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My guest today is Dee Passon, founder of the website Toxic Free Airlines. Dee was a Cabin Service Service Director for British Airways, and flew for nearly 25 years with four different airlines, until she was ill health retired in 2009 with a written diagnosis of Aerotoxic Syndrome. Dee now works as an unpaid advisor to passengers and crew affected by cabin air. In addition to her website, Dee also has a Toxic Free Airlines page on Facebook that posts the latest information and also set up a group on Facebook called Angel Fleet to pay tribute to and raise awareness of the number of British Airways crew who are passing away every year. In June 2014, Dee became a member of the Air Safety Group, an independent, unpaid and impartial group dedicated to improving all aspects of safety in aviation which reports to Parliament every year. www.toxicfreeairlines.com
Aerotoxic Syndrome: How Flying in Airplanes Can Affect Your Health
Host: Debra Lynn Dadd
Guest: Dee Passon
Date of Broadcast: July 21, 2015
DEBRA: Hi! I'm Debra Lynn Dadd. This is Toxic Free Talk Radio where we talk about how to thrive in a toxic world and live toxic free.
It is Tuesday, July 21st, 2015. I'm here in Clearwater, Florida and I don't think we're going to have a thunderstorm during the show. I think we'll be just fine, but we'll probably have one later on today. We're having thunderstorms every day now here.
Anyway, today we're going to be talking about something we've never talked about before on the show. Indeed, I suspected that this was a toxic problem, but didn't know anybody was talking about until recently. The subject is toxic chemicals on airplane flights, what you're being exposed to and how it's affecting your health, but perhaps more importantly how it's affecting all the stewardesses and pilots and people who are flying on planes every day. There's actually a term now for the health effects that happen to this airline workers. It's called Aerotoxic Syndrome.
My guest today is founder of the website, Toxic Free Airlines. That's at ToxicFreeAirlines.com. She has information there about health effects that happen when people fly in airplanes, especially frequently and what you can do to be safer. That's what we're going to be talking about on the show today.
She has had her own experience in being made ill from the toxic chemicals on airplanes. She was a former Cabin Service Director for British Airways. She flew for nearly 25 years with four different airlines until she was "ill health retired" in 2009 with a written diagnosis of Aerotoxic Syndrome. So without further ado, hi Dee.
DEE PASSON: Hello Debra.
DEBRA: Hello. I just want to tell the listeners that we're talking to Dee from the United Kingdom. So it's a very long distance call.
DEE PASSON: Sorry. Am I sounding a bit faint?
DEBRA: If you could talk into the phone and talk up a little bit, that would be great.
DEE PASSON: Okay, I'll try my best.
DEBRA: That's better. That's better. So anyway, why don't you start off by us your story? What happened?
DEE PASSON: Like you, I haven't heard of Aerotoxic Syndrome, but I kept getting lots and lots of things wrong with me and I was ill for many years. It was one thing after the other, constant flus and I was developing unexplained aches and pains, constant headaches. I didn't know what was wrong. This went on for quite a long time.And then one day, I saw a headline in the newspaper over here that said, "Toxic Fuels in Jets." Suddenly, it all made sense.
So I went and got myself tested. I had a very high level of toxins from the fume, from the engine oil and high levels of nickel, which comes from the engine. I've never heard this ever mentioned.
And then, once I started looking on the internet, I found that over here in Parliament, they're discussing it in our House of Lords since 1999, but [inaudible 00:04:40]. And certainly passengers, most passengers still don't know about this. They need to be warned that this could happen.
DEBRA: Do you think it's because you and other flight attendants (and I'm assuming pilots and everybody who works on the planes) are being exposed to it more frequently than say me who doesn't fly very often?
DEE PASSON: Yes, we are. We're just getting chronic low level exposures. So every day, we're getting a certain amount because the air we breathe in the cabin is completely unfiltered. But some people are more susceptible than others. So a passenger can get sick just for one flight. Some flights have more contamination than others. There are certainly a very high number of flight attendants and pilots that's getting sick.
DEBRA: Tell us more about specifically what the chemical are that you're being exposed to.
DEE PASSON: You've got all the chemicals from the fuel. You get things like hexane, heptane, methane, benzene. They're carcinogens. And also, the organophosphates, which are the chemicals that are causing the most concern. I don't know if you had a problem in America with farmers. Over here, our farmers actually dip their sheeps in organophosphate dips. And they're all becoming very, very sick.
DEBRA: I didn't know about that.
DEE PASSON: Oh, you don't have that there. But you've got the Gulf War veterans?
DEBRA: Yes.
DEE PASSON: They were exposed to organophosphates. So it's the same illness in fact. That's why when you go on a flight, you get a feeling that you've got the flu. And everybody thinks they've got a virus, but actually, it's chemical fume and it's coming from the organophosphate. There's organosphosphate in the hydraulics called tributyl phosphate. And there's another one in the engine oil, the tricresyl phosphate.
Organophosphates were originally developed as nerve agents for warfare. So the governments and airlines are saying that they're not harmful, that they're not harming people. It's complete rubbish. That's what they were designed to do. They were designed to harm the human nervous system and that is exactly what they are doing.
DEBRA: I don't even know what to ask you. It just seems incredulous to me. I mean, I've done a fair amount of flying in the past. I don't even remember the last time I took a flight. It was probably across the United States, which is about 3000 miles to go from Florida to California. I know that when I'm on a plane, I can smell what I think is the jet fuel.
DEE PASSON: Yes.
DEBRA: The first thing I do when I get on the plane is – now I'm going to say this and you're probably going to tell me that I'm doing exactly the wrong thing. But what I do is I get on the plane, I sit in my seat and I immediately open up the little air thing completely open so that I can get as much fresh air as possible.
DEE PASSON: Yeah, you don't want the air that comes in. It's unfiltered. So the airlines, in their little flight brochures, they'll tell you the air is filtered. But it's only the [inaudible 00:07:58]. All the air that you breathe comes off the engine and it's unfiltered and it's getting contaminated with all these chemicals. It's only once the air has gone through the cabin and it gets recirculated that it then gets filtered.
So the sorts of symptoms you are likely to experience (nose irritation, eye irritation, cough, dizziness, vertigo, headache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea), eventually, you'll start to feel like you've got the flu, runny nose. Some people will also get tremors, which is the effect of having it on your nervous system. You'll get chest pains, heart palpitations. Everybody gets everything.
Some people will get more major symptoms if they're depressed or anxious. Obviously, they will have the physical ones. They'll be in pain and they're not working properly or they can't walk after a flight. Other people will have heart attacks. These chemicals can make the brain swell, which is why you get these terrible headaches. It can cause brain hemorrhages. It can cause pneumonia. It's really serious.
The reason why these things have been kept quiet is the airlines don't want you to know about these problems because they're not planning on fixing it. It will cost a lot of money.
DEBRA: But it just seems to me negligent to be exposing passengers to this. I mean, probably worse than negligent. I can't think of the right word for it, irresponsible.
DEE PASSON: I know. It certainly is. It's also illegal. The [inaudible 00:09:37] itself says that the passenger and crew compartments must be free from toxic fumes and vapors. That isn't the case at the moment.
They keep saying fumes like those are rare. I got to see the reports from the UK and they're happening every day. I don't think something that happens every day is rare. And these are just the ones that are getting reported. There's an awful lot that's unreported. The average fume only lasts for less than a minute. So, by the time people have thought, "Have I smelt something or haven't I?", it's gone, so they bother to report it.
And it affects your sense of smell, especially crews because they're flying a long times. [Inaudible 00:10:20] I was told that the damage to my respiratory tract [inaudible 00:10:25]. You lose your sense of smell.
Some of the chemicals are odorless. The engine oil are odorless. But sometimes, it smells like sweaty feet. So then if you smell something, you don't know what to do. Whoever will ever report that smell. [Inaudible 00:10:44] we just think passengers taking their shoes off.
DEBRA: I understand. We need to go to break, but when we come back, we'll talk more with Dee about various toxic chemicals that you may encounter when you're taking an airline flight and what to do about it.
You're listening to Toxic Free Talk Radio. I'm Debra Lynn Dadd. My guest today is Dee Passon. She is the founder of the website, Toxic Free Airlines, which is at ToxicFreeAirlines.com. We'll be right back.
DEBRA: You're listening to Toxic Free Talk Radio. I'm Debra Lynn Dadd and my guest today is Dee Passon. She is a former – what do you like to be called, a flight attendant?
DEE PASSON: We call it cabin crew in the UK, but flight attendant is fine. I don't mind.
DEBRA: Cabin crew. I like cabin crew. I will call you in the UK term.
DEE PASSON: You can use that.
DEBRA: She is a former cabin crew member from British Airways who retired because she got sick from the toxic chemicals that she was being exposed to. We've been talking about that.
When I smell something, when I'm in a plane, there are definitely times when I smell quite strongly something that I think is fuel and it might be something else. But it seems to come and go. So I was really interested in you saying that these episodes are just so short that you're not quite sure that you smelled something at all. I know that I smelled things and then it stops.
It never once occurred to me that I should report it because as a passenger – I guess even though I'm probably more aware of toxic chemicals in my environment than most people and I was aware it was going on, I just thought this is the way it is on a plane. I don't know what the rules are for planes and I don't like it, but I just thought this is just the way it is.
DEE PASSON: Yeah. But they're not filtering that air at all. So on some flights, you will have a problem where you've got a thing in the engine that's either worn or it's got a hole in it. Then you're going to get a very big contamination. And those are the flights where you might actually see the mists in the cabin although that's quite rare. You will have other people possibly fainting or feeling unwell and you'll hear the calls for doctors.
Even on ordinary flights, these fuels aren't designed to fuel all the time. They're kept in place by air pressure. They're wet fuel. So you are going to get a certain amount of contamination. It's a design flaw.
In 1962, the air used to be blown in from the outside. It didn't go through the engine. But back then, they decided that they could save money by combining two. They thought, "Engines need warm air for propulsion and passengers need warm air to breathe, so let's combine the two." Unfortunately, it's a flawed system and it's not very good for people's health.
The only aircraft currently flying that doesn't use this system is the Boeing 787. That is the only aircraft that I would ever fly on now.
DEBRA: Do many airlines have that plane?
DEE PASSON: Yeah, more and more. At least Boeing had acknowledged the problem. They actually gave evidence to the British House of Lords and they originally said it was to prevent any possibility of cabin air contamination. And then, I think they realized after they shot themselves in the foot a little bit because they've still got lots of [inaudible 00:17:07] 767 planes, but they retracted that slightly. But that is the real reason.
But at least, we saw the Boeing 787 using a completely different system and the air doesn't come through the engine. So you're far less likely to have fumes in there.
DEBRA: That's so good to know. That's so good to know because that's something that we can do.
DEE PASSON: Exactly! And if you have to fly on something else which personally I wouldn't do. I wouldn't risk it.
Seven years ago, I couldn't even change channels with the remote control. I was so fundamentally confused. I didn't know what day it was. I didn't have the energy to even go and have a shower. So I'm very scared of going back to being like that again, so I just won't fly.
DEBRA: When was the last time you've flied?
DEE PASSON: I have flown since I stopped flying as a cabin crew, but I take a mask with me now, one that's designed to screen their oily mist. I haven't gotten sick when I've used that.
But then, I haven't been on [inaudible 00:18:17] is when you get a lot of fumes in the cabin. The problem with that is from the time the pilots realize there's a problem, they're actually getting you down on the ground and getting those doors open, it's going to be about half an hour. And the pilots has got full face oxygen masks. The passengers has got nothing. So you really do need to take something with you.
DEBRA: Okay. So you need a mask that's specific for oily mists. Where do you get such a thing? I mean, you don't know where in America because you're getting it in UK. But where do you get it in the UK? Maybe I can look at that.
DEE PASSON: Yeah. Actually you can look on the internet. I have got one called SSP3, which are the best. They do screen out chemicals as well as bacteria and viruses. There's an association called the Aerotoxic Association. That was set up an ill health retired captain, [inaudible 00:19:15] Captain John Hoyte. He's done so much to help people.
His website is Aerotoxic.org. He sells masks on there. And he's also written a really, really good book. I've been researching this subject for the last seven to eight years, but there was still a lot in it that I didn't know. The book is called Aerotoxic Syndrome: Aviation's Darkest Secret. It's really, really good. It's worth reading before you fly.
DEBRA: Yeah. So when did the term Aerotoxic Syndrome come about?
DEE PASSON: That came about in 1999. There were three scientists. One of them was American, one was French and I believe the other one was Australian. They have been looking into this problem and they've heard about passengers and crews complaining of getting sick. They looked into this and they found that it was a very real big problem. They called it Aerotoxic Syndrome.
It's called a syndrome because it affects multiple systems of the body. You don't just come off with one thing. It's going to depend on your own health as well.
If somebody had chemo and wants to fly somewhere nice and warm to recuperate, that can be really dangerous because they already have a lot of toxic chemicals in their bodies. People on certain medications are much more susceptible than others. [Inaudible 00:20:43]. If an awful lot of chemicals are already in your liver, then you're going to be much more affected than somebody who goes for a run every day and excrete these toxins.
DEBRA: Yeah, that makes a big difference, how much you already have in your body. Here in America, that's called body burden. Do you call it that in the UK?
DEE PASSON: No, I haven't heard that term.
DEBRA: The Center for Disease Control here in the US started calling it body burden and so now that's what it's referred to. There are numbers and they track what is the average body burden of the citizens of America. It's actually pretty high. There are reports that show.
We need to go to break. We'll be right back. You're listening to Toxic Free Talk Radio. I'm Debra Lynn Dadd. My guest today is Dee Passon from ToxicFreeAirlines.com. And we'll be right back.
DEBRA: You're listening to Toxic Free Talk Radio. I'm Debra Lynn Dadd. My guest today is Dee Passon. She's the founder of the website Toxic Free Airlines at ToxicFreeAirlines.com. She has spent more than 25 years flying with four different airlines until she retired because of ill health in 2009. And now, she helps people understand Aerotoxic Syndrome and helps people who have been affected by it and helps people prevent being affected by it as well.
You have on your Facebook page a group called Angel Fleet. Tell us about that.
DEE PASSON: Well, that came about when I was told if there was a problem, the company really would like to know about it. So I thought I'd find some practical figures then that I could tell them about. So I went through all the pictures that I could find online. They went back three years and I've discovered that a crew member has been dying every single month for the last two years.
DEBRA: That's a lot.
DEE PASSON: Yeah, it was shocking. I sat up all night on my computer and got all these names and ages and dates. I compiled it into a list and I sent it to my company. I said, "There's a crew member dying every month confronting a problem that you should be doing something about." I didn't get a reply to that letter unsurprisingly. They then terminated my contract very, very shortly afterward. So I do think the two were connected.
So I carried on compiling my list. It is very difficult to find out. This isn't something that gets talked about very much. And then one day, somebody told me that the obituary board has disappeared as well. So now, nobody knew what was happening. I thought I think it's time we have a place where we can actually remember these people and make sure that they aren't forgotten and we found out just how often this is happening.
March of 2013, I haven't got a clue how set up a group. I'm not very technically minded at all. But I sat at my laptop and I clicked on "Create Group." I called it Angel Fleet because we've got the [inaudible 00:29:06]. And now we have the Angel Fleet as well.
Within seconds, I had people contact me and asking if they could help. And now, we've got over 7700 members. The list of the crew that has passed away, I've got over 500 names on it now. And that's one airline in one country, which is tremendous.
So what we're going to do now is we're in the process of constructing a website. We want to invite all the other airlines in the world doing this. We will remember our former colleagues. We'll also find out how often this is happening. We won't let the airlines keep this quiet because they have to sort this problem out and not just keep pretending it doesn't exist.
For a long time, they've all got away with lies basically. For a while, they said there weren't any toxins [inaudible 00:30:06]. Even their own government tests have proved that all these organophosphate with toxic chemicals are there.
Then the next [inaudible 00:30:17] was there were no exposure standard. There's a quote here from the World Health Organization and this is 25 years ago. In 1990, the World Health Organization said at least one of these chemicals, there's one called tri-o-cresyl phosphate, there's a considerable variation among individuals in sensitivity to TOCP. It is not possible to establish a safe level for exposure."
So there are no exposure limits for these chemicals authentically. And even if they did exist, they would only apply to the workers. They wouldn't apply to passengers. Passengers, especially pregnant women and children, the elderly and the sick, they must be exposed to nothing. The law says they must not be exposed to any toxic vapors or whatsoever. And so does the Airworthy Certification. If that isn't happening, then the aircraft isn't airworthy.
Passengers should be complaining because the airlines don't really care what we've seen over the last few years. The airlines do not care how many of their crew died. They would replace them with younger and cheaper ones.
But what they will care about is if their passengers starts saying, "We're not going to give you our money until you make that air safe." That's what we want to happen. We want passengers to complain to the airlines, to the FAAs, to their government representatives. I think some people, Senator [inaudible 00:31:45]. There was some law passed that the FAA is supposed to sort this out. So far, that hasn't happened.
Another group on Facebook is called Aerotoxic Syndrome Voices. That's run by an ill health retired American flight attendant. She keeps that updated as well. I've got mine on Facebook with Toxic Free Airlines. So between the two of us, there are lots of information. You'll find out all the latest.
I mean we do have proof now. It isn't just us claiming. There has been three post-mortems done on [inaudible 00:32:22] crew who recently passed away. All three were found to have information at the heart. [Inaudible 00:32:29] in all three, which is very, very concerning. So it's a problem that we really do need to get sorted.
DEBRA: It absolutely is. And as I'm sitting here listening to you (and I listen to guests speak every day), as I'm listening to you, I just want to point out that what you're talking about is people dying from exposure. That's not usually what we talk about. What we talk about is people get headaches or cancer. All kinds of different symptoms can come from different chemicals. But you're talking about documented evidence that people are dying from toxic chemical exposures in their occupation.
DEE PASSON: Yeah, they trusted their employer. They thought it was safe. And they've been really seriously let down.
The company I used to work for, they just had two deaths in the last week. Any other companies would get shut down. Any other building sites having these many deaths, something would be done about it. They wouldn't just be pretending it isn't happening.
They keep coming out with the same statement. We've seen [inaudible 00:33:47] in the cabin crew airways that would indicate a problem. We wouldn't operate a flight if we believe it posed a health and safety risk. And no one is making them prove that. They're just repeating these statements, but they're not actually saying, "Show me. Show me how many crews you've got off sick today. Show me how many crews have died in the last 10 years." They are absolutely keeping that secret. And this is one of the reasons the Angel Fleet. We're now finding out.
Last year in just one company, there were 23 deaths of cabin crews and nearly 50 have retired. And some of them retired [inaudible 00:34:26] the ill health retired, the youngest was 39. And [inaudible 00:34:32], the youngest was 28. We've just lost a 23. This can't go on.
This lie has to stop. Like I said, it's people's lives. They're not just dying a few years early. They are dying decades before they retire.
DEBRA: Yeah. This is not right. This should not be happening. We need to go to break, but when we come back, we'll talk more about this.
You're listening to Toxic Free Talk Radio. I'm Debra Lynn Dadd. My guest today is Dee Passon. She's founder of the website, Toxic Free Airlines, which is at ToxicFreeAirlines.com. She also has a Facebook page where she has lots of updates including – I was just there during the last break – including an announcement of this radio show and other interviews that she has done. You can just go to Facebook and type in "Toxic Free Airlines" and the page will come right up. We'll be right back.
DEBRA: You're listening to Toxic Free Talk Radio. I'm Debra Lynn Dadd. My guest today is Dee Passon. She's the founder of the website, Toxic Free Airlines, which is ToxicFreeAirlines.com. You can go there and find out more about what we've been talking about, which is about the toxic chemicals that are on airline flights that you may be exposed to and also what you can do about it.
We're talking before the break that people shouldn't be dying on the job, that they should have confidence that they can go to work, get paid and live a long and happy life and not die prematurely. Here in the United States, we have something called the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). It's called OSHA. It has a lot of rules for what people can be exposed to on the job.
I think it only applies to people who are working with the chemicals and not necessarily the people who are working in offices and things like that. But I think that just morally and ethically, people should be provided with a healthy environment. I mean, we have the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness here in the United States. I think you have something similar in England. It just makes sense that if you value the people who are working for you, you should provide them good health.
DEE PASSON: Absolutely, yeah. We have the similar regulations in the UK. They're called the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health. Airlines are allowed to get away never doing these tests.
Anybody who knows that they're working with chemicals, they have to do risk assessments and the work must be tested. If you know you're working with organophosphate, then you're tested regularly. I think it's every month to see what your level of enzymes is in your liver.
None of that happens. I wrote to my airline and I said, "Can you tell me why you've never done a Control of Substances Hazardous to Health risk assessments." And they said, "It's because we're not aware of any risks." I said, "I think you'll find this the wrong way around. You're supposed to find out if there are any risks. You don't justify that there aren't any risks."
DEBRA: Wait! This is an organization who's supposed to be protecting you from hazards, they don't know that there are associated with these chemicals? I mean, I am just a consumer. I am just an average citizen and I know there are risks associated with these chemicals and you know that. How come the agency that's supposed to be protecting you doesn't know that?
DEE PASSON: It's because they don't want to know. It's the only enclosed environment that does not have chemical detectors. They're saying that there isn't the technology. Rubbish, we have chemical detectors on submarines in World War II. Mine shafts has them. How come an aircraft full of passengers has no chemical detector?
If I went out [inaudible 00:41:57], by law, I need to put a carbon monoxide detector in there to make sure the oxygen is safe. There's nothing like that on an aircraft. So you can have [inaudible 00:42:09].
And nobody knows what's happening. This could explain why you have incidents like the one you had a couple of years ago in the States where the pilot forgot to land. How can you forget to land in all your years of flying? I don't see how that's possible unless everybody is affected because you would have passengers saying, "Somebody's waiting there. We could be landing soon." But nobody noticed. They overflew their destination by an hour. How was that?
DEBRA: Oh, my God.
DEE PASSON: I think it was either to or from Hawaii. That was a major incident. They said they lost situational awareness. How is that possible? It's only if they're brains…
DEBRA: That's chemicals. That's chemical exposure.
DEE PASSON: Yes.
DEBRA: I mean they're a neurotoxic. They affect your brain and your nervous system and your ability to think.
DEE PASSON: Yes, that's one of the scariest things. It's not just a health problem, it's a safety problem because there may be passengers who are very, very healthy and they've got tons of enzymes in their liver and they think, "I'm alright, Jack." But if you are a pilot suffering from Aerotoxic Syndrome (and there are many who do), then you are still in trouble.
So we have to get this sorted from the safety point of view. Pilots do have full face 100% oxygen on the flight deck. Passengers don't. But one of the first things that's knocked out is your ability to reason. You have to know that you need to put the oxygen on.
DEBRA: That's exactly right. What happens is that your ability to think goes out and then you're not aware that you're not thinking properly. You just can't think. And if your thinking goes out, you can't do anything to help yourself.
DEE PASSON: Yeah, I've been on a flight where I couldn't remember how to put someone on oxygen. It's something I've been doing for over years. I was standing there and I didn't have a clue. I was thinking, "What on earth was wrong with me?" Now, all of these incidents make sense.
DEBRA: You're just making me speechless with some of these things that you're telling me. Here in the United States (and then probably in the UK too), there are a number of chemicals that we're being exposed to in consumer products. Not that deadly as what you're talking about, we don't know. People are dying in just great numbers. But we're also not in enclosed areas like an airplane cabin.
But it amazes me that if you have something like formaldehyde for example, if you're working with formaldehyde in occupational setting, there would be warnings and things about formaldehyde and that it causes cancer. But there can be formaldehyde all over consumer products and there are no warning labels needed at all.
And something that has just been alarming to me for very many years (because I've been doing this for over 30 years) is just that the same chemical can be in different situations. It's not consistent about how that chemical is treated or what the warnings are or that it even needs to be required to be listed on the label.
An airline is, in a way, a consumer product. You buy it like you would buy anything else. You go into this environment (like buying a hotel room or something) that you're putting your life in the hands of the person who's producing that product. And people need to be more responsible. These businesses need to be more responsible. It's not that we don't know that the toxics exist.
DEE PASSON: Yeah. We have been trusting for years, haven't we? We thought that the government had our best interest at heart and we just didn't realize that the majority of these chemicals are untested. There are no detectors in an aircraft for a reason. They don't want to know.
The minute we find out exactly how bad this problem is, they will have to pay compensation and they don't want to do that. The laws exist, but they're just not being implemented.
We have one in UK called the Civil Aviation Act . I wrote to my representative in the Parliament and he said, "Yes, you are protected under that. The Executive State is responsible for the welfare of all onboard a British aircraft." But they delegate that responsibility to the Civil Aviation Authority.
So then I wrote to the Civil Aviation Authority and they said, "No, no, no. It's not ours. It's the Health and Safety Executive."
So then I talked to the Health and Safety Executive and they said, "We have a memorandum of understanding [inaudible 00:46:51]."
Nobody is taking responsibility for actually making sure that the law is upheld [inaudible 00:47:01].
DEBRA: I agree. As you were talking earlier in the show, I just started having this picture in my mind of a movie (and there isn't a movie like this, I'm sure. Well, I'm not sure). But what I got in my mind was to make a movie where…
DEE PASSON: Actually, one has been made. It had its premiere in February 2015. It's made by an ill-health retired captain. He was probably one of the very first person to find out exactly what we're being exposed to. He [inaudible 00:47:40] to find out everything. He's been fantastic. He's known as Captain Tristan Loraine and he has made a film called A Dark Reflection.
It's available on the internet to watch on-demand now. It's at ADarkReflection.com. It's a fictional account of two journalists looking into this cover-up and finding out what's in the engine or whether [inaudible 00:48:03]. It was pilots who did it. It's really, really worth viewing. I'm in it very, very briefly for about two seconds as an extra.
DEBRA: Well, the movie I was seeing in my mind was that consumers would just get outraged and that there would be a massive strike that people would not fly. And the people would buy tickets and then not fly and the whole airline system would just get shut down for a day to bring attention to this because the passengers would refuse to fly on toxic airplanes.
DEE PASSON: Yeah, there were strikes in Germany of crews trying to highlight this. But yes, that's just good. That would be brilliant. They need to know about this.
We're all seeing aircraft now diverting and landing because passengers are complaining and they're saying, "That is going to make me ill. I don't want to breathe it in." That's what we need to happen. I think we've all been too passive for too long.
There are a lot of things you can do. You can take the [inaudible 00:49:13]. But ultimately, we need to sort this problem out and make sure that the air is safe for all of us to breathe.
DEBRA: The number one rule in the field of toxicology is to remove the person from the poison. That's the number one thing to do. It doesn't say, "Go ahead and poison everybody and then make everybody detox." It says, "Remove the person from the poison." And what we need to do is stop having poisoned planes.
Anyway, we've only got just a few seconds. Thank you so much for being here. This is important information.
DEE PASSON: Thank you.
DEBRA: And you can go to this website, ToxicFreeAirlines.com. I'm Debra Lynn Dadd and you've been listening to Toxic Free Talk Radio. Be well.


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Comments20 Responses to "Social Media and Blogging…."
Couldn't agree more ma'am …
If only the SMT would get on the 21st century bus…
But when you get officers psd'd for writing the word "offender" on a police website (against a pic of someone attacking someone else) i guess we need to stay incognito…
Thanks for writing this JB, I think this is an important.
I do not know why Inspector Gadget decided to stop blogging and if someone knows, please tell us.
I think that the key part of your blog is the section that states "we are human beings, we do think, we are not robots" and amen to that!
The sad truth is that, from time to time, anonymous tweeters and bloggers have been associated with bullying behaviour online and, I'm sorry to say, from time to time, this has included anonymous tweeters/bloggers who have identified themselves as either police officers or retired police officers.
Some of the contacts I have had from people who feel they have been bullied from anonymous police (police related) bloggers and tweeters have been really distressing.
When you use social media it's easy to forget that there is real person hearing/reading what you are saying – and sometimes people forget that it's not just the "idiot/fool/moron" you are responding to but their children, their partner and their family and their friends….
So Juliet, to answer your question, should you continue blogging? I'd say yes, but I would refer you to the words of the prayer, you quoted, "grant me just thoughts and compassion, in each case every time."
This is in no way a reflection on you JB and, again, thank you for asking the question and requesting replies, but the reason why some people do not respond well to anonymous bloggers/tweeters is that that THEY (anonymous ones) do not grant just thoughts and compassion to those that disagree with them.
Please carry on blogging and tweeting and, I'm with you, just thoughts and compassion to those that see it differently.
I'm not anonymous, I'm Nick Keane. Thank you.
I have an indirect contact with gadget and he is ok… Just needs a break…
I am relatively new to Twitter,during that time my opinion of the Police has changed big time.
I really enjoyed Insp Gadgets tweets,they seemed to be a Police Safety Valve,and from what I have seen on twitter is needed and supported by many.
Most of his comments honest and heartfelt somebody who really cares.This led me to buy both books both of which are a fantastic insight.
Tweeting is a good way to connect with the public especially when someones personality comes across with humour.Understandably some tweets have to be measured when subject demands but should not stop you putting things over in Your way.
I really admire the frontline cops as they have to put up with a lot of shit!
Keep tweeting,be honest,be yourself.
I read the news item in The Guardian about Insp Gadget hanging up his boots. Of greatest interest, to me, was the debate, in the comments section below the article: (http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2013/mar/13/police-blogger-quits-pressure-unofficial?INTCMP=SRCH) which (with the exception of the occasional troll infection) probed the various arguments for and against.
In retirement I may say what I wish, I don't know what I would have done had social media existed in their current form when I was serving. I hope I would have had the courage to tweet/post as you and others have done. The office of Constable is key to our liberties, and a crucial part or living under the rule of law. When that office, or indeed any authority is abused, from within or without, shining a light of truth is essential, though it may prove costly, personally for those who light it.
On a lighter note, the general public are fed a misleading diet, through police-related dramas as entertainment (and I suspect many politicians base their views of criminal justice more on fantasy than fact) so insider-posting provides some form of balance. (Did I say a lighter note!)
I have no problem with people being investigated and disciplined if they post messages on social networking sites that are intended to bully or intimidate. Just because someone finds something offensive doesn't automatically make it offensive to everyone. One thing with social networking sites is the freedom to choose who you follow or have as friends. If someone says something you don't like then unfollow them or unfriend them and for good measure, block them.
As for police officers using pseudonyms to post 'their' views of policing I see no problem with it at all. In fact the blogs from these officers should be viewed by people in power and given some thought. The officers that blog are not being militant nor are they trying to bring the police service into disrepute. They do so out of frustration because they care. They care about what they see money wasted on, they care about victims of crime, they care about what negative impact changes are making to the police service. They are usually the voice of the majority and the blogs provide a place where officers can go to share their frustrations and let off a little steam.
Another police ex-blogger reporting in. I had my blog up during the course of the Winsor Review, but took the decision late last year to pull the whole thing.
I changed role in 2012, and had to go through more enhance vetting. At that point I had to (and indeed did) declare my social media use. This held up my vetting for some time whilst someone read my witterings. I then received an email from the head of DPS, warning me about the content possibly being political, and that I was treading a fine line although I had not crossed it. My Detective Superintendent was informed, as was my new department head and I was spoken to by the DSupt. He hadn't read it, and was only going on the email from DPS. He eventually read my blog and became a firm fan!
I worry about what we can say in public. I worry that we don't get enough guidance or support from our employers or the Federation on how to go about being anonymous police bloggers or Tweeters. I worry that DPS will come knocking at some point and that I'll be hauled in for questioning. I worry that if I am tweeting in conversation with a journalist (whether I know they are or not) that this will be used as a means to claim I am breaching some law, Police Regulation or Code of Conduct.
So thankyou to you, Insp JB, and all the other police bloggers out there. It reassures me that I am not too far off the mark, if others continue to blog and tweet.
I was sad to see Insp Gadget go, and I'd love to hear back from him at some stage, so that we know he's okay and not in trouble in any way.
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I have some really beautiful solar lights for my driveway, they are the Sogrand 8 piece solar outdoor landscape lights. These are black ones, and have 6 little windows on each side. They really sparkle inside the bulb.
There are 8 bulbs with solar panels on the top, 8 posts, and stakes. So simple to set up, as you push the post into the light, and the other end into the stake. Set them in a sunny spot in the garden, and let them charge up.
I go out just before dusk, and twist off the top, and push the switch to the on position. Then put it back on. The lights are a bright white, and underneath them you see I believe 9 squares of light. Unfortunately they didn't show up that well in my photos, but looking out at them, the patterns are so pretty.
These are energy saving, as you are using solar power, instead of batteries or electricity. They stand up to rain, and wind, so are certainly weatherproof.
I was lucky enough to receive these beautiful lights for free, and have fully tested them.
Sogrand Copper Cap Solar Glass Jar, Solar Lights Outdoor, Green Stripe Thick Hanger, Solar Garden Lights, Decorative Solar Lights,for Garden, Party, Dinner, Bedroom, Patio, Yard, and Landscape
Sogrand 100 LED 30FT, Solar Rope Lights, Waterproof Outdoor String Lights, Idea for the yard, garden, lawn, patio, deck, fence, and landscaping.
Sogrand 2pcs-Pack 45LED 4 Mode, Solar Lights Outdoor, Motion Sensor Light, Solar Security Light, Solar Motion Light, for Wall, Patio, Deck, Shed, Fence, Pathway and Driveway.
Sogrand 4pcs-Pack,Solar Lights Outdoor,Copper Finish,Solar Deck Lights


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Newborn Baby Photography – Newborns by Nicola | Scotland's Specialist Newborn Photographer – Newborn Baby Photographer to Broughty Ferry, Dundee & Angus
Little Mya came to visit us back in January (yes I know, way way behind in blogging!!), you can see her sneak peek here!. She was such a lovely cuddly wee girl and a dream to pose. She was also among my first newborns to come into our home studio for a session! I must say we are loving it! I have now got things set up in a way that my back is no longer in agony half way through a session which makes things so much better for me as I can focus on perfecting poses without my back seizing 🙂 Also if there are older siblings they can sit and watch some tv if they get bored outwit the times they are posing for images 🙂
Here are a few of our favourites from Myas newborn portrait session!
ps… If you would like to book please click 'contact' above or email firstname.lastname@example.com. Our availability is rather limited at the moment so please book during pregnancy to guarantee your space!


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Namasthe 🙏! This blog is intended for yoga students. It has the list of prayers / mantras that are being recited in the yoga class with their meanings…
Category: YOGA
Maharshi Patanjali's Life Story
Hope you have read the blog – YOGA, definition and a brief introduction to origin, history and development of YOGA , if not please do! In it I have mentioned that the classic yoga period came with Maharshi Patanjali composing Yoga Sutras. Well after knowing that we tend to become curious to know more about Patanjali, his life story. It's a very interesting story, do read on…
Sukshma Vyayama
Human body has various joints which require movement and lubrication. In our day to day life, some of the joins are rarely used and some are overused – which creates problems at later phase of life. Therefore basic movement of joints are essential in order to maintain them in healthy & proper condition. Sukshma Vyayama is a system of physical and breathing exercises which help to sequentially work out all joints of a body from the crown of head to the tip of toes, and warm it up. This system has a strong purifying effect on the energy of the body.
Patanjali's Ashtanga Yoga
Pre-requisite : YOGA, definition and a brief introduction to origin, history and development of YOGA <Do read this blog 1st for better understanding.>
Maharshi Patanjali in his Patanjali Yoga Sutras (PYS) gives Ashtanga Yoga i.e. 8 limbs of Yoga in 2nd & 3rd chapters called Sādhana Pāda & Vibhūti Pāda. The following sutra gives the 8 steps of yoga.
Surya 🌞 namaskara 🙏
Being immensely radiant and a life giving force on earth, the Sun ☀ is the representation of the invisible supreme power that nurtures and sustains the universe. Suryanamaskara is sun ☀ salutation 🙏 , it combines yogasanas and pranayama. It is best done during sun rise or sun set time, facing the sun. It is to be done after Śithilīkarana Vyayama and before Yogāsanas. Prayer to be recited before Suryanamaskara:
Patanjali Yogāsanas and it's pre-requisites
Namasthe 🙏
Lets see the definition of Āsana🧘🏻♀:
Sage Patanjali in his Patanjali Yoga Sutra's defines āsana as
- Sthiram + Sukham + Āsanam (PYS 2.46)
Āsana is a physical posture that is steady & comfortable.
Continue reading Patanjali Yogāsanas and it's pre-requisites
YOGA, definition and a brief introduction to origin, history and development of YOGA
Namasthe 🙏
Before doing my YIC (YOGA Instructor Course) course in S-VYASA (Swami Vivekananda YOGA Anusandhāna Samsthāna), I was in the perception that I knew yoga as I had learned and was practicing few āsanās & prāṇāyāma <got to learn from a doctorate in Yoga Dr.Rajesh Sir in Mangalore> from a decade. I presumed I knew it and joined the course to learn few more of them and to get certified. But only later that I realized that the āsanās & prāṇāyāma are just a part of yoga, it's a much deeper philosophical subject and there is loots to explore!
I believe most of you are also in that perception and hence I have made an attempt to write this blog..
So what is YOGA???
Continue reading YOGA, definition and a brief introduction to origin, history and development of YOGA


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In a new paper, hydrologists suggest at least part of the answer to the Earth's future water woes may be buried underneath the oceans.
Over the past several decades, massive aquifers beneath the seabed have been found off coastlines across the globe, filled with water that ranges from fresh to about two-thirds less saline than seawater.
In a review article recently published online in the journal Nature, researchers arrived at a new estimate for total usable global offshore groundwater: 500,000 cubic kilometers -- a quantity 100 times greater than the amount of water extracted from land aquifers since 1900, the study states.
Not all of this water is cheap or easy to access and turn into potable water, outside experts warn, and pumping this water may have onshore impacts.
But because more than 40 percent of the Earth's population lives about 60 miles from the coastline, the authors write that taking advantage of offshore groundwater could help dampen looming water scarcity problems likely to be compounded by sea-level rise and drought.
"It is a slightly unexpected scale and location for this water, and it's good news in many ways, especially because it's accessible to many of the world's growing coastal cities," said paper co-author Michael Edmunds, a professor at the University of Oxford's School of Geography and the Environment in the United Kingdom.
In the paper, the authors acknowledge that offshore groundwater "is not the answer to global water crises, but it has a strategic value that should be acknowledged so that it can be weighed against other options in long-term strategies."
"It's a kind of quirky resource," Edmunds added. "It's not straightforward, but it's there, and would have to be compared with the costs of desalinated water and building new dams on land."
Connections to land-based systems
Hydrologists think these submarine groundwater reserves started to form tens of thousands of years ago, during periods like the Last Glacial Maximum when much of the Earth's water was bound up in ice and sea levels were especially low. During this time, precipitation and meltwater seeped into the exposed shelf areas and filled water tables, which were then covered up by the ocean as sea levels rose again.
Today, scientists have located fresh offshore aquifers across the globe, from the continental shelf off New Jersey to the Japan Trench.
An earlier estimate of fresh offshore groundwater was reported back in 2010, at 300,000 cubic kilometers. But this paper takes into account new observations recorded from Greenland, Indonesia's Jakarta Bay and Gippsland Basin off Australia's southeastern coast to come up with the larger estimate.
However, this figure is still uncertain due to a paucity of observed data for large areas like the Sundra Shelf of Southeast Asia. "New discoveries in these areas could significantly alter the global volume concentrations," the paper states.
But however vast in supply and global in occurrence, offshore groundwater is not going to singlehandedly slake the globe's growing thirst, outside experts say.
Bill Cunningham, acting chief of the U.S. Geological Survey's Office of Groundwater, said that many of these offshore aquifers are connected to land-based systems. Pumping water offshore could therefore affect onshore groundwater supplies, he said.
"There's one special situation that's described in this review article: a pocket of fresh groundwater beneath the sea," Cunningham said. "That would be one situation where you could, in theory, put a well in there and pump that water out and use it without affecting a groundwater system."
However, he added, "we're really unsure of the nature and extent of those pockets," Cunningham said. "In my mind, it would be a pretty unique situation."
Purer than ocean water
Additionally, much of the water in these aquifers is not immediately usable.
"Almost none of the water that we're talking about would be drinkable right out of the seafloor -- there would have to be processing done," said Ward Sanford, a U.S. Geological Survey hydrologist who reviewed the paper. "It really comes down to an economic question."
Using more pure water from offshore aquifers rather than ocean water has the potential to reduce desalination costs, the authors argue -- with reverse osmosis, desalination costs for ocean water run between 53 cents and $1.50 per cubic meter, while the cost to process brackish water from offshore aquifers runs between 10 cents and $1.
But the additional cost of pumping the water onshore and, ultimately, to the tap, must also be factored in, Sanford said. These costs have so far discouraged exploration of offshore groundwater use.
"Even now, with coastal shortages, it's expensive to drill offshore. When you're drilling for oil, there's an economic driver for that -- so far, for water, there hasn't been," Cunningham said.
There are also environmental factors to contend with.
"With any desalination, your byproduct is either salt or very salty water," Sanford said. "The question with desalination is always what to do with the leftover salt."
Edmunds raised another potential environmental impact: If cities started to take advantage of offshore groundwater, the supply could be exhausted at some point.
"The caution is that these waters, by their definition, are nonrenewable," Edmunds said. "It's quite a fragile resource."
But lead author Vincent Post of the National Centre for Groundwater Research and Training and the School of the Environment at Flinders University in Adelaide, Australia, said in a statement that the potential use of this vast water store must not be ignored in the face of coming water challenges.
"Freshwater on our planet is increasingly under stress and strain so the discovery of significant new stores off the coast is very exciting," Post said. "More options can be considered to help reduce the impact of droughts and continental water shortages."
Reprinted from Climatewire with permission from Environment & Energy Publishing, LLC. www.eenews.net, 202-628-6500


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As Giants miss more chances, frustration mounts
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — The San Francisco Giants' frustration shows from all angles.
From right fielder Hunter Pence provoking the fans in right field, to reliever Jean Machi being ejected for arguing a balk, and manager Bruce Bochy unsuccessfully trying for replay overturns.
Little has gone right of late for the Giants, who lost for the fifth time in seven games with a 6-1 defeat to the surging Oakland Athletics on Tuesday night.
Madison Bumgarner didn't allow a hit until Jed Lowrie's blooper leading off the third that landed in front of a charging Pence in right field. He avoided a collision with second baseman Joe Panik, then Pence and the fans in the elevated right-field seats got into it.
"They're a lot of fun out there. They're creative, they're rowdy, they're loud," he said. "It's a baseball atmosphere. They were razzing me a little bit, and I went and made a play. A little fired up. I don't really remember what happened. I just made the play and was in the moment and kind of had fun with it."
Coco Crisp hit an RBI single and stole his 16th base and Nick Punto doubled in a run during a four-run third against Bumgarner (9-7), handed his second three-start skid of the year.
"We love playing at home. The crowds were awesome, that really does help," Punto said. "Tonight's atmosphere was incredible."
The A's (57-33) matched their best winning streak of 2014 and concluded their homestand 6-0, just the 11th undefeated homestand of six or more games in Oakland history.
The low-budget club with baseball's best record has won 11 of its past 12 games at the Coliseum, bouncing back from a three-game sweep at Detroit last week.
The Giants have been outscored 11-1 in the first two games of the Bay Bridge Series following a 5-0 loss Monday. The interleague series now shifts across San Francisco Bay to AT&T Park for two.
San Francisco avoided being shut out in consecutive games for the first time since July 28-29, 2012, but lost for the 11th time in its past 13 games at Oakland dating to 2010.
"It's hard to watch other teams ... it seems like they can break their bat and get a hit — and they're hitting balls hard, too — and then our guys, everybody's crushing the ball and it seems like it's always at somebody," Bumgarner said. "That's the way the game goes but, man, it's a frustrating time."
Sonny Gray (9-3) reached eight or more strikeouts for the fourth time in seven impressive innings, having struck out nine twice. He is on a nice roll after losing back-to-back starts to the Orioles and Yankees on June 7 and 13.
Pablo Sandoval returned to the Giants' lineup for the first time since leaving Saturday's game at San Diego in the first inning with a bruised left elbow.
Bochy requested a review of a close play at first in which Sandoval was called out trying to beat out a fourth-inning grounder. The call was upheld after a replay review of 1 minute, 28 seconds.
Bochy came out again in the eighth to argue after Machi was called for a balk. Machi was then ejected by plate umpire Angel Hernandez as the reliever walked off the field at the end of the inning.
"I know how frustrating it is when you get a call on you that you don't think is a strike but it works both ways," Bochy said.
"It does become counter-productive because now you're not only competing against the pitcher, you're thinking about the calls. We took some called third strikes, too. It's something that we can't think about too much because it's going to make things worse."
NOTES: Giants 2B Marco Scutaro, who hasn't played this year because of a lower back strain, went 0 for 4 with two strikeouts and a run scored for Triple-A Fresno. "We're seeing the light at the end of the tunnel," Bochy said. "He's feeling good." ... A's starters have thrown six or more innings while allowing one or fewer runs in six straight games, their longest streak since at least 1914.


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Vital Signs Camera by Philips lets you check your heart rate with an iPad 2
From battery monitor to playing doctor, Philips' newly released Vital Signs Camera app lets users remotely check their heart rate and breathing rate via the camera of the iPad 2. That's right, no extra monitoring equipment or accessories are required. Simply set the iPad 2 on a table, get in position and the app does the rest. Your heart rate will be measured by the small color changes on your face (what Philips calls "micro-blushes"), where as breathing rate is calculated based on the motion of your chest. The results can then be shared online via Twitter, Facebook or email. More for kicks than anything (so don't expect the app to replace a visit to your docs' office), Vital Signs will set you back a buck, and don't forget that you actually need the iPad 2 to run it. Check out the demo video after the break.
 Philips Innovation, Vital Signs Camera – Philips, – $0.99
[via Gizmodo]
Vital Signs Camera is the only App that measures your heart rate and breathing rate remotely, simply using the camera of your iPad 2! Try it out now and experience another amazing innovation by Philips!
The Vital Signs Camera App of Philips measures your heart rate and breathing rate using advanced software and the camera of your iPad 2. This breakthrough technology allows you to measure your vital signs in an easy and unobtrusive way at home*.
• Measures your heart rate just from the color for your face!
• Measures your breathing rate by analyzing the motion of your chest!
• No need to hold or touch the iPad 2.
• Share screenshots of your results online!
Vital Signs Camera – another amazing innovation by Philips!
1) Place the iPad 2 on a table.
2) Position your face inside the marked area.
3) Sit still and quiet during the measurement.
* The Vital Signs Camera App for iPad 2 is not intended for diagnosis or for clinical measurements, monitoring or decision making. Measurements and statistics are provided for entertainment purposes only.


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TORONTO — Caroline Wozniacki made some changes this week to try to change her fortune in a city that has not been kind on the tennis front.
Personal driver? Not needed this time around. Same hotel as before? Switch that booking.
Wozniacki is not only winning in Toronto for the first time in her career, she's doing it against the world's best.
The 27-year-old from Denmark outlasted top-ranked Karolina Pliskova 7-5, 6-7 (3), 6-4 in a rain-delayed marathon quarter-final on Friday at the Rogers Cup.
The match ended just over five hours after the players took to the court in the early afternoon for the pre-game warmup. The start was delayed for more than two hours and three more weather interruptions followed in the first set alone.
Actual on-court match time was two hours 56 minutes but it felt much longer.
"I just kept fighting and just kept doing my thing," Wozniacki said.
In the deciding set, Wozniacki broke at love to pull even at 4-4. She then held serve and followed with another break to lock up a spot in the final four.
Next up will be a Saturday showdown with American Sloane Stephens, who topped Lucie Safarova of the Czech Republic 6-2, 1-6, 7-5 before the rain returned in the evening.
Rain continued to impact the tournament, with the bottom half of the quarter-final draw being postponed to Saturday morning. Fifth-seeded Elina Svitolina of Ukraine was scheduled to take on fourth-seeded Spaniard Garbine Muguruza. Defending champ and second seed Simona Halep of Romania was to play Caroline Garcia of France in the other quarter-final.
Pliskova, a towering six-foot-one 25-year-old from the Czech Republic, was playing her first tournament as world No. 1.
"She just put everything back," Pliskova said. "Even my serves, even some of the ground strokes. So it was tough for me to close it and I think it's tough to play someone like (that)."
Wozniacki had lost her opening matches in all four previous appearances on the WTA Tour's Toronto stop. Montreal hosts the women's Rogers Cup in alternate years and she has fared much better there, winning in 2010 and reaching the semifinals in 2012.
After dropping the first three games of the opening set Friday, Wozniacki fought back by beating Pliskova at her own game.
She matched her powerful ground strokes and started going for more winners to take the momentum.
On her heels a bit more, Pliskova's unforced errors started to rise. She smashed her racket into the court when another miscue gave Wozniacki a 6-5 edge.
Wozniacki used an ace to win her sixth straight game and the first set.
"I just tried to stay steady," she said. "(I) tried to take the ball on the rise and try to stay aggressive when I could and keep my serves aggressive too."
Both players held serve through the second set with Pliskova pulling even in the match by taking the last four points of the tiebreaker.
Pliskova used a strong backhand cross-court to earn the first break of the third set. She pulled ahead 3-2 as Wozniacki was forced wide and netted her return.
However, Wozniacki refused to buckle and breaks in two of the last three games gave her a semifinal berth and a 5-2 career head-to-head mark against Pliskova.
"I think I was maybe a little bit less tired towards the end," Wozniacki said. "I just kept hanging in there and I thought we both played a really good match."
Wozniacki spent 67 weeks as the world's top-ranked player in 2010 and 2011 but her ranking has slipped over the last two seasons due to injuries. She dropped to No. 74 last August but has returned to form of late.
Wozniacki has reached five finals this season and currently holds the No. 6 position.
Since she returned from her injury layoff, Wozniacki said she's been enjoying her time on court a little more and has toned down her workout regimen.
"I'm not old but I've been on tour for many years," she said. "(I'm) getting older and the body can't handle the same as it used to when I was 18, 19. So I just had to really think of that.
"I had some time to just be home and enjoy spending some time with friends and family and then came back and was recharged."
The lone Canadian left in the doubles draw was scheduled to play later Friday. Ottawa's Gabriela Dabrowski and Latvia's Jelena Ostapenko were to take on the third-seeded duo of Safarova and Barbora Strycova of the Czech Republic.
In early doubles play, top-seeded Russians Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina beat Lyudmyla Kichenok of Ukraine and American Nicole Melichar 6-4, 6-4. Second-seeded Yung-Jan Chan of Taiwan and Switzerland's Martina Hingis dropped a 6-4, 6-4 decision to eighth-seeded Anna-Lena Groenefeld of Germany and Kveta Peschke of the Czech Republic.
Play continues at the US$2.74-million tournament through Sunday.
Follow @GregoryStrongCP on Twitter.


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I also started the syrup for the peaches. This consisted of 10 cups of water and 3 cups of sugar. I doubled this and it was the perfect amount for the 9 quarts. I brought this to a boil so that it was ready once the jars were filled.
To quickly remove the skins, I boiled the peaches for between 30-60 seconds and then immediately transfered them to an ice water bath. This blanching process helps the skins to slide right off. My peaches were starting to get a little soft, so 30 seconds or less was perfect. At 60 seconds the peaches were almost over done.
Because I was doing so many peaches at once, by myself, I had a bowel of water with lemon juice in it to transfer the sliced peaches to in order to prevent them from turning brown.
Once the peaches were all peeled and sliced with pits removed, I removed the jars from the dishwasher and started packing the peaches in the jar, leaving about 1/2" headspace. I then filled the jars with the boiling syrup and left the same 1/2" headspace.
I decided I wanted to do a couple of jars of brandied peaches. A little brandy never hurt anyone, right? Right. So I filled the jars the same way, except for the syrup. I left enough room with the syrup to add about 1/4 of a cup of brandy to the jars, while still leaving 1/2" headspace.
I then applied the lids and processed for 25 minutes in the canner.
I bought a jar tightener to tighten the lids, because I'm a little wussy when it comes to tightening and untightening jar lids. Turns out, I tightened a few of them a little too tight, which I didn't know was possible. I know this because a few of the lids came out a little puffy, and there wasn't enough give when it came to the cooling and suctioning. So I reprocessed them with new lids once they had cooled.
I love to label things so I whipped out my craft sticker labels and was sure to include the date that I canned them and the type of peaches.
I had a handful of peaches that were starting to get brown spots. I decided to skip the canning for these, and use them for freezing. We make a lot of smoothies!! I left the skins on and just cut out the brown spots and threw them away. I freeze them first flat on a baking sheet, to keep them from clumping together. Once they are solid, I transfer them to a freezer bag. Now we are all set and loaded with peaches!


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If you are like me you are always looking for easy independent work for my struggling students, to reenforce strategies we work on in reading group. I have spent hours searching the internet for a reading comprehension packet that was both appropriately scaffolded; but also contained grade level content for my students that need work on their reading comprehension. Every time I could find reading fluency packets, or reading comprehension packets that were way too hard. Or I was stuck with packets that were appropriate but had content for younger students. So after attempting to piece together other peoples comprehension strategies and finding things that actually worked at different grade levels.
I decided to make one myself.
Enter, Read, Highlight, Reread, Write!
During guided reading groups I use re-reading and color coded highlighting for my reading comprehension groups all the time. I have found that this ensures the students are reading the text multiple times and also helps their brain locate and remember the important details to include in a written response question.
Many of my students that struggle with reading comprehension are able to immediately recall details and facts about what they have read but are unable to locate it to use in a written response answer. They have not been explicitly taught memory strategies to help them locate and recall important details after a delay.
For many students, explicit instruction is key for improving skills and independence.
These packets are placed in my student's independent work stations so that they can practice these skills outside of guided reading group instruction. I have used guided reading time in order to teach and enforce the reading, highlighting, rereading strategy so that students are familiar with the strategy prior to independent work time. These packets include both fiction and nonfiction texts and help build scaffolded study skills and reading comprehension strategies for students while utilizing grade level content.
As students become more familiar with the strategy I may include texts at their instructional level and request that they use a written response question to identify the key points to be highlighted. Effectively increasing their independence and working towards removing the scaffolds I have in place.
Because once they are independent they can use this strategy for ANY text they are given in order to identify and recall key details.
Here is a preview of the second-grade packet, I hope this strategy proves as valuable for your students as it has for mine!
This NO PREP preview will be available for FREE on my TPT store, you can find that here, www.teacherspayteachers.com/store/my-spedtacular-special-heart , so that everyone can try this strategy out, then full reading comprehension packet will be available soon, organized by grade level for easy use!
-Love Mrs. H


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Throughout dinner, he kept mentioning my hair and the fact that I'd cut it. He kept asking why I did it, when I did the cut, and why so short as though I had willfully mutilated myself in some way. It got so bad that he couldn't bring himself to be intimate with me later that evening. Any other sensible person would've probably given him a piece of their mind after such a reaction, but morning came and I wanted to get a better sense of why he felt the way he did.
He said to me that changing my hair was a drastic adjustment. He'd been so used to seeing me with my natural hair, and that was the image he was looking forward to when he picked me up. He then went on to say that I should have asked him before going so short (as I came to find out, he has a thing for long hair that he was trying to work through with me) before worriedly asking, "How long is it going to take to grow back?"
I am way older, and much wiser since I parted ways with that man. I've learned to do what feels right and comfortable for me while bucking convention and undue pressure about my hair. Women are visual creatures, too. We like what we like. I have my preferences – I love men with beards. But you will be hard pressed to find me turned off if my significant other decided to switch it up and shave his beard off for a bit. Hair comes and goes, people shouldn't – not over such insignificant things.


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Today I attended the launch of Alcohol Awareness Week at our Bridge Program in St Kilda. The results of recent research reveal that something like 8.4 million people in Australia think that alcohol advertising should be reduced and another 3.6 million people want alcohol advertising banned altogether. The launch also highlighted the personal impact of alcohol abuse claiming that the number of people that would openly say that alcohol has had a negative impact on them or their family is around 4.3 million.
For the full press release, click here.


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Orogenesis TopazABV: 3.5 % • IBU: 4 • SRM: 2
Brewed with 850 pounds of fresh blueberries.
Our third entry in our Orogenesis series, Topaz is a Berliner Weisse-style ale with fresh blueberries. This one-of-a-kind beer pours hazy with the color of light purple thanks to the generous fruit addition. It tastes bright and tart with fresh blueberry accents from start to finish.
Availability: Seasonal
- 22 oz. Bomber
- 5 Gallon Keg


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It's been awhile since the last update. Will be gearing up for more. Watch this URL in the next month.
I'm on a National Public Radio program concerning Long Beach and the end of the "Split".
Here's the link to the Boston University website for the radio show
"Only a Game"
Go to the headline "Racing Together Again"
and click the ">" just below it.
The topic is the unification of the two open wheel auto racing
series based in Indianapolis. It runs about seven minutes.
See you in Indy?
Sunday, April 27, 2008
On the air on NPR
Posted by Racingjourno at 12:54 PM 2 comments:
Labels: Danica Patrick, IndyCar, Long Beach
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)


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The full 37 and half miles from the Wey to Basingstoke
WW2 Army Defences: The whole length of the Basingstoke between Chequers Bridge and Tundry Pond is littlered with the remains of military defences. As well as the traditional pill box, there are tank traps. These were designed to stop enemy tanks from crossing the canal.
Tank traps near Chequers bridge, Crookham.
As well as tank traps, in the late autumn the canal is very colourful. Most of the canal was photographed in the late summer of 2002, but the section from Fleet to Greywell was done on a gloriously crisp, misty November Sunday, where the conditions were right for bringing out the full range of colurs seen along the canal. Above – a hire boat from Odiham makes its way past anglers.
Many tank traps are situated offside, around Coxmoor Bridge. The crossing of the canal was obvioulsy of sufficient importance to warrant so much effort at defending it. Some traps actually sit in the canal itself
Pill box on towpath before Coxmoor bridge
Double Bridge near Dogsmerfield
Double Bridge (a misleading name for its just the one bridge.) It has a fascinating arrangement of iron straps and plates – on one side just the simple straps and on the other the plates that hold these tie bars right through to the straps. Quite an unusual arrangement:
More tank traps near Double Bridge. These are some of the most impressive as their massive foundation blocks can be seen. A tree even has managed to grow between these giant lumps of concrete
Beyond Double Bridge there is another attractive country house
Blacksmiths Bridge and winding hole, Dogsmerfield
Blacksmiths bridge. There is a winding hole here and on the far side of this one can see yet more of the wartime defences. As discussed previously they were designed to stop tanks crossing the canal, but if they were only at strategic positions surely tanks could have just entered the canal at other places. It really doesnt make sense. Suppose some defences were better than none. In any event there was no invasion so the defences couldnt be tested to fail!
From Blacksmiths Bridge the canal skirts Dogsmerfield Park and the large expanse of water glimpsed to the west is known as Tundry Pond. Its a large lake with ornamental bridges at the end furthest away from the canal. The pond has existed here a long time and the large estate it is in is known as Dogsmerfield Park. This park is one of the reasons the canal takes a long loop between Blackmsiths and Spratts Hatch.
More information and pictures on Dogsmerfield Park here
Old wartime pill box south of Dogsmerfield
Opposite the pond are yet more defences. But this is the last lot. And what looks like an ordinary pill box is certainly not what it seems. Its level with the canal but in order to get in it one has to go down the embankment and then clamber through a very low entrance and up a narrow flight of steps into the main part of the box. As a rule pill boxes look over the waterway (or railway) they are defending and the entrances are at the rear. The Basingstoke Canal News (Summer 2009) has a feature on the wartime defences and the author suggests that the unqiue arragnement was neccessary because the box had to defend the embankment leading up to the canal, Tundry Pond opposite and Blacksmiths bridge to the south.
Just before the canal enters the woods and cutting past the village, its Country House and other buildings such as this attractive square church tower can be seen behind the towpath across the fields.
Visible portion of the Great Wall of Dogsmerfield. This was built by volunteers as a means of stabilising this section of Dogsmerfield cutting, which is almost right by Dogsmerfield House.
Barley Mow bridge, Winchfield. The Barley Mow Inn is about 100 yards from the canal.
The Barley Mow.
Next: Broad Oak and Odiham
Introduction / Byfleet – Woodham Locks / Woodham – St. Johns / St. Johns – Hermitage / Brookwood – Pirbright / Deepcut Flight / Deepcut – Frimley / Basingstoke Canal Centre / Great Bottom Flash – Ash Vale / Ash lock – Norris Hill / Fleet – Crookham / Chequers – Barley Mow / Barley Mow – Odiham / Odiham – Greywell
Intro / Greywell Hill / Greywell – Brick Kiln Bridge / Penny Br – Little Tunnel & Frog Lane / Greywell Road – M3 / Basing Village / Basing House – Swing Bridge / Ringway – Basingstoke


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Christmas Cops is an incredible organization in Plano, TX that is operated by Plano Police employees. They provide for local families in need during the Christmas Season by collecting new coats, toys, food, and household necessities and then bringing them to families in the weeks leading up to Christmas with Santa's helpers.
This year, our Service Experts Heating and Air Conditioning location in Plano was thrilled to collect dry good items to help the awesome cause. Below you can see Michael Humdy, the Operations Manager of Service Experts in Plano, helping the Christmas Cops team load up their SUV with food.
To read more about Service Experts Heating and Air Conditioning and their philanthropic projects for all 90 centers, please visit ServiceExperts.com/Blog or our Pinterest page.


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Rialto, Cali. – In Sound & Communications' May issue, the magazine features AVI-SPL's AV transformation for Rialto Unified School District's (USD). As more schools face increased budget cuts, district officials are looking at AV integration options to enhance communication efforts for the students and faculty throughout the community. Videoconferencing has led to fieldtrip and distant learning opportunities that schools have otherwise never been able to provide. Learn more about the solutions today's schools are considering to enrich the classroom experience.
Read the full feature story from Sound & Communications
Watch: Rialto Unified School District's Use of Cisco Telepresence Technologies


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Introduction: Arty Chicken Barbarian Pesto Pizza
Arty Chicken Barbarian Pesto Pizza.
The never ending combinations that sit so well atop the Cheezzy Parmesan Bread. This particular fusion pizza would make Columbus proud the discovery.
Step 1: Ingredients
You would swear you're in Italy at first bite. This Barbarian variation is heavy in authentic flavor. While still keeping it's So Cal cool. My respect for pesto is only reinforced with this mouthy tasty slice of old world.
- 3 each ounces shredded Sargento Artisan Blends Whole Milk Mozzarella
- 4 each tablespoons Rana Basil Pesto
- 2 each ounces chopped Roland Marinated Artichoke Quarters
- 4 each ounces thinly sliced Herbed Chicken Knocker
- 2 each slices Cheezzy Parmesan Bread
- 1 each tablespoon diced Pimentos
- 1 each tablespoon chopped fresh Basil
Step 2: Instructions
When evenly spreading the pesto and shredded mozzarella cheese leave a small border approximately 1/4 inch from the edge. When the cheese melts it'll cover this area without flowing over the edge.
- Preheat oven to 475 degrees 10 minutes.
- In under oven toast 2 each slices Cheezzy Parmesan Bread to golden brown (approximately 5 to 7 minutes).
- Set aside Cheezzy Parmesan Bread and allow to cool 3 minutes.
- On each slice apply 2 each tablespoons Rana Basil Pesto evenly spread.
- Then evenly layer 1 each ounce shredded Sargento Artisan Blends Whole Milk Mozzarella to each piece (Keep 1 each ounce shredded mozzarella cheese for final topping).
- On top cheese place 2 each ounces thinly sliced Herbed Chicken Knocker to cover each piece.
- Next top chicken with 1 each ounce chopped Roland Marinated Artichoke Quarters per slice.
- Add 1/2 each ounce shredded mozzarella cheese over artichokes.
- Garnish each slice with 1/2 each tablespoon diced Pimentos.
- Place on baking pan and carefully load on top oven rack.
- Cook for 6 to 8 minutes at 475 degrees or until preferred doneness.
- Turn off oven and carefully remove baking pan.
- Slice and final garnish with 1 each tablespoon chopped fresh Basil.
Step 3: Chicken Into Thin Slices
Really try to cut your chicken slices thin to win. If you prefer to give the artichokes a bigger role in this masterpiece leave them as whole quarters especially if you love arty's like I do.
Step 4: Baking Rack
I generally use a baking rake over my oven pan but it's not always necessary. What is always necessary is to remember 475 degrees is hot so take care loading and removing baking pan.
Step 5: Out of Oven and Ready to Cut and Serve!
Remove from oven and place on cutting board
Step 6: DONE!
This turned out better then it looks. Tasted fantastic and easy to replicate like all my recipes. Pull this one out to impress but careful you might be setting expectations high when your love ones get their mitts on this.
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2 Discussions
Amazing pizza I like it!
Thanks. Keep an eye out for more of my Barbarian Style Pizza designs.


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The Future of Wearable Tech… and of all personal computing
From the first time I "unlocked" my new 'phone, I could see that a change that I had long expected in personal tech was starting to take place.
The image is the sony xperia compact z5 - the cell phone I use. To unlock it, you touch the power button. There is a fingerprint reader in the power button.
The change I'm referring to is passive authentification.
Passive Authentification
Passive authentification is when instead of your having to enter codes or passwords, the tech identifies you. You probably already have it on your laptop computer: when you switch on, the face in front of the webcam is compared with a stored image of your face, and your account/session can be started automatically.
The technology identifies you automatically, so you don't have to.
This terrifies people - but it doesn't have to.
It has the advantage that once technology can identify you reliably, you don't have to memorize codes or passwords or carry tokens around with you.
You are your password - literally.
Literally; technology looks at you, scans you, touches you, smells you, hears you. And uses all of this to be sure that you are you.
Shell Technology
Another promise that failed to be delivered long, long ago now, was the revolution promised by Java - that it would no longer matter what hardware we used. Your computer would be stored on the internet somewhere, and all you had to do was identify yourself to the technology, and your computer would be there in front of you.
This is shell technology. A screen, a keyboard, a webcam, that aren't part of a single computer, but become the interfaces for whatever computer you need to use them through.
Personal Computer?
Now that everyone has (or seems to have) a smartphone, everyone has a hugely powerful computer in their pocket (if it's small enough to fit in a pocket). If you want proof that shell technology is becoming a reality you only have to look at the Superbook.
The Superbook looks like a laptop computer, but it's just a keyboard, a screen, a battery and some connectivity electronics. You connect your smartphone to it. The smartphone provides the computing power, the Superbook provides the interface.
Mobile Devices Evolution
"Mike" my stick-figure-guy (as opposed to my artist galihwindu's awesome stick figures) is shown here in a mainframe computer. As it turns out, I can just about manage a clipboard but it's very difficult to do a stick-figure labcoat.
In the beginning, a computer was installed in a special room, and did literally thousands of calculations a second. A computer was a place you went to get a job done that previously might have needed hundreds of people (whose jobtitle, incidentally, was either clerk, calculator or computer!)
Mike looks excited (I hope) because he's got his first personal computer, so it's probably around 1982. The first ones were commercialized in the late 1970s but they were for specialists. The tipping point for use of personal computers for work was the invention of the computerized spreadsheet, around 1983, and everyone started using it when Microsoft Excel for Windows was released, in 1987.
At this stage, a computer came in several boxes and there were all sorts of cables to connect, and you had to understand things like config.sys, autoexec.bat and system.ini - by which I mean you literally had to understand what the configuration information in those files meant. It was like the wild west, man.
The laptop computer is named for a way of using it to which it is singularly unsuited. However it was the first serious attempt at a portable computer, and the laptop was, for more than a decade, the most portable form of multi-purpose microcomputer available.
Mobile telephony has gone through its own evolutions, at the same time. A lot of people think the cell-phone is so called because 'cell' is another word for 'battery.' It isn't, but I'll leave you to dive down that rabbit hole in your own time.
I'm reminding Mike of his first "brickphone", his first flip-phone, his ridiculous "phablet" and his "smart watch".
You remember I said that a mainframe computer, that filled up often an entire floor of an office building, could do thousands of calculations a second?
Your smartphone can do billions of calculations a second. Think about that for a second. It's more than a million times more powerful than a computer that fifty years ago, could only be bought by governments and large corporations.
Games consoles?
The Microsoft Kinect is a device that enables you to control a game with your console without needing a control device. You don't have a mouse or a keyboard or a joystick or joypad.
The Kinect watches you, and you use gestures to control the console, making selections in menus or playing games.
It's important to understand that this technology exists, and understand how it's used, so if you want a demo:
Aside from the truly awful music, this is a good illustration of it's use.
The Smart Home?
You may have already heard of the "internet of things" and the "smart home" - all sorts of electronic devices are increasingly connected to the internet. You might not be surprised to learn that the latest printers from HP all use your internet connection to update their own software automatically, so you no longer get pestered by messages asking you to "download and install the latest firmware".
For a printer that seems pretty normal. But there are already other household devices that are run by their own software (usually called 'firmware' for unimportant reasons). There's no reason why you shouldn't see, in the near future, a message on the front of your washing-machine asking you to wait 10 seconds while it downloads an update to ensure it has a suitable wash cycle for the new pants you ARE WEARING.
Whatever Next?
All these things are leading somewhere very specific.
Right now, technology seems ubiquitous to the point of intrusive. But soon, it'll be discreet to the point of invisible.
Here's Mike in the near future, with all the tech he ever needs to carry about with him:
I'm going to try to paint you a picture of a few basic things that you do now, and what they're going to look like in a few short years' time.
Making a phone call
If Mike's at home, all he needs to do is say, aloud, "I'd like to make a call."
Whatever room he's in will have a discreet flat screen which most of the time is probably matching the patterned wallpaper of his living area. It displays his list of most recent contacts, but all he has to do to place the call is say "call Alice and Bob."
A 3 way call is set up automatically. Alice and Bob's faces appear on the screen, and they start chatting. Mike decides to fix himself a cup of coffee, so he heads into the kitchen. The screen in the living area goes back to patterned wallpaper and the screen in the kitchen comes on, so he can continue the call unbroken.
If he's out and about, he might need to take a small, portable screen/camera/microphone with him as I don't think being followed everywhere by a phonedrone will be practical once everyone wants one! Implanted microphones and speakers are probably a little further in the future, right now. But the portable device he's carrying isn't a phone, it's a shell. It has a device that recognizes him, and downloads his preferences into it. It gets his contact list from the web - no need to store anything locally. Mike probably doesn't even own the device. If he's in the city he can probably pick one up at the coffee stand and leave it (at the end of the call) in a bus depot.
Watching TV
Netflix and the like are already transforming the scheduling experience, which is nice. And with TVs now able to connect to the web, you can already see how a TV is becoming a shell technology. It's just another screen; the sound just another sound. And if you have screens and speakers everywhere in the house?
Mike is binge-watching Game of Thrones series 22. Partway through he gets up to make himself a meal, so the show transfers to the kitchen screen. He decides to eat his meal on the deck, so the screen out on the deck rises up from between the begonias and the one in the kitchen switches back off.
Writing your Magnum Opus
Mike heads into his writing nook and sits in his office-chair. The screen comes on automatically, and he says "picking up where we left off."
Mike is old enough to have learned to touch-type and has never got into the habit of dictating, even though he knows it works extremely well now. So he rests his hands on the blank wooden desk in front of him, and a keyboard is laser projected under his fingers.
He begins to type, fingertips tapping lightly on the teak veneer.
When he has a correction to make, he makes a few gestures in the empty air, and a word moves to a different spot in the sentence.
Later on, he's back in the kitchen and he has an awesome idea for the next paragraph. He sits at the counter, puts his hands in front of him, and says "picking up where we left off." The screen on the wall opposite him lights up, and the keys appear under his fingers...
So in the near future...
...you won't need a mobile device, because all the devices you need will be around you, but visible only when you need them
...you won't need usernames and passwords because technology will recognize you the same way other people do.
...you won't need to store anything "locally" - everything will be "on the cloud" in distributed storage (stored in multiple copies in multiple locations) so the only way you'll ever lose a manuscript is if civilization itself comes to an end.
Good or Bad?
I can't say. What I can say is that looking back on the last 40 years of evolution in technology, in society and in world culture, that there is one thing of which you can be certain:
Things change, and will keep changing.


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Training to meet your needs
To keep up with all the changes that take place almost daily, a company needs training so that its staff is more competant on the job. RIGAS offers training at your facility, or via internet (webinar type format). Contact us today to schedule any gas analyzer training.


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EA SPORTS NHL Fans, the moment is fast approaching!
On August 21 (August 22 on
PSN in Europe), you'll finally be able to get your hands on the NHL 13
demo available for download on Xbox Live and PlayStation Network. This
year's demo will offer a brand new gameplay experience headlined by True Performance Skating and EA SPORTS Hockey
I.Q.. The demo will feature access to four different modes
The demo will feature access to four different modes – Play Now, NHL Moments Live, Hockey Ultimate Team (HUT) and Free Skate – and the ability to earn up to three HUT Item Packs to use in the full version of NHL 13.
In Play Now, select either the Stanley Cup Champion Los Angeles Kings or the New Jersey Devils as you battle it out in the third period. The period will start with a randomized score each time you play. Test out the all-new 'True Broadcast' camera which delivers a startlingly realistic hockey broadcast presentation as the camera swivels and zooms to capture every moment.
The all-new NHL Moments Live mode offers you the chance to relive some of the most thrilling moments from today's NHL. In the demo, relive the dramatic overtime showdown of Game Five of the Western Conference Final between the Kings and Phoenix Coyotes. The moment is introduced by real-world NHL footage in the menu video showcase that draws you into the intensity of the moment before you start the moment. If you complete the moment, you'll receive a HUT Item Pack.
Create a fantasy team without boundaries as you test your skills at Hockey Ultimate Team in NHL 13. HUT features a revamped design, improved reward system and an exciting new playoff format. In the NHL 13 demo, enter HUT to receive a HUT Item Pack. Unlock your starter pack and play in a tournament. If you beat Team USA and win the tournament you'll receive an upgraded HUT Pack
In Free Skate, hone your skills and get that practice time in while you can. When NHL 13 hits the shelves on September 11, you want to make sure you're ready to beat the best of the best and take home Lord Stanley's Cup.
Invite a Friend to download the demo, to receive one HUT Item Pack. You can also watch the GM Connected trailer and the True Performance Skating Tutorial in the demo.
We're excited to finally announce the NHL 13 demo and we can't wait until August 21 hits so you can get your hands on it. We hope you enjoy it!
NHL 13 will be released on September 11.


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Rose Ave, Venice
Great for
- No ratings yet
Not great for
- No ratings yet
Who lives here?
- Professionals
- Singles
Got a burning question? Why not ask the locals! Simply ask your question below
Rose Ave
"Quaint little bohemian street"
I love this street. While I was in college, every morning before my classes I would come down to a coffee shop on rose and 7th grab a tea and ham and cheese crossiant and sit and read. I loved looking at the little trees and apartment buildings butt right up against each other. Each with its own charm. Some old, some new, some contemporary. On the weekends, I would walk this street to the beach and go surf. It is a very beachy street. ALthough there can be homeless that will pander for money from you sometimes, but most of the time they will ask once and keep moving, as not to bother you. There are also some wonderful boutique shops on this street. Like a great clothing store and an amazing dance shoe store.
Recommended for
- Professionals
- Singles


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One of the most important characteristics of a community are its schools. Let's hope that this recession does not destroy the good in our system.
In a night marked by split votes, angry protests and accusations of racism, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg school board approved a sweeping plan to close 10 schools and make other dramatic changes.
In the most controversial item, the board voted 5-4 to close Waddell High and make it the new home for Smith Language Academy, a K-8 magnet. Harding High, which had also been considered as a home for Smith, will turn into a neighborhood school housing many of Waddell's students, along with the International Baccalaureate magnet now at Harding.
Most other efforts to block or revise the plan failed, often with the board's only two black members on the losing end of votes.
via Board closes Waddell, saves Harding – CharlotteObserver.com.


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Lisheen is located in the hills north of Melbourne, in Victoria, Australia, near the town of Romsey. The property has been developed to become the home of "Lisheen Wagyu" and is now one of the most productive cattle properties in the district. At Lisheen, Full Blood Wagyu cattle graze improved and native pastures over terrain ranging from highly productive creek flats to steep hills, encouraging growth and muscle development.
Lisheen Wagyu commenced out of a larger F1 and F2 breeding program which has operated since 1997. Crossbred Wagyu cattle have been supplied to the live trade to Japan and, in later years, to Australian feedlots.
The Lisheen Wagyu full blood breeding program was started with an aim to breed a small herd of high quality full blood Wagyu cattle that have both quality in their pedigree, and EBV's in the top 10% of the breed in Australia. AI and ET programs have been used to rapidly improve herd quality utilising mainly proven sires with quality pedigrees and high accuracy EBV information .
All Lisheen Wagyu cattle are DNA Parent verified and are also routinely tested for all 5 recessive genetic conditions, PI (Pestivirus) status, SCD (Fat melting point), and Tenderness before registration. As new testing processes have become available they have been adopted with additional testing being considered. The testing regime is primarily used to aid with breeding decisions to ensure that the most favourable genetic and carcass traits are identified and maximised to improve the quality of the Full Blood herd.
Comprehensive records are maintained about all aspects of cattle breeding, testing and health. These health and testing programs also offer potential bull and genetics purchasers more information and assist in ensuring that any purchase decision is well informed. Cattle are raised under normal paddock conditions and all Breedplan information is gathered under these conditions – there is NO grain enhancement of EBV's. Potential purchasers can, therefore, have confidence in the EBV information and that, bulls in particular, will continue to perform under similar paddock conditions if used as herd bulls.
A Biosecurity program is in place for the property with the current JBAS rating of 6
The emphasis at Lisheen is on quality.
My apologies for the Contact page now being password protected but it was becoming a forum for every crackpot salesperson or scammer to send me unwanted emails. If you have a genuine enquiry please contact me by phone 0417 224466 or by clicking on the bull, other animal or genetics you are interested in.
Premium Wagyu Cattle For Sale
Visit the For Sale tab to view cattle, embryos and semen currently available from Lisheen Wagyu. Clicking on blue links in the For Sale page will provide additional information on each animal including links to Pedigree, EBV,s, Test results etc.


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