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Visit the world, sleep on couch
A guest post by Elen Collins Elen is a brand new travel junkie. Ever since she visited her friend in Turkey, she has become fond of travelling. She likes the sense of freedom while on the road, and prefers to blend in with the locals in order to experience the authenticity of the place. Her story is about the Couch Surfing project… She is to soon join that society of travelers and adventure-seekers. I recently traveled to Turkey and stayed at a friend's apartment. When I first told him I was to visit Turkey, he said, "Hey, no need to couch surf, you can stay at my place anyway." This was the first time I heard about Couch Surfing, and of course I researched it right away. CS appeared to be one of the biggest travelers' communities in the world. True travelers really, really love the CS experience simply because it's free of vanity; it's unadulterated. It's a pure adventure where you enjoy the moment, the place and the strangers with every bit of your body and mind. And makes you appreciate the value of a …vacant couch… Couch Surfing in general is a Web site for travelers and more specifically for those who have a spare room/couch/bed/spacy floor at home and also have the courage to invite strangers to sleep over for a day or two. In order to be part of Couch Surfing, you also need a good introduction of yourself so people would actually be interested in inviting you at their home. Ever since I got interested in CS, I found out that many of my friends and colleagues have been participating in CS for while now. Here's what a colleague of mine went through after he and his roommate registered at CS: He invited their first guests from Poland. A man and a woman were supposed to come. To their surprise, however, four people arrived at midnight…yeah, four people instead of two. Somehow they found space for all of them and all went great. They took them on a tour around the city, did some...Read More

subset: commoncrawl


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One Stop Shop group the emerging player in travel domain has selected Galileo as Global distribution System (GDS) provider.
Online PR News – 03-April-2010 – – One Stop Shop group the emerging player in travel domain has selected Galileo as Global distribution System (GDS) provider.
Galileo is the official distributor of InterGlobe Technology Quotient (ITQ) in India which provides leading edge products and innovative ideas with computerized reservations systems to travel companies .This collaboration will benefit One Stop Shop services with efficient back end solutions. Galileo provides business friendly travel products which will categorically drive customers and strengthen market position of OSS group.
Galileo India Ceo quoted said, "We are glad to alliance with Onestopshop(OSS) group which is India's leading travel portal in rendering flight booking and rail ticketing services to customers. OneStopShop since its inception has projected itself to be one of the most customer centric brands in the country. As we exist globally, We are committed to offer quality services as our travel product will provide OneStopShop the right platform to focus on customer's requirement both here in India and abroad."
Subhash Jewria, CEO, OSS group said, "We are pleased to work with Galileo as this strategic partnership will provide us direct access to travel functionality. Its also an important step towards entering in B2C space which will enhance our customer relationship and can diversify into different market segment to grow our business immensely"
The tourism market is flourishing in India and has grown significantly in the last five years. According to market research agency report, One Stop Shop currently holds a larger market share in travel industry and market analyst expects rapid business growth of OSS group in coming years. One Stop Shop offers wide range of travel products and would like to explore new avenues by penetrating into rural market. Indian consumer demands are changing expeditiously as they need timely and cost effective service so to meet their demands OneStopShop group is striving for customer satisfaction.


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Google's self-driving cars have been hogging attention since quite some time as they are being tested on the road. They had covered almost 700,000 autonomous miles by April this year. Audi doesn't seem to be far behind. Audi's RS 7 driverless car perfectly ran the Formula One track in Germany recently during the DTM season finale.
The Audi RS 7 nicknamed "Bobby" looked like any other racing car that completed a perfect lap at racing speed on the Grand Prix track in Hockenheim, Germany. However, the big difference was that the Audi RS 7 was running without a driver.
Audi's RS 7 piloted driving concept ran the demo lap at 149mph, driven with perfect accuracy and precision only by software. The RS 7 is a 560 horsepower car perfectly took 6 straightways and 17 turns, completing the lap in about 2 minutes, guided by a combination of GPS, 3D cameras, laser scanners, radio transmitters, radar sensors and Wi-Fi.
"The top performance by the Audi RS 7 today substantiates the skills of our development team with regard to piloted driving at Audi," said Prof. Dr. Ulrich Hackenberg, Board Member for Technical Development at Audi. "The derivations from series production, particularly in terms of precision and performance, are of great value for our further development steps."
However, since actual driving conditions on the road are a lot different than the conditions on the empty race track, one wonders whether such a self-driving car would become successful commercially. But according to the company, "Piloted driving will help relieve the strain of driving and provide greater safety in road traffic while also solving infrastructural traffic problems."
Watch the Audi RS 7 self-driving car inaction at the Hockenheim track:
Source: Audi


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While looking for some cushions to add to my neutral-colored sofa, I've come across some of the most beautiful brightly-colored creations. From top left, a suzani-style cushion from Pierre Frey; stack of cushions from Designers Guild. Both the pink and blue brocatelle fabric cushions (on cream-colored background) I found on ebay, from a seller that fashions them out of Designer's Guild fabric! The white bench shows off the array of fabrics this ebay seller has to choose from (and comparatively the prices are reasonable.) The three stacked brocatelle cushions are from Heal's in the UK, and the authentic antique suzani pillow with blue designs and a flower-like shape in the center on a pink background is from JZ Rose ($395), an antiques shop in Bellevue, WA.
from Divine Cushions on ebay.
New Website
6 months ago


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Talk about Getting Screwed!
A worker at a electric utility in North Dakota decided to commit suicide at work. He wanted to "make a statement" against the company so he took an 18" long auger used to drill through telephone poles and chucked it up in a big electric drill. While sitting at his desk, pointed the drill at himself and rammed the bit through his chest.
End of story? Not quite.
The pain was so intense he passed out. When he came to, he had a change of heart so to speak and called 911. The paramedics arrive to find him screwed to the back of his chair!
They disassembled the chair and sent him and the chair back to the hospital.
So now, not only was he depressed and suicidal, he was also became laughing stock of the company!
Last modified Wednesday, Aug-20-2008 07:56 AM


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Space Case
Space Case
"Space Case" is an Analog Tele-Phonographer made from a nickel-plated trumpet and part of a nickel-plated trombone. It's attached to a base made from a salvaged machine part. The whole thing is shiny and silvery. The base has been sprayed with multiple coats of gloss lacquer to help prolong its beauty.
This piece has a really unique personality. The nickel plated trumpet is still pretty clean, as is the base. The horn stands tall and linear, the sound goes far and wide. It's going to look great in your spaceship, or on your home planet.
This horn will make the sound from your iPhone or iPad louder and richer, using no electricity, wires, plugs, or batteries. The shape of the horn is enough to add 25 decibels or more! But it's not just about volume, it's about quality of sound as well.
This work of art is hand-made, one-of-a-kind, and was created entirely in America with reclaimed materials.
This piece is shown with a stainless dock that fits every iPhone since the 4, and docks are available for Android or other devices. The dock is easily removed (with no tools required!) and can be replaced for future upgrade.
Free shipping within the US. Email me for other shipping options.


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A 7 channel looper comes in handy when you have a large number of effect pedals in your pedalboard and accessing all of them easily gets a bit difficult. Our 7 channel true bypass looper will be your best friend to keep everything clean and organized: it allows you to independently switch on and off up to 7 different effect loops connected to each one of the looper's 7 channels, and everything from a single effect pedal. If you have a great amount of effect pedals to control, this 7 channel version is perfect for you!
All of our loopers are true bypass, point-to-point handwired with heavy duty top quality wire. This 7 channel looper uses True Bypass footswitches to keep your sound unaltered, and high quality parts to deliver the best sound, and is enclosed in a thick 1590DD enclosure (222x146x55mm). Every one of the 7 loops has its own LED indicator so you always know which channels are on. Besides, unlike many loopers that will mute your sound if you accidentally hit a channel without any effect pedal connected to it, if you try to turn on a channel which has no effects by mistake the looper will automatically bypass it so your sound chain doesn't cut!
You can also chain multiple effect pedals in each loop, you just have to connect the send from the 8 channel looper to the input of the first effect pedal, its output to the next pedal's input and so on, and then connect the last effect pedal's output back to the looper's return. That way, you'll be able to turn on and off multiple effect pedals with just one click!
If you need more or less channels, check out the other looper options:
- 2 Channel Looper
- 3 Channel Looper
- 4 Channel Looper
- 5 Channel Looper
- 6 Channel Looper
- 8 Channel Looper
- Point-to-point handwired with high quality wire and True Bypass footswitches to keep the original signal unmodified.
- 7 independent effect loops.
- LED indicators for each one of the 7 channels, with bezels for a better fastening.
- Robust 1590DD Aluminium enclosure (222x146x55mm).
- Powered with a standard 2.1mm Boss type DC adapter (power is only required for the LEDs; this is a 100% mechanical looper that doesn't require power except for the LEDs to bright, and will work even in the case of a power loss).


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Pruning Basics
Pruning Basics
Most shrubs, evergreens and trees require some pruning, whether it be to maintain its shape and size, improve the plant's general appearance or remove dead or diseased branches.
What to Prune
What to Prune
Whatever you are pruning, always use a solid, sharp set of pruners or pruning shears. Never use dull blades to prune your plants, as this may cause harm with uneven cuts.
When to Prune
When to Prune
For major pruning jobs, early spring is the best time to prune, except for spring flowering shrubs such as Forsythia, Magnolia, Lilac and trees which should be pruned after flowering. Shaping can be done later in the growing season. Broken and dead branches should be removed as soon as possible as these weakened areas allow easy entry for insects and diseases. Fruit trees should be pruned before the buds start to open in March or early April.
Generally, trees can be pruned throughout the year to maintain their shape and remove dead and diseased branches. However, Birch, Honey-locust, Magnolia, Mulberry, Maple and Linden can only be pruned in mid-summer as they bleed profusely in spring. Other exceptions apply such as Crab Apples and Lilacs. These trees should be pruned after they bloom. Large cuts on branches over 10 cm should be treated with pruning paint.
Only roses that have grown extremely tall, e.g. over one metre, should have their branches cut back to one metre in the fall to prevent ice damage. Hybrid Tea and Floribunda roses should be pruned in April after the buds start to grow, pruning just above a good, strong bud that points outward from the centre of the plant. Climbers need to have dead wood removed each spring and side branches that have just flowered pruned back.
Deciduous Shrubs
Deciduous Shrubs
In early spring, remove older, thicker stems at ground level to rejuvenate the plant. This will allow light and air into the centre of the shrub to promote new growth. Shaping can be done later during the season after the shrub has flowered. Remember, some plants flower on new wood (this year's
growth) and others on old wood (last year's growth). Mock-orange, Serviceberry, Saskatoon, Forsythia, Lilacs and Deutzia produce flowers on the previous year's growth and should be pruned after flowering. Summer flowering shrubs such as Annabelle and Peegee Hydrangeas, Potentillas, summer flowering Spireas, and Rose-of-Sharon should be pruned in early spring before growth begins.
Start pruning for shape when plants are young. Formal plants, such as Boxwood, can be trimmed several times through the year. Junipers should be pruned before the growing season and larger evergreens, such as Pines, when new growth is vigorous. Candles (the long finger-like growth on Spruce and Pines) can be cut in half before they open up and mature in mid-June.


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Volunteer force of thousands readies to review 1,000,000+ recall signatures
January 20, 2012, Houston, TX - The integrity of Wisconsin elections is on the verge of implosion, as United Wisconsin's coordinated effort to recall Gov. Scott Walker has purportedly led to the submission of more than 1,000,000 petition signatures; leaving the overseer of Wisconsin elections, the Government Accountability Board, with a mountain of data in need of verification and no clear capability to conduct an audit of such scale. Unwilling to allow the abandonment of due process, True the Vote, together with Wisconsin GrandSons of Liberty and We the People of the Republic, launched Verify the Recall, an effort to engage citizens in an independent, comprehensive audit of recall petition signatures. To date, this unprecedented effort has inspired more than 9,000 citizens to sign on, all ready to serve as the nation's largest all-volunteer data entry army.
True the Vote, a nonpartisan election integrity organization based in Houston, Texas, is providing the technology required to process and examine the approximately 1,000,000 names. "Americans intuitively understand what the implications are if government can not or will not uphold its responsibility of election oversight." said True the Vote founder Catherine Engelbrecht. "True the Vote was founded to provide a coordinated program through which American citizens can participate in the support of free and fair elections. The response to the Verify the Recall effort is a clear indication of our citizenry's willingness to support the rights of legitimate voters."
Currently, the Wisconsin GAB is planning to undertake an audit of very limited scope, relying on optical scanning software to identify signature abnormalities. This plan stands in stark contrast to Verify the Recall's effort, which will engage volunteers in entering all signature data, submit each line to a triple blind accuracy check,and inspect for duplicates, omissions, ineligibilities, forgery, and fraud. Tim Dake, co-founder of Wisconsin GrandSons of Liberty, said "We've recently learned that the GAB will attempt to use automated scanners. We applaud their efforts, but make no mistake, their process will not produce anywhere near the results ours will. There is no comparison between a scanner and thousands of Americans working to uphold our most sacred of processes."
Last week, Verify the Recall revved its engine with a trial run, undertaking an audit of the 2011 recall petition effort involving Wisconsin State Senator Dan Kapanke. Within a few days, Verify volunteers had entered over 125,000 records, the results of which proved very telling. Nearly 500 signatures were accepted by the GAB that, upon closer inspection, should have been omitted because they were outside of the acceptable date range for the petition. More disturbing however, was that of the approximately 21,000 names in the petition, over 9,000 should have been challenged based on everything from illegibility to non-existent addresses. These types of errors would likely never be caught by a scanning system alone.
Recently, speculation has swirled regarding the standing of Verify the Recall and the permissibility of their findings for purposes of challenge. "It is unconscionable to think that legitimate citizen challenges would not be accepted by the Wisconsin GAB", said We the People of the Republic founder Ross Brown, "Our legal counsel is examining all options, but regardless of what is determined, we are proceeding with the audit. If the GAB will not accept our findings, we believe the public will still be very interested to learn what we
uncover. We encourage people to get involved with Verify the Recall. This is our republic in action. "
The leaders of the Verify the Recall effort a planning a press conference for next Tuesday, January 24th, in the rotunda of Wisconsin's capitol, where they will announce in greater detail the full scope of their historic effort.


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Constipation is not a side effect associated with soy formula. Soy formula is a treatment for constipation in infants. The National Institute of Health classifies soy infant formula as a substance of minimal concern in regard to side effects.
In addition to its use for constipation, soy formula is prescribed to infants with milk allergies. Three percent of infants in the United States have milk allergies, and most eventually outgrow them. Soy milk is the most common treatment for this allergy, and it is nutritionally equivalent to cow's milk formula. Soy formula comprises 12 percent of all formula sales in the United States as of 2014, which is a 50 percent decrease in sales from its peak in 1999.
The only documented side effect of soy formula in humans is the effect it has on those with a soy allergy. Animal studies show a correlation between high soy intake and early puberty due to increased levels of estrogen, but this finding is not confirmed in humans. The National Institute of Health and the U.S. Department of Agriculture both cite long-term studies as evidence that soy formula is a safe alternative to cow's milk formula though both agencies encourage parents to feed infants breast milk instead of formula whenever possible.


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Hearing Voices -
Hearing voices in your head, this is a very distressing and life changing problem.
Common Symptoms
- Thoughts that are not your own, as if somebody is either talking to you in your head or suggesting you do things that you know you do not agree with, or random thoughts that do not suit your personality, normally negative.
- Changes in behaviour that will be noticed by close members or your friends or family, such as change of dress sense, change of eating or drinking habits, drug taking, alcohol abuse etc.
Unexplained fatigue, depression, addictions, anxiety, physical symptoms, chronic illnesses, and sudden mood changes.
- Hearing voices
- Hallucinations
- Delusions
- Racing thoughts
- Apathy
- Lack of emotion
- Disorganized thoughts
- Memory problems
- Oversleeping or insomnia
- Odd or irrational statements
- Forgetful; unable to concentrate
- Extreme reaction to criticism
- Strange use of words.
- Speaking in a different language not their first language.
- Deterioration of personal hygiene
- Flat, expressionless gaze
- Inability to cry or express joy
- Inappropriate laughter or crying
- Depression
- Concentration issues
- Social withdrawal
- Hostility
My experience working with clients
In my experience most of these cases can be treated as energy attachment, and when the other occupying energy is removed the voice's stop and a normal life can be then maintained, in saying that if large amounts of drugs have been used especially LSD then hallucinations will possibly remain but the voices that have been heard will have been stopped.
Having treated many clients that have been diagnosed with this problem it is fully understandable to see why these people hear voices and are manipulated by the controlling energies that have attached themselves to them. These energies can be discarnate spirit or they can be negative entities, in general you will find that the voices are almost never positive and very manipulative.
They require energy from the host to exist and maintain the attachment and to generate this energy they try to create as my negativity and fear in the host as they can. The more fear they can create the greater the hold they have.
The person will be told or manipulated to think that if they do what is being asked by the attachment then they will be left alone for a while and the voices will stop but this is just a ploy to encourage a negative routine normally ending in self harm or harming others around them.
In my experience there are essentially two different types of energies that attach to human beings and each have different intentions.
Discarnate Spirits
This category of attachment I have found the easiest to work with and communicate with, they are almost always somehow entangled into the human's energy structure many times without knowing how this happened and are essentially bound to the human lacking the ability to remove themselves.
Upon being asked to remove themselves they often respond well when they realise they cannot stay attached any longer and will detach from the human and allow my guides to take them where they should be.
Negative Energies
This category is much more tricky to deal with as they are very intelligent energies that have been around far longer than us in the incarnation we are currently experiencing.
For negative entities to have attached themselves to a person their auric shield must have been penetrated as the auric shield protects us against entity attachment invasion.
Most of my clients seem to have opened themselves up on a spiritual level using either substance abuse or whilst present when using spirit contact devices such as Ouija boards, or other occult practice and this can be traced back to the onset of their schizophrenia and hearing voices.
The majority of those that suffer will say they feel as though they are possessed to some level and they cannot understand how others cannot hear the same voices when in their presence. They can see the energies around them and will often be very afraid as the energies will show themselves as demons, aliens or other fearful creatures.
The person suffering will most probably have watched many films especially horror films in their life and the energies will find the images that created the most fear and this will then be mirrored back to them and used to control and re-create as much fear as possible.
This is the reason in my opinion that images of demons are most typical for people that suffer with this problem.
Working in this area is also very difficult for the therapist as since we do what we do, we are also targeted by negative energies and psychic protection must therefore become a daily part of your life.
These energies are very intelligent and also seem to have an infinite amount of time to sit and wait for you to forget about your own protection one day whilst rushing through our busy lives, and at this time will take the opportunity to try and penetrate your auric protection. If this happens you sill start to notice feeling irritable, jittery, tired and annoyed with those your love.
Try taking a salt bath and perform cleansing visualisations using purple light.
In my opinion and due to the ever expanding misuse of drugs in our society I think we will start to see an exponential growth of these problems in the near future.
I feel spiritual protection will become more important than physical protection in future as we are opening to more energies as we start to move towards the ascension of earth.
Self Help
f you think you have or know somebody that could be experiencing spirit / entity attachment there are a number of things you can try should you so wish before contacting a professional.
1) Contact a psychic and ask them to check for entity and spirit attachments.
2) Drink plenty of water, water contains light and will detoxify your body helping to increase your vibration. In addition the herbal remedy ivy can be added as this is a highly protective herb to the human body and can be obtained easily.
3) Incense sticks burning will also help to clear the room or area you spend time in as they contain powerful herbs.
4) Sit in meditation and ask your spirit guides to help.
5) Use affirmations and visualisations on a regular basis, there are many that can be helpful see below for an example.
7) If you taking part in recreational drug or alcohol abuse stop, this is a negative addiction and will encourage negative energy.
8) Sprinkle sea salt around your house and all around your bed. (Very Important)
9) Leave a light on at night in your bedroom.
10) Play classical music in your house


text: October 12, 2010Amy Samson Kona needs a home!! Please help us find loving new parents for him! Kona (ID A379731) is a tan and white Labrador Retriever mix. Kona is approximately 1 year, 3 months old. He weighs 55 pounds. He was surrendered by the his owners who had to relocate and could no longer afford to care for him. He's a very, very sweet dog. Imagine being left by the only family you've ever known at this strange place full of other dogs and unknown people. When I walked Kona in front of the Shelter on Saturday.. he would look at each car that drove up with anticipation and excitement - as if he fully expected each car to contain his parents who had finally come back to pick him up. As you can imagine, it was hard to take him back inside. Despite all of this, he's still happy (just look at that dog smile!). He's a tall boy with a big heart. He's very smart and loves to play ball. He's housebroken and knows sit and come. October is ADOPT A DOG MONTH and Jacksonville ACPS is celebrating by discounting adoption fees one-half for dogs each Saturday in October. Comment


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This Week's Share Contains
Parsnips; Green Cabbage; Mixed Colored Potatoes; Garlic; Sunflower and Radish Shoots; Rutabaga; Frozen Tomatoes; Sweet Chai Maple Syrup from Butternut Mountain; Vermont Butter & Cheese Creme Fraiche; Champlain Orchards Apple Pie.
Storage and Use Tips
Frozen Tomatoes - Keep these frozen until ready to use, then run the tomatoes under warm water. This will loosen the skin enough to be peeled right off. Let them thaw a bit more, then chop and use as you would canned, chopped tomatoes. After peeling, coring then thawing the tomatoes, you can also give them a whirl in the food processor and use in recipes calling for canned, (unseasoned), tomato sauce.
Green Cabbage - Wrapped loosely in a plastic bag, cabbage will keep in the crisper drawer for several weeks. Discard any exterior leaves that may have begun to tear and/or discolor before using. Once cut, seal remaining cabbage in a plastic bag and use within a week or two.
Apple Pie - The pies from Champlain Orchards have not been frozen but have been kept cool. Once you bring your pie home, it will last for 2-3 more days in your fridge, willpower depending. Warm in a 350F oven before serving. If this doesn't fit into your menu plan, wrap it well in plastic wrap and foil and pop it into the freezer as soon as possible. You may experience a slightly soggy bottom crust, but most on Chowhound.com said that it should be fine. The consensus seems to be to start it off in a 425 degree oven for 10 or 15 minutes, and then lower the temperature to 350. Bake for 40-60 minutes. Note that the list of ingredients on the label is for their regular store-bought pies. See the Localvore Lore section for the actual ingredients in your localvore pie.
Spring, Summer & Meat Share Announcement
Finally, we have all of the details set for our upcoming shares. Our Spring Share period begins in just three short weeks. We'll be offering a Vegetable/Localvore Share and a Meat Share. With our greenhouses built and ready to go this year, we anticipate having greens and other greenhouse grown veggies earlier in the spring than last year. Of course, the first month or so will still be heavy on roots and shoots.
Please sign-up as soon as possible to keep your shares coming uninterrupted. We need to have your form and payment at the farm no later than February 11th, to include you in the first February 18th delivery.
We are also announcing the Summer Shares at the same time. If you sign up for a Summer Share that includes vegetables before April 1st, we will give you a free short sleeved Pete's Greens t-shirt when you pick-up your first order.
As we understand that it is difficult to sign-up and pay for two shares at once, rest assured that we will not cash your summer check(s) until June.
Bulk Order Pickup this Week
If you placed a bulk order this week, please look for a bag or box with your name on it when you pick-up. Thanks to all who ordered!
Cabot to Go Hormone-Free!
Appreciation goes out to all those who called, emailed and wrote Cabot asking them to ban the use of the bovine growth hormone BST. Beginning in August they will no longer accept milk from farmers who use the hormones at their plants in Vermont and Springfield, MA. This means that their cheeses and butter will be hormone free as of late summer. Cabot sited feedback from their customers as a main reason of discontinuing their acceptance of the hormone-tainted milk. For more on the story visit the VPR site.
Localvore Lore
This week our localvore products are just a bit indulgent. We have a localvore pie baked especially for us by Champlain Orchards. We've had good response to Bill's pies in the past and try to include them at least twice a year. You can serve the pie with a dollop of creme fraiche, whipped and sweetened with the ginger and cardamom infused Sweet Chai maple syrup for an extra special treat!
I am really excited to be including the syrup in the share today. I used to cook with and sell the Sweet Chai syrup at my bed & breakfast in Warren. It is a delicious novelty syrup that works equally well for sweet preparations as well as savory. I used to make a killer raisin bread French toast with coconut milk, eggs, vanilla and the Sweet Chai. One of the things I really enjoy about the syrup is that each bottle includes recipes. If you peel back the label, you will see several recipes to use the syrup in. In addition to the Sweet Chai, Butternut Mountain offers a Sweet Heat (infused with habanero pepper), Sweet Autumn with vanilla and cinnamon and a Sweet Ginger.
As I mentioned, we also are thrilled to have pies for you today. We realize that the Cabot butter is more New England than just Vermont, but we've agreed with Bill that it is appropriate and affordable to use it anyways. Elissa from Champlain Orchards kindly wrote up the following about the pies:
With the encouragement of Pete, Champlain Orchards has developed a localvore apple pie recipe and sourced local ingredients specifically for Pete's CSA members.This is the first time that we've had creme fraiche in the share. Creme fraiche is actually just cream that has been cultured, giving it a slightly tangy flavor and thick texture. Culturing the cream into creme fraiche also helps the product keep longer. It is wonderful stirred into soup or dollopped on top. Whipped with syrup or honey, it becomes an interesting topping for desserts. Try serving it with potatoes, salmon or chili. Here's a little information about how Vermont Butter & Cheese came to make creme fraiche:
First, Champlain Orchards apples are peeled, cored, sliced, and seasoned. The flour for the crust has been sourced from Jack and Anne Lazor of Butterworks Farm in Enosburg, VT and the butter is from Cabot Creamery. The crust also contains Champlain Orchards cider instead of water, which is traditionally used.
Our bakers, Katy and Wendy, press the formed dough into pie tins and heap the apple slices into the pie shell. Maple syrup is then drizzled and spread evenly over the pie filling as a natural sweetener. The syrup for your pies comes from a local maple syrup business, run by Tim and Lorraine Hescock in Shoreham, VT. The pie is then topped with another crust, crimped, and glazed with eggs that come from chickens raised by two of our orchard staff, Aaron and Elissa Mathis of Cornwall, VT. The pies are then baked to a golden brown perfection in two ovens that fit 18 pies each.
We thank Nancy and Pete for the baking challenge and opportunity to source ingredients from our neighbors. We hope you enjoy your pie!
After you milk the cows, set the fresh cream aside. Let the natural lactic bacteria take over - creating a thick, smooth, tart result known as crème fraîche. That was how they made it on the dairy farm in Brittany, France, where Allison Hooper worked more than twenty years ago. At that time in the United States, domestic crème fraîche was virtually unheard of, and even imported brands were scarce.Recipes
When Bob Reese and Allison co-founded Vermont Butter & Cheese Company in 1984, their first product was Vermont Chèvre, the company's signature goats' milk cheese. Vermont Crème Fraîche, their first cows' milk creation – and another perfect combination of modern technology and time-honored European methods – followed close on its heels.
Vermont Crème Fraîche is exquisitely rich, with the cultured, nutty flavor and creamy texture that characterizes the best crème fraîche, a staple of French cuisine and many of the world's finest culinary traditions.
Maple Syrup-Roasted Parsnip Bisque
My friends Lisa and Eric Friedman were recently highlighted in Yankee Magazine. Lisa is a phenomenal cook and entertainer, running her own catering company The Wooden Spoon she also conducts fun cooking classes out of her house. When I saw this recipe for the Parsnip Bisque, I knew that it would be a winner! Try substituting the Sweet Chai syrup for half of the maple for a more exotic taste. You could also use the creme fraiche in place of the cream. Serves 8.
2-1/2 pounds parsnips, peeled and quartered
1/4 cup canola or sunflower oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus extra to taste
1/2 cup pure maple syrup, divided
8 cups water
1 large carrot, cut into thirds
1/2 medium-size onion
1 small bunch flat-leaf parsley
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
1 teaspoon white pepper, plus extra to taste
2 to 2-1/2 cups heavy cream
Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, toss parsnips with oil, salt, and 1/4 cup maple syrup. Spread on a baking sheet and roast about 30 minutes, or until parsnips are golden brown and softened. As parsnips are roasting, bring water to a boil. Place carrot, onion, parsley, bay leaves, and peppercorns on a double layer of cheesecloth. Wrap and tie securely, and add to water. Bring to a boil; then lower to simmer 30 minutes.
Remove parsnips from oven and add to vegetable-infused water. Add remaining maple syrup, white pepper, and salt to taste. Simmer 20-30 minutes. Discard cheesecloth bundle. Using a food processor or immersion blender, puree parsnips and broth. Add cream and simmer another 10 minutes, or until slightly thickened. Season with salt and white pepper to taste.
Sweet Chai Glazed Cabbage & Roots with Grilled Tofu, Fish or Chicken
The addition of grilled protein makes this vegetable saute a winning meal. Serve over cooked barley or brown rice. Serves 4.
1 TB oil or bacon fat
1 onion, sliced thin
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 carrots, sliced thin
1 small rutabaga, cut in thin matchsticks
1/2 green cabbage, halved lengthwise and sliced thin
1/2 cup apple cider
2 TB Sweet Chai maple syrup
2 TB soy sauce or tamari
2 tsp fish sauce (or to taste)
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
12 oz syrup glazed tofu, fish or chicken, cut into chunks (recipe follows)
Heat oil in a large heavy bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and saute for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and saute another minute. Add the carrots and rutabaga, cook stirring occasionally for another 2 minutes then add the cabbage. Toss and cook the vegetables for another 3-5 minutes, then add the cider, syrup, soy sauce, fish sauce and red pepper flakes. Stir to combine, and cook, stirring occasionally until the liquid is mostly evaporated, 5 to 10 minutes. If it the vegetables begin to stick, turn down the heat a bit.
Serve over cooked barley or rice topped with chicken, fish or tofu.
Chai Grilled Chicken, Fish or Tofu
This recipe comes from the Moosewood Hollow website, the original developers of the syrups.
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 TB soy sauce
2 TB rice wine vinegar
2 TB Sweet Chai
1 TB sesame oil (or sunflower oil)
12 oz chicken, fish or tofu
Combine all ingredients. Place chicken or fish pieces or block of tofu cut into thick strips in a glass pan or ziplock bag. Add the marinade, cover and refrigerate for 1-2 hours. Remove from marinade and grill. For extra flavor, brush with Sweet Chai prior to serving.
Baked Honeyed Rutabaga Disks
Martine Fiske, one of your fellow shareholders, contributed this recipe as a family favorite. Thank you Martine! It's adapted from "The Victory Garden Cookbook" by Marian Morash. You could also try this with a bit of the Sweet Chai dressing as well. Excellent for turnips too..
2 medium rutabagas or large turnips (2 lbs. total)
4 Tbsp. butter
¼ c. honey
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Peel rutabagas/turnips. Slice across width of vegetable to make ½ inch disks. Melt butter and brush onto baking sheet. Place disks on sheet and brush with butter. Bake for 15 minutes. Turn and coat with honey, bake another 15 minutes. Turn once more and coat with melted butter and honey. Bake another 15 minutes. You may have to adjust final time for size and thickness of the discs.
Tomato and Potato Frittata
Great served with a shoot and roasted root salad with a Sweet Chai vinaigrette. Serves 4.
6 whole large eggs
2 large egg whites
4 oz creme fraiche
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried crumbed oregano
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/2 small onion, minced
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 pound potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice
6 oz frozen tomatoes, thawed, peeled and chopped
1/4 cup finely grated sharp, hard cheese
Preheat broiler. Whisk together eggs, egg whites, creme fraiche, salt, pepper and oregano. Cook garlic and onion in 1 tablespoon oil in a 10-inch heavy skillet (preferably nonstick and ovenproof) over moderate heat, stirring, until translucent, and beginning to turn golden about 3-5 minutes. Add potatoes to skillet and sauté over moderately high heat, stirring, until just tender, about 6 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a bowl.
Add 1 tablespoon oil and tomatoes to skillet and cook over moderately high heat, stirring, until tomatoes begin to brown and liquid has evaporated, about 4-5 minutes. Add remaining tablespoon oil and potatoes with garlic to skillet, spreading evenly. Pour egg mixture over vegetables and cook over moderately high heat, lifting up cooked egg around edges to let uncooked egg flow underneath, 3 minutes. Reduce heat to moderate and cook, covered, 5 minutes more (center will be moist).
Remove lid and broil frittata 5 to 7 inches from heat until set, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle top evenly with grated cheese, then broil until cheese melts and frittata is golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes more. Slide onto a platter and cut into 4 wedges.


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Donate to the Shalom Bayit Sustaining Fund
The Shalom Bayit Sustaining Fund provides reserve funds to sustain program providing counseling for adults and children who have been affected by physical, emotional or sexual abuse, and for ongoing educational and prevention programming around abuse in the Jewish community.
Please use the following form to make your donation. The fields marked with an asterisk (*) are required.


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In the same vein as last year, I'll spend a post summing up on what happened this year, and then try to come up with some goals for the next year. 2011 retrospective What did I do in 2011? Well,
New job!!
As I'm writing this, I have spent 4 years and 9 months working at Trifork. That means a majority of my professional experience comes from working there, and I must say that it has been a fantastic time! Throughout the


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Texas 10 Most Wanted Fugitive arrested in California
Blake Everett Reed, 32, a Texas 10 Most Wanted Fugitive, is now in custody after being captured on Jan. 21 in California.
Reed was wanted for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, harassment of public servant, assault of public servant, assault, and evading arrest/detention with a vehicle. The arrest was not the result of tip information received through Texas Crime Stoppers, and no reward will be paid.
Working off investigative information, members of the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Narcotics Unit and Gang Task Force apprehended Reed without incident at a residence in Cayucos, California. The investigation that resulted in Reed's arrest was a multi-agency effort that included other law enforcement agencies from both Texas and California. Texas Department of Public Safety Special Agents also assisted.
Reed is a violent criminal, with ties to Wood and Smith counties in Texas, who had been wanted since May 2017.
Reed's apprehension marks the first Texas 10 Most Wanted program arrest in 2018. Texas Crime Stoppers, which is funded by the Governor's Criminal Justice Division, offers cash rewards to any person who provides information that leads to the arrest of one of the Texas 10 Most Wanted fugitives or sex offenders.
To be eligible for the cash rewards, tipsters MUST provide information to authorities using one of the five following methods:
- Call the Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-252-TIPS (8477).
- Text the letters "DPS" – followed by your tip – to 274637 (CRIMES) from your cell phone.
- Submit a web tip through the DPS website by selecting the fugitive you have information about, and then clicking on the link under their picture.
- Submit a Facebook tip at www.facebook.com/texas10mostwanted by clicking the "SUBMIT A TIP" link (under the "About" section).
- Submit a tip through the DPS Mobile App. The app is currently available for iPhone users on the Apple App Store and for Android users on Google Play.
All tips are anonymous – regardless of how they are submitted, and tipsters will be provided a tip number instead of using a name.
DPS investigators work with local law enforcement agencies to select fugitives for the Texas 10 Most Wanted Fugitive and Sex Offender lists. You can find the current lists – with photos – on the DPS website at www.dps.texas.gov/texas10mostwanted.
Do not attempt to apprehend these fugitives; they are considered armed and dangerous.
- Texas DPS


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Fairbanks Police Dept.
The Fairbanks Police Department is a progressive, professional organization. Our mission is to serve the public with integrity, wisdom, courage, and compassion; working in partnership with the community to make Fairbanks a great place to live, work and visit. In order to provide the best possible service to the citizenry we serve, we will continuously strive to increase our knowledge and capabilities through a coordinated strategy integrating leadership, education, and technology.
Fairbanks International Airport Police & Fire
The mission of the Airport Police and Fire Department is to provide Public Safety, Security, Protection of Property, and the Environment from emergencies caused by accidents, fire, explosion, illness, storms, and criminal acts at the Fairbanks International Airport.
Alaska State Troopers-Detachment D
The mission of the Division of Alaska State Troopers is to preserve the peace, enforce the law, prevent and detect crime, and protect life and property.
The Division is comprised of posts assigned to five geographic detachments that provide patrol, enforcement, and search and rescue to all areas of the state and a central headquarters. The Division's major components are: Alaska Bureau of Investigation investigates major crimes and enforces bootlegging and illegal drug distribution throughout Alaska; Judicial Services is responsible for prisoner transports and providing security for Alaska courts; and the Alaska Bureau of Highway Patrol keeps Alaska's highways safe by their presence on state roadways and through public education campaigns.
North Pole Police Department
City of North Pole Police The North Pole Police Department is here to serve the citizens and visitors of our fair city. Since becoming a city in 1953, we have strived to provide the best service to our community and do so today with the most up to date equipment, training, and qualified personnel.
In addition to both our full-time commissioned and civilian personnel, the North Pole Police Department has a police reserve organization called the North Pole Police Reserve Association (NPPRA), which was established in 1993
UAF Fire Department
The University Fire Department exists to provide effective fire, rescue, and emergency medical services while preparing student employees for leadership in emergency services.
UAF Police Department
Our mission is a simple one: To provide a safe and secure environment for the staff, students, and visitors to campus. This commitment assures the University community that the police department will maintain constant vigilance over their property and personal safety. Our department employs professional sworn police officers and with our excellent emergency dispatch staff, we provide twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week service to the campus community. The UAF Police, Emergency Communication Center, and the professionals that comprise our department are integral parts of this campus community we proudly serve. We are honored for the opportunity to do so.
Eielson Air Force Base 354th Emergency Medical Services
The 354th Medical Group provides outpatient primary healthcare under the TRICARE program for all eligible beneficiaries living in the Eielson area. In addition, a collocated dental clinic provides general dental care for all active-duty military members. Pharmacy, laboratory, X-ray and immunizations services are located in the clinic. Bassett Army Community Hospital on Fort Wainwright serves as Eielson clinic's primary referral source for specialty and inpatient care.
Eielson Air Force Base 354th Readiness and Emergency Management
"We are more or less, the calm in the middle of a storm," said Staff Sgt. Russell Gray 354th Force Support Squadron readiness technician and mortuary affairs NCO in charge. "We help bring peace to family members and their units by letting them know that their fellow teammates and loved-ones were taken care of with honor and dignity."
Chena-GoldStream Fire and Rescue
To provide the highest level of preservation of life and property at a reasonable cost,
Opportunity for growth and achievement for department members, and education and service to the public,


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On Shed ….March 2017
" Preserving the steam locomotive legacy.. and more..on film"
Now features at Wonderful World of Trains & Planes, Birmingham
A self explanatory Banner!
Welcome…and news….
Editor's Selection :The Maps That Made The Railways. (Christian Wolmar)
100 Trains….the journey so far….
Steam Tube Photographic Highlights
Steam Tube Video Highlights
Steam Tube Blogs (Steam Age Daydreams)
Tornado…The Story so far…
New & ReBuild News.
B & O Railroad Museum TV
Mainline Steam Schedule
On This Day in History.
Radstock to Frome Railway Project
Christian Wolmar… Railway Historian."Fire & Steam"
Around the World in 80 Railways (No 79:Cab View Russia Train "Omsk – Novosibirsk")
WATTRAIN & APHTRO & NERHT News
30742 Charters
Back Page.(Glasgow Trams from HuntleyFilmArchives on YouTube)
Welcome…and news….
A warm welcome to this March 2017 edition of "On Shed"– the monthly magazine for "Steam Tube- For The Best of Steam on the Net!"
We start off with a summary of Christian Wolmar's talk at the British Library on the role and use of maps for the railways…
There is another batch of old photographs from the collection of Mr Dick Pennoyer, courtesy Mr Hugh Cantlie. If you can add some detail to the photographs, that would be much appreciated.
Interesting that this month (in history) includes the infamous Beeching Report. It has always been of some interest to note the similarities between the final skeleton network that would have been left if the Report had been fully implemented, and HS2…………
There are updates and links to key rebuild and new build projects. Please feel free to contact me (firstname.lastname@example.com) if you would like "On Shed" to include regular updates on a project that you are involved with….
Sterling work in keeping the preservation movement alive is accomplished by WATTRAIN,APHTRO and NERHT… follow the links, and read of their goals and ambitions..
So, let's get into this edition……
Editor's Selection : The Maps That Made The Railways
Christian Wolmar……on the station platform in Mumbai,India.
The British Library in London has been running an exhibition under the theme "Maps and the 20th Century: Drawing the Line" (ends 1st March 2017)
Tom Harper, "lead curator, maps", introduced Christian Wolmar with the presentation "The Maps That Made The Railways".
He started by drawing attention to his failed…but fun…failed enterprise in running for parliament, and then launched into his subject with some vigour!
"Maps and the railways are symbiotic….", that is having an interdependent relationship. Before the railways, people hardly needed maps, since their travel was limited to just a few miles around their place of birth, and the occasional trip to the nearest town….which might be less than 10 miles away.
At least the railways helped in ending the phenomenon of the "village idiot",….brought about by localized in breeding…but now the railways meant you could find romance much further afield!!
So to the maps…. a selection with some explanatory notes as to their usage follows..
An early map of the Stockton to Darlington.. maps are representational, not necessarily accurate…
Note the strange misrepresentation in graphic maps…
…looks like the trains are about to climb Mt Everest!
US railroad maps….eg the Baltimore & Ohio…show that the railroads, built cheaply, went round obstacles ….
and the maps showing the contrast in railroad development in the US..and the effects on the Civil War
Contrast German ..towns connected, whereas French Railways centred on Paris as a hub..
Maps also show that whereas US & UK railways were unplanned, other countries planned their railways, strengthening the identity of the nation, but also ironically, making them subject to wars and invasion…by their very railways.
Transcontinental railways and the relevant maps were discussed… the US transcontinental, Canada's triple(what a waste!) transcontinentals.. and the Trans Siberian(what a tremendous achievement in 10 years!.
US,Canada,Trans Siberian maps….
In micro ways, the railways brought benefits to towns, stimulating development..
The first map is 1857 , the second is 1896
Maps showing how the coming of the railway affected Bishop Auckland.
The role of railways in the First World War…use of the railways, and the little railways that were temporarily laid narrow gauge lines to transport munitions etc to the front..i.e. the trenches..led to the stalemate on the Western Front. It turned out that increased mobility lead to entrenchment.
After the war, the railway companies had to smarten up their act to keep business in the face of road transport…as the following examples show…
In the Second World War, railways became targets……
The London Underground Maps (Harry Beck's inspired graphic..and certainly not to scale…) have set the tone around the world..as in Moscow Metro map..
Maps on the Beeching cuts..and HS2…..both controversial in their own specific ways , were shown..
The evening was rounded off with Questions from the audience..
The last questioner asked what would a map of the UK look like if the franchises were coloured according to the nationality of the (state funded) railways that owned them…
An enigma that the audience was left with…….
When one is located…it will be added here!!!
And here is one, kindly referred to by Andrew Smithers (www.projectmapping.co.uk)
First published in The Times
..and for those who need a map available on the National Rail Enquiries site, here is the link..
100 Trains….the journey so far….
Iain McGeachin, aka The Kilted Walker, is continuing with his epic project…
Upcoming Events: 24th – 27th March 2017 Arran Walk
Next: April/May 2017. A Walk Across Canada (From Coast to Coast) Distance: 3,900 miles
We wish Iain well with his project. He deserves to succeed.
Steam Tube Photographic Highlights
A further batch of photographs, of varied types, and from various countries, come from the collection of Mr Dick Pennoyer, courtesy Mr Hugh Cantlie.
There are plenty more where they came from! The only downside is the lack of type,location and date in any captions or notes on these photographs, but I daresay the knowledgeable amongst us should be able to fill in the details!!
Steam Tube Video Highlights
Steam Tube's page on Facebook is the place for your steam locomotive videos.
Thank you to the following for their excellent uploads during the last few weeks…
Chris Topher: USATC S160 No. 6046 leaves Churnet Valley Railway's Cheddleton Station
Subjektivní pohled topiče zlíchovské "BeéSky" 213.902 na trať Praha Smíchov – Praha Řeporyje.(Dominik Schön)
Churnet Valley Railway – Winter Steam Gala 2017 – Kingsley and Froghall Station.(Christopher Lawton)
GAUGE THE ISSUE: Railway Roundabout Reviewed.(Chris Eden-Green)
My Steam clips compilation 2016.(Sean Dudden)
46115 Attacks Shap on the Cumbrian Mountain Steam Express 18/2/17.(Stephen G Thompson)
Steam Tube Blogs (Steam Age Daydreams)
Ground zero, for most of today's enthusiasts, is 1948, the year British Railways was created from, the war time ashes, of the 'Big Four'. Battered by the blitz and, the threat of bankruptcy hanging in the air, the creation of British Railways was hardly cause for unbridled joy. Yes, the railways were now publicly owned, but shareholders were still being paid, and Victorian infrastructure, locomotives, and rolling stock were all in daily use.
There were some bright spots, fresh paint and new liveries and the Peppercorn A1s were rolling out of Darlington and Doncaster works. The A1s were regular visitors to Leeds, where I grew up, and I remember riding behind them on journeys to Peterborough, change for Lowestoft, and a fortnight at the seaside. Later, in the 1950s, 37B Copley Hill, had an allocation of 10, in 1955 – Nos. 60117 – 60120, 60122, 60131, 33, 34, 39, and 60141, I rode behind many of them on spotting trips to Doncaster. Travel there and back on a platform ticket, spend all day at 'Donny', beside the ECML .and catch the 'plant stream' and then the train back to Leeds Central Station and a bus back home. And no one was any he wiser!
The locomotive in the photo, the new build A1 No.60163 Tornado, is pictured at Selside with the first of the Plandampf services on the S&C on Saint Valentine's Day.
If you have enjoyed my blogs – I have written a book about my 60 years involvement with railways, from trainspotter, via steam age footplateman, to railway author and photographer, this is a link to it:
or: To celebrate the author's up coming 70th birthday, you could grab yourself an eBook copy of "Gricing, The Real Story of the Railway Children", for just £2.99 – offer ends 13 / 03/ 2017.
This is the link to Amazon for your copy: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B011D1WBWY
Tornado…The Story so far…
Tornado's packed main line and heritage railway diary for 2017 can be seen below or you can view/download the Tour Guide here:
- Wednesday 1st March – 'The Saint David' – London Paddington to Cardiff – A1SLT promoted tour – bookings through UK Railtours
- Friday 31st March – 'Belmond British Pullman' – The Golden Age of Travel (Surrey Hills)
- Saturday 29th April – 'The North Briton' – Leicester to Carlisle – A1SLT promoted tour – bookings through UK Railtours
- Monday 1st May – 'The Heart of Midlothian' – Peterborough to Edinburgh – A1SLT promoted tour – bookings through UK Railtours
- Saturday 6th May – 'The Talisman' – London King's Cross to Darlington – A1SLT promoted tour – bookings
through UK Railtours
- Monday 29th May – 'The Cornishman' – London Paddington – Penzance – A1SLT promoted tour – bookings through UK Railtours
The Trust respectfully requests that anyone wanting to see Tornado follows the rules of the railway and only goes where permitted.
Plenty of recent Tornado activity HERE
New & ReBuild News.
General Steam Navigation Locomotive Restoration Society
Cranking up the pressure
When people talk about the General Steam Navigation project the conversation inevitability leads to the question what happened to her crank axle. The locomotive has even been known to be called the Merchant Navy with the missing axle.
When General Steam Navigation was withdrawn from service in February 1966 she was placed in storage but in April 1966 fellow Merchant Navy 35026 Lamport & Holt Line was discovered to have a flawed central axle and to keep her in traffic it was decided to give her GSNs. General Steam Navigation was then transferred to Eastleigh works where the task of fitting 11s crank axle into 26 was undertaken. It was here that GSN was fitted with a new spare wheelset from a West County class so she could leave for Barry by rail. Ever since Barry its always been known that we have need to get a new crank axle made for her if she was ever to return to steam. When the previous owner agreed to swap axles with Braunton he simply exchanged a plain set for another plain set. The current axle is a couple of feet in front of sister Merchant Navy Brockbank Line at Sellindge and now we intend to launch an appeal to convert Brauntons old trailing axle into a new crank axle for GSN.
The work involved to do achieve this will feature the manufacturing of a new crank axle which is built up out of the two stub axles, crank webs and the big end journal which are all keyed and pressed together. Then pressing off of the old flawed axle and the crankpins and remachining the BFB wheel pans to accept the new crank axle and crank pins. Then the wheel pans will be pressed on to the new axle together with the new crank pins and then balanced by filling the pockets with lead to counteract the crank.
Rob Le Chevalier the South Devon Railway Engineering's Workshop manager is working on a quote for the work. The South Devon Railway Engineering workshop is the best in the country and has previously created the crank axles for the P2 and the LMS Patriot. The cost is expected be about £25,000 which will include the cost to replace the tyres and the transport of the axle from Sellindge.
This where we need your help to help us raise the money in any way you can whether it the purchase of shares in the company, a £5 month standing order or spreading the word by helping on sales stands.
We very much hope to be able to tell you this time next year that the job is proceeding on the new crank axle wheelset with your help. This will greatly enhance our credibility and put us in the foothills of the mountain that we need to climb to put the steam in back in GSN again.
You can donate to this appeal by purchasing shares in the locomotive or via a one off donation be can online via PayPal.
We are now delighted to announce to you that we have purchased a further component for GSN a cab steam manifold. Or to give it its correct name steam combine which supply's steam to all the auxiliaries on the locomotive, we hope to buy the Klinger and A/B valves that fit on it when funds permit.
A big thank you goes to out to our shareholders whose backing has enabled these purchases.
The Clan Project..72010 Hengist
Engineering update – 19th February 2017
The combined stretchers and pressed stretchers are being prepared for machining at CTL Seal. The photos show one of the combined frame stretchers being measured using the latest measuring equipment.
The CAD drawing below shows how the assembly will look when complete. The rear frame extensions, drag box and the assembly for the truck pivot can clearly be seen in the top right. Believe it or not everything seen here is now in stock, either machined or about to be machined!
Latest News at www.theclanproject.org
The Brighton Belle
Excursion programmes will be launched in early 2017!
The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust has recently announced that it will be holding a series of presentations on the project to build new Gresley class P2 No. 2007 Prince of Wales at venues along the route of the East Coast Main Line from London to Edinburgh and all the way to Aberdeen during 2017. Each presentation will feature key Trust personnel including Mark Allatt (Chairman) and David Elliott (Director of Engineering) and will cover the background to the project, progress to-date, future plans and details of how to get involved. The presentations will run from 11:00hrs to 13:00hrs on each of the days listed below and are open to existing supporters and interested members of the public:
• Saturday 18th March 2017 – Doncaster Museum & Art Gallery, Doncaster
• Saturday 22nd April 2017 – York Railway Institute, York
• Saturday 13th May 2017 – Darlington Locomotive Works, Darlington
• Saturday 17th June 2017 – Newcastle Mining Institute, Newcastle
• Saturday 1st July 2017 – Edinburgh Jury's Inn, Edinburgh
• Saturday 14th October 2017 – Dundee Heritage Trust Discovery Point, Dundee
• Saturday 25th November 2017 – Aberdeen Jury's Inn, Aberdeen.
Latest News at : www.lms-patriot.org.uk
Latest News at www.125group.org.uk
US Projects
Big Boy, PRR T1, and Chesapeake & Ohio 2-6-6-2 projects..
Updates: Big Boy: www.up.com
The Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR) T1 Steam Locomotive Trust
More information at: http://prrt1steamlocomotivetrust.org/news.php
Chesapeake & Ohio 2-6-6-2
Latest news on Facebook HERE
Photo courtesy B & O Museum
Project 6029 (Beyer Garratt 6029 ex-NSWGR)
Latest news from The Project 6029 blog HERE
Latest News at: http://www.claudhamiltonlocomotivegroup.co.uk/
A New Entry!
LMS Ex inspection 45036 – short term aim is to have a fully restored chassis and then rebuild it as a saloon in the long term , she is located at Tanat Valley Light Railway (TVLR)
Follow progress HERE
B & O Railroad Museum TV
Each month the B&O TV Network, starring actor Michael Gross, spotlights a moment in B&O Railroad history. Take a journey into the past and view one or all of these episodes posted on YouTube.
Mainline Steam Schedule
This listing is offered in good faith, so there is no guarantee offered or implied.Please confirm running with the relevant tour operator.
And adhere, please, to Network Rail's photographic guidelines…..HERE
The tour schedule for February 2017.and beyond..can be found at Railway Herald
On This Day in History.
An air brake system based upon a design by George Westinghouse was patented on March 5, 1872. In various forms, it has been nearly universally adopted.
The Westinghouse system uses air pressure to charge air reservoirs (tanks) on each car. Full air pressure signals each car to release the brakes. A reduction or loss of air pressure signals each car to apply its brakes, using the compressed air in its reservoirs.
The Baker Street and Waterloo Railway opens in London
George Westinghouse, American inventor; developed the Westinghouse air brake (b. 1846) died.
George Westinghouse, Jr (October 6, 1846 – March 12, 1914) was an American entrepreneur and engineer who invented the railway air brake and was a pioneer of the electrical industry.
Westinghouse was one of Thomas Edison's main rivals in the early implementation of the American electricity system. Westinghouse's system, which used alternating current (AC), ultimately prevailed over Edison's which used direct current.
1869 Invented the air-brake for railways; patented in 1872
1871 Shortly after a visit to Europe, George Westinghouse set up the Europe Brake Company[1].
1875 George Westinghouse's company purchased the rights to the patents of the Vacuum Brake company for USA and Canada so that both vacuum and air braking systems could be offered[2]
By 1880, 37,000 sets of the Westinghouse brake apparatus had been supplied to railways around the world[3].
1881 A public company, the Westinghouse Brake Company was registered on 7 November. [4]
1885 Westinghouse imported a number of Gaulard-Gibbs transformers and a Siemens AC generator to begin experimenting with AC networks in Pittsburgh.
1886 He established the Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Co in Pittsburgh, USA.
1889 The name of the company was changed to Westinghouse Electric Corporation. The Westinghouse Electric Co Ltd of London was established as an agency for selling and installing Westinghouse products in the UK[5].
1899 Seeing the opportunities in the UK, George Westinghouse formed British Westinghouse as a limited company as a manufacturing subsidiary of the American company[6].
1907 Westinghouse USA went into receivership with the result that executive control of the company was taken away from George Westinghouse, though he remained as President. (Courtesy: Grace's Guide)
Great Eastern Railway of England introduces 'Claud Hamilton' 4-4-0 steam locomotive from its Stratford Works.
Courtesy: CHLG
Karl Gölsdorf, Austrian steam locomotive designer dies.(b. 1861)
Karl Gölsdorf and the ten-coupled Class 180 No. 180.01 in Strasshof Railway Museum
Gölsdorf became especially well known as a result of his inventing the radially-sliding coupled axle for steam locomotives, the so-called Gölsdorf axle. The first engine to be equipped with this was an eight-coupled steam locomotive in 1897, the Class 170. The ten-coupled Class 180, whose first, third and fifth axles were able to slide sideways in the frame, demonstrated that, in almost all cases, locomotives with multi-part frames and complicated articulated designs would be superfluous. From that time forward this type of construction became the standard for heavy goods locomotives.
Train drives itself
The first automatic train on the London underground could be hurtling into stations in three weeks, the government has revealed.
The trains, which operate without a driver, are currently undergoing a series of trials commissioned by the Ministry of Transport before passengers are allowed on board.
But the public has the chance to glimpse the trains today, which have cost £60,000 to test, as they are demonstrated in South Ealing, west London, by the London Transport Board.
The Beeching Report!
The Reshaping of British Railways – Part 1: Report
The Reshaping of British Railways – Part 2: Maps
Map of Great Britain, showing "major lines" identified by Beeching II in bold.
(Looks like HS2……………)
Channel 5 have just concluded a 3 part "The Railways That Built Britain", with Chris Tarrant. The 3rd episode takes a look at the Beeching Report……..
Radstock to Frome Railway Project
Latest News from this group can be found HERE
Christian Wolmar…
Christian Wolmar has an impressive catalogue of railway histories…..
This is amongst his first…."Fire and Steam"
Around the World in 80 Railways (No 79:Cab View Russia Train "Omsk – Novosibirsk")
If you have 6 hours and 30 minutes to spare, this will fascinate you..giving some idea of the tremendous distances and engineering achievements accomplished when the railways here were first built!.(Courtesy: Cab View Trains on YouTube)
WATTRAIN & APHTRO & NERHT News
Extract from the most recent newsletter
WATTRAIN is based in the UK but its directors and staff (all volunteers) come from all over the world. All have considerable experience of heritage & tourist railways. The organisation exists to collate information and problems and introduce solutions and ideas for the benefit of future operations.
WATTRAIN is leading the way in the effort to sustain sources of coal necessary for the continued operation of historic steam locomotives. We believe the responsible use and demonstration of coal will not only preserve a vanishing aspect of our industrial heritage, it will also promote new technologies for its cleaner use in the future.
WATTRAIN organises international conferences with the next one planned for Dallas, Texas. Previous conferences were held in Switzerland, Argentina, the UK, Australia and Japan. Apart from the conference, they provide an opportunity to experience heritage & tourist railways in these and other countries.
Catch up on the latest news at https://www.facebook.com/groups/1534918893466735/
NERHT is a voluntary society founded in 1999 to help railway preservation in the former Soviet Union and the other ex-Communist countries in Central and Eastern Europe.
Access the latest Eastern Star newsletter: HERE
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Glasgow Trams, 1900s – Film 11598.(HuntleyFilmArchives on YouTube)
Glasgow Streets, traffic and trams on Sauchiehall Street, Scotland
Possibly by Robert Paul.


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Winner Best Family SUV - Santa Fe
Welcome to Pickerings Hyundai - Townsville QLD
We appreciate you taking the time to visit Pickerings Hyundai's online dealership.
As Hyundai dealer, Pickerings Hyundai provides you with high-performing Hyundai vehicles designed to thrill and inspire you.
Located in Townsville, QLD we are your #1 choice for Hyundai vehicles.
We have been serving the central Townsville area for over 35 years and our website contains news and information on the popular range of Hyundai Passenger and Light Commercial vehicles.
Visit our virtual showroom to see the latest range of Hyundai models, browse our Internet Used Car offers, online specials, book a service or purchase Hyundai Genuine Parts and Accessories from our comprehensive catalogue.


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Degree Description
Offered as a Major and minor
Related Academic Programs
computer science, criminal justice, mathematics
Major in Cybersecurity
Have you ever considered how Google, Facebook or your credit card company keeps your information secure? It's because they have teams of people working in cybersecurity to make sure your data stays safe. If you're interested in keeping the business you work for – or the country you live in – protected from hackers, consider the bachelor's degree in cybersecurity, where you'll take courses from secure systems design and risk management, to computer architecture to cyberethics.
cybersecurity outside of the classroom
Outside of Class:
Cybersecurity majors can take advantage of a wide array of opportunities that can open new worlds related to their career path. The Student Government Association or politics club can give you a glimpse inside constructing government policy, while the Association for Computing Machinery can help satisfy your interest in computer science. You can even explore business-related areas, such as the annual ethics pledge, The Federal Reserve Challenge, Enactus or the Delta Mu Delta national honor society for business. Internships may even be available in networking and cybersecurity in the school's IT department.
Career Crossing – cybersecurity
Career Crossing
The Career Center offers terrific resources for cybersecurity majors, including our annual Federal Agency Week where employers like the NSA, secret service and FBI network, interview and discuss career opportunities with students. The Career Center will also prepare students for success with resume and internship workshops, career fairs and internship connections.
After graduating with a cybersecurity dergree
After You Graduate
Careers in cybersecurity might include
Cybersecurity operations analysts
Network and computer systems administrators
Computer and information systems managers
Computer and information research scientists
Information security analysts
Go to work with agencies like the following:
National Security Agency
National Institute for Standards and Technology
Department of Defense
Lockheed Martin
Northrop Grumman


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TIW's best bet of the day for December 24
Christmas is always a busy period for US sports and it kicks-off...
College Football Playoff National Championship Game Presented by AT&T featured betting preview: #1 Alabama Crimson Tide (14-0) v #2 Clemson Tigers (13-1); Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, FL; Tuesday, January 10, noon (AEDT) – line: Alabama -7
There are myriad storylines in play as Alabama and Clemson battle for the College Football Playoff title for the second year in a row. The guy calling plays for the top-ranked Crimson Tide will be doing so for the first time. When head coach Nick Saban and offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin parted ways last week (Kiffin has accepted a role as the new head coach at Florida Atlantic), it opened the opportunity for Steve Sarkisian to step back into the NCAAF spotlight. Sarkisian (pictured below), the former head coach at Washington and USC, was fired from his job with the Trojans in October 2015 amid an alleged substance abuse problem. He has an embarrassment of riches at his disposal. QB Jalen Hurts has accounted for 34 scores (22 passing, 12 rushing) and is aiming to join Oklahoma's Jamelle Holieway (1985) as the only true freshman quarterbacks to lead a team to a national title, but he passed for only 57 yards in the Crimson Tide's 24-7 semi-final victory over Washington.
Bo Scarbrough is the squad's third-leading rusher (719 yards) behind fellow sophomore Damien Harris (1013) and Hurts (891), but he'll play a major role after rushing for two touchdowns and a Crimson Tide bowl-record 180 yards against the Huskies. Clemson's defense certainly will be paying close attention to senior tight end O.J. Howard (41 catches, 489 yards, two touchdowns) after he made five catches for a career-best 208 yards and two TDs while winning Offensive MVP honours in last year's national title game. Alabama have a pair of elite WRs and one of the nation's best tight ends. ArDarius Stewart has brought down 52 catches for 816 yards and seven TDs, while Calvin Ridley has 66 receptions for 740 yards and seven TDs. Senior TE O.J. Howard has 41 catches for 489 yards and two TDs. Alabama are ranked no. 1 in the country in total defense, scoring (11.4 PPG) and rush defense. They're ranked 12th versus the pass. The Tide have held 12 of their 14 foes to 16 points or fewer.
Watson passed for 259 yards and one touchdown while adding two rushing scores in Clemson's 31-0 rout of Ohio State … he has a major advantage in experience over counterpart Jalen Hurts
Alabama are attempting to record their 27th successive victory and fifth national championship in 10 years while Clemson are pursuing a second national title and first since 1981. Last year, the Crimson Tide prevailed 45-40 despite a huge game by Tigers quarterback Deshaun Watson (405 yards passing, 73 rushing). Watson passed for 259 yards and one touchdown while adding two rushing scores in Clemson's 31-0 rout of Ohio State in the CFP semi-finals, and he has a major advantage in experience over counterpart Jalen Hurts. Watson, who finished second in this season's Heisman Trophy balloting and third in 2015, has passed for 4173 yards and 38 touchdowns this campaign but also is prone to miscues, as evidenced by his 17 interceptions. Watson threw three or more TD passes on seven occasions and topped 300 yards six times while anchoring a powerful offense that averaged 39.5 points and scored more than 40 points seven times. Juniors Mike Williams (90 receptions, 1,67 yards, 10 touchdowns) and Artavis Scott (73 catches) form a potent one-two receiving combo.
Junior running back Wayne Gallman rushed for 1087 yards and 16 scores. The Tigers' defense allows averages of 17.1 points and 306.9 yards per game but features senior trio weak-side linebacker Ben Boulware (team-best 121 tackles), defensive tackle Carlos Watkins (team-high 10.5 sacks) and strong safety Jadar Johnson (team-leading five interceptions). Clemson's defense held Ohio State to a season-low 215 yards of total offense. The Tigers forced three turnovers, including interceptions by Van Smith and Cordrea Tankersley. Smith returned his pick 86 yards. Clemson might have the nation's best defensive coordinator in Brent Venables. The best move of Dabo Swinney's entire nine-year tenure at Clemson was plucking Venables away from Oklahoma after Geno Smith and West Virginia hung a 70-spot on the Tigers at the Orange Bowl five years ago. He returned only four starters from last year's unit, and this year's defense has been even better. The Tigers are eighth in the nation in total defense, seventh in scoring (17.1 points per game), 16th against the pass and 19th versus the run.
Confirmed betting (card finalised)
Clemson v Alabama +50.5 (two units @ $1.88)
Clemson +7 v Alabama (one unit @ $1.95)
Most recent results: 3-0-1, +1.03 units; overall record: 121-7-99, +16.4 units
USC Trojans -7.5 v Penn State Nittany Lions (two units @ $2.01) LOSE (52-49)
Western Michigan Broncos v Wisconsin Badgers -54 (one unit @ $1.95) WIN (16-24)
Auburn Tigers v Oklahoma Sooners -66.5 (one unit @ $1.93) WIN (19-35)
Iowa Hawkeyes v Florida Gators -3 (one unit @ $2.15) WIN (3-30)
• Selections are listed in three categories – 1) Suggested (likely bet but yet to be finalised); 2) Confirmed (locked in at the price listed); and 3) Leans (tips, but not recommended bets); all times quoted are Australian Eastern Daylight Time (AEDT); prices with thanks to Ladbrokes (except where markets are not available), correct at time of publication. Results/comments on today's games/races will follow in the next post.


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I even have sat and consoled many mother and father who've complained to their child's principal or completely different school staff about issues, equivalent to continuous bullying, targeting by a trainer, a harmful state of affairs on campus, points with a scholar group, and so forth. The ninety+ civil rights, disabilities, schooling and neighborhood organizations that comprise the Coalition for Teaching Quality (of which AACTE is a member) oppose weakening the definition of a extraordinarily qualified teacher. Results have been equally dismal for special education students, whose passing" rates had been 9 p.c in math and 5 {25d806faf44280f26afacb230ea329c5c4346c949a2c41fee79219f59d19770a} in ELA.
The symposium is hosted by EPLC and the Pennsylvania Arts Education Network, and supported by a beneficiant grant from The Heinz Endowments. Things like this will likely derail your training and depart you disillusioned about any further education the least bit. An NGO in South Africa known as Equal Education is working a advertising marketing campaign to increase the number and high quality of college libraries.
If a special coaching pupil is qualified (e.g. companies within the child's IEP) for educational or related providers, equivalent to speech and language remedy, behavioral therapy, occupational therapy, one-on-one instruction, imaginative and prescient remedy, aide suppliers, transportation and a myriad of various providers, provision of such corporations CANNOT BE DENIED based on unavailability of service suppliers.
Starting in the 2012-2013 faculty 12 months, the coaching system of the Philippines was enhanced from the ten years of fundamental schooling to a 12-yr program via an initiative known as the K-12 Education Plan sponsored by the Department of Education. School Discipline, Classroom Management, and Student Self-Management: A Positive Behavioral Support Implementation Guide. Keep in thoughts that these loans typically have a lot quicker and stricter reimbursement terms and will have elevated rates of interest than federal scholar assist.
First of all a BIG CONGRATULATIONS in your lens and for profitable because the LOTD, I can say the entire lecturers I had in my School years are all nice, but this particular College teacher of mine holding a Master's diploma in Behavioral Science gave a special consideration to my college life, I know lecturers should all the time do that to each pupil nevertheless the privilege she gave on me was wonderful.


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Everybody across America now knows what many health and political figures have known since 2014: adults and children in Flint, Michigan are quickly being poisoned by water filled with lead. Many people are looking for someone to convict, to hold responsible or to blame.
What most people do not understand is how this disaster has happened. Many of the people of Flint do not themselves understand why their taps are spewing murky, unpotable water, or why the cost bringing that poisonous water to their taps is so high. Print journalists interview experts and political leaders. Late arriving national news shows images of bottles filled with rust-colored water. Rarely do either focus on the lived experience of people in Flint.
In 2012 and 2013, I spent a lot of time in Flint, interviewing residents about their relationships to land and place. I learned that the majority of Flintonians are African-Americans whose families were part of the Great Migration from the rural Deep South. They know a lot, and care a lot, about water and land. Others had been Michiganders for generations. They shared stories of grandparents who fished in the Flint River, or grew their kitchen gardens on its banks.
These people expressed more resignation than anger when I asked how it felt to learn that their river is still poisoned by chemicals from CSX rail lines and heavy metal by-products from GM's Buick City plant that thrived there in the 20th century. They shrugged as if to say "We didn't have a say in those decisions. How could anything have been different?" It seemed to be the price of those good-paying industrial jobs, jobs that are now mostly gone.
What they were actually angry about was their water bills.
The high cost of water and sewer service in Flint is such a frequent topic of conversation that, as a stranger, I could use it to engage even the most reticent person in an exchange. Hey, how much was your water bill last month? I'd ask. And I would hear an earful. I heard stories from people who borrowed to pay a water bill that was greater than a mortgage payment. I heard tales of hauling bottles and buckets of water from a neighbor's house until the shutoff bill got paid.
Yet when I asked people *why* their water bills were so high, they looked at me dumbfounded. Many of them had never considered that there was any reason beyond government malfeasance for the cost of water and sewer service in their city to be so high. The average monthly water bill for a household in Flint is $140, although residents in neighboring suburbs pay less than half that.
Here's a truth about Flint and its poisonous water that no one wants to talk about. The problem in Flint is not just children with damaged brains and bones from drinking lead; it did not start with brownfield runoff into a river that is now so toxic it corrodes the pipes that deliver water to homes, leaching rust and lead. Flint's water crisis is the aftermath of decades of urban sprawl, followed by decades of population loss. The problem in Flint is that every solution to this problem inflicts greater suffering upon people already in pain.
Urban sprawl is not sexy. Its results rarely make headlines anymore. It was last a hot public health issue at the end of the 20th century, as we began to understand the environmental consequences of unfettered expansion of infrastructure for cities that spread across more and more rural land. As we have accepted increasing urbanism as inevitable, something we did not imagine has emerged: great, sprawled cities were left vacant when the people who once lived there moved away.
As factory jobs moved to Mexico, thousands of adult children of Flint's auto workers followed opportunity to megacities like Chicago and Atlanta and the suburbs of D.C.They left behind housing developments without young families to purchase them; aging parents living on fixed incomes; entire neighborhoods blighted by vacancy and arson after the home mortgage bubble collapsed. By the early 1970s, 196,000 people lived in Flint; General Motors alone had 88,000 employees. After 25 years of recession, only 99,000 people live in the entire city today.
Yet Flint still has a water supply network that was built for almost 200,000 people spread out over 34 square miles. The problem in Flint is that there is nobody left to pay to their upkeep. The two years of cover ups are indefensible, but the search for a cheaper water supply was not born of a desire to do intentional harm. No Mayor or emergency manager can pay to maintain this level of infrastructure with a tax base that has fled.
So, the problem in Flint is that everyone who wanted to leave has already packed and gone. That leaves behind to deal with the current crisis only the people who've paid off their homes and deeply love their city, a group that strongly overlaps with those too poor to flee.
If you talk to people in Flint, you know that the people who are living with un-filterable levels of lead in their water are the same folks who refused a plan to "right-size" the city in 2010 by reducing the boundaries of municipal services. Urban planners saw them as short sighted and stubborn. Flintonians say they recognized a redlining scheme when they saw one. They have already lost police protection. Half of the city's fire stations are closed and boarded up. They are unsurprised to lose their municipal water service, too.
When I asked the scores of people with outrageous water bills what they thought should be done about the mismatch between the size of the city's infrastructure and the number of taxpayers left to support it, they answered that Flint is a good place. The seemed naïve when they told me that they are "just waiting for people realize that, and come back." They are looking for a silver bullet, and praying for a corporate savior. And when I listened a little while longer, they told me about how their parents came to Michigan because they were cheated and threatened and forced off their land in the South. They won't be forced out of the place they call home ever again.
Were I Governor of Michigan, I would not want to be the one who had to tell those 99,000 people that the place they live is dying, poisoned by water from the river that gives the city its name. I'm sure he's anxious about what will happen to the few jobs left in Michigan if the local Nestlé Pure Life bottling plant feels endangered by the public image of Michigan's water as something other than live giving and pure.
The problem in Flint is that people from across the country are now watching, and they want simple answers and quick political fixes to complex long-term environmental problems. They offer no insight to Flint's struggle to integrate the politics of race and environmental place into sustainable tax policy, urban planning, and financing public works. And they don't help the people of Flint understand why this has happened to them, and what they can do about it.
There are post-industrial cities all over America testing their tap water while you're reading this essay. The leaders of those cities are worried. They are worried about many things, but one of them is that we still haven't learned how to think about the problem in Flint.


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This time of year can be so stressful; the kids are back at school, the weather turns colder and wetter, colds and flu-bugs are rife and Christmas is rapidly approaching. It's no wonder that our sleep often suffers, as we toss and turn worrying about Parents Evening or how we're going to cope cooking Christmas Dinner for twelve!
Most of the time I sleep like Rip Van Winkle but every few months a sudden bout of insomnia hits – usually when I'm going through a busy and stressful period at home – and when my sleep is disrupted I turn to aromatherapy. I'm a particular fan of fragranced sprays as they're so effective and easy to use, and I also prefer the natural approach, rather than relying on pharmaceuticals which may or may not be harmful in the longterm. One of my favourite products, since being introduced to it via The Libbie Club, is the Maddi Alexander Serene Pillow Spray (100ml, RRP £14)*, which no matter what my worry is never fails to invoke a peaceful night's sleep.
Formulated with a gorgeous blend of 100% natural and high-grade essential oils, including Lavender and Geranium, the Serene Pillow Spray is free from any preservatives and alcohol. This wonderfully calming blend of potent oils de-stresses tired minds and soothes away any anxieties, and its fresh floral scent fragrances the room beautifully, making the atmosphere restful and tranquil – much more condusive to sleep.
I spritz the Maddi Alexander Pillow Spray very lightly onto my pillow each evening and its fine mist is perfect as it doesn't saturate the pillow and very quickly disappears leaving only the relaxing fragrance as a telltale sign that it has been used. The pillow spray immediately transforms my room into a peaceful sanctuary, and closing my eyes to enjoy the scent it's never long before I drop off into a deliciously restful, completely undisturbed slumber.
The Maddi Alexander Serene Pillow Spray is currently one of the Libbie Club deals, and with every purchase of the Pillow Spray you get a mini Maddi Alexander Rose Bath & Body Oil absolutely free. This duo is the perfect pampering treat to relax and unwind with, so why not treat yourself or a loved one to a bit of "me time" with this fabulous offer?
You can browse all the amazing beauty offers, including Maddi Alexander, Bourjois, Nude Skincare and many more, on the Libbie Club website!
*PR Sample


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TAGline Spring 2015
On Targets and Timelines
With growing recognition that science and discovery have forged the tools necessary to effectively diagnose, treat, and, indeed, eliminate three of the world's most lethal infectious diseases—HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and hepatitis C—there is a need for greater mobilization and strengthened accountability among all stakeholders. Universal frameworks in which this can be achieved require time-bound targets: collaboratively developed, metrics-driven goals to optimize health outcomes among those living with the disease(s) and to minimize incidence among vulnerable individuals.
By Tim Horn
Ending the HIV Epidemic (ETE) in New York State
Not only is it the right thing to do for the health of New Yorkers, but a new analysis demonstrates that it is also cost-effective.
By Ginny Shubert, Housing Works; and Mark Harrington
We won't end HIV as an epidemic with anemic goals, delayed surveillance data, feeble support of state policies and resource needs, and an inadequate implementation science agenda.
By Kenyon Farrow An HIV Cure and a Vaccine within the Next 15 Years?
Optimism is not without merit, but the science remains incredibly fragile.
By Richard Jefferys
C U L8ter: Hepatitis C Eradication
Hepatitis C is now curable. Now all we need is surveillance to monitor it, global funding to fight it, and targets set to address it.
By Tracy Swan
TB R&D's Shift to the Left
As the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation realigns its TB vaccine strategy to focus on early-stage candidate development, equitable access priorities must also be established before large-scale trials are conducted.
By Mike Frick


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To better understand the need for a good balance assessment, it only makes sense to address the reasons in which people have a tendency to fall. Risk factors involved in falling include, but are not limited to: general weakness/deconditioning, mobility limitations, neuropathy, as well as different pain factors including back, leg and foot pain. Each decade that passes after the age of 55, incidence of falls rise by 4-7% with the impact of falls becoming more significant as time passes.
It has been shown that if you have fallen once, you have a 67% chance of falling again within a year. When someone falls, they begin to have decreased confidence in their ability to stand, walk and navigate the challenges of daily living. The reduced confidence leads to decreased activity levels, increased weakness, and therefore an increased likelihood of subsequent falls.
The Good News
The good news is that many of the risk factors mentioned above can be addressed with skilled physical therapy treatment. With a thorough musculoskeletal assessment that can identify strength and mobility impairments, we can identify potential limitations in someone's ability to correct a loss of balance. Often times an assessment of single leg balance, Berg Balance testing, or Timed Up and Go (TUG) can establish a baseline for improvement and establish an initial risk of falling. Once this baseline is established, physical therapy can address many of the risk factors for falling that have previously been mentioned.
Strength/Mobility limitations: People are likely familiar with physical therapy treatment to address strength deficits with the often mentioned "no pain, no gain" reputation that many people in this profession have adopted. What is not mentioned, is that research strongly suggests that muscles don't function properly when the joints or the soft tissue itself is painful. These limitations must be addressed prior to the initiation of a balance/gait training program. If they are not, then the program is destined for failure from the beginning. Once these mobility and pain factors have been addressed, therapy can proceed with the introduction of an appropriate strengthening program. Many strength programs that are meant to improve balance remain short of truly addressing function. We will often tell patients that "they're not likely to fall while lying down, so let's not exercise lying down."
Neuropathy/Spinal stenosis: These limitations are included in the same category, not because they are the same, but because the treatment approach would likely be similar. If there are pain symptoms in the legs and feet with standing and walking, or "I can't feel my feet" then you likely are going to change the way that you move. Often times, we will see a much smaller stride and a wider stance with an attempt to limit the amount of time that you have to balance on one leg versus the other. Single leg balance exercises on a firm surface or foam surface are typically a good starting point, followed by single leg balance exercises with changes to our center of mass that can include single leg cone taps. There are many different ways to challenge and improve someone's balance, however it is important to start with the basics and build your exercise program to promote safety and confidence.