plan with one of the most prolific, profound, yet deeply human theologians of western Christianity, Augustine of Hippo.
Biographies of Augustine and introductions to his work are abundant both on- and offline, and we will begin, appropriately, with the Confessions, Augustine's highly influential autobiography. As always, our daily reading plan will link to free and public domain translations from Series I of the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers. But there are many more recent, excellent, and in many cases affordable, translations of Augustine's work. From time to time Read the Fathers will gather these translations in an introductory post, pointing readers to editions that may be more readable or simply different from the 19th-century translations.
Now is an excellent time to invite friends, study groups, and Sunday schools to read along. Whether you've been a faithful reader, an occasional passerby, or a newcomer to the fathers, we welcome restless hearts of all kinds to join, subscribe to daily e-mails, or follow us on social media.


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Our easiest trail features plenty of flatter sections with gentle gradual uphills and downhills for the beginner skier or someone looking for an easy tour. 5 km
The second easiest trail adds a few more uphills and downhills to Torino. Another great trail for the beginner skier who is fit enough to ski. 8 km
An intermediate trail that features more rolling uphills and downhills than Torino or Nagano. This is the favourite trail of our members and a great training trail for the racers with enough to challenge the intermediate skier. 12 km
If you want hills then this is your trail. Lillehammer follows the hilly terrain on the outside edge of the trail system for a roller coaster ride. Best for experts or intermediate skiers who want a challenge. 15 km
This trail uses almost the complete trail system at Hardwood except the easier trail to the Posts and back. It is designed for expert skiers with good fitness. 22 km
Our racing trail has 44 uphills and downhills in only 10 km giving it the most climb per kilometer of any trail in our system. If you are fit and like to go fast on downhills this is the trail for you. 10 km
A "retro" back country single track trail that starts and finishes at the Posts. This trail is for classic skiing only and requires good agility and balance making it great for intermediate and advanced skiers. 3 km
Thanks to ONE WAY Sports, the Meadowlands trail is back! This trail is mostly flat terrain, with a few rolling hills, making it perfect for both novice and veteran Nordic skiers. 7.5 km


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It's no secret that a diet filled with nutrient-dense, whole foods — one that contains less inflammatory, packaged and processed food — will benefit our health immensely.
But in this crazy-busy life, filled with careers, children, training schedules and commitments, is it realistic to think that we can reduce our reliance on easy-to-prepare convenience food and shift towards preparing food at home? If cooking our own food from scratch is the answer to more nutrients, more energy and better immunity, can we make room for it in our lives?
The short answer is absolutely. Our health, performance and longevity are definitely connected to how we fuel our body, so cooking at home needs to be a priority, regardless of your food philosophy. Even those who have barely stepped foot in a kitchen can make better food happen with a few fundamental skills and a bit of organization.
Over the next several issues, IMPACT's Kitchen Skills series will focus on setting you up for success. This issue, we start with the basics — getting your kitchen ready to be a place where nutritious, delicious food can actually be created.
Build the Perfect Pantry
Basic whole foods ingredients
Your pantry and refrigerator should contain the things that you will use and will contribute to health. In other words, real food. Read your labels and learn to recognize ingredients that your body may not respond well to. Check out Michael Pollan's book Food Rules for simple whole food tips such as, "Don't eat anything your grandmother wouldn't recognize as food."
Your refrigerator should be relatively empty by the end of the week. Take a few hours once a week to chop some veggies, create a dip, make a soup or stew and possibly a protein that you can grab when on the go. Keep your fridge stocked with only the fresh ingredients you will need to make a week's worth of meals and a few essential condiments such as Dijon mustard, hot sauce, tamari, flax, fresh nuts and seeds.
In my kitchen, I keep only what I need in my pantry. Having a few high quality ingredients at the ready helps my family create things such as salad dressings and dips that we would otherwise have to buy. Processed versions of these products often contain congesting, inflammatory ingredients such as high-fructose corn syrup and hydrogenated, rancid oils. But making dips and dressings from scratch in just a few minutes keeps the nasty ingredients out of our diet, while boosting nutrient density and health!
Barb's Pantry Must-Haves
- Organic Virgin Coconut Oil for higher heat cooking and baking. It's anti-microbial and high in nutrients.
- Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil for low heat cooking, salad dressings and finishing sauces. It's high in skin nourishing, anti-inflammatory omega 9 fatty acids.
- A few BPA-free cans of organic beans such as chickpeas or black beans for a quick weeknight dinner over salad or turned into a dip.
- Apple cider vinegar and balsamic vinegar.
- High quality, organic glass jars of tomatoes and tomato sauce.
- A sweetener such as honey, stevia or maple syrup.
- Small, sealed batches of spices such as turmeric, cayenne, true cinnamon, sea salt, peppercorns, and cumin. These are anti-inflammatory and very nutrient-dense.
- Bouillon cubes or stock free of monosodium glutamate (MSG).
- A couple shapes of whole grain or grain-free, gluten-free pasta.
- Root vegetables.
- Jars of whole grains such as quinoa, brown rice and oats if you are a grain eater.
- Superfoods such as spirulina, maca, cacao and chia that can easily be thrown in a smoothie or on a bowl of breakfast oats.
Nice to have in the pantry:
- Jars of fermented vegetables.
- Dried fruit.
- High quality cereal.
- Curry paste and hot sauces. (Store in fridge after opening.)
- Baking ingredients such as organic flours, baking powder and baking soda (aluminum free), vanilla, chocolate chips.
- Flavour boosters such as jarred roasted red peppers, capers, olives.
Barb's Pantry Tip:
Store all oils and spices away from heat and light to avoid potential of rancidity, which affects flavour and can be toxic to the body.
Gather the Essentials
Here's what you need to create a create a functional kitchen prep space:
- Back to basics: One sharp chef knife and one sharp paring knife, a knife sharpener and honing steel, two wood or plastic cutting boards, small glass bowls, three mixing bowls, a good set of pots, a large and a small sauté pan, small utensils such as: measuring spoons, a grater, a microplane and a spatula (no duplicates, one of each), a few serving utensils such as spoons and tongs, a large braising or roasting pan, baking pans.
- Make sure your counter is free of anything that doesn't have an immediate application. (You'd never find a ceramic chicken cookie jar on a prep table in a professional kitchen.)
- Get rid of fad appliances that take up space, but offer little benefit. Hang onto, or upgrade your blender, food processor and toaster.
- Look in second hand stores if you don't have what you need. These are great places to find things such as cast iron pans and small appliances.
- Obtain high-quality storage containers for the food you will make in the week.
Impact Your Nutrition:
When you have the right tools and the right ingredients, perfect meals are around every corner. Gather the essentials, build the perfect pantry and enjoy the whole food recipes on the next page.
Whole Foods Healing Recipes
When I teach whole food cooking classes with my partner in nutritional education, Chef Christina Acevedo of HoneyandVanilla.com, we use two of her healing recipes to show that a few simple but nutritionally powerful pantry ingredients can create delicious and versatile flavour boosters. These two dressings help turn salads, stir-fries, proteins, wraps, noodles and more into food that is anti-inflammatory, immune boosting, bone building, tummy soothing and unbelievably delicious.
And then try this with the Omega Oil Dressing:


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for Craig Conley
The three sad eyes of the ellipses. Something is lost...Three islands. Small songs in a sea that prefers to forget the land...The mouth opens and begins to speak; there is nothing that can be said...One world followed by another and then another. Tiny black specks at the end of the galaxy...A three frame animation where nothing appears to happen, though perhaps down on the minuscule surface, there are different kinds of silences, memories, things forgotten or left. The trailing off, the continuing on...Small black stones in the river of speech...Three tunnels waiting for the three trains of past, present, and somewhere in between...Dots lost and drifting from i's, j's, or umlauts, floating between words in the cloudbound grammar above the teleological cities of the sentence...Notes from a song with neither pitch nor rhythm. The dark matter music between things...Three brother molecules in a subatomic folktale, though it is unclear which is the youngest, most foolish, most likely to wed the princess...An echo of the full stop at the end of the sentence. Things end, but their ripples mark the page with their tiny fingerprints. Here I am, though what I was is forgotten, disappeared, or unclear. I grip the cliff of the page, holding on until you get here ready to imagine what I might have been.


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Club members and friends at Go-Ride Club Blackpool Youth Cycle Association ended the glorious summer of sport with their own haul of medals and trophies at the recently opened closed road circuit at Palatine Sports Centre.
Following on from the successful Go-Ride Games events which encouraged new entrants into cycle sport after the Olympics, the Go-Ride Club ran their first Annual Time Trials on the 1km circuit. Older age cats did 10km while those aged U12 did 5km. The best members in each age category having the honour of being the Record holders until next year's event.
"Since the Tour De France and the Olympics, our membership has gone up by about 40%," said Club Coach and Secretary Carley Brieley. "We still have potential new members coming to our club sessions every week. We are very fortunate that the circuit is now floodlit so we can run training and coaching sessions throughout the year."
For the Time Trial event, the club mirrored the type of event the young riders would have seen their heroes compete in during the summer. After signing on and being allocated a number, riders were counted down and set off at timed intervals with the more confident having held starts. For many this was there first bike race and any lack of experience was more than made up for with enthusiasm. Ages ranged form 6 to 17 with all aiming to be the next Elinor Barker or Bradley Wiggins.
As well as Volunteers from the club, the event was supported by local Go-Ride Coach Tom Leivers and some of the clubs CAYV volunteers who assisted with signing on, lap scoring and officiating.
All riders who took part were rewarded for their efforts with a gold club medal with their time on and trophies for the best in each age cat at a club presentation the following.
"This has been a great event for the club," said BYCA Chair Chris Smith. "We've had 34 young riders take part and although we have the U12 NW Circuit Champion in the club, most have never competed before. We are definitely going to have to order some more club kit to keep up with demand."
The club is now planning a series of events at the circuit for the spring.
BYCA Annual TT Records 2012
Junior Boy 10km: Tom Pritchard in 15 mins 57 seconds.
Junior Girl 10 Km: No record set
Under 16 Boy 10 km: Alex Bamber in 17 mins 29 seconds
Under 16 Girl 10 km: No Record set
Under 14 boy 10 km: Harry Lynagh in 18mins 51 seconds
Under 14 Girl 10 km: Kayleigh Mountford in 19 mins 26 seconds
Under 12 Boy 10 km: Alistair Leivers in 17 mins 5 seconds
Under 12 Girl 10 km: No Record set
Under 12 Girl 5km: Holly Stayner in 11 mins 41 seconds
Under 10 Boy 5km: Tom McCurrie in 11 mins 20 seconds
Under 10 Girl 5km: Charlotte Barnes in 11 mins 39 seconds
Under 8 Boy 5km: Deetray Jarrett in 13 mins 44 seconds
Under 8 Girl 5km: Felicity Barnes in 12 mins 25 seconds


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Optimum vision – in every situation.
Sight and light
LED Intelligent Light System
Sight and light
LED Intelligent Light System
Optimum vision – in every situation.
In addition to the striking appearance with two LED projection modules for low beam and high beam, the LED Intelligent Light System also offers enhanced safety at night, light distribution adapted to the given driving situation, a daylight-simulating light colour and reduced dazzling.
The country road mode gives brighter and more extensive illumination of the vehicle roadside than conventional low-beam headlamps. Motorway mode is activated once the vehicle speed exceeds 90 km/h. In a first step, the light power is boosted, which provides better illumination of the road and verges. From 110 km/h upwards, the light range is extended.
When unlocking the vehicle, the driver is greeted with an exceptional display of lights. LED technology convinces with very low energy consumption and a long service life.
Other system functions include:
- Active light function.
The headlamps swivel in the direction of the bend – the driver can see significantly further.
- Enhanced fog light function.
The outer half of the roadway is illuminated more brightly – and nevertheless the driver is dazzled less by the reflected light.
- Cornering light function
Improves illumination of the carriageway by supplying additional light on the inside of the curve or corner.


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Magnetic Orders Markers Bundle
We have bundled together useful Magnetic Markers to keep track of Orders for Infinity the Game. This bundle includes:
- Order 1 Markers x10
- Order 2 Markers x5
- Impetuous 1 Marker x1
- Impetuous 2 Marker x1
- Irregular Order Marker 1 x1
- Irregular Order Marker 2 x1
- Lieutenant Special Order Marker x1
Markers are 1" in diameter and magnetized for each storage and display. Designed to work with cases and movement trays that are metallic. If you magnetize your minis for transport then these markers are for you. Even if you don't magnetize your minis the markers will stick to each other and help with organization on the tabletop.


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Headed to this year's Alternative Press Expo?
You are? Excellent!
Then you are invited to stop by the Writers Old Fashioned table to say hi to some old friends, pick up some amazing comics, check out our feature panel and comic making workshop on Saturday, and book a time for your Heroic Tarot reading with STORM!
Table 224 will be featuring appearances by Danger Bob, Emily Stackhouse, Greg Hinkle, Jason McNamara, Josh Richardson, Justin Hall, Kirsten Baldock, Matt Silady, Stephenny Godfrey, and STORM!
Schedule of Events:
Comics Demo – Saturday 6pm
Stop by the brand new APE workshop lounge to hang out with members of Writers Old Fashioned as we take a look at how time works in comics and how to use pacing to make each of your pages snap with energy and excitement!
Feature Panel – Sunday 12pm
We'll be revealing the latest news on all our current and top secret projects at our first Writers Old Fashioned panel!
Heroic Tarot – Saturday 1-3, Sunday 3-6
STORM will be doing his award-winning Heroic Tarot readings at the Writers Old Fashioned Booth throughout the weekend! Spaces are limited so get there early!


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Reecent events have highlighted Richard III's (1452-1485) association with Leicester and have inspired the subject matter for "A Medieval Cornucopia" - the latest exhibition of the The Leicestershire Society of Botanical Illustrators.
The theme of the exhibition concerns the culinary plants that would have been available to the Royal Plantagenet household and the aristocracy. Those with wealth and influence imported some highly prized and unusual spices and fruits at great expense in order to impress their guests and display their prosperity at vast banquets that incorporated national and international foods.
The paintings in the exhibition depict fruit, vegetables, nuts, fungi and herbs and spices. A lot of the food that was eaten in medieval times is very familiar to us now.
When: 25th September - 6th October 2015. Open 11.00 - 4.30 daily.
Where: Leicester's Guildhall - some parts of the building pre-date Richard III and date back to the 14th Century.
Admission: FREE
1) The Leicestershire Society of Botanical Illustrators was created in 1987. The Society's President is Anne Marie Evans. The Society now numbers c.70 members - many of whom paint together each week at the Holbrook Road Memorial Hall, Leicester.
2) Richard III died at the Battle of Bosworth, near Leicester. His body was found in 2012 buried underneath a Leicester car park. It was reinterred in Leicester Cathedral in March 2015
Website: http://www.lsbi.org.uk
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Leicestershire-Society-of-Botanical-Illustrators-1614187425506338/timeline
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Katherine Tyrrell writes about botanical art and artists and has followers all over the world.
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TALLADEGA, Ala. -- The Daytona 500 will have an improved look.
Daytona International Speedway will be repaved for the second time in history after a pothole on the track during this year's Daytona 500 forced two delays that totaled more than two hours during the Feb. 14 race.
The repaving project will begin immediately after the July 3 Sprint Cup race, with completion targeted for Jan. 1, 2011.
"We owe it to the fans to do this now," track president Robin Braig said on Saturday.
The original plan was to repave the track in 2012. Braig said the resurfacing was accelerated because they couldn't risk a similar situation next February.
Braig said a concrete patch was poured in the area where a significant pothole developed and he was confident the July race would run without any disruption. Nationwide Series cars will test there in May.
"We fixed the one area that was under stress and we fixed that properly," he said. "It's just not worth risking it. We may as well do it now and get it over with so we don't have to hold our breath at every race."
The International Speedway Corporation's team of engineers and asphalt specialists conducted an evaluation of the track, and the board of directors decided last week to go ahead with the repaving.
Daytona International Speedway's entire 2.5-mile tri-oval will be repaved as well as the skid pads, apron and pit road. Braig said drivers endorsed the fix.
"It is kind of getting past it's prime, I think," Dale Earnhardt Jr. said.
"The sooner we get a new surface down that can get some weather on it, the quicker we will get to the kind of race track that everybody wants. It is one of the most popular and important tracks on our circuit. I'm glad to see it get a facelift."
The track opened in 1959 and was repaved in 1978.
Fans who renew their 2011 Daytona 500 tickets will receive a portion of Daytona's track surface.
READY TO RUMBLE? No wonder Jeff Gordon was sporting those dark shades this weekend at Talladega.
"Did you guys hear about the fight we got into?" Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jimmie Johnson said. "Man, we got into a hell of a fight. Caught him good with a right hook."
OK, the four-time Cup champions didn't really rumble even though they tangled on the track last week at Texas Motor Speedway. Gordon and Johnson insist there are no hard feelings after they got into a public tiff last week after some aggressive driving and critical comments of each other over the radio.
Gordon and Johnson both said they patched up their differences and chalked it up to two drivers competing hard for a win.
"We've raced hard for years. I just never had a car that could keep up with him," Gordon said. "We've got that this year. In a way, I hope we see more of it. We don't want to be bumping and banging, but I do want to be changing positions with him for the lead and swapping those positions."
Gordon won the last of his four championships in 2001 -- the pre-Chase era. Johnson has made history by winning the last four Cup titles. Gordon, who owns a piece of Johnson's team, just hasn't been able to catch up to the No. 48 car.
That's turned the teammates into rivals -- just not bitter ones.
"There's no doubt that there's a rivalry," Gordon said. "I think people talk about rivalries in this sport all the time, and they think that it has to come from another organization."
Johnson said the pair have had disagreements before, they just haven't been so public.
"We've dealt with this before and we're going through it again," he said. "A lot of it is just because we're both very hungry and racing hard for each position."
Gordon would love to prove that he beat Johnson and win another championship. He knows the pressure is on -- especially in the Chase races -- to keep up with the defending champ.
"He set that standard here over the last several years, and that's one that we haven't lived up to," Gordon said. "It's one that I feel like we're capable of living up to this year. That's why we're going to be more aggressive, and we're going to be racing hard, and that means that we're going to upset some guys along the way."
AIRBORNE CARS: Carl Edwards can't forget the feeling of sailing airborne up the track and into the safety fence last year at Talladega Superspeedway. His spectacular last-lap accident showered the stands with debris. One of those injured fans, Blake Bobbitt, was hospitalized.
Bobbitt will attend Sunday's race -- in a safer locale -- as part of a courageous fan program started by Edwards and his sponsor.
"Blake Bobbitt is an amazing person," Edwards said. "The thing that makes me able to kind of accept what happened there, and not really think about it, is how great Blake is and how understanding she is about the whole situation."
JUNIOR'S SPOILER: Dale Earnhardt Jr. now knows the only thing that travels faster than a stock car is news posted on Twitter.
Earnhardt's plans to drive the No. 3 car in the Nationwide Series at Daytona International Speedway in July were revealed earlier than expected after a tweet by Darryl Waltrip. JR Motorsports was set to make an official announcement next week.
The news got out when Waltrip tweeted the news earlier this week, forcing Earnhardt to go public with it. Earnhardt said Waltrip "ruined" the announcement.
"It's unfortunate that DW uncovered that and the way it went down because we didn't want to have to announce it like this," he said. "We will do it when we had it originally planned and that is all I can tell you about it."
Earnhardt drove the No. 3 car twice before in the second-tier series to honor his father, Dale Earnhardt, who made the number famous. He was killed in the 2001 Daytona 500.
Waltrip apologized -- on Twitter, of course -- for spoiling the surprise.
"I want him to drive the 3, so when I heard he was I was excited," Waltrip wrote. "He's run the 3 in nationwide before so I was shocked he got upset!
"Thanks to all you guys on Twitter for not making me feel like a complete jerk, trust is very important to me, hated what happened! Oh by the way, did learn one thing, Twitter is a great way to get the word out, even people that don't have it know what's on it, lesson learned."


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My Aged Care is part of the Australian Government's changes to the aged care system which have been designed to give people more choice, more control and easier access to a full range of aged care services.
The Commonwealth Government commenced a series of Aged Care system reforms to be implemented over a ten year period. The reforms are based on a consumer-directed care model, with people having greater choice, flexibility and care based on individual needs. The aim is for people to be able to be independent, remain in their homes and stay connected to family and community, rather than move towards residential care.
As part of these reforms, the Commonwealth Government has changed the way in which they fund aged care services. Funding will instead go directly to the individual, who will be able to buy services from the marketplace based on their personal needs.
My Aged Care can provide you with information on aged care for yourself, a family member, friend or someone you're caring for. You can call the My Aged Care contact centre on 1800 200 422 between 8:00am and 8:00pm on weekdays and between 10:00am and 2:00pm on Saturdays.
The My Aged Care contact centre is closed on Sundays and national public holidays. For further information, please see the My Aged Care website.
Please note that the changes to the disability sector and the associated National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) funding model is an entirely separate reform.
To contact the NDIS, phone 1800 800 110 or see the NDIS website.