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With high school in the rear view mirror, many young adults will be off to college in a matter of a few months. Applications have been submitted, accepted and a new class of young adults will begin their collegiate careers. Some have parents who will foot the bill for their kids' education while others will find themselves taking out student loans in order to pay for the higher learning.
But does college make sense? For some, yes. Want to be a surgeon? Attorney? Engineer? Then college is a necessity. But according to the Department of Education roughly half of the students who began four year degree programs in 2006 will fail to get their degrees within 6 years. Furthermore, 80 percent of kids who graduated in the bottom 25% of their class never get a bachelor's or even a two year associates degree.
The reality is that college degrees aren't necessary for many jobs. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics there are 30 jobs projected to have the fastest rate of growth over the next 10 years. Only seven require college degrees. Jobs like customer service representatives, store clerks and home health aides are expected to be hot in the next decade, and none requires a college degree. So what about the kids who need a practical alternative to the University system? That would seem to account for many, if not most of the kids who are graduating this year.
The idea is not to lower standards and expectations, but to provide an option to the time and tuition it takes to get a degree. Why spend all that time and money for a piece of paper you might never need? Vocational programs represent opportunities for those students who want to get a foothold on a promising job in a growing sector. Opportunities many young adults should consider.
This all comes as California junior colleges are in line to get a big financial boost from Washington. The Obama Administraiton says it wants to pour $2-billion dollars into junior colleges, so they can take the lead in re-training workers for the ever-changing employment landscape.
U.S. & World
American University Professor Robert Lerman makes a good point. "Some high school graduates would be better served by being taught how to behave and communicate in the workplace". They might want to start with the classic read, "All I really need to know I learned in Kindergarten".


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- 3 Beds
- 1 Full, 2 3/4, 1 Half Baths
Property TypeResidential – Townhome
SubdivisionPotato Patch Club Condo
Listing Date01/15/20
Year Built1980
AreaPotato Patch
Lot Size0.13 Acres (5,663 SqFt)
Parking1 Car Garage
Property Description
Light, bright and open are the first impressions upon entering this spacious townhome. A private entrance and deck coupled with great location looking south to Vail Mountain over the manicured HOA grounds characterize the setting of this unique property. The generously sized master bedroom is located upstairs next to a study/4th sleeping area. Downstairs, the guest bedrooms with walkout patios and hot tub are joined by a bar area and hidden den, creating a fun and cozy place to entertain.
Presented By
- Bus Route
- Mountains
- Ski Slopes
- South Facing
- Hiking/Pedestrian Trail
- On Bus Line
- Cable Available
- Deck
- Fireplace - Gas
- Hot Tub / Spa
- Patio
- Steam
- Vaulted Ceilings
- Clubhouse
- Fitness Center
- Pool
- Tennis
- Cable TV
- District Sewer
- District Water
- Electricity Avail.
- Natural Gas Avail.
- Phone Available
- Snow Removal
- Trash Pickup
- Baseboard
- Natural Gas
- Dryer
- Washer
Financial Information
We get asked this question a lot. Below is a tool that gives you the ability to see what the market is like in your community. Find out what homes like your own are selling for right in your back yard. Simply enter in your address, choose the proximity of the search and find out market data for other homes that are selling near you.
While we'll provide you with plenty of information, this is a snapshot of your market data and there are real people behind the high-tech and automated tools. If you would like more detailed information or help in understanding the results we are here to help.
Until then, enjoy the tools!
The data relating to the real estate for sale on this website comes in part from the Internet Data Exchange program of the Vail Multi-List Service, Inc.
Copyright © 2020 Vail Multi List, Inc. (VMLS). The information displayed herein was derived from sources believed to be accurate, but has not been verified by VMLS. Buyers are cautioned to verify all information to their own satisfaction. This information is exclusively for viewers' personal, non- commercial use. Any republication or reproduction of the information herein without the express permission of the VMLS is strictly prohibited.
Listing courtesy of Slifer Smith & Frampton/Solaris

subset: commoncrawl


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I'm off again, taking a week in Steamboat Springs with my family for the Christmas holiday. We're spending a week up there, including my oldest son who came back from Seattle to see us.
It seems like I've been gone a lot, with guest editorials and re-publishing old pieces in 2012. That's good as it means I'm taking most of my vacation. At least I think so. When I look back I see:
- a few days with my wife in the spring
- a couple days to work around the house on projects
- four days for camping
- seven days of skiing around the holidays
- four ski days in the spring
- two other ski days this fall
That's not quite all my vacation, but it's close.
I wanted to get through all my vacation this year, and really make sure I took time away from work. It's easy to get sucked into work, especially when you work at home and work on a flexible schedule. However I truly believe that getting away from work and spending time enjoying the rest of your life.
If you haven't taken your vacation this year, make that a goal for next year.


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Praise for Scott Sigler's Infected
"An inventive, amped-up yarn . . . full of pressure-cooker mind games."
—Entertainment Weekly
"Fraught with tension . . . Invasion of the Body Snatchers meets The Hot Zone."
—Rocky Mountain News
"Part Stephen King, part Chuck Palahniuk . . . a pulpy masterpiece of action, terror, and suspense."
—James Rollins, New York Times bestselling author of The Judas Strain
"Powerfully written . . . [with] an unforgettable central character. You'll never listen to Cole Porter's 'I've Got You Under My Skin' the same way again."
—Dallas Morning News
"Once begun, not easily put down . . . leaves the reader's heart still racing when
the last page is turned."
—Roanoke Times
"A marvel of gonzo, in-your-face, up-to-the-minute terror. Sigler is masterful
at grabbing the reader by the throat and refusing to let go."
—Lincoln Child,New York Times bestselling author of Deep Storm
"Riveting . . . leads the reader from one startling detail to the next . . . a terrifying page-turner."
—Publishers Weekly (starred review)


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Maine rangers back from NY following superstorm recovery detail
AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) � Maine forest rangers are back from New York where they helped in the Hurricane Sandy recovery effort for two weeks.
The nine-member Forest Ranger Incident Management Team was mobilized just two days after the devastating storm hit the city. The rangers worked with the New York Health Department and New York National Guard in the Coney Island section of Brooklyn.
The Maine team managed three medical-assistance teams that conducted more than 21,000 door-to-door health and wellness checks in nearly 200 high-rise buildings affected by the storm.
On Sunday, 11 state police troopers arrived back in Maine after spending a week helping to keep the peace in Monmouth County in New Jersey in the storm's aftermath.


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Tech Executives: Schools, Immigration Key to Innovation
The U.S. needs to fix its primary education system, encourage talented immigrants and cut business taxes if it wants to maintain it lead in innovation, several top tech executives said Friday.
Speaking at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Xerox Corp. Chief Executive Ursula Burns gave the K-12 school system a "D-minus" and said fixing it is a priority. "We can't pretend to be better than we are," she said. She added that when it comes to preparing students out of high school to be productive workers, the U.S. is failing.
The executives, however, said that the college system remains the best in the world. But they also agreed that valuable foreign talent who come over to the U.S. to attend colleges end up going back home because the country no longer welcomes them. Business have already gotten behind immigration, and the government needs to recognize this, said Cisco Systems Inc.'s CEO John Chambers.


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December 22, 1926 - June 20, 2013
Middletown, NY
Ingrid Cunningham, a 2 1/2 year Middletown resident and formerly of Elfrida, AZ and Montgomery, NY, entered into rest on Thursday, June 20, 2013 at the Orange Regional Medical Center in the Town of Wallkill, NY. She was 86 years of age.
The daughter of the late George and Margaret Wiegand, she was born on December 22, 1926 in Dresden, Germany.
Ingrid was employed as a Laboratory Technician at the Middletown Psychiatric Center in Middletown, NY. She was a member of St. John's Lutheran Church in Middletown, and a member of the Milford Valley Quilter's Guild, the Country Quilter's Guild of Pine Bush, and the C.S.E.A.
Survivors include her husband, Thomas Cunningham of Middletown; her three children: Thomas G. Cunningham and his wife, Rita of West Haverstraw, Carol M. Cunningham of Port Jervis and Richard P. Cunningham of Chester; four grandchildren: Kristen Rodriguez, J.R. Stewart, Thomas Sean Cunningham and Alexander Kozykowski; six great grandchildren and one nephew. Ingrid was predeceased by her brother, Richard Wiegand and sister, Helga Wiegand.
Cremation took place at the Cedar Hill Crematory in Newburgh, NY.
Memorial Services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Monday, July 1st at St. John's Lutheran Church, 391 Mt. Hope Road, Middletown, NY. The Reverend Peter A. Rustico will officiate. Memorial contributions may be made to the Lutheran World Relief, P.O. Box 17061, Baltimore, MD 21297.
Arrangements have been entrusted to the Cornelius, Dodd & Connell Funeral Home, Middletown, NY; for directions, or to send a condolence to the family please visit www.connellfuneralhome.com


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SAN FRANCISCO - Twitter's top lawyer, known as a champion of free speech, unexpectedly stepped down on Friday as the microblogging company moved closer toward a long-expected initial public offering.
Alexander Macgillivray, known for fending off legal challenges to Twitter users' right to express themselves in pithy, 140-character messages, himself tweeted the news without giving a reason for the move.Alexander Macgillivray, known for fending off legal challenges to Twitter users' right to express themselves in pithy, 140-character messages, himself tweeted the news without giving a reason for the move.
But Macgillivray, who became Twitter's general counsel in September 2009, said he would continue to support the San Francisco-based company as an adviser.
Twitter declined to comment, but said Macgillivray would be replaced by Vijaya Gadde, who has been managing the company's corporate and international legal work. Gadde is a former senior director in Juniper Networks Inc's legal department.
Gadde has deep experience in corporate and securities law, while Macgillivray's specialty is intellectual property.
Twitter, which has more than 200 million active users, is widely expected to go public in 2014.
Macgillivray, who has been credited with coining the motto that Twitter is the "free speech wing of the free speech party,"helped shape Twitter's reputation as a champion for its users'rights over the years.
In 2012, Macgillivray's legal team fought a court order to extract an Occupy Wall Street protester's Twitter posts, and resisted when India's government asked Twitter to take down tweets considered inflammatory.
That same year, he publicly apologised after Twitter briefly suspended the account of a British journalist for posting the work email address of an executive at NBC. The journalist had been openly critical of the network's Olympics coverage, around which Twitter had built a massive marketing initiative.
"I think they're really aware of themselves as being a place for discussion, news and sometimes for dissent," said Ryan Calo, a law professor at the University of Washington, referring to Twitter.
As a result, the company has had a longstanding commitment for free speech and privacy principles, which would not easily be shaken by Macgillivray's departure, he said.
Twitter's public policy group, which previously reported to Macgillivray, will now report directly to Chief Executive Dick Costolo, the company said.
Macgillivray said in his blog post that after four years at Twitter he was looking forward to the change.
"I'm looking forward to engaging my various Internet passions from new and different perspectives, seeing friends and family without distraction, and just goofing off a bit. We should all do more of that," he tweeted.


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<b>Other Art
</b> The Arlington Arts Alliance ArtFest is Friday, March 28 through Friday, April 4 at Fort C.F. Smith, 2411 N. 24th St. See demonstrations by glass and pottery artists. Hear music and more. Free. Visit www.arlngtonartistsalliance.org or 703-532-4450.
<b>New Exhibits
</b> See clay intertwined with printmaking techniques during "The Best of Both Worlds" by Paul Wandless at Lee Arts Center, 5722 Lee Highway through April 19. Visit www.arlingtonarts.org/leearts.htm or 703-228-0560.
The Arlington Arts Center presents "Collectors Select" through March 29 at 3550 Wilson Blvd. See art by new talent and more. Visit www.arlingtonartscenter.org or 703-248-6800.
See "Spring Solos 2008" at the Arlington Arts Center from April 8-May 31. See art by Jacklyn Brickman, Laure Drogoul and more. For more information, call 703.248.6800 or visit www.arlingtonartscenter.org.
The Arlington Artists Alliance has a collection of works juried by Ross Merrill at the Century 21 Gallery, 1711 Wilson Blvd. through March 31. Free.
</b>A mural that adorned the building at 3471 N. Washington Blvd has been removed to make way for a new mural for Rocklands Barbeque and Grilling Company. Rocklands has commissioned a D.C. muralist, Jarrett Ferrier, to create a day in the life in 1952. A 1952 GMC truck sits in front of a store as a man points out a cardinal to children as his daughter tugs his arm eager for a gumball. A dog sits patiently in front of the truck while a seated woman looks on.
Duality Contemporary Art, 2401 S. 26th Road. presents "Driven to Abstraction" by Lucy Herrman through March 30. See landscape paintings created by oils and acrylic. Free. Visit www.dualitycontemporaryart.com or 703-920-2121.
The Arlington Artists Alliance announces it will exhibit its juried member show at "The 21st Century" at Century 21, 4201 Wilson Blvd. through March 31. See choice works of Alliance members, in a variety of two-dimensional media. Visit www.arlingtonartistsalliance.org for more.
See a variety of photographs in the exhibit "Photo 08 Exhibition" through April 12 at Elllipse Arts Center, 4350 N. Fairfax Drive. Free. Visit www.arlingtonarts.org/ellipseartscenter.htm or 703-228-7710.
</b>Arlington Artists Alliance offers educational programs and public exhibitions at a variety of locations in Arlington. Participating artists include painters, printmakers, ceramicists and sculptors, who are Arlington residents. The group sponsors classes, mentor programs and scholarships through its Alliance Academy. Call 703-894-0539 or visit www.arlingtonartistsalliance.org.
The Woodmont Weavers is an artisan group of developmentally disabled adults. The hand-woven textiles include placemats, pillows, totes and hats and are for sale to the general public. The Weavers work regular hours and are paid for their products. They welcome custom orders. Visit the Weavers' Studio Monday-Friday from 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. at the Ballston Common Mall, third floor, 4238 Wilson Blvd. Call 703-528-9474 or e-mail Sally Lloyd at email@example.com.
"Art at the Heights." Exhibition of works by local painters. 4502 Old Lee Highway. Every Saturday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., and Sunday, noon-3 p.m. Showings sponsored by the Arlington Artists Alliance, a nonprofit organization in support of art and artists in Arlington.
Antiques and Collectibles Market. Year-round Saturday event. 2900 Wilson Blvd. About 50 vendors. 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Free parking available at 3033 Wilson Blvd.
Figure Drawing Open Studio Sessions. Nude model is provided, but there is no instructor. Participants bring their own materials. At the Arlington Arts Center, 3550 Wilson Blvd., Wednesdays from 7-9:30 p.m. and Saturdays from noon-2:30 p.m. No reservation necessary. Cost is $60 in advance for six sessions or $15 per session for drop-ins. Call 703-248-6800.
The Arlington Arts Center is offering adult classes in Drawing, Painting, Mixed-Media Acrylic Painting, and Photography at the Arlington Arts Center, 3550 Wilson Blvd., Arlington. Classes are reasonably priced and members receive a discounted tuition. Other tuition assistance is available. A full listing is available on the art center Web site at www.arlingtonartscenter.org. Early registration is encouraged to ensure a place in classes. Call 703-248-6800.
Arlington County Libraries presents exhibitions by local artists and groups of artists. Log onto www.arlingtonva.us, click "Libraries", click "about" in the menu and then "art program guidelines." Call 703-228-7721.
Lee Arts Center houses open studios for artists working in ceramics and printmaking. The open studio program is designed for self-directed individuals working at advanced levels, who are expected to work independently and to help perform technical tasks and maintain studio equipment. The Master Workshop program provides an opportunity to interact with visiting master artists in workshops covering a wide variety of media. Call 703-228-0506 or visit www.arlington arts.org/leearts.htm.


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You take and...Posted by Pamela on July 18, 2008 at 00:51
In Reply to: You take and... posted by pamela on July 18, 2008 at 00:50:
: : : : A friend of mine uses the phrase "you take and ..." when describing how to do or make something. I saw it once in a description of how to make moonshine, and heard a preacher use it once. The friend, I think has Missouri in his ancestry and so did the preacher when I asked. Has anyone heard this phrase? I heard a cookshow hostess say "you're gonna" in describing the concoction of a dish and I thought "that's just like 'you take and ...'"
: : : In 18th-century cookery books one of the standard ways of beginning a recipe is "Take...", as in "Take a Breast of Veal, cut it into pieces...", "Take of Calves-Feet one Pound minced very fine...", "Take your Pigeons, season them..." and so on. "You take" is just a more colloquial version of that opening, so I suspect people have been using it consistently in English for a very long time. (VSD)
: : I've heard it in my native state -- West Virginia
: I agree - in Australia I've heard "you take ...", and so much so that it doesn't strike me as odd-sounding at all - it's just the direct address form of "Take a ..." So, if I was writing a recipe I'd say:
: " Take a mixing bowl and beat the sugar and the butter... Take the eggs in a separate bowl and beat them ..." But if I was explaining it to someone I might say: "You take a mixing bowl ... You take the eggs". Pamela
- You take and... R. Berg 18/July/08


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|System: X360,PS3, PC, PSP, Wii, PS2
|Review Rating Legend
|Dev: Visual Concepts
|1.0 - 1.9 = Avoid
|4.0 - 4.4 = Great
|Pub: 2K Games
|2.0 - 2.4 = Poor
|4.5 - 4.9 = Must Buy
|Release: Mar. 3, 2009
|2.5 - 2.9 = Average
|5.0 = The Best
|Players: 1-2 (1-2 online)
|3.0 - 3.4 = Fair
|ESRB Rating: Everyone
|3.5 - 3.9 = Good
by Leon Hendrix III
I know how 2K Games must feel. Its not always easy having a big brother. Your every effort is analyzed and compared to your older sibling; it gets to you. 2K Games has gone a long way to instill itself within the hearts of gamers worldwide with innovative, entertaining, and unique games over a variety of consoles. Take-Two, 2Ks parent company, is responsible for some of the most incredible games ever released, including the Grand Theft Auto series, Jade Empire, Elder Scrolls: Oblivion, and Bioshock.
When it comes to sports, however, most gamers will be quick to pick up the latest offerings from that other publisher/developer you know which one I mean. It cant be fun always being compared to another publisher, especially the largest in the world. Maybe the pressure got to them nah thats still no excuse for pitching a meatball like this one.
The pitching is over-complicated, the fielding is awkward and even unpredictable, bugs abound, and there seems to be no sense of scale in this game. If the presentation wasnt as good as it is, and it is good, I wouldve lost interest after the first runner Nightcrawler-ed his way through my fielder (more on that later).
At the risk of sounding like a complete noob, I would like to relate some stats from my second exhibition in 2K9. Just to save face, I should say that I understood the batting and fielding mechanics for the most part. I played White Sox versus Phillies. As the Sox, I managed eight hits, including a triple and a double, three home runs, 4 errors, and had an average of just .242. Respectable enough for a first outing one might assume (had all of my runs not come in the bottom of the ninth).
The Phillies somehow managed an astounding 23 hits with an average of .561. At one point, the world champs managed a two-run homer, five solo shots, a double, and several base hits in one inning, most of which were back to back. The final score was an outrageous 28 to 4. The MLB website says that the most runs ever scored in a game was 36. I have played baseball games on Super NES that were more realistic.
The problem is a number of things. First off, controls are clunky and anyone who hasnt played the latest MLB 2K entries will initially have a difficult time. You can alter the games controls, or use secondary face-button configurations, but its best to stick with the initial setup because it offers increased control. Pitching, batting, and fielding can all be handled via the right stick; hitting is a simple matter of pulling back on the control stick and flipping it forward to connect, while the other analog stick can direct the angle of your hit. When fielding, you can direct throws to any base by pointing in that direction. Pitching is probably the most efficient of the three, but thats not necessarily a good thing. Pitching according to the selected pitch (highlighted in yellow) and the batters tendencies (available via onscreen overlays) almost always results in a pop-fly, strike, or foul. This seems a bit formulaic and kind of cheap. To select a pitch (each of which features two movements of the analog stick), you swing your stick in one direction, hold it there until the circular meter fills out, and then swing it in the second direction. While this seems complicated on paper, I assure you it is even more complicated in the game.
This of course leads to mistakes by the player, but interestingly enough, it almost always leads to mistakes by your computer-controlled teammates. When fielding, for instance, gamers will probably try to throw their hardest to the cutoff man to get that crucial out at third. Of course, this invariably leads to a fast throw that will get away from the baseman and send two runners home because, as you chase the ball, no one covers the base. Maybe it was a glitch, youre probably thinking it wouldnt be the only one.
Unfortunately, plays like this are all too common. I dont imagine much time was spent on polishing or play testing this game and it shows. The A.I. is poor to the point of frustration. My catcher missed a throw and, as there was not indicator of where to find the ball, the runner took a base. A player ran through the wall attempting to snag a fly that bounced harmlessly inside and kept me from chasing after it. Once, I cut off a runner trying to steal home and attempted to run him down with A. J. Pierzynski. The runner attempted to speed through the base and actually passed through my catchers arm as he reached to tag his hip. I decided to block the base the next time only to witness a similar result.


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Some time last March, my brand-name publisher and I hit a major roadblock. I wanted to write a narrative, profile-driven book about Gen Y, and my publisher, after giving me the green light, decided that it wanted a book that was structured thematically. My publisher, perhaps justifiably, told me: "Profiles don't sell."
As it turns out, as the writer, I had very little leverage in this situation—according to my contract, the publisher could deem the manuscript "unfit" for practically any reason. On top of that, it could demand I return the portion of the advance I'd been paid. If there was glory in sticking to my guns, I couldn't see it. And was this the moment, when I had so much to lose, both financially and professionally, to be a purist about my vision? What to do?
In my case, break up with no backup plan. I didn't have some quixotic vision of myself as a crusader against making my work more commercial. I've written two other books with major publishers, A Little Bit Married and New Girl on the Job, and worked for a decade as a freelance journalist. I have a lot of respect for editors. I'm greatly indebted to many, from the New York Times to Forbes, who have brought clarity and perspective to my writing.
More than anything, though, the breakup crystallized a key issue that pierces to the center of the publisher-author symbiosis. Who knows best: author or publisher? Writing is always highly subjective. Megahits like The Help and Harry Potter were rejected by more than a dozen publishers, and The Diary of Anne Frank was found in the slush pile. Winners can be missed. And what sells is based on comparison—or "comps"—of similar titles and how they've performed. Publishing has no Nate Silver (that alarmingly accurate predictor of political races); it's an inexact, highly unpredictable industry.
Still, publishers are in the business of selling books—which some are still quite good at—so wouldn't it behoove an author like me, one who still has a lot to prove in terms of my value to their bottom line, just to march to their orders and do what they say? Isn't a highly compromised book with a big name publisher better than no book at all? Why couldn't I bring myself to just do it their way? Why couldn't I settle?
However naïve or corny this might sound, I believed in the story and the way I was telling it, through the eyes of the seven young people who all embodied different characteristics of the generation— there was an African-American woman who served two tours of duty in Iraq and bought her body armor off the Internet, and a gay Latino man, the first person in his family to attend college, whose father swam across the Rio Grande. There were the less dramatic but equally important stories that define the struggles and triumphs of my generation, like those who were laid off during the recession and those who are at the helm of the next wave of clean-tech and Internet startups.
I believed then as now that readers relate to stories and a compelling narrative. What my publisher was asking me to do was to chop up the stories, put them through a meat grinder, and reconstruct them. They thought it would capture the big picture, but I thought it would turn out a denatured, sanitized product that looked like nothing that I had set out to write, the literary equivalent of a sliced and diced mortgage-backed security.
I found a new publisher—a young, nimble company that is working mostly in the e-book market. My new editor liked the book the way it was. However, I sacrificed an advance and a print edition (at least for now). Was it worth it? Or is having creative backbone something for a bygone era?
Only time will resolve these existential questions. But the lesson for me is that fighting for your vision is wrenching—it's much easier to write the book your publisher wants you to write, however diluted the final product turns out. Publishers write the checks and, therefore, "know best." However, that's changing, with many technologically democratizing new models that are showing, from time to time, that it's the author who knows best. And while I may never get my name on that coveted print edition, I can read my book on my iPad, which makes the principled stance a bit less punishing.


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Former Bruins defenseman and Boston fan favorite Andrew Ference served as a volunteer at the marathon finish line this year.
"It's great, I miss the city obviously," said Ference, who was helping with recycling efforts in the finihs area. "It's like home to me and my family. Coming down, we got the Bruins, Sox, and the marathon in a couple days span so it's been great."
The Edmonton Oilers captain was also at the TD Garden Sunday to see the Bruins' 4-1 win over Detroit.
"It was better for the Bruins obviously," he said. "They got a little more emotional so that's good for them."
As for Monday's atmosphere, Ference said "it's the best."
"The whole vibe, the city's been great the past few days," he said. "Everyone's buzzing around, the weather's nice. It's perfect. This is what it's all about, everybody's coming together to try to turn the page and get on with things this year."
More from the 2014 Boston Marathon — Cullen: Just like the days we used to know | Gasper: Boston reclaims its Marathon | Photos: Marathon scenes | The 'Scream Tunnel' and Heartbreak Hill | The elite runners | Boylston Street | Videos from the Marathon | Full coverage
Follow Emiyl McCarthy on Twitter at @emilymccahthy.


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In brief Virus writers have developed a Trojan downloader attack that poses as an offer for the latest edition of Google's Toolbar, the popular search tool. Spam messages that began circulating on Wednesday attempt to trick users into visiting a maliciously constructed website, disguised to resemble the genuine Google Toolbar site, reports UK-based net security firm SurfControl.
Users who accept a offer to download "Google Toolbar" software from the bogus site will find themselves installing a Trojan which turns their machines into zombie clients, controlled by hackers. ®


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OCN Announces New Podcast: "Mission Possible: Orthodox Parenting Today"
Ft. Lauderdale, Fl – The Orthodox Christian Network is excited to announce its newest addition to its already dynamic and ever evolving list of Podcast Channels – a series dedicated to Orthodox Parenting. Rev. Dr. Christopher T. Metropulos, the Executive Director of the SCOBA Agency said, "We are truly excited to offer this new channel dedicated to assist parents raising children in the Orthodox Christian way. OCN welcomes with pride Ginny Nieuwsma, a dedicated mother of six along with the professionals who will be asked to appear on the program".
The podcast is titled "Mission Possible: Orthodox Parenting Today" and will be available on OCN's newly enhanced and upgraded web site www.myocn.net.
On any given day, Ginny Nieuwsma might be found driving the afternoon carpool for her 10 and 12 year old sons, filling out college forms for her 18 year old daughter, babysitting her grandchildren, phoning her married daughter who is a graduate student in New York, or attending her son's high school baseball game. Count 'em by threes, that's three daughters, three sons, and three grandchildren – she and Tim are busy and blessed!
Ginny began freelance writing and editing 27 years ago and is currently working as a web editor for the Antiochian Archdiocese. Along the way, Conciliar Press published her book, Our Heart's True Home, and she also served at Conciliar for many years as editor of "The Handmaiden magazine," as well as book acquisitions' editor. Being involved in radio is second nature to her; she grew up as a daughter of Christian radio broadcasters in Manila, Philippines, where her home sat in the shadow of a large radio tower and she often could find her parents in the studios creating broadcasts.
From broadcasts to podcasts – in 2009, Ginny knows that more than ever, parenting is both a high calling and a tremendous challenge. Her prayer is that this podcast will bring hope, spiritual wisdom, and practical help to moms and dads dealing with the same pressures and concerns she too faces, every day.
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Inverailort Castle
Inverailort Castle lies about 1 kilometre south east of Lochailort, near the north east corner of Loch Ailort, west of the A861. Also known as Inverailort House.
The house is part of the Inverailort estate, which was acquired by Major General Sir Alexander Cameron in 1828, who died at Inverailort in 1850. The estate passed to his son, Duncan Cameron of Inverailort (Lieut. October 23, 1835. Ensign. Retired May 8, 1840, who died on June 24, 1874.[1], when Inverailort passed to his 15-year-old daughter Christian.
Said to have begun as a farmhouse, the house was rebuilt as a Victorian shooting lodge in 1875, then extended in 1891. During World War II, the house was requisitioned, and was used by the Commandos, Special Operations Executive (SOE), and the Royal Navy.
The house is still occupied (2010), and remains in use as the Lochailort Post Office and sorting office, but is now in a state of considerable disrepair and suffering badly from the effects of damp.
Christian Cameron
Christian Cameron was only 15 years of age when when she inherited Inverailort, and still a minor, so a family trust was appointed to run the estate until she reached an age at which she could take over formally. However, she actually took control from the start, and the Lochailort archives for the period 1876-1878 record "18 volumes of notebooks including address books, notes on English literature & English history, and dinners attended with guest lists". In 1888, Christian was finally released from the family trust, and able to take sole control of the estate. In 1890, she married James Head, an ex-Army captain and director of several shipping companies. In 1896, Christian gave birth to mixed twins, Frances and Christian, and in 1910, the couple amalgamated their surnames to Cameron-Head by Royal licence.
Together with with her duties on the estate, Christian was also able to become an experienced photographer, and took many photographs of the house and surrounding area. Unfortunately, as film was yet to be invented, these images were recorded on glass plates, and when the house was requisitioned by the military during World War II, many of these were either lost, or destroyed as a result of mis-handling.
Many of the surviving photographs were catalogued, scanned, and published in a book written by a local historian, The Cameron Collection: Moidart and Arisaig in the 19th Century, Ian Thornber, ISBN 9780955627903, Ian Thornber Publications.
Christian had refused advice to offer or hand over the house for use as a hospital or school, and while in London, she received a telegram with the news that her country house, like many others at the time, had been requisitioned by the military. Although the house was cleared and the contents sent to Fort William for storage, it seems storms had washed away a number of bridges in the area, and that when the lorries carrying the contents encountered a collapsed bridge on the road, the soldiers unloaded the valuable antique furniture from up to three of the lorries in order to bridge the gap and continue on their way.
Christian Cameron is said to have died of a broken heart after learning that much of the contents of the house had been damaged by the Army when they emptied it. One account suggests she suffered a heart attack as a result, and subsequently stayed with relatives until her death.
"I found both my houses (Inverailort Castle and Glenshian House) taken by the military and vans carting the furniture away out of both," she wrote in a distressed letter to her Edinburgh solicitor. "I am waiting here for a few days till I try to see what is happening to my clothes... there are to be 300 soldiers in the Castle and they have taken land on which to erect huts." She never recovered from the shock and died the following year.
- Published in Westie News, Dec 2007, for The West Highland White Terrier Club Of England.[2]
This appears to be at odds with another account of the time given by Major Hall, who had been sent to Inverailort by the Kentish Regiment to train men there for the British Resistance , at a time when there was a real fear that Britain would be invaded. At a talk given at the Glenuig Hall on August 13, 2001, he said, "Mrs Cameron-Head, despite having her home taken over by the military, became mother and friend to all".[3]
Special Training Centre
Commando Country, by Stuart Allan, considers the origins of forces like the Commandos and SOE, and refers to the requisitioning of Inverailort Castle, and its operation by Military Intelligence (Research):
This was requisitioned by the War Office at the end of May 1940 for use in the training of irregular forces as the Special Training Centre. Initially this was operated by MI(R) but became part of Combined Operations. Many techniques of guerilla and irregular warfare were developed there and training techniques which were adopted for Commando training. SOE training was centred on nearby Arisaig House. The army moved out of the house on 20th August 1942 and it was then taken over by the Royal Navy when it became HMS Lochailort and used for the training of naval cadet ratings to be officers on small craft used by Combined Operations. The Royal Navy moved out in January 1945.
- Commando Country, Stuart Allan, National Museums Scotland.[4]
Those attending courses at the house would have been receiving training to work behind enemy lines, in hand to hand combat, sabotage, use of explosives, survival techniques and the like.
In summary:
- Inverailort was requisitioned at the end of May 1940, as a Special Training Centre
- Arisaig House was initially included with Inverailort, but had transferred to SOE training by the end of 1940
- Inverailort was vacated by the Army in 1942
- Achnacarry House was handed over in 1942, becoming the Commando Training Centre
- Inverailort was taken over by the Royal Navy in 1942
HMS Lochailort
The house was commissioned as HMS Lochailort between August 24, 1942 and January 31, 1945, when it served as a training establishment for the Royal Navy:
Officer Training Establishment in Scotland for Combined Operation Naval Officers, �HMS Lochailort�. for a six weeks intensive course that included navigation, signals, pilotage, and boat handling to name just a few. We were expected to undergo plenty of physical training including assault courses and running practically every day, on top of which we would have to last at least three one minute rounds in a boxing ring. All this would be under the scrutiny of a very critical staff. Looking for any failing that would eliminate your chances of a Commission.
� Jack Gaster: The Millionaire Mob.[5]
At that time, it seems that normal recruitment and training methods were incapable of meeting the demand for junior officers. They were needed in vast numbers to crew the minor landing craft needed for the invasion of mainland Europe. Initially, officer trainees came from HMS King Alfred at Hove, which was an officer training establishment for ratings with potential. When this closed down on July 1, 1943, the supply of officers for training then came from Lochailort itself.
Evidence of the building's past use as a wartime HQ still exists in the form of the names of wartime offices on doors within the house.
House visit 2009
We are grateful to Jack Bakker and the Commando Veterans Association for permission to reproduce some of the pictures obtained while visiting the house during November 2009, and the visit is described as follows:
Last week I have been to Scotland to make arrangements for a program for Dutch Commandos. During the week I had the opportunity to visit Lochailort and more precisely Inverailort, the house where it all started so to speak.I have made some pictures over there, outside as well as inside the house. I thought I might send them to you to put them in the gallery of the forum perhaps or in some sort of an archive. The first thing I noticed when I arrived at the house was the deplorable state it is in. We were welcomed by a very nice elderly lady who had worked for the family who owned the house. I forgot to asked her name!! The house is now in the possession of a nephew of the family. She was allowed to stay there and she now runs a small post office from the house. She invited us in and I must say the inside of the house was a shock to see! There is a very serious problem of dry rot and the smell of humidity is overwhelming. As we went to the attic she told us to stay close to the wall otherwise we might face the risk of falling through the floor! Some time ago she was wakened in the middle of the night by a very loud rumbling sound. She thought that part of the house had fallen in! That wasn't the case however: there was a small earthquake going on! There were carpets drying out on the landing above the hall. She showed us the various doors at which you could still read the signs (see the pictures!) and in the guestbook she showed us the signature of Van Maurik, one of the instructors at Lochailort (see the book Commando Country by Stuart Allen). Asked why there isn't something done about the terrible state the house is in, she told me that a few years ago the house was grade 3 concerning renovation. It has been graded down so there won't be any money available to do something about the state it is in. When we were there the weather was very warm so every door and window was open, but that doesn't help a lot. In the colder times of the year there is insufficient heating to warm the whole house. Only the most important rooms are heated then. The lady said that it will only be a matter of time when the whole of the house will be too rotten do something about it. It's a question of time before the whole will fall in. It think it is a disgrace to see a house with so much history fall apart. It is all about money of course, but even then! It should be made a museum for instance.
- Jack Bakker
Mr Bakker has since let us know that the house is being watched by Barbara Macintosh, who also runs the Lochailort Post Office and sorting office.
The stairway which can be seen in the photographs is the same as that referred to by Stuart Allen in his book Commando Country, where one of the first sights to greet new recruits would be that of instructors Fairbairn and/or Sykes tumbling down the stairs fighting.
Surviving door signs
Following the visit, Mr Bakker received a letter from Mr Hugh Maclaren, owner of Inverailort House, who wrote:
A charitable organisation called Venture Trust[6] is putting plans together to save the house and turn it into a centre for disadvantaged young people. They are hoping to open a website soon to contact all interested parties. The task is formidable, but we feel there is a good chance of success.
Hopefully we will be able to follow this development, if it materialises.
Glenshian House
Glenshian House, or Glenshian Lodge, was also owned by Christian Cameron as part of the Inverailort estate, and this house was also requisitioned during World War II, for use as a field hospital:
Glenshian (formerly Glenaylort), mid-18th century and later Tacksman's house, later a fishing/shooting lodge for Inverailort, built in three distinct phases. The earliest range to the north contains the present kitchen and dining room. This was enlarged in 1874 with the former dining room wing at right angles, which was extended southwards in the 1890s to accommodate a panelled staircase and drawing room. Requisitioned as a hospital during the Second World War, it served as an inn for 40 years from 1947, and in 1997 was refurbished as a shooting lodge.
- Western Seaboard: An Illustrated Architectural Guide. Mary Miers, 2008. Rutland Press.
(A tacksman worked for and represented the local landlord, lying one step below in terms of responsibility and authority).
1 ⇑ Black Watch Officers A to D
3 ⇑ Major Hall's talk about Inverailort
4 ⇑ Commando Country, Stuart Allan, National Museums Scotland 2007, ISBN 9781905267149
5 ⇑ BBC - WW2 People's War - Jack Gaster: The Millionaire Mob
External links
Related Canmore/RCAHMS and ScotlandsPlaces (SP) entries:-
- Nearby Canmore or ScotlandsPlaces items
- HMS Lochailort at Combined Operations
- Memoirs of Ernest Dale: Inverailort, 1940-42, Commando training
Aerial views
- Old OS maps
- Nearby geocaches
- Bing Maps
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- Fly to in Google Earth
- SABRE - Maps (has many options) WiP - Needs lat/lon edit!
- People's map
- MAGIC mapping
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People Exclusive
Ryan Phillippe: 'I'm Not a Perfect Person'
Ryan Phillippe has been mum about his split from wife Reese Witherspoon since their divorce was announced on Oct. 30 until now.
In an exclusive statement to PEOPLE, Phillippe says, Im not a perfect person, but Im not guilty of a lot of the things I have been accused of. My priority is and always has been the health and safety of my family."
Phillippe, 32, and Witherspoon, 30, have a daughter Ava, 7, and son Deacon, 3.
Phillippe will not comment on reports that a relationship with Abbie Cornis the Australian actress who costars with him in an upcoming film played a role in the demise of his seven-year marriage to Witherspoon. But his reps vehemently deny other recent allegations of hard partying and drug use.
Its no secret that Phillippe has always enjoyed hitting the clubs with friends. He and Witherspoon "would fight over that kind of thing all the time. He got away with a lot and he knows it," according to a source at a Santa Monica bar that Phillippe used to frequent.
His rep, however, denies it: "Look, he went out, she went out, it wasnt a point of conflict."
Others who know them say Phillippe often stayed at his Venice office after arguments with Witherspoon, sometimes "for days a time," says the source. "He said she hated that."
Whatever happens next, says a Phillippe pal, "I know they love their kids to death. So they'll do what they can to keep it from turning ugly."


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Japanese GP: Sunday Quotes
Lewis Hamilton (3rd): "I tried to get past both Jarno and Sebastian at the start. But I couldn't quite manage to get into the lead. It was a good scrap with Jarno - we were really battling, setting qualifying times as we tried to shave tenths off each other's laps - but, over the race distance, my car couldn't quite match his. As I exited the pits after my second stop, I lost time with a gearbox problem, which meant I coasted about 100 meters down the pitlane - that cost me about a second. To be honest, it wasn't a surprise to be jumped by Jarno at the final stops - we needed every tenth to make the gap up to three seconds and we couldn't quite make it. When we were behind the Safety Car, I asked the team if they could get the KERS working again so that I could shoot past Jarno," Lewis said, "but they couldn't do it and I wasn't close enough to get in his slipstream at the restart."
Heikki Kovalainen (11th): "I'm a bit disappointed with my result. I'm absolutely on the limit of my car and we're still lacking grip in the high-speed corners, so it's not possible for me to attack any harder. I pushed from the start to the finish - Adrian tried to make a move but only went halfway, so I was able to stay beside him. When he tried to turn in, I was already on the curb and I had no more room to avoid him, so I had to lean on him and that was more a problem for him. My second pitstop wasn't fantastic as we had a problem with the right front wheel, so Giancarlo was able to get out right in front of me. I was able to release the pitlane speed-limiter earlier and immediately got on KERS. He gave me some room, so it was quite an easy move - nothing too dramatic."
Martin Whitmarsh, Team Principal: "Suzuka is a terrifically exciting and challenging circuit, for drivers and engineers alike. So for us to have bagged a solid third place here isn't something we need be too disappointed with, particularly bearing in mind where we were performance-wise on fast circuits of this nature only a few weeks ago. Ultra-forceful competitor that he is and always will be, Lewis had hoped to be able to take the lead from Sebastian at the first corner. In truth it was never going to be easy, owing to the short run from the start-line to the first corner - and, once Sebastian had held on to his lead into Turn One, he remained just out of Lewis's reach all afternoon. Lewis's focus then turned to his delicately poised battle with Jarno. Emerging from the second pitstops in third place just behind the Italian, Lewis then suffered a KERS malfunction that we were unable to cure. Bearing in mind that he then had to improvise an all-new driving style to compensate for the lack of KERS and the compromised braking balance that the lack of KERS occasioned, he did a truly fantastic job to hold on to third place, and to keep Kimi [Raikkonen] at bay, through to the flag. After Heikki's problems in qualifying, compounded by a five-place grid penalty caused by our need to replace his gearbox yesterday afternoon, Heikki tried his hardest today to make up places from his P11 grid slot - but the reality is that Suzuka is a tricky strip of narrow asphalt on which it's deceptively difficult to overtake. The fact that Heikki is disappointed with his P11 finish is an indication of his competitive spirit - but he's already talking optimistically about Interlagos. Talking of Interlagos, we'll approach the Brazilian Grand Prix with the same mindset with which we've been approaching every Grand Prix since the German: in other words, with a mindset aggressively focused on scoring as many points as possible in an effort to secure third place in the constructors' world championship."
Norbert Haug, Mercedes Motorsport Director: "A great race from Lewis again and 16 points for him and the team after the last two weekends with his win in Singapore and third place here in Suzuka. After his second pitstop, a potential isolation problem with the KERS Hybrid occurred, the root cause of which we are still investigating. As a precaution, the system switched itself off, so after his second pitstop, Lewis had to run without KERS support - which obviously cost him lap time due to brake-balance issues and less power available. Despite this handicap, he did a marvelous job defending his third position from Kimi at the restart after the Safety Car period. In fact, he pulled a gap out between him and the Ferrari in the last laps. Heikki was handicapped starting from 11th place after receiving a five-place grid penalty due to changing his car's gearbox following his qualifying shunt. Vodafone McLaren Mercedes has scored 51 points in the six races since Lewis's win at the Hungarian Grand Prix at the end of July - a better score than any other team in that period of time. I would like to thank everybody in our team at Woking, Brixworth and Stuttgart for the hard work that was done in order to recover from our bad first half of the season when we scored 14 points in nine races. In the last six, we got 51 - and that definitely feels much better. Finally, congratulations to Sebastian and Red Bull Racing for a superb win today - this result keeps the outcome of the world championship open."
Kimi Raikkonen (4th): "Today the car wasn't bad, but it was not quick enough to fight for the podium. This fourth place is useful in terms of keeping the team in third place in the Constructors' championship, but it will be hard to hang onto it over the final two races. I will definitely do everything I can though. I was unable to make up places at the start, especially as the first corner is not that far from the start line and so I was unable to make the most of the KERS. In the first stint, when I was on hard tires, the situation was a bit difficult, but then, once on the softs, things improved considerably. I managed to close on Heidfeld and pass him at the pit stop, even though, coming away from my stop, I found myself in traffic behind Button. Then there was not much to fight for to the end of the race."
Giancarlo Fisichella (12th): "I had a better feel for the car this weekend and I think the effect from that could be seen, although maybe not in terms of the results. Today, I could run at a good pace, especially in the middle part of the race. It's a shame I lost a place in my battle with Kovalainen. We managed to get ahead of him in the pit stop, but then he swerved across to the inside at the only point where I left the door slightly open and he leaned on me, managing to get by. Towards the end, I had to fight off Sutil who was very quick and was on the soft tire, while I was on the hard: at this point the KERS came in handy. Now I am looking forward to Interlagos in a more confident mood: it will be important to get a slightly better start position to try and finally make it into the points."
Stefano Domenicali, Team Principal: "All things considered, this is a positive result: I don't think we could have done any more than this fourth place. We got the most out of the F60 as it stands today and, thanks to yet another great drive from Kimi, we also managed to stay third in the Constructors' classification. Giancarlo also drove a good race, driving competitively in terms of pace and performance, as can be seen from the fact he set the eighth best lap time. In the middle stint, on the soft tire, both our drivers were very quick, their lap times matching those of the best. The team worked well and we must continue to do so for the final two races left to run in this strange season, fighting tooth and nail to reach the target we set ourselves from the mid-season onwards."
Chris Dyer: "After the disappointment of Singapore, it's nice to see Kimi again finish a race in a good position. With hindsight, there's some disappointment with a result that could have been even better: we opted to start on the hard tires on Kimi's car, because we weren't entirely sure about how the soft ones would work over a distance. In fact, their performance stayed consistent, as we saw in the second part of the race, when both our drivers were very competitive. On top of that, we failed to make up places at the start, which is what we usually manage. We played about a bit with the stops to try and pass Heidfeld and we managed it. In the final stint, it seemed at one point that Hamilton had a problem and then the Safety Car closed everyone up. Kimi tried to see if there was room to attack him at the re-start but there was not. Giancarlo drove a good race and it was important for him and for the team to see him fighting with Kovalainen and Alonso for a place just outside the points. It's a shame that, coming out of pit lane after his second stop, he lost a place in his battle with the McLaren driver."
BMW Sauber
Nick Heidfeld (6th): "Today was not our lucky day. I'm very disappointed with this result. Fourth place was within reach but several things went wrong today, especially at the second pit stop when the rear right wheel nut got stuck. But certainly I don't want to complain. These things can happen and normally we have very good pit stops. That was when I lost a position to Kimi, and I rejoined the race just behind him. When the safety car came out I lost another position to Nico, who was lucky to refuel while the safety car was out."
Robert Kubica (9th): "The entire weekend was unlucky for me. Yesterday I wasn't able to show my good pace due to the red and yellow flags. Today I was stuck in traffic a couple of times. Furthermore I lost much time at the beginning of the race with a heavy and understeering car. Once the car was lighter and I got into my rhythm I was quite quick. I was then very unlucky with my first pit stop, as after the stop both Kimi and Nick were in front of me. That cost me time. Also after the safety car period I was in traffic. I was stuck behind Jenson. I was quicker than him in the corners, but was not able to overtake as we were missing some top speed on the straights."
Mario Theissen, BMW Motorsport Director: "That was a strong performance from us with a disappointing end. Nick was quick and well on his way on fourth. Then he lost a position during his second pit stop due to a sticking wheel nut. He lost another position during the safety-car-period when Nico Rosberg passed him after his pit stop. Coming in ninth, Robert missed the points by just a small margin."
Willy Rampf, Technical Director: "Today more should have been possible for us. Nick established himself in fourth for a long time. Until his second pit stop, which we did earlier because Kimi Raikkonen was right behind him, everything went according to plan. But during the pit stop a problem occurred which cost us valuable seconds. As a consequence Kimi was able to get by. During the safety-car- period Nick lost another position. Robert lost a position after the start which he gained back later during the race. But at the end it was just not enough to score a point."
Fernando Alonso (10th): "My race was really decided after qualifying because although the car was competitive and I pushed hard, it was not enough to score any points. We now have to concentrate on the two remaining races and make sure that we qualify well because if we do that I am sure we can score some strong points and have a good end to the season."
Romain Grosjean (16th): "Overall it was a tough afternoon for me. The car was very heavy on fuel and was difficult to drive as I had a lot of understeer. The Suzuka circuit was also a new experience for me this weekend, but I did my best to complete the race without any problems. I'm now looking forward to the next race in Brazil."
Jean-Francois Caubet, Managing Director: "I would like to congratulate Red Bull Racing on yet another victory, which shows the competitiveness of the Renault engine. Unfortunately for the Renault F1 Team, a weekend that looked promising for us after the Singapore podium, didn't meet our expectations. Both cars started so far down the grid that even with a good strategy and an excellent performance from Fernando, who made up six places, we didn't manage to get into the points. We will need to deliver those in the next two races."
Bob Bell, Team Principal: "It would be easy to say that it was a disappointing race, but in fact it was a disappointing qualifying session, which really determined what happened to us in the race. Fernando did a great job to gain six places, but I think the race would have been a different story had he not had his qualifying penalty and started in the top ten. Romain drove a solid race to bring the car home, which is as much as we expected from him considering his starting position. So it wasn't a great weekend, but there are positives: the team worked well together; we remain upbeat; and we look forward to Brazil with continued optimism."
Remi Taffin, Head of Engine Operations: "Our return to Suzuka was not particularly successful. We had the speed but our grid positions compromised our chances of a good result. We used new engines for this race and they completed their mileage without any problems. For Brazil, we now have a choice as it's likely that we will use new engines, but that is still to be confirmed."
Jarno Trulli (2nd): "Standing on the podium in the team's home Grand Prix is a fantastic feeling and this great result is down to the whole team; the engineers, mechanics and everyone, including Timo. We work really well together as part of a great team and it's a pity he wasn't able to race today. The car, with the new package, has been really competitive all weekend and I knew the start was likely to be the toughest point of the race. We made a strong start and I almost held my position, but Lewis got by and after that I spent the whole race fighting with him. I closed the gap and just focused on doing qualifying laps every time; it was fantastic fun and I really enjoyed it. It was not easy to push so hard but I kept fighting and after the first pit stops I was again chasing Lewis really closely. It was just a matter of putting as much pressure on as possible and, thanks to the team for the strategy and fast pit work, we got him at the last stop. From then on I pulled away and it was reasonably comfortable, even with the safety car at the end. I want to thank the team; we came here after Timo's great second place in Singapore and again the car was competitive immediately. I really hoped to win but this was the maximum we could achieve and I am extremely happy to be on the podium in Japan."
Timo Glock (DNS):
Tadashi Yamashina, Team Principal: "Jarno did a brilliant job today with the only Toyota in the race. It's great to get a result like this in our home Grand Prix; we really appreciate our partners and fans so I hope they enjoyed our performance. It's unfortunate Timo couldn't join him in the race because I am sure he would have also had a very strong result but I am very happy with Jarno's podium. The strategy worked perfectly so, thanks to the efforts of Jarno and the team, we got past Hamilton after the second pit stop. Two second places in a row is a credit to the team, who have fought so hard all through the season; they deserve this result. There are still two more races left so we will immediately begin preparations for those and I hope Timo and Jarno will again stand on the podium this season."
Toro Rosso-Ferrari
Jaime Alguersuari (DNF, Accident): "My accident came on the lap after my second pit stop, when I fitted the soft tires. At turn 15, which you take flat, I lost the rear end of the car and crashed into the wall, but I'm not sure why, as it was inexplicable and I would like to see the data, in case there might have been something wrong with the pressure of the rear tires or a puncture. I am really, really sorry for what happened. I was pushing every lap and running consistently, in terms of my lap times being almost always within the same tenth. Hopefully, we can have a better race in Brazil. "
Sebastien Buemi (DNF, Clutch): "I had a problem with the clutch, right from the start of the parade lap, when I couldn't get off the grid. We tried to fix the problem by adjusting the clutch map, but again for the real start, it didn't work. Then, after a few laps the clutch failed and I had to retire in the pits. A real shame as the weekend had seemed promising right from Friday in the wet. In qualifying the car was quick enough to get me into Q3 before the accident, so maybe I could have scored points today. Now we have to prepare for Brazil where the top teams might not bring so many developments to their car. So I hope we can end the season with two good races."
Franz Tost, Team Principal: "Having come to Japan for many years, I know this is a very expensive country and that was certainly the case for us this weekend! Unfortunately, Sebastien had a clutch problem which meant he could not get off the line at the start and later, caused his retirement. Jaime drove a good race up to the point of his accident. After the second stop, on new Options at the 130R, the fastest corner of the track, which meant it was a very big accident, the cause of which, we will now investigate. Fortunately, he is uninjured, which is the most important thing. The car is a different story, but in Brazil, I expect we will have a competitive package."
Red Bull-Renault
Sebastian Vettel (1st): "What a race! We already had pole position and strategy-wise we were the favorites, but, you know - first of all you have to do the start! We were pretty confident that we could defend our position, as we've had good starts in the past, but it was closer than I thought it would be! Going into Turn 1, I suddenly saw a silver arrow on my left-hand side, but I had the inside line so it was my advantage. After that I put my head down and tried to push with every single lap. The car was fantastic and I was able to create a gap quite quickly. We were two laps longer than Lewis (Hamilton) and a lap longer than Jarno (Trulli) in the first stint, so it all worked out and I was pretty much in control of the race. After we fitted the soft tires for the last stint, I wanted to have a little bit of fun. I did one very quick lap (I think a 32.5), but then my engineer came on the radio and said 'watch your tires, there might be a safety car or something' and two laps later there was the safety car! It's not what you want when you're in the lead, but I was still taking care of my tires and had a good restart. I had a bit of a cushion with Grosjean behind me and then three or four laps to build a gap again that was enough to win the race. Finally, we made it! Fantastic. I was screaming with happiness on the radio at the end of the race. The last couple of races have been a bit up and down, sometimes we had pace and sometimes not, but finally we made it. It's good to be back in first position on Sunday. A huge thanks to all the team and everyone at Red Bull for this."
Mark Webber (17th): "I had to make two pit stops on the first two laps, so it was all over from there. On the first lap, the headrest came loose in the car, so I had to come in and get that fixed. I went back out, but the same thing happened so I had to come in again in order for the guys to tape it down. We tested some things today, and tried some other items for future races. That's all we could really do from there."
Christian Horner, Sporting Director: "A brilliant job by Sebastian today. He's been on it all weekend and he looked like he really enjoyed himself out there. The car's worked fantastically well and a big thank you to everyone in the Red Bull team, to Renault and to all of our partners that have supported us so well here. For Mark, this was the weekend from hell - with a chassis change overnight, then issues on the first lap with a headrest that had somehow come loose and then a puncture. After that the race was little more than a test, but it's encouraging that right at the end he got the fastest lap time as a small consolation."
Fabrice Lom, Renault: "A fantastic result for Sebastian today - pole position and a win. It was a perfect weekend for him on what is a very difficult track for engines. Unfortunately for Mark - his glass was more half empty than half full today. It was a difficult race for him after starting from the pit lane. He proved he was quick by setting the fastest lap of the race, but he couldn't do anything else, so I'm sad for him. There are two more races to go and we won't give up until the end."
Nico Rosberg (5th): "That was the best I could do today for sure. The car wasn't as quick as we wanted it to be but we got the best out of it. I had a really good strategy which helped deliver this result. It was a tough race so overall I'm pleased."
Kazuki Nakajima (15th): "Obviously it was a difficult race for me. I was on a one stop strategy which was working up to a point but then there was just too much traffic and the safety car came out so it didn't work out the way we had hoped. It's a disappointing result at my home Grand Prix."
Sam Michael, Technical Director: "We had an interesting race because our strategies were quite different to the cars around us due to the penalties imposed yesterday. Nico kept his head down and scored some points which was what was required today. He was competitive at the times he needed to be and this is a good result. Kazuki was on a one stop strategy, which was really dependent on something happening to help him up the order, but it didn't unfortunately."
Force India-Mercedes
Adrian Sutil (13th): "It was a really disappointing race. The start was OK and I could keep my position but then I fell back to ninth and was caught behind Kovalainen. I got past him at the chicane but then he cut back across and I spun and lost a lot of time. That was really the end of the race for me. When that happens it's obviously very disappointing as I thought we could have done really well today and got some points. We've just got to look forward to Brazil now - it's a similar type of circuit to here where the car has been competitive."
Vitantonio Liuzzi (14th): "Overall I think it was not a bad race. Starting from that position it was always going to be difficult to score points but we showed a strong pace in the race and never gave up. I could have a really good fight with Fernando [Alonso] and the Williams, plus also the Toro Rosso so I think it was a good effort from the team."
Dr. Vijay Mallya, Team Principal: "We had expected a better result from this race, particularly given Adrian's excellent performance in qualifying fourth yesterday. The penalty cost us dear as Adrian was behind the heavier Rosberg and then dropped back behind Kovalainen early on. Adrian's race was then compromised when he tried to get past the McLaren but he nevertheless demonstrated that the car is performing very well in race conditions and we are able to race competitively with the top teams. Tonio too had a strong race to secure his second finish in three events. His confidence is now high and we should look forward to the next race in Brazil where we hope we can capitalize on the pace we have showed over the weekend. Hopefully next time we can get the results to prove it."
Rubens Barrichello (7th): "Qualifying proved crucial for my weekend as it put me ahead of Jenson for the race and I was able to make up a point on him. I struggled with the set-up today and wasn't able to get the best from the car which is a shame. I was able to follow Kimi when we were both running on primes in the first stint but once he switched to options, he gained a lot of time on me. We would have finished in sixth place without the safety car and that's the best that I could have hoped for today. It's frustrating but that's the way racing goes and the most important thing is that I gained a point on Jenson this weekend. I'm looking forward to my home race in Sao Paulo in two weeks. The Brazilian Grand Prix is always a very special occasion for me and I'll be giving it my all there to do as well as possible for the championship."
Jenson Button (8th): "Today was about picking up points after our eventful qualifying session yesterday and that's exactly what I did. Starting from tenth on the grid was always going to make for a tough race but my pace was really good in the race and I was very happy with the performance of the car. I was pulling massive amounts of time out of the guys in front me but they were on heavier fuel loads which held me up as it's difficult to overtake here. I did the best that I could in the car that we had this weekend and we got the maximum performance out of it with a points-scoring finish. I only lost one point to Rubens today which is my main priority. Obviously we lost a few points to Sebastian but we were expecting them to be strong here. We go to two circuits now which should suit our car so I'm excited about the end of the season and already looking forward to the next race in Brazil."
Ross Brawn, Team Principal: "We recovered well in the race today from a problematic qualifying session and both drivers brought home valuable points in the fight for the Constructors' Championship. Whilst we were aware that this track would favor our competitors, I am pleased with the performance of the team and drivers over the weekend to extract the maximum from the car and add to our championship points tally, leaving us with half a point required to take the Constructors' title. The next two races at Interlagos and Abu Dhabi should suit the characteristics of our car much better so we can look forward to a very exciting conclusion to the season."
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Lois Lerner, the IRS official who oversees the agency's division in charge of tax-exempt organizations, has been placed on administrative leave, a source told NBC News on Thursday. The IRS has selected Ken Corbin as acting director during Lerner's absence.
IRS Director of Exempt Organizations Lois Lerner addresses a House committee during a hearing on the agency's targeting of political groups.
Lerner, whose responsibility for the targeting of conservative groups at the IRS has become a point of scrutiny in the controversy, had come under bipartisan fire. Sens. Carl Levin, D-Mich., and John McCain, R-Ariz., wrote acting IRS Commissioner Daniel Werfel earlier on Thursday seeking Lerner's suspension.
Lerner had appeared before a House committee on Wednesday, but invoked her Fifth Amendment rights, and declined to testify. She offered a broad declaration denying any wrongdoing, however, which has prompted some Republicans to conclude she had effectively waived her Fifth Amendment rights. Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., who heads the oversight panel before which Lerner appeared, suggested Thursday he'll seek to recall her as a witness.
This story was originally published on Thu May 23, 2013 5:52 PM EDT


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Scientific serendipity: Curiosity, courage and the culture of innovation
Serendipity happens when scientists, with the support of a company committed to improving the healthRead more...
In May 2011, I wrote the post: Investor Nomenclature and the Venture Spiral.
That post got a lot of attention because back then all the buzz was about "Super Angels." The venture landscape was evolving and had reached a point where Super Angels were an important part of the ecosystem. Well, now in 2014, almost 3 years to the date, things have changed again. The funding landscape has shifted and is now even more confusing than ever.
On May 6-7, I'll be at Vator Splash Oakland judging the global startup competition, right after MC Hammer takes the stage in a Fireside Chat with Erik Moore, an early investor in Zappos. The 2-day event is not only a competition, but an educational forum for entrepreneurs and investors to learn how to build their companies and to understand the financing landscape. For entrepreneurs I'll be addressing and giving feedback too, here's my thoughts on how the venture landscape has changed.
The Super Angels are now Micro-VCs
Yes, almost everyone who was operating as a Super Angel, went on to raise a venture fund. Most of these funds are <$100M, with the majority of them being clustered around the $40M mark (that's the point where the fund economics start to work in terms of management fee and ability to take a meaningful stake in portfolio companies).
In keeping with the thesis of the Venture Spiral, as the Super Angels matured into Micro-VCs, the style of investing changed because now the Micro-VCs had more dollars to put to work, and became sensitive to ownership. The party rounds, which were the range in late 2010 and early 2011, became less common and we started to see the smaller funds begin to lead rounds.
Significant tightening for follow on rounds
We heard about this in the press as the Series A crunch, but it wasn't really a Series A crunch. Instead, it was more of a result of over-funding at the seed stage. There was simply too much money coming in to the seed stage, which increased the supply of companies at the seed stage. The Series A investors could therefore be a lot more picky. Even if they did the same number of deals as they did before, it felt like a crunch because of the increased supply of funded seed stage companies.
Massive late-stage rounds
The late stage (Series B and Series C) investors are hunting for breakout companies that have serious traction. But there are few companies that breakout, and there is a high supply of capital looking to invest in the companies. The low supply and high demand is driving up the valuations and deal sizes. The companies that get to traction have a lot of capital chasing them. But scaling is hard, and these companies can suffer from The Curse of Over Capitalization. However, the bet that these investors are making is that it will be a winner takes all market.
Threshold for an IPO is higher
Ten years ago, if you had $20M in revenue you were ready to go public. Today, you need almost 5x or 10x that number to even be eligible. If you have <$100M in revenue, you're probably going to stay private. These companies now end up raising more capital in private rounds than they raised in public offerings 10-15 years ago. And the players for these massive rounds basically decided that they can't wait for these companies to go public and so the hedge funds that used to take positions in companies once they IPO'd are now taking those positions before the companies go public in these mega rounds.
Hiring costs are up dramatically
The cost of hiring top quality talent in the bay area has gone up dramatically. Top engineering talent today has a bimodal distribution. You will find top engineers either being founders or working at super early stage startups where they can expect a big outcome based on their equity if the company succeeds, or, you will find the top engineers at companies that can pay top dollar, sometimes with pay packages (salary+benefits+equity) that approach low to mid hundreds of thousands of dollars and sometimes even hitting the million dollars a year mark for select super stars.
Now what are the implications of all this? Well…
It hard out there for a Startup
Companies that are just starting out have it really tough for getting to the next round. They can probably cobble together an initial round of funding because a) there's a lot of money in the early stage ecosystem right now (both individual money and institutional money), and, b) they're raising the initial round on hope (see Hope and Numbers). But in order to get to a "Series A" they need to show a lot more traction than they did before (because the supply is higher and the Series A investors will pick the best companies).
At the same time, since the hiring costs are much higher, the companies need to spend more money on recruiting and retaining top talent. Remember all the rhetoric about how it's so much cheaper to start a company these days? It's not true in my opinion. Yes, the CapEx is significantly lower and has been replaced mostly by variable costs, but the people costs are a lot higher than they used to be. Also it's becoming harder for companies to break out of the noise and so the marketing costs are a lot higher than they used to be.
The traction bar is higher, which means the companies need to survive longer in order to cross that threshold. And the hiring costs are higher. Taken together, it means an early stage company needs to survive longer, with higher expenses. Startups have realized this and investors have realized this, which is why these days a "seed round" is usually closer to $2M! Yes, a $2M "seed round."
Re-jiggering of deal stages and sizes
Two years ago, a seed round used to be $500K, now it is $2M+. A Series A round used to be $3M – $4M, now it's $6M – $15M. A Series B round used to be $10M-$15M, now it's… well, you get the picture. The deal stage and sizes have changed dramatically.
Seed is not the first round of financing any more. In fact after noticing this trend last year, I have transitioned to calling most of my initial investments "pre-seed" rounds, where the company raises close to $500K, before raising a full seed round. The Seed round is larger — closer to and sometimes upwards of $2M. The Series A is now the fourth round of funding for a company — the first is usually friends and family, or an incubator (~$50K), then pre-seed (~$500K), then seed (~$2M), then Series A (~$6M-$15M).
Note that I'm describing what I'm seeing these days as a typical fundraising pattern and it is somewhat simplified. Some companies may be able to "skip stages," others may end up raising money on a rolling basis. In fact, I've seen companies use a convertible notes to do an add-on or "seed-extension" round as well. Sometimes the seed-extension round can be done to just provide more cushion for hitting the Series A traction mark, in other cases it is because the company mis-executed, or didn't achieve product-market fit and wants to get another shot at the Series A goal.
The new normal and new nomenclature
The institutionalization of the early stage means that it has now matured (Super Angels are now Micro-VCs). They're starting to use similar metrics and structures as what the old Series A folks used to. For example, doing equity rounds only, no convertible notes, leading rounds and taking on board seats. The seed round is bigger. The Series A is bigger too, and the Series C/D are even bigger yet. Effectively, we're approaching a new normal in the venture landscape, where the criteria for and the size of the round has shifted up a level, but we simply forgot to adjust the nomenclature (yet again).
Here is how I think about it today:
Pre-Seed is the new Seed. (~$500K used for building team and initial product/prototype)
Seed is the new Series A. (~$2M used get for building product, establishing product-market fit and early revenue)
Series A is the new Series B. (~6M-$15M used to scale customer acquisition and revenue)
Series B is the new Series C.
Series C/D is the new Mezzanine
Welcome to the new venture landscape!
(When I was starting K9 Ventures, I used to describe it as a "seed stage fund". I'm now adapting to this new nomenclature by coining the "pre-seed" phrase for the stage at which K9 likes to invest. The goal for K9 is to be the first significant round of funding for a company regardless of the nomenclature.)
You can follow me on Twitter at @ManuKumar or @K9Ventures for just the K9 Ventures related tweets. K9 Ventures is also on Facebook and Google+.
Serendipity happens when scientists, with the support of a company committed to improving the healthRead more...
4 Do's and Dont's Every Startup Investor Should Never Forget AboutRead more...
Often times the wrong people are in senior positionsRead more...


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... or information about the Critical Area Program or questions relating to State oversight of local programs, e-mail us or call 410-260-3460
Critical Area Commission1804 West StreetAnnapolis, MD 21401Telephone:410-260-3460Fax:410-974-5338
One of the goals of Maryland's Critical Area Program is to minimize adverse impacts on water quality that result from pollutants that are discharged from structures and drainageways or that have run off from surrounding lands. To accomplish this goal, the Critical Area regulations include standards for managing and treating stormwater. Improving water quality by removing pollutants is particularly important in heavily developed areas cities and towns, where there are lots of buildings and impervious surfaces such as roads, parking lots, and sidewalks.
In order to effectively implement the Critical Area Program, most jurisdictions use three land use classifications that are defined in the regulations. All land, except federal land, is designated as one of the following classifications, which, in most jurisdictions function as overlay zones:
Most moderately and heavily developed areas are classified as Intensely Developed Areas (IDAs). Urban areas such as Annapolis and Baltimore City include significant land area designated IDA; however, smaller municipalities such as Leonardtown, Chestertown, and Princess Anne also include IDA lands. Generally, IDAs are areas that are developed with residential, commercial, industrial, and institutional land uses and where relatively little natural habitat occurred. IDAs are also considered the preferred locations for future growth through redevelopment and/or new development.
In order to meet the water quality goals of the Critical Area Program, the regulations require that any development or redevelopment within the IDA include practices to reduce water quality impacts associated with stormwater runoff. The regulations further specify that these practices must be capable of reducing stormwater pollutant loads from a development site to a level below that generated by the same site prior to development. These regulations have been in place since the effective date of the Critical Area Program in 1985 and pre-date current stormwater management regulations, implemented by the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE). These regulations and the guidance manual used to implement them are commonly referred to as "The 10% Rule," referring to the required minimum reduction in stormwater pollutants.
The responsibility of implementing the Critical Area regulations is delegated to each local government. Therefore, each jurisdiction must ensure that stormwater pollutants are reduced below pre-development levels for development projects located within the IDA. In order to provide a consistent approach to compliance with the pollutant reduction requirements, the Critical Area Commission developed guidance, which was updated in 2003, entitled "Maryland Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays Critical Area 10% Rule Guidance," that includes a methodology for determining a pollutant removal requirement and for quantifying the pollutants removed by a variety of stormwater best management practices. This guidance referenced and incorporated information included in the Maryland Department of the Environment 2000 Maryland Stormwater Design Manual, Vol. I & II.
Since that time, stormwater management has evolved dramatically in Maryland, both in terms of the overall strategies used to treat stormwater and the most effective types of best management practices (BMPs). In 2000, the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) promulgated regulations and a stormwater design manual to address stormwater management and treatment on development sites throughout the State. In 2009, MDE revised the Code of Maryland Regulations (COMAR) 26.17.02 and the 2000 Maryland Stormwater Design Manual (MDE Design Manual), Vol. I & II to require the use of environmental site design (ESD) practices.
In conjunction with the updates to MDE's stormwater requirements, the Critical Area Commission is currently developing environmental site design criteria for the Critical Area to replace the Commission's current stormwater guidance manual and Appendix D.4 of the MDE Design Manual (2000). The use of environmental site design in the in the Critical Area will integrate compliance with both the Critical Area pollutant removal requirements and MDE's environmental site design regulations with the intent to streamline the stormwater management review process and optimize water quality benefits.
All Maryland counties and their incorporated municipalities are responsible for reviewing and approving stormwater management plans for new development and redevelopment according to the methods specified in the MDE Design Manual. The basic goal of Maryland's stormwater program is to implement ESD practices to the maximum extent practicable (MEP) to replicate runoff characteristics similar to "woods in good condition." This is accomplished when stormwater management measures, including ESD practices, are used to provide treatment for the 1-year rainfall event which is 2.7 inches of rainfall.
The MEP standard is implemented through a comprehensive plan review process that requires plans to be submitted at various stages of design. This allows local reviewers to negotiate options for ESD in the earliest phases of project design. The Design Manual requires that no less than 1-inch of rainfall must be treated using ESD. However, this is not a minimum standard, and the full 2.7 inches of rainfall target must be addressed, using nonstructural and structural stormwater practices when necessary. In all cases, after ESD to the MEP is achieved, runoff conditions replicating woods in good condition for the 1-year storm will be achieved. This is the minimum standard for all development projects in Maryland and includes the Critical Area. Because there is no single design approach to treating stormwater on a given site, sound environmental analysis and engineering judgment is essential to developing strategies that use ESD to the MEP.
When integrating ESD to the MEP and the Critical Area standards for stormwater, it is not always necessary to implement additional best management practices to satisfy the requirements. Rather, in the Critical Area, additional analysis of existing and proposed conditions is done to demonstrate compliance in terms of pollutants removed from stormwater. This pollutant reduction targets the Critical Area Program goal of minimizing impacts to water quality from runoff from surrounding lands. The objective of Critical Area ESD is to ensure that runoff from new development projects does not result in an additional nutrient load to the Chesapeake Bay and that pollutant loads in runoff from redevelopment projects is reduced from original levels. The required pollutant reduction is achieved through the use of optimally functioning resource-based site design and treatment practices.
MDE's design standards use impervious area to be treated or managed as their "currency" or unit of measure while the Critical Area design standards analyze the reduction of phosphorus,a common pollutant found in stormwater. In order to integrate compliance with both Critical Area and MDE standards, the requirements for both programs have been combined in a single spreadsheet compliance tool. In addition, this integrated methodology reflects improvements in the science of stormwater treatment and the engineering of treatment strategies and practices.
Commission staff, working with the Chesapeake Stormwater Network, has developed a draft stormwater guidance manual, entitled Environmental Site Design for the Maryland Critical Area. The manual provides an overview of stormwater treatment in the Critical Area and how ESD standards have been integrated into the design of stormwater management plans. It also includes step-by-step instructions for using the Stormwater Spreadsheet Tool, guidance for optimizing pollutant removal in the Critical Area, and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about compliance with the pollutant reduction requirement in the Critical Area.
Commission staff has developed a Critical Area Stormwater Spreadsheet Tool to allow designers, engineers, and local plan reviewers to evaluate compliance with the new ESD regulations and pollutant removal performance standard. Version 4.0 of the spreadsheet, released in January 2014, enables the user to track 10% phosphorus reductions and ESD volume reductions for new development and redevelopment projects, both inside and outside the Critical Area. The spreadsheet provides, for the first time, a unified basis for addressing both the MDE and Critical Area regulations in a single tool. This tool should help streamline project review and reduce the need for duplicate submittals.
Please note that this spreadsheet is currently in DRAFT form. Furthermore, while the draft spreadsheet currently calculates 10% phosphorus requirements, Commission staff is testing and refining the spreadsheet to evaluate a potential change in phosphorus reduction calculations to match MDE's update to stormwater management requirements. Commission staff will provide updates if and when any such changes are proposed.
Commission staff is seeking feedback on its accuracy and ease of use of the
spreadsheet. We are requesting designers, engineers, and plan reviewers to test
this spreadsheet over the coming months and to send feedback to Nick
Kelly (email@example.com).
Additional information on how to apply the ESD guidelines within the Critical Area, including a step-by-step guide on how to use the new spreadsheet, can be found within the Critical Area ESD webinar, hosted by the Chesapeake Stormwater Network.
580 Taylor Ave., Annapolis MD 21401
Call toll-free in *Maryland* at 1-877-620-8DNR (8367)
Out of State: 410-260-8DNR (8367)


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Just a quick ta-da! and run today. The sun is shining, I have a bag full of portable crochet projects, and an invitation to lunch at the harbour with my big sister!
Remember my restyled charity shop skirt? Well, I used the same method and improvised pattern piece to make another lovely skirt, this time with some of the fabric I bought last week from St Albans market when I was visiting my other sister. I love this fabric (it's at the top of the page in my banner at the moment!) And Katie (lil sis) was of the opinion that it was perfect for me because the white shapes look like "BAMs"!
I have lots more of these skirts planned, including one for next weekend when me and Mr BAM are going to the London Film and Comic Con!
Oh dear. the secret is out. I am a total geek!


text: Recently I finished reading your "Let Every Breath" book and immediately wanted to thank you. It is a deceptively simple book on Breath Work that has changed my outlook on not only training but on my philosophy as well. As a student of martial training for over 20 years, I was finding too much in t..read more >>